The sun was now mid-morning, and the weather was pleasant. The sky was cloudless, and the rising sun provided just enough warmth to dispel the lingering chill.
Although he already had a rough plan, Zhang Liu instinctively started turning over stones near the rocky shoreline. The fishing videos he had seen—where clams, sea urchins, oysters, and scallops appeared in abundance—had left a strong impression on him.
After scouring a wide area, however, the only things he found were a few small items resembling sea snails.
Unsure of their edibility, Zhang Liu pocketed the questionable finds, mentally categorizing them as potential lunch items. He then continued walking toward the other side of the island, where he soon spotted a recessed area in the cliffside.
The depression in the rock face looked promising as a potential shelter, so Zhang Liu quickly approached to inspect it closely.
The opening was about two meters above the ground, just taller than his head, but climbable using nearby rocks as footholds.
His pants proved useful here, as his knees pressed against the rocky surface for leverage. With a strong push, Zhang Liu hoisted himself into the cavity.
The interior spanned about 20 square meters, littered with small stones and white sand.
Testing its viability, Zhang Liu picked up a rock and casually tossed it outside. The location seemed ideal, offering a clear view of the expansive sea below.
Although the area would be exposed to sea breezes at night, and the west-facing entrance would only catch the afternoon sun, it was still more comfortable than the previous night’s cramped spot among foam boards and stones.
“If we bring the foam boards here, sleeping should be much better,” Zhang Liu thought as he examined the rocky ceiling above.
Still, he had one lingering concern—why did this cave exist here? What if it suddenly collapsed while they were using it?
Carefully inspecting the ceiling, Zhang Liu saw no visible cracks. To be sure, he jumped up and pressed his hands against various points to check for any signs of looseness.
After a thorough round of tests, he was relieved to find the rock surface solid and sturdy.
“This should… be safe, right?”
As Zhang Liu cautiously climbed back down from the cave, a darker patch of rock three meters away caught his eye.
“Why is this area so much darker than the rest?”
A thought flashed through his mind. Could this be a sign of a water source?
Rushing over, Zhang Liu touched the rock surface, and a cool, damp sensation greeted his fingers.
Water was seeping through the rock!
Tracing the moisture upward, Zhang Liu discovered a small pool nestled in the rock, about the size of his fist. Its surface was covered with a thin layer of algae.
Parched from the salty air, Zhang Liu licked his dry lips. Normally, he wouldn’t even consider drinking such water.
Of course, this wasn’t a normal situation.
Brushing aside the algae with his hand, Zhang Liu dipped his fingers into the water and tasted it cautiously.
It was slightly bitter and salty.
“Could this… be seawater?”
Zhang Liu froze for a few seconds as he tasted the slightly salty flavor in his mouth. Then he realized that the saltiness was probably just the sweat on his own fingers.
Quickly, he extended his finger again, swirled it around in the small water pool, and brought it back to his mouth.
Freshwater!
Although it had a slight bitterness, it was definitely freshwater!
The bitterness was likely caused by minerals from the mountain or underground, which could be removed through boiling and filtration.
The knowledge Zhang Liu had picked up from survival videos proved invaluable at this moment.
Clearing the water pool of its water and algae with a rock, Zhang Liu hurriedly ran toward the beach.
Finding both water and a suitable shelter was excellent news.
Meanwhile, Qin Ruoshuang, who was struggling with weakness as she moved coconuts between the rocky area and the coconut grove, suddenly stopped in her tracks.
Ahead of her, a petite figure in red stood frozen in surprise, staring back at her.
Both were holding coconuts, bent over in the same posture.
“Anya!”
“And you are?”
Unlike Qin Ruoshuang, who exclaimed the name in delight, Anya couldn’t immediately identify whether this was the elder or younger twin.
“I’m the younger one, Qin Ruoshuang!” Dropping the coconut in her hands, Qin Ruoshuang walked forward, her face lighting up with excitement. “This is great! Did you come to rescue—”
She stopped mid-sentence.
Compared to her own face, which she had washed with seawater that morning, Anya’s right cheek was streaked with yellow sand, and she looked visibly exhausted.
It was clear she had spent the previous night lying on the sand without getting proper rest.
But Qin Ruoshuang hesitated to finish her thought, holding on to a faint glimmer of hope. Maybe Anya was just here for a trip on the island…
“I floated here with a piece of plane wreckage. I walked a long way this morning and only just saw these coconut trees,” Anya said, shaking her head, dashing Qin Ruoshuang’s hidden hope. “Were you stranded too?”
“No, I was rescued by classmate Zhang Liu and have been nearby the whole time.” Qin Ruoshuang shook her head.
Though happy to see a familiar face, the lack of rescue dampened her joy, making it feel fleeting and unanchored.
“Zhang Liu? That guy who’d buy snacks for anyone willing to give him pocket change?” Unlike Qin Ruoshuang, Anya was Zhang Liu’s classmate and had some direct experience with him.
In her view, Zhang Liu was just a school tool, recruited for his contributions to team scores and someone who’d take any menial task for money.
“Anya!” Qin Ruoshuang frowned, interrupting her.
She knew about Zhang Liu’s reputation for being desperate for money and doing odd jobs for others.
But those are just what other people say. For her, Zhang Liu was currently her savior.
He had saved her from the sea, given her the first bite of food, shown great intelligence the night before, and had even offered her his pants when she had none…
Remembering how he had seen everything below her stomach, Qin Ruoshuang’s cheeks flushed red. Under Anya’s confused gaze, she muttered, “Student Zhang Liu is very good.”
“Hmm?”
Just as Anya looked puzzled, a voice called out from the coconut grove.
“Qin Ruoshuang! Where are you?”
“I’m…” Qin Ruoshuang was about to shout back when a wave of weakness swept over her.
With a light sigh, she glanced at the confused Anya and said softly, “Let’s go meet up with Zhang Liu first.”
She turned toward the grove, walking weakly.
Anya followed behind and quickly noticed blood trickling down Qin Ruoshuang’s thighs.
Is it her period?
As a girl herself, Anya suddenly felt concerned. She hadn’t started hers yet this month, and it was just over ten days away.
What if there’s still no rescue by then?