Chapter 436 - 5: Safe and Sound
The resilience of life never ceases to amaze.
Even after receiving the message and rushing down from the mountain top, seeing the native's face turning pale from hypothermia, Chen Zhou couldn't believe that this guy had really stayed outside the entire day.
It's important to remember that this was during extremely harsh stormy weather, with strong winds blowing up the mountain for nearly the entire day.
In such an environment, let alone a native with low body fat reserves, wearing only a fur cloak and a thin jacket.
Even a fully equipped extreme sports enthusiast would find it difficult to endure the whole day.
Not to mention that during this period, the native had to move around the mountain in the rain.
In Chen Zhou's view, it was already a miracle that this guy managed to hold on until now without dying.
...
After having Sunday place the herding native on the ground, Chen Zhou first checked the native's breath, finding that his breathing rate was already quite low, about only 7~8 times per minute.
Then Chen Zhou unbuttoned the native's collar to confirm that his heart was still beating normally, which finally allowed him to breathe a slight sigh of relief.
Trying to recall emergency treatment methods for hypothermic coma from memory, Chen Zhou stripped off the native's wet clothes while ordering others to quickly find some sturdy wooden sticks to make a simple stretcher and gently carry the native back to the cave dwelling—
Shock caused by hypothermia makes the heart extremely fragile. If they continued to carry the native on those rugged mountain paths, the severe jolting could cause ventricular fibrillation, further endangering his life.
Lying flat on a stretcher, even if there were some jolts, would greatly reduce the risk of fibrillation.
As for removing wet clothes, it is actually a crucial emergency step for someone with hypothermia.
Completely soaked clothes are full of moisture; if they continue to cling to the hypothermic person, they will continually evaporate and cool him down. The wet clothes must first be removed, the body dried, and only then can the body temperature be gradually restored.
According to proper emergency procedures, the hypothermic person should first be moved to a sheltered location, and only then should their clothes be removed.
But at the moment, everyone was in the wilderness with the rain pouring down, and it was impossible to find any place for shelter immediately.
Moreover, the native had already been hypothermic for some time, so weighing the lesser of two evils, there was simply no time to move the person—
Chen Zhou had to save the native's life first and talk about everything else later.
...
Stripping the native's wet clothes reminded Chen Zhou of the day he landed on the island, the night still recalled as damp.
He stripped Robinson's outer clothes on the beach and received the first gift marking the start of the survival journey.
Back then, stripping clothes was to save himself; now, it's to save others.
Though the scene was similar, the purpose and feelings were entirely different.
With the help of other natives, the herding native's clothes were quickly stripped bare.
Chen Zhou instructed two natives to grab the ends of the fur cloak and hold it above the herding native, forming a makeshift rain shelter, then took off his own coat and began to wipe the herding native's body.
At the same time, Sunday led the others back with the chosen wooden branches.
While performing the emergency rescue, Chen Zhou also guided the natives on how to create the stretcher.
In an effort to save their companion's life, the natives demonstrated extremely high efficiency.
Before long, the herding native, draped in relatively dry clothing, was placed on the stretcher.
Two people carried him, while two others held the fur cloak to shield him from the rain.
Someone provided lighting, someone led the way, and the group dared not delay, proceeding at a near jog toward the cave dwelling.
...
This native was indeed fortunate.
Discovered just in time and, by chance, encountered Chen Zhou, a not-quite-expert "doctor" from the modern world with some knowledge of first aid, along with a group of strong and energetic companions.
Moreover, his own "cultivation" journey through a primitive tribal upbringing had trained his body. Though weak in appearance, his life force was extraordinarily tenacious.
After being brought into the warm Forging Room, under everyone's care, he slept for most of the night.
During this period, his body temperature gradually rose, his breathing rate increased, and his heart beat ever stronger.
Finally, by early morning, the herding native slowly regained consciousness.
...
Regaining consciousness, the native felt a headache and a cold, indescribable discomfort throughout his body.
It took him quite a while before he could barely turn his head to see the fiery red flames burning in the forge and the fatigued face of the leader sitting beside the anvil.
By then, it was already September 30th.
Chen Zhou, having stayed up all night caring about the native's life, was mentally exhausted.
Concerned about the anniversary reward today, seeing the native regain consciousness and his condition not worsening for the time being, though still extremely weak, he did not immediately inquire why the native hadn't returned earlier, but just waved his hand, gesturing for other natives to carry the "fool" back to the wooden house.
Before the natives left, Chen Zhou reminded them not to feed the herding native too soon—
Hypothermia is most dangerous when someone without knowledge starts rubbing the limbs. Although this may raise the local temperature, it would cause cold blood reflux, leading to cardiac arrest.
Providing hot water and food is also forbidden, as it could cause low blood pressure and rewarming shock.
