Chapter 110: A Quail Becomes a Golden Rooster

Chapter 110: Chapter 110: A Quail Becomes a Golden Rooster

The Task Hall was the cleanest place that ordinary people and General Evolvers living in the outer city of the Safe Zone could enter.

Usually, the hall was filled with people running errands or accepting tasks. Today, however, the crowd was several times larger than normal.

In addition to those on regular business, the hall was also packed with the organizers of the Agricultural Trade Fair, Lords from the various territories here to trade, and Safe Zone residents who came to shop or simply watch the excitement.

After another enthusiastic but brief welcome speech, Jiang Quan, the Head of the Territory Management Department, began introducing the important figures attending the trade fair.

To Xiaqing’s surprise, Huang Jie, the Head of the Territory Management Department from the Hui City Main Base, was also attending the trade fair, accompanied by Hui San Deputy Base Commander Tang Zhengrong.

After Jiang Quan spoke, Huang Jie and Tang Zhengrong each went on stage to say a few words. They were followed by a Lord representative who gave a "heart-wrenching" speech about his farming experiences. He shared the stark contrast in his living conditions before and after he started farming, urging everyone to go out and cultivate the land for the good of the country and for themselves.

Few people were paying serious attention to this pep talk. Xiaqing was also only half-listening, quietly observing the people in the hall.

Tang Zhengrong’s daughter, Tang Zheng, was standing at the very back in a sharp business suit. Judging by her position, she had likely been demoted because of the incident with the dangerous Qiang Evolved potato seeds. However, Xiaqing noticed from Tang Zheng’s expression that she had become more composed than before. ’If Tang Zheng truly matures from this experience,’ Xiaqing thought, ’the Tang Family will have gained another formidable asset.’

This was not good news for Xiaqing.

Several of the staff members trailing Tang Zhengrong had been replaced, as had some of the clerks at the desks behind the task windows. It seemed the base’s management had undergone significant changes during the few months she was away from the Safe Zone.

Hui San’s Base Commander, Army Lieutenant General Qi Zhongye, was still nowhere to be seen. However, the soldiers responsible for security in the Task Hall were equipped with the latest model weapons, leaving no doubt about the Safe Zone’s security.

Finally, the Lord representative finished his speech, and the trade fair officially began.

"Quick, let’s go grab a seat over there!" Kuang Qingwei immediately called out to the group to snag good spots. Zhao Ze, who had been injured in the second Harmful Rain, limped along behind Kuang Qingwei, but his pace was surprisingly fast.

A circle of display tables had been set up around the Task Hall. Xiaqing walked over to the seat Shi Du had saved for her, sat down, and started taking things out of her backpack.

Most of the Lords were displaying similar items: wheat, mung beans, eggplants, cucumbers, green beans, and other crops grown from seeds issued by the Safe Zone. The produce was all clearly priced, so no one was asking about costs. Xiaqing sat quietly at the back, her hearing fully focused, paying close attention to Huang Jie and Tang Zhengrong’s conversation.

"Xiaqing, I just knew you’d be back."

Xiaqing was all too familiar with that voice. She didn’t even bother to look up.

Feng Wen looked with disdain at the paltry few items on Xiaqing’s table and feigned a friendly tone. "You must not eat very well in your territory, huh? Look how thin you’ve gotten. Let’s have dinner together tonight. My treat."

"I’m busy." Xiaqing’s refusal was blunt. Huang Jie was talking about the germination rate of the grain seeds cultivated at the Hui Yi Base Planting Center, and Xiaqing didn’t want to miss a single word.

Feng Wen couldn’t believe that after she had humbled herself like this, Xiaqing was still being so difficult. "Don’t be ungrateful—"

Xiaqing raised a hand and pointed to a nearby base guard, who was holding a gun to maintain order. Feng Wen swallowed her anger, muttered, "I’ll wait for you after the trade fair," and stalked off in her high heels.

Not long after Feng Wen left, someone else stopped in front of Xiaqing’s display table. "Dinner tonight?"

Xiaqing smiled and handed her a cucumber. "Sure."

"See you at the usual place." Xu Juan took the cucumber and left with a smile.

After Tang Zhengrong and Jiang Quan left with Huang Jie, Xiaqing was eavesdropping on the clerks gossiping about Huang Jie’s background when Tang Huai, who was at the display table one over from hers, suddenly stood up and respectfully called out, "Sis."

Tang Ning, the former Vice President of the Tang Hotel Group, had arrived. She looked at Tang Huai with a pleased expression. "I haven’t seen you in a few months. You’re tanner and sturdier now. Good. How’s Dad?"

Xiaqing silently snarked, ’He’s squatting in the fields digging for insects every day. How could he not be tan?’

Tang Huai, who was always getting his feathers ruffled over nothing in the Lords’ group chat and had worn an impatient scowl the entire way from his territory, was as meek as a kitten in front of Tang Ning. "He’s doing great. Sis, why have you gotten so thin?"

Tang Ning patted her younger brother’s shoulder. "Focus on the fair for now. We’ll talk more when we get home tonight."

The first morning of the trade fair was for Safe Zone residents to browse and make purchases, while the afternoon was reserved for trades between the Lords themselves. The crops displayed and sold to the residents in the morning were mostly grown from seeds obtained from the Safe Zone; the real treasures from each territory would only come out in the afternoon.

