Chapter 901: Return Flights and Unlikely Wolves

Mammalian offspring get their nutrition through the placenta, while ovoviviparous animals rely on their own yolk sacs. When ovoviviparous creatures have matured, they’re not born as tiny fish inside the mother—they’re born in the water. After giving this textbook explanation, Tang Huai joked, “You three ought to skip the exam this year. Maybe just wait and take it next year instead. Who knows, maybe our local elementary school will become a test site and you won’t have to go running all over the place.”

Shi Du stayed upbeat. “I’ve already paid my credits and the test papers are printed. Not showing up would be such a waste. What if the questions turn out to be simple and I luck out? Brother Huai, do sharks take care of their babies? Like, do the big ones really watch over their hatchlings?”

Finally spotting a question he knew, Huo Zhun slammed the button. “Most sharks don’t. But Brain Evolution sharks totally do! I saw a brain-evolved great white actually join forces with an orca to claim shared territory.”

“That’s impressive, Huo. Thanks.” Shi Du turned to the others. “Li, Huo, which of us is going to check in with Kui? Is he dropping off supplies tomorrow?”

Their junior high graduation exam was scheduled for the day after tomorrow. The three of them were planning to hitch a ride in Zheng Kui’s patrol truck.

Xia Qing hit the button. “Luo, when are you heading back to the Safe Zone after tomorrow? I need to get to the Safe Zone for a meeting that day.”

“I’m planning to fly the helicopter back in the morning. What time’s your meeting?” Luo Pei caught Xia Qing’s drift—since he’d flown the helicopter in, Xia Qing was offering to let him fly back, sparing him a bumpy road trip.

“Eight-thirty.”

“Let’s go together, then. How about leaving at six?”

Every inch of the Safe Zone was precious. Once a helicopter entered, it could only land and park at authorized zones. Since Xia Qing’s helicopter was registered under the Azure Dragon Squad, unless there was an emergency, it could only land at their station’s helipad. From there, Xia Qing would need half an hour to reach the Territory Management Department. Factoring in an extra hour for any delays, she’d have plenty of time.

Xia Qing replied, “Sounds perfect, thanks, Luo.”

As soon as Xia Qing mentioned taking the helicopter back to the Safe Zone, Tang Huai jumped in. “Luo, I need to go back too. Can I grab a seat on your chopper? I’ll pay the fare!”

Wen Nengjie immediately chimed in. “Luo, I have errands in the Safe Zone too. Mind if I tag along? I’ll pay my share as well.”

Truth be told, who had errands or not was beside the point. What mattered was riding the Azure Dragon Squad’s chopper with Luo Pei, Xia Qing and Tang Huai. Letting people see you rolling with these big shots made your territory feel a lot safer.

Zhu Li, Shi Du and Huo Zhun instantly changed plans. “Luo, can the three of us come too? Of course, we’ll pay.”

Since Xia Qing had posted in the Lords’ channel, she clearly didn’t mind allies tagging along. Luo Pei agreed with a friendly tone, quoting a fair price: “Sure, sixty credits each.”

Riding for free was out of the question. After all, Xia Qing had risked her life for this helicopter, coming under more than twenty rounds of gunfire to get it. On top of that, chopper flights burned fuel. No way anyone else was flying for nothing.

Luo Pei couldn’t help but smile at the memory of Xia Qing looking so pained after that shooting practice, picking up shell casings. Judging by what he knew of her holdings, she was sitting on nearly twenty million credits. Yet spending a few thousand on range time still made her wince.

In terms of holding on to their credits, Xia Qing really was a dead ringer for Yang Jin.

When she heard the price, Jiang Ying immediately let go of her plans to take the chopper just to visit her mother.

Qi Fu hit the button. “Luo, when does the helicopter come back to our territory?”

Luo Pei answered, “Before dark the day after. The chopper’s got to handle its patrol through the Evolved Forest afterward.”

Patrolling the western and northern edges of the Evolved Forest and offering emergency rescue to military and squads working there—that was the official reason the Azure Dragon Squad kept a helicopter stationed up in Section One of the North.

That’s also why Iron Rooster, Yang Jin, had filed for a monthly fuel subsidy of 30,000 credits for the chopper, plus a maintenance grant. Xia Qing was absolutely thrilled about that—no beating the feeling of negotiating alongside Yang Jin.

Qi Fu was satisfied to hear they’d be back the same day. “Luo, my wife would like to visit, too. Any seats left on the chopper?”

“There’s room.”

“A round trip is 120 credits…” Sitting nearby, Yuan Yan cracked sunflower seeds, pained at the thought.

Qi Fu tried persuading her. “You’ve been away nearly two years now and haven’t gone back once. Besides, the pharmaceutical factory’s releasing another batch of Scar Cleanse tomorrow. If you’re lucky enough to grab a spot in the lottery, you’ll basically make back the chopper fare right there.”

Before the Cataclysm, Yuan Yan used to laugh a lot. It was only after losing their child—and getting that scar on her face—that she stopped. Seeing how much more naturally Kuang Qingwei smiled after using Scar Cleanse, Qi Fu really wanted to get a vial for his wife.

The trouble was, the medicine was incredibly hard to get.

The next batch from the pharmaceutical factory would be sold the day after tomorrow. On sale day, you had to show up at the sales hall, grab a lottery number, and try your luck—out of the 200 vials directly sold at regular price, that was the only way for them to buy any without inflated rates.

While everyone on the Lords’ channel was excitedly chatting about the chopper, Xia Qing headed into the bathroom. “Handsome Wolf, time to get out.”

The Huge Wolf lay still, eyes closed, without even a twitch.

Xia Qing coaxed him again. “Handsome Wolf, that’s long enough. Stay in any longer and it’ll hurt your health.”

The Huge Wolf remained motionless.

Finally, Xia Qing gave up and called a friend over. “Er, get him out for me. Soaking that long’s going to make him sick.”

Er trotted over, licked the Huge Wolf’s soggy head, gave him a nudge—and miraculously, the Huge Wolf trembled to his feet. He shook himself so hard the medicine went flying, almost lost his balance, and then staggered from Xia Qing’s cabin to flop down under the eaves.

Guess this medicine really does sting.

Xia Qing poured more warm water in the bath barrel and dunked Old Goat, Er, Little Fei Mao and Goofball all together.

With the medicine this diluted, it didn’t sting so much. Of the four, only Little Fei Mao squirmed frantically in Xia Qing’s gloved palm, desperate to escape.

Wearing gloves, Xia Qing gripped him steady, then washed Old Goat, then Er, then the monkey. At last she scrubbed the little squirrel, fished him out, dried him off with an old towel and finished him off with the hair dryer before tucking him into her pocket.

Why the gloves? Well, this was animal-grade medicine, and Xia Qing wasn’t keen on growing fur herself.

By the time she finished with the other three, the Huge Wolf was already snoozing beneath the eaves.

Sometime after Xia Qing fell asleep, the Huge Wolf—body restored, feeling stronger—got up, stretched out with a huge yawn and strode right out of Section Three, heading into Section Three of Hill Forty-Nine. After catching a wild boar and eating his fill, he raced up Hill Fifty-Five, stood at the summit and threw back his head to let out a long, echoing howl.

“Awooooooo——”

Hearing that challenge, Alpha in the cave snapped open his golden, money-colored eyes, stood and padded outside.

The two wolves stared at each other for a few seconds, then charged, clashing head-on.