5:05
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At precisely the third quarter of the Mao hour—6 a.m. sharp—Pixel Jiu Li opened her eyes and leapt out of her small bamboo bed. At the same moment, that painfully familiar little tune played, intertwining with the sound of rain to form a serene and gentle melody.
A high-energy post-90s farm owner earning 500 copper coins a day was about to start her day!
It was raining today, so the planted crops didn’t need watering, leaving the whole day free for fishing.
First, she checked her task rewards.
[Greeting other castaways on the island (Completed!)]
[Task Reward: 500 copper coins]
Then she glanced at the strange note she had obtained yesterday.
[Strange Note 1: The handwriting is very blurry, but some content can be made out.]
[Damn it! This blasted island is way too hot. After finishing this work, I’m taking a year off. Let Hong think I’m lazy if she wants, but this heat is unbearable. Counting down the days until I can leave.]
[|||]
...And it even had a Shaanxi accent.
Judging from the note, the writer was probably a craftsman who came to the island for good pay but couldn’t stand the heat. The three vertical lines likely marked days passed—meaning this note was probably written three days after arriving.
A side quest appeared!
Such storylines usually unfold through fragmented narration, collected as the player wanders the island. Once all fragments are gathered, the story becomes clear.
No need to rush these tasks—slow and steady collection would suffice.
Pocketing the note, Pixel Jiu Li pushed open the door.
The shoots of wild taro and cassava had already broken through the soil, their leaves gleaming green from the rain; the bamboo fences and winding paths exuded a misty shade of muted green. Everywhere she looked was varying shades of lush greenery, except the pond which reflected the sky with a tender blue-gray hue.
What a beautiful scene...
Every pastoral idyll she had imagined was fulfilled in this moment.
She reached out to grasp her phone, aimed it at the computer screen, and snapped a photo.
A humble screenshot from an old farmer—haha!
Alright, next up: fishing. After fishing, if she could find some food in the forest to restore stamina, she would also chop some bamboo. Bamboo was a fundamental resource that needed to be stockpiled—it would surely be in high demand later.
With her plan set for the day, she hoisted her fishing rod and dashed out.
She arrived at the beach at 6:30 a.m.
The sound of waves remained constant, the scenery unchanged. Pixel Jiu Li stepped on the sand, making a rustling sound as she ran.
Drawing back, casting the rod.
Drawing back, casting again.
Phew! She caught five anchovies in one breath!
[Anchovy: A common small fish]
But why only anchovies?
No new varieties—how dull.
She rested her chin lazily on her hand, fishing casually.
A blue-clad pixel figure passed along the beach...
Hmm? The bronzed-skinned Consort Number One? So he actually wears clothes.
Maybe today she’d investigate the NPC’s movement route!
This was the joy of starting a new game; while guides were convenient, they stripped away the thrill of exploration.
Pixel Jiu Li quickly reeled in her rod and followed Chu Liuxiang’s footsteps.
The bronzed figure walked steadily along the beach.
Jiu Li matched his pace.
He turned into the forest entrance by the bay.
Jiu Li followed suit.
Chu Liuxiang began peeling bark from a tree...
Eh?! Tree bark was gatherable?!
Jiu Li hurriedly began collecting bark herself.
[Chu Liuxiang]: […………]
A thought bubble of ellipses appeared over the bronzed figure’s head.
[Chu Liuxiang]: […Miss Jiu, what a coincidence.]
The NPC actually initiated conversation!
-What should she say?
A. Yes, what a coincidence!
B. The wind is rather boisterous today...
C. Not a coincidence—I’m following you!
D. (Type your own response)
Choose C, choose C.
[Jiu Li]: [Not a coincidence—I’m following you!]
[Chu Liuxiang]: […………]
[Chu Liuxiang]: [Why would you stoop to follow me?]
[Jiu Li]: [I want to see what you’re doing!]
The disheveled but mature man in the character portrait seemed to curl his lips into a wry, perhaps amused, expression.
[Chu Liuxiang]: [Well then, I’m looking for shelter from the rain and plan to warm myself by the fire. Want to watch?]
[Jiu Li] chose [Emoji: Nod]
[Chu Liuxiang]: [Let’s go!]
With that, the bronzed figure went off with a crisp rustling sound.
The player hesitated.
She took a sip of water, stretched lazily, then controlled Pixel Jiu Li to follow behind.
***
The campfire hadn’t burned through the night.
The island’s vegetation was lush; on the other side of the bay lay a mangrove forest, so fuel wasn’t a problem for now. But one must never forget: wet wood cannot be burned directly—it must be dried first. Who knew how long this rain would last? So it was best to conserve firewood.
Fortunately, the weather was warm enough that not having a fire at night wouldn’t cause cold.
One called “Red Point” sat against the cave wall, arms crossed over his sword, eyes unreadable—whether asleep or awake, no one knew.
Zhang San lay on his back, stretched out like the character “大” (big).
Chu Liuxiang quietly rose, reached into the cooling fire pit.
There lay ashes of burnt grass and wood—things feared even by snakes and insects.
He circled the three men, surrounding them with a ring of ash.
Suddenly, Zhang San muttered, “If only Xiao Hu were here.”
So he hadn’t been asleep.
