Although she hadn't tested the toxic element content of the exchanged saplings and strawberry seedlings, Xia Qing remained optimistic. Firstly, Luo Pei was still in her territory, recuperating with her spring water, so the seedlings from the Azure Dragon Team were definitely of good quality. Secondly, the location she chose for planting them was excellent.
The two small toon seedlings Xia Qing transplanted from under the large toon tree to the spring both survived and remained green-light plants, indicating that the soil conditions nearby were ideal for cultivation.
The five toon seedlings she transplanted to the edge of the yard? Sorry, they were broken by the wall she and Boss Yang knocked down during their fight; none survived.
While fetching spring water, Xia Qing inspected the vegetable garden and found that most of the transplanted seedlings were thriving. She couldn't help but imagine a garden full of fruits and vegetables.
Tightening the bucket lid and stuffing it into her backpack, Xia Qing crossed the gurgling stone bridge to water the sweet potato and potato seedlings.
After a month of growth, the sweet potato vines had grown to over half a meter long, sprouting several small branches, and were thriving, each one showing a green light. The potatoes, however, had grown to the height of a palm, but the seedlings were a reddish-green, making Xia Qing doubt whether the potatoes she had received were even potatoes at all; the potato seedlings at the planting center didn't look like that.
Through communication on the lord channel, Xia Qing learned that other lords' potato seedlings also looked like this, and guessed that it was because the base distributed yellow-light potatoes to the lords, while the planting center's were green, hence the color difference.
Although dissatisfied with the potato seedlings' color and growth rate, Xia Qing still diligently watered each seedling.
If the other lords knew about her attitude, she would definitely be called a Versailles. Because the other lords' potato seedlings were shorter than Xia Qing's, only about the height of a finger.
After watering the potatoes and sweet potatoes, Xia Qing checked on the wheat seedlings, mung beans, and cotton, and found that they all needed watering.
Because Luo Pei uses a lot of water, Xia Qing couldn't collect enough spring water to irrigate the fields. Therefore, whether the fields were soaked in filtered water or spring water, they all needed water from the reservoir for irrigation.
Xia Qing was about to go back and move the water bike from the tool shed when he received a call from Hu Zifeng.
Zhang San invited Hu Zifeng's team to go bamboo shoot digging in the Evolution Forest with the team he had found. Hu Zifeng called to ask if Xia Qing wanted to join them. "Zhang San found an eight-person team. I'll leave two people to protect Territory Three and one to protect Territory One. If you join, it'll be eight. The harvest this time will definitely be more than last time. If you participate, the supplies will still be distributed according to the contribution value of the logistics team members."
Xia Qing naturally agreed, but said, "This time I'm just an unofficial logistics member, Captain Hu, don't give me any special treatment."
"Understood," Hu Zifeng added, "Besides your personal essential supplies, our team will prepare everything else."
Since they were going into the mountains to dig bamboo shoots again, Xia Qing postponed irrigating the fields and went home to do some chores.
The dryer was still running normally. Xia Qing carried a large bundle of thick bamboo poles from the tool shed and split them in the yard to make the frame for a rain shelter.
Old Sheep lay beside her, squinting in the sun. Xia Qing turned on the walkie-talkie and listened to the other lords chatting.
Zhang San wasn't online at this time, so Zhao Ze took the opportunity to continue asking Qi Fu about fertilizer methods.
Qi Fu still wanted to target the wild boar breeding center. "Pigs eat, poop, and root around—they produce a lot of manure. I heard there are over a dozen pigs there, and they don't farm..."
Kuang Qingwei thought it unlikely. "The breeding center is under the jurisdiction of the base's safe zone. If you can think of something good, do you think the people in the safe zone can't? The pig manure from the breeding center will definitely go to the planting center. Let's think of another way."
Xia Qing agreed with Kuang Qingwei's point of view and pressed the button. "Brother Qi, besides animal manure, can we use leaves and grass for compost? I saw this method mentioned in a book."
