Chapter 393: Opening the Path

After Yu Shou left, Zhao Ze continued driving the micro-cultivator forward, Qi Fu followed behind the vehicle clearing the road, and Xia Qing was solely responsible for the guard duty.

"Miss Xia, can you hear me?" Five minutes later, Yu Shou, who had gone to negotiate with Territory Seventeen, called Xia Qing through the walkie-talkie.

"Yes."

Yu Shou reported the situation, "Territory Seventeen's lord Wen Nengjie brought thirteen people from his territory to chop down thorn trees with chainsaws, saws, and axes. Besides the timber, they also want to take away the yellow clay from the cutting area."

Wen Chengjie came to inspect the thorn forest yesterday, and before six o'clock this morning he brought so many people over — his intention to stake out territory and grab resources is already out in the open.

Since no fighting broke out after Yu Shou went over, it means there's room for negotiation. Xia Qing asked, "How large an area do they need to cut and dig?"

"More than fifty evolved thorn trees, over three hundred square meters, a total of more than three hundred cubic meters of yellow clay. The construction vehicle they rented won't arrive for four days, so they came early to clear the site. Territory Seventeen's lord agreed that before they take the soil, our micro-cultivator and transport truck can pass through the area they've already cleared."

The area Wen Nengjie chose is right on the passage Xia Qing's group needs to take to get the soil. Taking a detour would require clearing more than five hundred extra meters, while passing through the area they've staked out only needs another fifty-plus meters of clearing.

This was an unexpected bonus.

Xia Qing had Yu Shou return to the team, and the four of them continued driving the micro-cultivator forward to repair the road.

Twenty minutes later, the road-repair team reached the edge of the area Wen Nengjie's people had cleared, and the two groups met.

There are no surveillance cameras or law enforcement teams in the evolved forest — encountering an unfamiliar team here is more dangerous than encountering evolved animals.

Territory Seventeen's people were fully armed; some were watching the micro-cultivator, some were sizing up Xia Qing standing on the roof of the vehicle. Xia Qing also quickly scanned the group chopping trees.

They had fourteen people in total, four homemade muzzle-loaders, four chainsaws, and every one of them had a sharp woodcutting machete and axe. Judging by the models of their tools, even if there were strength-type Evolvers among them, none exceeded Level Three.

These people's positioning was the stance of people in safe zones who frequently got into group brawls. Standing in the central C-position was a middle-aged man a little over one meter sixty tall, broad and stocky; judging by the shape of the side pocket on his protective suit at the waist, there should be a small handgun inside.

This man with the handgun should be the lord of Territory Seventeen, Wen Nengjie, nicknamed "Dead Man Jie."

"Miss Xia, the one walking over in the khaki camouflage is Territory Seventeen's lord Wen Nengjie." Yu Shou quietly introduced him through the walkie-talkie, put away his weapon, stepped forward to meet him, and raised his voice in greeting, "Brother Jie."

Since they were going to borrow the passage, they had to act like they were borrowing it.

Xia Qing wanted to jump down from the more-than-two-meter-tall protective shield, landed steadily on the ground, hung the sniper pistol on the clip on her belt, and followed Yu Shou toward Wen Nengjie.

Territory Seventeen's people had just seen that this team only had four people, yet they were driving a micro-cultivator, and on the roof stood a woman in a Level Three wilderness protective suit with fine weapons. They were not only envious but also itching at heart — but when they saw Xia Qing's handgun jump down from the vehicle roof and walk toward them, these people immediately became docile.

Why?

This woman's movements jumping off the vehicle were very crisp — at a glance she was a trained fighter, a tough character. If they robbed this kind of person's supplies, not only would they not get rich, they'd also have to leave their lives in this evolved forest.

