Chapter 1270: The Warmest Little Wolf on Blue Star

When Lord Cui Yan launched the beast tide and led the wolf pack to Liehuo Mountain for revenge, he did not bring the Scarface cub. Because this dual-evolution wolf—brain domain and speed—was the southern wolf pack's key next-generation prospect. Until it grew up, the pack would not let it take risks. So Xia Qing figured it hadn't called her over because it was injured.

Xia Qing didn't get too close—first, she didn't want to scare the Scarface cub; second, there were still two sets of breathing sounds inside the mountain crevice, meaning two more wolves had come along to protect the cub. If she got close and those two wolves thought she was about to attack the Scarface cub, they would definitely come out and bite her.

The Scarface cub picked up the prey on the ground and walked out, placing it in front of Xia Qing.

This is……

Xia Qing bent down to meet the half-grown wolf at eye level, gesturing as she asked, "Scarface, are you giving me this prey so I can eat it?"

The Scarface cub bared its lips, revealing small bloody fang tips.

Xia Qing, receiving prey from a half-grown wolf for the first time, was deeply moved. "Scarface, thank you. You're the warmest wolf born in Year Eleven of the Calamity that I've ever known. You'll definitely reach the top of Blue Star's pyramid one day and leave a brilliant page in the history of evolved wolves!"

Gratitude can't be just words. Xia Qing pulled a small bottle of medicinal powder from the satchel at her waist, unscrewed the cap. "Scarface, let me sprinkle some anti-parasite powder on you, okay? The soil's anaerobic bacteria have evolved, and the parasites have gotten tougher too."

The Scarface cub recognized the smell, knew it was the medicine that stopped the itching, and raised its head so Xia Qing could apply the powder to its neck.

After confirming the breathing rate of the two wolves inside the crevice hadn't changed, Xia Qing first applied a layer of medicinal powder to this brain-domain-evolved cub, then gave it three eggs and a packet of freeze-dried food, told it she had brought her own food and wouldn't go hungry, and only then picked up the prey the cub had given her and headed back to the top of the sinkhole.

Huo Zhun asked, "Sister Qing, everything okay?"

Xia Qing answered calmly, "Yeah. The southern wolf pack saw I hadn't eaten in half a day and brought me food."

Huo Zhun, who also hadn't eaten in half a day…………

At 10 a. m. the next day, the second phase of the cross-base disaster response mission—triggered by the spread of the Liehuo toxin—came to an end. Commander Zhang San took a helicopter back to Northern Zone One territory to provide remote guidance, while Deputy Commander Yang Jin stayed at Mountain 28 to handle on-site command.

After catching the 33 people who had fled from Liehuo Mountain to Huiyi Mountain Area No. 4 last night, Yang Jin hadn't been able to catch any more fleeing Liehuo members, so the squads led by Luo Pei, Zheng Chen, and Zhang Song remained at Liehuo Mountain, waiting to open the underground bunker passage and confirm the death toll from the explosion.

On the return helicopter, Xia Qing—who had slept only two hours the night before—gripped her sniper rifle and carried out her guard duty with full alertness, because her idol and her good friends were all on this helicopter, and she had to ensure their safety.

Exhausted Zhang San, Yan Yue, and several other disaster-response assistants from Territory Seven closed their eyes to rest. Disaster response was tight on time and heavy on tasks; Zhang San's orders came one after another, and the assistants were all worn out.

Tang Heng, who had also labored for a full day and night, was still in an excited state, clutching his phone and chatting with someone unknown.

Xin Yu sat in the seat closest to Xia Qing, holding a birdcage covered with black cloth, feeling her peaceful magnetic field, and rested with her eyes closed.

After accepting the commander's summons yesterday, Xin Yu had taken a magnetic-pain-suppression tablet to ensure that for 24 hours her work efficiency wouldn't drop due to headaches or her evolved abilities be exposed.

Now the 24-hour drug effect had worn off, and the intense magnetic field filling the entire helicopter made Xin Yu very uncomfortable—especially Zhang San, who looked like he was resting but whose brain was still running at high speed, which was truly a headache for a Class C magnetic-sense evolver. Xin Yu only felt comfortable staying by Xia Qing's side.

To spare the boss and Yan Yue, who wore a prosthetic, a few extra steps, Xia Qing directly ordered the helicopter to land on the training field inside the Ninth Planting Center. Xia Qing asked Huo Zhun and Wang Man to escort Xin Yu back to Territory 11, while she and the special-ops team would take the idol back to Territory Seven.

Once Zhang San entered Territory Seven, he didn't let Xia Qing follow anymore. "You go handle the work at the Ninth Center and in the territory first, then come back at four in the afternoon."

Xia Qing understood her idol wanted to watch the footage of this mission, and nodded in agreement. "Okay, Third Brother, eat a good lunch, then get some proper sleep."

The emergency disaster-response procedure was still ongoing, and as commander, even away from the disaster site he had to keep constant watch over how the situation was being handled—where would he find time to sleep? Still, Zhang San accepted Xia Qing's good intentions, gave a brief reply, and walked briskly toward his office.

Yesterday Northern Zone One territory had suffered a raptor attack. There were no casualties inside the Ninth Center, and no greenhouses or buildings were destroyed, but as its administrator, Xia Qing had to show her face there once she returned to the territory and handle some tasks only she could complete.

Yan Yue, who had rested on the helicopter for over an hour, also threw herself wholeheartedly into work.

At 12:30, Xia Qing left the Ninth Center. After returning to the territory, she obediently let Ram Boss headbutt her into the air three times before pulling a handful of fresh Green Lantern greens she'd just bought from the Ninth Center greenhouse out of her backpack. "Boss, look! I found fresh Green Lantern greens for you—a flavor you've never tried. Boss, hurry up and taste them!"

The huffy Ram Boss squinted and stared at its underling for a few seconds before picking up a stalk of greens and starting to eat.

Xia Qing turned and pulled a sealed-preserved prey from the insulated pouch of her backpack. "Lao Er, look! Green Lantern prey! Let's go home and eat meat, okay?"

Wolf Lao Er bared its lips in a happy grin.

Xia Qing raised a hand to greet Xiao Jiang and Guan Tong over by the fields, then headed home with one wolf and one ram.

Xiao Jiang lowered his arm and muttered softly, "I really want to watch the footage of Sister Qing's mission this time…"

Guan Tong beside him wanted to as well, but it was simply impossible. "After our shift change later, I'm going to join the training camp. Are you coming?"

"I'm in." Xiao Jiang, who still had a bruise on his face, clenched his fist. "Next time the two of us team up, we're definitely snagging a spot on a mission with Sister Qing!"

Xia Qing got home, quickly took a shower and changed clothes, then went downstairs to cook.

After Xia Qing opened the sealed bag, Wolf Lao Er, who was keeping her company, lifted its nose and sniffed, then closed its mouth and stared at Xia Qing.

"Lao Er smelled the wolf scent, right? This was given to me by the Scarface cub—it's really the most sensible, the most loving, the most thoughtful little wolf on Blue Star…"

Xia Qing took out the prey—uncertain whether it was a deer or a muntjac—and while processing it, told Wolf Lao Er why she had stayed inside the southern wolf pack's territory yesterday.

Wolf Lao Er, lying by Xia Qing's side, watched her with a pair of clear rust-colored eyes. After listening for a while, it gradually closed its eyes. In the living room, Ram Boss, having finished the grass its underling had spent a day and a night out finding for it, also lay down on the hanging chair and fell asleep.

Xia Qing had originally planned to make stir-fried pork with chili, but not wanting to wake her companions, she switched to boiling meat.