Chapter 845: A Standoff at Python Pond

After the wolf pack took over Hill Fifty-Five, their howls echoed for half a day. Even people in Section One of the North heard them. So Xia Qing assumed the black python had left and that’s why the wolves let her fill in the pond.

Who would’ve thought that thing was still here! So when she was wandering the shore with the two clever wolves earlier, was the python lurking underwater listening to everything?

No way, that’s terrifying!

The wolf pack wasn’t afraid of the giant python, but Xia Qing was. That monster moved easily between water and land, and its fighting power was insane. If it rode the floodwaters during the Devastation Rain and slithered along a river—or worse, crept through an underground stream—into human territory, it would be a disaster.

She was just a worker here. Filling Python Pond wasn’t even her job. If the black python wanted to vent its anger, it could duke it out with the wolf pack—just please don’t take it out on her.

A short while after the black python’s head broke the surface, six more mid-sized and small pythons poked up nearby. The Alpha led six Evolved Wolves, forming an attack line on the stone ledge above.

The black python slowly rose higher. Xia Qing’s eyes narrowed when she spotted the vivid red Devastation Snake clinging to its body. The Devastation Snake was still here too!

“Awoooo——”

The Alpha let out a commanding howl. Immediately, Broken Back and Lame Wolf—who had been guarding the wolf cubs at the summit—rushed into the cave. Five minutes later, both wolves reemerged wearing snake skin protective suits, took their places at the Alpha’s side, ready for battle. Seeing this, Xia Qing was sure the pack had fully reclaimed Hill Fifty-Five, especially since they’d moved supplies over from Hill Sixty.

So where were the wolf pups from the Northern Wolf Pack born this year—here, or still on Hill Sixty? Black Wolf, Lame Wolf, and Scar Wolf were nowhere to be seen. Were they protecting the pups on Hill Sixty?

Wolves weren’t much for water battles, so they didn’t go into the pond. The black python, not big on land combat, wouldn’t come ashore. Both sides were locked in a tense standoff, testing each other’s patience.

A full ten minutes passed before the black python, Devastation Snake still wrapped around it, finally sank back beneath the surface. The Alpha lifted his head and let out a long, drawn-out howl. The rest of the wolves—cubs on the summit included—joined in, their voices echoing together.

With her poor hearing, Xia Jingwei couldn’t catch the cubs’ howls. Once sure the python had gone to the pond’s bottom, she got back to work.

She pried loose another heavy rock and shoved it into Python Pond. Hiding behind a tree, Xia Qing waited. The python didn’t resurface—but then Broken Back trotted over, dropping a honey badger beside the water.

This honey badger, twice the size of Flathead, got right up and started brawling with Broken Back, bristling with anger.

Xia Qing could only stare…

By five-thirty, Xia Qing had tossed thirteen ‘little rocks’ into the water and decided to call it a day. “Your Majesty, the passage between the pond and the underground river should be blocked now. I’m heading back to the territory. I need to plant sweet potato seedlings in the morning, so I’ll come back to work in the afternoon. Is that okay?”

The Alpha, who’d been keeping watch nearby, nudged her as if to agree. Wearing its protective suit, Broken Back leapt down from the summit. It still remembered its earlier promise to escort Xia Qing home.

Running alongside Broken Back, Xia Qing grumbled, “You know, after working for you guys all afternoon, you should at least give me a wild duck as a thank-you, right?”

Broken Back glanced back at her, thoughtful.

She kept running and muttering, “I mean, I did take two Yi Stones from you, but aren’t we friends? I’m starving—it’s dinnertime for humans, you know. Don’t you think you owe me a snack?”

Broken Back got the message. With a mighty leap, it vanished from sight. Two minutes later, it ran back—this time with… a duck egg in its mouth.

Xia Qing was speechless…

“Thanks for the duck egg, Broken Back. But honestly, roast duck is even better.”

Broken Back dropped the egg onto her hand, its little fangs bared in a cute, toothy grin. But then it closed its mouth, staring at Xia Qing like it was seriously considering her words.

With dusk falling, Xia Qing quickly packed the egg into a safe container and hurried after Broken Back. The two of them—girl and wolf—followed twisty animal trails, crossed several peaks of Hill Fifty-Two, and finally arrived at the base of Hill Forty-Nine. Broken Back, unwilling to go any farther, signaled for Xia Qing to finish the journey alone.

She waved goodbye to the hurried wolf and walked alone into the Azure Dragon Squad’s territory.

