From Robinson Crusoe

The unique sacrificial ceremony brought more psychological pressure and confusion to the indigenous people.

Having received too little education, they don't even know what day it is, let alone that in this "new tribe," beneath the solemnity of rituals lies an element of celebration.

……

It was noon when Chen Zhou returned to the cave dwelling.

The inside of the Iron Pagoda was naturally covered with another layer of foul-smelling sweat.

When Chen Zhou took off his armor, he felt as if he had just been pulled out of a steamer, his whole body was incredibly hot and humid.

If it weren't for the fact that I spend most of my time in the forging room with the furnace recently, and that I'm physically strong from years of manual labor, anyone else wearing armor and walking back and forth on the mountain like that would be completely exhausted.

……

After returning to the cave, the high priest, burdened with the heavy "ritual robes," drank a large cup of water, sat down at the table to rest, and began to conserve his energy for the evening's banquet.

The natives, however, were not so comfortable.

After completing the ritual, on Sunday's command, they immediately took off their shoes, which were not their own, and lined up in a long queue to go to the beach.

After the wooden and stone walls were dismantled, they had to be moved and reorganized before being transported directly to the "construction site" at the northeast corner of the mountain.

At the same time, people also need to cut down trees, transport stones, and build new wooden and stone walls.

Of course, before that, getting the cattle out of their cages and driving them up the hillside was also a big problem.

……

Standing in front of the iron cage, Sunday gazed at the two enormous creatures.

As the person in charge of these two cows, he was like a mother-in-law looking at her son-in-law, growing to like him more and more the more she looked at him.

However, cattle were still too unfamiliar to him. Sunday knew that only the "gods" could answer his questions and tell him how to live with cattle and how to make them obey.

But Chen Zhou was resting in the cave dwelling, and he didn't dare to disturb him on Sunday before finishing his work for the day.

Therefore, despite his many questions, he could only stay on the beach and supervise the natives' work.

During the breaks when the natives rested, he would cut some fresh grass and put it into the cage to feed the cattle, thus connecting with them.

Cows are not unintelligent animals. Although it was their first day meeting these strangers and they were in a hot, cramped environment, and their temper was a bit irritable, they still knew right from wrong.

On Sundays, I brought them water and fed them grass, and they quickly accepted me.

At least the cow no longer showed particular resistance to his petting.

……

After replenishing his fluids and eating a large piece of chocolate to boost his energy, Chen Zhou finally regained his strength after resting for nearly an hour.

After a quick shower and changing into clean clothes, he headed straight for the beach.

Besides the cattle he needed to get to the mountain, he hadn't forgotten about the green package he hadn't opened yet.

……

Upon arriving at the beach, Chen Zhou was very pleased with the efficiency of the locals.

Under Sunday's direction, a large number of semi-finished wooden planks were neatly stacked together with stones to form a new wooden and stone wall.

The "auxiliary lines" specially reserved for the natives on the sand made the construction of the wall easier. Even if they did not have a clear concept of the scope of the trans-dimensional cutting, the natives could still complete the task, but they could not be as precise as Chen Zhou.

However, during the preparation period, the quantity of building materials is more important than their quality.

Moreover, bricklaying skills improve gradually with working hours, and Chen Zhou cannot do everything himself. Sometimes letting go is the only way for the natives to get practice.

At Sunday's request, only two sides of the wooden and stone wall were built, leaving two sides open for letting the cattle out of the cage.

On the other side, the cut timber and stone bricks were either loaded onto carts or carried on the shoulders of the indigenous people, and transported little by little to the mountainside.

There was a temporary rest stop there. On Saturday morning, a campfire was lit, and two pots of shredded meat and barley porridge were cooked and placed on the mountain.

After replenishing their energy along the way, the natives can then make a final push, round the mountainside, and deliver the building materials to the beach in the northeast corner.

……

Looking at this group of natives who resembled hardworking little ants, Chen Zhou lamented the lack of manpower while also feeling that the transportation efficiency was too low.

