Chapter 390: A Bizarre Hobby

"So, we need to haul back 2,604 cubic meters of soil from the Evolution Forest on Mountain Fifty between the 11th and 12th, and between the 11th and 15th cut down as many thorn trees and shrubs as we can to build a 7,000-meter-long thorn wall, and truck them back!"

Zhao Ze circled the workload for this task, looked up and asked, "Sister Xia Qing, what model are the transport trucks and excavator you rented from Territory Eight?"

After Xia Qing reported the model of the engineering vehicles, Zhao Ze asked in detail about the terrain and soil of the thorn forest and the yellow clay riverbank, and quickly came up with a plan.

"Tomorrow morning we still split into two groups—one group takes chainsaws to fell trees, the other works with the excavator to load clay onto the trucks. The tiller leaves at five-thirty tomorrow morning to clear the path to the riverbank, must be done before seven. Sister, I need to go along—how many more people do you think we need to bring?"

Xia Qing answered immediately, "Two more people will be enough. Brother Qi goes along, and can Brother Yue send someone from his side?"

Qi Fu had worked on a construction crew back in the Safe Zone, and being an Evolver too, he'd pick it up fast. Yue Haiying's side would surely have someone usable too.

Yue Haiying nodded, "Yes, Yu Shou, a Level Four Strength Evolver, drove engineering vehicles before retiring. I'll have him waiting under the north road sign of Territory Fifteen at five-thirty."

"Good, the four of us will head over first tomorrow."

Zhao Ze continued asking, "All six of our territories will stop our current work and concentrate manpower on felling trees and getting soil. Each territory reports now how many able-bodied laborers it can send to Mountain Fifty—people with full protective gear. Territory Four, not counting me, can send seven people."

"Territory Three, just me. I can stay inside the Evolution Forest the full five days, handling hauling, operating machinery, or guard duty."

"Territory Five, including the two of us, eleven people total."

"Territory Six, thirteen people including me."

"Territory Ten, my wife and Shi Du, two."

"Territory Fifteen, twenty-one people including me, thirteen of them Evolvers. Although the people in our territory all have some disability or other, they can handle heavy work just fine. We also have three guns, and three people who can take on guard duty."

Hearing that Territory Fifteen not only had plenty of people but also guns, the lords were overjoyed.

Kuang Qingwei, who was in charge of the accounts, noted the numbers in his notebook. "Everyone works together—able-bodied labor counts as 4 points per day, guard duty 10 points per day, Zhao Ze as chief engineer counts as 20 points per day. After the work's done, based on the materials delivered to each territory and the labor contributed, we calculate whether each lord should receive points or make up points. Anyone have objections?"

Once everyone agreed, Zhao Ze began assigning tasks.

"Tonight, each territory needs to clear a spot inside the territory for unloading soil and timber, and build a path from the road sign to the unloading point—at least 3.5 meters wide, ground as flat as possible. Territories Four, Five, Six, and Ten already have their roads fixed. Xia Qing, Brother Yue, any problems for you two?"

After confirming there were no problems, Zhao Ze continued arranging, "Tomorrow morning at five-thirty we set out. I, Xia Qing, Brother Qi, and Brother Yu head to Mountain Fifty first. Xia Qing, Brother Qi, and Brother Yu clear the path, I survey the construction site. The rest of you put on protective gear by six-forty, bring tools, and gather under your respective road signs. Take the engineering vehicles driven over from Territory Eight to the construction site…"

After the tasks were assigned, the lords immediately dispersed, returning to their respective territories to begin fixing up paths and unloading sites.

The greenhouse site and road inside Territory Three no longer needed repairs, but Xia Qing had important work to finish tonight too.

Carrying spring water and medicine from home, Xia Qing hurried to Wolf Den, Area Three, Mountain Forty-Nine.

Because the valley entrance was blocked by thorn trees, Xia Qing could only climb up the slope of Area Three on Mountain Forty-Nine, then standing at the top of the abandoned valley, called out, "my lord, Broken-Waist, are you in the den?"

Hearing no response, Xia Qing raised her voice again, "Broken-Leg sis, are you in the den?"

"Wooo—" A low, threatening growl came from inside the den, full of wildness—an Evolver wolf.

Xia Qing understood, "Broken-Leg sis is in, Broken-Waist and my lord are both out? Do you know where they went?"

