Chapter 52

Chapter 52

On the tenth day after leaving the Zombie Tree, a sudden rain began to fall in the forest.

The ground became muddy and slippery, rendering the plants they used for transportation immobile; they had to stay put and wait for the rain to pass.

Without a large open space nearby for the extended RV, they could only set up tents and sat inside, chatting.

Xiao Fu lay on Lin An's legs, lazily squinting and listening to the conversation, his ears twitching occasionally.

“It's so annoying. Sunny days are better. Rain just makes you not want to move,” Ouyang Dong complained, lying on his side, supporting his head with one hand.

Xu Fang touched his head, “Exactly, it started raining early in the morning. I didn’t even get to shave my hair and beard.”

Ouyang Dong glanced at him skeptically, “What does rain have to do with shaving? And aren’t you bald? What hair do you need to shave?”

Xu Fang paused for a moment, then glared, as if ready to fight if not for the cramped tent, “Bald? I’m only twenty-two! I’ve always had thick hair since I was young, and it’s naturally curly.”

Everyone’s gaze instantly focused on Xu Fang’s head.

Wu Shuangxue patted Xu Fang’s shoulder, “It's okay, there are many people in their twenties without hair these days, don't mind what others think.”

Wu Duo hesitated before saying, “You have a nice head shape, very round. Bald looks good on you.”

Lin An felt he should say something too, but being tongue-tied at critical moments, he could only stammer, “Hair, it's not important.”

Good character matters, not hair.

Xu Fang, infuriated, exclaimed, “Boss, back me up here, I have hair.”

Shen Xiuzhe, sitting cross-legged, nonchalantly said, “You had hair.”

Had hair?

The ambiguity of that statement seemed more like a cover-up.

Ouyang Dong lay there, shoulders shaking as he struggled to hold back laughter. They were all teasing Xu Fang, who was obviously bald. He would shave his head clean every morning, keeping his scalp shiny.

In the early days of the apocalypse, Xu Fang wasn’t bald. However, as water resources became scarce and his thick, unruly hair became unmanageable, he decided to go bald.

The moment he became bald, he felt like he had discovered a new world. Being hairless was so liberating; his head felt pounds lighter, and he no longer worried about dirty hair.

And so, he maintained this hairstyle ever since.

But he really isn't bald.

Unfortunately, with nothing else to do at the moment, everyone had to stay inside the tent, teasing Xu Fang. No matter what he said, they didn't believe him and kept consoling him not to mind, which infuriated Xu Fang so much that he wished he could grow hair right then and there for all to see.

The whole day passed with everyone idling away in the tent until dusk, when the heavy rain finally began to subside.

Now, they seldom travel at night. The forest comes alive with various creatures after dark, and poor visibility makes it worse. It's better to rest and travel by day.

So, after dinner, everyone went to sleep.

In the dead of night, Xiao Fu woke up, pacing back and forth at the tent entrance, whimpering, and soon woke up the others.

"What's the matter?" Ouyang Dong, still half-asleep, asked with his eyes closed, hearing only Xiao Fu's whimpering.

Xu Fang glanced over and saw Xiao Fu anxiously pacing at the tent entrance, clearly wanting to go to the bathroom but unable to open the tent's zipper.

Pets mirror their owners, and Xiao Fu was a very clean dog. At home, he used the toilet, and in the wilderness, he would bury his waste in a hole, never dirtying the place. If the tent wasn't opened, he might hold it in indefinitely.

Xu Fang crawled out of his sleeping bag, unzipped the tent, and Xiao Fu dashed out in a flash.

Throughout the process, Xu Fang squinted his eyes until the cold wind outside, carrying the scent of wet earth, hit his face, making him shiver and gradually wake up.

Xiao Fu had already disappeared, likely off somewhere to relieve himself.

But he rarely wandered off; even for bathroom breaks, he wouldn't go far. There were no dangerous animals nearby, so there was no need to worry about his safety.

Xu Fang stood inside the tent, pulling the tent closed but leaving a small gap, standing there waiting for Xiao Fu's return.

Meanwhile, after dashing out, Xiao Fu found an open space and started digging a hole with his front paws before squatting over it to do his business.

