The little white wolf, round and chubby with soft fur, curled up in Wu Jiong’s arms and didn’t dare move. It blinked its large eyes at Jian Mo, looking pitiful.
Seeing the little guy’s demeanor, Jian Mo reached out and patted its fluffy head. He said to Wu Jiong, “Let the little one go play.”
Wu Jiong glanced down at the wolf pup. “Don’t get into trouble while you’re outside.”
The little wolf responded in its soft, squeaky voice, “Un-understood, Chief.”
As it spoke, its bottom wriggled, and its paws began scratching at the air, eager to be put down.
Wu Jiong obliged, lowering the pup to the ground. The moment its paws touched the earth, it dashed out of the yard and disappeared from sight.
Jian Mo turned to Wu Jiong with a teasing smile. “You’re not exactly popular with the kids.”
Wu Jiong replied bluntly, “They’re afraid of me.”
Jian Mo couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, I noticed.”
Wu Jiong reached into his coat and pulled out an object. “Here, a gift.”
The day was overcast, and the dim light made it hard to see clearly. Jian Mo squinted, smiling as he walked closer to take the object. The moment he held it, he noticed its unusual weight and warmth—it still carried Wu Jiong’s body heat. The texture in his hands was remarkable.
Eyes widening, Jian Mo examined it carefully. It was a metal dagger.
The dagger came with a finely crafted wooden sheath. Jian Mo unsheathed it gently, revealing a blade already sharpened, its edge glinting coldly even in the muted light.
During his time here, Jian Mo had used shell knives and bone daggers, but this was the first time he had seen a metal blade.
The familiar heft and texture—
Jian Mo sniffed, feeling a pang of nostalgia.
Wu Jiong stepped closer. “On this trip, most of the items were traded on behalf of the tribe, but the dagger was a personal trade. Do you like it?”
Jian Mo nodded vigorously. “I love it! Thank you!”
Having used a shell knife for so long, Jian Mo often found himself missing the modern tools of Earth. He had frequently wished he had at least brought a pocket knife when he’d crossed over.
Unfortunately, the only things he had on him at the time were his phone, some keys, and a can of food.
He had once entertained the idea of melting down his keys or the metal from the can to forge tools, but he quickly dismissed the thought. The amount of metal was too little, and he doubted the kilns here could reach the temperatures needed for melting it down.
Jian Mo admired the dagger. “I didn’t expect you to find metal tools on this trip. Is this a bronze alloy dagger?”
Pure metals were rare in nature, and this world likely lacked refining techniques, meaning most metal tools would be alloys. Judging by the reddish tint, this was likely bronze.
Bronze had a lower melting point, making it easier to forge.
Wu Jiong shook his head. “I don’t know. Our tribe doesn’t have anything like this, so we’ve never studied it.”
“Does the tribe’s territory not have any metal deposits?” Jian Mo asked.
Wu Jiong replied, “No. The first time we acquired tools like this, we searched our lands thoroughly but found nothing.”
Jian Mo felt a twinge of disappointment. If the tribe had access to metal deposits, he might have been able to use the knowledge he retained from Earth to attempt mining and forging.
Wu Jiong continued, “But the glazed pottery and glass we make are things they can’t produce. They like them a lot. Two tribes even agreed to trade for more in the future.”
“That’s great news,” Jian Mo said.
Wu Jiong nodded. “I also requested they make tools you’d like—things like hoes and hatchets. We should get them in the next exchange.”
Jian Mo was touched by the thoughtfulness. “That’s wonderful. Having hoes and hatchets will make foraging much easier next year.”
Wu Jiong nodded again. Jian Mo wasn’t particularly strong, so having better tools would definitely help.
After several days of travel, Wu Jiong had brought little in the way of clothing and decided to head upstairs to change and take a bath.
Having gone days without seeing Wu Jiong, Jian Mo had many things to share and followed him upstairs, chatting away.
Wu Jiong ascended the stairs, and Jian Mo followed close behind.
Neither of them thought anything of it.
Once upstairs, Wu Jiong untied his fur garments and shrugged off the heavy outer coat, revealing his well-built physique.
