Ch. 403: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life Chapter 403

Chapter 403

The desert stretched endlessly before them, an unforgiving expanse of sand and heat.

The driver had gone to find help, but no one knew how long it would take for him to return.

In this harsh terrain, camels were the best means of transportation.

Norah had a sudden idea, but before she could speak, the woman beside her abruptly waved and shouted. Her child mimicked her actions.

"She's calling them," Julissa said.

Norah remained silent, watching.

Before long, a group of people approached on camels. The woman gestured toward Norah, speaking to them.

Norah felt their eyes scanning her—first with curiosity, then suspicion.

After a brief negotiation, the woman ran to Norah, speaking excitedly.

Julissa translated in real time. "Ms. White, she's from the same tribe as these people. We can leave the desert on camels."

"Okay."

That was exactly what she needed—to get out of the desert, find the address, and reach the Yi tribe as soon as possible.

The driver, who hadn't left yet, overheard the conversation. "If you leave on camels, we won’t refund your deposit," he warned.

Karina dismissed him with a wave of her hand.

Soon, the group freed up two camels. Karina and Norah rode together, while Julissa accompanied the woman, and the woman's child rode with one of the men.

The tribespeople had dark skin and faces painted with colorful clay. They remained silent as they moved forward.

The sun cast a red glow over the sand, and the heat was stifling.

Karina handed Norah a bottle of water. "It’ll take hours to get out of here. When we reach the next stop, you should rest. If you get dehydrated or overexert yourself, it could be dangerous."

"Hmm."

Norah was eager to find Steven and Kevin, but she had to be realistic about her limits.

Under the relentless sun, they trudged forward. Eventually, both Norah and Karina ran out of water.

Norah’s vision blurred. Her head grew heavy, and she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Just as she was about to collapse, Karina grabbed her, preventing her from falling off the camel.

"Julissa, ask her how much longer until we’re out of the desert!" Karina’s voice held a note of urgency.

Norah wasn’t as strong as Karina—she hadn’t been in the organization for long and wasn’t used to this kind of hardship.

Julissa relayed the question. The woman noticed Norah had fainted and quickly spoke to one of the men. Moments later, she retrieved a bottle filled with a dark liquid.

Julissa translated. "Give this to Ms. White. It'll be at least three more hours before we’re out of the desert."

Three hours…

Norah was already dehydrated. There was no way she could last that long.

And this black liquid—was it safe to drink?

Julissa continued translating. "She saved my child, and I promised to be your guide. This comes from a tree we call the ‘black tree.’ The sap from its leaves is our best remedy for surviving the desert."

Karina understood—it was essentially an energy booster.

With no water and no other options, they had no choice.

Karina took the bottle, tilted Norah’s head back, and poured the dark liquid into her mouth.

Norah choked, coughing violently. The bitter, pungent taste jolted her awake, but she was too weak to move. She slumped against the camel’s hump.

Karina called her name. "Norah, can you hear me? Are you okay?"

"Hmm." Norah’s voice was barely above a whisper.

She felt like a fish gasping for air.

Karina, worried she’d fall, kept an arm wrapped around her.

Eventually, even Karina started feeling faint.

She drank the black sap as well. The taste was awful, but she had no other choice.

She wasn’t sure how long they traveled after that, but in the end, it was Julissa and the woman who helped them out of the desert.

They emerged onto barren land. The temperature had dropped drastically with the setting sun.

After dismounting, they built a fire and set up a tent.

There was food, but no water.

As they huddled around the fire for warmth, the woman handed them a water bag. "We won’t make it out tonight. The nearest settlement is three more hours away, but we’ve been traveling all day. We’ll rest here."

Julissa translated.

Karina reached for the water bag—

Then suddenly—

A low, chilling howl echoed through the night.

Norah tensed. Wolves!

The tribesmen, armed and experienced, remained calm.

Karina squeezed Norah’s shoulder. "Stay by the fire for a while, then go inside the tent."

Norah had never faced anything like this before, but she wasn’t terrified. Karina admired her for that—she was handling it well. They had built trust with these people, and for now, they had to rely on them.

Norah shook her head.

She couldn’t keep running from danger. If she avoided it now, she’d just face something worse later.

She had to be strong.

"The wolves are watching us. We don’t know what’s coming next. You should go inside and stay safe."

If Norah saw what was about to happen, she might regret staying out.

The moment Karina finished speaking, a pair of glowing eyes appeared in the darkness.

By the firelight, they saw it—

Wolves. A whole pack, led by a massive one with razor-sharp fangs.

Norah’s heart pounded.

Before they could react, the wolves lunged.

The tribesmen sprang to action, weapons flashing as they fought off the beasts.

The scene was pure chaos.

One wolf locked onto Norah.

It charged at her, knocking her to the ground. Its claws slashed toward her face.

A cold dread spread through her body.

But the pain never came.

Instead—a gunshot rang out.

The wolf collapsed on top of her.

Blood splattered across Norah’s face. Her throat went dry. Her stomach clenched.

Then, instinct kicked in. She shoved the lifeless wolf off her.

Karina rushed over, her face tense. "Norah! Are you hurt?"

"I’m fine." Norah shook her head, breath unsteady.

Just… that was close.