From Robinson Crusoe

early morning.

The cold winds of the Baihar Mountains howled and roared outside the cave.

The sunlight struggled to climb into the snow shelter, finally stopping at the wide, thick wooden steps.

The newly made wooden gate had only its frame erected; beyond this rough doorway, one entered the cave.

A faint smell of smoke permeated the dim light, mixed with the earthy odor carried by tree roots, the fishy smell emanating from animal hides, and the body odor produced by people who had not bathed for a long time.

The embers in the stove gleamed red in the darkness, and the partially dried fire pit still smelled of mud.

The smell of mud, baked by the heat from inside the fire wall, spread out, making the entire cave warm and cozy. Although the air was a bit stuffy, at least it didn't feel cramped and made people feel comfortable.

……

If you don't have an alarm clock, your biological clock will be your alarm clock.

Chen Zhou has the most accurate biological clock; he is the first to wake up every day, usually around six in the morning.

The temperature inside the cave has stabilized at around 22 degrees Celsius, so you always have to take off your clothes to sleep at night.

Animal hide rugs are warm, not to mention that the three people's beds are not far from the fire wall. Sometimes, the fire is so strong in the first half of the night that it can even make people's lips and mouths parched, and they have to get up and drink a cup of water to relieve the heat.

Paul, who had been injected with gene-modifying drugs, couldn't stand the heat. He deliberately moved his bed further away, otherwise he would always wake up covered in sweat, making the bedding damp and the room smell of sweat.

Slavs naturally have a strong body odor, and Paul was well aware of his own shortcomings. Even if Chen Zhou and Bi Kai didn't say anything out of politeness, he would consciously try to maintain the air quality inside the cave.

Being in the same team and receiving kindness and help from the other two, Paul also knew how to reciprocate and respect them.

In fact, he did much more than just show respect—

The challenge rules clearly stated that private collaboration was not allowed, but Chen Zhou or Bi Kai were able to ignore this rule and form a "three-person team" with him, which Paul considered to be a form of cheating.

What puzzled him, however, was that he had never received any warning messages since Bi Kai arrived, as if the rule was a joke.

This truly puzzled Paul, but he never asked about it, which was also a sign of respect for Chen Zhou.

Regardless, Paul believed that Chen Zhou would not harm him. After all, given the strength Chen Zhou had demonstrated, there were countless ways to kill him, and even if he were to kill him indirectly, there would be many opportunities to strike.

However, up to this point, Chen Zhou has not done anything to harm him, especially regarding airdrop supplies.

Even though Chen Zhou was responsible for more than 90% of the supplies, he didn't embezzle them all. Instead, he fairly divided them 50/50 and gave the reward to Paul. This alone was enough to make Paul completely devoted to him.

……

Not long after Chen Zhou woke up, the sound of clothes being put on could be heard coming from the dark cave.

A moment later, the heavy sound of leather boots hitting the ground woke Paul.

As for Bi Kai, he needed to be sharp-eyed and agile to navigate the world, and his temperament had become even more alert since the attack. He got up and dressed along with Chen Zhou as soon as Chen Zhou sat up in bed.

The three who had just gotten up remained silent until Chen Zhou walked to the cave entrance and woke up the three saw-toothed tigers, at which point the first human voice was heard.

The second one, Bi Kai, dressed, went to the stove, used a small shovel made of stone to clean the ashes in the firebox, and then took out a flint and steel to relight the fire.

With the crisp sound of striking the flint and steel, flames rose from the furnace, and an even stronger smell of smoke and dust filled the cave.

At the same time, Chen Zhou, wrapped tightly in a fur coat, led three saw-toothed tigers out of the cave.

The cold wind blew on his face, and the temperature suddenly dropped from over 20 degrees Celsius to over 20 degrees below zero. Even though Chen Zhou had prepared himself mentally, he was still quite uncomfortable.

"Go on, go take a dump."

After slapping Tiger's bottom, Chen Zhou watched the three little ones jump and run happily into the snow. He smiled and took a string of frozen meat from the snow shelter.

Because it was too warm inside the cave, the meat could not be stored there for long, so Chen Zhou left it outside.

Fearing that wild animals would steal the meat, he and Paul Bikai built many square stone enclosures not far from the cave. After laying a layer of animal hides at the bottom of the enclosures to prevent the meat from getting dirty with sand and gravel, they piled the meat directly inside, and then weighed down the enclosures with several thick logs or large stones.

These makeshift "safes" ensure that meat can be stored for a long time.

Every morning or evening, when Chen Zhou returned to the cave, he would take out a piece of meat of a suitable size from the stone enclosure and hang it at the entrance of the cave. When it was time to cook, he would take it into the cave to thaw, cut off the amount of meat needed for one meal, and then hang it back outside.

However, recently, the amount of meat Chen Zhou takes out each day has been getting larger and larger, to the point that he has to take out meat twice a day to have enough.