Jian Mo, engrossed in examining the bronze dagger in his hands, didn’t realize that Wu Jiong was undressing and forgot to look away.
And so, Jian Mo found himself with a full view of Wu Jiong’s body.
On the overcast day, soft light filtered through the glass window, casting delicate shadows across the room.
Wu Jiong’s figure stood illuminated in this subdued light, his frame fully exposed within its gentle glow.
The young beastman’s skin was smooth, his muscles perfectly proportioned—not the bulky, exaggerated muscles built in a gym, but compact, taut muscles brimming with explosive power.
That near-perfect physique left Jian Mo utterly stunned as if he were admiring a finely crafted sculpture, a blend of strength and beauty.
When Wu Jiong turned slightly, his narrow waist twisted, emphasizing his surprisingly prominent hips. The shadows cast along the front of his body made Jian Mo’s eyes involuntarily widen.
His mind was in chaos: So it really is different from a dog’s anatomy!
For two or three seconds, Jian Mo froze, unable to process what he was seeing, let alone look away.
Wu Jiong, entirely focused on changing clothes, didn’t notice anything amiss.
Eventually, Jian Mo snapped out of his daze and hastily blurted, “I’m going to check on the other goods we traded for.”
Without waiting for a response, he turned and bolted out of the room.
Wu Jiong didn’t even have time to call after him.
In the open clearing of the tribe, Qing Kuo and the others were sorting through the newly traded goods. Jian Mo rushed over, drawing everyone’s attention as they greeted him.
Whether it was from running too fast or something else entirely, Jian Mo’s heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might leap out of his chest.
Qing Kuo glanced at him and asked, “Why are your ears so red?”
Jian Mo instinctively covered his ears with his hands. “They’re frozen.”
Qing Kuo rummaged through the traded goods and pulled out a small clay jar, handing it to Jian Mo. “This beast oil works wonders for frostbite and burns. Apply a little.”
Jian Mo’s ears weren’t frostbitten, but he couldn’t refuse Qing Kuo’s kind offer. Reluctantly, he scooped out a small dab of oil and rubbed it on both ears.
His ears, already red, now gleamed brightly, making them even more conspicuous.
Qing Kuo glanced at him with an amused look in his eyes.
Next to him, Zhou Fu grinned mischievously. “Why are you so afraid of the cold? Now that the chief is back, you don’t need to borrow cubs to keep warm anymore, right?”
Jian Mo turned to the round-eyed, delicate sub-beastman and coolly changed the subject. “Speaking of cubs, they seem to be having some digestion issues lately. You should watch what they eat.”
Most of the tribe’s cubs had participated in the feast on the river-scavenged meat, including Zhou Fu’s Qiu Li and Qing Kuo’s Ban Jiu. Both cubs, familiar with Jian Mo, were hiding guiltily in the crowd, avoiding his gaze.
Jian Mo wasn’t one to embarrass the cubs in front of others. Since they didn’t step forward, he let them off the hook.
When Jian Mo mentioned the digestive troubles, both Qing Kuo and Zhou Fu immediately recalled their cubs’ recent lack of appetite and nodded in agreement.
Turning to him, they asked anxiously, “Why would they suddenly have digestion issues?”
Jian Mo replied, “I’m not entirely sure. Overeating or eating cold, hard food can cause it. Sometimes the little ones eat things they find outside, so keep an eye on them.”
The parents nodded earnestly.
Just as Qing Kuo was about to say something, a series of loud cries erupted from the forested mountain: “AAAAHHHH—!”
The shouts were unmistakably from beastmen.
The sub-beastmen sorting supplies reflexively grabbed whatever was at hand—sticks, daggers, stones—and turned toward the source of the noise with wary eyes.
Qing Kuo made a swift decision. “Let’s go check it out!”
Given the beastmen’s strength, such panicked cries surely meant trouble.
Jian Mo’s palms began to sweat. Clutching his bronze alloy dagger, he joined the group running toward the mountain.
Could it be a hungry wild beast sneaking into the area?
