From Robinson Crusoe

Having gained control of the two enormous creatures, Sunday was naturally overjoyed.

However, taking them with them is a difficult task.

On Sunday, he only heard about the advantages of cows from Chen Zhou, but he didn't know what the temperament of this animal was like, what it ate, or what precautions to take when raising it. He could only stare at the two cows through the wooden wall that had not yet been completely dismantled.

Helpless, he could only adopt the spirit of "not being ashamed to ask questions" and continue to ask Chen Zhou for advice on other knowledge points.

……

There's a sacrificial ceremony to be held on August 1st, and preparations for the evening banquet will begin in the afternoon, so time is very tight.

Chen Zhou estimated that moving the two cows to the hillside where the sheep were grazing would definitely take more than half a day.

He had to first put a leash on the cow, and then slowly drive it away.

When a cow first arrives in an unfamiliar environment, it is already not used to it. When it encounters unfamiliar people and travels a long and unfamiliar road, it is bound to throw a tantrum, become disobedient, and run around everywhere.

The natives had never seen this creature before and were terrified of it. They would inevitably lose control of the cattle during the herding process, and he would usually have to step in himself.

If the cage were opened now and the cow released, allowing him, the "backbone," to focus all his energy on the cow, then his entire day's plans would be ruined.

After some thought, Chen Zhou finally decided to leave the cow on the beach for now.

……

For the sake of the two cows' health and well-being, Chen Zhou ordered the natives to speed up the process, dismantling the wooden and stone walls as quickly as possible while laying several long planks on top of the iron cage.

The beach temperature is too high and the sun is too strong, so this can provide shade to prevent the cows from suffering from heatstroke.

He then had Sunday take the natives to fetch two buckets of water and cut several large bundles of grass to stuff into the cage.

……

The two cows had been kept in cages since they were delivered in the early morning. They were exhausted and hungry. When they finally managed to get food and water, they immediately began to eat heartily.

The two natives who often accompanied the sheep herding on Sundays were used to seeing goats slowly and methodically nibbling on the tips of grass, but this was the first time they had ever seen a cow eat like this.

Especially that Simmental stud; a full bucket of water was simply not enough for it to drink.

It squeezed its wide mouth into the wooden bucket with difficulty, and with a gurgling drinking sound, the bucket of water was drunk clean in the blink of an eye.

The bundles of fresh grass were rolled into the cow's mouth without any chewing action, and after a few rolls, they were gone into the cow's stomach.

The amount of water and fodder, enough for a dozen goats to drink for a day, was placed in front of the cattle and consumed in less than ten minutes, leaving the natives dumbfounded.

Only Chen Zhou knew that these two buckets of water were really "a drop in the ocean" when placed in front of the two cows.

Large-scale cattle farmers in the north know how much water cattle consume every day during the hot summer.

In temperatures like those on an island, a bull needs to consume about 12% of its body weight in water each day.

In other words, this bull alone drinks at least 200 kilograms of water every day.

As for milk-producing cows, they also consume a considerable amount of water.

After all, the main component of milk is water, and to produce milk, you need to drink enough water.

Under normal circumstances, a dairy cow needs to drink 30 kilograms of water for every 10 kilograms of milk it produces. As the temperature rises, the amount of water it needs to drink will also increase.

Logically speaking, letting these two cows graze freely by the river would be the best option.

The river water is not only plentiful, but also cool and clean, making it perfect for livestock to drink.

But August had arrived, and the Spanish and the indigenous tribes of the large tribes had not made any move. Fearing that they might kill the two cows when they landed on the island, Chen Zhou decided to take the cows to the mountain to raise them with the sheep.

Not only that, Chen Zhou also planned to find a native with a talent for herding and have him drive the sheep and two cows back and forth between the hillside and the ravine.

This way, the cattle and sheep can have enough exercise, and the grass they eat every day is fresh and tender enough. It also saves other people the time and effort of carrying water.

