Chapter 200: Negotiating with Wolves

Is this guy really looking to fight? Xia Qing drew her long knife, gripping it tight. She’d never actually fought a wolf before—this might be a perfect chance to try.

Sure, this wolf was tough, but Xia Qing wasn’t scared at all. She figured the pack wouldn’t come at her hard, not while the Sick Wolf and the Wolf with the Spinal Injury were still recovering. Even if this Wolf with the Broken Leg acted out, the brain-evolved injured wolf lying at the cave’s entrance and the Alpha Wolf perched on top would definitely stop it.

But the Wolf with the Broken Leg didn’t need anyone to hold it back. Despite Xia Qing squaring off and taking a fighting stance, the wolf didn’t attack. Instead, it circled her a few times, then bounded off to wreak havoc in the valley. Wherever it went, rocks flew, tree bark was shredded, and snakes, bugs and birds scattered in panic.

The claw marks it left on tree trunks looked exactly the same as the ones left last year—when the Wolf Pack wiped out the Fengyun Unit—by a particularly fierce wolf from that battle.

Turns out, this broken-legged beast was actually one of the main forces behind last year’s assault on the Fengyun Unit.

Caught in the chaos, Xia Qing sighed and raised her voice, “Your Majesty! Can’t you rein in this lunatic? If he keeps making a scene like this, humans outside will find you, and then none of you can stay here.”

At that, the Alpha Wolf sitting atop the cave stood up and leapt down, blocking the rampaging gray-brown evolved wolf. In a flash, it pinned the beast with its paw.

I mean—what the hell…

That speed, those reflexes… No wonder he’s the Alpha. Xia Qing couldn’t help but admit she couldn’t compare.

The gray-brown evolved wolf rolled over, exposing its softest belly and twisting about under the Alpha’s paw, squirming and rubbing up against him with excitement. Every movement, every strand of fur practically radiated its joy.

Two more wolves trotted out from the cave, joining the festivities. Four wolves now chased and wrestled by the pond. Even as they played rough, they somehow kept it quiet—nothing loud enough to draw trouble.

Xia Qing took out her phone and called Hu Zifeng. “Captain Hu, the chaos in Area Three’s valley is under control… Yeah, the evolved wolf with the back leg injury just recovered. The anesthesia wore off and now he’s way too excited… Got it, thanks for the help, Captain.”

As she called, her eyes drifted over to a camera hidden in a tree not far from the cave entrance.

The brain-evolved injured wolf lying at the cave watched Xia Qing, then followed her gaze to the same tree—a thoughtful look flickering in its eyes.

After ending the call, Xia Qing noticed the Wolf with the Spinal Injury watching her. So she pointed out the boundaries of the valley and said, “You’re free to use this entire valley and the caves behind it, but you absolutely can’t…”

She pointed out toward the Barrier, gesturing seriously. “You can’t let humans outside see you. They’ve got weapons. They’ll tranquilize you, capture you, or worse.”

She’d chosen to talk to this wolf because it understood human speech the best. Maybe that was because it had been recovering in Territory Three for a long time and she’d spent so much time chatting with it.

The brain-evolved wolf followed the direction she pointed, then glanced at its companions. From the look in its eyes, it seemed to really understand.

Xia Qing pointed at a sturdy wooden board inside the cave with pictures taped to it. “I need both of these herbs. Pull them up by the roots and bring them to me, like this.”

She dug up a whole plant from the hillside as a demonstration for the clever wolf. “Bring these to me so I can mix medicine and save your companions.”

The brain-evolved injured wolf slowly stood up. With the brace on its back now shorter, it moved faster than before. It crawled over to a patch of grass, dug at it a couple times with its paws, uprooted it, and carried it back to Xia Qing.

“Exactly! That’s perfect.” It was so much easier working with a smart wolf. Xia Qing took the plant, gave the wolf a fond rub on its smart head, then stepped into the cave and pointed to a photo of mature herbs growing among rocks on the board. “I need it when it looks like this.”

As for the one herb growing in the water, Xia Qing figured sending the wolves after it was way too risky.

