Chapter 40: Chapter 39: Holy Spring Village, Su An, Mission Settlement
Upon hearing the word ’Priest’, the tall figure emerged in Lin Feng’s mind.
Perhaps it truly confirmed what he had thought in his heart.
He then pedaled the tricycle, following the two Cultivators.
The survivors gradually calmed their emotions after the ordeal, beginning to curiously observe the surroundings.
Unlike the eclectic and dilapidated convoy of Fifth Village, the convoy of Holy Spring Village was categorized and orderly.
There were vehicles specifically for dining, bathing, and using the toilet, along with rare mobile structures like schools and prayer rooms.
They were uniformly painted with white, contrasting the yellowish-brown of the desolate wasteland, akin to pure land in the desert Oasis.
It had a special sacred feeling independent of the world.
Each vehicle bore the Teaching Emblem of the Holy Spring Sect, and the few building tops ahead prominently displayed iron manhole cover badges.
At the center of Holy Spring Village, a large church converted from a heavy truck silently stands, controlling the pace of the entire village.
Although its exterior is plain and simple, the four-cornered diamond-shaped tower roof tips are embedded with a special silver manhole cover emblem.
Even under the shadow of Oasis solar panels, it still gleamed brilliantly.
Lin Feng and Ah Lian parked the vehicle beside the church, helping Chen Shanshan inside.
It was their first entry into Holy Spring Village and also their first visit to the Holy Spring Church, the faith center of the Oasis.
The two guiding Cultivators slowly opened the doors.
A faint cool breeze brushed their faces.
In front of them was a gigantic circular glass, engraved into the shape of the Teaching Emblem manhole cover, filled with intricate symmetrical patterns.
The outdoor light penetrated through this glass window, casting colorful holy radiance inside the church.
On the left and right were silver Holy Grails, one meter tall, filled with Holy Spring water for baptism.
And behind the preaching platform between the Holy Grails, a familiar tall figure slowly turned around.
Lin Feng took a deep breath.
As he had initially suspected upon seeing the Bounty Order, the task issuer was the mysterious man who had bought that special Mutated Wolf Fang from him:
Father Su of the Holy Spring Sect, village chief of Holy Spring Village, the only Preacher beneath the Oasis, Father Su An.
Standing nearly two meters tall, Father Su An saw the Hunters arriving to complete the task, with a hint of surprise in his eyes, speaking kindly:
"Long time no see, young friend selling wolf meat."
"Looks like we’re going to have a second transaction."
Father Su walked forward slowly.
Lin Feng and his group felt a breeze of spring warmth, quickly stepping aside and bowing slightly.
At the church entrance, Father Su saw the three-wheeler filled with Desert Wolf corpses, smiling contently:
"Let’s go to the dedicated trading location."
He then led Lin Feng’s group along with two Cultivators out of the church.
Lin Feng rode closely behind them, heading to the uniformly standardized dormitory area behind Holy Spring Village.
This area was completely under the shadow of the Oasis solar panels above, making the entire world dim.
The group saw many children in the dormitories, just waking from day-night dreams, brushing teeth and washing faces in order, preparing to welcome a new day of life.
Compared to the harsh desolation outside the village, it was like two completely different worlds, greatly divided.
After bypassing the accommodation area, they finally stopped outside a secluded and ordinary bungalow on the right behind Holy Spring Village.
To call it a bungalow is somewhat misleading, as it was actually a transformed twelve-meter long medium-sized bus, fully painted white except for the windshield, complemented with black solar panels atop, giving an illusion of blue tiles on white walls.
When the two three-wheelers, especially the armored tricycle of Lin Feng’s group, were connected to the bungalow, the entire vehicle noticeably experienced a delayed sluggishness.
The vehicle weighed over two tons in total, considering the twenty-one Desert Wolves inside the compartment.
Once the driver ahead stabilized the speed, Father Su An approached and opened the rear hatch.
A rush of cold air greeted them, as Lin Feng looked inside, seeing a tightly closed door further inside the vehicle’s rear compartment.
The cabin walls were specially reinforced.
This was a specially modified refrigerated truck.
