Chapter 34 Beyond the Border
The light of knowledge shone brightly within the Silvermoon Tribe, but the world beyond its borders remained shrouded in mystery. One misty morning, a rapid alarm blared from the watchtower—not the rhythm of an incoming visitor, but an urgent signal of an unusual situation.
Canglan immediately transformed into wolf form and ran towards the wall, with Lin Chen following closely behind. In the hazy morning mist, there was a strange movement at the edge of the distant forest: not the movement of wild animals, nor the movement of known tribes.
"What's that?" Yunshan asked nervously, his fingers tightly gripping the newly made clipboard.
Xiaoyu squinted and observed, "It's unlike any other tribe we know of walking... too neat, too quiet."
A strange group slowly emerged from the mist. About twenty of them, clad in uniform dark animal hides, their steps unsettlingly synchronized. Most striking was the weapons they carried—not the usual stone axes and wooden spears, but spears made of some kind of reflective black stone, gleaming ominously in the hazy light.
Canglan immediately ordered: "Be on guard! But don't provoke first."
The strange group stopped some distance outside the tribe. A tall man stepped forward and spoke in a cold yet precise voice, "Is this the Silvermoon Tribe? We are from the Blackrock Tribe, seeking... communication."
Elder Shi Yan, escorted by guards, arrived at the wall and said, "The Silver Moon Tribe welcomes peaceful exchange. Please state your purpose."
The representative who identified himself as Black Stone—a middle-aged man with a blank expression—replied, "We've heard you possess...special knowledge. We're willing to trade it for our stone technology."
Lin Chen noticed that these people's eyes were unusually calm, with almost no emotional fluctuations. Their equipment was disturbingly sophisticated, completely unlike the level expected in this primitive world.
A cautious exchange began. The Blackrock Tribe displayed their obsidian weapons—exceptionally sharp and lightweight, far more effective than ordinary stone tools. But they were clearly more interested in the Silvermoon Tribe's knowledge recording system.
"These symbols," the Black Stone representative pointed to the markings outside the Cave of Knowledge, "who taught them?"
Lin Chen remained cautious: "The tribe developed together. Every symbol has its meaning and origin."
The people of Blackstone recorded what they saw and heard in some way—not pictures or symbols, but some kind of abstract inscriptions, with astonishing efficiency.
That night, the atmosphere at the tribal meeting was solemn.
"They're so... perfect," Canglan frowned. "In all my years of hunting, I've never seen such a well-organized tribe."
Hong Yan added, "Their weapons are incredibly advanced. Obsidian is difficult to work, but each of them has a full set of equipment."
Xiaoyu said worriedly, "I asked them about the tribe's location, but they were vague. When I asked them how to obtain the technology, they just said 'tribal secrets'."
Lin Chen pondered for a long time: "Knowledge should be shared, but it must be mutually beneficial. We don't understand them, so we need to be cautious."
The next day, the Blackstone representative made a direct request: "We want a complete record of your symbology. In exchange, we will provide you with advanced weapons crafting technology."
Elder Shi Yan was polite but firm: "The knowledge of the Silver Moon Tribe was accumulated gradually, and it takes time to understand and absorb. We prefer to communicate gradually."
The Blackrock people were clearly displeased, but they didn't force their way in. However, over the next few days, the Silvermoon Tribe discovered these strangers, under the guise of learning, observing and recording everywhere, even attempting to approach restricted areas.
Even more disturbing, they seemed particularly interested in the Silvermoon Tribe's defensive layout, frequently asking about wall structures and patrol arrangements.
"This isn't a normal exchange of knowledge," Canglan asserted at an internal meeting. "They're conducting reconnaissance."
Lin Chen suggested a test: "Tell them an unimportant error message and see how they react."
They deliberately let Yunshan "accidentally" reveal the wrong meaning of a crop symbol. Within a day, the Black Stone people were using this wrong symbol, proving that they were mechanically copying rather than truly understanding it.
The crisis erupted on the seventh day when a Blackstone member was spotted sneaking into the Cave of Knowledge at night, attempting to copy the most important record tablet.
When Canglan personally intercepted him, the man remained remarkably calm: "Knowledge should be shared. It's selfish to hinder the spread of knowledge."
"Sharing is different from stealing," Canglan responded sternly. "The Silver Moon Tribe is open to communication, but respect is a prerequisite."
After the incident, Elder Shiyan formally asked the Blackrock Tribe to explain their true intentions.
The Blackstone representative finally revealed his true colors: "Knowledge is power. The knowledge of the Silvermoon Tribe is worth possessing. Join us, or... be surpassed."
The threat was self-evident. After the Silvermoon Tribe firmly refused, the Blackrock Tribe quietly departed the next morning, leaving behind a warning: "Knowledge isolation is fragile. We will return."
The crisis was temporarily resolved, but a shadow loomed over the tribe. The Silvermoon Tribe immediately convened a tribal meeting to discuss countermeasures.
"We can't close ourselves off out of fear," Lin Chen said, "but we need to better protect our intellectual achievements."
