Chapter 54 - Lóng Mo Téng
Su Ling glanced over the leaf, it was smooth to the touch, and the color was vibrant emerald green, exuding a light fragrance. It has the same scent as the vine that was violently beating up the root. However, he soon felt that the scent gave him the same feeling as Xian Mo Yu. But he knew very well that both scents smell entirely different.
The fight ended with the roots apologizing. Then the roots and vines stretched out in front of Su Ling, and the roots even swayed around. Their action confused Su Ling. Next, Xian Mo Yu shared a scene in his mind: a scene of human elders giving gifts to juniors. Looking at the big leaf in his hand, Su Ling suddenly realized what it meant. This is a gift from the vine! He looked at the vine and said, "Thank you."
Thinking that spiritual plants like to touch him, Su Ling stretched out his hand and gently squeezed the top of the vine to show his gratitude. The vine naturally entangled around his fingers. On the other hand, the roots twisted happily, "Hahaha, my son is so cute, right?"
The vine let go of Su Ling’s finger, "Stop your silly behavior. His cuteness has nothing to do with you." It retracted its leaves and formed a complete circle again on top of Xian Mo Yu, disguised as a part of the big flower. A root clung to the vine and exuded a strong fragrance, while the vine’s leaves emitted a slight green light and used its sharp tips to jab the root. However, the root was motionless, still sticking to the vines intimately.
Looking at the leaf in his hand, Su Ling gently squeezed the root around his wrist and asked, "Is this your friend?"
The roots that were erected on the side moved up and down and continued to twist happily; Xian Mo Yu was obviously feeling happy. Su Ling thought for a while and put the leaf in his backpack. Then he looked at the vines and asked in a low voice, "Is it also a Grade S spiritual plant?"
The roots continued to nod, and Su Ling was once again showed a mental image of a simple stroke of a mouth with a big cross drawn on it.
"You don’t want other people to know about it?" he asked.
The roots continued to nod, and Su Ling looked around, "That’s kind of hard because there are surveillance cameras everywhere here."
The mental image remained in his mind.
Su Ling smiled: "Alright then, even if other people managed to guess it, I won't say anything."
A root rushed in front of him and rubbed against his cheeks. Su Ling only felt a cool touch before he got suddenly pulled into Gu Liheng’s embrace. Su Ling raised his eyebrows and looked up to see Gu Liheng frowning and glaring at the root.
Gu Liheng warned with a low tone, "Don't touch him." As he said that, his fingers rubbed Su Ling’s cheek at the place where the root has just touched.
The root stiffened and didn’t move for a while.
Su Ling blinked and held Gu Liheng's hand, "You..."
He had just opened his mouth to say something when a black shadow suddenly rushed over and entangled his other wrist, so now both his hands are wrapped around by a root. The next moment, a strong pull tried to pull him out of male god’s arms, but at the same time, his waist was tightly wrapped by the other person. Forced to raise his hand, Su Ling felt that he looked very silly right now, but fortunately, the roots didn't use much strength. Otherwise, the result won’t be just him raising his hand.
Su Ling grabbed the roots and said helplessly, "Don't pull." Then he tilted his head and headbutt the person behind him at the shoulder, adding, "You too, lighten your hold."
The force on his hands and waist lightened up at the same time.
Su Ling moved his wrists up and down and said, "Let go." However, his mind was suddenly filled with a big crying emoticon (TwT).
Xian Mo Yu cried to its little partner sadly, "My son doesn't want me anymore. My daughter-in-law[1] is so bad. What’s wrong with me touching my son? Terrible!"
Lóng Mo Téng: "So stupid. Human Alpha is super possessive after marking their Omega, understand? Still don't let go? Are you going to split your son into half?"
Xian Mo Yu: "I won't hurt him, and I have proper control of my strength."
Su Ling didn’t know about the conversation between the two plants. So he was dumbfounded by the tearful expression in his head. He lightly pinched the root and comforted, "Don’t cry. It’s not like you can’t wrap around my hand in the future. Did you forget? You are still helping out with the research, and I still have something to do."
The roots let go of him and rubbed the back of his hand before retracting back to the vine’s side.
At the other side, Su Ling grabbed the hand around his waist and tilted his head. Then he asked with a smile, "Did you get jealous just now?"
