Chapter 1606: The Spring Enters Its Dry Season

Zhang He asked, "Teacher, should we designate the river bend valley as an environmental early-warning outpost and have junior brothers take regular samples?"

Zhang San looked at Broken-Waist Wolf, Broken-Waist Wolf looked at Xia Qing, and Xia Qing immediately cheered her companion on, "Broken-Waist, you really are the number one research wolf on Blue Star! You've discovered another extremely important ecosystem in the Evolution Forest! You're my lord the Queen's pride, the pride of our northern wolf pack! Third Brother thinks the spot you sampled this morning is very important and should be monitored regularly…"

Zhang San added, "Basic sampling once every half month. If any anomalies are found, we'll decide on a case-by-case basis whether active patrols are needed."

Xia Qing continued asking, "Broken-Waist, can you go take the samples?"

Broken-Waist Wolf's big paw hadn't even lifted before Xia Qing pressed it down. "Third Brother, Broken-Waist says it can go."

As for how many credits to give this clever wolf for one sampling session, Xia Qing decided to discuss it with it after returning to her own territory.

Zhang San nodded. "This topic is concluded. Zhang Song, continue handling the reception of visiting inspection personnel. Zhang He, file the experimental report."

Zhang Song…

Zhang He asked, "Teacher, does this report need to be uploaded to the public platform?"

Zhang San replied, "Don't upload it for now. Little Broken's identity as a researcher can't be made public yet — we can't explain the sample source to outsiders."

This batch of samples was collected from the Evolution Forest in southern Hui-1. For Zhang San's lab to go there for on-site inspection and sampling, they must apply to the Hui-1 base in advance; otherwise it counts as illegal intrusion and collection.

Broken-Waist Wolf is a creature of the Evolution Forest, and its range of movement isn't restricted by the human-drawn base boundaries, so it isn't bound by human legal statutes. But uploading this report to the system would be equivalent to exposing Broken-Waist Wolf's identity as a researcher, which would put it at risk.

There's another very important point: this is a sensitive period when Fierce-Fire Squad Captain Deng Yufeng has "gone missing" and Chonglian Group Chairman Yu Dongming has been assassinated. If Broken-Waist Wolf's abilities were exposed now, and someone connected the wolf pack to these two cases in their analysis, they could very likely trace back to the truth.

The research value of the river bend valley ecology is indeed great, but Zhang San's research team has plenty of strength and funding — there's no need to post this report online to seek multi-party financial, technical, and manpower support.

After Zhang He and the reluctant, repeatedly looking-back Zhang Song left, Broken-Waist Wolf pawed at Xia Qing, indicating it was time for it to return to its own territory too.

Not yet.

The idol had just said "this topic" was concluded, so there was definitely a next topic. Keeping her and Broken-Waist Wolf behind was obviously to discuss the next topic. Xia Qing quietly discussed with Broken-Waist Wolf, "Tenth Sister sent over today's behavioral observation and assessment report on Ye Yiyi. Take a look and see if it needs any revisions. If it's fine, I'll submit it to Third Brother."

Hearing this bizarre new human's words, Zhang San's gaze turned cold. On all of Blue Star, the only human who would have a wolf review a human patient's assessment report was the one right in front of him!

How on earth is her brain wired? How could she say something so completely unreasonable as if it were the most natural thing in the world?!

Broken-Waist Wolf, which had already received 1500 credits, disagreed. It solemnly stated that the report could be shown directly to Zhang San — it wanted to take its fragrant roasted rabbit and head back to its territory immediately.

The pregnant my lord the Queen was at home waiting to eat roasted rabbit. This matter was indeed more important than reviewing reports.

Xia Qing could only, under her idol's icy gaze, wrap Broken-Waist Wolf in an old bedsheet and carry it out of Territory Seven, return to her own territory to pack the roasted rabbit onto its back, and then, miserably hungry, head back to Territory Seven to hand in the report.

To avoid getting a few more dagger glares and scoldings, Xia Qing, upon entering the office, first reported the good news: "Third Brother, the spring in my territory has noticeably weakened. I expect it'll enter its dry season the day after tomorrow."

