Chapter 185: Building Civilization From Scratch
As soon as Su-Jin came down the stairs dressed in attire that she felt was appropriate for camping in the tropics, Alex smiled. Just like her younger sister, Su-Jin was the true definition of a Korean Beauty, and Alex always enjoyed spending time with his two stepsisters.
Unlike Min-Ah, who had a more passive personality, Su-Jin was far more strong willed when dealing with Alex, and refused to accept his hand when he offered it to her. Partially because she was angry with the man for being so enamored with her little sister instead of her. And partially because she didn’t want Alex to think she was some kind of damsel in distress. Even if she, like Min-Ah, had absolutely zero experience in the wilderness.
This face lasted just long enough for Alex to lead Su-Jin into the wilderness, where they accidentally stumbled upon a snake. The snake wasn’t venomous in any way, as such creatures did not exist on this island. But Su-Jin shrieked like a little girl when she saw the creature and jumped into Alex’s arms for protection.
“Alex! Shoot it!”
Alex laughed and petted the young woman’s silky black hair, while assuring her that the snake was harmless.
“Oh what? My big, strong older sister is scared of a little old sunbeam snake? Relax Su-Jin, it’s non-venomous. Besides, even it won’t try to hurt you unless you fuck with it. So let’s just leave it be, and move on…”
Knowing that she had freaked out over literally nothing, Su-Jin pouted and tore herself away from her younger stepbrother’s grasp, who wore a smug smile on his face as he laughed at her childishness. The two of them would walk towards the campsite that Alex had established with Min-Ah the day before with little difficulty from there on out.
Eventually, after the couple arrived at the little cove, where the waterfall fell into a crystal blue body of water that led into the local river system. Su-Jin’s eyes opened wide as she gazed upon the beauty of nature. Something that mankind could never truly replicate with its modern technology.
“Thank you, Alex… This place is really beautiful, and I never would have seen something like this without you to guide me…”
Alex responded to this comment by shamelessly wrapped his arm around the girl’s shoulder and dragging her in close so he could kiss her forehead. After which he smiled before assuring her that there was no need for such thanks.
“I’m just performing my natural role as your man. It’s my job to protect you and show you things like this. Besides, I wouldn’t be thanking me yet. We have a lot of work to do.”
For the second journey to this campsite, Alex had packed more things, such as a small entrenching tool and some other tools which could be used to help build a better, more comfortable, and more long-term shelter in this secluded environment.
Alex did not even bother hunting for the first part of the day. He simply started a fire and gave Su-Jin the same job he had given Min-Ah. After a little effort, the more extroverted of the two sisters were able to quickly grasp her role in maintaining the fire and purifying water.
Meanwhile, Alex had gotten to task digging with his entrenching tool. What exactly was he digging? Well, Su-Jin didn’t know the answer, but he was digging in a far more ideal location for a shelter than he had done with his basic a-frame shelter, which still stood proudly by the wayside.
If one were to ask him why he was digging, he would not actually answer you, instead he sang the theme song to an old movie about digging holes, one that definitely predated the era he was supposed to have grown up in during this life, but was a childhood staple of his during his past life.
Su-Jin simply smiled as she was waiting for the water to boil in the pot, and instead recorded Alex as he used his entrenching tool do dig a small pit. Despite the entrenching tool being much smaller than a normal shovel, it was robust as could be. Having been a replica of those used by WWI German Soldiers.
Thus, Alex was actually able to make some great progress. And it was only after lunch time arrived, did he return his attention to Su-Jin as he broke out some MREs to eat. He had come prepared with prepackaged food, but his reasoning this time was to get some actual work done on a superior shelter, and some other things that were necessary for “primitive living”
After making the MREs and sharing them with Su-Jin, Alex got back to work on a multitude of projects. He had finished the digging aspect of his shelter and had instead moved onto building something else entirely.
It was not until the sun had begun to set that Alex finished with several of his projects, which revealed a large clay oven for properly cooking food, a large kiln, for making both pottery and clay in general, and a charcoal mound, which was used to well… make charcoal.
He had gone out of his way to create these things in an area that was away from the shelter he intended to build, and had stunned Su-Jin once more with his creations, who couldn’t help but ask where Alex had learned these things.
