Chapter 212: Grass

Car 3, Lin Xian had been pondering the mechanical source point transformation of the heteromorphic cube when he was suddenly distracted by Ding Junyi, who was wearing a white lab coat and was barefoot.

Ding Junyi hadn't expected Lin Xian to appear at this hour; she lowered her head and explained, "Don't misunderstand—it's my sleeping habit. I saw changes in the calamity plants and didn't have time to dress."

Lin Xian opened his mouth to say he didn't mind—after all, Ding Junyi had a good figure, and he'd enjoyed the view—but once he noticed that, his gaze refused to move away.

Beneath the loose white lab coat, her pale skin flashed intermittently, paired with her graceful curves, creating an overwhelming visual impact; after just a few seconds, Lin Xian felt his throat dry and his body react involuntarily.

So he forcibly shifted his gaze to the Hell Black Chrysanthemum, walked over, and tried to refocus on the calamity plant for careful study.

Ding Junyi glanced sideways, saw Lin Xian approaching, glanced down at the data for two seconds, guessed his intent, then gently pushed aside the papers, turned, and sat on the lab table with a light toe-tap, naturally spreading her legs, lifting her glasses with one hand, and gazing coolly at Lin Xian.

Lin Xian stared at her intoxicating posture and froze: "Wait, I didn't mean—"

Ding Junyi kept looking at him, silent, as if everything needed no words.

Lin Xian stared at this blood-boiling scene, about to speak, then suddenly realized something.

What exactly?

What did I need to explain?

Maybe I don't need to…

Fuck it, just go for it—hesitation means defeat.

Without another word, Lin Xian felt his whole body burn with heat, walked over, stood before Ding Junyi, stepped between her legs, and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I—"

"Do what you want," Ding Junyi pulled him close, her gaze burning: "My work can pause for you."

Lin Xian smiled faintly; Ding Junyi really was a uniquely compelling woman—focused, serious. Though she seemed emotionally blunt, cold as a robot, Lin Xian sensed her mind was simple, direct from heart to mouth, and he deeply admired that.

"Alright, then I—fuck!"

Lin Xian's tone suddenly changed.

Ding Junyi nodded slightly, frowning: "Fine. Saying more vulgar things will help me get into the mood faster."

"No!"

But at that moment, Lin Xian stepped back in shock, eyes wide: "There's… a blade of grass growing on your head!"

"Hm?"

Ding Junyi's expression changed; she frowned, stepped down from the table, and reached up to touch her scalp—sure enough, right at the center of her head, she felt a soft, tender sprout, as if it had just emerged.

"This…" Ding Junyi looked at Lin Xian, equally bewildered.

Lin Xian grabbed her arm: "Don't panic. Let me see."

He pulled her closer, gazing at her scalp: it was a tiny green sprout, undeniably growing from her head—and most astonishingly, it was visibly growing, reaching three or four centimeters in height, a bud forming at its tip.

Lin Xian now clearly sensed Ding Junyi's emotions had shifted from calm; the bud slowly opened, revealing a tiny… pink flower, no bigger than a fingernail.

At that moment, Lin Xian froze.

Ding Junyi lifted her gaze, studying Lin Xian's expression.

"Is this a strange organism? Or have I been infected? Do I need isolation or physical removal? It's fine—you can tell me directly. If you plan to kill me, let me put my clothes on first."

Ding Junyi's tone remained serious and icy; in that instant, she imagined countless possibilities. "If this malignant condition appeared on me, it must be from the Hell Black Chrysanthemum. For safety, evacuate everyone else on the train immediately!"

"Wait," Lin Xian gently placed his hand on her shoulder, signaling her to calm down.

In his gaze, the tiny flower atop Ding Junyi's head had stopped growing, resting quietly there, swaying gently as she moved her head up and down.

Grass growing from her head—Lin Xian struggled to describe what he saw and felt. He frowned, reached out, and grabbed the sprout, trying to pull it free—but as soon as he tugged, Ding Junyi flinched, her neck drawing back as she hissed softly.

"Painful?"

"Mm." Ding Junyi nodded, and the tiny flower nodded with her.

Lin Xian: …

He felt his head spinning; everything tonight seemed strange. He stared at the flower, motionless, sinking into several seconds of silence.

"If you can feel pain, you must be aware of the flower's presence."

Lin Xian's words jolted Ding Junyi; her eyes flickered as she focused inward, then said: "It seems so."

"Can you make it… retract?"

"What do you mean?"

!

Lin Xian exhaled: "I mean, this is likely an ability."

Ding Junyi's eyebrows rose as she looked at Lin Xian: "Ability? I've never heard of anything like—"

"There's plenty you've never heard of."

Lin Xian snapped: "Enough talk. Do as I say—try it!"

The sharpness in Lin Xian's voice made Ding Junyi shiver; she looked at him with intense focus, then nodded: "Alright. I'll follow you."

She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and concentrated on the strange sprout atop her head.

One minute. Two minutes.

They stood facing each other; Lin Xian's gaze never wavered from the flower, his mind racing with possibilities.

Sure enough, soon the pink flower trembled slightly, its petals folding back into a bud, then rapidly regressing into a green sprout, now barely visible among Ding Junyi's hair.

"How was it?" Ding Junyi asked Lin Xian.

Lin Xian nodded: "It retracted. It's definitely an ability—one you can control."

Ding Junyi was speechless; she stared at her hands: "No warning at all. How could an ability suddenly appear?"

Without speaking, both turned to look at the Hell Black Chrysanthemum; inside the plant growth chamber, the black stamen emitted an almost imperceptible faint glow.

Lin Xian had already checked via the heteromorphic cube—the train had not been invaded by any infectious force. That meant this power was likely safe for those aboard.

"My ability also improved just now."

Lin Xian couldn't explain the mechanical source point, but seeing what happened to Ding Junyi confirmed his suspicion—though he couldn't fully analyze it, one thing was certain.

The Hell Black Chrysanthemum, after absorbing the black aura of the Great Strange, seems to help those on the train evolve!

(End of Chapter)