Chapter 907: Crossing the Desert
Xu Huo glanced at it. An outsider would have to spend a while just reading the operating manual for this vehicle, let alone driving it steadily through the desert.
Teacher Ai had already opened the navigation system. "This is an old navigation map that hasn't been updated, but as long as the original roads haven't been destroyed, following the navigation is safer."
Xu Huo shared part of his map with him. "You're experienced. What changes are there on the new map?"
Teacher Ai took one look and fell silent. After a few seconds, he said, "Where did you get this map? Is it really the latest one?"
"From three days ago. The time is fresh." Xu Huo zoomed in on one section. "The appearance of other places hasn't changed much, but this Gobi Desert area past the desert has undergone a major shift. What was this place originally?"
"An energy mine." Teacher Ai seemed to think of something and actually laughed. "Looks like it was hollowed out long ago."
"This location is relatively close to W19." Xu Huo said flatly. "Draining the pond to catch the fish—no wonder the environment has been damaged so severely."
Teacher Ai twitched the corner of his mouth, a hint of sarcasm on his face, but he didn't speak.
Xu Huo picked up the communicator. "You can come over now."
Before long, the figures of Shangguan Xi and the other two appeared in the desert. Among the three, Shangguan Xi was the fastest, Ding Wei was slightly slower, and the other player was at the back. However, his method of acceleration was strange—he was jumping. Yes, like a long jump, covering about ten meters per leap. It looked a bit strenuous, but his speed wasn't slow.
Shangguan Xi arrived first, but his expression was unpleasant. Xu Huo glanced at him. "Since you didn't fight just now, don't look so reluctant."
"I wish they had made a move," Shangguan Xi said with a cold laugh.
Ding Wei walked over and voluntarily handed over the energy blocks. Seeing Shangguan Xi nod, Xu Huo stored some in the luggage compartment and placed the rest in the passenger seat.
Teacher Ai, who had already inspected the vehicle, said, "The energy blocks need to be replaced with new ones."
Xu Huo got into the passenger seat and, following his instructions, pulled out the energy compartment from under the seat, replacing the old energy blocks with new ones.
"Let's get in. This weather is way too hot." Ding Wei said after checking the driver's cabin.
She and the other player, Zhao Jiahuai, voluntarily went to the back row. Shangguan Xi, having had an unpleasant interaction with the two earlier, chose the passenger seat.
The vehicle was spacious enough for three people in the front.
"When we get to the area, I'll remind you to use your items," Teacher Ai said. "Otherwise, the noise from the car might attract large xenomorphs."
The people in the car indicated no problem. As he pressed a button, the vehicle shot forward like an arrow from a bowstring. Even on soft sand, it ran as smoothly as on a flat road, showing no strain, and its noise was significantly lower than that of an ordinary car.
"This car is amazing!" Shangguan Xi's attention was instantly diverted. He leaned over to Teacher Ai. "Teach me how to drive it."
"No." Teacher Ai didn't even spare him a glance and said bluntly, "The commands on the control panel have different meanings for different terrains. There are at least eight systems. You can't learn it in a short time."
Shangguan Xi became even more interested instead. Not disturbing him while he drove, he crossed his arms and said, "Then you drive. I'll just watch."
Two items were stuck to the rear window. Seeing Xu Huo turn around, Ding Wei proactively explained, "I'm just recording the control panel. In case something happens on the road, someone else can take over driving."
Zhao Jiahuai nodded as well.
Xu Huo looked at the wind and sand outside. "It's not safe outside the car. Everyone stay alert."
That was natural. As long as the car kept moving and didn't encounter large xenomorphs, there was basically no problem. Even some small xenomorphs, though poisonous, couldn't get into the car.
But there were also surprises. About half an hour into the drive, a strange smell appeared inside the car. Shangguan Xi was the first to notice it. He turned his head and stared at the two in the back seat. "Poison gas!"
The two quickly covered their noses and mouths. Zhao Jiahuai kicked open the car door to ventilate, but what rushed in was a heatwave like fire. He quickly closed the door. By then, Ding Wei had already used a detector to check the air inside the car. She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's not poison gas. It's a stench."
"Where does a stench come from in a sealed car..." Shangguan Xi looked suspiciously at the two. "Who farted?"
The car fell silent for a moment. Probably seeing that no one wanted to speak, Teacher Ai finally said, "That's a stink scorpion. It must have gotten into the ventilation duct. The machine filter didn't completely remove the odor."
As he spoke, he operated something, and within a few seconds, the air in the car returned to normal.
Shangguan Xi, completely oblivious to the awkward silence, said to himself, "Good thing it wasn't poison gas. I think I'll put on the protective shield anyway."
He used an item—a transparent square box that fit over his shoulders without obstructing his vision or speech. He chatted with Teacher Ai. "Why is it so hot outside? The temperature is much higher than in the intelligence reports. A person would dehydrate in no time out there."
"Is W37 this hot everywhere?"
"It's tough that you guys can survive in a hellhole like this for so long. Without food and drink, you really can't move an inch."
"How long do we have to run through this desert? It won't take ten days or half a month, will it? By the time we get to W19, everything will be cold. Can't we drive faster?"
"...I wonder if any players have crossed the desert on foot. Maybe someone even died of heatstroke here..."
Listening to his rambling, Xu Huo checked the time. "We can rest for a while."
Teacher Ai had the same idea. He stopped the car in a slightly sheltered spot. The interior was temperature-controlled, but he was still drenched in sweat.
Xu Huo handed him a bottle of water. "If you can't hold on, we can rest longer. You'll probably be the only one driving on the road."
"I can give it a try," said Shangguan Xi, who had just stuffed a piece of dried meat into his mouth.
"Please, just calm down," Zhao Jiahuai couldn't help saying. "We only have this one car. If something goes wrong, walking might really turn us into dried meat under the sun."
Xu Huo patted his shoulder. "If you're really itching to drive, go sit in the back."
Shangguan Xi gave an awkward smile. "I know what's important and what's not."
The group hadn't rested long when the car's alarm sounded. Teacher Ai immediately looked at the control panel and said, "A xenomorph is approaching at high speed."
"Drive fast!" Shangguan Xi shouted.
"Just one xenomorph. We can deal with it," Zhao Jiahuai said. "I'll handle it!"
With that, he opened the door and jumped onto the roof of the car. After the vehicle sped along for half a minute, a xenomorph at least seven or eight meters tall, resembling a lizard, appeared in sight. It crawled extremely fast, its scales reflecting blinding light, and it had evolved a pair of appendages in front of its body that looked like grasping limbs. Those things were at least two to three meters long, and when they swung, you could barely see anything but a blur!
"This is a mine lizard!" Shangguan Xi shouted loudly. "Among the large xenomorphs in the desert, it's the fastest runner, with tough skin and thick blood. It won't give up on its target until it's crippled. Those things it raises up can cut this car like it's cutting tofu!"