Chapter 237: The Storm in the Distance

Ning Qing opened her eyes and looked into the distance.

That person did not know where he had pulled out a simple and primitive-looking Long Sword from; the Long Sword was exceptionally sharp, slicing through stone like paper. With the help of this Divine Sword, he managed to cut out the stone slabs and stone stools he wanted from several large reefs. Then, one could see him carrying the stone slabs toward the earthen house with one hand while waving the Long Sword around with the other.

Ning Qing said nothing and closed her eyes.

A male sand crab was feeding on the beach. Compared to the female, it only had one feeding claw. At this moment, it was using this feeding claw to constantly dig up sand. After digging it into its mouth, it would spit out the parts that were not edible.

Caution and prudence were the key means for these little things to survive. Vigilance had already been carved into its instinctive reaction mechanism; it was constantly capturing the subtle changes in the sand and light.

A human walked over, and the vibration was transmitted through the beach.

Almost in an instant, the sand crab ran into its burrow.

Not until the beach became calm did it wait for a long time before leaving the burrow again to continue feeding.

Ning Qing opened her eyes.

On the beach not far away, a dining table had already been set up using stone slabs and stone stools, with two stone stools beside it. Chen Shu had specifically chosen light-colored, grayish-white stones so that this dining table would have a vacation-like feeling when paired with the seascape.

This person was currently building a pavilion.

Perhaps if he stayed a few more days, he would make a swing.

Ning Qing pursed her lips and closed her eyes again.

A sea fish darted rapidly through the shallow water area. This was one of its methods for avoiding predators; it was very effective, but the disadvantage was that it was prone to beaching.

It was lucky enough to escape this disaster.

A fish's memory is not just seven seconds, nor is it two or three seconds or a dozen seconds; this thing cannot be specifically quantified. Ning Qing's personal experience told her that although their memory is not as good as cats or dogs, it is not as exaggeratedly bad as that. They are simply low in intelligence and stupid. As reflected in their memory, there are some things they can remember for one or two months or two or three months, with the specific duration varying depending on the individual and the event itself, while there are other things they soon stop caring about.

Yes, they stop caring.

Just like this fish, it had just been chased by a big fish and had only rested for a moment before it started swimming around everywhere again as if nothing had happened.

It is impossible for them to be afraid forever.

Ning Qing opened her eyes again.

Not far away, a rustling sound continued incessantly.

That person was dragging a large bundle of bamboo from afar, the bamboo leaving obvious traces on the beach.

Ning Qing watched him silently for a while, watching him shave and cut the bamboo poles, peel out bamboo strips, and start to weave the doors and windows of the house in a proper manner. Ning Qing even faintly heard the singing he was humming; he was in a very good mood.

What kind of thought was this, then?

Ning Qing pondered for a while and closed her eyes again.

This time, she was a fierce carnivorous fish. Hunger drove it to wander around, searching for everything on its menu or anything it considered edible.

Ning Qing did not interfere too much with its behavior, only following it to patrol. In this process, she experienced its thinking, its feelings, the judgments and choices it would make under different circumstances, and the basis and conditions that prompted it to make such decisions.

The sky was getting later and later.

The sun became a bit gentler.

Their temporary residence had undergone certain changes.

Each earthen house was covered with multiple layers of banana leaves and had bamboo doors and windows that were inconvenient to open and close. They leaked wind, rain, and light; one could only say they were better than nothing.

The two countertops in the kitchen were covered with a layer of stone slabs, and the sides were embedded with many colorful stones and shells for decoration.

On the beach, there was an additional gazebo, two stone tables, and four stone stools. One of the stone tables and two stone stools were under the gazebo, while the other stone table and two stone stools were placed on the beach in front of the residence. He had also whittled a bamboo tube and placed it on the open-air stone table, with two wild flowers of the Rosaceae family inserted into it.

In front of the residence, there were also many colorful stones and shells piled up; this person probably wanted to embed all the walls of the houses.

Seeming to notice her gaze, this person turned his head to look at her and grinned, revealing a bright smile:

"How is it?"

Ning Qing showed no reaction to this, only looking at the sun, which was already very close to the sea level in the distance, and said to Chen Shu:

"It's going to be dark."

"Mm, I'm off work. Wait for me to go get some oysters and catch a fish."

"On the left, there are many."

"Aren't you unable to guess anymore?"

"I saw them."

"Oh, oh..."

Chen Shu nodded, took off his top in one go, and looked at Qingqing: "How is it? Is my physique great?"

"Average."

"This is still average? Look at my abs!"

"Average."

"Secretary Ning is so cold."

"..."

"Then what kind do you think is good? I'll accommodate you."

"All average."

"Then which kind do you like?"

"Any kind is fine as long as it's you."

"..."

What a fool.

Chen Shu twitched the corner of his mouth and walked to the left.

He stood on a reef, took a breath, cast a "Diving Technique," and plunged directly into the water.

The seawater was cold.

The underwater world was extremely colorful.

There were abalones and oysters growing on the reefs, swimming fish, mantis shrimp hiding under crevices, and sea crabs swimming like helicopters. The jellyfish looked as if they were floating in the sky, and the coral reefs were a sanctuary for small fish.

Many fish do not recognize humans, so they have no fear at all; seeing Chen Shu at the bottom of the water, they even dare to swim close to observe him.

The sky darkened once again.

A bonfire was lit by the seaside.

