Chapter 1258: Wolf Corpse Number Five

Xia Qing acknowledged, "Its brain domain evolution level should exceed the human average."

"After Blue Star's evolution, the shortcoming of animals' insufficient intelligence has been made up. The old wolf that has dealings with us should not only be in contact with the western Hui-Three tiger group, the northern and western wolf groups, but very likely also with the brain-domain-evolved fierce beasts in the Hui-One and Hui-Five evolution forests. If these brain-domain-evolved animals form a cross-species alliance, they can now compete with humans during the Calamity Rain period."

Yang Jin stared at the evolved wolves running swiftly through the dense evolution forest below. "Animals reproduce very strongly. In the evolution forest's exceptionally intense survival competition of survival of the fittest, each generation of evolved animals will be stronger than the last. If humans keep fighting amongst themselves, in less than fifty years, due to insufficient population base and lack of follow-up development, they will lose the combat strength to contend with the brain-domain-evolved animal alliance. Fortunately, Sister Qing has already joined this alliance, preventing us from becoming mortal enemies with them."

After Yang Jin finished speaking, he turned to look at Xia Qing, his eyes smiling. "Sister Qing, you are a human standing at the very top of Blue Star's pyramid."

I'm not a brain-domain-evolved animal, and I can't climb onto the pyramid either.

Xia Qing calmly reminded him, "The wolf pack's encirclement is no longer shrinking; the current diameter is 300 meters. Old Four should know the effective coverage range of the tranquilizer darts humans commonly use."

"That's possible." Yang Jin nodded. "Team Two, increase speed toward the target location and prepare to fire tranquilizer darts."

"Copy."

Xia Qing simultaneously contacted the old wolf through the walkie-talkie. "My human companions are about to use tranquilizer darts. Don't be afraid, Old Four. They definitely won't harm your companions."

"Awooo." Old Four responded solemnly.

Team Two's speed evolvers instantly accelerated toward the corpse's location. After closing the distance with the evolved wolves, they fired the tranquilizer darts.

The evolved wolves, unable to dodge in time, inhaled the potent tranquilizer and soon began stumbling about. Amid the old wolf's howls, the evolved wolves still with combat strength charged into the battlefield, dragging their incapacitated companions back rapidly.

After the wolf packs besieging the three human squads in the evolution forest retreated, the old wolf continued to howl, one call after another.

To prevent humans from locking onto its position, this clever evolved wolf would change locations after every two howls.

Based on this wolf's movement speed and completely irregular movement directions, Yang Jin confirmed it was a high-level brain-domain and speed evolver!

The current situation was inconsistent with what Xia Qing had communicated with the old wolf. Yang Jin asked, "Sister Qing, can we continue executing the mission?"

The old wolf had just had several companions killed by humans, so it was reasonable that it didn't trust leaving the tranquilized companions in human custody.

Xia Qing listened to its continuous howls and answered calmly, "Old Four is contacting the Wolf King of Mountain Twenty-Nine. I can't understand what it's saying, but it's definitely not asking the Wolf King to launch an attack. The wolf packs here won't attack again. Captain Yang, have the three squads quickly gather the corpses and supplies, then withdraw."

Any later, and Xia Qing couldn't guarantee her team members' safety either.

After Yang Jin gave the order, he monitored the mission progress while discussing with Xia Qing. "Sister Qing, I want to learn wolf language from you. I guarantee I absolutely won't pass it on."

Xia Qing pressed her lips tightly shut. I haven't even learned it properly myself; I'm not qualified to take disciples.

Yang Jin explained his purpose. "These past two or three years, Blue Star hasn't experienced any more devastating natural disasters. Humanity has entered a post-disaster recovery period, so now the harm from man-made disasters is greater than natural disasters. When it comes to viciousness and scheming, these brain-domain-evolved animals are still thousands of years behind humans. If Sister Qing's purpose in allying with the animal lords is to improve survival quality and probability, you could consider letting more trustworthy humans join this alliance."

"The Green Dragon Squad's goal is the same as yours—we also want to survive better at Hui-Three Base. Sister Qing, consider me? After learning wolf language, I can improve communication efficiency with the wolf packs, avoid unnecessary conflicts, and also enhance the alliance's coordination efficiency."

"I know Sister Qing is very busy. Can I give you a pigeon-egg-sized mid-grade Use Yishi as tuition?"