Previously, due to a shortage of manpower and the low water consumption of the sheep, he assigned Saturday and Sunday to be responsible for both farming and animal husbandry.

Now, with the sheep breeding again, the flock has grown to 19 head, plus two cows. Supplying them with water by carrying it by hand is becoming increasingly difficult, so this is a good opportunity to try a different management method.

There are plans for small groups and plans for large groups.

Moreover, with the rainy season approaching, building sheds for cattle and sheep is an urgent problem to be solved.

If the Spanish are nowhere to be seen by mid-August, Chen Zhou plans to put the construction of the fortifications on hold and shift his focus back to production.

……

After carrying water several times, I finally managed to feed the two cows.

After the two intelligent creatures had eaten and drunk their fill, they stopped mooing and stood comfortably in their cage, leisurely swishing their tails and observing the unfamiliar humans surrounding them.

The cow's eyes are large and clear, with long eyelashes, making it look like an innocent child, with absolutely no trace of ferocity in them.

On Sunday, he had already prepared himself for a long-term relationship with the cows, and he was the one who handed all the hay into the cage when feeding them just now.

Seeing that the two cows were in a stable mood, he mustered up his courage and reached out to pat their heads.

Simmental cattle and the other cow are both short-haired breeds. When you touch the hide, you can feel the roughness of the hair and also the vitality of life contained within this huge creature.

Especially that male, its muscles were exceptionally developed, and you could tell how powerful it was just by looking at it, let alone touching it.

Generally, bulls' horns are cut off by ranchers early on.

Bull horns are powerful offensive organs that can not only injure other bulls during bullfights, causing unnecessary economic losses, but can also pose a fatal threat to humans.

For some reason, this male stud retained the pair of thick, sharp horns on its head.

The light brown horns on this "giant beast" make it appear even more majestic and imposing, and also make it look more like a monster or demon from indigenous mythology that destroys the world.

If Chen Zhou hadn't explained it to Sunday beforehand, Sunday probably would never have guessed that this thing was actually vegetarian.

……

After feeding the cows, the wooden and stone walls were almost completely dismantled.

Seeing that the time for the sacrificial ceremony was about to pass, Chen Zhou quickly stopped the natives from continuing to move the wooden planks and bricks, and together with Saturday, moved the large military green package inside the wall to the wooden house in the camp at the foot of the mountain.

Although the package was large, it was not very heavy to pick up and felt quite soft to the touch.

Chen Zhou suspected that the contents contained veterinary equipment or medicine, so he didn't rush to open it. He placed them behind the wooden house and then called the natives to line up and wait in front of the wooden house on the mountain.

……

Chen Zhou and Saturday set off first, heading straight up the mountain.

Under Sunday's command, the natives formed a long, single-file line and slowly followed behind Chen Zhou.

When the group arrived at the mountain cabin, Sunday handed over the management of everyone to Zebra and went to the cabin to prepare his sacrificial utensils.

……

As native inhabitants of the tribe, Zebra and the other unfortunate captives, though not brothers, were quite familiar with each other.

While Sundays may intimidate everyone into silence, zebras don't possess that same prestige.

Seeing that Sunday had gone into the wooden house in the distance and hadn't come out for a long time, they finally couldn't suppress their strong desire to communicate and began to talk in hushed tones.

The two giant beasts that suddenly appeared on the beach are the focus of today's discussion.

What puzzled and shocked them was not only the two giant beasts, but also how they came to be.

The wooden and stone wall, built by the people themselves, is more than two meters high and completely encloses the central sandy area. How exactly did those two giant beasts manage to pass through the wall and get inside?
Who built the cage that holds the two giant beasts?
Why is their "new leader" so knowledgeable about those two giant beasts, and not at all surprised that such a beast appeared inside the walls?
The discussion went on and on, with everyone expressing their own opinions and unique understandings.

Some believe that the island's new leader is a celestial being who has descended to earth, and that the two giant beasts are the celestial being's subordinates, just like the golden animal that follows the celestial being around all day, which is why they are so familiar with them.

