Hope is often compared to the fire of stars.

It is dazzling and small, and can be seen but out of reach.

However, this oasis called "Hope" is not the case.

In fact, it is very vast. Although it has not been measured by hand, it can be inferred from the map in everyone's mind that the area of ​​this place is more than 70,000 square meters. Although it is still pale in comparison to the villages or towns on the earth. However, this is in the desert! It is simply a miracle to have such an oasis with abundant water and grass and cattle and sheep.

Although there is a saying that exists well, even if you see it with your own eyes, Cao Nian and others couldn't believe that this oasis could remain unmoved by the erosion of yellow sand. How long has it been? Decades or hundreds of years? During this period, were there no monsters to harass? Or were it buried by a terrifying sandstorm?

"I can't figure it out, I can't figure it out at all. This place is too weird! And - these people are also weird! It feels like they have walked into a cult, or accidentally joined some sacrificial sacrifice! I think these people are crazy!" Zhang Yang muttered quietly as he walked.

A group of seven people walked on the grass in the oasis.

A soft and cold feeling came from the feet. There was a magical power in this oasis that could dispel the surrounding sunshine. Except for Zhang Yang in his hand who was overly sensitive to the heat and could not bear it, the rest of the people were very comfortable. And as they moved forward, the shadows of tall trees were cast on the top of everyone's heads from time to time, giving people the illusion of walking in the mountains and forests in spring.

Although the environment makes people feel comfortable, the densely kneeled in the aboriginal people around made Cao Nian and others feel a little nervous. As Zhang Yang said, these people may be really crazy! Or they are possessed and lost their wisdom.

Whether it is a man or a woman, or a young man, as long as they see Cao Nian and others walking in front of them, the indigenous people of these oasis will kneel down on the ground without saying a word, with their heads firmly pressed on the ground. This looks even more respectful than those of the ministers who paid homage to the emperor in ancient times. And the eyes of these indigenous people also showed an almost pathological reverence from time to time, and they felt like they were ready to go to the sword and go down the sea of ​​fire.

These people are like a group of believers who have been brainwashed by cults.

"Who said no? When I came out with Sister Xu Nuo just now, I was shocked. But now, I am a little used to it." Chu Jianqing looked around carefully, his expression not as relaxed as her tone.

"You? Forget it. I think you should stop talking big, you are obviously afraid." Zhang Yang jokingly said.

"Who said it? I'm not afraid at all!"

"Why are you not afraid of holding my hand?"

"Hmph - Who do you think is willing to catch you? I'm just worried about your condition and want to take your pulse."

"Is that so? Is that number over?"

"It's still...not yet, wait...why are you laughing?! Don't laugh!"

"Okay, okay, don't laugh if you don't laugh, let go! The meat will be pinched off for you!"

Chu Jianqing has a good relationship with Cao Nian and others, especially Zhang Yang and Xu Nuo.

Fang Heng walked in the front, and after hearing the words of the two of them, he slowly spoke: "According to the old man just now, this place is a place cursed by gods. It seems that their ancestors had offended the gods, causing them to be imprisoned here as descendants of blasphemers. They will never leave this oasis forever."

Zhang Yang said: "Is this a curse if you don't have to leave here? There is food and drink in this place, it doesn't matter even if you live a lifetime, right? Instead, if you leave here, you might be eaten by the scorpion and Chimera outside. You're dead."

Fang Heng said: "Although what you said makes sense, they can indeed live with peace of mind here, just like living in a paradise. But not everyone is a dead house like you, who can endure the boring life here for the rest of their lives. They have never left the desert, and they can't even step into the desert, so they are full of curiosity about the yellow sand outside. This curiosity comes from the human beings' own imagination and imagination. The more they are not satisfied, the more exhausted it is. So--"

Fang Heng's words came to an abrupt end.

Zhang Yang thought for a while and said, "So? You said it? I can tolerate anything you say I am, but if you say halfway through it, you can't stand it!"

