"This is Yi Country, not Baixing," Sindra said flatly. "If he can't even survive his first Dead Zone, then he's not the contractor I need."
"I understand," Aran replied with a nod.
"Be careful. We've had eyes on us for a while now," Sindra warned.
"Understood."
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Inside the shooting range.
Li Chengyi lowered his pistol and pulled out his earplugs, exhaling heavily.
The target thirty meters away was full of wildly scattered bullet holes—none of them particularly impressive.
"Thirty to fifty meters is called close-range shooting," the coach beside him explained. "That's the distance you'll mostly be training for."
"Firearms work best on humans. So after static shooting, you'll move on to live target drills."
"No rifles, just handguns."
The coach retrieved the pistol from Li Chengyi's hand.
"This one was specially picked for you—Delin G17. Polymer body, 600 grams, 17 rounds, full-auto. Just don't panic and empty the entire mag in one go."
"So staying calm is key," Li replied knowingly.
"Exactly. These rounds are made of reinforced plastic. They shatter easily on impact to prevent ricochets indoors."
The coach chuckled. "You're using standard training rounds today though."
Li nodded and removed his ear protection.
"Can I practice alone for a bit?"
"Sure. The ammo is right over there. But don't leave this room with the weapon." The coach smiled. "Also, don't stay too long—your evasion training is next."
"Got it." Li's heart raced—not because of the firearm, but because this was his chance to test the strength of his Flower Scale Armor.
He glanced at the corner security camera, pretending to aim at the target.
From his pocket, he pulled out a pair of black cloth gloves embroidered with flashy, cringe-worthy designs—perfect for cosplay.
Sliding them on dramatically, he struck a few exaggerated poses—like some anime fanboy playing action hero.
Then, he took aim...
Bang.
The bullet flew—but not straight. It brushed against his left index finger, veering slightly.
What happened?
Just before the shot, Li had shifted the barrel slightly to graze the armored fingertip of his Flower Scale Armor.
Only a single finger was armored—just enough to test it.
The bullet clipped it, leaving a faint mark. No injury, but…
"Flower Scale Armor damaged. Please repair immediately."
He frowned.
As expected—it couldn't block a bullet.
He'd already tested it at home with knives and axes. It was tough, yes—metallic, durable—but only against light force.
Guns? No chance.
"Maybe after evolution…" he muttered.
The Flower of Evil had promised the armor would grow stronger, more resilient. Maybe after he finished evolving it...
He removed the glove, examining the small tear at the fingertip—clear proof of the bullet's power.
"Two more days until I visit the greenhouse," he reminded himself. "Let's see what it can do then."
Setting the glove aside, he resumed target practice.
Two days later.
Li Chengyi took leave from Sindra and boarded a shuttle bound for the Qingrun Flower Base, located deep in the forest outside Suiyang.
Surrounded by dense woods, the entire facility was a collection of huge silver-greenhouses.
Inside each, rows upon rows of colorful flowers bloomed in harmony—drawing bees and butterflies even indoors.
"This way, sir. The vine section is over here," said the young female guide assigned to him.
Li followed her along a narrow path between the greenhouses.
"Our white wisteria is a perennial vine. Needs a climbing frame. We've grouped all vines together here. If you're buying in bulk, we offer discounts…"
Li wasn't listening.
He was here to absorb, not buy.
Soon, they reached a long greenhouse. The entrance was misty with pesticide spray.
"We'll wait for the mist to settle. That's a pest-repellent," she explained.
While waiting, she continued her sales pitch.
Li's attention wandered.
Then—something green and spiky caught his eye.
A cycad?
"Is that a blooming iron tree!?"
"Yep! You're lucky—our iron tree just bloomed. Been growing it since I was a kid. Most people never get to see one."
She chattered on, but Li approached the plant. Its yellow, fuzzy round bloom sat like a plush orb in the middle of long, jagged leaves.
"Female flower," the girl said. "Males are cone-shaped."
"Can I touch it?" Li asked.
"Gently. Just don't damage it."
Li reached out carefully and touched the flower.
At once, a chill tingled into his fingertip.
Female Cycad Flower: Rare bloom from the ancient cycad tree. Extremely slow-growing.Language of Flowers:• Unyielding Thorns – Grants a temporary invisible force field. Anyone who touches it suffers a proportional piercing counterattack.• Hardening – Passive. Greatly increases bone density and armor durability.Flower Scale Armor: No available slot.
Two flower abilities!?
Li's eyes widened.
In all his exploring—parks, gardens—he'd never seen a flower grant two distinct powers, especially one passive.
"If only I'd started with this one…" he mused.
But he knew better. Cycads take decades to bloom. Even now, collecting enough essence to form armor would be a monumental task.
Still, the synergy was undeniable: hardening for defense, and thorns for offense. The perfect combo.
This flower—he would return for it.
"Alright, we can go in now," the guide said.
Li nodded, stepping toward the entrance.
Inside, rows of white wisteria hung in soft cascades from metal racks.
"There—third row to the right," she pointed. "That's our white variety."
He spotted it immediately—a blanket of pure white blossoms gleaming under artificial lights.
White Wisteria.He'd found it.
[🔮 Interactive Ending – Suspense Tease]White petals. Iron blooms. Power waits in every flower.Which one would you choose to wield?💬 Drop your answer in the comments.🌸 Add to Library and don't miss the evolution!