Chapter 1046: Northern Zone One Disaster Relief Commander

Running as she went, Xia Qing issued orders: "Immediately organize everyone to cover the passageways with rainproof cloth, isolate the Calamity Rain as quickly as possible, and stop the aggressive Calamity Grass from spreading into the territory. Captain Tan, I suspect this grass may attract nearby animals to attack the territory. The other two passageways should be covered as soon as possible too, to keep the crisis from escalating. The north passageway is Zhao Ze's responsibility; the central and south passageways and Territory 14 are the Reconnaissance Squad's responsibility."

In terms of rank, Zhang San held the highest position in this territory, followed by Xia Qing, then Tan Junjie. According to the red-headed document issued by the Territory Management Department and the Safe Zone Office, whenever danger arose in Northern Zone One, Xia Qing, director of Center Nine, held the authority to command and deploy the Reconnaissance Squad.

In other words, Xia Qing was the officially designated Disaster Relief Commander for Northern Zone One. When ordinary danger appeared in this territory, Commander Xia Qing had the authority to mobilize every available force in the territory for disaster relief.

Once high-risk species of creatures appeared in this area, it fell under the Emergency Disaster Response Procedure stipulated by the Hua Nation's Emergency Natural Disaster Response Law, requiring Zhang San to step forward as commander, with Xia Qing automatically becoming deputy commander.

Xia Qing also understood why her superiors had arranged it this way: the greater the combat power, the greater the responsibility. Her idol was a top-tier research authority, and Xia Qing herself was this territory's top dual-system Evolver sniper. Only by placing the responsibility on their shoulders could the territory's safety be better protected.

By instinct, Xia Qing believed that the sudden surge of abnormal Calamity Grass on the passageway was connected to the wanderer squad hunting tigers and wolves deep in the western Evolution Forest. Most likely, this Calamity Grass, which had already undergone an aggressive Calamity evolution, was releasing some kind of scent to draw animals large and small to attack the territory.

The current situation counted as ordinary danger, with Xia Qing serving as commander. So she gave decisive orders to mount a proper defense.

Whatever species this Calamity Grass was, using rainproof cloth to cut off direct washing by Calamity Rain could, to a certain extent, slow the pace of its Calamity evolution and prevent the spread of Calamity Grass seeds and toxic gases.

Although Zhao Ze was an ordinary person, his command and coordination ability was second only to Yue Haiying, who was currently handling dispatch at Center Nine. This mission suited him best.

"Copy that." Zhao Ze immediately accepted the order.

"Understood." Tan Junjie accepted the order and reported the monitoring results: "Confirmed: the Calamity Grass on the isolation belts to the east, south, west, and north of Northern Zone One has not undergone aggressive Calamity evolution."

"Copy that." Xia Qing hauled bundles of rainproof cloth out of the rack-storage room at home while contacting her idol: "Third Brother, are the Calamity Grass test results out yet?"

Zhang San's voice remained unhurried, yet exceptionally steadying: "The Calamity Grass has already grown flower buds; the aggressive means are still being analyzed. Cover the passageways to stop pollen spread. Confirmed: this aggressive Calamity Grass reproduces through its root system. Every territory needs to dig trenches as soon as possible to stop the Calamity Grass from spreading."

"Copy that." Xia Qing immediately contacted Yue Haiying: "Brother Yue, dispatch the security squad right away to escort the four Magneto-sense Evolvers out. Confirm the scope and speed of the passageway Calamity Grass's spread as quickly as possible."

"Copy that." Yue Haiying accepted the order.

Xia Qing handed the rainproof cloth she was carrying to Guan Tong, then called a friend by phone: "Xin Yu, are you there?"

"Here." Xin Yu, who had just been stir-frying a moment ago and was now suiting up the Eagle Owl in protective gear, asked: "Xiaoxiao is ready for takeoff. Where do you need her to scout?"

The darkened sky was the domain of the nocturnal raptor, the Eagle Owl.

Xia Qing gave a precise range: "Check whether a beast tide has formed within the area from Mountain 37 to Mountain 44, moving toward our territory or Northern Zone Three's territory."

Yesterday, Handsome Giant Wolf had led Xia Qing to two blue-skinned wanderers hidden in a tree hollow on Mountain 44. This morning, the Head Wolf had led Xia Qing to seven blue-skinned wanderers in a valley on Mountain 37.

