Chapter 613: Late-Night Calm Under the Toon Tree

As soon as Zhang He left, Xia Qing carefully sprayed the new pesticide she’d just traded for all over the Toon Tree.

What did she trade? The Toon Tree’s buds and branches.

The temperature had already dropped below freezing. Wouldn’t spraying pesticide risk freezing the tree and its tender buds?

Not a chance.

Winter had just ended, with temperatures hitting more than twenty degrees below zero. The moment the cold let up, this tree couldn’t wait to sprout new buds and release its Evolutionary Synthetic Element. It was bursting with energy, cold didn’t bother it one bit.

After spraying, Xia Qing stood beneath the Toon Tree with her eyes closed. She could no longer sense its magnetic field.

This Toon Tree was the very first evolving plant Xia Qing had detected with her Magnetic Sense that could release Evolutionary Synthetic Element.

Even though it was just one tree, Xia Qing could already spot a key difference between it and the aggressive Devastation-evolved plants.

When plants absorb too much Devastation Element and start evolving into dangerous Devastation variants, Xia Qing can always feel a prickling discomfort near her brow whenever she gets close, even if the plant isn’t openly attacking.

But when the Toon Tree released its Evolutionary Synthetic Element, Xia Qing felt a gentle wave gliding over her forehead instead. When it wasn’t letting out that energy, her Magnetic Sense couldn’t even detect its presence.

Why could she sense this one, different from the dangerous Devastation-evolved plants? Xia Qing couldn’t tell if her Magnetic Sense Evolution Ability had grown stronger, or if the Toon Tree’s magnetic field simply changed more noticeably when it released the Evolutionary Synthetic Element. She wasn’t sure if all plants that release this element would feel the same.

She wasn’t going to figure out the truth just by standing around daydreaming. She’d have to check and verify it herself.

Opening her eyes, Xia Qing looked intently at the Toon Tree bursting with fresh buds. “Er Gou, for the next stretch, I’m heading to the Evolved Forest to get stronger.”

Er Gou looked up, those rusty-colored, clear eyes fixed on Xia Qing.

She led him down the hillside, explaining the plan as they walked. “In ten days, I’ll take you to Territory Seven for a check-up. If you’re recovering well, we’ll go together. If not, you’ll stay here and look after the little ones. I’ll hunt us better food and get you back to full strength.”

If Xia Qing was going to run in and out of the Evolved Forest, she’d need someone to watch over the territory. The best choice, of course, was Hu Zifeng’s Squad—they’d been her bodyguards for a year. Only question was, would they want the job again? And what would Yang Jin ask for this time?

After wiping out Tang Zhengsu, Yang Jin and Luo Pei left Hui Three’s Safe Zone to hunt down the fleeing Tang Zheng and Tang Rui. They still hadn’t returned.

Compared to chasing those two Tangs, Xia Qing’s request was small potatoes—so she’d wait for Yang Jin to return before bringing it up.

When Xia Qing and Er Gou got home, they found Old Goat in the yard, scraping at the ground with his hooves, digging a pretty sizable pit. The Yellow Weasel family in the Sheep Shed probably got scared out of their wits.

Without missing a beat, Xia Qing broke off a bit of ration bar and stuffed it right into Old Goat’s mouth, soothing him gently. “You really are the most responsible sheep, Old Goat. Even when the Toon Tree’s energy makes you uncomfortable, you just dig in the yard and don’t wreck anything inside. I feel so safe with you around. You’re the sheep standing at the top of Blue Star’s pyramid, the founder of Evolved Sheep history, the backbone of our territory…”

With food and Xia Qing’s nonstop praise, Old Goat calmed down a lot. He lifted his big head and squinted, clearly enjoying it.

Xia Qing kept showering him with compliments for a while, then led him inside. “Don’t bottle it up if you’re feeling off, Old Goat. Go ride the generator bike, burn off that pent-up fire. You look absolutely heroic riding that thing!”

That’s how Old Goat ended up on the bike, pedaling so fast he lit up the lights, flooding the living room with brightness.

Though Old Goat was still jittery from the Evolutionary Synthetic Element, Xia Qing grabbed some comforters from upstairs and settled into the living room to keep him company for the night.

Er Gou naturally curled up by Xia Qing’s side. With the whoosh of Old Goat’s pedaling in the background, Xia Qing found peace gazing into Er Gou’s calm, clear eyes. “Er Gou, let’s have a look at what the Yellow Weasel family is up to.”

On the infrared camera feed, the dazzling White Weasel and the hard-to-spot Balding Weasel lay side by side in their cardboard box. Balding Weasel, as always, was on the outer edge, back pressed against the box, guarding the family.

A pup stepped on White Weasel’s wound. She trembled, unable to help it. Balding Weasel noticed right away and started gently licking her neck, soothing her. Once the pups finished feeding, White Weasel turned around, curled up face to face with her mate, and drifted off in his embrace.

Xia Qing knew White Weasel slept this way to avoid her pups bumping into the wound, but the scene still warmed her heart.

Even during these disaster years, to find a trustworthy partner to survive with—it really was something special.

Xia Qing cycled through the cameras checking the Bear Cave and the rest of the territory. Once she made sure everything was fine, she yawned, closed her eyes. Old Goat’s bike made a surprisingly comforting lullaby…

A gentle smile curved her lips.

By five in the morning, Old Goat was pedaling even faster, growing clearly agitated again. Lying on the bench, Xia Qing frowned too, breathing turning shallow.

Er Gou sensed something was off with his two companions. He got up and licked Xia Qing. Once her frown eased and her breathing steadied, he quietly headed to the kitchen, clamped a half-basin of pure spring water in his jaws, and set it next to Old Goat’s bike, signaling for him to come drink.

Old Goat stopped, his hind legs trembling as he made his way to the water basin. He dunked his nose and mouth and drank his fill, then lay down beside Er Gou, finally relaxing.

Old Goat marched around with that familiar clopping, but he still couldn’t wake Xia Qing—she was lost in a “sweet dream.”

“One sip for three hundred credits, two for just five hundred. Which’ll it be—one or two?”

The beauty in front of her had a dazzling smile, but Xia Qing wasn’t about to get swindled. Three hundred for one, five hundred for two—two was the clear winner.

She reached out, cupped the beauty’s face, and closed her eyes in bliss. It had been so long since she’d felt human warmth. Who knew bare skin felt so good?

Xia Qing kissed her once, twice, and again. Just as she leaned in for more, a big hand stopped her.

“Pay up. One kiss, three hundred. Two is five hundred. Three’s fifteen hundred. You can pay with python meat—just three pounds will do.”

Seriously? Who calculates like that? Xia Qing was instantly furious and snapped her eyes open, staring at her softly lit ceiling, completely at a loss.

“Bzzz—”

Xia Qing grabbed the phone sitting nearby and sat up right away. It was five in the morning. If the Idol was calling, it must be urgent.