Chapter 843: Monkey Trouble and Wolf Pack Negotiations

After getting chewed out by her Idol and dragging Monkey out of the lab, Xia Qing asked, “Ji, Sister Yan?”

Why didn’t she ask Idol earlier? Because she got kicked out before she even had the chance.

Ji Li stayed silent.

Silence always meant something was up. Could it be that Sister Yan and Huo didn’t fly the helicopter to help on Hui One’s orders, but actually on Idol’s orders?

Xia Qing tried again. “How about Huo?”

This time, Ji answered quickly. “He’s been grinning like an idiot since he came back. No matter how I ask, he won’t spill what happened.”

“Can I go talk to Huo?” Xia Qing asked.

Once again, Ji Li chose to stay quiet.

Xia Qing didn’t push further.

Back in the Territory, she tried calling Huo Zhun and Yan Long, only to find both phones off. With no other choice, she messaged Idol for answers.

To her surprise, Idol actually replied fast: Huo Zhun will be moving to Territory Eleven soon, and Yan Long—forget holding her back, she wants to ride the waves and fight on the open sea.

This was the first time Xia Qing saw Zhang San use such poetic language. Clearly, he admired Yan Long.

She messaged: Is this because you sent them flying the helicopter to help me?

Zhang San shot back: Get lost! Stop bugging me!

Xia Qing grinned. So that’s a yes.

Yan Long’s mission defending Territory Seven was supposed to last till year-end. Breaking the rules this time got her an early release—six months ahead of schedule, off to the battlefield she always wanted. As for Huo Zhun’s retirement, who knows if it was his choice or he got forced out.

Hui One’s officials don’t want to lose control of Zhang San, so their people listen to his orders—that’s why they’re so annoyed. Moving out Yan Long and Huo Zhun isn’t so much punishment as clearing the way for more trusted replacements in Territory Seven.

Xia Qing asked, “Third Brother, is there anything I can do?”

Zhang San shot back, “What else can you do besides look for medicine?”

That made Xia Qing realize again how important this medicine quest was. After hanging a drip for Monkey in the sheep shed, she sat nearby, munching on a steamed bun and talking to Broken Back Wolf about medicinal herbs.

Broken Back Wolf’s eyes stayed glued to the IV drip, watching the water droplets fall, with zero interest in herbs.

This must be its second time seeing an IV—the first was after it hurt its back and was brought to Territory Seven for surgery. Xia Qing had sat outside the operating room, listening to the sound of liquid dripping.

Of course, that time, Broken Back Wolf was surrounded by five strangers wielding knives. It was probably too freaked out to notice the details.

Deciding to help, Xia Qing brought out her laptop, pulled up a video tutorial, and explained, “Monkey’s had some trouble from the sedative, so we’re using this drip to get the medicine straight into his bloodstream.”

On top of the IV, Xia Qing had to give Monkey spinach nutrient shake by mouth, drop medicine in his eyes, and even clean up his messes when he couldn’t move on his own!

She’d taken care of a lot of patients, but Monkey was definitely the biggest handful.

With a sigh, Xia Qing eyed Monkey, dropped two eye drops in, then said to Broken Back Wolf, “I need to make dinner. Handsome Wolf, can you watch Monkey for me? When the drip stops dropping, call me. Is that alright?”

Broken Back Wolf broke out in an adorably pleased grin. Clearly, it loved having a job to do.

“Thanks, Handsome Wolf.”

Xia Qing grabbed some frozen buns from the fridge to heat up and whipped up a tomato and egg soup. Not long after, Broken Back Wolf came to fetch her.

She hurried to the sheep shed and sure enough, the medicine bag was empty, the fluid in the drip almost gone. Together, she and Broken Back Wolf watched the last of the liquid drain into Monkey’s vein before Xia Qing carefully took out the needle.

Broken Back Wolf paused the teaching video, standing to the side and studying everything seriously.

Honestly, those giant paws of its could never do such delicate work, but Xia Qing didn’t burst its bubble. She praised it sincerely and earnestly.

After dinner, she left Monkey in Er’s care, handed the Territory over to Old Goat and Xiao Jiang, then walked out of Section Three with Broken Back Wolf, talking herbs the whole way.

But as soon as they reached Python Pond near Hill Fifty-Five, and she figured out what the two clever wolves wanted from her, the words got stuck in her throat.

Turns out, the Wolf Pack’s chiefs wanted a single human—her—to fill up Python Pond with rocks. Since the Pack had reclaimed the mountain, it made sense to fill the pond that connected to the underground river where pythons would keep popping out.

They’d even hired her with a Yi Stone, since it was a giant project. If the wolves tried to dig with their paws, this would take them a lifetime.

She pointed to the northern wall, negotiating seriously with the two smart wolves. “Queen, can I use explosives to blast this cliff face?”

Python Pond was ringed by three tall cliffs, with only a single exit to the south. Blasting and filling the pond seemed totally logical.

But both wolves gave Xia Qing stern looks. Absolutely not.

She pointed to the west cliff. “How about blowing up this side?”

Still no.

“Then how about this one? Come on! You won’t let me get help from humans and you won’t let me blast the mountain—am I supposed to fill this massive pond with my bare hands?!”

The wolves kept their serious faces. Still no!

So explosives were out. Xia Qing tried, “Can I at least bring in a few humans to help?”

The pond at Python Pond had over seventy square meters of surface and who knows how deep—if she had to fill it herself, she’d be at it forever. She was Xia Qing, not “Xia Jingwei.”

But the wolves didn’t budge, staring right at her. No extra hands allowed.

No explosives, no helpers, and they wanted her to fill up this giant pond alone. What kind of insane request was this for a normal wolf to make?!

Fuming, Xia Qing pulled out the Yi Stone and tossed it back at the two wolves, who were even stingier than Old Zhou the Skinflint. “I quit! Didn’t you just beat the Giant Bear? Get the bear to do it for you! He’s way stronger than me and has four legs too!”

“I’ve got medicine to find, then I have to plant sweet potatoes, harvest cotton, pull weeds—I’m busy!”

Seeing her put down the Yi Stone and storm off, one smart wolf leaped onto the rocks and sent off a long, proud howl. The other picked up the stone and ran off who knows where.

Huffing away, Xia Qing didn’t get far before Alpha cut her off. Before she could unleash her temper, a flash of white appeared—White Weasel landed on a nearby rock, clutching three of the very herbs Xia Qing had been searching for.

Broken Back Wolf trotted back too, carrying two walnut-sized Yi Stones and dropping them at Xia Qing’s feet.

Xia Qing’s face lit up with delight. “White Weasel, you found the herbs? You’re amazing! No wonder you’re at the top of the food chain. And the Queen’s best friend! Queen, Handsome Wolf, are these two Yi Stones your way of hiring me to haul rocks and fill the pond?”