The night had grown late.
The swarm of Phalanx Ants, like a river of red, finally vanished beyond the horizon.
Only then did Cui Ciyou and Elinalise emerge from their hiding place behind the dune.
They were about to lay out their sleeping bags and get some rest.
"The temperature's dropped."
Elinalise spoke as she smoothed her long golden hair, which the wind and sand had tousled.
She looked at Cui Ciyou and casually suggested, "Why don't we just sleep during the day and travel at night?"
"This blasted place is too hot during the day. I'm honestly worried the sun will ruin my lovely skin."
"You really are..."
Cui Ciyou started to speak, instinctively wanting to poke fun at how much she cared about her appearance.
But he swallowed the words before they left his mouth.
On second thought, he began seriously considering whether her suggestion would work.
"Resting by day and traveling by night could work."
Why did most ordinary people still choose to travel during the day and rest at night in the desert?
The main reason was the enormous challenges of traveling at night.
First came navigation. Finding one's way at night was extremely difficult.
Losing one's bearings in that vast sea of sand meant certain death.
Second came poor visibility and treacherous terrain.
Unable to see the path beneath their feet in the darkness, travelers could trip over scattered rocks or fall into a ravine at any moment.
Last, and deadliest of all, were the predators that emerged at night.
Many desert creatures, especially powerful monsters, were nocturnal. Night was when they were most active and hunted the most.
There was also the daytime heat, which required finding a suitable place to rest.
Unlike at night, when a sleeping bag was all one needed to