Not a word passed that night. By the time the faintest hint of dawn broke on the second day, I was already awake.
It was still early before the time Adar and I had agreed upon, so I didn't rush to get up. Instead, I glanced at the quiet entrance and slowly revealed my chest.
As I watched, the black spider that had been haunting my waking and sleeping hours gradually appeared on my otherwise empty chest.
Its ferocious form served as a constant reminder that I could be consumed at any moment. In fact, these past few days, whenever I slept, I often dreamt of that dark shadow, and the greedy gaze hidden behind it, perpetually observing me.
I had a premonition that as the black spider's color deepened, it would eventually revive within me, perhaps even take over my body!
Damn it, I'd rather die than give you my body!
As I was steeling myself, I suddenly heard footsteps outside the tent. I quickly put on my clothes, lay back on the bed, and closed my eyes, feigning sleep.
As soon as I closed my eyes, I heard Adar's familiar, gruff voice at the entrance.
"Brother Bada, are you awake? I'm coming in!"
As Adar lifted the tent flap, I feigned a dazed state, as if just waking up, and sat up on the bed.
"Adar, is it morning already? I'll get ready, and then we'll go."
After a simple wash, I followed Adar out of the tent.
By now, most of the villagers in the Du'an tribe had woken up. Adar and I grabbed a bite to eat at the cooking area, and then we headed together to the place where the animal hides were stored.
It was in a secluded corner behind the tribe, where an ancient-looking tent stood alone, seemingly out of place with the surrounding tents. The leather, adorned with heavy patterns, seemed to shimmer with the oil of ages.
"Interesting!"
I followed Adar silently, my mind constantly pondering.
Indeed, many things are revealed through details. On the surface, the Du'an tribe appeared indifferent to these inherited animal hides, even using such an old tent and a remote location for storage.
But from the watchful eyes occasionally cast from hidden spots around, I knew this was all an act. Hu Tu understood the value of these items perfectly; the apparent lack of importance was just a facade.
If I had chosen to infiltrate covertly from the start, instead of speaking openly with Hu Tu, I would likely have been met with an ambush by the elite Du'an warriors!
As I mused, Adar had already led me to the entrance.
He didn't enter directly but stood at the doorway and called out.
"Ye Sou, the Great King sent me to bring someone to see the animal hides!"
Ye Sou?
I blinked, looking at Adar's respectful expression.
Could this be the Du'an tribe's librarian?
Adar's voice echoed into the tent. After a while, a few coughs came from within, and a withered hand lifted the tent flap.
I looked towards the entrance and saw a small, hunched old man emerge.
It was evident that this old man was very old, his face covered in age spots, his eyes cloudy. Accompanied by occasional coughs, one might fear he would pass away at any moment.
After coming out, Ye Sou glanced at me and then slowly spoke.
"Little Adar, you've grown so big. Come in with me."
Ye Sou said this and slowly turned to go back inside.
I intended to follow Adar in, but he stepped aside, creating a passage.
"Bada, I won't be going in. Just find me when you're done."
Perhaps the solution to my black spider affliction was within reach, so I didn't linger with Adar. I simply nodded to him and lifted the tent flap to enter.
The curtain fell, separating the inside from the outside into two worlds.
I couldn't help but gasp. A heavy sense of antiquity washed over me.
This tent, unassuming from the outside, held a different universe within.
Rolls upon rolls of ancient animal hides were neatly arranged on wooden shelves. Some were tattered and broken, while the shelves themselves were clean, indicating someone had tidied them regularly.
This feeling made my scalp tingle, as if the vast, ancient history of the wild was about to unfold before me. The scene was enough to stir the most primal instincts of humanity, much like ancient humans hearing the sound of rain, the roar of beasts, or the crackling of wood in a fire.
It represented the unknown, and it represented desire...
"Young man, what are you looking for?"
A wizened voice came from my side. I turned to see, in a corner of the tent, an inconspicuous small bed. Ye Sou was sitting on it, watching me.
Under the gaze of his cloudy eyes, my heart involuntarily quickened.
"Ye Sou, I want to look for legends of other tribes, especially... about the black spider."
I spoke slowly. There were at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, animal hides before me. If I had to search through them all myself, it would take an age.
What I lacked most was time. Ye Sou was the administrator here, and he would surely know the background of these hides. It was better to tell him directly, so I could find what I needed most quickly.
Upon hearing my words, a hint of surprise flickered across Ye Sou's wrinkled face. He coughed a few times, his throat hoarse.
"The black spider... It's been so long since I heard that name. Why do you seek It?"