He turned quickly and kowtowed to Lu Dayou, sobbing: "Uncle Lu, please believe me, I really didnât mean anything, it was just instinct."
"I beg you, I know I was wrong, I really couldnât control myself at that moment."
"Iâm a bastard, a beast, Iâm not human, please be magnanimous and forgive me this time."
He slapped himself a few times hard.
He really seemed very regretful.
Liang Yuan frowned, unsure if the young man was pretending or truly realized his mistake.
Yang Shenmin spoke up: "Mr. Liang, this indeed is a matter of human instinct."
"Itâs like drowning. Once one falls into the water, the drowning person will desperately grab anything that can save their life."
Liang Yuan, hearing this, looked at the young man.
The young man kept nodding: "Yes, yes, instinct, it truly was instinct, it was really a subconscious act."
Yang Shenmin suddenly spoke again: "But this isnât water, itâs a swamp."
"Water will quickly pull you under, not giving you time to think calmly."
"But in a swamp, as long as you donât move wildly, you still have time to think. I donât believe you didnât calm down after being in there for so long."
Yang Shenminâs words made the young manâs face turn pale. He rushed to explain: "I really didnât think much, honestly, Dr. Yang, please believe me."
Liang Yuan said coldly: "Alright, no matter what you were thinking, Uncle Lu helped you this time. The mutated fruit belongs to him now, do you have any objections?"
"Ah? But...that fruit isnât with me." The young man said in surprise.
Liang Yuan said: "I know, if we find another mutated fruit later, you must give Uncle Lu one."
"This..."
The young man hesitated but saw Liang Yuan and the others staring at him.
He had no choice but to nod in agreement.
Liang Yuan patted Lu Dayou: "Uncle Lu, this island is unsafe, there are many mutated creatures. I advise you to go back."
Lu Dayou sighed and shook his head: "Mr. Liang, I canât go back. If I hadnât seen the mutated fruit, I might be persuaded by you now."
"But I just saw the mutated fruit, and I was so close to it, I really canât convince myself to go back."
"You know my situation, Yanran canât speak nor hear anything. Without me, itâs difficult for her to survive."
"In this apocalypse, I canât guarantee when I might die myself."
"Before I die, I want her to have a means of self-protection."
"I really canât give up on the mutated fruit now."
His expression was firm, his eyes revealed everything.
Liang Yuan sighed and patted his shoulder: "Alright, since youâve decided, I wonât persuade you further."
"Just be careful."
Lu Dayou laughed: "Donât worry, my life is cheap, I wonât die easily."
Liang Yuan couldnât laugh, and then asked: "Who are the ones who took your mutated fruit? What do they look like?"
Upon mentioning this, Lu Dayou looked angry: "A young man and a security guard in a security uniform, probably from Henglong Building."
Liang Yuan immediately knew who they were.
Ding Yan said instantly: "They have come up already."
Yang Shenmin looked worried and quickly asked Lu Dayou: "Brother Lu, have you seen a girl in her twenties named Tang Ying? About this tall."
He made a gesture, and Lu Dayou immediately remembered.
"Are you asking about the girl who was with Ms. Song Wen rescuing people on a raft earlier?"
"She left with Cai Zhi, Old Ma, and the others."
Yang Shenmin hurriedly asked: "Which direction?"
Lu Dayou pointed towards the center of the island: "Over there."
Song Wen immediately said: "Itâs the area where they were digging stones."
Ding Yan suggested: "Letâs go together and check it out, that Space Ability User must be heading there too."
Liang Yuan nodded: "Letâs go, Uncle Lu, are you coming with us?"
Lu Dayou hesitated and shook his head: "No, I wonât go. There are many people over there. Even if thereâs a mutated fruit, it wonât be my turn. Iâll try another direction."
Though honest, he wasnât dumb.
With Old Ma, Cai Zhi, and Tang Ying over there.
Liang Yuan and the others would definitely prioritize them, so he might as well try his luck elsewhere.
Liang Yuan didnât stop him and the group parted ways.
Liang Yuanâs group of four sped up; the island wasnât large, and they quickly reached the area filled with protruding stones.
All the stones here were clustered into cone shapes.
They looked like clusters of black crystal stones.
Or like little black pine trees standing isolated on the ground.
Some messy grass grew on the ground.
But it was apparent that the grass wasnât as lush as the ones in the swampy areas earlier.
There were a dozen people digging and searching among the stones.
Among them were Cai Zhi, Old Ma, Tang Ying, and others.
Liang Yuan scanned the area immediately and said to Ding Yan and the others: "Do you see the Space Ability User?"
"No, it seems theyâre not here." Ding Yan shook her head.
Yang Shenmin said: "Be careful, they might be hiding."
"Iâll go ask what everyone is digging for." Song Wen whispered.
"Letâs go together."
They walked over together.
"Old Ma!"
Liang Yuan patted Ma Guocai and whispered.
Ma Guocai looked up at Liang Yuan in surprise.
This glance shocked Liang Yuan.
Old Ma looked excited, his eyes were red.
"Xiaoliang? Why... why are you here? Are you here to dig for mutated fruit too?"
Liang Yuan felt uneasy: "What mutated fruit? Where?"
Old Ma pointed at the piles of black stones: "Donât you see these large mutated fruits?"
"Quick, donât just stand there, come dig! If we dig them out, everyone can have a bite, and weâll all awaken!"
Old Ma eagerly pulled Liang Yuan, wanting him to dig too.
Liang Yuanâs face changed slightly, he looked at Song Wen, Ding Yan, Yang Shenmin, and Shi Haizhu.
Shi Haizhu couldnât help but say: "They all seem to be digging these stone piles."
"Brother Liang, somethingâs wrong, their mental state seems off." Song Wen whispered.
Ding Yan, looking serious, couldnât help but grab Old Maâs arm: "Old Ma, whatâs wrong with you? These are just stones."