Chapter 326: A Notoriously Ruthless Character

Chapter 326: Chapter 326: A Notoriously Ruthless Character

"I don’t think so," Luo Pei analyzed. "She went months without saying a word in the Lord channel after arriving in her territory. It seems she only came over to make raising her birds more convenient. Unless it’s absolutely necessary, almost everything she says in the Lord channel is related to them."

’Raising birds?’

Xie Yu recalled the Evolved Sea Eagle he’d seen earlier that day, carrying a crow as it flew. ’Could it be that Xin Yu’s Evolutionary Ability requires avian creatures to work?’

Luo Pei shook his head. "I’m not sure. I haven’t seen her since I came to the territory."

Luo Pei was a Top Level Visual Evolver with extremely sharp Observation. If Xin Yu had appeared in front of him often, he would have picked up on some aspect of her abilities.

At that moment, Lord No.8, Xin Yu, was wearing a Protective Mask with a one-way visor. Cradling a pot of brilliantly blooming roses, she walked east along the central path between the ten territories, heading for Territory Land No. 7.

Tang Huai, standing under the sign for the Second Territory, saw she had that same look about her and knew she didn’t want to talk. Not wanting to ask for trouble, he kept his mouth shut and quietly watched her walk past.

’This woman’s temper is even stranger than Xiaqing’s.’

"Lord No.8, Xin Yu?" Under the road sign for No. 9 Territory, Li Si adjusted his glasses and questioned the approaching woman. In the adjacent territory, Tang Huai immediately pricked up his ears.

Xin Yu stopped and nodded.

Li Si’s gaze shifted from Xin Yu’s pitch-black mask to the double-petaled pink roses in her arms. "Is that an Evolved Thousand-Petal Rose? Can I trade for it?"

"No. I don’t have many plants myself." Xin Yu gave Li Si a reasonably polite nod and continued on her way, still holding the roses.

Li Si’s assistant, Little Liu, offered a polite reminder. "Miss Xin, the business of fermentation starter powders isn’t easy to get into. Please be cautious."

Xin Yu nodded again and continued on her way to Territory Land No. 7.

As Xin Yu passed No. 6 Territory, Kuang Qingwei, who had been waiting for her, greeted her with a beaming smile. He presented his business card with both hands. "Hello, Miss Xin. I’m Kuang Qingwei from No. 6 Territory. Besides farming, I also run a small business trading supplies. I look forward to the opportunity to serve you."

Xin Yu, holding the roses, took Kuang Qingwei’s card with one hand. She gave a slight nod. "Okay."

When he saw Xin Yu accept his card, Kuang Qingwei’s smile widened. The small pits on his face, seared there by acid rain, deepened, making his features look somewhat distorted. He quickly reined in his smile, adopting the proper, polite air of a businessman. Stepping back, he gestured for Xin Yu to continue on her way. "Brother San is waiting for you in his territory, Miss Xin. Please, hurry along. I wish you both a successful partnership."

After Xin Yu passed, Kuang Qingwei returned to his own territory. No longer caring about his expression, he was smiling from ear to ear. Zhu Li, who had come over to watch the excitement, whispered, "Honey, what’s Xin Yu’s story?"

Kuang Qingwei led his wife back, lowering his voice. "How should I know? I just think it’s always good to make another friend. You never know what doors it might open."

Her husband was the type who never did anything without a profit in it. Seeing him this happy, Zhu Li didn’t believe for a second that he hadn’t heard a thing. She grabbed his sleeve, about to press him for more, when he gave her a quick wink with his right eye.

Zhu Li got the message instantly and kept quiet.

’That Tang Huai, who loves to eavesdrop, is probably hiding in some ditch right now, listening in. Important matters would have to wait until tonight when no one was around.’

The Lords of No. 7 and No. 8—two territories with adjacent numbers but located at opposite ends, east and west, of this area—met for the first time in the reception room of Territory Land No. 7.

Zhang San was very pleased with the roses Xin Yu brought. After asking for clear instructions on how to propagate them, he got down to business. "No. 9 Territory uses an evolved yeast and two relatively stable evolved lactic acid bacteria. I can give you the cultivation techniques for four types of super lactic acid bacteria and three combination formulas for compost starter powders, all of which can raise the kill rate to over 96%. Where do you plan to build the production plant?"

