Seeds of Trust, Shadows in the Brush
The morning after Lan's departure arrived with a silver mist and the scent of damp pine. Shen rose slowly from his straw mat, stretching arms sore from days of tilling and hauling lumber. Outside, the world glistened: raindrops clung to every leaf and blade of grass, turning Mudvale into a quiet gem nestled deep within the wild.
Yue was already up, sitting on the roof of the hut like a tiny silver guardian. Her tail swished rhythmically, her ears twitching with every creak of wood and rustle of leaves.
"Good morning to you too," Shen murmured, stepping out and shivering slightly at the chill air.
Yue yipped in return, then leapt down in a graceful arc and landed with a plop on his shoulder. Her weight was light, but warm—soothing in a way Shen still wasn't used to.
He'd slept better last night, knowing someone had passed through and hadn't tried to rob or stab him. It felt… comforting. Strange.
Shen knelt to examine his crops. The rain had done its job—most of the plants looked vibrant, even a little taller than the day before.
[System Notification]
Growth Phase: Stage 2 - Early Sprouting Complete
Projected First Harvest: 6 days
Field Quality: High
Pest Activity: None Detected
Note: Soil aura absorption efficiency increased by 3% due to continued care.
He exhaled slowly, letting that tiny victory settle over him.
"Six days, huh?" Shen said. "Long enough to stress me out, short enough to not starve."
Yue responded by headbutting his cheek and then attempting to dig in the compost pile again.
"Stop that. No treasure in there." He paused. "Unless you want fermented turnip rinds. Be my guest."
She blinked innocently, one paw still in the dirt.
Shen spent the morning rechecking the trench system. The rain had shifted a few stones, and a portion of the southern ridge had crumbled slightly, letting water flow too freely into the cabbage rows. With a few well-placed stones and a strip of bark, he corrected the flow.
The act was meditative—repetitive, physical, quiet.
Shen realized he no longer flinched at every crack of a twig or distant howl. He still didn't relax fully—peace had to be earned—but the edge of his alertness had dulled. He could feel the land around him, the hum of effort returning something to the soil. It was strange… cultivating without "cultivating."
He paused at the edge of the field, looking over his shoulder toward the hut.
"Mudvale," he murmured. "That's what I'll call it."
Yue chirped, her head popping up from a basket of dried moss she had claimed as a bed.
"It's better than Fluff Hill," he added. "That was never on the list, by the way."
That afternoon, a mild drizzle returned—more mist than rain, but enough to dampen everything in a pleasant, earthy scent. Shen used the time to work on internal plans.
He scribbled notes into a piece of bark with burned charcoal:
> Finish fence reinforcement
> Check herb patch (maybe transplant near hut?)
> First harvest: roots + greens
> Visit Lan's village (if safe)
> Buy land from magistrate
>Get proper tools, fishing line, cloth, and maybe a better axe.
Yue watched from atop the table, chewing on a twig like it owed her money.
"I should make a list just for you," Shen said. "Items: chew toys. Activities: mischief. Energy: overkill."
She looked up and sneezed, the twig dangling from her mouth.
"You are lucky you're adorable," he muttered.
That night, Shen sat by the fire with a bowl of thin broth, stewing roots and the last strip of wolf meat. The meat was gamy but passable. Yue lay sprawled in a ring of heat near the flames, belly up, paws twitching.
Shen tapped his bowl absently.
He thought about Lan.
The guy was odd, but honest. Shen didn't fully trust him—he didn't fully trust anyone—but there was something genuine in how Lan had spoken. The injury had been real. So had his warning.
A beast powerful enough to disrupt the local ecosystem was no small thing. If it came near Mudvale…
Shen's hand clenched the bowl.
He didn't want to fight.
But he would.
[System Notification]
Passive Trait Revealed: Guardian's Seed – When defending claimed land or bonded entity, all stats increase by 10% for one hour.
New Task: Scout East Ridge – Unusual prints detected near crop line.
Reward: +1 Awareness, +3 Foraging XP
"…Perfect," Shen muttered.
He glanced at Yue. She was snoring softly, legs twitching in some kind of dream battle with invisible enemies.
He sighed.
"Tomorrow then."
The next morning, Shen woke early and prepared. He wrapped his worn cloak tightly, checked the small handaxe's edge, and tucked a dried root in his pocket for energy. Yue followed with a chirp and a hop, tail wagging.
They headed toward the east ridge.
The climb wasn't hard—just slow. Moss-slick rocks and low-hanging vines made every step deliberate. Shen moved carefully, senses sharpened.
About twenty paces from the crop line, he found them: deep, gouged prints in the wet earth. Not paw prints. Not hooves.
Claws.
Three long toes, one rear hook, sunken deep.
"Great," Shen whispered. "Raptors. Or overgrown birds. Or a demon chicken."
Yue growled softly, her fur bristling.
[System Notification]
New Threat Catalogued: [Unidentified Forest Predator]
Caution: Moderate danger, Recommend fortifying defenses or avoiding contact.
Path toward east stream recently disturbed.
Suggesting route mark: blue moss stones.
Shen knelt, examining the trail. Something had passed through here. Not recently—perhaps hours ago—but the trail was cold now. Whatever it was, it moved fast and wide. Possibly larger than a wolf.
He stood.
"We're not dealing with this today," he said. "Let's get home, reinforce the fence, and pretend everything is fine."
Yue pawed at one of the claw marks, then shook her fur and sneezed dramatically.
"Agreed."
By midday, Shen had set up additional barriers along the eastern fence line—stacked stones and woven branches soaked in fox urine, which Yue had very kindly provided via aggressive territory-marking.
"I didn't even ask," he muttered as she strutted by proudly.
He sat back, wiped sweat from his brow, and opened the system panel:
[System: Soil Sage – Rootbound Path]
Cultivation Progress: 9% (Dormant Seedling)
Skills:
• Basic Farming (Lvl 7)
• Foraging (Lvl 2)
• Sheltercraft (Lvl 2)
• Axe Handling (Lvl 2)
• Observation (Lvl 1)
Bonded Entity: Yue (One-Tailed Celestial Fox)
→ Trait: Moonlit Grace (Passive)
→ Mischief Level: Still Excessive
Special Task Available: "First Harvest Feast"
Goal: Prepare a full meal from your own crops.
Reward: Cooking (Lvl 1), +Bond with Yue, +Mood Buff
He stared at it for a moment.
"I have to cook to level up?" he muttered. "Of course I do."
Yue danced in front of him, as if understanding the word "feast."
"No, not now. First, we survive the mystery beast."
She flopped over and played dead.
"Drama queen."
That evening, as clouds parted and the sky blushed with the colors of sunset, Shen stood at the edge of Mudvale with his arms crossed. The reinforced fence held steady. No movement stirred in the forest.
Yue sat beside him, ears forward.
They didn't speak. Not really.
But as Shen placed one hand on the wood and the other on the soil, he felt it again—that hum.
The land was listening.
And Shen… he was starting to listen back.
[End of Chapter 7]