The people of the Mountain Forest Tribe couldn’t stop talking once they started describing their treasures.
From delicious game to wild greens and sweet berries, every mention made the food sound incredibly tempting. Jian Mo suspected they had a knack for storytelling, turning each ingredient into something irresistible.
He Yi suggested, “Doctor Jian Mo, if you don’t believe us, why not stay a couple more days? We can take you into the mountains to gather some of our specialty foods for you to bring back.”
Shu Tao added, “We don’t usually let outsiders into our forest, but if you’re interested, Doctor Jian Mo, we can make an exception for you.”
Jian Mo hesitated briefly, then exchanged a glance with Wu Jiong. They had been traveling for a long time already. Would delaying their return by a day or two make much difference?
The Mountain Forest Tribe’s offer was tempting. Refusing seemed like missing out.
Wu Jiong, holding Jian Mo’s hand, replied to the tribe, “Thank you for the offer. We’d appreciate it.”
He Yi’s enthusiasm bubbled over. “There are so many ripe fruits in the wild during autumn! If you come with us, we’ll introduce you to a fruit called the black velvet fruit. It’s the best-tasting fruit in this area, and I guarantee you’ll love it.”
Jian Mo, intrigued, said, “It does sound good.”
He Yi grinned. “You’ll see when you taste it.”
Jian Mo nodded eagerly. “We’re looking forward to it.”
Shu Tao said, “We’ll get everything organized. We can go into the mountains tomorrow. Oh, and didn’t you mention wanting some pain-relief leaves? We’ll gather extra and even dig up a few plants for you to take back and grow.”
Jian Mo quickly responded, “Thank you. That would be very helpful.”
Under the tribe’s meticulous arrangements, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong joined a large group heading into the mountains early the next morning.
The Mountain Forest Tribe’s region was humid and warm, with a dense forest full of plants and insects. The risks were higher, but the natural bounty was undeniable.
They hadn’t gone far before the group began digging up large tubers. The tubers were soft, sweet, and fragrant—delicious even when simply boiled.
The tribe members, familiar with every nook and cranny of the forest, led Jian Mo and Wu Jiong straight to the black velvet fruits.
Before long, they arrived at a towering fruit tree that stood over a hundred meters tall.
Jian Mo tilted his head back, staring at the tree. Its branches bore clusters of black, pineapple-like fruits. Each fruit was large, plump, and incredibly enticing.
Even standing under the tree, the sweet fragrance of the fruit was unmistakable. Jian Mo, who had never seen or tasted this fruit before, could tell that the enticing aroma must be the black velvet fruit’s signature scent.
He Yi introduced the tree enthusiastically. “This is the black velvet fruit tree. Don’t judge it by its rough exterior—its flesh is amazing.”
Jian Mo’s gaze lingered on the fruits. “Do we climb the tree to pick them?”
He Yi nodded. “Exactly! You stay here; we’ll climb up and get them.”
After some instructions, He Yi and several other beastmen removed their belongings, shifted into their beast forms, and began scaling the enormous tree.
Their beast forms were giant badgers—long-bodied and robust. Watching them climb was a breathtaking sight.
Jian Mo observed the massive creatures scaling the tree, feeling as though he’d stepped into a mythical tale. Only a tree of this size could support such large animals.
The giant badgers quickly reached the canopy.
He Yi, now in his beast form, called down from above, “Doctor Jian Mo, we’re about to drop the fruits. Step back so you don’t get hit!”
The sub-beastmen on the ground ushered Jian Mo to retreat. “Doctor Jian Mo, let’s move back to avoid getting hit by the fruits.”
Jian Mo pulled Wu Jiong along, retreating a safe distance.
Once everyone had moved far enough away, the giant badgers shouted, “We’re starting now!”
With that, they began tossing the black velvet fruits down.
The massive fruits hit the leaf-strewn ground with heavy thuds, bouncing and rolling several meters.
Jian Mo examined the black velvet fruits and noticed that their thick shells prevented them from breaking even after being thrown.
