Master of Ten Thousand Foxes-Chapter 214 - 140: The Imitation Vine That Destroyed the Orchard, Yue Xiaosu’s Bullets (Part 2)

It let out an "Awo" and started crying again, burying its chubby head into its master's shoulder.

Bai Mo quickly patted his disciple.

"I'm not teasing you, really!

"There are records of this in the literature.

"Not only can animals usurp nests, but this also happens with medicinal herbs.

"It's a very unique plant called Imitation Vine!"

Small and Big Eyes raised its head again.

"Ying?"

It frowned.

So, it was tricked by this Imitation Vine?!

A few disciples who had been eavesdropping from behind a big tree also dashed over, united in indignation with Small and Big Eyes!

"Ying ying ying!"

"Awo awo awo!"

"Ying ying ying!"

They all wanted to go together and find that Imitation Vine!

Bai Mo nodded, holding Small and Big Eyes, and stood up.

"Alright then, let's all go together."

...

Bai Mo led a group of disciples into Snake Scale Mango Garden.

His disciples looked around everywhere, feeling something was amiss with every tree, kicking stones, and pulling at weeds.

Bai Mo, on the other hand, spread his Divine Sense like an invisible wind, sweeping over each fruit tree…

"It's not here.

"Not here either.

"Not here either…"

Each Snake Scale Mango tree swayed in the gale.

Only branches and leaves remained; most of the fruits were gone, leaving only fruit stems.

Suddenly, Bai Mo fixed his gaze on a fruit stem on a tree.

"That stem looks suspicious."

With a flick of his Divine Sense, a narrow line of Pill Fire ignited on the tree bark.

The Pill Fire flashed momentarily, burning the narrow line of bark to ashes, revealing the white and tender stalk beneath.

And indeed, a crimson-brown vine crawled along this stalk, resembling a blood vessel!

It grew all the way from underground, burrowed into the tree bark, thriving beneath it. From the bark, it sprouted stems, bearing fruit identical to Snake Scale Mangos!

Only the fruits it bore were superficial, appearing like the real thing but infested with white mold and fungus within!

"This vine survives through parasitism.

"The fruit trees it parasitizes look normal externally but are actually rotten inside, weakened, unable to bear fruit.

"Yet this treacherous vine is cunning… fearing the anomaly would be discovered, it produces one rotten fruit after another, mingling with the good ones.

"By the time all fruits are mingled and rotted by the fungus… the records are chaotic, untraceable. This vine then securely survives.

"It's an insidious vine with substantial harm.

"One can only say… in the Ancient Immortal Dynasty, wonders never cease. Even Immortal Grasses can be treacherous!"

Case solved, the disciples were all very excited!

"Awo awo awo!"

"Ying ying ying!"

"Ying ying ying!"

Small and Big Eyes furrowed its brow, jumped off its master's body, and dashed off with a few senior and junior disciples in tow.

Bai Mo was feeling puzzled, but then saw this bunch returning, each gnashing their teeth, carrying either medicine tanks, cleavers, or spades, sharpening their blades.

"Awo awo awo!"

"Ying ying ying!"

"Ying ying ying!"

Because of this Imitation Vine, Small and Big Eyes' more than two years of labor had gone to waste, it must be punished!

Bai Mo tugged at his lips.

"Letting Small and Big Eyes vent its anger... it's not impossible.

"But… this vine is quite rare.

"Encountered once in a hundred years, even scarcer than Snake Scale Mango.

"Moreover, it ruined our Snake Scale Mangos.

"Letting it die like this, wouldn't that be letting it off too easily?

"Shouldn't we find a way to let it live and contribute something to Fox Mountain?"

The foxes glanced at each other, looked at their master, feeling their master truly made sense!

Then looked at the vine, eyes squinted with malign expressions!

This wicked thing, having destroyed the Snake Scale Mango grove, must pay, squeezing oil out of it, even its marrow!

...

Night.

In the dormitory hall of Fox Mountain.

Bai Mo sat at the head of the bed, once again buried among the foxes, watching the live broadcast from the Little Volcano Military Factory.

