Chapter 130
The scent of the little spirit garlic wasn’t toxic to humans.
However, its scent had the unique ability to repel resentment energy, which had infiltrated the bodies of most humans living on Prison Star to varying degrees.
When too much of the garlic’s gas was inhaled in a short period, it caused a conflict with the resentment energy within the body, leading to the affected individuals passing out.
Once they were moved away from the greenhouse and the garlic’s scent, the three cultivators who had fainted earlier slowly regained consciousness.
Cen Liang, holding a glass of water handed to him by a colleague, took a sip before finally recovering enough to speak.
“What happened to me?”
As he recalled what had occurred just before he passed out, the image of the little spirit garlic’s leaves suddenly perking up came to mind, and a look of delight spread across his face.
“Did the mutated garlic wake up?” he asked urgently.
“Yes,” confirmed the colleague, a woman named Qiao Li, who nodded and added, “The mutated garlic woke up and released a strong scent, which knocked you all out.”
At this, she glanced at the young man standing by the window, gazing out at the scenery. Hesitating slightly, she added, “Except for Caretaker Su.”
Cen Liang blinked and turned to the other cultivator who had entered the greenhouse with them, Meng Xuedong, who had also regained consciousness.
At that moment, Meng Xuedong was staring at Su Ci with a strange expression, clearly lost in thought.
“Old Meng was wearing a gas mask, wasn’t he?” Cen Liang asked, puzzled.
Could the mutated garlic’s scent have become so potent after its advancement that even a gas mask wasn’t enough?
“Yes, he was,” Qiao Li replied, but she didn’t agree with Cen Liang’s theory. “Maybe the mask wasn’t on properly? The others who went in afterward to carry you out didn’t pass out.”
“Rubbish!” Meng Xuedong snapped, finally turning his attention to the conversation. “I follow the rules to the letter. Not like you lot—no protective suits, no masks!”
Qiao Li wasn’t intimidated and retorted, “But Caretaker Su didn’t pass out!”
That shut Meng Xuedong up immediately.
Indeed, why had he fainted, while Caretaker Su was perfectly fine?
Meng Xuedong recalled the scene in the greenhouse.
The young man had stood in front of the mutated garlic, his pale, slender hand raised slightly in the air. Then, the previously wilted garlic had suddenly lifted one of its leaves to touch his fingertips. The next moment, the entire plant seemed to burst with energy, coming to life as if it had been revitalized.
He couldn’t have imagined it. The mutated garlic had actively reached out to touch the trainee caretaker’s hand!
As incredible as it seemed—how could a plant possess self-awareness?
Though there had always been speculation among cultivators on Prison Star that mutated plants might have consciousness, Meng Xuedong had been skeptical. But after witnessing it firsthand, his doubts were beginning to waver.
This mutated garlic must have self-awareness. How else could such a coincidence occur?
Meng Xuedong also recalled something Cen Liang had mentioned—Su Ci might be a plant-bloodline holder.
“Caretaker Su, can you communicate with the mutated garlic?” Meng Xuedong asked directly, his gaze fixed intently on Su Ci.
Su Ci turned his head, his attention shifting from the window to Meng Xuedong.
But before he could respond, a blaring alarm interrupted the moment.
“Warning! Warning! An unknown incident has occurred in Greenhouse 237. All 28 cultivators and visitors from Base 26 outside the greenhouse have fallen unconscious.”
“Robots have been dispatched to transport the injured to Rest Rooms 1 and 3. The medical purification unit and action team have been notified. Conscious cultivators are advised to inspect the area for further developments.”
At the sound of the alarm, everyone in Rest Room 2, except for Su Ci, reacted with alarm.
“Could the mutated garlic have evolved an offensive capability?” Zhuang Shisong asked Su Ci nervously.
So far, only a handful of mutated plants discovered on Prison Star had shown aggressive traits. The garlic, known for its strong smell, had always been considered harmless in that regard—something the cultivators at Base 24 were grateful for.
But now, after awakening, the mutated garlic had rendered at least thirty people unconscious in one go. This was shaping up to be a serious incident.
Moreover, the visitors from Base 26 included members of their operations team—individuals with abilities. Yet even they weren’t spared?
Su Ci hadn’t expected that after he left, the little spirit garlic would cause such a commotion.
However, he shook his head and said, “It’s probably because the scent became too concentrated.”
Cen Liang had already pulled up the surveillance footage from Greenhouse 237. The holographic display showed robots moving the unconscious individuals out of the greenhouse.
Inside the greenhouse, the garlic sprout, now reduced to just over ten centimeters in height, stood with its leaves spread wide, lush and vibrant. Its entire body seemed to glow faintly, with a translucent, jade-like quality.
Though there was no wind in the greenhouse, the garlic’s leaves swayed gently. Even through the footage, one could sense its joyful energy.
