Chapter 470: Deals and Promises Beneath the Scars

Zhang San let out a sharp snort. “Fire Phoenix uses a synthetic poison made from over a dozen toxins. It can quickly drain the Evolution Element from your blood and spike your Devastation Element. After you were poisoned, you used a stim shake to burn off your Evolution Element. If you weren’t a high-level evolver with a naturally higher Evolution Element, you’d be showing symptoms of Devastation Evolution by now.”

Xia Qing had expected that using the Evolution Element stim shake would deplete her Evolution Element, but she hadn’t counted on her Devastation Element shooting up this much. The realization made her uneasy, even a bit frightened. If she hadn’t kept her Yi Stone with her, she’d probably already be showing signs of Devastation Evolution now.

“Third Brother, Fire Phoenix is supposed to trap animals, not kill them, so why use such an aggressive synthetic poison? Don’t tell me crazed animals are still valuable to them afterward?”

“When facing intelligent high-tier evolved animals, the only way to make them easier to catch is to drive them into Devastation Evolution, so they lose their minds and attack anything in sight. After capture, they inject them with antidote, but the damage caused by the toxins and Devastation Element overload…”

Zhang San swirled a clear, colorless vial in his hand, his voice cold. “Dan Ying wants to breed wolf pups using the captured wolves, then domesticate the pups. As long as the toxins don’t damage the evolved wolf’s womb, the rest of their injuries aren’t her concern.”

Rage surged inside Xia Qing, drowning out her physical pain. “So that’s how their poison spikes the animals’ Devastation Element. No wonder so many animals on Hill Fifty go berserk and die. Third Brother, I recorded everything when we fought the Trapping Team—the launch of the poison gas bombs, the animals fleeing. Can this evidence bring Fire Phoenix to justice?”

Zhang San’s frown eased a bit. “Where’s the video?”

“It’s safe in my territory.”

“I’ll have Yan Long take you home and bring the video along with Er Gou’s blood sample back here.”

“Thank you, Third Brother,” Xia Qing replied cautiously, then hesitated before adding, “Is it possible to only turn in the parts where the Trapping Team ambushed me and used poison gas on the wolf pack to trigger the beast horde? By the way, Dan Ying’s younger brother, Dan Xiang, is also in the Trapping Team.”

Zhang San shot Xia Qing a look filled with disdain, as if wondering if she was slow. “Do you think I’m dumber than you? I figured all that out already.”

Exactly!

If even she could see it, there’s no way her idol missed it!

Xia Qing apologized right away and carefully moved the conversation toward resources. “I was overthinking. Third Brother, what should I do about this overload of Devastation Element in my body? There are three poisoned wolves back at my territory—they’re probably in even worse shape than I am, especially the one that once had parasites…”

She paused for a few seconds, then pushed forward bravely. “Do you think I could trade top-grade evolved python meat for eight Devastation Element Antidotes, plus pay you back for the four antidotes you’ve already given me?”

One Devastation Element Antidote can lower Devastation Element by one-tenth of a percent. Xia Qing needed two shots to get hers back to normal—just under one percent. Each of the three wolves needed at least two as well, since their condition was worse than hers.

Top-grade Evolved Green Lantern Python Meat was Xia Qing’s most valuable asset. If Third Brother refused, she’d have no choice but to reveal everything she had.

Zhang San looked up at Xia Qing. She knew she might be asking for a bit much, so she just forced a silly smile.

Devastation Element and Evolution Element are both volatile, newly discovered elements. If Devastation Element overloads the body, it’s like a disease—something akin to coronary disease, stroke, high blood sugar, and diabetes pre-catastrophe. The only way to control it is through medication that prevents further accumulation and worsening.

Lowering Devastation Element takes tons of Green Lantern food, and the process varies. Those with strong resistance can do it in a year or two, while the weak may need years or even over a decade.

High-level evolvers are much hardier than average people or regular evolvers, but even so, it takes at least half a year. Worse, their Evolution Element runs low during the process, cutting their power drastically.

