Chapter 3, Interesting Places

Jiang Xia squinted his eyes as he saw that group of people charging towards him. He bent down again, and the dagger in his hand rotated in a circle with his fingers, being firmly gripped.

But what is going on in their world

That is the cry of humanity

Indeed, regardless of the world, humanity is a species fervently devoted to slaughter and destruction

This time it has been refined significantly and also carries a purpose

Yet he felt no gratitude at all towards those bastards who had thrown him into this desert, including Master Bao, Manager Huang, and those who had beaten him with sticks and tortured him with ropes

He poked his head out again and saw a more than three-meter-tall four-legged tracked robot, which did not exist in Jiangxia's understanding, emerging from the low-visibility dust and sand.

After the sandstorm subsides, I will go out again to look for places with human habitation; for now, I will rest.

As a former salesperson in a specialized industry who has traveled extensively, he has encountered similar things in the deserts of the Middle East

In the past, his experiences in doing business in dangerous areas in a previous life taught him that human thinking is quite a strange thing, even if one repeatedly tells oneself to persevere

Jiang Xia turned around in astonishment to look at the place he had come from, feeling somewhat uncertain. The flowering of this precious tree was it truly because he had freed himself from captivity that it was stimulated

The only protective item is a rough-textured dagger

Let us set it aside for now and discuss it with them after we return

By the wall in the corner, there were some ashes that seemed to have been left after a fire, and the ground also had similar ashes. Upon seeing those ashes, Jiang Xia felt a sudden sense of relief in his heart

As a result, I immediately witnessed an extraordinary scene

pentagon

The light that just flashed in my memory is located one to two kilometers away

Those motorcycles are also peculiar, as they do not use wheels but instead utilize front and rear tracks. This is understandable, as in desert regions, tracks are more effective than wheels.

desperate situation

The violent explosion caused the ground to tremble once more; prior to the explosion, Jiang Xia had curled up, holding his head.

It seems that I have arrived at an extraordinary place

This is evidence of a fire being lit

In other words

A loud bang interrupted Jiang Xia's contemplation of life. He stood up from the scorching sand dune, covering his aching and still bleeding arm, and turned to look behind him

Of course, it is not about rushing towards the robot to seek death

It is that kind of stone that shines

Those despondent thoughts can gradually take root, like a venomous snake coiling around the neck, ultimately overwhelming a person

This indicates that Master Bao either has no hope of Jiang Xia returning, or he has only a superficial understanding of the star formation.

Old Jiang, following his instincts, swiftly lunged forward and crouched by the wall, cautiously peering out to survey the sand dunes outside the temple.

That guy is very likely just acting on a whim, trying it out, and it is by no means a well-prepared action. The unfortunate Jiang Shusheng, or rather himself, was treated like a guinea pig.

This is a win-win situation

There are no scorpions even in the shade, no vegetation in sight, and this kind of smell.

Although it has weathered the elements, and the surrounding stone slabs show signs of erosion, this particular stone slab remains intact and undamaged

The yellow sand rolls in waves, and the sandstorm has arrived, with visibility extremely low, resembling a thick fog rising. However, a cacophony of sounds is emanating from within.

Eh?

This object, in Jiangxia's memory, is somewhat different in certain details from the stone slab that the treasure master activated with a peculiar stone in that world, but it is fundamentally of the same specifications

A dozen or so rockets, accompanied by a piercing sound that felt familiar to Jiang Xia, flew out from the smoke and dust, each tracing a trajectory in the air, as if locked on, bombarding the surroundings of the convoy in a barrage.

Has it bloomed

However, the main structure of the building remains relatively intact, though the dome has large cracks from which sand and soil continuously fall. As one steps inside, a refreshing breeze immediately greets them

Made a fortune

Half an hour later, breathless and with his head wrapped like an Arab, Jiang Xia finally arrived at his destination

With a single glance, one can basically see everything clearly

They carried energy packs on their backs, wielded weaponry shaped like firearms, various beams resembling rays, grenades with swirling blue plasma, and four-legged robots with four rocket pods on their backs continuously launching missiles

2. In this process of searching, how should he survive in this desert

Cut off the clothing close to the body and use it as a bandage for dressing

This is a place that can shield from wind and rain, and it is also the place that Lao Jiang needs the most at present

If that thing is called a star array, then this thing must also be.

