At dusk, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong were grinding charcoal in the courtyard.
With paper now at his disposal, Jian Mo wanted to make proper pens.
He had previously whittled charcoal into makeshift pens, but the color was too light and not smooth enough. While they worked on wooden boards, they tore through paper easily. He had no choice but to craft better pens.
Making pens wasn’t difficult, and Jian Mo prioritized two qualities: smooth writing and vivid color.
For color, charcoal or soot from the cooking pot would suffice.
He remembered hearing that ink was traditionally made from the soot of burning wood or oil.
While their pens didn’t need to be that sophisticated, finely ground charcoal powder sifted a few times would work well. By mixing the powder with beast oil and a bit of clay for shaping, the resulting pens would produce a rich black ink.
After several days of experimentation, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong found the right proportions and made several pens.
Once the pens were crafted, Jian Mo dried them slowly over the stove. After drying, he wrapped each pen in a layer of tree bark.
The result was similar to modern pencils. Sharpened, they worked just as well. Even if the color was slightly lighter, the pens could be considered as high-hardness pencils. With precise sharpening, they could be made as fine as desired, with a feel nearly indistinguishable from contemporary writing tools.
Jian Mo tested the pens by writing several rows of characters in his notebook. The strokes flowed smoothly, forming beautiful characters that looked like intricate patterns.
Wu Jiong gently touched the notebook. “Your writing is beautiful.”
Jian Mo chuckled. “Of course, it’s the result of thousands of years of development. Let me show you another style.”
Switching styles, Jian Mo wrote another set of characters in a flowing script. “See? Different again, right?”
Wu Jiong nodded.
Jian Mo then demonstrated cursive script. “And here’s this one.”
Wu Jiong studied it closely. “It’s the same as the previous lines?”
Jian Mo nodded. “Yes, the content is the same. The top is a regular script, the middle is a running script, and the last messy one is cursive. It says, ‘Fate brings us together across a thousand miles.’ There’s another script unique to my field, but it’s so specialized that I’ve forgotten most of it—it’s not suitable for calligraphy.”
In the medical field, many characters were written in shorthand, almost like a secret code, making them incomprehensible to outsiders. Jian Mo had taken a course on it during university, but over the years, he had forgotten most of it.
Leaving medical shorthand aside, Wu Jiong’s eyes sparkled as he admired the regular, running, and cursive scripts.
He softly praised Jian Mo several times, marveling at his skill, while running his hand over the notebook again and again.
Jian Mo leaned in to kiss him and couldn’t resist sharing romantic poetry he remembered.
Thanks to years of education, Jian Mo had a sizable repertoire of love poems.
The two talked about literature, and Wu Jiong recited some of the epic tales and love songs passed down orally on the beastman continent.
Wu Jiong recited, and Jian Mo transcribed everything into his notebook.
Writing and rereading helped Jian Mo memorize the songs quickly.
This intimate exchange created a bond so strong between them that it felt like they were in the throes of a passionate honeymoon phase—a phase no one else could interrupt.
For the next few days, they made a point of going out alone and informed the tribe beforehand.
The tribe had no objections.
Jian Mo didn’t need to hand over resources when acting alone, while Wu Jiong continued to do so. Their separate expeditions often yielded higher results than the collective efforts.
Despite their romance, they didn’t neglect their work.
One morning, after breakfast, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong headed southeast of the tribe to gather supplies.
With the weather warming, berries were becoming abundant in the forest—a type of gathering Jian Mo enjoyed the most.
The various sweet and tangy berries were incredibly delicious, often surpassing cultivated fruits on Earth. The surplus could be dried into fruit chips or preserved for later, making them even more enjoyable.
As they chatted, Wu Jiong suddenly perked up, listening closely.
Jian Mo paused. “Huh? Someone calling us?”
Wu Jiong nodded. “From above, that way.”
Following Wu Jiong’s gaze, Jian Mo saw Ban Ming riding Chirpy, flying toward them.
“Brother Jian Mo!” Ban Ming shouted, clutching Chirpy’s neck. “Something terrible happened! Shu Guang, the leader of the Qin Hai Tribe, has been gravely injured—he’s on the brink of death!”
