From Robinson Crusoe

Arriving in this prehistoric wasteland from their own world, each challenger may have thought of returning one day, but under the constraints of the cruel challenge rules, most people probably already consider themselves dead.

Paul was like this, and so was Bi Kai.

They had experienced and felt things they had never faced before, such as life and death or sights they had never seen before.

These few months seem rather short compared to their entire lifespan, but what happened during that time, especially the period of waiting in the cave, always felt exceptionally long.

When it's not over, you always hope it will end, expecting this seemingly endless journey to finally come to a close.

But when the moment of truth came, thinking about how long the three of them had spent together, the bond they had forged through life and death, and their future separation into different worlds, they couldn't help but feel a little sad.

……

After the challenge ended, the howling wind outside the cave seemed to have been choked, and the sound grew fainter and fainter.

After more than a month of overcast skies, the thick clouds finally parted, revealing the sun, and the temperature rose from minus 65 degrees Celsius to minus 40 degrees Celsius in just a few minutes.

Everyone knows that the challenge is over, and everything is in the past.

Only Chen Zhou and his two companions, along with the saw-toothed tiger who was hiding in the cave with them, could witness this moment.

In the last thirty minutes, Paul lavishly lit all the oil lamps, instantly brightening the cave.

Using the light, he and Bi Kai boiled some water, then shaved off their messy long hair, trimmed their beards, washed their faces, and took off their thick, smelly animal skin clothes, revealing the clothes they wore when they first arrived in this world.

Of course, compared to a few months ago, the clothes now are much more presentable than the animal skin garments, but they are still covered with a lot of dirt.

After winter sets in, the weather turns freezing cold, and there isn't enough hot water for drinking or cooking. There's simply no extra water for washing their clothes, and besides, there are no cleaning supplies, so the clothes don't get clean.

……

As the two packed their personal belongings, Chen Zhou sat at the dining table watching them.

His gaze shifted from the burning stove to the oil lamps in the cave, then to the three saw-toothed tigers who were still unaware of what was about to happen, and then drifted to the kang (a heated brick bed), staring at the conspicuous red box for a long time without moving.

About twenty minutes later, Paul, dressed in combat uniform, and Bi Kai, dressed in white, finished tidying up and came to the dining table.

Since receiving the notification, the three people inside the cave have remained silent.

Logically, this should be a time of happiness, but no one wants to share their joy at this moment.

It should be said that the joyful emotions have been overshadowed by the sadness of parting.

Paul stood ramrod straight, first saluting Chen Zhou, then went to the side to wake up the three saw-toothed tigers and hugged them one by one.

Bi Kai, this reborn hero, has always been strong. Even when living alone in the cold winter, he never complained and never shed a tear because of his difficult situation.

However, at this moment, tears were glistening in his eyes.

"Benefactor!"

He took two steps and then knelt down on the ground with a thud.

Just as Chen Zhou was about to help him up, he saw Bi Kai firmly shake his head, indicating that he should not do so.

Bi Kai then kowtowed three times, and when he stood up, he was sobbing uncontrollably.

“My benefactor, you have given me a second life. Even if I, Bi Kai, were to work like a cow or a horse, I could never repay you.”

This parting may be the last time we meet in this life, so please take care, my benefactor.

When I return, I will follow my benefactor's advice and do my best to find virtuous and capable people to save the common folk.

Ending this disaster as soon as possible will be the best way to fulfill your trust.

Looking at Bi Kai, whose head and face were covered in dust, even Chen Zhou, who had already experienced a separation on the deserted island, felt sad.

It's very difficult for someone like him to find like-minded friends.

In modern society, it is rare to find someone with such chivalry and courage, willing to give up their life for a friend, and daring to endure pain and suffering for a promise. It is even harder to find someone you can trust to entrust your back to at any time.

Especially given his wealth, his status, and his secrets, finding someone like him is even more difficult.

If he could, Chen Zhou really wanted to take Paul and Bi Kai to see his world, but unfortunately he couldn't.

Wanting to sigh but afraid of adding to the sorrow, Chen Zhou could only hug Bi Kai and pat him heavily on the back.

"Don't say these things, and don't make too many promises. When you go back, just do your best."

The general trend of the world is not something that one person can control. Whatever you do, just do what you can do with a clear conscience.

