Chapter 1098: Contests, Strategies, and New Alliances

Before the Idol could crack a joke, Xia Qing sincerely explained why she was so invested in researching wasp droppings.

“Third Brother, you asked me to raise the spinach’s Evolution Element content to above 9 within three years. For the past eight months, I’ve used the best fertilizer and soil in our territory to cultivate spinach, planting a new crop every two weeks and testing every method I could think of. Still, right before the Devastation Rain, the highest content I hit was 7.8.”

“And like you said, my water quality is better than Fire Phoenix’s. So, if they can grow vegetables with a 9-level Evolution Element, their fertilizer must be key. My next step is twofold: first, use top-grade evolved Green Lantern wasp droppings; second, adjust the ratio of Yi Stone fragments in the soil.”

Zhang San sat up straighter. “So how exactly do you plan to adjust the Yi Stone fragments?”

When it came to farming, Xia Qing always got serious. “The Scavenger Squad we caught a while back had plenty of high-grade Yi Stone, and since Fire Phoenix is tight with them, they probably have a stash too. I’m going to start varying the size and proportion of the Yi Stone granules—fine-tuning every detail, step by step.”

Zhang San’s expression softened, the change obvious. “Make sure to record your control group data as well.”

Xia Qing nodded. “Of course, I’m always detailed in recording every process, just like you and Sister Tao taught me.”

“I’ll have the robots collect the droppings tomorrow, but don’t use them until they’re fully fermented.” After that, Zhang San rubbed his temples. “From Hui One’s movements, it looks like Deng Yufeng has blamed everything on Dan Ying, who’s already dead, while offering compensation no one at Huicheng—maybe even higher-ups—could turn down. She’s determined to protect Fire Phoenix. If she’s got a guide to growing high-Evolution spinach, I’ll get my hands on it.”

“Thank you, Third Brother.” Xia Qing hesitated. “So Fire Phoenix is going to make it through this?”

Zhang San reminded her, “Fire Phoenix did take a hit during this mess, but don’t underestimate what Deng Yufeng has built these past years. The war chest and connections alone make Fire Phoenix the most powerful squad in Huicheng—no way they’ll go down that easy.”

True. After all, even after Su Feng Squad lost its captain, vice captain and dozens of key squad members, Bao Zhengchao was able to piece together the Southern Wind Squad, and they’re still ninth-ranked in Huai Three. There’s no way Fire Phoenix would bite the dust over something like this.

After leaving the Idol’s lab, Xia Qing swapped a bag of mantou with Chef Sister Ping and left Territory Seven. Soon, she spotted Feng Wen holding her back, one hand on her waist, standing not far from Xia Qing’s off-roader.

The moment Xia Qing stepped out, Feng Wen shuffled forward. Her eyes were red and her lips trembled.

Yuan Rui from the Inspection Team, on guard duty nearby, shot Xia Qing a look—get in the car, avoid any drama. Xia Qing nodded and headed for her vehicle.

After she and Tan Junjie delivered the Land Use Certificate to Territory Ten, Xia Qing had figured Feng Wen would be waiting here. When Xia Qing drove up, Tang Huai had already messaged her through the Lords’ channel, reminding her to park at Section Seven’s North Gate.

But really, Feng Wen alone wasn’t worth the hassle, time, and fuel it would take to make a detour.

As Xia Qing reached for the car door, Feng Wen broke down, pleading, “Xia Qing, help me, please—I’m begging you, let me live…”

Xia Qing didn’t let her finish. She turned the wheel, hit the gas, and drove away.

Feng Wen collapsed to the ground, sobbing and cursing at the top of her lungs—at Yan Meng, at Xia Qing, at the Inspection Team, at the world itself.

No matter how much of a scene she made, besides the guards from Territory Seven and some Inspection Team members there to keep her in check, not a single busybody lingered by the roadside. All the Lords in the neighborhood were deep in heated discussion on the Lords’ group.

Right now, everyone was buzzing about moving houses, firing bricks, building homes, and the merger between Territory Fourteen and the Ninth Planting Center.

Feng Wen?

That got settled yesterday, and she keeps rehashing the same old complaints. Nobody cares anymore.

“Shi Du, let everyone know in the group when you’re moving,” Xia Qing said into her walkie-talkie.

On the call earlier, discussing the Territory Ten and Fourteen swap, Xia Qing had represented the Ninth Center, so everything was about the center helping Territory Ten. But now, offering to help the Shi family move on the Lords’ channel—this was personal. It was friendship and alliance.

