Chapter 118: The Woman Who Strayed into the Third Territory

Chapter 118: Chapter 118: The Woman Who Strayed into the Third Territory

On the Lord Channel, Tang Zhengpo from No. 12 Territory began explaining how to roast peanuts. "Don’t put any oil in the wok. Just pour in the washed peanuts and dry-roast them on low heat for three to four minutes. Once the skins can be partially rubbed off, take them out. After they’ve cooled, rub off the skins and winnow them away, then use a flour mill to grind them..."

As soon as Tang Zhengpo finished, Zhao Ze immediately chimed in, "As expected of Chairman Tang. You can make something as simple as peanut butter sound so sophisticated."

A tycoon who had dominated the business world before the Natural Disasters was now reduced to holing up in his territory and telling people how to make peanut butter. What was there to praise? Zhao Ze’s attempt at sucking up had missed the mark, and even came off as slightly sarcastic.

After finishing her noodles, Xiaqing pressed the button. "Chairman Tang, would the peanut butter taste better if the peanuts were roasted a bit more?"

Tang Zhengpo spoke in a calm, steady manner that was pleasant to listen to. "Xiaqing is right. I failed to consider that. Before the Natural Disasters, we used lower heat so the peanut flavor wouldn’t completely overpower the other seasonings. But now that we’re short on seasonings, roasting them until all the skins can be rubbed off before grinding will indeed result in a richer flavor."

"Thank you, Chairman Tang," Xiaqing said sincerely.

Xiaqing had a grudge against Tang Zhengsu, not Tang Zhengpo. Even before the Natural Disasters, Tang Zhengpo had a great reputation in business. Afterward, he was ostracized by Tang Zhengsu. And while his life was nowhere near what it once was, the Tang’s Restaurant he ran with his daughter, Tang Ning, was still known for its honesty. If Xiaqing weren’t afraid of being recognized by Tang Zhengsu, she definitely would have applied for a job there to learn some practical cooking skills and improve her quality of life.

Li Si suddenly spoke up, "Xiaqing, I remember you asked if peanut stalks could be used for compost. You have peanuts in your territory too, don’t you?"

Xiaqing had never mentioned on the Lord Channel that there were peanuts in the Third Territory.

She calmly pressed the button. "Fourth Sister, you have a great memory. I did find two small patches of Red Light peanuts in my territory, a little over eighty plants in total. More than half of them underwent Qiang Evolution during the second Harmful Rain. The Harmful Element content in the rest also rose, so when I heard you say they could be composted, I pulled them all up to do just that."

Li Si said no more, and the conversation naturally shifted to the seeds and seedlings everyone had just received from the Safe Zone.

After washing the dishes, Xiaqing took Sheep Leader for a stroll to the low-slope planting area. She moved the large rock blocking the spring and began to fill a bucket with water. Leaving Sheep Leader, who was grazing by a stone cave, to stand guard, she headed toward the High Slope planting area. She wanted to see if the passion fruit and prickly ash seedlings she’d planted the previous night had withered in the sun.

Just as she reached the old isolation zone, she heard footsteps approaching from the west. It was a single person. The steps were light and unhurried, as if they were observing something.

Xiaqing immediately hid behind a tree, listening intently.

After pausing for a few seconds at the three-way fork in the Northern Isolation Zone between No.1 Territory and Third Territory, the person actually entered the Third Territory. Trespassing on a territory without the Lord’s permission was grounds for being killed on sight.

’Still, I should find out her purpose before I act.’ Xiaqing leaned against the tree, gripping her gun. But then she heard the person stop less than ten meters away. Their quiet breathing grew ragged. ’She must have detected me. She might be an Olfactory Evolutionary.’

Xiaqing slowly raised her gun, preparing to shoot.

"I’m just passing through to gather firewood. I don’t intend to enter your territory," the newcomer stated calmly.

It was a woman, and from her voice, she didn’t sound very old. Xiaqing paused for a few seconds, then emerged from behind the tree, her gun aimed at the stranger. "You’ve already trespassed into my territory."

Seeing that Xiaqing had a gun, the woman in the Protective Suit immediately held her machete in front of her body and calmly stated the facts. "You’re Xiaqing, the Lord of Third Territory? I’m the Lord of No. 8 Territory. Where I’m standing is the isolation zone, not your territory."

