Jian Mo’s stockpile of sausages was far too large, and it would be a waste if they spoiled at home.
Ultimately, they decided to take the sausages to the Meng Shui Tribe and trade them for supplies. Since the sausages were their private property, they handled the trades personally.
The pair decided to bring Chirpy, their winged beast, along for the journey. Chirpy could fly high, carry a lot, and reach the Meng Shui Tribe far faster than Wu Jiong could manage on foot while hauling sausages.
On the morning of their departure, Jian Mo prepared a large bowl of sausages as breakfast for Chirpy. He paired it with whey left over from making Tou Tou Beast milk cheese, along with dried moss greens. Chirpy had a satisfying meal.
Chirpy chirped happily as it ate, clearly enjoying the feast. Even after it was full, when Jian Mo and Wu Jiong started loading sausages onto its back, Chirpy couldn’t help but glance back eagerly, its shiny black eyes following the food while its nose twitched and drool dripped from the corners of its mouth.
Jian Mo gave it a light swat on its plump rump. “Such a glutton!”
Chirpy responded with a plaintive chirp, “Chirr..”
Jian Mo sighed and handed over another sausage. “Alright, take this and eat it slowly. This is the last one.”
Chirpy perked up, chirping in delight and affectionately rubbing its head against Jian Mo.
Startled, Jian Mo dodged back, worried about getting drool on his clothes, but Chirpy eagerly followed, its large head angling closer toward his hand holding the sausage.
After some playful dodging and chasing, Chirpy finally managed to snatch the sausage. Satisfied, it began to munch happily.
Wu Jiong patted Chirpy’s neck. “Let’s get moving.”
With a flap of its wings, Chirpy let out a high-pitched chirp, “Chirp—” and took to the skies.
The flight to the Meng Shui Tribe was smooth, and their approach was noticeable from afar. The Meng Shui Tribe’s patrols spotted them early on and waved enthusiastically rather than intercepting them.
“Doctor Jian Mo! Chief Wu Jiong! You’re here? What good stuff have you brought this time?” one of the patrollers called out.
Jian Mo shouted back, “Food! We came to trade for spices!”
The patroller grew even more animated. “Great! Land over there on the open ground. I’ll go inform the tribe!”
Soon after, the Meng Shui Tribe’s chief, Yun Long, arrived with a group of people. The fox-eyed chief greeted them with his usual smile. “Long time no see. I heard you’ve traded quite a bit of metal with the Jin Tuo Tribe. Congratulations!”
Wu Jiong replied humbly, “Your tribe has had metal for years. We’ve only just acquired some. It’s nothing worth celebrating.”
Yun Long clapped him on the shoulder. “Nonsense! Your tribe is thriving. That’s definitely worth celebrating. Come on, set up here. I’ve already sent word to everyone. Do you need any help?”
Jian Mo didn’t hold back. “If you could light a few bonfires for us, that’d be great. We’re planning to grill the sausages.”
Yun Long, already catching the aroma, raised an eyebrow. “Aren’t these sausages already cooked?”
“They are,” Jian Mo explained, “but grilling them makes them taste even better.”
Some of the Meng Shui Tribe members who were friends with Jian Mo quickly brought over firewood. With Yun Long’s approval, they built several bonfires near the trading area.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong had brought skewers, so with the fires ready, they skewered the sausages and placed them over the flames to grill.
The direct flame caused the sausages to cook quickly, their skins blistering into a tiger-striped pattern. As they grilled, the aroma of sizzling fat mixed with meat wafted through the air, spreading far and wide.
The scent had the beastmen and sub-beastmen nearby salivating.
Jian Mo, smiling, withdrew a knife and sliced the grilled sausages into portions, placing them onto a large clay plate. He held up the plate and invited everyone to help themselves.
No one stood on ceremony. Each person grabbed a piece and popped it into their mouth.
The moment the grilled sausage hit their tongues, the juicy fat and smoky flavor burst forth, leaving everyone wide-eyed with amazement.