Some say that these two giant beasts are evil demons, and the legend of the black smoke that destroyed the world, which is widely circulated in the tribe, comes from these two giant beasts.

However, they have now been tamed by the "gods" or the "new leader," and no longer possess the ability to destroy the world; instead, they can be used to their advantage...

Despite the varied and often contradictory accounts, the core idea of ​​the indigenous people all revolves around the belief that "the new leader is a god."

After all, as everyone has seen with their own eyes, when the wooden and stone wall was completed, the middle was completely empty, with nothing but sand.

Only a few days have passed, and two animals of such size have appeared out of thin air there. What else could this be but a miracle?
And wasn't the new sun that suddenly appeared in the dark room when we entered the cave, shining so brightly that we couldn't open our eyes, also a miracle?

Since the new leader can create a sun out of thin air, it's not surprising that he can create two giant beasts.

Having finally reached a consensus on one aspect, the indigenous people gradually shifted their conversation to food and the new house they had stayed in the previous night.

When this matter was discussed, the two indigenous people living in the mountains finally got their moment in the spotlight.

In the past, they always heard their companions boast about what delicious food they had eaten while working with the leader, what novel cooking methods they had seen, and even what work methods they had learned and what new words they had understood.

Although both outwardly expressed envy for their companion, they inevitably harbored feelings of jealousy, resentment, and loneliness.

Today it was their turn, and they finally got to hold their heads high.

……

Unfortunately, despite their story, they missed the right opportunity.

The more talkative native had just finished recounting how he came to the wooden house on the mountain, seeing the crystal-decorated walls and lush vines, and how beautiful the house was. Before he could even elaborate on how spacious, windproof, and warm the interior was, Sunday, dressed and ready, came out of the hut.

The natives were like chattering students in a self-study class, who suddenly saw their homeroom teacher's wrinkled old face appear at the back door window and immediately shut their mouths, not uttering a single word.

……

After countless thorough washings, Sunday's sailor uniform had faded and turned somewhat whitish.

His increased height and muscle mass stretched the originally loose clothing to a tighter fit, which actually accentuated his physique and made him look radiant and full of youthful vigor.

He had a long, clean sword slung at his waist and an improved flintlock pistol slung across his back.

Silently reciting Chen Zhou's teachings, "Stand like a pine tree, sit like a bell," Sunday took a few brisk steps and stood upright next to the indigenous group.

Despite arriving on the island more than seven months earlier than the natives, he far surpassed them in terms of spirit and demeanor.

……

Even the strictest administrators remained silent, so the natives naturally fell silent, not only shutting their mouths but also instinctively straightening their posture. While not quite as perfect as Sunday's, they were no longer as lax as before. Like wooden stakes, they stood in front of the hut for a while before Saturday, also dressed neatly, joined the line.

Although the two remained still, their eyes were fixed on the distant entrance of the cave dwelling, drawing the attention of the locals who also watched with curiosity, wondering what the manager was expecting.

……

The people's clothes were all different, and although they were clean, they were not complicated to wear.

Even on Sundays, when appearance is most important, it didn't take long for me to get dressed.

Compared to them, Chen Zhou suffered a lot.

As he put on the heavy Ironclad Pagoda armor piece by piece, his body gradually became sluggish as the armor's upper body borne the pressure.

Sometimes, Chen Zhou really wondered if he was missing a screw in his head.

Why did you only think about looking cool and good-looking, and end up using the Iron Pagoda as a special costume for priests?
Even the once-powerful Jin dynasty probably didn't have all its soldiers wearing heavy armor when holding sacrificial rites...

Moreover, the Jin people are located between the Arctic and the temperate zones, so even in the hottest summer, the temperature would not reach the level seen on the island.

Before even putting on the helmet, Chen Zhou already sensed a strong feeling of oppression and suffocation.

He sighed, and could only console himself—

Whether you're comfortable or not is only temporary, but whether you're handsome or not is a lifelong matter.