Cao Nian said: "What's wrong with you, you guy? Isn't it?"

Zhang Yang said with a bitter face: "Brother Cao, why did you still tear my platform?"

Chu Jianqing laughed secretly.

Seeing this, Zhang Yang said seriously: "Diejuan - What's wrong with a dead house? A dead house has not eaten your food, drinks your water, wears your clothes, and doesn't steal or rob them. Why is it a problem for you?"

Fang Heng said: "It seems that your self-esteem has been hit by accident. Well, does the dead house have a fragile heart? By the way, I said just now - because of the curse, these indigenous people have lived here for hundreds of years with the desire for external life. And, according to the guidance left by their predecessors, they will receive help from the outside world in a period of time. A group of warriors will appear at that time and lead them to break through the limitations of the gods and break the curse that the gods have placed on them, the descendants of these blasphemers in the temple."

Cao Nian suddenly said, "So - we are the warriors they have been waiting for for hundreds of years? Our mission is to free them from the curse? No wonder they are full of expectations and awe for us, and they simply regard us as saviors."

Zhang Yang said in disappointment: "I thought they were impressed by my personality charm."

Longlang laughed and said, "You guy is so thick-skinned! I don't dare to say this when I look so handsome, haha, you are not ashamed at all."

Zhang Yang looked sympathetic: "They are really the same as heroes! I didn't expect that Brother Longlang, you are a sensible person."

The two guys Long Lang and Zhang Yang looked at each other and nodded in approval. The rest of them looked like goosebumps. Chu Jianqing quickly threw Zhang Yang away and ran to Xu Nuo's side. He looked at Zhang Yang and Long Lang with disgust and said angrily: "Disgusting!"

Cao Nian said to the little girl: "Don't you have a good relationship with that kid? Why do you dislike him again now?"

Chu Jianqing blushed, and then waited viciously for Cao Nian: "Who has a good relationship with him? Zhang Yang is the most annoying guy! Don't laugh, either - you can't go much better!"

When Cao Nian heard this, he could only smile helplessly, and at the same time raised his head and said to Fang Heng, who was walking directly in front of him: "Where are we going now?"

Fang Heng whispered: "Take you to see the sacrifices for this sacrifice."

Hearing this, everyone stopped their work.

Chu Jianqing hugged Xu Nuo's arm, and the two seemed very intimate. Cao Nian stood beside them, but instead seemed a little out of place. As for Zhang Yang and Long Lang, the research they carried out on "bloodline" was forced to stop, while the fat man did not speak and walked silently at the end of the team.

Cao Nian asked, "Sacrifice? Can we still have to bring a cow when we go to the temple?"

Fang Heng did not answer because the elders among the indigenous people had already stood in front of them and had been waiting here for a long time. Likewise, after meeting Cao Nian and others, the elder, who was respected in the oasis, still kneeled down and bowed first. Then the elder and Fang Heng exchanged affectionately rather than respectfully. Of course, they were speaking some languages ​​that everyone could not understand.

There were also a few middle-aged people and several children of seven or eight years old who came with this elder.

These older people, even some middle-aged people, have a sense of fatigue and pain in their eyes. Obviously, decades of life have eroded their ambitions and made these men less interested in life than before. From their eyes and faces, there is no way to see the sharpness and vitality that people of this age should have.

Cao Nian was keenly aware of this because before that, he had been so desperate. However, now he has broken free from this despair.

However, thankfully, these children who came with each other had hope and vitality in their eyes, like a little beast curious about the environment around them, careful and curious. Indeed, children of this age, an ant and a little bug, are worth their lying on the ground for a long time to observe. It will take some time for them to develop fear and boredom in this unchanging place.

Maybe it's a few years, maybe it's a dozen years.

Until then, they could not feel the haze brought by the so-called "curse".

Among these children, there is a little girl who is very cute. Among the many children, she has the kindest eyes and beautiful facial features. Although she is still childish, her blonde hair has elevated her temperament to a state of "etheless". She is like the elf of this oasis, the light of hope in this place of suffering.

