Chapter 42: Sand Sea Fishing

This is truly a drop in the bucket. Besides, if all the water is given out now, what will everyone drink later?

It would take a full two days to walk back to the nearest relay station from here.

He Lingchuan folded his arms. "I'll bet you ten taels of silver that Grand Master Sun already has a solution. We don't need to worry about it." It was good to have a powerful figure to rely on.

"Ten taels?" Situ Han's face fell. "I can't afford that bet."

Sun Fuping glanced at them, then swiped his finger over a ring. A grapefruit-sized, plump ball appeared in his hand.

The old man certainly had a trick up his sleeve. He Lingchuan watched as Sun Fuping shoved the ball into the mouth of the grotesque beast head at the top of his staff—

That large ball vanished.

Immediately after, Sun Fuping turned the staff, aimed the beast head at the pool, and chanted a few words in a low voice.

The beast opened its mouth and spat out a thick, long column of water that streamed directly into the pool.

"This is a squirt fish's ejection sac," Sun Fuping explained casually.

He Lingchuan seemed to have heard of this strange fish. It hid in the lakes and seas of the central Yuan Kingdom, capable of spraying water columns powerful enough to knock large land animals like cattle, horses, and even young elephants into the water to feed. Its spraying ability was exceptional. In the dry season, it could survive out of water for about a month.

However, its spraying ability wasn't needed now. This type of water sac could contract to store water, and its weight was even reduced.

It was truly a treasure for traversing the desert.

After more than half an hour of filling, Nian Songyu suddenly said, "Something's not right. The water level hasn't expanded for a while."

Given the monster's output diameter, the pool bottom should have been full by now, perhaps even overflowing slightly. Yet, before their eyes, only two-thirds of the pool bottom was covered in water, with the remaining third still dry.

Where had all the water gone?

Sun Fuping reached out and pressed the bottom of the pool. "There's a trick to this after all. The water is being absorbed."

"What should we do then?"

Sun Fuping's expression darkened slightly. "Let's wait and see."

Another half hour passed. All the water in the beast's belly had been sprayed out; it even coughed twice. Yet, the water level at the bottom of the pool remained virtually unchanged from before.

Everyone knew they were in trouble now.

Plans rarely keep up with reality. No matter how meticulous Sun Fuping's design, there were always situations it couldn't account for.

Nian Songyu thought for a moment, then turned to Zeng Feixiong and instructed, "Go collect everyone's water skins."

Zeng Feixiong was startled. "Take away our drinking water? We still have to last several days in this desert. And what if it's still not enough?"

Nian Songyu looked at Sun Fuping. Seeing that the Grand Master remained silent, he stuck to his decision. "We cannot fail at the last step. Go collect the water immediately."

In a desert march, water was life itself. Zeng Feixiong could hardly imagine the resistance he would face from his subordinates regarding this order. "But... but..."

Nian Songyu's face darkened. "Are you defying orders?"

Zeng Feixiong's mind was in turmoil, and he instinctively looked at He Chunhua.

Nian Songyu's gaze grew even darker. These petty officials truly lacked insight.

He Chunhua had no good solution either. Should they defy orders and turn back, or pour everyone's precious drinking water into the pool and leave their fate to chance?

Neither choice seemed rational.

As he struggled with this difficult decision, he heard his eldest son remark casually, "Why make things so tense? If you take away the soldiers' fresh water, how will they possibly make it out of the desert?"

Nian Songyu said coldly, "The last leg of a journey is often the hardest. What if this is the only thing we lack?"

"Can you guarantee that's all it will take?"

Nian Songyu smiled. "Yes."

And what if it wasn't? By then, the water would already be poured out, and what's done is done. Would the soldiers dare to mutiny then?

He Lingchuan rolled his eyes, then turned to Sun Fuping and asked, "The pool needs to be filled to the bottom, correct?"

"Correct."

"What if it's not fresh water, though?" He Lingchuan's thought process was clearly focused here. "Will other liquids work?"

"Such as?"

"Blood." To prevent the two of them from misunderstanding and thinking of human sacrifice, he quickly clarified, "I'm talking about the blood of monsters or exotic beasts. There are plenty of large creatures in the Coiling Dragon Desert; getting a few to bleed shouldn't be difficult."

Sun Fuping's eyes immediately lit up. "That makes sense! Blood sacrifices are often used to appease gods. Mixing fresh blood into the pool, the Great Square Vessel shouldn't mind; in fact, it might prefer it." He tossed the walnut boat to Nian Songyu, then pointed at He Lingchuan. "You two take some men into the desert and bring back a few giant beasts."

Everyone replenished their anti-soul-scattering powder and re-entered the desert.

The desert creatures and Three-Corpse Worms were more active in the cool night. Nian Songyu released the walnut boat for everyone to stand on and ordered the boatman to cast bait into the sand to fish.

Nian Songyu stood while He Lingchuan sat, neither bothering to spare the other a glance.

This fishing trip wasn't going well; no prey had bitten the hook for a long time. He Lingchuan's back began to ache from sitting, and noticing a few Three-Corpse Worms drifting near the walnut boat, he called someone over to massage his back.

"Ah, comfortable! Good! A little lower, yes, lower! Put some strength into it."

Young Master He sighed in contentment. Indulgence truly withered one's will. Who could have imagined that just three months ago, he was a recluse who felt uneasy if anyone approached within half a meter of him?

Nian Songyu secretly shook his head, then saw He Lingchuan ask, eyes still closed, "Commander Nian, why did you personally come to Blackwater City?"

"What?"

"A mission from which no one returns. How could General Zhengbei bear to let his beloved son participate in person?" He Lingchuan's eyelids fluttered open slightly. "Is he your real father?"

Nian Songyu's face twitched. "Didn't Governor He let you come along too? Are you not his son?"

He Lingchuan waved his hand, and with a sharp 'thwack', a dagger shot out and pinned itself to the wooden plank Nian Songyu was leaning on. Though his throwing accuracy was still very poor and he had no idea where the knife would land when he threw it, this time it found its mark.

Before Nian Songyu could react, his guards had already lunged two steps forward, drawing their swords and ready to shout at He Lingchuan.

He Lingchuan put a finger to his lips and shushed them, preemptively saying, "Silence! Don't scare away the prey!" He pointed below the boat. "Anyone who forgets our primary objective will face military disciplinary action!"

Nian Songyu waved his subordinates away, saying indifferently, "I will live, but you might not. If you're sensible, obey meekly and be a good dog, then you and your father might also make it back alive. Otherwise, Lady Ying will become a widow, and as for your younger brother—"

He licked his lips, his eyes gleaming with a hint of cruelty amidst his excitement. "Don't worry, whether you live or die, I will definitely find a way to help him return to the capital. He's sure to be very popular there!"

He Lingchuan stared at him, his face slowly darkening.

Why were these three major powers—the Prefect of Xunzhou, the Grand Minister of War, and Grand Master Sun—entangled in this together?

Perhaps his father should not have accepted the Great Square Vessel mission.

He Lingchuan was about to speak when the fishing rod in the boatman's hand suddenly dipped heavily, almost dragging him directly off the bow.

The prey had finally bitten the hook!

Next, everyone worked together and finally pulled up whatever was hidden beneath the sand.

It was another earth dragon, though this one was two sizes smaller than the two they had seen during the day, small enough to fit inside the boat.