Chapter 35: Springwater Deals and Unspoken Loyalties

Yang Jin was the captain of the Azure Dragon Unit and Xie Yu was his vice-captain. When Xia Qing sought out Luo Pei, she’d never even considered hiding her visit from those two. “Not including the two of them, do you have a clean container for water? Once it’s fully dark, I’ll find a chance to deliver today’s water.”

Xia Qing offered to bring the water herself because she didn’t want anyone to know its true source. Luo Pei nodded. “I’ve got containers. What kind of weapon do you want in exchange?”

Xia Qing didn’t answer right away. “Let’s discuss weapons after we’ve confirmed the water actually works.”

“Alright.” Luo Pei’s closed eyes glistened with tears, but a smile still played on his lips. “There are Vision Evolvers and Hearing Evolvers in Plot Two with at least a level five evolution. Let me know before you come, I’ll send people to draw them away and have Wei Chengdong meet you where you were just picked up.”

After agreeing, Xia Qing received a heartfelt thank-you from Luo Pei. “From now on, your concerns are my concerns. As long as it doesn’t break the law, just say the word.”

“You don’t need to say all that, Captain Luo. I’m trading with you to protect my own Territory.” The matter of the spring water couldn’t stay secret forever. Xia Qing had always planned to cooperate with the Military once secrecy became impossible. Only when she learned Luo Pei was injured and needed the water did she decide instead to make a deal with the Azure Dragon Unit.

The Azure Dragon Unit wasn’t under any of the Base authorities, so they had more autonomy. With the Territory Law and a powerful rival in the Sufeng Squad, the Azure Dragon Unit would be smart enough to realize that working with her made more sense than killing her for the spring water.

After Wei Chengdong escorted Xia Qing out, the team medic came in to report the test results. “This spring water is almost entirely free of Xiang Element, but the trace elements—selenium, strontium, and metasilicic acid—have an almost perfect ratio! The Yi Element is even five points higher than the best spring in the Base! If we have enough of this water, I’m confident I can eliminate all the poison in Luo’s system.”

Luo Pei, once a level ten Vision Evolver and now nearly blind from agony, took the news with surprising calm. “Send three people to guard the perimeter of Territory Three and protect Xia Qing. Don’t let anyone except the Inspection Team near that place without her consent. Remember, your job is to protect, not to spy, and never step into Plot Three itself.”

When the medic left, Luo Pei finally let the excitement show. His hands, thin as bones, slowly rose to cover his flushed face. The towering man by his side felt his own eyes redden with emotion.

“Brother Luo.” After escorting Xia Qing, Wei Chengdong returned and spoke in a low voice. “Should we call the boss and cancel the deal with the Blazing Fire Unit? We might run out of time if we wait any longer.”

To detox Luo Pei, Yang Jin had left Hui San Base with two squads and was heading for Hui One Base to negotiate with the Blazing Fire Unit, who had control over a spring.

Luo Pei shook his head. “No one can find out about Xia Qing’s mountain spring water. We can’t call off the deal with the Blazing Fire Unit.”

Wei Chengdong scratched his head. “But the Blazing Fire Unit is definitely going to rip us off while they can.”

Luo Pei smiled slowly. “Yang Jin’s not the kind of guy who walks into a trap, is he?”

“Of course not.” Wei Chengdong chuckled. “Even if the boss fell for Fire Phoenix, he’d never come out the loser…”

Before Wei Chengdong could finish, a Hearing Evolver on perimeter duty burst in to knock on the door. “Brother Luo, there’s a helicopter incoming!”

What? Wei Chengdong sprang up and bolted outside. “I’m going to have a look, Brother Luo!”

As the helicopter drew closer, its rotors thundered through the air, sending every nearby lord scrambling for cover behind solid barriers, casting anxious glances up at the sky.

Xia Qing soothed Boss Sheep, who was spooked and nearly ready to charge at the helicopter, while watching through night vision goggles as a small chopper with blinking red lights landed in Plot One.

Tang Huai, witnessing the same scene, immediately dialed Sufeng Squad’s vice-captain, Xu Pin.

