Chapter 106: Preferences Don't Change, Young, Beautiful, and Great! (Please Read)
Inside the conference room at Mingzhu Base,
Yan Ruoying glanced down at her green vest, camouflage pants, and black boots, and asked uncertainly,
"Chief General, will Mr. Lu like me like this?"
"How about I change into a skirt?"
Qiu Keqin smiled.
"Be more confident. You are undoubtedly the most beautiful pilot in our flight group."
"Mr. Lu has over twenty unique women around him, many of them wearing skirts, but none in combat uniforms."
"He'll definitely like your wild aura."
At this point, he suddenly turned serious.
"I emphasize again, there's no need to hide your identity. Just be yourself."
"Mr. Lu possesses many abilities and unfathomable strength. We can't yet determine what he dislikes."
"But one thing is certain: no one likes being deceived."
"As for your reasons for participating in the beauty pageant, just tell him what you actually want. That won't be a problem for him."
A glint of hope shone in Yan Ruoying's eyes at the last part.
She was born in an impoverished mountainous area. Although her salary had improved her family's lot significantly in recent years, they still lived in the same forested area.
The southwestern mountainous region was characterized by complex terrain and dense jungle.
Under these conditions, the base could not find her family unless they sent thousands of soldiers into the mountains to search.
She had repeatedly requested to fly a plane to search for her family, but was always rejected.
Planes had more important uses, and there was no place to land.
The ten-meter-high black fog made it impossible for her to land.
Last night, she was summoned to a conference room alone.
Qiu Keqin told her that only one person could help her find her family as quickly as possible.
Now she had her chance .
Furthermore, this was a mission issued by the entire organization, requiring a qualified individual to carry it out.
After learning the mission's content and objectives, although she thought Mr. Lu was a bit strange, it was indeed her only hope.
A person who commanded the close attention and caution of all major bases must possess immense power.
Only such a person could possibly help her find her family.
Therefore, she agreed without hesitation.
One reason was that she had seen Lu Zheng's photo and thought he was quite handsome and youthful, and that she wouldn't be at a disadvantage at all.
"General, I understand."
"Please rest assured, the organization, I will complete the mission and will not allow him to do anything that harms society,"
Yan Ruoying promised.
She didn't need to participate in the initial auditions and would directly participate in the final judging.
The entire Pearl Base had been publicized for a day and a night to ensure everyone was aware of the news.
Upon hearing the news, people were initially skeptical.
Only after ensuring everyone knew the truth did they fully believe it.
At the same time, they were also extremely curious about what kind of powerful being could have persuaded the base officials to cooperate in such an absurd act.
Although this beauty pageant was ostensibly about selecting beautiful attendants,
everyone knew exactly what it was.
Some beautiful women, who had previously endured little hardship but now found themselves in a precarious position at the bottom of society, were tempted to participate.
The registration area quickly filled up.
Thirty luxury RVs were parked side by side. Anyone whose appearance was approved by Tian Wei and Yun Yishan was allowed inside. After five minutes of washing up, they were allowed to wait in the large tent behind the RVs.
As Lu Zheng's foot-warming maids, Tian Wei and Yun Yishan were both campus beauties and naturally understood Lu Zheng's discerning tastes. Those
with appearances below an eight-point mark were not even allowed to wash up inside the RVs.
After washing up, they returned to the tent for a physical examination by Qiao Sijia, Pang Ruoyu, and Tang Cailin before being considered to have passed the initial screening.
Lu Zheng was a generous man. All women participating in the event who didn't pass the screening could receive five steamed buns. Bai Zhihui
was in charge of distributing the buns, assisted by Ding Nannan and Wen Wanqing.
Lu Zheng felt quite relaxed.
He was still enjoying a massage on the luxury cruise ship, eating fruit while absorbing crystal cores and clicking on the sword-controlling skill book.
It was nothing more than a love of learning.
He was actually quite looking forward to it.
Mingzhu City, as one of the most prosperous cities, was home to many beautiful women.
The more prosperous the city, the more beautiful women there were, and resources were converging on the big cities because their beauty could be realized in greater value there.