……

It was already broad daylight, and even though the cave dwelling was located in a shady spot, the bright sunlight still clearly illuminated everything on the slope.

Under the watchful eyes of the natives, the door to the cave dwelling was finally opened.

Laifu, whose fur had just been combed and whose collar had been cleaned last night, appeared in everyone's sight first.

As it grew older, its already stable personality became increasingly lazy.

In recent months, Chen Zhou has been busy with various things and has hardly had time to play with Laifu. Laifu spends most of his time lying in the yard, sometimes for the whole day.

Sometimes, when it's really feeling cooped up, it will go out and play for a while on Saturdays or Sundays.

Although he was away from home, Laifu always thought about Chenzhou in the cave dwelling. Every time he played until the sun was about to set, he would rush back to the cave dwelling.

However, its attentiveness is mostly just a flirtation to the blind.

Chen Zhou was completely absorbed in forging the new gun, almost to the point of obsession. Sometimes he would even forget to eat, let alone pay attention to it.

It wasn't until last night, when Chen Zhou suddenly took off its collar, wiped it, and groomed its fur, that Laifu finally got to spend some time cuddling with its owner.

……

Despite his usual lazy demeanor, when it really matters, the plump and robust Laifu exudes an air of authority as he stands at the door.

Especially when the mountain wind blows in its face, ruffling its flowing mane, it looks even more like a majestic lion, awe-inspiring and powerful.

Straightening his legs and standing upright at the entrance of the cave dwelling, Laifu habitually turned around to look behind him—

When it went out to play, it always wanted Chen Zhou to come with it, but every time it ran out the door and looked back, it could no longer see Chen Zhou. It could only hear the clanging of iron being hammered in the forge.

This time, Chen Zhou did not disappoint Lai Fu.

The pitch-black ironclad armor suffocated him in the enclosed space, and with each step he took, the armor plates made a metallic scraping and clashing sound.

With the view compressed, the closer you get, the harder it is to see the scenery clearly. You can only rely on your familiarity with the terrain around the cave dwelling to move forward slowly.

……

Only Chen Zhou himself knows how much pain he is in.

When this monster, clad in airtight black armor, carrying a long spear, and with a Chen-style rifle slung over his shoulder, walked slowly out of the cave dwelling courtyard, all the natives who saw him in this attire for the first time couldn't help but hold their breath.

The modern replica of the Ironclad Pagoda armor adds a touch of fierceness and martial prowess to the original Jin dynasty design.

Especially the matte black nail plates, when they appear in the daytime, are like a red dot in a sea of ​​green, standing out conspicuously.

Chen Zhou's already robust physique further amplified the imposing presence of the armor.

The sense of oppression reached its peak when he turned around to face the natives and the prepared Saturday and Sunday.

The natives seemed to sense a pair of sharp, blade-like eyes scanning them from behind the visor.

Compared to the two giant beasts that appeared on the beach that morning, the armored leader seemed more like a bloodthirsty monster.

……

"set off!"

With a brief announcement of the start of the sacrificial ceremony in two words, Chen Zhou took the lead and walked towards the temple.

It wasn't that he was feigning coldness; it was simply that the armor was too stiflingly hot, making him eager to end the ritual and return to the cave to remove this "iron suit."

……

Yesterday's preparations and today's attire naturally imbued the entire sacrificial ceremony with a solemn atmosphere.

Although this was their first time experiencing a sacrificial ceremony, the natives dared not make any unnecessary noise and followed Chen Zhou in silence.

……

Just before reaching the temple, at a bend in the mountain road, Chen Zhou forcefully plunged his long spear into the soil, then took the rifle loaded with bullets from his back.

Seeing this, Saturday and Sunday, who were following closely behind him, quickly took out their improved flintlock pistols and loaded them with lead bullets according to the steps they had practiced over the past few days.

Chen Zhou patiently waited for the two to be ready, then pointed the gun at an angle towards the sky and pulled the trigger.

"Oh!"

"Boom!"

A crisp gunshot rang out, followed by two booming explosions of gunpowder.

