Chapter 14: A Small Surprise, But Not Enough
Inside the house, the woman wore an indignant expression while Chen Guodong sat to the side, his face etched with worry.
The little boy watched the scene helplessly until a figure appeared at the door. He immediately brightened, darting over to cling to Chen Fan’s leg.
"Brother, you’re back!"
"Mm."
Chen Fan smiled and ruffled the boy’s hair before turning to his parents. "Dad, Mom, what happened? I overheard you mentioning Li Family Village. Did our village clash with them? Was anyone hurt?"
"Don’t worry—no one was injured," Chen Guodong replied, shaking his head.
"How can you say nothing happened?" the woman burst out. "They stole our prey! Those thieves!"
"Enough," Chen Guodong cut in, frowning. He shot her a warning glance: Xiaochen’s too young to understand, and telling Fan would only trouble him further.
The woman pressed her lips together, then muttered, "Let’s eat first."
Chen Fan’s brow furrowed. Being left hanging like this grated on him, especially when the matter seemed serious.
"Dad, Mom, I’m part of this village too. If Mom knows, others must as well. Shouldn’t I hear it from you rather than gossip later?"
The woman gave Chen Guodong a pointed look. After a pause, he sighed. "Fine, I’ll tell you. But don’t act rashly."
By the time he finished explaining, Chen Fan understood:
Earlier, the hunting team had checked their traps, finding nothing until the last one. There, a panicked wildebeest—a towering, two-meter-tall low-tier beast with a single horn—had charged toward them. Initially thrilled, they soon realized their arrows couldn’t pierce its hide.
The beast, equally startled, veered and plunged into their trap. It felt like divine luck—until Chen Guodong grew uneasy. The wildebeest had clearly been chased. Its pursuers might still be nearby.
They’d barely started extracting the carcass when Li Family Village’s hunters arrived. The rivals demanded a share, citing "finders’ rights," but Chen’s group refused.
Noticing the absence of the Wei brothers and their smaller numbers—eight against fourteen—Li’s group grew bold. They seized the entire kill, mocking Chen’s village as they left. Fighting back would’ve risked casualties, and in their harsh world, injuries meant death.
"...So we let them take it," Chen Guodong finished heavily. "I’d hoped to keep this quiet, but word spread on the return."
"You did right, Dad," Chen Fan said. "A fight might’ve destroyed us. Without the hunters, the village wouldn’t survive."
This world forces us to battle beasts and humans alike, he thought grimly. Sometimes, the latter are deadlier.
Chen Guodong studied him, surprised by the calm response. He’d expected fiery demands for revenge. Beside him, the woman stayed silent—she understood the logic, even if rage still simmered.
"Eat now," Chen Guodong said. "You’ve trained hard today."
The meal mirrored yesterday’s: watery porridge and thinly sliced meat.
"Take more, Xiao Fan." Chen Guodong reached to add meat to his son’s bowl.
Chen Fan blocked him with his chopsticks. "You need it, Dad. Besides, there’s something I must say."
Chen Guodong paused, unnerved by his son’s uncharacteristic gravity. "What is it?"
"I’m joining the hunt tomorrow."
"What?!" The parents spoke as one.
"No!" the woman snapped. "You’re too young! Do you know the dangers?"
Chen Guodong nodded. "We appreciate your heart, son, but two days of archery isn’t enough. Give it another month—"
"Brother, don’t go!" Little Chen Chen pleaded, wide-eyed. "It’s scary outside!"
Chen Fan shook his head. "Dad, I’m not speaking lightly. After dinner, come to the warehouse. You’ll see why."
A month? He doubted the village had that long.
Exchanging glances, the parents relented.
——
The family’s arrival at the warehouse startled the limping caretaker. Why the crowd for archery practice?
Chen Fan smiled, hefting a 60-pound bow.
Chen Guodong’s eyes sharpened. Yesterday, he used a 40-pound bow. When did he—?
A 40-pound bow might struggle against low-tier beasts, but 60 pounds could drop most—even grind down mid-tier ones.
It was... impressive.
But not enough.
