Chapter 5: Bratty Kids Just Need a Lesson!
“How many Thorny Devil Lizards did you guys run into today? Don’t tell me you didn’t even catch three,” Scarface asked, trying to fish for information.
Their luck today had been good; they had found at least ten Thorny Devil Lizards. These things could turn invisible and were usually hard to find even one of, but today they had encountered quite a few. It was as if the heavens were smiling down on them.
Thinking this, Scarface’s expression grew even more smug.
“We’re naturally not as skilled as you,” Yan Zhou said, not taking the bait.
Scarface stared intently at Yan Zhou’s expression, trying to spot a hint of retreat, but Yan Zhou’s demeanor was calm from beginning to end. Even the people around him looked natural, without a trace of fear.
Could he have been wrong?
Did Yan Zhou also hunt ten Thorny Devil Lizards by himself?
Impossible. He shook the thought from his head.
Thorny Devil Lizards were extremely difficult to deal with. A single sweep of their tail could send a group of people flying. He and his men had only managed to take down a few with great difficulty. Although Yan Zhou was an A-rank ability user, his teammates were all either skinny or weak. Relying on him alone, it was impossible to hunt more than ten.
“Heh.” Scarface then sneered and returned to his own camp.
Li Xiang was the most impatient one. Seeing Scarface’s arrogant behavior made his blood boil. After Scarface left, he nudged Yan Zhou’s arm and whispered, “Brother Yan Zhou, why didn’t you just tell them that we definitely hunted more mutated beasts than them?”
Jiang Ning coolly interjected, “Tell them, and then wait for them to just quit on us?”
“You—” Li Xiang stammered “you” for a long time but couldn’t get anything else out.
Jiang Ning gave him a deep look. Li Xiang was really so naive it was almost cute.
But she could understand that a child’s way of thinking was always about winning or losing.
“Jiang Ning is right. Scarface is the type to go back on his word. If he finds out that the number of beasts we’ve hunted might exceed theirs, he probably won’t put in his full effort to help hunt when we go deep into the central zone tomorrow,” Yan Zhou nodded in agreement.
Yan Zhengxiang’s face showed worry. He said hesitantly, “Son, we’ve already hunted enough Thorny Devil Lizards today. Do we really have to risk going deep into the central zone?”
Uncle Li and Auntie Li were also a bit worried. They had heard that the central zone was very dangerous, a place even the military didn’t dare to tread lightly. However, they didn’t have much say in the matter and could only look at Yan Zhou with pleading eyes.
Yan Zhou frowned. “Dad, the market price for a rare low-level mutated beast like the Thorny Devil Lizard has been pushed down to 35 star coins each. What we’ve hunted isn’t even enough to split among a few people. I can’t just turn back now.”
Seeing Yan Zhou’s firm attitude, Yan Zhengxiang had no choice but to keep quiet.
The group quickly set up three tents.
Jiang Ning and Auntie Li shared one tent, while the two pairs of fathers and sons each took one.
After the tents were set up, they gathered around and started eating the food they had brought.
The battle with the Thorny Devil Lizards during the day had consumed a lot of their stamina. Even with the method Jiang Ning had taught them, the intensity of the exertion was too much for them.
Yan Zhou noticed that only Auntie Li had come out of the tent she shared with Jiang Ning. He asked, “Where’s Jiang Ning?”
“Oh, she said she drank a tube of nutrient solution in the truck and isn’t hungry now, so she went straight to sleep,” Auntie Li said.
“Where did she get a nutrient solution?” Li Xiang’s voice held a strange tone.
How could that poor wretch have a nutrient solution!
Auntie Li shrugged. “I don’t know either. But Jiang Ning was very firm that she really wasn’t hungry, so I couldn’t persuade her any further.”
“If she doesn’t want to eat with us, then so be it.” Li Xiang took a large swig of the nutrient solution in his hand.
Inside the tent.
