As soon as the base commander finished speaking, a streak of green smashed towards the group.

The thick branches bore layers of green leaves, with tendrils fluttering about.

All around, the green branches danced wildly, making it difficult to identify the main body of the branches.

It’s a Mutated Willow!

The willow twigs, like green serpents, swiftly flew through the air, ready to attack the group at any moment.

The leaves of the willow twigs were as sharp as small knives, extremely formidable.

Bai Xiqin noticed that the color of the willow twigs was very deep, not like the freshly sprouted green leaves but more like old leaves that had grown for a long time.

Green enough to almost seem black.

This is a "dark" plant, in the same series as the plants belonging to the butcher, cook, and foreman!

Mutated plants vary between good and bad.

Good mutated plants are actually the normal mutations of plants.

For example, Bai Zhengxuan’s Mutated Climbing Vine and Uncle Liu’s mutated green vine, and even the Mutated Mandala Flowers cultivated in Bai Xiqin’s space are all normal mutated plants.

Animals are divided into two types, mutant animals, and zombie dogs.

Plants are the same, with an additional type of "dark" plants.

This type of plant not only enjoys devouring human flesh like Cannibal Flowers but also feasts on carrion, which means zombie flesh.

They accumulate black zombie viruses within themselves, evolving in a completely opposite direction from ordinary plants.

"Be careful not to get cut!"

Bai Xiqin dodged the flying branches, reminding Leng Yebai and the base commander.

Generally, only mutated plants of a certain level know how to incorporate the zombie virus for their own use; this level of mutated plant will inject the zombie virus into the wounds of its prey, becoming its food.

It’s unclear to what extent the Mutated Willow before them has reached, so it’s better to be cautious.

The base commander nodded seriously and said to Leng Yebai, "Stand a bit ahead, shield me and Xiao Niu!"

He and Xiao Niu have no antibodies to the zombie virus, whereas his son does.

Thinking of having his son shield them, the base commander really is an ordinary little genius!

Leng Yebai: ...

Even though it stung, Leng Yebai moved to the forefront.

Purple lightning collided with the flying branches, knocking down leaves that were green to the point of blackness, which quickly grouped back together and attacked the trio again.

Bai Xiqin noticed that the fallen leaves dropped to the ground and disappeared in a blink.

As if they had directly burrowed underground!

"The roots are underground! Taowu, dig them out!"

Bai Xiqin understood something as she looked at the branches spreading from all sides and directly commanded Taowu.

"Alright!"

Taowu gave a sniff, confirmed the location, and used its paws like a dog digging a hole, quickly making a deep pit.

Inside the pit, a section of willow twigs, with no head nor tail, moved with greenish-black leaves, directly flew towards Taowu.

Taowu remained still as the willow leaves landed on its body without causing any harm.

After another couple of sniffs, Taowu continued to dig holes elsewhere.

But each time, only untailored branches were found.

The branches of the Mutated Willow are deeply buried underground, with so many willow trees here that it’s hard to find out which tree’s branches have spread over.

It must be said, the Mutated Willow is very cunning and knows how to hide itself.

If it weren’t for Bai Xiqin’s trio being highly skilled, ordinary people would have long become the willow tree’s nourishment.

The branches emitted a faint stench belonging to the typical decaying smell of zombies.

"Zzz—"

Lightning from the base commander struck the branches, directly igniting sparks, burning several willow twigs at once.

Leng Yebai also joined in, releasing lightning, converting the nearest branches to them into charcoal sticks.

Animals are inherently afraid of lightning, and so are plants.

Before the base commander unleashed a big move, the Mutated Willow sensed that the group was not easy to mess with and quietly retracted its branches.

Aside from the charcoal-like branches on the ground, it seemed as though nothing had happened.

Everyone followed the sniffing direction of Taowu’s nose, moving forward cautiously, fearing another outbreak from the surrounding willows.

Continuing inward, they waded through surrounding wild grasses and shrubs, each step arduous.

"Look here."

Leng Yebai squatted half on the ground, using a stick to point out the dried blood on the ground for Bai Xiqin.

The black blood had dried into thin layers, and when poked lightly, it crumbled into black powder.

In addition to black blood on the ground, there is black blood on nearby branches.

Clearly showing where a zombie had passed and been scratched by the branches.

"Why doesn’t the Mutated Willow use zombies as nutrients?"

Bai Xiqin frowned at a very distinct black footprint.

Such bloodthirsty plants won’t pass up any rotting zombie or human that comes by.

Only in one circumstance can bloodthirsty mutated plants restrain their behavior.

That is a contract.

Similar to Bai Xiqin’s relationship with the Mutated Mandala Flowers.

The Mutated Mandala Flowers will never harm Bai Xiqin or those Bai Xiqin has designated to protect.

Can zombies and mutated plants have a symbiotic relationship?

Bai Xiqin could confirm that this zombie is definitely not a Zombie King and very possibly just an ordinary zombie with a face full of rotten flesh.

Because the further they went, the clearer the rotten flesh on the ground became, occasionally even seeing large chunks of carrion lying there.

A Zombie King couldn’t have rotting flesh, and the carrion of a high-rank zombie wouldn’t come off so severely.

Insect bites were not present; it lay solitary on the ground, taking a long time to be decomposed by nature.

The three walked silently, moving forward while listening intently to the surrounding sounds.

They all understood something was off here.

"Roar—"

A zombie’s roar sounded from the park’s very center, so faint that without careful listening it couldn’t be heard.

"Sounds like a zombie baby!"

The base commander instinctively paused upon hearing this, casting a glance at Leng Yebai.

Whenever anything related to a baby arose, he’d instinctively think of his own son because he was lost at a swaddling age, subconsciously assuming his son remained a child.

"Roar—"

Aside from the sound of the zombie baby, the roar of an adult zombie was clearly heard.

"Could there be a zombie family of three living here! Are they hiding out?"

The base commander suddenly had an absurd idea.

No one could answer the base commander’s question, only seeing for oneself would confirm the actual situation.

"Master, we’ve arrived!"

Taowu thrashed about before rolling a relatively spacious path open.

Bai Xiqin moved two steps forward, seeing clearly after walking out of the bush-cluttered, scrub-filled path.

An open area.

Just as she stepped out, Bai Xiqin abruptly halted, eyes wide in disbelief looking straight ahead.

Before her stood an adult female zombie, covered entirely in decaying flesh, emitting a strong scent of rot from afar.

The adult female zombie’s gaze was vacant, her arm rigidly bent and clamped an infant coated in rotten flesh!

The zombie baby snarled fiercely at everyone, still lively despite being held by the neck by the adult zombie.

This was the zombie baby once delivered by the Bai Family, Chao Yan!