Chapter 1003: Standoff at Territory Seven

Tan Junjie floored the patrol truck out of Territory One, drifting to a halt before tearing off toward Territory Seven and kicking up a cloud of dust behind him.

As the patrol truck barreled through the passage between Territory Two and Section Three, Huo Zhun and Hu Zifeng each burst out of their territories and dove in through the truck’s windows. Right on their tail, Tang Huai’s flashy fire-red off-roader shot out from Territory Two too.

Inside the wild grass wall of Territory Fifteen, Little Shiyi gritted her teeth through a headache, desperate to tell Aunt Qing that the big guy gripping her wrist wasn’t attacking her with his Magnetic Sense.

Right now, he was hurting inside.

Outside the south gate of Territory Seven, Ji Li’s face was unreadable as she tightened her grip on Xia Qing’s wrist, forcing her to let go while reaching out her left hand to snag the hundred-pound sack of grain. “Give me the bag.”

Xia Qing wasn’t as fast as Ji Li, but she was much stronger. When she clamped down on the sack, Ji Li had no chance of wrestling it away.

If they kept pulling, the bag would split, scattering soybeans everywhere.

Not wanting things to spiral out of control, Xia Qing kept her cool and ordered, “Brother Yue, get in touch with Third Brother right now. Make sure these are really his orders.”

“Got it.” With only one arm, Yue Haiying stowed away the gun pointed at Ji Li’s temple and tried the walkie-talkie, but all he heard was static. He pulled out his phone and checked it as well. “We’re getting interference—can’t use any of the comm gear here.”

“Creeeak—”

The patrol truck screeched to a stop ten meters out. Tan Junjie got out and strode toward them, his voice cold and commanding. “Everyone, drop your weapons!”

But not a soul from Territory Seven lowered their guns, not even Tan Qi. None of the others did either. Tang Huai rushed over with four bodyguards, their guns all trained on Territory Seven’s guards.

Huo Zhun and Hu Zifeng flanked Xia Qing on either side. Huo Zhun faced the guards of Territory Seven, while Hu Zifeng pointed his gun right at Ji Li’s wrist. “Let go!”

Hu Zifeng had the gun’s safety off, but Ji Li ignored him, glaring at Xia Qing with ever-tightening fingers.

Xia Qing acted as if she couldn’t even feel the pain, staring stiffly into Ji Li’s bloodshot eyes as she called out, “Captain Tan, I suspect Ji Li’s squad has betrayed us and disobeyed the orders of Territory Seven. There’s a signal block here; please use your megaphone to make contact with Third Brother and request entry into Territory Seven. We need to confirm his safety.”

Raising her voice, Xia Qing called out, “Zhu Li, use the high-powered speaker to contact the Ninth Center! Order the Security Department and Construction Team to arm up and assemble on standby!”

“On it!” Zhu Li called back, sprinting off to grab the high-powered speaker from Territory Six.

The last line Xia Qing aimed right at Ji Li, her tone ice-cold and lethal:

“Anybody lays a finger on Third Brother, I’ll take their life.”

Xia Qing’s words lit a fire under everyone—members from all territories clenched their weapons, death in their eyes and ready to fight.

“Territory Se—”

Tan Junjie grabbed the megaphone from the truck and barely got two syllables out before switching to a new announcement. “Zhu Li from Territory Six, confirmation received: the Leader of Territory Seven is safe! No need to contact the Ninth Center.”

The moment his voice echoed from the megaphone, people in Territories Ten and Five realized something big was going down and raced outside. Only Zhao Ze, the farthest out in Territory Four, stayed in the dark, still watering crops.

Escorted by a fully armed squad led by Zheng Chen, a pale-faced Zhang San stepped out from behind the wild grass wall, voice steely. “Xia Qing, hand over the bag to Ji Li.”

Xia Qing turned to see her idol standing in the sunlight, face white as a ghost. The tension in her body finally eased.

Zhang San gave her a small nod. “Let go.”

Only then did Xia Qing release her grip, letting Ji Li snatch the sack from her hands.

With the grain sack in hand, Ji Li let go of Xia Qing’s wrist. “Drop your weapons.”

“Click.”

All thirty-some members of Ji Li’s squad obeyed, dropping their weapons at once.

“Drop your weapons.”

The moment Xia Qing gave the order, everyone from the other territories—including Hu Zifeng—set down their weapons too. Shi Du, Qi Fu, and Yuan Yan, all on the verge of rushing in, skidded to a stop.

Xia Qing hurried over to her idol. “Third Brother, are you alright?”

Zhang San shook his head and turned to glance at Ji Li.

Ji Li slowly raised her hand in salute to Zhang San, then turned and led her squad back into Territory Seven.

Zhu Li came sprinting out with the high-powered speaker. “Sister Qing, should I still contact Territory Nine?”

Xia Qing checked with her idol. “Third Brother, do you need me to bring people in to protect you in Territory Seven?”

Ji Li’s squad was stacked with power and gear, but Xia Qing could still put up a good fight with Huo Zhun, Zhang Hongda, and the others at her side.

Zhang San shook his head. “Just you and Huo Zhun will be enough.”

Once Xia Qing nodded, Zhu Li set down the speaker and finally let out a relieved sigh.

Tan Junjie stepped up. “Third Brother, need the Inspection Team’s help?”

Zhang San explained simply, “No need. Ji Li and I had a miscommunication, but it’s resolved now. No need to report.”

With that, Zhang San nodded to everyone outside the territory and headed back. Xia Qing thanked the allies who’d come to help, then entered Territory Seven with Huo Zhun.

The moment her dad shot her a glare, Tan Qi zipped into the territory, twin sabers in hand, and dashed over to Little Shiyi.

Tan Junjie drove the patrol truck back to Territory One to keep inspecting dangerous plants. After phoning in a report to Captain Yang Jin, Hu Zifeng let out a sigh. “Looks like Third Brother just cut ties with Hui One Base for good.”

Walking beside Xia Qing, Huo Zhun wore a look colder and more ruthless than ever before. Xia Qing was on high alert, catching every shift of wind and grass around them.

Why so tense? Because her fragile idol, a top-tier genius, had run out wearing nothing but a white lab coat!

Not until she got her idol safely into the ultra-secure lab and shut the door behind him did Xia Qing finally breathe easy. “Third Brother, why’d you come out here yourself?”

Wiping his hands with a disinfectant wipe, Zhang San shot Xia Qing a look. “With all the chaos you stirred up, if I didn’t come out would you have been able to wrap this up?”

Xia Qing gave a sheepish grin. “I didn’t tell the others what was happening in advance—didn’t think everyone would react so fast either.”

She’d never wanted her allies dragged into today’s showdown. The enemy was just too strong. Seeing how fierce Ji Li got, Xia Qing had feared her idol was already a hostage, so she called in backup from the Ninth Center.

Her idol was, after all, the Ninth Center’s leader—the man who gave retired soldiers shelter. If anything happened to him, the whole Ninth Center would mobilize.

Still, seeing ally after ally leap to her defense left Xia Qing genuinely moved.

“Third Brother, do you think Ji Li’s squad will actually buy that I handed over all our soybeans? What if they barge into my territory and search it?”

Xia Qing had given Old Goat and Goofball to Number Four before heading out, telling all three to hide in Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine. She’d hidden all her precious things at home too—just in case Ji Li’s squad invaded Section Three and hurt her companions.