While the brain-evolved wolf studied the pictures, Chen Cheng, watching from behind the camera, declared confidently, “Boss, I bet you anything that wolf understood everything.”

Hu Zifeng, cradling the little kitten in his hands, held it up to the screen. “See this? When you’re older, Old Five, don’t go playing in Area Three’s valley. There are wolves there.”

Chen Cheng could hardly stand it. “Boss, your arms must be tired by now. Let me hold the kitten for a bit?”

“Get lost!” Hu Zifeng scooted away, determined not to let Chen Cheng’s grubby hands near his fluffy, sweet-smelling kitten. But he didn’t notice that the tiny kitten—wearing its little white boots—was watching the screen with big, round, watery grey eyes.

With the wolf pack finally settled, Xia Qing turned and headed out along the river.

Every step she took was steady and self-assured.

The wolves wouldn’t attack her now, but who could say about the future?

No one knows.

If she ever became their enemy, she’d fight. If they could become allies, she’d go for a win-win. After all, if even humans—same kind, same language—could betray each other, how could she give her full trust to a pack of evolved beasts raised in Evolver Forest?

Stepping out of the valley and crossing the Barrier, Xia Qing heard footsteps she recognized echoing from far off on the eastern hillside. She stopped where she was.

Tan Junjie was leading the Inspection Team along the lower slopes of Territory Four’s northern hills, following the Barrier. He spotted Xia Qing standing on the Barrier and gave her a small nod.

Su Ming called out with a grin, “Qing-jie!”

Xia Qing explained to the Inspection Team, “I’m heading to Mountain 49 for supplies. I already let Plot One know.”

North of Territory Three’s Barrier, the Evolver Forest served as the Azure Dragon Unit’s outdoor training ground. Azure Dragon Unit had already posted notices and put up signs strictly banning anyone but their team. They didn’t fence the mountain off, but nobody dared break the rules.

Anyone trespassing and getting caught on camera had to pay at least four thousand points to the Azure Dragon Unit. The maximum? That depended on how much damage their trespass caused.

Tan Junjie nodded and reminded Xia Qing, “Be careful out there.”

“Will do. Thanks, Captain Tan.”

After the Inspection Team moved on, Xia Qing’s sharp hearing picked up Yuan Rui, the team’s scent-evolved member, whispering to Tan Junjie, “She smells like wolves.”

There was no hiding the fact that Xia Qing’s territory had wolves, not with the Inspection Team patrolling round the clock across the first ten plots.

Both Xia Qing and Luo Pei had notified the Inspection Team. Xia Qing personally promised Tan Junjie that the injured wolves in her territory would never attack the others. That’s why Tan Junjie turned a blind eye and didn’t report it higher up.

At this point, Xia Qing wasn’t worried about her wolves being discovered in Territory Three. The dying Old Wolf had already been found by Zhang Yong, Xu Juan and the Sufeng Squad.

If someone beyond the Inspection Team noticed the wolf scent, Xia Qing planned to go public about keeping a wolf in her territory. After all, an old, sick, slow wolf wouldn’t cause a stir. At most, Zhao Ze would make a fuss and Tang Huai would make snide remarks.

Tan Junjie stayed silent. Xia Qing heard Su Ming whisper, “The wolf recovering in Territory Three still isn’t better yet?”

Huzi answered, “What’s the big deal? The evolved sea eagle recuperating in Plot Eight isn’t better yet either, right?”

Hearing that, Xia Qing remembered Xin Yu, the Plot Eight lord, was caring for a fierce evolved eagle. If that sea eagle didn’t leave after healing, she’d have to talk to Plot Eight’s lord ahead of time.

All the fish, poultry and even Boss Sheep in her territory were on that eagle’s menu. If Plot Eight’s evolved sea eagle ever came hunting in Territory Three, Xia Qing vowed to take it down. So she’d have to ask the Plot Eight lord to keep an eye on her evolved animals.

But before Xia Qing could reach out, Xin Yu suddenly spoke up during the post-farming night broadcast’s lords’ communication time. “Is the lord of Plot One here? This is Xin Yu from Plot Eight.”