Qiu Limo’s appearance did not surprise Lian Qiguang. If Qiu Limo was indeed the spy the Little Crown Prince had placed beside him, Lian Qiguang could finally connect the reason why Qiu Limo always managed to arrive on time whenever something happened.
With Lian Qiguang giving them directions, they did not take any more detours. When night fell, a patch of green gradually appeared before Lian Qiguang.
Lian Qiguang possessed a wood-type ability, so he was highly sensitive to the aura of life. Smelling the scent of greenery in the air, Lian Qiguang knew that this was definitely not a mirage.
“Ahhh!! We’re finally here! I’m exhausted to death!!” Xiahou Hetian could no longer hold back the suffering he had endured along the way and shouted at the top of his lungs.
“This! What the hell is this thing?!”
Shentu Sihao, who had run ahead, suddenly shouted. Lian Qiguang was slightly startled and quickened his pace. When he reached the patch of green, even Lian Qiguang could not help feeling somewhat surprised.
It was a field of cacti several meters tall, covered in thick spikes more than ten centimeters long that looked like steel nails. They appeared particularly terrifying.
“This is a cactus.”
After confirming that there was nothing around them capable of attacking, Lian Qiguang calmly walked inside.
“Cactus? What’s that?”
“A type of plant, though it should have mutated already.”
Lian Qiguang stopped in front of a cactus. An ice spike formed in his hand, and he suddenly chopped downward.
“It’s edible, medicinal, and can protect against radiation.”
“That amazing?”
Lian Qiguang split open a cactus, removed its skin and steel-like spikes, then cut out the tender flesh inside and put it into his mouth.
“Is it tasty?” Shentu Sihao leaned over and asked quietly.
“It’s edible.”
It couldn’t really be called delicious or unpleasant, but at least it wouldn’t kill you.
Qiu Limo stepped forward. Wind blades flew out, and just like Lian Qiguang, he cut out the tender flesh inside and silently ate it.
Everyone’s eyes turned toward Qiu Limo, hoping to discover some other expression on his face.
But they were destined to be disappointed.
From beginning to end, Qiu Limo’s expression remained cold and indifferent. He did not even move his eyebrows.
Xiahou Hetian pushed Shentu Sihao aside and stepped forward. He also took a piece of the tender flesh and bit down hard.
Juice filled his mouth, mixed with a rich, raw green flavor.
“How is it?”
“It’s edible.”
Xiahou Hetian gave the exact same answer as Lian Qiguang, his expression strange.
It wasn’t exactly delicious, but it wasn’t unpleasant either.
“What kind of answer is that?”
“If you want to know, why don’t you try it yourself?”
Xiahou Hetian looked at him disdainfully.
Watching the two start bickering again, Lian Qiguang turned around and left, finding a quiet place to sit down.
Lian Qiguang leaned against a cactus whose steel-like spikes had been removed and quietly looked up at the red moon in the sky.
Without realizing it, his thoughts drifted back to Xiahou Shaoxuan.
Lian Qiguang raised one hand and opened his palm.
A golden major general’s insignia lay quietly in the center of his palm, reflecting the moonlight with a faint, dim glow.
Lian Qiguang silently looked at the military insignia in his hand, his fingers rubbing over its patterns.
Thinking that he would be able to meet Xiahou Shaoxuan once the competition ended, the corners of his lips couldn’t help lifting slightly.
With his expressionless little face, he still looked adorable and foolish, yet extraordinarily beautiful and captivating.
Inside the monitoring room, Xiahou Shaoxuan leaned against the back of his chair.
Watching the smile on Lian Qiguang’s face, he also did not miss the warmth in his eyes. His heartbeat immediately quickened, and the corners of his lips unconsciously rose.
Beside him, Xuanlang looked at the curve of Xiahou Shaoxuan’s lips and couldn’t help rolling his eyes repeatedly.
Just as Lian Qiguang was feeling delighted at the thought of meeting Xiahou Shaoxuan, he suddenly felt an intense pain in his abdomen.
His face immediately went pale.
He tightly clenched the military insignia and curled up his body.
This time, the pain in his abdomen did not stop after hurting for a while like before.
Instead, it grew increasingly severe.
Along with the pain, Lian Qiguang even felt as though something was flowing downward from his abdomen.
Lian Qiguang collapsed onto the ground. His entire body trembled from the pain, and his face was frighteningly pale.
In front of the monitoring screens, Xiahou Shaoxuan had not even had time to wipe the smile from his lips before this sudden change frightened him.
