Chuck had a fairly solid guess about the silver-haired woman's background. Putting aside her striking features, her attire—a tank top and camouflage pants—wasn't exactly "casual Sunday" wear for a woman. While she could just be a fan of the military look, those leather boots told a different story. Wearing heavy boots in a humid tropical jungle was a miserable choice unless your survival or identity demanded it.
Combine her nationality, her towering height, her chiseled six-pack, and that spine-chilling aura... a bold theory formed in Chuck's mind.
That woman has definitely killed before.
Realizing this made him take the situation even more seriously. Compared to the bloody, two-thousand-kilometer front line that had been raging back home before his plane went down, this island was practically a paradise. But even in paradise, a professional soldier was a nightmare.
Chuck moved deeper into the jungle. He wasn't wearing his scale armor to keep his movements silent, but his senses were dialed to the maximum. Despite his focus, he found no sign of danger; instead, his resource sensing grew more intense.
He put away his bronze halberd and tucked a bronze knife into his belt. Being overly cautious was getting him nowhere. He needed to explore. Even if the silver-haired woman ambushed him, as long as she didn't hit a vital organ, his [Soft Outside, Rigid Inside] perk would allow him to instantly recover from one fatal wound, turning the ambush into a fair one-on-one fight.
He passed the black bear's old territory and pushed into the deep forest. The air grew thinner, the light dimmer, but for someone with Chuck's physical stats, it was manageable. The constant pinging of rare resources kept his spirits high.
Less than thirty meters ahead, he found a massive Dipterocarp tree dripping with golden resin. It wasn't as thick as the one near the Southwest Bay, but the sheer amount of amber-colored sap coating the bark was impressive. This was a critical material for upgrading his house. He spent half an hour filling one and a half clay jars with the fragrant resin, nodding in satisfaction. This should be enough for the tile house upgrade.
Guided by his Master Botanist perk, he shifted direction. He sensed something sweet and earthy. Following the sound of running water, he found a clear stream about a meter wide.
A river? The small creek in the Southwest Bay must be a branch of this main artery flowing from the volcanic hills. It explained why the flora here was so lush. Across the stream, he spotted vines with heart-shaped leaves and pale purple flowers.
Chuck hopped over the water, took out his bronze shovel, and began to dig. He unearthed five large, dark-red tubers. They were thicker than the wild taro Julia had found. He wiped away the dirt, his eyes lighting up.
Wild sweet potatoes!
These were a game-changer. They were larger, sweeter, and higher in calories than taro, and the leaves were edible greens. This was the perfect addition to Julia's farm.
"Grilled sweet potatoes on a desert island... who's going to believe this?" Chuck laughed to himself.
At that exact moment, the hair on the back of his neck stood up.
His smile hadn't even faded before his body reacted on instinct. He dove forward, flat into the dirt hole he had just dug.
Whoosh!
A cold streak of air grazed the back of his head. Thwack! A dull thud echoed from the leaf litter in front of him.
Chuck didn't hesitate. He scrambled up and spun around. A tall figure dropped from a tree branch and bolted without a word. In the blink of an eye, that shock of silver hair vanished into the thicket.
Chuck narrowed his eyes. One strike, then immediate retreat.
She wasn't looking for a fair fight. She was going to pick at him, ambush after ambush, until she got her kill. She had likely watched his fight with the bear and realized his strength was his raw power, while his weakness was his lack of formal combat and tracking experience. She was playing to her strengths and his weaknesses.
Trying to gank me? Dirty tactics!
Chuck realized he couldn't catch her in this terrain. He raised his hands and shouted toward where she had disappeared: "Can we talk?!"
"Talk... talk... talk..." The echo died out, replaced by the chirping of insects. As expected, no answer. He knew an apology wouldn't fix things instantly, but it was worth a shot. If she just wanted him dead, then it would have to be a fight to the finish.
He walked over and pulled the weapon out of the ground—the spear that had almost lobotomized him. It was similar to the one he'd seen in the bear's side, but the tip was different. It was pitch black with a translucent, glassy sheen. Not metal, but something sharper.
When he touched the edge, it sliced his thumb instantly.
"So sharp?"
The tip was lashed to the wooden shaft with dried vines and animal tendons, reinforced with resin. It was as well-made as his own bronze spears. He tossed it into his Crafting Table to identify the material.
[Detection: Obsidian Spear x1!] [Description: Handcrafted obsidian spear. Pragmatic and lethal. Obsidian is a natural volcanic glass known for extreme hardness and sharpness.]
Obsidian?!
Chuck's eyes widened. Obsidian meant volcanic activity. Had she been to the volcano past the Red Stone Hills? He shook his head. Obsidian could be found anywhere a flow had once been. Regardless, he'd happily take the "loot" she'd dropped.
He continued his exploration, now keeping a very close eye on the tree canopy. Over the next three hours, he mapped out the forest, finding a wild sugarcane grove, yellow "lantern" chili peppers, and various herbs.
The sugarcane would be great for sugar and alcohol. The peppers were tiny but packed a hell of a punch—he'd tried one and spent ten minutes gasping for air.
As the sunlight began to slant through the trees, he reached the western edge of the forest. This place was massive, much larger than the Southern and Eastern jungles combined.
He was far from the platform now, and it was getting late. He decided to see what lay past the trees. A new beach? A cliff?
He pushed through the final layer of branches, and the view suddenly opened up.