The morning arrived, and Shen Feng and Yue Hengyi rose early, bringing Lu Zhengqi to carry fresh water and provisions, preparing to depart from Fremantle. The dock was crowded with well-wishers, holding banners and smiling. Two young girls even presented flower garlands to Shen Feng and Yue Hengyi.
This grand send-off was not a spontaneous event. Wang Jiaoe had organized it. Having benefited from Shen Feng's help, she saw an opportunity to cultivate her own superpowered individuals. Therefore, she was determined to ensure Shen Feng and Yue Hengyi had a glorious departure, treating the matter of face with utmost seriousness.
Consequently, Wang Jiaoe mobilized a significant portion of the city's survivors. Over thirty thousand survivors stood on the dock, cheering enthusiastically.
Wearing the flower garland, Shen Feng looked at the crowd on the dock and boasted to Yue Hengyi, "See? My plan was a success!"
"Heh, trading a precious and practical superpowered serum for a round of applause. You got a raw deal!" Yue Hengyi retorted without mincing words.
"Oh really? I think if we come back here again, we'll be welcomed with open arms," Shen Feng said with a smile.
"Oh, please. I wouldn't set foot in this dump again in my next life. I'd rather stay in China every day, living happily ever after with Qin Kewei!" Yue Hengyi urged Shen Feng to set sail, emphasizing the importance of returning to China as soon as possible.
Shen Feng shrugged, unleashed his powers, Yue Hengyi raised the anchor, and Lu Zhengqi quickly lowered the sails. The sails billowed, and the ship soon sped away. Shen Feng steered, keeping a careful distance from the coastline, neither too close nor too far, as they sailed along the western side of the Australian continent.
With Shen Feng's powers at play, the journey was guaranteed to be smooth sailing. Lu Zhengqi watched the receding port, tears welling up in his eyes. He knew he would likely never return here, and would never again see the kind leader and his friends from the base.
Yue Hengyi, with nothing else to do, began fishing on the large boat. Sailboats were not as fast as motor ships, their speed largely dependent on the wind. Fishing was the only pastime available on a sailboat.
As Shen Feng steered, he asked Yue Hengyi, "Little Yue, you bet me earlier that if I killed the Corpse King, you'd give me a surprise. So, what's the surprise?"
Yue Hengyi pointed towards the ship's cabin. "I know you like reading manga, so I found a bunch of manga books and put them on the ship for you. How's that for a big surprise?"
Upon hearing that there were manga books to read, Shen Feng became ecstatic. He beckoned to Lu Zhengqi and said, "Kid, you take the helm quickly, I'm going to read some manga."
Lu Zhengqi dared not disobey and immediately took Shen Feng's place at the helm, steering the ship forward. He was also wary of hitting reefs or running aground, so he carefully observed their surroundings. Fortunately, the wind direction was always under Shen Feng's control, and as long as the general direction remained unchanged, there would be no danger.
The sailboat was constructed from a blend of new materials and wooden planks, seemingly adhering to environmental themes. The cabin was neither too large nor too small; besides storing supplies, it only accommodated the three of them for sleeping. They had to be careful not to roll over, lest they bump into each other.
Shen Feng spotted a cardboard box in the cabin. Upon opening it, he discovered it was indeed filled with manga books. Just as he was about to dive in, he realized that all the manga books were in English. This left Shen Feng utterly stumped. Without understanding the content, how could he possibly comprehend anything by just looking at the pictures?
"Little Yue, you tricked me! A so-called surprise, and it's all in English. Do you expect me to understand it?" Shen Feng emerged from the cabin, speaking with annoyance.
Yue Hengyi chuckled. "There's nothing I could do about it. Where in foreign countries can you find Chinese manga? If there were Chinese ones, I'd be reading them myself. Why would I be fishing?"
Shen Feng thought about it and decided to go fishing as well. Manga he couldn't understand was no better than not reading at all, as it would only leave him confused. Although they were not lacking in food and didn't need fish to supplement their protein, fishing was the only available pastime on the ship. He put on his sun hat, took off his shoes, and sat by the side of the boat, beginning to fish.
Waves occasionally splashed up, and the seawater would wash over their feet. Fish were frequently hooked. Shen Feng would promptly kill and gut the edible fish, hanging them on the boat to dry. The inedible fish were handed over to Yue Hengyi, who would kick them away.
During their voyage at sea, Lu Zhengqi had been living with Shen Feng and Yue Hengyi. With sufficient protein intake, his body had grown much stronger.
Finally, after nine days, the three arrived at Cape York, north of Australia. From here, heading north would lead to New Guinea Island, effectively entering Southeast Asia. It was at this point that Lu Zhengqi needed to disembark.
As they prepared to part ways, Shen Feng found three fruits from a Welwitschia and handed them to Lu Zhengqi. "Kid, I don't have much to give you. These three fruits are good for saving your life. Whether you live or die from now on depends on your luck!"
Shen Feng didn't have high hopes for Lu Zhengqi reaching Cairns. Cairns was still hundreds of kilometers away, and the forests and grasslands were fraught with danger, especially in Australia. Most of the wealthy had already fled, and the government was unable to protect its citizens. This was truly a harsh and unforgiving land, and it was impossible for a fourteen-year-old boy to return home without encountering danger.
Shen Feng certainly wouldn't gift him a superpowered serum. He saw no potential worth investing in Lu Zhengqi, so the precious serum couldn't be used on him. Thus, Shen Feng could only offer the Welwitschia fruits.
