Chapter 431.3: That's Where The Sky God Fell!

Meanwhile, at the western side of Lost Valley, the sun was setting.

On the barren north face of the Tzobar Mountains, a girl riding on a bear's back was holding a telescope as she stared ahead with excitement.

She carried an RPG on her back as grenades hung on her waist. There was also a submachine gun and a cute mushroom badge. Although her stockings and jacket were torn, and her fluffy short hair was windblown into a mess, it couldn't hide her silly and spirited demeanor.

"Wow, wow, wow! What big twin peaks!"

The sun-baked bear she was riding on raised its head to look forward before commenting listlessly. "... That sounds wrong... As always.”

Sisi, who was driving, also chimed in. "Mmm, if she typed it out in a comment section, they will probably censor everything she says.”

"???" Tail turned to stare at them in confusion.

Standing above the truck while holding the machine gun, Sesame Paste also looked ahead, the cat ears on her head shaking with excitement. "Don't you guys think those two mountains look like cat ears?"

"Wow! That's a good name!" Tail's eyes shone brightly as she gave Sesame Paste two thumbs up. "Let's call it Cat Ear Mountain then!"

Unable to understand the conversation among the three girls and a bear, the old man riding a two-headed oxen beside the truck smiled and spoke in Federation Language. "That's the Twin Peaks."

Although he couldn't understand their conversation, from their expressions and actions, he could guess they were discussing what to name those two majestic mountains.

The old man's name was Buma, a resident of Oasis No.4 who made a living by trading with nearby mines. On his way home, he unfortunately encountered marauders and almost lost his life.

Fortunately, he met this group of kind-hearted girls. Not only did he narrowly escape death, but he also recovered his ox. To repay the favor of saving his life, he volunteered to act as their guide.

Considering that they were completely unfamiliar with the situation in Oasis No.4, having a local help could reduce unnecessary troubles, so Sisi agreed.

As for why they were rushing through the desert... Well, that was a long story.

After the Battle of Lucky Valley Municipality ended, the Order of the White Bear took a brief rest before hitting the road again, heading west into the desert.

Since Oasis No.9 was currently at war, going to the Lion Kingdom was clearly not a good idea.

Therefore, Sisi proposed that they might as well visit the Golden Lizard Kingdom, having heard that beyond Oasis No.8 was the Wandering Swamp, where the mysterious Academy was hidden.

Initially, everyone thought it was a good idea.

However, halfway through the journey, they heard from travelers at a certain station that beyond the Tzobar Mountains, one would be able to see the endless sea if they headed south to Silvermoon City of the Camel Kingdom.

Upon hearing they could see the sea, the three and the bear felt a fire burning in their hearts.

The sea!

Compared to some swamp and the Academy, the sea was definitely more attractive!

Thus, at Tail's suggestion and Roshan's instigation, the Order of the White Bear made a 180 degree turn and headed south instead...

"Eh? So it has a name?" Tail looked at the old man in surprise.

"Ha, it's quite famous, you'd definitely have heard of it if you came here often." A proud smile appeared on the old man's face as he continued.

"My hometown, Petra Fortress, is located between those two mountains! It's probably the only survivor settlement in the entire desert that doesn't depend on an oasis. Once you pass Petra Fortress, you will reach Oasis No.4. It’s the only road to Oasis No.4."

"Petra!" Hearing the word, Tail excitedly tugged at Roshan's fur, "Roro, Roro, it's Petra! Maybe we can dig up coins and hammers from the surrounding desert!"

Roshan helplessly retorted, "... That's another game! We’re not even in the same world!”

Sitting in the driver's seat, Sisi thought for a moment and spoke. "Hmm... That being said, logically, if this really is the only passage to Oasis No.4, it's possible that treasures might be buried under the sand."

There were caravans swallowed by sandstorms.

Or treasures that fell off ox carts due to bumps.

If they were willing to spend the time searching, they might actually be able to dig something up from the sand beneath their feet.

As for whether it would be valuable, that was another matter.

"Wow! Treasure hunting!" Upon receiving affirmative replies, Tail immediately became excited. Even the bear she had been riding seemed interested.

The two started to discuss their treasure hunting plans in excitement, agreeing to pick up shovels and search the dunes after finishing their tasks.

