Chapter 232: Unexpected Rewards and Rainy Day Returns
by xennovelXia Qing busied herself on her land, paying no mind to whether the Hearing Evolvers outside her territory were having a meltdown or not.
Still, since she was working on familiar ground and sheltered by the rainproof cover, most insects couldn’t get near her. With energy to spare but her mind drained, Xia Qing’s eyelids grew heavier by the minute.
By noon, she just couldn’t hold on anymore and decided to head home for some sleep. That’s when she spotted a familiar figure on the rocky hills of the North Buffer Forest.
The figure was drenched and filthy, but standing beside an even more bedraggled little yellow weasel, it somehow looked tall and fierce. Those gold-glinting eyes sparkled like precious gems.
“Your Majesty, over here! Congratulations on your glorious return!” Xia Qing snapped out of her drowsiness, hopping off the rotary tiller and waving excitedly. She’d been so swamped she forgot Yang Jin mentioned the Alpha Wolf would be bringing the herbs back soon.
The Alpha Wolf and Yang Jin had teamed up, braved the Xiang Rain, and finished the job in the Evolver Forest. Impressive stuff!
Watching Xia Qing dash over, the Alpha Wolf stayed perfectly still, while the yellow weasel carrying something shrank behind the wolf in fright.
Xia Qing leaped over the wide, rushing water and landed below the rock. “Your Majesty, you’re finally back! All your packmates inside my territory made it through the third Xiang Rain safely. They’re all resting in the sheep shed right now.”
The Alpha Wolf stayed motionless while the yellow weasel, forcing a nervous grin, edged out from behind and dropped its pouch by the wolf’s side before darting away.
Xia Qing eyed the pouch, now so dirty you couldn’t tell what color it had been, her eyes shining. “Are the herbs in there? Your Majesty, you’re amazing!”
After the praise, Xia Qing picked up the bulging pouch. Inside, the herbs had mushed together into a big muddy lump, with two vacuum bags buried within.
No doubt about it, those vacuum bags of herbs were Yang Jin’s team’s haul—brought back by the Alpha Wolf, too. She had no clue how these two even communicated, but the job got done.
Just as Xia Qing was ready to heap on more praise, the Alpha Wolf vanished in a flash into the Xiang Grass.
“Have a good rest, Your Majesty! Come visit anytime!” she called warmly.
After sharing the good news with Yang Jin over the phone, Xia Qing quickly contacted Zhang San. She took a moment to examine the photo Yang Jin sent, which beautifully captured both the weasel and the unexplored heart of the Evolver Forest. She saved it to her phone on the spot.
She still didn’t get why the Alpha Wolf brought a half-plucked little guy to gather herbs, but up close, the little critter was actually pretty cute.
Next time she got a chance to trade with the Wolf Pack, she’d have to ask the Alpha Wolf if this little weasel was up for a swap.
“Really? That’s awesome!”
Not long after Xia Qing claimed the herbs, Zhang San called. He said that the muddy lump brought by the Alpha Wolf contained the exact two kinds of herbs they needed. Xia Qing was thrilled. “Is it enough to cure Brother Luo and the Sick Wolf?”
Zhang San sounded just as happy. “There’s actually some left over. I’ve already planted everything in the greenhouse—these herbs are really fresh, they’ll definitely survive.”
Couldn’t get better than that! Xia Qing’s eyes sparkled. “Third Brother, can those herbs clear the debt for the interior wall panels?”
Zhang San agreed right away. “After settling the debt, you’d still have 120,000 points left—plus the points from that braised meat you sent last time. Anything else you’d like to exchange?”
120,000?!
No wonder everyone with skills risked their necks in the Evolver Forest—the payoff was way better than slogging away in the fields. Of course, you had to survive, or you’d just become fertilizer out there.
Xia Qing quickly made her request. “I’d like to swap points for a fridge first. I’ll also need one batch each of the basic medicines required for Evolver Forest missions. If there’s anything left over, please get me the special medicine that can be mixed with spinach juice. Sound good?”
Zhang San agreed without hesitation. “No problem. I don’t have a fridge in stock, but I’ll have one sent in a few days. If you run out of medicine, I’ll mix more for you. As for injury medicine, come pick it up when you bring the wolves for their checkup.”
Medicines have a shelf life anyway, so Xia Qing gladly agreed.
Zhang San checked in again. “Did you lose much spinach?”
Xia Qing told him honestly. “Still got 115 plants left. Don’t worry, Third Brother, I’ll definitely return your 2,000 spinach seeds by the end of the year.”
Zhang San was in such a good mood he even asked about her other fields. “Did anything else take a big hit?”
Of course, Xia Qing wasn’t about to tell the truth about losses. She dodged. “Haven’t had time to count—I’ve got craters all over the fields right now.”
Why so many craters? Because when you clear Xiang-evolved crops, you have to dig out the roots with all the soil attached.
After hanging up, Xia Qing hopped on the rotary tiller and headed home feeling great. There, she found the freshly washed Alpha Wolf lying beneath her porch, basking on a pile of Xiang Grass and catching a nap (which probably doubled as fur-drying).
Boss Sheep, just as soaked, lounged beside the Alpha Wolf chewing cud. The Sick Wolf groomed the Alpha Wolf’s fur, while the Spinal-Injury Wolf and Broken Leg Wolf sprawled nearby, soaking up the sun. The sheep shed hadn’t been cleaned for three days and was such a mess that even the wolves wouldn’t go in.
The chickens in their cage went about their business, unfazed by the wolves, while the Black-maned Goose shivered in a corner.
Xia Qing cheerfully greeted them. “Your Majesty, you’ve had a bath? Looking fresh!”
The Alpha Wolf just closed his golden eyes and kept dozing.
Pushing open the security door, Xia Qing spotted two sets of wet footprints on the living room floor—one set with pawprints shaped like plum blossoms, the other, just dots.
No mystery there. Boss Sheep must’ve taken the Alpha Wolf into the shower and turned on the nozzle for a wash. Who knew he’d learned how to work the shower controls?
Good thing it rained for three days—the water tank was full of cold water, so no one got burned. And it’s lucky she’d modified those controls; otherwise, Boss Sheep’s hoof or mouth might’ve snapped off the switch and wasted all the water. Even though it’s filtered, those filter cartridges still have to be bought with points.
Xia Qing popped upstairs to grab a clean old duvet cover, then waved Boss Sheep over. “Boss, come here. I’ll dry your fur for you.”
The Alpha Wolf had a wolf to groom him, but her dear Boss Sheep didn’t.
Damp wool really was uncomfortable, so Boss Sheep trotted right over and let Xia Qing towel him off.
Once Boss Sheep was sorted, Xia Qing picked up another old duvet cover. “Your Majesty, may I dry you as well?”
The Alpha Wolf scrutinized Xia Qing for a few seconds, then closed his eyes again.
Was that a yes or a no?
Before she could puzzle it out, Boss Sheep gave her a nudge toward the Alpha Wolf. Then she got it. Xia Qing moved her little wooden stool over and sat beside him, gently drying his thick damp fur as she searched for his wounds.
Xia Qing wasn’t a scent evolver, but she’d smelled blood on the Alpha Wolf the minute she got home.
The Alpha Wolf’s wound was right where the Sick Wolf had licked—not long, maybe three centimeters, probably a cut from something sharp. Luckily it only sliced the skin and flesh, not the bone.
Anyone or anything that could injure a top-tier speed-evolved wolf was no joke. If the Alpha Wolf was hurt, what about Yang Jin? Was he injured too?