Mark Watney brought a huge surprise.

Not only did his arrival mean a fresh supply of potatoes, but he also had the potential to improve life in David’s small village in countless ways. Modern tools, exquisite tableware, and comfortable clothing delighted David. But the real treat was the food stored at the Mars base—a selection of meals designed for astronauts. Mark showcased the options to David and Fording.

“Sweet and sour chicken, Hungarian goulash, pasta, toast, meatloaf, dried cheese apple…” Mark displayed the variety, all reheated and ready to enjoy.

“It looks good,” Fording said, eyeing the impressive spread. The taste remained a mystery, but the visual appeal was enough to whet his appetite.

David swallowed hard. It had been far too long since he’d tasted “modern” food. In this relatively primitive world, cooking was simple and rough, with scarce seasonings. After a year in this camp, casual meals had become the norm.

Even then, what they managed to create fell short of delicious. The options were limited, a far cry from the abundance of his past life where food choices were limitless.

David often imagined teaching these bumpkins from other worlds about the “majesty of being a foodie,” but the conditions here didn’t allow for such culinary exploration.

After a satisfying meal, Mark began contemplating what else he could bring to David and Fording. Anything he didn’t need at the base would be better off here, making life in the cold winter village more comfortable.

He planned to leave behind enough supplies at the base and wait until he could join the next group of astronauts before moving everything he could to David’s world.

With this plan in mind, Mark became the busiest person in Cold Winter Village. Besides tending to the potato fields daily, he shuffled items back and forth. He conducted numerous tests to determine what could be transported.

Both David and Fording only knew that those from other worlds, like Fording and Laura, could travel freely between the realms. However, the specifics of any restrictions remained unclear.

Through his various experiments, Mark confirmed that the items he carried could be transferred to David's world. Yet, he discovered a limitation: he couldn’t return with them, not even a cart he fully controlled. He even tried to drive the rover over, but it was futile.

Mark and Fording also identified another restriction: to leave Cold Winter Village, they needed to remain within a certain range centered on the village.

In practical terms, if Mark or Fording wanted to exit the village, they had to stay within that area. Only then could they think about returning to their own world smoothly.

However, venturing too far—like the edge of the Winter River or the northern forest—would leave them stranded if they tried to return to their realm.

This meant if Mark found himself far from the village and faced a wild beast, he couldn’t run back to Mars for safety. For this reason, Mark decided to stay close to the village and avoid wandering off alone, especially in the forest.

Fording had no such worries; his strength rendered him unconcerned for his safety.

After piecing all this together, Laura visited again. Once, she came to confide in David about losing her mentor, Elder Rose. After resolving the issues she faced on that island, she felt a sense of clarity.

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“Congratulations!”

“I won’t be around for a while. I’ll visit once I finish dealing with everything at home!”

Laura waved goodbye to David, Fording, and the unfamiliar Mark Watney as she left. This time, she kept all her weapons, boosting David’s weapon reserves significantly.

In the plot of this generation of stories, Laura and her companions had drifted to the island after a shipwreck. Over the course of four or five days, they faced numerous challenges. By the end, Laura transformed from a rookie archaeologist, fresh out of college, into a combat-ready adventurer. With the Holy Light protection David provided, her combat skills and effectiveness skyrocketed.

“It’s a pity I couldn’t participate myself,” David mused, regret weighing on him. He felt particularly disappointed now that he possessed greater strength than Laura.

In his free moments, he wondered if his abilities would evolve in the future. Would he have the chance to explore the various worlds he knew?

“That would be fun, right?”

Unfortunately, he could only wait for others to come to him.

But it wasn’t just Laura who had changed significantly in these few days. David’s life underwent a profound transformation, too: from a hopeless hunter to a rising little lord with a bright future.

He gained excellent archery skills and learned to wield the Holy Light, becoming a competent new priest. His physical fitness improved slightly, and he knew it would continue to develop over time.

According to Fording, David didn’t have to worry about injury from over-exertion. With the Holy Light’s protection, he could train intensely; as long as he stayed alive, the Holy Light would heal him, leaving no lasting damage.

With Fording’s assurance, David felt motivated to push himself physically. Every morning, he ventured into the northern forest with Fording to cut trees, hauling the processed wood back to the village for storage.

Mark had confirmed that transporting a large amount of resources at once was impossible, so they had to adjust their methods.

Even though Laura was willing to help, David knew it was best to choose nearby wood for convenience. If he asked her to haul bricks back and forth, she might fantasize about using a pickaxe on him.

So, he decided to ask Laura for glass windows, cement, and a small amount of metal—enough to make their cabin more airtight.

Along with cutting trees and stockpiling wood, David dedicated time every day to practicing archery, shooting firearms, and learning basic fighting skills from Fording.

During his free time, he often ventured to the forest’s edge to hunt, supplementing their quickly depleting meat supply. Meanwhile, Fording was busy learning English from Mark Watney. The two would usually spend their time fishing by the river, studying while they fished.

Fording realized that both Laura and Mark spoke English, making it essential for him to learn. At night, he practiced the lingua franca of their world with David.

Mark enjoyed being Fording's teacher and was curious to see if he could learn the Holy Light too.

Fording didn’t see anything wrong with that.

In Cold Winter Village, everyone had something to occupy their time. Their schedules were packed, but no one felt unhappy with this way of life.

With no entertainment options in their world, they couldn't simply lie down and bask in the sun after meals.

Now filled with motivation, David was diligently working on self-improvement. In just half a month, he transformed into what Fording called an excellent young priest.

The most important development in Lindong Village was that the potato field had successfully sprouted tender seedlings. David's heart soared at the sight of the green shoots emerging from the ground.

Even Mark, who had long believed in his ability to grow potatoes, felt joy. Once they stockpiled enough potatoes, their lives would improve. Even if he could never return to Earth, he could choose to live in this world.

Just when everyone felt hopeful about the future, Laura returned with more surprises.

“Guys, I’m back!” Laura greeted them, wearing a black jacket and jeans. “I missed you all, even though it’s only been half a month!”

“...” David held back his complaints, embracing Laura before asking, “Did you manage to deal with everything?”

“Yes!” Laura nodded, but her expression turned a bit somber.

This adventure had given her so much, turning her into a capable archaeologist and adventurer while costing her several partners, including her mentor, Ross.

But the past was behind her; grief wouldn’t bring back the dead. With her mindset adjusted, Laura was looking toward the future.

For instance, she was eager to study David’s world.

“Before anything else, we should improve the residence,” Laura said, glancing at the large pile of wood. “I can help with that.”