Soon, he found the section about the water source.
The book described how Robinson started from his landing spot on the island and found fresh water after walking approximately one furlong along the coast.
There was a thoughtful note at the bottom of the page: Furlong, a unit of length, is approximately equal to 0.2 kilometers, or 200 meters.
However, the author did not elaborate on Robinson's specific direction or whether the water source was a river or a spring, but at least confirmed the presence of fresh water nearby.
Chen Zhou thought for a moment, 200 meters wasn't too far, and even if he had to come back empty-handed, it wouldn't waste much time or energy.
He estimated that the place where he rested was not too different from where Robinson landed, so he started walking straight along the coast from the small tree where he had tied up his clothes.
The silhouette of the mountains was cast in the gray-white light of dawn, and the lush forest stretched from the somewhat flat mountain top to the base, with the morning star hanging high on the side of the peak, observing, along with unnamed constellations, the solitary person walking along the coast.
The beach was barren, with only pale yellow gravel and seaweed and shells washed up by the tide in sight, with no coconuts or other fruits Chen Zhou hoped to see.
The coastal area, which gradually turned to soil, also showed no signs of low-growing herbs, and even the trees appeared malnourished, sparsely anchored in the ground with tangled branches, resembling a group of starving, disheveled beggars.
Two small birds rested among those tangled branches, shrinking together in fear of Chen Zhou's footsteps. Once they confirmed that the "monster" passing through the woods posed no threat to them, they cautiously emerged, one after the other.
However, they failed to notice a gray-brown large cat had been stealthily following them for quite some time.
It kept its body low, even its ears pressed tightly against its head, moving silently. Once close enough, it sprang forward, extending a paw to grasp its chosen prey, then with a quick press and bite, it locked onto the bird's neck.
The bird caught in its grip was naturally unwilling to give up its life, struggling mightily with its wings, causing feathers to fly, blood to stain the cat's mouth, but to no avail.
The surviving bird let out a terrified cry, scrambled frantically, and darted into the branches beside Chen Zhou, causing him to turn around hastily, quickly taking up a cloth bag tied from his clothes in preparation to face any threat.
The bright moonlight pierced through the slender treetops to illuminate the forest floor, allowing Chen Zhou to see the perpetrator of the brutal scene behind him.
With pale white feathers on its face, the cat was quite bold, staring with its green eyes. Despite being watched by the much larger Chen Zhou, it appeared unflustered, holding its prize tightly and emitting continuous warning sounds from its throat.
Seeing that the culprit that scared him turned out to be just a cat, Chen Zhou's tense heart finally relaxed, but he did not underestimate the cat due to its small size and still broke a slender branch nearby to wave and drive it away.
"Go, go!"
Before the branch could be swung a few times, the cat agilely leaped away with the bird in its mouth and vanished after climbing the tree trunk.
The sudden hunt scattered what little bewilderment Chen Zhou had left, and worrying that there might be other wild animals in the forest, he found a sturdier and longer wooden stick for self-defense and cautiously continued forward.
Before long, he heard the sound of trickling water in the distance, and joy appeared on his face.
Lady Luck finally smiled upon him, not letting him be startled for nothing, nor letting him take a pointless detour.
Quickening his pace, he passed through the woods, the terrain sloping gently downward, revealing a flat and wide Rock Beach.
By this time, the tide seemed to have receded, leaving only a layer of shallow water shimmering over the beach, swaying with the waves.
Rocks of varying sizes, some covered with mud, others with moss or seaweed, or encrusted with shells and barnacles, were scattered like chess pieces in the mud.
Many unknown small crabs scuttled sideways, etching crisscrossing tracks on the "chessboard," while along the dark mudflats, slightly raised airholes could be seen everywhere, the tunnels dug by mantis shrimp and clams nearly covered the entire Rock Beach.
Higher up the beach, where the slope formed a low valley, a silver ribbon of water flowed through the woodland, making a pleasant rustling sound as it cascaded towards the rocky beach to merge with the seawater.
The cool wind carried the chill of the water and the briny scent of shrimp and crabs to Chen Zhou's face, making his heart leap with joy as he gazed at the Rock Beach.
