From Robinson Crusoe

The sea waves rise and fall.

Two ships, one large and one small, faced each other from afar. The narrow field of view of the telescope swayed slightly, and in the distorted image of the hot air, only the ant-like figures on the deck of the small ship and the swaying sails of the large ship could be vaguely seen.

The two stared at each other for about two minutes.

On Sunday, seeing no sign of the large ship approaching, they breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Just as he was about to continue waiting for the large ship to leave, he suddenly saw the ship slowly change direction, turning its hull to reveal the dark muzzle of its cannons.

Even though they were hundreds of meters apart, those weapons, which seemed to conceal some kind of ominous presence, still exerted a psychological pressure on people.

Having learned about the effective range of 17th-century naval cannons in the weapons and equipment class, even though I know that those cannons pose no threat to me within a safe distance, I still feel a sense of unease when facing the muzzle of a cannon.

After all, that was a weapon capable of easily sinking the ship.

Facing it is like having a sharp blade pointed at your vitals; even if the other party doesn't actually stab you, it still instills fear.

……

Realizing the large ship intended to attack, Sunday could hardly remain calm and wanted to order the sails to be raised and the ship to leave the area.

But he realized that if he fled now, he would not only fail to get rid of the trouble, but might also arouse the curiosity of the large ship, leading the group of Spaniards to find the island by following their sailing route.

Moreover, according to the understanding of a normal sailor of that era, it was impossible for anyone to be frightened into fleeing at this distance after revealing cannons.

To the big ship, the appearance of this ship was certainly unfamiliar. In order to avoid unnecessary trouble, he had to remain calm and act like a real old sailor rather than a fool who had only sailed three times.

The complex psychological process took only a few seconds.

As the two ships observed each other across the sea, the entire sea seemed to fall into an unusual silence, and even the frequency of the seabirds flapping their wings in the sky slowed down considerably.

The Spanish armed merchant ship finally crossed the hull.

Before Sunday could even prepare himself, the row of cannons spewed out flames and thick smoke.

Immediately afterwards, a series of cannon shots rang out, like the legendary Thunder God striking his divine instrument to create thunder from not far away.

Black shells flew out from the side of the large ship, and the recoil caused the seawater beneath the hull to tremble slightly.

They skimmed across the sea, heading straight for the small boat, landing a hundred meters away with the Spanish people's arrogant declaration and overbearing attitude, stirring up waves.

……

When the ignited gunpowder propelled these heavy shells out, not only the islanders who were going to sea as soldiers for the first time, but even those who spent their days training in firearms and learning weapons courses felt their brains buzzing.

The timid man's legs were already trembling uncontrollably as he gazed at the large ship in the distance, as if he were seeing a new god.

Whether out of awe or fear, they all cast helpless glances toward Sunday.

On Sunday, he stood upright at the bow of the ship, as if he hadn't heard the cannon fire at all.

"A soldier is in raging state, and a general is in raging group."

Sunday is the kind of person with exceptional leadership talent. He almost never easily shows his emotions to others. No matter if he is terrified or panicked, even if he is about to wet his pants, he can keep his face calm.

Chen Zhou remembered watching a TV series when he was a child, and one line from it stuck with him deeply—

In victory, do not be overjoyed; in defeat, do not be discouraged. One who can have thunderous passion within but a calm demeanor is worthy of being a general.

While Sunday may not be able to remain unmoved by victory, it is remarkably adept at concealing one's true intentions.

That's why he was gradually assigned to this position, instead of sitting in the office all day like Saturday, either handling logistical matters or teaching.

……

In such turbulent times, Sunday's performance determines the mentality of all the soldiers.

He was afraid, and everyone else was even more afraid. He could ignore the artillery fire, and even if his subordinates were terrified, they could at least maintain the most basic combat qualities in front of their commander.

The thunderous cannon fire came and went quickly, and the sea soon returned to calm.

The small boat had been sitting on the sea for a long time, bobbing up and down with the waves.

After firing a round of cannon fire, the large ship did not linger near the islands. With its sails billowing in the wind, the tall ship cleaved through the sea.

Before long, its outline slowly shrank and became blurred, moving out of the telescope's field of view.

After the large ship could no longer be seen, Sunday put down his binoculars and turned to look at the armed guards.

"Raise the sails and continue!"

