When Zhang Jinglin was rendered speechless by Ren Xiaosu's answers, he had no idea that Ren Xiaosu himself was also puzzled. He had taught everything he knew to the class—so why wasn't the task completed?
Could the knowledge he taught be… wrong?
"Sir," Ren Xiaosu said seriously, "you probably haven't seen how big the wolves out there are nowadays. Many people in town have never seen them or had to deal with them. But I have. Forget a whole pack—even if you meet a lone wolf, you might as well pick a burial plot."
Originally, Ren Xiaosu thought Zhang Jinglin would refute him. After all, saying something like that might undermine the teacher's authority.
But after thinking for a long while, Zhang Jinglin suddenly said, "From now on, you can sit inside the classroom for lessons. And you will teach the survival class."
For the first time, the town school outside Refuge Barrier 113 had a substitute teacher.
However, Ren Xiaosu did not explain to the class how, if he had encountered lone wolves or even wolf packs, he had survived.
"Task completed. Reward: +1.0 Strength."
…
Even after an entire day passed, Ren Xiaosu still couldn't find a chance to use that basic skill-learning scroll. He went to school because he liked absorbing knowledge, but the things Zhang Jinglin taught were temporarily useless for survival.
His priority was still survival.
Since he couldn't use the scroll, there was no way to verify whether everything in his mind was real or just his imagination.
Still, Ren Xiaosu kept waiting—because he felt there would be another task.
Now, after completing another task and gaining 1.0 Strength, the number was direct and clear, but Ren Xiaosu's physical sensation was even more obvious.
He could feel the faint swelling of muscles beneath his clothes—a true supernatural phenomenon. No one could suddenly gain muscle strength in 0.1 seconds.
Now Ren Xiaosu was certain: that palace in his mind was indeed a unique ability.
This realization filled him with an uncontrollable joy—truthfully, he should have been happy earlier, but he had been afraid it was all fake.
A seasoned hunter had to be familiar with his own body—how much weight he could carry, how fast and how hard he could strike.
So Ren Xiaosu assessed his newfound strength. If the strength of a normal adult man was 3.0, then he used to be 2.5.
He was only seventeen—it was natural to be weaker than a grown man. He survived in town not because he was strong, but because he was ruthless, cautious, and calm.
Now his strength surpassed that of an ordinary adult. That meant his chance of surviving on this wasteland just increased.
On their way home from school, Yan Liuyuan said excitedly, "Brother, you're a substitute teacher now! Maybe you'll replace Mr. Zhang and become the town's schoolteacher someday!"
Ren Xiaosu hesitated. "Actually… that might be true. Mr. Zhang also started as a substitute. When the old teacher passed away, he took over the school."
"Exactly. Everyone in town knows—if someone becomes a substitute teacher, he might eventually become the school's teacher. Mr. Zhang asked you to attend class AND let you teach. He must be grooming you to succeed him!"Yan Liuyuan laughed. "If the townsfolk learn about this, they'll treat us with a bit more respect!"
"That's unlikely." Ren Xiaosu thought for a moment. "I think he just ran out of cigarettes."
"…" Yan Liuyuan stared at him. "Are you serious?"
"Actually, becoming the school's teacher wouldn't be bad," Ren Xiaosu said. "If I become the teacher, I'll pass the job to you later. Then you'll be the schoolteacher."
Ren Xiaosu genuinely hadn't considered being a schoolteacher in the future. Not because he looked down on the job—otherwise he wouldn't be offering it to Liuyuan.
He just felt he wasn't suited for such work. If he never got the chance to enter a Refuge Barrier, then the wilderness was where he truly belonged.
As he walked, Ren Xiaosu imagined handing the teaching position to Yan Liuyuan someday, completely missing how Liuyuan had slowed to a stop. Staring at Ren Xiaosu's back, Liuyuan felt a complicated emotion.
This boy with bandaged hands—sharp-tongued as he was—always wanted to leave the best for him.
When Ren Xiaosu turned back and saw Liuyuan lagging behind, he snapped, "What are you doing? Hurry up!"
"Coming!"
Outside the barrier, factory chimneys spewed white smoke into the sky. The setting sun shone on the two boys' backs, as if life had never held any troubles.
…
On the way home, Ren Xiaosu and Liuyuan spotted the group that had come out of Refuge Barrier 113—around thirteen or fourteen people. Half wore brightly colored strange outfits, and the other half wore the combat uniforms of the barrier's private mercenaries. No wonder they dared travel into areas like Mount Jing.
Guides didn't need combat skills—just knowing the routes was enough.
Still, Ren Xiaosu didn't believe the barrier's mercenaries were all that capable. He rarely saw them venture outside; whether they had actual combat experience—or had even seen blood—was questionable.
Just then, he saw a few mercenaries smoking filtered cigarettes. Those were rare in the town.
A faint scent drifted over, and Ren Xiaosu caught a strange undertone. It reminded him of what Old Wang had said—many factory-made cigarettes had addictive stimulants mixed in.
He frowned. Mercenaries—who needed a clear mind—were smoking that?
He had seen people go insane from those cigarettes. The only difference was that these "better" ones looked more high-end.
People in town were gathering to gawk. The newcomers' clean faces contrasted sharply with the grime-covered locals.
"Brother, does that mean the barrier has plenty of water? Can they wash their faces every day?" Liuyuan blinked his bright eyes.
"Don't envy them. The natural oils on our faces protect our skin…" Ren Xiaosu offered half-hearted comfort.
But then he noticed something else—within the group, a unique presence.
A woman.
Wearing a baseball cap pulled low. Couldn't see her age. Dressed in loose yet fitted clothes. More normal-looking than the flamboyant others.
Ren Xiaosu paid attention to her because seeing her felt like spotting a wild predator on the plains.
Something was wrong with this group. Ren Xiaosu trusted his instincts.
He and Liuyuan kept their distance, watching as the group questioned Old Wang at the sparrow-collection shop.
Old Wang boomed, "If you're going through Mount Jing, you'll need Ren Xiaosu, that kid. Otherwise you'll never get across. And there are wolf packs out there—I'd advise you not to go that way."
One mercenary sneered, "Wolf packs run at the sound of gunshots. Why would we be afraid of them?"
Ren Xiaosu blinked. Wolves were afraid of gunshots? Maybe it was animal instinct. He had never seen firearms, so he wasn't sure—but he still doubted it.
Another mercenary asked, "Who's Ren Xiaosu? We don't need him to fight. He just needs to know the route."
"Oh, Ren Xiaosu is the best hunter in town. Knows most of the routes. Definitely the right guy," Old Wang said with a grin. "Just that the kid's a bit sick in the head…"
The moment he heard that, Ren Xiaosu turned away, dragging Liuyuan with him."Isn't Old Wang's boy in your class? That chubby one?"
Liuyuan sucked in a breath. "Brother… don't drag his family into this…"
Ren Xiaosu frowned. He had wanted to avoid this whole situation, yet Old Wang deliberately pushed him toward this strange group.