Day 11 of Survival (Spring)7:45 AM18°CYun Luohe stood on the reef, staring at the seaweed, shaking her head.How could it have grown so much in just one night? It was already close to spreading to the wooden cabin. The growth rate was a bit astonishing.She hurried to check the oysters in the fishing net.The oysters had grown quite a bit too. They were busy eating «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» the seaweed, opening and closing their shells, which was a bit amusing to watch.It seemed impossible for these 10 oysters to eat all this seaweed.Yun Luohe called out to Ròubāo and gave it some food."I’m going to be out all day today and won’t be back until dark. Here’s your food, but don’t eat it all at once. You’ll help me harvest the seaweed. Put it in this plastic bucket."She carefully instructed, and Ròubāo, focused on the food, didn’t seem to mind."Did you hear me? I’ll check when I get back. If you haven’t done it, no night snacks for you.""Meow!" Ròubāo responded.Satisfied, Yun Luohe moved on to check the drainage ditch and rainwater reservoir.The small drainage ditch had been cleaned out by the rain, and while there was still some water on the reef, it wasn’t as much as before. It seemed to be working.The rainwater reservoir was filled with clear rainwater, holding about 100L.The reservoir was connected to a sprinkler system that would water the crops at scheduled times.Although these facilities were roughly made and looked crude, they served their purpose well.She checked the time and messaged both Mu Zitang and Qin Sisi to ask how their preparations were going. Today, Yun Luohe would use her island entry token, and Qin Sisi’s team card.Once Yun Luohe brought out the sailboat, Qin Sisi would use her team card to teleport to the sailboat, and after meeting up, they would use the card again to bring Mu Zitang over.Everything was going according to plan.The three of them would meet soon.Yun Luohe’s sailboat could fit three people, though it was a bit cramped.They greeted each other briefly and introduced themselves.This was their first time meeting in person, and since Mu Zitang and Qin Sisi didn’t know each other, the atmosphere was slightly awkward.Qin Sisi was an attractive woman, wearing a black sports suit with her hair neatly tied up in a professional manner. She had a slim figure, well-defined features, and a gentle smile in her warm eyes.She matched Yun Luohe’s impression of her.It was Mu Zitang, however, that caught Yun Luohe’s attention. He looked like a high school student, tall with pale skin, large eyes despite having single eyelids. He had been staring at Yun Luohe ever since he appeared, and his handsome face made him the kind of guy that would make girls jealous.But in a survival situation, everyone was focused on staying alive. Looks didn’t matter much anymore.Yun Luohe took the initiative to speak: "We don’t know which island we’ll land on yet. After we get there, let’s observe and decide how to gather resources."Qin Sisi: "Sounds good.""Got it," Mu Zitang said, unusually reserved. He usually talked a lot.Yun Luohe thought it might be the difference between being online and face-to-face. Many people were chatty online but quiet in person.The sailboat sailed for a few minutes before finally stopping.The three of them were faced with a huge island.Compared to the Butterfly Island Yun Luohe had visited, this island was like a small fish compared to a big one.Such a large island must have abundant resources.The group became excited, but Yun Luohe couldn’t shake a feeling of concern.Opportunities often came with more risks. The larger the island, the more diverse the ecosystem, meaning more types of plants and animals, and more unknown dangers."Let’s go," Yun Luohe stood up.[Welcome to Marsh Island…]Marsh Island. The name immediately conjured up images of low, muddy swamps, where one could easily get stuck and unable to escape.There were no beaches, only mangroves, and nothing useful could be seen among them—just a few snails buried in the muddy water.Qin Sisi picked up a few."These snails are edible."There weren’t many snails, and Yun Luohe didn’t bother to collect them. Instead, she was thinking about their next steps.Ahead was a green meadow where the grass had grown deep, almost up to her knees.Since it was Marsh Island, it was obvious that the meadow probably had some wetland marshes. But they would have to go in.Yun Luohe: "Let’s split up for now."Mu Zitang naturally deferred to Yun Luohe, and Qin Sisi, though seeing that Yun looked young, felt that she was someone with clear ideas and commands. Yun was delicate in appearance but exuded confidence and authority.Qin Sisi: "You lead."Yun Luohe spoke again: "We should act in a coordinated manner within a defined area. We don’t need to stay right next to each other, but we must be close enough to reach each other within five to ten minutes. Since this is Marsh Island, there should be a lot of clay around, but we’re looking at a