Not only did Jiang Dandan not listen to reason, but she also pointed a pistol at me and shouted loudly, 'I don't care! Lu Yuan just can't go! Whoever goes, I'll fucking kill them!' I swallowed my saliva; Jiang Dandan's emotions were starting to get out of control. A pampered young lady from the city, stranded on a deserted island, was gradually being pushed to the brink of madness by the relentless passage of time. My determination to save Zhang Xi'er had become the last straw that broke her. The few women who had survived were not fools; after days of hardship, they must have all realized that on this island governed by the law of the jungle, they, being frail women, would not survive for long. Now, I was their only hope. Calming Jiang Dandan down was the top priority. 'Alright, alright, I won't go, none of us will go, we'll leave Zhang Xi'er be,' I said to Jiang Dandan, showing weakness. Suddenly, Jiang Dandan looked at me and burst into a frenzied laughter. She stepped forward and kicked me in the groin. A piercing pain spread throughout my body instantly, and I knelt down, clutching my groin. 'Fuck you...' I couldn't help but curse, but before I could finish, Jiang Dandan pressed the pistol to my forehead. Snap! Snap! Jiang Dandan raised her hand and slapped me twice. 'Go on, curse! Fucking curse! Have the guts to curse!' Damn it! This woman is completely crazy! I must find an opportunity to take her gun! 'Dandan!' Xia Lan suddenly shouted. 'Don't call me!'

Jiang Dandan turned her head and shouted at Xia Lan. What a good opportunity! Bearing the pain in my groin, I grabbed the pistol and raised it to the sky, while simultaneously lifting my leg and forcefully striking Jiang Dandan's stomach. Bang! Jiang Dandan's gun misfired, and she knelt down in pain from my knee to her stomach, her body powerless as she let go of the pistol. I removed the magazine from the pistol before I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. I was scared to death; this crazy woman actually kicked me in the crotch. If it weren't for Wang Yan and the others, I would have shown you what a man is! With the pistol seized, the crisis was successfully resolved. Wang Yan and Xia Lan rushed up and pinned Jiang Dandan down, while Lin Xian'er promptly brought over some vines, and together we tied Jiang Dandan up. 'Lu Yuan, you bastard! You son of a bitch! You're nothing but a liar!' Jiang Dandan cursed at me while struggling. Looking at the disheveled Jiang Dandan, the exhausted Wang Yan, Xia Lan, and Lin Xian'er, and thinking of Zhang Xi'er in the cave, a heavy emotion surged in my heart. These five beautiful women should have been living a carefree life in the city, yet now they have fallen to this place. One has already gone mad, and I don't know who will be the next. As the only man here, I suddenly felt a heavy weight on my shoulders. ... In the early morning, the sun rose from the east.

Today marks our fifth day on the deserted island. Last night, Xi'er was dehydrated due to a persistent low fever. Now, Lin Xian'er and I have packed up our things and are ready to set out to find medicinal herbs. Before leaving, I filled a military green plastic suitcase with spring water for Wang Yan and the others; it should be enough for the four girls to drink for three days. I also picked some coconuts, so we have plenty of food and fuel reserves. I took the lighter with me and entrusted Wang Yan and the others to take good care of the fire. With everything ready, Lin Xian'er and I set off. Wang Yan and Xia Lan watched us enter the dense forest. I led the way, using a stick to clear the path and carving marks on the tree trunks with my military knife as we went. "Where are we going to find the medicinal herbs?" I asked Lin Xian'er. "Judging from Xi'er's condition, there is residual snake venom in her body. We need three types of herbs that clear heat, detoxify, and reduce swelling: Bajiaolian (Chinese Lobelia), Yazuochao (Commelina communis), and Qiye Yizhihua (Paris polyphylla)."

As Lin Xian'er walked, she spoke, thoroughly enlightening me with her knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine. The various herbs she mentioned all thrived in shade, and the deeper we ventured into the dense forest, the greater the chances of discovering these plants. We walked and stopped, and whenever we encountered a lush shrubbery area, Lin Xian'er would pause to search, and so the morning passed by.

After a hasty lunch, my companion and I continued on our way. As time ticked on, Xi'er's condition could potentially worsen, so we needed to find the herbs and return as soon as possible. The further west we went, the thicker the trees around us became; even the slenderest ancient tree required two people to embrace it.

The branches above our heads blocked out the sky completely, with squirrels hopping about and woodpeckers pecking rhythmically at the tree trunks, while numerous unidentified birds chirped noisily. On the ground, exposed roots intertwined in a complex web, with fewer shrubs but an abundance of mushrooms and fallen leaves.

Along the way, Lin Xian'er collected more than a dozen useful herbs, but we still hadn't found a single one of the three types needed for Xi'er. Moreover, there were several instances when I almost led us in the wrong direction, but thankfully, Lin Xian'er noticed in time and pointed me back on track.

As we walked, I detected the scent of water in the air I breathed, and I took a few moments to sniff it carefully.