Little Mushroom: Judgment Day

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The ending was absolutely lovely. I was honestly so afraid it’s gonna be something awful and sad, but no, I got my happy ending and it felt like a hug. 🥰 Yes! Peach Flower House will be publishing the uncensored webnovel version along with the additional chapters included in the original Chinese print. As of the end of this volume they are definitely not together, but it is starting to seem like a possibility. Also, seeing Lu Feng just relax and be happy, and the way he accepts An Zhe’s “mushroomy” tendencies – from turning into a ball of hyphae to “tasting” various other species and taking on their qualities for a while – is very heartwarming.

And Lu Feng clearly doesn’t do his job as Arbiter because he craves power or he actively enjoys killing people. It’s more that he has a very utilitarian philosophy. He is the most accurate at telling who’s been infected, so he should take on the most cases to reduce the number of non-infected killed and to spare the other Judges’ consciences. But that thinking feels very cold-blooded to most humans, who therefore fear and despise the Arbiter. An Zhe, who is also an outsider, understands the logic Lu Feng is working on, and that he does in fact care about humanity…even if it makes things awkward for him! Book two dials up the plot to a thousand with fast paced action, twists and turns, and a truly despair-inducing apocalyptic vibe. However, it also continues to explore the emotional themes introduced in book one such as human kindness in the midst of turmoil and what ultimately defines the nature of humanity. Speaking of emotions, you will have many and you'll probably tear up at at least one point. An Zhe lowered his eyes slightly. The feeling of being patted on the head by the Arbiter was very wondrous. He felt that Lu Feng was now very soft. If it was because his previous words comforted this man, he would feel rather happy. You say that you’re a monster but as a judge, I haven’t found the difference between you and humans. ”i want to perish this book caused me so much pain yet i loved every second of it. i'm too tired to write a proper review so here are some of my annotations. please excuse the inappropriate amount of will wood references. I’m crazy impressed with the story. I couldn’t put this book down, it was addicting. The concept alone drew me in, but the way the story went had me on the edge of my seat. I never knew what would happen next, it was not at all predictable. To some people, it might feel like a mishmash of events, but not to me. I knew that it was leading up to this moment of reunion between An Zhe and his spore the whole time, it was just a matter of how we were going to get there. Speaking of, the author is genius for the way she did this. The main objective of the story (An Zhe reuniting with his spore) is laid out in the first chapter, and then several events happen in the middle that show characters development and allows us to get close to certain side characters, and then the goal is accomplished in the last chapter. We have a solid conclusion to the main part of the story, but both An Zhe and the readers are in too deep to not continue. Only gods have the unwavering power and role to take on the task of deciding who deserves to live and who must die. With the power of a god, how could he ever call himself an ordinary human with feelings and emotions just as the rest? But he is no god, he is but a false god. One whose downfall most, if not all, would pray for. Truly, one of my favorite dynamics. But here it’s especially interesting. Lu Feng is the most terrifying man on the human base. If he deems you a risk, he will shoot you on the spot—no reason given. However, it’s clear from his first official meeting with An Zhe that the man knows more than anyone can imagine and that he does in fact care. If he didn’t, he would’ve shot An Zhe on sight. And it’s those little things that make this ship compelling—Lu Feng will show An Zhe his reasons. He will slow down when An Zhe asks for it. He will accept his inventions, answer his questions, and listen to his explanations. And for the cold man who everyone is terrified of, those little things make him very warm toward An Zhe. I think every Dystopian novel brings to the front questions of morality and humanity. Some do it better, and some less so, but it’s always at the front when facing a fallen society. Judgment Day is interesting in that, in its exploration of morality, righteousness, human nature, and the humane, it has a clear side… and that side is with the Arbitrator, who is seen by many as a cold-blooded murderer. While reading, you’re likely to be on his side as well. But looking at it objectively, if I were living in that world, I’ll probably be among those protesting his “cruelty” and demanding transparency, if only because that transparency can in turn suppress discourse and dissonance.

I was not expecting to like Lu Feng as much as I did. I was nervous he would just be the gritty anti-hero that is apparent in most YA books, but surprisingly, he had a lot more depth. Yes, he has killed many in cold blood in a morally gray situation and he’s a stern person, but he’s not an evil one. He does what he does for the greater good of humanity, so that future generations won’t have to suffer the way they do now- at least, that’s how Seraing put it. He puts up with universal hate and fear towards him, which MUST take a toll on his psyche, but he does not fight this opinion of him. Not only that, but he does have compassion and a sarcastic side; we see that with how he interacts with An Zhe. These two have unmatched chemistry, despite the very direct way they both talk to each other. Until the day humanity falls." In the year 2020, Earth's magnetic poles disappeared and humankind was nearly wiped out by cosmic radiation. Within the span of a hundred years, living creatures began to mutate and devour each other while the remaining humans, numbering in the tens of thousands, struggled bitterly in their man-made bases. In the Abyss, home to the mutated xenogenics, there lived a sentient little mushroom. Because it had been nourished by the blood and flesh of the deceased human An Ze, not only did it take on a similar-looking human form, but a similar name as well: An Zhe. An Zhe is determined to go to the human base to search for his spore, which had been harvested by humans. Once there, however, he faces the omnipresent risk of discovery and certain death as he tries to keep his non-human nature hidden from the Judges, whose responsibility is to inspect for and eliminate xenogenics like himself. And of all the Judges, Colonel Lu Feng is the most perceptive and merciless―as soon as he determines that someone is a xenogenic, he will execute that person on the spot. But An Zhe's mutation goes undetected by Lu Feng's eyes, and so a tale of humans and xenogenics unfolds… It’s important to know that Judgment Day is set in a dystopian world where nature has been mutated beyond recognitio, and the mutation is highly contagious. Humanity is declining and death is behind every corner. If you’re infected, then you’re turned into a murderous amalgamation of what has infected you. It’s very body horror-esque. In the Abyss, home to the mutated xenogenics, there lived a sentient little mushroom. Because it had been nourished by the blood and flesh of the deceased human An Ze, not only did it take on a similar-looking human form, but a similar name as well: An Zhe.

