From the high vantage point, the landscape ahead was completely visible.
To the north, a towering dormant volcano could be seen in the distance. The mountain body was dark brown, with rocks scattered across its slopes.
A north wind was blowing at that moment, and Chuck could vaguely catch a scent of sulfur, causing a stir of surprise in his heart.
He hadn't expected such a spectacle on this island.
Since there was a dormant volcano, perhaps he could find natural hot springs nearby?
Below the volcano lay a long, continuous line of reddish-brown low hills, interspersed with exposed sand and gravel layers, sparse in vegetation, and looking quite dry.
Further down was the area closest to Chuck: a dried-up riverbed of stones, stretching down from the hills. The pebbles within were entirely grayish-white.
It looked like the river had changed course a long time ago.
And looking west, across the riverbed, was a large expanse of dense mangrove forest, blocking his view…
It was astonishing how diverse the terrain was on this small island.
It was almost like the opening animation of some fantasy MMO game, holding a somewhat epic sense.
Chuck tightened his grip on the spear. The spectacular view did not lower his guard. He continued forward cautiously, step by step.
Crossing a patch of dry wasteland, the scattered stones underfoot grew denser. Soon, Chuck was walking on the surface of the dried-up stone riverbed.
Looking around, the distribution of the rocks was quite messy. Likely because the terrain here was relatively flat, the riverbed had changed course multiple times over a long period, creating this rather rare landscape.
Chuck grew excited.
A river can change course, but it doesn't disappear, because the mountain is always there.
This meant that if he followed the riverbed upstream, he would definitely find the river's new course!
That was the living water source Chuck desperately longed for!
Even though the hills and volcano in front of him were quite tall and steep, they could not suppress his eagerness to find the river. He decided to quicken his pace and head upstream along the riverbed.
But just as he took his first step, a few blurry dark shapes suddenly appeared on the distant red-dirt hills, causing Chuck to instantly halt.
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead.
One, two, three, four…
He could see four of them.
They were wolves.
A pack of wolves had appeared in his sight without warning!
The distance was too great for Chuck to determine the species, but he was certain they were a wolf pack!
And in a flash, those dark spots disappeared back into the hills, as if they had never been there.
Damn it…
Chuck let out a long breath, a chill of fear running through him.
Fortunately, he had learned from the unexpected injury he sustained during his encounter with the wild boar, remaining constantly vigilant of the area ahead.
If he had carelessly charged into those hills and been ambushed by a wolf pack at close range… even with his body strengthened by the potion, he would have almost no chance of winning!
"This goddamn weird island…"
Chuck gritted his teeth.
It was just a small island, yet since being stranded here, he had encountered all sorts of bizarre phenomena, and exploring any new area invariably led to danger.
Chuck was no match for a pack of wolves right now. Those hills were clearly not a place he could approach.
Helplessly, he could only change direction, cautiously heading towards the mangrove forest across the riverbed.
Truthfully, as he gazed across the riverbed at the forest, Chuck had a hunch that the crucial material needed for his shelter upgrade, "hardwood," might be found there.
But as he walked, something in the riverbed beneath his feet caught his attention.
Chuck frowned, slowly bending down, his gaze scanning the scattered rocks of various colors. He cleared away the pebbles in a small area.
And saw a black stone hidden beneath them.
Unlike the dry, calcified white pebbles on the surface, this stone had a dark, still-lustrous surface and felt heavy in his hand.
A sudden burst of joy welled up in Chuck's heart.
Flint!
Since he used to find these often by the river when he was a child, Chuck recognized it instantly.
Its hardness was far greater than ordinary stone. Although called flint, its use for him now might be far more than just starting a fire…
Chuck pondered for a moment, then placed the piece of flint directly into the Workbench.
[Workbench Detected: Flint]
[Synthesis Tip: This is a high-density sedimentary rock, harder and denser than ordinary stone. If used to create tools, it should be much handier than stone.]
As expected!
Seeing the synthesis tip, Chuck's heart leaped with joy.
