Chapter 124: Testing the Arrows

When Xi Yi went out, she folded the pile of clothes that had been turned over one by one, then picked up the coffee-colored bamboo shoot branch that resembled a bow and arrow, which she had previously placed in the bathtub, and sat down to examine it carefully.

The bamboo shoot’s growth structure was formed by multiple thin branches intertwined. It was precisely these thin branches that were extremely flexible, so once combined, their hardness was enhanced while their elasticity was limited to a certain extent, making them more precise for later use.

Currently, the broken bamboo shoot branch in her hand was almost naturally perfect in shape. Both ends were twisted from several small branches, and even the holes for threading were ready-made, saving them a lot of trouble. However, Sha Yi still didn’t dare to be careless. She planned to use some twisted thin vines or polyethylene rope to bind both ends and the middle of the bow once the bowstring was attached, to prevent the bamboo shoot from loosening under external force.

As for the bowstring, she retrieved the spoils she had seized from the Pan Kuo cave.

After measuring, Sha Yi found that the bundle of hemp-like threads was long enough. In terms of quantity, it seemed plentiful, but upon counting, there were only a dozen or so. While suitable for use as bowstrings, she would need to find more later.

After all, the current group numbered over thirty people. Bows and arrows could be used by both men and women, so ideally, each person should have one. However, this would depend on the availability of bowstrings. If necessary, only the men could be equipped with one each.

Thinking this, she quickly pulled out the bundle of hemp-like threads, threaded them through a gap on one side of the bow, tied several tight knots, and then used a lighter to melt the ends together. Finally, she wrapped polyethylene rope around that end several times.

When working on the other side, she realized that with her strength and working alone, pulling the bowstring taut was nearly impossible. After several attempts, even when her hands turned red from the effort, she still failed.

She decided to wait for Xi Yi to return and let him handle it.

Xi Yi didn’t return very early. It seemed he had taken advantage of the rain-free weather to gather many branches. When she saw him enter the cave, he was carrying a large bundle of damp branches in his arms.

Sha Yi hurried over to help, but Xi Yi adamantly refused to let her touch the wet branches. Blocking her, he rushed to the bathtub and tossed the pile of branches aside.

Just because she was on her period, what exactly did he think she was…?

Sha Yi was speechless and equally helpless. In the end, she let him have his way and didn’t touch the damp branches. Instead, she handed him the half-bound bamboo shoot.

Xi Yi had strong comprehension skills. After just a brief explanation, he understood perfectly. With a quick motion, he pulled the hemp-like thread taut. Seizing the moment, Sha Yi tied several tight knots on the pulled-out section, melted them with the lighter again, and wrapped polyethylene rope around the middle section as well. The task was finally complete, but Xi Yi stared at her blankly, utterly confused.

He had grasped the manufacturing method she requested, but he had no idea what this thing was for. So, while she was thinking about materials for the arrows, he picked up the bow and ran his hands over it, trying to figure out its purpose. Unfortunately, a bow without arrows is just a bow, and Xi Yi had never seen a bow and arrow before. His exploration was akin to a blind man feeling an elephant.

Watching his bewildered expression, Sha Yi couldn’t help but laugh. Misinterpreting her amusement, he set the bow aside, pulled her into his arms, and mischievously tickled her.

Laughter turned to regret. After just a few tickles, she squirmed uncontrollably, and the next moment, warmth spread between her legs—her period had returned with a vengeance. Sha Yi finally understood what it meant to bring trouble upon oneself!

Fearing she’d ruin another menstrual cloth or stain her clothes, she quickly begged for mercy. But Xi Yi, unaware of her predicament, thought she was just playing around and intensified his efforts. Sha Yi was on the verge of tears and could only collapse, pretending to have stomach pain.

Lying to him wasn’t ideal, but the effect was immediate. The moment she clutched her stomach, he let go, his brows furrowed in worry and panic, which secretly amused her.

In her memory, the conclusion that Xi Yi was easy to fool had already been drawn. However, Sha Yi also knew that this only applied to her.

He only trusted and relied on those he cared about.

Vaguely, she recalled that when they first started living together, he had questioned her several times, often suspecting she was trying to escape. To this day, she couldn’t tell whether it was because he lacked a sense of security or because she seemed untrustworthy.

But regardless, they were together now, as if it were fate.

So, the most important thing was how to improve their living conditions for a better life.

For now, she didn’t want to dwell on other trivial matters. She grabbed the bow, smiled, and told him, “Xi Yi, this is what I told you about—a bow and arrow. Compared to bone knives and stone knives, it’s a long-range weapon. Just like your initial thoughts about bone spears, but this is more effective than a bone spear!”

“Bow… and arrow?” Seeing her condition improve, the burly man relaxed slightly. But faced with this strange, never-before-seen object, he couldn’t hide his skepticism as he plucked the bowstring. “This thing? It doesn’t even look half the size of a bone spear. And I’d like to know which part is used for hunting…”

“That’s because it’s not finished yet!” Swatting away his hand from the bowstring, Sha Yi explained, “A bow and arrow has two parts. One is the bow—what you’re seeing now. The other is the arrow, but I haven’t found suitable materials for it yet.”

“What kind do you need?”

“Straight, similar to a bone spear but much smaller. One end must be sharp, and it needs to be very hard without being too heavy.”