It took Jian Mo a moment to process. “Shu Guang?!”
Ban Ming confirmed, “Yes! The bear chieftain! People from their tribe are at ours now. I overheard and came straight here on Chirpy.”
Chirpy flapped its wings, letting out a proud “Chirp chirp,” as if to say it had successfully brought the message.
Jian Mo immediately dropped what he was holding. “Let’s head back and check.”
Wu Jiong tossed his beast hide skirt into the basket and said, “Let’s go.”
Transforming into a giant wolf, Wu Jiong allowed Jian Mo to climb onto his back, basket and all. Jian Mo wrapped his arms around Wu Jiong’s neck. “Ready!”
The wolf took off, covering seven or eight meters in a single stride. Like a flash of lightning across the plains, they vanished from sight in an instant.
Ban Ming saw them rushing back and patted Chirpy. “Chirpy, hurry! Let’s head back too.”
“Chirp!” Chirpy flapped its wings and followed behind the giant wolf.
Even flying in a straight line, Chirpy was slightly slower than the wolf.
From a distance, the patrolling beastmen saw them approaching and made way for the giant wolf to sprint into the He’an Tribe.
The wolf ran directly into the He’an Tribe’s clearing, where Ban Ming shouted from behind, “The Qin Hai Tribe members are in the open area!”
The wolf turned and headed toward the open area.
Before they reached it, Jian Mo, riding on the wolf’s back, spotted several giant bears sprawled haphazardly on the ground.
The bears were clearly exhausted, lying there panting heavily, unable to recover.
When the wolf reached them, the bears struggled to prop themselves up with their massive paws, finally managing to flip over. “Chief Wu Jiong, Doctor Jian Mo.”
Sliding off the wolf, Jian Mo quickly handed a beast hide skirt to Wu Jiong before turning to ask, “What happened? How did your chieftain get so seriously injured?”
The bears began to explain:
“The past few days, a herd of horned beasts migrated into our tribe’s territory, so we decided to hunt them.”
“But somehow, the horned beasts were especially aggressive this year, much more violent than usual.”
“A few inexperienced young beastmen got surrounded by the horned beasts, so the chieftain went to rescue them. He got gored in the stomach and was severely injured.”
Hearing this, Jian Mo immediately asked, “Gored in the stomach? How severe is it? Was it internal damage, or did it leave a large hole in his abdomen? What about his internal organs? Are they injured? Did anything fall out?”
The giant bears exchanged uncertain looks before elaborating:
“There’s a large hole in his stomach, and he lost a lot of blood.”
“His intestines fell out, but we stuffed them back in.”
“We’re not sure about his other internal organs. When we left, the chieftain was still alive, but he was in terrible shape.”
As they spoke, tears streamed down their fur-covered faces, soaking their coats.
The Qin Hai Tribe was far from the He’an Tribe, a journey that usually took three days. The giant bears had sprinted the entire way, managing to cover most of the distance in half a day.
They had traveled in shifts, some taking beast form to carry others until they were too exhausted, then switching places. This relentless cycle of running and carrying was the only way they made it in time.
Jian Mo’s expression turned grave. “I’ll head to your tribe immediately to check on him.”
He wondered about Shu Guang’s condition. If he had been at the scene earlier, Shu Guang’s chances of survival might have been higher—after all, he hadn’t died immediately.
But with such distance, things were uncertain. Shu Guang’s survival was now in doubt.
Regardless, they had to try. Last year, when they visited the Qin Hai Tribe to gather garlic and Mien Grass, Shu Guang had treated them well. On a personal level, Jian Mo wanted to save him.
The giant bears were visibly relieved when Jian Mo agreed to go. They nodded fervently, tears falling anew.
The sight of their sorrow moved Jian Mo. “We’ll ride Chirpy to get there faster. You don’t need to rush yourselves any further—take care of your health.”
With that, Jian Mo didn’t linger on pleasantries. He and Wu Jiong hurried home to pack surgical tools and medicine. Jian Mo stuffed everything into two large medical kits, ready for departure.