After giving the order, Sunday pointed to the spot where the large ship had disappeared, his voice trembling without the slightest tremor or fear, but full of high morale.

"It won't be long before we have better ships and more powerful cannons."

I assure you!

……

Having just experienced the shock of cannon fire from Spanish armed merchant ships, sailors from other factions would not believe their commander's oaths and would only think it was bragging.

But Sunday was different. In the eyes of the crew, he was not only in charge of the operation, but also represented the leader's will.

The leader is a celestial being who walks among humans, and gods are omnipotent.

Since arriving on the island, Chen Zhou has made many promises to them.

As it turns out, these promises were not just empty words.

As long as Chen Zhou says it, it won't be long before it comes true—

Sturdy houses, beautiful furniture, abundant food, machines that process food themselves by being propelled by water currents, robust means of transportation...

The credibility of the island forces was slowly built up through these fulfilled promises.

Therefore, when Sunday finished speaking, the sailors on board were immediately invigorated, as if they had instantly lost their fear and panic—

Although Chen Zhou has always been very cautious in using the weapons of "personality cult" and "religion," he has never even opened the temple gates to hold sacrificial activities except on holidays.

But the appearance of a 21st-century person here, with his advanced knowledge and worldview, is like a divine manifestation to the uncivilized natives.

Even if Chen Zhou remains restrained, his personal charm will not be weakened; on the contrary, it will be enhanced as he reduces the frequency of his appearances in front of others.

An "omnipotent God" is more effective than any inspiring declaration or extravagant promise.

The islanders could dispel all their fear simply by thinking that such a god was on their side.

Even though their admiration for Chen Zhou hasn't reached the level of blind fanaticism yet, it's enough to make up for their lack of combat skills.

……

Shortly after the Spanish merchant ships departed, the small boat sailed through the bay where the son of Russer had swum and approached another island.

Compared to the previous island, there were fewer signs of human activity on this island, and fewer footprints on the beach.

Above the beach, the intertwined branches of trees in the near-shore woodland form a natural barrier, preventing people from seeing what lies beyond the woodland.

……

Before officially landing, the sailboat dropped anchor, and on Sunday, the guards, who were participating in the operation for the first time, were solemnly briefed on the precautions.

"Don't think you're invincible just because you have guns. If you get stabbed by a spear or hit by an arrow, you'll lose your lives here."

Be observant and cautious, especially in places where people might be hiding. We're operating during the day, so the enemy isn't blind; they can see you. However, don't be overly tense.

Every native here has the potential to become our future compatriots and friends. Unless absolutely necessary, please refrain from firing your guns…

Based on his experience of repeatedly landing on the island to capture natives, Sunday he supplemented the soldiers with some practical skills that were not taught in class.

After speaking, he picked up his gun first, stepped onto the long plank that the side of the boat had draped over to the shore, and quickly walked down to the unfamiliar island.

Numerous guards followed closely behind, filing down the ship, leaving only Lu Si'er and Li Si on board.

……

Even though life is very different now and much more comfortable, Sunday still hasn't lost his innate caution and decisiveness.

Upon reaching the beach, he did not rush forward, but carefully observed the surrounding environment, focusing on the woodlands near the shore.

Where people walk, they will inevitably leave traces. A forest that is frequently traversed will also form a path. Even if you try to cover it up, these traces will not completely disappear.

With eagle-like eyes sweeping across the lush tree branches, Sunday suddenly raised his hand to signal the guards to stop advancing, then raised his gun and fired a shot at the "Green Wall" in the distance.

"Oh!"

The loud gunshots seemed to awaken the jungle in an instant, like a troop of monkeys being provoked, and an angry roar of battle echoed from within the green wall.

Immediately, the wooden arrows belonging to the natives were spewed out by the green wall.

Unfortunately, the natives' bows and arrows had limited range, and at this moment, Sunday and the guards who landed on the island were standing at the end of the tide, and the sand under their feet was still very wet.

The natives' powerful volley of arrows reached only twenty meters in front of them before it became a "weak bow at the end," falling helplessly to the ground.

……

Despite the indigenous people's initial attack, which signaled a hostile stance, they did not immediately retaliate on Sunday.

He already regarded every native on the island as a treasure stored here by the large island and did not want to cause unnecessary killing.

Moreover, after these people are arrested, they will inevitably run into each other again.

