Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
Lu Chen saw Princess Zhulan and could only smile bitterly, pretending not to notice her.
The journey ahead was relatively calm, with the only disturbance being the occasional disapproving glance from Princess Zhulan. They did not encounter any significant crises, such as a Desert Storm or a surprise attack from wild beasts.
Although Princess Zhulan could be temperamental, she was still a princess with an indomitable will, cultivated demeanor, and a sense of propriety. She would not overstep her boundaries or act foolishly.
Lu Chen was quite confident in her character. Aside from her abilities being somewhat inferior to those of the Crimson Lotus Princess, her broad-mindedness was comparable, as she understood the importance of the bigger picture.
If it were someone like Korean Princess Chu Yuzhu, there would have likely been some kind of uproar by now, making things far more troublesome.
The situation remained stable for about nine days. Due to the absence of a Guide, they took some detours, which delayed their progress.
Since departing from Tebalzuo Town, nearly half a month had passed without any sign of hope; the desert stretched endlessly before them, hazy and indistinct with no visible end.
As half a month went by, the annual Summer Heat began.
While there were no issues among the group, the climate seemed to change. Around the fourth or fifth day, it became cold in the desert; the further they traveled, the colder it became.
Even during the bright daylight hours, it felt chilly, reminiscent of winter in Central Plains. If one wasn't careful, they could easily experience chills.
Upon encountering this situation, everyone understood that they must be nearing the end of the desert since they were approaching the Gobi Desert.
The Gobi Desert was perpetually frozen and snow-covered; only during the annual Summer Heat did conditions improve slightly. The ice that had been frozen to the ground would melt somewhat, revealing the desolate Great Gobi.
Lu Chen and his companions aimed to enter the Gobi Desert during the Three Hottest Days and successfully leave before Summer Heat ended. Otherwise, even if they could safely retreat, they would not be able to take any Treasure with them.
This cold atmosphere persisted until just before dark on the fifteenth day. As everyone prepared to find a place to set up camp and rest, they unexpectedly noticed some greenery around them—grass and dry branches. Additionally, small ice pellets appeared on the ground.
Seeing this situation, everyone was delighted, knowing that they had reached the edge of the desert and were not far from the Gobi Desert.
The Camel Driver chose a sand hollow as the campsite, unloaded supplies, and began to set up tents.
Now, Yue Shaoting and his group’s tent seemed to be inexplicably getting closer to Lu Chen and the others, no longer deliberately keeping their distance as before.
As night fell, Lu Chen and his companions sat in front of the campfire, heating barley cakes and dried meat over the flames, enjoying their meal. Even Clear Water heated up some before drinking, filling his mouth with warmth that was indescribably delightful.
However, over at Yue Shaoting's side, it was cold and desolate; they only had a pile of firewood and did not take out any rations to eat.
They had underestimated the vastness of the Great Desert and its disorienting power; traveling through it was indeed a painful experience.
Yue Shaoting's group had long consumed all their rations, leaving only a meager amount of water in their sleeping bags. At this moment, they could only sit in front of the fire in a daze.
Moreover, even the water they brought was running low. If they hadn't been careful about drinking along the way, their water bags would have been empty by now.
Although Yue Shaoting's tent was now closer to Lu Chen's group, it did not mean that their barriers had diminished. Especially for Princess Zhulan, the leader of their group, who did not welcome them at all; thus, the atmosphere remained quite indifferent and somewhat mocking.
After a while, Lu Chen whispered a few words to Old Mu. Old Mu looked over at Yue Shaoting's side, nodding occasionally in agreement.
Then Old Mu walked over to where Lu Chen's group stored their rations, took a bag of dried meat and barley cakes, walked near Yue Shaoting's group, set it down without saying a word, and left.
Yue Shaoting tossed her long hair lightly and glanced at Lu Chen's side. The latter sat silently in front of the fire without moving at all; he didn't even make an effort to eat, which was quite strange.
In contrast, Princess Zhulan, not far from Lu Chen, glared angrily at him upon witnessing this scene. Her demeanor suggested she was on the verge of standing up to give him a good beating.
The rations that Lu Chen's group carried were sufficient. During their journey, part of the rations had been allocated for Lu Chen; however, he had never eaten any of it and had only drunk Clear Water along the way. Therefore, his share remained untouched.
There was also the Guide, who had long since died, so the tents and rations were saved. Now the surplus food was put to use.
Of course, no one felt relieved about the Guide's death; no one wished for such a thing to happen. Although the Guide was cunning and seemed insincere, he was still a person with family above and below.
He had died, but his wages would still be paid. Once they returned to Tebalzuo Town, someone would naturally handle the compensation and transfer what he deserved to his family.
