Transmigrated to the Beastman World as a Veterinarian – CH25

Once Jian Mo returned, the others dispersed.

Jian Mo crouched in front of the winged beast, his expression stern as he lectured it. “You can’t do that again. If you want to go out, you have to tell me first. Sneaking off isn’t something a good boy would do.”

The winged beast slumped in place, looking dejected. Occasionally, it let out a soft whimper but didn’t dare to argue.

Jian Mo continued his lecture, addressing its fluffy head for quite some time. Once he was sure it had learned its lesson, he stood up, intending to prepare dinner.

The winged beast cautiously looked up at him with a half-exposed eye, managing to look both guilty and pitiful at the same time.

Then it dragged over the wooden-root stalks it had collected that day, placing them in front of Jian Mo. With its large head, it nudged Jian Mo gently.

Having just been scolded, the beast kept its mouth shut but made its intentions clear—it was offering the stalks to Jian Mo.

When Jian Mo didn’t immediately accept them, the beast grew anxious. It nudged him again and let out a soft chirp, “Chirp.”

As a veterinarian, Jian Mo had heard countless stories of pets bringing home “presents” for their owners, but this was the first time he had experienced it himself.

His stern demeanor completely crumbled. Resigned, he patted the beast’s fluffy head and, with Wu Jiong’s help, picked up the stalks and carried them home.

For dinner, Jian Mo steamed two large stone pots of wooden-root stalks. After mashing them, he added milk and fried minced meat, mixing everything thoroughly. The result was a large bucket of food, which he delivered to the winged beast.

The beast was overjoyed, chirping incessantly in a melody-like rhythm. Its tail wagged as it tried to nuzzle Jian Mo with its large head, as if pleading for attention. It seemed to have completely forgotten the earlier reprimand.

Jian Mo, no longer angry, reached out to pet its head, consoling himself. “They say you should follow a scolding with a reward. Education requires a balance—reprimand when needed, but soothe afterward. I’ve scolded it enough; now it’s time to make it feel better.”

After interacting with the winged beast, Jian Mo returned to the house. He seemed distracted and even stumbled as he walked in.

Wu Jiong, almost as if he had eyes on the back of his head, caught him in time. “What’s wrong? Chirpy came back safe and sound, didn’t it?”

Jian Mo sighed. “It’s because it came back that I feel bad. Chirpy’s so well-behaved, and yet we keep it tied up.”

Straightening up, Jian Mo continued, “I was wondering if we could stop tethering it and just let it roam freely. It treats the tribe as its home; I don’t think it’ll run off again.”

Before Wu Jiong could respond, Jian Mo added, “I know there are a lot of kids running around in the tribe, but Chirpy has a gentle temperament and is very smart. If we teach it properly, it won’t approach the children. Besides, winged beasts aren’t predators by nature, so it’s unlikely to pose a threat to anyone.”

Wu Jiong nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll ask the others about it first thing tomorrow morning.”

Jian Mo pondered for a moment. “If it’s not feasible to let it roam in the tribe, we could try keeping it outside instead. As long as it doesn’t come near the village, there shouldn’t be any risks. It’s just… Chirpy’s so intelligent and considers us its companions. Keeping it tied up feels too cruel.”

Wu Jiong agreed. “Don’t worry. I’ll discuss it with the others tomorrow. If they disagree, we’ll think of another solution.”

True to his word, Wu Jiong went to speak with the other members of the tribe early the next morning.

After some discussion, the tribe agreed to let Chirpy roam freely—on the condition that it stayed near Jian Mo’s house.

If the winged beast wandered too far, the patrolling beastmen would tie it back up to prevent any potential danger to the tribe’s children.

This was reasonable, and Jian Mo had no objections.

The fact that the winged beast could roam freely was something to be happy about.

That morning, when Jian Mo went to feed it, he deliberately loosened its tether and shared the good news.

The winged beast tilted its head curiously. “Chirp?”

Jian Mo patted it. “You’re allowed to move around near the house, but you’re not allowed to leave the area, and you definitely can’t bother the kids. Got it?”

The winged beast chirped enthusiastically, “Chirp chirp!”

Jian Mo frowned. “Did you actually understand anything I just said?”

No matter what Jian Mo said, the winged beast kept chirping loudly by his side.

Exasperated, Jian Mo finally relented. “Fine. Get used to this for now, and I’ll teach you more later.”

The winged beast was never very active to begin with, and with winter setting in, it became even less inclined to move.

Even after Jian Mo untied its rope, it didn’t wander off.

A few days later, however, it seemed to suddenly realize that Jian Mo and the others weren’t planning to tether it anymore.

