Chapter 1113: Code Name: Seahorse

Although Li Ziyan was asking, her expression and tone made it seem as though her entry into the Ninth Center was already a done deal—she had even thought ahead to the future school drop-offs and pick-ups.

To the average person, how big a difference is there between an administrative post at Hui One's Evolution Ability Testing Center and an administrative post at the Ninth Planting Center?

If we compare using the administrative divisions from before the Catastrophe, Hui City corresponds to a provincial-level district; Hui One is the provincial capital, and Hui Three is a city under Hui City's jurisdiction. Hui One's Evolution Ability Testing Center is a provincial-level unit, while Hui Three's Ninth Planting Center is a subordinate municipal department—a small planting branch located outside the Safe Zone.

An administrative staff member from a provincial-level unit coming to work at the Ninth Center would be "stooping from a lofty perch," so it would only be fitting to arrange at least a director-level position for them.

Feeling Xin Yu lightly tap her leg with hers as a reminder, Xia Qing refused with what passed for politeness, her face expressionless. "Sister-in-law, your abilities are certainly sufficient, but your conditions don't meet the Ninth Center's hiring requirements: aside from urgently needed talent, the Ninth Center only takes Hui Three veterans and military dependents whose livelihoods aren't guaranteed."

The base has already announced the construction of four new in-territory planting centers, but the one drawing the most attention remains the expanded Ninth Center. Currently, the number of people applying for jobs at the Ninth Center far exceeds the number of openings. Yue Haiying is leading the work team in screening applicants and selecting the best candidates.

The goal of this expansion of the Ninth Center is to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the Northern District One territory. Although Li Ziyan's education isn't low, she doesn't fall under urgently needed talent; even without the reminder, Xia Qing wouldn't have let her work at the Ninth Center.

Senior administrative talent? Xia Qing poached ten of them from the Planting Management Department!

Li Ziyan hadn't expected to be refused, and her expression turned a bit sour. "Director Xia, although Zhang Yi didn't retire from Hui Three, he served in our Hui City military for fifteen years and came away with injuries all over his body…"

Before Li Ziyan could finish, Zhu Li, who was sitting between her and Xia Qing, laughed and spoke up. "Sister-in-law, this is a rule set by the Base Commander; Sister Qing can't do anything about it either."

Yuan Yan, sitting on the other side of Li Ziyan and her two children, also said, "Sister-in-law, you have a high education and work experience—you could try our Safe Zone. Lots of departments there are hiring. And the schools in the Safe Zone are more proper than ours; the kids studying there would definitely be better off than here."

Li Ziyan nodded and said in a small, somewhat embarrassed voice, "The main thing is I don't want to be separated from their dad anymore."

"Soldiers rarely come home. Once he's retired, if you can live together, try not to be apart—it's better for the kids too." Huo Zhun's mother chimed in, trying to think of solutions. "Talk it over with their dad. Applying together for jobs in the Safe Zone would be good too; living in the Safe Zone is more convenient."

Everyone who came was Huo Zhun's comrade; the lords meant well. In their view, Zhang Yi was a senior Evolver, Li Ziyan was a fifth-level Evolver, and after fifteen years of military service, Zhang Yi's severance pay was surely substantial. Even if they couldn't get into the Inner City in the Safe Zone, renting a place near the Inner City's school district would be no problem at all—there was no need to suffer out here in the territory.

As long as you have credits, you can buy quality food in the Safe Zone too. The safety level and convenience of life in the territory are more than a little worse than in the Safe Zone.

Li Ziyan could barely keep her smile up. "Thank you, Auntie; thank you, everyone. I'll talk it over with their dad again."

Zhang Yi, sitting at the next table, came over holding his glass. "Wife, what are you all chatting about?"

Li Ziyan replied gently, "Just chatting. Drink a little less."

"Just one bottle of beer each—can't drink much." Zhang Yi cheerfully raised his glass to toast Xia Qing. "Sister Qing."

Xia Qing raised her teacup and clinked it against his, taking a sip.

Zhang Yi downed his glass. "Sister Qing, I heard about your battle record while on a mission at Lan Five. In a few days, during the migratory bird season, will you be in the territory?"

Xia Qing nodded. She was a lord; during dangerous times, unless something special came up, of course she wouldn't leave the territory.

