Every step Owen took disturbed something in the jungle. Insects scattered. Birds shrieked warnings. The canopy above rustled with unseen movement.
He'd been walking for three hours. No clear direction. Just away from the landing zone, toward higher ground where he might get a vantage point.
His CE had recovered to 5,400 through ambient absorption.
The notification system updated periodically.
[SURVIVAL TIME: 3 HOURS, 47 MINUTES]
[CREDIT BALANCE: 2,000]
[CURRENT RANK: #89 OF 200]
He found a stream. Knelt. Tested the water with his CE sense. No toxins detected. He drank. The water was cold, clean. Tasted like minerals.
A drone floated closer. Recording him drinking.
Owen ignored it.
Movement in the trees.
His Dragon's Eye tracked it. Small. Fast. Tier 5, one-star at most.
Not a threat. He let it go.
