Transmigrated to the Beastman World as a Veterinarian – CH13

The next evening, Ada came for a follow-up as Jian Mo had instructed.

Jian Mo unwrapped the cloth covering Ada’s wound. The herbs had dried up, turning a dark green.

Peeling off the dried herbs, a tightly sealed line of stitches was revealed on Ada’s leg. The wound was neither red nor swollen, appearing to have healed quite well.

Jian Mo examined it carefully, confirming that the wound had indeed improved significantly. In just a few more days, it would likely be fully healed.

He looked up at Ada in surprise.

The constitution of beastmen was truly impressive. Such a large wound had nearly healed in such a short amount of time.

Ada noticed Jian Mo’s expression and anxiously asked, “What’s wrong? Is my wound not healing properly?”

“No,” Jian Mo smiled. “It’s much better than I expected. I’ll apply some fresh herbs and bandage it for one more day. By tomorrow, you probably won’t need the bandage anymore.”

Ada let out a sigh of relief, staring at his leg. “That’s great. I also feel like it’s almost healed. Your medical skills are amazing.”

Jian Mo replied, “It’s thanks to your healthy body.”

He ground fresh herbs and re-bandaged the wound with new cloth.

The used cloth, once cleaned, boiled, and dried, could still be reused—it shouldn’t be wasted.

As Ada watched Jian Mo work, he asked with a hopeful tone, “Since I’m healing so well, does that mean I can participate in the Hunting Tournament?”

Jian Mo paused for a moment and asked, “When is the Hunting Tournament?”

Ada replied, “It’s probably in about five or six days. The Mengshui tribe will send someone to notify us when it’s time.”

Jian Mo shook his head. “Five or six days might be cutting it close. The muscle inside might not have fully healed. If you exert yourself too much, the wound could reopen and become infected.”

Ada’s face instantly fell with disappointment.

Jian Mo glanced at him. “We’ll see when the time comes. If it’s not possible, you’ll just have to wait until the next one. Your wound’s recovery is more important.”

Ada reluctantly agreed, looking dejected.

Since Jian Mo was not originally from the local sub-beastmen, he didn’t have much of a sense of what the Hunting Tournament entailed.

He continued his daily routine of gathering, cooking, caring for the winged beasts, and occasionally making medical tools with Wu Jiong. His days were busy as always.

One day, after returning from a gathering trip with the group, he sensed something was different in the tribe’s atmosphere.

Before he could ask his companions what was going on, the people in the group had already cheered and rushed forward.

Jian Mo, watching from behind, soon saw a young beastman surrounded by the crowd.

The young beastman was speaking.

Jian Mo listened for a while and learned that the young beastman was from the Mengshui tribe. He had specifically come to inform them that the Hunting Tournament would be held in five days and to ask if their tribe would participate. After receiving a positive response, he advised them to prepare accordingly.

The young man didn’t linger. After delivering his message and receiving a reply, he transformed back into his beast form and dashed off.

Watching from behind, Jian Mo noticed that the young man’s beast form didn’t resemble any familiar animal. If he had to describe it, it looked somewhat like a deer. He was as agile as a deer, but his teeth were sharp, and his fur was long, giving him a rather fierce appearance.

By the time Jian Mo came back to his senses, those around him were already excitedly discussing the news of the Hunting Tournament.

Jian Mo asked, “Are all of you participating?”

Zhou Fu was quick to answer, “Of course! We spend all year cooped up in the tribe—it’s so boring.”

Xi Lu added, “The Hunting Tournament has a lot of fun and exciting things to see, and even if you’re not a competing warrior, you can still join in.”

Zhou Fu chimed in, “Yes, yes! Everyone brings things to trade. Some tribes have really interesting items, like the flowers from the Dianxin tribe—I exchange for them every year.”

As he spoke, Zhou Fu’s expression turned dreamy. “I just wonder how many tribes will join the tournament this year.”

Jian Mo caught the hint in his tone, “So the tribes vary each year?”

Zhou Fu replied, “Yes, exactly! The most we’ve ever had was twenty-seven tribes, and the fewest was only four. That’s why every year, the Mengshui tribe sends beastmen to ask around if other tribes are participating.”

Jian Mo was surprised, “There are as many as twenty-seven tribes nearby?”

Zhou Fu shook his head, “Not quite. Around us, there are just five tribes, including ours, making six in total. The rest come from farther away. Our area is on higher ground, so there aren’t many tribes around here. I’ve heard that those who live lower down are surrounded by other tribes.”

As they continued chatting, the topic shifted to what they would bring to trade this year.

