Chapter 153: Prize from the Evolver Forest

Water caltrops can actually be eaten as a staple food. Once the squad finished packing up, they rushed over to check it out.

Since no one knew if the plants were dangerous, nobody dared to reach in directly.

“Scout the underwater situation,” Hu Zifeng ordered.

The team’s sound, vision and scent evolvers got to work immediately.

“Smells fishy—probably something big, or a lot of animals, underwater.”

“Lots of noises below, but doesn’t sound like big animals.”

“Plants are blocking the view, can’t see through.”

They quickly deduced it was likely a cluster of small animals underneath the water caltrop plants. Hu Zifeng gave another order: “Check your protective suits again. Make sure there are no tears, no skin exposed and that your mask filters are working.”

Xia Qing started checking right away, making sure her suit was intact.

Hu Zifeng continued, “Chen Cheng, Chen Zheng, Jing Kuan—use the net to scoop up the water caltrops. Xia Qing, Er Yong, Peng Jian—hold off the first wave. Liangzi and Da Jiang, second wave. Let’s go!”

At his command, Xia Qing stepped up. Shi Du quietly moved behind Hu Zifeng for safety. Meanwhile, Chen Zheng and the others flung their net to gather the plants.

As soon as the net dipped in, the calm water exploded. Dozens of water jets blasted out from the base of the caltrop roots, firing in all directions. Everyone was already used to this kind of ambush.

“They’re evolved pond snails! Drop the net and let them go,” Hu Zifeng called out.

Evolved pond snails aren’t poisonous. They spit water jets that can injure the eyes of animals, and breed fast—their presence always attracts swarms of birds and amphibians. No wonder there were so many birds here.

After shaking off the snails, water snakes, and leeches, they pulled the aquatic plants onto shore. Shi Du quickly picked up a plant with fan-shaped leaves, proudly displaying the curved, reddish-purple fruit growing at its roots. “Definitely water caltrop… just a shame they’re not ripe yet.”

Xia Qing suggested, “How about we pick the edible ones and raise them in the pond back at our territory?”

“Sounds good.”

With time left, Hu Zifeng split the squad into groups—one to clear out snails and creatures from the water caltrop plants before hauling them ashore, another to test for the Xiang element, and a third to keep watch.

After an hour of hard work, they found thirty green-light water caltrops and eighty-six yellow-light ones—a hefty harvest. They took the edible ones, tossing the rest back into the pond to grow.

Peng Jian, the vision evolver sent to scout the area, came back with more news. “Eight hundred meters west in the swamp, there’s another patch about the same size.”

Shi Du almost jumped out of his shoes with excitement. “Captain Hu, let’s come back again tomorrow!”

“Sure,” Hu Zifeng agreed, marking that patch for tomorrow’s sweep. The task would earn them points and more food—two birds, one stone.

Fully loaded, the squad packed up to head back. Strength evolvers Xia Qing and Shi Du carried the bags, the rest guarding them in the middle.

They’d hauled over seven hundred pounds of creatures—venomous snakes, pythons, poisonous spiders, musk rats, leeches. Shi Du was carrying three hundred pounds, Xia Qing more than four hundred—both shielded by the squad.

“Qing-jie, you must be level five now, right?” Shi Du marveled.

Xia Qing, a level six strength evolver, replied in a low voice. “Haven’t tested since leaving the Safe Zone, but that sounds about right.”

Carrying a sackful of geese, Hu Zifeng silently thought, It’s not just about right. Level-five strength evolver Guan Tong isn’t nearly as strong as your Qing-jie.

Guan Tong’s a level-five, Xia Qing’s on his level, that means she’s five too. But once you evolve past five, you’re a level-six, a high-tier evolver. They don’t just get better treatment—their bodies and lifespans improve too. Xia Qing’s only twenty-five, still ten years before her next breakthrough.

Shi Du grinned, happy for Xia Qing. “Keep eating green-light food, Qing-jie. You’ll get that gold badge for sure.”

Ordinary people wear yellow ID tags, regular evolvers get green, and high-level evolvers sport gold.

Xia Qing nodded. “You should eat more green-light food and train too. You’ll rise up before long.”

Shi Du nodded firmly, then asked Xia Qing about losses on her territory after the recent disaster.

