Chapter 314: Medicine Valley

Chapter 314: Chapter 314: Medicine Valley

The thing Xiaqing hated most about the Su Feng Team was their willingness to stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

The feud between Su Feng and Azure Dragon was their own business. However they chose to fight it out, they shouldn’t have dragged the hardworking territory lords, who were just trying to farm, into their mess.

Xiaqing suppressed her anger and asked, "What about Qian Lin?"

"He’s been silenced," Chen Zheng explained. "Since Su Feng used that kind of medicine, they must have already figured out a way to get away with it. Keeping Qian Lin alive would have been pointless. Captain Xie will seize this opportunity, team up with the military, and get rid of the Jiang Bear Team first."

"This operation will be led by the military, which is responsible for protecting the territories, so it will bypass the Territory Management Department. They’ll make their move this afternoon or tonight," Chen Zheng said in a low voice. "If the arrests go smoothly, the case of Zhang Xi invading the Third Territory will also be transferred to the military for trial."

’Transferring the case to the military for trial is a good thing for me,’ Xiaqing thought. ’The Territory Management Department answers to the deputy base commander, Tang Zhengrong, and the Jiang Bear Team are just lackeys for Su Feng. Tang Zhengrong would definitely order the Territory Management Department to sweep this under the rug, giving just a slap on the wrist to the two invaders, including Zhang Xi.’

’Getting rid of the Jiang Bear Team means Su Feng will have one less set of accomplices, which reduces the threat to my important trading partners—the Wolf Group. But I can’t let the Su Feng Team get off so easily.’

Xiaqing asked, "Qian Lin spread the medicine in the valley between Mountain No. 49 and Mountain No. 50, correct?"

Chen Zheng nodded.

"The exit to that valley is near Territory No. 7 and Territory No. 15. After the Jiang Bear Squad is captured, have Captain Hu mention this on the Lord Channel. Make absolutely sure Brother San hears it." Given Zhang San’s petty nature, once he found out Su Feng had done something so despicable, there was no way he’d ever agree to treat Kou Fanming for his lightning injuries.

’Kou Fanming has been running with Tang Zhengsu since before the Natural Disaster; he’s a core member of the Su Feng Team now. If he can’t regain his combat strength, it will be a huge loss for Tang Zhengsu.’

Chen Zheng smiled. "Our boss said the same thing."

Xiaqing was surprised. "Captain Yang is back?"

"Captain Xie finally got in touch with our boss last night. They should be back today, so Brother Luo can take his medicine tonight." The mention of Yang Jin’s return brought a smile to Chen Zheng’s eyes.

Xiaqing was happy for them. She even started making plans to find Wei Chengdong and add his photo to her surveillance system so he wouldn’t trigger the camera’s alarm when he came for spring water at night.

However, Xiaqing had something important to do today. Before the autumn harvest began, she needed to make a trip to No. 2 Valley in Zone Three of Mountain 49.

Unlike Valley No. 1, which stretched to the northeast as if it had torn Mountain No. 49 apart, No. 2 Valley had been carved out by water flowing down from the summit. Therefore, the farther it extended up toward the northwest, the shallower the valley became.

Furthermore, No. 2 Valley was narrower, its stream smaller, and its vegetation less dense than Valley No. 1. Standing on the slope and looking down, Xiaqing couldn’t see any large fruit trees, which was why she had decided to explore Valley No. 1 first.

’But the absence of large fruit trees doesn’t mean there aren’t any fruit-bearing shrubs or medicinal herbs. It’s still worth exploring.’

For this expedition, Xiaqing decided to team up with her companion, Sick Wolf. If she found any plants worth harvesting, he could stand guard, allowing her to gather them in peace.

The woman and the wolf entered No. 2 Valley from Wild Boar Valley and proceeded northeast. Xiaqing scanned her surroundings, noting that the Red Squirrel hadn’t followed. She surmised there were likely no nuts for it to eat in this valley.

After proceeding another fifty meters or so, Xiaqing’s eyes lit up. "Second, look! Are those Gongju chrysanthemums?"

Five meters ahead, growing in a crevice between the rocks, were two clusters of small, snow-white, multi-petaled flowers. They were in such a concealed spot that they were completely invisible from the slope above.

