Comic strip: Survival on a deserted island, surrounded by heroines

[Remaining progress: Giant Bear (Bear) - 1/5]

"It's a pity we didn't find the giant bear."

"Chameleons are quite capable too, keep an eye on them."

He turned off the panel, slung the composite bow over his shoulder, and continued searching with Teng Huan in his arms.

Chapter 38: A Mother and Daughter Under the Snow on a Deserted Island.

"What exactly is this place...?"

Yukino Yukinoshita finally realized that this island was unlike any civilized world she knew.

She looked up at the ancient trees that blocked out the sky.

The trees were incredibly tall, with vines coiling around their thick branches and hanging down like countless green snakes.

The air was thick with the smell of decaying plants and soil, damp and heavy, each breath feeling like swallowing a wet cloth.

Snow Mother sat down against the tree trunk, her face so pale it was almost transparent.

A few strands of her usually meticulously styled long hair fell loose and clung to her sweaty neck.

The pencil skirt was torn in several places by thorns, revealing legs wrapped in black stockings underneath.

Yukino crouched down and reached out to touch her mother's forehead—it was burning hot.

"Mother."

"I'm fine." Snow's mother forced a smile, but her voice was hoarse and her lips were dry and cracked. "I just feel a little tired..."

Yukino bit her lower lip.

My mother has had a fever since last night.

They had no clean water, no food, no medicine, and didn't even know if it was morning or afternoon.

The dense forest blocked out the sky, like a merciless giant hand.

"I'll go get some water. Mother, you can rest here." Yukino stood up, took off her school uniform jacket, folded it neatly, and placed it behind her mother to make her more comfortable.

"Be careful, Yukino...don't go too far."

"I understand, Mother."

Yukino turned and walked into the dense forest.

She stepped onto the thick layer of fallen leaves, sinking half an inch with each step.

The ribbon in her hair swayed gently; she raised her hand to hold it down, afraid it would get caught on a tree branch.

After walking about twenty steps, I could still see my mother's face as she looked back.

"We must find a water source..."

Time ticked by, and Yukino walked further and further away.

The forest was quiet, with only the occasional short cry from an unknown bird.

Yukino parted a cluster of huge leaves, and suddenly the view in front of her opened up.

A small pool appeared in the low-lying area, with green algae floating on the surface and muddy traces left by animals on the shore.

"water!"

Yukino's heart tightened, and she quickly stepped forward.

But when she was still some distance from the pool, she suddenly stopped.

Several white bones lay scattered on the muddy bank, half-buried in the decaying leaves.

The fracture of a rib-like bone has tooth marks, suggesting it did not break naturally.

Her breathing became rapid, and she took a half step back, her heel snapping a dry twig with a crisp cracking sound that was particularly jarring in the silent forest.

“…”

The grass by the pond suddenly trembled.

Yukino's whole body tensed up.

She saw a pair of amber eyes peek out from between the leaves, followed by a deep, guttural sound.

"Roar~!"

That was a wild boar.

It wasn't large, but its fangs were already showing outside its lips, and its muddy nose twitched, clearly startled by her scent.

"We absolutely cannot let it find out..."

Yukino slowly retreated, each step extremely light.

The wild boar emerged halfway out of the bushes and pawed the ground with its front hooves.

Yukino's hands trembled slightly, but she did not turn and run.

Her mother had taught her that running with your back to wild animals would only trigger your chasing instinct.

"The water is right in front of me, I can do it..."

Five steps... ten steps.

The wild boar didn't chase after it; it lowered its head and rooted around in the mud by the water, seemingly losing interest.

Yukino turned around a large tree until the pool was completely out of sight, only then realizing that her back was soaked with cold sweat.

She leaned against the tree trunk, closed her eyes, and took three deep breaths.

The trembling in his hands gradually stopped.

"The wild boar has left..."

"We cannot use the water from the pond to go upstream."

