This Game Is Too Real
Chapter 431: It is Said to Be the Place Where "The God of the Sky" Fell

Chapter 431: Chapter 431: It is Said to Be the Place Where "The God of the Sky" Fell

"Nuclear bomb?!"

City of Dawn’s reception room.

When Chu Guang patiently listened to Prince Kaliman’s hurried report and learned that the Army planned to bomb the City of Abundance with a million-ton nuclear bomb, he froze for two seconds, his expression dumbstruck.

However, he quickly sensed something suspect about this piece of intelligence, a trace of skepticism appearing in his eyes.

"Is the information reliable?"

I haven’t heard even a whisper of a rumor.

Yet you already know.

It’s not that I underestimate the efficiency of feudal dynasties in gathering intelligence, Chu Guang simply doesn’t believe they are capable of this.

The Army is a very special organization. They emphasize the purity of lineage, and all core military officers are Weilante People.

Even Old Soldier had managed to get his hands on information about Military Base No.530 by sheer luck.

Before capturing Piman and Antonite, no one knew about the operation codenamed "Thunder," not even Chu Guang’s side, who only speculated a major military maneuver based on the military base’s excessive weapon stockpile.

Only when that plan was abandoned did the hidden truth surface.

Nuclear weapons...

It’s not strange that the Army possesses them.

But how did the Lion Kingdom find out?

Faced with Chu Guang’s doubtful look, Prince Kaliman nodded seriously.

"Absolutely reliable! This information comes from a noble within the Falcon Kingdom who sympathizes with our predicament; he shares our faith and lineage and his devotion to the Spirit of the Sand Sea surpasses his blind loyalty to the Falcon Royal Family... These are all I can reveal to you, but I swear to the Spirit of the Sand Sea, every word I say is utterly true!"

That serious expression didn’t seem feigned.

In fact, Chu Guang wasn’t doubting that the Lion Kingdom was hoodwinking him, trying to fake intelligence to escalate regional "tension" and press allies to send troops quickly.

What he truly suspected was whether this might be a sting operation by General Griffin, releasing bait to draw out traitors.

However—

The reason Kaliman provided was indeed sufficient.

Even in a classical militaristic kingdom like the Falcon Kingdom, internal opinions couldn’t possibly be completely unified.

Even if there was no controversy over the ministers about "being the Army’s dog," they would still debate whether to be a Teddy or a Husky.

Especially for the desert people, the "Riverbank" is a blessing from the Spirit of the Sand Sea.

It wouldn’t be surprising if devout followers opposed using the nuclear bomb on the "City of Abundance."

Chu Guang closed his eyes to think for a moment, then slowly said,

"I will have our intelligence personnel pay attention, but I can’t promise you definite results; staying hidden is his priority right now."

"Additionally, I will contact our allies on the East Coast as soon as possible to discuss countermeasures."

After a pause, Chu Guang looked at Kaliman and continued.

"Of course, relying on us alone isn’t enough; the area of Luo Xia Province is too vast. I need you to use that network that procured the nuclear weapons information to gather as much specific detail as possible—like where exactly the nuclear bomb is, its type, delivery method, and range. These details are crucial."

Just the "million-ton yield" alone offers too few clues.

Even determining if the bomb is deployed by airplane or missile would narrow the scope of the search.

After explaining what intelligence needed to be collected, Chu Guang patient explained some details to be mindful of with Prince Kaliman.

For example, a million-ton nuclear bomb isn’t something that fits in a suitcase and can be carried around.

Besides the aircraft or missile launcher for deploying the bomb, it also requires corresponding engineers and technicians for maintenance.

These could all serve as clues for the investigation.

Having finished the meeting with Prince Kaliman, Chu Guang immediately summoned representatives from the companies, informing people like Yi Chuan that the Army was deploying nuclear weapons to Luo Xia Province.

Although the authenticity of the intelligence still needed further verification, it didn’t stop Chu Guang from preemptively utilizing it.

The Alliance was now facing the threat of nuclear weapons!

The Alliance needed more support!

