Survive in the Wilderness with Celebrities

Chapter 363 Final Chapter
Meng Chao looked in the direction Lin Qian pointed, and his eyes suddenly lit up. He walked quickly towards the plants, squatted down and carefully examined the characteristics of the leaves and stems. "This is wild taro!" He turned to Lin Qian excitedly and said, "Their leaves can be used to wrap food, and the roots can be eaten after being cooked. Although it is poisonous when eaten raw, it is a good source of food if it is processed well."

Lin Qian squatted beside him in surprise and reached out to touch the broad leaves gently: "Really? Then let's dig some back!" She looked up at Meng Chao. The sunlight shone through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled light and shadows on his face, making his angular profile look particularly resolute.

Meng Chao nodded, took out his newly forged machete, and carefully dug into the soil. His movements were precise and careful, ensuring that the rhizome of the taro could be completely removed without damaging the plant itself. "This kind of taro has strong vitality. We only take the part we need, and the rest can continue to grow." He explained, his hands moving non-stop.

Lin Qian looked at his skillful movements and couldn't help but sigh: "You know so much. If it weren't for you, I might not have been able to last even three days." She picked a few broad leaves and prepared to use them to wrap food or as temporary containers.

"Wild survival is my specialty." Meng Chao smiled, sweat dripping down his bronze cheeks. "But you're also a fast learner. When you were processing the snake meat just now, I saw that you had overcome the biggest psychological barrier."

The two continued to explore the woods, Meng Chao used a machete to clear the way, and Lin Qian was responsible for collecting available resources along the way. They found several coconut trees full of fruits, Meng Chao nimbly climbed up the trunk, cut off a few coconuts with a machete, and threw them to Lin Qian.

"Now I can not only drink water, but also eat coconut meat!" Lin Qian happily took the coconut, feeling that her chances of survival had increased. She looked up at Meng Chao's agile figure on the tree, and an inexplicable sense of security surged in her heart.

Back at the beach, Meng Chao smashed a coconut with a stone, and the two happily drank the sweet coconut juice. Lin Qian looked at the setting sun and suddenly said, "Meng Chao, I think we can definitely survive, and maybe even make this our home."

Meng Chao looked at her hopeful eyes and nodded with a smile: "Yes, as long as we work together, there is no difficulty that we cannot overcome." He pointed to an open space not far away, "Tomorrow we can build a more solid shelter there, using palm leaves as the roof and thick branches as the frame."

As night fell, the two lit a bonfire on the beach. Meng Chao roasted the processed snake meat and taro next to the fire, and the aroma gradually spread. This time, Lin Qian took the initiative to pick up a piece of snake meat and took a bite: "Hmm, it's really delicious!"

Meng Chao smiled with relief: "It seems that our wilderness chef will be replaced."

Lin Qian winked mischievously: "Then I will be responsible for finding the ingredients and you will be responsible for cooking. How about that?"

"Deal!" Meng Chao raised the coconut shell and clinked glasses with Lin Qian.

In the next few days, the two divided the work and cooperated, greatly improving their efficiency. Meng Chao was responsible for building the shelter and making tools, while Lin Qian was responsible for collecting food and collecting fresh water. They used palm leaves to weave ropes, tied thick branches together, and built a simple wooden house that could withstand wind and rain.

"We need a door," Meng Chao thought as he stood in front of the cabin, "It would be best if it could prevent wild animals from breaking in at night."

Lin Qian suddenly had an idea: "We can use those thorny vines to weave a fence and block the door at night." She pointed to a patch of vines clinging to a tree not far away.

"Good idea!" Meng Chao gave her an appreciative look. "You are becoming more and more like a survival expert."

Lin Qian blushed as she lowered her head and continued to weave the palm leaves in her hands. She found that under Meng Chao's guidance, she had learned a lot of survival skills, from the initial fear and anxiety to being able to calmly deal with various challenges on the deserted island.

On the morning of the seventh day, Meng Chao decided to explore the depths of the island to find more resources and possible sources of fresh water. "You stay in the camp," he said to Lin Qian, "I'll go explore the way and come back before dark."

Lin Qian shook her head firmly: "No, I'll go with you. Two people are always safer than one." She picked up the machete. Although her movements were not skillful enough, her eyes showed determination.

Meng Chao looked at her stubborn expression and finally nodded in agreement: "Okay, but you have to follow me closely and be careful."

The two men moved inland along a dry stream bed, with Meng Chao occasionally marking trees with a machete to prevent getting lost. The vegetation in the tropical jungle became increasingly dense, and the air was filled with the scent of damp soil and the fragrance of flowers and plants.

"Wait," Meng Chao suddenly stopped and squatted down to check the ground. "There are animal footprints here. It looks like a lizard? But it's very big."

Lin Qian looked in the direction he pointed and saw a series of strange footprints on the soft soil, each the size of her palm. She couldn't help but shudder: "There won't be Komodo dragons on this island, right?"

"It's unlikely. This place is far away from their habitat." Meng Chao frowned and thought, "But we'd better be careful." He tightened the machete in his hand and continued to move forward.

