Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Automatic Hunting on the Deserted Island
Winston looked at me with a puzzled expression, so I continued.
“This island feels way bigger than I imagined. It’s not one of those romantic little islands with a few palm trees where you walk in circles and end up back where you started. The forest goes on forever, and the terrain looks like an actual mountain range. An island this huge has to exist on some map somewhere.”
Winston rested his chin on his hand as he stared out at the distant sea.
“It’s not unheard of for large islands to remain uninhabited. But we can’t just sit around doing nothing. How about we start mapping the area while we scout? Understanding the terrain completely is the best way to handle unexpected situations.”
I shrugged and got to my feet. The idea of making maps sounded annoying as hell, but it was still better than wandering around like a lost idiot.
“A map, huh? Let’s just memorize obvious landmarks or something. Big rocks, crooked trees, stuff like that. I’m pretty good at remembering routes once I’ve seen them.”
Winston nodded at my practical answer.
He had already finished organizing our gear and was ready to move.
“Did you pack everything? If we leave something behind, coming back for it won’t be easy.”
I looked around the campsite we’d been staying at.
“I think we got everything. Not like we even own much. Our bodies are the heaviest luggage here.”
“Good. Then let’s move.”
Winston pointed along the shoreline.
“That way leads to the hunting grounds, right? Let’s head there first. It’s our top candidate for the next base camp. We should properly inspect whether it meets the conditions.”
I strapped the knife to my waist and led the way.
I scanned the terrain around us while catching my breath.
“So what do you think? Worth moving the base camp here?”
Instead of answering immediately, Winston climbed onto a high rock and carefully observed the crashing waves and surrounding slopes.
“At least it’s not as low-lying as I feared. More importantly, the hunting grounds are right nearby. That’s a massive advantage. Conserving calories spent on movement is one of the keys to survival. A bit of moisture and wind can be compensated for with proper shelter construction.”
Hearing his positive assessment eased my mind a little.
I stared blankly at the sea before speaking.
“It’d be nice if we had fishing gear or something.”
At my complaint, Winston toyed with his knife and gave a faint smile.
“Fishing gear? Then we’ll make it. But right now, we have too much to do to sit around holding fishing rods. What we need is automatic hunting.”
“Automatic hunting?”
“Something that works while we scout and build. How about making fish traps? If we set them up beforehand, protein will come to us without us wasting energy.”
The moment he said fish trap, I immediately pictured those survival videos where people made traps out of plastic bottles.
“Sounds good. What kind are we making? The only thing I know is cutting a bottle in half and flipping the top around.”
Winston took out plastic sheets, netting, and rope scraps from the bag and nodded.
“The principle is the same. Easy to enter, impossible to escape. But we’ll make two versions. One for small fish, and another for larger crabs and fish.”
“Nice. Let’s get to work then. Better to move our hands than flap our gums.”
I pulled out a few large plastic bottles we’d finished drinking from.
The habits from my old life handling tools in the organization still lingered. The knife moved naturally through the bottle neck with smooth precision.
“I know this part at least. You cut the top off like this…”
I flipped the cut-off opening upside down and inserted it back into the bottle. It created the classic trap structure. Easy to get in, difficult to find the narrow exit from the inside.
“We’ll need bait too.”
“Then let’s catch something now.”
Winston and I lifted rocks and caught small crabs to use as bait.
“Alright. Let’s set them up.”
We picked spots between the rocks where the current wasn’t too strong but where fish would naturally hide.
“There. Now while we wander through the forest drawing maps, these little guys will be hunting for us.”
I straightened my back and wiped my wet hands on my pants.
The traps were still empty, but somehow I already felt full just looking at them.
At this rate we’d be catching lobsters and fishing every day. Part of me worried I might actually start adapting to island life.
“Well, the dice have been cast. Whether we scout or move camps, those traps will keep working for us.”
Winston dusted off his hands and stood up.
“Alright, survival expert. Where to next? While those traps fill up, let’s go take a look at the guts of this island.”
We left the blazing hot beach behind and stepped into the dense green vegetation.
The sea breeze disappeared the moment we entered the forest.
The air itself felt different.
The smell of damp soil and the overwhelming vitality of unknown plants wrapped around my body.
As I pushed aside thick vines and wiped the sweat from my face, I spoke.
“This place feels like a straight-up jungle… Would be nice if we could find some fruit or something. Those traps could end up empty.”
Winston used a branch to push aside nearby leaves as he answered.
“I’m sure there’s something. Islands with this kind of climate usually have several edible fruits. Guavas, wild bananas, breadfruit. Breadfruit especially is excellent for carbohydrates. Roast it and it tastes surprisingly similar to potatoes or bread. If we’re lucky, we might even find papayas.”
Yeah, I don’t care if it’s breadfruit or damn sandwich bread. Just let there be food.
My mouth watered listening to him.
I looked up at the thick canopy forming overhead.
“At least the deeper we go, the less sunlight hits us. Feels way better than the beach. Out there it felt like my skull was getting cooked alive.”
As I relaxed into the shade, Winston’s expression turned serious.
“Don’t underestimate ultraviolet exposure. Just because we’re in the shade now doesn’t mean the danger’s over. Our bodies already burned enormous amounts of energy fighting the sun out there. Heatstroke isn’t simply caused by feeling hot. It happens when your body’s temperature regulation system reaches its limit. If you start feeling dizzy or suddenly get chills, then it’s already too late.”
Winston stopped walking for a moment and adjusted his bag.
“Which reminds me. Once we go a little farther, let’s eat the rest of our food supplies.”
“Why? You hungry?”
“No. The sun accelerates energy consumption faster than you realize. Once the timing feels right, it’s better to eat everything. By then the body’s already in emergency mode. If you stubbornly starve yourself while continuing to move, exhaustion hits fast, and that’s when accidents happen. Instead of saving food, it’s more efficient to refuel properly and finish the scouting while we still have strength.”
The moment he said that, memories of the hellish first day on this island flashed through my head.
“…You’re right. I already learned that the hard way. At first I kept hiding from the sunlight, but I didn’t realize I still needed to eat. I thought conserving supplies was the smart move, and I pushed myself until I collapsed from exhaustion. That’s when I realized survival isn’t about enduring. It’s about keeping yourself in a condition where you can endure.”
We walked a little farther before settling under a shaded area and finishing every last bit of our remaining food.
Honestly, my head already felt clearer afterward.
I opened the water bottle and took a long drink.
“Whew… Still, things aren’t as impossibly brutal as I imagined. Well, aside from that damn snake yesterday.”
I screwed the cap back onto the bottle.
“Seriously though, imagine if we didn’t even have knives or food or fire starters. This place wouldn’t be survival anymore. It’d just be a slow death sentence.”
Winston brushed his damp hair back and answered quietly.
“Then perhaps God hasn’t abandoned us yet. Or maybe this island is simply giving us a temporary chance.”
I snorted at his serious response.
“Guess God’s watching over us after all. Though if he’s helping, he could at least do it with some style. Maybe let us stumble across an icebox full of cold beer or a cabin with a proper bed.”
At my joke, Winston burst out laughing.
It was the brightest and most human smile I’d seen from him since arriving on the island.
“Heh, Cheon. But God is rarely merciful. He prefers giving people tools to survive rather than sweet rewards.”
We joked around while gathering our gear and standing back up.
“Well then, let’s go see what else this strict god has hidden on this island.”
“Wait, Cheon. Look over there.”