After finishing, he carefully covered his waste with earth, ensuring not a trace of his scent was left exposed.

In the forest, many wild animals mark their territory with scents and sometimes track prey by the smell of their droppings. Thus, upon entering the forest and sensing the strong scents of other beasts, Xiao Fu instinctively covered his own scent.

After burying it, Xiao Fu was about to return but caught a whiff of a fragrant floral scent not far away. It was so enticing that, without realizing it, he started walking in the opposite direction of where his owner was.

Xiao Fu, a very alert and timid dog, normally never strayed far from his owner. But now, lured by the scent, he slowly walked away in the direction opposite to where his owner was.

Passing through a dense forest, he came upon a small lake or perhaps a pool formed by the day's heavy rain. On the other side of the lake stood a towering silver-white tree.

After the heavy rain, the sky was clear, and the bright moonlight shone on the lake, creating a shimmering effect.

The silver-white tree, as if responding to the moonlight, radiated a serene glow. Its numerous branches swayed gently in the breeze, creating a dreamlike vision.

Yet, the sole witness to this scene was a dog. In Xiao Fu's eyes, no matter how beautiful the scenery, it couldn't compete with the allure of a bone.

Drawn by the strange scent, Xiao Fu circled the lake and found himself standing under the tree.

Now fully awake, he looked around uneasily. His owner was not here, and he knew he had to return soon.

Although the tree emitted a fragrance to attract animals, there was no sense of danger emanating from its trunk.

Xiao Fu gazed at the silver-white tree and noticed that its trunk was also silver-white, incredibly smooth, almost mirror-like, reflecting his own image.

The dog with light yellow fur tilted his head, and his reflection on the tree did the same.

Suddenly, one of the many branches of the tree bloomed a flower bud. A silver-white flower rapidly bloomed at the tip, and just as quickly withered away.

A silver-white fruit quickly grew at the tip, eventually reaching the size of a fist.

With a plop, the fist-sized fruit fell from the tree, landing right in front of Xiao Fu.

Startled, the dog quickly stepped back, warily eyeing the fruit that had suddenly dropped.

As Xiao Fu watched, the silver-white fruit split along the middle, gradually dividing into two halves.

Upon seeing what was inside the fruit, Xiao Fu's large, shiny black eyes widened in disbelief, as if seeing something incredible.

Shivering inside the tent, Xu Fang muttered about Xiao Fu's delay, noting that his usual bathroom trips were just a few minutes, but today it was taking much longer.

Had he known, he would have accompanied him.

Sounds of rustling vegetation came from outside, and Xu Fang peered through the gap, spotting Xiao Fu returning.

He immediately opened the tent.

Xiao Fu, with his head lowered, walked slowly into the tent, wiped his paws on the towel laid out on the floor, then quietly curled up in a corner, remaining motionless.

Xu Fang, not paying much attention, zipped up the tent after the dog entered and then hurried to his sleeping bag, pulling it open and crawling in.

The warmth inside had not yet dissipated. Xu Fang sighed contentedly, snuggling in and closing his eyes with satisfaction.

Tonight, everyone was sleeping in a large tent. Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong, having been woken by Xiao Fu, hadn't fully fallen asleep yet, so the tent was peaceful, devoid of the usual snoring and sleep-talking.

"Hmm hmm hmm~"

"Ying ying ying~"

Suddenly, a baby-like whimpering emanated from within the tent. It was soft but noticeably distinct in the quiet tent.

The whining, somewhat resembling Xiao Fu's voice, continued intermittently, waking up the others as well.

"Awoo~~~" The baby-like sound even morphed into a howling.

Was Xiao Fu dreaming?

When did Xiao Fu's voice become like this?

Roused from their sleep, the few awakened individuals lifted their heads, looking towards the corner where the dog was.

Lin An was also awakened. He was a bit worried about Xiao Fu, who usually slept either by his feet or on top of the sleeping bag, but today was curled up in a corner.

He quietly crawled out of his sleeping bag and approached Xiao Fu, looking at him with concern.

"Xiao Fu? What's wrong?"

Xiao Fu was curled up, his head buried in the circle formed by his body. Hearing his owner's question, he just wagged his tail, but his head remained down.

"Are you not feeling well?"

Xiao Fu still didn't respond.

