Time flowed like water in Greenstone Village—slow, steady, and quietly nourishing.
Days turned into weeks, then months. Zhang Wei fell into the rhythm of village life without even trying. Every morning he woke to the sound of roosters and Mei's sleepy complaints from the next room. He helped Uncle Li sweep the yard, weed the vegetable patch, and repair the thatched roof when the rain leaked through. In the afternoons they often went into the forest together, where Uncle Li taught him how to recognize useful plants.
"See this one? Silverleaf fern," Uncle Li would say, crouching down and pointing with a thick finger. "Good for stopping bleeding. Boil it long enough and it tastes less bitter than it looks."
Zhang Wei listened carefully, fingers gently touching the leaves, memorizing the shape, the smell, the way the veins ran. He asked questions, helped carry the basket, and sometimes even found a few herbs on his own. The knowledge stuck with him, simple but real.
Evenings were the best part. The three of them would sit around the low table again, sharing whatever simple meal they had—porridge with wild greens, sometimes a bit of dried fish or fresh vegetables from the garden. Mei would chatter about her day, teasing Zhang Wei about the dirt on his face. Uncle Li would grunt in agreement or tell old stories from when he was young. Zhang Wei laughed more than he ever had in his first life. The warmth of the candlelight, the clink of wooden bowls, the way Mei's eyes crinkled when she smiled—it all felt like something precious he didn't want to lose.
He never forgot the system, but for a while it stayed quiet in the back of his mind, like a volume knob turned low.
The day Zhang Wei turned fifteen arrived quietly, the same day Mei reached the same age.
It was a crisp autumn morning. The leaves on the mountain slopes had started turning gold and red. Uncle Li decided they should go into the forest to gather more firewood and maybe some late-season herbs. Zhang Wei grabbed his small knife and followed without hesitation.
They had been walking for less than an hour when they heard it—a deep, rumbling snort that made the hairs on Zhang Wei's neck stand up.
Not far ahead, a massive wild boar blocked the narrow trail. It was enormous, easily as tall as Uncle Li at the shoulder, with coarse black bristles, curved yellow tusks, and small, angry red eyes. Its hooves pawed the ground, sending dirt flying.
Uncle Li froze, face going pale. "Zhang Wei… back away slowly. That thing can gore a man in one charge."
But Zhang Wei's mind was already racing. He remembered stories Uncle Li had told him about hunting in the old days—pit traps, sharpened stakes, using the terrain. His heart pounded, but not with fear. With focus.
"Uncle, stay here and keep an eye on it," he whispered quickly. "Don't move. I have an idea."
Before Uncle Li could protest, Zhang Wei slipped into the bushes. He moved fast but carefully, finding a sturdy branch and using his knife to sharpen one end into a vicious point. Then he found a soft spot in the ground a little ways down the trail, dropped to his knees, and started digging with his hands and the knife. Sweat stung his eyes. His fingers bled from the sharp rocks, but he didn't stop. He drove the sharpened stake deep into the bottom of the hole, then covered it with thin branches and scattered leaves until it looked like normal ground.
He ran back to Uncle Li, breathing hard. "Stay right here. Don't do anything. I'll lure it."
"Boy, are you crazy—?"
But Zhang Wei was already moving.
He stepped out into the open, picked up a fist-sized rock, and hurled it straight at the boar's flank.
Thwack!
The boar squealed in rage, head whipping around. Its tiny eyes locked onto Zhang Wei.
"Come on, you big ugly bastard!" Zhang Wei shouted, waving his arms. He turned and ran.
The boar charged.
The ground shook with each heavy thud of its hooves. Zhang Wei sprinted down the trail, heart slamming against his ribs, legs pumping as fast as they could. Branches whipped at his face. The roar of the angry animal grew louder behind him.
Closer… closer…
He could feel the hot breath on his back. The trap was just ahead.
At the last second, Zhang Wei veered sharply to the side, leaping over a fallen log.
The boar didn't have time to turn.
Its front leg plunged straight into the hidden pit.
CRACK!
A horrible sound of wood splintering and flesh tearing filled the air. The boar screamed—a high, furious shriek—as its leg sank onto the sharpened stake. It thrashed wildly, trying to pull free, but the trap held. Blood sprayed across the leaves. Its massive body twisted, tusks slashing at empty air, eyes rolling with pain and rage.
Zhang Wei didn't hesitate.
He charged back in, knife gripped tight in his sweaty palm. The world narrowed to a single point—the thick, bristly neck of the beast. Adrenaline burned through his veins like fire.