Wu Jiong informed the tribe of their plan to go with Jian Mo. Qing Kuo and De Jiang, upon hearing the news, assured them they would keep the tribe safe and urged the pair to leave without worry.
The He’an Tribe was a compassionate community. On hearing of Shu Guang’s grave injury, many felt deep sympathy.
Qing Kuo and De Jiang, always pragmatic, also considered the political implications. The He’an and Qin Hai Tribes had a longstanding good relationship. Shu Guang was a reasonable leader, and most hoped he would recover and remain chieftain rather than have someone new take his place.
While Jian Mo prepared, the tribe fed Chirpy some dried meat and water and adjusted its reins.
When Jian Mo and Wu Jiong emerged, everything was ready. They mounted Chirpy, set to leave.
Jian Mo waved at the efficient and dependable Ban Ming and the others. “Thanks for all your help. We’re heading off now.”
Ban Ming and his group waved back eagerly. “Brother Jian Mo, Chief Wu Jiong, stay safe!”
Wu Jiong gave a firm nod, pulling Jian Mo close and taking Chirpy’s reins. He patted the winged beast gently. “Chirpy, let’s go.”
Chirpy let out a long cry, took a few running strides, and flapped its wings, soaring into the sky.
Jian Mo patted Chirpy’s neck. “Good Chirpy. We’re counting on you. Fly as fast as you can.”
Encouraged, Chirpy flapped its wings with extra vigor, noticeably picking up speed.
Chirpy had been to the Qin Hai Tribe several times and knew the route well. Flying in a straight line, they bypassed many of the detours the bears had to take, making much better time.
Initially, Jian Mo and Wu Jiong worried Chirpy might not make it all the way. They planned for Wu Jiong to shift into his giant wolf form to carry Jian Mo partway.
To their surprise, Chirpy held out the entire trip, arriving at the Qin Hai Tribe just past midday.
The Qin Hai Tribe members recognized them immediately and ran over. “Doctor Jian Mo! Chief Wu Jiong!”
Jian Mo, concerned for Chirpy’s condition after its grueling flight, pressed his cheek against its heaving side before asking the approaching group, “How is Chieftain Shu Guang?”
The leading beastman answered firmly, “He’s still alive!”
Jian Mo let out a sigh of relief. “Take me to him immediately. Chirpy—”
From the crowd, Kuang Ning stepped forward. “Leave Chirpy to me. I’ll make sure it rests.”
Jian Mo nodded solemnly. “Thank you.”
Wu Jiong hefted Jian Mo’s large medical kits and followed him as the Qin Hai Tribe members led them to the cave where Shu Guang was being treated.
“The chieftain was injured yesterday afternoon. We gave him medicine and applied bandages, but it hasn’t helped much. His intestines are severed.”
Jian Mo was stunned. “Severed intestines?”
He had assumed it was a simple abdominal wound. Back on Earth, he had treated stray cats with similar injuries—stomachs torn open, intestines exposed. Stray animals often showed remarkable resilience, and with proper treatment, surgery usually yielded good outcomes.
But that was under the conditions of modern medicine. Without such resources, saving an animal—or a person—with exposed internal organs was nearly impossible.
Now Shu Guang’s intestines were not only exposed but severed. On top of that, the Qin Hai Tribe had administered medicine, likely leading to abdominal infection.
The situation was dire.
Jian Mo’s heart sank, his expression growing increasingly grim.
He wondered if stepping into the cave would reveal Shu Guang’s lifeless body.
Fortunately, as he stood outside, he could still hear Shu Guang’s labored breathing.
When the Qin Hai Tribe members moved to guide him into the cave, Jian Mo raised a hand to stop them. “Wait here. Don’t risk worsening the infection. Wu Jiong and I will check first.”
Jian Mo brought Wu Jiong along primarily for safety. He couldn’t be sure if Shu Guang, in his weakened state, still recognized people or if he might lash out in self-defense. His own safety had to be a priority.
The Qin Hai members complied immediately. “Understood.”
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong, carrying the medical kits, hurried into the cave.
