"I disagree with equal distribution." Wild Boar's tone was firm.
"Wild Boar, what's the meaning of this?" Cao Gang frowned at him. There was nothing to disagree about—this was how they had always split rewards.
"I know the team has its rules, but I think this time is different." Wild Boar held Cao Gang's gaze without flinching.
"How is it different? Speak clearly." Cao Gang's frown deepened. He hated having his authority challenged.
"Going on a mission is like going to war—life and death are up to fate. If you die, you can only blame bad luck, not anyone else. But did Monkey and Hound die from bad luck? I don't think so. They were killed by one of our own." Wild Boar's sharp eyes turned to Wang Xiaoxin. "If you hadn't been so self-righteous, they'd still be alive. You had to play the good Samaritan, got our own people killed. Are you happy now?"
"I didn't mean to. I only wanted to save people. I never wanted anyone dead." Wang Xiaoxin had been blaming herself all along. She knew she was at fault. But being directly accused like this overwhelmed her with grief, and tears welled up involuntarily.
"Wild Boar, watch your mouth. Xiaoxin is part of our team. No one wanted our teammates to die. This was an accident. None of us wanted today to happen, but it did. Digging up blame won't bring them back." Cao Gang did not hesitate to defend his girlfriend.
"So you're saying whoever made the mistake doesn't have to take any responsibility? It just gets swept under the rug? Then Monkey and Hound died for nothing?" Wild Boar snapped.
"That's not what I mean. They're gone. Those of us who are alive have to stay strong. We can't let this cause even bigger trouble." Cao Gang explained.
"But they shouldn't have died. Someone murdered them." Wild Boar shouted.
"Wild Boar, I understand how you feel. I'm heartbroken over Monkey and Hound too. But the dead can't come back. All we can do is learn from this and not make the same mistake again." Cao Gang knew Wang Xiaoxin was in the wrong, but she was his girlfriend—who else would he stand up for?
"That sounds nice, but a mistake is a mistake. There has to be some kind of punishment." Wild Boar sneered.
"What exactly are you trying to do?" Cao Gang was starting to lose his temper. Team members died all the time. Unless it was intentional murder, no one had ever been held accountable like this.
"I think Wang Xiaoxin is mainly responsible for Monkey and Hound's deaths. She shouldn't get a share in this distribution, and she should pay extra compensation to their families." Wild Boar said.
"Wild Boar, get this straight. The decision to save those people was agreed on by everyone. You agreed too. This wasn't Xiaoxin acting alone." Cao Gang said, displeased.
"Agreed?" Wild Boar let out a cold laugh. "Ask Night Owl. Ask Haozi. Did they really agree?"
"I really don't understand you. We've already lost two members. Do you want to tear the whole team apart? We've been friends for years. It's not worth it over money." Cao Gang was not stupid enough to actually ask Li Juxu and Haozi. He had seen the reluctance on their faces. All he could do was appeal to their bond.
"I'm fighting for justice for our dead brothers. Otherwise, I might be next. Night Owl, Haozi—what do you think? Should Wang Xiaoxin get a share? Should she compensate Monkey and Hound?" Wild Boar was furious, but he had not lost his mind. To go against the team leader, he needed the others on his side.
Haozi was short and timid, rarely speaking on ordinary days. But he had nimble hands and was good at repairing guns. Whenever anyone's weapon broke or needed tuning, they came to him, saving the team a lot of money. Suddenly called out by Wild Boar, he glanced at the grim-faced Cao Gang, then at the furious Wild Boar, and froze, not knowing what to say.
Li Juxu was cold and quiet, rarely voicing opinions in the team, keeping a loose relationship with everyone. While Wild Boar and Cao Gang argued, he held his newly acquired sniper rifle, carefully wiping it down.
The rifle was made by Skyworks Corporation, model Burster-002B. Fine craftsmanship was secondary—what mattered was its overwhelming performance, at least one grade above his main rifle. With this new heavy sniper, his original one became a backup, and his old backup became a secondary backup.
Most people would have sold the secondary backup for cash, but not Li Juxu. He always kept a way out.
No one could guarantee how long he would hold onto the Burster-002B. It was a blessing if he never needed the backup. But if the day came when he did and had none, that would be true despair.
Sniper rifles demanded high skill from their users, unlike handguns or submachine guns, which were easy to trade. A used sniper usually sold for only half its original price. If he sold it, buying it back would cost far too much.
As Li Juxu polished the Burster-002B, he was not just maintaining it—he was bonding with it. He wanted to master it as quickly as he could, to make it as responsive as his own fingers. Only then could he unleash its full power on the battlefield.
When he felt everyone's eyes on him, he paused for a moment, did not look up, and continued wiping the rifle. His calm voice cut through the argument:
"Sister Wang, what do you think is a fair way to split this? Should Monkey and Hound receive compensation?"
Wang Xiaoxin was older than him. She had no nickname, and calling her by name directly felt rude. Li Juxu usually addressed her as Sister Wang.
Haozi secretly cheered. Why hadn't he thought of such a clever move? Throwing the question to Wang Xiaoxin meant offending neither Wild Boar nor Cao Gang, yet still resolving the issue. Wang Xiaoxin had no choice but to agree with Wild Boar. No matter how she really felt, she had to take responsibility for her mistake. Otherwise, she would lose all respect and trust in the team from that day on.
Sure enough, Wang Xiaoxin's face shifted several times before she finally spoke:
"I think Wild Boar is right. I never meant for Monkey and Hound to die, but they died because I insisted on saving others. I don't deserve this money—it would burn my hands. Captain, please don't follow the usual rules this time. Exclude me from the share. And I want to say this: even if Wild Boar hadn't said anything, I would have given all my money to compensate Monkey and Hound's families."
Once she said that, Cao Gang could no longer insist. The argument ended there.
With one less person splitting the money, Li Juxu and the others would each receive an extra 160,000 copper coins.