Omniscient First-Person’s Viewpoint-Chapter 499: The Shepherd Boy

The city demands vast resources to sustain itself—food, clothing, fuel, and water. That is why cities are usually established in resource-rich areas, yet finding the perfect location with everything readily available is rare.

To compensate, cities build facilities to produce the resources they lack.

The Enger Plains had never been home to sheep. Only the strongest grazers—sturdy buffalo, swift zebras, and resilient antelopes—survived in these lands. The only reason sheep could graze here was because humans had brought them and nurtured them.

A young shepherd yawned as he watched over his flock.

“So boring...”

Shepherding was a job usually handled by dog beastkin and sheep beastkin. Dog beastkin were naturally skilled at herding without needing to be taught, and sheep beastkin had an instinctive connection with the sheep. Experience could be gained, but this kind of innate bond was irreplaceable. In Ende, where competent beastkin were plentiful, they naturally prioritized those with higher talent.

As a sheep beastkin tasked with herding, the boy smacked his lips while gazing at the vast plains filled with grass and livestock.

“It’s better than dealing with problems... but this is way too dull.”

New novel 𝓬hapters are published on ƒreewebɳovel.com.

Shepherding wasn’t always this uneventful. This was the outskirts of Ende—a land where stray lions or wild dogs would occasionally appear. It was normal to wake up in the morning and find a few sheep missing. Setting traps, checking them daily, and repairing fences were part of the routine.

But lately, nothing had happened. It was unnervingly peaceful.

The shepherd boy glanced at his flock again.

The dry-season sky of Enger Plains stretched vast and clear. The endless battle between green and brown played out across the landscape, with the sheep’s relentless grazing pushing the front lines of greenery back ever so slightly. The rustling wind carried the sound of satisfied bleating.

A tranquil and pastoral life. To someone burdened by the world’s troubles, this peace might have been a blessing.

But for a boy with big dreams, it was mind-numbingly dull.

“Isn’t something exciting going to happen...?”

As if the heavens had heard his complaint, the herding dog beside him suddenly leapt to its feet, ears perked. The boy also felt a strange sensation, a tingle running down his spine. He instinctively clasped his hands together and stared into the distance.

Far away, at the very edge of the plains, something covered in gray fur was approaching.

– A wolf.

Thick fur. A lean, agile body. Eyes burning with wild intensity, as if flames danced within them. Though still distant, the sight alone sent an instinctual wave of fear through the sheep beastkin. He reacted immediately.

“Mongmong! Take care of the flock!”

“Woof!”

Leaving the dog to guard the sheep, the shepherd boy sprinted down the slope. His fur fluttered in the wind as he ran straight to the outpost, where he began ringing the alarm bell frantically.

“A wolf! A wolf is here!”

The guard post erupted into action.

Armed sentries rushed out, clad in thick leather armor, their breaths heavy as they followed the boy’s lead toward the pasture.

But when they arrived—

All they saw were the peacefully grazing sheep and the herding dog baring its teeth with its tail raised. The guards looked around in confusion.

“Where’s the wolf?”

“It was just there! Over by the lower plains, moving toward us!”

The boy pointed frantically into the distance.

But the wolves that had been approaching were now nowhere to be seen.

One of the irritated guards, frustrated from the sudden false alarm, snapped,

“There’s nothing here!”

“I swear I saw it!”

“You sure you weren’t just seeing things?”

“I know what I saw! It was definitely a wolf!”

“Wolves don’t just peek out and vanish. That doesn’t make any sense.”

Despite his earnest protests, the guards only cast him doubtful looks.

A wolf on the hunt was relentless. It would stalk, harass, and wear down its prey until the perfect moment to strike. Simply appearing and then vanishing? That was unheard of.

Furious, the boy turned to his trusted partner.

“Mongmong! You saw it too, right?”

“Woof! Grrr, woof!”

But only the King of Beasts could speak human words.

The guards remained unconvinced, shaking their heads.

“Hmph. Fine, if you say so.”

Grumbling, they trudged back to the outpost.

Even without words, their dismissive attitude made it clear—they thought the boy was lying.

The boy seethed.

“There really was a wolf! But when the sheep start disappearing, I bet they’ll blame me!”

“Woof!”

“Yeah, thanks, Mongmong. But... what was that wolf, really?”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

It had approached the flock but disappeared the moment he took his eyes off it. That was unnatural.

The Enger Plains were vast. If the wolf had wanted to hide, it would have needed to retreat far, far away.

No ordinary beast would move so inefficiently. This wasn’t a human pulling off some kind of deception—so what was it?

The boy let his imagination run wild.

“Maybe it was a lone wolf, exiled from its pack. Maybe it got close, but the number of sheep scared it away.”

“Grrrr!”

“Or maybe it saw how fierce Mongmong looked and ran off instead!”

“Woof!”

He chatted animatedly, even though his dog couldn’t truly understand.

At the very least, something had finally happened.

He wasn’t bored anymore.

A few days later—

Yawning, the shepherd boy strolled along the fence, checking for any damage.

Then, in the distance, he spotted it again.

The wolf’s shadow flickered on the horizon.

It was still far away, but closer than before.

A sudden chill ran down his spine.

Without a second thought, he dashed straight to the outpost.

“A wolf! A wolf is here!”

This time, the guards weren’t alone.

An orc mercenary band had arrived.

