Chapter 1335: Zhang Shi's New Hideout

In the open, Huo Zhun and Wang Man, both senior evolvers with rich combat experience in the Evolution Forest, led the teams; in the shadows, the Waist-Severing Wolves stood guard. The two human squads sweeping for danger didn't need Xia Qing to lead them.

So, after assigning the two squads their search zones, she first went to deliver a few green-light eggs to the plucked-yellow weasel family, told them humans would soon be working construction in the valley, and then entered the hidden valley to find Zhang Shi.

The hunted recovery-type evolver Shi Jiaran, living under the identity of Number Seven Territory researcher Zhang Shi, had moved into the hidden valley for nine months now. She herself looked no different from before she moved in, but the little girl at her side had changed—from her biological daughter Little Eleven to the orphaned Little Yiyi, who had lost her parents.

Following Zhang Shi into the wooden cabin she shared with Yiyi, Xia Qing first greeted Yiyi, who was hiding in the small room.

Little Yiyi still showed no reaction, but she didn't scream either—her condition had neither improved nor worsened.

Zhang Shi had brought Yiyi back from Orchid Five largely because she needed her blood to keep her own daughter safer in North Zone One Territory. For an orphan with no ability to protect herself, meeting a Zhang Shi willing to feed her and treat her illness during the Calamity years was already Yiyi's good fortune.

After giving Little Yiyi a pretty little hair clip, Xia Qing glanced at the already packed luggage and got down to business with Zhang Shi. "Although the greenhouse building materials won't arrive until the day after tomorrow, the ones doing the construction for the first ten days are members of the Territory Alliance, so Sister Ten doesn't need to rush to move."

When members of the Territory Alliance came to the valley to fetch water or tend the fields, they had all seen Zhang Shi from a distance and, following Alliance rules, would not reveal to outsiders that a Number Seven Territory researcher was here.

Zhang Shi shook her head. "Yiyi's afraid of noise. I've already packed. We'll move back to Number Seven Territory tomorrow."

Xia Qing understood that Zhang Shi's words were meant for the people in the valley to hear; as for where she was actually going, if she didn't say, Xia Qing wouldn't ask. "Alright, does Sister Ten have any large pieces of luggage? Let me send them back to Number Seven Territory for you first?"

"Mainly some research materials, in the laboratory." Zhang Shi led Xia Qing into the laboratory inside the hidden valley.

This laboratory was an emergency shelter Zhang San had people build for Zhang Shi. If danger came, Zhang Shi could hide inside and wait for Number Seven Territory's rescue. So once the door was shut, the place was absolutely safe and concealed.

Xia Qing knew Zhang Shi had brought her here to discuss the arrangements going forward.

Zhang Shi was a Class C magnetic-sense evolver; only through close-range conversation could she clearly perceive the other person's emotions and confirm whether they were lying.

Xia Qing didn't mind this way of communicating. In the Calamity years, supplies were scarce and order was in chaos—no one dared trust others lightly. Zhang Shi and her son were hunted recovery-type evolvers; if she hadn't been careful, she'd have been exposed long ago.

Zhang Shi quietly sensed Xia Qing's emotions and softly discussed her plan going forward. "North Zone One is Shiyi's only chance to live as an ordinary person. She loves reading and has good friends now—I can't take her away. As for Yiyi, I'll ask Third Brother to do a plastic surgery on her, then use hypnosis to seal away her memories, and let her return to a normal life. From now on, before Shiyi's annual physical, I'll draw a vial of Yiyi's blood without her knowledge and send it back. When the time comes, I'll have to trouble you to swap the blood sample."

Little Shiyi's school-entry physical used Yiyi's blood, and the sample had already been "stolen" and sent to the Blaze Squad. So to cement Little Shiyi's identity as Ye Yang's niece, the Orchid Five orphan Ye Shiyi, every physical from now on would have to use Yiyi's blood.

