Mutant Farmer in The Apocalypse

"How about we have a talk after you dry yourself. You're soaked from head to toe. Come, I'll serve you a cup of tea."

Yang Zhang couldn't trust this old woman. She had such a kind and gentle exterior, but who would've expected that she was actually so vicious.

He was fully guarded as he kept staring at the old woman warily.

The old woman sighed and stepped on the burned dead plant she called Vinocious just now. She walked to the small greenhouse, plucked fresh tea leaves, and then dried them under the lamp, like drying regular tea leaves in the open.

She collected the already dried ones and put them inside a box.

She walked out of the greenhouse and smiled at Yang Zhang, "Here, I have the tea leaves ready. I'll guide you to the bathroom, so you can take a bath and dry yourself first. There is a clean towel there."

…

Yang Zhang was still cautious, but he knew that the old woman had no chance to fight against him since he had already burned her mutated plant.

Yang Zhang decided to follow the old woman outside, and she did guided him to the bathroom, "Don't worry, Young Man. I don't have anything to fight you now. You just killed my only mutated plant for now."

"I will be waiting at the diner table, and I will tell you everything you want to know."

…

The old woman closed the bathroom door, and Yang Zhang inspected the whole bathroom, trying to find any more traps that might have been set by that dangerous old woman.

But after finding nothing, Yang Zhang took a deep breath and told his pets, "Okay, guys, let's wash first, and then prepare ourselves if that old woman is trying to attack again. I really need a bath right now."

"Chirp! Chirp!"

"Squeak!"

"Vii!"

"Hm? All of you want to guard the front door? Uh… I don't think—'

Little Ivy used her vine to twist the doorknob, and all of them stood outside, guarding their master as he was about to take a bath.

Yang Zhang was stunned by his pets' behavior, but since they were already outside, he decided to take it easy and took a bath. He hadn't taken a proper bath since the long trip yesterday.

**

"Oh-ho, what do we have here?" Grandma crouched in front of the three small pets guarding the bathroom door. She smiled at them and asked, "You guys are guarding your master?"

"Vii!"

"Chirp!"

"Squeak!"

"I see. That means you really like him, hm?"

All three nodded simultaneously. They looked at the grandma, but they weren't as hostile as Yang Zhang.

Because they were able to sense that this old woman wasn't as evil as they thought, especially after Grandma spoke to them.

"Hehe, were you surprised that I can communicate with you guys?" the old woman asked.

"Chirp!"

"Squeak!"

"Vii…"

"That's because I'm also mutated, just like you three. But not everyone can speak to mutated plants and animals, of course. Probably only the ones with similar abilities, like your master and me. He must've controlled you guys with similar fashion as well."

Lt. Spicy Wing, Little Ivy, and Chestnut looked at each other confusedly, not understanding what the old woman was talking about.

"Huh? You guys are not controlled? Then how could you guys follow that young man's order without question?"

"Squeak!"

"Vii!"

"Chirp! Chirp!"

…

The old woman was silenced after hearing what these mutated creatures said about that young man.

They said they weren't controlled. They just like staying with their master because he cared for them so much.

"Hmm… that's weird…." The old woman thought that these three mutated creatures were bound by direct control from that young man. Because her ability acted similar to that.

But these creatures said that they could leave anytime they wanted, but willingly stayed with that young man because they really liked him.

"It's certainly new. I shouldn't have attacked him, I guess," the old woman sighed. "But such a young man, I need to teach him a lesson, or he will get caught by someone else for hiding mutated creatures like these."

—

Yang Zhang dried himself with a towel and wore his fairly dry jacket and jeans.

He opened the bathroom door, and his pets jumped to him immediately.

"Chirp!"

"Vii!"

"Squeak!"

"Whoa—are you guys okay?" Yang Zhang asked warily. He was scared that the old woman might've done something to them.

"You have such good pets, young man," The old woman said. She sat at the dining table while brewing hot tea for them. "Why don't you accompany me, and we can have a peaceful talk together?"

…

Yang Zhang observed the room, trying to find another ambush attack.

But this place was just a regular wooden house, much different from the crazy room with a small greenhouse in the middle.

Yang Zhang sat face to face with the old woman. He kept his silence, even when the old woman served a cup of tea in front of him.

"Drink it while it's hot. It's good to replenish your energy."

…

Yang Zhang didn't touch it. Obviously, he suspected that the old woman might've put something inside.

The old woman sipped her tea elegantly. She put down the cup and smiled, "You can ask me anything. Aren't you surprised that I'm an ability user, not a normal human with immunity?"

"Yeah... how could you pass that test from Boss Kobra?" Yang Zhang asked.

"That's simple. I just didn't," the old woman replied. "I didn't take that fruit test because I will die instantly after eating that. Don't you see that I'm raising my own crops because I can't eat anything in this settlement?"

"Then how could you get accepted to live here?"

"Because I'm just a pitiful old woman who will do no harm to anyone, right?" The old woman's smile turned into a mysterious grin.. "I have an agreement with Kobra to save my life, that's why."