They say the world is a long and winding road, but since we are destined to meet, I believe we will meet again someday.

You survived a great calamity, and you've been given a second chance at life here. I hope you can gain some enlightenment and one day ascend to immortality like your ancestor Bi Kun, becoming a sword immortal..."

"Then I'll take your kind words as a sign of good fortune."

Bi Kai clasped his hands in a fist salute, then turned and walked towards the cave entrance.

“My benefactor, I’m going to take a look at Brother Gao.”

I should have told him I was leaving, but unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to take him back with me, which prevented him from returning to his homeland.

……

Chen Zhou waved goodbye to Bi Kai, while Paul walked over with three saw-toothed tigers.

The image of his attempted suicide a few days ago was still vivid in his mind. After being closely monitored by Chen Zhou and Bi Kai for so long, Paul finally made it to the end of the challenge. On the one hand, he felt relieved, but on the other hand, he also felt indebted to Chen Zhou.

In any case, Chen Zhou is the main pillar that has enabled him to persevere until now.

One act of deception cannot change the fact that Chen Zhou has saved his life multiple times, and what he did could have been done by any challenger, who might even have done it better.

Paul smiled somewhat awkwardly at Chen Zhou, and then asked.

"Chen, I know you participated in two challenges and know much more about the Time and Space Administration than I do."

I want to ask you, will we ever meet again?

"Maybe, maybe not."

Chen Zhou answered, but after saying that, he felt that his answer seemed like a waste of time, so he added something else.

"If you only think about living out the rest of your life after you go back, then I believe we will never see each other again."

If you still want to participate in challenges and climb to even greater heights, I think we'll meet again someday.

But if I were you, I probably would never participate in such a dangerous challenge again. Enjoying life is good enough.

After speaking, Chen Zhou looked at the tall Paul and, seeing his honest appearance, couldn't help but advise him:
"When you get back, be more careful and don't trust others easily, especially about my affair with General Gromov. Try not to tell anyone. As a 'hero' who has completed the challenge, I believe that as long as you are willing, you can always enter the political arena."

But politics is a murky pool, not as simple as the fighting and killing we do here, and being a hero is not a get-out-of-jail-free card.

If you want to get things done, you first need to be smarter and more shrewd. Protect yourself first before you can help others, especially in our time. No matter how strong your physical strength is, it's useless. Bullets don't have eyes. Even I'm afraid of guns in the hands of ordinary people, let alone you..."

……

A few words are always too verbose in everyday life.

When the time came to part, they had so much to say to each other.

But the friendship between men is mostly expressed in silence; a hundred insincere words are not as good as a sincere "take care".

Thirty minutes was too short. Amidst the crackling of burning firewood, the flickering candlelight, and the shimmering light and shadow, the countdown came to an end.

With no wine available, the three of them could only drink water instead, picking up the wooden bowls and drinking it all in one gulp.

This bowl is a tribute to their partner, to the hardships they've endured along the way, and to themselves, to their perseverance and indomitable spirit.

Under Chen Zhou's gaze, a blue light engulfed Paul and Bi Kai.

Without a sound, without wind or electricity, without even stirring the dust on the ground, the two people vanished in an instant.

The cave, which had just housed three people, was now empty except for Chen Zhou.

The three-headed saw-toothed tiger, fearing the sudden, dazzling light, hid in a corner, leaving the cave empty and devoid of any lively atmosphere, despite the many candles burning.

Companions are not only about mutual reliance, but also a good remedy for loneliness.

Even if he does nothing, just seeing him and knowing he's there can bring you a lot of peace of mind.

Looking at the empty cave, Chen Zhou, who had been standing ramrod straight, plopped down on the stool, sighed deeply, and looked somewhat dejected.

……

Before leaving, Paul Bikai did not tell the two that he had not received any notification, for fear that they would worry.

In fact, everything was just as he had guessed—

As an outsider, he enjoys the privilege of not having to follow the rules, but also bears risks that ordinary people cannot bear: he will never be the winner of the challenge, and even after the challenge ends, he will not be able to leave this place.

This wasteland, dating back 10,000 years, is where he was buried.

Hey~
Not knowing where the two members of the tribe had gone, the puzzled Tiger Three cautiously walked to the place where Paul had disappeared, lowered his head to sniff the unchanged ground, and then let out a soft growl, as if asking Chen Zhou.

