The Wolves Are Coming

Jiang Zhu's expression changed slightly when she heard the anxious voice. She hurried to the door, raised her fair little hand, and opened it.

"Grandpa, what happened? Why are you in such a hurry?!"

"Quick, save him! Your Uncle Zhao was bitten by wolves," the Old Village Chief said anxiously.

"Uncle Zhao was bitten by wolves? How could that be? Did you go to Wolf Valley?" Jiang Zhu asked rapidly as she packed up medicine for external injuries.

"No, we only went near Wolf Valley to observe the situation. But the Gray Wolves, which rarely attacked humans, actually attacked us. Fortunately, we escaped quickly, but I'm afraid we've got a big problem."

The Old Village Chief continued, his eyes full of worry.

"A big problem? What big problem?" Jiang Zhu asked in confusion.

"We saw the Gray Wolf pack gathering. They seemed to have been tamed and actually attacked the nearby Bear Cave as a group. They've even begun spreading toward human territory."

"What? Then... what should we do? Will the village be in danger?" Jiang Zhu asked anxiously.

Although she attended Soul Master Academy, her strength was very weak. On top of that, she only specialized in healing and could not help much at all. If the Gray Wolf pack attacked the village, they would be in serious trouble.

"I've already sent people to Luoshan City to report this. The City Lord will definitely send High-level Spirit Masters to handle it. They'll certainly return tomorrow. Hurry and treat your Uncle Zhao first."

"Okay." Jiang Zhu nodded and pulled Li Xuan outside.

Seeing this, the Old Village Chief beside them frowned slightly.

There was no need to bring a child along when they were going to save someone. But as Jiang Zhu and Li Xuan walked away, the Old Village Chief ultimately shook his head and said nothing.

In the courtyard outside.

Several men carrying longbows were supporting a blood-covered middle-aged man as they waited. The man was very weak, with several bite wounds on his body.

Seeing this, Jiang Zhu did not hesitate. She immediately summoned her martial soul and began treating the injured man.

Although her martial soul did not yet have a soul ring, it still possessed healing abilities, just as Oscar's sausages could be eaten, or Tang San's Clear Sky Hammer could smash people.

Under her treatment, Uncle Zhao quickly recovered some of his strength. Though he still looked listless, the bleeding had stopped.

"Your condition has stabilized. Apply some medicine for external injuries, and after another seven days of treatment, you'll recover."

Jiang Zhu took out the medicine she had prepared earlier and handed it to the injured Uncle Zhao.

"Thank you. Thank you."

"It's nothing. Go back and rest."

"Alright."

Watching everyone leave, Jiang Zhu turned toward Li Xuan with a hint of pride. "Little Brother Li Xuan, what do you think of your sister's healing ability?"

"It'll do," Li Xuan replied casually as he flipped through the copied Spirit Power Cultivation Method.

"Huh? I'm the best healer in our academy."

Jiang Zhu muttered dejectedly. Seeing how seriously Li Xuan was reading, she said nothing further and instead continued secretly sizing him up.

She realized that Li Xuan was truly handsome. He looked exceptionally good from every angle, and combined with his fair skin, Jiang Zhu could not help wanting to keep him in her home and raise him from childhood.

Thud, thud, thud! A series of running footsteps sounded as several villagers carrying longbows rushed over.

"Old Village Chief, something happened! Gray Wolves have appeared around the village. Just now, they even tried to rush into the village. Fortunately, Huang Yuan and Jing Ling killed them."

"What? The Gray Wolves tried to rush into the village? Damn it, are they planning to attack the village today?" The Old Village Chief's expression grew grave. He knew the situation had become troublesome.

Rescue would not arrive until tomorrow. If the Gray Wolves from Wolf Valley attacked today, Luoshan Village would likely be finished.

Filled with worry, the Old Village Chief began issuing orders. The village gates were closed, all the strong men in the village were gathered, and everyone was sent to the entrance to prepare for a wolf pack assault.

Looking at Luoshan Village, where a storm seemed imminent, Li Xuan frowned and wondered whether Jiang Zhu and the others had experienced these events in the original story.

Ding! Due to your influence, the plot has undergone a slight change. The system has gained a small amount of energy, triggering options.

Ding! Please choose one.

Basic Option: Escape immediately and do not participate in this altered plot. Reward: Basic Forging Knowledge.

Intermediate Option: Use an Experience Card to become Green Fatty and repel the wolf pack. Reward: Intermediate Forging Knowledge.

Advanced Option: Do not use an Experience Card. Find a way to repel the wolf pack. Reward: Advanced Forging Knowledge + 3 Physique. PS: Choosing the Intermediate or Advanced Option will also condense 1% of a new Experience Card.

"1%? That little?"

Li Xuan raised his brows as he looked at the options that had suddenly appeared.

The rewards this time were actually rather low. The main issue was that the Experience Card would only condense by 1%, which was far too little.

Ding! Tricking Tang San and the powerhouses of this world will allow the system to obtain a great deal of energy at intervals, condensing more Experience Cards. Tang San provides even more energy.

"I see. Looks like I still need to head to Tang San's place."

Li Xuan sighed and decided that once he completed this task, he would go to Holy Soul Village. Only there could he gain more.

Of course.

The journey was rather far, so Li Xuan prepared himself to use an Experience Card.

But he hesitated over whether to choose the Intermediate or Advanced Option. After thinking it over, he decided to first take a look at the village entrance before making his decision.

At the village entrance.

Li Xuan stood by the gates, watching the large number of Gray Wolves gradually gathering in the distance, his brows furrowed.

There were simply too many Gray Wolves. There were already five or six hundred of them, and their numbers were still increasing.

Luoshan Village only had a population of a little over three hundred. Defending against the Gray Wolf pack would be extremely difficult.

