Chapter 282: The Chicken Laid an Egg

Chapter 282: Chapter 282: The Chicken Laid an Egg

After Tan Junjie left, Xiaqing returned to her territory and carefully examined the two Green Light mint plants she had just received.

Mint was a common herb with many uses. It was also a gathering quest that was always on the mission bulletin board, and an herb Xiaqing looked for every time she entered the Evolution Forest.

These two mint plants were not just Green Light, but also an evolved variety with a strong, fresh, fragrant scent. Not only were they lush and leafy, but they also had three clusters of small, light purple flowers. Below the flowers, the withered blossoms had already produced many tiny seeds.

Many insects disliked the pungent smell of evolved mint, so planting it around the house could provide a certain pest-repellent effect. If she nurtured these two plants well, she could create a protective plant barrier next year through division and sowing.

Xin Yu was truly as generous as you’d expect from someone who lived in a three-story villa, raising roses and birds. ’I should definitely list her as a potential trading partner.’

Holding the two mint plants, which were flowering and bearing seeds, Xiaqing walked with extreme caution, afraid of shaking off the tiny seeds.

The Sheep Leader, lying in the shade of a tree, saw Xiaqing return with a pot of herbs. It raised its nose, sniffed, and immediately stood up to greet her, opening its mouth to take a bite.

Xiaqing raised the pot high with one hand and plucked off just one leaf to offer it. The Sheep Leader gobbled it up with a few chomps, blinking its big eyes, wanting more.

Xiaqing resisted the Sheep Leader’s cute act and reasoned with it very seriously. "This is evolved Green Light mint. It’s very precious. See the flowers on it? They’re full of seeds. You can’t eat it now. We have to let it produce a lot of seeds so we can plant a huge patch next year."

’Speaking of which, with Green Light Perilla, Green Light Alfalfa, Green Light Ice Plant, and now Green Light mint, not only will my own meals improve next year, but the Sheep Leader’s will too,’ Xiaqing thought, happily hugging the pot as she walked back.

Seeing that Xiaqing wouldn’t give it any more, the Sheep Leader lay down again and continued chewing its cud.

Xiaqing placed the Green Light mint on the second-floor balcony to grow. When her gaze shifted to the flat-spiked Green Light Ice Plant beside it, she sighed.

’I’d originally planned to trade supplies with the Broken Waist Wolf after the migratory bird season ended and have it lead me to collect Green Light Ice Plant seeds. That plan has probably fallen through now.’

"CHIRP CHIRP, TWEET TWEET."

Hearing the chirping, Xiaqing looked out the window and saw four swallows perched on the ruins of a nearby house, cheerfully preening their feathers.

After her Visual Evolution, Xiaqing discovered that the swallows weren’t jet black, but blue-black, shimmering with a metallic sheen in the sunlight. They were very beautiful. ’This small flock of migratory birds will be flying away from my territory tomorrow,’ she thought. ’I won’t see them again until next March.’ Xiaqing watched them for a few extra moments.

Unexpectedly, the next day, when Xiaqing and the Sheep Leader were carrying water tanks to irrigate the terraced fields, she discovered the swallows were still darting about her territory, catching and eating mosquitoes and flies. Xiaqing’s eyes lit up. She pressed the button on her walkie-talkie. "Brother Qi, you there?"

Qi Fu quickly responded, "I’m here."

Xiaqing asked, "Brother Qi, do you know how many insects a swallow can catch in a day?"

Qi Fu replied, "I honestly don’t know, but the swallows have grown bigger after evolving, so they can definitely eat more than before."

Li Si gave a professional answer, "A common evolved swallow eats about 90 to 120 slug caterpillar larvae a day, each about two centimeters long."

"Thanks, Fourth Sister." ’One eats a hundred, so with over twenty of them, that’s more than a thousand a day! I lost two amateur pest exterminators, the Evolutionary Wolves, but gained a flock of professional swallows. Is this what they call "what you lose on the swings, you gain on the roundabouts"?’