Humans are driven by profit.
To be able to resist this drive is to be a saint.
Mingzhu Base, as the only large base in Mingzhu City, must have housed many beautiful women in distress.
In the apocalypse, their beauty still held value.
However, if it fell into the hands of others, its value would be greatly reduced, and they could even lose their lives.
Only with Lu Zheng can they maximize their benefits.
Everyone has their own destiny. Lu Zheng has given them an opportunity. It depends on whether they can seize it.
He is not asking for too much now.
After the initial screening, Shi Xueqi, Tao Yingshi, Yu Zihan and Peng Huilan will re-screen them.
Through past inquiries, professional skills checks and so on.
They must strive for perfection.
Lu Zheng thinks that the one that can catch the eyes of the four of them should at least be a high-level material card.
If an extraordinary material card can be drawn in this beauty pageant, Lu Zheng will feel satisfied.
If there are two, it will be a big profit.
He plans to find other bases to hold a few more! Only by casting
a wide net can you reap big rewards.
In fact, it is mainly because he is kind-hearted and can't bear to see those beauties living on the streets. He is capable enough to give them a home, which is what he should do.
There are too many candidates, and he was busy until 11:30 in the morning.
At lunch, Tao Yingshi excitedly said,
"Honey, I saw so many good friends at this beauty pageant, including some star actresses like me and Sister Xueqi. Are you looking forward to it?"
Lu Zheng smiled and said,
"Of course I am. After all, this is a gift you gave me personally, so I have to cherish it."
Yu Zihan said,
"Since ancient times, only emperors and princes have been treated this way. I just hope that when you find a new lover, you won't banish us to the cold palace."
"Otherwise, I'm afraid they'll point at us and call us clowns,"
Lu Zheng replied nonchalantly.
"Are you stupid? Can't you recruit some younger, prettier ones and turn them into old ones too?"
Su Baitao leaned over Lu Zheng and said,
"That's a good idea."
"No matter how many new and old people there are, I'll definitely be the most famous one."
"As long as my husband's preferences remain the same, I'm not afraid of anything,"
Lu Zheng assured.
"Don't worry about that. My preferences won't change. Young, beautiful, and big—those are the three!"
Chapter 107: Become Mine, Tomorrow! (Please Read)
If this were a normal society, they might be a little worried,
worried about losing their youth and beauty.
But now they have a tonic pill, something that practically guarantees eternal youth.
Not only have they not aged, but they've become even more radiant and attractive, looking years younger than before.
If nothing unexpected happens, as long as they can keep receiving the tonic pill from Lu Zheng, they'll be able to maintain their youthful and beautiful state.
The only concern is that Lu Zheng has an increasing number of women, and he might not be able to manage his time.
This could mean that some who don't like competition might miss out on opportunities to interact and meet with him.
But last night's swimsuit show was a great way to do this.
Lu Zheng also said he would hold more similar events in the future, so everyone who wants to show up has a chance.
Also, last night's groupings showed that they've actually formed small groups,
which Lu Zheng didn't object to.
With so many people, it's impossible for everyone to do everything together.
It's also good for them to form small groups based on their different personality traits and play together.
He certainly can't observe every woman in detail; there will always be things he overlooks.
Women helping women should be done at this time.
It was 4:30 in the afternoon, and the first Pearl Base Beauty Pageant was successfully concluded.
A total of 129 people passed the initial screening, but only 11 passed the re-screening.
These 11 people were qualified to be interviewed by Lu Zheng.
They passed through the space gate and came to a large stage on the luxury yacht. There was a group of people sitting in the seats in front of the stage.
The one in the middle was naturally Lu Zheng, and the others were his women who came to watch the fun. The
eleven women who came on stage were trembling with fear.
After all, the women around Lu Zheng were all top-notch because of his nurturing. Being scrutinized by so many beauties made them, who were originally confident, lose some confidence.
Fang Yiqiu, who had just officially joined the big family, took the initiative to be the host. She wanted to show herself in front of Lu Zheng more, so as to get more body-strengthening pills and other rewards for herself and her daughter.
