It wasn't a shipwreck; from a distance, it looked like a temple.
However, this temple was in disarray, with only rough-hewn stones lying scattered about.
There was nothing else around, yet I could tell these were man-made traces.
In other words, there were signs of human activity here before.
I circled the pile of ruins completely but found nothing.
Apart from feeling the Shepherd God's power rejoice, I discovered nothing else.
I was about to continue my investigation when I felt I couldn't endure underwater any longer and quickly swam upwards.
Seeing me surface, Lin Chun and the others breathed a sigh of relief.
"Brother Lu, we thought you wouldn't make it back..." Lin Chun was the first to speak, his words conveying genuine concern.
"Don't worry," I said with a smile. To be honest, I wanted to explore further, but I could see they weren't in good condition, and continuing to be exposed to the sun like this would likely lead to exhaustion.
Most importantly, we were running low on fuel and might need to rely on manual labor.
Therefore, everyone's state was paramount.
"How about this, let's head back first," I suggested.
"Okay!" Lin Chun nodded. "But... the direction..."
"That way..." I pointed ahead, and then, my Shepherd God's power coalesced, enveloping me.
I could clearly feel the faint trace of Shepherd God's power I had left along the way.
While it couldn't serve any other purpose, it was perfect for marking the direction.
I had also left some of my Shepherd God's power around the temple ruins earlier. I was definitely coming back to this place.
However, the next time I returned, I would be thoroughly prepared.
If possible, I hoped to bring that large ship over, which would allow us to stay in such a place for a while!
Indeed, by the time our lifeboat had traveled halfway, it was completely out of fuel.
At this point, the two mercenaries who had been with us scrambled to row.
Lin Chun didn't stop them. A large part of why we found ourselves in this predicament was due to these two.
So, there was no problem with them wanting to make amends.
With me guiding the way, we spent nearly half a day and a night before finally seeing the silhouette of the ship at dawn.
By then, all of us were utterly exhausted. Fortunately, we still had plenty of food.
After replenishing our energy, we didn't reach the shore until noon.
Seeing our return, the mercenaries on shore, the women, and the savages let out cheers.
In the crowd, I spotted Luo Yaqin at once.
She looked extremely haggard, as if she hadn't slept for days and nights.
I hurried over, held her tightly with concern, and kissed her gently on the cheek. "It's alright now. Get some rest..."
Luo Yaqin held onto me, not saying a word.
After this ordeal, the mercenaries became exceptionally well-behaved.
They had to report in advance before going out or making any important decisions.
After all, no one could guarantee that I would be able to find them in the vast ocean.
However, I still couldn't shake the thought of the temple.
Regardless, at that place, I had sensed an affinity with the Shepherd God's power.
It was highly likely that something beneath held great importance to the Shepherd God's power, or at least offered some benefit.
Such a thing was not something I could afford to miss.
Thus, another half a month passed, and life largely remained unchanged.
If there was anything new, it was that Lin Chun had found a woman who had previously studied design. He had her redesign our living area.
It now included streets, a basement, and a drainage system. Defensive fortifications were built around it, forming a city wall.
Of course, all of this was still based around the camp, with the operations spreading outwards.
In any case, those who had felt restless before now had something to do.
And this time, the construction was even more robust than before.
Lin Chun led a group of people into the mountains behind us for several days. He then excitedly ran back, placing several stones before me.
"What is this?" I asked.
"If these stones are fired, they can be made into lime!" Lin Chun was very enthusiastic. "Using lime to build walls will make them even stronger!"
I nodded and entrusted the matter to him.
Defensive fortifications were essential, not only to prevent shelling from the outside but also because there were many savages on this deserted island.
Should they attack us, within these city walls, we could ensure our safety!