Harem Survival System: Stranded On An Island With Beautiful Women-Chapter 20: Brian

Lucas raised an eyebrow. That was new.

Still, he found himself smirking as he returned the gesture.

Progress was progress. And he couldn't argue with that.

He adjusted his hold on the dumbbells and made his way toward his tent, letting out a small sigh as he stepped inside.

The moment he settled down, he took a look at the shirt he had left to dry earlier. It was completely dry now, the fabric still carrying the faint scent of salt and something almost nostalgic.

He traced his fingers over the material before folding it neatly and placing it beside his other belongings.

She had let her guard down.

That meant something.

Still, there was one thing that bothered him.

Lucas leaned back, folding his arms. What about Mia?

He knew he had been making progress with her too.

Her Affection had risen, her Trust wasn't bad, and her Lust — well, that bar had jumped up significantly after their last interaction.

And yet...

[System Notification]

[Rewards for deepened bonds will only be granted upon sexual intercourse]

Lucas blinked. "Wait... seriously?"

The System remained silent, but the message was clear.

So that's why nothing had triggered yet with Mia.

It wasn't just about flirting or building tension — he had to actually top the cherry with something more... physical.

He ran a hand through his damp hair, exhaling. "Interesting."

That explained a lot.

Lucas wasn't exactly new to this sort of thing — he knew how to navigate relationships, how to read body language, how to press the right buttons — but this put things into a whole new perspective.

So, the System was reward-based.

Flirting? Teasing? Building attraction? That was all fine and dandy, but actual benefits only came once things escalated beyond that.

He smirked. "Well, that's good to know."

But he wasn't in a rush.

Sure, it was nice to know there were rewards tied to it, but he preferred letting things play out naturally.

...Well, mostly.

The evening settled in, the sky darkening into hues of deep blue and purple as the camp bustled with activity.

From his tent, Lucas could hear the crackling of fires, the sound of fish roasting, and the occasional chatter of the others.

His stomach rumbled slightly.

'Probably should grab something to eat.'

He stood up, rolling his shoulders before stepping outside.

His gaze naturally drifted toward the food station — where Nina had gone earlier — and sure enough, he spotted her working alongside the other girls, effortlessly moving between tasks.

She wasn't even fazed by the long day.

Lucas smirked. That woman was something else.

Then, his eyes flickered toward Mia.

She was seated by the fire, talking with a few others, but every now and then, her gaze subtly shifted toward him.

The evening air carried the scent of roasting fish, thick with the warmth of the fire. People moved around the camp, settling into their usual routines.

The girls were busy preparing dinner, their movements fluid as they worked together, while the boys either helped or pretended to be helpful — but Lucas knew the real reason some of them stuck around.

They weren't here to lend a hand.

They were here to stare at ass.

Lucas smirked as he passed a group of guys standing near the food station, not-so-discreetly watching as the girls bent over to grab ingredients or stirred the pots with careful precision.

With a casual wave, he saluted them.

One of the guys — a shaggy-haired dude with an easygoing grin — saluted back.

Lucas chuckled.

'At least they don't try to hide it.'

Shaking his head, he moved away from the food station, his eyes scanning the camp until he spotted Leo.

Leo was by the clearing, unrolling mats for dinner, stretching them out to make room for everyone. Seeing Lucas approach, he lifted his head with a knowing grin.

"There you are," Leo said, tossing him a mat. "Figured you'd be off somewhere adding another girl to your collection."

Lucas caught the mat effortlessly. "Tempting, but I figured I'd grace you idiots with my presence first."

Leo snorted. "Wow. How generous."

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They fell into a rhythm, working together as they spread out the mats.

Despite the unspoken hierarchy in camp — where the stronger boys handled fishing, the girls managed food prep, and the rest took care of setup — there was an easy flow to it all.

Everyone played their part, even if some people only did the bare minimum.

Lucas didn't mind. He wasn't lazy, but he also wasn't about to go out of his way to help unless it benefited him.

But as he finished adjusting one of the mats, a familiar feeling crept up his spine.

He was being watched.

Again.

Lucas straightened, letting his gaze drift toward the campfire.

And there he was.

Brian.

The only survivor who had emerged from the forest.

Everyone in camp knew him.

They had seen him return alone, battered, his left eye wounded.

And now, he was staring at Lucas.

His eye was cold... very cold...

Lucas met his gaze, expression unreadable.

Leo sighed beside him. "Yeah... he's been doing that for a while."

Lucas didn't look away. "Any reason?"

Leo shrugged. "Probably wondering about you. You showed up out of nowhere and started pulling more weight than half the camp combined."

Lucas smirked. "Can't blame me for being competent."

"No," Leo admitted. "But people take notice. And Brian? He notices everything."

Lucas didn't doubt that.

Brian wasn't like the others.

Most people avoided talking about what happened in the forest, but they all knew the truth.

Brian went in with a group and came back alone.

The details were murky, but one thing was clear — he survived something none of them could.