Once the unpolluted spring in Territory Three enters its dry season, Zhang Song's side can substantively push forward the visiting inspection project.

Zhang San's expression indeed improved somewhat. He instructed, "First block up the spring's opening. Don't reopen it until after the dry season. Replace any stones that need replacing, and make sure to eliminate all odors — leave no loopholes."

Xia Qing said confidently, "Don't worry. I'm a professional when it comes to renovations. That shed is piled with over a thousand jin of fermenting organic fertilizer — even a top-tier olfactory evolver could only smell the fertilizer."

Zhang San…

Only this bizarre human in front of him would pile manure next to her own drinking water source!

Seeing her idol's face still not looking better, Xia Qing continued to coax him: "Third Brother, do you have time in a couple of days? Do you want to go to Mountain Fifty to check on the river moss grass? The sunflowers I planted in the valley are ready to harvest. You could come, pick out two flower heads that catch your eye, and we can make caramel sunflower seeds back home."

Zhang San, who hadn't yet been to the hot spring valley on Mountain Fifty, was tempted. "The day after tomorrow afternoon?"

Xia Qing immediately nodded. "No problem. You eat lunch and take a nap, and I'll come pick you up at two-thirty. We'll head to Mountain Fifty first, get back to the territory by five-thirty, and then go to my territory to check if there are any remaining loopholes in the spring concealment. That day, let Little Broken kill a green-light pig, and have Yang Jin make dumplings — we'll have steaming hot sour soup dumplings. What filling do you want? Napa cabbage, baby bok choy, chives, pumpkin, or a bit of everything?"

Zhang San was silent for a few seconds. "Baby bok choy."

"Got it!" After smoothing the fur of her petty idol, Xia Qing breathed a sigh of relief and sent the report that Zhang Ten had spent an hour writing over to her idol.

The next morning, six-thirty, Special Training Ground on Mountain Forty-Nine, District One, Northern Hui-3.

After finishing the first round of combat with Yanlong, Xia Qing, having caught her breath, called over the little fellow beside her: "Black-Nose, come here and let me check your injuries."

The little Black-Nose wolf, fully focused on watching the five wolves of the northern wolf pack fight against humans, only slightly twitched its torn ear, which had formed a scab.

Xia Qing, limping and dragging her numb right leg, walked over and squeezed in between the Broken-Face little wolf and the Black-Nose little wolf to examine Black-Nose's wounds.

The little fellow's left ear flap had been scratched open by a monkey, there were three scraped spots on its face, and two cuts on its left foreleg. Fortunately, all these wounds were relatively shallow and hadn't damaged any tendons or bones.

So this tough little wolf hadn't taken injury leave and had followed Old Four hundreds of miles to attend class.

Xia Qing asked the Broken-Face little wolf to fetch her backpack for her. After opening it, she first gave the Broken-Face little wolf a delicious green-light egg, then opened the medical kit to treat Black-Nose's wounds.

Broken-Waist Wolf's medical theory was indeed better than Xia Qing's, but its paw skills were poor, and the wound treatment hadn't been perfect. Snow fleas and other cold-resistant crustacean insects were already clinging to Black-Nose's wounds, gnawing at its flesh and blood.

After cleaning the wounds and applying medicine, Xia Qing also sprinkled on insect-repellent powder, then took the opportunity to check on the Broken-Face little wolf, the Tilt-Head little wolf, and little Xiao Hei Mei.

The handsome giant wolf lying nearby?

That guy doesn't need checking — it'd love to soak in a medicated bath once a day. Although it looks scruffy, its coat is actually healthier than Xia Qing's.

After the northern wolf pack's little wolves were defeated and the southern wolf pack's little wolves charged in, Broken-Waist Wolf, who had been seriously observing the battle, ran over to encourage the pack's pups, before being called over by Xia Qing: "Broken-Waist, Old Four, don't rush off after special training ends. The three of us need to hold a meeting — there's something I want to discuss with you."