Gu Liheng flipped the hand and covered it with his hand. He lowered his head and kissed Su Ling’s forehead, "You are mine."
"But you can’t be jealous of Xian Mo Yu?" Su Ling was amused.
Gu Liheng stared intently at Su Ling and said, "I have restrained myself already. I didn’t make a fuss about it tied around your wrist."
Hearing that make Su Ling raised his eyebrows. Is this the so-called Alpha's possessiveness? His eyes curved yup, and he used his fingers to draw on Gu Liheng’s palm, "En, I’m yours. See, you are holding me in your arms."
Gu Liheng's expression relaxed, and his hands tightened his hold.
"Su Ling," Ye Lei shouted at the door. He looked inside and tried to put one foot in. Seeing that no roots were blocking him, he immediately walked in and asked, "Do you know what's going on? I was stopped by Xian Mo Yu when I want to come in earlier."
Su Ling promised Xian Mo Yu that he won’t tell other people, so he lied, "I don't know, but it should be fine. It looked very happy."
Ye Lei looked at Xian Mo Yu and the vines on it in confusion.
At this moment, Director Li's voice could be heard approaching, "Did something happen last night?" Just as she finished her words, Director Li walked in.
Ye Lei glanced at Su Ling and said, "Doctor Ni An and the military were here yesterday."
"I know this," Director Li said and continued, “it has been reported in the news, and netizens are all guessing whether the association has discovered any rare spiritual plant." She shrugged, "I'm talking about another thing. It’s the big tree in front of the office building, isn't there always parasitic vines on top? The vines are gone this morning. Since you guys stayed here last night, you might know what's going on?"
Ye Lei has been working in the association for several years and is very familiar with the big tree. He was taken aback when he heard the words, "Gone?"
Director Li nodded, "This is really weird. It's like it just vanished into thin air. Such a large vine and it has been on the tree for more than ten years. Now it simply disappears without a sign."
"Also, it's not any precious species of plant. The association has them everywhere, so even if someone wants it, they won’t waste energy to get to the top of the big tree just for the vines. The strangest thing is that there is no trace of human activity."
Su Ling heard this and immediately understood. The vines on Xian Mo Yu's petals should be the vines at the top of the big tree. That’s why Xian Mo Yu kept wanting to go there last night. In the mental pictures Xian Mo Yu shared with him, all the vines and grasses are probably the same plant. From that point, he guessed that the vine has a very powerful ability: camouflage.
Ye Lei pondered, "If you are asking for anything special happened last time, there’s one. Xian Mo Yu wanted to go out last night, and went to the empty space in front of the main building, which is near the big tree." He looked at Su Ling for a moment, then immediately looked at Xian Mo Yu and pointed at the vines on top of it, "This morning, this suddenly appeared on its petals."
Director Li took two steps forward and looked at the vines, "Oh my God, did the vines on the big tree went to parasitize Xian Mo Yu instead?"
Ye Lei compared the vines in his mind and said, "But their appearance is completely different."
"Different appearance..." Director Li murmured and repeated, walking back and forth several times. Then she suddenly stopped in her track and looking at the vine with excitement, "Could it be?!" As she spoke, she quickly tapped her bracelet to search for information.
Su Ling shrugged. He thought the vine will get discovered because of the surveillance camera. He didn't expect that someone can guess what’s wrong without even checking the surveillance. But he was not too surprised. After all, this is the spiritual plant registration association. Almost all the people who know spiritual plants best are here. On the other hand, he is quite curious too, and he wanted to look up the types of vines later online, but now it doesn't seem necessary.
"Lóng Mo Téng!" Director Li looked away from the holographic screen and stared at the vines, "It must be Grade S spiritual plant Lóng Mo Téng!"
"Possessing a powerful ability for disguise and assimilation capabilities, it is the most difficult Grade S spiritual plant to be found. In the spiritual plant’s legends, Lóng Mo Téng has the most image collection, but no one can be sure what it really looks like."
When Xian Mo Yu heard its little friend being praised, its roots rose up and swayed around in a dance, "How amazing! You have disappeared for so long, and yet the human beings still heard of your legend!"
Lóng Mo Téng: "What stupid thing are you talking about? I am your leaf!"
Xian Mo Yu's roots wrapped around the leaves, "You have been found out; just admit it boldly."
