Translated by XephiZ

Edited by Aelryinth

The data collecting was carried out smoothly. The team soon had a map of the area within five kilometers.

Mo Fan glanced at Lingling's tablet and saw densely scattered purple dots on the verge of turning black behind the team. The number of the Sandstorm Demon Locusts had reached an unimaginable level!

"Hurry up, they are getting closer!" Ge Ming ordered, glancing at the cloud of Sandstorm Demon Locusts behind them.

The team quickly figured out the safe path with the help of the map.

Everyone picked up their pace. Even though the Sandstorm Demon Locusts were not necessarily heading in their direction, the calamity they brought would surely cover a wide area. If they failed to leave the area in time, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts were going to devour them, and not leave a single bone behind!

---

After traveling for three kilometers, a gust of hot wind blew at the team. The heat was unbearable.

When they looked behind, the Sandstorm Demon Locusts had overrun the area they were in previously. It turned out that the creatures had little interest in the Aquamarine Armor Scorpion Leopards. Their armor somehow served as a protection for the Leopards from the other species, which explained why the Aquamarine Armor Scorpion Leopards had such overwhelming numbers.

The temperature of the desert kept rising. Every sand particle was scorching hot. It felt like the team was standing in a furnace. It was torture!

The heat was just too intolerable, and the Ice and Water Mages had to constantly cast their Basic Spells to help the members cooled down. The Water Mages and Ice Mages were constantly expending energy, meaning that their energy would eventually deplete too!

"We should be very close to the relay station. There used to be some Hunters stationed there, but it has been over ten years since anyone last came here. The path is crawling with demon creatures and filled with danger. The relay station is basically non-existent," Ge Ming said.

"We should set up a flag there, still. If we don't leave our signs, doesn't that mean the whole world is under the reign of the demon creatures?"

"It should be just ahead," Tong Li told them. Tong Li was extremely familiar with exploring a desert, able to detect things that were buried under the sand.

The team continued along the safe path. They would be able to get some rest once they reached the relay station in the oasis. After all, a place chosen to build a relay station at was surely not as hot, and there would be plants and a water supply too.

------

The relay station was built with rocks. Half of it was covered in sand when the team saw it from a distance. They also noticed some wooden structures outside. The roofs were less than half a meter above the surface.

Tong Li quickly explored the place as soon as he arrived. He seemed like he was looking for something in particular.

There was no sign of any demon creatures in the relay station. The oasis consisted of a little shrub of tenacious plants too, smaller than a little park in a city. As such, it did not help much with the heat.

"Mo Fan, the Burning Mountains aren't too far from here. The temperature here is abnormal," Lingling told him quietly.

Lingling had been taking readings along the journey. Using the Elemental Detector was not an option, but it using a normal thermometer was fine. The gusts of hot wind were blowing from the north of the relay station. It was likely that they were getting closer to the Burning Mountains that the old Hunter mentioned.

"Mm," Mo Fan nodded. He called Zhang Xiaohou over and said, "Houzi, check if there's anything in the north. Try to stay at a safe distance."

"Alright, Brother Fan. Are we going separate ways?" Zhang Xiaohou said.

"They are likely to head west, since they are on an expedition. It only makes sense if they keep venturing deeper into the desert. This relay station was once an outpost for the Hunters and the military, so they haven't really done any exploring," Mo Fan said.

"I'm not too tired. I guess I'll investigate the north now," Zhang Xiaohou agreed.

"Alright, be careful," Mo Fan told him.

------

Zhang Xiaohou headed north while the others were resting at the relay station. He did not fly, since it was unwise to do so in a desert.

After moving a kilometer away from the relay station, Zhang Xiaohou discovered that the ground was no longer covered in sand, but deep-colored rocks. The rocks had cracks from being burned at a high temperature. He could see faint sprouts of flames bursting out from the cracks too.

Zhang Xiaohou was overjoyed when he saw the flames. It seemed like they had come to the right place!

The place was most likely a rare Fire Elemental Sacred Land if it was the reason the temperature of the desert was so high. A place like this was a natural workshop of Soul Seeds, and usually had quite a number of them lying around. They were going to make a fortune if they had actually discovered an Elemental Sacred Land!

"Why is there a cave here? Is it occupied by some kind of demon creatures?" Zhang Xiaohou climbed up the rocks and saw a little cave opposite the direction of the relay station.

The cave was not deep. It did not seem like the den of some enormous demon creature. Zhang Xiaohou went inside and saw a beast hide spread across the ground with some overcooked food on it. There were also rusted tools like knives, flints, pots...

While Zhang Xiaohou was wondering if the tools were left behind from the relay station by the Hunters that were stationed there, he felt an outstanding heat approaching from behind.

-Danger!-

Zhang Xiaohou quickly dodged aside, and saw a fireball fly past and slam into the wall of the cave. It blasted a few rocks to pieces.

Zhang Xiaohou turned around and saw a tanned man wearing a pair of pants made of beast hide standing outside the cave. His body was covered in hair and he had a long beard. Only his eyes, which were like those of a beast, were visible as the man glared at Zhang Xiaohou.

The light of the fireball had lit up the cave. The man was stunned when he was able to take a clearer look at Zhang Xiaohou.

"A...a human?" the man was stuttering, as if he had forgotten how to speak.

"Who are you? Why are you living here!?" Zhang Xiaohou was shocked.

He immediately realized someone was living in the cave after he saw the tools scattered across the place.

"I...I...you...I...I'm a...soldier...I've...I've been living..." The man was struggling to speak, as if it had been a long time since he last said anything.

After some time, the man went into the cave and dug up a badge. He showed it to Zhang Xiaohou.

Zhang Xiaohou saluted when he saw the badge. "So you are a soldier!"

The man shuddered when he saw Zhang Xiaohou saluting. He raised his hand and returned the salute.

"How long have you been trapped here?" Zhang Xiaohou looked at the man curiously.

"I...I don't know..." the man shook his head.

"This place has been off-limits for eleven years. Does that mean you have been living here for eleven years!?" Zhang Xiaohou asked in amazement.

The man suddenly burst out in tears!