Island Survival: Starts by chopping a tree-Chapter 27

As Jeff arrived back at the bamboo forest, his breathing was heavy. When he looked at his wound, it had already turned dark.

He needed to clean the wound and apply some medicinal plants. He must be quick since infection on this island is not a good thing.

As he circled the bamboo forest, looking for some plants to help him with his injuries, he finally found one.

Jeff saw a plant close to the bamboo, nestled among the forest undergrowth.

The plant had broad, oval-shaped leaves that formed a rosette at the base, with prominent parallel veins running from the base to the tip.

Long, slender spikes rose above the leaves, adorned with small, green or brownish flowers densely packed along the spike. The contrast between the broad, green leaves of the plant and the slender, towering bamboo stalks made it easy to spot.

He rushed over for a closer look and sighed in relief, "This is it, fortunately, I’ve found one."

That plant in front of him is known as a Plantago, commonly known as plantain, is a genus of about 200 species of small, inconspicuous plants that grow in many different regions of the world.

It is renowned for its medicinal uses, Plantago has been used in traditional medicine for centuries.

It’s known for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and wound-healing properties. The leaves can be applied to cuts, insect bites, and other skin irritations to help reduce inflammation and promote healing.

[Do you wanna know why I know? Of course, google what else!]

After identifying the plant, noting that it was the right one according to his memories of what he’d read from a book about plants and medicine.

Jeff carefully cut a few leaves from the plant, making sure not to damage the root so the plant could continue to grow.

Since taking it all and not leaving anything behind is not a good thing, leaving behind its roots will have some chances to grow in the future to be used by others.

Now that he’d gathered some plants, he needed to rinse his arms with clean water to avoid the contamination of bacteria.

He then went towards some mature bamboo stalks which are thicker and more likely to contain water compared to younger and thinner ones.

"Let’s see if there’s water in it," he murmured, picking up a stone from the ground.

Jeff then tapped on the bamboo with the rock. It produced a solid, dull sound when it was tapped. Hearing this, he shook his head in dismay as he moved to another.

It was evident that it contained no water. After several sound checks, he discovered one. Upon tapping, a distinct hollow sound resonated, indicating an internal space filled with water.

Using the blade of the axe, Jeff broke the stalk at one of the segments, clearly the upper part. Looking inside, there really was water in it.

He used it to cleanse his wounded arms, then carefully rinsed the leaves with clean water to eliminate any dirt or debris. This step is essential to avoid any possible infection.

Jeff then chewed the leaves. This would help release the plant’s healing juices, according to the book.

He carefully placed the crushed leaves onto his injured arm. The natural extracts from the Plantago were known to alleviate inflammation and aid in healing.

Subsequently, Jeff ripped a strip of cloth from his garment to secure the poultice over the wound.

...

So, a poultice is basically a natural remedy made by crushing plants or herbs and applying them directly to the skin to help heal wounds. This is according to google so don’t ask, since I also don’t know what I am writing about.

...

The last step is to keep an eye on the wound, ensuring that it stays clean and checking for any signs of infection.

He should replace the poultice and bandage with fresh leaves at least three times a day until the wound begins to heal properly.

[You just made a medicine, You have gained 10 experience points]

[10/300 exp. Remains to unlock a skill.]

Upon hearing this, Jeff was both surprised and elated. If he could create more medicine and acquire new skills, dealing with a fever and other symptoms would no longer be a significant issue.

Even though he had a book to follow in his memories, what he lacked was experience. If he had that skill, then the experience of treating the wound and health-related problems wouldn’t be an issue.

So, after applying the wound treatment, Jeff decided to go back now since he had to make a shelter back at their current location.

He returned to the spot where he had collected the small bamboo sticks and fashioned a rope into a makeshift bag, slinging it over his shoulder.

Jeff then continued his journey back to the camp. He needs to lessen his work for the moment. Since his arm was injured, doing something heavy would likely make the wound bigger.

His plan was to make a bamboo house for all of them, but now things had changed. He had to scare that Komodo dragon and take its home.

With that cave and fresh spring water inside it, their chances of survival would greatly increase. So, for now, he just needs to make a temporary shelter that can protect them from the elements of this island.