"Congratulations on entering the final stage. The person sitting below is Mr. Lu. If you are lucky enough to pass the selection, you will become our sisters and have everything you want."
"Now, step forward one by one and show yourselves!"
"There is no limit to the duration or format. As long as the boss says you are satisfied, you can stay."
"First, Yan Ruoying."
Yan Ruoying, still wearing a green vest, stepped forward, stood up straight, and held her head high.
"Hello, Mr. Lu, I am Yan Ruoying. I am 24 years old this year. I am a fighter pilot. I have won the second-class merit once, the third-class merit four times, and I won the runner-up in the military pilot competition."
"I am 1.74 meters tall and weigh 118 kilograms. I am in good physical condition and very flexible. Please give me your instructions."
Lu Zheng looked at her with a satisfied expression.
[Ding! Survivors found, testing underway.
[Name: Yan Ruoying]
[Age: 24]
[Status: Ace Pilot of the Tornado Combat Squadron]
[Evaluation: Beautiful, agile, decisive and discerning, kind-hearted and principled, self-reliant, understanding of the bigger picture, and a broad perspective]
[Conclusion: Meets the four requirements of 'virtuous and virtuous, both beautiful and intelligent'. Successfully protected, and awarded a Super Quality Unlimited Supplies Card.]
Yan Ruoying is similar to the previously discovered Cao Lei, both exceptional women with outstanding combat prowess.
Naturally, her other qualities are also not bad. To receive the 'virtuous' evaluation suggests she has done many good deeds and holds strong convictions.
Lu Zheng nodded and waved,
"Satisfied? Come and sit next to me."
Yan Ruoying, however, stood on the stage and asked,
"Boss, when can you help me find my family?"
Lu Zheng smiled and said,
"Be mine tonight, and you can do it tomorrow."
Yan Ruoying then walked over to Lu Zheng and took the empty seat to his right. The girl
with the twin ponytails who had been sitting next to her said,
"My name is Yu Bingxia. I'm 160cm tall and weigh 80kg. I'm a professional esports player and have won the best player award for three consecutive seasons."
"Boss, my family is at Mingzhu Base. If I follow you, can they come here too?"
Lu Zheng shook his head.
"This place is specifically for me and my woman."
"Your family can be sent to Jinge Building in Canglan City. That's my base camp, and the living conditions are excellent."
"Perhaps you'd like to stay at Mingzhu Base. I can support that."
"I plan to set up a separate base in a high-rise building in Mingzhu City. If you want to stay here and develop, you can stay."
"We have a teleportation array, so it's very convenient for you to stay here and be with me."
As he spoke, Lu Zheng had already made his assessment of Yu Bingxia.
[Ding! Survivors found, testing in progress.
[Name: Yu Bingxia]
[Age: 18]
[Occupation: Professional esports player, game streamer]
[Evaluation: Lively and adorable, charmingly tsundere, has a wide viewing experience, is morally sound, principled, and possesses independent judgment]
[Conclusion: Meets the three requirements of 'virtuous,' 'beautiful,' and 'intelligent.' Successful asylum application, receiving a high-level resource card]
Yu Bingxia looks somewhat childish and has a small frame. She needs to take more tonic pills to strengthen her body.
After hearing Lu Zheng's response, she nodded and smiled,
"Sure, that puts my mind at ease."
"Boss, when can we play games together?"
Lu Zheng beckoned.
"Come over, let me see how good you are."
Yu Bingxia came bouncing over, her ponytails bouncing, looking cheerful.
This girl was quite bold. She didn't even look for a seat, but sat directly in Lu Zheng's arms.
Then, she took a lychee from the one Tian Wei had just peeled for Lu Zheng and put it in her mouth.
Tian Wei was about to say something when Yu Bingxia smiled sweetly at her.
"Thank you, sister."
Now, Tian Wei didn't know what to say to her.
Lu Zheng laughed heartily.
This little girl must have seen so much nonsense, and her little tricks were quite interesting.
He looked at the stage and pointed at the girl who had just been next to Yu Bingxia.
