Chapter 13: Lijiazhai, Unreasonable Dominance

The lame man was taken aback, then fixed his surprised gaze on Chen Fan. "Are you saying you want to use that sixty-pound bow?"

He wore a peculiar expression as a memory seemed to flash across his face. Hadn't this kid attempted it just yesterday? It had taken him quite a while, and he hadn't managed to draw it.

Chen Fan nodded earnestly, replying, "Uncle Zhang, after these two days of practice, I believe I might be able to pull it off now."

Two days ago, his strength attribute had been less than 8 points, and he could barely manage a 40-pound bow. However, two days later, with his strength attribute nearing 12 points, handling an 80-pound bow shouldn't pose a significant problem.

Still, the idea of using an 80-pound bow was rather daunting. If he ever needed to, he'd probably exhaust himself quickly. A 60-pound bow seemed like a more reasonable choice.

Uncle Zhang remained skeptical but ultimately nodded, saying, "Then come with me."

Chen Fan offered a reassuring smile and followed him.

"He wants to use a sixty-pound bow?"

The conversation between the two reached Wang Ping and the others' ears, sparking a flurry of discussions.

"Sixty pounds? That's a fifty percent increase in difficulty. Can Chen Fan really handle it?"

"Zhao Feng, haven't you tried pulling a 60-pound bow? How did it feel?" Everyone's attention shifted to the tall figure.

Zhao Feng's voice was tinged with bitterness as he responded, "The first few times were manageable, but afterward, I had to rest for over ten minutes before I could pull it again. Later on, it took more than half an hour..."

"It's incredibly tough," he concluded with a shake of his head.

"Since Brother Fan is confident, he must have a plan, right?" Wang Ping chimed in.

"He should."

"I hope he succeeds. I heard that if he can use a sixty-pound bow, he'll be able to take down even some mid-level beasts that aren't too powerful."

Hope gleamed in the eyes of Wang Ping and the others.

Inside the warehouse, Chen Fan took down the sixty-pound bow and hefted it. It was undeniably heavy, with thicker bowstrings that made it seem quite strenuous at first glance.

"Give it a try," the lame man suggested, eyeing Chen Fan with little expectation, suspecting that this kid might be overconfident and needed a reality check.

Chen Fan complied, a hint of excitement in his demeanor. He selected an arrow, placed it on the string, held the bow's body with his left hand, raised it before him, and pinched the bowstring with his right hand's fingers, pulling it back gradually.

The lame man's indifference transformed into astonishment as he watched. Eventually, his mouth hung agape, revealing his shock.

He had actually managed to pull it off? Could this be real?

"Feels good," Chen Fan confirmed with a grin, releasing his fingers, and the arrow sped away.

"Uncle Zhang, I'll take this bow," he declared, turning to the lame man.

The lame man cleared his throat, his face displaying a hint of embarrassment as he replied, "You can handle it. This bow has a lethal range of about 50 meters, similar to the previous 30-meter bow. If 30 meters suffice, it'll be even more effective. It should handle ordinary low-level ferocious beasts well."

"Fifty meters?" Chen Fan nodded, satisfied with the performance but maintaining a slight distance for safety.

He cast his gaze toward the remaining bows, especially the last one—a three-hundred-pound bow. When would he be able to draw that one? He was certain that day wasn't too distant.

"This kid," the lame man observed with keen interest.

"He's quite ambitious, but judging by his performance in the past two days, maybe he can really pull it off?"

The 40-pound bow found its place on the wall again, and the two left the warehouse in succession.

"Are you prepared?" the lame man inquired, standing at his usual spot, watching Chen Fan.

Chen Fan nodded, subconsciously licking his lips. He was curious if switching to a longbow demanding more strength would increase his skill proficiency.

As the target soared into the air, that familiar sensation enveloped him once again.

"Phew!"

The arrow's whoosh echoed through the air as it pierced the bull's-eye with force, sending the target recoiling several meters before gently descending to the ground.

"Good job," the lame man praised, watching in amazement.

This arrow could kill a human if it hit, and even armored mid-level ferocious beasts would suffer significant damage.

Quickly, Chen Fan checked the system panel. A wider grin spread across his face as he saw the results.

[Basic Archery: Lv3 (4%)...]

That single arrow had boosted his proficiency by 3%!

This development meant he was now closer to reaching Lv4 in [Basic Archery] before leaving the next day.

For a moment, he contemplated using the eighty-pound longbow, but he opted for sustainable development instead.

The next step involved repeating this process.

As the lame man grew tired, Wang Ping took his place, and when Wang Ping tired out, Zhao Feng took over. As night fell, a stir at the camp's entrance caught their attention. People from the village began returning in groups.

Evidently, the hunting team hadn't caught any prey today.

The atmosphere in the group grew somber, knowing that while one day without success might be tolerable, if this continued for several days...

Wang Ping and the others exchanged uneasy glances, unwilling to entertain the possibility.

"It's getting late. You all should go back," the lame man suggested, looking at Chen Fan. "Continue tonight?"

"Absolutely," Chen Fan replied without hesitation.

Hunting at night posed more significant challenges, particularly when it came to hitting moving targets, but there was no alternative.

Wang Ping and the others, having witnessed Chen Fan's progress, began discussing whether they should accompany the hunting team.

They all parted ways briefly, with Chen Fan heading home. The scent of cooking meat wafted from a distance, accompanied by his mother's complaints.

"These Lijiazhai folks aren't reasonable at all. They were the ones who fell into our trap, but they just waltz in and take everything without leaving us a piece of meat."

"They're so domineering! Who behaves like that?"

"They're probably taking advantage of our small village. I never saw the Wei brothers acting this way when they were around."

"Alright, the deed is done. There's no use complaining now," Chen Guodong's voice interjected, sounding weary.