Chapter 1032: Storm Over the Evolved Forest

Once the four humans and one wolf regrouped, Er Yong fired up the helicopter from the pilot seat and asked, “Sister Qing, where are we headed?”

Xia Qing turned to the Alpha sitting beside her and asked, “Your Majesty, which way should we go?”

The Alpha hopped out of its seat and moved up front, settling into the co-pilot’s chair, gaze fixed straight ahead.

The other three members of Hu Zifeng’s Squad watched in silence…

Xia Qing, who’d been on the machine gun, gave up her spot to Hu Zifeng and Jing Kuan. She squeezed into the seat with the Alpha and gave her orders: “Take off, keep low, and don’t climb above the clouds. Otherwise, Her Majesty won’t be able to get her bearings. Captain Hu, Jing Kuan, be ready to shoot down any crazed birds that come at us.”

After reaching an altitude of 800 meters, the Alpha glanced west. Xia Qing quickly ordered, “Head west.”

“Copy that.” Er Yong hit the pedal, swung the helicopter around, and sped toward the Western Evolved Forest.

As the helicopter took off, the five members of Hu Zifeng’s Squad inside Section Three and the three stationed at Hill Forty-Nine felt a heavy sense of unease settle over them.

The roar of the wind drowned out the helicopter’s thumping blades. The lords of the Alliance were all too busy tending their crops and livestock to notice the flight—except for Zhu Li, Tang Huai and Huo Zhun, who saw the craft leave Hill Forty-Nine.

Tang Huai felt something was off. He tried calling Xia Qing, but her phone was engaged.

“Yeah, I’m heading out. There’s been suspicious activity in the Evolved Forest again. Huo, are there any wanderers living around here?”

As Xia Qing helped the Alpha into its protective suit, she used the call with Huo Zhun to ask about any information on wanderers.

Huo Zhun replied, “I don’t have intel on that. Wanderers rarely show up where humans from the Base are active in the Evolved Forest. When they do, it’s almost always to loot supplies. Do you think the two we caught yesterday afternoon were wanderers?”

Xia Qing adjusted the Yi Stone Necklace around the Alpha’s neck. “Third Brother was the one who made that call based on their gear. And here’s the thing—their handguns are Hui One military issue.”

“What model? Serial numbers?” Huo Zhun, with years in Hui One Special Forces, knew the official weapon loadouts inside out.

“Ask Third Brother, he has them.”

Xia Qing hung up, then noticed two thunderclouds colliding ahead, sparked by the gale and crackling with fierce violet light. She instantly clamped her hands over the Alpha’s ears to soften the thunder, then yelled, “Er Yong, climb above the clouds!”

“On it!” Er Yong stepped on the pedal, pulled the collective up and climbed, adjusting the cyclic to dodge patches of storm as the winds shifted.

“Awooo—”

The chopper rocked violently. The tense Alpha pressed up against Xia Qing and spun around to snarl at Er Yong.

Getting scolded, Er Yong quickly apologized. “Sorry! My flying skills need more practice.”

Xia Qing stroked the fur on the Alpha’s neck, soothing both wolf and pilot. “It’s just the wind. Turbulence is normal right now. Your Majesty, should we still be heading that way?”

The Alpha stopped growling and turned to watch the sky ahead.

Lightning flashed and thunder boomed. Beneath the clouds, black mist rolled in. At 2 p.m. on August 27, the third Devastation Rain of Catastrophe Year 11 began.

Inside their territory, the lords donned their best gear and either took shelter in greenhouses or holed up indoors, glued to their Devastation Element detectors to check the latest rain’s level.

The Devastation Rain drummed on the tarps stretched over the ruins of Section Three’s buildings, the noise making the Evolved Sheep anxious. Old Goat lay atop the Royal Platform, snuggled close to Elder Wolf, calling for its younger siblings over and over.

Elder Wolf snapped at Old Goat to stop the racket, then shifted aside and peered out at the storm through a gap in the rain cover.

The first wave of rain was rated Orange—intense and dangerous.

Three minutes later, Huo Zhun called back. “They’re carrying Hui One Sixth Squad sidearms. Ten days ago, Sixth Squad was ambushed in the Evolved Forest 150 miles north of Hui One. Six men fell victim to a trap lined with poisoned wooden spikes. They died on the spot, their weapons and supplies stolen. The attackers were twelve strong. Hui One put out a bounty—dead or alive.”

“The Hui One Sixth Squad leader had a grudge with Fire Phoenix’s commander. Could be Fire Phoenix was behind the hit.” Huo Zhun’s tone turned serious. “These people are deadly at close range and in the woods. Sister Qing, don’t take them on in close combat. If they fall back, don’t chase blindly—you could walk right into their ambush.”

“Got it. Thanks.” Xia Qing hung up, quickly sorting through what she’d learned:

Half a month ago, up in the Evolved Forest 250 miles southwest of Hui Three—Hui One’s northern area—the Sixth Squad was attacked… Yesterday, someone carrying stolen weapons acted like a zombie in Hill Forty-Four, just northwest of Hui Three. Xia Qing spotted them and was nearly killed. Last night or early this morning, the Wolf Pack found more zombies. The Alpha, fastest among them, risked Devastation Rain to race over with her…

Xia Qing looked down from the helicopter at the stretch of Evolved Forest ahead. Patches of bright red flowers unfurled in the Devastation Rain, exuding a dangerous aura. They’d flown almost sixty miles west. Was this still Western Wolf Pack territory?

She sent a photo of the two blue-skinned men from yesterday to Yang Jin, asking if Qinglong ever dealt with this group or knew about the Hui One Sixth Squad ambush half a month ago.

No sooner had she sent the message than she caught the Alpha angle its head left. Immediately, she barked, “Er Yong, ten o’clock!”

“Copy!” Er Yong banked the helicopter toward the new heading.

Xia Qing slowed her speech and conferred in a low voice with the stone-faced Alpha. “Your Majesty, we can’t let those two hiding in the woods spot our helicopter. We need to land early and hide, then sneak up on them.”

After Jing Kuan shot down a leaping Evolved Hawk, he couldn’t help but mutter to himself: Sister Qing, you realize you’re talking to a wolf, right? Does it even understand all this complicated human talk?

From the co-pilot seat, the Alpha slowly raised its left paw, pointing toward a tall peak up ahead to the left.

Xia Qing gave the order: “Er Yong, ten o’clock, five hundred meters out. Land on that mountain. Find a good spot.”

“On it!”

Jing Kuan just shook his head.

The helicopter came down atop a huge rock at mid-mountain, sheltered from the wind. The slope was steep, no big trees nearby, and sparse vegetation made it a relatively safe spot.

Xia Qing assigned roles: “Er Yong, Jing Kuan, you two guard the helicopter. Captain Hu, you’re with me and the Alpha. The footing’s slick in this rain, so watch your step.”

“Got it.” Hu Zifeng followed Xia Qing off the chopper but didn’t get far before the Alpha blocked him. The wolf bared its fangs in the rain, determined to keep him from tagging along.

Xia Qing had already spotted the huge silver-gray wolf sprinting their way, understanding immediately. “Captain Hu, the big wolf’s coming up. I’ll ride it and move out with the Alpha. You stay here and keep the chopper safe. If trouble hits, don’t wait for me—just take off.”