After dinner, the two of them took a short break and then headed to the camp.
Mino held a torch, a little uneasy in the dark, silent camp.
"You go that way, I'll go this way—we'll meet in the middle," Mu Liang said.
"Wait a minute, Xiao Cai will follow you," he added, referring to the big lizard.
"Okay," Mino relaxed when she realized the lizard was accompanying her.
"You don't need to pile too much wood," Mu Liang reminded.
"Got it," she replied, entering the camp with the torch in hand.
Watching her cower slightly, Mu Liang couldn't help but think that her courage wasn't much different from an ordinary girl's.
He entered some of the empty houses, carrying the torch, and stacked firewood in the fireplaces—preparing them for the morning so they could light them immediately. Tomorrow, when the rogue spies investigated, everything would be ready. Whether this would successfully lure Bloodbeard into the trap remained to be seen.
Time passed as Mu Liang worked quietly, stacking firewood.
"This house has been empty for a long time," he murmured as he entered a cobweb-covered room.
He was about to leave when a spider hanging from the ceiling caught his attention.
"Seems today's 10 taming points won't go to waste—or maybe we can domesticate this spider," he thought.
He reached out and grabbed it, and the system chimed.
Ding! A domesticable creature is detected. Do you want to tame it?
"Yes," Mu Liang said calmly.
Ding! Level 0 Life · Redback Spider detected. Taming…
Ding! Taming successful. 10 taming points consumed.
The tiny spider, once the size of a tail finger, had grown to the size of Mu Liang's palm. Its black body was striking, with red tips on its legs and a red marking on its back.
Ding! Red Ghost Spider Talent inherited: Spider Silk Perception.
"Inherited," Mu Liang confirmed. This was his third new ability gained from a domesticated beast.
Ding! 'Spider Silk Perception' improved…adapted…inheritance complete.
A warm sensation ran through his fingers and palms.
"Is my body already strong enough that low-level beast abilities aren't obvious?" Mu Liang speculated, glancing at the system panel. His enhanced attributes had only increased slightly.
"System, evolve the Red Ghost Spider to Level 3."
He wanted to test his theory by evolving it fully.
Ding! Level 1 Red Ghost Spider evolves to Level 3. 110 evolution points deducted.
Ding! Level 3 Red Ghost Spider evolution successful.
Ding! Level 3 Red Ghost Spider Talent Evolution: Spider Silk Control.
Ding! Trainer ability 'Spider Silk Control' deployed and synchronized.
Mu Liang felt the familiar warm current, though the strengthening effect was mild.
Trainer: Mu Liang
Physical Strength: 24 | Speed: 23.5 | Strength: 24.2 | Spirit: 35
Lifespan: 24/450 years | Taming Points: 0 | Evolution Points: 109
Abilities: Earth Rock Burst (L3), Mimic Stealth (L3), Spider Silk Control (L3)
Domesticated Beasts:
Rock Tortoise – Burst Thorn (L3)
Three-color Lizard – Mimic Stealth (L3)
Red Ghost Spider – Spider Silk Control (L3)
"Indeed, the enhancement effect is weaker at lower levels," Mu Liang observed. The first evolution of each domesticated beast provided the most noticeable improvement; subsequent ones were subtler.
He looked at the Red Ghost Spider on his arm.
"So… can you go down now?" he said, amused.
The one-meter spider looked intimidating, but it obeyed.
Shoo~~
It sprayed silk, anchoring to the ceiling, and climbed with ease.
Mu Liang reached out, letting silk shoot from his fingers to attach to the pile of firewood.
"Impressive… it can sense both weight and shape," he thought. "Tougher than ordinary rope and nearly invisible—excellent for traps."
He instructed the spider mentally: "Xiaohong, go to the outskirts of the camp and set up silk traps. Just alert me if someone triggers them—don't catch anyone."
Squeak~~ The spider acknowledged, spinning silk as it moved.
Mu Liang smiled, thinking of the many ways he could use this new ability.
He returned to stacking firewood in the house.
"Mu Liang?" Mino's nervous voice called from a nearby room.
"I'm here," he replied.
"Just a few rooms left!" she said, feeling relief.
"Okay," Mu Liang said, noticing her twitching rabbit ears—nervousness showing through.
In ten minutes, they finished stacking all the firewood. Side by side, they walked through the dark, neither speaking, listening only to each other's breathing. The torch was the only light; not a single star was visible above.
"Let's hurry back—it's getting cold," Mu Liang said, reaching for her hand.
"Okay," Mino replied, letting him pull her along. Her cheeks lifted in an unconscious smile, and she held his hand tightly as they trotted toward the rock tortoise.