Chapter 342: Grain Snatchers

Chapter 342: Chapter 342: Grain Snatchers

After Mrs. Zhao traded corn for two lemons, the other lords, Xiaqing included, also bartered for a few before the conversation returned to the main topic.

Mrs. Zhao said to Xiaqing, "Xiaqing, you have to wear a Protective Mask and gloves when you harvest the alfalfa. The moment you strip the seeds from the plant, they release a vile stench. It’s dozens of times worse than a rotting corpse. Several of my people have thrown up, and some even fainted from the smell. It’s a nasty odor; it clings to your skin and you can’t wash it off."

The putrid stench of rotting corpses was a nightmare for everyone during the first Disaster Year. The smell was so unbearable that it became the standard by which all other foul odors were measured.

Hearing Mrs. Zhao’s comparison, Xiaqing immediately understood just how terrifying the alfalfa’s stench was. ’If ordinary people could faint from it, an Olfactory Evolver would probably wish they were dead.’

After thanking her, Xiaqing heard Qi Fu say, "I’ve discovered that the stench of the alfalfa seeds drives away most birds."

Li Si gave his professional opinion, "Birds are animals with a poor sense of smell, and even in Evolutionary Birds, the olfactory center hasn’t evolved much. Grain-eating bird species have the smallest olfactory bulbs. The fact that the alfalfa seeds can drive even them away is worth studying. Aunt Zhao, are the alfalfa seeds available for trade?"

"Yes." Mrs. Zhao quickly made a deal with Li Si, trading the seeds at a rate of 20 points per seed for bags of compost starter powder, which were on sale for 30 points each.

Once they finished their trade, the lords began to animatedly discuss potential uses for the stinky, bird-repelling seeds.

They couldn’t be used for drying corn, because the birds drawn to the corn in this area were driven away for free by the Evolution Cat from Territory Land No. 7 and the Evolved Sea Eagle from No. 8 Territory.

Xiaqing, the Lord of the Third Territory, who couldn’t use the Sea Eagle and the cat, also wouldn’t dry the stinky seeds with her corn on the roof. She was afraid the stench would make it impossible to go home.

The fact that Green Light Alfalfa could evolve such a self-preservation method was truly something else.

Still, no matter how much they stank, the alfalfa seeds had to be harvested.

Xiaqing inspected her Protective Mask. After confirming it was fine, she cut off all the seed-bearing branches from the 18 alfalfa plants in her territory and laid them out to dry on an empty spot inside the greenhouse.

This was a tip she had just learned from Shi Zhong: if you harvest and dry the entire alfalfa plant, it won’t stink during the drying process. As for whether it would stink when she stripped the seeds after they were dry, she’d cross that bridge when she came to it. The immediate goal was to clear the land, so she could fertilize and till it for the next crop.

With the alfalfa taken care of, Xiaqing’s work for the day was done. To reward herself for a long day of hard labor, she decided to dig up a Green Light sweet potato to eat.

Before Xiaqing could even choose which sweet potato plant to dig up, she heard the patrol team passing through the Northern Isolation Zone, and the walkie-talkie Tan Junjie carried crackled to life.

"Captain Tan, invaders stealing grain have appeared in the territories on the western outskirts of the Safe Zone. Please notify the lords and increase patrols. In half an hour, three reinforced squads will be dispatched and are expected to arrive in Territories one to ten within the hour. Northern District One is receiving a total of eight reinforced squads, all under your unified command."

"Received," Tan Junjie replied calmly. "Are the invaders human or animal? Have they been caught?"

"Human. A special operations team has been dispatched in pursuit."

Hearing this news, Tan Junjie’s entire squad fell silent. Xiaqing, still holding the incredibly foul-smelling alfalfa seeds, had a grim expression.

’The patrol squad for Territories one through ten is just seven people. A reinforced squad has at least ten, so three squads is at least thirty men. The military is sending in more than four times the current force.’

