"Captain Zhong, don't shoot! It's me, Zhao Ze from No. 4 Territory."
The tall Zhao Ze ran over, leaning on the car, panting as he asked, "Captain Zhong, one of our men was bitten by a poisonous snake. Did you bring the antidote?"
"I did. Where is he?" Zhong Tao greeted Xia Qing and immediately took Zheng Kui and Zhao Ze to rescue the man.
No. 4 Territory is to the East of Third Land and also has a large Buffer Forest area. It's not surprising for snakes to emerge in Spring when everything is recovering. It would be troublesome if the one that bit someone was a poisonous snake.
Around three in the afternoon, Xia Qing received a text message from Zhong Tao:
An Evolution Poisonous Snake bit and killed one person in No. 4 Territory. The base decided to conduct another Reconnaissance of the Buffer Forest. Captain Tan Junjie is responsible for No. 1 Territory to No. 10 Territory. Don't worry, they are our own people.
In these years of natural disasters, people are attacked and killed by evolved creatures every day. What Xia Qing cared more about was the Reconnaissance of the Buffer Forest tomorrow.
She had to find a way to prevent anyone from discovering the Spring and also had to catch that sheep before the Reconnaissance Team arrived. Once the sheep ran out of her territory and was caught, it would have nothing to do with her.
Arriving at the mountain, Xia Qing found that the stone blocking the cave entrance had not been moved, and there were no new hoof prints on the ground. After putting the bucket in to collect water, Xia Qing did not wait by the cave for the sheep but followed the hoof prints to track its whereabouts.
Xia Qing discovered that this sheep had left her Buffer Forest, crossed the isolation zone, and entered the Evolution Forest.
The uncleared Evolution Forest had an increased danger index. She definitely wouldn't be able to catch the sheep today, so she could only try again tomorrow morning.
Early the next morning, Xia Qing still hadn't caught the sheep on the mountain when she received a call from Tan Junjie.
The Reconnaissance Team had already begun their operation and was expected to arrive at Third Land at ten o'clock. He asked her if she had found any Evolution Poisonous Snakes or other dangerous creatures within her territory.
Xia Qing replied, "There are three Evolution Poisonous Snakes, and I've already killed them. Currently, no other dangers have been found."
After hanging up the phone, Xia Qing killed two more snakes but still couldn't wait for the sheep. She had no choice but to block the mountain cave, pick up her machete and slingshot, and go to the isolation zone outside the West Buffer Forest to wait for the Reconnaissance Team.
Before the Reconnaissance Team arrived, Xia Qing heard an argument coming from the direction of Second Land. She leaned in to listen carefully. It turned out that the people from Second Land, having heard that a poisonous snake had killed someone, wanted the Reconnaissance Team to inspect Second Land, but the Reconnaissance Team explained that their task today was to patrol the isolation zone and the Buffer Forest, which did not include the cultivated area.
The people from Second Land were dissatisfied and made a big fuss.
This mountain forest is shaped like a lying 'S'. First Land is on the South side of the U-shaped bend of the rolling hills. Its territory, like Third Land, includes both cultivated areas and Buffer Forest. Second Land is to the East of First Land, and its territory is entirely cultivated land.
Third Land, No. 4 Territory, and Fifth Land are on the South side of the N-shaped bend, and their territories include both Buffer Forest and cultivated land.
Therefore, relatively speaking, Second Land is safer than First Land, Third Land, No. 4 Territory, and Fifth Land, which is why the person who sent Xia Qing two messages recommended Second Land.
The lord of Second Land is Tang Lu, and she certainly wouldn't cultivate the land herself. The people arguing with the Reconnaissance Team were sent by the Tang Family. The Tang Family was accustomed to being arrogant in Hui Three Base, so they naturally wouldn't take a small Reconnaissance Team seriously.
Xia Qing listened quietly, wanting to know how Captain Tan would handle it.
"I'm carrying out a mission right now! If you don't move aside, I'll treat it as a violation of the law!" Hearing Tan Junjie's firm roar and the sound of a gun being cocked, Xia Qing's mouth curved up.
Tan Junjie adhered to principles and strictly followed orders, which was a good thing for her.
Seeing seven soldiers in camouflage protective suits appear in the distance, with green badges on their chests, Xia Qing felt even better.
