Monsters!

"My name is Zhang Yang, Zhang from zhangyawu zhao (brandishing claws and teeth), and Yang from yaowuyangwei (showing off one's might). But I'm actually a peace-loving person. I'm new to this esteemed place, so please bear with me."

Zhang Yang cupped his hands and spoke with forced composure, but his pale face, trembling legs, and the almost uncontrollable urge to urinate betrayed him.

Three meters in front of him, a massive Azure Wolf was staring directly at him.

Zhang Yang had seen wolves in zoos and had even raised a husky and a feisty little terrier. But this Azure Wolf in front of him was truly terrifying: a head as huge as a millstone, crimson eyes, sharp fangs as long as his arm, and a body the size of a truck.

This definitely isn't an Earth creature!

That was Zhang Yang's first thought after regaining his composure.

This whole situation was bizarre. Three minutes ago, Zhang Yang was leisurely eating watermelon on his balcony. Then, some inconsiderate person upstairs dropped a brick that hit him right on the head. The next second, he was here, without even having time to say goodbye to his mom, who was engrossed in watching The Story of Minglan in the living room. After that, he saw this monstrous Azure Wolf.

The reason he hadn't been eaten yet was because a white energy shield enveloped him within a three-meter radius. The Azure Wolf couldn't get in, and he, of course, didn't dare to go out.

"So, this is that cursed, smoking brick?"

It took Zhang Yang a full three minutes to recover. He picked up a brick from the ground that glowed with a purplish-blue sheen and looked very ancient. Carved on it was a flamboyant character: Order!

What kind of order?

The moment that thought flashed through his mind, Zhang Yang saw a white light flash from the brick, and a game-like attribute panel appeared before his eyes.

Fantasy Village Building Order (Gray)

Energy: 97

Status: Semi-activated (can use some functions without being placed)

Available Traits: Level 1 Concealment (When activated, can conceal a 10-square-meter area. Consumes 1 energy per minute. Deactivates when a dangerous target approaches within 10 meters.)

Available Traits: Level 1 Protection (When activated, can form a fixed defensive energy shield, covering a 10-square-meter area. Consumes 1 energy per minute. If broken, instantly consumes 3 energy and self-detonates, causing a stun effect to all targets within the range.)

Available Traits: Level 1 Vision (When activated, can scan all dangerous targets within a 1-kilometer radius, distinguishing them by Green/Safe, Yellow/Dangerous, Red/Extremely Dangerous. Consumes 5 energy per activation, lasts 10 seconds.)

Available Functions: Initial Recruitment (Recruitment cap 500 people. Deceased population still occupies recruitment slots.)

Recruitable Population List:
Spearmen / 1 Energy
Sword and Shield Soldiers / 1 Energy
Longbowmen / 1 Energy
5 Farmers / 1 Energy
4 Lumberjacks / 1 Energy
3 Hunters / 1 Energy
2 Butchers / 1 Energy
1 Artisan / 1 Energy

Village Chief: Zhang Yang (982nd Village Chief bound to the Village Building Order)

Age: 18

Strength: F- (Extremely Weak)

Agility: F- (Extremely Weak)

Defense: F- (Extremely Weak)

Soul: C+ (Very Strong. Only C-level or higher souls are qualified to bind with the Fantasy Village Building Order. A C-level soul can be valued at 1000 energy.)

The information displayed on this attribute panel was sparse, but it quickly helped Zhang Yang understand his environment and situation.

First, if he did nothing, he could only survive for another 97 minutes. At that point, the Level 1 Protection energy shield would shut down due to lack of energy, unless he was willing to sell his soul.

Second, he was very weak, and the soldiers he could recruit also seemed weak. Moreover, he could only recruit a maximum of 500 people, and even if they died, they would still occupy recruitment slots.

Third, before him, there were 981 other unfortunate souls who had been bound as "Village Chiefs," but they had all died.

"So, what if I sell a part of my soul?"

