Chapter 26: Preparing for a Rainy Day

"We need to find food and see if there are any other supplies along the river. We must search for anything edible in this rainforest; we have to try everything in our power!" My voice sounded resolute, partly to remind myself, as this was the most pressing difficulty we faced.

"I understand!" Qu Xiang replied, nodding firmly as she looked at me.

"I think separating from them is good for us, at least for now. After all, our fate must remain in our own hands." Regardless of whether it was youthful passion that led us to Lanfang initially, I was clearly clear-headed now.

"Danger is unavoidable. If I die, I’ll accept it! But if I’m lucky enough to survive, I should be grateful for this experience." I didn't want to be overly sentimental, but I knew that in a desperate situation, one’s mindset must be constantly adjusted.

I didn't know if Qu Xiang understood, but I couldn't lose my composure, nor could I put pressure on her or Lanfang. I vaguely realized how difficult that was, but I trusted Qu Xiang to understand.

"Ajing, you're right. Let them go their own way; we will find our own path out!" For once, she seemed spirited, even carrying a hint of confidence on her face, as if she had finally shaken off some of the terror and unease.

"Even though they have weapons, they still have to come and steal our food. It shows they can't find anything to eat at all!" Qu Xiang’s unconventional thinking truly opened my eyes. She continued with conviction, "They won't be able to hold out for long!"

"Regardless of us or them, our situations aren't exactly ideal. You heard Brother Wen today, so I hope Sister Lanfang is okay. Otherwise, we'll truly be in danger."

I didn't move closer to the fire, as there was no chill in the air yet. I had experienced firsthand over the last few days that the weather here turned chilly by morning and night. But looking at the fire, my mind seemed free of distractions, and my thoughts became clearer. If Brother Wen’s group was already resorting to cannibalism, then Peng Qian and the others weren't far behind.

The banks of this small river were covered in dense, typical vegetation, but not far off to either side lay tall, dark forests, growing thicker as they stretched inward.

The trees I saw were often abnormally huge. In a lush rainforest, various creatures are bound to thrive. Entering the depths of the forest would undoubtedly increase the level of danger.

If we were to find a way out, we would have to follow this river upstream.

But the immediate problem was the wide waterfall, which had become the greatest obstacle to moving upriver. I had examined the rock walls on both sides; they were nearly smooth, with no handholds, making them impossible to climb.

At least for now, I hadn't found any place to ascend. I could only hope that in the coming days, I might find a cliff face, a protruding rock, or even a depression or natural crevice that would allow us to climb higher.

As for the dense rainforest, the three of us certainly dared not traverse it. The thicket of trees and plants wasn't just simple shrubbery; those massive tropical rainforest plants could cost us our lives at any moment.

We hadn't yet experienced any major natural disasters, but the thought of staying in this rainforest, where anything could happen at any time, made my skin crawl.

We had to plan ahead and do our absolute best; only by surviving could there be any hope.

"Xiangxiang, if it really comes to that point, will you blame me?" I felt sorrow for the actions of Peng Qian and his group. Even if they felt their current choices were correct, they hadn't realized how dangerous their situation truly was.

"Blame you for what? Why would I blame you? This isn't your fault, nor is it anyone's intent." Qu Xiang seemed calm, gazing blankly into the fire. "I suddenly feel that this place isn't as simple as it seems. Ajing, don't you find it strange?"

"Hmm? Xiangxiang, did you think of something too?" Although I didn't dare to dwell on it, I looked at her with a sense of shock. "Tell me."

"They say Brother Wen and his people have been here for a long time and claim this is their territory. If that's the case, there must be others here—maybe even more than one group!" Qu Xiang's eyelids fluttered slightly, her voice trembling. "They haven't touched us yet. Do you think it's out of kindness, or do they have other plans?"

My body stiffened, and I looked at her with a touch of panic, seeing the same fear reflected in her eyes. I quickly masked my expression, forcing a calm look onto my face. "Perhaps they have other plans. But Brother Wen is a man with an agenda; that much is clear."

"I hope so." Qu Xiang’s strength seemed to drain away. When she looked at me, there was a hint of sorrow in her eyes. She clearly understood what I was thinking, but I didn't press the issue.

The air grew quiet, save for the crackling of the firewood.

"Actually, we still have an advantage." I looked at Qu Xiang again. Seeing that I had her attention, I continued, "They didn't seem to touch the banana heart I prepared for you. I don't know if they've never eaten it or just never found it, but that is our food."

"What do you mean?"

"Regardless of whether we can find more, it counts as rations. And if there is more, we can trade it with these people for supplies." I spoke with some uncertainty, but I clung to the belief that not everyone in the world was heartless.

At least under the current circumstances, that had to be true. My confidence increased slightly.

"Hmm, what you say makes sense. Also, we should search the river. How could there not be fish or shrimp in water like this?" Perhaps to comfort herself, Qu Xiang offered a suggestion of her own.

I had considered it before, but dismissed it because we lacked tools. Now that she brought it up again, my heart felt a flicker of excitement.

"Yes, let's prepare for that. And we need to gather more dry wood; we can't move for now." I mused, glancing at Lanfang before saying, "We absolutely must not enter the dense forest at night, not even the edges. We don't have any weapons."

Weapons!

At that thought, I noticed the walking stick Qu Xiang was using—a piece of phoenix-tail bamboo I had cut for her. My heart stirred, and I immediately took it to work with my knife.

Under Qu Xiang’s gaze, I whittled one end of the bamboo into a sharp, angled point. It looked quite dangerous on its own, but I also found a piece of scrap wood, carved it into a short, sharp spearhead, and wedged it into the hollow end of the bamboo.

With the bamboo point reinforced by the hardwood tip, the sharpness would last much longer.