Chapter 960: The Authority of Wolf Pack Number Four's Combat Power

At five-thirty the next morning, when Xia Qing arrived at the agreed meeting spot, Zhang Shi was already there with a large suitcase.

Their meeting spot was in Zone 3 of Mountain 49, Xia Qing's turf, with no surveillance.

"What do you think?" Zhang Shi asked Xia Qing to check whether her disguise for the day had any flaws.

Zhang Shi had taken a drug that changed her pupil color and voice, and switched to a different face, so now she looked like a male researcher in his forties:

Two thick brows, a pronounced vertical crease between them, and every pore on her face seemed to exude the confident, composed air of a scholar; even the scar on her cheek looked as though it had been pushed out by knowledge too vast to fit inside her skull.

Zhang Shi had escaped from Hui-1 nearly six years ago. Although she had kept following news from every base through the radio and the internet, she had never set foot in a Safe Zone again. This time she was going back with her daughter, and though she had spent months preparing, she still couldn't control the nervousness and unease.

She needed Xia Qing to give her some confidence.

Xia Qing answered honestly, "Your appearance, movements, and voice have no flaws at all, but the feeling you give me is that it's too deliberate. You're deliberately trying to let people know you're this identity—it's the same state you were in when you disguised yourself as a researcher in the valley."

Unlike Zhang Shi, who had been away from human society for years, Xia Qing had lived in the packed Safe Zone for nine years under a vest identity, and had her own set of insights:

"Disguise isn't only the surface—it includes the inside. Otherwise your subconscious reactions will betray you. Think clearly about what identity you want to pretend to be, then seriously think from within about that identity, about what mindset this person on this mission would have right now."

"What you should be thinking about right now isn't whether your disguise has flaws, because you're going over secretly for research—of course you need a disguise. You're a researcher in the big shot's P3 lab. So what if you're seen through? The moment you flash your identity, who would dare hurt you?"

"So don't think about the real purpose of this trip for now. What you should be thinking about right now is the research project you haven't finished yet, and the content and methods of this survey. You can even ask Yang Jin for any information useful to it."

"If Yang Jin sizes you up, just let him. He's nothing but a mere squad captain from Hui-3, what's so great about him? But try not to make too much eye contact with Yang Jin. He's dealt with all kinds of people for years—he's far more sharp-eyed than I am."

"I understand. Thank you." Zhang Shi thanked her sincerely, and immediately adjusted her mindset and the state she presented, following Xia Qing's advice.

Xia Qing took out a small unmarked medicine bottle. "This is Red One's latest research result—Yi synthetic element tablets that ease the headaches of magnetic-sense ability users. They have almost no side effects, and taking them doesn't affect ability use. Hui-3 allocated them to the four magnetic-sense Evolvers at Center 9. There are two tablets in here; one lasts twenty-four hours."

After explaining the effects, Xia Qing added, "After I got the medicine I sent it to Third Brother for testing. Third Brother said it's fine. But this medicine is supplied in limited quantities, and using it requires registration. Even though I run Center 9, I can only get two tablets out."

"I know this medicine. It's incredibly useful for Eleven. I'll give you the trade goods and points when I get back." Zhang Shi didn't know what words to use to express her gratitude to Xia Qing. She tucked the medicine into her pocket and explained in a low voice, "Eleven has already taken medicine and fallen asleep, so we won't need it on the way."

Xia Qing nodded, took the suitcase holding Eleven, and escorted the mother and child to the helipad on Mountain 49. Shortly after entering Zone 2 of Mountain 49, Xia Qing waved at the camera ahead above.

The other zones of Mountain 49 all belong to the Azure Dragon Squad. Following the relevant regulations, Xia Qing had reported to Chen Cheng, who was guarding the mountain, last night about sending people to board the helicopter.

"Morning, Sister Qing." Chen Cheng greeted Xia Qing. "The captain and the others have already set off from the Safe Zone."

"Good." Xia Qing nodded and led Zhang Shi upward.

Zhang Shi also gave the camera a slight nod, and quickened her pace behind Xia Qing.

Territory Seven had always been mysterious, so Chen Cheng wasn't at all surprised by the appearance of this unfamiliar researcher. Yang Jin, who stepped down from the helicopter cabin, wasn't particularly curious about this unfamiliar researcher either. After a brief greeting, he took the suitcase and saw him onto the helicopter.

Then Yang Jin jumped back down, walked up to Xia Qing, handed her a points card, and asked with a smile, "Sister Qing, want to take this chance to buy a batch of supplies from Lan-5?"

