The apocalypse is coming, but thankfully I have a harem of paper dolls.

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Guards flanked Luo Jiajun, with Achina and Akiyama Rinko following closely behind. The three quietly followed the withered leaf mummy that was staggering forward ahead, the damp air filled with the pungent smell of decaying leaves and rust.

Along the way, more and more dead leaf mummies crawled out from street corners and alleys, and the three of them were unknowingly surrounded by these walking corpse-like monsters.

However, these bodies covered in thorny, withered leaves merely moved mechanically in a predetermined direction, completely ignoring the living people right in front of them.

Like wolves among sheep, the three of them, using the dead leaf mummy as cover, made their way through unimpeded and were never attacked by any mutated plants.

Until a certain moment, when the three of them were passing a traffic light intersection, Akiyama Rinko suddenly stopped, her slender fingers silently resting on the hilt of the katana at her waist, and a ripple of alertness appeared in her peach-colored eyes.

“There’s someone there.” She lowered her voice, her gaze piercing like a knife as she looked at an overturned car on the other side of the road.

As the three avoided the slowly moving dead leaf mummy and crossed the asphalt road, they discovered that on the other side of the overturned car, a young man clad in chainmail was slumped against the door. Beneath his iron helmet, his face was ashen, and he gripped a half-sword and a mace tightly in each hand, his knuckles blue from the force of his grip, looking like a defeated soldier from the Middle Ages.

Just then, a dead leaf mummy walked past the young man.

"Gulp." The young man swallowed nervously, his expression quite fierce. He looked as if he was prepared to die with these passing monsters if they attacked him, determined to take them down with him.

"Holy crap... Yuan Hua?" Standing two meters in front of the car, Luo Jiajun made way for the staggering, withered leaf mummy and exclaimed in a low voice.

"Who!" The young man leaning against the car door turned his head sharply and saw Luo Jiajun, as well as Achina and Akiyama Rinko standing next to him.

His attention was immediately drawn to Achina, whose skin was sickly pale and whose figure was unusually tall, and a flicker of fear crossed his eyes. However, he didn't lose his ability to think in his panic. After all, he had just heard a man's voice, so he then focused his attention on Luo Jiajun and asked:

How did you know my pen name?!

"It really is you!" Luo Jiajun said, both amused and exasperated. "Damn, buddy, you're from the same city as me? I had no idea!"

He walked over to the young man wearing chainmail and explained the situation.

It's not complicated. Both of them are authors on a certain online novel website called "Old Man's Dream". However, Yuan Hua often posts pictures of himself in armor in the author group because he likes fighting and making his own armor. So Luo Jiajun recognizes him, but Yuan Hua doesn't recognize Luo Jiajun, who has never posted pictures in the author group.

Unexpectedly, the two authors, both dreamers of old age, actually lived in the same city.

After figuring out the situation, Yuan Hua stood up with Luo Jiajun's help. Just then, another withered leaf mummy walked by, and Yuan Hua instinctively tensed up. After the mummy passed, Yuan Hua turned to Luo Jiajun and looked at him strangely: "Wait, brother, how come you're not afraid of these monsters at all?"

"What's there to be afraid of?" Luo Jiajun said matter-of-factly. "Haven't you noticed that these monsters have no desire to attack us at all? They just keep moving forward."

Reminded by Luo Jiajun, Yuan Hua, who hadn't noticed these details due to his nervousness, finally realized what was going on. He then lowered his head and muttered to himself, "No wonder... no wonder... it wasn't that I hid well the whole way, it's just that these things have no interest in me at all."

"By the way, bro, who are those two over there...?"

Once again, Yuan Hua cautiously glanced at Achina and Akiyama Rinko, who were guarding not far away.

“That’s not important.” Luo Jiajun shook his head, raised a hand and gently patted Yuan Hua’s shoulder, then looked down at the half-sword clutched in Yuan Hua’s hand. “I happen to be without a weapon for self-defense, so how about we make a deal?”

Upon hearing Luo Jiajun's words, Yuan Hua gripped the mace and half-sword in his hands even tighter, stepped back to create some distance between himself and Luo Jiajun, and revealed a wary look in his eyes.

Luo Jiajun took off his backpack, put down several bottles of mineral water and several bags of compressed biscuits, and then said to Yuan Hua:

"You only have equipment but no supplies. This isn't a long-term solution! Author, you don't want to die of dehydration or starve to death in a resource-scarce apocalypse, do you?"

