Chapter 204: Extra (4)
Jian Mo loved swimming, especially in lakes. Compared to swimming pools, swimming in a lake felt vastly better—spacious, tranquil, clean, and wonderfully liberating.
As long as the weather wasn’t too cold, he’d drag Wu Jiong along to Baisha Isle for a swim.
Today was no exception. After returning from a medical visit to the Yi Gu Tribe, Jian Mo insisted they detour to Baisha Isle for a quick swim before heading home. With time to spare, they could afford a bit more fun outside.
Upon reaching the island, Jian Mo tossed aside his outerwear, kicked off his shoes, and jumped into the lake with a splash. “Ah, refreshing!”
Wu Jiong followed more cautiously. “Take it easy.”
Jian Mo paddled across the water leisurely. “Don’t worry. I’m just swimming in circles, not going far.”
After a while, Jian Mo dived underwater, planning to sneak up on Wu Jiong as a playful prank. To his surprise, Wu Jiong anticipated the move, diving down as well and meeting him with a knowing smile underwater.
The moment Jian Mo reached out, Wu Jiong grabbed his arms, stopping him in his tracks. Raising an eyebrow, Jian Mo considered launching a sneak attack, but before he could act, a loud voice shouted from above the water’s surface, “What are you doing?! Get out of there!”
Both Jian Mo and Wu Jiong were startled. Although Baisha Isle was a shared territory between their tribe and the Yi Gu Tribe, swimming here was never an issue. No one had ever driven them away, especially since they had just visited the Yi Gu Tribe earlier that day.
Curious, the two surfaced, holding hands, intending to see what was going on.
Standing on the shore was a stranger whose appearance and clothing felt entirely unfamiliar to them. Jian Mo immediately felt a foreboding unease. He exchanged a look with Wu Jiong, whose eyes mirrored the same confusion.
The stranger on the shore shouted again, “Come out now! Swimming here without permission is forbidden! If you don’t get out, I’ll fine you!”
Jian Mo noticed that the man’s accent was odd too, awkward and clearly not local. Something was definitely amiss.
Still holding Wu Jiong’s hand, Jian Mo reluctantly climbed ashore. That’s when he noticed that all their belongings—clothes, shoes, baskets—had vanished.
As he stood there, Jian Mo noticed something else startling: across the lake, there were now neatly built stone houses lining the shore, their orderly construction strikingly out of place. These weren’t there when they had entered the water.
No one could have built those houses in the short time they had been swimming.
Jian Mo stared at the houses, and a wild, absurd thought crossed his mind—they had traveled through time and space.
Having experienced a similar event before, Jian Mo wasn’t entirely unfamiliar with the concept of crossing worlds. Without hesitation, he tightened his grip on Wu Jiong’s hand.
Wu Jiong, also sensing something was wrong, squeezed Jian Mo’s hand in return, their fingers interlocked.
The stranger on the shore continued to watch them suspiciously.
Wu Jiong whispered, “Let’s get out of here first.” Holding hands, they quickly retreated into the nearby forest, leaving the stranger behind.
Once they were out of sight, Jian Mo sighed in relief as the man turned his attention elsewhere.
Wu Jiong surveyed the surroundings and asked, “Was it like this when you first arrived in our tribe?”
Jian Mo was surprised by the question but nodded. “Yes, it was similar.”
Wu Jiong’s grip on his hand tightened as he pulled Jian Mo into an embrace. “That must’ve been so hard for you back then.”
Jian Mo shook his head. “It wasn’t too bad. I met you almost right away, so things didn’t turn out so poorly.”
The two talked quietly in the forest, both still in nothing but their underclothes. Jian Mo looked around and asked, “What should we do now? Should we go back to the lake later and see if we can return? Or should we explore this world?”
Baisha Isle seemed unchanged, with its surroundings still looking like the beastman world. Jian Mo’s instincts told him they hadn’t returned to Earth.
Wu Jiong suggested, “Let’s check the lake to see if the path is still there. If it’s gone, we’ll explore nearby and figure things out from there.”
Jian Mo agreed without hesitation. “Let’s go. The sooner, the better.”
With Wu Jiong’s agility, they quickly made their way back to the lake. Before the stranger on the opposite shore could spot them, they dived into the water.
The lake was as clear as before, its depths dark and mysterious, just as it had been earlier. However, after several minutes underwater, they surfaced to find the same unfamiliar houses and the same frowning stranger watching them from the shore.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong decided to climb ashore from a different direction, disappearing back into the forest.
Jian Mo sighed. “We’re not going back for now.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “Let’s eat something first and then plan our next steps.”
Although their belongings were gone, the forest was as abundant as ever. They quickly found a variety of edible foods, from berries to wild greens, and managed to fill their stomachs. They even gathered two bundles of fresh vegetables to carry with them—useful for trading if they encountered people.
Jian Mo gazed around, wide-eyed. “This is such a strange experience.”
If he had traveled alone, he might have been anxious, but with Wu Jiong by his side, it felt less daunting. Still, the thought of being permanently stranded made his heart sink. He clutched Wu Jiong’s hand tightly.
It shouldn’t come to that. If the path didn’t reappear, they could settle near the lake and wait patiently.
