Chapter 774: Red Alert: The Fang Disaster Escalates

Zhang San’s voice was as steady as the scalpel in his hand. “Alright. You’re in charge of Territory Nine. Not a single Devastation Snake escapes that perimeter.”

Xia Qing straightened up. “Yes, sir. I guarantee the mission will be done.”

“Attention all territories: In thirty minutes, the Fang Rain level will rise to red. Estimate duration: thirty-five minutes. Please acknowledge upon receipt.”

Before Zhang San could issue his official notice, Tan Junjie’s voice broke in over the Lords’ channel, reporting a rise in the Fang Rain disaster level. The sound of rushing water ran in the background.

“Territory One acknowledges.” Yin Jie, the Level 5 Vision Evolutionary stationed in Territory One, replied.

“Territory Two acknowledges.” Tang Huai replied from inside the rotary tiller in Territory Nine.

Xia Qing pressed the walkie-talkie button. “Section Three acknowledges.”

Hearing Xia Qing’s voice, Liao Chen sprang up inside the shipping container in Territory Fourteen, startling Feng Wen.

Why did Xia Qing’s voice on the walkie-talkie make Liao Chen react like that? Feng Wen, who was catching rainwater with a basin, shot him a glance, her eyes resting on the phone he never let out of his sight.

After Zhou Zhaoping, the acting agent from Territory Eight, replied, Hu Zifeng chimed in from Section Three. “Territory Nine acknowledges.”

“Territory Ten acknowledges.”

After Shizhong’s reply, before Tan Junjie could say anything else, Zhang San’s calm yet commanding voice echoed through the Lords’ channel. Instantly, everyone’s mind flashed back to his leadership during the last two disaster responses. Heartbeats quickened—was something even worse on the way?

Beast tide? Poison gas bombs? Devastation Snakes? The more Zhao Ze thought, the more anxious he got—he was practically on the verge of tears.

“Tan Junjie, is the Northern Section One megaphone still operational?”

Tan Junjie replied at once. “Most of them are still working.”

“Turn it on. Get every Inspection Team leader in Northern Section One into this Lords’ channel.”

A moment later, Tan Junjie replied, “All have been notified, loudspeaker is ready.”

Only then did Zhang San, still gripping his scalpel, issue a rapid series of orders. “Inspection Teams, listen up: Once again, a highly dangerous evolved creature—the Devastation Snake—has been spotted in Northern Section One. As per the Huaguo Emergency Disaster Response Law, Hui Three North Section One is officially activating its disaster eradication protocol.”

“By the Response Law, the nearest qualified individual will take command: Zhang San, director of the P3 Lab in Hui Three Territory Seven, will lead. During this emergency, I have authority to mobilize any and all resources at Hui Three Base to respond as quickly as possible.”

Hearing that familiar announcement again, most lords actually breathed a sigh of relief.

Devastation Snakes were terrifying, but compared to a beast tide or a Devastation Explosion, at least they weren’t the worst.

In Territory Fifteen, just hearing about Devastation Snakes left Jiang Ying’s Mother shaking from head to toe.

Feng Wen’s nerves sank even further seeing Liao Chen’s distorted expression and ghostly pale face. She quickly put on her protective suit and left the leaky shipping container behind.

Honestly, even being out amid all those evolved creatures in red-level Fang Rain felt safer than staying anywhere near Liao Chen. Her subconscious just screamed at her to get away—and listening to it had already saved her from certain death more than once.

“According to my research, Devastation Snakes can’t actually pierce Second-Class Field Suits. As long as you’re wearing a suit of at least this grade, you can keep fighting the Fang Rain and searching for snakes inside the territory…”

Last time, Zhang San had required everyone to wear Level-Three Field Suits, but now he was lowering the standard to Level Two. People everywhere let out sighs of relief.

Thank goodness for that; otherwise, almost everyone would have been forced to rush indoors. That would’ve meant letting the fields get soaked in red-level Fang Rain, leaving the corn vulnerable and the wild tung trees out of control.

Once Zhang San finished issuing orders, he announced the disaster response team leads. “Tan Junjie is in direct command. Territory Nine is now classified high-risk, with Xia Qing in charge. Any incident—report to Tan Junjie. Then Tan Junjie and Xia Qing report directly to me.”

