Chapter 652: Crisis at Hill Forty-Nine: The Disaster Protocol Begins

By the time Xia Qing hauled the snake box to the north gate, Huo Zhun—a level-seven strength evolution—was already waiting outside the iron mesh wall.

Workers from the Chonglian construction crew, busy installing more fencing nearby, glanced over curiously. But once they saw Xia Qing step out, they quickly lowered their heads and got right back to work.

No one wants to mess with the Lord of Section Three.

When Huo Zhun saw Xia Qing lugging out such a massive snake box, he couldn’t help but ask, “Sister Qing, how many snakes are in there?”

Huh? When did he start calling her that?

Xia Qing’s face didn’t change. She replied calmly, “A dozen or so grass snakes. I filled half the box with dirt.”

She’d packed it with soil to help the snakes stay comfortable, encouraging them to lay eggs and hatch little ones, making sure she always had a steady supply of snake meat.

But then one Devastation Snake popped up among them. All the snakes she’d raised for over a year were now off the menu. She could always catch more, but confirming the mutation type of the little green snake took priority—she needed to see if the disaster protocol had to be activated.

Xia Qing handed the bag containing the Devastation Snake to Huo Zhun. “Careful, Huo—it’s alive.”

“Understood.” Huo Zhun clipped the bag to his belt and dropped his voice. “Thanks.”

He was thanking Xia Qing for her suggestion yesterday. Just last night, under Huo Zhun and Ji Li’s protection, Zhang San had met with the Territory Management Department and Chonglian’s people inside Territory Seven to raise the issue of Territory Eleven.

Since the Chonglian workers were only a couple hundred meters away, Xia Qing didn’t ask further. She just nodded and watched as Huo Zhun bounced away with her snake box.

“Elasticity evolution!” Lu Yuhui exclaimed, running over and lowering her voice. “Miss Xia, you’d better stay in your territory the next couple of days.”

The foreman of the crew, Jiang Qin, had been arrested, and even the chairman of Chonglian was personally involved. Lu Yuhui, though clueless about the details, knew this had to be serious.

“Got it, thanks.” Xia Qing responded, heading back and immediately contacting Hu Zifeng.

Hu Zifeng was just as serious. “I’ll report right away. Chen Zheng and Chen Cheng are heading to Section Three now. Watch your back.”

Twenty minutes later, a stern voice echoed on the Lords’ channel—it was Zhang San. “Tan Junjie, Hu Zifeng, are you there?”

Tan Junjie replied quickly, “Here.”

Hu Zifeng followed up, “Here, Third Brother. What’s up?”

Zhang San gave his orders in a steady tone. “Tan Junjie, activate the broadcast speakers in Section One of the North. The following message needs to go out to everyone there.”

Tan Junjie answered, “Received. All twenty-four high-powered speakers in Section One are on.”

Tan Junjie’s voice boomed from the walkie-talkies and the speakers atop Territory Two’s northern signal tower. Old Goat, who’d been munching grass, immediately raised his head and looked around. By the pond, the balding yellow weasel stood up tall, clutching a frog. Inside the sheep shed, White Weasel rolled over, sheltering her pups beneath her.

The yellow weasel pups, almost a month old, had doubled in size. White Weasel’s long body could barely cover them anymore.

Inside the sheep shed, where Xia Qing was still checking for hazards, she soothed the mother and babies with a gentle whisper. “Don’t be scared, White Weasel. I’m here. Everything’s fine.”

“A highly dangerous evolved creature—the Devastation Snake—has been discovered in Section One of the North. According to the Huaguo Emergency Response Law, the disaster protocol will now be activated for Hui Three Base’s North Section and Hill Forty-Nine.”

“By law, the nearest qualified disaster commander, Zhang San, head of Section Seven’s Lab, will take command. During the disaster, I have the authority to mobilize any available force from Hui Three Base for rapid response.”

The familiar announcement snapped the lords of Plots 1 through 10 back to the events of late November in the tenth year of disasters, the night Fire Phoenix’s trapping team set off a beast tide with poison gas grenades on Hill Fifty. Lords working the land in Plots 11 to 26 also straightened up, holding their breath.

