Thankfully, the coconut shell used to hold bird eggs was still intact and placed aside, not knocked over. The weary Liu had to quickly cook a few more inside the fire. Right now, he really needed some nutrition to sustain his strength.
While hugging Guoguo, Liu couldn't help but turn his thoughts to this strange place. Why are there giant wolves that can breathe wind blades, and why does the little fellow in his arms, Guoguo, have the ability to exhale blasts of ice-cold wind? The more he thought, the more confused he became. Unable to make sense of it all, Liu decided to stop pondering. The pleasant aroma of bird eggs was of a far greater interest to him than these questions.
Let's wait for the moon to rise. Once the stars are in view, he could determine his position. Liu thought to himself.
After finishing the eggs, the exhausted Liu collapsed onto the straw bed beside the fire, too tired to maintain his post. He couldn't care less about any potential threat from the giant wolves. He thought, what's bound to come will come, let nature take its course.
He woke up in the middle of the night shivering from the cold. Fires were nearly extinguished, and nearly all the firewood was consumed. Even though his bed was sheltered behind the hillock, the whipping wind from the hilltop still chilled him to the bone. Seeing little Guoguo curled up in his arms, Liu caressed its little head with affection. The little fellow's big ears twitched, followed by a yawn. It turned over, exposing its big belly.
Liu covered the creature's exposed belly with a sock and caressed its head lightly. Under the cold starlight, the sight of the bloodstained sock and Guoguo's glossy golden fur added a touch of melancholy to Liu's heart.
He quietly got up and collected some twigs and dried thistle from the nearby tussock, reignited the fire.
This damned place... How good it would be to have a cigarette! Liu lamented sitting by the fire. Tomorrow, in any case, he promised himself, he would find some salt and make a crude shelter. He felt light-headed from the lack of salt, everything seemed fuzzy.
Under the distant twinkling stars, Liu squinted trying to identify a familiar constellation. He circled several times, but not a single star felt familiar least of all the Northern Star.
The gathering dark clouds dispersed and the moonlight shone on the dazed Liu.
Unbelievingly, Liu stared at the moon and shook his head. Is this actually the moon? Its huge oppressive presence and detailed craters were clearly visible from here. This moon was enormous, unlike anything he had ever seen. If the moon they watched was as big as a mooncake, the moon that lay in front of Liu was as large as a cauldron.
Is this still the world I once lived in? Liu, filled with unanswered questions, again drifted into an uneasy sleep.
When the first rays of sunlight hit Liu, Guoguo, already awake and active, pushed his sock blanket aside with his little paw. In an attempt to wake Liu, he started licking his face. The surprise instantly woke him up.
"Damn!" Liu quickly sat upright, panting heavily.
Guoguo let out a joyful squeal, and within a few seconds, it had climbed onto Liu's head. Liu stretched leisurely, flexing his muscles and feeling much stronger than the previous day despite his pain in the nose. Upon checking, he was relieved to find the wound from the previous day finally starting to scab over, dissuading his worry of dying from blood loss.
After covering the fire with soil ash, Liu practiced a set of military boxing moves. Feeling the swift recovery of his physical ability, he approvingly nodded. Copying Liu's moves, Guoguo jumped down from his head and mimicked Liu's punches and kicks with his little legs, making Liu laugh heartily. He found the little guy rather entertaining.
"Let's go, baby!" Liu picked up Guoguo, who was still practicing its "black tiger heart extraction" move, "Let's go and find some daily supplies."
The whale bone spear from yesterday was still lodged in the wolf's corpse. He felt the wolf's body which was now less rigid than the day before. Liu pulled out the bone spear and wiped the wolf's dung that clung onto the spear's tip.
A scout prefers to use short weapons. The modified whale bone short spear intrigued Liu. After observing the spear, satisfied, he took a simple wooden club from a nearby bush. He looked at himself and couldn't help but laugh – looking like a caveman from primitive times.
Liu made a shade with his hand and carefully explored the dense red willow forest at the opposite hill. The forest was more extensive and prominent than the one they passed by yesterday. Considering the alternating ground levels, apart from a few mounds in the distance, the red willow forest was the only landmark.
Prior to their departure, Liu climbed the mound to scout. He found their camping spot ideally positioned at the corner of the island, shielded from the front and right by shrubs, and blocked on the back by the mound, keeping the stinky sea breeze at bay.