Chapter 126: You Will Personally Bear All Consequences

Chapter 126: Chapter 126: You Will Personally Bear All Consequences

Zhang San methodically finished mixing the medicine and placed two large, transparent glass bottles in front of Xiaqing. The liquid inside the bottles seemed to put him in a very good mood.

Xiaqing stared at them too, because the colors of the two liquids were actually quite beautiful.

"The 150,000 covers the compensation. The surplus is for these two bottles of medicine. The blue one is for the wolf, to be applied topically. As for the magenta one, add two drops when you take a bath. It’s more effective than Blood Vine Juice. Keep them in the refrigerator; they have a shelf life of three years."

’Her idol isn’t ugly! He has a proper nose and proper eyes!’

’Her idol isn’t bald—he has a full head of curly hair!’

’She’d dragged her idol out of bed in the middle of the night for a four-hour surgery on a wolf, and not only did he not lose his temper, he even mixed a bottle of tinted skin toner for her that would last for three years!’

Xiaqing was now a true devotee. "Thank you, Brother San. I just planted two terraces of Green Light Mung Beans. Once they’re harvested, I’ll send them over so you can make mung bean soup. I also have peanuts in my territory. I’m keeping the Green Light ones for seed, but I’ll send you half of the Yellow Light ones to fry. And I’m raising Green Light Spring Fish. In a couple of months, if you want some fish, just let me know."

The food-loving Zhang San immediately beamed. "Don’t mention these things in the Lord Channel. I’ll call you when I’m hungry. From now on, if anything comes up at night, call Yan Long or Ji Li. Don’t disturb me."

"Understood," Xiaqing immediately agreed.

"My cat doesn’t like wolves, so take that wolf back with you. Don’t go showing off that you have a wolf in your territory. The research institute has been wanting to capture a High Level Evolution Wolf for experiments for a long time now." After giving his instructions, Zhang San waved his hand, shooing Xiaqing out of the dispensary.

Ji Li followed her out, gave Xiaqing his and Yan Long’s phone numbers, and then led her back to the operating room door.

The injured wolf had been moved back onto the wooden board, which was covered with a plastic sheet, and placed on the ground outside the operating room. Its torso was immobilized by a cylindrical white protective shell. It was unclear what material the shell was made of, but it fit the wolf’s body perfectly.

Hearing the sound, the wolf lying on the board struggled to turn its eyes toward Xiaqing.

Xiaqing saw fear in the wolf’s eyes. She stepped forward and gently rubbed its head in silent comfort. After carefully memorizing the assistant’s instructions on how to change the dressing and other points of post-operative care, she asked in a low voice, "How much will it be able to recover?"

The assistant smiled. "The surgery was a great success. If you provide proper care, it will recover to its previous condition."

Xiaqing was overjoyed. Carrying the medicine and supporting the wolf, she followed Ji Li out the door, only to see Yan Long standing outside.

Although Yan Long was very beautiful, she gave Xiaqing the same feeling as Tan Junjie—like the stern, unsmiling head teacher from her school days. In Yan Long’s presence, Xiaqing couldn’t help but tense up.

"You go on, I’ll see her back." After dismissing Ji Li, Yan Long led Xiaqing into Territory Land No. 7’s North Buffer Forest. Her voice was stern. "The wolf that left its scent on you last time has been waiting outside. Take it with you. If your poor decision-making leads to an attack on the surrounding territories by the Wolf Group or other Evolutionary Animal populations, I will report your transgression, and you will bear all the consequences yourself."

"I will take responsibility for my actions. Thank you for the reminder, Sister Yan." The last time, Hu Zifeng had been reprimanded for calling Yan Long "Captain Yan," so Xiaqing obediently followed the territory’s custom and called her "Sister."

Regardless of age, anyone powerful was addressed as "Brother" or "Sister."

Yan Long glanced back at Xiaqing but said nothing more.

On the way from Territory Land No. 7 back to the Third Territory, Xiaqing didn’t see any sign of the Head Wolf, but she knew it must be following her from the shadows. After Yan Long had left, Xiaqing spoke in a low voice to the Head Wolf, "The surgery on this wolf was a success, but the dressing needs to be changed in three days, and it has to drink medicine every day for the next few days. So, it will have to recover in my territory for now. Don’t cause any trouble, or else people will come to kill and capture the wolves, and I won’t be able to do anything about it."

After returning to her own territory, Xiaqing quickened her pace. It was almost eight o’clock, and her precious chickens were still locked up in the sheep pen. But when she reached the low slope, she saw from a distance that the chickens were already in their coop, scratching the dirt for insects. Someone from Hu Zifeng’s team must have let them out for her.

Xiaqing scanned her surroundings and saw the Sheep Leader grazing in the pasture. Hu Zifeng was wandering around outside the greenhouse, carrying the small basket the Sheep Leader used for feeding fish, and catching large, tough-shelled insects.

’Who gave him the basket? The Sheep Leader?’ Xiaqing chuckled out loud as she carefully carried the post-surgery wolf across the stone slab bridge, using both hands to keep it steady.

