Chapter 330: Nine Evolved Wolves

The lead wolf finished examining the bathtub, her gaze falling on the sick wolf, her expression still solemn. Xia Qing couldn't quite read her meaning, so she spoke up to explain, "Queen, Wolf Lao Er—that is, this sick wolf—is fine. When the medicinal agents in the herbal bath take effect, the body feels pain, but once the treatment ends, the pain disappears."

The lead wolf walked in and sniffed the sick wolf; it was clear she was very concerned about the sick wolf's condition. The sick wolf slightly raised its head, and the two wolves sniffed each other.

Discovering the sick wolf didn't have the strength to stand, the lead wolf let out a low whine. The broken-waist wolf immediately walked into the bathroom, took the sick wolf by the scruff, and dragged it out. The lead wolf remained guarding the bathroom doorway, staring at the bathtub and Xia Qing—clearly, she hadn't taken Xia Qing's words at face value.

This was no ordinary evolved wolf—she was the leader of an evolved wolf pack, a brain-domain evolver who had boldly led her injured companions into human territory to seek medical treatment. After confirming that Xia Qing had saved two injured companions, she had now brought another companion, attacked by parasites, into Xia Qing's territory to seek treatment.

Having lived with her for over three months, Xia Qing knew this wolf cared deeply about her companions, had enough boldness, and was cautious enough.

Therefore, until she confirmed the sick wolf was fine, the lead wolf wouldn't believe anything Xia Qing said.

But Xia Qing still explained with gestures and words, showing her utmost sincerity: "The medicine in this wooden tub, after soaking, can make the broken-waist wolf's broken part here, and the broken-leg wolf's broken part here, stronger, and more powerful in fights—this pain is worth it. Queen, just wait until dawn and you'll understand. If the medicine didn't work, I, Sheep Boss, and the sick wolf wouldn't put ourselves through this suffering."

The first to soak in the herbal bath, Xia Qing's whole body ached. After accompanying her two companions through the herbal bath, she really couldn't hold on any longer. "Sorry to trouble the Queen and Broken-Waist to guard the territory tonight—I'm going upstairs to sleep for a bit."

If the lead wolf and broken-waist wolf weren't in the territory, Xia Qing wouldn't have dared, right after soaking in the herbal bath herself, to immediately soak Sheep Boss and the sick wolf, leaving herself and two companions without fighting ability at the same time.

Xia Qing crawled back to the second floor on hands and feet. She didn't even make it to the bedroom before collapsing on the wooden floor and passing out. Sheep Boss lay on the tatami snoring, and the sick wolf, dragged there by the broken-waist wolf, lay beside Sheep Boss with eyes closed, motionless.

After confirming the sick wolf was still breathing, the broken-waist wolf lay down beside it to guard it. The lead wolf guarded the sick wolf and Sheep Boss for a while, then went upstairs to check on Xia Qing.

After confirming Xia Qing's condition was the same as Sheep Boss's and the sick wolf's, the lead wolf circled her once, then lay down beside her and slowly closed her eyes.

A fine rain pattered down all night.

The next day, after waking up, Xia Qing stretched and kicked her legs. Even though she'd slept on the floor all night, she didn't feel cold at all—instead, she felt refreshed all over. If she had to describe this comfort specifically, she felt like a badly worn old engine that had been coated with a thick layer of high-quality lubricating oil, running especially smoothly.

This time, after using the medicine, she felt even better than last time. What state would her bones and muscles reach after completing the six-month, eighteen-session body damage treatment regimen?

Xia Qing spread her hand, looking at the two scars on the Hukou of her right hand, full of anticipation.

The rain was still falling sparsely. The little swallows' calls and the rooster's crow were both feeble, but this didn't affect Xia Qing's good mood at all.

After washing up and going downstairs, she found the living room empty of wolves and sheep, but there were breathing sounds coming from the bathroom.

Xia Qing first went to check on the fish and rabbits, then went to the bathroom doorway and found the lead wolf actually standing beside the bathtub, staring at the medicinal liquid inside with a very serious expression.

The color of this medicinal liquid admittedly didn't look good, but it worked well. Xia Qing asked, "Queen, where are Boss, Broken-Waist, and the sick wolf?"

