Chapter 197: Pain in the Flesh
Chapter 197: Pain in the Flesh
Over time, Anran simply sits down in the flower field, holding Doll in her sling and letting her sleep. With her free hand, she continues picking crystal cores from among the flowers and bones.
After absorbing crystal cores for so long, Anran begins to experience a strange, hazy sensation. It feels as if her body has become an energy filter—absorbing the power within the cores, converting it into supernatural energy, and channeling it to sustain the flower field. The conversion happens remarkably fast.
However, there is a limit to how much energy she can take in at once. If she absorbs too much, she feels uncomfortably full. That isn’t the worst part, though. The real problem is if she takes in too much at once—her body feels like it’s on the verge of bursting.
Whenever that sensation hits, she has to release some energy to relieve the pressure.
Anran is still in the process of figuring out how best to use crystal cores. Controlling the flower field drains energy rapidly, and the cores are difficult to find—hidden between bones and tangled flower stems. Because of this, she rarely absorbs enough to push herself to the point of exploding.
But now, as she sits there, she suddenly remembers something that makes her heart ache—back when she escaped from the hospital, she collected a whole bag of crystal cores. And where is that bag now?
In her ex-husband’s car.
Abandoned at the gas station.
The thought makes her chest tighten with regret. That bag is worth so much!
Occasionally glancing back, she sees Little Mint standing near the fitting room door, holding up a piece of clothing that once belonged to a zombie. She rummages through the pockets.
Since the lilies don’t "eat" clothing, the zombie’s garments remain draped over skeletal remains, tangled in the flower field.
Anran shifts slightly, moving to the edge of the flower wall. The small patch of flowers near the fitting room entrance is no longer under her supernatural influence, reverting to an ordinary lily field—harmless and mundane.
Little Mint effortlessly picks up a few articles of clothing, checking the pockets carefully. After a short while, she actually finds a small package of egg yolk pies.
She walks over and holds it out to Anran.
Anran shakes her head, adjusting Doll in her arms as she speaks softly from two meters away, "You eat it. I’m not hungry."
She truly isn’t. The energy from the crystal cores is enough to make her feel full. In fact, she suspects that if she manages her energy intake carefully, she might never need to eat food again—only absorb crystal cores.
Little Mint quietly unwraps the package and eats the egg yolk pie bite by bite, her face emotionless. Once she finishes, she continues using the clothing as makeshift tongs to help Anran search for more crystal cores in the flower field.
Seeing that Little Mint can find food for herself, and that Doll only needs breast milk and not solid food, Anran feels relieved. She no longer feels the urgency to reach the shopping carts in the mall lobby. Instead, she focuses entirely on absorbing crystal cores and releasing energy.
Before long, she had built a thick flower wall in front of her, standing about two meters high. After confirming that the zombies won’t be able to climb over it—unless they somehow learn how to play dice and roll a perfect score—Anran shifts her position.
She moves in the direction of the clothing store warehouse, still cradling Doll in her arms.
Her plan is simple: clear out all the zombies in the store first, then block the entrance. Once that’s done, she will finally have the freedom to search the clothing store for supplies—hopefully, some food.