Chapter 936: Beneath the Pillars: Fig Trees and Favors

“See the sharp contrast on that eagle’s feathers and the patch on its nape? That’s gotta be a male eagle,” Xin Yu said, holding a smoothing rake as she and Xia Qing leveled the freshly fertilized, turned earth where they’d soon plant fig tree cuttings. “There’s a raptor on top of every pillar in that stone forest. The one sitting on the highest? That’s always the strongest.”

“Not always,” Xia Qing replied. “That pillar’s got two huge Devastation Evolution trees growing on it—dangerous ones. Their sap is seriously corrosive.” The sample she’d brought back had already been tested by Zhang San: it was a natural synthetic toxin.

“It’s one clever hawk for not having Magnetic Sense either,” Xin Yu added. Once they finished prepping the field, she planted fig branches alongside Xia Qing. “Your luck is just unreal! We spent forever looking and couldn’t find a single Green Lantern Fig, but you uncover one hiding in the limestone pillars. Yesterday, so many Vision Evolutionaries in our squad missed it—only you spotted the tree.”

That stone forest belonged to the evolved birds of prey. Xin Yu’s surveillance bird couldn’t make it past their territory, which is why she and Xia Qing had searched there several times and never managed to find the fig tree.

While Xia Qing planted fig cuttings, she joked, “What can I say? When there’s a Vision Evolution sniper lurking up high, I’m the only lord here who cares about farming.”

Everyone else was either a core member of the military or a combat squad—they had their fill of credits and supplies and never bothered with the risky, low-paying collecting missions. Their eyes were glued to the giant eagles, while Xia Qing instinctively hunted for wild Green Lantern Figs.

Xin Yu nodded. “True. Next year, we’ll finally be able to eat as many Green Lantern Figs as we want.”

They still had no idea where the red squirrel in Xia Qing’s territory had found those Yellow Lantern Figs for its nest, but now, at least, they had higher-quality fig trees of their own.

“Once Azure Dragon Squad brings over the figs in a couple days, I’ll send a few pounds your way,” Xia Qing promised. Yang Jin had only managed to pick four unspoiled figs from the edge of the stone forest, and Xia Qing got two. She ate one herself and gave the other to her idol. The rest, the animals in her territory got to enjoy—even if they were riddled with worms. It wouldn’t do to give those to Xin Yu.

“Deal. Save me three pounds so I can do a taste test.” Xin Yu didn’t stand on ceremony. Besides bartering three pounds of figs, she traded Xia Qing eight fig cuttings to take home and plant in her own territory, since Gua Gua loved figs.

Before heading out, Xin Yu also scooped a bucket of Yellow Lantern Fish and two Green Lantern Fish from Xia Qing’s fish pond to take back. They’d be perfect for her or for feeding the birds of prey in her territory.

In exchange, Xin Yu brought Xia Qing a new LCD TV complete with battery pack.

After setting aside the cuttings for Zhang San and Xin Yu, Xia Qing had enough left to plant 125 fig seedlings. She kept ten for herself in the terraces, but the rest would go up for sale, regardless of how many took root.

At three hundred credits each, even a modest sale would bring in at least thirty thousand credits.

Between shooting down a giant eagle and this haul of figs, her single outing yesterday netted her no less than a hundred thousand credits.

Once they’d finished planting and watering, and the shade net was up, Xia Qing walked Xin Yu to the edge of her territory. That’s when she got a call from She Xing.

Hearing She Xing offer up two hundred thousand credits, a packet of new material ore worth three hundred thousand, and the deed to two territories, all to have Zhang San treat Lu Fangchun and Wang Bo, Xia Qing couldn’t say she was surprised.

A starving camel is still bigger than a horse. She Xing’s husband and Fu Xiaodan’s husband were the former captain and vice captain of Liangqing Squad, so having new material ore on hand made plenty of sense.

The two hundred thousand credits they scraped together came from asking for help all over—including Xu Juan’s three thousand eight hundred credits.

This was everything they had left. Xia Qing answered calmly, “I’ll get in touch with the Lord of Territory Seven and let you know.”

After She Xing’s thousand grateful thanks, Xia Qing didn’t actually call her idol. She’d already talked to Third Brother about it yesterday. He was busy in the lab, trying to solve the Super Evolution Fungus crisis at Lan Five Base, and had left the task to Xia Qing.

In her idol’s words: “You’re the one who wants to save them. The two most expensive antidote ingredients are on you, too.”

To detoxify Lu Fangchun and Wang Bo, they’d need both Devastationweed and the Devastation Element Antidote.

Devastationweed grew in the Spring Cave on the hillside of Xia Qing’s territory. The main ingredient for the antidote—Cordyceps Fungus—was still growing in Xia Qing and Yang Jin’s underground culture room. It wouldn’t be ready to harvest and make into medicine until mid-next month.

Once this batch of antidote was made, Hui One would claim three hundred doses, Hui Three would take one hundred eighty, Red Eleven would get twenty, and Azure Dragon Squad five. Xia Qing would still receive no fewer than ten herself, to use as she liked—Zhang San wouldn’t interfere.

After tidying up the cotton field for a while, Xia Qing guessed enough time had passed and called She Xing again. “She Jie, the Lord of Territory Seven agreed to treat both kids. You can bring them over for a checkup today. As for the treatment method or credits needed, we’ll know once they’re examined.”

She Xing and Fu Xiaodan couldn’t hold back their tears. “Thank you, Xia Qing, thank you—”

They’d emptied their coffers to save these kids. Xia Qing already had whatever goods existed in their territories, so they had nothing left to offer in thanks—only pale words of gratitude.

Xia Qing replied evenly, “You’re too polite, She Jie. I’m only passing along the message. The Lord of Territory Seven isn’t interested in your territories, so if you’re short on credits…”

She Xing sniffled. “We’ll borrow more if we have to. No matter how much it costs, we’ll get it to the Lord on time.”

She Xing and Fu Xiaodan moved fast. By two in the afternoon, Lu Fangchun and Fang Bo had already arrived in Territory Seven.

At four, Zhang San called Xia Qing. He sounded cranky. “When you’re on the lords’ channel later, talk to everyone. Harvest a pound of Green Lantern Soybeans for Zheng Chen and tuck in four Devastationweed leaves.”

“Sure thing, Third Brother.” Just hearing her idol mention soybeans, Xia Qing figured out what was bugging him and knew how to cheer him up. “Third Brother, did you find a way to wipe out the Super Evolution Fungus at Lan Five?”

If the Lan Five crisis hadn’t been handled, Zhang San wouldn’t have had time to deal with the batch of Fire Phoenix Soybeans, which were practically biological weapons.

“Not yet,” Zhang San grumbled, though he did sound less irritable. “But Red One’s team just developed a medicine to slow the spread of the fungus.”

“If it can keep the fungus from spreading fast, that solves most of the problem. At least Lan Five Base won’t need to evacuate,” Xia Qing commented. “Third Brother, how many Devastationweed leaves do you need for both of them?”

“They weren’t poisoned for long, so their bodies are still in decent shape. Four leaves each should be enough.” As he finished, his tone turned cold. “The toxin in them most likely came straight from Fire Phoenix Lab.”