With the brainless Tang Lu showing up, Xia Qing felt that her chances of securing her desired plot of land had increased by another thirty percent—it was practically in the bag. If the venue hadn’t been so inappropriate, she would have loved to belt out, “Today is a good day!”
Seeing Tang Lu actually condescending to line up in front of the empty desk, the crowd in the hall couldn’t help but reconsider this mission of leaving the Safety Zone to farm, which was widely regarded as a suicide mission.
Soon, the line of people waiting to claim territory grew from thirty-odd to over a hundred. The long queue snaked across the hall, making two sharp turns like a giant serpent coiled inside the room.
Tang Lu looked back at the people jostling and bickering over their spots in line, then fiercely glared at the two soldiers who seemed to be maintaining order but were actually there to keep an eye on her uncle. She let out a disdainful snort.
If the military’s people weren’t buzzing around like flies, constantly watching her, she wouldn’t have had to come here and endure this stench.
It wasn’t until Tang Zhengrong stepped out of the office area with his entourage that Tang Lu, whose face had been dark with irritation for over an hour, immediately stood up straight and put on a sweet, docile smile.
Dressed in simple attire, Tang Zhengrong pretended not to see his niece. He walked straight up to a half-meter-high platform set up beside the desk and began his speech.
“As all residents of the Safety Zone know, in our battle against natural disasters over the past ten years, our nation’s agricultural system has collapsed, making food shortage a critical challenge we must urgently overcome. I want to thank everyone for responding to the country’s call and coming forward to claim territories, contributing to our nation’s food production. As long as we stand united, we will surely overcome all disasters, defend humanity’s dominant position on the Blue Star, and rebuild our home…”
Xia Qing raised her head, calmly gazing at this seemingly gentle man who firmly held the position of second-in-command of Hui San Base.
“Every resident who takes the initiative to claim territory today will receive a special reward from the base: two months of rations per person, a five-year tax exemption on the claimed land, and a national commitment to provide professional support.”
The hall inside and out erupted into a frenzy, and the queue instantly snaked around for two more turns.
“But there are two points that must be made absolutely clear to everyone,” Tang Zhengrong spoke again, his gentle voice turning stern. “First, the claimed land cannot be transferred or resold. It can only be inherited by the biological children of the land-use rights holder—the Lord. If a Lord dies without an heir, the land-use rights will revert to the base. Second, the base will conduct annual evaluations of the territory’s cultivation. If a territory fails to meet the standard for three years, it will be reclaimed. Once the land is reclaimed, the rights holder will not only lose their status as a Lord but will also be barred from applying for any positions or missions within Hui San Base.”
Once these two points were laid out, more than half of the people jostling in line instantly backed away, and those remaining began to hesitate.
A tall man standing behind Xia Qing called out, “Mayor Tang, what counts as meeting the standard?”
Before the cataclysm, Tang Zhengrong had been the mayor of the city where Hui San Base was located. After the disaster, the city was converted into a base, and he became the Vice Base Commander, still in charge of civil affairs, while a military general served as the Base Commander.
Since “Vice Base Commander” didn’t sound prestigious enough, the residents still respectfully addressed Tang Zhengrong as Mayor.
Hearing the resident’s question, Tang Zhengrong explained with a smile, “For the first five years, as long as the newly added cultivation area of edible plants in your territory increases by more than two mu per year, you will meet the standard.”
Only two mu a year? That wasn’t hard! The man let out a sigh of relief, and Xia Qing’s tense nerves relaxed slightly as well.
Seeing a few of those who had left return to the queue, Tang Zhengrong’s smile deepened. He waved his hand and announced, “The first territory claiming ceremony of Hui San Base officially begins. Everyone, please gather at the gate of the Safety Zone within two hours of claiming your land. The base will send vehicles to transport you there.”
Two hours? Xia Qing lowered her eyes. Why such a rush? Were they afraid people would regret it and refuse to go after claiming the land?
As soon as Tang Zhengrong finished speaking, Tang Lu, who had long since lost her patience, tapped her snow-white finger on the desk and urged the clerk, “Hurry up.”
The fair-skinned male clerk immediately picked up a land-use rights certificate and presented it to Tang Lu with both hands. “Miss Tang, this is yours. Please keep it safe. According to regulations, the first resident to claim territory is entitled to an extra two months of rations. Please take this certificate to the desk on the right to collect your rations, matching supplies, and seeds.”
Tang Lu, an ordinary human, pinched the certificate between two pale fingers, then turned back to glare at the dirty, smelly Evolvers behind her, her eyes brimming with smugness.
