Chapter 15 8. A land with coconuts

The "land with coconuts" is 52 kilometers away from the other side of the salt lake.After crossing the salt lake, you have to walk another 60 kilometers to reach the foothills of the "Dark Darkness".After walking through the sand dune area, there is a flat Shiobara, which is a "semi-quick sand area" so ordinary vehicles cannot pass.Cars had to have iron nets tied to their tires, as did mule carts.The weather was fine when Fries and the others came, but now they had to drill into the foggy salt wind.How difficult the journey is, the author can't describe it exhaustively.

Dear readers, you may not be able to imagine how powerful the salt wind is.Everyone is wearing a gas mask and walking under the vast sky, how eager they are to take a breath of fresh air.The salt fog filled the air and the sun was scorching.Walking into the salt pillar rolled up by the hot wind, the sky is dim and the earth is dark, and you can't see your fingers.This is the salt wind in the salt lake.The following description is from Stella's diary. They walked for 50 kilometers in three days.Astronomical observations are made using the compass three times a day, once at 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. for longitude, and once at noon for latitude.The next morning after entering the salt lake, they realized how terrible the salt wind was.Under direct sunlight, the skin instantly becomes red and swollen.Six people have already collapsed from the radiant heat.The radiant heat on the salt plain will not recede even at night, so you have to get into a hot sleeping bag when you sleep.The gas mask can only be removed while in the sleeping bag.

That morning, when they were doing astronomical observations, they discovered that the mercury in the artificial horizon had actually acidified.Everyone is staring at this horizon and can't speak. Even inorganic matter will undergo such a terrifying change. I am afraid that this organic matter will turn into a mummified corpse under the ravages of salt spray and high heat and fall to the side of the road. My vision is blurry, and I can't even see the way forward.Shiobara reflects the harsh sunlight, making it impossible to look straight ahead. The sudden vision in "Dark Darkness" leads the expedition team on the wrong path.The mirage made it difficult for them to distinguish between real and fake objects in front of them. The human skeleton that had just passed by appeared in front of them again within a few steps.By the next day, someone finally went crazy over it.

The salt wind had been blowing like a hurricane the night before, and only one face was visible from the sleeping bag.They saw that the salt powder blown by the wind covered the tent like a sheet of snow.The most absurd thing in the world is to watch the "snow scene" in the desert at 140 degrees Fahrenheit, but this absurd thing did happen around them.Locals who have never seen snowflakes do not find it so strange, but those who have experienced the four seasons will have an incredible illusion.The next morning, they saw a mirage from nowhere. The white ice embankment looked like a silver snake.The Frenchman in charge of communications ran out of the tent and shouted:

"Come and see! We have finally reached the South Pole! Ahead is the big iceberg in the Ross Sea. It's so cold... Look! The whale is spouting water." When the salt wind is small, salt powder falls from the sky like light rain.Dozens of white salt pillars in the distance are tornadoes blown by the salt wind, which really looks like a group of whales spraying water.The Frenchman roared and ran, he was mad, and his soul had been taken away by the god of this salt lake. Salt sand, endless salt sand.It was as if they were walking on a white sphere with no sky or horizon.I also lost the confidence to survive tomorrow.

The body was getting weaker day by day, and the expedition team did not stop their footsteps.Except for the captain, no one in the team knew that their destination was "Darkness".If you tell them to go to the "big dark", I'm afraid no one will dare to join this team.So Polune lied that he was going to a place called Touaregs to investigate a tribe of warlike natives. The team used a compass to determine direction, and Porunet placed a powerful magnet in his box, which caused the compass to produce errors.Let the players think that they are going to Touaregs, but in fact the team is moving towards "Darkness".Polune planned to tell them the truth when the team was about to reach the foothills, and then he would use the gold in Atlantis to lure them into continuing to serve him.

