What do we do? Is their expedition going to end just like this?
Now moving forward or turning back both seem impossible. It’s still a day’s journey to the destination. But if we go, how do we return?
Some suggested going back to reorganize first, while others said to wait and see if the camels would come back.
"Guide, what do you think we should do now?" Zhou Qiang asked him.
"Keep walking if you want to reach the Imperial City Center; otherwise, you can only come back in three months. The upcoming weather isn’t suitable for another trip into the desert."
"But without water, how do we get back..."
Cheng Luo stood up and said, "We’ve gotten this far, going back to reorganize and then returning would waste a lot of time. The guide is right, in a few days, it will be the dust storm season, and we might not be able to come here again. Going back now isn’t about coming again; it’s equivalent to giving up this expedition. But without water, we simply can’t hold on. Yet giving up now is really hard to accept."
The group’s discussion paused; either they gave up or moved forward—there were only these two choices. Both options were difficult.
"Guide, is there any way to get more water?" Professor Wu asked Que Qiu.
Que Qiu nodded and said, "If you make it through today, about two kilometers from where you said you want to go, there’s a waterhole that only produces water at midnight. Or, drink camel blood."
"No wonder you’re the most renowned guide, you know so much," another teacher praised. This money was not spent in vain!
"Then, everyone bear with it today. We found a small bottle of water in the backpack. We’ll divide it up, and the guide will lead us to find water when we get there," Professor Wu decided.
Upon hearing Professor Wu say that, no one had other objections; maybe those camels might still come back?
With four camels missing, several people had to take turns riding one camel, slowing the team’s speed. No one felt the excitement they did when first arriving in the desert by midday, as they were all worn out, lips cracked, heat scorching, unable to expose their bodies to the sun lest they get sunburned. They could only cover themselves with jackets and wear sand-proof goggles as they trudged along aimlessly.
"Thirsty...so terribly thirsty," said a teacher lying feebly on a camel’s back. The small half-bottle of water was divided, with each person getting a mere sip.
The older Professor Wu at the front slumped over and fell from the camel’s back.
Que Qiu, beside him, immediately jumped down to check on Professor Wu.
Professor Wu seemed to show symptoms of heat stroke, and due to the constant sweating and sun exposure, he urgently needed hydration. His age was the greatest in the group, and dehydration symptoms started appearing on him first.
The scorching sun baked everyone in the desert, the sand beneath them was hot enough to cook an egg. Cheng Luo quickly took an insulating sleeping mat from the tent to lay on the ground. Then, with two seniors, he used cloth covering supplies and a parasol to make a small shelter for Professor Wu to block some sunlight.
"The professor needs water," Cheng Luo said.
But there’s not a drop to be found now, what do we do?
Que Qiu drew a dagger from behind his waist and walked toward the camels, "No choice but to drink camel blood." If he weren’t at his wits’ end, he wouldn’t do this. Every camel is a valuable asset and their guarantee for leaving the desert. With each camel missing, their risk increased.