Chapter 1732: Crop Calamity Evolution

Apart from the beehives, the chickens, mealworms, and spring-water fish were also protected by Xia Qing with Yi Stones.

When the ice and snow melted, the atmospheric calamity-element content would not rise noticeably. In previous years, all she had to do was clear the drainage ditches in advance, open the greenhouse insulation film's vents on time, and keep an eye on river water overflowing from snowmelt, preventing the icy meltwater from rushing into the greenhouses and drowning the overwintering wheat.

This year, everyone was especially tense. Because the calamity-evolved anaerobic bacteria in the soil, suppressed by the winter cold, were about to enter an active period, and the soil microbial balance would be disrupted once again. After the crop roots survived last winter's calamity-snow period and the bitter cold, they would face a second enormous test during the growing season.

After surviving this test, the crops would face a third test—the first calamity rain of the year. Only plants that survived the calamity rain and had a calamity-element content below 15‰ could successfully flower and set seed, bringing the hope of a harvest to the farmers.

Before last winter set in, Xia Qing had planted five mu of Green Light wheat. Although she had plenty of Yi Stones, she did not use them to protect the overwintering wheat.

Because from now until the wheat matured there were still more than three months. If the wheat roots couldn't withstand the attack of soil anaerobic bacteria, using Yi Stones to drive out calamity elements and suppress the activity of calamity-evolved anaerobic bacteria to protect the plants would be far too costly. It was better to simply abandon the overwintering wheat, plow the field, and plant a crop of H-12 rice instead.

After Xia Qing made a round of the fields and returned to the greenhouse to check the indoor temperature, Guan Tong and Liangzi, their faces bruised and swollen, hurried over to join her in guarding the farmland.

By then, snowmelt was already flowing in the drainage ditches outside the greenhouse. The meltwater flowed into the river, pooled on the ice that had not yet fully thawed, and rushed eastward along the river with a gurgling sound.

The sound of flowing water awakened the land that had been sealed by ice for months. The temperature rose at a speed visible to the naked eye. As Xia Qing placed Does Daigua and Ergua in the laboratory to have them test the soil samples she had just collected and confirm the activity level of the anaerobic bacteria, she received a call from Investigation Team Captain Tan Junjie.

The ice and snow were melting, and the investigation team and medical team in the tents outside Territory Seven needed to be moved indoors as soon as possible. Zhang San would not allow them to enter Territory Seven, so Tan Junjie asked Xia Qing if these people could squeeze into the staff dormitory of Center Nine for a few days.

The empty rooms in the other territories couldn't hold several dozen people. Tan Junjie was well aware of Center Nine's rules. "Director Mo has already promised that they will abide by Center Nine's staff management regulations and pay the accommodation, meal, and electricity fees."

Xia Qing didn't refuse outright either. "The temperature is warming up and soil anaerobic bacteria activity is rising. Center Nine must devote all its efforts to the crop protection mission, and the security team can't spare anyone to keep a dedicated eye on them. If they can abide by two conditions and sign an agreement, they can move in."

"First, everyone's range of activity is strictly limited to the dormitory. Apart from going to the restroom on the same floor, they must submit an application two hours in advance to go to any other area."

"Second, they pay Center Nine 120,000 credits per day for accommodation. If they need Center Nine to provide drinking water, electricity, and food, they will be charged according to the previous inspection team's standards."

Tan Junjie had long expected Xia Qing to charge a fee, but he hadn't expected that even for the investigation team sent down by the national leadership, she would charge according to the inspection team's standards.

The figure of 120,000 a day made Tan Junjie question his own ears for the first time. He confirmed with Xia Qing, "120,000 credits a day for accommodation?"

Xia Qing parked the car outside the fig greenhouse, jumped down with her feet sinking into the soft snow-mud, and answered calmly, "Yes. Forty-three people from the investigation team and medical team moving into Center Nine, 120,000 credits a day for accommodation. Center Nine is a planting center, not a guesthouse. We have no obligation to wait on these experts. Lowering the price would invite endless trouble later."

Northern Zone One would develop better and better, and more and more people would come here to visit and inspect in the future. If she lowered the accommodation standard this time, it would be hard to raise it again later.

Tan Junjie replied, "Alright, you go ahead and busy yourself. I'll ask around clearly and contact you again."

Xia Qing entered the fig greenhouse, quickly tested the calamity-element content of the fig leaves, wrote the data in the record book hanging inside the greenhouse, then took soil samples and hurried to the next greenhouse.

"Sister Qing!" Before Xia Qing could step into the next greenhouse, Liangzi, a Level-6 auditory evolver in the monitoring room, sounded an alert over the walkie-talkie channel. "The bee colony is acting up. The bee aphids may have undergone calamity evolution. I'm heading over right now."

At the same time, Yue Haiying called out on the lord's walkie-talkie channel. "Director, the anaerobic bacteria activity in the soil of two fields at Center Nine has spiked. Calamity-evolved plants have appeared in the overwintering wheat."

Xia Qing immediately pressed the lord's walkie-talkie button. "I'm on my way."

Then she pressed the earpiece-style walkie-talkie button. "Liangzi, you exterminate the bee aphids. Guan Tong, keep a close eye on the surveillance in all the greenhouses. Pull two more people over to deliver soil samples to the lab every half hour—just leave them in the sample box at the door. I'm heading to Center Nine."

"Copy that."

Xia Qing jumped into the off-road vehicle and discussed with Sheep Boss. "Boss, I need to go to Center Nine to inspect the fields. Can you go home and protect Little Huang Niu? This is a critical time. Lao Er isn't in the territory, so Boss is the lead sheep of our territory. Little Huang Niu and Little Bai Mao can only rely on you for protection. Can the strongest evolved sheep boss on the entire Blue Star protect them?"

Sheep Boss, who didn't want to be separated from Xia Qing, immediately raised its head.

"Boss, I knew you were the most reliable! Having such an amazing and responsible companion—I'm really so lucky…" Xia Qing praised Sheep Boss in a soft, affectionate voice all the way home, put it in the sheep pen, and after stuffing it with two portions of feed, she gave Little Bai Mao and the plucked-fur ground squirrel a few instructions before climbing back into the off-road vehicle.

She opened her backpack and asked the blue-faced little monkey curled up in the insulated bag, "Blue Face, I'm going to another territory called Center Nine. There are 982 humans there. If you want to come with me, stay in the backpack; if you don't want to go, you can stay in the shed or in the room. Pick one—I'm leaving right away."

The blue-faced little monkey hesitated for three seconds, then stretched out its gleaming little golden paw and grabbed Xia Qing's extended third finger.

"Alright, Blue Face stays in the room." Xia Qing fished the blue-faced little monkey out of the backpack, carried it home and tucked it into the tree nest, instructing, "Stay here peacefully. I'll definitely be back before dark."

"Eep…"

"Don't be scared." Xia Qing took Little Feimao out of her pocket, tucked it into the luxurious wooden nest on the wall, and handed the blue-faced little monkey a cabbage leaf. "Let Little Feimao stay home and keep you company. Does Daigua and Ergua are in the lab; they'll come back once they're done. I'm going to protect the fields, and I'll bring you delicious leaves when I return."

After the blue-faced little monkey nodded, Xia Qing quickly left the room, called out to Sheep Boss in the sheep pen, jumped into the car, and sped off toward Center Nine.