Chapter 63
Chapter 63
“What should we do?”
Wu Er asked Han Lie, his expression solemn.
Two paths lay before them: continue with their original plan to Golden Saddle Mountain, or follow the ladybug to the Sand People Tribe.
The Sand People, who had lived in the Chixia Region for generations, were clearly in great trouble.
The palm-sized silver ladybug buzzed around Han Lie’s shoulder. Though it was just an insect, it was incredibly loyal, determined to lead reinforcements back to its tribe.
Han Lie had his own ideas, but he still deferred to Qin Ying’s will. He sent Wu Er and the others to watch the horses while he climbed a sand dune to consult her.
Qin Ying hesitated when the question was posed to her.
Their mission was of great importance. However, the Sand People Tribe might know the secrets behind the sacrifices at Golden Saddle Mountain or have information about the Mountain God residing there.
Qin Ying rested her chin on her hand, looking down at the tiny black speck kneeling in the sand. “Go to the Sand People Tribe first.”
Setting aside the question of whether the detour was worth it, if the distress message on the ladybug’s wings was true, that tribe was facing a catastrophe that could wipe them out. It was better to check it out.
As soon as she spoke, Han Lie’s mind was made up. The Supreme Deity’s thoughts aligned with his own.
The five men kowtowed before the dollhouse. Then, they wrapped the shattered ice she had dropped into their clothes, filled their water skins, and set off.
They changed their destination, following the guidance of the silver Sand Ladybug toward the Sand People Tribe.
After they left, Qin Ying used a wire hook to lift the miniature dollhouse out of the box. After shaking the grit off it in the air, she took the tiny house in her hand and nearly dropped it because it was so hot. The temperature of the desert in the Box World was even more terrifying than she had imagined.
She frowned, feeling a surge of worry. It was already this hot when they were less than halfway through the journey; would it get even worse further in?
After a moment’s thought, she went downstairs to the kitchen. The island in the middle of her renovated kitchen was piled high with things she had bought. She moved a case of bottled water and some electrolyte drinks over in batches.
There was ice in the refrigerator, but drinking ice-cold water in such extreme heat could be fatal. She also grabbed a box of liquid herbal medicine for heatstroke from the first-aid kit.
Once that was done, she filled a thermos with ice cubes from the fridge and filled a watering can with filtered water. From time to time, she would sprinkle a little water over Han Lie and his men or drop a couple of ice cubes onto their path.
With the help of their goddess outside the box, the rest of the journey was relatively smooth for Han Lie and the others.
When night fell, the desert temperature plummeted. A lightning storm was brewing to the north, forcing them to halt their progress.
As usual, Qin Ying lowered the miniature dollhouse into the box. This time, she had modified it beforehand.
She had lined the exterior walls with adhesive heat pads and wrapped them in aluminum foil. Since the men couldn’t use the dollhouse furniture anyway, she had stripped it all out and stuffed the interior with plenty of insulating cotton. Feeling that wasn’t enough, Qin Ying found a metal bottle cap and used double-sided tape to stick it to the floor of the dollhouse. She snapped several wooden cotton swabs into pieces and tossed them inside to serve as firewood for Han Lie and his men.
Her efforts were not in vain. Wang Chang, shivering from the cold, let out a cry of wonder the moment he stepped into the dollhouse.
He marveled at the small light glowing on the ceiling, the cotton, and even the cotton swab sticks. Then he saw the dinner Qin Ying had provided for them-a small piece of tender beef tenderloin.
Although it was just a supermarket buy, people of Great Xia did not have the habit of eating farm cattle. This bite of beef was more precious than many Monstrous Beasts.
Wang Chang circled the plate of meat excitedly, and this time, no one scolded him.
Han Lie walked around the dollhouse. Seeing the changes in the interior, he felt a warmth in his heart.
The Supreme Deity truly cared for her people like an elder sister or a mother. Everything was subject to interpretation; through the lens of his devotion, even Qin Ying’s occasional unreliable remarks became signs of her being down-to-earth.
Seeing the pile of cotton swabs Qin Ying had left in the dollhouse, he took out a flint and used the metal bottle cap stuck to the floor as a fire pit to start a fire.
Each dry cotton swab was as thick as Han Lie’s forearm. The cotton heads caught fire instantly, and when stacked neatly inside a soda bottle cap, they soon burned like a campfire.