Although these fruits could save a life in a critical moment, they weren't particularly valuable to Shen Feng and Yue Hengyi. At their current level, any danger that could threaten their lives was beyond the capabilities of these fruits, and ordinary difficulties wouldn't stump them. For them, the Welwitschia fruits were somewhat redundant.
Lu Zhengqi accepted the three fruits. Upon reaching the shore, he put down his backpack, knelt on the ground, and kowtowed. As he kowtowed, he said, "Two heroes from China, I am still young and have no abilities, but I will remember your help. If I become strong in the future, I will surely repay you."
Shen Feng showed no reaction. Yue Hengyi sighed, "Kid, we helped you not because we expect repayment, but because we recognized your courage. In any case, take care of yourself. May we meet again if fate allows!"
Shen Feng then used his powers to set the boat in motion, and the sailboat entered the vast sea, heading towards New Guinea in the north.
Yue Hengyi could only say "may we meet again," as in this apocalypse, one might never see friends again after a brief parting. Just like Hou Xiaohua and Ke Yiming, who had set sail with them earlier, full of high spirits, only a handful could return now.
Lucas waved continuously at the departing sailboat from the shore. Only when the boat was out of sight did he pick up his backpack and head towards the city to the south.
"You all just wait and see, I will definitely become a strong person like you. I will succeed!" Lucas thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Shen Feng's boat was sailing towards New Guinea. Southeast Asia was dotted with countless islands, and as long as they followed a specific direction, they wouldn't get lost. In the open ocean, surrounded by an endless expanse of water with no landmarks, a single large wave could disorient them, leading to a true desperate situation.
"Brother Feng, I heard there are indigenous people in New Guinea. Do you know about them?" Yue Hengyi asked first.
Shen Feng nodded. "I do. What about it?"
"I heard they eat people! Is that true?" Yue Hengyi continued to ask.
Shen Feng shrugged and shook his head. "There definitely were in the past. After entering civilized society, such things should have ceased. Trust my judgment!"
Shen Feng had also heard of the wild tribes in New Guinea, but cannibalism was a thing of the past, a century ago. In the twenty-first century, how could such a thing still occur?
"Brother Feng, don't forget, we encountered a human meat factory in Tasmania. Now, in tribes with a tradition of cannibalism, especially during the apocalypse, they might very well revert to their old customs," Yue Hengyi quickly explained.
"What exactly are you trying to say? At most, we'll go ashore to find fresh water and food. We don't need to interact with the indigenous people. Why are you always concerned about these natives?" Shen Feng asked while fishing.
Yue Hengyi smiled at this point and explained, "Brother Feng, I heard New Guinea has a lot of fruits. Let's stay for a couple more days. You still have the fruit identification guide, right? Let's go ashore and eat some fruit to replenish our vitamins."
Shen Feng finally understood Yue Hengyi's intention. It turned out he wasn't interested in visiting indigenous tribes, but was simply craving fruit. However, what the young man said was indeed true. Southeast Asia was abundant in fruits, and the warm climate here produced very sweet fruits of many edible varieties. Having gone through Southeast Asia with such difficulty, it would be a shame not to eat more fruit.
"Since you've put it that way, let's go ashore and take a look. We can also store fresh water. As for whether we can find fruits, that's another matter," Shen Feng shrugged, thus fulfilling Yue Hengyi's request.
Earlier, Shen Feng thought Yue Hengyi would be eager to return home, but now that Yue Hengyi seemed in no hurry, Shen Feng was happy to oblige.
As dusk fell, Shen Feng and Yue Hengyi arrived at the western coast of New Guinea. They tied their boat to the nearby mangrove trees, went ashore, and found a place to build a fire and cook.
"Brother Feng, here, try the dumpling soup I made!" Yue Hengyi enthusiastically brought a bowl of dumpling soup to Shen Feng. Yue Hengyi might not be skilled in other dishes, but he had learned to make dumpling soup these past few days. Although it was simple to prepare, it was quite an achievement for someone who knew nothing about cooking to be able to present something presentable.
Shen Feng looked at the dumpling soup before him and said helplessly, "I admit you can cook, and your dumpling soup is excellent, but we can't eat it every day! Can we have some variety?"
"Tomorrow, tomorrow! As soon as it's dawn, we'll go looking for fruits. You brought the guide, right?" Yue Hengyi quickly promised to go pick fruits the next day.
However, at that moment, the sound of leaves rustling suddenly came from afar. Shen Feng and Yue Hengyi immediately became alert. Something was moving in the nearby forest!
"Could it be mutated beasts? Damn it, looks like we'll have extra for dinner tonight!" Yue Hengyi muttered to himself.
Shen Feng listened intently and heard many sounds. He couldn't help but say, "If they are indeed mutated beasts, there are quite a lot of them. We won't be able to eat them all even if we have extra."
The two sat quietly by the campfire, ready to fight at any moment. Yue Hengyi carried a long saber, and Shen Feng had a dagger on him, ready to act.
However, as they sat waiting for danger to arrive, over a dozen brown-skinned people wearing grass skirts suddenly rushed out of the forest. These people, clad in grass skirts and with bare chests, charged directly at Shen Feng and Yue Hengyi, who were having dinner, emitting strange vocalizations as they ran.
"Damn it, savages! Little Yue, your crow's beak came true!" Shen Feng realized what was happening as he saw the scene before him. The figures running in the forest were not beasts, but local indigenous people.