Chapter 281: Learning a Lesson

Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Learning a Lesson

"Don’t even mention it." Kuang Qingwei sighed. "You know Qian Lin from the Su Feng Team, the Level 4 Strength Evolver?"

Xiaqing nodded. "We were on a mission together before."

Kuang Qingwei’s face showed the helplessness of someone from the bottom rung. "To make a living, I bow and scrape to everyone, acting like a coward. In all these years, he’s the only one I’ve ever offended. He pushed me around so much I couldn’t survive in the Safe Zone anymore, so I came out here to farm. Even though I haven’t figured out exactly what went wrong, it’s definitely got something to do with him."

Xiaqing didn’t need to ask to know how Kuang Qingwei, with his beautiful wife, had "offended" the lecherous Qian Lin. ’But I don’t think Qian Lin has the brains for this. Even if he was involved, he wouldn’t be the mastermind.’

Kuang Qingwei had also considered that someone might be using Qian Lin as a pawn. Since Xiaqing had asked, Kuang Qingwei explained his procurement channels to her. "No matter who’s behind him, we can’t afford to provoke them, but we can afford to hide. We can settle the score eventually. We’ll just have to endure for a few more years, until our territories can produce enough food."

After speaking, Kuang Qingwei went to the other territories to return their points and deliver a Thank you gift to No.1 Territory.

If No.1 Territory hadn’t made their tamed wolf beasts howl, this whole area would have been ravaged by evolutionary geese, raptors, and other fierce beasts. Even if Kuang Qingwei had survived, he couldn’t have afforded to compensate the other Lords for their losses and wouldn’t have been able to stay in this area anymore.

After watching Kuang Qingwei leave, Xiaqing didn’t return to her territory immediately. Instead, she stared at the Wild Grass Wall of the Second Territory.

The Second Territory had the most insects, so its Wild Grass Wall was the most chewed-up. Xiaqing could even see the color of the sun umbrella behind it.

She had previously thought Tang Huai was squatting out in the sun digging for insects, but it turned out he was squatting under a sun umbrella.

Others couldn’t hear Xiaqing’s conversation with Kuang Qingwei, but Tang Huai could surely hear it crystal clear. Xiaqing waited for Tang Huai to come out, wanting to see if he was in on the loudspeaker incident.

Tang Huai crawled out from the Wild Grass Wall, took off his Protective Mask, and got straight to the point. "This wasn’t aimed specifically at you. Don’t get involved."

It wasn’t aimed at Xiaqing, but whoever was behind it definitely knew there were tamed wolves on Mountain No. 49 and that they would react to the recording. Xiaqing asked calmly, "Do you know who did it?"

"I can guess. It’s true that it’s nice and shady under a big tree, but if you pick the wrong tree, you’ll go down with it." After vaguely giving Xiaqing this little tidbit as a teaser, Tang Huai probed, half-joking and half-serious, "You’re so smart. You must be able to see I’m a stock with potential."

’A stock with potential for digging up insects?’ Xiaqing asked expressionlessly, "And then?"

Tang Huai grinned. "The one howling this afternoon was Que’er from your territory, right? Why was it crying so miserably? How about you take me to see it? Don’t worry, I absolutely won’t tell anyone."

After listening carefully to confirm no one was around, Xiaqing’s face fell, her anger so palpable that Tang Huai could see it even through her Protective Mask. "It had a huge reaction after hearing the wolf howls from the loudspeaker. It took the Old Wolf that I worked so hard to save and left. All my work these past few months was for nothing!"

’The cooked duck flew away...’

Tang Huai was first regretful, then it dawned on him. "So they were trying to kill two birds with one stone. That’s so fucking shameless!"

Xiaqing made a round of her territory and returned home. She tossed a Red Light Bird to the snake in the Snake Box, fed the chickens and fish, and then found Sheep Leader lying on the tatami mat, looking a bit lonely.

Part of this loneliness was because Xiaqing had widened the tatami mat. She sat down next to Sheep Leader and groomed its wool. "Leader, do you miss Second and Broken Waist?"

Sheep Leader’s eyes were narrowed, and it didn’t move an inch.

Xiaqing comforted her companion, "They came here to heal and recover. Once their injuries are healed and they’re well, no one can stop them from leaving our territory. Are you hungry? How about I make you something tasty? Look!"

Xiaqing pulled a tender cabbage leaf from her basket. "This is a Green Light Vegetable Leaf. How about I mix it with your No. 3 Rations?"