In the center of the cave, the massive bear lay sprawled on a beast hide mattress, breathing heavily. The air reeked of blood and a strange odor from his internal organs.
Jian Mo and Wu Jiong donned masks and approached cautiously.
Despite his severe injuries, Shu Guang was still conscious. Hearing their footsteps, he struggled to turn his head, his beastly eyes opening with difficulty. “Doctor Jian Mo…”
As he spoke, blood seeped from his wounds again.
Jian Mo quickly interrupted, “Don’t talk. Let us take a look.”
Shu Guang fell silent.
Approaching the injured bear, Jian Mo saw the expected large wound in his abdomen—a bloody, mangled mess. Yet, despite the catastrophic injury, Shu Guang’s wounds, inflicted just the day before, were already showing signs of regeneration. Jian Mo could see the beginnings of new tissue forming.
The regenerative abilities of beastmen were astonishing.
Jian Mo, wearing gloves, carefully examined Shu Guang’s abdominal cavity.
As he suspected, two sections of the small intestine were completely severed. The intestines weren’t self-healing, and the abdominal cavity was heavily contaminated.
Even Jian Mo, used to such situations, felt a chill run down his spine.
Regardless, the wound had to be treated. Whether Shu Guang would survive was a matter of skill and fate.
Jian Mo stepped outside with Wu Jiong to brief the Qin Hai Tribe members. “Chieftain Shu Guang’s condition is critical. Surgery must be performed immediately. However, I can’t guarantee he’ll survive, even with the surgery.”
One of the rough beastmen, his eyes red-rimmed, said resolutely, “Do it. If he doesn’t make it, we won’t blame you.”
Jian Mo nodded. “All right. I wasn’t aware his intestines were severed until now. I’ll need to suture them, but a regular thread won’t work. I need to use animal intestines as sutures. Do you have any large animals in your tribe?”
“How about Tou Tou Beasts?” the beastman suggested.
Jian Mo exhaled in relief. “That’ll work. Kill a Tou Tou Beast immediately, extract its small intestines, clean them thoroughly, and wash them for me. Also, start several fires. If there’s an unused pot, use it to boil plenty of water. I’ll need it.”
The tribe members scattered to carry out his instructions.
Jian Mo, meanwhile, prepared for the surgery.
He had used protein sutures before, but those were factory-processed. Using untreated intestines was new territory for him, something he’d only read about in historical accounts.
Animal intestines were ideal for suturing Shu Guang’s severed intestines. If Shu Guang survived, his body would naturally absorb the protein sutures as they degraded into peptides and amino acids, eliminating the need for stitch removal.
But all this hinged on Shu Guang surviving. If he didn’t, the choice of sutures wouldn’t matter.
The Qin Hai members acted swiftly. They delivered not only intact intestines but also strips cut to various thicknesses, providing long, usable pieces.
Jian Mo gave an approving nod to the beastman who brought the intestines and immediately placed them in boiling salted water for sterilization.
This step was crucial to prevent infection, though Jian Mo could only hope it would be effective.
Once sterilized, he retrieved the sutures, donned freshly cleaned and disinfected clothes and gloves, and entered the oil-lit cave with Wu Jiong to begin the surgery.
Ignoring Shu Guang’s enormous size, Jian Mo found the procedure not unlike operating on stray cats and dogs back on Earth.
He focused intently on the surgery, while Wu Jiong stood by, ensuring his safety.
Given Shu Guang’s condition, anesthesia wasn’t an option. Jian Mo used boiled, cooled moss-infused saline to rinse the abdominal cavity—a makeshift but somewhat effective measure.
If it didn’t work, there was nothing more he could do.
Perhaps it was the gravity of the situation, but Jian Mo entered a state of flow—a deep, focused immersion in the task at hand.
The surgery went smoothly under this heightened concentration.
After an indeterminate amount of time, Jian Mo finally completed the procedure. The abdominal cavity was cleansed, the intestines sutured, and the wounds meticulously closed layer by layer.
Looking at the cold, pallid, but faintly breathing Shu Guang, Jian Mo couldn’t find the words to express his thoughts. He simply said, “Let’s go.”
His muffled voice came from behind his mask. As he turned, his body wavered, nearly collapsing.
