0p0 Chapter 468 Rushing
Chapter 468 Rushing
"嗻～"
"Chirp~chir~"
In the desolate desert, two birdsongs mingled. Looking around, a large white bird and a smaller black bird were circling in the sky, sometimes changing positions, sometimes overlapping each other.
Maoqiu and Kele were keeping watch and scouting the area ahead for the team. As kings of the sky, as long as they don't encounter a bug like the Daqingshan Mountains, their built-in positioning system allows them to soar freely even in the boundless desert.
Of course, this is on the premise that there is enough food and water, otherwise it is easy to become a dried bird.
The oasis is covered with green plants, and the branches are now full of evenly cut strips of meat that have been marinated. This is Lezhi's attempt to make cured meat.
The harvest was so plentiful that manually drying everything would be too much work, so they opted to use a two-pronged approach, air-drying a portion of the produce.
Anyway, the desert is dry enough, and Lezhi has cheat codes.
The summoned whirlwind playfully twirled over Lezhi's hair, blowing a few strands and trying to attract his attention.
While talking to Snow, Lezhi simply waved his hand, signaling Fengjuan to get down to business and play later.
The modified Illusionary Vine on his wrist was in full bloom. Snow had successfully arrived at the Dream Clan as planned, and as soon as he settled in, he contacted Lezhi and the others to inquire about the situation.
He was pleased to learn that they hadn't missed the oasis for two consecutive days. "So you're planning to stay another day? Is there a lot of meat?"
It's no wonder Snow was puzzled. Lezhi only told him that there were insects attacking and they were shot down, but he didn't say that there were thousands of insects attacking.
Pretending to ponder, Yuezhi looked around at the densely covered branches, while Feng Juan diligently moved through the oasis as instructed, doing his best to speed up the loss of moisture from the cured meat.
If you don't look closely, you might really think that the meat is growing from a tree.
Too much of it is too much for the eyes.
"There's a lot, but I'll definitely be able to finish it today." After all, he has cheat codes.
“Well, the meat of the giant tooth worm tastes very good, but they only live in the Sunlit Plains and are rarely seen outside. This time, we can consider it a blessing in disguise.” Snow’s tone was wistful, clearly missing the taste.
Lezhi, who had already eagerly eaten a meal, nodded in agreement.
"It's very delicious. Anyway, we had a great haul this time. The cured meat can be stored for a long time once it's made. I'll bring it to you next time I pick up another order."
"Thank you in advance, but don't insist. If there's not enough food later, you don't have to save any for me."
Upon hearing this, Lezhi hesitated for a moment, then looked up at the sky and silently calculated his appetite. "It should... be enough!"
This attitude made Snow even more certain that their gains this time were not as great as Lezhi had claimed.
"Anyway, don't push yourself. Take care of yourself on the road. And say hello to Lei Xiu, Mao Qiu, and Ke Le for me."
The call was just to let everyone know and to confirm that everyone was doing well. Snow was about to hang up, as he had a lot of things to do. Lezhi agreed twice and then hung up.
Just then, Maoqiu and Kele, who had gone out for some fresh air, returned, and Lezhi began to wave from afar.
Lei Xiu, who was in charge of roasting and stir-frying the jerky by the lake, also noticed the commotion in the distance. After checking the time, he decided to have lunch first before continuing.
"Are you ready?"
"Chirp chirp~" "Chirp gurgle~" "Croak~"
Bathed in the morning sunlight and gentle breeze, the group had a quick breakfast and then prepared to set off.
Because they had an extra day of rest yesterday, everyone was in great shape, especially Jelly Frog and Leaf Bug. They had been soaking in the pool for two whole days, and their skin was so moist and smooth it looked like it was dripping with water. They didn't look like they were in the desert at all.
That's why Jelly Frog, who is usually quiet, started answering every question from Mooball and Cola after Lezhi asked him, which shows how happy he was.
"Let's go!" Lei Xiu, who was also bundled up tightly, reached out and adjusted the scarf on Le Zhi's body before taking off into the air.
