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

"What Hui said really hurt my conscience!"

Michiru clutched her chest, her face contorted with exaggerated guilt.

"That."

Kato Megumi took the stone knife and walked out of the cave.

"We're having smoked fish today."

"Yes, sir!"

Michiru jumped, but tripped and fell face down on the haystack.

"Waaah—!"

Kato Megumi turned around and glanced back: "...Are you alright?"

"It's okay, it's completely okay."

Michiru raised her thumb, a piece of dry grass stuck to the tip of her nose.

"The ritualistic feeling of the morning."

"..."

Kato Megumi didn't say anything, but the curve of her lips said it all.

On the fish-smoking rack by the stream, seven fish that had been marinated the previous night were neatly arranged.

Kato Megumi squatted by the fire, mixing vanilla leaves and damp bamboo leaves together and piling them on the embers.

Thick smoke rose, enveloping the fish.

"Hui, why use damp leaves?"

Michiru squatted down beside her, resting her chin on her hands.

"Dry-frying at too high a temperature will make the fish tough."

Megumi Kato flipped the fish over.

"The damp leaves produce smoke, which makes the smoked fish more fragrant and allows it to be preserved for longer."

"oh--!"

Michiru had a flash of inspiration and then suddenly realized.

"So the essence of smokiness is to give fish a spa treatment."

"..."

Kato Megumi remained silent for two seconds, speechless: "Either you understand or you don't."

"Hehe, I know I understand correctly."

Michiru tossed her hair triumphantly.

"By the way, Hui, are we going fishing today?"

"Ah."

Kato Megumi took the first smoked fish off the grill and handed it to Michiru.

"Try it."

"Is it okay to eat smoked fish like this?"

"It's OK."

Michiru caught the smoked fish, blew on it, and took a big bite.

"!!!"

Her eyes instantly turned into starry eyes, her pupils sparkling.

"This fish..."

"What's up?"

"It's so delicious I could cry!"

With a mouthful of fish, Michiru actually squeezed out a tear from the corner of her eye.

"The outer skin has a smoky, caramelized aroma, and the inside is tender. It tastes even better than yesterday's grilled fish!"

Kato Megumi also took a bite and chewed it carefully: "It's really good."

"Hui Ping's indifferent reaction!"

Michiru waved the fishbone.

"It would cost at least 5,000 yen in a high-end restaurant!"

"Will you pay me five thousand yen?"

"Uh... I'll definitely pay when I get back to Tokyo!"

Michiru patted her slightly protruding chest.

"I'll treat you to premium sushi then!"

Kato Megumi glanced at it: "Then remember that."

"Of course I remember what I, Hyodo Michi, said!"

After breakfast, the two of them took the fish and ate it in a small bag.

The forest air was incredibly fresh in the morning, and sunlight streamed through the treetops, dancing on their shoulders.

"Hui, why are the fish so fat?"

Michiru walked along, observing the stream.

"It's fatter than any fish I've ever seen in the supermarket."

"During the spawning season, fish store a lot of fat."

Kato Megumi's gaze swept across the stream.

"There is no pollution here."

"There's no pollution..."

Michiru sighed.

"Indeed, the water here is so clear you can drink it directly."

"Ah."

"Hui, shouldn't I have given this place a name?"

Michiru suddenly became interested.

"We can't keep calling it this or that, can we?"

Kato Megumi: "Call me?"

"Well…"

Michiru tilted her head, deep in thought.

"Dinosaur Island? No, I only saw Triceratops... So, Triceratops Island?"

"not good."

"Then I'll take one!"

Kato Megumi walked silently for a while, her gaze sweeping over the stream, the forest, and the distant mountain ridge.

Emerald Creek.

Emerald Creek?

Michi was stunned.

"For?"

"Water color".

Kato Megumi pointed to the stream, and the water under the sunlight did indeed have a faint emerald green hue.

"There is a forest."

"Emerald Creek...Emerald Creek..."

Michi took two photos to remember the moment, then smiled happily.

"Not bad, it sounds nice. Hui really has good taste!"

"...I just took it randomly."

"Even random choices sound good, but serious choices sound even better."

Michiru Minato nudged Kato Megumi with her shoulder.

"What is that forest called?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Think about it slowly!"

Michiru waved her hand...

"Anyway, I have plenty of time."

Kato Megumi glanced at it but did not refute it.

The two set up a trap for Yin Jian yesterday.

Kato Megumi squatted by the stream, checking the fish to make sure they weren't swept away by the current.

Then, take the bamboo tube and prepare to begin today's capture operation.

The stream water was bone-chillingly cold in the early morning, but Michiru didn't seem to care, immersing her entire calves in it, bending over to swim in the fish.

"Hui, another one has come in!"

"Goodness, the fish aren't stupid, are they? They're diving in one after another?"

Kato Megumi squatted by the stream, whittling a new bamboo skewer with a stone knife, and said without looking up:

“Migratory fish have a strong sense of direction and believe that as long as they keep swimming upstream, they can find their spawning grounds. The funnel-shaped mouth design makes good use of this.”

"understood!"

"My mind was only focused on moving upwards, so I couldn't see Huiying Jun."

Michiru suddenly straightened up, holding a large, wriggling silver fish in her hand, water splashing all over her face.

"Whoa—!"

My foot slipped, and I almost fell backward into the creek, but luckily my core strength was amazing, and I managed to stay steady.

The fish struggled desperately in my hand, its tail slapping against my face.

"Hey, you piece of trash, how dare you slap me in the face?!"

Michiru angrily pushed the fish into the bamboo tube, looking just like an old lady catching live fish at the market.

Kato Megumi glanced at it: "Be careful, that female fish has eggs in her belly."

"That's true."

Michiru immediately changed her expression and carefully held the fish in her arms.

Like holding a rare treasure, it was gently placed into a bamboo tube filled with water.

"I'm so sorry, Fish Mom, I was mean just now."

"Just relax and wait for delivery, and I guarantee a quick and painless death... no, I guarantee you'll die without pain!"

Kato Megumi paused for two seconds: "What you just said was even scarier."

"Hehe~"

Michiru stuck out her tongue, then excitedly squatted back down by the stream, her eyes fixed on the fish.

"Hui, how many can I catch today?"