Chapter 1905: Spring is a season of flourishing growth

If only Dai Lan were standing by the car right now, Xia Qing would have responded in a very polite and official manner, telling her: Ji Shi's participation in the entrance physical exam was strictly business, and she had merely signed the papers according to procedure.

Because before the Ji Li squad left the Northern First District, they had executed orders from the Hui First Base to forcefully seize the poisonous soybeans Xia Qing intended to send to Territory No. 7, the two sides had already drawn their guns and become enemies, with no contact for nearly two years.

This was not to say there was any deep-seated hatred between them personally, but rather that their interests and stances differed, and further contact would be of no benefit to either side.

But seeing Dai Lan pulling a child with bright eyes, Xia Qing did not say those polite words that adults could understand but children might misunderstand. She responded gently, "Dr. Dai, you are too polite. Shall I drive you over?"

During the recent rain of death, two of the patrol team's three vehicles had broken down and been sent to the old regiment headquarters for repairs, and the remaining one was likely out on a mission. Therefore, Su Ming could only walk to take this mother and child to the Ninth Center.

Dai Lan accepted Xia Qing's kindness but declined her offer, "I will take the child to learn the way to and from school. You go ahead and get busy. Once the busy farming season is over, our family will come to visit you."

"Goodbye, Auntie Qing." In the gaze Ji Shi fixed upon Xia Qing, there was nothing but the worship and excitement of a child for the strong.

Xia Qing nodded and drove away from Territory No. 7.

Once Su Ming had taken Dai Lan and her child away, Little Eleven, who had been hiding in the wild grass wall, ran back to the greenhouse to report the latest news, "Second Uncle, Sister Sister Yingzi, Seventh Sister, I saw Uncle Ji's little Stone. He looks very sturdy."

Tan Qi, who was tidying up the field ridges, immediately asked, "Is he a strength-type evolver?"

Little Eleven shook her head, "I don't know."

Ye Yang, who was weeding while sitting on a small stool, spoke up, "I heard that little Stone hasn't been tested for evolutionary abilities yet, but he has been participating in physical training since he was five."

Jiang Ying also joined the discussion, "Starting training so young, no wonder he grew up sturdy."

Little Eleven responded with a sound and squatted down beside her Second Uncle to weed with a small hoe.

Tan Qi suggested, "Eleven, after school starts and you have physical education, you can spar with little Stone once to see what moves he knows."

Little Eleven and Ji Shi were the same age. She had hidden her evolutionary ability, so her personal file was registered as an ordinary person. According to the school's relevant regulations, the two of them could spar.

Tan Qi was 11 years old, and her speed evolution level had risen to four and a half. According to the regulations, she could only spar with 14-year-old fifth-level speed and endurance dual-system evolver Lu Lu Fangchun, or 15-year-old fifth-level visual evolver Wang Bo.

"Okay." Little Eleven responded crisply. Little Stone did indeed look sturdy, but Little Eleven was certain he was no match for her.

Because when Little Eleven was four, she could quickly climb up a big tree to catch a fleeing snake and could hunt rabbits with her mother. By five, she could look after the house independently and beat an invading evolutionary rat to death. Over the past few months, she had been diligently practicing the combat moves taught by Auntie Yan Long every day, and her combat power had improved significantly.

Ye Yang exhorted the two little ones, "Sparring is fine, but Eleven must first obtain little Stone's consent, and it must be done with restraint—don't hurt the other person."

"Understood." Little Eleven responded crisply.

Children in the years of natural disasters all desperately hoped to become strong, and they were clear about what being injured meant—only by becoming strong could one survive, while being injured could lead to death from infection by evolutionary microorganisms.

After Xia Qing returned to the territory from the Nanmen and passed through the wild grass wall, she saw the little yellow ox strolling and eating grass. Beside Guan Tong, who was cleaning the open-air planting area, sat the small basket Yang Yang Laoda used for catching insects.