While Chu Guang skillfully leveraged the intelligence provided by Kaliman to seek more support from the East Coast for the Alliance, General McCullen, who had left Oasis No.9 and headed south from the frontlines, was also busily preparing to reclaim the Iron Heart...

...

The abandoned highway was buried under yellow sand, leaving only fragments of concrete.

The bare bridge pillars and the occasional cement road emerging from the dunes resembled corpses floating on the ocean surface, adrift in the boundless sea of sand, with only the rusty road sign still recalling its name.

This was Highway No.7, named after Oasis No.7.

Only now, whether it be the oasis or the highway, both had disappeared into this desert, leaving no trace.

At the T-shaped intersection, a towering alloy dam stood at the end of the road branching off from the main artery.

It was as tall as a building and as long as the eye could see.

Close to the wall of the dam, one could see thick pipes, like buffalo waists, with outlets underneath connecting to channels buried by sand.

This grand engineering feat had once, like the "City of Abundance," irrigated the land around it.

Yet unlike the fate of the "City of Abundance," this circular "river dike" had become a ruin, and the oasis that depended on it had been abandoned over time.

The structure on the north side was still somewhat intact, only buried by sand, while the south side appeared as though it had been hit by some terrifying weapon. An entire section of the alloy-built "river dike" was erased, and the remaining majority was shattered into fragmented debris, twisted beyond recognition.

It wasn’t just the "river dike" that had been destroyed, but also the Earth beneath it.

The terrifying power of the weapon had even changed the geological structure, turning this plain into a valley.

The locals in the desert called it the "Lost Valley."

Legend had it that a long time ago, a fiercely brutal battle had erupted here, leading to the fall of divine grace and the curse of evil energy, permanently destroying this fertile land.

Two centuries had already passed, and the outcome of that war remained unknown, leaving only ruins for later generations to behold.

General McCullen’s target was this place.

However, he was not here to pay respects to the ancients.

He was looking for something.

Something that could defeat the Iron Heart...

Gunshots rang through the spacious valley.

Soldiers of the army, clad in desert-colored bullet-proof armor, were divided into three squads, moving forward in alternating cover to meticulously clear the Eaters hiding in the corners.

The Eaters here were different from elsewhere; the extremely dry environment had made them short, but comparatively, their movements were quicker and more sudden.

Besides the Eaters, there were Desert Lizards that fed on Eaters and burrowing Radiation Scorpions that stood half the height of a man, among others.

Especially the latter.

It seemed they had built nests here.

On their first day here, they had already lost five attendants, one of whom died tragically with a scorpion tail piercing through his head.

Looking at the variant corpses scattered on the ground, a soldier of the army cursed.

"Mutated slime fungus... damn, how could there be mutated slime fungus in the desert? Isn’t that a specialty of big cities?"

If he remembered correctly, it was difficult for it to survive in water-deprived environments.

"Who knows, maybe two centuries ago some dirty stuff fell here?" The Centurion swapped his magazine and emotionlessly scanned the surroundings, looking at the messy battlefield and finally couldn’t help clicking his tongue.

Most of the wreckage had been buried.

To find the treasures buried underneath, they had to dig them out first.

Seeking treasure while fending off sneak attacks from variants sounded like a tall tale.

Fortunately, the dangerous excavation work did not require their participation; those attendants, whose lives were cheaper than slaves, could do the labor, and there were plenty to spare.

"What exactly are we here to find?" a soldier couldn’t help asking.

The Centurion answered succinctly.

"Who knows, maybe General McCullen has his plans... don’t worry about it too much, just focus on our job."

As the variants in the area were cleared, the attendants, carrying shovels and rifles, returned to the worksite to dig up the earth and transport the soil out of the valley.

Not far behind everyone, was the entrance to the majestic valley.

A large and makeshift camp was situated there, only a little over a hundred meters away from the miles of debris from the river dike.

The entire camp covered about one hundred thousand square meters, spanning several hundred meters in length, surrounded by a circle of sandbag walls topped with barbed wire and camouflaged nets.

In the center of the camp were parked over two hundred trucks, dozens of which were mounted with quadruple anti-aircraft guns.

