Raising the Undead: A Post-Apocalyptic Love Story

13:00 PM, the sun shone brightly. A "whoosh" echoed as a chili pepper bullet grazed Qian Hui's hair, striking a zombie behind him. The zombie's head lolled, its withered body disintegrated into nothingness within seconds. A carnivorous plant in front of him nudged Qian Hui's arm with its leaf, signaling him to lie down: "Wu." Qian Hui quickly closed his eyes, feigning death and burrowing into the soft grass, inching sideways to wait for the workday to end. Meanwhile, the horn sounded for the third time, and more zombies poured in, their sluggish bodies shuffling forward, intent on devouring every plant in their path. Behind the carnivorous plant stood a chili pepper shooter, its black-bean eyes stern and sharp, bullets flying steadily toward their targets. The lawn was dotted with other plants: large nut walls, pomelo bowling balls, cabbage boxers... Lying in the corner, Qian Hui peeked open an eye and waved at a sunflower across the yard. About ten minutes later, all zombies invading the courtyard were eradicated. The victory horn sounded, and the plants returned to their dormant states, rustling leaves in celebration. Qian Hui climbed to his feet—the day's work was over, and it was time to rest. His health bar was nearly depleted, having taken a tumble earlier when he stepped on a zombie's discarded arm. Though the fall hadn't hurt, his health had dwindled significantly. Fortunately, the plants wouldn't attack him, allowing him to move freely with his meager health. Now, as work ended and the zombie remains vanished from the lawn, Qian Hui's health bar began to slowly refill. He sat by the courtyard edge, a sunflower leaning affectionately close, dropping a petal into his palm. In an instant, his health bar replenished by half. The petal crumbled dry in his hand as Qian Hui whispered, "Thank you, Xiao Kui." Several plants in the yard were injured, and the sunflower's leaves nudged his fingertips before retreating to queue for healing. Qian Hui followed, pulling the carnivorous plant's leaves: "What's wrong?" Upon seeing him, the carnivorous plant sheathed its fangs and snorted. The carrot also stopped fighting, nudging Qian Hui's palm with its head before queuing alone. Qian Hui brought the carnivorous plant to the queue, only to see the cabbage pounding its fist in frustration. Most plants in the courtyard were ill-tempered and prone to bickering, so minor friction was common. Qian Hui ran over, pulling the cabbage's leaves: "Be careful next time..." The cabbage grunted in agreement, wobbling with its bandaged arm. Suddenly, a pink blur darted from the bushes, jumping onto Qian Hui's shoulder and planting a kiss on his cheek. The little mushroom, too young and small to assist in battle, had stayed inside but now scampered around, giving Qian Hui another kiss before hopping onto the carnivorous plant's head. All plants settled down as the little mushroom touched them. Qian Hui put the cabbage down and approached the courtyard's wooden board. Carved into it were many "1"s, with a small circular mark beneath every seventh "1". He picked up a stick and scratched a new mark, smiling as he counted the tally: "I'm off..." Qian Hui pointed in a direction, then hurried out of the courtyard. The outside was a vast lawn lined with pebble paths stretching into the distance. Silent and deserted, Qian Hui walked for several minutes until he reached a forest. Though the sun blazed overhead, the forest was shrouded in a murky, shadowy light, mysterious and oppressive. He quickened his pace along a path, the sunlight growing dimmer as he ventured deeper. At the heart of the forest stood a crude stone cottage, its door ajar and emitting a faint, bitter herbal scent. A man with towering height and a frosty demeanor stood in front, his dark clothes blending into the shadowy stones, exuding an aura of danger. Hearing footsteps, Nan Tingjin's gaze softened as he looked up. Qian Hui sprinted toward him, throwing himself into his arms. "Am I late?" he asked, lifting his head. "No," Nan Tingjin replied softly, brushing a silver strand of hair from Qian Hui's face. The man's cold exterior melted into tenderness. Inside the cottage, the herbal brew was ready, its color pitch-black and aroma pungent. Qian Hui took a cautious sip, savoring the bitter taste: "It smells wonderful." Nan Tingjin watched him drink, his expression focused. Afterward, Qian Hui nestled closer, whispering how much he missed him and recounting the past six days' events—from the cabbage punching a hole in the courtyard wall to the cherries he'd eaten for dessert. Nan Tingjin listened patiently, occasionally prompting him with questions. When Qian Hui mentioned a gift he'd made, his hands trembling with nervous pride, he revealed a rough-hewn wooden ring. Though imperfect, the two interlocking circles and a leaf spelled "Hui"—his name. Nan Tingjin's breath caught, but he smiled and said, "I love it." As they sat under the sun-drenched stone bench, Nan Tingjin taught Qian Hui to read, his voice low and gentle. Qian Hui's clothes pocket held a potato bread, given to him by the chili pepper before he left. He offered it to Nan Tingjin, who took it and wiped Qian Hui's face with the crumbs. Drowsiness overcame Qian Hui as they talked, and he dozed off in Nan Tingjin's arms. When he awoke, the book had been returned to its place. Nan Tingjin's profile was bathed in warm sunlight as he closed his eyes. Qian Hui traced his eyelashes and kissed his sun-kissed skin. As dusk approached, Qian Hui knew he had to return to the courtyard or risk losing health. Reluctantly, he hugged Nan Tingjin: "I have to go back." Nan Tingjin's grip tightened, but he let go: "Alright." Qian Hui kissed his forehead and cheek before departing. The man watched him disappear into the forest, the night swallowing his silhouette. Back at the courtyard, the carnivorous plant awaited anxiously. Qian Hui scooped up the little mushroom and hurried inside, where a communal meal awaited. After dinner, Qian Hui helped with the cleanup and washed up by the stream. Returning to the giant tree's shade, he found the carrot and cabbage fighting again. He intervened, pulling the cabbage away: "Your wound just healed!" The cabbage calmed, and the carrot, chastised by the carnivorous plant, retreated. Most plants had retired for the night, leaving Qian Hui's cabbage-leaf bed prepared. A glowing mushroom served as his nightlight. As he settled in, a pea rolled over, extending leafy limbs. Qian Hui yawned and nestled in, the carnivorous plant curling up beside him. In the dead of night, Qian Hui awoke to a crash. His body felt heavy, and blurry figures swayed around him—plants, their leaves urgently tugging at his arms. Dazed, he crawled toward the light and emerged from a collapsed wall. The air reeked of earth, rotting flesh, and dried blood. He looked around, bewildered by the unfamiliar ruins and the gray, windless sky. A distant roar jolted him awake. Zombies, their skin dark and twisted, eyes glowing red, converged toward a massive carnivorous plant. Seven stories tall with jagged fangs, it devoured zombies and flung others aside. On its purplish head were four white thorns and a flame-shaped scar—familiar yet alien to Qian Hui. "Xiao Zi..." he whispered. A mechanical voice echoed in his mind: Ding! You have bound the Plant Identification System. The apocalypse has arrived, with superhumans, sinister zombies, and berserk plants locked in a（tripartito）war. Enjoy the game!