Five minutes later.
Fred led the remaining people near the underground hole.
Upon seeing the firelight, Chen Wen imdiately called out to guide everyone closer.
"Quick, get inside."
Seeing the sandstorm grow stronger, Chen Wen hurriedly beckoned the group to crawl into the underground hole.
Without saying much, the group followed, letting the largest, Fred, crawl into the hole first.
Fred’s face flushed as he huffed and puffed through the narrow tunnel, finally reaching the inside of the hole.
He leaned against the very end of the hole, closed his eyes, and relaxed his breathing.
The narrow, cramped hole gave him a sense of suffocation.
Dennis followed, closing his eyes to relax just like Fred.
Adam, however, looked around with open eyes, sowhat surprised at the situation.
Hua Yun also crawled in; her smaller stature allowed her so room to move inside.
Chen Wen first placed the three animals into the hole and settled them in.
Feeling the eerie atmosphere of the cave, the Taipan Snake comfortably coiled itself up, feeling at ho!
However, the Chestnut-winged Hawk and the Whistling Kite seed a bit anxious.
They were not used to such an environnt.
Once everyone was inside, to prevent being buried by yellow sand,
Chen Wen found so vegetation, uprooted them, and brought them to the entrance of the hole.
He backed into the hole, tying the vegetation together with a rope to block the entrance.
This way, it not only prevented sand and dust from being swept into the hole but also ensured maximum air circulation.
...
"How is everyone doing?"
In the pitch-black underground, Chen Wen asked the others.
Fred and Dennis replied in unison, "Chest tightness, hard to breathe."
"It’s normal, the air circulation here isn’t good. Just endure it for a bit,"
said Chen Wen.
Considering the crowd in the cave might lead to oxygen deficiency,
Chen Wen suggested that everyone take turns going out for air every hour and switch positions.
After saying a few words, Chen Wen added, "Everyone speak less, don’t fall asleep. If you feel suffocated or can’t get enough air, let know. We’ll take turns getting fresh air, and rember to wear masks when going out."
Everyone nodded in agreent.
Compared to the last sandstorm, this ti they were quite fortunate.
Although the cals were gone, thanks to the hole,
their survival conditions were much better than before.
About an hour later, Fred couldn’t hold it any longer and suggested switching places.
Chen Wen quickly crawled out to make space for the others and let Fred crawl out for so fresh air.
But when Chen Wen got outside,
the overwhelming yellow sand and dust howled and swirled, hitting his body.
Holy shit, this sandstorm is way worse than the last one!
Chen Wen thought to himself.
With him at the center, the northwest direction was now completely dark.
Sunlight struggled to pierce through the dust, casting scattered spots of light on the oasis.
Chen Wen noticed that these light spots would appear and disappear, changing from yellow to red, sotis even turning a rust color.
It was the first ti Chen Wen saw such a light, and the eerie feeling sent chills down his spine.
Fred also crawled out wearing a mask.
Looking at the outside environnt, Fred shivered slightly.
This is like hell!
Fred hesitated for a mont, then decisively crawled back into the hole.
Compared to the outside,
he’d rather stay underground, even if it ant holding his breath and feeling uncomfortable.
...
Chen Wen also quickly crawled back into the hole.
He sealed the entrance and, wearing a mask, said, "Is this what a real severe sandstorm is like? It’s terrifying!"
Dennis seed to recall sothing, fear in his eyes.
He took a deep breath and said, "When I was in junior high, I went hunting overgrown rabbits with my father, and we encountered a sandstorm. It was in the Gibson Desert."
"At the ti, my father and I stayed in the car, along with my brother. We witnessed the sky change from bright to dark in an instant, with sand covering the car windows and leaving scratch marks on them."
"The car was lifted by the strong wind, making creaking sounds. I thought I might die there, but luckily, the sandstorm didn’t last long, and we made it through."
"From that mont, I knew the terror of a sandstorm."
Chen Wen listened and couldn’t help but nod.
He just realized the terrifying aspect of sandstorms.
They have not only imdiate deadly impact but also long-term continuous harm.
They pose a significant threat to humans, animals, and even trees.
"Thankfully, we have this hole,"
Chen Wen summarized, receiving everyone’s agreent.
...
Unlike the calm Chen Wen,
other teams faced unprecedented challenges at this ti.
Japanese team.
They were relatively lucky, having found an oasis before the sandstorm hit.
Utilizing a defensive line ford by the cal herd and experience from last ti, they established a defensive line in the oasis.
But as the severe sandstorm arrived, their defensive line, like the Maginot Line, was destroyed from above by the sandstorm’s destructive force.
The raging wind swept sand down fiercely onto everyone.
Matsui Reika was the first to give in, trying to crawl under a cal, but the cal remained unmoved as if welded to the ground.
Helplessly, Matsui Reika had to endure the wind and sand.
But soon, as the exposed skin began to sting fiercely, blood ran down Matsui Reika’s sand-covered face.
She was injured.
Or rather, all those exposed to the air now had injuries, so minor, so severe.
But heaven was still rciful.
The most severe wave of the sandstorm soon passed.
With the black wall of sand sweeping across the ground, the sandstorm roared into the distance.
After struggling through the sandstorm, each team took stock of their supplies and found they were heavily depleted.
On the Japanese side,
everyone was injured, the supplies were blown away beyond count, and two cals, unable to bear the environnt, took advantage of Yoshikawa Feng and Feng Zhong’s distraction to
decisively abandon the team and fled into the depths of the desert.
They couldn’t stop them and could only watch the cals go.
As for the Russian-French Team, Mikhail, from the Russian team, developed a deep fear of the land after being lashed by the sandstorm.
He chose to give up.
This voluntary abandonnt was a severe blow to the team’s morale.
Oleg and Lloyd did their utmost, but the team’s morale continued to decline.
They both knew that only by leaving the desert could they restore morale.
On the English-Arican team, the third mber from the United States was also eliminated.
It wasn’t that he gave up, but under the ravage of the sandstorm, he was seriously injured, with extensive abrasions covered in sand.
Without dical treatnt, only infection and deterioration awaited.
For safety considerations, Hope made him give up survival.
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