Usually, if Lin An showed this much concern, Xiao Fu would have already started cuddling and seeking affection. But now, he didn’t even lift his head.

This was too unusual.

Shen Xiuzhe, who had sat up at the same time as Lin An, watched him until Lin An’s calls to Xiao Fu became more urgent. Then, he got up and crouched beside him.

"What's wrong?"

"Xiao Fu is acting strange," Lin An said, his face filled with anxiety. Xiao Fu had never behaved like this before. Could it be that he was unwell? But there were no doctors here, and it was hard to tell what was actually wrong with him.

Xu Fang and Ouyang Dong quickly scrambled up, followed by Wu Shuangxue and her granddaughter.

Although Xiao Fu was just a dog, everyone on the journey had come to treat him as a companion, especially fond of him for his obedience and endearing nature. Hearing something might be wrong with Xiao Fu, no one could sleep.

"What's happening, what's happening? He was fine just a moment ago," Xu Fang said worriedly, being the one who played with Xiao Fu the most, after Lin An.

"Could he be sick? The rain yesterday was relentless, and the temperature dropped too quickly," Granny Wu voiced her concern.

Shen Xiuzhe, observing Lin An's anxious expression, gently patted his back for comfort, then turned his attention to the unmoving dog.

"Hmm hmm~" The baby-like sound rang out again, unmistakably coming from Xiao Fu.

Shen Xiuzhe bent down to look at Xiao Fu, his phoenix eyes scrutinizing coldly, then reached out to lift the dog's head.

However, his hand met resistance; Xiao Fu seemed reluctant to lift his head, stubbornly keeping it down.

But his strength was no match for the cold-hearted Shen Xiuzhe, who firmly raised the dog's head.

Xiao Fu blinked his innocent dog eyes, looking at everyone.

From his embrace, another series of whimpers could be heard.

Everyone finally realized that the sound wasn’t actually coming from Xiao Fu.

Under the pretense of his paws, a small, light yellow animal stirred slightly.

Wu Duo simply turned on the light. Though everyone had good night vision and didn’t need light to see, to get a clearer view of what was in Xiao Fu’s embrace, she switched it on.

All eyes were fixed on the creature in Xiao Fu’s embrace. Xiao Fu seemed to want to hide it under his belly, but Shen Xiuzhe had already pulled out the little animal with his other hand.

In the light, a large, strong hand gently held a skinny, light yellow puppy.

Lin An: !!!

Everyone else: ???

Xu Fang, looking at the puppy that shared Xiao Fu's fur color, exclaimed in shock, "Did Xiao Fu just give birth to a pup outside?"

The puppy was the spitting image of Xiao Fu, with light yellow fur, droopy triangle-shaped ears, and four white paws. No one would believe they weren’t biologically related.

Lin An was visibly shaken, his lips quivering, "Xiao Fu, he should be, male, right?"

All his final words turned into questions, making even himself start to doubt if he had remembered incorrectly.

When he found Xiao Fu, it was clearly a little male dog.

Xiao Fu was half a year old when the apocalypse came, and he never got neutered, so maybe, just maybe, these really are Xiao Fu's puppies.

This puppy looked too much like Xiao Fu when he first found him, and back then Xiao Fu was very thin; this little dog was a spitting image of his younger self, equally scrawny.

But who is the puppy's mother? Why is the puppy here? When was it born? And what was it conceived from?

Lin An's brain turned to mush.

The puppy, held upside down by Shen Xiuzhe, wriggled frantically, its deflated belly exposed, yelping in distress.

Facing Xiao Fu's offspring, Lin An, suddenly a generation older, felt a surge of sympathy, quickly taking the puppy from Shen Xiuzhe's hands to comfort it in his arms.

Xiao Fu also nudged closer to his owner, resting his head on Lin An's arm, intently watching the little puppy.

Xu Fang, fond of dogs, squeezed his head in too, looking at the puppy with affection, not pondering the unanswered questions, only wanting to pet and hold the little dog.

At moments like this, his expression always became extra animated, grinning with a face full of wrinkles; Xiao Fu, seeing this, immediately shielded the puppy from this sleazy guy.