This wasn't because Paul or Bi Kai suddenly had a huge appetite, but because the three-headed saw-toothed tiger was getting bigger and bigger—

A little over a month ago, Tiger Da Wa's weight was just close to 30 kilograms. Since the beginning of winter, the three brothers have been eating more and more and growing more and more rapidly.

By now, Tiger Big Baby has reached nearly 45 kilograms, while Tiger Second Baby is slightly smaller but still weighs over 43 kilograms.

After the third tiger cub miraculously survived, it surpassed the first tiger cub in both intelligence and growth rate.

Now it is the largest of the three saw-toothed tigers, weighing about 50 kilograms. Standing majestically on the snow, it already displays the aura of a fierce beast as a half-grown saw-toothed tiger.

As the little ones grew bigger, Chen Zhou and Paul discussed changing their nicknames and giving them more mature names befitting their status as apex predators.

However, due to the large amount of work to be done recently, I was so cold after returning to the cave every day that I just wanted to warm myself by the fire. After eating, I felt drowsy, so I haven't been able to get this done.

……

Once a tiger reaches a size of 45-50 kilograms, it possesses considerable attack power.

As one of the top predators in prehistoric times, their dagger-like canines were the hooks that snatched the souls of their prey.

The largest of the three-headed sawtooth tigers, Tiger Cub, is over one meter long. It is strong and has solid bones. Now, in a one-on-one fight, its fighting ability is no less than that of an adult cave hyena. If given the first chance to strike, it can even kill a cave hyena quickly.

It can be said that Paul's insistence on keeping the saw-toothed tigers has only now shown its clear advantages. These three saw-toothed tigers, fighting alongside humans, can already play a role greater than that of a single challenger.

If the enemy is unaware of their existence and is suddenly approached by such a massive killer, they will almost certainly be killed instantly.

Without firearms or metal armor, the serrated tiger's claws and canines were deadly.

Unlike giant bears or woolly rhinoceroses, humans do not have thick fur and fat layers to protect them from harm.

Unless every challenger possesses the physical attributes of Chen Zhou, once they are engaged in close combat with the Sawtooth Tiger, even if they win, it will be a Pyrrhic victory, and there is a high probability that they will not survive.

Of course, along with his physique, his appetite also increased.

According to Chen Zhou's understanding, the transition of a sawtooth tiger from weaning to carnivorous behavior is one stage, and the transition to a stage where its teeth and bones are strong and it is full of energy is another stage.

Entering the second stage, the sawtooth tiger enters a period of rapid weight gain.

During this period, Chen Zhou felt that the three-headed sawtooth tiger was growing about 300 to 400 grams a day, and sometimes it would grow 1 kilogram in two days, growing as fast as if it were being inflated.

At the same time, their appetites are also increasing. The three-headed sawtooth tiger eats at least 10 kilograms of meat per day on average.

To prevent them from becoming malnourished during their rapid growth period, Chen Zhou had to throw them the bones of their prey to gnaw on. If you include the bones, then these three guys consume even more meat every day.

The meat stored at home was barely enough to feed three people through the winter, let alone these three bottomless pits of income. At least people can eat pine nuts instead of meat, since pine nuts do contain some plant protein.

But a saw-toothed tiger can't eat vegetables.

In addition, without any oil, the body fat percentage of the group continued to decrease, and there always needed to be some light inside the cave, such as a few torches or an oil lamp.

The weather isn't too extreme right now, so it won't affect going out.

In a few more days, heavy snow will block the mountain passes, and we may not be able to leave the mountain at all. We can't live in the dark all day long.

Although Chen Zhou has night vision, he still has to consider Paul and Bi Kai.

This led to the early commencement of the "bear hunting" operation.

After completing the necessary construction work such as chimneys, stoves, and firewalls, Chen Zhou and his two companions were all eager to get started on dealing with the selected hibernating animals.

Today marks the first day of the operation, and the animal they have chosen is a giant bear of unknown species that lives in a cave at the foot of the mountain.

……

After bringing the frozen meat back into the cave and handing it over to Paul, who was in charge of cooking, Chen Zhou waited patiently outside the cave for a while before seeing three saw-toothed tigers running happily up the slope.

Temperatures of minus 26 or 27 degrees Celsius are far from the limit of cold they can tolerate; they are born to endure extreme cold.

Their thick, dense fur helps them withstand wind and snow. Being raised by Chen Zhou and others, they don't have to endure much pressure in terms of survival. Compared to wild sawtooth tigers, their lives are truly much happier.

Moreover, since Chen Zhou and his two companions are far more capable hunters than the female sawtooth tigers, they have hardly ever gone hungry and have been able to eat their fill at every meal. As a result, even the smallest tiger cub, Erwa, has accumulated a lot of fat.

Naturally cold-resistant and well-nourished, the little creatures are not only unafraid of the cold, but they also find the warmth inside the cave quite uncomfortable. They often sneak out of the cave at night when they get too hot, lying on the steps of the passageway or squeezing into the snow shelter until someone calls them back into the cave.