Territory Seventeen's lord Wen Nengjie naturally also noticed Xia Qing's equipment and movements, and hurried forward to meet her, introducing himself, "Old Yu, this must be Territory Three's lord, Miss Xia Qing? I've long admired Miss Xia's great name, and today I finally have the chance to meet you. I'm the lord of Territory Seventeen, Wen Nengjie."

"Brother Jie is too kind, just call me Xia Qing. Thank you very much for letting us borrow the road." When she was still three meters from Wen Nengjie, Xia Qing stopped and nodded slightly in thanks.

Before the Catastrophe, the safe distance for strangers meeting and asking directions was about 1.5 meters. After the Catastrophe, humanity evolved, and the distance for strangers greeting each other for the first time was pulled to over three meters — getting any closer would make both sides feel uneasy and threatened.

Although within the territory when communicating with animals, Xia Qing could already smile quite naturally. But once she left the territory and entered the evolved forest, facing strangers, she still couldn't chat and laugh freely — her expression remained blank.

Wen Chengjie naturally wouldn't be displeased just because Xia Qing kept a straight face; on the contrary, he felt Xia Qing's attitude was already much better than he had expected. He had long inquired and knew that Territory Three's lord was a violent and reclusive tough character who didn't like dealing with people.

After moving into the territory, she had hooked up with Hu Zifeng, the squad leader of the Azure Dragon Battle Team, and was living quite comfortably.

Someone like this, Wen Nengjie couldn't afford to offend.

The other party being so polite when meeting was giving him face, so of course he had to accept it.

Wen Chengjie stepped forward with a face full of smiles, "We're farming in the same area, we should be helping each other against the Catastrophe. I heard from Old Yu that you're going to get soil from the river slope ahead? I checked that area yesterday — the yellow clay there isn't as good as here. Why don't you dig from here?"

No one takes polite words seriously. Xia Qing looked at the soil under her feet, "The soil here is indeed better than at the river slope, but we have six territories, and we need to take nearly three thousand cubic meters of soil. We only have two days for the rented vehicle, so it's still more suitable to dig from the river slope."

Hearing they were six territories acting together, Wen Nengjie didn't show anything on the surface, but he already had an idea in his heart, and became even more attentive, "From here to the river slope there's still some distance. Let me lead the people to help you clear it first, then we'll continue chopping trees."

Xia Qing, with the combat-inexperienced Qi Fu and Zhao Ze, certainly wouldn't team up with strangers she'd just met for the first time, "I wouldn't dare delay Brother Jie's work. We still have enough time. If we really can't manage, we'll ask for your help."

Wen Nengjie knew when to stop, had the people from his territory step aside, and went back to chopping trees and clearing roots.

Xia Qing discussed with Yu Shou, "The micro-cultivator can't push directly through ahead. I'll go clear the path. The rain shield can block their weapon attacks. Brother Yu, you just need to be responsible for protecting Brother Qi's safety."

"Understood."

Xia Qing was the captain of this mission — however she arranged things, Yu Shou did them accordingly. This was the obedience drilled into his blood from many years of military service.

After confirming with Wen Nengjie the area he would cut and take soil from, the micro-cultivator advanced more than forty meters along the edge of the area he had cleared.

Further ahead was dense evolved forest — thorn trees, shrubs, and wild grass were extremely thick. This spot was still more than fifty meters from the river slope where the soil was to be taken, and the passage needed to be opened as quickly as possible.

Xia Qing chose the direction of advance and ordered through the walkie-talkie, "Brother and Brother Yu, take the bulldozing blade off the micro-cultivator and install the weeding wheels from the vehicle bucket. I'll go ahead to clear the large clumps of shrubs. Brother Qi, clear the large stones so we don't break the blades. Brother Zhao, use the micro-cultivator to cut grass. The three thorn trees blocking the way in the middle — we'll clear them later with chainsaws and digging shovels."

"Yes."

After receiving replies from the three, Xia Qing raised her hand, drew the black long blade from her back, and walked toward the shrubs.

This move of hers surprised everyone.