Renovating and expanding a house required a substantial amount of raw materials, and relying solely on personal collection would be far too slow.
Recently, all the resources Jian Mo earned from treating patients had been exchanged for construction supplies.
Wood for beams, stone for walls, hardwood for charcoal, and limestone for making lime—all were being steadily gathered.
In addition to external trades, whenever Jian Mo and Wu Jiong spotted suitable materials while out, they would bring them home. If it wasn’t convenient during the trip, they’d make a special trip later.
The members of the He’an Tribe, seeing how hard the pair worked to collect materials, often helped out by dropping off items.
One person would bring something today, another tomorrow, and soon, a large pile of building materials had accumulated behind their house.
While the beams were carefully stored in a cave to protect them, other materials were stacked in the open.
Looking at the steadily growing pile of construction supplies, Jian Mo felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
With just a bit more collecting, they could begin renovations during the dry autumn weather.
On this particular day, Jian Mo stayed at the clinic to help a sub-beastman with a dental issue.
Dental problems were relatively common, and this patient had accidentally chipped half a tooth while biting into a hard nut, exposing the bloody root beneath.
Jian Mo treated the injury, but the only solution was to remove the tooth entirely after administering an anesthetic herbal tea.
If left untreated, the damaged tooth could lead to infection and inflammation.
With no facilities for root canal procedures here, extraction was the only practical solution.
Jian Mo performed the extraction with focused precision. Once the procedure was complete, he looked out the window and was startled to see a row of massive bears resembling polar bears.
It took him a moment to realize these were people from the Qin Hai Tribe.
After giving a few instructions to the patient’s partner to monitor the unconscious sub-beastman, Jian Mo removed his gloves and mask and stepped outside to meet the bears.
The bears greeted him warmly. “Doctor Jian Mo.”
The Qin Hai Tribe leader, Shu Guang, in his beast form, spoke in a deep and gravelly voice. “Doctor Jian Mo, I’m here for a follow-up checkup.”
Jian Mo nodded. “I figured as much. Let’s do it out here; the light is better. Lie down, and I’ll take a look at your stomach.”
Shu Guang obediently lay on his back, revealing a thick belly covered in soft white fur. “It’s completely healed now—no pain, no itching, and no unusual sensations.”
Jian Mo crouched to examine him closely. “Let me take a look first.”
Shu Guang’s stomach had indeed healed beautifully. A soft layer of new white fur had grown in, thick and plush.
The scars from the stitches had faded significantly and were barely visible, hidden beneath the fur.
Feeling proud of Shu Guang’s recovery and his own craftsmanship, Jian Mo smiled. “You’ve healed well.”
Shu Guang rumbled appreciatively. “Right? All thanks to you.”
Jian Mo nodded. “Your cooperation helped too. Do you have any discomfort when you move—like pulling sensations in your stomach? Any bloating after meals?”
Shu Guang shook his large head. “None of that.”
“What about your digestion? Any constipation?” Jian Mo continued.
Another shake of the head.
Feeling reassured, Jian Mo asked, “How about flatulence? Any excessive burping or other signs of trapped gas?”
Shu Guang replied, “Nothing unusual. I feel exactly like I did before the injury. I can even run without any discomfort now.”
After using his stethoscope to listen carefully, Jian Mo finally declared, “You’ve recovered wonderfully. No signs of complications like adhesions. Just avoid intense activity for a while to be safe.”
Though Shu Guang didn’t fully understand the term “adhesions,” he grasped that he was fine and rumbled happily. “Thank you so much!”
Jian Mo smiled. “Treating patients is my duty.”
With the clinic’s sub-beastman patient still unconscious, Jian Mo tidied up and turned to the bears. He asked about any notable nuts or plants in the Qin Hai Tribe.
The bears shook their heads. “Nothing particularly special in our area.”
Switching topics, Jian Mo reminded them to take care of their teeth, especially when eating.
One bear, standing behind Shu Guang, asked curiously, “Doctor Jian Mo, why are you suddenly bringing this up? Did someone’s teeth get damaged?”
Jian Mo gestured for them to lower their voices. “Yes, the patient inside chipped a tooth.”
The bears winced collectively, their expressions turning into a chorus of toothache grimaces.
