Chapter 1501: Return to the Territory

At five in the afternoon, the emergency disaster-relief status of Hui-Three Safe Zone was lifted. Xia Qing brought her employees, supplies, loot, and allies aboard the helicopter and returned to North Sector One Territory.

Zhu Zhenming's Special Ops Squad? Xia Qing declined the base commander's kind offer and brought none of them. Because after the Azure Dragon Squad's helicopter delivered Luo Pei to the safe zone, it had immediately headed to the eastern mangrove forest to pick up Hui-Three's top combat forces.

Right now, Yang Jin was teaming up with Broken-Waist Wolf to sweep the evolved forest around North Sector One Territory. Yang Jin needed to protect Xia Qing, and Broken-Waist Wolf needed to protect the pregnant head wolf—the man and the wolf hit it off instantly and set out at once.

Captain of the Human-Wolf Joint Sweep Team: Broken-Waist

Vice Captain: Yang Jin

Members: Handsome Giant Wolf, Broken-Leg Wolf, Black Wolf, Big Guy, Watching Huo Zhun, Wu Lianmin, Wang Man, and Er Yong.

Di Ming, whose combat power was a whole tier above Er Yong's, applied to join, but was turned down by the captain on the grounds that he carried the scent of an intruder.

Di Ming, who had gone to Territory One in the morning with dried small fish to find Beard Feng and pet cats, wanted to cry but had no tears.

Two helicopters entered North Sector One Territory, landed at the Ninth Central Training Ground, dropped off the people and supplies, then took off and returned to the safe zone.

Xia Qing walked out of the Ninth Center with her allies, and a group of people waiting outside immediately came up to greet them.

Everyone exchanged greetings and rushed to their own families.

Zhao Ze dashed to his mother's side and handed her the thermal pants he had picked out for her; Kuang Qingwei saw his wife return safely and his face bloomed into a smile; Shi Du took the bag his father was carrying and asked if he had eaten dinner; Jiang's mother handed the big bundle she had brought over to her daughter, saying again and again that the food in the territory was better, and that her daughter looked a bit plumper than the last time she had come over…

Xia Qing, with a sniper rifle on her back and a captured rocket launcher on her shoulder, strode toward her own territory.

"Sister Qing, you were absolutely badass today!"

Tang Huai leapt out from Territory Two, rushed to Xia Qing's side, excited as if he had been the one standing on the rooftop sniping over a dozen targets and then smashing a brick into a gunner's neck.

After seeing Xia Qing all the way to the south gate of Territory Three and taking the key to open the door for her, Tang Huai solemnly urged, "Sister Qing, don't go to the safe zone again recently. The more people there are, the more dangerous it gets."

"Okay." Xia Qing took the key and tucked it into her pocket. "You shouldn't run around randomly either, lately."

"Okay!" Tang Huai, who bloomed at the slightest bit of sunshine, immediately asked, "Our territory has fewer people than the safe zone, sure, but we still have to watch out for someone being bought by Blaze's people to play dirty. You and Brother Jin aren't auditory evolvers—how about I move into the little cabin inside your territory? The three of us teaming up, we've got hearing, sight, speed, and strength all covered. Unstoppable!"

Xia Qing refused without hesitation. "The boss's hearing is better than yours."

After being turned down as a matter of course, Tang Huai smiled and returned to Territory Two.

After Tang Lu's death, ownership of Territory Two reverted to the Territory Management Department, but all the facilities inside Territory Two had been built with the Tang family's investment, so for the time being Tang Huai was still staying in Territory Two, dismantling and hauling out supplies.

Actually, Tang Huai hadn't been in a good mood today, so when he saw the helicopter land he hadn't gone to watch the excitement. But hearing that every ally had someone to meet them, and only Xia Qing was alone, Tang Huai ran out to pick her up and escort her back to her territory.

"Lao Er, I'm back!"

Hearing Xia Qing's light, cheerful voice coming from inside Territory Three, Tang Huai, who had just returned to Territory Two, slowly broke into a smile.

Xia Qing had evolution wolves with powerful combat strength—he was truly envious.

