This is the last town you can see before entering the Irel Desert. It is now noon, and the entire road is distorted under the scorching sunlight, with heat waves sweeping over everything in sight, blurring the view with heat haze.
Three SUVs drove into the town one after another and stopped at a hotel parking lot. The door of the front vehicle opened, and out came a beautiful young woman, about twenty-one or twenty-two years old. Her eyes seemed unaccustomed to the glaring sand, so she squinted slightly, using her hands as a shade above her eyes. She wore a dark green short-sleeve shirt and pants with the West University emblem. Behind the parking lot was the edge of the great desert, stretching out to a vast golden sea of sand.
Since it’s the hottest time of noon, there were almost no people visible on the streets of this border town. The low houses stretched further out, forming a town not very large, surviving by selling supplies needed before entering the sea of sand.
Everything here is at least three times more expensive than elsewhere, but having made it this far, typically no one minds the price of the necessary items they need. People who come here are usually either adventure enthusiasts, tourists, or someone wanting to strike it rich in the sea of sand.
This is the first time that the History and Archaeology Department of West University has focused its research on desert civilizations. This desert was once the center of a brilliant civilization, buried beneath the yellow sand is the most fantastically colored lost kingdom, and the tomb of the last monarch of this kingdom. It has been confirmed as the graduation thesis topic for the students who are about to graduate this year.
Cheng Luo is one of the students about to graduate. Her parents are both university professors, and she has a strong interest in archaeology and historical relics. Upon hearing that the school has organized a group of scholars to conduct some ancient civilization research in the world’s largest Irel Desert, she eagerly signed up and persuaded her parents to agree for her to go as an intern assistant.
Believing it was a professional team from the school and unlikely to encounter any significant danger, her parents agreed. After preparing for half a month, their team of eight boarded a plane for the Irel Desert, which was a great distance away, taking them six hours to fly to their destination and then another night’s drive to reach the largest fully developed desert entrance.
Considering the dangers of entering the desert from other places, everyone chose this highly mature route.
The people behind them got out of the car, and beside her, senior Zhou Qiang handed Cheng Luo a parasol, saying, "The UV rays are too high, use this for some shade. Professor Wu wants us to rest at the hotel and wait for further instructions. It seems the guide we had arranged earlier is not coming."
"Huh? Really? Is it easy to find a guide on short notice?" Cheng Luo was a bit surprised.
"Not really sure, oh well, let’s go into the hotel first. I’m so hungry. Let’s go, Cheng Luo." The senior turned around, calling out to Cheng Luo as he headed towards the hotel.
As they pushed open the glass door, it felt like stepping into paradise. The air conditioning was cool and comfortable, completely separating them from the previous heat. Professor Wu and the remaining teachers were sitting on the couch in the reception area discussing something.
"Uncle Wu, hello, teachers." Cheng Luo greeted them.
"Ah, hello, Cheng Luo. I’ve already messaged your parents earlier to assure them. Since everyone is here, let’s have lunch first; everything is pretty much arranged here." Professor Wu stood up from the sofa. Though in his fifties, he still had a strong presence, and aside from some speckled white hair, he looked like he was still in his prime.