Chapter 534 Desert Caravan
In the desert,
In this seemingly endless desert, the sky is as brilliant and blazing as molten gold. The sun hangs high, pouring down scorching sunlight mercilessly, baking the rolling sand dunes hot, as if even the air is burning, with waves of twisted heat waves.
This is the most harsh and primitive display of nature. Every grain of sand carries the temperature of the scorching sun, so hot that people dare not touch it easily.
In this vast land scorched by the scorching sun, a caravan stretching hundreds of meters long is slowly passing through the sand dunes, adding a different color to this desert.
"Dingling~"
The sound of camel bells rang out, and the crisp sound echoed over the desert.
The camels, known as the "ships of the desert", carry all the hopes and trusts of the caravan, and their steady steps leave deep marks on the soft sand. On both sides of the camels, there are all kinds of luggage and goods hanging, shaking gently as they move, making dull and rhythmic sounds.
Accompanied by the sound of camel bells, this is the song of travelers, and also the expectation and yearning for the other side of the desert.
The caravan guys followed closely on both sides of the camel team, their faces carved out firm lines by the wind and sand.
To survive in this extremely harsh environment, merchants cannot travel alone. Only by forming a large caravan to help each other can the danger be minimized.
In this extreme environment, every step seems extremely difficult. Their footsteps are deep and shallow, sometimes sinking into the soft sand, and then pulling out with effort, but even so, no one has stopped moving forward.
Sweat slid down their foreheads and was quickly evaporated by the dry air, leaving only traces of salt white, witnessing their tenacity and perseverance.
Occasionally, low conversations and the sound of kettles gently colliding came from the caravan. They were sharing water, encouraging each other, and facing this endless challenge together.
Everyone in the caravan wore white robes. These robes are light and loose, wrapping their bodies tightly from the top of their heads to their ankles, like a layer of flowing clouds, effectively blocking direct sunlight, reducing heat absorption, and allowing them to feel a little cooler in this hot environment.
The shoes on their feet are thicker than usual, and the soles are designed more specially, increasing the contact area with the sand, thereby dispersing the pressure of body weight on the sand, making it easier to walk and reducing the possibility of sinking into the sand.
Such dress is the crystallization of the wisdom and experience of the merchants. They know that in this seemingly calm but dangerous desert, every detail is related to life and death. Therefore, from clothing to equipment, everything reflects their awe of the desert and the wisdom of survival.
The entire caravan silently marched westward in the desert for a long time, and the sun above their heads was gradually setting.
As the sunset gradually sank to the west, a gentle orange-red color appeared on the horizon, covering this barren desert with a soft veil. The caravan continued to move forward, their figures lengthened in the afterglow of the setting sun, leaving a series of firm footprints.
After a while, when the sunset had already fallen to the horizon, the entire caravan slowly stopped under the command of the leader.
The tall sand dunes were like silent guardians resisting the cold wind at night. The guys in the caravan moved quickly and orderly. Tents were built one by one under the shadow of the sand dunes. Thick mats were laid in the tents, allowing the tired bodies who had been running around for a day to rest comfortably.
At the same time, the bonfire was also burning in the center of the temporary camp. A big pot was steadily placed on the bonfire, and hot soup was cooked in it, with fragrance everywhere.
People sat around the bonfire, laughing and talking about interesting things on the journey, discussing tomorrow's itinerary, and the laughter and conversation were intertwined, creating a rare warm atmosphere.
"Duan, go and send Li Si a dinner."
The caravan manager Bryce said to Duan beside him while checking the arrangement of the camp.
The night in the endless desert is much more dangerous than the day.
Most predators hide and rest during the day to avoid the scorching sun, and come out at night.
This is why the caravan still chooses to move forward in the desert under the scorching sun during the day, even though it is cooler at night.
"Uncle Bryce, why do you care so much about that man?"
The speaker Duan is a 15- or 16-year-old boy. He has just grown up, like a sapling sprouting in spring, revealing a youthful vitality and vigor. His skin originally has a bit of the whiteness and tenderness of a child, but under the strong sunlight of the desert for several days, it has been stained with a deep blush.
"It's just a wounded warrior, who seems to be only a few years older than me, at most a silver-level one, right?"
Duan asked Bryce with some doubts.
This time he followed his uncle Bryce's caravan, and Duan, who went out for training for the first time, was curious about everything.
"Just a silver-level warrior?"
Bryce turned his head and looked at Duan, and said with a smile:
"Have you been promoted to silver now?"
"I'm just still young!"
"When I'm about the same age as him, I will definitely be a silver-level assassin!"
Duan's face turned red and he said stubbornly.
"And Uncle Bryce, aren't you a gold-level warrior!"
"Okay, go quickly!"
Bryce shook his head slightly, but didn't say much.
In his opinion, although Duan is a talented kid, his parents take too good care of him and he still lacks experience.
However, this also requires time to accumulate. It will be much better if he travels with the caravan for a while.
Bryce didn't want to explain anything to Duan. In fact, he needs to discover and find answers to many things by himself.
He appeared alone in the desert, seriously injured but not in trouble. How could such a person be a simple person?
Bryce not only agreed to Li Si joining the caravan, but also arranged a camel for him to ride to recover his strength and injuries as soon as possible.
In the special terrain of the desert, carriages and other means of transportation cannot be used at all. Camels are the most important property for the caravan.
Each camel is very valuable. Most camels carry goods and supplies. It is quite rare to spare a camel for Li Si.
Many people in the caravan knew Bryce's arrangement and didn't say much.
Only young people like Duan not only didn't understand what was going on, but also took the initiative to ask Bryce, the manager of the caravan.
A moment later, Duan came to Li Si with a bowl of hot soup.
