Before setting off, everyone filled their containers with water. If all went smoothly and the route went without incident, they should be able to reach the nearest water source in about a day and a half, provided that nothing unexpected happened.

Xu Qian kept a close eye on the changes on the map, especially the moving lake. He wouldn't speak up until Glasses Liu's direction became problematic, otherwise it would be troublesome to explain.

Fortunately, Liu the Glasses is indeed quite capable, and so far, the direction they've taken has been heading towards their goal.

The most difficult journey was probably for these wounded soldiers. They were already injured, and they had to walk through the desert. After all, they didn't have an older brother like Meng Ziqiu who could carry them.

After walking for half a day, everyone had drunk nearly half a bottle of water, and that was while being very frugal. The road ahead would only be more difficult than this.

Even though Meng Ziqiu considered himself to be in good health, carrying a boy weighing over 100 pounds for most of the day was not an easy task.

"How about it, Uncle? Let me do it." Xu Qian said, taking a sip of water.

"I'll treat you to dinner when we go out." Meng Ziqiu's words meant that he agreed.

"How about I walk by myself? It shouldn't be a problem." Meng Liangchen felt a little embarrassed. Come to think of it, this 'big brother' wasn't even as tall as him. Wasn't that inappropriate?

"No, this wound was painstakingly treated. Don't tear it open." Xu Qian took another sip and casually tossed the unfinished water to Meng Ziqiu. "Don't drink too much at once. Hold it in your mouth for a while before swallowing."

Meng Ziqiu nodded, indicating that he understood; his voice was already starting to go hoarse.

"Come on, little uncle."

“Really…” Meng Liangchen looked at Meng Ziqiu and saw that he did not object at all. He was in a dilemma. He could only blame himself for being too much of a burden.

"Hurry up, we're leaving right away," Xu Qian urged again.

"Alright, let's not waste any more time," Meng Ziqiu said.

Meng Liangchen gritted his teeth and climbed up.

This made the other injured people extremely jealous. It's really infuriating to compare yourself to others; they also wanted a loving back-carrying companion!

Of course, reality is still cruel; they have neither an older brother nor a nephew.

And so, after an incredibly long walk, the group found a suitable leeward slope to set up camp and rest before nightfall.

Everyone was given a compressed biscuit, but for a moment no one dared to take a bite. No one expected things to develop to this point. In just one day, they had been reduced to eating compressed biscuits. Perhaps it was fate.

Uncle Shui unpacked the compressed biscuits in his hand and ate them one bite at a time. He wasn't fast. His expression was sometimes calm and sometimes ferocious. The day had worn down his temper. He had no other thought but to survive.

Seeing this, the others also started eating; survival was their only belief at that moment.

To conserve energy, everyone went to their tents to rest early, knowing that an even more difficult journey lay ahead the next day.

At this moment, Xu Qian, who was nestled in the tent, seemed particularly relaxed. He had milk tea and cheese tarts by his side, although three of the six tarts in the box had ended up in Meng Ziqiu's stomach.

Meng Liangchen tasted the rich aroma and smooth texture of the cheese in his mouth. He truly understood what it meant for 'cheese to be powerful'. This was real, tangible power!

"Are you full? I can have more if you're still hungry." Xu Qian took a sip of milk tea. He had to admit, this "fat otaku's happy tea" really made him happy; he could drink it for a lifetime!

"Okay, hiccup—" Meng Ziqiu even hiccuped. He had already eaten three egg tarts and a cup of milk tea. Although they were things he didn't usually like to eat, the plenty of sugar in them did make him very happy.

"That's good." Anyway, it's your money after all. (Smiling with narrowed eyes)

"By the way, brother, what are your plans after you leave? Why don't you come to Weicheng with me?" Meng Ziqiu extended an invitation with utmost sincerity.

“Weicheng? Aren’t you Meng family the guardians of Chang’ai Mountain?” Xu Qian asked him.

“The mountain guardian… how do I explain this? Since my grandfather’s generation, there have been no more mountain guardians. I don’t know why. My grandfather just said that we wouldn’t need them anymore, and then our family moved to Weicheng.”

“…Oh, I see.” Xu Qian wasn’t too surprised. He could tell from his brothers’ character that they weren’t the type to keep secrets. If they really had any secrets, they probably wouldn’t have told them.

“Really, brother, although I, Meng Ziqiu, am not some big shot, I know Weicheng very well. I know all the food and entertainment.” Meng Ziqiu puffed out his chest as he spoke.

Meng Liangchen nodded along with the chick.

Xu Qian glanced at Meng Ziqiu's stomach and curled the corners of his mouth. "Hmm, I can tell."

"Then I'll take that as a yes!"

"We'll talk about it later. The most important thing right now is to get out of here safely." Xu Qian didn't agree immediately; he was still thinking about the Hidden God Valley.

"Okay!"

