Chapter 723 - 35: Descent_2
As everyone knows, coal is the product of sea level decline and crustal uplift, but this eerie forest has transformed without sufficient pressure on the surface.
Obviously, this is yet another handiwork of the Space-Time Administration Bureau; they seem intent on selecting the owner of supplies in this dim and oppressive "arena".
Most of the time, these people, suspended high above the river of time and space, appear cold-blooded and have a penchant for unique pleasures. Only rarely do they show a hint of warmth—
Such as during that snowstorm on the isolated island.
Perhaps the Bureau also has those they admire, but only the winners can earn their respect.
Chen Zhou pressed his lips together—
"Last time, I proved my worth for this respect with long periods of time, wisdom, steadfast action, and determination.
I wonder how many thorns await me this time, how many dangers lurk ahead..."
...
Chen Zhou’s thoughts shifted from the dark forest to pondering how to get Paul and the Three-headed Saw-toothed Tiger down the Broken Cliff, and how to climb back up after seizing the supplies, when suddenly his pupils dilated.
He saw the high beacon in the sky descending at ten or even dozens of times faster than before.
Due to the rapid descent, a trailing light beam appeared in the sky, swaying, reflecting iridescent colors, and plunging straight into the center of the forest.
"At this rate, the beacon may disappear from the sky in two or three days and completely fall into the Black Forest.
I wonder how many people have arrived here.
Among those heading for the beacon, are there any people coming from further north..."
Silently calculating the distance traveled, Chen Zhou estimated that there was likely no challenger north of the Black Forest.
If the entire challenge area is a rectangle, then it’s highly possible that the east-west distance is greater than the north-south distance.
He had traveled at least 500 kilometers from the shelter to here, assuming there were another 200 kilometers south to reach the boundary, along with the distance from the cliff bottom to the forest’s end, it would be about 750 kilometers in the north-south length.
This is probably the extent of the challenge area’s north-south length, so it’s unlikely there would be challengers directly arriving at the northernmost end.
If there were challengers arriving at the north end, the supply drop location would be extremely unfair to others.
In this regard, Chen Zhou still trusted the Space-Time Administration Bureau to make a relatively fair decision.
Of course, he wouldn’t completely rely on the Bureau for his and Paul’s safety. Once down the cliff, investigation is still necessary, and caution is paramount.
If there truly is a "chosen one born under the supply drop," recklessly rushing in would cost countless lives.
It’s known that it’s been almost 20 days since the beacon appeared; if there’s someone under the beacon, the Black Forest might already be riddled with traps, transformed into a formidable net.
Even though his physique is robust, falling into some devious traps would still flay him even without death; caution must come first.
"Paul should have seen the beacon descending too. I must hurry back to tell him the news.
If there’s really no food today, we’ll catch some mice for a makeshift meal, and find a way to eat once we’re down the cliff."
Turning back, Chen Zhou bent down to pat Tiger Third’s head, picked up the dead fox, and left the Broken Cliff.
...
When Chen Zhou returned to the temporary encampment, he unexpectedly found Paul waiting by the lit campfire.
Beside the campfire was a deer carcass weighing approximately 150 lbs, already skinned and gutted. At this moment, Paul was adding fuel, waiting for the water to boil before cooking the fresh deer heart and liver in the portable pot.
Paul was rather surprised by Chen Zhou’s early return; seeing the fox in Chen Zhou’s hand, he immediately realized Chen Zhou must have encountered something more important than finding food.
"Is it about the beacon?"
Paul pointed at the colorful beam in the sky—
Looking up, relative to the sun, one can clearly see the beacon descending, and that colorful beam’s starting point has faded, leaving behind continuously forming and vanishing straight beams.
"Yes, I saw the precise location of the supply drop."
"It’s a black forest, a forest entirely composed of petrified wood and partially formed coal, beneath the cliff at the tundra’s end."
As he spoke, Chen Zhou tossed the fox’s body onto the ground and pulled out his knife to start cutting meat from the dead deer.
Chen Zhou had prepared for the worst, planning to rely on the widely distributed and numerous rodents on the tundra to stave off hunger. To his surprise, Paul performed exceptionally today, rarely managing to catch a juvenile Great Horned Deer. This time, they could fill their bellies before moving on.
While cutting meat, Chen Zhou supplemented with details of the supply drop’s location.
"The cliff’s angle to the ground can basically reach 90°, with many protruding stones on the cliff wall, but I can’t be sure if those stones are sturdy, able to support our weight."
Speaking this made Chen Zhou a bit uneasy—
He never explicitly told Paul about his exact weight, until now Paul assumed Chen Zhou was only slightly heavier than average, he couldn’t imagine Chen Zhou’s height and weight reaching over 300 lbs.
"You and I" isn’t precise; accurately it should be "whether those stones can support my weight."
"Besides, we have to bring them down, now they should be able to help a bit.
If we leave them up there, not only do we lose three assistants, their hunting skills aren’t quite honed, remaining on the tundra they’d only catch mice, possibly starve before we return."
"Okay."
Paul nodded, glanced at Tiger First and Tiger Second waiting to eat beside the deer carcass, showing a hint of pride.
"I owe today’s deer catch mostly to these two.
Discovering the deer herd, chasing them down, helping me corner the isolated deer were all thanks to them. Had it not been for them, I couldn’t have caught this guy."
Speaking, Paul chucked, stood up, and patted Tiger Second’s rump.
Woo~
Tiger Second, looking visibly exhausted, was resting on the ground; suddenly disturbed, grumbled discontentedly, then rolled over, moving its rump aside, wary of being patted again.
Ow~
Though Tiger First was also tired, seeing Chen Zhou had already sliced off a few pieces of meat, it roused itself with an ox-like low roar, extending its large head pitifully, its meaning plain—
It wanted meat.
With a helpless smile, Chen Zhou drew out his Hand Axe, severed the deer’s spine, tossing the sections with meat to the Three-headed Saw-toothed Tiger, before taking the meat he’d cut to the campfire, selecting a thick, long branch from the firewood to skewer and roast the meat.
...
Having eaten expeditiously, Chen Zhou and Paul tidied the campfire, packed their gear, and cut down the four deer legs to bind them with deer hide, planning to use them for food in the coming days, then set off towards the Broken Cliff.
"Wonder how far those two ancient Martial Artists have gone, whether my mount’s taming is smooth or not..."
During their advance, Chen Zhou occasionally glanced back.
As the saying goes, adversity fosters camaraderie. After the mammoth battle, he took their Longbow Arrow, even arranged for helping tame their mount—while not friends, they had some rapport.
If familiar, if they also chase after the supply, he’d be somewhat troubled.
To kill or not to kill, that’s the question.
"If they’re truly affectionate and loyal Jianghu folk, perhaps for the sake of the life-saving favor, they’d at least refrain from contesting for supplies..."
Thinking over everything, Chen Zhou could only pin hopes on their character.
Because in this brutal challenge, he can’t afford excessive lenience.
Once the opponent displays willingness to fight for supplies, he must mercilessly eliminate them.
This is respect for competitors, respect for himself, responsibility for his partner.
As for the team on the mountain yet unseen, and other potential challengers from all directions pursuing the beacon, he harbored no such hesitations.
Anyone harboring dreams of supplies, bearing animosity towards him, they’re enemies.
Empathy doesn’t belong to enemies.