After the massive evolution of life on Earth, animals generally evolved at a rate far exceeding that of humans, making many animals that were previously harmless now extremely dangerous.
Therefore, during the chaotic period immediately following Earth's evolution, many humans were attacked or accidentally injured by their pets, leading to a highly tense and even hostile relationship between humans and pets. Many pets were killed or abandoned.
Once humans discovered that evolved animals could become powerful fighting forces and allies, reclaiming their pets became incredibly difficult.
Firstly, after Earth's massive evolution, humans, who were once far ahead of the biological world, lost the means to control animals, especially highly evolved ones. Secondly, humans no longer had enough food and safe space to raise animals. Therefore, in the ten years following the apocalypse, very few people were able to afford pets.
The pets kept as pets generally fell into two categories: ordinary pets that had evolved to depend on humans for survival, and highly evolved pets.
The relationship between ordinary pets and their owners was not much different from the pre-apocalyptic relationship. The relationship between highly evolved pets and their owners, however, depended entirely on the owner's strength. Either the owner's strength is overwhelming enough to subjugate the evolved animal, or a deal or emotional bond is established between the human and animal, forming a partnership.
Xia Qing and the sheep boss were a partnership, and she was also curious about the relationship between Zhang San and his evolved cat.
Cats are different from dogs; they are animals that humans have raised for over three thousand years but are not yet fully domesticated.
Not only Xia Qing, but the other lords were also curious and pricked up their ears.
Zhang San remained lazy and leisurely, seemingly talking while petting the cat, "Level has nothing to do with you, you stinky meat seller. Return my antidote tomorrow, and I will never exchange any supplies with Land Number Two again."
No matter how Tang Huai explained that the mutton was fine when it left his hands, Zhang San didn't say anything more; he must have turned off his device.
Xia Qing didn't bother petting the sheep anymore. She took out the protective suit she had exchanged from Land Number Two and carefully inspected it under the firelight, only feeling relieved after confirming there were no problems.
Three days later, when Hu Zi came to deliver sweet potato seedlings to Xia Qing, he asked, "Have you gotten rid of the rats in your plot, Sister Qing?"
Xia Qing nodded. "I cleaned it twice, it should be clean now. I haven't seen any rats digging up the seeds these past two days."
"That's good." Seeing that Xia Qing was only focused on the sweet potato seedlings and didn't seem inclined to look at him or say another word, Hu Zi left somewhat disappointed.
Xia Qing took the sweet potato seedlings and returned to her plot without looking back.
Over time, she naturally realized that Hu Zi had a bit of a crush on her. She had absolutely no feelings for him, so she dealt with it decisively.
The sweet potato planting instructions Tan Junjie sent Xia Qing mentioned that it's best to plant sweet potatoes in well-drained, fertile sandy loam. Xia Qing didn't know how to accurately judge the soil fertility, so she chose a higher-lying sandy loam area near the reservoir.
Because the sweet potato seedlings didn't have soil attached to their roots, Xia Qing soaked the roots in mountain spring water for half an hour before planting them in the field. After watering them thoroughly, Xia Qing sat by the field, gazing affectionately at the two rows of short sweet potato seedlings.
The eldest sheep, returning from grazing on the hillside behind the plant, came over, sniffed the sweet potato, and opened its mouth to bite. Xia Qing grabbed its horns, sternly warning, "No, you absolutely cannot eat this."
The eldest sheep narrowed its eyes, shook its head violently to shake off Xia Qing's hand, and pawed at the ground with its hind legs, assuming an attack stance.
Xia Qing raised an eyebrow, "Want to fight? Fine!"
While it was posing, Xia Qing quickly sprayed the area within several meters of the sweet potato seedlings with a three-proof solution—a camphor tree sap with an insect-repellent, bird-repellent, and sheep-repellent scent.
"Moo!" The eldest sheep roared, stomping its hooves and charging towards Xia Qing.
Xia Qing turned and led the sheep away from the farmland, then put down the sprayer and charged forward.
"Bang!"
The evolved human and the evolved sheep collided with full force, the sonic boom causing the leaves to tremble. Unsurprisingly, Xia Qing, outmatched by the sheep's strength, was sent flying.
However, she nimbly turned in mid-air, landing firmly on her feet. Then, Xia Qing charged again, dodging the sheep's deadly horns, and grabbed its spiral horns. "Get out of here!"
"Bang!"
The sheep, not yet learning its lesson, slammed heavily to the ground, rolled over, and rammed into Xia Qing again. Xia Qing flew again, landed, and flung the sheep away.
Within a fifty-meter radius of the battle between the human and the sheep, a scene of utter chaos.
"Get out of here again!" For the umpteenth time, Xia Qing grabbed the sheep's spiral horns and exerted force, but this time it didn't work.
As the sheep's horns were grabbed, its hind hooves slammed into the ground, changing direction, and its two front hooves kicked Xia Qing in the chest and abdomen. Xia Qing immediately let go, desperately trying to dodge, but was still kicked by its hoof and fell to the ground.
The alpha sheep, ready to attack again, retracted its hoof, raised its head, and squinted at Xia Qing on the ground.
Xia Qing, who didn't actually feel much pain, sat down, took off her protective mask, and put on a pain mask. "I'm not fighting anymore. You're the boss, I surrender."
The alpha sheep was satisfied and turned to go up the mountain.
What for? Tired of fighting, going to drink water. Xia Qing followed behind, with the same goal.
After drinking water, the two sat down to rest by a rock. The alpha sheep squinted, looking quite pleased. Xia Qing's smile didn't fade either. Every few days, she would fight the alpha sheep with all her might, not only enjoying the thrill, but also becoming stronger, as had the alpha sheep.
Faced with the evolved creatures of the entire planet after the natural disaster, the stronger one became, the greater the chance of survival, and the more likely one was to achieve what one wanted.
Xia Qing stood up, stretched, and looked down at her territory.
The joy she felt for the more than two thousand acres of farmland, which had been swallowed up by weeds of various colors just a few days ago, was indescribable.
Wait!
Xia Qing gazed at the seed-planted fields—green, an unmistakably neat green—the mung beans had sprouted! She exclaimed and rushed down the hillside.
The eldest sheep, startled by her sudden movement, jumped up, but after seeing where she was going, lay back down and continued chewing.
Of the three types of seeds planted that day—wheat, mung beans, and cotton—the mung beans sprouted first. Xia Qing carefully observed and discovered that the germination rate of mung beans soaked in spring water was significantly higher than that soaked in filtered water.
The tender, pale yellow bean sprouts emerging from the soil were a delight to behold; Xia Qing wished she could stay in the field and watch them forever.
After the mung beans sprouted, the wheat and cotton also gradually broke through the soil. Once no more seedlings emerged, Xia Qing carefully tallied the sprouts and concluded that the germination rate of seeds soaked in spring water was indeed higher than that soaked in filtered water. Soaking seeds in filtered water resulted in a germination rate of around 40%, consistent with the information reported on the radio. Soaking seeds in spring water, however, yielded a germination rate as high as 60%!