Xie De followed Coal Ball forward.
The oasis before him centered on a pool of clear spring water, surrounded by lush vegetation. Drought-resistant palms, Populus euphratica, and willows were common sights.
Its dense vegetation stood in stark contrast to the surrounding desert, where plant cover did not exceed 30%.
Water wound through the oasis, forming beautiful wetlands inhabited by small animals such as birds and fish. The whole scene brimmed with life.
The first person Xie De saw as he approached was Hu Songlin. Half his body lay submerged in the wetland, his eyes tightly shut as though he were asleep. Beside him lay an unidentified lump of a creature.
Coal Ball bounded over and nudged the unidentified creature with its head. The creature raised its head, saw Xie De, and fled into the water with frightened squeals. Ripples spread across the surface before it vanished without a trace.
"Meow?"
What was that thing? It darted away so fast I couldn't get a good look.
Coal Ball meowed by the water, seemingly desperate to coax the creature out.
Xie De walked over and crouched down to look. He dipped his left hand into the water to feel it. It was icy cold, nothing like what he would expect in a desert, and as clear and blue as the ocean.
Could water like this exist in a desert? Or was I still hallucinating?
Before Xie De withdrew his left hand, he felt something transparent and furry in the water brush gently against him. It might have been the creature that had fled into the water in fright.
He gently touched it back.
Ripples spread across the surface, and a small, red dragon's head emerged?!
Huh?
Huh?!!
A beat late, 455 said, "Holy crap, this world is overrun with dragons. What the