Shu Guang asked, “Is there any way to fix a tooth without pulling it out?”
Jian Mo sighed. “Not at the moment. Fixing it would require suitable materials and adhesive, but we don’t have those here, so extraction is the only option.”
Shu Guang’s ears twitched thoughtfully. “If you need adhesive, I think the Lin Yan Tribe has something that might work.”
Jian Mo blinked in surprise. “The Lin Yan Tribe? The one just south of us?”
Shu Guang nodded. “That’s the one. When I was younger, I visited their tribe and heard they have a kind of glue that’s incredibly strong.”
Jian Mo leaned forward, intrigued. “How strong?”
Shu Guang considered. “I heard they use it to attach axe heads to wooden handles. Once the glue sets, the axes can be used as normal.”
Jian Mo inhaled sharply. “Seriously? That’s way too strong.”
The massive bear Shu Guang rumbled with certainty. “Should be true. They’re quirky, sure, but they’re not liars.”
The Qin Hai Tribe bears didn’t linger long in the He’an Tribe. Once Shu Guang’s follow-up was done, they dropped off some wood and stones they had brought for Jian Mo, and then returned to their territory.
Not long after, the sub-beastman in the clinic woke up.
Still adapting to the absence of the removed tooth, the elder sub-beastman appeared visibly uneasy. Jian Mo gave him detailed instructions: avoid licking the area, keep food away from it, and most importantly, prevent complications like a dry socket or superficial bone inflammation.
Jian Mo’s serious tone and detailed warnings left both the sub-beastman and his partner shuddering. They promised repeatedly to follow his instructions to the letter before leaving with the cooling herbal medicine Jian Mo prepared for them.
That evening, while Wu Jiong and Jian Mo were eating dinner, they exchanged updates about their day.
Jian Mo briefly recapped the tooth extraction and Shu Guang’s follow-up before mentioning the intriguing adhesive Shu Guang had described.
Jian Mo asked, “Do you think Lin Yan Tribe really has such strong glue?”
Wu Jiong nodded. “They do. I’ve heard it’s even strong enough to bond stones together. But their tribe isn’t fond of interacting with others, so we’ve never seen it ourselves.”
Jian Mo’s curiosity grew. “What kind of glue could it be? It sounds like it’s similar to our lime or cement.”
Wu Jiong shook his head slightly. “It’s supposed to be even stronger than our lime and cement.”
Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. “It sounds incredibly useful. Can we trade for some? They’re just the neighboring tribe.”
The Lin Yan Tribe was located south of the He’an Tribe, further down the territory. While they were reclusive, the distance wasn’t too far, especially with Chirpy as transport.
Wu Jiong didn’t mind the idea of visiting. “I’ll let the tribe know. We can go tomorrow.”
Jian Mo eagerly agreed. “Perfect! I’ll prepare some trade goods.”
Wu Jiong suggested, “Bring more metal tools or food. Those are likely to interest them.”
Jian Mo nodded. “No problem, both are easy to carry.”
After a brief discussion, they packed the trade items and went to bed early to prepare for the journey.
The next morning, after breakfast, Jian Mo led Chirpy out and fitted it with reins.
For short flights, Jian Mo rarely bothered with reins, trusting Chirpy to get them where they needed to go. But for longer trips, he preferred to be more cautious.
As soon as Chirpy saw the reins, it began hopping excitedly. “Chirp-chirp!”
Jian Mo quickly steadied it. “Easy now, you’re about to step on my foot!”
Chirpy hopped backward, then leaned forward to nuzzle him with its head. “Chirp!”
Jian Mo patted its side affectionately. “Alright, alright. Save your energy for the journey.”
Puffing out its chest with pride, Chirpy replied confidently, “Chirp!”
With only their packs in tow, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong mounted Chirpy and flew southward toward the Lin Yan Tribe.
Wu Jiong had a general idea of the tribe’s location, though he had never been there himself. They relied on the sun’s position to keep them oriented.
By noon, Jian Mo was beginning to feel drowsy when Wu Jiong suddenly announced, “We should be over the Lin Yan Tribe’s territory now.”
Jian Mo tightened his grip on Chirpy’s reins and looked down.
