Chapter 1097: Like Hell You Know the Limits!

The soil layer thickness, soil quality, and irrigation conditions of Territory No. 14 are no worse than those of Territory No. 10, and the total area is even 40 mu larger than Territory No. 10. However, because the previous lord neglected management, the territory is overgrown with weeds and trees, and it needs time to clear and reclaim before it can be cultivated.

Over the next half month, the Ninth Center will dispatch machinery and manpower to thoroughly clear Territory No. 14, reclaim fifty mu of fields, and assist Zhong Tao's family of three with moving.

After the autumn harvest of the crops in the original Territory No. 10, the Ninth Center's staff will help them dismantle the greenhouse frames, reassemble them in the new territory's farmland, and build earthen-wall greenhouses for them.

Then, the western thorn wall of the original Territory No. 10 will be dismantled, and the salvaged timber will be used to build the north and south walls of the new Territory No. 10.

After the above demolition work is completed, the 2006 mu of fields in the original Territory No. 10 will be officially merged into the Ninth Center.

As for housing, Zhong Tao's family of three had already planned to fire bricks and build a new house in autumn, so they can simply build it directly in the new territory.

After this swap, the Ninth Center can be enclosed directly by a perimeter wall instead of being split into two pieces, making it easier to manage and cultivate.

The Zhong family also won't have to worry about new neighbors being ticking time bombs like Yan Meng and Li Si, and can finally farm in peace.

After Xia Qing and the others returned to the territory by helicopter, Tan Junjie handed the new territory usage certificate to Zhong Tao. The family of three was still in a state of excitement. After thanking Xia Qing, they asked Tan Junjie, "Captain Tan, can we go look at the new territory now?"

As a lord herself, Xia Qing understood perfectly why they were so excited. Over the past year or more, the lords had thoroughly explored their own territories, so exploring a new territory might lead to the discovery of new green-light plants.

Tan Junjie explained, "Wait until we've cleared out the supplies of the original Lord of Territory No. 14 and evacuated the stranded personnel from the territory before you go in, to avoid unnecessary conflict."

Yan Meng has been taken away, but Feng Wen, who is pregnant, is still in the territory.

Zhong's mother's heart rose again. "Captain Tan, when can she evacuate?"

Tan Junjie explained, "I went to the hospital to visit Yan Meng today. The doctor said he has multiple organ failure and a severe imbalance of the two elements, Qi and Yi, in his body. He needs various medical instruments and equipment to support his vital signs and maintain organ function. The daily cost of medicine and treatment is over thirty thousand credits. The credits in his identity card are already used up. I'll go collect his crops and supplies later and convert them into credits to pay for his medical and treatment fees."

Yan Meng's territory only has a broken container house and farmland that is half-overgrown after being reclaimed. Even if they sold the protective cloth on the greenhouse, they couldn't scrape together 30,000 credits.

In other words, he has at most one or two days left to live.

Su Ming, who was standing nearby, added, "According to the will Yan Meng made, the child in Feng Wen's belly does not have territory inheritance rights. So after Yan Meng dies, Feng Wen must evacuate the territory within 24 hours. If she refuses to comply, the inspection team has the right to enter the territory and forcibly expel her."

Hearing that Feng Wen would be forcibly expelled after Yan Meng's death, the Zhong family of three didn't feel the slightest bit of pity for her. Because Feng Wen lives in

Although Feng Wen is heavily pregnant, this person is not worth sympathizing with at all.

Over the past few months, Feng Wen has not only frequently stayed in the weed wall adjacent to Territory No. 10, eavesdropping on the movements inside Territory No. 10, using various means to cozy up to Zhong's mother and pry into matters related to Xia Qing. Because of her and Yan Meng, the Zhong family of three didn't dare speak loudly even in their own territory. Whenever they needed to discuss anything related to the territory alliance, they had to communicate by paper and pen or phone, like thieves.

After Yan Meng lost control the day before yesterday and was sent back to the safe zone by the inspection team, Feng Wen completely panicked. She ran to the thorn wall and tearfully begged Zhong's mother to take her in. After being firmly refused by Zhong's mother, she took advantage of Zhong Du's evening patrol of the territory, stood by the thorn wall and cozied up to Zhong Du, saying that as long as Zhong Du would hire her, she would do anything.

