Seeing Niley frown, his eyes darkened slightly. He opened his mouth to say something, but Niley nodded before he could speak.
The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, but since he usually had a cold expression, his smile looked awkward and stiff.
So, he quickly turned around and casually walked outside to wait for Niley at the door.
Mier saw that his older brother had already left with the basket. He looked at Niley, who was still watching him, raised his chin slightly, and signaled her to follow.
Niley was bored at home, so she decided to go with them.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Liam, who was waiting outside, glanced back and saw it was Niley. He instantly walked ahead with a light step.
Although winter was over and early spring was beginning, the weather was still cold.
When Niley opened her mouth, she could still see her breath. Looking at the person in front wearing thin clothes but walking tall and straight, she couldn't help but shake her head and mutter, "He really isn't afraid of the cold."
Just watching him made her feel cold.
That morning, he had even used cold water to wash up. He must really not be scared of the cold.
Liam walked ahead, occasionally glancing back to make sure she was following, while keeping a close eye on the surroundings in case any wild animals jumped out.
Because it was early in the day and still cold, they didn't see anyone on the way up the mountain.
Behind him, Niley noticed Liam heading to the spot they had visited last time. She already guessed he wanted to check the trap for animals.
Curious, she stepped forward to take a look.
Surprisingly, the trap was quite well made. It was covered with dry branches and leaves, making it hard to spot unless you looked closely.
Last time, she had been too focused on Mier to really notice it.
When Liam cleared away the dry branches and leaves, the trap became clearly visible. It was nearly two meters deep and filled with sharpened bamboo at the bottom. If any animal fell in, it would either die or be seriously injured. However, it was also a bit dangerous.
"There's nothing here. Let's go."
Niley was lost in thought when she heard Liam's voice. She turned around and saw him calmly looking at the empty trap.
Knowing the Chen family was going through hard times, Niley decided to help a little.
Even though she could sell things from her space for money, this big family needed to have their own way to survive. Otherwise, if she left one day, they wouldn't be able to manage.
Thinking this, she looked at Liam, who was about to walk away, and secretly tossed a few chickens into the trap when he wasn't looking.
Then she pretended nothing had happened and followed him.
They went on to check two more traps, but still found nothing.
Niley started feeling a bit uninterested. She looked at Liam, who remained calm, and asked, "Why don't you show any reaction?"
Liam looked at her, confused, and when he saw the disappointment on her face, he lowered his head and said, "Wife Master, I'm sorry. I'm useless."
Niley's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't meant to blame him!
She quickly waved her hand. "No, I just meant, we checked several traps and didn't catch anything. Aren't you even a little disappointed?"
"I'm used to it."
Niley: …
She suddenly felt a little upset.
She walked up and patted Liam on the shoulder, speaking seriously. "Don't worry, I'll teach you. You'll learn for sure."
Liam was surprised to hear her promise so confidently. "Wife Master knows how to hunt?"
"Of course!"
But what she hunted before weren't animals—they were zombies.
When Liam heard this, his eyes instantly lit up. "It's an honor that Wife Master is willing to teach me."
Being looked at with such admiration, Niley, still young, couldn't help but feel proud. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Have you ever been deep into the mountains?"
Hunting was better in the deep mountains—though it was more dangerous, there were also more animals.
When Liam nodded, she continued, "The deep mountains are dangerous, but there are more animals. Still, if you're alone, don't go in. I'll teach you some survival skills first. That way, if anything happens, you can escape."
Seeing her talking nonstop, Liam tried to hide a small smile. He slightly lifted the corners of his mouth, but when Niley looked over, he quickly returned to his usual serious expression and just nodded.
After agreeing, Niley told Liam to take her into the deep mountain.
They followed a narrow path deeper into the forest. After a while, the road ahead disappeared.
Liam picked up a stick from the side of the road and handed it to Niley. "Wife Master, be careful."
Then he grabbed another stick for himself and began tapping along the road. Niley knew what he was doing. When she and Mier came before, they did the same—to scare away snakes or mice that might suddenly appear.
Once they were fully in the deep forest, Niley realized how different it was.
The winter fog filled the woods, and the trees looked shadowy and eerie. It felt quiet but dangerous.
Even though she had faced countless zombie waves, this unfamiliar forest made her realize she may have spoken too confidently to Liam. She slowed down and carefully tugged his sleeve. "Let's be careful."
"Wife Master, are you scared?"
His low, magnetic voice sounded beside her ear. Niley opened her mouth to deny it, but Liam suddenly stepped in front of her. "I'll protect you."
Niley: …
This guy was pretty manly, but hello—it's a matriarchal society here!
She swallowed and took a deep breath.
The forest wasn't that scary. She just didn't know what might jump out—that's what made her nervous.
With that thought, she released her wood-type power, surrounding herself and Liam. For some reason, she felt uneasy.
The next second, her body reacted instinctively. She grabbed Liam and used her ability to pull them both up into a tree—just as a silver-gray wolf charged at the spot they had just been standing.
It missed and turned back, staring fiercely at them in the tree.
Liam was suddenly pulled into Niley's arms and had no time to react. When he realized he was up in a tree, he blinked quickly and grabbed Niley tightly.
But a strange glint flashed in his eyes.
Niley thought he was just scared and reassured him, "Don't worry, I'm here."
She placed him on a branch and was about to jump down, but Liam held her tightly and said, "Let me deal with the wolves first. Then I'll help you down."
When Liam looked down, he saw that the wolf wasn't alone. A whole pack had appeared behind it. Of course—wolves always moved in groups.
He became worried and said, "Wife Master, please be careful."
He was about to hand her a sickle, but when he saw her summoning vines, he silently put it away.
But just as Niley jumped down, Liam lost his balance and accidentally fell from the tree too.