The moment this thought popped into Zhang Yang's mind, a golden scale immediately appeared before his eyes. One side showed his soul, and the other showed energy.

His C+ strength soul could actually be exchanged for 1300 energy.

"But if I don't have this incredibly interesting soul, what good is this body to me?"

Zhang Yang decisively chose not to sell. He started staring at the Azure Wolf, trying to find its weakness. But clearly, the Azure Wolf was calm and composed, as if it knew what delicious meal awaited it, not even blinking.

And just by looking at its sturdy body, sharp teeth, and blue fur, he knew how terrifying this creature truly was.

"My 981 predecessors shouldn't have been stupid. After all, only C-level or higher souls can bind with this damned Village Building Order. So, they likely tried all sorts of methods. What was the result? Perhaps they all died in the jaws of this Azure Wolf, or perhaps some of them passed this test and then died during the subsequent village building process, since this is a huge primeval forest."

Zhang Yang murmured to himself, his gaze fixed on the area behind the Azure Wolf. This was definitely not a backdrop; he was genuinely in a primeval forest.

"Assumption 1: If the monster encountered when binding a new Village Chief is always an Azure Wolf, then there's a high probability that someone could kill it with no more than 100 energy. So, I don't need to sell my soul to get through this difficulty."

"Assumption 2: If the monster encountered when binding a new Village Chief is random, then my life might be hanging by a thread. But selling my soul is still not my first choice. No, I will not sell my soul."

"Assumption 3: No, there is no Assumption 3. It's either live or die. If you want my incredibly interesting soul, no way!"

In just a few seconds, Zhang Yang had already understood what was most precious to him: his C+ level soul. Regardless of whether it was interesting or not, he believed that the reason the previous 981 failed Village Chiefs all failed was very likely because they had all, more or less, traded a part of their souls.

Of course, he could be wrong, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that Zhang Yang now not only wanted to kill this Azure Wolf but also wanted to survive the subsequent village building process—to live on.

If he temporarily survived by selling a part of his soul, only to die eventually, then he might as well die in the mouth of this Azure Wolf from the start. What if this was all just a dream? There was still half a chilled watermelon waiting for him to eat on the balcony.

Zhang Yang's thoughts were that direct, and then, he acted.

He clicked the recruitment option on the Village Building Order's attributes, recruiting one Spearman, one Sword and Shield Soldier, and one Longbowman. He would recruit these three for now, then formulate a plan to take down the Azure Wolf based on the situation.

A white light flashed, three points of energy disappeared, and three tall soldiers appeared before Zhang Yang.

Their average height was 1.9 meters, standard Earth yellow race. They were muscular and powerful, capable of being the most elite and strongest warriors on Earth.

All three soldiers wore simple leather armor, and their defenses seemed comparable.

In terms of weapons, the Spearman had a 2.5-meter long wooden spear. The spearhead was iron and very sharp, but that was all there was to it.

The Sword and Shield Soldiers' weapons consisted of a long saber and a thick wooden shield, similar in quality to the Spearmen's.

The Longbowmen were equipped with a recurve bow and 35 feathered arrows. Zhang Yang didn't know much about bows, but he figured their quality was probably similar too.

Next, he checked their individual stats.

Whether they were Spearmen, Sword and Shield Soldiers, or Longbowmen, their basic stats were all F+, including their souls. The only difference was that each possessed a unique troop skill.

Spearmen had the skill Pierce.

Sword and Shield Soldiers had the skill Chop.

Longbowmen had the skill Triple Shot.

They seem a bit weak.

"Triple Shot!"

Zhang Yang first ordered the Longbowman. The Longbowman skillfully and quickly nocked three feathered arrows. Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh! Three arrows cut through the air, heading straight for the Azure Wolf.

In that instant, the Azure Wolf outside seemed startled. It leaped to dodge, though a bit clumsily, only managing to avoid two arrows. The last arrow embedded itself in its back, about ten centimeters deep, and blood welled out.

Huh, it actually broke through its defense!

