Chapter 2: The Veterinarian
After Jian Mo was brought home by Wu Jiong, he fell ill. He drifted in and out of consciousness daily; sometimes, he woke to the brightness of day, and other times, he opened his eyes to the darkness of night.
Almost every time he awoke, Wu Jiong would be by his side, offering various broths and persistently inquiring about Jian Mo’s origins. Occasionally, others would join in with their own questions.
But Jian Mo couldn’t clearly explain how he had ended up in this world. Being unwell, he often found that whatever he said seemed to be completely misunderstood by Wu Jiong and the others.
After several attempts, people eventually dismissed him as a wandering sub-beastman and stopped asking questions.
His illness dragged on for quite a while.
One day, Jian Mo woke up to find golden sunlight streaming into every corner of the room. The warmth and brightness seemed to breathe new strength into his weakened body.
He climbed out of the fur mattress, still feeling a bit weak as he sat up. His body was slightly sweaty at the back of his neck.
However, it was merely fatigue—his body no longer felt as heavy as before.
Jian Mo looked out the window, relieved that he was still alive.
“You’re awake?” Wu Jiong’s voice came from nearby.
Jian Mo saw Wu Jiong appear at the top of the stairs and nodded weakly, responding slowly in the beastman language, “I’m feeling a bit better.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “Come downstairs and eat something.”
Jian Mo stood up slowly.
The second floor was quite spacious, with only a few boxes against the walls and two mattresses laid out on either side. Jian Mo had been sleeping on the smaller mattress on the left side.
He put on the shoes and socks placed by the mattress and turned to find that all his personal belongings were still by his pillow—his umbrella, phone, keys, earphones, a neatly folded white tissue, and the empty can of cat food from the other day.
Wu Jiong had surprisingly picked up everything for him.
Unable to resist, he grabbed his phone and held the power button. The phone was completely dead; it powered on briefly before shutting off again.
Staring at the phone, Jian Mo felt a deep, indescribable sense of disappointment. Already weak, he now felt even more drained.
Putting the phone into his pocket, he slowly made his way to the staircase and cautiously descended to the first floor.
Jian Mo saw Wu Jiong standing under the eaves on the first floor, examining a selection of hanging meat.
The meat was soft to the touch, sinking in when Wu Jiong pressed it, indicating it had only been hung to dry recently.
Withdrawing his gaze, Jian Mo slowly approached the firepit and sat down on a small wooden stool.
From the architecture, this world didn’t seem too different from his own.
The stone house was rough yet clean, with a firepit in the center of the first floor and wooden planks covering the second floor where people laid down mattresses to sleep.
In his original world, people also used such designs.
While Jian Mo’s thoughts wandered, Wu Jiong came back with a slab of meat.
He set a large stone plate over the firepit and placed the meat on it to roast, then sliced it into smaller pieces.
Jian Mo noticed that the knife Wu Jiong used wasn’t made of metal but was instead a type of shell knife. Its edge was honed thin and sharp, making slicing effortless.
However, judging by the coarse grain of the meat, it looked tough and likely hard to chew through.
Jian Mo’s eyes followed Wu Jiong’s movements.
Wu Jiong’s slender fingers gently pushed the plate of meat toward Jian Mo. “You can eat now.”
Jian Mo snapped back to reality. “Thank you.”
Wu Jiong nodded slightly. “Try it.”
Jian Mo looked at the meat in front of him, hesitating for a moment. He wasn’t sure if he should just grab it with his hands to eat, especially since it looked quite hot.
Wu Jiong, meanwhile, had already picked up a piece with his hands and was eating it.
Jian Mo sighed inwardly and followed suit, grabbing a strip of meat and taking a bite.
But he couldn’t chew through it.
Bringing the meat closer to his eyes, Jian Mo saw it was filled with tendons and coarse fibers, making it nearly impossible to bite through.
Just as Jian Mo was wondering what to do, Wu Jiong took his plate from across the table. “Let me cut it into smaller pieces for you.”
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Jian Mo thanked him.
Wu Jiong gestured for him to put the meat back on the plate, then cut it into thumb-sized chunks. “It’s only been drying for one night, so it might still be tough. Another couple of days will make it more tender.”
Jian Mo turned to look at the meat hanging under the eaves. He knew that letting fresh meat age could tenderize it by allowing acids to break it down, but he didn’t expect such a technique to exist here.
“What kind of meat is this?” Jian Mo asked.
“Antlered beast,” Wu Jiong replied. “This one was rather large and tough. Today, I’ll see if I can hunt a smaller, younger one.”