"Introduce yourself."
The girl seemed a little timid.
Before coming here, they all changed their clothes. According to Tao Yingshi, they could dress in a way that reflected their profession and made them more distinctive.
The girl was wearing a delivery uniform, obviously a delivery girl.
Shu Qingyao raised her head and looked at Lu Zheng, mustering up the courage to say:
"I, my name is Shu Qingyao, I'm nineteen years old, a freshman, and also a delivery girl."
As she spoke, she suddenly knelt on the ground.
"Boss, my mother is sick, and I can't contact them now. Please, help me find my mother."
"I'll do anything you ask me to do!"
Chapter 108: Checked the lines, doesn't meet the requirements! (Please read on)
Lu Zheng looked at Shu Qingyao.
She wore no makeup, and her face wasn't smooth, but it was wrinkle-free and acne-free, with a tan.
Her eyes were large and watery, and she wore medium-length hair that fell to her shoulders.
Her delivery uniform couldn't hide her graceful curves, and she clenched her hands, appearing a little nervous.
[Ding! Survivor found, testing in progress]
[Name: Shu Qingyao]
[Age: 19]
[Identity: First-year student at Mingzhu Normal University, delivery driver]
[Evaluation: Hardworking and pragmatic, thoughtful, with a beautiful figure and good looks, able to distinguish right from wrong, assertive, and possessing basic judgment]
[Conclusion: Meets the requirements of 'virtuous,' 'beautiful,' and 'intelligent.' Successful asylum application, eligible for a high-level resource card]
This girl, at first glance, seemed clean.
In short, she was refreshing.
Unlike the impetuous air of most girls, she felt down-to-earth from the first glance.
She was a good girl who could make a living.
Unfortunately, in this apocalyptic environment, it was already difficult for her to survive.
Not to mention finding her family, which was practically impossible.
In the end, she was only able to be captured by a villain like Lu Zheng.
"Where are your mother and the others?"
Shu Qingyao quickly replied,
"In Hongye City, Zhongyang County."
Lu Zheng nodded and said,
"It's quite close. We can go there early tomorrow morning. Come down and rest. We've passed."
Shu Qingyao, a look of joy on her face, trotted down and sat down next to Yan Ruoying.
"Next,"
Yu Bingxia said from Lu Zheng's arms.
She was quite familiar.
Two people stepped forward, one of them, a woman in ancient costume, spoke first.
"Hello, boss. My name is Zheng Jialing. I'm a singer and an actress."
"Xueqi, Shishi, and I all know me. I'm 27 years old, 164cm tall, and weigh 100kg. I specialize in playing female knights."
She wore an indigo-colored corseted dress, the collar and cuffs embroidered with flowing clouds in silver thread. Her dark hair was tied up in a ponytail, secured with a single wooden hairpin, a few strands cascading over her heroic brows.
She wore a sword at her waist, and with that, she drew it, performing a mid-air front split and landing with a flourish.
She clearly had considerable martial arts and dance skills, and her swordhandling was very steady.
Behind her, Tao Yingshi spoke,
"Honey, Sister Jialing is very well-known in the industry. She never does kissing scenes, and she's never been involved in any scandals."
"She's one of those rare actresses who keeps her composure."
[Ding!] A survivor has been found and is being tested.]
[Name: Zheng Jialing]
[Age: 27]
[Identity: singer, actor]
[Evaluation: had affairs with multiple directors, has a chaotic private life, evaded taxes, has bad conduct, is good at disguising himself, creates a persona, and fools the public]
[Conclusion: Does not meet the requirements]
Lu Zheng's face turned cold.
He looked at Pang Ruoyu and Tang Cailin and asked,
"Have you checked this person inside and out?"
Pang Ruoyu said,
"We only checked the lines. Later, Shishi happened to come over, and she followed Shishi to chat."
At this time, Tao Yingshi seemed to realize something and her face turned pale.
She quickly came to Lu Zheng and knelt down.
"Husband, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. It's just that Zheng Jialing did help me before, and I didn't notice that she used me to avoid the inspection."
