(A quick update today: my stats suddenly blew up, and I have no idea why. Are college students back home now? I can't figure it out. This time, they shot straight up, so can I make up the second update tomorrow?)
Over the next few days, Chen Yu asked Tsukasa to send people out to hunt more game, then smoke the meat for storage. Unfortunately, they couldn't produce refined salt. The salt they were eating was still the sea salt he had extracted using the few technical videos stored in his brain. Unfortunately, their tools were poor, and the results were minimal.
Most of their seasonings were still wild chili peppers and cumin. Otherwise, eating nothing but completely unseasoned grilled meat day after day would get old.
Next came his hometown's specialty: farming.
He had previously asked the others to help look after that, but unfortunately, none of them knew anything about it. Now, all he could do was mark out a plot, fertilize it, and wait until the following year to find seeds for food crops and start planting.
Two groups had already gone out, one to hunt and the other to search for vegetables they could collect seeds from.
Once they found any, they would pick them and hand them over to Chen Yu. He would extract and store the seeds, then plant them the following year. That way, they would have tasty vegetables to eat next year. For now, though, everyone was using stone knives, which weren't much good for cutting vegetables.
The people of the Tsukasa Empire also lived on grilled meat, with some fruit whenever they could find it. Life was manageable enough.
Chen Yu was now desperately looking forward to the day those two made up, though he had no idea whether his wish would come true.
The Tsukasa Empire no longer really needed him to stay and oversee things. With Miwa, Reiko, and Xiao Xi there, he had plenty of free time. To give himself something to do, he planned to explore the surrounding area and make a map.
After thirty-seven hundred years, both the landscape and its people had changed. The geography he remembered was no longer useful. To move the plot forward and keep them from wasting too much time, he wanted them to reach Treasure Island earlier, which would let them reach America earlier too. Although the plot would change, it should still turn out roughly the same.
Meanwhile, after several days outside, Hyoga finally encountered Senku, who had just become village chief. Hyoga had initially planned to search alone, but after wasting too much time, he had brought Gen along after all. He had also wanted to bring Miwa and Reiko, who were easy to control, but their special duties made leaving inconvenient, especially since Chen Yu had been going out frequently these past few days.
Chen Yu had also taken a firm stance on this. He had told Hyoga to take the matter straight to Tsukasa. After Tsukasa refused him, Hyoga had sent a gymnast to sneak in at night and abduct one of the two women. Chen Yu had caught her, and one packet of Paralysis Powder had put her flat on the ground.
The next day, Chen Yu had left her outside and told Tsukasa what had happened. Tsukasa had also inspected the scene.
Looking at the medicine pouches hanging from Chen Yu's waist, he knew how potent Chen Yu's Anesthetic Powder was. The night patrol had also seen Chen Yu go into his dispensary early to sleep, while everyone else had slept in their own rooms. As for the girl, no one had any idea when she had arrived.
After all, the members of each team slept together. The rooms had been arranged that way so every unit could assemble quickly.
Seen that way, the girl was the prime suspect. To preserve harmony within their ranks, Tsukasa had planned to teach her a lesson, but Hyoga had taken the matter into his own hands.
In the end, out of consideration for Hyoga, they had let the matter rest for the time being.
Still, there had been a small punishment. Chen Yu had used his Itching Powder, which made the victim itch all over. In large doses, it could make them scratch their skin raw. Since this was only a punishment, he had used a small dose that caused occasional itching instead.
He would give her the antidote after three days. This was also meant to serve as a lesson to everyone else.
Don't step out of line.
Only then had Hyoga taken Gen, who was unarmed and had no one backing him, down the mountain to Ishigami Village.
Miwa and Reiko, who knew everything that had happened, were worried that the matter involving Senku would come to light.
But Chen Yu reassured them, "Don't worry. This has nothing to do with you. If anyone asks, just say we don't know what Gen was doing in the village either. After all, we're only responsible for gathering medicinal herbs. Otherwise, how would we explain the strong herbal smell on us?"
Hearing that, Miwa and Reiko relaxed.
Meanwhile, Senku had secured the position of village chief as he had in the original story. The difference was that this time, Magma had entered the Grand Bout not to become chief, but to demonstrate his abilities.
He hadn't said a word throughout the competition. Finally, after his match with Kinro ended, he said that he only wanted people to see him differently. He was no longer the old Magma, but a new Magma.
After all, Chen Yu's words still rang clearly in his ears. He also knew what he ought to do: probably help Senku, who might be related to him by blood through his ancestors, accomplish his goal.
In the end, when Magma wanted to concede and withdraw from the competition, Kohaku and the others refused. After all, everyone had seen how much he had changed lately.
This time, Magma hadn't used any tricks. He had defeated Kinro through genuine strength. He had started training lately, after all, but he had still been injured in the fight against Kinro and only barely won.
As for what happened next, Magma and Chrome had both ended up badly hurt. Chrome was fighting for the chief's position for Ruri's sake, while Magma wanted to prove through his own efforts that he was no longer the man he used to be, and had begun giving it his all too.
Unfortunately, there was no chance to see Gen's performance this time. Since Chen Yu had changed Magma, he wasn't as detestable as before, so Gen's brilliant, awkward performance never happened.
Finally, it came down to the fight between Ginro and Senku...
Sure enough, after hearing a rumor, Ginro immediately turned on them and began fighting Senku seriously.
Everyone could see that Ruri simply found it awkward to speak about her feelings for Chrome, but Ginro had misunderstood. They watched the scene unfold, speechless.
Ginro attacked Senku with one swing of his staff after another, completely forgetting their earlier plan.
Suddenly, everyone remembered what Ginro was like. Even the village's little white dog shared the same thought: We absolutely cannot let Ginro become village chief. Otherwise, he would break all their existing rules, and the entire village would be ruined in his hands.
All they could do was silently pray that Senku would win.
With Kohaku's help, Suika's damaged watermelon helmet was tossed to Senku. He looked at the watermelon helmet by his feet, then at Ginro, and thought of something.
Seeing that, Ginro stopped moving, wondering how Senku was going to deal with him.
Afraid of losing, Ginro slapped his staff and charged at Senku. Then he saw Senku calmly place his staff on the watermelon helmet. Once Ginro rushed up, Senku stomped down hard...
Ginro: ٩(✘д✘๑;)۶
Precision strike!
(I'm stuck. I had absolutely no idea how to write this chapter. It's so frustrating.)
Before you continue