The morning air in the Black Market Tribe was crisp, almost too still, as if the world itself held its breath. Chao Shishi awoke to the sound of her cubs shifting restlessly on their mats. Their little bodies had grown accustomed to the routine of waking with the dawn, but something in the atmosphere felt heavier than usual, though Shishi couldn't place what.
She pushed herself up, brushed the sleep from her eyes, and quietly moved to check on them. Chow Chow was curled like a tiny flame in fox form, her tail twitching as if she were dreaming. Chaoang stretched languidly, his fox ears flicking at every sound outside the stone house. And Chao Lie, her youngest, was already awake, his snake body coiled in the corner, eyes gleaming faintly in the dim light.
"Lie," Shishi whispered softly, "you're up early."
The boy didn't answer right away. He rarely did. His crimson eyes were focused intently on the shadows cast by the crack in the wall. Finally, his voice came, calm and low:
"Something moved outside, Mama."
Shishi frowned. "An animal?"
Lie shook his small head. "Not like that. Quiet. Careful. Watching."
The words made her pause, but she forced a gentle smile for his sake. Lie had always been sharper than the others, his instincts coiled as tightly as his beast form. But Shishi had also learned he noticed things others ignored, sometimes shadows of his imagination. Still… she couldn't ignore the chill that crept up her spine at his certainty.
Before she could question further, the familiar dingdong of her system chimed in her mind.
> System Alert: Quest generated.
Mission Type: Observation
Mission Rank: ★★★☆☆
Objective: Detect and identify the spy among the shadows.
Note: Success requires relying on the cubs' efforts. Host may provide guidance but cannot directly complete the task.
Shishi stiffened. A spy? Her eyes instinctively flicked to Lie, who still hadn't looked away from the cracks of light and shadow near the doorway. Her heart pounded. So he really did see something…
The quest text lingered in her vision for a moment longer before fading, but her pulse didn't calm. She glanced at her other two children, still waking, still unaware. She couldn't frighten them with talk of spies—not yet.
"Lie," she said in a careful whisper, "stay close to the house, all right? If you see that movement again, tell me right away."
The boy nodded solemnly, his tail tightening around himself.
---
Outside, the tribe was waking in its usual rhythm. The smell of roasting meat drifted on the breeze, mingled with the faint tang of fresh mud from the stone houses being repaired. Men carried tools, women gathered baskets, children chased each other with shrill laughter. To the unknowing eye, it was another peaceful day.
Yet Shishi couldn't shake the feeling of unease. Jin Ling noticed almost immediately.
"You're distracted," he said, walking up to her with a basket of fresh water balanced easily in one arm. His golden eyes studied her face with quiet intensity. "What happened?"
Shishi hesitated. She couldn't tell him about the system, not yet, but she could share the truth as her cubs saw it. "Lie said he noticed something strange this morning. Someone… watching."
Jin Ling's jaw tightened. "Where?"
"Near the wall of the house."
His expression darkened, but instead of questioning further, he set the basket down and turned sharply toward the perimeter. "Stay here. I'll look."
"No." Shishi reached out and caught his arm before he could stalk off. Her grip was light, but enough to stop him. "If there is someone, they'll expect a warrior like you to hunt for them. Let me… let the cubs… just watch quietly. If it's nothing, we don't risk spreading panic. If it's real…" Her voice faltered. "…then we'll know soon enough."
Jin Ling frowned deeply, clearly unwilling, but the softness in his eyes betrayed his restraint. He finally nodded. "Fine. But the moment you sense danger, call me."
Shishi nodded, her heart oddly warmed even in her worry.
---
The day passed with deceptive normalcy. She busied herself with weaving new grass bags for the tribe, her hands moving in practiced rhythm as others—especially the females curious about her designs—gathered to watch. Chow Chow and Chaoang carried smaller baskets, eager to show off their usefulness to the other children, who watched with thinly veiled envy.
But Shishi's eyes strayed often to Lie. The little snake moved silently, weaving in and out of corners, his presence often forgotten even when he slithered just past a group of talking males. It was uncanny how invisible he could be when he wanted.
