Chapter 1372: The Crisis Triggered by the Evolution of Bai Mao Grass

At three in the morning of the first day of Calamity Snow in the eleventh year of the Catastrophe, the people in charge of sampling in each territory handed tubes of soil samples to the inspection team members, who then sent the samples into Territory Seven or the Soil Research Institute.

The lords and hired workers who had just lain down and fallen asleep during the first half of the night were woken up again and made to leave their rooms, hurrying across the pale yellow Calamity Snow to take shelter in the greenhouses or large sheds.

By then the cold wind had stopped, and the yellow-grade Calamity Snow fell silently on the rainproof cloth of the sheds. Fear spread through the darkness and silence—even the wheat seedlings, already two or three centimeters tall inside the sheds, could not give anyone a sense of security.

Because, in the soil beneath the wheat seedlings, large numbers of microorganisms invisible to the naked eye were evolving.

These microorganisms could break down plant root systems and corrode their houses. Wheat seedlings healthy this moment could wither the next—or even undergo aggressive Calamity-evolution; houses that could still keep out wind and rain this moment could collapse the next, reaping lives…

If this batch of anaerobic bacteria underwent large-scale Advanced or Super evolution, could they still farm? If they couldn't farm, what would they do?

Go back to the Safe Zone? How long could the few points in their hands keep them alive in the Safe Zone? Carrying natural food back would certainly make them targets for mob robbery…

After handing the soil samples to the inspection team, Zhao Ze looked back at the tall signal tower to the south of the corridor, feeling it would be corroded and collapse the next second, crashing down on him.

He couldn't stand it any longer and pressed the walkie-talkie button. "Sister Qing, how's the situation on your end? Do we need to pack up the supplies in the house and move them into the shed now?"

The anxious, uneasy allies all pricked up their ears, holding their breath as they waited for the alliance leader to come online.

Xia Qing, who had just sent the little yellow ox into the greenhouse, pressed the button and reported the latest situation. "I'm running tests on my end too. The Soil Research Lab and Center Nine haven't yet detected any obvious abnormalities in soil microorganisms within the territory. Aside from fragile items that break easily, everyone hold off on packing other supplies."

Unlike Xia Qing, the alliance allies' most precious supplies were not kept in their own territories: to shelter from Calamity Snow, all the poultry had been moved into hidden valleys; for long-term freshness and to avoid plunder by invaders, the vast majority of their grain and vegetables were stored in the grain warehouse of Territory One.

On the surface, Xia Qing's territory also lacked the conditions for long-term food storage, and she had also stored part of her grain in Territory One. But the animals she raised were all at home, so a house collapse would affect Xia Qing the most.

Hearing her say that, Zhao Ze immediately felt much more at ease. "Got it, I'll carry the pot out."

The big iron pot used for cooking had to be saved.

Wen Nengjie answered immediately. "I don't have any fragile items here. If anyone needs help, just give me a shout and I'll come over. I'm now considered a Strength Evolver, so I can go out during the Calamity Snow period."

Everyone understood what Wen Nengjie meant: no one's fragile items needed an outsider's help packing. Wen Nengjie was hoping that if he ran into danger, he'd give a shout, and the powerful allies could come help.

Inside Territory Fifteen, Jiang Mother, who was guarding the shed with her daughter, felt just as uneasy as Wen Nengjie. "Yingzi, should you get online and give a shout too?"

Jiang Ying, who was holding iron tongs to inspect the shed's support frame, comforted her mother. "No need. The house we live in was built with insect-resistant cement, and these two sheds use Hardness-Evolved bamboo—they won't be affected by the anaerobic bacteria's evolution. If a risk comes up that we can't handle, then we'll look for Captain Tan."

Seeing her daughter so calm, Jiang Mother touched the wildland Grade-Three protective suit her daughter had just bought her, and felt a little more at ease. "Right, look for the inspection team first—they help without charging points."

After saying that, Jiang Mother shone her flashlight beam across the rows, inspecting the wheat seedlings in the field, silently praying to the Divine Wolf, hoping the Divine Wolf would protect every single wheat seedling in the field and see them safely through the Calamity Snow period.

