King of the Wilderness

"Secondly, and most importantly, is its false stem." He pointed at the sturdy trunk of the wild banana plant, "This isn’t actually a real trunk, but a false stem tightly wrapped by layers of gigantic leaf sheaths."

"We only need to cut it down, peel off the tough outer old leaf sheaths, and its innermost core, which is ivory-colored, tender like bamboo shoots, and rich in starch and pure water."

"Simply slice it into pieces, roast them over a fire, and it will provide us with the most precious carbohydrates and water, which are crucial for maintaining physical strength!"

"Finally, there’s its ecological niche value. As I mentioned, although we can’t eat its fruit, to many animals, including wild boars, bamboo rats, and even bears, it’s a rare delicacy. Its tender shoots and flowers also attract various herbivores."

"So, where there is a wild banana forest, it means there must be stable tracks of prey nearby. This place is both our supermarket, providing building materials and staple food, and potentially our hunting ground, pointing us to sources of protein!"

This discovery completely solidified his determination to stay in this valley. But a new problem arose — how to get across?

He glanced at the rushing stream below and the cliffs on both sides, knowing that crossing directly was impossible.

"It seems I have to head upstream first to look for a bridge. It could be a place where the river narrows, or a large tree fallen across the river. In any case, we must solve the problem of crossing the river to truly bring the resources on the other side into our territory."

He didn’t set off immediately but turned back to the spot where he had previously noted the decaying log with the golden fungus growing on it.

"Before beginning the unknown exploration, let’s seize the resources at hand." He cut down several of the plumpest golden fungi from the rotting wood and put them into the side pocket of his trousers.

Having done all this, he trudged upstream along the hazardous valley, looking for a narrow path or fallen tree that could be crossed safely.

The process was full of danger. Sometimes he needed to jump from one boulder to another, with the roaring stream beneath, and a single misstep could be disastrous; other times, he needed to grab onto dangling vines and traverse across slippery rock faces.

The formidable grip of his hiking boots played a vital role at this moment, making each step as steady as Mount Tai.

Just as he climbed onto a massive granite rock, preparing to take a short rest, his eyes were once again drawn to a discovery in the stream.

His gaze fell on the black rocks scoured by the water, and his eyes shone with an even more fervent light than when he discovered the wild bananas.

"Here, this will be my armory!"

He jumped off the rock and began searching along the rushing stream for the steel he needed. Continuously picking up stones from the stream, he forcefully struck them with another stone.

"Bang!" A dull thud.

"Bang!" The stone split, revealing a rough break. "No, sandstone, too soft."

Finally, when he picked up a dark gray stone with semi-translucent edges and a waxy luster, his eyes lit up.

Using another hard granite as a hammer stone, he found the right angle and struck powerfully at the edge of the stone!

"Clang!"

A crisp, pleasing sound, like the clash of metals, rang out!

The dark gray stone cracked in response, its break smooth like the inner shell of a mollusk.

"This is it! Flint!" Lin Yu’an’s face showed a sense of fulfillment after finding such a critical material, "Lucky, its size and texture are enough for me to make all the tools I need."

He didn’t start crafting complex tools immediately but carefully wrapped the precious stone core, then tucked it into his chest and continued trudging upstream in the perilous valley, searching for a shelter for the night.

After moving about half a kilometer further upstream, he turned a large bend, and suddenly everything became clear!

Just ahead, a massive, broken ancient tree lay across the narrow river channel like a natural bridge!

The trunk was covered with thick moss, looking incredibly slippery, but it was sturdy enough to bear a person’s weight.

"We’ve found it, our Normandy." A victorious smile appeared on Lin Yu’an’s face.

He cautiously walked step by step across this natural single-log bridge to the other side, successfully reaching the wild banana forest he had long coveted.

Behind the banana forest, he found the perfect shelter for the night.

It was a naturally formed recess in the rock wall, about two meters deep and three meters wide, like a small natural cave.

Its front ground was flat, backed by a solid rock wall, perfectly shielding it from mountain winds from one direction.

More marvelous was a protruding rock at the top of the recess, forming a natural eave.

"This is it." Lin Yu’an immediately made a decision.

"With water sources nearby and a natural shelter shape, the terrain is relatively safe. This is a perfect base camp start, the best spot for primary capital accumulation."

He glanced at the wild banana forest not far away, "And it’s close enough to our supermarket and hunting ground."

Having established the base camp, the first thing he did was cut down several of the broadest banana leaves with a sharp stone from the banana forest, preparing for the evening meal and repairs for the shelter.