Chapter 449: Negotiations at the South Gate

Just when Xia Qing thought people from the Blazing Fire and Su Feng squads were finally leaving and she could happily get back to farming and training, Dan Ying suddenly called her in the Lords’ channel.

“Section Three Lord, Xia Qing? Are you there?”

What could she possibly want with me? Xia Qing, currently digging a frost trench with her rotary tiller, pressed the button. “I’m here.”

Dan Ying sounded especially polite. “I’m Dan Ying from the Blazing Fire Squad. I have something to discuss. Is it convenient if I come to your territory now?”

Acts of sudden kindness when there’s no reason usually mean trouble. Xia Qing stayed calm. “If you have something to say, just go ahead. I’m in the middle of digging a trench and don’t really have time to entertain guests.”

But Dan Ying wouldn’t discuss it in the Lords’ channel. She simply set the meeting time and place. “This matter isn’t suitable for public discussion. Let’s meet at the south gate of Section Three in twenty minutes. I’ll only need ten minutes of your time.”

In just a few words, Dan Ying’s superior attitude came through loud and clear.

Inspection Team Leader Tan Junjie came online. “In one hour, a helicopter will enter the territory from the south and land inside Territory Nine. Territory Nine, make sure you’re ready to receive it.”

“Territory Nine, please confirm receipt.”

Assistant Xiao Liu from Territory Nine responded. “Confirmed, we’re ready to receive the helicopter.”

Hu Zifeng spoke up in the Lords’ channel. “Xia Qing, did you get enough fertilizer for your greenhouse? I managed to get two more bags of earthworm castings. Want me to bring them over?”

When it came to outsiders, Hu Zifeng always played up the idea that he was pursuing Xia Qing. This time, by offering to deliver fertilizer, he was clearly making sure Dan Ying didn’t get a chance to meet Xia Qing alone.

Right before Dan Ying’s suggested meeting time, the security feed at the south gate sent Xia Qing an alert. She checked her phone and saw a tall, slender woman in camouflage, flanked by two subordinates, waiting outside the south gate of Section Three.

Oddly enough, Dan Ying wasn’t wearing the fully sealed, white protective suit reserved for researchers. That meant she either knew how to fight or had decent self-defense skills.

Xia Qing stopped the rotary tiller and told Old Goat and Er Gou, who were riding on either side, to wait. She was going to meet Blazing Fire’s deputy leader—someone who’d spent over a year in prison after the disasters.

To prevent people from peering through the iron mesh wall into her territory, all the trails near the territory signposts and through the wild grass walls were either shaped like greater-than or less-than signs.

In Xia Qing’s territory, the path curved like a less-than sign. After turning the corner, she saw Dan Ying and her two subordinates on one side of the heavy iron gate, with Hu Zifeng’s squad of five on the other.

The Inspection Team’s patrol car was parked in the passage. Su Ming, Cao Xianyun, Tiger, and others stood by the car, guns at the ready. Tan Junjie stood between Dan Ying and Hu Zifeng, clearly there to keep the peace.

The Inspection Team had just upgraded their gear—light submachine guns and third-grade field combat suits. That had been one of Yang Jin’s bargaining chips when he traded spinach seeds with the Safe Zone’s commander.

Didn’t expect the new gear to arrive so fast. The base commander really was reliable.

Hu Zifeng waved in greeting. “Xia Qing.”

Xia Qing caught Dan Ying’s lofty, scrutinizing gaze and waved at Hu Zifeng before calling out to Tan Junjie. “Captain Tan, are you here for something?”

Tan Junjie replied, all business. “Routine inspection.”

Xia Qing nodded, pulled out her key, and unlocked the iron gate. Hu Zifeng carried in the two bags of earthworm castings and stood beside her, facing Dan Ying together.

Dan Ying gave Xia Qing a slight nod. “Miss Xia, shall we talk inside?”

Xia Qing refused right away. “Sorry, we’re not that close. I can’t let you and your people into my territory. If you have something to say, just say it.”

Dan Ying glanced at Tan Junjie, hinting at something. “If Miss Xia doesn’t mind, then neither do I.”

Xia Qing nodded, her face unreadable.

Dan Ying wasted no time. “I want to buy that evolved female wolf from your territory. Name your price.”

Hu Zifeng shot Xia Qing a sharp look. She didn’t show any emotion. “Not for sale.”

“Twenty thousand credits,” Dan Ying said, as if Xia Qing hadn’t declined. It was a price she clearly thought Xia Qing couldn’t refuse.

Twenty thousand? Please. That’s barely more than what her idol sold just one newly weaned mutant kitten for. Xia Qing’s face stayed blank. “If there’s nothing else, I’m going back to farming.”

“Thirty thousand,” Dan Ying raised it by another ten thousand. “That wolf lost its fighting ability after being parasitized. Even if you manage to save it, it’s not worth much.”

Xia Qing turned and closed the gate.

“Thirty-two thousand,” Dan Ying called out, upping her offer another two thousand—as if that was her final card and Xia Qing should feel grateful.

Xia Qing locked the gate.

“Miss Xia, if you sell me the evolved wolf, I’ll give you a healthy, evolved wolf cub for free when it has pups next spring. Wolves raised from a young age become as loyal as dogs to their owner.”

Hu Zifeng couldn’t hold back. “Captain Dan, if I remember right, Blazing Fire raised five tamed wolves from pups. Yet the first time they entered the Evolved Forest and ran into wild mutant wolves, three of them turned on their trainers and ran off to join the wild pack, didn’t they?”

“I heard about that on the base broadcast. Didn’t realize it was the Blazing Fire Squad.” Su Ming from the Inspection Team chimed in.

With each of them carrying a bag of earthworm castings, Xia Qing and Hu Zifeng were making their way back through the wild grass wall when Dan Ying tried again. “I’ll trade you high-Yi Element Green Lantern spinach seeds for your evolved wolf.”

Was she just probing her? Xia Qing kept walking.

“Since you’re out here farming, you must understand the value of high-Yi Element Green Lantern vegetable seeds. I’ll trade you a hundred spinach seeds for your sickly wolf.”

Xia Qing turned around. Dan Ying looked determined. “I’m guessing your evolved wolf has digestive problems and can’t even eat raw meat anymore—just cooked food and veggie porridge. A wolf like that will never recover its former strength, no matter what you do.”

Xia Qing asked, “What’s the Yi Element and Devastation Element content of your spinach seeds? What’s their germination rate?”

Dan Ying smiled. “Yi Element is 0.053%, Devastation Element 0.48%, and germination rate is one out of three. If you care for them properly, they’ll stay stable for two generations.”

That’s basically the bare minimum for something to be considered a Green Lantern plant with high Yi Element. Two-generations stable meant that even with careful cultivation, the Devastation Element would rise about 0.4% each generation.

And with even a 1% margin for error, odds were the Yi Element would drop below 0.05% after growing one generation, making the seeds no longer count as high-Yi Element Green Lantern vegetables.

The Blazing Fire Squad really thought they’d worked out the perfect deal.

“That wolf is family. No matter how much you offer, I’m not selling.” Xia Qing said, then kept walking.

“If you never planned to sell, why ask about the seed quality in the first place?” Dan Ying raised her voice. “Just name your price.”

Xia Qing stopped and, letting just a bit of greed show, said, “I want ten thousand Green Lantern spinach seeds with 0.09% Yi Element content. Nothing less.”

Dan Ying shot Xia Qing a look of pure disdain and walked off.