So what if the Ruan family has those little kumquats? Their quantity is limited, barely enough to meet the enormous demand.
The Li family discussed and decided to give the Ruan family a hard time. They believed that, under pressure from all sides, the Ruan family would have no choice but to hand over the mutated kumquat tree!
Ruan Shu had no idea what was happening with her father; he never shared such stressful matters with her.
At the moment, Ruan Shu was wearing a hat and walking hand-in-hand with her older cousin to the largest mutated botanical garden on the main planet.
This botanical garden was managed by the Empire’s Institute of Botanical Research and housed various relatively calm and docile mutated plants, allowing people to understand them better.
Due to the unique nature of these plants, each had its own territory in the garden, though some similar types of plants lived in groups.
Ruan Shu held her cousin’s hand tightly, following close beside him. The weather had grown chilly, and she wore overalls paired with an adorable, fluffy white coat. Her hat even had two upright bunny ears, making her look like a soft, pink and white cotton candy ball.
Quiet and obediently following her cousin, Ruan Shu looked up with her delicate face, listening attentively to the guide’s explanations. Her behavior caught the eyes of other visitors, originally there to see the mutated plants, who couldn’t help but glance at her.
Although this world wasn’t short on beautiful children, there was something uniquely soft and endearing about this little girl that made it hard to look away.
Ruan Shu didn’t notice the gazes that occasionally fell on her. She was focused on the guide’s introduction, peering through a transparent wall made of special material at the mutated plant within.
This time, it was a mutated mushroom.
The mushroom was a soft pink, with a dreamy aesthetic. White, round spots decorated its cap, which was about the size of an adult’s palm. It grew on a moss-covered stump, looking harmless and rather delicate.
But the guide’s explanation told a different story.
“Mushrooms are rare among mutated plants, but each type of mutated mushroom is extremely dangerous. This particular one is called the Pink Maiden.”
“Although it appears harmless and beautiful, anyone who knows about it understands that the Pink Maiden lures its prey with its appearance.”
“Don’t stare too long at the spots on its cap; if you do, it will draw you in, pulling you into the range of its spores. Then, without realizing it, the prey becomes the host for the next generation of spores.”
“This means that prey could unknowingly be infected with the Pink Maiden’s spores in their sleep, then slowly absorbed as nutrients. Eventually, the mushroom grows out of their body.”
“We’ve seen numerous creatures killed by the Pink Maiden, with even the nutrients in their bones completely drained.”
“Hiss…”
Upon hearing this, everyone quickly averted their gaze from the Pink Maiden. The prettier it looked, the more dangerous it seemed!
Ruan Shu blinked, a bit shocked that such a seemingly harmless mushroom could be so powerful.
But perhaps it was just her imagination, as she thought she saw the Pink Maiden sway slightly, almost as if it were greeting her. When she looked again, it was still. She must have been mistaken.
The guide continued, explaining, “In the wild, mutated fungal plants are among the trickiest to handle. They disguise themselves well; some even hide so cleverly that they’re nearly impossible to detect, yet their spores drift unseen in the air and can be unknowingly inhaled by prey, taking root within them.”
“This kind of parasitism is hard to treat. Even with current medical technology, removing parasitic mutated fungi is extremely difficult. If the parasitic fungi only aim to nurture their next generation, it’s manageable; if the fungi have grown somewhat, they can sometimes be extracted.”
The guide continued, “The scariest type of mutated fungi is one called the Ghost Mushroom. Once its spores parasitize a host, they gradually take control of the host’s body, causing the host to die unknowingly and ultimately become a soulless shell, completely controlled by the Ghost Mushroom.”
With that, the guide showed an image of the Ghost Mushroom. Ruan Shu tilted her head up to look. It was a pure white mushroom with a slight translucency and elegant, frilly edges, giving it an almost ethereal appearance.
Who would think that such an unassuming and delicate-looking mushroom could be so deadly?
“The good news is, this mutated Ghost Mushroom is extremely rare in the wild, and it’s nearly impossible to cultivate. It has very strict environmental requirements. Even the Li family, known for cultivating various mutated plants, hasn’t been able to grow Ghost Mushrooms. To date, only a handful have ever been found in the wild, so they’re relatively safe.”
“But what if we’re unlucky enough to encounter one? Are we just supposed to wait for death?” someone in the crowd asked.
Mutated fungi like these are truly impossible to guard against. They may lack offensive or defensive abilities, but their parasitic nature is terrifying.
“The best defense against them is precaution. Currently, there are protective suits available on the market designed specifically for these types of fungi. Mutated fungi prefer swamps and humid, ancient forests, so always wear protective gear when visiting such places.”
Beyond that, there aren’t many better defensive methods.
The guide continued leading the group forward, and Ruan Shu couldn’t resist glancing back at the Pink Maiden one last time.
She noticed the Pink Maiden’s cap swaying slightly, and this time, she was certain she wasn’t imagining it!
Tilting her head, she raised a small hand and waved at it.
Her motion was so small, and with everyone’s attention focused on the guide, no one noticed her.
Except for Ruan Linzhan.
A large hand fell gently, covering her eyes. Well, Ruan Shu’s face was so tiny that it covered her whole face with just one hand.
“Don’t stare too long,” he said with a tone of indulgent affection. The little girl blinked, her dark, curly eyelashes fluttering like a tiny brush against his palm.
Ruan Linzhan let go, giving her soft, chubby cheek a gentle pinch. “Didn’t you hear the guide? It may look harmless and pretty, but it’s dangerous.”
Ruan Shu nodded softly, “I know.”
In a small voice, she added, “But I felt like it was saying hello to me just now.”
Ruan Linzhan glanced at the seemingly docile Pink Maiden. “It’s just trying to lure you.”
Inside the enclosure, the previously quiet Pink Maiden trembled slightly, indignant: It wasn’t trying to lure her! It really just wanted to greet the little cutie! That big brute was slandering it!