Chapter 107
Chapter 107
The group set off once more.
Before leaving, they gathered more bananas and some coconuts from the ground.
Considering tonight’s dinner and two servings of lunch for tomorrow, they picked significantly more bananas this time than they had yesterday.
Each person took responsibility for their own food. Afterward, the group descended the mountain and headed toward another peak behind it.
The mountains here were all quite similar-plenty of trees, but fruit trees were few and far between. They did find one unknown fruit tree, but since they couldn’t determine if its fruit was edible, everyone ignored it.
Previously, when looking for a place to stay, their main consideration was whether it could block the wind. Now, they had to add another requirement: they needed two types of mediums.
As a result, even fewer locations met their criteria. Left with no choice, they had to abandon the wind-blocking requirement in favor of the more important transmission mediums.
After wandering around, the group returned to the coast at approximately four or five o’clock.
They decided to set up a temporary camp near the boundary where the beach met the grass.
With yesterday’s experience under their belts, everyone was familiar with the routine. Without Lu Jing even having to speak, the group began to get busy, working much more efficiently than they had the day before.
After Mu Xin and the others finished laying out the grass, they took another walk along the shore.
The tide ebbed and flowed, but there was still no edible food to be found by the sea. To be honest, considering the Green Bubbles had emerged from the seawater earlier, even if they did find seafood, no one would dare eat it for the time being.
Night fell quickly.
They kept the same watch shifts for the first and second halves of the night as yesterday. However, this time, everyone huddled around the fire; except for Xia Zeqin, no one went to rest.
Seeing that it was getting late, Xia Zeqin ate some bananas to fill his stomach and then decisively exchanged his Points for a Tent and a Down Jacket. He didn’t seem to care at all that the second exchange cost slightly more than the first.
Once he set up his Tent, he ignored everyone else and went straight inside to sleep.
At that moment, Lin Junruo felt a twinge of envy.
If she were still following Xia Zeqin, would she be able to share his supplies right now?
But Lin Junruo quickly tossed the thought out of her mind. Was she crazy? Why would she want to be with Xia Zeqin when she had Qin Nan? Wasn’t Jian Fan great? Wasn’t Mu Xin wonderful?
Lin Junruo silently huddled closer to Mu Xin.
Qin Nan, Jian Fan, Qin Weiyi, and Lu Jing still had their Down Jackets. The others weren’t so lucky. They could only huddle by the fire, shivering and pressing against their companions to share warmth.
Points were precious. While they were willing to spend them the first time, it was painful to spend them a second time on the exact same item.
Besides, what if there was another Airdrop?
The reason everyone was staying awake was to wait for tonight’s Airdrop.
Qi Shuping was the first to give up.
She directly exchanged for a Tent and a Down Jacket.
“You two girls, why don’t you come and squeeze in with me?” Qi Shuping said to Mu Xin and Lin Junruo.
Neither of them was foolish enough to refuse. They immediately nodded and thanked Qi Shuping.
The three of them soon huddled inside the Tent. Although it was still a bit cold, it blocked the wind, and since the Tent was pitched right next to the fire, Mu Xin and Lin Junruo already felt much warmer.
Qi Shuping spread out the Down Jacket and said, “We’ll have to make do. Just use this Down Jacket as a blanket.”
Mu Xin hurriedly waved her hands. “Professor Qi, there’s no need. We already feel bad enough imposing on your Tent. You should wear the Down Jacket yourself to stay warm. We’re more resilient to the cold; it’s fine.”
Qi Shuping was an elder; she needed the warmth more.
Lin Junruo quickly followed suit and expressed the same sentiment.
Seeing this, Qi Shuping didn’t force the issue. She wrapped herself in her Down Jacket and lay down fully clothed to sleep.
Mu Xin and Lin Junruo shared a look before lying down as well. Although it was still a bit cold, the two of them huddled together for warmth and scooted closer to Qi Shuping. It seemed this night wouldn’t be so unbearable after all.
With the three women asleep, the others remained wide awake.
Orange Hair looked at the only Tent with immense envy. “I wish I were a girl.”
“Go to sleep. You can have whatever you want in your dreams,” Yellow Hair quickly retorted.
Orange Hair curled his lip, then rubbed his hands together against the cold. He looked at Yellow Hair. “Why don’t you just exchange for a Tent? It’s too cold. We have experience now; when the next Poison Circle comes, we’ll just pack the Tent up first and run with it, right? It’s cost-effective if we use it multiple times.”
Yellow Hair also shuddered from the cold.
The Airdrop they were hoping for had yet to appear.
Moreover, the place they were stationed today wasn’t far from yesterday’s spot. An Airdrop likely wouldn’t land in such a similar location twice.
Thinking of this, Yellow Hair grit his teeth and exchanged his Points for a Tent.
As soon as the Tent appeared, the two of them hurriedly set it up and dove inside.
With the cold wind no longer biting at them, both let out a heavy sigh of relief.
Comfortable.
Five people remained outside.
Qian Xing looked at the four people wrapped in Down Jackets and felt that not only was his body cold, but his heart was cold too. It wasn’t the hardship itself that hurt, but the comparison. This comparison made Qian Xing feel particularly miserable.
He also entertained the thought of spending his Points.
But he wasn’t Xia Zeqin, who didn’t care about Points at all; nor was he Qi Shuping, who possessed a mountain of Points; and he didn’t have a partner to cooperate with like Yellow Hair and Orange Hair.
But if he didn’t use his Points, what else could he do?
It was already freezing, and now, watching his companions, even if he could have endured it before, the psychological blow was becoming a physical ache.
Qian Xing agonized over it back and forth before finally choosing to exchange for a Tent.
He had exchanged for a Down Jacket yesterday, so he could still get the Tent for the original Points cost today. For Qian Xing, this was perhaps his only consolation.
Just as Qian Xing brought the Tent out, Lu Jing stood up and walked over to help. As he did, he said, “You’ll have some extra space in there by yourself. Can you take Xiao Qin in with you?”
Qian Xing: “???”
You can just hitch a ride like that?
Qin Weiyi was sitting by the Fire. Seeing Qian Xing look over, he cooperated by flashing a child-like smile.
Qian Xing finally understood.
No wonder Qin Weiyi and Lu Jing hadn’t made a move; were they just waiting for him?
It made sense. Xia Zeqin would definitely get his own, and Yellow Hair and Orange Hair were a pair. That left him as a lone wolf with nothing. Between a Down Jacket and a Tent, the Tent was clearly a better deal for him. Therefore, Qin Weiyi could completely avoid using his own Points by mooching off his Tent.
Qian Xing: “…”
Looking at the Tent in his hands, Qian Xing shed a silent tear for his Points, but he still nodded.
Could he even say no?
He was only giving up a small bit of floor space, but in exchange, he could get on the good side of Qin Weiyi and Lu Jing. It wasn’t a losing deal.
Qian Xing comforted himself with that thought.
After getting Qin Weiyi settled, Lu Jing returned to the Fire. Leaning against a nearby log, he closed his eyes to doze. As for Qin Nan and Jian Fan, they needed to keep watch for the first half of the night.
As for the second half… they would cross that bridge when they got to it. Who knew? Maybe an Airdrop would show up by then.
Regardless, having Down Jackets was enough for them for now.
As for the other person on the first watch, Yellow Hair, he wasn’t actually asleep yet. However, now that he had hidden inside the Tent, getting him to come back out was impossible-absolutely impossible in this lifetime.