Chapter 105: The Person Trapped in the Desert

Translator: Tim Editor: Chrissy/Tehrn

Chi Wanqing and Ning Qingxue had already entered the desert, accompanied by a vehicle crew, contrary to their original plan. Although Chi Wanqing did not want her father's intervention, he refrained from interfering this time, allowing her to proceed. She understood his motives and accepted his support. Chi Youjun not only provided several vehicles but also sent personnel to accompany her, a clear misuse of his authority, something he would never have done for anyone else. He had no choice; his estranged daughter was determined to go, and he was unwilling to fight with her again.

…

Ye Mo carefully inspected the wall where he had slept. Satisfied with its sturdiness, he opened his tent. It was too hot for a sleeping bag, so he left it packed.

That night, Ye Mo cultivated outside the tent but felt he was being watched again around midnight. This made him uneasy and he wondered why this only happened to him. He didn’t wait this time. He packed his belongings, feeling the presence watching him remain stationary.

He wasn’t sure if it was the same thing from the previous night, but something was attracting it. Was it a cockroach again? He knew that was impossible in the desert.

He had come to find the purple heart vine. Could this thing be drawn to the vine in his bag? Others didn’t have it, only he did. If so, it was sensitive to the vine.

After packing, Ye Mo didn’t immediately attack. He marked a metal nail with his spirit sense, then stood and walked away, throwing the nail at the black shadow. He hit his target and immediately gave chase.

This time, he was well-prepared, with enough food, water, and abilities to survive for a month or two. He followed closely, though the shadow was nearing the edge of his spirit sense range; the marked nail would allow him to track it.

He was intrigued by the shadow's stamina; his nail had struck it, yet it remained fast. The shadow that attacked him days ago was similarly resilient.

As he considered how to speed up, he heard a faint cough in the distance. His keen hearing caught it; otherwise, he would have missed it. For a moment, he lost sight of the black shadow, but he wasn't worried; it was merely hiding. The nail would lead him to it within hours.

He ignored the shadow and followed the cough. Three figures—two men and a woman—leaned weakly against a dilapidated tent. Ye Mo's spirit sense scanned them before he approached.

They were disheveled and looked worn. The men carried guns, and the woman, though unarmed, had a fierce expression Ye Mo recognized. Their positions indicated they were not together. Despite their weakened state, the men vigilantly watched the woman.

Upon Ye Mo's arrival, they were startled. A figure appearing in the desert night would frighten anyone, no matter how brave. Though shocked, they lacked the strength to rise. One man pointed a gun at Ye Mo but didn't fire.

Their cracked lips and tattered clothes showed they’d been in the desert for some time.

“Who are you?” a man nervously asked.

“Human or ghost?” the woman demanded, though fear was evident. She instinctively moved toward the men, but her exhaustion limited her.

“Who I am is irrelevant. Point that gun at me again, and you won’t see tomorrow’s sun,” Ye Mo said flatly. He disliked guns being pointed at him, and these three didn’t seem ordinary. Even exhausted, their ferocity was palpable.

Surprisingly, the man lowered his weapon, coughing wearily, “I hate the morning sun right now.”

Ye Mo found this amusing and smiled, “Lost in the desert?”

They were reassured he wasn't a ghost, likely just another desert explorer. The man who holstered his gun felt relieved; perhaps they could be saved.

He didn’t immediately ask for water, instead saying, “Brother, you’re amazing. You look like you’re taking a stroll. You didn’t walk here, did you?”

Ye Mo looked at the others.

The man explained, “I’m Li Hu, this is my partner, Cheng Hongzhe. We were apprehending a criminal, but got lost. Our car ran out of gas, so we abandoned it. We tried contacting backup, but our comms and GPS were useless. We walked to find signal, but it’s been days, and we’re still lost.”

Li Hu continued, showing his phone, “I thought we could still call for help, but the battery died. We rushed into the desert, unprepared. We caught her, but we’re trapped and likely won't survive much longer.”

Li Hu seemed unconcerned about death.

Ye Mo looked at the woman; though weakened, her ferocity remained. They were apprehending a criminal, so they were likely police or similar.

“You two are the criminals. That thing is yours? What right do you have to take it from me? It’s not even on me…” the woman retorted contemptuously.

Ye Mo disregarded their dispute. Seeing their desperation, he gave each five of his fifteen water bottles, separating them to avoid conflict. He didn’t give them food; they had some in their bags.

“Thanks, Brother. Three are enough. You’re still here, keep some,” Li Hu said gratefully.

Ye Mo had plenty of water, and he was influenced by the yellow-dressed woman's generosity. He also liked Li Hu’s optimistic personality.

Cheng Hongzhe thanked Ye Mo but didn’t comment on the amount of water. He quickly drank his bottle, then stopped, knowing he shouldn't drink too much at once.

The woman excitedly thanked Ye Mo: “Thank you, you’re a good person. I’m Feng Tian, three bottles are enough.” She returned two.

Ye Mo waved his hand, “I have ten more, keep them.” He thought her name didn’t suit her; “Tian” means sweet, yet she was fierce.

Cheng Hongzhe felt awkward, having been the only one who didn't comment and drank first.

Li Hu, after drinking some water, looked at Feng Tian, “You say you’re not a criminal, but were you in Bei Sha? Was the Tan Du explosion a few months ago related to you? Did you steal that thing? Give it to us, and we’ll even pay you. Do you even need it?”

Feng Tian remained silent.

Note: 1: Tian means sweet.