Chapter 408: Isn

Jiang Dahai's tiger‑like body shivered, and suddenly it felt as if all his teeth had been knocked out.

He struggled a bit, feeling guilty, and voluntarily ran in the direction away from Lu Yang.

"Lu Yang, why don't you just come to our group three and team up with us? Being alone on the island, you can't find food or water, it's hard to keep going, right?"

"No need, I'm fine on my own."

"What happened before was our fault; don't take it to heart."

Xu Ce also came up, wanting to welcome him and give him a hand.

Lu Yang still shook his head: "What's past is past, it was just a misunderstanding; if anything happens, or you're starving to the point you can't bear it, you can come find me in the south."

Watching Lu Yang disappear into the nearby thicket, Xu Ce and the others from the three groups were completely baffled.

They haven't even solved their own food and water issues, and they still want to help solve his problems?

At this moment, a "dying‑for‑face" label was added to him.

From Xu Ce and the other two's perspective, Lu Yang's refusal was simply because he couldn't bring himself to lose face.

"A tree lives by its bark, a person lives by their face; let him be."

"Ah, actually I think he's pretty nice; when we first landed, he even gave me a mint candy."

"I said, at that time, why did your mouth smell so fresh? I thought you'd found wild mint."

"No, I didn't share the candy; I ate it alone. You're being way too selfish, kid."

"Um, mainly I was afraid you wouldn't like it, plus it was just a tiny bit."

"Alright, stop arguing; let's set the tasks for today and tomorrow, gather more water sources and food."

"Tomorrow, we'll check near the shallow reef for any shells that have washed up, crabs and other seafood."

Xu Ce analyzed: "We don't know how many more days this survival test will last; he treats it like a prolonged war. The instructors, aiming to select the best of the best, might want to eliminate a few more."

"As long as we can hold out to the end, we'll have a chance to be selected successfully; this is the ultimate test of endurance, perseverance, and survival ability, but I believe persistence is victory!"

"Come on!"

"Come on!"

The three gathered their Qi; behind the apparent unity lay a superficial cohesion.

Meanwhile, Lu Yang, walking through the dense forest, relaxed as if he were back in his living room.

He raised his hand, pulled down a segment of water vine from above, cut off a piece with his dagger, and tilted his head back to drink the sweet sap flowing from the cut.

Bending down, he casually plucked an unknown red flower from the ground, tossed it into his mouth, sucked the honey inside, and felt a slight boost.

Then he reached the leeward slope on the right side of the southern cliff, walked down a stretch, passed a short, narrow, steep hazardous section, and arrived at a "paradise beyond the world."

It was a naturally formed stone cave; the space wasn't large, but it was enough to shelter from wind and rain.

Inside the cave were traces of previous habitation; the walls were densely covered with the character "zheng," numbering several hundred.

That means someone once lived alone on the island for thousands of days and nights; these stone‑etched marks are the best proof.

Lu Yang discovered this spot after acquiring the "Master‑Level Survival Skill," following a series of clues.

Because it's extremely concealed and requires traversing a dangerous narrow passage where a misstep could cause a fall, it remains undiscovered.

Thus, this has become Lu Yang's secret base these past days.

He never had the habit of sticking his warm face on a cold butt, so he wouldn't be foolish enough to share it.

Earlier, the reason he gave Tu Hongwei a hand was because the other party had proactively shown goodwill toward him.

Although the guy is a "hot‑headed bro," the two sides had a minor misunderstanding, but Lu Yang didn't suffer any loss.

Moreover, he was indeed itching to act, wanting to crush Bai Yuan's prestige, to avenge being squeezed out, deliberately fostering resentment against himself.

Lu Yang plopped onto a "cool mat" woven from banana leaves, with a cool pillow beside it, perfect for sleeping and resting.

In a corner of the cave were piles of wild vegetables, wild fruits, edible wild mushrooms, and even a deformed iron pot.

The item had been washed ashore by the waves; after Lu Yang picked it up and found it usable, he used it to cook.

Next to it was a burnt‑out fire pit; scraping away the ash revealed wild beans roasted by residual ember heat.

These beans are poisonous raw or boiled; only after roasting, then boiling and sun‑drying, grinding into powder can they be eaten.

Lu Yang strictly followed the steps, ensuring he wouldn't be poisoned; the taste wasn't great, but the starch, fat, and bean protein provided ample nutrition.

At that moment, Lu Yang actually missed the chaotic nutritional supplements Kong Long gave him; on this bird‑free island, a cup of protein powder and a spoon of vitamins can quickly replenish a day's energy.

Lu Yang stared off for a while, then pulled a pack of cigarettes from behind the pillow.

He struck a flint with his dagger to spark a flame and lit the cigarette.

Then, like an old gentleman, he crossed his legs and inhaled clouds of smoke into the air.

Lu Yang isn't addicted to cigarettes; he smoked rarely before, but for some reason, ever since arriving here he's intensely craving this drag.

Perhaps because it staves off hunger; perhaps only the scent of nicotine lets him recall that he's still part of civilized society, preventing him from becoming a complete savage.

Clang clang!

The clatter of a soda can being struck rang out.

Lu Yang, cigarette in his mouth, hurried to the small platform on the left side of the cave.

Below was the sea; he habitually, before heading out each day, tosses a "net" down to see if he can snag anything good.

The soda can was also found on the beach; tossing a stone into it turned it into the most convenient alert device.

The fishing "net" is woven from plant roots and stems, together with fine vines that have been unraveled.

It can't match industrial synthetic fibers, but here it barely suffices.

To lure nearby fish, Lu Yang even professionally pre‑made a bait cluster, hand‑kneading a "Scatter Bomb."

This highly atomized bait, he concocted using experience from his skill, mixing various things found on the island, including human feces.

Anyone who was a fish in a past life knows that human feces on land are nutrient‑rich—truly authentic, a rare treasure!

Lu Yang hurriedly retrieved the net; rather than a net, it resembled a cage.

Feeling the heavy weight in his hand, he immediately felt a surge of joy.

There's a chance!

Sure enough, when the net was hauled up, the seafood inside made Lu Yang laugh until snot bubbles spurted out.

Four fish of different forms, three crabs, and, to top it off, a giant lobster as long as a forearm.

"Got it, got it!" Lu Yang rubbed his hands, laughing like a blooming flower.

Since tomorrow's a holiday, shouldn't I whip up a three‑dish‑and‑soup feast to reward myself?

As for whether these seafood dishes will end up bland and tasteless?

That won't happen.

Lu Yang immediately grabbed a pack of instant noodles, licking his tongue: "For the final staple, I'll finish with a serving of braised beef‑flavored seafood mixed noodle!"