From Robinson Crusoe

Chapter 319 Strong Arrow
"Brave warrior, what is this?"

Faced with the attack of a mammoth, Gao Yao was already struggling to hold on.

Because of his style of play, which kept the distance between them, he saw that Bi Kai was in danger. However, Bi Kai was already in dire straits and could not save himself. Even if he wanted to help, he was powerless to do so.

Seeing Chen Zhou rush to the rescue and his companion saved, Gao Yao was naturally overjoyed.

But now that Gao Yao saw Chen Zhou leading another mammoth toward him, almost forming a pincer movement, he panicked.

He could tell that Chen Zhou was full of energy, but he was afraid that this man might hold a grudge because of his previous lack of courtesy and take this opportunity to lure both mammoths to his side before getting away on his own.

Gao Yao's martial arts style is different from Bi Kai's. He focuses more on external skills rather than techniques and trains more often, which allows him to hold his position for longer.

Even so, having managed to hold on until now, he had very little strength left. If he were truly surrounded by two mammoths, he would have no chance of survival.

In his fear, he asked this question.

……

With his mind on the brown-armored man's longbow and the situation urgent, Chen Zhou didn't care what the kid was saying and shouted from a distance.

"Give me the bow and arrow!"

Upon hearing this, Gao Yao hesitated slightly—

His ability to kill the giant beast depends entirely on his bow and arrows. Without them, his only weapon is a dagger used for cutting flesh, which cannot even pierce thick animal hides. How can he defend himself?

But then I thought, we're already backed into this situation. Holding the bow and arrows, we have no chance to aim and attack. It's better to hand them over. Even if the unknown expert's archery skills are poor, at least it will lighten my burden.

This bow and the arrows in the quiver are quite heavy.

In just a few seconds, Gao Yao finished thinking and made a decision.

"Get it!"

He shouted, and then threw his longbow at Chen Zhou.

As a renowned archer in the martial arts world, Gao Yao's arm strength was astonishing. Although his longbow was not a twelve-stone bow, it was still eight-stone. There were very few martial arts masters who could draw this bow, let alone draw it fully.

When standing still and gathering his strength, Gao Yao can draw the bowstring almost to its fullest extent and fire three shots in succession, which is enough to establish his status as the number one archer in the martial arts world.

However, being chased so badly by the giant beast, it was extremely difficult for him to even fire a few arrows, let alone exert his full strength.

……

The bow flew horizontally through the air and landed firmly in Chen Zhou's hand before it even hit the ground.

At this moment, the two were very close, less than seven meters apart.

The two female mammoths had merged, leaving only a little over a meter of space between their bodies, forming a thick wall that pressed down on the two of them.

Gao Yao tightened his quiver, keeping an eye on the mammoths charging towards him, while looking for an opportunity to unfasten the copper buckle at his waist and throw out the quiver.

……

Upon receiving the bow and arrow, Chen Zhou did not immediately draw the string and shoot. Instead, he turned around and lured the female mammoth that was chasing him to another location.

Otherwise, the brown-armored man would be both an obstacle and an easy target for him; if he were to fall into danger, he would have to find a way to help him.

The same old problem persists: he doesn't know which of the two is the animal tamer, and he has to do his best to save their lives before he receives his payment.

Once we figure out who the "key player" is, the question of who lives and who dies will depend on who is more useful.

Life on the deserted island had long since molded Chen Zhou into a pragmatist. Sometimes he would follow his heart and decide whether or not he could do something, but most of the time he would think, "Is it profitable to do this?"

……

Seeing the other giant beast disappear into the distance, Gao Yao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

As for whether the longbow and arrows would be of any use in the hands of that expert, he had no time to worry about that.

Given the current situation, he had to be extremely careful to survive the giant beast's attack. He could only hope that the seemingly untrained man could play a little role after getting his bow.

The giant beast is already showing signs of fatigue. If the big man can delay it a little longer, once the beast runs out of energy, he and Bi Kai will be able to escape, even if they can't kill it. They will then be out of danger.

……

Bi Kai observed both Chen Zhou and Gao Yao's actions.

Seeing his partner and helpers working so hard, Bi Kai, who couldn't offer any assistance, felt extremely ashamed.

He wanted to rest for a while and muster his strength to stand up again, but he had already suffered internal injuries from exerting all his strength. If he had been standing, he could have held on for a while longer despite the damage to his internal organs. But after he collapsed, his limbs were weak and it was difficult to even muster the strength to return to the battlefield.

But whether it was his partner or a skilled fighter who stepped in to help, they were all fighting fiercely, which made it difficult for Bi Kai to stand by and watch.

After thinking it over, Bi Kai realized that although he couldn't contribute, he could still get a full view of the situation from a distance and had the ability to offer reminders.

So he kept a close eye on the two people being chased by the giant beast, ready to shout a warning if either of them was in danger.

Swordsmen need to concentrate on their opponents during combat, especially when the enemy has a weapon. Only by keeping an eye on the changes in the enemy's weapon, arms, body, and footwork can they counter each move.

