The nearby tribes around the He’an Tribe quickly heard about the arrival of a witch doctor.
In a time with little entertainment, a fresh development like this drew many curious visitors eager to see what was happening.
Jian Mo invited Lian Ke to set up a clinic at the small infirmary.
As people gathered and saw the unfamiliar face of Lian Ke, they eagerly sought his help:
“Witch Doctor Lian Ke, my back has been aching. Do you have any remedy for it?”
“My hip hurts, especially when I move it the wrong way. It acts up for several days at a time.”
“I keep getting these red, hard bumps on my skin. Doctor Jian Mo treated me, but it hasn’t gone away completely. Do you have any solutions, Witch Doctor Lian Ke?”
In the beastman world, the title of “witch doctor” carried significant weight. Jian Mo, when introducing himself, felt it inappropriate to elevate his status to that of a witch doctor and simply referred to himself as a doctor.
Since beastmen didn’t have the concept of surnames, names were spoken as one unit. Jian Mo was used to people calling him “Doctor Jian,” and “Doctor Jian Mo” sounded strange to him. Hence, he preferred the simpler title of “doctor.”
Now, listening to others address Lian Ke as a “witch doctor,” Jian Mo had to admit the title sounded more prestigious.
Jian Mo didn’t mind his acquaintances from nearby tribes seeking Lian Ke’s help right in front of him. His medical skills were average, and without certain medicines or instruments, many issues were beyond his ability to resolve.
Determined to learn something, Jian Mo decided to observe Lian Ke’s treatment methods.
Lian Ke pulled out some bones engraved with intricate patterns from his pocket, rummaged for a moment, and handed a piece to the sub-beastman with back pain. “Wear this bone piece, and your back pain will go away in a couple of days.”
The sub-beastman gratefully accepted the bone piece and hurriedly handed over some goods as payment. “Thank you, Witch Doctor Lian Ke.”
Lian Ke waved it off. “No need to thank me.”
Next, he picked out another bone piece and handed it to the beastman with hip pain. “You can wear this bone piece, and your hip will feel better in a couple of days.”
The beastman also offered goods in gratitude.
Then, after examining the beastman with the hard bumps, Lian Ke gave him a dark herbal paste, instructing him to apply it to the affected areas for relief.
Jian Mo watched from the side, harboring some doubts about the effectiveness of these treatments.
Could such casual methods genuinely cure these patients?
Lian Ke’s speed in prescribing treatments was noticeably faster than Jian Mo’s. After just a glance or two, he would offer a solution.
Jian Mo noticed a pattern in his methods: bones for pain, paste for growths, powder for ulcers, and herbal juice for internal pain.
Based on the smell of these medicines, Jian Mo suspected they were similar, general-purpose remedies—not particularly targeted.
Of course, he wouldn’t undermine Lian Ke in public.
Even Zhou Fu, standing nearby, noticed something amiss and whispered to Jian Mo, “Most illnesses heal on their own over time. Witch Doctor Lian Ke’s methods don’t seem very effective.”
Xi Lu quickly pulled Zhou Fu aside. “Lower your voice! Don’t let anyone hear you.”
Zhou Fu persisted. “I’m just being honest. If I get sick, I’d rather see Brother Jian Mo than this witch doctor.”
Xi Lu nodded in agreement. “Me too. I’d go to Brother Jian Mo.”
Jian Mo waved them off, urging them to take their conversation outside. While he didn’t mind not being Lian Ke’s patient, being overheard would still be awkward.
Most of the nearby tribespeople had already sought Jian Mo’s help for their illnesses. If he couldn’t treat them, there weren’t many other options available in the short term.
Thus, most patients this time went to see Lian Ke.
Lian Ke, pleased by the turnout, told Jian Mo, “I didn’t expect everyone to trust my skills so much.”
Jian Mo smiled. “Indeed.”
Lian Ke brought up the topic of exchanging remedies again. “So, how about it? Want to trade formulas? Many of my methods were exchanged with other tribes. A witch doctor must continuously learn to refine their craft.”
Jian Mo agreed in principle but replied, “I’m only interested in your paste recipe. Beast teeth and insects aren’t my style. I don’t use those.”
Lian Ke, however, was firm. “That won’t do. The paste is my specialty. Your formula isn’t quite valuable enough.”
Jian Mo suggested, “How about staying a couple more days?”
Although they didn’t manage to trade formulas, Lian Ke found the He’an Tribe intriguing. The tribe offered many fresh experiences, comfortable accommodations, and generous patients.
He decided to stay longer, feeling freer here than in his own tribe. At the He’an Tribe, as long as he shared a portion of the goods he received, he was free to practice medicine without interference.
Initially, everyone was curious about the new witch doctor and happily sought his help.
But after a few days, skepticism arose.
People began murmuring:
“Witch Doctor Lian Ke’s remedies don’t seem very effective. Whatever illness I had before, I still have now.”
