Chapter 979: Greatly Different

When the Azure Dragon Squad's helicopter flew toward the Northern Evolution Forest, the lords only glanced at it out of habit, but when it still hadn't returned after dark, everyone started feeling uneasy.

The people in Territories Ten, Eleven, Twelve, and Fifteen who knew where the helicopter had gone all stood at the highest point of their own territories after dark, gazing northward and hoping their loved ones would return safely.

The darker it got, the more anxious they became. Only when Tang Huai reported he was safe in the Northern Alliance group chat did everyone finally relax.

At eleven o'clock at night, the helicopter landed steadily inside Territory Twelve.

After the cabin door opened, Xia Qing, who had boarded the helicopter last, slung her sniper rifle over her back and jumped down first, followed by Shi Du carrying Tang Huai.

Tang Heng rushed over first to thank Xia Qing, then supported his brother and thanked Shi Du and Huo Zhun as well. "Sister Qing, Shi Du, Brother Huo, thank you so much. Dinner's ready—after you eat, I'll drive you back."

Xia Qing shook her head. "We won't eat, but thanks. You go ahead and get busy." She was fine with riding back.

After Xia Qing, Shi Du, Huo Zhun, and Zhang Hongda, along with Little Eleven, left Territory Twelve's north gate by car, the first stop was the north gate of Territory Fifteen.

Yue Haiying and Ye Yang, who was in a wheelchair, were already waiting outside Territory Fifteen's north gate.

Little Eleven's heart was full of unease, but she still followed Zhang Hongda out of the car, forcing herself not to look at Xia Qing.

Xia Qing got out of the car and watched calmly as she walked toward Ye Yang.

"Shiyi, come here to Uncle."

Ye Yang called out to Little Eleven's new name in a gentle voice, reached out and took her small hand smeared with dried mud, then thanked the three of them. "Sister Qing, Brother Huo, Brother Du, thank you all so much."

Yue Haiying handed over the three bags of buns he was carrying. "These are pork and chive buns steamed in the cafeteria. Eat them tonight."

Xia Qing thanked him, took the buns and got back in the car to continue the journey. She had handed Little Eleven over to Ye Yang, fulfilled Zhang Shi's request, and could finally go home.

Shi Du, sitting in the back seat, sighed. "Kids born after the disaster are completely different from the ones before."

A five-year-old who had lost her father and gone through a firefight stayed quiet the whole way, not even crying out loud—looking at her made anyone's heart ache.

Xia Qing in the front seat was as quiet as always, while Huo Zhun, holding a bag of buns, beamed. "Blue Star is evolving, so of course humans have to get stronger too. I'm planning to use the mission points from this job to trade for a laptop. Shi Du, do you want one?"

Shi Du shook his head. "My dad's medicine has run out, and the fields need fertilizer. I'll pick up a second-hand one after the autumn harvest. Brother Huo, when you go look at laptops, keep an ear out for me."

Xia Qing asked, "Brother Huo, you have a channel for buying laptops?"

"No. I've also decided to buy fertilizer first and get the laptop after the autumn harvest." When Huo Zhun heard Shi Du was buying fertilizer, he changed his mind too, because he didn't want to get beaten up. "Sister Qing, if there's another chance in the future, let's take missions together again."

He had been discharged for violating discipline and hadn't received much severance pay; his dad had emptied the family coffers to take over Territory Eleven. Taking this same-day round-trip mission and earning 30,000 points in one go had made Huo Zhun over the moon.

Taking missions was a shortcut to earning points and improving life!

Xia Qing nodded. "When the territory work isn't busy, we can consider it."

"Count me in too, Sister Qing. I'll train hard and definitely won't hold the team back." After saying that, Shi Du got out of the car at Territory Ten's north gate.

After Shi Du left, Huo Zhun scooted over and asked curiously, "Sister Qing, can I take a look at your night-vision goggles?"