Some planned to bring beast meat, others beast hides, and some even planned to bring cloth they had woven this year—lately, everyone was obsessed with weaving, and many of the sub-beastmen had extra fabric on hand.

Knowing that Jian Mo lacked experience, everyone suggested he bring practical items to increase his chances of successful trades.

Jian Mo sighed, “I don’t really have much to bring.”

Xi Lu suggested, “You could bring soap bars. I love the soap you make.”

Jian Mo thought about it, “I don’t have many bars left. I’ll make a new batch in the next couple of days.”

Zhou Fu immediately added, “You could also bring food. Your cooking is so delicious—if you bring it for trading, you’ll definitely get a lot in return.”

Jian Mo looked at him, confused.

Zhou Fu explained, “Every year, food is the quickest thing to be traded. Everyone loves to try different delicacies from other tribes, but unfortunately, there aren’t many good ones.”

Jian Mo understood—they were tired of their usual meals and wanted to take the opportunity to enjoy some treats during the Hunting Tournament.

Jian Mo said, “I’ll think about it.”

Regarding what to bring for the tournament, Jian Mo also sought Wu Jiong’s opinion.

Wu Jiong similarly recommended bringing food.

Jian Mo’s culinary skills were excellent, and bringing food would surely be popular.

And even if some items didn’t get traded, they could still bring them back to eat, so nothing would go to waste.

Jian Mo pondered, “You’re right.”

Wu Jiong asked, “Are you planning to bring meat patties? What kind of meat? I can go hunt for it.”

Jian Mo had already made up his mind, “Hunting is too difficult. I’ll bring fish fillets instead.”

Wu Jiong was surprised, “Fish fillets?”

Jian Mo explained, “Didn’t you all say last time that my fish fillets were delicious?”

Wu Jiong nodded.

Jian Mo smiled, “So we’ll bring fish fillets. Fish are easier to catch than beasts.”

Wu Jiong then suggested, “The nearby river won’t do—the fish there aren’t big enough. We should go to Green Marsh Springs.”

Jian Mo asked, “Where’s that?”

Wu Jiong replied, “It’s a bit far from the tribe, but there are plenty of fish there. It’s hard to explain—come back early from gathering, and I’ll take you to see it.”

Jian Mo let the gathering team know in advance that he needed to return early in the afternoon since he and Wu Jiong planned to go fishing.

The team was composed of familiar faces, so no one minded him leaving early.

However—

Zhou Fu asked, “Can we come fishing too?”

Jian Mo was surprised, “Everyone wants to fish? I thought you all didn’t like eating fish.”

Zhou Fu answered straightforwardly, “That’s because the fish before didn’t taste good. But the fried fish you made last time was delicious, and we all really liked it.”

Jian Mo said, “Wu Jiong and I plan to ride winged beasts to Green Marsh Springs. If everyone else wants to come, the beastmen will have to transform and carry you.”

Zhou Fu replied, “No problem, but it’s a bit late for today. How about we leave tomorrow?”

Jian Mo agreed; with several days left before the Hunting Tournament, there was no rush.

Jian Mo informed Wu Jiong, and they postponed the fishing trip to the next day.

Initially, Wu Jiong had only planned to take Jian Mo.

But after Zhou Fu and the others joined, the group grew to over a dozen people.

Eventually, when other members of the tribe heard about it, they too expressed their desire to join the fishing trip.

Before long, nearly half the tribe was swept up in the excitement.

Seeing this, Wu Jiong decided to adjust the plan, setting aside an entire day to take everyone fishing.

Green Marsh Springs was quite a distance away. Even with the beastmen running at full speed in their beast forms, it would take about half a morning to reach.

To maximize their fishing time at Green Marsh Springs, everyone set off at dawn.

The beastmen carried the sub-beastmen on their backs as they sprinted across the plains.

Golden sunlight bathed the land, and the distant snow-capped mountains glistened brilliantly.

As they drew closer to their destination, Jian Mo gradually saw vast swamps, slow-flowing rivers, and animals he had never seen before.

The wild animals were vigilant and darted away the moment they spotted the group, sprinting off into the distance.

The sunlight streamed over them, turning them into another “river” flowing through the wilderness.

“Roar, we’re here—!” Di Ya called out, coming to a halt, and signaling the others.

The sub-beastmen skillfully slid off the beastmen’s backs, while the beastmen turned away and transformed back into human form.

Jian Mo leaned forward, observing the surroundings.

Though this was still a river, here it flowed over the marshlands. The water was murkier, with more aquatic plants covering the riverbed—indicating a richer biodiversity.