Chen Shu gathered thirty oysters and caught one pomfret.

The method for the oysters was quite simple: after purging the sand and cleaning them thoroughly, he spooned a scoop of chopped chili on top and arranged them neatly in a circle beside the bonfire; the chopped chili had a small amount of minced garlic and ginger added during preparation, which was passable enough.

As for the pomfret, he made it in the spicy style he liked; after gutting it and scoring it with a knife, since there were no scallions or ginger, he had to use cooking wine to remove the fishy smell and grilled it slowly over a distant fire.

Then he heated up the leftovers from noon.

Although Chen Shu was a bit tired, he felt a great sense of accomplishment and sat by the fire eating with Qingqing.

"I rarely get to eat so many oysters," Ning Qing said softly.

"Are you satisfied?" Chen Shu asked with a smile.

"Satisfied."

"How is this way of making them? Is it tasty?"

"It's okay."

"Did you purge the sand out completely?"

"Occasionally there is one with a little bit."

"I also ate one with a little sand; next time I'll let them purge for longer," Chen Shu said, picking up another oyster from beside the fire; after finishing it, he flipped the grilled fish, brushed on some oil, and sprinkled it with cumin and chili powder, "When I'm done with my work, if you haven't left yet, I'll make a stone slab pot, and we can make pickled pepper or pickled vegetable flavored grilled fish."

"Okay."

A rumbling sound came from afar, as if it were coming from an extremely distant place.

Chen Shu looked in the direction of the sound; it was to the southeast of the island.

Is a storm starting over there?

Chen Shu picked up the grilled fish to check it and, feeling it was cooked, first divided half the meat for Qingqing, turning a deaf ear to her "I only need to eat a little" remark, and only then did he pick up the other half and start gnawing on it.

The taste was not bad, but it wasn't seasoned enough.

Next time he should marinate it for a while.

"Boom..."

Chen Shu turned his head to look into the distance, frowning.

Is the sound of a thunderstorm at sea like this?

The volcano happened to block his view, but he could still see a faint light coming from that direction, the light outlining the silhouette of the volcano.

It looked like lightning from very far away.

"Rumble..."

The dull sound continued incessantly.

However, it was already dark, and the forest was dense; it was impossible for a slacker like him to go up the volcano to check, so he had to temporarily suppress the doubt in his heart.

Of all things, eating is the most important.

Of the thirty oysters, Chen Shu ate twenty, plus half the fish, and most of the leftovers from noon also went into his stomach; he ate very contentedly.

Qingqing was responsible for washing the dishes.

Chen Shu looked left and right, took a bamboo pole, and used his finger to draw two Runes on one end; the Runes immediately lit up with a warm yellow light, and he stuck the bamboo pole into the sand, the faint yellow light barely covering the sand between the few houses.

This Rune could last for more than ten hours.

Chen Shu then walked to the door of each house in turn and also drew a Rune, making it glow with a soft light to illuminate a small area.

The night gained a bit more warmth.

After finishing all this, Chen Shu saw Qingqing come out after washing the dishes, standing in front of the two living quarters, and asked her:

"Which one do you want?"

"I'll take the one on the left; the one on the right is a bit better, so it'll be easier for me to come over and sleep later..." Chen Shu replied, "I've already put the bedding inside."

"..."

Ning Qing couldn't be bothered to respond to him and walked into the house on the right, using a Light Spell to make the room as bright as day.

The room was not big, but it could already shelter from the wind and rain.

A small bed, a table.

He had also placed a stone slab on the earthen table, with a somewhat perfunctory stone stool underneath.

It must be for her convenience to read.

This person is very thoughtful.

He even stuck a row of coral on the earthen wall, which could be used to hang clothes, towels, and so on.

He has quite a few tricks.

Ning Qing curled her lips into a smile and walked to the bedside.

On the hard bed made of yellow earth was a mattress, a military green foam mattress, with military green bedding and a pillow scattered on it; it was what she had shoved to Chen Shu when the warship was attacked, genuine Yiguo military supplies.

It was just a bit ugly.

Ning Qing pursed her lips, drew a circle in the air, reached her hand inside, and pulled out the two blankets she had brought, replacing the military green bedding.

This was much more comfortable.

Then she took out her toothbrush and toothpaste, placed them at the very back of the stone slab table, and hung her towel on a piece of coral; the crude house made of yellow earth started to look decent.

"..."

Ning Qing turned her head in silence.

Outside the bamboo-woven window, a head leaned close to the window, looking in through the gap: "Qingqing Qingqing, I'm going to brush my teeth."

Ning Qing waved her hand—

The toothbrush and toothpaste flew up, cut through the air, and shot toward him.

"That was close! I think you're trying to become a widow..."

"..."

"Oh my! You even brought your own blanket?"

"..."

"It looks very comfortable..."

"..."

"If you don't speak, I'm coming to sleep right next to you tonight!"

"Brush your teeth."

"Hurry up and tidy up, come out to cultivate together; it's so cool outside tonight!"

"..."

Ning Qing also drew a Luminous Rune inside the room; using this faint light was enough, so she dispersed the Light Casting Art and walked out.

The ocean was a sheet of pure black, so black it made one feel a bit of Fear; the booming roars from the southeast still arrived from time to time, with lights flickering intermittently, yet the sea breeze in this environment was exceptionally pleasant, and the person she admired walked boredly along the coastline, brushing their teeth as they walked.