The lead wolf ignored Xia Qing, still intently studying the medicinal liquid in the bathtub. Xia Qing asked, "There's still some effect left in this liquid—would the Queen like to get in and soak for a bit? It does hurt, but after the pain, you'll become stronger."

The lead wolf turned to look at Xia Qing—she was clearly tempted.

Xia Qing immediately fetched the heating rod, plugged it in, and heated the medicinal liquid in the bathtub. "The temperature of the medicine needs to be close to body temperature to work best. Queen, this medicine—I exchanged it for 800,000 points. 800,000 points."

Xia Qing chose a unit of measure the lead wolf could understand: "Yi stones this big, four of them—the same amount you gave me the first time you brought two injured companions into my territory—only that many Yi stones could be exchanged for this specially formulated body damage treatment medicine."

After heating it to 40 degrees, Xia Qing took out the heating rod. "Queen, get in. It'll hurt after soaking for a while, but I believe that with the Queen's ability, you'll definitely be able to last an hour."

Letting her companions soak in the herbal bath wasn't something Xia Qing did on a whim—she had specifically consulted her idol, who said animals could soak, though the effect wouldn't be as good as when Xia Qing soaked. After all, this medicine was specially formulated for Xia Qing by Zhang San.

After the lead wolf got in, the sick wolf came back carrying a small basket of bugs and went into the utility room to feed the fish.

These past few days, the bugs the sick wolf caught to feed the fish were all palm-sized evolved insects. Because the territory had been cleaned quite thoroughly, large evolved insects were becoming fewer and fewer. To feed the fish, the sick wolf now had to run to Area 3 of Mountain 49 to catch bugs.

After killing the bugs and bringing them back, unlike Sheep Boss, who would toss the bugs and basket into the tank and be done with it, the sick wolf held each large insect in its mouth, placed it on the water surface, and waited until the fish finished eating one before placing another.

Watching the fish fight over the insects to eat, the sick wolf would even wag its tail happily—it was clear it really enjoyed the process of feeding the fish.

Xia Qing recorded this scene with her phone, then went out to patrol the territory.

With the five cameras working 24 hours without rest, Xia Qing felt much more at ease, but she still patrolled the territory at irregular times every day to check conditions everywhere.

Although it wasn't damaging rain falling now, after three consecutive days of rain nourishing the ground, another layer of small grass shoots had sprouted, in all colors, looking as if a clean, colorful carpet had been spread across the territory—quite pleasing to the eye.

Sheep Boss was eating grass in the pasture shed; the broken-waist wolf had gone off somewhere unknown. The crop greenhouse was normal. The bean pods on the mung bean plants needed to be picked today, otherwise once the sun came out, the pods would burst their beans.

The grain husks on the green-light rice ears had turned yellow—this was a sign of ripening. Once the sun came out, Xia Qing would harvest these ninety-plus early-planted green-light rice plants.

The green-light spinach that had already bolted and finished flowering would burst its spinach seeds next month. Protection had to be set up in advance, to prevent them from blasting the greenhouse full of holes.

Walking to the spring cave, Xia Qing moved the large stone blocking the cave entrance, took out the water bucket from her backpack, and put it in to collect spring water. All the spring water at home had been used by her for the herbal bath. Today at ten in the morning, she also had to deliver a bucket of water to Area 3 of Mountain 49, to hand over to Wei Chengdong.

Luo Pei also needed uncontaminated spring water to use medicine to drive out the damaging-synthesis poison from his body.

Xia Qing turned on her flashlight and carefully examined the two damaging grass plants inside the spring cave, finding them completely unchanged. If she hadn't seen the roots of the damaging grass with her own eyes, Xia Qing would have suspected these two plants were plastic fakes.

"Buzz—"

Xia Qing took out her phone and saw it was Hu Zifeng calling her. She immediately answered.

"Xia Qing, nine evolved wolves are currently crossing the valley between Mountain 49 and Mountain 50. By their direction, they're heading toward your territory. The wolf leading them is wearing protective gear—should be one of those broken-waist wolves. Do you need them intercepted?"