Potatoes and carrots that are easy to carry and cooked with some special spices, paired with dry bread, are a pretty good dinner when traveling.
Li Si was sitting in a corner of the temporary camp at this moment, leaning against the camel that had already fallen to the ground and chewed grass in its mouth, looking up as if studying the stars in the night sky.
"Mr. Li Si, I brought your dinner."
Duan gently put the food in his hand in front of Li Si and said to Li Si.
Although Duan seemed to be a little dissatisfied with Li Si in front of Bryce just now, he did not express his inner emotions directly in front of Li Si.
He still has this kind of scheming.
Li Si looked down at Duan, nodded slightly and said:
"Thank you for your trouble."
This kind of food can't be compared with Li Si's previous dinner, but Li Si doesn't care, and is even quite interested. This kind of desert-style food is interesting to him.
After waiting for a while, Li Si noticed that Duan did not leave, but squatted quietly in front of him, so he smiled and said:
"Do you have anything else to do?"
"A little bit, Mr. Li Si."
Duan simply sat cross-legged in front of Li Si, supported his head with both hands and looked at Li Si and asked:
"Mr. Li Si, are you a powerful professional?"
"Why do you say that?"
Li Si felt a little curious, so he stood up and stretched his body, and asked Duan.
It has been the third day since he came to this desert.
On the second day, Li Si met this caravan that traveled a long distance in the desert, and also figured out where he was now.
He is now in the center of the western desert, which is also the most desolate place.
The temple of [Azus, the God of Fantasy and Knowledge] is located around the city of Carlisle in the south of the desert.
This caravan crossed the desert to the south, and Li Si joined the caravan halfway.
After stretching the muscles in various parts of his body, three days later, Li Si's physical injuries have almost recovered by half.
This is still affected by the power of space.
Otherwise, as long as he didn't lose his arms or legs, Li Si could recover completely from any serious injury in one day.
But at the same time, Li Si had no way to use magic.
After thinking of many ways but none of them worked, Li Si could only wait for the month to pass.
The good news is that Li Si can now barely use some magic power. Although he still can't build a spell model, he can still use the items in the storage ring.
Just to worry about this situation, Li Si stored a lot of supplies in the storage ring.
If it weren't for the delay of this month, he could find the temple in a complete state and determine his own location.
"Because it's strange that you appear there alone!"
"We have been traveling for so long, and we haven't seen anyone traveling alone except the oasis."
Duke said to Li Si:
"Besides, are you being chased by others, so you are so embarrassed?"
"It can be considered as such."
Li Si nodded and said with a smile:
"I finally escaped from the hands of the legend."
If it weren't for Andrew's last move, he wouldn't be here.
"Liar!"
Duan's eyes widened and he said dissatisfiedly.
In his opinion, Li Si was just fooling him like a child.
Could he still be the legendary crown, who escaped from the hands of the legend, how dare he say such a thing!
On the endless desert, the status of the legendary crown is higher than other places in Fanol Continent.
The city-state with the legendary strongman is the safest place in this land!
"Look, I told you and you don't believe it."
Li Si shook his head and picked up the food in front of him and tasted it slowly.
The dry and hard bread slices soaked in the soup, and the taste after absorbing the soup and softening was quite good.
"Mr. Li Si, can you teach me?"
"I want to become stronger!"
Duke looked at the slow-paced Li Si in front of him. He didn't know why he always felt that although the young man in front of him was not very old, he always gave him a feeling of being a strong man.
He had felt this feeling from the mayor of his hometown, the kind of calmness that was calm and everything was not a problem in front of them.
"Don't you believe me? Why do you want me to teach you?"
"That caravan manager Bryce should have a good relationship with you. He is a gold-level warrior. Why don't you ask him for advice?"
Looking at the immature Duke in front of him, Li Si was a little interested.
"Uncle Bryce values you very much. I think you must be a capable person!"
Duke thought about it and told Li Si the truth.
"Haha, that's it!"
Li Si smiled slightly and did not respond.
There was no plot character with this name in Li Si's memory of his previous life, but he didn't care too much.
To be honest, when he was just reborn in the Gaia world, Li Si was very excited when he met those important NPCs.
Especially when he met the young versions of those future strong men, Li Si had a feeling of wanting to recruit them.
But as Li Si's strength increased, this feeling became weaker and weaker.
After all, he thought that his current strength was stronger than those strong men after they grew up.
Even if it was Taiya and Lisa, Li Si was now confident that he could defeat them.
Li Si was quite confident in breaking through the legend, and now he had set his goal in a more distant place.
For other things, Li Si was more casual.
"Then do you agree?"
Duke waited for a long time, and seeing that Li Si did not respond at all, he could not help but continue to ask.
"Of course, but it depends on your performance. Is it worth my effort?"
Li Si leaned back on the soft body of the camel and said with a smile.
"I'm sure there will be no problem!"
Duke said confidently:
"How do you want to test me?"
Li Si's mouth corners slightly raised, pointing to the desert below.
"You go to Bryce and tell him to pay attention to the sandworms sneaking in from below."
"If you perform well, I will teach you a suitable skill."
"What? Sandworms!"
Duke heard this and stood up immediately.
"Are you kidding?"
"I'm not that free, hurry up, there's not much time left."
After getting a positive reply, Duke did not dare to delay and ran towards Bryce.
When traveling in the desert, there are several creatures that pose the greatest danger to caravans.
Among them, sandworms are the most troublesome.
It is not because they are the strongest, but because sandworms usually sneak under the sand dunes, making it difficult to detect their tracks. Their high concealment ability allows them to suddenly attack and hunt creatures above the sand dunes.
Especially for caravans, these sandworms pose the greatest threat to caravan companions and camels.
