The lottery wheel was filled with all kinds of prizes, without a single empty slot, meaning that every spin guaranteed a reward.
Could this be the start of a streak of good luck?
First, he caught a Coconut Crab, then caught a Cao Fish to complete the mission, and now he had earned a lottery spin. Qin Tian almost couldn’t believe how many good things were happening today.
Afraid that the lottery chance might be taken back by the System, Qin Tian steadied his mind and spun the wheel, silently praying to hit the jackpot on the first try.
The lottery wheel spun rapidly, circling more than ten times before gradually slowing down. Qin Tian’s heart quietly rose with anticipation.
Under Qin Tian’s gaze, the wheel stopped, the pointer landing on the ‘Swift Cheetah’ talent. The luck value on the wheel also increased from ‘0’ to ‘1’.
“No way!” Qin Tian couldn’t help but shout out loud, but then remembered Ye Lin was right behind him, so he quickly clamped his mouth shut and lowered his voice: “Damn!”
“Damn! Damn! Damn!” Qin Tian clenched his fists.
It was no wonder Qin Tian was so excited. After all, talents in the Mall usually cost over ten thousand Points. To get one directly from the lottery was an incredible thrill.
“Ding—Host, do you wish to activate the experience now?”
At that moment, an Experience Card appeared on the electronic screen. Qin Tian froze in place. “Experience Card?!”
Wide-eyed, he looked back at the lottery wheel and noticed that almost every talent slot had the tiny words ‘Experience Card’ written next to it so faintly that you’d barely see it without close inspection.
His emotions swung wildly, and Qin Tian felt a sting of betrayal.
Looking again at the lottery wheel, he thought it resembled a prize pool from some glory game, full of stingy little items—extremely cheap.
But then he remembered this lottery chance was a gift, and his mood lifted immediately. After all, free stuff was always the best, no matter what it was.
Judging by the name, the ‘Swift Cheetah’ talent should increase personal speed. It wasn’t useful to him right now, so Qin Tian temporarily stored it in his Personal Warehouse.
Closing the System, Qin Tian began planning tomorrow’s tasks. Since arriving on the Deserted Island, this had become his nightly routine.
***
As the sun rose, mist drifted through the Forest. Although the Campfire was still burning in the camp, Ye Lin, who was sleeping soundly, was disturbed.
Feeling a bit damp, her eyelids fluttered, and she slowly woke. But when she opened her eyes, Qin Tian was nowhere to be seen.
Startled, Ye Lin immediately got up and searched around, her heart growing anxious.
“You’re awake?”
Just then, Qin Tian’s voice came from behind. Ye Lin turned and saw him walking toward the camp carrying two Cao Fish.
The fishing traps hadn’t disappointed Qin Tian. After a night, he had caught two more Cao Fish. Breakfast was secured.
“Please tell me before you leave next time,” Ye Lin said, her worry finally easing, though her expression was a little displeased.
“Sorry, you were sleeping too soundly, so I didn’t want to wake you,” Qin Tian said quickly, concerned about her mood.
“For breakfast’s sake, I’ll forgive you,” Ye Lin chuckled softly at his slightly flustered expression.
Even Ye Lin hadn’t realized it, but Qin Tian’s every move quietly tugged at her emotions.
***
Though they had a full meal last night, after a night’s sleep, both their stomachs had digested most of it.
After Ye Lin finished washing up, Qin Tian had just finished grilling the fish, and the two sat down in front of the Campfire to eat.
The Cao Fish were small—fine for breakfast, but definitely not enough for a whole day’s nutrition. So Qin Tian’s plan still prioritized searching for more food.
After eating, Qin Tian intended to discuss their tasks for the day with Ye Lin but noticed her hesitant expression.
His heart skipped a beat, fearing she might be thinking of something troubling. He asked, “What’s on your mind?”
Ye Lin didn’t answer immediately. She looked up, staring straight at Qin Tian, making him feel uneasy.
Like she was about to make an important decision, after a long pause, Ye Lin bit her lip and said, “You’re not allowed to go near the Creek until I get back!”
“What?” Qin Tian was utterly confused, having no idea what she meant.
After a moment’s thought, he nodded. “Remember to bury your waste and leave no scent. Don’t pollute the water source.”
Obviously, Qin Tian and Ye Lin were thinking of two entirely different things.
Ye Lin blushed and shouted, “I’m going to take a bath!”
Girls naturally preferred cleanliness. Over these days, Ye Lin hadn’t washed at all, and after all the work she’d done, she was already filthy. It was only the circumstances that forced her to hold back.