Xia Qing’s appearance made the group chat even livelier. Everyone wanted to know how she managed to secure Territory Fourteen. She summed up, “Our Base leadership just rolled out a new model: private territory plus public-run plant centers. The Agriculture Department head suggested bringing Territory Fourteen into the Ninth Center, Third Brother approved it.”

So really, it had nothing to do with her.

When talk shifted toward the benefits of the new model, Xia Qing’s off-roader reached Section Three’s South Gate. Tang Huai jogged over, grinning from ear to ear as he held out his hand.

Xia Qing lowered the window and passed him the key. After Tang Huai opened the south gate and ran back, he made a wild suggestion: “Sister Qing, my little ram is feisty, too. Want to bring him over to Section Three’s North Gate and let him and Old Goat have a showdown?”

Xia Qing nodded. “All injuries off the record?”

“Of course!” Tang Huai handed back the key, then dashed to his territory to fetch his sheep.

Xia Qing headed back to her own territory. She pulled through the sterilization station, disinfected her car and tires, then passed through the new wall of wild grass, finally entering the heart of her land.

The two-meter-high wall of thick grass pressed against the south iron mesh had been melted away by the Idol’s blood-red pesticide. They were still cleaning up, so up north in the buffer ditch, Xia Qing had left a five-meter section—about two meters tall—of Devastation Grass for extra privacy.

The moment Xia Qing drove past the wild grass, Old Goat stood nearby pawing the ground, looking ready for a fight.

The Yellow Calf lounged beneath a tree near the fields, chewing its cud.

Er was nowhere in sight—she probably caught the time and stayed home, waiting on the chickens to return to the coop so she could block the coop entrance with a slab of stone. Whenever Er was back, Xia Qing felt much more at ease.

Xia Qing hopped out and grabbed Old Goat by the horns. “Hey, boss! Want to go pick a fight with Flathead?”

Old Goat shook his head and headed back to the village. Xia Qing hurried after, using her best bribe: “I just picked up a new ration bar from the Safe Zone today, it’s loaded with grass—you’ll love it…”

After helping Er with the chickens, Xia Qing dressed Old Goat in his protective suit. Wolf, goat, and Xia Qing herself stormed out the north gate, ready to put Flathead in his place for provoking the Old Goat over by Section Three’s north gate.

Even if Flathead was headbutting the north gate of Section One’s iron mesh wall, he was still challenging Old Goat’s authority. That couldn’t slide!

Whenever goats and honey badgers met, a fight was guaranteed. The scene was chaos. Tang Huai led his 100-pound snow-white ram from the Western Barrier into the Northern Barrier when he heard the ruckus.

Eager, Tang Huai marched forward with his ram, only to be blocked by the Wolf Pack. Er crouched low, baring her fangs and growling at Tang Huai and his ram.

The little ram panicked, twisting and trying to slip free. Tang Huai struggled to hold the lead, about to shout for Xia Qing when she called out, “Er, back!”

The wolf-dog that blocked the way turned and left without a fuss. Tang Huai watched, drooling with envy, and followed behind with his sheep. “Sister Qing, how do you—”

“Bang!” Tang Huai didn’t even finish before Flathead, still on the ground from Old Goat’s beatdown, picked up on the scent of a fresh target. Fixing his eyes on the little ram, he crashed at the gate to get a taste.

“Baa—!!!”

“Thud!”

Scared out of its mind, the little ram broke free, Tang Huai losing his balance and hitting the ground. The newly freed sheep bolted for its life. As the prey ran, Er instinctively went to chase it down—until Xia Qing grabbed her around the neck and held her back.

Tang Huai didn’t even stop to check his bruises, scrambling up and chasing after his sheep. He called out as he ran, “Sister Qing, my ram just got traumatized by Flathead. Guess we’ll come play with Old Goat some other day!”

It was definitely supposed to be a playdate, not a fight.

“Thud thud thud—” Old Goat charged over, barreled into Flathead, and the brawl continued.

Once Tang Huai and his sheep were out of sight, Xia Qing finally let go of Er, gave her a few serious warnings, then praised Old Goat when Flathead flopped on the ground in defeat. As a reward, she tossed Flathead a piece of jerky. Together with her two companions, Xia Qing gathered some greens to head home for dinner—when suddenly, Er’s ears twitched and she glanced warily toward the Northern Buffer Forest.