After another night’s sleep, Jian Mo’s high fever subsided into a low-grade fever. He felt much better, with less discomfort and agitation.
He reached up to touch the soft beast ears on his head. They no longer hurt, but they still felt strange. The ears were little more than two thin flaps of skin—no muscle, no cartilage. They could be bent into any shape, completely unlike human ears.
Jian Mo kept squishing and molding them into various shapes, trying to imagine what they might look like.
Wu Jiong grabbed his wrist. “Stop playing with them, or they’ll swell.”
Jian Mo sighed, “I just want to see what they look like now. Can you get me a mirror? I feel like they must look weird.”
“They don’t look weird,” Wu Jiong reassured him, but he fetched a mirror anyway and held it at an angle behind Jian Mo. “Can you see?”
Jian Mo strained to look upwards, pressing down the tufts of hair sticking up from his head. After a while, he muttered in disappointment, “They’re so small. Gray and floppy—not cool at all like Qing Kuo’s ears.”
“They’ll grow,” Wu Jiong said.
Jian Mo was skeptical. “I don’t think so. Qing Kuo’s ears are pointy, with those long tufts of fur. Mine are just limp, like a pair of soggy wood ear mushrooms. How long would it take for these to look like his? Honestly, they’re kind of ugly.”
Wu Jiong bent down and kissed one of the beast ears. Through the thin skin, he could feel the steady thrum of blood vessels. His eyes twinkled with amusement. “Ugly? Not at all. They’re adorable, brimming with vitality.”
Jian Mo felt the warmth of Wu Jiong’s breath on his ears and clamped his hands over them. “You’re overdoing it.”
Wu Jiong then kissed his forehead. “They’re not ugly. They’re unique and very cute.”
Jian Mo grumbled, “Of course they’re unique. Who else on the whole beastman continent has four functioning ears?”
He rolled around on the bed a couple of times before checking his own forehead. “My fever’s mostly gone. Let’s catch up with the main group today, okay? I’m bored staying here.”
Wu Jiong hugged him. “Give it a couple more days. You need to recover.”
“We can travel while I rest. I can sleep on your back for a bit longer.”
“What if the wind makes your fever come back? I think that’s what happened yesterday.”
Wu Jiong’s tone was firm. No matter how Jian Mo tried to persuade him, he wouldn’t budge. Finally, Jian Mo flopped onto the bed with an exaggerated sigh, spreading his arms and legs. “Fine. One more day. But tomorrow, we’re leaving.”
Wu Jiong kissed him again. “I’ll go make you some medicine.”
By mid-morning, the sun was shining brightly, and there was barely any wind.
Jian Mo, unable to stand lying in bed any longer, got up, put on his animal hide coat, and donned a hat to cover his ears. He went out to the clearing to help the Snowfoot Tribe with some tasks and chat for a while.
The Snowfoot Tribe was making fruit preserves.
They were working on the same type of fruit Jian Mo had praised a few days ago. Taking advantage of the good weather, they washed the round, green fruits, dried them, removed the seeds, cut them into small pieces, and began fermenting them with salt in large jars.
Today was just the first step, but it was meticulous work that required patience.
With nothing better to do, Jian Mo washed his hands and joined them in slicing the fruit.
The Snowfoot Tribe had little interest in metal tools, so they used shell knives instead. Jian Mo speculated that their diet of fish, shellfish, wild fruits, and vegetables didn’t require precision cutting, so there was little incentive to upgrade their tools.
While the adult beastmen and sub-beastmen processed the fruit, the tribe’s little ones practiced fishing in the lake.
The small otters darted through the water, quickly identifying their targets. One little otter managed to latch onto a large fish but found its strength evenly matched. The two were locked in a stalemate—the otter couldn’t drag the fish ashore, and the fish couldn’t shake the otter off.
With its tiny white teeth firmly clamped onto the fish’s back, the otter was dragged into a series of rolls in the water, tumbling like a ball.
Despite the struggle, the little otter refused to let go, its round eyes gleaming with determination.
Water splashed everywhere as the otter wrestled with the fish. Jian Mo, with his heightened hearing, could catch every detail, including the muffled sound of the otter choking on water as it coughed.
Concerned, Jian Mo asked the person next to him, “Shouldn’t we intervene?”
The Snowfoot Tribe members waved him off with smiles. “If it can’t handle it, it’ll call for help. And if something really goes wrong, the beastmen standing guard will step in. Nothing will happen.”
Taking a closer look, Jian Mo realized there were indeed large otters lurking beneath the surface, just like the day before.
With safety measures in place, Jian Mo felt somewhat reassured.
