Chapter 80: The Second Journey of Exile (22)

As evening descended, the temperature gradually dropped, and more and more people appeared on the streets. Previously, Shi Xianyu had only visited the park and the hospital, always traveling along straight, clean roads with few pedestrians on either side. Now, following Lin Yuan as they weaved through the bustling alleyways into the heart of the residential district, she discovered that Oasis was not merely a place of order and neatness, but also one of chaos and mingling crowds.

Flat-roofed mud houses sported colorful awnings that jutted out above the doors, crates and miscellaneous items piled up on the ground, all manner of goods displayed atop dusty blankets. Some street vendors hawked their wares with loud voices; others lounged indolently on the ground. The mingled scents of sweat and sand filled the air, giving Shi Xianyu the illusion of having entered a rural market.

The market was crowded and chaotic. Someone barreled through the street with a cart full of goods. Lin Yuan, quick-eyed and swift, pulled Shi Xianyu aside by the shoulders, narrowly avoiding the sharp corner of a crate sticking out from a handcart. He lowered his gaze to her. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine..." She glanced around, then whispered, "Where is that person?"

"He operates around here," Lin Yuan replied, frowning as he looked into the distance. "Maybe he hasn't arrived yet. Let's search the area first."

Shi Xianyu nodded. "Alright."

Compared to the people here, she was strikingly delicate. Some idle, slovenly men brushed against her as they passed, whether by accident or design.

Lin Yuan frowned, seized her wrist, and drew her into his arms, his displeased gaze sweeping the onlookers. At last, those men backed off, deterred.

Shi Xianyu huddled silently in his embrace. It felt a little awkward, yet… there was a comforting sense of security.

Gradually, she grew accustomed to it. Emboldened by his protection, she straightened her back, lifted her head, and began to survey the vendors and goods along both sides of the street with calm composure.

The items for sale were all strange: tuberous plants she couldn't name, various crystals and stones, even piles of scavenged metal parts of unknown origin—utter chaos.

They stopped at a stall selling protective gear. Lin Yuan's eyes were drawn to a golden mask. He wondered whether it could be modified into a half-mask to cover the disfigured half of his face. He didn't care about others' stares, but he didn't want to frighten her. Just as he was about to ask the price, Shi Xianyu tugged excitedly at his sleeve.

Lin Yuan: "?"

Shi Xianyu was truly astonished. She pointed at a pile of gold ingots on the stall and whispered, "Is that real gold?"

Lin Yuan glanced over, replying calmly, "Yes. Gold is highly malleable—perfect for making protective gear. Pay for the materials and the workmanship, and the boss will craft you a piece."

But of course, the Oasis teams had access to lighter and more durable armor, so these gold items were mostly purchased by civilian adventurers.

Shi Xianyu was stunned. Gold! Bright, dazzling gold! And it was piled up by the street like vegetables at a market!

"How… how much does it cost?" she asked, a little shyly.

Lin Yuan was momentarily surprised; he hadn't expected her to be interested in minerals. "What style do you like?"

"I don't need anything fancy," she replied, embarrassed, pointing at a single gold bar. "Just… just one piece like that is fine..."

After a moment's thought, Lin Yuan took out the water flask he carried and handed it to the old man tending the stall. "How much will this buy me?"

The old man asked, "What grade?"

"Grade B filtration—standard issue for the team," Lin Yuan replied.

The old man selected a gold bar of decent quality and handed it to Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan didn't take it; instead, he pointed at the golden mask. "Add half a mask as well, shaped to fit my face."

The old man nodded. "Come back this time tomorrow to collect it."

Lin Yuan took the gold bar from the old man's hand and placed it in Shi Xianyu's arms. It was surprisingly heavy.

Shi Xianyu was speechless. This flask of water must be incredibly valuable, or the old man wouldn't have agreed so quickly. No, that wasn't quite right—it was that gold here was simply too cheap!

"Tomorrow…" She pressed her lips together, looking at Lin Yuan with eager eyes. "Tomorrow, can I come with you?"

Lin Yuan glanced at her. He didn't quite understand her fascination with gold, but still nodded. "Yes."

Shi Xianyu grinned radiantly, happiness welling up from her heart. Tomorrow! Tomorrow she would bring as much water as she could to trade for gold!

Seeing her joy, Lin Yuan's lips curved up as well. But then, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a familiar face, and his expression turned grave. "He's here."

Shi Xianyu froze, following his gaze. Not far ahead, a limping man with a cane stopped at a stall, apparently preparing to set up shop. He was much thinner than in the photo, his beard longer, but the scar on his face was unmistakable.

Lin Yuan strode quickly over. "Are you Chen Hao?"

