My Silly, Sweet Wife

”Hehe, do you know how many forces exist in the thousand-mile desert?” Wu Hualong asked, resembling an old fox.

Wu Liang was puzzled but still answered honestly, ”As far as I know, there are three major forces in the thousand-mile desert. The leading one is the Guan Mountain Gang, known as Mr. Guan. Their leader seems to be a Half-step Master; his skill with the Azure Dragon Crescent Blade allows him to maneuver through the desert like a fish in water. Even a Grandmaster might not be his match. He commands over a thousand bandits, truly a formidable figure in the thousand-mile desert.”

Wu Hualong did not interrupt, instead nodding to signal Wu Liang to continue.

Wu Liang thought for a moment and continued, ”The second force is led by Sun Erniang of the Heartless Sect. It’s said that Sun Erniang had her heart broken by a man years ago, and after killing him, she gathered a group of women and went to the thousand-mile desert. This Heartless Sect primarily targets men, sparing women. No matter how skilled, any passing man rarely escapes their grasp, ultimately getting captured, hung in the desert, and roasted alive — their methods are extremely cruel.”

”As for the third force, it seems rather complex, as if many scattered experts banded together to resist foreign threats, preventing themselves from being killed. Their leader appears to be a Cross Training Master, who is also a monk — perhaps even a Hua Heshang. He was once pursued by the Buddhist for violating their rules, and as a result, he hid in the thousand-mile desert, using his Buddhist skills to gather a group, committing all kinds of crimes from robbing women to raping and pillaging.”

Wu Hualong nodded lightly, ”Indeed, the thousand-mile region is considered a hidden realm. Even Su Mu had no way to control it back then, allowing it to develop freely. But this time is different, as I happen to know someone from Mr. Guan’s ranks. I initially thought I would never intersect with this person; yet unexpectedly, Ye Guichen is recklessly venturing into the thousand-mile desert. Hehe, this suits me, providing a new plan.”

”You have connections with someone under Mr. Guan?” Wu Liang was taken aback.

In the thousand-mile desert, Mr. Guan’s force is considered the strongest, and it seems to have the best reputation.

They typically rob people without killing, showing some hint of chivalry.

Wu Hualong nodded, continuing to explain, ”Indeed, this time I encouraged Nuannuan to follow Ye Guichen into the desert with this intention. Although Ye Guichen is formidable, he is ultimately only strong individually. If he faces Mr. Guan, it’s uncertain who might win.”

”Let Ye Guichen confront Mr. Guan?” Wu Liang’s face was filled with questions, ”Father, how will you make them fight?”

”Hehe, a beauty trap.” Wu Hualong stroked his beard, ”It’s said heroes can’t resist beautiful women. Mr. Guan is neither Guan Yunzhang nor Liu Xiahui. With Nuannuan’s charm and delightful tactics, she can certainly maneuver between Mr. Guan and Ye Guichen. When they fight over her, whether for jealousy or rivalry, a confrontation is inevitable. Regardless of who wins, I don’t care; whether it’s Ye Guichen or Mr. Guan, either outcome benefits the Wu Family.”

Wu Liang’s eyes lit up, ”Father, you’ve already informed Mr. Guan of Ye Guichen’s group’s whereabouts. If Ye Guichen wins, Nuannuan would have gone through hardships with him, allowing us to gain Ye Guichen’s favor. But if Ye Guichen loses, the young master would be over in the desert, and we can align ourselves with Mr. Guan, perhaps even establishing a presence in the thousand-mile desert, right?”

Wu Hualong approvingly nodded, ”My son is indeed clever. So, while there’s some element of gambling in this scenario, our Wu Family’s chances of winning are high. No matter who prevails, we’ll have a force to contend with the Su Family for the position of the Southwest King. However, now I hope Nuannuan can impeach Mr. Guan. Then, with our family’s influence entering the thousand-mile desert, we could potentially dominate the Southwest region.”

Wu Liang raised his thumb in admiration, ”Father, your strategy is superior!”

...

The thousand-mile desert doesn’t have an official name.

But many people call it the Death Desert.

The night fell unknowingly.

The desert is more dangerous at night, so Ye Guichen and his companions had to stop first.

Fortunately, they carried enough water, so no one had encountered any issues so far.

Yet, the nighttime desert appears completely different from its daylight counterpart.

During the day, the place is scorchingly hot, but at night it feels like it’s covered in ice, chilling to the bone.

However, for Ye Guichen, none of this matters much. Utilizing the current Evergreen Technique of the Wood Element, his body won’t have issues even without food or water.

But Luo Huasheng and Gongsun Fengying need water.

Therefore, they must traverse the desert within three days to reach the edge of the Great Cold Mountain quietly without attracting attention or being discovered by the Eternal Life Hall.

Fortunately, Zhu Yan seems familiar with the desert, as the group quickly found a temporary shelter.

Exposed rocks with some vegetation on their edges, and a small spring nearby.

Although the spring is small, it’s a life-saving resource in the desert.

The group rested by the rocks, taking turns on the watch.

Initially, nothing seemed unusual until around two in the morning, when Ye Guichen, meditating, suddenly opened his eyes.

Even Luo Huasheng and Gongsun Fengying appeared to sense something, immediately tensing up, ready for a fight.

”Brother Ye, is there something unusual?” Luo Huasheng asked quietly.

The surroundings started to fill with a faint blood scent.

Ye Guichen nodded gently, ”It might be the Desert Wolves Zhu Yan mentioned.”

”What? So soon!” Luo Huasheng was startled.

They had only entered the desert for about a hundred miles yet encountered the Desert Wolves. It seems they might be hounded by them soon.

Zhu Yan was evidently awake as well.

Meanwhile, Wu Nuannuan was deeply asleep, tear-stained eyes offset by a satisfied smile.

But nobody was concerned about Wu Nuannuan now; everyone was vigilant.

Zhu Yan wore a sorrowful face, ”We truly have terrible luck. Desert Wolves typically inhabit the central desert area. If these are indeed Desert Wolves, we’re now marked. There will likely be more of them relentlessly pursuing us.”

Gongsun Fengying glanced at Zhu Yan, ”Is there no way to shake them off?”