Chapter 770: Thunderclouds and Rescue: A Dangerous Aftermath

As the thunderclouds swept over Section Two of the north and the Safe Zone, they triggered a Devastation Explosion that left thousands dead or wounded, destroying houses and farmland everywhere.

While working on rescue missions in the Safe Zone, Zhong Tao squeezed in a quick message to Xia Qing, letting her know he’d seen Xia Qing’s good friend Xu Juan carried out on a stretcher by the Rescue Team from the heart of the explosion in the West Outer City—her condition unclear.

Xia Qing immediately wiped her hands dry and called Xu Juan.

Xu Juan’s voice sounded hoarse. “I was wearing a Level 4 Protective Suit, so the high-speed particle streams didn’t hit me. But a collapsing house broke my leg. It’s already taken care of. How’s your side? I heard you guys got hit by dozens of lightning strikes.”

Xu Juan had held off calling Xia Qing before, worried she’d attract lightning to her phone—especially with so many strikes in Xia Qing’s area. By the time the stormcloud drifted over the Safe Zone, Devastation Element concentrations in the air were too high to drive the thunderclouds away with shells. The resulting disaster was unavoidable.

“My territory was struck four times, but thankfully no one was hurt,” Xia Qing replied simply, then asked, “Was anyone targeting you during the explosion?”

After devouring dozens of pounds of High-Evolution Green Lantern Python, Xu Juan’s Evolved Hearing leveled up from four and a half to five and a half. It didn’t just boost her auditory powers—her whole body was stronger. If her limbs hadn’t been pinned, she’d have easily dodged the falling debris.

Xu Juan explained, “I saved someone.”

“Good. As long as it’s nothing serious. If it’s not convenient for you where you are, you can come to my territory to recover.” Xu Juan didn’t say whom she saved, and Xia Qing didn’t press.

Getting hurt during a year of catastrophes is dangerous. Even if you don’t get infected by Evolved Microorganisms from a ripped suit, while you recover, you’re at risk of being robbed and losing all your stashed supplies.

So, before saving someone, you need to make sure you can keep yourself safe—unless the person is worth risking it all for.

Like Xia Qing, Xu Juan had lost all her family. The person she risked it all to save couldn’t have been a stranger or someone unimportant.

“I saved Wang Xin, the chief surgeon from the Inner City Hospital. Her wounds weren’t the worst part; her Protective Suit and Mask were ruined, her head was bleeding, and the Safe Zone doctors can’t handle her case. I heard the Rescue Team say she’ll be sent to Territory Seven to see that super-expert.”

Xu Juan offered up the information herself. After explaining who she saved, her tone lightened. “As long as the big shot steps in, Wang Chief will be fine. Once I’m better, I can join the Rescue Team at the Inner City Hospital and finally secure a bed in their dorm.”

If Wang Xin was in trouble—even Xia Qing would risk rescuing her. Not just because Wang Xin was Hui Three’s top surgeon, but because saving someone of that rank earns a ton of contribution points.

Credits and contributions are the two pillars of survival in the Safe Zone. Credits let you trade for supplies; contribution points unlock not only goods but also crucial Safe Zone benefits.

Xia Qing congratulated Xu Juan and then asked, “Was there an explosion at the Inner City Hospital?”

Xu Juan lowered her voice. “Not at the Inner City Hospital—West Outer City. I was on a mission in the West Outer City when I saw two people drag Wang Xin into an alley. It looked off, so I followed. Before I could do anything, lightning and the explosion hit. The walls collapsed. I had to shield her with my own body.”

Top talents like Dr. Wang are supposed to be protected. How did she end up being dragged into the Outer City? Xia Qing was about to press for more details, but Idol called at that very moment.

“Xia Qing, is now a good time to talk?”

Zhang San’s voice was calm, but behind it, Xia Qing could hear clattering medical tools and the steady beeps of instruments. Figuring Idol was in surgery, Xia Qing replied at once, “I’m at home—just me and Old Goat. It’s a good time. Go ahead.”

Did Green Lantern Sheep really need a special mention? Zhang San paused, then asked, “Wang Xin, the top surgeon in Hui Three’s Safe Zone, was injured in the explosion and needs Devastationweed to treat her wounds. Can you cut five Devastationweed leaves for me?”

Devastationweed wasn’t just an antidote for Synthetic Toxin—it also worked wonders on organ damage from Devastation Explosions.

Xia Qing’s territory had two large Devastationweed plants—one whole, the other missing seven leaves: two for healing Alpha’s Devastation Snake venom, five for the injured Evolved Bear. Wang Xin’s treatment needed five leaves too—her wounds must’ve been bad.

Xia Qing answered quickly, “Hang on, Third Brother. Let me check with Captain Yang.”

Devastationweed didn’t belong to Xia Qing alone.

As soon as she hung up with Idol, Xia Qing called Yang Jin to ask for his okay. Only once she had his consent did she message Idol, then asked Old Goat to keep an eye on things while she took the rotary tiller out to the Slope Greenhouse for harvesting.

The Slope Greenhouse was protected by Yi Stone. Even during Devastation Rain, harvesting Devastationweed wouldn’t expose the plants to excess Devastation Element.

This time, she harvested from the plant whose leaves hadn’t been cut yet. She packed the leaves in a special herb case, tossed in a basket of Green Lantern Vegetables, and handed the lot to Ji Li waiting outside the Northern Gate.

Inside the Yi Stone-protected greenhouse, there were no surveillance cameras, so when Xia Qing ducked into the Spring Cave to harvest Devastationweed, even Hu Zifeng—the Level 5 Vision Evolutionary monitoring the screens—couldn’t know.

From Hu Zifeng’s perspective, it just looked like Zhang San, the picky eater from Territory Seven, had asked Xia Qing to bring him some vegetables.

Up north, the territories closest to the edge all had plots of High Evolution Element Soil—the only difference was their size. Section Three’s plot was set on the hillside, so its terrace-grown crops packed extra nutrition.

Territory Seven had High Evolution Element Soil as well, but Zhang San had converted most of it for planting experiments, so there weren’t many veggies left. When he wanted something different, he traded with the other territories.

On her way through the lounge, Xia Qing left a few cucumbers and tomatoes for Hu Zifeng and the others. By the time she returned home with her basket, she could hear Tang Huai shouting on the lords’ channel, “Captain Tan, what’s up with this? What’s a helicopter doing out here in this weather? They may not be afraid to die, but we sure are!”

The air was already thick with Devastation Element, and right now was a lull between Devastation Rains—a time when evolved raptors were especially active.

With all its noise and flashing lights, that helicopter was bound to rile up any raptors lurking in the Evolved Forest. If they clashed, things could spiral out of control—maybe even trigger another Devastation Explosion.

Tan Junjie came online to clarify, “It’s an emergency. The helicopter’s carrying a top sniper. Everything’s under control.”

Tang Huai jumped in, “A top sniper? Don’t tell me Luo Pei’s on board?! What’s going on?”

Just as Tan Junjie had expected, he didn’t answer. Xia Qing watched the helicopter land inside Territory Seven, then went back inside to finish cooking.

After dinner, everything was calm on the lords’ channel.

There was no rain now, and with the Wild Tung Tree crisis over, everyone took advantage of this rare break to rest and recharge before the next forty-plus hours of Devastation Rain—especially the red-level storms.

Xia Qing checked in with Hidden Valley, confirmed all was well, and lay down to rest.

But she’d only been asleep a little over an hour when Zhang He’s call woke her up.