Chapter 767: Evolvers Assemble

Liangzi replied, "Copy that. The next Calamity Rain will begin in 40 minutes, expected to be Yellow grade. Qing-jie, try to return to the territory before the rain starts. Call for aid the moment you need it."

"Understood." Xia Qing switched channels and instructed her companion, "Boss, just stay in shed number fifteen and eat. Once you're full, wait for me inside. I'm going to check on Little Flat-Top."

"Baa." Boss Sheep, munching grass in the shed, answered.

Hearing that Boss Sheep's mood was still stable, Xia Qing knew no extreme weather would appear in the next half hour. She left the territory through the north gate at ease, entering Zone 3 of Mountain Forty-Nine.

Compared to the territory, where trees were relatively sparse, it was far more difficult for an aggressive wild paulownia to grow in the densely vegetated Evolution Forest, but Xia Qing had no choice but to make this trip.

Because, if an aggressive wild paulownia managed to grow here and bloomed and seeded during the Calamity Rain, it would trigger a chain of disasters.

Zone 3 covered a vast area with dense vegetation, but Xia Qing knew this stretch of mountain forest too well. Which tree to grip or which stone to step on through dangerous stretches—she had it all mapped out.

Her magnetic sense, visual ability, and the boost from her special protective suit let her avoid the vast majority of risks.

Calamity-evolved insects flying straight at her? Let them pounce and bite all they want, as long as they don't cling to her face shield and block her view.

Leeches stuck to her body? Too many to bother with—just ignore them.

Snakes lunging at her? Stuff them in her pockets. When she found Little Flat-Top, she'd give it a few; the rest she'd bring back to the territory—edible ones she'd raise, inedible ones she'd sell.

Fifteen minutes later, Xia Qing spotted the first aggressive wild paulownia. Hampered by the dense vegetation, it couldn't draw enough nutrients from the soil, and its growth rate was clearly slower than those inside the territory.

This tree was only two meters tall. A dozen or so serpentine, curved vines hung down, dripping raindrops. Untouched by any person or creature, it hadn't launched an attack and was working hard to absorb nutrients and grow.

The one who would trigger it had arrived.

Xia Qing drew her blade and got to work.

Ten minutes later, Xia Qing sheathed her black blade and, shovel in hand, kept running through the Evolution Forest. The first aggressive wild paulownia? Already hung upside down by its roots from a large tree—roots and vines alike unable to touch the soil, unable to draw nutrients to feed the canopy and vines for further growth. Once it dried out, it could be used as firewood.

While Xia Qing patrolled, the Investigation Team channel never fell silent. Multiple territories, including Number Fourteen, had sent out calls for help—due to discovering aggressive plants, damage to greenhouses from wind, injuries, and other reasons—and the Investigation Team went to assist.

"Attention all members: the thundercloud has drifted over North Zone One and the Safe Zone. The Safe Zone is deploying troops to deal with it full force. In principle, during this Calamity Rain, the Safe Zone cannot dispatch reinforcements to North Zone One. Prepare for a prolonged battle."

After Tan Junjie's briefing ended, the group fell silent. Xia Qing paused for a few seconds, then continued patrolling the Evolution Forest.

Forty minutes later, the Yellow-grade Calamity Rain began. Xia Qing was still patrolling Zone 3. Besides the aggressive wild paulownias, she had also discovered other aggressive Calamity-evolved plants. The ones she could clear, she cleared; the ones she couldn't, she marked, to be dealt with after the rain.

Just then, the voice of the Fourth Squad leader, Ceng Quan, came through the Investigation Team channel: "An aggressive wild paulownia has appeared inside Territory Eighteen. It exceeds four meters in height. The Fourth Squad cannot clear it. We need reinforcements."

Tan Junjie's voice remained calm and stern. "Copy. A six-person squad will head over in ten minutes. Territory Twenty-Five, Fang Lin, can you go reinforce Territory Eighteen?"

"Fang Lin copies. Will head over to reinforce within five minutes." A rough male voice responded.

Fang Lin—a Level 5 Strength Evolver of the former Dongyang Squad and current Liangqing Squad of Hui San Plain. Was he hired at high price by the lord of Territory Twenty-Five, Sang Jian, or was Territory Twenty-Five, like Territory One, affiliated with a squad?

