From Robinson Crusoe

Chapter 344 Yue Family Spear

While the concept of "jianghu" (江湖, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) still exists in modern society, it is more of a continuation of interpersonal relationships and a different way of presenting the exchange of interests.

Such a friendship as that between Bi Kai and Gao Yao is truly rare.

Sitting by the campfire, even though Bi Kai's words didn't reveal any intense emotional fluctuations or sentimental descriptions, Chen Zhou, whose mind was usually calm and stable, was still moved.

Although Bi Kai glossed over many difficulties and obstacles in a single sentence.

But as someone who has truly experienced the conditions of this land, how could Chen Zhou not imagine how many difficulties and how much pain a paralyzed person and a crippled, amputee man must have overcome to survive to this day in this cold prehistoric world?

Both of them achieved fame at a young age and were renowned young talents in the martial arts world before coming here.

From being celebrated heroes to becoming disabled and incapacitated, how much psychological impact did they endure?

Even so, they remained true to their brotherhood and did not forget to fulfill the promise they made to their benefactor.

Seeing Bi Kai, whose face was streaked with tears as he finished speaking, Chen Zhou wanted to comfort him, but for a moment he didn't know how to start.

The dead cannot be brought back to life. No matter how much you say, Gao Yao is still dead.

After waiting silently until Bi Kai calmed down, Chen Zhou asked only one question—

What were the appearances and heights of the two attackers? Where did they go?

Although the prehistoric world was vast, as the north grew colder, all challengers would inevitably tend to move south, at which point the total area of ​​60 square kilometers would shrink to 20 square kilometers or even 10 square kilometers.

When a second supply drop occurs, challengers confident in their combat capabilities will gather here.

After listening to Bi Kai's account of the two men's actions, Chen Zhou was basically certain that they were not cowards hiding somewhere to survive, but rather a pro-war faction that snowballed their power by attacking, killing, and plundering others' resources.

If someone like that misses the first supply, he will definitely not miss the second one. One day, he will fight those two savage guys.

Getting information from Bi Kai was not only a prelude to a future battle, but also a way to avenge these two fellow countrymen from China.

……

Bi Kai knew that Chen Zhou wanted to avenge them, but he was worried that his benefactor was outnumbered and unable to fight two against one.

Fighting a beast is different from fighting a human; beasts are dull, while humans are cunning.

It is said that two fists can't beat four hands. He knew that Chen Zhou's fighting power was far superior to theirs. However, he discovered from the battle with the mammoth that Chen Zhou only had a strong physique but no martial arts skills.

Judging by strength alone, Bi Kai couldn't tell whether the strange pair was stronger or Chen Zhou was more powerful, so he hesitated and didn't answer, fearing that Chen Zhou would seek revenge.

If Chen Zhou were to die as a result, he would be ungrateful and have harmed his savior.

But since Chen Zhou had asked, he couldn't remain silent; he had to answer in another way.

“My benefactor, their strange weapons are powerful and heavy, and they may be difficult to deal with. You are alone, so it would be better to avoid their sharp edge and make a long-term plan.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Zhou merely sneered and drew his knife with a clang.

The long blade gleamed coldly, reflecting the firelight. Though it was spotless, it exuded a menacing aura.

"Avoid his sharp edge?"
My blade has never been dull!
Just tell me."

……

The drawn sword was stuck in the simple bench covered with animal skin beside him.

From Chen Zhou's tone, Bi Kai sensed an unquestionable certainty.

"All I know is that they were about two or three inches taller than my benefactor, strong, and dark-skinned, like Kunlun slaves."

These two men had flat noses and thick lips, and were ugly in appearance.

When Gao Yao and I met them, they must have come from the south and were heading north, probably towards the location of the second sun.

However, so much time has passed, I have no idea where they are now.

"Black person?"

After hearing Bi Kai's description, Chen Zhou made his own judgment.

Those so-called "weirdos" must have been among the last to fight for the airdrop supplies. If Bi Kai hadn't misremembered the time, he estimated that they had already gotten the supplies by the time they were attacked.

By the time he and Paul left the Black Forest, those strange men should have come up empty-handed, without even finding a trace of supplies.

If he climbs back up from the bottom of the cliff, he will most likely encounter the pair with the mammoth.

Unfortunately, to be on the safe side, they took a long detour, which inadvertently allowed them to avoid it.

Of course, avoiding it might not be a bad thing.

Given Paul's condition at the time, he would only be a hindrance in the battle. He would not only have to fight two opponents, but also protect Paul. Even if they were to win, Paul might still get injured, and he might even lose his life.

Only when he is alone, fully mobile, and unburdened can his combat power be maximized.

