Chapter 951: Second Stage Preparations and a Wolf’s Recovery

Xia Qing had only just sat down when her Idol called her over with new work instructions.

“This is the second phase of the project about to launch at Hill Fifty. Zhang He will be in charge again. You’ll be assisting him.”

“Understood.” Xia Qing took the printed document from her Idol. When she saw the experiment’s four-month budget hit 500,000 credits, she was once again struck by how much research burned through resources.

The first stage, which downgraded the dangerously polluted High-Risk Area to Medium-Risk, took half a year and cost 400,000 credits.

Now, the second phase aims to turn that Medium-Risk Area into a Low-Risk Zone and take an in-depth look at the surviving creatures there. Every step of the experiment came with a detailed budget.

No question, after this second phase, there’d definitely be a third—some way to transform the much larger Low-Risk Area into a normal zone.

Seriously, Fire Phoenix tossed just a few poison gas bombs and polluted the place in under five minutes. Now it was going to take a whole team, millions of credits, and a year or more of hard work to clean it up.

And Fire Phoenix only got hit with a two million credit fine to restore the damaged ecosystem? They got off way too easy.

Zhang San leaned back in his chair, giving a quick rundown. “This round is building on the first stage’s results—keep pulling harmful substances out of the soil in the Medium-Risk Area. First, take people and fence off the test zone, set up prefab cabins as marked, and once that’s set, Zhang He will bring his team over.”

The Medium-Risk Area was huge. The Bear Cave couldn’t possibly store all the supplies or house all the staff, so temporary cabins were a must. On the plus side, it also lowered the risk of the Hidden Valley being found by researchers.

“Got it.” Xia Qing nodded, then made a request. “Idol, I found some red-leaved bamboo on Hill Fifty-Two. It grows fast during Devastation Rain but isn’t very dangerous. Can I plant more of it in the Low-Risk Area of Hill Fifty? After the season, we could use the bamboo ourselves or sell it.”

“Do as you see fit, just don’t cause any disasters.” Zhang San brushed it off, then changed the subject. “Did you record the eagle hunt today?”

Xia Qing shook her head. “No.”

She’d brought recording gear but didn’t capture the wolf pack’s fight with the raptor. The Alpha would never allow it, and Xia Qing didn’t want any more humans seeing the might of the advanced brain-evolved wolves from the north. That would only invite more trappers aiming to capture the Alpha for breeding programs.

Zhang San saw the look on Xia Qing’s face and let it go. “That chunk of raptor meat you sent over? I ran some tests. It’s high-grade Yellow Lantern meat but contains moderate amounts of heavy metals and toxins. Needs processing before it’s edible. What do you plan to do with it?”

Top-predator animals naturally build up harmful chemicals in their bodies over time—it’s just how the food chain works. The advanced Green Lantern python the wolves caught last year wasn’t as bad; they could cook and eat it right away.

But this raptor fed on the brains of humans, monkeys, and other big prey, so it’s unsurprising that it’s loaded with more toxins.

Yellow Lantern meat like that has to be treated first, but the process drains most of the nutrients. No wonder untreated advanced Green Lantern python meat is so valuable.

“If you find it useful, keep it. If not, I’ll just hand it in for credits at the Safe Zone’s Mission Hall.”

Even if it had been advanced Green Lantern meat, Xia Qing wouldn’t have eaten it. After all, this raptor gorged on human and monkey brains and organs. Instinct told her eating that meat was a bad idea.

Zhang San replied lazily, “I’ll keep it then, extract what’s useful for medicine.”

“Alright.” With business settled, Xia Qing tried to argue for some perks for Crippled Wolf. “Your medicine is incredible, Third Brother. After a few medicinal baths, Crippled Wolf took a sixty-meter drop and ended up with just a hairline fracture. If—”

Zhang San pointed toward the door. “You can leave now.”

Xia Qing quickly zipped her lips. “Okay, I’m going. Rest well, Third Brother.”

Only an hour till dinner. Idol had been running around all day, no sense missing a meal.

After waiting outside the operating room for a little while, Xia Qing saw Little Black Wolf wheeled out.

The surgery, as expected, was a complete success. Though Xia Qing had plenty of nursing experience, Zhang Song still gave her a detailed rundown on post-op care, then anxiously asked, “Sister Qing, can I still visit Section Three and see the monkeys?”

With two wolves in Section Three needing half a month of rest, and the adorable monkeys set to fully heal and return to the Evolved Forest in the same time, Zhang Song was understandably worried.

Xia Qing explained, “I’m heading up construction on Hill Fifty per Third Brother’s orders. I’ll be busy for three days, so while I’m gone, the little monkey will stay at my place. Once I’m back, you can come over.”

“Alright! I’ll wait until you’re free, Sister Qing.” Zhang Song grinned wide as he handed Little Black Wolf to Xia Qing, not forgetting, “The pup’s strong, so with good care and nutrition, he should bounce back fast. But you should monitor his mood and appetite. If he shows signs of serious trauma or stress, bring him in for a follow-up right away.”

“Understood.” Xia Qing carefully nestled the four-eyed Little Black Wolf in a box, then followed Zheng Chen northward.

She hadn’t driven because this was the designated visiting hour for She Xing and Fu Xiaodan to see patients in Territory Seven. Xia Qing wanted to avoid letting more people spot the wolf pup.

Zheng Chen, escorting her out, quickly picked up that Xia Qing wasn’t in the mood to chat, so he sensibly kept quiet.

Clearing the guards at Territory Seven, Xia Qing carried the box along the Northern Barrier, heading seven kilometers west. When she reached the northern end of her own territory, she heard Flathead’s disgruntled little grunts right on cue.

At the North Gate, Xia Qing found Little Honey Badger waiting outside the iron mesh wall. “Flathead, Old Goat’s got business today. He won’t be coming out for a fight.”

“Crash!” Flathead smacked the mesh with his paw, bristling with frustration and demanding Xia Qing come out and fight.

“I’m busy today. If you want a fight, go find the big boar in the valley.”

Ignoring the stubborn creature, Xia Qing scanned her way back into her territory. After playing with three foxes by the reservoir, she carried the box home, only to find Black Wolf already waiting under the eaves.

“Hey Black Wolf, how come you’re here alone? Where’s Lame Wolf?” Xia Qing popped the box open so he could see the pup. “The four-eyed one’s surgery went really well, but it’ll need some time to recover.”

The little black wolf was only a few months old and had been through so much. It needed its parents’ company now.

Black Wolf lowered his head, sniffed the unmoving pup in the box, gently nudged him with his nose, then picked him up and padded off outside.

Xia Qing hurried to block the way. “Black Wolf, the four-eyed pup needs his medicine!”

Black Wolf dodged around Xia Qing, carrying his pup as he left.