The next day, early morning.
When Chuck got up and out of bed, Kanae was no longer there, but this didn't surprise him.
Just about fifteen minutes ago, right as dawn was breaking, Kanae had secretly crept out of bed and quietly left the wooden cabin, limping slightly. She then quickly made her way back to the Southwest Bay under the cover of the lingering darkness.
If you were to ask Chuck how he knew...
Of course, it was because he had noticed the moment Kanae got out of bed.
Not only that, he had secretly followed behind her all the way, ensuring she returned safely to the cave in the Southwest Bay before returning to the wooden cabin himself to get a little more sleep.
Chuck wasn't surprised by Kanae's unannounced departure.
His phone on the bedside table suddenly vibrated twice.
Checking it, sure enough, it was a message from Kanae.
[Kanae]: I'm sorry, Mr. Chuck, I was a bit worried about my friends, so I went back first. Thank you very much for your care; you are my savior!
Even Chuck, with his limited Japanese, could find two typos in that short message…
Clearly, this wasn't because Kanae was illiterate, but because of her internal turmoil.
She probably didn't sleep very well last night, did she?
Chuck smiled and shook his head at the thought.
Now that he considered himself quite knowledgeable about women, combined with the powerful perception and observation strengthened by the potions, he had certainly noticed all of Kanae's anxious reactions last night.
Moreover, Chuck had heard the faint rustling sounds coming from the other side of the bed in the middle of the night clearly.
He could completely understand a pure, athletic girl like her being unable to immediately confront the instinctive urges she had just awakened.
But Chuck also believed that given enough time, she would eventually figure it out.
This was nothing more than the most common behavior between the male and female sexes in nature.
And by then, the needs that would erupt from that energetic body, trained through years of high-intensity sports, would probably be beyond imagination…
He woke up, washed, started the fire, and cooked, as usual.
Chuck, the ordinary harem man of the deserted island, spent another calm and warm morning with his three female companions.
Yesterday's drizzle had made the island air fresh and cool, and the two new wolf-skin mattresses on the bed ensured the women slept better than usual last night.
After his usual physical activity outside and solving Gu Yitong's engorged breasts with a mix of sucking and squeezing, his empty stomach was awakened by the warm milk. Fortunately, Julia's handmade pancakes wrapped with meat filled them all up.
However, after breakfast, a piece of less-than-optimistic news emerged.
"Darling, the meat supply at home is almost finished."
After breakfast, Julia came up behind Chuck, who was gathering things for his outing, and spoke softly.
Chuck, who was squatting down bundling several long wooden sticks together, slowly stood up upon hearing this.
Seeing the calm expression on Julia's face—she wasn't anxious about the food consumption but was simply reporting the status of the household reserves—Chuck nodded.
"If we don't reduce the portions, how long will it last?"
"Hmm… one day?"
Julia pondered for a moment before giving a non-conservative answer.
Hearing this, Chuck nodded, then rubbed her perky buttocks, causing her expression to suddenly turn shy.
"I know. Just keep everything as usual."
After saying this, he grabbed his gear and walked toward the door.
He didn't say much, but the meaning was clear enough.
Watching Chuck's receding back, Julia bit her lower lip, her pale legs rubbing together, and her panties instantly became sticky again.
Honestly, Chuck was quite surprised that the wild boar meat had lasted this long.
After all, there were four people in the household. He figured the consumption of meat had decreased because sago starch was now being used as a staple food.
It was evident just how much that wild boar had weighed.
But the old boar was gone, and no new one had arrived. Although Chuck had previously considered that meat wasn't strictly necessary, eating meat was, after all, a human delight. It was always better to have meat than not.
The reason Chuck spoke with such confidence to Julia as he left was simple…
After secretly escorting the limping Kanae back to the bay that morning, Chuck took a slightly longer route back, circling the perimeter of the Red Stone Hills.
And there, he suddenly discovered an unexpected surprise.
The three long wooden sticks bundled together with vines in his hand were the preparation he had made for this surprise.
