"If I'd wanted to make a move, I would've gone along with Kang Yongjie and the others just now," Xu Huo said calmly. "Don't worry. I know the rules."
Yi Mao smiled. "I could tell at a glance that you were different from the others. If we make it out alive together, I'll be sure to prepare a generous gift for you. Whether or not you clear the Dungeon, you won't have come here for nothing."
Xu Huo nodded to show his gratitude.
The five of them continued on in the direction marked on the map.
The farther they went, the hotter it became. Wearing the Protective Suit only made them feel more stifled. It wasn't just Yi Mao and Wan Xiao—even Liang Song couldn't help slowing down in these conditions.
They were using up their drinking water faster than expected. Liang Song had to replenish it twice more before they reached the boundary between the Gobi Area and the Swamp Zone.
"So this is the Swamp Zone?" Xu Huo looked at the black, mudlike ground ahead. Vast stretches of earth reflected the light like water; it was clearly a waterlogged swamp. People couldn't walk through a place like this, and there was neither clean water nor wildlife. Far in the distance, there was only a sparse patch of green and a few indistinct low hills.
"The Swamp Zone is constantly changing, so the original map might not be completely accurate. We'll have to be careful going in," Yi Mao said. "It's best to avoid any ground that's glistening with water. Once you step into those places, it's hard to get out. Try to stick to the cracked paths, and be careful."
Xu Huo watched the others check their guns. "Vehicles can't get in here, and neither can aircraft? The