Chapter 117 - 117: Goals In Life
A pair of bat-like wings sprouted from Gris’ back.
With a flap of its wings, it soared into the sky.
Soon, Gris arrived directly above Linhai County.
Looking down from above, he had a commanding view of the Blood Flesh Mother Tree’s complete form.
At this moment, the Blood Flesh Mother Tree had grown even larger. Its lush branches were hung with fist-sized miniature human heads.
There was also a thick layer of red fungus carpet on the ground near the roots in fact, Gris could not tell if the red carpet-like thing was a real fungus or some other special substance.
Gris’ red eyes stared at the ground.
Gris could vaguely sense the undulating movements, like pythons rising and falling within the red fungus layer. Upon closer inspection, it realized that those were the roots of the Blood Flesh Mother Tree.
“It’s so big…”
The Blood Flesh Mother Tree was indeed massive, with a height approaching 500 meters tall and a diameter that was staggering.
“Moreover, it doesn’t feel like a mutated zombie.”
Now that he was closer, Gris could see more clearly.
It was contrary to his guess.
Upon closer inspection, Gris did not think that this tree was mutated from a zombie.
Then what is it!?
Unable to figure it out, Gris abandoned the contemplation.
Who cares what it is
As long as it can be subjugated, it will be enslaved; if it cannot, then it will be destroyed.
It is simple and crude.
With this thought in mind, Gris folded its wings and its entire body descended freely onto the red fungus layer.
Standing at the foot of the Blood Flesh Mother Tree, Gris cleared its throat and spoke slowly.
“Can you speak?”
These words provoked a reaction from the Blood Flesh Mother Tree.
A shocking scene unfolded before Gris’ eyes.
The lush branches of Blood Flesh Mother Tree suddenly trembled, and the branches fluttered like pipes transporting some materials within.
Soon, the undulations came to a point— those fist-sized miniature human heads.
Then, it happened abruptly.
Thousands upon thousands of fruit-like human heads, all opened their eyes and looked at Gris!
The horror of this scene was indescribable.
Even in broad daylight, and despite being a Tier 5 zombie itself, Gris was still taken aback.
Faintly, the rustling of leaves seemed to resound in the air.
Those human heads spoke.
They spoke in fluent English in unison.
“Yes.”
The voice of a single Human-Head Fruit was very soft, but when thousands of voices converged, they created a resonating sound.
The powerful sound wave even stirred up a slight windstorm, causing Gris’s clothes to flutter and his golden hair to sway.
All of this made Gris instantly restrain his underestimation of the Blood Flesh Mother Tree.
Its tone became much more solemn,
“Do you have a name?”
“No.”
“I see… Then how did you become like this?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then, when did you start to have consciousness?”
“Consciousness? What’s that?”
It means the ability to communicate with others.”
“Just now.”
“Just now?”
“Yes, just now, when you asked if I could speak.”
“Gulp!”
“Gulp!”
The gurgling sound continued.
More unknown substances were delivered through the branches and flowed into those fruit-like heads.
This made Gris squint.
“You’re lying, aren’t you?”
“Lying? What’s lying?”
“Lying is… Forget it, I can’t explain it clearly. In any case, you’re lying. Look, you’re a tree in Nanxiang, but you can communicate with me in English so fluently.”
“You said you just learned to speak, you’re lying to me, aren’t you? There’s a high chance that you can speak Chinese as well if you can speak English; what kind of nonsense is this?”
“English…” The heads of the Blood Flesh Mother Tree made a thoughtful expression in unison. After a moment, the heads came to a realization. “Not only do I speak English, but I also speak Chinese; I can speak both.
Because I didn’t learn these things. I was born with them.”
Like a child showing off its new ability, the Blood Flesh Mother Tree’s tone became more lively.
“English comes from this…”
A branch extended out and finally stopped in front of Gris.
Gris looked up and saw a blond foreigner’s head on the branch, blinking mischievously at him.