Xiaoyu suggested: "Distribute the most important knowledge and increase the number of copies. Even if some of it is lost, it won't be lost altogether."
Yunshan suggested: "Establish a knowledge guardian system, with key knowledge memorized and passed on by dedicated personnel, supplemented by symbolic records."
Canglan strengthened its defenses: "Improve the observation system and increase long-range early warning. Establish an alarm network with friendly tribes."
The most innovative ideas came from the children. While playing the game "Tribe Guard," they devised a system for transmitting complex messages using sound and fire, which was more flexible and covert than existing methods.
Lin Chen was deeply inspired: "Instead of passively protecting, it is better to actively share. Spread the basic knowledge widely to friendly tribes. In this way, even if the Silver Moon Tribe is damaged, the knowledge will not be lost."
The plan was immediately implemented. The Silvermoon Tribe dispatched "knowledge messengers" to friendly tribes to share basic symbol systems and important knowledge, while also learning from each other's technology.
The Wind Whispering Tribe readily accepted and contributed their mobile recording methods; the mountain tribe shared their secret hunting symbols; even the distant lakeside tribe sent people to learn and brought knowledge of aquatic plants.
Instead of knowledge being lost, it was enriched. Each tribe began to use a unified symbol system, yet was able to develop and innovate according to its own needs.
A month later, when the Blackrock Tribe's reconnaissance team appeared again, they were surprised to find that the knowledge had spread. Not only the Silvermoon Tribe, but also many surrounding tribes were using and developing the symbol system.
When a Blackstone representative tried to threaten a small tribe into handing over the knowledge, the response he received was, "The knowledge belongs to all tribes, not to any single group."
What surprised Blackstone even more was that the tribes had established a joint defense system. Once they discovered the whereabouts of the Blackstone tribe, they would immediately warn each other through an improved signal system.
During another confrontation, Canglan calmly told the Black Stone representatives: "You can try to seize knowledge, but you cannot seize the wisdom that creates knowledge and the spirit that shares knowledge."
The Blackrock Tribe eventually retreated, never to return, but their presence transformed the Silvermoon Tribe and surrounding communities.
Knowledge is no longer stored centrally, but distributed across the network; communication is no longer limited to regular gatherings, but is ongoing; defense is no longer isolated, but a joint response.
Lin Chen stood on the improved watchtower, watching the signal lights of various tribes flickering in the night sky, like stars falling to the ground.
"The threat they bring actually makes us stronger." Canglan hugged him from behind.
Lin Chen nodded: "The strongest defense is not a high wall, but a network of connections. The most valuable knowledge is not preserved symbols, but the ability to create."
The next day, the Silvermoon Tribe launched a new project: the "Knowledge Garden"—an open-air learning space where people from all tribes can freely learn, teach, and exchange ideas. No walls, no limits, only the continuous growth of wisdom.
Teachers from different tribes teach their respective specialties here, and students use a unified symbol system to record and learn. Even the threat of the Black Rock Tribe becomes a part of the teaching: how to distinguish sincere communication from ulterior motives.
One afternoon, Lin Chen was teaching a group of children from mixed tribes about star symbols in the Knowledge Garden. A child from the High Mountain Tribe suddenly asked, "Teacher, if knowledge spreads, will the Silver Moon Tribe still be special?"
Lin Chen smiled and pointed to his heart: "True uniqueness does not lie in monopolizing something, but in contributing something. The uniqueness of the Silver Moon Tribe lies in opening up sharing, not ending ownership."
The children seemed to understand it, but they remembered the answer.
As night falls, the bonfire in the Garden of Knowledge is lit, and people from all tribes gather to share stories and experiences. Different accents, same symbols; different backgrounds, same thirst for knowledge.
Lin Chen and Cang Lan stood away from the crowd, on a hillside overlooking the entire Silver Moon Tribe. Below them, the flames of the Knowledge Garden glowed like stars on the earth; in the distance, the signal fires of the various tribes echoed like the sky.
"Look," Canglan whispered, "we are no longer a tribe with a single flickering lamp, but a whole land connected by starlight."
Lin Chen leaned on his shoulder, feeling the warmth and power of this primitive world. He once worried about the loss of knowledge, but now he understood that true knowledge grows through sharing. He once feared external threats, but now he understood that connection is the best defense.
In this world without words but rich in symbols, humans are building civilization in the most essential way: not by hoarding and isolating, but by sharing and connecting.
Beneath the starry sky, the Silver Moon Tribe rested peacefully, no longer an isolated bright spot, but a star in a network, illuminating others and being illuminated by others. And that soul from another world had finally fully integrated into this star network, becoming part of the connection, both a node and a bridge.
Borders still exist, but they are no longer insurmountable obstacles, but boundaries of mutual respect. Knowledge is still precious, but it is no longer a possession to be held tightly, but a gift to be shared.
On this starry night, the Silvermoon Tribe and its companions are welcoming all the unknowns of tomorrow with an open and vigilant mind.
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