Of course, this child is also the most curious.

She took advantage of Fang Heng's talk to the Great Elder and stood in front of Cao Nian and others, looking at Cao Nian and his group with great hope, with their eyes shining like stars in the sky.

"Your eyes are so beautiful." Cao Nian couldn't help but squat down and said to her.

The girl obviously couldn't understand Cao Nian's words, looked puzzled, and at the same time she took a step back, as if she was a little scared of Cao Nian.

Cao Nian was helpless.

These people are not heroes, warriors, nor are they their saviors. If these people living in the oasis are subjected to a terrible curse, then aren’t Cao Nian and others experiencing a more terrible and deadly curse?

Speaking of which, they are a bit sympathetic.

However, compared with these indigenous people trapped here, Cao Nian and others needed to keep running around, and survive in constant danger in the ends of the world. This also made Cao Nian and others have an indescribable aura and a breath that was difficult to restrain.

No wonder this child is full of awe of them.

Of course, this kind of aura is the least in the two women in the team, which also makes them look the easiest to get close to.

and--

When a creature like a woman sees a child, maternal love is inevitable.

Therefore, as soon as he saw this cute little girl, Xu Nuo and Chu Jianqing said "so cute" and "let my sister touch it" and extended their hands to the girl friendly.

The girl looked at them with eager eyes. Although she couldn't understand what the two sisters from outside were talking, the girl also felt their kindness and friendship from their smiles.

The girl walked timidly to the two of them, with her big shiny eyes, a warm smile on her face, innocent and lively.

Children are indeed a terrible creature that causes people to bleed! Cao Nianshen agreed with Zhang Yang's feelings.

Several older men could not help but smile when they saw the two women and the little girl quickly getting together. They knew their hardships. Especially a few men, they not only had to protect themselves, but also took into account the safety of the two women. It was really difficult to live.

In this terrible world, it is not easy to see such a bright and beautiful smile.

Fang Heng had finished talking to the elders at this time and returned to everyone's side.

When the indifferent man saw the little girl, he wondered: "Why are you with her?"

Chu Jianqing said happily: "You said she? xxxx, this girl is so interesting."

However, her words were obviously irrelevant to the bull playing the piano, "interesting" and "cute" in Fang Heng's eyes.

Fang Heng still said coldly: "Since you know each other, it's great."

When Cao Nian heard Fang Heng's words, he saw a faint smile on the corner of his mouth, and suddenly had a bad premonition in his heart: "What do you mean?"

Fang Heng said, "Don't you understand? This girl, xx, is it the sacrifice we sacrifice this time."

What!

Shi Potian's shocking words shocked everyone so much that they couldn't speak for a long time.

After a while, everyone's faces changed from horror to anger.

"What did you say?!" Perhaps because after the brief exchange just now and having a good relationship, the two women shouted angrily.

The girl named Elis was frightened and seemed to have no idea why these two amiable sisters suddenly became so scary.

Of course, not only these two girls, but even Zhang Yang and Long Lang said very seriously: "You said we want to sacrifice this girl to the so-called god? Fuck God!"

Fang Heng said: "This is not something I can change - it's useless for you to yell at me. This girl has known about this matter for a long time. She and his family are very enthusiastic about this sacrifice, and even think it is a kind of glory given by heaven. They have been waiting for several years to show miracles from this girl."

Zhang Yang looked at the girl standing among the crowd with a confused look on his face. His face looked very ugly, more painful than when he was injured: "You said she was voluntary? Let's go to your mother's fart!"

Fang Heng sneered: "Not everyone is afraid of death - for her, such death is more meaningful than living. If you don't believe me, you can ask her yourself."

As he said that, Fang Heng took off the cross from his neck, and he faced everyone and stretched out his hand. The cross lay quietly in his hands.

Everyone looked at each other.

But no one dared to reach out to take the cross.

They are afraid to hear the answer they don't want to hear, the horrifying answer.
To be continued...