Chapter 1370: Calamity Snow of Year Eleven

Xia Qing, who was gnawing on corn, looked up and asked, "You chose to cooperate with the Quicksand Squad for this reason too?"

Yang Jin, whose face had flushed red, explained, "Not entirely. Quicksand is the best partner inside Base Lan Five, so this is just icing on the cake. Once that spring is announced, Blaze won't keep staring down your territory. Han Yanqian's probing of the plants and water sources in your territory had Blaze partners pulling strings behind the scenes. How did she manage to take the spinach and water samples right under your nose?"

After finishing the serious talk, Xia Qing relaxed as well and answered, a little helpless, "She took advantage of her background so I couldn't search her, and brazenly stole them."

Yang Jin understood Xia Qing's frustration. "Letting her walk out of the territory in one piece was too easy on her."

Eating the fragrant hot pot, Xia Qing relaxed a lot too and couldn't help complaining, "If I'd known Base Red Eleven would ditch their vice-base leader so cleanly, I would never have let her walk out of my territory standing up."

Yang Jin laughed. "Swallowing this once is worth it for long-term peace in the territory. Go rest first, Sister Qing. I'll take the first half of the night."

After Yang Jin came over, he greeted Squad Beard Feng and told them they didn't need to come for night watch tonight, so it was just him and Xia Qing in the territory today.

Even Yang Jin's handsome face had dark circles under his eyes. Xia Qing had no intention of letting him stand watch. "You go rest. I'm on night watch tonight."

Yang Jin didn't refuse Xia Qing's kindness. There really were fewer sudden incidents during Calamity Snow than during Calamity Rain, and even with a beast tide this time, the first few hours of Calamity Snow wouldn't bring any movement. "Fine by me. I'll eat three walnuts and then sleep, and sleep till I wake up naturally!"

The two swiftly tidied up the dishes. Xia Qing went to patrol the territory, and Yang Jin showered and lay down on the small bed in the inner room, falling asleep almost immediately.

In the howling cold wind, Xia Qing patrolled the territory, checking every greenhouse, every shed, every room, searching for danger.

At one in the morning, the gale stopped and all was silent. Xia Qing looked up at the night sky and saw the rain-bearing clouds pressed extremely low still slowly surging and pushing against each other. The one or two stars that occasionally peeked out were swallowed again by the clouds after only a few flickers.

She reached out and stroked Wolf Lao Er's thick fur, sighing, "Lao Er, this Calamity Snow is really putting on a show!"

Wolf Lao Er looked up at the clouds in the sky, raised his nose to sniff, then nudged Xia Qing with his body, signaling it was time to head home.

"Alright, let's go home." Xia Qing turned on the lamp on her protective mask and glanced at the air detector strapped to her arm, finding that the Calamity elements in the air were slowly climbing—Calamity Snow would arrive soon.

"Baa—"

Before Xia Qing could get home, Sheep Boss, who was very sensitive to weather changes, uneasily called for his underlings from inside the house. Wolfdog Lao Er, running ahead, immediately sped up.

Hearing Xia Qing return, Sheep Boss immediately walked out of the sheep shed. The area lit by the light from inside the sheep shed, shining through the lifted rainproof cloth, already showed the glittering ice crystals falling from the sky.

This Calamity Snow, forecast to last 56 hours, had arrived two hours early.

"Attention all lords, attention all lords: Calamity Snow has begun. Please take precautions. If an unmanageable crisis occurs in your territory, contact the Inspection Team immediately. Territories One through Ten, please respond."

After Tan Junjie's solemn announcement ended, Luo Pei's gentle voice came through the walkie-talkie. "Territory One, received."

Tang Huai followed right after. "Territory Two, received."

Xia Qing, who was bringing her companions inside, pressed the walkie-talkie button. "Territory Three, received."

After Territories Four through Ten responded, Yue Haiying also came online. "Ninth Center, received."