The giant badgers continued tossing the fruits, each landing with a resounding thud. After about twenty fruits had been dropped, they climbed down the tree with impressive speed.
He Yi, still in his giant badger form, picked up one of the fruits, smashed it forcefully, and then held the halved fruit up for Jian Mo and Wu Jiong to see.
Inside the fruit, the flesh resembled that of mangosteen, with plump white segments. Jian Mo hesitated briefly before wiping his hands on his clothes and picking one segment. Wu Jiong also took half.
Jian Mo bit into it, and his eyes lit up. The fruit’s flavor was incredibly sweet, with a creamy, smooth texture that melted in his mouth. The light fruitiness elevated the sweetness to another level.
He finished his portion quickly, marveling at the black seed left in his hand.
“This black velvet fruit is amazing! Is it a specialty of your region?”
A nearby sub-beastman answered, “Yes, it grows really slowly, and it only thrives in this part of the region.”
Jian Mo carefully stored the seed. “How slow is ‘really slow’?”
The sub-beastman pointed to the massive tree. “This one took about thirty years to start bearing fruit.”
He Yi, now back in his human form, interjected, “Not thirty years—fifty. But once it started, it’s been producing fruit for hundreds of years and still hasn’t stopped.”
Jian Mo gazed up at the towering tree in amazement. “Incredible. Can I take the seeds back to plant?”
He Yi shrugged. “You can try, but I’d check with the chief. Lots of tribes have traded for black velvet fruit seeds with us, but none of them have successfully grown the trees outside this region.”
“Why not? Is it because the weather is colder elsewhere?”
He Yi shook his head. “We’re not sure. It’s not just the trees—even the fruit doesn’t travel well. Once picked, black velvet fruit spoils in two or three days.”
Jian Mo picked up another segment, savoring the flavor. “That’s such a shame.”
“We think so too, but what can you do?”
He Yi added, “There’s a type of bug here that eats black velvet fruit and turns it into sugar. It’s pretty neat.”
Jian Mo perked up. “Sugar? Like honeybees make?”
He Yi shook his head again. “Not like that. These bugs eat the fruit and produce sugar directly.”
Jian Mo was intrigued. “You mean they eat the flesh and excrete sugar?”
“Exactly. The sugar is soft and tasty, but these bugs are hard to find. They’re crafty. Once we locate them, they’ll move and be impossible to find in the same spot again.”
Jian Mo’s curiosity grew. “Can we try finding one? I’d love to see it for myself.”
He Yi grinned. “Normally, I wouldn’t bother, but if Doctor Jian Mo is interested, we have to give it a shot.”
Wu Jiong cast a sharp glance at He Yi, whose smile faltered as he quickly straightened up. “Right! Let’s look now!”
Their exchange drew laughter from the others, and they dispersed into the forest to search.
Before long, a sub-beastman called out, “Found one! It’s on the tree!”
Jian Mo hurried over with Wu Jiong, looking up alongside the sub-beastman. “Where is it?”
The sub-beastman pointed. “See that brown, scabby patch under the first branch? That’s it.”
Thanks to Jian Mo’s enhanced eyesight from his ongoing transformation into a sub-beastman, he squinted and finally spotted the mark—a small patch no larger than a coin.
“That scab is the bug?”
The sub-beastman grinned. “It’s not a scab. That’s the bug pretending to be part of the tree.”
“Mimicry?” Jian Mo asked.
The sub-beastman looked puzzled. “Mimicry? Don’t know what that is, but I’ll grab it, and you’ll see.”
Setting down his basket, the sub-beastman extended his claws and leaped at the tree, scaling it effortlessly. Within moments, he reached the mark and plucked it off the bark.
Holding the wriggling creature between his fingers, he called down, “This is the bug.”
Jian Mo squinted at it, noting its resemblance to certain ants he had studied—like soldier ants that could block tunnels with their shield-like heads. “Isn’t this like a turtle ant or something?”
The sub-beastman shook his head. “We call it a fruit beetle. When you find one, there’s almost always sugar nearby.”
Jian Mo laughed. “So it’s like carrying your own treasure map on your back?”
