Chapter 12: Chapter 12 Difficult Times [Name]: Gu Sheng [Age]: 14 [Realm]: None [Martial Arts]: Chopping Wood (Great Success 20%) ... Seeing that the progress of Chopping Wood had suddenly surged to 20%, Gu Sheng couldn't help but freeze in place. He began to recall the divine stroke from last night. At that moment, the wild wolf in his eyes seemed no different from a piece of firewood—not just firewood, but firewood with layers of grain clearly visible right before him. Following those patterns, chopping it became effortless. He vaguely understood in which direction he must strive to breakthrough into the Perfect realm with Chopping Wood. Grinding mechanically for experience was never the true purpose of the panel. Combining diligence with thoughtfulness is the key to unlocking its full potential. "At this rate, perhaps I won't even need twenty days to elevate Chopping Wood to the Perfect realm!" Gu Sheng was invigorated. Last night, he truly grasped the strength of Great Success in Chopping Wood. Even with his current frail body, he was able to kill a wild wolf. As his body becomes sturdier in the future, the power would only grow stronger. "I wonder if mastering Chopping Wood at the Perfect realm would allow me to rival martial artists?" Gu Sheng could not help but recall the ferocious might of Gu Jingang from the previous night—how he obliterated the wolf's head with a single punch, as if its skull were nothing more than a fragile watermelon. Shaking his head, dismissing such unrealistic thoughts, Gu Sheng began tidying his belongings. The wound on his back wasn't deep. After applying ointment, it only stung lightly. Today, he would still need to chop wood—even with broken limbs, he'd have to keep working. Without work, there's no food to eat. Finding a large wooden plank, he stuffed it into the hole at the door as a makeshift blockade before heading to his employer's house. With his head lowered, he walked forward. Faint sobs could be heard from a wooden hut on the roadside. The night raid by dozens of wild wolves was nothing short of catastrophic for ordinary villagers. "Is that... Uncle Gen's house?" Gu Sheng froze, his gaze falling upon a wooden hut on his right where people were collecting corpses. Three bodies—a couple and a young boy. Gu Sheng's expression turned conflicted, standing momentarily in stunned silence. Uncle Gen had suffered a leg injury in his early years, preventing him from doing heavy labor. He survived off small handicrafts, and Sister-in-law Gen helped with odd jobs to barely make ends meet. Last night's wolf raid. Even one wild wolf was more than a family like theirs could handle. "Sigh... " Gu Sheng lowered his head and continued walking forward, his heart heavy. If it were to happen all over again, he still would have chosen to stay at Gu Erniu's house and wait for rescue. No one else's life could outweigh his own. Yet seeing Uncle Gen's family eradicated, he couldn't help but feel a sense of melancholy, akin to the shared fate of rabbits mourning the death of foxes. "Once my body becomes stronger, I'll see if there's a way to train in martial arts ahead of schedule." Gu Sheng took a deep breath and walked into the northern courtyard. Unexpectedly, Gu He was waiting there. Seeing Gu Sheng, Gu He sighed with relief. "I heard from the village that wolves attacked your area last night. I'm glad you're okay." Gu Sheng expressed his gratitude: "Thank you for your concern, Manager. I was lucky—only suffered minor wounds, which won't affect today's work." Gu He waved his hand and replied: "Don't worry about work today. You've been injured; take some time at home to properly recover." Gu Sheng shook his head, refusing: "It's okay, I can handle it." He had no choice. Daily expenses couldn't be ignored. Without work, he couldn't save money. The wound on his back didn't stop him from exerting force. Though there was some pain, Gu Sheng could bear it. Seemingly noticing Gu Sheng's resolve, Gu He didn't push further but sighed inwardly. "Manager, how many people died last night?" Gu Sheng suddenly asked. Gu He paused, inhaled deeply, and sighed: "Thirteen households—forty-three people. Some others lost limbs to bites or were heavily injured. Thankfully, Coach Gu and the others arrived quickly; otherwise, the death toll would have been worse." Having heard the news early in the morning, he felt a sense of unease. Although his status within the village was decent, in the grand scope of the Da Liang dynasty—or even just within Canghe County—he was no different from these deceased villagers. Gu Sheng was similarly shaken and fell silent. The deceased were one tragedy, but those who survived with amputations and injuries faced equally hard lives thereafter. Gu Sheng's voice turned dry as he muttered: "Wild wolves are typically intelligent creatures. They wouldn't easily approach human settlements. Why did this happen last night...?" Gu He stared at Gu Sheng for a moment, then shook his head and turned away, only leaving behind a remark: "Has Gu Erniu returned yet?" Gu Sheng stiffened, his thoughts stirring. "So it really has something to do with the objective of the martial artists venturing into the mountains?" He had his