The interrogation in A Lie's tent and Emma's enigmatic "coincidence" acted like two opposing forces, crushing Gu Liang between them. He saw it clearly now: waiting for rescue was a luxury, relying on chance was foolish. He had to take the first step himself, initiating a proactive—albeit extremely dangerous—transaction.
Emma's icy whisper echoed relentlessly: "Unless... you can trade it for something solid enough to stand on." echoed relentlessly in his mind. What did "a foothold" mean? For him now, the most urgent need wasn't food or comfort, but a shred—however minuscule—of standing ground, a token that would make A-lie's reckless hand pause before it fell.
Within the tribe, who could grant him that leverage? Who would show interest in a "soft-skinned" like him, yet wield enough authority to make A Lie hesitate?12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsMklub3dr
The old chieftain, Black Mane? He was too distant, and involving the tribe's highest authority carried risks too great to measure.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxz5uruNkS
Gu Liang's gaze settled on the elder who presided over the rituals, a figure of transcendent status—the Priest. Aged and serene, he lacked A Lie's direct aggression. More crucially, the Priest's prestige and reverence for "knowledge" and "tradition" might allow him to see the value of this craft beyond its "slave owner."A softer, more durable hide would be invaluable for ceremonial robes, medicine pouches, and even the tribe's material reserves.
The risk was immense. Would the priest protect a slave? Would this create friction with A Lie? Yet compared to directly challenging Mo Zong's taut strings of power, this seemed the only viable opening.
He needed a "natural" opportunity for the priest to "accidentally" discover this "sample."
Opportunity came hand-in-hand with danger. Days later, the priest, supported by an apprentice, inspected the storage caverns to examine the winter-stored hides. Gu Liang happened to be assigned to transport a batch of rough, stiff, untreated hides there. The heavy load caused his already weary body to sway slightly, sparking an idea.
As the priest and his entourage approached, Gu Liang clutched the stack of hides and deliberately stumbled, feigning exhaustion—
"CRASH!"12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaM5drz1uyL
The entire stack scattered, coarse hides strewn chaotically across the floor.Amidst the chaos, one hide—distinctly softer and more lustrous—slipped from Gu Liang's grasp. It landed precisely on the cleanest patch of ground, unfurling at the priest's feet. Against the backdrop of stiff, dull hides, it stood out like a smooth jade stone lost among gravel, impossible to ignore.
The priest's cloudy gaze was instantly transfixed. He halted and signaled to his apprentice.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WcX9g9tGr
The apprentice picked up the hide and handed it over. The old priest's fingers, dry as tree bark, touched the unusually soft surface, repeatedly rubbing and gently tugging at it, feeling its distinctly different resilience and texture. The usual twilight gloom in his eyes was instantly pierced by a sharp flash of astonishment.
"This leather..." The priest lifted his head, his gaze sweeping the room before settling on Gu Liang, who knelt on the floor, frantically gathering other hides, appearing both terrified and clumsy. "You," his voice aged yet carrying an undeniable authority, "come here."
Gu Liang's heart pounded wildly as he crawled forward on his knees before the priest, head bowed low, body trembling slightly. He played the part of a slave facing a powerful figure to perfection.
The priest held the soft leather before his eyes. "This... is your work?"12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHyHFVlcgdh
"Yes... yes, sir..." Gu Liang stammered, his voice thick with "fear." "I... I accidentally... stained it..."
"How was it done?" The priest's tone was flat, yet those eyes, seemingly able to pierce through the ages, fixed intently on Gu Liang.
Gu Liang stumbled through the script he'd rehearsed countless times, spitting out key phrases: "Used... the prey's... brain... kneaded... for a long time... also... added a bit... of ash..." He deliberately spoke vaguely and in fragments, concealing the most crucial details of timing and proportions.
The priest listened quietly, his gaze shifting from the pelt to Gu Liang's hands—hands that had instinctively curled into fists, attempting to hide. From above, only the rough skin of the backs and sides of his hands were visible, along with the distinct redness, swelling, and abrasions at his knuckles. This alone spoke volumes—a slave bearing fresh wounds from labor.
But the old priest wasn't looking for that. Suddenly, he reached out—not to touch the leather—but with his withered yet steady fingers, he pried open Gu Liang's tightly clenched fist without a word, flipping his hand over so the palm faced upward.
