Chapter 130: The Fragrance of the Handsome Guy

Another four days of boring journey, even the talkative Hu Tiehua had lost interest in chatting. He had his shirt wide open, sweating profusely, his cheeks red from the sun, and he had shaved his beard clean with a razor the day before yesterday.

It's really too hot. Compared to being cooler, I can still store up my masculinity after leaving the desert.

The heat was unbearable, and the several grown men in the group wanted to go shirtless. If they hadn't considered the strict rules between men and women and the possibility of getting sunburned by going shirtless, they would have probably taken off all their clothes except for their pants.

It's strange, why does it feel hotter today than the previous two days?

"It's not hotter than the last two days."

The group of people crowded under the shade of a cool sand dune. The camels' fur and heat resistance allowed them to ignore the heat absorbed by the sand and gravel, and they lay leisurely on the sand to eat grass. But people couldn't do that. They had to put folded clothes under their buttocks when they sat down.

Chu Liuxiang suppressed the urge to drink the entire bag of water and only took two sips to quench his thirst and moisten his throat, then carefully tightened the stopper of the water bag.

He squinted his eyes and looked at the cloudless sky above his head. His eyes became more solemn: "It's getting hotter day by day."

Because of his own physique and the skills he had practiced, Chu Liuxiang was more heat-resistant and more persistent than Ji Bingyan and the others. He was aware of the changes in the surrounding environment to a very subtle degree. Even though the temperature in the desert changed greatly during the day and night, he was still sensitive to the sudden changes.

The days are hotter and the nights are cooler.

This change began on the second day after they set out.

Because the daytime was getting hotter, they had consumed more water than they had initially expected. Because the nights were getting colder, the warm clothes they brought were obviously not enough to protect them from the cold. The firewood for the fire had already been used up, and there was not a single piece of wood to be found in the places they had traveled through in the past few days.

The only good news is that they have enough food.

Even Chu Liuxiang, who had never been to the desert, understood that this was not normal.

The desert is hot and cold, but it is impossible for it to get hotter day by day or colder night by night to the point that people would like to wrap themselves up and burrow into the sand to keep warm.

If the weather in Central Plains suddenly changed so much, it could only mean one thing -

A catastrophe is coming!

But what kind of disaster will happen in the desert?

A sandstorm?

Chu Liuxiang carefully looked at the camels lying on the sand to rest. They seemed to be very leisurely. Many times, animals' intuition is more accurate than humans'. Their lack of unusual movements meant that no danger was approaching.

If it’s not a sandstorm, then what could it be?

The great desert is mysterious and cruel. There are too many secrets here, and only a few people can take the secrets out. Even more are the piles of bones buried here.

Chu Liuxiang pursed his lips unconsciously. He had faced life and death so many times that he could feel as if there was an invisible hand pushing him from behind. Since the day they entered the desert, these hands had appeared behind them, and were present in every tiny change.

But now it is the weather, nature, and the world...

Could such a change also be caused by those hands?

He suddenly didn't dare to think about it anymore.

Things involving supernatural powers are really scary.

Chu Liuxiang couldn't help but look at Doris, who was sitting quietly on the ground, one person away from them.

Perhaps she was too quiet, or perhaps she was too calm. The restless Xiang Shuai looked at her subconsciously, wanting to seek an answer from her that could calm his accelerating heartbeat.

Those silver-grey eyes looked over from under the wide hood.

Chu Liuxiang suddenly realized that these eyes seemed to have no emotions. They were like a mirror, a lake that would never be rippled.

The man's Adam's apple rolled quickly a few times, and his pupils slightly expanded and shrank. He seemed to have noticed something, and seemed to be caught in another mystery again.

The pink thread wrapped around his body had broken into pieces, leaving only the last one. This last one was originally tied to his middle finger, but now it was deeply embedded in his heart.

This time it was Tarona's turn to hesitate.

Dirty heart...

Would the moment of rupture cause his heart to stop?

It wasn't a big deal if it stopped suddenly, but she was worried that something else might happen. After all, she had never used charm magic before, so she wasn't sure if there would be other hidden effects.

Who is a good worker who has nothing to do but seduce others?

Is work enjoyable?

The charm ability of [Dead Sea Mermaid] is a passive skill. Who made Chu Liuxiang pay too much attention to her?

People like Ji Bingyan paid attention for a while and then told themselves to look away, or like Xiao Pan, were forced by their superiors to stop thinking about it. However, they were not deeply affected like Chu Liuxiang.

Men who pursue mystery and adventure will eventually be stabbed in the back by mystery and adventure.

Talona understood what he wanted to ask and what he wanted to say, so she said: "Don't worry too much. These things that trouble you and surround you will soon be over."

[Dead Sea Mermaid] is domineering. She will never allow others to interfere with the prey she has marked. Anyone who dares to interfere will be her enemy.

Chu Liuxiang's heart suddenly calmed down.

