Chapter 466 Deep into the Forest

Chapter 466 Deep into the Forest

Man, figuring out where to build this house was a real head-scratcher.

As I stumbled upon that absorbent material, I couldn't help but think, "I should check out a few other islands nearby," and I let out a bitter laugh.

This island I was on only had three beaches to wander. The middle, the back, it was all a big question mark to me.

That massive bear, standing over 9 feet tall, was a real beast in the jungle. You'd think we'd spot it moving around, but we were clueless about its exact whereabouts.

And that cliff we scoped out? It was quite a trek from the real heart of the island. This place felt more like rolling hills. The beaches were at the lowest points, with the cliff a bit higher, and the true center of the island at the peak. When we got to the cliff, we should have gotten a good view of the island's center, right?

I pondered, recalling the map hidden in the captain's safe. There's a mark at the island's center, shaped like a cute bear head, I silently reminisced.

I was itching to explore those marked spots on the map, but for now, I could only gaze from afar.

"I hope to uncover some truth." Those marked spots on the map feel like mystical charms, fueling my desire to explore them.

I was eager to check out all these spots pronto. With bug spray slathered on, we glided through the jungle with ease. We faced little danger along the way. Gradually, we delved deeper into the deserted island jungle. The trees towered high, some reaching over 30 feet. The vines were thick, perfect for swinging on.

Holding a compass, I wasn't too worried about getting lost in the jungle. Now and then, I'd spray some insect repellent on myself and the woman next to me.

As we ventured deeper into the jungle, the heat intensified, and we started sweating more. The sweat diluted the insect repellent on us.

But we weren't concerned since we had plenty of repellent from the cave before we set out.

"So many animals out here, if we manage to hunt them all, then we..." As we trekked through the jungle, Lila and I came across monkeys, pangolins, some hefty lizards, wild boars, and deer.

The female students with Lila seemed thrilled at the sight of so many animals. I silently agreed with their excitement.

With such a variety of animals on the deserted island, setting traps at different spots could help us secure food by checking them regularly.

Seeing the abundance of animals boosted my confidence in building a house on the deserted island.

I made up my mind to stay on the deserted island with the woman beside me for a couple of years. The captain's map had many women convinced that rescue was unlikely.

But I wasn't so pessimistic. I had a hunch that with the captain purposely steering off course from the cruise ship, we might be found in a few months, or at most, one to two years.

"Once we get past this rough patch, things will be okay," I reassured myself. I thought we'd be trudging through the jungle for a long while, but after just a few steps, the surroundings suddenly cleared up.

Initially relying on the compass for direction, after walking for some time in the jungle, we veered slightly off course. It wasn't a big deal, just about 300 feet off track.

In the distance, barren cliffs were now teeming with signs of plant and animal life.

Unfamiliar squirrels darted into the caves of the cliffs upon spotting us humans. Some dried yellow plants adorned the cliffside.

"Just as I suspected," I muttered to myself, eyeing the plants. The variety of flora on the deserted island was vast. I had a hunch that there might be some water-resistant plants on this cliff. And indeed, there were some water-resistant plants, but they leaned more towards medicinal herbs.

"Shoot," I cursed quietly and gestured for Lila and the others to stay below. I resolved to explore the cliff more thoroughly.

Additionally, I wanted to scale the cliff to get a view of the island's center. "A bear head? Could that be the bear's lair?" I pondered to myself.

Despite the tragic loss of many female students, the bear monster's lair remained elusive. Reflecting on the map's markings, I had a gut feeling that the island's center might be where those bear monsters called home.

"Is it possible?" I mused silently as I ascended the cliff. To my surprise, Lila and the two female students trailed behind me. "You guys," I scolded them with a glance.

"Michael, we're here to support you. Plus, when we set out, Kathy and the others reminded us to keep you safe," Lila smiled softly.

I nodded in resignation. Climbing this side of the cliff proved relatively easy. In no time, I had scaled halfway up, and in some spots, I could even ascend without much effort. It was then that I noticed numerous dried yellow plants. Though unfamiliar, they appeared to be some kind of herbal vegetation.

They were just bigger. Each plant stood at about 1.5 feet tall. I gently tugged at one, sensing it was firmly anchored in the soil. It proved stubborn to uproot.

"What kind of herb is this?" I stomped on one, causing it to snap. A milky white liquid oozed from the broken plant.

"What are its properties?" With a solid grasp of botanical plants, I could identify most herbs.

I dabbed a bit of the milky white liquid and sniffed it near my nose. It carried a subtle earthy scent, nothing more.

"Hmm..." I looked puzzled.

Usually, the liquid inside medicinal herbs holds some healing qualities, but this plant lacked any medicinal aroma.

"This doesn't add up," I shook my head in bewilderment. It wasn't what I had anticipated. Breaking two more nearby plants, I sniffed the liquid inside. It still bore the same earthy fragrance, unlike medicinal herbs.

"Weird," I blushed in embarrassment. I had misjudged the nature of these dried yellow plants. "They're not medicinal herbs but something else, something unfamiliar." With that realization, I offered a faint smile.

At that moment, if the professor, my botanical expert partner, were here, she would have been over the moon. She adored discovering new plant species around the globe.

If she were on this island, I bet she would have been ecstatic for days on end. Since it wasn't the plant I sought, I chose not to dwell on it.

Instead, I pressed on with my climb up the cliff. I aimed to reach the summit and catch a glimpse of the island's core.

After a struggle, particularly in the final stretch, I summoned all my strength to ascend. Simultaneously, I hoisted Lila and the others up behind me.