NOVEL NEXT chapter 139 - The 27th Day of Summer 01
Coming out of the Coolant Pool, it was already midnight. Yun Luohe collected a good amount of Ice Crystal Moss along the banks, and in the pool itself she found a kind of waterweed whose leaves could be refined into anti-freeze serum.
She also ran into an electric stingray.
But now that she had the Thunder Vortex Trident, dealing with aquatic creatures was child’s play. She took it down easily and obtained the stingray’s electric gland, which could be fixed onto a weapon to provide a long-lasting paralysis effect.
Since she still had to head to Strawberry Island at dawn, Yun Luohe hurried back to the reef in the middle of the night. She wanted to make use of the time to sort out the haul from Thunderclap Island before catching a few hours of sleep.
This trip’s harvest was extremely rich—not only what she had gathered herself, but also the goods seized from others.
Just sorting and categorizing everything took a lot of time.
[Lightning-Struck Wood ×182; Thunder-Grained Steel ×5; Thunderstorm Crystal ×1; Thunderstorm Stone ×1 (used); Golden Bear Meat ×50; Bear Gallbladder ×1; Intact Bear Hide ×1; Thunder Catfish Meat ×52; Fish Bones ×6; Fish Innards ×16; Ice Crystal Moss ×38; Ice-Spire Waterweed ×15; Blue Scale Plates ×8; Mutant Crocodile Eyes ×2; Mutant Crocodile Meat ×30; Picnic Recipe Book ×1; Electric Stingray Electric Gland ×1; Stingray Meat ×20]
And then there were the things taken from others—a chaotic pile, mostly survival ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) gear.
Obsidian Dagger, Bone-Corrosion Needle Tube, Insulated Slingshot, Thunder Lizard Poison Arrows, Beast Trap, Sonic Oscillator, Poison Vine Whip, Anti-Electric Leather Armor, Insulated Cloak, Miner’s Helmet, Gas Mask, Adaptive Temperature-Regulating Suit, Reflective Camouflage Clothing, Anti-Electric Potion, Stamina Recovery Nutrient Paste, Neurotoxin Paralysis Poison, Anti-Radiation Potion, Adrenaline Injector, Hallucinogenic Smoke Bomb, Antidote Serum, Invisibility Potion, Anti-Freeze Gel, Portable Insulated Tent, Magnetic Compass, Folding Water Purifier, Thermal Cooking Pot, Multi-function Mining Pickaxe, Sonar Detector, Moisture-Proof Sleeping Bag, Climbing Grappling Hook, Emergency Suture Kit, Thunderclap Island Hand-Drawn Map…
On top of all these tools and gear, there was also a huge heap of food and supplements.
Yun Luohe’s crocodile backpack and golden sharkskin backpack were stuffed full!
She picked through, kept what she wanted, and passed everything else to Mu Zitang to list in the Association’s Exchange Mall.
The mall had just been set up, accessible through the trade hub. Besides Yun Luohe, other senior members of the Association would also put up resources. But only internal members could exchange.
——
Summer, Day Seventeen.
Yun Luohe messaged Bai Yuemian right on time, telling her to get ready—they were about to depart for Strawberry Island.
Before setting out, Bai Yuemian sent over a Teaming Card to Yun Luohe, telling her to use it once she arrived.
Yun Luohe thought it over, then sent Bai Yuemian a copy of the Strawberry Island intel. That way, she could look it over first and bring up any questions while there was still time.
The danger level of Strawberry Island was not low. If Bai Yuemian decided she didn’t want to go after understanding the risks, now was the chance to back out—better than getting into trouble after landing.
And besides, the intel wasn’t exactly a free handout. If Bai Yuemian had a clearer grasp of the island, it would save Yun Luohe time and effort later. She wouldn’t need to explain every little detail once they were inside.
They had agreed beforehand: once on the island, everything would follow Yun Luohe’s lead.
The intel packet was short, so Bai Yuemian finished it quickly.
Bai Yuemian: “No problem. I’m ready. Shall we head out now?”
Yun Luohe: “Alright. Wait for my signal.”
This time, Yun Luohe only brought Yúntūn with her, leaving Roubao at home to work. The reef had been unattended yesterday, with plenty of chores left undone—Roubao had to stay behind today no matter what.
After giving a few instructions, Yun Luohe activated the Island Landing Card and confirmed her destination: Strawberry Island.
——
Even from a distance, it seemed to carry a thick, sweet fragrance.
【Welcome to Strawberry Island…】
Yun Luohe saw a stretch of white beach, waves breaking against white reefs, layers of surf crashing and throwing up sparkling spray.
The scenery was stunning.
As soon as she set foot on the island, she felt her spirits lift.
She used the Teaming Card to invite Bai Yuemian over.
According to the intel, Strawberry Island was divided into three regions: Strawberry Fields, Plant Maze, and Thorn Swamp.
From above, the island was carpeted in dense green foliage, with the iconic strawberry fields like a massive red gemstone embedded in its center. To reach them, one first had to pass through the Plant Maze.
The maze wasn’t exactly dangerous—it was just very hard to navigate.
