Second Mana bead

Yang Zhang watched the heartfelt reunion between Xi Feng and his little sister that had been turned into a mutated peony. It wasn't really the best scenario because he bet Xi Feng still missed his little sister in human form…

But this was the best he could do.

'If only those mutated animals can turn into a human or at least zombie with consciousness….' Yang Zhang thought. It was also his silent wish.

After Xi Feng collected himself, he smiled at Yang Zhang and bowed his head, "Brother Zhang, thank you for bringing my sister back. I know this is her, even if she is a mutated plant. Her eyes, and her voice, it's the same as my sister, Xi Mudan."

"Muu… daaan!" The peony also looked happy.

"Haha, I'm just doing all I can with my ability. I just hope that you'll know not all ability users are bad. Take me as an example, right?" Yang Zhang said.

Of course, he knew there were also many scummy ability users. They were arrogant and greedy most of the time, but Yang Zhang also met many good ability users who didn't discriminate against him, despite the fact that he was only a regular human.

He didn't want Xi Feng to bear ill will towards all ability users, just because of a few bad ones.

"But you still have to be careful with them, of course," Yang Zhang warned.

"I know, thanks to you, Brother Zhang," Xi Feng said. "Let me cook breakfast. I've stored some meat for us to eat."

"Oh, sure!" Yang Zhang wouldn't say no to meat. Finding a slightly normal-looking animal was already difficult in this apocalypse world. But now, since Xi Feng had already hunted and slaughtered it, he didn't need to see whatever weird mutation the animal had.

**

Yang Zhang and Xi Feng ate meat for breakfast, while Chestnut ate dried fruits from Xi Feng as a gift.

After they were all done, Yang Zhang prepared to leave this place because he had his own house to go back to.

"I have to leave now. I own a hut in the forest. You know, if you want to stay with me, you can come too," Yang Zhang offered.

Xi Feng shook his head, "I can't leave the village. This village is still my home, after all. But you should come and visit if you have time. I'll hunt some animal meat for you."

"Eh… okay then," Yang Zhang wasn't very worried about Xi Feng. The guy could survive alone for a year without any problem. If it was his choice to stay, then so be it.

"Then, I'm leaving now! Take care—"

"Wait!" Xi Feng suddenly interrupted. He fished out something from his pocket and handed it to Yang Zhang, "Brother Zhang, this is the least I could do. I don't know whether you will have a use for this or not, but since you can consume Brain Beads, I assume you can do something with this blue bead as well."

Yang Zhang stared in shock at the Mana Bead in Xi Feng's hand. It was shining beautifully, proving that it had been cleaned thoroughly.

"How did you get that blue bead?" Yang Zhang asked Xi Feng. Since it came from an ability user, he assumed the owner was dead, and Xi Feng must have scraped it out of the man's head.

"Oh, I got it from an ability user. The zombies gnawed on him until nothing was left other than his head. He was part of the first group of ability users that came to the village. I picked up this blue bead when the head just sort of got crushed because the zombie villagers stomped on it while they were returning to their homes."

…

Okay, that was gruesome but pretty tolerable in the apocalypse.

"I don't have any use for it. I picked it up because it's unique. I never found a blue bead before," Xi Feng said. "Take it, Brother Zhang."

Yang Zhang took the Mana Bead and inspected it. Under the morning sun, the luster was even more brilliant, "Do you know what kind of ability the man had?"

"Nope, they didn't have time to do anything when the zombies ambushed them. They just died and were chewed clean to the bones by the zombies," Xi Feng replied.

"Well, this will definitely help. Thank you so much, Xi Feng."

"I should be the one who thanked you, Brother Zhang."

Yang Zhang smiled and pocketed the Mana Bead alongside the two Brain Beads he collected yesterday, "I'm leaving then, please take care, you two."

"Vii!"

"Squeak! Squeak!"

"I will, and I will protect Mudan at all cost," Xi Feng said as he waved his hand. "Come back and visit if you want. I'm a good hunter!"

"Mu… dan! Mu… dan, dan!" The peony also waved towards Yang Zhang as they parted.

**

Yang Zhang swung from one tree to another like Tarzan, with the help of Little Ivy, and he soon returned to his hut.

"Alright, we're home!"

"Squeak!"

"Vii! Vii!"

Chestnut quickly jumped out and went to find the secret stash full of chestnuts it hid inside the hut, like a typical squirrel. At the same time, Little Ivy promptly released her grip on Yang Zhang's arm and went inside her pot again, sitting comfortably and acting just like a regular plant.

"Ahhh, there is nothing like our own home, right?" Yang Zhang chuckled.

He sat on the chair and took out the three beads from his pocket.

He lined them up on the table and inspected them one by one, "Hm…. This is dangerous…."

"Vii?" Little Ivy got curious and checked the beads as well.

"You see this, Ivy? One Brain Bead is already chipped, and one is half burnt. When I mutated you, and that dancing rose in the backyard, I used Brain Beads that were in perfect condition. I'm afraid this defect would affect the mutated plant…."

"And this Mana bead—" Yang Zhang held the Mana bead and wondered. "What can I do with this? Should I find a new animal, or can I use this on Chestnut or Ivy?"