She hadn’t gone far before she saw Yang Jin waiting up ahead. Only then did Xia Qing realize why Broken Back hadn’t come this far.

Yang Jin took in the state of Xia Qing’s protective suit, now covered in different colors of moss, and figured she’d worked herself ragged. He changed his mind about talking business right away and stepped up, asking, “Xia Qing, can you hear me?”

Expressionless, Xia Qing nodded. “Yeah, my hearing’s much better. Are you here about the poachers, Captain Yang?”

Yang Jin strolled with her in the direction of Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine. “There’s something else too. I’ve got more to handle, so let’s meet at Section Three at eight tonight?”

“Sure.” After a long afternoon of hard work and plenty of sweat, Xia Qing only wanted to run back, take a shower, and drink some water.

After she split off from Yang Jin and entered Section Three, Flathead blocked her path.

“There are several honey badgers living on Hill Forty-Nine, but you’re the only one that charges humans a toll,” Xia Qing teased. She definitely wasn’t giving this extra-round little honey badger any food. She vaulted right over its head and sped up.

Of course, Flathead wasn’t about to let Xia Qing off the hook. Huffing, it raced after her.

When Xia Qing reached the edge of Wild Boar Valley, though, she came to a halt. At the mouth of the Wolf Den stood a black wolf, two red foxes, and one tiny fox cub.

Unlike the young one’s soft light-brown fur, the adult red foxes’ coats blazed a reddish-brown, vivid as the sunset. No wonder they were prized targets for human hunters—such dazzling fur.

“Hey Black Wolf, long time no see. What’ve you and Lame Wolf been up to lately? With today’s big brawl with the bear pack, neither of you showed.” Xia Qing greeted Black Wolf.

Predictably, Black Wolf ignored her.

Xia Qing hopped down into the valley, gently plucked the fox cub from beneath Black Wolf’s paw, and took a medical kit out of her backpack. She started changing the little one’s bandages.

The cub was still weak and listless. Xia Qing dug out a bottle of homemade nutrient shake and squeezed some into its mouth to boost its resistance. Afterward, she pulled out her phone, found the right moon-shaped picture, and instructed Black Wolf, “When you see the moon look like this, bring the little fox over for new bandages, okay?”

Black Wolf wasn’t a brain-evolved type, so Xia Qing wasn’t sure if it understood.

By the time Xia Qing left Wolf Valley and reached the Northern Barrier, Old Goat was sparring with Flathead. Brawling in the evening had officially become these two stubborn animals’ routine.

But with neither Xia Qing nor Er nearby to keep things under control, Old Goat wouldn’t have dared to step out for a fight. Sure enough, when she glanced up, she saw Er standing just inside the northern gate of Section Three.

Er wagged his tail happily when he saw Xia Qing notice him, mouth curling into a smile.

He was starting to look more like a dog every day.

Xia Qing was about to head back to the territory when Tang Huai came jogging over. He never missed Flathead and Old Goat’s showdowns. As he showed up, Er ducked into the wild grass wall on Section Three’s northern side.

“Xia Qing! I’ve been calling out to you!”

Expressionless, Xia Qing replied, “I didn’t hear you.”

With no special hearing powers, she really couldn’t. Tang Huai chuckled, chatting through the northern iron mesh wall as he watched the animal fight.

He thought she’d gone with Zhao Ze and the others to widen the Hidden Valley, so he didn’t ask why she looked so dirty. “Did you hear? The guys who came barging in with a helicopter this morning—turns out they were official people from Huai Six Base! Damn bastards, all of them!”

Xia Qing’s face stayed blank. “Official?”

“Yeah! Bet you didn’t expect that. That bunch of useless punks showed up at our Safe Zone begging us for a discount on the miracle cure for killer mold just days ago…”

Tang Huai, who’d been grumbling, suddenly broke into a huge grin. “But hey, the Azure Dragon Squad struck gold this time! The helicopter they seized was a military model—worth millions in credits!”

Seeing Xia Qing’s face unchanged, Tang Huai couldn’t help but complain, “Come on, we’re friends, right? Something this big happens and you can’t even show a little reaction? Argued with Hu Zifeng this morning or something?”

It was Xia Qing who brought down that military supply helicopter, arranged for its repair, and even took it for a spin before letting it head back to Territory One.

So what kind of expression was she supposed to give? Filthy from head to toe, Xia Qing just pointed ahead. “Old Goat’s already done with the honey badger.”

Tang Huai didn’t even glance over—he just bolted.

Old Goat strode up to Xia Qing, raising its big head—topped with a propeller-shaped twist of horns—high in the air.