MPWATMBC Chapter 108

Bandner and the others, seeing the green branches sprouting from the sand, instinctively wanted to pick them. These plants could provide the town’s residents with rich cellulose, vitamins, and more. If they didn’t act quickly, the beasts would soon devour or claim them. They couldn’t compete with the growing number of fierce beasts, so they had to rely on the agility of human hands, trying to pick as fast as possible.

“Don’t move. Remember what your task is,” Ryan immediately spoke up to stop them when he saw their actions.

Bandner froze, rooted to the spot, not daring to make any movement. Ryan’s voice wasn’t harsh, but it made him feel an overwhelming sense of shame and embarrassment. As the leader, he lacked the sense of responsibility, unable to distinguish what needed to be done now or what was more important.

“I’m sorry.”

Ryan shook his head. “No need to apologize to me. The environment you’re in is tough; it’s only natural for you to act for survival.” It was just that their vigilance was clearly lacking. They were like birds startled by the slightest sound, and once they encountered a pirate attack, they would lose their composure even if the enemy hadn’t struck yet. “Bandner, talk to everyone. We’re going to travel through the night. We’ll rest when the sun rises tomorrow, then continue traveling after nightfall. We must reach the ‘West’ before the second sunrise.”

“Yes.” Bandner gave Ryan a deep look. He wasn’t really clueless; he understood that Ryan had asked him to speak in order to establish his authority among the tribe. The reason he had struggled to gain the respect of his people wasn’t just his age—he couldn’t keep using that as an excuse again and again. The key was his lack of ability, insufficient to earn the trust of the tribe.

Ryan was teaching and helping him.

Bandner had this feeling, and his heart swelled with gratitude. He became more dedicated to learning and understanding. He had to seize this opportunity to grow and become someone like Ryan—someone whose words and actions made others feel reliable and wholeheartedly convinced.

The precautions had been mentioned before, but now it was important to emphasize the sense of time, to instill a sense of urgency in everyone.

The people who had followed them out were somewhat lacking in ability, but they were not fools. Even those who struggled to grasp the situation were gradually catching up under Bandner’s supervision. They slowly realized that Ryan, who had always kept his true face hidden, was intentionally guiding them. Influenced by him, Bandner underwent a significant transformation and began to show more leadership qualities. Of course, that was a later development, as their journey was just beginning.

Currently, Ryan and the others are on their way to the “West.” The surrounding giant beasts completely ignored them, which amazed Bandner and his group. Their astonishment reached its peak when they passed by a serrated-armored beast that was three to four stories tall. The terror of the serrated-armored beast wasn’t in its enormous size, but in its bad temper. Any slight proximity would provoke it, and once angered, it would stop at nothing until it killed.

The serrated-armored beast’s hard black shell had no gaps, making it impervious to ordinary ammunition. Its joints were not its weak points, and the pair of serrated teeth on its head could crush anything. The most critical factor was that it stood at the top of the food chain. It consumed everything, leading to the accumulation of toxins. The saliva that constantly dripped from its teeth was equivalent to concentrated sulfuric acid, and more dangerously, it was highly toxic concentrated sulfuric acid.

Ryan glanced at the spot beneath the jagged shell beast’s head where its saliva had dripped, forming a depression more than a person’s height. The sand had been corroded and melted by the saliva, giving off a disgusting smell.

After silently walking a distance past the jagged shell beast, Ryan said, “The liquid I sprayed on everyone before we left has the effect of disrupting human scent. The known predators are affected by this smell and will ignore us.”

“Known?” Bandena chewed on the word.

Ryan smiled and said, “It seems that even the unknown ones are affected. It’s quite useful. I should suggest that soldiers carry it with them; it would significantly improve survival rates in the wild.”

Bandner: “…”

Others: “…”

They were truly grateful to know they were the guinea pigs, but they also appreciated it. Finally, they didn’t have to walk among the beasts with constant anxiety.

Just as they breathed a sigh of relief, they heard Ryan say, “Unfortunately, this spray is effective only for a limited time. It might last three or four hours, or it might wear off the moment you let your guard down, and then someone will become a meal in the eyes of the beasts, eaten. By the time we find and rescue them, there will only be a pile of broken bones left, not enough to even piece together a complete skeleton.”

The people who were about to approach the beasts froze, silently retracting their hands, not daring to make any reckless movements.

Ryan, with a faint smile, continued on his way. The little ones were disobedient, a scare would do the trick.

“Look what I found,” Fan Lanting suddenly dashed out from the darkness, holding up a female mantis. The creature, over two meters long, was difficult to carry by its legs, so he had chopped off its forelimbs and useless lower legs, and tied it with a rope to drag it along. “The meat on its thighs is quite firm, should be good to eat. The key is the eggs on its abdomen, each about the size of a fist. We can bring them along for food. No need to worry about food on the road, these insects can provide plenty.”

Fan Lanting also brought over a few roots resembling ferns, each over a meter long, fresh and succulent. The small “hands” at the tips were the parts that had sprouted through the sand. These were the same plants that Bandner and the others had almost picked earlier. Unlike ferns from Earth, those on Savage Star could be eaten raw. Not only did they replenish fiber and vitamins, but they also provided water, so Ryan and his group didn’t need to carry food or water while traveling—nature provided everything.

