Chapter 466: Through Poison and Beast Tide

Before the fight began, the three evolved wolves each took a dose of the painkiller they’d traded from Zhang San. But none of them expected the Trapping Team to go all out and use poison gas bombs. Now Er Gou and Alpha were already down, Crippled Wolf could barely stand. There were two likely reasons for this—either the dosage of sedative was too much for the painkiller to counteract, or the gas bombs had other toxic elements kicking in.

They needed to call for help right away.

Xia Qing turned off her signal jammer and started digging for her phone, trying to contact the Idol for backup. Before she could, her phone started buzzing in her pocket. She pulled it out—Yang Jin was calling. She answered without hesitation.

After finally getting through, Yang Jin’s first words were, “Xia Qing, are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I’ve already wiped out the entire Trapping Team.”

After hearing from Hu Zifeng that the Trapping Team had entered Hill Fifty, Xia Qing contacted Yang Jin directly. She needed his help to block support troops from Territory Nine. That way, Xia Qing and her wolves would have enough time to finish off the Fire Phoenix Trapping Team.

Yang Jin quickly updated Xia Qing on the situation in the territory. “The explosion on Hill Fifty sent up a cloud of purple mist that triggered a small beast tide. The first wave of animals just reached the eastern quarantine strip. Where are you now? And why are the wolves howling?”

Xia Qing had already noticed that the poison gas bombs drove the animals away from Third Peak of Hill Fifty, but she hadn’t expected it to spark a beast tide. The thought left her feeling even heavier.

“I’m still on Third Peak of Hill Fifty. The Fire Phoenix Trapping Team used gas bombs. Any animals that didn’t escape lost all ability to move—some are already dead. Alpha, Crippled Wolf, and Er Gou are all poisoned.”

Actually, it wasn’t just the three wolves showing symptoms. Xia Qing could also feel her own strength fading bit by bit. She’d downed a Premium Nutrient Shake and a painkiller before the fight, so if she was feeling weaker now, that meant the gas had affected her too.

But there was no need to mention that out loud.

Listening to Crippled Wolf’s howls, watching Er Gou struggle, and the Balding Weasel shivering in the cold wind, Xia Qing went on, “Alpha and Crippled Wolf are howling to call their pack, but I don’t know why yet. I don’t need backup here.”

With the territory under attack from a beast tide, everyone had to stay and defend. That meant Xia Qing had to change her plans—no asking for help. She would get these three wolves back to the territory and find the Idol on her own.

But Yang Jin surprised her. “It’s just a small beast tide, we can hold them off. Send me your coordinates, start a fire and wait where you are. I’ll bring people and meet up with you before the wolves get here. We can’t allow a bunch of evolved wolves into the territory right now, or the conflict could get even worse.”

Xia Qing knew Yang Jin meant well but rejected him outright. “Thank you, Captain Yang, but both Alpha and Crippled Wolf are poisoned. If your team or the Azure Dragon Squad gets spotted by the wolves, they’ll attack. Stay focused on the beast tide. I’ll get approval from the Inspection Team first, then take the poisoned wolves through the valley between Hill Forty-Nine and Hill Fifty back to the territory. I’ll have Third Brother handle the antidote.”

She really was losing strength, but she still had two Evolution Element stim shakes in her bag.

The Evolution Element stim shake could give her a fast boost—restore her energy, heal wounds, and let her unleash double her usual power for a short time. Just one was enough to get the three wolves to safety.

As for the side effects after, that wasn’t a concern now. If she didn’t take the shake, she and the wolves could all die here.

If she could get the wolves back to Territory Seven, the leftover burst from the stim shake would let Xia Qing join the front lines holding the beast tide and help protect the place.

No matter how you looked at it, this beast tide was her responsibility.

Evolved wolves were ferocious. Xia Qing couldn’t and shouldn’t ask Yang Jin for permission to move a pack of beasts across Hill Forty-Nine in the chaos. The base would definitely launch a full investigation after this. Sufeng Squad would never let Azure Dragon Squad off the hook if they let her through.

Yang Jin replied with a tone that brooked no argument. “I’ll talk to the Inspection Team for you. Go straight to Third Brother, then cross through the valley from Third Peak and get to Hill Forty-Nine to return to the territory. That’s the shortest route. And since you asked me to block Territory Nine’s reinforcements, you owe me forty catties of Green Lantern pecans—no haggling.”

That settled things. After hanging up, Xia Qing downed an Evolution Element stim shake. As the energy started to kick in, she called the Idol.

Before she could say anything, Zhang San jumped in. “Xia Qing, did you come into direct contact with the poison gas?”

Xia Qing answered, “I took off my facemask twice to switch glasses, but didn’t inhale, total exposure was under a minute. The three wolves are poisoned though. Can you help them recover? I’ll accept any trade. I already took your Evolution Element stim shake and I’m coming back with them now.”

“You’re crazy, taking a stim after breathing in that stuff!” Zhang San sounded irritated. “Stop those wolves from howling—since they’re poisoned, they should stay still. Any sudden moves will just spread the toxins faster. Did you figure out what the poison was?”

Xia Qing wrapped her arm around Crippled Wolf’s neck and clamped its jaws shut before replying. “It’s complicated. The Trapping Team are all dead, no time to ask them, and I couldn’t find any antidote on their bodies. But I did grab the gas bomb launcher. I’ll bring it back.”

After explaining, she grinned, “I worked too hard to survive ten years of disasters—I’m not looking to die now. I dare to use the stim shake because I trust you, Third Brother. No matter what the poison is, you could handle the antidote in your sleep.”

Zhang San snorted, “The stim takes ten minutes to kick in, will last four hours. When you get back, come straight into my territory.”

“Okay, thank you, Third Brother.” After thanking him, Xia Qing added, “The wind’s from the north right now. The Trapping Team set off six poison gas bombs, and the fumes are drifting straight for the territory. Can you stop them spreading inside?”

Zhang San’s mood was clearly foul. “That’s not your problem. Get back. Now.”

“Yes, sir.” Xia Qing hung up, released Crippled Wolf’s jaws, and barked a warning, “No more howling unless you want to die.”

Crippled Wolf lowered his head and nudged Alpha and Er Gou with his nose, whimpering low.

Xia Qing sat among the poisoned wolves, wind whipping past her as she looked up at the moon. In that moment, memories of her dead parents and the skeleton lying in that hidden valley filled her mind.

She had to survive. She had to get her friends out of here alive too. “Crippled, your Queen and Er will be fine. You’ll be fine too. I’m taking you all home for the antidote—right now.”