grassy meadow now. The primary resource here is fiber. Let’s collect some fiber first, then slowly explore further, but be careful of the ground."Her plan was logical and clear, and neither of the others had objections.She added, "In case we encounter muddy areas, let’s buy some wooden planks from the trading center so we can step on them."Qin Sisi: "Good idea."After they bought their supplies, Yun Luohe said: "Let’s move out."Mu Zitang walked ahead as the group entered the deep meadow.As Mu Zitang cut grass with a sickle, fibers immediately fell to the ground.Each stalk of grass produced 3 to 5 fibers.Looking around, the grass here was abundant."This is way too much. If we cut all the grass here, we’ll get at least ten thousand fibers!"Yun Luohe: "Mhm, but fibers aren’t upgrade materials, so it’s fine to take just a bit."Qin Sisi: "Right. Let’s focus on finding other resources."There was also shallow water in the meadow. As expected, such an ecological area would have plenty of birds and small fish, like yellow catfish, and other creatures.Yun Luohe observed and indeed found some small holes. The yellow catfish liked to burrow, and these holes were likely made by them.However, catching yellow catfish wasn’t very efficient, and it wasn’t her primary goal. Moreover, she didn’t have the right tools for it. Otherwise, catching a few might allow her to make a couple of dishes and possibly gain some cooking experience.As she squatted down to observe, Qin Sisi came over."There seem to be a lot of yellow catfish here."Yun Luohe: "Yes, but unfortunately, we can’t catch them."Qin Sisi: "I have a way."She pulled out a small fishing rod from her backpack. It was different from the usual fishing rod. She hooked some fresh fish entrails onto the hook and placed it at the entrance of the hole.Before long, a yellow catfish poked its head out.As soon as it bit the entrails, Qin Sisi waited for it to eat, then pulled hard, quickly reeling the fish up.At first, it didn’t look that big by the hole, but once she pulled it out, Yun Luohe was shocked to find that the yellow catfish was a full meter long and weighed at least two kilograms."It’s that big?"Yun Luohe was surprised."Yeah, it seems like the resources here are plentiful. These yellow catfish are really well-fed," Qin Sisi said with a smile."It’s just too much trouble. Otherwise, I would catch more." Qin Sisi put the yellow catfish in a basket. "Let me catch two more, you guys can harvest some fiber."Mu Zitang had been busy cutting grass and collecting fibers while Qin Sisi was fishing.Yun Luohe nodded. "Alright, I’ll also look for other things."She asked Mu Zitang for the iron shovel and started digging the soil.The soil in the meadow was very fertile, thick with organic matter and microorganisms. She’d always find a use for it, and the soil she brought before had already been used for planting flowers and plants.The soil in the meadow had good ventilation and drainage, and it was also a good choice for raising earthworms.She dug up two boxes of soil, and by the time she finished, Qin Sisi had already caught more than ten large yellow catfish."Yun Jie, I’ve already got over 500 fibers, and I also found some grass seeds. We can plant them on the reef."Although fibers weren’t upgrade materials, they were useful for crafting items like tree fertilizer...So Mu Zitang’s extra fiber could be exchanged for useful resources.Yun Luohe: "Really? Let me see."Mu Zitang handed over the grass seeds to Yun Luohe.[Grass Seeds: Can be planted to grow pasture, improves aesthetics. Pasture can be used to feed livestock.]A useful item!She could collect more of these."How many grass seeds do you have?""About ten or so, not many dropped."Yun Luohe thought for a moment—maybe the sickle’s level was too low, or perhaps their luck wasn’t great, because they had harvested a large patch of grass but only got ten seeds.It was a bit low.Yun Luohe looked at Qin Sisi: "Sisi, when Mu Zitang was cutting grass, he dropped some grass seeds. They’re quite useful. Do you want to try gathering some too?"Qin Sisi looked at the grass seed description."That’s true, it would be good to plant them somewhere.""Then let’s gather some more."The three of them began cutting grass together.Another half hour passed, and a large patch of the meadow had been cleared. The grass was all cut, and the soil underneath was mostly exposed.The damp soil was filled with many holes, not just the small ones made by yellow catfish. Some of the drier patches had fist-sized holes, probably made by field mice or similar creatures. Who knows how many small animals this meadow could sustain?Qin Sisi made significant progress. After half an hour, she had collected over 200 fibers and more than ten grass seeds.The probability of getting grass seeds was indeed higher for her than for Mu Zitang."Let’s move on."It had already been an hour and a half since they landed. It would take more time to pass through this meadow, and they couldn’t afford to spend