Chapter 140: Wolf, Sheep, and Negotiations in the Evolver Forest

Ignoring the sheep standing smack between Yang Jin and the Alpha Wolf, who looked like pure trouble with its rowdy grin, Xia Qing leaned close and asked in a low voice, “Captain Yang, between you and the Alpha Wolf, who’s stronger?”

A brain-evolved wolf with top-tier speed squaring off against Yang Jin, a top-tier Speed Evolver? Now this was going to be a show.

Yang Jin gazed calmly at the Evolved Wolf he’d once tracked, handed the Yi Stone back to Xia Qing, and finally answered, “If we fight barehanded, it’s stronger in the Evolver Forest. Here, I have the upper hand. But neither of us could easily kill the other. Don’t worry—the two injured wolves in your territory are still healing, so the Alpha won’t pick a fight unless provoked.”

Xia Qing…

I’m not worried. I just want to see you two duke it out. Never seen two top-tier Speed Evolvers battle before.

“Baa!” Boss Sheep called to Xia Qing, clearly telling her to come over and not pick the wrong side.

From the way Boss Sheep was acting, Xia Qing figured it was even more eager than she was to see the Alpha Wolf teach Yang Jin a lesson. How did such a stubborn, poker-faced sheep manage so many hilarious expressions?

Yang Jin lowered his voice. “The wolf pack respects strength above all. If you want to get more resources out of them later, you should stand with me so they see me as your ally.”

Xia Qing stared at the Alpha Wolf, then turned to whisper, “So does that mean I have to give you a cut of the loot whenever I trade with the wolves?”

She finally dropped the formal ‘you.’ Yang Jin smiled. “Just give me whatever you feel like. I’m not picky about the amount.”

Well, I am!

Figures—you really are a stingy rooster. Stepping up to help me, but you still want a commission!

And really, if I stand next to Yang Jin right now, how is that any different from Boss Sheep showing off next to the Alpha Wolf?

Xia Qing shook her head. “The wolves came looking for me the other day, and it wasn’t for my fighting skills. I’ll take care of my own business and stick to the deals I have now. The current trade prices already suit me just fine.”

If the Alpha ever saw her as Yang Jin and Luo Pei’s ally, what would she do if it showed up one day with a Yi Stone in its jaws, demanding she go fight bears or snakes to seize a territory? Would she go?

Go for what? To haul rocket launchers for Yang Jin or carry bullets for Luo Pei? With her current strength and contributions, how much loot would she even get when the dust settled?

It’s better to rely on her own skills to trade with the wolves. That way, whatever she earns stays hers alone—no cuts, no sharing.

Yang Jin brightened, his smile even broader, eyes sparkling. “As long as you’re happy. Shall we keep talking?”

“Moo!”

Outside, Boss Sheep was strutting around, clearly upset that Xia Qing hadn’t come out yet.

“I want a grenade launcher, but I can’t trade you my three Yi Stones. I can share Spring Water though. Give me a heads-up if you want any, and I’ll let you know when it’s good to fetch it. As for the spinach, let me think it over.”

With one sentence, Xia Qing wrapped up their negotiation. She could tell neither Yang Jin nor the Alpha Wolf were interested in a fight, and she wasn’t about to let Boss Sheep keep showing off in the middle.

“Deal,” Yang Jin agreed easily. “I’ve got something to handle, so I’ll head out. Luo Ge will contact you about the water.”

“Alright,” Xia Qing replied, handing over a small basket with a pound or so of wild fruit. “There isn’t much to offer from my territory right now—just these wild fruits, but don’t look down on them, Captain Yang.”

“Thanks,” Yang Jin said, accepting it cheerfully. He handed Xia Qing a small pouch, palm-sized. “We fished these up from the sea a while ago. They’re just pearls, nothing really valuable or worth any points. Think of it as a token, don’t mind it.”

“Thank you, Captain Yang.” Returning the gesture, Xia Qing took the pouch and walked Yang Jin to the door.

As the door opened, the Alpha Wolf continued staring down Yang Jin without moving a muscle. Boss Sheep, though, was prancing in circles, tossing its spiral horns and stamping its hooves like it owned the place. Xia Qing almost wanted to go smack it.

