Xiao Xiao and Xue Yuli's reactions were completely understandable, as the Ye Feng before them was a stark contrast to the one they knew.
Ye Feng had shed the disguise he used during his transaction of gasoline with the Bald Gang in Gasoline Town. His sun hat, large sunglasses, and the double-edged broadsword strapped to his back were gone, replaced by a black leather jacket.
He wore a metal mask that covered his face, a grey steel helmet on his head, and held a Remington rifle in his hands.
"Whoa!"
Upon seeing Ye Feng's face beneath the mask, Xiao Xiao and Xue Yuli both let out sighs of relief.
"Big brother, why are you dressed like this? You really scared me," Xiao Xiao said, putting away her paintbrush and paper and walking up to Ye Feng with a curious look.
"This is for camouflage," Ye Feng replied.
"Right, Xiao Xiao, you should get disguised too. We made quite a scene before, and it's possible someone in the Skull Society might recognize us."
Ye Feng nodded and spoke to Xiao Xiao. He had taken Xue Yuli's advice for disguise in Gasoline Town and found it quite effective in avoiding detection. Especially now, as he seemed to have many enemies, and there was a mysterious person apparently offering a bounty on his head.
"Okay," Xiao Xiao nodded and began to alter her appearance.
Xue Yuli followed suit. She had actually intended to mention this to Ye Feng earlier, but he had gone off to park the vehicle.
Soon, the three of them, now disguised, emerged from the small hill in front of Weapon City and began walking towards it once more.
...
After paying a toll of one bottle of mineral water, Ye Feng and the other two successfully entered the Skull Society's stronghold, Weapon City.
It was a town built against a mountain, featuring modern buildings of reinforced concrete, and its defenses were even more stringent than those of Ocean Paradise. The guards at the large iron gate were armed mostly with firearms, with very few carrying melee weapons. In the watchtowers atop the high walls, one could even spot a Barrett.
At this moment, the Skull Tower was brightly illuminated, casting a vast area into light!
"Hey, travelers from afar, come and see! A universal blood donor, strong and healthy, guaranteed genuine!"
As Ye Feng and the others approached within about 100 meters of the Skull Trade Tower, a middle-aged man with a turban wrapped around his head enthusiastically called out to them. He was dragging a young man by a chain, who was dressed in tattered clothes, gaunt, and pale.
"Whether you're a universal blood donor or not, just look at him. He's probably had his blood drawn countless times!" Xue Yuli said with a dismissive glance at the turbaned man. She then tugged on Ye Feng's sleeve, urging him to move on quickly.
"Universal blood donor? What's that?" Ye Feng asked Xue Yuli once they were a good distance away from the man, his brow furrowed with curiosity.
"It's a desperate measure some madmen take to find a shortcut into the irradiated zones of the Super Sandstorm Area," Xue Yuli explained with a sigh. "The Super Sandstorm Area has a zone shrouded in radioactive clouds, filled with deadly nuclear radiation. This radiation is peculiar; prolonged exposure causes a person's blood to gradually dry up. Some lunatics, wanting to explore this irradiated zone, bring along 'universal blood donors' and regularly extract their blood, transfusing it into themselves in an attempt to reach deeper into the cloud-covered region."
"You mean… directly transfusing the blood of a universal blood donor into themselves? Aren't they afraid of developing blood clots or suffering immune rejection and dying?" Ye Feng asked Xue Yuli, looking perplexed.
"I don't know the specifics, but I do know that the trading market run by the Skull Society sells a device that allows for efficient blood transfusions," Xue Yuli replied. "Normally, one person can only donate blood to a specific group, but a universal blood donor can give blood to anyone." She continued, "It's somewhat similar to the blood type matching required in the old world, but not entirely. For example, someone with Type A blood might be able to donate to someone with Type B blood." Xue Yuli quickly explained. "The Skull Society also possesses the technology to test for universal blood donor compatibility."
"Is there… treasure in the deeper parts of the irradiated zone that drives those people to go there?" Ye Feng asked after a pause.
"Indeed!" Xue Yuli nodded. "Most explorers who come to this sandy region are after Arcane Prisms, especially those of wood and water elements. These are more likely to be found near the Super Sandstorm Area, and even more so in the irradiated zones. Because of the radiation, few people venture there. In the beginning, one could find several just by walking a few meters inside." She added, "Across the entire sandy region, the Skull Society shows particular interest in the Super Sandstorm Area, especially the irradiated zones, sending people to explore them regularly!"
"Of course, the Skull Society might have other motives for exploring the irradiated zones," Xue Yuli added after a moment of thought. "There are rumors that something very special exists in the irradiated zone... something related to the treasure that caused the heavenly punishment back then!"
"I see," Ye Feng murmured, lost in thought after hearing Xue Yuli's words.
"Hey, traveler from afar! Would you like a drink of the finest desert beverage?" Suddenly, a middle-aged man with a receding hairline and a lecherous expression approached Ye Feng, striking up a conversation.
...