That morning, as Jian Mo was feeding it, the winged beast’s eyes were unusually bright. It chirped in a varied melody, scraping at Jian Mo with its claws and nudging him with its head.

The nudging made Jian Mo wobble. He couldn’t figure out why the beast was so excited.

After a while, Jian Mo had an epiphany. Chirpy wasn’t just nudging him for fun—it was trying to lift him onto its back! It just wasn’t very good at it, fumbling awkwardly and failing repeatedly.

Silly Chirpy.

Realizing what it wanted, Jian Mo went to find Wu Jiong. “Chirpy seems to want to take me somewhere.”

Wu Jiong nodded. “Let’s go check it out.”

When they approached, the winged beast raised its head sharply, its eyes filled with hope. “Chirp chirp!”

Jian Mo made a gesture, signaling it to lie down.

Understanding immediately, the winged beast obediently sprawled on the ground and even turned its head, motioning for them to climb onto its back. “Chirp chirp!”

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong secured a bridle around the beast and mounted its back.

Once they were settled, Jian Mo patted its neck, signaling it to take off.

The winged beast stood up at once, took a few running steps, and flapped its wings, launching into the air.

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong let the winged beast choose its own direction.

It circled a few times, seeming to understand their trust. After chirping joyfully, it headed decisively in a particular direction.

Jian Mo watched for a while but couldn’t tell where it was heading.

It was midwinter, and endless snow blanketed the withered earth, turning the plains into an expanse of pristine white.

There didn’t seem to be anything notable below, not even much wildlife.

Jian Mo turned to Wu Jiong. “Where do you think it’s taking us?”

Wu Jiong, observing the direction, speculated, “Probably the mountains beyond Green Marsh Source—the area next to where we pick fruit.”

Jian Mo was puzzled. “There shouldn’t be anything there right now, right? Do you think Chirpy’s trying to go catch some fish?”

The winged beast chirped loudly upon hearing its name, “Chirp chirp!”

Wu Jiong chuckled. “I doubt it’s after fish. It’s probably looking for something else.”

Jian Mo had no idea what it could be.

After flying for most of the morning, they finally reached their destination just before Jian Mo’s face went numb from the cold.

The valley below was slightly warmer, and under the snow, there were occasional glimpses of branches.

Jian Mo was about to ask what was down there when the winged beast landed abruptly. Before letting them dismount, it eagerly began scraping at the snow with its front claws, chirping happily, “Chirp chirp!”

Jian Mo leaned forward to look.

Underneath the snow was a patch of pale pink and white flowers.

Most of the flowers were long and tubular, with tiny petals blooming at the ends. Their shape resembled trumpet vines, but these flowers had larger tubes and smaller petals.

The winged beast turned to Jian Mo and Wu Jiong. “Chirp chirp!”

Then it turned back, crouched low, and began chomping on a cluster of flowers, chewing noisily. Its eyes sparkled with delight. “Chirp!”

Jian Mo climbed down from its back, starting to understand. “Are these flowers particularly tasty?”

Wu Jiong plucked a half-bloomed flower and handed it to Jian Mo. “It’s not the flowers—it’s the nectar inside. The nectar is what’s sweet.”

Jian Mo, unfamiliar with the beastman word for “nectar,” blinked in confusion for a moment before realizing what Wu Jiong meant.

Wu Jiong removed the flower’s base and sucked on it, demonstrating. “Just do it like this.”

Jian Mo imitated him, drawing the nectar into his mouth. Instantly, his taste buds were filled with a light, sweet flavor.

It was the purest sweetness Jian Mo had experienced since arriving here.

Everything else he had tried had either a sour or bitter undertone, but this nectar was purely sweet—and delicious!

Sniffing the air, Jian Mo commented, “This nectar tastes amazing. Why doesn’t anyone come here to gather it?”

Wu Jiong explained, “It’s too far. Also, if you eat too much nectar, you’ll get drunk.”

Jian Mo’s eyes widened. “Drunk?!”

Wu Jiong nodded. “Just like drinking too much fruit wine. If you eat too much, you’ll pass out.”

Jian Mo glanced at the winged beast, which was happily chomping down flowers in large mouthfuls. “So do we need to stop Chirpy?”

Wu Jiong smiled. “Everyone knows the flowers can make you drunk, so no one eats too many.”

Jian Mo frowned skeptically. “Does Chirpy look like the type to stop on its own?”

Wu Jiong turned to look. The winged beast had slowed down, its eyes drooping as it sluggishly chewed.

Wu Jiong sighed. “…It’s definitely a little less cautious than most.”

The winged beast had indeed overeaten and was now visibly tipsy.

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong stopped it from eating anymore and nudged it aside to rest.

