The next day, after the sun rose and the temperature warmed, Xiaqing mixed the soaked seeds with Insect Repellent Powder. She planted them according to the depth, row, and plant spacing instructions from the broadcast, and then sprayed them once with water diluted with Evolutionary Camphor Leaf Juice.
After she finished spraying, Xiaqing discovered that not only did the birds dislike the smell of the Evolutionary Camphor Leaves and refuse to land, but even Sheep Leader had run off.
Now, she didn’t have to worry about Sheep Leader ruining the seedlings.
Because cotton and mung beans were planted in hills with wide spacing, she planted one mu of cotton and half a mu of mung beans in each of the two fields. The wheat was planted in drills, and the six jin of seeds only covered two fen of land, so Xiaqing went ahead and planted it all in her thirty-mu plot.
After she finished planting, over ninety percent of the tilled land was still empty, but there was no rush.
The potatoes hadn’t sprouted yet, so they couldn’t be planted for the time being. As for the other four types of vegetable seeds—pumpkin, cucumber, tomato, and eggplant—Xiaqing chose to raise them into seedlings in her home garden before transplanting them here.
Besides the vegetable seedlings, she also had six sweet potato seedlings.
Besides the sweet potato seedlings, she could also explore her new 1,500-mu High Slope territory to the north, which was higher than the mountainside with the spring, to search for transplantable edible plants.
Xiaqing dreamed of the good life where she could have three stir-fried dishes for a single meal, and the thought made her eat an extra bowl for lunch.
In the afternoon, just as she was preparing to explore the new territory with Sheep Leader, she received a call from Captain Tan. Xiaqing thought it was about the sweet potato seedlings being ready for planting, but it turned out to be even better news.
The base had decided to install solar panels for the outlying territories that had Buffer Forests! Her territory was on the very edge and had a Buffer Forest, so it qualified!
Xiaqing jumped up in excitement. "When is it the Third Territory’s turn? An hour from now? Yes, of course! Do you need my help carrying the solar panels? Okay!"
After hanging up, Xiaqing ruffled Sheep Leader’s head. "Leader, we’re going to have electricity! Electricity, electricity!"
Sheep Leader shook its head disdainfully, while Xiaqing spun around in circles with excitement.
The person who came to the Third Territory to install the solar panels was a Strength Evolver named Hu Zi. Without any help from Xiaqing, he effortlessly carried a large box into the village and quickly installed two solar panels on the sloped roof of her house. Then he told her how to maintain them. "This equipment was made before the Natural Disasters, but I guarantee it works. Sister Xiaqing, don’t forget to rinse the solar panels regularly. It’s best to cover them during Harmful Rain, hailstorms, and snow. Also, and this is very important, you must protect the wires. Don’t let insects chew through them."
After the Natural Disasters, many insects on Blue Star had evolved powerful mandibles. Some species had even become rodent-like, developing a habit of grinding their teeth. Electrical wires and network cables were their favorite things to chew on.
Original rodents, like rats and squirrels, had evolved even more terrifying gnawing abilities. This was why, even ten years into the apocalypse, humanity had not yet restored conventional communication or power grids between its bases.
It wasn’t impossible, but the cost of construction and maintenance was just too high. With humanity’s population having plummeted after the Natural Disasters, there were far more important things to focus on.
Xiaqing quickly asked, "Can I run the wires through steel pipes?"
Hu Zi nodded. "If you can encase them for protection, that would be even better. Do you have any steel pipes, Sister Qing?"
"I do, and I have the tools as well. As soon as I have power, I can take care of it." Xiaqing had accumulated a fair number of tools over the past few years; she even had a welding gun and welding rods.
Unexpectedly, Hu Zi, who had been very quiet during their previous encounters, was quite helpful. "These two panels can generate five kilowatt-hours a day at most. I brought a gas welding torch. Sister, bring the steel pipes up, and I’ll weld them in place before heading to the First Territory."
