Chapter 504: Something Like a Baby Dinosaur
Chapter 504: Something Like a Baby Dinosaur
“It seems some kind of monster is coming from the south.” An Ran closed her eyes, bent her knees, and covered her ears as she replayed the scene in her mind. “Some look like little dinosaurs—spurs on their backs, very long tails. Ordinary mutant plants can’t stop them from heading north.”
“They?” Zhan Lian, sitting on the bed, caught the tumbling doll and frowned. “You mean there’s more than one dinosaur?”
“More than one. Only one has entered Xiangcheng so far. It’s very close to us.”
A green light flashed in An Ran’s eyes as she opened them.
In the dim light, her gaze deepened. She saw a blurred image: a dinosaur the size of a horse, with a mouth full of sharp teeth, moving on all fours and wreaking havoc in the southern sea of flowers. It ate everything—plants and mutant animals alike—devouring its way north. Its hide was grooved like old tree bark, its tail long like a lizard’s, and its tongue—like that of a copper-skinned zombie—could stretch far enough to wrap around any prey in its path.
Could it be a mutant lizard?
It didn’t look like one.
An Ran stopped trying to define the creature and instead wondered how many more dinosaurs might be lurking further south, beyond her vision.
Before, the dinosaurs had been blocked in the south by the Flesh Flower. Now, with the Flesh Flower gone, ordinary mutant plants couldn’t hold them back, and they were heading north to feed.
“Watch over Zhan Xin. I’ll go check.”
Zhan Lian rose, his expression serious, and handed Doll to An Ran. As he pulled on his coat, he bent down to kiss her forehead, then turned, opened the door, and hurried out.
Left in the room, An Ran cradled Doll and fed her.
Looking up at the ceiling, the green light in her eyes brightened, and her inner vision sharpened.
She saw Zhan Lian drive out through the community gate. In the courtyard, Yun Tao was directing people to load supermarket supplies into a truck. Groups of earth-type ability users were measuring the gravel ground, preparing for the soil improvement plan. In a distant building, wherever vines clung to a window, An Ran could see the scenes inside: Fatty and Xu Li’er in bed together, Wang Wei trailing Liang Ziyu to help move supplies, and Luo Feifan rushing out, jumping into a car, and chasing after Zhan Lian.
Across the vast star region, vines and mutant flowers wove thickly over the ground. Supply trucks rolled toward the community, while the two vehicles carrying Zhan Lian and Luo Feifan sped south.
In Xiangcheng, the stores and homes seemed endlessly stocked. People laughed and chatted, convinced they were on the brink of wealth and comfort. Stars glimmered faintly overhead, and the cool night air was heavy with the scent of flowers.
Zhan Lian and Luo Feifan reached the little dinosaur’s location. Both leapt from their vehicles—only to face the creature charging at them.
Zhan Lian flicked a throwing knife to test its defense. The blade sank into the dinosaur’s hide, cutting through the thick grooves. The creature reared its head and loosed a long, thunderous roar that echoed across the neighborhood.