Xia Qing slashed through the main root of the sixth wild paulownia with one cut, cutting off the canopy's nutrient supply. She bent down, gripped the root, and with both arms hauled the three main roots out of the soil, stuffing them into a sealed packaging bag.

Half an hour later, Xia Qing had finished patrolling and clearing the wild paulownias in Zone 3 of Mountain Forty-Nine. She had just returned to her territory when she heard Tan Junjie issuing a reinforcement request on the Investigation Team channel:

"The aggressive wild paulownia inside Territory Eighteen has grown to five meters tall. Some of its vines have already rooted into the soil, and it has entered Tier-Three form. We urgently need several Level 5 or above Strength Evolvers, several Level 4 or above Speed Evolvers, and ten snipers for support. Requesting volunteers from any territory personnel able to provide reinforcement."

Five meters—it had already surpassed the aggressive wild paulownia Xia Qing had discovered in her own territory last year. Letting it grow this tall made clearing it extremely difficult.

The Calamity Rain had only just begun. If they let it keep growing, it might enter Tier-Four form by tomorrow—or even tonight.

Xia Qing stood on Gao Po in the pattering Calamity Rain, quickly scanning her territory. She first contacted Liangzi through her earpiece walkie-talkie and, learning that the various hazards within the territory were under control, joined the reinforcement relay on the Investigation Team channel: "Number fifteen. Level 6 Strength Evolver and sniper, Xia Qing, available to go provide support."

"Xia Qing, proceed immediately to Territory Eighteen. A vehicle is parked on the eastern isolation strip beside Territory Fifteen."

"Xia Qing copies. Will arrive on site in fifteen minutes." Xia Qing charged down the buffer forest, drove the off-road vehicle first to the side of Shed Fifteen, exchanged a greeting with Boss Sheep resting inside, then left the territory through the south gate and sped east toward Territory Eighteen.

Tang Huai heard the commotion and clenched his fists. He knew Xia Qing would definitely go!

Even Hearing Zhu Li of Territory Six heard the roar of Xia Qing's car engine and looked up outside.

She wasn't on the Investigation Team channel and didn't yet know what had happened. Hearing Xia Qing leave the territory, she assumed some ally's territory was in crisis and needed support.

Xia Qing drove, turned right from the east-west corridor onto the eastern isolation strip, and immediately spotted the aggressive wild paulownia, claws and fangs bared, inside Territory Eighteen.

That bastard had actually grown in the northwest corner of the Northern Wasteland Grass of Territory Eighteen!

Plenty of evolvers from inside the territory and Investigation Team members had already arrived, standing quietly in the Calamity Rain, waiting.

Xia Qing spotted at a glance Tan Junjie, the captain of the North Zone One Investigation Team, and standing beside him—the tiny Level 4 Speed Evolver, lord of Territory Fifteen, Tan Qi.

Seeing Xia Qing arrive, Wen Nengjie, lord of Territory Seventeen, burst out of the crowd, waving his arms and shouting excitedly, "Qing-jie! Qing-jie! Qing-jie!"

Hard to blame him for being so worked up. Territory Seventeen lay just west of Territory Eighteen, and this aggressive wild paulownia had already thrashed the thorn wall at the northeast corner of Territory Seventeen to pieces.

Tan Qi, Shi Du, Yu Shou, Zhang Hongda, Hu Zifeng, Jing Kuan, Guan Tong, Peng Jian, and others also turned to look at Xia Qing's off-road vehicle.

Xia Qing parked the vehicle on the west side of Territory Fifteen, slung a sniper rifle and a black long blade across her back, and walked over.

"Qing-jie, you absolutely have to kill this bastard, or our three territories—even our entire North Zone One—is done for…"

Wen Nengjie, wearing a patched-up Tier-3 field protective suit, sounded hoarse beyond recognition. This time he wasn't faking it—he was truly terrified.

Xia Qing's expression remained unchanged. She pressed the button on her lord's walkie-talkie: "Wen Nengjie, return to your territory immediately to patrol and clear aggressive Calamity-evolved plants."

The reason she used the walkie-talkie was that she was wearing a mask and didn't want to shout herself hoarse.

Hearing Xia Qing's voice through his walkie-talkie reassured Wen Nengjie even more than Tan Junjie's voice did. He cupped his fists in a bow toward Xia Qing, turned, and ran back to his own territory.