Building My Empire in the Frozen Apocalypse (Riley Carter) novel Chapter 136

Chapter 136 First Capture Attempt

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Aside from the occasional chirp of some hidden insect, the place was nearly dead silent. That quiet, mixed with the soft glow coming from all the plants around, made everything feel surreal-like walking through a dream.

After moving forward about two hundred yards, the space widened up ahead.

What lay in front of Riley now looked like some kind of wetland.

And the sight was even more stunning here.

Rising from the damp earth was what seemed like a forest of giant “lotus leaves,” each one standing two or three yards tall. They looked like huge open umbrellas, with golden liquid moving slowly through their veins, lighting up the area all around.

Floating among those oversized leaves were countless glowing creatures that reminded Riley of jellyfish.

Each was only about the size of a palm, their bodies see-through, giving off a soft white glow as they drifted gently through the air -little floating lanterns just hanging there.

Whoever designed this dungeon really has an eye for beauty. Riley caught herself thinking.

Just on scenery alone, this place could’ve been some top-tier national park back in the world before.

She stepped under one of those giant leaves and glanced up at the glowing golden veins.

Then her eyes stopped.

Deep inside those lit-up veins, she noticed a line of tiny text-easy to miss unless you were really staring.

“Golden Vein Lotus (Lv.4 Rare Plant)

“Status: Mature

“Description: Its sap is a key ingredient for brewing Advanced Antidote. Dried and ground into powder, the leaves make a powerful clotting agent.”

Riley’s expression sharpened right away.

“Medicinal plants?”

୮

Out in the frozen wasteland beyond these walls, finding even one Hemostat Grass meant digging through snow for what felt like forever. But in here… rare materials were growing like ordinary weeds.

She quickly scanned the area around her.

What she saw next left her stunned.

A moment earlier, she’d been so focused on watching for monster health bars that she’d totally overlooked the plant info. Now, actually paying attention, she realized valuable stuff was everywhere.

That low-growing blue-glowing grass over there-Moonlight Grass, used in mana potions.

That purple mushroom near the base of the tree-Hallucination Cap. Yeah, it was toxic, but perfect for making anesthetics.

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Chapter 136 First Capture Attempt

+30 Free Coins

Those thick vines wrapped around the trunk-Dragonblood Vine, a supplemental ingredient for strength-boosting tonics.

“I’ve hit the motherlode.”

Riley swallowed.

“No wonder the death penalty is a thirty percent item drop,” she muttered, pulling her harvesting sickle from her inventory. “The loot in this place is just that crazy.”

Even if she could only take a fraction of this stuff out, this dungeon run would pay off big time.

“Snip.”

Riley’s blade swung down. With practiced motion, she cut the Moonlight Grass and slipped it into her inventory.

“Obtained: Moonlight Grass x1”

Without Neeko around to help, harvesting was definitely slower, but Riley didn’t mind. Like a bee in a flower field, she started busily gathering everything she could along the edge of this deceptively calm forest.

But then, just as she reached for a red flower that looked like a tiny lantern-

She froze.

The tip of her spear hung in the air about four inches from the bloom.

Something felt wrong.

Riley narrowed her eyes.

The flower was gorgeous. Its crimson petals were almost transparent, with what seemed like a flickering flame deep inside. It sat there peacefully beside the tree roots, looking totally harmless.

But at its base, hidden under a thick layer of moss, Riley caught a glimpse of something unnatural… red.

Not the red of the petals.

But a health bar, blending almost perfectly into the surroundings.

“Corrupted Venus Flytrap (Lv.7 Plant-type Monster)

“Health: 120 (Yellow/Camouflaged)”

A cold shiver ran down Riley’s spine.

That wasn’t a flower.

That was an open mouth.

If she’d grabbed it without thinking, that “bloom” would’ve snapped shut and taken her hand clean off.

“Pretty sneaky,” she whispered under her breath.

Riley slowly pulled her hand back and took two steps away.

୮

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7:49 pm

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