Chapter 63: The Wolves That Came for Revenge

Fearing Old Sheep might choke, Xia Qing poured it another half basin of spring water and soaked a few slices of dried yellow-light bamboo shoots in it.

After Old Sheep drank a few sips and started tearing at the bamboo shoots in the water, Xia Qing confirmed it wouldn't cause any more trouble before untying the rope around its body, massaging it as she mulled over the wolf pack's attack on the wild boar breeding center.

The wolf pack running to the edge of the Evolution Forest and leaping into the iron-net enclosure humans had built to hunt wild boar didn't seem to be about food—it seemed more like seeking revenge.

Wolves hold grudges fiercely; otherwise, after wiping out the Fengyun Squad, the evolved wolves wouldn't have destroyed the squad's weapons and urinated on the corpses of the squad members who had killed wolves.

If it was revenge, the trouble was serious. Xia Qing turned on the walkie-talkie, wanting to hear what the other lords had to say.

The wild boar breeding center was north of Plots 4 and 5, and the lords of Plots 4, 5, and 6 had all heard the wild boars' piercing screams and the wolves' howling. Probably afraid the wolves would hear them, everyone spoke more softly than usual on the walkie-talkie.

Zhao Ze said worriedly, "I've got two people here making a fuss about going back to the Safe Zone, afraid they'll be bitten to death by wolves if they're a step late."

Kuang Qingwei spat, "I've got some too. If they want to leave, let them leave. We're over two hundred li from the Safe Zone—without a car to pick them up, I don't believe they'd dare leave the territory."

Zhao Ze immediately chimed in, "I said the same thing. Going out at a time like this is asking to die."

Kuang Qingwei cursed and ranted, "I'm not keeping a single one of those three bastards—kicking them all out! Damn it, they eat my food and drink my water normally, but when there's danger they won't protect the territory with me, only thinking about saving their own skins. Why the hell would I keep people like that around?!"

Not entirely so.

Tang Huai said coolly, "Do you know why Yang Jin is so eager to go hunt down the wolves? Because he bought Mountain 49, so it's his responsibility to guard the mountain and prevent large predators from crossing Mountain 49 into the territories. Just watch—the breeding center people won't let the Qinglong Squad off the hook. The responsibility for the edible breeding pigs being killed must be borne by the Qinglong Squad. If large wild beasts enter your territory from Mountain 49 in the future, you must contact me immediately. I'll step in then and make the Qinglong Squad compensate you at least three times over."

"Perfect, perfect. This area will definitely keep getting better—we picked the right place!"

Yang Shanshan, the true owner of Mountain 49, was just about to fire back at Tang Huai when Beard Feng of Plot 1 spoke up, "Hey Tang, are you in league with the wolves? Otherwise how would you know the wolves came from Mountain 49?"

Mountain 49 was directly north of Territories 1 through 10, stretching twelve li, with Mountain 50 further east. The breeding center was north of Territories 4 and 5, so there was also a good chance the wolves had come from Mountain 50, four li away.

The discussion about the wolves turned into a two-man argument that grew more and more heated; the other lords couldn't get a word in and could only listen in silence.

Green-light bamboo shoots?!

Beard Feng replied, "Green-light bamboo is a high-risk aggressive plant that fires leaf darts as hard as iron nails. It's not suitable for planting within the territory."

"Have some sense. One thing at a time."

Compensation of three times or more was indeed tempting, but not a single lord of Plots 4, 5, or 6 made a peep. They were all ordinary people who could afford to offend neither the Tang family nor the Qinglong Squad—that money was too dangerous to earn.

Zhao Ze was still pessimistic, "High-level Evolvers aren't necessarily a match for evolved wolves either. Didn't a squad with six high-level Evolver members get wiped out by a wolf pack last year?"

Tang Huai of Plot 2 spoke unhurriedly, "The one going after the evolved wolves is Qinglong Squad's captain, Yang Jin."

"..."

"..."

Beard Feng snorted coldly, "Qinglong Squad isn't Sufeng—they never welch on debts. When are you people going to pay back the points you owe our squad?"

Their thoughts were beautiful, but reality was cruel.

Hearing it was Yang Jin, Zhao Ze immediately relaxed. "Then it's fine, it's fine."

Zhang San felt his anger dissipate at once. "Good. Next time you go into the mountain, keep an eye out and see if any green-light bamboo shoots have grown back. I want however many there are."

Zhao Ze and Kuang Qingwei also followed up with exchange conditions—they both wanted bamboo roots too. Once you planted bamboo roots and grew bamboo, why worry about having no bamboo shoots to eat? They'd take it even if the green-light ones dropped to yellow-light.

Zhao Ze sighed along with them, "The non-dangerous ones were plucked bare long ago. The ones still alive are all dangerous, and only powerful Evolvers can deal with them."

At those words, the three ordinary-person lords didn't dare want them anymore. Bamboo was useful and bamboo shoots were tasty, but you had to be alive to use and eat them. Kuang Qingwei sighed, "Green-light trees are all pretty fierce—they can take a life just like that."

Once the lords of Plots 4, 5, and 6 confirmed that the Qinglong Squad buying the mountain wasn't Tang Huai feeding them a line, they immediately erupted in excitement.

Beard Feng replied at once, "Sure. But there's an entry fee, and any hunting or gathering materials also need to be paid for before you can take them out. Third Brother, if you want anything from the mountain, you don't need to find outsiders—just give us a shout, and we'll dig it up and bring it to you when we go in for training."

The lords of Plots 4, 5, and 6 were all tempted. Qi Fu asked first, "I'm Qi Fu from Plot 5. Can Brother Feng help bring back a section of bamboo root for me? I'll trade you green-light chives and scallions for it, or we can use points."

Qi Fu soothed the group's anxious mood, "Captain Tan says he's already sent a high-level Evolver squad to kill the wolves. As long as we stay put in our territories, we won't be attacked."

"You didn't know?" Tang Huai drawled. "The Qinglong Squad bought the entire Mountain 49 north of you. They're going to build a Qinglong Squad training base there."

Kuang Qingwei was so excited his voice jumped dozens of decibels, "How did Captain Yang end up coming to our area? That's such a coincidence!"

Zhang San, who had come online at some unknown point, impatiently cut off Beard Feng and Tang Huai. "Beard Feng, after Mountain 49 belongs to the Qinglong Squad, can outsiders still go into the mountain to hunt and gather?"

"This is really great. With the Qinglong Squad guarding the northern mountain, we have even less to fear."

But Tang Huai stubbornly insisted the wolves had come from Mountain 49. "You don't even need to think about it—Mountain 49 is tall and densely forested, so of course there are wolves. Just send an Evolver with a heightened sense of smell to check and everything will be clear. The Qinglong Squad can't wriggle out of it even if they want to."

Xia Qing thought of the green-light big Chinese toon tree on her Gao Po slope and once again marveled at Old Sheep's luck. A stubborn, dumb sheep actually owning a territory with pollution-free spring water, green-light grass, and a green-light tree.

No wonder Old Sheep had to fight desperately to protect its territory from the wolves.

Xia Qing was still idly mulling things over when she heard Qi Fu shift the topic onto her. "Xia Qing, your spinach seed pods should be ripe by now, right? You've got to keep a close eye on them these next few days—don't let birds or bugs eat all the seeds."

Xia Qing pressed the button. "Don't worry, Brother Qi. I've already covered the vegetable plot with insect netting."