“Those bone pieces look like regular bones. I’ve got plenty at home. If anyone needs them, just bring a basket.”
“Maybe some illnesses are just hard to cure. If Doctor Jian Mo couldn’t fix it, it’s not surprising Witch Doctor Lian Ke can’t either.”
“But Witch Doctor Lian Ke charges a lot. If Doctor Jian Mo can’t cure something, he barely takes any payment—just a token amount.”
Hearing doubts about his skills, Lian Ke became agitated and tried to explain his treatment plans, insisting that the effects would take time to manifest.
The patients said nothing but their expressions betrayed skepticism.
Fuming, Lian Ke turned to Jian Mo and the others, angrily defending himself. “I came all this way! Do you think I’d bother scamming a few scraps of goods? I’m a beastman; I can gather these things myself.”
Jian Mo replied, “Don’t be upset. Many illnesses can’t be cured. We’re not Beast Gods; it’s normal for some things to be beyond our ability.”
Lian Ke’s eyes widened. “Impossible! Even if it can’t be cured, my medicine will at least alleviate the symptoms.”
Pointing directly at Jian Mo, Lian Ke added, “Take you, for example. If you used my medicine, you’d definitely feel better.”
Jian Mo was caught off guard. “Me? I’m perfectly fine.”
He was in excellent health, and since arriving in the beastman world, his active lifestyle had eliminated even minor ailments like headaches or colds.
Lian Ke insisted, “You have a sub-beastman developmental deficiency, don’t you? My skills are excellent. If you wear my bone piece for three to five years, your symptoms will significantly improve—”
“Wait!” Jian Mo quickly interrupted him. “I don’t have a sub-beastman developmental deficiency.”
To say nothing of developmental deficiencies, Jian Mo wasn’t even a sub-beastman—he was human!
Caught between laughter and frustration, Jian Mo replied, “My situation is a bit complicated. I don’t need treatment.”
Lian Ke pressed on, undeterred. “There’s no such thing as a complex illness, only witch doctors with poor skills. Is it that your ears don’t form, your claws can’t come out, or your tail won’t emerge? Did you struggle with your transformation as a child, almost failing?”
In the beastman world, both beastmen and sub-beastmen could experience failed transformations. However, such failures were catastrophic; individuals who failed transformations often didn’t survive.
Jian Mo couldn’t begin to explain his origins and simply waved it off. “It’s different. Let’s drop this topic and talk about something else.”
Lian Ke refused to let it go. “You definitely have this issue. Don’t avoid treatment out of embarrassment.”
Jian Mo sighed. “It’s not that I’m avoiding it. I just—”
This time, Lian Ke cut him off. “You might not believe me just from what I’m saying, but if you use my powder, you’ll see for yourself.”
He rummaged through his bag and pulled out a packet of pungent, dark-brown powder. “Mix this with water and apply it to your fingertips. You’ll know if your claws can come out.”
Jian Mo stared at the packet, unsure how to respond.
Wu Jiong stepped forward and took the powder from Jian Mo’s hands. “Jian Mo doesn’t have any sub-beastman developmental deficiencies. You don’t need to push this.”
Lian Ke fixed Wu Jiong with a reproachful look. “How can you not treat this?! Sub-beastman developmental deficiency shortens lifespan! You could live for three to five hundred years, but Jian Mo might only live for a hundred. How can you bear that?!”
Jian Mo frowned.
He hadn’t been in this world long enough to know that beastmen had lifespans of three to five centuries. As for himself, living to a hundred would already feel like a blessing.
Was there really such a huge difference in lifespan between them?
Lian Ke continued, “I mean it. I even brought this powder for your fingertips to prove it. There’s no harm in trying—it’s just your fingertips!”
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong both turned their gaze toward the packet of powder.
Seeing their hesitation, Lian Ke exclaimed, “It’s not poisonous! I’m right here—do you think I’d trick you?”
Jian Mo hesitated. “Just mix it with water into a paste and apply it to my fingertips?”
Lian Ke nodded eagerly. “Exactly. It’s best to apply it at night, and by morning, you should see results. It might sting a bit while it’s on, but I guarantee it’s safe. Afterward, your claws will retract properly.”
Jian Mo felt a flicker of curiosity and turned to Wu Jiong. “How about I try it on my left index finger?”
Before Wu Jiong could answer, Lian Ke jumped in. “Just try it—you’ll see. I’ll even apply it for you myself to make sure there’s no mistake.”
The onlookers chimed in:
“Why not give it a try, Doctor Jian Mo? Lifespan is no trivial matter.”
“I’ve smelled the powder. It doesn’t seem poisonous.”
“Come to think of it, I know someone who married a sub-beastman in another tribe. Their cubs had trouble transforming, and they used something similar to this powder.”
“Ah, yes! Isn’t this the powder with bone-renewing grass mixed in?”
Holding the packet, Jian Mo decided, “Let us discuss it first. If we use it, we’ll try it ourselves tonight.”
