The gun, in the end, was never fired.
If it wasn't absolutely necessary, Lin Qianyi hoped it would never be used on a person.
By the fire, Rena was stitching up He Yanghui's wound using a fishing hook and line. That stab from Zhou Hong had left a gash across He Yanghui's right palm. He probably wouldn't be able to use that hand properly for a long while.
Rena's technique was decent, and He Yanghui could bear the pain, so things went smoothly enough.
Lin Qianyi and Zhou Hong sat off to the side as Zhou Hong began to tell his story.
A classic, cliché love story.
Zhou Hong had fallen in love with a woman. But she was manipulative and strung him along, draining his savings and even his parents'. In the end, she just told him she wasn't interested anymore.
That honest, simple man then revealed the savage side buried deep in his DNA.
The woman died a gruesome death.
But the satisfaction only lasted a moment. Bound by the restraints of civilized society, Zhou Hong soon fell into regret and pain.
After getting arrested, he began to behave himself, and eventually got a supervised visit to see his elderly parents.
That's when he found his chance with help from friends, family, and fellow villagers and escaped.
"I don't get it... I really don't. I did everything she asked..." Zhou Hong muttered, covering his face with his hand.
Lin Qianyi pursed his lips, unsure of what to say.
He'd originally thought this guy was some cold-blooded assassin type. Now it turned out he was just a heartbroken simp.
"Brother Zhou, this isn't your fault," Lin Qianyi said, patting him on the shoulder.
What else could he say?
Call him stupid?
Say he didn't understand women?
Victim-blaming wasn't the right approach.
At most, he could be frustrated at Zhou for being too naive.
But really, this was a societal issue.
Society tells you this is the "right" way to act, trains you that way but when you follow it, you're betrayed. Suddenly, you realize you're out of touch with the current "version" of the world.
That moment when faith collides with reality is the most painful of all.
Su Mandong seemed like she wanted to say something, but with the shadow of Zhou Hong's earlier outburst still looming, she swallowed her words.
She didn't have much respect for this type of man.
In her mind, people who valued emotions too much were losers.
He Yanghui, who had a happy family life, could only offer sympathy. But even he found it hard to comfort Zhou Hong.
He was a firm believer in the law.
He couldn't just say, "It's okay, start over now," with a clear conscience.
Killing someone in a moment of passion might be understandable.
But becoming a fugitive and involving so many others? That would lead to serious punishment.
Rena finished stitching He Yanghui's wound and said, "No bone damage, but no heavy labor for at least half a month."
"No problem," Lin Qianyi smiled confidently. "I'll handle Uncle He's work."
"That's the only option now," He Yanghui nodded.
"Actually, there's something I want to tell you all," Lin Qianyi said.
Everyone looked at him curiously.
"In the forest where I fetched water," he continued, "I found a type of fungus that seems edible. I've tried it no toxicity. And I think I can try growing it. The environment's suitable; we might be able to get a stable supply."
"More food is always a good thing," He Yanghui said.
Though he said that, he wasn't overly excited. In his mind, mushrooms took a long time to grow, and in six months, they might not yield much.
"Brother Zhou, come with me to pick some," Lin Qianyi said.
Though Zhou Hong seemed stable, he was still a potential threat. Both Lin Qianyi and He Yanghui had decided he shouldn't be left alone with Su Mandong or Rena.
"Okay," Zhou Hong nodded.
Soon, the two of them arrived at the hidden spot Lin Qianyi had disguised.
Amid the grass, on a patch of decomposing soil, sat a large, gray-white lump that looked like a stone.
Lin Qianyi quickly pulled it out. "This is it."
"It's so big! I would've thought it was just a rock…" Zhou Hong said in surprise.
Lin Qianyi smiled. That's why he called it Rock Mushroom No. 3 it really looked like a rock.
Back at camp, everyone was shocked by the mushroom's size.
He Yanghui recognized it. "Looks like a kind of giant fungus. I've seen something similar at a market in Maruyo they called it 'giant cow dung mushroom.' But that one was white."
"Is it really edible?" Su Mandong asked.
"Of course. Just boil it for a few minutes," Lin Qianyi replied.
He sliced the mushroom into their newly crafted stone pot, added water, and set it on a makeshift mud stove.
They used to cook in plastic bottles, which warped after each use. Even though they had a lot of bottles, it felt wasteful.
So He Yanghui had carved a rough stone pot more like a deep plate, really.
Soon, the water boiled and the mushroom was cooked.
The aroma was irresistible. Everyone subconsciously swallowed.
Lin Qianyi served them each a portion.
The moment they took a bite, their taste buds were overwhelmed.
It was so delicious, it felt like a massage for their nerves. Fatigue vanished, and their whole bodies relaxed.
