The journey from this temporary cave dwelling to Ximang’s cave was anything but easy.
During the rainy season, water levels had risen significantly. Even the tributaries were difficult to navigate by swimming, especially with the colder water temperatures. Carrying a large amount of food along the way made it even more challenging.
However, if they wanted to leave their original settlement cave without taking a long detour, the only feasible route was through the water. This was precisely why everyone except Sha Yi knew how to swim.
Fortunately, she had an oversized bathtub that helped transport plenty of preserved food, while the men carried plant-based provisions. The entire group, numbering over thirty people—including the youngest Masa and the little girl who had later joined Sainar’s group—swam their way through. Only Sha Yi, a landlubber suffering from heavy bleeding, sat in the bathtub staring at the sky.
Earlier, Xi Yi and the others had retrieved several thick ochre vines buried in the soil. Though the vines appeared somewhat wilted, the faint green luminescent spots on them seemed unaffected.
Sha Yi thought they looked like they had been starved for days—lacking nutrients and water, hence their lethargy. She believed they would regain vitality once returned to the trees, and their lightning-attracting properties should remain intact.
After a long journey, when they finally reached the isolated patch of land where the cave was located, the already lush vegetation had grown even denser. The cave, once hidden beneath the foliage, was now completely obscured. It took the group quite some time to push through the waist-high greenery.
The cave itself remained unchanged—its entrance as low as the temporary dwelling’s, but the interior was much more spacious. Unfortunately, the small holes originally carved into the ceiling for light had become weak points for rainwater to seep in. The continuous downpour had left some water pooled inside, though it wasn’t a major issue—most of it had already seeped into the ground, leaving only shallow puddles.
That said, the damp, musty air inside was unpleasant. The prolonged lack of ventilation due to the overgrown vegetation had intensified the moldy smell, making Sha Yi cough uncontrollably. Seeing her discomfort, Xi Yi pulled her out of the cave with a pained expression.
As a result, Sha Yi didn’t participate in cleaning the cave. While the others worked, she sat outside, observing the surroundings from a distance.
Thinking back, when she first came here with Xi Yi, she hadn’t paid much attention to the cave’s surroundings—only giving it a cursory glance before heading inside. Now, upon closer inspection, she found the location quite favorable.
Unlike the settlement cave, this one was surrounded by smaller shrubs, with trees standing far apart—likely hundreds of meters away. Though the trees here weren’t as large as those near the settlement, they were abundant in variety and number. This made the area suitable for testing lightning attraction, as well as gathering materials for raft-making.
Moreover, water access was much easier here, as the cave was close to a major river tributary. However, this also had its drawbacks—proximity to water during the rainy season increased the risk of flooding. Additionally, the cave’s interior was significantly lower than ground level.
This patch of land was practically an isolated island. Sha Yi estimated that walking along the entire riverbank wouldn’t take much time. If water levels continued to rise, they’d have to relocate again. She could only hope the water wouldn’t rise too drastically in the short term, allowing them to stay a while longer.
As for whether this isolated patch of land harbored small animals, she had no idea. Subconsciously, she felt that such an awkwardly positioned place—neither here nor there in terms of latitude—was unlikely to host many active creatures.
The only certainty was that the cave’s interior was spacious enough to accommodate their current numbers, and the nearby clearing outside could serve as an excellent spot for animal enclosures—if they managed to stay until after the rainy season.
Lost in thought, Sha Yi stood up and slowly walked toward the clearing about twenty meters away.
But she had barely taken a few steps when something on the ground nearly tripped her. Upon seeing the culprit, a sudden idea flashed in her mind, and she quickly bent down to pick it up.
It was a peculiar branch—two arcs intersecting at a node, brown in color, twisted from several smaller branches. Though sturdy, it had a certain elasticity, resembling a bow from the era of cold weapons.
Speaking of bows, she had never seen Xi Yi or anyone else use such weapons. They only wielded long bone spears, bone knives, and stone knives—nothing beyond that.
At that moment, Sha Yi realized that crafting bows and arrows could significantly boost productivity in the future. For instance, while they could occasionally collect bird eggs, catching birds for meat was nearly impossible—unless one happened to drop dead in front of them. Since her arrival, she hadn’t seen many birds around, except for the ugly ground-running ones. A few eggs had been found, likely because the local birds flew too high.
Weighing the bow-shaped branch in her hand, Sha Yi decided that her immediate task was to figure out the right material for the bowstring and the best way to craft arrows while the others cleaned the cave. In the future, unforeseen circumstances might arise, and having bows and arrows could prove invaluable.
Just like that, another goal was added to the list, and the pressure of survival grew heavier.
This was the kind of unavoidable struggle in ancient times—if you wanted a better life, you had to put in the effort. Others might not think of these things, but she had plenty of ideas waiting to be put into practice. In a way, it was an enviable advantage—though one that also invited resentment.
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