Chapter 526: Spring Water and Secrets by the Fireplace

“Sister Qing, this water tastes incredible.”

After boiling a bucket of water sent over by Xia Qing, Tan Qi took a sip and her eyes lit up again.

“This is spring water, filtered several times. The Devastation Element content is very low,” Xia Qing explained. “If you stay in the territory for a while, you can drink this kind of water as much as you like.”

The danger zone on Hill Fifty was already burnt clean. Once the surveillance cameras and ‘No Entry: Danger Zone’ signs were installed, Xia Qing planned to share the location of the Hidden Valley and the hot spring water quality with her allies, letting them collect spring water and start getting the valley ready for breeding.

Territory Fifteen was also one of Xia Qing’s allies. Because the lord there, Tan Qi, was still so young, Xia Qing wouldn’t tell her such important details. But, of course, Tan Qi still got to enjoy all the Alliance member benefits.

“Are these eggs from the chickens you raised, Sister Qing?” Seeing Xia Qing about to cook, Tan Qi rushed over to add wood to the fire, as chipper as a little bird.

Tonight Xia Qing prepared steamed rice, chive scrambled eggs and python meatball soup for dinner. Tan Qi brought a bag of Green Lantern roasted jerky. “This is Green Lantern bamboo rat jerky, Sister Qing. Try it, it’s really delicious.”

“Thanks.” Xia Qing handed a bowl of rice to Tan Qi. “Eat up. I made plenty.”

The white rice in the bowl was just as good as the premium Green Lantern rice she got from her father. Tan Qi hadn’t expected Xia Qing to give her a whole big bowl of such precious food.

She knew she hadn’t brought nearly enough Green Lantern jerky to trade for this much delicious food. So Tan Qi decided to offer her most valued harvest in exchange. “I planted two pots of Green Lantern strawberries. When they ripen next year, they’ll probably be Yellow Lantern by then. Once they’re ready, I’ll bring you some, Sister Qing.”

“Deal.” Xia Qing understood what the little girl was struggling with, so she agreed without hesitation.

Sure enough, once Xia Qing agreed, Tan Qi finally picked up her chopsticks and started eating. She ate slowly, savoring every bite. Xia Qing had seen that reverence for food plenty of times. Without fail, it was always kids who’d gone through real hunger.

But with Tan Junjie’s resources, he could easily support two people. Why would Tan Qi still ever go hungry?

Xia Qing felt a little puzzled but didn’t ask further. When they’d polished off all the food, she pulled out a handful of Yellow Lantern chestnuts and set them by the fireplace for Tan Qi to roast.

With a warm fire in the hearth and her belly full, Tan Qi looked curiously at Xia Qing. “Sister Qing, I heard from Brother Su Ming that you used to work in the Construction Team back in the Safe Zone. You learned a lot of useful skills, and a lot of things in this house and territory you built yourself. That’s so impressive!”

Using a metal hook to poke the roasting chestnuts, Xia Qing explained, “I’m a Strength-Based Evolution. Only in the Construction Team could I make full use of my abilities.”

“Strength Evolvers are best at farming.” Tan Qi became even more convinced, watching Xia Qing. “I want strength evolution too.”

Xia Qing laughed. “Speed Evolvers are even more powerful than Strength Evolvers.”

“Yeah. Speed evolution is great for hunting, but strength evolution is best for farming.” Tan Qi hugged her knees on the chair, suddenly turning the conversation to what had happened recently.

“Sister Qing, did you hear? This month, over twenty kids with evolution abilities got eaten in the Safe Zone.”

Rumors had always spread in the Safe Zone claiming that eating Evolvers could spark an evolution ability. Even though the authorities denied it repeatedly, some people refused to believe. When Xia Qing lived there, she herself had been hunted several times.

Kids—especially evolved kids—were always heavily protected in the Safe Zone. Families with evolved children got extra benefits and could move to safer areas.

So with all those protections, how could so many kids still go missing?

“Was it the Safe Zone guards who messed up?” Xia Qing asked.

