“Little Master, they’re out of water!”
Wang Fatty, his face etched with worry, came to Lin Changsheng’s side.
“Should we give them some of our water?”
Lin Changsheng shook his head, refusing, “The water we have left is our emergency supply. We can’t use it unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“If we do use it, we have to turn back. Ask them if they’re willing to return.”
Lin Changsheng had previously instructed Wang Fatty to place all the emergency water supply under the miscellaneous items, all on their four camels.
This was for just such an emergency.
Wang Fatty shook his head. Asking this group of rigid archaeologists to turn back was like asking for the moon.
They hadn’t found anything on this trip, and they nearly got eaten to the bone by desert army ants. They had essentially wasted their time. They wouldn’t agree to go back, no way.
After all, in the desert, you’d die of thirst within a day without water.
“What do we do then?”
Lin Changsheng walked towards An Li Man, “I’ll go ask An Li Man if there are any water sources nearby. Have them hold on a little longer!”
Lin Changsheng found An Li Man, “An Uncle, are there any water sources around here? They’re all out of water.”
“Water source? Well, I remember there being one over there, but I haven’t been there in over a decade. I’m not sure if it’s still there.”
“I can’t guarantee anything,” An Li Man pointed in a direction.
Lin Changsheng nodded, “Your gods will bless you! Take us there!”
Wang Fatty went to the archaeological team, “Professor Chen, hold on a bit longer. There should be a water source up ahead.”
Shirley Yang also expressed concern, “Professor Chen, are you okay?”
Professor Chen, an old man, was exhausted from this ordeal. How could he possibly feel good, especially since he wasn’t accustomed to strenuous activities?
He gritted his teeth and persisted, “I’m fine, don’t worry about me!”
Lin Changsheng and An Li Man walked at the front of the group.
After an hour, everyone was parched.
Suddenly, the wind and sand started up again.
“Is the black sandstorm coming back?” Panic arose within the archaeological team.
Wang Fatty asked An Li Man, “Old man, how much longer until the water source?”
An Li Man looked around. He hadn’t been here in a long time. He wasn’t sure if this was even the right place.
He made Wang Fatty anxious, pacing back and forth.
“Old Hu, can you use your Sixteen-Character Feng Shui secret art to see if there’s a water source nearby?” Lin Changsheng said.
Hu Ba Yi was just about to observe the stars when Shirley Yang suddenly spoke up, “What’s that?”
All of a sudden, they saw an ancient army appearing on the hills in the distance. The large banner fluttered in the yellow sand, carried by the wind.
“Holy moly, is this an illusion?” Wang Fatty said. After being caught in Iron Mask’s illusion, he had developed a certain resistance to illusions.
It was like a vaccine, once it entered the body, it created immunity.
Professor Chen and his team were stunned as well.
Where did this army come from?
An Li Man, looking at this suddenly appearing army, immediately took out his blanket and began to pray devoutly.
Zhang Hai Xing asked Lin Changsheng, “Could it be a mirage?”
An Li Man said, “This is a legend. I used to think it was fake, but I never thought I would actually see it!”
Hu Ba Yi was curious, “What legend?”
“A thousand years ago, a Tang Dynasty army was transporting 500,000 taels of gold to the capital. They encountered a once-in-a-millennium sandstorm, and the entire army of tens of thousands disappeared into the desert. Even their bodies were never found!”
“Later, some people saw this army and actually found gold. A legend arose that if someone saw this army, they would be able to find the lost 500,000 taels of gold.”
An Li Man’s eyes were not deceitful, “I never thought I would actually encounter this!”
Lin Changsheng interrupted him, “What gold? The most important thing right now is to find a water source. Even with millions of taels of gold, you can’t take it with you without water.”
Zhang Hai Xing suddenly said, “He’s looking at us!”
What?
Ye Yi Xin of the archaeological team was immediately terrified, “I saw his head turn!”
An Li Man suddenly remembered another legend, “Those who looked for the gold afterwards were all killed by this army.”
Wang Fatty muttered. He had been tempted by the 500,000 taels of gold, but surely they wouldn’t be killed for that?
Fear welled up in his eyes, “Little Master, why do I feel like they’re charging at us?!”
Lin Changsheng couldn’t help but mutter, “Is this an army of the dead?”
He couldn’t figure it out.
The army of the dead could indeed kill living people, but they could only appear at specific times, specific places, and only for a short time.
It was similar to a spatial rift that could lead to two different worlds.
“Qinghai’s long clouds darken the snowy mountains, / The lonely city looks far to the Jade Gate Pass.”
“Through a hundred battles in yellow sand, gold armor wears thin, / They won’t return without breaking through Loulan.”
The ancient army on the hill, each soldier seemingly clad in gold chainmail, was fierce and imposing.
“Doo!”
A horn sounded, and the entire army suddenly charged towards the archaeological team.
The intense pressure of a battlefield clash came rushing towards them.
Lin Changsheng couldn’t be careless at this moment.
“Everyone, run!”
He smelled the danger of a deadly formation.
The group panicked. What was this army?
Chu Jian, who was with them, said, “Are they aliens?”
Wang Fatty scolded him, “Go study your aliens!”
“Fat爷, I’m going first.”
Wang Fatty rode his camel and ran.
Professor Chen was bouncing all over the camel. He wasn’t being bounced, he was constantly on the road to being bounced.
Seeing that Lin Changsheng and the others were running, the general at the front of the army waved his flag, and the entire army split into two, attempting to surround them.
Seeing this, Lin Changsheng immediately yelled, “Everyone, stop! Hold your camels!”
“An Li Man, make all the camels squat down, and everyone, cover your faces. No one is allowed to open their eyes.”
For the first time, An Li Man felt Lin Changsheng’s anxiety.
He knew that this ancient army was a danger even greater than the desert army ants. Even when facing those ants, Lin Changsheng’s heartbeat hadn’t quickened.
The sudden sound of horses neighing made everyone jump.
The intense sense of danger made their blood rush, and their hearts pounded rapidly.
For now, they could only listen to Lin Changsheng’s orders, obediently lying down and covering their heads with their arms.
They hoped they could survive this ordeal.
…
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