Chapter 11: Stinky Sheep

Steve and his companions returned to the shelter and found everyone gathered around the fire, chatting and busying themselves with various tasks.

"What are you guys doing?" Peng Peng asked curiously as he stepped forward and peered at what they were holding.

Chris smiled and said, "We're making torches for night fishing. Are you guys done with your work?"

Steve nodded. "Yeah, it's all set. I made a few simple traps to catch sand crabs."

As the name suggests, sand crabs are crabs that live on the beach. However, they're not just limited to the sand; they can be found all along the shoreline. They're small, not particularly tasty, and don't have much meat, so most people who live by the sea don't bother catching them.

Steve remembered that when he was a kid, there was a factory that used these crabs to make spicy crab snacks, and they were actually pretty good. But nowadays, they were rarely seen.

Even though sand crabs weren't the most valuable food source, in their current situation, anything edible was precious. If nothing else, they could be kept alive for later. If placed in a bottle with seawater and some sand, they could survive for about a week.

Chris smiled. "Sand crabs are good enough. We're surviving in the wilderness—we can't afford to waste any food. When things get really tough, forget crabs—even sandworms become a delicacy."

Hearing that, Steve's face turned slightly green. He quickly shook his head. "No way. I'd rather starve than eat sandworms."

As a fisherman, he knew exactly what sandworms were—creatures that looked like a cross between earthworms and centipedes, with a strong, fishy smell. They were incredibly disgusting.

Seeing Steve's reaction, Bai Xiaolu became curious. "What's a sandworm? Is it scary?"

Steve forced a smile. "You'll understand when you see one. It's not scary, just... unpleasant."

Bai Xiaolu's eyes gleamed mischievously, as if she was already plotting something. But she didn't press the question further.

While the others continued making torches, Steve wanted to help, but Kevin stopped him.

"Bro, take a break. You've been busy all day—diving for fish, cooking, setting up crab traps. You've already done more than enough. If I don't step up, I'll start feeling useless. Let me have my moment to shine. I mean, I'm a tough guy, too, you know?"

Jarvis chuckled. "That's right, man. Sit back and relax. Leave this to us."

Gu Limena and Zhang Xiaoai didn't say anything, but they quietly took the materials for making torches out of Steve's hands.

Steve chuckled. "It's fine, really. I just can't sit still. We're a team—there's no need to keep track of who does more or less. Those who can, do. It's not my fault I'm so outstanding! Hahaha!"

As Steve laughed, the live chat on Bai Xiaolu's stream was flooded with reactions.

"This guy's skin is thicker than three layers of armor."

"You know, after watching him all day, I have to admit—Steve's actually pretty cool. I think I misjudged him before."

"Same here. I thought he was just a useless pretty boy at first, but he's actually got skills."

"Wait, what happened? I just joined the stream. Who's this Steve guy? No, wait... should I call him a young handsome guy or an old handsome guy?"

"By the way, how old is he?"

"Steve was born in 2100, which makes him 25 this year. His ancestral home is in the Northeast, but he grew up in Guangdong. He moved to Beijing with his parents in high school and attended Beijing No. 14 High School. He was scouted as a trainee for Huaxing Entertainment but failed to debut after a talent show. He's appeared in TV dramas like Hua Qing Lu and A Hundred Worlds of Love, as well as several variety shows..."

"Whoa, hold up! He's the same age as Jarvis, and they went to the same high school? Is there a backstory here?"

"Wait, now that you mention it... That's interesting!"

"@JarvisFanClub @JarvisOfficialStudio."

Meanwhile, Steve remained unaware that his rising popularity had led to people digging up his past again.

"Ugh, shameless," Jarvis muttered with a smirk.

Steve curled his lips into a silent response.

Though the others couldn't hear him, Jarvis immediately understood what Steve had mouthed. His expression changed instantly, and his brows twitched in irritation. If they weren't on a live broadcast, he would've made Steve pay.

Because what Steve had just mouthed was: "Stinky sheep."

Jarvis's first instinct was to yank off his shoes and shove his foot into Steve's mouth. Then he'd ask, So, do my feet smell or not?

As the two exchanged playful glares, the people around them glanced at each other in surprise. Their interaction seemed... oddly personal.

Normally, unless two people were really close, they wouldn't act like that. But since no one knew their full history, the others just assumed they had worked together before.

After chatting around the fire for a while, Steve suddenly stood up and headed out. A few minutes later, he returned dragging a long bamboo pole that had washed up from the sea.

"What are you doing?" Gu Limena asked, watching him curiously.

Steve continued working with his hands as he replied, "Making crab clamps, so we don't get our hands pinched when catching crabs later."

Mina's eyes lit up. After hesitating for a moment, she asked shyly, "Could you make one for me too?"

She had heard that crab pinches were painful, and she wasn't eager to experience it firsthand.

"Of course," Steve agreed without hesitation. It wasn't difficult.

Besides, as the saying on the internet went: Who could resist Mina's puppy-dog eyes?

Bai Xiaolu, who had been standing nearby, immediately jumped in. "I want one too!"

Steve raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you even dare to catch crabs?"

Bai Xiaolu puffed up her chest. "Are you looking down on me? Just wait and see—I'll catch more crabs than you!"

"Alright, I'll hold you to that," Steve said with a smirk. He then turned to the group. "Anyone else?"

In the end, everyone except Chris—who claimed he didn't need one—and Jarvis, who was too competitive to admit he wanted help, requested a clamp.

And so, Steve took on a new task: making crab clamps.

These clamps were simple. They were just two bamboo strips about half a meter long, tied together at one end to function like tongs. If they had fresh bamboo, Steve could've roasted it over a fire to bend it into shape, but since the bamboo they found had been soaked in seawater and dried under the sun, he had to use rope to hold the strips together. A small wooden stick or stone was wedged between the strips to keep them apart.

It wasn't a tool for delicate work, but it was perfect for catching crabs.

After a while, Steve had finished making one for each person. Even though Jarvis hadn't asked for one, Steve still handed him one.

Jarvis looked at the clamp and curled his lips.

"I didn't say I wanted one."

Steve smirked. "I know."

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