Chapter 55: Flora’s Evolution, Exploring the Idea of Plants Fighting Bugs

Chapter 55: Chapter 55: Flora’s Evolution, Exploring the Idea of Plants Fighting Bugs

Caleb Chase’s words sent Seraphina Sullivan’s mind into turmoil.

She was certain now. Other Players had entered The Insect Frenzy instance before her group.

And the massive insect slaughter Caleb Chase had described was almost certainly done to complete a mission assigned by the System.

It was just like their own mission to retrieve insect corpses.

Those Players had slaughtered The Swarm in droves, all to complete the missions issued by the System.

But they never considered that after they left, their actions would cause the swarms to become even more frenzied and aggressive.

Seraphina Sullivan was lost in thought.

’Why would the System issue a mission like this?’

’Is it just to test the Players, or is there some other motive?’

Looking at the profound pain and hatred in Caleb Chase’s eyes, she suddenly realized the truth: the destruction Players wrought upon this world in the name of completing missions was far more severe than she had ever imagined.

’But why?’

Seraphina Sullivan recalled her actions since entering the instance and felt a wave of uncertainty.

She had only focused on how to survive and complete her missions, never once considering the impact her actions would have on the Native People of this world.

Seraphina Sullivan couldn’t help but wonder, ’What was the Disaster System’s purpose in sending us to this instance?’

’A test of survival?’

’Or were we sent here just to wreak havoc?’

Seraphina Sullivan didn’t know the answer. She was powerless to resist the System; everything she did was simply to stay alive.

Meanwhile, Cheryl Chase was completely baffled. She had no idea what her brother was talking about.

’Three years ago? Wasn’t that right after the Red Fog Substance first appeared?’

The room fell silent.

"So, who are you people, really?" Caleb Chase demanded, his eyes fixed on Justin Brooks and Seraphina Sullivan.

Justin Brooks opened his mouth, but no words came out. Not knowing how to answer, he glanced at Seraphina Sullivan.

Seraphina Sullivan didn’t meet his eyes.

’What’s the use of looking at me?’

’I’m just as confused as he is.’

Seeing them all remain silent, Caleb Chase heaved a long sigh. The weariness on his face, framed by his white hair, was palpable.

"Perhaps you have your reasons for not answering my questions," he said, his low voice heavy with resignation. "But all I want is to protect what little home we have left. Ever since the Red Fog Substance appeared, the insects’ mutations have grown more terrifying, and the number of Insect Speakers has skyrocketed..."

He walked to the window and pointed at the blood-red sky. "And every time ’outsiders’ like you appear, the swarms go into a frenzy. Some insects have even started actively hunting you, as if... as if devouring you grants them new Abilities."

Justin Brooks’s mind reeled as he heard this.

He instinctively looked down at his own hands.

’Could it be? When a Player dies in this world, do the insects absorb their Abilities?’ The thought sent a chill down his spine.

"I’m sorry," Justin Brooks said, his voice strained.

"There are some things we really can’t talk about. But..." He took a deep breath, the sense of duty characteristic of a soldier surging within him. "For as long as we’re here, we’ll do everything we can to help you."

Seraphina Sullivan glanced at Justin Brooks but didn’t object.

She understood the soldier’s sentiment. Anyone would feel a pang of compassion for these ordinary people struggling to survive in the apocalypse.

But for Seraphina, her own safety came first. Still, if she could help without compromising that, she wasn’t entirely opposed to lending a hand.

’There might even be some unexpected rewards.’

Just then, Seraphina felt a stir from her Scavenging Backpack.

She checked it with her mind and saw that Flora, who had been digesting the Spider Queen’s Poisonous Fang in her inventory Space, had awoken.

Seeing Flora, an idea sparked in Seraphina’s mind. She turned to Caleb Chase and said earnestly, "I learned from Cheryl Chase that you can only fight insects and Insect Speakers with weapons made from insect parts. But have you ever considered using the plants that also mutated because of the Red Fog to fight them?"

Caleb Chase was stunned for a moment, then his expression turned incredulous. "Use mutated plants to fight Insect Speakers?"

He shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "That’s not a very funny joke, miss. Those mutated plants are sometimes more dangerous than the insects. We’re just thankful they haven’t decided to use us as fertilizer."

Seraphina keenly sensed that something was off. "You... you haven’t noticed that the mutated plants are actually highly intelligent?"

"Intelligence?" Caleb Chase looked at her as if she’d just told him the most absurd fairy tale.

Even Cheryl Chase looked as if she’d just seen a ghost.

Justin Brooks and Harvey Parker just looked completely bewildered.

Only Tina Lewis kept her emotions hidden, her expression unreadable.

Cheryl Chase spoke up, answering Seraphina’s question. "Those Cannibal Vines and Decaying Flowers attack any living thing on sight. What intelligence is there to speak of? Sure, some mutated plants don’t attack people on sight, but if you enter their territory, they’ll attack any creature indiscriminately."

Now it was Seraphina’s turn to be confused.

She instinctively thought of her Flora.

’A mutated plant like Flora submitted the moment it realized it couldn’t win against me,’ she thought. ’It even acts like a pet, begging for food. How could it be the mindless killing machine Caleb described?’

"Wait a minute..." A possibility suddenly occurred to Seraphina. "The mutated plants you’ve encountered—have they all been in a state of extreme starvation?"

Caleb Chase frowned, thinking back. "Now that you mention it... it’s true that every encounter has been in a resource-depleted area. But we’d be even more afraid to go near a well-fed one. Who knows if it might suddenly go berserk..."

Seraphina’s eyes lit up. She immediately summoned Flora.

Seraphina knew she was taking a risk, but she was confident she could control the situation without revealing her secrets.

When Flora appeared, everyone gasped.

Seraphina also noticed that Flora’s body had undergone some sort of Evolution after absorbing the Spider Queen Poison Fang.

Its green vines had turned deep red.

And they were now covered with sharp, purple protrusions.

It was clearly related to a Poison Sting.

Seraphina scanned it with her Eye of Resume.

[Name: Flora] (Decaying Flower)

[Gender: Female]

[Professional Skills: Strong Digestion, Steel Vine, Poison Sting (Corrosive Poison)]

[Weaknesses: Fear of Flame]

Flora’s stats now showed a new skill: Poison Sting.

It had clearly been gained from absorbing the Spider Queen Poison Fang.

Meanwhile, everyone else was stunned to see Seraphina summon a giant carnivorous plant.

Harvey Parker was shocked that Seraphina possessed some kind of spatial Ability, and a flicker of envy crossed his face.

Justin Brooks, on the other hand, looked unsurprised, assuming it was just another one of Seraphina’s Abilities.

As for the siblings, Caleb and Cheryl Chase, they were simply dumbfounded.

"Is that... a Decaying Flower?!" Caleb Chase exclaimed, stumbling back a step and reflexively raising his weapon. "Watch out! It’ll—"

"Relax," Seraphina said soothingly. She pulled a fist-sized insect from her backpack, and the Decaying Flower immediately and cheerfully wrapped its vine around the food, beginning to nibble on it like a docile pet.

Caleb Chase and the other survivors stared, dumbfounded.

Cheryl’s jaw dropped in astonishment. "It... it’s actually listening to you?"