Recaps

Team 3A killed a Mutated Python after it ambushed Wang Weihu, then continued deeper into the forest to gather materials. The Charge Squad, chastened by the encounter and Qin Luo’s glare, switched from mocking Xu Duoduo to eagerly helping her.

• A Mutated Python attacked Wang Weihu, but Bai Shu, Qin Luo, Wang Weihu, and Xu Duoduo killed it with a coordinated barrage.
• Qin Luo extracted the One-Star Mutant Core and gave it to the little zombie, while Bai Shu explained the snake’s weak point to the Rose Squad.
• The Charge Squad members dropped to their knees when Xu Duoduo looked their way, and Xue Feng told them to play dead after Qin Luo stared them down.
• After a ten-minute rest, the squads continued into the forest and drank Brown Sugar Ginger Soup to restore their stamina.
• Xu Duoduo and Qin Luo gathered more materials with help from the Cheetah Squad, White Dove Squad, and the suddenly eager Charge Squad.

Xu Duoduo and the squads scavenged for supplies in City R before a swarm of mutant birds appeared and a sudden thunderstorm forced everyone to seek shelter. The chapter ended with the squads huddled beneath defensive shelters as lightning struck around them.

• Qin Luo rearranged the squads, sending the Cheetah and White Dove Squads ahead while 3A scouted the perimeter.
• Xu Duoduo found a fast-moving mutated ginseng plant, and Qin Luo carried her away rather than trying to catch it.
• Qin Luo and Xu Duoduo discovered a nesting ground full of mutant bird eggs, and the squads prepared to destroy the eggs and confront the birds.
• Xu Duoduo secretly collected bird eggs and seeds while Qin Luo warned the squads about the approaching thunderstorm.
• A huge swarm of mutant birds appeared as thunder broke overhead, and Wang Weihu, the Rose Squad, and the other squads created shelters for everyone.

Qin Luo’s group sheltered from a violent lightning storm while discussing their route to City R Base and deciding to prioritize delivering relief supplies. During the rest, Qin Luo teased Xu Duoduo and embarrassed himself in front of the other squads.

• Wang Weihu built and camouflaged a rounded earthen shelter so the squads could rest through the lightning storm.
• Qin Luo and the other captains decided to head to City R Base first and postpone searching for the missing combat squads unless they found clues along the way.
• Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu discussed the dangers facing the different bases while Xu Duoduo ate and drank beside them.
• Qin Luo sat with Xu Duoduo, complained about the tiring journey, then teased her when she stroked his hair.
• Xu Duoduo moved away to gnaw on her Teething Stick, and Qin Luo tried to coax her while Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu mocked him in front of the watching squads.

The squads prepared to leave Wang Weihu’s earthen fortress and continue their journey toward the Survivor Base in City R despite the worsening snow and darkness. Xu Duoduo shared food with the others, discovered she could form silver claws, and the chapter ended with Qin Luo snapping at Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu after they teased him about her.

• Qin Luo decided the squads should pack up and travel together toward City R’s Survivor Base, and everyone filled their flasks with hot drinks before setting out.
• Xu Duoduo woke, shared seafood porridge with Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu, and handed Wang Weihu his breakfast.
• The Rose Squad and Flame Squad shared food and snacks with the other squads while everyone ate inside the fortress.
• Xu Duoduo discovered she could transform her hands into sharp silver claws, then changed them back before anyone noticed.
• Qin Luo called Xu Duoduo cute, and Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu teased him until he yelled at them to get lost.

Wang Weihu’s rescue teams reached the City R Survivor Base after collecting supplies along the way and found its residents struggling amid severe weather and earthquake damage. Headquarters’ supplies arrived as the teams learned how the base was keeping its ruined buildings barely habitable.

• Wang Weihu left the earthen fortress standing, and the teams resumed their journey through the snow.
• The teams found that a storm had killed the mutant birds, then collected their roasted eggs and harvested more mutant animals and plants along the route.
• The rescue teams reached the City R Survivor Base, raised the national flag, and were welcomed by the excited guards and staff.
• The staff explained that overgrown plants and earthquakes had damaged the base’s buildings, which plant-type ability users had patched together for shelter.
• The Rose Squad handed over Headquarters’ cold-weather supplies, medicine, and food for the staff to distribute.

Qin Luo and the support squads visited the impoverished City R base and learned how shortages, illness, and attacks had strained its residents. After delivering supplies and sharing what they had brought, the squads left to continue searching for missing combat squads.

