Evening.
The endless white wasteland of the Sand Dune River stretched around the off-road vehicle, reaching all the way to the horizon.
Veteran driver Fu Ye shut off the engine.
The charred aroma of sizzling steak drifted through the air as Fu Ye handed a chilled juice to Ling Ling beside him with his other hand.
She took it, her fingertips brushing his before she quickly pulled back, pursed her lips, and muttered.
"...Took you long enough." Her mouth complained, but her eyes never left the sizzling steak.
This was the edge of the Sand Dune River, the legendary land of death.
Ancient legends said that countless undead known as the "White Sand Demon Soldiers" slumbered beneath this pale river of sand.
Strictly speaking, they were not demons, but beings formed from the lingering obsessions of the dead combined with the strange minerals unique to the riverbed. Their shells remained immortal within the white sand, while their consciousness was lost in eternal bewilderment.
Whenever the breath of living creatures disturbed them, they rose from the sea of sand—silent, endless—until they dragged the intruders into the same eternal sleep.
Thus, even powerful mages would rather take a detour than set foot here.
The steak was done, and Fu Ye sliced it up before placing it on a simple plate.
Ling Ling immediately leaned over, speared a large piece, and stuffed it into her mouth, hissing from the heat.
"Tch, you eat so much but never put on any weight. You're all skin and bones—not comfortable to hold at all."
A mischievous smile tugged at Fu Ye's lips. He casually reached out and wiped a bit of black pepper sauce from the corner of her mouth with his thumb.
Ling Ling's body stiffened slightly. She quickly turned her face away, though the