“I’m heading out, thanks for the hospitality,” Yang Jin called, ignoring Boss Sheep’s antics. He and the Alpha Wolf locked eyes for a few seconds before Yang Jin nodded to Xia Qing, donned his mask, and headed up the back hill.

He looked at ease, his stride steady—like he wasn’t even slightly worried about the Alpha Wolf ambushing him from behind.

He passed greenhouses full of crops, two fish ponds, crossed a stone bridge over the river, and made his way halfway up the hill before glancing back. The Alpha Wolf was still watching him. Boss Sheep was throwing a tantrum at Xia Qing, while she leaned over at the Alpha’s side, quietly saying something to it.

A bizarre trio against the blue sky, white clouds, and green grass—somehow, it all felt oddly harmonious.

Yang Jin yawned, turned around, and quickened his pace. Two days without rest—he could finally go home and crash.

“Your Majesty, that guy is Luo Ge’s teammate. He’s stingy but pretty handsome, right? Easy on the eyes, yeah? There are enough women in the Safe Zone lining up for him to form a team of their own.” Xia Qing joked, sidling up to the Alpha Wolf. “So, what do handsome wolves look like in your pack?”

Only after Yang Jin left did the Alpha Wolf finally tear its gaze from his back and focus on the pouch in Xia Qing’s hand. In the sunlight, its amber-gold eyes looked impossibly beautiful. Xia Qing found herself completely mesmerized.

I want to pet it…

But I don’t dare…

“Wanna see this?” Xia Qing ruffled Boss Sheep’s soft wool to scratch her itchy hand, then opened the pouch from Yang Jin. Inside were pearls.

All sizes, shapes, and colors—since they’d been pulled straight from the ocean, they weren’t exactly beautiful or refined.

Xia Qing picked out a tea-golden pearl about the size of a peanut, held it up to the sun for a closer look, then offered it to the Alpha Wolf. “This one matches your eyes, Majesty. Want it?”

The Alpha wasn’t impressed. It turned and walked away.

Don’t want it? I do.

Grinning, Xia Qing stashed the pearls, grabbed Boss Sheep by the neck as it tried to follow the Alpha, and poked at the pouch on its collar. “Boss, where are the two rations I gave you earlier? Hand ’em back.”

Trying to take its stuff? Boss Sheep shook its head furiously, backing away as if gearing up for a fight.

“Come on! Just because you’ve got a wolf backing you up doesn’t mean I won’t beat you up!” Xia Qing was still fueled by excitement from making the Yi Stone Shell. She tossed the pearl pouch on the ground and charged. Within seconds, she and Boss Sheep were scrapping like kids.

The Alpha Wolf, not far away, paused and glanced back at the tussling duo before picking up its pace.

After a glorious brawl with Boss Sheep, Xia Qing lay on the grass, staring at the slow-drifting clouds above, feeling completely at ease. “Boss…”

“Baa,” grumbled Boss Sheep, sprawled in a heap beside her.

“The shell’s done. Once I string these pearls into a necklace, you’ll be the flashiest one of them all—guaranteed to blind the whole pack.”

Boss Sheep stayed silent.

Stretching lazily, Xia Qing sat up, fished two pieces of compressed rations from Boss Sheep’s pouch, stuffed them in her pocket, and brushed off the dirt. “No work, no rations. That’s the rule.”

Boss Sheep bolted, and a moment later came charging back with the bug-catching basket, giving Xia Qing a look that clearly said she should return the rations.

Laughing, Xia Qing put one ration back in Boss Sheep’s pouch. “Good job, Boss. Go on then.”

After sending Boss Sheep off, Xia Qing went inside, gulped down warm spring water and tea, then set off to check the fields.

The Yellow-glow Corn she’d brought back from the Safe Zone had sprouted. She counted carefully—about 1,600 out of 3,000 kernels had grown, roughly a 53% sprout rate, which was 10% lower than the batch Luo Pei had given her.

And that was after soaking them in Spring Water. The other lords didn’t have unpolluted water, so their rates would be even lower.

The quality of this batch of seeds wasn’t all that great.