Chapter 1460: Forming a Team to Go to the Safe Zone

"The color and font pairing on this PPT is really pleasant, and the logic of the content on each page is very clear." After finishing breakfast, Xia Qing went to the office at the Ninth Planting Center to work. Looking through the "Ninth Center Annual Work Summary," the "Ninth Center Director Year-End Job Report," and the accompanying PPT that Yan Yue had handed her, she grew more and more satisfied the more she looked.

Office Director Yan Yue, sitting in her wheelchair, replied, "He Hui made all of this. Her aesthetic sense has always been on point."

This past September, after accompanying Yan Yue back to the Agricultural Department in the Safe Zone to attend two meetings, He Hui began learning how to make PPTs. Because she had noticed that no matter how well or poorly the various departments did their work, every one of them made very good-looking PPTs.

The Ninth Center had the most outstanding actual results, so of course its PPT couldn't fall short of the other departments!

After several months of learning, the PPTs He Hui made were simple, clear, and grand, with color pairings just right, always able to give people a pleasant surprise. A PPT like this really matched perfectly with their center's top sniper director.

Yan Yue didn't take credit for it, but as the leader, Xia Qing couldn't overlook her contribution. "He Hui being able to improve so quickly is inseparable from your careful guidance. Our office's work efficiency keeps getting higher and higher."

Having worked at the Ninth Center for half a year, Yan Yue no longer showed any trace of the frail, sickly appearance she'd had half a year ago. Praised by Xia Qing, a small dimple appeared on her face, and the whole person looked both lively and full of vigor.

She turned her notebook toward Xia Qing, letting her see the document just received in the office system. "Right now the roads are seriously iced over, and traveling by vehicle is far too dangerous, so the Agricultural Department submitted an application to the Base Commander's Office. The base will send a helicopter to pick you up and drop you off for the meeting in the Safe Zone. This application was officially approved half an hour ago. Please take a look."

On December 23, Xia Qing, Director of the Ninth Planting Center, was to return to the Safe Zone to attend the Hui-3 Agricultural Department's Year-End Summary Commendation and Work Deployment Conference.

In the eleventh year of the natural disasters, the "1N Territory Construction New Model" demonstration unit—the Ninth Planting Center—was, as expected, rated an Outstanding Work Unit of Hui-3 Base. Xia Qing was a well-deserved Advanced Worker. Yesterday, Yang Benming had asked her to free up time to go attend the meeting and receive the award.

Because the ones presenting her award this time were the Minister of Agriculture of Hui City and the Commander of Hui-3 Base, it wouldn't be appropriate for Xia Qing not to attend in person.

The Green Dragon Squad's helicopter at Mountain 49 had been sent in for maintenance, and the other helicopter would soon fly to the eastern coastline to carry out a mission. Agricultural Department Head Yang Benming was afraid Xia Qing would find it troublesome and refuse to attend, so he had specifically applied for a military helicopter to pick her up.

Xia Qing certainly wouldn't reject her leader's good graces at this point. She agreed readily and carefully prepared the materials for the meeting. After perfectly completing this speech and award-receiving task, once Tang Huai had dealt with Tang Lu, she could smoothly merge the Second Territory into the Ninth Center.

Xia Qing glanced at the helicopter model on the document and made arrangements. "Sister Yue, arrange for four people to go back with me to purchase the items needed for the year-end party. Also, let Captain Tan know, and have him and Tan Qi take our helicopter back with us."

Tan Junjie had been selected as an Advanced Inspection Captain and also needed to go back to receive his award. He planned to take this opportunity to bring Tan Qi back with him and have her name changed.

As for Xia Qing not attending the banquet after the meeting, Yan Yue wasn't surprised in the least. "Understood. Do we need to contact Northern District Three?"

Northern District Three was just south of Northern District One; the planting center director there also needed to go back to attend the meeting.

Xia Qing's face was expressionless. "No need."

This helicopter had been assigned to her, not to Northern District Three. Whoever she wanted to bring, she brought.

After finishing the Ninth Center's work, Xia Qing brought the speech and PPT she would be reading at the conference back to the territory, and sent out an invitation on the Lord Channel. "I'm taking a helicopter back to the Safe Zone at seven in the morning on the 23rd, and returning in the evening. Does anyone in our alliance want to go back to the Safe Zone to take care of things? This trip is free."