A Devastation Snake, able to secrete synthetic toxin, was far scarier than a poison gas grenade or even a beast tide. After all, most people believed synthetic toxin was untreatable—a death sentence if you encountered it.

Tan Junjie answered right away, “Inspection Team acknowledges. Awaiting the commander’s orders.”

Hu Zifeng chimed in, “Hill Forty-Nine acknowledges. Standing by for orders. Azure Dragon Squad’s Yang Jin and Luo Pei have left the Safe Zone and will arrive at Hill Forty-Nine within two hours to assist.”

“Excellent.” Zhang San’s voice remained cool. “Effective immediately, no one in Section One of the North or Hill Forty-Nine is permitted to drink or eat until the emergency is declared over.”

“Everyone, including the Chonglian construction crew, must change into at least level-three field protective suits. If you don’t have one, wear your best available gear and take shelter in a safe area. Don’t go outside until the all-clear is given.”

“Once suited up, the Inspection Team and territory representatives are to start thorough sweeps of their zones. If you find a Devastation Snake, capture it immediately. Do not damage the lump on its head—any synthetic toxin leaks will contaminate local water and soil, and skin exposure will cause poisoning.”

“Inspection Team, collect samples from all drinking and irrigation water and label them for testing at Territory Seven.”

“Hu Zifeng, do I have your permission to send disaster response teams into Hill Forty-Nine?”

Hu Zifeng immediately answered, “Permission granted.”

Zhang San continued, “Xia Qing, after searching all of Section Three, join Territory Seven’s team at Hill Forty-Nine and conduct a grid search within three kilometers of the snake’s location.”

“Received.” Xia Qing pressed her walkie-talkie button, responding with calm. Her voice rang out over the speakers, echoing across the territory and sending the red squirrel hiding in the tree hollow of Section Three trembling in fear.

In Territory Fourteen, Yan Meng slowly lifted his head, voice chilling and toothless, “Xia… Qing!”

“Baa!” Old Goat rushed to Xia Qing’s side at home, sticking close for reassurance.

The balding yellow weasel dashed back to the sheep shed with a frog in its mouth, ready to protect its mate and pups.

“Don’t worry, big guy, that’s just a loudspeaker—same as the ones we used during last year’s migratory season, just louder and mounted higher.” Xia Qing gently comforted her companion as she helped him put on his protective mask.

Per the commander’s requirements, everyone on the territory had to suit up. Even though Old Goat wasn’t human, he still had to be protected.

Old Goat’s huge spiral horns made it impossible to use a fully enclosed protective mask off the shelf. But in high-risk emergencies, that was the safest choice. So Xia Qing asked Huo Lei to modify a canine protective mask and turn it into a custom, fully-enclosed version for Old Goat.

This mask shielded every part of Old Goat’s head except the horns. Paired with his snake skin protective suit, his safety was top-notch.

Once Old Goat was all geared up, Xia Qing took him outside the sheep shed to spray antiparasitic medicine, then told the weasel family inside, “You stay put, baldy and White Weasel! There’s a Devastation Snake loose, but you’re safe right here.”

So why was Xia Qing so sure there wasn’t a Devastation Snake hiding in the sheep shed?

Because she could sense them with her magnetic sense.

Earlier on, Xia Qing had noticed something off with the emerald green snake, though she didn’t know what. Now she understood.

With the weasels settled, Xia Qing asked Old Goat, “Do you want to stay in the shed with White Weasel and the kids, or stick with me? The shed is really safe.”

Old Goat stood firm at Xia Qing’s side, clearly not planning to enter the shed. He thought sticking close to her was much safer.

“Alright, you’re with me.” Xia Qing didn’t get why Old Goat reacted so strongly to the loudspeakers, but she locked up the shed anyway and took him to make a careful sweep of the rest of the area.

After finishing her search of the abandoned village, Xia Qing handed the territory over to Chen Zheng and Chen Cheng. She was headed for Hill Forty-Nine to join the team from Territory Seven and hunt for Devastation Snakes.

Xia Qing had nearly reached the north gate, and Old Goat was glued to her side, refusing to leave for even a moment.