Chapter Summaries

The Group A Special Task Squad settled into an abandoned lighthouse on a deserted island, where poisoned plants and a lack of fresh water threatened their plans to hide and recover. After spending the night with Lu Yu, Song Zhi went with him to bathe, where he teased her by jumping into the pool in his underwear.

• Song Zhi was excited by the lighthouse until Lai'en warned the squad that the island had no fresh water, little food, and poisonous plants, and ordered them to keep radio silence and take turns on watch.
• Song Zhi admitted she was afraid of ghosts, so Lu Yu offered to sleep beside her in the lighthouse attic.
• The squad spent the night in the lighthouse, and Lai'en planned to clean the cottage and find a solution to the water shortage.
• The next morning, Lu Yu helped Song Zhi remove her tactical vest and took her to a seawater pool to wash.
• Lu Yu jumped into the pool in his briefs and urged Song Zhi to join him before the others arrived.

Song Zhi bathed with Lu Yu and was flustered when he teased her, helped her dry off, and washed her clothes. When the other soldiers arrived, they joined her by the water, leaving her secretly admiring their physiques.

• Song Zhi jumped into the sea in her tank top and shorts, and Lu Yu massaged her shoulders before teasing her until she elbowed him.
• Lu Yu tripped Song Zhi into the water, carried her back to shore, dried her hair, lent her his shirt, and washed their clothes.
• Wilk, Hill, and Kelante arrived; Hill splashed Lu Yu while Kelante offered Song Zhi coconut water.
• Song Zhi watched the soldiers swim and pose by the shore, then tried to hide her flustered reaction by fussing with her water bottle.

Song Zhi and Lai'en searched for fresh water, using the island’s lush vegetation and terrain to locate a possible underground stream. As they headed toward a promising valley, Lai'en asked why Song Zhi had returned to the island, and she said she wanted everyone to survive without becoming a weakness others could exploit.

• Song Zhi proposed that the island’s dense vegetation and dew indicated hidden underground fresh water, and Lai'en agreed to search for it.
• Lai'en marked areas of especially lush vegetation on Hill’s topographic map and shared the planned search area with Hill.
• Song Zhi identified a promising valley, and she and Lai'en set off through the difficult coconut grove toward it.
• Lai'en slowed down, offered Song Zhi water, and asked whether returning to the island had been worth giving up safety in Australia.
• Song Zhi said she had been waiting to rejoin the team and had returned because she wanted everyone to survive, not to become a weakness others could use against Lai'en.

Song Zhi and Lai'en explored the island's damp interior, concluding that it likely held an underground freshwater river, before setting up camp in the rainforest for the night. Song Zhi realized they had only one sleeping bag for the two of them.

• Lai'en affirmed that Group A would not let anyone exploit Song Zhi's risky choice again.
• Song Zhi reasoned that the island's geology and moist soil pointed to an underground river and imagined using its fertile land to grow food.
• Song Zhi and Lai'en continued toward the valley and decided to camp rather than retrace their route in the dark.
• Lai'en made traps and set up a shelter at the edge of a broadleaf forest, while they avoided lighting a fire.
• Lai'en gave Song Zhi a self-heating meal and spread out their only sleeping bag, leaving Song Zhi worried about how they would share it.

Lai'en and Song Zhi shared the night watch in the rainforest after Song Zhi persuaded him to let her take a turn. The next morning, Lai'en relieved her and let her sleep before they continued their journey.

• Lai'en told Song Zhi he would keep watch alone through the night.
• Song Zhi woke in the damp darkness and offered to take over, but Lai'en told her to go back to sleep.
• Song Zhi insisted that they both needed rest for the journey, and Lai'en agreed to let her keep watch for two hours.
• Lai'en handed Song Zhi his submachine gun and rested while she watched beside him.
• Lai'en woke before Song Zhi could wake him, relieved her, and told her to sleep until the dew dried.
• Song Zhi woke in the nine o'clock sunlight and saw Lai'en handling his tactical tablet beside her.