On the other side, Shi Xueqi also walked up to Lu Zheng, lowered her head and said,
"I'm also wrong."
"Because she is a senior, I didn't ask too many questions. I just talked about her experience."
When Zheng Jialing heard the conversation between Lu Zheng and the other two, a trace of panic suddenly appeared on her originally calm face. She tried to keep herself calm and asked:
"Mr. Lu, I don't know what you think of me. Don't you think my looks don't meet your requirements?"
"Although I am 27 years old, my skin is not much different from these girls."
"I am proud of my figure, and I have good dancing skills, which can bring you greater happiness."
"What's wrong with me?"
Lu Zheng said coldly:
"A broken car that has been through who knows how many hands, no matter how many layers of paint are applied to the surface, it can't change the fact that the engine is severely worn."
"Xueqi, send her back."
Zheng Jialing didn't care about pretending when she heard it, and hurried forward and said:
"I am a big star, many people know me, you will definitely feel more conquered when playing with me than playing with a delivery man."
"Let me stay, I know a lot of moves, you can play wherever you want."
Lu Zheng was unmoved, but Shu Qingyao lowered her head in inferiority when she heard it.
"In my eyes, you are not even as good as one of Qingyao's fingers."
Shu Qingyao looked at Lu Zheng in surprise, but the latter pulled her over and pressed her against Yu Bingxia's body and kissed her.
Yu Bingxia's eyes widened, she never expected that she would become a cushion.
Shu Qingyao blushed and shrank back, sitting on the chair shyly and not daring to look up.
Kissing a man with so many people watching was really embarrassing for her.
However, being used as a cushion was even more uncomfortable.
Yu Bingxia was not one to suffer a loss, so she immediately put her arms around Lu Zheng's neck and kissed him.
Lu Zheng tried his best to meet this small request.
Until Yu Bingxia was breathless, her face flushed and she buried her head in his arms.
Zheng Jialing had been dragged into the teleportation array by Shi Xueqi and Tao Yingshi and sent back to the Mingzhu base.
When she arrived at the Mingzhu base, she could no longer hold back and knelt on the ground, hugging Shi Xueqi's legs.
"Xueqi, please give me one more chance!"
"Let me show you my skills. He'll definitely like them."
"I don't want to live that precarious life anymore. I want to live as exquisitely as you all."
"Since I helped you before, please help me!"
Shi Xueqi said coldly.
"You could have just explained the situation to us directly. I could have given you some crystal cores to make you a powerful psychic."
"But you shouldn't have deceived and exploited us."
"My husband already hates you. There's no need to disgust us anymore."
These words completely broke Zheng Jialing's defenses.
She was furious.
"Shi Xueqi, why are you pretending to be so noble?"
"I just don't believe that you can still be clean after being in this circle for so long."
"I have worked with no less than a hundred directors and producers, and you must have worked with no less than eighty."
"He can drive me out, and he can drive you out too."
Tao Yingshi said with disappointment on the side:
"I thought you were really a person who was not stained by the mud, and I took you as a role model, but I didn't expect that you were already covered in dirt."
"Okay, take care of yourself!"
As soon as the voice fell, she asked the subordinates guarding here to drag Zheng Jialing away.
Seeing Zheng Jialing being dragged away, the remaining few people were a little surprised.
They didn't expect that this popular star was also eliminated, and they were a little uneasy.
Lu Zheng pointed to a woman in an apron and said:
"Go on, start with you."
Chapter 109: I can give you food, a sudden call for help! (Please read on)
The woman who was called was only wearing underwear and a white apron with red lychees on it, which set off her fair skin.
This outfit was very unique.
Lu Zheng looked at her with some curiosity.
[Ding! Survivors found, testing underway.
[Name: Lu Shuxuan]
[Age: 25]
[Occupation: Chef, Food Blogger]
[Comment: Beautiful, delicate, stirring soup with delicate hands. Not only does she have excellent cooking skills, she also knows how to capture traffic and possesses excellent online thinking, but she knows when to stop and is not greedy.]