Jiang Ning lay on her sleeping mat, her eyes glazed over again as she stared at the ceiling of the tent.
The more resolute her refusal of Auntie Li’s invitation had been, the more she wanted to cry now.
Nutrient solution?
Just as Li Xiang had said.
She didn’t have any such thing!
Jiang Ning swallowed hard, her right hand stroking her empty, shriveled stomach.
It had been three days, and she had only eaten that one tube of nutrient solution Yan Zhou had given her. She could still remember it was vegetable-flavored.
It’s not a big deal.
Jiang Ning comforted herself internally.
Just sleep.
Once you’re asleep, you won’t be hungry.
In her dream.
Jiang Ning dreamt she was surrounded by all kinds of vegetables.
Mushrooms taller than people grew all over the ground, and the cabbages were even fatter than the Thorny Devil Lizards she had seen today.
Corn, peas, chili peppers…
In her dream, she was enjoying a paradise made entirely of plants.
In reality, however, she suddenly felt an itch on her face, her wonderful dream disturbed.
Jiang Ning groggily opened her eyes. The next second, she was wide awake.
Beneath her, a small green sprout was emerging.
The fluffy green leaves were brushing against her face, which was what made it feel itchy.
Jiang Ning recognized it at a glance as a sunflower seed.
Didn’t they say nothing grows in the contaminated zone? How could a plant grow here?
Jiang Ning’s mind was full of questions.
And they hadn’t seen this sunflower seedling when they were setting up the tent.
It was as if it had appeared out of thin air.
Jiang Ning quickly got up and rushed outside, searching for Yan Zhou.
She might be ignorant, but that didn’t mean others were.
Yan Zhou was talking with Auntie Li about Li Xiang. Seeing Jiang Ning come looking for him in a hurry, Yan Zhou quickly asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Um, a new sprout suddenly appeared where I was sleeping,” Jiang Ning said, pointing to the tent she shared with Auntie Li.
“A new sprout?” Yan Zhou was also very surprised. “How could a plant grow in this place?”
“I’ll go with you to take a look,” Yan Zhou said.
“Okay.” Jiang Ning nodded.
Not far away, Li Xiang saw Jiang Ning come out and hurry over to Yan Zhou. After they spoke, they seemed to be planning to leave together. For some reason, he loudly called out to his mother, “Mom, what are you guys talking about?”
Auntie Li paused, stopping in her tracks to wait for Li Xiang for a moment.
She explained, “Jiang Ning said a plant grew in our tent. We were just about to go take a look.”
“A plant? I’ll go take a look too.” Li Xiang wanted to join in the fun.
After saying that, he didn’t forget to call out to the other two. “Dad, Uncle Yan, you guys come too.”
And so.
Jiang Ning saw a large group of people crowded around her small bed.
“Are you sure this plant just grew now?” Yan Zhou asked uncertainly.
“Yes, yes.” Jiang Ning nodded. “I was just sleeping, and this sunflower seedling suddenly popped up. It tickled my face, and that’s what woke me up.”
“Is that so?” Yan Zhou rubbed his chin. “This is the first time I’ve encountered such a situation. I’ve never seen a plant suddenly sprout in the uninhabited zone before.”
“Did anything unusual happen while you were sleeping?” Yan Zhou asked.
“I dreamt of a group of plants taller than people. Does that count?” Jiang Ning rubbed her nose.
In her dream, she had been so hungry that she had thrown herself into the pile of plants and started gnawing on them.
Jiang Ning would never say something so embarrassing out loud.
“Could this be a plant-based ability?!” Uncle Li exclaimed.
“What!” Everyone turned their heads in unison to look at Uncle Li.
Uncle Li gave an awkward laugh. “I heard it from someone else. A plant-based ability user’s power is to summon plants, which is similar to Jiang Ning’s situation.”
“You’ve awakened!” Yan Zhou looked at Jiang Ning with delight.
“Didn’t you say you need an instrument to test if you’ve awakened or not?” Jiang Ning looked at him in surprise.
