Chapter 70: .Another journey (part one)

In the early morning, the thin mist shrouded the rolling mountains south of the ruins of the former Arcadina Fortress. As the light and shadow changed, it looked like a hazy heavenly holy land, but there was no worm and no birdsong.
Standing on the snow-covered peak and looking westward, an unidentified black mist of ink entangled a large open area beyond the mountains. Everywhere I can see is this creepy, stretched tentacles that swallows the light of otherworldly evil energy. From time to time, I can faintly hear those monsters lurking in the dark roaring in a low voice, and the sound is roaring like thunder. One can't help being frightened.
In a hidden cave halfway up the mountain, Gloria was carefully removing the palm-sized round magic tool placed on the tripod at the entrance of the cave, and carefully put it into her Baibao backpack. This little thing that looks like an enlarged version of the eyeball is her proud work. It condenses some of the most sophisticated new technologies in the workshop. It can simulate a small barrier effect anytime and anywhere, automatically reflecting light, heat, and even Taste is an indispensable tool for lurkers.
It was by virtue of its shielding effect last night that everyone was able to successfully avoid the violent herd and survive the sudden crisis safely.
"Unexpectedly, the scenery here is pretty good!" Gloria looked at the hazy change of the beautiful haze like colorful gauze in the distance. After holding back the depressed mood for the whole night, she turned back to her partner with a smile. We compare our hands and want them to come and appreciate it together. She was still wearing that gray camouflage uniform, with thick engineering glasses buckled on her forehead, with some blue shadows under her, presumably she didn't sleep well last night.
Because it was in the backlit mountain shade, the cave was still dark, and there was almost nothing to see except the vague outline of the tent. With the sound of clothing rubbing a few times, a tall black figure walked out silently. It was a snapshot of the clear light shooting in from the hole. The red-haired fur coat and the iconic horse-slashing sword made people recognize him at a glance. Identity.
Eamon, the Great Swordsman, stood beside the girl, glanced around at random, and gently placed the alloy cauldron in his hand on the ground. It seemed that he was planning to prepare today's breakfast. Don’t look at his face usually slumped, reticent and indifferent, but he is very careful when he starts the food, and the taste is also incredible. I really don’t know where he learned this craft-maybe this is also a girl Must invite him to join the mission together.
Gloria glanced at the rice pot that was almost the size of a grinding plate. She hurried over and opened the lid of the pot happily. Her smile instantly collapsed: "I don't want to eat this gruel anymore! Well, do you treat me as a rice worm to feed me! It’s rare that there are still guests today, so let’s change to a new one!"
Eamon lowered his head to look at the thin white rice porridge in the pot of clear soup and water. He hesitated for a moment. He raised his head and continued to look at the girl who pretended to be pitiful in front of him.
"Hey, let's have a barbecue today! Oh, yes...no fresh meat, or just have a fried rice with eggs! Oh...no eggs...Oh, what can I do!" The teacher frowned, thinking of the stretched food reserve, and couldn't help shaking his head in distress. Due to unexpected circumstances a few days ago, they had to pack lightly and put most of their supplies on the Scorpion tank Tamiris. Now it seems that this is really the biggest of the mission. Failure!
She thought for a long time and didn't make up her mind. She looked up at a serious swordsman like a senior chef waiting to order a meal. She blinked innocently and decided to hand this problem to the newcomer. Then he turned his head and shouted into the cave: "Hey, who, Jiehai, right? You have an idea, what should we eat today?"
"Uh, Miss Vera, you have to decide for yourself, I can eat whatever I want..." A slightly embarrassing reply came from the young man in the cave, and Jie Hai patted the dirt on his shirt lightly. The faint light took off the coat from the stone wall, put it on while walking, and walked small steps to the entrance of the cave.
Since meeting these two life-savers who claim to be mercenaries last night, he has been in an unknown state. Although he was not injured, his mind was smashed into a mess.
He even wondered if he was dreaming, otherwise, how could he explain why he would inexplicably come from the ancient capital of Beijing thousands of miles away to this forbidden place on the edge of the desert where no one can set foot in rumors-darkness Where's the swamp?
He couldn't sleep all night, reflecting on all kinds of weird things that had been happening around him during this period of time, so he didn't have the slightest preparation for the changes. To be honest, he has tried his best to cater to this change, but it turns out that there is not the most absurd, only more cheating. It's as if the days that were originally stable and stable are like smoke and dust, floating in the long river of his life, no traces can be found.
