The Wasteland presented a scene both magnificent and desolate. The sky was an ashen gray, as though even the clouds had lost their vitality. They hung low, weighing down the entire horizon.
The sun barely showed its face behind the clouds, casting weak, dim light that could bring no warmth to the land.
Endless sand and gravel covered the ground, stretching to the distant horizon. Sparse, withered grass grew among the stones, bent low by the wind. There was no lush vegetation here, only the occasional patch of shrubs, stubborn and solitary, clinging to life amid the desolation.
In the distance, a few isolated hills traced low outlines against the horizon. Their colors nearly blended into the surrounding sand and gravel. Only when the wind blew could the fine grains of sand dancing above them be seen.
Yue Chen woke from unconsciousness with a splitting headache, as though her entire skull were shaking violently. She struggled to prop herself up, her vision blurred.
As her sight gradually cleared, she discovered that she was somewhere desolate, surrounded by nothing but sand, stones, and withered grass.
"Where am I... a desert?"
She struggled to steady herself and looked around.
The sky was overcast, and barren land stretched into the distance without any sign of buildings. Apart from the wind and the occasional animal cry from afar, everything was utterly silent.
She tried to stand, only to be hit by a wave of dizziness. Clearly, she had gone a long time without food or water.
She examined herself and found no serious injuries, only stains on her clothes and a few scrapes.
"I'm so hungry, dehydrated... my lips are cracked... did Ye Hua or Jonas dump me here? Should I call this a final act of mercy, or torture?"
She vaguely remembered losing