Gu Liang stiffened in fright but dared not resist.
The exposed palm lay exposed in the dim light—a startling expanse of redness and swelling, several broken patches of skin still bleeding, not yet fully scabbed over. But most conspicuous of all was the layer of thick, coarse calluses covering the palm and fingertips, distinctly thicker and rougher than normal.This was certainly not the result of short-term manual labor. It looked more like... repeated, forceful friction against some rough object over a very short period of time, ground into existence.
The priest's fingertip pressed precisely on the most swollen, thickest callused area.
Gu Liang sucked in a sharp breath of pain, his fingers curling reflexively, only to be held firmly in place by the priest's unyielding grip.
"These," the priest released his grip, his voice devoid of emotion, yet his gaze pierced like a bone needle tempered in fire, fixed on the marks, "were they left behind from working with this leather?"
"Yes... it was... an accident while working..." Gu Liang's voice grew even more hoarse with pain and fear.
The priest did not respond immediately. With eyes that seemed dusty yet possessed an extraordinary clarity, he scrutinized one last time the distinctive scars concentrated on the areas where pressure had been applied. Only then did he slowly avert his gaze, remaining silent for several seconds... His stare felt like weighing a piece of ore, roughened by sand and stone yet lacking any luster.
A slave bearing such purposeful wear on his hands—fresh red swelling over unusually thick calluses, wielding precisely the kind of leather that required repeated rubbing to soften... The answer was almost self-evident. This could never be explained as an "accident," but rather bore the imprint of near-obsessive, repeated attempts.
"Have you done this before, for other tribes?" the priest pressed, shifting his line of questioning.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjS7H4z5hBh
Gu Liang shook his head vigorously, his face etched with bewilderment and lingering fear. "No... no... I was just... messing around... trying to make the leather... more wearable..."
The priest pondered for another moment, his gaze drifting slowly between Gu Liang's scarred hands, the supple hide, and the slave's downcast face, etched with fear and bewilderment. This craft held value, but the slave... was a problem.Trouble stemming from A Lie, and the unknown complications his elusive origins might bring. Yet beyond the trouble, he valued the potential for "repeatability" and "control." This scarred, seemingly simple-minded fellow before him seemed to be the only key currently capable of unlocking that door of possibility.
"Starting tomorrow," the priest spoke slowly, his tone carrying ancient authority, "you will go to that old tannery in the west. No other work is required. Focus solely on producing more hides like this one." He pointed in the direction, adding, "If you need anything, tell my apprentice. Every finished hide is to be delivered here. No hoarding, and no sharing the method with others. Understood?"
A heavy weight lifted from Gu Liang's heart as immense joy mingled with deeper caution.Success! The priest had accepted his "sample" and provided an initial "platform for exchange"—a relatively independent workspace and access to materials through the priest's apprentice. While this meant surveillance and exploitation, more crucially, this identity of "working for the priest" acted like a fragile fence, temporarily shielding him from A-lie's blatant, predatory gaze.
"Yes... yes... my lord..." He hastily bowed low, his voice thick with humble gratitude.
The priest said no more, gesturing for the apprentice to stow the soft hide as if this were merely an insignificant interlude during his rounds. He continued shuffling forward.
Gu Liang remained kneeling until the priest was far out of sight before slowly rising. His palms were clammy with cold sweat, yet deep within his eyes, a faint spark called "hope" had ignited.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfYJ0E2LMY7
The stone he had thrown had created ripples. Though the path ahead remained shrouded in thick fog, at least he was no longer a prisoner passively awaiting fate's verdict.
The priest's apprentice led him to that remote, foul-smelling old leather shed. Surveying the mountains of inferior hides, Gu Liang knew his "transaction" had only just begun. This place was both a sanctuary and a new testing ground.
From the distant high ground, Emma watched silently, the corners of her mouth twitching almost imperceptibly.12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhaLunGg4xU
[Target Gu Liang successfully completed first high-risk autonomous gambit, securing preliminary safe space. Autonomy and strategic capability validated. Fear value decreased, indicating increased potential acceptance of host guidance. Positive dependency value +3%, current positive dependency: 11%. Strategy assessment: Success.]12Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32eCRclxHR
"Finally... she's found her own way," Emma murmured inwardly before turning and slipping away. The guidance had taken effect, but greater storms were likely being stirred up by this restless little beast.
and then Add to home screen.