Chapter 1004: All to Stay Alive

"No."

Zhang San tossed the disinfectant wipes into the trash can, his face irritable. "Zhang Guannan just called me and told me to think of the big picture and stop investigating this batch of accident seeds. So whether you're still holding onto seeds of the problem soybeans doesn't matter anymore."

Hui City Chief Base Leader Zhang Guannan?!

Xia Qing had assumed that once she and Third Brother exposed the soybean problem, the one to step in would be either Hui One's officials or the Blaze Squad. She hadn't expected to have poked a hole straight through the sky of Hui City Base.

She quickly calmed herself and, using the information she had, analyzed what the Hui City Chief Base Leader meant by "the big picture."

"According to the Ministry of Agriculture's internal data, the total soybean planting area across Hui City's ten bases this year is 6,300 mu, and 90% of the first-generation soybean seeds come from the Blaze Squad. If the genetic-weapon soybean incident is exposed, it'll definitely cause panic, so Zhang Guannan is leaning toward a secret investigation of this batch of seeds."

Seeing that Xia Qing could still calmly analyze things at this point, Zhang San's expression eased a little.

Having spent ten years at the bottom of the base and half a year in an official department, Xia Qing continued her analysis. "Deng Yufeng or Hui One's Base Leader Chen Dianming has already reported the soybean seed issue to the Chief Base Leader ahead of us. Of course they definitely hid how serious it was, but for the sake of the big picture, the Chief Base Leader also agreed not to expose the seed problem and classified it as an 'accident.'"

"If we insist that this is a genetic weapon the Blaze Squad used for revenge, then what should happen next is for the Hui City Chief Base to order a professional investigation team to look in depth at the soil, water quality, fertilizer, and so on used to grow soybeans in Territories Three and Seven, and then issue a professional, authoritative 'accident' determination."

Territory Seven isn't afraid of an investigation, but her territory can't withstand one.

Zhang San nodded, agreeing with Xia Qing's deduction.

Xia Qing took a deep breath and asked, "If that's the case, why did they still have Ji Li lead a team to seize the plants and seeds? Why escalate things this badly?"

Zhang San gave Xia Qing a look. "Wasn't your brain working pretty well just now?"

Figure it out yourself!

Xia Qing immediately started thinking hard about why Ji Li had been so aggressive, and ventured, "Hui One wanted to use this method to test whether Ji Li's squad still obeys their command and strictly carries out their orders?"

Zhang San said lazily, "Keep thinking."

Hmm…

Xia Qing lowered her head to look at her bruised left wrist, then raised her head. "They wanted Ji Li's squad to completely break with the people of this territory."

Her idol didn't say a word, and Xia Qing knew she'd guessed right.

Seeing his expression wasn't good, Xia Qing didn't dare ask whether they could still rescue Wang Wu, who was trapped deep in Blaze Mountain, nor how exactly Zhang Guannan's "big picture" was big. She only asked with a smile, "Third Brother, Ji Li wouldn't steal Princess and the kittens, would he?"

In just half an hour, Ji Li's squad had packed their luggage and weapons, lined up, and boarded the helicopter.

Huo Zhun, dressed in a khaki protective suit, stood behind Zheng Chen's squad in their black-gray combat uniforms, hands in his pockets, leaning against the outer wall of the lab, quietly watching his former comrades one by one step onto the helicopter.

When the helicopter's engines roared to life, Ji Li in the co-pilot's seat looked through the bulletproof glass at Huo Zhun.

Huo Zhun was still leaning lazily against the wall, expressionless and motionless.

Ji Li shifted his gaze toward the northern buffer forest of Territory Seven, bathed in sunlight.

After the helicopter flew away from Territory Seven, Zheng Chen raised his hand to signal the grenade launchers and laser cannons aimed at the helicopter that they no longer needed to lock on. "Brother Huo, what was Ji Li looking at?"

Huo Zhun glanced at the spot inside the northern buffer forest—the sun-catching stone Ji Li had specially cleared—and said slowly, "God knows."

Only after hearing Hui One's helicopter fly off did Xia Qing ask, "Third Brother, does this mean you've completely shaken off Hui One?"