All three sticks had been neatly sharpened, and one end had been heated and carbonized, making it quite pointed.
That's right, these weren't just three long wooden sticks; they were three simple spears synthesized on the Workbench!
Come to think of it, the weapon Chuck used to kill the wild boar before was precisely such a spear.
It was a coincidence seemingly arranged by fate.
Only this time, these three spears were more than just spears to Chuck.
The morning sunlight shone on the stony beach. Chuck walked through the cobblestone beach, which glowed a bright orange in the morning sun. Before long, he caught a strong stench of decay.
"Damn…"
Although the weather was cool, yesterday's light rain seemed to have accelerated the decomposition of the wolf carcasses. The stench was overwhelming, and Chuck had to cover his nose and retreat far away, taking a detour.
He continued uphill along the Red Stone Hills until the rocks under his feet became drier and harder…
Then, several blurred gray figures suddenly appeared on the distant hill cliff face.
These gray figures were the black dots Chuck had briefly glimpsed after his senses were further enhanced by the Blue Potion following the wolf attack yesterday, and they were the surprise he found here this morning.
A flock of goats!
Chuck stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes shining with excitement. A smile spread across his face.
He had often wondered how a pack of wolves survived on these desolate Red Stone Hills.
Now, he had the answer.
"Maa-heh-heh-heh—"
A vague, strange, unpleasant sound came from the cliff face ahead. Chuck leaned down slightly and slowly pulled one spear from the bundle.
He hadn't expected to find a flock of goats gathered in these hills. Strictly speaking, this was the first time Chuck had encountered non-aggressive wild animals on the island.
It seemed that this flock of goats was, in a way, part of the resources of the territory guarded by the gray wolves.
Unbelievable!
On a deserted island, a goat's value to Chuck was comprehensive.
First, there was the meat. Goat meat, being from a herbivore, was undoubtedly high-quality, delicious, and nutritious. It was even rumored to have the effect of tonifying the kidneys and strengthening male virility.
A bowl of goat soup, paired with a skewer of grilled goat kidneys, and finished off with some goat penis and testicles… Wouldn't that put the foreign bombshell and the Gu mother and daughter through hell?
Moreover, goats aren't small. The meat yield from two adult goats would probably equal that of the wild boar Chuck had slaughtered before.
Next, there were the goat hides and wool. The hides could be tanned into leather for mattresses or clothing. The wool was even better—excellent for stuffing and insulation. Paired with fabric woven from fibers, he could make bedding like pillows and quilts, which would truly and significantly improve their quality of rest!
The more Chuck thought about it, the more he looked forward to it.
But all of this depended on successfully killing a goat…
Relying solely on the few spears in his hand would undoubtedly be difficult.
He lowered his body slightly, concealing himself, and then roughly surveyed the area.
There were over seven goats visible at the moment, a considerable number. The wild flock was leisurely grazing on the sparse grass on the hillside, occasionally raising their heads, ears pricked, scanning the surroundings vigilantly.
The longer he watched, the tighter Chuck's frown became.
This flock of goats was extremely wary. Not the slightest movement in the vicinity could escape their eyes and ears.
This was the sensory perception evolved over millennia by herbivores. It was no wonder the goats could live peacefully alongside a pack of gray wolves in the same hills while maintaining such a respectable population size.
The difficulty of hunting them was obvious.
Chuck took a deep breath, drew one spear from the bundle, held it in his hand, and slung the rest behind his back. He began to move slowly, keeping close to the rock face.
He held his breath, moving almost silently, precisely avoiding every loose stone underfoot, inching closer to the goat flock.
As he advanced, Chuck quickly locked his gaze on a medium-sized goat at the edge of the flock.
The goat's coat was thick, and it was focused on chewing grass roots, appearing noticeably less vigilant than its companions.
Chuck knew that although he had prepared three spears, he likely only had one chance.
As the distance closed, Chuck's heart rate involuntarily sped up, and a layer of cold sweat already coated his palms.
Finally, he slowly raised the spear, like drawing an invisible bowstring.