No need to ask; it was definitely that after Xia Qing left, Yang Yang Laoda, who disliked catching insects, had thrown the basket to Guan Tong, making him catch insects while he worked.

Guan Tong didn't agree? Then start a war; whoever wins gets to call the shots.

Guan Tong couldn't beat Yang Yang Laoda? Even if he could, he wouldn't dare, because Yang Yang Laoda's backers were one more powerful than the next. Although Xia Qing was not in the territory, Yang Yang Laoda only needed to moo a few times to summon the main force of the Northern wolf pack living in the sheep shed—the Plucking-Feather Weasel—which could take down half the creatures in the territory with one move.

Xia Qing first drove through the passage where large swaths of death-grass were drying on both sides, went home to put away the supplies she had brought back, fed the chickens, collected the eggs, and cleaned the sheep shed and chicken coop before cutting two stalks of sugarcane. She cut them into cubes, brought them to the edge of the field, and divided them into two boxes for Guan Tong and Dajiang, "Just harvested from Third Brother's territory. You two take them back to have a taste."

"Many thanks, Sister Qing." Guan Tong responded honestly, took off his gloves, and happily accepted the glass crisper box containing the sugarcane. Third Brother was a gourmet, and apart from Xia Qing, no one else could get the specialties of Territory No. 7.

Dajiang laughed and introduced the situation in the territory, "Many thanks, Sister Qing. Half an hour ago, the Plucking-Feather Weasel caught a snake more than three meters long from the ruins of the houses on the southwest side. Red Da Mao poked its head out in the western buffer forest several times; it should be looking for you. Yang Yang Laoda and the others are all in Greenhouse No. 1."

Xia Qing responded. She didn't need to go look to know why Red Da Mao was looking for her, "I won't be leaving the territory this afternoon. It's almost noon, you two take a break. Try to use the Nanmen when entering and leaving the territory these two days."

After Dajiang and Guan Tong left, Xia Qing didn't drive. She carried a food bag and walked toward the western buffer forest to check on the two red foxes that were still lingering in her territory after the rain of death.

Before she even reached the cave entrance, Red Da Mao jumped out from behind the nearby bushes, fur bristling and teeth bared, assuming an attack posture, forbidding Xia Qing from advancing any further.

Xia Qing stepped back two paces and asked softly, "Da Mao, has Hong Er Mao given birth to the cubs?"

After safely spending the rain of death in Xia Qing's territory, the two red foxes felt that the cave in the northern buffer forest was even safer than their original nest. Because this cave faced south and was sunny, the interior was dry and sturdy, not too far or too near a water source, and they had a reliable and powerful neighbor in Xia Qing who didn't compete with them for food.

So after the rain of death ended, the two red foxes began busily bustling about, rearranging the dry grass inside their den. When Xia Qing went in to check while clearing away the death-grass yesterday, she discovered that Red Hong Er Mao had even plucked the fur from its belly to line the nest, preparing for the birth of its cubs.

Seeing Xia Qing retreat, Red Da Mao retracted its fangs and continued to guard the cave entrance.

Xia Qing listened carefully and confirmed that what came from inside the cave was not Red Hong Er Mao's rapid breathing or painful groans, but the sound of licking fur, so she turned and left.

Although the Broken-Waist Wolf had never given Red Hong Er Mao a prenatal checkup, Red Hong Er Mao had successfully given birth to the cub Red San Mao last year, so it should be able to deliver successfully this year as well.

Following the weasel cubs, red squirrel cubs, and wild boar cubs, her territory was about to welcome the cubs of a new species.

In a few days, the chicks should be hatching, and the spring-water fish should be spawning.

In a few more days, the little swallows that flew away last year would also return to build nests and hatch eggs, and the greenhouses in her territory would be filled with high-quality agricultural crops.

Spring really is a season of flourishing growth and full of hope. ===== CHAPTER 1906 =====