Chapter 560: Wolves at the Gates

Those evolved wolves and leopards who drove off the beast tide are incredibly strong. Anyone who could target their wolf cubs or maybe even leopard cubs must have some serious power of their own, or maybe a unique trick up their sleeve.

The Wolf Pack likely created the beast tide to get back at humanity. In their eyes, humans who band together are just one giant herd.

After the Alpha stopped them and they gave up attacking the Northern Territory, will they turn their sights to another territory now?

On her way home, Xia Qing shot a message to Luo Pei.

Luo Pei replied: “I’ve already reported it.”

Xia Qing relaxed a little, pocketed her phone, and quickened her pace towards home.

“Zhu Li, how are Old Kuang and Li Kai holding up?” Now that the crisis had passed, Qi Fu checked in on the Lords’ channel.

Zhu Li’s voice was calm again. “I’m back at the territory. Third Brother is operating on Li Kai right now. Old Kuang’s wound is stitched up, but he’s still out cold.”

Xia Qing, who’d just hauled Old Goat up from the basement storage, pressed her walkie-talkie. “Zhu Li, need us to come over and help?”

Zhu Li answered quickly, “No need, everyone’s had a tough night. Take a break, you’ve earned it.”

Zhao Ze jumped in. “I’m not tired, Sis. I’ll head right over.”

During this invasion, the luckiest—in spite of being the weakest—in the Alliance was none other than Territory Four.

The evolved bats that swarmed above Territory Four were blasted out of the sky by Xia Qing. The invaders on the ground were either blown up by landmines, shot down by Cheng Ping guarding Territory Four, or casually taken out by Xia Qing herself from the High Slope above Section Three.

None of Zhao Ze’s homemade firearms or grenades were used at all. So when others said they weren’t tired it was just courtesy—but him? He really wasn’t.

Right now, Zhu Li doesn’t trust any of the hired workers in her territory, but she does trust her allies. Zhao Ze’s a pro at engineering. With him taking over the disaster cleanup command, things would move much more smoothly.

“Zhao, I’m counting on you. It’s dark out—be careful on your way over.”

“Happy to help! Cheng Ping and I’ll be there in a flash!” Delighted to finally be useful, Zhao Ze called back, loud and clear.

“Bzz—”

Xia Qing had just gotten Old Goat settled in when her phone started vibrating. She picked it up and saw a message from Tang Huai: Xia Qing, feeling any better?

Tang Huai isn’t in the Alliance channel or the Inspection Team’s group, so he has no clue what’s up with Xia Qing now.

Xia Qing texted back: “Much better. How about you?”

Soon, Tang Huai sent a long message:

I’ve lost fourteen people over here. Three greenhouses and a greenhouse room are gone, and a dozen houses set on fire. Still, it’s manageable. You should be alright—Hu Fengzi and the others are with you, right? Er Gou sure sounded better just now, yelling so much. How’s Old Goat holding up?

Watching over both her companions, Xia Qing replied: “One of my greenhouses was blown up, but Er Gou and Old Goat are hanging in there. Did you catch anyone alive? Figure out who’s behind this?”

The first evolved bat taken out by Xia Qing exploded above the Hilltop Greenhouse. The shockwave wrecked over a dozen greenhouse supports and took out the High Slope camera. Fortunately, no crops were planted inside right now, and though some branches in the Toon Tree and Green Lantern Orchard got snapped, the main trunks were all intact.

Compared to the losses in Territory Twelve, Section Three barely suffered at all.

Tang Huai cursed and shot back: “Bagged three alive. All scum from Territory Two! Oh, news just in—the wolves howling to our south have started fighting the Inspection Team from the Eastern Territory.”

Xia Qing’s gaze sharpened as she stared at that message. Suddenly, the surveillance app popped up with an alert.

She opened the app and found it was the camera at the entrance of Bear Cave, Third Peak, Hill Fifty.

