Chapter 1118: Crisis of the Devastation Snake

“Third Brother, is it Devastation Snake venom?”

Zhang San nodded. “Yeah. Where did you come across this honey badger?”

Devastation Snake is considered a high-risk evolved creature. If it appears inside or near the territory, emergency disaster protocols must be initiated. In Section One of the Northern region, the only person with authority to command high-risk disaster response is Zhang San.

Xia Qing got the message. “It was in the region of Hill Fifty-Five, more than five kilometers from our territory. No need to activate emergency protocols. Third Brother, do you think this honey badger can pull through?”

The honey badger from the Northern Evolved Forest had been dragged here by Crippled Wolf, hoping to use it against the Devastation Snake. Now, it was time to see if the plan worked.

Zhang San explained, “The honey badger’s immune system is currently fighting off the harmful components of the Devastation Snake venom, but our database lacks research data on the effects of this venom after a honey badger eats a Devastation Snake. We can’t predict the outcome just yet. Do you want to leave the honey badger with me for now?”

Xia Qing knew how important this data was and nodded immediately. “Of course.”

Zhang San asked again, “If the honey badger fails to resist, should we treat it?”

Treating Devastation Snake venom is extremely costly, so he had to confirm in advance.

Xia Qing had already asked Crippled Wolf about this before bringing over the honey badger and got a clear answer. “This honey badger is a companion of the Northern Wolf Pack. If things go wrong, please let me know right away. I’ll bring you the grass leaves for treatment.”

It’s so expensive because the three main antidote herbs for Devastation Snake venom are all rare medicinal plants.

When Luo Pei was poisoned by Devastation Snake, Yang Jin had to spend enormous amounts of money and effort just gathering all three. Right now, two of them are being cultivated in the greenhouse at Territory Seven, and they’ve multiplied rapidly over the last year.

The third herb, Devastationweed, only grows near uncontaminated spring water, which Territory Seven doesn’t have, making it the most valuable of the trio.

For others, this plant would be a real treasure, but Xia Qing has twenty-one of them. Plus, Crippled Wolf agreed to trade her Yi Stones for the grass leaves to save this honey badger, so she didn’t mind at all.

“No need for now. The honey badger’s immune system is strong—let’s just observe for a bit.” Zhang San already expected that, knowing Xia Qing’s eccentric way of thinking, she would insist on saving the honey badger. With her answer, he switched topics right away. “So, did you finish cleaning the lab?”

Xia Qing sat up straight. “I followed all the lab safety requirements and cleaned and disinfected thoroughly.”

Zhang San nodded. “Move all the equipment inside over the next two days. I’ll have Zhang Song bring a team to install everything. Once the Devastation Snake issue is handled, I’ll do a final walkthrough.”

“Understood.” Xia Qing asked carefully, “Third Brother, does the medical ethics section need to be part of the checks too?”

Just a handful of videos, and she still hadn’t finished after all this time? Zhang San shot her a dry look then started ushering her out before she could explain. “Ten more days. That’s all you get.”

“Thank you, Third Brother. Really!” Xia Qing let out a sigh of relief and pulled a fresh green apple from her pocket, setting it on the table. “This apple is perfectly ripe—it’ll definitely taste better than the last one. Give it a try.”

Seeing the apple wrapped in a small bag, Zhang San’s expression softened. “Any remaining apples you pick need to be sterilized and stored properly too.”

“Got it.” Xia Qing saw her idol finally stop being mad, so she hurried and brought up another trade. “Third Brother, do you think the Purple-flower Groundwort I collected can survive if planted?”

Zhang San picked up on her hint right away. “All the plants survived. I even found over a dozen seeds in the soil. They’re being cultivated now. What do you want in exchange?”

“I want twenty pounds of soil fungicide, ten pounds of spray to repel small reptiles, and… the medicine the Handsome Huge Wolf makes.”

Zhang San was speechless. “You owe it credits?”

Technically… yes. But that’s not something Xia Qing dared say out loud to her idol. “If I don’t pay up, next time there’s an emergency, there’s no way it’ll carry me anywhere.”

Before Zhang San could respond, Hu Zifeng, stationed at Hill Forty-Nine, called Xia Qing. “Sister Qing, Crippled Wolf just brought a Huge Wolf into Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine and carried off Flathead.”

“Noted,” Xia Qing replied, cool as ever.

It was quiet inside the cabin. Zhang San overheard Hu Zifeng’s report and made a guess. “Seems there are more Devastation Snakes on Hill Fifty-Five. Chances are, the snakes in the swamp north of Hill Sixty are starting to migrate.”

Xia Qing discussed it with her idol. “Should we have people monitor all the spots where Devastation Snakes showed up last time, around the clock?”

Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine and Hill Fifty were both previous Devastation Snake hotspots. Even though the snakes that showed up at the Ninth Center and now at Territory Ten were planted there by Liao Chen from Territory Fourteen, those places still needed extra surveillance.

Last spring, the Devastation Snake found in the snake box at Section Three had even set off the emergency protocol alarm, so that area was definitely a priority.

Zhang San nodded. “If you spot a Devastation Snake, don’t puncture the bulge on its head. Try to catch it alive if possible, and stay safe. Report back immediately if anything happens.”

After leaving Territory Seven, Xia Qing started deploying people right away. Security chief Guo Chongjun took charge of the Ninth Center, Tan Junjie and Shizhong covered the area that used to be Territory Fourteen and is now Territory Ten, the guards stationed by the creek at Hill Fifty managed that spot, and Xia Qing and Hu Zifeng’s Squad took responsibility for Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine and Section Three.

At two in the morning, all the readings for the honey badger inside the observation box at Territory Seven started dropping. Its powerful resistance wasn’t enough to overcome the Devastation Snake venom. Zhang San got in touch with Xia Qing and told her to cut a piece of Devastationweed leaf and deliver it to Territory Seven.

By three, a Devastation Snake with a tracking ring—after surviving half a year in the north side of Hill Sixty—finally left Python Territory and started heading south.

At the same time, the Northern Wolf Pack began howling. Xin Yu sent out an eagle owl to scout. She discovered that the pythons, Bear Pack, and Wolf Pack were all fighting fiercely in the western region of Hill Sixty-One, right where it meets the python swamp.

At four in the morning, the first Devastation Snake swimming downstream from the north was spotted at Hill Fifty. The loudspeakers in the Section One of the North territory sounded off, and Commander Zhang San announced the emergency disaster response. From then on, anyone leaving their rooms had to wear a protective suit by regulation.

At five, a Devastation Snake followed the river into Hill Forty-Nine, where Xia Qing caught it with her Magnetic Sense.

By eight in the morning, Crippled Wolf showed up in Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine, carrying an unfamiliar brown wolf. Both of them had two honey badgers each, tied up with string. They tracked down Xia Qing and handed her a pigeon-egg-sized piece and a walnut-sized Mid-Grade Yi Stone.

The smaller one was for treating the honey badgers. The larger Mid-Grade Yi Stone was Xia Qing’s fee for making house calls—the Wolf Pack had a member who needed treatment.

Xia Qing delivered the four honey badgers to Territory Seven, then took her medical kit and Monkey, teamed up, and flew the helicopter straight to Hill Sixty at top speed.