"Han Feng! Hold on a sec!" Zhao Yunxi's voice rang out suddenly.
"Something else?" Han Feng paused mid-step, turning slightly to face her.
"Did you see a black wolf last night?" Zhao Yunxi asked bluntly.
"Yeah, I did," Han Feng replied offhandedly.
"What if that black wolf barges into your shelter? Got a plan for that?" Her eyes flickered with concern.
"Nope." Han Feng shook his head. Sure, he'd hit Level 3, and his strength had spiked considerably, but facing a ferocious beast? He didn't have the slightest confidence.
Zhao Yunxi mulled it over for a moment before suggesting, "Why don't you move in with us for now? Once we deal with that wolf, you can head back."
At first, she'd pegged Han Feng as nothing more than a pretty face—useless beyond his looks. But just moments ago, he'd effortlessly healed Liu Chushuang, revealing a skill set that was anything but ordinary. Having him around meant they wouldn't have to fret over injuries in the future—a huge asset for any team. That's why she wanted to keep him safe.
Han Feng's expression turned odd. "Didn't you say it'd be inconvenient for a guy like me to stay with you all? Changing your tune already?"
Zhao Yunxi flashed a small smile. "Things are different now, aren't they? You're on your own out there—it's too risky. I'm just looking out for your safety."
Yue Lingshan chimed in, "Yeah, Han Feng, come stay with us! You can ride our coattails. With us protecting you, that big bad wolf won't be a problem anymore."
Han Feng shot Yue Lingshan a withering look. "Me, a proud, stand-up guy, needing protection from three women? Who do you take me for?"
Zhao Yunxi sighed, her tone turning earnest. "Han Feng, this isn't the time to play hero. You know your own limits—calling you a weakling would be generous! If that wolf comes for you, do you really think you'd survive?"
"Worry about yourselves—I don't need your help!" Han Feng huffed, spinning on his heel and stalking off without a backward glance.
"What's wrong with that guy? Can't he see we're trying to help?" Liu Chushuang muttered, exasperated.
Zhao Yunxi let out a resigned breath. "Forget it. Let him do what he wants."
Back at his shelter, Han Feng set the two treasure chests down on the ground. He gave them a quick once-over, then grinned and said, "Hey there, treasure chest buddies! How's it going?"
"Who said we're your buddies? Quit acting so chummy!" one of the chests snapped, its tone dripping with disdain.
"You little—! I'm giving you some respect, and you throw it back in my face?" Han Feng barked, his temper flaring. He'd greeted them politely, only to get insulted. Did they think he was a pushover?
"Aw, getting mad already? What're you gonna do, bite me?" the other chest taunted with a snicker.
"You two won't be smirking for long—just wait and see how I deal with you!" Han Feng growled through gritted teeth. He grabbed his engineer's shovel and marched to a corner of the shelter, where he started digging furiously. In no time, he'd carved out a pit about half a meter deep.
"Big bro, what's the pit for? You planning to bury those chests alive?" the shovel asked, curiosity piqued.
Han Feng sneered coldly. "This pit's gonna be a latrine. I'll take a dump in it, then toss these two jokers right in!"
The chests fell silent, stunned. Throwing them into a cesspit? That was downright diabolical!
"Uh, human… we might've been a bit rude earlier. Sincerely sorry about that—don't hold it against us," one chest pleaded, its tone suddenly meek.
"Smart move, kid," Han Feng snorted. "So, what's inside you two?"
"I've got a can of insecticide," the first chest replied.
"Insecticide, huh?" Han Feng murmured, his face darkening slightly. It wasn't exactly thrilling loot. But then again, the island was crawling with bugs. A can of bug spray could come in handy.
"I'm holding a pack of sausages," the second chest added.
Han Feng's eyes lit up. Now that was more like it—way better than bread. A pack of sausages could keep him fed for a whole day. "Not bad," he said with a smirk, then popped both chests open. Two bursts of light flared up, revealing the insecticide and sausages. He inspected them briefly before stashing them in the thatched hut.
With that done, he grabbed the shovel and stepped outside. He'd originally planned to poke around the beach, but now he had a new priority: finishing the latrine. A pit alone wouldn't cut it—he needed to rig up some privacy, maybe a straw curtain. Squatting out in the open wasn't exactly ideal if someone wandered by. The island's lushest patch of straw had already gone up in flames thanks to him, so he'd have to scrounge elsewhere. Luckily, straw wasn't hard to come by. Over the next two hours, he harvested eight bundles—enough for a curtain, with leftovers for some makeshift furniture. The finer details would have to wait until he was back at the hut.
By the time he'd gathered the straw, noon had rolled around. Lunchtime. Han Feng roasted some locusts and dug in, one after another. Crunchy, with a chicken-like flavor—pretty darn good, if he did say so himself. He polished off a dozen or so, washing them down with a swig of purified water. Full and satisfied, he stretched out on a straw mat for a nap.
An hour later, Han Feng stirred awake. The rest had done him good—his energy was back, and he felt ready to tackle the day. Time to hunt for more food. Shovel in hand, he stepped out of the hut. The moment he crossed the threshold, a loud buzzing filled the air above him. Instinctively, he glanced up—and froze. Hovering in the sky was a massive wasp, easily the size of an egg. Its plump body gleamed, wings beating furiously with a menacing hum. Its sharp eyes locked onto him, radiating danger.
"A wasp that big?" Han Feng yelped, heart pounding. One sting from that monster could peel the skin off him—or worse. Where the hell had it come from? He'd scouted the island before and never seen anything like it. Then it hit him: this had to be the same wasp Liu Chushuang had unleashed from that treasure chest.
He eyed the creature warily and coughed lightly. "Hey, big wasp, what're you doing at my shelter?"
"Payback!" the wasp snarled, its voice dripping with venom.
"Payback? I've got no beef with you—what's your problem?" Han Feng asked, genuinely confused.
"I stung that woman earlier, and you went and saved her. That's a direct slap in my face. If I don't come for you, who else is there?" the wasp hissed.
"Oh, that's what this is about," Han Feng muttered, his confusion giving way to a sneer. "Since when do I need your permission to do anything? Who do you think you are?"
The wasp's wings buzzed louder, its glare intensifying. Han Feng stood his ground, shovel gripped tight. This wasn't just a pest—it was a grudge match now. And he wasn't about to back down.