It was noon.
The blazing sun hung high above the parched yellow desert.
Waves of heat kept crashing over them, and the sand beneath their feet was terrifyingly hot.
Hunger, thirst, and depleted stamina left them dizzy and disoriented.
Cang Xu and Zi Di staggered as they walked. Several times, their knees nearly gave way, and they almost collapsed onto the ground.
Given the circumstances, Zhen Jin and the others had no choice but to rest in the shadow of a sand dune.
Bai Ya was still unconscious, while the remaining three struggled to catch their breath.
It seemed the gods had rarely taken pity on these miserable people—the desert wind began to blow.
Though the wind was not strong, it dispelled some of the scorching heat.
Under its caress, fine sand swept across the windward slope, while on the lee side, the shifting sand poured down like a spill.
The rolling grains made a soft rustling sound, but those resting had no way to appreciate the hollow beauty of that sound itself.
The immense drain on their strength made Zhen Jin and the others, with their empty stomachs, feel utterly tormented.
Zhen Jin felt so hungry that his chest was pressed to his back.
The moment he entered the shade on the far side of the dune, he laid the unconscious Bai Ya on the ground.
When they had first set out, carrying Bai Ya on his back had not felt like much of a burden. But now, it felt as though he had been carrying an elephant.
Once the burden was gone, Zhen Jin immediately felt his entire body lighten.
He did not forget to check Bai Ya's condition.
"His fever is up again." Zhen Jin's gaze darkened.
Bai Ya's condition kept fluctuating. It was very bad.
Zhen