Chapter 438: The Water Rat Investigation

“Alright.” Xia Qing hung up the phone and told Xiao Jiang to wait at the northern gate. She was running low on energy, so if she went herself to open the north sluice gate, the people from Territory Seven would be standing around outside for ages.

“Xia Qing, are you feeling alright?”

Hu Zifeng had just gotten the message while resting. After getting up and stepping outside, he saw Xia Qing hunched over, nothing like her usual upright self. Worry creased his brow. Did she overdo it with the snake meat?

Every pore on Xia Qing’s body felt like it was being stabbed with needles, but she forced herself to stand straight. The only thing keeping her going was the energy from the premium nutrient shake and sheer willpower. “A little. I can manage.”

Since she said she could handle it, Hu Zifeng didn’t press further.

Soon, Yan Long, Ji Li and a researcher in a spotless white protective suit arrived in a hurry. The only reason they showed up so quickly was that Ji Li had carried the researcher on his back the whole way.

Ji Li set the man down and introduced him to Xia Qing and Hu Zifeng. “This is Zhang Song, a researcher from Territory Seven.”

Still dizzy and nauseous from the bumpy ride, Zhang Song clung to Ji Li’s arm for a while before finally greeting Xia Qing. “Miss Xia, Third Brother sent me to check the two captured tamed beasts.”

Zhang Song?

So his surname was Song, but he tacked a Zhang in front too? That alias really screamed Territory Seven laziness—just like Zhang San and Zhang He’s half-hearted names.

Yan Long also explained why she was here. “Take me to see the breach in the iron mesh wall. The Lord ordered me to trace the source of the tamed beasts.”

Xia Qing told Er Yong to lead Yan Long, the Scent Evolution specialist, to search for whoever had broken through the mesh. Then she asked Xiao Jiang to bring out the two water rats and the gear they’d been carrying, laying them on the small table in the farmhouse meeting room by the fields.

“We found the water rats in the reservoir. They weren’t moving fast, didn’t look like they were hunting. Here’s the device and black tube from one of them—the other’s gear got wrecked. Brother Song, can you tell what this is?”

“Sure.”

Zhang Song switched on the camera attached to his protective mask, letting Zhang San see everything at the scene.

Opening his medical kit, Zhang Song pulled out an injection and, after sedating the still-living water rat, reported as he worked: “The teeth and overall build match the water shrew species’ insectivore traits. Body lengths: 22.5 and 27 centimeters. Judging by their size, they’re at least mid-level evolved types. Each has an embedded weak-current controller—you can see the port here.”

Xia Qing leaned in for a closer look. Only then did she spot tiny red needle marks on both sides of the surviving water rat’s neck.

A weak-current controller is a device for steering animals with electric shocks, making them obey human commands. Xia Qing had only ever seen the collar version before—this was her first look at the embedded style.

Stabbing electrified contacts directly into a creature? That was cruelty, plain and simple.

“Current is 0.8A.” Zhang Song finished his tests and started examining the two black tubes. “These are water sampling tubes, remote controlled.”

Once done with the inspection, Zhang San’s weary voice came over. “Xia Qing, did you ever keep large aquatic creatures in the reservoir?”

Xia Qing instantly replied, “No. After lightning cleared the reservoir out, I haven’t seen any big fish since.”

Even that evolved leech that used to leap out and attack her when she fetched water hadn’t been around in ages.

Zhang San gave an order to his assistant. “Xiao Song, use the underwater robot to check if anything was installed or dumped in the reservoir.”

“Got it.” Zhang Song grabbed an underwater robot from the backpack Ji Li had lugged over. He hooked a cord through the ring on top and lowered it into the water.

It was Xia Qing’s first time seeing a machine like this. Despite being called a robot, it was really just a rectangular box about half a meter long, with two skids underneath.

Zhang Song walked to the water’s edge, set the device in and began the scan.

Chen Cheng reported over the walkie-talkie: “Sister Qing, Sister Yan has found that the person who broke through the mesh wall was from Territory Nine. They snuck in from the southern thorn wall into Territory Four, but have already left.”

“Understood.” Xia Qing quickly passed the situation on to Idol.

Zhang San gave a brief grunt, clearly focused on the footage coming from Zhang Song’s camera and the underwater robot, with no attention to spare for anything else.

Xia Qing, fighting through the pain, crouched at the side and watched carefully. Noticing how miserable she looked, Hu Zifeng fetched a chunk of wood for her to sit on.

Nearly an hour ticked by before the scans finished. Once they confirmed the water rats hadn’t dumped anything in the reservoir, Zhang San discussed their findings with Xia Qing. “Judging from those black tubes, I’d guess Territory Nine wanted water samples from Section Three’s reservoir to test the water quality.”

Knowing her own territory had an uncontaminated spring, Xia Qing felt a chill. “Third Brother, what do you suggest we do?”

Zhang San didn’t take any chances. “Last December, I checked water quality along every part of this river—nothing abnormal. If you’re willing, I’ll have Xiao Song activate the water quality sensors on the robot and test again.”

Xia Qing didn’t hesitate a second. “Please do, Brother Song.”

Ever since getting the Evolution Element Detector, Xia Qing had checked water samples from every part and depth of the reservoir, especially near the lower slope where crops grew, and had never found a single anomaly.

That meant the uncontaminated springwater from the Northern Buffer Forest seeped farther underground after passing under the crop fields, never making it into the reservoir.

So, scanning the water here wouldn’t reveal her secret about the spring in her territory.

The underwater robot paused at various locations and depths to collect samples. The results streamed live onto Zhang Song’s laptop, the figures updating in real time.

The whole process was dead boring and nearly hypnotic. Xia Qing had to pinch her thigh hard a few times to keep herself from dozing right off.

Half an hour later, Zhang Song gave his report to Zhang San. “The pH, turbidity, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, and concentrations of both primary and secondary evolution elements in Section Three’s river and reservoir samples are nearly identical to those from Territory Seven. No significant differences.”

“Good. Retrieve the robot and save all footage and findings.” Once Zhang San gave the order, he spoke to Xia Qing again. “Dan Ying’s stubborn as ever, and your territory’s too short-handed to pull off twenty-four-seven surveillance. I’ll send her this full report and video, clear up her suspicions, and she’ll stop bothering you day in and day out.”

It stung a bit to be put in this position, but with the other side being stronger, Xia Qing had no choice but to play along. “Thanks for handling it, Third Brother.”

Suppressing a yawn, Zhang San continued, “Dealing with the Blazing Fire Squad is trouble—blowing this up won’t get you much, and any punishment from the management department won’t even faze them. Best if the Inspection Team stays out of this and you just make the squad pay for your losses. Sound good?”

With no leverage of her own, Xia Qing could only grit her teeth and accept Idol’s plan. “You’re right, Third Brother. Compensation is most practical. I’d like a pound of Green Lantern soybeans. Would that work?”

Zhang San snorted. “One pound doesn’t even cover equipment costs. Five pounds—three for you, two for me, and I’ll snag a few rare herbs while we’re at it.”