Chapter 528 - 48: The Missing Child (Part 2)
Thus, when Sunday finished speaking, the sailors on the ship were suddenly invigorated, as if instantly shedding fear and panic—
Even though Chen Zhou has been very cautious in using "personal charisma" and "religion" as weapons, he doesn’t even open the temple doors except on holidays to hold sacrificial ceremonies.
But a person from the 21st century appearing here, holding knowledge and worldview far beyond this era is, in itself, a manifestation akin to a god to the uneducated indigenous people.
Even though Chen Zhou maintains restraint, his personal charisma is not diminished; in fact, it is enhanced due to his reduced appearances in front of the people.
"An all-powerful god" is more effective than any stirring declaration or extravagant promise.
Just thinking about having such a Celestial God on their side, the islanders can dispel all fear.
Even though their worship of Chen Zhou hasn’t reached a blind and fervent level, it is enough to compensate for their shortcomings in combat quality.
...
Shortly after the Spaniards’ merchant ship departed, the small boat passed through the bay where Ruth’s son swam and approached another island.
Compared to the previous island, this one showed fewer signs of human activity, with not as many footprints visible on the beach.
Above the beach, the trees in the near-shore woods were entwined, forming a natural barrier that made it impossible to see what lay beyond.
...
With the sailboat anchored, before officially landing, Sunday earnestly conveyed precautions to the guards participating for the first time.
"Don’t think you’re invincible just because you have guns. If you’re stabbed by a Long Spear or hit by an arrow, your life is at risk.
Observe places where people might hide, be careful, we’re acting during the day this time, the enemy is not blind, they can see you.
However, also don’t be excessively nervous.
Every indigenous person here could become our future compatriot and friend, so try not to fire unless necessary..."
Summarizing his multiple experiences in capturing natives during island landings, Sunday supplemented the warriors with practical techniques not taught in the classroom.
After finishing speaking, he was the first to take up a gun and stepped quickly onto the long plank laid down from the ship to the shore, reaching this unfamiliar island.
Many guards followed, and only Ruth and Li Si remained on the ship.
...
Even though life is now very different and has become much more comfortable, Sunday has not abandoned his inherent caution and bravery.
Upon reaching the beach, he did not rush ahead, but instead carefully surveyed the surroundings, paying particular attention to the near-shore woods—
Places where people walk will leave traces, and frequently traversed woods will form a passage, even if deliberately concealed, such traces never completely disappear.
With eagle-like eyes sweeping the lush tree branches, Sunday suddenly raised his hand, signaling the guards to halt, and then lifted his gun, firing it towards the distant "green wall."
"Bang!"
The loud gunfire seemed to awaken the jungle instantly, resembling a provoked troop of monkeys, with angry war cries echoing from within the green wall.
Soon after, Wooden Arrows belonging to the indigenous people were spat out from the green wall.
Unfortunately, the range of the indigenous Bow and Arrow was limited; at this moment, Sunday and the island-landing guards were standing at the end of the tide, the sand beneath their feet still quite damp.
The indigenous people’s powerful volley fell weakly to the ground before reaching within twenty meters in front of them.
...
Though the indigenous people initiated the attack first, expressing hostility, Sunday did not immediately retaliate.
He regarded every indigenous person on this island as a valuable asset stored here by the Big Island and did not want to cause unnecessary slaughter.
Moreover, once captured, these individuals will be encountered often in daily life.
Killing their family members now could make future interactions awkward and unpleasant if working in the same place.
Having spent nearly three years with the islanders and witnessing the formation of human relations, Sunday’s once battle-only focused mind gradually began to consider other things, becoming more thorough in his considerations.
"Don’t fire."
After issuing the command, Sunday cautiously stepped forward two paces to distinguish himself from the guards.
Facing that green wall and the indigenous people hiding behind it, he loudly expressed his intention using the local language—
To find someone.
