Chapter 6: Archery Upgrade

When he reached the open area in front of the warehouse, only the lame man was present on the field.

"You're here so early?" the lame man exclaimed.

Chen Fan responded with a smile.

The lame man nodded and said nothing more. Chen Fan picked up the bow and arrow, walked to his morning position, and resumed practicing archery.

The initial attempts went smoothly, and he could draw the bowstring to its full extent. However, as time passed, it became increasingly strenuous. Reluctantly, he put down the bow and arrow when he couldn't exert any more strength and took a break.

The lame man came over to massage and knead his right arm, just as he had done in the morning.

"Uncle Zhang..." Chen Fan looked at him, feeling embarrassed. To be honest, without the morning massage and blood circulation, his progress in basic archery wouldn't have been so rapid.

He wanted to express his gratitude, but the words felt inadequate.

The lame man shook his head slightly. "It's nothing. I can see how hardworking you are."

Chen Fan managed a smile. Given that his family's life was at stake, how could he not be diligent?

After the massage, the lame man patted him on the shoulder and limped over to a few young people who had just arrived, calling out to them loudly.

"It's your turn now."

Chen Fan muttered to himself, stood up from the ground, and resumed practicing archery.

Time passed, and around three or four o'clock, there was a commotion from the direction of the village entrance. Chen Fan furrowed his brows and looked in that direction.

"The hunting team is back!" a young man practicing marksmanship shouted excitedly.

"That's right! It looks like they've brought back prey!"

"Prey!"

Several others licked their lips instinctively. What did this mean? It meant that every household would receive a portion, and there would be meat to eat tonight!

Upon seeing this, the lame man sighed softly, waved his hand, and said, "If you want to go, remember to come back immediately after receiving your share."

"Got it!"

"Thank you, Uncle Zhang!"

Several people put down their weapons and rushed away.

"These rascals," the lame man grumbled, suspecting that their exhaustion from earlier had been an act.

"I understand," Chen Fan said, but he wasn't as excited as the others.

Strength would ensure survival, while the weak would fall behind. Only by becoming strong could one avoid the threat of starvation. Of course, it was a relief that his father and the others had been successful in hunting.

"Aren't you going?" the lame man asked as he limped over.

"Uncle Zhang, I don't think I need to go, do I?" Chen Fan moved his right arm and smiled. "Why aren't you going?"

The lame man chuckled. "A person like me is barely clinging to life. I wouldn't be welcome in other villages."

He paused, glanced in the direction where the young men had disappeared, and added, "They went so early; I'm afraid it'll be crowded. Waiting a few more hours won't hurt."

Chen Fan was taken aback and then said softly, "If I wait too long, I might miss out on the good meat."

The lame man shot him an annoyed look. "You, boy, you really know how to hit where it hurts. Next time you say something like that, I won't give you an arm massage."

Chen Fan chuckled, finding Uncle Zhang an interesting character.

Another hour passed, and there was a distinct "whoosh" as the arrow hit the bull's-eye accurately.

Simultaneously, Chen Fan felt a surge of warmth throughout his body, greatly alleviating his previous fatigue, especially in his right arm.

After a few seconds, the warmth vanished, leaving no trace as if it had never occurred.

"It seems like there's a bit more power," Chen Fan muttered to himself. He was not entirely sure if this was just his imagination.

"Oh, I can see the attribute panel?"

He wondered and focused his mind.

Realm: None

Level: 2 (0/2)

Physical: 9.8

Strength: 8.7

Dexterity: 7.7

Spirit: 5.5

Skill:

[Basic Archery: Lv1 (0%), Characteristics: Physical Strength Level 1, Arm Strength Level 1, Slow Shooting Level 1]

Potential points: 0 (1 point/1 day)

Chen Fan was taken aback and opened his mouth in astonishment. Unbelievably, a significant change had occurred in the attribute panel. Particularly, the skill section had undergone a complete transformation.

Chen Fan was in no hurry and decided to inspect further.

Physical attributes had increased slightly.

Strength attribute had also increased a bit.

"It wasn't just my imagination earlier," he exclaimed. His physical attribute had previously been 8.8, and his strength attribute was at 7.7. Now, his physical attribute had risen to 9.8, and his strength attribute was at 8.7.

It was no wonder he felt less fatigued earlier. However, how had these two attribute values increased? His level was still at 2, and it hadn't changed.

"It must be the effect of advancing from level 0 to level 1 in Basic Archery," Chen Fan surmised.

He scrutinized the other two attributes beneath it, but they remained unchanged. Finally, he focused on Basic Archery again.

After a day of strenuous effort, Basic Archery had been upgraded from level 0 to level 1.

Now, it displayed features.

"What are these features? Do they have any effect after an upgrade?" Chen Fan wondered.

He concentrated, and a line of small text appeared in his mind.

[Strengthen the Body: Every time the skill is upgraded by one level, the physical attribute will increase by 1 point.]

He shifted his attention to Extraordinary Arm Strength.

[Extraordinary Arm Strength: Every time the skill is upgraded by one level, the strength attribute will increase by 1 point.]

Chen Fan couldn't help but inhale sharply. He now understood everything.

At level 1, he had gained Extraordinary Arm Strength, which added some strength attribute to himself. If he could reach level 2, it would add 2 points, and so on, the same applied to physical strength.

"Slow Shot, what is that?" Chen Fan muttered. It seemed that none of his other attributes had increased.

[Slow Shot: Every time the skill is upgraded, the archery hit rate increases by 30%]

"I see," Chen Fan said, and his body trembled with excitement. He realized that these features were like individual buffs. Some could improve his physique, others could enhance his strength, and some could boost skill effectiveness. Moreover, they could be upgraded.

At this moment, he grasped that these features could be further developed.

For example, with Basic Archery at level 1 now, once it reached level 2, these three features would also level up by one stage. This meant he could boost his physique and strength, bringing him close to an adult male's attributes. Furthermore, his hit rate could reach 60%.

Chen Fan took a deep breath, suppressing his inner ecstasy. He set a small goal for himself—to raise Basic Archery to level 3. With a 90% hit rate, he would be almost guaranteed success when venturing out of the camp to seek fortune.