The reason for this was, naturally, the fear that Fang Chenyi wasn’t on the island.

As for their food supply, they weren’t worried for the time being. They had prepared seven days’ worth before setting out. If they ate sparingly, the people on this ship would have no problem holding out until the Ocean Harmony arrived.

Time ticked by. Standing at the ship’s bow, Bai Menghan would glance at her watch from time to time, then lift her head to look at the dolphin and great white shark not far ahead.

At nine in the morning, according to the satellite map, they were already very close to the island, even though it was not yet in sight.

She personally turned and went into the cockpit. Looking at the two people piloting the vessel, Bai Menghan told them to start sounding the ship’s warning horn now.

If Fang Chenyi was truly alive and on this island, he would be able to hear the horn.

That would bring him to the coast, saving them the time it would take to go onto the island and search for him.

It was precisely this horn that sent Fang Chenyi running to the coast, anxiously scanning the horizon.

WHOOM... WHOOM... WHOOM...

The sound of the horn, faint and intermittent at first, grew clearer and clearer.

Then, a tiny, indistinct black dot appeared on the distant horizon where the sea met the sky, and Fang Chenyi was overcome with excitement!

At this point, he figured something out.

’Not only is this ship heading my way, but it’s also sounding its horn nonstop. What does that mean? It means there’s a nine-in-ten chance that it’s Qi Xiaotian and the others, here to find me!’

’Any other passing ship might sound its horn once or twice, but why would it keep going without stopping?’

At this thought, Fang Chenyi reached into his clothes and pulled out a gleaming golden Desert Eagle, then stored his rifle in the woven bag’s space.

’If it’s really Qi Xiaotian, that guy can definitely tell the difference between the sound of a rifle and a handgun.’

’I didn’t have a rifle when I jumped from the plane. If I’m holding one now, it’s bound to make people suspicious.’

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG... BANG...

For safety, Fang Chenyi aimed the Desert Eagle’s muzzle at the sea in front of him.

This was undoubtedly safer than firing into the air.

He fired five shots in a row—three long-spaced, two short—a deliberate distress signal.

The moment the gunshots rang out, a terrified roar erupted from the side. Immediately after, Vajra’s massive figure went tumbling behind a large boulder with a THUD.

He buried his head deep in a crevice between the rocks, leaving only his trembling rear end exposed.

After spending a few days with the big guy, Fang Chenyi had discovered something. Despite his ferocious appearance... well, of course, he was indeed quite vicious with his prey...

...the creature was terrified of thunder. Every time a thunderstorm rolled in, he would hide in a corner, roaring in fear.

’I was so excited I completely forgot about him for a second.’

Shaking his head helplessly, he temporarily put down the gun. After a glance at the ship moving toward him, he quickly walked over to Vajra’s side.

He reached out and patted the creature, making its body jolt.

A few moments of soothing were all it took to calm him down.

While Fang Chenyi was comforting Vajra, the distant transport ship had erupted in excitement.

This was all because of something Qi Xiaotian said after they heard the faint sound of gunfire!

"That’s gunfire, and it’s a handgun! Brother Fang had a Desert Eagle on him when he jumped from the plane!"

His words made it clear there was a very high probability that Fang Chenyi was on the indistinct island in the distance!

Hearing this, Bai Menghan immediately raised her high-powered binoculars and looked toward the island. However, the distance was simply too great, and with the constant glare reflecting off the sea, she couldn’t make out any details on the island at all.

"Ma’am, should we fire back in response?"

Bai Menghan thought for a moment, then nodded.

Seeing this, Qi Xiaotian took the assault rifle one of his men handed him and also fired a burst out over the sea.

RAT-TAT-TAT... TAT-TAT... TAT-TAT-TAT...

He fired the whole magazine in a very deliberate pattern, with about three seconds between each two-shot burst, ensuring the sound would be neither unclear nor easily missed.

Back on the island, Fang Chenyi, who had just finished calming Vajra, heard the faint rat-tat-tatting, and his heart pounded with even more excitement.

’Clearly, the people on the ship heard my gunshots and are responding.’

He wanted to fire again in response, but after glancing at Vajra, who was staring fearfully at the handgun, he shook his head and decided against it.

’They probably already know I’m here, so there’s no rush.’

He paced back and forth a couple of times, then looked at the distance again. It would take them at least an hour to get here.

He lifted his wrist to check his watch. It was already ten in the morning; in another hour, it would be noon.

Thinking of this, Fang Chenyi suddenly called out to Vajra beside him:

"Vajra! It’s your time to shine! Quick, go into the forest and get a couple of goats. We’re going to roast a whole goat in a bit!"

Hearing Fang Chenyi’s command, Vajra excitedly pounded his chest, then turned and plunged into the forest.

After Vajra left, Fang Chenyi didn’t stay idle. He turned and headed into the woods as well, returning shortly after with a large armful of dry branches.

After a flurry of activity, the black dot on the distant sea had grown much larger. But something puzzled Fang Chenyi: from its silhouette, it wasn’t his ship, the Ocean Harmony!

But he wasn’t dwelling on it. At this point, even if it wasn’t Qi Xiaotian and the others, what did it matter?

’Once I have a satellite phone, I just need to give them a call, and I’ll be rescued all the same.’

Just then, Vajra’s excited roars echoed from the forest.

With the sound, Vajra’s figure came into Fang Chenyi’s view.

The creature was currently running toward him, carrying a drab gray goat in each hand.

Arriving in front of Fang Chenyi, he tossed the goats at his feet with two thuds. His big face was filled with pride, and his eyes were fixed expectantly on Fang Chenyi, waiting for praise.

Seeing the creature’s eager expression, Fang Chenyi couldn’t help but be amused. He gave him a double thumbs-up and praised him for being so capable.

After receiving his praise, the creature grew even more excited, beating his chest with his arms, which resounded with loud THUMPS.

After a couple of thumps, he actually started helping Fang Chenyi gather branches, a rare initiative.

Fang Chenyi shook his head with a smile, then his gaze fell on the two goats at his feet. He scooped one up and walked toward the shore.

Another half an hour passed. By now, Fang Chenyi had skillfully butchered one goat and set it up on a spit over the fire, leaving Vajra in charge of turning it while he started on the other.

As for the ship he had estimated would arrive in an hour, it was still a considerable distance away. ’Looks like my estimate was off,’ he thought.

By the time both goats were on the spit, the transport ship finally appeared, just over a dozen nautical miles from the island.

Watching the transport ship draw closer, the figures on its deck becoming vaguely visible, Fang Chenyi found his hands, which were turning the goat, trembling uncontrollably.

One nautical mile, two nautical miles. Three minutes, five minutes.

Finally, he could roughly make out the faces of the people on deck.

And as the figures grew clearer, Fang Chenyi’s hands, without him realizing, had stopped moving.

On the deck was Bai Menghan. It was actually Bai Menghan! It was the person he had longed for day and night!

’How did Menghan get here?! Shouldn’t she be at home? Doesn’t she have her graduation exams these days? What is she doing here??’

PS: Thanks to brother ’Xiao Yao’ for the 588 book coin donation! To make it easier for all you brothers to read, Xiao Youzi will continue to merge two Chapters into one.