Zhao Ze immediately chimed in, "You can do that? Xia Qing, you know so much."
Ever since the Zhao Chong spying incident, Zhao Ze had been intentionally or unintentionally trying to curry favor with Xia Qing, but she pretended not to notice.
Taking the opportunity, Kuang Qingwei inquired, "The 'green light' food Third Brother ate yesterday, was it you who switched it for him, sister? I knew it; besides you, no one else in this area has that ability."
Xia Qing chimed in, "Besides the four of us, there are over a dozen lords around here. They have quite a few good things too."
Kuang Qingwei was extremely surprised, "Xia Qing, you can contact other lords? How did you do it? Which ones?"
Xia Qing answered vaguely, "I overheard someone mention it casually."
Zhao Ze immediately followed, "Xia Qing, you're amazing!"
"Crack!" The skilled Xia Qing split a bamboo pole several meters long, then didn't reply.
Qi Fu spoke up, "We used to be able to compost leaves, but not anymore. I heard from people at the planting center that after the great biological evolution, there are many microorganisms and insect eggs on the dead leaves that can't be killed by normal fermentation temperatures. So, we can only use animal excrement as organic fertilizer. However, Xia Qing's mention has given me an idea."
Zhao Ze immediately asked, "What idea?"
Qi Fu replied, "Earthworm castings. Letting earthworms eat the dead leaves and grass will definitely kill the microorganisms and insect eggs, but I don't know how to make earthworm castings. Xia, before the disaster, Sun Zhe's father from your team worked at an organic fertilizer factory. Have you ever met Old Sun?"
Xia Qing put down the split bamboo pole and pressed the button. "I've heard of him, but I haven't met him."
Sun Zhe was a year younger than Xia Qing. All three members of his family were ordinary evolved humans. But fortunately, before the disaster, his family lived in the city where the Hui San Base's safe zone was located, so the Sun family didn't experience the devastating escape and life-or-death separations of the early years of the disaster. They were among the luckiest people in the early years of the disaster.
After the safe zone was established, the Sun family continued to live in their own house until supplies and food became increasingly scarce. Only then did his father join the team to leave the safe zone for missions to earn points.
Once, during a mission, the team encountered an attack by evolved venomous insects. His father fell and was bitten while fleeing. Although he fought his way back to the safe zone, he lost his left calf and left arm, rendering him unable to work. From then on, Sun Zhe, who worked as a laborer on a construction team, became the main breadwinner for the family.
Qi Fu sighed, "When will we get a signal here?"
With a signal, he could call Sun Zhe and ask how to get earthworm castings.
Xia Qing didn't say anything more. Kuang Qingwei from plot six excitedly shared the news, "I just heard a car horn. I thought it was a patrol team. I ran out to check, and guess what? It was Third Brother's territory! A whole car full of people, all wearing camouflage protective suits and carrying guns! Wow!"
"Third Brother is definitely not an ordinary person," Zhao Ze immediately chimed in.
Xia Qing put down her machete, understanding why Zhang San hadn't sent anyone into the forest to dig bamboo shoots today. He was short-handed and needed to bring in people from the safe zone.
After chopping the bamboo, Xia Qing began assembling bamboo frames. The vegetables were only about a person's height, so a two-meter-high rain shelter was sufficient; any higher and they'd be blown over by the wind. After assembling the frames, Xia Qing heard the dryer complete its drying process. She went inside, sealed the dried bamboo shoot slices in airtight bags, and then casually handed a fresh bamboo shoot to Yang Laoda.
Fearing the dryer might break down from continuous use, Xia Qing decided to let it rest for a few hours before resuming work in the evening. She then carried the bamboo frames straight to the back hillside. The bamboo frames weren't heavy, but their bulk made them difficult to move. Since the road was already repaired, she should make a tractor bucket and use a mini-tiller's trailer to haul things.
If this trip into the forest yielded a good harvest, she would exchange some key components for the tractor bucket with Zhong Tao.