As Wu Jiong quickly finished the meat on his plate, it became clear that the toughness was no issue for beastmen.
After clearing the dishes, Wu Jiong said to Jian Mo, “I’m going out hunting later. You can stay here or walk around the tribe, but it’s best not to venture beyond the tribe’s boundaries—there’s danger out there.”
Jian Mo nodded earnestly.
Wu Jiong gave Jian Mo a lingering look. “If you need anything, find one of the patrolling beastmen outside. If they’re not around, just look for any adult beastman or sub-beastman.”
Jian Mo continued to nod, then, after a pause, said softly, “Thank you.”
Having said all he needed to, Wu Jiong tidied up briefly, tucked a knife into his belt, grabbed a coil of rope, and headed out.
Jian Mo stood by the door, watching as he walked toward a group of chatting beastmen. They transformed into their beast forms and dashed out of the tribe, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Jian Mo stood at the doorway, taking in the view of the entire tribe.
This tribe seemed to be located on the plains at the foot of the snowy mountains.
It was quite sizable; from where Jian Mo stood, he could see more than thirty stone houses.
Most of these stone houses had only one floor, with Wu Jiong’s home being the only two-story building, spacious and particularly well-built—likely because he was the tribe’s leader.
As Jian Mo looked outward, he saw a group of young to middle-aged men carrying baskets on their backs, heading out. Some of them had animal ears or tails, while others appeared entirely human.
Those who looked human likely hadn’t activated their beastly traits.
In addition to the adults, there were also many small, furry animals playing around the tribe.
Jian Mo knew these weren’t ordinary animals but rather beastmen or sub-beastmen who hadn’t reverted to human form—essentially, the tribe’s young ones.
He didn’t dare stare at these cubs for long. He quickly averted his gaze after a brief glance.
No matter where one was, cubs were always highly protected, and he knew better than to attract unwanted attention.
Jian Mo suspected that during his crossing into this world, his entire body might have traveled through time and space, intercepting certain memory fragments along the way. As a result, he carried some residual memories.
Whenever he saw certain things, they would trigger memories for him.
This made adjusting to this world relatively easy for him.
After standing at the doorway for a while and seeing that no one was coming to speak to him, Jian Mo slowly began to venture outside.
Walking a bit further, he reached a wide-open space.
The nearby areas of the valley were filled with grass and shrubs, with a broad, shallow river flowing a bit farther out. Beyond that, the landscape transitioned into dense forests, and atop the forest, the snowy mountain peaks glittered under the sunlight.
The scenery before him had no connection to the small town where he used to live.
Jian Mo smiled bitterly—he really had crossed over to another world.
He couldn’t help but wonder what would happen to his veterinary clinic now.
Fortunately, he didn’t have any animals in his care at the moment. Otherwise, his sudden disappearance would have caused a lot of trouble.
The tribe was quite large. Jian Mo, still recovering from his illness, found himself weak and lacking energy. After wandering for a while, he became exhausted and slowly made his way back.
As he strolled around, he noticed that some people were watching him, though only from a distance. No one approached him to talk.
It seemed that this world wasn’t particularly peaceful; people were cautious and wary of strangers.
This could also be inferred from Wu Jiong’s behavior. If Wu Jiong weren’t highly vigilant, he wouldn’t have brought Jian Mo back home to keep him under close watch.
Jian Mo, walking and resting intermittently, finally returned to Wu Jiong’s house. He took a break, and soon, the sun began to dip in the sky.
The daylight hours here seemed comparable to those on Earth, though perhaps slightly longer.
Jian Mo drank a bowl of water and then checked the supplies in Wu Jiong’s home.
Although he wasn’t a native of this world, his mind was filled with strange knowledge, and he could recognize some of the ingredients.
It was possible that when he crossed over, it wasn’t just his physical body that made the journey; perhaps some elements had been reassembled.
Maybe his soul had picked up certain elements from the local spirit energy, resulting in vague memories.
Jian Mo couldn’t make sense of it all and decided to set these thoughts aside for now.
The most pressing matter at hand was to find something useful to do.
He had no familial connection to Wu Jiong, and if he appeared lazy, he would likely be cast out soon. If they threw him into the wilderness, he wouldn’t survive, let alone find a way back to Earth.
Wu Jiong’s home was well-stocked. Besides the meat hanging under the eaves, there were also various types of roots and tubers.
Jian Mo took down a piece of meat and divided it into two portions. He decided to roast the lean half the same way Wu Jiong had prepared it before.
