Chapter 10 - Overthinking

Of course, there is also some "not-so-good" news: leveling up the body requires 4 potential points to progress from level 3 to level 4.

At the current rate of gaining one potential point per day, it will take 4 days to achieve this.

"If I eat more cooked lean meat, maybe I can do it in just two days," he mumbled to himself, a wry smile slowly forming on his face.

It's clear that even with a successful hunting trip today, the amount of meat they can obtain won't be substantial. Two pounds of meat would be considered a good haul.

Tonight, he consumed almost half of it on his own. As the head of the family, he only ate a few pieces. This simply wasn't acceptable.

"It's probably better to focus on improving my basic archery level as soon as possible rather than worrying too much about physical strengthening. After all, my father and the others aren't much stronger than regular people, and we can't keep exposing them to risks."

With this in mind, Chen Fan took a deep breath, pulled the bowstring, and immediately felt more at ease. It was clear that the benefit of physical strengthening was already making a difference.

As he released his finger, the arrow made a "whoosh" sound and hit the bull's-eye.

After adjusting his breathing, he continued to shoot the second and third arrows.

In the distant wilderness, the roars of unknown beasts occasionally echoed, followed by an eerie silence.

He couldn't tell how much time had passed, but Chen Fan started feeling tired, and his arms had become sore and swollen.

"It seems like I'll have to stop here for tonight."

He yawned and glanced at the skill bar.

[Basic Archery Lv1 (76.5%)...]

"A bit faster than I expected."

A relaxed expression crossed his face. If he practiced for another two or three hours tomorrow morning, he should be able to reach level 2 in Basic Archery. With the time in the afternoon and evening, level 3 should be attainable, right?

Things were progressing smoothly, and the day after tomorrow, he could join the hunting team.

Having prey meant not only survival but also becoming stronger!

...

The next day, the night slowly faded, and on the distant horizon, a faint glimmer of dawn appeared.

The entrance to the camp was already crowded, primarily with the elderly, women, and children, their faces gaunt and their eyes filled with complex emotions as they gazed at a group of over a dozen people standing outside.

They knew that these individuals were planning to defect to Zhaojiabao, the strongest human settlement within a hundred miles. It was said to have an abundance of food and other essentials, and its residents were reportedly content.

However, not everyone could enjoy such a favorable outcome. Strong adult men could bring their families, and women under 40 were also eligible. Others, such as frail men, the elderly, and children, had no chance.

Now, the Wei family brothers and their group were about to depart, leaving even less food in the village.

Chen Guodong stood at the forefront of the crowd, tears in his eyes.

Today's farewell meant that they could only meet in the wilderness, but then they wouldn't be friends; they would be competitors.

"Take care of yourselves!"

He patted Wei Tiangong's shoulder with mixed emotions and looked at the familiar faces behind him.

"Take care, Guodong."

Wei Tiangong reciprocated the gesture.

"Brother Guodong, if you ever want to come to Zhaojiabao, we can help you."

"Yes, Brother Guodong, we're waiting for you!"

Chen Guodong shook his head, his resolve unshaken.

"Take care, everyone."

The family members of several people also waved goodbye to their acquaintances in the crowd.

It wasn't their first choice to leave, but staying behind was equally hopeless.

In a moment, there were sounds of weeping. In the eyes of everyone present, Wei Tiangong and his group slowly moved away, turning into small black specks in the distance until they vanished entirely.

"Brother Wei, let's go."

A man with short hair spoke sadly, his eyes reflecting uncertainty about the future.

Chen Guodong turned around, addressed the crowd, and cleared his throat.

"Everyone, go back. As for the rest of us, prepare for today's hunt. Tiangong and the others have left, but I believe that with our strength, we can survive and thrive."

People dispersed, leaving in pairs or small groups.

Survival was one thing, but thriving was an entirely different challenge.

As the old, weak, women, and children departed, the group of over a dozen was reduced by half, leaving only eight individuals, including Chen Guodong.

"Hahaha."

A burly man chuckled. "Not bad, there are still eight of us."

The others smiled wryly in response.

Among them, some could have chosen to go to Zhaojiabao but, considering their connection with Chen Guodong, decided to stay for now.

"Baldhead, you sound pretty relaxed," remarked a round-faced man, his tone irritated. "Once the Wei brothers leave, we won't have any archers in the group. Hunting will become much more challenging."

The smile on the bald man's face froze briefly, then returned.

"Why panic? We can use traps."

Silence followed his suggestion.

"When we return from hunting, we should practice archery more. We can't rely on traps alone; we need some long-range attack methods," Chen Guodong sighed. His gaze swept over everyone. "Shall we get going then?"

...

A limping man returned from the village gate and noticed a figure practicing archery in the distance.

"The young man returned quite quickly for someone with good legs," he thought to himself, his brows furrowing. Hadn't he been in the crowd just moments ago? It seemed he hadn't seen this young man among them.

He approached slowly and couldn't help asking, "Weren't you at the village gate earlier?"

Chen Fan turned his head, smiling as he replied, "No, I came here directly after breakfast."

The limping man blinked in surprise.

"Do you mean that the Wei brothers' departure doesn't concern you?" he inquired.

Chen Fan released another arrow, taking advantage of the momentary pause in his practice to respond. "They came looking for my dad last night, and I was there. My dad left this morning, so it doesn't seem to matter if I go or not."

"I see," the limping man nodded, deep in thought.

The Wei brothers had made up their minds to leave, and whether Chen Fan went or not wouldn't change that. His absence might only complicate matters further.

Then he shifted his gaze back to Chen Fan, noting that the young man seemed different in some way. Moreover, he appeared to genuinely enjoy archery. Could he possibly fill the void left by the Wei brothers in the hunting team?

"I find it quite impressive," he muttered to himself, although he knew it was no simple task and couldn't be explained in a few words.

"Alright, everyone, let's stay focused!"

He walked over to reprimand a few young hunters, leaving Chen Fan to his archery practice.

Chen Fan couldn't help but smile and return his attention to the target. Arrow after arrow, he continued to hone his skills.