The "missing" person mentioned by Sunday was, of course, Ruth’s missing child.
He described in detail the location where the person may have landed, the time, and the child’s age and appearance, making it sound entirely genuine.
Upon hearing this, the indigenous people within the green wall, though skeptical, were unwilling to rashly battle this group that arrived via strange ships, uttering a "wait" before falling silent.
...
Seeing the situation, Sunday was not in a hurry; he merely stepped back two steps, ordered the guards to remain alert, and began to patiently wait.
Earlier, when he fired, he deliberately aimed at the ground.
The bullet whizzing out of the gun barrel did not injure anyone but merely hit the earth.
Consequently, fear and panic were not spread among the indigenous people—
They still assumed Sunday’s long stick was merely a noisy object, without realizing that if Sunday wished, it could easily take their lives.
...
The reason for not directly using violence to solve the problem this time, apart from wanting to avoid unnecessary slaughter, was also considering Ruth’s child—
If that boy truly managed to swim to this island, get accepted, and survive, yet after enduring for two or three years, dies under the rescuers’ bullets, Sunday shuddered to think of how Ruth would be devastated.
Among the numerous indigenous people hiding in the woods, there might be Ruth’s child; even if the chances of hitting him are minuscule, Sunday would not gamble on luck.
Moreover, if the indigenous people really find Ruth’s son and hand him over, they could alleviate Sunday’s worries, preventing him from hesitating with each move due to concerns—
In Sunday’s eyes, the life and death of the other indigenous people were evidently not as important as Ruth’s son.
Additionally, "finding someone" in itself is also a strategic delay and a technique for gathering information.
No matter if Ruth’s child can be found later, Sunday can assess how many indigenous Warriors are on this island when they respond—
The indigenous people’s common tactic is to display all able-bodied men once to intimidate the enemy.
Based on the number of indigenous warriors, he can estimate the size of the island’s tribe, deciding whether to suppress by force or intimidate.
Otherwise, rashly engaging would inevitably lead to a bloody conflict.
This is his first time being responsible for such an upfront island landing and capturing indigenous work, and his approach must differ from covert operations, aiming to avoid casualties as much as possible.
Going back to report to the Leader afterward, he would have an impressive account to present.
...
Faced with unexpected visitors from afar, the indigenous people, though unafraid, showed a degree of respect.
They did not question why Sunday could speak the indigenous language. After hearing Sunday’s description, they returned to the tribe, summoning all outsiders together and went searching for that unique child.
...
Sunday did not know how many people were in this tribe, only that the waiting was extraordinarily long; long enough that he started frequently checking his watch, long enough for sweat to trickle down the guards’ heads.
Just as he began to suspect whether the indigenous people would leave them stranded on the beach, the green wall finally showed signs of activity.
Voices of the indigenous people carried over a distance, and a passage appeared within the branches, wide enough for two to walk side by side.
Five indigenous people, naked, emerged slowly from the woods, moving forward and backward.
Leading were two noticeably young and frail indigenous individuals, pushed forward by the adult indigenous people behind them, faces bewildered, still unclear about what was transpiring.
Behind the pair were three indigenous Warriors, two carrying Long Spears, one holding a Wooden Bow, with grass rope belts at their waists hung with several Wooden Arrows.
Their vigor and spirit seemed better than the indigenous people on the Big Island, and although their faces bore fierce patterns painted with mud and natural pigments, their nervousness and trepidation were still evident.
Facing entirely unfamiliar visitors, these indigenous warriors clearly could not display true fearlessness.
...
"Which one of the two is it?"
Again pushing the backs of the two children, ordering them forward, the indigenous warriors shouted from afar.
...
Sunday did not expect they could truly find someone matching the description from the tribe, nor did he expect them to be so accommodating, actually willing to hand over the person.
In unanticipated circumstances, he hastily called for Ruth to remain on the ship and sincerely hoped this old friend could finally find the missing child.