“He knows English, so 1 know English. He became a part of me a long time ago, so what’s his is mine. I’m not lying to you. I naturally know how to speak English.”
Gris was slightly stunned before he immediately quivered.
So, you mean you can absorb and assimilate the knowledge and memories of others?”
The heads blinked again and said, “I don’t quite understand these words you’re talking about, but I can roughly understand what you mean. Something like that.”
This ability was terrifying…
No, it should be useful!
Gris thought for a moment and immediately realized that this Blood Flesh Mother Tree was a huge opportunity for it!
Leaving aside its abilities, just the silly appearance of the tree made it extremely easy to deceive.
If Gris could deceive this thing and make it join its team, it would undoubtedly be of tremendous help to him.
Thinking of this, Gris could no longer hold back.
“Can you move?”
“I can move, but I move very, very slowly.”
“Then are you willing to come with me and work for me?”
The heads blinked in unison.
“Go with you? Work for you?’
“Why should I go with you, and why should I work for you?”
Upon hearing this, Gris got enthusiastic!
“Because I can make you become a figure above everyone else!
I will become the ruler of the Black Mist Zone, and you…”
“Wait.” The thousands of heads spoke again with puzzled expressions. “Why should I become a figure above everyone else? I feel that my current state is already good enough…”
Griss was speechless.
It was always difficult to explain some things to children.
However, it did not matter. In order to subdue this Blood Flesh Mother Tree, Gris had plenty of patience!
Gris said gently, “Because when you become a figure above tens of thousands of people, no one can bully you. You will gain greater strength and a higher status. You will grow bigger and faster. At that time, you can eat whatever you want and do whatever you want.”
After saying that, and seeing that the heads still looked confused, Gris continued, “Let’s put it this way. Do you have any goals in life? Things that you want to do.”
The heads shook their heads, “No.”
Gris then said earnestly, “You need to have a goal in life. A life without a goal is like a salted fish, dull and meaningless!”
The heads fell into deep thought.
After a moment, Gris continued, “For example, I have an ambitious goal! To establish myself in the Black Mist Zone, or even become the ruler of the Black Mist Zone! That’s why 1 work hard every day, striving for my dreams, making my life rich and colorful!”
With that, Gris extended its hand and made an inviting gesture to the Blood Flesh Mother Tree, “Now, I want to invite you to join my team! Once you’re in the team, my dream will be your dream, and my goal will be your goal! From now on, we’ll be a team, working and striving together for our common goal!”
“What do you think?”
The Blood Flesh Mother Tree pondered for a long time, and then the massive plant suddenly trembled!
The thousands of heads shouted in unison.
“Good!”
“I don’t want to be a salted fish!”
“I want goals in my life!”
A triumphant smile appeared on Gris’ face.
However, he suddenly felt a movement under his feet!
Countless roots shot out from the fungus layer, instantly binding Gris like a dumpling!
The tight restraint made Gris exclaim, “What are you doing!”
But the miniature heads all wore puzzled expressions and said in unison, “Didn’t you say that your goal will be my goal, and your dream will be my dream?”
Now, I will consume you, and we will fuse into one. This way, we won’t have any distinction between us, and we will become a better team. This way, we can better achieve our common goals. Don’t you think I’m right?”
Gris wanted to say that their comprehension ability was problematic.
However, the huge binding force which even a Tier 5 Zombie King could not retaliate, made Gris unable to utter a word.
It could only feel the sharp thorns piercing its skin.
Strange fluids flowed into its body.
The internal organs, bones, and muscle tissues in its body quickly softened, turning into a slimy mucus that was absorbed by the thorns.
Soon, Gris was reduced to nothing but an empty skin.
On the other hand, at the top of the Blood Flesh Mother Tree, tender sprouts grew, quickly growing into a fist-sized head resembling Gris.
When this head first appeared, it was still in a daze, but it quickly regained its senses.
It muttered, “The king of the Black Mist Zone! I want to become the king of the
Black Mist Zone!!”
Countless heads responded.
“Yes, we will..”