novelraw Chapter 209: Landing on the Island
Chapter 209: Landing on the Island
After a hearty meal, Leon and Willy lounged to the side, lazily burping in satisfaction, while Gus—having finished his far smaller portion of pan-fried cod—lay down with a look of utter defeat on his face.
“This might be my last trip out to sea in my entire life.”
“Still not used to it?” Willy teased him.
“I don’t know. Right now, it feels like I’ve been tossed into the drum of a washing machine,” Gus muttered, describing his misery.
“Then get some sleep. We’ll try to spend the night on the island,” Willy said, beginning to haul up the boat’s anchor and start the engine.
Leon busied himself clearing the table before finding a spot to sit down as well.
An hour later, Leon noticed the direction Willy was steering in and saw the silhouette of an island coming into view. He immediately walked over to Willy and asked, “We’re there?”
“Mm.” Willy glanced at the directional compass, which had begun to circle. “But it’s too dark to see where we can land. We’ll have to take the lifeboat.”
“Where is it? I’ll get it ready,” Leon offered without hesitation.
“Leave it to me. Just help me drop anchor,” Willy said, shaking his head. He steered the fishing boat close to the island and began his preparations.Once Leon had set the anchor, Willy had already finished inflating the lifeboat.
“Help Gus onto the boat. I’ll bring some supplies, just in case we can’t find anything on the island,” Willy instructed as he pushed the lifeboat into the water.
Leon hoisted Gus over one shoulder and jumped onto the boat in one motion. The sudden shift nearly tipped the lifeboat, but Willy, holding onto the rope, kept it steady.
With Gus settled, Leon and Willy loaded fresh water and canned food aboard. Once they were ready, Willy grabbed the paddles, and together they rowed toward the shore.
They landed on a wide, open beach—an easy approach. Gus, who had been half-dead moments earlier, suddenly looked revived.
“Nothing beats solid ground,” he sighed with relief, helping to move supplies ashore.
Leon and Willy simply chuckled and began setting up a temporary camp.
Entering the island’s interior at night would be far too dangerous, so the three decided to spend the night on the beach. If it weren’t for worries about Gus’s condition, Leon and Willy would have stayed on the boat instead.
They built a simple campfire. Willy spread out large palm fronds beside it to serve as bedding. Gus gathered firewood, while Leon—armed with his Galaxy Watermelon Knife—circled the area to check for danger. Only after confirming the coast was clear did he return.
“You two rest first. I’ll take the first watch,” Leon said.
“I’ll do first watch. I’ve been sleeping on the boat all day,” Gus volunteered, raising his hand. “If anything happens, I’ll call you right away. You rest, Leon. I’ll wake you for the second half.”
“Alright.” Leon didn’t refuse and lay down on the palm leaves. Better to get some rest now and be alert later.
Once Leon was asleep, Gus whispered to Willy, “We don’t know much about this island. Unless something urgent happens, let him sleep through the night. That way, he’ll have full strength tomorrow. I’ll take the first half, you the second?”
“No problem. I was thinking the same.”
“Good. Then it’s settled.”
“Alright, I’ll get some sleep. Wake me when it’s time.”
After that brief exchange, Willy lay down, leaving Gus alone by the fire, listening to the waves and watching the night sky.
When Leon opened his eyes again, a faint glow was visible over the sea. He turned to see Willy adding wood to the fire and frowned. “Weren’t you supposed to wake me for the second half?”
“Hahaha, I got up early, so I just took over. There wasn’t any trouble, so I figured I’d let you sleep longer,” Willy said with a laugh.
Leon didn’t press the issue. After stretching, he asked, “Will that compass take us straight to the treasure?”
“No, we’ll have to find it ourselves. But from the boat I could see the island isn’t too big. Shouldn’t take long,” Willy explained.
“Alright. Get some rest. Once it’s fully light, we’ll head out,” Leon said, shooing him toward Gus.
Willy didn’t argue and lay down beside Gus, while Leon wandered the nearby area.
The beach wasn’t large and was bordered by dense low vegetation. Through it, he could barely make out an overgrown trail, once carved out by human hands but now tangled with weeds and vines.
Still, Leon didn’t enter. With Gus and Willy still resting, he decided to pass the time by fishing. But whether the water was too shallow or the fish had simply moved on, his line stayed empty. By the time Gus and Willy woke and the sun had brightened the sea, Leon hadn’t caught a single thing. Embarrassed, he packed up his rod.
Breakfast was simple—canned goods warmed beside the fire. One can of fruit, one of corn. Nothing fancy, but filling enough.
Once fed, the three headed inland. Leon led the way, Galaxy Watermelon Knife extended to a length of one and a half meters. He could easily handle even a three-meter form now, but one and a half meters was more than enough for most situations.
The island seemed devoid of wildlife. Apart from lush greenery, there was no sign of other creatures. They reached the island’s center without a single incident, which put Leon at ease.
At the heart of the island stood a loose grove of palm trees. In the middle of a shallow depression lay a small pond filled with rainwater, but nothing else of note.
“Should we split up to search?” Willy suggested. “From here, we’ve got three directions to choose from. If anyone finds it, just call out.”
“I don’t recommend it,” Leon said firmly. “Even without danger so far, I don’t want you two moving around alone.”
“Then we keep searching together,” Gus agreed.
“Right,” Leon said with a nod, and the three of them headed deeper into the palm grove.
If you’re enjoying the story, please consider subscribing to me on (www./RomayStories). Your support helps me dedicate more time to creating smooth, high-quality translations for you.