NOVPUBNight swiftly descended, the heavens cloaked in a dark fabric, upon which pearls and diamonds were sewn in abundance, shimmering faintly.
The desert roads were not as safe as regular highways, making nighttime travel inadvisable.
Thus, Daniel pulled over, intending to camp right there.
In such a forsaken place, he assumed it was unlikely anyone else would pass by.
Without seeking a more optimal campsite, he flattened the rear seats, transforming them into a reasonably comfortable makeshift bed with a simple gesture.
Settling in, he pulled out his phone, preparing to indulge in videos from charming female influencers on TikTok.
Suddenly, lights from afar piqued his suspicion.
Who else would venture into the desert at this hour?
He sat up, peering through the window at the approaching convoy. 𝘯𝘰𝑣𝘱𝑢𝘣.𝑐𝑜𝑚
Three vehicles; the front and rear each held a lone passenger, while two occupied the central car.
This was what Daniel perceived through his Enchanted Eye.
The convoy moved at a deliberate pace, surprisingly coming to a halt as they reached Daniel.
Immediately, his guard went up.
Were they here for him?
Without reacting, Daniel remained still inside his car, observing in silence.
The three vehicles across him looked as if they were cloaked in dust, bearing the appearance of long neglect.
All four individuals from the convoy disembarked, approaching in the direction of Daniel’s vehicle.
Daniel was taken aback.
He could clearly sense that these people bore him no significant ill will.
So, what did they want?
Tap, tap, tap!
Someone from the group stood next to the driver’s window, lightly tapping on it, producing a crisp sound.
Cautiously, Daniel inquired, "Can I help you?"
The tinted film on his windows concealed the interior, allowing the outsiders only to discern the voice of a male from inside.
The man leading the group leaned in, speaking through the window, "Sir, we’re tourists from Britannia and wanted to inquire about some details concerning this road."
Daniel responded coolly, "I’m just a tourist myself. I’m unfamiliar with the area. Sorry, I can’t assist you."
The refusal was clear in his words.
To his surprise, they genuinely just turned back and climbed into their vehicles.
However, all four of them congregated in the central off-road vehicle.
Witnessing this scene, Daniel felt a twinge of perplexity.
Could it be that they were truly just ordinary tourists?
Inside the off-road vehicle, the sole woman among the four began, "We’ve searched three times and haven’t found any trace of the so-called pyramid. Could it be... it doesn’t exist?"
The burly man with the beard, Joey, shook his head decisively. "It’s not possible. It’s just that we haven’t located it yet. The Trojan Pyramid definitely exists. My brother paid with his life for this information."
The other two men bore striking resemblances to one another, likely twins.
They remained silent for a while before the elder twin, Aesop, spoke, "The Sahara Desert is vast. We only know it’s somewhere around Mauritania, but that still spans hundreds of thousands of square kilometers."
His brother, Akid, chimed in, "If we don’t find it this time, perhaps we should call it quits. I can no longer endure this environment."
If not for the passage of days, he could hardly recall when they first ventured into the desert.
Day in and day out, his world was awash with sand.
It consumed his dreams and haunted his waking hours.
He even began to feel as though he was developing a sort of ’desert allergy’.
The weight of their shared ordeal silenced them all.
They had been navigating the vastness of the Sahara for nearly a year, and each was on the brink of despair.
At last, the bearded man, Joey, broke the silence, "One last time. If we don’t find the Trojan Pyramid this time, we disband."
No one responded, the thought of all their prolonged efforts possibly yielding nothing weighed heavily on them.
A profound sense of loss welled up among the four.
Joey exhaled deeply, turning to the woman beside him, "Susanna, what about the man in that vehicle?"
Susanna’s expression momentarily faltered, then she remarked, "Earlier, I distinctly sensed an aura of malice. But as soon as we alighted from the car, it vanished."
Malice?
The other three cast surprised glances outside.
For Susanna to detect such an aura implied that their mysterious acquaintance was also an Evolver.
Joey promptly inquired, "How powerful is he?"
Susanna shook her head, "I possess the Malice Detection ability; it doesn’t provide insights into someone’s true strength. However, that surge of malice earlier... was potent."
"How potent?"
"Stronger than any of you."
Joey’s brow furrowed in deep contemplation.
Not long ago, he had fortuitously ascended to a level 3 Evolver.
