Chapter 767: Danger Blossoms in the Rain

Liangzi replied, “Received. The next Devastation Rain will start in forty minutes, expected to be yellow level. Sister Qing, try to return to the territory before it hits. If you need backup, call immediately.”

“Got it.” Xia Qing switched channels and told her teammate, “Old Goat, you just stay in Shed Fifteen and eat. Once you’re full, wait there for me. I’m going to check on Flathead.”

“Baa.” Old Goat, contentedly munching grass inside the shed, answered her.

Hearing that Old Goat’s mood was steady, Xia Qing felt confident there’d be no extreme weather for at least half an hour. Relieved, she left the territory through the north gate and headed straight into Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine.

Compared to the territory, where trees are sparse, it’s much tougher for aggressive Wild Tung Trees to grow in the lush Evolved Forest. But Xia Qing had no choice except to make this run.

After all, if even one aggressive Wild Tung Tree took root here, flowered, and produced seeds during the Devastation Rain, it could kick off a string of disasters.

Section Three covered a vast area with thick foliage, but Xia Qing knew these woods like the back of her hand. She never hesitated—she knew exactly which trees to grab and which stones to step on to get through dangerous ground.

With her magnetic sense, sharp eyesight and the bonus from her special protective suit, she could dodge nearly every hazard.

Evolved insects, charging at her face? No big deal. Let them dive-bomb and bite all they want—so long as they don’t block her visor.

Leeches sticking to her? Way too many to care about—she just ignored them.

Snakes lunging at her? She stuffed them in her pockets. If she ran into Flathead, she’d hand him a few. The rest went back to the territory—edible ones were kept, anything inedible got sold off.

Fifteen minutes in, Xia Qing spotted the first aggressive Wild Tung Tree. Thanks to all the thick vegetation, it was starved for nutrients, growing much slower than the ones inside the territory.

This one barely reached two meters tall. A dozen or so vine-like branches drooped down like snakes, raindrops clinging and dripping from their tips. It hadn’t been set off by people or animals, so it hadn’t attacked yet—just focused on sucking up as many nutrients as it could to grow.

But now, the one who’d trigger it had arrived.

Xia Qing drew her blade and got to work.

Ten minutes later, she slid her black blade back into the sheath, grabbed her shovel and took off running again through the Evolved Forest. That first Wild Tung Tree? Now it hung upside down from a tall tree, roots in the air, neither roots nor vines touching the dirt—completely cut off from feeding the crown. Once it dried out, she’d burn it for firewood.

While Xia Qing made her rounds, the Inspection Team channel buzzed nonstop. Multiple territories—Fourteen included—were calling for help because they’d found aggressive plants, lost greenhouses to wind damage, or had injuries. The Inspection Team raced to respond.

“Attention, all members: Thunderclouds have reached the skies over Section One of the North and the Safe Zone. The Safe Zone is mobilizing all available forces to deal with the storm. For the duration of this Devastation Rain, they won’t be able to send reinforcements north. Be ready for a long fight.”

After Tan Junjie finished the announcement, the channel fell silent. Xia Qing paused, then carried on with her inspection.

Forty minutes later, the yellow-level Devastation Rain began. Xia Qing was still in Section Three, clearing not just Wild Tung Trees but any other aggressive Devastation-evolved plants she found—taking out what she could, marking the rest to handle after the rain.

Just then, Fourth Squad Captain Zeng Quan came through on the Inspection Team channel: “There’s an aggressive Wild Tung Tree in Territory Eighteen. It’s over four meters tall—Fourth Squad can’t deal with it. We need backup.”

Tan Junjie’s voice was unshakably calm and stern: “Received. A six-person team will be there in ten minutes. Fang Lin in Territory Twenty-Five, can you reinforce Territory Eighteen?”

“Fang Lin, copy. Will arrive in five minutes.” A coarse man’s voice answered.

Fang Lin—once with the Dongyang Squad, now a level-five Strength Evolver on the Liangqing Squad. Was Lord Sang Jian of Territory Twenty-Five paying him a fortune, or did Twenty-Five fall under the Squad’s command, like Territory One?