For Luo Jiajun, who has the ability to manipulate electricity, a weapon for self-defense is not a necessity. However, since he has recently acquired the ability of the "Kendo Bible" but is currently without a sword, he is now in a bind and doesn't mind giving up some food and water in exchange for a sword.

At the same time that Luo Jiajun made the proposal.

"bass!"

Standing not far away, Achina raised her right hand, her five fingers suddenly extending into sharp, terrifying black claws, and gave Yuan Hua a meaningful look.

"..." Yuan Hua's scalp tingled. He could only hold out the two weapons in his hands to Luo Jiajun and ask, "Do you want a hammer or a sword?"

"Of course, it's a sword!"

Luo Jiajun said to Yuan Hua in a tone that sounded like that of a minotaur, "Well then, my good brother, I won't stand on ceremony and accept your beloved sword."

Yuan Hua: "..."

It's okay! At least he still has his armor and hammer! (The last two lines are a poetic expression and don't directly relate to the preceding text.)

After the exchange, Luo Jiajun put his sword back on its sheath.

After sheathing his sword, he bid farewell to Yuan Hua and prepared to continue his journey with Achina and Akiyama Rinko.

Seeing this, Yuan Hua immediately stopped Luo Jiajun and whispered:

"No, buddy, why are you following those monsters in the same direction?! Let me tell you, I came all the way from Shuijingwan Park. There are so many of these monsters over there. They were being attacked by a group of millipedes that are bigger than pythons at the park entrance. I live in that area, and it scared me to death. These are huge insects and mutated plants, it's so terrifying!"

The Shuijingwan Park that Yuan Hua mentioned is a newly built park in the north of the city. Luo Jiajun had been there once before the apocalypse, and what impressed him most was that there was a transplanted ancient tree in the park, and there were many millipedes around and on the tree.

The problem is that……

Isn't this the end of the world for "plant mutations"?

The information Yuan Hua provided made Luo Jiajun pause in his tracks.

In the apocalypse of plant mutations, why did millipedes, an arthropod, also undergo mutations? This counterintuitive detail pierced Luo Jiajun's mind like a sharp thorn.

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The Shuijingwan Park that Yuan Hua mentioned is less than three kilometers away.

Most importantly, Luo Jiajun opened the game map and discovered that the location of Shuijingwan Park was exactly on the edge of the "Returning to Roots" quest's hint area.

Given that we are following the dead leaf mummy, the direction is unlikely to be wrong;

And the mission objective is only within the area indicated on the map.

Luo Jiajun dares to say that Shuijingwan Park is 99% likely the mission location!

The source of the thorny, withered leaves is most likely within Shuijingwan Park!

Although the giant millipede that Yuan Hua mentioned made Luo Jiajun nervous, he did not want to give up halfway, so he decided to continue and parted ways with Yuan Hua, going their separate ways.

With the "escort" of numerous dead leaf mummies, the three traveled smoothly and arrived at the neighborhood where Shui Jing Wan Park is located about half an hour later.

When the three of them stopped at the intersection a hundred meters away from the park entrance, the sight that came into view gave Luo Jiajun goosebumps.

—Around the park entrance, a hundred meters away, dozens of millipedes, as thick as pythons, were coiled up, their arthropod bodies forming a living barrier, greedily devouring the endless stream of dead leaf mummies approaching the park entrance. The bodies covered in spiky, withered leaves gushed dark green sap as they shattered within the giant maws—a truly gruesome sight.

It is unknown what caused these centipedes to mutate, not only growing in width to the size of a python, but also in length.

"It looks dangerous ahead. Should we continue?" Archina asked Luo Jiajun in a low voice, her expression grave.

Luo Jiajun did not answer for the time being, but instead looked up and observed the surface of all the buildings on the street. He found that all the buildings on the street had cracks and traces of being climbed and entangled by giant vines.

However, the plants that should have been rampant on the surfaces of most buildings have now disappeared, and this phenomenon is more pronounced the closer the buildings are to Shui Jing Wan Park.

Millipedes feed on decaying vegetation and dead wood, and occasionally gnaw on plant seedlings, roots, or leaves.

—Luo Jiajun roughly guessed why there were traces of giant vines climbing and entwining on the nearby buildings, but now those vines were nowhere to be seen.