"Sister Qing, I'm going!" Hearing Zhu Li was the first to sign up.

The year-end was here, and she needed to do a big shopping. The points saved by hitching a free helicopter ride would be just enough to buy a cup of the milk tea the Tang family had newly launched. Eleven years had gone by, and Hearing Zhu Li could no longer remember what milk tea tasted like.

Zhao Ze followed right after. "Sister Qing, I'm going too."

He needed to purchase surveillance equipment and install monitoring on the west side of the territory to eliminate any future trouble.

Qu Dazhi also came online. "I'm going back too."

The farming tools developed by the territory alliance's Research Department were selling well. Qu Dazhi had received a bonus of over three thousand points and planned to use this portion of points to buy something for his wife.

Lord Huo Lei spoke in a muffled voice. "I'm going back too. I'll stay in the Safe Zone for a few days, and when I come back I won't be returning with everyone else."

The year-end was here, and the knife shop in the Safe Zone needed its accounts checked and settled.

Jiang Ying followed up with a question. "Sister Qing, can my mom take the helicopter back with everyone?"

Jiang's mother hadn't taken a single day off since the third Deadly Rain until now. She wanted to save up a few more days of rest to take at once, and spend New Year's Day in the territory with her daughter.

Yu Shou came online. "Sister Qing, I'm going to the Safe Zone to visit a few comrades."

To Xia Qing's surprise, Ye Yang also came online. "Sister Qing, I'm also catching this helicopter. I'm taking Eleven to the Safe Zone for a look around."

He was the last to speak, so he must have coordinated with Zhang Shi. Xia Qing replied to everyone at once. "All of you can go. When Aunt Jiang comes, she can take Lord Huo's seat. Brother Ye and Eleven just need to take one seat. Brother Qi, are you there?"

Qi Fu pressed the button. "Here."

Xia Qing made arrangements. "Ask the other alliance members in the group chat to see if anyone else wants to go back. There are still three seats."

"Got it."

After Qi Fu responded, Hearing Zhu Li asked, "Is Brother Ye taking Eleven back to change her name?"

Ye Yang replied gently, "No. I discussed it with Eleven, and we'll still use the name my brother and sister-in-law gave their child. Eleven will just be her nickname. This child has been in our territory for half a year. My legs aren't convenient, and I haven't taken her to the Safe Zone to have fun even once. This is a perfect chance to take her around and buy some New Year goods."

Hearing Ye Yang's answer, no one found it strange. After little Eleven's parents passed away, she came to seek refuge with her uncle and had stayed in the Northern District One territory for half a year, going back and forth between the territory and the school with Tan Qi every day. This time Tan Qi was going to the Safe Zone to change her name, so Ye Yang really should take his niece along for a look around.

Xia Qing put down the walkie-talkie and went to the lab to pollinate the spinach, where she found Zhang Shi and Ye Yiyi sitting by the sunlit glass window in the lab. Zhang Shi was reading, and Ye Yiyi was dressing her little lamb.

"Yiyi's little lamb looks really pretty in clothes." Xia Qing offered a word of praise. The child still didn't respond, but she wasn't startled either, and kept focused on buttoning up the little lamb.

Xia Qing turned her head to look at Zhang Shi, who was wearing earphones. Seeing her smile and nod, Xia Qing knew Ye Yang had already discussed with Zhang Shi the matter of little Eleven going to the Safe Zone, so she said no more. She put on a white lab coat and mask and headed toward the cultivation room.

Little Eleven's return to human society really did require a trip around the inner city of the Safe Zone.

The last time she went with Zhang Shi to the Safe Zone at Lan-5 Base, it happened to be when Lan-5 Base was struck by a natural disaster, and the entire Safe Zone was filled with panic and chaos.

This time, little Eleven was going with Ye Yang to the inner city of the Safe Zone, which was currently the safest area in human society. This trip would fill in a piece of social experience she should have as a child who had lived in the outer city of the Safe Zone for six years.

After this trip back, little Eleven's situation would become much safer.

The real Ye Shiyi—the little Yiyi sitting beside Zhang Shi—had had a very successful plastic surgery, and her mental state was improving as well. Hopefully she could also return to human society as soon as possible. Once Zhang Shi was the only one hidden in her territory, the risk of exposure would drop significantly.