Chapter 1046: Crisis on the Territory: The Scourge Grass Outbreak

Xia Qing ran as she gave orders, “Get everyone to cover the passageways with rain covers right away. We need to cut off the Devastation Rain as soon as possible and stop the aggressive Scourge Grass from spreading into the territory. Captain Tan, I suspect this grass could attract animals from the area to attack us. We’d better cover the other two passages as soon as possible too, to keep things from getting worse. Zhao Ze, you’ll handle the North Passage. The Inspection Team will take care of the Central and South Passages, and they’ll also be responsible for Territory Fourteen.”

In terms of rank, Zhang San held the highest position in this territory, followed by Xia Qing, then Tan Junjie. According to a formal directive from the Territory Management Department and the Safe Zone office, once an emergency hit Section One of the North, Xia Qing, director of the Ninth Center, had the authority to command and deploy the Inspection Team.

In other words, Xia Qing was the officially designated disaster response commander for Section One of the North. Whenever there was a general emergency in this territory, Commander Xia Qing had the right to mobilize every available resource to fight the disaster.

But if a highly dangerous biological species appeared in the area, the emergency response would have to escalate in accordance with the Huaguo Emergency Disaster Response Law. At that point Zhang San would step in as commander while Xia Qing would automatically become deputy commander.

Xia Qing understood why the higher-ups set it up this way. The greater your strength, the heavier your responsibility. Idol was top-tier in scientific research, and Xia Qing was an elite dual-system Evolved Sniper. Only by putting that level of responsibility on their shoulders could the territory be truly protected.

Xia Qing had a gut feeling that the strange surge of Scourge Grass in the passageways was linked to the Scavenger Squad hunting tigers and wolves deep in the Western Evolved Forest. Most likely, this aggressively evolved Scourge Grass was releasing some sort of scent, drawing animals of all sizes to attack the territory.

Right now, with this considered an ordinary emergency, Xia Qing was acting as commander. She didn’t hesitate to give out orders and make preparations.

Regardless of what species this Scourge Grass actually was, blocking the Devastation Rain with rain covers would slow its evolution to some extent and help keep its seeds and poisonous gases from spreading.

Zhao Ze might have just been an ordinary person, but his ability to coordinate and direct was matched only by Yue Haiying, who was overseeing operations at the Ninth Center. He was the perfect fit for this task.

“Understood,” Zhao Ze responded right away.

“Got it,” Tan Junjie replied, reporting in on the surveillance, “We’ve confirmed that the Scourge Grass on the eastern, southern, western, and northern barriers of Section One of the North hasn’t shown any signs of aggressive evolution.”

“Copy that.” Xia Qing hefted bundles of rain cover out from the rack-building warehouse at home while contacting Idol. “Third Brother, do we have results from the Scourge Grass tests yet?”

Zhang San’s voice was as calm and measured as ever, yet somehow reassuring. “The Scourge Grass has started to bud. We’re still testing its attack mechanisms, but for now, cover the passage to stop the pollen from spreading. We’ve confirmed that this aggressive Scourge Grass propagates through its roots. Each territory needs to start digging trenches to keep it from spreading further.”

“Roger.” Xia Qing immediately called Yue Haiying. “Brother Yue, have the security team escort the four Magnetic Sense Evolved fighters outside as soon as possible to confirm how far and how fast the Scourge Grass from the passage is spreading.”

“Copy that.” Yue Haiying acknowledged the order.

Xia Qing handed the rain covers she’d been carrying to Guan Tong, then got on the phone with her friend. “Xin Yu, are you there?”

“Here.” Just a moment ago, Xin Yu had been cooking, but now she was dressing Owl in a protective suit. “Owl is ready to take off. Where does it need to scout?”

The darkened sky was now the domain of the night-hunting raptor, Owl.

Xia Qing gave the coordinates. “Scout the area from Hill Thirty-Seven to Hill Forty-Four and see if there’s a beast tide forming, headed for our territory or Section Three of the North.”

Yesterday, the Handsome Huge Wolf led Xia Qing to two blue-skinned Scavengers hiding in a tree hollow on Hill Forty-Four. This morning Alpha led her to the valley on Hill Thirty-Seven, where they found seven more blue-skinned Scavengers.