And being a level 3 Evolver was no small feat. Out of the tens of thousands of Evolvers worldwide, only a handful, less than a hundred, achieved such a rank.
Could the man in that vehicle truly surpass him?
The revelation jolted the others, and a palpable tension gripped them all.
However, Susanna interjected, "There’s no need for concern. At most, he’s a level 3 Evolver. Besides, based on my earlier perception, he no longer harbors any malice towards us."
Her words eased the palpable tension in the air.
Akid, trying to inject some humor, chuckled, "Who in their right mind, if they were a level 4 Evolver, would come to a place like this? He must definitely be a level 3 Evolver."
"And since Joey is also a level 3, there’s really nothing for us to fear."
The atmosphere inside the vehicle lightened considerably.
Aesop inquired, "Shall we continue our journey?"
Joey glanced out of the window, then turned back with a puzzled look, "Odd. Why does the sky seem so murky tonight? As if veiled by a fog."
The rest followed his gaze, peering into the outside world. The once vast, crystal-clear expanse of stars now appeared blurred and indistinct.
"Could it be a sandstorm?"
"It’s a possibility."
Joey surveyed the surroundings and then made a decision, "There are dunes on both sides. Let’s set up camp here."
"Besides, if anything were to happen, there’s another level 3 Evolver nearby. It could be useful to have someone of that caliber close by."
While none spoke out loud, they all had their reservations, their inner thoughts buzzing with skepticism.
In the world of Evolvers, they knew each other all too well.
Help in times of crisis? Not kicking someone when they’re down was already considered generous in their book.
Daniel lay inside his car, catching faint rustling sounds from outside.
Peering through the window, he noticed the three vehicles of the group arranged in a triangle, linked together bumper to bumper.
Steel ropes connected to steel stakes anchored each car firmly to the ground.
The setup seemed somewhat professional.
Soon, a graceful figure stepped out from one of the vehicles, heading in his direction.
Daniel waited silently.
Stopping beside Daniel’s car, Susanna spoke up, "Sir, we noticed your car isn’t anchored down. There might be a sandstorm coming. It’s best if you secure your vehicle. If you’re not prepared, you can tether it to ours."
Daniel remained silent.
Through a system assessment earlier, he had already learned the identities of the four individuals.
The woman before him was named Susanna, a level 1 Evolver with a rather intriguing ability:
Malice Detection.
Following Susanna’s words, he lifted his gaze to the outside world.
The sky did appear murky, with the stars dimmer than before. Daniel squinted slightly, finding the sensation oddly familiar.
It bore a striking resemblance to the dense fog in Isaac town, but without the presence of monsters.
In any case, it didn’t seem like a typical sandstorm.
Outside the car, Susanna waited anxiously.
The individual inside could very well be a level 3 Evolver, potentially even more powerful than Joey.
If she could get on his good side...
But of all people, why had the group chosen her to approach?
Their intentions were clear in her mind.
She gazed at the pitch-black window of the car, her reflection in it looking exceptionally seductive.
"Where did you get the idea that there’s a sandstorm coming, Susanna?"
The sound of his voice, particularly her name at the end, struck her like a bolt of lightning.
A chill raced down her spine. How did he know her name?
Did he know her?
But that couldn’t be – if she knew a level 3 Evolver, she would undoubtedly remember.
Joey was the only Evolver she was familiar with.
"I... How do you know my name?" Susanna fixed her gaze intently on the car window.
A calm chuckle emanated from within. "Is that so surprising?"
"Susanna, with the ability of Malice Detection.
And then there’s Joey, Aesop, Akid..."
…
Inside the car, Joey and the others were poring over a map, plotting the next day’s route.
Suddenly, the car door swung open.
Susanna clambered in, a vacant look in her eyes, resembling someone deeply shaken.
Sensing something was amiss, Akid blurted out, "Susanna, are you alright? Did that bastard do something to you?"
With Susanna remaining silent, Akid, eyes flaming, turned to Joey. "This is all your fault, damn you, suggesting Susanna should approach him!"
Joey replied coolly, "I didn’t see you voicing any objections earlier. Besides, in such a short span of time, there’s no way anything could’ve happened to Susanna."
Bristling with anger, Akid shot back, "Then explain why she looks like this!"
After a prolonged silence, Aesop finally intervened, attempting to calm the waters, "Cool down, Akid. It’s clear Susanna wasn’t sexually harassed."
