Chapter 271: Trading for Survival: Deals, Disguises and Dangers

Xia Qing gave a detailed response to Qi Fu’s question. “I traded for soil pesticide with Zhang San a while back—started using it at the end of July, so barely any stingers showed up in my greenhouse. A few days ago, I noticed borers, so I asked Zhang San for a special pesticide just for them.”

Hu Zifeng chimed in too. “We got the soil pesticide for Territory One as well, but since we haven’t started planting yet, we haven’t used it. Right now, there’s quite a few stingers and leaf miner larvae in the fields. Once we get this pest outbreak under control and start sowing wheat, we’ll definitely put it to use.”

This time, not just Qi Fu and the usual crew, but even Xin Yu—who almost never bothered with these lord-to-lord trades—spoke up. “Zhang San, can Territory Eight trade for your special soil pesticide and borer pesticide?”

Zhang San perked up instantly. “What are you offering in return?”

Xin Yu listed her goods. “Greenlight mint or greenlight rosemary—both have a trace element content below three-thousandths. Will that do?”

Zhang San agreed right away. After hashing out the details, he reminded her just the same: “See how the soil pesticide works after this round of spraying before you gauge how much you’ll need. The borer pesticide can be sprayed now. I’ll have Ji Li bring it over to you.”

Li Si jumped in quickly. “Territory Eight, are your greenlight mint and rosemary brought in, or did they grow in your territory?”

Xin Yu flat-out refused. “My stock of greenlight goods is limited. I’ve already traded what I needed for the pesticide, so no more trades right now.”

Everyone else…

Tang Huai clapped and laughed back at his own base. “Savage! Xin Yu’s even stingier than Xia Qing! I love it—this is hilarious!”

While gathering insects, Shi Du asked, “Is rosemary an herb or a vegetable?”

Xin Yu didn’t answer, and Tang Huai was too busy savoring the moment to bother. Instead, Kuang Qingwei’s wife, Zhu Li, explained to Shi Du: “Rosemary is a spice—used for making air fresheners and perfumes, and also as a seasoning for food.”

While calming down her teammates, Xia Qing started thinking about what supplies she could trade with Xin Yu for that evolved hawk she’d captured. Rosemary might be nice, but it was just a bonus flavoring she didn’t really need. Her top picks were still greenlight garlic and greenlight mint.

After three hours of that helicopter’s deafening blades, Xia Qing could actually see Old Goat relax his tensed muscles. Energized, he was already heading downstairs, ready to step outside.

Xia Qing quickly suited him up with a protective mask and a full body suit. “It’s awful out there. Be quick, in and out.”

After Old Goat took care of his business and hustled back in, Crippled Wolf went to the door too, making it clear he wanted outside. Xia Qing immediately grabbed the protective suit she’d gotten from Tang Huai. “Crippled, try this one on for size.”

Seeing Crippled Wolf didn’t object, Xia Qing dressed him up in the suit, even putting shoes on his paws.

As the saying goes, clothes make the man—well, suits make the wolf. With that bare patch on his back covered, Crippled Wolf suddenly looked imposing and sharp, as if he was born for this.

Xia Qing couldn’t resist snapping a few photos. Only after making sure there were no helicopter sounds within three kilometers did she hurry Crippled Wolf out to the wolf bathroom.

When she got back inside, Xia Qing suited up Er Gou too and led him out along the wall for a quick trip.

Once her teammates had gotten used to the sound of helicopters, Xia Qing no longer needed to guard them indoors. She adjusted the walkie-talkies inside the wolves’ masks, then gave them a serious warning. “I’m heading out to patrol our territory. Nobody goes outside, got it? If any humans spot you from those copters, you’re to retreat deep into the Evolved Forest—no exceptions. You can’t stay here in my territory if you’re seen.”

“Baa.” Old Goat was first to answer—he was timid, just as cautious as Xia Qing.

Fully geared up, Crippled Wolf responded next. “Woo.”

Because of the protective mask, Crippled Wolf’s reply wasn’t very loud, but Xia Qing heard him just fine and beamed. “Crippled, I’m leaving home to you. If you need me, just call out that loudly—I’ll hear you.”

“Woo.” Crippled Wolf answered again, this time in an especially good mood. Clearly, having a suit on made him happy—he twisted around, checking out his stylish back, even his eyes sparkled with joy.

Xia Qing geared up and set out to patrol. Maybe because the helicopter had drawn water from her territory, after spraying the cultivated fields, it started spraying even the untouched open ground.

By now, every part of her territory except two abandoned villages and the buffer forest had been sprayed with pesticides at least once. Everything was soaked.

Xia Qing closely observed the caterpillars. Around twenty percent were sprawled out on the ground, dead. Sixty percent curled up in little balls, not moving, but not dead yet. The last twenty percent were still eating the leaves, but much slower than before.

Xia Qing pressed the button and reported her findings.

Li Si replied, “If those curled-up caterpillars recover, this pest disaster still can’t be avoided. Best to spray a high concentration again as soon as possible.”

Zhao Ze asked, “We don’t have much pesticide left, probably not enough for a second spray. Zhang San, do you think those rolled-up bugs will die?”

Zhang San still sounded worn out. “We’ll have to test and see. Kuang Qingwei, should I send someone over to Territory Six to get samples?”

Territory Six’s reply came from Zhu Li—Kuang Qingwei was presumably still busy fighting bugs. “Of course, thanks for going to the trouble, Zhang San.”

On the lord channel, Xin Yu’s voice came through again. “Xia Qing, can we trade now?”

Xin Yu must be worried the hawk would die in Section Three. Xia Qing pressed the button. “Sure.”

Xin Yu asked again, “Captain Tan and the others are busy. Can I meet you at the Section Three signpost to trade?”

“Of course.” Xin Yu didn’t mention what she was offering, probably didn’t want everyone on the channel to know. Xia Qing didn’t press her, just agreed directly.

“Thanks. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”

Tang Huai, never one to miss the show, eagerly showed up at the Territory Two signpost, staring down the western path. As soon as he spotted Xin Yu’s silhouette, he waved enthusiastically. “Xin Yu, over here!”

Xia Qing, waiting behind the wild grass wall, paused to confirm Xin Yu wasn’t answering Tang Huai before stepping out to the signpost.

Xin Yu arrived wearing a protective suit, still carrying the same big machete she’d brought the last time she got lost in Section Three. Her protective mask, however, had changed—now it was a one-way mirrored kind.

In the Safe Zone, the only people who wore masks like that were those with severe facial or eye injuries—folks who didn’t want anyone to see them. For everyone else, those masks were a mark of visible scars. Normal people wouldn’t wear them; it just made eye contact impossible.

Last time Xia Qing saw Xin Yu, her eyes and the skin around them had been fine. Was she hurt, or did she just not want to see anyone and was using a getup as a disguise?

A helicopter thundered low overhead, whipping the wild grass wall with its rotor wash. The two women stood quietly until the helicopter finally landed in Section Three to refill its tank, and only then did they start discussing the trade.