The man was arranging his goods. At the sound of Lin Yuan's voice, he looked up suspiciously. "Who are you?"

Lin Yuan got straight to the point. "We're looking for someone. A few years ago, did you ever go to Qinghe Oasis and take away a woman?"

Chen Hao's face darkened. "Who remembers things from years ago? If you're not buying, get out of here and stop bothering my business."

Shi Xianyu quickly interjected, "We're searching for the woman you took! If you have any information, please tell us!"

"I don't know!" Chen Hao replied irritably, waving them away. "If you're looking for someone, post a notice! I know nothing, and I don't remember taking any woman!"

Shi Xianyu hadn't expected such a response and felt a surge of anger. "How could you forget a woman you abducted? Are you afraid we'll hold you accountable? Even if you deny it, the truth won't change! You were clearly the one who took her!"

Vendors and passersby began to watch.

"Don't you talk nonsense!" Chen Hao snapped. "I may be retired and injured, but I've never broken team regulations! You've got the wrong person!"

How could they be wrong? The image of her mother being taken away must have been seared into Lu Li's memory—she had recognized the man in the photo at a glance, without the slightest hesitation.

It couldn't be a mistake.

Shi Xianyu stared intently at Chen Hao, searching for the slightest flaw, trying to pry the truth from him.

Men like him, always risking their lives, were tough and stubborn—unlikely to yield to threats.

She bit her lip. If threats wouldn't work, perhaps persuasion would. She spoke up: "Whether you took her or not, we won't pursue it. Just give us a clue, tell us where she is, and I can offer you..."

Shi Xianyu pointed to a barrel on his stall, something like a paint bucket. "I can fill one of those, full of water, for you, free of charge."

Chen Hao stared, sizing up her and Lin Yuan, as if doubting they could produce that much water.

He asked cautiously, "What grade of water?"

"It won't be lower than Grade B," Shi Xianyu replied confidently. Before coming, she had stored five hundred large barrels of pure water in her space—plenty to spare.

Chen Hao pondered for a moment, then asked, "How do I know you're not lying?"

Lin Yuan replied impatiently, "If we're lying, you lose nothing. But if it's true, you get several barrels of water for nothing. Think it over."

Chen Hao hesitated, glancing at the onlookers. Frowning, he lowered his voice. "I did take a woman from Qinghe Oasis, but I didn't abduct her. She paid me for transport, hired me to take her to the largest oasis nearby."

Shi Xianyu was stunned. Not abducted?

"Are you sure you remember correctly?" She stared at Chen Hao. "You met her at Qinghe Oasis?"

"No mistake," Chen Hao shook his head. "I remember clearly. Three years ago, I was in that area collecting resources. Qinghe Oasis was running out of water; most residents had already left, only the poor, the sick, and the elderly remained, unable to go. A woman with a child came to me, asking for a ride to a bigger oasis."

He recalled carefully, speaking slowly. "Mothers are the most valuable asset in this world. The moment I saw her holding a child, I agreed at once. The team has strict rules—nothing is more important than a mother's safety. If I could escort her safely, there might even be a medal in it for me. But after reaching the oasis, she vanished quickly, never even going to the hospital for an assessment. Where she is now, who knows..."

"She... was holding a child?" Shi Xianyu was confused. Where had the child come from?

"Yes, an infant." Chen Hao gestured with his hands. "Couldn't be more than a year old, still nursing."

Shi Xianyu was bewildered. If Chen Hao spoke the truth, could it be that Lu Li had forgotten? Or was it Chen Hao who was mistaken? Was the woman he brought back really Lu Li's mother?

"That woman told me not to reveal her whereabouts to anyone. Now I've told you everything." Chen Hao fixed his gaze on Shi Xianyu and Lin Yuan. "I hope you'll keep your promise and give me what you offered."

Lin Yuan frowned. "We need to know where she is. What you've told us still isn't a clue."

Chen Hao grew annoyed. "Hey! I only took her there. How could I know where she stayed? It's been three years; she could have moved to another oasis for all I know!"

Shi Xianyu asked, "Do you know her name?"

Chen Hao snorted. "Yeah, I know. Her name was Yu Jing."

"Are you sure it was her real name?" Shi Xianyu pressed. Like Lin Yuan, she was beginning to doubt him. If the woman was so wary, would she really have given her real name?

Chen Hao smiled smugly. "When I took her to the oasis, a man met her at the gate and called her Yu Jing. Later, at the checkpoint, I sneaked a look at the registration form—she wrote the same name."

Shi Xianyu and Lin Yuan exchanged glances.

Whether this "Yu Jing" was truly Lu Li's mother could be easily confirmed once they returned and asked Lu Li herself.