Chapter 1211: Active Soil Microorganisms

After returning to her territory, Xia Qing headed straight for the Ninth Center. Before she could even turn on the walkie-talkie, she immediately turned it on. "Third Brother, you were looking for me?"

Zhang San's voice was still listless. "How's the situation at the Ninth Center?"

Xia Qing immediately reported. "Everything's normal so far. We're analyzing soil and air samples. I'll keep an eye on things at the Ninth Center tonight. Don't worry."

Confirming that Xia Qing had come back with the helicopter, and that he no longer needed her and Chang Li to provide cover, nor did he need her to be distracted managing miscellaneous matters at the Ninth Center, Zhang San felt much better. He gently reminded her, "The Shang-element content is still slowly rising. Don't let your guard down."

"Understood." Xia Qing asked, "Third Brother, why has the Shang-element content in the atmosphere suddenly risen?"

Zhang San answered, "The Shang-element content in the soil is rising faster than in the atmosphere. The cause is still under investigation. Preliminary judgment is that it's related to increased activity of several types of microorganisms in the soil."

Hearing the big shot's answer, the lords immediately grew tense.

Qi Fu asked, "Third Brother, will the Shang-element content rise to the level of a Shang Rain Period?"

Zhang San answered, "Can't determine that yet."

Can't determine yet means it's possible! Every territory immediately began acting on the worst-case assumption, protecting their farmland.

Xia Qing asked, "Third Brother, can we use sterilizing agents to reduce the activity of microorganisms in the soil?"

Zhang San rejected Xia Qing's proposal. "We haven't figured out the cause and mechanism behind the microorganism activity. We can't blindly apply chemicals, or it might trigger uncontrollable chain reactions. Wait for notice."

"Copy that." Xia Qing replied. Wait for notice meant Territory Seven and Hui San's research institute were working at full capacity, investigating the cause of this sudden Shang-element rise and formulating a solution.

Two minutes later, Tan Junjie's serious and calm voice came through. "Potatoes in Territory Twenty-Three have undergone aggressive Shang-evolution. The potato fields are already out of control, and there are casualties. Lords in Territories 1-10 who have planted potatoes, report your situation immediately."

Yin Jie came online. "Territory One's potato shed is currently normal."

Territories Two and Three, which hadn't planted potatoes, stayed silent. Territory Four's Zhao Ze came online. "Territory Four's potato shed is currently normal."

"Territory Five's potato shed is currently normal."

"……"

After Seeing Xin Yu reported, Tan Junjie sent a request to Xia Qing. "Director Xia, can the Ninth Center dispatch Magnetic-sense Evolvers to patrol the potato fields in the territories that planted them?"

The employees in the Ninth Center's greenhouse, hearing Tan Junjie's request, all looked at Xia Qing.

According to regulations, the Ninth Center's Magnetic-sense Evolvers weren't only responsible for patrolling the center's own farmland. During a disaster, they were supposed to assist the investigation team in checking the situation.

Xia Qing pressed the walkie-talkie button. "The Ninth Center will immediately dispatch three Magnetic-sense Evolution employees to patrol the potato fields in Northern District One territories. Please have the investigation team send people to protect their safety."

Tan Junjie immediately replied, "Thank you, Director Xia. Nine members of the investigation team will head to the Ninth Center's north gate immediately to protect the Magnetic-sense Evolvers. Territories that have planted potatoes and need Magnetic-sense Evolvers to enter for investigation, sign up in the group."

"Territory One doesn't need one for now." The Azure Dragon Squad had three Class-B Magnetic-sense Evolvers, one of whom was stationed in Territory One, so they didn't need outside Magnetic-sense Evolver assistance for the time being.

"Territory Four needs one."

"Territory Five needs one."

……

While other territories signed up one by one on the walkie-talkie, Xia Qing had the security team dispatch three squads to protect the three Magnetic-sense Evolvers as they went out to perform territory patrol duties.

The Magnetic-sense Evolvers had just left when Yan Yue came over to report. "Director, Northern District Three is requesting that we send Magnetic-sense Evolvers to help them investigate the danger in the potato fields of Northern District Three territories."

Xia Qing was very blunt. "Refuse directly. Tell them to send a request to the Second Planting Center."

In the past few months, the Hui Three Safe Zone Evolution Ability Testing Center had detected four more Class-B Magnetic-sense Evolvers, all of whom had been assigned to the Agriculture Department.