’What did this mean?’

’It meant that the group of humans invading the territories to steal grain was extremely dangerous, and there were a lot of them.’

Xiaqing forgot all about digging up a sweet potato. She rushed home, retrieved a sufficient supply of grenades and bullets from her underground storeroom, and armed herself to the teeth to protect her territory.

As she passed the sheep pen, Xiaqing saw that the Head Wolf and the Broken Leg Sister had both lifted their heads. She knew the anesthetic’s effects had worn off.

She turned back to the house, took a vial of medicine to counter Qiang Synthesized Poison from the refrigerator, poured it into a clean bowl, and brought it to the Head Wolf. "My Queen, drink this. It’s the Anti-snake Poison."

The Head Wolf lowered its head and drank all the medicine. Xiaqing then poured some Pollution-free Spring Water into the bowl, added some Anti-inflammatory medicine, and pointed at the snarling, low-growling Broken Leg Sister. She said to the Head Wolf, "This is that wolf’s medicine. My Queen, make her drink it."

After putting down the water bowl, Xiaqing spoke to her companions. "There might be invaders coming to steal the grain from the territories. I’m going out on patrol to protect our greenhouse. Eldest, Second, don’t you two leave the house. Protect the Queen and Broken Leg Sister. Don’t worry, the house has surveillance. I’ll rush back immediately if anything happens."

As Xiaqing returned to the High Slope, she heard Tan Junjie make an announcement over the lord’s channel: "This is the harvest season. All territories, please keep your walkie-talkies open 24 hours a day and speed up your harvesting. All lords, please confirm receipt."

"No.1 Territory, received." Luo Pei’s gentle voice came through.

"Second Territory, received," Tang Huai followed.

Xiaqing followed. "Third Territory, received."

After all territories from one to ten had responded in order, Tang Huai immediately pressed, "Captain Tan, I heard that the lords of territories 158 and 159 in the west, along with members of the patrol team, were killed and their grain was stolen. Is that true? Where did the invaders come from?"

After Tang Huai’s words, the lord’s channel erupted.

Xiaqing clenched her fists, her anger flaring. As a lord, she understood better than anyone the grueling work of farming, and the immense joy of a successful harvest.

’And now, at the very moment of that harvest, invaders had broken in, killed people, and stolen their food!’

’If they dare to come to my territory, I’ll make sure they don’t get a comfortable or quick death. In these Disaster Years, humans who mercilessly kill their own kind are scum that must be eliminated.’

Tan Junjie answered Tang Huai’s question in a serious, calm voice, "I have not received a specific report, so I cannot confirm if there were casualties in the West District territories. I ask all lords to rest assured. The entire Patrol Squad Six, along with the incoming reinforcements, will do everything in our power to guarantee the safety of the territories. Please, do not leave your territories. Contact us immediately if anything happens."

Luo Pei’s gentle voice came through again. "Captain Tan, the Green Dragon Team requests permission to defend the Northern Isolation Zone adjacent to Mountain No. 49. We will ensure that no one passes through Mountain No. 49 to enter the territories."

"Received. Thank you, Green Dragon Team, for your assistance in the defense."

Hearing Tan Junjie’s response, Xiaqing’s heavy heart eased somewhat. ’I knew that wolves would definitely be coming tonight to bring prey for the Head Wolf and Broken Leg Sister. If the Northern Isolation Zone was crawling with people, the prey couldn’t be delivered, and I would have to dip into my own meat reserves to feed the wolves.’

The lords whose territories were adjacent to Mountain No. 49 all felt a little more at ease hearing that the Green Dragon Team was assisting with the defense.

Zhao Ze asked in a pained voice, "Invaders who can kill the people of two territories and the patrol team must be very capable. If people like that need grain, why don’t they just use points to trade for it? Why do they have to kill? We’ve all suffered so much just to survive to the tenth Disaster Year."