He lowered his eyes, and the obsession that should have gradually faded away revived again. His heart beat faster again, but this time it was not anxiety and worry, but another kind of emotion that he had never experienced before.

Or rather, it is emotion.

Chu Liuxiang was stunned for a moment, thinking that he shouldn't look into Miss Doris's eyes.

Those silver-gray eyes were indeed a lake without ripples, but they could swallow up all those who tried to explore the secrets within. The bottom of the lake was an abyss that was unfathomable.

Knowing the danger, we still move towards it.

This is the kind of person I'm talking about.

…

The warm sunlight once again shone on the golden sand dunes. The night that was so cold that it almost took away people's souls was replaced by the day. The camels that were huddled together shuddered, stood up while chewing the frozen dry grass in their mouths, and revealed the stone pile squeezed in the innermost part.

The early morning sun is the most beloved, saving nearly frozen humans from the extreme cold.

After eating some dry food on the spot, the group set out again on the road that would take an unknown time to reach the oasis.

——The road started to deviate again.

The black-haired beauty, who was still sandwiched in the middle of the straight line, raised her head slightly, and her silver-gray eyes hidden under the wide hood stared calmly at the human leading the way.

He seemed unaware that he was leading the team towards a deviated path for the second time. The camels followed the first camel. The people on the camels' backs were wiping their sweat. No one noticed the slight deviation of the road. Those who noticed did not say anything, but just watched quietly.

If you go straight along this road, there is no oasis ahead.

Did the person who led Shi Tuo astray want Chu Liuxiang and the others to die?

The mermaid with translucent data flowing in her pupils did not count herself among them. Even if she changed dozens of times, she would not die, but the same could not be said for humans.

Wait a little longer.

She had a guess that needed to wait.

On the seventh day, there were only nine bags of water left in the team, six of which belonged to Tarona.

Today's daytime temperature reached 49 degrees Celsius, and the surface temperature reached an astonishing 63 degrees Celsius, which is the level at which a person's butt can be cooked halfway through in three seconds if they sit on it.

Except for Chu Liuxiang and Shi Tuo, Ji Bingyan and the others in the team consumed at least seven bags of water every day. Several grown men could still squeeze out three full bags, which was beyond Tarona's expectations.

This is because they gradually realized that the weather was not right and consciously saved water.

But it is impossible for them not to drink. If they don't drink, they will really become adults.

Nine water bags were stacked up and placed under the shade of a waterproof tarpaulin - Ji Bingyan had asked a specialist to make the tarpaulin, but it didn't rain and was exposed to the scorching sun - six of the water bags were taken out by Miss Doris.

Each of them was only given ten bags of water before they set out, and the water tank on the camel's back had long been empty, with only dry water inside.

Little Pan dived into the herd of camels, trying to dig out some extra water and dry food from the backpack placed among their humps. Shi Tuo sat at his feet, as silent as ever.

Yes, they were running low on dry food.

It’s okay to eat less during the day, but it’s not the same at night. My stomach is empty and I can’t fall asleep even if I wrap myself in thick clothes. I have to fill my stomach to get a good night’s sleep.

Who said that you won’t be hungry when you fall asleep?

I can't sleep when I'm hungry!

The three grown men sat in a row, looking at the nine water bags stacked up, and all of them felt a lump in their throats, as if they had a lot to say but didn't know how to say it.

Although each person was given ten bags of water, that was because there were only so many water bags. The water they drank in the first one or two days was taken from the water tank. Once the camels drank enough water, they didn't have to worry for more than half a month. They originally thought it was enough, but who knew... the sudden change in weather forced them to drink more water to ensure that they would not die of dehydration in the high temperature.

Along the way, there was endless sand as far as the eye could see, and there was not even a place to shelter from the sun. If Ji Bingyan had not brought a waterproof tarpaulin before setting off, they would not even have a place to hide from the sun now!

Before the total amount of remaining water was proposed, neither Ji Bingyan nor Chu Liuxiang had any hope. The temperature was getting higher and higher. Even if they knew they had to save some water for the journey that might not end in any time, they could not do whatever they wanted in the current situation.

Doris, who had not spoken a word during the entire journey, took out six bags full of water...

She also gave Chu Liuxiang a bag of...

During this period, I did not add water from the water tank once...

That is to say... in such a long day, she only drank three bags of water.

Hu Tiehua was so shocked that his eyes widened. His dry, cracked lips subconsciously tried to open wider, but the pain of his bloody mouth startled him and he hissed and quickly closed his mouth again.

The shock in his eyes deepened.

Ji Bingyan beside him was no less upset. He really couldn't understand how it was possible for a person to travel under the scorching sun for seven consecutive days in such high temperatures and only drink three bags of water during that time and still look like nothing happened?

All of them who had been drinking water all the way had now become trapped wolves, except for Miss Doris, who was still as refreshed and relaxed as when she first set out, without any difference at all.

Even... it seemed as if the area around her was cooler?

