The Rat Shaman stared at Luo Chong with a blank look, clearly unable to understand what a "calendar" was. Luo Chong slapped his forehead and tried asking another way. "How do you calculate sunrise and sunset?"
This time, the Rat Shaman understood. Feeling around, he pulled a triangular piece of bone from inside his robes. Luo Chong recognized it as what was probably the shoulder blade of some large animal.
The bone looked like it had seen many years. Its surface was yellow-brown, and it was glossy with oil from being handled so often, as though it had developed the patina of a treasured antique.
Fifteen holes had been drilled along one edge. Ropes of unknown material ran through them, covered in countless knots, while several symbols had been carved into the bone. The Rat Shaman handed it to Luo Chong and let him examine it himself.
At the very top of the bone, he saw fourteen circles carved into it. The first thirteen were concentric circles—in other words, rings—while the last had only a single loop and was slightly larger than the others.
Four trees had been carved along the lower edge. The first tree had leaves growing on it, and directly beneath it were three round holes. Each hole held a rope, and each rope had thirty knots tied in it.
What the hell is this? Three months in a season, thirty days in a month? Who made this? That's incredible.
Luo Chong stared at the Rat Shaman in shock, then continued looking downward. The second tree had not only leaves but flowers as well. The flowers did not look much like flowers, but that did not stop Luo Chong from understanding them. This time, there were four corresponding holes, with one rope in each, and thirty knots