Upon returning home, Xia Qing first checked on her beloved wild boar, finding it still huddled in a corner, refusing to eat or drink. She immediately gave it fresh spring water and toon sprouts, determined not to let anything happen to it while she was in its care.
After showering and enjoying a hearty meal of rice with spicy toon sprouts, Xia Qing lay blissfully in bed, absolutely loving her newfound freedom and solitary life.
As she lay down to sleep, bright lights illuminated the small valley north of plot number four. Several people in camouflage protective suits were examining eleven wild boars—three large and eight small—that had been anesthetized.
Su Ming ran to the two team leaders, reporting the exciting results: "The blood tests of the sow—one male, two females, and three large ones currently raising piglets—are green. Of the seven piglets, one shows a green light and one a yellow light. Including the one that was captured, there are a total of three edible piglets!"
The green-light sow and the red-light boar produced two green-light piglets, indicating that the sow's basal body element stability is very high, making her suitable for breeding.
Just as Tan Chunjie was about to order the pigs to be taken back, Yang Jin preempted him, saying, "There are mountains, water, and forests here, plenty of food, perfect for raising wild boars. As far as I know, the wild boar breeding project at the experimental center isn't progressing well; these pigs might not survive more than a few months if sent there. Teacher Tan, should we ask for your approval?"
Su Ming immediately agreed, "Yes, Captain, this place is so close to our camp; raising pigs here won't be difficult at all."
Eating pork would be much more convenient.
Tan Chunjie also thought it was feasible and made a phone call to ask for approval, which, as expected, received support from his superiors: "Enclose this entire area for pig farming. The excavator will be here in two hours. Yunzi and Mingzi, stay and look after the wild boars. The rest of you, rest here for half an hour, then come with me to meet the excavator."
"Yes, sir!" More than twenty soldiers cheered.
Tan Chunjie then asked Yang Jin, "What are your plans?"
Yang Jin flicked away a leech clinging to his protective suit, "Following your orders, hoping to secure a long-term meat ration."
"You think you're short of meat, kid?" Tan Chunjie smiled meaningfully.
Yang Jin smiled and changed the subject, "Is the order from above to clear only this valley, or to clear the entire area north of territories three, four, and five?"
Yang Jin didn't want to elaborate, and Tan Junjie didn't press further. "Clear it all. The area north of territory three will be incorporated into territory three, and this area will be used as a wild boar breeding center. Tonight, we'll work with machines to create the isolation zone. We'll start clearing dangerous creatures at dawn, and it must be completed before the rain."
Four forest isolation zone clearing vehicles and over forty people easily cleared a new, fifty-meter-wide isolation zone on the rolling hills north of territories three, four, and five in one night.
The next morning, when Xia Qing went to fetch water from the north slope, she saw smoke rising from the evolutionary forest to the north.
Has Team Leader Tan and his men already caught the wild boars and started clearing the evolutionary forest? Before Xia Qing could investigate, she received a call from Tan Junjie; he was sending people to catch the boars.
Xia Qing asked first, "Team Leader Tan, when can I get the land use certificate for the newly approved plot?"
Since it's a transaction, it's important to clarify things beforehand.
Tan Junjie answered readily, "It's already been submitted. Zhong Tao will deliver it to you within two days."
"Thank you, Team Leader Tan."
Xia Qing hung up the phone and immediately went back to catch a lively little wild boar, taking it to the buffer zone north of the forest and handing it over to Su Ming, who was waiting anxiously.
After Su Ming pricked the boar's skin to take a few drops of blood for testing, he grinned from ear to ear, "No wonder it's a green-light boar, it's really energetic."
Are these two things related? Xia Qing asked, "Are we going to clear out the wild boar's valley as well? I saw smoke over there."
Su Ming chuckled, "The base plans to build a wild boar breeding center here. The northern buffer zone is already finished. We'll fence off the area north of plots four and five first, then clear the small hill north of plot three."
Building a breeding center means their territory will be safer. Xia Qing was delighted. "If you're too busy, you can clear that area yourself."
"It'll be enough. We'll definitely finish the task within two days." After saying that, Su Ming curiously asked Xia Qing, "Sister Xia Qing, are you close to Captain Yang of the Azure Dragon Team?"
Yang Jin, the captain of the Azure Dragon Team, ranked second in overall combat strength at Hui San Base, was a prominent figure in the base. He was a level seven speed-evolved human and very handsome, attracting attention wherever he went. However, Xia Qing not only had no feelings for him but also wanted to stay as far away from him as possible.
Because any woman who got close to Yang Jin would be seen as a thorn in Tang Lu's side.
So Su Ming's sudden question immediately put Xia Qing on guard. "I don't know him. I've never dealt with him. What's wrong?"
"Nothing, just asking." Su Ming scratched his head, picked up the little wild boar, and left.
The top two teams in Hui San Base, although nominally neutral, actually had very clear affiliations. Tang Zhengsu's Sufeng Squad naturally obeyed Tang Zhengrong, while Yang Jin's Qinglong Squad had closer ties with the military.
Because Yang Jin and most of his team members were military academy students before the natural disaster, under Yang Jin's leadership, the Qinglong Squad operated much more cleanly than the Sufeng Squad, enjoying high prestige within the base. Everyone preferred to team up with them on missions. Xia Qing had also gone on missions with the Qinglong Squad, but she only participated in missions led by core members.
She didn't want to get involved with Yang Jin at all.
So, why did Su Ming think he was familiar with Yang Jin? Xia Qing squinted as she watched Su Ming enter the Evolution Forest before returning to her territory.
Before she could figure out what was going on, she heard the sound of running footsteps approaching. Xia Qing immediately dropped her basket and got into position.
An evolved sheep with large, spiraling horns leaped out of the forest and charged at Xia Qing, who met it with all her might.
"Bang!"
Xia Qing was defeated, staggering back three steps and crashing heavily into a tree. If her body hadn't evolved and become stronger, she would have been seriously injured.
As soon as Xia Qing stood up, she saw the evolved sheep retreat a few steps and charge again. Xia Qing, now determined, fought back.
"Today I'll show you who's the boss of Zone Three!"
She wasn't as strong as the sheep, but she had her brain. As the sheep charged again, Xia Qing sidestepped, grabbed its horns with both hands, and yelled, "Get out of here!"
The evolved sheep was forcefully flung sideways by Xia Qing, crashing into a rock with a thud. It stood there stunned for two seconds before opening its eyes wide, mooing, and leaping towards Xia Qing.
This was the first time Xia Qing had ever heard a sheep bleat so angrily, but she didn't hold back at all. "Get out of here!"
"Crack!"
The evolved sheep, once again thrown by Xia Qing, crashed into a tree as thick as a thigh, snapping the trunk in two.
"Moo!" The evolved sheep stood up, shook its head, and then charged at Xia Qing again.
"Get out of here!"
"Bang!"
"Go!"
"Bang!"
"Go!"
"Bang!"
...