Chapter 348: The Strength of Trust

The first time Xia Qing laid eyes on Huo Zhun, a famous saying popped into her mind—like father, like son.

Genes really are something else. Except for having fewer wrinkles than his dad, Huo Zhun had the same square face, puffy eyes and broad build—cut from the same cloth.

So the moment Huo Zhun took off his protective mask, Xia Qing followed suit without anyone needing to give a passcode. She greeted him, “Brother Huo, I’m Xia Qing. Thanks for making this trip.”

“No trouble at all.” It was Xia Qing’s first time meeting Huo Zhun, but Huo Zhun had already seen her several times on the Territory Seven surveillance cameras. Every time he noticed the black knife Xia Qing wore, he’d grumble about his dad always siding with outsiders.

Watching Huo Zhun take the bag filled with hickory nuts and python skin, grinning as he lifted it with ease, Xia Qing realized she’d been wrong about one thing. She’d also missed something important:

There was one way Huo Zhun wasn’t like his dad—he liked to smile. The laugh lines at the corners of his eyes were even deeper than his father’s.

But he did share something with his old man—Huo Zhun was also a Strength-Based Evolutionary. Even the way he picked up the bag matched Xia Qing’s movements.

Uncle Huo wanted two sets of python skin gear; one of them was clearly for Huo Zhun.

Huo Zhun exchanged phone numbers with Xia Qing, then said, “I’ll send you a form in a bit. Fill in the measurements as asked and send the data to my dad. He’ll prep the gear fittings based on your size. Accuracy’s key—if the measurements are off, the armor won’t give you the best protection.”

After getting the form, Xia Qing found that some of the measurements needed a second pair of hands. So, she set off for Territory Five to ask her ally Yuan Yan for help.

While she was at it, Xia Qing also planned to ask the Strength-Based Evolutionaries Qi Fu and Yuan Yan if they needed to trade for protective gear.

The moment Yuan Yan heard there were measurements to be taken, she eagerly agreed.

Inside, Xia Qing stripped off her protective suit, keeping only her quick-dry shirt and pants and let Yuan Yan help her measure her body’s stats during exertion.

When Xia Qing made a fist, her biceps flexing, Yuan Yan was spellbound. After measuring Xia Qing’s shoulders, fists, forearms, waist, thighs and calves—the exact dimensions during a power move—Yuan Yan looked more impressed than ever.

Strength doesn’t always line up with muscle size. Xia Qing was a high-ranking Strength Evolver, but at rest her body showed none of those exaggerated bulging muscles. Even when flexed, her muscles weren’t as massive as Qi Fu’s, but they were tight and clearly defined, brimming with raw power. It was beautiful and full of security—no wonder she could haul four or five hundred pounds of supplies through the Evolved Forest.

Yuan Yan was more than a little envious of Xia Qing’s physique. If they were closer, she’d probably reach out just to feel those muscles for herself.

And there was something else too—Xia Qing was constantly on missions in the Evolved Forest, but she had almost no visible scars.

What did that mean? It meant Xia Qing was seriously strong.

Yuan Yan quietly boosted her own resolve. She wanted to become strong—just like Xia Qing.

Once measurements were done, Xia Qing thanked Yuan Yan on the spot and put her protective suit back on.

Over the years, Xia Qing had gotten used to keeping others at arm’s length. Even though she knew Yuan Yan wouldn’t hurt her, being in such close quarters left her a little tense.

But it wasn’t just Xia Qing—most people were like this now.

Disasters, constant shortages and the collapse of order had dropped trust between people to a historic low, forcing distance into every relationship.

Staying out of anyone’s attack range had become second nature for nearly everyone.

Once she was suited up again, Xia Qing asked, “Sis, I managed to score some Hardness Evolution python skin. Do you and Qi need a set of gear each? No rush on the credits—just settle up after next summer’s harvest.”

Protective gear made for Strength Evolutionaries could shield vital muscles and bones when exerting force, cutting down injuries from overuse. Who’d say no to that?

Yuan Yan said yes on the spot, sincerely thanking Xia Qing.

Xia Qing sent the form to Qi Fu, telling the couple to help each other with measurements and send them back. She’d forward everything to Uncle Huo to make the gear tailored to them.

Uncle Huo must have been waiting by his phone—right after Xia Qing sent the numbers, he replied: What do you want to do with the leftover python skin?

Xia Qing replied: Use the size from Data 1 for all of it—make gloves and shoulder guards.

From experience, those two pieces wore out the fastest.

With that sorted, Xia Qing went back to making protective covers for the Green Light Spinach.

The Green Light Spinach seeds were about to ripen. She had to cover them up with iron shields—otherwise, when the seeds burst, they’d blow apart not just the greenhouse frame and rain cover but scatter themselves everywhere. Collecting those seeds would be a massive time sink.

These weren’t ordinary Green Lantern vegetable seeds—they were high-elevation spinach seeds, each worth 100 credits. Every single seed had to be gathered.

She was halfway through fixing a cover when her phone rang—Zhang San was calling.

His tone was lazy as usual, but Xia Qing could tell he was in a good mood. “Xia Qing, I know how to treat the python skin you brought me—I can soak it in a special pesticide that’ll improve its toughness, resistance to corrosion, and breathability. Your gear will feel a lot more comfortable.”

Zhang San never called just to hand out perks. Xia Qing got right to the point. “Thanks, Third Brother. How much hickory do you need in exchange for the pesticide?”

Zhang San happily named his price. “Twenty kilos.”

Everything Zhang San made was top-notch, and the price was always premium. But with over seven hundred kilos of hickory on hand, Xia Qing accepted. “Deal.”

Once he’d secured his tasty hickory nuts, foodie Zhang San started sharing tips. “The hickory you picked has thin shells and thick flesh—tastes good, though still a little astringent. If you’re not saving any for planting, soak them in clean or lightly salted water and rinse daily. After three days, dry them out. That’ll get rid of the bitter taste.”

Xia Qing immediately jotted that down. “Third Brother, can these hickory nuts be pressed for oil? They look pretty rich in fat.”

“Sure, but eating them straight gives you the most nutrition. Walnuts and hickories are great for brain health, but don’t eat more than four a day.” After answering Xia Qing’s question, Zhang San asked, “Most of the Green Lantern evolved hickory trees we’ve seen are aggressive. The tree you found—what kind of attack does it have?”

When Xia Qing didn’t respond right away, Zhang San clarified, “Is it physical attacks, poison gas, or maybe a symbiotic relationship with animals or plants? If it’s one of the last two, I’d love to collect samples for research.”

Xia Qing answered honestly. “Third Brother, I’m not sure. The tree trunk was broken when I found it, and the crown had dropped to the ground. That area’s a battleground for wolves, bears, and snakes—I saw plenty of animal corpses, but I didn’t notice any symbiotic insects with the tree or poisonous gas in the air. Still, I can’t say whether the gas had dissipated, or it just didn’t release any.”

“I see…”

Zhang San let out a lazy yawn. “You’ve got pretty good luck.”

Xia Qing replied sincerely, “Third Brother, nobody’s made it to year ten of the apocalypse without escaping death a few times.”

“The unlucky ones didn’t last this long.”