Chapter 140: The Oasis by the Sea

This time, Chen Mu brought along the initial exploration vanguard of one thousand men, accompanied by four hundred supply wagons, making a total of five hundred electric crawler vehicles.

The rest of the troops remained behind under the command of Zhang Chong to construct the strait fortress.

The weather was scorching. As far as the eye could see, there was only reddish-yellow sand. Combined with the fierce, blinding sunlight, it felt hot enough to peel two layers of skin off a person.

"Damn this weather..."

A soldier muttered in complaint, immediately drawing agreement from those around him. Having spent all their lives fighting in the interior plains, they had never encountered such punishing heat.

Added to the grueling, prolonged march, even the canopies of the electric crawler vehicles offered no relief.

After all, water and cooling were their absolute priorities. Yet, the endless sea of sand offered only one relatively short river far to the north.

Chen Mu cast a swift glance around. He was not only scanning for distant enemy movements and assessing the surrounding terrain and climate, but also observing the plummeting morale of his own soldiers.

"If this keeps up, we are in trouble. It seems our men are simply unsuited for this tropical environment."

At that moment, his deputy general, Zhang Chong, grinned wryly as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

Squinting and panting against the heat, he looked at Chen Mu and said with a bitter smile, "Your Highness, it is simply too hot. We must push closer to the coastline, or else none of us are going to make it!"

With that, he put on a dramatic expression of impending doom.

"Mm, you have a point."

Though a light sheen of sweat beaded on Chen Mu’s forehead, he had managed his hydration well and remained composed.

Before Chen Mu could give the order to change direction, a hoarse, desperate cry suddenly rang out from the ranks.

"Not good! Someone has collapsed!"

Chen Mu stood up and looked over to see a crowd gathered around a soldier who had fallen unconscious with his eyes closed. He quickly leaped down from the vehicle and hurried to the front.

"What happened? Why did he collapse?"

The soldier who had first noticed the incident had a dry, itchy throat and stammered, "He kept asking for water just now. I told him to hold on a bit longer, but I didn't expect..."

Before he could finish, Zhang Chong’s expression darkened. He glared at the squad leader, intending to give him a severe reprimand, but Chen Mu stopped him.

"Forget it. He was only trying to conserve water; he meant no harm."

"Another one has collapsed!" At that moment, similar cries echoed from the rear ranks, and even further back along the winding serpent-like column.

"We can't wait any longer."

Chen Mu frowned slightly, looked up at the blazing sun overhead, and then raised his arm in a sweep. "Follow me! Advance toward the river!"

At Chen Mu's command, the driver immediately turned the steering wheel, heading eastward. The long convoy behind him shifted direction as well, pressing forward toward the river.

"Your Highness, what are your plans?"

Having settled the soldiers in the rear, Zhang Chong came up to Chen Mu’s side and asked cautiously.

He knew how oppressive the weather was, and marching through such brutal conditions would fray anyone's temper—naturally including that of the Crown Prince of their nation.

"I left your father, Zhang Chong, behind to build the strait fortress. Tell me, why do you think that is?"

Chen Mu turned his gaze to Zhang Chong, a questioning look in his eyes.

Hearing Chen Mu's calm and unhurried tone, the deputy general froze for a moment. After a brief pause for thought, he answered tentatively, "To defend against foreign enemies, and to construct water storage facilities so that we are prepared even in years of severe drought!"

Chen Mu nodded slightly and continued, "What you said makes sense, but more importantly, it allows Great Xia to maintain constant communication with the Kingdom of Egypt, helping them gradually accept our culture."

"While this might not bring any immediate, tangible benefits on the surface, it is something that must be done for the long-term perspective."

"You may find yourself in independent command one day. Remember, you must consider matters thoroughly and from a nation-to-nation perspective."

Zhang Chong offered a naive, honest smile. "I would still rather follow Your Highness on campaigns east and west, winning a hundred battles out of a hundred."

Chen Mu chuckled. "Eventually, I will ascend the throne and succeed to the crown. Someone will need to do what I am doing now, and you are the most suitable candidate."

Zhang Chong was deeply stirred by the words. "Me? Thank you, Your Highness, for your high regard!"

Chen Mu smiled, then pointed toward a winding river several miles away across the desert. "What direction is that?"

Zhang Chong looked over. On this side of the river stretched a boundless, desolate desert, while on the other side lay an oasis wrapped and covered by lush forests—a scene of absolute peace and tranquility.

The two sides existed in mutual indifference, like two entirely separate worlds.

Anyone who had wandered through the desert for three days and three nights, upon seeing this beautiful oasis, would surely believe it to be real and walk straight toward it.

The scenery was simply too magnificent. Mirages in the desert usually appeared just like this.

Yet when one finally arrived, the illusion would vanish into nothingness, completely out of reach. Suddenly, all time and energy would be wasted, draining the very last shred of one's will to survive.

The only possible outcome was to die right where one stood.

By this time, Zhang Chong already had the answer in his mind. He pulled out the map he carried with him, unfolded it, and presented it to Chen Mu, pointing as he spoke:

"Look, Your Highness, the oasis and the river lie toward the southeast. And the desert we are in is to the west."

Chen Mu nodded slightly. It seemed this deputy general had done some homework after all. At least he didn't regret bringing him along.

"Yes, not bad. We are leading a thousand-man exploration vanguard; taking a break to regroup and reorganize is necessary."

Before long, the army drew close to the water's edge, and the soldiers involuntarily broke into cheers.

"Let them relax, and make sure everyone fills their canteens. For the journey ahead, we need to travel light. Order the men to take off their armor."

As soon as Chen Mu gave the order, Zhang Chong turned to carry it out without hesitation. On this point, the deputy general raised no objections. Unlike previous engagements, this was a long-range raid. Reducing the burden and physical torment on the soldiers was a welcome boost to morale.

Chen Mu gazed at the fish and water weeds in the stream, then glanced back at the scorching desert, feeling a sudden sense of wonder.

It was truly remarkable that any living creature could survive under such harsh conditions.

Without lingering on the thought, he closed his eyes to rest for a moment.

Because the desert lacked anything to cool it down, the sand only grew hotter as the sun climbed higher, to the point where no one dared to walk barefoot for fear of being practically boiled alive.

The moment they reached the riverbank, however, the temperature plummeted. The pleasant, cooling air, carried along by the babbling water and the breeze from the forest, swept away the stifling heat, allowing the weary, travel-worn soldiers to finally get some proper rest.

Shortly after, Zhang Chong walked up to Chen Mu's side and asked cautiously, "Your Highness, where shall we head next?"

Before the words had even faded, Chen Mu lifted the fan from his face, looked up at the sun—which had dipped just a fraction lower in the sky—and replied leisurely and evenly,

"No rush. Have the soldiers wash their faces. We will move out in an hour, when the sun is at its weakest. By then, we will follow the coastline southward."