Perhaps it was due to the lower terrain and the warmer temperatures here.

Wu Jiong spoke a few words to the other beastmen before walking over to Jian Mo. “Let’s catch fish over there.”

Jian Mo was eager. “Are the fish here easy to catch?”

Wu Jiong nodded, “Easier than in the river near the tribe.”

The others had already spread out, trying to catch fish.

In just a short while, several people had already made catches.

Jian Mo glanced over and saw that the fish they pulled up were large and plump, looking quite promising.

Though he wondered how these unfamiliar fish would taste—would they have a strong earthy flavor?

While the fish were easier to catch, doing so one by one would take quite a bit of time to fill their baskets.

The more impatient people soon grew frustrated, shouting from the front, “How long is it going to take to catch enough at this rate?”

“The water is so murky, I can’t see a thing!”

“Can anyone think of a way to catch them all at once!”

Hearing their complaints, Jian Mo straightened up and looked over at them.

Wu Jiong also stood up.

The younger tribe members, upon meeting Wu Jiong’s gaze, quickly quieted down and resumed their fishing with their heads lowered.

Wu Jiong tossed the fish he had caught into a basket and bent down to continue catching more.

Watching the scene, Jian Mo couldn’t help but find it amusing.

He said to Wu Jiong, “If catching fish one by one is too troublesome, we could have people drive the fish downriver, then we could just scoop them up here.”

Wu Jiong asked, “Drive them down?”

Jian Mo gestured, “Yes. We can build a small dam downstream, then have people run along the river upstream. The fish will get scared and swim down to us, and we can just scoop them up at the dam.”

Wu Jiong thought for a moment, “That could work. I’ll go explain it to everyone.”

Wu Jiong gathered the group and explained Jian Mo’s idea. Everyone agreed it was worth trying.

Many of the beastmen transformed into their massive beast forms and began running through the marshlands.

It was already late autumn, and the beastmen had grown their winter coats. Their fur was longer and fluffier than before.

Jian Mo watched their twitching ears and wagging tails, easily guessing that they were in high spirits.

—Most of the tribe members were either feline or canine. To Jian Mo’s eyes, it looked like he was surrounded by a group of large cats and dogs.

These cats and dogs truly loved the water. Even before they caught any fish, they were already excited, running back and forth in the marsh.

A few who hadn’t transformed stayed with the sub-beastmen to build a mud dam downstream.

Once the dam was completed, Jian Mo and the others waved from a distance.

The beastmen roared in response, signaling they had received the message.

Then, they lowered their heads and began driving the fish downstream.

Mud and water splashed everywhere, quickly covering the fluffy beastmen’s legs, bellies, tails, and backsides with mud.

But they paid no mind to the dirt, running even faster.

As they ran, schools of fish were driven downriver.

The dark, wriggling backs of the fish filled the channels. Even though they had only just started, Jian Mo could already tell they were in for a bountiful catch today.

“Hurry, hurry, start scooping—”

“Don’t let the fish get away!”

“Scoop them up! Just throw them onto the bank!”

As they shouted, everyone sprang into action.

Some grabbed the fish directly with their hands and threw them ashore, others used baskets to scoop up the fish, while some even bit down on the fish to catch them.

Plump, fat fish rained onto the shore like droplets, flopping and splashing around.

Those who stood too close to the pile of fish risked getting slapped by a fishtail.

Seeing how well the method worked, the beastmen ran back upstream for another round, this time driving the fish from even farther away.

Jian Mo looked up to see the mud-covered big cats, giant wolves, and foxes, their coats coated in muck. It almost looked like a pack of giant animals that loved playing in mud pits.

It was quite a sight.

Luckily, he wouldn’t be the one washing them this time—otherwise, it would’ve been enough to make him cry.

Jian Mo shifted his gaze and found Wu Jiong watching him.

Wu Jiong’s clothes were still clean and tidy. If he transformed into a giant wolf, he would surely be a sleek and handsome one.

Thinking of this, Jian Mo felt cheerful and smiled warmly at Wu Jiong.

“The second batch of fish is here—!”

At the forefront, Di Ya, in his giant white wolf beast form, had turned into a mud-covered mess but still panted happily with his tongue out.

As he rounded past Qingkuo, he playfully lowered his head and licked Qingkuo’s hair.

Qingkuo grabbed the scruff of his neck and rubbed it, his eyes full of joy.

Jian Mo watched the pair, quickly averting his gaze before they noticed him staring.

Now that they had found an effective method, catching fish became much easier.

