"Holy crap, he actually understands us!"

"Could he really be a god?"

"Bullshit, a cult leader at best."

"Exactly, the guy's only level 1. What kind of weak-ass god is that?"

The ten seeds chimed in, voicing their opinions.

Hank Fowler cleared his throat. "Alright, folks, that's enough. Let me get you settled in your little dirt pits first. You can chat all you want later."

"Hold up, you haven't watered us yet. How are we supposed to take root and sprout without water?" one seed piped up.

Hank rubbed his nose. "How much water does one pit need?"

"About a third of a bottle of mineral water," another seed helpfully offered.

"That much?" Hank's brow furrowed.

One-third of a bottle per pit? That meant over three bottles for all ten pits. That was a significant chunk of his water supply.

"We just need this one drink, don't be so stingy."

"After you water us, we can sprout by tomorrow morning. The faster we mature, the sooner you'll reap the rewards. Surely you can figure that out."

"We're worth the investment, so stop hesitating."

"Fine," Hank nodded. He opened his backpack, pulled out three bottles of mineral water, and licked his slightly parched lips, muttering, "I haven't even had a sip of water myself, and I have to water you guys first. If you don't show me something amazing tomorrow, I'll kill you all!"

"Don't worry, we won't disappoint you!"

"Stop being such a wuss and get on with it!"

"I'm dying of thirst here, hurry up!"

Hank gritted his teeth, uncapped the water bottles, and started watering the pits one by one.

Soon, three bottles of mineral water were gone.

He had watered nine pits, leaving one still dry.

Hank grabbed an empty bottle, went into Thatchy, filled it with water, and returned. He then tilted his head back and chugged it down.

Gulp! Gulp!

In just a few gulps, he downed two-thirds of the bottle.

"Ah, refreshing!" Hank wiped his mouth and let out a satisfied laugh.

"Human, are you seriously drinking water right in front of us? Do you have any consideration for our feelings?"

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"That's too much!"

"Where's your humanity?"

The seeds started to complain.

"Here you go!" Hank chuckled, pouring the remaining water into the tenth pit.

Then, he placed each of the ten seeds into their respective pits.

After that, he started backfilling the soil.

Soon, all ten pits were covered with a layer of dirt.

The pits immediately filled with the seeds' cheerful voices.

"So comfortable!"

"I feel like I'm back in my mother's embrace."

"Brothers! Let's absorb nutrients quickly and grow strong!"

"Grow, grow, grow... Grow up!"

"Low-key development, don't show off!"

Hank paused for a moment, listening, then grabbed the entrenching tool and headed out.

The shelter was built, the seeds were planted, and the next step was to collect thatch.

........

Leaving the shelter, Hank headed straight for the eastern side of the island.

During his previous exploration, he had discovered a large patch of thatch growing there.

The thatch grew thick and tall, with each stalk reaching a height of 6'8" (2 meters).

If he could gather all of this thatch, he could craft things like tables, chairs, and beds, and Thatchy would become even more sturdy.

Just thinking about it filled Hank with renewed energy, and he picked up his pace.

But just as he was about to reach the thatch field, he suddenly spotted two beetles next to a large rock.

The two beetles were jet black, their bodies covered in a hard exoskeleton. The surface of their shells shimmered faintly, as if they were carved from obsidian.

They weren't large, only a couple of inches long, but they gave off a sturdy and imposing vibe.

Their heads were relatively small and cone-shaped, with two bulging eyes.

At that moment, the two bugs were huddled together.

One in front, one behind.

"What kind of beetles are these?"

Hank observed them with great interest.

He had never seen this type of beetle before, and his curiosity was piqued.

"Honey, stop, there's a human watching us!"

"What a buzzkill!"

"Honey, let's go somewhere else. It's embarrassing being watched like this!"

"No way, I'm on the verge of climaxing, and I can't control myself anymore. Don't worry about him. If he wants to watch, let him watch. He can witness my virility!"

"But he's so big, hundreds of times bigger than us. And his eyes... they don't look friendly. What if he wants to kill us?"

"Don't worry. During mating season, my body produces a deadly toxin! One bite from me, and not only would a weak human like him be done for, but even a gorilla would meet its end."

"Wow! Honey, you're so amazing!"

"Just wait, I'll show you my true power in a minute!"

Hearing that the beetle was poisonous, Hank got a fright and quickly took a few steps back.

He now understood what the two beetles were doing.

Spring had sprung, nature was awakening, and it was mating season once again...

It was natural to do this kind of thing, following the laws of nature.

But couldn't they have found a more secluded spot?

Did they have to do it out in the open?

Did they have no consideration for others?

"No manners at all!" Hank muttered and turned to leave.

But before he could take more than a few steps, he heard the beetles' voices again.

"Honey, the human's leaving!"

"I told you, he looks tough, but he's all bark and no bite. Just a small fry. He must have been scared off by my awesomeness!"

"Honey, you're so mighty!"

"Hahaha..."

Hearing this, Hank abruptly stopped, his face darkening.

All bark and no bite?

A small fry?

Was that how he looked in the eyes of that male beetle?

This was an insult he couldn't stand for!

Hank swiftly grabbed a large rock from the ground and strode back.

"Honey, it's bad, that human's back!" the female beetle panicked.

"Damn it! He dares to come back and disturb my fun! I'll poison him in a minute!" the male beetle growled.

"You won't get the chance!" Hank sneered, raising the rock and smashing it down on the two beetles.

The two beetles, caught completely off guard, had no time to react. They could only watch as a huge shadow loomed over them.

Thud!

The rock landed squarely on the two beetles.

"Ah.."

"Ah!"

With two agonizing screams, the two beetles were smashed into a pulp, deader than dead.

"On this island, I'm the boss. Anyone who messes with me gets it!" Hank snorted, his gaze drifting to the male beetle's corpse.

This thing was poisonous. Even as a corpse, it might still be useful.