Although others were puzzled about the puppy's origin, knowing Xiao Fu was a male dog and thus couldn't have birthed it, and they hadn't seen any other dogs along the way, the puppy's cuteness still made everyone eager to get close and hold it.

Lin An stroked the puppy, his movements slowing down; the puppy, although fluffy, was icy cold all over.

How could a normal dog's body be cold?

He looked down at the puppy wriggling in his arms, gently flipping it over, paws up; a distinct silver-white line was visible on the puppy's belly, slightly raised to the touch.

Indeed, just as he had thought.

"It's not, Xiao Fu's, puppy," Lin An said to everyone.

"Impossible, they are almost identical, as if carved from the same mold. If it's not Xiao Fu's puppy, the resemblance is uncanny," Xu Fang said, looking at the two dogs, finding the coincidence too striking.

Lin An lifted the puppy for everyone to see the pattern on its belly clearly.

"It's not, a dog."

With Lin An's explanation, everyone came to understand the origin.

In the wilderness, there exists an extremely rare tree known as the Mirror Tree. This smooth tree can "capture" the likeness of nearby animals and mimic the appearance of their offspring in its seeds. Some books even claim these trees can replicate the behaviors of young animals of different species.

Many animals, mistaking the Mirror Tree seeds for their own offspring, would carry them away. Once in a suitable environment, these "offspring" would revert to seeds and take root in the soil.

These Mirror Trees are scarce and thrive in harsh conditions. Many people have never heard of them. Lin An himself only recalled them upon seeing the silver-white line on the puppy's belly. This raised line was the seed's embryonic axis, which, once planted, would sprout from the line and eventually grow into a complete Mirror Tree.

After Lin An finished explaining, aside from Grandma Wu and Shen Xiuzhe, the other three wore expressions as if they had heard something unbelievable. It wasn't that they didn't understand, but the concept seemed too fantastical.

This was their first time hearing about such a tree.

Could it really transform its seeds into animal offspring?

The group looked at the little puppy, the lively and realistic little creature that yelped continuously—this was a seed?

Grandma Wu and Shen Xiuzhe were also hearing about this for the first time, but having encountered many strange plants and animals in the wilderness, they weren't too surprised.

Since developing plant-based abilities, Ouyang Dong had become interested in various plants. He had collected many seedlings and seeds in the forest. Now, knowing this little puppy was actually a seed, he was quite eager to try something.

"Is this Mirror Tree dangerous in any way?" Ouyang Dong asked, the impression left by zombie trees still vivid in his mind. He needed to be cautious.

Lin An thought for a moment: "No, there's no danger."

Unless it turns into a zombie tree, a Mirror Tree is merely peculiar in its seed dispersal method and poses no threat.

"May I hold it?" Ouyang Dong asked, longing in his eyes as he looked at the little puppy.

Gently placing the little puppy in Ouyang Dong's hands, Xiao Fu watched eagerly as the puppy was passed over, not blinking an eye.

Ouyang Dong cradled the little puppy, its touch and weight almost like that of a normal puppy, the only giveaway being its icy temperature.

Xu Fang, envious, moved closer to Ouyang Dong, shamelessly lying: "Let me hold it; you’re too clumsy, you might hurt the little dog."

The little puppy was so lifelike, constantly whimpering and crying in such an adorable, milky voice that it could melt anyone's heart.

Ouyang Dong, with a serious look, transmitted a bit of his ability into the little puppy in his hands.

The lively and jumping puppy suddenly froze, a tiny crack appearing on the silver-white line on its belly.

It looked as if the little puppy had been killed by Ouyang Dong.

Xu Fang, in a fit of distress, slapped Ouyang Dong across the face and snatched the little puppy, holding it tightly in his arms: "Are you insane, you freak? Killing a dog!"

Xiao Fu also glared at Ouyang Dong, growling low as if scolding him.

Ouyang Dong was speechless. This was a seed, not a real dog! He was just testing if it would sprout. How was that bizarre?

However, the mimicry of the seed was incredibly realistic, making him wonder if adding a bit more psychic energy would turn it into a large tree.

After Xu Fang snatched the little puppy, the energy from Ouyang Dong's ability was too weak to maintain its effect, and the puppy returned to normal, the crack on its belly still present but now able to move again.