Lin Feng’s group then moved the wolf corpses one by one from the tricycle compartment into the rear compartment of the refrigerated truck.
Classified by strength and size, there were three Level 9 Desert Wolves, ten late-stage Level 7 and 8, and the remaining eight mid-stage Level 7 and below.
Initially, the Desert Wolf Pack wasn’t this powerful; it rapidly escalated in strength by ferociously hunting Deserter teams.
Fortunately, the leader hadn’t ascended to Tier One Mutated Desolate Beast.
Otherwise, the casualties would have been greater.
After inspection, Father Su An brought over a nearby electronic scale, then offered the group a high trade price for one kilogram of wolf meat for one point.
Lin Feng’s group, including Ah Lian, all gasped in shock upon hearing the offer, overwhelmed with joy!
Though wolf meat is precious, after dehydration it weighs less than half the original weight.
Hence, one kilogram of fresh wolf meat originally amounted to 0.5 points, with quality fluctuation adding value, maximally reaching 0.75 points.
Now the Priest generously offered one point per kilogram in the trade, effectively doubling the original price.
This price was irresistible.
While fine steel wolf fangs, along with heart and leg meat from the wolf corpses, could fetch double points post-dehydration, they weighed less than 20% of the total and were offset by the negligible value of the intestines and organs...
So Lin Feng and others still profited greatly!
No wonder the Guild’s counter staff said this task belonged to the Holy Spring Sect, and there was no need to come to the Guild for settlement.
Because the Church didn’t lack those few points.
Yet cautious as ever, Lin Feng softly voiced his concern:
"Sir, regarding the additional reward mentioned in the Bounty Order, will the three Level 9 Desert Wolf corpses earn us an Evolution Agent?"
Examining the fine steel wolf fangs of the wolf corpses, Father Su confirmed the presence of three Level 9 Desert Wolves, then turned and replied:
"No problem, we’ll discuss this at the church later; let’s finalize the task settlement first."
With these words, he instructed his two Cultivators to move the wolf corpses onto the scale for weighing and documentation.
Eight mid-stage Desert Wolves totaled roughly six hundred kilograms; ten late-stage Desert Wolves weigh slightly over one hundred kilograms each, amounting to one thousand kilograms.
The last three Level 9 Desert Wolves, excluding the leader, weighed two hundred kilograms each, while the Wolf Pack Leader, due to its massive size and strength, one step short of Tier One Desolate Beast, weighed an astounding three hundred kilograms.
Regarding this Level 9 Wolf Pack Leader, Father Su An was extremely satisfied, eagerly inspecting the fine steel wolf fangs in its mouth.
Twenty-one Desert Wolves, totaling two thousand three hundred kilograms.
Including fur and bones, 2.3 tons, equating to 2300 shopping points.
With such a large sum, it’s more than enough to purchase a small bus RV.
The complete yield from the last hunt of Level 9 Rock-Horned Horse by Lin Feng’s group was barely a fraction of this.
Indeed, risks lead to rewards.
Excluding Li Hu’s team’s four wolves: one late-stage and three mid-stage Desert Wolves, totaling four hundred kilograms and four hundred points.
Leaving Lin Feng’s team with nineteen hundred points.
This sum could perfectly support Chen Shanshan, who was about to advance as an Evolver, in establishing a Desert Hunting Team.
With this in thought, as they left the cold storage, everyone wore smiles and their steps were light.
The multitude of dangers and life-threatening challenges experienced, now rewarded excellently.
Riding the empty tricycle back to the church.
The group seated in rows of long benches.
Father Su An watched as a Cultivator swiftly brought over an anonymous identity card exclusively for the Church.
Father Su An wrote down two thousand three hundred points on the card and signed his name with a pen:
"Go to the Guild and find the Cultivator from Holy Spring Village’s shop; he’ll guide you to the counter for points exchange."
Lin Feng gingerly accepted this identity card.
The ink shone with a peculiar rainbow hue under sunlight.
He carefully tucked it into his pocket under the watchful eyes of his teammates.
Now it represented the lives and fortunes of the two teams.
With the task complete, Father Su An gradually stood up, addressing everyone present:
"Now, among you, who will use the Evolution Agent and become an Evolver?"