Chapter 1298: Little Tiger

Zhang San looked at the test report Xia Qing had sent over, his brow furrowing. "It's infected with an evolved Clostridium difficile, one of the anaerobic bacterial species that evolved in the soil this time. Its spores can survive in the outside environment for several months."

Clostridium difficile? Just hearing the name, it sounds like a pain to deal with.

Xia Qing asked, "Third Brother, winter's coming right now. If this bacterium's spores are exposed to temperatures below minus twenty-something degrees, they should freeze to death, right?"

Zhang San's voice was cold enough to drip icicles. "Freezing is one of the standard methods for long-term preservation of microbial strains."

Uh…

Xia Qing didn't make excuses for her lack of basic knowledge. With an extremely strong will to survive, she asked, "Third Brother, what do you think — should we report to base and apply for the relevant department to spray disinfectant in Mountain Area 62?"

Zhang San shook his head. "Let's observe for a while first. If the wild animals in Mountain 62 don't show large-scale infection or death, no intervention is needed."

Xia Qing continued asking, "Alright. Can this little monkey be injected with the C-1 injection?"

"C" is the abbreviation for Clostridium. Among the medicines her idol had told her to bring out, those starting with C are all therapeutic and disinfecting agents specially formulated by Territory Seven based on soil test samples, targeting evolved Clostridium.

Zhang San replied, "The little monkey can't handle the efficacy of C-1. Give it a quarter dose of C-5 by injection, half a dose of the Number Two agent from the blue box orally, then disinfect its whole body."

"Got it." With Seeing Xin Yu's help, Xia Qing efficiently treated the little monkey.

The little monkey, not even five jin in weight, was cleaned up, but its body was still so weak it couldn't move. It could only stare at Xia Qing with a pair of terrified eyes, afraid Xia Qing would leave it behind.

Xia Qing was busy with official duties and had no energy to spare for this little monkey.

Seeing Xin Yu put a freshly made diaper on the little monkey, then gently placed it on Xia Qing's lap.

Xia Qing glanced down, then continued her call with Yue Haiying.

In the soil anaerobic bacteria evolution disaster half a month ago, the Ninth Center had responded promptly and taken appropriate measures, saving the four mu of potatoes that were already in their late growth stage. The office of the Hui Three Agricultural Department contacted Xia Qing, saying a busload of people would come to the Ninth Center tomorrow for a visit and inspection.

If it were internal personnel from Hui Three Base coming to visit, Xia Qing wouldn't need to receive them at all. But this group were agricultural experts from Hui Two and Hui Four, so in principle Xia Qing needed to step out to receive them.

Xia Qing wasn't sure she'd be free tomorrow either, so she first handed the preliminary reception preparations over to Yue Haiying, then lowered her head to look at the little monkey on her lap.

After looking for a few seconds, Xia Qing raised her hand and stroked the little monkey's head, her voice gentle. "Sleep. When Does Daigua comes back, you can go back to the Evolution Forest with it."

Soothed, the little monkey slowly closed its eyes, struggling to shift its body, wanting to get closer to Xia Qing. Seeing Xin Yu reached out and moved it up a bit, letting it lean against Xia Qing's abdomen.

Xia Qing…

Seeing Xin Yu explained, "You carry Does Daigua's scent on you, which can make this little monkey feel a bit more at ease."

The "at ease" Seeing Xin Yu mentioned wasn't her guess — it was her judgment based on this little monkey's magnetic field fluctuations. Xia Qing certainly couldn't refuse.

Besides, she had no reason to refuse. Because this little monkey had paid its medical fees, and was now a VIP patient of Territory Three.

Seeing Xin Yu quietly chatted with Xia Qing. "The differences in appearance between male and female white-faced saki monkeys are really huge."

Xia Qing nodded — indeed quite huge. The males have completely black fur, and their faces — apart from the nose and mouth — are pure white; the females' fur — including their faces — is mottled brown. Compared to this little female monkey, Does Daigua was already considered rather handsome among saki monkeys…

Seeing Xin Yu quietly asked again, "What are you planning to name it?"

What to name it? Xia Qing looked down at the pitiful little monkey and answered expressionlessly, "Does Ergua."

