Embers Ad Infinitum

The jeep of the "old tune team" traveled through the mountains and ridges, heading towards the southern region along the barely preserved and poorly maintained roads.

Their destination was a place called "Tarnan".

This is the only foreign trade point established by "Mechanical Paradise". Only forces that gain their trust or can provide important strategic materials know of its existence. Hongshiji and Weedao City are one of them.

——The "Rootless" business group whose main business is transportation does not have this qualification, because "Machine Paradise" is probably the most powerful force that lacks transportation capacity.

The identity of Jiang Baimian and others at this time was the trade representative of Yecao City. This was obtained through Xu Liyan, the president of the Yecao City branch of the Shang Jianyao Brotherhood. The goods were genuine and fair.

Before leaving Hongshiji, they also asked Song He, the warning person, for the identity of the trade representative of Hongshiji as a backup, in case Xu Liyan suddenly disowned Shang Jianyao as a brother.

Although for the sake of "Pangu Creatures", Xu Liyan would not take any action against Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao, but privately sent a telegram to "Machine Paradise", saying that these four guys were liars or liars. It can vent your inner dissatisfaction a little.

"I'm so hungry, so hungry, so hungry. I'm really hungry..." (Note 1: Quoted from Luo Tianyi's "Food Song")

The songs played by Shang Jianyao's small speakers echoed in the jeep, making Long Yuehong almost have auditory hallucinations:

"I'm so thirsty, so thirsty, so thirsty, I'm really thirsty..."

They are now in a mountainous area that is very short of water.

This is especially true in winter when rainfall is scarce.

One day ago, the "Old Adjustment Team" drank the prepared water and could not find the water source since then. They followed the traces to two places and finally confirmed that the corresponding areas were seriously polluted, with some indicators exceeding the standard by an unknown number of times.

By digging out the roots of certain trees, Shang Jianyao and others would not feel the urgency, but this would only make them thirsty for a while.

"There should be water if we go further." Jiang Baimian observed the geographical environment outside the window and said in a more confident tone.

"Yes." Bai Chen agreed.

Phew, Long Yuehong breathed a sigh of relief.

Only now did he realize that the feeling of lack of water was more uncomfortable than facing charges from fishmen and mountain monsters. The latter only lasted for a few minutes, and it would be over. If he couldn't get through, there was nothing to worry about.

The current state is a kind of chronic torture.

——He didn’t want to speak in order to reduce the evaporation of saliva.

Shang Jianyao, who was taking turns driving, was still in good spirits. Except for his lips being a little dry, he didn't seem to be affected at all.

"Hey, I forgot to redeem the Dragon King Mask, otherwise I could still pray for rain." He expressed regret over this.

Since leaving Hongshiji, the members of the "Old Tune Group" no longer habitually wear masks. Only Shang Jianyao occasionally scares Long Yuehong with his arrogant monkey face.

He even called out "idiot" in a mocking way.

"The Dragon King makes it rain by himself, no need to ask for help." Jiang Baimian corrected Shang Jianyao's mistake.

As he spoke, he walked around the high cliffs and entered a valley with brown soil and a moist feeling.

"Slow down." Jiang Baimian reminded, "The view here is not good. You don't know what will happen after you turn around."

Her connection with Shang Jianyao is limited by distance and is not omnipotent.

Shang Jianyao glanced at Jiang Baimian in the passenger seat, raised his foot on the accelerator, and slowed down the car.

He has always done well.

Slowly, the army-green Jeep rolled over the dirt road and bypassed the rock wall.

Shang Jianyao and Jiang Baimian suddenly felt enlightened.

The first thing that caught their eyes was a meandering stream with gravel and pebbles coexisting in the stream, and the water body was exceptionally clear.

There are larger stones on both sides of the creek, with sand and mud filling their gaps, outlining the main color of the surrounding area.

Further outside are the standing trees, some of them withered, some of them still retain a little green, and there is a road covered with mud.

Then, Jiang Baimian turned his eyes and saw dozens of people upstream of the creek, nearly a hundred meters away.