"Could it be that because of the existence of those mutated millipedes, this area is actually quite safe?" With this thought in mind, Luo Jiajun suddenly called out to Achina and Akiyama Rinko and they went into a residential area about 20 meters away.

Luo Jiajun randomly picked a building in the community and led Achina and Akiyama Rinko straight to the rooftop. During the process, they did not find any deformed plants in the stairwell.

When the three arrived on the rooftop, Akiyama Rinko also came to a conclusion and said to Luo Jiajun, "My lord, I remember that millipedes are a type of arthropod that is harmful to plants. There are very few mutated plants around here. Could it be that they have all retreated and moved to other places because they were threatened by these mutated millipedes?"

Luo Jiajun nodded and said, "That's what I think too, but there's one thing I still don't understand—why did these millipedes mutate? I thought this was just a disaster caused by plant mutation. If millipedes can mutate, why don't we see other mutated animals or insects?"

Achina stood beside Luo Jiajun and said quietly, "Just as people can draw energy from vegetables or fruits to sustain life, could it be that those millipedes have drawn abnormal energy from plants, which is why they mutated?"

Upon hearing what Achina said, both Luo Jiajun and Akiyama Rinko showed expressions of sudden realization.

As a "mutant" herself, Achina is indeed quite perceptive on this topic.

Luo Jiajun also reached a conclusion based on Achina's speculation, and whispered:

“I’ve been to Shuijingwan Park once. I remember there was a very, very big old tree that had been transplanted from elsewhere. At that time, I noticed a lot of millipedes around the tree. Now it seems that the old tree must have mutated and was ‘blood-sucking’ by those millipedes, which caused the millipedes to mutate as well.”

"So, does that mean all animals and insects that gnaw on plants, such as various caterpillars, are also susceptible to mutation?" Rinko Akiyama said, frowning slightly.

Luo Jiajun's heart sank, and he could only sigh helplessly, "On the bright side, at least these animals and insects will continue to devour the mutated plants after they mutate, giving humans a chance to reap the benefits."

“That’s true.” Archina agreed with Luo Jiajun’s idea of ​​the fisherman benefiting from the situation, and gave an example: “Like now, we can go downstairs and find any room, take a shower and rest properly, without worrying too much about being attacked by plants.”

After her close encounters with the Needle Giant and Luo Jiajun, she had been wanting to take a good bath for a long time.

Luo Jiajun thought about it and decided there was no rush to enter Shuijingwan Park.

After all, the park entrance was already blocked by a large number of giant millipedes.

Although you don't necessarily have to go through the main gate to enter the park, who can say that there aren't more giant millipedes in the park? It's not that Luo Jiajun is scared at the last minute, but rather that he wants to be on the safe side and wait for his "resurrection armor" to cool down before trying to enter Shuijingwan Park.

It had only been half a day since he last transformed into the Bio-Terminator to fight the Needle Giant, so after a night's rest, the ability would have cooled down.

With this in mind, Luo Jiajun nodded and said to Archina, "Let's rest for a bit. We've been walking all this way, it's good to take a break."

So the three of them went downstairs and, without even trying to break down a door, found a house with the door wide open. The homeowner must have been in such a hurry during their escape that they hadn't even thought to close the door.

Upon entering the house, Archina strolled around with elegant cat-like steps. Her three-meter-tall frame appeared particularly imposing in the cramped space, and her gray-white long dress swayed gently with each step, outlining her breathtaking waist and hip curves.

When she discovered that the showerhead in the bathroom was still spraying hot water, she parted her red lips slightly and let out a satisfied sigh. As she turned around, her silk dress taut just right, perfectly highlighting the proud contours of her H-cup breasts.

"After a long day of running around..." The woman's breath was sweet as orchids. Her slender fingers gently rested on Luo Jiajun's shoulder, and as she leaned down, her breasts almost seemed to break free from the constraints of her clothes. In front of Akiyama Rinko, she made no attempt to hide her red lips, almost touching Luo Jiajun's earlobe, and whispered, "Young master, would you like to wash up with me?"

The words, full of temptation and suggestion, with their deliberately drawn-out endings, tickled Luo Jiajun's eardrums like feathers.

Luo Jiajun was speechless because of Achina's address of "Little Lord".

So he simply corrected both Archina and Rinko Akiyama at the same time:

"Alright, alright, from now on you two can call me by my name Luo Jiajun directly, or even just call me Xiao Luo or Xiao Jun, but please stop calling me 'Lord' or 'Master,' it's too formal."

