The wolf tribe's disturbance proved a false alarm—apparently just a small hunting party had crossed the blurred borderline before being swiftly driven off by leopard patrols. Yet the tension lingered for days, with the tribe heightening its vigilance.
A Lie was consumed by patrols and fortifications, temporarily forgetting the minor incident in the hut, allowing Gu Liang to slip through the cracks. Yet that failed attempt and Emma's strange intervention lingered in his mind.
He grew more cautious, yet more determined to test his theories. He needed fresher, more suitable materials.
Days later, returning from a small hunt, Fangclaw excitedly approached Gu Liang, holding something wrapped in a large, fresh leaf.
"Gu Liang, look!" Lao Zhao carefully unwrapped the leaves to reveal a complete, still-fresh brain from a small prey. "I saved this just for you! You asked about... softening the hide? Great-Grandma said to use this! Fresh stuff works best!"
Gu Liang stared at the fresh brain matter, his heart skipping a beat. This was exactly what he needed! He looked at Lao Zha in surprise: "For... me?"
Lao Zhao nodded vigorously, grinning widely. "You helped me grind stones, so I'm helping you! Try it!"
Gu Liang accepted it gratefully, a warm wave surging through him. Lao Zhao's kindness was simple and direct, offering a sliver of comfort in this cold, alien world. But worry quickly followed: "A Lie's men..."
"Don't worry!" Lao Zhao patted his chest. "I know a place—very hidden! Follow me!"
Lao Zha led Gu Liang to an abandoned, half-collapsed earthen kiln near the tribe's edge. Broken clay pots and scrap materials were piled here, a place seldom visited.
"Here. Safe!" Lao Zhao whispered.
Gu Liang surveyed this spot, even more concealed than their last makeshift shelter, then glanced at the fresh brain matter in his hands. The urge to experiment overwhelmed him. He retrieved the stone slab and bone pestle once more, taking care to wash the scrap of skin intended for the experiment with rainwater.
This time, the process went much smoother. The fresh brain matter mashed into a uniform paste more easily, emitting a strong, pungent odor but no longer carrying the stench of decay. Gu Liang applied and kneaded it with focused concentration, mimicking the leather-tanning steps from his memory.
Lao Zhao watched curiously from the side, occasionally helping by handing him tools.
Just as Gu Liang was fully immersed, his gaze inadvertently swept over several broken clay pots piled in the corner of the earthen kiln. One of them contained remnants of a fine, grayish-white powder. He dipped his finger into it, rubbing it between his fingers. The texture was smooth and slippery, almost devoid of any granular feel, carrying a faint, smoky scent.
Wood ash?
A thought struck Gu Liang. He recalled that in certain primitive tanning methods, wood ash was sometimes used for degreasing and softening?
Hesitating, he dipped his finger into the powder again. Its slippery feel prompted him to try mixing a small amount of the ash into the mixture of leather and brain marrow he was kneading.
The effect was immediate. After adding the ash, the resistance to kneading seemed to lessen, and the leather appeared to absorb the marrow pulp faster?
His heart surged with excitement, but he dared not make a sound, only kneading with renewed vigor.
He didn't notice Emma watching silently from behind a large tree on the distant high ground. Seeing Gu Liang spontaneously discover the wood ash and experiment with it, a genuine spark of surprise and approval flashed in her eyes.
[Target Subject Gu Liang successfully identified and utilized auxiliary material (wood ash). Innovative thinking demonstrated. Technical validation success rate increased to 65%. Positive dependency value +2% (due to successful independent exploration). Current positive dependency value: 8%.]
"His learning ability and capacity for applying knowledge to new situations... far exceed expectations," Emma thought to herself. She had been pondering how to subtly guide him to "discover" the use of wood ash, yet he had managed it entirely on his own.
Days later, when the repeatedly kneaded and sun-dried leather scrap finally appeared before them, both Gu Liang and Lao Zhao held their breath.
The once stiff, curled-edge scrap had transformed into something remarkably supple and resilient, even carrying a faint, unique scent distinct from its original raw, animal odor. It resisted tearing even when pulled hard.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbcVokfV7qD
Success! Though only a small piece, it was undeniably a success!
"It worked! It really worked!" Lao Zhao picked up the supple leather, kneading it in disbelief as he cheered loudly to Gu Liang, "Gu Liang! You're incredible!"
Gu Liang's fingers trembled slightly with excitement. This was the first time in this unfamiliar world that he hadn't merely endured passively, but actively applied knowledge from his memories to genuinely improve something! This tangible sense of control born from creation nearly washed away the fear and gloom that had weighed on him for days.
Yet the joy was fleeting.
Liao Zhao's booming voice drew unwelcome attention. Two of A Lie's men happened to be patrolling nearby and approached upon hearing the commotion.
"What's all this noise?" one of the orcs barked, his gaze immediately drawn to the soft leather in Fangclaw's hands—clearly different from ordinary hides. "What is this?"
Liao Zhao instinctively tried to hide it, but it was too late.
The other beastman acted swiftly, snatching the soft hide and feeling it carefully. His face twisted in astonishment. "This hide... how can it be so soft?"
Their eyes immediately shifted to Gu Liang beside them, noticing the faint traces still lingering on his hands and the stone slab used to crush the brain matter nearby.
"You did this too?" The orc's gaze sharpened. "You really do know some strange things!"
Gu Liang's heart sank. The joy that had just ignited was instantly replaced by a cold sense of danger. He felt as though he could see A Lie's golden, possessive eyes staring at him through the gazes of these two men.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJSAdRg3Wf4
Would she appear this time? Could that faint glimmer of light pierce the darkness about to descend?
and then Add to home screen.