Upon hearing Zhou Xuan's words, Bob was stunned for a moment before asking, "Then...doesn't that mean we can only live on this island, and possibly until we die?"
Zhou Xuan spread his hands and said with a wry smile, "Isn't that right? That's right. It seems that it will be difficult for us to escape this energy line. There's no other way, so we have to come back quickly and prepare for long-term survival on this island!"
Bob's heart sank. He stood there for a while, then looked at the others, and they were almost all in the same boat. After a moment of stunned silence, he felt a sense of disbelief.
Zhou Xuan didn't consider their feelings. Needless to say, they definitely wouldn't give up and would definitely go out to explore and search every day. That was up to them. However, Zhou Xuan had to start thinking about finding another safe place to prepare for long-term survival. On this cruise ship, although they were reluctant to leave, in fact, this cruise ship couldn't stop the monster's attacks at all.
If they don't leave this cruise ship, and the monster comes again, it will probably find sooner or later that although Zhou Xuan's abilities can greatly damage it, they are unlikely to be fatal. This is because the transformation ability cannot deal with it, nor can the ice energy ability. Only the solar flames are somewhat effective, but the solar flames are also limited by the lack of energy supply, and are obviously not enough to deal with that huge monster.
In fact, Zhou Xuan's most convenient and effective way of dealing with enemies is his ability to transform. However, his ability to transform has a fatal flaw: it is ineffective and cannot be detected by objects that contain extraterrestrial energy or that inherently possess extraterrestrial energy.
After Zhou Xuan finished speaking, he kept frowning and staring out of the cruise ship's side, looking at the dense and undulating mountains and forests. He wondered how many dangers and secrets were hidden in those jungles. Looking at the vast edge of the jungle, the island looked to be at least tens to hundreds of kilometers long, and this was just an estimate. The actual size was still uncertain.
During the time that Zhou Xuan and the others were away, Bob, Charles, Wei Haihong, and a few others had already gathered people to remove all the weapons from the cruise ship, protected the ship, and divided the remaining 125 people into three groups of more than 40 people each.
The daytime protection is easier. During the day, another twenty people are arranged to go out hunting to catch animals in the forest to replenish food and fresh water. If there are animals on the island, it means that there must be fresh water. The fresh water and food on the cruise ship are only enough to last for about a week, so we have to replenish the fresh water and food.
Today, twelve bodyguards were sent out to hunt, and they also carried water bags with them. If they find fresh water, they will bring some back. Although the amount carried by manpower will be relatively small, it is better than nothing.
Seeing Zhou Xuan deep in thought, Bob glanced at the woods. The men he had sent out had set off around the same time as Zhou Xuan and his group, but they hadn't returned yet. He didn't know what had become of them, nor had he heard any gunshots, and he couldn't see any trace of them through his binoculars.
Bob and Charles were frequent adventurers. The difference between navigating a jungle and sailing the sea was immense. Even paddling on the sea was far faster than traversing a jungle. In a primeval forest like this, one might only cover a hundred meters in an hour. On a remote island like this, countless unknown dangers lurked. Not only were the thickets of thorns making progress difficult, but there were also numerous poisonous insects, snakes, and beasts. Moreover, there was that enormous monster that had appeared the previous night, and no one believed that it was the only monster on the island!
Zhou Xuan was about to ask if they should consider finding a cave or similar place to stay on the shore, because a cave in the mountains and forests, if it has a good location and a suitable entrance, would be the best place to keep monsters away. In reality, this cruise ship was no match for the monsters. Last night, the monster was only frightened by Zhou Xuan's blazing sun and was injured, so it was somewhat afraid. If it had been determined to fight Zhou Xuan to the death, Zhou Xuan would definitely have lost. The damage he could do to the monster could only go so far, while the damage the monster could do to him could have been intensified. The difference in strength was already clear.
Therefore, if they insist on staying on this cruise ship, they probably won't be able to withstand the monster's attack. Before they find a way to break the energy shield, the only way to save their lives is to go to the island and find a cave to hide in.
However, just as Zhou Xuan was about to ask, a burst of gunfire suddenly came from the dense forest on the shore. The gunfire was close together, as if countless guns were firing at the same time, rather than just one or two guns firing.