Lao Er sniffed the scent on Xia Qing, then closed his mouth and looked at her.

Although Xia Qing had passed through the disinfection corridor before entering the base commander's office, evolution wolves had extremely keen senses of smell, and Lao Er could still pick up the smell of blood on Xia Qing.

Xia Qing explained to her companion as she walked inward, moving out of Tang Huai's auditory detection range. "There was a fight at the safe zone today, so I have the smell of blood on me. I'll wash the protective suit when I get back. Is the boss at home or in the greenhouse? I brought gifts back from the safe zone for you guys."

Although a disaster had occurred at the safe zone, the shopping malls in the inner city still allowed online orders, and someone would deliver to your door after you placed one, so Xia Qing hadn't come back empty-handed.

Following Lao Er into the abandoned village, Xia Qing first saw Zhang Shi standing outside the lab and told her about Eleven's situation.

To be safe, neither Ye Yang's phone nor Little Eleven's watch phone had Zhang Shi's number or any communication records. They hadn't contacted Zhang Shi while at the safe zone, and right now they were still on their way back to Territory Fifteen and hadn't had time to report safety to Zhang Shi.

So Zhang Shi, whose heart had been suspended for a whole day, only managed to put it back in her stomach after hearing Xia Qing's words, and explained, "I was afraid something might go wrong, so I made some preparations in advance."

Xia Qing nodded, pulled two bags out of her backpack and handed them over. "The small bag is snacks, the big bag is warm clothing and the things Tenth Sister wanted."

Zhang Shi took them with both hands. "Thanks for your trouble. How many points?"

"No points needed. Employee benefit."

After saying that, Xia Qing hoisted the rocket launcher, slung the backpack on, and continued walking forward. She stopped under the ruined house, looked up, and greeted the old wolf who poked his head out. "Fourth, I'm back. I brought gifts for you and Missing-Ear."

Hearing Xia Qing's words, Zhang Shi smiled silently and carried her employee benefit back to the basement.

After delivering warmth to Fourth and Missing-Ear, Xia Qing opened the door to her own courtyard and saw that the blackout curtains on the first-floor windows of the little building had been drawn down. Her eyes lit up.

Daigua wasn't home. The boss, Lao Er, and Little Feimao had no concept of drawing curtains. The only ones who could enter her house and pull the curtains down were the head wolf's family of four.

Broken-Waist Wolf had gone with Yang Jin to patrol the evolved forest. Who could be staying in her room?

Xia Qing quickened her pace and swiped open the door together with Lao Er, and was immediately enveloped by warm lamplight. She took off her protective mask and greeted them with a sunny smile. "Your Majesty, Boss, I'm back!"

"Baa." Sheep Boss, who was chewing cud beside the head wolf, opened his mouth and answered.

The head wolf, lying on the hanging chair, watched Xia Qing quietly with tycoon-gold eyes. The lamplight and the firelight from the fireplace reflected on its and Sheep Boss's fur—utterly warm.

Xia Qing walked over, let the head wolf sniff her protective suit and protective gloves, explained why there was the smell of blood on her, then quickly took off the protective suit and hung it on the rack by the door, and started pulling gifts out of her backpack.

The first, of course, was Sheep Boss's new-flavor feed. Xia Qing broke off a small piece and stuffed it into Sheep Boss's mouth as he lay beside the head wolf. The head wolf had come back, so whether Xia Qing, this little underling, was home or not didn't matter to Sheep Boss. That was why, even though Xia Qing had come back so late, he wasn't angry.

Next was a pink seat cover printed with a divine wolf pattern. "Your Majesty, look—this is the new cushion I bought for you. Do you like it?"

The head wolf sniffed it, indicating she found the smell on it very distasteful.

"I'll wash it clean. Just a moment, Your Majesty." Xia Qing cheerfully took the seat cover to the bathroom to wash it, then took it out and hung it by the fireplace to dry. Full of enthusiasm, she pulled out the gift she'd bought for Lao Er. "Lao Er! The moment I saw this I knew it was designed just for you! Look—a fish feeder!"