"Jiang Zhu, roughly how many Gray Wolves are there in Wolf Valley? Have they attacked the village before?" Li Xuan asked doubtfully.

"Wolf Valley is enormous and has countless maze-like caves. There are at least two thousand wolves there, but they've never attacked the village before. This attack is very strange."

Jiang Zhu explained with a serious expression, her eyes warily fixed on the outside of the village.

"Two thousand? That many? If we wait for them to gather and attack the village, Luoshan Village is doomed," Li Xuan said gravely.

"This..."

Jiang Zhu grew nervous at his words and asked anxiously, "What should we do? Should we go outside the village and kill some of the Gray Wolves?"

"No. That would be suicide. Come on, let's go to your grandfather and see whether he has a good way to defend against them," Li Xuan said after thinking for a moment.

Aside from the mission, the threat of the wolf pack would affect him considerably as well.

Even if he possessed powerful defense, if someone discovered it, it could easily cause trouble.

Unless he used an Experience Card, but then he could only choose the first option. Li Xuan was unwilling to accept that.

After some thought, Li Xuan went with Jiang Zhu to find the Old Village Chief.

At that moment.

The Old Village Chief was directing everyone to hold their positions. They held weapons and watched outside the village vigilantly, but otherwise did nothing. They were simply waiting foolishly.

This left Li Xuan speechless. He walked up to the Old Village Chief and asked with a frown, "Old Village Chief, how do you plan to defend against this wolf pack attack?"

"Of course we'll hold our ground in the village and wait for the City Lord's rescue," the Old Village Chief replied, looking at Li Xuan in confusion.

"Just wait directly in the village like this? Without making any preparations?" Li Xuan asked bluntly.

"The preparations are already complete. Everyone has been called over, and they've brought bows, arrows, and weapons." The Old Village Chief pointed at the villagers nearby.

"That's it..."

Li Xuan was truly speechless. This was not preparation at all. They had merely gathered people, given them weapons, and were waiting foolishly. How could they possibly stop the wolf pack? Li Xuan took a deep breath and said, "Old Village Chief, have you considered the number of wolves? Have you considered the casualties? With such a huge wolf pack and so little preparation, many people will probably die."

"This... there's nothing we can do. We have no way out," the Old Village Chief sighed.

"I have a way to reduce the villagers' casualties. Old Village Chief, have people dig some trenches and place sharpened bamboo or wooden stakes inside to make traps."

"Then have people gather firewood, dry grass, and lamp oil. If there are blacksmiths and carpenters in the village, have them make iron spikes and cheval de frise. Also, raise the village walls and set up several more defensive lines."

Li Xuan spoke quickly, directly applying some of the military formation knowledge from his previous life.

But after hearing him, the Old Village Chief was dumbfounded and stared blankly at Li Xuan.

He was merely an uneducated old man from a remote village. How could he understand such things? They had no internet to learn so much knowledge from, so the old man was completely bewildered.

"What's wrong?" Li Xuan asked with a frown.

"I know what traps are, but what's a trench? And what's a cheval de frise?" the Old Village Chief asked blankly.

"A trench is a long, narrow ditch dug into the ground. It is mainly used to block movement, creating a natural barrier to stop the wolf pack. Adding sharpened bamboo will make it even more effective."

"As for cheval de frise, they're also used to block the wolf pack. For example, adding sharp objects to these wooden walls can also turn them into cheval de frise."

Li Xuan quickly explained it all.

But even after his explanation, the Old Village Chief was still somewhat confused, as were the villagers around them.

"Forget it. Give me some manpower, and I'll lead them myself," Li Xuan said helplessly.

"N-no problem." The Old Village Chief hurriedly nodded.

The Old Village Chief quickly gathered the villagers and even found carpenters and blacksmiths. Then, before everyone, he announced that they were all to follow Li Xuan's orders.

This left the villagers very confused. Some even felt resistant. After all, they were being asked to listen to a child, so naturally they were unwilling.

However.

Once Li Xuan led them into rapid work, they came to understand how extraordinary he was.

Especially after several hours of work under Li Xuan's command, everyone looked at the broad trenches and the sharpened stakes inside them and imagined the miserable fate of any wolf pack that fell in.

Together with the sharp cheval de frise, countless piles of dry grass, and the prepared lamp oil.

The way everyone looked at Li Xuan completely changed. Their initial resistance turned into respect and awe.

"Goodness, this little brother Li Xuan is truly impressive. He actually knows so much," Huang Yuan said seriously.

"Exactly. He's clearly younger than us, yet he came up with so many ideas. The key is that these methods are genuinely useful," Jing Ling said solemnly.

"Looks like Jiang Zhu made a good decision when she brought Li Xuan home."

"Of course. She made a huge profit."

Jing Ling and Huang Yuan kept talking, marveling at how extraordinary Li Xuan was.

Meanwhile, the Old Village Chief had already pulled his granddaughter aside and begun questioning her about Li Xuan's origins.

"Jiang Zhu, tell me honestly. Where exactly did Li Xuan come from? Did you really pick him up?"

"Of course I picked him up. Huang Yuan and Jing Ling can both testify to it. He was by the roadside, and I brought him back because I felt sorry for him. I never expected him to know so much, and his handwriting is incredibly beautiful too."

"He can write?" the Old Village Chief asked in surprise.

"Of course. His writing is super beautiful. He should be a noble. When I asked him before, he didn't deny it," Jiang Zhu said.

"A noble? I see. No wonder he knows so much. That explains everything."

The moment the Old Village Chief heard that Li Xuan was a noble, he immediately looked enlightened. Clearly, in his heart, nobles were beyond reach.

I'm exhausted. That's it for this chapter. It was actually a long chapter—just eight hundred words short of being equivalent to two chapters.