When everyone reached the Haloxylon forest, they looked at the countless dry branches and leaves on the ground. Luo Zheng was delighted and put down his gear, imdiately suggesting, "Brothers, let's spend the night here. With so many branches and dry leaves, we'll have enough for the whole night. Given this ghostly weather, it's probably going to be very cold tonight. It's a good spot to shelter from the wind and we've got fuel for a fire."
Everyone had desert survival experience and naturally knew that there was a big temperature difference in the desert between day and night, so it was essential to prepare early. Snow Leopard glanced around and said, "You guys collect the fuel; I'll dig a hiding cave," as he put down his gear and pulled out an entrenching tool to start digging into a slope that looked sturdy.
"I'll help out," Ghost Hand said, also setting down his belongings and busy himself with an entrenching tool.
"I'll have a look around nearby and see if I can find sothing to eat," Mountain Eagle said and walked off too.
Luo Zheng and Lan Xue exchanged glances and smiled knowingly, setting down their equipnt and gathering dry wood. Suddenly, Luo Zheng noticed so Cistanche on the ground. This was sothing touted as the ginseng of the desert, and he was surprised, quickly saying, "Xue Er, take a look at this, is this Cistanche?"
Luo Zheng wasn't familiar with Cistanche. He had only seen it once during desert training, so he was uncertain upon seeing it again. Lan Xue ca over in surprise, looked, and nodded affirmatively, "I didn't expect we'd find wild Cistanche; this is great stuff. We should gather so, dry it, and take it back as gifts for everyone."
"Great idea, after all, this stuff won't weigh much once it's dried, and it's not every day you see wild ones," Luo Zheng smiled too. Cistanche was not only great for nourishing kidney yang and enriching the blood but it also moisturized the intestines and was a laxative. It could also be used for impotence, infertility, sore waist and knees, weakness in tendons and bones, dry intestines, constipation, and it even had so beautifying effects. The assistance it provided in boosting immunity was not insignificant; this purely wild desert ginseng was a rare find indeed.
"We'll gather it tomorrow, now that it's getting cold, it's not the right ti to pick it," Lan Xue advised as Luo Zheng was about to start harvesting. anwhile, she shared the discovery with the others. When everyone heard about this fine item, they were all quite pleased.
Half an hour later, Luo Zheng and Lan Xue had collected quite a few dry branches, enough to last everyone through the night. Ghost Hand and Snow Leopard were still digging the hiding cave. The soil was pretty loose, which made digging quick. Luo Zheng checked and saw that the entrance to the hiding cave was small, but the inside was hollowed out. The two inside were making it bigger, continually shoveling dirt out.
After waiting a bit more, Mountain Eagle returned, holding three adult sand lizards, each the size of an arm with necks twisted and already dead. Seeing the three sand lizards, Luo Zheng laughed and said, "These are a treat, even if they do cause heat after eating. But we haven't tasted at in days, we can't be picky. Let's enjoy so at tonight."
After days of continuous combat, it was a rare mont for everyone to relax. The surroundings seed very safe, as the Wolf King's n and racing teams were clashing on the grasslands. At this ti, they were actually at their safest. The hiding cave was ready, big enough to accommodate everyone. The gathered dry wood was stacked by the entrance to block the wind and to keep it close for burning.
The campfire was lit quickly, and using so larger dry branches, a makeshift rack was constructed to grill the lizards. Everyone chatted casually, relaxing their bodies and minds. After several days of tense fighting, this relaxation was welco. After more than half an hour, the sand lizards were roasted just right. Everyone took out their knives, cut through the skin, and started eating the flesh underneath.
Without any seasoning, the taste was bland, but it was much better than the compressed biscuits. Everyone happily began to eat, and within ten minutes, the three lizards were divided and eaten up. The leftovers were taken outside, where a pit was dug to bury them, to prevent the sll from spreading and attracting ferocious animals like Jackals. On the battlefield, you can never let your guard down.
After eating and drinking their fill, everyone chatted casually about picking Cistanche the next day. The night grew deeper, and the howling wind brought a cold wave, making everyone sitting around the campfire shiver with cold. Fortunately, they were sheltered from the wind and had a fire, otherwise it would have been impossible to get through the long night.
Luo Zheng estimated that it was at least thirty degrees below zero outside, much like the last ti he was on the icy snowfield. In such cold weather, no one would co out, and even wild animals wouldn't dare to venture out easily. Being in a concealed valley among many similar valleys around, it was impossible to be discovered. They left one person to watch the fire and stand guard, while the others took turns to sleep.
They slept until the break of dawn, enjoying a rare peaceful rest and their spirits were rejuvenated. After eating so dry food and drinking water, they started picking Cistanche. It was a rare opportunity not to be missed. It took them about ten minutes to collect a bunch, and each person packed so in their bag before continuing on their way.
The temperature rose with ti, becoming hotter and hotter by the day. The stifling heat during the day and the bone-chilling cold at night were unbearable for most. But the group was determined, moving forward slowly and speaking as little as possible to prevent the burning hot air from entering their bodies and causing discomfort.
They proceeded with intermittent stops, and by noon, the sandy landscape ahead marked the real entrance into the desert. Luo Zheng signaled for everyone to rest for a while, fill up on food and drink before continuing their journey. Looking at the rolling heat waves on the sand, Luo Zheng felt a tingling sensation on his scalp – the temperature here was much higher than in the deserts where they had trained. Fortunately, they had collected enough water bottles to last them for now, otherwise it would be impossible to move forward.
The vast expanse of sand stretched endlessly, with a spotlessly blue sky and white clouds floating leisurely above. The group continued to walk slowly forward, not seeing a single soul around, at least they didn't have to worry about an ambush, which eased their minds a bit.
After another two hours, Mountain Eagle, who was leading the way, suddenly sent a ssage. A caravan appeared ahead, startling everyone. They quickly hid behind the nearest sand dune, checking their weapons and bracing for what may co. A caravan appearing in such a desolate place was definitely not good news.
"Rumble, rumble!" The distant sound of helicopter blades ca faintly, causing everyone's faces to stiffen as they looked up to see a helicopter charging over, whizzing above the caravan. Everyone hid well, camouflaged by their desert Jili suits and behind the sand dunes, there was no need to worry about being discovered.
Watching the helicopter roar past, Luo Zheng's expression changed, and he whispered, "That's an ard combat helicopter. Could it be the Wolf King sending reinforcents? If so, the international teams are in trouble."
"The caravan is probably his people too," Lan Xue casually replied while raising her sniper scope to observe. Her expression darkened as she said in surprise, "Look, the boxes carried by the caravan have weapon markings. They're ammunition. Could it be that after our explosion destroyed their ammo, the Wolf King sent this caravan to transport more?"
"If that's the case, we cannot let this caravan get through. Twenty-sothing people, we can take them," Luo Zheng suggested. They had gone to great lengths to destroy the Wolf King's ammunition. If this batch got through, it would be disadvantageous for the international teams. If the teams faced disadvantage, they wouldn't be able to hold back Wolf King's n, and their own actions would be compromised. It was essential to hijack this supply.
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