Large numbers of fish were driven downstream, and everyone used their unique skills to catch and throw them ashore.

During the breaks between fish drives, they strung the fish through the gills with ropes, lifting the strings of fish into baskets.

While stringing the fish, they would sort out the smaller ones and toss them back into the river.

They kept busy until the afternoon. Once all the ropes were used up and their baskets were full, they prepared to head back home.

Everyone was covered in mud and water. Once they returned, they washed themselves thoroughly in the river with soap, scrubbing off all the fishy smell and dirt.

By evening, the tribe members gathered at Wu Jiong’s house to learn how to cook fish from Jian Mo.

The weather had turned quite cold, with evening temperatures barely above freezing. It was the perfect weather to start making cured fish.

In the days prior, Jian Mo had taught them how to use coarse salt and seasoning powder to cure both beast meat and fish. They would marinate the meat in the evening and hang it out to dry during the day, repeating this process to ensure the quality of the cured meat.

Tonight, they were making cured fish. Jian Mo instructed, “The steps are the same. As long as you clean it thoroughly, rub it with salt and seasoning powder, and marinate it, it will turn out well.”

Although everyone knew the steps, they were still a bit unsure and wanted Jian Mo to guide them to make sure everything was done right.

Jian Mo didn’t mind, so he had everyone bring their fish to Wu Jiong’s place to marinate outside.

While others worked on the cured fish, Jian Mo focused on making fried fish fillets.

Just like last time, he cleaned the fish fillets thoroughly, washing away as much blood as possible and removing the fishy veins. He then marinated them in spices and fruit wine.

However, unlike before, after marinating, he didn’t take them outside to dry. Instead, he coated the fish fillets in egg batter mixed with the starch made from mao gen roots that he had prepared earlier, then fried them in a stone pot.

The fish fillets bobbed in the oil, bubbling gently and soon releasing a fragrant aroma.

Jian Mo fished out the golden, crispy fillets and placed them in a basket to drain the oil.

Seeing the eager eyes of those around him, he lifted the basket and smiled, “They’re ready to eat, but be careful—they’re hot.”

Zhou Fu, unable to wait, was the first to grab a piece. After taking a bite, his eyes lit up. “These fillets are delicious! There’s no fishy taste at all.”

Xi Lu added, “They’re so tender inside, completely different from the last batch!”

Jian Mo nodded. “They’re both fried fish, but this batch uses a different technique. These fillets are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.”

Zhou Fu stuffed the remaining fillet into his mouth, blowing on it to cool it down. “So tasty, and without many bones. It’s so convenient to eat.”

The children around them, munching slowly on their fish pieces, all nodded in agreement.

Even the little ones who couldn’t yet transform used their paws to hold down the fillets, nibbling away happily with blissful expressions on their faces.

Jian Mo continued frying, and after each batch, he would refry them to make the fish fillets even crispier while reducing the oil inside.

The people who had tasted the fish fillets were left wanting more, especially the children, who watched the freshly fried fillets with longing eyes. However, they knew that Jian Mo intended to bring these fillets to the Hunting Tournament for trading, so they didn’t dare ask for more.

Amidst the crowd, a sub-beastman spoke up, “Jian Mo, are you planning to take all these fish fillets to the Hunting Tournament to trade? Can I trade something with you directly? I have beast hides, fabrics, and plenty of food.”

Jian Mo turned to see it was Ze Yu, the father of the young sub-beastman Jiang Xing. He shook his head and replied, “There’s no need to trade. You all know how to make these now. If you like them, just take some seasoning and starch home and make your own.”

Ze Yu insisted, “Starch is hard to come by, and even if I know the method, I might not get the same flavor as yours. It’s easier to just trade for some. Plus, it’s a hassle to make it myself—I just want to taste it again.”

This sentiment was met with widespread agreement. Everyone chimed in, saying that if Jian Mo was planning to trade the fish fillets at the Hunting Tournament, he could just as easily trade them within the tribe. Why not do it here?

Jian Mo couldn’t help but laugh, eventually agreeing to trade for fabric.

The fabrics everyone brought were uniformly woven, with similar patterns and textures. This way, they could be made into clothing that would look consistent, without mismatched patches of color.

Fabrics were much more precious than fried fish fillets, so Jian Mo traded quite a few fillets for each piece of cloth.

Everyone happily took their freshly fried fish fillets home to eat.

Nothing was more satisfying than enjoying a hot, delicious meal of crispy fish fillets on a chilly autumn night.

That evening, all of the tribe members went to bed early, their stomachs full and content.