A male following behind opened his mouth in disbelief, “W-when did he leave? It’s so dangerous out there…” He looked around at the area illuminated by the cold light, after being intimidated by “Ryan,” he felt that only the areas under the light were safe.

The cold light wouldn’t attract the beasts’ attention, and it was a rare and treasured supply that Bandner had painstakingly gathered. For this cooperation with Ryan, Bandner had taken out many of his treasured items, betting everything on it—there could only be success, no room for failure.

Fan Lanting casually said, “I told you, I’m a skilled scout. If my actions were detected by you, how could I still be considered skilled?”

It made perfect sense, and no one could refute him.

Fan Lanting’s reconnaissance was very effective, knowing the path ahead, the distribution of beasts, and so on, making their journey faster. Ryan had Yuan Chu and Code Zero record the conditions along the way for the military to take over later.

After walking for ten kilometers, they saw numerous specks of light ahead, like stars falling to earth. It was the firefly beasts flying about, creating one of the rarest sights in this world. Amidst the fluttering fireflies, the towering earthen platforms on the ground caught Ryan’s attention. These were cities built by termites, with parasitic fungi in the soil, glowing like a flowing river of stars.

Once the mission was completed… Ryan thought, he would definitely take Auston here for a walk. The wonders of nature were incomparable.

Savage Star is not within the Empire’s signal coverage, so it’s impossible to send messages through personal terminals. Even if it were possible, Ryan wouldn’t send anything that could expose his location, as signal monitoring is very simple and pirates can easily set up the necessary equipment.

During the day, the desert’s high temperatures make travel difficult, so only at night is it suitable for walking. Before dawn of the second day, Ryan and his group encountered a high wall erected in the desert. The wall was built using yellow earth dug from deep underground, compacted into earthen blocks, and the skeletal frame was made from the limbs of a certain fierce beast. This construction allowed the wall to stand firm in the desert, enclosing an oasis. The surface of the wall was covered with a layer of hard black armor, not from the serrated shell beasts, but from a similar species. This served to intimidate other creatures.

On the desolate land, the ten-meter-high wall provided a constant sense of security to those who saw it, especially after experiencing the wild beasts’ nocturnal revelry. Bandner didn’t need to disguise himself; he appeared travel-worn, with dried and blackened bloodstains on his clothes (a disguise he’d prepared earlier), and tiredly raised his hand to knock on the gate, calling out in a hoarse voice, “Logistics officer Bandner from the ‘East’ seeks an audience. We’ve come early to lend a hand.”

The tall wall had a similarly large gate, but it also featured a smaller, more ordinary-sized door. When it opened, a bulky pirate appeared. He stared at Bandner for a moment, seemingly trying to recognize his identity, then glanced behind him at the others. He grinned, “You came early?”

“Mm,” Bandner said, his right hand hanging unnaturally, as though injured.

Seeing that the group was more or less injured, the bulky pirate seemed even more pleased. He understood why Bandner had come ahead of schedule—his sister had been captured. The leader had been focused on that girl with the Y chromosome gene sequence, causing the subordinates to think they were about to change the leader’s wife again. The leader’s tastes were strange, constantly swapping wives—men and women, X and Y, no one was surprised anymore. It was a regular occurrence, with the longest lasting a year, the shortest three months. Who knew, maybe someday he wouldn’t even choose a human, but they’d all gotten used to it.

“Congratulations,” the bulky pirate said sarcastically, “Looks like you’re about to become family with the leader, huh? Can’t wait to attend the wedding, huh? Ha, just remember, don’t be too happy.”

The more you celebrate now, the greater your disappointment will be later.

Bandner clenched his fist, suppressing the anger rising in his chest, and forced a painful smile. “Please, let us in.”

“Alright.” The bulky pirate enjoyed the look of pain on Bandner’s face. After fully opening the gate, he stepped aside to let them in. When “Rennie” passed, he suddenly raised his hand and slapped “Rennie’s” rear. “Oh, so bouncy, Rennie’s gotten sexier, huh?”

Disguised as Rennie, Ryan, “…” What was it about this Rennie that attracted the city lord of the Cranberry planet and pirates like this bulky one?

Ryan couldn’t understand it at all. He had been taken advantage of by pirates time and time again. After blowing up Cranberry, he didn’t mind treating this place to a grand fireworks show as well.

After passing through the small door and entering the walls, “Rennie” silently looked up. Although it seemed like a casual gesture, he was quickly scanning the environment. Ryan had instructed Yuan Chu and Code Zero to infiltrate the wall, and by now, they must have hidden somewhere inside.

Contrary to its barren exterior, the interior of the walls was lush with green grass, and a vast lake shimmered like an irregular blue gemstone embedded in the desert. Around the lake grew tall trees, laden with fruit—dates.

The inner buildings were few, mostly low tents, with few stone or earth constructions. This made up a city with a permanent population of over ten thousand, though the number of scattered Red Spider Pirates far exceeded that.

---

Hello guys!!! Sorry for the delay! It’s because something unexpected happened. And in the blink of the eye, it’s going to be my big day!!!. I was caught off guard and took some time to clear up my mind. I wish everything will go smooth, without any troubles and I will successfully clear my exams this time. Love you all!!!