suspicions before. The peculiar behavior of the wolves last night seemed to be driven by some external influence. However, there was too little information to confirm. Now, with Gu He's hint, he felt certain. "What exactly are the village hunters being summoned to do in the mountains?" Gu Sheng couldn't figure it out, but the only good news was that, judging by Gu He's tone, Gu Erniu seemed to be relatively safe. Setting aside his wandering thoughts, Gu Sheng entered the wood-shed and began working. Despite the effects of his wound, it wasn't serious. Gu Sheng diligently chopped wood. Every piece of firewood represented future hope. Time passed. The sun set over the western hills. Gu Sheng wiped the sweat from his brow, having completed his chopping work for the day. The cloth strip wrapped around his back showed traces of red, but he managed to chop eight hundred pieces of wood. Gu He nodded in approval, satisfied with the young man's perseverance. Gu Sheng collected eight copper coins and returned home. In the days that followed, the village gradually regained its calm. The wounds left by the wolf raid slowly faded with time—or numbness. The living had to keep on surviving. Gu Sheng's circumstances slowly improved. The wound on his back healed completely, no longer impeding his ability to chop wood. Now, Gu Sheng could chop a thousand pieces of wood a day, allowing him to save two coins after meals. This, however, was roughly his limit. No matter how large the employer's household was, there simply wasn't an endless demand for firewood—and there were other laborers chopping wood as well. Ten coins a day was considered quite good for the average person. If Gu Sheng could save for a few years, he might even afford to marry and continue the family line—this was the life of an ordinary villager. But Gu Sheng was unwilling to live out his days like this, muddling through life aimlessly. From the two wild wolves, he gathered several dozen pounds of wolf meat, which allowed him to indulge for once. With the nutrition from meat and the daily practice of chopping wood, his physique noticeably grew stronger. The two wolf pelts, while incomplete and gray, fetched two hundred copper coins—still a welcome surprise. Now, Gu Sheng had accumulated over seven hundred coins in savings. Everything seemed to be moving in a positive direction. But Gu Sheng wasn't satisfied, finding the pace of wealth accumulation too slow. If he truly wanted to train in martial arts, it would cost not only school fees but also ongoing expenses related to practice. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮 Still, he had no better alternatives for now, deciding to wait until he perfected Chopping Wood before reassessing his options. ... At Gu Erniu's house. Gu Wan squatted in the corner talking to ants, holding a freshly crafted grasshopper made of wild grass. Knowing that Gu Wan enjoyed these, Gu Sheng occasionally crafted them to amuse him. Li Lian was washing clothes, her face clouded with worry. It had been half a month since Gu Erniu ventured into the mountains, far surpassing the three-to-five-day estimate given initially. At times, Li Lian couldn't help but wonder if the mountain expedition had completely perished. As such thoughts crossed her mind, she felt a sharp pain in her chest, and tears involuntarily slid down her cheeks. Afraid Gu Wan might see, she quickly wiped them away discreetly. "Wife!" "Wife, I'm back!" A hurried shout came from afar, freezing Li Lian mid-motion as she stared in disbelief toward the source. In the distance, a tall and sturdy figure was striding rapidly toward her. It was none other than her long-awaited Gu Erniu. "Erniu!" Li Lian's tears, barely suppressed moments ago, burst forth uncontrollably as she stumbled toward him. She thought she was dreaming, but as she was held within those strong arms, she realized it was all real. Gu Erniu—he was truly back! "Wah... wah... You wretched Erniu! Gone for so long, you nearly worried me to death! I'd have rather you died in the mountains!" Li Lian's tears soaked Gu Erniu's chest as she pounded him with her fists. All the accumulated anxiety, fear, and dread poured out at once as she wept uncontrollably. Gu Wan, who had been playing with ants, didn't understand what was happening but burst into cries as well, running over to hug his father's leg tightly. With his wife and son in his arms, Gu Erniu's eyes brimmed with guilt. Upon returning to the village and hearing about the wolf raid from days prior, he had been utterly frantic, dashing home with reckless abandon. Seeing Li Lian and Gu Wan safe at last, he felt as though a great burden had lifted from his heart. "It's all my fault. It's all my fault..." Gu Erniu comforted his wife, his own eyes red. After a long while, the family finally calmed down. The three of them wore smiles once more. Li Lian and Gu Erniu held each other closely, recounting the events of recent days. Upon hearing that their home had been invaded by wolves, Gu Erniu broke out in cold sweat. Li Lian looked solemnly at Gu Erniu and said: "Erniu, if it weren't for Gu Sheng, you might never have seen us again. Gu Sheng risked his life to rescue us. We must properly thank him!"