Chapter 687: Chapter 687 - Taming the Fifth Year - Cheating

"Well... Silky webs for cloth... Cloth made from the Greater Giant Weavers," Ren observed the reactions carefully, watching understanding dawn across different faces. "Specifically, cloth from those ten years old or more. The kind that’s lost its stickiness."

"That’s..." one of the new members whistled low. "That’s import material... Expensive, very expensive."

"The most expensive cloth on the market," another confirmed with the certainty of someone who’d seen the price tags, perhaps while accompanying his mom on shopping expeditions. "It’s used for the most luxurious dresses. Noble women pay fortunes for it because it adapts perfectly to all the bright paraphernalia they love to wear."

The material was legendary among crafters and merchants. Light and stronger than most leather from the same rank, with a natural shimmer that made crystals appear even more spectacular. It was the foundation of high fashion, the canvas upon which wealth displayed itself most ostentatiously.

"Exactly," Ren nodded, pleased that his team understood the value of what they’d be gathering. "I’ll take the group through the weaver’s forests and ecosystems, from Iron all the way to Silver 3."

A comprehensive tour through increasingly dangerous territory. The ones in Silver 3 produced the most prized material but required careful navigation and timing.

"That sounds dangerous," Klein observed, his voice sounding a bit concerned.. "Weaver territories are difficult to navigate. The webs, the nests, the colonies..."

"They are if you don’t know how to deal with them," Ren looked at him directly, meeting his eyes with the confidence of someone who’d learned the secrets of these ecosystems through his fungal network years ago. "But they’re also perfect for leaving behind anyone who wants to follow us. Anyone who wants to make our lives impossible."

The meaning was clear to everyone listening.

The additional watchers assigned to observe them. The observers from noble factions who’d report every action, every decision, looking for any excuse to claim impropriety or cheating. Anyone who thought to sabotage or hinder their gathering through interference, battle for the ebay places or "accidents" that couldn’t quite be proven intentional.

Weaver forests were three-dimensional labyrinths of web and traps, vertical spaces where up and down mattered as much as forward and back.

Following someone who knew the path was already difficult, requiring constant attention to hand and foot placement. Following someone while trying not to get caught in giant spider webs, while avoiding territorial weavers who didn’t appreciate intruders, while maintaining surveillance that looked casual rather than obvious...

That was almost impossible.

"Then it’s decided," Ren declared with finality that invited no further debate. "Prepare for difficult terrain. Bring clothing without attachments that can get stuck easily. And..." he looked at each team member in turn, making sure they understood the importance of what he was about to say, "come with the attitude to listen to instructions so you don’t slow down the group."

Nobody objected to the implicit command structure being established.

They’d voted him leader. Now they’d have to trust his leadership even when it took them places they’d never imagined going.

♢♢♢♢

The next day, at the starting point where all teams gathered in organized chaos of final preparations, Ren officially met the watcher assigned to his group.

And he knew immediately that this would be a problem.

The man was a Strahlfang, the house name carrying weight and implications. He recognized him by the small emblem the man wore proudly on his clothing, by the arrogant way he stood with shoulders back and chin raised, by the house colors embroidered into his uniform.

And he wasn’t alone.

Two small birds rested on each of his shoulders, with plumage that shimmered with iridescent tones, their surfaces catching light in ways that spoke of some elemental affinity.

"Team 15," the man announced without bothering to introduce himself properly, as if his presence should be explanation enough. "I’m your additional escort. I’ll be observing to ensure everything is conducted... appropriately."

His tone made it absolutely clear that "appropriately" meant "without undue help from the tutor", the implication was like an accusation just waiting for evidence.

Zhao, who stood beside Ren with the patient stance of someone accustomed to noble posturing, simply smiled with that relaxed expression he used when he really wanted to hit someone but couldn’t.

Professional courtesy maintained through gritted teeth.

"Welcome," he said with false friendliness that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "I’m sure your presence will be completely unnecessary, but we appreciate the extra effort."

The Strahlfang ignored him completely, his attention already fixed on Ren with the intensity of someone looking for specific things, for patterns that would confirm suspicions already previously formed.

He only had to watch very closely to "report the truth" he found attentively and everything would be fine according to his understanding.

His report wouldn’t be even minimally subjective like Zhao’s perhaps had been, or so he believed with the confidence of someone who’d never examined his own biases.

Years ago there would have been a problem with simply listening to reports because there would be a "your word against mine" situation that couldn’t be resolved satisfactorily.

However...

Lie detection was much more regulated and accepted now, not like a few years ago when it was just emerging as a reliable skill.

The difference was simply that the dissenting groups had now obtained the ability in their own ranks and tested it, proving it worked according to their own standards. But more importantly, they had it on their side, their own people who could call out falsehoods without relying on ’enemy’ testimony.

Now someone from the Dravenholms or the Ashenways on behalf of Selphira and Julius couldn’t simply allege they had the ability and say someone was lying unilaterally without being challenged by opposing detection.

But despite everything there was no way to know if the "lie detector" was also lying, the fundamental problem of true verification that had plagued truth-seeking since ancient times.

Even with two opposing detectors, it would be a never-ending tale of lies and counter-accusations, each side claiming truth while accusing the other of deception.

However, now there was a safe way that involved two opposing detectors... And a funny addition that had emerged almost by accident.

Elemental plant sap.