Not far away, Ye Ningfu could still see another version of herself—Goluthos was currently burying herself in the New Reclamation Area, devouring Fear Eater Rose.
Ye Ningfu withdrew her gaze and looked at the abnormal area sealed off by rusted barbed wire.
At the same time, a new mission emerged—
[Witch Mission: Rose Squad]
[Target: Assimilation Infection one Smile Rose, one Thorn Whip Rose, and one Beauty Rose (0/3)]
[Reward: 1 ability point for each type of variant infected!]
Ye Ningfu's eyes immediately lit up; this mission seemed simple.
She just needed to find these three variants and unleash "Assimilation Infection" once on each to complete it.
A total of three ability points—this was truly a godsend, enough for Ye Ningfu to max out her second-tier abilities!
With this excitement, Ye Ningfu quickly locked onto her first prey in the shadows beside the barbed wire.
It was a Beauty Rose variant.
It stood silently beside the broken barbed wire.
Its silhouette, reaching one meter seventy in height, outlined a woman's graceful figure, but its body was not made of flesh and blood; instead, it was composed of layers of withered petals.
The color of the petals transitioned from a velvet-textured wine-red at the waist, gradually lightening upwards to a pale, moon-like ivory white at the chest and neck, forming a tragically beautiful and eerie gradient. Green woody tendons supported her body.
The most unsettling part was its face—there were no features, only a deep, sunken black hole.
This bizarre yet beautiful existence, far from making the small Ye Ningfu shrink back, instead ignited her desire for conquest.
A powerful and beautiful flower puppet!
"I am Ye Ningfu!"
The little flower sprout declared joyfully, then waddled on her two short legs, huffing and puffing as she climbed towards the tall Beauty Rose.
After much effort, she finally reached its base. Ye Ningfu looked up at the seemingly unreachable waist, tried to bounce a few times, but to no avail.
So, she extended her broad, arm-like leaves and began to climb up the Beauty Rose's smoothly contoured wine-red leg.
The petals felt unexpectedly smooth, with a hint of coolness and the slightly damp scent of decaying nectar.
Ye Ningfu carefully ascended, the tips of her leaves inadvertently brushing against the cold petals, causing subtle tremors.
Finally, she reached the Beauty Rose's waist and abdomen—
Here, the petals layered into a flat and taut curve, with a skin-like color that transitioned from deep wine-red to pale ivory, shimmering with a faint glow in the dim light, somewhat resembling human skin, exuding an indescribable inhuman sensuality.
The Beauty Rose remained silent, either unaware of her or silently condoning the little one's audacious behavior.
Ye Ningfu struggled to steady herself, gently pressing her small face against the palest, most skin-like petal on the Beauty Rose's waist and abdomen, then lightly rubbed her face against it, feeling the cool, smooth touch.
Then, she concentrated—
"Assimilation Infection"!
Pfft~
A cloud of pink pollen, sweet and faintly fishy, like a lover's softest sigh, wafted from her pistil, carrying tiny specks of light, spraying onto the pale skin of the Beauty Rose's waist and abdomen.
Ye Ningfu held her breath, eagerly anticipating the change.
…
A minute passed.
The Beauty Rose remained motionless.
Its hollow face still stared into the darkness behind the barbed wire, as if that precious pollen, apart from staining her skin with some of Ye Ningfu's color, was utterly insignificant to her, leaving her unfazed.
Ye Ningfu:???
Clearly, things were not as simple as Ye Ningfu had imagined.
This mission, worth three ability points, could naturally not be completed by merely releasing "Assimilation Infection" three times.
As a mature abnormal variant, the little seedling Ye Ningfu's pollen was not enough to directly Assimilation Infection it completely.
It was like trying to put out a forest fire with a cup of water.
"Not enough! Again!" Ye Ningfu felt the frustration, her small face wrinkling, but she did not give up.
Again and again, she continuously sprayed the precious pink pollen mist from her body, "pfft pfft pfft," onto that cold petal-skin.
The pink mist permeated, carrying an intimate, possessive feel.
Time passed bit by bit.
The setting sun's afterglow stained the contaminated area a bizarre orange-red.
Ye Ningfu went from being full of vigor at first to moving slower and slower, and the pollen she sprayed became increasingly sparse.
The edges of her once vibrant petals began to curl slightly, and her short legs also felt soft and trembled.
Her internal energy reserves were rapidly depleting.
When the last trace of twilight was swallowed by darkness, Ye Ningfu finally exhausted her last bit of strength.
Like a sponge drained of water, she slid limply from the Beauty Rose's slender waist, falling to the ground with a "splat."
Her legs splayed weakly, her flower stem lay limp against the cold ground, the entire Joy Witch looking withered.
No... I really...
There's not a drop left...
Just as Serie was about to give up and prepare to have Billie or Goluthos pick up the exhausted Ye Ningfu—
A sudden change occurred!
The Beauty Rose, which Ye Ningfu had diligently worked on all afternoon, trembled as if just waking up.
The pale petals on its waist and abdomen, repeatedly soaked by the flower mist and almost dyed an ambiguous pink, suddenly lit up!
As if flowing life force was awakening within them!
That vibrant, dripping pink color spread and flowed rapidly like living water, instantly covering its entire body!
The originally withered wine-red petals became plump and lustrous, as if reborn.
Next, the most astonishing change occurred on its face!
That originally deep, hollow face began to undergo secondary growth!
The woody tendons made faint creaking sounds, and the petal structure squirmed like a living thing.
A few seconds later, the hollow was filled.
In its place was a face composed of red and white gradient petals!
That face, with its curved brows and eyes, bore a bewildered yet pure smile of joy, surprisingly resembling Ye Ningfu's features by seven or eight parts, like an enlarged version of Ye Ningfu's face!
It succeeded!
Although the cost was Ye Ningfu almost withering on the spot, her first Rose Flower Puppet was finally born!
That smiling face, so similar to her own, bloomed silently under the moonlight.
It declared the Joy Witch's first step of conquest over this contaminated land.
Ye Ningfu, collapsed on the ground, laboriously lifted a small leaf, wanting to cheer, but she had no strength left.
Instead, the Beauty Rose, as if pulled by invisible threads, cheered with a young woman's voice: "I am Ye Ningfu~"
Serie watched this scene, utterly satisfied.
These abnormal entities, which had once held sway in the contaminated area and instilled fear, were about to become her loyal and beautiful army!
The only hidden worry was that Ye Ningfu, being still young, consumed too much energy.
A few more such "infections," and she might truly wither on the spot...
She needed to buy more meat to properly nourish this little ancestor.
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