206: Poisoning!

During the day in the Sea of Death Desert, the sky was a blinding, deathly white. Heat waves steamed from deep within the gravel, distorting the vision and making even the distant rocky hills seem to sway in the melting air.

Under the guidance of Wang Mo, the team followed the markers left by A Ying’s near-miraculous Tracking techniques, arriving at the suspicious oasis before noon.

The oasis was small, hidden within a low-lying basin, spanning no more than a hundred zhang. In the center was a turbid pond, surrounded by sparse, drought-resistant sea buckthorn and poplars, their leaves covered in thick gray-yellow dust, drooping listlessly.

Before they even got close, Zhou Tong made a gesture for caution. Everyone crouched behind a sand ridge at the edge of the basin, observing carefully.

There were clear signs of human activity within the oasis: several patches of sand had been trampled flat, remaining ashes from a recently extinguished campfire sat nearby, and gnawed animal bones and empty water skins were scattered around. On the trunks of two thick poplars, there were fresh friction marks from horse reins. On the sandy ground, messy ruts from wagon wheels and hoof prints intersected, extending all the way to the other side of the oasis and disappearing into the deeper sea of sand.

However, the entire oasis was deathly silent. There was no birdsong, no insect chirping, and even the rustle of wind through dry leaves sounded hollow and weak. No figures were seen drawing water by the pond, and no bandits were resting in the shade of the trees.

"It's empty," Zhao Tiezhu whispered, somewhat disappointed.

Chen Linsheng's gaze swept over the tracks as he shook his head. "They just left not long ago, no more than a day at most. The residual heat of the ashes has dissipated, but the hoof prints and wheel ruts on the sand haven't been smoothed over by the night wind yet." He looked at A Ying. "Can you tell how many people there were and where they went?"

A Ying half-squatted on the sand ridge, his grayish-white eyes focused on scanning the tracks below, like a hawk scrutinizing the clues left by its prey. After a moment, he raised his hand and made a few simple gestures: three wagons, fifteen to twenty horses, more than twenty people. Heading... North-Northwest.

"North-Northwest..." Wang Mo licked his cracked lips, his voice heavy. "In that direction, another hundred li deeper, is 'Devil City'."

"Devil City?" Li Qinger asked softly.

"A vast rocky area eroded by wind for tens of millions of years," Wang Mo explained. "The terrain is like a maze, with jagged rocks everywhere. The sound of the wind passing through the crevices is like ghosts crying and wolves howling, hence the name. It's full of quicksand and hidden gullies, making it hard to find one's way. No one goes near it except for outlaws and those looking for death." He paused. "If the Sand Shadow Bandits really set up their nest there, they've chosen a place of absolute isolation."

Chen Linsheng nodded, but did not immediately order a pursuit. He faintly felt that something was wrong. It wasn't unusual for the Sand Shadow Bandits to act mysteriously and move their base, but this oasis was almost too 'clean'—the campfire ashes, food scraps, and horse-tying marks were all left behind as if deliberately showing 'we were here and just left,' leading the pursuers toward the northwest.

"Go down to the oasis, search carefully, and stay safe," Chen Linsheng ordered. "Zhou Tong, check the perimeter for ambushes or remaining traps. Qinger, focus on examining that pond."

The group quietly descended into the basin. Zhou Tong dispersed into the surrounding dry woods like a civet cat, while Zhao Tiezhu and A Ying stood guard at the front and back. Chen Linsheng walked to the ashes of a campfire, knelt down, pinched a bit of the grayish-white residue with his fingertips, and brought it to his nose to sniff. Besides the charred smell of burning firewood, there was a very faint, strange scent—a mixture of sulfur and a certain fishy odor.

He stood up and walked toward the pond.

Li Qinger was already squatting by the pond. She didn't touch the water directly with her hands; instead, she took a long, thin silver needle from the leather pouch at her waist, with a length of plain white silk thread tied to the end. She slowly dipped the silver needle into the turbid water, lifted it after a moment, and carefully observed the tip of the needle against the sunlight.

Under the sunlight, the tip of the silver needle didn't turn noticeably black, but upon closer inspection, a very faint, almost transparent rainbow-colored oil film was attached to it. Li Qinger frowned slightly and took out a small glass bottle containing half a bottle of colorless liquid. She carefully used the silver needle to dab a bit of the pond water and dropped it into the bottle.

The colorless liquid quickly turned into a turbid milky white and began to bubble finely.

Li Qinger's expression changed, and she tested several other spots in the pond with the same result. She stood up, turned to Chen Linsheng, and said with a voice that was cold yet solemn, "Senior Brother Chen, there's a problem with the water. It's not an ordinary poison, but a mixed chronic toxin. It's formulated from at least three different poisons: one suppresses blood Qi and vitality, making a person gradually weak; another damages the internal organs, and long-term consumption will lead to slow organ failure; and there's one more... very hidden, it seems to affect the mind, magnifying fear and anxiety."

