Chapter 439: Unexpected Deals and Midnight Returns

Not everyone is as generous as Blue Star’s top-tier idol, selling premium seeds by the pound to their fans.

Green Lantern Seeds—especially high-stability third-generation and above—are always priced or traded by the seed, never by the handful.

Most people don’t want to sell Green Lantern Seeds in bulk. Flooding the market means the seeds become less valuable, and prices plummet as supply grows.

Take Xia Qing, for example. Her Green Lantern Eggs sell for a sky-high 750 credits each. Viable third-generation Green Lantern Soybeans go for 20 credits apiece, so last time Xia Qing had to trade ten Green Lantern Eggs just to get 350 Green Lantern Soybeans from Territory Nine.

These evolved soybeans are twice as big as they were before the cataclysm, but you still get about 1,200 seeds per pound. That means a single pound of soybean seeds costs a hefty sum—five pounds, even more.

The Idol didn’t just want five pounds of Green Lantern Soybean seeds, either. She also asked for several rare medicinal herbs. Since they’re rare, you can bet each plant goes for at least ten thousand credits. Bottom line—because Territory Nine sent two Water Rats to invade Section Three, they now owe Xia Qing at least 250,000 credits.

To put that into perspective, that’s the total cost for Xia Qing to build an iron mesh wall around her territory.

Truth be told, Xia Qing thought the Idol really drove a hard bargain. She worried that Territory Nine or the Blazing Fire Squad backing them might come looking for trouble over those 250,000 credits.

But Xia Qing didn’t hesitate to agree. “Of course, whatever you say. Once I harvest the Green Lantern Soybeans and whip up some tofu and other soy treats, I’ll send them over for you to try.”

Xia Qing really was a bit nervous, afraid of retaliation from the Blazing Fire Squad. But as a hardcore, deep-dive fan of Zhang San, she was even more terrified of upsetting her idol and getting blocked.

The Idol is always right.

And if the Idol ever happens to be wrong? Just go back to the line above.

Zhang San’s tone softened as he heard Xia Qing’s answer. “Alright, let’s settle it that way. Next time, I’ll have Ji Li bring over some pesticide for you. Sprinkle it on the wild grass wall every now and then—it keeps the little crawling critters from sneaking in.”

Following the Idol always pays off! Xia Qing suddenly felt her aches fade. “Thank you, Third Brother. I’m sorry for bothering you so late. I couldn’t make it tonight, but tomorrow I’ll bring you three pounds of hickory nuts.”

Zhang San, in even better spirits, gave more advice. “Don’t let anyone from Territory Nine take soil samples from your land. The old spinach patch has high Evolution Element content—really good quality. If they find out, they’ll dig up the whole layer and cart it away.”

With a yawn Zhang San added, “It was my fault last winter when I set the soil sample density wrong and missed that spot. If I’d known, I would’ve picked Section Three myself.”

Relieved, Xia Qing asked sincerely, “Do you need that spinach soil, Third Brother? I can dig it up and bring it over to you tomorrow.”

Zhang San chuckled. “No need—you keep growing spinach and soybeans. We can synthesize high Evolution Element soil in the lab.”

With her idol in a good mood, Xia Qing jumped in with another question she cared about. “Third Brother, are there many patches of high Evolution Element soil in our territories? I can’t be the only one with a plot like that, right?”

“Of course not. Section Four’s Greenlight Alfalfa plot is the same, and other territories have some too—they’re just different sizes.” Zhang San yawned again. “I’m off to sleep. Anything else, we’ll handle tomorrow.”

After hanging up and seeing off the visitors from Section Seven, Xia Qing was almost too exhausted to move. She switched on the camera mic in her courtyard and called out for backup. “Old Goat, Old Goat, I’m beat—can you come pick me up? Old Goat…”

By her third shout, the Alpha showed up with Old Goat right on his heels. Old Goat had slept for over two hours and looked full of energy.

“Queen’s here too? I couldn’t have caught the intruders without you tonight—thank you, Your Majesty. You’re the mightiest evolved wolf on Blue Star, the true ruler of your kin…” Xia Qing yanked off her protective mask and clambered onto Old Goat’s back. Hugging its neck, she buried her face between its massive spiral horns, but before she could finish her flattery, she was out cold.

Old Goat, uncomfortable in night vision goggles, shook his head before heading home with Xia Qing riding on his back. The Alpha picked up her dropped protective mask and trailed behind, occasionally glancing back at Hu Zifeng’s Squad with a warning glare.

That look couldn’t have been more intense.

Da Jiang watched the scene and murmured into the walkie-talkie, “Boss, what’s with that stare? Does he think we’ll try something with Sister Qing?”

Hu Zifeng shook his head. “I can’t figure it out. You’ll have to ask Xia Qing.”

Chen Zheng snorted, “Maybe I don’t get wolf stares, but I’m pretty sure there’s something wrong with yours. Does that look give off the slightest hint of fear to you?”

Da Jiang was left speechless.

The Alpha nudged open the door, and Old Goat carried Xia Qing inside. In the first-floor living room, Old Goat stared up the stairs for a few seconds, then trotted over and plopped Xia Qing down on its own tatami bed.

Half asleep, Xia Qing cracked open her eyes, realizing she was home at last, slumped fast asleep on Old Goat’s specially-made ergonomic straw pillow.

The Alpha and Old Goat took turns washing their paws and hooves in the basin by the door, then wiped off on the straw before heading to the tatami. There, alongside Crippled Wolf, they all studied the mess that was Xia Qing’s shoes. Lame Wolf and his sister, plus Black Wolf, were asleep in the sheep shed and missed out on Xia Qing’s pitiful state.

Xia Qing always changed into indoor shoes after coming in, but today, she crashed without even taking them off.

The Alpha stared at her for a few seconds, then hopped onto the tatami and curled up by her side. Old Goat glared at the little brother hogging its pillow for a few moments longer before squeezing up next to Xia Qing and settling in.

Crippled Wolf had been last in line for a bath tonight, so its recovery was the slowest. Still tired, it seemed more interested in Xia Qing’s shoes than sleep.

Shoes weren’t a mystery to Crippled Wolf—it had four of its own, after all—but Xia Qing’s shoes were obviously different from the ones it wore.

Crippled Wolf perched at Xia Qing’s feet, staring at her shoes for several minutes, deep in thought. Finally, it reached out a paw.

The Alpha opened his glittering golden eyes and gave it a look, then went right back to sleep.

That night, Xia Qing slept deeply—so deeply, she still felt exhausted when she woke, dreaming of her tough first two months in the Construction Team.

Hauling hundreds of pounds of building materials, she’d gotten by on sheer willpower. Each step up the city wall, she heard her parents’ voices urging her to survive, and her own harsh, ragged breaths.

Right as she thought she’d collapse, Xia Qing woke up. Blinking a few times, she remembered she’d made it through those hardest days and now had her own territory, her own house, a warm, comfy bed.

Except, this time, she wasn’t in her bed—she was on Old Goat’s tatami.

Turning her head, Xia Qing found Old Goat’s massive head weighing down on her shoulder, its spiral horns digging in and making her ache. No wonder she dreamed of crushing weights.

Looking up, Xia Qing saw the Alpha curled beside her—and Crippled Wolf…was sleeping right across her feet?!

What on earth? There’s plenty of space—why pick her feet? Didn’t care if it poked its belly, but didn’t mind the stink?