The number above Nijika's head instantly lengthened, reaching one hundred and sixty thousand. And Fumiya Jin's own... also reached one hundred and sixty thousand.
A rough calculation showed that this was approximately until dawn the day after tomorrow—meaning they would clear the instance.
This discovery made Fumiya Jin want to pick Nijika up and give her a kiss, but he barely managed to hold back so as not to expose his superpower. So after all this, it turned out this girl was the key to breaking the deadlock!
As for the others' numbers, Fumiya Jin gave them a glance.
He saw that the madam's had also extended to one hundred and sixty thousand—she would clear it too.
The curly-haired man's hadn't changed—it hadn't changed at all so far. He was still set to die this evening.
And the remaining three... were still slated to die tomorrow night, and it seemed each of their timers had even moved up by a few minutes.
From a saintly perspective, this future was certainly not a perfect outcome.
But Fumiya Jin was no saint.
From his point of view, this was the best possible future at the moment. He and Nijika would survive. That was the most important thing.
The madam surviving was also a good thing.
As for the others, he'd help them if he could. But the top priority was ensuring his and Nijika's survival.
"Hey, you're not really planning to take her, are you?" the fleshy-faced woman frowned. "A frail, timid little girl like her will just scream at the first sign of danger. Bringing her along will only get you killed, won't it?"
Although the fleshy-faced woman was already annoyed with Fumiya Jin because of last night's events and had been picking fights with him all day.
Annoyed as she was, she had to admit the man was damn good-looking. None of his individual features seemed particularly exquisite, but together they radiated a stunning charm that made her practically drool just looking at him. It would be better if such a handsome man didn't die.
Of course, it would be even better if they could also find fresh water and solve their survival crisis. Therefore, the fleshy-faced woman still hoped Fumiya Jin would take someone stronger. That black man, for example, would be a good choice.
"Uh..." Nijika, suddenly being questioned, felt a little embarrassed.
But she didn't have the confidence to retort, so she could only lower her head and silently strengthen her resolve.
Just then, Fumiya Jin suddenly reached out, took her delicate hand, and pulled her to his side. Then he shot the fleshy-faced woman a sideways glance and said, "This 'timid little girl' you speak of is the only one here who voluntarily offered to face the danger with me. You look down on her? What about you? How about you go with me?"
The fleshy-faced woman instantly froze.
Although she was very interested in being alone with Fumiya Jin. The thought of the snake-infested mountain made her survival instinct overpower her reproductive drive.
"Well... since you've already chosen her, then let her go. I was just making a suggestion..."
As she said this, the fleshy-faced woman thought to herself—It'd be best if she gets bitten by a snake and dies alone in the forest. Serves her right for sucking up to a man. Women like her deserve to die!
Meanwhile, Nijika, who had been pulled to Fumiya Jin's side, secretly looked up at him as he stood up for her. In her glistening eyes, it was as if little stars were beginning to sparkle.
...
...
After Fumiya Jin had chosen his partner, the plan was settled—Fumiya Jin and Nijika would explore the forest, while the others would follow the curly-haired man to search the entire beach.
Before the two groups parted ways, Fumiya Jin gave the curly-haired man one last reminder: "If you can avoid going into the water, stay out of the water."
The curly-haired man smiled and nodded, saying, "Got it, got it, don't worry."
And so, the two groups separated. Fumiya Jin and Nijika walked towards the forest.
However, they didn't enter the forest immediately. Instead, they stopped on the sand outside the woods, less than two meters from the nearest trees.
Then Fumiya Jin pulled Nijika down to sit. Nijika looked at Fumiya Jin, a bit bewildered.
Fumiya Jin explained, "You need to rest, but we don't have enough time right now for you to catch up on sleep."
Nijika hadn't slept all night. To restore her energy to a decent level through normal sleep would take at least a few hours. By then, it would already be afternoon.
For one, they had both gone over ten hours without water and were extremely thirsty. The temperature was also rising, making them sweat faster. In a few more hours, they'd be even more dehydrated, and their condition would worsen.
On the other hand, if they set out in the afternoon, the time they spent exploring the forest might overlap with when the curly-haired man was due to have his accident. In other words, he wouldn't be able to help when the curly-haired man got into trouble.
Of course, it wasn't that he absolutely had to save the curly-haired man. But so far, the curly-haired man had proven to be a fairly reliable teammate. He had knowledge of the seaside, was willing to work for the group, possessed skills suited for underwater activity, and was easy to communicate with. It was best to save such a teammate if he could.
"The sun is so strong, everyone must be losing water fast. We really need to find water soon... I'm feeling okay right now, I can keep going," Nijika said, showing her understanding.
"No, you still need to rest," Fumiya Jin shook his head. "We just need to do it a different way... Have you ever heard of 'mindfulness meditation'?"
"Meditation?" Nijika scratched her head in confusion. "I think... I've only ever seen that in fantasy novels... you know, magic, meditation, that sort of thing..."
"Not that kind of fantasy stuff. I'm talking about a real technique. It's generally used to focus the mind and improve concentration. But when you don't have much time and need to rest your body and relax your mind, it's also quite effective."
Fumiya Jin said, "Just follow my instructions... Come on, close your eyes and start focusing on your breathing. Now, slowly calm your breathing rhythm... Exhale... Inhale... Exhale... Inhale... Feel the changes in your body with each breath, how the air enters your lungs... It's okay if your mind wanders, don't worry. Just bring your focus back to your breathing once you realize it..."
Fumiya Jin guided her step-by-step. The steps weren't complicated, and Nijika learned quickly.
After a few minutes, she was able to practice mindfulness meditation properly. Of course, Fumiya Jin was watching from the side. Whenever the girl was about to doze off, he'd poke her in the armpit to wake her up. In the process, he also happened to gain two degenerate points.
After ten minutes of this...
"You can stop now."
Nijika opened her eyes, the dazed look in them having faded considerably. She looked around, then turned to Fumiya Jin in surprise. "It seems like it really worked... Although my head still feels heavy and tired, my mind feels much clearer. I don't need to sleep now, right?"
"This can't replace sleep, it can only help you focus and feel more awake for a while. But for now, it's the best we can do." Fumiya Jin stood up and extended a hand to Nijika.
Nijika took his hand and stood up.
"Now we face the real danger. Are you ready?" Fumiya Jin asked, looking at her.
"Yeah, I'm ready!"
"Let's go."
____
Hello! Walnut here! Or... Miku Dayo in this case heheh...
Unfortunately, I had 2 stories deleted from my main account, "Walnut-chan," and I decided to post them here on this other account... I'm counting on your support to recover what we've lost!
🔥 40% OFF to celebrate 2 new stories! 🔥
We've just launched 2 new stories, and we want you to join us! Take advantage of the 40% discount to become a member.
When you join, you get instant access to:
✅ Over 40 advanced chapters of ALL stories!
✅ Exclusive content and updates!
Plus, your support unlocks bonuses for the entire community. Our goals are still active:
🎯 100 Powerstones = +1 Bonus Chapter for everyone
🚀 55 MEMBERS = +5 extra chapters of ALL STORIES!
Secure your spot with the discount and get access to everything right now:
👻 P - Walnutchan