She paused and added, "The formulation technique is quite sophisticated. These aren't medicinal ingredients that can be gathered in the desert. One of the main ingredients, 'Nightmare Vine Sap', only grows in the hot and humid jungles of the Southern Border and is rare in the North. The poisoner came prepared."

A chronic mixed poison, non-local ingredients... Chen Linsheng's gaze darkened. This wasn't simple water pollution; it was deliberate poisoning. The purpose clearly wasn't to immediately kill those who came to the oasis, but to make the drinkers gradually weak, internally damaged, and mentally unsettled.

"Are they poisoning multiple water sources?" Zhou Tong had returned at some point, holding a few dark green small stones he had found at the edge of the dry woods, their color distinct from the surrounding gravel. "There are no traps on the perimeter, but I found these marker stones in three directions, all pointing northwest. Like... road signs?"

Road signs? Chronic poison? Chen Linsheng connected these clues, and a clear intention surfaced.

"The Sand Shadow Bandits deliberately left tracks to lead pursuers toward Devil City in the northwest. At the same time, they poisoned the water sources they might pass or are known to exist," Chen Linsheng said slowly, his voice cold. "This wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; it was premeditated. There are two goals: first, to create panic, making passing merchant caravans and pursuers afraid to use the water sources, increasing the difficulty and fear of moving in the desert; second, to filter and weaken the pursuers—only a team that can see through the toxicity, brings enough of their own drinking water, or knows how to purify water is worthy of being their 'prey' and being led into the more dangerous Devil City."

"What a sinister scheme!" Zhao Tiezhu gritted his teeth.

Wang Mo was now squatting by those wheel ruts, carefully digging through the sand and even picking up a few pieces of dried dung to crumble and observe. After a while, he stood up, brushed the sand off his hands, and said with certainty, "Young Hero Chen's judgment is correct. The ruts were left by empty freight wagons; the tracks are shallow. The dung from the draft animals is dry and brittle, indicating they haven't eaten fresh grass or concentrated feed for at least a day and were just traveling. The hoof prints are messy but have large strides, appearing hurried. Overall, this group is traveling light and fast with a clear goal, heading straight for Devil City. And..."

He pointed to some faint, dragging-like marks on the edge of the wheel ruts. "They might also be carrying some kind of heavy object, or... wounded people."

Wounded people? Chen Linsheng's heart stirred slightly. Was it from a conflict with other forces? Or had something gone wrong internally?

Regardless, Devil City was the next target; there was no doubt about that. The terrain there was complex and easy to defend but hard to attack, making it an excellent place for bandits to entrench themselves or set up ambushes. And the poisoned water sources along the way were a series of sinister filters and weakening zones.

"Clear the road signs and cover the tracks of our presence," Chen Linsheng ordered. "Qinger, is there a way to purify this pond water? Or to identify if other water sources are safe?"

Li Qinger thought for a moment and took several medicine bottles from her rattan box. "Total purification takes time, but I can prepare some detoxification powder. Throwing it into the water can neutralize most of the toxicity, so at least drinking it won't immediately worsen the damage. As for identification... I can prepare a poison-testing reagent. If the water changes color when dropped in, it's poisonous."

"Good. Prepare enough detoxification powder and poison-testing reagent for everyone." Chen Linsheng nodded and looked at Wang Mo again. "Master Wang, in your opinion, how should we head to Devil City? Should we bypass the known oasis water sources?"

Wang Mo spread out the leather map he carried and pointed to several marked spots. "There are three large and stable oases on the way to Devil City. The Sand Shadow Bandits have likely tampered with all of them. The drinking water we have can last four or five days. If we travel at full speed, we might be able to reach the edge of Devil City directly. But the environment there is extreme; without a reliable water supply, the risk is immense."

He traced a winding line on the map with his finger. "I suggest taking this 'Ancient Riverbed' ruin. Although it's long dried up, the terrain is lower. There might be shallow seepage or wet sand in some shaded areas where we can try to dig for water, avoiding the obvious poisoned water sources. It's just that this path is more rugged and difficult, and we'll have to pass through a section of quicksand."

Chen Linsheng stared at the map for a moment and said decisively, "We'll take the Ancient Riverbed. Avoid the obvious water sources to reduce the risk of exposure. Zhou Tong, A Ying, you are responsible for scouting ahead; be alert for quicksand and ambushes. Tiezhu, Qinger, stay in the middle with me and Master Wang. Refill your water, and we set off in half an hour."

Everyone took their orders and prepared.

Li Qinger quickly prepared the medicine, packing the pale green detoxification powder into small bags, and dropped a bit of amber-colored poison-testing reagent into everyone's water skins, instructing them not to drink if it changed color. Zhou Tong and A Ying carefully removed the traces left by the team in the oasis and crushed the dark green marker stones, burying them under the sand.

