Chapter 10
Walls Rising In Silence
Days passed, and the settlement slowly developed a rhythm of its own.
Morning mist clung low to the clearing, thin and silver. The scent of damp soil mixed with woodsmoke, and soon the forest echoed daily with the steady rhythm of labor.
Thak… thak… thak…
Axes bit into timber. Wood chips scattered. Resin clung stubbornly to rough palms.
Aunt Luo took responsibility for preparing meals. She had watched Sam closely in the earlier days — how he shifted embers instead of feeding flames recklessly, how he crushed herbs between his fingers before adding them, how he tasted broth without expression before deciding its fate.
One evening, she handed Sam a bowl of soup.
“Taste,” she said.
Sam lifted it, blew gently across the surface, and took a sip.
Lie leaned toward the others and whispered, “If he nods, it’s good. If he says nothing, it’s very good.”
Sam lowered the bowl.
“Too much salt.”
Uncle Ding froze.
Aunt Luo narrowed her eyes. “There is no salt.”
Sam paused… then allowed the smallest smile.
“Exactly.”
For a moment, silence lingered — then laughter broke through the clearing like sunlight through clouds.
Aunt Luo watched them quietly afterward.
They’re forcing themselves to act strong, she thought. Good. That means they haven’t broken inside.
Each morning, Xian and Yuner left to gather fruits and medicinal herbs. At first their steps were cautious, but slowly confidence replaced fear.
Under Sam’s guidance, they learned to distinguish herbs not only by shape, but by scent, structure, and texture.
Yuner held up a root. “What is this one for?”
Sam examined it briefly. “That root reduces fever.”
Xian crushed a leaf from another plant and inhaled. “This one stops bleeding. The smell is sharper.”
Sam nodded slightly. “Your learning ability is impressive.”
A faint smile touched Xian’s face.
Wind brushed gently around them.
Not violently.
Not randomly.
Almost… playfully.
Back at camp, Uncle Wang, Ning, and Ding hauled timber. Muscles strained. Ropes creaked as bindings tightened.
Ning groaned while lifting a log. “We survived exile… but I think I will die building this wall.”
Ding smirked. “Don’t worry. We’ll bury you inside these safe walls.”
Uncle Wang shook his head. “Keep talking. It makes the load lighter.”
The steady rhythm of work continued.
One afternoon, while Sam and Lie were still scouting, the forest suddenly grew quiet.
Birdsong stopped.
Leaves stilled.
Then something stepped into the clearing.
A majestic wolf.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Silver-gray fur shimmered beneath filtered sunlight. Golden eyes scanned every unfamiliar face. The air grew heavy — like the moment before a storm breaks.
The uncle trio reached for their weapons instantly. Xian subtly moved in front of Yuner.
But the wolf did not attack.
He simply stood.
Watching.
Time stretched painfully.
Then footsteps approached from the forest.
Sam and Lie emerged, carrying fresh prey between them.
Sam stopped mid-step.
He sensed a familiar aura.
His gaze softened.
“Fang.”
Relief flickered across Lie’s face.
Without hesitation, Sam walked forward and pressed his hand into Fang’s thick neck fur. Warm. Solid. Familiar.
Fang released a low rumble — not a threat, but recognition — and nudged Sam hard enough to nearly unbalance him.
“You’ve grown heavier,” Sam muttered.
Lie crossed his arms. “You greet wolves more warmly than people.”
“Wolves don’t complain.”
Everyone was surprised to see Sam act so freely.
Lie stepped forward and explained everything — Fang’s intelligence, their shared history, and the unspoken understanding between them.
Gradually, tension loosened.
Weapons lowered.
But trust would take time.
That night, Fang remained at the edge of the clearing. Not too close.
But not far either.
Acceptance had begun.
The next morning, construction intensified.
Axes struck in steady rhythm. Logs thudded into place. The sharp scent of freshly cut wood filled the air.
Sam examined the gathered materials.
Inside his mind—
—AIRS:
- Wood density adequate.
- Reinforcement recommended at structural intersections.
- Suggest inward-angled base support to distribute kinetic force upon impact.
Sam ran his fingers along the logs.
“Angle the base inward,” he instructed calmly. “If something charges, the force spreads instead of breaking one point.”