Fearful that the natives' concern for their companion might inadvertently cause harm despite good intentions, Chen Zhou gave all necessary instructions and then called upon Saturday, asking him to wake him in the cave at dawn, before dragging his fatigued body toward the bedroom for rest.
...
Though he said he was going to rest, Chen Zhou couldn't fall asleep at all.
Firstly, because he had doubts about the anniversary rewards this time—
The previous rewards were simply too lavish.
Two cows, and they were of a superior breed, one male and one female;
A large amount of clothing, enough to last twenty years;
Extra-long steel cables that couldn't be manufactured on the island, nor even by the industrial systems of this era;
A large batch of plastic-shelled compasses that could be tucked into a pocket...
Any one of these rewards could serve as a grand prize after solving a mystery. Sending so many at once, Chen Zhou seriously wondered if the management bureau had prematurely depleted his stock of anniversary gifts.
Secondly, because today was, after all, a "festival" he had designated himself.
Unlike the previous wartime festival, there was no threat from Spaniards this time, so he had to find a way to make the festival more grand, prepare more distinctive dishes, and hopefully come up with some unique features to add character to the festival.
Otherwise, having three festivals a year, each one just doing rituals in the morning, eating at night, then receiving gifts after the meal, would be so dull.
Besides, after entering the dry season, how exactly to construct the island, which task is more important, and which task should be done later, were also issues Chen Zhou had been pondering.
And then there were the Spaniards.
Who knows if they'll suddenly go crazy and decide "brothers at heart," then impulsively come to the island to cause trouble.
...
He lay groggily on the bed until dawn, nearly falling asleep several times, only to be disturbed by the noise of his cats, Tizi and Kuangdang, bouncing around the room.
These cats at home, after he moved his main activities to the Forging Room and the natives' wooden house, had gradually become less close to him than before.
Especially Tiger Head, who's practically become a local tyrant near the fields, and is never home. Even during rainy days, it's often missing for several days.
However, Chen Zhou wasn't worried about Tiger Head's safety.
It had inherited the excellent genes of Tizi and Hui Hui, living in an environment free of food and clothing worries since birth, and its physique had basically grown to the maximum possible size.
In these woods, no wild cat could overcome the massive size difference to dominate Tiger Head in a fight.
As for competing for mates, Tiger Head was invincible; any female cat it fancied was claimed without fail, except for those in the family — the mom and sisters.
According to Chen Zhou's observations, many of the new kittens near the woods seemed to be Tiger Head's offspring.
But those cats weren't ones he'd raised from a young age and had no emotional connection with him.
Currently, the number of cats wasn't enough to affect life or ecological balance. When wild cats did become a disaster, he wouldn't be merciful.
Since he lacked the skills to neuter the cats, from the very beginning, when he let out Tiger Head, Chen Zhou had mentally prepared himself to cull Tiger Head's offspring to control the wild cat population.
As for these few cats at home, whenever they went into heat, Chen Zhou would intervene manually to control their mating.
From the time Tizi gave birth to the first litter of kittens until now, not a single new member had been added to the cave dwelling. He had spent a lot of effort and worry to achieve this.
...
The clouds outside the window dispersed, and sunlight poured into the bedroom through the window.
Still feeling sleepy, Chen Zhou angrily grabbed the restless Tizi and the pair of bickering cats, and placed them on the bed, burying his face into their fluffy bellies, rubbing his face vigorously.
Then he released the two protesting cats and opened the cage door to take out Little Dragon Cat.
...
Since the fortuitous day when Chen Zhou captured Little Dragon Cat, it had been living in the cave for nearly three years.
Compared to the natives, it was indeed a "senior."
During these three years, it had upgraded its residence four times, from a narrow cage to a duplex small house and now to a luxurious villa, living more and more comfortably, with more and more meat on its bones.
But its personality had never changed.
When it first joined the family, it was calm in any situation, without a hint of panic even when a cat approached.
Now, it was even more emotionally stable, standing still wherever placed, like a decoration.
Sometimes Chen Zhou even wondered if Little Dragon Cat was a capybara in its previous life, still wanting to be one in this life but ending up in the wrong body.
...
He placed the round Little Dragon Cat on the bedside table, casually pulled open the drawer, and took out a Gold Coin, placing it under Little Dragon Cat's little front paws.
Little Dragon Cat immediately grasped the edge of the Gold Coin with pride, raising its head to look at Chen Zhou with its big eyes mostly hidden by thick fur.
Chen Zhou "knowingly" took out a specially-made hay block for Little Dragon Cat from a jar, offering it in exchange for the Gold Coin.
By now, Little Dragon Cat was incredibly familiar with the routine, quickly releasing its front paws to take the hay block and nibbling it close to its mouth.
Gently stroking Little Dragon Cat's head with his finger, Chen Zhou was about to play with the little guy some more when a knock on the door suddenly came from outside the bedroom—
Sunday had come to wake him up.