After claiming the treasure chest, the group began collecting fresh water from the spring.They took out the containers they had prepared in advance and filled them with the faintly blue-glowing water.The water seemed to carry the very essence of life, every drop giving off a refreshing breath.[Spring Water (Natural Mineral): Rich in a variety of minerals, pure in quality, with a unique taste. Rapidly replenishes hydration. Special effects when used in cooking.]Just as Yun Luohe had guessed, the water from this spring was no ordinary water.She had specifically made several 10L barrels, filling over a dozen before stopping.The only reason she stopped was because they were in a hurry to reach the oasis—otherwise Yun Luohe could have kept filling for hours.They took a short break, drinking as much of the spring water as they could.If they couldn’t take it all with them, they might as well drink more on the spot.Once their bodies were recovered, they set out toward the oasis.Following the coordinates they had exchanged for, they headed due north.As time passed, the sun grew hotter, the scorching light baking the ground.The sand underfoot became searing.When they were close to the oasis, they ran into a swarm of venomous mosquitoes.There weren’t many of them, but each one was huge, with razor-sharp, piercing mouthparts.Mu Zitang was bitten once, and the skin around the bite immediately swelled red and throbbed with pain.Fortunately, Qin Sisi had prepared some pain-relieving and detoxifying ointment.After applying it, the pain eased a great deal, but Mu Zitang’s leg was still badly swollen.His stamina kept draining—but the injury also triggered his [Bloodthirst] trait, boosting his attack damage even as his stamina dropped.Once bitten, he saw the mosquitoes as a mortal enemy.Turning pain into power, he swatted dozens of the giant venomous pests dead.When killed, they dropped useful materials such as Desert Fragment, grass seeds, and copper ore.The group trudged forward in the oppressive heat.What they thought would take half an hour ended up taking an hour.Sweat streamed endlessly down their foreheads, only to vanish instantly in the dry air.At last, a splash of green appeared ahead.Yun Luohe spotted it first and couldn’t help calling out, “It’s the oasis!”“Are we there?” Cheng Xuening’s voice was numb.She wasn’t as physically strong as the others, but she had kept going without stopping, her head swimming, unwilling to slow the team down.They quickened their pace, rushing toward the «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» oasis.The moment they stepped into it, a rush of fresh, cool air greeted them.The oasis was lush with tall trees, the clear lake shimmering under the sun, rare plants growing in abundance—a sharp contrast to the desert behind them.Mu Zitang let out a long breath. “Finally… I think my feet are about to catch fire.”“Come on, it’s bound to be much cooler inside,” Qin Sisi said.Her face was flushed from the sun, and even her protective gear hadn’t helped much.Towering palm trees stood throughout the oasis, huge fan-shaped leaves spread wide.The palms were highly drought-resistant, forming dense canopies that shaded the oasis like natural parasols—perfect for blocking the sun.The palm leaves would definitely be useful if taken back.But compared to the abundance of other resources here, no one was paying the trees much attention.Along the edges of the oasis, date palms were scattered in clusters.The trees were heavy with orange-red fruit, giving off a sweet fragrance.No one could resist picking one to taste.“So sweet! I’ve never eaten dates this sweet—it’s like they’ve been soaked in sugar.”Mu Zitang devoured several in a row.[Date: Sweet in flavor, crisp and tender in texture. Restores energy, aids digestion, relieves constipation. When fermented, can be used to make disinfectant.]Energized, everyone went straight to gathering resources without stopping to rest.Suddenly, Qin Sisi’s expression turned tense—she sensed an animal approaching.Just as she was about to warn the others, Yun Luohe said, “Stay sharp. Something’s coming.”They gripped their weapons and scanned their surroundings.Across the sand, several venomous scorpions were scuttling toward them.Their pincers snapped open and shut, tails arched high, the stingers poised to strike.Yun Luohe quickly pulled out insecticide and sprayed it toward them.The acrid smell slowed the scorpions’ movements.The others had brought their own insect repellents and followed her lead, drenching the creatures.With the scorpions sluggish, they rushed in and cut them down.The kills yielded more material drops.