Bang bang bang.
Every time Natsuki's axe fell, wood chips could be seen flying.
"This is the joy of lumbering."
Natsuki's face showed a satisfied smile. Although it was just ordinary physical labor, he could still gain a sense of satisfaction from it.
That's right.
A true man not only loves lifting weights but also loves cutting trees.
"It's just cutting trees… Is it really that much fun?"
Yukino's tone was puzzled.
"You don't understand." Natsuki's axe didn't stop. "It's like when you go shopping for bags all day long and don't feel tired. Boys also can't understand that kind of happiness. Lumbering is a man's happiness."
The girls obviously couldn't understand the joy of a lumberjack. Natsuki cut down one tree, while Yukino and Haruno had only managed to cut down a third of theirs. It would still take a long time to cut them down completely.
Natsuki simply let the two of them be responsible for removing the branches and leaves from the trees, while he focused on cutting trees.
Division of labor between men and women makes work less tiring.
A moment later.
"Natsuki-kun, we should have enough timber." Haruno reminded, "Should we move these timbers back first?"
"Indeed, I've cut quite a lot." Natsuki reluctantly put away his axe. "Then let's go."
Natsuki carried several logs, while Yukino and Haruno together lifted several others. The three of them walked together towards the shelter.
There was no conversation along the way.
They safely returned to the shelter.
The cave had been dug deeper by the girls. Although they all looked dusty, their spirits were quite good—
Starting from scratch, they had painstakingly dug out a shelter in the wall, and the sense of accomplishment was exceptionally satisfying.
"Haruno, how should the timber be supported?"
Chika asked.
Except for Haruno, who liked watching survival videos, the other girls hadn't paid much attention, and they were quite busy for a while.
Yukino turned her head and looked at Natsuki, saying softly:
"There's still some timber left, so my sister doesn't need to go. Shall we two go and move them over?"
Natsuki nodded and said:
"Sure."
After greeting Haruno, Natsuki led Yukino and walked back towards the forest.
After moving away from the others, the atmosphere quickly quieted down.
When Haruno was present, as a master of social interaction, Haruno would never let the atmosphere become awkward.
But Yukino was different.
In front of strangers, this Yukino always maintained a cold demeanor, keeping people at a distance. Ordinary boys, upon seeing her, would feel intimidated even before striking up a conversation.
Unfortunately, this aloofness, which kept people at bay, had no effect on Natsuki.
"Natsuki-kun, it's better to follow traffic rules when walking."
Yukino slightly furrowed her brows, unable to resist speaking.
Natsuki smiled and said: "What traffic rules?"
Yukino said in a cool voice: "When walking, you should look straight ahead and observe your surroundings, not constantly glance left and right."
"Yukino is very right, but…" Natsuki nodded in agreement, then changed the subject, "But on an isolated Island, no one sets traffic rules, right?"
Yukino retorted: "Traffic rules should be in your heart, not something you only follow because others set them. Following traffic rules is for your own safety, never for others."
"I'm sorry, I was wrong." Natsuki apologized sincerely, "But there's nothing I can do, who made Yukino so cute?"
"Huh?"
Yukino slightly furrowed her delicate brows and pursed her lips. She finally couldn't hold back and said with disdain:
"Natsuki-kun, do you usually flirt with girls in such a frivolous way?"
Natsuki still smiled, not getting angry at all. As a shameless scoundrel, his face had long been as thick as a city wall.
Of course, having a thick skin doesn't necessarily make one a scoundrel, but every scoundrel definitely has an extremely thick skin.
"Yukino is right." Natsuki smiled and said, "After all, I used the same method to successfully pick up Yukino before."
"…Impossible!"
Yukino paused slightly, instinctively frowning in denial.
In Yukino's view, if she were to fall for a boy, it would definitely be because of compatible souls, not because of his handsome appearance.
Especially a frivolous and shameless man, it would be absolutely impossible for her to be moved!
"Without concrete evidence, Yukino naturally won't believe it." Natsuki nodded, then said, "But what if I show you proof of our relationship?"
Yukino frowned and looked over:
"What evidence?"
Natsuki took out a thought camera and waved to Yukino, saying: "Come over and see for yourself."
Ordinary cameras in reality cannot be stored in the game backpack. The camera in Natsuki's hand was actually a Blind Box item, a thought camera, which could print out memories from one's mind, provided the impression was deep enough.
The moment Juju cosplayed and Yukino's Pure White Bride skin were undoubtedly deeply impressive scenes.
"…"
Yukino hesitated for two seconds, then moved her steps and cautiously walked to Natsuki's side.
"Don't be so cautious." Natsuki shrugged, "If I really wanted to take advantage of someone, your screams would be useless. There are no laws on the Island. The only thing restricting me now is my inner morality."
Yukino lightly bit her lip, unable to resist complaining: "Should I also praise you as a moral model?"
Natsuki smiled and said: "Thank you for the compliment."
"…"
Yukino walked closer and looked into the camera with curiosity. After clearly seeing the photo inside, her beautiful eyes widened instantly.
"Is that… me?"