Having made her decision, Yukino went upstream with the current.

Before long, Yukino found a relatively clean, flowing stream of water.

She looked down at her white-trimmed stockings.

The material is a cotton blend, which has good absorbency. You can use socks to filter out the relatively clean parts.

After drinking it, Yukino started thinking about how to bring the water back.

"Leaves...yes, I can use leaves!"

Yukino's eyes lit up, and she immediately took action, picking down a few large leaves and folding them into a simple bowl.

"The water really didn't leak out!"

Yukino breathed a sigh of relief.

She remembered how her mother coughed last night. Her mother never showed weakness; even when she was sick, she would force a smile and say she was fine.

But now my mother can't even stand up straight.

Yukino walked back along the path she had come from, deliberately avoiding the pond.

She has a decent sense of direction; she remembers marking every tree she passed.

When she saw her mother, the weight on her heart finally lifted.

"Mother...I've found water!"

Snow Mother leaned against the tree trunk, seemingly rubbing her hands.

Hearing the voice, he opened his eyes, his gaze somewhat unfocused, before finally settling on Yukino's face after two seconds: "Yukino... you're back."

"Mother, have some water..." Yukino squatted down, reached out to support her mother's shoulder, and brought the water to her mother's lips.

Snow Mother held her hand and sipped the slightly cool water little by little.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the tree canopy, casting soft dappled light on Snow Mother's eyelashes.

As Yukino watched her chapped lips gradually moisten, a huge weight was finally lifted from her heart.

She had never seen her mother so vulnerable.

The hem of the pencil skirt was stained with mud, the black stockings were covered in scratches, and the neckline was slightly open due to sweat.

As always, Lady Yukinoshita was elegant, composed, and always impeccably made up.

He was leaning against an unidentified tree, his cheeks flushed an unnatural red from a high fever, yet he was still smiling at her.

Snow Mother said, "You drink too."

“I drank from my mother.”

Yukino carefully collected the remaining water and looked around.

The light seemed to be getting dimmer; perhaps it was evening.

The forest at night is ten times more dangerous than during the day.

"Yukino, are you alright?"

Yukino thought for a moment and said, "I just saw a wild boar."

"Wild boar?"

Snow Mother was silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out and touched her cheek.

The hand was dry and burning hot, with the knuckles slightly red from the fever.

Yukino's mother's voice was very soft: "Yukino... thank you for your hard work."

"Mother, I'm alright."

“Water is important, but don’t risk it alone.” Snow Mother gripped her hand with surprising strength. “If we have to split up, at least let me…”

"no!"

Yukino's words came out so easily that even she was taken aback.

Snow Mother was also taken aback for a moment, then smiled.

"...When did it become your turn to take care of me?"

That smile carried a hint of helplessness, and a touch of tenderness that she rarely saw on her mother's face.

“Now.” Yukino withdrew her hand, stood up, and looked around.

"Mom, we need to find a place to spend the night."

"We can't stay in open areas. It would be great if we could find a tree hollow or a rock face."

Snow Mother nodded, tried to stand up by supporting herself with her hands, but her legs gave way and she fell back down.

Yukino reacted quickly and caught her, feeling her mother's weight pressing down on her shoulders.

Her thin shoulders slumped slightly under the weight, but she gritted her teeth and held on.

“Mother...I’ll carry you.”

"You can't carry it..."

"I can!"

Yukino turned around, bent down, and put her mother's arms on her shoulders.

Snow Mother hesitated for a moment, then gently lay down on top of her.

Yukino felt a little strained.

After all, Xue's mother was much taller than her.

"Yukino..." Her mother's voice was so low it was almost a whisper.

"Mother, please stop talking..."

Yukino walked forward step by step.

The school uniform shirt was soaked with the warmth of her mother's body, leaving her back damp and hot.

Her thigh-high socks stepped over the branches and leaves, and she nearly slipped several times, but each time she managed to regain her balance at the last moment.