104: Chapter 104 Isn't this Hu Gualing, the Great Hero?

There are currently only three players in Xiao Huang Village, and the villagers, who work from sunrise to sunset, live very peaceful lives without any twists and turns.

Therefore, upon learning that Hu Gualing was going to challenge Miao Cuihua, such an interesting event, Tang Yao didn't want to miss it at all, and she very attentively checked the sky for Hu Gualing.

Based on her experience living in the game for several days, she quickly judged that the sun would rise before long, and by the time they walked from here to the Village East Entrance, the villagers would likely be out and about.

So Tang Yao, feeling a bit impatient, urged Hu Gualing to set off immediately.

Although Hu Gualing couldn't understand why Tang Yao was so invested in the challenge against Miao Cuihua, since it was a matter of the sooner the better, he had no objections. He waited for Tang Yao to wash the dirt off her face and hands, and then the group set off for the Village East Entrance.

Before the three of them had even stepped out of the courtyard gate, a black shadow suddenly darted out from the darkness.

Xiao Niao had long become a nervous wreck tonight. Seeing the shadow from afar, he was so frightened that both his feet left the ground at the same time, and he lunged at Hu Gualing as if trying to scramble up a tree.

Hu Gualing was immersed in the excitement before the battle, his adrenaline already starting to flow, so he was a bit thick-skinned and didn't notice the black shadow.

But Xiao Niao, who was beside him, suddenly lunged without warning, wrapping his hands and feet around his body like a koala, hanging onto him...

This sudden movement really gave Hu Gualing a fright. The sudden addition of over a hundred pounds of weight caught him off guard, causing him to fall to the ground with a "thump."

Hu Gualing cried out on the ground: "Ouch, ouch."

Yet Xiao Niao was still clinging tightly to Hu Gualing with his hands and feet, refusing to let go.

At this moment, the black shadow ran to Tang Yao's feet, rubbed against them, and made a "snort, snort" sound.

Hearing this somewhat familiar "snorting" sound, Hu Gualing and Xiao Niao began to calm down a bit. Lying on the ground and looking over at Tang Yao's feet, they finally realized that the black shadow was just a little piglet.

Tang Yao crouched down, stroked the piglet's head, and explained to the two: "This is Little Sharp-Teeth. It loves to sleep. When I was digging the pond, it kept hiding and sleeping, and only followed me when it saw I was about to leave."

Hu Gualing and Xiao Niao suddenly understood.

They had seen this Sharp-toothed Piglet before; it was Tang Yao's pet, either following by Tang Yao's side or being carried by Tang Yao.

They must have been too nervous tonight and forgot about this for a moment.

However, listening to Tang Yao's description, this piglet hiding to slack off and sleep was quite similar to the days when he worked the night shift at Jinkai Factory. Hu Gualing thought to himself and couldn't help but feel a sense of closeness to the Sharp-toothed Piglet. He reached out with a chuckle to pet it, only to realize his hand couldn't reach it because he was still being pinned down by Xiao Niao...

Hu Gualing glared at Xiao Niao: "You are such a coward!"

"Ahem." Xiao Niao acted as if he hadn't heard, nonchalantly loosened his limbs, stood up, and leisurely straightened his clothes.

"Hmph." Hu Gualing also stood up and dusted off his bottom.

Tang Yao picked up Sharp Tooth into her arms and stood up: "You two, two grown men, and you're this timid?"

By now, Tang Yao also sensed something was wrong. Hu Gualing and Xiao Niao, these two people, had been acting too strangely tonight! It was like they were afraid of something, but what was there to be afraid of here? Could it be that they were afraid of the dark?

Hu Gualing and Xiao Niao certainly couldn't answer, just scratching their heads in silence.

Tang Yao: "Tch~"

Carrying Sharp Tooth in one arm and holding an oil lamp in the other, she walked in front. She looked up at the sky and said to the two behind her: "The sky is about to brighten, don't be afraid, follow me!"

Hu Gualing and Xiao Niao behind her couldn't help but laugh: This Tang Yao, no matter how you look at her, is the image of an innocent little girl; there's no way she could be one of those strange things.

Thinking of this, the two looked at each other with a sense of shared realization.

Discovering that the other seemed to have the same thought, they couldn't help but smile with relief: Tang Yao was still that same Tang Yao; she wasn't as terrifying as they had thought before at all!

Hu Gualing felt a wave of relief in his heart. He suddenly strode forward, leaving Xiao Niao behind, and shouted loudly on purpose: "Wow! There's something behind us, run!"

Xiao Niao let out a "waah" of surprise, and with strength from who knows where, his feet seemed to be stepping on wheels of fire, and he took off running in a flash, quickly rushing past Hu Gualing and leaving a cloud of dust behind.

Hu Gualing wiped the dust off his face: "Xiao Niao is truly a coward..."

...

The three left Tang Yao's residence and headed in a northeasterly direction.

The judgment of Tang Yao, this "veteran resident," was indeed correct. As the three were still walking on the dirt road, they saw the sky gradually turning white. From time to time, the "cock-a-doodle-doo" of roosters in the village reached their ears, and villagers coming out for their daily activities appeared sporadically in their line of sight.

Tang Yao extinguished the oil lamp. Although she wasn't short on money, the cooking oil she burned was a rare commodity; many villagers were reluctant to use much of it when cooking, so it shouldn't be wasted!

Continuing to walk for a while, as they were about to reach the Village East Entrance, they saw from afar a figure appearing by the field near the village entrance.

The figure was short and sturdy, quite stout; who else could it be but Miao Cuihua?

Seeing this figure, Hu Gualing's previously heroic and spirited Aura suddenly stalled, and his footsteps slowed by a beat.

It was just that Miao Cuihua had left too deep a shadow in his heart...

And although Xiao Niao had never heard of the story of Miao Cuihua beating Hu Gualing three times, seeing Miao Cuihua's figure, he knew that even if this person didn't know any martial arts, she must be a fierce person! Whether Hu Gualing could beat her or not was unknown, but no matter what, he himself could never be a match for this Miao Cuihua.

It seems that the matter of staying in the Novice Village to develop steadily... is secure, it's secure.

Tang Yao waved her hand and greeted obediently: "Auntie Miao!"

Miao Cuihua looked over: "Yo, it's you guys, Dreamer."

As she spoke, her gaze landed on Hu Gualing, and her voice raised a little: "Isn't this Hero Hu Gualing? What have you been doing these past two days? Why haven't I seen you come to help me plow the fields?"

Hu Gualing answered honestly: "I went to the Blacksmith Shop to be an apprentice, learning to forge some equipment."

Miao Cuihua: "Then how is your craftsmanship? My plowshare and hoe are due for a replacement. If you're capable, why don't you forge a set for me?"

Xiao Niao nudged Hu Gualing's arm and whispered: "This is a quest, eh. If you agree, you'll be accepting a forging quest. Besides monetary rewards, there might be other benefits upon completing the quest."

Hu Gualing nodded. It seemed that in just two short days, Xiao Niao had already figured out quite a few of the game's mechanics.

However, regardless of what rewards this quest might have, he wasn't prepared to accept it.

Because he came here this time to do the challenge quest!