When Old Mu brought the dry rations, Yue Shaoting didn't need to guess; she knew it was definitely Lu Chen's intention. Because aside from Lu Chen, no one else treated her well enough to offer tents and food.
Yue Shaoting lowered her head and sat silently in front of the fire. After a moment, she pressed her lips together and handed the dry rations to the Shark-Slaying Eight Guards. Even if she could hold back from eating, the Shark-Slaying Eight Guards still needed to eat.
Especially Qi Master, whose consumption was enormous—almost twice that of an ordinary person. If they went too long without energy supply, their flesh would quickly collapse, ultimately leading to exhaustion and death.
Now that there was food supply, Yue Shaoting felt an inexplicable sense of comfort in her heart, yet she couldn't bring herself to smile.
A calm night passed.
The next morning, it was still very cold. Everyone woke from their sleep and continued their journey.
As they got closer to the edge of the Great Desert, the temperature dropped even further. In two hours, it would be the hottest time of the year; however, judging by the current trend, it seemed like it wouldn't snow.
Sure enough, at noon on the second day, they completely exited the desert.
Riding on Camels, they could see hills rising two or three miles away.
Those hills were bright yellow and rugged, with strange shapes—some protruding while others were recessed.
After about half an hour, they officially stepped onto the Gobi Desert. Compared to the desert, the Gobi Desert had very little sand; there was only a thin layer at most, with towering Stone Mountains being more prevalent.
Indeed, it is Stone Mountain, surrounded by hard rocks and deep ravines. In some places, there are massive cracks several feet wide that stretch endlessly.
Taking a few steps forward, one can see the bottom of the crack, an abyss filled with endless darkness. No one knows if there are monsters dwelling below.
The Gobi Desert is even more desolate and colder than other deserts.
In the distance, a layer of fine white snow can be seen sprinkled over the hard stones, shining silver under the Golden Sunlight, creating a beautiful sight.
The location where Lu Chen and the others are now is at the edge of the desert, marking the beginning of the Gobi Desert. This is why they can see the white snow, and as they venture deeper, the snow will become more abundant. It’s even possible that somewhere ahead, heavy snow is falling.
According to the timeline, today marks the beginning of the Three Hottest Days, meaning that the white snow in the Gobi Desert is starting to melt and will accelerate from tomorrow onward.
At this moment, led by Lu Chen, twenty-seven camels have stopped in front of the Gobi Desert, each carrying a rider.
Yue Shaoting also has a group of camels because Lian Dashuang was called by Lu Chen to sit with Old Mu, which allowed her to have her share.
Everyone has halted and is not advancing any further.
The bells on the camels occasionally ring out with a crisp sound that is quite pleasant. The tall White Dragon Camels raise their proud heads to look around, their large eyes scanning their surroundings while their white fur occasionally shakes.
“We’ve already stepped out of the edge of the desert ahead of time. What do you think? Should we continue deeper? Tomorrow marks the Three Hottest Days, and the snow is melting.”
Princess Zhulan urged her sitting camel closer to Lu Chen and then slowly asked. Her gaze remained fixed on Stone Mountain in the Gobi Desert and the glistening white snow.
Lu Chen took a deep breath and gazed at the picturesque Gobi Desert before him. A sense of desolation filled his heart, reminiscent of this environment.
“The timing seems right; it’s just perfect. However, I think we should wait a bit longer. There’s no rush at this moment. Look at that white snow covering the ground; if we’re not careful, we could easily fall into quicksand. It’s very dangerous,” Lu Chen analyzed.
The Gobi Desert is filled with hollows, covered by a thin layer of sand and white snow.
When the Three Hottest Days arrive, the white snow will partially melt, seeping into the sand and revealing the true nature of those hollows.
Otherwise, if one is not careful and steps on them, they could form Quicksand Pits that would suck a person in, which is terrifying.
Even a Qi Master would have little chance of survival in such circumstances.
The situation is extremely urgent, as they have been pursued for a long time. If they enter the Gobi Desert now, they might gain some advantage, but the danger is equally great.
One cannot catch a tiger cub without entering the tiger's den, but one must also be prepared to pay the price.
Princess Zhulan nodded; she understood the danger and just wanted to seek others' opinions. However, overall, human life is at stake, and safety is still the most important thing.
At this moment, Princess Zhulan did not express her disdain for Yue Shaoting much; it was clear that she truly understood the bigger picture.
As everyone stood before the Gobi Desert, gazing at its beautiful yet slightly terrifying scenery, a situation arose on the path they had come from.
Comment 0 Comment Count