Chapter 177: The Fifth Yishi

She didn't want to leave the territory in the middle of the night to head to the Evolution Forest, but today was the day she had to change the medicine on the wolf with the injured waist. She'd been treating this wolf for almost a month now — she couldn't just give up halfway.

A member of the Sufeng Squad tailing the edge of Territory Three?

Hah, in the eyes of Xia Qing, a three-system advanced Evolver, they were trash. Not to mention evading their surveillance — silencing them would be a piece of cake for Xia Qing.

Xia Qing sent a message to Hu Zifeng, then headed north along the mountain gully between Territories Three and Four. The wild grass hid her body, the sound of running water masked her movements, and Xia Qing quickly passed through the northern isolation belt, reaching the abandoned wild boar breeding center valley.

The buildings and iron fences here had all been torn down and hauled away. This piece of land had been taken by the Azure Dragon Squad and assigned to Mountain 49, Zone Three, so now this valley belonged solely to Xia Qing.

Entering the valley and arriving outside the abandoned cave of the wild boar breeding center, Xia Qing looked up at the head wolf standing high on the rock.

Bathed in starlight and moonlight, the head wolf looked even more powerful and mysterious.

But for some reason, after the argument with the head wolf last night, Xia Qing's fear of it had actually faded a few notches. Being looked down on by the head wolf from above, Xia Qing didn't feel afraid either. She shook the sealed medicine bag in her hand. "I came to change the dressing on the injured wolf."

After confirming Xia Qing's purpose, the head wolf vanished with a single leap.

Xia Qing waited outside the cave. She wouldn't enter such a dangerous cave — she was waiting for the injured wolf to crawl out on its own, or be carried out.

The anesthetic on them had already worn off.

Movement quickly came from inside the cave. The head wolf, who had entered through some unknown opening, carried the wolf with the injured waist out and placed it in front of Xia Qing, then turned and went back into the cave.

Xia Qing leaned against the solid rock, crouched down, and opened the protective gear on the wolf's waist, skillfully changing the medicine. Then she took out a water basin, poured in medicinal powder mixed with spring water. "Drink up. You guys will stay here for the next few days. When Third Brother comes back, I'll take you for a follow-up. Your injury is almost healed."

The brain-domain evolved wolf whined softly and began lapping at the water.

Movement came from inside the cave. Xia Qing could tell it was the sound of the broken-legged wolf walking. The splints on its two hind legs hadn't been removed yet, and when the rock hit the splints, it made a distinctive sound.

There was also a weak set of footsteps — Xia Qing could tell it was that thin, sick wolf.

The thin, sick wolf wasn't scary, but the broken-legged wolf, which was almost recovered, made Xia Qing feel threatened. She stepped back against the rock and gripped her weapon in defense.

The broken-legged wolf came out before the sick wolf, stood by the water basin, and stared at Xia Qing with wild eyes, as if weighing again which part of her would be good to bite.

The sick, weak wolf came out, groping with its head lowered to find the spring water to drink.

Judging by its movements, its eyes were probably blind — it could only rely on hearing and smell to move.

This anti-inflammatory water was meant for the two wolves with injured muscles and bones, but Xia Qing didn't stop the sick wolf from drinking.

After the sick wolf finished drinking, it was the broken-legged wolf's turn.

After all three wolves had finished drinking, Xia Qing used a stick to pull the water basin over. As she prepared to return to the territory, the head wolf came out of the cave again, walked step by step to Xia Qing, lowered its head and spat out a walnut-sized stone, then retreated to the sick wolf's side and stared at Xia Qing.

If not for the face shield blocking it, Xia Qing's eyeballs would have popped out of their sockets.

A Yishi!

An even bigger Yishi than the one given last time!

She had countless times hinted — openly and subtly — to the wolf pack that she wanted Yishi!

Steady, stay steady…

Xia Qing suppressed her racing heart, struggled to control her facial expression and voice, and calmly asked the head wolf, "For me? What do you want in exchange?"

The head wolf turned its head and licked the sick wolf's ear beside it, then stared intently at Xia Qing. In its eyes, Xia Qing clearly saw pleading and urgency.

