Xia Chuan's body trembled slightly as he grabbed Shen Lan's wrist and turned to look at him expressionlessly. "Don't you have anything better to do?"

Shen Lan let out an "eh" sound and was about to say "Are you ticklish?" But when he raised his head and met Xia Chuan's gaze, he suddenly forgot what he was going to say.

He never paid much attention to people's looks. In his eyes, everyone just had two eyes and a nose, nothing special. Due to his poor eyesight, he had never really looked closely at anyone's features. As long as he could tell who was who, or rather, recognize the people he cared to remember, that was enough.

He found Xia Chuan particularly pleasing to the eye, half because every time he was near Xia Chuan, he felt a sense of comfort and compatibility, almost like a natural attraction between living beings, yet somewhat different. The other half was due to his fondness for Xia Chuan's personality and his neat, beautiful moves.

In any case... it had nothing to do with Xia Chuan's face.

But at that moment, perhaps it was Dennis's earlier teasing remark that enlightened Shen Lan's aesthetic sense, or maybe it was because Xia Chuan's water-soaked brows and eyes appeared darker and more distinct than usual. Shen Lan suddenly found him quite pleasing to look at. Forgetting his words, he simply blurted out what was on his mind. "You really are quite good-looking, much better looking than the others."

Xia Chuan: "..."

For a moment, his expression was truly priceless.

Shen Lan pondered for a bit and also belatedly realized that he seemed to have been too blunt. This brave man, who could streak naked with a righteous and unperturbed face, for the first time ever, felt a bit embarrassed.

He coughed awkwardly, lowered his eyes, and seriously used two fingers to hook out the dagger. He casually picked up another "tuber" from the ground and began earnestly peeling off the bumps on the surface, his gaze focused and exceptionally attentive.

His embarrassment made Xia Chuan feel both amused and inexplicably uncomfortable. He always preferred a quiet environment and was too lazy to speak. But if he didn't say something, the atmosphere between them felt a bit odd.

Fortunately, Shen Lan's movements were always brisk, and the blade of the dagger was swift. In just a few strokes, he had peeled a "tuber" smooth and round. Reddish with a hint of greenish-yellow, it looked a bit like a nectarine, much more visually appealing.

This man's memory was indeed appallingly poor. In the time it took to peel a "tuber," he had already tossed his earlier embarrassment ten thousand miles away. When he handed the "tuber" to Xia Chuan, he had a "hurry up and praise me" expression on his face, lifting his chin at Xia Chuan. "Here, eat it."

The bumpy appearance of the "tuber" was so bizarre that it was hard to forget even after peeling. Under normal circumstances, even if it had been processed, Xia Chuan might not have eaten it. But in the current situation, he took it without hesitation and bit into it without a word.

Having something to eat at this time was simply perfect. With his mouth occupied, he had a good reason not to talk.

Who knew that although this "tuber" looked a bit sorry, it was actually of high quality on the inside. Although it couldn't compare to real fruit, it had a crisp texture and a light, slightly sweet taste, with ample moisture, very thirst-quenching. It wasn't particularly delicious, but in their current predicament, it was indeed a rare treat.

Seeing Xia Chuan eating quite contentedly, Shen Lan picked up a few more pieces and lowered his head to start peeling off the bumps.

The atmosphere between the two of them was peculiar yet had a hint of stability, undisturbed by anyone.

Not far from them on the grass, the expressions on Dennis and the others' faces were getting more and more miserable, all because they had tasted the "river snails." The stimulating initial taste was one thing, and they could still endure it. But after getting past the initial burst of juice, what followed was a fishy smell that made it impossible to swallow.

It was so pungent that several people directly spit it out. But even after spitting it out, the fishy smell still lingered in their throats, truly unforgettable...

Just as everyone finally gave up on the "river snails" and collectively reached for the "tubers," Professor Linton and Laura, who had gone to check on Yaya and the others, returned with Allen trailing behind them like a tail.

"How is it?" Dennis had just picked up the "tubers" that had rolled far away. Seeing them approach, he pointed to his side and said, "Food, I saved your portions."

The two were both startled to see the sashimi, obviously not expecting to eat such normal food in a place like this. They weren't picky either. They sat down on the spot, each taking half a fish and starting to eat. Even little Allen was quite well-behaved.

"Yaya's wounds have all been treated. Actually, there aren't any major issues, just some abrasions and scratches. The reason it lay there for so long without moving was probably due to fatigue and lack of oxygen. Also, the branches and shrubs that scratched it likely had some toxicity, making its skin uncomfortable. Not fatal, but annoying like a mosquito buzzing around you."

As Dennis listened, he wiped the surface of a "tuber" with his hand and then took a bite, his cheeks bulging as he chewed.

After just a few chews, he suddenly looked down at the tuber in his hand, then slapped Professor Linton and pointed to the excessively ugly-looking "tuber," saying, "I remember someone mentioning earlier that this thing can detoxify! Land dinosaurs occasionally find and eat a few of these."

"Really?!" Laura tore off a piece of sashimi and was about to stuff it into Allen's mouth. Upon hearing this, she paused and looked up. "If this really has detoxifying effects, applying it to the dinosaurs over there might quickly soothe them. They might even be able to stand up and continue the journey, after all, their injuries don't affect their mobility."

Hearing this, Dennis stopped eating without a word and stuffed the half-eaten tuber into Laura's hand. "Donated, go try it."

Professor Linton casually picked up the two pieces next to him and also handed them to Laura. They hastily swallowed the fish meat allocated to them, heeded Dennis's advice not to touch the "river snail" meat, and after eating two more "tubers," they took Allen, the little follower, and went to find Yaya and the others again.

Leaving those few people aside, most people by the river had filled their stomachs and rested their legs, instantly feeling extremely satisfied.

But no matter how satisfied they were, they still had to continue on their journey. The world seemed like it couldn't hold on for much longer, and the unrelenting sense of oxygen deficiency was proof of that. And as long as they didn't get out, they couldn't rest easy. In this environment, even sleeping had become a luxury, because once you closed your eyes, you didn't know if you could open them again.

Just as Professor Linton and Laura returned again, their faces showing obvious relief and excitement, Dennis suddenly leaped up from the ground, staring at the screen of the oscilloscope in his hand, and shouted, "It's here!! Holy shit, it's finally here!"