Chapter 1744: The Big Toon Tree on Gao Po in the North Buffer Forest Is About to Sprout

Since Wolf Lao Er wasn't waiting inside the wild-grass wall to welcome her home, Xia Qing activated her full abilities, used hearing and sight to confirm everything was normal in the territory, then felt a little more at ease and walked quickly toward the green-light big toon tree on Gao Po after entering the territory.

After the ice and snow melted, temperatures rose rapidly, and the big toon tree should sprout at the latest the day after tomorrow. To fully recover the Yi-28 gas synthesized and released when the big toon tree sprouts, Xia Qing buried four wooden stakes taller than the tree's canopy around it, and installed smart cameras to watch the tree.

The instant the toon tree's branches rapidly put out buds, the smart monitoring system would immediately send an alert to Xia Qing and Zhang San, and automatically open the long aluminum boxes fixed on the four wooden stakes; the compressed membrane inside would spring out rapidly and cover the entire canopy of the big toon tree.

Then, researchers from Territory Seven could arrive within ten minutes and use professional equipment to collect the Yi-28 inside the cover.

Such awesome equipment was ordered from Boss Wu by her idol last year, and installed by Xia Qing and Daya according to the instruction manual.

While debugging the equipment, watching the net cover spring out and stretch within fifteen seconds, not only covering the entire canopy of the big toon tree but also closing tightly around the trunk below, Xia Qing wanted to get closer to this big shot through Third Brother and get more custom equipment.

She never expected that this January, Boss Wu would come over himself, join the Hui Three Northern District One Territory Alliance, and become her non-blood-related big brother!

When she handed the land-use rights certificate for Territory 206 to Boss Wu, Xia Qing had already drawn up a long list in her heart, planning to send it to him once he recovered so he could make equipment for her.

Even blood relatives settle accounts clearly—not a single point owed can be skipped. Xia Qing had to work hard to save up points to turn that list into top-tier equipment as soon as possible.

Returning from hunting today, Xia Qing sent two yellow-light red deer, skinned and gutted, to Center Nine, weighing 640 jin. At the market price of 50 points per jin, they were worth points.

Once the staff finished eating these two deer, she'd go to Crocodile Lake to fish out 1,670 jin of yellow-light crocodiles, and after delivering them to Center Nine, she'd get points back!

Where did Center Nine get the points to buy meat?

Last night, when the Hui Three Agriculture Department held an online work meeting, Xia Qing very decisively took on the department's task of planting generation-grain vegetables and green-light rice. When Director Yang Benming asked amiably what difficulties she had here that needed higher-level departments to coordinate and resolve, Xia Qing raised two points:

First, Center Nine would retain 15% of the summer-harvest rice as reserve grain; second, she applied for overtime pay and overtime meal expenses for the staff working hard overtime.

These were all reasonable requests, and Director Yang agreed immediately.

Not only Center Nine, but the four planting centers outside the safe zone also received special funds and could retain grain.

Of course, the amount of funds allocated and the proportion of grain retained were proportional to the task volume each center received. Center Nine took on the largest task volume, so naturally it received the most funds. Therefore, Center Nine had points to buy meat and improve meals for the staff.

Tonight, when the inspection team delivers the meat, Yuehai Camp will inspect the quality, weigh it, price it, and stock it in as required. When Xia Qing goes over tomorrow to check the work, she can sign the receipt, then take it to the finance office to collect the points.

These points, Xia Qing earned with complete justification.

The meat sent to Center Nine, plus the deer blood, deer hide, and antlers sold to Hu Zifeng and his four companions, and later selling nine deer hides, selling some deer meat and deer blood to allies, and finally disposing of the antlers—on this trip, Xia Qing would earn at least points!

The green-light heart and deer blood sent to Territory Seven? Those were used to trade for medicine, their value couldn't be measured in points!

This windfall was too good. Xia Qing happily carried the game downhill, heading home to rejoin her companions.

