Chapter 112: The Second Message

Feng Wen really isn't smart, otherwise Xia Qing wouldn't have chosen her as a roommate.

Feng Wen is eight years younger than her own brother Feng Teng. While her parents were alive, she was pampered; after they died, her brother raised her. Feng Wen took her brother's kindness for granted, but anyone with eyes could see that Feng Teng raised her so he could trade her for money or a future—maybe both.

Only Feng Teng hadn't expected that before he could sell his sister off, his own life would be collected by the Azure Dragon Squad first.

Xia Qing had always been a woman of few words, and Xu Juan had long grown used to it. She took a few more bites of meat and kept asking, "You haven't really gotten together with Beard Feng, have you?"

During the second Acid Rain, when Territory Two sent out evolved rats to scout whether Luo Pei was inside Territory One, it also released plenty of evolved rats toward the surrounding territories. Beard Feng immediately dispatched both of the squad's smell-evolved members into Territory Three to catch rats—an action that drew Territory Two's attention. To cover up the truth, Beard Feng began pretending to pursue Xia Qing.

Because the Azure Dragon Squad had bought Mount Forty-Nine, and after Third Boss Luo Pei successfully detoxed he remained in Territory One, and Tang Zhengpo had also run off to Territory Twelve—and that stretch also had capable people like Zhang San and Li Si—the Safe Zone would keep an eye on developments in that area, so Xia Qing wasn't at all surprised that Beard Feng knew he was "courting" her.

She answered vaguely, "Not yet."

"Not yet" meant Xia Qing was a little tempted but hadn't agreed; this was the stage where the active party lavished attentions. They'd have to wait until the security squad's mission ended before Beard Feng's "attentions" could stop.

Xu Juan stared at Xia Qing for a moment, then sighed. "Saying Feng Wen has no brains—you're not much better. If you really want a man, pick Boss Luo. He's a Level Ten vision-evolver, our base's number one sharpshooter."

Xia Qing gnawed on a chicken wing and reminded Xu Juan, "Sister Juan, say a little less—if this gets into the Azure Dragon Squad's ears, it'll be trouble."

Although this was a private room, the thin walls couldn't block the ears of hearing-evolved people at all.

Xu Juan shot Xia Qing a look, lowered her voice, and kept trying to persuade her. "You saved my life; I truly hope you'll do well for yourself. Luo Pei is a good man, and he must have some interest in you—otherwise he wouldn't keep taking you on missions."

Xia Qing was speechless. She picked up a chicken drumstick and put it in Xu Juan's bowl. "Plenty of female evolvers have gone on missions with Boss Luo many times—does he have feelings for every one of them? Sister Juan, hurry up and eat, you're almost out of meat."

Xu Juan picked up the drumstick and bit into it viciously. "Fine, I won't mention it. Your territory still only has you in it, right? It's too quiet—it's a good idea to recruit a couple of people to go back and work this time."

Xia Qing shook her head. "No need. I'm a strength evolver—working a few acres of land is a piece of cake."

Xu Juan laughed. "You really are a good hand at farming, but you can't live just to farm, can you?"

Xia Qing actually thought of one need. "Once life gets a little better, I want to hire a good cook—but people like that are pretty hard to find."

Hiring a cook might as well go ask Third Brother—he might even have a robot that can cook.

Xu Juan nodded. "True. Workers are easy to find, but a cook has to handle food, so you need someone you can trust one hundred percent."

After the meal, Xia Qing turned down Xu Juan's invitation to keep partying at a bar, left the restaurant intending to go settle scores with Zhao Jie and his bunch, and heard a car honking. She stepped toward the wall and pressed her hand directly onto her newly bought dagger.

If anyone dared to make a move on her, she'd take this chance to test whether her new knife was sharp enough.

The car caught up, the window rolled down, and Feng Wen inside waved to Xia Qing. "I've been waiting for you forever—get in quick."

Xia Qing couldn't be bothered to deal with her and kept walking forward.

Feng Wen had the driver stop, hurried after her in high heels, and blocked her path. "Come with me to see Tang Shao—it's a good thing."

Xia Qing stared coldly at Feng Wen. Feng Wen didn't dare compete with this strongwoman and got straight to the point. "It's about territory business—hurry up, this chance won't come again."

