Night quickly descended over Dusthaven Village as an increasing number of factions gathered. Among them were reputable sects, dark factions, renowned martial arts grandmasters, and infamous villains.
Despite their divergent identities and viewpoints, they all shared a common objective-venture into the oasis in pursuit of treasures.
As the village crowded with people, tensions flared and conflicts rose. Members of dark factions engaged in acts of murder and theft, while those from reputable sects exploited the pretext of combating evil to eliminate rival contenders.
After nightfall, a gruesome scene unfolded silently within the village. Several people had met their demise even before embarking on their quest for treasures.
Meanwhile, inside an inn near the village entrance, Dustin, Grace, Jackson, Aidan, Garrett, and a few others carefully examined the map Ryan had drawn.
Given its somewhat sloppy nature, they had to study it closely to understand it. It was also mainly because Ryan had sketched the map solely from memory, and not everything was entirely accurate.
“What in the world is this map? I can’t make heads or tails of it!” Jackson scratched his head in frustration.
“Don’t count on me for anything that requires using my brain. I’m only responsible for fighting.”
Aidan hated complicated stuff. He sat to one side and casually drank his beer.
“Assuming Dusthaven Village is the starting point of the map, it will take us at least a day to reach the oasis. Along the way, we’ll encounter two dangerous zones.”
She pointed to the hastily drawn map, explaining while she studied it, “Here is the quicksand area. We must proceed with caution since getting stuck could lead to suffocation.
“The environment is even worse since ground temperatures could exceed 160 degrees. If luck isn’t on our side, we might even run into a sandstorm.”
“No way! You can actually decipher this map?” Jackson exclaimed in amazement.
“Before arriving here, I had studied the topography of the Deadlands. Combining that knowledge with Ryan’s map, I can roughly deduce the oasis’ location,” Grace replied.
“I have to admit, women tend to be more meticulous than us clueless men, “Jackson said, sincerely praising Grace.
While he came in search of treasures for his sect, he didn’t thoroughly prepare before arriving, merely going with the flow and taking each step as it came.
However, Grace was different. She not only had a professional team with her but also possessed expert knowledge, meticulously planning each step.
She seemed capable of handling any unforeseen circumstances. Leading such a large team as a woman truly showcased her astounding capabilities.
“Now that we’ve figured the map out, when do we leave?” Aidan asked.
“The Deadlands pose harsh conditions, making it unsafe to enter by car.
Therefore, before we depart, we’ll need to secure enough camels for all of us as transport.
“I’ve already reached out to Mr. Zaeske, requesting his assistance in making the necessary preparations at double the usual price.
“If everything proceeds as planned, he should be able to complete the task tonight. Otherwise, we’ll have everything ready by tomorrow,” Grace explained.
As soon as they arrived at Dusthaven Village, Grace had tasked someone with contacting Kayson, offering a substantial sum of money to purchase a considerable number of camels for transporting supplies.
Considering the time passed, they should be receiving news soon.
While they were in the midst of their discussion, the overhead lightbulb began to flicker erratically. After a few seconds, it extinguished abruptly, plunging the room into complete darkness.
“What’s going on? Did the power just go out?”
A few of them exited the room and found the entire inn engulfed in darkness. It became clear that there was a power outage.
Soon, complaints echoed from the neighboring rooms.
“This is ridiculous! This rundown place doesn’t even have electricity?
“What a miserable inn! I demand a refund!”
“Who’s the person in charge here?”