Li Si asked, "Are the swallows that were being chased by the Sparrowhawk yesterday still there? That flock is too small. If they confirm your territory is safe, they’ll probably stay for a few days to wait for the next flock of migratory birds to arrive, then team up with them to continue their migration."

Zhao Ze chimed in, "The main flock of migratory birds has already passed. If they can’t find another flock of swallows, will they stay in our territory for the winter?"

Kuang Qingwei replied, "I doubt it. Winter here is almost ten degrees colder than before the Natural Disaster. Swallows didn’t winter here before, so it’s even less likely now."

Li Si offered another professional answer, "The main reasons for swallow migration are food and climate. Evolved swallows are still accustomed to preying on flying insects in the air. In principle, they won’t stay for the winter in an area that lacks sufficient food. If you want the swallows to stay, you’ll have to prepare insect powder feed for them."

Before Little Liu, the assistant from No. 9 Territory, could come online to talk about the price of their "exclusive, patented" insect powder feed, Xiaqing pressed her button. "Winter here really isn’t suitable for swallows to survive. I’ll be content if they can just stay in my territory for a few days."

’Every extra day they stay means another thousand insects, flies, or mosquitoes eliminated. Their pest-control ability is much stronger than that of the omnivorous crows and Magpies.’

Feeling delighted, Xiaqing hoisted a full water tank weighing over 330 pounds and walked up the High Slope in one go. Behind her was the Sheep Leader, carrying two water tanks that weighed over 220 pounds each.

Afterward, the Sheep Leader munched on a cucumber and watched over the irrigation of the terraced fields, while Xiaqing moved through the rows, catching insects.

Small red and green peppers crowded the branches—even if she only ate the Green Light ones, Xiaqing couldn’t finish them all by herself. The sweet potatoes in the ground were starting to grow, pushing up clumps of soil. The white radishes and green radishes were also swelling, already thicker than Xiaqing’s arm. The sunflower heads drooped, their neatly arranged seeds growing larger. ’A few more pumpkins have ripened. I should pick them and put them in the storage room...’

Moving to the lower terraced fields, Xiaqing shifted the large rock blocking the entrance to the Spring Cave. She pulled out the full twenty-liter water tank, tightened the cap, and placed it in her backpack. Then she carried it up to the High Slope to water the High Yi Element Green Light Spinach field.

’The Green Light Spinach is starting to bolt and will flower soon. Based on the yield from the first crop, this patch of evolved spinach should produce about 30,000 seeds. These are spinach seeds with a Yi Element content of 0.06%! Each seed is worth 100 points. After subtracting the 2,600 seeds I traded to Yang Jin for weapons and diesel, and setting aside what I need for next year, I can sell the rest for 2,500,000 points!’

’And that’s just the seeds. I haven’t even factored in the spinach plants themselves, which can be used to make Special Level Nutrient Liquid. If I ever can’t hold out any longer, these points would be enough to build a wall and set up an electric fence around my territory!’

The more she thought about it, the more motivated Xiaqing became. She ran like the wind, carrying the water tank that weighed hundreds of pounds. This also fired up the Sheep Leader, which raced against Xiaqing with its water buckets.

After watering more than twenty terraced fields, the two Strength-evolved Lords still hadn’t used up all their energy. The Sheep Leader pawed its hoof, wanting to spar with Xiaqing.

Without a second thought, Xiaqing rolled up her sleeves and charged. But before she could even reach the Sheep Leader, she heard the sound of a hen cackling from the village: "CLUCK CLUCK," "CLUCK CLUCK."

That was the sound a hen makes after laying an egg. Xiaqing’s face immediately lit up with joy. "Boss, our hen laid an egg! We’re having eggs today!!! Boss!"

"MOO—"

The Sheep Leader, who didn’t eat eggs, was annoyed by Xiaqing’s shouting and sent her flying with a flick of its horn.