A Wind Wolf on the Edge

Shooting A Bit Like Kobe leaned against the stone wall of the valley, clutching his right arm, which had been severed just below the elbow.

During the battle, he'd been careless and let a Jackalman get close. It had bitten off half his arm.

Now only half of his right arm remained, and blood poured from the wound. He looked utterly miserable.

At least it didn't hurt much.

A few teammates looked at his wound and shook their heads.

After playing the game for so many days, everyone had gained some understanding of its injury system.

As long as the heart, throat, or other vital areas weren't injured, and no limbs were severed, internal and external injuries alike would gradually heal over time, even without treatment.

Of course, treatment would speed things up.

Aside from treatment, recovery speed was directly related to Constitution. For the same injury, the higher someone's Constitution, the faster they recovered.

That was the advantage of players in the Constitution Class, and it would become more apparent as the game progressed.

But severed limbs couldn't be restored.

So when players lost a limb or suffered an injury severe enough to take a long time to heal, they chose to end their own lives and respawn.

Respawning only meant waiting twenty-four hours. That was better than lying in bed for days or being disabled for life.

Unless they had some special hobby and wanted to cosplay Yang Guo from The Return of the Condor Heroes.

Shooting A Bit Like Kobe clearly didn't have that kind of hobby. If he wanted to recover, his only choice was to respawn.

"So, tell me. How do you want to die?"

Ranger patted Shooting A Bit Like Kobe on the shoulder and asked with a grin.

"I'm not as twisted as you. I don't need to experience being buried alive or anything. Just crack me over the head with a club."

Shooting A Bit Like Kobe rolled his eyes at him.

He wasn't particular about how he died.

It was just that Ranger's gleeful expression annoyed him.

Just you wait. Next time you get hurt, I'll set off firecrackers to celebrate!

He'd already forgotten how he'd laughed himself sick the last time Ranger was injured and needed to be finished off.

"Sure thing. Anything for you!"

Ranger grinned and picked up a Wolf Tooth Club beside him, aiming it at Shooting A Bit Like Kobe's head.

"Make it count!"

Shooting A Bit Like Kobe said.

It might not hurt, but he didn't want to take several hits before he died.

"Don't worry. I guarantee it'll be one hit, one kill."

Ranger assured him with a cheeky grin.

"Go ahead."

Shooting A Bit Like Kobe closed his eyes.

Ranger didn't hesitate. He raised the Wolf Tooth Club in his hand and swung it hard at Shooting A Bit Like Kobe's head.

With a thud, Shooting A Bit Like Kobe disconnected.

All that remained was a corpse with its head smashed open.

Wind Wolf, standing beside Lin Feng, happened to witness the scene.

He'd been watching Shooting A Bit Like Kobe. When he saw half the man's arm was gone, yet he showed no pain and even chatted casually with his companions, he couldn't help admiring the Human. What a tough guy.

Losing to an enemy like that was nothing to be ashamed of!

Then he saw Ranger cheerfully pat Shooting A Bit Like Kobe on the shoulder, the two of them saying something to each other.

Though he couldn't understand them, he figured the man's companion was comforting the Human with the severed arm, telling him not to be sad and that they'd protect him even if he'd lost an arm.

As he was thinking this, he saw the grinning Human raise a Wolf Tooth Club and send the wounded Human to the afterlife with one blow.

The horrifying sight made his fur stand on end, and he felt as if he'd plunged into an ice cellar.

The Human had only lost half an arm. Even if he couldn't hunt anymore, he could still do plenty of other work. He was hardly useless or a burden.

Yet his companion had killed him without the slightest hesitation!

Even more terrifying, the Humans around them showed no surprise at all. They acted as if this were completely normal.

Not one of them even glanced over twice!

Even the powerful Human who'd captured him—the obvious leader of the group—paid no attention to the matter.

What a terrifying tribe!

What terrifying Humans!

He couldn't help trembling.

"What are you trying to do?"

Lin Feng noticed that all of Wind Wolf's fur was standing on end. Thinking he might attack or try to escape, he immediately asked warily.

"N-nothing!"

Wind Wolf jumped at Lin Feng's question and hurriedly replied.

Fear had even put a hint of a sob in his voice.

"Nothing? Then why's your fur standing on end?"

Lin Feng didn't believe him.

In his experience, cats and dogs only raised their fur when they were angry or preparing to fight.

Jackals were probably the same, weren't they?

