After a week, Huai Shi finally broke free from the core of the desert. After surviving radioactive dust, quicksand zones, and the Ten Thousand Mile Desert—a land utterly devoid of water sources and plant supplies—he reached the peripheral area on the southern edge of the desert.
The increasing number of abandoned houses and mines along the way proved he was about to re-enter the civilized world. Confirmation also ca from the sound of engines at noon outside his temporary tent—so shrill and familiar.
The sound startled Ling HuaiShi from his slumber. Groggily, he climbed up and lifted the door curtain he had fashioned from foil paper.
In fact, apart from the mat beneath him, Huai Shi had constructed the entire fra of the temporary tent using the tal reserves in his saddlebag and his Hand of Confinent.
The tent's surface was canvas. To make it windproof, Huai Shi had also coated it with a layer of tin, making it look peculiar and conspicuous under the sunlight.
It shimred like a droplet of rcury rolling on the gravel, silver and gleaming.
Once Huai Shi rubbed his eyes and could see clearly, he spotted several large off-road vehicles speeding from the distant horizon, and... a fleet of ships in hot pursuit.
Yes, a fleet.
Huai Shi took a telescope out of his bag. Focusing intently, he saw ships, each roughly the size of a bus, sailing rapidly across the sand sea, propelled by the wind.
They flew black sails, and beneath their hulls were what appeared to be hovercraft-like devices.
Machine guns and other weapons were mounted on their bows. Each ship carried roughly four to five people, dressed in tattered clothes, who did not look friendly.
Now, sixteen Black Sail ships relentlessly pursued three off-road vehicles fleeing into the desert. Gunfire erupted ceaselessly between them, a cacophony of explosions that was, strangely, almost nostalgic.
Without a doubt, both parties were engaged in conflict and slaughter.
But Huai Shi had no intention of getting involved.
He was only about eight hundred kiloters from Canberra, quite close to his destination, and he certainly didn't want to complicate matters.
Even when he sensed wariness and murderous intent from the off-road vehicles, Huai Shi didn't retaliate. He simply watched quietly through his telescope, his gaze eting that of the Sublimator in one of the vehicles.
For a brief instant, their gazes t across the sand sea.
Subsequently, the corner of the gaunt old man's eye twitched slightly, and he looked away.
The off-road vehicles picked up speed, raced off, and quickly disappeared into the sea of sand.
The Black Sail fleet continued its pursuit. However, a small boat at the rear of the formation suddenly changed direction, speeding towards Huai Shi, propelled by the wind.
"Feels like trouble's coming."
The Raven on his shoulder tsked. "You seem to be the unlucky sort who always gets dragged into trouble, don't you?"
"Whose fault is that!"
Huai Shi couldn't help but roll his eyes as he looked up at the rapidly approaching Black Sail Iron Ship.
The peculiar vehicle—whether it should be called a hovercraft or a sailboat was debatable—was most distinguished by its black sails.
Right there on the massive sail, a strange emblem was outlined in white paint.
It looked like a portrait.
Upon close inspection, one could make out the face of a middle-aged man with disheveled hair and a crown of thorns. The artist clearly had skill, using only simple black and white hues and a few brushstrokes to capture the God Core of that face.
Looking at that face was like facing the infinite sand sea itself, instilling an overwhelming sense of insignificance and powerlessness.
The portrait alone exerted a pressure on the observer's soul.
An ordinary person, seeing it, would surely be paralyzed by fear, incapable of movent.
"Do you know what they're about?" Huai Shi asked.
"The largest Sublimator organization in Australia is the Ard Organization 'The Wasteland Child,' founded by Australia's The Crowned One, the 'Sand King.'"
Raven explained succinctly, "They are now the largest warlord faction in Australia, the de facto Rulers of six cities and seventeen large settlents. All Sublimators in Australia consider it an honor to serve him.
In short, if they decide to target you, you'll be in serious trouble—"
As Raven was explaining, the Black Sail ship had already sped near, executing a sharp drift before stopping in front of Huai Shi.
Dust billowed like waves, showering Huai Shi.
A cigarette butt was tossed down from above. At the bow, a young man in sunglasses stood on the ship's rail, looking down imperiously.
He was bare-chested, unfazed by the scorching sun, wearing only a tactical vest laden with magazines. Dense tattoos covered his chest and neck.
A Sublimator.
Behind him stood several rugged, ard n, their gazes insolent as they sized up Huai Shi below.
Huai Shi also looked up at them, maintaining a calm smile.
Even against the sun's blinding glare, he didn't blink.
"Nice ship," he comnted, nodding in appreciation.
Not seeing the cowering he expected, the man in sunglasses raised an eyebrow in surprise. He lifted a hand, took off his sunglasses, and asked, as if interrogating him,
"Where are you from?"
"Dongxia," Huai Shi replied in Latin. "I'm not your enemy, nor do I intend to hinder your activities. I hope you won't be unduly alard."
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