Days in the tannery alternated between monotony and vigilance. Gu Liang operated like a precise, relentless machine, endlessly repeating the processes of crushing, mixing, and kneading. His craftsmanship grew increasingly refined, yield rates steadily improved, and the quality of the hides occasionally even surpassed the priest's expectations.The apprentices who collected the hides gradually replaced their surprise with habitual silence. Yet during exchanges, they would occasionally leave behind a small bundle of unusual hay or a peculiar piece of fragrant resin—still without a word.
At first, Gu Liang paid it no mind, assuming it was merely a routine change in materials. That was until one day, when he experimented by burning some of that hay into ash and mixing it into the tanning solution. To his surprise, the leather not only became softer but also acquired a faint, subtle scent that seemed to dispel some of the unpleasant odor.Then there was the resin. He experimented by applying a small amount to the surface during the final stages of leather kneading. After drying, the leather developed a soft sheen and seemed more resistant to wear.
He suddenly realized this might not be coincidence. Was it the priest's guidance? Or...
He dared not dwell on it, merely committing these unexpectedly effective materials to memory and paying closer attention to every item brought by his apprentice. He even began attempting to identify the unique types of hay and resin, making vague mental comparisons to plants he had encountered in modern society.
This covert technical refinement yielded superior finished products, subtly bolstering his standing in the priest's eyes. Yet material consumption—especially clean water and the large stone basins used for soaking and preliminary cleaning—became a new bottleneck.He had to make frequent trips between the tanning shed and the river, hauling water in water skins and worn clay pots—inefficient and prone to drawing attention. The large stone basins used for soaking hides were incredibly heavy and difficult to clean thoroughly; the lingering residue often compromised the quality of the next batch of hides.
These problems troubled him, yet he didn't know how to solve them. Demand better tools from his apprentices? He didn't dare make such an "excessive" request just yet.
That afternoon, the sky darkened, thunder rumbled, and a downpour loomed. Beastmen scattered for shelter, and Gu Liang hurriedly gathered the drying hides back into the shed.
Raindrops began to fall, quickly forming a curtain of rain. Gu Liang stood at the shed entrance, watching the world blurred by the downpour, worried that water might seep back into the shed.
Just then, through the curtain of rain, he saw Emma directing several young beastmen. They were hurriedly moving important supplies—mainly dried meat strips and herbs—piled outdoors to a nearby cave on higher ground for shelter. Her movements were sharp and decisive, her voice muffled by the downpour.
Suddenly, a young beastman slipped while carrying a stack of clay pots. The top few crashed to the ground, shattering. Her gaze swept over the broken shards, then seemed to drift unintentionally toward the leather shelter before settling on a small puddle formed by pooled rainwater nearby.The water was slowly flowing downhill toward the low-lying area where the leather shelter stood. She stared at the stream for a few seconds, then impatiently kicked aside a rock blocking the path, allowing the water to drain faster. The stone hit a larger boulder with a slight depression in its center, splashing water and revealing the hollow's capacity to hold water.
After this imperceptible gesture, she immediately turned away, continuing to urge the porters onward as if her glance and action had been entirely casual.
Inside the shed, Gu Liang felt as if struck by lightning!
Diverting water... storing water...8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2d7hBjckYx
Terrain!8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGDeZXG9sI
His gaze darted rapidly between the pebbles Emma had kicked aside, the water-pooling hollow, the low-lying area beside the leather shelter, and the heavy stone basin inside the shed. Several seemingly unrelated fragments instantly coalesced in his mind into a clear blueprint: Utilize natural elevation differences for drainage → Construct simple reservoirs in low-lying areas → Eliminate the need for repeated water fetching.
A thought surged madly: Dig channels to channel water, pool it into reservoirs! If only the terrain could be harnessed to gather rainwater...8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHKLbwQCn75
Earthenware jars! If there were dedicated water storage vessels...
Emma's seemingly casual gesture acted like a key, instantly unlocking the shackles on his mind. She wasn't directly telling him what to do, but guiding him to see, to discover, to connect the dots!