“Hmm… How about this?” After a moment of thought, the man seemed to remember something. He clapped his hands, bent down, and rummaged through the pile of damp branches he’d just brought back. Soon, he pulled out a long, thin black branch. “How’s this? Will it work?”

It was an arm-length thin branch, almost straight enough to serve as a ruler. Of course, if not for its slightly uneven surface, it would have been perfect. The entire branch was an intense black. Due to the rainy season, it was damp and somewhat heavy to the touch. Just from handling it, she could feel its hardness.

As if worried she couldn’t tell, Xi Yi leaned closer. “The branches of this tree aren’t usually this heavy, but they’ve been soaked in rainwater for a long time, so they’ve gained weight. The hardness is the same—it hardens when wet. Do you think it’ll work?”

It would work, but the surface needed to be smoothed. Otherwise, the resistance would hinder shooting. After a moment’s thought, she handed him the black branch along with a fruit knife. “I need the outer surface to be smooth. Quickly shave it down. Also, sharpen one end, and cut a notch in the other end. Hurry up.”

Xi Yi took the items from her.

Though he still didn’t fully understand what the final product should look like, he trusted her instructions implicitly and got to work swiftly.

While he shaved the branch, Sha Yi retrieved the Pan Kuo bird feathers. After comparing them, she selected a smaller one. When Xi Yi returned the branch to her, she fitted the feather into the notch at the tail end.

Sha Yi mused that if the feather fell out midway, she’d use the bamboo shoot’s sticky sap to glue it back on.

For now, the black branch paired with red feathers and a coffee-colored bow looked decent. But they needed to test its effectiveness. If it worked, they could lead the others in making more that very night.

Outside the cave, as dusk approached, the sun peeked out, casting light over the grass and the cave entrance, making everything seem much more pleasant.

But Sha Yi had a nagging feeling that this might herald another extreme.

The weather in this era was incredibly erratic. Take the time they searched for mineral salt—two days of scorching sun were followed by days of thunderous downpours. It was no different from modern times, where summers alternated between rain and heat, and winters between snow and cold. Now, with the warm sun emerging from the damp mist, did it mean that midnight would bring thunderstorms and torrential rain?

She could only hope their dwelling could withstand the onslaught of wind, rain, and lightning.

Sha Yi led Xi Yi out of the cave.

After searching several spots, she found a tree with unknown, withered, shriveled, and rotting fruit. Since no one was around, using them for testing wouldn’t be a waste. With that in mind, she nocked the arrow and gestured for Xi Yi to watch her movements. However, things took a disastrous turn midway.

For example… she couldn’t really draw the bow…

Even with all her strength, she barely managed to pull the bowstring back a little. Xi Yi chuckled, took the bow from her, and with a slight movement of his arm, drew the string much farther.

But after drawing it, he didn’t release the arrow. Instead, he turned to look at her, his eyes asking if this was correct.

After all the preparation, he skipped the final step. Even though she hadn’t taught him to shoot the arrow, shouldn’t it have been a reflexive “whoosh”? Just thinking about it made her liver ache.

Helpless, she patted his shoulder, intending for him to release the arrow. But the moment she did, his grip on the bow loosened, and the black arrow with red feathers shot through the air.

This time, Xi Yi was startled. Forgetting to look at her, he reflexively turned toward the sound of the arrow whistling through the air—its speed was astonishing, and so was its effect. It didn’t hit the rotten fruit on the tree but instead pierced through a tangle of grass and bushes, producing a dull thud before vanishing from their sight.

The result… was completely unexpected!

When they pushed aside the tangled vegetation, Sha Yi saw that the poorly aimed arrow had struck a rabbit—an unexpected harvest.

Sha Yi was dumbfounded, and Xi Yi was equally stunned. They stood frozen, staring for a long time before snapping out of it. Xi Yi quickly reached out to pull the black arrow from the rabbit.

In truth, the arrow’s power wasn’t that great. Xi Yi had only drawn the bow to show her, and the shot was accidental—he hadn’t even known how to use it properly. Everything was a coincidence, including the fact that the rabbit was hit in the neck. Given its small size and the short distance, the through-and-through blood hole was understandable.

Watching Xi Yi pull out the arrow and lift the rabbit, Sha Yi couldn’t help but feel excited.

Honestly, she hadn’t expected the hastily made bow and arrow to be so powerful. Initially, she had only planned to use it as a supplementary tool—creating minor injuries on large prey during Xi Yi’s hunts to aid in cornering the animals and protecting themselves. Who knew… the bow and arrow could almost serve as a primary tool!

Pure luck!

Just as she was about to take a closer look at the bow and arrow, Xi Yi swiftly transferred both items to one hand, bent down, and scooped her up with the other.

Startled, she yelped, but he was overjoyed. Holding her, he spun around several times before planting a firm kiss on her forehead. Then, deftly maneuvering through the grass, he sprinted back toward the cave.

He seemed even happier about the bow and arrow than he had been when they first made salt crystals. Watching his excitement, she felt a surge of joy herself.

Indeed, given Xi Yi’s abilities, he could survive even thunderstorms. For him, salt wasn’t as practical as a bow and arrow. Moreover, understanding how to use salt wasn’t as straightforward as using a bow and arrow.

Besides, he spent most of his time hunting. No matter how you looked at it, the bow and arrow held far more appeal for him than salt!