From Apocalypse Boss to Farmer: My Vegetables Make Me Stronger!-Chapter 211 - 202: Planting Seedlings

Gu Xi whirled around and looked up at him.

"What are you trying to say?"

Gu Xi’s memories of those thirty years were still a blur. Only fragmented images would occasionally flash through her mind.

The only thing she could be certain of was that she had originally escaped from City A.

But she had no memory of how she got to the NX1984 Area afterward.

Ye Junhan stepped closer. "Two years ago, I took a trip to City A with Mr. Li while on leave. I saw something there that slowly started to bring back some memories..."

At first, the memories that resurfaced were hazy. It was only after spending time with Gu Xi these past few months that he gradually remembered more.

And... a memory from his childhood he had long forgotten.

"Xiaoxi, do you remember how you ended up in City A?" Ye Junhan asked, looking down at her, an inscrutable emotion swirling in his dark eyes.

Gu Xi slowly shook her head. Her memories of that time were a complete mess.

After she returned to the Central Base, everyone she knew from the past seemed to deliberately avoid the subject.

No one asked her how she had managed to return.

Not even Li Ming.

Gu Xi hadn’t thought anything of it before, since she couldn’t figure it out herself.

But now... Gu Xi lowered her gaze.

’If there’s anyone in this world who wanted me back the most, it had to be Li Ming, and... my old friends.’

’To get me back, he—or rather, *they*—would probably stop at nothing!’

Qi Xiang had said that years ago, Dr. Qi had mentioned the fusion of plant and animal species, calling it the "third great mutation" of the natural world.

’And Ye Xin is the vice president of the Abnormal Ability Research Institute. Given her relationship with Dr. Qi, there’s no way she didn’t know about it!’

’If Ye Xin knew, then Li Ming would know.’

’With Li Ming’s cunning, skills, and connections, if he decided to use this to his advantage, he could definitely make something happen.’

Gu Xi had no doubt about that.

If Li Ming and the others had really orchestrated this whole crisis, forcing certain people to let her return and clean up the mess... an indescribable weight settled over Gu Xi’s heart.

The little green sprout sensed its master’s heavy heart and began spinning restlessly on her fingertip. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Ye Junhan’s hand, hanging at his side, curled slightly.

’He longed to hug the poor girl who had been chosen all those years ago, just like he would have when they were children. But that little girl was grown up now. He didn’t know if he... if he still could...’

After a long moment of silence with her head down, Gu Xi looked up. "I’ll get to the bottom of this."

’Ye Junhan is one of Li Ming’s people, and he’s always worked under Xiao Yu. For him to bring up his trip to City A with Li Ming now, he must have realized something.’

’He’s warning me that things aren’t as simple as they seem.’

Gu Xi gave him a long, meaningful look before turning and striding away.

***

Wei Heng raised a hand to rub his throbbing temples, repeatedly glancing toward the edge of the camp.

A moment ago, Qi Xiang had run over, saying something was very wrong with Gu Xi. She said Gu Xi seemed to be consumed by a murderous, hostile aura—so cold and menacing that Qi Xiang’s instincts screamed at her not to get close.

Qi Xiang was worried she would lose control...

After hearing this, Wei Heng had rushed over, only to be stopped by Zhao Qingxiao, who told him that their captain was over there as well.

Wei Heng looked up, casting a conflicted glance at the small hill in the distance, but ultimately decided not to follow.

Just then, some people from the Abnormal Ability Research Institute approached.

The incident today had been sudden. The Institute’s convoy had lost several vehicles, and nearly everyone was injured. If the Special Service Team hadn’t been in the area and arrived so quickly to help, everyone from the Institute might have been wiped out.

Xu Hai, his arm in a sling, walked straight up to the two men. "Where’s Mr. Ye? I need to see him about something urgent."

Neither Wei Heng nor Zhao Qingxiao seemed eager to deal with them. Just then, Ye Nan stepped out from the crowd. "Wei Heng, we’ve extracted some biological samples from the giant tail... Jun Han."

Ye Junhan and Gu Xi emerged from the darkness, one after the other.

Ye Nan went up and whispered something to Ye Junhan.

The group returned to the Institute’s research area, where the hybrid giant-tailed monster from before was now being held.

Ye Nan pointed at the giant-tailed monster on the floor and looked up at Ye Junhan. "Jun Han, if you would."

Ye Junhan nodded. The curved blade in his hand spun, a flash of white light streaked through the air, and in the next instant, the blade was already back in its sheath at his hip.

A few feet away, a foot-long tip of the giant-tailed monster’s long tail fell to the ground.

Ye Nan walked over, picked up the severed tail tip, and placed it inside a black case made of some special material.

Standing off to the side, Gu Xi glanced over. ’Is that... some kind of special nutrient solution in the case?’

She raised an eyebrow, wondering what Ye Nan was up to.

Just then, Qi Xiang took two curious steps forward. "Huh," she muttered, staring at the monster’s stump. "Is it... growing back?"

’But isn’t it already dead?’

’How strange.’

"Its biogenetics are unique," Ye Nan explained, turning to the others after a moment of thought. "Its current state, for instance... is like a plant that’s been uprooted. It appears dead, but give it enough nutrients, and it can live again."

Plants have always been known for their tenacious vitality.

This thing was probably an enhanced version of that.

Qi Xiang thought for a moment, then rested her chin on her hand. "So, it’s actually a plant?"

Ye Nan froze, instinctively pressing down on the case in front of her. "Well, not exactly..."

But Qi Xiang cut her off. She pointed to the case in Ye Nan’s hands and tilted her head. "So you called us all here and had Ye Junhan cut off a piece just so you could take it back and plant it like a cutting?"

Ye Nan was speechless.

The others were also speechless.

Gu Xi’s gaze shifted from Ye Nan to the hybrid giant-tailed monster. ’It has thick, tough flesh and is covered in hard black scales. Ordinary weapons probably couldn’t even pierce its hide.’

’But the Abnormal Ability Research Institute has plenty of ways to do that. They shouldn’t have any trouble.’

’And yet, Ye Nan specifically asked Ye Junhan for help, and did it so openly in front of everyone...’

Gu Xi’s eyes narrowed as an idea flashed through her mind.

Just then, a clamor of footsteps echoed from outside.

"Tch. Look at that, everyone’s here." He Yue strolled in with several people in tow. His eyes slowly swept across the room as he gave a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. "Having a meeting? Why didn’t anyone from the Guard Team get an invitation?"

Ye Nan frowned, instinctively looking toward Ye Junhan.

He Yue, however, walked up to Xu Hai. "Mr. Xu, injured your arm? Why haven’t you asked Miss Ye to heal it for you?"

Xu Hai gritted his teeth. "That’s no concern of yours, Mr. He." ’If it weren’t for He Yue, I wouldn’t even be injured in the first place. But no one else can know about that.’

’Especially not the Special Service Team.’

Xu Hai paused, then continued, "Besides, it’s just a minor injury. It’s nothing. Xiaonan’s ability is precious; we should save it for those with more severe injuries. Who knows what else might happen on this trip? It’s always best to be prepared, isn’t it?"

His reasoning was perfectly sound.

"Is that so..." He Yue drawled, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Mr. Xu, you’re truly a man of principle."

At the side, Qi Xiang backed up next to Gu Xi. Her gaze flickered between the two men before she whispered, "I don’t know... something feels off."

’Something was definitely off.’

’He Yue was obviously here looking for trouble.’