Chapter 12: Chapter 12

C12 – Worry

S-rank evaluation!

“What’s the reward?”

Zhao Yuegu gazed at the golden S-rank box that hovered in his mind.

“Open it.”

“Congratulations, host, on obtaining a fivefold increase in physical strength!”

Immediately, a surge of power spread from his mind throughout his body. Zhao Yuegu could distinctly feel every cell vibrating, his muscles spasming in response.

Then came an unparalleled sensation of relief, as if he were floating on a cloud, surrounded by numerous gentle hands giving him a deep massage.

Pure bliss!

Regrettably, the sensation lasted only half a minute before it rapidly faded away.

In its place, his once-fatigued body was now brimming with vitality!

His strength had quintupled, his speed had increased, and his spirits were higher than ever.

Squeezing his arm, he could tell it was definitely more resilient than before.

“Even the physique of a special forces king would likely fall short of mine now!”

“If I encounter that wild boar again, I’m confident I could wrestle it barehanded and pummel it to death.”

Zhao Yuegu’s eyes shone with renewed brightness!

Without hesitation, he hoisted the deceased boar onto his shoulder.

Pork was pricey these days.

This two-meter beast must weigh close to 800 pounds!

Considering a large domestic pig averages around 400 to 500 pounds, this was a substantial amount of meat—enough to last a very long time!

With the massive wild boar on his back, Zhao Yuegu staggered slightly as he emerged from the woods.

Just outside the forest, he encountered the anxious program team members, weapons in hand, debating whether to venture into the woods.

Their eyes nearly bulged out when they saw the wild boar on Zhao’s shoulder!

“Is that wild boar really dead?”

“Zhao Yuegu is incredibly strong!”

“Remarkable!”

Amidst the accolades, Zhao Yuegu offered a bashful smile.

“Just luck, pure luck!”

Had the boar not impaled itself on the arrow, he might have struggled until the next day to bring it down.

“Zhao Yuegu, you’re too humble.”

“Here, let me help you with that heavy boar.”

The cameraman approached with eager enthusiasm.

As he grappled with the wild boar, it remained utterly still on Zhao Yuegu’s shoulder.

“Man, it’s heavy!”

The cameraman chuckled, inhaled deeply, and his arm muscles swelled.

Yet, even with his face turning beet red, the boar didn’t budge!

“I’ve been training hard to lift my camera gear.”

“Why can’t I move this boar at all?”

“How much does it weigh?”

Eventually, the cameraman had to call for backup.

“Could use a hand here!”

Three team members came over, but even with their combined effort, the boar only slightly wobbled on Zhao Yuegu’s shoulder.

They were mortified by their struggle!

“How can this boar be so incredibly heavy?”

Zhao Yuegu gestured dismissively.

“Thanks, everyone, but I’ve got this. Let’s head back.”

With that, Zhao Yuegu hoisted the boar onto his shoulders and started toward the village.

The program team members followed, lights in hand, and murmurs of awe filled the air.

“Zhao’s strength is unbelievable. What’s his secret?”

“This boar’s got to be pushing 800 pounds. How old is it?”

“Back home, wild boars top out at maybe 100 pounds. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“I remember reading about a 1200-pound boar taken down by a hunter abroad.”

“It’s got to be the pristine environment here that lets them get so massive.”

“We’ll need to be extra cautious when filming from now on.”

Their respect for Zhao Yuegu grew with each passing moment.

To take down a wild boar with just a crossbow was nothing short of badass.

And to carry 800 pounds without breaking a sweat or losing breath made the men question their own strength.

800 pounds!

Even a champion weightlifter maxes out at around 300!

The deeper their admiration for Zhao Yuegu became.

Finally, the usually quiet cameraman couldn’t contain his curiosity and approached Zhao.

“Zhao, how on earth did you build such strength?”

Zhao Yuegu gave a nonchalant touch to his nose.

“Just farm work, that’s all.”

The cameraman was on the verge of a meltdown.

He could concede that farmers were typically strong.

But this was beyond belief.

In the stories, Lu Zhishen uprooted willows, and the ancient hero Xiang Yu lifted a massive cauldron. Surely, this was on par with those legends!

It was astounding!

Eventually, the program team couldn’t resist capturing the moment on camera.

Zhao Yuegu noticed but didn’t object.

Being strong was nothing to hide.

It took them half an hour to finally make it back to the courtyard.

Lin Luqin had been waiting, fraught with worry that Zhao Yuegu might have come to harm.

Xueman, on the other hand, remained serene.

“Brother will be alright,” she assured.

Her confidence in Zhao Yuegu was unshakable.

At the sound of footsteps approaching the courtyard, they both rose eagerly, eyes fixed on the gate.

When Zhao Yuegu strode in, a massive wild boar hoisted on his shoulders, Lin Luqin’s mind went blank, her gaze riveted on the man exuding raw masculinity.

His image slowly seeped into every corner of her mind, thoroughly conquering her heart.

She clutched at her chest, feeling like a young bride awaiting her husband’s return.

What girl wouldn’t be drawn to a strong man?

Especially one who was not only brawny but also incredibly handsome!

It wasn’t until Zhao Yuegu dropped the boar with a thud that Lin Luqin snapped out of her daze.

“You’re not injured, are you?”

“No,” he replied with a smile, scooping up Xueman as she rushed into his arms.

“Brother, I missed you. My brother wouldn’t get hurt.”

Zhao Yuegu affectionately tousled Xueman’s nose.

“We’ll have pork for dinner tonight.”

“Brother, you’re the greatest!”

After a playful pinch to Xueman’s cheek, Zhao Yuegu turned to Lin Luqin and said, “I nearly lost my life out there.”

Lin Luqin’s anxiety spiked.

“Why would you be so careless?”

“Worried about me?”

“As if I’d worry about you! Hmph,” Lin Luqin retorted, turning her head away.

Zhao Yuegu touched his nose, at a loss for words, and instructed Xueman to heat some water to start processing the boar.

In this sweltering heat, they had to act fast, or the meat would spoil in no time.

The female director eyed the wild boar meat, her brow furrowing ever so lightly.

She was quite tempted to purchase some of the pork to try for herself.

Given the wild boar’s size, it was more than Zhao Yuegu could possibly consume alone.

Yet, as she parted her lips to speak, she found herself hesitating, unable to voice her desire.

The fear of Zhao Yuegu’s asking price being beyond her means held her back.