……

Hey~
Tiger Cub, relieved of its physiological needs, saw Chen Zhou from afar and howled in its hoarse voice before lunging at him like a madman.

Animals raised by humans often retain their infantile consciousness, one significant manifestation of which is their lack of awareness of their own enormous size and lethality.

Tiger Two still thought of himself as the "child" who was carried on someone's back or held in someone's arms, completely unaware that he was already a huge creature weighing nearly 100 pounds, and he still wanted to act cute and play with Chen Zhou.

Previously, because he hadn't paid attention to the sawtooth tiger's behavior, Chen Zhou's two fur coats had already been torn.

When he saw Tiger Two pounce on him again, he dared not be careless. He calmly reached out and caught Tiger Two's two thick front paws, then pressed it to the ground.

Tiger Two, lying on its back, hadn't realized something was wrong and was still grinning and joking with the "leader."

Because its front paws were restrained, it instinctively felt uncomfortable and kicked up its hind legs.

But soon, Chen Zhou pressed down on its hind legs with his knee, rendering it unable to move.

Woo~ Awoo~ woo woo
Tiger Two-Wolf became a little anxious at this moment, barking urgently and trying to break free from Chen Zhou's control.

However, even if it were several months longer, it might not be able to gain the upper hand in the struggle. The more it struggled, the tighter Chen Zhou gripped and the more firmly he pressed down.

After several attempts, Tiger Second Brother finally realized that he could not escape the leader's suppression on his own, so he called for Tiger First Brother and Tiger Third Brother.

But the other two saw-toothed tigers were far less reckless than it.

Sawtooth tigers are social animals and have a very clear concept of hierarchy within their groups.

Chen Zhou subdued Hu Erwa in a one-on-one game, or rather, a contest. The other two didn't dare to interfere and all stood by and watched.

Hey!
Tiger Two was getting increasingly anxious as his brothers failed to come to his aid, and his roars grew more and more mournful.

But its excessive struggles only allowed Chen Zhou to gradually increase his strength, making it even more difficult for it to move.

This continued for a while until Tiger Two finally realized that he had no room to resist, recognized his own position, narrowed his wide eyes slightly, and begged for mercy in a low voice.

"You brat, let's see if you dare to do it again."

Seeing that it knew what was good for it, Chen Zhou let go of its hand and patted Tiger Two on the forehead.

Tiger Two quickly got up and followed Chen Zhou dejectedly, as if he had suffered a great injustice.

By this time, the chimney extending from the snow shelter was already emitting a lot of smoke. Although the constant wind dispersed the smoke, a faint smell of smoke still lingered in the air.

Chen Zhou didn't comfort Hu Erwa anymore. Having spent so much time together, he knew these guys' temperaments very well.

In a sense, the sawtooth tiger is actually a very simple animal, like a child.

They may not be as loyal as dogs, nor as perceptive and friendly as Laifu, but they don't hold grudges, nor do they dwell on temporary unhappiness.

Before long, once he and Paul Bikai take the three saw-toothed tigers out into the wild and experience the exciting atmosphere of the hunt, Tiger Two will get excited again.

For a sawtooth tiger, whether it's a brief setback, a failed hunt, or being outmaneuvered by its companions in a mating contest, these are all insignificant ripples in its "beastly" life.

Wild animals are not easily defeated by setbacks; even the torment of injury is unlikely to kill them, let alone something as trivial as this.

……

Back in the cave, Paul had already chopped the meat and seasonings and put them into the pot.

Bi Kai's knowledge of herbs made up for the lack of taste information. Many plants that Chen Zhou and Paul could not determine were verified by Bi Kai, including both sweet and spicy ones.

Although the taste of these plants is quite different from modern cooking methods, they at least have the characteristics of "bitter, spicy, sour, and sweet" and can suppress the fishy smell of meat. Adding a little bit when stewing meat will make it taste quite good.

However, due to the significant differences in plant species between the Baihar Mountains and the forests where Bi Kai lived, several of the delicious plants that Bi Kai mentioned could not be found here, making it impossible to make better-tasting dishes.

"What's wrong?
Did I just hear them chirping?

As soon as Chen Zhou entered the cave, Paul, who was cooking over a wood fire, immediately began asking about his precious children.

"It's okay, just playing around with it."

After giving a perfunctory reply, Chen Zhou turned to ask Bi Kai.

"how's it going?"

Beside Bi Kai was a stack of thin wooden sticks. He was carefully cutting off the ends of the sticks by the firelight, and then wrapping squirrel fur around them to prevent slipping.

"A few more are needed."

He answered with his head down.

These sticks were all made into spears, which will not only be used for hunting bears today, but will also be the main weapons for killing hibernating animals in the future.

As the most familiar with cold weapons among the three, Bi Kai naturally took on the responsibility of slicing the spear. (End of Chapter)