"After a day and night without water, we simply can't go on. We must fetch water tonight," decided the Holy Maiden class monitor after discussing with several class officers and Jiang Xiang's group.

Lin Luo listened silently from the side, not joining the discussion. Naturally, no one asked for his opinion.

Yet You Xun turned back, gazing gently at Lin Luo as if seeking his approval.

Lin Luo gave a slight nod.

Fortunately, Jiang Xiang didn't see this subtle exchange of glances. Otherwise, it would have caused more trouble.

In the end, Jiang Xiang led a team of eight boys to fetch water.

The class had thirty-nine students: twenty boys and nineteen girls.

For water-fetching tools, they found some old wooden buckets in an abandoned hut at the campsite. Though worn, they were still usable.

As the water-fetching team set off, the sky deepened to blue, and night began to fall.

The campsite had several fire pits. Students gathered discarded planks and branches to toss in, but lacked tinder to start a flame.

"Fatty! Weren't you always blabbing about wilderness survival? Go start a fire!" Zhang Dajian shouted at the fat guy in monk robes and glasses.

"My name is Fei Zhai, not Fatty!"

"Enough talk. Start the fire now, or I'll use you as kindling!"

Fei Zhai didn't dare argue back. Head down and scowling, he gathered wood and dry leaves, rubbing sticks together to make fire while muttering under his breath.

Others couldn't hear, but Lin Luo's superhuman hearing caught it clearly. It sounded like quotes from Bear Grylls.

Sadly, Lin Luo hadn't watched much of it. Otherwise, he'd have noticed it was word for word.

*Sigh. As a God Emperor, I can't even start a normal fire. If I used magic, I might burn the whole camp down.*

After struggling awhile, Fei Zhai was sweating profusely.

"Damn it, can you even do this?" Zhang Dajian pressed impatiently.

Under pressure, Fei Zhai rubbed harder. Slowly, smoke rose. Then a flame flickered to life among the dry leaves.

"Whoa!" the students cried out in delight.

"Guess bringing a fatty like you on wilderness trips is actually useful?" said a girl with a single ponytail.

"Yeah, hehe," another girl added, giving Fei Zhai an adoring, approving gaze.

Inside, Fei Zhai's heart surged like waves. In his lifetime, he'd never thought girls would praise him!

Finally, campfires lit up the night.

Dim yellow flames crackled, casting soft circles of light over the deep blue campsite. The atmosphere felt warm and cozy.

"Who knew a home lit by campfires could be so beautiful?" You Xun said, hands behind her back, idly kicking small stones as she walked to Lin Luo's side. Dancing flames reflected in her eyes.

"Home?" Lin Luo looked at her in surprise.

"Isn't this our home in the new world?" You Xun turned, smiling sweetly at him. The warm firelight bathed her lovely face and smooth hair, which shimmered like silver under the night sky.

Lin Luo felt a flicker of emotion.

"No matter how dangerous the outside world is, or how crude this place seems... at least it's where our restless hearts calm and our trembling bodies find peace, right?" You Xun's words carried a poetic touch.

Home?

Lin Luo gazed at the firelit campsite. Many classmates stood by the flames; others rested nearby. Much of the daytime anxiety seemed eased.

Lin Luo didn't fully grasp what a home in another world meant. But here, at least, were things he truly wanted to protect.

"You Xun, come look at this!" Han Lianfei waved her over. The two girls laughed and joked happily by the fire, discovering something new.

Not far away, Ziwan sat under the eaves, gazing up at the starry sky of this other world.

And... people he wanted to protect.

"How do you play this?" asked a girl in a straw hat. Her weapon in this world turned out to be a small harp.

"No idea. Just strum it randomly?" replied another girl, an archer.

Under the night sky, surrounded by forest, the campsite filled with the gentle sound of a harp.