Without doubt, this was a freshwater river originating from within the island.
On a sea island, fresh water was undoubtedly the most precious resource, and flowing water was much cleaner than stagnant water, significantly reducing the risk of diarrhea.
Just by looking at the river from afar, Chen Zhou felt his thirst dissipate considerably, along with some of his anxiety and unease.
Resisting the urge to dash down the slope, Chen Zhou walked at a leisurely pace, observing the environment near the Rock Beach.
The soil washed down from within the island, and the river nourished the land, where greenery thrived along the gentle slopes, filled with shrubs and low grass, with wildflowers adorned with dewdrops competing in the gentle moonlight.
As Chen Zhou waded through the grass, startled insects and birds nesting in the shrubs leapt out, and the chirping of insects also softened.
Just like the clear moonlit sky, the entire isolated island seemed like an untouched maiden, with everything about her retaining its most primitive appearance.
In modern society, finding such a place is almost impossible, even at the peak of Mount Everest at an altitude of 8,848 meters, countless human traces have been left behind.
Yet Chen Zhou did not feel anything precious about this place, as he tread on this "luxury" greenery and arrived by the riverbank a few minutes later.
A heavy storm had recently passed, the atmosphere was moist and pesky mosquitoes were mercifully absent.
The soil by the riverbank was waterlogged, soft, and damp.
To protect his irreplaceable shoes, Chen Zhou had to discard the wooden stick and picked up his shoes, walking barefoot straight into the river.
The early morning water was cool but not cold, flowing gently, submerging his calves comfortably, almost enticing Chen Zhou to take a swim, but ultimately, his thirst prevailed.
So he slightly bent forward, holding his clothes and shoes high with his left hand to keep them dry, while scooping water into his mouth with his right hand.
The cool river water quenched his throat, making his thirst vanish in an instant, leaving Chen Zhou feeling refreshed and pleasant.
Even after a few sips, it still wasn't enough, so he washed his face, making his mind completely alert.
Finding a stable source of fresh water was undoubtedly an exciting piece of good news, and Chen Zhou could think of numerous benefits at a moment's notice.
For example, the slopes on both sides of the freshwater river are suitable for cultivating crops, not to mention the convenience of irrigation, and the river contains fish and crabs that can serve as a long-term, stable food source. With his appetite, he won't run out of river and sea food in his lifetime.
There were many bird nests in the shrubs by the riverbank, and during the breeding season, he could collect bird eggs to eat. If given a chance, he could even tame some friendly birds to raise; on the isolated island, poultry meat and eggs were clearly a high-quality, safe, and delicious source of protein.
The river itself was also a resource, and perhaps a waterwheel could be designed for grinding grain or even threshing, a task that might require considerable effort for Chen Zhou, a major in mechanical design, manufacturing, and automation, but not impossible.
As for the river silt and sand, they could be used to make pottery or bricks, serving as important building materials—only one night had passed, yet Chen Zhou still remembered the so-called "Jingdezhen masters" on online forums sharing their expertise.
And from Chen Zhou's not so professional perspective, the Rock Beach connected to the sea, with flat terrain and gentle water flow; if he could master the timing of the tides, it could serve as a temporary dock, capable of unloading cargo brought from a boat.
Of course, all this hinged on whether he could successfully get aboard a ship and build that mortise-and-tenon-structure raft, which for now was just a beautiful fantasy.
However, even fantasy, although unreal, can ignite one's fighting spirit; even if it's an unattainable goal, as long as there is hope, one can step by step get closer to it.
Having painted himself a grand picture, Chen Zhou wiped his mouth and leisurely climbed ashore.
After drinking half a bellyful of cool water, he felt he could hear the sloshing sound in his stomach while walking.
His thirst was naturally quenched, and his hunger temporarily subsided. Crushing a patch of low grass, he sat on the soft greenery, his nostrils filled with the fragrance of flowers and plants.
Only at this moment did Chen Zhou feel a sense of unprecedented comfort, so he simply lay down on the grass, using his clothes as a pillow, and took a refreshing nap.