Lan City Base, which occupied the northwest of Hua Nation, had vast saline-alkali land and abundant cold-water resources. Even before the natural disasters, it had established multiple large-scale land-based seafood farming zones, and now it was Hua Nation's largest seafood production base.

Xia Qing had drawn up the list of green-light seafood and seasonings she wanted Yang Jin to buy on her behalf last night. She took it out and handed it to him. "Already written. Sorry to trouble you, Captain Yang."

Yang Jin laughed, still so handsome it made people dizzy. "Not a bit of trouble. The more supplies you have me buy, the happier I am."

Xia Qing's face was calm. "I hope the quality of the supplies Captain Yang brings back matches the purchasing fee and shipping fee I pay."

"Don't worry—absolutely worth more than you pay!"

Worth more than you pay? Heh. If it could be worth more than you pay, he wouldn't be the iron rooster.

Inside the helicopter, Zhang Shi, who had stowed her suitcase and fastened her seatbelt, turned to look outside and felt a bit surprised by the utterly different auras the two people chatting out there were giving off.

Xia Qing, who had been keeping an eye on Zhang Shi, saw her look over and raised a hand to wave.

Zhang Shi nodded, her state a little steadier than half an hour ago.

"I'm off." Yang Jin also waved at Xia Qing once, then turned and walked cheerfully toward the helicopter.

After watching the helicopter fly off, Xia Qing caught bugs and cleared qiang grass all the way, checking the green-light chestnut grove, the green-light Chinese torreya trees on the hillside, and several aggressive qiang Evolved plants, before finally arriving above Wolf Valley.

"Brother Black Wolf, Broken-Leg Girl, which of you is in? Bring Little Four-Eyes out—it's time for medicine."

"Wooo—wooo—" From inside the wolf den came the cursing voice of Broken-Leg Girl. In a little while she kicked open the wolf den's door and brought Little Black Wolf out in front of Xia Qing.

Xia Qing pointed at the door. "The fact that you kicked the door so hard—I'll tell Broken-Waist about it."

Broken-Leg Girl wasn't a brain-domain Evolver, but she understood Xia Qing's tone perfectly and kept cursing.

Xia Qing stopped paying her any attention and called to Little Black Wolf. "Four-Eyes, come here, let me have a look."

Little Black Wolf, whose temperament was more like its father's, walked up to Xia Qing with a serious little wolf face.

Amid Broken-Waist Girl's cursing, Xia Qing gently pressed its back with her hand, made it lie down and roll over, lightly pressed its belly to observe its reaction, then applied medicine to the four wounds on its belly to reduce inflammation and kill bacteria.

Then Xia Qing took out a small basin, poured in pollution-free spring water and medicine, and also took out freeze-dried food and placed it in front of the little wolf.

This was a very wary little wolf—as long as Xia Qing stood there staring at it, it wouldn't eat. So Xia Qing retreated to a distance to clean up wild boar droppings, watching Little Black Wolf's feeding from afar.

After Little Black Wolf happily drank water and ate the freeze-dried food, it circled Broken-Leg Girl acting cute. Broken-Leg Girl emptied both basins, then began licking her cub's fur.

Seeing the little wolf defecate, Xia Qing rushed over quickly and took a sample before the droppings were contaminated.

Broken-Leg Girl, startled by Xia Qing, started cursing nonstop again.

Xia Qing got angry and sternly gestured to scold this hot-tempered she-wolf. "I'm taking wolf poop to test Little Four-Eyes's intestinal recovery. You bark at me one more time, just try it—see if I don't beat you!"

She'd taken the alpha wolf's points to treat Little Four-Eyes's injuries, not to come here and get cursed at!

If she weren't worried that fighting Broken-Leg Girl here would scare Little Four-Eyes and worsen its injuries, Xia Qing would have gone straight at her, to let this she-wolf understand she had no right whatsoever to curse in front of her.

A bad temper means you get to curse? Damn it, I'm even more bad-tempered than you!

"Wooo—!!!"

Xia Qing took off her protective mask, revealing two little canine teeth, and growled in a low voice.

Unexpected, yet entirely within reason.

After Broken-Leg Girl saw Xia Qing display anger and aggression, she shut up, flattened her ears, lowered her tail, and adopted a submissive posture. Little Black Wolf was even more direct—it simply lay down next to Broken-Leg Girl, clearly showing submission to the powerfully-built Xia Qing.

Their reaction let Xia Qing feel for the first time, in a tangible way, her own standing within the northern wolf pack.

Hmm…

Pretty much the same feeling as intimidating her own kind.