It would be a while before breakfast was ready, so Li Wei drank his share of dew, then picked out a few suitable sticks from the firewood pile and began carving them into spears.
They were currently their best weapon against the wolf pack.
But just then, Penny came over carrying a wooden spear that looked a little different.
"George, this spear is for you."
As she spoke, a line of information appeared.
[Professional Craftsman *** gave you a well-made Wooden Spear. Due to her profession, this spear deals slightly more damage.]
Well, then!
Li Wei was naturally quite pleased. This was why people said each trade had its own expertise. His own crudely carved spears were nothing like the one Penny had made.
The difference in materials alone was enormous. Penny's spear was straight from end to end, with no knots. It was sturdy, well-balanced, and comfortable to grip. It was practically the rich, handsome man—or beautiful, elegant woman—of wooden spears, a cut above the rest.
It was a work of art.
"Don't look so surprised. From now on, I'll take care of your weapons."
Penny was serious.
Of course, Li Wei didn't believe her. Even if Penny kept her promise someday, he'd have to give something up in return.
Half an hour later, Phila finished cooking.
Breakfast was fairly generous, and it was free.
There was wheat porridge and roasted wolf meat, though it was a little bland.
"We're running low on salt. We'll run out in two months at most. This place is remote, so no traveling merchants will come by. If we get the chance, we'll have to go beyond the mountains and buy some, but we probably won't find any. This plague is spreading fast..."
As they ate, Phila made the remark as casually as if she were chatting about household matters.
Neither Li Wei nor Penny responded. Building a household was no easy task, especially out here in the wilderness.
Li Wei actually wanted to ask whether they should keep going and head to that Ver Province, but he didn't dare.
After breakfast, Phila and Penny both went back inside to sleep and rest. They specifically told Li Wei not to do anything rash.
He certainly wouldn't. It was daytime, but on his own, he couldn't tell where the wolves were hiding. If they ambushed him, he'd die without even knowing what hit him.
Fortunately, there were other things he could do.
He climbed over the wall and weeded the fields, then sowed wheat in the remaining half-acre. It was Phila's suggestion. It was already nearly July, but any harvest was better than none. In any case, his Professional Farmer bonus was quite powerful.
The wheat seedlings in both fields were growing vigorously.
There was no point hiding it anymore. Phila and Penny had already guessed that his profession was farmer.
He worked until noon, but the wolves didn't show up. When Li Wei climbed back into the camp, Phila and Penny had woken up and come outside, too.
"We need to go out and get water. People can go without, but the ox needs a drink."
"Penny, get somewhere high and keep watch. George, cover me."
Phila proposed a new plan.
But Penny had a different opinion. "Mom, George, we need to decide whether to give up the ox. Do you think George can hold off all four wolves by himself when they charge? He'll be lucky to save his own life. How's he supposed to cover you?"
"So we either wait a little longer, until my injury heals in a couple of days, and then go out together, or we accept that we need to fight the pack head-on. We have to kill every last wolf to end this."
"Even if you disagree, we can't go out today. George, you need a Hunting Bow."
"Okay!"
Li Wei was convinced. They did need to wipe out the pack—or at least be able to hold their own against it. Otherwise, they shouldn't risk going out.
That Black Wolf was the Wolf King. It could summon other gray wolves from time to time. Never mind what kind of fantastical bug that was; it was simply a fact.
Phila said nothing more. After giving Old Ox some of the grass they had cut the day before, she stood there looking troubled, lost in thought.
"George, come help me."
Penny began making a Hunting Bow from some wood she had stored away at some point. It seemed she had been preparing for this for a while.
Making a Hunting Bow involved heating the wood over a fire. Li Wei didn't know the details, so he simply followed instructions as Penny sent him scurrying back and forth. He didn't mind at all.
"If Sam survives, he'll make an excellent hunter. George, I hope you can become an excellent hunter, too."
It was almost dusk by the time the Hunting Bow was finally finished. As Penny showed Li Wei how to string it, she remarked meaningfully, "Now carve some wooden arrows yourself, and use wolf fangs for the arrowheads. They're consumables, so you need to learn how to make your own. Don't bother adding feathers. Within twenty meters, Fletchingless Wooden Arrows work just fine."
[Professional Craftsman *** gave you a simple Hunting Bow and taught you how to make wooden arrows.] [Helpful tip: Because she gave you the bow, if you complete the Wolf Menace Task, she will also receive additional Family Contribution Points.]
Making wooden arrows was relatively simple, though it still required decent craftsmanship.
But after making the simple Hunting Bow, Penny's wound had started to split open again, so Li Wei had to make the arrows himself.
According to her, the most important thing about a Fletchingless Wooden Arrow was its balance. He had to pay attention to its length and straightness while carving it.
As for its precise balance, he'd have to judge by how it flew when he shot it.
That meant he had to learn to make wooden arrows himself. It was something Penny couldn't help him with.
As for wolf fangs, they had plenty. Each wolf had more than twenty teeth suitable for arrowheads.
The household had hunted three wolves so far, which meant they could theoretically make more than sixty arrows.
But wolves had both canine and incisor teeth, and the four canines were the most lethal.
The four canines from the old wolf Li Wei had killed by sheer luck over a month ago had all been taken by Sam yesterday and made into the most powerful Wolf Fang Arrows. In the end, they'd been lost outside along with the Hunting Bow.
So at the moment, Li Wei could make only eight Wolf Fang Arrows.
Night fell, and the wolves began howling again. He could even hear them running around outside the camp.
Phila and Penny came out of the house and lit several bonfires around the camp. Phila even stood atop the Ox Cart with a Wooden Spear in hand, loudly cursing into the pitch-black night. It was clear she was doing her best to keep her fear under control.
Penny, on the other hand, didn't seem as afraid. She paced around the camp and occasionally rummaged through the makeshift storage shed. After a long while, she actually found several beautiful pheasant feathers.
"George, we're in luck. We can make two Feathered Arrows. Listen, the difference between arrows with and without feathers is huge. If you can land a hit, you might be able to snipe that Black Wolf from within forty meters."
Before you continue