By midday, as the sun pressed heat against the stone walls, Lie slipped back to her side, his voice soft and urgent.
"Mama. I saw him."
Shishi's weaving stilled. "…Where?"
"Near the east wall. He was crouched low, smelling the air. His ears were too big for a wolf or a fox. Not from here."
Her chest tightened. A spy, just as the system warned.
Before she could respond, a commotion rose from the edge of the settlement. Shouts, sharp and angry, carried on the wind. Jin Ling's voice was among them.
Shishi stood quickly, her cubs gathering around her instinctively. Lie's eyes flashed with both pride and fear. "That's him. They found him."
---
The tribe gathered near the eastern barrier where a cluster of male beastmen had surrounded a patch of brush. From within came the sound of scrambling feet, the unmistakable rustle of someone trying to escape unseen.
"Out!" one of the guards barked. "Show yourself!"
But the shadow within darted the other way, a blur of speed barely caught by the eye.
Several males lunged, transforming mid-leap into their beast forms. A wolf snapped its jaws, a tiger's paw swiped at the blur, but the intruder was nimble, weaving between their strikes. For a heartbeat, the spy's form flashed into view—lean, hunched, with pointed ears and mottled fur unlike any beast in their tribe.
Gasps rippled through the crowd. "An outsider!" "What is that thing?"
Before they could trap it, the spy bolted toward the treeline. Two males gave chase, but within moments the figure melted into the forest, gone as swiftly as it had appeared.
---
The tribe buzzed with agitation. Some voices trembled with fear, others rose in anger.
"They were watching us—waiting for weakness!"
"If there's one, there are more!"
"This is what comes of taking in rogues and strangers—trouble follows them!"
Shishi held her cubs close, her heart pounding. She could feel the shift in the air—the calm they had lived in cracking, just enough to let unease seep in.
Only Jin Ling's steady presence, golden eyes scanning the forest edge, kept the crowd from unraveling further. "Enough," he said firmly. "We drove it off. Panicking will only make us vulnerable."
But his gaze flicked to Shishi and her children, lingering on Lie. The faintest acknowledgment passed between them. Lie had seen the danger before anyone else. And though few realized it, the first crack in their calm had come because a child with serpent's eyes refused to ignore the shadows.
---
The crowd eventually broke apart, but not in peace. Arguments flared in low voices as families returned to their homes, each carrying the memory of the strange, mottled figure. The word spy hung in the air like smoke, clinging to every conversation.
Shishi walked her cubs back slowly, keeping them close. Chow Chow clung to her sleeve, ears lowered. "Mama… will they come back?"
"They might," Shishi admitted softly, brushing her daughter's hair back from her face. "But that's why we stay together. No matter what happens, we protect each other."
Chaoang puffed out his chest, his young fox ears twitching. "If they come again, I'll fight them!"
Shishi smiled faintly at his boldness but shook her head. "Not yet, my brave one. For now, we let the warriors guard us. Your time will come."
Lie remained silent, trailing beside her in snake form, his scales whispering against the ground. His eyes, however, were watchful, scanning the corners of shadows as if expecting another intruder.
---
Inside their home, the silence pressed in. It was then the system's chime returned.
> System Alert: Quest complete.
Reward issued: Item Roulette unlocked.
Note: Spin roulette once to receive random aid. Uses limited to system-issued rewards.
Shishi exhaled shakily. She had half-expected the spy to vanish without the quest marking complete, but no—the system had accepted Lie's discovery as fulfillment. Her youngest had done exactly what was required.
Still, her heart wasn't eased. The words random aid set unease in her stomach. Roulette meant chance. Chance meant risk.
She suppressed the glowing panel before her children could notice her distraction. They didn't need to know—not yet.
---
That evening, the tribe gathered around the fire for a hasty meeting. The elder, a gray-haired lion beastman with a scar across his muzzle, raised his voice above the din.
"We have lived in uneasy peace, but today proves what some have feared—eyes from outside are on us. We must prepare."
