The locusts that had escaped the inferno were mercilessly slaughtered under Hank Fowler's ruthless assault. Any stragglers met the same fate, leaving only the charred remains of those unfortunate enough to be caught in the blaze. A swarm that had numbered in the hundreds was reduced to nothing more than ashes and the occasional twitching limb, all thanks to Hank.

The entrenching tool, witnessing the carnage, couldn't help but comment, "Boss, you're a real butcher, you know that? How can you just slaughter so many living things? Doesn't your conscience hurt at all?"

Hank's face darkened. "I'm warning you for the last time," he growled, "If you don't shut your trap, I'm tossing you into a latrine!"

The entrenching tool immediately backed down. "Alright, alright, Boss! Just pretend I'm full of hot air. Don't mind me."

Hank snorted, ignoring the tool as he pulled up his status screen. After massacring hundreds of these overgrown grasshoppers, he was eager to see if he had finally leveled up. A transparent screen materialized before him, and he took a deep breath before scanning the information.

[

Survivalist: Hank Fowler

Area: Zone 10001

Level: 3

Experience: 1 / 400

Physique:

Strength: 8 + 20

Agility: 10 + 20

Defense: 5 + 20

Spirit: 11 + 20

Talent: Healing

]

"Level 3!" Hank exclaimed, a surge of excitement coursing through him.

Reaching level 3 had boosted all his base stats by 20 points. He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of power that was several times stronger than before.

"Haha!" Hank couldn't help but laugh in triumph.

"What's up, Boss?" The entrenching tool asked, bewildered.

"Nothing," Hank replied, quickly composing himself. It was time to clean up this mess.

Even though the locusts were burnt to a crisp, many were still edible, not quite charcoal yet. Food was scarce, and he wasn't about to waste perfectly good protein. After about ten minutes of scavenging, Hank had collected ten mostly intact locusts and decided to head back.

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Returning to his shelter, Hank stashed the locusts and the Magnifying Glass inside The Hut. He rested briefly before grabbing the entrenching tool and heading out again. Ten locusts were barely enough for one meal, so he planned to dig up some more clams.

Just as he opened the gate of Fency, he saw Luna Lovelace running towards him from a distance, her face etched with worry. "Hank!" she yelled.

"What's got you in such a panic?" Hank asked with a chuckle.

Luna caught her breath and urgently said, "Willow Frost has been poisoned! You need to help her!"

"Poisoned with what?" Hank asked, slightly taken aback.

"She was stung by a hornet," Luna replied, her eyes filled with concern.

Hank paused, then chuckled. "Just a hornet sting? What a drama queen. She'll be fine in a couple of days." He had no love for Willow Frost, and the news of her getting stung actually brought a smile to his face.

Luna hesitantly added, "But Willow's condition is really serious. If you don't help, she might actually die."

"Is that my problem?" Hank said dismissively. He and Willow weren't friends, nor were they on the same team. Her life or death had nothing to do with him.

Luna Lovelace was speechless. Hank's cold indifference was like a dagger to her heart, making her deeply uncomfortable. But then again, Hank wasn't part of their team, so he had no obligation to help. Besides, Willow had been pretty rude to Hank initially, so his reluctance was understandable. Still, she couldn't bear to watch Willow die. "Hank, please," she begged, "You can't just stand by and do nothing!"

Hank thought for a moment. "I'm a practical guy," he said. "I can help, but I need something in return."

Luna's eyes lit up. "We have a loaf of bread and a bottle of water. Is that enough?"

"That's it?" Hank scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. A loaf of bread and a bottle of water? Was he some kind of charity case? He felt insulted.

Luna glanced at Hank and said quietly, "Hank, we really don't have anything else to offer."

"Then let her fend for herself," Hank retorted, annoyed.

"What?" Luna was stunned. "We also have two treasure chests," she quickly added.

Hank's eyes flickered, but he kept his voice neutral. "You haven't opened them?"

"No," Luna shook her head.

"Why not?" Hank asked, curious.

Luna explained, "We found three chests. We opened one, and a hornet popped out. That's what stung Willow. Because of that, we're scared to open the other two."

"I see," Hank muttered, a faint smile playing on his lips. "If you give me those two chests, I might consider saving Willow."

Opening treasure chests was risky. Bad luck could even cost you your life, as Willow's misfortune clearly demonstrated. But Hank wasn't worried, thanks to his ability to communicate with objects. He could simply chat with the chests to find out what was inside. If even one of them contained useful supplies, it was a win.

Luna hesitated for a moment. "I can't make that decision," she said. "It's up to Zara." Zara Vance was their leader, so this was her call.

"Let's go ask her, then," Hank said, heading west.

His shelter was on the east side of the island, while Zara, Luna and Willow's was on the west, a few hundred meters away. After a few minutes of walking, three connected thatched huts came into view. This was their base.

Zara Vance was standing outside Fency, her brow furrowed with worry. When she saw Hank, her expression softened slightly. "Hank, you're finally here!"

"Heard Willow got stung by a hornet. How's she doing? Kicked the bucket yet?" Hank asked with a smirk.

"Uh..." Zara was taken aback. "She's still alive, but it's not looking good. Can you heal her?"

"I can, but I want those two treasure chests," Hank stated bluntly.

"At a time like this, you're still asking for payment?" Zara said, exasperated.

Hank chuckled coldly. "Do you expect to get treated at a hospital for free?"

Zara was rendered speechless. After a brief pause, she gritted her teeth and said, "Fine, you can have the chests, but you have to save her first!"