After walking for about five minutes, Chuck finally stopped.
Ahead, a steep but not very high stone wall blocked the path, marking the apparent end of the jungle.
Chuck's attention was drawn to a spot diagonally in front of him.
There, a narrow fissure abruptly appeared in the center of the stone wall. He could see light filtering through from the back, suggesting it was the only way through the barrier.
Chuck scratched his head.
This terrain description sounds vaguely familiar…
Where the forest ends, by the water, one finds a mountain. The mountain has a small opening, as if there is light within?
Could there be a hidden Shangri-La behind this stone fissure?
The buzzing of insects near his ear seemed to urge Chuck not to linger. He tightened his grip on the stone axe and continued to push aside the obstructing branches and vines toward the fissure.
But as he got closer, danger flared!
Only upon approach did Chuck notice an unusually wide pool of water at the base of the stone wall.
This should have been a good thing, as Chuck was searching for more water sources, but as he looked into the pool, his face instantly turned pale.
The water in the pool was terribly filthy, muddy, and opaque.
The reason for this state was that a wild boar, with vicious tusks and its bristles erect, was wallowing in the sludge!
Goosebumps instantly erupted all over Chuck's body.
When watching survival documentaries and similar movies as a child, Chuck always somewhat failed to grasp the danger of wild boars.
After all, in his view, a "pig" was just an animal meant to be eaten; how dangerous could it be?
But after learning the facts in the modern, information-rich world, Chuck realized just how utterly terrifying these creatures are.
Strong territorial instincts, aggressive intent, heavy weight, powerful charging force, and hard bristles that make it highly resistant to slashing…
It was a true high-attack, high-defense, armored battle tank!
If one of these things charged, a severe penetrating wound was almost guaranteed, resulting in massive bleeding or instant death.
Chuck only had a stone axe, which was fine for cutting bamboo, but breaking through that coat of bristles was out of the question.
The boar's body rose and fell slightly, emitting rhythmic snorts and a little foam from its mouth. It appeared to be napping.
Thank goodness he hadn't disturbed the living menace. It was best to retreat now and formulate a better plan…
Just as Chuck decided to bolt, his gaze was inexplicably drawn to a striking red color.
What is that?
Chuck held his breath and stared at the red glow, his eyes instantly freezing.
Behind the wild boar napping in the mud, a red flower was growing right out of the muck.
The flower was incredibly vibrant, flourishing in the mud without being tainted by the filth.
But the strangest thing was that, even in broad daylight, the flower seemed to emit a bright crimson light…
Just as Chuck was perplexed, a screen suddenly appeared before his eyes!
[Special Material Found – Spider Lily (Red)]
[Crafting Hint: There are three types of Spider Lilies on this deserted island: Red, Blue, and Yellow. Each possesses unique effects. Obtain the Spider Lily to synthesize Potions on the Workbench and receive unprecedented enhancement!]
[Special Feature – Alchemy Panel Unlocked]
[Spider Lilies Collected: None]
[Potions Consumed: None]
Spider Lily???
Only when the name appeared on the System screen did Chuck belatedly realize that the red flower looked exactly like the "Spider Lily" he knew.
Why would this thing be on a deserted island??
The sudden unlock of the Alchemy Panel and the mention of "Potions" made Chuck's mind temporarily short-circuit from the onslaught of information.
He failed completely to notice what was under his foot…
"Snap."
"…"
Finally, a crisp sound of a breaking twig jolted Chuck's confused mind back to full consciousness.
Only one word remained in his head.
Run!
The next moment, Chuck pushed off the ground and sprinted back the way he came at full speed!
Behind him, a trembling sound like an earthquake followed.
It was clearly the sound of heavy hooves stomping hard into the mud!
The sounds of snapping branches and scattering birds erupted throughout the jungle.
Chuck ran wildly, not daring to look back.
Finally, he burst out of the jungle, his feet still churning. He reached the edge of the beach, and only when the waves washed over his soles did he stop, panting, and turn his head back.
The wild boar was nowhere in sight.
He let out a long sigh of relief.
Fortunately, he had been careful enough not to provoke it. The boar had merely chased him out of its territory and stopped the pursuit.
When Chuck looked down, he saw that his body was covered in scrapes.
His wrists, ankles, and thighs had multiple scratches, but thankfully they were all just superficial abrasions.
Only one injury was more serious: on the outer side of his left bicep. It seemed he had been badly scraped by a broken branch stub—one he had chopped earlier—when exiting the jungle. The wound was about half a finger long and throbbed faintly.
The jungle exploration yielded no bounty and resulted in an injury.
But Chuck wasn't discouraged.
On the contrary, he was more excited than ever!
The System had unlocked the Alchemy Panel, and he had found the Spider Lily needed to synthesize the so-called "Potions." These were great finds, but they weren't the main reason for Chuck's elation.
Chuck now understood.
If this were a game, that wild boar was probably the area's Boss.
Only by killing it could he earn the Boss loot and open the path to a new map.
The wild boar was dangerous, but knowing exactly what lay ahead and preparing thoroughly would make taking it down far from impossible!
And after that, a glorious outdoor wild boar barbecue awaited him!
"Oh my god, Chuck! You're hurt!!"
The moment he returned to the cave, Julia noticed the bleeding gash on Chuck's arm. She immediately dropped the firewood she was holding and ran toward him with a panicked look.
"Don't worry, it's just a scratch."
Chuck said dismissively, but Julia actively grabbed his left arm and leaned in to examine it closely.
A soft sensation immediately transferred to his arm, and Chuck's gaze instinctively focused on the pale cleavage visible at the neckline of the foreign woman's shirt.
"Shit… We have to clean this up properly."
The foreign woman's delicate brows were furrowed in concentration. After a moment of hesitation, she suddenly looked down at the white T-shirt she was wearing…