Currently, the most efficient means of transportation on the island is undoubtedly the handcart, but there are only two handcarts, and both are small-wheeled vehicles.

Traveling along the paved roads in the southwestern corner of Shanxi, their speed was quite considerable, but when they reached the rugged northeastern mountainside, these vehicles struggled to move.

If we want to improve transportation efficiency, we should at least build a flat mountain road, manufacture more vehicles, or find another way to transport by sea.

But whether it's building roads, manufacturing cars, or taking sea routes, one core problem remains unavoidable—a small population.

Including Chen Zhou, there are only ten people on the island at most. No matter how reasonably these ten people are divided, they cannot complete many large-scale projects in a short period of time.

It's important to understand that in ancient times, the construction of defensive fortifications involved the use of thousands or even tens of thousands of serfs, so ten people were simply insignificant.

……

"Once we have developed to the point where we can protect ourselves, we will then completely domesticate these newly arrived natives."

"Could we take a more proactive approach and send them to the archipelago to gather intelligence, or perhaps bring in some new recruits..."

A strong military means a strong backbone, and one can speak and act with confidence.

The performance of the Chen 1662 rifle has been tested in actual combat. Chen Zhou firmly believes that, given similar physical and mental qualities, soldiers wielding this weapon can crush anyone of their time in combat.

Therefore, he became bolder and his vision extended further than before.

However, there is still a long way to go before these natives are fully domesticated and the secrets of firearms can be taught to them.

Compared to a lack of labor, it is clearly more harmful than beneficial to have a group of untrustworthy subordinates wield enough weapons to kill oneself.

The idea of ​​proactively recruiting new members only flashed through Chen Zhou's mind for a moment before he suppressed it.

It's not the right time to use this new idea yet. When the time is right, he will naturally think about how to expand outwards.

……

He walked straight to Sunday, led him to the iron cage, and while showing him how to open the latch, explained the important matters concerning herding the cattle—

To be on the safe side, the cattle's hooves must be tied with hemp rope before opening the cage door to prevent them from running wildly as soon as they are released.

In addition, when herding cattle, you should focus your attention on the bull.

Like sheep, cattle have a leader in their herd, and the other cattle usually follow the leader. As long as the bull is well controlled, the cows can save a lot of effort.

When herding cattle, try to use gentle methods and avoid yelling or whipping them to prevent provoking their "stubbornness".

Especially that big bull; if it goes berserk, even more than ten people probably couldn't hold it back.

Chen Zhou suggested cutting some tender grass that the cows like to eat on Sunday, and then using the food to lure the cows to follow him. The process can be slow, and it is important to control the cows' temperament.

After all, these two cows are new to this unfamiliar environment, and if they are angered, they will be difficult to manage in the future.

……

While explaining to Sunday how to herd cattle, Chen Zhou took the opportunity to test the two cows' attitude towards Sunday, and the result made him very satisfied.

Currently, the cattle seem to have developed a certain affinity for Sundays, which could make the cattle herding work go more smoothly.

As Chen Zhou explained, Sunday listened intently, and when the discussion reached the part about herding cattle, he couldn't help but ask a question—

"Since cows tend to run away, why not tie a rope around their necks and pull them along?"

This naive question was like a clumsy joke, making Chen Zhou burst into laughter.

It took him quite a bit of explaining to Sunday how heavy and powerful this enormous creature was.

If it doesn't want to leave, it's impossible for one or two people to drag it away.

If it were a calf, some exceptionally talented individuals might have the potential to overcome it.

But this is a behemoth weighing at least 1500 pounds, and possibly close to a ton. Even if it doesn't get angry and just stands there obediently, it's still a small mountain of flesh.

The best way to deal with this kind of creature is to use gentle methods.