Jian Mo ate a few more flowers and began to feel dizzy. Waving his hand, he said, “That’s enough; I can’t eat anymore. Let’s pick some to take back.”

Wu Jiong asked, “Take them back to eat?”

Jian Mo thought for a moment. “We’ll soak the flowers in water to extract the nectar, then concentrate it. Maybe we can make a thick syrup.”

Wu Jiong, who hadn’t considered this approach, nodded. “Let’s give it a try.”

The two began picking flowers, and placing them into baskets. Since their goal was the nectar inside, it didn’t matter if the flowers were packed tightly into the baskets.

They worked all day, and by evening, the winged beast had finally recovered its clarity.

They tied the two large baskets of flowers onto the winged beast and flew home on its back.

The beast wasn’t as fast as usual, but its spirits were high. It chirped constantly during the journey, its tone changing like a melody.

Jian Mo, who had suspected the winged beast was a chatterbox, was now experiencing its full vocal prowess for the first time. The constant chirping was making him dizzy.

Leaning against Wu Jiong, Jian Mo muttered, “We need to train it not to chirp so much.”

Wu Jiong chuckled. “It’s more excited than usual today because it ate too many flowers. Normally, a pat is enough to quiet it down.”

That was true—the winged beast usually obeyed commands.

But today, its excitement was uncontrollable. Jian Mo would pat it, and it would quiet down for a moment, only to resume chirping after a while.

Jian Mo guessed it wasn’t just the flowers making it excited. The beast was probably also thrilled to have shared its discovery with them.

Seeing how happy it was, Jian Mo couldn’t bring himself to scold it and decided to endure.

When they returned to the tribe, the winged beast headed straight to its nest to rest.

Jian Mo and Wu Jiong, on the other hand, began processing the flowers while they were still fresh.

They placed the flowers into a large wooden basin, removed the bases, and extracted the nectar.

After several rounds of soaking, the water in the basin turned brown, releasing a sweet floral fragrance mixed with a faint scent of alcohol.

Jian Mo started a fire and placed the nectar water over it to simmer.

As it boiled, the water and alcohol evaporated, leaving behind an increasingly viscous liquid that exuded an irresistible aroma.

By the time they were ready for bed, the nectar water had thickened to the consistency of malt syrup.

It looked just like syrup.

Unable to resist, Jian Mo prepared three cups of honey tea—one for himself, one for Wu Jiong, and one for the winged beast.

Drinking something sweet before bed might not have been the healthiest choice, but it was undeniably satisfying.

Thanks to the honey tea—and possibly its trace amounts of alcohol—Jian Mo slept exceptionally well that night.

That is, until a loud crash in the middle of the night startled him awake. Sitting up suddenly, his heart pounded in his chest.

“What happened?” he asked hoarsely, still disoriented. After a moment, he added, “Was it thunder?”

Wu Jiong came over and tucked him back in. “No, it’s snowing heavily outside. Something might have collapsed under the weight. It’s nothing.”

Jian Mo frowned. “A tree?”

Wu Jiong shook his head. “Probably not. I’ll go check.”

Jian Mo tried to crawl out of the bed. “I’ll go too.”

Wu Jiong gently but firmly pushed him back down. “It’s snowing hard outside. It’s cold and slippery—not safe. You stay here and sleep; I’ll handle it.”

Feeling uneasy, Jian Mo squirmed under the blankets. Wu Jiong’s rare display of firmness, combined with the uncertainty outside, left him feeling unsettled.

Wu Jiong patted him through the thick fur blanket. “Go to sleep. I’ll shift into my beast form. It’ll be fine.”

Jian Mo hesitated but eventually relented. “Okay. Let me know if something happens.”

Wu Jiong nodded and left the room.

Even after a long while, Jian Mo’s heart continued to race. Alone in the darkness, he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

The bitter cold made it worse. The moment he moved, all the warmth escaped from the bed, leaving his feet feeling like blocks of ice.

Eventually, he heard movement downstairs and called out, “Wu Jiong?”

“It’s me,” Wu Jiong’s deep voice replied.

Jian Mo immediately felt safer and exhaled in relief. “You’re back! What happened?”

Wu Jiong explained, “Two houses collapsed under the snow.”

Jian Mo sat up straight. “Were the people inside okay?”

Wu Jiong reassured him. “Nothing serious. Two beastmen suffered minor injuries, and I’ve already treated them. They’ll come to you tomorrow for a check-up.”

Jian Mo nodded. “Good.”

Soon after, Wu Jiong came upstairs, carrying a charcoal brazier.

He lit the coals, which glowed orange, and placed the brazier in the room.

Jian Mo noticed that he had placed two stones under the brazier to elevate it slightly before setting it down.

