Island Core

Ling Chu followed closely into the cave. The entire tunnel was sloped, the ground covered in loose sand. The cave didn't seem very deep, and a few seconds later, she slid to the bottom.

She looked up and found herself face-to-face with Titch's green, ghostly skeletal eyes.

The surroundings were pitch-black, and at first glance, it was rather eerie.

Titch grinned, extending his bony hand to help her up. Ling Chu waved him off, signaling for him to take the lead and scout ahead. At the same time, she took a Fluorescent Starfish from her ring to light the way.

The tunnel's height was just enough for a person to stand upright. With the light source, Ling Chu spotted Drag Marks on the ground again. The floor was sandy soil, while the walls and ceiling were covered in dead branches. It seemed the sandy soil hadn't collapsed thanks entirely to these branches.

The tunnel had only one path, no forks. It was utterly silent, with no sound at all, and the tunnel was clean—Ling Chu found no traces of animal droppings.

Staying alert, she followed behind the Skeleton Henchman as they continued deeper into the tunnel.

After about a minute of walking, a faint rustling sound came from ahead in the silent tunnel, like wind brushing through leaves or an insect gnawing on foliage.

Ling Chu and Titch both slowed their pace in unison, and at that moment, the tunnel came to an end.

The Fluorescent Starfish illuminated the scene at the tunnel's end completely. The sight before her made Ling Chu's eyes widen involuntarily.

The end of the tunnel was a wall made entirely of dead branches and thorns. Sanfuye's corpse hung on it, feet off the ground, head drooping—clearly dead beyond any doubt.

The dead branches were wrapped around his body, their thorns piercing into his flesh like mosquito mouthparts. The strange sounds she'd heard came from these thorns.

The branches were feeding on his flesh and blood.

Sanfuye's cheeks were sunken, his whole body seeming to have shrunk. In the short time he'd been gone, he'd been drained to skin and bones.

"Rustle—"

Just as Ling Chu snapped back to reality, the dead branches seemed to sense their presence. Several tendrils shot toward them like tentacles, instantly wrapping around Titch, who was in front.

Caught off guard, Titch was dragged to the end of the tunnel in the blink of an eye, suspended with his feet dangling like Sanfuye.

Ling Chu stood farther back. After tangling Titch, the blood-drinking branches didn't continue attacking her.

"Captain, save—"

Before Titch's cry for help could finish, the thorns densely packed on the branches stabbed fiercely toward him.

"Ahahaha, that tickles hahaha... Don't, don't do that!"

Titch's shout turned into uncontrollable laughter. The thorns poked at Titch for ages, completely unable to find a spot to bite, like a swarm of mosquitoes facing a warrior clad in full armor. Those fearsome thorns were utterly useless, only making Titch tremble and roar with laughter.

"Hahaha, what are these branches? Why are they so improper! Captain, save, haha, save me!"

Seeing he was fine, Ling Chu couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

These branches fed on flesh and blood, but running into Titch, a skeleton, was their bad luck—they'd met their match.

"Catch. Cut the branches."

Ling Chu quickly took out the Iron Dagger and tossed it to him.

Titch struggled to reach out and catch it, then, while cackling with his big teeth bared, swung the blade to hack at the branches binding him. The branches had strong offensive power but mediocre toughness. The sharp blade chopped them into segments, which fell to the ground.

But as he cut more and more, the branches' replenishment slowed.

Finally, as if the dead branches had exhausted all their strength and could grow no new shoots, Titch broke free from the pile.

The branches wrapped around Sanfuye's corpse also slackened, and the body fell to the ground, stirring up a faint cloud of dust.

"These damned branches—I almost became the first skeleton to die of laughter..."

Now free, Titch let out a sigh of relief.

He crouched down, looked at Sanfuye's body, drained to just a husk, and shook his head with a sigh: "What a miserable way to go. Good thing I died quick back in the day."

Titch looked up casually and suddenly let out an "Oh?" "What's that?"

Following his gaze, Ling Chu saw a glowing spherical object hidden behind the tangle of branches and thorns. With so many branches cut away, it was now fully revealed.

A strong instinct told her this was the Island Core.

Ling Chu walked over to the sphere and reached out to touch it. Nothing happened. She tried to store it in her Ring Space, but found it couldn't be taken in either.

Thinking of the novel trope where a divine artifact recognizes its master, she tried cutting her fingertip with the dagger and dripped a drop of blood onto the sphere.

The next second, a crisp system notification sounded.

[You have obtained an Island Core (Level 1).]

[You are now the owner of this island. Please name the island.]

It worked!

Ling Chu thought for a moment. Since this island had plenty of Iron Ore, she might as well call it Iron Ore Island.

[Island naming successful.]

[Congratulations! You are the first player to own an island. Reward: System Blind Box*1, Private Island Teleportation Card*10. They will be air-dropped to your Raft shortly. Please check and collect.]

[Iron Ore Island produces every three days: Iron Ore x500, Wood x300, Sea Buckthorn Fruit x50 jin, Coconuts x30, Red-skinned Coconut Crabs x10, Ghost Thorn Seed*1. (Resources are mature and ready for collection.)]

[Time remaining before leaving the island: 43 hours, 19 minutes, 48 seconds.]

[Friendly reminder: Islands that have been visited cannot be revisited (except when a private island is invaded by other players). Please ensure you do not leave any items behind when departing.]

After this island became hers, she still couldn't stay on it for long.

This must be the system's way of preventing players from lingering on their islands indefinitely without setting sail.

Ling Chu's gaze landed on the line in parentheses: "except when the private island is invaded by other players." What did that mean? Could her island be attacked and occupied by other players in the future?

She opened the cards the system had given her.

[Private Island Teleportation Card: After using this card, the island owner can teleport together with their ship to the waters near the island. Usable once per day.]

This thing was actually useful. From now on, she wouldn't have to worry about sailing too far from the island and having her home stolen. Ling Chu felt reassured. She had never been someone soft-hearted. Whoever dared to encroach on her property, she would make them pay the price.

Ling Chu could sense that the Bloodsucking Thorns in front of her were slowly recovering their energy. The Island Core couldn't be taken away anyway, so leaving it here was still safe.

She then looked at Sanfuye's corpse and tried using the skill Bone Revival on him.

The system prompted: [This skill cannot be used on players.]

This skill couldn't be used on players?

Ling Chu raised an eyebrow in surprise. So that meant it could only be used on the natives of this world?

But thinking about it, it made sense. If it could be used on players, it would be too broken. Having to work for the enemy who killed you after death—that would be even more ruthless than the King of Hell.

Under the starry night sky, the warm, bright campfire cast a soft, glowing sphere of light.

Ling Chu and Titch sat around the fire, warming themselves. On the flames sat an iron pot, in which a large, plump Coconut Crab was stewing, mixed with the spicy, numbing aroma of the Butter Hotpot Base, stirring up a powerful appetite.

This was Ling Chu's first cooked meal since entering the game.

Before, on the ship, without fire or a pot, she had only eaten raw fish. Though the taste was fresh and sweet, it was far from the satisfaction of cooked food.

Especially this Coconut Crab—it was truly fatty and delicious!

An original sea crab, full of roe, with plump meat. One of its claws was almost as big as her palm, and it carried a faint, fragrant coconut flavor. Paired with the spicy, numbing Butter Hotpot Base, it was enough to make anyone's Index Finger twitch with anticipation.