I also saw them tending to a sizzling hot frying pan, with uncooked mushrooms placed nearby, likely the source of the aroma.
Seeing they paid me no mind, I initiated the conversation, "Are you survivors of the plane crash?"
Several women seated by the frying pan offered no response. Instead, they hurried to a tent and spoke softly to someone inside.
A lazy male voice drifted out from the tent, followed by a man emerging from it.
He appeared to be in his early thirties, fair-skinned with reasonably well-defined features.
However, his small eyes marred his overall appearance, making him look rather sleazy.
He stretched lazily and ambled towards us, his tone arrogant, "Who are you? Where do you come from?"
The man's small eyes continuously scrutinized both me and Zhuo Ya.
Because we had been traversing the forest for the past two days, coupled with the recent rain, our clothes were covered in dust, making us look quite disheveled.
"I am someone who was stranded on this island," I replied.
The small-eyed man seemed to deem me of little value. He grunted an "oh" and then pulled the women beside him into his embrace, starting to flirt.
Seeing the man's indifferent attitude towards us, the women no longer looked at me, their faces beaming as they tried to please him.
His attitude sparked a surge of anger within me.
However, I didn't react. Understanding the outside situation was more important than a pointless argument.
Judging by the tent the man had emerged from, it seemed to house a considerable amount of supplies. And observing the women's demeanor towards him, they were likely dependent on him for survival.
Although I had long adapted to the island's natural law where the strong possess everything, these people, having only been stranded for two days, had already cast aside the rules of modern society.
This was something I had never anticipated.
Besides this sleazy man, there were two other groups.
One group consisted of a man wearing glasses and three women.
This bespectacled man was far more pleasant to look at than the sleazy one, and he didn't force anything upon the two women.
However, I keenly detected the greed in his eyes. This man was much like Liu Bowen, a cunning old fox who devours others without spitting out bones!
The last group appeared rather pathetic, composed of three women.
They seemed to be severely lacking in supplies, sitting on the ground whispering amongst themselves while surreptitiously eyeing the instant noodles beside the sleazy man.
One of the women caught my attention, and I couldn't help but look at her a second time.
She was remarkably calm, as if the current predicament was not a significant matter for her.
Suddenly, this woman sparked my interest.
After all, this was the first time I had seen a woman with such composure after being stranded on a deserted island.
Then again, these people had a much better start than we did when we first arrived on this nameless island. Back then, we couldn't even guarantee basic sustenance daily, and it was only through my painstaking efforts of foraging for food that we managed to progress to where we are today.
Having assessed the composition of these factions, I prepared to leave.
After all, I wasn't someone who would shamelessly try to curry favor.
However, the sleazy man seemed to have noticed Zhuo Ya's face. He suddenly stiffened, got up from the ground, and approached us with a broad smile.
"Oh my, brother, my apologies for my oversight. Please, sit down and let's eat something together. You both look travel-worn and must be starving!"
Although the sleazy man directed his words at me, his gaze was constantly fixed on Zhuo Ya behind me, as if he wanted to bore holes into her.
What kind of toad dares to have designs on Zhuo Ya!
At this moment, the bespectacled man, who was a little further away from me, also approached us.
"Brother, don't listen to his nonsense. He's not a good person! I have everything you need here. Why don't you come and sit with us."
The bespectacled man appeared sincere, but if it weren't for the undisguised greed in his eyes, I might have actually believed him.
It seems both of these scoundrels have their eyes on Zhuo Ya's beauty, and neither is a good sort!
I've encountered plenty of such individuals, both in companies and on this island – bullies who resort to threats and manipulation, preying on the weak!
But then again, even when I first saw Zhuo Ya, I was deeply captivated by her. After all, a beauty with a youthful face and a mature figure is a rare sight.
Compared to Zhuo Ya, all the other women present paled in comparison.
Upon hearing the bespectacled man's words, the sleazy man grew agitated. He reached out to grab the bespectacled man by the collar, only to be pushed away.
"Don't you dare slander me! Do you think I owe you any respect! You useless spectacle-wearing fool!"
The bespectacled man also became enraged upon hearing this, and the two of them began to exchange sarcastic barbs.
Dogs fighting dogs, ending up with the same dirty mouths.
You two are both utterly useless!
I couldn't be bothered with these two clowns squabbling amongst themselves. I walked directly between them and headed towards the woman who had piqued my interest.