Chopping wood with the stone axe this morning had required three axes in total and had been utterly exhausting.
Now, he could finally upgrade his tools!
He lowered his head and continued to search carefully in the riverbed, soon finding a second piece of flint.
Just like the first time he synthesized the stone knife, he placed the two pieces of flint into the synthesis table, and the crafting button lit up.
[Workbench Detected: Flint × 2]
[Can be Synthesized: Flint Knife, Estimated Synthesis Time: 1 hour]
It takes that long…
The familiar cluster of light appeared, but Chuck, eagerly anticipating his new tool, felt a splash of cold water. He had no choice but to leave it for now and continue his journey.
The stone riverbed didn't look large, but walking across it was quite difficult. Fortunately, the scenery was excellent. If he weren't struggling to survive on a deserted island, it would feel like a pleasant hike.
About ten minutes later, Chuck left the stone riverbed and reached the edge of the mangrove forest to the west.
He looked up at the towering trunks before him, all of them deep in color and smooth in texture.
His conviction grew stronger: this was the hardwood he needed.
An ordinary stone axe probably wouldn't be enough to fell one, but a flint axe might work.
But even if he chopped one down, transporting it back would be a major problem.
To return to the rock slope platform, he would have to carry the log across the pebble-strewn riverbed, then through the narrow passage, and down the slope…
The thought alone was agonizing.
Wait a minute…
Chuck suddenly looked up at the straight trunks before him, then back at the flat stone riverbed behind him.
Maybe I can roll it?
But before he could celebrate his brilliant idea, a sudden flash of blue light drew his attention.
Chuck instinctively looked towards it and saw an unusually thick redwood tree in the distance. A dark blue, eerie flower was growing abruptly on its crown…
Goosebumps instantly rose on his skin.
A similar flower, but a different color.
But there was no mistake.
It was another Flower of the Other Shore!
Chuck didn't rush forward to pick it. Instead, he cautiously scanned the surroundings.
He hadn't forgotten what happened the last time he encountered a Flower of the Other Shore.
Sure enough, just a few seconds later, a patchy silhouette silently appeared on the thick trunk where the blue flower was growing.
Two golden, vertical pupils glowed eerily in the branches, like two suddenly ignited wicks.
Shit!
Is that a leopard?!
Chuck's breathing tightened instantly. The hairs on his body stood on end. He gripped the tusk spear tightly, holding it horizontally across his chest, his entire being entering a state of extreme tension and readiness for battle.
As the silhouette became clearer, the uniquely agile contour of the feline grew more distinct.
But when Chuck finally got a clear look at it, he was stunned.
For a moment, he genuinely thought it was a leopard and was prepared to fight for his life…
But seeing it clearly, the creature was much smaller than the leopard size Chuck had imagined.
The vertical pupils stared intently at him, giving Chuck a chance to examine it for a moment before he reached a conclusion.
—This was not the leopard he had seen in nature documentaries as a child.
Its base fur color was lighter, and its markings were not neat rosettes, but large, cloud-like dark shadows that ran along its back and tail. Its size was much larger than a typical house cat but smaller than a large predator like a leopard.
However, its exceptionally sharp fangs and claws still made Chuck uneasy.
Though small, this creature could not be underestimated.
The cat-like animal silently crouched among the branches, its vertical pupils fixed on Chuck. It did not roar or bare its teeth.
Chuck had owned cats before. He knew that the quieter a feline animal was, the more it was a sign of the calm before the storm.
The heavy sense of pressure in the air was no less intense than when he first encountered the wild boar in the southern jungle. The wind stirred the leaves, the large cat's tail twitched slightly, and its claws silently embedded into the bark.
It was a posture ready to strike at any moment.
Chuck swallowed, realizing that retreating now would only allow the creature to find a weakness.
It seemed that no matter how careful he was, being in the wild meant a head-on encounter with a beast was inevitable.
There was only one option left.
Fight for his life!