Especially when relying on their sensory advantage to take the initiative and launch a surprise attack at night, they have the ability to kill one person first.

Chen Zhou was quite confident that he could defeat the strange pair.

If those two strange men truly possessed physical abilities comparable to his, they wouldn't have been able to let Bi Kai and Gao Yao go, and the blows that struck Gao Yao's body wouldn't have been enough to save his life.

Since they performed this way, it means that they are not necessarily much stronger than Bi Kai and his companion. They only won because they had the advantage of a sneak attack, and because neither Gao Yao nor Bi Kai had any suitable weapons.

If they were to face off head-on, they might not necessarily be able to defeat Bi Kai and Gao Yao.

Thinking of this, Chen Zhou couldn't help but feel a little regretful.

If he hadn't taken Gao Yao's bow, Gao Yao might not have died, and even if he had, he probably wouldn't have died with his eyes wide open in dismay.

But no one can predict the future. When he took the bow, he never imagined that this day would come. Gao Yao probably never expected that it would be the last time he saw the bow.

In the end, all he could do was sigh to himself.

"It's all fate, it's all fate!"

……

"Don't worry, I'm never reckless in my actions."

If I discover their whereabouts, I will first investigate the situation thoroughly before seizing the opportunity to act.

Seeing that Bi Kai was worried about him, Chen Zhou comforted him.

Upon hearing this, Bi Kai nodded.

"That would be best, but my benefactor, please be sure to proceed with caution. Otherwise, how can I, Bi Kai, face my brother Gao Yao in the afterlife?"

As he spoke, he struggled to his feet and went to get some firewood to replenish the fuel in the campfire.

Seeing this, Chen Zhou quickly got up, sheathed his sword, and added firewood for Bi Kai.

The new firewood added to the campfire will take a while to ignite.

It was already quite dark when Chen Zhou, who had originally intended to ask the two for the mounts they owed him, unexpectedly witnessed this scene.

Humans are made of flesh and blood. Gao Yao is dead, and Bi Kai is in such a difficult situation. How could he possibly speak up?

Even in today's cold and impersonal society, debt collectors often hesitate to speak to orphans and widows, especially during holidays. Signaling the three-headed saw-toothed tiger to stay put, Chen Zhou made a request to Bi Kai.

"Where is Gao Yao buried? I'd like to visit him."

……

It was dark.

The great deer in the forest gathered together, as the severe cold was depleting their fat reserves. To conserve energy, they had to rest early after nightfall.

Tonight is a rare cloudless night, with a crescent moon hanging in the dark blue sky and a few scattered stars making the mountains appear particularly desolate.

The pale moonlight filtered through the tree branches, casting shadows on the slightly raised mound of earth, where a crooked, peeling wooden stake stood—Gao Yao's tombstone.

Standing before the grave, Chen Zhou looked at the simple tomb and recalled Gao Yao's vibrant expression when they first met. A sense of sorrow welled up in his heart.

Who could have imagined that we would never have the chance to meet again after such a hasty farewell?

Without incense or offerings, Chen Zhou simply bowed three times and then made a promise—

He will bring back Gao Yao's family heirloom bow to be buried with Gao Yao.

This glorious achievement can be considered a relief from a long-held obsession, but unfortunately, the bow was also severely damaged.

Many of the chivalrous heroes in novels swear an oath that their swords are their lifeblood, and that their lives will end with the sword. Yet, few can actually live up to that oath.

Judging from Bi Kai and Gao Yao, this statement will likely come true.

Gao Yao's family heirloom bow is no longer usable, and his soul has returned to the underworld. In his current state, Bi Kai probably won't last much longer.

If he didn't already have a partner, and if the challenge rules didn't prohibit challengers from cooperating, and if only one pair of winners could be chosen in the end, Chen Zhou really wanted to bring Bi Kai to him and Paul, so that at least they could provide two hot meals a day.

Moreover, even if Bi Kai loses all his martial arts skills, he still has the ability to tame animals. He can help them tame a herd of deer, which can be used as pack animals when it is not cold enough, and can be killed and buried in the snow to freeze as reserve food when it is too cold.

Unfortunately, due to the rules, Chen Zhou had no way to help Bi Kai.

Thinking of this, he secretly cursed the Time and Space Administration again.

There are certainly many despicable people in this challenge, but there are also those who are upright and honest, and who have never wronged others in their lives.

However, no matter what kind of person they are, they inevitably have to resort to force in this challenge. It is tragic that a gentleman is no match for a petty person.

However, after his tirade, Chen Zhou was shocked to discover that this kind of thing not only exists in this challenge, but also in modern society, at home and abroad, and even since ancient times.

Murder and set fire to the gold belt, repair the bridge and repair the road without corpses.

