The ship's log offered many convenient features. But outside of it, the world was practically indistinguishable from reality.
For example, chopping down trees required both strength and skill, especially when using a stone axe that wasn't very sharp and caused a jarring impact.
After cutting down the largest coconut tree, Yang Yi's energy dropped by 13 points, leaving him with just 30 points.
With full energy, he could at most chop down about five trees. Any more, and it would be too much; when energy fell below 30, there would be the risk of fainting.
Once the tree fell, Yang Yi immediately began collecting coconuts. As he picked one up, a smile spread across his face.
【Name: Vitality Coconut】
【Description: A rare and special coconut rich in vitamins and minerals. The coconut water inside can speed up energy recovery.】
Without hesitation, Yang Yi split one open and drank it, gaining an energy recovery buff. It was exactly what Yang Yi desperately needed, making the trip a great success.
He then opened the bronze chest, and several glowing orbs immediately fell out, transforming into three items upon contact.
【Name: Vitality Coconut Juice Recipe】
【Description: After use, you’ll obtain the recipe for Vitality Coconut Juice. Requires a reagent bottle, salt, and Vitality Coconut.】
【Name: Edible Sea Salt, 500g】
【Description: A seasoning that enhances flavour and replenishes salt.】
【Name: Reagent Stand】
【Description: An essential tool for making various reagents. Can be fused with crystals. It provides reagent bottles, which disappear after the reagent is consumed.】
The chest not only contained the recipe but also the other two materials needed to create it.
Overjoyed, Yang Yi immediately learnt the recipe and began preparing Vitality Coconut Juice.
Required materials: Vitality Coconut x1, Salt 10g.
Essential tool: Reagent Stand
Yang Yi made a bottle.
【Name: Vitality Coconut Juice】
【Description: A drink that invigorates. Restores 10 energy and increases energy recovery speed by 50% for 8 hours. Effects can only occur once every 24 hours.】
Yang Yi smiled and turned his gaze towards the coastline, eyeing the plentiful coconuts, while twirling the axe in his hand.
Whenever his energy neared 30, he would lie on the beach to rest and continue chopping once he recovered.
By dusk, he had chopped down four trees, collecting 38 Vitality Coconuts and 43 units of wood, all of which he transported back to the Nightmare.
He didn't plan to leave yet, deciding instead to spend the night on the ship and continue chopping the next day. But before boarding, he made a new discovery.
A luminous trail on the beach, about a hundred metres from Yang Yi, caught his attention. As the sky darkened, it emitted a faint glow, which was how he had noticed it.
The trail led inland, the glowing substance appearing to be some kind of biological mucus, reeking of a foul stench.
He took a few steps along the trail towards the island’s interior. Without the interference of waves, it was more distinct and easier to follow. From its shape, it resembled the trail left by a snake-like being slithering across the ground.
Yang Yi estimated its size by measuring with his hand — it was at least half a metre thick, indicating a sizable creature!
“Not spending the night ashore was definitely the right decision!” Yang Yi changed his mind, deciding not to stay by the shore and instead moving further away, suspecting there was some large creature on the island. He gripped his flintlock gun tightly, scanning his surroundings with caution as he backed away.1
Only after boarding the Nightmare did he finally breathe a sigh of relief. Sitting in the captain's cabin, Yang Yi contemplated his next move and ultimately decided he needed to gather more Vitality Coconuts, despite the risks.
These were rare items that could mitigate the Nightmare's drawbacks, so he simply couldn't let them slip away! Future islands might not have such coconuts!
He steered the Nightmare away from the island, anchoring about twenty nautical miles offshore.
At this distance, the island was no longer visible. Any land-dwelling creature, even if it could swim, wouldn’t bother coming this far to eat his meagre flesh.
Wouldn’t the fish in the sea be more appealing?
He drank a bottle of Vitality Coconut Juice, ate a few scallops and half a Red-lipped Eel.
Before falling asleep, he lay down holding his flintlock gun, resting it under the bed with his finger off the trigger. This was Yang Yi's latest tactic for the quickest possible reaction to shoot any monster entering through the door.
He soon drifted into sleep, descending into a nightmare...
In the middle of the night, the melodious singing of a woman echoed outside the ship, ethereal and haunting, like a heavenly voice.
But this was the sea — where would a woman’s singing come from?
Groggily, Yang Yi sat up, his eyes unfocused, drawn in by the enchanting song, losing control.
A dazed expression spread across his face as he looked towards the cabin door.
Standing there was a humanoid creature, half-human, half-fish, eerily similar to the legendary mermaids, with golden hair and a seductive figure.
She was soaking wet, as if she had just bathed, with her chest modestly covered by two large shells. Her waist was slender, and from her navel downward, scales began to appear, with a fish tail in place of legs. Such creatures were often called mermaids.
But at sea, they went by another name — Siren, the nightmare and dream of sailors...
The Siren sang, smiling seductively at Yang Yi, flaunting her charm. The sound trap at the door was also triggered, producing a jingling noise.
But Yang Yi was already under her control, rendering the trap useless.
With a look of infatuation, he walked towards the Siren, holding the flintlock gun in his hand...
【The enchanting song has charmed you, causing you to lose control of your body. Sanity decreased by 10.】
【You saw an incredibly beautiful woman, and your mind was captivated. Sanity decreased by 7.】
About fifty nautical miles away, a ship was quietly following — the Astrologer.
Captain Suna sat in the captain's cabin, writing something in a small notebook.
“He can eat strange foods without showing any reaction, and even kiss a Red-lipped Eel without hesitation. More importantly, he doesn't seem to be going mad at all! It's unbelievable!”
The notebook was titled Observational Diary of XX, as she didn't know Yang Yi's real name yet.
It contained personal information about Yang Yi, including how long he slept, when he woke up, what he caught, and what he ate...
Her actions were like those of a stalker; in a normal society, she would undoubtedly be classified as a dangerous person and would be detained for reeducation.
“Isn’t he afraid at all...?” Suna pondered, biting her pen cap.
The information about the island was something she provided, just to see how Yang Yi would react. But at that moment, the Nightmare suddenly started moving on the chart, heading full speed towards the island.
Something strange was definitely happening!
Suna had been spying on Yang Yi for days, using the Astrologer’s surveillance skill, knowing him to be a cautious person who wouldn’t take risks at night, let alone land on the island at night.
She immediately activated the surveillance skill to track the ship.
“Is that...a Siren?” Suna gasped, her eyes filled with a mix of excitement and amazement.