Chapter 714 - 31: Three Against the Mammoth
All the animals living on the prairie are well aware of the terror of the Mammoth.
The Great Horned Deer was frightened and ran harder than usual, yet it couldn’t hide its panic. Even with the person on its back gripping the reins tightly, it still couldn’t help but run in the wrong direction instead of continuing toward the beacon fire on the Mound.
The person on the deer’s back tightened the reins and loudly comforted his mount. As he looked up, he saw someone flying toward him at an astonishing speed with a spear held upside down.
...
The Mammoth drew closer, and the ground’s tremors even lifted the dust slightly.
Chen Zhou’s gaze was locked on the Great Horned Deer’s chest, waiting for the right distance to throw the shuriken, piercing its lungs.
Once the lungs of the galloping Great Horned Deer were injured, it wouldn’t die immediately but would completely lose its ability to move. By then, the two riders could only proceed on foot, their speed drastically reduced, making it impossible to lead the danger away.
When Chen Zhou saw the Great Horned Deer, the two people on the deer’s back also saw him.
Over 200 meters away, the person in white called out loudly from a distance.
The time periods were so different that Chen Zhou felt this person’s words carried a heavy accent, making them sound half-understood, and he couldn’t decipher what he was saying in such a short time.
As he pondered, Chen Zhou’s steps didn’t stop, and the Great Horned Deer didn’t slow down either.
Running toward each other, they closed the distance in less than 10 seconds.
To ensure a single strike to his target, Chen Zhou had set a distance that he was confident in hitting every time—
meters.
Within this distance, even a sesame seed on a bottle cap could be precisely struck without moving the cap. As long as he threw the shuriken, it wouldn’t miss.
Holding the spear in his right hand, Chen Zhou reached to his waist with his left hand, already clutching the shuriken in his palm, his body twisting with his steps, and the shuriken was released.
Under the cold light of the beacon, the two saw a flash of cold light, and then the forelegs of the Great Horned Deer beneath the man in white buckled, abruptly kneeling to the ground.
If it were an ordinary person, caught off guard by such a fall, they would likely have broken a few bones.
But this person in white was different.
Just as the deer was struck, he sensed it and quickly leaped off the deer’s back.
As he landed, he rolled like a wild hare, using the grass to cushion his landing force. As soon as the force dissipated, he used his hands to push off the ground, leaping up suddenly, unscathed except for a few grass stalks on him.
However, the struck deer wasn’t as agile. It fell heavily to the ground, its forelegs breaking from the momentum, unable to rise again. When it tried to let out a few cries, it could only open its mouth pitifully, blood frothing out as its lungs were pierced through by the shuriken.
Having anticipated that these two weren’t ordinary, and seeing the white-clad man’s impressive skill, Chen Zhou raised his alertness. Holding his spear, he was preparing to confront them when he saw the man in white didn’t draw his sword from his waist, nor was he angered by his mount’s death. Instead, he stood upright, cupped his fists, and bowed to Chen Zhou.
As the saying goes, "You don’t hit a smiling man," and just as Chen Zhou was about to fight these two, seeing such a respectful attitude made him reluctant to strike.
On the other side, the Brown Armored Man also pulled the reins of his Great Horned Deer. Before it could stand steady, he jumped off and, like his companion, cupped his fists and bowed.
However, this person seemed prouder than his companion, not bowing as he cupped his fists, with a hint of vigilance and apprehension in his demeanor.
...
With the Mammoth approaching, all three stood still. The Great Horned Deer, however, was clever. Once free from its master’s reins, it frantically dashed away, disappearing in an instant.
After straightening up from his bow, the man in white glanced at Chen Zhou, then at his companion and the approaching Mammoth, and spoke a few words.
However, his accent and language were quite confusing. Chen Zhou could only discern that he was speaking Chinese, but couldn’t tell from which region or era.
Unsure of what these two were up to, Chen Zhou decided to take a gamble, seeing if these ancient people could understand him.
Worried that plain speech wouldn’t be understood, he purposely tried to use more formal language.
But having not studied literature for years and lacking knowledge in the humanities, his "classical style" speech came out no different from the modern vernacular.
"Why are you two leading the Mammoth toward me?"
As soon as Chen Zhou spoke, the two across from him were momentarily stunned. The man in white seemed to have difficulty understanding Chen Zhou’s words, but the Brown Armored Man seemed to comprehend.
Once again, cupping his fists, the Brown Armored Man spoke for the first time.
He had a northern accent, his voice was softer than his appearance suggested, somewhat similar to Mandarin, and this time Chen Zhou understood him.
"Brother, we were compelled by circumstances to resort to this plan only to seek your aid. If you help us escape, we will surely reward you generously.
Though we are reckless martial artists, we understand the importance of valuing martial virtue and upholding integrity.
As long as you help us through this crisis, facing difficulties or risks in the future, no matter what, we will certainly repay your kindness!"
"I was peacefully staying on the hill, enjoying roasting meat. If it weren’t for you two bringing trouble, I would have been feasting on a little Saw-toothed Tiger by now.
Damn, are ancient people so thick-skinned, too? If you two hadn’t insisted on running this way, I’d be having a relaxing evening!"
Secretly complaining, Chen Zhou didn’t voice his thoughts directly.