The fattier half he processed differently. He first trimmed off the fat, then cut both the fat and lean portions into small cubes. He rendered some of the fat into oil, and mixed the remaining fat cubes with lean meat and diced tubers, adding salt before shaping them into patties.
Additionally, he took some bones and roots, blanched the bones, and then put them in the firepit to slowly simmer.
As he cooked, Jian Mo confirmed once again that Wu Jiong seemed relatively well-off; the array of tools on the racks by the firepit was quite complete.
With the right tools to assist him, the meal preparation went smoothly.
Once the food was ready, Wu Jiong still hadn’t returned.
Jian Mo placed the fried meat patties and roasted meat on a plate, covering them with a clean bowl. He then found a broom and slowly began sweeping the house.
Lost in thought, he was startled when someone entered the room without him noticing.
“Smells so good!” a voice exclaimed in the beastman language.
Jian Mo looked up in surprise to see Wu Jiong entering with several tall young men.
The young men’s eyes were gleaming. “What kind of meat is that?”
Jian Mo straightened up and greeted Wu Jiong, “Wu Jiong.”
Wu Jiong’s gaze swept across the room before landing on the covered dishes.
Jian Mo, clutching the broom, explained, “I’m feeling much better, so I tried to cook something. I’m not sure if it suits your taste. If not, I can adjust it tomorrow.”
The young men grinned and exchanged knowing looks.
One of them teased Wu Jiong, “Chief, you really should find a mate. Look how nice it is to have someone cook at home.”
Wu Jiong nodded at Jian Mo. “Thank you.”
Then, turning to the others, he said, “Let’s divide up the meat.”
Not fully understanding what Wu Jiong meant, Jian Mo instinctively followed him outside.
Wu Jiong picked up two large, long shell knives from the firepit area and led the young men into the courtyard.
Only then did Jian Mo notice that the courtyard was filled with various beasts of all sizes, clearly today’s hunting haul.
Dividing up the meat seemed to be a routine part of the tribe’s daily life. Jian Mo stood by and watched as more and more people gathered.
They placed the beasts on freshly spread leaves, skillfully skinning, bleeding, and portioning the meat with swift efficiency.
At first, Jian Mo tried to help, but as more people arrived, he felt he was getting in the way and retreated indoors to continue cleaning.
The process of dividing the meat took at least an hour.
Jian Mo noticed that they kept all usable parts—blood, organs, and everything else was carefully collected.
It seemed that resources in this area weren’t particularly abundant; otherwise, they wouldn’t have bothered keeping parts that were difficult to process and less palatable.
In addition to the meat, Jian Mo also saw them dividing up tubers and wild vegetables.
The tubers stored in Wu Jiong’s home likely came from these gatherings.
By the time they had finished dividing the meat, the sky was filled with the warm glow of the evening sunset.
The young men didn’t leave; instead, they washed their hands and followed Wu Jiong back into the house.
While Wu Jiong and the others rubbed salt onto the meat, Jian Mo helped on the side. He guessed that they intended to hang the meat under the eaves for preservation.
The coarse, yellow-brown salt was quite rough, and Jian Mo was noticeably less efficient in rubbing it into the meat compared to the others.
Wu Jiong said, “We’ll handle this part. You can bring out the food you prepared; they’re staying to eat.”
One of the young men behind him grinned at Jian Mo, “The food you made smells amazing.”
Jian Mo glanced at Wu Jiong for confirmation, then nodded, uncovering the prepared dishes and placing them in the middle of the table.
He had deliberately cooked more food, knowing Wu Jiong had a hearty appetite, so there was plenty for everyone to share.
The young men exchanged glances with each other, and one of them quietly remarked to his companion, “He seems so obedient.”
It was obvious who they were referring to, but Jian Mo kept a stoic expression, pretending not to hear.
He brought out a clean knife to cut the food into smaller pieces and ladled soup into bowls.
Unlike Wu Jiong’s roasted meat, Jian Mo had purposely placed fatty cuts onto the hot stone, letting some oil render out. He heated the stone slab until it was scorching hot, so when the meat was placed on it, it developed a beautifully crispy layer.
Now, as the meat was served, juices oozed out, with the insides tender and slightly pink while the outside was crispy and aromatic. It looked incredibly appetizing.
When the plates were set before the young men, they didn’t hesitate, grabbing the meat with their hands and devouring it.
Immediately, they erupted into excited chatter:
“This is delicious!!!”
“The meat is so tender, and it’s flavored all the way through!”
