Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Reinforcement
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Then, shall we start sorting these out?
"Whoa. Amazing. There's so much."
Kim Yeonju came over as I laid out all the stuff I'd taken from the science guys, her eyes going wide.
"Where'd you get all this?"
"From the science crew. They said the guys were trying to rape them or something. They begged for help, so I set them up a camp by the waterfall on the opposite side. This is their thank-you gift."
"Ah, got it. You did a good deed."
I took a good look at everything I'd brought.
『Soap, burner, insecticide spray, leather gloves, disposable toothbrushes and toothpaste, skincare lotion, backpack, entrenching tool.』
Pretty useful haul.
Stuff I couldn't buy from the shop window right now, at least.
"I saw a kitchen knife yesterday that looked nice, but they wouldn't part with that one, huh?"
The science guys had a kitchen knife among their stuff.
And not just that—more soap, insecticide, gloves, a backpack, toothpaste, toothbrushes... beyond what I'd grabbed, they had extras.
But I didn't take it all for a simple reason.
'Gotta keep them healthy and working long-term, grinding out cash for me.'
I'm not that ruthless a boss.
I'd even set up a decent environment and make sure they ate well so they could keep at it.
Not knowing my inner thoughts, Kim Yeonju gave me a strange look.
"Master, you're soft deep down. If it were me, I'd have taken it all by force. But you just quietly take what they offer. Sometimes you seem like an idiot. Be more selfish."
"Yeah, I'll try."
Anyway, once I pulled out the medical kit from my inventory too, our survival gear felt pretty solid.
'Alright, so next up is reinforcing the settlement?'
Reinforcing the settlement didn't mean anything grand right away.
I watched our homeroom teacher walking over after finishing the laundry, rubbing her lower back.
"Teacher, the rocky ground's rough on the body, right?"
"Huh? Oh, haha. Yeah, it is."
She laughed awkwardly.
After two nights on the hard ground, sleeping on rocks wasn't easy at all.
It hurt the back, and wind whistled overhead—by dawn, the chill had us shivering.
"B-but it's not all bad. The rocks stay warm from the daytime sun until dawn."
She fumbled to highlight the upsides, worried I'd feel bad.
But upsides were upsides, and downsides needed fixing.
We had to make proper beds. Essential.
I opened the shop window.
'Hmm. No dice.'
Checked for mattresses or the like, but nothing. Search came up empty too.
[No search results.]
[Some items are locked. To purchase, go to settings and upgrade the feature.]
Right now, only food raw materials were buyable.
To get mattresses, I'd need to spend points unlocking them.
'No mattress? Fine, make do with the body. What choice is there.'
I stood up.
"Master, where are you going?"
"To make beds."
"Eh? W-Woojin, you don't have to do that for me."
It wasn't just for the teacher.
Good sleep recovered the day's fatigue and built strength for tomorrow.
This was even more necessary for me.
'Cool during the day, warm and comfy at night? That'll make our group's edge over others crystal clear down the line.'
Even a UFC champ rolling around without proper food in this heat could get taken down by a kid.
In short, essential for the long game.
"But Master, how are you gonna make beds? Palm leaves won't help much. Soft beds on this rocky island? Impossible."
Kim Yeonju had a point.
On a deserted rock with zero infrastructure, plush beds on a crag? Yeah, impossible.
'Come to think of it, Yeonju always keeps it real.'
Handy advisor in her way.
Soyoung and the science folks were realistic too, but the difference? They trusted me fully once I decided.
"So what should we do? We'll help!"
"Stay put. I'll bring work your way soon."
I grabbed the entrenching tool. Kim Yeonju's eyes lit up, hand shooting up.
"Ah! You're getting sand, right?"
"Bingo."
Sand felt soft and comfy.
Not as good as a bed, sure, but we'd slept on beaches these past days—body adapted whether we liked it or not.
Haul sand up here, spread it: instant comfy beds.
"But how're you carrying it alone? Even from the base, round trip's 30 minutes. Won't finish in a day or two. We'll all go."
"No need."
I headed down alone.
Instead of the winding path, I leaped off the cliff, splashing into the pool.
Science crew and Park Soyoung jumped, turning from their meal.
"Sorry. Finish eating."
I followed the stream to the beach.
'Just 200 meters. Quick trip. So convenient.'
Infrastructure's key.
Who knew a path would make this easy?
Trekking from the rock entrance through snake-infested woods? At least an hour.
'Humans gotta use their heads.'
This job too.
Hauling sand in this heat? Insane.
But I had a trick.
'Inventory open!'
Perk sub-space inventory.
One slot, but could hold plenty of same-type items.
Not house-sized, though.
Tiny limits by the slot:
[Max Volume: 2.5m×2.5m×2.5m]
[Max Weight: 100kg]
Studio apartment volume, half-full bathtub weight.
'Let's see if it works.'
Test: scoop sand with shovel, into inventory.
Scoop one, two, three.
Piling up nicely.
'Good. As planned. But window's high—tiring.'
Tried dragging window down.
It slid smoothly.
'Oh?'
Down to sand level: effortless now.
Shovel fixed, kick: sand whooshes in.
'100kg in no time.'
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.
Easier work = fun work.
Filled up in a flash.
'Time to move.'
Up the rock, dump on bed spots.
