Clothes!

As the night breeze grew cooler, Tsukasa the Lion King left after all.

Watching his solitary figure disappear completely into the darkness, the others felt the camp grow much quieter.

As long as their ideals clashed, another conflict would break out sooner or later.

They returned to camp to sleep. The next morning, while Li Xiang was brushing her teeth, she heard Senku say, "Next, we're making gunpowder."

She swallowed her mouthwash before she could catch her breath and broke into a fit of coughing. Yuzuriha patted her back.

Li Xiang understood, but she couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

Something as lethal as gunpowder introduced too many unknowns. Tsukasa might well recognize it as a threat.

While Taiju and Yuzuriha were still clueless, Li Xiang quietly edged over to Senku, leaned close to his ear, and whispered.

Their eyes met briefly. A few seconds later, Senku remarked, "Didn't think you had a trick like that up your sleeve. Not bad, big sis Li Xiang."

"Hehe, just the basics, just the basics."

[What?]

[What are you saying? Let me hear it. Is there something I'm not allowed to know?]

[Feels like they're up to no good.]

[Um... little Li Xiang, could we maybe not smile like a villain?]

[Oh man, I can't.]

The scene continued.

The team of four packed up their tools and supplies and headed straight for the volcanic area. The core ingredients for black powder all had to be gathered in the wild: sulfur around the volcano, saltpeter in the mountains, and charcoal from vegetation.

Throughout the journey, everyone had a clear role and handled their own tasks.

Later, they moved to the beach to gather shells and refine lime as an auxiliary ingredient.

Without drawing attention, Li Xiang quietly took out the waterproof containers she carried and filled several bags to the brim with seawater.

The days passed one after another.

The tedious experiments repeated in an endless cycle.

Senku strictly followed the golden ratio of seventy-five parts saltpeter, ten parts sulfur, and fifteen parts charcoal, repeatedly adjusting the mixture, correcting errors, and avoiding the risk of a barrel explosion.

After several days and countless resources and hours of effort, they finally succeeded in producing their first proper batch of black powder.

The dark powder sat quietly in a clay jar, looking utterly unremarkable.

Everyone gathered around the finished gunpowder in amazement. Only Li Xiang stayed off to the side, quietly crouching in a corner with her head lowered as she fiddled with her own little project.

Everything was ready. All that remained was to wait for their prey to come.

Sure enough, early the next morning, just as dawn broke and the wind stirred through the mountain woods, Tsukasa the Lion King arrived as expected.

The negotiations failed. Senku was about to be killed, and Li Xiang did nothing to stop it.

Before anyone could react, Tsukasa raised his hand and struck, swift and decisive.

Senku fell at once, losing consciousness on the spot. Before everyone's eyes, Tsukasa had "killed" him with his own hand.

Taiju's pupils contracted as he froze in place. Yuzuriha trembled all over in fright, her eyes instantly reddening.

Only Li Xiang stood calmly to the side, watching without a flicker of emotion.

Having eliminated Senku, his greatest threat, Tsukasa turned his gaze on the sole remaining wildcard, Li Xiang. He intended to take her away and secure control of their only medical asset.

But the instant he stepped forward, a sharp cramp ripped through his abdomen.

A churning, wrenching pain erupted, even fiercer and more immediate than last time.

Tsukasa abruptly stopped, his face turning ashen and his brows knitting tightly.

Seeing him sway on his feet, Li Xiang curled her lips into a familiar, wicked little smile and spoke softly.

"How did the laxative taste, little Tsukasa~?"

[I can't believe you actually drugged him... I! I! I like you even more now!]

[What do you know? That's called tactics, okay?]

[What kind of tactics involve putting drugs in someone's food?]

[Wait, where did she get the laxative?]

[Probably that seawater? You can extract Mg from it, and use that to make laxatives, right?]

[Kid, you're a genius...]

Damn it!

Fury surged through Tsukasa, mingled with shock and frustration. But the abdominal pain was unbearable, and his strength was draining rapidly. He couldn't fight back at all.

Seizing the perfect chance while he was incapacitated, Li Xiang stopped fooling around. Her expression turned serious as she looked at the two stunned companions and spoke rapidly. "Go! Get out of here, now!"

As soon as she finished speaking, she bent down and securely scooped the unconscious Senku into her arms. Then she turned without hesitation and led the others in a swift retreat.

With red-rimmed eyes and hearts full of grief, Taiju and Yuzuriha were still reeling from the shock of Senku's death. They followed Li Xiang away from camp in a daze.

They ran until they were completely out of Tsukasa's sight, only coming to a stop once they were certain they were safe.

Both had bloodshot eyes and choked voices, overwhelmed with sorrow.

Unhurriedly, she took out her carefully saved Revival Fluid and pulled back Senku's collar at the nape of his neck. Then she slowly poured the clear liquid over the remaining patch of petrification that had yet to fully flake away.

Afterward, she gently reassured the two.

Once they heard the whole story, Taiju and Yuzuriha froze in astonishment, then let out long sighs of relief. Their hearts finally settled back into place.

Moments later, Senku's eyelashes fluttered after the Revival Fluid soaked in. He slowly opened his eyes, waking up safe and sound.

[Awesome!]

[See you next week!]

[I can't with Li Xiang and Senku. They're so wicked, hehehe.]

After briefly scanning a few popular comments, she raised her hand and closed the system panel in her mind.

The next morning, daylight filled the sky, and warm sunshine bathed the mountain woods.

Everyone woke up and gathered to eat a simple breakfast.

As Senku chewed his food, he laid out their next plan.

"What we need most right now is manpower."

"If we want to develop quickly and get all our scientific projects off the ground, we have to bring together everyone in the village. I want the whole village's workforce."

Li Xiang raised an eyebrow and casually asked the most practical question. "If you suddenly try to take charge of the village's manpower, will they agree?"

The answer was obvious.

Why would the villagers readily follow the orders of a teenage outsider?

"Of course they're one hundred percent going to refuse."

Senku neither agreed nor disagreed. Little Watermelon, who was nearby, happened to overhear their entire conversation.

Without another word, the well-behaved, thoughtful little boy volunteered to help them look into the situation in the village.

"Big sis Li Xiang! Big bro Senku! I'll go investigate the village! I know it best!"

With that, little Watermelon scampered into the village on his short legs.

Before long, he hurried back and clearly reported everything the villagers really thought.

After hearing the firsthand information, Senku praised Watermelon. "All right! Great job, little Watermelon! You've done us a huge favor!"

After praising their obedient little hero, the group fell into thought.

Li Xiang considered it for a couple of seconds, then pinpointed the key issue. "So we need to offer something appealing enough to win them over first."

Only by offering benefits the villagers had never experienced could they break down their prejudices and make everyone willing to cooperate.

Senku's eyes lit up. "Easy. We'll make ramen."

Fragrant, delicious modern food would be an utterly overwhelming temptation in a primitive village.

Li Xiang immediately caught on. Her eyes curved as she smiled and added, "Then I'll make something the girls will like."

Senku glanced at her. "Oh? What?"

A confident smile lifted the corners of Li Xiang's lips.

The primitive village's clothing was crude and simple, with chafing fabric and monotonous styles. It offered neither comfort nor beauty.

Girls were naturally beautiful, and nice clothes would only make them shine brighter.

"That's right. Clothes."

"I'll make a batch of clothes so gorgeous they'll be completely won over."