Chapter 549: Go Find the Broken-Waist Wolf

Xia Qing gently fanned to finish pollinating the Qiangwu flowers, and the sun had risen, the temperature climbing. After opening the rainproof cloth on the low-slope greenhouse, she also opened the rainproof cloth on the other greenhouses and the ventilation ports of the warm rooms, letting the crops and animals in the territory breathe some fresh air for a while.

This winter's temperature is 8-10 degrees lower than last winter, and Xia Qing's only request right now is that the overwintering wheat not freeze to death.

The wheat seedlings that have already gone through Qiang snow and the bitter cold will, in a month, face the first Qiang rain of Year Eleven of the Calamity. Only the wheat seedlings that survive the Qiang rain have a chance of turning green and jointing, growing tall.

Growing winter wheat is really too difficult. Xia Qing is now a little regretful. She shouldn't have, after hearing the farming knowledge broadcast repeatedly that overwintering wheat tastes better and has higher nutritional value than spring-sown wheat, sown all her wheat seeds into the fields. She should have held some seeds back, waiting to sow them after the first Qiang rain.

Because spring-sown wheat only needs to go through one Qiang rain during its growth, spring-sown wheat yields much more than overwintering wheat.

She has no wheat seeds in hand now, but she can find a channel to trade for a batch. Still, this isn't the most urgent matter at hand and can be dealt with later.

The most urgent matter right now is how to deal with the possible beast tide, and with Second Territory, which has suddenly responded with great enthusiasm to the Patrol Team's call.

In Xia Qing's view, the harm the latter brings is very likely greater than the former.

She first went home to fetch the python-skin protective suit, brought it to the breeding warm room, and put it on the sick wolf that was staring at the rabbits. Then she pointed at the photo of the Broken-Waist Wolf on her phone and discussed with the sick wolf, "Can Wolf Lao Er go to Mountain 60 and call the Broken-Waist one over? I have something very important to discuss with it."

The sick wolf understood, circled Xia Qing once, ran up Gao Po, scanned its face to leave Third Territory, and crossed the isolation belt into Zone 3 of Mountain 49.

Xia Qing reported to Hu Zifeng over the walkie-talkie, "Captain Hu, the sick wolf will shortly pass through other zones of Mountain 49 and head to Mountain 60. At least two wolves will return to the territory later."

"Copy that." Hu Zifeng asked curiously, "These past two days I haven't seen any wolves from the northern evolved forest enter your territory. Are the wolves that caused the beast tide in the western evolved forest related to the group you know?"

"Probably not. The wolf pack on Mountain 60 isn't short on food—they still haven't finished eating the wild boars they're raising in the Zone 3 valley." After answering Hu Zifeng's question, Xia Qing asked for news. "Captain Hu, are there any unusual personnel changes in the Safe Zone? Second Territory's actively participating in the Patrol Team's defense mission this time—I feel something's off."

Hu Zifeng didn't hide it from Xia Qing either. "I just received a notice from Captain Xie too. There are three anomalies now. First: among the task squads that haven't returned to the Safe Zone, five are made up of refugees from Base Guisan, and it's been confirmed that there are moles planted by the Blaze Squad among them. Do you remember the Level-3 auditory evolver who was brought over by truck last October, voluntarily requested to enter your territory, and claimed to be a chef?"

Xia Qing nodded. "I remember. Gu Hong, former member of the Silver Snake Squad at Base Guisan."

"Right, that's her." Hu Zifeng continued, "She's also among the squads that haven't returned to the Safe Zone. Captain Xie says she's connected to the invaders who broke into Territories 158 and 159 last time, killed the lords and Patrol Team, and stole the grain. Only there's no solid evidence, so Base Management can't arrest her."

Xia Qing's heart grew heavy. "In other words, they might very well take advantage of the chaos to invade the base and seize grain this time."

Hu Zifeng replied, "Right. But don't worry, this group won't target your territory."

Because on the surface, the stored grain of Xia Qing and the other members of the Lord Alliance was all placed in the food storage warehouse in First Territory.

Xia Qing guessed, "They'll invade First Territory?"

"That's a possibility. We've already made preparations." After finishing the first anomaly, Hu Zifeng moved on to the second. "There's another anomaly inside the Safe Zone, related to our stretch of territory: Tang Zhengpo had just entered the inner city after returning to the Safe Zone when he was invited by Tang Zhengrong and Tang Zhengsu, and he still hasn't come out."

Xia Qing nodded. "They're probably trying to win back Tang Zhengpo and his son."

"Definitely. If the Tang brothers could tolerate people and let Tang Zhengpo into the upper ranks of Sufeng, the First Squad at Base Hui San definitely wouldn't be in the sorry state it's in now." Hu Zifeng continued with the personnel anomalies. "The third anomaly is in the upper ranks of Territory Management. Territory Management Head Jiang Quan has been indulging his nephew Jiang Yansheng in seizing the worm-castings business from Territory 48, and that matter's been exposed. Jiang Quan is running around everywhere trying to save his skin."

Xia Qing asked, "Who has their eye on Jiang Quan's seat?"

The matter of Jiang Yansheng seizing Sun Zhe's worm-castings business happened several months ago, and Sun Zhe's parents are still in First Territory. If someone didn't want to take down Jiang Quan, this matter couldn't have been exposed.

Hu Zifeng replied, "I really haven't heard about that. I'll tell you when there's news."

After ending the conversation, Xia Qing gazed at the signal tower already erected at the north end of Second Territory and sighed.

If the wolves and leopards in the western evolved forest can stall for two more days, the ground signal base station in this stretch of territory will be set up and transmitting.

Once the signal is up, she can get in touch with Xu Juan inside the Safe Zone. Xu Juan is an auditory evolver with very well-informed sources—she'll definitely know who's going after Jiang Quan.

Xia Qing ran through the current information in her head, her expression grave.

If before contacting Hu Zifeng she thought Second Territory might be up to something, after contacting him she was certain Second Territory was up to something. And they were very likely joining forces with the squads that hadn't returned to the Safe Zone to make something big happen.

A little over an hour after the sick wolf left the territory, it appeared before Xia Qing together with the Broken-Waist Wolf.

The Broken-Waist Wolf had entered the territory by climbing over the north barbed-wire wall of Third Territory, and it hadn't repeatedly gone in and out of its favorite north gate, nor had it grabbed a rabbit or wild chicken on the way for Xia Qing to roast for it. This was very unusual.

After the two wolves drank half a basin of warm spring water, Xia Qing took the protective suit off the sick wolf, let it rest by the fireplace, then asked the solemnly-faced Broken-Waist Wolf, "Broken-Waist, is the wolf pack in the western evolved forest that's been frantically hunting herbivores your companions?"

The Broken-Waist Wolf gazed at Xia Qing, looking thoughtful.

Xia Qing couldn't communicate such a complex question with a brain-domain evolved wolf, so she gave up and explained why she'd called it over. "Broken-Waist, I need your companions to help me guard Peak 3 of Mountain 50 for a few days. Right here."

Xia Qing pulled up the photo of Xiong Dong on Peak 3 of Mountain 50 and showed it to the Broken-Waist Wolf, gesturing as she proposed the trade. "It's this cave. Behind the cave is the valley with Qiang snakes where I dug up peanuts. It's very important to me."

"Broken-Waist, have your wolf pack help me guard Xiong Dong on Mountain 50. Before the moon turns into this shape, just don't let anyone get close. I can trade you this magnifying glass for it. Deal?"

After Xia Qing repeated it several times, the Broken-Waist Wolf's thoughtful gaze settled on the magnifying glass, and it didn't move for a long while.