But just then, a small goat's head suddenly peeked out from the opposite hillside path, meeting eyes with Chuck, who had been stealthily approaching the flock!
The little goat immediately leaped backward in flight, letting out a sharp cry.
Chuck's heart fiercely skipped a beat. The next second, the entire flock raised their heads. Some looked at him, while others fled in the opposite direction without even looking.
In a flash of lightning, Chuck made a decisive move.
He raised his arm high, swung it forcefully, and the spear in his hand instantly transformed into a javelin, whistling as it cut through the air!
Pzzzt—
The spear flying through the air, without deviation…
No, it was off-target and crooked, but it savagely pierced the hind leg of the goat that had been immersed in grazing!
Failing to deliver a fatal blow, Chuck's heart sank by half.
The goat screamed, its body stumbled, and blood instantly splattered onto the stones. It nearly fell but quickly struggled to its feet, limping and scrambling wildly up the slope.
At the same time, the entire flock scattered completely, fleeing rapidly in all directions. The Red Stone Hills instantly filled with the chaotic sounds of hooves and the goats' frightened bleating.
"Shit!"
Chuck grit his teeth, immediately took off running, chasing after the wounded, fleeing goat.
Although he hadn't managed a killing blow, and it had run off, the spear was still stuck in the goat's leg. The drag, combined with the severe injury, significantly reduced the goat's speed.
With a body enhanced by the potions, Chuck's top speed was actually faster than the wounded goat's escape, and hope reignited in his heart.
Cannot give up. Chase!
Sure enough, as it passed a section of suddenly dropping rock, the wounded goat, pursued relentlessly by Chuck, stumbled and instantly collapsed to the ground.
A perfect opportunity!
Chuck abruptly stopped, held his breath, and put all his strength into it. The second spear, already prepared in his hand, immediately flew through the air.
Thud—!
This time, it pierced the goat's chest without deviation!
Blood instantly gushed out. The goat let out a low moan, its body twitched violently a few times, and then, without further suffering, it crashed down, never to struggle again.
Chuck stopped where he was, hands on his knees, gasping for breath.
A while later, he slowly looked up at the goat's carcass lying ahead, with two spears sticking out of it…
He involuntarily clenched his fists and looked up at the sky.
And roared out in triumph.
Chuck wasn't a professional hunter, so he had originally prepared for a sustained hunt that might last all morning or even the whole day.
He hadn't expected to successfully secure an entire goat with just a minor setback.
He was overjoyed.
This meant a huge replenishment of meat reserves. He could enjoy eating meat freely for at least the next ten days to two weeks.
As he said before, the effort to kill prey and convert it into sustenance for his future survival was something that inherently evoked a deep sense of pleasure and accomplishment in a male. The wild excitement of successfully killing the wild boar for the first time was relived.
Only this time, Chuck did not butcher his prey on the spot.
The reason was simple: the goat weighed exactly around forty-five kilograms. Having been pierced through the heart by Chuck's long, hard spear, it was thoroughly dead and could be perfectly fitted into his Storage Space—convenient and effortless. Why wouldn't he?
And the time-stop effect of the space meant Chuck didn't have to worry about spoilage.
So, there was no immediate need to rush back to the wooden cabin.
Chuck hadn't forgotten that the main reason he came to the Red Stone Hills to kill the wolves was ultimately to collect ore and smelt metal.
However, as he followed the stony beach to the goat's gathering spot and then chased them to this location, the entire path, apart from the hard, red hills and cliffs, seemed to only have sparse weeds.
So where exactly can I find ore?
Just as Chuck was perplexed, the morning sun fully rose, sweeping past the towering cliff behind him and casting full light onto this red hill area near the volcano.
In that instant, the previously dull, red hills suddenly began to reflect faint, subtle glimmers of light.
Chuck frowned and narrowed his eyes.
He suddenly noticed a few protruding stones in the rock crevices reflecting an unusual metallic luster.
The color was deep and cold, completely different from the monotonous reddish-brown rock layers around them.