Please, let nothing serious happen!
The He’an Tribe’s settlement was nestled in a river valley, with mountains on three sides and the river on the fourth. Beastmen patrolled the surrounding mountains daily, clearing out most of the dangerous wildlife long ago. What kind of beast could the patrol have encountered now?
They reached the base of the mountain just as the beastmen came barreling down.
A flock of birds chased after them like a swarm of bees, pecking furiously at their backs and heads.
The beastmen yelled and flailed as they tried to fend off the birds.
So, it’s just birds.
The sub-beastmen who had rushed to help let out a collective sigh of relief.
While having birds swarm and peck at you was certainly a nuisance, it wasn’t a life-threatening situation. Judging by the birds’ appearance, they weren’t even poisonous.
The group stepped aside to give the frantic beastmen room, only now noticing how disheveled they looked. Their clothes were in disarray, and they appeared utterly humiliated.
One beastman had forgotten to tie his fur skirt properly, holding it up with one hand while wildly swinging the other to fend off the birds circling his head. In his haste, he accidentally exposed part of his backside.
Jian Mo found the scene more amusing than anything else, entirely lacking the same impact as seeing Wu Jiong’s physique.
Wait—why am I thinking about that again?!
Once more, the image of Wu Jiong’s nearly perfect body flashed through Jian Mo’s mind, complete with the way the light had played across his sculpted muscles. His ears grew hot all over again.
The sheer number of birds overwhelmed the beastmen. Spotting the commotion, the patrolling beastmen hurried over to help.
The tribe normally coexisted peacefully with the birds and didn’t stop them during patrols. Who would have thought they’d turn into a frenzied, attacking swarm?
Feathers filled the air as the birds descended. Beastmen were running in all directions, shielding their heads with their hands.
Something felt off to Jian Mo. He shouted, “Is there something on you that’s attracting the birds?!”
One beastman shouted back mid-sprint, “What would we even have on us?! We’re practically naked out here—there’s nothing on us!”
“Exactly! Look at us! Do we seem like we’re carrying anything special? Even if we were, what would it have to do with these birds?”
“We didn’t steal feathers or eggs! At most, we just ate a few of these birds recently.”
“Yeah, yeah! They’re pretty tasty, by the way.”
Qing Kuo yelled, “Then why are they chasing you?!”
Tears streamed down the beastmen’s faces as they continued to run. “Who knows?! Could it be they realized we ate their kind?!”
One beastman, fed up with the relentless pecking, tore off his robe and shifted into a large cat. Rising onto his hind legs, he let out a mighty “Meowww!” and batted at the birds with his paws.
As a natural predator, the large cat quickly scattered the birds attacking him.
Seeing this, the other beastmen followed suit, transforming into large cats or giant wolves and swiping at the birds with their claws. Their furious cries echoed as they sought revenge on the attacking flock.
Jian Mo watched the chaotic scene, finding it both hilarious and endearing.
What’s the difference between these big cats and wolves and Earth’s domestic pets?
There’s no way I’d have a reaction to a dog’s body. Absolutely no way.
Having convinced himself, Jian Mo felt his composure return.
Looking at the group, he called out, “How exactly did you eat the birds? Don’t tell me you ate them raw?”
The beastmen, busy swatting at the birds, pretended not to hear him.
Jian Mo studied their evasive reactions and asked, “Were you all just relieving yourselves in the woods?”
In this world, there weren’t proper bathrooms. People would dig pits in the woods, do their business, and bury it afterward—clean and environmentally friendly.
Jian Mo had guessed correctly. The beastmen fell silent.
He laughed even harder. “Could it be that the birds smelled their own kind in your droppings and went berserk?!”
Silence answered him.
Jian Mo couldn’t hold it in and burst into laughter.
The sub-beastmen around him joined in, laughing uproariously.
The beastmen, who had been desperately fighting off the birds, stopped in their tracks and fled in embarrassment, raising their paws in defeat as they ran away.
Even as they disappeared into the distance, the laughter behind them continued unabated: “Hahahaha—!”
Happy Holidays! Thanks for the chapter!