To ensure the Lords’ safety, the trading method had been changed. The Lords would hand over the goods they wished to trade to the Territory Management Department, and a representative from the department would go on stage to display the items and state the desired terms of exchange.

The host chosen by the Safe Zone for the Lords’ trade fair was a pretty young woman in her early twenties. The moment she opened her mouth, the Lords recognized her: Wang Chuki, the anchor of Hui San Base’s agricultural knowledge program.

"Thank you, everyone." Although she wasn’t using a loudspeaker, Wang Chuki, who wore a green nameplate, spoke and her voice easily carried over the Lords’ cheers. Xiaqing immediately understood her ability—vocal cord evolution.

"It would be great if we could recruit her for the No. 9 Territory." Hearing Assistant Liu mutter beside her, Xiaqing smiled. ’This Assistant Liu from the No. 9 Territory is quite interesting,’ she thought.

The first item Wang Chuki presented for trade was dried Green Light purslane. The asking price was Green Light vegetable seeds.

"Dried purslane can be used as filling for steamed buns in the winter, but it’s only good if you have meat. Who’s really hurting for that in their territory? I bet..." Before Zhao Ze could finish, Ji Li’s hand shot up.

"Green Light Garlic seeds in exchange for three pounds."

Zhao Ze...

The second agricultural product was Green Light laurel leaves, also known as bay leaves. Bay leaves were a common household seasoning before the Natural Disaster, used to remove unwanted odors and enhance aroma. This Lord wanted to trade for grain.

As soon as Wang Chuki finished her introduction, Ji Li raised his hand. "Yellow Light Mung Beans, in exchange for one pound."

Xiaqing raised her hand as well. "Yellow Light Mung Beans, in exchange for one pound."

Zhao Ze...

The third item was Green Light cilantro seeds, and the requested trade was also for Green Light plant seeds.

When Wang Chuki finished her introduction, everyone from Territories One through Ten looked at Ji Li. Seeing that he didn’t raise his hand, they all understood and made a mental note: Brother San did not like cilantro.

There was no need to plant large quantities of something Brother San didn’t like to eat.

Qi Fu, who did like cilantro, raised his hand and traded some Green Light Onion seeds for a portion of the cilantro seeds.

The fourth item was a Red Light Plant. Wang Chuki walked around the stage holding a bundle of the plant’s fibers for everyone to see clearly. "Although this is from a Red Light tobacco plant, the Lord who provided it says it can absorb moisture and repel insects. It’s also a favorite nesting material for birds. This Lord used Red Light Smoke to attract over thirty Evolved Magpies, which have killed a great number of harmful Evolved Insects. One pound of Yellow Light Mung Beans or Wheat can be exchanged for six pounds of Red Light Smoke. Would any Lords like to make a trade?"

Tang Huai, who spent his days digging for insects, hated all noise. "As if we’d have fewer birds in the territory without Red Light Smoke for their nests. All that chirping is annoying as hell."

Xiaqing raised her hand. "Yellow Light Mung Beans, in exchange for six pounds."

Tang Huai...

Qi Fu also raised his hand. "Yellow Light Wheat, in exchange for six pounds."

Shi Zhong asked quietly, "Brother Qi, you want to raise birds too?"

Qi Fu explained quietly, "I want to attract a few more Evolved Cuckoos to nest in my Buffer Forest. Evolved Cuckoos are the natural enemy of poisonous caterpillars."

The first wave of settlers in the No. 1 Territory had been killed by Evolved poisonous caterpillars. After hearing what Qi Fu said, Kuang Qingwei and Zhao Ze also traded for the Red Light Smoke. Even Wei Chengdong joined in and bought a few pounds, which made Tang Huai so angry he could spit.

Xiaqing wanted to remind Wei Chengdong that the No. 1 Territory was about to have cats, so even if he built nests, no birds would dare to move in. But then she recalled the look on the face of soon-to-be cat-slave Hu Zifeng—that expression of trying not to look smug but failing miserably—and decided to keep her mouth shut.

During the afternoon’s trade fair for the Lords, Xiaqing ended up trading for and purchasing one pound of Green Light bay leaves, six pounds of Red Light Smoke, a small packet of Yellow Light onion seeds, a Green Light Sichuan peppercorn tree, and a Green Light passion fruit seedling.

The climax of the afternoon came when Wang Chuki brought out a pair of Green Light quail. The Lords scrambled over each other to shout out bids, driving the price for the pair of drab little birds so high you’d think they were made of gold.

The Lords from Territories One through Ten didn’t join the bidding war, because they had a well-stocked neighbor: Zhang San. As long as you had something that suited Zhang San’s tastes, you could trade a few wild fruit plants for a laying hen.

It might be a Yellow Light one, but it was a real chicken.

Qi Fu was planning to wait until Brother San was in a good mood, then try to trade for a young rooster. A rooster and a hen could hatch chicks, and by next year, he’d be able to come to the Agricultural Trade Fair with a whole brood of them.

Xiaqing, who was about to have seventeen Green Light Chickens of her own, also thanked her idol, Brother San, over and over again in her heart.