Lai'en and Song Zhi discovered a volcanic cave containing a deep underground spring and reported it to Hill, though they could not test whether the water was safe to drink. After Song Zhi fed Lai'en chocolate outside the cave, he pulled her onto his lap, leaving their moment unexpectedly intimate.

• Lai'en and Song Zhi followed the damp, moss-covered terrain and found a vine-hidden cave after hearing water dripping inside.
• Lai'en sent a drone into the cave and found an underground river and a deep pool, with no signs of living creatures.
• Lai'en sent Hill footage and their coordinates, then he and Song Zhi entered the cave but left without collecting water because they lacked equipment to test it.
• Lai'en reported to Group A that they had found a spring and requested support for water testing.
• Song Zhi offered Lai'en chocolate, slipped it into his mouth, and Lai'en pulled her onto his lap.

Lai'en gave Song Zhi an Italian military knife and told her to keep it with her to protect herself. After Song Zhi kissed him, Lai'en returned the kiss passionately, and the chapter ended with her begging him to stop.

• Lai'en strapped an Italian military knife to Song Zhi's thigh and told her it was for self-defense.
• Song Zhi asked whether the knife was a gift, and Lai'en explained that she needed to learn to use it and keep it with her.
• Song Zhi compared the knife to Lai'en's Nepalese military knife, and he confirmed that his own knife was an old companion.
• Song Zhi thanked Lai'en and kissed him lightly, rekindling his desire.
• Lai'en pulled Song Zhi back and kissed her, then asked whether this was what she wanted.
• Song Zhi became overwhelmed by the kiss and begged Lai'en to spare her.

Hill and Wilk reached Lai'en and Song Zhi at the cave, where the team tested and began collecting fresh water. After Wilk went inside to help, Hill confronted Song Zhi about kissing Lai'en and backed her away beneath the tree.

• Hill and Wilk followed Lai'en's markers through the woods and found Song Zhi practicing with her saber while Lai'en rested.
• Hill brought Song Zhi grilled seafood and coconut juice, then Lai'en ordered the team to collect water after confirming it was safe.
• Wilk reassured Song Zhi that the others were doing well and told her the team had missed her and Lai'en.
• Hill told Song Zhi her saber's name, Loli, suited her as a Violent Loli, then questioned her about taking the initiative to kiss Lai'en.
• Song Zhi denied Hill's accusations and backed away as he followed her, closing in beneath the tree.

Song Zhi and Hill clashed in a tense confrontation, then kept their distance during a cold war back at the lighthouse. Lai'en later entered Song Zhi’s room to give her a shot, leaving her wary when he locked the door.

• Hill pressed Song Zhi to say whether she hated him, but she refused to answer, and he struck a tree before walking away.
• Lai'en and Wilk returned with fresh water, and the group headed back while Song Zhi and Hill stayed apart.
• After swimming, Song Zhi squeezed past Hill in the doorway and splashed water on him; he watched her retreat to her room.
• Lai'en knocked on Song Zhi’s door with his medical bag and said it was time for her shot.
• Lai'en entered Song Zhi’s small bedroom and locked the door behind him, making her wonder why the squad kept locking doors.

After Lai'en treated Song Zhi's arm, the two grew intimate, and he urged her not to go anywhere alone while the group remained in a quiet period. The next morning, Song Zhi discussed the island's comforts and defenses with Kelante, who invited her inside to show her something useful.

• Lai'en injected Song Zhi with medication, then kissed her, and they spent the night together.
• Lai'en told Song Zhi to stay with someone whenever she went anywhere because the island was still unsafe.
• The next morning, Kelante served Song Zhi breakfast while he worked on his tactical tablet.
• Song Zhi told Kelante she felt guilty about living comfortably, and he reassured her that she did not owe the world anything.
• Kelante suggested the coconut trees and poisonous plants formed the island's defenses, then invited Song Zhi inside to show her something interesting.