Chapter 270: The Lord with the Largest Territory

Chapter 270: Chapter 270: The Lord with the Largest Territory

Tang Huai challenged Hu Zifeng, "No. 1 Territory, you must have plenty of caterpillars in your ’training ground,’ right? You’re not waiting for the helicopter to spray, are you?"

Hu Zifeng shot back, "Who do you think you are? Trying to stick your nose in our team’s business?"

Before the two could start arguing, Zhang San spoke up weakly, "Territory Land No. 7 can handle its own pest control. We don’t need the helicopter to spray."

No. 9 Territory immediately followed, "No. 9 Territory doesn’t need helicopter pest control either."

"Roger that." Tan Junjie’s reply was as serious and calm as ever, but Xiaqing felt that he had breathed a sigh of relief.

Territory Land No. 7, surrounded by mountains on two sides, had a total area of 6,700 mu of farmland and Buffer Forest, originally the largest of the two hundred territories. No. 9 Territory had no Buffer Forest and was 2,300 mu in area.

The combined area of the two territories was 9,000 mu. Since they didn’t need the base’s helicopters to spray insecticide, it would save two hours of spraying time. This meant the Buffer Forests could be sprayed two hours earlier.

Just as Xiaqing’s lips curved into a happy smile, she heard Tang Huai ask provocatively, "What about you, Xiaqing? Your territory is the largest of them all. Do you need the helicopter to spray?"

Xiaqing’s territory was also surrounded by mountains on two sides. It had originally been the third-largest of all the territories, but after incorporating the 1,500-mu High Slope into the Third Territory, she became the Lord with the largest territory.

Although she had the largest territory, Xiaqing, the Lord with the fewest people, pressed the button and replied calmly, "Yes."

"Roger that," Tan Junjie replied. "The spraying helicopter requests permission to refill with water at the Third Territory’s reservoir. Does Lord No. 3 consent?"

Although this region had many surface streams, only Xiaqing’s territory had a reservoir. According to the Territory Law, all resources within a territory belong to its Lord. Therefore, even though the helicopter was dispatched by the base for pest control, it still required the Lord’s consent to land and draw water from the Third Territory to mix with the medicine.

Xiaqing pressed the button. "Lord No. 3, Xiaqing, grants the helicopter permission to land by the reservoir and draw water."

"Roger that."

After Tan Junjie’s reply, Xiaqing immediately took her sheep and two wolves up to the attic. Through the window, she watched the helicopter land, draw water, take off again, and resume spraying.

On the Lord’s channel, Tang Huai started being passive-aggressive again. "No. 1 Territory, why did the helicopter spray over your land for so long? You didn’t pull some strings, did you?"

Hu Zifeng chuckled. "Can’t compare to a professional bug-digger like you. We’re here to farm. We worked our asses off to clear a thousand mu of farmland. Of course the spraying time is longer."

Unexpectedly, Tang Huai didn’t continue bickering with Hu Zifeng. Instead, he turned his sights on Xiaqing again. "Xiaqing, how much land have you cleared? Why has that helicopter been circling your territory for almost an hour?"

Xiaqing had no intention of responding to Tang Huai, but his repeated attempts to pick a fight with her were highly unusual. Xiaqing suspected the Su Feng Team had put him up to it, so she replied coldly, "I may not have planted much, but I used an iron rake to clear several hundred mu of Injurious Grass roots, which also counts as cleared land."

Tang Huai sounded genuinely surprised. "Are you that bored? You’ve got nothing better to do?"

This time, Xiaqing didn’t have to retort. Tang Zhengpo sternly cut his son off, "Tang Huai!"

In the Second Territory, Tang Huai clutched his head and wailed, "It’s over. I’ve really pissed off Xiaqing this time. She’s definitely not going to let me into her territory to see the sheep and wolves now."

In the Third Territory, Xiaqing went up to the attic to watch the helicopter that had come to her territory for water. North of the reservoir, about 150 meters up the mountainside, was the most important resource in her territory—an unpolluted spring.

Under the pretext of protecting her ever-expanding Green Light grapevines, Xiaqing had extended her low-slope greenhouse upwards, enclosing the spring within it for protection.

But she still had to be wary of someone getting off the helicopter and wandering around her territory while it landed to draw water.

The two wolves and the sheep followed her into the attic. The Sheep Leader had no interest in the helicopter and lay beside Xiaqing, chewing its cud. Sick Wolf crouched next to Broken Waist Wolf, who propped itself up on its hind legs and used its front paws to mimic Xiaqing, pulling aside a corner of the curtain to peer outside.

Xiaqing had no choice but to close the curtain on her side and move closer to observe with Broken Waist Wolf, preventing it from being spotted by anyone on the helicopter.

The helicopter was far away, but they would surely have binoculars. As a Level 9 Visual Evolver, Xiaqing confirmed that the helicopter drew water with a thick hose and then took off directly. No one was left behind, and only then did she relax.

"Is everyone there? Have you found any stinging caterpillars in your greenhouses?" Zhao Ze asked loudly over the intercom. He had abbreviated slug moth larvae to "stinging caterpillars," which was simple and clear.

Kuang Qingwei replied frantically, "I’ve got them here too! I’m out with my people catching them now."

"I have them too," Qi Fu answered.

Shi Du responded, "We’re also catching them."

Tan Junjie reminded them, "It is currently spraying time. All Lords active outside must strictly adhere to protection standards by wearing a Protective Suit and a Protective Mask."

They had thought the massive outbreak of caterpillars in the territories was bad enough, but now caterpillars were emerging from the greenhouse farmland as well. The plague had escalated, and the Lords were frantic.

Everyone knew they shouldn’t be active outside during the spraying, but how could any Lord not be anxious and stay indoors while watching bug after bug crawl out of the soil and onto the seedlings they had painstakingly cultivated for months?

Busy catching bugs, Zhao Ze still remembered to check on his good neighbor, Xiaqing. "Xiaqing, can you manage on your own? I have extra people here. Want me to send a couple over to your place to help?"

Tang Huai immediately chimed in, "I can come help too."

Xiaqing pressed the button and politely replied, "No need, Brother Zhao. The situation here is fine. I can manage."

As for Tang Huai? Heh, completely ignored.

Hearing that Xiaqing could manage, Zhao Ze exclaimed in admiration, "You’re still the most capable."

Xiaqing’s trade with Zhang San for the soil insecticide and the specialized borer insecticide hadn’t been conducted over the Lord’s channel, so she didn’t mention that there were few bugs in her greenhouse. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

She didn’t bring it up, but Zhang San did. "Xiaqing, how’s the situation in your greenhouse?"

The moment her idol spoke, Xiaqing understood his intention and immediately replied, "I don’t have many bugs over here, thanks to the borer insecticide Brother San traded me."

The insecticide being sprayed by the helicopter was for killing stinging caterpillars and leaf-miner moth larvae; it couldn’t kill borers.

’If it’s from Zhang San, it must be top-quality.’

Upon hearing that Zhang San had borer insecticide, Kuang Qingwei, so busy he wished he had eight arms, immediately asked, "Brother San, the Green Light chive seeds in my territory are almost ripe. Can I trade you chive seeds for the borer insecticide?"

Although Zhang San’s voice was weak, it was very effective at calming the Lords’ panicked emotions. "Yes. I’ll have Ji Li bring it to you."

Kuang Qingwei quickly replied, "Thank you, Brother San."

Qi Fu immediately followed up, "From what I’ve seen, we’ll be lucky if the spraying kills more than half the stinging caterpillars. Xiaqing, you don’t even have stinging caterpillars in your greenhouse?"