The Wolf Pack

"Next, I could start thinking about how to clear the level successfully."

With that in mind, Li Wei continued tilling the fields. When he returned to camp that evening, he suddenly saw a cloud of gray mist drift past outside. A few seconds later, the silhouette of a man appeared in the mist. He looked to be in his twenties and was just as scrawny, though taller and bigger than Li Wei.

There was no doubt about it: a new player had arrived. Penny's fiancé, Sam!

"Sam! You're finally here! I thought you were dead. Thank goodness! I'm so happy!"

Penny was like a little bird as she threw herself into the man's arms, kissing him fervently and showering him with affection. She was probably trying to remind the newcomer of their relationship.

Sam looked completely dazed, just like Li Wei had when he first arrived.

By rights, he should have received an information prompt by now. At the very least, he ought to have been on his guard.

But the next second, Li Wei heard the new player say:

"W-who are you? Why am I here? Is this the world of the Lord God's reincarnation? Are you a veteran? Or an NPC? Why am I called Sam?"

The words came tumbling out like a burst of firecrackers, or a machine gun firing. Penny couldn't stop him in time, and frantically giving him meaningful looks did no good.

Had this guy not seen the warning message?

But the next second, the kid's face turned as ugly as dog shit.

Well, he hadn't been eliminated, but he'd definitely been punished.

That shut him up. He looked around in panic, glancing at Penny, Li Wei, and Phila, who seemed unconcerned and wore only a gentle smile. He didn't know what to do.

"Sam, this is my mother, Phila, and this is my younger brother, George. From now on, we're one family. It's a shame Father isn't here. Otherwise, he'd be delighted to see us get married and have children, growing our family."

Penny clutched the new player's hand so tightly that his face turned blue. She could fell ten trees a day now, and her hands were as hard as iron.

This almost-cheating level of guidance finally made the new player understand. Penny might get punished for giving away so much, too, but it was probably worth it.

At least until Sam figured out the core logic behind how this mission worked, he'd be Penny's little puppy.

"Let's go!"

Before Sam could say anything else, Penny dragged him into the house. Before long, sounds unsuitable for children came from inside.

Impressive!

And pretty ruthless!

So this was what they meant by forcing a man into marriage!

Li Wei didn't go back to the house. He'd just finished sowing the seeds that day, and since there was no fence, he had to keep watch at night to stop small animals from digging up the seeds he'd just buried. He wasn't sure that would happen, but better safe than sorry.

The night grew darker.

Li Wei lit three bonfires along the edge of the fields and prepared plenty of firewood.

Thanks to Penny's relentless tree-felling lately, they had more than enough firewood at home—enough to last for months.

Holding two wooden spears, Li Wei patrolled the area illuminated by the fires. It wasn't quiet around him: insects chirped in waves, mountain winds moaned through the forest, and the occasional beast howled in the distance. A few bats flitted across the night sky, adding a touch of mystery and uncertainty to the darkness.

Li Wei felt like backing out. This was a communal wheat field; he didn't need to put himself through all this.

But the thought vanished almost at once. He still wanted to clear the level, and newly sown wheat was practically a favorite snack for small animals.

And the fields' harvest was the most important support they had for surviving the winter.

If he wanted to improve his clearance rating, he couldn't afford to be careless.

He glanced back toward camp. The glow of the bonfires was just visible beyond the wall, and the wall itself gave him a faint sense of security.

That was right. Though he and Penny didn't get along, Li Wei still admired her. Just the sight of that sturdy-looking wall gave him a little more courage to keep watch.

Just then, Li Wei glanced ahead—and broke out in a cold sweat.

At the edge of the wheat field, several dozen meters to his front right, he saw a pair of glowing green eyes in the faint firelight.

Then a second pair, and a third.

His hair stood on end. His first thought was that they were ghosts; only then did he realize they might be wolves!

His third thought was that they were a wolf pack.

But this time, Li Wei didn't wet himself or go limp with fear. He darted toward his own plot of wheat a few steps away. There was not only a blazing bonfire there, but also a wooden fence.

Almost as soon as he started running, the wolves advanced in unison, as if they'd seen through his weakness.

But they soon stopped again. Li Wei had his back to the fence, the blazing fire at his side, and a wooden spear in hand. He looked fierce and was ready to fight to the death.

Shadows darted back and forth across from him as the wolves searched for a way to attack.

But there was no way they'd find one. Beyond the fence around Li Wei's wheat field stood the wall Penny had built. After dark, even the entrance was blocked, and the cow was in the cowshed.

So Li Wei didn't need to worry about his escape route.

The so-called wolf pack seemed to consist of only five wolves.

They held their standoff for about half an hour. Faced with Li Wei's wooden spears and the blazing bonfire, the wolves ultimately didn't attack. They vanished silently into the darkness, as though they'd never been there.

Li Wei, however, had nearly been scared to death.

He didn't dare patrol the fields anymore. He just hid beside the fire, ears pricked, not daring to move.

It was a long night, but in the end, nothing happened. Thanks to the three bonfires, no small animals came in either—or at least, Li Wei didn't see any.

At daybreak, the sound of Phila cooking came from the courtyard. Only then did Li Wei return. Penny and her fiancé, Sam, were already up and tinkering in the yard, building a brick kiln. They even seemed to be planning a small blast furnace for smelting iron. The potential of a professional craftsman was beyond what a farmer could comprehend.

She had already completed the task assigned by the head of the household. Now it was free-work time, and all the results of her labor belonged to her.

Her plans to develop handicrafts had been delayed by nearly half a month, but the losses in the early stages weren't too great. She'd even managed to stockpile a batch of bricks that had dried completely.

Penny worked with practiced ease. No wonder she was a professional craftsman. This time, she'd probably pull it off.

Li Wei was a little envious, but there was nothing he could do about it.

Penny's fiancé, Sam, helped her with the work, fumbling around but eager to pitch in. He clearly seemed to be getting positive feedback.

Li Wei was looking forward to seeing the look on the kid's face when he realized none of them were natives.