Zhang Yang chuckled. If he recruited more Longbowmen, couldn't he just shoot the Azure Wolf to death from inside the defensive barrier?

No, only a level-three idiot or a complete simpleton would think that!

So, Zhang Yang immediately recruited 90 Spearmen and ordered them to attack relentlessly. Among the three weapon types, arrows dealt the least damage, sabers were next, and spears were the strongest. Since their stats were identical, it made sense to choose only Spearmen.

As for troop composition and working efficiently without fatigue—that was all nonsense. Zhang Yang was worried. Facing the powerful Azure Wolf, what kind of effect could these weak, level-one troops achieve through composition?

Rather than that, it was better to simply charge head-on and use human lives to compress the Azure Wolf's movement space.

"Kill!"

Ninety-one Spearmen surged out instantly, launching a desperate charge towards the Azure Wolf. Then, in the very next second, the five Spearmen at the front were swept into two pieces by the Azure Wolf's claw. Their leather armor was utterly useless!

Given that attack power, how could a mere feathered arrow penetrate ten centimeters?

Damn it, even monsters know how to trick people these days.

As Zhang Yang was lamenting, another five Spearmen charged forward recklessly. As a result, four of them were bitten to death by the Azure Wolf. Only the last Spearman survived for a second. In that single second, the spear in his hand also thrust like lightning into the Azure Wolf's chest, but it only penetrated less than five centimeters!

This was after activating the Pierce skill.

Zhang Yang watched from behind, feeling both incredibly fortunate and a chill in his heart. This Azure Wolf was too strong, and intelligent too.

"Bang!"

With one swipe, the tenth Spearman's head was directly smashed, blood spraying out in a spiral.

However, this didn't deter the subsequent Spearmen from charging. Just as Zhang Yang had thought, enough Spearmen compressed the Azure Wolf's movement space within seconds. Although it was strong, the distance between them was close enough, and 90 Spearmen were recruited instantly, surging out like a flood.

Even if they suffered massive casualties every second, a few Spearmen would always manage to hit.

"Pfft!"

Almost instantly, after more than forty Spearmen had died, one Spearman finally seized an opportunity and pierced the Azure Wolf's left eye with his spear, penetrating ten centimeters. This was a vital spot, and it was only ten centimeters!

"Awoooo!"

The Azure Wolf cried out in pain and finally went berserk, biting and swiping wildly. The Spearmen around it were quickly slaughtered almost like cutting wheat. But this frenzy naturally exposed more weaknesses. Spearman after Spearman continued to thrust their spears forward. Even if they were then swatted away and bitten to death, there was no doubt the Azure Wolf was severely wounded.

"Longbowmen, shoot its eyes!"

At this moment, Zhang Yang still maintained a sliver of reason and clarity, preventing himself from fainting amidst the bloody scene. Even he had to admit, this must be the benefit of a C+ soul. I don't throw up, break down, or wet myself when I see dead bodies. I thought the purpose of a C+ soul was to become a super scholar.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

As the Longbowman fired another Triple Shot, the last eye of the frenzied Azure Wolf was also blinded. However, only 9 Spearmen remained.

Yet, they still fearlessly charged forward, spears in hand!

"Kill!"

"Wham, wham, wham!" Eight Spearmen were swatted to death, but the last Spearman thrust his spear through the massive wound in the Azure Wolf's chest. Covered head to toe in blood, the Azure Wolf died, and he lived.

In an instant, the Fantasy Village Building Order lit up, and a white light projected onto the Azure Wolf's corpse, seemingly retrieving something.

Successfully slayed Level 1 Wolf Demon.

Successfully captured one Wolf Demon Remnant Soul.

Obtained 35 Energy.

Obtained 500 units of Wolf Meat (edible).

Obtained 28 Wolf Fangs (can be used to craft weapons).

Obtained 50 units of Wolf Demon Blood (contains faint Demonic Energy, can be used to craft Talismans or engrave Battle Tattoos).