The First Bloom 1

As Jianyu finished planting the last potato seed, a sharp ping echoed in his mind, like the resonant chime of a bell submerged in water. His vision blurred momentarily, and then—

Whoosh.

A glowing map unfurled in his mind, vivid and intricate. It wasn't just a vague impression but a fully detailed layout of the cavern they had called home for the past few weeks. Jianyu froze, his hand still hovering over the soil, as the map sharpened into focus.

The cavern was massive—far larger than he had ever realized. The dimly lit pathways they had stumbled upon barely scratched the surface of its true scope.

Major Quest: Clean Nearby Corrupted Land.

Objective: Plant Crystal Bloom seeds in the corrupted soil.

Sub-quest: Clear debris from the field to prepare for planting. Rewards: +5,000 points.

Jianyu's brows furrowed, his gaze drifting toward the darkened, jagged terrain on the far side of the cavern map.

The system highlighted the corrupted area with a faint, sickly green glow only he could see. It pulsed faintly, like a festering wound, and just looking at it made his stomach churn.

"Great," Jianyu thought grimly. "A field full of death, and I'm supposed to turn it into a garden."

He glanced at the others. The group of survivors, energized by the turnip harvest, was now bustling with activity—sorting vegetables, chatting, even laughing. Zhenfeng, meanwhile, was crouched a short distance away, brushing dirt off his hands after planting the last of the potato seeds.

"You know," Zhenfeng said, stretching his back and glancing over his shoulder at Jianyu. "If we keep this up, we might as well start a farmer's guild."

Jianyu, who had been lost in thought while staring at the map of the corrupted land, barely registered the joke.

Zhenfeng narrowed his eyes. "Oi, what's with the face? You look like you just stepped on a landmine. Don't tell me you're already stressing about planting more crops."

Jianyu blinked, snapping out of his thoughts. "It's not that," he said, though his voice was unconvincing. "I'm just… planning ahead."

Zhenfeng rolled his eyes, brushing dirt off his pants as he stood. "You're always planning ahead. It's farming, not some strategic war game. You dig, you plant, you water, and voila—food happens."

Jianyu hesitated. The system's voice still echoed faintly in his mind, reminding him of the next daunting task: Clean Nearby Corrupted Land. But how could he explain that to Zhenfeng without sounding like he'd completely lost it?

He forced a shrug. "This next crop isn't as simple as turnips or potatoes."

Zhenfeng raised an eyebrow. "Complicated crops? What are you planning, Jianyu? Black Bloom?"

"Not exactly," Jianyu muttered, glancing back toward the darkened edge of the cavern. The corrupted land loomed there like a silent threat, its shadow stretching further than it had any right to.

"Sure," Zhenfeng said with a snort, giving his sword a once-over to check for nicks. "Well, if you need me, I'll be over here not stressing about planting vegetables."

Jianyu didn't respond. His gaze was locked in the direction of the corrupted field, a knot of tension tightening in his chest. This was going to be anything but just farming.

The cavern was deathly quiet at this hour. The kind of quiet that made every sound—every drip of water, every crunch of dirt underfoot—feel too loud. Jianyu had risen before dawn, slipping out of the camp while everyone else was still asleep. He hadn't told anyone where he was going.

The system's map glowed faintly in his mind, a guiding light pulling him deeper into the cavern. Each step took him further underground, the air growing colder and more oppressive with every passing minute.

The stone walls seemed to close in, the faint glimmers of luminescent moss the only source of light.

Jianyu's heart hammered in his chest. He wasn't foolish—he knew the risks. The corrupted crops could mean anything, but the system's vagueness left room for his worst fears. Images of Black Blooms, the monstrous man-eating plants, flickered in his mind.

He tightened his grip on the shovel slung over his shoulder, as if it could protect him from whatever lay ahead.

"Just stay calm," he muttered under his breath, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's just a field. You can handle a field."

The map pulsed brighter, signaling he was close. When he finally stepped into the corrupted area, he froze.

The land before him was unlike anything he'd seen. The cavern floor was cracked and blackened, radiating a faint, sickly glow that seemed to pulse in time with his racing heartbeat.

The soil was littered with debris—jagged shards of rock, twisted metal, and chunks of something that looked unnervingly organic. The air was heavier here, colder, and carried a metallic tang that made his throat itch.

Jianyu crouched down, brushing his fingers over the brittle surface. Beneath the blackened crust, he could feel a faint hum of life. It was weak, struggling, but it was there. The system hadn't lied: with enough work, this land could be healed.

As he straightened, his eyes caught something strange—something that didn't fit the scene of devastation. Along the cavern walls, thin vines crept upward, weaving intricate patterns across the rough stone.

Unlike the ruined ground beneath his feet, these vines were vibrant and healthy. Their emerald-green leaves glistened faintly as if kissed by dew, and tiny, star-shaped flowers in shades of pale blue and white dotted their surface.

Jianyu's stomach twisted. It is too strange. Too alive. For a fleeting moment, panic gripped him as a single thought shot through his mind: Black Bloom.

He stepped back instinctively, his grip tightening on the shovel. Black Blooms were deceptive—they could appear harmless until the moment they struck, their vine-like appendages lashing out to attack their prey. Jianyu's gaze darted to the nearest vine, half-expecting it to twitch, to lash out toward him.

But it didn't.

The vines remained perfectly still, swaying ever so slightly in the faint draft that blew through the cavern. Jianyu swallowed hard, forcing himself to calm down. Slowly, he inched closer to the wall, his breaths shallow as he studied the plants.

"Just… a normal vine," he muttered under his breath, as much to convince himself as to fill the oppressive silence.

He reached out cautiously, fingers brushing against the nearest leaf. The surface was smooth and waxy, cool to the touch. Nothing happened. The vine didn't recoil or tighten around his wrist like he'd feared. It's simply… existed, swaying gently in the cavern's cold air.

Jianyu let out a shaky breath, relief flooding his chest. Whatever this was, it wasn't a Black Bloom. Just an ordinary plant—albeit an unusually healthy one, thriving in a place that should have killed it.

His gaze flicked back to the ruined ground of the corrupted field. The contrast was jarring—life and beauty flourishing against the walls, while the soil beneath was nothing but decay and desolation. Jianyu's brow furrowed as questions swirled in his mind. Who—or what—had kept these plants alive in such an environment?

He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. The vines weren't his priority right now. Whatever their story was, it could wait. The field needed to be cleared, and the Crystal Blooms needed planting.

"Alright," he said to himself, more to fill the void than anything else. "Let's do this."

He pulled out his shovel and stepped toward the edge of the field, but the sound of a voice behind him nearly made him drop it.

"Let's do what exactly?"