Chen Linsheng walked to the edge of the pond, looking at the pool of foul water shimmering with an eerie color, his gaze deep.

Sand Shadow Bandits, Ghost Sand, the employer behind the scenes, Northern Desert Nomadic Raiders, mixed toxins, Devil City... the clues were like scattered beads, faintly strung together by a thread called 'conspiracy'.

This was no longer just a bandit-suppression mission.

It was more like a net that had already been spread, waiting for a 'big fish' like him to crash into it.

He slowly clenched his fist. Within his heart-fire Qi vortex, that spark of 'Great Sun True Flame' quietly leaped, emitting a gentle yet firm heat.

Even if it were a dragon's pool or a tiger's den, the city of devils, this trip was a must.

Half an hour later, the team was packed and ready. Led by Wang Mo, they left this abandoned and polluted little oasis and quietly headed northwest toward the ruins of the Ancient Riverbed that had been dry for ten thousand years.

Behind them, the wind and sand began to rise, quickly covering all footprints.

Only that pool of poisoned stagnant water remained under the deathly white sunlight, shimmering with a silent, mocking light.

The ruins of the Ancient Riverbed were even more desolate than imagined.

The dry riverbed was about ten zhang wide, with steep earthen walls formed by wind erosion on both sides, like scars on the earth, winding toward the northwest. The bottom of the riverbed was covered with gravel rounded by time, with occasional remains of dead poplars lying across it, their branches twisted like ghost hands.

Wang Mo led the way, his steps cautious. He would occasionally stop to observe the changes in the rock layers on the earthen walls, or squat down to grab a handful of gravel and rub it in his palm to judge the humidity and the potential direction of the water veins below.

"This riverbed still had water flowing three thousand years ago," Wang Mo said in a low voice. "Later, the crust shifted, and the water source changed course. But under the deepest layers of sand and soil, seepage can still occasionally be dug up, it's just..." He paused. "The water quality might not be good, and digging will make noise."

"It doesn't matter," Chen Linsheng said. "Let's keep moving first and dig if necessary."

The team maintained a tight formation. Zhou Tong and A Ying alternated scouting fifty zhang ahead, one skilled at detecting traps on the ground, the other at observing movements from high places. Zhao Tiezhu held his shield in the middle, with Li Qinger following closely behind, several Detoxification Pills ready in her hand, prepared for any sudden situations.

The first day passed peacefully.

Before nightfall, Wang Mo found a hollow in a leeward earthen wall, enough to accommodate the team. Zhou Tong set up warning mechanisms on the perimeter, while A Ying climbed a high earthen platform to serve as a night sentry.

On the afternoon of the second day, the terrain began to change.

The earthen walls were gradually replaced by jagged dark red rock pillars—they were approaching the edge of Devil City.

Those rock pillars varied in height; the thick ones required several people to encircle, while the thin ones were only as wide as an arm. Their bizarre shapes cast distorted shadows under the sunlight. The wind passing through the gaps between the rock pillars made high and low wails, truly sounding like ghosts crying.

"Stop." Zhou Tong ahead suddenly raised his hand to signal.

He squatted by a rock pillar, his thin stick gently brushing away the sand to reveal a section of thin rope that was almost the same color as the sand. The rope was pulled very tight, with both ends disappearing into the rock crevices on either side.

"Tripwire," Zhou Tong whispered. He didn't cut it immediately but carefully explored along one end of the rope. After a moment, he hooked a palm-sized mechanical device out of a rock crevice, with three short crossbow bolts inserted side by side, their tips blackened.

"Poison crossbow. Once triggered, it fires diagonally upward, covering the fan-shaped area in front." Zhou Tong skillfully removed the bolts and disassembled the mechanism. "Roughly made, but the poison is 'Black Scorpion Tail', which kills instantly upon contact with blood. A common vicious thing in the desert."

"What about the placement technique?" Chen Linsheng asked.

"Amateur," Zhou Tong said with certainty. "The burial position is too obvious. Although the tripwire's color was camouflaged, it's pulled too straight; anyone with a bit of experience could find it. It's more like... a warning, or a delay."

"Continue advancing, and be doubly careful."

Sure enough, for the rest of the journey, traps began to appear densely.

There were pressure plates hidden under the sand that would spring poison thorns when stepped on; falling rock mechanisms hanging high on rock pillars pulled by thin lines; and explosive devices disguised as rocks that actually contained poison-dipped iron caltrops... Without exception, these traps all had a 'hastily made' feel—simple materials, rushed placement, but the poisons were all genuine, clearly either sourced locally or prepared in advance.

Zhou Tong was in his element. He seemed to have a natural instinct for these sinister devices, always able to discover them in advance and quickly judge their type and dismantling method. When encountering complex linked traps, he would mark them first, then have everyone bypass them while he stayed behind to handle them carefully.