Chapter 492: The Calamity Snow Has Stopped

Xia Qing is a three-ability advanced Evolver who is wholeheartedly devoted to farming and has managed to get along well with the evolved wolf packs. Besides her strength, there's another crucial point: the way Xia Qing speaks and handles things also sits well with Zhang San.

So Zhang San is willing to invest in her.

Betting that she can grow strong, and that after growing strong she'll still keep her original heart.

Zhang San took the initiative to join the lord alliance Xia Qing had formed precisely because he hoped that, if the bet paid off, he could escape his current circumstances and live more freely.

He also wanted to get out and travel a bit, rather than being locked in a laboratory for life under the pretext of "safety" by every faction.

So Xia Qing's request this time, Zhang San agreed to it. "Taking Mountain Fifty isn't much of a difficulty, but since you're the one making the request, once Mountain Fifty is taken, you'll be in charge of it. If anything goes wrong, you'll have to take responsibility too."

"Understood. Thanks, Third Brother. All the miscellaneous work of managing Mountain Fifty will be left entirely to me. Whenever you need to go into the Evolution Forest to run experiments or collect samples, just head to our mountain. If you're tired of staying in the territory, you can drop by for a look around too."

Xia Qing's words hit exactly what Zhang San had in mind. He let out a slow, unhurried hum.

Taking advantage of her idol's good mood, Xia Qing cautiously reminded him, "When you negotiate with the base, grab as many years as you can. We're a trial zone, not buying a mountain, so we can't agree to defend the mountain. Our alliance doesn't yet have the strength of something like the Green Dragon Combat Team—we can't defend that large a stretch of mountain. However, we can mark the boundaries of Mountain Fifty in a very conspicuous way, then install surveillance. If anyone dares to break in, we fine them points. Heh."

Mountain Fifty, by area alone, is even larger than Mountain Forty-Nine.

"Fine." Zhang San lazily agreed, yawned, and hung up.

Xia Qing sat quietly in her own living room, an inexpressible excitement flowing silently through her blood. She gently rubbed the head of the sick wolf beside her, sitting for a long while, thinking for a long while.

In the afternoon, Xia Qing didn't go inspect the farmland again. She ate dinner early and went to sleep, then got up at two in the morning and drove the micro-tiller to the farmland.

Today is the third day of the Calamity Snow, with eight hours remaining until it ends. According to the weather forecast, a red-grade Calamity Snow lasting at least an hour and a half will hit shortly after three in the morning.

Beard Feng's squad had taken shifts for two days and had already entered the fatigue period.

Today is the fourth day since Xia Qing took the Yi Element Stimulant. Although her body still had obvious pain in various places, after taking the Calamity-Reducing Agent and eating large amounts of green-light food, Xia Qing's evolved abilities had recovered forty percent—lasting eight hours was no problem at all.

Lord Xia Qing, when her physical condition allowed, had to personally watch over the farmland to feel at ease.

From three to four-thirty in the morning, the final red-grade Calamity Snow of the tenth year's Calamity Snow period arrived on schedule.

Xia Qing moved back and forth inspecting the green- and yellow-light wheat and the rapeseed sheds, clearing out one after another rapeseed plant and wheat seedling that had undergone Calamity Evolution before they had time to grow thorns, nipping the danger in the bud.

After the red-grade Calamity Snow stopped, Xia Qing didn't go home either. She stayed in the reception room of the small cabin by the farmland, sitting around the fire with everyone, eating roasted sweet potatoes and roasted chestnuts, then going out to inspect the farmland once every hour, clearing Calamity-evolved plants in time.

At ten in the morning, the Calamity Snow stopped right on time. The sun, which had vanished for three days, listlessly poked out from the thick clouds, showed its face to clock in for today's shift, then called it a day and shrank back.

Mountains, rivers, and land—all were covered in a thick layer of dirty-yellow Calamity Snow.

The lords, who had been busy for three days and nights, sat or lay by the farmland. Amid their exhaustion, they were full of anticipation for the upcoming farming slack season, and full of worry about the cold wave.

"Although the losses to the wheat, rapeseed, and the vegetable seedlings in the greenhouse are all significant, no one here underwent Calamity Evolution—that's something to be thankful for." After listening to everyone's worries, Kuang Qingwei began to rally his allies.

Zhao Ze, who had been about to complain a bit more, changed his tune. "Same here on my end. This time the situation was better than the previous three Calamity Rains—no one was seriously injured."

Shi Zhong let out a long breath. "People being alive is more important than anything. Now that we've gotten past this Calamity Snow hurdle, we can finally rest."

Winter is the slack farming season. Even with greenhouse vegetables needing care, it's much easier than the other three seasons.

Qi Fu also said, "The reason no workers in the territory underwent Calamity Evolution this time is that we've been eating natural food all year, so our bodies' resistance has improved compared to when we were in the Safe Zone. On that point alone, all our hard work has been worth it."

"Right." The taciturn Yue Haiying responded.

"Right." Xia Qing chimed in to make her presence felt too.

Finally hearing Xia Qing's voice, Tang Huai immediately rasped out, "We've finally gotten through the hard part—we should get together and celebrate properly. Xia Qing, don't you think so?"

Xia Qing refused outright. "My body's damage hasn't recovered yet. I need to recuperate."

Tang Huai immediately replied, "No problem. Whenever you've recovered, we'll get together."

Wolves and sheep are allowed. Tang Huai held the walkie-talkie, laughing very happily in Territory Twelve.

Zhou Xun, the temporary acting agent of Territory Two, immediately came online. "Boss, if you've got the energy for a gathering, you should be able to come back and continue the mission too, right?"

Come back quick, I can't handle it alone!

Tang Huai, who had just been happy, was immediately annoyed to death. "How many goddamn times have I told you? I was injured too badly, lost too much blood, I need to recuperate! If you keep goddamn nagging on and on, I'll quit the team on the spot, I'm done!"

Zhou Xun went silent. Zhou Zhaoping, assistant of Territory Eight, came online. "Captain Tan, the losses in Territory Eight during the Calamity Snow have already been tallied. May I ask who we should report the data to? Or should we claim compensation from Territory Nine ourselves?"

Hearing this, everyone perked up, pricking up their ears to listen excitedly.

Tan Junjie replied, "The Inspection Team will verify each territory's losses one by one, compile the data, and report it upward. The Territory Management Department will handle the compensation claims uniformly."

Zhou Zhaoping responded mildly, "Understood. Thanks to Captain Tan and the brothers of the Inspection Team for your hard work."

Tang Huai asked curiously, "Captain Tan, the people of Territory Nine committed a serious crime. According to the Lord Law, Li Si should be stripped of his lord qualification, right? After Territory Nine becomes vacant, are there any requirements for the applicants?"

Tan Junjie's voice was as stern as ever. "The Inspection Team hasn't received any related notice, so it's unclear for now. Attention all lords, agents, and temporary acting agents: until the disaster damage on Mountain Fifty is completely cleared, Mountain Fifty will remain sealed. No one is permitted to enter. Please acknowledge receipt, all territories."

After Xia Qing replied "Received" in order, she slowly stood up from the field's edge and told Beard Feng's squad, "Everyone's worked hard these three days. I'm going back to get food. Let's have a proper meal together at noon today."

They'd already eaten plenty of Xia Qing's food these past few days—how could they let her spend more?

Beard Feng stood up too. "There's still stuff going on over at Territory One, we need to get back as soon as possible. Leaving Er Yong and Guan Tong here—is that enough to clear the Calamity Snow with you? If not, I'll leave Xiao Jiang here too."