• The City R leaders welcomed the support squads and explained that scarce ability users, dangerous mutated plants, illness, and frequent attacks had left the base short of food and other supplies.
• The leaders showed Qin Luo and the squads around the base, including its vine cableways, childcare center, school, and elderly care home.
• The City R leaders served the visitors a meal of mutant birds and eggs, but Qin Luo and Wang Weihu urged them to eat instead and explained that the squads had other missions to pursue.
• Xu Duoduo gave milk tablets and candy to children waiting at the reception room doorway.
• Before leaving after a morning at the base, the squads left supplies for the residents, and Xu Duoduo gave them her collected mutant bird eggs and meat.
• After the squads had walked away, the Charge Squad regretted giving away its supplies, while the others laughed at their complaints.

Qin Luo’s group searched northwest of the City R base for the missing combat squads, but found no traces and struggled with disorienting terrain and blocked signals. They rested in a fortress overnight, equipped each squad with whistles, and planned to continue the search.

• Bai Shu checked the tablet’s last recorded location, and the group headed northwest while Xu Duoduo collected mutant plants and Qin Luo’s team fought mutant animals.
• The group found no signs of the missing squads, and Bai Shu observed that the scenery and buildings had begun to look alike.
• The squads argued about fatigue and whether to continue, until Wang Weihu ordered them to stop and rest in the fortress he built.
• Qin Luo suggested the similar scenery might be intended to confuse intruders, while Bai Shu confirmed that signals were blocked and positioning still failed.
• Xu Duoduo handed out whistles so the squads could communicate if their earpieces stopped working.

As the squads rested in a bitterly cold fortress, Xu Duoduo and Qin Luo’s affectionate teasing drew gossip from the others. Xu Duoduo kissed Qin Luo before falling asleep, leaving him flustered and insisting she take responsibility for his first kiss.

• Qin Luo told everyone to rest, and Xu Duoduo shared rice balls while he teased her about eating before she fell asleep.
• Xu Duoduo soothed Qin Luo with food and a drink as the squads watched them act like a couple and gossiped about their relationship.
• After Qin Luo returned from patrol, Xu Duoduo climbed onto his lap and silenced his chatter by biting his lips.
• Qin Luo protested that Xu Duoduo had taken his first kiss and demanded that she take responsibility, but she fell asleep against him.

After a quiet night, Qin Luo’s group realized the strange scenery was likely caused by a powerful mutated plant and lost contact with Chen Xiaofei. Chen Xiaofei returned with news of a Mutant Paradise Tree holding Headquarters fighters captive, and Qin Luo suspected it had fused with a human.

• Qin Luo led the group onward despite the increasingly repetitive scenery, and the Rose Squad concluded a high-level mutated plant was using mimicry to confuse them.
• Qin Luo ordered everyone to stay together, but Chen Xiaofei disappeared from contact as their earpieces and wristbands stopped working.
• Xu Duoduo used her wooden whistle to reach Chen Xiaofei, who returned and reported a beautiful, woman-shaped Mutant Beauty Tree with people trapped in branch cages.
• The Rose Squad identified the threat as a Mutant Paradise Tree with powerful hallucinations, and Chen Xiaofei said the captives appeared alive.
• Li Wei noted that a Mutant Paradise Tree should not look like a woman or create mimicked scenery, and Qin Luo proposed that it might have fused with a human or resulted from someone’s Mutation.

Qin Luo and the squads fought through the Mutant Beauty Tree’s swarm of plants and beasts, but the Charge Squad fell under its mind-controlling gaze. Qin Luo attacked the tree, provoking it into a furious rampage.

• Qin Luo led the squads toward the Mutant Beauty Tree after Bai Shu briefed them on how to resist its mind-controlling ability.
• Wang Weihu and the Rose Squad cleared a path as mutant plants, insects, and animals attacked; Xu Duoduo, Bai Shu, Chen Xiaofei, and Qin Luo fought them off.
• Mu Mei warned that the squads had reached the tree, but Xue Feng looked at its face and was captured in a birdcage.
• The other members of the Charge Squad looked toward Xue Feng and were captured as well.
• Qin Luo hurled thunderstorm bombs at the Mutant Beauty Tree, which screamed and vowed to kill the intruders.

The Mutant Beauty Tree bewitched and wounded the squads, capturing the Charge Squad and Flame Squad while mental contamination and mutant animals wore down the others. Qin Luo fought it blindfolded, and Xu Duoduo rushed to help after it injured her team, leaving Shishi bristling with fury.

