Chapter 4: Survival (3)

Chapter 4: Survival (3)

Humans are both resilient and fragile beings. Like any other animal, but unlike any other, humans are inherently contradictory.

In terms of physical strength, humans are weaker compared to other animals, yet their endurance surpasses many. Along with this endurance and the ability to utilize tools, humans have become the apex predators in the food chain.

However, this achievement is only possible when humans come together as a collective. As individuals, humans are feeble. In the wild, there are few animals that can be overcome barehanded. If bitten by a dog, it could be the end.

Thats why hunting alone is incredibly difficult, and its challenging to reap the benefits of low calorie consumption. You have to do something, anything, to acquire calories and store energy.

Crunch!

Euch!

In that sense, I ate a bug. A white bug found inside a decaying tree. The moment I chewed it, an indescribable disgust filled my mouth, but the scent of soil seemed oddly pleasant.

Gnash- gnash- grind

I persisted as much as I could, moving my jaw. I could vividly feel the impression of my face contorting.

In the Soul World, the combat system may be trash, but it boasts high freedom. If there was no food, even bugs could be eaten. However, one must be cautious as some bugs carry poison. Well, being a nerd, I know which ones are poisonous.

If I hadnt ended up in this forest, this information wouldnt have been useful. In various ways, it sucks.

Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!

It has such a repugnant taste that it makes me gag. I forced myself to swallow it as bile rose in my throat, barely enduring it. Somehow, even the characters seemed to have a similar reaction when eaten raw. It was an unnecessary dose of reality.

Perhaps it would be better if I grilled it over a fire. However, my left arm was in such a state that I had no choice. At least until my arm recovers, I have no other option but to eat it raw. But I cant bring myself to eat an animal carcass raw, now can I?

Of course, in the worst-case scenario, I would have to eat it. I just hope it doesnt come to a situation where I have to suck out the marrow like a primitive person.

Ugh Ugh

This time, a strange, unpleasant smell filled my nostrils. Every time I breathed through my nose, it felt like I would throw up.

The problem is that one insect is not enough. To endure until my arm heals, I need a few more.

I learned this from Bear Grylls himself. Its fortunate that I watched his documentaries frequently.

Oh, just in case youre wondering, I cant eat the fruit. Most of the time, it could cause diarrhea when consumed.

At least there are edible things growing on trees Sigh.

The silver lining amidst misfortune is that there is water nearby, a source of sustenance. There is a small stream flowing, and seeing minnows swimming in it indicates that the water is safe to drink.

If a person doesnt eat for three weeks, they will die, and if they dont drink water for three days, they will die.

What I desperately needed was water, and now I could finally let out a sigh of relief.

The problem is that all sorts of animals will come rushing to drink that water.

Perhaps Porori might come too. I heard that many stagnant waters went to the riverside to hunt the Pororis.

If that happens, I plan to run away without looking back. I am at the very bottom of the food chain as a human.

It could be considered lucky that I managed to defeat a starving wolf. If there were no branches or rocks nearby, I would have died right there.

I have to hold on until my arm recovers.

The top priority was the recovery of my arm. My range of activity would expand once my arm recovers.

But even that is not certain, as my arm could deteriorate due to infection before that.

In the meantime, it would be nice if someone luckily found me, but upon further thought, its not a very realistic expectation.

If the pororis are present here, it means this place is deep in the wilderness. It would be a suicidal situation to enter here without any protection.

In other words, the chances of me escaping from here are significantly low. I might have to choose not living, but staying alive.

Oh well, maybe I can leave before that.

I just need to adapt a little. Even Bear Grylls himself didnt just survive and escaped without adapting.

Even eating insects now is to meet the minimum requirements for survival. I heard they are rich in protein.

This is only the minimum. Unless I go hunting or fishing, its impossible to eat until Im full.

At the very least, if my arm were fine

Its a pity that I cant even try eating the starved wolf I caught yesterday. Once the smell inside my mouth almost disappeared, I started moving my feet.

For now, I have no choice but to sustain myself with insects. I estimate it will take at least a month for my arm to fully recover.

Damn it!

As if it were a lie, I completely adapted to this forest.

Damn it(Fucking dick).

Losing my language ability was just an additional setback.

******

One can think of the untouched wilderness as a true survival of the fittest. The weak disappear, and only the strong can benefit from the environment.

However, even that statement is wrong. It is true that the strong prey on the weak. So what is the standard of the strong? Is it the physically strong or the intellectually sharp?

At least in developed civilizations, it would be like that. If one excels in either aspect, they are likely to stand out. However, the wilderness is different. Just as the environment itself is different, there is only one way to become the strongest in the wilderness.

Surviving.

Crack!

Groooowl- Roar!

A black bear with a massive body collapsed, causing the ground to tremble. A stone axe was firmly lodged in the bears jaw, just like a chopping axe for firewood.

Pluck-

As I retrieved the crude stone axe, a sticky sound could be heard. The sensation transmitted through my hands completely. Now it wasnt even unpleasant. I was just glad to have enough food to last me a few days.

Skinning might be a bit bothersome, but its a reliable source. Who cares if it stains the cave floor?

Hmm. Damn(Good).

With one hand, I dragged the bear along. There will be traces, but I dont mind. The stronger the scent of the recent predator that roamed this area, the more advantageous it is for me.

Ordinary predators didnt even have a reason to come here, let alone could approach. If they do, then Ill find somewhere else.

Sshhk-

Suddenly, a sound reached my ears. I ignored it and kept dragging the bear. Theres no need to disturb anything if its just observing. Ive already secured an ample food supply. Of course, there are hardly any creatures in the wild that couldnt make rational judgments. Especially if they perceive me as a threat.

Shaaah!

Now its so familiar that its getting boring. I quietly raised my arm. In the past, I would have been scared and cowered. But not anymore.

Grab!

I accurately grabbed the head of the snake that was rushing at me like an arrow from the tree. I paused for a moment and stared at the snake.

The snake wriggled, with its head firmly in my grasp. The fangs inside its wide-open mouth are threatening.

Puck!

Ah, I should have aimed a bit higher. I hastily caught it, and the damn fangs pierced my skin.

However, the snake couldnt pierce through my skin, and even if it did, I wouldnt be poisoned. After being poisoned by so many toxins, Im immune to most of them. In the process, my skin has become tougher too.

Of course, its not necessarily a good thing. Poison and medicine are just a thin line apart, and Im not good at distinguishing herbs either.

I thought the concept of invulnerability to all poisons from martial arts novels would be great, but that turned out to be false. Maybe theres something strange about my body.

Crunch!

Well, at least I got a snack. I bit off the snakes head and spat it out on the ground.

Perhaps due to its unique characteristics, even with its head torn off, the snakes body writhed and squirmed. Its truly a disgusting creature, no matter how you see it.

Drip-drip-drip-

However, now its snack time for me. I continued on my way, munching on the snake like jelly. Since I also caught a bear, it was a feast.

The truth is, this bear is pitiful. It was a result of foolishly wandering off and meeting an unfortunate end.

But what can I do? Its his fault for stepping in the wrong place. In the wild, only the strong survive.

In the end, this bear is nothing but the weak.

Damn(Im hungry).

And I survived another day.

Life sucks.