Uncle Wang studied him carefully. “You speak like someone who has built walls before.”
Sam adjusted the log without looking up. “I speak like someone who doesn’t want to rebuild them.”
They worked from sunrise to dusk.
Sam lifted beams. Dug foundations. Measured spacing with precise steps.
Sweat soaked his clothes like everyone else’s.
A leader who bleeds with his people does not need to demand loyalty.
Inside his mind—
—AIRS:
- Structural stability increasing.
- Current breach probability by large predator: 39%.
- Recommend shallow perimeter trench for enhanced deterrence.
Sam stared at the earth beyond the forming wall.
A wall stops beasts.
A trench makes enemies hesitate.
He picked up a stick and began marking the outer perimeter.
Lie noticed. “You’re planning for something bigger.”
“I prefer being ready before it arrives.”
Days passed.
Fang began approaching the camp more frequently. At first, the others stiffened whenever he moved. But he never crossed boundaries.
Then one morning, he followed Xian and Yuner as they left to gather herbs.
They froze.
Fang simply walked beside them.
Silent.
Protective.
Wild beasts avoided the area entirely that day.
Yuner whispered, “He likes us.”
Xian glanced at Fang cautiously. “Or he’s monitoring us.”
Fang flicked an ear, unimpressed.
That day, they gathered more herbs and fruits than ever before. The forest seemed to part in Fang’s presence.
Later, when Xian practiced small wind spells, the air behaved differently. Leaves rose gently instead of scattering chaotically.
Sam observed from a distance.
Inside his mind—
—AIRS:
- Energy resonance detected.
- Wind affinity alignment exceeding standard variance.
- Secondary unidentified signature detected around Xian. Source undetermined.
Sam’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Unidentified?
That was rare.
He said nothing.
But he would watch more closely.
Medicine production increased.
Herbs dried on flat stones. Bitter scents filled the clearing as Sam crushed roots and mixed extracts.
Inside his mind—
—AIRS:
- Compound ratio optimal at 3:2:1.
- Human safety probability: 87%.
- Recommend field validation prior to full deployment.
Sam intentionally altered visible steps while preparing medicine. He even made a few defective batches deliberately — so his knowledge would not appear unnatural.
He tested the medicines on captured wild beasts whose intelligence was nowhere near Fang’s.
Uncle Ding watched carefully. “You make it look easy.”
“It isn’t,” Sam replied quietly. “Mistakes cost lives.”
Silence followed.
Training continued at dawn and dusk.
Wooden weapons clashed sharply. Feet scraped against dirt. Breath grew heavy in the cool air.
With Lie and the uncles, Sam refined timing and positioning.
With Xian and Yuner, he dodged slicing currents of wind magic.
Inside his mind—
—AIRS:
- Reaction speed improved by 12%.
- Neuromuscular coordination increasing.
- Recommend sustained stamina conditioning.
Lie lunged again. Sam deflected smoothly.
“You’re improving too fast,” Lie muttered.
“You’re improving too slowly.”
Lie scoffed. “Arrogant.”
“Accurate.”
Even Uncle Wang chuckled.
Far away in the tribe, Uncle Mu sat beneath torchlight, restless.
Scouts returned daily with nothing.
No news.
No bodies.
No sign of struggle.
Uncertainty disturbed him more than death would have.
What if exile did not break them?
What if it hardened them?
Back at the settlement, the wall finally stood complete.
Layered logs interlocked firmly. Reinforced joints held tight. Inward-angled supports strengthened the base. A shallow trench circled the outer perimeter.
A single controlled entrance remained.
The sound of axes stopped.
Only wind remained.
They stood together before their work.
Aunt Luo placed her hand against the wood. “Your father would have approved,” she said softly to Lie.
Lie swallowed but did not look away.
Beyond the tree line, unseen eyes watched.
Scouts.
They did not approach closer.
Fang’s presence beneath the fading sun was warning enough.
But they had seen the wall.
And they would report.
Inside the settlement, unaware of how near tension had drawn, Sam stood beneath the darkening sky.
Seven people.
One wolf.
Rising defenses.
Sharpening strength.
This was no longer survival.
This was preparation.
And the forest…
was only the beginning.
End Of Chapter 10
To Be Continued.......