“What kind of meat is this? I’ve never tasted anything like it.”
Jian Mo had taken the extra step of marinating the meat and poking small holes in it, ensuring the flavors penetrated deep inside.
As for the type of meat, Jian Mo turned to Wu Jiong.
Wu Jiong replied, “Antlered beast meat.”
“No way! How can antlered beast meat be this tender?”
“Exactly, my father cooked some antlered beast meat yesterday, and my little brother’s baby tooth cracked after biting into it. He got scolded half to death.”
“And antlered beast meat has never been this flavorful!”
The young men were skeptical and turned to Jian Mo. “The chief must be joking with us, right?”
Jian Mo shook his head and pointed to the meat hanging under the eaves. “It’s exactly that meat.”
“What? It’s really antlered beast meat?”
“How did you prepare it? I need to remember this method so I can try it at home.”
Seeing that Wu Jiong had no objections, Jian Mo earnestly explained the recipe—he needed to prove his value as an outsider.
The group nodded eagerly, indicating they’d taken note.
One of them noticed the meat patties Jian Mo was slicing. “What’s this?”
Jian Mo held up the patties. “These are meat patties mixed with tubers, which makes them juicier.”
The young men, hearing there were patties as well, clamored to try them.
Wu Jiong took the knife from Jian Mo’s hand. “Let me handle this.”
Jian Mo stepped aside, allowing Wu Jiong to cut the patties into even pieces, distributing one piece to each person.
The patties had small cubes of fat mixed in, along with salt and tuber bits. They were savory, tender, and juicy, with the meat chunks almost dancing on the tongue.
The group devoured the food with little regard for manners. After finishing the patties, they even scraped up the crumbs left on the table.
“You’re amazing!”
“You’re the best cook I’ve ever seen among sub-beastmen.”
“Do you have a mate?”
“He must, right? He’s so handsome, with such fair skin—just like the milk of a Tuo Tuo beast. Surely, he’s already taken.”
“But his mate isn’t here.”
Their gazes turned to Jian Mo, seeking confirmation.
Jian Mo avoided their stares. In college, he had plenty of admirers, but none of those relationships had solidified.
With a stern face, Jian Mo replied, “I don’t have a mate, and I don’t plan on finding one anytime soon.”
Wu Jiong tapped the table. “Eat your meat and stop pestering him.”
The young men seemed a bit wary of Wu Jiong and quickly dropped the subject, shifting to other topics.
Jian Mo let out a sigh of relief and began serving soup to everyone.
As they drank the soup, the conversation inevitably returned to his cooking skills. “Are you really not the best cook in your tribe?”
Clearly, they were curious about him. They had simply been holding back earlier due to unfamiliarity.
Jian Mo shook his head. “I’m a veterinarian.”
This term was completely foreign to them, so they turned to Wu Jiong for clarification.
Wu Jiong asked, “What’s a veterinarian?”
Jian Mo explained, “Someone who treats illnesses in animals.”
He tried to elaborate, “It’s about easing the suffering of sick animals, treating them, and doing our best to prevent them from dying.”
The beastmen understood this explanation.
“So, are you a priest?”
“Isn’t Hongqiu currently sick? Could you treat him?”
“I’ll go fetch him!”
“Banming, slow down!”
Before Jian Mo could respond, one of the young men had already dashed out.
Jian Mo opened his mouth to call him back, but the man was already out of sight.
Wait a minute, I am a veterinarian, but without tools or medicine here, I can’t guarantee a cure. Besides, I’m a vet for animals back on Earth; you’re beastmen—our physiology is completely different!
Feeling helpless, Jian Mo stood frozen in place. Why were these beastmen so impatient?
Wu Jiong turned to Jian Mo and said, “Let him bring Hongqiu over. Even if you can’t help, it’s no big deal.”
Jian Mo had nothing more to say, so he reluctantly muttered, “Okay,” and sat back down.
Before long, a large feline beast arrived, carrying a middle-aged man with a sallow complexion on its back.
Jian Mo looked at the large feline creature—it was the very same big cat he had encountered when he first arrived here.
No wonder the name “Banming” had sounded so familiar to him.
The middle-aged man named Hongqiu dismounted from Banming with a deep, gravelly greeting for Wu Jiong. Holding his head, he shot an annoyed glance at Banming, who had just reverted to human form. “Why did you run so fast? My head was already aching, and now it’s worse.”
Banming pointed at Jian Mo. “He said he can treat you.”
Everyone turned to look expectantly at Jian Mo.
