Chapter 186: Visitors to the Safe Zone

Chapter 186: Chapter 186: Visitors to the Safe Zone

As Xiaqing walked back, she sent a message to Ji Li, asking if he wanted a Green Light Rabbit. If so, he could find her east of the Wild Boar Breeding Center. The Su Feng Team’s spies were still loitering on the isolation belt, so they couldn’t trade there like before.

Someone from Territory Land No. 7 quickly arrived at the location Xiaqing had designated and took one rabbit.

Having obtained Green Light prey, a pleased Xiaqing returned to her territory. The first thing she did was process the rabbit.

She fed the warm entrails directly to the wolf, sliced the meat and placed it in the dehydrator to dry slowly, and tossed the bones into a pot with seasonings to simmer. After cleaning up, just as Xiaqing was about to go to sleep, she heard the sound of the wolf in the yard vomiting.

She came out with a flashlight to see that the Sick Wolf had vomited up the entrails it had just eaten.

’Why would it throw up fresh, warm Green Light entrails? Isn’t that a wolf’s favorite food?’

Seeing the Sick Wolf’s teary-eyed look, Xiaqing had no choice but to go back to the vegetable shed and pick thirty spinach leaves. She gave two to Sheep Leader, who was looking after the wolf, and juiced the rest to force-feed the Sick Wolf.

After waiting for half an hour and seeing that the Sick Wolf didn’t vomit, Xiaqing finally went back inside and slept for another two hours.

At six-thirty in the morning, Xiaqing got up and went downstairs.

The house was filled with the aroma of meat. The meat slices were still drying, the chicks and goslings in the tool shed’s coop were cheeping, and the Sick Wolf in the sheep pen was still alive. Sheep Leader was not there; it had probably gone to eat.

After washing up, Xiaqing put a pot of rice on to steam, carried the chicken coop to the backyard to let out the chickens, and then began to patrol her territory.

After finishing her patrol, Xiaqing was gnawing on a fragrant, spicy rabbit head when she heard Tang Huai call her on the Lord channel. "Xiaqing, you up?"

’It’s starting.’

Xiaqing pressed the button on her walkie-talkie. "Yes."

Tang Huai asked, "The truck with the solar equipment has already left the Safe Zone. Can you pick it up at the signpost for the Third Territory at ten-thirty?"

’The ten-thirty time was strategically chosen. By the time Zhang Yong and Xu Juan helped her move the solar panels in and install them, it would be noon. How could Xiaqing not invite them to stay for lunch?’

’Making a bit of small talk over the meal would be perfectly normal, wouldn’t it?’

Xiaqing pressed the button and replied calmly, "Alright."

After finishing breakfast, Xiaqing gave the Sick Wolf its second dose of medicine for the day. Because she had fed it spinach juice in the middle of the night, the Sick Wolf had plenty of energy and probably didn’t need to eat, so Xiaqing didn’t give it any other food.

At nine-fifty, three members of Hu Zifeng’s team, armed with live ammunition, entered Xiaqing’s territory to stand guard.

At ten o’clock sharp, Xiaqing gave Sheep Leader a dose of anesthetic. The amount had been calculated by Chang Li; it wouldn’t completely immobilize the sheep, but it would make it appear as weak as its friend, perfectly fitting its "sick sheep" persona.

"You’ve worked hard, Leader. You and your friend rest here while I go get our supplies. Once they’re done with the installation for us, you’ll be able to move freely again." Xiaqing ruffled Sheep Leader’s wool, then smoothed the Sick Wolf’s fur before closing the thick pen door and driving her micro-tiller to the signpost.

Tang Huai, who was already waiting at the edge of the Second Territory, waved to Xiaqing from a distance. "Xiaqing, you’re finally here! I was just about to call you. The truck will be here any second."

Xiaqing nodded.

Tang Huai, used to Xiaqing’s foul temper, didn’t get angry and continued, "Is your Evolutionary Sheep doing any better?"

"Mmm," Xiaqing responded, her eyes on the truck arriving on time from the east.

Tang Huai snorted, leaning against the Second Territory’s signpost with his arms crossed as he tried to take credit. "If I hadn’t put in a good word for you, the team definitely wouldn’t have given you so many solar panels. What do you think? Pretty decent of me, right?"