The Meng Shui Tribe members were stunned.
“What is this made of? I’ve never tasted anything like it!”
“Same! This texture is completely new to me. Did your tribe get a new beast?”
“This is delicious! Doctor Jian Mo, your skills are incredible.”
Jian Mo chuckled and answered their questions selectively. “Not a new beast, just a new way of cooking.”
Yun Long, savoring a piece of sausage, asked, “What do you want in exchange? Cloth? Meat? Hides?”
Jian Mo shook his head. “None of those. We’re only looking for spices—everything except salt powder. We’re especially interested in pepper spice powder and honeyblocks.”
Another sub-beastman spoke up. “Ah, what a shame. My pepper spice powder just went moldy. I had to throw a whole batch away. Would you be interested in Mingxiang tree bark?”
Mingxiang tree bark was a spice Jian Mo found similar to cinnamon, though its flavor was sharper.
Jian Mo nodded. “Yes, that works. It’s great for stewing meat.”
The sub-beastman quickly offered, “I’ll go get some from home.”
With someone fetching spices, others followed suit, worried the sausages might be gone before they had a chance to trade.
Spices were relatively abundant; they could always gather more outside if needed. But the grilled sausages were a rare treat.
Jian Mo’s trades for spices went smoothly.
Since there were no fixed prices, they simply evaluated each other’s goods and reached agreements with a bit of negotiation.
Soon, Jian Mo had traded for a large basket of various spices, including a sizeable bag of the pepper spice powder he had been longing for.
While he was negotiating with another sub-beastman over aromatic leaves, he heard Wu Jiong suddenly call out, “Brother Min Dang.”
It was rare to hear Wu Jiong address anyone as “Brother.” Occasionally, he would refer to Qing Kuo or Di Ya that way, but most of the time, he avoided formalities. This abrupt change caught Jian Mo’s attention, and he instinctively looked up.
Standing nearby was a tall sub-beastman with strikingly sharp features that gave him an air of elegance despite the weariness evident in his expression. Jian Mo couldn’t help but study him closely, noticing a resemblance to some members of the He’an Tribe. They might be relatives.
Jian Mo smiled warmly at Min Dang and quickly finished his trade for the aromatic leaves, offering a plate of grilled sausages. “Brother Min Dang, have a taste.”
Min Dang nodded in greeting. “Wu Jiong, Doctor Jian Mo.”
Wu Jiong asked, “How have you been?”
Min Dang’s lips curved faintly. “Not bad. The worst is behind us, and things are improving. I came to trade for some sausages to take back.”
With that, Min Dang handed over a soft bag. “This is some pepper spice I collected. See if it’s worth trading.”
Taking the bag, Jian Mo could smell the rich aroma even before opening it. When he did, he found the spice perfectly dry and well-preserved. He pinched a piece gently, and it snapped crisply under his fingers, releasing an even stronger fragrance that made him want to sneeze.
Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. “This pepper spice is excellent! You want to trade it all for sausages?”
Min Dang nodded. “It’s not much use to me.”
Missing the underlying sentiment, Jian Mo said cheerfully, “With such high-quality pepper spice, I’ll give you an entire basket of sausages. Brother Min Dang, why don’t you let Wu Jiong carry it for you? It’s a bit heavy.”
Wu Jiong asked, “Will you be okay here by yourself?”
Jian Mo waved off his concern. “Why wouldn’t I be? We know everyone in the Meng Shui Tribe well.”
Hearing this, some of the tribe members laughed and joined in. “Exactly! Doctor Jian Mo, we won’t eat you.”
Grinning, Jian Mo leaned slightly toward Wu Jiong and whispered, “Don’t worry, I won’t let them poach me.”
Wu Jiong nodded. “I’ll take the sausages over.”
Min Dang expressed his gratitude. “Thank you. Sorry for the trouble.”
Jian Mo smiled back. “We should be thanking you. This pepper spice is incredible. Just a moment, Brother Min Dang, while I empty this bag for you.”