“I think we should split up to collect resources—it’ll be faster. And besides the trees and fruit, there’s bound to be other things here.”Yun Luohe had already noticed an underground river not far away—there might be better materials there.“Si Si, Xuening—you two handle date harvesting. Mu Zitang and I will check the underground river. Yang Mian…”The arrangement met no objections.Qin Sisi picked dates and packed them into her carry bag.Cheng Xuening released her pet tree monkey, letting it climb for the fruit—its speed far outmatched hers.Yang Mian headed to the palm trees, chopping some down for wood and seeds.Qin Sisi, relying on her animal affinity, kept watch over the surroundings for danger.There were also ostriches in the oasis—large ones.It was breeding season, and they were on high alert, their sharp eyes locked on the humans, ready to attack at any moment.Yun Luohe, thinking about expanding her recipes, knew ostrich meat would be a fine addition—an upper-grade meat.She exchanged a glance with Mu Zitang and said quietly, “You draw that one’s attention. I’ll take it down.”Mu Zitang made an “OK” gesture. “No problem.”Yun Luohe stepped back, pretending she wasn’t going to approach, to make the ostriches relax.You couldn’t fight ostriches in melee.They might look clumsy, but they had both speed and strength, and claws sharp enough to rip open your gut with one kick.She would hunt them with a bow—but arrows alone wouldn’t be enough. She’d need Mu Zitang’s cooperation and Yúntūn’s help.Just as Yun Luohe was about to make her move, another team was heading toward the oasis.They weren’t the only ones who had exchanged for the coordinates.Even if you hadn’t gathered enough Desert Fragments in the desert, you could just pay for them at the Trading Center and buy your way to 200.If not for being delayed by an injury during a sand rat attack, this other group might have reached the oasis first.—“Everyone, look! We’ve found the oasis!” Bai Sha called out excitedly.Following her pointing finger, the others saw a patch of green in the yellow sands, bright and striking.Here, the scenery was completely different from the desert—lush plants, and a clear stream flowing through.Their eyes lit with excitement.Bai Sha led them in, the sand beneath their feet giving way to damp soil, the air fresh and cool.They immediately spotted the tall palms and the fruit-laden date trees and fanned out to gather resources.“We must be the first ones here!”“Definitely—come on, let’s gather as much as we can.”“There’s so much here. Let’s hurry—only two hours left.”“No rush—since we’ve found it, we can come back tomorrow. We can gather here for days.”Entering from the opposite side, they didn’t see Yun Luohe’s group at all.The oasis was large enough that neither group noticed the other’s presence.“Move fast, and check for anything more valuable,” Bai Sha said, scanning for danger.Meanwhile, Yun Luohe was closing in quietly on the ostriches from another direction.She instructed Yúntūn to bind the target’s legs and neck with silk on her signal.Mu Zitang circled to one side of the flock and suddenly shouted, waving a branch to draw the largest ostrich’s attention.He also released the Nightingale, letting its song distract the rest.The ostriches were intelligent, but with so many sounds at once, their focus scattered.Yun Luohe stayed hidden perfectly.She drew, aimed at the ostrich’s abdomen, and loosed.The arrow hissed through the air and struck true.The bird stumbled but didn’t fall—if anything, it became more enraged, charging straight at them.Yúntūn darted through the flock, binding other birds so they couldn’t aid it.Mu Zitang sidestepped the rush and slammed his weapon into the ostrich’s head.Soon, the bird collapsed.Yun Luohe repeated the tactic, taking three more ostriches.After butchering them on the spot, she obtained:[Premium Ostrich Meat ×38, Feather ×30, Ostrich Egg ×3][Premium Ostrich Meat (Gold): Tender, juicy, and pleasantly chewy. Suitable for all cooking methods. Can be made into high-grade dishes with strong buff effects.][Ostrich Feather: Bright in color, soft in texture. Can be used to make high-grade gear or buff accessories.][Ostrich Egg: An ostrich egg. Can be hatched with a dedicated incubator.]They moved on along the underground river, but before long, they heard voices nearby.Yun Luohe and Mu Zitang exchanged a look. “Sounds like other people.”Mu Zitang lowered his voice. “So, others found it too.”Yun Luohe said, “Makes sense—this isn’t exactly a secret. Anyone with the coordinates can get here.”They crept toward the sound, peering through the dense leaves.They saw another team busy collecting resources.After a moment’s thought, Yun Luohe motioned for Mu Zitang to follow her back—she would tell the others about the second team.

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