Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!
From the southeast, northwest, and every direction in between, squads of people came running over. There were at least seven or eight different groups, each with a dozen or more people, forming a small team.
They were like wolves that had caught the scent of blood, all rushing to this place.
"A wine bottle tree? There's a wine bottle tree here?!"
"I knew it. People used to live in this city, so there must have been somewhere to get water."
"Ordinary residential areas don't have water sources. The Royal Palace definitely does."
"Whoever you shortchange, you can't shortchange the nobles. That's true in every era and under every faction."
"This wine bottle tree is so huge. It must hold at least ten tons of water—more than enough for us to drink our fill."
The exam candidates were all incredibly excited. They hurried to the clearing and stared fixedly at the enormous tree, practically itching to pounce on it.
They had run over a hundred kilometers and spent hours walking under the scorching sun. The moisture in their bodies had long since evaporated, leaving them unbearably thirsty.
If they didn't replenish their fluids, they were done for. They would be roasted into mummies.
In fact, some of the weaker candidates had already collapsed along the way, unable to withstand the brutal conditions. They fell to the ground and never got back up.
"Who exactly are you people?"
Seeing them arrive, the crew-cut candidate looked troubled. He'd thought that with his team's strength, they could claim the wine bottle tree for themselves. Who could have guessed that so many people would suddenly show up?
Against such numbers, his team probably wouldn't stand a chance of claiming it, even if they tried.
"I'm an exam candidate from Qingzhou District."
"I'm