Chapter 1031: Storm Warning Over Section Three

Night was falling fast. The furious circling crows overhead had already returned to their nests and every animal had retreated into its den. Only wind howled through the Territory and Evolved Forest. The level of Devastation Element in the air kept rising and Devastation Rain was practically waiting to fall at any moment.

Just then, the Alpha of the Northern Wolf Pack showed up at her Territory and stood right outside her window, making Xia Qing’s heart skip a beat.

She grabbed her protective mask, pushed open the door and walked out. “Queen…”

Before Xia Qing could finish, the Alpha turned and walked away, clearly wanting her to follow.

Xia Qing stopped in place and raised her voice. “Queen, the Devastation Rain is about to start. I have to protect my territory. Do we really have to move right now?”

The Alpha halted, turned to look at Xia Qing with a stern gaze.

Clearly, this meant she had to go. Xia Qing asked, “Did you find the blue-skinned humans?”

The Alpha bared its sharp little fangs in a grin—telling her she guessed right. The same gesture from the Crippled Wolf would have been adorable, but coming from the Alpha it was nothing but fierce, as if the next moment it might leap forward and show her exactly what would happen if she didn’t follow.

This was something Xia Qing herself had asked the two Northern Wolf Pack leaders to help with. Now that they’d found the target and the Wolf King had come for her, she had to go.

Never mind that rain was coming—even if knives fell from the sky, she’d grab her Iron Umbrella and push through!

Xia Qing nodded. “Understood. Queen, give me a moment, I need to get my weapons and gear.”

The Evolved Forest during Devastation Rain was deadly. Heading in unprepared was a death sentence.

Xia Qing immediately contacted Hu Zifeng, asking him to send over two more team members to help guard the territory. All the animals and important crops in Section Three were protected with Yi Stones, and the greenhouses had automatic rain covers, so Section Three’s main job during Devastation Rain was to clear out the unprotected greenhouses of Devastation Evolution plants, as well as get rid of any aggressive mutated plants that popped up in the Territory.

The entire Section Three was monitored by cameras, so even though the territory was vast, the workload wasn’t heavy. That’s why there were only three members of Hu Zifeng’s squad inside. But once Xia Qing left, she needed two more people to handle her part.

With Hu Zifeng contacted, Xia Qing sprinted home while speed-dialing her Idol.

“Third Brother, were you able to finish testing the two corpses and gear I brought you yesterday? The wolves just found another blue-skinned zombie in the Evolved Forest, and I’m about to head out there with the Alpha to clear it out.”

Zhang San took a quick glance at the sky, which was already swirling with leaves, and gave a rapid summary. “Those two used a serum that lowers body temperature and speeds up Evolution Element burn. It’s effective for at least twelve hours, but the side effects are unclear. The stench comes from a corpse-amine toxin sprayed on their protective suits. Aside from food, weapons and communication equipment, their packs contained twelve different tranquilizers and poisons for mutated beasts, lures, bear traps and tools for mining and gathering herbs. Everything was homemade and a bit crude, the drugs extracted and processed straight from plant and animal parts.”

Xia Qing stood at her front door, her face grim. “They’re wanderers.”

Human wanderers: people left stranded by the disaster, living out in the Evolved Forest because they never made it into the Base or Safe Zone. No legal status. No protection by national law. The forest is their home, and they survive by harvesting whatever they can from it.

“That’s likely. Their group’s no pushover, either—their pistols are Hui One military-issue.” Zhang San rubbed his brow. “Do you really have to go now? Devastation Rain is about to start.”

Xia Qing replied calmly, “After I ran into them, they started shooting without a word. So they’re enemies, not friends. We have to clear them out as soon as possible, or who knows what might happen. Don’t worry, I’ll move with the wolves—I’ll be fine. Third Brother, which antidote should I bring?”

At home, Xia Qing always kept a variety of antidotes from trading with her Idol.

Zhang San asked, “You’re going alone?”

Xia Qing answered with a short, “Yeah.”

During Devastation Rain, a Lord’s first duty was to protect her territory and crops—so she couldn’t ask allies to team up. Hu Zifeng’s squad had to stay behind and guard the Territory and greenhouses, feed the chickens and bugs, and watch over Hill Forty-Nine. That left her, once again, heading out with the Wolf Pack. “While I’m gone, can you handle emergencies at the Ninth Center and Hill Fifty?”

“No problem.” Zhang San never tried to stop Xia Qing once she made up her mind. “I’ll have Zheng Chen bring you a batch of antidotes, give him five minutes—meet at the Northern Gate.”

“Great, thanks, Third Brother. There’s a pile of giant wasp dung under the hive, could you stash it for me? I won’t have time today, and you can’t let the rain wash it away.”

That made Zhang San blow up. “Are you kidding me? You’re still thinking about wasp poop at a time like this?!”

After hanging up on her Idol, Xia Qing quickly suited up in her Snake Skin Protective Suit and Special Protective Suit, packed enough weapons and nutrient shakes, grabbed a water bucket, a bag of roasted jerky and freeze-dried meat, then dashed to the southern ruins with the Elder Wolf’s roar in her ears. She ducked into its tent and stashed the food and water.

“Number Four, here’s your food and water for the next two days. I’m leaving the territory now—don’t worry about anything else. If anything goes wrong, make sure you protect Old Goat no matter what.”

The Elder Wolf closed its jaws and looked at her with deadly seriousness.

“Thank you, Number Four. I’m counting on you to watch Old Goat. When I get back I’ll give you your medicine.” She stroked the Yi Stone necklace around its neck and reminded it, “Don’t take off your necklace. Don’t get caught in the Devastation Rain. Wait for me to return.”

After leaving the tent, Xia Qing sprinted to the Pasture Shed, gave Old Goat—who was munching grass—two ration bars, adjusted its protective gear and gently coaxed it. “Old Goat, I need to go out with the Queen for a bit. I don’t know when I’ll be back. If you get hungry, eat the grass. If you get scared, go home and find Number Four—it’ll keep you safe.”

“Baa—”

Old Goat rubbed its big head against her. For the first time, its bleat came out long and plaintive. The disaster was about to hit. It didn’t want to be away from Xia Qing.

Xia Qing hated leaving, but the Alpha was no doubt getting impatient. She had to hurry. Without delay, she carried Old Goat all the way back to the house ruins and set it atop the Royal Platform in Number Four’s tent, then dashed out the Northern Gate with the antidote package delivered by Zheng Chen.

She rushed into Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine to meet the Alpha, fed it a homemade X Nutrient Shake, and said, “Queen, we’re ready to head out.”

But instead of taking the beast trail northeast toward the Northern Evolved Forest, or west to the Western Evolved Forest, the Alpha darted up the mountain instead.

Xia Qing sprinted after it, shouting, “Queen, are we taking the helicopter?”

The Alpha didn’t look back, racing through the wind-whipped Evolved Forest without slowing down.

Still running full speed, Xia Qing radioed Hu Zifeng. “Captain Hu, I need to take the helicopter out. Is there enough fuel? Where’s the key?”

“Plenty. I’ve got the key. Jing Kuan, Er Yong and I will go with you.” Hu Zifeng didn’t give Xia Qing a chance to object. “Our squad’s job is protecting you and Section Three. The core members of the Northern Wolf Pack already know us—teaming up won’t be a problem. See you at the Mountain Top helipad in five minutes.”