Yun Luohe quickly picked up the supplies on the ground and stuffed them into her backpack.[Desert Fragment: Collect 50 fragments to unlock a hidden spring. Collect 200 to unlock oasis coordinates.][Rat Hide: High-grade leather material, can be used to craft sunproof and waterproof clothing.]Desert fragments actually had considerable value.Since killing desert rats dropped fragments, then hunting other desert creatures likely had a chance of dropping them too.If they pooled all the fragments the team gathered, they might be able to unlock the spring and oasis coordinates faster.Yun Luohe took a screenshot of the Desert Fragment info and sent it to the group chat, telling them to kill as many desert rats as possible if they saw any.Her throat still burned painfully. Even though she had drunk a throat-soothing drink, that burning, knife-scraping sensation hadn’t completely faded.Everyone in the group chat replied. Judging from the map, the glowing dots representing her teammates were also moving, heading toward the designated meeting point.After a short break, Yun Luohe resumed her climb toward the top of the sand dune.After some effort, she finally reached the summit. Standing atop the dune, she scanned the endless yellow sands that stretched in all directions. In the distance, however, she spotted a dark shadow—it looked like a forest.Yun Luohe’s heart lifted slightly. She thought to herself, That must be an oasis. There must be plenty of resources there.She slid down the other side of the dune and picked up her pace, heading toward the shadow. As she walked, the sand beneath her feet began to feel strange. She instantly sensed danger—she had likely entered a quicksand zone.Luckily, she reacted quickly and stopped moving. Instead, she immediately let herself fall backward.This increased her surface area, reducing the rate she sank.At that moment, every movement she made caused her to sink further, and her legs were already stuck. She could only lie flat slowly, then spread her arms and try to roll to the side—but unexpectedly, the quicksand area expanded.She rolled right into another patch of quicksand.Yun Luohe’s expression turned grim.If someone were here to help, she could’ve gotten out quickly. But she was alone, and there weren’t any plants around she could grab onto. She had no choice but to quickly summon Yúntūn from her pet pouch.The situation was urgent. The moment she saw Yúntūn, Yun Luohe shouted, “Yúntūn, run a little farther away first! Then quickly use your silk to pull me out!”She was afraid Yúntūn would also get caught in the quicksand. Its body was light, so as long as it moved away immediately, it would be fine.Thanks to Yun Luohe’s emergency treatment last time, Yúntūn had recovered. Its mental power hadn’t fully returned, but it had no problem using skills.Upon hearing her command, it immediately spat out silk, leapt to a safe distance, then wrapped Yun Luohe up with the silk and swiftly reeled her in.She was pulled out of the quicksand in no time.Yúntūn: “Hehe, Hehe, are you okay?”Yúntūn hadn’t fully recovered, and the lingering side effects made its voice slightly robotic, still emitting faint buzzing sounds.Yun Luohe suspected it was because the mechanical core in its body hadn’t fully broken down yet.It would probably recover on its own in time.Yun Luohe: “I’m fine. Thank you, my Yúntūn baby. Good thing you were here. But it’s way too hot out here. Do you want to go back inside for now?”The desert temperature was ridiculously high. If you left an egg on the sand, it would be cooked instantly—leave it a few seconds longer, and it would burn.Without her sunproof gear, Yun Luohe wouldn’t have been able to stay outside at all.But Yúntūn’s body was incredibly strong now, especially after mechanicalization—it barely registered heat. Hot or cold, it didn’t really matter to it.So Yúntūn softly replied, “No! I want to stay with Hehe! I’m not hot at all!”Yun Luohe chuckled. “Alright. Then stay in my hood.”There was a hood attached to the back of her outfit—just the right size for Yúntūn to curl up in.“Mm~!” Yúntūn let out a happy sound.Yun Luohe had thought about letting Roubao out too, but knowing how much it hated the heat, she gave up on the idea.It looked like for the next few days, Roubao would be better off staying at the reef base. The desert was far too hot, and between quicksand and sandstorms, Roubao definitely wouldn’t be able to handle it.Besides, there were still a lot of things to do back home. It would actually be more helpful there.—Yun Luohe brushed off some of the sand stuck to her body. She left the sand that got into her clothes alone—there was no way to take off her sunproof gear, or she’d get sunburned in minutes.She had also burned through most of her stamina. With sand swirling all around, it wasn’t a good time to eat a full meal, so she pulled out a compressed energy bar and a piece of chocolate.Once she’d eaten both, her stamina bar instantly filled up.The others seemed to be having an easier time than she was.Qin Sisi was in an area with plenty of cacti. Not only did they provide some shade, but their stems also held water.Qin Sisi took out a small knife and carefully sliced open the stem of a cactus. Clear liquid immediately began to flow out. She quickly pulled out a container and collected the juice. It was a bit bitter, but in this dry, scorching desert, it was practically a gift from heaven.After collecting the cactus