“Alex… Where exactly did you learn how to build these things?”
Alex simply smirked as he answered the girl’s question with a smug smile on his face.
“There is a lot of useful information on the internet. I just so happen to spend my time on the internet more wisely than most… Alright, with this, we’ll be able to create some proper bowls, bricks if need be, but more importantly, I will soon be able to make the concrete foundation for my new home…”
After saying this, Alex washed off his hands in the body of water beneath the waterfall, before heading off into the wilderness alone with only a wooden spear to keep him company, which he had carved earlier in the day.
Su-Jin called out to Alex, not knowing where he was going or when he would be back. But it was no use. He was already out of earshot.
“Wait, Alex! You’re not going to leave me here alone are you!?!”
It took Alex another two hours to return, and by then the sun had long since set. Su-Jin had started to become worried until Alex emerged from the dense tropical island jungle with a massive boar hung over his back. There was a wicked grin on Alex’s face, and pig blood all over him, but he immediately set the boar down and began to butcher it while bragging about his hunt.
“This little fucker put up a hell of a fight. But he was not a match for me!”
Su-Jin stared at her little stepbrother in disbelief. The pig was fucking huge; it was easily three hundred pounds. And Yet Alex was acting as if he had fought it hand to hand, which Su-Jin was quick to ask about.
“Alex, don’t tell me you wrestled that thing?”
Alex looked at the woman as if she were crazy before denying the question.
“Of course not! Are you kidding me? These tusks aren’t just for show! They will tear your gut wide open if you’re stupid enough to get close to them. I hunted the damn thing with the spear!”
Su-Jin sighed in relief when she heard this, and Alex immediately saw a message appear in his vision when she did so.
[Su-Jin is amazed at your strength and tenacity! She believes you are the manliest man she has ever met!]
[+15 Affection from Su-Jin!]
[Su-Jin’s Affection: 165/200]
Alex simple smirked when he saw this before butchering the creature. He made sure to save the bones, tusks, and sinew for tools that he could fashion from them. As for the meat, he began to grill it on the thin rock surface like he had done with the catfish for Min-Ah. Whether it was pork chops or bacon, Alex made sure to cook, salt, and smoke every piece of meat that was remotely edible.
After which, Su-Jin and Alex both dined on the freshly hunted boar meat. Which Su-Jin could not help but compliment Alex on providing for her.
“You know, despite the light seasoning, this is actually really good! I wouldn’t mind eating this every now and then…”
Alex smirked when he heard this before telling Su-Jin what he had planned for the summer.
“If you like that, just wait until these three months and I have finished what I have planned around here…”
Su-Jin immediately looked at Alex with confusion in her eyes, and after wiping the juice from the grilled pork off her lips, she was quick to ask for clarification on what Alex meant.
“Alex… Don’t tell me you intend to spend the entire break out here in the wilderness building civilization from scratch with nothing but a few hand tools… Why the hell would you do that, when there is a luxurious beachside mansion a little over ten kilometers away? That’s crazy?”
Alex, however, simply shook his head and smiled as he ate the salted, and grilled pork with a wide smile on his face. His response was less than reassuring to the girl next to him.
“You’re a woman Su-Jin… You wouldn’t understand the masculine urge to just pack up everything and head into the jungle to start fresh… I’ve got three months here, and I want to make the most of it before going back to civilization…”
Su-Jin looked at Alex as if he were an idiot, but ultimately became quite embarrassed as she spoke her honest thoughts aloud in a voice so low Alex almost missed it.
“I… I wouldn’t mind spending the summer here alone with you….”
This caused Alex to smile, as he grabbed the girl and dragged her in close while kissing her forehead.
“Isn’t my big sister just the cutest!”
This caused the girl to force herself away from her younger stepbrother and pout.
“Knock it off! I’m not cute! Asshole…”
Despite saying this, Su-Jin’s real feelings towards Alex revealed themselves with a system message.
[Su-Jin is happy to be spending time with you alone! And hopes you will take her offer seriously!]
[+10 Affection from Su-Jin!]
[Su-Jin’s Affection: 175/200]
Upon seeing this, Alex simply smirked as he left the girl alone while finishing up his meal.