Zhu Li's voice came over the walkie-talkie. "Sister Qing, 77% of the samples tested so far show that the activity of anaerobic bacteria in the soil of the farmlands and beneath the signal base station towers hasn't increased noticeably, but the activity of methanogens in the soil along the riverbank has increased significantly. Our research institute's equipment conditions can't determine whether the anaerobic bacteria have undergone Calamity-evolution."

He Hui, the deputy office head on duty at Center Nine, also came online. "Director, Center Nine has obtained the same test results."

Xia Qing pressed the walkie-talkie button. "Copy that, keep testing. He Hui, order all departments to monitor the Calamity grass and soil changes on both sides of the river. Avoid drawing river water for drinking as much as possible before the Calamity Snow stops."

"Copy."

"Copy."

Zhu Li and He Hui responded in turn.

Then, Xia Qing contacted Tan Junjie. "Captain Tan, are you there?"

Tan Junjie came online. "Here. I've already heard the test results. I'll notify all the territories immediately."

Hearing this initial test result, everyone felt much more at ease. Because every person's house was one or two hundred meters from the river, the evolution of anaerobic bacteria in the soil near the river couldn't reach the houses for the time being.

The sheds? Their sheds and greenhouses were built with wood, and were not in danger at the moment.

The large shed frame at Center Nine was steel-structured, but the parts buried in the soil had all been treated for corrosion resistance. Unless the anaerobic bacteria underwent massive Super evolution, it wouldn't be affected—and the greenhouse in Xia Qing's territory was in the same situation.

So Xia Qing also felt a little more at ease. Based on the current situation, her house wouldn't collapse anytime soon.

Xia Qing first contacted the garrison personnel at Mountain Fifty, ordering them to monitor the polluted areas and the vicinity of the river, before moving the pots, pans, bowls, and plates from her kitchen into the newly built kitchen. The small cabin by the farm field was fine for now, because those three small cabins were also built after the Catastrophe, using insect-resistant cement. The reason she had moved the little yellow ox was that when building the sheep shed, Xia Qing hadn't been willing to use good materials.

After moving the fragile supplies, Xia Qing scuffed her feet on the grass mat at the lab entrance, opened the lab door, went in, put on shoe covers, passed through the disinfection area into the testing room, and asked, "Broken-Waist, Does Daigua, are there any test results yet?"

"Ah."

Does Daigua, who was squatting on the chair Xia Qing had moved for it, carrying Ergua on its back, pointed a little black paw at the screen of the soil microorganism tester, letting Xia Qing see for herself.

"Mm, no obvious abnormalities. Does Daigua, you did a great job. Keep testing the other samples." Xia Qing looked again at Broken-Waist Wolf, who was examining soil samples in front of the microscope. "Broken-Waist, what about on your end?"

Broken-Waist Wolf wagged its tail once, indicating it was still observing.

"Alright, you two carry on. I'm going to sample the riverbank soil and bring it back for testing." Before Xia Qing had even left the lab, she received a call from Yang Jin.

Although he was Xia Qing's "boyfriend," Yang Jin still followed the territorial zone rules Xia Qing had set, and would not step into her living area within the territory without permission.

Yang Jin's choice to make a phone call meant he had news that wasn't convenient to say over the walkie-talkie. Xia Qing picked up immediately.

Yang Jin reported the situation. "The area planted with Evolved Bai Mao Grass in Territory One is showing runaway Calamity-grass growth. Should the soil samples be sent to Territory Seven?"

The roots of the Evolved Bai Mao Grass planted in Territory One, at Broken-Waist Wolf's place, and at Xia Qing's were all spoils they had captured from vagrants. This matter couldn't be discussed on the lord channel, because the source of the Evolved Bai Mao Grass couldn't be made public.

Xia Qing answered immediately. "Tell Territory One to send the samples to the south gate of Territory Seven as soon as possible. Don't deal with the Bai Mao Grass growing area for now—wait for Third Brother's orders. Captain Yang, please take soil samples from the Bai Mao Grass terraces in Shed Two and from the riverbank, and bring them to the lab."

"Understood."

After ending the call with Yang Jin, Xia Qing dialed her idol directly to report the situation.