juice, Qin Sisi continued on.She kept an eye on her surroundings, hoping to find—suddenly, she spotted a grove of Euphrates poplars.Their trunks were thick, and their branches formed dense canopies, offering patches of shade.Qin Sisi felt a rush of joy. She knew that the bark of these trees could be used as medicine, and their—Yang Mian discovered a patch of thornberry shrubs. Their fruit was sweet and tart, rich in vitamins—an uncommon delicacy in the desert.He picked some and planned to take them back to make into food—whether jam or a cooked dish, they’d be good either way.Cheng Xuening, on the other hand, came across a large patch of saltbush trees. The roots of saltbush could be used to extract a rare spice that had energizing, mind-clearing effects.She pulled out her tools and harvested over a hundred roots before stopping.Yun Luohe hadn’t seen much along her path, but because she didn’t waste time, she was actually the fastest of the group.Plus, she had Yúntūn’s help.When she hit hard-to-traverse terrain, Yúntūn would leap ahead and pull her upward with its silk.Just then, Yun Luohe noticed a call for help in the group chat.Qin Sisi had also run into quicksand—and she wasn’t far from Yun Luohe’s location.Yun Luohe immediately headed in her direction.Qin Sisi had already been stuck in the quicksand for a while. She didn’t dare move, was growing increasingly panicked, and had tried all sorts of methods to escape—but the quicksand pit was too wide. No matter what she did, she couldn’t get out.She was starting to regret coming to the desert. If she got buried alive by quicksand, what would happen to her child, all alone back at the reef?The thought of her child reignited her will to survive. She began trying to climb out using various tools from her backpack.About ten meters away, she saw several desert willows. She pulled out a rope, tied a knot, and tried throwing it toward one of the trees. If she could loop it over a branch, she could pull herself out.But she didn’t have the strength to throw hard enough. Her body was out of control, sinking deeper and deeper into the sand.Even though Yun Luohe had promised she was on her way…In the desert, the terrain was complex. There were all kinds of potential dangers. Qin Sisi couldn’t be sure Yun Luohe would really make it in time.That was why she kept trying to save herself.But now, the quicksand had already risen past her chest, and she was finally starting to lose hope.She opened the group chat—and saw a message from Yun Luohe.“I’m almost there. Don’t move. I’ll be there in a few minutes.”—Yun Luohe appeared over a distant dune. Though she moved slowly through the sand, the moment Qin Sisi saw her, her emotions surged like a roller coaster—Soaring straight up from the pit.Yun Luohe held a long rope in her hand. When she reached the edge of the quicksand, she tied one end of the rope securely around her waist, then threw the other end toward Qin Sisi, and had Yúntūn shoot out some silk to assist as well.Qin Sisi had sunk too deep, and Yun Luohe worried that relying on Yúntūn alone wouldn’t be enough to pull her out in time.The sand was scorching. The longer they delayed, the more harm it could cause to Qin Sisi.“Grab the rope!” Yun Luohe shouted.Qin Sisi reached out and caught it. Yun Luohe pulled hard, but the quicksand was like an invisible giant hand—it refused to let go, pulling back against her with constant force.The rope was close to snapping. In the end, it was only by binding Qin Sisi with Yúntūn’s silk that Yun Luohe, after tremendous effort, managed to haul her out of the quicksand.“Thank you,” Qin Sisi panted. “If not for you, I probably wouldn’t have made it.”She was sincerely grateful. Always resilient, Qin Sisi finally revealed a vulnerable side in that moment.She couldn’t even begin to imagine her child back at the reef becoming an orphan, having to survive alone.Fortunately, Yun Luohe had come to save her.Qin Sisi climbed up and instinctively reached for a token of gratitude.After all, a life-saving favor couldn’t go unacknowledged. She pulled out a bunch of items from her backpack.“No need for that. It’s only right,” Yun Luohe said, waving it off. “We’re teammates—it’s only natural to help. Just hurry and eat something to recover.”Qin Sisi had been stuck in the sand for quite a while. Her stamina was probably completely drained, and she needed to replenish her fluids fast, or she’d risk heatstroke.“I’m giving this anyway.” Qin Sisi pulled out two bottles of Tracking Potion and fifty pieces of Obsidian.She hadn’t brought much with her into the desert this time.The Tracking Potion was something she made herself. It could be used to track prey—or locate lost items or people.It was an extremely useful item.She only had two bottles total—and gave them both to Yun Luohe. The ingredients were difficult to obtain. To make more, she’d have to return to Strawberry Island and search for the mysterious strawberry plant.