Volume Two: The Secret Burial of the Cliff Valley—Chapter 129: Crisis

Ma Su wore a grave expression. With his eyes fixed on the points of light emerging in the distance, he explained slowly, "Sand wolf-worms evolved from sand worms. Sand worms are insects native to the desert and are generally non-venomous, but the evolved sand wolf-worm is highly toxic. They typically inhabit the Gobi. They are adept at hunting in packs and possess formidable lethality. If dozens of these worms were to crawl onto you, they could reduce an adult wild horse to a skeleton in an instant."

"The Gobi? We aren't in the Gobi, so how could there be sand wolf-worms? Are you sure you aren't mistaken?"

Ma Su pointed to some peculiar plants beneath a tree. "I didn't believe it either, until I found these. They are called camel thorns, which usually grow in desert and Gobi regions. Look here—even though we are in a valley, the area within Nanliu Village is barren, much like a desert or Gobi wasteland. Since camel thorns grow here, it proves that the ecological conditions meet the needs of the sand wolf-worms. Their presence is highly probable. Furthermore, as far as I know, these worms are incredibly hardy and can survive in many harsh environments."

By now, the points of light ahead had multiplied, forming vast clusters that had us completely surrounded.

Gazing at those ghost-fire-like glimmers, I felt my skin crawl. I asked Ma Su, "Are those the eyes of the sand wolf-worms?"

"Yes. But because of the intense sunlight in the desert, while their eyes are bright, their vision has degenerated. They are nearly blind. They perceive the world through sensitive olfactory senses, physical contact with the ground, and changes in the air. They are gathering now and could attack us at any moment."

Just as Ma Su spoke, I saw those flickering points begin to shift.

Swarms of sand wolf-worms surged forward like a rising tide.

As the leading worms drew closer, I could see them clearly. Despite being called "worms," their method of movement differed from typical insects. They appeared to lack distinct legs; they moved more like snakes. They would arch their bodies into three bends, "stepping" forward with the first and third segments, then shifting with the second. They were using this bizarre crawling motion to converge on our position. Even though the ground was covered in grit and small stones, nothing could impede their relentless advance.

Ma Su shouted, "Quick, light the fire!"

I was jolted into action. Remembering my task, I hurriedly flicked my lighter and set fire to the branches in the shallow trench.

Ma Su had sprinkled a significant amount of yellow powder over the branches—likely a highly flammable substance. The trench ignited instantly, releasing thick yellow smoke and a pungent odor of sulfur.

Within moments, the entire area within our line of sight was blanketed with sand wolf-worms. The ground ahead was no longer visible; it was completely carpeted by the creatures.

The rustling sound of their movement, which I had barely noticed before, became terrifyingly overwhelming when combined with the sight before us.

Fortunately, the fire circle kept us enclosed. The yellow smoke billowed out, and the worms seemed wary of it; the leading ones paused, though those behind continued to pile up in layers.

Seeing that it worked, I shouted to Ma Su, "Old Ma, this stuff is effective! How much more do you have? Get it out!"

Ma Su shook his head. "I only brought two canisters of sulfur powder, and I need to keep one in reserve. There are too many of these things; it’s a drop in the bucket. Besides, this is only a temporary measure, not a long-term solution."

I stomped my foot, realizing that the moment Ma Su had told us to leave earlier was our best chance to escape. Now, trapped here, there was no way out. We were like turtles in a jar.

Liang Yue added, "Waiting like this isn't a solution either."

"There's no choice; we have to wait for now. Each of you guard one direction. When the swarm gets close, we’ll coat the remaining stones with sulfur and roll them out; they’ll become fireballs as they cross the trench. Let’s hope these worms aren't specifically targeting us. If we hold out long enough, perhaps they’ll lose interest."

The sand wolf-worms covering the ground were now less than ten meters away. The skin-crawling rustling grew clearer by the second.

Just then, a sound like a wolf’s howl echoed from somewhere.

"Awoo..." The howl drowned out the rustling of the worms.

Following that cry, the worms that had retreated surged forward again in a desperate wave.

"Just as I feared," Ma Su’s face turned even paler.

"What is it now?" I asked.

"It is said that sand wolf-worms have a symbiotic relationship with desert wolves. In cold weather, the worms crawl onto the wolves to keep warm, and the wolves, which regularly develop scabs, rely on the worms to feed on them. Where there are sand wolf-worms, there are bound to be desert wolves—that’s why they’re named as such. Did you hear that howl? It means there are desert wolves nearby," Ma Su explained rapidly.

I was stunned. "No way, wolves too? Old Tan Tou never mentioned anything about wolves... This can't be."

Ma Su nodded. "Although this is a mountainous area, it’s not a primeval forest, and it’s not far from human settlements. There shouldn't be a pack of wolves here."

I suddenly remembered something and said, "Wait. I know that after a cliff burial, the bodies fall and get eaten by mountain dogs. We are at the base of the cliffs where a burial just took place. Could the howl we heard be from mountain dogs?"

Ma Su replied, "That would make sense. Since this isn't a desert, it's highly likely that mountain dogs have taken the place of desert wolves."

As we debated, Liang Yue shouted, "Stop analyzing! The worms are coming!"

Indeed, spurred on by the howling of the mountain dogs, the sand wolf-worms began to charge the fire circle in waves.

The leading worms threw themselves recklessly into the flames, instantly filling the air with acrid smoke and the stench of burning flesh.

The worms that had charged first were already charred. The sickening, pungent smell was enough to give anyone a headache.

"This is bad—the charred bodies seem to be toxic as well. Try to limit your breathing!" Ma Su yelled.

By now, as the sulfur burned away and the number of worms increased, the fire began to die down. Seeing the light of victory, the sand wolf-worms became even more frantic, sweeping toward us with unchecked aggression.