Only then did Xia Qing realize that although this guy's territory was right next to Territory Twelve, he had insisted on riding along with them for this whole loop. She took off the night-vision goggles and handed them to Huo Zhun.

Huo Zhun turned on the car lights and examined them carefully, then put them on and looked outward for a good while before returning them to Xia Qing, giving a thumbs-up.

Awesome, these night-vision goggles are really awesome!

Of course they were—her idol had heard her say her own night-vision goggles weren't working well and specially picked these out for her from the warehouse in Territory Seven! Xia Qing took them back, put them on calmly, got out of the car, opened the big lock on the south gate of her territory, carried the dinner inside, greeted Er Yong and Chen Cheng who were guarding the territory for her, went into the forage shed and cut a handful of green lantern grass, then hurried home.

It was already very late; she had to hurry back and cook for the Boss, the Fourth, and the Broken-Waist Wolf.

Walking to the village entrance, she saw the pair of green, glistening wolf eyes on the ruins of the house south of her own, and Xia Qing couldn't help worrying about her chickens again, wondering whether the hungry old wolf would take the chance to steal some while she was away.

"Baa—"

Hearing Xia Qing's footsteps, the Boss standing in the yard called out eagerly.

"Boss, I'm back—"

Xia Qing rushed into the yard, saw the snow-white sheep standing there and the Broken-Waist Wolf looking at her through the glass from the first-floor living room, and her heart warmed.

Although she had no family, she had a family sheep and a family wolf!

Seeing her little sister come back so late, Sheep Boss narrowed his eyes and pawed the ground, ready to teach her a lesson.

Xia Qing immediately held up the fresh grass in her hand. "Boss, how about I mix you some Number Three rations with pumpkin and grass tonight?"

"Baa~~" Sheep Boss immediately stopped pawing the ground—Number Three rations, he loved them!

Xia Qing glanced at the yard and the ruins of the house to the south, and only after confirming she hadn't spotted any chicken feathers did she call out to the old wolf, "Fourth, want some eggs tonight?"

Hearing there were eggs to eat, the old wolf, who had been standing tall, immediately came down, walked into the yard, and waited for dinner.

Xia Qing went inside, saw the Broken-Waist Wolf, who was still a bit damp, watching the laptop, and asked, "Broken-Waist, the TV's out of power again?"

The Broken-Waist Wolf bared its teeth, indicating she had guessed right.

Xia Qing lifted her nose and sniffed. "You gave the Long-Haired one a medicinal bath?"

The Broken-Waist Wolf's grin widened, indicating she had guessed right again.

"You go patrol the territory and let the wind dry your fur. I'll boil you some eggs to eat."

The Broken-Waist Wolf thought for a moment, raised a paw to point at the air conditioner, then pointed at the TV.

"Alright, when you get back I'll swap the battery so you can enjoy the AC and watch TV." After saying that, Xia Qing took off her protective suit and went upstairs to shower.

The Broken-Waist Wolf was delighted, pushed open the door, and went to patrol the territory.

After showering, Xia Qing went downstairs, put eggs and meat on to boil, mixed up the grass feed for the Boss and set it on the table, swapped out the storage battery connected to the air conditioner and TV, then exported the mission video she had recorded today and played it back on the TV.

The Broken-Waist Wolf, returning from patrol, watched the video playing on the TV for a few seconds, then turned to look at Xia Qing.

Xia Qing, who was gnawing on a bun, pointed at the map on the table. "I flew my helicopter to Lan Five today—right here—to rescue a group of people. This is the video recorded by the camera on my head."

Xia Qing fast-forwarded the video, then paused and zoomed in on the half of Little Eleven's face that was revealed when she, wearing a protective mask inside the helicopter cabin, looked up.

She hadn't been mistaken—Little Eleven's face had thinned out, and her skin tone and eye shape were completely different from before.

No wonder Zhang Hongda's expression showed no cracks when he was with Little Eleven. He probably hadn't recognized that the Ye Shiyi he brought back was the Little Eleven from the hidden valley in Mountain Fifty!