Chapter 1139: A Buzzing Beginning: Beekeeping Plans and Fitting Wolves for Gear

Back in June, Yang Jin used the Hui Six poacher team that Xia Qing had captured, along with their military helicopter, to trade for a fresh batch of supplies. Among them were seeds for Green Lantern nectar plants and two hives of Green Lantern Bees.

The nectar plants Xia Qing had planted in the greenhouse—honeysuckle, wild ba zi, Bidens pilosa, and others—were thriving. The honeysuckle and Bidens pilosa were right in the heart of their blooming season, filling the air with sweet fragrance, while the four wild ba zi bushes and a handful of other carefully cultivated nectar plants were lush and strong.

After three months in Territory One, the two hives of bees had grown from the original 2,000 to over 2,600, enough to split off a new hive. By their agreement, half the bees belonged to Xia Qing and the other half to the Azure Dragon Squad.

But Xia Qing only brought one hive back with her since the extra bees had multiplied under the care of Territory One’s people and were split there. Over the past three months, Xia Qing had spent plenty of time at Territory One learning beekeeping basics, treating the growth of this hive as tuition.

Besides, Xia Qing wasn’t beekeeping for credits. She just wanted honey for herself. That’s why she only kept one flower shed with enough nectar plants to sustain a single hive, and she never planned on expanding.

Kuang Qingwei, Qi Fu, and their crew had always wanted to keep bees. They were planning to build their own beekeeping greenhouses, plant nectar crops, and then trade with Xia Qing and Territory One for Green Lantern Bees.

Lately, everyone was talking about it on the Lords’ channel. Even on missions outside the Safe Zone, they’d search the Evolved Forest for nectar plant specimens.

Tang Huai even got scolded by Zhang San because of it. When he went out searching for the Devastation Snake, he also kept an eye out for nectar plants.

If Tang Huai had just sampled anything that looked like a nectar plant and logged the location, Zhang San wouldn’t have complained. But he went the extra mile, lugging equipment to measure nectar content as he walked. No wonder he got told off.

Xia Qing placed the hive inside the flower shed and expertly opened its entrance, letting the bees explore freely before backing out of the greenhouse.

Evolved Green Lantern Bees weren’t exactly docile. Even though light was weak inside, as soon as Xia Qing opened the entrance, a handful of strapping bees flew out, buzzing loudly as they checked out their new home.

Still, the bees’ self-important humming couldn’t compare to the wasps in the chestnut grove. To Xia Qing, though, their music was sweet, the sound of soon-to-be Green Lantern Honey.

She crouched outside the shed with her two companions, watching through the insect net. Once the little cuties finished their rounds and slipped back into the hive, Xia Qing whispered, “Those stings really hurt—you’ll swell up big as a fist if one gets you. Old Goat, Er, don’t go in this shed again.”

The beekeeping greenhouse door had been specially reinforced, so the bees couldn’t get out even if they tried. But if Old Goat wanted in, he’d only need to kick the door once.

Er grinned wide at Xia Qing, flashing a cheerful, toothy smile.

Old Goat just stared at the hive without moving, his thoughts a mystery.

Xia Qing added another layer to her warning, nodding toward the pasture shed. “If these bees ever escape and build a hive in your pasture shed, Old Goat, you won’t get to eat grass anymore.”

“Baa.” At last Old Goat answered. Xia Qing wasn’t sure how much he actually understood, but she was about to keep trying when she heard the Northern Gate bang open.

Just moments later, there were two more knocks—one after another.

That rhythm was unmistakable. Crippled Wolf must have brought the wolves who needed to be fitted for protective suits.

Last night, while soaking in her ninth medicinal bath, Xia Qing had told Crippled Wolf about the suits. She hadn’t expected him to show up so fast. Clearly, making the suits mattered a lot to Crippled Wolf.

“Swoosh—”

When Xia Qing saw the Handsome Huge Wolf strut past with Little Wolf, barely giving the flower shed a glance, she didn’t bat an eye. Both were set to get protective suits, so of course they came.

Watching Er dash over to Little Wolf’s little sister and nuzzle her at the reservoir didn’t raise any eyebrows either. She was on the list for suits, too.

But once Xia Qing climbed the hillside and spotted the gray-brown Huge Wolf standing nearby watching Crippled Wolf play with the door, she almost snorted. “Crippled, this is the fourth wolf you said needed a suit?”

That was no regular wolf—it was a Huge Wolf! Making a suit for it would take enough python skin to craft two for an ordinary Evolved Wolf!

Crippled Wolf, who’d just swung the door open, grinned at Xia Qing, flashing his adorable, snow-white fangs.

Xia Qing couldn’t help but laugh. “Great, just perfect! You’re not Yang Jin’s little brother—you’re his beekeeping master instead!”

Crippled Wolf shut his mouth, completely missing the joke.

After exchanging a look with that sharp wolf, Xia Qing gave in. “Alright, fine—let’s head home and take your measurements.”

First up for fitting was the Handsome Huge Wolf, then the Big Guy, and finally the two adolescent wolves.

The two youngsters, though familiar with Xia Qing, were still a bit wary. When she approached Little Wolf with the measuring tape, he backed away, baring his perfect white fangs and letting out what he thought was a fierce growl. His little sister joined in.

Xia Qing didn’t even have to say a word—Crippled Wolf and Er each soothed one cub, coaxing them into settling down.

As for the Handsome Huge Wolf and Big Guy? Those two big wolves never liked small spaces. They slipped out as soon as they’d been measured.

Xia Qing hadn’t expected that her first time petting the Queen’s own cubs would be while fitting them for clothes.

Adolescent wolves were all scrawny limbs, nothing like the solid build and thick fur of the Handsome Huge Wolf. Nervous and stiff, the cubs didn’t feel as soft as a fox kit either. Xia Qing kept it quick, measuring and then stepping aside without lingering.

Crippled Wolf didn’t rush the cubs back outdoors. Instead, he turned on the TV and pulled up a video about the Evolved Forest.

The cubs were tech-savvy from watching videos on the laptop in the Wolf Den, but they’d never seen such a big screen. They crowded onto Er’s hammock and forgot all about being nervous as they watched, completely absorbed.

Xia Qing jotted down the measurements then looked up and just melted at the scene. She whipped out her phone to snap a few photos.

Crippled Wolf wasn’t bothered by photos, but he didn’t care much either. He just kept watching with the cubs. So Xia Qing took a group shot, then flipped the camera for a bigger group selfie.

There she was, along with Old Goat, Er, Crippled Wolf’s little family, and even the family portrait of Xia Qing and her parents hanging on the wall—all together in that single photo.

Sitting by Old Goat, present-day Xia Qing was grinning every bit as brightly as her childhood self in the photograph. Under the cozy light, the big group photo captured the perfect warmth of the moment.

Satisfied, Xia Qing put away her phone and started discussing, gesturing at Crippled Wolf. “Crippled, should we make Little Wolf and his sister’s suits based on your and the Queen’s sizes? That way, once they’re grown, they can still wear them.”

Crippled Wolf kept his mouth shut, face all seriousness.

Xia Qing went on, “If we make the suits in their current sizes, they’ll outgrow them in a month or two and we’ll have to use more Hardness-Evolved Python Skin to make new ones. That’s a waste.”

Crippled Wolf remained firm, not budging an inch. He had no interest in whether the skin was wasted or not.

The idea of wasting python skin just didn’t register for him at all.

Xia Qing gave up. “Alright, big spender, it’s your call!”