Starting from Robinson Crusoe

Werner found a plausible explanation.

But this was what made him most despairing—

As a high and mighty raider, he was well aware of how he treated the Inca people.

Once he relied on high-handed displays of force with sharp blades and guns, wantonly slaughtering and plundering, tormenting those yellow-skinned indigenous people.

Now facing the same high and mighty enemy, thinking of his own atrocities, he couldn’t help but feel that Hell might soon descend upon him, as shadows of pain enveloped him.

...

His mind was racing, and Werner had already lost the courage to resist.

If he had a matchlock gun in his hand, he might still have a fighting chance.

But with just this knife, he couldn’t possibly handle the enemy who hadn’t even shown themselves yet, and instead he pondered how he might escape alive.

Now he had given up all dreams of getting rich and becoming a noble, only hoping to flee with his life.

...

After two gunshots, the indigenous people were already scared out of their wits.

Though they had had contact with the Spaniards, this was their first time witnessing such an extraordinary weapon.

To them, this was divine punishment!

Intruding upon the Demon’s territory without offerings and without a priest to communicate with the gods was grounds for punishment, and the orally transmitted rules had not deceived them.

Now they only wanted to hurry back to the beach, push the canoe into the sea, and leave this place.

The falling of two companions sent them fleeing madly towards the beach, cursing that their parents had not given them two more legs.

...

While the indigenous people fled, Werner, in his dire straits, suddenly had a stroke of brilliance, thinking of a way to escape—

In his understanding, although firearms have immense power, there’s an inescapable fatal flaw, which is the slow loading speed.

He thought, the weapon of that "ghost" is no exception.

Otherwise, why would the "ghost" fire a shot every now and then; for sure he too needs to use a rod to reload bullets.

And that gap between the shots is his golden opportunity to escape.

Then he can flee with abandon, free from worry about being attacked.

...

"You’re truly a genius, Werner!

Only someone as clever as you could escape from here; if it were that dumb pig Kilian, he’d surely die here!"

Werner praised his own cleverness, posed in a stance ready to sprint out at any moment, leaning against the doorway.

Now he just had to wait for the "ghost" to load the bullet and fire the third shot.

When the shot rang out, he would immediately dash out of the cabin, running towards the sea.

That timid, head-hiding coward must be all alone, with just a single gun, only able to flaunt his power in this forest.

When he reaches the beach, with the terrain more open, the "ghost" would surely not dare to show himself.

The indigenous people have only lost two, and more than ten remain; they can completely push the canoe back into the sea swiftly.

"After returning to the Archipelago, report the intel gathered back to Kilian, he will surely be tempted.

Next time we come with a raiding ship, whether you are a ’ghost’ or a ’devil’, you must die under our cannon fire!"

With the excitement of grasping a chance at life, Werner had already thought ahead to how he would retaliate against that "ghost".

More advanced firearms, superior forging craft, those unknown materials, and more skills and wealth beyond his comprehension...

Combined, these might be even more valuable than the gold and silver hidden by the Inca Empire.

The blood of a robber flowed in Werner’s veins, as long as there was equal reward, he dared to risk his life even faced with the gallows.

Even now, with his life hanging by a thread, thinking of a promising future, he couldn’t help but feel his head swell, and his bearded face revealed a hint of a smile.