Let’s put aside the matters on the won’s island for now.
Over to Chen Wen.
After getting so sleep, he felt much better.
"What should I do this afternoon?"
Sitting in front of the fire, Chen Wen tended to the flas as thoughts raced through his mind.
Should he continue foraging by the sea for food and gather so supplies?
Or perhaps explore the surrounding area?
Or prepare signals for rescue?
But after pondering for a long ti, Chen Wen couldn’t think of anything urgently necessary to do.
"Food isn’t pressing, there’s still so left; I can continue gathering by the sea tomorrow noon. As for exploring, it’s not worth the physical effort now; and the rescue signals, they’re already here."
Chen Wen looked at the pile of coconut shells and greenish branches beside him.
If soone conducted a search and rescue operation, piling these onto the fire would surely produce bold smoke.
"Why not go get so coconuts?"
Looking at the coconut shells, Chen Wen suddenly thought.
Water is the source of life. On a tropical deserted island, survival without water is impossible.
Though Chen Wen had so cola, it was no match for freshwater.
Picking so coconuts was a way to replenish the water supply.
Chen Wen made up his mind.
...
anwhile, on another part of the island.
"While exploring the woods, we found a large coconut grove on the northwest beach."
A mber of the n’s exploration team reported their discovery, "We haven’t found freshwater yet, but those coconuts should last us a long ti."
After so discussion, the n’s team unanimously decided to pick coconuts.
Three stayed behind, and the remaining seven headed to the coconut grove.
...
Back to Chen Wen.
After adding so fuel to the fire, he packed his suitcase and started dragging it towards the coconut grove.
Chen Wen’s landing spot was on the northern beach of the island, slightly to the east.
The coconut grove he found was in the southwest direction.
This was a very large coconut grove, covering nearly the entire northwest part of the island.
Chen Wen decided against going too deep into it.
He opted to traverse through the island’s jungle and pick coconuts from the grove’s edge.
Before entering the jungle, Chen Wen found a straight stick to use as a walking stick.
On such a densely vegetated tropical island, a walking stick is an essential tool for navigating the jungle.
Once ready, Chen Wen began his journey into the jungle.
But after just a few steps, Chen Wen’s expression changed slightly.
"Mosquitoes."
As Chen Wen passed by a shrub, a large swarm of mosquitoes was stirred awake.
They buzzed loudly, swarming like a cloud.
"Ugh... ptooey!"
Chen Wen spat out a mosquito that had flown into his mouth and promptly closed it.
He had forgotten about the mosquitoes.
Chen Wen thought to himself.
The jungle on a tropical island is humid and warm.
It’s a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes.
There was a simple way to avoid contact with them.
But Chen Wen wasn’t really keen on doing so.
Perhaps he should take a detour?
He contemplated, planning an alternative route in his mind.
But soon, Chen Wen abandoned the idea of taking a detour.
Detouring would an a much longer journey and passing through the northwest cape of the island.
With uncertainty about when rescue would arrive, Chen Wen knew he had to conserve his energy.
"I’ll have to use that thod!"
Resolute, Chen Wen searched the area.
A mont later, amidst the buzzing sound.
Chen Wen arrived at a soft muddy area.
He grimaced as he scooped up a handful of blackened mud.
After ntally preparing himself, Chen Wen sared it onto his bare arms.
"Ugh~"
Chen Wen couldn’t help but retch.
The musty sll of the deposited mud filled his nostrils.
Truly, this muddy patch is too moldy!
Chen Wen made light of his plight, quickly covering his exposed skin with mud.
Soon enough.
Chen Wen—primal version, officially online.
Covered in mud, Chen Wen sped up his pace.
A mosquito landed on Chen Wen.
It could sll the tantalizing scent.
Its instincts told it to climb up, extend its proboscis, and draw out nourishnt.
Doing so would provide the energy it needed for reproduction.
But just when it extended its proboscis, like a skilled surgeon, and tried to penetrate the skin.
The thick mud silently blocked it.
Mosquito: Damn! The mud’s walking now!
Watching the mosquito fly away as if it encountered a ghost, Chen Wen chuckled.
"I told you watching docuntaries had perks, see, didn’t they co in handy?"
Chen Wen once saw a docuntary about tribes in the Amazon Rainforest.
The people there covered themselves in mud to ward off mosquito bites.
They sotis even painted strange designs on their bodies.
He rembered this from way back then.
Who knew it would actually co in handy?
Having overco the mosquitoes, Chen Wen quickened his pace.
...
South of the coconut grove.
The seven mbers of the n’s team trudged through swarms of mosquitoes.
"So many mosquitoes!"
Soone frowned, covering their mouth and nose to prevent mosquitoes from flying in.
"Just bear with it. If it’s too much, take off your shirt and cover your head."
Soone suggested.
"Isn’t there any other way?"
One couldn’t help but ask, but only silence answered him.
Survival is so damn hard!
Everyone thought to themselves.
...
The won’s group.
Hua Yun, along with two others who chose to follow her, formally left the group.
Thus, the won’s group split into two.
After determining the island’s geography, Hua Yun led the two to the island’s southwest side.
"Let’s settle here in this clearing. You two gather so firewood, and we’ll start a fire later. I’ll go find so food."
After assigning tasks, Hua Yun, with her Recurve Bow, headed into the forest.
...
Back to Chen Wen.
He arrived beneath a coconut tree.
"It’s so tall!"
Chen Wen squinted up at the coconuts above.
A quick glance told him that the coconut trees on this island were about fifteen ters tall on average.
Which ant if he wanted fresh coconuts, Chen Wen would have to climb four or five stories high.
Chen Wen could climb trees.
But it was his first ti climbing one this tall.
Maybe he should try throwing stones to knock so down?
Chen Wen lowered his head to look for stones on the ground.
But soon enough, he made a discovery under the coconut trees.
"Were these coconuts blown down by the wind?"
Chen Wen picked up a coconut and shook it by his ear a couple of tis.
There was water!
His face lit up; if these coconuts were drinkable, he wouldn’t need to climb the tree.
Chen Wen found a rock with a sharp edge and started banging the coconut onto it.
After a few tallic clangs, the hard shell of the coconut dented.
Chen Wen took out his Swiss army knife and chiseled around the dent a few tis.
Soon, he had opened a small hole in the coconut shell.
Chen Wen brought the small opening to his lips and tilted his head back to drink.
But before the coconut water reached his mouth, Chen Wen noticed sothing was off.
A sour, foot-like stench filled his nostrils.
"What the heck is this sll?"
Chen Wen grimaced and tossed the coconut aside.
The yellowish coconut water dripped from the small opening.
"It’s spoiled! Damn!"
Chen Wen shook his head in disappointnt.
"It seems most coconuts on the ground are spoiled and can’t be consud due to the risk of diarrhea."
"I rember a docuntary ntioning the importance of avoiding any risk of diarrhea in the wild because it could lead to weakness or even dehydration; the ones on the ground are undrinkable!"
"If I want fresh coconut water, I’ll have to climb the tree!"
...
South of the coconut grove.
After a long trek, the seven n overca the mosquitoes and reached their destination.
"So many coconuts!"
A mber from the mainland was pleasantly surprised.
Soone found coconuts at the base of a tree and excitedly picked them up.
Since landing on the island, they hadn’t had any water to drink.
Now that they had a water source, everyone eagerly cracked open the coconuts.
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