Chapter 375: Secrets and Shadows in Territory Three

After finishing the shooting lesson, Luo Pei handed Xia Qing a box of training rounds from his bag. “Take these, use them as you need. When you run out, just ask Ajin for more.”

“Thanks, Luo.” Xia Qing accepted the heavy box, already scheming how to bypass that stingy guy and trade directly with Luo for more practice ammo. Before she could say anything, Luo announced he was heading out.

“I’ve got a mission. I head out this afternoon. If you run into problems during training, you can reach out to me. Or you could ask Ajin or Zifeng.”

Surviving during the years of catastrophe wasn’t easy. Luo Pei, as the squad leader, could hardly lie low in the territory just waiting for wheat to sprout now that he’d recovered.

If he left, who would deal with the refugees in Territory Two? The Azure Dragon Squad would have a plan for that no doubt. Luo was a top-tier sniper, his specialty was long-range kills. But when it came to mind games and strategy, that was the domain of those with brain evolution abilities.

The Azure Dragon Squad didn’t lack for smart strategists either. Two out of their three leaders had evolved brains.

“Luo, do you want to take a jar of my pickled yardlong beans for the road? They’re a bit salty but the flavor’s pretty good. Perfect with rice.” Xia Qing offered.

Besides the beans, Xia Qing also decided to send Luo off with ten pounds of Green Lantern pecans. Ever since her eyesight had downgraded to level nine after the detox incident, she figured some brain-boosting, neuro-repairing nuts couldn’t hurt.

“Sounds good.” Luo Pei reminded her, “I’ve already spoken to Tan Junjie. He won’t interfere with the Wolf Pack’s coming and going between Section Three and Hill Forty-Nine. But you need to keep them under control. Don’t let them get into fights with anyone in the territory, especially not the refugees.”

“The Pack only operates around Hill Forty-Nine’s Section Three and inside my territory. They won’t stray anywhere else. As long as nobody invades those areas, there won’t be any trouble.” Xia Qing took the opportunity to ask, “Did you and Captain Tan set a start date? When does the Inspection Team begin its regular patrols of the Northern Barrier?”

Luo Pei gave her the latest update. “Most of the Inspection Team’s attention will be on Territory Two and Territory Nine. They’ll start patrolling after the Qiangxue event.”

That means December, Xia Qing thought, nodding.

Luo went on, “Tang Zhengbo wants his two sons to get practice using Territory Two refugees. Fire Phoenix will be coming to Territory Nine soon, so things are going to get lively this winter. Try not to cross paths with Fire Phoenix, and whatever you do, don’t let anyone she brings step foot in your territory.”

There’s a pure spring on Fire Mountain, so the Blazing Fire Squad knows those waters well. If they come into Section Three, there’s a real chance they’ll discover the spring in your area.

Xia Qing nodded solemnly and lowered her voice. “Luo, can you tell me what Fire Phoenix’s evolved power actually is?”

Luo didn’t hesitate. “That’s not really a secret. She’s evolved for recovery. Her body can rapidly return to normal after being disturbed or injured.”

Xia Qing had heard of that kind of ability before, but never met someone with it. Recovery was a passive power, not especially strong in combat.

So how did Fire Phoenix manage to become captain of the Blazing Fire Squad? How was it that everyone there seemed a little afraid of her?

“Why does she dye herself head to toe that fiery red?” Xia Qing asked.

Not many wanted to revisit that past, but Luo summed it up simply. “After Deng Yufeng’s evolved power was exposed, she caught the attention of a group of lunatics. Their research found her blood was packed with high levels of the Yi element and was incredibly active, explaining her rapid healing. Those people ran all sorts of cruel experiments on her, drawing her blood to make healing serums and antidotes.”

“To escape them, Deng Yufeng injected herself with a synthetic Qiang toxin. Her recovery power could resist the toxic effects, but not eliminate them, so her blood lost its medical and research value.”

“The combination of Qiang and Yi elements, along with the toxins, changed the color of her blood, making her veins violently visible all over. After she broke free, she used a drug to dye her skin a different color.”

So Deng Yufeng’s skin wasn’t dyed—it was drug-induced. Xia Qing pressed on, “Are those lunatics dead now?”

Luo let out a small sigh. “Most are dead, but there are always more maniacs out there. Until you have enough power and status, never risk revealing your real evolved abilities to outsiders.”

Xia Qing nodded, then asked, “If someone contacts Fire Phoenix’s blood, will that synthetic Qiang toxin poison them too?”

“She injects herself with toxin regularly. Think of her as a walking biohazard. Contact with her blood is poisonous.” Luo warned her again, “Do your best to avoid her. That ordeal changed her; she’s half a step from losing it entirely.”

Xia Qing nodded and parted ways with Luo. Her steps felt a little heavier.

Over the years, scraping by at the bottom, Xia Qing had picked up a few hidden truths with the help of her extraordinary hearing.

Year six of the disaster, Hui One Base’s leadership—director, deputy, head of research—were all replaced. Management changed hands because Hui One’s researchers committed unspeakable acts in secret, killing and torturing many victims.

The lunatics Luo mentioned? Almost certainly those fired researchers from Hui One. Fire Phoenix was a victim. Now, the victim was close to becoming a villain herself.

That must be why, when Territory Nine announced plans to accept refugees, Zhang San was so adamant in his opposition.

Fire Phoenix’s visit this time was likely aimed at Zhang San. But with Ji Li and others protecting him, as long as he stayed in Territory Seven, there was nothing she could do.

All Xia Qing could do was keep her own secrets buried and cling to survival.

Luo said that when she finally had enough strength and status, she could reveal to the world she was an advanced three-path evolver.

But Xia Qing had no intention of going public. She didn’t have lofty ambitions—she just wanted to live the rest of these disaster years as comfortably as possible.

Of course, the day her power was enough, she’d take her shot at Tang Zhengsu. He had to die for her father’s sake and, as a side benefit, Hui Three would be rid of a menace.

“Beep.”

The camera at Section Three’s northern gate scanned and recognized Xia Qing, spinning the iron gate open. After she stepped through, it sent an update to the control client:

Lord Xia Qing of Section Three entered through the northern gate at 11:28 am on November 10.

Hearing the iron gate clang shut and then seeing the notification pop up on her phone, Xia Qing felt a weight lift off her shoulders.

Her focus was squarely within her own domain now. She only cared whether the spinach seeds on the terraces were ripe and if the wheat and spinach she’d planted had sprouted.

She made her way up the terraces to check the spinach. Seeing the seeds weren’t ready yet, she picked a few green onions and strolled over to the wheat field.

Beneath the earth, seeds were fighting to grow. Xia Qing didn’t dig around to peek, just cleared away some weeds near the border before slinging her veggie basket and heading home.

Today, the Green Lantern hen laid four eggs. For lunch, Xia Qing planned on tomato and egg noodles.

The eggs were freshly collected Green Lantern eggs, the tomatoes carefully preserved in her underground veggie cellar. The noodles were hand-pulled, mixed from wheat and mung bean flour. The oil came from home-pressed sunflower seeds.

She stir-fried up a tomato and egg sauce, tossed chopped green onions on top, and poured it all over the steaming handmade noodles. The bowl looked, smelled, and tasted just right—her perfect tomato-egg noodle lunch.