As soon as the words left his lips, Chen Fan sprang out of the grass. He effortlessly drew his bow with his left hand, nocked an arrow with his right, and in one seamless motion, released the arrow, executing a fluid and practiced movement that seemed as natural as flowing water.
Before anyone could fully grasp what was happening, they heard a distinct whoosh in the air as arrows were released.
Eighty meters away, a Steppenwolf, oblivious to the approaching danger, was engrossed in its meal. In the blink of an eye, an arrow arrived, spinning wildly as it pierced through the wolf from its back to its belly, pinning it to the ground.
A piercing howl echoed, causing the other wolves to snap their heads up, their awareness slowly dawning. A few of them even sensed it the moment Chen Fan raised his head.
However, it was already too late.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Three sharp and consecutive twangs echoed through the air.
Pfft!
A crisp sound rang out as three more Steppenwolves collapsed into a pool of blood.
Within this distance, even rudimentary armor would prove as fragile as paper, let alone a few wolves.
"Damn!" Gao Yang's eyes were practically popping out of their sockets, and a string of profanities escaped his mouth.
The others were still catching up to what had just transpired.
The wolves appeared momentarily stunned by this abrupt onslaught.
Staring at their fallen packmate, they communicated among themselves with subdued, low growls.
Whirring whirring!
Chen Fan was gasping heavily at this point, his sweat flowing like a river. His left hand, which held the eighty-pound bow, trembled incessantly, as if these arms were no longer his own.
Drawing an eighty-pound bow and firing four consecutive shots was an immensely taxing endeavor.
But he had no choice. Since it was his battle plan, there was no room for error.
Of course, this was far from the end!
Glancing at the 40 experience points he had just earned, Chen Fan decided to push himself further.
A bit more!
Eight experience points instantly vanished, replaced by a comforting warmth that surged through his entire body, dispelling half of the previous fatigue. His arms regained their composure, and his racing heartbeat gradually slowed.
His physical condition had improved.
Carry on!
Another 16 experience points dissipated, and an even more potent surge of warmth coursed through him. Most of the fatigue melted away, and his muscles tightened all over his body.
Not just his physique, but also his strength had improved significantly.
Chen Fan didn't have time to observe the changes brought about by the double upgrades of the [Tai Chi Style], just as he didn't have time to gauge how proficient he had become in [Basic Archery] after quadruple shooting.
He swiftly nocked another arrow and aimed at another Steppenwolf.
The creature, sensing the imminent danger, instinctively tried to retreat—backwards, not forwards. It was afraid.
But it was already too late. In the next moment, an arrow pierced through its skull, exiting through its body. Most of the other wolves narrowly escaped being hit.
Aww! Aww!
The wolves finally snapped out of their stupor. A fierce glint gleamed in their eyes as they fixed their collective gaze on Chen Fan, the lone human armed with a bow and arrow.
"Watch out! They're approaching!" Chen Guodong shouted anxiously, springing to his feet.
In the next instant, a group of seven or eight burly men emerged from the tall grass, wielding long spears that glistened in the sunlight.
The remaining Steppenwolves, upon witnessing this development, took a collective step backward in alarm.
If they could articulate their thoughts, they would surely express their torment. When had this group of humans infiltrated so close?
But the nightmare wasn't over yet.
Whoosh!
Almost simultaneously with the piercing sound of an arrow slicing through the air, another Steppenwolf fell lifeless into a pool of blood.
At this moment, fewer than half of the original eleven wolves remained. After exchanging fearful glances, the remaining five Steppenwolves chose to tuck their tails and flee, turning away in unison.
"This…"
The expressions on the faces of the assembled people brimmed with excitement.
What an unexpected turn of events! They had anticipated a fierce showdown, clutching their short spears tightly in anticipation. Yet, in the end, the wolves simply retreated, dejected and dispirited.
"Hoo..."
Chen Fan heaved a sigh of relief, his right arm hanging limp at his side.
He had indeed pushed himself to the limit this time, but he remained unafraid of the Steppenwolves charging towards him.
With the two kills he had just secured, he now had a staggering 36 experience points. Upgrading [Tai Chi Style] again wouldn't be a challenge and could yield substantial experience gains.
However, even though these creatures lacked intelligence, they still possessed the instinctual tendency to seek advantages and avoid risks.
All in all, he was quite content with the outcome.
"Hiss."
The bald man gasped, his head swiveling like a mechanical puppet as he turned to Chen Fan. "Xiao Fan, you said you could shoot up to four wolves?"
"Even though your Uncle Gao dropped out of junior high school before completing it, four and six are still distinguishable," Gao Yang chimed in quietly, his nervousness from the recent ordeal still palpable.
"Xiao Fan, you're too incredible. You single-handedly dispatched half of the Steppenwolves. With this kind of skill, did we really need to leave the bull behind and return?" one person wondered.
"Yeah, was all this really necessary?" another chimed in.
Chen Fan offered a wry smile and replied, "It was necessary. Without this tactic, we would have had to confront them head-on, and within a hundred meters, I could, at best, take down two of them. That's pushing it. Beyond that, we'd have had to engage them directly, and the risk would have been far too great."
"True," everyone concurred, their astonishment lingering.
"Guodong, it seems this kid has quite the potential," the bald man remarked to Father Chen with a hint of jealousy in his tone.
Chen Guodong remained silent, but his eyes gleamed with pride.
Exceptional marksmanship, intelligence, and a calm demeanor – Chen Fan possessed all the qualities needed for a leader. He noted that the team members were increasingly placing their trust in his son.
"Alright, everyone, let's not stand around in a daze. If you have something to say, we can discuss it later. Let's hurry and prepare these wolves and that bull. We don't know how much meat is salvageable. Let's bring it home, cook it, and eat it," Chen Guodong urged.
In this world, having meat to eat was a luxury, and no one cared if it was previously gnawed on by wolves.
The group got to work. After all, the wolves, once they returned, might call for reinforcements. Though the likelihood was low, the pungent scent of blood in the vicinity could attract other carnivorous beasts.
Chen Fan remained where he was, his breathing still labored.
"Xiaofan, are you sure you can keep going? How about I carry you back later, son?" Chen Guodong expressed concern.
"...," Chen Fan couldn't help but chuckle. "It's alright, Dad. I just need a short rest."
"Alright."
Chen Guodong displayed a hint of embarrassment, taking a couple of steps toward the group. Then, he stopped abruptly, turned around, and flashed a rare smile. "You did well this time."
With those words, he hurriedly moved forward.
"Hehe," Chen Fan smiled. It wasn't every day he received such a heartfelt compliment from his typically reserved father.
"By the way, how's the situation with [Tai Chi Style] now?" he wondered aloud, quickly checking the skill bar in the attribute panel.