[Conclusion: She meets the three requirements of 'virtuous,' 'beautiful,' and 'intelligent.' She has been successfully sheltered and will receive a high-level supply card.]
Lu Shuxuan exhaled, looked at Lu Zheng, and said,
"My name is Lu Shuxuan, I'm 25 years old, 170 cm tall, weighs 110 kg, can cook, and am a food blogger with 13 million followers online, making me quite famous."
"Boss, if you let me stay, I can cook delicious food for you."
"I, I can cook for you too."
"I just hope you can help me find my family."
Those who come here are basically doing it for their families.
In this chaotic world, if they didn't have people they care about, most people wouldn't even think about living.
Lu Zheng has no shortage of delicious food.
The food available on the supply card is top-notch, comparable to what a state banquet chef would prepare.
Lu Shuxuan probably wasn't quite at that level yet.
But sometimes eating wasn't just about filling your stomach, or just the taste, but also about the feeling.
A meal cooked by your own wife—it was a bond of friendship.
"Okay, I'd love to eat."
"You passed. Come sit over here, and we'll look for it together tomorrow."
Lu Shuxuan breathed a sigh of relief.
She'd struggled mightily to participate in this event.
After all, she'd made it to this point, and
she didn't want to push herself into this abyss. But thinking of her parents and sister, she couldn't just sit there and wait.
Perhaps this was her only chance.
The rigorous selection process convinced her that the hiring boss was truly a strong individual.
Just looking at the performance of Shi Xueqi and the other girls, it was clear that without talent, they couldn't have been so well-educated.
Then she began to worry about whether she'd be selected.
Now, the dust had finally settled. She'd been selected, and she'd even received Lu Zheng's personal promise.
Her heart finally relaxed.
Eleven people had made it to the final round. Excluding Zheng Jialing, four had passed.
Six more were awaiting the final results.
The next person came to the front of the stage, and suddenly, Lu Zheng's phone vibrated.
This phone number was only known to his woman and the chiefs of the major bases. His women were all here, so it could only be the chief of the base.
He immediately raised his hand, motioned to pause, and then answered the call.
"Mr. Lu, this is Qiu Keqin." "
The Fengluan base in Yuzhou City, Southeast County, next door, has been attacked by a large-scale swarm of insects, and there are also a large number of mutant beasts, including fourth-level frost centipedes and second-level stun bats. The base's defense has been breached."
"It is raining heavily in Yuzhou City. Our support cannot arrive in a short time. We need your help."
"Please help me!" "
There are more than 40,000 survivors in the Fengluan base. Only you can save these people's lives."
"As long as the rescue is successful, we will give you a satisfactory reward!"
Lu Zheng quickly asked,
"I agree. What's the chief of Fengluan Base called?"
"Su Tao."
Upon hearing this, Lu Zheng addressed the Tantai Huanyan sisters,
"Sense that direction—Su Tao's location at Fengluan Base in Yuzhou City."
Tantai Huanyan and Tantai Xiaoyu activated their telepathy, and two seconds later, they replied in unison,
"Two hundred and forty-four kilometers."
As soon as they finished speaking, they and Shi Xueqi were transformed into cards by Lu Zheng. The next moment, Lu Zheng vanished.
After advancing to the fifth level of sword control, flight speed increased to one thousand kilometers per hour.
However, this was still not as fast as using a teleportation talisman.
After all, ten kilometers could be traveled in an instant. Using all twenty-five teleportation talismans would take less than ten seconds.
Yuzhou City, Fengluan Base.
Su Tao, wielding a submachine gun, fired at the charging sickleworms, shouting,
"Brothers, don't retreat! If we retreat, our relatives, friends, and compatriots behind us will be slaughtered!"
"Mingzhu Base has sent support. As long as we hold on, there's still hope."
He was only in his thirties, and his position wasn't high, but this was his highest position, as his former superiors had all been killed.
After the base was established, he became the general manager.
He was under immense pressure. Fighting so many insects and supporting so many people was already an immense burden.
Then, today, something unexpected happened. The insects seemed to be madly swarming towards this area.
