This is the longest I've ever been away from camp. The experience in the Du'an tribe was absolutely thrilling, and many things I recall now feel like a dream, hard to believe.
Looking back, I'm unsure if this experience was a blessing or a curse. On one hand, I feel the veil of mystery surrounding the deserted island is slowly lifting, and I no longer feel as ignorant of everything here as I did before.
On the other hand, even though I saw through the Shepherd God before, who knows if he's still lurking inside me, waiting for the right moment to mess with me.
I moved swiftly through the forest, soon arriving at the main gate. Although it was just a simple wooden door, when I left, this spot was still a bare patch of grassland.
It seems that during my absence, Shangguan Yao and the others have made our camp better and better, already showing the beginnings of a safe haven.
Even from a distance, I could see some tall trees within the camp bearing plump fruits. It's likely that before long, we'll be able to achieve self-sufficiency in the camp and no longer have to risk venturing out for food.
The camp's defenses have also been constructed. Around the perimeter, many simple fortifications have been built from thorny vines. While they might not stop large beasts, they are more than enough to fend off wolves and leopards in the forest.
In those defenses, I can faintly see traces of my own earlier work. It appears they were rebuilt upon the foundations I laid, and now they are roughly sufficient.
These sights couldn't help but fill me with emotion. Indeed, the harsh environment of the deserted island can accelerate growth. Even Shangguan Yao and the others, who lived in comfort before, have unknowingly adapted to the island's rhythm.
I was initially worried that something might have happened to them after I left the camp for so many days, but now it seems they've managed well during this time.
This put my mind at ease considerably, and I quickened my pace towards the gate.
"Halt!"
Huh?
I had barely taken two steps when I heard a familiar savage language from the direction of the gate. I blinked and looked up, spotting a savage girl on watch next to the gate.
I had been so focused on surveying the surroundings of the camp that I hadn't noticed her hidden in the gate's shadow.
She held a bow and arrows, her expression tense as she watched me. It was clear that if I made any unusual move, she would attack.
I paused slightly, raising my hand as if to speak, then suddenly realized something.
I had been away from the Du'an tribe for several days, and in between, I had encountered an attack by cannibals. Now, I was in a mess, and I hadn't stopped to tidy myself up while rushing back. She probably saw me as some suspicious vagrant who had appeared out of nowhere.
I somewhat recognized this savage girl; she seemed to be one of Ke Ya's subordinates. But I suspected that not only she, but even Shangguan Yao and Luo Yaqin, wouldn't recognize me in my current disheveled state.
"Don't attack, it's Lu Zi Ye, I'm back!"
Facing my own people, I had nothing to hide. I immediately raised my hands to show I meant no harm, shouting out my identity.
"Walk over slowly!"
At my voice, the savage girl showed a confused expression. However, she didn't lower her guard. Instead, she gestured for me to proceed cautiously.
I let out a wry smile, feeling both helpless and a little annoyed.
I had imagined countless scenarios for reuniting with the people in camp, but none involved being pointed at with an arrow.
I had returned, but in a way I never expected.
Still, the savage girl's high level of vigilance made me quite satisfied. After all, vigilance is the most crucial thing for survival on this deserted island.
"You stay here. I'll go get someone."
The savage girl pointed to a shaded spot by the gate, then shouted towards the inside. Only then did I notice there was someone else within. Without turning his head, that person ran into the camp, apparently to relay the message.
Soon, Shangguan Yao and Luo Yaqin, after hearing that a disheveled savage claimed to be me, all hurried to the main gate.
I was enjoying a rare moment of leisure in the shade. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself surrounded by people.
"Damn, Lu Zi Ye, what happened to you? You're so messy, anyone would think you were some wild man from who knows where."
Shangguan Yao looked me up and down, then let out a sigh of relief. Her familiar tone of disdain was laced with an undeniable concern.
"I'm back, aren't I? I went through hell and high water to see you all again!"
Seeing that they were all well put a huge relief in my heart, and my tone became noticeably lighter.
"If you hadn't come back, we thought you wouldn't. Ke Xin was already preparing to bury your clothes in the ground, to make an honorary tomb!"
Luo Yaqin's eyes were filled with a smile, her ample chest heaving with emotion. It seemed that if the others weren't around, she would have thrown herself into my arms.
"It's a long story, like a child without a mother. This trip was truly thrilling. Let's not stand here; let's go inside and talk."
I led the girls into the largest hut in the camp, then began to recount my experiences in the Du'an tribe.
"So, the gods that the savages worship are real? You're not kidding me, are you? How can gods exist in this world!"
Shangguan Yao's small mouth hung open, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"Did the savages on this island take a wrong turn in their technological development? They have ways to control people's minds and can achieve immortality?"
Luo Yaqin also looked skeptical.
"Who would believe it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes and experienced it myself? If someone told me this, I definitely wouldn't believe it."
I said with a bitter smile, spreading my hands in a gesture of helplessness.
Honestly, when I learned that the Grand Priest's methods and the Shepherd God were real, my worldview was shattered. It was like the shock people felt over a hundred years ago when they first saw an airplane fly into the sky.
"If you want to hear more, I'll tell you in detail tonight. By the way, where's Hai Er?"
As I was talking, I suddenly realized Guan Hai'er was missing and asked about her.
But as soon as I spoke, everyone's expression became unnatural.