Although no beast-hide pouches containing live insects had been found among the supplies of the two wanderers on Mountain 44, Xia Qing felt certain the missions of these two groups were connected, and might also be linked to the mission being carried out by the person called "Liu Zi" whom the two leaders of the Azure Dragon Squad had joined forces against.

Xin Yu's cool voice carried concern: "Copy that. Stay safe, and keep in touch."

"Okay. Once we get through this crisis, we'll have roast lamb together." Xia Qing hung up, hauled two more bundles of rainproof cloth and handed them to Beard Feng: "Captain Hu, please contact Captain Yang right away. See if his mission is done, and whether the live captives have confessed anything related to our territory."

"Copy that." Beard Feng accepted the order.

On the lord channel, Zhao Ze was issuing clear, precise orders one after another, mobilizing personnel from the territories of the territory alliance members, carrying the spare rainproof cloth stored in their territories, to cover the passageways between territories that were over five meters wide. From Territory 3, Er Yong, Chen Cheng, Dajiang, and Xiao Jiang also brought the six spare rainproof cloths from Territory 3 and rushed toward the passageway, joining the personnel from Territory 2 on the south side of the passageway to cover the Calamity Grass on the passageway as quickly as possible.

Yue Haiying's voice came through: "Director, the Center Nine Magneto-sense Evolvers have confirmed that the passageway Calamity Grass has already seeped three meters into the territory, and is spreading outward at a rate of half a meter per minute."

"Holy shit!" Tang Huai, Huo Zhun, and Shi Du, located in the central area of this territory with passageways both to the north and south, cursed in unison.

Zhao Ze immediately gave instructions: "All territories, immediately arrange personnel to dig trenches thirty centimeters deep and twenty centimeters wide at a distance of fifty meters from the passageway, then insert double-layered rainproof cloth to stop the passageway Calamity Grass from spreading. This work must be completed within half an hour. Territory 3, Territory 10, Territory 11—do you need support?"

Territory 3 needed to dig a two-thousand-meter-long isolation trench on its south side within half an hour, while Territory 10 and Territory 11 needed to dig trenches on both their north and south sides. Their manpower was definitely insufficient.

Guan Tong pressed the walkie-talkie button: "Territory 3 has already drawn personnel from Territory 1. No support needed."

Shi Zhong of Territory 10 pressed the button: "Territory 10 needs support."

Huo Zhun of Territory 11 pressed the button: "Territory 11 needs support."

"Copy that." Zhao Ze immediately coordinated personnel: "All territories, Center Nine, please report the number of personnel available for outside support and their equipment."

Tang Huai reported: "Territory 2, four people available to go out, carrying pickaxes and shovels for support."

Crouching in the greenhouse with a pen, scribbling on the ground, Zhao Ze immediately issued the deployment: "Copy that. Personnel from Territory 2 heading out, proceed to Territory 11 immediately."

While Zhao Ze was coordinating personnel, Xia Qing had already handed the micro-tiller to Liangzi. She rushed back home again. Within three hundred meters north of the south wasteland grass wall of Territory 3, no crops were planted. So Xia Qing decisively handed Territory 3 over to Beard Feng's squad; she was going with Yue Haiying to protect Center Nine's greenhouses.

But before heading to Center Nine, Xia Qing had to protect her companions.

Xia Qing rushed home, took two fully enclosing protective masks, and casually pulled Little Feimao out of the wooden nest, stuffing it into the pocket of her protective suit.

She clamped the first protective mask onto Sheep Elder's head, then carried it onto the building ruins on the south side of the yard, tucked it into a shed made of rainproof cloth, and clamped the second protective mask onto the already somewhat restless Old Wolf's head.

Teeth were Old Wolf's weapons. It shook its head in displeasure, trying to fling the protective mask off.

Xia Qing quickly fastened the protective mask securely, turned on her earpiece-style walkie-talkie, and briefed the old wolf on the current situation: "The Calamity Grass on the south side of our territory has undergone a mutation. It may release toxic gas, so this must be worn! Boss, you and Old Four stay here and don't go out. Wait for me to come back."

Finished speaking, Xia Qing charged down the barren slope, arrived at the southwest corner of Territory 3, endured the increasingly sharp sting at her brow, climbed over the wire-mesh wall, landed on the passageway already covered with rainproof cloth, faced the guns of the Center Nine security squad, accurately gave the Center Nine contact code for this time slot, then stated her identity.

"Center Nine Director, Xia Qing."