Jian Mo and Wu Jiong temporarily failed to strike a deal with the Mountain Forest Tribe.
It was already late, and leaving at night would not only be risky but also come off as rude to the tribe. Avoiding unnecessary conflict, they decided to stay another night in the tribe.
With Wu Jiong present, Jian Mo felt that staying an extra night would likely remain safe.
The Mountain Forest Tribe assigned them a small hut.
From the outside, the hut appeared simple, but inside, it was more comfortable than expected. The ground was padded with soft dry grass, and thick animal pelts with a pleasant fragrance were spread over it.
Jian Mo lay beside Wu Jiong, unable to fall asleep. Staring at the ceiling, he whispered, “Do you think they can hear us outside if we talk?”
Wu Jiong replied, “I don’t think so. I can’t hear their voices, so they probably can’t hear ours either.”
Jian Mo sighed in relief. “That’s good. Still, I didn’t expect the Mountain Forest Tribe to be like this. Feels like a wasted trip.”
Wu Jiong reassured him, “It’s not entirely wasted. At least we got chili peppers from the Yan Gan Tribe. When we head back, we can check the wild for similar peppers.”
Jian Mo sighed softly, “I doubt it. We’ve already looked carefully along the way, haven’t we?”
Wu Jiong lowered his voice to comfort him, “If not, we’ll find another way later. For now, let’s get some sleep.”
They rested for the night in the Mountain Forest Tribe.
The next morning, the tribe prepared breakfast for them and invited them to eat.
Although negotiations had stalled, the tribe still offered them food. This gesture made Jian Mo feel a bit embarrassed.
Shu Tao asked, “Did you sleep well last night?”
Jian Mo responded politely, “It was fine, thank you for your hospitality.”
Shu Tao smiled, revealing a mouthful of unhealthy teeth. “You’re welcome. We don’t often get visitors here.”
Jian Mo noticed Shu Tao chewing on a leaf and asked, “What kind of leaf is that?”
Shu Tao glanced down at it. “Needle Tree leaves. They help with pain relief. Our teeth are in bad shape and hurt often. If food gets stuck, the pain worsens, so we rely on these leaves to cope.”
Jian Mo recalled the terrible state of Shu Tao’s teeth from the day before. “You could always extract the bad teeth.”
Shu Tao shook his head. “If we pulled them, we wouldn’t be able to hunt. We can’t survive on foraging alone.”
Jian Mo was at a loss for solutions.
Shu Tao continued, “We’ve sought help from many healers over the years, trading valuable resources for their assistance, but none of them could help us. For some reason, our tribe just has terrible teeth.”
Jian Mo asked, “Do you have any habits for cleaning your teeth?”
Shu Tao nodded. “We didn’t before, but we later learned to use tooth-cleaning sticks like other tribes. The children who clean their teeth do have slightly better teeth, but not by much.”
Sighing deeply, Shu Tao added, “We’re at our wits’ end. Everyone’s teeth hurt all the time, and it affects our strength. If we weren’t so fierce, we wouldn’t be able to hold onto our territory.”
Jian Mo sympathized. Conflict between tribes over territory was common, and strength was essential for survival.
Shu Tao’s lament stirred Jian Mo’s compassion. He studied Shu Tao thoughtfully and said, “I genuinely don’t have any solutions. Apart from extracting teeth, there’s no other treatment I can offer.”
Shu Tao replied bitterly, “Nearly everyone in our tribe has bad teeth. We can’t just pull them all out.”
Jian Mo said, “The issue lies in the transformation between beast and human forms. Even if we patched the teeth, the shifting would likely dislodge any fillings.”
Jian Mo thought about his ongoing evolution into an intermediary form. Observing his own body, he noticed that features like claws and teeth adapted precisely during transformations. This anatomical precision complicated the application of any permanent dental solutions.
Shu Tao asked curiously, “What’s involved in patching teeth? Can you explain it?”
Jian Mo didn’t mind sharing. “It involves using some sort of adhesive to attach materials to damaged teeth, preventing nerve exposure and reducing pain.”
As a veterinarian, he had never dealt much with dental issues in animals but explained the concept as best he could.
Shu Tao pondered this. “Could you patch our teeth bit by bit?”
Jian Mo was puzzled. “What do you mean by ‘bit by bit’?”
Shu Tao gestured. “Focus on the most damaged areas, apply thin layers to each spot, and ensure the patches remain adhered even after we shift between forms.”