As for the Ancient Tree Altar hidden deep in the island, very few had ever found it, and there were no reliable records.
Yun Luohe could only try her luck in searching. Right now, strawberries were in peak season, and she was ready for them.
…Before the game, her bangs had been even shorter than now. Just a few days ago, annoyed, she had cut them herself with scissors, leaving her with something like a dog-chewed fringe.
She greeted Bai Yuemian with a smile. “Hello. First time meeting you—please take care of me.”
“Hello, hello!” Bai Yuemian reached out and clasped her hand, looking a little excited. “Finally meeting you in person—so beautiful!”
Yun Luohe wasn’t good at handling such direct, enthusiastic praise. Rarely, a shy look surfaced on her face.
“We’ll need to pass through the Plant Maze around the outer edge first. It’ll take some time. I’ll have my pet scout ahead, but if you’ve got a better idea, feel free to suggest it.”
Bai Yuemian: “Mm, I’ll just follow your lead. My pet’s a fighter type, not suited for this—it’s pretty clumsy.”
Her pet was a small black bear, incredibly strong, very obedient, simple in temperament. It only ever followed Bai Yuemian’s commands.
“Alright.”
Yun Luohe released Yúntūn.
Bai Yuemian never expected her pet to be a spider. She wasn’t afraid of spiders, but it was novel—this spider’s appearance was extraordinary, its body shimmering with different colors as if carrying many attributes at once.
The plants of the maze were mostly tall and huge, some mutated. Their twisted branches entwined together, and their leaves were sharp as blades, giving off a strange, oppressive air.
The paths inside were tangled and winding. Though sunlight barely reached through the canopy, the interior was sweltering and humid, like a sauna—after only a few steps, they were dripping with sweat.
Hidden dangers lay within: insectivorous plants snapping open suddenly, snakes concealed in grass or wrapped around trunks.
Their colors blended so well with the environment that spotting them by eye was nearly impossible.
In the suffocating heat and cramped space, moving forward was exhausting, stamina draining faster than usual.
Normally Bai Yuemian was talkative, but even she fell silent here to conserve strength.
“How long have we been walking?”
“Half an hour.”
Yun Luohe stopped, called back Yúntūn, and took out a portable folding chair. “Let’s rest a bit. Hydrate.”
She herself was fine, but Bai Yuemian looked nearly spent. At this pace, she could collapse from heatstroke—the island’s temperature was too high.
Inside the jungle, it exceeded 65°C. Even with heat-mitigating gear, it was unbearable.
Bai Yuemian sat down, catching her breath. “At least summer’s ending soon. This heat is killing me. Whatever Autumn disaster comes, at least it won’t feel like this.”
Yun Luohe just smiled. Summer’s heat was indeed brutal, but with enough supplies to cool down, it wasn’t life-threatening. Radiation, on the other hand, was a different story.
They rested briefly and discussed their plan.
“We’ll split up for the strawberry harvest. The ordinary ones in the fields, you’ll get half. But giant strawberries—at most, you can have one.”
“No problem. You’ve already explained the benefits of coming here. The spoils on the island are yours to decide.”
Yun Luohe nodded, reassured by that.
Deeper in the maze, the vegetation was thicker, some plants even aggressive, but the two of them dispatched those easily.
Suddenly Yun Luohe said, “Hold on.”
“What is it?”
Her gathering skill carried a “Plant Resonance” effect, letting her sense collectible plants clearly. If there was anything harvestable nearby, she would know at once.
“There’s a lot of mugwort here. I’ll gather some.” Yun Luohe spotted a patch to the right, stalks taller than a person, their scent rich and pungent.
Mugwort came in many types, but this was the most common and versatile. Besides being larger than what she’d seen before, it was the same.
She collected a large bundle, with Bai Yuemian helping.
She even uprooted several whole plants to bring back for planting.
[Mugwort: Usable for medicine, food, and insect repellent. Medicinal uses: treats cold/flu, joint pain. Edible uses: dumpling fillings, cold dishes, stir-fries.]
Alongside mugwort, Yun Luohe found other useful herbs—perilla, sage, and thyme.
Perilla’s strong fragrance made it ideal for cooking fish dishes, removing the smell and enhancing flavor. Its decoction could also treat colds.
Sage and thyme were both seasonings, good for curing meats. Thyme could also be distilled into essential oil.
All of this was treasure in Yun Luohe’s eyes. She took everything, slowing their pace to ensure nothing was missed.
An hour and a half later, both their clothes were soaked through. Since they were both women, they didn’t bother with modesty, setting up a tent to change.
Finally, Yúntūn signaled from above—it had spotted the strawberry fields.
That meant they were almost out.
At the maze’s exit stood a massive peach tree.
But its branches were coiled with vines, and each peach was fist-sized, red shading to purple, swaying heavily on the boughs.
They looked high quality.
Turned into peach jam or preserves, they’d be perfect.
The peach tree Yun Luohe had planted at the reef only produced the most ordinary blue-grade fruit. Clearly this was a different variety.
And this tree bore at least a hundred peaches. She could already see the strawberry fields in the distance—but there was no way she could just leave these peaches hanging here!