Hu Tiehua hesitated, rubbed towards the black-haired beauty, and then his eyes almost popped out.

It’s not just like that, it’s really much cooler!

The expression on his face was really funny, and Chu Liuxiang almost laughed out loud at an inappropriate time, but just as the corners of his lips moved up, they quickly fell back down.

The overwhelming guilt and self-blame were about to overwhelm Chu Xiangshuai's conscience.

He knew that Doris was very skilled in martial arts, and he even knew that Doris might not be... But these were not reasons for him to accept the bag of water with peace of mind.

Chu Liuxiang even suspected that there was water in his head at that time. How could he reach out and take the bag of water?

This is a vast desert, and no one can predict what will happen next. How could he not know the value of Xiaoshui?

But he just took it, and never doubted that Miss Doris didn't have enough water to drink these days...

What's wrong with him?

How could he be so careless, so careless that it was a little weird?

The pink thread that pierced into Chu Liuxiang's heart trembled in accordance with his chaotic thoughts. He was in a trance for a moment, and this kind of trance seemed to have appeared many times.

And this time, he heard some chants that seemed to come from another dimension.

It's like countless people saying the same thing at the same time, it's neat and chaotic.

They are saying:

"Whether it is pain or happiness, it is the gift of love."

"Go along with her, that's what you should do!"

"Thank her, you should obey!"

Everything in his sight was spinning, and Chu Liuxiang felt dizzy again. He slowed down his breathing, closed his eyes, and tried to get through the dizziness.

He has gotten used to it after fainting so many times.

He just thought that he was not used to the desert and it was normal to have difficulty adapting to the local climate.

[Dead Sea Mermaid] is a modified body. Only her brain and heart are left, still flesh and blood. There are some powers that she cannot resonate with. Therefore, she does not realize that her ability to charm is spontaneous and cannot be turned off, nor can she hear those seductive chants.

But it doesn't matter, she will never see her people as prey or enemies, she will always protect them.

As for everyone else, it doesn't matter.

Tarona looked at Chu Liuxiang for a while, mainly at the pink thread that had pierced into his heart and had not broken for so many days. After making sure that the son of destiny was still alive, she looked away.

As long as his life is not in danger, it's fine. She can't let the Son of Fortune die under her nose, otherwise she won't get the extra reward, and may even have to pay back money to the World Consciousness.

The world consciousness in this world shouldn't be that petty, right?

The Great Witch met the complicated looks of Ji Bingyan and Hu Tiehua. Even a seemingly rough man like Hu Tiehua knew that some questions could not be asked casually, but the eyes are the windows to the soul. Even without using mind reading, she knew what they were thinking.

The black-haired beauty said, "I don't need much water, so don't save it for me. Share it among you."

Having said that, she stood up and walked towards Shituo, who was as silent as a stone, leaving Ji Bingyan and Hu Tiehua looking at each other, and finally looking at Chu Liuxiang, who was more opinionated among them.

Chu Liuxiang: ...

Chu Liuxiang:???

Chu Liuxiang almost laughed out of anger.

Why are you two looking at me? Doesn't my conscience hurt?

Tarona no longer paid attention to how the three of them discussed the nine bags of water. She walked to Shituo, stood a person's distance away, and sat down in front of him.

Shituo has strayed five times.

His destination was still the farthest oasis, but the route he took was no longer the most time-saving straight line, but an elongated curve.

——The person behind the scenes wanted to use up all the water and dry food of Chu Liuxiang and his men, not to take their lives.

That sounds even scarier, doesn't it?

Either his life is in danger, or there is a bigger conspiracy waiting for the protagonist to take the stage.

It was as if the desert had buried the opponent's eyes. Countless eyes were hiding in places they could not see, accurately controlling them to take the wrong path, consuming their survival resources bit by bit, so that they would run out of food and have to walk into the trap they set in order to survive.

Oh, he's a pervert.

...Could it be the Stone Guanyin? After all, this person has a criminal record and loves to do such shady things.

Tarona tried using detection magic and found that Shituo was not controlled by any external force, nor did he have another consciousness in his mind.

How did Shi Tuo, who was both deaf and blind, determine the direction?

Tarona thinks it's smell.

So it was what he smelled that affected him.

What was it in the air that he could smell but neither other people nor camels could?

[Dead Sea Mermaid] cannot be identified, so this thing cannot be captured by the modified body, which means it is not naturally formed.

What is it that even the high-tech transformation bodies from the future can't capture?

Of course, it is something like her, something that should not exist in this world.

It's [Deadly Coral].

Someone developed new features for it.

This time, Talona smiled so grimly that even Seth, who was on the outside of the world, could feel her surging anger. The only person who could see this grim smile was a blind man like a stone.

The person behind this had better hide somewhere she can't find him, otherwise...

She would definitely tear this stupid head off that was preventing her from getting off work and stuff it into her stomach!

Witch swears!