Of course, the vacant space wasn't wasted; it was piled high with firewood. Wang Lun still had a nagging feeling that the firewood wouldn't be enough, as the long winter required a lot of fuel for warmth. Moreover, the four of them didn't have enough warm clothing and could only rely on the fire for warmth, which increased their need for firewood even further. However, the campsite was limited in size, and now it was almost completely filled with firewood; even outside the campsite, a huge mountain of firewood had been piled up, which finally gave Wang Lun some peace of mind.

The rabbit hutches were also carefully reinforced and covered with a thick layer of hay. This hay would be the food source for the rabbits and goats this winter. If the rabbits and goats ran out of hay too early, Wang Lun and his group would have to prepare to enjoy a delicious lamb feast. After all, enjoying a steaming hot pot of lamb on a cold winter's day is both nourishing and brings a sense of happiness!

Undoubtedly, enjoying delicious mutton was something all four of them agreed on, but after careful consideration, they unanimously decided to continue raising goats. After all, despite consuming a lot of hay, goats made a significant contribution to their daily lives and could be considered a valuable asset! In comparison, there were plenty of rabbits, so enjoying one occasionally wouldn't be a problem.

In a short while, the water was boiling and bubbling. Seeing this, Wang Lun hurriedly urged the three women to get up. It was late autumn, and the morning chill was biting. They couldn't help but hesitate for a moment, reluctant to leave the warmth of their beds.

Preparations for winter had already been completed; the only remaining priority was to safely get through the winter. After the three women finished washing and dressing, Wang Lun, along with Liu Ruoling, went to patrol the area around the camp. This task was crucial and needed to be carried out daily, as it concerned their own survival.

Liu Ruoxi and Li Ling, of course, wouldn't just sit idly by; they were busy with various chores in the camp. First, they would sort and organize the food they had collected and place it properly in designated locations, making sure it wasn't just piled up haphazardly. Next, they would figure out how to process the food that couldn't be eaten directly, ensuring it could be preserved for a long time without affecting its taste.

In short, the tasks were numerous and tedious, but Wang Lun and Liu Ruoling would immediately join in the work after completing their patrol duties. The four of them had no complaints, as the ample food and abundant firewood were crucial to their survival through the winter.

However, Wang Lun understood the importance of balancing work and rest and couldn't bear to let them bury themselves in work all day. It was winter, and there wasn't much to do anyway. As long as they finished their tasks quickly each day, they wouldn't have anything else to do. Therefore, he always told them to sleep in a little longer in the morning, usually not allowing them to get up until late morning. Of course, if it was their turn to patrol that day, that was a different story. In addition, Wang Lun arranged for the three of them to take turns accompanying him on patrols each day.

The patrol was called a "survey," but it was really just a quick walk around the camp to check for signs of wild animal activity and to see if the camp walls were damaged. After that, the usual routine began—everyone could just find something to take back to camp, such as dry firewood, hay, or other flammable materials; if they were lucky, they might even find some edible wild vegetables. Of course, if they weren't so lucky, they could only bring back a bundle of firewood or a bundle of grass. If even that was impossible to find or obtain, they could simply carry a stone back from the stream.

After more than half a month of this, the firewood stored in the camp not only didn't decrease, but actually increased. However, the weather was getting colder and colder, and now the ground was already frosty in the early mornings. Seeing this, Wang Lun decided to stop sending Liu Ruoxi out on patrols in the mornings, and instead arrange for her to go with everyone at noon and in the evening. As for the mornings, Wang Lun would go alone. After all, Li Ling and Liu Ruoling were both very afraid of the cold, and he couldn't bear to let them suffer from the bitter cold.

The weather gradually turned colder, and a chill permeated the air. However, in stark contrast to this increasingly cold climate, the lives of Wang Lun and his three companions became increasingly desolate and monotonous. They were confined to the camp day after day, living a repetitive and monotonous existence—eat, sleep, and then eat again. When they had absolutely nothing to do, they would try to find some amusement to pass the time.

Initially, to pass the time, Wang Lun and his three friends made a mahjong set. At first, they played with great enthusiasm, but as time went on, the novelty wore off. Soon after, they tried making a chess set, but the girls didn't seem to enjoy it much. Therefore, most of the time only Wang Lun and Liu Ruoxi played chess to pass the time, while Li Ling and Liu Ruoling preferred to sit around the fire pit, drawing and painting for their own amusement.

Of course, Wang Lun and his three companions didn't indulge in mere amusement. In fact, they spent most of their time either actively exercising to improve their physical fitness or busy crafting various tools and implements for any eventuality. These included spears of varying lengths, as well as simple wooden bows and arrows. Although the wooden bows and arrows had relatively limited lethality, they were more than sufficient for daily practice. For Wang Lun, he didn't expect everyone to become an unerring archer, but at least they should possess a certain level of shooting ability and be able to hit their targets a few times.

Not only did he have them practice archery skills repeatedly, but he also meticulously crafted a custom wooden sword for each of them. Wang Lun personally led these three women in studying the essence of swordsmanship he had learned from television programs. In reality, these movements were nothing more than simple chopping, slashing, blocking, and parrying techniques.

Meanwhile, a plan to improve their physical fitness was being carried out intensively, including low-intensity physical training programs such as horse stance, which were effective without being overly strenuous. However, among all the training programs, two key projects were always emphasized by Wang Lun: one was long-distance carrying with heavy loads, which could effectively enhance their endurance so that they could remain resilient in long battles in the future; the other was explosive sprint training, so that if they unfortunately encountered a crisis, they would at least have some ability to escape.

After all, anything could happen on this deserted island. Wang Lun couldn't stay by their side all the time, and they needed to have a certain level of self-defense ability. Li Ling and the other two were aware of this, so they never missed their daily training.