I exchanged a look of helplessness with Shangguan Yao and sat down as well.
At the moment, I only felt physical exhaustion, but Shangguan Yao and Zhuoya were chatting animatedly.
I had to admit, Zhuoya's linguistic talent was extraordinary. She had spoken haltingly when we first met yesterday, but now she could communicate with us very fluently.
It truly showed the resilience of a CEO; she had recovered so quickly from such an awkward situation.
I didn't participate much in the girls' conversation, instead watching them chat with interest, chiming in occasionally.
Shangguan Yao and Zhuoya were talking about their former company matters with great enthusiasm. Zhuoya listened with surprise, exclaiming intermittently.
Watching Shangguan Yao's delicate face, I found myself drifting off.
Since arriving on the island, we had experienced so many dangers. Shangguan Yao and Luo Yaqin had become extremely important companions to me.
But the forest we were in now was so bizarre, and those people from Kasabdo were lurking in the shadows, ready to attack us at any moment.
I deeply felt my current abilities were still lacking. If a crisis truly arose, I couldn't guarantee the safety of the girls.
As I thought, I shifted my gaze to Zhuoya's face.
Zhuoya had survived alone on this dangerous island for so many years and was incredibly skilled.
What Zhuoya possessed was exactly what I was lacking.
I made up my mind to become stronger. So, I cleared my throat and interrupted their conversation.
"Zhuoya, can you teach me the language and fighting methods of the wild people tomorrow? After all, 'know your enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without defeat'."
Zhuoya thought for a moment and then readily agreed.
We three sat outside the cave for a while longer before returning inside to sleep.
As I was about to fall asleep, for some reason, the ferocious face of the wild man who had dragged me into the water appeared in my mind.
If I didn't become stronger, I would be the next one to be dragged down!
Therefore, I had to become strong!
The next morning, Zhuoya shook me awake from my slumber.
I groggily glanced outside, seeing that the sun had just risen. I was a bit bewildered, as everyone else was still fast asleep.
"Zhuoya, why did you wake me up so early?"
Zhuoya had already tidied her clothes and was fully equipped with a bow and arrows on her back.
She said to me with a serious expression, "Back in the tribe, I always went out hunting at this time. Brother Xiaoye, if you want to get familiar with them, you must also get used to this routine."
My head was still heavy with sleep, as it had only been a few hours since we finished chatting and returned to sleep.
But since Zhuoya had said so, and for the sake of being able to fight the wild people, I vigorously shook my head and got up from the ground.
"When heaven is about to confer a great office on any man, it will first exercise his heart through suffering, and his sinews and bones through toil..."
We quietly tiptoed out of the cave without waking the others. Zhuoya led me to a clearing not far away.
"Brother Xiaoye, come on, let's spar a bit with our bare hands so I can gauge your foundation."
Zhuoya put down her bow and arrow, spread her arms, and assumed a fighting stance.
If it were another girl, I might have felt a bit hesitant, worried about accidentally hurting her.
But although I hadn't personally witnessed Zhuoya's combat abilities, her stance when we faced the hunters before clearly showed she was no ordinary person.
This was a good opportunity for me to test my current level.
I stretched my limbs and attacked first, quickly closing the distance to Zhuoya's face and throwing a punch towards her temple.
Once we began fighting, there was no distinction between male and female. In my eyes, defeating Zhuoya was my only goal.
Zhuoya calmly dodged my punch with a sidestep, then dived down and kicked my knee.
I grunted, and a sharp ache shot through my knee, making me sway precariously.
Damn it, this little girl's strength was considerable.
But this only ignited the fighting spirit within me. I endured the soreness, grabbed Zhuoya's left arm, and tried to subdue her.
To my surprise, Zhuoya calmly followed my force, pulling me down onto the ground.
Less than a minute into the fight, Zhuoya and I were entangled, rolling around on the ground.
To an outsider, the situation might have seemed comical, perhaps like some strange foreplay.
But for me, involved in the struggle, it was anything but easy.
Zhuoya pressed down on me fiercely, her ample chest deformed by the pressure. My right hand was gripping Zhuoya's thigh, leaving deep red marks.
Her arms were wrapped around my neck, gradually tightening, trying to complete a lock.
If Zhuoya succeeded in her maneuver, I would be completely immobilized with no chance to resist.
So, I kept rolling, like a python coiling around its prey, trying to break free from Zhuoya's grip.
I caught a glimpse of Zhuoya's patient expression out of the corner of my eye; she seemed to be enjoying the thrill of subduing me bit by bit.
She was no longer the innocent wild girl from before, but a warrior capable of hunting beasts!
Damn it, what did Zhuoya eat to grow so strong?
How could she be stronger than me!
For a while, Zhuoya and I were at a stalemate, but as time passed, the scales of victory began to tip towards Zhuoya, and I was struggling to catch my breath.
"Lu Ziye! What are you doing to Zhuoya!"