Bi Kai has practiced swordsmanship since childhood, so he inevitably trained his eyesight. Although he is now practically a cripple, he can still make some use of his eyes.

He focused his mind and looked at Gao Yao first.

After losing his longbow, Gao Yao had no means of attack. He didn't even take out the short dagger he used for cutting flesh, as if the small weapon would be ridiculed by the giant beast.

However, despite being unarmed, Gao Yao's situation was actually much better than before because he had removed a lot of heavy equipment, and he could run more easily.

The giant beast had been chasing him for so long that its stamina was much weaker than before. With this shift in strength, Gao Yao actually seemed to be in no danger.

Then Bi Kai looked at Chen Zhou again.

……

This unusual battle has lasted so long that even Gao Yao, who is known for his strength, is showing signs of fatigue. However, this unknown expert still maintains the speed and agility he displayed when they first met.

Only then did Bi Kai see the male mammoth standing there, struggling to move, its hind legs mangled and covered in wounds.

Thinking of the simple spear Chen Zhou was holding, and then thinking of his own sword that had been broken by the giant beast, Bi Kai had a clear understanding of the difference in their strength for the first time.

In the martial arts world, strength has always been the deciding factor.

Even if you come from Wudang or Shaolin, if your kung fu is bad, you're bad. At most, you can only arouse people's fear. When it comes to a life-or-death battle, no one will show mercy.

Although Chen Zhou never displayed any of his sect's secret techniques, based on his achievements today, no one in the martial arts world dared to underestimate him.

Having recognized Chen Zhou's strength, out of curiosity among martial artists, Bi Kai almost abandoned Gao Yao and focused his attention solely on Chen Zhou, hoping to glean some unusual clues from him.

……

Chen Zhou noticed Bi Kai's gaze, but he didn't care.

He knew that he didn't have any special skills in fighting bears and elephants; he relied entirely on his physical abilities, which, unlike skills, couldn't be learned.

Just like in the 100-meter sprint, some people may have the skills to rival Bolt, but no one can surpass Bolt until they have the same physical qualities.

Some things are innate; you can't take them away or steal them.

The longbow was already firmly in his hand. Since he was not familiar with the ancient powerful bow, Chen Zhou did not intend to shoot the arrow directly, but first tested the strength of the bow.

Using the Mongolian-style bow-drawing method, he slowly drew the bowstring back, silently estimating its tension. Only after the bow was nearly fully drawn did he carefully release it.

"About 220 pounds, I didn't expect this kid to be so strong."

Chen Zhou thought to himself, but didn't pay much attention.

220 pounds, approximately 100 kilograms, is an unattainable weight for most people, but it was a piece of cake for him.

Running at full speed, Chen Zhou, familiar with the feel of the bow, turned and drew a long arrow. He barely aimed, releasing the arrow based solely on his sense of touch.

The arrow was as swift as lightning, arriving in an instant.

The mammoth was still chasing desperately, not even seeing the trail left by the flying arrows, when suddenly the world before its eyes turned pitch black—

The arrow pierced the mammoth's right eye with terrifying accuracy, embedding itself deep within.

Gao Yao's arrows could barely pierce the mammoth's fur, with only the arrowhead penetrating deep.

Chen Zhou's arrow, however, almost completely penetrated the mammoth's body, leaving only a small portion of the shaft and fletching.

Although the arrow did not pierce the mammoth's brain due to its incorrect angle, it completely destroyed one of its eyes.

This not only turned the mammoth into a one-eyed monster, but also rendered it incapable of fighting.

The excruciating pain radiating to its brain was driving the behemoth to the brink of destruction; now, let alone continuing the pursuit, even taking a single step was incredibly difficult for it.

A mournful cry rang out from the female mammoth as she strained to reach the long arrow lodged in her eye socket with her trunk.

Its companion, the male mammoth still standing in place, responded with a pained cry, and then the other female mammoth also abandoned its attack on Gao Yao and turned to walk towards its companion.

Chen Zhou remained in the posture of drawing his bow and shooting an arrow, standing steadily and staring at the three-headed, towering beast.

The mammoths stared at him with hatred, their small brown eyes filled with both anger and fear.

Drawing another long arrow, Chen Zhou aimed at the only mammoth that had only suffered minor injuries and shot it in the ear.

This arrow was equally accurate, piercing the mammoth's ear and pinning it firmly to its neck.

At this point, the fear in the hearts of the three mammoths finally reached its peak. Led by the female mammoth whose ear had been shot through, they used their trunks to pull the male mammoth away and slowly withdrew from the grassland stained with elephant blood, leaving behind only the terrified Bi Kai, Gao Yao, and the composed Chen Zhou.

……

Call ~
Letting out a long breath, Gao Yao watched the giant beast slowly disappear into the distance, still feeling lingering fear.

He tentatively took two steps forward, and seeing that the mammoths did not turn around to continue their attack, he was certain that they had indeed been driven back.

With some energy left, Gao Yao saw blood on Bi Kai's lips and ran straight over to help his companion up. The two of them came to Chen Zhou's side.

