Chapter 1092: The Day of the Disaster Recovery Meeting

Early the next morning, Xia Qing and Yan Yue, carrying everyone’s hopes, boarded Xia Qing’s helicopter with Yang Jin and Tan Junjie. They headed to the Hui Three Safe Zone for a major conference hosted by the Agriculture Department—officially titled “The Agriculture Department’s Third Devastation Rain Disaster Response Summary and Post-Disaster Reconstruction Deployment Meeting.”

Most of the attendees came from the Safe Zone’s Planting Division, Breeding Division, Research Division, and the inspection captains from five surrounding territories. As the head of the Northern Section One’s Inspection Team, Tan Junjie was expected to attend as well.

While flying over Northern Section Three, they picked up Luan Jun, the deputy inspection captain of Section Three’s territory. He paid 60 credits for the quick ride.

Don’t be fooled by how loud Luan Jun got on the walkie-talkie during the Devastation Rain, yelling at staff from the Ninth Center and threatening until they sent a Magnetic Sense Evolver for patrol duty. Standing in front of Xia Qing now, he was nothing but courteous.

During years of calamity, strength speaks loudest.

Already feeling guilty, Luan Jun felt even more pressure when he met Xia Qing’s blank face. Only when he spotted Yang Jin, the Azure Dragon Squad leader, sitting next to her, did he quietly let out a breath. After a quick hello to them both, he scurried over to Tan Junjie and sat down, dropping his voice as they discussed the damages their territories suffered during the third round of Devastation Rain.

With her head down reviewing her notes, Xia Qing overheard that Northern Section Three had been ravaged by poison insects and dozens of medium-risk aggressive plants—resulting in the deaths of 34 people, including two lords. One territory had even become lordless.

Luan Jun sighed. “That vacant territory probably won’t find a suitable lord anytime soon. Honestly, it’s better on your side.”

Tan Junjie’s Northern Section One territory had a strong wall and the highest safety rating; of the five territories around Hui Three, it was the best developed. He just smiled, saying nothing.

Luan Jun lowered his voice even more. “Has the Lord of Territory Fourteen woken up yet?”

Tan Junjie replied, “He’s still in the Outer City Hospital beyond the Safe Zone. I don’t know the details.”

With a half-joking, half-serious tone, Luan Jun said, “I’m done with the inspection team. I want to retire and become a lord in your territory! Bro, you’ll have to help me out.”

Tan Junjie laughed. “If only it were up to the inspection team to decide things like that!”

As the two kept chatting in hushed tones, Yang Jin turned to glance at Xia Qing, who focused intently on her script and PPT with Yan Yue.

The soon-to-be-lordless Territory Fourteen was a prize everyone longed for. But all they could do was watch—Zhang San had laid the groundwork, and Xia Qing came fully prepared. There was little chance of that territory falling into anyone else’s hands.

Sensing Yang Jin watching her, Xia Qing looked up and met those dark, bright eyes of his. Strangely, they reminded her a bit of Er’s gaze…

Yang Jin didn’t seem like he had anything real to say, so Xia Qing just lowered her head and continued prepping with Yan Yue.

Having just been warned by Xia Qing not to overdo the act, Yang Jin smiled silently then closed his eyes to train his hearing.

All the while, Luan Jun couldn’t stop watching Xia Qing and Yang Jin exchanging glances. He nudged Tan Junjie with his shoulder, raising his chin suggestively.

Tan Junjie pretended not to get the message and remained silent.

When the helicopter landed outside the Safe Zone’s Outer City, there was still an hour left until the meeting. After pulling Tan Junjie aside, Luan Jun immediately pestered him. “Old Tan, are Xia Qing and Yang Jin together now?”

Yang Jin had already made a high-profile appearance in the Lords’ channel, and today he’d openly flown Xia Qing back by helicopter. He clearly wasn’t hiding anything. Tan Junjie nodded.

“But wasn’t Xia Qing with Hu Zifeng from the Azure Dragon Squad? When did they break up? How did she end up with Yang Jin now?”

“No idea,” Tan Junjie replied.

Luan Jun mulled it over, then suddenly raised his voice. “I get it! Xia Qing’s been with Yang Jin for ages—Hu Zifeng was just his guy sent to protect her! Now that Xia Qing’s gotten stronger, they don’t have to keep things under wraps anymore, right?!”