Xia Qing’s main goal today was to find out how Plot Ten had handled the hail storm. With Shi Du bringing it up, she asked, “The hail came so fast—even with Captain Hu’s help, I couldn’t save all the greenhouses. My pumpkin vines got smashed. How did you guys do?”

Shi Du answered, “My dad was up early, noticed the weather was off, woke me and mom, and we dragged the rainproof tarp out. The crops made it through just fine.”

Hearing Shi Du say they ‘pulled’ the tarp and not just ‘covered’ it, Xia Qing asked, “You mean you keep the tarp strung on the frame, not packed away?”

Shi Du explained, “When it’s dry, we pull all the tarp up onto the roof, and the sunshade net covers it.”

So there was a trick to it after all!

Xia Qing suggested a trade. “Shi Du, can you ask your dad if I can learn your spot tarp technique? If it’s okay, could you take a video for me? I’ll trade five pounds of wheat for it.”

Shi Du’s instructions sounded simple, but with pest nets involved, the fast-setup must be clever. Xia Qing really needed that technique.

“Come on, Qing-jie, it’s not some big trade secret! No need to swap goods—I’ll film when I’m back,” Shi Du said. He always thought Xia Qing was too polite, even with close friends.

“Alright, thanks,” Xia Qing agreed, then asked about losses in Plot One.

Walking beside her, Chen Cheng said, “We had plenty of hands, but most of the fields weren’t planted yet. We barely lost anything.”

The group chatted as they walked. An hour later, they reached the exit of Mountain 49, ready to split up the loot and head out.

In front of Xia Qing and Shi Du, Hu Zifeng tested the fifteen goslings they’d caught. Eight turned out green-light, four yellow, three red.

“That’s insane!” Chen Cheng couldn’t believe it.

Da Jiang shook his head in amazement. “We’ve been clearing the Evolver Forest for years, but never seen so many green-light animals at once.”

“Captain, why bother with the swamp tomorrow? Let’s just focus on catching geese!” The team members burst out in excited chatter.

Hu Zifeng took off his mask, revealing a broad, fatherly smile. He could already picture carrying a green-light goose home, where the little kitten would beg him for attention.

Who wouldn’t want a green-light animal you could eat, or breed? Hu Zifeng asked Xia Qing and Shi Du, “Let’s get ready tonight and head out an hour earlier tomorrow, okay?”

“Sure.”

“Sounds good.”

Of course, Shi Du and Xia Qing agreed.

Next up was dividing today’s haul.

“Based on contributions, Xia Qing counts as one strength, Shi Du as half, I’m captain so one and a half. Report your weapon consumption for the day, everyone.”

Each person started reporting what ammo and gear they’d used.

Xia Qing said, “Sixty sniper rounds, took down fifty-two evolved animals.”

That was an impressive hit rate. Shi Du flashed her a big thumbs-up.

He could tell Xia Qing’s gun was just like Luo Pei’s—definitely traded with Azure Dragon Unit. He’d have to save up points to swap for a new gun and practice shooting, to catch up to Xia Qing.

After logging it all, Hu Zifeng split the food: Xia Qing got one green, one yellow, one red—three geese, plus three green, eight yellow, eleven water caltrops. Shi Du took one yellow, one red—two geese, one green, four yellow, five water caltrops. The rest went to Hu Zifeng’s squad—how they divvied up inside didn’t matter to Xia Qing or Shi Du.

Hu Zifeng closed his logbook. “We’ll process today’s catch from the swamp and tally points tomorrow. We meet here at eight sharp in the morning.”

Hu Zifeng’s squad went back to Plot One. Xia Qing and Shi Du hauled their share back to their own territories.

Under the sign for Territory Three, Xia Qing handed Shi Du a bundle: one green, five yellow, six water caltrops. “I’m just one person, can’t finish them all.”

Shi Du understood she was swapping her caltrops for the tarp technique. Xia Qing glared in that way that said “say no and I’ll rough you up,” so he took them honestly.

Xia Qing entered Territory Three, Shi Du headed east. In Territory Two, Zhou Xun whispered to Tang Huai, “Boss, let’s try our luck in the Evolver Forest too?”

Hearing about Hu Zifeng’s team bagging eight green-light geese in one go, Tang Huai was tempted. “We’ll check out Mountain 50 tomorrow.”