Chapter 503: Water Test Revelations

Wait a second…

Looking at the numbers on this test result…

Xia Qing opened her phone’s photo album, found the picture she needed, then connected to the printer via Bluetooth and printed it out. Laying the two test results side by side, she was surprised to discover that the various components in the hot spring on Hill Fifty were remarkably similar to the pure spring water within her territory. Both springs were free of radioactive elements and other harmful substances. The biggest difference was in the Yi and Devastation element content.

In Xia Qing’s territory, the spring water had a Yi element content of 4 and Devastation element content less than 1, while the hot spring on Hill Fifty had 1 for Yi element and 17‰ for Devastation element.

The balance of Yi and Devastation elements was almost the same as the river flowing through her territory. Still, since the hot spring didn’t have other harmful substances, its overall quality was better than the river water.

If you used the Safe Zone’s standard filter cartridges to clean out the excess Devastation element, this hot spring could meet the Yellow Lantern drinking water standard.

If you drove out the Devastation element from the spring with an Yi Stone, the hot spring water could become Green Lantern-grade drinking water. No wonder those two evolved bears tossed Yi Stones into the pool, and no wonder the loaches and eels there stayed safe for eating.

Xia Qing tested the soil quality inside the cave again. Too many indicators and chemical components were confusing, but she could tell at least that the cave soil wasn’t high in Yi elements. That made sense since the spring irrigating the valley’s fields also had low Yi element levels.

Could it be that the hot spring on Hill Fifty was once a clean water source too, but after the mountain cracked or someone blasted the fissure open, the mountain structure was damaged? Maybe that’s why the water quality dropped and became ordinary spring water.

I wonder if this kind of water quality would interest the Idol.

Xia Qing contacted Ji Li and, after hearing that Third Brother was available, slung her bag over her shoulder, grabbed the samples and test results, and hurried off to Territory Seven.

She had the right to visit Territory Seven openly as Hill Fifty’s manager and report to the lab chief Zhang San. Even so, she chose the rugged Northern Barrier road instead of the smooth path outside the territory’s South Gate.

The Northern Barrier had one side belonging to her and the other to her allies, so it was safer than the South Gate route.

Nothing matters more than safety.

Once in Territory Seven, Xia Qing delivered the frozen solid Green Lantern eel and Green Lantern loach first.

Zhang San’s sickly face seemed to brighten under the shine of Green Lantern food. “If you can raise eels this big, your valley isn’t so useless after all.”

Xia Qing nodded, eyes shining as she looked hopefully at her Idol.

Zhang San caught on and casually pressed twice on the remote sitting on the table. “Go ahead. Speak.”

Noticing Zhang San had cut the surveillance, Huo Zhun turned to Yan Long and said quietly, “The Lord clearly doesn’t want us to hear his conversation with Xia Qing. Should we report this to the captain?”

Yan Long pressed down the rim of his cap. “No need. I’ll head over—his safety during the talk with Xia Qing is on me.”

“Third Brother, here’s the water and soil test results from the valley. I discovered the hot spring’s water quality is really good.” Xia Qing handed both reports to Zhang San.

Zhang San accepted the slips, looked them over, then turned to a filing cabinet and pulled out a folder. He searched inside and handed Xia Qing another test result.

Huh… Wait, what?!

Xia Qing stared in shock at the soil sample’s origin printed at the top right corner of the test result.

Back in the eighth year after the disaster, someone had taken a soil sample from the crack high up on Hill Fifty’s Third Peak and sent it for analysis. “Third Brother, was this valley discovered ages ago?”

“Look at the sample name: Mountain Crack. At the time, it was a combat team searching for clean water who noticed a big temperature difference inside and outside the crack. So they took soil samples from the fissure and sent them to the Safe Zone for analysis,” Zhang San explained. “The tests showed low Yi element content, so the possibility of a clean water source was ruled out.”

Whenever a combat team went on a mission, they’d scout for clean water sources too. This test slip didn’t specify which team handed in the soil sample, so Xia Qing had no clue which squad had visited Third Peak on Hill Fifty.

The eighth disaster year, February. That was just half a year after Shi Jiayi passed away.

Someone surely visited Hill Fifty before September of the seventh disaster year. They never found Shi Jiayi alive—was it because she was in hiding, or did they miss her in the thick forest and rugged mountains?

Coming back to her senses, Xia Qing turned to her Idol for advice. “The hot spring’s water is better than the river running through our area. I’d like to let Alliance members fetch water from Hill Fifty as drinking water. Do you agree?”

“Sure. Improving water quality can boost people’s resistance,” Zhang San agreed. “Let me have some too, not too much, twenty liters a week is plenty. I’ve got water purification and distillation gear in my territory. By the way, did you really turn off surveillance just for this?”

“Not just for this—there’s one more thing.” Xia Qing solemnly pulled a third test result from her backpack. “Third Brother, please take a look at this first.”

Zhang San glanced at it. “This is from your territory, right? And?”

Xia Qing was stunned.

Zhang San shot her a sideways look. “Why do you look like you’ve eaten something bad?”

Xia Qing steadied herself. “Third Brother, how did you—”

The impatience on Zhang San’s face deepened. “I figured you’d know once I had you swap eggs with me before trading with Territory Nine. I wanted you to realize that I knew you had a clean water source in your territory.”

Xia Qing pulled herself together, explaining to her Idol, “I honestly did guess you knew, but what surprises me is that you could recognize the water quality test at a glance—how did you instantly know it was from my territory?”

Zhang San sank deeper into his chair, sounding tired. “Who else would bring me a test result like that? Before this, I already tested the soil from your land, so when I saw the trace elements on the report, I figured it out immediately.”

In fact, she could have gotten her hands on a water test for the Death Sea hot spring too. But that was Yang Jin’s secret. Xia Qing, naturally, wouldn’t spill it—not even to someone she trusted completely like her Idol.

With a sincere tone, Xia Qing praised him, “Your memory as a brain evolution expert is incredible.”

“That’s just basic professional skill. Has nothing to do with brain evolution.” Now that Xia Qing had brought up the spring water directly, Zhang San asked straight out, “That water source is underground, right? How did you discover it?”

Xia Qing explained, “It’s not underground. I found it in a crevice on a hillside. Last winter, I was on a cleanup mission in this territory and came across it by chance.”

Zhang San studied Xia Qing for a few seconds, then sighed. “This February, I sent a team to test the soil and water here. After weighing the land between Section Three and Territory Seven, we gave up on the high-Yi-element Terraces in Section Three because the soil in Territory Seven was thicker and more fertile. I guess the spring was at low flow back then—lucky break for you.”

Deeply relieved, Xia Qing asked earnestly, “Third Brother, do you need spring water? How much should I send over?”