Twenty days had passed in the wild forest ecosystem.
During that time, they had managed to gather various types of food from the forest, although the majority was still plants that had been chosen with paranoid caution. The forest provided many choices, but not all of them were safe, so caution remained the main requirement that must always be obeyed. Of all the types of food that could be gathered, the mutated potatoes were the most notable; the nutrients contained in this food were not limited to carbohydrates, the swollen tubers also contained protein levels that were clearly too high for their type (certainly not the same as meat, but clearly not normal for a plant). Its composition caught the Lawyer's attention, as it held the potential to support Liam's physical development beyond mere survival.
Although the mutated potatoes were quite promising, relying solely on them was not a long-term solution. Therefore, he decided to expand the range of food to the next level, namely insects; insects were not a pleasant choice, but they were a relatively better source of nutrition compared to plants. In terms of efficiency, they were much easier to obtain than hunting large animals, and the risk was still as low as hunting for plant-based food.
Liam's physical condition was slowly improving compared to the first few days, but he was still fragile for the wild terrain; the forest surrounding the cave where they took refuge was still filled with ferocious animals with abnormal characteristics, and sometimes certain phenomena occurred at certain times. Forcing further exploration was tantamount to courting death; therefore, the plan devised by the Lawyer was simple. Train Liam's body to the maximum; exercise every day, increase stamina little by little, and push the body to reach its peak condition. Only then could they attempt to navigate the forest and find a way out with a greater chance of safety.
Of course… All of that could change at any moment if certain variables arise, once again something that could pique the Lawyer's childish curiosity.
••••••••••••••••••••
For the past twenty days... Liam and the Lawyer had lived their days in almost the same pattern. Time felt both fast and slow; fast because every day was filled with nonstop activity, and slow because it was all just a repetitive routine.
During their free time, they discovered that ants were often found in dead trees; there was no definite pattern, sometimes the ants swarmed on upright trunks, sometimes on fallen trees that were almost rotten, sometimes on mounds of earth resembling termites. Unlike ants, earthworms, on the other hand, are much easier to track; their presence is almost uniform, and this species can be found in many places. The key is to find a large open area with mostly bare soil, unobstructed by wild grass or shrubs. In such places, earthworms are sure to be present and easy to hunt.
The forest where they live is truly rich. The ecosystem is stable, each species has its own place, and even contradictions between species are easily recognizable. The pattern of relationships between predators, prey, and habitat is so stable that it becomes clear in a short time. For example... The majority of the soil in this forest is very moist, full of nutrients, and therefore very suitable for plants to grow lushly; such soil is also ideal for worms to breed. However, in a contrasting contradiction, within the same forest there is a large lake with salty water; the water is clearly not friendly to insects or worms, but it is an ideal habitat for predators with high salinity tolerance. Thus, even though the environment appears harmonious, there are actually small imbalances that complement each other.
[Quest Process: "Escape From the Mysterious Forest"
Follow the light blue arrow indicators to arrive at your destination. If the host agrees, the system can set up another navigation route that is just as efficient.]
Imagine an avatar doll controlled by a player, obediently following blue arrow prompts without any independence embedded in it. Liam arrives at the location and is faced with a dry environment; many dead tree trunks stand tall without leaves, while dry twigs litter the ground, covering the soil. The air around him feels hotter and lighter, as if the usual humidity has been sucked dry. This is the place chosen as the main target for hunting ants.
The Lawyer's instructions were simple: to exploit smoke. Burning trees directly was a last resort, too risky and likely to attract predators; if the burning was not controlled, it could create a forest fire scenario that would be worse than getting lost in it. With his small hands, he tied thick leaves to the end of a long branch, then burned them slightly to produce thick smoke. The device was hardly worthy of being called a torch because the flame was too small; it was nothing more than the incomplete burning of half-dead leaves producing thick smoke; but it was precisely that thick smoke that was the main weapon. Liam raised the branch high and directed it into the cracks of the dead tree trunk—the smoke billowed, crept in, slowly filling the hollow inside the tree where the ant colony was hiding.
This process was not instantaneous; it took a long time, and had to be repeated hour after hour, day after day. Each tree trunk was smoked repeatedly until the ants inside fainted or died from exposure to the smoke. Not all attempts were successful; there were times when the smoke was not thick enough, or the wind direction caused it to dissipate before entering the tree crevices. Slowly, their efforts paid off; gradually, Liam managed to collect the ants and their eggs, which resembled maggots.
While waiting for the ant harvest, Liam began hunting for earthworms. Once he arrived at the location marked by the system as before, he used the jug they had made earlier; it was very simple. It was not suitable for boiling because it was not very durable, but it was better than nothing.
Then he took salt water from the lake and poured it into the two large jugs he had brought with him; the two jugs were tied together with tough roots, and Liam carried them on his shoulder using a large piece of wood. Once they were full, Liam carefully carried them to an open area of land; there, he quickly and evenly sprinkled the salt water over the entire surface. The results were almost immediate. From the wet ground, large worms emerged, wriggling and trying to escape the deadly salinity. Their bodies were reddish in color and varied in size; some were only as big as small snakes, some were as big as adult snakes, and occasionally there were even bigger ones that resembled thick, long rat snakes.
The sight always made Liam shudder a little, but he was used to it. Quickly, he selected worms that were not too dangerous. This process was repeated, moving from one location to another; some days the yield was small, other times the soil seemed to overflow with harvest. But one thing was certain: every time he sprinkled the soil with salt water, worms would emerge, whether large or small.
Day after day, week after week, this routine was repeated. Harvesting ants and worms and other hunting activities became part of their lives. At least once a day, there was always something to collect, either from dead trees or from open ground. All of the harvest was then brought back to the cave and burned on the cliff; there, the ants and their eggs were burned, while the worms were boiled or roasted. The smell of burning insect meat may not be pleasant, and the texture of boiled worms feels strange on the tongue, but both provide important nutrients that cannot be obtained from tubers alone.