At this moment, he looked at the slightly dissatisfied Miss Vera with his hands in his arms. He sneered at her with a sneer, looked into the pot, and glanced at the imposing swordsman on the other side. I’m not sure what the relationship is between these two, so I hurried to make a round of it:
In fact, drinking porridge in the morning is good for your health. I always drink porridge in school...or, Miss Vera, you can do it. Eat something first?"
"I don't want it!" Gloria glanced contemptuously at the little peacemaker, turned around and looked at Emen quietly for a moment, and muttered to herself like the cheek gangster: "I want to eat. Barbecue, I want to eat barbecue, I want to eat barbecue..."
This rather childish thought made Jie Hai burst into cold sweat on his forehead, but the Great Swordsman didn’t seem to want to argue. He bent over and held the rice pot in his hand, and lightly leaped into the darkness of the cave. . After a whistling sound, he walked back again, changing into a small black leather bag in his hand, and the faint smell of roasted meat continued to radiate from that bag, with a unique indescribable temptation. The smell of human spice makes the gluttons in Jiehai's stomach start to irritate.
Emmon sent the leather bag to the female craftsman, but she retreated two steps as if being picked up by the fire, leaning against the rock wall with a pale face, and the corners of her mouth twitched nervously. He stuttered and asked, "Why... why are you still carrying this!?"
Jie Hai looked even more confused. Isn’t Miss Vera just thinking about eating barbecue? Why people are resisting it when they are sent to her. It is really puzzling... He stared at it and didn’t know what it was pretending. His leather bag couldn't help but twitched his nose and took a sharp breath, then subconsciously swallowed his saliva, making a soft "gudong" sound.
Gloria seemed to be aware of his existence. She immediately turned her head and pointed at him like a savior and shouted excitedly: "Give him food, feed him!" She somehow gained courage again and grabbed it. The black leather bag jumped to Jiehai's side and stuffed him into his arms, and hid in the hole like the wind, making no sound anymore.
Jiehai was taken aback by her sudden attack. When she recovered, the girl was nowhere to be seen. Only the cold-faced swordsman who seemed to be uncomfortable was staring at him not far away, as if her eyes were on her. It also brought faint badness.
"Uh, Mr. Emmon, um, um..." He only felt that the leather bag in his hand that smelled of roasted meat was like a hot potato at the moment, and he didn't know what to say. He scratched his head and wondered if he should return, sword. The scholar unexpectedly said: "Eat."
A simple word made Jie Hailian shudder, and his face was astonished. Since running away all the way last night, he really hadn’t heard the indifferent mercenary spit out half a word or say something impolite. , He almost thought the other party was born dumb. It's just that outside the wilderness cave where the monsters are infested, looking at the other party's cold, iron-like noodles with a low, unsteady voice gives him an indescribable sense of tension, and he always feels that something is wrong.
Although the unknown food in the bag was indeed fragrant and attractive, he hesitated and found an excuse to decline first: "Um...Mr. Eamon, you see, I just got up and didn't even brush my teeth? , Or you should eat it yourself..."
He gave the bag forward with a dry smile, but Emmon had no intention of accepting it, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he glanced at his unkempt head like a bird's nest, then leaped forward and ran towards the top of the mountain.
"Mr. Eamon, where are you going? Mr. Eamon..." Jie Hai hurriedly pursued a few steps, and just turned to the side of the cave, the other side's figure had disappeared from his vision.
"Don't shout, he's going to find water for you to wash..." Gloria poked her head out of the hole again with a smile, holding a bowl of white porridge with some sausages and pickles sprinkled on it. There was still a little porridge on the side, which seemed to have no intention of disgust.
"Ms. Vera, where are you making a noise...what the is this?" In the early morning, he was filled with mud, and still couldn't get angry, Jie Hai could only smile and squeeze the bag. , I found that there were several spherical objects inside.
"What else, meatballs... can't you smell it so sweet?" The girl squeezed her eyes at him playfully, drank a big mouthful of porridge, licked her lips and urged maliciously, "You eat One, it's delicious, don't lie to you!"
