Chapter 1196: Closing the Deal

Hu Zifeng lifted his head in shock and saw the alpha wolf still staring at him with killing intent, but it made no move to refute Xia Qing's words—his whole mind went blank.

He had caused a huge disaster. According to the squad's regulations, he should be transferred out of this area to avoid further contact with the northern wolf pack and prevent an even fiercer conflict.

This pack of wolves had once wiped out the main force of the Wind Cloud Squad over a provocation. If they discovered he remained in the wolves' territory, there was no telling what they might do.

Hu Zifeng knew that with Xia Qing blocking the way, the wolves wouldn't kill him over this, but he never imagined the alpha wolf would still be willing to trust him...

He had betrayed the trust of the captain, of Xia Qing, and of the wolf pack, and he had failed to take good care of Little Old Five. But this would absolutely be the last time—otherwise he couldn't even forgive himself! Hu Zifeng tightened his grip on the heavy cage suspended by thin wire, his gaze gradually growing firm.

Yang Jin looked at the alpha wolf with a missing chunk from one ear. It had become alpha not only because of its combat strength, but also because it had vision, boldness, and was decisive enough!

"Alright. Thank the Queen for still being willing to trust Hu Zifeng. Hu Zifeng's squad will stay at the Third Peak of Mountain Forty-Nine, responsible for feeding and protecting the bamboo rats. Once grown, seventy percent of the bamboo rats go to the Green Dragon Squad, thirty percent to the wolf pack."

Hm? Xia Qing looked at Yang Jin.

True to his reputation as an iron rooster that won't pluck a single feather—his calculations are razor sharp. The wolves wanted it all, and with one sentence he sliced off seventy percent.

Broken-Waist Wolf stared at Yang Jin with a solemn expression, raised its right front paw, and gestured a number in the air:

7.

Xia Qing spoke, "Captain Yang, what Broken-Waist Wolf means is the wolf pack wants seventy percent of the bamboo rats."

This wolf actually knows numbers?!!! Yang Jin, who always sat calmly at the fisherman's perch during negotiations, was startled for a moment, then quickly regained his composure and held firm on the distribution ratio.

"No. Although this piece of land belongs to the wolf pack, it's the humans of the Green Dragon Squad who raise and protect the bamboo rats; the feed, lighting equipment, and heating facilities for raising the bamboo rats are all provided by the Green Dragon Squad, so the Green Dragon Squad must take the lion's share—otherwise we'd be losing money. The wolf pack gets thirty percent, the Green Dragon Squad gets seventy percent."

After listening, Broken-Waist Wolf once again solemnly used its paw to gesture a number:

8!

You're something else—truly a shrewd wolf standing at the top of the pyramid!

Xia Qing was secretly thrilled, her face expressionless as she served as mouthpiece: "If Captain Yang doesn't agree to the wolf pack taking seventy percent, then the wolf pack wants eighty percent."

Yang Jin was stunned for a moment, then laughed. "Where did Brother Duan learn these negotiation skills? Please explain to it and the Queen, Sister Qing, that this split really isn't reasonable."

The alpha wolf continued staring at Yang Jin. Broken-Waist Wolf looked at Xia Qing with complete trust.

Xia Qing gave it a nod and said with a solemn expression, "Since Captain Yang wants to cooperate with the wolf pack and raise bamboo rats in the wolves' territory, you need to show some sincerity. What exactly are your costs for raising the bamboo rats? What's the per-rat cost? What's the profit margin?"

Yang Jin...

At the foot of the Second Peak of Mountain Forty-Nine, Zhang Song, wearing a special forces protective suit, lowered his binoculars, rubbed his neck that was about to cramp from looking up, and discussed with the person beside him: "Captain Yang and the others have been up there so long—why is there not a single sound? Should I go up and check?"

Yin Jie, the No. 1 Territory agent and a Level-5 Visual Evolver of the Green Dragon Squad, firmly disagreed: "Our captain ordered everyone to stay put. If you're tired, shall I bring you a chair?"

Zhang Song shook his head and continued watching the cloud-shrouded peak through his binoculars, hoping a strong wind would come soon and blow the clouds away so he could see what was happening on the mountain.

In the Northern Zone One Territory, Lord Channel 1-10, Tang Huai was asking: "What's the situation? Sister Qing, what's the situation? Why has it gone completely silent?"