Xu Pin’s laid-back voice drifted through the phone. “How much water can you really fit in one small helicopter? Let Yang Jin taste a glimmer of hope, then pull the rug out from under him—it’s much more fun, isn’t it?”

“You really hit the nail on the head.” Tang Huai replied, his voice icy as he hung up.

Vision Evolver Zhou Xun nervously asked, “Boss, the vice-captain isn’t actually sending us to blow up the chopper, right?”

“Blow up your own head! Get back outside and keep watch.” Tang Huai shooed Zhou Xun away with a curse, saying nothing more as his face grew even grimmer.

Tang Heng, who bore a striking resemblance to Tang Huai, finally spoke up. “Luo Pei needs several tons of water since he’s poisoned. Yang Jin went up against the Base for his sake and even led a squad through Evolver Forest to find water that could cure him. If Luo Pei were in our squad, what do you think our captain would do?”

Tang Sufeng wouldn’t just waste precious unpolluted water on saving someone—he’d use Luo Pei’s death to wring out every last drop of value.

Tang Huai lounged back, staring straight up at the dim little bulb hanging from the ceiling.

Once the helicopter touched down and the doors slid open, Yang Jin hopped out carrying two large water tanks. The rotors sped up with a roar as the helicopter lifted off, flying northwest. Wei Chengdong rushed over to grab the tanks. “Boss, where’d you even get a helicopter? That’s incredible!”

Yang Jin didn’t let go. “You won’t be able to lift these. How’s Brother Luo holding up?”

“He’s hanging in.” Wei Chengdong didn’t pretend, just jogged ahead to lead the way.

Yang Jin strode inside, set down the tanks, and took off his night vision goggles. His eyes darkened when he saw Luo Pei slumped in a lounge chair, exhaustion and bloodshot eyes plain to see. “Why haven’t you taken your medicinal bath, Brother Luo?”

With his brothers fighting to find this water, Luo Pei would never waste a drop on himself if he could help it. But he joked anyway. “Of course I took the bath. Did you take a military helicopter back here?”

When Yang Jin saw the medic bowing his head to avoid his gaze, he immediately knew Luo Pei was lying. He motioned to the medic and Wei Chengdong to take the tanks out and get the bath ready, then finally answered Luo Pei’s question. “Hui One Base was sending supplies out here. I just tagged along and brought back a couple tanks of water first.”

Luo Pei grinned at Yang Jin. “So, did Blazing Fire go after you or Xie Yu?”

Xie Yu was the Azure Dragon Unit’s vice-captain, a level three Brain Evolver. If Yang Jin and Luo Pei were the squad’s muscle, Xie Yu was its brain.

After two sleepless days and nights fetching water, Yang Jin lit an Evolver smoke to stay awake. “Weapons were what I traded for it.”

“Only weapons?” Luo Pei sounded skeptical.

Yang Jin took a long drag. “I’ll lead a squad on a mission for them. Whatever we collect is theirs.”

Before Luo Pei could ask more, the medic walked back in. “Captain Yang, Brother Luo, the water you brought back just now really is mountain spring water, but it’s not as pure as the bottle we tested this afternoon. Brother Luo’s in a fragile state, so I recommend using the good stuff.”

Bottle from this afternoon? Yang Jin looked at Luo Pei. “Where’d you get that?”

Luo Pei asked the medic to step outside, then finally told Yang Jin about Xia Qing’s spring water. “I haven’t hammered out details with her yet, but maybe you and Chengdong should go over there yourselves.”

When Yang Jin didn’t answer, Luo Pei added, “She might be young, but Xia Qing knows exactly what she wants—and she remembers who helps her. She wouldn’t have shown up with that water otherwise. Xia Qing’s not like those women in the Safe Zone always eyeing you up, so don’t go scaring her off with that cold face.”

Of course she knew what she wanted. Yang Jin crushed his cigarette, a small smile tugging at his lips.

Luo Pei lay quietly in his lounge chair, unable to shake the feeling that something was different about Yang Jin’s silence.