He abruptly stood up, knocking over the chair behind him with the force of his movement.
“Boss!”
“Prepare an aircraft for me.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s voice was deep as he gave the order.
“Boss, Sister-in-law won’t agree to that.”
Although Xuanlang was also worried about Lian Qiguang, compared with Xiahou Shaoxuan, he at least retained a trace of rationality.
Xiahou Shaoxuan swept a cold glance toward Xuanlang.
The overwhelming pressure made Xuanlang’s legs tremble, and he nearly dropped to his knees.
“Besides, Boss, if you go, Sister-in-law’s identity will be exposed. Sister-in-law hasn’t graduated yet. If his identity is exposed, there will definitely be plenty of danger in the future. If you’re not by Sister-in-law’s side, who will guarantee his safety?”
While Xuanlang was earnestly trying to persuade Xiahou Shaoxuan, Qiu Limo on the other side also noticed that something was wrong with Lian Qiguang and helped him up.
“What’s wrong?”
Seeing how deathly pale Lian Qiguang was, Qiu Limo frowned.
“I’m fine.”
Lian Qiguang had just drunk some lake water, and the pain in his abdomen had already lessened considerably. He calmly pushed Qiu Limo away.
Qiu Limo was not annoyed at being pushed away. He crouched nearby, his eyes fixed directly on Lian Qiguang.
Lian Qiguang closed his eyes and circulated the wood-type ability within his body, directing it toward the mass of power in his abdomen and soothing its agitation.
“Sister-in-law!!”
Xiahou Hetian suddenly shouted in alarm and hurried over.
Lian Qiguang opened his eyes. Looking at the fear on Xiahou Hetian’s face, he slowly stood up.
“Sister-in-law, something’s wrong! Over there, over there…”
Xiahou Hetian trembled as he pointed in a direction, somewhat incoherent.
An ominous feeling rose in Lian Qiguang’s heart.
He immediately walked toward the direction Xiahou Hetian had pointed, and Xiahou Hetian hurried after him.
After leaving the cactus forest, they saw Shentu Sihao and the other two already waiting there.
Lian Qiguang walked over and followed their gazes.
His expression immediately darkened.
“A sandstorm.”
“Idol, wh-what’s that?”
Several storms were rapidly approaching them. Wherever they passed, sand and stones were swept into the air, creating a terrifying sight.
Shentu Sihao’s voice trembled.
“A sandstorm.”
Lian Qiguang felt somewhat uncertain.
In the face of a natural disaster like this, no matter how powerful one’s strength was, there was nothing to fear but fear itself.
Back then, he had nearly died because of one.
After being rescued that time, he had spent an entire six months lying in bed.
“A sandstorm? What’s that?”
“Who cares what it is?”
Lian Qiguang’s tone was somewhat unpleasant, his voice slightly hoarse.
“Run!”
“Run…”
Looking at the approaching sandstorm, Xuanyuan Zhe felt like laughing bitterly.
What kind of bad luck had they run into?
How could so many unlucky things happen during a single competition?
Something that could actually make Lian Qiguang change expression and immediately tell them to run…
They didn’t even dare imagine how terrifying it was.
After thinking for a moment, Lian Qiguang turned around and looked at them.
“Who knows how to fly an aircraft?”
Except for Qiu Limo, Xiahou Hetian and the others looked at each other.
Although they did not understand why Lian Qiguang was asking, they still raised their hands.
“We all do.”
“What about an aircraft that has been modified and is fully loaded with weapons?”
“……” Everyone.
Lian Qiguang walked to an open area and casually waved his hand.
A domineering black-and-red aircraft appeared before everyone’s eyes.
Xiahou Hetian stared at it in shock.
“Sister-in-law, you actually dared to carry contraband?!”
“Enough nonsense.”
Lian Qiguang frowned and jumped onto the aircraft first.
“Hurry up and leave.”
On the other side, Xiahou Shaoxuan watched the sand and stones flying wildly across the monitoring screens, along with the successive shrill, terrified screams.
His brows were tightly furrowed.
“Boss, the rescue team has already been sent out, but…”
Xuanlang watched another group of students disappear after being swept into the sandstorm. His expression darkened.
“But the casualties are probably impossible to estimate.”
“Didn’t we conduct weather forecasts beforehand? What’s going on?! What the hell were they doing?!”
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s face turned livid. His fists clenched tightly as he roared.