Moreover, Simmental cattle are a breed that has been bred by humans for over a hundred years, and their temperament is naturally docile. Chen Zhou believed that given Sunday's current closeness with the bull, herding it up the mountain should not be difficult.

However, considering the male's attack power, Chen Zhou still gave a few instructions after explaining the key points.

If you find that the cow is angry, you must get away immediately, climb a tree or go into the forest. Do not try to control the cow with your own strength, and do not use force to fight it.

On Sunday, he was a trustworthy talent that had been painstakingly cultivated, while the bull represented the hope for the island's future livestock industry.

Chen Zhou did not want to see either party suffer losses.

……

I gained a deeper understanding of cattle from Chen Zhou, which boosted my confidence.

In order to finish the work as soon as possible and not delay the banquet that evening, it was decided on Sunday that they would start herding the cattle now.

Knowing that cows, such large creatures, can sometimes be quite sensitive, Sunday stopped all the indigenous people who were working before opening the iron cage door.

He then threaded the rope he had prepared beforehand through the gaps in the iron cage bars and, imitating the sheep's hoof tripping technique, tied the tripping ropes to the feet of both cows.

Fortunately, the iron cage was small enough that the cow could not turn around or stretch its legs to kick, otherwise it would have taken many times longer to trip over it.

After making sure the tripods were secure enough so the cow wouldn't easily break free, Sunday removed the pins and opened the cage door.

After being trapped in the cage for nearly a day, the two cows finally saw the light of freedom and eagerly went out.

When the Simmental male, with a shoulder height of nearly 170cm, stepped onto the sand, even though the natives already knew that this creature ate grass and was not a carnivorous beast, they still couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.

Cattle are large mammals from the mainland; the island's scarce resources cannot support such giants.

Before arriving at this island, the largest animals the natives had ever seen were large fish in the sea.

However, even giant groupers and trevally that are more than 2 meters long and are rarely seen in a lifetime appear exceptionally small compared to this bull.

……

The bull felt uneasy as the natives exclaimed and focused their gazes upon him.

The discomfort caused by the constriction on its feet exacerbated this feeling.

It stopped in its tracks and stared at the whispering people in the distance with hostile eyes.

"Moo~" The bull let out a deep moo, slightly adjusted its body angle, and began to paw at the sand with its front hooves.

This is its attack warning. If the "hostile creature" continues to ignore its warning, it will lower its head, reveal its horns, tense its muscles, and officially launch its charge.

Noticing that the giant beast beside him was not behaving properly, Sunday silently raised the whip in his hand.

The natives, upon seeing the weapon that could bring them pain from afar, immediately fell silent, keeping their mouths shut and heads bowed, fearing that this wicked man would remember them and subject them to a few lashes later.

……

Chen Zhou was completely unaware of the thrilling scene unfolding on the beach.

At this moment, he is unpacking the military green package that came with the cow inside the wooden house.

The prize was not packaged in corrugated cardboard; it was a large cloth bag that was stuffed full.

After Chen Zhou cut open the plastic film on the bag and unzipped it, a large pile of clothes that had been tightly pressed inside the bag suddenly popped out and scattered all over the ground.

Among them were dark blue long-sleeved and long-legged work clothes, light-colored short-sleeved shirts and shorts, as well as cotton work gloves and socks.

However, these clothes do not look like new clothes for sale normally; they look more like unsold inventory from warehouses or substandard products discarded from factories.

Especially the gloves and socks, all mixed together, different colors, indistinguishable between left and right hands, and varying in length, so you had to carefully select and match them to wear them.

Nevertheless, receiving so many clothes at once still made Chen Zhou extremely happy.

There was no fabric or modern textiles on the island, so he wore clothes he found on the ship. He carefully folded and stored the clothes he wore when he arrived on the island in a wooden box.

Although the materials of the clothes worn by the wealthy in the 17th century were not bad, the designs were quite different from modern clothing, and it took Chen Zhou a long time to get used to this kind of attire.