The Ninth Center was not under the Inspection Team's jurisdiction. Not only did crises inside the Ninth Center not require the Inspection Team's help to clear, but their staff were also obligated to assist the Inspection Team in clearing dangers.

That was why Yue Haiying had come online to respond.

Hearing that their powerful allies were all in their territories, the members of the territory alliance felt very reassured.

Hui Three's two top snipers were both stationed with them. Even if a beast tide broke out during this Calamity Snow, with these two holding the fort, not a single large beast would be able to crash into the territory's wire-mesh walls!

Tang Huai immediately started howling into the walkie-talkie. "Captain Tan, Brother Luo, and Brother Yue all online at the same time—tonight's an old-comrades session, rare indeed!"

Wen Nengjie of Territory Seventeen immediately came online to make his presence felt. "Being able to gather together after splitting up during the Calamity Years is indeed too rare."

Luo Pei, who was undergoing detox treatment, was in a very good mood. "Everyone's right. Old Tan, Old Yue, once we get through this Calamity, shall the three of us get together for a meal?"

The Ninth Center had tens of thousands of jin of stored grain, so Yue Haiying finally no longer had to worry about his brothers going hungry, and his mood was excellent too, putting him in the mood to joke. "I've got no problem. Just don't know if Captain Tan can spare the time."

Rarely, Tan Junjie's voice carried a smile too. "You two vice-captains and deputy directors with six or seven hundred men under you both have time—how could I, a mere squad leader with only ten little soldiers, possibly not have time? Count me in!"

Rare that everyone was so supportive after he brought up the topic, Tang Huai got even more excited. "Great! Once we get through this Calamity, we'll have safely made it through Year Eleven of the Calamity—worth celebrating. Sister Qing, our alliance has to have a team-building event too, right?"

Xia Qing, who was currently brushing her two companions, didn't leave them hanging either and calmly answered, "Sure."

Now not only was Tang Huai excited, everyone's enthusiasm was roused too, and they began discussing where to hold the team-building and what to eat.

After an hour, Hearing Zhu Li, Shi Mu, and Tan Qi, who had been standing the first half of the night, went offline to rest. Tang Huai remained online, continuing to chat with Kuang Qingwei, Shi Du, Yu Shou, Wu Lianmin, and others who had woken up to stand the second half of the night. Xia Qing also occasionally chimed in.

Luo Pei cut in to ask, "Xia Qing, you're still standing the second half of the night?"

Xia Qing came online to respond, "Yang Jin hasn't recovered yet. I'm on night watch tonight."

Tang Huai got sour. Xia Qing looked cold and ruthless, but she was genuinely good to her boyfriend—who couldn't say so? Who was Yang Jin? He was a top-tier evolved Iron Rooster. Leading a team to fleece Hui One Base was pure enjoyment for him. What did he need to recover from?!

But Tang Huai didn't dare say that on the lord channel. Xia Qing couldn't be bothered to deal with him, but Yang Jin wouldn't hold back. That guy's combat power was as high as the ruthlessness with which he dealt with people.

Luo Pei's voice remained gentle, but the words he spoke were anything but. "He handed squad affairs to Xie Yu and territory affairs to me, saying he wants to stay in the territory this month to work and let you rest for a bit. If you don't need him, send him over to guard the mountain."

Hearing that Yang Jin was going to stay in her territory for a month, Xia Qing's first reaction wasn't to find it troublesome, but that she'd have good food every day for the next month.

Surprised at her own change in mindset for two seconds, Xia Qing then pressed the walkie-talkie button. "Alright, I'll tell him once he wakes up."

Tang Huai of Territory Two laughed so hard he fell over in the icy snow.

A brown-gray evolved wolf with a pink-diamond-encrusted yi-stone protective case hanging from its neck leapt over two wire-mesh walls, landed steadily inside Territory Three, sniffed the air, and headed straight for Xia Qing's location.

As this wolf ran past the small hut by the farmland, Yang Jin, who was lying on the small bed sleeping, immediately opened his eyes.