The landscape below was entirely different from their familiar terrain. It resembled the vast Ambus Plains where they often hunted, dominated by grasslands.
The verdant grasses stretched endlessly, meeting distant snow-capped mountains at the horizon.
Jian Mo gaped in awe. Now he understood why the Lin Yan Tribe didn’t venture into their region—it was an entirely different environment. They likely found the He’an Tribe’s territory just as uninviting as Jian Mo found this one fascinating.
Before he could fully take in the scenery, Wu Jiong pointed something out. “Look at their beastmen.”
“Where?” Jian Mo scanned the grasslands below.
Before Wu Jiong could respond, what Jian Mo had initially thought were scattered rocks began to shift and unfold. They revealed themselves to be enormous, dinosaur-like creatures.
No, not dinosaurs—Jian Mo quickly realized they resembled massive armadillos. Their thick, plated scales and the way they had been curled into tight balls were unmistakable.
The giant beasts below stretched their necks and gazed up at them.
Wu Jiong called out, introducing himself and stating their purpose.
One of the particularly large beasts on the ground spoke, its voice drawn out and deliberate: “Long—time—no—see—”
Jian Mo shot Wu Jiong a questioning look. Wasn’t this supposed to be their first visit?
The slow, deliberate voice continued, “He’an—Tribe—visitors—”
Another beast added, “Here—for—glue?”
Jian Mo nearly choked at the excruciatingly slow pace of their speech.
So this was the Lin Yan Tribe’s style!
They spoke so slowly that even tree-dwelling koalas might find it intolerable. No wonder they avoided interactions with other tribes—it must be mutual!
While Jian Mo reeled in disbelief, Wu Jiong remained composed. He calmly directed Chirpy to land near the grazing beasts and greeted them. “That’s right. We’d like to see if we can trade for some glue.”
One of the beasts replied slowly, “That’s—fine—”
Another chimed in, “We—still—have—some—left…”
Jian Mo resisted the urge to groan as he patiently listened. The Lin Yan Tribe’s beasts eventually explained that they didn’t need any goods in exchange. They still had leftover glue from their last production batch and were willing to give it to the He’an Tribe for free.
As they spoke, one of the massive beasts curled into a ball and rolled away, tumbling across the grasslands like a giant stone. It rolled up to a slightly raised rock formation, then vanished into a burrow hidden beneath the stones.
It was only then that Jian Mo realized some of the boulders scattered across the grass were actual rocks, while others were these giant beasts curled up into stone-like shapes. The beasts had dug underground burrows and made their homes there.
After a long wait, the beast that had gone to retrieve the glue finally emerged. Moving at its characteristically slow pace, it handed Jian Mo a package containing translucent, amber-like hard blocks. The beast explained in its drawn-out manner that this was their glue. To use it, they only needed to melt it in a pot over a double boiler.
Jian Mo quickly offered some jerky as a gesture of thanks. However, the beast waved it away with one massive paw, then curled back into a ball and resumed sunbathing.
The gesture stunned Jian Mo. He hadn’t expected the beasts to mean it so literally when they said the glue was a gift—they wouldn’t even accept a token of appreciation in return. He felt a mixture of shock and guilt. Despite their slow speech, these beasts had incredibly kind and generous natures.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong hoped to chat a bit more with the beasts, perhaps to learn more about their way of life.
However, the beasts, speaking in their unhurried drawl, politely declined further conversation. They admitted that talking was too exhausting and gently suggested the visitors head back if they had no more pressing matters.
Thus, after spending half the morning flying to the Lin Yan Tribe, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong had exchanged only a handful of words before finding themselves back on Chirpy, heading home.
Jian Mo was deeply moved. “I never expected our neighbors to have such personalities. I can’t believe there are people—well, beastmen—who live like that.”
Wu Jiong seemed equally astonished. “Neither did I. When I became the He’an Tribe’s leader, the elders took me to visit every nearby tribe. But we never went to the Lin Yan Tribe.”
Jian Mo glanced back at the vast grasslands stretching out behind them. “Maybe it wouldn’t have mattered. The Lin Yan Tribe probably doesn’t care about who becomes the leader of their neighbors.”