Approximately a ten-thousand troop was stationed here.

Inside one of the tents, a group of officers stood.

General McCullen, standing before the command table, was conversing with a technical officer.

On the command table before the two men, there was a slightly old holographic projector displaying a flickering milky-white cylindrical object within a pale blue conical light.

McCullen stroked his chin, asking with interest,

"The shield core you mentioned, does it look like this?"

It looked somewhat different from his Steel Heart.

The technical officer chuckled and said,

"Exactly, what we’re looking for is this thing... Isn’t it beautiful?"

General McCullen also chuckled,

"It’s passable."

He didn’t find the object particularly beautiful, especially when compared to his own collection.

But that wasn’t important.

As long as it could help him disable the deflection shield and the anti-gravity system of the "Iron Heart," that was enough.

He hoped that when he reclaimed the airship, those barbarians hadn’t scrapped his treasure completely.

Gazing at the holographic image’s light cone, the technical officer’s expression filled with fascination as he continued rambling.

"Quark-gluon plasma... Reportedly, one cubic centimeter weighs 40 billion tons and can only exist stably under extremely high temperatures and pressures. One of the greatest achievements in applied physics during the Prosperity Epoch was finding a way to stabilize it more conveniently."

General McCullen, curious, asked,

"This thing weighs 40 billion tons?"

The glowing tube appeared to be more than just one cubic centimeter.

The technical officer chuckled lightly.

"Of course, it’s not that heavy... The quark-gluon plasma stored in the shield core is just a very tiny amount, roughly weighing about 10 kilograms. The light you see is not its physical form; its essence cannot be directly observed with the naked eye."

Aside from General McCullen, the other officers standing there exchanged glances.

This overly esoteric scientific theory seemed no different from the beliefs of the desert dwellers to them.

Both possessed self-sufficient logic and, with current technology, could neither be proven nor disproven.

After a pause, the technical official continued,

"According to records, the Human Alliance Sky Army had once deployed a ’Titan’ here to eliminate a lair that had landed here, its shield core has power equivalent to a regular escort ship... What we need to do is find it."

Whether it was deflection shields, anti-gravity devices, or even neutrino channels, etc.

All these technologies, born in the middle to late Prosperity Epoch, relied on the early Prosperity Epoch physics community’s breakthroughs in graviton and gravitational field research.

That spin-2, massless boson, an omnipresent hypothetical particle in nature designated by quantum mechanics to transmit gravity, was boldly hypothesized by classical physics but remained unaccounted for.

During the grand Prosperity Epoch, physicists found it through precise calculations and experiments and explained it in greater detail with rigorous theories.

Although it cannot be collected in a glass jar like glass marbles, it can be interfered with indirectly through "high-density materials", thereby indirectly affecting the gravitational field.

This includes altering the motion vectors of objects in curved space, reducing, or even eliminating the interaction between large masses.

The former is the technological principle of deflection shields, while the latter is often used in anti-gravity devices.

Even in the Prosperity Epoch, these technologies were cutting-edge applications, but disrupting them wasn’t considered difficult.

Aside from cutting off power and power overloads, there was a more direct method — namely, interfering with the gravitational field controlled by the "shield device" and "anti-gravity device".

It wasn’t very difficult.

They didn’t need to prepare an extensive anti-aircraft gun position; they just needed to use the shield core — that is, that glowing battery, to create a "phase gun," disrupting the gravitational field in the target area, which would be enough to temporarily disable the shield and anti-gravity systems of the Iron Heart.

Once it lost its shield and anti-gravity systems, it would fall from the sky.

At that time, there wouldn’t be a need for any heavy weaponry; just rushing up with troops to seize the airship would suffice.

And that was why he had asked General Griffin for ten thousand men.

What?

Would the airship break if it fell from the sky?

Such things were not important.

The most valuable part of the Iron Heart was the core of the escort ship, including the reactor, shield core, anti-gravity device, and a series of other black technologies integrated into that escort ship core.

As for the outer steel shell and the propellers that drove the airship’s movement and other cheap replaceable parts... they were virtually worthless.