They are mainly men, dressed in a variety of colors and carry a variety of weapons.

Jiang Baimian's eyes moved from the old cotton-padded jackets, dirty down jackets, and shiny leather jackets to the roadside, where he spotted many cars and tents.

Those who carried weapons were either slowly getting water, or busy preparing lunch, or sitting on the ground, talking and laughing loudly, or playing with women whose hands were tied behind their backs, and occasionally slapped several male captives who were glaring at them next to them.

"A group of robbers." Bai Chen, who was sitting in the back seat of the jeep, looked at the windshield and expressed his judgment.

A large bandit group that has just robbed a caravan or a wilderness wanderer settlement.

When the "Old Adjustment Team" saw the bandit group, the members of the bandit group in charge of security also discovered them.

"Boss, we have new prey!" The black-haired and blue-eyed bandit reported excitedly to the leader.

After entering winter, the number of caravans decreased, and various settlements closed their doors tightly. Their harvests were always insufficient and they could only make ends meet.

Today, perhaps due to the blessing of the new year, they had just tracked a caravan in the morning and robbed a lot of supplies and people. Now they ran into a lonely jeep and crashed into the valley.

Their leader is a strong man in his thirties, nearly 1.75 meters tall, with long blond hair hanging down messily, and a rather strong build.

The blue of his eyes was very light, his face was extremely rough, and he wore a helmet with horns on his head, which he didn't know where he came from the ruins of the city.

After hearing the report from his subordinates, the leader looked over there and laughed:

“It’s like a weak and helpless lamb intruding into a lion’s territory.

"Go, bring them back, and let me see what kind of traveler dares to cross Mount Chilar in winter."

This is a remnant of the old mountain.

After a pause, the leader added:

“Go to four cars.

"They might just be pathfinders for a caravan."

There may be many vehicles, many people, and many weapons behind.

"Yes, boss!" The black-haired, blue-eyed robber responded loudly, and then began to greet his companions.

At this time, they saw the army green Jeep exiting the valley in reverse.

The other party seemed to be so frightened that he had forgotten that the vehicle could still turn and make a U-turn.

"Haha!" The robbers made various strange noises, waved their weapons, and rushed to the scheduled vehicle.

Their favorite prey is this timid prey!

This often allows them to save a lot of bullets.

When the vehicle started and chased towards the target, the captured men and women looked back with lost and despairing eyes.

They thought they could be saved.

Who knew, only a Jeep would come.

It seemed like they were just a team of ruin hunters passing by by chance to get water.

Accompanied by excited cheers, two off-road vehicles and two pickup trucks, together with more than a dozen robbers, rushed to the corner crazily, not wanting their prey to escape their sight.

As soon as the first car went around, the driver's eyes suddenly froze.

The military green jeep parked quietly dozens of meters away, its body tilted like a short wall.

Behind the Jeep, a tall man is wearing a black metal skeleton with the help of his companions; on the side of the Jeep, a slightly petite woman puts a rifle on the front cover; on the other side of the Jeep, a man with a ponytail wearing gray camouflage The woman in uniform was squatting there, carrying a heavy individual rocket launcher on her shoulders.

Bazooka!

The pupils of the robber driver and his "passengers" in the first car suddenly dilated.

The next second, the God of Death spurted out fire.

Boom!

The bandit leader who was waiting for his men to bring back the prey by the stream had just lit a captured burnt yellow homemade cigarette when he heard a deafening sound.

Snapped!

The homemade cigarette fell to the ground before it reached his mouth.

In his eyes was a rapidly expanding fireball.

The red fireball instantly engulfed the pickup truck that was rushing ahead and about to turn.

This scene was like an oil painting imprinted in the hearts of all those who witnessed it.

boom!

The off-road vehicle that was rushing in second place failed to brake in time and crashed into the burning pickup truck.

Wow!

Its side glass shattered and a bullet penetrated the cab.

As the driver's blood splattered, the bandit leader in the distance could not help but flash several ridiculous thoughts:

"Trap! This is a trap!

"We're surrounded!"