TM CH 3

Chapter 3 Each with Their Own Thoughts

The deserted island was unbearably cold.

As far as the eye could see, there were only jagged cliffs and withered weeds, not even half a person in sight. After walking for a while, Rong Qi was starting to feel tired.

“There aren’t even any traces of wild animals,” he said, licking his chapped lips. It felt like there was a fire burning in his throat. “If this is indeed the case, I’m afraid we won’t last long.”

Gu Yunxing replied, “Let’s find water first.”

Rong Qi sneered. “You think I haven’t looked? But look around, there’s nothing here!”

Gu Yunxing said, “Where there are plants, there must be water.” He looked into the distance and saw a forest ahead. “Let’s go a bit further.”

Rong Qi said nothing. He half-carried, half-dragged Gu Yunxing as they struggled to move forward.

Once they entered the forest, the temperature dropped even more. The damp clothes clung to his skin, letting in threads of chilly air. He shivered and looked up at the sky, but the dull, gray expanse made it impossible to tell the time. However, with the temperature like this, the night would surely be unbearable.

“Look.”

Gu Yunxing’s voice rang in his ear. Rong Qi snapped back to attention and looked ahead, seeing a shadow darting between the trees.

Rong Qi: “What is it?”

Gu Yunxing: “Looks like a pheasant.”

Rong Qi frowned. “Looks like?”

Gu Yunxing: “It’s larger and darker in color.”

If there were forest animals, then they might not starve after all.

After a few more steps, Rong Qi finally heard the faint sound of water. Through the shadowed trees, he spotted a flowing stream. He quickly threw Gu Yunxing aside and crouched down, using his good hand to scoop up some water. He tasted it.

“Freshwater!”

After saying that, Rong Qi paid no more attention to Gu Yunxing. He drank greedily for a long while, only stopping when the dryness in his throat had completely faded. Satisfied, he exhaled in relief. Water and food meant they could survive.

“Has Right Protector Rong finished drinking?” Gu Yunxing’s voice broke the silence. Rong Qi turned around and saw him leaning against a large rock, a half-smile on his face. “If you’re done, could you please feed this humble Gu a mouthful as well?”

Rong Qi ignored him, bent down again to wash his face, and then used his left hand to grip his right wrist, looking as if he was about to set his own bone.

Sighing, Gu Yunxing could only drag his injured leg and fend for himself.

After drinking, the two of them sat by the stream, watching the night deepen across the sky. Neither of them spoke.

The sound of wind grew louder in their ears.

At first, Rong Qi thought it was just the strong wind from the sea, but as time passed, he began to sense something was wrong. With every gust, the world seemed to fall into an eerie stillness. His clothes had dried in the wild wind, yet the chill slowly crept into his bones as the hours went by.

Rong Qi pulled his collar tighter with one hand. He had tried several times earlier but still hadn’t managed to reset his bones.

Gu Yunxing’s face had gone pale, but his eyes remained unusually clear. “The wind has picked up.”

Rong Qi frowned. “I looked earlier. This cursed place doesn’t even have a cave to shelter from the wind.”

This meant they were likely going to spend the night in the cold wind.

Fortunately, they were martial artists. Circulating their internal energy would prevent them from freezing to death, but spending the entire night like this would definitely be unpleasant.

Gu Yunxing said, “The temperature is even lower in the forest, and there might be wild animals. If we’re going to stay the night, it would be safer outside the woods.”

Rong Qi replied, “At least there are trees here to provide some cover.” However, when he glanced at the bare branches, he felt his words lacked substance. With only a few dried leaves, the trees probably wouldn’t conceal much.

“It would be great if a wild animal showed up,” Rong Qi muttered, feeling the hunger stir in his stomach. He was becoming worried. He didn’t know how long he had been drifting at sea, and after hauling Gu Yunxing for half a day after reaching land, he was starving. If a wild animal were to come their way, he would gladly accept it.

Gu Yunxing said, “If I’m not mistaken, Right Protector Rong’s ship was carrying quite a bit of dry food and clothing. The question is, how much of it made it to the island with us?”

Rong Qi understood what he meant. “The sea is vast, and the storm was fierce. The supplies would have scattered far and wide long ago.”

Even so, he stood up, intending to head back to the shore and try his luck.

Gu Yunxing’s words had reminded him something. Perhaps others had also washed up on this shore. If he was lucky enough to find one or two of his subordinates… Rong Qi lowered his gaze, hiding the calculations in his eyes.