• The Mutant Beauty Tree bewitched the Charge Squad, which let its vines bind and capture every member.
• The tree’s scream overwhelmed the Flame Squad, and it swept them into its birdcage while the Cheetah Squad and White Dove Squad struggled against its mental attacks.
• The tree’s hallucinations lured Xu Ge into looking at it, and its vines captured him as Wang Weihu warned everyone not to look.
• Qin Luo blindfolded himself and attacked the tree with Chen Xiaofei, Bai Shu, and Wang Weihu while the Rose Squad and Xu Duoduo fought off mutant animals.
• Qin Luo drove his blade into the tree and unleashed Thunderstorm, but the fight left him and the others bleeding.
• Xu Duoduo ran to help Qin Luo, and Shishi grew fiercer after sensing the tree had wounded their team.

Xu Duoduo and Qin Luo destroyed the Mutant Beauty Tree after Xu Duoduo’s resistance to its illusions let her attack it alongside him. Qin Luo caught the injured Xu Duoduo, who then kissed him in front of the other squads as they recovered from the illusion.

• Bai Shu judged the Mutant Beauty Tree to be at least four-star while Chen Xiaofei, Bai Shu, and Wang Weihu struggled against its attacks and the Mutant Beauty Trees’ branches.
• Xu Duoduo ignored Qin Luo’s warning and charged the Mutant Beauty Tree, whose illusions had little effect on her.
• Xu Duoduo hacked through the Mutant Beauty Tree’s branches with her Chainsaw, breaking its illusion and freeing the people trapped in birdcages.
• Qin Luo drove his Twin-Bladed Knife into the tree’s trunk and flooded the wound with Thunderstorm, destroying the Mutant Beauty Tree but injuring himself with the backlash.
• Qin Luo caught the falling Xu Duoduo, and she kissed him repeatedly while the recovering squads watched in shock.

Shishi and the rescue squads freed the survivors from the Mutant Beauty Tree’s birdcages and learned how Hua Hong had become a monster after her abusive husband infected her. As the survivors prepared to travel to the City R base, Shishi found Mu Enya, who was overjoyed that she could talk.

• Shishi left Qin Luo dazed after kissing him, and Wang Weihu sent the Cheetah Squad and White Dove Squad to rescue the hostages.
• The squads freed the survivors, who revealed that the Mutant Beauty Tree had eaten many captives and that only 150 survivors remained.
• Granny Qian explained that her daughter Hua Hong had been abused by her husband, who infected her and caused her transformation; Bai Shu reassured her that the virus, not her daughter, had harmed people.
• Wang Weihu promised to escort the survivors to the City R base, while Mu Mei and the squads distributed supplies and cared for the children.
• Shishi recognized Mu Enya in a cage, and Mu Enya hugged her, celebrated that she could talk, and thanked her for the rescue.

After defeating the Mutant Beauty Tree, 3A traded its four-star plant mutant core to Mu Mei’s Rose Squad for ten million points and a three-star earth mutant core for Wang Weihu. Xu Duoduo reunited with Qin Luo, and the squads cleared the battlefield while Wang Weihu advised the rookie teams.

• Xu Duoduo left Mu Enya and Zhang Chi’s group to find Qin Luo after admiring their outfits and hearing Mu Enya’s playful suggestions.
• The squads collected mutant animal meat, pelts, and cores as Chen Xiaofei’s Tornado separated the cores from the meat.
• Mu Mei offered ten million points and a three-star earth mutant core for 3A’s four-star Mutant Beauty Tree core, and Xu Duoduo agreed to the trade.
• Qin Luo handed the tree core to Mu Mei, who paid Xu Duoduo and thanked her before fleeing when Xu Duoduo offered to let her pinch her cheek.
• Qin Luo protested when Xu Duoduo offered to kiss him, while Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu bickered about who was the father.
• Wang Weihu taught the Cheetah Squad and White Dove Squad how to write reports and encouraged them to keep improving, leaving them moved by his advice.

After returning to City R Base with the rescued survivors, 3A learned of a mutant orchard and agreed to collect fruit and supplies with several other squads before heading home. City R Base welcomed the squads and thanked them for their help, while Qin Luo stopped Xu Duoduo from drinking liquor.

• Wang Weihu led the exhausted squads and survivors back to City R Base, where the survivors were handed over for care and reunification with their families.
• Chen Xiaofei, Bai Shu, and Qin Luo planned to rest before returning to H City, but Xu Duoduo spotted Headquarters’ call to gather fruit from a mutant orchard.
• Qin Luo agreed that 3A would visit the orchard, and the Rose, Flame, Cheetah, and White Dove Squads decided to join them the next morning.
• City R Base’s leaders thanked the combat squads for their help and hosted a dinner after Headquarters had supplied the base with equipment, weapons, and power stones.
• Qin Luo told Xu Duoduo not to drink when she picked up a glass of liquor to imitate the others.