Looking at the beautiful girl in the pure white wedding dress in the camera, Yukino was momentarily lost in a trance.
"Why am I wearing a wedding dress?" Yukino asked subconsciously.
Natsuki asked in return: "Under what circumstances do you think you would willingly wear a wedding dress?"
"…"
Yukino remained silent.
Even she knew that a pure white wedding dress held profound significance and couldn't be worn on just any occasion. For example, some time ago, many girls wore wedding dresses to idol concerts, an act Yukino could never bring herself to do.
Yukino couldn't imagine why she would be wearing a wedding dress.
"There is only one truth…" Natsuki said solemnly, "We are already married."
"Impossible." Yukino looked over warily, not easily believing a one-sided statement. She bit her lip lightly and said, "We haven't even reached the legal age for marriage."
"Starting over from scratch in a relationship is indeed too difficult." Natsuki sighed and said softly, "I said it from the beginning, this is a nightmare space, everyone's memories have been shielded, only staying at the time of the second-year high school trip, but in the real world, we have already reached the legal age for marriage."
Yukino: "…"
Even Yukino, who was usually calm and rational, was now doubting life a bit.
After all, her own wedding photo was right in front of her.
Could it be that in the real world, she was really already married?
Yukino's mood at this moment was incredibly subtle.
It was like waking up to find herself lying on the sofa, with two little kids around her calling her "Mom," and a strange man standing beside her, yet she had no memory of anything…
In short, it was super strange.
Natsuki reached out his right hand and held Yukino's soft hand, saying gently:
"If you can't remember, then don't think about it. The mushroom skill hasn't cooled down yet. You'll naturally recall it then."
"Hmm…"
Yukino's mind was in a mess, and she subconsciously gave a soft hum.
Natsuki smiled and said: "Yukino, call me husband."
Yukino's breathing stopped, and she immediately sobered up, directly pulling her hand free.
Shameless!
Too shameless!
In the real world, why on earth would she marry such a shameless guy!
"Don't touch me." Yukino lightly bit her silver teeth, hid her hands behind her back, and said warily, "It's just a photo, it doesn't prove anything at all."
Natsuki held up the camera and spoke nonsense with a straight face: "Actually, there are more photos, but Yukino would probably get angry if she saw them."
Yukino: "…"
Photos that would make her angry?
What kind of things are those?
Could it be that…
Yukino's pretty face quickly flushed red. She bit her silver teeth in annoyance, dispelling the terrible images from her mind.
Impossible!
Absolutely impossible!
Even if she really married this guy, she would never agree to him taking those kinds of photos!
"Phew…"
Yukino took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to look at the photos lest she lose control and hit him. Her pretty face tightened as she said, "Hurry up and move the wood back. Don't make everyone worry."
"Alright, then I'll look later."
Natsuki shrugged, putting his camera away.
Sure enough.
Even Yukino would misunderstand.
The only one who wouldn't misunderstand was probably Kaguya before she awakened.
The two had already reached the edge of the forest, where the previously cut firewood was piled on the ground.
"You only need to carry two pieces," Natsuki said, looking at Yukino, "I'll take care of the rest."
"Mm."
Yukino didn't even raise her head, softly assenting. She bent down, preparing to pick up the wood.
When she had been digging the cave earlier, she had already discovered that her strength was indeed much greater than she had imagined. Two pieces of wood were nothing; she could easily carry them back.
But just as she picked up the wood, Yukino suddenly felt a sharp sting on her body and couldn't help but let out a soft groan.
"Ah…"
Natsuki heard the sound, turned, and looked at Yukino, saying, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing." Yukino quickly straightened up, putting her hands behind her back to cover her skirt. She bit her lip and said, "A bug bit me just now."
As she spoke, a bee-like insect buzzed away from Yukino's side, quickly disappearing.
"A bug?" Natsuki raised an eyebrow slightly. "Let me take a look. In the shipwreck version, it's very possible to encounter poisonous bugs."
"No need." Yukino didn't hesitate, shaking her head decisively to refuse. "I'll let Haruno take a look when we get back."
How could she let a boy check a bug bite in that kind of place?!
Seeing Yukino's insistence, Natsuki naturally didn't force her. He picked up the wood and said, "Then let's go back."
"Mm…"
Yukino took a deep breath, preparing to leave. But after only a few steps, her expression quickly underwent a subtle change.
The wound… wasn't right.
Before, it was just pain, but now, the pain had turned into numbness.
As a scholarly girl, Yukino was well aware that she might have been poisoned.
As everyone knows.
Pain is the body's warning signal.
If a person still feels pain, it's actually a good thing. If they don't even feel pain, the situation is even worse.
At this moment.
Yukino clearly felt that the wound had changed from pain to numbness, and the numb area was rapidly spreading.
"What's wrong?"
Natsuki quickly noticed Yukino's abnormality.
"I…"
Yukino parted her lips, her expression hesitant.
Natsuki said seriously, "Do you remember what I said at the beginning? You must speak up about any situation. This is a life-or-death adventure, not a casual get-together."
Yukino gently bit her lower lip, giving up on the idea of enduring silently, and said in a low voice, "I think I've been poisoned."