After walking for about half an hour, they came to a rock wall. Meng Chao keenly noticed a narrow crack at the bottom of the rock wall, and a faint breeze blew out from it. "There may be a cave here," he said excitedly, "Caves are usually connected to underground water sources."

The two of them squeezed through the cracks in the rocks with great effort, and suddenly they saw a spacious cave in front of them. Sunlight shone through the cracks on the top of the cave, forming beams of light. What was even more surprising was that there seemed to be traces of artificial excavation deep in the cave.

“Someone has been here!” Lin Qian exclaimed, pointing to the strange symbols carved on the wall of the cave.

Meng Chao walked closer and looked at the symbols carefully: "It looks like some kind of ancient writing or totem." His voice suddenly stopped and his eyes fell on a pile of objects in the corner of the cave - several pottery jars, a rusty knife, and wooden tools half buried in the dust.

Lin Qian carefully picked up a pottery jar and brushed off the dust. "These look old. Could it be that this island was once inhabited by people?"

"It's very likely." Meng Chao looked around. "This cave is hidden and has a water source. It's an ideal place to live." He pointed deep into the cave. "Listen, there's the sound of water."

The two followed the sound and found an underground spring at the end of the cave. Clear water seeped out from the cracks in the rocks and gathered into a small pool. Lin Qian couldn't wait to scoop up the water and take a sip: "It's so sweet! It tastes much better than the rainwater we collected."

Just as they were delighted by this great discovery, a rustling sound came from the entrance of the cave. Meng Chao turned around abruptly and protected Lin Qian behind him: "Something is coming in."

In the shadows, a huge outline gradually emerged - it was a giant lizard nearly two meters long. Its dark green scales glowed coldly in the dim light in the cave, and its forked tongue kept extending and retracting, as if detecting the scent of prey.

"Back off slowly," Meng Chao instructed in a low voice, slowly raising his machete, "Don't make any sudden movements to provoke it."

Lin Qian held her breath and moved carefully towards the pool. She could feel her heart beating wildly in her chest and sweat soaking her back. The monitor lizard stared at them intently, then suddenly crawled forward a few steps, hissing threateningly.

“Run!” Meng Chao shouted and pushed Lin Qian, “Go to the pond!”

Lin Qian staggered deeper into the cave, and heard the sound of Meng Chao fighting with the monitor lizard behind her. She turned around and saw Meng Chao using a machete to block the monitor lizard's attack. The creature's powerful tail swept across the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

"Meng Chao!" Lin Qian shouted in fear, looking around for something that could help. She grabbed a stick from the ground and rushed back desperately.

The monitor lizard's attention was completely focused on Meng Chao, and it didn't notice Lin Qian attacking from the side. She used all her strength to smash the stick into the monitor lizard's head, making a dull sound. The monitor lizard felt the pain and turned its head to pounce on her.

"Lin Qian, be careful!" Meng Chao took the opportunity to slash from the side, cutting deeply into the monitor lizard's neck. Dark red blood gushed out, and the monitor lizard screamed in pain, twisting its body wildly, and finally fell heavily to the ground, twitching a few times before stopping moving.

Lin Qian's legs were weak and she could barely stand. Meng Chao walked quickly to her side and held her shoulders: "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Lin Qian replied breathlessly, then noticed a deep wound on Meng Chao's right arm, "You're injured!" Meng Chao looked down and seemed to feel the pain, "It's just a flesh wound, not serious." But his face had begun to turn pale.

Lin Qian forced herself to calm down: "We have to treat the wound quickly. The bite of this wild animal may get infected." She helped Meng Chao to the edge of the pool, carefully washed the wound with clean water, and then tore off a corner of her T-shirt as a makeshift bandage.

"Thank you," Meng Chao smiled weakly, "that blow just now was very brave, but it was also too dangerous."

Lin Qian's hands were shaking slightly. As she bandaged the wound, she said, "I can't watch you get hurt. We are a team, remember?"

After treating the wound, the two decided to rest in the cave for a while and wait for Meng Chao to recover some strength before returning to the camp. Lin Qian collected some dry moss and made a simple bed for Meng Chao to lie down and rest.

"This cave is much safer than our shelter," Meng Chao looked around, "and there is a stable source of fresh water. Maybe we should consider moving here."

Lin Qian nodded and began to examine the items left by the ancients. In a pottery jar, she found some dried herbs that smelled faintly fragrant. "These may be medicinal plants," she said excitedly, "maybe they can help your wound heal."

As night fell, heavy rain poured down outside the cave, but it was dry and warm inside. Lin Qian built a small fire, boiled water in a clay pot, added some wild taro and coconut meat they had collected, and made a simple soup.

"Try it," she carefully scooped a spoonful and handed it to Meng Chao, "My first cave cooking experiment."

Meng Chao took a sip and showed an appreciative expression: "It tastes good. It seems that you have a talent for being a chef."

