When Chuck's staggering figure appeared, the joy on Julia's face instantly turned to horror.
He was covered in dark red bloodstains, his face was paper-white, and he was using the cliff wall for support, moving one painful step at a time down the steep slope.
The moment he saw Julia, he seemed to have his spine yanked out, collapsing directly onto the ground.
"Darling!!!"
"Chuck?!"
Julia immediately let out a scream, her eyes turning bloodshot. She rushed over without hesitation, enveloping Chuck in a hug. Gu Yitong, who had been kneeling by the bed, also anxiously rose and ran over, her dead eyes rekindling with hope.
"I'm fine, I'm fine."
Chuck's voice was slightly shaky. He waved his hand, indicating he wasn't severely injured.
Although he looked miserable, a triumphant smile broke out on his face.
After killing the python, Chuck had forced himself to stay conscious, slit open the tough snakeskin, and extracted the snake bile.
Holding it in his hand, it was pitch black, emanating a faint, eerie green glow.
Chuck didn't waste time. He immediately placed the snake bile and the herbs he had brought with him into the Workbench, synthesizing the potion.
[Disposable Potion (Snake Bile) ×10: Clears heat and detoxifies, reduces inflammation and fever, immediate effect.]
To Chuck's surprise, the final potion wasn't a large pill but small granules, similar to Liuwei Dihuang Wan (a traditional Chinese medicine). And a single synthesis yielded a total of ten pieces!
Staring at the handful of small, green-glowing granules in his hand, Chuck couldn't help but be shocked.
Disposable Potion? There was actually such a thing.
It seemed the Workbench's Alchemy panel was far from fully explored.
Presumably, the number of disposable potions that could be refined was far more than just this one?
Clearing heat and detoxifying, reducing inflammation and pain, calming the mind and nerves, and perhaps even...
Aphrodisiacs and Virility Boosters?
In any case, when he had free time later, he would definitely try out all the herbs at hand.
But even with the life-saving medicine secured, the problem of how to get back was the next issue.
At that moment, Chuck's body had reached its limit. His vision kept fading to black, the ringing in his ears wouldn't stop, and he still had no feeling in his legs.
In his despair, his gaze once again fell upon the corpse of the python before him.
Snakes... they have a heart too.
Following the logic of this deserted island, if he killed such a powerful predator, it wouldn't make sense for there to be no reward, would it?
Thinking this, he once again picked up the bone knife and savagely cut the snake's body wide open.
Finally, a heart emanating a dark purple glow appeared in his hand.
Dark purple?
Chuck was curious, so he tentatively placed it in the Workbench.
[Workbench Input: Python Heart ×1]
[Synthesis Prompt: This heart contains two forces. It can be used to refine two different potions simultaneously. It requires one Lycoris Radiata (Red) and one Lycoris Radiata (Blue) for perfect refinement.]
It can refine two potions simultaneously?!
The prompt from the Workbench, while shocking, finally provided Chuck with a faint lifeline in his desperate situation.
Regardless of whether they were red or blue, consuming the potions would inevitably lead to a physical transformation!
Thinking this, Chuck gambled his life, using his last ounce of strength to crawl toward the patch of reeds where the python had initially appeared.
His limp body dragged a long trail in the muddy swamp.
Finally, as he parted the reeds, two distinct lights truly appeared before his eyes simultaneously!
One blue, one red. The two Lycoris Radiata flowers looked virtually identical, differing only in the light they emitted, growing side-by-side in the swamp reeds!
Chuck was instantly overwhelmed with ecstasy. He reached out without hesitation and plucked the two flowers.
Killing this python was the most dangerous thing he had done since landing on the island, and the closest he had ever come to death.
In fact, the situation moments ago was a true life-or-death struggle. He had survived only by sheer willpower, bloodthirsty resolve, and the grace of Lady Luck.
Chuck lay completely spent in the reeds, looking up at the sky.
The one-minute synthesis time had never felt so long. He slowly raised his trembling hand, and two potions—one blue, one red—appeared in his palm.
In contrast to the near-fatal danger, the reward was unprecedentedly rich!
Chuck let out a long breath, closed his eyes, and swallowed both potions in one go!
The moment they went down his throat, the two pills instantly dissolved into a clear stream.
Immediately afterward, a sense of heat throughout his body and a sensation of coolness in his brain appeared simultaneously.
