Chapter 82: The Secrets Hidden in Spinach Roots

The Yi element content in Chinese toon shoots was one in ten thousand. Evolved perilla had one point five in ten thousand. Both were within the normal range, but the spinach root? Its Yi element content shot up to six in ten thousand!

Xia Qing muttered, “Luo Ge, is there something wrong with this machine? Out of nowhere, how could it possibly hit six in ten thousand…”

Luo Pei double-checked that the lab door was tightly shut before lowering his voice to ask Xia Qing, “What plant’s root is this?”

“Spinach root,” Xia Qing explained. “Last night, the spinach seeds in my territory finally matured, so I pulled up all the spinach stalks and took them home for dinner. I didn’t expect that after just one night, the wounds on me from getting whipped by those evolved potato vines had already healed sixty percent. I suspected the spinach worked some magic, so I went back to the field to dig up this bit of leftover root and brought it in for testing.”

If Zhang San hadn’t been so obsessed with spinach leaves, or if she and Boss Sheep’s wounds hadn’t nearly healed overnight, Xia Qing wouldn’t have thought to test the Yi element levels in the greenlight spinach.

Luo Pei turned off the machine, his face so stern that he could give Tan Junjie a run for his money. “Who have you traded spinach with?”

“Only Zhang San from Plot Seven,” Xia Qing replied. “The other lords all want spinach seeds instead—we haven’t gotten around to trading just yet. The Xiang element in spinach is at three point eight per thousand, which is actually higher than the perilla in my territory, so that’s why I used it for trade. But I never expected its Yi element to be this high.”

“Don’t trade spinach seeds with anyone else.” Luo Pei asked, “Xia Qing, do you know what a plant with six in ten thousand Yi element can be used for?”

Of course Xia Qing knew. “Premium nutrient solution!”

Just yesterday, Xia Qing was considering trading spring water for premium nutrient solution. Who’d have thought the spinach in her own territory could make it? No wonder she and Boss Sheep healed so fast—eating so much spinach loaded with Yi element, how could they not recover quickly?

How much premium nutrient solution could you get from all that spinach stalk?

Xia Qing… felt a sharp pang of regret.

Luo Pei nodded. “The higher the Yi element in a greenlight plant or animal, the better the effect of the nutrient solution you produce. When the Yi element is less than five in ten thousand, the juice from greenlight plants and blood from greenlight animals can both go into standard nutrient solution. But to make premium nutrient solution, your main ingredient has to come from liquid or blood with a Yi content over five in ten thousand. If the Yi element ever tops ten in ten thousand, then you can make a Vitality Element Stimulating Solution.”

What?!

Xia Qing was so excited her hair practically stood on end. So if her spinach’s Yi element climbed just four more points, she’d be able to make that life-saving Yi Solution?

Luo Pei looked a little regretful too. “All the greenlight plants we’ve found in the wild Evolver Forest have Yi element levels under five in ten thousand, so I never thought to remind you to test the greenlight plants within your territory.”

Xia Qing quickly waved it off. “Oh, you can’t blame yourself, Luo Ge. I never thought of it either.”

“This is great news.” Luo Pei genuinely felt happy for Xia Qing. “Premium nutrient solution and the Vitality Element Stimulating Solution are both made from greenlight animals and plants painstakingly cultivated at the base. The Yi element crown from Hui One Base’s research division capped at eleven in ten thousand, and if I recall right, that was from their spinach, too. Blazing Fire Unit siphoned off plenty of talent from other bases, pouring in tons of spring water and devoting four years to push those mountain plants up to nine in ten thousand. You have a much higher starting point than that.”

He couldn’t help but sigh again, “How did I forget? The quality of your spring water is better than Blazing Fire Unit’s. Of course there might be plants in your territory with even higher Yi element content!”

Hui One Base stands as the strongest among the ten bases of Hui City, functioning as its core powerhouse. That’s why the Hui One research institute gets called the ‘main institute’—it’s the best of all ten bases by a mile.

Xia Qing had no interest in competing with any of them. She just wanted to get stronger day by day, relying on her own ability to live a good, quality life, however long she could hold on.

She calmed down fast and smiled at Luo Pei. “They have people and skills, but I’m just one person—who am I to compare? I can only take things a step at a time. Luo Ge, Zhang San’s probably a pharmacist. He’s traded for my spinach leaves several times, so he must have figured out the Yi element by now. Do you know anything about Zhang San’s background?”

Seeing how quickly Xia Qing collected herself and started thinking about the potential risks, Luo Pei felt even more admiration for his student. “Don’t worry, Zhang San isn’t a bad guy. Even if he knows, he wouldn’t spread it around. He’s actually got a temper, though, so don’t go digging into his identity. You have to wait until he tells you himself; otherwise, you’ll get nothing out of it.”

“Luo Ge, can the Azure Dragon Unit produce premium nutrient solution?” Xia Qing asked.

Luo Pei nodded. “We can. I’ll gather up materials about boosting greenlight plant Yi element levels and send them to you. You can keep this Yi Element Tester—consider it a down payment for the spinach. Get more reagents from Jin if you run out.”

“Thank you, Luo Ge.” Xia Qing accepted. She almost asked if she could go to Luo Ge directly for more reagents when needed, since cutting deals with Yang Jin was way tougher—he had a hundred schemes running and wasn’t above using his looks to get a better deal.

Still, the Azure Dragon Unit’s three leaders probably had their own division of labor. She wouldn’t mess with their routines.

In the end, Luo Pei asked Xia Qing, “You want a few extra people for your territory?”

Xia Qing shook her head. “I’d rather live alone. It’s more comfortable.”

After ten years of being crammed in with other people in the Safe Zone, Xia Qing couldn’t stand the thought anymore. Right now, her territory only had her and Boss Sheep. If trouble came knocking, Hu Zifeng’s squad and the Hazard Inspection Team would be there in a flash. She wouldn’t have it any other way—didn’t want even one person more.

Ten years of disasters had shown Xia Qing just how complicated people could be. She didn’t really trust anyone completely, nor did she want anyone permanently in her territory.

But with just herself, how long would it take to raise the Yi element in her spinach?

She’d get there when she got there.

Rather than crowd her home with a dozen researchers, Xia Qing figured it was far better to keep living freely with Boss Sheep. Sure, the Vitality Element Stimulating Solution mattered, but it wasn’t like you couldn’t get it elsewhere.

Zhang San definitely had some on hand.

Luo Pei was just offering advice anyway. Since Xia Qing didn’t want extra people, he didn’t push. He did gently remind her, though: “When Zhang San comes to talk spinach, don’t play all your cards at once. Everyone has their desires, and people rarely pass up temptation. Later, take the rotary tiller out and clear Xiang grass near the village. We’ll use the noise to cover up when we reset the basement to normal. There’ll be plenty of activity in Plot One and Territory Two these next few days, but none of it will reach your place—just keep an eye on Boss Sheep.”

At the basement exit, Wei Chengdong carefully doused Xia Qing in deodorizer spray several times, then quietly reminded her, “Your health is more important than anything, don’t push yourself.”

Apparently, everyone had been listening in on the lord’s channel. They all figured she was just forcing herself to keep going. That suited her just fine—the perfect excuse.

Xia Qing drove the rotary tiller out of the garage, hooked up the four-wheel weed cutter up front, and, with Boss Sheep by her side, revved it up for maximum power to mow down the Xiang grass.

Once the rotary tiller roared to life in Territory Three, Tang Huai—who had been toughing out his whip wounds in Territory Two, straining his ears to listen for evolved rats—cracked and yelled, “This is driving me crazy!”