Sha Lang discovered that the Big Buddha did not alter all phenomena in the Dead Sea.
Only when approaching areas where life survived and land, which themselves posed a great threat to nearby life, did it intervene and alter the course.
As a sea dweller, Sha Lang was extremely familiar with the Dead Sea's environment.
The three major calamities of the Dead Sea: rapids, high pressure, and light burst.
Not all disasters were one-sided threats; they could cause mass deaths but also bring about new life and opportunities.
For example, in some high-pressure zones lived the Light Absorption Monsters and the troublesome Light Cuttlefish.
The Big Buddha selectively modified the disasters, removing the exceedingly dangerous parts.
This series of actions sparked numerous discussions among the followers.
Sha Lang suddenly realized something.
In the eyes of the Big Buddha, the true adversary was the calamities of the Dead Sea.
Not long ago, when Sha Lang was following the Buddha, a ball of white light suddenly rose up ahead.
It was a light burst.
But within that white light, an unusual amount of black lines writhed in a way Sha Lang had never seen before, appearing particularly eerie.
The Big Buddha became extremely alert.
In an instant, its entire body turned flawlessly white like jade, and a ring of flames glowed around its head.
The immense power it released made Sha Lang feel like a grain of sand caught in a massive wave.
The frenzied black lines, accompanied by beams of light from the burst, penetrated and disintegrated any matter they touched, and the terrifying shockwave swept across the Dead Sea.
White walls rose from beneath the Buddha's feet, blocking all the beams.
The high walls trembled and rang continuously, and even parts of them melted and flowed onto the ground, with streaks of red ointment like the Buddha's blood.
"Something's wrong! This intensity... it's a Light Core Level light burst!!!"
"The Buddha can't withstand it!"
The Bone Man were the first to react.
Although some were scared away, the remaining Bone Man did not leave.
They carried their tools and containers, frantically collecting the white waxy substance with the faint red streaks flowing on the ground.
Sha Lang thought it was absurd. Although Light Amber was valuable, it was not worth collecting in such a dangerous place.
Did the Bone Men really value money over life, like in those jokes?
He asked one of the Bone Men collecting the substance.
One responded to his confusion, laughing eerily, "If it were Light Amber, indeed it'd be foolish to do this. But these are 'Firewood Mound,' using Light Amber as a carrier, which is as valuable as the Heavenly Pearl of the Outer Sea."
Sha Lang was greatly shocked.
Firewood Mound, a necessary catalyst for sea lords to step into the Skywalker phase, was a strategic commodity highly coveted by all sea lords!
Regaining his composure, Sha Lang found himself among the collectors. He was using his own portable box, scooping up the red-and-white clay with his hands.
Insane greed overwhelmed the fear of danger.
It seemed everyone believed that even though facing a Light Core Level natural disaster, the calamity, which could destroy all nearby life, would be blocked by the Big Buddha's giant hands.
The power of the light burst was weakening.
This confirmed everyone's thoughts, making them bow and collect the treasures.
However, after years of life-and-death struggles, Sha Lang felt a strong sense of unease.
This inexplicable anxiety caused his muscles to spasm, making it nearly impossible to concentrate, as if something extremely dangerous was approaching.
A small crackling sound reached his ears.
Sha Lang saw that the white high wall was beginning to crack.
The cracks formed crooked symbols on the wall.
They were words from the Western Continent.
Sha Lang's hair stood on end.
What had the Buddha encountered?
What made even the Buddha feel it was unstoppable...
He wanted to shout, but no sound came out. Eventually, all he could do was turn around and run desperately.
However, after just a few steps, Sha Lang felt himself being flung up like a rag doll.
Sha Lang barely managed to look back.
Behind him was only a dazzling light ring and countless shattered debris.
Yet a piece of white substance hovered behind him, encapsulating his body with a light film.
The energy impact caused the light film to spark and emit a piercing cracking sound.
Sha Lang's brain felt frozen by some force.
Recovering from the immobile state, he found himself lying in a pile of ash, surrounded by drifting grey debris.
A head-sized white stone was on the ground nearby.
This was the thing that had helped him.
It looked like some elliptical crystal wrapped in gypsum, with a faint power pulsating inside.
It was the Buddha's heart.
The Buddha had saved him.
Otherwise, in the second round of Light Core Level light bursts, he would have become part of the ashes.
Sha Lang picked up the Buddha's heart, intending to return it to the Buddha.
But when he returned to the previous spot, he found the Buddha had been shattered, leaving only white rubble.
The group of adventurers who had collected the Firewood Mound had all perished, their corpses now nonexistent.
New gold seekers had already taken their place, frantically collecting the remains of the Buddha.
Someone immediately noticed the heart in Sha Lang's hand and came towards him.
"Hand over the Buddha's Light Core!!"
Without hesitation, Sha Lang went berserk, transforming into a giant and fled.
For the treasure, the pursuers clung relentlessly.
He ran tirelessly, not heading towards his own organization's territory.
Sha Lang crossed mountains, waded through rivers, and passed through the peculiar relics of the old humans, striving to escape his attackers along the way.
Eastward, go eastward.
Hand the Buddha's heart over to the people of the Wasteland Development Company.
It would save his life.
The powerful usually used their power to dominate and suppress the weak.
Few, like the Buddha, possessed great power yet fought against disasters. Facing the Dead Sea's calamities, even stronger than themselves, they stood firm in battle.
The strong cut down the weak, while the brave fought even stronger foes.
The brave should not end up dismembered and sold.
Sha Lang clutched the Buddha's heart fiercely.
Great Buddha, do you hear me! Make this heart beat again!
Suddenly, Sha Lang found himself unable to move.
He had been pierced by a spear that pinned him to the ground, blood gushing from the wound.
A rustling sound and the roar of cannons came from behind.
Sha Lang, with weary eyes, saw a barrage of spears completely covering his area, and seven missiles rushed towards him.
Exerting all his strength, he flung the Buddha's heart as far as he could.
Good luck to you, disaster-resisting Buddha.
Sha Lang closed his eyes, he was too tired.
The feeling of being torn apart into pieces did not come as quickly as expected.
He heard a voice next to his ear.
"Luckily, I wasn't late."
He struggled to open his eyes.
A halo of lightning was now blocking in front of him, and the arrows, bullets, and all kinds of forces aimed at him were locked within the circle, frozen solid.
A ball of electricity floated before Sha Lang.
"Hey there, I'm Cat God from the Wasteland Development Company. You've worked hard; we'll take it from here."
The entire area was enveloped in sparks of lightning; hundreds of pursuers were instantly struck down by electric currents, falling charred to the ground, unable to even scream.
The air was thick with the smell of scorched flesh from high temperatures.
"Let's go, I'll take you to see the Chairman of the company."
Sha Lang felt like it was all so unreal.
This was the Wasteland Development Company that suppressed the Legal Front... no exaggeration in the rumors about them.
Wherever the company appeared, they brought order.