Now that was what you called trying to put out a burning cart of firewood with a cup of water. Besides, if we give away all our water, what will everyone drink later?
Walking back to the nearest courier station from here would take a full two days.
He Lingchuan crossed his arms. "I'll bet you ten taels of silver that National Preceptor Sun already has a plan. It's not our place to worry." It was always good to enjoy the shade beneath a tall tree.
"Ten taels..." Situ Han's face fell. "I can't afford that bet."
Sun Fuping glanced at them and brushed his ring. Instantly, a round, bulging ball the size of a pomelo appeared in his hand.
*This old fellow really does have goods.* He Lingchuan watched as he shoved the ball straight into the mouth of the beast atop his staff—
And just like that, the large ball vanished.
Immediately following that, Sun Fuping turned the staff, aimed the beast head at the pool, and chanted a few low words.
The beast opened its mouth, spewing out a thick, long torrent of water that plummeted straight into the pool.
"This is the ejection sac of a pellet fish," Sun Fuping explained casually.
He Lingchuan seemed to recall hearing about this strange fish. It lurked in the lakes and inland seas of the central Yuan Kingdom, capable of blasting large land prey such as cattle, horses, or young elephants into the water with water jets to feed on them—its water-spouting power was formidable. During the dry season, it could even survive out of water for a month or so.
Right now, however, its propulsion was beside the point. This type of water sac could contract to store water, and even the stored water's weight was neutralized.
A true treasure for traversing the desert.
After water had been pouring in like this for more than half an hour, Nian Songyu suddenly spoke up. "Something isn't right. The water's surface hasn't expanded for a while."
Given the diameter of the stream gushing from the beast's mouth, the pool bottom should have filled up long ago, perhaps even accumulating nearly half a pool of water. Yet right before their eyes, only two-thirds of the pool bottom was covered, while the remaining third stayed bone-dry.
Where had all the water gone?
Sun Fuping pressed a hand against the pool bed. "There really is something peculiar here. The water is being absorbed."
"Then what do we do?"
Sun Fuping's expression darkened slightly. "Let us wait and see."
Another half an hour passed, and the water in the beast's belly ran out completely; it even gave two dry coughs. Yet the water gathered on the pool floor showed virtually no change compared to before.
Everyone knew that trouble had arrived.
Plans never caught up to changes. No matter how meticulously Sun Fuping had calculated, there were always circumstances that outran his expectations.
Nian Songyu pondered for a moment, then turned to Zeng Feixiong and ordered, "Go collect everyone's water skins."
Zeng Feixiong was startled. "Collect our drinking water? We still have to hold out in the desert for quite a few days! Besides, what if it's still not enough?"
Nian Songyu looked at Sun Fuping. Seeing that the National Preceptor remained silent, he held his ground. "We cannot fall short on the verge of success. Go collect the water at once."
When marching through a desert, water was life itself. Zeng Feixiong could hardly fathom how fiercely his men would resist such an order. "B-But..."
Nian Songyu's face sank. "Are you disobeying orders?"
Flustered, Zeng Feixiong could not help looking toward He Chunhua.
Nian Songyu's gaze grew even darker. These petty low-ranking officials truly had no tact or sense.
He Chunhua had no good answers either. Should they disobey orders and head back, or dump everyone's drinking water into the pool and leave their fates to chance?
Neither choice seemed rational.
As he hesitated, his eldest son spoke up leisurely, "Why make things so tense? If you take away the soldiers' fresh water, how are we supposed to walk out of the desert later?"
Nian Songyu said coldly, "Ninety li is only halfway on a hundred-li journey. What if we fall short by just this little bit?"
"Can you guarantee that it's only this little bit?"
Nian Songyu gave a thin smile. "I can."
And so what if he couldn't? By then, the water would already be poured out and the rice would be cooked; would the soldiers actually dare to mutiny?
He Lingchuan rolled his eyes and turned to Sun Fuping. "The bottom of the pool needs to be filled with water, right?"
"Yes."
"Then what if it isn't fresh water?" That was where He Lingchuan's focus lay. "Would other liquids work?"
"Such as?"
"Blood." To prevent these two fellows from getting the wrong idea and resorting to human sacrifice, he quickly clarified, "I mean the blood of monsters or exotic beasts. There are plenty of giant beasts in the Panlong Desert. It shouldn't be hard to catch a few and bleed them."
Sun Fuping's eyes lit up immediately. "That makes sense! Sacrificing to deities often involves blood sacrifices. If we mix fresh blood into the pool, the Dafang Pot shouldn't mind; it might even welcome it." He tossed the walnut boat to Nian Songyu and pointed at He Lingchuan. "Take some men out into the desert and bring back a few giant beasts."
...
The group took another dose of Soul-Shielding Powder and ventured back into the desert.
The desert creatures and Three Corpse Worms grew more active in the cool night. Nian Songyu enlarged the walnut boat to provide footing for everyone, then ordered the boatmen to cast baited lines into the sand and fish.
Nian Songyu stood while He Lingchuan sat; neither cared to spare the other a second glance.
This sand-fishing session did not go smoothly; a long time passed without any prey taking the hook. He Lingchuan's lower back grew sore from sitting. Seeing several Three Corpse Worms swimming away from the walnut boat, he called someone over to pound his back.
"Ah, that feels good, nice! A little lower, right, lower! Put some strength into it."
The young master of the He clan sighed in deep satisfaction. Hedonism truly eroded one to the bone. Who could have imagined that three months ago, he had been a shut-in who felt uncomfortable if anyone came within half a meter of him?
Nian Songyu shook his head in silence, only to hear He Lingchuan ask with his eyes closed, "Why did Commandant Nian come to Blackwater City in person?"
"What?"
"For a mission with zero survivors, how could the General Pacifying the North bear to let his beloved son enter the fray in person?" He Lingchuan raised his eyelids slightly. "Is he your real father?"
Nian Songyu's face twitched. "Didn't Commandery Governor He make you tag along as well? Or are you not his seed?"
*A personal attack. Uncultured people really don't know subtlety.* He Lingchuan flicked his wrist. With a sharp *thunk*, a dagger flew out and pinned itself into the wooden rail Nian Songyu was leaning against.
By the way, his throwing accuracy was still abysmal. Once the throwing knife left his hand, even he had no idea where it would land.
Before Nian Songyu could react, his bodyguards lunged forward two steps, drawing their blades and opening their mouths to shout at He Lingchuan.
He Lingchuan raised a finger to his lips. "Shh!" he cut in before they could speak. "Quiet down! Don't scare off the prey!" He pointed downward past the hull. "Anyone who forgets our top priority had better watch out for punishment under military law!"
Nian Songyu waved his subordinates back and said coolly, "I can survive, but you might not. If you know what's good for you, obey and be a good dog; then perhaps you and your father might make it back alive. Otherwise, Madam Ying will become a widow. And as for your younger brother—"
He licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with a cruel excitement. "Don't worry. Whether you two live or die, I will definitely find a way to help him return to the Great Capital. He's sure to be very popular in the capital!"
He Lingchuan stared at him, his face slowly darkening.
The Governor of Xunzhou, the Grand Marshal, and National Preceptor Sun—why were these three major powers tangled together?
Perhaps his father shouldn't have taken on the Dafang Pot mission in the first place?
Just as He Lingchuan was about to speak, the fishing rod in the boatman's hands suddenly jerked downward with immense force, nearly dragging him off the bow.
The prey had finally taken the bait!
Working together, the men finally hauled the creature beneath the sand up to the surface.
It was another earth dragon, only two sizes smaller than its two predecessors from earlier in the day—small enough to be crammed into the boat.
Chapter 39