As he arrived back at the shelter, he saw the girls were not sitting idly. He saw that there were lots of supplies, like sturdy branches, banana leaves, sharp stones, and ropes.

There were already ropes, but they seemed to have made some more. Jeff smiled at their hard work as he observed them stockpiling these things while organizing them.

While they were so busy, Jeff then got out of hiding, and when they saw him, their tired faces lit up.

"Captain, you’re back! Look at the things we’ve gathered," Jessica said with a proud face as she walked closer to Jeff, pointing at the gathered resources.

Jeff just showed a slight smile and praised, "Wow, that’s amazing of you all. With this, we can now build our shelter."

Jessica made a harrumphing expression. Layla and Ariana also high-fived each other. While Charlotte was still sitting on the ground, twisting the fibers to make a rope.

Engrossed in her work, Emma’s attention was suddenly captured by a sight that made her heart sink. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Young captain, have you been hurt?" she asked, rushing over and grasping his left arm.

She examined the wound, now covered with a piece of torn cloth. Glancing at his shirt, she realized he must have torn a piece from his own clothing to dress the wound.

Jessica, Layla, and Ariana, even Charlotte who was focusing on her work, stood up as she ran towards him.

"Captain, what happened? Why are you injured?" Layla said, looking at him in the face. Her look was distressed.

"Are you going to have a fever? Are-are you going to die!" Ariana exclaimed, with a ghastly face.

Jessica raised her hand, turning it into a fist and smacked her head. "Can you use appropriate words? He’s not going to die. You’re just making it worse," she retorted, reprimanding Ariana.

Ariana, who was struck on the head, swelled with a red bump as she sobs. "I’m just panicking, boo hoo," she wept.

Seeing her cry, her heart softened. She gently hugged her and began patting her head, trying to comfort her.

"I’m very sorry, Ariana. I just lost control. Please don’t cry, okay?" she said softly, his voice filled with regret.

However, Ariana suddenly felt something amiss. She quickly pushed Jessica away, her face turning red as she looked up with tear-filled eyes.

"You’re patting the wrong place!" she exclaimed, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

Jessica simply looked at her with a mischievous grin, playfully sticking out her tongue.

"Hehe, why are you so scared? We’re both girls after all!" she teased, stepping forward to close the distance and attempting to hug Ariana again.

Ariana, panicking at her approach, raised her hands defensively. "No, this is still wrong!" she yelped, darting away as Jessica began to chase her around the place.

Layla, Charlotte, and Emma stood frozen, staring at the scene with wry smile. The heavy, tense atmosphere that had gripped them for a moments before was now completely shattered.

The three exchanged bewildered glances before Layla finally sighed and muttered, "Well, so much for that serious moment."

Jeff couldn’t help but release a laugh, and his expression was as bright as the sun. Seeing his laugh, the three who were closest to him were mesmerized, especially Emma, who was holding him.

But remembering something, she shook her head, her face then turned serious. "Let me check your wounds," she commanded.

Jeff was stunned by the sudden outburst, but he replied, "Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’ve already bandaged it half an hour ago. There are also some medicinal plants applied to my wounds that involve healing properties, so I’m fine."

Emma, upon hearing his explanation, remained somewhat concerned, yet Charlotte offered a reassuring pat on her shoulder, her gaze brimming with questions.

She could feel the tension between the two. This was the first time she’d seen Emma being so concerned about the opposite sex.

"Something must have really happened last night," Charlotte thought inwardly, as she tried to uncover the mystery.

Emma didn’t look back or even sense her sharp gaze, as she was still not accepting Jeff’s explanation.

Seeing the look in her face, he didn’t know why his heart felt warmth, not the kind of hot feeling from what he felt last night, but the feeling was something that made him feel good and happy.

He knew what this feeling was, since it was very familiar. He felt this whenever he was with the people he was close to: first and foremost, his family and his aunt in the apartment.

Apart from them, he hadn’t felt this feeling. Now his eyes softened, looking at Emma, not knowing why he felt like this to her.

"Don’t worry, I’m really fine. I study medicine, so you can consider me as a person who knows how to handle this thing," Jeff said, shaking his hands.