Lucille Xing was grateful to Louis Yu. He had bought her, restored her freedom, and even bestowed upon her a surname. Those born as slaves typically had no family name—she had grown up without one.
Walking along the winter streets, Lucille Xing skipped happily at the front, while Louis Yu accompanied her and helped her buy some thick animal pelts.
"Is it really okay for you to spend so much? Isn't your tribe suffering as well?"
Louis Yu shook his head. In recent days, some members of the Grant Tribe and Louis Clan had fled to Grant City—over two thousand people had escaped. When the fighting was most intense, Charles Grant ordered his people to flee, with only one destination: Grant City.
Many of those who followed the riverbanks or entered the mountains managed to survive.
"It’s fine. As long as spring comes next year, everything will get better."
Just then, a boy of about ten suddenly dashed over, clutching something in his arms.
"Thief!"
A commotion broke out. Lucille Xing saw several people chasing after the boy, and before she could react, he crashed right into her.
"Ouch! What are you doing—can’t you watch where you’re going?"
Louis Yu glanced over. The terrified child was clutching an oversized animal pelt, clearly too big for his thin frame. Before anyone could react, people swarmed in, grabbing at him from all sides.
"How dare you steal!"
"He told me to take it."
The boy on the ground suddenly pointed a finger at Louis Yu. Lucille Xing stared blankly at him. Taking advantage of everyone's hesitation, the boy shoved the animal pelt into Louis Yu's hands and dashed away.
"Boss, we've been found out—I couldn't help it. Let's run!"
As the boy spoke, he started to run, but Lucille Xing stuck out her foot, tripping him so he fell headfirst into the snow.
People all around were pulling at Louis Yu, aggravating his injury. He gritted his teeth and kept trying to explain.
"Trying to run, are you?"
Lucille Xing pinned the boy down, locking his hands tightly.
The misunderstanding was finally resolved. The thieving boy was taken back to the shop. Louis Yu looked at him helplessly, but with a smile.
"Please, have mercy. I'm from the Grant Tribe. The cold has made my mother sick, so I..."
"You're still lying. Most of the Grant Tribe has already gone to Woodfield."
Lucille Xing immediately exposed the boy's lie, but he calmly replied.
"I only escaped today."
"Stop lying, kid. I saw you on the street just a few days ago!"
Someone in the shop spoke up. Louis Yu watched the boy quietly. Recently, refugees from the Grant Tribe, Louis Clan, and some wild tribes had mixed into Grant City, hoping to settle here.
The mountains around Grant City are broad and rich in resources. With hard work, anyone can make a good life here.
"Still won’t admit it, huh?"
The shopkeeper spoke, taking down a thorny stick and gripping it in his hand. He tore open the boy’s clothes, ready to strike.
"Wait! I know I was wrong. I’ll make it up to you—let me trade the treasure I have for the animal pelt."
The shopkeeper blinked, a look of delight appearing on his face.
"Show us first—let’s see what it is."
The boy wriggled his bound hands, and the shopkeeper untied him. He stood up, his face animated as he spoke.
"This treasure wasn’t easy to get. I think it’s worth several pieces of clothing and some food, at least."
After listing all its benefits, the boy piqued everyone’s interest. They craned their necks to watch as he pulled a pitch-black stone from his pants.
"Pah! What kind of treasure is that, you brat...?"
"Wait a minute."
The boy grinned and looked around the shop, spotting a hefty stone hammer. He placed the black stone on the ground and smashed it with the hammer. With a bang, everyone was surprised—the black stone didn’t break, but the hammer was left with dents. The boy kept hammering.
After a few strikes, cracks appeared in the hammer, and a large dent was made in its surface.
"Told you—it’s a real treasure, hard as can be!"
The boy laughed, and the shopkeeper, delighted, picked up the black stone. Though it was only the size of a fist, it was much heavier than an ordinary rock.
Louis Yu watched in amazement as the shopkeeper bargained with the boy. In the end, the boy received some meat, grain, and two animal pelts in exchange for the incredibly hard stone.
Someone immediately tested it with a bone knife, which was easily ruined.
The boy laughed loudly and left the shop. Louis Yu, hiding his delight, quietly followed him out. Lucille Xing, puzzled, followed Louis Yu.