Instead of the usual leather-armored sentries, these warriors gleamed with polished weapons, snorting as they scanned their surroundings.

Why had pig beastkin mercenaries been sent instead of Obelisk?

It wasn’t surprising, though—Ende had been short on manpower for a long time. They must have been hired specifically to hunt the wolves.

The boy didn’t dwell on it too much.

One of the orc mercenaries turned to him and grunted,

“Where’s the wolf?”

“Over there, past the fence, near the big rock!”

The orc mercenaries stared at the large rock, but no sign of a wolf was visible. Their already wrinkled faces scrunched even further.

“There’s nothing here. Sniff. Not even the scent of blood. Was there ever a wolf?”

“It was right there! Staring at me, swinging its huge tail!”

The shepherd boy pounded his chest, declaring the truth.

But once again, rather than receiving praise for his vigilance, he was met with skeptical gazes.

“Then go see for yourselves! There should be huge wolf tracks over there!”

Frustrated beyond belief, the boy stormed over the fence himself. The orc mercenaries followed behind him.

“It was a massive, terrifying thing! So huge that this rock completely hid it from view! Its footprints must be as big as my head!”

Convinced that the truth would vindicate him, the boy led them to the rock. If they saw the tracks, his innocence would be proven.

But—

Contrary to his expectations, there wasn’t a single footprint near the rock.

The mercenaries scoured the area before one of them grumbled in irritation.

“There’s nothing here.”

“Huh? Huh?! That’s impossible. Where did they go?”

“Looks like you got scared and imagined things. This is why cowardly sheep shouldn’t be shepherds.”

The accusations stung, but what hurt even more was the sheer injustice of it.

He had spoken only the truth. He had only done his job.

And yet, he was now being ridiculed as a liar.

“I swear! There was a huge wolf right here, watching us!”

“Then where are the footprints?”

“What, did the wolf use qi techniques to erase them?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. If a wolf could use qi, it would’ve ripped him apart already.”

“Besides, wolves always move in packs. Seeing just one is suspicious to begin with.”

“Maybe it’s one of those wolves that die if seen three times?”

“Oh, so you’ll be dead soon! Hah!”

The boy’s only crime was being diligent.

He had simply reported what he had seen, and now he was branded a liar.

Even the guards who had accompanied the mercenaries sneered at him.

“Don’t listen to him too much. He sounded the alarm about wolves last time too, and it turned out to be nothing. He’s probably just messing with you new ‘Piggies.’”

The orc mercenaries’ expressions darkened.

“Piggies?”

“Ah... my bad. I meant... orcs?”

“Watch your mouth. Orcma has been granted the authority to punish anyone using racial slurs at their discretion.”

But no matter how long they searched, they found neither tracks nor even a single stray hair.

Cursing under their breath, the orc mercenaries scowled at the boy.

“If you call us out here for nothing again, you’ll regret it.”

“We already have enough trouble dealing with these wolves, and now a shepherd is causing more chaos.”

“He blends in so well with the sheep, I can’t even tell him apart. How’s someone like that supposed to take care of animals smarter than him?”

“Sheep are known for their bad eyesight. Guess he got spooked by shadows.”

At least I had enough sense not to say, And aren’t you just filthy Piggies too?

The boy clenched his fists and held his tongue, swallowing his anger as the mercenaries left.

“Damn it... there was a wolf. I know what I saw....”

Never in his life had he felt such injustice.

He had done nothing wrong.

Yet the entire world seemed to conspire against him.

No matter how much he protested, all he got in return were sneers and laughter.

The boy considered himself strong-willed. He thought crying was a disgrace.

But now, he was on the verge of tears.

Sniffling, he buried his face into his loyal dog’s fur.

“I swear, I’m never sounding the alarm again. Hmph. Just wait. When the sheep start disappearing, they’ll wish they had listened to me.”

Animals couldn’t speak human words.

But they could offer comfort.

His herding dog silently nuzzled against him, as if trying to wipe away his tears.

The next day—

The wolf appeared again.

A massive black wolf, standing at a distance, staring at the flock.

Just like before.

But this time, the shepherd boy’s attitude had changed.

Ignoring the wolf entirely, he gathered straw.

“Woof! Woof!”

“It’s fine, Mongmong. Let it take a few sheep.”

“Woof! Woof! Woof!”

“No one will believe me anyway, even if I sound the alarm.”

“Woof! Woof! Woof! Whimper... woof....”

“No need to waste effort protecting them. Let the blood spill all over the fields. Only then will they finally # Nоvеlight # believe me.”

As the boy responded to his dog’s desperate barks with cold indifference—

The barking suddenly stopped.

A heavy, unnatural silence filled the air.

Feeling a chill, the boy turned his head.

And there, right in front of him—

The black wolf was staring at him.

He hadn’t even noticed when it had approached.

It was massive, its sleek black fur shimmering under the light.

It was unmistakably the same wolf.

And clamped in its jaws—

Hanging limp, its neck snapped, completely lifeless—

Was Mongmong.

The scent of blood filled the air.

The flock scattered in terror, running in all directions.

But the wolf didn’t chase them.

It didn’t care about the sheep.

It only watched the shepherd.

Thud.

The dog’s lifeless body was carelessly dropped onto the ground.

For the first time, the boy truly understood the situation he was in.

This wolf hadn’t come for the sheep.

It had come for him.

The hunt for the city had begun.