But now things were different. They had a Camp, a full belly, and more time for other things, so she simply couldn’t endure being dirty any longer.
Without looking back, Ye Lin left.
Watching her go, Qin Tian was speechless. But honestly, after Ye Lin said that, he felt like taking a bath himself.
Compared to Ye Lin, he exerted more energy. His clothes were sour and foul-smelling, sticking to his skin, unbearably uncomfortable.
But thinking about the day’s food still unsettled, Qin Tian gave up on the idea.
After a moment, he called out toward Ye Lin’s direction, “I’ll go check nearby for resources. Let me know when you’re done.”
There was no response for a long while.
Not caring much, Qin Tian picked a random direction, grabbed his Stone Axe, and left the camp.
***
For days, Qin Tian and Ye Lin had been following the Creek looking for resources, but they hadn’t thoroughly explored the Forest near the camp.
The Forest was overgrown with underbrush—both tall trees and low shrubs interwoven in a chaotic pattern. Every few steps, Qin Tian had to use the Stone Axe to clear a path. It was tough going, and without any distinctive landmarks, it was easy to get lost.
Qin Tian had only intended to search near the camp but unwittingly wandered far away. When he came to his senses, he was in an unfamiliar area.
Looking around, the trees were all the same; he had no clue which way he had come from. Fortunately, the ground was damp from the morning dew and easy to leave footprints.
Using the footprints, Qin Tian found his way back to the camp.
Seeing the familiar surroundings, Qin Tian felt relieved. It was a good thing he hadn’t strayed too far; otherwise, even with footprints, returning would have been difficult.
This experience didn’t deter Qin Tian from continuing his resource search but made him more cautious.
Now, every so often, Qin Tian would leave marks on trees to avoid losing his way.
***
The resources in the Forest were richer than by the Creek. After a short walk, Qin Tian spotted many fruits.
The fruits varied in size: some as large as a fist, green and growing on tall trees; some slightly bigger than a thumb, fiery red and growing on low shrubs; some oddly shaped but emitting a pleasant fragrance.
Unfortunately, even with the System, Qin Tian couldn’t identify any of them.
Needless to say, these fruits were beyond the scope of the Common Plant Encyclopedia, so Qin Tian simply noted their locations for future study.
Besides that, the Forest held large patches of fallen rotten wood. The trunks weren’t thick and showed no signs of burn marks. Qin Tian couldn’t figure out how they had fallen.
Among the rotten wood, Qin Tian found a Wood Conk.
This thing wasn’t edible.
Also called Hoof Fungus, it grew on decaying wood. Once ignited, it could smolder for hours or even longer—essentially a man-made tinder.
Finding the Wood Conk reminded Qin Tian of one of the most common Forest foods: edible fungi, or mushrooms.
There were many types of mushrooms, but for humans, there were only two categories: poisonous and non-poisonous. Thanks to the System, Qin Tian didn’t have to worry about accidentally eating toxic ones.
With that in mind, Qin Tian began searching nearby. Though he didn’t find any mushrooms, he spotted a rabbit in some low shrubs.
***
The rabbit’s fur was dark gray, and it was smaller than a typical domestic rabbit. Qin Tian estimated it weighed about six jin.
He was about ten meters from the rabbit and cautiously approached without making a sound.
But rabbits were naturally skittish, and wild rabbits were constantly alert. When Qin Tian got within six meters, the rabbit grew wary. Qin Tian froze and gripped his Stone Axe tightly.
Sensing something was wrong, the rabbit looked toward Qin Tian’s position. Qin Tian held his breath.
Suddenly, the rabbit bolted. At the same moment, Qin Tian threw his Stone Axe.
Unfortunately, his aim was off—the axe landed about a meter away from the rabbit. Qin Tian hadn’t expected much, so as soon as he threw the axe, he sprinted after the rabbit with all his might.
He knew the rabbit was fast, so he didn’t hold back. What surprised him was how much faster the rabbit was than he imagined.
Like an arrow released from a bowstring, the wild rabbit gave Qin Tian no chance to catch up, disappearing from his sight in an instant.
“Is this Bugs Bunny?!” Qin Tian was dumbfounded. He felt that even if he activated the Experience Card, he still might not catch the rabbit.
After being out for an hour, Qin Tian guessed Ye Lin should be done washing and stopped searching. Picking up the Stone Axe, he headed back to camp.
However, as soon as he arrived, Ye Lin’s scream for help suddenly echoed from a distance, her tone filled with unmistakable terror.