A cozy warmth filled the small room.
They took turns keeping watch over the horses outside.
It happened to be Wang Chang’s shift, so the interior of the small house was much quieter.
Han Lie cut a piece of beef tenderloin, skewered it on his knife to roast, and discussed their next move in low tones with Wu Er.
The night passed peacefully.
Outside the box, Qin Ying looked away and lay down to watch the Fuzhu.
The Fuzhu, inside its small Fish Tank, didn’t seem to find anything wrong with being confined. Seeing that it would eat anything, Qin Ying shared a little bit of every snack she had with it.
A tiny piece of spicy gluten strip made the Fuzhu sweat profusely, and the rain outside intensified accordingly.
Qin Ying used her index finger to offer it a drop of sweet milk.
The Fuzhu cherished that drop of milk, sucking it up eagerly. It was so happy with the sweetness that it began rolling around inside the Fish Tank.
The Fuzhu wasn’t ugly; its snow-white fur was quite endearing when it was acting cute.
Qin Ying tapped her index finger against its wet antlers. Overwhelmed by the favor, the Fuzhu rubbed its forehead against her fingertip.
After idling away some time, Qin Ying looked back into the box.
She happened to catch the moment the World in the Box shifted from fast-forward back to slow motion.
The wind and sand weren’t as violent as they had been during the day; it was currently that transitional stage where dawn was just about to break.
Across the quiet dunes, vast patches of deep and light yellow were layered together.
Qin Ying felt a pang of regret.
“It would be nice if I could see the starry sky.”
A vast, magnificent sky crowded with stars-it was surely a beautiful sight that couldn’t be seen in the modern world.
Han Lie, who was huddled in a pile of cotton balls with the horses while clutching his Ring-Pommel Saber on watch, suddenly looked up.
The silver ladybug was perched on his shoulder, and the red dot on his chest grew hot.
Han Lie whispered, “Supreme Deity, is that you?”
Disturbed by his voice, several horses sleeping against the wall of the Dollhouse shifted their hooves restlessly.
Qin Ying thought her speaking had woken him up and replied, “Go back to sleep.”
Han Lie hesitated, recalling the words he had heard while half-asleep. He asked tentatively, “Does the Supreme Deity wish to see the stars?”
Qin Ying was slightly surprised, then laughed. “Even if I want to, I can’t see them.”
Their perspectives were different.
She actually wanted to crouch on Han Lie’s shoulder like a guardian spirit for an immersive experience.
Qin Ying said it casually, but Han Lie was shaken.
He interpreted a great deal from Qin Ying’s sense of helplessness.
Was the Supreme Deity trapped somewhere?
Otherwise, why would a being with such heaven-defying powers be unable to even look at the stars?
Han Lie pondered this but didn’t dare to pry, letting the conversation end there.
He had eaten the meat of the Auspicious Beast Qilin, giving him the strongest constitution in the group. Seeing that dawn was approaching, he stood up to feed the horses.
The wooden sticks of the cotton swabs in the Dollhouse weren’t very durable; the campfire had already gone out. Wang Chang and the others had slept through the night huddled in the cotton balls like hamsters.
As the cold light of dawn filtered down, the men woke up one by one.
After a simple wash using the water Qin Ying had provided, they departed.
As usual, Qin Ying retrieved the Dollhouse.
About an hour passed in the box’s time.
Qin Ying heard a cheer: “We really did come to the right place!”
“This Sand People Tribe actually lives near Golden Saddle Mountain.”
The one shouting was Wang Chang.
Han Lie and the others immediately stood atop a sand hill.
Due to the rapidly rising temperature, the desert began to steam with mist, making the air appear distorted.
Warm colors like red, orange, yellow, and brown were layered together, weaving into a vibrant, colorful scene.
In the middle of these blocks of color sat a village.
The silver ladybug leading the way flapped its wings and flew toward the village.
Han Lie and the others followed at a distance, maintaining their guard.
The ladybug reached the village entrance. Before any person could be seen, a flicker of violet-blue electrical arcs suddenly flashed through the sand.
The guiding ladybug was instantly turned into a lump of charcoal by the lightning.
Amidst a series of increasingly loud crackles, dark thunderclouds gathered in the sky.
From deep within the thunderclouds came a clear, sharp cry as the shadow of a Giant Bird darted through the gloom.