Chapter 721: Birdstorm Over the Territories

Zeng Quan, responsible for Territories Eleven through Eighteen in Section One of the North, reached out in the Plots One to Ten chat channel. “This is Zeng Quan, captain of the Fourth Squad of the Inspection Team. With Captain Tan Junjie away on assignment, I’m temporarily acting as the Section One Inspection Team leader. Is anyone from Territory One, Territory Seven, or Territory Eight online?”

“Section One interim agent Yin Jie here.”

“Territory Seven agent Ji Li reporting.”

“Territory Eight agent Zhou Zhaoping present.”

“Well, looks like it’s all stand-ins,” Tang Huai muttered, hands busy installing barriers for the fields and the insect pens, too occupied to log in and tease anyone. The rest of the territories listened in, focused.

Zeng Quan quickly reported, “Two massive eagles are herding over a dozen mid-sized Evolved Hawks, along with thousands of smaller birds—they’ve formed a minor birdstorm and are flying in from Mountain 51 toward Section One. Can the three of you confirm if your territories’ anti-air weapons are operational, and will you support the Inspection Team in fighting this birdstorm?”

Once a birdstorm forms, the birds swarm like they’ve lost their minds, with no fear—just a relentless aerial assault that can cause serious damage. The territories are too spread out, and air defenses are thin, so every bit of strength must be called in for defense and counterattack.

Azure Dragon Squad member Yin Jie reported, “Territory One and Hill Forty-Nine together have six man-portable rocket launchers ready to use. We’re in.”

Ji Li added, “Territory Seven has one laser cannon and two rocket launchers, all operational. Count us in.”

Zhou Zhaoping chimed in, “Territory Eight has two rocket launchers ready. We’ll help.”

“Copy that. Thanks everyone, please get your defenses in place as soon as possible. All lords and agents, safeguard your fields while ensuring your own safety. If you need backup, just call for the Inspection Team in this chat.”

In Territory Two, Tang Huai balanced a tray of insects and grumbled, “The Azure Dragon Squad’s gotten bold after raiding Sufeng’s stash. Now they’ve got six rocket launchers sitting around.”

A Sufeng Squad member cursed in agreement, “Exactly! They’re really something else. Yang Jin bled us dry!”

Tang Huai gave a cold snort. “Don’t lump me in with you anymore. I quit the team—I’m not part of your lot.”

Over in Section Three, Old Goat stood tensely at the chicken coop door, eyes glued to the eastern sky. The five members of Hu Zifeng’s Squad had taken up positions along the field, ready for the showdown.

In Section Four, Zhao Ze hugged his homemade firearm and quietly muttered after hearing all the weapons being reported, “I wonder if Xia Qing has taken the rocket launcher from Section Three yet. When’s she coming back…?”

At Section Five, Yuan Yan led more than ten people to guard the greenhouses. Aside from a few homemade guns, they carried slingshots and rocks. Qi Fu was busy with another crew, spraying more repellent around the greenhouses to keep pests and birds at bay.

Over in Territory Six, as Kuang Qingwei sprayed pesticide, he felt unexpectedly reassured. “So Third Brother’s territory still has a rocket launcher. I thought we only had the laser cannon here.”

In Territory Ten, three members of the Shi family each gripped a gun, lying low in cover and staring at the smoke-dusted southeastern sky.

In Territory Eleven, Huo Lei stood between two greenhouses, a massive crossbow in his hands and a hundred bolts strapped across his back, eyes alive with excitement.

Beside the overgrown fields of Territory Fourteen, not a soul was in sight.

Up in Territory Fifteen, Yue Haiying reminded Tan Qi and Jiang Ying to lock up tight and not, under any circumstances, leave the house no matter what happened outside.

Five minutes later, Zeng Quan posted a new update in the Lords’ channel. “Attention all lords: the bird horde is expected to reach your territory in two minutes. Territory Seven, use your laser cannon to target the giant eagles. Territories One and Eight, aim at the Evolved Hawks. Hold fire and don’t attack unless the birds begin to land.”

“Message received, Territory Seven.”

“Message received, Territory One.”

“Message received, Territory Eight.”

Crouched in a corner, Jiang Ying gripped a machete tight, eyes wide as she stared at the closed curtain. Her ears rang with nothing but the sound of her own ragged breathing.

For more than a hundred acres around here, only she and Tan Qi were inside. She couldn’t hear a single step or shout from the soldiers and squads outside. Even though the house was sturdy, fear and loneliness felt suffocating.

Meanwhile, the high-risk Wild Tung clearance project on Mountain 51 pressed on at full tilt.

Watching the bird horde swoop down from the sky toward Section One, Xia Qing felt her heart sink. She forced herself to stay calm, tossed a freshly yanked root up to the canopy, then joined He Wu and the others to lift the next fruit-laden branch, searching for the next root to cut.

Minutes later, Tan Junjie walked over and spoke quietly to her. “The birdstorm’s already attacking the territories. Both giant eagles driving the horde are cunning—they’re staying above four thousand meters, out of Section Seven’s laser cannon range. Can you get on a helicopter and take one out from the air?”

Tan Junjie had heard Captain Luo brag about Xia Qing’s sharpshooting plenty of times—her range was close to two thousand meters, and she’d taken out two helicopter gunners in a flash today. That’s why he was seeking her input.

“I can.” Xia Qing agreed without hesitation. She’d never flown in a helicopter before, but years practicing airborne sharpshooting with personal flight gear had prepared her for just this kind of mission.

Shooting from a helicopter was actually easier than standing on a flight device.

A small helicopter that had been circling above to chase off birds now swooped down and lowered its rope ladder. Xia Qing, slinging her sniper rifle, climbed aboard—only then seeing that the pilot had a bold shock of red hair.

This was Jiang Ting, a pilot with vision evolution, who often flew aerial pesticide and Scourgebane spray missions.

From the ground, Xia Qing often spotted her from afar. A familiar stranger, really. Xia Qing greeted them first: “Hello, both of you. I’m Xia Qing, lord of Section Three. I’m here to snipe the giant eagle, on orders.”

Without glancing back, Jiang Ting said, “I’m Jiang Ting, pilot for the Helicopter Squadron. Miss Xia, please fasten your seatbelt and prepare to shoot.”

“Understood.” Xia Qing buckled up, flexed her fingers to loosen her arms, and readied herself for the shot. She’d just pulled several dozen roots and needed a quick breather.

With the helicopter picking up altitude and speeding toward the territory, a larger chopper followed behind.

A man in the copilot seat turned and explained to Xia Qing, “Miss Xia, I’m Lu Zhengke, a machine-gunner with the Helicopter Squadron. One of those two giant eagles led bird attacks against the Eastern Territory last month. We managed to kill its partner back then. This one’s even smarter—a speed evolver. It knows how to use the clouds to dodge us and hit helicopters. Even with Captain Luo from Azure Dragon Squad helping last time, we lost a chopper before taking out its mate.”

“Its sense of distance is scary sharp. It never lets us get within fifteen hundred meters, so we can only try to get as close as possible.”