As the group squabbled over the little puppy, Wu Duo pondered and suddenly asked Lin An, "Brother An, Xiao Fu wasn’t out for long, which means the Mirror Tree must be close by. What would the seed look like if a human approached it?"

The Mirror Tree mimics the appearance of animals for its seeds. If it were a human, perhaps it would take the form of a baby?

Lin An wasn't sure himself. All his knowledge was from books, which offered only theories and didn't mention if human infant mimicry was possible.

"If it's not dangerous, should we go and check out this tree?"

Holding the little puppy, Xu Fang's face lit up with excitement. Young people are drawn to novelty, and having just escaped the city and an encounter with a spider, he had been cautious. But now, knowing about such an interesting tree and assured by Brother An of its harmlessness, it seemed a shame not to explore.

"Since we're already here, encountering such an interesting tree, we should take a look," Xu Fang pleaded with the team leader. Shen Xiuzhe, usually the decision-maker in their group, just needed to agree for them to proceed.

Ignoring Xu Fang's pleading gaze, Shen Xiuzhe turned to Lin An: "Shall we go take a look?"

Lin An was eager to go. He too was curious about Wu Duo's question and knew that seeing a Mirror Tree might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, not to be missed.

"Could there be any danger?"

From Lin An's words, it was clear he also wanted to go. Seeing his cautious yet eager inquiry, Shen Xiuzhe's gaze softened: "If you want to go, let's go. I'm also curious to see what this tree looks like."

Eventually, everyone agreed to go together. Xu Fang held onto the little puppy, unwilling to put it down, while Xiao Fu could only follow beside, occasionally looking up at it.

Xiao Fu didn’t realize this was a seed and watched the little puppy closely, seemingly very fond of it.

They followed Xiao Fu's footprints, as the previous day's heavy rain had made the ground wet and soggy, each step seeming to sink into the mud.

Even Lin An, with his aversion to dirt and using a water film to protect himself, struggled with the muddy terrain.

It was Xu Fang who finally used his ability to harden the muddy ground, allowing them to continue forward.

Plum blossom footprints were distinctly imprinted on the ground, leading the way through the forest to a silvery scene that caught everyone's eyes.

Xiao Fu was indifferent to the scenery, but the rest were amazed. The quiet lake and dreamy trees stood in stark contrast to the lush greenery of the forest, as if stepping into a new world.

The first sight of the silvery white tree immediately made everyone realize that this was the Mirror Tree.

Circling the lake, the smooth, cylindrical trunk of the Mirror Tree resembled a mirror, even its drooping branches and leaves shimmering with a silver glow.

The group exchanged glances, but none stepped forward.

Xu Fang, barely older than Wu Duo but still childlike compared to her composed demeanor, grew impatient. Seeing no one advancing, he handed the little puppy to Lin An and boldly volunteered to be the first to experiment.

"I want to see for myself. Maybe a little baby that looks just like me will appear," he said, rolling up his sleeves as if ready for a fight, then suddenly turned to the others: "If this tree can really mimic my childhood appearance, I'll show you the true king of hair volume."

He cautiously moved forward, surveying the area before advancing further. His vigilance, honed by numerous experiences since leaving Chu Xi City, remained high, despite his companions' presence.

As Xu Fang approached, the Mirror Tree's trunk slowly reflected his image. Once he was fully mirrored, the dangling branches began to bloom and bear fruit.

This time, the fruit that emerged was much larger than the one that produced the little puppy.

Previously the size of a fist, the fruit now resembled a hefty watermelon, weighing down the branches until it finally fell to the ground, revealing a thirty-centimeter diameter fruit.

Everyone, from Xu Fang closest to the tree to the others at a distance, watched the fruit on the ground with curiosity.

The silver-white fruit split open, revealing a tender, little baby inside.

"Damn!" Although Xu Fang knew the tree could mimic young creatures, the resemblance to his baby photos was uncannily accurate, almost eerie.

The similarity was so striking it was unsettling.

The rest, unable to see clearly from behind, grew increasingly curious as Ouyang Dong approached the fruit, eager to see the contents.

As he got a clear view of the baby inside the fruit, Ouyang Dong burst into uncontrollable laughter, bending over with mirth, pointing alternately at the baby and Xu Fang's head, laughing so hard he ended up kneeling and pounding the ground.