Zhang San yawned, his posture relaxed. "I fulfilled the conditions of the agreement ahead of time. They have no reason to send guards over anymore."

Xia Qing's eyes lit up. "Then the batch of Pest-Slaying Agent you just made—you don't have to share any with Hui One, right?"

Seven days ago, the second batch of cordyceps that Xia Qing and Yang Jin had co-cultivated had already been sent into Territory Seven, so the second batch of Pest-Slaying Agent should already be produced!

Seeing her idol looking at her with a "you're an idiot" expression, the light in Xia Qing's eyes dimmed again. "Ji Li already packed it up and took it away?"

Damn it!

Xia Qing's miserly look was truly unbearable to watch. Zhang San stood up in disgust, turned around, beep-beep-beep opened the lab door, took out a bag containing dry ice and vials, set it on the table, and pushed it in front of her.

"Twenty doses. Use them sparingly."

Xia Qing gazed at her gleaming idol with teary eyes. "Third Brother, you're a top-tier boss standing at the peak of the pyramid, a top-tier idol!"

"I don't give a damn about your family's pyramid."

"I'll finish watering the fields this afternoon, and tomorrow morning I'll go pick chestnuts and torreya nuts."

"And kill an old hen while you're at it."

"Got it. I'll kill the fattest one, clean it up, and bring it over to you."

"Hold out your wrist."

A helicopter landed steadily on the helipad of Territory Seven, and a fully armed thirty-person squad filed out in an orderly fashion.

"Clack, clack, clack, clack."

The sound of military boots on the lab corridor floor drew near and stopped outside Zhang San's lab door. Zhang San tilted his chin up, signaling Xia Qing to open the door.

Xia Qing opened the door.

Standing outside was a square-jawed man, 1.95 meters tall, wearing a Hui Three Special Ops armband. He stood at attention and saluted Zhang San. "Hui Three Special Ops Squad Three Captain Zhang Jingwu, leading thirty squad members reporting for duty. Requesting the Lord to assign tasks."

Zhang San, who was always listless and lacking energy, actually stood up and returned a standard military salute.

Xia Qing blinked rapidly: Nani? When did her idol put on yet another different skin?

"Xia Qing, go get Zheng Chen, Daya, and Er'an."

"Yes!" Xia Qing also snapped her legs together at attention, answered crisply, gave Zhang Jingwu a nod, and only then left the lab.

Zhang Jingwu, a mid-level Cerebral Domain, Grade Seven Elasticity dual-system Evolver—Xia Qing had never met him face-to-face, but she was very familiar with his voice. Last month, when Xia Qing participated in the giant eagle sniping mission as Azure Dragon Night Heron, Zhang Jingwu served as the first-line commander.

After Ji Li's squad withdrew, Hui Three took over from Ji Li's squad and, together with Red Eleven Special Ops, took on the guard duties for Territory Seven. Given the current situation, Hui Three's official side has a very strong willingness to cooperate with Territory Seven, which is why Zhang Jingwu's tasks can be assigned by Zhang San.

This toxic soybean incident couldn't be exposed, and Wang Wu trapped deep in Blaze Mountain might not be rescued. But Zhang San, as the Lord of Territory Seven and head of P3 Lab, gained greater say and autonomy.

For Xia Qing, today's grand show had ended perfectly. Wang Wu? I don't know the guy—who cares!

Riding in the off-road vehicle back to the territory, Huo Zhun opened his mouth several times before asking, "Sister Qing, your arm's not hurt, is it?"

Xia Qing, both hands on the steering wheel, shook her head. "No bones broken."

"Actually… Ji Li's not a bad person." Huo Zhun said the one sentence stiffly and then stopped. His mind was in turmoil right now too.

Xia Qing looked at the dirt road ahead, rutted with tracks, and answered calmly, "It's all about staying alive."

"…Yeah."

Huo Zhun leaned back in his seat and turned to look out the window at the dust kicked up by the car and the weed walls coated in dirt.

After Xia Qing returned to the territory, Hu Zifeng also first asked about her arm.

"The bone isn't broken, just a minor injury. Captain Hu, thank you for going over to help just now." Xia Qing rotated her wrist and led Hu Zifeng toward the meeting room by the farmland.