The scorching sun hung high, and the endless ochre-red desert stretched into the distance in Diego's vision. The qiē here looks so hot that even the air inhaled into the chest is hot. It's a harsh world, with the onset of the dry season turning the grass yellow and withering, and a few tall neem trees and acacia dotting the wasteland, bringing a little greenery to this barren land.

As its name suggests, the region is more barren than one might think, but even so, the region is a vital transportation artery for all powers, as it connects the Ash Valley to the north, Mount Stonetalon and Mogaure to the west, the Dust Swamp and Durontal to the east, and the Thousand Needles and Filas to the south, while the busy goblin port of Ratchet Tooth is embedded on its east coast, bringing an abundance of products from all over the world.

It was already the fifteenth day after leaving Thunder Bluff, and after saying goodbye to Princess Pobal, Diego and his party passed through Bloodhoof Village, Taurazu Camp, and came to a barren and barren land again. They followed the golden road that ran through the barren land all the way north, to the heart of the region, the crossroads.

Traveling with them was Bane the Minotaur? Bloodhoof, he was appointed leader of this contingent of emissaries, and Dezko? Those who chase the morning are appointed as captains of the guard and are responsible for the security of the mission. To be honest, Diego was very surprised and delighted by this appointment, and he felt that his plan to go to the Undercity was more easily realized. Because for everyone, a minotaur who treats you as a friend will always mean faithfulness and reliability, and it means that you can trust you with your life.

There was not a cool breeze blowing on the wasteland, as if the air had frozen. The Mission's flag hung in frustration, as if to speak of the people's frustration. Diego felt that this hot and barren wasteland was like a cold python, mercilessly squeezing every drop of his water, devouring his vitality little by little, and finally swallowing him whole, without spitting out even the bones. His whole throat was on fire. Sweat gushed out like a spring, and then dried by the scorching sun, leaving only a thick layer of salt scabs, and the stinging skin itched and painful - in the moor. Water is the most precious thing, and no one would have the luxury of using it to wash their face.

So a few days later, when Diego saw a lush oasis in the distance, he could hardly believe his eyes, and for a moment he thought it was just a mirage - he thought it was his excessive thirst for water that caused him to hallucinate! However, the fact that the Kodomons sped up without a spur was a sign that his eyes were not wrong. It was indeed a land of abundant water and grass.

In fact, the arid and barren land is not always a dusty wasteland of the Gobi, and the groundwater flowing down from the sandstone layers of the lonely mountain of the northern Oniwu Peak converges in some depressions into a series of pearl-like swamps and lakes of all sizes, and gives birth to a thriving biosphere around it. The most famous of these is the oasis in front of them. An underground river flows out of the wailing caverns beneath the mountains and converges to form the pearl of the wasteland, the Sweet Water Oasis. With its crisp water and sweet taste, it is the preferred location for business travelers on the Golden Route to replenish fresh water.

"I never thought I'd be so hungry for a drink one day!" Looking at the mesmerizing green in front of him, Diego muttered to himself, and he smacked the Kodomon's belly hard, driving it in the direction of the oasis. And yet at this moment. Bain? Bloodhoof called out to him.

"Diego, I'm sorry, we can't stay here, we have to get to guò fast!" The minotaur said with a solemn face.

"Why?" Diego asked, puzzled.

"Because of those centaurs!" Masrae suddenly interjected. His eyes were full of contempt for this race.

Looking at the contemptuous Night Elves, Diego suddenly remembered an old legend that was widely spread in Azeroth, in which the centaurs were the guides of all the druids, the descendants of Zarta, the son of the demigod Cenarius, and Thrydes, the earth princess, but these vile mongrels shamelessly murdered their fathers. For all races, patricide is an unforgivable mortal sin. And it is because of this crime that the centaurs were cursed by their demigod ancestors.

"The Kolka Centaur Clan has taken over the Sweetwater Oasis. They won't allow us to resupply here, and I doubt even that they'll agree to let us call here through guò. Bane said worriedly. Centaurs have always been a feud with the Minotaurs. These four-legged creatures relied on their speed and spears and bows to plunder the already stretched resources of the Minotaurs, driving them to the brink. If it weren't for Thrall's help, the Minotaurs would have almost been wiped out - the most fundamental reason for the union of the Minotaurs and the Orcs.

"What are we supposed to do?" Diego asked.

"Be vigilant and get guò fast." Dezko on the side said in a muffled voice, gesturing behind him. Two heavily armed minotaur cavalry instigated their Kodomon to and fro on either side of the group, watching warily at the dense bushes on either side of the road.

Diego pulled the Death Gaze out of his saddlebag, loaded it, and followed them.

They raced along the main road, getting closer and closer to the oasis. Diego could even make out the dense verdant palm and banyan trees on either side of the road, and underneath the trees, some low cycads and ferns, and some lichens and mosses growing underground, and to be honest, Diego would not be surprised if there was a whole army hiding in this wood.

"Shield Wall!" Dezko shouted.

With his order, the Kodo beast cavalry on both sides of the team invariably took their oak shields from their saddles and held them at their sides. They were to defend the flanks of the entire rank.

Sure enough, not long after they galloped into the jungle, a sharp spear flew out of the forest and pierced deep into the middle of the road. Immediately after, with a loud whistling, a squad of cavalry crashed through the bushes and rushed out of the dense forest.

Diego quickly realized his mistake, these men were not cavalrymen, they were simply a combination of men and horses, they were men above the waist, with muscular bodies, black hair and beards, but below the waist were shiny brownish-red horses, with a long red tail dragging behind them.

The group consisted of about fifty or sixty people, in an evacuated but alert formation. No one spoke, and each centaur seemed fierce and eager, as if the minotaurs were already in their pocket.

Most of them are ** bodies, but they wear turbans that cover most of their faces. They carried scimitars and daggers at their waists, bows in their hands, and bundles of arrows and spears on their backs, which were their best weapons.

However, for the minotaurs, almost everyone relaxed at the sight of these centaurs - giving up the advantage of speed, what power could these centaur robbers have on such a narrow forest road? (To be continued.) )