"Is it that funny?" Xu Fang, perplexed, took off his jacket to wrap the naked baby, then awkwardly picked up the infant.

The others, watching Ouyang Dong's hysterical laughter, grew curious about the baby's appearance.

As Xu Fang lifted the baby, everyone's eyes widened in astonishment at the infant's resemblance to Xu Fang, and they too started laughing.

The group gawked at the infant, its features strikingly similar to Xu Fang's, before erupting into laughter.

Even Lin An couldn't help but react. He really didn't want to laugh, but the sight of the baby was too much, forcing him to bite his lower lip to suppress his laughter, though the amusement in his eyes was undeniable.

Shen Xiuzhe, familiar with Xu Fang's previous appearance and guessing what the baby might look like, couldn't help but reveal a smile upon seeing Lin An struggling to contain his laughter.

Xu Fang, laughed at by everyone, huffed and stood back, holding the small baby.

The baby in his arms, wrapped in oversized clothes, looked like an ordinary infant. However, what drew the most attention was the baby's explosive hairdo, extraordinarily thick and naturally curly to a remarkable degree.

The baby with the explosive hairdo gazed blankly at everyone. What was a plain face seemed adorable against the backdrop of such unusual hair.

Truly a monarch of hair volume.

Previously, Xu Fang claimed he shaved his head because his thick hair was too troublesome to manage, and it turns out to be true.

Having grown accustomed to his baldness, everyone couldn't quite picture what Xu Fang would look like with hair. But now, looking at the baby, they could somewhat imagine it.

Ouyang Dong, standing too close, was also captured by the mirror-like surface of the tree, resulting in an oversized baby.

Now it was his turn to be unable to smile, holding a baby resembling the Michelin Man, his expression as vacant as that on Xu Fang's face.

He wrapped the little baby in his own clothes and stood silently next to Xu Fang, enduring the laughter of the others.

The baby in his arms looked several shades whiter than the one in Xu Fang's embrace, with a face so round and chubby it seemed to droop, adorned with rolls of baby fat on its arms and legs, and a belly full of soft flesh, while the plump little infant sucked on its fingers, looking at the smiling faces opposite.

Seeing the Michelin Man in Ouyang Dong's arms, Xu Fang, as usual, wanted to mock him, but just as he started to smirk, he caught sight of the explosive hairdo on the baby in his own arms.

Darn, it was a tie.

It couldn't always be them facing embarrassment, so Xu Fang immediately urged others to try as well, reasoning there was no harm in it, taking it as an opportunity to see what each other looked like as children, thereby deepening the understanding and feelings among teammates.

Wudo's eyes sparkled as she looked at her grandmother, who wouldn't interfere in such trivial matters: “Go ahead if you want to.”

She nodded and stepped forward, standing in front of the tree nervously yet curiously.

Soon, a beautiful baby emerged from the fruit.

Wudo, satisfied, held the baby for her grandmother to see.

“Just like you when you were little, this tree really is interesting, possessing such a capability,” Grandma Wudo couldn't help but touch the baby's cheek.

"Grandma, why don't you give it a try?" Wuda was curious about what her grandmother looked like as a child.

"Oh, I'm too old for such things," Grandma Wuda waved her hand dismissively, not keen on participating.

But eventually, she couldn't resist her granddaughter's persistence. Deep down, she was curious too, being the eldest there at over seventy, her white hair and wrinkled face a stark contrast to her youth. Could the tree really recreate her childhood appearance?

As it turned out, it could.

Grandma Wuda also received a baby, remarkably similar to the one Wuda held, almost like twins.

"Does this mean I'll grow up to look like grandma?" Wuda couldn't help but smile, a smile that matched her age. Her grandma was her idol, and resembling her was a matter of pride.

After all, her grandma was both beautiful and formidable in her youth, an aspiration for Wuda.

Only Shen Xiuzhe and Lin An were left.

Everyone was curious about their childhood appearances. Would Shen Xiuzhe have the same mocking face as now? And Lin An, undoubtedly cute as a baby, but now a zombie. Would the tree produce a baby or a mini-zombie?

