Chapter 9

When Zhang Heng dragged the naked guy onto the beach, both of them were almost exhausted.

Zhang Heng didn't even know how he managed to swim the last stretch. Only after getting close to the man did he realize that the guy had injured his lumbar vertebrae and his thigh had been cut by the coral, making it impossible for him to move. No wonder he could only drift like a plastic bottle.

It wasn't easy to drag him back.

Several times during the process, Zhang Heng almost gave up, but surprisingly, the guy had a good attitude and kept encouraging him.

In the end, Zhang Heng gritted his teeth and managed to pull the guy onto the shore.

The two of them lay on the beach for a while. Zhang Heng didn't even want to move a finger. If possible, he would have closed his eyes and fallen asleep right then.

However, after just two minutes, the naked guy spoke up again, "Hey, buddy, this won't work. We're not far from the equator, and the midday temperature can reach 35 or 36 degrees. We'll dehydrate quickly if we stay like this."

"......"

"I'll get you to a cooler place right now." Zhang Heng took a couple of deep breaths, gathered some strength, and dragged the man under a rock wall. He also took off his T-shirt to bandage the man's thigh wound.

After that, Zhang Heng was too exhausted to even throw a rock. Fortunately, he found a few coconuts that had fallen to the ground a bit further away.

The naked guy watched as Zhang Heng prepared to crack the coconuts, opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.

"Hmm?"

"I don't want to be too demanding, but if possible, could you get me some green coconuts? The coconuts that have fallen to the ground are already old, and the milky white liquid inside can cause diarrhea, which can be fatal on a deserted island with nothing."

"You seem to have a lot of wilderness survival knowledge?"

"I spent some time in the military and once spent over two years trekking through the Amazon rainforest. So yes, I can call myself an expert in wilderness survival."

Zhang Heng knew he had made the right bet. In a good game, there wouldn't be a level that completely kills the player. He knew this man was his hope for survival on the island.

However, this also made him curious about the other two guys.

After all, in terms of difficulty, rescuing the naked man was the easiest. According to the game designer's usual logic, the more effort you put in, the greater the reward.

But Zhang Heng didn't regret it. He knew his own physical condition best.

Rescuing the naked man was already a stretch, and he wouldn't have the strength to bring back the other two, even if he could swim to them.

Besides, the man in front of him, with his receding hairline, seemed easy to get along with.

Sometimes, attitude is more important than ability, especially for a mentor.

Sure enough, the man then said, "Friend, can you find some green coconuts for me? My throat is really dry. After that, I'll teach you how to find water."

"No problem." Zhang Heng took the opportunity to lie down and rest, regaining some strength. He was ready to meet the man's request.

This time, he cracked fourteen coconuts, gave five to the naked man, ate three himself, and stored the remaining six as food.

After drinking the coconut water, the naked man looked much better and extended his hand, "I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Ed Wilson, British, former British Army captain stationed in Afghanistan. Just call me Ed. Thank you very much for saving my life."

"Zhang Heng, Chinese, currently a sophomore. No need to thank me." Zhang Heng shook hands with the former British Army captain.

Then the man's tone suddenly turned somber, "It's a pity about those two guys. There's no other land around this small island. If they didn't make it, they're probably in a bad situation."

However, the man named Ed clearly had good self-regulation. After a moment of sadness, he returned to his optimistic self, "Alright, as agreed, I'll teach you how to find water next."

"While at sea, I roughly estimated that this island is about 12,000 hectares in size. I found some animal tracks near the bushes, which suggests there might be a stream. Follow the animal tracks to find it. However, the bad news is that this island likely has predators. It's getting dark soon, and exploring the island without a torch isn't wise. You might get lost or attacked by wild animals..."

Ed patiently taught survival skills in the wilderness, slowing down his speech to make it easier for Zhang Heng to understand.

Even so, Zhang Heng would occasionally interrupt him to ask about the meaning of certain words. Although his parents worked abroad, they spent little time at home and didn't deliberately cultivate Zhang Heng's foreign language skills.

Therefore, his English was only at a basic level, sufficient for daily communication, but he needed Ed to explain technical terms.

After twenty minutes of teaching and listening, Zhang Heng finally understood how to find fresh water in the wilderness. Following Ed's advice, he temporarily used coconut water as his main water source and searched the nearby rock walls. Not only did he find a few small puddles, but he also discovered a natural cave.

It was about ten square meters, filled with bird droppings, which smelled bad, but it was at a higher elevation, so he wouldn't be washed away by the tide at night. More importantly, it was in a sheltered position, and the island was quite cool in the evenings, especially when the wind blew, which would take away more heat.

As the sun set, Zhang Heng used the last bit of light to pick a few more coconuts, which he and Ed ate for dinner. They then said goodnight to each other in the cave.

For the city-dwelling Zhang Heng, this was his first time sleeping outdoors. Despite knowing that his mind and body were at their limits and needed rest, he couldn't fall asleep for a long time. The smell of bird droppings in the air, the hard rock beneath him, and the unknown insects crawling over his arms in the dark... everything was tormenting his nerves, making him restless.

Suddenly, Ed spoke, "Zhang, have I told you what's most important in wilderness survival?"

"What?" Zhang Heng hadn't heard any noise from behind him for a long time and thought the man had already fallen asleep.

"Survival skills are undoubtedly very important, but more important is to stay optimistic. When you feel tormented, think about happy things and tell yourself that maybe a ship will pass by tomorrow and take us back to civilization." Ed's attitude remained consistently positive.

Zhang Heng sighed inwardly. If this was really a game, no ship would pass by within 40 days. However, Ed's words still improved his mood. Most importantly, they made him realize that he wasn't alone. Zhang Heng wasn't the type to complain about fate.

It was just 40 days on a deserted island. With a teacher, he believed he could do it. Zhang Heng tried to clear his mind of negative thoughts, and soon, drowsiness overcame him. He closed his eyes.