Harem Survival System: Stranded On An Island With Beautiful Women

The waves lapped gently against the sides of the boat as Lucas, Leo, and the others worked to haul in their latest catch.

The sun beat down on them, making the salty air feel even heavier, but it was nothing they hadn't already adjusted to over the past few days.

They had a rhythm now — cast the nets, wait, haul, repeat — but despite the routine, today was a little different.

Leo leaned against the edge of the boat, wiping sweat from his forehead before flashing Lucas a knowing smirk.

"My boy Lucas," he began, shaking his head in exaggerated disbelief, "just how do you do it?"

Lucas raised a brow. "Do what?"

Leo scoffed. "Don't play dumb. You know what I'm talking about."

The other boys perked up, their curiosity piqued. One of them even nudged Leo, urging him to continue.

Leo pointed at him. "You're out here, reeling in girls like you reel in fish. Effortlessly. Like — how? What's your secret?"

The boat rocked slightly as Lucas gave the net one final tug, the others stepping in to help as a large cluster of fish spilled onto the deck, flopping about in a frantic mess.

Lucas dusted off his hands and shot Leo a cocky grin.

"It runs in my blood."

The other boys laughed, some rolling their eyes, others shaking their heads as if they should've expected that answer.

Leo clicked his tongue. "Nah, there's gotta be more to it than that. I swear, you just look at them, and boom — they're interested. Like, what the hell?"

Lucas shrugged, but internally, he knew it was a mix of confidence and observation. Girls liked to be seen, heard, and understood.

He played into that, and the System certainly made it easier.

"Well," he said, "maybe you should take notes."

Leo muttered something under his breath but let it go as the boat finally turned back toward the shore, the weight of their catch making the ride slower than usual.

As the beach came into view, Lucas's eyes immediately landed on Nina, standing by the shoreline with her arms crossed, her sharp gaze locked onto him.

She wasn't just waiting. She was watching.

Lucas exhaled. "Looks like I'm in trouble."

Leo followed his gaze and smirked. "Damn. What'd you do now?"

"No idea."

The boat finally reached the shore, the familiar scraping of wood against sand signaling their arrival. They wasted no time unloading the fish, their haul just as impressive as the previous days.

At first, the others had been shocked at how much Lucas's group was bringing in. But after several successful trips, the camp had simply come to expect it.

Still, the sheer number of fish never failed to draw attention.

A few of the girls near the cooking station turned their heads as they saw the catch, already murmuring to each other about how Lucas and his group always pulled in more.

Lucas barely had time to take in the moment before Nina was suddenly in front of him, arms still crossed, expression unreadable.

"Well?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.

Lucas wiped his hands on his shorts, feigning innocence. "Well, what?"

Nina narrowed her eyes. "You don't know?"

"Enlighten me."

She exhaled sharply. "You weren't supposed to overwork yourself."

Lucas blinked. "That's what this is about?"

"You carried more than the others yesterday, and now you're at it again." She gestured toward the pile of fish. "Even if you're handling it fine now, if you push too hard, you'll burn out. You need to pace yourself."

Lucas studied her. She was serious.

Most people — especially the other girls — would've just been impressed or maybe thrown him a few compliments. But Nina was different.

She wasn't interested in flattery.

She cared more about efficiency, sustainability, and not being reckless.

Lucas felt a smirk tug at the corner of his lips.

"So you were worried about me?"

Nina's expression didn't change, but she hesitated for half a second.

"Don't flatter yourself," she said, but there was a slight shift in her voice — barely noticeable, but Lucas caught it.

His System Interface popped up in the corner of his vision.

Ooh, there was new Progress.

Lucas let the moment linger before finally nodding. "Alright, coach. I'll take it easy next time."

Nina eyed him for a moment longer before exhaling. "Good."

Then, without another word, she turned and walked back toward the cooking station, slipping effortlessly back into work mode.

Lucas watched her go, a slow grin forming on his face.

Leo stepped beside him, arms crossed.

"So?"

Lucas glanced at him. "So what?"

Leo smirked. "She worried about you. That's gotta mean something."

Lucas simply stretched. "Maybe."

Leo groaned. "Man, you really are unreal."

#####

The scent of roasted fish drifted through the air, filling the camp with the rich, smoky aroma of their freshly prepared meal.

It had become a familiar comfort over the past few days, a reminder that even on this remote island, they could carve out something that resembled normalcy.

But while most of the students were gathered around the cooking station, chatting and waiting for their share, Nina had other priorities.

She moved away from the group, stepping onto a secluded part of the shore where the only sounds were the distant waves and the occasional call of seabirds.

Nina had always believed in preparation.

If there was one thing she knew for certain, it was that this island wasn't safe.

Sure, they'd managed well enough for now — fishing, gathering, rationing their supplies — but how long would that last? What would happen when food became scarce? When predators decided they were the only ones who deserved to live here?

She wasn't going to wait to find out.

Glancing around to make sure no one had followed her, she finally dropped her backpack with a dull thud, the weight of it sinking into the damp sand.

She crouched down, unzipping it swiftly before pulling out two dumbbells, each one heavier than it looked.

Most people didn't realize it, but she had always carried these with her — not just for strength training, but for discipline.

She wasn't just strong. She made herself strong.

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

As she stood up, rolling her shoulders, she barely had time to curl her fingers around the cold metal before —

"Well, well, well. Didn't take you for a bodybuilder, Nina."