When Xia Qing tapped into that camera, she saw the Alpha and Broken Back beneath it. She instantly switched on the intercom, soft and cheerful as could be. “Thank you, Queen and Handsome Wolf, for scaring off the pack earlier and protecting my territory. You’re my heroes! You’re the evolved wolves at the very top of Blue Star’s pyramid, the most loyal of their kind. You two are making history…”

Listening to her non-stop praise, the Alpha just yawned. Broken Back bared his cute little fangs at the camera and grinned—handsome and adorable all at once.

Unlike their last, serious meeting, Broken Back was clearly in a great mood today. Xia Qing figured it was because the beast tide hadn’t reached their turf and he’d returned to his usual self.

Now that Broken Back was back to normal, Xia Qing didn’t press any further about the wolf pack. Instead, she focused on the two in front of her. “Your smile is too charming, Broken Back. Queen, are you expecting puppies?”

The Alpha, belly already rounded, just lay flat on the ground, making no reply. Broken Back, though, grinned even wider.

Xia Qing wanted to remind these soon-to-be wolf parents to be careful with their pups—but she figured there was no need. As brain-evolved wolves, they’d definitely be cautious.

So she simply asked gently, “Queen, I’m so touched you still came to help me even with puppies on the way. Queen, Broken Back, are you two hungry? Want some roasted meat?”

No reaction from the Alpha; Broken Back threw back his head and howled. Not long after, Xia Qing saw three wolves dragging three human corpses under the camera, dropping them next to Broken Back.

Broken Back lifted his head and looked straight at Xia Qing.

She immediately understood. “You caught all three on Third Peak, Hill Fifty? Amazing, Broken Back! Mind if I take care of these humans?”

Broken Back glanced up at the camera, clearly deep in thought.

Xia Qing quickly promised, “Whatever you want, Handsome Wolf, just name it.”

Broken Back, now satisfied, flashed that toothy, adorable smile again.

With business done, the Alpha stood and stretched—her belly was even more obvious in that pose, making Xia Qing’s heart skip in worry.

Stretch over, the Alpha turned and padded away, Broken Back close behind. Xia Qing waved them off with genuine warmth, but before she could reach out to Tan Junjie, her phone lit up with a call from Xin Yu.

“Xia Qing, can I take care of those three bodies the wolves just gave you?”

Being neighbors with a bird-tamer meant having zero secrets, Xia Qing realized.

Xin Yu heard the silence and quickly apologized. “Sorry, my surveillance birds were circling over Hill Fifty, so I spotted what the wolves were up to.”

Xia Qing didn’t say yes or no yet—instead, she asked, “Can you tell me what you need those bodies for?”

Xin Yu answered coolly, “The crew at First Peak was blown up. I want to confirm whose side this batch came from. If I don’t know them, I’ll hand them to Captain Tan. If I do, I’d like to handle it myself. Name your price for the favor.”

The evolved bats blew up the compost factory in Territory Eight. Whoever controlled the bats probably holds a grudge against Xin Yu.

Xia Qing agreed. “No need to trade. I’ll get the three bodies ready for you tomorrow morning. And thanks for killing those guys—if not, my territory might have ended up flattened.”

Xin Yu kept negotiating, “Delays could cause problems. Can I send my people over to pick them up right now?”

“Sure, just let me know when your people reach the base of Third Peak. There are wolves guarding Bear Cave; I have to give them a heads-up or there might be trouble.”

Xin Yu had thought the wolves were all gone, and she was genuinely grateful to Xia Qing. “Those evolved wolves only went up against the beast tide because of you—they protected our neck of the woods. Thanks, Xia Qing.”

Less than half an hour later, Xin Yu’s people reached the foot of Third Peak, Hill Fifty.

Xia Qing opened up Bear Cave’s camera and called out to the Yellow Weasel on guard. “Hey, plucked one, you there? Hey? You there? Plucked one…”

She called out like a chanting monk for more than two minutes before a round little head with big round ears nervously peeked out from behind a rock and stared into the camera.

This Yellow Weasel, clever enough to seek help from humans when the Evolved Hawk stole its prey, had clearly picked the wolves as its own backers.

Xia Qing spoke straight to it: “Plucked one, some people will be coming to move the human corpses from your door soon. Just relax and take it easy. I’ll bring you some roasted meat tomorrow.”