"Why are you following him?"
"I just want to know where that thing came from."
The two followed the boy for a long time. At the southern city gate, he left and walked down a forest path, soon arriving at a rundown round hut. He went inside, and a moment later, came back out.
"You two, come out."
The boy spotted Louis Yu and Lucille Xing, grinning as he spoke.
"You want to know where the stone came from, right? Heh, if you pay me a hundred kilos of grain, I’ll tell you so you can go pick some up yourself."
Lucille Xing immediately lit up with joy. The thought of trading such a stone for so many goods made her eager—if she knew where to find more, she could bring back plenty and trade for even more.
[Irrelevant system message skipped.]
But Louis Yu just shook his head.
"My name is Louis Yu, chieftain of the Louis Clan. This is Lucille Xing."
The boy sat on a stone outside the door, grinning as he spoke.
"My name is Phoenix Yu. As you guessed, I’m from the Wild Tribe. A few days ago, my mother and I slipped in with the defeated clans."
"Let me ask you first—do you have any more of those stones?"
The boy laughed and shook his head.
"Nope."
Louis Yu turned and took Lucille Xing’s hand, ready to leave.
"If you did have more, I’d introduce you to King Grant. The Grant Family would love to do business with you. Then you wouldn’t just get a hundred kilos of grain—ten thousand kilos would be possible!"
"Really?"
Phoenix Yu jumped up, but then his expression turned cold.
"You can’t trust people’s hearts."
"If you don’t believe me, there’s nothing I can do. We’ll just head back. But the chance to settle down in Grant City might slip away!"
In the end, Phoenix Yu followed Louis Yu back to the city, carrying a small bundle with a stone about the size of a human head. He struggled under its weight.
"Lucille Xing, help him carry it for a while."
By the time they reached the center of Grant City, Phoenix Yu could barely carry the bundle. Lucille Xing reached out to help, but Phoenix Yu still looked suspicious.
"Who wants your stupid stone? Hand it over!"
As soon as Lucille Xing took the stone, she cried out in surprise, nearly breaking her arm from its weight. Struggling, she managed to carry it.
"See? That’s what you get for showing off."
Phoenix Yu burst out laughing.
Heart pounding with excitement, Phoenix Yu followed Louis Yu into the palace and actually met King Grant.
"Is there something you need, Louis Yu?"
King Grant asked, and Louis Yu pointed to what Phoenix Yu was carrying. After explaining, King Grant laughed heartily, ordered preparations, and went outside to a clearing. He had the black stone placed on a wooden stake, and a soldier smashed it with a stone hammer.
In no time, the hammer was destroyed. Several generals standing nearby gasped in surprise.
Then Ji Chang arrived, holding a razor-sharp bone blade and aiming it at the stone.
"This lousy stone—my spear can cut right through it."
As Ji Chang spoke, he thrust his spear at the stone. Instantly, the tip of his spear chipped.
"Phoenix Yu, tell me—where did you find this?"
As King Grant spoke, Phoenix Yu looked at him nervously, hesitating before he could answer. King Grant smiled.
"There are plenty of valleys near this palace. I’ll give you one—how about that?"
Phoenix Yu burst out laughing and began telling his story. He was from the Northwest Wild Tribe, where families live alone, rarely involved with other clans. His family was just like that.
But years ago, a mountain in the northwest suddenly shook and collapsed. Many Wild Tribe families were buried alive. Phoenix Yu survived because he was out hunting with his mother, but his father, siblings, and others were lost. The collapsed mountain revealed many black stones.
At first, Phoenix Yu didn’t know what they were. Later, curiosity led him to take a small piece. He found it heavy and harder than ordinary rock—far better for hunting.
"Chang, take some men and go with Phoenix Yu to the mountains. Clear a path."
King Grant immediately issued the order, had soldiers bring Phoenix Yu’s mother, and told Louis Yu to help Phoenix Yu choose a valley on the southern side.
"Ha! Didn’t expect you to be so decent—thanks!"
On the way, Phoenix Yu chatted happily. Louis Yu smiled and shook his head.
"By the way, what do you want these stones for?"
Louis Yu didn’t answer. Instead, he gazed north at the gloomy sky.