Tan Junjie had suspected as much himself. When Xia Qing first arrived at Section Three, Yang Jin had asked him to look out for her. But he wouldn’t confirm it—so instead, he said, “That’s against the rules.”

Regulations stated that inspection teams couldn’t disclose anything about the lords in public. This was a busy street, and lately, Xia Qing and Yang Jin were both stars in Hui Three. Luan Jun’s outburst had already attracted a lot of attention.

Half an hour later, Xia Qing and Yan Yue rode in the Azure Dragon Squad’s car toward the meeting in the Inner City. As Yang Jin saw Xia Qing off at the car, he quietly asked, “Want to grab lunch together?”

After all, he’d backed her up in her own territory. Now that they were in the Safe Zone, it was only right for her to join him for a meal and a walk around. Xia Qing agreed with a nod.

Yang Jin grinned. “I’ll pick the place. When it’s time, I’ll come get you and Yue-jie.”

“Alright,” Xia Qing said, shutting the car door.

Yan Yue glanced at Yang Jin—he was grinning like a peacock in full display—but said nothing. In the front, Feng Jun, who was driving, and Wang Liang riding shotgun exchanged knowing looks.

Who would’ve thought the boss falling in love could make him beam like this? Honestly, it made their hands itch to tease him.

Outside the Agriculture Department, Xia Qing and Yan Yue pulled out their ID badges and pinned them to the left side of their chests.

Wang Liang, wearing a green badge, got out and opened the back door. Xia Qing, with her gold ID badge, stepped out with long strides, taking in her surroundings out of habit.

Many onlookers along the road stared curiously at them, but as soon as Xia Qing looked their way, they instinctively dropped their heads. The presence of an Advanced Evolutionary was nothing to take lightly.

When Yan Yue joined her, Xia Qing led her up to the main gate, producing her ID and work badge for the guard to check before passing through security.

Since the Ninth Center was established, Xia Qing and Yan Yue had attended plenty of meetings at the Agriculture Department. The guards obviously recognized them and, after a quick registration, let them through.

When Yan Yue came alone to the Agriculture Department, everyone would subtly glance at her prosthetic and whisper, guessing which department she belonged to.

Today, walking beside Xia Qing—who was half a head taller—her treatment was completely different. People either greeted Xia Qing respectfully as “Director Xia” or watched her with open admiration and deference.

Yan Yue knew this respect came partly because Xia Qing was a top sniper and partly because, during the third Devastation Rain, she’d made a stellar showing and earned praise from the Base Director. Among all Hui Three’s middle management, no one was more talked-about than her.

But Xia Qing wasn’t one to put on airs. She greeted those she recognized and nodded politely to those she didn’t, leading Yan Yue straight to the meeting room.

Today’s roundtable meeting at the Agriculture Department had Xia Qing’s nameplate right across from the Base Director and the Department Head. Under the gaze of more than twenty already-seated attendees, Xia Qing remained calm and steady as she took her seat.

As Xia Qing’s assistant, Yan Yue placed her briefcase on the seat behind her, then went off with her USB drive to the conference staff. She transferred the PPT to the meeting room’s computer and checked to make sure it would play smoothly.

Some sharp-eyed attendees noticed that the Ninth Center’s PPT had more pictures than text, and their interest was piqued.

Zhao Baolin, the head of the Planting Division, entered the meeting room and, seeing Xia Qing already there, sat down beside her. He lowered his voice to ask, “Xia, I heard the Lord of Territory Fourteen was hospitalized because of you—is that true?”

Zhao Baolin pretended to speak quietly, but the room was silent—and after the Great Evolution, even ordinary people had sharper hearing than before. Everyone heard every word and paused what they were doing, staring at Xia Qing.

Xia Qing had come today to vie for Territory Fourteen. Zhao Baolin’s open challenge, whatever his motive, was not something she could back away from.

Her aura intensified as she locked her blank eyes on the balding, overweight man opposite her. Calmly, she replied, “If you have something to say, Minister Zhao, just say it. I’m a sniper—I like direct talk and hate beating around the bush.”

Zhao Baolin hadn’t expected Xia Qing to be so blunt with him. He couldn’t meet her eyes and immediately got to his feet, clapping loudly.

Just then, the head of the Agriculture Department, Yang Benming, appeared at the entrance, turning to invite the Base Director inside. Xia Qing stood, joining in the applause.

Relieved that Xia Qing’s aura had finally eased, the rest of the attendees clapped hard as well.