Facing Xiahou Shaoxuan’s fury, Xuanlang lowered his head and remained silent.
After venting his anger, Xiahou Shaoxuan suddenly thought of Lian Qiguang, and panic once again surged through his heart.
“Prepare an aircraft for me.”
“Boss.”
Xuanlang suddenly raised his head.
“Prepare an aircraft for me! That’s an order!!”
“Boss!”
Xuanlang stepped forward and blocked Xiahou Shaoxuan.
“Sister-in-law has already boarded an aircraft and is heading back. Everything here is in chaos right now. We need you here to command!”
“Boss.”
Zhong Mu also walked over and spoke heavily.
“Sister-in-law is extremely powerful, and he also has the combat aircraft you gave him. He’ll definitely be fine. But there are still so many students from the academies here. You can’t let them die just for Sister-in-law.”
Looking at the solemn faces of Zhong Mu and Xuanlang, Xiahou Shaoxuan remained silent for a long time.
Then he turned around and slammed his fist heavily onto the table.
Lian Qiguang and the others had already boarded the aircraft.
Xiahou Hetian piloted it crookedly into the sky.
This aircraft had been modified, and its performance was more like that of a spacecraft. If Xiahou Hetian had not grown up around the military from childhood, he probably would have been completely helpless with it.
Xiahou Hetian awkwardly operated the aircraft’s controls, pressing among the countless buttons until he found the automatic route-finding flight system.
Then, with Lian Qiguang’s help, he set the destination.
The storm was getting closer and closer.
The spacecraft rocked violently as it was swept up by the storm, as though it could be torn to pieces at any moment.
“Are… are we all going to die here today?”
Shentu Sihao held onto the body of the aircraft, nearly falling to the floor several times from the violent shaking.
Looking at the sandstorm swirling outside the window, Shentu Sihao was close to tears.
“This isn’t going to work!!”
Another enormous jolt sent Mu Anqi crashing to the floor.
He braced both hands against the nearby seat and shouted,
“If this keeps up, getting sucked into the storm is only a matter of time!!”
Lian Qiguang pressed his lips together and silently watched the sand and stones flying outside.
The sky and earth were darkened.
He turned toward Xiahou Hetian.
“Can you open the roof of the aircraft?”
“What are you trying to do?”
Xiahou Hetian’s eyes widened.
“If we open the roof, all of us will be swept away.”
“If you want to live, listen to me!”
Suppressing the intense pain in his abdomen, Lian Qiguang said coldly,
“Open it.”
Seeing the rare fierceness in Lian Qiguang’s expression, Xiahou Hetian gritted his teeth.
Supporting himself with the objects on both sides, he staggered toward the front, found the button, steeled his heart, and pressed it hard.
As the button was pressed, the roof of the aircraft opened.
Immediately, a powerful force swept into the aircraft.
Everyone inside was thrown violently backward, crashing into the corners.
Lian Qiguang gritted his teeth and stepped forward.
Frost gradually gathered in his hands as he pressed it toward the opening, temporarily holding back the storm.
“Who’s a soil-type ability user? Come help me!”
Lian Qiguang shouted.
Mu Anqi dragged himself toward Lian Qiguang while holding onto the seats. He struggled to stand.
“I’m a soil-type ability user. What should I do?”
“Wrap this ice with soil.”
Mu Anqi did not understand what Lian Qiguang was trying to do, but at this moment, he could only obey Lian Qiguang’s orders.
Brown soil flew from his hands and wrapped around the ice shield. Soon, it completely covered it, making it look like a piece of earth.
Lian Qiguang pushed Mu Anqi aside and scattered a handful of seeds.
The seeds took root upon landing.
Green branches and vines frantically burst outward, hanging down toward the ground.
Lian Qiguang controlled the growth of the plants.
The pain in his abdomen grew increasingly intense, almost to the point where he wanted to faint.
The vines grew in midair, constantly spreading outward.
From a distance, they looked like a wall descending from the sky.
The vines fell from the air and rapidly took root upon reaching the ground, merging into the sand and blocking the storm.
The vines kept snapping apart, only to grow rapidly again.
Lian Qiguang secretly bit his tongue, desperately trying to keep himself conscious.
“Speed up! Hurry and leave!”
Seeing that Xiahou Hetian was still standing there in a daze, Lian Qiguang shouted angrily.
“Ah? Yes!”
Xiahou Hetian came back to his senses and hurried back to the control panel.
He closed the roof, pushed the speed to its maximum, and sped away.