Long Ming calmly took another look at the red-spotted giant lizard, then turned and ran forward.
It was his first time seeing a giant lizard so enormous, and its body was covered in red lumps—it looked nothing like a normal creature.
Without firearms or other weapons, there was no way they could win a fight.
Just then, a player running at the back suddenly cried out in terror.
"Save me!"
Long Ming turned to look back, only to see the red-spotted giant lizard moving at extreme speed, catching up, opening its bloody maw to reveal row after row of sharp fangs, and pouncing directly on the lagging player.
"Run!"
Seeing this, everyone ran for their lives even harder.
A chill rose in Long Ming's heart, and he suddenly accelerated, overtaking one player after another.
"Ah!"
One player after another was caught by the red-spotted giant lizard, letting out desperate screams.
Although they knew it was just a game, these heart-rending screams were still bone-chilling.
At this moment, Gu Yi, running ahead of Long Ming, suddenly stepped on empty air. His left foot sank into the quicksand, and his whole body tilted downward.
"Chen Wei, save me!"
Gu Yi immediately shouted at his companion.
Right then, a man 1.8 meters tall, tall and thin, with a scar on his chin, stopped, reached out, and grabbed Gu Yi's hand, trying to pull him out by force.
Unfortunately, just as Chen Wei exerted force, one of his own feet sank in as well. Without a foothold, he couldn't put any strength into it, and he nearly got dragged down by Gu Yi instead.
"Damn it, hurry over and help!"
Chen Wei shouted at the few other players who had just met.
Unfortunately, those players had already been scared out of their wits and were only running desperately forward.
Seeing that Chen Wei was about to be dragged into the quicksand, Gu Yi anxiously said to him.
"Chen Wei, let go."
"Bullshit. Am I the kind of person without loyalty? If we die, we die together!"
Chen Wei held onto Gu Yi without letting go, and the two sank bit by bit into the quicksand.
Long Ming saw this and was a little surprised; he hadn't expected these two guys to be so loyal.
Just as the two thought they were done for, an iron chain suddenly swung in front of them.
Gu Yi stared at the chain before him, stunned for a moment, then reacted and reached out to grab it.
Long Ming and Chen Wei then pulled hard at the same time, dragging Gu Yi out.
After saving Gu Yi, Long Ming didn't stop and continued running forward.
Chen Wei and Gu Yi, seeing this, also scrambled to their feet and fled for their lives.
A moment later, Long Ming and the others successfully shook off the red-spotted giant lizard, and everyone walked forward panting.
Originally a group of about a hundred people, now only a few dozen remained; the others had scattered.
At this moment, Gu Yi and Chen Wei walked up to Long Ming's side.
"Thanks, brother!"
Long Ming ignored Gu Yi and Chen Wei, just kept walking forward.
Seeing that Long Ming had no reaction, Gu Yi and Chen Wei followed blankly beside him, confused, and asked.
"Brother, we're thanking you. Why aren't you answering?"
"Answer you for what? I'd rather save my strength and keep walking forward."
"Brother, I don't think you need to keep walking forward. It's so hot you won't get far. We might as well wait until night, when the temperature drops, then go exploring."
"Naive. At night in the desert, the temperature drops sharply; you'll freeze to death."
Long Ming continued walking forward with a blank expression.
Hearing Long Ming's words, Gu Yi and Chen Wei were stunned for a moment, then came to their senses and hurriedly caught up.
"Brother, I'm Gu Yi, and this is my brother Chen Wei. What should we call you?"
Gu Yi asked eagerly.
"Number 841221."
Long Ming replied coldly.
Hearing Long Ming's words, Gu Yi's mouth twitched, then he said with a laugh.
"Don't you want to change your name? Or tell us your real name?"
Long Ming glanced at Gu Yi, directly ignored him, and continued walking forward.
Gu Yi was snubbed but not discouraged; he closely followed Long Ming.
At this time, other players, although many were so exhausted they couldn't walk, seeing Long Ming still walking forward, could only grit their teeth and follow.
Time passed bit by bit, and before they knew it, evening came.
The scorching temperature gradually dropped.
Long Ming grew increasingly uneasy inside; given the dryness here, the night temperature might drop below zero.
Still, walking through this desert left him feeling desperate.
Gu Yi and the others were even worse off; their vision went black, and they slumped onto the sand dune.
"I can't go on. Even wilderness survival isn't this excessive, right?"
"Yeah! I can't either. Just let me die."
Long Ming could no longer walk either; he lay down directly on the sand dune, panting continuously.
"Sigh, what a lousy game. Did we come here to suffer?"
"I can't even figure out whether we're playing the game or the game is playing us."
Gu Yi and Chen Wei also complained to Long Ming.
Unfortunately, Long Ming didn't respond to them for a long while.
"Brother, why aren't you talking? Don't you like talking so much?"
Gu Yi was very puzzled and turned to look at Long Ming; he was too cold and aloof.
Long Ming also opened his cracked lips and replied unhappily.
"Talk about what? I'm terribly thirsty. Aren't you thirsty?"
"Thirsty!"
"Then shut your mouth. Don't keep yapping beside me, or lie farther away."
Long Ming was simply too lazy to waste words with Gu Yi and the others.
He gazed at the stars gradually appearing in the sky, and his mood was very low.
Originally he had entered with high spirits, thinking that relying on his talent, even if he couldn't become hugely successful, at least he could earn some money to make a living. But he never imagined the game would be like this.
If he didn't find something soon and kept doing nothing but wilderness survival, he might really end up begging.
Time passed second by second, and the temperature grew colder and colder.
Long Ming was also terribly sleepy; his eyelids were fighting each other, and if he closed them now, he probably wouldn't wake up.
But just then, the gravel on the ground suddenly trembled slightly.
"Something's wrong. There's a situation!"
Long Ming suddenly opened his eyes and issued a warning.
Hearing Long Ming's words, Gu Yi and the others jumped up from the ground, looking around in terror, afraid something would crawl out.
But for a long while they saw nothing crawling out.
Just as everyone was puzzled, Gu Yi suddenly opened his mouth wide and shouted in terror.
"Look into the distance!"
Long Ming and the others immediately climbed over the sand dune, raised their heads, and looked toward the distance.
Only to see in the far horizon a huge beast flashing with points of light moving, and from time to time letting out a tremendous roaring sound.
"What the hell is that?"
"Don't know!"
Many players muttered in bewilderment.
Long Ming's expression changed several times, then he rushed toward the moving huge beast.
Seeing this, Gu Yi and the others followed.
As the distance closed, Long Ming and the others gradually saw clearly.
It was a ruined moving fortress. The whole fortress was made of black metal; on its upper half stood rows of connected steel buildings, with turrets rising at the edges and metal chimneys belching black smoke. Its base was fitted with special giant treads.
The entire moving fortress had been battered, with gaps everywhere.
Chapter 11