As they continued walking, they soon found a road. Along the way, they encountered more and more travelers. The sight of the two of them in their unusual attire, carrying bundles of wild greens, drew curious and puzzled stares.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong observed the architecture and passersby of this era as they walked.
The buildings were predominantly made of stone, ranging from one to three stories tall. Streetlights lined the roads, and the wide streets were paved with smooth, clean cement, giving the area a developed appearance. However, there were no vehicles—neither horse-drawn carriages nor automobiles. Instead, many people had reverted to their beast forms, some even carrying riders on
their massive backs like giant beast buses.
As they walked, someone called out to them, “Hey, brothers, what happened to you two?”
Jian Mo turned toward the voice, smiling at the man leaning against a doorway. “Our clothes and shoes accidentally got washed away when we were swimming in the river.”
The man chuckled. “That explains it! I was wondering why you looked like this.”
Jian Mo continued, “Exactly. By the way, would you like some wild vegetables? We gathered a few while in the forest. If you’re interested, we could trade them for some clothes and shoes. It’s a bit awkward walking around like this.”
The man laughed again. “Sure thing! Why don’t you come to my place for a meal? I’ll find you something to wear.”
The man introduced himself as Hu Zhen, a frequent fisherman. He shared that once, while fishing, he fell into the river, losing most of his belongings and making a miserable sight of himself.
Looking at Jian Mo and Wu Jiong, Hu Zhen added with a grin, “But I wasn’t nearly as unlucky as you two. I only lost my shoes and fishing rod. My clothes were just a bit torn, but I still had them.”
Jian Mo gave a wry smile. “Well, we’ve had worse luck than you.”
Hu Zhen chuckled. “When I first saw you, I thought you were fishermen. You look just like us— determined to bring something back even when in a mess. Only fishermen are that stubborn.”
Jian Mo decided to play along with the misunderstanding. “Something like that.”
Finding kindred spirits, Hu Zhen’s chatter increased. He brought Jian Mo and Wu Jiong into his home, providing them with clean clothes and shoes. “Jian Mo, you can wear mine. Wu Jiong, you can try my beastman brother’s clothes. He’s tall and broad-shouldered, so his should fit you.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me,” Hu Zhen replied. “No one likes to run into trouble.”
He even offered them a bath.
Jian Mo, with his prior experience in a modern world, quickly figured out how to use the water heater despite its differences from Earth’s designs.
After cleaning up, the two joined Hu Zhen in the living room for a meal.
As he looked at the refreshed pair, Hu Zhen exclaimed, “You two clean up really well.”
Jian Mo rolled up his sleeves and replied with a smile, “Thank you.”
“Come eat,” Hu Zhen invited warmly. “It’s just a simple meal since I didn’t have time to shop. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Not at all,” Jian Mo reassured him.
Hu Zhen studied them curiously. “You’re not locals, are you? Your accents sound different. Where are you from? Traveling? On a business trip?”
Jian Mo replied vaguely, “We’re from the north. We didn’t expect to end up in a situation like this today.”
“That’s life,” Hu Zhen said with a grin. “Full of surprises. Come on, dig in. Do you like spicy food? The chili sauce here is based on an ancient recipe—Doctor Jian Mo’s original. It’s the real deal, not some knockoff. Give it a try.”
Hearing his own name mentioned, Jian Mo exchanged a startled glance with Wu Jiong.
Hu Zhen didn’t notice their reaction and continued, “Have you been to the town’s museum yet?”
“Not yet,” Jian Mo replied. “But visiting the museum is one of the reasons we came here.”
“I thought so,” Hu Zhen said with a nod. “There’s plenty to see here, but the museum is a must-visit.”
Jian Mo smiled. “Are there any other recommendations near the museum?”
“That depends on how much time you have,” Hu Zhen replied. “If it’s limited, stick to the museum and the He’an Ancient Tribe site. If you’ve got more time, you can also visit the Jian Mo Memorial Hall and a few nearby ancient tribes. You could even take a ride on a flying winged beast to get a bird’s-eye view of the land. Oh, and don’t miss out on the local cuisine. Just skip the popular Jian Mo Restaurant—it’s overpriced. Go to the small eatery at the end of Dingzi Alley instead. The owner is from the ancient He’an Tribe, and his food is the most authentic.”
Hu Zhen was warm and talkative, enthusiastically sharing all sorts of information about the town. Jian Mo and Wu Jiong listened attentively, expressing their gratitude after the meal. They left the wild vegetables with Hu Zhen as thanks before bidding him goodbye. Hu Zhen invited them to visit again.
The two thanked him once more and stepped outside, where the sky had already darkened. Streetlights illuminated the roads like stars scattered across the ground.
Wu Jiong looked at the lights with curiosity.
Jian Mo explained, “Our world has similar streetlights, but we rely more on machinery. It doesn’t seem like they have much of that here.”
Wu Jiong observed thoughtfully. “Perhaps people here are more accustomed to using their beast forms for tasks.”
Jian Mo chuckled. “I’ve noticed that this place seems to have advanced in biological technology instead. Where should we go tonight?”
Wu Jiong glanced at the people strolling outside. “Let’s take a walk too and decide afterward.”
Jian Mo looked around. “Let’s head toward the museum. There’s a park nearby that seems popular. Maybe we can gather some information there.”
Wu Jiong took his hand. “Let’s go.”
Thanks 4 the chapter!