'The whole goal here is to survive… The reason why I can't stay here is because first and foremost, we need to escape due to the eventual lack of food that is inevitable. Even in this cave where there might be an abundance of food, with the number of people, it will eventually run out in no time. Not only that but considering that this cave is an enclosed space, I'd run out of oxygen as well...'
This troubled me. 'So that's why I choose to face the difficult choice. No, there's no choice to begin with. I have to go back to the town!'
"Choice, choice… If only I had something like tha- Wait! I do! In life, there is always a choice to make!' A certain piece of wisdom that I had gained back on Earth resurfaced inside my mind.
'Life isn't just black and white, or two sides of the same coin! Everything in my life so far has been choices of my own, which the consequences of I can also choose to be responsible for or not, to choose, and to make a choice again and again! Just a minute ago I was limiting myself whether to go out or not, which limited me to only one outcome, a high probability of dying. I failed to consider that I have the choice to prevent that! To increase my chances of survival!'
I immediately stood back up after having come to a conclusion, an enlightenment. I knew what to do. Although preparing to increase my chances of survival is a good choice, I still had my doubts of course. But I did not falter. I embraced this choice and prepared my mind for the consequences.
"Leader, where are you going?" A follower who wasn't too far from me asked when he saw me walking in a random direction.
"Tell the others to gather food. I will do so too. Gather a lot, the insects can be killed, all of them, and can be brought here. I'll be back." I told him before continuing my walk towards the way down.
…
It didn't take long before everyone was gathered back near the teleportation circle. I guessed it had taken me around an hour or less to gather enough rations of food, the most time-consuming thing being the way up.
We didn't gather much, just a handful. There were no bowls or any other objects to contain the bugs this time. But I did come up with a solution to this. This is why I had initially told that one follower to tell the others to kill and gather their catch near the teleportation circle.
"Those of you who have unnecessary clothing, strip them off." I announced.
What I meant was their shirt. Those who wore one, including the girls, needed to remove them so I could use them to make the necessary containment. As for why I didn't let my followers remove their pants, and why I never removed mine either, that's because the pants are essential for protecting the genital, which is sensitive. It is a weak spot that needs to have a decent amount of protection at the least…
'Good… The breasts are all similar in size to mine. Their combat potential won't be limited then, and neither would the girls need to have something to tighten their breasts in place. The clothes can be used without waste.'
Ignoring gender boundaries as I wasn't someone to get entranced and easily controlled by sexual impulses, I immediately went and collected all of the clothes to create something of a bag to store the dead insects in. I gave everyone their clothes back when I was finished. Instead of it being clothes for them to wear back on though, this time it functioned as a simple self-made bag for rations.
"Alright. Listen well… After I go through this teleportation circle, one of you with that bag will come next. Following after is Sutow, and then another with a bag. Brolee can come next, and after the person with a bag goes after Brolee, another capable fighter can come with the same setup of a strong or capable person followed by a person that holds a bag with rations." Was my instructions to my followers after everything had been prepared and I was ready to go back to the town.
"Sutow, Brolee, and the rest of you. Don't forget to hold on to that food in your hands. Eat it immediately after getting injured. We do not know what might occur once we go back to the town. Ready your hearts." I said and gave everyone some time to adjust mentally before activating the teleporter and disappearing soon after.
My heart was ready. Within the darkness, I mentally prepared myself for immediate action, as I was aware that someone in the town would be able to see me first before I would see them. That's how the teleporter worked.
To be met with darkness which'll slowly change to the sight of the destination. The destination was the town and it can be said to be a dangerous dead end for me. It would have been better if I could walk towards this danger zone rather than suddenly appear with no knowledge or hints of a danger that might happen the very next second.
My eyes moved around wildly the moment my surroundings started clearing up. I was on high alert, anticipating a sword coming for my neck at any given moment.
Contrary to my expectations, I didn't see anything resembling an attack in front of me. I was not convinced that there might not be enemies within hand reach, so I quickly turned my body to prevent myself from the possibility of getting stabbed in the back.
But, there was nothing behind me either. Within the five-meter radius that I could see clear enough in, there seemed to be no danger.
I exhaled, relaxing my muscles a little. 'No close proximity ambush…' I noted inside my mind.