As long as the airship was brought back to the Army’s airfield, it could be repaired in minutes.

General McCullen’s lips couldn’t help but curl into a smile.

Though losing the Iron Heart was a blemish in his military career, after all, those barbarians were funded by corporations, and his defeat was not unjust.

As long as he could take back the airship, no one would have the grounds to criticize his incompetence.

A century had passed.

He was the only Centurion who had managed a give-and-take battle with the corporations, a fact far from shameful, and it could even become a topic of conversation at a noble’s ball.

At that moment, an officer walked to the entrance of the tent, stood at attention, and saluted.

"Report! General Griffin has sent a telegram!"

Upon hearing the name Griffin, a flicker of impatience flashed through McCullen’s eyes.

This guy was not just fond of meddling; he’d send a telegram over the tiniest of issues.

Here, no sooner had he just arrived than a telegram followed closely behind, most likely summoning him to do something.

And it was certainly nothing good.

But annoying as it was, orders had to be followed.

"Let me see it."

"Yes, sir!" The officer walked into the tent and handed the decrypted telegram to McCullen with both hands.

McCullen glanced at the telegram, raising his eyebrows slightly.

Noticing the unusual look in the general’s eyes, the staff officer hesitatingly asked,

"Does General Griffin have any requests?"

"He wants us to build an airfield here."

"An airfield?"

Surprise crossed the staff officer’s face, and the other officers also exchanged glances, reflecting the unexpectedness in their eyes.

Was Griffin going to allocate the Army’s planes to them?

That was downright... incredible.

"Yes."

With a brief reply, McCullen walked to the wall of the tent and looked at the strategic map hanging there.

Lost Valley was south of Oasis No.9, and the two places were quite distant.

Bombarding the Lion Kingdom from here was obviously not a good idea.

The Army had only one jet airplane in Falling Leaves Province, and ground-to-air raids were mainly conducted by the Army’s propeller planes.

The former had enough range but too few in number, while the latter, although plentiful, lacked sufficient range.

This location was, however, very close to Oasis No.4.

From his current location heading west for a couple of hundred kilometers to see the Double Peaks of the Zobar Mountains and crossing the pass there, one would reach the south side of the mountains at Oasis No.4.

With planes, it would be even more convenient, just fly straight over the mountains.

"... Is this guy planning a two-front war?" McCullen stroked his chin, his gaze settling on Oasis No.4 on the strategic map.

Camel Hump Kingdom might not compare to Falcon Kingdom, but it was still a regional powerhouse with a population of a million, giving him only ten thousand retainers and without enough heavy firepower, he really wouldn’t be confident in conquering it.

And if he wasn’t mistaken, after taking over Oasis No.9, the next target should be Golden Lizard, with Camel Hump being the last.

But if the target wasn’t Camel Hump...

McCullen pondered, his gaze shifting eastward, eventually resting on the eastern side of Falling Leaves Province—those verdant forests and plains.

That area was equally remote, about the same distance as from here to Oasis No.9.

But it was perfectly within the range of the jet planes!

Seemingly realizing something, a hint of enlightenment appeared on McCullen’s face as he suddenly let out a loud, cheerful laugh.

"Ha ha ha... That’s Griffin for you! That cunning skunk, I know what he’s up to now!"

The officers inside the tent exchanged glances.

Wasn’t Griffin the old fox?

Why was he now a skunk?

With his smile subsiding, General McCullen turned to his subordinates and commanded sternly,

"Detach a thousand-man team from the Retinue Army and level the land to the north of the camp."

"We’ll build a temporary runway there!"

The newly promoted logistic officer immediately stepped out from the group of officers, came to attention, and gave a military salute.

"Yes, sir!"

In his memory, his immediate superior, General McCullen, had never taken General Griffin’s orders so seriously before.

It must indeed be something of great importance!

McCullen turned back, continuing to gaze at the map hanging there, his delightful smile tinged with a hint of distinct ferocity.

These ugly barbarians.

They would soon pay for their stupidity.

Sadly...

such a painless death was too lenient for them.