Xiaqing didn’t know if Tang Huai was privy to the Su Feng Team’s plan, so she just replied coldly, "I’m here for the equipment. Don’t be short even a single screw."

Tang Huai...

’Damn it! Hu Zifeng must have teeth of steel to be able to chew on a woman this tough and unyielding.’

A beat-up box truck stopped by the Third Territory signpost. A middle-aged man in a standard Protective Suit pushed open the passenger-side door, jumped down, and removed his Protective Mask, revealing a smiling, square face.

It was Zhang Yong, appearing just as the Su Feng Team required. Xiaqing watched him with a calm expression.

On Zhang Yong’s dark, weathered face, a scar stretched from one side to the other, twisting his smile into something ferocious.

He got that scar in the fourth year of the Natural Disaster, when the Safe Zone was suddenly attacked by a tide of worms surging from underground. If Xiaqing’s father hadn’t carried him on his back while they fled, Zhang Yong would have been devoured down to the bone by Evolutionary Worms long ago.

"Brother Huai, we’ve brought the stuff. Where do you want it?" Zhang Yong greeted Tang Huai first before turning to Xiaqing with a smile. "Xiaqing, your land is here too? No wonder."

Although she couldn’t tell which of Zhang Yong’s metal buckles was a camera or a listening device, Xiaqing knew that from the moment he appeared, she was under their surveillance. She didn’t remove her Protective Mask, simply nodding and calling out, "Brother Yong."

It wasn’t overly cold, but it was definitely not friendly.

Tang Huai ordered, "First, take the six solar panels, two voltage regulators, and three large batteries to the Third Territory and install them for Xiaqing. And they need to be ’brand new’."

"You got it." Zhang Yong walked toward the back of the truck. He was long used to Xiaqing’s coldness and just explained on his own, "There hasn’t been any work in the Safe Zone lately. To make a living, I have no choice but to bring my guys out here. There’s someone you know in the back, too."

Suspecting that Xu Pin was in the truck, Xiaqing cleared her mind of all thoughts, controlled her breathing and heartbeat, then followed Zhang Yong toward the back and asked casually, "Did your wife come along?"

Zhang Yong nearly tripped over his own feet and muttered under his breath, "She only acts tough at home. She wouldn’t dare leave the Safe Zone."

As he spoke, Zhang Yong opened the back of the truck, and Xu Juan, dressed in a brand-new, lavender Protective Suit, jumped out.

This kind of brightly colored, form-fitting Protective Suit was more for looks than for function. It also cost several hundred points more than a standard one. Xiaqing would never buy one, but that didn’t stop her from appreciating the eye-catching figure the female Evolver cut while wearing it.

Xu Juan removed her lavender Protective Mask and greeted Xiaqing enthusiastically. "I heard Zhang Yong was delivering supplies to the territories in the North District, so I wanted to come along and see you. With the hail and the Evolutionary Bird attacks recently, you weren’t hurt, were you?"

’They both took off their Protective Masks the moment they saw me. The surveillance devices must be somewhere around their necks.’ Xiaqing didn’t let her eyes search for them, replying calmly, "No."

After Zhang Yong had two construction workers unload the supplies Tang Huai had mentioned, the truck drove directly into the Second Territory.

After having Zhang Yong open the boxes for an on-the-spot inspection, Tang Huai said to Xiaqing, "Brand new, not a single part missing. We’re even now. Last time was my fault. An accident like that will never happen again." 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

Xiaqing said with a stony face, "We’re even when it’s installed and working."

’What is with this woman!’

Tang Huai’s eyes widened. "Then I’ll have to go in and watch you install it. Otherwise, who knows if you won’t intentionally cut a wire!"

By the signpost, Xiaqing watched Tang Huai calmly, but her hand rested on the hilt of her knife, making it clear that she would attack the moment he set foot in the Third Territory.

Zhang Yong quickly stepped forward to mediate. "Brother Huai, how about this? I’ll go in and install it for Xiaqing. I guarantee I’ll get it calibrated properly. If there are any problems, you won’t have to worry about it, Brother Huai. The construction team will be responsible for replacements until Xiaqing is satisfied."

Tang Huai snorted coldly, indicating his agreement.

After pacifying Tang Huai, Zhang Yong shot Xiaqing a meaningful look, urging her not to clash with Tang Huai head-on. "You’re strong. Can you help me move a couple of these?"