Chapter 255: Chapter 255: The Price of Warmth
Chief Luo Shen’s confession took place inside the contract hall.
Not because Qin Yuheng trusted the hall.
Because Qin Mo insisted they study the contract while the chief spoke.
"Lies sound different when standing beside their paperwork," Qin Mo said.
The chief looked miserable.
Three years ago, Greenwake Village had nearly died.
A late winter froze the river. Seed stores rotted. Children became sick. Forest spirits abandoned the valley after villagers cut too many sacred groves for firewood. The village sent requests for help, but roads were blocked by snow and bandits. The old village elders believed no aid would arrive before starvation.
Then the Spring Envoy came.
It offered warmth.
Not endless spring.
Just enough to survive.
A contract was signed.
The first year, the price was only one-tenth of the harvest.
The second year, one-third.
The third year, half.
This year, the contract had changed.
The village had accepted "advance spring vitality" for larger fields, more crops, healthier animals, and stronger children.
In exchange, the village pledged its future harvest and named guarantors.
Most villagers did not understand what guarantor meant.
Some thought it was symbolic gratitude.
Some thought it meant extra work.
Some thought the chief would protect them.
The contract knew otherwise.
Qin Mo read the hidden clause aloud.
If harvest value fails to satisfy seasonal debt, guarantors shall provide vitality equivalent to promised spring.
Qin Yuchen’s eyes hardened.
"Vitality equivalent."
Qin Lian said, "Lives."
Chief Luo Shen covered his face.
"We thought the harvest would be enough."
Qin Yuheng looked at him.
"You thought abundance erased debt."
The chief trembled.
Qin Mo continued reading.
"The contract also makes harvest value dependent on the Collector’s appraisal. So even if the village produces enough, it can declare the harvest insufficient."
Chief Luo Shen’s face went white.
Qin Yuheng was not surprised.
Debt traps always controlled measurement.
Lin Xian’er would have said the same.
Qin Yuheng assigned tasks.
First, identify all marked guarantors.
Second, protect seed stores and harvest stores.
Third, determine whether the contract could be broken, repaid, nullified, or transformed.
Fourth, find the source of borrowed spring.
Qin Lian returned from scouting at dusk.
"The spring vitality comes from underground roots connected to a sealed grove east of the village. The grove is not natural."
Qin Mo inspected her map.
"Contract root network. The Collector is drawing future growth from the grove, then lending it back to the village."
Qin Yuchen frowned.
"So it sells the village its own future?"
"Yes," Qin Mo said.
The anger in the room deepened.
The first night, Qin Yuheng gathered villagers in the square.
At first, many defended the contract.
"We survived because of the Envoy!"
"Our children lived!"
"The fields are full!"
"Without spring, we would have died!"
Their fear was real.
Their gratitude was real.
That made the trap stronger.
Qin Yuheng did not deny the first spring had saved lives.
He said, "A rescue that becomes ownership must be judged again."
The villagers quieted.
He continued, "We will not destroy your fields. We will not let guarantors be collected. But you must stop hiding from the price."
An Ruo from Winter Seed Village would have understood.
Greenwake Village did not yet.
On the second day, the Spring Debt Collector sent agents.
They were not monsters.
They were flower-faced servants wearing green masks, carrying ledgers and sickles.
[Spring Debt Servant]
[Level Equivalent: 55]
[Abilities:
- Mark Verification
- Harvest Appraisal Distortion
- Vitality Thread Collection]
They entered homes politely and asked marked villagers to "confirm gratitude."
Qin Yuheng forbade anyone from signing or speaking confirmation phrases.
Qin Mo created silence talismans for marked villagers.
The servants attacked only after being denied.
The fight spread across three streets.
Qin Yuchen led defense.
Qin Lian cut vitality threads.
Qin Mo sealed ledger pages.
Qin Yuheng used the Clean Exchange Road Seal to declare:
"No confirmation without understanding. No gratitude converted to ownership."
The servants weakened.
By night, seven marked villagers had been rescued from active collection attempts.
But the contract remained.
[Marked Guarantors rescued from immediate collection: 7 / 34]
[Seasonal Debt Pressure: 18%]
[Harvest Moon: 4 days remaining]
On the third day, Qin Lian discovered the sealed grove.
It was beautiful.
Too beautiful.
Trees bloomed with flowers of every season at once. Spring blossoms, summer fruit, autumn leaves, and winter frost all existed on the same branches. At the center stood a hollow tree wrapped in green-gold contract chains.
A panel appeared.
[Borrowed Spring Source]
[True Nature:
Stolen Seasonal Cycle Heart]
[Status:
Village future vitality collateralized.]
Qin Mo stared.
"It stole their cycle transition heart."
Qin Yuheng understood.
Greenwake Village had sold not only spring.
It had sold its ability to move through seasons naturally.
That meant even if the Collector was defeated, the village might collapse if the cycle heart was not restored.
The Collector appeared again, this time more solid.
"You found the source," it said.
Qin Yuheng looked at the chained tree.
"You stole their future seasons."
"They signed."
"They did not understand."
"They wanted life."
"You used desperation."
The Collector smiled.
"Desperation is the oldest currency."
Qin Yuheng raised his sword.
"Then we will change the currency."
The Collector laughed.
"Try before harvest moon."
It vanished again.
Qin Yuheng did not chase.
He looked at Qin Mo.
"Can we restore the Seasonal Cycle Heart?"
Qin Mo’s face was pale but excited.
"With the Sovereign Cycle Transition Heart, Dormant Potential Preservation Crystal, and Debt-Free Exchange Seal... maybe."
"Risk?"
"If we cut contract too fast, village loses borrowed vitality immediately. Crops wither. Guarantors may collapse. If we wait until harvest moon, Collector claims them."
Qin Yuheng nodded.
"So we need staged repayment without accepting its appraisal."
Qin Mo groaned.
"We are doing seasonal debt restructuring."
"Yes."
Qin Mo looked toward the sky.
"I miss fighting wolves."