He had observed the island earlier. The plants were withered, birds and beasts were scarce, and the climate was cold and gloomy. No matter how he looked at it, it was not a suitable place to live. If he and Gu Yunxing were truly the only two survivors on this island, then he would have no choice but to form an alliance with him and discuss a way to leave the island together.

But if there was another person for him to choose…

Even the Wulin Alliance Leader, Fang Lian, would make Rong Qi feel more at ease than Gu Yunxing.

Rong Qi glanced at Gu Yunxing, a hint of coldness in his eyes. If he found a third survivor, he would have to find a way to deal with this potential threat first.

“Has Right Protector Rong finally figured it out?”

Gu Yunxing leaned half his weight against Rong Qi’s shoulder, his words slightly breathless. When they drank earlier, he had released his grip on Rong Qi, but the other man hadn’t made a move to retaliate. Instead, he had proactively stepped forward to support him. It seemed they both now had a better understanding of their predicament.

Rong Qi didn’t even glance at him. His expression remained cold as he continued walking.

Gu Yunxing said, “Slow down.”

Rong Qi frowned. “Don’t get carried away.”

Gu Yunxing said, “My leg is injured, and there’s nothing this humble Gu can do.”

Rong Qi glanced at his wounded leg.

Gu Yunxing’s right leg was injured, but with the blood soaking through, both trouser legs were stained red. But to someone from the demon palace, who had long since lost any sense of compassion, a wound on someone else didn’t concern them.

Therefore, Rong Qi had no intention of slowing down.

“The sky is getting darker, and whether we find anything on the shore is uncertain. We’ll need to find shelter from the wind, too. There’s no time to waste.” Rong Qi suddenly thought of something else, and his expression darkened. “I may not be able to beat you, but I won’t let you order me around. At worst, we’ll both perish.”

Unconsciously, Gu Yunxing involuntarily recalled Rong Qi’s reactions the last two times he was on the verge of death. Whether it was falling into the sea or the duel on the shore, this demon seemed to value survival more than anyone.

But he didn’t expose it. Instead, he adjusted his position, shifting his full weight onto Rong Qi.

Rong Qi: “You!”

Gu Yunxing: “Thank you for your trouble, Lord Right Protector.”

Rong Qi gritted his teeth, a hint of resentment flickering in his expression, but he ultimately restrained himself.

The coastline twisted and turned. Rong Qi planned to follow the shore. However, the person hanging on him was a burden. Gu Yunxing was slightly taller than him, making it very inconvenient to walk like this.

“Why don’t you stay here, and I’ll go ahead and check?” Rong Qi didn’t hide his look of disgust. The journey had already drained all his patience.

Gu Yunxing’s face was pale, a thin layer of cold sweat on his forehead. He responded, “This humble Gu may be dead weight, but even I wouldn’t slow down the Lord Right Protector of the demon palace.”

That was a clear rejection of his suggestion.

Rong Qi’s eyes glinted with venom as he fixed Gu Yunxing with an icy stare. Without another word, he trudged onward.

The sky had completely darkened, the howling sea breeze drowning out the sound of their footsteps. Only during brief lulls in the wind could they hear each other’s labored breathing.

“I can’t walk anymore!” Rong Qi was exhausted. After standing still for a long moment, he finally managed to catch his breath. “There’s nothing here, not even a rock to lean on!”

He shifted his shoulders, as if trying to shake off the burden on him.

Gu Yunxing was severely injured but still conscious. “Look ahead.”

Rong Qi looked ahead. In the dim light, he could barely make out a dark shape.

He squinted, asking, “What is that?”

Gu Yunxing glanced at him with a bit of surprise. “It’s the hull of a ship.”

Rong Qi’s eyes brightened. “A ship? If there’s a ship, doesn’t that mean we can leave this cursed place?”

Gu Yunxing, however, wasn’t as optimistic. If he wasn’t mistaken, it seemed to be just a part of a broken shipwreck.

But the discovery gave Rong Qi renewed motivation to move forward. Gu Yunxing could clearly feel him quicken his pace.

When they finally reached the ship, the sight before them was incredibly disappointing.

It was indeed Rong Qi’s ship, but the bow and stern were sheared away, leaving only a mutilated midsection. Even the remnant of the cabin was fractured beyond use, its planks splintered and riddled with gaping holes, making it utterly impossible for it to sail the seas again.