After glancing at the deserted cave, Chen Zhou reached out and rubbed Tiger Three's big head before walking to the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove) and picking up the red box.

He had no other choice.

You can either sign a contract to go to the new world to complete a mission in order to find a chance to go home, or stay here forever.

Compared to the wasteland of 10,000 years ago, Chen Zhou felt that the "murderous town" was not so hard to accept.

However, before setting off, he had to make sure these three guys were settled, at least to prevent them from starving to death.

The challenge area has been dominated by extreme cold of minus 65 degrees Celsius and blizzards for more than a month. It has now become a desert of life. Not to mention animals that can breathe, even plants have experienced a mass extinction and have all frozen to death.

Leaving the three-headed saw-toothed tigers here is already difficult for them to hunt, given their hunting skills. Not to mention there are no living creatures to be found here. Unless they actively move out of the challenge area, they will only face death.

Having raised these three little guys for so long, watching them grow from tiny creatures weighing just over ten pounds to plump and strong individuals, all weighing over a hundred pounds, it would be a lie to say I don't have feelings for them.

Now that the challenge has ended and the final winner has been determined, Chen Zhou feels that everything should have a proper conclusion.

Although he was leaving, he couldn't just abandon the Sawtooth Tigers.

The temperature is now rising rapidly as the challenge ends, and it won't be long before it returns to the normal temperature of a northern winter. Thanks to his genetic modifications, he won't freeze to death even if he spends a long time outdoors.

Needless to say, the sawtooth tiger, a native species of the Ice Age, was no match for temperatures of minus 20 or 30 degrees Celsius.

Chen Zhou estimated that he was not far from the southern border of the entire challenge area, and that he could leave the challenge area with the Sawtooth Tiger in a week or two at most.

Once they reach areas unaffected by extreme cold, the sawtooth tigers can catch their prey.

As for hunting skills, Chen Zhou felt that even if the saw-toothed tigers' performance was not satisfactory, he could still train them and intervene artificially.

In addition to training the three little ones to hunt independently, he also had to make them understand how terrifying primitive humans were.

In this prehistoric wilderness, as long as they do not provoke primitive people or risk hunting large animals such as mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, and short-faced bears, three adult male sawtooth tigers are invincible.

Once they find mates, reproduce, and expand their population, they will have no worries in this life except for the natural laws of birth, aging, sickness, and death.

……

After making the plan, Chen Zhou rested in the cave for a day, and the next day he packed up his tools and supplies, preparing for his long journey.

He used the firewood he had collected to build a huge cart, loaded it with fuel, food, and fur blankets for the long journey, and pulled it down the mountain with a long rope woven from fur.

The harsh cold of the past is gone; even halfway up the mountain, it doesn't feel very cold now.

The three saw-toothed tigers, having not ventured out for a long time, were jumping and leaping about, even the usually composed Tiger Cub was running around excitedly.

As Chen Zhou watched the little ones running happily on the snow, he couldn't help but feel a little sad when he thought about the scene of parting in the future.

From the isolated island to here, from Laifu to Tiger Big Brother, Tiger Second Brother, Tiger Third Brother, or even Paul and Bi Kai, the end of each challenge often means parting, or even farewell forever.

The only difference is that some farewells are due to life and death, while others are due to time and space.

……

The strong winds have subsided, but there are still some light breezes.

The pristine white snow shimmered, with a few specks of ice dust swirling in the air.

The cart left a long trail, stretching from the mountainside to the foot of the mountain, disappearing into the forest and leaving the Baihar Mountains for the grasslands.

Alongside the imprints were the footprints of the saw-toothed tigers. And so, this group of one man and three beasts traveled further and further, heading towards warmth, towards abundant food, towards an unknown future, heading towards the south of the entire region.

Just as Chen Zhou had anticipated before setting off, the extreme cold had wiped out all life. Along his journey, he didn't see a single beast on the ground, or even a bird.

Thanks to the cart carrying enough food, the sawtooth tigers ate sparingly and managed to avoid going hungry.

In addition to the frozen animal carcasses along the way, and the cave bears, ground sloths, and glyptodonts that died in hibernation in the forests or caves, the journey was able to provide supplies, sometimes even better than what was eaten in the caves.

Days passed, and the distance to the border grew ever closer, while the countdown to Chen Zhou's departure began. (End of Chapter)