Chu Liuxiang heard but said nothing.
Zhang San sighed, muttering to himself, “That kid Xiao Hu has always been clueless. If he were here, I’d know exactly what kind of trouble Chu brother had today, and wouldn’t be lying awake now.”
Chu Liuxiang couldn’t help smiling.
But after the smile, his expression turned serious.
“Good people don’t live long. Troublemakers last a thousand years.”
Zhang San chuckled, “So Xiao Hu’s probably immortal—he’s a tortoise, destined to live a thousand or two hundred years.”
Chu Liuxiang laughed, “Exactly.”
Silence fell in the cave.
A sleepless night.
At dawn, all three rose early.
Chu Liuxiang went back to the sea to catch a few fish; Zhang San woke early to light a fire and cook them. The killer didn’t even exchange a glance but brought back seven or eight coconuts.
The rainwater collected overnight had mostly settled; they had a simple breakfast and then set off to continue exploring.
They had failed to find fresh water on the island yesterday, a dire problem—rain wouldn’t last forever, and coconuts would eventually run out.
One could survive seven days without food, but not without water. Without a stable water source, no matter how renowned they were in the martial world, death was inevitable.
Zhang San and Red Point left first; Chu Liuxiang stayed to arrange coconut shells to collect more rainwater.
It was then he saw Jiu Li.
She emerged from the forest around the bay’s corner, carrying her fishing rod on her shoulder. Though her expression remained indifferent, Chu Liuxiang inexplicably felt she was quite happy.
...Even though yesterday’s catches were nothing but coffin lids and sea cockroaches.
If Zhang San ever caught fish like that, he’d sulk for three days, then go fishing again furry and grumpy on the fourth...
Chu Liuxiang smiled quietly.
Though intrigued by this mysterious woman, he didn’t approach or disturb her.
A focused fisher couldn’t be interrupted, or they’d blame you for their bad luck.
He tiptoed past on the sand.
His steps were naturally light; his lightness skill was near perfection—he could walk on sand without a sound.
Feigning ignorance, he passed by halfway across the beach.
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Yet Jiu Li’s sharp senses surpassed his expectations.
A cold, indifferent gaze fixed on Chu Liuxiang’s back.
Then...
...Jiu Li doggedly followed behind him.
Chu Liuxiang: “…………”
Curious about her intentions, he pretended not to notice.
Jiu Li kept a moderate distance, tailing him openly.
Chu Liuxiang: “…………”
She seemed poor at stalking... On a flat beach with nowhere to hide, one can’t follow so closely.
And she kept staring at him.
Martial experts are highly sensitive to gazes; no one stares so directly at another’s back.
Jiu Li: Stare.jpg
She didn’t care—she intended to stare like an owl, to the point Chu Liuxiang felt itchy all over...
Entering the forest, they came upon some palm trees.
Palm bark could be stripped to make hemp rope—essential for survival in the wild. Perfect time to stop, observe, and see what this mysterious Miss Jiu would do next.
Chu Liuxiang began peeling bark...
Jiu Li: Owl Stare.jpg
She kept staring intently...
Then...
Suddenly enlightened!
She imitated him, starting to gather palm bark too!
Chu Liuxiang: “…………”
Chu Liuxiang: “……………”
He was momentarily distracted—and the diligent girl nearly stripped an entire ring off the tree... This couldn’t happen!
A tree’s survival depends on its bark; peeling half vertically is okay, but peeling a full horizontal ring cuts off the tree’s nutrient flow and will kill it.
Chu Liuxiang hastily spoke up to save the poor tree: “...Miss Jiu, what a coincidence.”
Jiu Li stopped immediately.
She turned her head, green glassy eyes locking on his, expression still indifferent, showing no embarrassment at being caught following.
“Not a coincidence—I’m following you!” she said matter-of-factly.
Chu Liuxiang: “…………”
Not embarrassed at all; all the face he tried to save was for nothing.
He couldn’t help smiling, teasing her: “Why would you stoop to follow me?”
Jiu Li replied without hesitation, “I want to see what you’re doing!”
She was like a child!
No—more precisely, she was like a wild beast.
A beast living in the jungle, never having entered the human world, full of curiosity, kindness, and awkwardness when encountering people...
That explained her blunt speech.
That explained why on first meeting she greeted so awkwardly, even offering gifts—just a sign of goodwill.
Chu Liuxiang lowered his gaze, amused yet helpless as he looked at her.
At that moment, the rain ceased.
Sunlight filtered through the forest gaps, shining on her skin, giving it a glassy translucence. A drop fell from a towering tree leaf, landing on her neck, refracting the blue-purple veins beneath her skin and the fine fuzz covering it.
Her hair and clothes still dripped with rain... a fire to warm by was certainly welcome.
Chu Liuxiang touched his nose softly: “Well then, I’m looking for shelter from the rain and to warm by the fire. Want to watch?”
Jiu Li’s eyes widened slightly.
She stared at him blankly, then nodded obediently.
Chu Liuxiang smiled at her: “Let’s go!”
Jiu Li looked a bit stunned, standing still as if unsure whether to follow.
After a while, the silver-haired girl seemed to make up her mind and followed him.
Chu Liuxiang sighed quietly, a faint wave of pity stirring in his heart.
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