Unarmored | Chapter 49 | The Last Well | Novela.app

After shuffling along with the long queue for half an hour, Xiao Nanhui could finally make out the silhouette of the well through the swirling grit. Compared to the parched crowd surrounding it, the well was like a single grain of rice among a colony of ants—shriveled and minuscule. The families coming for water had all sent their men. Sometimes one was not enough, and they would form gangs, for fetching water had long since devolved into a brutal struggle. A moment’s carelessness meant not only failing to get water but suffering a beating for the effort. A few frail women were scattered through the line, but they remained silent even when those behind them shoved past, fearing that a single misstep might cost them their lives. Xiao Nanhui watched with cold detachment, a bitter taste in her mouth. If not for Xiao Zhun, she would have been one of them—forced to watch herself be bullied, without even the strength to strike back. "Hey! Hey, I'm talking to you. Move it! Don't stand there blocking the way!" A coarse, raspy voice came from behind her. She turned her head slightly to look. A group of people was pushing up from the rear—about seven or eight men. It was clear they had formed a pack to cut the line and had now reached her. The people lined up behind her were mostly elderly men and frail women. Seeing this group, they scrambled to get out of the way, clearly having encountered them before. The man leading the pack was imposing in stature. Seeing that Xiao Nanhui refused to budge, he slammed a palm onto her shoulder, exerting hidden pressure. He saw her slender frame and assumed she lacked the strength of his band of thugs, choosing her as a target to flaunt his dominance. Her mouth was parched from days without water, and her mood was foul. Without a second thought, she lifted her leg and stomped down hard, landing squarely on the man's instep. As a martial artist, her strength was far beyond that of an ordinary woman. She put seventy to eighty percent of her power into the strike. The man let out a sharp cry of agony and collapsed to the ground, clutching his foot. "You... you dare step on me?!" Xiao Nanhui turned around, her face a mask of feigned surprise as if she had only just noticed the man on the ground. She quickly adopted the expression of a timid, fearful girl. "What happened, big brother? Did I accidentally step on you? My apologies, truly. I haven't had a full meal in days, and my legs are so weak I can't stand steady. I must have stumbled." Several men in the surrounding crowd, evidently from a rival gang, caught the hidden barb in her words and began to mock him. "Gu San, if your body’s that fragile, don't come out here to join the fun. If even a woman can make you wail like a babe, I don't think you should bother showing your face on the streets anymore." Losing face, the brute named Gu San redirected his rage toward Xiao Nanhui. Bracing himself on one leg, he stood up and swung a fist at her. Xiao Nanhui feigned terror and ducked low. Gu San instantly lost his balance. She reached out unseen, grabbing his belt and giving it a sharp tug. Gu San’s massive frame careened uncontrollably to the side, crashing heavily into a woman standing nearby. That woman was no ordinary person, a fact hinted at by the sturdy, muscular calves visible beneath her tucked-up trouser legs. She had come to fetch water alone, yet no one had dared cut in front of her—a further testament to her nature. Sure enough, the woman let out a shriek. As she stood up, it was as if an iron tower had suddenly risen from the earth. "Gu San, you bottom-feeder! You dare try to feel me up? I’ll tie you up this instant and drag you back for your wife to see! You look like a man, but you’re lower than a pig or a dog!" Gu San was sturdy, but he seemed half a head shorter before this woman. He was hoisted up like a frightened chick and tossed aside before he could even get a word out. The onlookers erupted into laughter, finding a rare moment of levity in their miserable lives. Xiao Nanhui brushed the dust from her clothes and walked forward as if nothing had happened. The last well in Suyan’s East City was strictly cordoned off by a ring of abatis. Caltrops were scattered on the ground to prevent anyone from sneaking in. The well itself, under such heavy protection, appeared taller than a normal well. This was because the wind and sand were constantly accumulating; the mouth of the well had to be built higher year after year to keep it from being buried. The well-keepers were a middle-aged couple. The man held an axe. He wasn't particularly tall, but he was clearly far more shrewd than the likes of Gu San. Whether he was drawing water or resting, that axe never left his hand. His wife sat nearby, guarding a metal frame. Those coming for water were only allowed to bring a single vessel, which would be measured against this frame. If it exceeded the size even slightly, it could not be used. As for whether the container would actually be filled, that depended entirely on the mood of the keepers. If one was willing to part with a few copper coins, it might be filled seventy or eighty percent. If not