After the Agriculture Department held a meeting to discuss it, they assigned the three Magnetic-sense Evolvers originally belonging to the Territory Management Department and the four newly discovered Magnetic-sense Evolvers to the four newly established Planting Centers outside the Safe Zone.

The Second Planting Center, located in Northern District Three, had the smallest area and was only allocated one Magnetic-sense Evolver. At the meeting, the Second Center's director raised an objection, hoping to transfer one of the Ninth Center's four Class-B Magnetic-sense Evolvers over, but Yang Benming flatly refused.

Because the combined farmland cultivation area of the territories in Northern District Three and the Second Center was less than one-sixth of Northern District One's, Magnetic-sense Evolvers could play a greater role in Northern District One.

Now that a sudden disaster had struck, Northern District Three territories had sent an aid request to the Ninth Center, and Xia Qing naturally didn't agree. Because supporting Northern District Three territories was the Second Planting Center's responsibility. The Ninth Center, located in Northern District One, had no such obligation.

Five minutes later, the atmospheric Shang-element concentration rose to 13‰, already at a normal-to-high level.

Tan Junjie issued another announcement on the lord channel. "All lords, aggressive Shang-evolved potato plants have been discovered in Territory Eighteen. Lords who have planted potatoes, carefully patrol your farmland. Report any dangerous situations immediately."

After Tan Junjie's voice fell, the lords grew even more uneasy. This anomaly was triggered by microorganisms in the soil. Even stepping on the land made one's heart pound with fear.

After patrolling the Ninth Center once, Xia Qing immediately drove back to her own territory. She took out Yi-stone particles and protected Daigua Monkey, Little Yellow Ox, Qiangzai, the chickens, the Green-light mealworms, the important Green-light crops in the terraced fields, the Green-light rice and Green-light sweet potatoes in Shed 11, the Green-light sweet potatoes in the breeding greenhouse, the nectar plants and beehives in Shed 14, and Sheep Boss's forage shed.

She, Sheep Boss, and Wolf Dog Lao Er had been wearing Yi-stone necklaces long-term, so they didn't need additional equipment on short notice.

Then she once again handed her territory over to the Beard Feng Squad, sat in the off-road vehicle, and video-called Broken-waist Wolf.

The phone rang for a long time before it was answered. The pair of green wolf eyes illuminated by the screen might look terrifying to others, but Xia Qing found them very familiar. "Broken-waist, patrolling your territory?"

Broken-waist Wolf kept its mouth shut and said nothing.

"Not patrolling the territory?" After Xia Qing asked, she directly explained the reason for the call. "Microorganisms in the soil in human territories have started becoming active. The Shang-element concentration in the soil and atmosphere is rising. Plants are already showing abnormal movement. How's the situation on your end?"

"No abnormalities? Good. Broken-waist, you guys be careful. If it really doesn't work out, climb up the mountain and stay away from the soil."

Broken-waist Wolf bared its small fang tips, indicating it understood.

After Xia Qing hung up on Broken-waist Wolf, she called the old wolf on Mountain Twenty-Two, reported the anomalies in human territories, and told the southern wolf pack to stay safe.

After Xia Qing hung up, the old wolf nudged the phone back into its satchel with a paw, walked out of the cave, and let out a long wolf howl.

At the same time, Broken-waist Wolf, which had already issued a warning to its companions, returned to the cave where it stored supplies. It fished out a sparkling Yi-stone protective case from its satchel, pried the case open with its claws, picked up a broken Yi-stone in its mouth, ran to where it had planted evolved Bai Mao grass, and placed the Yi-stone in the center of the grass.

After counting that there were still seven plants here, Broken-waist Wolf stretched, howled a few times, and headed toward Mountain Sixty with the Yi-stone. Xia Qing, meanwhile, drove the off-road vehicle back to the Ninth Center.

Just as she arrived at the Ninth Center, the voice of Territory Seventeen's lord, Wen Nengjie, came through the walkie-talkie. "I think the aggressive Shang-evolution of the potatoes in Territory Eighteen might be related to their use of potato-specific fertilizer. Yesterday, while repairing the thorn wall, I ran into Territory Eighteen's lord, Zhang Genyong. He said he'd just sprayed foliar fertilizer on the potato fields."

(End of this chapter)