Chapter 774: The Third Disaster-Eradication Procedure Activates

Zhang San's voice was as calm as the surgical knife in his hand. "Good. I'll leave Territory Nine to you. You must not let a single Qiang Snake escape Territory Nine."

Xia Qing straightened her back. "Yes, sir. I guarantee the mission will be completed."

"All territories, please note: in thirty minutes, the Qiang Rain level will be raised to Red. Estimated duration: thirty-five minutes. All territories, please acknowledge."

Before Zhang San could issue the announcement, Tan Junjie's voice came through the Lord Channel, reporting the escalation of the Qiang Rain disaster level over the sound of rushing water.

"Territory One, acknowledged." Yin Jie, the Level Five Visual Evolver stationed at Territory One, replied.

"Territory Two, acknowledged." Tang Huai, inside the micro-cultivator at Territory Nine, replied.

Xia Qing pressed the walkie-talkie button. "Territory Three, acknowledged."

Hearing Xia Qing's voice, Liao Chen inside the Territory Fourteen container sprang to his feet, startling Feng Wen.

Why would Liao Chen react so strongly to hearing Xia Qing's voice on the walkie-talkie? Feng Wen, who was using a basin to catch rainwater, rolled her eyes and her gaze fell on the phone he never let out of his hand.

After Zhou Zhaoping, the Territory Eight agent, replied, Beard Feng from Territory Three came online. "Territory Nine, acknowledged."

"Territory Ten, acknowledged."

After Shi Zhong responded, before Tan Junjie could speak, Zhang San's calm and solemn voice came through the Lord Channel, immediately reminding everyone of the two previous disaster-eradication commands. People's hearts leapt into their throats—was this… some great disaster?

Beast tide? Poison gas bombs? Qiang Snakes? The more he thought, the more nervous he got. Zhao Ze felt like crying again.

"Tan Junjie, can the loudspeakers in Northern Area One still be used?"

Tan Junjie responded immediately. "Most of them can."

"Turn on the loudspeakers and have all investigation team leaders in Northern Area One join this Lord Channel."

A moment later, Tan Junjie responded. "Notifications delivered. Loudspeakers ready."

Only then did Zhang San, gripping his surgical knife, pause and rapidly issue a string of orders. "Investigation teams, all territories: a high-danger evolved organism—the Qiang Snake—has once again been discovered within the Northern Area One territories. In accordance with the 'Hua Nation Emergency Natural Disaster Response Law,' the Northern Area One territories of Hui-3 confirm the activation of the disaster-eradication procedure."

"According to the provisions of the 'Response Law,' this disaster will be commanded by Zhang San, head of the P3 Laboratory at Hui-3 Territory Seven, who is the qualified disaster-eradication commander nearest to the disaster site. During the disaster-eradication period, I have the authority to mobilize all deployable forces of the Hui-3 base to eradicate the disaster as quickly as possible."

Hearing this familiar announcement again, the lords actually felt a sense of relief.

Although Qiang Snakes were terrifying, they were still a notch below disasters like beast tides and Qiang Explosions.

Jiang Mu in Territory Fifteen, upon hearing "Qiang Snake," was so frightened her hands and feet went cold.

Seeing Liao Chen's expression twist, Feng Wen, whose face had gone deathly pale, felt even less reassured. She immediately put on her protective suit and left the container, which was leaking rain everywhere.

Even staying in Red-level Qiang Rain full of Qiang-evolved organisms was safer than staying beside Liao Chen. There was no logical reason, but her subconscious told her so. Relying on this risk-avoiding subconscious, Feng Wen had already escaped several certain-death crises.

"According to my research conclusions, Qiang Snakes cannot cause substantive damage to a Field Grade-Two protective suit. Personnel within the territories may continue to resist the Qiang Rain and search for Qiang Snakes while wearing qualified Field Grade-Two or above protective suits…"

Last time during the disaster-eradication, Zhang San had still required everyone to wear Field Grade-Three protective suits; this time it had been lowered to Grade Two. Hearing this order, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately it had been lowered by one grade; otherwise, the vast majority of people in the territories would have had to take emergency shelter indoors. In that case, there would be no way to protect the farmland or clear the aggressive wild paulownia in the Red Qiang Rain.

After issuing a series of orders, Zhang San appointed the direct personnel in charge of this disaster-eradication operation. "This disaster-eradication will be directly commanded by Tan Junjie. Territory Nine is designated a high-danger zone, under Xia Qing's responsibility. If danger is discovered within the territory, report to Tan Junjie; Tan Junjie and Xia Qing will report directly to me."

