The Wolf Menace (Bonus Chapter for Alliance Leader Old Ox, Fifth in the Boundless Mountain Dormitory)

"Sure. There are lots of wild vegetables and mushrooms in this valley, and this is the perfect season for them. For instance, the hollow to the west is full of meadow mushrooms. There's a whole slope of daylilies to the north, and if you go farther, you'll find plenty of fiddlehead ferns..."

Phila looked at Li Wei with a tender smile and generously told him all about the places around the valley where he could forage, as well as the kinds of wild vegetables he could find. What a kind, loving mother.

"Professional Chef has taught you foraging experience and related knowledge. You paid 5 Farming Experience. You have 118 remaining."

"..."

Li Wei was used to it.

After breakfast, he led Old Ox out, carrying the big club Sam had left behind and a bag on his back. Since he'd passively chosen foraging, he'd have to double as a cattle herder.

As for Phila, she said she was a little tired today and wanted to take the day off. The head of the household could be as willful as she pleased...

But just as Li Wei was leading Old Ox across a relatively open patch of grass, several blood-red lines of text flashed before his eyes.

[Family member Sam encountered a pack of wolves. He was outmatched and bitten to death!]

[Family member Penny stood by and did nothing, then fled alone. She lost 5 Family Contribution Points.]

[The direction of family development chosen by head of household Phila has led to serious consequences. Her ability has been called into question, and the clearance rating will drop. For the next month, any Plot Kill targeting her will cost only 2 Family Contribution Points to initiate, but she will need 4 Family Contribution Points to avoid it. Likewise, any Plot Kill she initiates will cost 4 Family Contribution Points.]

[Warning! The wolves that ate Sam have developed a taste for human flesh, and their desire to attack you has grown stronger.]

[Warning! The current family Main Quest has been forcibly changed to resolving the wolf menace! Until this problem is completely resolved, all family affairs will come to a standstill, and no Plot Kills can be initiated.]

Well, damn!

Li Wei didn't dare waste a moment. He immediately led Old Ox back toward camp. Before he'd even reached the outer wall, he heard wolves howling in the forest across the stream.

Penny was running as fast as she could, shouting for help as she fled.

It was a shocking sight.

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

Phila rushed out through the wall, holding two Wooden Spears. She tossed one to Li Wei and charged ahead with agile strides, like an enraged butcher—or a real mother.

But Li Wei knew Phila was trying to salvage the situation. What did their earlier disagreements and competition matter? If Penny died in the wolves' jaws too, they'd all be finished. No one would complete the Clearance Mission.

There was nothing to say. When two sides met on a narrow path, the braver one would win.

Li Wei gritted his teeth, snatched up the Wooden Spear, and charged after her.

Only three wolves came out of the forest. The other two stayed behind. Even a fool could guess what they were doing.

So this was actually a decent chance to attack?

Li Wei ran as he thought it over. He even had time to marvel at how fast Phila was. Without a doubt, both Phila and Penny had better base stats than he did.

But just as they were about to reach Penny, with less than twenty meters between them, a larger gray wolf with a sleek coat suddenly accelerated and knocked her to the ground. It opened its jaws and lunged for her throat. If it got its teeth into her, Penny would be done for.

Fortunately, Penny reacted quickly. Even as she fell, she immediately raised an elbow to block the bite, and the wolf sank its teeth into her arm instead.

"Ahhh!"

Phila screamed, her voice twisting out of shape. She charged forward like a madwoman, as if she'd entered some kind of frenzied state—or remembered the moment that old wolf had knocked her down.

Li Wei sped up too, but he was relatively calm. Maybe it was because he'd dealt with this pack several times already, or because he'd once killed an old wolf.

Either way, he even had time to think that these wolves seemed different from the ones back home. They were more vicious, for one thing. More than that, they weren't the least bit afraid of Wooden Spears or humans yelling like maniacs. Had they never been made to fear upright apes?

Or was it a matter of the game mechanics? The world had a different setting—was this a low-magic world?

As these thoughts crossed his mind, the gray wolf pinning Penny refused to release her. The other two weren't intimidated, either. One made for Penny's legs, but she kept kicking wildly and managed to hold it off for now.

The other bared its teeth and charged at Phila.

"Die!"

Phila thrust her Wooden Spear in a panic, but the gray wolf nimbly leaped aside, then darted around her flank and lunged in a flash.

Li Wei saw it all clearly from behind. The wolf's movements flowed together seamlessly, flawless as water running over rocks. In an instant, it had knocked Phila to the ground, showing just what a perfect hunter looked like.

But the gray wolf didn't bite Phila. After knocking her down, it used her as a springboard, leaping straight at Li Wei, who was right behind her. That was some seriously slick move.

But Li Wei was calmer than Phila. More importantly, he'd seen exactly how the wolf used feints.

Well, he'd used Phila's shoulder as a stepping-stone and let her help him avoid the attack. That was his one advantage.

So even though he howled and thrust his spear as if in a panic, he actually twisted his waist, retreated half a step, and quickly pulled the Wooden Spear back. Then he adjusted its angle and drove it forward with all his strength.

He was in the best shape he'd ever been. More than a month of hard labor had honed his body, and his allies had taken some of the pack's attacks for him, helping him avoid the traps and see through the enemy's feints. In a way, that was the advantage of letting the other side make the first move.

Just as expected, the gray wolf nimbly dodged the instant Li Wei thrust his spear, then tried to use the same trick again.

It hadn't expected Li Wei to be feinting too.

The moment it landed, it didn't have time to launch another lightning-fast pounce before Li Wei's full-force thrust reached it.

It wasn't that Li Wei was too fast. His timing was simply precise, his prediction spot-on. A beast was still just a beast.

The gray wolf tried to dart aside, but it was too late. Li Wei's Wooden Spear plunged into its soft belly, and he thrust so hard that it pierced right through.

The wolf let out a shrill cry and tore itself free, nearly staggering Li Wei as it fled.

But, as ever, Li Wei was no longer the man he'd once been. Nearly two months of grueling labor had brought his coordination and balance to a whole new level.

He didn't panic. He simply held on to the Wooden Spear with all his strength. The moment he steadied himself, he pulled it free from the wolf's belly.

Blood sprayed. The gray wolf howled and fled with its tail between its legs.

At that moment, the second gray wolf finally felt fear. It stopped trying to attack Penny and turned to run as well.

Only the first, stronger gray wolf still tried to bite Penny's arm and drag her away. But when it saw Li Wei charging over like a bloodied demon, Wooden Spear in hand, it finally lost its nerve. It released Penny's arm and tried to retreat and circle around.

At that moment, Penny suddenly burst forth with tremendous strength and courage. She locked both arms around the gray wolf's neck and flipped it onto its back!

What a perfect assist!

Li Wei rushed forward and drove his Wooden Spear through the wolf's belly, then plunged it into the wolf's heart.

Blood gushed everywhere!

He'd claimed the first kill of the battle.