Chapter 902: Frying Oil Sticks

When a member within a wolf pack, or of another pack, feels their strength has surpassed the alpha wolf, they will challenge the alpha for the pack's leadership and priority access to food.

This is a common scene in wolf packs — ensuring the strongest wolf becomes the alpha is the guarantee of the pack's fighting strength.

So, upon discovering that Handsome Giant Wolf had come to challenge the alpha, the wolves resting and standing guard on Mountain Fifty-Five emerged from their respective hiding spots to quietly watch.

Broken-Waist Wolf, standing at the cave entrance with her two cubs, lifted her nose and sniffed, deep in thought.

After two medicinal baths, Handsome Giant Wolf was indeed stronger, but still lagged behind the alpha in speed — in barely a dozen moves, the alpha had him pinned to the ground.

The alpha stood in the center of the battlefield, raised his head, and let out a long howl, proclaiming his leadership; the rest of the pack joined in the howling, expressing their submission to the alpha.

Handsome Giant Wolf stood up, shook the dirt and dead leaves off his body, and ran to Mountain Twenty-Five of the Western Evolution Forest to challenge the Western Wolf King.

When dawn broke, the Western Wolf King — fresh from a great battle defending his alpha position — let out a long wolf howl at the rising sun.

Meanwhile, Xia Qing handed her territory over to her companions, shouldered her sniper rifle and ammunition, and headed for the shooting range on Mountain Forty-Nine.

On the combat field, Hu Zi Feng's squad lay sprawled every which way. Standing in the center of them, Luo Pei's gaze was stern, and his voice even sterner: "I left you in the territory not so you could slack off. At your current level, you can barely beat the sheep of Territory Three anymore — how are you supposed to carry out the missions of guarding the mountain and protecting Territory Three?"

"These two missions aren't exclusive to you! If next month's full squad assessment doesn't reach Grade B or above, the missions will be reassigned. All of you can get lost and carry out Evolution Forest combat missions instead — improve through real combat!"

The beaten Hu Zi Feng squad had no temper at all, because they really had been slacking off lately.

In fact, several members of their squad could no longer beat Xia Qing in a fight, nor outrun the sheep of Territory Three…

After finishing his lecture to Hu Zi Feng's squad, Luo Pei went to the shooting range.

After standing behind Xia Qing and watching for several minutes, Luo Pei nodded and went to check on the other trainees.

After Tang Huai accurately hit the fixed target at 1,400 meters, he beamed: "Brother Luo, I'm not bad, right?"

Tang Huai isn't a Blue Dragon team member, nor is he a formal trainee Luo Pei instructs, so Luo Pei was relatively polite to him: "Your stance is fine. If you want to become a professional sniper, you still need more practice."

Using the best sniper rifle in the country and having practiced for over three months, his effective range is only 1,400 meters — if he were a Blue Dragon combat team member, his sniper qualification would have been revoked long ago.

The next morning, 5:50 a. m.

Xia Qing arrived at the helipad of Territory One and saw Tang Huai enthusiastically sharing the food he'd brought with everyone: "Have you all had breakfast? Want to try the green-light oil sticks I just fried this morning?"

"Thanks, Brother Huai — the smell instantly took me back eleven years, like being in a dream. This is a corn and wild-vegetable pancake; the brothers in my territory can't match your skill. Please make do with a couple of bites — this fills you up." Wen Nengjie took the oil stick with both hands, took a small bite, and couldn't bear to eat any more.

"Thanks, Brother Huai — this is mung bean paste bun I made, try some too." Hearing Zhu Li also took an oil stick and split half with her husband.

After two years of farming, everyone no longer lacked food as badly as before, but no one took others' food for free — they all exchanged with food they'd brought, and those who hadn't brought food used other supplies to trade.

"Sister Qing, want to try some too?" Tang Huai held out an oil stick to Xia Qing, gazing at her eagerly.

Everyone had noticed that Xia Qing had been ignoring Tang Huai lately, so they all pretended to focus intently on eating their oil sticks, while in fact pricking up both ears.