At the same time, in the west of Lost Valley, the sunset slanted westward.

On a bare Gobi desert to the north of the Jubar Mountains, a girl riding on a bear’s back was excitedly peering through a telescope she held in her hand.

Her back carried an RPG, her waist hung with grenades, a submachine gun, and a cute mushroom badge. Despite her tights and jacket being tattered and her fluffy short hair being windswept into a mess, her silliness did not overshadow her spirited demeanor.

"Wow, wow, wow! What a huge double peak!"

The sunbaked white bear, listless, glanced ahead and weakly commented,

"I always feel like Ah Wei is making some outrageous remarks again."

Si Si, who was driving, also chimed in.

"Yep, if it was on the public chat, it probably would show up with two asterisks or just be replaced with other words."

Tail: "???"

Standing at the front of the truck, Sesame Paste who was handling the roof-mounted machine gun also looked ahead, his cat ears suddenly shaking with excitement.

"Don’t you think those two mountains look like cat heads?"

"Oh! That’s a nice name," Tail’s eyes sparkled as he turned and gave a thumbs up, "Let’s call it Cat Head Mountain!"

Not understanding the exchange between the three and the bear, the old man riding a double-headed cow alongside the truck chuckled and spoke in United Human language.

"That’s Double Peak."

Though he did not understand their conversation, from their expressions and gestures, it was clear they were discussing what to name the majestic peaks.

The old man’s name was Buma, a resident of No.4 Oasis, who made his living trading with nearby mines. On his way back, he unfortunately encountered the Looter and nearly lost his life.

Fortunately, he met these kind-hearted girls and managed to narrowly escape with his life, obtaining his cow back as well.

To express his gratitude for saving his life, he volunteered to be their guide.

Considering their unfamiliarity with the situation at No.4 Oasis, having a local help could reduce unnecessary troubles, so Si Si agreed.

As to why they were here, that’s a long story.

After the battle of Rui Valley City, the White Bear Knights took a brief rest before hitting the road again, heading west into the desert.

Since Oasis No.9 was at war, heading to the Lion Kingdom at this moment did not seem wise.

So, Si Si suggested, why not head to see the Golden Lizard? It is said that north of Oasis No.8 lies Wandering Swamp, and the mysterious Academy is hidden among the marshes.

Initially, everyone thought it was a good idea.

However, midway through their journey, they heard from travelers at a station that just beyond the southernmost Jubar Mountains and south to the Camel Hump Kingdom’s Silver Moon City, one could see an endless sea.

The mention of the sea instantly excited the trio and bear.

The sea!

Indeed, it held more allure than any swamp or academy!

So, spurred by Tail’s suggestion and Meat Meat’s instigation, the White Bear Knights made a complete 180-degree turn and headed south again...

"Eh? It has a name?" Tail looked at the old man in surprise.

"Haha, it’s quite famous; if you visited often, you would definitely have heard of it."

A hint of pride surfaced on the old man’s face as he slowly continued.

"My homeland, Petra Fortress, is nestled between those two mountains! It’s probably the only survivor settlement in the entire desert that does not depend on an oasis. Past Petra Fortress is No.4 Oasis, also the only path leading to No.4 Oasis."

"Petra!"

Hearing this name, Tail excitedly grabbed Meat Meat’s fur, "Meat Meat, Meat Meat, it’s Petra! Maybe we could dig out gold coins and hammers in the surrounding desert!"

Meat Meat retorted reluctantly,

"That’s another game, and not even the same world."

Si Si, sitting in the driver’s seat, thought for a moment and then spoke up.

"Well... that said, logically, if this really is the only path to No.4 Oasis, perhaps there might actually be some treasure buried under the sand."

Those commercial teams swallowed by sandstorms.

Or treasures that fell off the ox carts due to bumps.

If one took the time to search, perhaps they really could dig something out from under the sand.

As for whether it’s valuable, that’s another matter.

"Oh! Treasure hunting!" Upon receiving a definite response, Tail became excited, and even the Meat Meat beneath her became interested.

