Chapter 705: Evolution Zoo

Ever since she learned Yan Meng was in Territory 14, Xia Qing had been looking for a chance to probe his intentions. But she had been busy, and Yan Meng never left his territory or talked to anyone, so she still hadn't found an opportunity.

Now, Yan Meng was coming out on his own and making his intentions clear.

If he really was here to farm and planned to leave Xia Qing alone, that would be best; if he was here to avenge Yan Pan, then Xia Qing wouldn't mind sending him on his way so the siblings could reunite sooner.

After walking forward a few steps, Xia Qing was disappointed. From the footsteps inside Territory 14, she judged the person's stride length — it didn't belong to the one-meter-ninety Yan Meng at all.

"Xia Qing? You're Xia Qing, right?"

A short, stocky man walked out through the gap cut in the wild-grass wall of Territory 14, greeting Xia Qing with a delighted expression.

Xia Qing pretended not to recognize him and politely asked with a calm face, "I'm Xia Qing. And you are?"

Seeing that Xia Qing hadn't recognized him and had even pressed her right hand onto the grip of her gun, Liao Chen stopped and didn't step closer. "I'm Liao Chen, a Level-3 Strength Evolver from the Fengyun Squad. In the fifth month of Year Nine of the Catastrophe, we met in the Evolution Forest."

In the fifth month of Year Nine of the Catastrophe, Xia Qing had joined the Fengyun Squad's external gathering mission as an unofficial logistics member and encountered the northern wolf pack.

The Fengyun Squad members had provoked the wolf pack and been killed; of the entire squad, only Xia Qing survived.

When Yan Meng rushed over and wanted to kill Xia Qing, it was this man called Liao Chen who stepped forward pretending to hold him back, but in reality blocking the people who were truly trying to intervene, stopping them from saving Xia Qing.

Later, inside the territory, when Yan Meng brought the Fengyun Squad people to kill Xia Qing, Liao Chen was among them too. By mentioning only that meeting in the Evolution Forest in the fifth month of Year Nine of the Catastrophe, he hoped Xia Qing would remember that he had stepped in to stop the furious Yan Meng and "saved" her life.

Xia Qing pretended she remembered, and politely called out, "Brother Liao."

Behind his protective face shield, the crow's feet at the corners of Liao Chen's eyes became more pronounced. "Hey! From now on I'll be staying in Territory 14, farming alongside Brother Meng. Brother Meng had just lost his only family member back then, so he lost control of his emotions. Let me apologize to you on his behalf. From now on we'll be seeing each other all the time in this territory — there's no need to keep this two-year-old misunderstanding between us. Don't you agree?"

Xia Qing calmly nodded and continued walking forward.

Liao Chen watched Xia Qing walk away, then returned to Territory 14 to tell Yan Meng, "Xia Qing has grown taller, her body's gotten stronger, and her gear's been upgraded. That handgun she's carrying — you couldn't buy it without connections."

Seeing Yan Meng's face darken, Liao Chen quietly advised, "Brother Meng, a person has to look forward. Living well is more important than anything. Besides, a gentleman can wait ten years for revenge, and we're Evolvers — we can wait fifty years. So let's get our lives in order first, alright? If we miss this chance, the two of us might never get our turn around in this lifetime."

Yan Meng straightened his back, standing a full head taller than Liao Chen. He lifted his eyelids and stared darkly toward the mountain peak to the northwest.

When work ended in the evening, Xia Qing finished her tasks and headed back, running into Liao Chen again at the north gate of Territory 14.

He asked Xia Qing about bamboo. "There are way too many pests here. Brother Meng plans to get the greenhouse frame up as soon as possible. I heard from Brother Huai that you know the Evolution Forest near this territory best. Do you know which area has lots of bamboo?"

Qi Fu and Zhao Ze, who were walking with Xia Qing, sized up Liao Chen and figured he was making small talk to get close to Xia Qing.

This kind of question could be answered with a single message on the Lord Channel!

Xia Qing calmly answered, "Take the road facing this passage into Hill 51, walk down to the river, then follow the river upstream a bit and there's a bamboo grove."