"We have no way to repay your life-saving grace. Please accept our deepest gratitude!"

As he spoke, Gao Yao and Bi Kai knelt down together, and Gao Yao, along with his injured companion, kowtowed to Chen Zhou.

Indeed, it played a decisive role in the battle between humans and beasts, and it truly saved these two people. Chen Zhou neither dodged nor avoided them, accepted their bows, then slung the longbow over his back, secured the quiver to his waist, found the spearhead that had fallen to the ground, and walked towards the deer carcass—

His bitter pill is still inside the deer's body.

……

"Benefactor, benefactor, please don't go. We two don't even know your esteemed name."

Seeing that the expert showed little interest in him, Gao Yao helped Bi Kai up and made sure he was standing firmly in place before quickly chasing after him.

He ran to Chen Zhou's side, asking for Chen Zhou's name, but his eyes were fixed on the longbow on Chen Zhou's back—

That's his stuff.

……

Using a hand axe to cut open the deer's chest and sever its ribs, Chen Zhou found his kunai by looking at the wound on the lung lobe. He glanced at Gao Yao, but his answer was irrelevant.

"Which of you two knows how to tame animals?"

Gao Yao was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. He wanted to ask his benefactor when he would return the bow, but he was too embarrassed to ask because of the life-saving grace, so he could only answer honestly.

"I have some knowledge of animal taming techniques."

"Alright, once you two have recovered from your injuries, tame two deer like these for me as soon as possible."

"Let's both head towards the beacon. If you two are determined to find me, you'll definitely find me. As for the debt of saving my life, consider this as repayment!"

With that, Chen Zhou pointed to the longbow on his back, strode away, and turned to leave.

"By the way, my name is Chen Zhou. If you two bring deer next time we meet, I'll ask you your names then."

As he spoke, Chen Zhou pushed off with his feet, leaping three to five meters in a single step, heading straight for the campfire on the distant mound. Before long, he disappeared from Gao Yao and Bi Kai's sight.

……

With a bitter smile remaining on his face, Gao Yao watched helplessly as his family heirloom bow was taken away, but he dared not utter a word to stop it.

Firstly, Chen Zhou was his savior.

The debt of saving a life is greater than heaven. Let alone a mere bow, even if it cost him his life, he would give it to him.

People in the martial arts world have always been like this. Since they rely on the two words "trust and righteousness," they must practice them for a lifetime. Otherwise, not only will they be ridiculed by others, but they themselves will also be unable to get past their own conscience.

Secondly, he had witnessed Chen Zhou's strength firsthand. Even if Chen Zhou hadn't saved his life, he wouldn't have been able to take Chen Zhou back if Chen Zhou had forcibly taken him away. If they went head-to-head, he might even lose his life.

After much deliberation, Gao Yao realized that he would probably never be able to get that bow back in his lifetime. He could only sigh and shake his head before walking towards Bi Kai.

cough~
Bi Kai was pale and coughing, clutching his chest. He only managed to speak when Gao Yao approached.

"Brother Gao, has our benefactor left?"

"gone."

"Alas, it is a pity that I wanted to pass on the Yue Family Spear Technique to my benefactor. I saw that my benefactor had extraordinary bones, agile movements, and superhuman strength. He also loved to use a long spear. I have been learning the Yue Family Spear Technique on my own for many years but have not made any progress. It is just right for my benefactor."

Unfortunately, I don't have any diagrams or incantations on me, and now that I'm injured internally, I can't demonstrate them..."

As Bi Kai continued speaking, he asked another question.

"Why did our benefactor leave in such a hurry? I saw him say some words to you. Could it be that our benefactor had other instructions?"

"Yes, my benefactor asked me to tame two more deer and give them to him."

"Brother, don't worry. Focus on recovering from your injury. Once the deer is tamed, return it to our benefactor, and we will surely meet again."

Despite losing his family heirloom bow and having to tame deer for Chen Zhou, Gao Yao did not show his grievances upon seeing Bi Kai's pale face, and offered words of comfort.

"Yes, those who survive a great calamity are bound to have good fortune in the future. You and I have met a benefactor who helped us escape a perilous situation where we were on the verge of death. We will surely be able to turn misfortune into good fortune in the future."

Bi Kai nodded, his eyes regaining some of their sparkle, and then clasped his hands in a fist salute.

"I am currently unable to move easily. Could you please trouble Brother Gao to retrieve my precious sword?"

This sword has been with me on my adventures for many years, and I never expected it to break here.

I want to bury it here and erect a monument so that future generations will know that such a precious sword once existed in this world…

……

The stars on the grassland could not dim the beacon's brilliance; the wind howled, and the distant campfire flickered.

The two mud-stained sword fragments clashed, producing a clear, resonant sound that drifted into the distance, accompanying Bi Kai's mournful song.

Frosty blade, tempered by snow for ten years, suddenly becomes a broken star falling into the deepest abyss.

The box lies buried in the desert, the wind howls to the bone, and every night the dragon's roar is stained with blood...

(End of this chapter)