With a sharp cry, he jumped onto the boar's back, grabbed a handful of coarse hair to steady himself, and drove the knife down hard into the side of its throat.
The blade sank deep.
The boar bucked violently, nearly throwing him off. Hot blood gushed over Zhang Wei's hands and arms. He twisted the knife, pushing deeper, feeling the resistance of muscle and tendon. The animal's screams grew weaker, its struggles slowing.
One final, shuddering breath.
Then silence.
Zhang Wei slid off the carcass, chest heaving, covered in blood and dirt. His hands were shaking, but he felt strangely alive.
Uncle Li came running up, eyes wide with disbelief. "You… you actually did it. By the heavens, boy! That was the craziest, bravest thing I've seen in twenty years!"
They worked together to butcher what they could. The boar was too big to carry back whole, so they took the best cuts—thick slabs of meat, the liver, some fat for cooking. The rest they had to leave for the forest animals. Uncle Li kept praising him the whole time, voice full of pride.
"Smart trap… quick thinking… steady hand with the knife. You're not just any kid, Zhang Wei. You've got real hunter's blood in you."
By the time they got back to the house, the sun was already low. Mei's eyes went huge when she saw the blood on their clothes and the heavy bundle of fresh meat.
That evening, Uncle Li worked quickly in the yard. He drained the blood, skinned the portions, and cut the meat into manageable pieces. Zhang Wei helped, learning how to separate the different cuts, how to clean the organs, how to salt some of it for later. The air filled with the rich smell of cooking meat as Uncle Li roasted thick slices over the fire with wild onions and herbs.
When the food was ready, the three of them sat down at the table for a real feast.
Mei clapped her hands in delight. "This is the best birthday ever! Fresh boar meat!"
Uncle Li laughed heartily and raised his bowl. "To both of you turning fifteen. And especially to Zhang Wei, who single-handedly took down a monster boar today with nothing but a knife and his wits!"
Zhang Wei smiled, cheeks a little warm from the praise. The meat was rich and juicy, the herbs giving it a wild, earthy flavor. They ate until their stomachs were full, laughing and talking. Uncle Li told the story again and again, exaggerating the size of the boar and how close the tusks had come to Zhang Wei's legs. Mei listened with wide eyes, gasping at all the right moments and teasing Zhang Wei about being "the great boar slayer."
For a few hours, the little house felt brighter than ever—full of warmth, good food, and the simple joy of being together.
Later that night, after the dishes were cleaned and everyone had gone to their mats, Zhang Wei lay down in the quiet darkness. His body was tired but satisfied. The faint smell of roasted meat still lingered in the air.
Then, the system finally spoke.
A soft blue glow appeared in front of his eyes, the window he hadn't seen in months.
[Level Up Notification – Delayed due to activity]Zhang Wei – Level 3
A new window slid in smoothly.
New attribute available:1. Poison2. Hunting Knowledge3. Herbal Knowledge
Zhang Wei stared at the three options, the soft blue light casting faint shadows on the ceiling. He thought carefully, mind still buzzing from the day's events.
Hunting Knowledge might be useful for survival, but he already had some real experience now, and it didn't seem directly related to cultivation. Poison… he wasn't sure yet. The snake bite had been scary, but he'd survived it once.
Herbal Knowledge, though… that felt right. Uncle Li had already taught him the basics, but real, deep understanding could save lives—his own or others. Knowing how to identify, prepare, and use plants properly wasn't just about surviving poison. It was about fighting illness, healing wounds, maybe even supporting cultivation later. And with his Hunger stat still sitting ridiculously high, eating was more about taste and small enjoyment than actual need. It would take a whole month of no food at all for the Hunger value to drop back to zero.
He made his choice.
Zhang Wei reached out and tapped the third option.
Herbal Knowledge – Unlocked
A rush of warmth flooded his mind. Not painful, but intense—like hundreds of memories and patterns suddenly arranging themselves in perfect order. Names, properties, combinations, preparation methods, even subtle differences between similar-looking plants. It felt like someone had turned up the clarity on a blurry picture. He could almost see the silverleaf fern in his mind, knowing exactly how long to boil it, what it could be mixed with, and how it would interact with different bodies.
He exhaled slowly, a small smile forming in the dark.
The world was changing. He was changing.
Fifteen years old. A successful hunt. A new ability quietly growing inside him. And still the quiet warmth of Uncle Li and Mei sleeping nearby.
Zhang Wei closed his eyes, letting the new knowledge settle.
Tomorrow would be another day.
But now, he had one more tool in his hands.
One more step forward on the long road ahead.