After Tan Junjie acknowledged, Xia Qing pressed the walkie-talkie button. "Acknowledged."

After the channel fell quiet, Tang Huai discussed with Xia Qing. "Can Beard Feng send people over? Or should we dispatch people from Territories Two and Twelve?"

Before Xia Qing could answer, Yue Haiying's voice came through the Lord Channel. "Xia Qing, will it be enough if I send three people to Territory Nine?"

Territory Nine had been designated a high-danger zone—Qiang Snakes must have been discovered inside. No matter how capable she was, she couldn't cover more than two thousand mu of territory alone in Red-level Qiang Rain. So Yue Haiying immediately decided to send people to support her.

Shi Du also came online. "Sister Qing, I can clear the border area of Territory Nine near Territory Ten."

Lord Huo Lei inquired. "Xia Qing, do you have enough snake-catching tools? Shall I send two sets over?"

After Tang Heng, Kuang Qingwei, Qi Fu, Zhao Ze, and Wen Nengjie all indicated they could spare people to help, Xin Yu, who rarely came online, spoke up. "Xia Qing, the four evolvers I dispatched have already set out and will enter Territory Nine within ten minutes."

"Thanks, everyone. With the four people from the Xinyu Sect, that's enough. Everyone, take responsibility for your own territories—search for Qiang Snakes and wild paulownia, and actively respond to the Red-level Qiang Rain."

After thanking her allies, Xia Qing said to Tang Huai, "Return to Territory Two immediately to handle the Red-level Qiang Rain. Leave this place to me."

"They haven't even arrived yet, and I'm already here. I won't leave no matter who comes! I know this territory best, and I'm an Auditory Evolver!"

At such a dangerous time, Tang Huai believed he was the one who should stay. Because besides his auditory evolution, his liver function had also evolved, allowing him to produce three special enzymes; even if bitten by a Qiang Snake, he'd be fine. He couldn't state the reason directly, so he made a nuisance of himself.

Xia Qing inquired, "If you're not in Territory Two, can those people handle it?"

"They can handle it. I'll arrange it right away!" Tang Huai immediately used the walkie-talkie to contact Liu Jing, telling him to protect the green lantern bugs in the territory, and ordered everyone to protect the farmland—whose assigned plot had a problem would have their wages docked. Then Tang Huai specifically called his brother, saying he was staying in Territory Nine to assist Xia Qing in clearing Qiang Snakes.

If the timing were right, Tang Huai really wanted to call every single person in his family!

After the evolvers from Territory Eight arrived, Xia Qing used the paths cut by the micro-cultivator as boundaries to divide Territory Nine into five sections. She and the four evolvers from Territory Eight each took charge of one section, beginning a carpet search for Qiang Snakes and clearing aggressive flora and fauna.

Tang Huai? His combat power was too low, so he continued driving the micro-cultivator to widen the paths.

Of course, the reason Xia Qing gave was not that his combat power was low, but that he was familiar with Territory Nine, making him the most suitable person for this task.

After Tan Junjie and Yuan Rui arrived, Xia Qing handed them a Qiang Snake and asked Yuan Rui, the Olfactory Evolver, to memorize its scent. "I suspect the Qiang Snake was smuggled in by someone from Territory Fourteen. Captain Tan, take the opportunity of collecting water samples to let Brother Rui enter Territory Fourteen to search—there may be discoveries."

Tan Junjie inquired, "Which person in Territory Fourteen is the most likely suspect?"

"Liao Chen. He's a Strength Evolver, cunning and ruthless in his methods. Don't get too close to him. I suspect he's carrying a bomb." If Liao Chen had really cooperated with Lie Huo, it was very likely he was carrying a bomb.

Tan Junjie nodded. "You be careful of ambushes too."

Not long after they left, Chen Zheng and Chen Cheng entered the section of Territory Nine under Xia Qing's responsibility, taking over the Qiang Snake search mission from her.

Although this was a high-danger zone, Xia Qing, who possessed Magnetoreception, had already swept through it once and confirmed there were no Qiang Snakes here.

Therefore, she drove the off-road vehicle the Chen brothers had brought over back to her own territory with complete peace of mind. She had to clear the Qiang Snakes from her territory before the Red Qiang Rain arrived.

When Xia Qing returned to her territory, Tan Junjie received a call from the Territory Management Department.