This was indeed a point of great interest.

Shen Xiuzhe wasn't keen on joining such a childish game, but Lin An seemed very eager. He handed the puppy back to Xiao Fu and tugged at Shen's sleeve, wanting to see for themselves.

Lin An's grip was gentle. Seeing the little zombie so excited, Shen couldn't help but comply and walked forward with him.

As they stood before the large tree, the mirror showed two figures, one tall and the other short. The taller one occasionally glanced at his companion, while the shorter one looked up, searching for the fruit-bearing branch.

With two people standing there, two branches bloomed and bore fruit simultaneously.

The first to emerge from the fruit was a baby resembling Shen Xiuzhe. Just as they had guessed, even as an infant, Shen had that same disdainful, mocking expression.

The baby resembling Lin An was incredibly cute: black eyes, pale skin, and a timid expression, like a miniature doll, delicate and pretty.

He instantly overshadowed all other babies.

After the trip, they had gathered six babies. Returning from the tree, sleep was no longer an option.

They found some unused cloth and made clothes for the babies, then placed all of them together.

Everyone squatted beside them, watching the group of babies who gazed back blankly.

The seeds of the mirror tree, designed to travel far and grow, were all well-behaved, neither crying nor fussing. Their movements were agile, and except for their cool skin and a silver-white mark on their bellies, they were indistinguishable from real babies.

Their expressions were strikingly similar to their real-life counterparts.

The baby with the explosive hairdo crawled forward a few steps towards the puppy placed in their midst, poking the little dog with a finger.

The babies of Grandma Wuda and Wuda sat close together, exuding a sense of intimacy.

The chubby baby resembling Ouyang Dong struggled to get up, but he managed to crawl towards the baby Lin An, drooling and beaming at him.

Ouyang Dong, covering his face, lamented, "Was I really like this as a child? I look like a complete fool."

The baby Lin An, gazed upon by the drooling Michelin Man, looked as if he was about to cry, a sight so pitiful that Wuda next to him couldn't resist the urge to comfort him.

Before she could act, the baby Shen Xiuzhe, sitting beside Lin An, glanced emotionlessly at the chubby baby and then, as if in disdain, punched him on his chubby cheek.

The struck baby's lips quivered before he burst into loud tears.

"They can actually cry? Who would've guessed these are plant seeds?" Xu Fang exclaimed in surprise.

Ouyang Dong, watching his younger self get hit, felt oddly affected, as if he himself was the one being struck. He glanced at Shen Xiuzhe with a hint of reproach but received no acknowledgment.

Baby Lin An, seemingly finding solace in baby Shen Xiuzhe, crawled a few steps to his side, seeking refuge behind him.

Grandma Wuda observed baby Lin An, particularly his clear, black-and-white eyes, then turned her gaze to the baby with the explosive hair.

The mirror tree didn't merely shrink and replicate their current appearances; it truly copied some of their childhood traits.

Xu Fang, usually bald, was represented by a seed with hair, mirroring his childhood appearance.

The same went for Lin An. Although he was a zombie now, the baby that appeared was human, identical to Lin An as a child.

Even the personalities exhibited by these seed mimics were remarkably similar to their real-life counterparts.

What was the principle behind this? It seemed almost magical.

No one could explain the workings of this tree, but everyone stayed up in the latter half of the night, happily watching the babies crawl around.

They didn't need to eat and would root and sprout in suitable places, growing into new mirror trees.

When dawn broke and it was time to leave, everyone carried a baby seedling, knowing they were seeds but unable to resist taking along the replicas of themselves.

Only Shen Xiuzhe was indifferent to his younger self, preferring to leave the seed where it was.

Since the mirror tree thrived here, it indicated a suitable environment for the seeds to germinate.

Why bother taking it with them? It would be a waste of effort.

Simply troublesome.

His act of "abandoning" his own young form was met with everyone's disdain, though no one dared to voice it openly, instead casting silent reproachful glances at him.

Eventually, Grandma Wuda found a solution, swapping the young forms of Lin An and Shen Xiuzhe.

She had Lin An carry the mocking-faced seedling, leaving baby Lin An on the ground, looking pitifully at the remaining few.

