(24) The Shortcut to Evolution

The yellowing of the red pine’s leaves was caused by iron deficiency, a typical symptom where the young leaves turn yellow first. Fortunately, she had previously uncovered a flower shop that sold plant nutrients and medicines. Following the instructions in her book, she treated all the trees accordingly.

Remembering that there was still plenty of fertilizer in the manor’s biogas pool, she went back and transported it using her spatial ability to fertilize the red pine forest. The trees were delighted, each eager to give her their plumpest pine cones as a token of gratitude.

Liu Yi couldn’t refuse their generosity. Without needing to climb those towering trees that touched the clouds, the red pines shook their branches and pine cones rained down, deliberately avoiding the roots where fertilizer had been applied, lest she find them unappealing.

These large, full wild pine nuts would have fetched at least seventy or eighty yuan per pound in the past market. Before the apocalypse, she could never afford such delicacies, but now she enjoyed them freely, cherishing every moment.

Returning to the manor, she found the little cubs fast asleep. The tigers, seeing her return, acted as if she were invisible, merely lifting their eyelids and turning over, each of the big fellows sprawled out in deep slumber.

She laughed and shook her head.

After washing up, she pushed open the window and gazed into the distance. The verdant mountains stretched endlessly, undulating like a green dragon lying across the earth, majestic and unyielding.

Occasionally, the cheerful chirping of birds drifted to her ears, filling the air with vibrant life.

Compared to the scheming, noisy human society, which made her yearn for escape, this place gave her a sense of belonging. She wanted to protect this haven from the taint of the apocalypse—not only for herself and the cubs, but for the countless living creatures inhabiting this pure land.

Thus, she resolved to grow stronger—strong enough to defend everything she cherished.

She began with her spatial ability.

Closing her eyes, she silently recited: Enter.

Ugh, though the fertilizer was gone, its odor lingered. Immersed in the space, the smell was overpowering. She covered her nose and mouth, crouched uncomfortably, and her eyes watered from the pungency, barely daring to breathe.

Patiently, she tried to adapt.

The smell was strong, but at least it didn’t hinder her breathing.

Ugh~

No, she couldn’t get used to it.

Exit!

In an instant, she found herself sprawled on her bedroom bed, arms and legs stretched out, breathing freely—what relief!

She hugged the small peony bonsai by her bedside and inhaled deeply.

Fortunately, her eyes were still dark; if they had transformed into vertical pupils, she wouldn’t have been able to endure even a single breath.

With a thought, she stood by the window, channeling air in and out as if it were a tangible object, bringing in fresh air. At first, she was clumsy, but soon she could even draw the air in her space into a vacuum.

It seemed she had mastered a formidable new technique...

After several more experiments, she discovered that, upon entering her space, she could not only see the outside world but also move within it, unobstructed, with a full ten-meter radius.

With a plan forming in her mind, she set up her phone for recording.

She slipped into her space, reappeared ten meters away downstairs, landing on her backside.

In again.

Out.

In...

Through repeated practice, she reduced the time needed to enter and exit her space from forty seconds to just ten seconds per cycle.

She wasn’t tired, but it was still far too slow! Ten seconds was ample time for a villain to catch her.

Watching the timer on her phone, she wondered: Could she, instead of pulling a person into her space, simply remove the oxygen around their head, suffocating them?

She caught a cockroach for an experiment.

Perhaps due to its formidable vitality, it survived her attempts for quite a while.

Her gaze shifted.

She spotted a little mouse nibbling nearby.

Sensing her malicious intent, the mouse darted away without a backward glance.

Well, it didn’t even give her a chance to tease it...

Aside from using her spatial ability, how else could she grow stronger?

So far, her best skill was sprouting bean sprouts—producing a large plateful in minutes. Maybe she could defeat the Di clan villains by drowning them in bean sprouts?

Serpent transformation... No, when she became a small dragon, it was never under her conscious control, and whenever she neared the physical threshold, she could barely restrain her innate bloodlust.

Ah, it troubled her deeply.

Overnight, she lost several strands of hair...

At the door, Liang Zhuan waited quietly outside her bedroom.

Plants served as his ears and eyes, and in her room stood a small peony that he frequently watered with his powers. Its flowers were vibrant, some blooming, others still budding, and it was her favorite.

She wished to grow stronger, and he was all too familiar with the path to power—a blood-soaked, thorny road.

Birds and beasts evolved by consuming the flesh and blood of mutant creatures, or by absorbing mutant plants. Humans with abilities evolved through the crystal nuclei in their bodies, which could only be obtained through plundering and killing.

She was so gentle and pure, longing to befriend mutant animals and plants—how could she ever allow her hands to be stained with blood?

As he worried for her, he suddenly realized how late it had become.

He hurried to the kitchen to prepare breakfast, and by chance, saw across from the storeroom several baskets piled high with wild pine nuts.

Others couldn’t see it, but he was extraordinarily sensitive to energy fluctuations. These pine nuts were brimming with active energy, and, if consumed properly, could enhance one’s abilities.

They were all from the same red pines, yet the ones he gathered lacked any energy signature—why?

After finishing the meat buns and breakfast, he called her to eat, only to hear Liu Yi proudly declare that the red pines, grateful for her care, had gifted her the pine nuts and that he could help himself.

So that was it!

Plant evolution differed from animals. Before the apocalypse, they relied on photosynthesis; afterward, some developed predatory abilities to catch prey, others evolved through intense radiation and airborne pollution.

Red pines likely belonged to the latter group. As long as these evolved plants were willing, they could infuse their fruit with the energy needed for their consumers to evolve.

He had found the shortcut to evolution!

Liang Zhuan was genuinely happy for her.

Thus, Liu Yi watched as Little Phoenix deftly peeled pine nuts with its claws and beak.

Knowing that young birds loved nuts, she wondered if she could cultivate sunflowers or peanuts.

She assumed Little Phoenix was peeling them for itself, but every time it finished a plate, it would flutter over, holding the dish in its tiny claws, and offer it to her.

Seeing her eat, its round, black eyes sparkled with joy—happier than if it ate them itself.

My child is so filial~

Water Cannon: “...” You little green tea bird!

Shimmer: “...” The scheming bird is always the best at currying favor.

Ice Lump: “...” Let Tiger finish watching the cartoon before we compete for affection. Great-grandma loves me the most~