Saving Someone

Gu Sheng's expression changed instantly.

Obviously.

A wild wolf had entered Gu Erniu's home. Gu Erniu was away in the mountains now, and if the wolf got inside, Li Lian and her son would stand no chance against it.

Looking toward that direction, Gu Sheng hesitated for a moment before his expression gradually firmed.

After killing the wolf just now, he had discovered that with his Chopping Wood at the mastered level, he could handle a wild wolf one-on-one without much trouble.

Gu Erniu's family has shown me great kindness. Before he entered the mountains, he specifically asked me to look after Sister-in-law Li and Xiao Wan. Now that mother and son are in danger, how could I live with myself if I didn't go?

Gu Sheng had his own principles.

If he were incapable of dealing with the wolf, that would be one thing. But since he had some ability to protect himself, he could not simply stand by and watch.

He cherished his own life. He would not risk himself for just anyone, but neither could he be utterly cold-blooded.

Judging by the howling over there, there should only be one wolf. If I'm careful, I can handle it.

The wolf has already been in the village for a while. The village warriors should arrive soon. Even if I can't kill it, I only need to hold it off for a little longer.

Having made up his mind, Gu Sheng no longer hesitated.

He pulled the woodcutter's knife from the wolf's waist and belly. The bloodstained blade looked somewhat savage, and Gu Sheng took a deep breath.

He gripped the woodcutter's knife in his right hand and picked up a wooden stick in his left, cautiously heading toward Gu Erniu's home.

Wolf howls rose from all around, but they were all far away. That was why Gu Sheng dared to leave his house.

For some unknown reason, the wolves had scattered to attack separately. Other than the one near Gu Sheng's home, the closest wolf was the one at Gu Erniu's house.

Gu Erniu's home.

Li Lian held Gu Wan in her arms, staring in terror at the wild wolf outside. She desperately covered Gu Wan's mouth with one hand, refusing to let him make a sound.

Gu Wan's eyes were likewise full of fear. He clutched the straw grasshopper in his hand tightly as tears slid down his cheeks and dripped onto the back of Li Lian's hand, making her heart ache with worry.

Having just jolted awake from sleep, Li Lian had heard wolf howls rising and falling all around her. She had barely begun to pray.

Then she saw a wild wolf leap over her family's fence.

Outside.

A wild wolf even larger than the one that had attacked Gu Sheng earlier twitched its nose. Its vicious gaze made Li Lian tremble all over in fear.

She took several deep breaths, holding a wooden stick in one hand while shielding Gu Wan behind her with the other.

Awoo!

The wild wolf let out a low growl. Its bloodshot eyes locked onto its target as it prepared to charge the wooden door.

Its powerful hind legs pushed off the ground, and its gray body left an afterimage behind.

Li Lian could not help screaming. With death looming before her, the sheer impact of it still terrified her. Her body shook as she instinctively cried out.

Bang!

It was not the sound of the wolf crashing into the wooden door, but the sound of a stone striking flesh.

Excitement flashed in Li Lian's eyes. She had nearly forgotten about it.

This was the simple trap Gu Erniu had made before leaving home. He had repeatedly reminded her about it. Fortunately, Li Lian had listened, locking the door tightly every night and setting up the trap.

Now, at this critical moment, it had worked.

A stone as large as a washbasin came whistling down. The gray wolf desperately tried to dodge, but the stone still struck its hind leg. Flesh and blood instantly mangled, and the leg curled up.

Whine...!

The wild wolf let out a low whimper. Pain assaulted its nerves. An ordinary wolf might have left by now.

But this one kept pacing in front of the cabin, unwilling to give up.

The faint joy that had just appeared on Li Lian's face turned heavy again.

Her last trump card was gone. If the wolf charged in regardless, even with one lame leg, she and her son would still be no match for it.

Li Lian made up her mind. Holding Gu Wan, she stared fixedly into the boy's eyes and said in a trembling voice:

"Wan'er, if that beast charges in later, Mother will hold it down. You take the chance to run outside. Don't look back, no matter what. Whatever you hear, don't turn around. Just run toward the village!"

"Do you hear me?!"

Since they had already been exposed, Li Lian no longer bothered to hide her voice and shouted urgently at Gu Wan.

Tears filled Gu Wan's eyes. He was terribly afraid, but he merely nodded obediently.

"Mother... I'm scared..."

Li Lian could not help crying. She hugged Gu Wan tightly, her heart twisting like a knife.

"My poor child..."

Gu Erniu, you bastard! You still haven't come back! It wouldn't matter if I died, but if anything happens to Wan'er, I'll haunt you even as a ghost!

After bitterly cursing Gu Erniu for not returning from the mountains, Li Lian rose with the wooden stick in hand. Outside, the lame wolf could no longer hold itself back and was about to charge again.

Awoo!

The wild wolf gave a low roar, like a demonic sound.

But to Li Lian's surprise, the wolf suddenly turned its head and looked beyond the fence!

"Is that... A-Sheng?!"

Li Lian was both delighted and alarmed, unable to stop herself from worrying for Gu Sheng.

Outside the fence, a crouched figure quietly approached. Covering a distance of a hundred meters at a steady pace took Gu Sheng only a dozen breaths.

"Brother Erniu left behind a trap!"

Gu Sheng's eyes lit up when he saw the wolf's mangled hind leg and the huge stone nearby.

A lame wolf had lost a wolf's agile speed. That made it even easier to deal with.

End this quickly, before it attracts the other wolves!

Seeing the wolf turn its head toward him, Gu Sheng tucked the woodcutter's knife behind his back and tightened his grip on the long stick. His eyes gradually grew firm. He was still somewhat nervous, but killing a wolf just now had given him tremendous confidence.

"Sister-in-law Li, stay hidden. Don't come out!"

With a loud shout, Gu Sheng thrust the long stick toward the wolf.

The wolf's hind leg was injured, drastically reducing its speed. It was now slower than Gu Sheng. Gu Sheng drove it away from a distance with the wooden stick, forcing it to retreat again and again.

In the history of humanity on Blue Star, once people had spears, they became vastly more threatening to wild beasts and gradually established their place as the dominant species.

Joy rose in Gu Sheng's eyes. Though his Chopping Wood had reached the mastered level, he still needed to get close and slowly create an opening.

Man and wolf remained locked in a standoff, constantly shifting positions.

Li Lian watched with her heart in her throat.

The wild wolf suddenly gave a low roar, opened its jaws, and bit down on the wooden stick in Gu Sheng's hands, tearing at it wildly. Gu Sheng felt an immense force surge toward him, and his expression changed.

He immediately let go, rolling across the ground to evade the wolf's sudden attack.

"You damned beast!"

A fierce look appeared on Gu Sheng's face. The woodcutter's knife fell into his hand, and he swung it hard at the wolf's other hind leg.

He had only just risen and could not fully borrow strength from his stance, but even with most of his power gathered, the strike was no small matter. The woodcutter's knife cut a huge gash into the wolf's leg, and blood dyed the blade an even deeper red.

The wolf cried out in pain and turned to bite him.

But Gu Sheng somehow found a fresh burst of strength. After dodging, he drew back the blade and delivered another vicious slash at the wolf's waist!

This time, the power of his mastered Chopping Wood erupted completely, even stronger than during the fight at his home.

The muscles in both his arms swelled as power poured into the woodcutter's knife. Like cutting tofu, the blade cleaved savagely through the wolf's waist and belly, cutting it cleanly in two. Even its bones could not withstand the blow!

Scarlet blood and organs of every color spilled together across the ground.

Even Gu Sheng was stunned.

Li Lian stood frozen in place.