Chapter One Hundred and Eleven: The Region of Extreme Temperatures

An endless desert stretched before them.

In the sky, three orange suns scorched the earth.

“Our luck’s finally turned—this is an extreme temperature zone,” said Liu Yiran, grabbing a handful of sand. The coarse grains slipped through his fingers.

“Why do you say that?” Fang Tang asked, puzzled.

Su Mang explained for the three of them, “Normally, the greatest danger in an extreme temperature zone is the temperature itself. There are very few Fallen here, sometimes only a single guardian for the area. In such zones, as long as you can withstand the extreme heat, you can stay as long as you like, unless you get some debuff that forces you to return.”

Fang Tang’s eyes lit up. “So this place is perfect for leveling up?”

“Exactly!” Xu Lin chuckled. “We and the captain have been through so many zones, but this is the first time we’ve found an extreme temperature area. Now our stagnant evolution level can finally improve.”

“The temperature’s currently forty-nine degrees Celsius,” Liu Yiran noted, glancing at the ice crystals buried in the sand. “It must be just after dawn—we need to get ready quickly.”

He clapped his hands, turning to Fang Tang and the other two. “All three of you have ways to create ice and snow. Use them well—how long we can last here depends on you.”

“Got it!” Xie Ling pumped her little fist. “Don’t worry, Captain!”

Fang Tang wiped his sun-dried cheek, remarking, “It’s already so hot in the morning. I wonder how high it’ll get at noon.”

“At this rate, it’ll reach over three hundred degrees by midday,” Su Mang said, shaking the thermometer. “We need to hurry and find an oasis to set up camp—that’s the safest plan.”

“Let’s go!” Liu Yiran picked a direction at random and strode forward.

Fang Tang and the others followed.

Within these twisted rules, phones were useless.

Since they hadn’t known the area would be one of extreme heat when they entered, Fang Tang wore only a short-sleeved shirt. It wasn’t long before his exposed skin was reddened by the sun.

“Looks like Tang Tang’s got delicate skin after all,” muttered Ta Meng, who rarely spoke, laughing at Fang Tang’s predicament.

“I just take good care of myself—I secretly aspire to be a refined boy…” Fang Tang joked, then immediately donned his magma armor.

With his body enclosed and only his face exposed, he felt much more comfortable.

They used the Frost Gun to create several huge ice umbrellas—one for each person—just barely shielding them from the blazing suns. Cool air wafted from the umbrellas, refreshing them all.

“Special tech… Tang Tang’s got some impressive gadgets!” Su Mang exclaimed, examining the Frost Gun.

“Just lucky, really,” Fang Tang replied with a smile.

Xie Ling and Liu Xu also put on their extreme cold armor, standing side by side to radiate chill and cool the others.

Fang Tang’s magma armor wasn’t suited for this, so he could only help out at night.

They pressed on without pause, and when the temperature climbed past eighty degrees Celsius, they finally found a pool of water.

The pool was well placed, next to a broken wall that could shield them from the wind.

Fang Tang used the Frost Gun to craft a large ice hut, thickening the walls to prevent it from melting too quickly in the extreme heat.

“This is so refreshing!” Su Mang stretched, her skin flushed from the triple suns’ relentless heat, as if she’d just stepped out of a scalding bath.

Not only Su Mang, but Xu Lin and the others were in similar states.

Only Fang Tang, Liu Xu, and Xie Ling, clad in their level-six armor, had their skin protected.

“Should we seek out the guardian for gifts?” Fang Tang asked, after making seven chairs.

“Yes,” Liu Yiran nodded. “But only in the morning and evening. At other times, even for advanced evolvers like us, the temperature is unbearable.”

Fang Tang pondered, “The zone’s so vast—how do we find the guardian? Can’t just wander about like headless chickens, can we?”

“You’ll see soon enough,” Liu Yiran replied mysteriously.

Ta Meng pulled out a bundle of food from his pack. “Let’s all have something to eat.”

“You carry snacks with you?” Xie Ling eyed the big man curiously.

Little Dot had always wondered what filled Ta Meng’s bulging pack—now she knew: food.

There was a variety—jerky, fruit, nuts, preserves.

“I feel like we’re here for vacation, not exploration,” Su Mang said with a smile, tearing off a piece of jerky and eating it leisurely.

Xu Lin added, “I heard from members of Team Eight who’ve been through extreme temperature zones—they really suffered. Surviving the heat was hard enough, but the freezing nights were almost unbearable.”

“We’ve got Tang Tang!” Xie Ling said, munching on dried fruit. “With magma armor and the Frost Gun for making ice huts, we’re covered for both heat and cold—so we can stay much longer.”

“And Ta Meng’s stash of food,” Liu Xu chimed in.

They exchanged smiles.

Liu Yiran’s eyes twinkled as he looked at the group. “With conditions so good this time, let’s stay longer and work on our strength. I suspect the Cradle World is about to change.”

“The Underworld Shop?” Fang Tang ventured.

Liu Yiran nodded. “That’s right. If the Garrison can find the people kidnapped by the Underworld Shop, then we’ll be completely opposed to them. The octopus’s methods are shady, but it’s undeniably capable. Over the years, the Underworld Shop has grown dramatically—there must be many experts inside.”

Liu Xu’s face grew grim. “When Ling Ling and I were in danger, all we saw were flashes of white light in the air. Those people were killed instantly—their throats cut in a blink. And they were third-tier evolvers, about as strong as we are, but they were as fragile as cabbages.”

“Faster than Tang Tang?” Xu Lin asked.

Xie Ling nodded vigorously. “It happened in a single blink—four people dead. I could barely keep up.”

The mood in the room turned heavy.

Fang Tang glanced at everyone. “Sequence abilities are only a support. The most important thing is your evolution level. If that’s not high enough, even the best sequence won’t help—might as well be wasted.”

Liu Yiran agreed. “When we get back, I’ll check with the Garrison about high-level defense sequences—something like Steel Guardian, or perhaps recovery sequences. If I find any extras, I’ll let you know.”

“Awesome!” Liu Xu and Xie Ling’s eyes sparkled.

Fang Tang shrugged. “I don’t need sequence abilities right now. My focus is on raising my evolution level.”

They ate and chatted, with Liu Yiran sharing much news about the Cradle World with Fang Tang.

Four hours later, the first debuff appeared on each of them.

Fang Tang fell from his chair to the floor.

The sudden commotion startled everyone. Fang Tang sighed, “Distorted—my five senses are gone.”

“That’s not good news,” Su Mang said with a bitter smile, turning to Liu Yiran. “There are three scorpions outside. We’re surrounded.”