Those two smart wolves being away meant all these wild boars were unguarded by wolves…

Xia Qing's mouth watered. She coughed once, slid down the rope into the valley, and was just about to push open the wooden door of the wolf den when she heard sounds inside. She immediately retreated a few meters, back against the stone wall, hand on the gun grip, ready for combat.

"Squeak—"

A furry paw pushed the door open, Broken-Waist wolf's head poked out from inside, lips pulled back to reveal two snow-white, cute little fang tips, grinning at Xia Qing.

Xia Qing's taut nerves relaxed, "Bro…"

"Squeak—"

Before Xia Qing could finish, Broken-Waist wolf pulled its paw back and the door swung shut again.

Xia Qing…

What does that mean?

"Squeak—"

A few seconds later the door was pushed open again, and Broken-Waist wolf poked its head out once more.

Addicted to playing with the door? What kind of weird hobby is this?

Fine, play!

Xia Qing holstered her gun, walked over and knocked on the wooden door that had closed again, asking very formally, "Handsome wolf brother Broken-Waist, are you home? It's me, Xia Qing, I need a word with you."

Broken-Waist wolf immediately pushed the door open and stuck its head out, grinning even more happily as expected.

Xia Qing smiled too, dug into her pack and took out supplies, "Why is the hinge on this door making noise? I'll fix it for you in a bit. I've brought Broken-Leg wolf's sister's medicine and water. Broken-Waist, go call her out to take her medicine and drink."

"Squeak—"

The door, shut again.

Xia Qing poured the water, and instead of hearing the sound of Broken-Leg wolf's sister's splinted hind leg scraping against gravel, she heard the rustle of dry grass being crushed.

Seeing the few strands of dry grass caught on Broken-Leg sis's hind-leg splint, Xia Qing understood: Broken-Waist wolf hadn't just been playing with the door lately—it had also laid quite a lot of dry grass inside the den.

Where did it get the dry grass? Could it be the grass I cut and dried in Area Three, that I hadn't gotten around to collecting yet…

Truly… a domestically gifted wolf!

my lord, where did you go, hurry back and take Broken-Waist wolf as your mate back to Mountain Sixty. This thing living at my place doesn't just cost me doors, it costs me grass too.

Although Broken-Leg wolf's sister was fierce-looking, she drank her medicine water extremely fast. She was the first wolf Xia Qing had ever seen that would stick her muzzle right into the basin and gulp. When she ate meat she barely chewed—just swallowed it whole.

In short, whether Broken-Leg sis was eating meat or drinking water, watching her gave one quite an appetite, made you want to rush up and take a few bites yourself.

After Broken-Leg wolf finished her medicine water, Xia Qing poured another full basin and carried it into the den, dug out a spot in the corner thickly carpeted with dry grass, and set the water basin down.

Sweeping the dry grass in the wolf den with her night-vision goggles, Xia Qing felt a pang of heartache, sighed, took out her tools and began fixing the door.

Broken-Leg wolf's sister bared her teeth and growled low at Xia Qing touching the door, and Broken-Waist wolf watched with a serious face too.

Xia Qing finished fixing the door, bared her teeth and growled twice at Broken-Leg sis, leaving her dumbfounded, before speaking to Broken-Waist wolf.

"I'll be very busy the next few days. I leave the territory tomorrow morning and won't be back until evening. While I'm not in the territory, don't go playing with the gate, or you'll be spotted by people."

Xia Qing paused a few seconds, set her face, her voice turning stern, "There's one more thing."

Waiting until Broken-Waist wolf closed its mouth and looked at her, Xia Qing continued, "Remember the first time we met? Your pack clashed with the human squad I was with, and I hid in a tree. In the end you won, killed a lot of people."

Broken-Waist wolf stared at Xia Qing thoughtfully.

"A companion of the human Evolvers you killed has come to this territory. He's a Smell Evolver—he definitely remembers the scent of your wolf pack. So…"

Xia Qing swept the area in front of her with extreme, extreme seriousness. "Besides my territory and Boss Sheep's territory, the valley where you raise wild boar, the wolf pack cannot go anywhere else in this human territory."

"I'll break your waist. If you leave this area and get spotted or recognized by that enhanced-smell evolved human, and he gathers a human squad to come after you for revenge, I absolutely won't help the wolf pack, and I won't tip you off either."