Chapter 34: Trading with Luo Pei

Chapter 34: Trading with Luo Pei

After seeing Tan Junjie off, Xia Qing climbed up the hillside and sat beside Boss Yang, who was guarding the spring. She pulled out her phone and dialed Luo Pei's number. "Captain Luo, I found some spinach in my fields and wanted to bring you some to taste. No need, I'll come over myself; it's only a few steps away."

Xia Qing did not ask the members of the Azure Dragon Squad to come and collect it, nor did she ask the inspection team to transfer it. Carrying her vegetable basket, she passed through the isolation zone and greeted Wei Chengdong, who was waiting for her outside the buffer forest of Plot One. "Brother Dong."

Wei Chengdong was a member of Luo Pei's squad responsible for external liaison and calculating mission points. Since Xia Qing often accompanied Luo Pei's squad on missions, the two naturally knew each other.

"We cannot leave our posts without authorization, so we have to trouble you to deliver the supplies in person." Wei Chengdong looked significantly more haggard than before, his smile appearing forced. He gave Xia Qing a meaningful look and continued, "These leaves must be tested before the supplies can be handed over to you. Will you come with me?"

It seemed there were eavesdroppers here. Xia Qing nodded, her voice calm. "Fine, but this is the only time. In the future, we will trade directly at the isolation zone, otherwise, the trade is canceled."

Plot One consisted of two thousand acres of buffer forest, over nineteen hundred acres of farmland, and two abandoned villages. A small river, over three meters wide, flowed in from the west, passing through the farmland between the two villages and flowing toward Plot Eight to the south.

It was obvious that the people within the Plot One territory had no interest in farming. Aside from the two or three acres planted with grain that looked somewhat decent, the rest of the area was covered in wild grass as tall as a person. However, as soon as she entered the village, Xia Qing noticed something different.

They had cleaned the village very thoroughly. Relying on her excellent hearing, Xia Qing detected several slow, heavy breaths hidden behind the courtyard walls and large trees she passed. This meant that the Azure Dragon Squad had indeed not given up on Luo Pei; her trade was feasible.

The courtyard where Luo Pei lived was paved with smooth red bricks and was quite empty, likely to facilitate movement for the visually impaired Luo Pei.

After inviting Xia Qing into the courtyard, Wei Chengdong explained in a low voice, "There are auditory evolvers monitoring Plot Two, so it's inconvenient to speak in the buffer forest. It's safe in the village. Please forgive Captain Luo for not being able to come out to greet you."

Xia Qing nodded and followed Wei Chengdong into a living room with snow-white walls and simple furniture. When she saw the person sitting in the lounge chair, she froze.

The man's eyes were covered with white gauze. His lips were a dark purple, and his exposed skin, much like Xia Qing's, showed the dark red hue of poisoning. His face and hands were so thin they were almost skeletal.

Was this person really Luo Pei?

Sitting in the lounge chair, Luo Pei raised his head slightly and asked with a smile, "Xia Qing is here?"

His voice was just as calm as it had been over the walkie-talkie. Even though he had grown numb to life and death over the years, Xia Qing still couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

This was the Azure Dragon Squad's third strongest member, the top sharpshooter of the Hui-3 Base, Luo Pei. This was the Luo Pei whose silhouette, carrying a sniper rifle during every mission, always made Xia Qing feel at ease.

Xia Qing clenched her fists and replied calmly, "Captain Luo, it's Xia Qing. I didn't know your injuries were so severe. I apologize for disturbing your recovery."

"Come, sit." Luo Pei, who was so tortured by the synthesized toxin that he could barely stand, actually had the spirit to joke. "How is it? Does my complexion look decent to you?"

Luo Pei was a proud man who did not want people to pity him. Xia Qing, whose skin tone matched his, nodded. "Yes, at least it looks much better than purple or green."

Luo Pei's laughter grew a bit louder, but Xia Qing could clearly hear his weakness. "Fortunately, it's not green, otherwise I'd surely be laughed to death. By the way, the perilla and Chinese artichoke sprouts you sent last time had a very authentic flavor. I was just thinking of trading for more when you happened to show up. Did you find more spinach in your fields?"

"I only discovered it in the last two days. The toxin element content is 0.3 per mille. Since there wasn't much, I just picked some leaves."

As Xia Qing finished speaking, Wei Chengdong, who was holding the basket, asked with a smile, "Xia Qing, is there wine in this bottle? It's a large bottle, at least one and a half liters."

Since Luo Pei had been injured by an ambush, the members of the Azure Dragon Squad naturally had to strictly inspect anyone or anything approaching him.

Xia Qing did not speak, but instead took out a piece of paper with writing on it

*Uncontaminated water.*

Wei Chengdong's eyes widened, and he leaned in to whisper something into Luo Pei's ear.

Using his hand, which had lost its flesh, Luo Pei propped himself up on the chair and slowly sat up. He made a gesture inviting Xia Qing forward before allowing Wei Chengdong and the teammate standing beside him to carry him into the adjacent room.

This room was a modified soundproof room; not only were there no windows, but the walls, ceiling, and floor were also lined with soundproofing panels.

Once the door was closed, Wei Chengdong asked impatiently, "Xia Qing, where did you get this water..."

"Chengdong." Luo Pei interrupted him, his smile fading as he spoke solemnly to Xia Qing, "My injuries cannot be cured by a few pounds of water. I appreciate your kindness, but take the water back and keep it for yourself. It will be more useful if you drink it than if you use it on me."

The surprise on Wei Chengdong's face turned into reluctance as he held the water bottle, but he still carefully placed it back in the basket. The teammate standing beside Luo Pei watched Xia Qing silently, as if trying to see through her.

Xia Qing ignored his gaze and said softly, "Captain Luo, have someone test the water quality first. I only have a toxin element detector, so I don't know if this water is suitable."

Seeing Xia Qing's persistence, Luo Pei finally let Wei Chengdong go test the water. A short while later, Wei Chengdong returned, his voice trembling with excitement. "Captain Luo, the water quality is excellent. Xia Qing, how much of this water do you have, and how do you want to trade?"

Xia Qing countered, "How much is needed to heal Captain Luo's injuries?"

Luo Pei answered directly, "Besides intravenous drips and cleaning the wounds, the toxin requires medicinal baths once a day for at least four months. The bath water must be changed daily and cannot be reused. I will need at least fifteen thousand liters of uncontaminated spring water."

As far as Xia Qing knew, the four springs discovered by the Hui-3 Base did not have much more water than the ones in her territory. It would be impossible to extract fifteen thousand liters for Luo Pei's use; no wonder his body had deteriorated to this state.

Xia Qing calculated her own spring's output before nodding. "Fifteen thousand liters over four months—that's one hundred and twenty-five liters a day. We can trade."

This time, not only Wei Chengdong but even Luo Pei was excited. He raised his hand to slowly loosen the gauze covering his eyes, staring at Xia Qing with bloodshot eyes, his voice raspy. "Why do you want to save me?"

Luo Pei's evolved energy was mainly concentrated in his eyes, so after being hit by the synthesized toxin, his eyes were the most severely damaged. After staring at Xia Qing for only a few seconds, physiological tears began to flow from his eyes.

Xia Qing looked back calmly. "It's not a rescue; I have conditions. I want to learn shooting from you, Captain Luo, and I also want weapons. Additionally, you must guarantee that without my permission, you will not reveal the source of the water."

Such small matters hardly counted as conditions. Luo Pei closed his eyes, which felt as if they were being pierced by needles, as tears flowed uncontrollably. "Does that include Yang Jin and Xie Yu?"

(End of Chapter)