Wolf Plague

"Okay, there are many wild vegetables and mushrooms in this valley. This season is perfect for them. For example, in that mountain hollow to the west, there will be many puffball mushrooms. On the northern ridge, there's a large patch of daylilies, and if you go a bit further, you'll find plenty of fiddleheads..."

Phila looked at Li Wei with affection, generously introducing him to the places around the valley where he could gather food and the types of wild vegetables. She was truly a kind mother.

"Professional Chef has imparted gathering experience and related knowledge to you. You paid 5 Farming Experience points, with 118 points remaining."

"..."

Li Wei was used to it.

After breakfast, he hitched the old ox, took the large wooden club Sam had left, slung a bag over his shoulder, and set off. He had passively chosen gathering, so he had to take care of the ox as well.

As for Phila, she said she was a bit tired today and wanted to rest. The Head of the Family could be that willful...

However, just as Li Wei was leading the old ox to a relatively open grassland, several blood-red messages suddenly flashed before his eyes.

[Family Member Sam encountered wolves, was unable to resist, and was bitten to death!]

[Family Member Penny witnessed the event but did not help, fleeing alone. She was deducted five Family Contribution Points.]

[The family development direction set by the Head of the Family, Phila, has led to severe consequences. Her abilities are being questioned, and her clear evaluation will be lowered. From now on, for one month, any Plot Kill targeting her will only require two Family Contribution Points to initiate, but she will need four Family Contribution Points to be exempt. Similarly, Plot Kills initiated by her will also cost four Family Contribution Points.]

[Warning! The wolves that ate Sam have developed a taste for it and are now more aggressive towards you.]

[Warning! The current main family quest has been forcibly changed to resolving the wolf menace! Until this problem is completely solved, all family affairs will be stagnant, and Plot Kills cannot be initiated.]

Good heavens!

Li Wei didn't dare to delay any longer and immediately urged the old ox back. By the time he reached the outside of the camp's wall, he could hear wolf howls coming from the forest across the stream.

Penny was running at full speed, shouting for help as she ran.

The scene was shocking.

"George, don't just stand there, go save your sister!"

Phila rushed out of the wall at this moment, holding two wooden spears. She threw one to Li Wei and then charged forward agilely, like a furious butcher, or a true mother.

However, Li Wei knew that Phila was trying to salvage the situation. What did past disagreements and competition matter? If Penny died in the wolves' jaws again, they would all be finished. None of them would be able to complete the clear mission.

So, there was nothing else to say. When paths cross, the brave win.

Li Wei gritted his teeth, picked up the wooden spear, and charged after her.

Only three wolves rushed out of the forest. The remaining two did not come out, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what they were doing.

So, this was a good offensive opportunity?

Li Wei thought as he ran, even having time to marvel at how fast Phila was running. Without a doubt, both Phila and Penny probably had higher base stats than him.

But just as they were about to meet Penny, less than twenty meters away, a stronger, sleek-furred gray wolf suddenly accelerated and pounced on Penny, opening its jaws to bite her throat. If it had succeeded, Penny would have died instantly.

Fortunately, Penny's reaction speed was quick. Even though she was knocked down, she immediately blocked with her elbow, resulting in her arm being bitten firmly.

"Ahhh!"

Phila screamed, her voice distorted, and charged forward like a madwoman, as if entering some kind of frenzied state, or perhaps recalling the time she was tackled by that old wolf?

Li Wei also sped up, but his emotions were relatively calm. Perhaps it was because he had dealt with this pack of wolves a few more times, or perhaps it was because he had killed an old wolf before.

In any case, he even had time to ponder that these wolves seemed different from the ones back home. Not only were they fiercer, but they showed no fear towards wooden spears and yelling humans. Had they never been dominated by the fear of bipedal apes?

Or was it a game mechanic? A different world background, a low-magic world?

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, the gray wolf that had tackled Penny didn't let go. The other two gray wolves also showed no fear. One went straight for Penny's lower body, but Penny kept kicking her legs, temporarily thwarting its attempt.

The other one bared its teeth and charged towards Phila.

"Die!"

Phila thrust her wooden spear forward in a panic. The gray wolf leaped lightly, dodged, and then, circling to Phila's side, pounced with lightning speed.

Li Wei, following behind, saw it clearly. It was a seamless, perfect movement, like flowing water. In an instant, it knocked Phila to the ground, truly embodying what a perfect hunter was.

However, this gray wolf didn't tear at Phila. Instead, after knocking her down, it used Phila as a springboard, leaping directly towards Li Wei, who was closely following. It was truly incredible.

But Li Wei was calmer than Phila. Most importantly, he had personally witnessed how this guy used feints.

Yes, it was like stepping on Phila's shoulders, letting Phila help him avoid the attack. That was the only advantage.

So, although he also yelled and thrust his spear out seemingly in panic, he actually twisted his waist, took half a step back, quickly withdrew his wooden spear, and then adjusted its direction for a full-power thrust.

His current state was at an unprecedented peak. The hard labor of the past month and more had also honed his body to its best. His allies had helped share the wolves' damage, helped him avoid traps, and let him see the enemy's feints. In a sense, this was also the benefit of a delayed attack.

As expected, the gray wolf dodged lightly the moment Li Wei thrust his spear, intending to repeat its previous move.

But it didn't expect Li Wei's move to also be a feint.

Before it could land and launch its lightning pounce, Li Wei's full-power thrust arrived.

It wasn't that the speed was too fast, but that Li Wei had grasped the timing perfectly and predicted its move flawlessly. Beasts were, after all, just beasts.

The gray wolf tried to escape to the side, but it was still a step too late. Li Wei's wooden spear pierced its soft abdomen, and due to the excessive force, it even went all the way through to the other side.

The gray wolf let out a shrill cry and broke free, almost causing Li Wei to stumble.

But as mentioned before, Li Wei was no longer the same. Nearly two months of hard work had elevated his body's coordination and balance to a new level.

So, he didn't panic. He just gripped the wooden spear with all his might, and the moment he stabilized his body, he withdrew the spear from the wolf's abdomen.

Wolf blood splattered, and the gray wolf howled, tucking its tail and fleeing in disarray.

At this moment, the second gray wolf finally felt fear. It stopped trying to attack Penny and turned to leave.

Only the first, stronger gray wolf still tried to bite Penny's arm, wanting to drag her away. But seeing Li Wei charging over with his blood-stained Wooden Spear, looking ferocious, it immediately got a little scared. It let go of Penny's arm and intended to retreat and circle around.

But at this moment, Penny actually erupted with immense Strength and courage. She grabbed the gray wolf's neck and flipped it to the ground!

What a perfect assist!

Li Wei stepped forward and pierced the gray wolf's abdomen with his spear, then thrust it into the gray wolf's heart.

Blood gushed out!

The first kill of this battle was secured.