Jian Mo frowned. “That sounds difficult.”
Shu Tao pleaded, “Can we try?”
Others in the tribe joined in:
“Doctor Jian Mo, please help us. My teeth hurt every day.”
“Me too! Eating is painful, but not eating leaves me starving. My gums swell all the time.”
“Just tell us what materials we need, and we’ll fetch them ourselves.”
“My teeth hurt so badly sometimes I want to jump into the river.”
Shu Tao added, “If you can fix our teeth, we’ll give you not just a handful of chili seeds but anything else you want.”
Jian Mo sighed. “It’s not a matter of willingness. I’m just not skilled enough.”
Shu Tao implored, “At least give it a try?”
Jian Mo relented. “Fine, but even attempting it requires suitable materials. I don’t have anything like that right now.”
Shu Tao’s eyes lit up. “What kind of materials? Tree resin? Should we gather other animals’ teeth?”
Jian Mo quickly clarified, “No, not teeth. Maybe a type of resin—something that solidifies hard but retains a bit of flexibility.”
Jian Mo described the properties he needed, feeling like he was grasping at straws.
To his surprise, the tribe sprang into action with enthusiasm.
By evening, Shu Tao returned with several types of resin. “We found these. They harden well but can still bend slightly if struck. Could they work for your idea?”
Jian Mo was astonished. “Let me take a closer look.”
He tested the resins, finding they were surprisingly suitable. They hardened well upon cooling but softened again when gently heated.
It seemed like the resin materials were indeed suitable.
After testing them, Jian Mo said, “Since everyone is willing, let’s give it a try. Decide who wants to go first, but I need to explain the risks before we start.”
Shu Tao quickly agreed, “Of course.”
Jian Mo pulled out his notebook and carefully listed the potential risks and possible outcomes.
The Mountain Forest Tribe members weren’t fazed at all. What was the worst that could happen? Losing a tooth? They already suffered constant toothaches, which were more than enough trouble.
As soon as Jian Mo finished speaking, several people eagerly volunteered to go first.
After consulting the tribe, Jian Mo selected a sturdy beastman named He Yi.
Jian Mo had He Yi press his paw print on a consent form and said, “We’ll start tomorrow morning. Tonight, don’t eat anything and try not to drink water. Tomorrow morning, transform into your beast form, drink some anesthetic, and I’ll begin.”
He Yi grinned. “Don’t worry, Doctor Jian Mo. I’ll behave myself.”
The rejected volunteers chimed in, “Doctor Jian Mo, if he can’t handle it, we’ll step in tomorrow morning!”
He Yi waved them off. “Get lost! This is my chance. I’ll be fine!”
The next morning, He Yi was already at their door, ready and waiting.
Jian Mo, seeing the sky still dim, said, “We’ll need to wait until the sun comes up and there’s better light. Otherwise, I might not see clearly and could make a mistake.”
He Yi cheerfully replied, “No problem. I just wanted to let you know I’m all set.”
Jian Mo nodded. “Good. Keep fasting for now. Once the sun rises, we’ll begin.”
Before starting, Jian Mo went through his tools again. This time, he had asked the Mountain Forest Tribe for two specially modified files.
He planned to file down the most decayed parts of He Yi’s teeth before applying the resin.
Once the sun rose, He Yi transformed into his beast form in the center of the tribe. He resembled a large badger with a fluffy face adorned with long white stripes, and his broad snout gave him an unexpectedly adorable appearance.
After drinking the anesthetic provided by Jian Mo, He Yi soon fell into a deep sleep.
The tribe members, a bit tense, used sturdy sticks to prop open his mouth, allowing Jian Mo to work.
He Yi’s teeth were indeed in terrible shape. Jian Mo decided to work on just one large molar for now.
That molar was half-rotted, covered in black decay and hardened tartar.
Jian Mo started filing away, but the work soon left him winded. He stepped aside to let Wu Jiong take over, who first cleared the tartar and then filed away the decayed sections. Finally, Jian Mo carefully used fish bladder glue to adhere thin layers of resin to the tooth.
To ensure the resin wouldn’t fall off during transformations between human and beast forms, Jian Mo applied it in small sections, patching only the damaged areas rather than covering the entire tooth.
The morning was spent entirely on this task. By noon, the molar was clean and repaired.
The Mountain Forest Tribe gathered around to admire the transformed tooth. For the first time, it looked clean and intact. Several people reached out, curious to touch it, but Jian Mo sternly stopped them.
