From Apocalypse Boss to Farmer: My Vegetables Make Me Stronger!-Chapter 48 - 45: This Is the One

Gu Xi had carefully examined the state of Wei Heng’s superpowers. It was terrible.

It wasn’t just that the X Energy in his body was constantly corrupting his superpowers. More importantly, his Superpower Core was also damaged and showed faint signs of fracturing!

This had allowed the X Energy in his body to gradually seep into his Superpower Core, becoming completely entangled with his own powers at their very source.

The two types of energy suppressed each other within his body, striking a strange equilibrium. From there, they began to fuse, forming a new and incredibly overbearing type of energy.

However, Wei Heng’s body was merely a vessel for this energy; he was unable to wield it.

Because his Superpower Core was damaged, its surface already riddled with fractures, it couldn’t possibly withstand such an overbearing energy output. The moment he tried to wield that power, his Superpower Core would very likely detonate instantly.

That was why for the past six months, Wei Heng had been constantly taking superpower inhibitors.

But in Gu Xi’s opinion, this was tantamount to drinking poison to quench thirst.

The superpower inhibitors could only suppress his original Earth Ability, not the X Energy inside him.

After all, the only reason nothing had happened to Wei Heng yet was that his original level 9 Earth Ability was just enough to maintain that strange equilibrium with the X Energy in his body. Once that balance was broken...

Only two fates awaited Wei Heng—either he could end his own life ahead of time to preserve his last shred of human dignity, or... he would completely transform into a monster.

Of course, if Wei Heng’s Superpower Core weren’t damaged, Gu Xi could have just devoured the X Energy in his body and been done with it.

But the problem was that the two energies in his body were now completely intertwined and had seeped into his Superpower Core. And Gu Xi’s own power was far too overbearing....

When the time came, the resulting conflict would be more than his body and Superpower Core could likely withstand.

The matter was thorny, but not entirely without a solution.

Gu Xi already had a few ideas in mind... But before that, she needed to find some mutated animals to practice on.

It would also be a good chance to solve her meat cravings.

’After eating vegetarian for so long, it was time to eat a little better.’

Gu Xi lowered her gaze, poking the two tender leaves at the tip of the little green sprout. ’Finding mutated animals has to be a priority.’

...

「Three days later.」

Military Farm NX-1314.

From a long way off, Gu Xi could faintly smell a peculiar, foul odor, like rotten eggs mixed with zombie blood. It was nauseating.

Beside her, Qi Xiang had already covered her nose and mouth, her brow furrowed slightly. "What the hell is this place? It stinks so bad..." ’She seriously doubted anything from here was actually edible. Wouldn’t the smell be enough to kill your appetite?’

Gu Xi, unfazed, pushed open the car door and stepped out.

Lu Shiliu was leaning against the main gate, head down as he scrolled through a forum.

Hearing the sound, he looked up. Seeing two young women walking toward him, he quickly shut down his personal terminal and strode forward. "Miss Gu? Miss Qi?"

Gu Xi nodded. "Hello, I’m Gu Xi."

Qi Xiang lowered the hand covering her nose and mouth and habitually turned on the charm. "Hello there, handsome. I’m Qi Xiang."

A suspicious blush appeared on Lu Shiliu’s face. He coughed awkwardly a couple of times. "Hello, I’m Lu Shiliu. Mr. Shen already filled me in on the situation. Please, follow me..."

The three of them entered the farm, and about half an hour later, they arrived before a large greenhouse-like structure in the northeast corner.

The structure was very tall, easily over ten meters. The gate was built from a special material that Gu Xi had never seen before.

"We’re here. This is the place." Lu Shiliu smiled back at the two women, then used his personal terminal to swipe open the electronic gate.

An even more concentrated, foul stench instantly washed over them.

Qi Xiang instinctively covered her nose and mouth. But as the gate began to rise, a jet-black rooster taller than a man charged out, flapping its huge wings as it flew straight toward her.

It was surprisingly fast, too.

Just as its sharp beak was about to slash across Qi Xiang’s pretty face, she somehow stumbled and fell, narrowly avoiding the attack by a hair’s breadth.

Gu Xi discreetly retracted the tiny green sprout at her fingertip and couldn’t help but give Qi Xiang a second glance.

’A close call? This girl’s luck... is hard to say.’

Nearby, Lu Shiliu had already subdued the charging rooster. He looked back at Qi Xiang, who was being helped up by Gu Xi, and said apologetically, "Miss Qi, are you all right?"

"I’m fine." Qi Xiang brushed the dust off her clothes and forced a calm smile. "My foot just cramped up and I twisted my ankle. It caught me by surprise..."

’Falling down because she was startled by a chicken was just too embarrassing. She would never admit to it.’

