The timing couldn’t have been better.
Logan felt a genuine wave of relief.
Though they had secured a steady water source yesterday, it was still just an open stream carrying silt and bacteria.
Even after boiling it, a few of the girls with sensitive stomachs had spent the afternoon running to the latrine.
By evening, four or five of them were suffering from mild dehydration.
And all of it came down to drinking untreated water!
With the rainwater purifier now in play, that entire problem vanished.
The device wasn’t just limited to rainwater.
Pour any raw water source into the top intake, and pure, drinkable water came out the other end.
"Awesome!"
"No more stomach aches from drinking dodgy water!"
"Yu Le, you’re an absolute lifesaver!"
The girls crowded around the purifier, grinning from ear to ear.
Just then, a soft rustling sound came from the far corner of the cabin.
Bai Nian was waking up.
She sat up, rubbing her sleepy eyes as a stray piece of straw slipped from her dark, silky hair, revealing smooth shoulders and a delicate collarbone.
Spotting Logan standing nearby, her body stiffened instantly. Her face flushed bright red, matching a boiled lobster.
A flood of vivid, embarrassing memories from the previous night rushed back into her mind.
She scrambled to grab a wolf pelt, wrapping herself tightly from head to neck and staring straight at the floorboards, refusing to meet his eyes.
Her bashful, flustered reaction sent a warm surge through Logan.
Naturally, Gu Xinran and Yu Le—always on the hunt for gossip—zeroed in on the moment immediately.
"Oh look, our Class President is awake!" Gu Xinran drawled, sauntering over with a wide grin.
Yu Le trailed right behind her, her big eyes darting straight toward Bai Nian’s flat stomach.
"Morning, Madame President! How was the workout last night? Let us check—are we expecting a little Chief junior yet?"
"Totally! Let us feel the baby bump for good luck!"
The dynamic duo traded barbs, instantly cranking the ambient tension in the room to maximum awkwardness.
"Agh!"
"You guys... stop talking garbage! Clear out!"
"Even if gestation periods are shortened to a month down here, how could there be symptoms on day one?! We don’t even know for sure!"
Mortified and flustered, she snatched a handful of dry straw and hurled it at the pair.
"Ouch, the President is lashing out!"
"Run, run!"
Gu Xinran and Yu Le shrieked, dodging the loose straw as the cabin dissolved into giggles.
Logan watched the scene with a faint, amused smile.
While the group was still laughing, a cool, quiet voice cut through the noise.
"Logan."
Everyone turned to see Su Qingyao standing by the cabin entrance, dressed in a clean, pristine outfit with a serene, otherworldly presence.
She held her class-gift crystal ball in both hands, its surface pulsing with a soft, steady glow.
Logan stepped over immediately.
Had Su Qingyao finished her daily divination already?
"What’s up?"
Su Qingyao looked up, her clear eyes carrying a hint of gravity.
"My divination for today just finished."
Her voice sounded like mountain spring water.
"Head back to the stream we used for water yesterday. Starting now, we have a one-hour window before a lucky opportunity appears there."
An opportunity?
Logan paused.
"What kind of opportunity?" Gu Xinran trotted over, curious.
Su Qingyao explained, "Think of it as a fortunate encounter. We might secure a rare item or pick up crucial intelligence.
But the divination shows it has a strict time limit."
She pointed to the shifting patterns inside the crystal ball.
"An hour from now, it vanishes. If we get there late, someone else might beat us to it."
Someone else!
That warning made Logan’s chest tighten.
He thought back to the two scouts from yesterday, and the loudmouth Japanese player, Yamato Shingen.
This jungle was crawling with dangers and fierce competition.
"No time to waste!"
Logan made a snap decision.
"Skip breakfast, we’re moving out right now!"
He scanned the group and picked his team. "Tang Yuqing, Wang Ke—you two are our hunters, grab your gear and come with me."
The two named girls stepped forward instantly.
"Got it, Chief!"
"I’m coming too!" Gu Xinran volunteered, stepping up. "More hands help!"
"Me too, me too!" Yu Le raised her hand high. "Chief, bring your lucky charm along! Who knows, maybe I’ll fish out another top-tier drop!"
Logan weighed their options and nodded.
He pointed to two other girls with decent physical stamina, telling them to bring every empty container they could find.
A squad of seven assembled in minutes.
"We’re heading out. Stay alert and guard the camp," Logan instructed Bai Nian. She nodded softly, her cheeks still tinged with pink.
As they prepared to move out—
"Logan, wait a second."
Su Qingyao called out, stopping him in his tracks.
She walked up close and lowered her voice.
"My divination picked up one more vague sign."
"When you get close to the stream, keep your eyes open for..."
Su Qingyao paused, searching for the right description.
"...something red."
Something red?
"Got it. I’ll keep that in mind."
Logan mentally cataloged the clue before leading the team out.
Since he hadn’t joined the water run yesterday, he didn’t know the exact path.
Tang Yuqing and Yu Le, who had gone along with Teacher Chen previously, took the lead to guide the group.
The two tool-bearing girls walked in the middle, while Logan and Gu Xinran brought up the rear, blades drawn.