From Robinson Crusoe

Footprints and firelight guided Chen Zhou in the direction he was heading.

As you enter the woods, the natural barrier formed by the intertwined branches has long been squeezed out of the passage by the large antlered deer that weave through it.

High up there you can often see deer hair hanging on the branches of trees, and you can also faintly smell the fishy smell of deer.

The saw-toothed tigers were very excited—

The giant deer was already on their diet, and the hunting instinct surged in their blood. Both the active Tiger Two and the usually calm Tiger Three walked much faster.

Fearing the little ones would disturb the deer herd, Chen Zhou had to reassure them again, reminding them that it wasn't time to start hunting yet.

……

Not long after entering the woods, as they approached the firelight, several large deer appeared along the way.

They were almost all female deer, some of them quite robust, while others were emaciated and looked sickly.

Looking at them, Chen Zhou thought to himself that raising deer here didn't seem to be going as smoothly as he had imagined.

The thin, emaciated Great Deer are almost all adults, in the prime of their lives, and would be unlikely to get sick under normal circumstances. The fact that even they are so thin indicates that the deer herd is in a bad situation.

The deer in the forest seemed quite familiar with humans, and they did not react excessively to Chen Zhou's intrusion as an uninvited guest.

However, the scent of the three young saw-toothed tigers made the great deer instinctively uneasy. Although they were not frightened into running away, they silently moved away from Chen Zhou and went deeper into the forest.

The massive deer's body moved through the forest, causing the snow clinging to the branches to fall and making a series of sounds.

From the firelight not far from the edge of the woods, the deer herder seemed to have heard the sound and was whistling in the distance.

However, the whistle sounded a bit hoarse and wasn't played skillfully enough. Upon hearing the sound, the great stag hesitated and didn't return immediately, but instead stood there in a daze.

Based on the whistle, Chen Zhou pinpointed the location of the deer herder and was about to continue towards it when he heard the sound of branches being rustled. It seemed that the deer herder had come over on his own.

Thinking that being passively approached was less threatening than actively approaching, and knowing that the deer herder would arrive soon, Chen Zhou simply stopped moving forward and waited in place.

It was already quite dark, and the deer herder, clearly lacking night vision, held up a torch.

Looking at the layered branches from afar, a tiny flame, stirred by the wind, slowly approached and gradually grew larger.

The deer herder's steps were slow, giving Chen Zhou an unusually sluggish, even heavy feeling, sounding even more stiff than the injured Paul.

Sensing that the sound was unusual, Chen Zhou gripped the hilt of the knife in advance.

If this person is not a kind soul and makes the first move, he cannot afford to let someone else seize the initiative.

……

The person lingered for a long time, walking less than two hundred meters from the fire.

Even the great deer were getting impatient. Seeing that the saw-toothed tiger had no intention of attacking them, they all lowered their heads and began searching for food in the snow.

As they got closer, Chen Zhou heard the man curse.

He seemed to be speaking some kind of dialect, which sounded somewhat familiar, but it was hard to tell which region it came from. All I knew was that he was cursing the big deer.

Upon first hearing the voice, I inexplicably felt a sense of déjà vu.

At first, Chen Zhou thought he had overheard an old man cursing in a modern city, but it wasn't until the man shouted again that he realized it was the voice of one of the wandering knights.

It belongs to the official language of the ancients, which is also a kind of Chinese language. However, due to the long period of time, the pronunciation has changed a lot. But since it belongs to the same system, people feel that they can "understand it but not quite understand it".

"Oh, it's someone I know!"

Comparing the voice to his memory, Chen Zhou was overjoyed to confirm that the person was indeed the white-clad figure among the wandering knights.

Not long ago, I was considering whether or not to resort to violence, but it seems I don't need to worry about it anymore.

He was originally the creditor of these two wandering knights, and now he came to "collect the debt" and demand the two large antler deer that were owed to him. This was a matter of course to pay back the debt.

And maybe these two are raising so many giant deer just to fulfill their promise.

Isn't it said that people from the martial arts world value martial arts, morality, and integrity above all else?

Since it was a reunion with an old friend, Chen Zhou no longer concealed himself and strode confidently toward the firelight.

The two walked towards each other, the distance of a hundred meters passing in mere seconds.

Soon, Chen Zhou saw the man in white.

