Chapter 742: Used Cars

After handing the rabbit off to Zhao Ze, Xia Qing returned to her territory and continued clearing the weeds growing on the open ground outside the greenhouses.

These past few days had a lot of rain, and weeds grow extremely fast, so they must be cleared regularly. Otherwise, the tall weeds won't just block the sunlight—the pests and microorganisms in the grass may spread inside the greenhouses and threaten the crops' growth.

The weeds on the flat open ground outside the greenhouses were easy to clear; Xia Qing drove the tiller around a few times and they were all cut down. But the weeds on the hillside terraces, and those growing on the open ground more than twenty meters from the tree line, had to be cleared by hand.

Manually clearing weeds outside the greenhouses after rain is farm work with a considerable danger rating.

Because among these weeds there are surely mutated varieties. Mutated strains might have hard stalks, their sap might contain strong toxins, or their leaf edges might grow sharp serrations capable of cutting through a Level-1 field protective suit.

Moreover, in the dense weeds there may also lurk insects and pathogenic microorganisms that have developed resistance to pesticides. Being bitten by these insects or infected by the pathogens can both be fatal.

This season the weather has become hot and stuffy, and wearing protective suits to work is very uncomfortable, so many people take chances and don't wear protective suits, or only wear protective boots and pants, which makes working outside the greenhouses even more dangerous.

Just yesterday, the inspection team used loudspeakers and walkie-talkies to broadcast the latest hazard notice on a loop:

In the northern District 1 territory, four people were bitten by mutated flying ants carrying lethal pathogens while clearing weeds without wearing protective masks, and died of septicemia. The Territory Management Department issued a danger warning, reminding lords that when working outside the greenhouses, they must properly wear protective suits and masks as required.

The sun climbed higher and higher, and the temperature rose along with it. Beside the greenhouse in the northern buffer forest of Territory Three, Xia Qing was hoeing weeds with a hoe.

The stuff called grass doesn't all grow straight up—some spread flat along the soil surface, some are vines that twine around other plants as they grow. Others grow only a cluster of tender little leaves, but their roots burrow deep into the soil; if you only clear the leaves, in a couple of days a whole patch will sprout back.

So Xia Qing doesn't use a sickle to clear weeds—she uses a special wide-bladed hoe to remove them by the root. This clears them more thoroughly, but also takes more effort.

There are a lot of stones on the hillside, and even though Xia Qing is a strength evolver, working for a long time still leaves her thirsty and exhausted.

After clearing the weeds and shrubs in the isolation belt outside the low-slope planting greenhouse, she went inside, took off her protective mask, used a towel to wipe the sweat from her face and neck, gulped down a whole string of cooled boiled water, and let out a long breath.

Xia Qing is a high-level evolver, with resistance superior to ordinary people and average evolvers, but whenever she works in the non-greenhouse anti-insect net covered areas of her territory, no matter how hot it is, she always takes full protective measures.

These past few days, moving around her territory, she not only wears protective clothing but also sprays herself with the insect-repellent spray she traded with her idol.

Because being bitten by a poisonous animal or infected by a mutated fungus requires taking or applying medicine to detoxify, and Xia Qing currently cannot use medicine.

Next month, she has to start soaking in the body-damage recovery potion again. If she takes or applies medicine during this period, it will affect the effectiveness of the recovery potion, and Xia Qing's pain will very likely have been for nothing.

After finishing her water, Xia Qing went to the grape trellis beside the spring-water cave, and rested in the shade formed by the grape vines and the cave. Goat Boss, who had been grazing on the hillside, also came over and lay down beside her.

Xia Qing stretched out her legs in the thin, breathable light-purple trousers, shook out her new shoes, then stretched her arms in the same-colored thin long shirt, and sighed, "Boss, you really get what you pay for—this outfit is so comfortable."

Goat Boss, covered in a coat of hair, squinted his eyes and ignored Xia Qing.

What Xia Qing is wearing now is the new-material summer outfit she traded with Yang Jin last time.

The color and style of this clothing are perfectly ordinary, but the price rivals a Level-3 field protective suit, and it reaches the protective level of a Level-2 field protective suit. So when Xia Qing works in her territory, wearing it means she doesn't need to wear a field protective suit anymore.