The scarf was prepared in advance by Snow. The fabric is breathable and can block the sun without making people feel too stuffy. Most importantly, it can block the wind and sand.
For the first two days, Lezhi refused to wear it because he thought it was too much trouble. He wasn't afraid of the sun; even the strongest sunlight was nothing to him. He wasn't afraid of lava, so what was sunlight?
Until the wind and sand filled my mouth.
Even though he had tried to create a protective layer around himself with the wind, there were always times when he couldn't cover everything. In the desert, yellow sand filled the air everywhere, and if you weren't careful, you would get a mouthful of it.
After persisting for a few days, I found out—the scarf is really nice.
Indeed, practice makes perfect.
With a two-pronged approach, Lezhi finally got on a smoother path.
But when it comes to comfort, nothing beats the leaf beetle and jelly frog enveloped in water bubbles.
Fortunately, both of them were quite perceptive. The leaf beetle would occasionally sway its body to amuse everyone. The jelly frog, on the other hand, remained as quiet as a chicken, pretending not to exist and never showing off.
It barely managed to save its life under the watchful eyes of the fury ball.
The day's itinerary went smoothly, and apart from the unavoidable harsh environment, no unexpected incidents occurred.
Meanwhile, in the Fiery Plains, diagonally opposite them and far away, the group with golden wings suffered a series of misfortunes.
Occasional insect attacks are minor issues; tornadoes are the real threat.
"Quick, hide, don't get separated."
"My mother tree..."
"Lieyu, come here quickly, don't just stand there, are you stupid?"
"........."
"Whoosh...whoosh..."
The strong wind swept up huge amounts of sand and dust, filling the entire area with yellow sand. The wind made it impossible to open one's eyes, and even if one managed to open them, all one could see was the endless yellow sand.
For an ordinary person, this would undoubtedly be a fatal disaster, but this group of people were very experienced.
The leader made a decisive decision: after foreseeing the intensity of the storm and the inability to avoid it, he immediately chose to find a place to hide on the spot.
If the hiding place they found was too small, they dug it larger by hand until all the team members were stuffed inside. The person called the captain spread his arms out on the outermost side, with his wings spread outwards.
He actually used his body to shield his people.
But he alone was clearly not enough. Upon seeing this, the team member who had reported to him earlier immediately stepped forward, saying, "Captain, I'll come too."
As he spoke, he imitated the man's posture, and the two men clasped hands, their wings overlapping to instantly seal the gap completely.
Together they created a sanctuary for their people.
Outside, the wind and sand howled, and inside the shelter, only the sound of breathing filled the air. Everyone looked at each other in silence. Most people had become accustomed to this situation, except for the newly joined team members who were somewhat apprehensive.
Seeing the veteran team members huddled together in twos and threes, some on guard, some with their eyes closed as if dozing, Lieyu opened and closed his mouth, wanting to ask something, but not knowing where to begin.
"Alright, stop standing there and get some rest. If the storm doesn't pass for a long time, we'll have to take turns with the captain and the others. Use this time to conserve your energy, understand?"
He nodded blankly, his wildly beating heart gradually calming down.
The atmosphere is contagious.
When everyone is calm and composed, individuals are naturally influenced, and a sense of security arises from this.
The days in the desert are always long, and the sun seems to be forever fixed overhead, so intense that it gives one the illusion that it is always noon.
But in reality, time never stops for anything. When the wind dances and brings the scent of plants, Lezhi knows they are not far from the next oasis.
The fur ball, which had been sleeping on his head all day, woke up at the right time. As soon as it opened its eyes, it saw the green lawn that was beginning to take shape in the distance.
"You're awake! Perfect timing, we've arrived. Hopefully, there's a water source."
"Ah~"
Having already enjoyed soaking in the exclusive pool, Jelly Frog was the first to respond.
However, as they got closer and the entire oasis came into view, everyone was disappointed. Was it just another oasis without water?