Sheep Leader’s eyes immediately sparkled, and it responded with a high-pitched bleat, "Meeee~"

’This glutton!’

Xiaqing stuffed a leaf into its mouth and carried the rest of the vegetable leaves to the kitchen.

Savoring the delicious taste of the leaf, Sheep Leader stood at the kitchen door, happily waiting for its meal.

Xiaqing chatted with Sheep Leader while she cooked. "Broken Waist got its last plaster this morning. The morning after next, when we take it off, its injury will be completely healed. Second’s stomach is just getting better, so it still needs to take medicine and eat cooked food. If it can’t digest raw meat, it’ll have to come back in a few days to recover."

Xiaqing understood Broken Waist Wolf’s anger but wasn’t afraid of it. As a Brain Domain Evolution Wolf, it would know that Xiaqing wasn’t behind the recording and wouldn’t take its anger out on her.

Taking a step back, even if it did take its anger out on her, Xiaqing wasn’t afraid. She was just deeply regretful—regretful that she might have lost a very important partner for trading resources.

Ten years into the Natural Disaster, Xiaqing was long accustomed to separation and death. She wouldn’t be dejected just because a few wolves left. However, she would have to be more frugal with the Yi Stone in her possession, because such a high-value resource was impossible to find for purchase, even if one had the points.

With a refrigerator, Xiaqing’s cooking speed had increased significantly. She kneaded dough, rolled out noodles, and boiled them. Then she took the savory minced pork sauce she had made two days ago out of the fridge, ladled out two spoonfuls, and sprinkled some freshly picked chive leaves on top, creating a fragrant bowl of noodles with savory minced pork.

The woman and the sheep, each with their own bowl, ate with great relish.

With a full stomach comes a good mood. Xiaqing leaned back in her chair and told Sheep Leader, "There will definitely be a farmers’ market after the autumn harvest. You’ll guard the territory then. I’m going back to the Safe Zone to take care of something."

The person behind this incident couldn’t just get away with some petty, shameless act. They had to be made to lose some bone and flesh to learn their lesson.

From what Tang Huai implied, it was highly likely the Su Feng Team was behind this. With Xiaqing’s current abilities, she certainly couldn’t touch the core members of Su Feng, but crippling a few of the direct participants in this incident was still no problem.

For example, Qian Lin, who had tried to take advantage of her several times back in the Safe Zone.

While washing the dishes after her meal, Xiaqing received a call from Tan Junjie. Xin Yu had entrusted the patrol team with delivering two pots of Green Light mint to her.

These two pots of Green Light mint were the items Xin Yu was trading with Xiaqing for the Evolutionary Eagle. The insect plague in this territory had followed right after the migratory bird season, so the delivery was delayed until now.

When Xiaqing hurried to the Northern Isolation Zone, she saw that Tan Junjie had come alone and knew he had something to say to her.

Tan Junjie handed the flowerpots to Xiaqing and asked in a low voice, "The wolves didn’t cause any more trouble later, did they?"

Tan Junjie had known for a while that the Wolf Group was in the Third Territory. Xiaqing told him the truth, "The lead Evolutionary Wolf smashed the loudspeaker and led the Wolf Group back to the Evolution Forest."

Tan Junjie didn’t ask any more questions. "It’s better that they’re gone. People were always targeting them while they were here with you. I’ve already reported the loudspeaker recording incident, but I doubt anything will come of it."

"I understand. Thank you, Captain Tan." The wolf howls on the recording were pretty creepy, too. The person responsible could probably escape blame by pleading inexperience.

Tan Junjie lowered his voice again. "Don’t be rash. Be careful not to fall into someone else’s trap. You’re protected by the Lord Law inside your territory, but not when you leave it."

Xiaqing smiled. "Don’t worry, I definitely won’t be rash."

’Not rash doesn’t mean not acting.’ Tan Junjie had made his point and didn’t press further. He started talking about a trade. "Are the Green Light Chuan Tree Seedlings in your territory available for trade?"

Xiaqing didn’t want to trade the native plants in her territory anymore, so she politely refused. "After I entered the territory, I transplanted all the small seedlings from under the Chuan trees, but not a single one survived. However, I got a batch of good quality Chestnuts before the insect plague. Once I cultivate some chestnut seedlings next spring, I can trade them with you."

Tan Junjie nodded. "For the reward for helping defend Territory No. 4, do you want points or Yellow Light Rapeseed Seeds?"

Xiaqing made her choice without hesitation. "I’ll take the rapeseed seeds."