Chapter 1150: Temporary Mission

On the last day of the migratory bird season in September of Year Ten of the Calamity, a small flock of swallows fleeing a sparrowhawk darted in panic over Territory Three. Although Xia Qing had killed the sparrowhawk, this small flock of swallows never managed to rejoin the main migration, so they stayed in Territory Three to spend the winter.

After a year of breeding, the flock had grown from 22 to 43. During the year they lived in Territory Three, they not only ate huge numbers of insects, but also guarded the roof and the crops drying in the yard with a strong sense of territorial duty, so Xia Qing was quite satisfied with these chattering, pooping-everywhere neighbors.

They had flown off. Xia Qing felt a little regret, but not much surprise. Swallows were migratory birds; the instinct to migrate would make them spread their wings and follow the main flock to warmer places for the winter.

Xia Qing hoped their lives would be tough enough that next spring, when the migratory season came, they could fly back and keep living under her eaves.

The swallow nests—Xia Qing left them for them.

If this flock of little swallows didn't come back next year, Xia Qing would go to the town ruins, catch a few nests of swallows, stuff them into the nests under her eaves, and lure them to stay with pollution-free spring water and green-light mealworms, so they could clear pests in Territory Three.

After replying to Hu Zifeng's message, Xia Qing first checked the Ninth Center work report sent by Yan Yue, and finally opened the Alliance group chat. Seventy percent of the new messages in the group were from Tang Huai, and most of them were nonsense.

Before Xia Qing had finished reading, an unfamiliar number called her. After she picked up, she was surprised to hear the Base Commander's voice.

"Xia, this is Qi Zhongye. A small squad is moving from the northern Evolution Forest of Hui-5 toward our base's Mountain Area Nineteen. Numbers and purpose unknown. Will you team up with Zhu Zhenming and the others to go check it out?"

An unfamiliar phone number, using the Base Commander's voice, asking her to team up with people she didn't know and rush to Mountain Area Nineteen at the border of Hui-3, Hui-5, and Hui-1. Xia Qing's cautious nature made her first thought that someone was impersonating the Base Commander to set a trap for her.

Even though this person's voice sounded exactly like the Base Commander's, Xia Qing still had to confirm his identity first. "Commander, at the September 3rd morning meeting in the Agricultural Department, the Director handed you that black signing pen—did it work well for you? Did you return it to the Director later?"

Qi Zhongye was stunned for a moment, immediately understood what Xia Qing meant, and answered gently, "I'm not in my office, so I can't call you from the landline. This is my cell number. When I left after the meeting that day, Deputy Director Wang took the pen back. Does Xia like that kind of pen too?"

It really was the Base Commander. Xia Qing answered with a smile, "That pen was pretty nice. Probably wasn't cheap."

"Xia, go with Zhu Zhenming on this trip. If this squad enters our base, the points you'll earn from this mission will be enough to buy a thousand of those nice pens." Qi Zhongye explained why he'd called Xia Qing. "Hui-1 and Hui-5's top snipers aren't on missions tonight. I suspect they're in this squad. Right now, you're the closest sniper to this squad, and the strongest. Luo Pei can't make it in time."

Luo-ge had worked hard all day and was probably just finishing dinner in Territory One by now. She couldn't make him run back and forth again. Xia Qing didn't refuse, but said, "Commander, can I team up with the Tang Zhou squad to go? They're hunting birds here too."

Among the evolvers in this bird-hunting area, Xia Qing only trusted the Tang Zhou squad from the Azure Dragon Squad.

Qi Zhongye only then realized his oversight. When Xia Qing was in the Safe Zone, she worked on the outer city construction team; after leaving the Safe Zone, she'd been farming in the territory. She'd never cooperated with Hui-3's military evolvers, so being reluctant to team up with them was perfectly reasonable. If it weren't for this caution, she wouldn't have survived until now.