"Eh?"
Girls stared wide-eyed at the pile.
Shocked faces.
I'd be too—100kg sand pouring from thin air.
Even the twins hiccupped, clinging to teacher.
"Master, you human? Alien in disguise? Or virgin wizard? But that's 30-year-olds."
"No chit-chat. Pile the sand nice and even, like a mattress."
"Got it."
"Spray insecticide between layers too."
Beds or not, kill any parasites.
"Off again."
Back to beach for more.
Rinse, repeat.
Load, return, dump.
"This should be enough."
"Woojin, think we can stop now."
I kept going despite their pleas.
Layers still thin, and daily quest needed more anyway.
Leaped off cliff again.
Splash!
"Oh? You two? Fishing now?"
"Yeah. Gotta catch hard for good eats, right, sis?"
Park Soyoung nodded to science girl.
Perfect attitude—day one in new spot, straight to cash grind.
If I were boss, bonus time.
"So, how were the oranges?"
Science girl glared sharply.
Whoa, tough mentality. Others'd still be zoned out or avoiding my eyes.
"Don't glare. Getting hard again."
She flinched, eyes softening.
Cute.
"Right, Jeong Mina."
"W-what...?"
Fearful reply.
"Can you prep smoked fish with these?"
"Smoked? To eat?"
"More like learn how."
Fine by her; she nodded easily.
"Call me before final smoking step."
"Today? How? We don't know where you live."
"Don't worry. I'll pass by a few more times. Oh, and I'll pay proper."
Back to beach, load sand.
Prep on her; I just finish. My plan.
'Nice. More hands, things flow smooth.'
If point grinding was like this...
Up the rock, waterfall drop: science called.
Just skewer her prepped fish on sticks by fire.
"Next?"
"That's it. Keep low fire going."
Simple.
So every beach run, poke the fire once.
No gourmet expectations—just passable for E-grade.
Dusk: ding, notification.
[Successfully smoked the hairtail fish. Completion: E]
[Completed 'Survive on a Deserted Island 6'.]
[6 points awarded.]
[First participant to complete quest! Additional 1 point awarded!]
"Hmph. Cocky bastard. Made me... me lick that filthy hole not once but twice?"
Science teacher Jeong Mina bared her teeth in a lewd grin. Park Soyoung fidgeted beside her.
"S-sis, maybe just let it go and stay still..."
"Quiet. Holding back without one fight? My gut's gonna burst."
Getting tossed around by a younger guy? Infuriating for Jeong Mina.
She couldn't fathom deserving this.
Sure, three years of torment and stress relief—he knew that—but this payback?
"Soyoung, just once. Please look away this one time? I'm begging."
"......"
"I'll die of rage otherwise."
Park Soyoung hesitated at her teary plea, then sighed heavily.
"Sigh. Fine. This once only."
"Thanks, Soyoung!"
"But no harming Woojin student. Got it?"
"Duh! He's our lifeline. No way."
Just a tiny prank.
'Heh. Cocky punk. Drink this.'
With permission, Jeong Mina yanked down her panties.
"W-whoa? Sis, what're you—?"
She spread her legs, pulled her folds with fingers, tensed her belly. A golden arc shot out.
"Eh? That's piss..."
Yep—Jeong Mina was pissing all over the smoked fish.
"S-sis, that's too much..."
"Shut it. You okayed this, remember?"
"Y-yes?"
"We get caught, we're both screwed. Understand?"
"Eek..."
Jeong Mina drenched every fish thoroughly, then resumed smoking like nothing happened.
Thirty minutes later, Woojin dropped from the falls.
"Done?"
"Yeah. Here."
"Good work."
"Try it. Gotta taste your own cooking."
She flashed a sly smile.
But Woojin didn't take the smoked fish.
"Nah. Like I said, just wanted to learn the method."
"Come on, you cook, you taste!"
"Wouldn't know anyway. Never eaten smoked fish—allergic. So you eat it, Jeong Mina."
"Eh?"
Woojin said breezily.
"You've done it a few times; you know the taste. Go on, rate my cooking."
"But..."
"Hurry."
Jeong Mina's mind blanked.
No comeback.
Lame excuse? Push through.
Allergy? In the wilds? That's murder.
Couldn't force it.
'...Who eats it then?'
"Jeong Mina? Not eating? You didn't... tamper while I was gone, right?"
"N-no! No way!"
Woojin eyed her suspiciously, then Park Soyoung behind.
'Soyoung can't act for shit. Might blow up.'
Caught? Unimaginable fallout.
Worse than before? Possible.
Jeong Mina blocked Soyoung quick.
"I-I'll eat."
"Good. Dig in."
"Mmph."
She choked it down. Park Soyoung covered her face, head turned.
Woojin watched, smirking inwardly.
'Four eyes watching from above, oblivious. Karma. Clean your own mess, Jeong Mina.'
Woojin stared unblinking till she finished, then asked.
"How's it taste?"
"Mmph. Salty. Over-smoked maybe."
"Got it. Sorry for taking your time."
"N-no problem."
"Payment as promised. Rinse your mouth."
"......"
Woojin handed her an orange, headed to beach.
Petty drama aside, work neared end.
'Last scoop, then?'
Filling final sand, gazing at sunset sea.
Whew. Beds done somehow.