Watching her happy friends, a smile couldn't help but appear on Sisi's face. Compared to war, this kind of leisurely journey was indeed more pleasant. Over the past month, the sights and experiences along their way could fill a book.

If only peace could continue forever.

Although she was well aware the brief peace was more like the calm before a storm... A few days ago, the Death Corps had already launched a preemptive strike against the Army, and by the end of their journey, they would likely have to report to the front lines.

Sesame Paste looked at the old man on the ox's back before asking curiously, "Is there anything we need to be careful of when heading to Petra Fortress?"

The old man smiled. "There's nothing special to be cautious about. The locals are much more enlightened than other desert dwellers. As long as you respect their beliefs, they will respect you. Local laws prohibit murder, private fighting, and theft. Please be sure to pay attention to this. Of course, I think you wouldn't do such things."

"By the way..." The old man glanced at the ears on her head and smiled, "The residents of the Camel Kingdom really like cats, you'll definitely be very popular there."

Sesame Paste felt a bit embarrassed and put on her helmet.

The group chatted and laughed, quickly approaching the majestic fortress.

Its silhouette resembled an ancient Roman Colosseum, with its arc-shaped concrete structure reinforced with stones and wood, and the barrels of cast iron cannons standing beside the battlements.

Besides those primitive weapons, the top of the fortress also housed various light and heavy machine guns, which might not look impressive to a regular army but were only enough to deter ordinary sand bandits and marauders.

Rectangular houses were spread equally between both peaks, sprawling towards the mountain ridges.

That place was both a fortress and a survivor settlement, with a permanent population of about 70,000 to 80,000, and the number of transient residents was unknown.

Not only were there trade caravans from the River Valley Province but also those from Brocade River Province would pass through, making the place quite lively.

People stood beside the muddy roads hawking their wares, with colorful linen cloth supported by two wooden sticks forming a simple stall.

Everything was for sale here, much like a market in

Somalia

.

Next to the fruit stall was a rifle shop, where a slightly dark-skinned woman in a plaid skirt was breastfeeding a child while haggling with mercenaries buying weapons.

Noise filled the air.

Since entering the market, the group subconsciously raised their voices, almost having to shout to hear each other.

"This place reminds me of Horseshoe Town in the Red River Alliance!"

"Wow! But it's so much bigger here!"

"Haha... After all, that's just a small town."

"

Hmm...

I wonder if there are any local specialties here..." Sitting in the driver's seat, Sisi looked around, pondering aloud.

She heard from Buma, the old man, that the spices, carpets, beef, camel milk, and cow milk produced were famous. There were also some iron goods and pottery.

If it weren't for financial constraints, it would be best not to buy the rifles and bullets sold at the small stalls. Those items thrown on the carpets for sale were either war trophies confiscated from marauders or inferior goods produced by small workshops using cheap materials.

The former were poorly maintained, and the latter were crudely made. They could jam or explode at critical moments, potentially costing the user their life.

"... If you need to replenish your ammunition, you can place an order at the town's workshop. As long as the crafting process isn't too complicated, the local craftsmen can even customize it according to the caliber and primer cap type you need." The old man spoke while glancing at a nearby residence, looking at the girl sitting in the truck to seek her opinion.

"Also, I want to go home and report my safety first. I usually get home in three days, but this time it's taken too long. My wife and children must be very anxious... How about we meet here tomorrow morning?"

Sisi nodded. "Let's make it 6:00 in the morning then. We need some rest too."

She had already marked a hotel with a garage and warehouse on the map, planning to lead everyone there first to drop off their luggage.

The truck still had plenty of ammunition, so they weren't in a hurry to replenish. Right now, what they needed to do was to trade the goods on the truck for local currency.

She heard that Devil’s Silk was very popular locally. A roll as thick as a forearm could be traded for a large oxen, and the former could be bought very cheaply if enough contribution points were earned.

The order from Frost Spear Ranch was pretty good. A 3,000 pound large oxen could be exchanged for nearly 6,000 silver coins.

Plus those odd little trinkets.

Their truckload of goods could potentially earn over a million in profit!

As Sisi was pondering over what to get, Tail and Roshan, walking ahead, suddenly stopped beside a stall.