Chapter 54: Did I make a profit or a loss?

Chapter 54: Did I Make a Profit or a Loss?

Luo Pei burst into laughter, answering quite candidly, "To find pollution-free water sources, within these ten years, every region in China that humans could reach has been screened countless times. After you used the spring water to save me, Yang Jin mobilized the most elite combat strength and the most advanced detection methods of the Azure Dragon Squad. They spent half a month re-screening Mountain No. 49 twice, yet they still couldn't find an uncontaminated spring eye."

After speaking, Luo Pei couldn't help but marvel at Xia Qing's luck. "Finding a spring eye is a matter of luck; just because we didn't find one doesn't mean they don't exist. I personally led the team to clear Territory No. 3 bit by bit last winter, and we didn't find a spring eye either."

Once Xia Qing understood why the Azure Dragon Squad had bought the mountain, her mind felt a bit more at ease. Since the internal structure of the mountain had been damaged, the water quality of the spring eyes in her territory might be compromised or completely dried up; therefore, to protect the spring water, the mountain naturally had to be protected.

"When I followed Brother Luo here to clear the Evolution Forest, I accidentally saw a little squirrel scramble out of a rock crevice and run off. I thought there were fruits in the crevice, so I moved several rocks only to discover the spring eye. This spring eye is extremely small, with almost no sound of flowing water. If it weren't for that squirrel, I wouldn't have found it either." Xia Qing told Luo Pei the truth about how she discovered the spring eye, then asked curiously, "Brother Luo, are there still places on Blue Star that humans cannot reach?"

Luo Pei answered simply, "Setting aside other regions, there are several places within China. Those places either have too high a concentration of lethal elements or too many dangerous evolved creatures. Actually, if humans went in with sufficient equipment, they could enter, but it's unnecessary, and there are concerns that the excessive use of thermal weapons might trigger adverse chain reactions."

After the Great Biological Evolution on Blue Star, humans had become more cautious in order to survive.

Xia Qing continued to probe, "When Captain Yang pretended to take Brother Luo away by helicopter, he went west. Was it because the bases in the west have a large amount of pollution-free spring water?"

Luo Pei answered patiently, "The uncontaminated spring eyes discovered by several bases in Lancheng to the west are indeed more numerous than ours. Another reason is that Lancheng is separated from us by a vast stretch of Evolution Forest, so there is less interaction. Flying west also serves better to mislead enemies. By the way, what levels are your hearing and vision evolutions?"

Xia Qing answered truthfully, "I haven't measured them, but my three types of abilities should all be above level five."

Luo Pei's eyes widened in surprise as he looked at Xia Qing, warning her earnestly, "Even though you are a Lord now and ordinary people wouldn't dare do anything to you, it's best not to expose the fact that you are a triple-type evolver, lest you attract unnecessary trouble."

A twenty-five-year-old female high-level triple-type evolver would not only attract the interest of research institutes but also trigger a struggle among the various major powers and families in China.

Xia Qing, of course, understood this. "Everyone around me thinks I am a level four strength evolver. So far, I haven't noticed anyone suspecting my abilities. However, I am only twenty-five this year, and my abilities might still improve, so I want to gradually raise my strength evolution to level six. That way, I won't be looked down upon, nor will I be singled out for special attention. Besides, even if strength evolution reaches level six, it's not of great use; it's still best suited for staying in the territory and farming honestly. I can't do anything else anyway; I can only farm."

As a high-level triple-type evolver and someone who was most likely to become a top-tier expert in the Hui-3 Base or even the entire Huicheng Base in the future, she was actually sitting before him quite sincerely, saying she could only farm...

Even Luo Pei, who had become as steady as an old dog after ten years of tempering through natural disasters, couldn't help but twitch his mouth, unsure of how to respond to this extraordinary Lord.

Luo Pei even began to doubt Yang Jin's judgment. Would this Xia Qing, who lacked fighting spirit and only wanted to farm, truly become a powerful existence in the future, no weaker than Fire Phoenix and someone whom no one in the Huicheng Base would dare to underestimate?

After understanding the Azure Dragon Squad's intentions, Xia Qing began to consider the most practical issue. "Since the mountain is to be mine, the points for buying the mountain should be paid by me. However, I don't have that many points right now, so consider the points for buying the mountain as a loan from the Azure Dragon Squad. Brother Luo, does that work?"

Unable to stop himself from laughing, Luo Pei held his knife wound, which had been stretched painfully, and waited a moment before answering, "Mhm, that's exactly what Yang Jin intended. We will buy the usage rights of this mountain for you for at least a hundred years, and then you can lease the mountain to us as a training base. We will send people to watch over the mountain for you in lieu of rent. You can slowly repay the points used to buy the mountain with spring water and crops. We won't charge interest, and there is no time limit. Once Xie Yu has drafted the contract, I'll send it to you to review."

"...Wait, Brother Luo." Xia Qing felt a bit dizzy. "Is it necessary to buy a hundred years of usage rights?"

This was the era of natural disasters following the Great Biological Evolution on Blue Star; life was precarious, and no one knew what tomorrow would bring. In such a situation, was it necessary to buy a hundred years of usage rights for a mountain?

Luo Pei nodded resolutely. "Of course. The higher the evolution level, the better the physical functions and the longer the lifespan. You are a high-level evolver; living to 140 will definitely be no problem, so buying a hundred years isn't too much at all. If you buy a short term, the price you'll have to pay to extend the usage rights once the matter of the spring water is exposed will be far higher than it is now. Fire Phoenix from the Hui-1 Base bought two hundred years."

Dizzy, Xia Qing carried her empty basket, climbed the steps, and left the dilapidated house. She casually pulled a basketful of grass and brought it back to the village, her head still spinning.

Seeing that Xia Qing was back, Boss Sheep ran over to sniff the grass in the basket, gave her a look of disdain, and turned to leave.

Carrying the basket, Xia Qing followed behind Boss Sheep, muttering about what had just happened in a daze. "Boss, you're smart, help me analyze this. Did I make a profit or a loss on this big deal? Why do I feel like I've made a profit, yet also feel like I've taken a loss?"

The smart Boss Sheep squinted his eyes, staring at the tin box in the kitchen.

"Forget it! Come on, go pedal the water wheel to draw water for me!" Xia Qing was not the type to dwell on things; if she couldn't figure it out, she simply wouldn't think about it.

She opened the tin box in the kitchen, took a piece of compressed ration, and stuffed it into her pocket, then carried the modified water bicycle out of the tool room. She had modified this bike; the seat was a large grass mat suitable for Boss Sheep, and the pedals were comfortable hoof-pedals suitable for sheep hooves.

With rations in her pocket and the bicycle on her shoulder, Xia Qing successfully led Boss Sheep to the reservoir. After installing the water bicycle, Xia Qing didn't let the novice sheep ride it immediately; she gave Boss Sheep a demonstration first.

The bicycle, modified to suit long sheep legs, felt quite humiliating for Xia Qing, whose legs were nearly twice as long as Boss Sheep's, to pedal. However, she still pretended to pedal leisurely for a while. Watching the drawn water flow through the three-way joint into the irrigation ditch and toward the farmland, she finally stopped, making a show of wiping her sweat with an exaggerated expression. "Pedaling the water wheel is so tiring; why is it so tiring? I'll eat some rations to replenish my energy first, then continue pedaling."

Seeing Xia Qing take out the rations, Boss Sheep, who was standing to the side, came rushing over with a *thud-thud-thud*, blinking his large, glamorous sheep eyes and looking at her expectantly.

(End of Chapter)