If you kill someone's family member now, it will never look good if you work in the same place in the future.

Having lived with the islanders for almost three years and witnessed firsthand how human relationships and customs were formed, Sunday's mind, which had previously only been focused on fighting, gradually began to include other things, and he started to consider matters more thoroughly.

"Don't shoot."

After giving the order, Sunday cautiously took two steps forward to distinguish himself from the guards.

Facing the green wall and the indigenous people hiding behind it, he loudly expressed his intentions in the indigenous language—

Find someone.

The person who was "missing" on Sunday was naturally Ruth's missing child.

He described clearly the location where the person might land on the island, the time, and the child's age and appearance, and it sounded completely true.

Hearing this, the natives in the green wall were skeptical, but they did not want to rashly start a war with this group of people who had come from afar in strange ships. After saying "wait," they remained silent.

……

Seeing this, Sunday was not in a hurry. He simply took two steps back, ordered the guards to be on guard, and then waited quietly.

He deliberately aimed at the ground when he fired the shot.

The bullet that whistled out of the gun barrel did not injure anyone; it only hit the ground.

This is why fear and panic did not spread among the indigenous people.

They still thought the long stick in Sunday's hand was something that could make a loud noise, never imagining that if Sunday wanted to, that long stick could easily take their lives.

……

The reason this operation didn't directly resort to violence was not only to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but also because Sunday was considering Ruth'er's child—

If that kid had actually managed to swim to the island and survive, only to die at the hands of his rescuers after two or three years, I can't imagine how devastated Ruth would have been on Sunday.

There are quite a few natives hiding in the woods, and among them may be Ruth's children. Even though the chances of shooting him are slim, Sunday is not willing to gamble.

Moreover, if the natives truly found Ruth's son and handed him over, it would dispel Sunday's concerns, preventing him from being hesitant and restrained in his actions.

In Sunday's eyes, the lives of the other natives were clearly less important than those of Ruth's son.

At the same time, "finding people" is also a delaying tactic and a way to gather intelligence.

Whether or not they find Ruth's child later, when the natives answer, Sunday will be able to clearly see how many native warriors are on this island—

Displaying all able-bodied men at once to intimidate the enemy was a common practice among the indigenous people.

Based on the number of native warriors, he could deduce the size of the island's tribes and thus decide whether to suppress them by force or intimidate them.

Otherwise, if war is started rashly, a bloody conflict will be inevitable.

This was his first time leading such an open and aboveboard operation to capture natives, and his style of operation had to be distinct from that of stealthy capture, in order to minimize casualties.

That way, when he goes back to report to the leader, he can give a better account of what he has to say.

……

The natives, though not afraid of the uninvited guests from afar, showed a certain degree of respect.

They didn't ask Sunday why he spoke the native language. After hearing Sunday's description, they returned to the tribe, summoned all the outsiders together, and went to search for the extraordinary child.

……

On Sunday, he didn't know how many people were in the tribe; all he knew was that the wait was extremely long, so long that he began to frequently check his watch, so long that beads of sweat trickled down the heads of the guards.

Just as he began to suspect that the natives were abandoning them on the beach, the green wall finally stirred.

The voices of the natives drifted over, and a narrow path appeared among the branches, wide enough for two people to walk on.

Five naked natives emerged slowly from the woods, one in front and one behind.

The two natives at the front were clearly young and thin. They were being pushed and shoved by the adult natives behind them, looking completely bewildered and not yet understanding what was happening.

Behind the two were three native warriors, two of whom carried spears and one of whom carried a wooden bow. They had a belt made of straw rope tied around their waists, with several wooden arrows hanging from it.

Their spirits seemed stronger than those of the natives on the big island, and although their faces were painted with ferocious patterns using mud and natural paint, their tension and apprehension were still evident.

Faced with a group of completely unfamiliar visitors, these native warriors clearly could not display true fearlessness.

……

Which one of them is it?

He nudged the two children on the back again, ordering them to move forward, and the native warrior shouted from afar.

……

On Sunday, no one expected that they would actually find someone in the tribe who matched the description, and even more unexpectedly, they were so easy to talk to that they would actually hand the person over.

Caught off guard, he hurriedly called to Ruth, who remained on the ship, and sincerely hoped that his old friend would find the missing child. (End of Chapter)