Chapter 1467: The Ownership of the Second Territory

Xia Qing had not yet finished her breakfast when another call came in.

This time it was Zhou Qianpeng from the Territory Management Department. After a few polite words, he got to the point: "Director Xia, have you heard about the accidental death of the Second Territory's lord, Tang Lu?"

Xia Qing asked in "surprise," "Not yet. When did it happen?"

"Last night. She used a prohibited electrical appliance in her dormitory and caused a fire. Truly… sigh!" Zhou Qianpeng let out a breath, then began probing Xia Qing's stance. "With Tang Lu dead, the burden on Director Xia's shoulders is even heavier."

Xia Qing's expression remained calm, but her voice was frosty. "Director Zhou, if you have something to say, say it directly."

Zhou Qianpeng immediately stopped beating around the bush. "Here's the thing—someone came to me and wants to know whether the Second Territory will be merged into the Ninth Center. I really couldn't turn them down, so I had to call and ask you."

Xia Qing answered calmly, "That's not something the Ninth Center can decide."

You tell me to speak plainly, then you go and beat around the bush with me? Zhou Qianpeng cursed inwardly, but spoke with utmost respect out loud. "Thank you, Director Xia. Your word is enough. Please go ahead with your work; we'll meet and chat in person when you return to the Safe Zone for your debriefing."

Xia Qing had barely set down her phone when Zhong Tao, head of the Ninth Center's Warehouse Management Department, called.

"Director, when we recruit again, can we bring Zheng Kui on board? If so, I'll contact him right away and have him discharged from the military."

At the Ninth Center's regular cadre meeting a few days earlier, Xia Qing had suddenly made a request to all the cadres: during the coming period, if anyone contacted them to ask about the Ninth Center, they should all stick to the same line—that the Ninth Center's reclamation workload was so heavy they didn't even have time to catch their breath.

At the time, Zhong Tao had assumed Xia Qing wanted to use the year-end trip to the Safe Zone for debriefing and awards as an opportunity to secure some benefits for everyone. It wasn't until someone called him this morning asking about the Second Territory that Zhong Tao finally understood Xia Qing's intention.

Tang Lu's death was certainly no accident, and the Ninth Center was certainly going to take over the Second Territory.

Xia Qing had laid her plans in advance to muddy the waters—making outsiders think the Ninth Center didn't want to expand further, so they would all jump in to fight over the Second Territory.

The more people who fought over the Second Territory, and the more complex the entanglement of interests, the harder the Second Territory would be to arrange. In the end, to balance the various forces, the Ninth Center would have no choice but to "reluctantly" accept the territory at the request of the upper echelons.

The Ninth Center would be solving a problem for the Base; it would be inexcusable for the Base not to offer something in return.

Their director's calculations were getting sharper and sharper!

Setting aside other benefits for now, the Ninth Center was sure to expand its ranks again. So once Zhong Tao figured it out, he immediately contacted Xia Qing, wanting to find a way out for his good brother.

Jobs at the Ninth Center were in high demand; if he waited too long, he was afraid his good brother wouldn't get a spot.

Xia Qing recalled how gaunt and numb Zheng Kui had looked the last time he came to Northern Zone One to deliver supplies, and answered calmly, "When we recruit, as long as Brother Kui submits his resume and passes the physical, he can join."

Xia Qing never smiled all day; when center employees made mistakes, she didn't spare anyone's face, and punished them exactly as the rules dictated.

But she was cold-faced, not cold-hearted. Now that she was doing so well, he couldn't offer her any benefits, yet he shamelessly came to her with a dry request. Not only did she agree, she was even willing to call Zheng Kui "Brother," which made Zhong Tao's eyes redden. "Thank you, Director. I'll call him right now and let him know you've been thinking of him too."