Hearing that Zhang Shi planned to give Yiyi plastic surgery and seal her memories, Xia Qing wasn't surprised.

To improve Little Shiyi's personal safety, before sending her into Number Fifteen Territory, she had already undergone minor facial adjustment surgery—her jawbone, eyes, and lip shape had all been altered.

Now that Yiyi was returning to human society, of course her features had to be changed too, so her appearance would clearly differ from Orchid Five's Ye Shiyi and better fit her new identity.

What Xia Qing hadn't expected was that these two children's "plastic surgery" had actually been done by her idol. "I didn't expect Third Brother to know how to do plastic surgery."

Hearing Xia Qing say that, Zhang Shi knew that although she was Zhang San's collaborator, she didn't fully understand Zhang San's abilities. "For Third Brother, this poses no difficulty at all. Before the Calamity, he already enjoyed an extremely high reputation in medical research. After his brain-domain evolution, he devoted all his energy to research combating the Calamity and treating patients, making outstanding contributions to humanity's fight against the Calamity. And he never took credit for himself, always holding to a researcher's moral bottom line—he's the only trace of humanity left in Radiance One Research Institute."

Hearing someone praise her idol, the die-hard, brain-dead fan tried to stay calm, but her pride still surged beyond her control.

Quietly sensing Xia Qing's emotions, Zhang Shi smiled and proposed her exchange. "Yiyi isn't a recovery-type evolver. Even if we use my blood to speed up wound healing after the surgery, she'll still need at least a month to fully recover. For her safety and follow-up visits, during the period from after her surgery until she's healed, may I take her and stay in the cave in the valley in Zone Three of Number Forty-Nine Mountain?"

After putting forward her exchange, Zhang Shi placed two pigeon-egg-sized mid-grade Yi Stones on the table. "This is lodging fees for the two of us. I promise that apart from taking her for follow-ups, I will never take her out of the valley, and no one will discover us."

That Zhang Shi—who had once wandered the Evolution Forest for five years—possessed Yi Stones didn't surprise Xia Qing at all. The lodging fee Zhang Shi offered also satisfied Xia Qing, but their staying in the valley wasn't safe. Xia Qing asked, "Is Sister Ten a psychiatrist?"

Zhang Shi noticed that Xia Qing could remain calm even at the sight of two Yi Stones, and smiled as she answered her question. "I'm a dentist. If the Calamity hadn't happened, after a few years at the hospital and saving up the capital and experience to start my own business, I would have quit and opened a dental clinic."

Hearing that Zhang Shi was a dentist, Xia Qing suddenly understood why her idol had so readily traded the CBCT machine to the Waist-Severing Wolves.

"That cave in Zone Three isn't ideal. First, Hu Zi Feng's squad often passes along the mountain path not far from the valley, and they might spot you. Second, winter's coming soon, and staying in that cave makes heating and cooking inconvenient. If Sister Ten trusts me, you could stay inside my territory."

After offering Zhang Shi a better option, Xia Qing began explaining why staying inside her own territory would be more suitable for them.

"First, my territory is on the outskirts, right next to the north gate of North Zone One Territory's wall. That gate isn't monitored by the sweep teams—it's only for me and Territory Alliance personnel to come and go through, so it's highly concealed, and getting in and out is easy for you. Second, the only permanent resident in my territory is me. When I'm not there, there are only two or three people from Hu Zi Feng's squad, but they won't enter the abandoned village where I live to patrol. Inside the abandoned village there's only me, a strength-type evolved sheep, and an evolved wolf—concealment is extremely high."

Zhang Shi quietly sensed and confirmed that Xia Qing had not only no ill will, but was even a little pleased, so she asked, "Don't you dislike letting people into your territory?"

Xia Qing explained, "I do prefer living alone, but right now I need a professional dentist to move into my territory, because my territory will very soon be taking in a patient who needs tooth-regeneration surgery…"