Chapter 42: Survival Priorities
As they maintained a steady pace toward the village gates, Kellar kept the interface floating before his vision to carefully study the three new options on the tech tree.
[Basic Bone & Horn Tooling] [Cost: 2 Tech Points]
[The knowledge and technique to carve, split, and refine animal bones, antlers, and teeth into durable needles, fishhooks, arrowheads, and reinforced fasteners without splintering the marrow core.]
[Basic Cordage & Natural Fibers] [Cost: 2 Tech Points]
[The methodology for harvesting, drying, and twisting wild plant fibers, inner tree bark, and animal sinew into high-tensile strength ropes, bowstrings, and binding cords.]
[Primitive Earth Pit Ovens & Food Preservation] [Cost: 2 Tech Points]
[The practical understanding of thermal retention using clay-lined earth pits, hot stones, and controlled smoking techniques to safely cook, dry, and preserve large quantities of meat for months without spoilage.]
Kellar analyzed each option, weighing the needs of the tribe against the brutal winter that was only just beginning.
"Bone and horn work can wait," thought Kellar. "Bone needles and arrowheads are useful, but for now, stone tools and the hunters’ metal knives get the job done. The other two, however, are absolute emergencies."
His eyes lingered on the natural fibers and cordage knowledge.
"With Basic Cordage & Natural Fibers, I won’t just be making high-tensile rope to build complex traps or reinforce roof structures," he mused, glancing at the thick sinew of the boar they were hauling. "It will also let me craft high-tension bowstrings for Mila and supply fine thread to stitch together the tanned hides. Without good cordage, tanning leather is useless if we can’t actually assemble the clothing."
Next, he considered the food preservation technology.
"And with Primitive Earth Pit Ovens & Food Preservation, we solve the tribe’s biggest headache," he continued evaluating. "Right now, whenever a hunter brings back a massive kill, half of it rots before they can even finish eating it. With earth pit ovens and smoking techniques, we could store hundreds of kilos of dried meat from this single boar that will last for months without spoiling."
Kellar let out a quiet, satisfied breath. The options cost two points each—double the previous tier—but their strategic value for the tribe was priceless.
They reached the village entrance at dusk. News of their return spread and a crowd of villagers quickly swarmed them, staring in awe and jubilation at the colossal boar resting on the sled. Cheerful chatter and sighs of relief echoed among the people in their tattered coats; in the dead of winter, an animal weighing over eight hundred kilos meant guaranteed food for dozens of families.
Kellar observed the grateful glances and hopeful smiles of the crowd as he pulled the rope.
"If I’m going to dethrone the clan leader, I need to win the people’s support," thought Kellar coldly. "A king is nothing without his people."
They continued toward the central plaza, where the village butcher—a burly man with thick arms and a filth-stained apron—approached them, wiping his hands on a greasy rag. The butcher’s trade was one of the most lucrative in the settlement; knowing how to joint these beasts and work through their tough hide was a rare skill, allowing him to charge exorbitant fees from the hunters.
"Bring it over here," said the butcher, boasting as he eyed the kill with greed. "Since you brought back such a fine specimen, I won’t charge you my usual fee to carve it up today. Be grateful I’m in a good mood."
Kellar looked him up and down annoyed by his arrogant attitude.
"That won’t be necessary," said Kellar, his voice firm and clear so the surrounding crowd could hear him. "I will clean it myself. And whatever extra meat my household doesn’t need, I will distribute directly to the people."
The butcher burst into a mocking laugh.
"You? Clean a mountain boar?" scoffed the butcher. "You’re going to ruin the meat and dull your knife in three minutes. You don’t know the first thing about butchering, kid."
However, standing a short distance away from the crowd, the clan leader watched the scene in silence. He was neither old nor careless; he had maintained his power for so many years precisely because of his extreme caution. He stared intently at the calm in Kellar’s eyes and the confidence with which he spoke.
Something smelled foul to him. He didn’t know what trick Kellar had up his sleeve, but a sharp sting of suspicion began to gnaw at his chest.
The clan leader stepped forward, seeking to test his intuition and take control of the situation in front of everyone.
"That is an excellent hunt, Kellar," said the clan leader, adopting a calm yet authoritative tone. "However, to maintain order, you must hand it over. The butcher and I will handle distributing it fairly among the entire tribe."
Kellar met his gaze directly, without backing down an inch.
"And who gave you the right to decide for me and my prey?" said Kellar.
A dead silence fell over the plaza. The villagers were in shock at Kellar’s defiant words and brazen attitude toward the settlement’s highest authority.
The clan leader’s brow furrowed, his jaw tightening as he tried to turn the crowd against him.
"Don’t be selfish, boy!" accused the clan leader loudly, raising a hand. "The tribe needs food to survive the winter. Thinking only of yourself at a time like this is a disrespect to everyone!"
Kellar let out a soft, mocking chuckle, knowing precisely which card to play.
"Selfish?" said Kellar, raising his voice so it echoed across the entire square. "According to clan laws, novice hunters aren’t required to contribute anything from their kills until their sixth month. Even so, I plan to give away all the meat my household won’t consume. I estimate we will only keep fifty to a hundred kilos for storage; the remaining seven hundred kilos will go directly to the tribe. And you call me selfish?"
The crowd began to murmur among themselves, shooting glances of surprise and suppressed disapproval toward the clan leader. The leader clenched his fists in silence, realizing that Kellar hadn’t just dodged his trap—he had just scored a crushing political victory right in front of the whole village.