Chapter 163: Animals With Grudges

[New Tasks!]

Tera nearly jumped out of her skin. ’Tasks with an S?!’

[Task Bundle: Glimmer Pack Food Security]

Tera stared at the screen as the details unfolded.

[Task 1: Establish Sustainable Food Sources]

[Introduce farming to the Glimmer Pack territory. Source, cultivate, and create a farm for the wolf pack]

[Ensure the pack has a reliable food supply that does not depend solely on hunting]

[Task 2: Repair and Upgrade the Animal Pen]

[The current enclosure is inadequate. Animals have escaped repeatedly due to poor construction]

[Redesign and rebuild the pen to securely contain current and future livestock]

[Must be durable enough to prevent escape under all weather conditions]

[Rewards: Construction +20, Influence +10, Nipples +200, Charm +10, Legacy Points +15,000]

[Time Limit: Four months]

[Penalty: Every animal in the pack’s pen will develop a personal grudge against Host. They will target Host exclusively for biting, charging, and defecating on and in Host’s immediate vicinity for 60 days]

[(ᵕ—ᴗ—)]

Tera’s face went through several stages of disbelief.

As if the tasks hadn’t been enough, she had been given this?!

What the fuck was this penalty?!

’Animals of different breeds holding grudges on a single person? Defecating?! They would poop on me?!’

[Accept / Reject]

Tera pinched the bridge of her nose.

’So you are giving me four months to teach wolves—most of whom have never even seen a vegetable—how to farm, while also rebuilding an animal pen in a landscape I have barely explored. With soil that is permanently damp and materials I haven’t sourced yet?!’

Five months was ample time, but given the situation...

[Correct!]

[This system has full confidence in Host’s abilities!]

[Also, Host could have taken a few things from her territory if only she weren’t playing games with the teleportation portal]

[( ◺˰◿ )]

’Oh, damn it. Rub it in my face, I guess.’

She groaned and rubbed her temples.

But before she could even begin to strategise, the screen flickered again.

[...]

[This system has something else to show Host]

[(ᵕ ó ᴗ ò)]

[This is... not standard procedure]

Tera’s suspicion spiked immediately. ’What do you mean, not standard?’

Was this thing about to put her in trouble?

[Hosts at this stage are only permitted to receive two active tasks at a time]

[This system is aware of that restriction]

[However...]

The screen paused, and Tera could practically feel it choosing its words.

[This system has assessed Host’s upcoming needs and determined that showing the following information early would prevent significant delays later]

[(◞‸◟)]

[This system is taking a risk by sharing this with Host now]

[So keep it a secret!]

A new task notification appeared, but it looked different. The borders were dimmer, and the text looked translucent, as if it wasn’t fully activated yet.

[New Task!]

[Construct Permanent Shelters for the Glimmer Pack]

[Design and build weather-resistant, wolf-appropriate shelters suited to the pack’s terrain, climate, and behavioural needs]

[Shelters must accommodate all pack members, including cubs and pregnant females]

[This task will formally activate upon completion of the current task bundle]

[Time Limit: Eight months]

[(..◜ᴗ◝..)]

[This system wanted Host to know what is coming]

[The regional landscape will not support Host’s usual methods]

[Sourcing suitable materials will take time, and this system did not want Host to be blindsided]

Tera was silent for a long moment.

Eight months. That was the longest timeline any task had given her, and that concerned her a bit.

This wasn’t a side project. It seemed her work was taking on a whole new level now, even worse that this region was different from the Dow clan.

Tera wasn’t one to shy away from huge projects. If anything, she loved them, but in this primitive world, materials were a problem.

She was no longer in her old world where she could just follow the drafted bill of quantities to buy the materials needed and carry on with her work.

The wolves were uncomfortable in enclosed spaces due to the constant need to be on the lookout for danger, and the soil was damp too, so she couldn’t create the same type of shelters she had made for the beasts back in Dow clan.

If she did, the moisture would find some way to seep into the tents. That didn’t happen back in her clan due to the rain just being a scarce visitor.

Tera was going to have to invent an entirely new style of shelter from scratch.

But for now...

’That penalty...’

[This system made it sufficiently motivating]

[(˶ˆ꒳ˆ˵)]

’Well, yes! I don’t want to be shitted on!’

[This system recommends not failing]

[But look on the bright side, Host!]

[These rewards for the tasks are juicy, especially the legacy points]

[٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡]

’Oh, that’s true!’

Tera stared at the tasks laid out before her. The legacy points were thankfully a lot, so were the nipples. She would at least be able to purchase one or two boosts from the legacy store.

This was still heavy.

Farming, animal management, and eventually an eight-month construction project in hostile terrain.

And she had portal passes to manage, wolves to win over, elders who hated her, and a family to check up on.

’This is insane.’

[This is progress!]

Tera sighed. ’Thanks for telling me about the third one.’

[Host is welcome!]

[৻( •̀ ᗜ •́ ৻)]

Tera accepted the first two tasks.

"Tera!"

She turned to find Faelynn standing beside her with Luth balanced on one hip and a look of eager determination on her face.

"Come! You will rest with us females tonight."

"Oh, I—"

"DO not worry, we will provide you with ample warmth. You have been standing here staring at nothing for too long. Come rest!"

Tera let herself be dragged, too stunned to resist.

Faelynn looked over her shoulder and added, as if it were the most important detail, "The others have already made space for you. And I saved some of the smoked meat."

Luth chirped from her mother’s hip and reached for Tera with both tiny paws.

Tera laughed, the tension in her chest loosening as she scooped the small wolf cub into her free arm.

’You know what? Maybe tonight I will just eat and sleep.’

[This system strongly endorses this plan]

[(..◜ᴗ◝..)]

[Host will need the energy for what is to come!]

’Don’t ruin this.’

[This system said nothing!]