Seeing that the mutated garlic was unharmed, Cen Liang rewound the footage to a few minutes earlier. What he saw left him speechless: without anyone even opening the greenhouse door, people outside had collapsed one after another.
This included the two directors, who were fully suited up, as well as Yun Zixu, who had been wearing a gas mask!
“It seems the garlic’s scent… really has advanced,” Cen Liang remarked, his expression complicated.
Yun Zixu was the first to regain consciousness.
When he recalled what had happened before he fainted, his eyes widened in disbelief.
He, the captain of Base 26’s action team, had succumbed to the garlic scent in just a few seconds?
Although the scent had been overwhelmingly potent—almost suffocating—Yun Zixu still found it hard to accept.
Especially when he noticed Yan Ping standing not far away, reviewing the surveillance footage.
Yun Zixu jumped up and strode over.
Noticing his approach, Yan Ping turned his head, his expression calm. “Awake? How are you feeling?”
Yun Zixu, who had been scrambling to think of how to save face, paused. He suddenly realized—
Wait a second. I feel amazing!
Clear-headed and invigorated, he couldn’t remember the last time he had felt this good.
“What’s wrong?” Yan Ping waved a hand in front of his face.
Everyone who had passed out had already been checked, and their vital signs were normal. Yan Ping wasn’t overly worried, but Yun Zixu’s expression didn’t seem typical of someone who was perfectly fine.
“Nothing’s wrong. I feel incredible!” Yun Zixu shook his head and glanced at his director, who was still unconscious, before turning back to Yan Ping.
“What about the mutated garlic? I heard it woke up. What’s its status now?” he asked.
Yan Ping gave him a skeptical look before replying, “It’s doing well. It’s just continuously emitting a very strong garlic scent. The area has been sealed off, and only robots are allowed inside.”
Although the conscious cultivators were trying every method they could think of to approach, their efforts had been largely unsuccessful.
Regardless of the level of protection their gas masks provided or how thoroughly they wrapped themselves, no one within a 20-meter radius could withstand the overwhelming garlic scent.
Even in the rest room, there was a faint lingering garlic scent in the air—a smell that was undeniably overwhelming.
However, Yan Ping already understood the value of the mutated garlic.
In fact, his operations team had long been equipped with bottles of “garlic-scented perfume,” ready to test its effects during a monster invasion. Yet, Base 24 had been unusually peaceful, while Base 26 was the first to report results.
After Yun Zixu and his team arrived, several acquaintances from Base 26 had already contacted Yan Ping, and even people from other bases were inquiring about the “garlic-scented perfume.”
Yan Ping had a feeling that he’d be dealing with this garlic scent for a long time to come.
At that moment, Yun Zixu sidled up to him with a sheepish grin and said in a soft voice, “Ah Ping, you’ve got some of that garlic perfume, right?”
Yan Ping gave him a cold look.
Unfazed, Yun Zixu laughed and said, “Come on, I’m not asking for it for free. How many points do you want? Or even galactic credits? Name your price.”
“The mutated garlic has woken up now. The production of garlic-scented perfume should resume,” Yan Ping reminded him.
And beyond the perfume, there were likely other garlic-based products in development—though probably all centered around the same smell.
Yun Zixu waved dismissively. “Even if production resumes, it’ll take time. Your base probably doesn’t have much stock left, does it?”
Yan Ping fell silent.
Previously, when the perfume’s effectiveness in combat was unverified, it had only been distributed to the action team. Now that its utility was confirmed, it would need to be provided to all frontline personnel.
That included not only guards but also outdoor workers like maintenance staff, with any remaining supplies prioritized for the rest of the base members. Supplies would only be shared with other bases after their own needs were met, in line with the long-standing rules of Prison Star. Without such prioritization, who would risk their lives for you?
Pressing his lips together, Yan Ping finally unhooked the spray from his belt and casually tossed it to Yun Zixu. “Take it.”
It might seem overly generous, but Yan Ping had a gut feeling that Base 26 needed the garlic perfume more urgently than they did.
After all, Base 24 now had a powerful figure watching over them.
Yun Zixu wasn’t expecting such an easy handoff. He fumbled to catch the spray and looked at Yan Ping in surprise. “What’s this? The sun rose from the west? Since when were you so generous?”
Yan Ping didn’t bother explaining and waved him off. “Just don’t die out there.”
With his eyes fixed on the holographic screen, Yan Ping continued reviewing the surveillance footage. Then, he froze when a familiar figure appeared on the display.
Why was Caretaker Su in the greenhouse?
He watched as the footage unfolded—a scene where the once-wilted and yellowish mutated garlic suddenly raised a leaf to touch the young man’s finger. Instantly, the garlic perked up, becoming vibrant and full of life.
Yan Ping thought back to Su Ci’s “quirks” and couldn’t believe that the awakening of the mutated garlic was also tied to this mysterious figure.
