Afternoon, Thornridge Mountain.
Normally, Thornridge Mountain was a ghost town, but today it was crawling with people.
Cars jammed the base of the mountain.
Up on the slope, a crowd surrounded a man as they climbed.
Victor Li stood on the hill, staring out at the barren slopes, face heavy. "This is what you call results? The mountain's still a wasteland! Where are those saplings? Didn't you say ten thousand were planted? Why do I barely see anything?"
"If it weren't for these weeds, it'd look even more desolate! Aren't you ashamed looking at this mess?"
Victor Li was in his fifties, sharp as a tack, famous for being upright and uncompromising.
Now, staring at the wasteland, his eyes grew heavier. "Where's Aaron Zhou?"
"Here! I'm here! Right here!"
As the director of the Environmental Protection Bureau, Aaron Zhou's status here was basically zero.
As the director of the Environmental Protection Bureau, Aaron Zhou's status in this group was practically nothing.
Hearing Victor Li call his name, Aaron Zhou hurried forward, forcing a smile and wiping cold sweat from his brow.
"What about the cause of the fire? And those ten thousand saplings?"
Victor Li glared at Aaron Zhou, his voice sharp and commanding.
"Director, the cause of the fire is still under investigation. We've already planted over eight thousand saplings, but there's been no rain—they're all nearly dead."
Aaron Zhou looked uneasy as he spoke, glancing at Victor Li's furrowed brow, worry all over his face.
"So you just left all those saplings here to die?" Victor Li snapped, eyes locked on Aaron Zhou.
"If it doesn't rain, you should've arranged for people to water them. Hire some gardeners if you have to."
"Right. When you run into problems, you have to find a way to solve them. Aaron, you didn't think this through."
A few pot-bellied men looked at Aaron Zhou and spoke up, sighing as they did, their eyes full of pity.
Nothing he could do.
After all, he’d run into Victor Li, the guy sent down from above.
Everyone knew Victor Li lived up to his reputation—he only wanted people who actually got things done, and hated anyone who just muddled through.
"Tell me, can you handle this or not? How long until the whole mountain is completely restored? Will those ten thousand saplings survive or not? If yes, then give me a written pledge! If not, then go back and resign yourself—I'll approve it on the spot! I want people who actually work, not freeloaders!" Victor Li glared at Aaron Zhou, face stern. "We need real results here!"
"Thornridge Mountain is applying for 4A-rated scenic area status. If we get it, it'll be a huge boost for Sunrise City's tourism industry! It's a win-win for everyone!"
Victor Li's face was grim—he was clearly furious.
Aaron Zhou swallowed nervously. After a moment's hesitation, seeing Victor Li's tone soften just a bit, he finally dared to speak: "I've already come up with a solution. I've invited Elder Wade Shui from Medicine King Valley, and he promised he can make it rain over Thornridge Mountain."
"With Elder Wade Shui here, all ten thousand saplings are sure to survive."
Aaron Zhou forced a smile, but as soon as he finished speaking, Victor Li's expression shifted.
"Elder Wade Shui from Medicine King Valley?" Victor Li thought for a moment, his face serious. "You mean that Medicine King Valley, the one in Haizhou, famous for bringing the dead back to life?"
"Yes, that's the Medicine King Valley. Elder Wade Shui can command wind and rain, moisten the earth. With him here, these saplings are guaranteed to survive." Aaron Zhou nodded quickly.
"Where's Elder Wade Shui? I've heard plenty of stories about Medicine King Valley, but I've never actually seen anyone like that. If he's real, that's a stroke of luck for us." Victor Li's expression softened a bit.
Victor Li turned to look down the mountain and saw a group approaching. Instantly, his face lit up. "They're here!"
Everyone turned to watch as six people slowly made their way up the mountain.
There were six in total.
Old Madam Ding, Derrick Ding, Eric Ding, Shawn Shi, and Dong Zi surrounded an elderly man in the center.
The old man looked every bit the immortal, walking the mountain path as if treading on clouds, moving effortlessly with a mysterious air—a true master from beyond the mundane world.
Seeing this, Victor Li's eyes flickered with surprise and doubt.
"Elder Wade Shui!" Aaron Zhou hurried forward to greet the elder as he approached.
"Mm."
Elder Wade Shui nodded slightly, his expression proud and aloof.
"You're Elder Wade Shui? Can you really keep all ten thousand saplings alive?" Victor Li looked at Elder Wade, frowning.
One belonged to the halls of power, the other to the martial world.
Medicine King Valley might be famous in Haizhou, but Victor Li was from far-off Yanjing, and his face showed a hint of skepticism.
To him, Elder Wade Shui looked the part of a legendary sage, but whether he was the real deal or just a poser was anyone's guess.
"Of course. Let me show you something amazing." Elder Wade Shui snorted coldly, stepped forward, looked up, and stretched out his hand. Instantly, a misty vapor began to condense in front of him.
Everyone around felt the scorching heat suddenly drop.
"Water vapor!"
Someone stared, eyes wide, at Elder Wade Shui's hand. A ball of vapor condensed into mist, then into a droplet, as if conjured from thin air.
Victor Li was just as stunned, eyes full of shock.
Aaron Zhou quietly wiped the sweat from his face. Seeing this, he felt Elder Wade Shui could really pull it off.
"Go!"
Elder Wade Shui focused, face grave, and gently raised his hand, sending the condensed raindrop high into the air.
That raindrop looked tiny, but it was heavy as a mountain.
Even that small motion left Elder Wade Shui's face a bit pale.
Everyone's eyes locked onto that single drop as it soared upward, quickly merging into the clouds and vanishing from sight.
"What, nothing's happening?"
Everyone looked up at the sky and waited two minutes, but nothing happened.
Some people hesitated; Victor Li frowned; Aaron Zhou's heart skipped a beat. But Elder Wade Shui looked supremely confident.
Boom!
At that moment, thunder rumbled across the sky.
After the thunder faded, a raincloud formed overhead, stretching more than two meters long.
The next second, rain poured down from the cloud.
"It's raining! It's really raining!" Victor Li exclaimed, face full of shock.
"The saplings are saved!" Aaron Zhou laughed, thrilled.
Everyone else stared in awe at Elder Wade Shui, their faces filled with respect.
"This raincloud can water ten square meters at a time! If it moves with the wind, it can irrigate the whole mountain every day!"
Aaron Zhou looked up, wiped rain from his face, and couldn't hide his joy.
On a distant cliff, a young man stood with his hands behind his back, watching the little raincloud with utter disdain.
"Just a tenfold raincloud, and you call this commanding the wind and rain?"
"Pathetic."