Some even ventured out of the black fog.
He had just learned the reason.
Within the Fengluan base stood a mutant peach tree. It had been growing ever larger, reaching over a hundred meters tall, yet it hadn't produced a single peach. Official instructions from the base dictated that mutant plants be protected as much as possible for the purpose of collecting biological samples and developing drugs. A
designated area had been designated for the peach tree's protection. Just today, the peaches ripened. Almost immediately, the insects and mutants attacked like crazy, relentlessly charging towards them. It wasn't until someone spotted the flying mutants charging towards the ripe peaches, then engaging in a fierce battle, that they understood the reason for the creatures' frenzy. Su Tao tried to send his men to attack the peaches and the peach tree, but the sheer number of insects and mutants made a destruction impossible. He then evacuated the civilians away from the mutated peach tree, sparing no effort. Although casualties were greatly reduced after the relocation, the insects continued to swarm from all directions. Unless everyone moved ten kilometers away from the peach tree, they would continue to be attacked by the insect and mutant swarms. The evacuation continued, but the defense line had to be maintained. Otherwise, as he had predicted, it would be a bloodbath. In most battles, casualties in direct combat were minimal; the huge casualties usually occurred during major routs and escapes. Now all he could do was hope that the nearest large base, Mingzhu Base, could send strong reinforcements. The heavy rain poured down. Even though modern equipment was highly waterproof, under these conditions, it still weakened the soldiers' combat effectiveness. Hope seemed to be becoming very slim! Suddenly, a thunderclap exploded in the air, and then, flying swords quickly descended with thunder on the fourth-level Frost Centipede. "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!" Several explosions followed, and the powerful fourth-level insects were easily shattered. Then, Su Tao and others were surprised to find that the insects and mutant beasts in the front suddenly turned against them and actually attacked the mutant beasts and insects rushing behind.
Chapter 110: A Bountiful Harvest: Parasitic Peach Pit! (Please Read More)
Lu Zheng, observing the frantic mutant beasts and insects, saw this as a golden opportunity.
He had just reached Rank Five, and even Rank Four insects and mutants could be controlled with his Beast Taming Ring.
Previously, he'd needed to enslave insects and beasts through sweeps.
But now, with so many high-level insects and mutants gathered, this was a new encounter. He
immediately unleashed a large number of Beast Taming Rings.
Swarms of insects and enslaved creatures, hundreds and thousands, quickly surpassing ten thousand, ten thousand, thirty thousand, fifty thousand...
The tide had already turned.
Su Tao ordered everyone to hold back their defenses, then marveled at Lu Zheng soaring through the sky.
Lu Zheng landed beside the enormous peach tree
, his eyes filled with joy as he observed the high-level flying mutants.
Flying mutants were rare to begin with, and high-level ones were even rarer. Even searching diligently would reveal only a few.
Previously, he had only commanded a dozen or so flying mutant beasts, excluding the dizzy bats that emerged from the pit.
But here, he estimated there were no fewer than three thousand, most of them at level two or above.
What a bountiful harvest!
He quickly threw out his Beast Taming Ring, controlling them all.
Once he had nearly all the surrounding mutant beasts under his control, he turned his attention to the peaches on the giant peach tree.
Feedback from the mutant beasts controlled by the Beast Taming Ring revealed a unique energy wave emanating from the peaches. The wave was faint, but it traveled far, reaching a range of approximately thirty kilometers.
This wave excited the mind, inducing a sense of intense longing.
The simpler the mind, the greater the impact.
Humans, and some land mammal mutants, have complex minds, so they're unaffected.
However, the simpler avian mutants and insects were significantly affected.
Lu Zheng was curious about why this giant tree attracted so many creatures.
It couldn't possibly be specifically designed to enhance their strength.
The genes of any living thing are selfish, essentially striving to ensure the continuation of their own genes and their own survival.
This peach tree had grown so tall, bearing so many large peaches, and attracting so many mutant beasts—it couldn't possibly be designed to be eaten.
He summoned a mutant beast that had taken a bite of a large peach and found nothing unusual.
