Kingdom of Corrosion
Chapter 699 - 330: Volcano Area

Chapter 699: Chapter 330: Volcano Area

Unexpectedly for the two of them, the volcano didn’t cause any trouble, but food did. They set up camp at noon on the second day of entering the Volcano Area. Since there were quite a few obstacles on the road, they had only covered 120 kilometers, and the food was down to the last one-kilogram piece of smoked meat and half a kilogram of rice.

After setting up the tent in a natural rock cave by the road, Lin Wu immediately went to a creek 300 meters away, just as he had suspected, it was a hot spring creek. The water was perfect for a bath but did nothing to solve the food problem. After filling up with hot spring water and returning to the camp, Maya took a sip and felt a burst of sulfur flavor hitting her nose, but there was no choice but to drink it.

"We’re moving too slowly," Maya acknowledged the objective reasons being the severely damaged road and numerous obstacles. Considering the food issue, they must leave the Volcano Area before the next rest stop. This meant that they had to cover 180 kilometers before two o’clock in the afternoon the day after tomorrow.

Maya suggested a solution, "You go ahead." Phantom, with its all-terrain enhancements, would have no problem completing the 180 kilometers within the designated time. Maya suggested that Lin Wu leave the Volcano Area first and find a location on the road outside to set up camp and wait for her.

This idea was also what Lin Wu had in mind, but he hadn’t brought it up immediately; after all, it was the first time they would be separating. Moreover, according to the schedule, Maya needed to reach the camping spot before the second night of her journey; otherwise, Sandstorm would starve to death. Considering that it took Sandstorm a day and a half to travel 120 kilometers, whether it could cover 180 kilometers in two days would be left to fate.

Lin Wu replied, "Whether we can successfully get out is not about the upper limit of efficiency, but the lower limit. As long as we have water, we won’t die of hunger for a few days, but Sandstorm is the root of the problem."

Truth be told, Sandstorm was already excellent, but it still wasn’t as good as Phantom. Besides not having the all-terrain enhancement advantage, Sandstorm also had a tendency to slack off, so Maya had refrained from pushing it too hard, keeping its fatigue levels safely in check.

Maya said, "One reason I’m letting you go first is that following you won’t speed up Sandstorm. The second is that I’m prepared to abandon Sandstorm if necessary."

"Alright!" The worst-case scenario was Maya’s death, and he would just wait for her for 24 hours.

After agreeing on the plan, they both soaked in the hot spring by the creek, taking the opportunity to drink more water. Once the tent was set up, Lin Wu used the kitchen to cook all the remaining ingredients into salty rice. He ate a little, leaving most of the food for Maya. Maya didn’t refuse, consuming half and packing the other half in a paper bag.

...

"I’m leaving first!"

"Go ahead!"

Without Sandstorm slowing it down, Phantom charged along the road filled with volcanic ash and rocks. Even with Lin Wu mindful of managing its fatigue, it still maintained a speed of 25 kilometers per hour. Departing at seven in the morning, Phantom brought Lin Wu and Wai out of the Volcano Area by four in the afternoon. Three kilometers further, it took Lin Wu to a valley meadow filled with the fragrance of flowers and chirping of birds.

Lin Wu didn’t know if there was anything to eat in the river, but he saw plenty to eat along the riverbank. Gazelles, rabbits, and meadow deer were everywhere. Setting up the tent in a snap, Lin Wu, accompanied by Wai, rushed to the riverbank like a hungry tiger. Ten minutes later, they returned home with 20 kilograms of meat.

What’s the difference between all-terrain enhancement and no enhancement?

A road laid with dark, stony rubble lay before them. Phantom’s choice was to accelerate, treading directly on the stones – the rolling rocks did not bother it much. Sandstorm, however, had to slow down, either detouring or stepping firmly before proceeding. Of course, one could force Sandstorm to run over it, but if you dare demand, Sandstorm would dare to show you a fall.

The tougher the road, the greater the gap between Phantom and Sandstorm. Now, Phantom was feasting on the tender grass of the tent, but Lin Wu didn’t know where Sandstorm was at the moment.

Under the bright moon, Lin Wu sat beside Phantom, eating barbecued meat, looking in the direction of the Volcano Area, feeling somewhat restless. He felt that abandoning his companion to eat barbecue alone was somewhat improper. Was it abandoning his companion or eating barbecue alone that was improper? Lin Wu’s mind started to wander.

The next morning, after a full night’s sleep and hearty meal, Lin Wu went out to work and encountered a crocodile, tasting crocodile meat for the first time. It was tastier than rabbit and deer meat, similar to a mix of chicken and fish flavors, but Lin Wu thought it was closer to snake meat. Tired of lean meat, the crocodile meat was a nice change, not only fatty but also tender and springy.

From ten in the morning till noon, with no news of Maya and Sandstorm, Lin Wu suppressed the urge to send Little Fight out on a fruitless scouting mission and continued waiting patiently. As Maya’s husband in name, Lin Wu knew Maya was still alive; if there were no problems, she could survive for several more days. The concern was with Sandstorm, who had less than 12 hours before starvation.

Initially, Lin Wu felt that Sandstorm was stronger than Phantom because Sandstorm was not picky and easier to keep fed. Although it could slack off, controlling its fatigue levels was enough. But after this comparison, he realized the enormous gap in strength between a Five-star Divine Horse and a Four-star Divine Colt.

By two in the afternoon, Lin Wu started to grow uneasy. He was imagining the difficulties Maya might be facing, and the guilt of leaving a companion behind was making him anxious.

Indeed, as Maya had said, Lin Wu going ahead was the optimal solution, but people are not rational animals. Moreover, Highway 77 had already battered Maya; Lin Wu didn’t want her to suffer from losing Sandstorm or even death. Of course, there was also a selfish reason: the pressure of walking more than a thousand kilometers beside a resurrected Maya was tremendous, not only physically but also psychologically.

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