"The real hellfire is hidden in the ruins of an ancient civilization, where inextinguishable flames have burned from time immemorial."
Xu An was stunned. Her previous understanding of hellfire was entirely based on online information.
Compared to what was said online, she clearly trusted Hao Wol more. After all, who could be more credible than a native speaker when it came to stories passed down through generations on the internet?
"There are two places with hellfire? Is the one that burned for 15 years fake?"
Hao Wol replied, "It wouldn't be entirely false. After the scientific expedition team came here, they discovered that the leakage of these resources could cause a severe ecological crisis. They blew up a deep pit at the leak site, which is what the internet calls 'hellfire.' Later, the country established a scientific research station and an oil and gas extraction reserve station there."
"But the real hellfire is far more shocking than that artificially created deep pit. Without professional protective gear, no one can even get close to it."
"There's no oil or gas there, and it's not even on a volcanic belt, yet it's filled with scorching magma and unquenchable flames."
"According to the older generation, they saw many strange monsters with fangs in that magma..."
As he finished speaking, a chill ran down Xu An's spine. For some reason, she suddenly thought of the unspeakable monster in the mist.
Before Xu An could fully digest this colossal piece of information, Hao Wol emphasized again, "You absolutely must not go there! People will really die!"
Hao Wol only let Xu An return to her room after she repeatedly assured him that she absolutely would not go. She silently grumbled to herself that even if she wanted to go, she wouldn't be able to find the way.
However, she had always been cautious about her life. If she had been a little interested in this "hellfire" before, wanting to see what it looked like, after hearing Hao Wol's account, Xu An completely abandoned the idea.
After walking around for a day, Xu An was covered in sand. Although it was uncomfortable, she couldn't bathe or change her clothes. She didn't want to stand out and attract attention for a moment of comfort.
She took out some simple meals from her spatial storage, mostly soups and liquids. The desert climate was too hot, making her lose her appetite.
Xu An hadn't expected that after finally enduring the extreme heat period, she would now have to endure the scorching desert climate.
Xu An spent a leisurely two days here. Apart from encountering the girl named Ana once, which was a bit speechless, she also got to experience some exotic local customs.
The vendors here were far less affluent than those in the Lighthouse, and even less so than the survivors in the inland areas. All they had to offer were dried fruits like walnuts, raisins, and red dates.
But Hao Wol told her that being able to trade food was a sign of being a "wealthy household" in Sand City. Some people couldn't even afford to eat and had to go out hunting.
Xu An recalled their first encounter. "So, you were hunting sand rats and sand snakes then?"
Hao Wol nodded.
"Don't you have any reserve food here?"
"We do..." Hao Wol didn't continue. He turned his head away, seeming unwilling to discuss the topic further.
Xu An didn't need to guess to know that Hao Wol and the others hunted not for themselves, but likely had already taken out their reserves to help others. Border outposts were certainly equipped with food in advance, with at least five years of reserves. If it were just for them, they wouldn't need to venture out so frequently. Their frequent hunting likely meant they were doing it for others.
...
Xu An traded a compressed biscuit for half a catty of raisins. These were rare commodities in the Lighthouse, but readily available food in Sand City.
If only she didn't have to "hide her wealth," she really wanted to buy all the raisins here. They were really delicious, with just the right balance of sweetness and sourness, and a perfect texture.
After buying them, she soaked them in hot water, and the rich grape aroma instantly permeated the entire house. Fortunately, the houses here were built with adobe bricks and weren't drafty, so the smell of her food wouldn't waft out.
...
Inside the Lighthouse.
"Qin Chuan, the target for this mission is the Sand Monster. It has rough skin, large eyes and ears, and its face looks like a distorted koala."
A man in a white lab coat strode out of the shadows, his voice deep and slow. His handsome features indicated he was not old. "This experimental sample is very important. The Doctor asked me to inform you that for this operation, we hope you won't disappoint the Doctor again..."
Qin Chuan didn't even look up. He parted his crossed legs and stood up from the sofa. He brushed off the creases on his clothes, took the target information handed to him by the man, and replied indifferently, "Please also tell the Doctor that I will do my best." He then turned towards the door, as if remembering something. He turned back, a mocking smile on his lips, "Oh, right, please also tell the Doctor that my direct superior is always the military. If you have any objections to me, you can replace me."
After saying that, Qin Chuan ignored the man's flushed face, his heavy military boots clacking on the polished marble floor, as he pushed open the door and walked out with his head held high.
"Hmph! Let's see how long you can show off!"
At this moment, the bookshelf leaning against the wall suddenly opened in the middle, and a figure hidden in the shadows, with a blurred face, emerged from the split wall.
"Doctor, Qin Chuan has no loyalty to us at all. Why do you keep employing him!"
The man, seeing the figure emerge, began to complain eagerly.
"If not Qin Chuan, are you going down to capture experimental samples? Or should I go myself?"
The Doctor's cold voice immediately silenced the man. "Weng Quan, Qin Chuan is not your subordinate. He listens to us only because of instructions from above. I've warned you countless times not to provoke him!"
Weng Quan bit his lower lip and stood behind the Doctor, but the venomous look in his eyes showed no sign of him taking the advice.
"Go keep an eye on the 'Heart.' If there's any movement, tell me immediately. You don't need to interfere with the experimental subjects. I'll say it one last time: don't provoke Qin Chuan!"
"Yes!"
Weng Quan concealed the resentment on his face, feigned humility, bowed his head, and withdrew from the room.
After leaving the room, Weng Quan's communicator rang. He looked at the character "Chu" displayed on the communicator. His originally gloomy expression faded, and he answered with a gentle tone...