Xiaqing didn’t stand on ceremony and brought out the steel pipes. They encased the wires and welded them securely, tightly protecting the outdoor portion of the solar power system’s wiring. Steel pipes of this thickness could stop Evolved Insects; she would just have to be wary of evolved rats and squirrels.
After Hu Zi finished calibrating the power generation equipment and storage battery, he reminded Xiaqing, "Sister Qing, when you use lamps or flashlights at night, make sure you seal your doors and windows tight. You don’t want to attract moths or other creatures."
Almost all insects are attracted to light, and it would be a huge problem if she attracted any dangerous Evolved Insects.
Xiaqing had always been very careful about this. Whenever she lit a fire in her living room at night, she would cover the windows with thick wooden planks to keep any light from leaking out.
As she escorted Hu Zi out of her territory, Xiaqing asked why the base had agreed to install solar equipment for the territories. Solar power, after all, was a scarce and highly sought-after commodity in the Safe Zone.
Hu Zi sighed. "There are a total of thirty territories with Buffer Forests on the outer edge of our Safe Zone. After the Harmful Rain, thirteen of them were attacked by Qiang Evolved plants and animals. Fifty-six people have died, and eight are seriously injured."
Medicine was scarce after the Natural Disasters, so the transition from seriously injured to deceased often took only a few days. Xiaqing had expected casualties after the Harmful Rain, but she never imagined it would be this severe.
"Because you contacted the investigation team in time to clear out the danger, Sister Qing, the Third Territory is the only outlying territory to have faced a high-risk Qiang Evolved creature without suffering any casualties. So, the General overruled all objections and ordered solar panels and walkie-talkies to be provided to the outlying territories. This is to ensure that when danger strikes, the Lords can immediately call for rescue."
Hu Zi then explained why she hadn’t received a walkie-talkie. "There’s a limited number of walkie-talkies, and since you already have a satellite phone, Sister, they didn’t assign you one. It was exchanged for ten safe sweet potato seedlings instead."
Xiaqing beamed. "Hu Zi, please thank Captain Tan for me."
Hearing Xiaqing’s cheerful voice, Hu Zi, who was carrying a stack of solar panels, felt his face and neck flush red. Fortunately, his Protective Mask hid his blush.
Xiaqing continued, "Are the distributed walkie-talkies frequency-mode or channel-mode? I have a professional frequency-mode model with a ten-kilometer range."
Hu Zi cleared his throat. "They’re frequency-mode. Use 438.500 to contact patrol and security personnel. For communication between Lords, you can use 439.500. Sister Xiaqing, you can use your walkie-talkie to contact the Lords of the neighboring territories, but please be careful. You’re alone out here, so you can’t be too careful about who you trust."
Xiaqing jotted down the frequencies. "I understand. I won’t let anything happen to me."
Outside the Safe Zone, the distrust between people was much stronger. Although Xiaqing’s land bordered the First, Second, and Fourth Territories, everyone had a tacit understanding to keep their distance and not bother one another.
Afraid he might have scared Xiaqing, Hu Zi elaborated on the situation in the surrounding territories. "Aside from the people in the Second Territory, who are a bit aggressive, the others don’t seem too dangerous for now. If you get bored, Sister, you can tune into the channel and chat with them about farming."
Xiaqing had spent many years in the noisy Safe Zone and now cherished the peace and quiet. However, she knew it was necessary to contact the neighboring territories via the walkie-talkie to find out what seeds they received and what edible creatures they had discovered.
’If I can trade for things I don’t have, that would be even better.’
Hu Zi continued, "The Fourth and Fifth Territories were lucky; no large Evolved creatures showed up. The First Territory had an outbreak of evolved, highly venomous caterpillars, so that territory is empty now. The Sixth Territory had three people injured. You should head back, Sister Xiaqing. I can get there by myself."
This was the downside of being disconnected; Xiaqing had no idea the First Territory was already abandoned. "What will happen to the First Territory, then?"