The maid squad is too strong, what use is there for me, the Demon King?

The orc kingdom is hidden in the desert. Normally, in a place with few directional markers, one can only determine east, west, north, and south by following the blazing sun high in the sky.

Finding Shad Munting in such a vast desert is like finding a needle in a haystack.

However, for Gray, finding his way was no longer a problem.

Although he was unfamiliar with the area, Gray didn't need to worry about getting lost thanks to the extremely detailed map from the Demon King's legacy.

This map can predict future crustal movements, but due to insufficient information, it cannot predict large-scale migrations of nations or ethnic groups.

Even that "sage" couldn't have predicted when the orcs would be betrayed by humans and driven into the desert, could he?

Therefore, Shad Munting's exact location cannot be shown on the map, but he can be found indirectly through other means.

According to the information from the Orc Kingdom of Shad Manting, the kingdom is located in the "Shadow Mountains," and the "Blood Spring" is an important resource for the Orc Kingdom.

The map does not show Shad Mountain, but it does mark the location of the Shadow Mountains and even the hidden Blood Spring in the valley.

Following the location guide of the Shadow Mountains, you will naturally find the orc kingdom of Shad Mountain.

As for those who don't understand the current situation of the country, we can study that when we meet with Aita and Sita in Shadmont.

What surprised Gray was that this "Shadow Mountain Range" was so close that, judging by the straight-line distance, he would never get lost or end up on a remote path.

Even under these circumstances, the distance from our current location to the "Shadow Mountains" is terrifying.

"The journey across an entire demi-human kingdom is no more than this, isn't it?"

And then there's the harsh desert environment...

As far as the eye can see, there are undulating sand dunes stretching all the way to where the horizon twists and merges with the scorching air.

The sand itself becomes scorching hot under the high temperature, and stepping on it can instantly transmit a branding pain through even the toughest leather boots.

The wind is the dominant force here, ceaselessly carrying sand grains, shaping new contours of the dunes, and ruthlessly erasing any trace that tries to be left behind.

The blazing sun, hanging in the cloudless sky, is the true ruler of this hell. It is not like a gentle star that provides light, but a massive, incandescent fireball burning with malice. The sunlight pours down not to illuminate, but as if to incinerate all life.

The air distorts and vibrates violently under the high temperature, and distant scenes sway like reflections in water, creating illusory mirages. This poses a deadly threat to people who cannot accurately determine their direction.

The light itself possesses weight and penetrating power; when it touches exposed skin, it can cause blisters in no time and dry, harden, and crack leather. The sky is a blinding, faded blue-white, showing no mercy to a single cloud. Shade is the most precious resource here; each patch signifies a brief respite and a possibility of survival.

The heatwave didn't come in waves, but rather enveloped the entire desert continuously.

It was like an invisible, heavy blanket, carrying scorching sand and dust. Every breath felt like inhaling burning sand, searing the nasal cavity and throat. Sweat evaporated instantly before it could drip, leaving only a layer of salt frost on the skin. The air was so dry it could suck the last drop of moisture from the lungs, causing lips to crack and bleed.

Silence is the norm, but occasionally, when the hot wind sweeps across the tops of the dunes, it emits a low, persistent wail, like the rolling of a giant beast's throat—hence the name "Scorched Throat."

This only refers to threats from the abiotic environment.

In this seemingly desolate inferno, predators adapted to the extreme environment lurk. The most common and terrifying of them all is a small monster known as the "Scorching Soul Scorpion."

They are no more than the size of a palm in length, and their carapace is not black, but a light yellowish-brown or grayish-white that blends in with the sand and gravel, with dark red lava-like patterns on the edges, perfectly blending into the environment.

Being able to adapt to such a high-temperature environment is already quite formidable for a monster, not to mention its other characteristics...

The Scorching Soul Scorpion is a master of ambush. During the hottest part of the day, they bury themselves deep beneath the scorching sand, leaving only their organs that sense vibrations and heat exposed.

They are extremely resilient, capable of condensing trace amounts of water vapor from the thin air and even absorbing meager geothermal energy directly from the scorching sand and gravel. They are gregarious, often lurking in clusters within the same sandy area.

When they sense prey entering their territory, they burst forth from beneath the sand as if from a furnace of hell! Moving with lightning speed, they swarm forward, taking advantage of their numbers.

Those giant claws can easily snap ankles or tear flesh, but the real deadly weapon is the tail stinger.

The stinger also contains a venom that is common among scorpion-type monsters.

However, this only means that it is common for scorpion-type monsters to use toxins and venom as a means of attack.

And the venom of this Soul-Burning Scorpion is also extraordinary.

The moment you are stabbed, the wound will feel a sharp, burning pain, as if it were being pierced by a red-hot iron.

But this is just the beginning.

The venom contains a strange fire-attribute energy and neurotoxin that spreads rapidly through the bloodstream, causing victims to experience terrifying hallucinations, starting from the wound, that their bodies are being burned by flames from the inside out.

At the same time, the toxins severely disrupt the nervous system, causing intense spasms, high fever, and indescribable pain, ultimately leading to death in extreme agony and dehydration-induced madness. The corpses often dehydrate and shrivel rapidly under the scorching sun, becoming part of the sand dunes.

Their venom, according to the shamans of Shad Mountain, contains the purest "burning" will of this desert.

Along the way, Gray encountered a large number of Soul-Burning Scorpions.

Because the Soul-Burning Scorpions were buried in the shallow yellow sand, Gray could detect these little creatures ambushing their prey with just a little mental energy.

They are most commonly first or second-tier monsters, but there are also giant Soul-Scorching Scorpions that are much larger and can be considered high-tier monsters.

Dealing with monsters is nothing new for Gray. Clearing out these monsters isn't difficult in itself, but the sheer number of them and their tendency to organize large-scale attacks, one wave after another, makes even Gray find them annoying.

Normally, they hide under the yellow sand, and it's a hassle to solve everything in one go, unless Gray goes all out and blows up the entire desert with "I am atomic".

But blowing up an entire desert would exhaust even Gray, so it's not worth it.

Gray had no choice but to endure the waves of harassment from these "minor foes".