Chapter 17, Acid Rain!_3

"The entire Henshan Gathering Area only has one water collection point," Tang Fei said. "And only the water flowing from this spring is drinkable... If we arrive late, there will be more people in line ahead of us."

"Okay," Phoenix nodded in understanding.

She thought to herself that on New Star, the water resources were abundant, turning on the faucet would result in a continuous flow of water. As long as you could pay the water bill, you could use as much as you wanted. Life on Old Land was still too harsh.

By the time Tang Fei and Phoenix arrived, there were already hundreds of people lined up ahead of them. Everyone was like them, carrying big buckets and small pots, and some even came with a large pot to fill up and take back for their families to use.

At the front of the queue, from a tiny spring, clear spring water was slowly trickling out. Some people, after getting their water, would guzzle down a big gulp directly. Others would put their mouths to the spring, drinking their fill, then were scolded and hurried along by the people behind them, as if they were afraid one would drink all the water in one go.

"That long?" Phoenix was shocked.

"Are you complimenting me?"

Phoenix, frustrated, stared at Tang Fei and asked, "Where did you learn such foul language?"

"From books."

"What books?"

"Dragon Tiger... 'Against the Scale.'"

"What kind of book is that?"

"In an era where everyone wants to slay the dragon, the male protagonist, being a giant dragon, feels immense pressure." This was a book Tang Fei had seen at Scholar Zhao's house, not the kind hidden under the old man's pillow.

"That sounds interesting, can you lend it to me to read?" Phoenix asked. Since she couldn't leave anytime soon, she might as well find something to do.

"No way," Tang Fei quickly shook his head.

"Why not?"

"That book is too dirty."

"Dirty?"

"Yes, too dirty." Tang Fei finally found an excuse and said seriously, "You don't know, the book has been read by many people. Little Fatty would read it while eating, and the pages are all greasy... and the old man, he would fall asleep while reading, drooling all over the pages. Now, whenever I open the book, I can smell the old man's saliva..."

Indeed, Phoenix's face showed a look of disgust and said, "Never mind, I don't want to read it anymore..."

She couldn't bear flipping through pages soaked in the old man's saliva and Little Fatty's grease. It wouldn't bring her any enjoyment, only immense discomfort.

"Exactly, don't read it, it's disgusting," Tang Fei agreed.

"Then tell me the story of 'Against the Scale,' I'm quite interested in it."

"No way," Tang Fei refused again.

"Why?"

"It's too long."

"..."

Phoenix felt Tang Fei was teasing again.

After more than an hour, it was finally their turn to fetch water.

Tang Fei filled his two water buckets, screwed on the caps, then also helped fill the two buckets Phoenix was carrying.

After they were done, they each carried two buckets of spring water and hurried home.

Just as they were halfway there, the sky suddenly boomed with a loud noise, followed by flashes of lightning and thunder.

Tang Fei sniffed the air and shouted, "Acid rain, quickly find a place to take shelter..."

People living on Old Land had a unique ability to determine by the smell whether the rain was acid rain or normal rainwater.

(ps: Thanks to the lady from Melbourne for her second Silver Moe, a thousand words cannot match dedicating oneself.

Thanks to the child, Fung Wu Meng Wuya, for becoming our Moe leader. May you have wind under your feet, dreams in your heart, moving boldly forward.

Also, pushing for the new book rankings, asking for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets, asking for all kinds of support!)