As they chatted, Jian Mo heard heavy, thudding footsteps approaching. He looked up and saw a massive beast, resembling a cross between a cat and a tiger, running toward them.
The Snowfoot Tribe’s patrol beastmen immediately sprang into action, blocking the entrance and calling out, “Who are you, and what’s your business here?”
The giant beast skidded to a halt. “I’m Dan Guan, a beastman from the Shan Ming Tribe. I’ve come to seek treatment from Doctor Jian Mo. Is he still here?”
The patrol beastmen relaxed slightly. “He’s here. Wait a moment. We’ll ask if Doctor Jian Mo is willing to see you.”
Dan Guan sat down, curling his tail around his paws. “Thank you.”
The patrol beastmen grinned. “No trouble.”
Jian Mo, having already overheard the exchange, agreed immediately when the patrol beastmen asked. “Sure, let him come over.”
One of them went back to relay the message.
Before long, Dan Guan arrived, now wearing a tiger-patterned hat. Spotting Jian Mo at the edge of the clearing, he walked over and greeted him. “Doctor Jian Mo.”
Jian Mo stood up and nodded. “Hello. Let’s talk over there.”
Dan Guan visibly relaxed and followed Jian Mo to a quieter spot, introducing himself along the way.
Once they were alone, Jian Mo asked the young beastman, “What seems to be the problem?”
Dan Guan removed his hat, revealing his head. “I don’t know what’s wrong. Since two years ago, I’ve been losing more and more hair. Now I’ve got several large bald patches.”
Jian Mo gestured for him to lower his head and inspected it closely. As expected, there were several hairless areas, with smooth, shiny skin where not even a trace of hair follicles could be seen.
The condition looked difficult to treat.
Dan Guan lowered his gaze, unaware of the concerned look on Jian Mo’s face. He rambled on, “I searched for a long time before finding out you could help. As soon as I heard, I rushed to the He’an Tribe, but they said you were away. I followed your trail all the way here. Thankfully, I managed to catch up.”
Jian Mo gestured for him to follow along as they walked. “To be honest, I’m not particularly skilled in treating this kind of condition.”
Dan Guan froze mid-step, visibly tense. “That can’t be right! I heard you cured a young beastman. When I visited the He’an Tribe, I even saw him. His fur is thick and lush now—it’s clear you helped him.”
Jian Mo shook his head. “His situation was a bit different.”
“Different?” Dan Guan asked.
Jian Mo explained, “When beastmen go through molting seasons, they lose fur, don’t they? And at certain ages, it’s normal for fur to shed and regrow—”
Dan Guan nodded quickly, agreeing.
Jian Mo continued, “That young beastman had experienced a severe emotional trauma, became depressed, and was also malnourished. As a result, his old fur shed naturally, but new fur didn’t grow in, leading to bald spots. Your situation doesn’t seem like that, does it?”
Though Dan Guan showed signs of alopecia, the rest of his hair was glossy and healthy, and he looked robust—entirely unlike the frail young beastman Jian Mo had treated.
The more Dan Guan listened, the more his heart sank. “So it’s not the same?”
Noticing his stiff posture, Jian Mo softened his tone to reassure him. “Wait here for a moment. I’ll grab my tools and do a proper examination.”
On his way back to his temporary quarters, Jian Mo encountered Bei Ya, who glanced at Dan Guan and asked, “Can I come along and take a look?”
Dan Guan initially hesitated, embarrassed about showing his bald spots, but one glance at Bei Ya’s chaotic facial scars, combined with the fact that he was a sub-beastman, eased his worries. “I don’t mind.”
Jian Mo also felt safer with an extra person present. He nodded to Bei Ya. “Let’s go.”
Once inside, Jian Mo retrieved his medical kit.
He put on gloves and a mask, then equipped a metal stethoscope. The sight of him in his professional gear lent him an air of authority, and Dan Guan couldn’t help but feel more confident in his abilities.
After a thorough examination, Jian Mo found nothing physically wrong with Dan Guan. His results indicated he was in excellent health—perhaps even exceptionally so.
Jian Mo asked, “Did anything unusual happen around the time you started losing hair?”
Dan Guan shook his head. “No, everything was normal. The hair just started falling out suddenly.”
“No changes in residence? No new relationships? No dietary changes or discontinuation of certain foods? What about water sources or bathing in new places?” Jian Mo questioned.
With every inquiry, Dan Guan shook his head vehemently, until his head resembled a bobbing drum.
As Jian Mo finished his list of questions, Dan Guan asked in despair, “So there’s no cause?”
Jian Mo replied, “Since neither of your fathers experienced hair loss, it’s likely not genetic but a mutation. Unfortunately, I don’t have a solution for this kind of mutation at the moment.”