Murmurs rippled. Some voices trembled: "They'll attack." "We're not ready." Others snapped in anger: "Drive them out before they strike."
Jin Ling stepped forward, his tall frame casting a long shadow in the firelight. "We don't know who they are, or what they want. Panic solves nothing. Until we understand, we hold the walls, keep watch, and strengthen our defenses."
His calm, firm tone quieted some, but not all.
A sharp voice cut through: "It's because of them."
All eyes turned. The words came from Mile, the white cat female whose envy of Shishi had grown ever more poisonous. She stood with arms crossed, her green eyes glittering. "First rogue beasts, then outsiders trailing behind them, and now spies creeping through our walls. Are we blind to the connection?"
A murmur of agreement rose from a few corners, though most shifted uncomfortably.
Shishi felt her chest tighten, but she said nothing. It wasn't the time.
Jin Ling's gaze hardened. "You speak of connections with no proof. Or would you blame every shadow on those you dislike?"
Mile's lip curled. "You're a fool if you think this isn't tied to them."
The elder silenced them with a raised hand. "Enough. This tribe will not fracture itself while enemies watch from the trees. Blame has no place here tonight. We prepare. That is all."
The fire cracked, spitting sparks into the air. But even as the crowd dispersed, suspicion lingered like ash on the tongue.
---
Back at her home, Shishi tucked her cubs into bed. Chow Chow and Chaoang fell asleep quickly, exhaustion pulling them down despite the tension of the day. But Lie remained awake, his eyes fixed on her in the dark.
"Mama," he whispered, "that spy… will he tell others about us?"
Shishi knelt by him, brushing a hand gently over his scales. "Maybe. But what matters is that you saw him. You gave us time to be ready. You were brave."
Lie shifted uncomfortably, though his eyes gleamed with pride at her words.
Inside, however, Shishi's heart weighed heavy. She could not tell him the whole truth—that his action had fulfilled a quest, unlocking strange, unpredictable rewards she barely understood. He would not know that her gratitude was tinged with unease, for she feared the spy's presence was not the end but only the beginning.
---
The next day, guards doubled along the perimeter. Watch rotations were tightened, and warnings were issued: no one to wander beyond the treeline without at least two escorts. The children were kept closer, their play corralled near the central square.
Life continued, but it no longer flowed. It lurched, watchful, broken by the memory of that mottled figure vanishing into the forest.
Shishi watched the changes with a quiet ache. She had grown used to the tribe's rhythm, the almost-peace that allowed her to breathe after so long of running. Now that rhythm had faltered, replaced by something taut and uncertain.
At her side, Jin Ling remained steady. He worked harder than before—training younger warriors, inspecting weapons, ensuring every stone of the wall was reinforced. But in quiet moments, when no one else was looking, his golden eyes sought hers, and in them she saw the truth: he knew the storm was coming, even if no one else admitted it aloud.
---
That evening, as the cubs helped her roast emperor fruit over the fire, Mile's shadow fell across their doorway.
Shishi's chest tightened. She forced her expression calm. "Do you need something?"
Mile's smile was sharp, false. "Only to warn you. When more spies come—and they will—don't think the tribe won't remember who was welcomed in first. If we fall, it will be on your head."
Shishi's hand tightened on the skewer, but she kept her tone even. "If we fall, it will be because we were too busy tearing each other apart to stand together."
Mile's eyes narrowed, but she said nothing more. With a flick of her tail, she turned and stalked away.
Shishi exhaled slowly, glancing down at her cubs. They had heard every word, their eyes wide. She smiled at them, gentle but firm.
"Remember this," she said softly. "When people are afraid, they lash out at what's closest. But fear doesn't make them right."
---
The night fell heavy again. And though the tribe was not yet at war, the first cracks had been made. Fear had found its way inside their walls.
---
The next morning dawned gray and damp, mist curling through the trees beyond the tribe's walls. Patrols returned with grim news: faint footprints, broken branches, the impression of more bodies slipping silently through the underbrush. The first spy had not been alone.
Whispers spread quickly. If one had come, more would follow. If more had followed, how many were watching now?
