The thrusters at maximum output allowed the White Tiger to catch up with the convoy in less than five seconds. The stranded Humvee was thrown onto the trailer, while the White Tiger grabbed the hook at the back of the trailer. Four rows of rollers sprang out from the hidden grooves at the feet, allowing the entire mech to enter a glide state using momentum.

"Boss," the accountant’s complaint sounded in the communication channel. "Primary thruster fuel consumption is at sixteen percent, auxiliary thruster fuel consumption ranges from four to seven percent, and your body’s crystallization degree has increased by 0.29 percent... You shouldn’t have gone on the rescue mission."

"If I don’t go, then no one will save them," Nagano Souta casually replied. "Trading a bit of fuel for two lives, it’s a worthwhile deal."

"A bit of fuel... We can’t replenish this fuel en route," the accountant said. "Once the fuel is exhausted, White Tiger will completely lose mobility, and we’ve yet to encounter any combat, but the primary thruster’s fuel consumption is already near twenty percent... Even if you want to save people, you should first weigh the pros and cons, right?"

The fuel the accountant referred to wasn’t conventional gasoline or diesel or any fossil fuel, but a specially synthesized propellant. Besides its complex production process and high cost, the biggest issue lies in its extremely stringent storage conditions and refueling method—this propellant must be stored in a low-temperature, high-pressure, vacuum-sealed container. During refueling, this standard must be maintained throughout, otherwise a breach in airtightness could lead to an explosive accident.

Refueling White Tiger’s thrusters with this propellant requires facilities and technicians available only in Dragon City; even Yumen lacks these conditions, let alone during a journey.

Designed to guard Dragon City, the Four Divine Beasts weren’t made for long-distance warfare, trading endurance performance for high mobility and terrifying firepower—meaning these beasts are more adept at positional and defensive battles, incompatible with long-distance raid type missions.

Nagano Souta didn’t continue entangled in this issue with the accountant; instead, the two rescued mercenaries were in the public channel thanking White Tiger’s pilot tearfully, almost kneeling and calling him their savior.

"Any changes with sandstorm 5198?" Nagano Souta asked in Sun Hang’s team’s communication channel.

Nagano Souta didn’t respond to those two people’s gratitude—White Tiger’s pilot identity hasn’t been made public yet, and he hasn’t spoken in the public communication channel, all commands were given under another alias.

Most convoy members assumed it’s a "representative" sent by Dragon City Defense Army, no one would think the person sitting in the mech is the boss of "Spring Wind".

"No changes in acceleration and expansion speed of sandstorm 5198, it’s predicted to pass four hundred meters behind the convoy in seventeen seconds," Candle Dragon said. "Luckily, convoy one didn’t hesitate in executing orders; otherwise, at least half of us would’ve been consumed by the sandstorm."

"That’s good," Nagano Souta said.

Sun Hang detected a hint of weariness in his tone, feeling slightly odd—could the maneuvers from driving the mecha for rescue have been so exhausting for the pilot?

While White Tiger’s actions were indeed swift, for an experienced pilot, it wasn’t anything remarkable... Many fighter pilots endure several times the G-force of their own body weight during tactical maneuvers, and White Tiger merely ran a short round-trip, yet Nagano Souta’s tone revealed noticeable weakness. Is his body inherently frail, or is there an issue with this mech using extensive memetic technology?

Or perhaps, both?

"It’s here," Candle Dragon said gravely.

Sun Hang and Xue Yue simultaneously turned, leaning on the back of their seats to look towards the back of the car. The surrounding brightness suddenly diminished, a gaseous black wall thousands of meters high swept across the Gobi Desert like thunderous destruction—although sandstorm 5198 was newly formed, its scale was already larger than the 5196 sandstorm Sun Hang first encountered, arousing Sun Hang’s suspicion that these death storms might have some emergency response to life forms entering the Gobi Desert?

For instance, sensing the number of living people, the more vigorous the life force, the stronger the death storm generated on the Gobi Desert?

Watching sandstorm 5198 gradually recede, everyone in the convoy unanimously exhaled a sigh of relief—had the sandstorm suddenly changed direction, no one in the entire convoy would have escaped.

Thankfully, convoy one and three were more reliable, not prematurely dispersing due to sudden developments... This counts as the sole piece of good news amid an ongoing series of bad news since departure.

"Damn, if I find out who suggested convoy three prematurely disperse, I’ll smash his face when I return!" a mercenary cursed in the public communications channel.

"Don’t wait to return, I’d suggest handling it as soon as you reach Nanhua Town," a female voice sarcastically replied. "It’s still uncertain whether anyone can return to Yumen, so if there are any grudges, settle them quickly... Oh, by the way, if the target is tricky, ’Sea Buckthorn Rose’ can offer paid clearing services. If needed, just CALL me~"