Chapter 419

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Chapter 419: Phone, Hot Springs, Bitterness

At this time, Xue Hanlei was soaking in an outdoor hot spring at a resort near Mount Fuji.

This resort, a project developed by the Dragon Clan of the Eastern Sea, was an exclusive retreat for high-ranking officials and the wealthy. It also served as a special vacation spot for members of the Dragon Clan. Similar establishments existed in the Ming Country, all managed by the Eastern Sea’s enterprises. For the Dragon Clan, making money was a pleasure, and they particularly enjoyed profiting from the affluent.

During the offseason, the resort became a quiet haven, with most rooms unoccupied.

Xue Hanlei came here for relaxation and skincare, increasingly embracing her human-like form. She reclined in the steaming, mineral-rich waters of the hot spring. The pale-green water shimmered with a faint opacity, its strong sulfur smell tempered through processing.

Floating around her in the expansive pool were six or seven wooden trays, laden with delicacies—red bean daifuku, yuzu cake, and other wagashi sweets.

A long telephone cord extended to the edge of the pool. With one hand, she held the receiver; in the other, a glass of plum-flavored sake brewed in Shikoku. She took a sip but frowned. The taste lacked the simple satisfaction of cheap liquor.

She pressed a button and dialed a number in Hokkaido.

The phone clicked, and someone answered.

Xue Hanlei rolled her eyes. “Thank goodness you finally picked up! I called over ten times, but the line was either busy or no one answered.”

“The signal isn’t great here, so please speak quickly,” Bai Wei replied, using the landline phone at Guan Ling’s house. The connection crackled faintly.

Xue Hanlei got straight to the point. “Shipping needs to pause for a while.”

Bai Wei asked, “What shipping?”

“The cargo shipments.”

Xue Hanlei bit into a red bean daifuku, licking the filling off her lips as she shifted in the water. Sitting up, her shoulders rose above the surface, the hot spring water cascading down her collarbone in graceful curves.

She continued, “Several cargo ships from the Eastern Sea were intercepted by the Southern Sea, including some logistics under my control.”

Bai Wei frowned. “Why?”

“They claimed it was for safety monitoring,” Xue Hanlei explained. “Some ships encountered issues. Recently, the stability of Dragon River hasn’t been good. The ocean currents from the Endless Sea might be affecting it. Continuing to use Dragon River is risky.”

Dragon River was an underwater high-speed channel—a hidden current beneath the sea. It allowed dragon ships to achieve incredible speeds for transporting goods. Without it, surface transport would be far slower.

However, instability in Dragon River posed deadly risks.

Xue Hanlei elaborated, “The ash tide’s effects aren’t limited to the surface. They’ve extended underwater, disrupting currents. Parts of Dragon River are unusable, and dragon ships are undergoing repairs at the Southern Sea Dragon Palace.”

Bai Wei asked, “Is Chao Lu in the Southern Sea too?”

Xue Hanlei shook her head. “Her ship passed a few days ago and wasn’t affected.”

Bai Wei inquired about an item he had asked her to ship to the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom.

“The four-phase puppet?”

“Exactly,” Bai Wei confirmed.

Xue Hanlei sighed, taking another bite of pastry. “For now, it can’t reach the Ten Thousand Demon Kingdom’s port. I’m not sure how long the delay will be.”

Bai Wei stayed silent for a moment, then asked, “Is there another route?”

“Yes,” she replied lazily, stretching her legs out of the water. The surface sparkled as droplets cascaded back into the pool. “But without Dragon River, the nearest option is a Southern Sea port. Don’t expect me to pull any strings with the Southern Sea dragons—they don’t listen to us Eastern Sea folks.”

With a sly grin, she teased, “Unless you’re willing to send your resume to their matchmaking bureau. They might be more cooperative if you marry into their clan.”

Bai Wei’s voice turned sharp. “Matchmaking?”

“Oh, yes,” Xue Hanlei smirked. “The Southern Sea dragons are all about having children. With your qualifications, you’d be in high demand. Submit your details, and they’ll dig up your ancestral history, approve you, and set you up with a dragon maiden in no time. Your shipping troubles? Solved instantly.”

Bai Wei groaned. “I have no intention of becoming a son-in-law to the Dragon Palace.”

Xue Hanlei chuckled. “Suit yourself, but don’t expect me to solve your shipping problems for free.”

The conversation veered back to logistics. They agreed to send the four-phase puppet to the Southern Sea port, leaving Bai Wei to figure out the rest.

When the call ended, Xue Hanlei leaned back, letting the tranquility of the hot spring wash over her.

Behind her, soft footsteps approached.

Through the mist emerged Yun Wuxin, draped in a towel. Her silver hair and eyes gave her an otherworldly beauty, complemented by an enchanting grace.

Xue Hanlei turned and teased, “If I were a man, I’d marry you in a heartbeat.”

Yun Wuxin replied coolly, “If I were a man, I wouldn’t choose you as my mistress.”

Xue Hanlei pouted. “Why not? Am I not pretty or rich enough?”

Yun Wuxin raised an eyebrow. “Not charming enough.”