The Mountain Forest Tribe members chuckled.
Another sub-beastman urged, “Stop talking and check the sugar stash!”
The first sub-beastman wedged his claws into the small hole beneath the bug’s former perch, struggling to pull something out.
Others climbed up to help, using knives to widen the hole and taking turns reaching inside.
After some effort, they extracted a handful of glittering crystals.
Back on the ground, they carefully placed the crystals on broad leaves and presented them to Jian Mo and Wu Jiong. “Here’s the sugar.”
Jian Mo examined the translucent, irregular crystals, noting their resemblance to frosted glass shards.
“Do we eat it raw? No cooking required?”
A sub-beastman chuckled. “No need. We’ve eaten it this way for generations. Trust us—it’s safe.”
Jian Mo picked up a piece of the translucent sugar crystal. It was soft and springy to the touch. As soon as he put it in his mouth, an intense fruit aroma exploded, as if he were eating a concentrated fruity gummy candy. The taste was phenomenal, and the texture was unique.
Jian Mo exclaimed in delight, “This is delicious!”
The Mountain Forest Tribe members chuckled. “It’s great, isn’t it? The only problem is how hard it is to find.”
Another chimed in, “It’s not that hard if you put in the effort, but it’s not worth the time. You could gather so much other good food in the same amount of time.”
Reflecting on all the delicacies he had encountered so far, Jian Mo had to agree—it wasn’t worth it.
The Mountain Forest Tribe’s forest was a treasure trove of delicious finds: soft, fragrant tubers, sweet berries, oil-rich nuts, and plump small game.
No wonder so many of them had bad teeth. They ate well, but their lack of oral hygiene had taken its toll.
Besides the black velvet fruit and the sugar made from its juice, the tribe also led Jian Mo and Wu Jiong to gather other sweet berries.
As they had promised, this season was abundant with food, and their harvest was plentiful. After half a day of gathering, their baskets were filled to the brim.
When they were done collecting, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong prepared to leave.
Since fresh berries wouldn’t survive the journey, the tribe generously exchanged them for fruit preserves. When everything was packed—chilies, metal blocks, and various Mountain Forest Tribe specialties—the load totaled twelve large baskets.
Looking at the pile of goods, Chief Shu Tao suggested, “Why don’t we help carry this back to your tribe? It’s a lot to haul.”
Wu Jiong shook his head. “Thank you, but He’an Tribe is too far from here. It’d be too much of a burden for you. We can handle it ourselves. I’ll carry four baskets, and the two flying beasts can carry the other eight. It’s manageable.”
The usually composed Ying Ao gave a firm “chirp,” as if to affirm Wu Jiong’s statement.
Jian Mo chuckled and patted Ying Ao’s leg, then gave equal attention to Chirpy with a friendly pat. “We’ll head back now. If any of your teeth feel uncomfortable, don’t hesitate to come to He’an Tribe to see me.”
Shu Tao nodded solemnly.
He Yi, looking reluctant to say goodbye, sighed. “If only your tribe were closer to ours. Then we could see you every day. But with this distance, who knows how long it’ll be before we meet again?”
Jian Mo smiled gently. “Our tribes may be far apart, but friendship keeps us close at heart. Just thinking about that makes it feel not so far at all.”
He Yi grinned. “Jian Mo, you always know how to say the right thing.”
Wu Jiong’s hand tightened slightly around Jian Mo’s, signaling him to focus. Jian Mo quickly straightened up. “Alright, we’ll be off. Don’t forget to brush your teeth regularly and keep up good oral hygiene!”
Shu Tao smiled warmly. “We’ll remember. Thank you for everything.”
The tribe helped them secure the baskets onto the flying beasts’ backs. Four baskets were also strapped to Wu Jiong, now in his massive wolf form. Jian Mo climbed onto his back and waved goodbye to the tribe.
Chirpy and Ying Ao took a few bounding strides before their large wings beat the air, lifting them into the sky. Wu Jiong started running, the wind whistling around them as they began their journey home, the comforting thought of their return accompanying them with every step.
