Having just experienced that frightening ordeal, although Su Wan appeared strong throughout, Chen Mo could still sense the trace of exhaustion on her face.
The violent emotional fluctuations from mental shock in such a short time could indeed easily make someone feel tired.
Letting Su Wan rest in the tent for a while, Chen Mo returned alone to the shallows where he had killed Wang Jianqiang earlier.
The section of spear standing upright in the seawater clearly marked the location of Wang Jianqiang's corpse.
After concentrating to sense his surroundings and confirming no one else was nearby, Chen Mo removed his tactical suit and the alloy armor underneath, wearing only shorts as he stepped into the water.
Walking to the spear standing in the water, Chen Mo reached out to grip the shaft and pulled it out with a slight upward tug.
With Chen Mo's precision and understanding of human anatomy, when the spear had pierced through Wang Jianqiang's body, it had accurately avoided the bones, so the spearhead wasn't damaged and remained very sharp.
Chen Mo bent down and stored Wang Jianqiang's corpse in his spatial storage, then walked into the sea carrying the spear.
...
Meanwhile, at Chen Mo's camp, in the spacious military tent, Su Wan lay on the large comfortable air mattress, breathing in the faint scent Chen Mo had left on the bed, and peacefully drifted off to sleep.
...
Two hours later, at the survivors' camp.
Time was approaching noon, and the survivors who had been busy all morning gradually returned to camp with the food they had gathered.
After most people had returned, everyone noticed that Wang Jianqiang and Su Wan still hadn't come back.
Su Wan returning late was normal enough, but Wang Jianqiang usually returned to camp early to rest and rarely stayed out this late.
Captain Zhao Jianmin looked toward the elderly Li Zhongheng, who had stayed at camp due to poor health.
"Elder Li, did either of them come back earlier?"
The old man's complexion was somewhat pale, and he didn't look well. Hearing the question, he only gently shook his head without speaking.
Learning that neither had returned to camp, Zhao Jianmin felt inexplicably uneasy. Recalling the unusual look he had once accidentally caught Wang Jianqiang giving Su Wan, Zhao Jianmin thought to himself that something was wrong.
"Oh no, Su Wan might be in danger!"
Having experienced the incident with the three foreigners before, Zhao Jianmin was very sensitive to such matters. He didn't want similar events to happen again, but given the current abnormal situation, his guess might very well prove true.
"Did anyone notice which direction Su Wan went this morning?"
Zhao Jianmin asked anxiously.
"Sister Su Wan said she was going to the western shallows to catch crabs!"
Zhang Xin, whose cheeks were somewhat flushed from the island's sea breeze, also sensed something was wrong. Remembering what Su Wan had told them that morning, she quickly stood up and said.
Xu Qing beside her was a beat slower to react, but after Zhang Xin finished speaking, she quickly nodded in agreement.
"Right, right, right! Sister Su Wan told us this morning!"
Zhao Jianmin nodded at this and looked at everyone seriously.
"Everyone grab your spears. We're going to find her!"
He still remembered how last time when the three foreigners had taken the girls' canned food, he had been injured and powerless to stop them. When Zhang Lan and Xu Shan were abducted, he had been completely unaware, which had made him feel guilty ever since.
As captain, after the plane crash, he had a duty to care for all the survivors and protect their safety. But previously his head injury had been severe, leaving him in a daze and very weak. If not for their care and sharing their already meager food with him, he wouldn't have survived until now.
So now, no matter what, he had to bring Su Wan back safely. He only hoped it wasn't too late!
After speaking, Zhao Jianmin turned and pulled out a spear from beside the camp tent. These had been specially made to defend against the three foreigners, with one for each person.
Zhang Lan and Xu Shan followed behind Zhao Jianmin and picked up their spears without hesitation. As flight crew members, they too had a responsibility to care for all the survivors.
For the three of them, although the plane had crashed, this deserted island was now their aircraft, and they would do everything in their power to help every passenger return home safely.
Zhang Xin and Xu Qing exchanged glances, then also quickly ran back to their crude tent, retrieved their respective spears, and stood beside Zhang Lan.
If that big bad guy dares to bully Sister Su Wan, we'll fight him!
Holding his spear, Zhao Jianmin looked at the two young girls with determined faces. After a moment's hesitation, he nodded and didn't stop them.
Wang Jianqiang was, after all, a professional bodyguard, and he wasn't really confident himself. He was relying solely on the conviction in his heart. Having two more people would provide additional assurance. If things really were as he suspected, once they failed, these two girls would find it hard to escape Wang Jianqiang's clutches in the future anyway. Better to give it their all now.
Turning to the elderly Li Zhongheng, the last person remaining in camp, Zhao Jianmin looked at his pale complexion and said with concern.
"Elder Li, you stay at camp and wait. We'll be back soon."
Li Zhongheng knew what Zhao Jianmin was worried about. He actually had his own suspicions too.
Wang Jianqiang's attitude toward him had been getting worse lately, completely unlike his previous respect and obedience. He could understand this—when survival was already so difficult, who cared if you were a board chairman? But he hadn't expected Wang Jianqiang would be so bold.