“Who’s that?” Yun Zixu curiously leaned closer.
Yan Ping immediately grew alert, quickly shutting off the holographic display. “Even if I told you, you wouldn’t know them.”
“No, wait—I think I do!” Yun Zixu caught on quickly. “That gray-blue uniform—only caretakers from the Nursery Facility wear those, right?”
For the first time, Yan Ping found himself regretting Prison Star’s decision to use uniform colors to distinguish occupations. But since Yun Zixu had figured it out, Yan Ping could only nod.
“Yes, he’s a caretaker from the Nursery Facility,” Yan Ping admitted.
“I think I’ve heard of him—last name Su, still in his probationary period, right?” Yun Zixu scratched his chin. “But what’s he doing in the mutated garlic’s greenhouse, and…”
“That, I don’t know,” Yan Ping interrupted, eager to change the subject. He realized that reviewing the surveillance footage in front of Yun Zixu had been a misstep.
“You stay here and keep watch. I’m leaving,” Yan Ping said abruptly, turning and leaving with his team without looking back.
Yun Zixu watched Yan Ping’s retreating figure, deep in thought.
Meanwhile, as the cultivators scrambled in chaos, Su Ci was already on a hover bus with A-Yan, leisurely heading back.
Having accomplished his goal of awakening the mutated garlic, there was no reason to stay longer. Although Su Ci had plans to extend his influence to Base 26 eventually, now wasn’t the right time.
Besides, with Base 26 aware of the little spirit garlic’s existence, future collaborations between the two bases were inevitable. There would be plenty of opportunities later.
As for when the little spirit garlic might calm down… that was now up to the cultivators at the cultivation zone to handle.
After all, the little guy’s emotions seemed to last a while. The thought made Su Ci smile wryly.
“Su Su, are we heading back to the Nursery Facility now?” A-Yan’s voice broke through his thoughts.
Since the bus was empty except for the two of them, A-Yan felt comfortable speaking freely.
Su Ci glanced out the window, sensing the increasingly thin rules of the world’s constraints. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Let’s head to the riverside.”
“Okay.” A-Yan instinctively moved closer to Su Ci.
The next moment, Su Ci transported them both to the riverside.
The bamboo and sweet wormwood they had planted earlier in the morning had already sprouted roots and tender green leaves, spurred by the abundant spiritual energy.
The sweet wormwood, a perennial herbaceous plant, was a versatile medicinal herb used to treat ailments like colds and rheumatism. It was an excellent choice for cultivation due to its resilience. Once abundant in the wild, it was surprising to see it still surviving in the interstellar era. Su Ci wondered if it had developed any new traits over the years.
Meanwhile, the lotus in the river, hindered by the less abundant spiritual energy in the water compared to the land, showed minimal growth since it had been planted.
After inspecting the progress, Su Ci spread the ashes of the giant spiders he had collected from Demon Flower Valley evenly along the riverside soil. He then loosened the soil, mixing the ashes deep into the ground as he had done previously.
These ashes could enrich the poor soil, serving as nutrients for the plants.
While Su Ci worked, A-Yan kept busy too. He continued collecting stones, carving them with purification, spirit-gathering, and reinforcement formations, and tossing them into the river.
“Boom!”
Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder rumbled across the sky.
After the thunderclap, the once relatively calm clouds rapidly gathered overhead. Soon, alarms blared from Base 24, their piercing sound echoing in the distance.
The blood rain was coming again.
A-Yan looked up at the swiftly forming clouds with a worried expression.
As the blood rain weather began to take shape, the blood mist beyond the purification barrier, which had been gradually dissipating, started surging back with renewed intensity.
Su Ci, however, wasn’t particularly concerned about this.
No matter how much blood mist rolled in, it would eventually be blocked by the purification barrier and transformed into spiritual energy, which would promote plant growth.
What did trouble him was the rapidly gathering, increasingly dark red clouds in the sky. He frowned slightly as he watched.
The blood rain came from the heavens, and the purification barrier couldn’t block it.
If this rain, laden with intense resentment energy, fell, it would have a devastating effect on the newly revived plants along the riverside. The soil, too, would once again be polluted.
True, he could use a spiritual shield to protect the plants, but could he do this every time extreme weather occurred?
As the plants multiplied and spread over a wider area, would his current weakened body be able to manage it all? Could his strength recover enough to match such demands?
Su Ci wasn’t sure, but for now, he could only take it one step at a time.
Just as he prepared to raise a spiritual shield to protect the riverside plants, a hoarse and murky voice rang out.
“I’ll do it—”
Startled, Su Ci turned his head.
A-Yan had stood up at some point. In his hands was the notebook he used for writing heavenly scripts. The pages of the notebook were flipping rapidly, each divine script lighting up briefly before dimming again. The platinum glow from the scripts illuminated A-Yan’s small face.