In the unfamiliar desert, it is difficult to discern direction; once one goes astray, the outcome is equally fatal. However, fortunately, Jiang Xia knows where he should go

Jiang Xia closed his eyes and looked through his consciousness at the tree that was trapped with him in Jiang Shusheng's mind. This tree, like his own experiences, had also undergone some changes.

With such thoughts in mind, Jiang Xia dragged the decayed wooden box over, placed it on the stone slab, grasped the dagger in his hand, leaned his head against the box, and dozed off.

The natural phenomena of the changing heavens and earth left Jiangxia feeling a chill run down his spine

But soon, he saw seven or eight people riding peculiar motorcycles, speeding out from the clouds of dust

Jiang Xia's face was adorned with a smile, and his steps down the sand dune became lighter.

Although I do not quite understand what the "Star Array" mentioned by that esteemed elder is

Just like a newly blossomed bud

Uh, they are tormenting Jiangxia, which seems to have nothing to do with Jiangxia.

However, upon closely examining the attack patterns of the quadrupedal robot, Jiang Xia reached up to rub his cheek, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat at his chest.

And that pretentious, swaggering Lord Bao, with a face full of bravado, did not prepare any energy for him

Since this world has the Star Array Stone Tablet, there must be a way to activate it, and I must go find it

There is absolutely nothing to eat

In the next moment, flames surged up

Taking advantage of the cover of smoke and dust, they rushed out from the temple

In the center, there is a square recess, covered with various intricate patterns and lines. Among them, two circular rings are interlinked, and those patterns represent some form of script or symbols that he does not recognize

The flames rising from the ground, the shouts of the warriors, the explosive sounds of weapons

Although it was a language that Jiang Xia could not understand, it still excited him

Soon, he made some discoveries

What if this world is nothing but a desert

A few minutes later, Jiang Xia muttered a curse under his breath

The goal is clear; what remains is merely execution

However, based on the experience of being thrown into this desert just now, there is no doubt that as long as another star array is found, it can take him away from this hopeless predicament

He entered the dilapidated building and, without wasting any time, took out the worn water flask from his waist. He took a sip of the precious water and, with a heavy heart, used a quarter of it to clean the dust-covered wound.

I wrapped a headscarf around myself, sealing my mouth and nose tightly, and then I ran wildly towards the sand dunes below.

While running, the mind is racing at full speed

He suddenly stood up, forcing himself not to think about matters of despair

This signifies that there are certainly other people in this desert, greatly increasing the possibility of one's own rescue

He swiftly picked up the short, sharpened dagger that had fallen to the side, then twisted open the broken water bottle, held a mouthful of water without swallowing, placed the water bottle close to his body, and tore open his tattered long shirt

After wiping the moisture from the corner of his mouth, he said softly

Yet the familiar feeling is exactly the same

However, these clearly high-tech vehicles are adorned in a gaudy manner

This is frustrating

A few seconds later, a wail of despair was heard from the other party

While doing this, one also observes the surroundings. The area is not large, most of it is buried under sand, and the space available for movement is only about a radius of several meters.

In the desert, Jiang Xia, who had just completed his rebirth, wore a strange smile on his blood-stained face. He reached out to touch his weak, beating heart, then picked up the water bottle beside him and took a gulp.

If you had said earlier that you wanted to get rid of this useless person, I could have been free by now, why wait until now

Apart from that, he has nothing else to fear. As he said, he has already died once, or in the words of Jiang Shusheng, he is already a "ghost"

-

I also observed on the way here that the desert, aside from having a strange odor, is quite clean, with no scorpions or venomous snakes at all, making it impossible to learn from Bear Grylls.

He sat cross-legged at the edge of the pentagonal star array stone slab, propping his head up, listening to the increasingly intense sound of the wind and sand battering outside, lost in thought, urgently needing to sort out his thoughts

However, there is no way around it; Jiang Xia is a person who holds grudges. Since this body now belongs to him, the grievances arising from the torment endured by the body naturally belong to him as well

Jiang Xia picked up a handful of sand and gently sniffed it under his nose

What he fears the most is that he is the only living person in this world

Jiang Xia squatted there, using his hands to clear away the disordered sand and soil, revealing a patch of ground, and then he saw something familiar.