Even though they didn’t find any animal hide sacks with live insects in the supplies from those two Scavengers on Hill Forty-Four, Xia Qing was sure the two groups were connected. She suspected their mission might also be related to the one being carried out by that man called Tumor—the same target the two leaders of the Azure Dragon Squad had teamed up to fight.

Xin Yu’s usually cool voice actually sounded concerned. “Roger. Stay safe and keep in touch.”

“Will do. Once we get through this crisis, let’s have some roast lamb together.” Xia Qing hung up, grabbed two more bundles of rain covers, and handed them off to Hu Zifeng. “Captain Hu, can you contact Captain Yang and see if their mission’s done? Did any of their captives fess up to having information about us?”

“Understood.” Hu Zifeng acknowledged.

On the Lords’ channel, Zhao Ze was issuing clear, organized commands, mobilizing members across all Alliance territories. Everyone was told to use their stored rain covers to shield the passageways over five meters wide connecting the territories. Er Yong, Chen Cheng, Da Jiang, and Xiao Jiang from Section Three’s territory raced down with their six spare rain covers to the passage, joining up with the team from Territory Two to get the Scourge Grass covered as fast as possible.

Yue Haiying’s voice chimed in. “Director, the Ninth Center’s Magnetic Sense Evolved fighters have confirmed that the Scourge Grass in the passage has already infiltrated three meters into the territory and is spreading outward at a speed of half a meter per minute.”

“Damn it!” Tang Huai, Huo Zhun, and Shi Du—who were all stationed in the center of the territory with passages to the north and south—swore at the exact same time.

Zhao Ze gave the next order without delay. “All territories, have your people dig a trench fifty meters from the passages—thirty centimeters deep and twenty centimeters wide. Then line it with double-layer rain covers to keep the Scourge Grass from spreading. This job has to be finished in half an hour. Section Three, Territory Ten, Territory Eleven—do you need backup?”

Section Three needed to dig a two-kilometer isolation trench along the south side of its territory in half an hour, while Territory Ten and Territory Eleven each needed two trenches—north and south. There was no way they had enough people for that.

Guan Tong pressed his walkie-talkie. “Section Three has already called in extra hands from Territory One. We don’t need backup.”

Shi Zhong from Territory Ten pressed his button. “Territory Ten needs backup.”

Huo Zhun from Territory Eleven pressed his button. “Territory Eleven needs backup.”

“Got it.” Zhao Ze immediately started reallocating manpower. “All territories, Ninth Center—report the number of people and the equipment you can send out for support.”

Tang Huai checked in. “Territory Two can send out four people with pickaxes and shovels to help.”

Crouched in the greenhouse, pen in hand and sketching plans on the ground, Zhao Ze quickly made arrangements. “Copy that. Territory Two’s team, get to Territory Eleven right away.”

As Zhao Ze organized the teams, Xia Qing handed the rotary tiller to Liangzi, then rushed back home. There were no crops planted in the three hundred meters north of Section Three’s southern Wild Grass Wall, so she left Section Three in Hu Zifeng’s Squad’s hands. She planned to join Yue Haiying to help protect the Ninth Center’s greenhouse.

But before heading out to the Ninth Center, Xia Qing had to make sure her own companions were safe.

She dashed back home, grabbed two fully enclosed protective masks, and scooped Little Fei Mao out of its wooden nest, stuffing it into the pocket of her protective suit.

She clipped the first protective mask onto Old Goat’s head, carried him to the ruined house on the south side of the yard, tucked him into a shelter made of rain covers, and then strapped the second mask onto Elder Wolf, who was already getting a bit agitated.

Elder Wolf’s teeth were his weapon. He shook his head, trying to toss off the mask in protest.

Xia Qing quickly tightened the mask, turned on her earpiece walkie-talkie, and explained the situation to Elder Wolf. “The Scourge Grass on the south side of our territory has mutated and might release toxic gas. You have to keep this mask on! Old Goat, you and Number Four stay here and don’t go out until I get back.”

With that, Xia Qing sprinted down the wild slope, crossed into the southwest corner of Section Three, pushed through a fierce stabbing pain in her forehead, climbed over the iron mesh wall, and landed atop the passage, already covered in rain cover. Facing the barrel of the Ninth Center security team’s gun, she reported the password for this time slot, then identified herself clearly.

“Ninth Center Director, Xia Qing.”