Family Contribution Points

Li Wei easily felled three trees that morning, then trimmed away their branches and crowns.

He set aside some arm-thick branches separately for building the wall. After all, he could not actually use logs as a wall. That would not be building a camp—it would be building a castle.

However, during lunch, Phila urged Li Wei once again to go hunting.

Li Wei gave her a vague answer and did not take it seriously. Hunt my ass. It was not like he was a Trainee Hunter.

Especially since a hunting plot was different from a plot like building a house. There was a huge element of randomness. It was perfectly reasonable for him to go days without encountering prey, but if several days passed without any progress on the house, that would be obvious at a glance.

So that afternoon, Li Wei continued chopping trees like mad. He was becoming more and more adept at it, and the coordination of his limbs was growing smoother as well.

Each time he swung the axe, he no longer needed to use all his strength. Instead, he could borrow the momentum and the twist of his waist to generate explosive power.

On top of that, his strikes had become more precise.

As a result, three axe blows now achieved what had taken at least five blows a day ago, while consuming only around eighty percent as much stamina.

Like a fish in water—this was probably what that felt like.

Before long, he felled two more trees, bringing his total to ten.

He then stopped chopping and trimmed all the trees, obtaining ten logs.

Just as he expected, a line of information silently appeared at that moment.

[Outside the family's plans, you have obtained ten logs. You have received one unit of lumber. This will be your personal asset. You may donate it to the family to receive two Family Contribution Points, or keep it to unlock a new family plan.]

[Friendly reminder: Supplies donated to the family may be used by all members free of charge and without payment.]

"This is really interesting, haha!"

Li Wei laughed happily, then made his choice without hesitation.

"I want to donate it!"

[You have chosen to donate one unit of lumber to the family. You have received two Family Contribution Points. Your current total Family Contribution Points are three.]

[Friendly reminder: Your status within the family has greatly improved. You now have the right to use Plot Kill within the family. Each Plot Kill you initiate costs three Family Contribution Points. At the same time, every three Family Contribution Points may exempt you from one Plot Kill.]

[Friendly reminder: Initiating a Plot Kill vote will expose your profession.]

[Friendly reminder: You may spend three Family Contribution Points to exchange for one Loving Family Card. Assign it to a member of the family, and the target will be unable to initiate a Plot Kill against you for the next thirty days.]

"So that's how it works!"

Li Wei chuckled. He did not know whether Penny and Phila had received the same messages, but he did not care. He was becoming increasingly clear about what he needed to do next.

Before it got dark, he began breaking down the branches and crowns.

Ten logs made one unit of standard lumber.

The branches taken from those ten trees made one unit of standard firewood.

All of it could be donated to the family. He should build up his Family Contribution Points first.

In the blink of an eye, two days passed.

The house Penny was building was nearing completion, while Li Wei donated another unit of lumber and two units of firewood to the family, raising his Family Contribution Points to seven in one go.

From then on, he no longer had to fear being voted out by Plot Kill.

At the same time, he had deliberately, yet subtly, made it seem as though his profession was something like a lumberjack.

"George, thank you for all your hard work these past few days. Our house will be very sturdy."

At dinner, Penny gave Li Wei a rare slight smile. Thanks to the twenty donated logs, she had directly used ten of them to further reinforce the structure of the house and add another layer to its roof. In short, if one ignored the scheming beneath the surface, their family really was getting better and better.

"No need to thank me. We're family." Li Wei answered solemnly.

"By the way, George, how do you plan to build the wall? I have a few ideas that you might be able to use."

Penny continued as if she were merely making conversation, but in truth, she was competing for plot. Her house would be finished in another two days, while Li Wei had not even started on the wall yet. These were all plots that earned experience and contribution points.

"That would be great. I'm preparing the materials right now. When the time comes, we can build the wall together." Li Wei nodded, looking completely harmless, like an innocent younger brother.

"Sure, but George, I need to use the axe tomorrow."

"No problem. Tomorrow, I can dig the trenches needed for the wall first."

"Oh, George, my dear little brother, you're becoming more and more like a man. Ever since Father died, I've always felt lonely and helpless. But now it's wonderful. You'll definitely protect Mother and me, right?"

Penny began crying and laughing at the same time, even giving Li Wei a fervent hug.

They were becoming more and more like a family—if they did not have to pay for meals, that was.

Today was Li Wei's seventh day in this world. After paying for today's meals, he had seven Family Contribution Points, nineteen Logging Experience, three Gathering Experience, and six Construction Experience remaining.

Early the next morning, Penny took the axe, while Li Wei took the stupid, clumsy shovel. Using these tools did not require payment. They seemed to have been left behind by that cheap father, or perhaps donated to the family, which was why they could be used for free.

But Phila's wheat and small chest had not been donated, so they were her personal property.

It sounded awkward, but those were the rules.

Sometimes, Li Wei wondered why the mission plot had to be designed this way. Why did they have to scheme against one another? Why did they have to trip each other up? Why could they not just be friends?

It felt more like they were playing some kind of plot-based Werewolf game. Was the purpose of all this to entertain themselves, or to entertain someone else?

What did this have to do with this so-called awakening?

"Eight days in, and I've only now gotten a chance to be a farmer."

Standing in the camp with the shovel in hand, Li Wei felt rather emotional. Over the past few days, he had played a small trick. Though he was not sure whether Penny and Phila would interfere with him, his daily frenzy of chopping trees had been meant to give them the impression that he was very likely a Trainee Lumberjack.

Sure enough, Penny had taken the axe today.

If nothing unexpected happened, he would not get to use the axe for the next few days.

Which gave him the perfect opportunity to reclaim a small patch of farmland.

That was right. This had been Li Wei's goal all along.

Create an established fact and make the plot follow his path.

Otherwise, once Penny finished her work, she might start developing a handicraft plotline.