The law of the jungle, the survival of the fittest. The victor gets to treat the loser as prey, expand their territory, and have the right to mate and reproduce. Hasn't the world always been this way?
Just like before, Chuck made the first move before the large cat could act.
He put one hand behind his back, grasped the stone axe from his waist, and hurled it straight at the large cat on the distant tree trunk!
But the agility of the feline was far superior to that of the clumsy wild boar. It effortlessly dodged the flying stone axe.
Then, the large cat finally opened its mouth and let out a sharp, piercing hiss at Chuck. It suddenly leaped out, its silhouette disappearing from Chuck's line of sight.
"That damn Hakimi…"
Chuck had lost his target. He immediately looked up anxiously, frantically searching the canopy above.
Suddenly, a whooshing sound came from behind him. Chuck immediately spun around and thrust his spear, but the large cat skillfully dodged again.
Not only that, but its sharp claws raked viciously across his back, leaving three claw marks. Blood immediately began to seep out from the torn fabric.
The large cat, having successfully counterattacked, did not continue its assault. It darted and weaved on the ground, turning into a shadow that shot back above Chuck's head, vanishing without a trace.
Chuck stood firmly planted on both feet, spear in hand, his face grim.
This large cat intended to inflict damage bit by bit, slowly grinding him down until he died!
This was the unique patience of felines, the most cruel predatory tactic against prey!
He couldn't just wait to be attacked!
Strangely, as if his potential had been unlocked, Chuck's mind was incredibly calm in this life-or-death struggle.
Using his weakness against the creature's strength was not a good plan.
So, he couldn't rely on sight. He had to use his hearing, and even his intuition.
The large cat's silhouette vanished above him, but the sound of leaves rustling and claws scratching bark would not.
Chuck's hairs stood on end. His pupils dilated. All his senses were operating at maximum capacity at that moment.
The sound of rushing air appeared behind him again!
Chuck again sidestepped and thrust his spear, but it was dodged once more. He took a solid blow, gaining another wound on his shoulder.
Blood slowly trickled down his arm.
But Chuck, deep in despair, a smile slowly curved on his lips.
He suddenly recalled a game he used to play with his cousin as a child: hitting hands.
Chuck knew he was not a naturally nimble person, so when he first played "hitting hands" with his cousin, he was always hopelessly beaten.
But one day, he suddenly found a trick.
From then on, not only his cousin, but all the children from his aunts and uncles were defeated by him. He was virtually unbeatable until he met a girl in middle school who knew the same trick, finally ending his winning streak.
The trick was simple.
In short—the feint.
You make a fake move, making the opponent think you're going to hit, so they instinctively pull their hand back. When they realize nothing happened and relax their hand back into position…
You seize the moment and strike hard!
The sound of rushing air appeared again!
Chuck sidestepped as before.
But this time, the tusk spear in his hand did not move.
The sharp claws brutally hooked Chuck's side abdomen. It looked like Chuck was about to be disemboweled, but before that, the tusk spear had already found its target direction.
One thrust!
Splat. Accompanied by that familiar, teeth-grating sound of breaking bone, the polished tusk tip ruthlessly pierced the large cat straight through from abdomen to spine!
The Hakimi coughed up blood and struggled wildly.
With the spear stuck in its body, it rolled several times on the ground, trying to climb the tree, but finally collapsed powerlessly. After several attempts, it slowly stopped breathing.
In the end, only a patch of dark red blood remained on the ground.
Chuck slowly stepped forward, gripped the wooden shaft of the spear, and gently pulled it out.
The claw marks on his body stung faintly, but Chuck stood still for a moment, slowly closing his eyes.
A rush.
A life-or-death battle with a beast, hanging by a thread, culminating in victory.
This feeling, like reconnecting with the primal savagery of the male animal, was utterly addictive.
Chuck savored the moment, then slightly bent over, beginning to collect his spoils of war.
First, he used the bone knife from his waist to slice open the Hakimi's abdomen, reaching inside the bloody mess to feel around for a moment.
He then pulled out a heart that radiated an eerie, pale blue glow…