Xia Qing hacked through the main root of her sixth Wild Tung Tree, cutting off nutrients to the crown, then bent down and ripped up three main roots from the soil with both hands. She sealed them inside a bag.

Half an hour later, Xia Qing had swept Section Three clear of Wild Tung Trees and returned to her territory—just in time to hear Tan Junjie call for emergency aid over the Inspection Team channel:

“The aggressive Wild Tung Tree in Territory Eighteen is now five meters high. Some vines have anchored into the soil—it’s reached level three form. We desperately need several level-five or higher Strength Evolvers, several level-four or higher Speed Evolvers, and ten snipers. Anyone available, please report in.”

Five meters—that was even bigger than the largest Xia Qing had found in her own territory last year. Clearing something that size would be a massive challenge.

With the Devastation Rain just starting, if they let it keep growing, by tonight or tomorrow the thing could reach level four form.

Standing on the high slope as the relentless rain fell, Xia Qing scanned her territory. After checking with Liangzi over the earpiece walkie-talkie and making sure everything inside was under control, she jumped onto the Inspection Team’s support list: “Number fifteen reporting—level-six Strength Evolver and sniper, Xia Qing, ready to help.”

“Xia Qing, get to Territory Eighteen immediately. The car’s parked at the east quarantine strip in Territory Fifteen.”

“Received. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” Xia Qing dashed out of the buffer forest, drove her off-roader over to the edge of Shed Fifteen, greeted Old Goat—who was resting inside—then exited through the south gate, racing east toward Territory Eighteen.

Tang Huai heard the commotion, clenched his fist and grinned. He knew Xia Qing would never sit this out.

Even Zhu Li in Territory Six heard Xia Qing’s car engine roar to life—she looked up, wondering what was going on.

She wasn’t on the Inspection Team channel and had no idea what was happening. When she realized Xia Qing had left the territory, she figured some allied territory must be in crisis and needed urgent help.

Xia Qing cruised eastbound, turned into the eastern quarantine strip, and spotted that wild, thrashing Wild Tung Tree inside Territory Eighteen.

Of all places, it was growing in the northwest corner of the wild grasslands in Territory Eighteen!

Plenty of Evolvers and Inspection Team members were already there, standing quietly in the Devastation Rain, waiting.

Xia Qing instantly spotted Tan Junjie—the Inspection Team captain for Section One of the North—alongside the petite level-four Speed Evolver, Lord Tan Qi of Territory Fifteen.

As soon as Xia Qing appeared, Lord Wen Nengjie of Territory Seventeen sprinted over, waving his arms and yelling, “Sister Qing! Sister Qing! Sister Qing!”

Honestly, it was no wonder he was so excited. Territory Seventeen was right next to Eighteen on the west side, and this Wild Tung Tree had already smashed up the thorn wall in Seventeen’s northeast corner.

Tan Qi, Shi Du, Yu Shou, Zhang Hongda, Hu Zifeng, Jing Kuan, Guan Tong and Peng Jian all turned to look toward Xia Qing’s off-roader.

Xia Qing parked on the west side of Territory Fifteen, slung her sniper rifle and black long blade over her shoulder, and walked over.

“Sister Qing, you guys have to wipe out that monster, or all three of our territories—heck, the whole northern section—are doomed…”

Wen Nengjie’s voice was rough, nothing like his usual playful self. Patchwork level-three wild protective suit and all, this wasn’t an act. He was genuinely scared this time.

Xia Qing didn’t react, just pressed her lord communicator and said, “Wen Nengjie, get back to your territory right now. Patrol and clear out any aggressive Devastation-evolved plants.”

She used the communicator because she didn’t want to shout in her mask—waste of a voice.

Hearing Xia Qing’s words over the walkie-talkie, Wen Nengjie felt even more reassured than when Tan Junjie spoke. He clasped his hands in thanks to Xia Qing, then bolted back to his territory.