As a modern person, Luo Jiajun was indeed not used to being addressed as "master" or "princess." "Master" was alright, but Achina used to always call him "little" master, which made him quite helpless.

"Okay~ Xiao Luo..."

Archina leaned down again, this time deliberately pressing her heavy breasts against Luo Jiajun's face, the warm touch clearly transmitted through the thin fabric.

"Hmm~ Calling me that definitely makes me feel closer to Xiao Luo~" The woman gently swayed her upper body again, leaving soft marks on Luo Jiajun's face with her large breasts. (The last two lines appear to be random characters and do not translate directly.)

Her long, slender neck arched back, revealing the perfect lines of her jaw. At the slit in her skirt, a pair of ivory thighs were faintly visible, their skin gleaming like pearls in the dim light. Every subtle movement carried a carefully calculated allure, as if silently declaring—this mature body was ready to fully bloom for her "Little Luo."

If it were just the two of them, Luo Jiajun would definitely choose to go into the bathroom with Achina for a thorough and enjoyable battle.

But now, because of Rinko Akiyama's existence—not that Rinko is a third wheel, but because of the "swordsman" bond that Rinko possesses—Luo Jiajun has gained the "Kendo Bible," an ability that requires learning and growth, after receiving the corresponding badge.

Luo Jiajun was able to distinguish between what was important and what was not. Since he was going to enter Shuijingwan Park after resting for a night, which was fraught with danger, he naturally wanted to seize the time to improve his strength as soon as possible.

—The ability of “Kendo Bible” can increase Luo Jiajun’s efficiency in learning and practicing basic sword moves by a hundred times. This means that there is no such thing as last-minute cramming for Luo Jiajun. Even if he only practices for an hour, he will make great progress. After all, his one hour of practice is equivalent to others’ one hundred hours of hard work!

What's more, his sparring partner will be—Rinko Akiyama!

A female swordsman who is both beautiful and strong, which is a good opportunity for Luo Jiajun to get closer to her.

Therefore, Luo Jiajun firmly refused Achina's invitation to bathe together, and turned to look at Qiushan Rinko, saying, "I just got some weapons from Yuan Hua, so I plan to go up to the rooftop and ask Rinko for some swordsmanship advice. It's not too late to take a bath after I've sweated it out."

Unexpectedly, Luo Jiajun suddenly wanted to ask her for advice on swordsmanship. Akiyama Rinko was stunned for a moment, and her chest under her white shirt rose and fell noticeably with her breathing.

She instinctively brought her legs together, causing her black pleated skirt to stretch and accentuate the curves of her thighs. She then nodded and said, "Of course, I can accompany you, my lord..."

"Ok?"

"Ah, no, it's... Xiao... Xiao Luo. It's Rinko's honor to practice swordsmanship with Xiao Luo."

Perhaps feeling that calling her "Xiao Luo" made their relationship seem too intimate, Akiyama Rinko's words still sounded somewhat unnatural.

Looking at the girl's slightly lowered head and her excessively lewd breasts, Luo Jiajun suddenly wanted to ask her: Can you see your toes?

In the end, he simply said, "Then let's go upstairs!"

After Akiyama Rinko followed Luo Jiajun out of the room.

"Heh, what a fickle little devil." Archina, who remained in the room, chuckled softly, a wicked glint in her eyes, as if she were plotting something wicked.

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Rinko Akiyama returned to the rooftop with Jiajun Luo.

In the distance, faint rustling sounds came from the direction of Shuijingwan Park, as if countless arthropods were crawling among the withered leaves. The wind swept across the rooftop, carrying the damp scent of decaying leaves, and stirred Rinko Akiyama's long, deep blue hair.

“Master… Xiao Luo.”

She spoke, her voice clear and earnest, "Before we begin, I'd like to confirm whether you have any basic knowledge of swordsmanship?"

Luo Jiajun shook his head, a smile playing on his lips: "Not at all, so Rinko needs to teach me from the most basic moves."

Rinko Akiyama nodded slightly, her expression solemn: "In that case, let's start from the beginning."

She took two steps back, gripped the hilt of the sword with her right hand, and slowly drew the katana. The blade reflected the sunlight and gleamed with a cold light.

"First is the most basic vertical split."

The girl stood with her feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, and her center of gravity lowered. She held the knife high above her head with both hands, her eyes suddenly sharpening as if locking onto an invisible enemy.