Xia Qing wasn’t short on Green Lantern food, but she didn’t have time to wait for a slow recovery—she had to get her Devastation Element down fast. If anything went wrong in her territory, she could tip into Devastation Evolution at any time. One danger loomed right in front of her: Devastation Snow.

While Xia Qing fretted, her idol finally spoke at a lazy, measured pace. “Xia Qing.”

“I’m here.”

“I didn’t expect the Trapping Team to use poison gas bombs either. So consider those four antidotes my compensation to you—no charge. As for the Devastation Element Antidote, it’s a new drug I just finished making. There are only ten doses left, but I can give you eight if you agree to three conditions.”

Xia Qing nodded fiercely, uncaring that her neck throbbed like it might snap. Pain was nothing compared to showing her idol her willingness.

“Go ahead, Third Brother. Whatever it is, if I can do it, I’ll get it done right away. If I can’t, I’ll find a way. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

“First, I get half your harvest of Green Lantern Black Peanuts next year.”

Xia Qing nodded. “No problem.”

“Second, raise fifty more chickens by next year. I want plenty of chicken meat and eggs.”

Xia Qing kept nodding. “Of course. Fifty’s fine, and if it’s not enough, I can raise more.”

“Third, if one day these wolves who stick by you turn on humanity, you have to wipe out the entire pack—not a single one left.”

Xia Qing sobered, giving a solemn promise. “I’ve already told the wolf pack the same thing. Rest assured, Third Brother—if that day comes, I won’t hesitate.”

Zhang San watched Xia Qing with a calm gaze. Just as she was desperately searching her heart for ways to earn her idol’s trust, he slouched back in his chair and began what would be the longest and deepest speech she’d ever heard from him in the year they’d known each other.

“You’re one of the few people in the country who’s earned the trust of a brain-evolved beast leader. The power you hold now, your battle strength, easily rivals the top two combat teams in Hui Three Base.”

“After ten years of hell before the catastrophe, barely scraping by, now you’ve suddenly stepped into real power. When you taste that thrill, it’s easy to lose yourself in it. Over time, you might want those weaker than you to follow your rules. If they don’t, you’ll crush them like you would evolved insects. And afterward, you won’t see yourself as the one at fault—you’ll believe they deserved it, that they had to be erased.”

“To put it plainly, people who gain too much power stop seeing themselves as human. At least, not ordinary humans. They start to think they set the rules. They see themselves as gods. Of the people you know, Deng Yufeng, Dan Ying, and Tang Zhengsu all carry this mindset, one way or another.”

“Don’t tell me you’re different. The moment you led the evolved wolves and decided to wipe out all ten Fire Phoenix Trapping Team members, your thinking already changed because of your strength.”

Xia Qing froze. She wanted to argue, but found no words, because she knew her idol was right.

“Now that it’s the Catastrophe Year, laws no longer bind anyone. The strong indulge their desires, convinced that having power justifies any demand. Only three things can still hold someone back: checks and balances from other strong forces, personal weaknesses, or—though it sounds laughable now—morality and conscience.”

“As for the first, Huaguo has more than enough powers to counter yours. But since you don’t want to expose your abilities yet, and with the people around you, including me, helping to shield you, outside powers haven’t found you. It gives you room to grow even stronger in your territory.”

“For the second, you don’t have family or even a real friend. To you, not a single human is more important than that evolved sheep in your land. So no person can become your weakness.”

“You’ve gotten more resources from me than any other lord in this whole area. It’s not just because of your Green Lantern food, but because after losing your family, you still clung to your principles and chose the hardest path to survive—and you stuck it out.”

“Even after discovering high-Evolution Element, stable plant seeds, you stuck to your values and took the initiative to share them and promote planting. That’s why I believe you have at least some conscience and a baseline of morals.”

Xia Qing seriously studied the pale, thin man before her, listening as he spoke of conscience and morality—words that, in this era of catastrophe, had nearly become insults and jokes.

“But relying on just morality and conscience isn’t enough to restrain a person,” Zhang San said, his tone sharpening. “That’s why I made this condition and asked for your word. I can’t stand people who don’t keep their promises. If you ever break your word, you can forget about getting another thing from me—no materials, no help of any kind. And I’ll never keep another secret for you.”