Chapter 459 - 293: Ways to Find a Water Source

Chapter 459: Chapter 293: Ways to Find a Water Source

At the sight, Erica’s first instinct was to make a few sarcastic remarks.

But for some reason, when she saw the unconcealed exhaustion on Marcia’s face, the redness of her cheeks from the long trek, and the crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes that even her makeup couldn’t hide, the words died on her lips.

To be fair, hiking for three straight hours In the Forest and over several small hills was an extreme level of exertion for a middle-aged woman in her forties who regularly burned the midnight oil and rarely exercised. She had truly reached her limit.

’In fact, she had far surpassed her expectations.’

’She’d thought the woman would be crying uncle after an hour, but she’d somehow managed to push through for a full three hours.’

’Even her own calves were aching now.’

"Let’s rest for half an hour, then. It’s not good to keep moving for so long. Food is limited out here, and we still haven’t found a water source. Rationing our stamina is the most important thing."

Lin Chen knew Erica wasn’t the type to offer words of comfort, so he stepped in to smooth things over.

"Besides, it’s almost noon. We need to find a suitable place to spend the night before it gets dark."

"Even though this experience is only for three days, we still have to build a shelter. It’s an essential part of wilderness survival. The temperature here is high, and there will be mosquitoes and other insects. Without a shelter, we’ll get eaten alive."

"For someone trying wilderness survival for the first time, especially without a regular exercise routine, you’re already doing great, Lady Marcia. Don’t push yourself too hard. If you need to rest, just rest. There’s no prize money on the line, haha. No need to overdo it."

"Haha, you’re right. But I was the first one to qualify for this experience. If I do a terrible job, the footage won’t be any good, and it might turn a lot of people off. I don’t want to be the one holding everyone back."

Marcia leaned back against a tree trunk. Her lipstick-coated lips were starting to peel slightly; she looked incredibly thirsty.

"Erica, can you teach me how to find water?"

"Sure."

Erica gave a crisp nod and glanced around.

"If we had tools, there are plenty of ways to collect water with something as simple as a plastic bag. But since this is tool-less survival, we have to rely on nature’s own clues to find a water source."

"The first method is listening. We know we’ve been heading toward the coast. The closer you get to the ocean, the more abundant the water is. Plus, with all these mountains around, there are bound to be landforms like streams and waterfalls."

"This is when you need to quiet your mind and listen."

"Listen for what? The sound of water?" Marcia asked curiously.

"No, for the calls of birds and the chirping of insects."

Erica closed her eyes, tilting her head to listen for a moment. "Animals are smart; they build their habitats near water. You need to listen for the direction where the sounds of birds and insects are most concentrated. That’s where you’ll find water."

"But I don’t seem to hear anything at all."

"Correct. It’s nearly noon. Most insects are active at night. Birds are out during the day, but they’re mainly focused on foraging and fly all over the forest, so this method isn’t always reliable."

"In that case, we move on to the second method: looking for plants."

"Some plants have a natural ability to store water, like the Bamboo Tree and bamboo. Not every stalk will have water, but there’s a chance you’ll find one that has stored a large amount."

"Without a machete, bamboo is off the table for now. The Bamboo Tree is a tropical plant, and we’re not guaranteed to find one here, so that means we have to look on the ground."

"For what?"

"Ferns," Erica explained with rare patience. "Ferns usually only grow near a water source. If you can find them, head in the direction where they grow most densely, and you’ll most likely find water."

"The third method is to look at the ground. In some places, the soil will be a deeper, darker color. It’ll feel softer when you step on it and sink noticeably. That means the groundwater in the area is shallow, and you can probably dig down to it."

"There’s one last method: use the terrain. Water flows from high to low. But mountains get smaller the higher you go, and the visibility is better up high. So, the best approach is to traverse the mountain horizontally, somewhere above the halfway point. If you combine that with the other methods, you’re guaranteed to find water. The only question is how long it will take."

Lin Chen didn’t interrupt, listening quietly to Erica’s explanation. When she finished, he silently gave her a thumbs-up.

’As expected of a professional forest guide. When she got serious, her expertise really showed. She’d reeled off four ways to find water right off the top of her head.’

’If she’d had a plastic bag, she could probably have listed several more methods that use tools.’

Erica had given her the methods; now it was time for Marcia to put them into practice.

After a short rest of exactly half an hour, not a minute more or less, Marcia immediately got to her feet and started searching for water using the methods Erica had just described.

They were already halfway up a small hill. After quickly getting her bearings, Marcia began traversing the slope, following the contour of the mountain.

They walked for about another half hour.

Through gaps in the dense woods, they could already see the azure sea in the distance. Rows of waves shimmered under the midday sun, a breathtaking sight to behold.