The apprentices stared wide-eyed, some holding golden chestnuts, others clutching today's snack, Chrysanthemum Small Fragrant Melon, all intently focused on the floating screen.

Bai Mo, however, was absent-minded, actually pondering over the matter of the Imitation Vine...

The seeds of that thing were rare and difficult to plant, as well as to survive. In the Ancient Immortal Dynasty, it could be said to occur once in a century.

Precisely because of this, it evolved such a perverse and strange self-protection mechanism.

To encounter one, it's hard to tell if it's bad luck or good fortune.

But since it's there, it's best to find a way to develop and utilize it to recover some losses at the Snake Scale Mango Garden.

Yet, what is the actual use of that thing?

It can parasitize other plants, mimicking their fruits... but the imitations are merely shoddy counterfeits with attractive exteriors. What's the use of fakes?

While pondering, Bai Mo suddenly heard exclamations.

"Ao ao ao!"

"Ying ying ying!"

"Ying ying ying!"

What's going on?

Bai Mo looked up at the screen, towards the West Ridge Little Volcano Military Factory.

Upon seeing it clearly, he couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth.

In the image, there was Tie Shiba, conspicuously having erected a small temple in the open space! A small bronze temple with flying eaves and a gabled roof!

Through the temple window, one could see ten guns lined up on the table inside!

Each of these ten was the same, just like Big and Small Eyes' gun.

The guns were quite thick, about the length of a forearm, resembling submachine guns. They also came with very small grips and triggers, convenient for the foxes to use.

Some of the apprentices held golden chestnuts, others clutched Chrysanthemum Small Fragrant Melons, with their pairs of dark red eyes all staring at the master!

"Ying ying ying!"

"Ao ao ao!"

"Ying ying ying!"

There are only ten, but each of them wants one; what to do?

Bai Mo pondered for a moment.

"Uh, everyone should put away your golden chestnuts and small fragrant melons for now.

"These ten guns, the master will buy them, and once they're home, we'll all play together!"

...

Atop the Little Volcano, in the military factory.

In the control room, Tie Shiba, Su Yaoyao, and Wu Qingyun were all waiting.

Waiting to see if those ten guns could be sold!

Su Yaoyao and Wu Qingyun were still okay, but Tie Shiba was restless.

"Let's hope we didn't misunderstand!"

Golden chestnuts were, of course, good stuff, but this transaction had other meanings as well… This was an important communication mechanism with that Mr. Mystery!

Today, these strange guns could be exchanged for golden chestnuts.

Who knows, maybe later they could exchange something else for better ingredients?

While waiting, Tie Shiba sent a message in the group again.

[@everyone stay far away from that small temple! Don't come close, don't even look!]

...

Everyone on the mountain was compliant, aware of Committee Member Tie Shiba's bad temper. Offending him would at least result in a scolding. Subsequent bonuses, performances, titles… everything would be affected.

At this moment, each stayed at their post, not daring to leave.

Only one person was sneaking towards the small temple... It was Professor Wang's graduate student, the chubby Yue Xiaosu!

She sneaked into the small temple, seeing ten guns laid out on the table…

These were designed by her!

She spent a long time, consulted many papers, did numerous experiments, used up lots of creativity, and lost much hair… Finally designing them!

Originally, she intended for these guns to be armed to the committee members, for them to battle enemies.

But now, these guns were being used to please others…

She let out a soft sigh.

Putting down the heavy box she was holding in her arms with a thud onto the table.

This large box was packed full of bullets, matching bullets for the guns!

"If that one truly likes them, at least take some bullets along.

"With bullets, these guns can be put to use, to kill enemies."

She herself didn't know what exactly was going on in her mind... Unable to bear seeing her hard work turn into a mere plaything? Or perhaps not wanting her work to have its meaning altered?

After placing down the box of bullets, she turned to quietly tiptoe out of the small temple.

Just stepping out the temple door, she stood frozen.

She saw Committee Member Tie Shiba standing not far away, facing her, watching her, with an iron-grey face.