The Explorer


    "Aren''t you thirsty? There''s some gear over there. You can fetch some seawater, and I can distill it into fresh water." He spoke, trying to break the awkward silence.


    "Alright."


    Freshwater-something she hadn''t had in a long time. She missed the taste of in water, even though it was so simple.


    Seraphina instinctively moved towards the rock gear, pausing with a slight hesitation.


    Wasn''t it just a few leaves tied together to make a ''container''?


    Well, given the circumstances, she figured it was the best they could do.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights.


    She sighed in frustration and carefully scooped up some rtively clean seawater from the crevice between the rocks, then carried it back.


    When she returned, Kaveh was already dressed. His tall, lean figure sat on a bed of leaves, one leg bent, head down, fully focused on the tool in his hands.


    A clean, short haircut reced his messy hair.


    He had a sharp, handsome face that, even without much grooming, appeared striking under the dim light. His deep-set features, particrly his bright eyes, seemed to reflect a thousand stars. This young man was about her age, though that wasn''t what surprised Seraphina.


    "Was that a wig you were wearing earlier?"


    Kaveh nodded and admitted, "When in Rome..."


    Sure, but...


    Seraphina twitched her lips and asked, "Who carries a wig around?"


    Kaveh winked at her, his smile pure and carefree.


    "I''m an explorer; Ie prepared. I run a social media channel focused on documenting and studying indigenous tribes."


    Seraphina asked, "So, you came here on purpose?"/


    Kaveh nodded again.


    "I picked this ind randomly. It''s the smallest in Etrium. Although I didn''t have high expectations, I wasn''t prepared for the discovery of savages and an indigenous tribe here. Seraphina watched as he pulled out a small ck device, no bigger than a pair of earbuds, from the leaves beside him. It was inconspicuous, but here, it was incredibly rare.


    The Explorer


    That was her focal point.


    Kaveh pursed his lips and frowned slightly. He said, "Nope."


    "Then, how do you n to get back? Aren''t you going to return after your research?"


    Finished


    "Well, I hadn''t thought that far ahead. Another friend of mine, an explorer, dropped me off here with a helicopter, but he went on an expedition to South Pugria. I''m not sure if he''s even still alive." South Pugria?


    Seraphina had a bad feeling about this.


    If his friend''s survival was uncertain, how could they possibly rely on him for rescue?


    It was wishful thinking.


    After all this, was there still no hope?


    Seraphina''s face went pale as Kaveh casually pulled out a lighter from his bag and began boiling the


    seawater.


    "Then, does that mean you can''t contact anyone from the outside world either?"


    Kaveh looked at her with sincerity, dashing her hopes.


    "No, I can''t."


    "You never thought about how to leave?"


    I did. I reasoned that if I could bring someone else-a fool-here, I could then hitch a ride back once they were rescued. Anyway, I''ve already gathered most of the material ed." Seraphina was speechless.


    So, she was that fool?


    That bit of news quickly wiped away any joy, leaving her feeling utterly dejected.


    Kaveh expertly distilled the seawater, repeating the process several times and carefully refining it with each round of distition. After what seemed like an endless cycle, he finally brought the container to his lips, tasting a small sip. Satisfied, he handed the rest to Seraphina.


    "Drink up. You haven''t had water in days, right?"


    Seraphina took the container and said, "I haven''t had anything since l''got here."


    She could still recall the flight attendant handing her a ss of champagne just before she arrived.


    She quickly drank the water, then looked at Kaveh eagerly.


    "That''s it?" she asked guiltily.


    "Next time," he replied.


    The Explorer


    After all, she had only brought back a small amount of seawater.


    After distition, little remained.


    "Are you sure you''ve had enough?"


    She noticed he hadn''t drunk much himself.


    Finished


    Kaveh raised his eyebrow and smiled at her. "We explorers can survive even without fresh water or tools."


    After all, urine could be life-saving in extreme situations.