"I'm not interested." Xia Qing kept walking forward.

Feng Wen didn't dare block her, and trotted alongside her in high heels, explaining in a low voice, "Tang Shao wants to talk to you about cooperating to develop territory. Don't worry—I'm here, I won't let you get the short end."

Xia Qing kept walking forward.

Feng Wen couldn't hold back and complained, "Why are you still this rotten-tempered after being away half a year? What's the harm in going? You won't lose a chunk of flesh."

Xia Qing stopped, stared straight into Feng Wen's eyes, and asked directly, "Is it Tang Shao who wants to see me, or is it you who wants to take me to see Tang Shao?"

The Tang family had never given up investigating why the Azure Dragon Squad bought Mount Forty-Nine, and how Luo Pei's injuries had been healed. Xia Qing was very close to Territory One; Tang Zhengpo and Tang Huai had probed her several times trying to pry something out, but each time they hit a soft nail and gave up.

Even if Tang Rui wanted to make contact with the lords near Mount Forty-Nine, he'd pick Zhao Ze, Kuang Qingwei, and the others—not her. So Xia Qing guessed it was Feng Wen, eager to show off, who had taken it upon herself to bring Xia Qing to see Tang Rui.

One test, and she'd drawn it out.

Feng Wen stepped closer trying to take Xia Qing's hand. Xia Qing stepped back, drew her dagger—dark and cold. The Tang family driver giving Feng Wen a ride only glanced over once, not even moving his hands.

Feng Wen didn't dare move, and pleaded softly, "Xia Qing, help me out this once. Once I marry into the Tang family, I definitely won't forget you."

You'd better forget me fast. Before Xia Qing could speak, she heard Shi Du shout, "Sister Qing, what a coincidence—want to head back to the hotel together?"

Seeing Xia Qing being blocked, Shi Du shouted and ran over, two armed guards following behind him.

"Whatever you want, earn it with your own ability—don't bother me, or I'll send you to reunite with your brother in one slash." Xia Qing sheathed her dagger, walked a stretch with Shi Du to shake off Feng Wen, then told him to go on ahead. "You go first, I still have some things to do."

Shi Du said "Oh," and cheerfully followed his friends, shoving each other playfully as they walked off into the distance.

Xia Qing hadn't walked far before she heard Sun Zhe calling her, and stopped again.

Inside a black car by the road, Xie Yu—who had just put on his mask and was about to get out—paused and sighed, then took out his phone and sent a message:

If you want to catch her, you need to learn to cook fast.

Three armored vehicles were parked by the seaside at Gui Three Base. The small submarine that had gone underwater two days ago still hadn't surfaced, and the people inside the armored vehicles were growing more and more restless.

"Someone's coming up!" the hearing evolver standing watch on the shore suddenly shouted, and a dozen or so people immediately crowded over.

Ripples spread across the calm sea surface. Yang Jin, using an octopus tentacle thicker than his waist, dragged two unconscious Fiery Fire Squad members onto the shore. The Fiery Fire Squad medic standing watch immediately took the wounded away for treatment.

Yang Jin climbed into the Azure Dragon Squad's armored vehicle and took off his diving suit.

Wang Liang handed Yang Jin his phone. "Boss, where are the rest of the Fiery Fire Squad?"

"One submarine ran into a giant octopus attack—Fire Phoenix took people to chase it down." Yang Jin drank a pack of premium nutrient solution to replenish his strength before opening his phone.

Seeing Xie Yu's message, he remembered that today was the first day of Gui Three Base's agricultural trade fair, and typed back:

Don't talk nonsense in front of her.

Xie Yu: Heh, I'd like to.

Yang Jin raised an eyebrow. From the sound of Xie Yu's words, Xia Qing was very busy—what was she busy with?

"Buzz, buzz."

Feeling her phone vibrate twice in her pocket, Xia Qing told Sun Zhe, "I still have some things to do—let's talk in detail when I get back to the hotel."

After Sun Zhe left, Xia Qing confirmed there were no cameras around and no one who could see her phone screen from a high vantage point, then pulled out her old phone. Sure enough, she found that both of her phone numbers had almost simultaneously received the same message sent from the same phone number.