Sol wasted no time. He knew that whatever had made that grunt… be it a dinosaur, a giant boar, or just a really angry rock… wasn't going to stay gone forever.
He stripped the bush with frantic efficiency, shoving handfuls of the bright red chilies into his sack until it bulged. He even managed to uproot a small sapling, wrapping the roots in a large leaf to replant later. This was his golden goose; he wasn't going to leave it to chance in the wild.
"Got it," he whispered, tying the sack to his waist.
For the way outside, he didn't walk, or stop to appreciate the primitive beauty. He ran. He ran like a madman, without stopping once. Thanks to his improved physical health due to the recent "cultivation" sessions, he didn't feel much exhaustion, and even if he did, he didn't dare to stop. The fear of being turned into a snack kept his legs pumping like pistons.
