Chapter 39: Dawn and Secret Guardian
# Chapter 39: Dawn and Secret Guardian
At daybreak, Manager Zhou's black sedan rolled down the gravel road of Qingxi Village. The black dirt kicked up by the wheels clung to the car like an indelible stain. He pushed open the door, toying with a pen as he glanced over the old variety base, tightly enclosed by barbed wire. A confident smile played on his face. Yesterday's pressure had left the villagers powerless to resist. Today, he had to obtain the cultivation technology for the old varieties.
But as soon as Manager Zhou reached the barbed wire, his smile froze. The men in black who were supposed to be guarding the gate were nowhere to be seen. Instead, several men in dark green camouflage uniforms were slicing through the wire with silver cutters. The sizzling sound of metal rubbing against each other was particularly clear in the morning air. They wore black gear strapped to their waists, small "Ecological Protection" badges emblazoned on their shoulder straps. Their eyes were as sharp as hawks, and before Manager Zhou could even speak, they surrounded him.
"Who are you? Do you know whose territory this is?" Manager Zhou shouted with forced calmness. He stretched out his hand to push the camouflage uniform in front, but was grabbed by the other party with such force that he frowned in pain.
"The National Ecological Protection Bureau has been ordered to take over the soil pollution incident in Qingxi Village." The man in camouflage uniform's voice was cold, and his other hand flashed his ID. "Zhou Mingyuan, suspected of illegally releasing hazardous substances and forging official documents. Come with us now."
Manager Zhou's face paled instantly. He struggled to pull out his phone to call for help, but found it had been confiscated and even the signal blocked. "You have no right to arrest me! I have a land expropriation order!" he screamed, but no one paid any attention. Behind him, beside the van, several men in black were pinned to the ground, their hands cuffed behind their backs. They were still shouting, but were hushed by the men in camouflage uniforms.
"Forged documents. Save them for the detention center. You can talk about it later." They handcuffed him by his camouflage uniform and shoved him toward the police car parked at the village entrance. Manager Zhou looked back at the base, eyes filled with resentment, but he could only be forced into the car. Qingxi Village outside the car window gradually receded from him.
When the barbed wire was completely cut, Lin Xiaoman was sitting by the ancient well, holding Xiaochen in her arms. She held the withered stem of a "Star Pattern" tomato seedling in her hand, gently stroking it with her fingertips. Hearing the noise, she looked up suddenly and saw the men in camouflage uniforms approaching. She subconsciously shielded Xiaochen behind her, her voice trembling, "Are you... here to help Manager Zhou?"
"Don't worry, we're here to protect you." A woman with the rank of major approached, removing her military cap to reveal her neatly cropped hair. Her smile was gentle yet reassuring. "My last name is Su. I'm from the Ecological Protection Bureau's action team, specifically here to handle matters related to the Blackstone Consortium." She handed over her ID, the national emblem gleaming in the morning light. "Mr. Chen Wang has been acquitted and is on his way back to the village."
Lin Xiaoman stared at the ID for a long time, her eyes suddenly warmed - they were not enemies, but people sent by the country to save them. Xiaochen poked his head out from behind her, saw the badge on Major Su's shoulder, and whispered, "Auntie, are you police officers? Can you help us save Miaomiao?"
"We're not the police, but we can help Miaomiao recover." Major Su squatted down and touched Xiaochen's head. "We brought the best technicians and equipment, and we'll be able to get the seedlings in the fields back to health soon."
As soon as he finished speaking, three white Ivecos, the words "Ecological Emergency Rescue" emblazoned on their sides, drove into the base. The doors opened, and agricultural experts, accompanied by a group of researchers in white coats, emerged, wheeling various instruments and heading straight for the spiritual plant fields. "Xiaoman! I'm sorry you've been wronged!" the experts hurried over, holding a test report. "Only after I was arrested did I learn that the Blackstone Group bribed certain officials to fabricate charges of 'leaking secrets.' Fortunately, the Ecological Protection Bureau uncovered the truth and released me promptly."
The researchers immediately split up. Two people, carrying portable detectors, placed more than a dozen test points in the field, with the values on the screen jumping in real time. Three people carried a bucket of milky white liquid and sprayed it into the black soil. "This is a biodegradable agent that can break down the toxins in the root rot agent without harming old varieties." Another person squatted by the ancient well, collecting water samples with glass tubes and testing them in the instrument. Soon, they exclaimed, "Captain Su! The ancient well water has natural biodegradable microorganisms! It can accelerate the decomposition of toxins and promote crop rooting!"
Major Su immediately ordered, "Prioritize using the water from the ancient well to mix the degrading agent, focusing on irrigating the old pear trees and tomato seedlings! Send two more people to the mountain stream to use absorbent pads to clean up the remaining root rot agent. We must not allow the toxin to spread!"