"It's really strange." Nineteen days have passed since we set off from the "land with coconuts".That night, Polune hid in the mule cart with the compass and muttered to himself. "It's so strange, we walk four to five kilometers every day. It's been nineteen days, why hasn't it arrived yet?" We should have arrived at the foothills of the "Dark Darkness" four days ago, but every day as far as we can see, there is nothing but salt sand, and the expedition team is like walking on a large plane with no one for thousands of miles.This is so weird.The compass is debugged by experts, so it should not be a problem with the compass.This issue must be clarified, it is a matter of life and death for the whole team.Polune was a little flustered.

"Damn it! I can't touch that chick because of such a strange thing. I'm so pissed off. Looking at her one more time makes me feel uncomfortable. Fortunately, I can bear it until now. I must take the 190,000 Rottolo gold Dig it out. The quack Polune must become the unparalleled richest man in the world! By then, Stella will not be mine...but now...it's really annoying!" The wrong direction, and the annoyance caused by Stella, Polune didn't close his eyes all night.The next morning, there was a commotion among the expedition. When the team members got up, they found that the salt wind had stopped, and above their heads was a sky that they hadn't seen for a long time and four parasols centered on the sun.The colorful rays of light from the heliotrope are reflected on the monochromatic and tasteless earth.

The superstitious porters took it as an ominous omen, disturbed by the dangers of the journey and the constant occurrence of heatstroke patients.They believe that the destination of this expedition is not Touaregs, but is heading towards hell with a purpose against the sky.The appearance of the phantom sun is a warning to them.After discussion, the porters elected a representative to negotiate with the captain. "Captain, don't lie to us. If you are going to Touaregs, you will definitely pass through El Chemina. Where are you taking us?" Polune knew this day would come, so he decided to tell the real destination.

"Hey, I thought you guys knew it. There may be some misunderstandings here. I overestimated your understanding. Have you heard the old saying that if you don't enter the tiger's lair, you won't catch the tiger's cubs. We just want to dig gold, so we have to report Great Darkness 'forward." "We're not going." The porter representative said firmly. "I haven't seen such an unbelieving person like you. Just now a team disappeared, but you ran to die. Hey, everyone, come back with me." "Wait! Let me finish. There really is a city of gold there, and I have proof for you!"

After talking, Polune took out the documents left by Fleiss. "How about it! There are not only gold, but also gems and altars! All kinds of rare treasures, you can choose them when the time comes." "But..." one of them said. "No matter how nicely you say it, it's just talking. We won't listen to you until we see the real thing." So Polune showed everyone the map of Atlantis drawn by Plato and the Arabs.Seeing this, the faces of the stubborn porters softened a lot.But at this moment, something happened that made Polune miscalculate. One of the porters said to their companions: "We are all rough people, and we can't read a few big characters, but I can still read these words on the map of the Arabs. 'This land is ruled by God', did you hear that? Be ruled by God! It is my Lord A place that Allah does not allow to enter. Absolutely do not enter a place that God does not allow!" After negotiating for a whole day, the porters were still not convinced.They decided to leave the leaders to go home tomorrow.Nomads have the ability to identify directions in the dark, but what about Polune and the others? ! It's over, I don't even know where we are, this broken compass is useless!God, is I really going to die here?At least let me take a look at the golden Poseidon statue before I die! At dawn the next day, Polune sat alone in his tent, feeling that his life was over.A nomad suddenly lifted the curtain and walked into the tent with a smirk. "Excuse me." "You are?" "I heard the name of Master Polune from the maid of the God of Shadows. The Great God told me that if I meet you, I must take you to meet him. Master, you are a noble person who forgets things. We didn't meet two years ago. Have you met..." "what?" Polune suddenly opened his eyes wide, trembling as if seeing a ghost.He couldn't believe his eyes, the "nomad" in front of him was... "Yes, it's you! Shanzuo!" Polune shouted the name of his old enemy.The person standing in front of him was the mountain seat who should be lying on the bed and couldn't move.