the whole morning here.Qin Sisi had already started planning what to cook for her child with the yellow catfish.Yellow catfish had high nutritional value and could boost immunity. Her child had been feeling a bit under the weather lately, so eating some yellow catfish would help strengthen their body.As they neared the edge of the meadow, the group stopped in unison, frowning as they looked toward the scene ahead.Not far off was a swamp, and in the middle of the swamp were over a dozen tall, eerie trees. It was hard to describe them as anything other than monstrous—twisted bodies with claws, looking like tree spirits that could devour a person.If it weren’t daylight and the temperature was still warm, one might think they were in a haunted place.But since it was daylight and the temperature wasn’t too low, it wasn’t as scary.Still, the area looked dangerous.The entire area was a swamp, and walking through it directly would be impossible.The three of them exchanged uncertain glances.Mu Zitang: "What should we do now?"Qin Sisi: "Do you think we could use wooden planks to create a path?"Yun Luohe: "We’ll have to try. If that doesn’t work, we’ll find another way around."They continued forward and finally reached the edge of the swamp.Yun Luohe cautiously observed the swamp, using a stick she found nearby to test the depth and firmness of the mud.She wasn’t sure either, but the edge seemed passable. However, if they ventured into the middle, the mud could be too soft and deep, and they might end up stuck, even possibly sinking.Everyone knew that if you got stuck in a swamp, the more you struggled, the faster you sank. Without experience, it would be difficult to get out.Who knew if there were any terrifying creatures hiding in the swamp?She poked at the ground twice with the stick. It wasn’t very deep, and it seemed to have some firmness.Yun Luohe looked around. Nearby was a large tree at the edge of the swamp, and an idea came to her mind."We’ll tie a rope to this tree, and the other end to ourselves. We can use the rope to pull ourselves out if we get stuck in the swamp. We just need a long enough rope."Mu Zitang: "That’s doable. Fiber just happens to be enough to make rope. I’ll find someone to craft a long rope for us!"He knew players in the association who had workbenches, and for a small tip, he could ask someone to make a long rope.About 100 fibers could make a 1km rope.At worst, they could make a 2km rope. The swamp area didn’t look bigger than 1km.Yun Luohe: "Alright, go ahead and do that. I’ll try laying down some planks to test it first."Just having a rope wasn’t enough—they needed to build a temporary path and ensure the planks could stay stable. They wouldn’t need many planks, just five for each person. Once used, they could pick them up and toss them further ahead. They didn’t have hundreds of planks to cover the whole path.The priority was to find hard ground to pass through. The areas with more vegetation would likely have firmer soil, but in this swamp, there was barely any grass, only decaying plants. It seemed that only these strange trees could grow here.Also, some brightly-colored fungi were growing on the trunks of the trees.Who knew if they were toxic? They wouldn’t know until they picked them.With her gathering skills, Yun Luohe was confident she could identify them. Plus, since Qin Sisi was a doctor and knew about the toxicity of herbal medicines, she probably had some insight.She bought a pair of gloves from the trading center, put them on, and then began harvesting the mushrooms.It was amazing that one tree could grow five or six different types of mushrooms.One of the mushrooms, orange-red in color, had a rough surface and many tiny cracks, resembling a small pumpkin.Yun Luohe picked it first.[Flame Mushroom: A flammable mushroom, can be dried and used to make matches, generating fire through friction.]"!"Such a mushroom!It seemed pretty useful.The other mushrooms were all carefully picked by Yun Luohe.[Dream Mushrooms: Colorful mushrooms that glow at night. They are highly poisonous; consuming them causes instant unconsciousness and hallucinatory visions. They can be used to make sleeping potions.][Black-skinned Chicken Fungus: Delicious with a high protein content.][Mandarin Mushrooms: Very small mushrooms that cannot be directly picked. Contact with the skin causes stiffness and paralysis. They can be eaten once cooked.][Blue Velvet Mushrooms: Beautiful appearance with a strong fragrance. When dried and ground into powder, they can be added to food to enhance flavor.]Each tree only had a small amount of each mushroom, usually just one or two.But the uses of these mushrooms were plenty.Yun Luohe looked at the other trees, her eyes lighting up.If she could collect all the mushrooms from these trees, it would be a huge gain.But it was impossible to run around the swamp just for these mushrooms. She could only look for opportunities to find the trees while crossing the swamp and collect what