Wild Chicken

Penny's words were true.

Two days later, the family successfully harvested three sharper daggers, an equally excellent axe, a weeding hoe, a shovel, and three sharp iron spearheads. When these were attached to wooden handles, they became genuine killing weapons.

Penny even forged five triangular iron arrowheads for Li Wei.

Including the shovel, it wasn't made with a mud mold. Instead, iron ingots were heated red-hot and continuously hammered, with surface carburization and other treatments to enhance hardness. Penny was quite meticulous about this.

So, regardless of her intentions before, the family's overall ability to combat nature had indeed greatly improved, which would be of great help to Li Wei's subsequent hunts.

Unfortunately, that was all that could be made from one furnace of molten iron, and the blacksmith shop soon went cold again.

Next, they would need to find more iron ore and burn more charcoal, but that was Penny's responsibility now.

Thus, on the fourth day, the twenty-fifth day since Li Wei became the Head of the Family, Penny, taking an iron spear, a dagger, and some dry rations, left early in the morning. She was going to look for more iron ore.

This was her Career Development Path.

At the same time, this meant Li Wei's temporary cooperation with her had ended.

Next month, whoever could become the Head of the Family would be crucial.

Phila was also like this, leaving early and returning late, frantically gathering resources to prepare for the competition for Head of the Family next month.

Li Wei, on the other hand, wasn't too eager. Because next month, the wheat fields would be harvested, and regardless of who was the Head of the Family, part of his Main Quest would have to focus on the wheat harvest.

You couldn't watch the wheat ripen and then expect him to go hunting; that would be a violation of factual logic.

Therefore, next month's competition would still be between Penny and Phila, though Phila now held a significant advantage.

Thinking this, Li Wei slowly finished his breakfast. He was learning to regulate his digestive system. He couldn't just rely on the 100 Health Points from his Level 1 Awakening to sustain him; no matter how robust one's vitality, there was always a limit.

He could see this from Penny.

Penny had been injured twice consecutively. Even though she had recovered this time, the vibrant life force emanating from her had clearly weakened considerably.

Especially after the labor of this period, she looked somewhat tired, no longer possessing that "Little Steel Cannon" aura she once had.

Therefore, avoiding injury and maintaining daily health was very important.

Afterward, Li Wei didn't rush to set out. Instead, he went to the wheat fields and made a few simple scarecrows to frighten birds and beasts. He then took his hoe and cleared the weeds once more. By the time the sun was high in the sky, he finally took his iron spear, dagger, and bow and arrow, heading straight for the forest. He was going to officially start hunting.

Now, with only five days left, he had to complete two units of prey.

So, Li Wei's plan was to hunt larger animals, like deer or wild boars? Never mind, he wouldn't dare provoke wild boars for now.

Although the season was approaching autumn, the temperature was still scorching. Let alone the forest, even the forest's edge was terrifyingly overgrown with vegetation.

At first, Li Wei tried hitting the grass with his wooden spear, but he soon gave up. In this waist-deep grass, he wouldn't become a hunter; he'd just become a fool.

Moreover, there were too many poisonous insects in the grass. All sorts of poisonous mosquitoes bit him, leaving him covered in welts in moments.

Hunting wasn't that easy.

Finally, with no other choice, Li Wei had to break off many twigs and try to weave himself a straw cloak. But halfway through weaving, his eyes suddenly lit up. He thought of something: he could weave a fish basket to catch fish!

Catching fish would be less difficult, relatively speaking.

But the prerequisite was finding some flexible branches suitable for weaving. Branches from large trees wouldn't work; he needed vines.

Fortunately, Phila and Penny hadn't thought of it...

Wait, maybe they had thought of it. Penny's main profession was artisan, so her entire focus was there. As for Phila, she was clearly an expert in wilderness survival; it would be strange if she hadn't thought of it. Perhaps this was her trump card, which she might reveal at any moment.

Li Wei thought as he slowly and laboriously skirted the edge of the forest.

"Flutter flutter!"

A flock of wild chickens flying out from the depths of the grass startled him. But by the time he reacted, the wild chickens had already flown far away, impossible to catch up to.

But wait, why should I chase? I have a bow and arrow!

Li Wei felt a bit foolish. He immediately took down his hunting bow and took out a fletchingless wooden arrow. Within ten paces, he was quite confident he could hit it.

Moreover, fletchingless wooden arrows were easy to make, so he wouldn't feel bad if he missed.

Consider it a practice run; at worst, he'd go fishing.

Having prepared himself mentally, Li Wei adjusted his stance, bent his body, and moved slowly through the grass. The flock of wild chickens was no longer visible, but they were definitely somewhere nearby.

As he moved forward about ten meters, a flock indeed flew up again from the grass ahead, truly a flock, over a dozen of them. This time, Li Wei's reaction kept up, or rather, the daily training over the past twenty days had paid off, allowing him to utilize his Professional Hunter talent at a high level.

In an instant, he drew his bow and shot. He didn't even aim deliberately. The fletchingless wooden arrow simply flew out cleanly and directly, hitting a wild chicken and bringing it down.

At this moment, Li Wei felt as if he were dreaming. This was different from shooting the gray wolf that day. Back then, they were very close, and the situation was sudden, leaving him no time to think. Luck played too large a role, and afterward, he couldn't recall any experience, just a blank.

But now, the distance was over ten meters, and he was fully focused. From drawing the bow, nocking the arrow, to shooting and hitting the target, everything flowed smoothly. This was experience, this was skill, this was something truly his own.

Well, at least he had this realization now.

So, without hesitation, and without going to pick up the fallen wild chicken, he quickly drew out his only feathered wolf fang arrow, fully drew his hunting bow, and shot into the air!

Even though the flock of chickens had flown more than twenty-five meters away by now, he still had a feeling of inevitable success, just like his training over the past twenty days.

Perhaps ordinary people couldn't do it, but don't forget he still had a 40% Accuracy Buff.

What he had to do was maximize the effect of this accuracy buff, and that would be enough.

Just a chicken!

The bowstring twanged, and another wild chicken fell in the distance.

So simple.

So this was what it felt like to be a hunter.

Li Wei felt like his whole body was floating, not out of control, but as if he had entered a state of adrenaline rush. His physical coordination, hearing, and vision were greatly enhanced, and even his thoughts were incredibly clear.

Perhaps this was the legendary peak state.

He quickly retrieved the prey. At the same time, information appeared: 10 Hunting Experience points gained. Killing one wild chicken gave 5 experience points, which was quite good. This brought his Hunting Experience to 75 points.

Unfortunately, the flock of wild chickens was too startled and flew several hundred meters away, disappearing completely.

Otherwise, he might have added some more to his tally today.

Carrying the two wild chickens, he quickly returned to the camp. The weather was scorching hot, and the prey had to be processed as soon as possible; delaying would be too late.

However, when Li Wei arrived back at the camp, he saw Phila walking back steadily from a distance, carrying a bamboo basket on her back.

At that moment, he suddenly had a bad feeling.

As expected, as an expert in wilderness survival, how could Phila forget to use a fish basket to catch fish?

Now that she had already completed the family Main Quest, all her catches were her own.

In other words, she could completely donate more supplies to the family, gain more Family Contribution Points, and she would likely be the Head of the Family next month.