Min Dang’s expression softened into a rare smile. “No need. Keep it. I have plenty of bags like this at home.”
Jian Mo returned his smile. “You’re very skilled. I really like this bag, so I won’t refuse.”
Acknowledging the camaraderie between Wu Jiong and Min Dang, Jian Mo felt there was no need for excessive politeness. They would likely have many more dealings in the future.
Urging Wu Jiong to deliver the sausages, Jian Mo stayed behind to continue trading for spice powders. Having secured the pepper spice, he slowed his pace, focusing on sweet powders for variety.
As Jian Mo busied himself, Wu Jiong returned, this time accompanied by a teenager.
The boy appeared older than Jiang Xing but younger than Ban Ming—perhaps a middle schooler by Earth standards. He was tall but skinny, with a large fur hat perched on his head. His vacant gaze and frail demeanor made him seem lifeless.
Both beastmen and sub-beastmen had an innate vitality, even if some were more impulsive or volatile. This sickly appearance was highly unusual unless he was ill.
Jian Mo paused his work and glanced at Wu Jiong, silently asking for an explanation.
Wu Jiong introduced the boy. “This is Brother Min Dang’s son, Ran Wu. He’s a young beastman.”
Surprised that the boy was a beastman, Jian Mo’s gaze became more curious. Meeting Ran Wu’s dull eyes, Jian Mo offered a gentle smile. “Nice to meet you.”
Ran Wu’s voice was raspy as he replied, “Doctor Jian Mo.”
After a pause, he added, “I’m not sick.”
Jian Mo gestured for him to sit and handed over a freshly grilled sausage, still whole. “Try this sausage we made. Let me finish these trades, and we’ll chat later.”
Ran Wu, despite his lethargy, was polite. He hesitated for a moment before taking the sausage with a quiet thanks and sitting down.
Out of the corner of his eye, Jian Mo noted the boy’s spindly legs, as thin as reeds. Clearly, something was wrong. Was it a physical issue or something deeper?
As Jian Mo continued trading sausages for spices, he contemplated how to approach the situation.
The sausages were immensely popular, and soon people returned for second helpings, bringing more spices from home. Jian Mo scrambled to keep up with the demand, finishing the last trades quickly.
Yun Long stopped by briefly to greet them, but upon noticing Ran Wu, he offered a polite smile and tactfully stepped away to give them privacy.
Jian Mo, noticing Ran Wu’s unease, suggested with a smile, “It’s a bit cold out here. How about we find a sheltered spot?”
Ran Wu nodded. “Follow me.”
Encouraged that Ran Wu was willing to engage, Jian Mo gently patted his shoulder and asked, “Do you feel unwell anywhere?”
Ran Wu hesitated, then shook his head.
Jian Mo glanced at Wu Jiong, who shrugged helplessly. Clearly, Wu Jiong hadn’t been able to get any answers either. Jian Mo thought to himself that this boy was tight-lipped. Still, something was undoubtedly wrong.
Ran Wu led them to where Chirpy was tethered. The area was quiet, with Chirpy acting as a natural barrier, shielding them from the wind. It was an ideal spot for a conversation.
Jian Mo noted Ran Wu’s cleverness and decided to send Wu Jiong away. “Could you move the spices we traded over here?”
Wu Jiong nodded and left.
With Wu Jiong gone, Jian Mo turned to Ran Wu and spoke gently. “I’m a doctor. Is there really nothing you can tell me? Your father and the others must be very worried about you.”
His warm gaze seemed to break through Ran Wu’s defenses. After a moment of hesitation, the boy slowly removed his hat.
What Jian Mo saw made him freeze in shock. Ran Wu’s scalp was sparsely covered with hair, leaving large patches of exposed skin.
This boy, with his strikingly handsome features, was suffering from premature hair loss!
No wonder he was so withdrawn.
Thanks for the chapter!
Oof that’s rough