Chapter 7: Hold the Knife Steady

“Because it will detect you first and attack proactively.”

Jiang Chen’an’s answer only deepened Gu Xiaomai’s confusion. Could the corrupted creatures really have human-like sensory abilities?

While they spoke, Yumi was already clearing several plants ahead. “Chen, come and test these!”

None of the three had much experience; they tested every plant they came across, determined not to miss a single one.

Mountain No. 1 wasn’t tall—one of the lower peaks in this range—but it covered a vast area and was richly vegetated, making it ideal for searching and harvesting purification plants.

One reason the E4 Battalion chose to camp here was precisely because of the abundance of plants on this mountain.

By the time Gu Xiaomai and the others finished checking their assigned area at the mountain’s base, the sun was already nearing 8 or 9 o’clock.

After so much effort, they hadn’t found a single purification plant, leaving them somewhat disappointed. Yet, they quickly rallied their spirits and began ascending the mountain.

As the sun climbed higher, they finally discovered ten purification Malantou plants amid a large patch.

Their first harvest of the day brought smiles all around.

In Gu Xiaomai’s previous life, Malantou was a rather rare wild vegetable.

She never expected to see so many here.

Unfortunately, the number of purified specimens was too small.

Memories of her childhood flooded her—her father’s Malantou dumplings, the cold Malantou salads, the pickled Malantou preserved vegetables, and the tea brewed with red dates—all made her mouth water uncontrollably. She longed to taste them again.

Not only was Malantou nutritious, but it also nourished the blood, stopped bleeding, and boosted immunity—exactly what she needed now.

Sadly, all of it had to be handed over; she wouldn’t get any for herself.

“Do you know what plant this is?” Yumi asked indifferently.

“Who cares what it is? As long as it tests as a purification plant, that’s all that matters,” she said.

Gu Xiaomai was momentarily speechless. So, as long as it’s a purification plant, they’d collect it regardless?

What if some of them were poisonous? Collecting them might be suicidal.

Yumi carefully harvested the ten purification Malantou plants, treating them like treasures, and placed them into her bag. The trio continued their search.

By noon, they had also found eleven purification shepherd’s purse and four purification wild onions, all carefully picked by Yumi and stowed away.

In the afternoon, Yumi took over the testing while Jiang Chen’an followed behind, harvesting.

The two of them could manage well enough, and Jiang Chen’an even had time to use a machete to clear away dead branches and leaves covering the plants, making it easier for Yumi to test.

The three working together was somewhat inefficient, and since there was little danger so far, Gu Xiaomai suggested scouting for other plants nearby so that when the two finished their area, they could come directly for testing.

“Don’t go far,” Jiang Chen’an cautioned.

Gu Xiaomai smiled brightly. “Don’t worry, I’ll stay where you can see me.”

Mountain No. 1 brimmed with vegetation, and after winter, the ground was thick with fallen leaves and branches.

Some had naturally fallen; others were debris from battles between soldiers and corrupted creatures, blanketing the earth. Without clearing this cover, emerging wild vegetables and grasses would be easily overlooked.

Unknowingly, Gu Xiaomai climbed higher and higher, gradually leaving Jiang Chen’an and Yumi far behind.

As she used a hoe to clear away branches and leaves, a sweet potato leaf suddenly caught her eye.

Delight sparkled in her gaze as she began searching nearby for more sweet potato vines.

Even if only one was a purified sweet potato, she could propagate it to eventually harvest more.

At this moment, Gu Xiaomai was so happy she forgot she wouldn’t be allowed to keep any purification plants.

But her joy was short-lived.

In the eerie silence of Mountain No. 1, she heard faint “thump” sounds, like something falling, interspersed with “whoosh” noises.

Looking up and around cautiously, her curiosity and vigilance quickly shifted to shock.

A one-person-tall lop-eared rabbit was charging down the mountain toward her.

Its originally white fur seemed corroded, mottled with gray-black patches. In the sunlight, it looked even more sinister.

Its blood-red eyes gleamed with greed and madness.

A chill ran down Gu Xiaomai’s spine. She turned and ran, shouting loudly, “Corrupted creature!”

Though she had never seen one before, this had to be one!

She hoped her shout would alert anyone nearby to come quickly and warn others to flee.

As she ran, she cursed Miso Soup in her heart. Was there really no one clearing the area? How could such a crazed giant rabbit go unnoticed?

The sounds behind grew louder and more urgent, and Gu Xiaomai realized she was too slow—this corrupted lop-eared rabbit was closing in fast.

Just as it was