Chapter 525: Fair Trade and New Bonds in Section Three

While guarding Zhang San in Territory Seven, Yan Long had four days off each month, which could be accumulated—though she never took more than ten days at a stretch. That’s why she set the special training for exactly ten days.

As the ten-day special training ended and they headed home, Yan Long carried the exhausted and sound-asleep Tan Qi on her back and spoke with Xia Qing. “On the 27th, Tan Junjie needs to escort a suspect to Territory Eleven and hand over evidence. That night, would it be possible to not let Qi Qi stay overnight in the little house by the fields in Section Three?”

The mission level in Territory Seven was extremely high, which meant Tan Qi couldn’t spend the night there. The Inspection Team and the men in Territory Fifteen were all guys—not the best company after dark. Patrolling and working together in the day was fine, but at night Yan Long thought it was better for Qi Qi to stay with Xia Qing.

Yan Long explained again, “Tan Junjie wanted her to stay with Chang Li in Territory One, but Chang Li has tasks elsewhere.”

Xia Qing agreed without hesitation. “That little house isn’t warm enough. If you trust me, Sister Yan, I can take her home for the night.”

Yan Long adjusted Tan Qi on her back, thanked her, and explained that it made more sense for Tan Qi to remain in the tiny house by the fields. “Evolved animals have a strong sense of territory. Qi Qi should just stay in the house. I’ll handle her meals.”

Section Three might only have Xia Qing living there, but it was surrounded by strong walls, equipped with surveillance cameras, and protected by ever-alert evolved wolves. Security was top-notch. Xia Qing and Tan Qi weren’t exactly close, so Yan Long figured having Xia Qing let Tan Qi stay overnight in her territory was already generous.

Dragging her sore legs to keep pace, Xia Qing said, “How much can a little girl eat? She can eat with me. Sister Yan, do you need python meat? How about I offer twenty pounds as payment for this special training?”

“You’re here to keep Tan Qi company, not to pay me,” Yan Long replied. “But, if you still have extra python meat, I’d like to buy forty pounds in exchange—to help boost Qi Qi’s ability level.”

“Of course,” Xia Qing agreed easily. “Give me twenty thousand credits and I’ll give you sixty pounds. Forty goes to Qi Qi, the other twenty is my payment for special training. No matter the reason, I gained so much from these ten days—I should pay you for your time.”

Honestly, even if Yan Long hadn’t brought up a trade, Xia Qing had already planned to offer some python meat for upgrading Tan Qi’s evolution ability.

This round of special training made Xia Qing realize something: no matter how hard she worked, her running speed would always be her weak spot.

Even as a Speed Evolver with excellent shooting skills, she was fearless in ranged combat against most ability users. But if she went up against a high-level speed evolver at range, her chances of winning dropped sharply.

Since she couldn’t fix this weakness alone, when facing elite speed evolvers she needed to rely on her trusted teammates, sticking together to survive.

Right now, she saw three potential high-level speed evolvers to team up with: Alpha, Crippled Wolf, and Yang Jin.

Alpha was the best. Crippled Wolf, though not a pure high-level speed evolver, had remarkable mental capabilities and advanced elasticity—giving him a high chance of a successful ambush in the Evolved Forest. He was Xia Qing’s second pick.

Against humans, Yang Jin was currently the top choice. But as the leader of Azure Dragon Squad, his strength came with a hefty price and potential follow-up trouble.

So, Xia Qing decided to cultivate Tan Qi.

Tan Qi was a member of the Lords’ Alliance, mild and reliable so far. In a few years, after her speed evolution improved, working with her would be much more cost-effective than partnering with Yang Jin.

That’s why investing forty pounds of top-grade Evolved Green Lantern meat to nurture a powerful ally made perfect sense to Xia Qing.

Seeing that Xia Qing truly meant to pay, Yan Long didn’t stand on ceremony. “Alright. Consider the twenty pounds payment for this and any special training over the next two years.”

Xia Qing understood: Yan Long’s mission term in Territory Seven lasted three years. When the time was up, she’d head back to Hui One Base headquarters.

The day after training ended, two large helicopters landed on the eastern quarantine strip of this territory. Tan Junjie escorted the suspects from Territory Nine, including Li Si, on toward Red Eleven Base.

Once the helicopters left, everyone in the territory felt they could finally breathe freely again.

That evening, Tan Qi arrived outside Section Three’s northern gate, having hitched a ride with Su Ming and Tiger’s patrol car.

Brought along with her was the second generator bike that Xia Qing had traded to Tiger.

Watching Xia Qing casually haul a big crate down the slope, Tan Qi trailed behind, full of envy. If only evolution abilities were selectable, she’d have picked strength. In farming, after all, muscle meant you could manage more acres and harvest more grain.

They reached the fields, and Xia Qing stopped. Tan Qi’s face lit with excitement. “Sister Qing, is this the place? This house looks brand new!”

It was already miles better than her old place in the Safe Zone!

Xia Qing set the bike down by the door, opened it, and waved Tan Qi inside. The fireplace roared in the corner, the cabin warm and spotless. Xia Qing explained, “There are two rooms: the inner room is for sleeping, and the outer room for cooking and heating water. Both stoves and all this firewood are for you. I’ve even arranged a bed for you.”

She opened the door to the inner room. Xia Qing herself had never stayed in this little cabin before. If Hu Zifeng’s Squad needed to spend the night in Section Three, they’d rotate resting here. That’s why there were six folded field cots pushed to the side, but now a newly built wooden bed was set up against the wall, topped with a thick straw mat, a waterproof pad, and a fresh comforter.

“This wall’s right next to the fireplace, so it’s always warm,” Xia Qing explained. “The comforter’s made from the cotton I harvested this year. You shouldn’t feel cold sleeping here.”

Tan Qi ran over, pressed her hand to the toasty wall, and her eyes sparkled. “Sister Qing, it’s so warm in here!”

Xia Qing smiled. “Keep the fireplace stoked and it’ll stay this warm all night.”

The warmth lit up Tan Qi’s whole face. “Living here is the best. Back in the Safe Zone, we had to buy firewood to keep warm.”

While Tan Qi cheerfully unpacked her things, Xia Qing went to the greenhouse to cut some chives and checked on the spinach beds, now a mess thanks to her two animal companions. Then, with the two animals in tow, she returned to the little house by the fields and introduced them. “Qi Qi, this is Old Goat and Er, my sheep and wolf. As long as you don’t provoke them, they won’t cause you any trouble.”

Keeping her distance, Tan Qi did her best to seem strong but nonthreatening. “Don’t worry, Sister Qing—I won’t set foot outside these two rooms, and I’d never pick a fight with them.”

Unlike the survivors from before the cataclysm, the children born afterward had all witnessed with their own eyes how little insects, mosquitoes, rats, and birds could take a person’s life. Naturally, they were extremely wary of evolved animals.

So the first thing Tan Qi did when she saw the two creatures was assess their offensive strength.

The sheep looked powerful enough, and that evolved wolf was downright fierce—Tan Qi knew there was no way she could last in a fight with it.