This was the effect of the "Delicious" trait.
In some fantasy games, this kind of food would literally make clothes explode.
No one spoke. Even He Yanghui, with his injured hand, slurped and chewed eagerly.
Lin Qianyi said, "The environment here is great. I saved some spores. If I move them to a better spot with enough compost, we could get another batch in a few days."
Everyone looked at him differently now.
"Qianyi, your botany major finally paid off!" Zhou Hong smiled.
"Strictly speaking, mushrooms are fungi, not plants," He Yanghui corrected.
He clearly had a subtle shift in attitude toward Zhou Hong he no longer showed him much kindness.
"Uncle He, now's not the time for a science lecture," Lin Qianyi laughed. "You want more? There's some left it won't taste as good if it sits too long."
"Of course I want more!" Su Mandong immediately replied.
"I'd like another serving too," Rena said, surprisingly proactive.
The team's mood lightened considerably.
As Lin Qianyi boiled the rest of the mushroom, he breathed a sigh of relief.
With food constantly scarce, emotions always ran high.
One wrong move, and the team could fall apart.
Without his intervention, this situation could have ended with Zhou Hong shooting Su Mandong. They'd lose a team member.
Something similar had already happened once.
Thankfully, he had responded quickly. He hadn't skimped on using the special herb earlier, boosting his physical abilities which allowed him to defuse both situations.
Honestly, without the help of his "farming cheat," this survival mission would've been incredibly difficult.
He had to act proactively with a body that wasn't especially strong, win favor with everyone, take partial leadership, and prevent conflict all to perfectly complete the mission.
Thankfully, he had the cheat.
Now, with He Yanghui injured and Zhou Hong unfit to lead, he had effectively taken over.
Going forward, He Yanghui could serve as the "external brain," while he smoothed out internal tensions and the team could run smoothly.
As he thought, the soup was ready.
"Mushroom soup's ready!" he called.
---
Even that giant mushroom wasn't enough for five people.
They finished it in one sitting.
They had been starving, and the "Delicious" trait made the food irresistible.
Lin Qianyi had originally planned to save some for flavoring future dishes like fish soup but before he knew it, everything went into the pot.
Still, it was a good thing. After that emotional blowup, a full belly calmed everyone down.
By the sea, Lin Qianyi stood facing the wind, his gaze far-off, holding a maturity that didn't match his youthful appearance.
He had lived 29 years in his past life and 17 in this one 46 years total.
That often made him analyze things from a detached, rational perspective.
So he always felt a bit out of place in the world.
But the hormones of his teenage body still stirred occasional impulses.
Like that incident with Wang Xiaoyi usually he'd avoid trouble, but in that moment, hot-bloodedness had made him step in like a hero. Thankfully, it ended well.
Looking back, it was kind of funny.
Lin Qianyi smiled. Youth is nice.
"You seem happy," said a voice behind him Su Mandong.
"Sister Su," he greeted her. "Out enjoying the breeze too?"
"I'm scared to be near him," she said, face blank.
Only now did she realize this "naive college kid" was anything but simple.
He had been in control the entire time.
"Brother Zhou is a good man," Lin Qianyi smiled. "Just unlucky. Hurt by a bad woman. Don't let it get to you."
"Do you think I'm a good woman or a bad one?" she asked.
"Of course you're a good woman," he answered without hesitation.
"I've been incompetent… and I even stole food. Still good?" she said.
"If I were starving, I'd steal too," he replied.
When survival instincts take over, the beast within takes the wheel. In her place, he might've done worse.
Su Mandong stared at him, then suddenly stepped forward and kissed him.
He didn't dodge, but he didn't kiss back either. His expression was complex.
So my first kiss in this life is gone?
Was this one of those "full stomach, full desires" moments?
Maybe I shouldn't have let her eat so much…
They parted quickly.
Lin Qianyi touched his lips. "Sister Su, what was that?"
"Thanks," she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. "You saved me twice. That kiss is my thanks. If you don't think I'm pretty, that's all I have to offer."
"You're very pretty," he said with a grin. "I totally profited."
To be honest, Su Mandong wasn't top-tier, but she was still attractive good figure, decent looks.
Even after all this time on the island, she was still striking compared to most.
But Lin Qianyi knew when to draw the line.
This wasn't the time for romance.
"You're too smooth," she chuckled. "So young, yet so deep. If we get off this island, forget studying abroad. Come work for me instead. I'll pay you a million a year."
"Thank you, Sister Su. I'll think about it," he replied.
Internally, he sighed.
As expected, Su Mandong a top executive in a major company wasn't just acting on emotion.
Now that she had adapted to the environment, she immediately began leveraging her assets, trying to win over the team's key member.