“A portion of ability users show signs when they awaken. Of course, testing with an instrument is more accurate,” Yan Zhou said.
The poor wretch Jiang Ning was ecstatic. So she had really awakened a plant-based ability!
Now she wouldn’t have to worry about food and drink!
The expressions on the faces of the people in the tent varied. Some were happy for Jiang Ning, while others were jealous, like Li Xiang.
“It’s just a useless plant-based ability. What’s there to be happy about?” Li Xiang’s words were laced with sourness.
Even so, that orphan Jiang Ning had awakened, and he hadn’t!
Only! He! Hadn’t!
Li Xiang was so angry.
“Jiang Ning, hurry up and try your ability,” Auntie Li urged Jiang Ning.
“Okay.” Jiang Ning thought about how she had summoned the plant seedling just now.
It seemed to be a strong desire for plants in her mind.
Jiang Ning recalled that conviction and held her breath.
One second, two seconds, three seconds passed.
There was still nothing in front of her.
“?”
What’s going on?
Jiang Ning closed her eyes and tried again.
Still, nothing was summoned.
“Hahahaha.” Li Xiang let out a mocking laugh.
Knowing that Jiang Ning hadn’t actually awakened an ability, he felt much more balanced.
Jiang Ning let out an annoyed ‘tsk’.
Li Xiang said, “I thought you had really awakened. Turns out you’re not even a useless plant-based user.”
Li Xiang was still chattering on.
Jiang Ning endured and endured. The next moment, she clenched her hand into a fist, veins popping, and punched Li Xiang in the face.
Damn it, bratty kids just need a lesson!
“Jiang Ning, why did you hit me!” Li Xiang shrieked, clutching his face.
Jiang Ning: “You talk less.”
Not a single nice word came out of his mouth.
After teaching Li Xiang a lesson, Jiang Ning returned to her previous listless state.
It was all just a beautiful misunderstanding.
She hadn’t awakened.
She was still that same destitute orphan.
Jiang Ning: “…”
Li Xiang: “?” You hit me, and you’re the one acting all wronged?!
Yan Zhou squatted beside her, the comforting words he wanted to say getting stuck in his throat.
Anyone who learned they had awakened one second only to have it slapped away the next would not be able to take it.
The tent was silent.
Only Li Xiang’s occasional sobs could be heard. He was trembling with anger, crying to Auntie Li.
“Mom! Jiang Ning hit me!”
That dog Jiang Ning, she’s so good at pretending!
Due to overexertion and hunger, Jiang Ning hadn’t used much force at all. Li Xiang’s face was only slightly red and didn’t hurt at all.
But Li Xiang felt as if his face had been brutally stomped on by Jiang Ning, and he was extremely unwilling to let it go.
Auntie Li looked at the red mark on Li Xiang’s face, pulled the crying Li Xiang and said, “Alright, alright, you say a few words less. Let Jiang Ning be alone for a while.”
“Let’s all go out and let Jiang Ning have some quiet, Old Li.”
Old Li also knew he had misspoken. He shouldn’t have opened his big mouth and mentioned the plant-based ability.
Sigh! What a mess this had turned into.
The look in Yan Zhou’s eyes was dark and unreadable. He took a careful look at Jiang Ning, then left the tent with Yan Zhengxiang.
Instantly, only Jiang Ning was left in the tent again.
Actually, she had already gotten over it after punching Li Xiang.
She was silent because she was pondering why the sunflower seed had appeared just like that, but when she tried to summon it in the same way, it didn’t work.
What had she overlooked?
Jiang Ning stared blankly at the sunflower seedling on the ground.
She thought for a moment and prepared to pull it out by the roots.
But the moment her fingers touched the sunflower seedling, a warm current flowed continuously from her fingertips into the plant’s stem and leaves.
The sunflower seedling visibly grew twice as thick.
Jiang Ning: “Huh?”
Something’s not right!