’So this is the Lord of No. 8 Territory, the one who never speaks on the Lord Channel? The Lord of No. 8 Territory only received her walkie-talkie after the second Harmful Rain. The map she’s holding must be an old one. She probably doesn’t know the High Slope has been assigned to the Third Territory. That makes her trespassing today understandable.’

Although Xiaqing didn’t lower her weapon, most of her killing intent had dissipated. She explained, "This used to be the isolation zone, but it has since been incorporated into my territory. If you go north from the fork in the road to the west, that’s the current isolation zone."

"I honestly didn’t know. My apologies." The woman nodded in thanks. Shielding her body with her machete, she slowly backed out of the Third Territory, then headed north from the fork in the road.

Only after the woman was far away did Xiaqing lower her gun and take the machete off her back. Although Uncle Huo had said this machete had been scratched too deeply by cat claws and wouldn’t last much longer, Xiaqing couldn’t bear to throw it away, so she brought it back to use for chopping wood.

Because only the patrol teams and Ji Li used the Northern Isolation Zone, and they all knew the High Slope belonged to Xiaqing, she hadn’t bothered to block off the east and west ends of the old isolation zone.

’That was my own oversight. Since there’s a vulnerability, I have to plug it immediately.’ She swiftly chopped down two small, thigh-thick trees and laid them across the entrance to the old isolation zone at the western fork, blocking the path. Then, carrying her machete, she walked to the eastern fork and was about to chop down a tree when she heard footsteps again.

After a moment, the woman from before walked over again, this time along the isolation zone between the Wild Boar Breeding Center and Third Territory.

Xiaqing frowned. ’There’s an isolation zone north of the Wild Boar Breeding Center. Why isn’t she taking that one, and instead keeps walking along the edge of my territory? Is she really lost or is she doing this on purpose?’

’The excuse about gathering firewood was flimsy, too. Even if No. 8 Territory wasn’t near the mountains and lacked a Buffer Forest, a territory of hundreds of acres must have plenty of trees. Why would she need to risk coming out here for firewood?’

’Although I’m suspicious, the Wild Boar Breeding Center was assigned to the Green Dragon Team by the Safe Zone; it’s not part of my territory. As long as she stays in the isolation zone, I have no right to interfere, no matter how close she gets.’

Soon, the two women, who were of similar height, met at the three-way intersection, both carrying machetes. Xiaqing appeared stronger, because she was a Strength Evolution Person and her machete was larger than the other’s.

Unlike her caution during their first meeting, the woman merely gave Xiaqing a slight nod, then continued east along the isolation zone with her machete, exposing her entire back to Xiaqing.

’It’s been ten years since the Natural Disasters. How could someone be so careless as to turn her back on an armed stranger?’

’This woman is either incredibly strong or incredibly weak.’ After watching her disappear into the distance, Xiaqing swiftly chopped down a tree and laid it across the path at the eastern fork of the old isolation zone, blocking any future possibility of "accidentally trespassing" into the Third Territory.

’My territory isn’t enclosed by a fence or wire mesh, so it’s easy enough to get in. But trespassing means putting your life in the Lord’s hands. Anyone without enough strength wouldn’t dare. And anyone strong enough wouldn’t care about the meager things in my territory, nor would they risk being hunted down by the base for breaking in. So for now, the territory is safe.’

’However, I should seriously consider having Hu Zifeng’s team patrol the territory’s perimeter.’

Xiaqing passed through the High Slope planting area and arrived near the Big Chuntun Tree.

Although this was the High Slope, the soil was deep enough. Xiaqing had planted her apple, jujube, passion fruit, and prickly ash trees here. There were only five true fruit trees—the Asparagus Tree and prickly ash tree were also Green Light, but since they didn’t bear fruit, they didn’t really count. Nevertheless, Xiaqing decided to name the area the Green Orchard.

In the Green Orchard, only two pest-resistant jujube trees bore over a hundred unripe jujubes. If she wanted to achieve fruit freedom, she would have to keep planting fruit trees. Loquats, oranges, snow pears, plums—she wanted to plant them all. Ten years into the Natural Disasters, she had almost forgotten what these fruits even tasted like.

Although the prickly ash and passion fruit were a bit wilted, they weren’t dried out, so they would definitely recover. Xiaqing was relieved.

A set of orderly footsteps approached. Xiaqing strolled to the edge of her territory to wait.