Feeling for stones
The river water was always cold; after soaking in it for a while, it carried a bone-chilling damp cold.
Lu Heng stood in the shallow water, no longer thinking about the previous bee swarm attack, and stared down at the densely packed rocks at his feet. The entire riverbed was full of stones, large and small, crammed together, mostly miscellaneous stones, with the useful Large Bluestone scattered very far apart.
There are no shortcuts; you have to find the right path step by step.
He bent over, his back hunched, repeating the same movement the entire time.
He dipped his hands into the water, sifted through the mud and sand, and felt the stones, turning them over, weighing them, and identifying them. When he encountered stones buried deep, he would take a deep breath, submerge half his body in the water, and quickly glance at the entire stone to confirm its grade.
The movements are monotonous, mechanical, and repeated over and over again.
Looking at his reflection in the water, Lu Heng found it inexplicably comical.
Like a farmer bending over to plant rice seedlings in the field.
The farmer has rice seedlings in his hands, hoping for a harvest. He, on the other hand, has cold, hard river stones in his hands, hoping for some usable building materials.
The water flowed gently, lightly brushing against my calves. The cool river water washed over my body, slightly suppressing the burning pain on the surface of the wound on my neck. Only when I occasionally turned my neck would I feel a sharp, stabbing pain.
During a break in the search, he glanced up and swept his eyes around the tributary.
The water was very clear, and the visibility was excellent.
There are no big fish in the river.
Tiny fish, barely a finger's width wide, darted in and out of the cracks in the rocks, while a few transparent shrimp rested on the surface. As soon as someone approached, they sprang away and hid among the water plants.
The entire river appears to be merely an upstream transitional area, shallow with many rocks and no deep pools, making it impossible for large aquatic creatures to hide there. The real schools of fish and flowing water should be located in the downstream main channel.
This is precisely why there are very few aquatic plants in this area, and the view is bright and clear. Without dense aquatic plants blocking his vision, it is actually easier for him to pick up and sift through the stones, and he will not miss any Stone hidden under the vegetation.
Lu Heng moved slowly, step by step, following the direction of the water flow.
My feet sank into the uneven river stones, my soles went numb. It was awkward to exert force in the water, and every time I bent over, my abdominal muscles tensed. After a while, my back ached.
He didn't rest; he kept searching.
Patiently check every single item.
Useless ordinary stones are easily pushed aside. Stones with a firm texture and significantly different weight are scooped out and placed into the Wristband's storage.
The whole process is tedious and tests one's patience.
I don't know how long this went on, but the sky gradually darkened, and the light in the mountain forest began to dip downwards.
Lu Heng stopped what he was doing, raised his hand, and opened the storage interface on his Wristband.
The number stopped at thirty-five.
Thirty-five Large Bluestone.
not much.
After all that hard work—bending over, diving, and sifting—it's been exhausting and time-consuming, and this is all we've managed to accumulate. It's not a huge amount, but it's better than nothing. Upgrading the Shelter requires a lot of materials, and throwing in these stones is just a drop in the ocean.
But at least it's the result of hard work; I didn't slack off, and I didn't waste my time.
He let out a long sigh and stopped searching.
With a powerful push of his feet, he stepped out of the water, treading on the riverbed rocks, and onto the dry sandy shore.
As soon as I stepped onto the riverbank, a sharp pain shot through the back of my neck again. Once the cold water cooled me down, the discomfort in my wound became clear again.
His soaked trouser legs clung to his legs, cold and heavy, the sand sticking to his wet skin, rough and uncomfortable. Lu Heng casually shook his trouser legs, raised his hand to rub his aching lower back, wiped the moisture from his face, and looked up at the sky.
The daylight was already dim.
Deep in the forest, shadows pile up, and the daylight fades quickly. Lingering outside after nightfall increases the risks exponentially. In the wilderness, darkness waits for no one; you must return to your nest on time.
Without the slightest delay, Lu Heng turned around, recognized the familiar mountain path, and strode towards the Shelter.
We walked briskly on the return trip, not daring to relax.
The soreness from long hours of bending over to work spread down my lower back to my thighs, and occasionally a slight throbbing pain from the wound on the back of my neck interrupted my thoughts for a moment.
The mountain path was quiet, the sound of the wind rustling through the leaves was monotonous and repetitive, and there were no more strange beasts or unusual movements along the way; the journey was smooth and unobstructed.
Only when the familiar cliff face and the outline of the two-story cave came into view did Lu Heng's tense mind finally relax completely.
Entering the cave, we closed the entrance securely to block out the cold winds and darkness of the surrounding mountains and forests.
The next second, all the strength in my body vanished instantly.
He didn't care about posture; he slid down the rock face and sat on the ground, his back against the cold rock, his limbs outstretched, his whole body completely limp.
tired.
From exploring resources on the cliff top in the morning, accidentally provoking a swarm of bees, risking one's life to descend the slope, and escaping by jumping into the water, to spending a long time bending over to collect stones in the river afterwards, the whole day was non-stop, and my mental and physical energy were completely exhausted.
They were too lazy to even lift their hands to start a fire or prepare cooked food.
My stomach was so empty it was nauseating; the feeling of hunger kept building up.
Lu Heng was silent for a few seconds, then reached out and opened the storage compartment, taking out the box of instant potato and beef rice.
This item is in limited supply; it's one of the few proper cooked foods available, and he always saves it for crucial moments.
Unpack the package, pour in cold water, tighten the lid, and let it heat up.
A faint warmth quickly rose from the narrow stone cave.
The fever subsided after a few minutes.
Lu Heng lifted the lid.
The aroma of warm rice wafted over, subtle yet remarkably distinct.
He picked up his utensils and ate directly.
The moment the first mouthful of rice entered his mouth and went down his throat, Lu Heng's throat tightened slightly.
It's been a really long time.
It's been a long time since I've had a proper, warm, and fully cooked bowl of rice.
During this time in the wilderness, we either ate raw wild fruits or roasted simple animal meat, which was bland, either tough or fishy, purely for the purpose of filling our stomachs and surviving.
This hot meal wasn't exactly a delicacy, and the portion was pitifully small; it could be finished in just a few bites.
But for him now, this is already the ultimate satisfaction.
The warm rice grains soothed the emptiness and coldness in my stomach, and the warmth flowed down my esophagus into my abdominal cavity, gradually smoothing out the fatigue and dishevelment of the whole day.
While chewing rice, a slight throbbing pain shot through the wound on the back of my neck, and the image of being chased by a swarm of bees during the day flashed through my mind.
Lu Heng chewed slowly and quietly.
Yet, a strange sense of melancholy arose in my heart.
These days of peace, with hot meals and the ability to rest in Shelter, were all too short-lived.
The wilderness never offers lasting comfort.
This fleeting moment of comfort is just temporary good fortune.
Such opportunities to take a peaceful rest are rare.