Luo Pei walked out of the small hut next to the farmland. "Is the surgery over?"

"Yes, the surgery was a success. With proper care, it should make a full recovery." ’Luo Pei hadn’t gone back, which must mean he had something to say to her.’ Xiaqing asked, "Brother Luo, why don’t you come to my place for a bit?"

Luo Pei nodded and followed Xiaqing back to the village. The broken leg wolf lying in the courtyard immediately propped itself up on its two front legs and snarled at the human, baring its teeth.

Without Xiaqing having to say a word, the Head Wolf, already standing on the ruins in the front yard, let out a low growl. The broken leg wolf immediately shut its mouth and lay back down, though its eyes remained fixed on its companion on the wooden board.

"One moment, Brother Luo." Xiaqing gently placed the board under the eaves, then quickly cleaned the chicken droppings from the sheep pen. After disinfecting and killing any pests, she brought over a large roll of freshly woven straw matting, laid it out inside, and then transferred the wolf, plastic sheet and all, onto the mat. She whispered to the wolf, "No food or water for four hours after the surgery. Just rest for now."

The wolf in the yard watched intently, and Luo Pei also watched quietly as Xiaqing bustled about. Only after she had settled the injured wolf did he follow her inside.

Although Luo Pei had been living in the Third Territory for over two months, this was his first time inside Xiaqing’s home. Unlike the cold, empty rooms in No.1 Territory, Xiaqing’s house was filled to the brim, brimming with the signs of life.

Against the right wall of the living room was a palm-high bamboo bed. On the bed was a straw mat, the same kind Xiaqing had used for the wolf, and on the mat was a large pillow, higher on one end and lower on the other. It was obviously for the Evolutionary Sheep.

’It looked... quite comfortable.’

Luo Pei smiled gently. "I didn’t expect you to have such skills."

"I just tied some straw together haphazardly. I had to take it apart and redo it several times to get it like this." Xiaqing quickly cleaned a table and chair and invited Luo Pei to sit. "Please, sit here, Brother Luo."

After seating Luo Pei, Xiaqing went into the inner room to quickly take off her Protective Suit and weapons and put them away. She came back out and asked, "You haven’t had breakfast yet, have you, Brother Luo? Would you mind making do with some tea soup?"

Luo Pei shook his head. "You’ve been up all night, too. Don’t go to any trouble. I’ll just say a few words and be on my way."

"It’s just a matter of boiling a kettle of water. It’ll only take a few minutes." ’She’d asked him to come over and help in the middle of the night; how could she not even offer him breakfast?’

She went into the kitchen and put a kettle of spring water on to boil. She then sliced a potato, blanched it, and made a cold salad. Next, she took out a few slices of pickled sour bamboo shoots and shredded them. Finally, she grabbed a handful of roasted meat jerky and placed everything on the dining table in the living room. She poured roasted flour into two large bowls and added the boiling water, and the fragrant aroma of the flour immediately filled the air.

"I learned this from Territory No. 10. You take ground flour, add a little sugar, and slowly fry it in oil until it’s fragrant. Whenever you want some, you just mix a bowl with hot water. It satisfies both hunger and thirst."

Just as Xiaqing finished speaking, the Sheep Leader pushed the door open with a CLATTER and walked in. It squinted at Xiaqing, then at Luo Pei, a displeased expression on its face.

Luo Pei asked in a low voice, "Evolutionary Animals are territorial. Your Evolutionary Sheep is unhappy that I’m here. Should I go outside?"

"It’s fine. Please, eat in peace, Brother Luo." Xiaqing immediately went to the kitchen, brought out the Sheep Leader’s special feed, and placed it on its dining table. "You worked hard last night too, Leader. Go on, eat."

Only then did the Sheep Leader stop staring at Luo Pei and walk over to its table to eat. Luo Pei glanced at the Sheep Leader’s dining table and the "food" in its bowl, surprised. "You feed it compressed rations?"

Xiaqing explained, "Compressed rations are made primarily from vegetables and contain a certain amount of salt. The Sheep Leader really likes them, so I feed it a little every day. I’ve noticed its coat has become shinier since it started eating them."

Luo Pei smiled. "These compressed rations are indeed more suitable for herbivores."

After the Natural Disaster, humanity’s living conditions were harsh. People ate worse than the pigs, cattle, and sheep raised on factory farms before the disaster.

Xiaqing handed a bowl of the steaming tea soup to Luo Pei and introduced the side dishes. "If you like sour things, Brother Luo, add a couple of slices of the sour bamboo shoots. These are the potatoes I just dug up last night, and I just roasted the meat jerky myself. Please, make do with this, Brother Luo."

"This is hardly ’making do.’ It’s already wonderful." ’Pollution-free Spring Water, freshly ground flour, Yellow Light Potatoes, Green Light Bamboo Shoots, Green Light roasted meat jerky—Xiaqing had prepared a sumptuous breakfast in less than ten minutes.’

’With skills like these, what did she need a chef for?’