051 Mission

Early the next morning, Xiu Nan crawled up from beside the fire. He hadn’t slept well last night, even with the warmth of the campfire. The mosquitoes swarmed in waves, irritating him to no end, leaving his body covered in swollen welts.

He’d never noticed this hardship when playing survival games on the computer, but now experiencing it firsthand, he realized that Cassius’s struggles in the wild were far beyond what most people could endure.

The sun rose slowly, brightening the sky. Now was the coldest time of day. Xiu Nan quickly did a few push-ups to warm himself up.

Next, he picked two fresh coconuts.

He ate them whole, using them as his breakfast.

Xiu Nan then went to the rocky wall, searching in the water-worn crevices and found many clams. With no other seasonings, he simply roasted them over the fire. Soon, the most primitive, rustic fire-roasted clams were ready.

Though roasted, the faint taste of fish lingered, and the flavor was not particularly pleasant.

He gulped down several mouthfuls of raw coconut juice to wash it down.

After tidying up for a while, he decided to venture into the forest. Last night, he’d been attacked, and the assailant appeared to be a humanoid creature capable of using tools.

For now, he’d call it a savage.

If there’s one savage, then surely there’s a tribe of them! That was a threat to Xiu Nan.

Armed with two pistols, he stepped into the forest.

A cascade of subtitles flashed before his eyes.

[Instance Two: Bone Island Soul Hunt]
[Time: June 12, 2017, 9:00]
[Location: Tropics, Bone Island]
[Character: Cassius (Secret Ring Adept Trainee)]
[Task 1: Survive the pursuit of the Senran Tribe]
[Task 2: Survive the pursuit of the assassin Iron Sun]
[Task 3: Escape the island]
[Time limit: 50 days]
[Reward: “Fifteen Days of Disciplined Living”]
[Difficulty: Bronze Wood (One Ring)]
[Note: This Bone Island is unlike the ordinary islands—it is vast, teeming with indigenous tribes. Moreover, these savages possess strange powers, capable of wrestling with ring beasts. The island is rife with danger; the natives are hostile to all outsiders. The assassin Iron Sun is also searching for you. How will you survive? How will you escape?]
[Hint: The savage tribes may have valuable items, but they will tear apart anyone who approaches.]
[Hint: On the fiftieth day, a steamship will pass the island. You must board the ship while being hunted by Iron Sun and the natives, or eliminate them beforehand.]

The mission had arrived... Xiu Nan committed every detail to memory.

So the Secret Ring Adept who could turn his skin to metal was called Iron Sun? He wasn’t dead, and must have been washed ashore by the sea, just like Xiu Nan. The mission also mentioned many savage tribes on the island, possessing strange powers.

All threats. He needed to be extremely cautious.

In the time that followed,

Xiu Nan moved toward the island’s center. Along the way, he passed through forests, streams, plains, and even mountains. Clearly, this was no small island—it was huge.

Halfway, he used his skilled hunting techniques to catch a wild pheasant, about three pounds, its feathers vivid and beautiful. His meals for the next three days were secured.

Not only pheasant, but he also used his knowledge of flora and fauna to find many non-toxic berries.

A quick wipe on his clothes and they were edible.

Tart and sweet, they also replenished water.

By noon, after much effort, he finally found a perfect spot to build a wooden hut. The ground was flat and dry, and a small creek flowed nearby.

First, he processed the pheasant and hid it away.

Xiu Nan retraced his path using the marks he’d left, needing to chisel a few sharp stones from the rocky wall to make stone axes and collect some coconuts for storage.

He hurried forward, nearing the beach.

Suddenly, Xiu Nan stopped in his tracks.

Through the gaps between tree trunks, he could see what was happening on the beach. A tall, muscular figure was investigating the ashes of last night’s campfire, slowly rising.

Cassius’s body possessed excellent eyesight; even from afar, he could see the secret ring on the figure’s back.

It was about the size of two bowls, made of blue-gray material.

Its texture was like bronze interlaced with wood, and tadpole-like runes cycled around it, glowing as if the ring itself was slowly rotating clockwise—a mysterious sight.

“Who’s there!” Iron Sun suddenly bellowed.

He whipped around, staring into the forest.

“Have I been exposed?” Xiu Nan wondered.

Five wooden arrows shot out from the woods, slicing through the air and striking Iron Sun’s chest.

But faced with his metallic, silvery skin, the arrows couldn’t pierce his defense; they snapped and fell away.

“Courting death!”

Iron Sun spread his arms wide, silver radiance engulfing his upper body, reflecting the sunlight with a metallic gleam.

His stacked muscles resembled a classical statue.

He slammed his right foot into the ground, sand flying, leaving a basin-sized pit. He charged into the dense forest like a raging bull, closing the distance in an instant.

A sharp crack and a scream rang out.

The sound of bones breaking and cries of agony mixed together.

A figure was hurled out as if swept up by a storm, tumbling like a ragged sack, coughing blood violently.

Hidden behind a tree, Xiu Nan’s gaze sharpened.

It was a native with red and white facial tattoos, dressed in a grass skirt, impressively built. But now he was battered like a defeated dog, his chest visibly sunken—several ribs likely broken.

Xiu Nan had experienced Iron Sun’s strength; a punch from him was akin to being gored by a mad bull.

This native’s fate was grim.

On second thought, it seemed someone else had taken a blow meant for him. Still, these savages were here for revenge.

The two sides had happened upon each other—dog fighting dog.

Xiu Nan stayed hidden, silent, watching and waiting.

On the beach, the natives were thoroughly defeated. Three lay groaning on the ground, at death’s door.

Their crude bows and arrows were easily snapped and scattered.

Two natives remained, fleeing from Iron Sun.

One suddenly steeled himself, turned, and fired, shouting something unintelligible. It seemed he was telling his companion to escape and report to their tribe, buying time.

He drew and released his arrow, which shot out with a whistle.

Iron Sun sneered, his palm as broad as a fan, swatting at the arrow mid-flight.

In that instant, his fierce grin froze.

He kicked out in anger, striking the native’s waist. The man bent like a broken stick, flying hard into a coconut tree with a thud. Blood poured from his seven orifices; he showed no sign of life.

“To think I was wounded… this arrow’s material is unusual…” Iron Sun opened his palm, faint blood oozing.

He took the bone arrow back, the silvery color receding from his skin like a tide, returning to the secret ring.

He gasped heavily, fatigue showing on his face. It appeared that using his metallic skin exhausted him greatly, especially with his palm’s defense breached.

In the forest, Xiu Nan gripped his pistols, itching to act.

“To strike now, or not?”