Zhong Du isn't a fool—how could he possibly agree?

After Zhong's mother learned of this, she was so angry she stood in the territory and cursed through a loudspeaker for a long time. She didn't sleep well last night, her head was foggy. Hearing that Yan Meng wasn't going to live and Feng Wen was about to be driven away too, Zhong's mother instantly became full of energy.

"Sister Qing just went to the safe zone for a meeting and took down Territory No. 14—that's amazing!" Zhong Du was full of admiration for Xia Qing.

The territories in the Northern District One were watched by countless people. After Yan Meng was taken back to the safe zone, wave after wave of people called him to inquire about Territory No. 14. Who could have imagined that before Yan Meng had even breathed his last, the territory had already been taken by Xia Qing.

Tan Junjie nodded. Today's Xia Qing was like a blade with its edge fully revealed. Not to mention old foxes like Zhao Baolin, even the captains of the Southern, Western, and Northern District One inspection teams who had attended the meeting were all cowed by Xia Qing.

Especially Peng Zhiyong, the captain of the Southern Territory inspection team, who after leaving the meeting room was so worked up he was hollering excitedly, dragging everyone along to bet on which year of the apocalypse Xia Qing would defeat Nie Hong.

Tan Junjie of course wouldn't take that bet, because he knew Xia Qing had zero interest in the title of top sharpshooter. She had rushed off to Territory No. 7 so urgently earlier because she definitely wanted to get back to the territory before dark to watch her sheep fight the honey badger.

"I've asked Yang Jin, Xu Juan, and our mole in the Agriculture Department to keep an eye on Zhao Baolin. We'll soon figure out why he targeted me today." After briefing on the situation of her trip to the safe zone meeting, Xia Qing told her idol about the contingency she had arranged.

Zhang San was surprised. "You planted a mole in the Agriculture Department?"

Xia Qing nodded. "You know them too—Zhou Qianpeng from the Territory Management Department and Li Chang from the Safe Zone Planting Center. Zhou Qianpeng is greedy; give him some benefits and he'll spill everything. Li Chang has hinted to me more than once, overtly and otherwise, that she wants to work at our center. I don't even need to ask—she'll take the initiative to look into things and send me messages."

Zhang San nodded. "Are you and Yang Jin really together?"

Xia Qing shook her head. "No, it's a cooperative relationship."

Zhang San reminded her, "From my observation of Yang Jin, if he didn't have even a little good feeling toward you, he wouldn't propose this kind of cooperation."

Her idol's well-meaning reminder—Xia Qing certainly wasn't going to hide it either. "You're right. He does have some feelings for me, but not many. He cares more about his team and making money. I also think he's not bad, which is why I'm working with him. Don't worry, I know the limits—I won't get the short end of the stick."

Like hell you know the limits!

Thinking of that limping, glove-wearing wolf in Territory No. 3, Zhang San couldn't help but add another reminder. "The medicines and pills you traded from me—the fewer people who know, the better."

"Understood. You've been compounding remedies for treating physical damage and conditioning the body for me, and I haven't told a single soul."

You haven't told a single person, but you've told plenty of animals! Zhang San shot Xia Qing a look, wanting to shoo her away.

Xia Qing, who was very perceptive, quickly arranged the next steps. "When Brother Yue sends the list over, please take a look and sign it so he can process the paperwork."

Zhang San was too lazy to sign and simply tossed Xia Qing a seal engraved with the two characters "Zhang San" in a flamboyant dragon-and-phoenix style.

"Got it, thanks for the trust, Brother San. I'll handle it properly." Xia Qing continued, "Recruiting and the Ninth Center expansion will be left to Brother Yue and Sister Yue and the others. My focus for the next few days will be on building the laboratory and installing the mechanical arms in the chestnut grove."

Zhang San reminded her, "Don't forget the evolved purple violets in the West District evolution forest."

"I'll fly the helicopter over tomorrow morning to check on that tiger's recovery and see if we can trade for supplies." After saying that, Xia Qing asked cautiously, "Brother San, the spinach in my terraced fields needs fertilizing. The dung from that giant bee in the chestnut grove..."

Zhang San...