07.

Several minutes of grumbling and failed foraging later, he stumbled across a tree with low-hanging fruit. They were yellow and round, resembling mangoes.

"Oho, jackpot!" Lin Feng exclaimed, scrambling up the trunk with surprising agility. He grabbed the nearest fruit, sniffed it, then hesitated. "Wait, what if it's poisonous?"

He gave the fruit a long look. His stomach growled impatiently.

"Poison or hunger. Poison or hunger. Eh, I'd rather die full." He took a big bite.

The pulp tasted bland, almost watery, but edible enough. Lin Feng polished it off quickly, then grabbed two more. But by the time he finished his third, his stomach still felt as hollow as before.

"Three fruits! Three! And I'm still starving! What kind of cruel joke is this?!" He threw the last fruit's pit to the ground. "If you're gonna give me cheat powers, heavens, at least throw in unlimited food! Is that so much to ask?"

Lin Feng stomped forward aimlessly, muttering under his breath. His frustration boiling with every step, and his stomach continuously growling, not helping.

As the trees thinned out, something glimmering ahead caught his eye. A ray of sunlight shining on water, revealing a small pond nestled between the trees. His face lit up.

"Yes! Water! Maybe I can—" His voice trailed off as he approached. The surface rippled gently, shadows scrambling just below the surface. Fish.

Lin Feng grinned, clapping his hands together. "Alright, you little fillets, get ready. This guy's about to turn you into breakfast, lunch, and dinner!"

Without hesitation, he stripped down and dove into the pond. The cool water struck him like a slap, but his hunger drove him forward. The pond wasn't deep—you could stand in it—so it was easy for him to try catching fish by hand. He lunged at the nearest one, hands outstretched.

The fish scattered instantly.

"Hey! Come back here! I'm not that scary!" Lin Feng shouted, splashing after them. He tried again. And again. Each attempt ended with nothing but empty water and his mounting frustration.

After several failed dives, he finally staggered back to the shore, dripping wet and shivering. He glared at the pond as if it had insulted him personally.

"Alright, you little jerks," he growled, pointing accusingly at the water. "I don't care if I have to wrestle you one by one. You're going on the menu!"

Determined, Lin Feng grabbed a sturdy branch and quickly fashioned a crude spear. It wasn't elegant, but his hunger didn't care about aesthetics.

Standing at the water's edge, poised to strike, he muttered to himself, "You know, this wasn't how I pictured my new life. Big adventures, powerful enemies, endless glory—that's the dream! Not starving and fighting fish with a stick."

With a sharp jab, he thrust the spear into the water. Miss. He adjusted, aimed again, and stabbed harder. His feet slipped on the wet mud, and he tumbled headfirst into the pond with a loud splash.

Coughing and sputtering, Lin Feng dragged himself out, soaked and covered in muck. "Fine! You wanna play hard to get? Let's see how you like this!"

With a dramatic pose, he drew the Magnum revolver from his sash, aimed at the water, and pulled the trigger.

Multiple times.

BANG! BANG!

BANG! BANG!

BANG! BANG!

At least 10 times, maybe more. Confirming it again that he indeed has the cheat power of unlimited ammo. He kept pulling the trigger, unloading his frustration until his ears rang and his arm ached.

The deafening shots echoed through the forest. Ripples spread across the pond's surface, but the fish remained hidden.

Lin Feng blinked, lowering the revolver. "Wait. It doesn't work on fish?! You're kidding me! You'll kill wolves, but fish are too much?!"

He stared at the gun in disbelief, as if it had betrayed him. Then, just as he was about to curse the heavens, a faint red tint spread through the water. Slowly, several pieces of fish floated to the surface.

"FISH!" Lin Feng yelled triumphantly. His revolver had worked, albeit a little too well. The fish were in pieces, but at least they were dead.

Without wasting another second, he splashed into the pond, scooping up the mangled fish. He gave them a quick rinse and clean before tossing them into his iron pot.

With his spoils secured, Lin Feng turned his attention to the next task: cooking. He scanned the area for kindling or a decent spot to start a fire. His eyes roamed the clearing—and froze.

Just beyond the pond, the charred remains of the hut he'd burned the night before came into view.

"You've got to be joking," he groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I walked in circles?! Of course, I did. Of course."

The blackened wood and ash brought back the guilt of last night. Flames engulfing the hut, bodies of his sect brothers and sisters consumed in the fire, the wolves tearing into flesh—flashes of the haunting scene played in his mind.

Lin Feng sighed deeply, his shoulders slumping. He stared at the pond, his earlier triumph now soured. "You just had to pick this spot, didn't you?" he muttered, as if blaming the water itself. "Out of all the ponds in this cursed place, you had to be the one closest to... that."

But before he could sink further into guilt, his stomach growled, loud and insistent. The sound was enough to break his brooding, pulling him back to the present.

He shook his head, grabbed the pot, and muttered, "Fine. I'll eat first, feel sorry for myself later.

Lin Feng crouched near the pond, piling sticks and leaves into a crude fire pit. After several failed attempts, involving sparks flying everywhere except where they were needed, he finally managed to get a fire going.

"Ha! Take that, man vs wild!" He pumped his fist victoriously before eyeing the pot filled with chunks of mangled fish. "Alright, time for the man vs food."

Setting the pot over the fire, he poured in some pond water and plopped the fish pieces inside. The liquid hissed and bubbled as it heated. Lin Feng sniffed the rising steam and immediately grimaced.