Save it.

Regardless of whether Xia Qing had misunderstood the wolf pack's intentions during that argument the night before last, after being thoroughly scolded by Xia Qing, the proud head wolf still hadn't given up on this sick wolf, and had taken out a Yishi to try trading with Xia Qing again — this showed how important this sick wolf was to the head wolf.

Out of respect for the wolf queen bowing her head, and out of respect for the Yishi, Xia Qing decided to give it a try.

But she might not be able to save it — that had to be made clear before the deal was struck.

To let the queen see her sincerity, Xia Qing took off her protective mask.

After removing the protective mask with its air filtration device, a foul smell slapped Xia Qing right in the face.

The medicine Chang Li had given had caused side effects — this already thin, sick wolf had diarrhea, and its condition was getting worse and worse.

Xia Qing picked up the Yishi, took off her night-vision goggles, and stared into the head wolf's rich golden eyes. She solemnly stated the terms of the trade: "This wolf is very sick. I can try to save it, but I can't guarantee it will live. In other words, it might still die after treatment. Even so, you still want to trade this precious stone with me?"

From the moment the head wolf spat out the Yishi to trade with her, Xia Qing was certain this wolf knew the value of the Yishi. Otherwise, it wouldn't have taken out a Yishi to try trading again after she refused to trade for the green lantern python.

Xia Qing didn't know whether the rich golden wolf had understood her meaning, but it licked the sick wolf's ear again, then stared at her.

The head wolf's determination to save this wolf was very firm.

"Alright, I agree to trade with you." Xia Qing took it as understanding, put the Yishi in her pocket, put on her night-vision goggles and protective mask, and immediately contacted Ji Li.

Given this wolf's condition, the squad medic from Territory One probably couldn't save it — they had to ask Zhang San, the lord of Territory Seven. Even if Zhang San quoted 200,000 credits this time, Xia Qing would agree, because the Yishi the head wolf gave was definitely worth that price.

It was past two in the morning, and Xia Qing didn't dare call Ji Li rashly. She sent Ji Li the test report Chang Li had given her, along with two photos of the sick wolf.

Then she asked: Brother Ji, this wolf is in critical condition and urgently needs Third Brother to save it. I'll agree to any number of credits.

Then came the long wait.

The sick wolf couldn't hold on anymore and lay down on the gravel.

It was called a long wait, but actually only twenty minutes passed before Ji Li's call came through. "Our lord is busy right now. I showed the test report and photos to other experts. We can try, but whether it can be saved depends on how much resistance this wolf has left. Should I send someone to Territory Three now?"

"Thank you so much, Brother Ji. Whether it can be saved or not, I want to try." After thanking him, Xia Qing explained the current situation in the territory. "The Sufeng Squad has put surveillance on several of our territories to look for their lost pangolin. I've moved the wolves to the abandoned cave at the wild boar breeding center, so it's not convenient to deliver medicine. Can I go to the buffer forest of Territory Seven to pick up the medicine?"

Ji Li didn't take the Sufeng scouts seriously at all. "No need. They'll arrive at the wild boar breeding center cave in ten minutes. The password is two-one-six — three-five-five."

"Got it, Brother Ji. Thank you so much. When you come back, I'll bring you something good to eat."

After hanging up, Xia Qing immediately told the head wolf, "Two humans will come by later to deliver medicine. Queen, don't attack them."

The people from Territory Seven arrived on time outside the wild boar breeding center cave. After exchanging the code to confirm each other's identities, the other side didn't waste a single word and directly asked Xia Qing, "Which wolf?"

Xia Qing immediately pointed at the wolf lying on the ground and answered, "This one."

The two didn't even turn on their flashlights. The other one spoke up, "Please bring the patient into the cave, Miss Xia. We need to operate on it immediately."

"Alright." Xia Qing discussed it with the head wolf. "Queen, you guys go over there. The humans need to treat the wolf inside the cave."

The head wolf very decisively picked up one wolf in its mouth, herding the other along, and retreated to the spot Xia Qing had indicated. The three humans at the cave mouth were watched with fierce, wary eyes by the wolves.