Volume One, Chapter Six: Two More Members Join The Ranks

Chen Jing sat on the outer side with him, while Lin Yao sat in the middle. The cave was cramped, and due to the social boundaries between men and women, Ye Feng kept a significant distance from the two women, placing him directly opposite Chen Jing. As a result, every time he looked up, he could clearly see her every movement.

It was only at this moment that Lin Yao truly noticed Chen Jing. Although Chen Jing was an academic high-achiever, her appearance was far from ordinary. Her peach-blossom eyes, partially obscured by glasses, held an indescribable charm, and even in her loose, worn-out clothes, her explosive figure remained impossible to hide. Chen Jing also glanced at Lin Yao, her beautiful eyes filled with a flicker of curiosity about her relationship with Ye Feng.

Just then, the torrential rain, which had come and gone in a rush, ceased after less than five minutes.

"The branches here aren't enough to last the night, and the temperature has dropped significantly. If we don't dry our clothes quickly, it will be very easy to fall ill," Ye Feng said slowly as the rain stopped. "I'll go gather some more wood. You two should take off your clothes and dry them. If we want to survive, the first thing we must do is stay healthy."

"You're right. But Ye Feng, be careful. We'll be waiting for you here," the composed Chen Jing replied with a nod, her face filled with concern. That phrase "waiting for you" suddenly gave Ye Feng the strange feeling of a wife awaiting her husband's return. Lin Yao’s eyes were also filled with worry, but she knew Ye Feng was correct; they had to stay healthy to survive.

Ye Feng nodded, took his dagger and a sturdy branch, and stepped out. Shortly after he left, the two women exchanged glances before shyly taking off their damp clothes. Unfortunately, this beautiful sight was one Ye Feng would miss.

About two hours later, Ye Feng returned, carrying a bulging backpack. Because he was excited, he didn't realize the two women were still preoccupied with drying their clothes. As he approached, the startled women quickly covered themselves with their garments—though they didn't have time to put them back on. In the glow of the fire, their fair skin was far from concealed by the clothing. Ye Feng couldn't help but swallow hard.

"You dirty pervert! You scared me to death, turn around immediately!" Lin Yao exclaimed, her face flushed with indignation. Although Chen Jing remained silent, her blushing face revealed her inner turmoil.

"Cough, cough... I—I didn't mean to!" Ye Feng turned around quickly, moving a bit further away, and explained with some embarrassment, though the image of their fair skin remained etched in his mind.

About five minutes later, Lin Yao whispered, "Alright, you can come over now." Ye Feng, who had been suffering through the wait, finally breathed a sigh of relief and walked back.

"I managed to scavenge quite a few more supplies," Ye Feng said, excitedly taking off his backpack. But before he could finish his sentence, the sound of chaotic footsteps made the expressions of all three change drastically.

Ye Feng quickly drew his dagger. Holding the blade in his left hand and a wooden club in his right, he stared vigilantly at two approaching shadows. The cruise ship had carried many passengers, and he knew there must be other survivors. Although he was physically fit, he wasn't a trained fighter; if two adult men were to appear, he would be in serious danger.

However, as soon as that thought crossed his mind, he felt a slight sense of relief. The two figures running toward them were women.

"Are you survivors, too?"

The taller woman, who spoke, was dressed in a professional suit—a blazer and a black-silk skirt. Such attire was inherently provocative, and on this woman, whose figure was already explosive, it looked even more exaggerated. The black stockings only added to the allure. Even though Ye Feng thought Lin Yao’s figure was perfect, this woman in black silk had an even more statuesque build. While her face wasn't as pretty as Lin Yao's, she was undoubtedly a top-tier beauty.

Beside her was a young girl who wouldn't stop sobbing; she looked like a student. Both appeared haggard, their clothes dirty and covered in mud. Seeing their state, Ye Feng relaxed his guard and nodded. "Come over and warm yourselves by the fire. We are lucky to have survived this shipwreck."

"Thank you for taking us in!" The woman in black silk wiped the sweat from her forehead, her face filled with gratitude. The entire process of escaping the forest had been nerve-wracking, and she had sweated profusely without realizing it.

She introduced herself simply as Gao Fei'er, offering no further explanation. Even though they were all survivors, they were strangers, and no one knew what the others were thinking. Being brief was a form of self-protection.

"Little sister, no one could have predicted this. Since it has happened and we are still alive, at least we are fortunate," Lin Yao said, trying to comfort the sobbing girl, assuming she was traumatized by the wreck.

"Her name is Lin Xiaoxiao. It’s not just the shipwreck... her mother died in the disaster, and her father stayed behind to hold off two wolves so we could escape..." Gao Fei'er explained briefly. She didn't need to say more; the implication was clear.

A heavy, oppressive silence fell over the group. This kind of suffering was the hardest to bear; anyone would find it difficult to accept, let alone a girl like Lin Xiaoxiao.

"What your father did wasn't so you would cry, but so you would live on strongly. If you don't mind, stay with me. As long as I'm alive, you'll be safe," Ye Feng said softly as he walked over to Lin Xiaoxiao. Seeing someone so young endure such a tragedy stirred his protective instincts.

"Thank you, brother!" Lin Xiaoxiao wiped her tears and looked at him with gratitude.

"My name is Ye Feng. Just call me Ye Feng; I can't really handle being called 'brother'," Ye Feng smiled. Given the clothes Lin Xiaoxiao was wearing, even though they were covered in mud, he could tell she came from a wealthy family. As someone who was penniless, he possessed the self-awareness to know his place. This applied not just to her, but to the other women as well; aside from Chen Jing, who might have a more modest background, the others certainly came from well-off families.

"I’m going to gather some more wood. You all keep drying your clothes," Ye Feng said before turning to leave.

"Chen Jing, you know Ye Feng—what kind of person is he?" Lin Yao couldn't help but ask once he was gone. The other women looked at Chen Jing with similar curiosity. Since he was the only man among them, they needed to know what kind of person he was—especially since, beyond the dangers of the island, the man himself could be a threat.

"I’m embarrassed to say, I don’t really know him that well. I only know that I once saw him working part-time at a barbecue shop. That’s about all I know," Chen Jing said bashfully. They were classmates, yet she knew nothing of his circumstances.

"Part-time at a barbecue shop?"

"A diligent man can't be all bad. I believe in him!" Lin Yao said firmly. It wasn't for any other reason than the way Ye Feng had stepped forward on the cruise ship.

...

"Achoo!"

"No way, am I catching a cold? Or is someone cursing me?"

Ye Feng, who was searching through the wreckage for supplies, was caught off guard by a sudden sneeze. As if triggered by that sound, something responded—a sudden, sharp noise pierced the silence of the beach.

The unexpected sound startled Ye Feng, making him tense up instantly as he gripped his dagger tightly. The sound hadn't come from the direction of the island, but from the sea. Although it was muffled, he could tell it was nearby.

"Wooo—"

The sound rang out again, accompanied by the desolate sea breeze, and this time it was much clearer. He turned his head and saw an unknown object writhing and slowly moving in his direction. His scalp went numb, his heart pounded violently, and the hand holding the dagger began to tremble uncontrollably.