Volume One: Planet of Ten Thousand Beasts Chapter 38: The Return

A real man knows there are some things he must do, and others he must not. Li Juxu could not articulate such profound philosophy, but he understood that some tasks were worth any price, while others were not to be touched, no matter the reward. This was his first collaboration with the Shark Team; he had never met them before and had no prior connection to them. Yet, he felt a relentless urge to return and find them.

His combat vehicle was exceptionally well-suited for off-road terrain. Li Juxu kept his foot heavy on the accelerator, driving the machine like a frenzied beast, roaring as it tore forward. The journey that should have taken over three days was completed in two and a half, without a single mishap along the way.

"Little Sister!"

At the edge of the desert sat a pickup combat vehicle—the very one belonging to the Shark Team. No wonder he hadn't found Little Sister at the gathering point; she had come here, driven by the same resolve to find the others. Li Juxu didn't know why she hadn't asked him to join her. Perhaps she had looked for him and failed; he had spent those days holed up in his room, submerged in medicinal baths, essentially in seclusion.

The vehicle was empty; Little Sister had already entered the desert. Li Juxu did not hesitate. He donned his protective gear, shouldered his pack, and strode into the dunes. Compared to his first trek, his load was more than twice as heavy, yet he moved with greater ease. It wasn't just that he had adapted to the desert climate; the two vials of medicine had made a tangible difference. This clarity of improvement made the twenty-million-copper cost feel worth every cent.

Li Juxu didn't remember the route to Stone Mountain, as he had been unconscious during his initial rescue. However, he remembered the way to the Blue Enchantress. He decided to search there first, then see if he could find the path to Stone Mountain on his return—even if it meant relying on luck, he was determined to try.

Walking alone in the desert was a different experience. Over time, it bred a profound sense of isolation. Amidst the endless yellow sands, there was only one person, with no sound but the rhythm of his own footsteps. Beneath the scorching sun, his body felt like it was in a steamer; without a strong will, it was difficult to endure such profound loneliness.

Li Juxu carried a bamboo pole for scouting, primarily to probe for quicksand. It wasn't foolproof, but it was better than nothing. The pole was small and light, often failing to trigger the sand, and most quicksand was mobile—a patch that felt solid one moment could shift beneath his feet the next. Still, it offered a slim margin of safety. As the sky began to darken, he was fortunate to encounter neither quicksand nor other dangers. Just as he estimated he was nearing the spot where the Shark Team had ambushed the gray wolves, his brow furrowed, and he quickly dropped to the sand.

About a thousand meters away, a gray wolf crept stealthily, seemingly tracking prey. His first thought was of Little Sister. Wolves were highly vigilant, and he dared not risk getting closer for fear of alerting it. He drew his sniper rifle, intending to take a long-range shot. A thousand meters was a challenging distance even for a professional, but at that moment, perhaps fueled by his desperate concern for Little Sister, he felt a surge of intense confidence.

He calculated wind speed, temperature, and pressure in an instant. Focusing his gaze on a single point, he squeezed the trigger. The bullet tore through the air faster than sound. As the report of the gunshot rippled across the desert, the bullet struck with surgical precision, entering the wolf’s ear and exiting through the top of its skull. The beast collapsed instantly into the sand—a single shot, a clean kill.

Li Juxu advanced at top speed, scanning his surroundings constantly; he did not want to be surrounded. Fortunately, this appeared to be a lone scout. Crossing a small dune, he saw a familiar figure: Little Sister. She was submerged in quicksand, only her head and hands visible above the surface. She dared not struggle, dared not move, forced to watch as she sank inch by agonizing inch.

"Catch!" Li Juxu threw the rope, which landed perfectly in her hands.

The moment the rope went taut, Li Juxu felt as if he weren't pulling a person, but a heavy truck. The only mercy was that the truck was stationary and not accelerating; otherwise, he feared he would have been dragged in himself. He drove his feet deep into the sand like stakes, yet he still felt himself sliding forward. He dared not slacken, his muscles coiled and straining with every ounce of his strength. Finally, Little Sister’s descent halted, and she began to rise, inch by slow, painful inch.

Quicksand behaved much like a swamp; once trapped, one could not pull with sudden, explosive force, or the opposing tension could literally tear a person apart. He had heard of people using vehicles to pull companions from mud, only to rip them in two due to a heavy foot on the gas.

Li Juxu’s face turned deep crimson. His arms bulged, muscles strained to their limit, and the rope bit deep into his flesh, but he felt nothing, his eyes locked on Little Sister. She remained motionless, relying only on the strength of her grip. She bore the same pressure as he did, perhaps more, as he could adjust his stance while she remained passive. Fortunately, the suction wasn't insurmountable. Once her waist cleared the sand, Li Juxu felt a significant release.

As her hips, thighs, and calves emerged, he gave one final, powerful heave. Little Sister slid several meters across the sand. Li Juxu rushed forward, grabbed her arms, and hauled her to solid ground. The adrenaline faded, replaced by sudden exhaustion; he felt as if he lacked the strength to move a single finger. They lay on the sand, unmoving, the silence of the night filled only by their heavy, ragged breathing.

After resting for ten minutes, Li Juxu spoke first.

"You came without telling me!"

"I... I was afraid something might happen to you," Little Sister replied, sounding guilty.

"And if I hadn't come?" Li Juxu asked. Little Sister fell silent.

"We’ve been through life-and-death together. How could I be missing from a mission like this?" Li Juxu said.

"Thank you." Little Sister was grateful from the bottom of her heart. Li Juxu’s mission was over; he had no further obligations. He could have stayed away, and no one could have blamed him. Yet, he had come—unasked and unbidden.

If he hadn't possessed that depth of character, she would be dead, and the search for Lin Lu, the Shark Team, and the others would have been impossible.

"Don't thank me yet. It'll be time enough when we find them," Li Juxu said as he climbed to his feet, retrieved his rope, and shouldered his pack. Seeing nothing else nearby, he knew Little Sister’s pack must have been swallowed by the sand. Dropping it had been the right choice to slow her descent. Now, she was left with only a pistol at her waist and a small dagger.

As they began to walk, Li Juxu noticed she was limping. Her left calf was stained red. His expression shifted, and he demanded, "What happened?"