After Tan Junjie had acknowledged, Xia Qing pressed the talk button. “Understood.”

With the channel quiet again, Tang Huai asked Xia Qing, “Can Hu Zifeng spare anyone for this? Or should we get reinforcements from Territories Two and Twelve?”

Before Xia Qing could reply, Yue Haiying’s voice came over the channel. “Xia Qing, will three people from my side be enough for Territory Nine?”

Since Territory Nine had just been declared a high-risk area, it obviously meant someone spotted a Devastation Snake there. Even with Xia Qing’s strength, she couldn’t cover two thousand acres alone in red-level Fang Rain, so Yue Haiying immediately decided to send help.

Shi Du joined the channel as well. “Sister Qing, I can clear the border between Territory Nine and Territory Ten.”

Huo Lei checked in: “Xia Qing, got enough snake-catching gear? I can send two extra kits over if you need.”

Both Tang Heng, Kuang Qingwei, Qi Fu, Zhao Ze and Wen Nengjie volunteered extra hands. Then, rare as it was, Xin Yu spoke up. “Xia Qing, I’ve already sent four Evolved fighters from my team. They’ll be in Territory Nine within ten minutes.”

“Thanks, everyone. Xin Yu’s team will be plenty for me. You all focus on guarding your own territories—search for Devastation Snakes and wild tung trees, and brace for red-level Fang Rain.”

After thanking her allies, Xia Qing turned to Tang Huai. “You’d better get back to Territory Two and handle the red-level Fang Rain there. I’ve got things covered here.”

“But nobody else is here yet and I’m already on site! I know this territory better than anyone and I’ve got hearing evolution—if I go, who’s gonna help you out?”

Tang Huai figured he was the one who should stay, risky as it was. Aside from his hearing evolution, his liver function was evolved too—he could produce three special enzymes, so even a snakebite wasn’t much of a threat. He couldn’t explain all that, so he just dug his heels in.

“Are you sure those people can manage Territory Two without you?” Xia Qing pressed.

“They’ll be fine, let me make arrangements!” Tang Huai grabbed his walkie-talkie, called Liu Jing and told him to look after the Green Lantern Insects. He ordered everyone to guard the fields—if anything happened to their assigned lots, pay was getting docked! He even called his little brother to say he’d be helping Xia Qing clear snakes in Territory Nine.

Tang Huai honestly wished he could call every family member, if only there was time!

Once the evolved fighters from Territory Eight arrived, Xia Qing used the rotary tiller-cut paths to divide Territory Nine into five areas. She and the four Territory Eight fighters each took one, starting a thorough sweep for snakes and hostile plants.

And Tang Huai? With his combat stats too weak, he just kept driving the rotary tiller, expanding the road.

At least, that’s the excuse Xia Qing gave. Really, she just said he was most familiar with the area, so this was the best use of his time.

After Tan Junjie and Yuan Rui arrived, Xia Qing handed them a Devastation Snake. She told Yuan Rui, an evolved scent tracker, to memorize its smell. “I suspect someone smuggled these snakes in from Territory Fourteen. Captain Tan, if you use water sampling as cover and let Brother Rui search Territory Fourteen, you might find something.”

“Who’s the main suspect in Territory Fourteen?” Tan Junjie asked.

“Liao Chen. He’s a strength-based evolutionary—cunning and ruthless, too. Don’t get too close. I think he’s carrying a bomb.” If Liao Chen really had ties to Fire Phoenix, then explosives were a real risk.

Tan Junjie nodded. “You watch out for any ambushes, too.”

Not long after they left, Chen Zheng and Chen Cheng entered the area Xia Qing was responsible for in Territory Nine, taking over her Devastation Snake search.

Even if it was high risk here, Xia Qing had already used her magnetic sense to confirm the area was clean.

So now, she hopped in the off-roader the Chen brothers brought and headed home. She had to sweep her own territory for Devastation Snakes before the red-level Fang Rain started.

As Xia Qing was heading back, Tan Junjie received a call from the Territory Management Department.