Lin Qian smiled, the firelight shining on her face made her look particularly gentle. She looked at Meng Chao's tired but resolute face, and suddenly realized that in these few short days, they had established a deep trust and dependence between them.

"What are you thinking about?" Meng Chao noticed her gaze.

Lin Qian shook her head gently: "I was just thinking, what would I be like now if I hadn't met you."

Meng Chao was silent for a moment, then said seriously, "You will survive, Lin Qian. You have strong adaptability and learning ability, and more importantly, you have a strong will to survive. This is the most important quality for survival in the wilderness."

The sound of rain gradually subsided, and starlight poured in through the cracks in the top of the cave. Lin Qian and Meng Chao sat side by side, looking at the small patch of starry sky, each immersed in their own thoughts.

The next morning, Meng Chao's wound showed no signs of infection, which made them both relieved. The two decided to return to the beach camp first, take the necessary items and move to the cave to live.

In the following days, they made the cave more and more comfortable. Lin Qian wove palm leaves into mats and curtains, while Meng Chao reinforced the cave entrance with stones and clay and made a wooden fence door that could be opened and closed. They divided the cave into living areas, storage areas, and cooking areas, and even used bamboo to draw spring water to create a simple washing area.

One evening, while Lin Qian was tidying up the storage area, she found a stone slab with a complex pattern in a hidden corner. "Meng Chao, come and see!" she called out excitedly.

Meng Chao walked over and studied the slate carefully. "This looks like a map. Maybe a topographic map of the island." His finger moved along the incisions on the slate. "Look here. This mark may represent another cave or some important location."

Lin Qian's eyes lit up: "Should we go take a look? Maybe we can find more useful things, or even a way to leave here?"

Meng Chao thought for a while and said, "It's worth a try. But we have to wait until my injury is completely healed and we are fully prepared before we go."

Three days later, the two followed the stone map and came to a cliff on the other side of the island. After a careful search, they found a cave covered by vines. This cave was much smaller than the one they lived in, but it contained more artifacts - fishing nets, hooks, and even a few polished mirrors.

“These are…” Lin Qian picked up a mirror and was surprised to find that it was unusually clear.

"Rescue tools," Meng Chao's voice trembled slightly with excitement. "These mirrors can be used to reflect sunlight and send signals to distant ships. Fishing nets and hooks are for getting food." He checked other items. "It seems that someone was trapped here like us, but they prepared tools to escape."

Lin Qian's heartbeat quickened: "Does this mean we have a chance to be rescued?"

Meng Chao nodded firmly: "Absolutely. We can use these things to increase the chances of being rescued." He picked up a mirror and said, "Tomorrow we will go to the highest point on the island and send signals to the sea surface at regular intervals."

A spark of hope ignited in the hearts of the two. After returning to the main cave, they made a detailed plan: Meng Chao was responsible for making a larger signal device, and Lin Qian was responsible for making a huge SOS distress signal with stones and driftwood on the coastline.

In the following days, the two divided the work and cooperated, busy and full of hope. Every noon, Meng Chao would go to the top of the mountain to use a mirror to reflect sunlight signals to the sea surface; Lin Qian continued to maintain and expand the distress signs on the beach, while ensuring the daily needs of the two.

One month later, in the morning, Lin Qian went to the beach to collect shellfish as usual. When she stood up and looked at the sea level, a distant black dot caught her attention. She squinted her eyes and looked carefully - it was a ship! And it was heading towards the island!
“Meng Chao! Meng Chao!” Lin Qian dropped what he was holding and ran desperately toward the top of the mountain, shouting, “There’s a boat! I saw the boat!”

Meng Chao heard the shout and immediately picked up the signal mirror and rushed to the edge of the cliff. In the sunlight, the mirror reflected a dazzling light, which shot directly at the ship in the distance. Once, twice, three times. They watched the reaction of the ship nervously.

Finally, the ship changed its course and headed towards the island. Lin Qian was so excited that tears welled up in her eyes. She turned around and hugged Meng Chao tightly: "They saw us! We are saved!"

Meng Chao hugged her back, his voice choking: "Yes, we did it."

When the rescue boat approached the coast, Lin Qian and Meng Chao had already packed their simple bags - those items that meant a lot to them on the deserted island: the machete forged by Meng Chao, the stone slab with the map engraved on it, and a few turtle scales as souvenirs.

The moment she boarded the rescue boat, Lin Qian looked back at the island where she had lived for nearly two months, with mixed feelings in her heart. This island recorded her fear and courage, despair and hope, and more importantly, she discovered a new self and a precious emotion here.

"What are you thinking about?" Meng Chao stood beside her and asked softly.

Lin Qian looked at him with a smile: "Thinking about what we are going to do when we return."

Meng Chao held her hand and said, "I remember someone said they wanted to open a wilderness survival club?"

“That’s a good idea,” Lin Qian leaned on his shoulder, “We can teach others how to survive in difficult situations and how to find the most precious things in life in unexpected situations.”

The sun shines on the sea, creating sparkling waves. The rescue boat carries the two people to a distant place, and their new life has just begun.

(End of this chapter)