NOVEL NEXT Chapter 5: Bitter? Not Bitter
Chapter 5: Bitter? Not Bitter
“You said, how long can he last?”
During a break, several young people gathered together and discussed in low voices.
“Two days at most.”
“Two days? I think one day is tough enough. Haven’t you noticed? It’s been less than an hour, and he can barely lift his right hand. To put it bluntly, by the afternoon, he’ll probably give up.”
“Now that you mention it, I remember when I practiced archery for a day. When I got back that night, I couldn’t even hold a bowl, and my fingers were peeling.”
“Yeah, who didn’t? In comparison, practicing with guns is easier. If only we had pistols, it would be even better,” one young man said foolishly.
“You’re dreaming. The price of firearms has been driven up by those unscrupulous merchants. A bullet of this size has to be exchanged for several catties of grain. It’s ridiculous!”
As they chatted, the topic shifted from Chen Fan to other things.
Actually, Chen Fan was indeed feeling overwhelmed now. His body was not as strong as a normal person’s. Each time he pulled the bow fully, it took all his strength. After more than ten pulls, his entire right arm was trembling as if it didn’t belong to him at all.
The only benefit was that his proficiency had increased significantly.
**[Basic Archery: Lv0 (28%)]**
Once, he was only a finger’s width away from the bullseye, which instantly increased his progress by 5%.
Chen Fan took a deep breath and lifted his numb right arm again to draw the bowstring. However, this time, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t draw it fully. The next moment, the arrow slipped from his hand, flew three or four meters, and stuck in the ground.
“Are you stupid, kid? If you’re out of strength, don’t you know to rest for a while?” Zhang’s voice sounded.
Chen Fan turned around and gave him an embarrassed smile. “Uncle Zhang, you’re right. I’ll rest for a while.”
Saying this, he sighed. Haste makes waste. Although he wanted to master his proficiency quickly, his physical condition didn’t allow it.
“Come over here, I’ll massage your arm,” Zhang said again.
This time, not only was Chen Fan stunned, but even the young men sitting nearby were taken aback. Their eyes seemed to say, “We didn’t get this treatment when we practiced archery.”
“Hmph,” Zhang scoffed at them. “You call that practicing archery? Weak and feeble. Those who know might think you’re practicing archery; those who don’t might think you’re fluffing cotton.”
The young men blushed immediately.
Although they did slack off a few times, their arms were sore and they couldn’t muster the strength.
Chen Fan, feeling awkward, said, “Uncle Zhang, you don’t have to.”
“If you don’t want to end up not being able to pull up your pants when you go to the bathroom, I have no problem,” Zhang shrugged.
Chen Fan hesitated and then said, “Then, thank you, Uncle Zhang.”
“Why didn’t you do this earlier? So much fuss.” Zhang limped over, muttering.
Though his words were rough, anyone could hear the concern behind them.
Chen Fan extended his right arm and soon felt a wave of comfort, as if his previous fatigue had been swept away. His body regained control over his right arm.
After about twenty minutes, Chen Fan tried to withdraw his arm several times, but was stopped by Zhang’s gaze.
When the massage was over, Chen Fan, even more embarrassed, said, “Uncle Zhang, thank you for your hard work.”
Zhang waved his hand, “Compared to what your father did for the people in the village, this is nothing.”
Chen Fan was stunned and began to understand.
Uncle Zhang was referring to his father’s efforts to ensure the survival of everyone in the village, regardless of age or gender.
“Boy, listen to Uncle Zhang. Archery is not easy to master. Even if you can hit the bullseye now, in the wild, with moving targets, it’s hard to hit.”
He glanced at the longbow, speaking earnestly.
“Uncle Zhang, I understand. But if I give up now, wouldn’t it be quitting halfway?” Chen Fan looked him in the eye, speaking calmly.
The progress bar for basic archery was close to 30%. Giving up now would mean starting over, wasting all his previous effort.
“That’s true.” Zhang nodded, saying, “Practice slowly,” then turned and left.
Of course, the young men on the other side were working hard.
Chen Fan watched Zhang’s back and thought, Uncle Zhang seems rough, often cursing, but he’s a delicate person at heart. If he weren’t lame, he would surely be my father’s right-hand man.
Sighing, Chen Fan picked up his bow and arrow again, heading towards the target.
Drawing the bow and shooting repeatedly might seem boring to others, with no visible feedback. But for him, each correctly performed shot increased his proficiency slightly. The closer to the bullseye, the greater the proficiency gain.
This refreshed him, and he corrected his posture with each shot, making the physical exhaustion bearable.
“It seems I underestimated this kid,” Zhang nodded slightly, watching.
Just having the spirit to strive for the best each time set him apart in the village. Perhaps he could really persist?
Time passed slowly. At noon, Chen Fan went back for lunch, which was the same as the previous night’s dinner—a bowl of porridge.
However, after learning that Chen Fan was practicing archery, the woman added an extra spoonful to his bowl.
“Xiaofan, if it’s too hard, stop practicing,” she said, looking at his red hands with heartache.
Though she was glad Chen Fan was sensible and willing to share the burden, she worried about the father and son hunting together. If something happened, how could she, as a woman with a child, survive?
Chen Fan smiled and shook his head. Hard? Not really, he was actually enjoying it.
After quickly finishing his porridge, he rushed back to practice archery, leaving behind a distressed mother and a bewildered brother.
“Ah, there’s no choice. Time is tight, and I must seize every moment,” Chen Fan sighed.
The camp was already fragile, and any further blow could be disastrous. His past experiences taught him that misfortune often comes in waves. He must grow quickly.
Walking briskly, he checked his attribute panel.
After a morning of practice, his basic archery proficiency had reached 52%. If everything went well, he could raise this skill to level 1 before dark.
At that time, there would definitely be significant changes!