The rules are indeed cruel, yet surprisingly true to reality.

"Alright, since we can't change the rules, let's see who has the bigger fist and who is the most ruthless."

The strange man who attacked Bi Kai and Gao Yao filled Chen Zhou with hatred. He was certain that if he ever had the chance to meet those two again, he would kill them.

……

When they returned to the campfire, three saw-toothed tigers were surrounding the fawn on the ground, their eyes wide open, staring intently at the motionless fawn, ready to pounce.

Chen Zhou was about to scold them when he realized he could no longer hear the fawn's faint heartbeat.

After Bi Kai went to examine the fawn and saw its body, which was like rotten mud, Chen Zhou confirmed that the little guy was indeed dead.

"Ah~"

With a sigh, Bi Kai offered to let Chen Zhou take the deer herd away.

He explained the situation—

Because he tasted herbs to test their toxicity, although he is still alive for the time being, his liver has been poisoned and is in critical condition. If he does not receive treatment, he will have at most two months to live.

Currently, he is too weak to take care of the entire deer herd, and can only lead the herd to the ridge to eat some snow-covered hay in the morning.

The mountain is higher, so you can see further, especially the riverbank area.

Previously, he had hoped to see people traveling between the river and the grassland on the mountain, and hoped to find Chen Zhou and fulfill Gao Yao's last wish.

Now Chen Zhou has come to us on his own initiative and has even agreed to bring Gao Yao's bow back for burial together.

After giving the deer herd to Chen Zhou, he had fulfilled all his wishes and could die in peace.

As he spoke, Bi Kai's face was filled with a deathly look. Seeing him like this, Chen Zhou even felt that if he took the deer herd away tonight, Bi Kai would commit suicide tomorrow morning.

A martial arts master lost his precious sword, his intact body, his martial arts skills, and his brothers.

Moreover, he can't go back to his hometown or see familiar people. Even if he stays in this world, he can't take revenge. So what is there in this world that he should stay for?
Putting himself in Bi Kai's shoes, Chen Zhou felt that if he had experienced all of this, even if he had lived more than twenty years longer than Bi Kai, he might not have performed as well as Bi Kai.

It is truly remarkable that someone who has endured so much suffering, dragging their ailing body across this barren land, has managed to persevere for so long.

……

"I am unable to take care of these deer now."

In the freezing cold, they grew thinner and thinner as I went along with them.

"If you're not too busy, my benefactor, please stay another day. I will teach you the animal taming techniques that Gao Yao and his brother passed down to me, so that they will have a place to live."

While talking to Chen Zhou, Bi Kai looked curiously at the knife hanging at Chen Zhou's waist, quite puzzled.

"I remember my benefactor used a gun, why is he using a knife now?"

Seeing Bi Kai's expression as if he were making his final arrangements, Chen Zhou was pondering how to decline the offer.

He figured that if he learned the reindeer herding method and took the herd away, Bi Kai would commit suicide right afterward. Wouldn't he then be considered an indirect murderer? How could he dare to learn this method again?

Besides, what's the use of learning to tame animals at this point? In a few days, the temperature will drop to minus forty degrees Celsius, and all wild animals without sheltered dens will freeze to death. People will also find it difficult to go out, and it will be even harder to find grass to feed the deer. The only use for raising deer will probably be to kill them for meat.

When the temperature really drops to minus 65 degrees Celsius, it will be a problem whether people can even stay indoors, let alone outdoors. He might as well prepare more firewood instead of herding livestock every day.

Unable to think of a way to decline, Chen Zhou smiled awkwardly after Bi Kai changed the subject.

"I can use anything, a knife or a gun."

No matter how you use it, a knife is good as long as it can cut someone, and a gun is good as long as it can kill someone, unlike you guys who all have different techniques.

"My benefactor's martial arts have reached a state of perfection, long ago reaching the realm of defeating opponents with no moves. We can only look up to him in awe."

However, to improve one's martial arts skills, one must learn from the strengths of many schools... I think..."

At this point, Bi Kai carefully observed Chen Zhou's reaction, and seeing that he was not displeased, he continued.

"What I mean is, the martial arts world of our dynasty also had some commendable methods."

When I parted ways with my benefactor in haste, I forgot to tell him that my ancestors were experts in swordsmanship. In order to improve their swordsmanship, they also learned other martial arts. Although I don't have such high talent, I have learned some of them.

My benefactor used to use a spear, but now he uses a knife. I happen to have the "Yue Family Spear" and a "Head-Wrapping Knife Technique" here for my benefactor to study.

If one day my benefactor has to fight those villains, today's advice might be of some help.

What do you think, my benefactor?

(End of this chapter)