The power of each divine script was faint, but as they gathered together, they formed a force so concentrated it made one’s chest tighten.
This power coalesced in A-Yan’s palm, emitting a dazzling platinum light.
A-Yan gazed at the sky, his hair whipping in the wind. The once jet-black strands now seemed tinged with platinum, reflecting the manifested rules of power in his hand.
The work manual that usually hung quietly around the boy’s neck had retreated into his clothes, trembling in fear of the overwhelming pressure.
“A-Yan…”
Su Ci stared in shock at the scene before him.
Under Su Ci’s watchful gaze, the power of rules in A-Yan’s hand suddenly erupted into an even more dazzling and blinding light. As the light flared, the child’s hoarse and strained voice sounded again.
His black-red eyes locked onto the sky, and he spat out a single word:
“Disperse!”
At that moment, the red clouds rapidly gathering in the sky came to an abrupt halt.
The shift from extreme motion to stillness was shockingly fast.
The dense blood mist, thick enough to seemingly drip blood, let out thunderous roars, like the enraged cries of some unknown beast. Yet in the end, the blood-red clouds were torn to shreds by the platinum light.
The blood-red mist dissipated, and the sky brightened once more.
Drip, drip, drip.
After the red mist cleared, a gentle rain began to fall.
But this rain carried no resentment—it was now just ordinary, transparent water. It resembled a long-overdue spring rain, soft and steady, nourishing the parched land.
Drip, drip, drip.
The rhythmic sound of rain fell like a lover’s whispered murmur. Su Ci closed his eyes involuntarily, hearing the earth sigh with joy.
He didn’t raise a spiritual shield to block the rain, letting it fall on his face and trail down his body, eventually soaking into the ground beneath his feet.
Until… he heard a thud.
Su Ci opened his eyes and flashed to A-Yan’s side, catching the boy as he collapsed. He held him tightly in his arms.
A-Yan hadn’t fainted. When Su Ci looked down at him in concern, A-Yan gave him a weak, pale smile.
“Su Su, did I help you?”
The boy’s clear, soothing voice came through the communicator, still as warm and gentle as always. For a moment, Su Ci saw the image of an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old boy smiling at him.
Though clearly weakened, the boy’s eyes sparkled as if simply seeing Su Ci brought him joy.
The boy’s pale lips moved soundlessly, but Su Ci understood the words he was mouthing:
“Do you like it?”
Like what? This rain?
Su Ci tilted his head to look at the sky. The softly falling rain landed on his face and seemed to seep into his heart, much like how it nourished the parched land—quietly, but deeply.
Lowering his head again, he opened his mouth to respond. But the boy’s image vanished, leaving only A-Yan, who had now fainted from exhaustion, in his arms.
Su Ci pressed his lips into a thin line. This kid…
He picked A-Yan up and, without a glance at the riverside, vanished from the spot.
When Su Ci reappeared, he was back at the Nursery Facility.
Carrying A-Yan into the bathroom, he filled the tub and bathed him while silently channeling his soul energy to nourish the boy’s weakened body. Though Su Ci’s expression held a rare trace of anger, his actions were impossibly gentle, careful, and protective.
As for the nascent Book Spirit…
It had long scurried to the side. Sensing Su Ci’s oppressive mood, it trembled and buried itself in the laundry basket, hiding under A-Yan’s dirty clothes.
After tucking A-Yan into bed and feeding him a few spoonfuls of demon flower honey, Su Ci finally relaxed when the boy’s pale cheeks regained their rosy color.
Su Ci gazed at the sleeping A-Yan, unable to resist reaching out. Just as he was about to pat the furry ears on the boy’s head, his fingers instead brushed against his cheek.
His pale fingers traced over A-Yan’s brow and eyes, but what surfaced in Su Ci’s mind was the image of the young man he had seen in his visions.
In truth, calling him a “young man” might not be entirely accurate.
Zhou Yan wasn’t small or delicate; his features were handsome and spirited, though his smile carried a puppy-like warmth and enthusiasm.
Still, he was undoubtedly younger than Su Ci.
Which begged the question…
“Zhou Yan, who are you?”
Su Ci softly murmured to the sleeping child. Receiving no answer, he shook his head and, after tucking A-Yan in, left the bedroom.
After removing his damp clothes and freshening up in the bathroom, Su Ci emerged to find the neatly folded pajamas A-Yan had prepared for him that morning on the shelf.
He paused, then casually picked them up, changed, and stepped out of the bathroom.
The rain outside continued to fall steadily, its gentle patter filling the air.
Listening to the rain, Su Ci settled onto the sofa. He felt as though something was missing, but before he could dwell on it, the voice of the base’s AI chimed in.
“Caretaker Su, the investigation and report regarding Senior Researcher Ren Yufei have been concluded. Would you like to review the results?”