Xu Duoduo secretly drank liquor at a banquet and became a clingy, tearful drunk, leaving Qin Luo to carry and care for her. In their room, she nuzzled and bit his neck, and Qin Luo gave in to keep her from crying.

• Xu Duoduo drank a glass of liquor despite Qin Luo's warnings and quickly became dizzy and flushed.
• Qin Luo carried Xu Duoduo away from the banquet after she clung to him, while Bai Shu advised him to let her sleep.
• Xu Duoduo felt nauseated but could not vomit because her zombie body digested everything she ate; she cried, and Qin Luo washed her face.
• Qin Luo carried Xu Duoduo to their room, where she whined whenever he tried to put her down and eventually settled on his lap.
• Xu Duoduo nuzzled and gnawed on Qin Luo's neck, and he let her bite him when she started to cry.

After a sleepless night with Xu Duoduo, Qin Luo left City R with his squad as they headed toward H City Base. The team enjoyed Xu Duoduo’s breakfast on the road and reached a mutated fruit grove near City R’s exit by noon.

• Xu Duoduo emerged cheerful the morning after drinking, while Qin Luo looked exhausted, and Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu teased him.
• Wang Weihu told the squad that City R Base had sent mutated produce to H City Base, and the team departed after a farewell ceremony.
• Xu Duoduo served the squad a hearty breakfast in the vehicle, earning enthusiastic praise from Chen Xiaofei, Bai Shu, and Wang Weihu.
• Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu noticed bite marks on Xu Duoduo and Qin Luo, but Wang Weihu mistook their coughing for reactions to the cold.
• Xu Duoduo read the Forum and munched on a mutant core as the squad reached a mutated fruit grove near City R’s exit.

Qin Luo and Xu Duoduo collected mutated fruit and saplings in City R while the squads witnessed the grove wither and regrow as weeds. After filling their Space Cards and recording the strange growth cycle, the group prepared to return to H City Base.

• The squads split up to harvest mutated fruits, and Xu Duoduo led Qin Luo northeast to gather fruit and saplings.
• Qin Luo found a huge chunk of gold ore, which Xu Duoduo stored, and he jokingly called it betrothal gifts.
• The fruit grove withered and rotted away in less than half an hour, then weeds grew in its place and attracted mutated ants.
• Bai Shu recorded the plants' decay and regrowth, while Chen Xiaofei marveled at the bizarre cycle.
• Wang Weihu's squadmates refused points for their harvest, accepted cigarettes and other supplies instead, and the group set off to return to H City Base.

After returning to H City Base from their nearly twenty-day mission, Qin Luo and the 3A squad sold much of the supplies they had collected and divided the points among their members. Xu Duoduo watched Du Chunjiang demonstrate the base's Space Card scanner as the squad finished its trade and prepared to go home.

• Wang Weihu drove the 3A squad safely into H City Base, where staff welcomed them and inspected their vehicle.
• Qin Luo handed over the squad's wristbands, and Xu Duoduo met Du Chunjiang, surprising her by speaking fluently.
• Du Chunjiang examined the squad's Space Cards and admired their haul of supplies, while Qin Luo refused to sell the grapes Xu Duoduo liked.
• Qin Luo asked Du Chunjiang to divide the payment equally among the four humans and one zombie, and she transferred the points to their accounts.
• Du Chunjiang showed Xu Duoduo how the base's scanner cataloged Space Card contents, priced items, and transferred purchased supplies into Headquarters' warehouse.

Qin Luo and Xu Duoduo visited Du Chunjiang before heading to the Research Institute for Mutant Core Dilution Injection discussions and ability tests. They arrived on B3, where Wang Weihu and the others were speaking with Professor Ji.

• Xu Duoduo gave Du Chunjiang several giant grapes, and Du Chunjiang thanked her and praised her appearance.
• Du Chunjiang spotted marks on Xu Duoduo's neck and shouted at Qin Luo, but the pair had already left.
• Qin Luo and Xu Duoduo traveled through the snow to the Research Institute, where they encountered Xiao Qiao consoling the newly bald A-Ku.
• Xiao Qiao reminded Xu Duoduo to have her monthly blood drawn, but Qin Luo carried her away before she could respond.
• Qin Luo and Xu Duoduo reached B3 and found Wang Weihu and the other two talking with Professor Ji.

Qin Luo’s team learned that Headquarters had requisitioned their planned Lightning Mutant Core, but Qin Luo offered a three-star earth-type core for Wang Weihu’s serum and encouraged the team to stay patient. After Wang Weihu went for compatibility testing, the group left the Research Institute to look for mutant cores and sell materials.