Bang.
Natsuki dropped the wood from his shoulder and said in a deep voice, "Where is the wound?"
Yukino was silent for two seconds, then replied in a low voice, "…On my thigh."
Natsuki wiped his hands clean, then said, "Let me take a look."
Yukino: "…"
At this moment.
Yukino suddenly understood why many people avoid seeking medical treatment.
She used to not understand why many patients would conceal their true conditions from doctors, thereby delaying treatment.
Yet, in reality, similar foolish behaviors are very common.
Now that it was truly her turn, she realized that some conditions are indeed difficult to speak about, impossible to utter.
Yukino took a deep breath, biting her lower lip, and said, "I can hold on for a while. Let Haruno come over to help."
"Haruno is just an ordinary person now; she can't detoxify you," Natsuki said, squatting down. "And the toxicity of the poisonous insects on the Island is still unknown. Every second of delay will greatly increase the danger."
Seeing Natsuki reach out towards her skirt, Yukino instinctively took half a step back.
Her reason told her that she should let Natsuki help with the treatment now, but emotionally, it was truly difficult to accept.
Slap!
A crisp slapping sound suddenly rang out.
Feeling the burning pain on her buttocks, Yukino opened her eyes in disbelief.
This guy actually hit her there?!
"Don't joke about your own safety," Natsuki said with a serious expression. "I told you, I will definitely get you all out safely."
"You…"
Yukino was about to speak when she was suddenly embraced by Natsuki.
Natsuki then sat on the wood, pressed Yukino onto his lap, and instructed, "If you're embarrassed, just close your eyes. As long as you don't open your eyes, you can pretend nothing happened."
Yukino: "…"
How could she pretend nothing happened? That was clearly burying her head in the sand!
But for some reason, even though she was pressed onto a boy's lap, Yukino's heart felt calm at this moment, without any dislike or aversion.
Because of her mother, she actually disliked that kind of chauvinism that disregarded others' wishes.
But at this moment, facing the suddenly assertive Natsuki… she couldn't dislike him at all.
Seeing that Yukino didn't speak, Natsuki knew that she had tacitly agreed. He naturally didn't waste time, reaching out and directly lifting Yukino's skirt.
So white.
Blindingly white.
Although the sky was still dimly lit, it still couldn't hide the dazzling skin.
This Yukino clearly rarely exercised outdoors; her skin was snow-white, she could even play Snow White.
Natsuki's gaze swept over, and he quickly found where Yukino had been bitten by the bug, immediately understanding why this Yukino found it difficult to speak.
The location of the wound was very unfortunate.
It was indeed on her thigh, but on the inner thigh, and its position was extremely high, right next to her panties.
By the way, this Yukino was wearing white panda panties at the moment. She really was a super panda enthusiast.
"The wound is bleeding, and the blood coming out is black. Also, the bluish-black area is expanding," Natsuki said seriously. "It's definitely poisoned."
Yukino had already closed her eyes. No matter how calm she usually was, at this moment, her pretty face was flushed, filled with shame, and she whispered, "What should I do?"
Natsuki said in a deep voice, "I have an antidote ointment that can be applied to the wound, but before applying it, the poisonous blood in the wound must be cleaned out first."
"I'll do it myself."
Yukino bit her silver teeth, wanting to get up.
"Don't move around," Natsuki said in a deep voice. "There's no clean water here, no tools, and the wound is on your thigh. How can you clean it yourself?"
"…"
Yukino remained silent.
The truth was, if she were alone, with the current conditions, she indeed couldn't clean out the poisonous blood.
Natsuki continued, "There's no other way. I'll suck out the poisonous blood first."
"Suck it out…" Yukino suddenly opened her eyes, her pretty face flushed, and she instinctively struggled. "What, what are you talking about?!"
This was an uninhabited Island, with no medical assistance tools. The so-called sucking it out could only be the most primitive method.
Letting a boy examine it was one thing, but to even let him suck it out… Even Yukino couldn't remain calm anymore.
Slap.
Natsuki raised his right hand and slapped her, his palm immediately feeling a full, elastic rebound.
"Don't move around," Natsuki commanded. "The bluish-black poisoned area is constantly expanding. The poison must be very potent. If you delay any longer, it might be too late… Yukino, you don't want to leave Haruno alone, do you?"
"…"
Yukino's breathing hitched, and she stopped struggling.
That's right.
If the treatment was delayed and something happened to her, what would happen to Haruno?
No matter what, she couldn't leave Haruno alone on the deserted Island.
"That's it, don't move around," Natsuki instructed. "Don't tense up so much, open up a bit… We've already taken wedding photos, there's absolutely no need to be ashamed about such a small matter."
Hot breath fell on her body. Yukino kept her eyes tightly closed, her pretty face flushed, her heart pounding like a drum. The girl's sense of shame had reached its limit, and even her brain began to feel dizzy, almost unable to think. She only knew to silently obey Natsuki's instructions and cooperate instinctively.
Ye-yes…
They had already taken wedding photos. Although she didn't remember, it was true.
So, letting him help suck out the poisonous blood was completely fine, right?