Chapter 42: Chapter 41: Indenture Contract, Level 10 Mutated Wolf Fang
Hearing Lin Feng’s response, Father Su An smiled slightly but shook his head, saying:
"The Church has its own specially trained protective forces. Qualified students will become Combat Priests and Temple Knights. There’s no need for outsiders to serve."
Lin Feng froze for a moment, quickly realizing the issue, and hurriedly changed his line:
"As part of the Desert Hunting Team, we will serve only you, Father."
Father Su An nodded with satisfaction:
"As a priest, I cannot leave Oasis Town too far. Sometimes when things arise, it requires outside personnel to handle them."
"Rest assured, it’s just like a bounty order, but issued directly by me, bypassing the Guild."
"As for rewards and compensation, it’ll be more than what you would earn accepting orders from the Guild, and you can get internal prices on merchandise in the Church’s shop."
"The number of tasks won’t be too many, nor will they be too long."
"Compared to those that last ten or twenty years outside, you only need to complete a few tasks within the next two or three years, after which you will regain your freedom."
"But correspondingly, I cannot provide support like motorhomes or combat vehicles, you’ll need to earn and accumulate those yourself, and it might be tough initially."
"So, for the next few Holy Spring Days, there won’t be any tasks. After you become Evolvers, you can take on more orders, striving to enhance the team’s strength."
After introducing his requirements and benefits, Father Su An took a few sips from the bowl of meat porridge before continuing:
"About the situation outside the village earlier, how did you provoke them during the wolf hunting operation?"
Upon hearing Father Su An mention the crucial issue, Lin Feng, immersed in thought, realized it and quickly explained the whole story:
"Our wolf hunting operation was overheard by a steward under an Evolver. He and his people planned to ambush us, but I directly counter-killed them."
"Captain Chen shot and killed that guy at the Nongzhuang Village entrance during the pursuit."
"He seemed to be part of the Li Family from Nongzhuang Village, so we formed a grudge, but since he was sent as a steward, he shouldn’t be a key figure."
Su An nodded, reminding:
"Minor issue, just wait and send someone to greet the Li Family Village Chief."
"In the future, they won’t act openly, but be wary of their schemes behind the scenes, especially Evolvers loyal to the Li Family, who might sabotage during outside missions."
Lin Feng thanked repeatedly.
After lunch, everyone returned to the Church.
Father Su An checked Chen Shanshan’s condition and intended to let her rest more, planning evolution after noon.
After all, it’s a gunshot wound, which normally takes months for a regular person to recover from.
Thanks to the physique of a Level 9 Enhanced Person being five times superior to normal human physique, the wound had already scabbed but still required more rest.
During this period, Lin Feng asked if they could extract a heart or thigh meat from the Level 9 Desolate Wolf corpse to aid Chen Shanshan’s recovery.
This part of the consumption would be deducted with points.
Consuming edible enhanced meat of the same or higher level can restore lost Life Value and accelerate wound healing.
Father Su An nodded:
"There happens to be a need for manpower to handle these wolf corpses. You help out, and the enhanced meat counts as recompense, which will also strengthen your team’s power when you return."
Lin Feng was overjoyed, knowing that what Father Su An truly cared about were the Mutated Steel Wolf Fangs in the Desert Wolves’ mouths, not the other parts.
After instructing Liu Qian to take care of Chen Shanshan, Lin Feng followed Father Su An to leave.
After the two left, the three women sat quietly in the solemn church, exchanging casual conversation.
Today’s experiences left Ah Lian feeling unsettled, still not recovered.
She never imagined that Chen Shanshan, always kind-hearted, could do something so courageous.
Since she returned following Lin Feng, Ah Lian didn’t know the follow-up of Chen Shanshan chasing the attacker.
She thought Chen Shanshan had only been shot once.
What surprised Ah Lian more is how Lin Feng and his team managed to find a glimmer of hope in this desperate situation.
Serving Father Su An is far more favorable and fair compared to signing a labor contract with the other Three Major Clans.
While discussing this matter with the other two women, Ah Lian spoke:
"Usually, very few people complete evolution through the Holy Spring Church, unless they have made significant contributions to the Church. Ordinary Evolvers rely on the Three Major Clans and sign cooperation contracts with them."
On this matter, Chen Shanshan wasn’t familiar, only knowing that her master worked hard for many years to escape the control of the major clans of the Oasis, becoming a free Evolver.
She was only in her teens then, and due to the numerous chores of the Desert Hunting Team, she voluntarily took on logistical tasks, not having time for Church schools.
Although her master and others never let her go either.