……

However, time flies, and the North is not what it used to be. It is now extremely cold, and the refined and otherworldly young swordsman has changed his attire.

He wore a large hat made of animal skin on his head, and was covered in animal skins, which wrapped him up tightly. He walked with his head down and a small deer in his arms.

The fawn seemed to be sick; it didn't struggle when held and looked half-dead.

The man in white was no longer as spirited as before. Chen Zhou noticed that his shoulders were slightly crooked when he walked, and he seemed to be limping. He could only use one arm to hold the deer, while the other arm hung limply under his shoulder, as if it were broken. He could only barely hold the torch under his armpit.

"That's not right. I remember that during the battle with the mammoth, this person didn't seem to have suffered any serious injuries to his hands and feet."

How come you look like this after just a few months?

Chen Zhou was a little puzzled, and looked behind the man in white again. He was looking for the man with a northern accent who was wearing brown armor. He had "tricked" the longbow from that man, and he was counting on him to repair the bow.

However, he was very disappointed with the result. Only people in white were walking this way, and he did not see any people in brown armor.

Thinking back on the journey, all the signs he had observed indicated that only one person was active, Chen Zhou gradually developed an ominous premonition.

……

He took a few more steps forward, almost within twenty meters of the man in white, but he still didn't raise his head.

Walking through the dense forest after the snow seemed to be very tiring. Although he had only taken a few steps, the man in white was already panting heavily.

Recalling the man's agile figure and light steps during the battle with the mammoth, Chen Zhou even felt that this might not be the person he knew.

He was neither agile nor alert; in fact, he seemed somewhat dull and even overly decadent.

Adjusting his angle, Chen Zhou tried to see the face of the visitor hidden by the animal skin hat, but could only see a messy, untrimmed beard. He looked more like a beggar elder than a swordsman who roamed the martial arts world.

At this point, Chen Zhou was certain that the pair of wandering knights had indeed encountered some kind of misfortune during their disappearance.

Not all challengers have a good impression of the Chinese people, and not everyone can have a friendly exchange in the end. The cruel challenge rules turn people into beasts.

When humans and wild animals coexist in one place, humans will always be the first to get hurt.

Perhaps the brown-armored man is already dead. Thinking of this, Chen Zhou's heart grew heavy, and he stopped in his tracks, no longer moving forward.

Since the start of the challenge, he has crossed paths with more than a handful of challengers, most of whom come from foreign countries.

Although not everyone is despicable, as the saying goes, "every man for himself," there are very few people among them who are truly upright and have the spirit of chivalry.

To be precise, only this pair of wandering knights could make Chen Zhou feel favorably towards them and completely abandon his murderous intent.

Chen Zhou always felt that the reason the two rangers were fighting for airdrop supplies was because he gave up.

To my utter surprise, after so long, everything has changed, and that once spirited knight-errant has fallen to such a state.

……

The snow crunched underfoot as Bi Kai walked forward with his head down until he almost bumped into Chen Zhou, at which point he realized there was someone standing in front of him.

A helpless, even desperate smile crept across Bi Kai's lips. He loosened his grip, and the fawn he was holding fell to the ground. The torch tucked under his arm also tilted to the side.

He had given up resisting and was waiting for death like a turtle hiding in its shell, but unexpectedly a hand reached out and caught the torch, and then a familiar voice appeared.

"What, is this how you treat your benefactor?"

The sound startled Bi Kai so much that he looked up as if he had been electrocuted. By the light of the torch he was holding in Chen Zhou's hand, he saw that unforgettable face. He was about to speak, but then, thinking of his current situation, he hurriedly lowered his head again.

Seeing this, Chen Zhou couldn't help but sigh.

Both the man in white and the man in brown armor were young. They suffered a heavy blow when they were young and full of vigor, which inevitably made them feel dejected and ashamed. This was especially true if they encountered old friends during this period.

He had a difficult time at work when he was young, and he couldn't hold his head up in front of his relatives and friends. He also liked to hide in a corner and remain silent during holidays.

Compared to him, the white-clad man's setbacks were far more severe, and he could understand his feelings, after all, Chinese people care about their reputation.

He held the torch firmly and gently patted Bi Kai on the shoulder.

"Come on, lead the way. We have a friend coming from afar, so we should invite him to our home for a visit."

Bi Kai nodded almost imperceptibly, said nothing, and simply turned around to lead the way.

