Chapter 160 - 68: Revealing the Answer (Part 3)
He estimates that if everything goes smoothly, by August this year, the mother goat will give birth to another litter of kids.
By then, he could also benefit and enjoy a few more months of goat milk.
It's been some time since he last drank milk tea, and he truly misses that slightly gamy, rich, and fragrant taste.
...
Setting a trap for the billy goat and returning to the cave, the sky turned very dark.
At night, the forest paths are unclear, and snakes and insects come out; naturally, Chen Zhou wouldn't be able to carry a lamp to dig sand. After dinner, he went to bed early to rest, didn't stay up sewing the raincoat—tomorrow would be the 11th mysterious reward.
He's not curious about what the reward could be.
Because this time, the reward content wasn't as easy to guess as the last one, nor could it be something good.
The last time the reward came, he had a cold, his body was weak, giving him something difficult to carry was both a test and a means to enhance program effect.
Of course, because he anticipated the reward content in advance and thought of a coping strategy, causing the usually triumphant program team to face a setback, the last reward ended in an unusually dull manner, failing to take effect.
After the program team missed the good opportunity, Chen Zhou had already recovered his health, and it was impossible to create a similar situation again.
As he thinks, the mysterious reward should already be exhausted, at most giving some industrial waste from Pinduoduo or embarrassing adult products; nothing new could be done.
Having experienced more than a dozen strange rewards, now Chen Zhou is completely immune to some ordinary tricks.
Even some peculiar items that would make others unable to hold their composure, he can face without changing expression.
The reason he rested early was not to get up early for the reward content.
Rather, he wanted to know if the concept of the "cutting machine" would be feasible and successful.
If this reward truly affirmed his bold idea, it would save trouble for the next twenty-eight years.
Even in modern times, one can't find such a huge and invincible cutting machine.
...
On March 12th, just as dawn broke, Chen Zhou crawled out of bed.
After getting dressed, he walked to the door and took a look.
The weather wasn't favorable, it was drizzling outside, and the ground was already soaked.
Looking at the increasingly thick clouds in the sky, this rain might become heavier.
He lit a fire to boil water, sat on a low stool, gazed toward the beach, occasionally stretching his hands to the small flame to warm up and rub them.
Uncontrollably shaking his leg, Chen Zhou's mind was in a fierce battle between two thoughts.
The rational thought reminded him that to avoid catching a cold, he should wait until the rain stopped before going to the beach.
No matter whether the cutting is successful or not, the result on the beach won't change.
As for the mysterious reward, since it has been raining for so long, the rain shelter hasn't been repaired since the last cement transport.
If the reward is afraid of water and has already been drenched, it's likely already damaged; there's no difference whether he goes early or late.
If the reward isn't afraid of water, then it doesn't matter; even if he goes ten days later, it's fine.
On equal footing with rational thought is Chen Zhou's curiosity.
Fifteen days of waiting, looking forward day and night to this day of revealing answers; in a few minutes, his curiosity laid out various reasons trying to overpower rationality.
Such as, the rain outside isn't heavy now; it's a good chance to test if the leather raincoat works.
Or the mysterious reward's packaging is thick; maybe it hasn't been completely soaked by the rain yet.
But it can't be delayed anymore; once the rain during this season starts, it has no end; who knows when it'll stop, in case it rains all day and night, by tomorrow the yellow cauliflower will have cooled down.
Or the rain is light now, it's a good opportunity to set off.
Sooner or later, the cumulus clouds will thicken, and when the heavy rain starts, going outside won't be possible.
Setting off now, after taking the reward, even if it starts pouring rain, he can hide in the camp tent.
The camp tent was reinforced a few days ago, the plastic cloth blocks the rain, no more leaks; as long as he brings some food and fire starter, living in the tent for a day or two isn't a problem...
Facing the answer he had eagerly awaited day and night, Chen Zhou had quite a struggle between his thoughts.
Ultimately, rational thought fell short, failing to overpower the strong curiosity.
He took down two strings of jerky, took out five pieces of flatbread, wrapped them with plastic raincoat.
Put on a wide-brimmed hat, wore a½ raincoat, took the fire starter, also carried the dagger and long-handled axe for self-defense and chopping firewood.
He tied Lai Fu at home, and Chen Zhou went down the mountain alone, heading straight for the beach.