Whistling through the air, the pebble brushed past the person’s ear and skimmed across the sea.
It skipped twice, kicking up spray that rippled with strange energy fluctuations, before slowly sinking to the bottom of the ocean.
A fiery glare of sheer rage instantly appeared in the person’s eyes.
Even from a distance, Ling Shuying could feel the chilling thrill of being locked onto by a hunter.
He stared fixedly at Ling Shuying.
Lowering his body until only the upper half of his face was visible above the water, he swam toward the shore like a shark.
She shouted in her heart, “Yes, just like that!
Hurry up and come ashore!” Yet her hands didn’t stop.
She continued hurling stones, only this time she didn’t aim at him.
Instead, they landed near him, neither too close nor too far, as if deliberately baiting him.
Following Ling Shuying’s actions, the man swam faster and faster until his feet finally touched the seabed.
Gaping at Ling Shuying, his body slowly emerged from the water.
The dazzling, scorching sunlight beat down on his dark, wheat-colored skin.
Seawater dripped from his taut muscles, highlighting the perfect contours of a biological masterpiece.
He moved, charging from the sea toward the shore.
He locked his sights on Ling Shuying, his eyes vowing to tear her to pieces.
BOOM—
Suddenly, a drastic change occurred as the Abyssal Vortex descended.
The churning roar of surging seawater echoed like rolling thunder.
Startled by the noise, the wild man turned to look back, only to be stunned by the scene unfolding before him.
A massive, swirling hole had opened up in the originally calm sea.
It looked as if a chunk had simply vanished from the center—not swallowed, not sucked away, but perfectly “cut” out, leaving a blank expanse.
The waves churned wildly as fish and shrimp fled in a frenzy.
He stood motionless, frozen in his backward glance as if turned to stone, watching in sheer disbelief.
SPLASH—
As the seawater plummeted, the Void was filled.
The Abyssal Vortex dissipated, and the ocean returned to its tranquil state.
Ling Shuying watched the wild man with a beaming smile, thoroughly satisfied with his reaction.
She thought to herself, “How about that?
You’d be dead meat without me.”
To her surprise, the wild man turned back.
Walking backward, he picked up the Bone Knife from the ground, tucked it into his waistband, and shot her another vicious glare.
But he made no further moves and uttered no sound.
He simply backed away a bit further before fleeing into the forest at lightning speed.
“Hey—!
You!” Ling Shuying shouted at the top of her lungs.
“If you won’t thank me, fine, but did you really have to glare at me!
“Qing Ling, do you think this guy is actually a wild man?”
Ling Shuying felt a bit indignant. Get faster updates on g.com.
She curled her lip and ultimately decided not to chase after him.
Now that she had confirmed the mysterious creature in the forest was a sapient “human,” her general objective was clear.
Ling Shuying could tackle the root of the problem and set up targeted defenses for her house.
Relentlessly pursuing him would only compromise her safety.
As for the identity of this “wild man”…
Ling Shuying narrowed her eyes slightly.
As she walked back, she recalled the person’s facial features and build.
The person had a wild mane of hair, soaked and tangled by the seawater, which completely obscured their face.
Yet, beneath the mess, hid a pair of eyes that flashed like lightning.
The figure was undeniably burly, with a robust physique and bulging muscles, all shaped in flawless proportions.
However, taking into account the muscle distribution, bone structure, and overall body ratio…
This wild person was clearly a woman.
A wild woman?
Was she someone from another island in the Wave Ruins?
Or was she one of the refugees exiled by the City State?
Or perhaps, she was connected to the Child of the Abyss?
Ling Shuying returned home and had barely rested for a moment before her brows knitted together in a tight frown.
The identity of the mysterious giant beast in the forest had just been revealed, and now the origins of the wild woman had become another enigma.
If she was one of the refugees from another island, did her presence here mean there was a hidden pathway connecting this island to the others?
If she was an exiled refugee from the City State like Ling Shuying, what had driven her to become like this?
