Chapter 697: Chapter 39: First Day Entering the Desert

[You have received a friend’s recognition, please extract the entry prepared by your friend]

[Your friend—Xiaoyuan, has prepared a gift for you]

[Extracting... Extraction complete!]

[Please choose one of the following three entries]

[Add Fire (Golden): You are better at using flames. When you start a fire, it will burn larger and the flames will be harder to extinguish]

[Note: I haven’t really started many fires, but I see you like using fire. Do you need it? —Xiaoyuan]

[Tenant (Purple): You don’t like building your own shelter, but you are better at taking over other creatures’ shelters and can easily transform them into places suitable for you to live in]

[Note: I usually don’t build new nests because I often evict other birds and take over their nests—Xiaoyuan]

[Farsighted Vision (Golden): Significantly enhance your vision, enabling you to see further, clearly see still objects, and gain some night vision ability]

[Note: My eyesight is amazing, hope it helps you—Xiaoyuan]

Xiaoyuan’s entries are decent.

Chen Wen looked over them roughly.

[Add Fire] entry is not really useful.

But does this indirectly prove that Xiaoyuan really likes to start fires?

The second entry [Tenant] is somewhat novel.

This type of entry is something Chen Wen is encountering for the first time.

However, in nature, there are too few shelters suitable for humans, and many shelters are uninhabitable for humans.

So, one can only build their own.

Therefore, Chen Wen chose the third entry—[Farsighted Vision].

Among the previous entries, there were not many left related to vision.

Whether it was the [Extreme Vision] of the Snowy Owl or [Night Vision] from the North American Grey Wolf, Chen Wen returned them in exchange for transformation eligibility.

So, in this survival, Chen Wen did not carry any vision-enhancing entries.

Now that Xiaoyuan provided one, it compensates for this survival shortcoming.

Moreover, Chen Wen doesn’t intend to return the entry during survival to exchange for Xiaoyuan’s transformation eligibility, unless he fully trusts Xiaoyuan after survival.

After choosing the entry, Chen Wen released Xiaoyuan’s restraints, allowing it to stand on the camel.

Xiaoyuan did not fly away.

Chen Wen’s promise to help it seek revenge completely won Xiaoyuan over.

It decided to stay with Chen Wen until revenge is fulfilled!

Since Xiaoyuan has fully joined him, Chen Wen is not someone who is stingy.

He took out wasps from the backpack.

He doesn’t lack these now, and plans to keep the wasp larvae as protein reserve.

Xiaoyuan quickly lost its composure at the sight of the wasps after going hungry for two or three days.

It almost pounced on the wasps, quickly stretching its head, pecking at the wasps, and eating in big mouthfuls.

Chen Wen advised Xiaoyuan to eat slowly, then hung the backpack containing the wasps on the camel.

Making it convenient for Xiaoyuan to access.

This gesture moved Xiaoyuan greatly.

Now it is completely at ease with Chen Wen.

...

Quickly, Chen Wen caught up with Hua Yun and the others who had already set off.

After a few simple exchanges, Hua Yun and the others focused their gaze on Xiaoyuan.

"Succeeded?"

Hua Yun asked.

Chen Wen nodded slightly and stretched out his hand to pat down Xiaoyuan’s neck.

Xiaoyuan did not mind being petted, it even seemed to enjoy it.

Seeing this, Hua Yun was full of emotion.

This beast taming ability is truly unique!

While living alone in the wilderness, Hua Yun had also tried to tame a reindeer, and at the time, she felt that taming was not difficult.

But two days later, the reindeer left Hua Yun due to a lack of food.

This made Hua Yun quite upset.

Adam could not help but look over.

He could say he knows Chen Wen’s beast taming ability the best.

The first time in the Sonora Desert, he was first discovered by the crested hawk which thwarted his plan to eliminate Chen Wen, then a bobcat ransacked, costing him a spot in the top three.

The second time in Caprivi, he was made fun of by a hippopotamus tamed by Chen Wen and got dung sprayed on him.

The third time at the Great Slave Lake, he was defeated in survival by Chen Wen’s use of beast taming.

Therefore, if anyone in this group is most envious of Chen Wen’s beast taming ability, it’s definitely him.

Fred and Dennis are more curious, but not very envious.

Fred is too honest and socially anxious, he struggles to talk to people, let alone tame beasts.

Dennis, being a hunter, prefers hunting dogs over taming.

Now Adam remarked sourly, "This Xiaoyuan seems indeed more intelligent. Hopefully, it will be helpful to us later."

"It will definitely be helpful."

Dennis said, "In the desert, being able to fly grants a broader vision. If this Xiaoyuan is trained, it can surely aid us in finding oases, water sources, and prey."

After a few simple exchanges, the group fell silent.

Everyone needs to conserve as much energy and water as possible while on the move, speaking can dehydrate them and dry their mouths.

Therefore, no one planned to speak unless necessary.

The monotonous journey continued until noon.

The sun was scorching and the temperature was too high by midday.

Fred was nearly at his limit, seeing this, Chen Wen found a shaded spot to rest.

When the severe midday heat had somewhat dissipated, everyone continued onwards.

At night, having traveled a whole day, the group found a suitable camping spot to rest.

After a monotonous three-day journey,

they had fully transitioned from the edge of the desert and barren desert’s Great Sand Desert into its core.

This place truly matched the stereotypical desert image in people’s minds.

Dunes rose as tall as mountains, and the desert stretched endlessly.

Except for the occasional birds flying in the sky, one rarely saw any living creatures.

And with each step, both feet would sink into the soft sand.

The sand seeped through the shoes’ seams, grinding at their feet, causing torment.

Fred was tempted to walk barefoot.

But after Chen Wen used the long spear to turn the sand, revealing a dead branch buried underneath, he dropped the idea.

The Great Sand Desert differs from other places.

Its vegetation is relatively abundant, thus covering a considerable amount of debris under the sand.

If unfortunate, stepping barefoot on it,

the hard dead branches could easily pierce the skin, penetrating deep into the flesh.

So, they could only endure.

Thankfully, Chen Wen had seized two camels from the Japanese team earlier.

After redistributing resources, they rode on the camels, avoiding the challenges of the desert terrain.

Though this had slowed them down.

Because of this, entering the desert on the first day, feeling their pace slowing, they agreed after a simple discussion to travel extra before sunset.

To make up for the lack of speed.

This decision was unanimously agreed upon.

Even Chen Wen, after a brief hesitation, agreed with the decision.

Still, Chen Wen was worried inside.

This hurried travel could close some gaps, but might it affect setting up camp at night?

Shaking his head, Chen Wen chose not to object.

At night, he can utilize the night vision from [Farsighted Vision] to camp.

Ultimately, it doesn’t impact much.

However, this thought led Chen Wen’s team to encounter their first challenge after entering the desert.