Sick Wolf, of course, didn’t answer. It didn’t know what a chrysanthemum was.

After confirming the air was free of toxins, Xiaqing stepped onto the gravel, washed clean by the stream, and advanced three meters for a closer look.

The two clusters of chrysanthemums were in full, beautiful bloom, their color perfectly pure. Though she was wearing a Protective Mask, Xiaqing could almost smell their delicate fragrance.

However, Xiaqing didn’t rush forward to pick them.

Although both she and Sick Wolf had sprayed themselves with Insect Repellent and weren’t afraid of the bees buzzing around the flowers, experience told her that such dense vegetation was a favorite hiding spot for venomous snakes.

Unable to spot any snakes visually, Xiaqing pointed to the chrysanthemums and asked her companion, "Second, are there any snakes near those flowers?"

’Snakes have a distinct, foul odor,’ she thought. ’I can’t detect it, but a wolf’s sense of smell is extremely sharp. He might be able to.’

Hearing Xiaqing’s question, Sick Wolf pulled its tongue back, closed its mouth, and stared intently at the chrysanthemums, its expression serious.

’Seeing him like this, there must be a venomous snake.’

"Second, back up! Let me handle this!" Xiaqing stepped forward. She slapped the grass and rocks around the chrysanthemums a few times with her long blade, and three large snakes shot out from the undergrowth, lunging for her eyes!

Once she got a clear look at the three snakes, Xiaqing flipped her blade around and swatted them away with the spine, deliberately not delivering a killing blow.

Based on the two symmetrical, dark, triangular markings on their bodies, Xiaqing identified them as Qishan Snakes, the primary ingredient in the medicine Zhang San prescribed for Shi Zhong.

Shi Du had been wanting to catch some Qishan Snakes with low Harmful Element levels to raise, but he’d failed to find any during his several forays into the Evolution Forest. And yet, Xiaqing had run into them today.

After being knocked aside, one snake lunged to attack again, while the other two tried to flee. Xiaqing pinned one of the fleeing snakes with her foot, snatched the attacker out of the air, stuffed them both into a cloth sack, and then quickly caught the third snake and shoved it in after them.

’No time to test them now,’ she thought. ’I’ll do it after I leave the valley.’

Venomous snakes were territorial. Now that she had cleared out the ones hiding near the chrysanthemums, the immediate area was safe. And now came the exciting part.

Xiaqing took out her Harmful Element Detector. Although the result was a Yellow Light, the Harmful Element content was only seven parts per thousand, which was considered exceptionally good.

To ensure she could propagate them, Xiaqing didn’t pick all the chrysanthemums. Once the remaining flowers withered and went to seed, she would return to harvest the seeds. That way, she could plant her own chrysanthemums next year.

As she continued on, Xiaqing discovered a few more clusters of white Gongju chrysanthemums, but unfortunately, they were all Red Light. A little farther ahead, she made a new find: sixteen stalks of Yellow Light Qianhu, twenty stalks of Green Light Baizhu, and thirteen stalks of Yellow Light Baizhu.

Qianhu and Gongju chrysanthemums weren’t particularly valuable, but Green Light Baizhu—especially the root of a plant that was over three years old—could sell for two hundred points a pound.

’No. 2 Valley must have been used by the locals to grow medicinal herbs before the Natural Disaster,’ she guessed.

In the tenth year since the Natural Disaster, the fact that the valley still contained herbs with such low Harmful Element levels meant that No. 2 Valley was an ideal place for these three species to grow. The Baizhu berries were ready for harvest. The Qianhu’s flowering period had just ended, so its fruit wasn’t ripe yet, but it could be collected at the same time as the Gongju seeds.

After the autumn harvest, Xiaqing would have to find time to clear out the weeds, shrubs, and Wild Phoenix Trees in the valley to give the medicinal herbs more room to grow. Next year, she would sow the seeds and turn No. 2 Valley back into a Medicine Valley once more.

After returning to her territory, Xiaqing tested the captured Qishan Snakes. She was even more delighted to find their Harmful Element levels were all below ten parts per thousand. She immediately turned on her walkie-talkie to contact Shi Du.