Chapter 287: To Conquer the Sea of Sand

Chapter 287: To Conquer the Sea of Sand

The night we arrived at the sand sea. We decided to build a full-fledged base of operations at this boundary location. There was only one reason for that. This was to prepare for our journey to the island oasis that continued to move with the flow of the sand.

The sands of this sand sea, unlike those of a typical desert, were truly like water and were sinking almost without resistance when stepped upon. Fortunately, anything that could float on water could also float here, but if one was not careful, they could be carried away by the sand currents and slowly drift.

It was possible to create floating platforms with appropriate spiritual arts. However, the idea of traveling on these platforms for nearly a month was a different matter. For us, who knew nothing about the sea of sand, spending a month atop it was far too risky.

So, what should we do? As we racked our brains for a solution, Woodorrel casually said, When crossing the sea, you usually take a large ship, right?

Who would have thought wed end up building a ship in the middle of a desert?

Thats right, the preparations we were making involved building a ship to cross the sea of sand. The material was the abundant sand right in front of us, which could be compressed into pieces as strong as stone but lighter than wood. By assembling them, a ship could be built.

However, the first and greatest problem was that none of us had ever built a wooden ship before, let alone one made of compressed sand. Even Mia who was born into a family of craftsmen was the same as the rest of us. It was certain that we would have to experiment again and again, so we decided to settle here for the time being.

To ensure safety, the first thing we did was build a protective barrier around our base. And after fortifying our defenses, we would work on constructing a sturdy ship.

Right now, I was manipulating the sands of the sand sea. I was compressing them to their limits to form blocks of equal size, similar to bricks. This compression required a strong output of spiritual power, and precise control was needed to ensure they were of equal size. It is also good training.

Ha Ha Teacher, I need to take a break.

Ah, understood.

Beside me, Chirik was also making blocks of compressed sand. However, the blocks he was tasked with creating were much smaller than the ones I was working on. This was because he was building blocks for our dwellings inside the protective barrier.

Even with Chiriks current output, he could produce firm blocks if they were small. He had been trying his best beside me up to this point, but I had no intention of pushing him too hard. After all, Chirik was still young.

Furthermore, there were other spiritualists who could manipulate earth, even if they werent as specialized in sand as Chirik and I were. They could take over, so there wouldnt be much of an issue if Chirik took a break. It seemed best to let him rest for the day.

Take the rest of the day off. Theres no need to overdo it.

Understood Woah?!

Lappy, could you take him?

Mm, got it.

Lappy, who had approached Chirik silently and quickly, picked him up without a sound. After carrying Chirik, she sped away like the wind. Hey, hey, isnt your speed a bit much for Chirik? Sure enough, I could hear Chiriks scream fading into the distance.

The rest of us, including myself, who were in charge of building the blocks, chuckled wryly before plunging back into our work. Building an outer wall to protect us from outside enemies was an urgent matter. Therefore, it was decided that we would continue to make blocks until the outer wall was completed.

Wow! Look how much weve already done!

Dont just stand there admiring it, Gora. We need to keep moving the ones that are finished heave-ho!

Here, this ones for Antares.

One of the bowls was for me. I took it and considered rinsing the fish with the broth in the bowl, but then I froze. The contents which I had assumed to be ordinary soup were thick and ominously red.

I froze for a moment, but then I recognized the faint sweet smell emanating from the soup. There was no mistaking it. It was the bright red potato Lappy had found. But that wasnt all. There seemed to be some animal ingredients mixed in as well.

Mika said its a soup with sand fish liver. Its made by mixing the sweet potato and processed liver of sand fish, then carefully straining it before diluting with broth.

I dont quite understand, but it seems like a rather elaborate dish. And you said sand fish? Thats quite a straightforward name.

After swallowing the fish meat mixed with crunchy scale fragments, I joked about the name sand fish. This easy-to-understand name was undoubtedly Lorentzs work. As if to confirm my prediction, Chris chuckled and nodded her head.

Turning my attention from the laughing Chris to the bowl, I scooped up some soup with the spoon provided and tasted it. The sweetness of the potato combined with the rich flavor of the fish filled my mouth. It appeared that the liver of the sand fish was more nutritious than its meat.

How is it? Tasty?

Yes, not bad.

Mika said that this menu was made entirely from ingredients found in the desert.

So, if we gather properly, we could have meals like this one?

Thats right. It might be a more livable place than we thought.

The temperature extremes are still harsh, though.

Yes, they are, Chris replied while drinking her soup. The sand fish in her hand was quite flat. It seemed that it didnt have hard scales like mine which allowed it to be eaten skin and all. However, the moment she put the fish in her mouth, Chris furrowed her well-shaped eyebrows and made a grimace.

Whats wrong? Is it bad?

No, the taste isnt bad at all. Its actually quite fatty and very delicious.

Then whats causing that expression?

There are a lot of small bones. Its really not suitable for eating on a skewer like this.

Aha! Youve eaten the scales too!

It seemed that Chris had drawn the short straw with a sand fish that was difficult to eat. She discreetly hid her mouth from me as she picked out the small bones that had ended up inside. It was during moments like this that people learned whether something was edible and what kind of dishes suited them best. That was the impression I got.

Woodsorrel who had been eating loudly joined us. She had deliberately not told me about the hardness of the scales on my sand fish, and now wore the expression of a child who had successfully pulled off a prank. Indeed, I had been fooled, so it was fair to say that it was my loss.

By the way, it seemed Woodsorrel had reserved the heaviest sand fish for herself. Moreover, this fish was not only delicious but also had fewer bones and was easier to eatHow unfair.