Amid the yellow sands, the wind howled.
The gale blowing in from afar echoed between the broken ridges, raising waves of sound like mournful wailing.
Beneath the blazing sunlight of the Present Realm, a signal flare slowly rose into the sky from the enormous convoy halted in place.
Soon, a responding light rose in the distance.
Carrying surveying tools, the scholars made their way back from the ridge, stumbling over the uneven ground. They jumped into the carriages and hurriedly began entering the terrain data again.
In the middle of the convoy, the captain leaned out the window and handed the full water flask back to the traveler who had been waiting for a long time.
"Sorry to keep you waiting. Here."
"Thank you."
The dust-covered traveler was not shy about it. After offering a polite thanks, she lifted her hood and began drinking deeply. She emptied the two-liter flask in one go.
She drank with the boldness of someone downing hard liquor, more manly than most men, making the soldiers resting atop the vehicles click their tongues in amazement.
The dust on her face could not conceal her beauty, making it impossible to look away. Strands of white hair spilled from beneath her hood, gleaming with a metallic sheen beneath the sunlight.
Even during that brief wait, quite a few people had gone up to ask for her contact information. Regrettably, none had received a reply.
Only the captain, who had watched enough of the spectacle, laughed gloatingly at the side before finally asking, "Want some more?"
"This is enough, Captain."
She said, "Thank you for your help. I've rested enough."
"Haha, don't mention it. It's only a little water."
The bearded captain laughed proudly and habitually put a cigarette between his lips, only to realize what he was