she could. The time spent making the rope wasn’t long. They only waited for fifteen minutes before getting the long rope, which weighed more than ten kilograms. Mu Zitang struggled to bring it to Yun Luohe.Yun Luohe took it easily, surprising Mu Zitang. He didn’t expect her to have such strength.Yun Luohe had already tested earlier, and the distance of five to six meters was perfectly walkable. She made it to the nearest large tree.She tied a knot with the rope around the tree and ensured it wouldn’t come undone before tying the other end around her waist."I’ll go first. If it’s fine, you guys can follow using the same method."This wasn’t just to save two ropes; it was better for Yun Luohe to scout ahead. After all, there wouldn’t be that much solid ground for everyone to pass through. If she could find a path, it would be a bonus.Mu Zitang: "Be careful."Qin Sisi: "Take it slow, if anything happens, come back quickly."Yun Luohe nodded. "You guys can look for resources around here."Having already discovered some mushrooms in the swamp, Yun Luohe guessed that despite the danger, there were definitely high-value resources here.She took the first step into the swamp.Qin Sisi and Mu Zitang watched her walk steadily for over ten meters without issue and then stopped watching her, instead starting to search for resources.Soon, Mu Zitang noticed something—black-brown soil sticking out of the ground. Unlike regular dirt, it was smooth and fine, and it glimmered under the sun.He quickly took out his tools and dug it up.[Obtained: Clay ×1]"There’s clay here!" Mu Zitang shouted.Yun Luohe was walking ahead, hearing his shout and glancing back.They found clay? That was a good find.Qin Sisi walked over to see the discovery.Clay was an important material. If they could bring enough back, this trip to the island would be worthwhile.The two of them carefully searched the edge of the swamp for more clay, and sure enough, they found quite a bit.Not all the clay was exposed; some needed the surface soil to be dug up.They used their shovels to dig furiously.The stamina points were consumed quickly, but they were rewarded with a lot.Mu Zitang dug up fifteen clays, while Qin Sisi found twenty."I’m exhausted! If only we had a tool... an automatic digger would be perfect," Mu Zitang wiped the sweat off his forehead.Qin Sisi laughed. "It really is physically taxing."Her stamina was down to 35 points. She needed to replenish it soon.She had brought some food to restore stamina, bought from the trading center. It was expensive, but there was no choice. She had spent a lot of money just to come to the island.Yun Luohe figured it would take a while for her to cross the swamp. They could keep digging here in the meantime. Things weren’t going as smoothly for Yun Luohe. The swamp was uneven. Some areas were so soft that her feet couldn’t land properly. She kept using the stick to test the ground, searching for spots where she could lay down planks.It was slow, but there was no way around it. Safety first. She had to be cautious, and if it took longer, so be it.Besides taking care of herself, she also had to keep an eye on the other two.Although Qin Sisi and Mu Zitang had found the clay, Yun Luohe didn’t feel that bad about it. She had also discovered something in the swamp.From a distance, she hadn’t seen it, but as she got closer, she realized that the swamp was still home to some plants, although they were hard to see because they were dark and hidden.[Peat Moss: Grows in swamps or peat soil. It can be used as a soil conditioner, with good water retention and ventilation properties. It’s ideal for growing flowers and maintaining soil moisture, as well as creating high-quality moisturizing soil.]There was a lot of peat moss in this section of the swamp. Yun Luohe had already gathered more than fifty of them.What caught her attention was that wherever the peat moss grew, there was likely peat soil underneath.Perhaps beneath the peat moss, there was peat soil.Peat was the least decomposed form of coal. After processing, it could be used as fuel, a soil conditioner, and even turned into activated carbon for filtering water. It had a lot of uses.Yun Luohe was eager to take out her shovel and dig.Maybe she would uncover the peat layer!But standing on the planks required being light on her feet. She needed to dig with force, and it was easy to lose her balance and sink.She didn’t feel entirely comfortable. It would be better to avoid digging here in the swamp since everything felt a bit off.She quietly reminded herself—her life was more important. Peat layers weren’t only found here. Swamps were easy to find, and the peat could be dug up elsewhere. She couldn’t let the resources in front of her cloud her judgment.Yun Luohe took a few moments to calm herself.She didn’t realize that as she stood on the planks, the mud at the surface of the swamp began to bubble, as if something was rising up from below.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.