Ambush on the Reef

Luo Jun felt that the weather was really cold. The temperature had dropped again after being fine over the previous days.

Although there was geothermal heating in the shelter and it was crowded with people, they were at a latitude north of the Tropic of Cancer. One really could not sleep without a quilt in early winter while also being thinly clothed.

Li Shi was currently wearing Luo Jun's jacket over her dress, so her legs under the skirt were not too cold.

Meanwhile, Luo Jun was only wearing a vest and tactical pants. He was too cold to sleep, yet his muscles lacked the ability to withstand the cold. Still, he could not let Li Shi give him back the jacket. It was not about ego, but rather that Li Shi's dress was far too thin. Her body was petite and she had no training to withstand the cold. She would definitely fall ill after a whole night of cold.

Compared to Lorna, her shirt was not a summer piece and had at least long sleeves. Moreover, she had more fat on her body than anyone else present.

She was not fat per se, but had an ideal full figure.

Sensing Luo Jun’s discomfort, Li Shi took the initiative to wrap one of Luo Jun’s arms in her jacket. The young girl’s embrace was especially warm.

Luo Jun's hand was inside her embrace, palm happened to be placed on her flat lower abdomen. If Luo Jun's hand was even slightly inattentive, it was highly likely that he would make the kind girl's face flush red.

In the middle of the night, sensing that Luo Jun was having trouble falling asleep, Li Shi used Luo Jun’s arm as a pillow and lay curled up against him, pressing half her body onto his as if she was a “human quilt”.

With her pressing down on him like this, Luo Jun's body grew hot.

"Uncle, is this better?"

"Yes, except it makes it even harder to fall asleep," Luo Jun said with a wry smile. Li Shi lightly patted Luo Jun's sturdy chest. "Go to sleep quickly."

Luo Jun knew Li Shi was not flirting with him, but merely wanted to prevent him from being too cold to sleep.

If it were Lorna instead, her hands would not be so well-behaved around his waist.

In the darkness, no one saw the blissful smile blossoming on the shy girl's flushed face.

Although Li Shi had some naughty thoughts, she was far less daring than Lorna. She pressed her face against Luo Jun's chest, listening to the throbbing of his heart's hot blood, feeling unprecedented safety and joy.

This feeling was peculiar.

For a girl experiencing her first love, the sense of security from embracing her boyfriend far surpassed any physiological pleasure achieved between both parties.

Li Shi was currently intoxicated in this very feeling.

She had never surrendered herself into any man's arms before, let alone profoundly sensed a man's heartbeat like now.

The four of them squeezed together and barely made it until daybreak.

The next day, Luo Jun still woke up very early. Stepping out of the shelter, he shivered from the cold. He picked up the shirt hanging by the stove that had dried overnight after baking.

Luo Jun hurriedly put on the shirt and squatted by the stove to roast his frozen hands over the fire after adding some firewood.

That bone-chilling night had left him very uncomfortable indeed. If they did not figure out some way to stay warm soon, he and the three women might freeze to death here.

After warming himself for a while, he roasted some fish and acorns to eat.

He decided to head for the seaside that morning to see if the snakeskin was still there. If it was, they would have at least one more insulating resource.

At this time, Li Shi also got up. Seeing Luo Jun with a bow and arrow and gun on his back, as well as a water container, she called out, “Uncle, are you going scouting again?”

“No, I'm returning to the seaside to see if the snakeskin is still there. Don't go anywhere today. I should be back before sunset. No matter what happens, do not come looking for me.” Luo Jun explained to Li Shi, also worried that something might happen to him and they would come looking for him.

With their capabilities, it was impossible for them to find him. Venturing out would be akin to sending lambs into a tiger’s mouth if they got lost or ran into the island’s mysterious people.

“Uncle, don’t say things like that. I’m scared!”

Hearing Luo Jun say this made Li Shi nervous as she grabbed his arm.

Seeing her nervous state, Luo Jun smiled approvingly and patted the back of her hand. "Don't worry. I'm just saying that if I don't come back, you'll have to learn to take care of yourselves."

"No, I won't let you talk like that. My grandma never allowed me to say such unlucky things since I was little. You can't say them either." Li Shi pouted childishly.

Luo Jun laughed at her antics and patted her head. “Alright, I won't say it. Now let go, I want to leave early and return early.”

“Okay! Take this jacket!”

Li Shi started taking off her jacket but Luo Jun stopped her.

“No need, I’ll get hot from the travelling.”

Seeing her reluctance, Luo Jun stroked her head. “I’m going!”

Luo Jun had barely taken a few steps when Li Shi ran up behind him. Before Luo Jun could react, she tiptoed up and pecked his cheek.

Luo Jun froze for a bit, but before he could say anything, Li Shi had already run back to the shelter with a flushed face.

“This girl...”

Luo Jun shook his head and darted into the damp woods, heading east.

Travelling alone, Luo Jun moved very quickly. In just three hours, he had arrived at the woods on the eastern shore.

Sunlight filtered into the cold woods, shining on Luo Jun who was squatting in the bushes.

Using his scope, Luo Jun carefully observed the rocky beach.

After observing for a while without noticing anything unusual, Luo Jun carefully moved to the spot where the mysterious man had died.

To his surprise, the man’s corpse was no longer there.

He did not know if his comrades had cleared the body or if it had been dragged away by beasts to eat.

Luo Jun scrutinized the area around where the corpse had lain but did not find tracks of other beasts. This proved one thing - the corpse had been moved before any beasts arrived.

“It looks like they came over the night after we left. Good thing we retreated in time!”

Luo Jun sucked in a breath of cold air. If they had not retreated that night, they would certainly have been captured.

Luo Jun found a spot from where he could observe the snakeskin pit and peered through his scope for a while. The stones piled by the water pit showed no signs of having toppled over, so it seemed like no one had gone near the snakeskin. However, all the snake meat that had been left on the rocks was gone.

Luo Jun’s mind was filled with questions.

"When those guys came over that night and found the shelter unoccupied, they collected the snake meat and left without even searching the surroundings?"

That was somewhat unreasonable. Given how meticulous their reconnaissance was, even locating the enemy’s nest, there was no reason not to at least search the vicinity.

Luo Jun found it very strange but figured it was probably because they had been unable to fully scout the area late at night. He was likely overthinking things.

With that thought, he got up and rushed towards the snakeskin pit.

Arriving at the water pit, he immediately spotted the snakeskin in the water. Having soaked for so long, if it was not taken out soon, the skin might rot.

Without a second thought, Luo Jun removed the stones pressing down the snakeskin, grabbed hold of it, and dragged it to the edge of the rocks. Using his dagger, he started scraping the fat off the snakeskin right there.

Just then, a sudden burst of heat whizzed past his ear while the rocks in front of him cracked loudly with a spark.

“Sniper!”

Luo Jun's mind buzzed as if a lightning bolt had flashed across his brain.

He immediately rolled behind the rocks, back pressed against them.