NOVEL WEB Chapter 2: Uncle Liu
[Rabbit's Hearing Acquired – Listen to sounds within 500 meters.]
[Swift Foot Acquired – Agility in dodging attacks.]
[Magnificent Leap Acquired – Leap distance of up to 50 meters.]
[Current Beast Ability: 1]
[Wild Rabbit Abilities Level: 1]
[Current Physique Level: 1 (100 Vengeance Points to upgrade)]
[Current Vengeance Points: 0]
Lin Fan, seeing all the information in the system's panel, got excited.
He closed his eyes and activated the Rabbit's Hearing.
In an instant, his ears filled with all sorts of sounds previously inaudible.
Rustling of the grass, birds chirping, and even faint chatting of villagers on their way to tend to the fields.
He tried to concentrate on what they were chatting about, but suddenly it all stopped.
Lin Fan could feel the energy being sucked out of his body.
He quickly sat on the ground as he didn't even have enough energy to stand.
[Wild Rabbit's Hearing deactivated.]
[Host's physique can only support 30 seconds of usage.]
"I need to level up my physique to prolong the usage of the beast abilities.
"But how do I earn those vengeance points?
"Guess I'll have to wait and see. But for now, food is more important."
He thought about the vengeance points for a while as he planned his next course of action.
Lin Fan rested for a few moments, letting whatever strength he had left in his body come back to him.
When he was able to do so, he picked up the dead wild rabbit and walked back to the village.
"Lin Fan... Good to see you. Up so early?"
Villagers with their sickles in hand, not expecting to see Lin Fan, greeted him.
They secretly stole glances at the dead wild rabbit.
Lin Fan saw it and held up the dead wild rabbit.
"I was up early to hunt for rabbits. Only managed to catch one."
Lin Fan decided to show the villagers the trophy of his hunt.
It would be better for him to condition the villagers for a 'new' Lin Fan.
This was not the helpless Lin Fan anymore.
The villagers swallowed a mouthful of saliva when they saw the rabbit.
It had been ages since they had any meat.
They silently thought to themselves, what a lucky bastard.
This Lin Fan was near death last night.
But look at him now.
"You be careful; the woods aren't so safe at this time of the year."
"We have to get on with the harvest; don't want to be punished with hard labor if I can't pay the autumn harvest tax."
They muttered to Lin Fan as they went along their way.
"Autumn harvest tax..."
Lin Fan heard this phrase and recalled what it was about from his memory.
In this Quan Dynasty he is in right now, everyone will have to pay autumn harvest tax to the emperor.
Those who fail to do so shall be punished with hard labor.
Few ever came back from hard labor.
Lin Fan's household of one would need to pay 50 kg of grain or the equivalent of one tael of silver.
No matter, he thought to himself, I just need to slowly work hard and change my circumstances.
Lin Fan went back to his hut and carefully got the rabbit skin separated from the meat.
He planned to sell the skin for money later.
Lucky for him, only the head of the wild rabbit had some damage; it could fetch a much better price.
Clonk.
After clearing the intestines, Lin Fan piled up some firewood and started a fire to roast the rabbit meat.
Lin Fan's stomach growled at the sight of the meat turning into a nice crisp golden brown.
His stomach wasn't the only one to growl.
A little kid came up next to him.
It was Uncle Liu's kid, Liu Han.
The smell of the meat roasting had attracted Liu Han to it.
Liu Han, with his big round eyes, stared hard at the rabbit.
"Little Han, you want some?" Lin Fan patted Liu Han's head and asked.
Liu Han bit his lips, agonized for a moment, and said, "No, daddy says nothing is for free in this world. We must earn it."
"It's all right. Your daddy helped me a lot. It's time for me to pay back."
Lin Fan replied and went into thoughts about how his dad had passed away.
And how Uncle Liu on and off gave him scraps of food to get by.
"I can really have some?" Liu Han asked hesitantly.
"Definitely, here." Lin Fan smiled and cut some meat for Liu Han.
As he was doing so, a voice shouted, "You rascal, what have I taught you!"
The owner of the voice was Uncle Liu, Liu Tian Ming.
A well-built middle-aged man.
As one of the hunters in the village, Uncle Liu carried his bow and arrow wherever he went.
"Don't be too hard on little Han. I forced him to accept my offer."
"But still..."
Uncle Liu walked up and pulled Liu Han away.
Lin Fan didn't care and stuffed half of the rabbit into Uncle Liu's hand.
"Keep it please, it's for all the help previously. On top of that, I've got a favor to ask."
Uncle Liu looked at the meat in his hand then at Lin Fan, hesitated for a while but finally accepted it.
"I heard the villagers talked about you and came to check on you. Thank God you are fine now. If it's within my ability, I will certainly help you."
"Thanks, Uncle Liu. I need your help to sell the rabbit skin."
Lin Fan showed Uncle Liu the rabbit skin.
Uncle Liu looked at it and said, "I can offer you one copper coin for it."
"Great! Would you be able to take in more if I am able to supply them?"
"Sure. Winter is coming, and all the fur and skins are in demand at the hunter's market."
Lin Fan thanked Uncle Liu and sighed in relief at the prospect of having a steady income stream.
Just as he was in a celebratory mood, a familiar sound rang in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Detected soul with malevolent intent incoming!]
[Terminate person with malevolent intent for 10 vengeance points.]