Hugging her knees tighter, Tan Qi replied, “They were all killed by their own relatives. Drinking the blood and eating the flesh of a blood relative with evolution abilities is said to work even better for triggering evolution.”

Seeing the look on Tan Qi’s face, Xia Qing pressed further. “Is someone targeting you?”

“Yeah.”

Tan Qi stared into the fire, her expression far too heavy for a nine-year-old. “It’s my aunt. When we were cooking in the kitchen, she deliberately swung a knife at my arm, trying to get my blood. Thank goodness she’s a regular human and not as fast as me so I dodged, but my grandma and uncle didn’t believe me.”

“Does your uncle’s family have kids?” Xia Qing asked on.

Tan Qi nodded. “A little brother, but he didn’t show any evolution abilities. My uncle and aunt aren’t Evolvers either.”

Xia Qing split open a roasted chestnut and handed it to the anxious girl, whose face had gone pale recalling the ordeal. “Did you tell your dad about this?”

“Thank you, Sister Qing.” Tan Qi took the chestnut with a grateful nod. “Not yet. Dad’s been so busy lately and I don’t want to distract him. I was going to wait till he comes back. Sister Qing, I don’t want to go back there. I want to stay here at the territory and farm. I’m nine already, and an Evolver. I’m strong enough—I can grow food and vegetables and feed myself. Do you think it’ll work?”

But that wasn’t up to Xia Qing. “You’ll have to discuss it with your dad and Aunt Yan.”

Tan Qi rolled the warm chestnut in her hands and murmured, “I can’t tell Aunt Yan. I don’t want to trouble her. She has it even tougher than Dad, always pushing herself, always training so hard to get stronger. Sister Qing…”

Tears welled up in Tan Qi’s big eyes as she looked at Xia Qing, her guard down, all the vulnerability of a child exposed. “Do you think my dad will believe me, or will he side with his mother and brother?”

Xia Qing met Tan Qi’s gaze, calm as ever. “Your dad’s got a sharp mind. He’ll get to the bottom of the truth.”

“Okay.” Tan Qi sniffled, wiped away her tears on her knees and perked back up. “Dad might only be a level four Speed Evolver, but his shooting and fighting are amazing. He doesn’t take the most dangerous jobs because he wants to stay and protect me. I grew up with him until I was four, then only after he brought Grandma and Uncle here did I move over to the Safe Zone for school…”

After listening to Tan Qi chatter about how great her dad was and making sure she was feeling better, Xia Qing stoked the fire, checked the chimney and scattered some insect repellent around the house. She had Tan Qi call Yan Long on her phone before leaving the little house to patrol the territory.

The night sky was clear, packed with stars so thick they squeezed the crescent moon right to the western hills. The cold wind whipped against the greenhouse’s rain cover, making the plastic frame creak.

That sound yanked Xia Qing out of her bloody memories and back to her territory.

If the greenhouse made that kind of noise, some of its supports were probably loose.

Undoing the wire holding the wooden greenhouse door in place, Xia Qing stepped inside, flicked on her flashlight and walked in to track down the noisy culprit. She marked the loose spot, planning to fix the support in the morning.

After checking three greenhouses and two more hot houses, Xia Qing found Er Gou, the sick wolf, waiting in the cold wind with a big grin.

That warm, goofy smile was more healing than any medicine. Xia Qing gave its head a good rub, then with Er Gou by her side, circled the Wild Grass Wall for a patrol. She glanced at the little house by the darkened fields before heading home.

Back inside, Xia Qing fed the fire, scrubbed the pot and utensils from her backpack and made her way to Old Goat’s side, leaning against his fluffy body. She called out to Er Gou, “Er, come here, I’ll brush your fur.”

Er Gou trotted over and sat obediently on the straw mat.

Xia Qing quietly finished brushing her two companions and then headed upstairs to bed.

Tan Qi’s words struck a nerve with Xia Qing. That night, her dreams filled with memories of the Safe Zone, hunted like prey by her own kind.