His heart pounded wildly with excitement. He looked out again at Emma, bustling about. Her silhouette blurred in the rain, yet seemed enveloped in an aura of wisdom.
Who was she, really? How could she guide him in this way?
The downpour lasted half the afternoon. Once it ceased, Gu Liang sprang into action. He gathered sharp stone fragments and wooden sticks, beginning to dig in the low-lying area beside the leather shelter. Without proper tools to excavate a channel, he chose to establish the water collection point where rainwater naturally pooled, merely deepening it slightly to enhance storage capacity.
He gathered several relatively flat, large stones and laboriously moved them to the edge of the reservoir, attempting to assemble a rudimentary sedimentation and filtration device (albeit extremely primitive).
These actions naturally drew puzzled glances from the other beastmen and apprentices. But when they saw Gu Liang silently digging pits and moving stones, seemingly addressing the shed's waterlogging issue, they stopped prying, dismissing it as yet another strange scheme from the slave.
Days later, another downpour came. Gu Liang watched anxiously as rainwater pooled in the shallow pit he'd dug. Though it leaked badly, it did manage to collect a portion of relatively clear rainwater! He could use this water for the initial cleaning and soaking of hides, reducing his reliance on the river and sparing himself the drudgery of constant transport.
He even experimented with a special resin—fragrant and sticky—mixed with wood ash to plug the stone basin's visible cracks. Once dry, it held somewhat, but it softened and fell apart when soaked. Though limited in effectiveness, it was a positive step forward.
When the apprentice returned to collect the hides, he paused upon noticing the shallow puddle outside the shed and the makeshift stone arrangement beside it, yet still said nothing.
Yet change was quietly taking root. On his next delivery, the apprentice brought not only brain matter and wood ash but also two large, rough yet sturdy clay pots and a brand-new water scoop fashioned from a whole gourd.
"The priest said," the apprentice spoke for the first time, his tone still flat, yet the words sent shockwaves through Gu Liang's heart, "The water must be clean for the hides to turn out well. These two pots are for soaking the hides. Use them sparingly."
Gu Liang froze in place, staring at the two pots that were practically "precious" to him, almost unable to believe his ears. His heart pounded heavily in his chest.8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzf0exiQ8Hg
"The water must be clean..."8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZmz0bSCxq4
The phrase flickered like a faint light, illuminating a hidden connection in the recent chain of events. Was the priest's "seeing" and Emma's "accidental" encounter in the rain truly mere coincidence? Or had there always been a pair of eyes observing behind this seemingly clumsy struggle for survival, weighing every move, and at just the right moment, tossing down a rope just long enough for him to climb out of the deep pit?8Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfI8YjQQ6YR
Whichever it was, the conclusion sent a chill down his spine and stirred an uneasy restlessness: his cautious attempts and struggles were not unobserved. And being watched itself was both an opportunity and the potentially more dangerous beginning.
[Target Subject Gu Liang successfully advanced survival skills (from "Processing" to "Environmental Utilization") and acquired critical production resources (clay pots), solidifying foundational survival capabilities. Indirect guidance from host (Emma) elicited initial trust and path dependence, concurrently boosting accomplishment and autonomy. Positive Dependency Value +5%, Current Positive Dependency Value: 16%.]
On the distant hillside, Emma watched Gu Liang carefully carry the new clay pot into the leather shelter. A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched her lips.
"Digging out stagnant water, stacking stones for filtration... his ability to apply knowledge to new situations is truly commendable," she murmured to herself. "It seems we can gradually increase the frequency and depth of our 'hints' now."
She turned to leave, her mind already sketching the next phase of her plan. The appearance of the clay pots signaled the priests' growing regard for Gu Liang. It also meant A Lie's patience was likely running thin.
The calm before the storm might soon end. And Gu Liang needed to grow faster, to gain more "value" that could protect him in the coming tempest.
ns216.73.216.147da2
and then Add to home screen.