Once Xia Qing clearly saw the words “Territory No. 2” on the certificate in Tang Lu’s hand, she took a step forward and stood in front of the desk.
Without even looking up, the male clerk asked, “ID number and name.”
Xia Qing raised her voice and countered, “According to regulations, the top three claimants can choose their own land and receive double rations, correct?”
“The top three get to choose their own land and receive double rations? Really?” The man third in line let out a loud exclamation, instantly drawing the attention of hundreds of people.
Nonsense!
The male clerk frowned and looked up. But when he met the cold gaze of the woman in front of him and saw the green tag she wore, he instinctively avoided the eyes of this Evolver, who clearly looked like trouble. Cold sweat began to bead on his forehead.
If he said there was no such rule, this female Evolver would definitely seize upon the fact that he had just given Tang Lu extra rations and make a massive scene. If word got to the Base Commander, Major General Qi, he didn’t know what would happen to Mayor Tang, but his own job would certainly be gone.
His family of four relied entirely on his job to survive. He was being treated so unfairly—it wasn’t like he was the one who had set Tang Lu’s preferential policies!
“You’re full of—”
Hearing the words of the filthy woman behind her, Tang Lu, who was in the middle of collecting her rations, spun around to curse. But just as she opened her mouth, her uncle passed by and silenced her with a single, seemingly casual glance.
Having stopped his brainless niece, Tang Zhengrong walked over to the desk, cast a quick glance at the slightly bowed Xia Qing, and asked with a smile on his face, “There is indeed such an incentive policy. Which plot of land would you like to choose, young lady?”
Xia Qing’s mud-stained finger pointed firmly to a territory north of the Safety Zone on the map, which contained a long, narrow strip of blue water.
“Here. Territory No. 3.”
*Her target is the outermost territory. Is she with the military or the Azure Dragon Squad?*
Tang Zhengrong’s tone remained gentle, but his meaning was crystal clear. “Territory No. 3 is the outermost arable land cleared by our base, over a hundred kilometers away from the Safety Zone. Traveling back and forth will be highly inconvenient.”
Xia Qing pretended not to catch his drift and declared passionately, “Thank you for the warning, Mayor Tang. But as an Evolver, I should go to the most dangerous and remote places to grow more food and make greater contributions to the country.”
Tang Zhengrong’s smile froze for a fraction of a second before he formally glanced at Xia Qing’s ID tag, committing her name to memory. “It is wonderful that a young girl like you has such civic awareness. Clerk Zhang, process the paperwork.”
Feeling as if a great weight had been lifted, Clerk Zhang quickly registered Xia Qing’s personal information and printed the land-use rights certificate for Territory No. 3.
After verifying that everything was correct, Xia Qing collected her rations and other supplies from the neighboring desk. She then went straight to the window on the east side of the hall to exchange points from her identity card for two high-capacity power banks.
Power had not yet been restored outside the Safety Zone. Before she could install solar power equipment, she would need these power banks to charge her phone and radio.
Carrying her belongings, Xia Qing walked out of the hall, quickening her pace as she passed through the crowd of gaunt, sallow-faced onlookers who stared hungrily at the food sacks in her hands.
Sitting in a sedan by the roadside, Tang Lu glared at Xia Qing with a look that said, *You’re finished.* Xia Qing, however, couldn’t care less. Listening to the broadcast repeatedly instructing the territory claimants to gather outside the main gate, she hurried back to the Evolver dormitory to pack her things.
Since it was working hours, the vast majority of Evolvers were out on duty. Consequently, Xia Qing only ran into one or two people upon entering the residential area, who seemed to have returned just to grab some items. Xia Qing paused and nodded to greet them.
During the years of natural disasters, everyone was too busy scraping by and earning survival supplies to spare any energy worrying about what others were doing. Thus, seeing Xia Qing return with her bags, they didn’t ask any questions. They simply nodded in greeting and hurried on their way.
When Xia Qing returned to her dormitory, she found her roommate inside.
Upon seeing Xia Qing return covered in filth, Feng Wen, a Level 3 Olfactory Evolver, immediately set down her makeup mirror, pinched her nose, and frowned, looking as though she were about to gag from Xia Qing’s stench.
Xia Qing didn’t bother to pay her any mind. She unlocked the large padlock on the sheet metal cabinet under her bed, pulled out the bags of luggage she had packed long ago, stuffed them into a large canvas bag, and then bent down to gather the bedding from her single bed.
Pinching her nose, Feng Wen asked in astonishment, “Are you really going to a territory? Are you stupid?”