Wolf Lao Er wasn't in the territory, and she was coming back so late—Old Big and the three monkeys must be both scared and hungry. Little Bai Mao's due date was any day now, and Xia Qing needed to go back to check on her condition. If she had a difficult birth again, she'd need to send her to Territory Seven for surgery immediately.

"Sister Qing!" Dajiang, who was patrolling the territory, ran over. "Want me to carry some for you?"

Dajiang wasn't a strength evolver and couldn't carry a deer. Xia Qing handed him the bag in her hand. "There's green-light deer blood inside. Have Eryong make a soup with the deer blood, let's have a late-night snack. I'm going home to change first."

"Got it!" Dajiang took the bag overjoyed and reported on the territory's situation. "Everything's normal in the territory, but after dark Old Big came out wearing glasses to look for you."

Every time Sheep Old Big came out and couldn't find Xia Qing, he'd get angry and chase Dajiang and Eryong, and they'd take turns getting beaten. If Xia Qing didn't hurry home, Dajiang would soon get beaten for the fourth time.

In the past, Hu Zifeng's squad all thought Sheep Old Big's way of expressing emotions was too fiery. After signing up for Duan-ge's special training class and being brutally crushed and beaten by the handsome giant wolf, they now felt Sheep Old Big was really a sweet little lamb with a good temper and not much cunning.

The Queen had it join the northern wolf pack—surely because it was too cute!

"Okay, I'll go back and check." Xia Qing carried several hundred jin of game and sprinted back to the abandoned village at top speed.

"Moo!"

Before Xia Qing could reach home, Sheep Old Big charged out, furiously charging at the little subordinate who'd come home so late.

Xia Qing jumped onto the rubble by the road, pulled a handful of green-light dried dragon fruit from her pocket, and when Sheep Old Big jumped up, she held the dried dragon fruit to its mouth and apologized softly. "Sorry, Old Big, I'm late. Old Big protected the territory and protected the companions all by yourself, you worked hard. Are you hungry, Old Big?"

Sheep Old Big quickly ate the dried dragon fruit, walked a few steps outward, then turned back anxiously urging Xia Qing to follow. "Baa!"

Seeing it couldn't even be bothered to discipline her, Xia Qing understood why it was so anxious. "Is Old Big going to protect your beloved big toon tree? Wait until I put the game away at home, then we'll go right away, okay?"

Last year at this time, Wolf Lao Er was still in the territory. So even after dark, Sheep Old Big dared to run alone into the North Buffer Forest to protect its big toon tree. This year Wolf Lao Er left early, and the cowardly Sheep Old Big didn't dare go over and needed Xia Qing to accompany it.

"Baa!"

Sheep Old Big disagreed, so Xia Qing immediately changed plans, took it out of the abandoned village, through the farmland, up the North Buffer Forest, and arrived under the big toon tree.

Sheep Old Big circled the big toon tree twice, then lay down under it. Xia Qing checked the air toxin detector, confirmed there was no Yi-28 in the air here, then took out a piece of feed Sheep Old Big liked, broke off a bit and stuffed it into its mouth. "Old Big, shall I go home and cook for you? Does Old Big want green-light bean sprouts and strawberries? I can bring them to you really fast."

Sheep Old Big, who didn't want to stay here alone, ultimately chose the food. "Baa~"

"Okay, Old Big is really brave, you're truly the leading sheep of our territory, the pride of Blue Star's evolved sheep! I'll be back really soon, Old Big wait for me."

After giving instructions, Xia Qing picked up the game and ran down the slope, sprinting back to the abandoned village again. Watching her, both Eryong and Dajiang felt tired on her behalf.

Xia Qing rushed back to the village, first stopped at the sheep pen door, glanced at the little yellow ox with its belly round from eating, and asked, "Plucker, Little Bai Mao, are you guys here?"

Two yellow weasels quickly poked out from the haystack, looking at her.

Confirming Little Bai Mao hadn't given birth yet, Xia Qing felt relieved. "Plucker, Little Bai Mao, Broken-Waist, Little Wolf Girl and I are back from hunting. We'll share the game with you later."