He has always missed modern clothing, but despite all the rewards he has received, apart from an Ultraman suit, a wedding dress, and sneakers, he has never received anything that fits his clothes.

The only sneakers he could wear weren't the right size, which made him wonder if the Time and Space Administration was doing it on purpose.

In online shopping platforms, besides a wide variety of small commodities, clothing probably accounts for the largest proportion.

He has received seventy rewards so far, and only this time has he gotten a bunch of clothes.

Such an illogical probability makes it hard to believe that the Time and Space Administration did not interfere.

However, all the previous dissatisfaction vanished after receiving so many clothes.

Chen Zhou's face was full of smiles, as if he had acquired a large number of house deeds and land deeds. He squinted as he picked up the clothes on the ground one by one and began to count them.

……

The work clothes come in two colors, gray and dark blue, and are identical in style, consisting of a long-sleeved jacket and trousers. Wearing them instantly transforms you into a car mechanic.

They come in various sizes and are made of relatively thick materials, but they are not suitable for wearing directly on the body because the lining fabric is somewhat rough and may chafe the skin during work.

Work clothes make up the largest proportion of all clothing items.

If you count a coat and a pair of trousers as a complete set, there are as many as twenty and a half sets—half of which only have trousers and no coat.

Secondly, there are shirts in various colors, mainly divided into three categories: light blue, white, and light green, totaling twelve pieces.

Then there's the matching short-sleeved shirt and shorts, which is also Chen Zhou's favorite outfit—

On a hot tropical island, if you're not working outdoors for long periods, staying in the forge or moving between the kitchen and bedroom, wearing only short sleeves and shorts is the most comfortable option.

Unfortunately, there were only seven sets of short-sleeved shirts and shorts in total, and only two of them fit Chen Zhou's body type.

If I wear these two sets of clothes sparingly, I estimate they will only last three to five years at most. If I wash them too frequently, they probably won't last two years.

After all, the quality of these clothes isn't very good.

……

It didn't take Chen Zhou much time to tidy up his outer clothes, but matching the gloves and socks took him quite a bit of effort.

It took him almost an hour to find all the "partners" for his socks and gloves.

Although the clothing given as a reward was of poor quality, and all the clothes combined might not be worth as much as the wedding dress, the quantity of them was truly impressive.

Gloves and socks, being smaller garments, make up half of the bag.

When all the items were counted, there were an astonishing 680 pairs of gloves and more than 300 pairs of socks. If only Chen Zhou used them, they would last for more than ten years. Even if they were divided among Saturday and Saturday, they would last for three to five years.

Besides these unisex garments, as the sorting was nearing its end, Chen Zhou discovered something unexpected at the bottom of the bag—

Several lace thongs and bras.

……

"I've really had enough of your perverse sense of humor."

Not knowing if the Time and Space Administration could observe his actions, Chen Zhou gave the roof of the wooden house the middle finger.

"All you do all day is stir up trouble. I'm not some young man in his early twenties."

I'm almost thirty, and right now, my career is the most important thing to me.

Despite saying that, Chen Zhou did not discard the women's underwear. Instead, he placed it separately at the bottom of the bag, intending to cut it into usable fabric and elastic bands for future use after returning to the cave.

……

As dusk approached, rare rosy clouds appeared on the mountaintop.

The natives worked all day and barely finished building the wooden and stone wall before sunset.

As for the task of moving the building materials to the northeast corner, they won't be able to complete it today.

One by one, wiping the dust and leaves from their faces, and smelling of sweat, they wearily made their way to the mountaintop. In the distance, the natives could hear the deep, resonant bellow of a bull—

"Moo~"

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on their sun-darkened faces, giving them a faint reddish glow.

Saturday, wearing a canvas apron sewn by Chen Zhou, was welcoming them at Banpo.

He waved his hand, the faint scent of chili emanating from him, and shouted to the natives, telling them to take a bath first and then go straight back to the door of the cabin for the feast.

