Gobi Desert.
A yellow wind swept across the rocky ground. A sand rat scurried out from a crack in the rocks. It stood upright in the shadows, holding its front paws to its chest and peering left and right.
As far as the eye could see, the landscape was empty, save for a few greyish saxaul and calligonum shrubs.
The sand rat cautiously crept forward, moving closer to a saxaul shrub.
After a few steps, it suddenly froze.
’Why is the shadow so long today?’
Danger!
The sand rat spun around to flee, but it was a step too slow. A massive mouth descended from the sky, clamped down on its head, and flicked it upward.
Opening its gaping, tooth-filled maw, it chewed a few times, red juices dripping from the corners of its mouth.
The Single Claw Dragon narrowed its eyes, a look of pure contentment on its face.
Ever since it migrated here from another region a month ago, it had discovered a distinct lack of natural predators.
It had no idea why.
Suddenly, the Single Claw Dragon raised its head in alarm and whipped its head around to look behind it!
On the sand dune behind it, a cunning black shadow was creeping forward, its body low to the ground.
The Single Claw Dragon bolted without hesitation. Seeing that its cover was blown, the Desert Raptor dropped all pretense of stealth and quickened its pace, rocketing off the sand dune.
Two dinosaurs, similar in shape but vastly different in size, were locked in a chase across the Gobi Desert.
HUMMM—
In the open ground directly in the fleeing dinosaur’s path, a bronze-colored ripple bloomed outward.
The metallic gleam was exceptionally conspicuous in this yellowed land.
The Single Claw Dragon picked up speed. It ducked its head, leaped forward, and swerved around the suddenly appearing Bronze Gate. The Desert Raptor running behind it had no time to turn. Kicking off the ground with its two powerful hind legs, its momentum carried it straight into the open gate.
BANG!
A pitch-black pillar pressed forward, kicking the Desert Raptor and sending it flying.
THUD!
The pitch-black pillar took a steady step out!
THUD! THUD! THUD!
With every step, the ground boomed.
The Desert Raptor scrambled up from the ground where it had been thrown, looking disheveled. Its nostrils flared, catching the scent of danger, a scent that made every cell in its body tremble.
That smell was...
The regional overlord of the Gobi—the Tyrannosaurus!
ROAR!!!
Across the barren lands of the Gobi, Black threw his head back and roared, his savage red eyes sweeping over his territory.
The Desert Raptor craned its neck, its body trembling. It whipped its tail and tried to flee, but after just two steps, its legs gave out, and it collapsed to the ground.
"Hahaha, finally, some sun!" Qin Ziwu stepped out from behind Black, spreading his arms and closing his eyes to bask in the sunlight of the Gobi world.
"Ahh~ Humans really can’t live without the sun, just like the West can’t lose Jerusalem." Cao Biansheng emerged next. Feeling the warmth in the air, he felt as if he had been brought back to life from that dark, damp, and cold underground world.
"Let’s get to work. We only have half a day in the sun. The others have to come out for the second half." Yuan Ming pushed a Car-Mounted Crossbow out of the passageway. He glanced around, his gaze finally landing on the Desert Raptor up ahead, which was paralyzed with fear.
"Tsk tsk, why does this Raptor suddenly look so handsome?" Yuan Ming clicked his tongue in wonder. If it were him back when he had first crossed over to the Gobi Map, facing an adult Desert Raptor alone would have been a bloody battle to the death.
But looking at this Desert Raptor now, for some reason, he found it almost cute.
Qin Ziwu said wistfully, "Every time we cross over to a new map, I get a little nostalgic for the beasts from the last one. You guys know what I mean?"
"Heh, you can take your time ’knowing what you mean.’ I have no desire to be an Island Expeditionary Soldier again. I’d rather be an underground explorer." Cao Biansheng raised the Silver Dragon in his hand. "Watch me give this little Raptor a taste of Grandpa Cao’s mighty Silver Dragon!"
When Qin Ziwu heard Cao Biansheng calling the weapon in his hand the "Silver Dragon" again, he almost burst out laughing and quickly turned his head away.
’I hope he can handle it when he finds out the real name of this Hunting Artifact.’
Qin Ziwen was the last one to walk out. As the scorching sun beat down on him, chasing away the chill in his bones, he couldn’t help but remark, "Humans really do need sunshine."
Li Yue started flattering him, "In my heart, Boss, you are the sun that guides us forward. Even underground, I could always feel your radiance."
"Shut up. If you want to test the new weapon, then test it properly," Qin Ziwen said, annoyed.
SCREECH—
After emerging, the Beaked Eagle spread its wings and eagerly soared into the sky.
It had been nearly driven mad cooped up underground. As a bird, having to survive in a subterranean cave for almost a week, it felt like it had almost forgotten how to fly.
Qin Ziwu looked around and said, "Big Bro, this area looks a little familiar. Isn’t this where the Gated Community used to be?"
"Yes. We need to pick up the pace and get to the Oasis sooner." Qin Ziwen pointed east. "It might be a bit of a walk. Do you guys want to go back first?"
The people who had come out all shook their heads, saying it was no problem. They loved walking.
「...」
「Gobi Desert, Oasis.」
The once-peaceful Oasis was now a scene of grim slaughter.
Blood stained the lake red.
Dinosaur carcasses lay by the lakeside and on the grass.
The air was thick with the stench of blood.
Numerous people were cleaning up the battlefield.
On top of a hill not far away.
A man with thick eyebrows, his hands in his pockets and wearing a tiger-skin cloak, was gazing at the foot of the hill. Behind him, a woman in a dark green cheongsam massaged his shoulders.
At the foot of the hill, a man with a thick beard riding a large red horse hurried up. "Brother Ming, the Bloodbone Flowers have all been planted as you ordered."
"Mm, well done." Chen Jinming smiled faintly, feeling that everything was under his control.
Last time, raising the Giant Rock Dragons took too long, and someone else had swooped in to reap the rewards.
This time, having learned his lesson, he decided to plant a short-term Extraordinary Plant: the Bloodbone Flower.
This flower matured quickly. Three days after planting the seeds, it would bloom. Three days after that, it would bear fruit.
But it also had harsh requirements.
First, the Bloodbone Flower fed on flesh and blood. To cultivate a single flower required at least a hundred tons of flesh, blood, and bone.
Second, the Bloodbone Flower thrived in heat; it could not bloom in cold, damp, sunless places.
The massive dinosaurs in the Gobi Desert were a perfect fit for its requirements.
"Are all the traps around here set?" Chen Jinming asked.
"Brother Ming, the traps are set. We also scattered Beast Repellent Powder. No beasts will get near."
"Mm... have the men get ready. We’re pulling out." Chen Jinming waved his hand. Behind him, a blue vortex was slowly swirling.
The team returned one by one. Chen Jinming was the last to leave. Before he left, he glanced back at the foot of the hill and pointed. Where his fingertip aimed, a huge, blue anchor-shaped sigil slowly embedded itself in an empty patch of grass next to the pile of corpses.
He murmured to himself, "It’s a shame my anchor chain’s Level isn’t high enough. If it reached Level 4, I could create an independent pocket dimension like Sister Ya and wouldn’t have to return every time. Let’s hope nothing goes wrong this time."
「...」