Zhou Xuan exclaimed, "Oh no!"
Even without Zhou Xuan saying it, everyone else understood that Bob's men must have encountered danger. If they had spotted a prey, there would have been one or a few shots, not a barrage of fire. Such intense and dense gunfire confirmed that the men had run into danger; otherwise, they wouldn't have opened fire at the same time. These men were experienced and skilled, the dozen or so most capable men Bob had handpicked. Their skills and marksmanship were among the best. Even if they encountered a lion or tiger, they wouldn't have panicked and fired so wildly. Moreover, there were over a dozen of them, each with such strong skills and accurate marksmanship. Why would they panic and fire randomly?
Bob's face was also very grim. He took the binoculars from his bodyguard and observed that countless birds were startled and flew up from the tops of the tall and lush trees in the dense forest, filling the sky.
The telescope couldn't see into the forest, so we didn't know what was happening inside. Actually, the forest was only about a mile away from the cruise ship, but the island was clearly not easy to traverse. Even at top speed, if you were to use a sharp knife to cut through obstacles, it would still take at least several hours to reach it. It wasn't as easy as it seemed to the naked eye.
Zhou Xuan had no way of detecting that far, and didn't know what had happened to those people. When the alien could not be restored to its original state, he simply had no ability to see into the forest.
Zhou Xuan thought for a moment, then looked up at the sky and said to Bob, "Mr. Bob, I think they must be in danger. Why don't I take a few people over to check on them? If we can save them, we can do so, and we can also scout out the situation in the jungle on the shore!"
Bob and Charles were also taken aback. It seemed that their assessment of Zhou Xuan was wrong. They had always thought that Zhou Xuan was just a rich kid. But after Zhou Xuan revealed his strong skills on the ship, they realized that Zhou Xuan was not an ordinary person. However, later on, even his many strong men could not withstand a single blow from the monster. Faced with the monster's powerful killing force, his more than one hundred men, all of them combined, were still no match for the monster. Under its claws, it seemed that there was no opponent for it on the island.
After Zhou Xuan asked a question, Bob and Charles were also stunned. It took them a while to come to their senses. Looking at the jungle, they didn't know what to say. His men must have encountered danger, but they could only solve it themselves. Sending more men might only add to the casualties.
As for those people they sent out, those who could escape would return, and those who couldn't escape, even if Zhou Xuan and his reinforcements went there, they wouldn't be able to rescue them. But even if they went, if the opponent was that enormous monster, even if Zhou Xuan went there, he probably wouldn't be able to rescue them.
But Bob noticed that Zhou Xuan's expression clearly showed that he really wanted to go there. However, he couldn't have imagined that Zhou Xuan's main purpose was to find a cave entrance so that everyone could go in and take refuge. Bob had only sent out twelve people, so losing those twelve people wouldn't make much of a difference. Of course, losing these twelve elites would still be a significant loss in strength, but what could he do about it?
“You… you’ve already reached this point, sending more people over probably won’t be enough to save anyone, right?” Bob replied immediately. Everyone understands that distant water can’t quench a fire nearby.
Zhou Xuan decided to be frank with him: "Mr. Bob, I think I should warn you. The most dangerous thing right now is being on the cruise ship. If we don't find a safe place on the island, like a cave, somewhere that can keep the monster out of our reach, we'll all die in its claws. The only way is to find a place on the island that can keep the monster out of our sight. Its weakness is its size; it's too huge. If we find a cave smaller than its body, it will be powerless. And we can't leave in just a day or two; maybe we'll never be able to leave this island!"
Volume 1, Chapter 690: The Monkey
Chapter 690 Monkey
Bob and Charles were somewhat reluctant to believe Zhou Xuan's words, but their trust in him made it impossible for them not to believe him. However, Zhou Xuan's statement that they might never be able to leave the island for the rest of their lives surprised them.
Although they were all adventurers, the bustling world of mortals was still more alluring than adventure itself. After all, that's where money, fame, and fortune could be found, and where beautiful women could surround them. After all, one cannot live without beautiful women in one's lifetime.