Qi Xiang discreetly took a step back and clutched Gu Xi’s arm tightly, pretending to ask nonchalantly as she looked at the young man now straddling the rooster’s neck, "This chicken..."

Sitting atop the majestic rooster, Lu Shiliu looked back and explained a bit sheepishly, "Oh, you mean Da Hong? He’s our chicken king around here. It’s mating season right now, you see? So he’s a little... irritable."

"He didn’t scare you, did he?"

Lu Shiliu felt pretty bad. They were just two young women, after all, and that Miss Gu in particular looked so frail that a strong gust of wind could knock her over. And now Da Hong had given them a scare like that...

’Sigh, when it came down to it, this was all Mr. Shen’s fault. I have no idea what he was thinking, making me orchestrate this whole thing...’

"We’re fine." Gu Xi stared at the black rooster beneath him for a moment. Although she didn’t understand why a black rooster would be called Da Hong... but...

’Da Hong was undoubtedly a fine chicken.’

’Gu Xi decided. That’s the one.’

"Can we take Da Hong?" Gu Xi asked, pointing at the black rooster beneath him.

Lu Shiliu was reluctant to part with Da Hong, but remembering Mr. Shen’s words, he nodded. He then pushed open a second door inside the chicken pen. "There are plenty of well-behaved smaller chickens inside. Do you want to take a look?"

Gu Xi nodded.

’She had come all this way, and it was a rare opportunity. Of course she was going to take a look.’

As the second gate opened, the nauseating, foul stench became even more intense.

"It’s way too smelly in here..." Qi Xiang blurted out, then immediately felt awkward. After all, it wasn’t like anyone had begged her to come.

After a pause, she tried to recover, adding sheepishly, "What I mean is, all this chicken manure... don’t you ever clean it up?"

The thick layer of chicken manure on the floor was just... GAG!

Qi Xiang couldn’t bear to look anymore. She wrenched her gaze away and quietly held her breath.

Fortunately, Lu Shiliu didn’t seem to mind. He explained in a low voice, "We can’t touch the manure. If we do, the chickens in here will go berserk..."

As for why that was?

Who knew!

After the apocalypse, it wasn’t just the plants; the animals had also become... strange and bizarre.

Gu Xi’s gaze also fell upon the chicken manure, her expression pensive.

’If it can calm the mutated chickens’ agitation, there must be something special in this manure...’

After a moment, she lightly tapped the little green sprout with her fingertip.

The little green sprout, looking thoroughly aggrieved, hesitated for a long while before reluctantly nodding its "head."

Gu Xi turned back to Lu Shiliu and asked tentatively, "Could we stay here alone for a little while?"

Lu Shiliu paused for a second, then nodded. "I suppose so, but you absolutely must not touch the manure..." As long as they didn’t touch the manure, the chickens inside generally wouldn’t attack.

Da Hong, of course, was an exception.

After carefully repeating all the warnings, Lu Shiliu gave the two an uneasy glance, then left, wrestling Da Hong along with him.

’Da Hong, whom he’d raised by hand, was about to be taken away. Who knew when he’d see him again? Perhaps this was their final farewell. He had to cherish the last moments they had together...’

Once Lu Shiliu was gone, Qi Xiang wanted to leave too. It was just too smelly; she really couldn’t stand the stench.

But Gu Xi gripped her arm firmly, not letting her go.

Qi Xiang’s expression was conflicted. After a moment of internal debate, she finally said, "Gu Xi, my ability’s range of influence is actually quite large. How about I wait for you outside?"

Gu Xi was silent for a moment before playing her trump card. "...Have you ever seen pre-apocalypse food videos? Fried chicken and cola, shiitake mushroom chicken soup..."

Qi Xiang subconsciously swallowed hard, then immediately let out a small gag. She hesitated for a moment before saying listlessly, "...Fine, then."

Gu Xi’s abilities had already been proven by her cooking; they were beyond doubt.

’For the sake of that delicious food, she could endure this!’

Qi Xiang closed her eyes and turned her back.

’It was hard to say if she was just unwilling to see the chicken manure, or if she was doing it to... avoid prying.’

Gu Xi couldn’t help but glance at her again. ’This girl isn’t just lucky; she’s sharp, too.’

Withdrawing her gaze, Gu Xi lightly tapped the two tender leaves at the tip of the little green sprout.

’Go on, my little treasure.’

But the little sprout clearly didn’t want to go.

’It was a good, clean little thing, and it found the chicken manure disgusting, thank you very much!’

But its master, Gu Xi, was clearly heartless. Pouting, fawning, and trying to act cute were all useless.

The little green sprout dawdled for another long while before, looking utterly dejected and miserable, it listlessly shot out and burrowed into the ground beneath the thick layer of chicken manure...