The four of them reached the edge of the pool and found an extremely concealed stone opening from which water was flowing. Three of them used clothes to shield against the wind and sand, forming a circle, while one person used a bucket to collect the water below. After about twenty minutes, they finally gathered enough water and slowly carried it into the stone house.
Everyone worked together to push some of the sand inside towards the entrance, managing to block most of the gaps in the stone house. Several assistants used tents and frames to make a door, which could barely block the wind. Fortunately, the stone house was not small, allowing everyone to sit towards the back. They lit a small fire using miniature fuel and fabric, but left the flashlights off to conserve power.
Outside, the wind roared, angrily howling like ghosts crying. The wind drilled through the stone crevices; even though they had the stone house to shelter from the wind, the invading gust made the room temperature extremely low. The piercing cold gradually crept in, and everyone huddled near the small fire, shivering.
"Everyone should get into the sleeping bags to stay warm. Fortunately, we brought insulated sleeping bags this time. Remember to lay down the thermal pads. Two people can take turns keeping watch, and the others should rest early to preserve energy," Professor Wu spoke first.
"Yes, we won’t be able to leave for the next couple of days. Everyone, hang in there. Xiao Wang and I will keep watch tonight," another assistant chimed in.
"I don’t know about the senior... sigh," Cheng Luo felt somewhat saddened. With such a massive sandstorm outside and him being alone, the hope of survival seemed very slim. "What on earth happened to the senior? Why did he suddenly act so unusually? You really didn’t see him on the way here?"
"No, we didn’t see him. We don’t know where he went." One of the assistants who had gone out to fetch water earlier shook his head with some sorrow. "It’s a great fortune that we returned safely. Zhou Qiang... let’s hope he has good luck."
"Maybe he’ll find his way back in the middle of the night. Let’s pay attention to any noises while keeping watch," Cheng Luo suggested.
"Yes, we will," the assistants nodded in agreement.
Que Qiu, who was usually quiet, suddenly spoke: "Everyone has their fate. If he’s been cursed by Iryl, no one can prevent it."
"Cursed? Guide, do you believe in this legend?" Cheng Luo looked at Que Qiu and asked with a frown.
"In this profession, we all hold Iryl in respectful awe, and you have no choice but to believe. Those who are not favored by Iryl will be cursed, rejected, and eventually disappear," Que Qiu said calmly while laying out thermal pads.
"But the senior is not a bad person," Cheng Luo whispered, biting her lip. And curses? Do such things really exist?
"It has nothing to do with good or bad. Besides, there is no absolute good or bad. It’s just that Iryl doesn’t like him," Que Qiu got into his sleeping bag, finishing his sentence slowly. Then he raised his hand and zipped up the sleeping bag, preparing to sleep.
Cheng Luo’s emotions were a bit complex. She had always been a materialist, never believing in curses or the like. However, all the occurrences since entering the desert have been shaking her beliefs. Is there really some unknown presence in this mysterious desert?
Cheng Luo silently hoped in her heart that the senior could safely reunite with them. She left the fire and went to Tianmiao’s sleeping bag, finding that Tianmiao hadn’t zipped it up to sleep yet.
"Why aren’t you asleep yet, Sister Tianmiao?"
Tianmiao zipped up the sleeping bag slightly and smiled: "Hmm, I’m just about to sleep. I was waiting for you."
"Thank you, Sister Tianmiao. I really have been a bit scared these days. If I sleep with you, I won’t be scared," Cheng Luo laughed and spread out her sleeping bag, "Oh! Wait a minute! I need to get something."