"This...I'll wait for Mr. Eamon to come back..." He had already said not to eat, so he was embarrassed to change his mouth, put the bag carefully on the stone slab next to him, and saw the girl drinking porridge with relish. I also feel hungry in my belly.
The last meal was a small bag of dry military food that he ate yesterday evening. This special type of dough was too hard to bite. He could only pour water in the bowl and barely swallow a piece after it was soaked. It's not that he is picky. To be honest, he had just escaped the crazy beast wave at that time. He was afraid and tired, and his nerves were almost broken. How much is there to eat...
The smell of barbecue in the air is still stimulating his sense of smell. In order to divert his attention, he coughed a few times, sat on the stone slab, and chatted with Gloria casually: "Miss Vera, we Now that you have left the black fog area of ​​the swamp, is it safe?"
"I'm so stupid, haven't you seen me running the reflectometer all night? This mountain is full of hidden monster nests. If one is not careful, maybe some monster suddenly came out,'ahhhh' I'll give you a bite, hum." The girl made a grimace at him waving a spoon and continued to sip the porridge against the wall.
"Well, that's really not careless..." Jie Hai has never seen a strange beast before, and never thought that there would be a day of confrontation with them, and had no recognition of such a nightmare monster. But just the horrible beast wave that he saw in a hurry yesterday, and the stinks of blood soaked in the smell, were enough to make him feel terrified and unable to resist any resistance.
He echoed anxiously, and then took a glance towards the top of the mountain, but still did not see the tall figure of Eamon, he continued to ask: "I remember, you said yesterday that you were separated from the other two companions, so today we should Do you want to find them first?"
When Gloria heard him mention the matter, her mood that was good at first fell again. She pouted and rebuked "Nosy." Then she ignored him, drank the porridge, and muffled again. Got into the cave. She put her rice bowl on the stone platform that Eamon cut out yesterday, took out a red bean-sized pill from the ring she wore on her wrist, threw it into her mouth, and shrank in the cotton cushion beside the tent. Thoughts.
There are so many holes below, I don’t know where they will fall... She was chewing the pills carelessly, and the bitter chemical smell that burst into her nose immediately made her sneez into her head. But his thinking became clearer. She was in poor health since she was a child and had to take medicine every day to relieve it. She was used to enduring the unspeakable smell of hot medicine, but calmly touched a candy seed that was used to neutralize the taste from the other side of the bracelet and squeezed it in her mouth Waiting for it to melt slowly, but I can't help but recall the bits and pieces of this adventure mission in my mind.
Just a few days ago, the group of four of them set off from Rock City on a giant scorpion chariot, traversed the scorching Hatalai Desert, and finally arrived at Maluli, an oasis camp in the middle of the desert.
The only green grass forest in this desert seems to be flowing with an inexhaustible spring. Surrounding the blue lake in the center, countless tents of different heights and colors are connected to form a whirlpool-like settlement. Among the crooked desert houses, some are so simple that a piece of dirty coarse cloth has been spliced ​​with a wooden frame, and some are so extravagant that even the wool carpet placed at the entrance of the tent is embroidered with gold edges. The difference between rich and poor is huge. , Also quite surprising.
Three poles in the sun, the Tamiris chariot walked through the outer grassland along the gravel road separated by iron-wood fences, followed a few slow iron trucks, and slowly stopped into the transportation area delineated on the east side of the camp gate. .
Rhea opened the car door first and glanced out in the dark. This open sandy ground was filled with all kinds of magic motive cars and small airships. Most of the merchant travelers were in a hurry, and they didn't seem to have much interest in everything that happened except themselves. Therefore, despite the unique shape of the giant scorpion chariot, it only attracted some inquiring eyes, and no one wanted to stay for a while.
"I'll go to the wine shop to inquire about the information first, you are careful here, don't run around." Seeing everything around is as usual, she turned her head and exhorted the two teenagers behind her, lowering the hood on her forehead. His face made a leap, and he ran towards the gate that was hidden by tall palm trees in the distance.
After sitting in this small and sultry carriage for two or three days in a row, Yuno had already suffocated his bones and became sore. He hadn't ventured out for more than a year, and he had never been to this desert hinterland, with curiosity in his chest It really kept going up. Now that he has reached the safety zone, he immediately put on his hood, jumped out of the car door and stretched out, sniffed the sultry air with the fragrance of grass comfortably, and carefully looked at this seemingly simple yet extraordinary place. Desert city.