Walking to the window, Wu Jiong opened a slit in the bark shutters. “Go back to sleep.”

The temperature in the room rose slightly, but Jian Mo still couldn’t fall asleep. Curious, he asked, “Are the tribe houses really so prone to collapsing under snow?”

Wu Jiong replied, “The two houses that collapsed belonged to single beastmen.”

Jian Mo blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

Wu Jiong explained, “Their fathers had left on long journeys, and with no one else at home, they hadn’t done any maintenance on their houses. Recently, melting snow weakened their foundations. When today’s heavy snowfall piled up, the roofs caved in.”

Hearing this, Jian Mo didn’t know what to say.

Wu Jiong spoke softly, “Go to sleep. Dawn is almost here.”

Jian Mo murmured a reply and tried to sleep.

The cold, however, kept him awake. His feet wouldn’t warm up no matter how hard he tried.

Hearing him shift restlessly, Wu Jiong moved the brazier aside, shifted into his giant wolf form, and lay down next to him.

Jian Mo felt awkward at first.

Wu Jiong’s voice rumbled quietly, “In winter, we often sleep in our beast forms for warmth. It’s an old tradition.”

Relaxing slightly, Jian Mo muttered, “Okay.”

Though Jian Mo felt a bit awkward, sleeping next to the warm giant wolf was undeniably comfortable.

Snuggled up to the heat radiating from Wu Jiong’s wolf form, Jian Mo quickly fell into a deep sleep and ended up waking late the next day.

The snow had fallen steadily all night and was still coming down in the morning.

With the snow now thigh-deep, there wasn’t much to do. After feeding the Tuo Tuo beasts and the winged beast, and setting up charcoal braziers to keep them warm, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong pulled out some hides to clean.

It was a beastman tradition to clean hides after a fresh snowfall, beating them against the snow to remove oils and grime, leaving them drier and fresher.

Jian Mo had heard of a similar custom in the north, where people used snow to clean mink pelts. Seeing the beastmen do the same gave him a sense of familiarity.

As they were cleaning the hides, Ban Ming and a few beastmen dragged another beastman over to them.

The group was pulling and tugging, while the reluctant beastman being dragged looked thoroughly annoyed.

Jian Mo stared in confusion.

Ban Ming greeted him cheerfully, “Brother Jian Mo!”

Jian Mo straightened up. “What’s going on?”

The beastmen started talking all at once:

“Ah Hu’s house collapsed last night.”

“He was sleeping in his beast form, and when the house caved in, it hit his head and… uh, left his butt looking like a flower.”

“The chief told him to come see you today, but he was too embarrassed, so we brought him here.”

The beastman, Ah Hu, was a tall, slim young man with amber-colored eyes and fair skin. At the moment, his face was flushed red with anger and shame. “Whose butt looks like a flower?!”

Ban Ming teased, “Yours! Didn’t your butt end up with a few holes in it?”

Ah Hu smacked Ban Ming’s head. “No, it didn’t!”

Ban Ming didn’t seem to mind. With the help of the other beastmen, he continued to drag Ah Hu forward. “Oh, come on, we all saw it! Why are you so embarrassed?”

Ah Hu, clearly mortified, tried to resist with all his might. “There’s nothing to see!”

Ban Ming grinned mischievously. “Is it because you’re too shy to let a sub-beastman take a look? Don’t be ridiculous—Brother Jian Mo’s a doctor. He treated all kinds of beastman warriors during the hunting tournament. You’re not special.”

Ah Hu’s face turned even redder, practically burning. “But their injuries weren’t on their butts!!!”

Ban Ming continued his playful assault, dragging him along. “There were injuries on thighs, too! And if you don’t let Brother Jian Mo check it now, what’ll happen if it gets worse? By then, you’ll be in so much pain you won’t care who’s looking.”

The other beastmen joined in, adding fuel to the fire. “Ah Hu’s afraid of pain. When he was little, he cried every time he lost a tooth.”

Finally understanding the situation, Jian Mo offered kindly, “If being in human form is inconvenient, you can transform into your beast form, and I’ll take a look.”

Ah Hu nodded quickly, his ears turning red as he turned around and transformed. His beast form was a large, long-haired feline, somewhere between a tiger and a cat—a giant orange tabby.

But to Jian Mo’s surprise, the first thing Ah Hu did in his beast form was chase down his friends.

The beastmen, laughing as they scrambled to escape, transformed into their own beast forms to avoid the giant cat’s wrath.

What Jian Mo saw next was a large orange cat delivering a barrage of “kitty punches,” swatting at a group of wolves, dogs, and other big cats.

The furious tabby dominated the battlefield, leaving the other beastmen yowling in defeat.

It was… surprisingly adorable.