Chapter 11:unnameable

In the dense forest where soft vines struggled to assist effectively, Qian Hui ran alone for hours. The towering trees blurred into an indistinguishable maze, their twisted branches blocking his view of the path behind. Mutated plants lurked everywhere—grasses twitched subtly, and tree trunks creaked faintly as the game's alerts buzzed about unseen flora. Most non-combat plants remained tiny, camouflaged among the foliage, but Qian Hui's accidental step on an unidentified flower sent it screeching away. "Sorry… sorry!" he muttered frantically, darting sideways to avoid deep brush.

A horizontal branch snapped upward, grumbling, "Hmm?" Qian Hui dodged and apologized again. Some plants, like ancient oaks, seemed rooted permanently, their consciousness unchanging since awakening. He hurried past them, clutching the man-eating flower—its superior-tier aura deterred even hostile vegetation.

Exhaustion finally forced him to halt. As he drank water, Chili signaled from his pocket. Following its gaze, Qian Hui froze—Nan Tingjun stood closer than before, his silhouette slicing through the trees. Panicked, he bolted, but fatigue slowed him. The distance between them vanished.

Suddenly, Qian Hui's limbs locked. Nan Tingjun's telekinesis held him motionless while Chili leapt onto his shoulder, swinging via soft vines to launch chili seeds. Nan Tingjun sidestepped, but the seeds scattered harmlessly. Before another attack, both Chili and the vine collapsed, immobilizing them all.

Nan Tingjun approached, scanning Qian Hui. "Why run?" he asked calmly. Qian Hui freed himself, clutching Chili and the soft vine. "You're here to capture Xiao Zi, aren't you?" he demanded, shielding the man-eating flower's purple shell. Nan Tingjun's gaze flickered but stayed neutral. "You're right," he said unexpectedly. Qian Hui's mistrust flared. "Prove it."

Nan Tingjun's patience wavered. "It's a bounty mission. Failed missions happen." He paused, meeting Qian Hui's tearful stare. "I'll forget this by tomorrow," he added quietly.

Relief mixed with doubt in Qian Hui's heart. He fed the man-eating flower medicine and beef bread, checking statuses via his game interface:

Man-Eating Flower: Healing (Loyalty: Maxed)

Chili: Fatigued (Frenzy Skill: 2% Charge)

Soft Vine: Fatigued

Mini Cabbage: Asleep

The man-eating flower's loyalty boost and Chili's new ability—disabling human powers within 100m—gave him hope. He allotted skill points greedily, earning Chili's reluctant gratitude.

With 18,039 credits left from the man-eating flower's bonding bonus, Qian Hui smirked at the game mall's treasures. Nearby, Nan Tingjun observed him protectively. When a giant corn attacked, Chili's fearlessness drove it off, prompting Qian Hui to scatter cookies as bribes. A squabble between a（Fortune tree） and （Kiwifruit） over crumbs ended with Qian Hui's extra treats, and a daring potato stole his snacks, disappearing into the underbrush.

As dusk fell, Qian Hui treated Nan Tingjun to bread, then retreated to a stream. He bathed, changed into new gear, and bundled the man-eating flower into his backpack. Nan Tingjun's silent presence followed him until bedtime, when Qian Hui hugged his plants close, listening to their whispers.

Morning brought fog and the man-eating flower's restless movements. Qian Hui soothed it, asking, "Have you seen Xiao Fen?" The flower's leaves drooped, and it disgorged a dried pink mushroom wrapped in brittle leaves. Qian Hui's chest tightened. "Revive beans cost 300,000 credits…" he whispered, gripping the lifeless fungus.

Nan Tingjun materialized beside him, his scent triggering the man-eating flower's defensive posture. Ignoring it, he knelt. "What's wrong?" Qian Hui buried his face in Nan Tingjun's collar, voice trembling. "Why don't you remember me?"

A hand steadied his shaking shoulders. Though awkward, Nan Tingjun's embrace offered fragile comfort. "I'm here," he said simply.