The fawn that had fallen to the ground kicked its legs in vain in the cold snow, making a whimpering sound. The three saw-toothed tigers thought it was food thrown to them and rushed over.

Hearing the deer's call, Bi Kai remembered his deer. He turned around and was about to pick it up when he was startled to see three half-grown tiger cubs.

After Chen Zhou grabbed Tiger Da Wa by the scruff of his neck, scolded the three sawtooth tigers, and ordered them to obediently follow behind, forcing the three little guys to walk away dejectedly, he finally managed to stop the fawn's slender body with one hand, hold it in his arms, and continue walking forward.

……

Although the firelight wasn't bright enough, Chen Zhou, walking behind Bi Kai, could tell that the man in white was very familiar with the forest. Even without light to guide him, he didn't stumble or fall, only moving slowly.

The fawn, held in Bi Kai's arms, left the snowfield. Smelling the familiar scent, it gradually regained its sense of security, squinted its eyes slightly, and tried to retract its hooves.

Both remained silent, the only sound in the woods being the crunch of their footsteps on the snow.

Before long, a relatively open area appeared ahead.

A few relatively straight branches formed a bird's nest-like hut, and a bonfire was lit at the entrance, with the firewood crackling as it burned.

A small pond was dug next to the hut. The campfire had long since melted the snow above the pond, and ice could be seen in the pond, which was half full of water. It was unclear whether the water was for the deer to drink or for daily use.

Two wooden stakes were placed next to the campfire, covered with animal fur, resembling benches made by primitive people.

Bi Kai carried the deer home, panting heavily. When he finally reached the campfire, he didn't bother to be polite with Chen Zhou and plopped down on a wooden stake without saying a word, just resting by the fire.

The largest male deer in the herd stood beside the shed. Upon seeing the arrival of strangers, it warily glanced at Chen Zhou and the three saw-toothed tigers, then looked at Bi Kai.

It never received Bi Kai's command, so it turned its head away. Although it did not react excessively, it never lowered its head and remained vigilant.

After all, there were saw-toothed tigers around the clan. Although the saw-toothed tigers were young, their scent constantly stimulated its nerves.

The giant deer did not follow humans from a young age; their domestication period was very short, and they do not yet fully trust humans.

In the wild, their sense of security sometimes comes not from humans, but from themselves; this constant vigilance makes them feel a little more at ease.

……

Bi Kai remained silent, as did Chen Zhou.

He could hear the white-clad man's rapid heartbeat, and even the bellows-like sound of his lungs working.

Based on this, he deduced that the person must have suffered severe internal injuries, barely escaping death, but his physical condition had been greatly reduced as a result.

As for the white-clad man's martial arts skills, they are probably mostly gone as well. To put it bluntly, it's already quite remarkable that he's still alive.

Having experienced such an ordeal, the man in white certainly couldn't keep it bottled up inside; he would definitely tell someone he knew.

But for now, perhaps he needs to take a break.

After waiting patiently for a while, Bi Kai's breathing finally became steady. He first put the deer down and let it warm itself by the campfire. Then he took off his animal skin hat, revealing his disheveled hair and haggard face.

"My benefactor, please have a seat."

Bi Kai's beard twitched upwards, and Chen Zhou felt as if he were smiling at him, but the smile seemed particularly bitter.

Chen Zhou plopped down on a bench nearby and glanced curiously at the shack.

He pinned his hopes on the fact that the brown-armored man was seriously injured and was currently recuperating in a shack, unable to go out.

However, a glance at the result disappointed him.

Besides the animal hides haphazardly spread on the ground, some crookedly cut cups and saucers, a few animal bones, and meat drying in the sun, there was nothing else in the shack.

After a moment of hesitation, seemingly unsure of where to begin or finding it difficult to speak, Bi Kai stood up again.

"My benefactor, I have no tea here, and I don't know if you've eaten dinner yet. I'll leave here..."

Before he could finish speaking, Chen Zhou interrupted him.

"May I have your name?
Where did your companion go?
What happened to your injury?

After asking three questions, Chen Zhou unsheathed the long sword from his waist, slapped it on the bench, and looked up at the man in white.

After a brief silence, Bi Kai's Adam's apple bobbed, and the head he had finally managed to raise was lowered again.

He sat back down on the bench, pondered for a moment, then sighed deeply before answering Chen Zhou's question. (End of Chapter)