Chapter 6: Archery Advancement
When Chen Fan arrived at the open space in front of the warehouse, only the limping man, Uncle Zhang, remained in the deserted area.
“You’re early,” Uncle Zhang remarked, startled.
Chen Fan responded with a smile.
Uncle Zhang nodded and said nothing further.
Chen Fan picked up his bow and arrows, returning to his morning practice spot to resume training.
The first few attempts went smoothly—he could still draw the bow fully. But as he continued, his strength waned. After exhausting every ounce of effort without success, he reluctantly set down the bow to rest.
Noticing this, Uncle Zhang approached as he had that morning, massaging and kneading the sore muscles of Chen Fan’s right arm.
“Uncle Zhang…” Chen Fan began, awkwardly meeting the man’s gaze. Truthfully, without the morning massage to stimulate his circulation, his progress in basic archery would have been far slower.
He wanted to express gratitude, but the words felt hollow on his tongue.
Uncle Zhang shook his head slightly. “It’s nothing. I can see you’re committed.”
Chen Fan forced a tired smile. How could I not be, when my life depends on it?
After the massage, Uncle Zhang patted his shoulder and hobbled toward a group of newly arrived youths, barking orders.
“Back to work,” Chen Fan muttered, rising to continue his archery drills.
Time crept forward. Around mid-afternoon, a clamor erupted from the village entrance.
Chen Fan frowned, squinting into the distance.
“The hunting party’s back!” shouted a spear-practicing youth, voice brimming with excitement.
“And they’ve brought game!”
“Meat!”
The others licked their lips instinctively. This meant every household would receive a portion—tonight, they’d feast!
Uncle Zhang sighed, waving dismissively. “Go. But return immediately after collecting your share.”
His tone held resignation. By the time the youths queued for their portions, dusk would already loom.
“Yes!”
“Thank you, Uncle Zhang!”
Weapons clattered to the ground as the group sprinted away.
“Bunch of rascals,” Uncle Zhang grumbled, suspecting their earlier fatigue had been feigned.
“So that’s it,” Chen Fan mused, unswayed by the excitement. Relying on others is folly—strength alone guarantees survival. Still, his father’s successful hunt was welcome news.
“Aren’t you going?” Uncle Zhang limped over to ask.
“Do I need to?” Chen Fan flexed his arm with a grin. “What about you?”
Uncle Zhang laughed bitterly. “Cripples like me barely survive. In other villages, I’d have been cast out long ago.” He glanced toward the vanished youths. “Going early would only irritate them. Better to wait.”
Chen Fan hesitated. “But the best cuts will be gone by then.”
Uncle Zhang glared. “Kid, you’ve got a talent for salt in wounds. Keep it up, and I’ll stop fixing your arm.”
Chen Fan chuckled. This old man’s sharper than he looks.
Another hour passed. With a thwack, an arrow struck dead center.
Warmth flooded Chen Fan’s body, easing his fatigue—most noticeably in his right arm. The sensation lingered briefly before vanishing like mist.
“Did my strength… increase?” He clenched his fist, skeptical.
The status panel!
Focusing inward, he summoned his stats:
Status
Realm: None
Level: 2 (0/2)
Constitution: 9.8
Strength: 8.7
Agility: 7.7
Spirit: 5.5
Skills
[Basic Archery: Lv1 (0%)
Traits: Strong Body Lv1, Arm Strength Lv1, Steady Shot Lv1
Potential Points: 0 (1/day)
Chen Fan gaped. His constitution and strength had each risen by 1 point!
“No illusion after all!”
His morning stats had shown Constitution 8.8 and Strength 7.7. The improvement explained his reduced fatigue—but how? His level hadn’t changed.
The archery upgrade.
His gaze dropped to the skills section. After a day’s labor, Basic Archery had reached Level 1, unlocking traits:
[Strong Body: +1 Constitution per skill level]
[Arm Strength: +1 Strength per skill level]
[Steady Shot: +30% accuracy per skill level]
Chen Fan inhaled sharply. Each level boosts these traits! At Level 2, he’d gain another point in both attributes. Even without leveling up, his stats now neared an average man’s.
And accuracy would hit 60%!
He quelled his exhilaration. First goal: Basic Archery Level 3. With 90% accuracy, he could finally leave the village’s safety and explore the wilds.