The elders gathered, their discussion hushed but heavy. Shishi caught only fragments as she passed through the square: "patterns of movement… scouts measuring our defenses… a test before a strike."
Her chest tightened. The spy had been a warning, but not one loud enough for everyone to hear. Some still clung to denial. Others trembled with fear.
And in the quiet of her home, when no eyes watched, the system's glow returned.
> System Roulette unlocked. One spin available.
Spin now?
She hesitated. Rewards were rarely free of cost. But withholding might be worse—she could not waste what the system gave.
"Yes," she whispered.
The panel spun, colors blurring until they collapsed into light. When it cleared, a small, crystalline gem lay in her hand, faintly pulsing with warmth.
> Reward: Spirit Conduit Gem
Note: Usable only by a male cub. Bestows one unique ability upon absorption.
Her brows knit. A gift meant not for her, but her sons.
She turned the gem over, its surface catching the firelight. It almost seemed alive, its pulse syncing faintly with her own heartbeat.
---
That evening, she called her children close. The cubs crowded around the hearth, their eyes shining with curiosity.
"Today," she said softly, "I was given something. A gift—but not for me."
She opened her palm, revealing the gem. Its glow bathed their faces in pale blue.
Chaoang leaned forward first, eyes wide. "It's beautiful… what is it?"
Shishi hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "A stone of power. But only a son can use it."
Chaoang and Lie exchanged glances. Chow Chow tilted her head, lips pressing into a thin line. She said nothing, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of disappointment.
Shishi's chest ached, but she squeezed her daughter's hand. "Each of you has your own path. This one just… isn't meant for you."
Chaoang's tail twitched eagerly. "Then let me try it!"
But Lie slithered closer, his eyes narrowing at the gem's light. "What if it's dangerous?"
Shishi nodded slowly. "That's why I will guide whoever takes it. But the choice is yours. This gift is not something to claim lightly."
The cubs were silent, the crackle of fire filling the space between their breaths.
Finally, Lie raised his chin. "Give it to Chaoang."
Shishi blinked. "You're certain?"
Lie nodded. "He's older. Stronger. If anyone should have it, it's him. I… I'll find my own way."
Chaoang's ears perked, pride lighting his face, but he glanced at his younger brother with a rare seriousness. "Are you sure?"
Lie simply flicked his tongue in reply.
Shishi studied them both, her heart swelling with quiet pride. Then she pressed the gem into Chaoang's palm.
"Hold it close," she instructed. "And breathe."
The gem pulsed once, twice—then dissolved into light, flowing into Chaoang's body. He gasped, his small frame shuddering as the glow sank into his chest. For a moment his eyes glowed faintly, fox-gold overlaid with crystalline blue.
Then it faded, leaving him trembling but unharmed.
Shishi caught his shoulders. "What do you feel?"
Chaoang panted, then blinked in astonishment. "It's like… like I can feel where everyone is. Not just see them—sense them. Every step, every breath."
A rare ability. A gift that could be vital in days to come.
Lie smiled faintly, though his eyes lingered a little longer on his brother's glowing aura before turning away. Chow Chow squeezed Chaoang's hand, pride shining through the shadow of her earlier disappointment.
Shishi hugged them all close, whispering, "Remember—this gift is for all of us. We stand stronger together."
---
The next day, the tribe stirred with unease again. Patrols had reported more shadows moving in the trees, but none had been caught. Scouts came and went like ghosts, vanishing before warriors could close the distance.
Some began to mutter: "They're testing us." "They know our weaknesses." "Why don't we strike first?"
Others clung to fragile calm. "It might mean nothing. Maybe they're only watching."
But Shishi, standing quietly at the edge of the square, knew better. The system had never given her a reward without reason. If it had armed Chaoang with the power to sense the unseen, it was because more unseen things were coming.
At her side, Jin Ling rested a steadying hand against her shoulder. His gaze swept the uneasy crowd, then softened as it fell on her.
"Whatever storm comes," he murmured, "we'll meet it."
Shishi nodded, though her heart whispered another truth: the storm had already begun.