Then the night passed without incident.

After a night's rest, everyone's strength had recovered somewhat, but they were getting increasingly frustrated as they saw that the water they had to drink was running out and the road ahead seemed endless.

Sure enough, before noon, the first person finished drinking water, then the second, the third...

"Glasses Liu! How much longer? The brothers are about to give up." It was Brother Sang who spoke, and his voice was weak and feeble.

Liu, wearing glasses, unfolded the map in his hand, looked ahead, and hesitated.

"What happened?" Fifth Master was helped over.

"Fifth Master," Glasses Liu called out, pointing to the map, "According to the map, it's close."

"And what about in reality?" Fifth Master countered.

"This, this..." Glasses Liu dared not respond.

Fifth Master's expression darkened further. "Glasses, it's not that I'm making things difficult for you, but everyone has their struggles. Nobody wants to come in alive and leave lying down."

Xu Qian overheard their conversation and nudged Meng Ziqiu, saying, "Tell them that it's almost over that sand dune, leave them something to look forward to."

Meng Ziqiu opened his mouth, intending to ask if what he said was true, but he swallowed the words back down. "Okay."

Meng Ziqiu stepped forward and repeated what Xu Qian had just said.

Fifth Master suddenly sighed, "Let's go. We're already here, so we'll accept whatever fate brings."

So the group headed toward the sand dune in front of them, their legs almost completely numb, and they were moving forward only by instinct and the will to survive.

Meng Liangchen was walking slowly, leaning on a cane. He absolutely refused to be carried today, so Meng Ziqiu had no choice but to give him the cane. Meng Liangchen moved slowly, but because everyone else was also slow, they weren't falling behind.

Xu Qian consciously walked at the back of the group, not because he was slow, but to prevent anyone from falling behind.

For example, right now.

"Boss, boss, are you... alright...?" It was one of Boss Shen's men. He wanted to catch his boss, but he really didn't have the strength.

Xu Qian grabbed Boss Shen, knowing that if he collapsed like this, it would be difficult for him to get up later.

"I...really, I can't walk anymore..." Boss Shen, clutching Xu Qian's coat, was extremely weak. "I really can't go on. I'll give you money, lots of money. Find those tomb raiders for me. I want them...dead..."

"Emmmm...die, die, die." Xu Qian didn't know what to say for a moment. He thought for a moment, took out half a bottle of water from his pocket, unscrewed the bottle and fed Boss Shen a small sip, and then fed him another sip.

After being fed a couple of sips of water, Boss Shen finally regained some of his senses, but his legs were still trembling with weakness. "Little brother, thanks. If I can get out of here alive, I'll give you..." He made a "two" gesture with his fingers.

"No problem, no problem." Xu Qian was convinced, but he could also understand. After all, the other party was a boss, and it was already quite remarkable that he had managed to hold on for so long.

"When I get back, I'll definitely find those people and show them who dared to touch my things, Chen Fuxia's..."

"Mmm-hmm." Xu Qian gave a perfunctory reply, then gestured with his chin to Boss Shen's men, "There's half a bottle of water here. Take a sip each, and pass it forward after you finish. Don't give up."

"Hmm..." Upon hearing this, the subordinate swallowed hard; his throat was too dry.

"The one in front, just one sip, drink it and pass it forward."

"...Where did you come from?"

"I don't know, it was given to me later."

"Give it to me, give it to me..."

"Save your breath, there are so many people ahead of you!"

By the time Xu Qian's half-full bottle of water reached the front, there wasn't much left; it was only about a sip.

Fifth Master did not drink it, but handed it to Meng Ziqiu, indicating that he should drink it.

"Please drink! I can handle it!" Meng Ziqiu shook his head rapidly, not only unable to accept it, but also feeling very guilty. He had drunk milk tea yesterday, and who would have thought that Fifth Master would still be thinking of him at this moment.

"Drink up, young man, you have a long life ahead of you..." Fifth Master said, coughing heavily.

"I really don't want to, Fifth Master. You said yourself that I'm young and I can handle it."

"Why are you so disobedient, child..."

Just as the two were politely declining each other, Glasses Liu suddenly shouted.

"Birds! Birds up ahead! Water is just ahead—"

As soon as the words were spoken, everyone's heart trembled. There was water! The life-saving water had arrived.

"There's water ahead!"

"I'm saved! I'm saved! Thank God!"

"Tsk, God, my foot! Aren't you a Buddhist?"

"I don't care what you believe in, I'd even believe in Satan if there's water!"

"Hahaha--"

"I'm just too tough! Even the King of Hell wouldn't dare take me!"

Xu Qian helped Boss Shen follow behind, and when he heard the people in front joking, he couldn't help but smile.

Perhaps that's why he chose to save them—for no other reason than one word: kindness.

Strive to be a kind person; this is what Xu Qian's dean told him.