Lin Xiaoman finally breathed a sigh of relief and sat on the edge of the field, watching the researchers busy at work. Grandma Zhang came over with freshly brewed ginger soup and handed it to her: "I told you, the country won't ignore ordinary people like us. These children are our saviors!" The warm steam of the ginger soup hit her face, warming her nose so much that it made her nose sore.
At noon, good news came one after another: the root rot agent in the mountain stream was cleaned up, and the pollution index of the groundwater veins dropped to a safe value; a car horn sounded at the entrance of the village, and Chen Wang got out of a silver-gray car. He was still wearing the blue shirt he wore when he left home, but the corners of his clothes were stained with dust. Without waiting for the car to stop, he ran towards Lin Xiaoman and Xiaochen, his eyes full of bloodshot.
"Xiaoman! Xiaochen!" Chen Wang hugged his wife and children, his voice choked with sobs, "I'm sorry I scared you."
"I'm glad you're back. Miaomiao can be saved." Lin Xiaoman leaned in his arms, feeling the familiar heartbeat, and all the grievances and fears slowly dissipated. Xiaochen hugged Chen Wang's neck and handed him the tomato seedling: "Dad, Miaomiao is back, Aunt Su said she can save it."
Chen Wang looked at the faint green buds on the stem and nodded vigorously: "Yes, it can be saved. Let's wait for it to grow well together."
Major Su came over, holding a document, and handed it to Chen Wang. "This is the protection plan for Qingxi Village's old crop varieties. The state has approved this area as a 'National Native Crop Protection Area'. A professional team will be stationed here long-term to provide technical and financial support. You will be responsible for continuing to cultivate these old varieties, promoting the planting techniques to more areas, and protecting our country's native crop resources."
She paused, then added, "There's one more thing I need to tell you—we've found out that Ms. Lin Xiaoman's grandfather was actually a peripheral researcher for the Ecological Protection Bureau, responsible for monitoring and protecting Qingxi Village's traditional species and preventing them from being stolen by outside forces. The notes he left behind are actually decades of monitoring records, and the old badge hidden in the interlayer is his work permit from back then."
Lin Xiaoman was stunned. He quickly dug out his grandfather's notes and carefully opened the last page. Inside, he found a blackened, oxidized badge. It was identical to Major Su's, only smaller. It turned out that his grandfather's lifelong protection wasn't just one person's perseverance, but rather a silent safeguarding of this precious crop resource for the country.
"Grandpa..." Lin Xiaoman's tears fell, but she smiled, "He never told me this, but he spent his whole life protecting these seedlings."
"He is our predecessor and a guardian worthy of respect," Major Su said softly. "Now, this responsibility has passed into your hands. We will work with you to continue this protection."
In the evening, the setting sun gilded the base with a warm golden glow. The soil toxin readings on the monitor dropped to zero. The cracks in the old pear tree no longer ooze sap, and a few new green leaves sprouted from its trunk. Next to the roots of the tomato seedlings, silvery new tendrils slowly extended toward the ancient well. In the strawberry patch, new runners emerged from the soil, radiating a vibrant tenderness.
The villagers gathered under the old pear tree to help the researchers water the crops. Uncle Li carried a hoe and hummed old songs. Aunt Wang distributed the freshly made strawberry jam to everyone. Even Major Su tasted it and said with a smile, "It tastes better than the ones bought in the city." Xiaochen and Wangfu ran on the ridge of the field, holding freshly picked green strawberries in their hands, smiling especially happily.
Chen Wang took out his mobile phone, took a picture of the scene in front of him, and edited it into his "Orchard Diary": "In times of despair, the light of dawn comes. Fortunately, the country protects us, the predecessors pass on the traditions, the old varieties are not dead, and people's hearts are not dispersed. From now on, we are no longer fighting alone. Protecting this land and these varieties is a responsibility and an honor." In the photo, people are smiling and busy under the old pear tree. The setting sun stretches everyone's shadow very long, like an indestructible barrier.
As night deepened, the lights at the base came on. Researchers were still debugging monitoring equipment, while Major Su and Chen Wang discussed future planting plans. Lin Xiaoman sat nearby, flipping through her grandfather's notes, occasionally adding a few words. The night breeze, carrying the delicate fragrance of the old varieties, gently enveloped Qingxi Village.
Lin Xiaoman knows that the Blackstone Group's overseas influence has not been completely eliminated, and there may be new challenges in the future, but she is no longer afraid - with the country as a backing, Chen Wang and the villagers standing shoulder to shoulder, and the protective belief left by her grandfather, they will definitely be able to protect this land and these old varieties that have accompanied Qingxi Village for decades, so that this sweetness can spread farther and longer.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