Soon, Marcia spotted a few pale purple and green fiddlehead ferns in a patch of grass.

The moment she saw them, her eyes lit up. As if she’d found her life’s purpose, she immediately changed course and headed in the direction of the ferns.

After heading deeper for four or five minutes, the gentle sound of a trickling stream began to fill the forest.

When they reached the water source, they found it was a small waterfall, only about half a person wide.

Just as she, overjoyed, was about to rush forward and drink her fill, Erica suddenly spoke up.

"Don’t drink from here. Go upstream."

"Huh?"

Marcia, who had been about to rush forward, froze. "Why not?"

"The force of the waterfall carries down a lot of sand and silt. It could also be full of microorganisms and parasite eggs you can’t see with the naked eye. The safest place to drink is upstream, where the current is slower and the water is comparatively safer."

Marcia leaned over the edge of the stream for a look. The water was crystal clear, with almost no visible impurities.

If not for Erica’s explanation, she probably would have dropped to her hands and knees and drunk her fill.

She hadn’t had a drop to drink in the nearly four hours since the trip began. Her lips felt incredibly dry, so much so that even licking them did little to help, and her throat felt like it was about to start smoking.

Suppressing her thirst, she took a detour around to the top of the waterfall and walked a little further upstream. Only when Erica nodded did a look of relief finally wash over her face.

Tossing aside all pretense of decorum, she sprawled by the water’s edge and, like an animal, lowered her mouth to the surface and began to drink greedily.

Lin Chen held up a hand. "Ladies first."

Erica shot him a glare, then walked over and squatted by the stream, endlessly sipping small mouthfuls from her cupped hands.

As she drank, her gaze pierced the surface of the water, scanning the stream bed nearby to see if there was anything edible.

Just then, Marcia, who was sprawled by the stream, seemed to have had her fill. She pressed her hands firmly on the ground to push herself up.

Suddenly.

The soft, wet earth couldn’t bear the pressure. It gave way in an instant, before she had even managed to straighten her upper body.

Caught completely off guard, Marcia plunged headfirst into the stream. Icy droplets of water splashed onto Erica, who was not far away.

Watching Marcia struggle to her feet in the stream, looking like a drowned rat with her hair soaked through, Erica couldn’t hold it in and burst out laughing.

A blush crept up Marcia’s cheeks. She had been embarrassed, but when she saw the sweet smile blooming on Erica’s face, she started laughing too.

"Why didn’t you warn me not to sprawl by the water’s edge? You did that on purpose, didn’t you!"

"I didn’t realize the soil was so soft here either. Still, how come I’m fine? Must be a matter of luck. Or maybe you’re just too heavy."

She had been planning to stand up directly from her squat, but after seeing Marcia’s mishap, she immediately abandoned the idea and plopped backward onto the grass.

She pivoted around, moving her feet away from the stream’s edge before getting up again.

"How could you say something like that on camera? That’s so rude! I’m not fat, am I?"

At the word "heavy," Marcia’s expression flickered. She touched her stomach, looked from side to side, spun around twice, and then fixed her gaze on Lin Chen.

A corner of Lin Chen’s mouth twitched. He immediately started nodding his head like a chicken pecking at grain.

"Not at all! You have the figure of a TV model, how could you possibly be fat? She was just kidding. The bank collapsed because the soil was waterlogged. Your hands have a small surface area, so the ground couldn’t support the pressure. That’s why it gave way."

"It would’ve collapsed if she’d put her weight on it, too. Why else do you think she did that little maneuver just now? If you hadn’t gotten up when you did, she’d probably be the one sitting in the water right now."

’He wasn’t just spouting pleasantries, either. Erica’s mom was incredibly well-preserved. Seen from behind, she looked like a more mature version of Erica. Anyone would believe she was in her early thirties.’

’If the two of them stood side by side, they would look just like a pair of sisters. No one would ever guess they were mother and daughter at first glance.’

"So what if it did?"

Erica spread her hands. "I just didn’t want to get my clothes soaked on the first day. It’s awful having them stick to you all wet and gross. Unless... uh, never mind. It’s nothing."

Hmm?

Lin Chen’s eyebrows shot up. ’My keen radar is tingling.’

’She was about to make a dirty joke, wasn’t she?’

’Having become thoroughly familiar with her personality, Lin Chen was almost certain that if her mom hadn’t been there, she wouldn’t have stopped halfway.’

’She wouldn’t have just said it, she probably would have actually made a move to take off her jacket, or at the very least, bared a shoulder.’

As if he had caught her red-handed, Erica’s face flushed slightly and she shot him a fierce glare.

"What are you staring at? Are you going to drink or not? If you’re not, let’s go!"