Lóng Mo Téng pretended to be dead and gave no reaction at all.
Su Ling thought of the leaf he had put in his bag and looked at Lóng Mo Téng. He guesses that right now should be its original appearance, just that it is much smaller than usual.
Director Li was very excited, "Amazing! Su Ling, is it yours too?"
Su Ling shook his head, "No, I didn't know it is Lóng Mo Téng."
Director Li: "Not sure if we can try to communicate with it, and let us study it."
As Director Li said that, her eyes swept across the few people in the room. Then she took off her isolator directly. The only Alpha in the room has marked an Omega, so there was no need to worry. She released her pheromone and tried to contact Lóng Mo Téng.
Lóng Mo Téng acted like it’s dead and did not respond at all.
After ten minutes, Director Li gave up and let Ye Lei try, but Ye Lei failed as well. Then Director Li said to Su Ling, "You try it," she looked at Gu Liheng and asked, "President Gu, do you want to leave first?"
Gu Liheng shook his head, "No need."
Ye Lei: "Xian Mo Yu’s fragrance is strong, so it should be fine."
Director Li remembered reading about the effect of Xian Mo Yu’s fragrance from the report she received yesterday and nodded, "Well, Xiao Ling, you can try it."
Su Ling could not find a suitable reason to refuse. However, thinking that since Lóng Mo Téng is not reacting to anyone, it might ignore him too. He removed the isolator and controlled his pheromone to gather near the vine. Soon, he felt a gentle feeling that Lóng Mo Téng passed to him, like a kind elder. Then, a huge picture of his mouth with a cross appeared in his mind.
Does all Grade S spiritual plant express their thoughts in the same way?
Su Ling felt a bit helpless because this kind of behavior is ultimately self-deception. But he reattached his isolator and shook his head after a moment of hesitation.
Director Li touched her chin, "There is no way then. But it is following Xian Mo Yu, and will reveal its habits, just pay attention to it."
Ye Lei nodded, and Director Li said, "I'll deal with the follow-up work regarding the vine’s disappearance."
Soon after Director Li left, Boss and his four team members came back. But their expression looked ugly and seemed heavy with thoughts.
Ye Lei: "Is the venue not set up?"
Boss: "It's set up. It can be used tonight."
"Then why do you guys look like this?" Ye Lei was puzzled.
Old Third solemnly replied, "Just now, the Imperial Military Hospital issued a notice that Marshal Manton is critically ill."
Hearing that, Ye Lei's eyes widened, and his expression turned sad. It took him a while to stabilize his emotions before saying, "Transfer Xian Mo Yu at 6.00pm. Then we will continue to observe it." He turned to Su Ling, "You can go rest for a while because you may have to sleep late at night."
Su Ling returned to his room and immediately inquired about Marshal Manton.
Gu Liheng glanced at his holographic screen and gave him some common knowledge about the marshal, "Marshal Manton is the former marshal, the grandfather of the current marshal. He was seriously injured on the front line 15 years ago and retired due to a serious illness 5 years ago. He has excellent combat exploits and a high reputation in Planet Belle."
"A very respectable soldier."
…
This national idol is lying on the hospital bed at the moment. Doctor Ni An was escorted to the ward by a team of guards, sweating profusely. The attending doctor in the ward saw him and said with moist eyes, "Old man, you are finally here."
Ni An handed him the medicine box in his hand, "You can use it directly."
After handing the medicine box, Ni An’s body swayed and was supported by the guard behind him. Hence, he was sent to the restroom. Ni An did not refuse; processing Xian Mo Yu's raw materials overnight took him too much energy.
Xian Mo Yu’s black liquid is too corrosive and cannot be used directly. A little carelessness may bring disaster to the patient. The red and black liquid can only be used after undergoing special processes. The process was very delicate and should be done during the day when one is full of energy. But after getting the raw materials last night, he received news that Marshal Manton's condition had deteriorated, so Ni An could only bear with it and processed the raw material overnight.
He is the only person who has thoroughly studied Xian Mo Yu's black liquid. Hence, he can only rely on himself for the whole process. After the matter is finished, he breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't muster any more energy.
The entire citizen in Planet Belle was in heavy feelings regarding the news about Marshal Manton’s critical illness until the notice of him getting over the danger phase is officially announced at 4.00 pm.
People all around the planet burst into celebrations.