• Professor Ji told Qin Luo and Xu Duoduo that Headquarters had requisitioned a suitable three-star Lightning Mutant Core for weapons research, delaying the team’s allocation.
• Qin Luo gave Professor Ji a three-star earth-type mutant core and asked him to prepare Wang Weihu’s serum.
• Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu brawled in the conference room, while Qin Luo stopped Xu Duoduo from copying their roughhousing and sent Wang Weihu for testing.
• Qin Luo, Xu Duoduo, Wang Weihu, and Chen Xiaofei left the Research Institute to meet Lin Qianxing, sell their materials, and ask about mutant cores.
• On the bus, Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu posed when passengers recognized 3A, while Qin Luo protected Xu Duoduo and promised to buy her dresses.

Qin Luo and the others visited Lin Qianxing's shop to return materials and browse its stock, but their joking over some clothing accessories turned into a noisy argument about who was a pervert. Lin Qianxing finally burst out of his room and scolded them for making a racket.

• Qin Luo and the others entered the warm shop, where the Clown Puppet told them Lin Qianxing was asleep after staying up all night.
• Xu Duoduo noticed mutant core prices had risen, while Qin Luo carried her to the clothing section to choose dresses.
• Chen Xiaofei and Bai Shu argued over a headscarf, then Qin Luo realized he was holding a thigh strap and got a nosebleed.
• The Mechanical Parrot called everyone perverts as Wang Weihu browsed hair accessories with Xu Duoduo.
• Lin Qianxing rushed out in his pajamas and wheelchair, shouted at the group for disrupting his shop, and threatened to tear Daidai apart if it squawked again.

Qin Luo and the others traded materials with Lin Qianxing for four Three-Star mutant cores, then took Xu Duoduo shopping before heading to the Research Institute. The chapter ended with the group preparing to obtain a Mutant Core Dilution Injection.

• Qin Luo apologized to Lin Qianxing for being too loud and explained that 3A had collected most of the materials Lin Qianxing wanted in City C.
• Xu Duoduo transferred the materials into Lin Qianxing's Space Card, and Lin Qianxing calculated two payment options while the others expressed concern about his injured hand.
• Xu Duoduo accepted the offer of three dress sets in exchange for four Three-Star mutant cores, and Lin Qianxing gave the group Thunderstorm Type, Psychic Type, Earth Type, and Wind Type cores.
• Qin Luo took Xu Duoduo to choose two Lolita sets and two New Chinese-Style Winter Wear sets, and Lin Qianxing added a White Jade Hairpin.
• Qin Luo said the group needed to visit the Research Institute to obtain the Mutant Core Dilution Injection.

Xu Duoduo and Team 3A returned to the Research Institute with three mutant cores and learned that Three-Star dilution injections could help them advance toward Tier Five. Professor Ji warned that Tier Five was a dividing line and that reaching Tier Six would require far more cores and bring major physical and mental changes.

• Xu Duoduo wore her new winter outfit as Qin Luo, Chen Xiaofei, Bai Shu, and Wang Weihu admired her, and Qin Luo told them to stop staring at her.
• Wang Weihu worried that he had found two Three-Star mutant cores while Qin Luo and the others had found one each, but Qin Luo reassured him that they were family.
• Qin Luo brought the cores to Professor Ji, who sent the team for compatibility tests while Qin Luo blushed after Xu Duoduo sniffed his coat.
• Professor Ji reviewed the results and confirmed the team's genetic markers were compatible with the Three-Star dilution injections, which could help Wang Weihu and the others reach Tier Four and Qin Luo potentially reach Tier Five.
• Professor Ji explained that Tier Five was a dividing line, that Tier Six would require many more mutant cores, and that the team would sign consent forms and receive their first injections under observation.

Professor Ji questioned Qin Luo and Xu Duoduo after noticing marks on her neck, then privately assessed whether their relationship was consensual. Xu Duoduo revealed that she had once forced herself on Qin Luo, leaving Professor Ji stunned.

• Professor Ji noticed marks beneath Xu Duoduo's collar and took her and Qin Luo outside to question them.
• Qin Luo admitted he had bitten Xu Duoduo while caring for her, and Professor Ji explained that Headquarters allowed relationships between ability users and mutated people but needed to rule out manipulation.
• Professor Ji interviewed Xu Duoduo, who said she depended on Qin Luo, liked him, and would not eat or bite him or anyone else.
• When Professor Ji asked whether Qin Luo had forced himself on her, Xu Duoduo recalled pinning him down and kissing and nibbling him, then confessed that she had forced him.
• Professor Ji choked on his drink after hearing Xu Duoduo's confession.