novelTele 23 1 Prophecy
23 1 Prophecy
Qin Mian's analysis, based on the logic of "escape room," sounds too far-fetched to most people, and even somewhat alarmist.
This guy from Great Xia seems even more mysterious than Kia.
[Haha, so you're a gamer, huh? You really think dungeons are just like playing games.]
Hey, you know what I mean, I think he makes a lot of sense. Don't you guys think these instances are like giant escape rooms?
Wow, now that you mention it, it really does feel like a revelation.
[Haha, only a fool would believe his nonsense. If he's right, I'll eat my own guts while standing on my head.]
……
Inside the villa.
Mu's father and Xiao Rou were also staring at the screen.
Since Mu Yunni had not yet appeared, their attention was unconsciously focused entirely on this "son-in-law".
Every time Qin Mian encountered danger, the two of them would be so nervous that their palms would sweat. Clearly, they had unknowingly taken Qin Mian into the role of the son-in-law.
Xiao Rou stared at Qin Mian's calm analysis on the screen, her brows gradually relaxing from their initial furrows, and even a hint of appreciation showing in her eyes.
"Uncle, don't you think our son-in-law, apart from being a little chubby, seems quite intelligent? And, unexpectedly, his physical strength is also so good. Most importantly, I feel that in just over two days, he seems to have lost a lot of weight? His facial features are clearer, and he looks... more pleasing to the eye?" Xiao Rou looked at Qin Mian with newfound respect.
Mr. Mu snorted, adopting the typical critical attitude of a father-in-law when evaluating a son-in-law: "Hmph, so-so. He's got some cleverness and is lucky, but compared to my Yun Ni, he's a million miles away!"
Xiao Rou chuckled to herself upon hearing this.
She knew her husband best; these words, though seemingly derogatory, were actually a tacit approval. For the discerning Mr. Mu to say "a little bit clever" was already an extremely rare compliment.
……
After listening to Qin Mian's analysis, everyone was unsure of what to do.
They hadn't thought about these things before, but now that Qin Mian had said so, even if what Qin Mian said wouldn't happen, they would still have some doubts in their hearts.
Scarlett stood up and firmly supported Qin Mian at this moment.
"Qin has always had a keen eye for things. Without him, we might still be going in circles. I'm willing to trust his judgment."
Alice hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Well, it's better to be safe than sorry. I think we should listen to Qin Mian!"
Kiah and Park Guk-chang exchanged a glance, both looking somewhat disdainful.
"Heh," Park Guk-chang pushed up his glasses, his gaze behind the lenses filled with obvious sarcasm, "You can leave if you want. I'm not going to give up this opportunity to replenish resources and water just because of someone's 'sudden idea.' Don't regret it when you're all thirsty up ahead."
Qin Mian looked at Park Guk-chang, his doubts growing: Is this guy really a detective known for his logic and observation skills?
She seems shrewd on the surface, but is actually quite foolish. Moreover, she likes to argue and is definitely a confrontational personality.
Kia patted the sand off his wide robe sleeves, raised his head, and said, "I'm not leaving either. I just glimpsed some rabbit activity in the cracks of that stone house over there. If we're lucky, we might catch a few to improve our meals. You can do as you please."
Ah Ku Ku licked his chapped lips and said succinctly, "I have very little water left. There might be some here. I'll stay and look for it, I'll be quick."
Andreev hesitated for a moment, then picked up the sheep that had been thrown on the ground.
"I believe I have friends in Great Xia!"
Seeing that everyone had expressed their opinions, Qin Mian didn't waste any more words.
"Alright, in that case, we'll split up for now," Qin Mian said to the three who remained. "We'll continue along the ancient riverbed. If you change your minds later, you can follow the river to catch up with us. Good luck."
Having said that, he turned and strode away without hesitation towards the outer perimeter of the ruins and the ancient riverbed. Scarlett followed without a second thought.
Alice glanced at Kia and the others. "Be careful, we'll be waiting for you up ahead. Good luck!"
Without saying a word, Andreev strode after him.
As they left, a strange smile flickered across Park Guk-chang's lips.
"Kia, Akukoo, let's split up and search, let's hurry!" Park Gukchang said to the two of them.
"Okay!" Without further ado, Akuku walked straight in one direction.
Kia then ran towards the room where he had just mentioned there were wild rabbits.
Park Guk-chang glanced at their retreating figures, then also left in another direction.
Qin Mian and his group continued forward and found the ancient riverbed again. They followed the riverbed and walked until noon.
The scorching sun is really unbearable.
They cut some dry firewood along the way and found a spot behind a sand dune to stop and rest.
Andreev began to deal with the goat, while Alice helped with the living. Both of them were experts in outdoor survival, so Qin Mian and Scarlett didn't have to lift a finger.
Scarlett ran up the hill and looked back, but didn't see Park Guk-chang and the others. Worried, she said, "Do you think something really happened to them?"
"Hmph, they chose to get into trouble themselves!" Andreev said nonchalantly.
"Sigh, it's only been two and a half days, and our team is down to just four people. I don't know if we can make it to the end!" Scarlett sighed pessimistically.
Soon, a fire was lit, and the mutton was roasted on a makeshift rack.
Although there are no seasonings, the wild goat has a strong gamey smell, but it is still a rare delicacy given the extreme physical exertion and food scarcity.
Everyone devoured the food, replenishing their precious protein and energy.
After eating, Alice cut the remaining mutton into strips and placed them on hot stones to further roast and dehydrate, making simple jerky for future use.
She climbed the sand dune, intending to spread some dried meat out to dry in the sun. Just as she reached the top, she suddenly saw another small black dot behind her, seemingly moving towards them.
"Look, they're catching up!"
"Alice cried out."
The others rushed up the sand dune to look back.
Scarlett frowned. "Why are there only two people? Could something have really happened?"
Seeing that there were only two figures, everyone frowned.
The people in the distance seemed to have spotted them as well, quickened their pace, and soon arrived in front of Qin Mian and his group.
Only then did everyone see that the people who came were Park Guk-chang and Ki-ah, and that the two of them looked somewhat disheveled, with red papular bite marks on their faces and hands.
"Where's Ah Ku Ku? Why are there only the two of you?" Scarlett asked hurriedly.
Kia, panting heavily, looked at Qin Mian with admiration. "He was right. There really are desert army ants there. We were looking for water when suddenly, a lot of army ants appeared. We were fast enough to escape with our lives, but Kuku was a bit slower. In the blink of an eye, he was eaten by the desert army ants until only bones remained."
……