"It's not impossible to pack it up."
Luciel looked at the tomato vines, thought for a moment, and came up with a plan.
Through spiritual communication, he conveyed his intent to Starscream:
"Xiaohong, come help me wrap these tomato vines into a big cocoon."
"Squeak~~"
The red ghost spider scuttled over and began spinning webs, using its silk to pull and bind the vines, wrapping them neatly into a giant cocoon.
Within ten minutes, the entire tomato plant had been encased in white silk.
"Good work," Luciel said with a nod of approval before turning his gaze toward the dome.
His next task was to open a passage for the tricolor lizard.
"But first, the gate needs to be blocked."
He gathered rocks and carefully pressed them against the gate on the ground, completely sealing it shut.
"Boom~~"
Even though the stone was placed down gently, the noise it made was still enough for the guards outside to hear.
"Hey, did you hear something from inside?"
"I did. You heard it too?"
"But… there shouldn't be anyone in there."
"Could someone have snuck in to steal something?"
"Don't joke around. We've been guarding this place the whole time—how could anyone get in?"
"Shame we don't have a key. Otherwise, I'd open the door to check."
"Are you trying to get yourself killed? Last time someone peeked inside out of curiosity, the boss butchered him."
"Uh… I was just saying."
The gatekeepers eventually quieted down, not daring to push further.
"...Good," Luciel thought, listening to their conversation. He had expected them to try opening the door.
Grabbing a spear, he moved to the dome's edge and boldly pried at the planks, opening a gap.
Bang, bang, bang...
The sound was loud enough that even the dullest guard would know something was wrong.
"What's going on in there?"
"Damn it, someone's inside!"
"Quick, notify Little Bloodknife—the boss's incubation chamber has been breached!"
Luciel ignored their shouting. In no time, he had pried open a three-meter-wide gap at the edge of the dome.
He patted the head of the tricolor lizard.
"Xiaocai, hurry and take this load home. Come back for the next run."
"Hisss…"
The lizard flicked its tongue, hoisted twelve small wooden barrels on its back, and slipped out through the gap. Its body shimmered, vanishing into invisibility as it dug its claws into the rock wall and climbed down the hill.
"Next, the boxes."
Luciel bundled dried meat with spider silk, though he was careful not to overpack.
Water wasn't a priority—thanks to the crystal fish, it wasn't needed in large amounts.
As for the rest of the goods, he chose not to move them all; with limited animal power, he had to prioritize.
"Xiaohong, take some jerky down and hide it somewhere farther away."
The red ghost spider obediently carried the packaged meat, transporting it to the cliff's edge. Using its silk manipulation, it lowered the bundles carefully down the slope.
Once the jerky was sent down, Starscream descended to haul it away.
At that moment, Bloodbeard's son—Bloodknife—arrived outside the gate.
"What are you idiots waiting for? Smash the door open!"
He barked furiously:
"I want to see who's bold enough to steal from our band of thieves!"
Bang, bang, bang...
The guards began hammering at the gate.
Luciel glanced calmly at the trembling pile of rocks. For anyone to enter, they would need to break through the stone door and haul the rubble away. It would take them at least three hours.
He reinforced the barricade with more rocks and bound them tightly with spider silk.
"I'm a little hungry. Let's roast some meat."
Setting up a table, he lit a fire and began grilling.
Sizzle...
The rich aroma of roasting meat slowly spread through the chamber.
Outside, the men breaking the door froze as the smell reached them, their expressions twisting in disbelief.
This thief… not only had the nerve to steal, but was calmly barbecuing inside!
"That bastard… How dare he! Smash the door down! Whoever breaks it first, I'll reward with a bucket of water!"
Bloodknife's furious roar echoed again and again. Someone was cooking meat inside the incubation chamber before he could even use it—an insult beyond tolerance.
After venting his anger, Bloodknife regained composure and ordered coldly:
"You, you, and you—go guard the suspension bridge. No one gets through!"
"Yes, sir!"
Torches flared as men rushed to both ends of the two suspension bridges connecting the hills.
――――
Meanwhile, a hooded figure had just slipped into the valley, hiding behind a shadowed rock.
Looking up, she spotted the suspension bridges strung between the three hills, lit by clusters of torches.
"Could it be… that person has already been discovered?" she wondered.
She waited and watched. The bridges remained still for a long while, and doubt crept in.
"Did he enter the middle hill? Or not?"
The hooded figure couldn't be certain.
With the thieves already on alert, their defenses would only grow tighter. Entering later would be nearly impossible.
"My time is running out," she muttered, touching her cheek in frustration.
Just then, a flicker of white movement caught her eye.
"What's that?"
She crept closer, and when she saw clearly, her eyes widened in shock. She clapped a hand over her mouth, suppressing a gasp.
A two-meter-tall spider was hauling cocoons across the valley.
"A beast… there's actually a beast lurking here."
Rustle...
A breeze stirred, making the suspended cocoons sway.
The hooded figure's heart raced.
"Could there be people inside those cocoons?"
She froze, watching as the red ghost spider carried several cocoons and vanished out of the valley.
"Should I follow and see where it's going?" she wondered, curiosity tugging at her.
"No… I'd risk exposing myself." She shook her head firmly.
But then her gaze drifted back to the spider silk webbing on the cliff, swaying in the wind.
"Maybe… this is my chance."
If she used the silk threads as footholds, she might be able to climb into Bloodbeard's treasure chamber.