Chapter 217 Desert Journey

As the aroma of stir-fried spices wafted through the air, the flying mouse jumped onto the pot handle and hung there, its little nose twitching.

Fortunately, it wasn't stupid and didn't jump into the pot, otherwise Wei Yanqing would have had to throw it outside.

When the first dish was served, Flying Cloud Rat knew who was in charge here, and it clung to Rong Yi's hand, chirping incessantly.

Rong Yi raised an eyebrow, looking at the Flying Cloud Rat, and turned his head towards Wei Yanqing, "Can it eat these things?"

Wei Yanqing didn't even look up. "An eleventh-tier creature is nothing but a little spice. It's not that fragile."

Rong Yi curled his lip, "That's true, but it has quite an appetite."

Wei Yanqing smiled and said, "Then I'll make double portions of all the dishes. Enjoy!"

A palm-sized piece of pork rib covered in minced garlic was handed to the Flying Cloud Mouse. From the moment it picked it up until it was handed to the mouse, the mouse's eyes never left the food.

Confirming it was for the little mouse, Rong Yi saw a fawning expression in its eyes. Then, the mouse gripped the rib tightly with its little paws and gnawed at it quickly with its fine teeth.

She simply put the mouse on a stool about the same height as the table, saying, "Eat it here." She then took a plate and placed several pieces of ribs on the stool.

The fried garlic coating the ribs, the spiciness and garlic aroma blended together, plus the large chunks of meat, made for a very satisfying meal for both the person and the mouse.

After the meal, Rong Yi and the rat were still not satisfied.

The aroma still lingered inside the tent, and the Flying Cloud Rat kept sniffing, savoring the delicious food it had just enjoyed.

The silence didn't last long before sounds came from inside the cave—the language of the natives communicating.

Wei Yanqing touched the bottom of the tent, and instantly everything was put into the storage compartment, even the fragrance seemed to have never been there.

Less than a minute later, a group of natives came in and saw the two men and the rat.

“You’ve arrived very early,” a native greeted them.

Rong Yi touched his mask, relieved that he had arrived quickly. "I just got here not long ago."

Soon, a native dressed in a way that was clearly different from the other natives arrived, surrounded by a crowd of people. Compared to the rough animal hides, the native's hides were glossy and inlaid with gemstones, and his skin was also very different.

Other indigenous people's skin becomes scaly due to dryness, but this person's skin is cracked, and his facial features look very human.

Then a dozen or so more natives arrived. They were the leaders of the tribe, and the other natives sat down around them after they had sat down.

Upon seeing the unfamiliar and strangely dressed Rong Yi and Wei Yanqing, the strongest of the natives asked, "Did you get separated from your tribe during the migration?"

Rong Yi nodded, "Yes, I don't know where to find them."

The indigenous tribes of the desert world are as numerous as the stars in the sky. Without stone slabs to mark their locations, it is very difficult to find your tribe members again after getting lost.

"Then you should come with us to the public area for now, and then slowly find your own kind."

Many indigenous people were separated during the millennium-long sandstorm. Stronger indigenous groups would temporarily take them in and send them to public areas before separating them.

"Thank you," Wei Yanqing said.

This was the first time he had ever seen natives, and they were just as Rong Yi had described.

Seeing them fetch water to drink, Wei Yanqing understood how Rong Yi felt at the time.

·

Through conversations with several indigenous people, I learned that their tribe was large, so they were divided into several groups to migrate separately, and then reunited at a gathering point in order to preserve the fire.

Those dozen or so people dressed differently were the strongest in the tribe, and therefore held a particularly high status.

As for the cracked skin, it indicates that the skin is well-hydrated and directly reflects their strength.

Rong Yi began to imitate Wei Yanqing's blatant nonsense, "Our tribe relies on collecting morning dew as a water resource. Are their methods of collecting morning dew even more advanced?"

The indigenous woman who was asked the question covered her mouth and chuckled, looking at her as if she were a country bumpkin.

"Besides the morning dew, there are actually water sources, but those areas are controlled by powerful ferocious beasts, so it's not easy to compete with them. But if you succeed, there will be plenty of water-filled bladder worms, enough to drink for a long time."

Water sources in the desert?

Rong Yi couldn't imagine what a lake in the desert would look like. "Could it be an oasis, a place with plants and water?"

The native woman smiled gently and shook her head. "It's a very deep puddle. Its appearance and disappearance are random. In short, it's very difficult to encounter."

"I see..." Rong Yi thought to himself, marveling at the wonders of the desert world. "Thank you."

Turning back to Wei Yanqing, the two sat in a corner, watching the natives busy themselves. They were only resting there for one night and would continue their journey the next day.

"A puddle, I wonder if we can see one."

Even though they were some distance apart, to Wei Yanqing, their conversation had almost the same effect as if they were whispering in her ear.

Rong Yi took out the Flying Cloud Rat and rubbed it all over through his gloves. "It would be best if we could see it, but we'll have to weld these masks onto our faces. Once we take them off, everyone will know we're not from this planet."

It is believed that the native inhabitants of any planet would not want to see aliens whose appearance is significantly different from their own.

For the next few days, the two followed behind this tribe.

Perhaps due to the difference in biological aura, the creatures underground did not jump out to attack, giving the two some understanding of the natives' position in the food chain.

Upon arriving at what this group called the public area, we found a large number of indigenous people gathered there, all temporarily resting.

"We've arrived. I hope you find your people soon."

After they finished speaking, the group of natives went to sit down in other places, and the two of them just found a spot.

"The sandstorm is over. Now we can focus on finding supplies, and we should be able to get them soon."

The natives could only see Rong Yi and Wei Yanqing sitting quietly, and could not hear any sound. The two talked about their future plans through telepathy.

Wei Yanqing: "We'll go out tomorrow."

Even if no other supplies can be found, collecting and selling some of the stardust scattered on the ground can raise enough energy stones.

They have plans for what to do, and so do the natives, and they don't shy away from talking about them with others.

"After the sandstorm, some sandworm nests will definitely be exposed, and we must seize this opportunity."

The sandworms they mentioned reminded Rong Yi of the red jade sandworm.

"It's too dangerous, let's wait a few more days."

"No, if we wait any longer, the sandworms will burrow back underground. Now is the time for them to look for new nests."

Wei Yanqing had never seen a sand worm before, so he listened carefully to their conversation.

Rong Yi leaned closer and whispered, "They might be talking about the Red Jade Sandworm, which can absorb the surrounding energy and air. It's hard to deal with without an energy stone to replenish it."

Wei Yanqing recognized the creature. "Are there red jade sandworms here?"

"Yes." Rong Yi nodded. "I even cut off a small portion and sold it."

The indigenous people have already decided on the operation. "It's not just us who hunt; other groups do this too. We can't fall behind."

It turns out to be a large-scale operation by indigenous groups.

What the two were unaware of was that a single, complete Red Jade Sandworm could sustain the indigenous tribe's cultivation needs for a considerable period of time.

The Flying Cloud Rat lay on Rong Yi's lap, silently extending its paws to fasten its functional clothing.

"What?" Rong Yi tapped its head with his index finger.

The flying cloud mouse mimics holding food and munching on it.

Rong Yi: "..."

(End of this chapter)