……

At the entrance of the cave dwelling, dishes were served in earthenware bowls and plates, which were then carried by Sunday to the long table in front of the wooden house.

Several stir-fried dishes that require a higher temperature for the desired atmosphere were served last.

Cold side dishes, a platter of sliced ​​fruit, room-temperature desserts and chocolates, cups of goat milk...

Chen Zhou spent Saturday afternoon preparing, making the most of the island's abundant produce and turning all the edible ingredients into delicious food.

Although there are some ingredients he doesn't know how to cook properly.

But he was certain that he had put in a tremendous effort, digging out and applying all the cooking memories in his mind.

……

He had just driven the cattle to the mountain stream on Sunday, and when serving the dishes, he kept looking into the distance with a restless expression, as if he was still thinking about his cattle.

Chen Zhou keenly sensed the boy's thoughts, and when he stood at the gate of the courtyard in a daze again on Sunday, he comforted him in a rather relaxed tone.

"Don't worry, on this island, apart from armed humans, no animal can harm them."

At this point, Chen Zhou couldn't help but think of the unknown venomous snake that had bitten the lamb, but he quickly dismissed the thought.

The most common cause of death for lambs is wound infection, not snake venom.

The venom of that kind of snake cannot kill a lamb in a short time, let alone an adult cow.

A cow is much larger than a lamb, and to kill it, one must either use a potent poison or inject a large amount of toxin.

Clearly, the venomous snakes on the island do not possess this ability.

……

Hearing Chen Zhou's words, Sunday felt a little relieved and continued carrying the still-warm dishes to the front of the wooden house.

Two more dishes were placed on the long table. The natives who had been taking a bath on Saturday finally returned and joined the kitchen helpers.

Not long after, the natives, having finished their baths, emerged from the direction of the gallows.

Upon seeing them, Sunday immediately jogged a few steps, casually placed the dishes on the table, and approached the zebra leading the group to inquire about his two cows.

Only after learning that the two guys were resting by the river and hadn't gone far did I feel completely relieved on Sunday.

Despite his sometimes carefree attitude, he can be quite careless in his work.

In essence, Sunday is a very serious person.

This can be seen from the fact that after discovering the natives had landed on the island, he did not immediately rush to report to Chen Zhou, but instead carefully counted the number of natives and made sure he knew what kind of weapons they were carrying before heading to the cave.

When it comes to things he values, Sunday never spares his energy and patience, which is the fundamental reason why he is more suitable to be a manager than Saturday.

Beneath the seriousness, harshness, and even the somewhat reckless physical or verbal abuse lies a keen eye for detail.

Every Sunday, when reporting on the work performance of the indigenous people to Chen Zhou, Chen Zhou could sketch out the personality profile and living habits of each indigenous person from his words.

Not many people can do this; at least Saturday, who is usually meticulous, did not do it as well as Sunday.

Having a keen eye for other people's psychology is a unique talent.

That's why Chen Zhou gradually handed over the management of the indigenous people from himself to Sunday.

In his view, this boy buried in the primitive tribe is a rough gem. As long as he grows up smoothly and has enough experience, Sunday will be able to serve as his right-hand man and take on more responsibilities.

……

Having just finished dealing with their "boss's" questions, and before the natives could even return to their settlement to prepare for tonight's meal, they saw a long row of fragrant dishes in front of the wooden house.

They stared longingly at the long table, which was almost completely filled with food.

The campfire burning beside the table illuminated the food on the plates, and the glistening oil reflected the red flames, making it even more tempting.

Although they didn't know who all the dishes were for, the natives all stopped walking towards the settlement and stood there staring blankly at the long table.

They didn't realize the wonderful good news until a kind Saturday announced that the food was specially prepared for them for the day's sacrifice.

After a brief, unbelievable silence, the natives erupted in excited and happy cheers, and one by one obediently took their seats as arranged for Sunday, awaiting the official start of the feast. (End of Chapter)