Zhou Xuan turned back to the people on the ship and asked, "Who among you is willing to come ashore with me to find a place to take shelter?"
Most of the people remained silent, and the dozen or so who went out were likely never to return. Clearly, the jungle was far too dangerous, and no one wanted to go.
Zhou Xuan glanced at him indifferently, and Wei Haihong was the first to step forward, saying loudly, "Brother, I'll go with you!"
Next, Louis, the bearded man who had clashed with Zhou Xuan before and was severely punished by him, strode forward carrying two semi-automatic rifles and said, "Mr. Zhou, I'll go with you!"
Once two people stepped forward, about ten more people immediately followed suit. They were all highly skilled bodyguards, not the crew members.
Zhou Xuan nodded. It was better to have these people with him. After all, it was always more comfortable to have more people around. Although it was dangerous to go outside, in his opinion, staying on this cruise ship was no better than being outside. Moreover, this cruise ship had undoubtedly become a clear target.
Bob paused for a moment, then suddenly stepped forward with a gun and said, "Fine, I'll go with you. Charles, stay on the ship."
Charles was also taken aback. He was indeed unwilling to disembark and take the risk, but when he saw Bob suddenly stand up and want to go with Zhou Xuan, he realized that if Bob went, staying on the ship might not be a good thing, and might even be more dangerous. The most dangerous moment on the ship before was because Zhou Xuan was there!
If it weren't for Zhou Xuan, that monster would have killed Bob long ago, and might have torn the ship and everyone on it to pieces. How could it have survived until now?
If the monster attacks again after Zhou Xuan leaves the ship, who can withstand it? If they go out with Zhou Xuan, even if it's dangerous, Zhou Xuan can still defend them, which is much better than being on the ship where no one can stop the monster.
Staying on the ship was merely a matter of everyone relying on it, but at this moment, the ship was probably no longer able to withstand the monster's attack.
Charles immediately wanted to refuse and go off the ship with them, but Bob said, "We're going to find a hiding place. You guys stay on the ship. Although the monster damaged some of the ship's facilities, it's still intact. I'll need the ship eventually, just waiting for that opportunity. And with those heavy weapons on board, you still need to guard the ship well!"
Zhou Xuan nodded and said, "First, we need to find a place to hide in the jungle. Second, we need to find the brothers who went out. If we can save them, we should. Now on this isolated island, we have to treat each other like family. Losing one person means losing one less person. It's not like other places. Also, Mr. Bob is right. This ship is our only hope. We must preserve it. If we have a chance to escape from this place, we will escape. Nobody wants to stay here and wait to die, right?"
In that short while, another twenty or thirty people stepped forward and stood behind Zhou Xuan. Zhou Xuan could only wave his hand and say, "Alright, alright, more people should stay on the ship. Guarding the ship is the most important thing. Fewer people should go out to explore and find a way out, after all, it's dangerous outside. Also, everyone who goes out should carry two water bags and bring extra bullets for self-defense... Let's go!"
At his command, Louis took the lead, and the group headed into the jungle on the coast. Once inside the forest, they found clear signs of footsteps, and Louis followed those signs directly.
Zhou Xuan told Wei Haihong to stay close to him and not stray too far. Bob, being quite astute, naturally walked alongside Wei Haihong, following behind Zhou Xuan. He understood perfectly well that staying close to Zhou Xuan was the safest option, and since Zhou Xuan cared most about Wei Haihong, as long as he was with Wei Haihong at all times, any danger would fall on the two of them, and Zhou Xuan would not stand idly by.
The group consisted of 43 people in total, while there were 82 people on the boat, less than twice as many.
Zhou Xuan pushed his supernatural power to its limit. Although the faint red sunlight was not enough for him to absorb enough energy, it was not entirely without benefit. He could still absorb some energy, which was better than resting and breathing at night to restore his strength.
Even with some losses, the weak sunlight still compensated for them, and Zhou Xuan's detection range was still slightly beyond two hundred meters. Of course, Zhou Xuan would not waste his superpowers casually; he wanted to save them to deal with the monster. The key was that he didn't know how many monsters there would be. If two appeared at the same time, then Zhou Xuan would have no choice but to accept his fate.