I am a Primitive Man
Chapter 177 – Rattan Shield 2
Compared to shields synthesized from pure wooden boards, shields woven from vines are much lighter.
With Han Cheng’s current strength, he could easily hold and raise the wooden shield’s handle.
Of course, it was a lifted position with his arm curled, not fully extended.
The vine shield was too tall for Han Cheng. When he raised the wooden handle to chest height, he could only see the blurry figures of people through the gaps in the upper part of the vine shield.
Han Cheng handed the vine shield to Lame and instructed him to place it against the side wall of the house.
Then, he led the people to step back about fifteen meters from the vine shield. He had someone bring some stones similar to those used for hunting. Amid the puzzled looks of the onlookers, he told the Eldest Senior Brother to pick up a stone and smash it against the vine shield fiercely, just like when hunting, without holding back.
Everyone, including the Eldest Senior Brother, appeared puzzled. They didn’t understand the purpose behind the chief’s actions.
Why throw stones at a perfectly good wooden plank? Wouldn’t this damage the wooden plank?
Holding a fist-sized stone, the Eldest Senior Brother looked at Han Cheng. After confirming the order from Han Cheng again, he no longer hesitated.
He took a half-step forward with his left leg, raised his right arm, and then cleanly let it fall. The stone in his hand had already flown out, followed by a loud sound.
The vine shield against the wall vibrated. The stone that had been smashed into it flew high into the air, landing more than two meters away before rolling three or four meters before gradually stopping.
Han Cheng rushed over to inspect the vine shield.
Seeing the Divine Child so anxious to check the “injuries” of the vine shield, the Eldest Senior Brother was even more puzzled. He scratched his head, covered in unkempt hair, and went over to watch along with everyone else.
On the vine shield, there were small white marks on the vines that were hit by the stone. The impact from the Eldest Senior Brother’s stone had caused damage to two vines, and some wood fibers were raised at the injury sites.
However, it was only superficial and had no impact on the vine shield.
Satisfied, Han Cheng nodded, then propped up the slightly crooked vine shield against the wall. Leading the crowd back to their previous position, he didn’t let the Eldest Senior Brother take action this time. Instead, he asked the Second Senior Brother, the best at throwing, to do it.
The Second Senior Brother’s momentum was much greater. When a stone hit the vine shield, it directly bounced it off the ground, causing it to fall.
Worried about the freshly made vine shield being unable to withstand the Second Senior Brother’s violent blow, Han Cheng hurried over to flip it over. Upon inspection, there was no further harm besides the additional damage to the surface.
This made Han Cheng unable to resist praising Lame.
Originally, relatively soft vine branches, after being woven together, became so resilient. Indeed, unity is strength, just like a bunch of chopsticks held together.
Looking at the smiling chief, the onlookers became even more puzzled. The perfectly good wooden plank had been smashed into its current state with stones. Shouldn’t he be upset? Why did the Divine Child seem even happier?
On the side, the shaman, who had rushed over upon hearing the news, showed a thoughtful expression in his eyes. It seemed like he had sensed some of the Divine Child’s intentions but was not too certain.
Seeing the vine shield’s resilience confirmed, Han Cheng explained its purpose to everyone.
The shaman’s eyes revealed a knowing look and a hint of excitement. He finally guessed the Divine Child’s intention.
The Eldest Senior Brother also showed a sudden realization. Thinking about the scene when he and the Second Senior Brother threw stones at the vine shield, he felt that the vine shield could indeed be used to block attacks, reducing the risk of injury.
A stone that was supposed to fall on oneself, or the sharp claws of a large beast, ended up being blocked by the vine shield in hand, preventing oneself from getting injured or even killed.
Thinking of it this way, the significance of the vine shield immediately became profound.
As Han Cheng explained, everyone gradually understood the purpose of the vine shield and realized its great significance.
Looking at the shield woven from these vines, their eyes became eager. Their gaze towards the Divine Child became even more respectful. Even Lame, who used to live at the bottom of the tribe, showed an excited expression, his face turning slightly red. It strengthened his determination to follow the Divine Child and contribute to the tribe.
The Eldest Senior Brother held the vine shield, testing its coverage from different angles. Although his movements seemed clumsy, they also had a certain style.
Others also approached one after another to experience this freshly made weapon.
The shaman smiled as he watched on the side, knowing he had something new to record. Once he understood the specific methods from the Divine Child and Lame, he began making notes.
The records didn’t just include the method of making the vine shield; they also depicted its shape. The significance and purpose of the vine shield were essential details.
Excitement filled the air as the people discussed and marveled at the vine shield. Han Cheng spoke up again.
He asked the Eldest Senior Brother, who was already familiar with the shield, to hold the vine shield in front of him. Then, he instructed Shang, holding a spear with a sharpened stone tip, to attack the vine shield. He wanted to see the effectiveness of the vine shield in practical combat against a more sharp and fierce stone spear.
Of course, before starting, he gave special instructions. He asked Shang, who was in charge of the attack, to probe gradually, increasing the force slowly and not to start with full strength immediately. Otherwise, if any accidents during the test resulted in injuries, it would be a significant loss.
The Eldest Senior Brother, holding the vine shield, and Shang, wielding the stone-tipped spear, took their positions. The people around them dispersed a bit, giving them enough space.
The Eldest Senior Brother tightly gripped the handle behind the vine shield with both hands, stood with his feet apart, his body tense, and the muscles on his arms tightened even more.
He looked a bit nervous. Although he had previously tested the vine shield with stones and knew it was quite resilient, the vine shield was against the wall at that time. Now, the vine shield’s back was facing him, and the stone spear was much sharper than a stone.
Under such circumstances, feeling a bit nervous was normal.
“Thud!”
A not-too-loud sound echoed as the stone spear collided with the vine shield. The resilient vine shield suffered little damage.
The Eldest Senior Brother, holding his breath, felt somewhat relieved.
Han Cheng signaled to Shang to increase the force. After seeing that the Eldest Senior Brother was prepared and nodding, Shang, holding the stone-tipped spear, took a deep breath and thrust it towards the vine shield protecting him!