8. The Little Mushroom

To keep it spoiler free, this second book in the duology was absolutely wild. It's the most unpredictable book I've ever read - anytime I thought I could guess what would happen next, I was proven wrong. I'm convinced the author's brain is just built different from the rest of us mere mortals. tbh i don't get the whole geomagnetic frequency thingy, but i'm here to read the story of my little mushroom and his hot colonel bf <3 A dangerously addictive book that I would have read in an entire sitting if I didn't need to do annoying human functions like eat, sleep and go to work. Even the side characters throughout this novel felt so 3-dimensional, like Doussay, Mr. Shaw, Hubbard, Dr. Ji, Jenson, Colin, and my favourite of the side characters, Seraing. I feel like Seraing is the type to say “hun” a lot. He gives motherly energy, even though he’s training to be an Arbiter and shoots loads of people in the last chapter. He can do crazy violence, but also be affectionate- get yourself a man that can do both! Don’t let the title and cover fool you.. THIS IS NOT A CUTE BOOK OKAY (even tho yes the main character is cute AF) it’s actually quite dark full of monsters and crazy mutant human-plant or human-arthropod and the world is in the edge of ending 😨🫣

This series was a blast and I am looking forward to owning these 2 books in physical form so I can have them on my shelf to re-read. ❤️A breeze blew at that moment, rustling the dark hair. He watched it. A chill seeped into his bones and shivered down his spine. Finally, with a sigh, An Zhe straightened out his legs and hopped down from the roof. It would have been a more painful impact, jumping from the height of the car, had two arms not immediately circled his waist and caught him as he descended. An Zhe frowned.

Lu Feng gazed at the distant sky with always cold and calm eyes. “I hope he forgets it all.”“Why?”“The human base and I have only caused him pain. I hope he never feels this.” ” are there other jobs in the outer city besides mercenary, supply depot person, and sex worker? like who made all that potato soup they ate out there? Later me: Ok, so it seems like the garden of eden also grows the vegetables? But do they also cook the soup? They propagated in the human cities, indiscriminately infecting all people and leaving corpses everywhere in the cities'" (131). An Zhe is determined to go to the human base to search for his spore, which had been harvested by humans. Once there, however, he faces the omnipresent risk of discovery and certain death as he tries to keep his non-human nature hidden from the Judges, whose responsibility is to inspect for and eliminate xenogenics like himself. And of all the Judges, Colonel Lu Feng is the most perceptive and merciless--as soon as he determines that someone is a xenogenic, he will execute that person on the spot. i love that even though this is set in a post-apocalyptic totalitarian world, they have TWO guys whose jobs are sex doll makerWhat follows is An Zhe’s struggle to find his spore against Lu Feng’s attention all while humanity continues to struggle to survive. “Humankind's interests take precedence over all else” and An Zhe bears witness to this as he watches countless people die. Judgement Day has arrived and the Arbiter must bear that weight. The highlight of this volume was the attention to the emotional development of An Zhe, who finally comes to terms with the fact that he isn't just a mushroom with a single-minded focus, but has formed attachments and has human-like wishes of his own, and can also be self-sacrificing. Though not exclusively, a lot of this development is centered on An Zhe's relationship with Lu Feng, and his place in the uncomparably lonely world of the Arbiter. There were two chapters in particular I have in mind that did this beautifully and memorably. I'm certain these will incentivize a re-read much sooner than I would originally intend. Until the day humanity falls.” In the year 2020, Earth’s magnetic poles disappeared and humankind was nearly wiped out by cosmic radiation. Within the span of a hundred years, living creatures began to mutate and devour each other while the remaining humans, numbering in the tens of thousands, struggled bitterly in their man-made bases. In the Abyss, home to the mutated xenogenics, there lived a sentient little mushroom. Because it had been nourished by the blood and flesh of the deceased human An Ze, not only did it take on a similar-looking human form, but a similar name as well: An Zhe. An Zhe is determined to go to the human base to search for his spore, which had been harvested by humans. Once there, however, he faces the omnipresent risk of discovery and certain death as he tries to keep his non-human nature hidden from the Judges, whose responsibility is to inspect for and eliminate xenogenics like himself. And of all the Judges, Colonel Lu Feng is the most perceptive and merciless―as soon as he determines that someone is a xenogenic, he will execute that person on the spot. But An Zhe’s mutation goes undetected by Lu Feng’s eyes, and so a tale of humans and xenogenics unfolds… Little Mushroom: Judgment Day by Shisi – eBook Details