EBE Chapter 700 Entering the Desert
Chapter 700 Entering the Desert
Tanaris Desert, about forty miles west of Gadgetzan.
The scorching sun hung high in the cloudless sky, baking the entire desert into a sweltering heatwave, the air itself distorted and warped by the intense heat.
The undulating sand dunes, like solidified golden waves, stretch to the horizon, silent and desolate, containing a primal power that devours everything.
A burst of loud, piercing mechanical roar broke the silence.
A convoy of five oddly shaped three-wheeled sand motorcycles was seen struggling to make its way along the relatively solid valley between the sand dunes.
These goblin-inspired creations fully embody the pragmatic aesthetics of their creators.
The main body is a triangular frame pieced together from thick steel pipes and riveted steel plates, painted in various bright, glaring, and utterly discordant fluorescent colors.
The vehicle is covered in exaggerated lettering with the advertising slogan: "Hot Sand Rocket Power, Let You Fly Across the Sand Sea!" Next to it is a line of small, almost illegible words: "Caution: May Explode!"
The tricycle has a small front wheel and a large rear wheel, with two huge sand tires at the back that are incredibly wide and thick, covered with deep treads.
The rear of the car had a short, thick exhaust pipe that was spewing out thick black smoke and a few sparks.
The driver's seat was so rudimentary that it consisted of only a metal bucket and a rudder that looked rather flimsy. The power source appeared to be an internal combustion engine that burned some kind of inferior fuel, which was extremely noisy and of questionable reliability.
Alvin was driving an orange-red motorcycle.
He had already changed into a suit suitable for desert operations.
He wore linen trousers for easy movement and reinforced leather boots on his lower body, an open light brown leather vest over a sweat-absorbing cotton shirt, and a wide-brimmed desert hat on his head.
The most eye-catching thing was the pair of goblin-made "super windproof and sandproof magic glasses" he wore on his face—the lenses were ridiculously large, bright blue, and inlaid with shiny metal frames. The temples were adjustable and could not only completely block the wind and sand, but also filter out the excessively strong harmful ultraviolet rays in the desert.
He slung the Beacon of Light staff across his back with a leather belt, which occasionally gleamed with a warm luster in the sunlight.
Akalitta, who followed closely behind, appeared unusually excited.
She was riding a bright green motorcycle with a fire-breathing red dragon painted on it, and she wore pink-lensed goggles that contrasted sharply with her fiery red hair.
She was wearing a relatively close-fitting leather adventure suit adorned with red scale patterns, and she was having a great time fiddling with the rudder.
Following Green Shadow, her mount was a relatively simple dark blue motorcycle.
This druid's desert attire also reflects her understanding of the way of nature.
She wore a light brown robe woven from lightweight and durable desert plant fibers, with simple natural rune embroidery on it, and the hood was pulled up to cover most of her long hair.
The team was led by Bigewiz, the general manager of Gadgetzan Water Company, who was driving a brightly painted motorcycle, followed by a desert tricycle loaded with supplies and spare parts.
After crossing another huge sand dune, Bigewitz suddenly stopped the car and signaled everyone to stop.
He jumped out of the car, wiped the sweat and grease from his face and brow, and pointed tremblingly to an even more desolate expanse of sand dunes ahead, saying, "I...I'm sorry, Lord Elwin, and the two ladies. We...we can only take you this far. That's the edge of the 'Wailing Sands,' and beyond that, it's really hard to say what will happen."
Alvin stopped his motorcycle, took off his goggles, and squinted as he looked ahead.
As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but sand; the sky was a deep, cloudless blue, and the sun was scorching.
"Things seem calm now,"
Akalitha also took off her pink magic mirror, her red eyes curiously scanning her surroundings.
"There's not even a breeze, what's the sign of a sandstorm? Goblins, are you all just cowards?"
Bigewitz hurriedly waved his hands, his face showing even deeper fear: "No, no, no! Miss, you mustn't be fooled by appearances! It's this deathly silence that's the most terrifying! The sandstorms of the 'Wailing Sand Sea' are sudden and eerie! One second the sky might be clear and blue, and the next second a sand wall that blots out the sky will crash down on us! And there are man-eating zombie trolls in those sands! Sir, if we go in with these broken-down vehicles and a few muskets, we'll just be throwing our lives away!"
Looking at the goblins' pale faces and trembling bodies, Elwin knew they had truly reached their psychological limit. He hadn't expected these goblins to provide military support; escorting them here, providing transportation and supplies, was already beyond his expectations.
"All right,"
Alvin nodded.
"You'll leave here. Return to Gadgetzan the same way you came. Be careful on the road. Also, remember what you promised, Bigwigs."
Bigewitz felt as if he had been granted a pardon and bowed repeatedly.
"Yes, yes, yes! We'll definitely get it done! Please take care, sir!"
After saying that, he almost fled, turned the car around with his men, the engine roared again, and they sped off back the way they came, quickly disappearing behind the sand dunes.
Looking in the direction the goblins had disappeared, Akalitha tilted her head and asked, "Brother Elwin, why don't we just turn into a dragon and fly there? It's faster, easier, and we can see more from the sky."
Alvin put his goggles back on and shook his head.
“Akali, you're oversimplifying things. First, your transformed state makes you a huge target and easy to spot. We're going to scout, not launch a full-scale attack. Second,”
He pointed to the seemingly calm sea of sand ahead.
“If what the goblins say is true, and the sandstorms here are magically driven or summoned, then encountering them in the air would be extremely risky. Although dragon scales are sturdy, they will cause problems with your eyes and breathing when facing a sandstorm. In the air, we have nowhere to hide. On the ground, at least we have a chance to take shelter.”
Green Shadow added softly, "The energy flow ahead is indeed chaotic and unnatural, like an undercurrent beneath a calm surface. Walking or using this low-slung vehicle allows us to get closer to the earth and perceive subtle changes."
Akalitha thought it made sense, but she still pursed her lips, clearly a little disappointed that she couldn't soar freely.
The three men rested briefly in the shade of the sand dunes, drank some water, and checked their equipment and the condition of their motorcycles.
Then, Alvin mounted his motorcycle and said in a deep voice, "Let's go. Stay alert, control your speed, and watch out for anything unusual."
The engines roared again, and the three brightly colored dune buggies, like three small boats venturing into the ancient sea of sand, cautiously and resolutely headed towards the depths of what the goblins called the "Wailing Sand Sea," the legendary ancient desert troll city of Zul'Farrak.