He wanted to go with them too, but his physical condition simply wouldn't allow it. He could only nod helplessly and say softly to them.
"Be careful!"
Time was urgent with no room for more words. Zhao Jianmin nodded to the old man, tightened his grip on the spear, and prepared to lead the four women toward the western shallows of the island.
He had no idea whether this trip would end well or badly. If it really was the worst-case scenario, all he could do was fight with everything he had. Even if it meant mutual destruction with Wang Jianqiang, he had to ensure everyone else's safety!
But they had barely left the camp when they spotted two figures walking toward them from the opposite direction.
Zhao Jianmin couldn't help but stop in his tracks, looking at the two people slowly approaching in the distance. Had he been overthinking it? Had they just coincidentally both returned late?
The four women behind him also looked puzzled.
As the two drew closer, the expressions on their faces changed. One of the people walking toward them was indeed Su Wan, but what she wore now wasn't her original clothes—it was a black military tactical suit several sizes too large.
And walking alongside her was a tall figure who stood a head taller than even the already tall Su Wan. It wasn't Wang Jianqiang!
This person carried a spear on his shoulder similar to the ones in their hands, and wore the same black tactical suit as Su Wan. But his tall, muscular build filled out the clothing completely, unlike Su Wan's loose fit. The outline of developed muscles was faintly visible beneath the clothes, full of oppressive power.
On his head, he wore a peculiar pitch-black steel mask, giving an impression of coldness and mystery.
Just from his build alone, this person couldn't possibly be Wang Jianqiang.
Although Wang Jianqiang was also strong, even slightly more robust than this person, he was definitely not this tall.
Zhao Jianmin couldn't help but raise his spear, pointing it at the tall figure slowly approaching. He wasn't clear whether this suddenly appearing mysterious person was friend or foe.
Where had Wang Jianqiang gone? Why had Su Wan changed clothes, and who was this mysterious person? Various questions swirled in Zhao Jianmin's mind. After everything they'd experienced, he had to be careful when facing this suddenly appearing mysterious figure.
As the two drew nearer, they could see more clearly, and the pressure in Zhao Jianmin's heart grew accordingly. This mysterious stranger looked difficult to deal with just from his appearance alone.
If Wang Jianqiang hadn't appeared because of him, didn't that mean he was even more formidable than Wang Jianqiang? The five of them would probably have trouble dealing with him.
If he intended them harm, Zhao Jianmin would have no choice but to fight.
Just as Zhao Jianmin was steeling his resolve, Zhang Xin suddenly spoke up from behind.
"BLA?"
Zhang Xin's tone was somewhat uncertain, but more than that, it carried barely contained excitement.
"Uncle?"
Xu Qing watched the two approaching figures. The tall figure beside Su Wan gradually overlapped with the blurry shadow in her mind, making her eyes light up with excitement.
"Is it him?!"
Hearing the two girls' exclamations, Zhang Lan and Xu Shan immediately realized. Although they had been quite frightened that night and it had been very dark so they couldn't see clearly, the figure before them now matched their fuzzy memories very well.
On this small island, there shouldn't be anyone else. It was him who had rescued them from the three foreigners that night!
Zhao Jianmin now finally knew the visitor's identity, and his guard lowered somewhat. But he still didn't put down his spear. Without confirmation, he remained cautious—he couldn't gamble with everyone's safety.
Finally, the two reached them. Seeing them holding spears and prepared to go out, after a moment's thought, they guessed the reason and their intention. Su Wan's heart warmed, and Chen Mo, looking at Zhao Jianmin who was holding a spear pointed at him, didn't take offense.
Su Wan quickly stepped forward to explain.
"Captain, put down the spear!"
She only had a rough guess about Chen Mo's personality and didn't really understand him at all. Given Chen Mo's previous decisive killing, she didn't know if he would get angry about this, so she quickly stepped forward to stop it and explained the entire sequence of events from beginning to end.
Learning that Wang Jianqiang had truly intended to make a move on Su Wan, everyone couldn't help but feel furious. When they heard that Chen Mo had killed him, they breathed a sigh of relief while looking at Chen Mo with gratitude mixed with awe.
It wasn't that they were afraid of Chen Mo—on the contrary, they were full of gratitude toward him. Whether providing food to help them or appearing at critical moments multiple times to rescue them, Chen Mo could be considered their collective lifesaver.
It was just that facing the mysterious, powerful, and seemingly very cold Chen Mo, who had single-handedly killed four bad people on the island, they instinctively felt awe.
Chen Mo keenly sensed the complex gazes directed at him and the meaning they contained. He could understand this—in his view, this was humanity's instinctive reverence for life: respect for those who give life, and fear of those who take it away.
However, two people showed no fear at all. At this moment, they were staring at Chen Mo unblinkingly with two pairs of bright black eyes—the two young girls Chen Mo had saved from the plane.
Through Su Wan's explanation, everyone learned Chen Mo's identity and what he had done for them, and they all felt heartfelt gratitude toward him.
Chen Mo nodded without speaking and set down the spear he'd been carrying on his shoulder. Only then did everyone notice that impaled on the spearhead behind Chen Mo was an enormous fish.