But in that split second, under the faint glow of the fire, Li Wei's eyes met those of the Black Wolf. For some reason, he had a strange feeling that his thrust would miss.
Even though the Black Wolf had been shot with an arrow, it still had enough strength to dodge. It was simply too strong.
Besides, its sharp claws seemed to have badly wounded Penny. Penny had also been knocked to the ground and was in no position to help.
Now it was like a master duelist looking down at Li Wei from above, as though it had already anticipated every move he might make.
Its gaze seemed to say, "Slow. Too slow!"
It was definitely more agile than Li Wei.
Repeating his old trick and striking the Black Wolf as he had the gray wolf a few days ago was now out of the question!
The thought flashed through his mind. Without warning, when he was less than three meters from the Black Wolf, Li Wei tossed the Wooden Spear upward like a javelin thrower and flicked his wrist, instantly changing his grip.
That was right. The Black Wolf could anticipate his anticipation and outmatch his agility, but against the laws of physics, all of that meant nothing!
Especially at such close range, and especially after Li Wei had already built up a running start. Even though changing his grip caused a slight delay, he still had a huge advantage!
And there was one other important possibility: the Black Wolf might never have seen a javelin thrown before. It might not understand the different meaning behind such a small change in movement.
That was one of the main reasons Li Wei was willing to take the risk.
But as it turned out, when Li Wei changed his grip on the Wooden Spear, adjusted its angle, and quickly built up power, the Black Wolf suddenly charged straight at him at full speed. It really could seize any opportunity—there was no fooling it.
By then, it was too late for Li Wei to change from throwing the spear to thrusting with it.
And then, in that split second, the Black Wolf, which had been lunging forward at high speed, stumbled almost imperceptibly. Penny had grabbed one of its hind legs, though it quickly broke free.
But for Li Wei, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Above all, he had kept his composure. His heartbeat, his breathing, even the muscles and bones throughout his body had fallen into a natural rhythm. In that instant, the Wooden Spear left his hand and, at point-blank range, pierced the Black Wolf's throat with pinpoint accuracy.
It fell to the ground without a sound and died.
The profession bonus from the Two-Star Hunter Card seemed to work just as well when throwing a Wooden Spear.
On top of that, the coordination granted by his 8 Agility had also played a major role.
Of course, Penny deserved the greatest credit for this battle.
Li Wei couldn't help but see her in a new light.
Whatever happened, he owed her for this.
Another mournful howl rang out, then quickly faded into the distance. The two remaining gray wolves had fled. They had been assigned to howl and launch a feint from the southeast, while the Black Wolf circled around to attack from another direction.
If they managed to break through the camp entrance, they could truly start a massacre.
But with the Black Wolf leader dead, the two gray wolves immediately scattered like startled animals.
[You killed a strong, cunning Alpha Wolf and gained 60 Hunting Experience. The remaining gray wolves were scared out of their wits and will never dare approach your family camp again. The Wolf Menace Task is complete. You gained an additional 100 Hunting Experience and 10 Family Contribution Points. Your current total is 33.] [For your outstanding performance, you have automatically replaced Phila as the temporary head of the family. This appointment is valid for one month. During this time, you may issue a Family Main Quest. If the Main Quest ends perfectly, you will receive a favorable completion rating.] [Reminder: After one month, if no family member has more Family Contribution Points than you, you will continue to serve as head of the family.] [Reminder: Please issue a Family Main Quest as soon as possible. Otherwise, you may trigger a chaotic Plot Kill between family members. If any family member dies unexpectedly and is eliminated for any reason while you are head of the family, including being eliminated by a Plot Kill, your prestige will take a severe hit. Of course, if you believe you can keep the situation under control, you do not need to issue a Family Main Quest.] [Reminder: Any missing family members will appear at random after this month's summary. Their identities will be determined by whoever performed best over the past period.]
The lines of information flashed past. Li Wei couldn't help feeling a little excited.
But he didn't waste a moment. First, he helped Penny to her feet. Her body was soaked in blood, and several deep wounds had opened across her back, leaving the flesh torn.
"Mom, do we have any herbs left?"
Li Wei shouted to Phila. She was still in a daze. Everything had happened so fast that by the time she came to her senses, not only was the battle over, but the Wolf Menace Task had been resolved too.
"Oh, yes, yes. My poor child."
After a moment, Phila finally snapped out of it. She dropped the Wooden Spear and ran to the storeroom to look. Only then did Li Wei notice that Penny was nearly unconscious, barely clinging to life.
He had no choice but to lift her up and carry her into the house.
On the other side, Phila finally pulled herself together. She had Li Wei hold a torch while she treated Penny's wounds. After a long flurry of activity, Penny finally stirred awake.
Thank goodness. It looked like she would survive.
Li Wei breathed a sigh of relief. Becoming head of the family really changed the whole picture.
"Rumble!"
A clap of thunder rang out, and torrential rain poured down, as if ushering in a new chapter...
The rain fell all night.
At dawn, Li Wei woke from a deep sleep and first went to check on Penny. Thankfully, she hadn't developed a fever or anything like that, which meant her wounds hadn't become infected. That was crucial. Level One Awakening of the Life attribute was practically a godlike skill.
From this, it was clear that helping family members make steady progress and level up was necessary. Otherwise, if Penny had died today, he, as head of the family, would have followed in Phila's footsteps and become a head of the family for half a day.
"How are you feeling?"
Li Wei asked.
"Not great. I might need more than ten days to recover. The family will be in your hands until then. Take good care of Mom," Penny said weakly, though her gaze was quite calm. Clearly, she had gained a lot from this too.
"All right! During this time, I'll go out to look for Iron Ore, chop wood, and hunt game so we can stock up for winter. With the wolf pack no longer a threat, Mom can gather Wild Vegetables and Mushrooms nearby while she's not cooking. Once you're feeling better, we'll build a Blacksmith Shop together."
As soon as Li Wei finished speaking, a line of information appeared before his eyes.
[Would you like to make this your Family Main Quest for the coming month?]
He chose to confirm, of course.
The next second, his three Family Contribution Points were spent, and new information appeared.
[New Family Main Quest issued. Over the next month, you must gather at least one unit of Iron Ore, three units of wood, and two units of game. Upon completing the task, you will receive eight Family Contribution Points. You may choose to donate any surplus to the family in exchange for additional Family Contribution Points, or keep it as your personal property.] [Phila must gather at least five units of Wild Vegetables and Mushrooms, take care of the daily herding of Old Ox, and prepare all three meals for the family.] [Penny must rest and focus on recovering from her injuries. Once she has recovered, you must help her build a Blacksmith Shop.] [Warning: The Family Main Quest must not be delayed for too long. If it remains incomplete after forty days, the quest will be declared a failure, and the head of the family will receive a low completion rating.]
Before you continue