Starting from Robinson Crusoe-Chapter 72 - 26: Cave (2)

Chapter 72: Chapter 26: Cave (2)
The bits of meat caught in the crevices of the bird’s chest and spine were difficult to gnaw, so Chen Zhou threw them to the little gray cat and Lai Fu.
The wind was very mild that night, making the temperature in the woods quite comfortable, although the light was somewhat dim.
Feeling invigorated by the meal, Chen Zhou took off his coat and grabbed a bird leg to tear apart.
The rustling branches and leaves cast shadows of one person, a dog, and a cat in the woods, appearing both lonely yet leaning on and relying on each other.
The croaking of frogs echoed around, leaving only a pile of leftover scraps by the bonfire. The satisfied "family" returned to the tent and fell into a deep sleep.
Only a swarm of light-attracted insects remained, circling the fire, occasionally darting into the flames to turn into ashes...
The morning of the 27th was still clear, with a deep blue sky seldom dotted by clouds, as if the rain a few days ago had been nothing but a dream.
He heated up some leftovers, dipped bread in the broth, and enjoyed a full breakfast.
After taking care of physiological needs, Chen Zhou organized his gear and continued up the mountain.
The suffering from being drenched by the rain was still fresh in his mind.
To guard against sudden adverse weather, even though the island’s climate was hot, Chen Zhou never forgot to wear a coat before going out.
However, he wasn’t wearing Robinson’s thick fur-lined coat now, as that clothing was ill-fitting, restricted movement, and was too heavy.
In the large cabin next to the Captain’s quarters, he found twelve sailor uniforms, which he used as work clothes.
This clothing was made of coarse fabric, with long sleeves and a broad hem, quite baggy, and without cotton lining. It was suitable for the island’s climate, but while working, the cuff could chafe the wrist, so it needed to be rolled up.
Besides the coat, Chen Zhou also wore leather boots and a wide-brimmed hat when going out.
The leather boots were sturdy and durable, protecting against splinters and snakes and insects in the woods. In case of sudden animal attacks, they could also deliver powerful kicks.
The brim of the wide-brimmed hat had two holes through which a short cord was tied and slung around his neck. It wasn’t worn in the forest but could block the sun when outside the forest and prevent getting wet in rain or wind.
Altogether, this outfit weighed about eight or nine pounds. The biggest drawback was its cumbersome weight, which consumed physical strength quickly. Yet compared to its advantages, these shortcomings were negligible.
Exploring the island wasn’t a hundred-meter dash, so there was no need to rush.
After heading west from the Broken Cliff yesterday, today Chen Zhou decided to go east.
In the Southern Hemisphere, the north side of the mountain was sunny, while the south side was in shade.
The Broken Cliff wasn’t a straight line, but rather slanted to the northeast. The further east one went, the lower the tree density, and the dryer the ground became.
Instead of waterways eroding the land, it was now the sea breeze doing so.
The ground was full of gravel and sand, the view was exceptionally open. The wind howled, seeping through his collar and cuffs, chilling his stomach and back.
Donning the wide-brimmed hat and lowering its brim to block the sea breeze, Chen Zhou noticed that the terrain beneath his feet was rising, while the Broken Cliff became shorter. He was about to bypass this natural barrier, reaching the mountainside.
Slowly climbing, always looking upwards, Chen Zhou noticed a flock of sheep from afar again.
This time there was no cliff to obstruct his view; the whole flock came into full view.
There were over thirty of them, most were adult sheep, currently descending from a platform on the mountainside, likely in search of food or water.
The one leading appeared to be the same big sheep that stood guard yesterday. It appeared quite relaxed, occasionally stopping to snatch a bite of tender grass, unlike its tense demeanor near the mountain stream the previous day.
It was no wonder.
Deep in the pool under the mountain stream, there resided a giant python, and the flock had likely encountered its attacks before, hence their caution while drinking.
On the mountainside, the view was expansive, and even the grass didn’t grow too tall, allowing them to notice any movement. Naturally, the flock was more at ease.
Crouching behind a low rock, Chen Zhou quickly deduced the flock’s direction and hurriedly picked up his gun, attempting to intercept them on their inevitable path.
Using the mountain’s rocks and shrubs as cover, he and Lai Fu secretly circled to a small grove more than a hundred meters ahead of the flock, quietly waiting for his prey to arrive.
However, Chen Zhou’s hunting experience was still shallow. He only considered visual and auditory cues but forgot about scent.
The wind blowing from the sea passed over his body, carrying complex information towards the flock.
The distinctive smell of gunpowder startled the lead sheep.
It raised its head, slightly turned its body to block the flock, squinted, and its horizontal pupils swept across the grove.
The trees in this grove were not only sparse but also slender, with the thickest being only enough for one person to wrap their arms around.
The tree Chen Zhou was hiding behind could barely conceal most of his body. As he peeked out, he noticed the unusual behavior of the lead sheep, realizing something was wrong in his heart.
Sure enough, sensing danger, the lead sheep had already sounded the alarm and was ready to lead the flock back to the open mountainside.
There, if a hunter’s speed and agility couldn’t match theirs, they would be utterly unable to capture them.
"These wild mountain sheep are even smarter than monkeys."
Seeing the flock starting to flee, Chen Zhou could only lift his gun, loaded with a lead bullet, ignite the matchlock, and hope for a lucky shot like last night to take down a sheep.
Bang!
Amidst the black-gray gunpowder smoke, the flock scattered as if a bomb had exploded.
The ground was clean, not a drop of blood, and it was impossible to find where the lead bullet had hit.
Already knowing this shot would yield nothing, Chen Zhou put away the matchlock gun, feeling both regretful and incredulous.
"How did they know I was ambushing in the woods?
Yesterday, Lai Fu exposed our position when I wanted to kill them, but I didn’t fire the gun then..."
"It’s really bizarre!"
"Could it be that they discovered me on my way here? It doesn’t make sense!"