After the territory was established, Zhong Tao and Zheng Kui had partnered up to transport the living supplies the lords needed into the territory. This year, after the Ninth Center was formally set up, Zhong Tao—who had lost his father in a violent explosion and whose wife had her leg crushed and amputated—decisively left the military and joined the Ninth Center.

Zheng Kui had it even worse. During last year's third Violent Rain, Zheng Kui's mother-in-law lost control and went berserk, killing his wife, who was still in confinement, and their baby, not yet a month old. From then on, Zheng Kui's eyes had gone numb.

When Zhong Tao joined the Ninth Center, he had invited Zheng Kui to come along, but he refused. Zhong Tao could tell then that he had lost the will to live.

Zhong Tao had thrown away his pride to beg for this job opportunity for him, hoping to help him pull himself together again.

If he was willing to come, the Ninth Center would gain a good driver and an excellent auto mechanic; if he wouldn't come, Zhong Tao had still done his duty by his brother and had nothing more to reproach himself for.

Xia Qing finished her last sip of porridge and told them where she was headed today. "Tenth Sister, Yiyi, you two eat slowly. I'm going to Mount Fifty on a mission; I won't be back until after dark. Later, Guan Tong and Jing Kuan will come over to guard the territory."

"Alright. When it warms up later, I'll take Yiyi out to the open ground south of the lab for some activity. Be careful." Guan Tong was a Strength Evolver, Jing Kuan a Speed Evolver. Although neither had strong scouting abilities, Zhang Shi still put safety first and only let Yiyi move about within a small area in front of the lab.

If it weren't for the fact that this child needed treatment for a psychological condition, Zhang Shi would have stayed inside the lab with her for safety, without going out.

Xia Qing nodded, turned her gaze to the little girl beside Zhang Shi, and slowed her speech to discuss with her. "Yiyi, I'm putting a bundle of corn stalks under the eaves in the yard. When it warms up at noon and Boss Sheep comes back from outside, can Yiyi tell Boss that it can eat the stalks whenever it's hungry?"

Yiyi, who was clutching her empty bowl and refusing to let go, looked up and stared blankly at Xia Qing. It was only after Xia Qing repeated what she had just said that the little one slowly nodded.

The fact that she was willing to respond to Xia Qing's question was a good sign—it meant her condition had improved a little more.

A smile appeared on Xia Qing's face. She left the territory, picking up Yuan Yan, Zhu Li, Ye Yang, and Tang Heng along the way, and headed for the hidden valley on Mount Fifty.

These four were the core members of the Territory Alliance's Soil Research Department. They were going to Mount Fifty today for two reasons: first, to test soil quality in preparation for raising rice seedlings next spring; second, to learn the hydroponic technique for Chuanqiong grass.

Ye Yang also had a hidden agenda: using the chance to visit his comrades, he would pass along some information to Xiao Peng, the imaginative former special forces operative turned spy.

Once the five of them had driven out of the territory, without anyone having to ask, Tang Heng began briefing them on the situation at Bai Yi Base. "Last night, Tang Lu set a trap to catch my brother. My brother, Brother Huo, and Brother Ming turned the tables on her and let her burn herself to death."

Zhu Li hurriedly asked, "Was anyone hurt?"

"Everyone got some minor injuries." After briefly describing the situation, Tang Heng reminded Xia Qing, "Sister Qing, before Tang Lu died, she said the Blue Blood Alliance has already set its sights on our territory."

Xia Qing acknowledged it and replied calmly, "They've had their eyes on me for a long time. It won't affect our territory."

Zhu Li couldn't help cursing, "These lunatics just can't stand to see others living well! Our territory is developing, growing more food so more people can eat their fill—how does that get in their way?"

Tang Heng cut straight to the heart of the matter. "The higher-ups want to establish a new, equal order, and the territory policy is an important part of it. The Blue Blood Alliance advocates that the interests of Evolver groups come first, so they want to obstruct the development of the territories…"

Before Tang Heng could finish, Xia Qing's phone rang again. It was actually a call from Xin Yu.