Chapter 415: Frost Descends

Chapter 415: Chapter 415: Frost Descends

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.

Su Feng and Fiery Fire had used the refugee squad to attack the Evolution Bears, intending to lure out the Bear Group from Mountain No. 61. This would give them the opportunity to sneak into the Giant Python Territory next to Bear Mountain and stir up trouble.

Their blatant disregard for the territory’s safety had enraged its people. With their plane destroyed, they lost their means of transport and could no longer speed into the depths of the Evolution Forest. Instead, the Wolf Group from Mountain No. 60 seized the chance while the Evolution Bears were away and launched an immediate strike.

If the Wolf Group’s sneak attack succeeded, they would become the biggest winners of this battle. The intelligence of Evolutionary Animals was truly beyond imagination.

’To what extent will the Wolf Group have evolved in a few more years? How are humans and High Level evolved animals supposed to coexist?’ Xiaqing mulled this over seriously as she patrolled her territory.

At one in the morning, a cold front swept in, and the temperature plummeted to -13°C. Water vapor in the air condensed into frost on the ground. Xiaqing took off her mask, feeling the bite of the frigid wind and seeing the white cloud of her own breath.

The frost of the tenth year of the Natural Disaster had arrived.

Two bears sprinted wildly over the frosted ground to Mountain No. 50. They found their injured companion, caught the scent of humans in the air, and bared their fangs.

Deep within the Evolution Forest, the Wolf Group was locked in a fierce battle with a Giant Python. On Mountain No. 61, two Brain Domain Evolutionary Bears were startled awake, their eyes snapping open.

The Second Territory was ablaze with light. In the northern part of No. 8 Territory, the machinery of the compost bacteria powder production plant continued to run. In a small white building in the south, Xin Yu was adjusting equipment under a lamp. Five tamed birds and beasts of various sizes perched on a wooden rack; the right wing of one Evolutionary Eagle drooped slightly.

Inside No. 9 Territory, several researchers in white lab coats were gathered in a laboratory, their faces grim as they stared at the Green Light Spinach in the central hydroponics tank.

Inside a sheet-metal shack in Territory No. 14, a man huddled under a tattered quilt, shivering uncontrollably from the cold.

Inside a warm, air-conditioned room in Territory Land No. 7, a pale-faced Zhang San slept soundly, nestled in a large, soft C-shaped body pillow.

The people in the other territories were all busy taking various measures to protect their crops from frost damage.

Inside the Breeding Greenhouse of the Third Territory, Xiaqing checked on the Green Light Chickens, Yellow Light rabbits, Green Light Yellow Powder Worms, and the Spring Water Fish in the tank. After confirming everything was normal, she went to check the thermo-hygrometer.

The temperature was 15°C, a drop of two degrees, but still within an acceptable range for the animals. The humidity was 75%, an increase of three percentage points, which was above the ideal range. Any higher and the animals would become uncomfortable.

She could no longer rely solely on the anti-drip film’s drainage to lower the air humidity. Xiaqing immediately brought in several large bundles of hay from the cabin and spread them over the greenhouse’s floor covering. Hay could absorb moisture from the air and reduce the humidity.

The Sick Wolf clawed and chewed as it "helped" Xiaqing spread the hay. Although it looked busy, it was actually making more of a mess, but Xiaqing didn’t stop it.

After spreading the hay, Xiaqing motioned to her companion, and they left the greenhouse together. Before she had even stepped out of the cabin, she heard the faint sound of fluttering wings.

A sound at that decibel level was impossible for someone without Auditory Evolution to distinguish from the wind. So, Xiaqing pretended not to have heard it. She waited until the Sick Wolf beside her lifted its head, bared its teeth, and let out a low growl. Only then did Xiaqing raise her Handgun.

"BANG!"

"BOOM!"

In the Second Territory, a member of Su Feng’s reconnaissance team watched the monitor. He saw Xiaqing raise her Handgun, but before he could command the Reconnaissance bird to evade, the video feed started to break up. He immediately slammed the detonation button and reported, "The Reconnaissance bird that entered the Third Territory has been shot down. Self-destruct activated."