Except for the solid metal gates, dense thorny vines and giant trees surrounded the entire campsite, interspersed with clusters of long-clawed fairy pillars that were as hard as golden stones, forming a natural protective barrier. Beyond, there is a large area of ​​irregularly shaped flowers and grass, the color extends from green to yellow, to the outermost layer of yellow sand that is tumbling like water, which has a strange sense of spatial dislocation.
He had read the description of this desert city in the book before, and now he is surprised to see it with his own eyes. He didn't expect it to be so full of life here. Just looking at the green belt at the entrance of the camp, who can Think of it as a desert?
Occasionally someone among the business travelers around him stopped to look at him. When he thought of Rhea's instructions, he pulled his hood down nervously, pretending to look at the scenery everywhere, and moved to the chariot without rushing. Next to the stone fence on the shadow side.
There are many light blue four-leaf flowers that he has never seen before on the dark red stone fence, and the round thumb-shaped leaves are moist and translucent, and they look particularly attractive. The Asker people have a natural interest in new types of plants. For a moment, he wanted to reach out and touch the cute little flower. Gloria’s soft warning voice came from behind him: "Be careful, break it." If you fail, you will be fined heavily!"
"Fine?" Yuno turned his head in astonishment. The girl who had just overhauled the tank lifted the heavy engineering glasses, winked at him with a chuckle, and stretched out her finger not far away. Yuno took the opportunity to see that a man wearing a black cloak and a coarse sand-proof mask was standing outside the stone fence, staring at him motionlessly with his sleeves, his eyes burning, presumably he would definitely be caught by him if he confiscated his hands. Captured on the spot.
"...I just wanted to get closer and take a closer look." Yuno was panicked by the golden gaze, and didn't want to show his timidity in front of his companions. He coughed nonchalantly and explained, "This The flowers look...very ordinary, even if they are fined, they don’t cost much, right?
"One gold and one gold, no matter how big or small it is all one gold and one gold." The girl yelled at him playfully, learning from the voice of the salesman. The Maruli have their own rules that they cannot violate, destroying the greenery they regard as life. It is a felony, and everyone must pay a high price.
"...It's just a mere gold." Yuno didn't expect the fine to be so high, but he likes plants the most, so how could he hurt them? He still held his neck indifferently and refused to let go, and made a noise. Snorted with disdain.
"Okay, okay, I know,'Therapists are never short of money', hehe..." The girl jokingly said a Northland proverb, turned her head and patted the blue crystal-like lights on the front of the chariot loudly. Instruction, "Tamiris, defensive form!"
"Defensive... form." The giant scorpion chariot repeated the command as confirmed. The long tail quickly shortened and stowed into the trunk. The giant pliers on the front of the car were bent back to hide in the bottom, and the windows were also covered with thick. The alloy baffle looks like a huge semi-circular metal bread.
When the low magic noise in the car disappeared completely, Gloria clapped her hands with satisfaction, put on her hood, bounced to Yuno's side, and grabbed his arm: "Let’s go. Let's take you around the city."
"Is it okay to leave like this? Didn't Sister Rhea tell us not to run around?" Although the little doctor also wanted to enter this strange city for a tour, but here is a gathering place for mercenaries. When something unexpected happens, if there is no strong companion around, I always feel emboldened in my heart.
"What kind of running around? Isn't it a fool to stand here and soak up the sun if you don't enter the city? Don't worry, don't worry, I will come to this place often, and it will be okay to follow me!" The girl pointed to the fireball-like sun, nonchalant Retort.
"Then... tell Mr. J to go together? Mr. J? Are you there?" Yuno thought for a while and then turned back to the chariot and shouted twice, but he didn't hear the slightest response.
"Oh, don't shout! He can't be idle, he has already sneaked into the city by himself, let's go!" Gloria didn't allow him to ask any more, holding his arm and striding forward. When passing by the black man, he took out a silver coin from his pocket and threw it over, "Hey, go find someone to help this lady clean the car, and the rest will be yours."
The man in black didn't say anything, grabbed the coin, bowed and saluted, and hurried to recruit workers. Yuno only came and glanced at his back, and was stumbling towards the green trees. Walked to the iron city gate that shuttled non-stop.