Chapter 26

“You see here, there are footprints.” The burly figure suddenly said.

The other three immediately look to the side of the sand marks and found footprints. The graceful woman’s face changed, said: “It is the footprints of children. Damn it, this alchemist was involved in human experiments. I’ve underestimated him.” Then, from the gap created by the collapse, she jumped down.

A moment later, she jumped out from the inside, firmly standing on the stand. If Dudian was here, he will be stunned. The height of the chamber was at least three meters. To jump that high, how strong physically you had to be?

“This one turned out to be a ‘life’ alchemist!” The graceful woman was holding a dark medal. Above it there were three five-pointed stars engraved on it. The alchemist’s belief system refused to acknowledge The Creator or Father, but they do believe in the sky over their heads. Some crazy alchemy warlock’s goal was to ultimately refine the stars.

These alchemists diverted into another occupation known as the Star Diviner.

Star Diviners performed divination for to calculate a person’s fate and destiny. They were hunted by Holy Church too. The reason was very simple. The Father’s will could only be intherited to Holy Church. Only the great Pope could make interpretations on any attempt on gain insights into the Will of The Father. Anything else was only a speculation by the evil cults.

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“I did not expect him to be a powerful figure.” The burly strong man’s eyes narrowed, “A certified 3-star alchemist should have extraordinary power. To be able to kill him there means that there had to be many other alchemists, or maybe even … … a single 4-star alchemist!”

The graceful woman’s face was gloomy at this point, “Order some people to dig this place to retrieve the captive children’s corpses. At least their parents should be comforted by this, because they had died due to this assessment.”

“I hope we can identify their appearances.” The short one sighed.

The graceful woman did not say anything else.

“You go and look for clues in the vicinity. I will take the body of the alchemist over to the Knights. By the way, check out everything inside the place.” The burly brawny guy finished speaking and he jumped down.

The graceful woman and the short man unsheathed their weapons. They went around in search of clues.

…

…

In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.

Dudian and the other three leaned against each other near some desert plants. Unlimited sand disrupted their vision from all sides. Their bodies were dry due to lack of water, resulting in rapidly rising body temperatures.

“Ten days … …” Mason listlessly chewed on grass roots and muttered: “Do we have to rely on our own? I have no strength left. ”

“If we haven’t relied on Dean we couldn’t have endured for the past ten days. Imagine what would have happened if we were eliminated. Most probably we would have ruined our family’s financial situation.” Sham replied.

Mason rolled his eyes and said: “That is why I always say, Dean you are my savior.”

Dudian glanced at him, and retorted, “You know that I am your savior, but you didn’t want to even give me a bit of water last night.”

Mason’s face reddened before he said: “I was too tired and a bit dizzy. As we go back, I will pour water to you every day. I would even ask my grandmother to serve you.”

Dudian shrugged. “I do not want to be your grandpa.”

“Do you take me for a cheap person?”

“You have the strength to speak though”, Zach was sitting on the other side.

“Then you should be the one to go back and tell everyone that we are stuck right here!”

“I was wrong. I was wrong. I do not have the strength now. So, you should go and inform them! I will owe you!”

“You are nothing but a dirty slut.” Zach turned over.

In the ten days four of them had experienced lots of adversities together. Throughout this survival examination, they long had become like real brothers. They became frank with each another and what they tell to each other. And as a result, Sham, Zach and Dudian had learnt to appreciate the unknown side of Mason; being a cheapskate.?Tink! Tink!

Suddenly burst of bells sounded.

They turned around to see a nearly five meter high camel slowly trotting on the desert. It was dragging a 10-meter-long plank. There were seven or eight children seated on the plank with wheels.

Dudian was stunned. Nuclear radiation had great effects on the world. However, he would have never expected that camel’s genes to undergo evolution via radiation to such a degree. In addition to its size which was twice larger than a normal camel’s, there were snake like scales covered on its hooves, just like a war monster.

He had previously seen the three-meter-high dark horse. But this camel’s evolution, compared to what happened to the horse, was simply astounding.?”It is a camel!!” Zach actually recognized the animal and spoke in surprised manner: “It is the best animal that could be used in the desert, ha ha … …”. He wanted to laugh but the wind blew sand into his mouth almost choking him.

Dudian saw the children on the back of the board. These were the ones that should have passed the survival assessment.

The trial successfully concluded. He was also relieved. Finally, he would be able to go back to have a good rest. He would have a chance to study the alchemy notes. He was quite curious about the scientists of this world.

“Come, you four,” said the woman, who sat on the camel, wearing a veil.?Dudian and others immediately dragged their bodies, moved past the camel and went towards its rear to sit on the board.

“You four survived.” At this time, a thin looking boy who sat on the board talked to them in a surprised manner.

Dudian looked at him. He remembered the boy, he lived in the bedroom next door to theirs. He smiled but didn’t reply to him.

Mason proudly announced, “I think you don’t know who we are. We are the strongest four-man team. A mere ten days to survive in the desert does not even count as anything to us. Maybe surviving for twenty five or thirty days would be a bit difficult.”

Sham whispered: “Stop bullshitting if you want us to continue to be friends.”

Zack shrugged: “His true colours have revealed itself and he won’t turn back from it.”

Mason laughed hard. His laughter cheered up the silent atmosphere on top of the board a bit towards the positive side.

The thin boy sighed and said: “Me and other three flatmates did not stick together. You guys are pretty lucky!” There were loneliness and regret that reflected on his face. After all his flatmates had separated from him, leaving him alone with others.

The other children who heard his words, were depressed as most of them had faced this kind of a situation as well.

Dudian did not say anything. He looked up at this woman on the back of the camel’s hump, and in his tiny heart he thought about a problem… how did she climbed up?

…