Zhou Xuan was also taken aback for a moment before asking, "Why do you think it's because of me? Why do you think that?"
Louis smiled and said, "Mr. Zhou, even though you don't say it, I understand, and I will never press you for details. I believe you possess special abilities. Take those specially made bullets, for example. I didn't see the modification of the rifle bullets the first time, but the second time, when the rocket launcher killed the monster, I saw those three shells clearly. I was not far from you at the time. You picked up those three shells casually, without any special actions, yet the shells were definitely modified, which is why they were able to kill the monster. From this, I know that you are truly a person with special abilities. We were lucky enough to survive because of you!"
Zhou Xuan was taken aback. He hadn't expected Louis to have such thoughts and vision. He had underestimated him. After thinking for a moment, he smiled wryly and said, "Hehe, even if I have some special skills, I still need your precise rocket launcher firing technique. Besides, no matter what skills I have, it's useless. We can't escape this island. I'm afraid we'll just grow old on this mysterious island!"
Louis chuckled and said, "Who cares? People like us who live on the edge, aren't we in danger every day? If we can still breathe fresh air when we wake up every morning, it's like God has given us another day to live. For us, as long as we can still eat meat and drink alcohol, we're happy. As for what tomorrow will bring, we never think about it!"
Zhou Xuan chuckled. Louis was a man who lived a truly carefree life, but unfortunately, he couldn't do it. He would miss his wife and children, his parents, and his relatives. He couldn't let go of them and couldn't be so carefree!
At this moment, Fass brought over a few more bottles of wine, along with Bob and Charles, who were overjoyed to have survived the ordeal and to be alive again.
All seventy-two men spent the night in tents, taking turns on night watch. Nothing happened; there was no danger as Zhou Xuan had feared. At dawn, Bob said, "It seems the dangerous animals on this island are no longer a concern. That giant monster must be unique; if there were any danger, it should have appeared last night. Besides, after losing the yacht, the open ground on the shore is the most difficult to defend. If there were danger, they should have come at that opportunity, but they didn't, which means there's no real danger. The remaining small wild animals still pose a significant threat to ordinary people, but we have Mr. Zhou's modified bullets; we can kill them one by one. They're not a problem!"
Bob said so, and the others naturally thought so too. In the following time, everyone discussed what to do next. The result of their discussion was that they could only explore the island first, find out the secrets of the island, and if they couldn't get out, they could only plan to stay there for a long time. Since they were going to stay for a long time, they had to consider the preparations for staying for a long time.
Although the yacht was severely damaged, the supplies on the cruise ship could last for several days. There was enough food, but fresh water was severely lacking and had to be found on the island. So the result of the discussion was that everyone would split into two groups. One group would stay in place to guard the cruise ship and prevent wild animals from destroying the food, salt, etc. There was also a large quantity of fine red wine on the ship, which was a rare treasure on the deserted island. Once a bottle was drunk, there would be one less left, and it could not be replicated.
The seventy-two people were divided into two groups of thirty-six each. Of the thirty-two who stayed behind, Charles was advised to remain, while Bob, Wei Haihong, Zhou Xuan, and the other thirty-two went to the island to investigate. Louis and Fass went with the group that went out. There were no strict rules about who should stay and who should go. After experiencing so many dangers, most of the crew members chose to stay, while most of those who went out were the bodyguards.
These bodyguards knew perfectly well that staying with Zhou Xuan was the safest option. If they chose to stay, they would have a hard time dealing with the remaining wild beasts even if they escaped.
However, Zhou Xuan had also considered this point, so he still asked the bodyguards to leave most of the mutated bullets for them. After the previous frenzied hunting of wild beasts, less than half of them remained. The bullets left for them were about two thousand rounds, which was enough for their needs.
Zhou Xuan and his group were running out of mutated bullets, with less than two hundred rounds left. However, seeing Zhou Xuan's nonchalant attitude, the bodyguards knew he had a plan and there was no need to worry.
Zhou Xuan simply told them to bring enough bullets, and everyone should bring as many as possible, in case he recovered some energy later and used them for mutation. In the jungle, having mutated bullets would be a strong guarantee.
After eating the beast's flesh, Zhou Xuan practiced breathing all night and recovered a layer of strength. Although it was not enough, it was not difficult for him to mutate some bullets. However, he did not use them on the spot, but chose to save them and wait until he was stronger before dealing with any potential dangers along the way. He would mutate the bullets again when he rested at night.
The thirty-two people who went out brought some food and wild animal meat. This isolated island may not look very big, but it is extremely inconvenient to move around on such an island. There is no place for humans to live, so it is obviously unrealistic to move around freely.
It took Zhou Xuan and the others more than a day to cross a small mountain. The moment they reached the top, Zhou Xuan was stunned by the scene before him.
Everyone else was stunned by what they saw!
Volume 1, Chapter 697: Danger in the Lava
Chapter 697 Dangers in the Lava
On the other side of the mountain, in the central part of the island, is a living, fiery mountain, though the lava hasn't erupted yet. In the middle of the circular terrain, in the sunken area, the fiery red lava churns and surges, like boiling oil in a large pot.
Since there was no violent eruption, there was no volcanic ash or smoke in the sky, and the situation on the coast below the mountain remains unknown.
Everyone was stunned. If this was the case, how could they hide their whereabouts? Moreover, judging from the terrain, there were no streams, rivers, or lakes that could be seen directly. The cruise ship's drinking water was about to run out, and if they couldn't find drinking water on the island, survival would be a major problem.
However, since there are so many animals on the island, it means that there should be fresh water, but we just need to go into the forest to find it.
“Look over there, over there…” Louis suddenly pointed to the other side of the molten lava and said urgently.