Caught off guard, the natives were nearly paralyzed with fear.

They stared in terror at Saturday and Sunday, at the smoking gun barrels in their hands, and at Chen Zhou, who was further ahead. They could hardly contain themselves and started to run away.

Long-buried memories have been unearthed once again.

They suddenly remembered that on the day they were captured, their comrade had fallen after this terrible explosion.

Today, who will this invisible monster, capable of taking lives and tearing heads off, devour?
……

Thanks to the slight trust that had developed over the past few days, the natives managed to suppress their urge to run away and, after three gunshots, moved their trembling legs to continue following Chen Zhou forward.

The Wang Lingguan Temple, built on the outer edge of the cave, soon came into view.

Having not been repaired or maintained for nearly a year, a thick layer of sand has settled on the complex mortise and tenon structure of the temple gate.

The reddish wooden pillars, exposed to wind and sun, have developed cracks on their once smooth surfaces, making the temple appear ancient and dilapidated.

Pushing open the door, the stiff hinges immediately creaked and groaned.

Sunlight streamed into the dusty temple floor, illuminating the black wooden floorboards and the three prayer cushions placed upon them.

Chen Zhou raised his gun and fired into the air again at the temple entrance before entering the temple first.

Just like the last time he performed the sacrifice, he went straight to the long table where the statue of Wang Lingguan was placed, carrying a rifle on his back and standing tall with a long spear in his hand.

The two entered the temple side by side on Saturday and Sunday.

Every step they took followed the footprints Chen Zhou left on the wooden floor. When the two of them knelt down on the prayer mats and kowtowed, behind them were still the same footprints Chen Zhou had left when he entered the temple, not one more.

The sound of a headshot is much duller than the sound of a gunshot.

This time, when the two looked up, they were finally able to see what the new god they had always believed in but had little recollection of looked like.

Wang Lingguan's upper body was shrouded in shadow cast from the cave ceiling.

The changing light and shadow, and the dust particles floating in the light, made him appear even more majestic, powerful, and mysterious.

Looking up from below, the gaze swept over the fiery wheels beneath his feet, his golden armor, and the steel whip in his hand, before landing on his face.

But this deity had a crimson face, three eyes on its head, eyes wide open in anger, mouth slightly agape, and a full beard that resembled a burning flame. Even a fleeting glance was enough to captivate one's mind.

On Saturdays and Sundays, I only dared to glance up once before carefully looking away, getting up, bowing my head, and heading out the door.

……

Following the two, seven indigenous people who witnessed the two kneeling and worshipping followed suit, entering the temple in pairs to kneel and worship.

Unlike those who had already undergone a ritual on Saturday and Sunday, they were not bold enough to peek at the gods.

They had actually followed Chen Zhou here in a daze, and until now, the natives still didn't know that they were kneeling before a statue of a god—

Their tribe has never had a clear description of the appearance of the gods, nor do they have any statues; everything is passed down orally.

The ritual of kneeling and kowtowing is not difficult to master. The indigenous people all learned to slam their foreheads heavily onto the wooden floor on Saturdays and Sundays, with the zebra one being the most enthusiastic.

If Chen Zhou had used stone bricks instead of wooden floors when he built the temple, this guy would have banged his head until it bled.

After finally completing the step of kowtowing, and as the natives walked out of the temple one by one, Chen Zhou closed the gate, and the ritual came to an end.

Reload the bullets; this time, Chen Zhou will fire two shots in quick succession.

With six gunshots, a layer of sand fell from the eaves of the temple gate, and the smell of gunpowder grew stronger.

The natives' hearts, which had just calmed down, began to beat faster again with the sound of gunfire.

The zebras, whose heads were ringing right next to Saturday and Sunday, even felt their heads buzzing.

Amidst a buzzing sound, he saw the monstrous new leader pull out the strange spear stuck in the ground and head back towards their gathering place.

The zebra then started to follow, a realization dawning on it—the ritual was over. (End of Chapter)