Ren Xiaosu did not believe in ghosts, so when he realized there was nothing there, he started looking around even more carefully. Wait a minute, Ren Xiaosu finally understood what it was.
He saw water droplets trickling down from the ceiling of the cave and dripping onto the ground.
Probably because of the rain, the water had seeped through the rock strata on top of the cave. The person who panicked earlier must have been so nervous that he mistook the water droplets for some imaginary enemy, such as the saliva of a monster.
But when Ren Xiaosu saw the water droplets, he said to the others like he had obtained a treasure, "Y 'all can collect the water directly from here. The rock strata is like a natural filter that can filter the water until it's even cleaner than well water. Of course, if you're still worried, you can boil it before drinking it. "
Xu Xianchu asked in seriousness, "Really? Is this water drinkable?"
"Mhm." Ren Xiaosu said, "This is probably one of the cleanest water sources in the wilderness. Sometimes, even the water from a spring might not be as safe as this."
When Xu Xianchu heard Ren Xiaosu say that, he picked up his military canteen and went to collect the water. Although the pine needles could replenish some of the water in the body, the amount was still too little.
The pine needles could only ensure that no one would die of thirst.
Xu Xianchu did not monopolize the water source for too long. He set up his military canteen over the campfire and said to the others, "Y 'all go and collect some as well."
The others were not like Xu Xianchu who had brought his military canteen with him to boil the water. They could only hold the water in their mouths, let alone boil it.
The group of people were pushing and shoving under the water source as they drank from it. It was still better for the soldiers as they took turns to drink from the water. But Liu Bu was in trouble as no one would give in to him.
After a while, a soldier said angrily, "Who's going to drink enough water droplets at a time? That Ren Xiaosu still has two bottles of water hidden in his pockets. He made us lick the rock wall and the pine needles while he drank the bottled water himself. Who knows if there's anything wrong with the water?"
The expressions of the soldiers did not look too good, but since Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin had guns in their hands, they did not dare to say anything in front of them.
Ren Xiaosu looked at this scene and thought that it would be great if he could store things in his palace. In that case, he could sneak the bottle of water into the palace tomorrow and then tell the others that he had accidentally lost the bottle of water. That way, no one would have any ideas about him.
Otherwise, seeing how these people were going crazy for water, there was no guarantee that someone would take the risk to plot against him.
At this moment, the two bottles of water were in the pockets of his coat. He reached into his pocket and grabbed the bottles, trying to put them into the palace again.
However, the palace's voice immediately rang out. "Storage rights have not been obtained."
Ren Xiaosu was very unhappy when he heard this voice. You should at least tell me how you obtained this authority. Why can you control the black medicine at will, but not the water bottle?
Why? Does the water bottle not agree?!
Ren Xiaosu retreated to the side. Luo Xinyu glanced at Ren Xiaosu. "Why aren't you drinking it?"
Ren Xiaosu looked at Luo Xinyu's doubtful gaze. It was obvious that she did not believe he would be so generous.
Ren Xiaosu smiled. "I'll drink the bottled water."
Luo Xinyu was speechless.
At this moment, Luo Xinyu realized that Ren Xiaosu really had a talent for infuriating people at any time and place.
But she did not know that Ren Xiaosu had actually given up the water bottle after careful consideration. First of all, everyone was very thirsty, and the water bottle they had was definitely not enough. As a supernatural being, Xu Xianchu could monopolize the water bottle for half a day without anyone daring to say anything. However, Ren Xiaosu was not a supernatural being.
The fact that he still had two bottles of water with him was enough to make some people jealous, so there was no need for him to be greedy for everything.
One of the rules of survival in the wilderness was not to be too greedy. Moreover, Ren Xiaosu needed to make Xu Xianchu understand that if they wanted to survive in the wilderness, Ren Xiaosu was the most indispensable person in the group.
Since there was a supernatural being like Xu Xianchu that he could leverage on, why wouldn't Ren Xiaosu do it?
Also, the smell in the cave was too pungent.
In this extremely tense atmosphere, Luo Xinyu was very afraid. So she chatted with Ren Xiaosu to ease her fear. After all, it was always better to have someone to talk to.
In fact, this method was very effective. When Ren Xiaosu said the words "having a child at an old age," Luo Xinyu did not feel afraid at all. All she could think of were ellipses.
Ren Xiaosu asked, "Do you know where the cigarettes these troops smoke come from? I don't think there's any place near Stronghold 113 that grows them, right? "
"You don't know?" Luo Xinyu wondered. "Wang Fugui said you were under Luo Lan's care, so how could you not know about this?"
"What does it have to do with Luo Lan?" Ren Xiaosu was stunned. Although he had received a silk banner from Luo Lan, he did not have any other interactions with Boss Luo.
"Boss Luo is the spokesperson of the Kyung Clan Consortium in Stronghold 113," Luo Xinyu explained.
"What's his position in the stronghold?" Ren Xiaosu asked curiously. He heard Wang Fugui mention Boss Luo every day, but Ren Xiaosu realized he knew nothing about this Boss Luo.
"Boss Luo doesn't have a position." Luo Xinyu looked at Ren Xiaosu in surprise. "Alright, it looks like you really don't know about him. He only controls the metallurgy, water, and chemical factories in Stronghold 113. If you insist on asking what his identity is … then strictly speaking, he's just a businessman."
"Can a businessman do as he pleases in the stronghold?" Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment and said. He had thought Boss Luo was the stronghold's overseer.
"They don't need to hold any positions anymore." Luo Xinyu said helplessly, "They're like the heavens above the stronghold's overseer. When nothing happens, everyone gets along peacefully. But when something happens, the decision maker in the stronghold is definitely this businessman."
"Does he have troops around him?" Ren Xiaosu asked after some thought.
Luo Xinyu glanced at him and said, "Yes, the military. It's an army that's many times stronger than these private troops. The combat brigade he stationed in Stronghold 113 is beyond your imagination. It's definitely not like the private troops you're seeing now."
This meant that there were two troops stationed in the stronghold. Although there was a nominal overseer in the stronghold, the authority of the overseer was probably only in name. If you did not resist, you would be allowed to enjoy the glory and wealth of being a puppet.
"But there's one thing I don't understand." Ren Xiaosu asked, "Why don't they just take control of the stronghold and become the overseer? Why do they have to prop up puppets? Isn't that just like taking off their pants and farting?"
"Because the Kyung Clan isn't the only consortium in this world," Luo Xinyu said.
At this point, Ren Xiaosu understood. There were several consortiums running amok in the 100-odd strongholds. They worked together to control the strongholds, but at the same time, they kept each other in check. They then used a strange form of cooperation to seize resources.
"So the tobacco was supplied to Stronghold 113 by the Kyung Clan consortium?" Ren Xiaosu asked.
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