The combined pleasure of the two sensations was even more intense than the explosive release he felt inside the foreign woman. Chuck instantly squinted his eyes.
And his legs, which had been immobilized, gradually regained sensation.
In front of his vision, the light screen reappeared.
[Potion Consumed: Red ×1]
[Congratulations! Under the effect of the potion, your Physical Fitness has increased by 20% across the board. Current cumulative bonus: 40%. Keep up the good work!]
[Potion Consumed: Blue ×1]
[Congratulations! Under the effect of the potion, your Mental Fitness has increased by 20% across the board. Current cumulative bonus: 40%. Keep up the good work!]
A moment later, the potion's effect ended. Chuck slowly propped himself up.
The blurred vision and ringing ears were gone. His mind had recovered some clarity.
His body, which had needed all its strength just to crawl, could now be weakly supported. He could walk forward with a pronounced limp.
Only then did a sense of victorious joy finally appear on Chuck's face.
Time was critical. Chuck couldn't deal with the remaining parts of the snake carcass right now, so he left it there for the time being.
Chuck put the synthesized disposable potion into his pocket. Then, using both hands and feet, he made his way, bruised and cautious, through the outskirts of the dense forest, and then back across the stone beach.
He had successfully brought back the life-saving medicine.
"Take this and feed it to Gu Momo."
Chuck placed one small green granule into Gu Yitong's hand, then handed the remaining pills to Julia.
"Keep these safe. If I'm not awake by tonight, give one to me as well."
After saying those two sentences, the taut nerve in Chuck's head suddenly relaxed.
His eyes rolled back, and he fell unconscious before the two bewildered women.
That Night.
The fire under the shelter was burning brightly.
On the wooden bed, Chuck and Gu Momo lay side-by-side.
The former was still fast asleep, but the latter was awake.
The high fever that had rendered her unconscious had now broken. Gu Momo lay on her side next to Chuck, her small face flushed, gazing intently at his profile. Her small hands tightly clutched his arm against her soft chest.
Beside the fire, boiling water and making soup, Julia smiled helplessly at the sight.
Since waking up and hearing what had happened during her feverish unconsciousness, Gu Momo had maintained this position.
But wasn't it a bit too audacious to openly hug my man right in front of me?
Strangely enough, Julia didn't feel angry.
But that other woman was a different story.
Thinking of this, a flash of annoyance crossed Julia's small face.
After confirming her daughter's stable condition, Gu Yitong had politely said goodbye to Julia and left the shelter alone.
It was remarkable that the woman who had once been so wary of them now confidently left her daughter here.
However, the look in Gu Yitong's eyes when she looked at Chuck before leaving was distinctly different from before, which inexplicably irritated Julia.
As a fellow female, Julia knew exactly what that look was: the look a woman gives when seeking a mate.
"A mere bitch. Does she really think she can become Darling's woman?"
Julia frowned, muttering under her breath.
But suddenly, a voice spoke up.
"Become whose woman?"
Julia trembled all over. She snapped her head up and saw Chuck, who had opened his eyes at some point, lying on the bed and looking at her with interest.
She nearly dropped the soup ladle in her hand. Her long, fair legs instantly became springs. She launched herself off the ground in a spontaneous burst of joyful surprise.
"Darling!"
Tears welled up in Julia's eyes. She covered the distance in two steps, gently stroking Chuck's cheek.
"You're finally awake! How do you feel?"
"Not bad, much better."
The foreign woman sighed with a smile at his response, though tears finally slid down her cheeks.
"You really scared me."
"Sorry."
Chuck raised his hand with a grin, wiping away the tears on the foreign woman's face. She leaned forward, and her tender lips met his.
Lips tangled, tongues entwined. They made no effort to hide their passionate kiss from the small Lolita lying next to them.
Julia was driven by a rush of emotion—part relief after a full day of worry, and part a need to assert dominance over this greedy little sister, making it clear who was here first.
After a passionate and suffocating long kiss, the two reluctantly parted. Julia bit her lower lip, looking at her lover with eyes full of concern.
"Darling… I saw the bruises on your thighs. What exactly happened? How did you get so badly hurt?"
Chuck smiled faintly, not intending to hide anything, and broadly recounted his recent experience.
