Chapter 422: Chapter 422

The process of removing the bullet was quick. Jing Shu feared that any slower and Zhen Nantian wouldn’t make it. Naturally, no anesthesia was involved. The disinfected knife cut a cross into the flesh, and the tweezers clamped onto the bullet and pulled it out.

"A 9mm standard bullet," Zhen Nantian said.

"Turns out it was a tri-forged bullet. No wonder I couldn’t dodge it," Zhen Nantian commented, breaking out in a cold sweat as the second bullet was extracted.

The third one was a bit tougher to remove. This special bullet had already stained a large area of his shoulder crimson. Its sharp tip, riddled with many small gears, was completely twisted into the flesh. Not only that, but the surrounding tissue was also mangled, coming off in large chunks with a mere scrape!

Even Jing Shu, accustomed to all sorts of gruesome sights, felt her heart wrench at the sight of this bullet. She made a chrysanthemum-like incision with the scalpel and then directly pulled the bullet out, tearing off a large piece of flesh in an instant. Zhen Nantian gasped sharply, closed his eyes, and stiffened for a long while before finally recovering.

Jing Shu cleaned the bullet and handed it to Zhen Nantian, who, slightly out of breath, narrowed his eyes. "They actually used a hollow-point bullet."

Lingling took it and explained, "This kind of bullet doesn’t shatter upon entering the body. Instead, its tip flattens and expands, becoming like the blades of a meat grinder, spinning rapidly inside. If it hits an organ, it will be minced to pieces."

Fortunately, it hadn’t hit any vital organs. From the description alone, it sounded like an incredibly formidable bullet.

The cargo ship sailed steadily along the Grand Canal. Jing Shu didn’t know how the Slave Master would react, nor what it would be like for the inhabitants of Austin City living beneath those irradiated walls. All she knew was that striking it rich this time was enough.

After each mission, taking stock of her haul was Jing Shu’s favorite part.

Having completed Qian Duoduo’s hiring mission with flying colors, the complete set of equipment could now be used to dry the vegetables Qian Duoduo planted in the Stone Garden. With two years until the harsh winter set in, she would be able to store a large batch of food. Could this be considered a successful acceleration of the Stone Garden’s march toward its demise?

AHEM. This time, Jing Shu’s gains were mainly from the hundreds of thousands of Seeds and the rare minerals that fell into her hands. As for the various odds and ends she had stashed in her space along the way, she would sort those out after returning home.

Jing Shu divided these Seeds into three portions. One portion was handed over to the state. Considering their special nature, the authorities decided to grant Jing Shu a high Contribution Value reward. These rewards just happened to offset the Contribution Value for the supplies she had transported back. Jing Shu would hardly believe it if you told her there was no foul play involved.

Well, that was fine. This way, Jing Shu still had ten thousand Contribution Value left. She had also managed to transport all the allocated one hundred tons of minerals and these Seeds back to Wu City. On the other hand, after deducting Contribution Value, the others probably only managed to bring back about half for themselves.

Little Black, as a foreign friend, ended up with only about a quarter of the loot, but he was quite satisfied. Latest content publıshed on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝⁂𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚⁂𝔫𝔢𝔱

Jing Shu planned to ’sell’ another portion to the Wu City government. As for the price, that would be discussed in detail after she returned. The last portion, naturally, she kept for herself. If she grew any strange and rare things in the future, she’d have a plausible explanation.

Her second mission in the United States had finally concluded perfectly.

Yang Yang took out the large map again, pointed to their current location, drew a long line, and said, "When we reach this point, the ship will start heading back. The rest of us need to go to this place to complete the last mission."

Jing Shu narrowed her eyes, looking at the place Yang Yang was pointing to—New York.

Were they, just a few of them, actually planning on going to a bustling metropolis in the United States?

"Why go there? It’s too dangerous!" Monkey was the first to object.

Since arriving in the United States, no one had significantly objected to the route. Besides, their first stop had been near the Mexican border, in the most remote and lawless part of the United States.

That was why everyone had felt more at ease, whether in the Underground black market or Austin City. This region was ’independent,’ ruled by those in power, much like their own personal kingdoms.

But New York... that was different.

Monk touched his head, stood up, and said apologetically, "Sorry to trouble everyone, but this is the main reason I came to the United States. The largest temple in North America, Zhuangyan Temple, is in New York, so I have to go there."

Jing Shu shifted her gaze to Monk. His presence on the team hadn’t been particularly strong from the beginning. She remembered their first meeting, when there was almost a clash with the team from the Imperial Capital; only Monk had been at the back, handling the luggage.

Afterward, Monk’s role was akin to that of a steadfast and uncomplaining worker. Wherever there was work, he was at the forefront and very perceptive. The team hadn’t come to blows largely because Monk had taken care of all the minor tasks.

One of Monk’s catchphrases was, "Leave it to me!" or "I’ll do it!" Crucially, he spoke little and was straightforward, always doing as instructed.

Once Monk had spoken, even the habitually critical Monkey had nothing more to say. The goodwill Monk had quietly accumulated shone brilliantly in that moment.

Yang Yang patted Monk on the shoulder. "Tell us about the last mission, then. We’ve been in the United States for a few months. Let’s get it over with and see if there’s a chance for one last haul before we head home."

Indeed, time had flown. They had been there for so long, becoming accustomed to the earthquakes in the United States, but they knew nothing of the situation in Huaxia.

Jing Shu calculated the time. It wasn’t yet when her Uncle’s family had died in her past life. There was still time to go back.

Monk bowed to everyone before speaking. "Five years ago, I lost a treasure of the temple in a bet. To save my life, my master banished me. Today, even if it costs me my life, I must reclaim that treasure," Monk declared, his eyes filled with determination.

Treasure? Jing Shu’s eyes lit up. What kind of treasure could it be?

Monkey coughed, a sly smile playing on his lips. "What treasure is it? But that sounds like a personal matter, doesn’t it? It has nothing to do with our mission, unless you’re planning to give us Contribution Value, eh?"

Monk scratched his head. "The treasure is, well, a treasure. Someone important needs it to prolong their life."

Monkey’s eyes gleamed. "Could it be something like a Heaven Mountain Snow Lotus?"

Yang Yang coughed and interjected, "Let’s put it this way: Monk’s task is to retrieve his treasure, and we have our own mission. This treasure is a tripod."

"A tripod?" Monkey exclaimed. "It’s the apocalypse! How is that still a treasure? It’s just a cultural relic, isn’t it? What use is a relic in the apocalypse? Can it even save people?"

Yang Yang laughed. "Five years ago, it couldn’t. But now that it’s in American hands, it can. That’s why Monk is responsible for retrieving the Gun Tripod, and we’re responsible for stealing the formula. If we complete the mission, we’ll not only get a high Contribution Value but also a private garden from a wealthy merchant."