Chapter 542: A Large Beast Approaches

Hearing Zhu Li say it wasn't serious, Xia Qing didn't ask further and continued leading the team forward.

"Xia Qing, the tree that burned Old Kuang should be somewhere along the path ahead. Be careful."

As the task squad prepared to enter the evolution forest beneath the fourth peak of Mountain Fifty through the valley between Mountains Forty-Nine and Fifty, Qi Fu in the team reminded squad leader Xia Qing.

Hu Ningsheng, responsible for the right flank, spoke up. "Xia Qing, how about I open the path with you?"

Hu Ningsheng was from Territory Fifteen, a Level Five auditory evolver. He had been burned by toxic gas during a mission, lost his left ear, suffered impaired hearing, and was forced to retire. However, his limbs were intact, and he was now one of Territory Fifteen's main forces for outside gathering missions.

As the strongest fighter in today's gathering squad, Xia Qing drew her long blade. "I'll go check it out first. If I need help, I'll call you. Everyone rest where you are."

"Copy."

"Copy."

The squad members rested in place. Squad leader Xia Qing, carrying her long blade, followed the footprints the group had left yesterday into the evolution forest and began searching for the evolved tree that could ooze corrosive toxic sap.

In the squad members' eyes, Xia Qing was searching with her sight, but in reality, Xia Qing had already locked onto the target using her magnetic sense.

Xia Qing advanced a dozen meters and stopped before a deciduous tree over six meters tall that looked completely ordinary. Because this tree had shed its leaves, Xia Qing couldn't determine what species of evolved tree it was based on the shape of its branches. But this tree gave Xia Qing a sense that something was off.

The degree to which this tree felt off was about the same as the trees she'd encountered when Huo Zhun was carrying her on his back, chasing fugitives from Territory Nine through the evolution forest.

Within a twenty-meter radius, this was the only tree that felt off, and one of its branches had a small section broken off.

After locking onto the target, the more she looked at it, the more wrong it seemed. The trees in this evolution forest grew densely, but around this one there was an empty ring over three meters in diameter. That ring was the growing space the tree had cleared with its toxic sap.

Impressive. Powerful.

Xia Qing ordered the squad over the radio to rendezvous with her and bypass this tree, continuing onward.

Zhu Li didn't dare doubt Xia Qing's judgment, but she really couldn't believe that this seemingly ordinary tree had nearly cost her Old Kuang an arm.

Zhu Li followed behind Xia Qing and asked softly, "Sister Qing, don't we need to cut down that tree?"

Xia Qing explained, "We haven't verified its danger level yet. If we rashly cut it down, the stump might spray toxic sap and cause even greater casualties. On the way back, I'll break off a branch first and send it to Territory Seven. We'll talk after Third Brother tests it."

"Understood." If this tree sprayed highly corrosive toxic sap outward, that would be truly terrifying. Zhu Li committed Xia Qing's words firmly to memory—such knowledge could save lives at critical moments.

After advancing for over half an hour, the squad entered a sheltered valley facing the sun. Xia Qing quickly spotted today's digging target: wild kudzu.

Wang Dashan was truly wondrous.

On the mountain, temperatures dropped to below minus twenty, but in the sheltered valley below, the temperature was only around minus four or five. The leaves of the vines and grasses had not yet fallen.

Even now, in winter when activity in the evolution forest was safest, this place was still full of danger. This was also why Qi Fu and the others had asked Xia Qing to lead the team. Without Xia Qing leading, with only their few fighters and weapons, entering a valley like this would be suicide.

"Xia Qing, look—the leaves of these kudzu vines are greenish. We tested them yesterday. The outermost kudzu vine is yellow-light!" Qi Fu's voice carried excitement. Such a large patch of kudzu vines—there had to be yellow-light kudzu roots underneath. As long as there were yellow-light kudzu roots, they could make kudzu root starch. If lucky, they might also find kudzu worms.

Yellow-light kudzu root starch could sell for 130 points per jin. If they were lucky enough to find yellow-light kudzu worms, each one could sell for 10 points! If they were lucky enough to find green-light ones, they'd be rich.

With these points, the lords could purchase better-quality seeds, improved farm tools, and equipment.

As squad leader, Xia Qing understood everyone's excitement. She calmly gave orders, telling everyone to take out the insect-repellent medicine traded from Territory Seven and spray it all over their bodies. Once sprayed, this medicine could protect humans from attacks by ordinary and common evolved insects for three hours.

Then Xia Qing had Yue Haiying, Yu Shou, and endurance evolver Cheng Ping from Territory Fifteen stay behind to protect the other squad members. Xia Qing, Shi Du, and Hu Ningsheng entered the valley first, clearing out the venomous snakes, poisonous insects, and rodents that leapt at them, before letting the squad enter.

Xia Qing, Yue Haiying, and Hu Ningsheng carried guns to protect the squad's safety, while the others tested kudzu vine quality, dug up kudzu roots, and searched for kudzu worms.

Compared to defense, Xia Qing was more familiar with digging kudzu roots and finding kudzu worms. This was work she'd often done on task squads before she went out to farm.

Shi Du also frequently carried out digging and gathering missions and had dug plenty of kudzu roots himself. He shared his experience with everyone: "Kudzu worms are usually at the bulges on the kudzu vines. The bigger the bulge, the more worms. Everyone look for yellow-light vines first, then follow the vines to find the bulges. The two sisters-in-law and Brother Zhao search for kudzu worms together. My mom, Brother Yu, Brother Qi, and I will dig up the kudzu roots."

Zhao Ze suggested, "I'll dig roots with you first. When I can't dig anymore, we'll switch."

After agreeing on the division of labor, everyone moved quickly.

Soon good news came. Zhu Li exclaimed, "Found a kudzu worm—it's pupated!"

Shi Du's mother chimed in happily, "Pupated ones are cleaner and taste better too. Too bad it's yellow-light. If it were green-light, we could send it to Territory Seven to add a dish for Third Brother."

Yue Haiying, scouting ahead, contacted Xia Qing over the radio: "Xia Qing, there are fresh signs of wild boar rooting here. They were probably left the day before yesterday."

Kudzu roots have relatively high water and sugar content and are a favorite food of wild boar. Wild boar here was perfectly normal.

Xia Qing replied, "Copy. Brother Yue, let's swap defensive positions."

"Understood." Yue Haiying, who had lost his right hand, swapped defensive positions with Xia Qing, handing the most dangerous position to her.

Qi Fu reported over the radio: "Found evolved rat droppings near the kudzu roots. Fresh."

A rat swarm's combat power depended on their evolution level and numbers. Xia Qing ordered, "Spray No. 1 rodent repellent. Resume digging in ten minutes. Brother Hu, keep monitoring the rats' movements."

"Copy." Although Hu Ningsheng's hearing had been damaged and diminished, he was still more aurally acute than an ordinary person.

"Xia Qing!" Yuan Yan reported happily, "Found a green-light kudzu vine!"

Green-light—Idol could add a dish today. Xia Qing's eyes lit up too. "Bring back all the green-light kudzu vines. Mark and store the kudzu roots. Shi Du, you're in charge."

"Copy." Shi Du immediately set down his hoe and ran toward where Yuan Yan was. Harvesting green-light kudzu vines was more valuable than digging yellow-light kudzu roots.

Crunch, crunch, crunch—

Rhythmic sounds of trudging through snow came, reaching Xia Qing's ears. She reported in a low voice, "A large beast is approaching. All squad members gather. Defenders, get ready."