Xia Qing took the fragrant oil stick with an expressionless face and handed Tang Huai a warm, steaming green-light boiled corn.

"Thanks, Sister Qing — I was just craving boiled corn, this is perfect!" Tang Huai took the corn with both hands, so moved he almost cried. Xia Qing had finally acknowledged him; he'd been nearly bursting these past few days.

Sitting in the helicopter's pilot seat, Hu Zi Feng saw this scene and rolled his eyes at the spineless Tang Huai.

"Sister Qing, Brother Yue and the others are coming." Hearing-evolver Zhu Li heard the movement and immediately reported the situation to Xia Qing.

Xia Qing turned her head, and in a short while saw Yue Haiying carrying Yan Yue on his back, and Zhong Tao carrying his wife He Hui on his back, entering Territory One.

The four of them were on leave to go out.

Zhong Tao was taking his wife to the Outer City Hospital of the Safe Zone for a follow-up checkup; Yue Haiying and Yan Yue were also going to the hospital — the two of them needed a physical condition assessment and residual limb measurement.

Because growing green-light spinach had earned quite a lot of contribution points, Hui Three Base had improved the benefits for personnel who had contributed to the base. One of these was that retired personnel currently holding Grade A positions could apply at the Inner City Hospital for prosthetic limbs at forty percent of the price.

During the years of natural disasters, the proportion of people with missing limbs had multiplied several times compared to before the disasters — precisely because of this, prosthetic limb technology had become increasingly mature.

Both Yue Haiying and Yan Yue were retired military personnel; the office director of the Ninth Planting Center and the head of Human Resources were both Grade A positions, so the two of them could enjoy this benefit. He Hui was a military dependent, and her work position was Grade B, so she couldn't enjoy it.

When Luo Pei arrived with his team right on time, the helicopter's cabin door opened and everyone prepared to board.

Kuang Qingwei checked his wife's bag once more for her ID card and stationery, and quietly reminded her: "After leaving the exam hall, stay close to Shi Du and Brother Huo — never split up and act separately from them."

Hearing Zhu Li was pretty; acting alone would definitely attract the attention of human traffickers in the Safe Zone.

Hearing Zhu Li instinctively glanced at Xia Qing, afraid Xia Qing would think her abilities were too poor to handle important tasks: "I already have the ability to protect myself now."

Kuang Qingwei continued to remind her: "Having the ability to protect yourself is one thing; being cautious is another."

Hearing Zhu Li stuffed the oil stick she couldn't bear to eat into her husband's hand: "I know, don't worry. Keep an eye on the corn in our fields — don't let anyone steal it."

Qi Fu reminded his wife: "If you see clothes you like, buy them — don't be stingy with points."

Shi Du's mother and Lord Huo Lei were also reminding their respective sons: "Don't go to messy places; come straight back after the exam."

Hu Zi Feng in the helicopter looked back at Xia Qing boarding the helicopter all alone. He wanted to fulfill his duties as a boyfriend but didn't know what to say to make her feel warmth, so he could only silently start the helicopter.

Yue Haiying, after confirming Yan Yue was seated securely, took out a large pack of supplies from his backpack and handed them to Luo Pei: "From Sister Qiqi, for Yanlong."

"Good." Luo Pei accepted them, slipped each of his two comrades a points card, and reminded them: "Use the best materials."

Yue Haiying's points had all been spent taking care of his retired brothers, so he didn't stand on ceremony with Luo Pei.

Yan Yue, who urgently needed to stand up and improve work efficiency, gripped the points card: "Thanks, Commander Luo — once I've saved up enough points, I'll pay you back."

Before retiring, Luo Pei had been a company commander.

Xia Qing handed two packs of supplies to Chang Li: "Sister Li, if you see pretty gold or pink pearls and seashells, could you buy extra and bring them back?"

Huh?!

Tang Huai, who had been pricking up his ears to keep tabs on Xia Qing, immediately scooted over: "Xia Qing, so you like pearls? The mall in our Safe Zone's Inner City sells them. Once you're done with your meeting, want to go browse together?"

Xia Qing: "No time."

Everyone…