“Take them.”Qin Sisi directly sent a trade request to Yun Luohe.Yun Luohe checked the Tracking Potion info. It was indeed excellent.She accepted one bottle, but declined the Obsidian.After all, when she came to rescue Qin Sisi, she never expected anything in return.In other words, if she were ever in danger, the others would do the same for her.After resting a while, the two of them resumed heading toward the rendezvous point.They had already spent over three hours in the desert.Today’s goal was to regroup—so the next time they entered the desert, they could appear together.The first desert entry point was randomized, but afterward, re-entry would return them to the last exit location.When they finally arrived at the rendezvous point, they found that Yang Mian and Cheng Xuening were already waiting.Mu Zitang hadn’t arrived yet. He’d run into a small sandstorm and gotten stuck—but he said he’d be able to break free soon and told them not to worry, to wait for him at the rendezvous point.Seeing Mu Zitang so confident, Yun Luohe didn’t go looking for him.She decided to first find a suitable place nearby to set up a temporary camp.There was a reason she chose this location for the rendezvous.It wasn’t just because it was the midpoint for everyone, making travel easier—it was also because this part of the desert was relatively flat, making it suitable for a temporary ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ stopover.“I’ll scout out a safe spot and set up a temporary base first, then look for resources.”Everyone agreed and began searching the area for a good spot to camp.After a while, they found a relatively flat patch of sand in a wind-sheltered location.At that moment, Mu Zitang finally arrived.He joined the group and immediately began helping with camp setup.Mu Zitang pulled out a birdcage filled with fragments of Ice Crystal Stones, which helped regulate the temperature inside.He had brought the Nightingale as well.Seeing so many people, the Nightingale was overjoyed and began to sing.Since forming a contract with Mu Zitang, the Nightingale had been singing melodies he loved—gentle and lilting, like a soft breeze blowing over him, bringing waves of cool relief.The Nightingale had also gained a new skill—[Serene Uplift].Listening to her song for half an hour could remove 30% of the party’s negative statuses.When paired with Mu Zitang, it even triggered his [Bloodthirst] trait.But since they had only recently formed their contract, there was still a lot of room for improvement.Yun Luohe and the others formed a perimeter of stones and sandbags for defense, then set up tents inside.They used sunproof materials that Yun Luohe had brought along, so now they had a somewhat comfortable spot to rest.And the next time they entered, they wouldn’t have to face as much danger.The purpose of this meetup was mainly to discuss team planning.Yun Luohe, Mu Zitang, and Qin Sisi already knew each other. Cheng Xuening was her friend. The only relatively unfamiliar face was Yang Mian.Yang Mian had a close-cropped haircut and looked very capable.Mu Zitang looked a bit rougher than before—he used to have that soft, refined look, but now he looked worn out, clearly having gone through a lot.Yun Luohe and Cheng Xuening hadn’t seen each other in a while, so they sat next to each other and chatted.But they mostly talked about survival and construction at the reef—just a few words of small talk.Cheng Xuening suggested, “How many Desert Fragments do you guys have? Should we pool them together?”Mu Zitang said, “I’ve got five. Give them to the captain.”There was no question who the captain was—it was Yun Luohe.Everyone had no objections and took out their Desert Fragments, handing them over to Yun Luohe for safekeeping.Altogether, she now had 28 fragments.Cheng Xuening asked, “What did you get from today’s login reward? I got a Freshwater Capsule.”“I got an *Oasis Fragment,” Qin Sisi said, pulling a green puzzle piece out of her backpack. “Looks like when you finish assembling them, you get a map of the oasis.”“High luck sure is nice. I got a Magnetite. What about you, Yun-jie?”Mu Zitang didn’t try to compare—he just asked Yun Luohe, knowing her luck stat wasn’t much better than his.Yun Luohe smiled. “Same.”“We’ve still got some daylight left. Not much time, but I’m thinking of going out to scavenge some more,” Mu Zitang proposed.Yun Luohe said, “Sounds good. Even if it’s just thirty minutes, with five of us together, we might be able to kill quite a few desert rats.”Everyone got up.Yun Luohe said, “Let’s go find resources. Next time we log in, meet back here.”Before long, they saw a dense, dark patch of Euphrates poplar trees in the distance.The broad canopies offered excellent shade.But the terrain in that direction looked rugged, and it was far away—it would take a long time to reach.So they definitely wouldn’t be going there today.Yun Luohe activated her [Scanning Eye] to locate desert rats.But instead of rats, she detected tens of thousands of sandworms writhing beneath the surface—an overwhelming mass shifting just under the sand.Her heart jumped. She quickly warned the others not to move forward.Just then, a strange sound echoed from the sand ahead.It grew louder and louder—like some massive creature was approaching.But Yun Luohe knew—it wasn’t a single giant beast. It was the collective sound of a massive swarm of sandworms.Everyone drew their weapons, gripping them tightly and staying alert, bracing for the danger to come.Yun Luohe explained what she saw.“There’s a huge swarm of worms under the sand ahead—so many we couldn’t kill them all even if we tried.”“Should we just burn them?”“With this heat, starting a fire would affect us too—we’d get heatstroke for sure.”Moments later, they saw the first wave of sandworms emerge from the sand.Each one was over ten centimeters long, with thick bodies covered in sharp spines.

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