Volume One, Chapter 13: Preparing to Move

Zhuang Fan stepped out of the cave, greeted by an endless expanse of dense forest stretching before him. A broad river wound its way through the woods, shimmering under the sunlight. On either side of him rose uneven hills and a handful of open fields. Not far behind was a continuous mountain range, its peaks gradually ascending until they vanished into the distant horizon.

Zhuang Fan carefully surveyed his surroundings. With the great flood imminent, the forest and hills were clearly no longer safe. The only option was to seek refuge atop the high mountains. The ideal location would be close enough to the forest yet sufficiently elevated to withstand the flood’s onslaught.

His gaze settled on a towering peak to the right in the distance. Soaring nearly two thousand meters high, the mountain was majestic and imposing. It lay neither too far nor too near the forest—perhaps the perfect place to settle.

Contemplating the mountain, Zhuang Fan measured the sun’s position in the sky and calculated the time it would take to reach the summit. After careful thought, he resolved to investigate the site himself. Even if he couldn’t return promptly, he trusted that his current clothing and combat suit would shield him from the night’s chill.

The golden sunlight gradually took on an orange-red hue, signaling the approach of dusk. Zhuang Fan gathered his belongings, ready to set out. At that moment, the light figure of Zhong Xiahan finally appeared at the cave’s entrance.

“Zhuang Fan, what did you say? We’re moving?” Zhong Xiahan’s eyes widened in confusion.

Though physically weaker, she possessed an indomitable spirit, always eager to contribute more. All day long, she had scoured the area for supplies, hauling them back to the cave to store. She had hoped these efforts would secure their future days. Now, to hear Zhuang Fan speak of moving elsewhere so suddenly, it felt as if her hard work had been for naught.

Her heart churned with turmoil, unsure what to do.

Zhuang Fan looked at Zhong Xiahan’s bewildered expression and shook his head helplessly before explaining, “You silly girl, have you forgotten the great flood is about to break out in just a few days? If we stay here and don’t move, we’ll truly become a pair of doomed lovers drowning together!”

“Uh…” Zhong Xiahan’s face flushed crimson, fiery with embarrassment, as she retorted coyly, “Who... who wants to be those drowning lovers with you?”

Seeing she’d missed the point entirely, Zhuang Fan rubbed his forehead with one hand and sighed deeply.

“Alright then, I’ll go find a suitable shelter first. Once I confirm it’s safe, I’ll come back for you.”

“No way! I don’t want to stay here alone. I’m coming with you!” Zhong Xiahan responded without hesitation, her voice firm.

Caught off guard by her resolute answer, Zhuang Fan paused. After a moment, a faint smile tugged at his lips as he teased her, “Hehe, could it be you’re afraid to sleep alone at night, so you insist on coming with me?”

“No way... I’m just worried about...” Flustered by his words, Zhong Xiahan stumbled over her reply, unable to complete a sentence. Eventually, in a mix of embarrassment and anger, she pelted him with a flurry of tiny pink fists.

Clad in his combat suit, Zhuang Fan felt confident and unfazed by the playful assault of the petite, adorable girl. In fact, he rather enjoyed this unusual form of massage.

After a moment, a mischievous smile appeared on his face as he suddenly hoisted her onto his shoulders, preparing to descend the mountain together.

“Zhuang Fan! Put me down right now!” Zhong Xiahan panicked, waving her hands wildly and kicking her legs in a futile attempt to break free.

Zhuang Fan remained unmoved, grinning as he said, “Oh Xiahan, your strength is just like tickling me. If you put in a bit more effort, it’d feel like a wonderful massage.”

He then deliberately bounced his shoulders, causing her to sway even more.

Zhong Xiahan was both embarrassed and annoyed, feeling her body flush with heat as she was carried. Resigned, she lowered her voice with a hint of pleading: “Zhuang Fan, I still need to organize those supplies. Please put me down.”

“No worries, Xiahan. We’ll be back soon anyway. Next time, we’ll carry all the supplies together.”

Though he said this, Zhuang Fan knew when to stop and gently set Zhong Xiahan down. After his teasing, she fell silent—perhaps out of shyness, frustration, or simply because she didn’t want to engage with someone she found “annoying.”

Seeing her pout, Zhuang Fan smiled lightly, unfazed. Grasping a sturdy wooden staff, he took a deep breath and began jogging along the forest’s edge toward the right front. Zhong Xiahan followed quietly behind.

Zhuang Fan paced himself perfectly—not too slow to delay their journey, yet not too fast, mindful of Zhong Xiahan’s limited stamina. In this perilous, unknown world, they had to conserve energy for any sudden threats.

By the end of the day, nearly a quarter of the cattail stalks in their backpacks had been used up. Zhong Xiahan still had a fair share reserved for emergencies. As plant matter, their energy supply was limited.

At that moment, what Zhuang Fan longed for most was rabbit meat. Fortunately, Mengyao Ke had previously given him two units of flint, allowing him to start a fire and roast meat when the time came. But that would have to wait until they were settled; he dreaded encountering more monsters.

In less than 24 hours, they had already faced numerous deadly creatures: giant beasts, monstrous frogs, bloodthirsty rabbits, red-headed bears, and strange birds. Each was wildly different and posed grave danger.

Zhuang Fan decided to focus on strengthening themselves before confronting these monsters. Meanwhile, he began using the system’s drawing function to meticulously sketch a map of the area they traversed—documenting terrain, resource distribution, and monster types.

This would enable them to navigate more confidently in the future.

Of course, he was no professional artist. The maps he produced were barely recognizable, likely only he could decipher them.