That afternoon, He Yi woke up, and Jian Mo had him immediately try transforming back into his human form.
He Yi opened his mouth and grinned widely. “It seems to work! The resin is still on my tooth and hasn’t fallen off.”
Jian Mo inspected the tooth and noted, “Some parts have come loose. I’ll patch it up later. How does it feel right now?”
He Yi replied, “The gum feels a bit sore and tender.”
Jian Mo explained, “That’s normal. We worked on your tooth for quite a while, so it’s bound to feel a bit loose. It should stabilize in a couple of days.”
He Yi nodded enthusiastically, a smile lighting up his face.
Jian Mo tested the repaired tooth by gently scratching it with a sterilized needle. “Can you feel this?”
He Yi nodded. “I can tell you’re touching my tooth.”
Jian Mo asked, “Does it feel sore or painful?”
He Yi shook his head. “Nope, it doesn’t hurt.”
Jian Mo concluded, “Then the patch should be effective. Tonight, use it when eating and let me know how it feels.”
He Yi eagerly agreed, then hesitated before asking, “Doctor Jian Mo, can you fix my other teeth too?”
Jian Mo replied, “Let’s see how this one holds up first. If it works, we’ll handle the others tomorrow.”
As Jian Mo examined He Yi’s teeth, the Mountain Forest Tribe crowded around, growing more and more excited. If He Yi’s tooth could be fixed, surely their teeth could too.
That evening, He Yi tested the repaired tooth while eating and found it highly effective. Although he could feel the resin on his tooth, he experienced no pain when eating cold, hot, or spicy foods.
He returned to Jian Mo, imploring him to fix the rest of his teeth.
Jian Mo had him sign another consent form and, with assistance, proceeded to clean and repair the remaining teeth.
During transformations, some resin patches fell off, requiring Jian Mo to reapply them. By the third attempt, he managed to secure the resin enough to accommodate transformations.
He Yi ended up with a neatly patched row of teeth.
The resin fillings were slightly yellowed but far better than the previous black, decayed state. With his new teeth, He Yi could eat anything, even gnawing on bones without issue.
Jian Mo quickly advised him to take it easy and maintain proper oral hygiene.
Encouraged by He Yi’s success, other members of the tribe eagerly lined up for dental repairs. After further negotiations, the tribe offered three metal blocks per tooth as payment.
Jian Mo, tempted by the payment in metal blocks, readily agreed.
For beastmen who could shift between human and beast forms, the dental repairs were less durable. In contrast, the results were much better for sub-beastmen. Jian Mo applied resin to their decayed teeth, fully encasing the damaged areas.
They reported that their repaired teeth worked perfectly and no longer showed signs of sensitivity.
Of course, not everyone in the Mountain Forest Tribe dared to have their teeth repaired. Only about half of the tribe members opted for the treatment.
Even so, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong worked tirelessly for several days. Each day was a grueling test of strength, made worse by the less-than-ideal working conditions, leaving them utterly exhausted.
Although the Mountain Forest Tribe was known for being tough negotiators when collecting payments, they were honest when it came time to pay their dues. They compensated Jian Mo and Wu Jiong fully, without a single deduction.
In addition to metal blocks, the tribe also provided an ample supply of dried chili peppers and chili seeds.
With their teeth significantly improved, the tribe members showed no reluctance to part with their chili peppers. On the contrary, the mood was jubilant.
He Yi seemed particularly reluctant to see Jian Mo leave. “Doctor Jian Mo, are you really leaving already?”
Jian Mo replied wearily, “Yes, we’ve been out for quite a while. It’s time for us to head back.”
Shu Tao, standing nearby, asked, “Doctor Jian Mo, if we have more dental problems in the future, can we come to the He’an Tribe to find you?”
He Yi, brimming with enthusiasm, suggested, “Why don’t we help you deliver your goods back? With so many dried fruits, fresh fruits, nuts, tubers, and metal blocks, it must be hard to carry them all.”
Jian Mo reassured him, “It’s manageable. Both Chirpy and Ying Ao are strong enough to carry the load. If your teeth bother you again, feel free to visit the He’an Tribe. Many people come to us for treatment.”
He Yi grinned. “Even if our teeth don’t hurt, we’d still like to visit and hang out with you.”
Jian Mo chuckled. “You’re always welcome.”
He Yi sighed wistfully. “It’s such a shame you don’t have more time. If you could stay here longer, we’d show you all the amazing things our tribe has to offer.”
