We had a simple lunch of boiled cassava around noon, and the atmosphere among the few of us gathered around the campfire was somber.
After eating, we rested for a while.
I then asked Guan Hai'er to grab her weapon and accompany me to find food.
Luo Yaqin seemed a bit reluctant and pleaded to go along, "Is it safe with just the two of you? Why don't you take me too?"
I lowered my head and whispered in her ear, "You are the one I trust the most right now. Stay here with Shangguan Yao and Qu Xiangyun and watch over our remaining food. We can't afford to lose any more."
Luo Yaqin obediently agreed, stood on her tiptoes, and straightened my collar.
Qu Xiangyun, standing nearby, also gravely cautioned me to be careful.
I packed all my gear, put on my military coat, and left the cave with Guan Hai'er.
Perhaps we had used up all our luck in the morning. We searched several places but only found some sour berries.
Guan Hai'er looked at the sun and said to me with some disappointment, "Brother Ye, are we going back like this?"
Of course, we couldn't just go back.
The weather was getting colder, and there wasn't much time left for us to find food.
I thought for a moment and made up my mind.
"Let's go and explore deeper into the forest."
This area was truly vast. We had only ever stayed near the cave before, never venturing deep into the woods. We didn't know what dangers awaited us.
But the situation was urgent, and we couldn't afford to hesitate!
As I walked, I felt an itch on my waist, as if something was crawling on me. I lifted my shirt.
A black ant was scurrying across my well-defined abdominal muscles. I pinched the ant with my fingers and flicked it onto the ground, then casually touched my abs.
While I used to exercise frequently when I was working, I couldn't help but have some excess fat.
In less than a month since arriving on the island, my abs were clearly visible.
Alas, such a good physique, and only Qu Xiangyun wants to admire it. It feels like a waste.
A sense of melancholy suddenly washed over me.
Guan Hai'er's eyes had been fixed on my abs from the moment I lifted my shirt.
Her cheeks unknowingly flushed, and I wondered what she was thinking.
Seeing me look at her, she quickly pretended to have seen nothing.
If you want to look, just look openly. I wouldn't mind.
The path in the forest was difficult. The ground was covered with decaying leaves, and we were often tripped by protruding roots.
We walked for an unknown amount of time, only noticing that the sun had fallen halfway in the sky.
Gradually, I felt the temperature rising. If it was the dead of winter near our cave, then here it was already spring.
Indeed, my initial thought was correct!
We must move to the central part of the island as soon as possible.
This island was truly strange; the further inland we went, the higher the temperature became.
As I was pondering this, Guan Hai'er suddenly grabbed my hand.
"Brother Ye, look! What is that up ahead!"
I looked up and saw a pheasant foraging leisurely in the grass not far in front of us.
"Oh ho!" I immediately became excited. It was worth our long journey; we had finally found an animal.
I gestured for Guan Hai'er to be quiet and slowly approached the pheasant.
The pheasant seemed oblivious to the approaching danger, still pecking at food.
When we were close enough, I signaled to Guan Hai'er. She suddenly sprang forward like a leopard, lunging at the pheasant.
The pheasant was also surprisingly agile. Sensing the threat behind it, it spread its wings and flapped forward several meters.
How could I let this meal escape?
I aimed and threw my alloy knife, which flashed through the air.
It landed precisely in the pheasant's back.
The pheasant flopped to the ground, silent.
Guan Hai'er picked up the pheasant and happily returned to me, her face beaming, "Brother Ye, this chicken is so plump! We'll have a feast!"
I managed a slight smile. The pheasant indeed looked heavy. I took it, placed it in the bamboo basket on my back, and continued forward with Guan Hai'er.
Not far ahead, we suddenly heard the faint sound of flowing water from behind the bushes.
I pushed aside the foliage and saw a pool of water.
Beside the pool were some black stones that glinted in the water's reflection.
I walked to the edge of the pool and picked up a stone, weighing it in my hand.
It was obsidian of very high purity!
A sense of surprise filled me. Obsidian was extremely hard and was a good material for crafting sharp weapons in ancient times. If polished, it would be no less effective than the alloy knife I held now. This would be a backup weapon for the future.
I picked out the largest piece of obsidian and put it in the basket. Guan Hai'er, who was squatting by the water's edge, suddenly called out to me in surprise.
I went over to Guan Hai'er, and she asked me to put my hand into the water.
Was there something strange about this water?
I put my hand in and stirred it.
The water didn't have the usual coldness of a normal pond. Instead, it was warm!
It was more like a large hot spring!
Guan Hai'er hesitated for a moment and then said, "Brother Ye, we haven't had a proper bath in a long time. Since this water is warm, why don't we... take a bath?"
"Huh?"
Guan Hai'er's suggestion caught me by surprise. I had always treated Guan Hai'er like a sister. I hadn't expected her to suggest bathing together!
I instinctively wanted to refuse, but Guan Hai'er grabbed my arm and began to act spoiled.
"Brother Ye, just this once. I haven't bathed in so long, and my back feels so itchy. Can you help me scrub it?"