Chapter 54: A Mountain, A Spring, and a Hundred-Year Deal

Luo Pei let out a laugh, answering with complete honesty, “To find uncontaminated water sources, every area humans could reach in Hua Nation has been combed through countless times over the past ten years. After you used the spring water to save me, Yang Jin mobilized the Azure Dragon Unit’s best people and advanced detection tools. In just half a month, they searched Mountain 49 twice more but still didn’t find any uncontaminated springs.”

Finishing her story, Luo Pei couldn’t help but marvel at Xia Qing’s luck. “Finding a spring is all about luck. Just because we didn’t find one doesn’t mean there isn’t one. I led the cleanup of Territory Three myself last winter and still didn’t find any springs.”

Once Xia Qing understood why the Azure Dragon Unit had bought the mountain, she felt some relief. Since the mountain’s structure might be damaged, risking contamination of the spring or making it dry up completely, of course she had to protect the mountain to keep the spring safe.

“I was following Luo Ge, clearing Evolver Forest, when I randomly spotted a squirrel darting out from a crack in the rocks. I thought there might be some nuts in there, so I pried up a few rocks and ended up finding the spring. It’s tiny—barely makes a sound. If not for that squirrel, I never would have found it.” Xia Qing explained to Luo Pei how she discovered the spring, then asked with curiosity, “Luo Ge, are there still places on Blue Star that humans can’t reach?”

Luo Pei answered simply, “Just within Hua Nation, there are several. Either the Xiang element levels are too high or there are too many dangerous evolved creatures. Sure, people could force their way in with enough gear—but there’s no need. Plus, if we use too many powerful weapons, we risk dangerous chain reactions.”

Ever since the great evolution of life on Blue Star, humans have become much more cautious just to survive.

Xia Qing kept asking, “When Captain Yang pretended to fly you out by helicopter, did he go west because the bases out there have a lot more uncontaminated spring water?”

Luo Pei patiently replied, “The bases in Western Lancheng do have more uncontaminated springs than our side. Also, Lancheng is separated from us by a huge stretch of Evolver Forest, so there’s not much contact. Flying west was a better way to confuse the enemy. By the way, Xia Qing, what level are your hearing and vision evolutions?”

Xia Qing gave an honest answer, “I’ve never gotten tested, but my triple-element abilities should all be at least level five.”

Luo Pei’s eyes widened as she stared at Xia Qing, reminding her earnestly, “Even though you’re a lord now and most people don’t dare mess with you, you should never let anyone know you’re a triple-element evolver. That’ll only attract trouble you don’t want.”

A twenty-five-year-old female triple-element advanced evolver, fully fertile, would catch the eye not only of research institutes but also every major faction and family in Hua Nation.

Xia Qing understood perfectly. “Everyone around me just thinks I’m a Grade Four Strength Evolver. I haven’t noticed anyone suspecting otherwise. But I’m only twenty-five—my abilities might still improve. I want to slowly raise my strength evolution to level six. That way, people won’t underestimate me but they won’t pay too much attention either. Even at level six, strength evolvers aren’t that useful; it’s still best to just quietly farm in my territory. Besides, I can’t do anything else—farming’s all I’ve got.”

For someone slated to become one of Hui San Base’s and even Hui City’s top experts, Xia Qing was currently sitting right in front of Luo Pei, completely sincere as she insisted she’d do nothing but farm.

Even after ten years of disasters, making him as steady as they come, Luo Pei still couldn’t help twitching her lips, not sure how to respond to this extraordinary lord’s honest declaration.

Luo Pei even started wondering if Yang Jin’s judgment was off—could this farming-obsessed, ambitionless Xia Qing really become as formidable as Huo Fenghuang, the kind of powerhouse no one in Hui City dared cross?

Once Xia Qing got a handle on the Azure Dragon Unit’s plans, she finally moved on to practicalities. “Since the mountain is going to be mine, then I should pay the points for it. But I don’t have that many right now, so I’ll just owe the Azure Dragon Unit for now. Luo Ge, does that work for you?”

Luo Pei couldn’t help but laugh, clutching her side where the pain flared, taking a moment before answering, “Yeah, that’s exactly Yang Jin’s idea. We’ll buy a hundred years’ usage rights to this mountain for you, then rent it from you as a training base. In exchange, we’ll have our people guard the mountain as payment. You can pay us back in spring water or crops, bit by bit. No interest, no time limit. Once Xie Yu draws up the contract, I’ll send it over for you to check.”

“Wait, Luo Ge.” Xia Qing shook her head in confusion. “Do we really need a hundred years’ usage rights?”

Right now, on Blue Star, after massive evolution and one natural disaster after another, who can say what tomorrow will bring? Buying a hundred years’ rights to a mountain—was that really necessary?

Luo Pei nodded firmly. “Absolutely. The higher your evolution level, the longer you live. You’re an advanced evolver—hitting 140 is no problem. So a hundred years isn’t too much at all. If you buy a shorter time and the spring’s secret gets out, the cost to extend your rights later would be much higher than just buying them now. Huo Fenghuang from Hui One Base bought two hundred years, by the way.”

Dazed, Xia Qing hauled her empty basket up the steps and out of her rundown house. She absentmindedly pulled up a basket of grass on her way back to the village—her mind still spinning.

Seeing Xia Qing return, Boss Sheep trotted over and gave the grass in her basket a sniff, looked at her with clear disdain, then turned and strutted away.

Basket in hand, Xia Qing trailed after Boss Sheep, still in a daze as she muttered about everything that’d just happened. “Boss, you’re the smart one. Help me figure this out. Did I just make a good deal or get ripped off? Because I keep feeling like I won and lost at the same time.”

Boss Sheep, ever the sharp one, squinted his eyes and locked his gaze on the tin box in the kitchen.

“Forget it! Come on, go run the waterwheel for me!” Xia Qing wasn’t one to stew over things. If she couldn’t figure it out, she just let it go.

She opened the metal box in the kitchen, grabbed a chunk of compressed rations for her pocket, then hauled her custom water pedal-bike from the tool shed. She’d modified this thing: it had a big seat made from a grass mat for Boss Sheep, and the pedals were shaped just right for sheep hooves.

With rations in her pocket and the bicycle slung over her shoulder, Xia Qing led Boss Sheep straight to the reservoir. Once she’d got the pedal-bike set up, she didn’t put the newbie sheep on right away—instead, she gave Boss Sheep a demonstration.

But the bike, designed for sheep legs, was downright awkward for Xia Qing, whose legs were nearly twice as long as Boss Sheep’s. Still, she forced herself to look relaxed, pedaling a while and watching water flow smoothly into the irrigation ditch and off toward her fields. She finally stopped, put on an exaggerated show of wiping sweat, and sighed, “Water cycling is exhausting! Why is it so much work? I’d better eat something to get my energy back before I do any more.”

Spotting the rations in her hand, Boss Sheep stampeded over and blinked his huge, sparkling sheep eyes, staring at her like a kid waiting for candy.