Crucially, the beast didn't report any increase in energy levels.
The energy of this creature couldn't have simply vanished.
Lu Zheng released Tan Tai Huanyan and had her sense the mutant beast's interior.
She closed her eyes for a few seconds, then exclaimed in surprise,
"There seems to be a faint spiritual consciousness forming within this mutant beast. It's too weak for me to perceive clearly."
"Call Sister Jin'er over! She should be able to sense something."
Lu Zheng immediately released Shi Xueqi and had her open the space portal. He then called over Xiong Jin'er, who was across from him.
Xiong Jin'er's supernatural life force fluctuations had reached the fourth level, giving her a keen sense of life force.
Upon hearing Lu Zheng's request, she exerted all her senses. In less than half a second, she spoke,
"This creature has a thread-like structure emitting faint life waves. These threads are gradually devouring the mutant's vitality and nutrients, as if nurturing something."
Lu Zheng frowned and said,
"Perceive all the mutants and insects that have eaten the peach and see if you find anything new."
Xiong Jin'er immediately unleashed her supernatural power, and the life waves spread out in all directions, gradually encompassing all the creatures that had eaten the peach.
Two minutes later, Xiong Jin'er uttered two words.
"Peach pit!"
She pointed to a two-tailed scorpion and said,
"That insect has the most threads, and at its core, a peach pit has formed."
Upon hearing the word "peach pit," Lu Zheng had already roughly deduced the reason why this giant peach tree was growing so many peaches.
As he'd suspected, it was for reproduction.
If nothing unexpected happened, after the peach pits formed within the insects and mutants, they would continue to grow and develop. Eventually, like the Cordyceps sinensis, they would completely kill the insects, turning them into shells, and then a brand new peach tree would grow.
This cycle would repeat itself until every living thing was nourished by the peach tree!
This thing was highly threatening.
While it was simply targeting spiritual beings, if my guess was correct, humans who consumed these peaches would also be infected.
"Xueqi, go get Jingyi."
Lu Zheng had no idea how to deal with this thing yet, so he could only try the effects of the Holy Light.
Zheng Jingyi quickly arrived and released Holy Light on a mutant.
Xiong Jin'er shook her head.
"It had no effect. The holy light boosted the vitality of both the mutant beast and the peach pit."
"Hubby, I think we should discuss this with the authorities as soon as possible. They have so many psychics; perhaps they have abilities specific to this thread."
Shi Xueqi said,
"The most urgent thing is to find out who's infected. Hubby's seal cards can preserve their status. Sealing these people first can temporarily save their lives."
Lu Zheng nodded and said,
"Okay, I'll seal all of these infected targets first."
He sealed not only the infected bugs and mutant beasts, but also several large peaches.
Then he came to Su Tao.
Seeing Lu Zheng coming down, Su Tao excitedly said,
"Thank you, sir, for saving so many people. You're truly a modern hero!"
Lu Zheng waved his hand.
"I've been sent by Qiu Keqin, the chief of the Pearl Base, to rescue you."
"You're not completely out of danger yet."
"The peaches on this peach tree contain a lifeline that parasitizes living organisms. Many mutant beasts and insects are infected."
"I suspect humans attacked by those infected insects and mutant beasts will also be infected."
"Two things need to be done now. First, gather everyone. I'll have someone conduct a comprehensive investigation and isolate those infected."
"Second, completely destroy this peach tree!"
Su Tao broke out in a cold sweat upon hearing that it was contagious.
This thing could be so dangerous.
If it spreads from here, wouldn't it be another massive disaster?
"I'll gather everyone for an inspection right away, but this tree is so massive that even bombing would be difficult to completely destroy it."
"Not to mention, its root system is so extensive and widespread, making it even harder to destroy!"
Lu Zheng frowned. This was indeed difficult to do.
Unless there was a way to destroy it as a whole.
Suddenly, a person flashed through his mind.
"You go gather the people first, I'll find some help."
He immediately asked Shi Xueqi to open the space door again, and then called Gu Miantang over from the opposite side.
"Honey, what do you need me to do?!"