Jiang Fan and Yao's sharp eyesight had already detected it.
This oasis was not 99% similar to the one they had just left.
It was 100%! It was precisely the place they had just exited.
Yao glanced at Jiang Fan and said with difficulty.
"Perhaps, it's just, similar?"
"We'll know once we go in and take a look. If that doesn't work, we can also replenish our water."
Jiang Fan, however, became optimistic in the face of a desperate situation. He led everyone with heads held high and strode into the secret realm.
Upon entering the secret realm, Jiang Fan froze. This was precisely the place they had just exited.
Zhou Niannian had already discovered the 'X' mark she had made, and the soil was still fresh.
Zhou Niannian licked her lips and began to dig, hoping that what lay beneath the soil would be different.
As a result, as soon as the soil was turned over, a conspicuous old bandage was placed inside.
"This, this is what I buried here as a marker."
Zhou Niannian's face turned ashen.
Jiang Fan quietly retreated. While everyone's attention was focused on Zhou Niannian, he began to dig the soil with his toes.
He still held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that these oases might all be clones created by the secret realm to confuse and lull them.
If they were cloned oases, then as long as they persisted and passed through them one by one, they would eventually find a way out.
However, after loosening the soil, Jiang Fan's expression also turned grim.
Inside was the animal bone he had just buried.
Over there, Dai Xiaomei, who couldn't take it anymore, screamed.
"Ghosts..."
After uttering these two words, Dai Xiaomei covered her mouth.
"You let me calm down. There are no ghosts in this world..."
"This is definitely a magnetic field phenomenon, it's the magnetic field."
"No, no, isn't this the same as ghosts?"
Dai Xiaomei became incoherent, showing signs of mild breakdown.
The viewers in the livestream chat were silent for a long time, and then they began to discuss.
"This, isn't this what the old folks in my village used to call 'ghost walls'?"
"That's right, just like a ghost wall, spinning around wildly in one place."
"Don't scare yourselves. Believe in science. There are no ghosts in this world."
"It's the Bermuda Triangle, affected by the magnetic field!"
"Yes, it's the magnetic field of the Bermuda Triangle. Strong magnetic fields can affect people's sense of direction. Jiang Fan led us the wrong way."
Professor Zhang kept sending super bullet comments in the livestream, popularizing the scientific development perspective and boosting morale.
Strangely enough, Professor Zhang now had a group of loyal fans in the livestream.
Many viewers, inspired by Professor Zhang's "getting closer to science, everything is science" spirit, spontaneously became dual fans of both Jiang Fan and Professor Zhang.
Over there, Jiang Fan stroked his chin and recalled with a serious expression.
"Earlier, I was looking at the sun for direction in one area, and I seemed a bit confused. I took a wrong turn."
"So, we were retracing our steps, which is why we ended up here."
"It might be the influence of high temperatures and the magnetic field. Let's try again. We won't make a mistake this time."
In fact, Jiang Fan was very calm. He was convinced that he hadn't gone the wrong way.
However, he couldn't possibly tell Dai Xiaomei and Zhou Niannian the truth.
"Come on, let's replenish our water. We'll start again from the beginning."
Jiang Fan extended his hand to Dai Xiaomei. Dai Xiaomei hesitated.
Rather than wandering in a desert that they could never escape, it was better to stay in this oasis.
At least, the oasis hadn't shown any signs of danger yet, nor were there those terrifying black gas clusters.
However, Dai Xiaomei still firmly grasped Jiang Fan's hand.
Jiang Fan was their leader, having saved them from peril several times. He surely wouldn't lead them astray.
The group silently replenished their water, irrigating the water pipe vines to restore their vitality.
Finding this plant depended on luck, as water pipe vines mostly traveled underground, spreading like tree roots.
The water pipe vines regained a slight greenish hue, appearing somewhat pale and withered.
After a few more sunbakes, this plant would be finished.
The green sea-maned lizards appeared again, tugging at Jiang Fan's pant legs. Jiang Fan still had no intention of taking them along.
He didn't even know if he could get out himself, so who had the mood to bring these strange animals?
Besides, they were all reptiles, unable to store water like camels or carry water with their strength.
Before leaving the forest, the green sea-maned lizards waved goodbye to Jiang Fan and the others.
Zhou Niannian sighed.
"I'm thinking about them. Besides, you will come back."
Jiang Fan gave a wry smile. This time, Zhou Niannian was truly right.
A new journey began. Jiang Fan once again activated [Humidity Detection], and a new path formed by water vapor appeared before his eyes.
This time, Jiang Fan was not the sole leader. All four of them cautiously decided on the direction of travel.
Every few hundred meters, they would stop and re-measure their heading against the sun.
With such caution, it was impossible to deviate from the direction.
This time, unlike the previous journey, they walked a long distance without seeing any sign of an oasis.
Jiang Fan's [Humidity Detection] only sensed a slight increase in moisture, indicating that they were still far from their destination.
Everyone, however, became more invigorated. This meant that they would not repeat the mistakes of the past, and they were about to reach a brand new oasis.
The sun in the sky became increasingly scorching, and the shadow of the fourth sun grew stronger, showing signs of imminent formation.
Zhou Niannian and the others had also noticed the presence of the fourth sun.
"I say, Jiang Fan, is another sun going to appear?"
Zhou Niannian's voice was tinged with tears. Normally, a sun appearing was a good thing, as it meant they could dry their clothes.
But now, when it came to the sun appearing, Zhou Niannian felt like dying.
"No, this is an optical illusion. It's like a mirage."
Of course, Jiang Fan couldn't tell them the truth.
If he told them now that a new sun was about to appear, everyone's morale would instantly collapse.
Jiang Fan could only lie and make up some nonsense.
They stumbled on for a long time, still without seeing any sign of an oasis. The sand was not only scorching hot but even started to wear on their feet.
The plants gave out before the people did.
Those water pipe vines, which had shielded Jiang Fan and the others from the sun's glare, had already turned a withered yellow under the intense sunlight.
From their plump appearance when they first absorbed water, they gradually shriveled, and now they were completely dry and shrunken.
Sections of the water pipe vines peeled off from Jiang Fan and the others' straw hats.
The water pipe vines, said to be able to survive on a single drop of water, were completely scorched to death in the extreme heat!
"I say, are we going to be like them?"
Zhou Niannian looked at the water pipe vines, dried to a crisp, and couldn't help but feel lingering fear.
"What are you talking about? We'll definitely get out of the desert."
Jiang Fan confidently pushed Zhou Niannian. At this moment, it was crucial to maintain morale.
The problem was that several of them were already showing severe signs of dehydration.