Chapter 12 Mutant Willow Tree
Although he became a One-Star Evolver just as the apocalypse began and was somewhat arrogant, not anticipating the danger, the current William had experienced countless life-and-death situations as an evolver. In the moment of danger, he still made the most correct and timely response.
With a twist of his waist, his body eerily fell backward. The attack that whistled toward him hit the wall he had just crossed, making a cracking sound as some tiles and cement debris splattered, some hitting William, causing him to grunt in pain and feel a hot flow, indicating a wound was bleeding.
The counterattack was almost instinctive. His machete swung out instantly, smooth and natural. If a martial arts master were present, they would surely notice how skilled William's swordsmanship had become.
However, the strike did not have the intended effect. William felt the machete being caught by something. It was then that he saw what was attacking him.
It was a willow tree growing in the yard, with a branch that seemed to be growing thicker and longer, violently swinging, trying to free itself from William's machete.
The previous strike had landed on this branch, not cutting it but getting the machete stuck inside.
William was surprised, thinking, ‘A mutant willow tree?!
‘Having just encountered mutant insects, now I face a mutant plant?
‘My luck is truly terrible.’
After all, whether insects or plants, once they mutated, their strength surpassed that of zombies from the beginning, posing a greater threat to William.
Nevertheless, William's reaction was extreme. He immediately abandoned the outdoor machete stuck inside and pulled out the pistol from the Doomsday Roulette on his body.
Five consecutive shots, with only the first one missing, hit the spot on the main trunk of the mutant willow tree over thirty feet away.
The woman following behind had just climbed onto the wall. She saw the significantly thicker trunk of the willow tree than usual, oozing dark green liquid, and the entire tree shaking violently, making it look more like a person than a tree.
After firing several shots, William did not stop. He quickly rushed to the tree, with a fire axe on his back now in his hand, raised high and brought down toward the target.
The mutant willow tree actually let out a hiss, a low but audible sound, startling the long-haired woman still perched on the wall, causing her to shiver and fall, feeling like she was in a horror movie.
However, after the hiss, the mutant willow tree suddenly stopped, its once tender green leaves turning yellow instantly, branches drooping weakly. It was clear to anyone that the tree was dead.
William swung the fire axe again on the trunk, revealing a gray First-Level Magic Crystal beneath the bark.
Unlike mutant human animals, whose Magic Crystals are inside their bodies, and apart from the roots, they have no obvious weak points. The roots, integrated with the Earth, are the most challenging to attack, making mutant plants relatively powerful.
If William hadn't experienced that the Magic Crystal of this newly mutated tree had not been fully absorbed into its body and had keenly spotted a faint reflection of the crystal under the bark, he would have faced either fleeing or being killed by the willow tree to become its fertilizer.
By now, the long-haired woman had stood up, cautiously approaching the mutant willow tree. She suddenly discovered two dried-up bodies lying behind the tree, looking like mummies dried up in the desert.
She wanted to scream in fear but hesitated upon seeing William's back, biting her hand instead. She averted her gaze, trembling in fear.
Two straw-like roots were inserted into the dried-up bodies' heads. Even the most foolish person could understand what had happened. The willow tree fed on people, completely overturning the long-haired woman's worldview and plunging her deep into terror on this bloody night.
"Come help!" William's voice rang out, causing her to subconsciously move closer to the man who had just slapped her.
In this terrifying world, this man was the only one who could provide her with a sense of security so far.
"See here. Use the axe to cut it off." William handed the fire axe to the woman, pointing to where the mutant willow branch connected to the trunk.
Mutant plants and animals were generally stronger than zombies of the same level, and killing them yields more rewards. Many parts of their bodies were excellent materials for crafting powerful equipment or medicine and producing various potions.
For example, besides the Magic Crystal, the mutant willow branch could be crafted into a weapon with decent power equivalent to a common-level weapon from Roulette.
Unfortunately, this willow tree had just mutated, evolving only one mutant branch. If the entire tree had mutated branches, even before rebirth, it would have been a significant fortune.
Watching the woman grit her teeth and clumsily but forcefully chop at the higher part of the tree trunk with the fire axe, William silently reflected on how the environment changes people. This beautiful woman should have been attending a glamorous evening banquet, the center of attention under dazzling lights. But now, she wielded an axe with hands that should have been pampered with weekly care, all for a promise of protection that never materialized.
It was the apocalypse, and it was hell.
'Welcome to hell,' William silently said to the woman in his mind, then proceeded to use the machete he had pulled out to peel off a darker-color part of the tree bark.
It was another useful item besides the Magic Crystal and mutant willow branch.
These tree barks were originally covered with Magic Crystals, hard yet resilient, challenging for even someone with a sword to cut through, making them excellent materials for crafting armor. Today, this mutant willow tree was unlucky for encountering William, who was already a One-Star Evolver, not only familiar with its weaknesses but also injuring it with a pistol and directly cutting off the bark, severing its connection between the Magic Crystal and the trunk, ultimately killing it.
However, William felt a bit regretful. The time the willow tree had spent mutating was too short, resulting in the mutated bark being only the size of a basin, which he inadvertently cut into two pieces.
After collecting the removed bark and helping the long-haired woman cut off the willow branch, William swiftly left the area with her. Meanwhile, the horde of zombies attracted by the gunfire had already broken through the cafeteria's back door, revealing their terrifying visages.
At the same time, in a teaching building not far away, a group of people watched William and the woman from the window, hope shining in their eyes.