A person and a bear excitedly discussed their treasure-hunting plan, agreeing to go to the dunes with a trenching tool after finishing their business.

Watching her joyful friends, a smile couldn’t help but curve on Si Si’s face.

Compared to war, it’s indeed the leisurely journey that made people feel more delighted. Over the month, what they had seen and heard could have filled a book.

If only the peace could last forever.

Although she understood that this brief period of peace was more like the calm before a storm. A few days ago, the Death Legion had already launched a preemptive strike against the Army, and they would probably need to report to the front lines when this journey ended.

Sesame Paste looked at the old man on the ox’s back and asked curiously,

"Is there anything we need to watch out for in going to Petra Fortress?"

The old man smiled and said,

"There’s nothing much to watch out for, the locals are more open-minded than other residents in the desert as long as you respect their beliefs, they will respect you too. Local laws prohibit murder, private fighting, and theft, please be sure to pay attention to that... though I think you wouldn’t do such things."

"By the way," the old man glanced at the ears on her head and said with a smile, "the residents of the Camel Hump Kingdom love cats very much, you will definitely be welcomed there."

Sesame Paste put on her helmet a bit embarrassedly.

The group approached the formidable fortress amid laughter and talk.

Its silhouette resembled the Roman Colosseum, with arc-shaped concrete structures reinforced by stones and wood, and iron cannon barrels towering beside the battlements.

Apart from these primitive weapons, there were also light and heavy machine guns on top of the fortress, these equipment might not be much for a regular army but were enough to deter common sand bandits and looters.

Four-sided residences were scattered between two mountains, spreading toward the ridge.

This place was both a fortress and a Survivor Settlement, with a permanent population of about seventy to eighty thousand, not counting how many transient residents there were.

Not only commercial teams from River Valley Province but also those from Brocade River Province would pass by here, making it a lively place.

People stood beside the muddy roads hawking their wares, the varicolored linens supported by two wooden sticks formed a triangular stall, a simple vendor’s stand.

You could buy anything here, much like the markets in Somalia.

Right next to the fruit stall was a rifle shop where a slightly darker-skinned woman in a checkered skirt fed her child while haggling with mercenaries purchasing weapons.

The noise was unending.

Since entering this market, the group unknowingly raised their voices, nearly having to shout to hear each other.

"It’s like Horseshoe Iron Town from the Red River Alliance here!"

"Oh! But this place is much bigger! Much larger than Horseshoe Iron Town!"

"Ha ha... After all, that’s just a small town."

"Um... I wonder if there’s any high-priced specialty here." Sitting in the driver’s seat, Si Si looked around and pondered.

She heard from the old man named Buma that the spices, carpets, beef, camel milk, and dairy produced here were famous, as were some iron products and pottery.

If not constrained by finances, it’s best not to buy the rifles and bullets sold in small stalls, those displayed on the carpets for sale were either trophies captured from looters or inferior products produced by small workshops using cheap materials.

The former were poorly maintained, the latter crudely made, and could jam or explode at critical moments, potentially costing the user their life.

"...If you need to replenish ammunition, you can place an order at the workshop in town, as long as the bullets aren’t too complex, the craftsmen could even customize according to the caliber and primer cap type you need."

The old man glanced at the residences not far away, looking towards the girl in the truck, seeking her opinion.

"I’d like to go home first to check in, I usually get home in three days, this time it was too delayed, my wife and children must be worried... How about we meet here tomorrow?"

Si Si nodded.

"Let’s make it 6 am then, we need some time to rest too."

She had already marked a hostel with garages and warehouses on the map, planning to check in there first to drop off their luggage.

There were still plenty of ammunition on the truck, so it wasn’t urgent to replenish. What they now needed to do first was to exchange the truck’s goods for the local currency.

Devil Silk was very popular locally, an arm-thick roll could be traded for a large horned cow, and the former was cheap if you had enough contribution.

The order from Frost Pike Ranch was quite generous, a 3000-pound large horned cow could be exchanged for nearly 6000 silver coins.

Plus all those quirky little trinkets.

This truckload of goods might turn a profit of over a million in round trips!