"Thanks." Liao Chen knew his limits. After thanking her, he nodded to Qi Fu and Zhao Ze and was about to head back to Territory 14.

"Hey you — stop right there!"

Before Liao Chen had taken a few steps, he saw someone burst out of Territory 9, pointing at him and charging over. Two bodyguard-looking types followed behind him, and from the look of it they meant to beat him up.

Liao Chen stood still calmly, but the corner of his mouth, hidden behind his protective mask, quietly curled up.

Tang Huai came running over aggressively, straightened his protective suit, pointed at Liao Chen's nose and asked, "Who are you? When have I ever spoken to you?"

Liao Chen immediately introduced himself. "You're the Lord of Territory 12, Brother Huai, right? I'm Liao Chen, just arrived in Territory 14 a few days ago. You haven't spoken to me — I've just been hearing you talk a lot on the Lord Channel lately."

When did I ever say Xia Qing knows this Evolution Forest best?

Tang Huai really didn't like playing mind games, but he wasn't stupid. He glared at Liao Chen, then looked at Xia Qing. But before he could speak, he saw Xia Qing pull out her phone, glance at it, and suddenly take off running.

"Brother Qi, Brother Zhao, something's come up in my territory — I'm heading back."

"Xia Qing—"

Tang Huai chased her for a while, watching helplessly as Xia Qing ran farther and farther away. She didn't even bother with the gate — she vaulted the wall straight into Territory 3.

Tang Huai braced his hands on his knees, panting for breath, then sprinted to the south side of Territory 3. He cupped his ear and listened carefully, curious what could have made Xia Qing rush like that.

After vaulting into the territory, Xia Qing got a call from Chen Zheng. "Sister Qing, Goat Boss swiped his own face and ran out the north gate. A honey badger ran over from the isolation belt — looks like it came to fight Goat Boss."

"Let them fight, I'm on my way." Xia Qing sprinted all the way, passing through two north gates before reaching Chen Zheng's side. By then, Goat Boss had already sent the little honey badger flying.

In just one day, the little honey badger's combat ability had actually improved. After being launched into the air, it actually landed on all four feet, then charged back in with its mouth full of little teeth bared. Watching it made Xia Qing's heart clench.

Goat Boss wasn't wearing protective gear — if the little honey badger, which often ate venomous snakes, bit him, that would be trouble.

Soon, Xia Qing's clenched heart settled back into her stomach as the little honey badger was sent flying and slammed into the ground again.

The little honey badger was in a foul mood today and its fighting strength had improved, but it was small, short-necked, and had no horns — its combat ability was a notch below Goat Boss's.

"Xia Qing, this, this is…"

Tang Huai, who had run gasping along the west wall of Territory 3, braced his hands on his knees and stared wide-eyed. "Honey badger? An invader?!"

Before Xia Qing could speak, Goat Boss, who had just sent the little honey badger flying, suddenly turned and charged at Tang Huai.

"Run!"

Xia Qing shoved Tang Huai back, stepped forward to block Goat Boss, and sternly warned, "Boss, this isn't our territory — this is the 'road,' anyone can walk here. You can't drive him away."

Chen Zheng reminded her, "Boss, the little honey badger's charging again."

"Moo!"

Goat Boss stopped paying attention to Tang Huai, who had run off, and turned back to keep fighting the little honey badger.

After running a few steps, Tang Huai noticed Goat Boss wasn't chasing him, so he panted his way back. "Xia Qing, did this honey badger steal something from your territory?"

"It's my new companion — it just doesn't get along with Goat Boss. Neither one will submit to the other, so they have to fight every time they meet."

Since this little honey badger had been brought here by the wolf pack, it was the wolf pack's companion. Xia Qing's relationship with the wolf pack was too complicated to explain to Tang Huai, so she said the little flat-headed one was her companion.

She didn't just need to say this to Tang Huai — she also had to tell the others, asking everyone not to hunt the little fellow. "You'd better leave here quickly. Boss has been in a bad temper these past few days — after he finishes with the honey badger, he'll probably come after you too."

Tang Huai…

After raising a goat, wolves, squirrels, and weasels, this woman is now raising a honey badger too?

What is she trying to do? Open an Evolution Zoo?