"I'm just a little cold."

Wind Wolf didn't dare say he was frightened by their cruelty, so he hurriedly came up with an excuse.

"Cold?"

Lin Feng reached out in confusion and felt the chilly wind blowing through the mouth of the valley.

It was already late autumn. It was, indeed, a tiny bit cold.

"Are all you Jackalmen so sensitive to the cold?"

Lin Feng asked curiously.

"N-no, not all Jackalmen are afraid of the cold. I've been frail since I was young. I can't handle the wind and cold."

Wind Wolf said with a miserable expression.

He was running out of excuses!

But if these terrifying Humans found out he was lying, wouldn't they kill him immediately?

Fortunately, Lin Feng didn't press him. He turned and began directing the players as they cleaned up the battlefield, which let Wind Wolf breathe a sigh of relief.

He didn't dare wander off. He obediently followed Lin Feng everywhere, sticking close to him like a little lackey.

The players nearby watched him with curiosity.

What was going on with this Jackalman?

Had the chieftain just recruited a new underling?

The players were merely curious, but when Wind Wolf met their curious gazes, he felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, with thorns in his back and a fishbone in his throat...

Were these Humans planning to kill him?

After directing the players as they cleared the battlefield, Lin Feng brought Wind Wolf to the Inner Valley and began questioning him.

"Yesterday, a Jackalman scout entered the valley. That was you, right?"

Lin Feng leaned against a tree trunk, looking Wind Wolf up and down as he asked.

There'd been signs of a Jackalman scout in the valley, but the players hadn't spotted any Jackalmen. Lin Feng had been puzzled.

But after meeting Wind Wolf, the mystery had been solved.

In wolf form, Wind Wolf was smaller than he was as a Jackalman. It made sense that he could use the grass for cover and avoid the players' notice.

"It wasn't me... It was."

Wind Wolf stammered.

He'd meant to deny it, but he was afraid Lin Feng would kill him if he realized he was lying, so he hurriedly changed his answer.

"Was it you or not?"

Lin Feng frowned.

What did "it wasn't me, it was" even mean?

"It was me. I was only following orders. Please don't blame me."

Wind Wolf didn't dare tell a single lie.

Seeing how timid Wind Wolf was, Lin Feng couldn't help smiling. He continued, "How many people are there in your Jackalman tribe?"

"Don't lie to me. You know what happens if you do!"

After asking, Lin Feng remembered to threaten Wind Wolf.

"Let me count."

Wind Wolf said, counting on his fingers.

"Our tribe had seventy-one adult Jackalmen and thirteen children. A few days ago, you killed the thirteen members of Suihou's squad. Today, another twenty-one died in battle. Hmm..."

He carefully counted on his fingers, afraid of making a mistake. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

He'd seen how many Jackalmen had died today while following Lin Feng as they tallied the casualties.

"Hmm... There are forty-seven adult Jackalmen left!"

He finally worked it out.

Lin Feng looked at him, speechless.

"Shouldn't it be thirty-seven?"

The guy was terrible at math. Could Jackalmen not count?

Beads of sweat rolled down Wind Wolf's forehead.

"I'm sorry, sir. I got it wrong. I didn't mean to. Please don't kill me!"

He dropped to his knees with a thump, pleading with Lin Feng in a near-sob.

Lin Feng stared at him, speechless.

Was something wrong with this Jackalman?

Would I really kill someone just for getting the numbers wrong? Am I that brutal?

"Tell me, are you willing to submit to me and serve our Starry Tribe?"

Lin Feng asked.

He'd thought carefully about what to do with Wind Wolf.

There were three options: kill him, recruit him, or let him go.

Letting him go was out of the question. He'd captured the guy fair and square, so why should he release him?

Since his capture, Wind Wolf had been fairly obedient, answering every question. He also seemed reasonably capable, so killing him would be a waste.

The best choice was to recruit him.

The only concern was whether he'd pretend to submit and wait for a chance to betray them.

"I'm willing! I'm willing! From now on, you're my master. If you tell me to go east, I wouldn't dare go west!"

Wind Wolf answered immediately.

As long as they didn't kill him, he'd do anything!

The moment he agreed to submit, a system notification rang in Lin Feng's ears.

Congratulations, Host! You have successfully recruited a Jackalman. The hidden race "Jackalmen" has been unlocked. When players choose the Strength Class, there is a certain chance of triggering this option.