Lian Ke waved dismissively. “Go ahead and try. Once you’ve used it, you’ll see how effective it is.”
Jian Mo nodded. “Alright, if this powder really works, we’ll treat you to a meal.”
Having stayed in the He’an Tribe for a few days, Lian Ke knew their meals were the best in the entire tribe and even in the surrounding ones. He agreed enthusiastically. “Don’t go back on your word!”
Jian Mo laughed. Something as small as this? He wouldn’t dream of breaking a promise.
Despite their curiosity, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong still harbored doubts about the powder’s safety.
After leaving the clinic, Wu Jiong took Jian Mo to consult with the elders of the tribe.
The elders, having heard of this type of powder before, assured them it wasn’t harmful and suggested they give it a try.
Before bed, Jian Mo stared at the mixed paste of the powder. “Alright, I’m applying it now.”
Wu Jiong brought over a small wooden sliver. “Let me do it for you.”
Wu Jiong carefully applied the pungent-smelling powder to Jian Mo’s left index fingertip, layering it evenly before wrapping it securely with a piece of cloth.
At first, Jian Mo felt nothing. But after a while, it began to feel as though something was biting into his fingertip.
A fiery pain spread through his finger—not unbearable, but sharp enough to draw his full attention.
It reminded him of the sting from chili peppers or the burn from spring thunder eggs.
Wu Jiong held his hand, watching him worriedly. “How is it?”
“It’s manageable,” Jian Mo replied calmly.
Still concerned, Wu Jiong kept hold of his hand as they lay down to sleep.
That night, Jian Mo barely slept. The persistent, gnawing pain from the fingertip was utterly exhausting.
Thankfully, there was no bleeding or other adverse effects—just swelling and throbbing discomfort.
At dawn, Wu Jiong woke first and immediately checked Jian Mo’s hand. “How does it feel?”
Jian Mo, with dark circles under his eyes, flexed his finger slightly. “Seems alright. It’s numb now, not too painful.”
“Can we unwrap it?” Wu Jiong asked.
“I think so. It’s been a full night, and Lian Ke did say to leave it on overnight,” Jian Mo agreed.
Wu Jiong carefully removed the cloth wrapping and cleaned off the powder with water.
Jian Mo’s first reaction upon seeing his finger was, “It’s swollen.”
His fingertip had ballooned like a carrot—half-transparent, unnaturally enlarged, and oddly reminiscent of a tree frog’s toes. The tip had even developed a small, rounded protrusion.
Holding his hand up, Jian Mo inspected it closely. “Aside from the swelling and pain, nothing else seems different.”
Wu Jiong peered at his finger. “Let me press it.”
Jian Mo blinked in confusion. “What for?”
Ignoring his protest, Wu Jiong gently squeezed the swollen fingertip.
In an instant, a curved, claw-like nail popped out from beneath the fingertip, sharp and translucent—just like a cat’s claw.
Or, more accurately, it resembled Qing Kuo’s claws.
Jian Mo had seen Qing Kuo use his claws to climb trees before. They were similarly curved, translucent, and razor-sharp.
Jian Mo froze in shock. “What… what’s going on?”
He tried to control the claw with his mind but couldn’t. All he felt was the dull throb of the swelling. The claw would only extend when he physically pressed on the fingertip.
The sensation was so strange that Jian Mo struggled to put it into words.
Ignoring the pain, he pressed his fingertip repeatedly, each time forcing the claw to pop out.
Staring at the claw protruding from his index finger, Jian Mo muttered in disbelief, “Could I actually be a sub-beastman?”
Perhaps he was a sub-beastman who somehow ended up on Earth, grew up there, and then transmigrated back here?
But no, that didn’t make sense. He had seen his childhood photos—he looked just like his parents. He had to be their biological child.
Unless his parents carried some hidden bloodline?
That didn’t seem likely either. He had met his grandparents on both sides. They were ordinary humans—at least, as far as he could tell.
And if there was a distant bloodline connection, wouldn’t there be reproductive barriers? Even if his ancestors had similar genetics, how would they find compatible partners among so many people?
Jian Mo’s thoughts spiraled, but then he remembered something else: all his medical exams. He had gone through numerous physicals for high school, university, and work. Not once had any doctor flagged anything unusual in his results.
He had studied veterinary medicine—a field closely related to human medicine. If there were issues with his physiology, someone would have noticed.
Wu Jiong, sensing Jian Mo’s distress, pulled him into a comforting embrace. “Maybe the changes happened after you arrived here. Don’t rush to conclusions.”
Jian Mo raised his swollen finger and murmured, “Right. No need to rush. Let’s find Lian Ke and talk to him first.”
Wu Jiong kissed him lightly. “Exactly. We’ll ask Lian Ke. And even if we don’t get answers, it doesn’t change anything—you’re still you.”
Jian Mo, ever straightforward, replied, “It still matters.”
Wu Jiong kissed him again and said gently, “Then let’s go ask.”