Certainly not referring to sound

But as he was running, he suddenly stopped.

It is too quiet

In the corner, there are some dilapidated wooden boxes piled up in the sandy soil, as if they have been looted, creating a scene of utter chaos

Jiang Xia's doubts grew even stronger in his heart

Reassess what you currently have, that old water bottle given to him by that guy, it still has about half of the water left, use it sparingly, it should last approximately one or two days

It still crossed through the star array to arrive in the new world, resulting in changes occurring.

It is indeed interesting that even ordinary people can participate in this

The place has changed, the environment has changed, and even the world has changed

I won twice myself

The tree remains as it was, standing at a height of one person, bare and devoid of leaves and flowers, with seven branches extending out. However, at the edge of the lowest branch, there is an additional small cluster of flowers.

Alas, I made a mistake; I should not have reminded him to avoid so many dangers before. Indeed, I, Lao Jiang, am still too kind-hearted.

The sandstorm is approaching, bringing coolness to the desert and preventing him from suffering from heatstroke

In my current state, I find myself trapped within, facing certain death.

The most troublesome aspect is that I have no map or anything in hand, and I am completely ignorant of this desert.

The vibrations of the ground are somewhat unusual; they are certainly not caused by the noise of these seven or eight motorcycles. It seems as if a heavy object is rushing through the sandstorm.

All of this gave Jiang Xia, who was watching from the sidelines, a strange sense of familiarity

Although human olfaction is certainly not as acute as that of dogs, it is still capable of discerning many details. The sand deep within the quicksand layer carries a faint scent of rust.

Uncertain how much time had passed, a loud noise, accompanied by the tremor of the ground, caused Jiang Xia to suddenly open his eyes

Jiang Xia furrowed his brows, as he harbored even more terrifying thoughts in his heart. What if there truly is no world beyond the desert?

They are dressed in leather coats, wearing goggles, with scarves wrapped around their mouths, noses, and cheeks, their skin completely covered, and each of them is armed with weapons

He thought of a possibility, and suddenly felt a chill run down his spine

Pale in color, emanating a mysterious glow, and only the size of a pinky finger

A stone slab embedded in the ground

Hope is right in front of us, there is nothing to fear anymore

That light

No further thoughts can be entertained

This device requires energy to be activated

rumble

Then we can definitely go back, right

Ah, today is truly a fortunate day; not only have I completed my rebirth, but the long dormant golden finger seems to have been activated as well

Boom

However, being angry about this is futile

In front of the building's hall, sand continuously falls from the dome above, burying more than half of the ground, yet the sand pile shows signs of being impacted

Since you are able to come

He continued walking towards the building partially buried in the sand dunes, while looking around at his feet. He had just noticed that this desert was somewhat excessively quiet.

However, once the thoughts of despair arise, they are difficult to extinguish

Amidst the billowing smoke, the surviving members of the convoy immediately took cover behind the collapsed columns outside the temple and began to counterattack

Holding the broken water jug in hand, I drank more than half of the water that I was reluctant to consume, akin to the most exquisite enjoyment before battle, then took a deep breath and gripped the dagger in reverse.

That esteemed master said that this is an unknown secret realm, and one must pass through the star array to reach it. This should be another world, but from what he implied, it seems that one can still return.

Something happened. We are pursuing them

As she spoke, Jiang Xia's cheeks also revealed a sense of eagerness to try.

How could a group of people engaged in cultivation in an ancient-style world adopt such a mode of world exploration?

Before me, half-hidden and half-buried at the base of the sand dune, stood a modestly sized building, its exterior weathered and eroded beyond recognition

In the scorching desert, Jiang Xia, with his head covered, ran with one foot deep and the other shallow.

It resembles a temple to some extent, yet it also bears a strong resemblance to a weathered fortress, making it difficult to discern its original appearance

sandstorm

In the distance, at the end of the line of sight, on the edge of the vast yellow sands, there is a terrifying entity, black and yellow, resembling a tornado, stirring up countless grains of sand, as if an evil dragon is awakening, heralding the brewing of disaster

There is a vehicle with a front section that features decorations resembling a skeletal shell

After the wound was bandaged, he stood up again and wandered through the building in search.

Currently, there are two major issues