Xu Pin, who had been sitting on a sofa in the back looking at his phone, walked over. "Pull up the surveillance feed."

"Yes, sir." The team member brought up the footage the Reconnaissance bird had transmitted just before being shot down and zoomed in.

Xu Pin stared at the imposing wolf-like dog in the Protective Suit on the screen and frowned. "Is that the Evolutionary Wolf that was dying of sickness three months ago?"

The monitoring technician quickly pulled up the video recorded when Zhang Yong and Xu Juan entered the Third Territory. He found the image of the skinny, shedding Evolutionary Wolf in the sheep pen and put them side-by-side. "The body size and fur density are vastly different, but based on the facial features, it is indeed the same wolf."

"Ah! Captain Xu, the Reconnaissance bird over No. 8 Territory has been captured by a raptor!"

Xu Pin whipped his head around to see the adjacent monitor feed shaking into a blurry mess. "What are you waiting for? Detonate it, now!" he commanded.

"Yes, sir." The team member pressed the detonation button. The feed was still shaking violently, and the Reconnaissance bird emitted a screech. "Captain Xu, detonation failed."

"Captain Xu, look! It’s an Evolved Owl." On the monitor of a high-altitude Reconnaissance bird over the Second Territory, a raptor with a wingspan of over a meter could be seen clutching the bird from No. 8 Territory and flying toward a large tree inside that territory. Because it wasn’t flying particularly fast, they were able to identify the species.

The Evolved Owl, king of the night and natural enemy of small Reconnaissance birds.

"We can’t detonate the bird’s explosive device at this distance, which means the signal is being jammed," the captain of Su Feng’s reconnaissance team speculated. "That Owl might be carrying a signal jammer."

In other words, it might be a Tamed bird.

The deep furrow in Xu Pin’s brow smoothed out. He gave an order, "Recall all Reconnaissance birds from outside the Second Territory. Keep a close watch on the Third Territory."

Huh?

The reconnaissance captain reminded him, "Brother Ping, No. 8 Territory is far more suspicious than the Third Territory."

Xu Pin looked at the two blank screens and gave a strange smile. "No. 8 Territory is backed by the Reunion Group. Let the captain take his anger out on that woman from the Third Territory first."

"Understood." The reconnaissance captain chuckled, then quietly tried to reason with him. "Brother Ping, it’s freezing out there. It’ll be hell for the men..."

Xu Pin shot him a look, and the reconnaissance captain immediately shut his mouth, forcing a dry laugh.

"You won’t need many men. Just keep a close watch on the Third Territory’s north and south gates. Report immediately if you see Xiaqing leave."

"Yes, sir!"

Back in the Third Territory, Xiaqing waited for the inspection team to come and collect the wreckage of the Reconnaissance bird. Just as she was about to check on the potted strawberries and Mint in her planting greenhouse, she suddenly received a message from Hu Zifeng:

One person was hidden inside the Northern Wilderness Grass Wall of the Second Territory, and another in the Northern Isolation Zone of the Third Territory. Their targets were the north and south gates of the Third Territory.

’First Reconnaissance birds, and now they’re sending people to stake out the area... Don’t tell me Tang Zhengsu and Xu Pin think I’m the one who blew up the Second Territory’s helicopter?’

A few days ago, she wouldn’t have cared if they were watching; she had nothing for them to see. But not tonight. Tonight, the Wolf Group would very likely be bringing the captured Python into the Third Territory.

Xiaqing contacted the inspection team again, which had only just left, and reported the situation.

Cao Xianyun responded immediately, "Roger that. We’ll head over in a bit. We’ll act like we’re the ones who found them. Sister Qing, stay out of sight. The people from the Second Territory are running around like madmen."

"Okay, thank you for your trouble." After hanging up, Xiaqing waited quietly for ten-odd minutes before she heard the inspection team enter the Northern Isolation Zone of the Third Territory. They easily captured the lookout hidden in the grassy ditch.

A short while later, Xiaqing heard the inspection team’s patrol vehicle drive through the Northern Isolation Zone.

With the inspection team patrolling outside, Xiaqing felt relieved. She walked across the frost-covered ground and headed home to sleep.