Chapter 536: Under the Greenhouse Lights

It’s just past eight in the morning. The sun’s already up, but the temperature hasn’t bounced back yet. That’s why the rain covers on the greenhouses are still down.

Still, inside isn’t dark at all. Several bright grow lamps are shining away, making sure the wheat and rapeseed seedlings get just the right amount of light for healthy growth.

When Zhou Qianpeng and Chai Shuling realized how bright it was inside, their faces twisted for a split second.

Xia Qing watched expressionless, a silent laugh echoing in her mind.

What, did they come here at the crack of dawn hoping to sneak in before it warmed up, planning some sneaky stunt in the dark?

Zhou Qianpeng regained his composure, turned, and asked Xia Qing with a gentle look, “Miss Xia, running so many grow lamps in here must use a huge amount of power, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Xia Qing replied coolly. Other territories might struggle for electricity, but she definitely didn’t. After all, she had a power-generating companion.

Chai Shuling studied how well the wheat was growing, lifted the faceplate of her protective suit, and asked, “Miss Xia, the wheat in this plot is thriving and the survival rate is great. It doesn’t seem affected by the Devastation Snow at all. Care to share your planting methods?”

She added, “If your approach works, we’ll spread it through the base broadcast channel, boost wheat survival everywhere, and give you a reward.”

Xia Qing explained, “During the Devastation Snow I rented equipment that blocks the Devastation Element, so these fields weren’t hit as hard.”

Chai Shuling pressed, “So, who did you rent it from, and what equipment exactly?”

“You do realize there are only two ways to block the Devastation Element right now,” Xia Qing replied calmly. “I’ve signed a confidentiality agreement. I can’t share any specifics.”

To block the Devastation Element, you either install air filtration units or use Yi Stone. Xia Qing’s greenhouse wasn’t airtight, leaks everywhere, so Yi Stone was the only real option.

Who could lend her Yi Stone? Most likely one of the lords from Territory One, Seven, or Eight—they’re the only ones who have it.

Chai Shuling nodded with a polite smile, snapped a photo, then pulled out a tape measure to plot out a square meter and counted how many wheat seedlings were inside. Li Chang crouched beside her, jotting notes, while Xia Qing just watched.

Zhou Qianpeng, hands clasped behind his back as he strolled around the greenhouse, called Xia Qing over. “Miss Xia, did you put these support poles up yourself?”

As Xia Qing glanced at Zhou Qianpeng, she caught sight of Chai Shuling crouching in the wheat field. Chai Shuling quickly yanked up a seedling and stuffed it inside her suit.

She probably thought she moved fast and stayed hidden, but with Xia Qing’s Level 9 Vision Evolution abilities, even Su Ming, a Level 3 Inspection Team member, would have caught her.

Li Chang, the one busy writing notes, was probably the only one who didn’t notice a thing.

With that move, Xia Qing was certain: Chai Shuling, in the airtight suit, had Speed Evolution. But not a high rank—maybe Level 3 or 4 at best.

Su Ming instinctively glanced at Xia Qing, who quickly signaled him with her eyes to keep quiet.

She’d let the inspection team in on purpose, to ease Su Feng Squad and the Blazing Fire Squad’s curiosity and suspicion about Section Three. She wanted them to stop hovering over her. So, whether Chai Shuling was stealing seedlings or soil, Xia Qing would just turn a blind eye.

While Zhou Qianpeng kept Xia Qing tied up, Chai Shuling and Li Chang finished their checks on the Green Lantern Wheat. They asked Xia Qing to take them to the next field.

Her Yellow Lantern Wheat and Yellow Lantern Rapeseed hadn’t been protected by Yi Stone, so there were plenty of missing seedlings. After the inspections—and a little stealing—were finished, Xia Qing led them into the planting greenhouse.

Once inside the warm planting greenhouse, Xia Qing quickly noticed Chai Shuling and Zhou Qianpeng’s eyes and breathing both changed when they saw the sparse Green Light Spinach in the planting beds.

So that’s it—these two had their eyes on the spinach. Was it Deputy Base Leader Tang Zhengrong who sent them to check the spinach in every territory, or was it the Blazing Fire Squad? Or maybe they were in it together from the start?

Why were there so few spinach seedlings out of the six originally planted? Because Old Goat and Er Gou dug up a basketful a while back and brought them home for Xia Qing.

Zhou Qianpeng kept up his questions. “Miss Xia, this greenhouse uses an all-metal frame? Did you get these steel frames from the Safe Zone?”

Xia Qing had already moved the Green Lantern Strawberries home, so now every plant here—including the Greenlight Mint—was safe from Chai Shuling’s sampling.

But she couldn’t let them steal so easily. That’d be far too convenient.

Xia Qing kept her eyes trained on Chai Shuling and Li Chang, only glancing at Zhou Qianpeng when he asked, “Not from the Safe Zone. I traded for them with someone else.”

Zhou Qianpeng pressed, “These steel frames must’ve cost a fortune, right?”

Of course they did. Xia Qing nodded. “I’m an Evolutionary, so I can hunt and gather in the Evolved Forest to trade for supplies I need. Besides, these are all used building materials. They’re a lot cheaper than buying brand new.”

“I almost asked you earlier, but thought it might be rude,” Zhou Qianpeng said with a warm smile, taking on the tone of a senior. “Miss Xia, you’re an advanced strength-type Evolutionary. With your age and abilities, wouldn’t it be easier to find a strong Evolutionary to marry and move into the inner city of the Safe Zone rather than working out here in the fields?”

That path Zhou Qianpeng suggested was what most female Evolutionaries chose. The Safe Zone’s inner city was safe and well-maintained. Other than the periods of Devastation Rain and Snow, life inside wasn’t much different from before the disasters.

That’s why moving into the inner city was the dream for nearly everyone living in the outskirts.

Li Chang, still taking notes, looked up curiously at Xia Qing, eager to hear her answer.

Chai Shuling? She kept a sharp eye on Xia Qing, ready to steal another seedling at any moment.

Xia Qing stared at the water droplets collecting on the greenhouse plastic and answered calmly, “Before I started farming out here, I was only a Level 4 Strength Evolver.”

Strength Evolvers were generally looked down on by other Evolutionary types. Anyone between Level 2 and 5 could be easily replaced by a few burly regular workers.

So even in the Safe Zone, a Level 4 Strength Evolver like Xia Qing—with all her limbs intact—would still struggle to find an advanced Evolutionary to marry, have kids with good abilities, and earn a spot in the inner city. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded.

Zhou Qianpeng nodded and kept probing. “Miss Xia, you’ve advanced two ranks in just one year after coming here. What’s your secret?”

Xia Qing replied with her usual calm, “Maybe it’s because I work every day and constantly eat safe food.”

Envy flickered in Li Chang’s eyes, and even Chai Shuling—after sneaking away another spinach seedling—looked up. “Seems like you have real potential, Miss Xia.”

Zhou Qianpeng joked, “How about now, Miss Xia? Any interest in meeting some young, talented strength-type Evolutionaries? I know a few who would be perfect matches.”

Before Xia Qing could even answer, Su Ming from the Inspection Team chimed in, “Group Leader Zhou, Miss Xia already has a boyfriend.”