176. Someone Definitely Has a Serious Disease

"This doesn't look appetizing, and it actually is quite unpalatable."

The man, wearing only a sleeveless shirt, held a Insect Leg in his hand. The leg was covered with tender white flesh, which sizzled and dripped oil over the fire, emitting a peculiar smell.

In Lu Ban's words, it was like the lingering smell on your palm after swatting a bug.

It smells really bad.

Under a brilliant starry sky, the five people sat around a campfire, with towering sand dunes on one side. The firelight reflected on the silvery sand, making the surroundings bright.

The muscular man in the sleeveless shirt was called "Giant Arm," who could control flames. The short man was called "Flame Heart," and the thin, Pale- faced man was called "Old Dream."

"Hey, you two are newbies, so you might not know the rules of this wasteland. Wasteland Hunter ' names are kept secret; we prefer to use nicknames. Of course, a catchy nickname is sometimes easier to remember than a real name, isn't it!"

The Giant Arm let out a hearty laugh and gave a brief explanation.

As you can see, although his hands are human-shaped, there are countless pebbles on the skin of his arms. These pebbles grow on his hands like crystals, and they are shiny.

Similar to Giant Arm, Flame Heart's right hand is completely encased in crystals, like a prosthetic limb, while Old Dream has the same crystals around his eyes, and even his eyes shine like gemstones.

"Crystal Core Disease"

Lu Ban learned from their conversation that this was the reason for the world's destruction.

Yes, the wasteland is different from other wastelands in that it has indeed been destroyed.

This world was once incredibly prosperous, possessing a technological level far surpassing that of Lu Ban's world. However, a disease swept the globe, causing dazzling crystals to appear on the bodies of those afflicted. These crystals would continue to spread over time, eventually turning the entire body of the afflicted person into hard crystal.

After experiencing a series of disasters and great battles, the wasteland became what it is today.

The three individuals, including Giant Arm, are patients with Crystal Core Disease.

Crystal Core Disease is the source of extraordinary abilities in this world.

Once someone contracts the Crystal Core Disease, their body will develop certain abnormalities, thereby gaining power beyond the limits of ordinary humans. Some people's bodies mutate, allowing them to grow strong, Giant Arm; some can control flames for their own use; and others can influence the minds of others.

However, as time goes by, the extraordinary abilities of Crystal Core Disease become stronger and stronger, which also leads them closer and closer to the end. The more they use their abilities, the faster the crystal nucleus spreads. In the end, when their abilities fully bloom, they will become a crystal flower in the desert.

"Nicknames? I think we should get a couple, don't you think?"

Lu Ban looked at Xiya beside him.

"Yes, indeed."

Xiya was still somewhat dazed by the strange situation in this world when she heard Lu Ban's words and nodded.

"My nickname is Mage."

She answered immediately.

Although Lu Ban wanted to complain, now was clearly not the time. After thinking for a moment, he also revealed his nickname.

"You can call me the clown."

"What an interesting nickname, hahaha."

Giant Arm chuckled and handed the roasted insect meat in his hand to Lu Ban and Xiya.

"Here, eat it while it's hot, it'll smell even worse when it gets cold."

". Thanks."

Xiya took the meat skewers, her expression somewhat unpleasant.

Lu Ban held his string of beads close to his nose and smelled it.

It definitely smells like bedbugs.

He reaffirmed it.

Then, Lu Ban took a bite.

"Um?"

To his complete surprise, the taste was like seafood that had been dead for several days, fermented and rotten, then thrown into a pot, boiled, and then dipped in wasabi soy sauce before being eaten.

The flavor is truly indescribable by words like "delicious" or its synonyms.

Especially when the meat went down his throat, Lu Ban could even feel it throbbing.

In fact, even when roasted over a fire, the insect flesh continued to wriggle, as if it felt it could still be saved.

When Xiya saw Lu Ban's ashen face, she subconsciously stopped the meat skewer she was about to put into her mouth.

"What's wrong? You won't have any energy tomorrow if you don't eat your fill."

The Giant Arm urged him on.

Under his eager gaze, Xiya swallowed and gently bit off a piece of the worm meat.

Puff puff puff—

As she bit into it, the worm suddenly struggled violently, like a carp trying to escape from a fish tank.

"Ha, this piece of meat looks very fresh. You're in luck. Fresh meat always tastes good."

"I'm quite envious, "the Giant Arm said.

It took the female mage a bit of Kung Fu to get the meat completely into her mouth, and Lu Ban could even see the meat twitching in her cheeks while she was chewing.

". tasty!"

However, when Xiya swallowed the piece of meat completely, the expression on her face suddenly lit up.

"?"

Lu Ban was puzzled.

He saw Xiya's delighted expression as she savored the taste of the insect meat, as if it were some kind of tomahawk steak or high-end roast meat.

Could this person be the kind of person who pretends to eat something that tastes bad in order to trick others into continuing to eat it?

Lu Ban pondered.

Xiya took another bite of the bouncy insect meat, and in less than three minutes, she finished the whole piece.

"The taste is really good, it makes me feel full of life, it's just like my mother's cooking."

The mage girl patted the armor on her belly and said contentedly.

"Haha, looks like you're someone who can enjoy this meat. You're so lucky!"

The Giant Arm laughed heartily, then tore off another piece of worm meat. Without grilling it, it chewed it dry, making a crisp chewing sound.

"Could it really be delicious?"

Lu Ban put the piece in his hand aside, then specially picked out a clump of lively insect meat, glanced at it, closed his eyes, and took a bite.

With a glug, Lu Ban swallowed the piece of meat.

"My sense of taste and yours, one of us must be seriously ill."

This is how he described Xiya.

As the campfire burned, Lu Ban and Xiya volunteered to keep watch. The two sat by the fire, while the three Wasteland Hunter slept separately, wrapped in blankets, as if they could wake up at any moment. Their camel-like riding vehicles were tethered near their luggage.

This was Lu Ban's first time spending the night in the desert. He looked up at the starry sky and found that the star map of this world was very different from that of Earth. He tried to find Aldebaran, but he found nothing.

At that moment, Xiya, who had been resting with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them.

"It's a new day."

She said this, and then took an old book out of her bosom.

Turning to one of the pages of the book, Xiya began to slowly murmur something, as if she were praying.

"What are you doing?"

Lu Ban asked a question.

Xiya didn't answer. Instead, she waited several minutes to finish reading before closing the book and looking at him.

"I am praying for the spell I will use today."

*

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