Powerful hunters maintain a trace of vigilance toward the Holy Spring Church amidst their admiration.
Frowning slightly, Ah Lian elaborated:
"It’s said to be a cooperation contract, but it’s essentially a servitude contract, requiring ten or even twenty years of service to the Three Major Clans, completing tasks they assign.
"For instance, Nongzhuang Village needs to collect wild Rock-Horned Horses as breeding material to ensure quality livestock, Dusk Village and Mechanical Village require retrieval of copper and wiring from past city ruins, including discarded vehicles, etc."
"These are just daily chores; the crucial part is exploring underground ruins on behalf of the Three Major Clans, collecting supplies."
"Inside the ruins, there are shelters with preserved modern civilization, abundant resources but fraught with danger."
"Even powerful Evolvers face high mortality rates inside."
With a sigh, Ah Lian lamented:
"The motorhomes and weapons assigned to each Evolver are provided under this servitude contract—the more borrowed in advance, the longer the bonded constraint. Li Hu prepared for many years, specifically to rid himself of Oasis’s exploitation once becoming an Evolver."
"The plan was to save money and take everyone away from Oasis Town, to the big cities, to see the world..."
Chen Shanshan remained silent; all their efforts now, after the wolf hunting operation, had become Lin Feng’s team’s fortunes.
At this point, Liu Qian looked at Ah Lian and replied:
"Though Captain Li Hu has passed, his ambition has been inherited by Lin Feng."
"The words he imparted before passing, perhaps he wanted Lin Feng to witness this world on his behalf."
"We are survivors of this operation, it’s recorded—the more dispersed we are, the easier we become targets, individually picked off by Nongzhuang Village’s cronies."
"Only by uniting can we survive."
Pledging allegiance to Father Su An merely alleviates the crisis temporarily, while threats from Nongzhuang Village remain unresolved.
If everyone wants to live, they must tightly rally around Lin Feng, engaging in resistance and counterattacks.
Ah Lian is a Level 9 Enhanced Person, with rich wasteland experience and significant prowess. Bringing her, alongside the rest of the team, would be a huge relief for Lin Feng’s personnel-deficient team.
Given Liu Qian’s guidance and analysis, Ah Lian nodded and sighed:
"I’ll consider it."
Meanwhile, on the other side of Holy Spring Village, within the cold storage vehicle at the far right side, Lin Feng was cutting up the wolf corpses with a dagger.
Father Su An and Lin Feng both donned a set of plastic raincoats. Per Father’s instruction, from the Desert Wolf carcasses, besides prying away all the Fine Steel Wolf Fangs, they collected lymph nodes and various glands near the blood vessels.
Including the liver and kidneys.
The former Lin Feng understood—their connection with Mutated Wolf Fangs’ unknown effects—but the latter organs accumulate toxins.
Father Su An specifically collecting these, for what purpose, Lin Feng was uncertain.
Working for four hours, beginning at dawn around six until ten, they fully processed the twenty-one Desert Wolf corpses.
Extracted the internal organs, peeled off the wolf hides, with the de-skinned products stacked in the cold storage by Father, the temperature inside sank to minus ten degrees, allowing long-term preservation.
From the mouths of three Level 9 Desolate Wolves, several Level 9 Mutated Steel Dog Teeth were discovered.
Especially in the Wolf Pack Leader’s mouth, Lin Feng pried out two reddened Steel Dog Teeth, both fifteen centimeters long:
"Mutated Steel Wolf Fang Level 10, Red Quality"
"Possesses strong biological activity, implantable within the body to optimize cell structure, greatly enhancing Physique strength, having intense Spirit impacts, related to the mysterious wolf race bloodline heritage, liable to trigger unknown consequences."
Red Quality signifies the next stage aligned with Level 10 Evolver tier, which the tricycle had encountered previously.
Now, the Level 10 Mutated Wolf Fang broadened Lin Feng’s perspective regarding this eerily frenzied world.
The active components within might be the source of evolution.
Father Su An, delighted with the acquisition of two Level 10 Mutated Wolf Fangs.
Lin Feng seized the opportunity to inquire about taking some ordinary Fine Steel Wolf Fangs to enhance equipment.
Satisfied with the Level 10 Wolf Fang in hand, Father Su An gladly agreed.
Lin Feng pocketed twenty-plus Fine Steel Wolf Fangs, felt his waistline where the automatic pistol hung, and knew his combat power had further intensified.
Alongside, he also took away one Level 9 Wolf Heart.
Plus, two wolf legs weighing a hundred pounds each from Level 9 wolves.