And if she was related to the Child of the Abyss…
Ling Shuying shook her head, dismissing the thought as impossible.
The Child of the Abyss had always been secretive, lurking beneath the sea.
The Wave Ruins were already considered the extreme fringes of human civilization, but the territory of the Child of the Abyss was even more mysterious and remote—legend had it that they lived on the ocean floor.
Ling Shuying shook her head again, clearing the chaotic thoughts from her mind.
She thought, “Whatever she is, I’ll meet every challenge head-on!”
Right now, the most urgent matter—and the only thing she needed to consider—was what she was going to eat for dinner tonight!
Nothing in the vast world mattered more than a good meal!
The weather was stiflingly humid, making her sweat as if a torrential downpour was imminent.
Ling Shuying gulped down some coconut water.
She first performed some basic maintenance on her algae seedlings, adding a fresh nutrient layer.
She then moved them into the Sea Erosion Cave, carefully adjusting their angles to prevent them from being washed away by the heavy rain.
After that, she strolled down to the beach and rummaged through her old hourglass trap.
With quick hands and sharp reflexes, Ling Shuying didn’t let a single one escape, sweeping them all into her bag.
“Qing Ling, I’m treating you to boiled prawns tonight,” Ling Shuying said with a beaming smile.
A bonfire was lit on the beach.
Once again, she used her makeshift coconut pot.
The fire burned with a loud CRACKLE, searing a black scorch mark onto the shell.
The water boiled, and the shrimp went in.
This time, Ling Shuying also added a special seasoning: sea antler.
Sea antler was rich in calcium, iodine, iron, potassium, and carotenes.
It was a food that had graced people’s dining tables long before the “Great Sinking.” This type of algae was not only delicious on its own but could also be paired with other ingredients to eliminate fishiness and boost umami.
Right now, on this deserted island devoid of extra spices, it served perfectly as a complementary ingredient for her boiled shrimp.
The fire blazed brightly, and the water boiled with a vigorous BUBBLE BUBBLE.
In just a few minutes, the shrimp turned bright red and curled up.
Just then, thunder RUMBLED across the sky, and a light drizzle began to fall with a soft PATTER.
The rain fell onto the sandy beach, into the pot, and over the fire.
The CRACKLE of the flames and the earthy scent of petrichor instantly overwhelmed her senses.
Ling Shuying let out a gasp of surprise.
Hearing the rain growing heavier, she wrapped her sleeves around the hot pot and hurried back home.
By the time she barely made it inside the wooden cabin, her jacket was completely soaked.
Fortunately, the shrimp were still piping hot.
She peeled off her drenched jacket and muddy shoes, tossing them aside to dry, before starting a fire indoors.
Clutching the still-warm coconut pot, Ling Shuying leaned against the fireplace, doing her best to warm herself up.
Thunder clapped with a loud RUMBLE, and the rain grew even more torrential.
The howling gale whipped up seawater, yet it couldn’t budge the sturdy door of her wooden cabin.
As the room warmed up, Ling Shuying rubbed her hands together and began peeling the shrimp to eat.
Shocked by the sudden shift from hot to cold, the meat hadn’t toughened at all; instead, it had become even more springy, tender, refreshing, and sweet.
Even without a single drop of seasoning, it possessed a flavor that outshone a thousand spices—especially when safely nestled inside a wooden cabin while a storm raged outside.
Such a secure environment allowed one to fully savor the authentic, unadulterated taste of the food.
She was thoroughly enjoying her meal, wondering if she should squeeze some lemon juice over it for extra flavor, when she clearly heard a sound from outside the door.
PLOP—
PLOP—
It sounded like something slapping against the mud.
The noise wasn’t loud, but it was exceptionally distinct through the rainy downpour.
Ling Shuying froze.
She stuffed the remaining shrimp into her mouth, wiped her hands, and cautiously peeked out through the window.
What she saw instantly filled her with immense delight.
“Wow, Qing Ling, look at that!
It’s raining fat fish!”