Chapter 360: A Deal Struck and New Walls Rising

“Xin Yu, is this a good time to talk?” The moment Yang Jin left the territory, Xia Qing called Xin Yu.

“Yes, go ahead.” Xin Yu’s voice was so calm it was impossible to read her emotions.

Xin Yu had never been one for pointless small talk, so Xia Qing got right to it. “The equipment for building your compost starter plant—did you ship it out from Hui Two Base?”

“Yes.”

“Has your shipment already left? I’m looking to buy wire mesh from Hui Two Base to fence in the territory. If your shipment isn’t gone yet, maybe we could send ours together and cut down on transport costs.” This would save money for both Xia Qing and Xin Yu.

The direct distance from Hui Two Base to Hui Three Base was over nine hundred li, but after Blue Star’s biological evolution, the terrain between them had changed dramatically. Mountain ranges and rivers looked nothing like before, and the old roads and bridges built before the great disaster were now destroyed.

To transport large goods like farm equipment or huge batches of building materials, aerial transport was used. For smaller batches, the bases relied on trade caravans or combat teams with pack animals.

Xia Qing’s supplies weren’t fragile or high-value. Overall, the cost was low, so ground transport was usually chosen. It was cheap but slow. She couldn’t afford to charter an entire cargo plane—so she was hoping to chip in and put her goods on Xin Yu’s shipment.

Xia Qing was even willing to pay an extra ten thousand just for faster delivery, because the refugees would be arriving soon. She couldn’t wait for ground transport.

Xin Yu responded without hesitation. “My shipment’s being loaded right now. If you’re buying wire mesh from Zhonglian Machinery, you can still make it.”

Perfect timing! Xia Qing lit up with excitement and immediately rattled off the wire mesh size and quantity she needed. “Can it all fit?”

“This round’s on a small transport plane. We’ll need to add another one.” Xin Yu quoted right away. “Wire mesh and all supporting materials, including delivery and installation, it’ll be 250,000. If you want anti-climb anti-theft barbs, add another 20,000.”

“Add the barbs.” With those barbs, humans and large animals alike would be kept out, and Xia Qing had enough credits to spare. “Total 270,000. Should I come transfer the credits to you now?”

Xin Yu was pleased with how decisive Xia Qing was and asked, “What’s the Yi Element and Devastation Element content of your Green Lantern Eggs?”

Asking for not just Green Lantern Eggs, but the precise element content made it clear—Xin Yu needed quality eggs, not just any eggs. The eggs from Xia Qing’s Green Lantern Chickens, raised on pure spring water, were even higher in amino acids and taurine than those from the Idol’s territory—true premium eggs.

That’s why she never bartered her own eggs directly with other territories; she traded them one-for-one for eggs from Zhang San’s chickens, and only then used those for exchanges elsewhere.

But Xin Yu had asked too late. “About 0.02% Yi Element, and 0.4% Devastation Element. I just swapped my eggs for Green Lantern Soybeans from Territory Nine, and traded 30 eggs for protective suits from other territories. I won’t have any more eggs before the New Year.”

Hearing Xia Qing had no eggs to trade, Xin Yu agreed to take pure credits for payment, but added a small request. “Can you take lots of photos of the swallows’ nests around your territory for me to see?”

Naturally, that wasn’t a problem.

After hanging up, Xia Qing grabbed a ladder and started snapping away at the neat row of swallow nests on her wall. A few little swallows resting inside darted out to the eaves and chattered angrily at her.

Once done, Xia Qing gave Old Goat some quick instructions, exchanged a word with Hu Zifeng, then went to arrange the payment.

In a little hut by the signpost at Territory Eight, Xin Yu examined Xia Qing’s nest photos closely. “Do these two swallows always poop by the edge of their nests?”

“Only the ones in those two nests stand on the edge to poop. The other swallows don’t.”

Xia Qing had just recently realized that even swallows had wildly different habits. Some were neat and hardworking, always keeping their nests spotless. Others were messy and lazy—they wouldn’t even bother flying out to relieve themselves, so the outside of their nests were streaked with droppings. If these little swallows weren’t so good at catching bugs and chasing off other birds, Xia Qing would’ve chased the dirty ones away ages ago.

But Xin Yu didn’t seem disgusted. She patiently asked, “Do the droppings under nests attract certain bugs? Does the area need constant cleaning or disinfecting?”

“Swallows catch insects, so you won’t get flying bugs near their nests, but bacteria for sure.” Xia Qing scrolled down to send Xin Yu a picture of the wooden board she hung under the nests. “Hang a board like this, then just bring them to the river every evening for a scrub and let them dry. Problem solved.”

“So, just drill directly and use anchor bolts?”

……

After fielding a barrage of nesting and chicken care questions—and transferring the credits—Xia Qing headed back. She climbed onto the roof to watch the cornfields with Er Gou, sighing, “Xin Yu really loves birds. Even chickens count for her. She actually worries the swallows will snub her villa’s smooth walls and not build their nests there, so she’s thinking about building a brick wall just for them…”

The Alpha wolf napped with eyes closed up on the roof while Old Goat was in the sheep shed playing headbutts with Crippled Wolf’s little sister. Only Er Gou looked over at Xia Qing with those clear eyes, humoring her.

“We’re finally getting a wall around the territory. Over three meters high too. We’ll be so much safer now.” Xia Qing stroked gentle Er Gou and let her happiness bubble over. After a break, she asked Alpha and Er Gou to keep an eye on the corn from the roof, then headed downstairs to drag out the sheep-powered waterwheel, calling over her friend who was still headbutting with the two-legged Crippled Wolf’s sister.

“Old Goat, let’s ride the waterwheel first. You can play headbutts again later.”

“Baa.”

Old Goat, who loved the waterwheel more than anything, followed along without missing a beat. The Alpha wolf glanced down at the commotion, shifted his head the other way, and kept dozing.

As soon as the humans left, the birds in the sky and those on watch all around burst into a noisy chorus.

Annoyed, Alpha opened his eyes, flashed his teeth, and growled low. Instantly, not only did the restless birds freeze, but even Red Squirrel behind the rocks gave up.

The reservoir had been purged with a blast of lightning, but Xia Qing wasn’t about to let her guard down. As always, she set up the anti-fish netting first, then got the waterwheel in place.

She didn’t even have to call out—Old Goat leapt onto the waterwheel and started churning away, proud as could be, giving Xia Qing a satisfied squint.

Giving Old Goat a daily dose of praise had become second nature to Xia Qing. The words spilled out without a second thought: “Old Goat, you look amazing! No matter how many animals or people live in our territory, you’ll always be the most capable. You’re my pride, the pride of Section Three, the pride of Hui Three Base, the pride of Huaguo, even the pride of Blue Star…”

Old Goat, fully satisfied, stomped on the waterwheel so hard water streamed down the channels toward the fields.

With her shovel over her shoulder, Xia Qing followed the channel out to clear weeds. The weather had been good lately—today she’d water the crops, and in a few days, work the soil and sow seeds.

She hoped the territory management department would come through and deliver the rapeseed before she had to till the land.

She hadn’t even finished watering one Greenhouse before Tan Junjie’s voice sounded in the lords’ channel. “Attention, all lords. The refugee resettlement policy is official. I’ll read it now. Please confirm if you’re online.”