a single cent was offered, it was entirely possible to leave with nothing at all. When it was Xiao Nanhui’s turn, the woman by the well pushed a bamboo basket forward as usual. Her thin lips were pressed tight, and her beady, crab-like eyes fixed intently on Xiao Nanhui’s waist, calculating how many coins she could squeeze out of her. It had to be said that while both were "doing business," Yao Yi was far more sophisticated. Even now, when she was trying to buy life-saving water, the mere sight of these two made her unwilling to part with a single copper. She gave the woman a foolish grin, signaling that her "sleeves were empty." The woman glanced at her, let out a cold sneer, and pulled the basket back, casting a meaningful look at her husband by the well. The man walked slowly to the well’s edge. From a pile of battered buckets, he picked the most dilapidated one. He gave her a provocative look, hooked it to the rope, and tossed it down. They waited for a long time. The rope continued to unspool, turn after turn. It seemed the bucket had to travel a great distance before it even touched the bottom. Xiao Nanhui knew then: this well wouldn't last much longer. When the rope was finally hauled back up, her heart sank. There was only a shallow layer of liquid at the bottom of the bucket. To call it water was a stretch; it was more like mud soup. Turbidity aside, it gave off a faint, unsettling odor. Xiao Nanhui hesitated, deciding not to pour it into her waterskin. She hadn't been back to Suyan in a long time and was already struggling to adjust to the environment. That well water looked dangerous. She had things to do and couldn't afford to fall ill now. Her hesitation was noticed by the person behind her. An old woman asked tentatively, "Young lady, are you not taking the water?" Xiao Nanhui looked at her and handed over the bucket. The woman was incredulous at first, then realized the opportunity. She scrambled to pour the water into her own jar, terrified that someone might snatch it away. Xiao Nanhui opened her mouth to offer a warning but ultimately remained silent. If there were any way to find cleaner water, who would choose to suffer like this? Taking the empty wooden bucket back from the old woman, she gave it a light toss. The bucket hit the ground hard, kicking up a cloud of dust that left the two well-keepers coughing. By the time the man grabbed his axe and looked up angrily to find the person responsible, Xiao Nanhui had already vanished into the crowd of withered, gaunt figures. *** By now, most of the prominent families in the East City had moved to the West City. Only one family, the Tians, still held their ground in their old home, though it looked like they wouldn't last more than a few months. Wealthy families would dig private wells in their courtyards, paying a significant annual fee to the government for each one. Back when the local authorities still had some power, unregistered private wells were strictly forbidden. But starting about a year ago, even the presiding magistrate had fled with his family, and the city had gradually descended into chaos. Those wealthy enough to afford guards had survived so far, but those who failed to prepare were overrun by mobs of water-starved refugees. A few families with wells had fought back desperately at first, but they were eventually killed or injured. Even the survivors were reduced to refugees, spending their days begging for a drink. Panic had spread through Suyan’s East City like a plague. The five original public wells had been sucked dry one by one, and new wells failed to reach water. During the months without a drop of rain, the corpses of refugees piled up like mountains. Had the weather not been so dry, a pestilence would surely have broken out long ago. Xiao Nanhui’s mind raced as she reached out to stop a woman. It was the same old woman who had been behind her in line, the one she had given her water to. Seeing Xiao Nanhui return and block her path, the woman’s face filled with instinctive fear. She clutched her water jar tightly, stammering and unable to speak. Xiao Nanhui knew what she was thinking. She said in a low voice, "I don't want your water." The old woman froze, truly unable to fathom what this strange person wanted. She still didn't dare breathe. "How long have you lived in this East City?" The old woman hesitated for a moment before answering in a raspy voice, "Decades. I was born here." Xiao Nanhui nodded. "I want to ask you something. There is said to be a wealthy family named Tian in this city. Do you know where they are?" The old woman raised her dull eyes, seemingly confused as to why anyone would ask. She answered woodenly, "The wealthy families used to live in the northwest of the city. Likely near the intersection of Broad Street and Marvel Alley." Xiao Nanhui nodded. She turned to leave, but seeing the water jar in the woman's hands, she couldn't help but add, "That water must be boiled before you drink it." The old woman didn't move, simply staring at her blankly. When Xiao Nanhui looked back from a distance, the woman was still standing in the same spot. With a silent sigh, she turned and headed toward the northwest of the city.