Fearing the eldest sheep might choke, Xia Qing poured it half a basin of spring water and soaked a few dried bamboo shoots in it.
The eldest sheep drank a few sips and began tearing at the bamboo shoots. After confirming it wouldn't cause any more trouble, Xia Qing untied its ropes and massaged it while pondering the wolf attack on the wild boar breeding center.
The wolves' actions—running to the edge of the Evolution Forest and leaping over the fenced-off area to hunt wild boars—didn't seem like they were after food; it looked more like they were seeking revenge.
Wolves are very vengeful; otherwise, after hunting the Wind and Cloud Team, the Evolution Wolves wouldn't have destroyed their weapons and urinated on the corpses of the team members who killed them.
If it was revenge, it was a serious problem. Xia Qing turned on the walkie-talkie to hear what the other lords had to say.
The wild boar breeding center was north of plots four and five, and the lords of plots four, five, and six had also heard the wild boars' pitiful cries and the wolves' howls. Perhaps fearing the wolves would hear them, everyone spoke in hushed tones on the walkie-talkies.
Zhao Ze said worriedly, "Two of my men are insisting on going back to the safe zone. I'm afraid they'll be killed by wolves if we're even a moment late."
Kuang Qingwei spat, "I have some too. Let them go if they want. We're over 200 miles from the safe zone. I don't believe they'd dare leave the territory without a car to pick them up."
Zhao Ze immediately chimed in, "I said the same thing. Going out now is suicide."
Kuang Qingwei cursed, "I'll kick all three of them out! They eat and drink my food all the time, but when danger strikes, they don't protect the territory with me. They just want to run away. What's the point of keeping people like that around?!"
Qi Fu calmed the group down, "Captain Tan said he's already sent an advanced evolution team to kill the wolves. As long as we stay in the territory, we won't be attacked."
Zhao Ze remained pessimistic. "Advanced evolved humans aren't necessarily a match for evolved wolves. Didn't a team with six advanced evolved members get wiped out by a wolf pack last year?"
Tang Huai from Territory Two spoke slowly, "The one chasing the evolved wolves is Yang Jin, the captain of the Azure Dragon Team."
Upon hearing it was Yang Jin, Zhao Ze immediately felt relieved. "That's settled, settled."
Kuang Qingwei's voice rose several decibels with excitement, "How did Captain Yang end up here? This is such a coincidence!"
"You don't know yet?" Tang Huai said slowly, "The Azure Dragon Team bought the entire Forty-Nine Mountain to your north. They're going to build their training base here."
After confirming that the Azure Dragon Team's purchase of the mountain wasn't a joke by Tang Huai, the three lords—fourth, fifth, and sixth—immediately erupted in excitement.
"That's wonderful! With the Azure Dragon Team guarding the northern mountains, we have nothing to fear anymore."
"Perfect! Perfect! This area will definitely get better and better. We chose the right place!"
"..."
Tang Huai chuckled coldly, "Do you know why Yang Jin was so eager to hunt down the wolves? Because he bought Mountain Number 49, he has a responsibility to guard it and prevent large beasts from crossing it into his territory. Just you wait and see, the people at the breeding center won't let the Azure Dragon Team off the hook. The Azure Dragon Team must bear the responsibility for the death of the edible breeding pigs. If any large wild animals enter your territory from Mountain Number 49 in the future, you must contact me immediately. I will then intervene and make sure the Azure Dragon Team gives you at least three times the compensation."
Three times the compensation was indeed tempting, but none of the lords of Numbers 4, 5, and 6 uttered a sound. Because they were all ordinary people, they couldn't afford to offend the Tang family, nor could they afford to offend the Azure Dragon Team; they dared not earn this money.
Just as Xia Qing, the true owner of Mountain Forty-Nine, was about to retort to Tang Huai, Hu Zifeng from Territory One spoke up, "Hey Tang, are you in cahoots with the wolves? Otherwise, how do you know the wolves came from Mountain Forty-Nine?"
Mount Forty-Nine stretches for twelve miles to the north of Territories One through Ten, and further east is Mountain Fifty. The breeding center is north of Territories Four and Five, so it's quite possible the wolves came from Mountain Fifty, four miles away.
But Tang Huai insisted the wolf came from Mountain Forty-Nine, saying, "Even without thinking, you know Mountain Forty-Nine is high and densely forested; there are definitely wolves there. Just send out olfactory-evolved humans to investigate, and everything will be clear. The Azure Dragon Team can't renege on their promise."
Hu Zifeng scoffed, "The Azure Dragon Team isn't like Su Feng; they never renege on their debts. When are you going to pay back the points you owe our team?"
"Be reasonable. Let's keep things separate."
"..."
The discussion about the wolf turned into an argument between the two, growing increasingly heated. The other lords couldn't get a word in edgewise and could only listen silently.
Zhang San, who had logged on sometime earlier, impatiently interrupted Hu Zifeng and Tang Huai, "Hu Zifeng, after Mountain 49 was taken over by the Azure Dragon Team, can outsiders still enter the mountain to hunt and gather supplies?"
Hu Zifeng immediately replied, "Yes, they can. However, an entry fee is required, and any hunted or gathered supplies also need to be paid for. If you want anything from the mountain, Brother San, you don't need to ask outsiders; just let us know, and we'll dig it up and bring it to you while we're training in the mountains."
Zhang San's anger subsided immediately, "Okay. Next time you go into the mountains, please check if the Green Lantern Bamboo Shoots have grown again, and I'll take as many as you can."
Green Lantern Bamboo Shoots?!
The three lords, lords 4, 5, and 6, were all tempted. Qi Fu asked first, "I'm Qi Fu from Land 5. Brother Feng, could you help me bring back a section of bamboo root? I'll trade you Green Lantern Leeks and Scallions, or you can buy it with points."
Zhao Ze and Kuang Qingwei also offered their terms; they also wanted bamboo roots. After growing bamboo from bamboo roots, why worry about not having bamboo shoots? Even if the green light turns yellow, it's fine.
Their idea was wonderful, but reality was cruel.
Hu Zifeng replied, "Green light bamboo is a highly dangerous and aggressive plant. It launches bamboo leaf darts with a hardness comparable to iron nails, making it unsuitable for planting within territory."
Upon hearing this, the three ordinary lords dared not accept it. Bamboo is very useful, and bamboo shoots are delicious, but one must be alive to use and eat them. Kuang Qingwei sighed, "Green light trees are all quite powerful; they can easily take lives."
Zhao Ze also sighed, "The weak ones would have been plowed bare long ago. Only the powerful ones survive, and only powerful evolved humans can deal with them."
Not entirely.
Xia Qing thought of the large green light toon tree on her high slope and once again marveled at Boss Yang's good fortune. A stubborn, foolish sheep had somehow managed to claim a territory complete with unpolluted spring water, green clover, and green clover trees.
No wonder the alpha sheep was so determined to protect its territory, even risking its life to fight wolves.
As Xia Qing was pondering this, Qi Fu turned the conversation to her, "Xia Qing, are your spinach seeds ripe? You need to keep a close eye on them these next few days, making sure the birds and insects don't eat them all."
Xia Qing pressed a button, "Don't worry, Brother Qi, I've already put insect netting over the garden."