Xin Yu answered, "No. 8 Territory."

Zhang San nodded. "Three conditions: One, the technology must be kept confidential. Two, the cultivated bacterial strains cannot be diverted for other uses. Three, you cannot cooperate with the Hui Yi Research Institute, the Hui San Research Institute, or the Fiery Fire Team."

"Okay." Xin Yu’s agreement was swift and decisive. "For this partnership to produce the compost starter powders, you’ll provide the technology, and I’ll provide the site, equipment, and workers. How about a fifty-fifty split on the profits?"

"I’ll take a twenty-percent share. I also want seeds or seedlings for the ten best-tasting Green Light foods in your territory. Counting this pot of roses, you just need to give me nine other kinds."

Xin Yu nodded. "All right. I’ll have them sent over this afternoon."

"No need. I’ll have Ji Li go get them." In a good mood, Zhang San called Zhang He in. "For any subsequent issues with this project, talk to my student."

After the various territories successively harvested their early-sown corn, Kuang Qingwei’s thresher rental business kicked into high gear.

Kuang Qingwei delivered the thresher and organic boron fertilizer to the North Isolation Zone of No.3 Territory right on time. He beamed as he shared the good news with Xiaqing. "Have you heard, Xiaqing? Qian Lin from the Su Feng Team went hunting in the Evolution Forest after the thunderstorm and got bitten to death by Poisonous Insects."

Xiaqing nodded. "Now Brother Qing can rest easy."

With Qian Lin dead, Kuang Qingwei let out a huge sigh of relief. "Yeah. I can finally focus on farming in peace."

Declining Kuang Qingwei’s kind offer to enter her territory and help her thresh, Xiaqing asked, "Brother Qing, can you get your hands on a stalk shredder?"

Corn stalks are tough. To return them to the soil, they have to be shredded or chopped into small pieces. Xiaqing wasn’t short on electricity or diesel at the moment, so she planned to buy a shredder.

Besides corn stalks, the sweet potato and pumpkin vines in her fields could also be shredded for compost. Once Brother San had his starter powder ready, even the wild grasses in her territory could be shredded and composted. The shredder would be incredibly useful, so it was worth getting one.

"What a coincidence," Kuang Qingwei grinned, his eyes narrowing to slits. "I was just looking into that. What size model are you interested in, and what’s your price range? They have four-blade and six-blade versions, and they come in both automatic-feed and manual-feed types..."

’In the Disaster Years, it was a miracle to be able to buy any machinery at all. The fact that Kuang Qingwei could actually offer a choice of model and price meant he must have made a connection at Hui Er Base.’ After listening carefully, Xiaqing quickly made her choice. "I want the manual-feed, six-blade model, without the motor."

’The six-blade model was more efficient than the four-blade, and the manual feed was more durable than the automatic. She already had a motor, so there was no need to buy a second one.’

"Okay. It’ll definitely arrive within a month, so it won’t hold up your composting," Kuang Qingwei said. He glanced around, then lowered his voice, which was filled with excitement. "I just got a line to the Hui Er Reunion Group. You know of the Reunion Group, don’t you?"

Xiaqing nodded. "Reunion produces farm machinery too?"

’Hui Er wasn’t just a powerhouse in home appliance R&D and manufacturing; their high-tech engineering equipment was also top-notch. The Reunion Group was Hui Er’s largest enterprise for engineering equipment R&D and manufacturing. Back when she worked in construction, more than half the equipment Xiaqing installed and operated was made by the Reunion Group.’

"They do. I only heard after I made the connection... That one... is the Reunion Group’s..." Kuang Qingwei lowered his voice even further. He pointed his hand at Xiaqing and first made a sign for ’eight,’ then for ’three.’ "...major shareholder."

Seeing the shocked expression on Xiaqing’s usually calm face, Kuang Qingwei, who had shared the news, was satisfied. He whispered a warning, "Just keep this between us. That one’s a notoriously ruthless character. Whatever you do, don’t offend her."