“Can you prescribe me something?” Dan Guan pleaded. “Even the medicine you gave that young beastman would be fine.”
Jian Mo sighed. “I didn’t actually give him much medicine. I just made sure he ate and rested well. You could try doing the same.”
“I already eat well and sleep soundly,” Dan Guan said, clearly disheartened.
Jian Mo had no further suggestions. Seeing Dan Guan’s forlorn expression, he offered an idea: “How about making a wig? I have some strong glue. You could collect real hair, make a wig, and stick it on. No one would notice.”
Dan Guan hesitated, then asked in despair, “What about when I’m in my beast form? I’m bald there too.”
At a loss, Jian Mo said, “If your hair loss started suddenly, it’s possible it could also start growing back just as suddenly. Why don’t you go back and focus on self-care?”
“What if it never grows back?” Dan Guan asked, his voice heavy.
Jian Mo, suspecting environmental factors, said, “You could try changing your environment. A new diet or lifestyle might help.”
Dan Guan looked at Jian Mo with pleading eyes. “Because of this hair loss, no sub-beastman is interested in me. No other tribe will accept me.”
Jian Mo asked, “Are both your fathers from the Shan Ming Tribe? Could you stay temporarily in their original tribe?”
Dan Guan shook his head. “They’re both from the Shan Ming Tribe.”
He paced back and forth for a while before suddenly stepping up to Jian Mo with urgency. “Doctor Jian Mo, you said that young beastman recovered after moving to the He’an Tribe. Could I move there too?”
Jian Mo blinked, caught off guard. “Huh?”
Bei Ya also looked up at Jian Mo.
Dan Guan continued hopefully, “My beast form is feline, so I meet your tribe’s requirements. Plus, I’m a young beastman with decent combat skills—I can help with hunting and gathering—”
Before he could finish, Jian Mo quickly waved his hands to cut him off. “That’s something you’d have to discuss with Wu Jiong.”
Dan Guan pressed on. “Could you put in a good word for me?”
Jian Mo, sensing that Wu Jiong would likely refuse, replied, “You don’t necessarily have to move to the He’an Tribe. A change in environment should suffice.”
Dan Guan’s face fell.
Feeling bad for him, Jian Mo said, “Why don’t you ask Wu Jiong?”
Seeing Chirpy nearby, Jian Mo called out, “Chirpy, can you bring Wu Jiong here?”
“Chirp!” Chirpy happily flew off.
After a short wait, Wu Jiong arrived. The moment Dan Guan saw him, he rushed forward, asking if he could stay at the He’an Tribe temporarily.
As Jian Mo expected, Wu Jiong refused outright. “Our tribe isn’t well-suited for that. However, you might try the Meng Shui Tribe. They often accept beastmen and sub-beastmen from other tribes.”
“Is it really not possible?” Dan Guan pressed.
“No,” Wu Jiong said firmly.
After a moment of silence, Dan Guan relented. “Alright, I’ll ask them.”
Jian Mo reassured him, “Maybe staying in the Meng Shui Tribe will help. If it doesn’t, we’ll come up with another plan.”
Dan Guan sighed deeply. “Thank you, Doctor Jian Mo.”
“You’re welcome,” Jian Mo replied.
As their conversation wrapped up, Dan Guan offered to pay Jian Mo for his medical consultation.
Feeling he hadn’t been able to help much, Jian Mo adamantly refused to accept any payment.
Dan Guan handed over part of the supplies he had brought to the Snowfoot Tribe as compensation for staying with them. He planned to remain there for two days, waiting for Jian Mo to recover before joining him in catching up with the trade caravan. This would also give him the chance to consult with members of the Meng Shui Tribe.
Jian Mo and the others had no objections. Having another strong beastman in the group was actually a good thing.
That evening, as Jian Mo lay beside Wu Jiong, he mused aloud, “I think we’re going to see more and more beastmen and sub-beastmen visiting our tribe in the future. Once we get back, why don’t we draw up a plan to organize our living and working areas? That way, we won’t have to worry about hosting people from other tribes.”
“I was thinking the same,” Wu Jiong replied. “Once we’re back, we’ll discuss it with Qing Kuo and the others.”
Jian Mo added, “Didn’t we lay down that sand road last time? If it’s possible, we could replace it with stone. It’s more durable. If we’re short on manpower, we could set aside some supplies to hire help from other tribes.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “A lot of tribes have mentioned wanting to come and learn from us. If we ask, I’m sure some would be willing to help.”
Jian Mo shifted a bit, finding a more comfortable position. “Alright. Once we’re back, let’s make inquiries and build up the tribe.”