Chang Li answered calmly, "I don't know."

Tang Huai asked, "What is Sister Qing busy with?"

"Pulling weeds in the beekeeping greenhouse."

With his sharp hearing, Tang Huai picked up the background noise behind Xia Qing's words—it really was the buzzing of bees. He was truly in awe of her composure. "You're amazing!"

Hearing that Xia Qing was working, the members of the Territory Alliance also settled down and busied themselves in their respective territories.

During recess at the Ninth Central School, the students walked out of the classroom in silence, moving quietly around the playground.

When Little Shiyi walked out of the classroom hand-in-hand with her desk mate to use the restroom, she raised her left hand high and made a "V" with her tiny index and middle fingers.

At the top of the First Peak of Mountain Fifty, perched in a tall, dense pine tree, Zhang Shi, holding his coated binoculars, curved his lips into a smile.

Forty minutes later, the walkie-talkie on Yin Jie's body crackled to life with the voice of Green Dragon Captain Yang Jin:

"Yin Jie, notify all Green Dragon Squad members stationed at the Third Peak of Mountain Forty-Nine to immediately pack all their personal belongings, and within half an hour, dismantle all cameras on the Third Peak except those in the bamboo rat breeding area. Then carry their personal belongings and the cameras and withdraw from the Third Peak, returning to No. 1 Territory to await orders."

"Copy."

Yin Jie immediately relayed the captain's order to all squad members on the Third Peak.

The squad leader in charge of raising bamboo rats on the Third Peak asked, "Captain Yin, should our squad withdraw too? We're in the middle of feeding the bamboo rats."

Yin Jie relayed the order again: "Withdraw. Your squad is to immediately take all personal belongings and retreat at full speed to No. 1 Territory."

"Copy!"

Fifteen minutes later, Zhang Song, who had nearly fallen, grabbed Zhang Jingwu's arm to steady himself and gazed longingly at Hu Zifeng, who was carrying Little Old Five down the mountain. "Captain Hu?"

Zhang Song wanted to ask how the wolf pack and the Green Dragon Squad had resolved this conflict.

He couldn't say it—even if he did, no one would believe him. They'd just think his brain had devolved into that of an idiot.

Because during the half hour or more on the mountaintop, Hu Zifeng had personally witnessed their captain—nicknamed Iron Rooster—negotiating with a wolf, through a translator, in a session that reshaped Hu Zifeng's entire view of evolutionary Blue Star.

The final result: other Green Dragon Squad members withdrew from Zone Three of Mountain Forty-Nine, and that area belonged to the wolf pack.

The voles would be raised by the Green Dragon Squad, which would also provide feed, electricity, and heating; the wolf pack would provide the land and the bamboo for feeding the bamboo rats, and would be responsible for protecting the vole greenhouse and treating sick voles.

Of the cameras installed in the greenhouse, only Hu Zifeng's squad, Broken-Waist Wolf, Xia Qing, and Yang Jin had the authority to view the footage.

The profits from raising voles would be split thirty-seventy—the Green Dragon Squad gets thirty, the wolf pack gets seventy.

Why did the captain, who was nicknamed Iron Rooster, agree to this distribution ratio?

Because the wolf pack only gave two options: either thirty-seventy, or a twenty-eighty split.

When neither the human nor the wolf would back down, the alpha wolf, growing impatient, gave the order directly: No agreement, no cooperation!

All Green Dragon Squad humans would withdraw from Zone Three of Mountain Forty-Nine, all bamboo rats would be released back into the bamboo forest, and the wolf pack would catch them whenever they felt like eating!

So Captain Yang had no choice but to agree, because the premium bamboo rats in Zone Three could only be raised by feeding on the bamboo from that area.

Truly... the longer you live, the more you see...

Hu Zifeng, whose worldview was being reshaped, shook his head and carefully handed the cage containing Little Old Five to Zhang Song. "Please take Little Old Five back to No. 7 Territory and hand him to Third Brother. Watch your step—don't drop him."

One look at Hu Zifeng's expression told Zhang Song he couldn't get any information out of him. He could only take Little Old Five and, with regret, follow the special forces members back to No. 7 Territory.

After Zhang Song left, Hu Zifeng pressed the walkie-talkie and ordered the squad members not on mission in Territory Three to assemble immediately.