After Yang Jin had Hu Zifeng deliver the clothes, Xia Qing tried them on, confirmed they were well worth the price, immediately contacted Yang Jin, and traded for another set from the same line.

This new-material summer clothing comes in many styles, and the prices vary greatly between different designs. Xia Qing wanted the most practical and simplest low-priced version, but it still cost 4,500 points per set.

Now she has three sets of new-material summer long-sleeve shirts and trousers in camouflage, light purple, and aqua green—more than enough to rotate through.

Compared with the new-material outerwear, Xia Qing felt her original pure-cotton underwear wasn't comfortable enough.

After searching online and finding that this new-material fabric also came in underwear, Xia Qing used her good friend Xin Yu's purchasing channels to get three more sets of new-material underwear, to rotate along with the outerwear.

Besides underwear, at Xin Yu's recommendation, Xia Qing also bought two pairs of summer-style protective boots, two comfortable breathable protective masks, and several head covers, gloves, and socks.

The total points spent on these clothes and protective gear made Xia Qing's heart ache when she heard the price, but she didn't hesitate at all when paying.

Xia Qing has always, within her means, made sure she eats the best food and uses the best things. She was already like this back in the Safe Zone, let alone now when conditions are even better.

Isn't working hard precisely so you can live more comfortably? Otherwise, what's the point of working hard?

After resting for a while, Xia Qing put on the newly traded protective mask, walked out of the greenhouse, and cleared all the weeds outside the high-slope planting area in one go. Then she shook the soil off the weed roots, bundled them up, had Goat Boss carry them down, and spread them out to dry on the open ground outside the yard. These weeds can't be used for weaving mats or making nests for the chickens, but they can be burned into ash for use as potassium fertilizer.

Potassium fertilizer is an indispensable nutrient for growing corn, tomatoes, and potatoes.

After finishing the morning's farm work, the person and the goat headed home at a leisurely pace to make lunch and take an afternoon nap.

"Xia Qing, you there?"

Over the lord channel came Yue Haiying's inquiry.

Xia Qing pressed the button. "I'm here, Brother Yue, go ahead."

Yue Haiying asked, "The army is retiring a batch of old vehicles, thirty thousand each. Are you interested?"

Xia Qing buying a car means driving it out of the territory, which can't be hidden from people. That's why the two of them are communicating over the walkie-talkie—to give this car an above-board explanation.

In these disaster years of material shortages, even an old car selling for only thirty thousand points is quite cheap. Xia Qing knew Yue Haiying must have gotten more than just this one car, but she still pretended to find it a pity. "Brother Yue, why is even an old car still this expensive?"

"Hmph."

Inside the shabby container house of Territory Fourteen, Feng Wen gave a cold snort, mocking Xia Qing for being poor and shabby. "She thinks a thirty-thousand-point junk car is expensive—she really hasn't seen the world. Meng, let's get a car too? The territory is too big; without a car it's inconvenient to go anywhere."

Yan Meng, sitting on a wooden stump by the bed looking at his phone, didn't even look up and couldn't be bothered to speak. Feng Wen pressed her lips together, secretly shifted her body and stretched her neck, trying to see what he was looking at.

Yan Meng turned around sharply. "Stop bothering me here. Get up and go pull weeds!"

Feng Wen, half-lying on the bed, said pitifully, "I just woke up, I'm not feeling well, and I haven't eaten yet—where would I get the strength to pull weeds…"

Seeing that Yan Meng said nothing, Feng Wen immediately put on a sweet, wheedling tone and made a request. "Meng, could you help me filter some water? I want to take a bath."

Yan Meng frowned impatiently, but still stood up and walked out.

After he went out, Feng Wen immediately twisted around and opened the window on the other side, getting as close as she could to the dirt-caked screen, breathing in the fresh air coming from outside, when she heard Tang Huai's voice come over the walkie-talkie: "Brother Yue, the batch of off-road vehicles purchased in Year Nine of the Disaster were pretty good quality—how can the used ones only sell for thirty thousand?"