Following his gesture, everyone looked over and saw a pool several hundred meters wide about five or six hundred meters to the west of the lava pool. On the side closest to the lava pool, water in the pool shot into the air like a fountain. However, the steam and mist indicated that it was not a fountain, but rather the water being boiled and churning by the underground heat.
The water in that pool must have been very hot, and on the other side of the pool, far from the lava pool, along the bank hundreds of meters long, the water was probably still a bit hot. But there were countless animals running around on the bank, scrambling to drink the water, while at the same time staring in fear at the side of the lava pool, as if they were afraid of something.
This strange occurrence surprised everyone, as most of the animals were the same species they had seen attacking them before.
Bob observed for a while, then said, "These animals are fighting over water in this pool, which suggests that this pool may be the only source of fresh water on the island. Judging from the churning water on the other side, the water temperature isn't low, yet these animals are still scrambling to drink it. It seems they can't stand it anymore. Could there be some danger here? Is there some kind of monster?"
Just as everyone was filled with astonishment and doubt, a point of the fiery red molten lava in the pool exploded like fireworks, and at that moment the animals also let out a terrified howl, turned around and ran away in a frenzy, as if it were the end of the world.
Amidst everyone's astonishment and doubt, from one of the bursts in the molten pool, a fiery red animal, resembling a rabbit, suddenly sprang out from the scalding lava. This animal moved with incredible speed, rushing straight towards the animals on the shore of the pool as soon as it emerged from the lava.
The animals were much larger than this one, but they were all terrified, like mice seeing a cat, and fled in panic. The last of the beasts was caught by the fiery red animal, which opened its mouth and breathed out a flame that immediately surrounded the beasts. The beasts let out a mournful cry, and their bodies turned into a wisp of smoke in an instant. The fiery red animal quickly inhaled the smoke deeply through its nose, seemingly enjoying it!
Once the wild animals that went to drink were surrounded by the flames spewed by the animal, they had no chance of survival. However, the animals that escaped from the water pool did not go far, but stopped at the edge of the forest to watch.
Although they were terrified of the animal, the beasts no longer fled far, and the fiery red animal only chased after them at the edge of the pool, never leaving the pool no matter what. After inhaling some of the beast's smoke, it returned to the edge of the molten pool and leaped into it. Two bubbles rose on the surface of the molten pool, and then there was no more movement.
Zhou Xuan was astonished. No matter how strange it was, he had never seen such an animal before, and he couldn't imagine how a living thing could survive in the high temperature of molten lava.
Looking at the others, they all shared the same astonishment as him.
It seems quite obvious that the only fresh water available for drinking on this island is this molten lava pool. Although the water nearby is scalding hot, it is the only drinking water available, and wild animals have no choice but to drink it, just like humans who drink boiled water. They have to get used to drinking boiled water.
However, the animal that leaped out of the lava was their most dangerous presence. But that dangerous and deadly animal obviously wouldn't leave the waters for even a moment, so it posed a limited threat to the wild beasts. But as soon as they came to this waters to drink and quench their thirst, they would face its threat.
Bob and Wei Haihong were stunned. Looking at the others, they were also dumbfounded. If this really was the only drinkable water source, how were they going to get it?
I'm afraid I'll have to risk going to the pool to fetch water, just like those wild beasts. But since the animals in the lava don't come out very often, there's still a chance. As long as I hurry up and fill my water bag, I can escape from the pool. Once I'm outside the pool, the monster's threat will be gone.
It's still uncertain whether the monster is unable to cross the water's edge or simply doesn't want to. If we can't be sure, the monster might cross the water's edge if it gets angry, which would put them in great danger. In terms of speed, they simply can't match it.
Everyone started talking and discussing, figuring that this was probably the only water source, otherwise why would all those wild beasts risk their lives to come here to drink?
Only Zhou Xuan was lost in thought and hesitating. He didn't know why, but he felt that the monster in the molten pool had an irresistible attraction for him. He couldn't explain why, but he felt that he might have some kind of connection with it.
However, Zhou Xuan did not want to risk his life. The danger posed by that animal was deadly, unlike any other danger. The high temperature of the molten lava was something that no animal could withstand. Although Zhou Xuan possessed the power of the sun's flames, he dared not test the monster's abilities with his own body. So he was now hesitating about how to safely obtain the water.
After hesitating for a moment, Zhou Xuan looked at everyone and said, "As you all can see, I don't need to explain. I'm sure you all understand. The only drinkable fresh water on this island is the pool in front of this lava pool. If we can't escape this island in a short time, we'll have to survive here. To survive, we need to collect fresh water here. If I want to get water, I'll have to fight the monsters there and get water from the air!"
The thirty-six people who came were stunned. If they wanted to compete with that lava monster for fresh water, they would have to risk their lives.
Seeing everyone staring blankly, Zhou Xuan hesitated for a moment, then suddenly said, "It seems we have to go to that pool and explore. I think we should send a few people to test it out and see if we can get any water. Once our water bags are full, we'll set off back immediately."
After Zhou Xuan said these words, the crowd quieted down. Everyone had eyes and had seen what had just happened. Going down to the pool to fetch water could mean losing their lives, which was something no one wanted to do.
Zhou Xuan looked at everyone, sighed, and then said, "Actually, I didn't finish. There's no need to choose the people; it's all up to whether everyone is willing or not. I just wanted to say that this risk has to be taken no matter what. Without water, everyone faces the same threat of death. So, I don't want to be an exception. I'll be the first to volunteer. I'll go get water. Is there anyone willing to go with me?"
Everyone was stunned again, not expecting Zhou Xuan to be so reckless. Although he was exceptionally capable, even miraculous, in everyone's eyes, he was no match for the monster in the lava. If they encountered it, they would probably all die!