Faced with their eager eyes, Jian Mo wanted to blurt out, “I’m not, I didn’t, don’t say that!” but he held his tongue.
Wu Jiong asked, “Can you give it a try?”
Jian Mo hesitated for a moment. “Let me think.”
Wu Jiong advised him, “Only use methods that are safe. Don’t take any risks.”
Jian Mo refocused and agreed earnestly.
He invited Hongqiu to sit down and began asking him about the onset of his illness.
Hongqiu wiped his nose. “A few days ago, I was chased by a horned bull. I had no choice but to jump into a pond to hide. I stayed in the water for a long time, and when I came back, I got sick.”
Jian Mo asked, “Was the pond water cold? Did you get chilled on the way back?”
Hongqiu replied, “It was so cold my lips turned blue. As for whether there was wind, I don’t remember—just that I felt cold.”
It sounded like a case of a cold-induced illness. Jian Mo made a simple diagnosis in his mind and then asked, “Do you have any wounds on your body? Any areas that are particularly painful?”
Jian Mo asked several more questions and conducted a basic examination.
Though Hongqiu was a bit impatient, he still cooperated.
After carefully checking everything, Jian Mo concluded, “It might be a cold caught from the wind. I don’t have any medicine with me. If you want treatment, I might have to try gua sha.”
Wu Jiong asked, “What is gua sha?”
Jian Mo picked up a bowl nearby. “It’s a technique where you scrape the skin along the meridians using a hard object to unblock them.”
Since many terms didn’t exist here, Jian Mo struggled to explain these foreign concepts.
In the end, he simply said, “I can’t fully explain it. You’ll understand once you see it. This treatment method is generally safe, aside from being a bit painful. If you want me to treat him, this is the only method I can think of right now.”
After a brief discussion, Wu Jiong and the others decided to let Jian Mo give it a try.
Jian Mo asked Hongqiu to sit on a chair, exposing his back. Then, he took the freshly rendered beast fat and applied it evenly to Hongqiu’s skin.
The beast fat had a fragrant smell, and the onlookers couldn’t help but whisper to each other as they watched Hongqiu’s back glisten with the oil.
Ignoring their chatter, Jian Mo focused on his task. Once he had thoroughly applied the oil, he began scraping gently and confirmed with Hongqiu if the pressure was comfortable.
Though Jian Mo hadn’t studied gua sha in college, he had often helped his grandfather with it when he was younger.
Even now, he remembered which meridians to target for certain ailments.
However, he wasn’t sure if the beastmen’s meridians were similar to those of humans or if the treatment would be effective at all.
Jian Mo scraped along the meridians, starting lightly and gradually applying more pressure. Gradually, purple-red marks appeared on Hongqiu’s skin.
Banming touched the marks with curiosity. “It’s hot! Hongqiu, does it hurt?”
Hongqiu lowered his head. “It hurts while he’s scraping, but not when you touch it. Stop poking me.”
Banming, however, couldn’t resist sneaking another touch, prompting an annoyed kick from Hongqiu.
Jian Mo ignored their antics, carefully finishing the gua sha. After ensuring that there was no damage to the skin, he took a deep breath and set the bowl aside. “All done. You should rest well, keep yourself warm, and you’ll likely feel better tomorrow.”
Hongqiu rolled his shoulders and said, “After what you did, I do feel a bit lighter.”
Jian Mo advised, “Wrap yourself in a fur cloak. Don’t let yourself catch another chill.”
Wu Jiong nodded at Hongqiu. “Go home and get some good rest.”
Then, turning to the others, he said, “And you all, stop fooling around.”
With Wu Jiong’s command, the others quickly straightened up, said their goodbyes, and left.
Jian Mo, still not familiar with them, remained silent and continued tidying up quietly.
Wu Jiong took the tools from his hands. “Go upstairs and rest. You’ve done enough for today—you must be tired.”
Jian Mo shook his head. “I’m not that tired.”
Wu Jiong insisted, taking over the cleanup. “I can handle this. Go on.”
Seeing no point in arguing, Jian Mo reluctantly complied.
“Oh, by the way,” Wu Jiong called out as Jian Mo was about to leave. “The food you made today was delicious, and I appreciate the effort you put into helping Hongqiu with the gua sha. Thank you.”
Jian Mo felt a weight lift off his heart. He looked at Wu Jiong and replied, “No need to thank me. It’s the least I can do. And thank you for taking me in and looking after me all this time.”
he didn’t have system?? or another cheat??;;;v;;;