Of course, regarding the secret of the Lycoris Radiata and the potions, Chuck found a convenient excuse, saying he had been looking for snake bile but unexpectedly found a pile of mysterious pills in the snake's swamp lair. He tried one and discovered it had the effect of clearing heat and detoxifying…
In short, the final result was a triumphant return and general happiness.
"Oh my goodness…"
Julia was dumbfounded by Chuck's story. When she looked at him, there was nothing but adoration and love in her eyes.
The primal female instinct to admire strength instantly made the area between her legs itch, the floodgates opening.
If Gu Momo wasn't lying on the wooden bed right now, she would have directly straddled Chuck with her long legs.
Forcing down the burning desire, Julia's eyes were filled with lust. She leaned close and whispered in his ear.
"I'll go make soup now. But once my big hero is fed, you have to let me have a good taste of you, okay?~"
With that, she suddenly lifted her top, revealing she was wearing nothing underneath. She then leaned forward and rubbed her round, soft breasts, adorned with pink nipples, against Chuck's face playfully, before turning and walking away with a mischievous smile.
"Damn, you little slut."
The fire in Chuck's heart instantly flared up. Unfortunately, the severe bruising on both his thighs made even the slightest movement excruciatingly painful. He could only raise his hand and smack her fair, foreign buttocks hard, which caused a ripple of flesh.
But a sudden, anxious stirring next to him instantly brought Chuck back to reality. He remembered the small Lolita lying beside him.
Chuck turned his head to the side, his gaze meeting Gu Momo's, who was staring intently at him.
And before his eyes, a belated system prompt suddenly popped up.
[Congratulations! Due to your actions, Gu Momo's Trust Level with you has increased by 38 points!! Current Trust Level: 80 (Infatuation)]
[Congratulations! Your Companion: Gu Momo's Trust Level has successfully exceeded 50 points! Workbench Work Queue +1!]
Holy 38 points!
The Trust Level actually jumped all the way to 80 in one go??
As the light screen slowly faded, Chuck's gaze re-met Gu Momo's.
For some reason, she remained completely silent, just tightly hugging his arm and looking at him with her large, watery eyes.
"How are you feeling?"
Chuck raised his hand and gently stroked her small head, asking softly.
At this, her adorable face became even more flushed, but her gaze did not dart away as it usually did.
"Chuck, you saved my life."
Chuck was first stunned, then raised an eyebrow, and said casually, "It's not that dramatic. I just—"
"You saved my life. You are my savior."
Chuck was cut off before he could finish. The girl, whose voice was normally as faint as a mosquito's and who usually wouldn't dare make eye contact, now displayed a contrasting firmness.
"So…"
But just as she reached the most crucial point of her sentence, she suddenly reverted to her usual self. Her words stumbled, her cheeks were deeply flushed, and her gaze flickered away.
"I want to offer myself to you to repay your kindness."
"…"
Offer herself?
Chuck's eyes widened. Hearing those four words, he thought he had somehow crossed over into a melodramatic historical TV show.
He scratched his head, unsure how to respond.
Gu Momo was cute and obedient, and although she looked like a small Lolita, she was actually an adult. He would naturally take her when the opportunity arose.
But Chuck had a bit of an emotional quirk. He wanted his women to be with him out of genuine feeling, not out of ambiguous sentiments like gratitude or repayment.
"Momo, there's nothing wrong with being grateful, but offering yourself... Are you sure you've thought this through?"
Chuck gently turned onto his side, lightly pinched Gu Momo's soft little cheek, and asked with a smile.
She slowly lowered her head, her eyes trembling slightly. Then, she suddenly pulled out her phone from behind her back and began tapping away rapidly.
Immediately afterward, Chuck's phone vibrated under his pillow.
He took out his phone. Sure enough, it was a message from Gu Momo.
[Momo the Great]: You don't like me?
"…"
Chuck couldn't help but feel a little helpless looking at the message.
For some reason, he suddenly felt ten years younger, experiencing the pure awkwardness of high school puppy love again.
But just as he was about to type a response, a rustling sound suddenly came from beside him.
Chuck looked down, and his pupils immediately constricted.
[Momo the Great]: Is it because… mine is too small?
He saw that she had suddenly lifted her white T-shirt, revealing her innocent chest, wrapped in a cute pink sports bra, right in front of Chuck…