"Fine. Go rendezvous with the Tang Zhou squad now. I'll have Zhu Zhenming bring the senior sniper Eclipse Moon to go with you. Be careful on the road. If you can't take them alive, take them dead. If you can't get the dead ones either, just withdraw safely." Hui-3's newly promoted top sniper was a treasure—she couldn't be allowed to have an accident.

"Roger that. I guarantee the mission will be completed perfectly!" Xia Qing had worked at the Ninth Center long enough that this common military phrase rolled off her tongue crisply and forcefully.

Xia Qing accepted this mission not for the points. First, the Base Commander had personally called and asked her to go. Second, Hui-3's Mountain Area Nineteen wasn't far from the wolf pack territory where Old Four lived. Xia Qing was afraid those people were heading for Old Four and the others.

After hanging up with the Base Commander, Xia Qing immediately called Yue Haiying to ask whether Zhu Zhenming and Eclipse Moon could be trusted.

Xia Qing had heard Eclipse Moon's voice twice before, but she'd never heard the name Zhu Zhenming.

Xia Qing didn't mention what the mission was, and Yue Haiying didn't ask either. She just gave a concise rundown of the two. "Eclipse Moon and Zhu Zhenming are both members of our base's Special Operations Team Two. They've both served for over ten years. One's a senior sniper, the other's a spotter. Add Blood Fang, and when the three of them work together, their combat power rivals a top sniper. You can team up with them without worry."

After confirming her teammates' identities, Xia Qing quickly packed her supplies and left Sniper Point One. When she met up with Tang Zhou's ten-person squad, she found Zhu Zhenming and Eclipse Moon had already arrived—their height and features matched Yue Haiying's description.

Tang Zhou greeted Xia Qing and introduced today's squad members. "Sister Qing, you know everyone in our squad, so I won't go through them again. This is Zhu Zhenming, Level-6 Visual Evolver, spotter; Eclipse Moon, Level-7 Visual Evolver, sniper. These two are both members of our base's Special Operations Team Two. The captain for this mission is Zhu-ge."

Xia Qing nodded. "Zhu-ge, I'm Xia Qing, Level-6 Strength and Level-9 Visual Evolver."

Zhu Zhenming's voice carried a smile. "I know. Eclipse Moon and I have both received Captain Luo's special training many times. We're from the same school."

……

The moment Zhu Zhenming opened his mouth, Xia Qing understood why the Base Commander had her team up with him—because Zhu Zhenming was the leader of tonight's bird-hunting squad's sniper group. But he hadn't introduced himself over the radio earlier, so Xia Qing hadn't known his name.

Zhu Zhenming immediately issued orders. "The enemy is wearing infrared-blocking gear. Numbers, weapons, combat strength, and purpose are unknown. Estimated 15 to 20 people. We'll cross the Evolution Forest at top speed and reach the target location to set up an ambush within thirty minutes. To increase speed, we'll use Dengshan ropes to cross the two large canyons along the way."

Thirty minutes from Hui-3's Mountain Area Six to Mountain Area Nineteen—the distance was at least 30 li. Besides crossing two canyons, there was no telling how many mountains they'd have to climb…

Xia Qing silently rolled her ankles, tempted to call in the wolves.

The distance was too far. Calling in the wolves was impossible. Xia Qing drank an X nutrient solution and went for it!

"Sister Qing, if you're tired, just say the word. I'll carry you for a stretch." Tang Zhou, who often attended joint training with Xia Qing, knew her weakness.

"Okay." Xia Qing agreed readily. They were on a mission now—she couldn't slow down the whole team's pace just because of her.

Still, Xia Qing felt she probably wouldn't need anyone to carry her.

Because the supplies she was carrying today weighed only about 40 jin, and on her feet she was wearing the strength-evolver-adapted running shoes she'd exchanged 80,000 points for a few days ago, which boosted running speed. Combined with over a year of hard training, her running speed and endurance were no longer poor.