A Reconnaissance Team composed of seven Evolutionists, strong enough!
"Captain, look! There's a girl standing in front, wearing a green badge. She must be Xia Qing from Third Land, a Level 4 Strength Evolutionist, twenty-five years old, and single!"
"Shut up!" Tan Junjie growled, "All of you, be serious."
"Yes." The six team members responded in unison.
At this distance, non-Hearing Evolutionists wouldn't hear soft voices, so Xia Qing stood quietly, pretending she hadn't heard anything.
Tan Junjie led the team to Xia Qing, removed his protective mask, and saluted Xia Qing, "Captain of Reconnaissance Sixth Squad, Tan Junjie."
After Xia Qing looked at his identification, she volunteered, "Tan Team, I am Xia Qing from Third Land, a Level 4 Power Evolutionist. Before leaving the Safe Zone, I performed six Evolution Forest clearing missions. I request to patrol Third Buffer Forest and the isolation zone with you."
The Evolution Forest clearing missions were issued for a total of three months, with each mission lasting ten days. Xia Qing had performed sixty days of missions and was still healthy and alive, indicating that although she was only a primary Strength Evolutionist responsible for transportation and disinfection, she was quite capable of handling dangerous situations. Moreover, she was asking to accompany them on a patrol of her own territory, so Tan Junjie had no reason to object. "You follow behind me."
"Yes." As Xia Qing walked, she introduced the situation of the Buffer Forest in her territory, "I've checked the North Buffer Forest twice, killed five snakes, and found no other dangers. I haven't had time to check this Western slope yet."
Xia Qing was the strongest among the fifty lords in the North, and also the most likely to encounter danger. Because the stronger a person is, the more confident they are, and they will actively explore the environment, making them most likely to encounter dangerous situations.
Tan Junjie reminded her to be careful, "The temperature has started to rise recently, and hibernating animals are gradually waking up and becoming active. Try to stay within the cultivated areas. If you get bitten by a snake, call me and Zhong Tao immediately, and we will arrange for someone to send antidote right away."
"I'll remember that, thank you, Tan Team." Xia Qing honestly agreed and took out her protective mask from her basket and put it on. Although she felt it wasn't necessary, since the Reconnaissance Team was wearing them, she didn't want to be an exception.
After entering the Buffer Forest, a team member behind Tan Junjie exclaimed and pointed down the slope, asking Xia Qing, "Miss Xia, that large area of land by the Reservoir, did you turn it all over by yourself?"
Xia Qing could tell this was the one who had just called her "girl." "Just call me Xia Qing. I'm a Power Evolutionist. Besides being strong, I have no other skills, so I'm only good at these rough jobs."
This team member also introduced himself, "Qing Jie, my name is Su Ming, a Level 3 Vision Evolutionist. Your land is tilled so well, did you farm before the natural disaster?"
Xia Qing shook her head, "My family lived in the suburbs and only had a small vegetable garden, so it doesn't count as farming. However, I often worked in the cultivation area of the Safe Zone over the years, so I learned."
"Movement at nine o'clock, forty-five meters away. It should be a snake or a lizard." The Hearing Evolutionist in the team spoke up, reminding everyone to be careful.
Tan Junjie immediately ordered, "All personnel, be on alert. Xia Qing, stand behind me. Numbers Three, Four, and Five, go check it out."
Xia Qing took another step behind Tan Junjie and watched as Su Ming and the other two searched in the nine o'clock direction. After a few rustles, the three quickly returned with a patterned snake over a meter long.
Su Ming grinningly handed the snake to Xia Qing, "Qing Jie, it's a non-venomous snake."
Xia Qing just shook her head when she heard Tan Junjie state the rule, "All resources within the territory belong to the lord."
Xia Qing no longer refused and put the snake into her basket.
The Reconnaissance Team finished searching the West Buffer Forest and caught a total of six snakes and two Evolution Poisonous Centipedes, each as long as an arm. Looking at the Evolution Centipedes, Xia Qing's scalp tingled.
After entering the North Buffer Forest, which Xia Qing had already checked twice, the Reconnaissance Team found no dangerous creatures. They bid farewell to Xia Qing and prepared to enter No. 4 Territory.
Xia Qing, holding her basket, asked Tan Junjie, "Tan Team, can I exchange this meat with you for seeds?"