Just as Si Si was considering all this, Tail and Meat Meat, walking in front, suddenly stopped by a stall.

Getting down from Meat Meat, Tail leaned forward to look at the stall laid out with books and scrolls covered in carpets, discovering it like a New Continent, her face lit up with delight.

Looking up at the stall owner sitting under the canopy, Tail asked excitedly,

"Boss, do you have treasure maps for sale here?"

"Treasure map?"

The stall owner was momentarily stunned, not catching on immediately, but soon his wrinkled face broke into a grin.

He reined in his smile, coughed lightly, and made a mysterious expression, lowering his voice as he spoke.

"Customer, I shouldn’t be saying this, but seeing as how we are fated to meet..."

Tail’s eyes sparkled brightly.

"Fated to meet?"

The stall owner smiled slightly, gazing at her.

"Have you heard of Lost Valley?"

If she had heard of it, he wouldn’t need to explain the nonsense that followed.

However, just as he had expected, this girl in front of him was indeed visiting here for the first time, and even the desert itself. She had never heard of that cursed place.

Tail quickly shook her head, her face full of anticipation as she looked at the old man behind the stall.

"Nothing! What’s there?"

The stall owner’s gaze shifted leisurely, and he began speaking in a drawn-out tone.

"Ha ha, there are quite a lot of treasures there... It is said that this lost valley is where the God of the Sky fell."

"Oh oh oh! The God of the Sky?!" Hearing this fearsome title, not just Tail but also the nearby Meat Meat showed an excited expression.

Glancing at the intelligent white bear, the stall owner continued his story.

"Yes, it happened a long, long time ago. The Twilight of the Gods descended at midnight, the dark sky lit up like daylight, and the once united gods fought bitterly among themselves in the realm of mortals, finally resulting in the unfortunate fall of the God of the Sky. The scepter he dropped destroyed the grace of the Spirit of the Sand Sea, turning the once oasis into a cursed wasteland..."

Seeing that the young girl in front of him was captivated, the stall owner knew his chance had come and lowered his voice to throw out the bait.

"...All these are public rumors, but few know what happened after that war ended,"

"What happened!" Tail swallowed, her face filled with anticipation.

The stall owner slightly lowered his gaze.

"The followers of the God of the Sky found his body and built a temple over it. Two hundred years have passed, and his servants have followed him, disappearing into the endless sands... However, it is said that the God of the Sky’s armor is still there, enshrined in that temple buried beneath the sands!"

Tail clenched her fists in excitement.

Hidden mission!

Giao!

"That means, if the temple is found, the armor of the God of the Sky can be found!"

"Exactly."

The stall owner gave her an approving look, and as a compliment to her intelligence, he picked up an aged scroll from the stall.

"I happen to have a treasure map here. I was planning to hire a few mercenaries to check it out, but as you can see... business is so busy here, I simply can’t find the time to leave, I’ve been waiting until my hair is nearly white. If you’re interested, I can sell it to you,"

Tail excitedly asked, "How much!"

The stall owner pondered for a moment.

"Hmm... let me think, I also bought it from another traveler, and I paid him 10,000 Golden Camel Coins. Seeing as how we’re fated to meet, I’ll sell it to you at the original price."

"Ten thousand Golden Camel Coins!?" Tail’s face fell, "Oh... I don’t have that much."

Previously, when she had rescued old man Buma, she had retrieved some camel-depicted gold coins from a group of Looters she had dealt with.

Buma told her that these small gold coins were Golden Camel Coins, with small ones valued at 1 and larger ones at 10.

However, she only had a small bag of these coins, and though she hadn’t counted them precisely, there couldn’t possibly be as many as ten thousand.

Thinking that she might have just arrived here and hadn’t yet exchanged for the local currency, the stall owner hurriedly said.

"Dinars then? Dinars are also fine! 10,000 will do! Or Cr, though I can’t offer you a high price for Cr... about thirty, oh no, around forty thousand maybe?"

Tail shook her head vigorously like a tambourine.

"I don’t have any."

The stall owner’s expression turned slightly disappointed.