Zhang Yi made a request. "A few of us brothers aren't great shots—can't count on us. If you see any big birds with pretty feathers fly by, could you trouble Sister Qing to help us shoot a couple? I want to use the feathers to make shuttlecocks for the kids."

Seeing the two very reserved children beside Li Ziyan peeking at her timidly, Xia Qing nodded.

"Thanks, Sister Qing!" Li Yi toasted everyone again, then went back to his seat to continue drinking and shooting the breeze with Huo Zhun and Tang Huai.

"Sister Qing." The lords were all busy and dispersed quickly after lunch. Just as Xia Qing was about to leave with Xin Yu, Wang Man called out to her. "Hold on a moment. Yanlong brought you some specialties."

"Specialties Sister Yan sent? There must be extra-big pearls and shells!" Tang Huai, whose ears were exceptionally good, came over and stood grinning beside Xia Qing, waiting. "Molly is a raven—she definitely likes sparkly things. Xin Yu, do you need any pearls?"

Xin Yu's face was cold, and she acted as if she hadn't heard.

After receiving the specialties, Xia Qing and Xin Yu headed toward the south gate of Territory Eleven. Tang Huai, who should have been heading toward the north gate of Territory Eleven, was about to follow them again when Tang Heng grabbed him. "Brother, let's go—help Mingzi and the others tidy up their rooms."

After returning to Territory Eight, Xin Yu began introducing to Xia Qing the magnetic fields of the six adults who had entered Territory Eleven that day. "After Li Ziyan entered the territory, she appeared calm on the surface but was extremely agitated inside. After being refused by you, that turned into fear. After everyone's persuasion, her emotions became a strong mixture of agitation and fear. Also, her feelings toward Zhang Yi and the two children are very sincere. Putting it all together, she most likely came with a mission; joining the Ninth Center was to carry out that mission, and failing to complete it would result in punishment."

Xia Qing nodded. Relying on her sharp eyesight, she had caught the flash of fear on Li Ziyan's face.

Xin Yu introduced the remaining people. "Zhang Yi and Wang Dashan had frequent psychological activity, no obvious good or evil—it's the normal magnetic field fluctuation of humans entering an unfamiliar environment. Di Ming and Wu Lianmin were full of joy. Wang Man's magnetic field was extremely sharp, very similar to Yanlong's. She has strong goodwill toward you, and obvious anger toward Li Yi."

After finishing the analysis, Xin Yu summarized. "Di Ming, Wu Lianmin, and Wang Man are trustworthy. Zhang Yi and Wang Dashan need continued observation. Li Ziyan is an unstable factor."

"Good, thanks for your hard work today." After arranging with Xin Yu to go hunting wild ducks in the swamp of Mountain Area Fifty-Three the day after tomorrow, Xia Qing drove back to her own territory and opened the specialties Yanlong had brought her.

Perhaps because she'd heard about Xia Qing asking Chang Li to bring pearls and shells, among the specialties Yanlong sent Xia Qing there were indeed pink pearls—each one larger than a pigeon egg. That size must have come from an evolved giant clam. Although the shapes varied, every single one was of high quality; after polishing, they would surely captivate the eye of a certain wolf with taste.

After laying out the specialties on the table—several dozen pearls, several dozen beautiful shells, a few clusters of bright coral, a few dried sea snakes and dried seahorses—Xia Qing noticed something off: one of them was still missing its tail.

Xia Qing carefully went through the anti-collision packaging bags in the box and confirmed that this seahorse's tail hadn't broken off during transport but had never been there to begin with. She understood that this was Yanlong, who was under surveillance, using this method to pass along a message.

After estimating that the people who had moved into Territory Eleven were already resting, Xia Qing called Huo Zhun over to Territory Three and handed him the tail-less seahorse. "Among those four people, whose code name is Seahorse?"

Huo Zhun took the seahorse and answered calmly. "Zhang Yi. A few years ago, when he was using this code name, he was seriously injured once, so he changed his code name to Kelp. I understand what Yanlong means. For the safety of the territory, and for the safety of Brother Yi and his family, I'll arrange for them to leave here as soon as possible."

Xia Qing nodded. "What's your code name?"

"…Iron Hammer."

Xia Qing……

After saying that, Huo Zhun laughed at himself too. "Sister Qing's busy. I'll head to Territory Seven and ask Third Brother to treat Brother Yi's body."

No matter what, Huo Zhun had to repay the life he owed Zhang Yi first before talking about anything else.