This...

"One walnut-sized Use Yishi, and I'll tell you the general meaning of the howls I know. The complicated ones, I can't understand either."

Wolves communicate not only through sound, but also through scent, eye contact, and body language. Given Yang Jin's intelligence, after spending more time in contact with the wolf packs, he would naturally understand.

However, since Yang Jin was willing to pay tuition to learn from her, Xia Qing could reluctantly accept this disciple for the sake of the Use Yishi.

"Deal. Thank you, Sister Qing."

Such a generous offer from a cheapskate made Xia Qing confirm that the tuition she'd collected was too low. She added another condition: "To prevent fierce conflicts between the southern wolf packs and Hui-One's humans from causing catastrophic consequences, I want to designate Hui-One's Mountains 27-29 as part of Hui-Three. What do you think?"

Mountain territories for a base are not only a burden during disaster periods, but also collection sites for large amounts of survival resources. Changing the ownership of such a large mountain territory isn't that easy.

Yang Jin replied, "The base's boundary line can't be changed. But to protect the southern wolf packs and prevent Hui-One's people from entering, we don't necessarily have to change the boundary line. We can turn this mountain territory into a trial zone like Mountain Fifty. Sister Qing, discuss it with Third Brother?"

Right!

Xia Qing's eyes lit up instantly. How could she have forgotten such a good solution!

Seeing the vivid expression on Xia Qing's face appear because of him, rather than because of this wolf or that sheep, Yang Jin felt a great sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. He further reminded her, "Third Brother is busy with disaster relief right now and is in a terrible mood. Sister Qing can wait until the disaster is under control before bringing it up with Third Brother."

Xia Qing......

Yang Jin was surprised. "You've already brought up the matter of assigning the wolf pack's territory to Hui-Three with Third Brother? What did Third Brother say?"

"Third Brother didn't say anything."

"Knowing Third Brother's temper, if he didn't open his mouth to scold, that means he agreed." Yang Jin's calculating mind clicked away. "If Third Brother handles it, changing the base boundary line isn't impossible."

Xia Qing reminded him, "This disaster was caused by Blaze. The cost of disaster relief and subsequent repairs should come from Blaze. The disaster relief and repair costs for Mountain Fifty were collected too little—it's not enough."

Yang Jin nodded. "This time we'll squeeze them harder, including making up for the later repair costs for Mountain Fifty. I'll handle this matter."

The corpse-collection squad below reported, "Captain, the intruders' protective suits and supplies were torn apart by the evolved wolves and scattered everywhere. Three corpses were blown apart and cannot be fully recovered. The remaining supplies have been collected."

The reason those three corpses were blown apart was definitely because they had bullet holes on them, so after Xia Qing removed the bullets, she didn't remove the explosives on their bodies. Yang Jin asked, "Have samples been collected at the scene?"

"Soil and corpse fragment samples have been collected. The equipment containing the toxin wasn't destroyed." This could be considered a blessing in disguise.

"Good. Recall the team."

"Yes!"

As the human squads withdrew, Xia Qing confirmed with Old Four that she didn't need to stay here to protect the tranquilized evolved wolves, then followed Yang Jin back to the helicopter to hand in the mission.

On the helicopter, Zhang Song was reporting the autopsy results. "... Confirmed that Wolf One and Wolf Two died from injected poison, not from eating prey infected with the toxin..."

While Zhang San listened to Zhang Song's report and quickly skimmed the autopsy report, Seeing Xin Yu beside him reported, "Commander, a wolf corpse was discovered in a sinkhole with a vertical depth of 220 meters at Hui-One Mountain Twenty-Eight."

Zhang Song stopped, and everyone's gaze turned to the notebook screen in Xin Yu's hand.

The areas within the wolf pack's territory with dense trees, heavy moisture, and complex terrain were the surveillance zones handled by the tamed birds of Territory Eight.

Seeing the evolved wolf corpse lying by the stream in the surveillance footage, its abdomen already hollowed out, everyone's expression grew solemn.

Zhang San spoke. "The wolf corpse discovered in the Twenty-Eight sinkhole is confirmed as Number Five. Which squad is closest to Number Five?"

Xia Qing's mood grew even heavier.

At this point, after Lord Cui Yan issued the assembly order, all three southern wolf pack members that hadn't reached the gathering point had died.