He had thought this young girl looked promising. Although dusty and grimy, her complexion was markedly better than many travelers; not only did she keep a rare exotic beast as a pet, but she also had a truck, looking like a rich young lady who had fled from Oasis No.9. Yet, he couldn’t squeeze even this bit of juice from her.

Truly a misjudgment.

However, determined to make the most of it, he still used his acting skills, put on a hesitant expression, bit his lip, and reluctantly said.

"Well then, well then, seeing as how we’re fated to meet, I’ll sell it to you for six thousand dinars... Think it over, for the price of just 6 sturdy slaves, you could buy this treasure map. If you manage to find the armor of the God of the Sky, it might even help revive your family."

"Ooh! Revive the family!"

Tail’s eyes brightened even more as she pitifully looked towards Si Si, who was sitting in the driver’s seat waiting for her.

"Si..."

Seeing that pitiful expression, Si Si said helplessly,

"Alright, Ah Wei, we should head to the inn now. This guy obviously thinks you’re an easy target and plans to swindle your money."

Tail: "But what if it’s a hidden mission! A treasure map bought at a foreign town’s market might actually contain an earth-shattering secret..."

Seeing his eager expression, Si Si sighed, pulled up the handbrake, removed the car keys, and jumped down from the driver’s seat.

The vendor looked at the woman in front of him with a wary face.

His instincts told him that this one was not as easy to fool as the previous one.

Si Si counted some money from her pouch and looked at the vendor saying,

"I just happen to have a bag of Golden Camel Coins, about... over ninety of them. If you’re interested, sell; if not, we’ll be going."

"Ninety?! You might as well ask me to give it to you for free!" The vendor’s eyes bulged, unable to accept such a drastic price drop, he clenched his teeth and said painfully, "...three thousand dinars, that’s the lowest I can go!"

Hearing her own offer being directly halved, Tail was immediately shocked.

"Eh?! Weren’t you giving Tail a discount because of our good fate?"

"Uh..."

The vendor awkwardly smiled, shifted his gaze, and dared not look into those eyes.

Si Si also smiled faintly.

"Maybe the vendor feels that he has a better connection with me."

The vendor chuckled and scratched the back of his head,

"Beautiful miss, you are right! How about... two thousand five hundred? I really can’t go lower than that, I’d rather hire some mercenaries to find it myself—"

"Eighty."

Si Si plucked a few coins from her purse and stuffed them into her pocket, casually tossing the purse onto the stall and picking up a book, she shook it,

"Plus this free item."

"The Oasis Below the Zobar Mountains"

Looking at the name of the book, it should help her understand the situation in this area.

After all, they had only met that old man named Buma halfway through their journey. Even though they had saved his life, she didn’t fully trust him.

This is the Wasteland.

Not a fairy tale.

The vendor’s face turned ashen, and he clenched his teeth.

Seeing his uncomfortable look, Tail suddenly felt a bit guilty and gently tugged at Si Si’s sleeve, whispering,

"Si, maybe we should just go... I suddenly don’t want it anymore."

Forcing others to do something they didn’t want to do always made her feel a bit uncomfortable.

Si Si smiled, not insisting further.

"Oh, then let’s go with what Ah Wei wants."

Saying this, she put down the book she was holding, ready to leave.

Just at that moment, the vendor who was previously ashen-faced, suddenly jumped up like a squirrel that had its tail stepped on, grabbing the money pouch into his chest.

"Eighty! Just eighty! It’s a deal! That scroll and the book are yours now, take them and go!"

"Really?!" Tail received the scroll with a surprised face.

Anticipating his reaction, Si Si faintly smiled, picked up the book, and stuffed it into her embrace.

"Thanks."

The truck started up again.

Watching the truck disappear at the end of the street, along with the girl leading a bear, the vendor spit indignantly and cursed under his breath, "Pauper."

Weighing the purse in his hands, a look of worry crossed his wrinkled face.

Having earned only eighty from one transaction.

He had no idea how long he would have to wait for the next one.

If he had known, he would have yielded a bit earlier...

—

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