Xia Qing's naming style was as steady as ever. Seeing Xin Yu pressed her lips together and smiled.

Zhang San turned his head away, no longer looking at the monkey on the screen — the one that was ugly without being the ugliest, only ever uglier. "Keep this thing yourself."

Don't let it show up in my territory!

Xia Qing immediately nodded. "Understood."

Watching Huo Zhun turned his head for a quick glance at the little monkey called Does Ergua, then reported, "Sister Qing, we've arrived above Mountain 38. No signs of evolved tigers or evolved wolves spotted."

"Land between Mountain 36 and Mountain 37."

"Copy that." Er Yong piloted the helicopter down slowly, setting it down in the area where they'd stopped several times before.

Then, Xia Qing sent Beard Feng and Jing Kuan down to collect soil and small animal samples. It wasn't that she didn't want to go herself — Beard Feng and Jing Kuan had seen her holding the monkey and volunteered to go out and take samples.

This area was the boundary between the wolves' and tigers' territories, with a relatively high safety rating. The two also had rich survival experience in the Evolution Forest, and quickly brought the samples back.

After Seeing Xin Yu and Xia Qing tested them, they confirmed that the anaerobic bacteria activity here was slightly lower than in the farmland in human territory, and breathed a small sigh of relief.

Zhang San ordered, "Take more samples from the 0 and A soil layers by the stream, the steep slope, and the litter accumulation areas. No need to test them — just bring them back. I'll use them for microbial community and carbon storage assessment."

After Beard Feng and Jing Kuan finished sampling, Xia Qing's phone rang again. Old Wolf had sent her another location: Peak One of Mountain 34, Hui Three — tiger territory.

After Xia Qing dialed Old Wolf's number, she saw the entire screen filled with yellow-black mottled stripes. Xia Qing asked calmly, "Fourth, you're in the tigers' territory?"

"Roar!!!"

The mottled stripes on the screen shook, and an earsplitting tiger's howl drilled into Xia Qing's ear canal, making her head buzz.

In the Western Evolution Forest, there isn't a single beast with a good temper, damn it!

The screen image shook, and a puddle of… tiger dung appeared. Xia Qing held back and asked, "Fourth, is there an evolved tiger with diarrhea?"

"Aow." Fourth responded.

"Alright, Fourth, take the sample first. I'll fly the helicopter over right away. Fourth, put the sample a bit farther away — don't let the evolved tiger hurt the bird taking the sample." After giving Fourth her instructions, Seeing Xin Yu released the eagle owl. Xia Qing ordered Er Yong to take off, and the helicopter flew to the coordinates Fourth had posted.

Watching Huo Zhun reported, "Sister Qing, the vegetation here is too dense. Can't spot any large animals."

Seeing Xin Yu, who was directing the trained birds on a low-altitude reconnaissance, reported, "The evolved wolf and evolved tigers are in the dense forest to the helicopter's right front. One evolved wolf, evolved tigers… three — two adults and one cub."

A little tiger?

Xia Qing responded, then dialed Old Wolf's number again. This time, she saw Old Wolf's solemn face and the blind tiger behind it.

"Fourth, Fifth, you two are together?" Xia Qing greeted them, then asked, "Fourth, is it the evolved tiger cub with diarrhea? Did you get the sample?"

The phone camera flipped, and a dirty sample tube appeared on the screen. Zhang San frowned. Xia Qing praised, "Fourth did very well. Put the sample tube into the packaging bag and bring it to an open area. I'll have the owl pick it up for testing."

Old Wolf responded. Before long, an evolved wolf with gray fur appeared below the helicopter. It moved swiftly through the Evolution Forest, placed the packaging bag it was carrying in its mouth on a protruding boulder, then retreated back into the Evolution Forest.

After the eagle owl brought the sample up, Xia Qing quickly tested it and sent the results to Zhang San.

The sample tiger was also infected with the evolved soil anaerobic bacteria. Zhang San gave a treatment plan — oral medication. An evolved tiger with a cub was extremely dangerous. Even if Xia Qing dared, Zhang San didn't want this new human to go down and take the risk.