His large, grape-like eyes fixed on Shen Xiuzhe, his small mouth puckered in distress, a sight heartrendingly woeful.

Everyone else had run ahead, leaving him alone with the seed, in a silent stand-off.

It was just a plant seed.

Shen Xiuzhe was well aware, yet watching baby Lin An crawl towards him with a nervous grip on his trouser leg, as if fearing he'd leave, tugged at his heartstrings.

He finally understood why the tree transformed its seeds into the form of young ones.

Neither animals nor humans can resist the charm of cute younglings.

Even Shen Xiuzhe, with his heart of stone, couldn't withstand the allure of baby Lin An.

In the end, he gave in to his instincts and carefully picked up baby Lin An. Feeling the little one nestle his head against his chest, Shen's heart melted.

The sensation was peculiar, like holding a miniaturized Lin An.

Gently patting baby Lin An's back, Shen Xiuzhe sighed, a mix of resignation and capitulation, and walked towards his companions with the seed in his arms.

The others were actually waiting nearby, ready to retrieve the youngling if Shen truly left baby Lin An behind.

But as Shen's tall, slender figure approached, a teasing smile spread across everyone's faces.

Indeed, no one could resist baby Lin An's charm.

The group proceeded, "families" in tow, only for the seeds to begin petrifying the next day.

The silver lines on the belly had all split open, widening more and more, revealing the tender sprouts within.

These tiny infants were lively and active just the day before; in just one day, their entire bodies had become rigid.

In fact, this is also a protective mechanism of the Mirror Tree. When reaching a suitable growth environment, the mimicked infants halt their simulated breathing and heartbeat, becoming rigid, appearing as if they have died.

At this point, animals would usually discard the “corpses” of the infants, allowing the seeds to take root and sprout in these places.

Even knowing this, seeing the stiff little infants was distressing for everyone; the emotional Xu Fang even started crying.

Shen Xiuzhe glanced at Xu Fang: "Bury them all."

"I don't want to, they might still come back to life," Xu Fang sobbed, clutching the baby with the explosive hairdo.

"They need to be buried to grow back into trees. The places we're going to next aren't suitable for the growth of Mirror Trees. If we keep carrying them, these seeds will eventually die."

Finally, Ouyang Dong infused some of his special abilities into all the seeds, helping them grow faster. Everyone together buried the seeds in the ground.

Xiao Fu didn't understand why they had to bury the infants it had picked up; after burying the puppy-like infant, it dug it back out with its paws.

Others got over their discomfort after a while, but Xu Fang, seeing Xiao Fu do this, couldn't help but cry while holding it.

Ouyang Dong, leaning on a shovel, watched Xu Fang cry and said helplessly: "Why cry? It's not like you gave birth to them. Those are just plant seeds. They need to be buried to sprout."

Xu Fang, defiant: "I want my infants."

"Go have your own in the future. If you don't leave now, you can stay here alone," Shen Xiuzhe coldly stated, looking at the person crying into the dog's fur.

Seeing the leader angry, Xu Fang immediately held back tears and walked towards everyone with Xiao Fu.

But Xiao Fu kept looking back at the puppy-like infant buried in the ground.

This action almost made Xu Fang cry again.

Xiao Fu didn't understand what seeds were, but it knew the little dog was buried in the ground.

Just as the person and dog were reluctantly walking towards their companions, a bug suddenly flew down from the big tree behind them.

Heading straight for Xu Fang.

Xu Fang was still mourning the explosively-haired infant he had known for only a day when a bug approached too quickly for him to react.

A flash of silver light, and the incredibly fast bug was pinned to a tree by Shen Xiuzhe with a needle as thin as a chopstick.

Only then did everyone realize that it was a mosquito.

Xu Fang, no longer crying, stared at the mosquito, at least twenty centimeters in diameter, a chill running down his spine. He quickly ran to the middle of the group with Xiao Fu.

The previously silent forest now buzzed with the sound of mosquitoes.

These mosquitoes had been quietly perched on the trees until now, revealing their ferocity. Their black compound eyes bore down on the group, and their proboscises, like sharp needles, were particularly noticeable.

Shen Xiuzhe immediately drew his knife: "Don't let the mosquitoes touch you. Their proboscises carry bacteria; infection means certain death."