Wu Jiong’s strong arm caught him by the waist, steadying him.
The two stepped out of the cave to face the waiting Qin Hai members, who watched them with anxious anticipation.
Jian Mo announced, “The surgery is done. Whether Chieftain Shu Guang survives will depend on the next two days. Everyone should return for now. Leave one person to discuss some details with me.”
The rough beastman who had previously spoken stayed behind. “Doctor Jian Mo, what is it?”
Leaning on Wu Jiong for support, Jian Mo explained, “Here’s the issue. Chieftain Shu Guang’s beast form is massive, which means the sutures need to be stronger than usual. I’m worried that the sutures used during the surgery might not hold—”
Jian Mo had noticed during the operation that the intestinal sutures weren’t strong enough.
For ordinary people or smaller animals, the sutures would suffice. But Shu Guang’s large size and the tension on the wound made the intestines more likely to tear.
While the intestinal sutures seemed secure, the deeper layers of tissue were a concern. He had used intestines for the deep layers since removing those stitches later wasn’t an option. For the surface layers, he used regular thread.
Jian Mo voiced his fears. “I’m concerned the deeper layers might not hold.”
The beastman’s expression darkened with worry. “What should we do?”
Jian Mo recalled, “When I came here to gather Mien Grass, I saw a type of gray creature with long, round tails. Do you know it?”
The rough beastman nodded. “Long-tailed beasts, yes! There are plenty of them near the Mien Grass fields.”
Jian Mo instructed, “I need you to find some of those long-tailed beasts, the bigger, the better. Once you bring them back, I’ll cut off their tails and extract the tendons to use as sutures. Let’s prepare them as a backup, just in case.”
The beastman responded without hesitation, “I’ll send people to find them immediately.”
Jian Mo added, “Good. We’ll divide the work. I’ll stay here and monitor Chieftain Shu Guang.”
Back in school, Jian Mo had learned about natural collagen sutures. The textbooks mentioned using tendons from rodent tails, which were durable, long, and caused minimal inflammatory reactions—an excellent natural suture material.
He had only just remembered this, but it was better late than never.
Finding and processing the long-tailed beasts in the wild would take time, so they needed to act quickly.
For now, Shu Guang’s condition is stable. Jian Mo ate a quick meal and checked on Chirpy to ensure it was fine before taking a short rest in the cave. Wu Jiong remained by his side, keeping watch.
The Qin Hai Tribe members moved with impressive efficiency. By nightfall, they had captured several long-tailed beasts.
These creatures’ tails were much longer than those of typical rodents. Upon cutting them open, Jian Mo confirmed that their tendons were indeed thick and lengthy.
Under his guidance, the tendons were carefully extracted and divided into threads of varying thickness. All were steamed for sterilization. With no pressing time constraints, steaming was preferable to boiling, as it yielded stronger sutures.
The group worked tirelessly through the night, with little rest.
Shu Guang’s condition held steady. He clung to life with remarkable tenacity.
Jian Mo checked on him periodically, noting small but steady signs of improvement. The surgery seemed to be working.
This realization reinvigorated Jian Mo, dispelling his fatigue.
As if fate were smiling upon them, Shu Guang’s condition steadily improved. His shaved abdomen remained clean and dry, with no signs of seepage. His heart rate normalized, and his body temperature rose to a healthy level.
Were it not for the large wound on his stomach, Jian Mo might have believed Shu Guang was merely sleeping.
It seemed the heavens were on Shu Guang’s side—the sutures held!
Jian Mo let out a deep sigh of relief. Avoiding a second surgery was a tremendous blessing.
By late morning the next day, Shu Guang woke for the first time. His eyes fluttered open, scanning the cave. He looked at Jian Mo and Wu Jiong, then turned his gaze to the rough beastman standing nearby.
The massive bear smiled weakly, his voice hoarse as he greeted them. “Jian Mo, Wu Jiong, Shu Ming.”
His cognitive functions were intact, his awareness was clear, and he even remembered social etiquette.
Jian Mo silently assessed his condition and breathed a sigh of relief. Shu Guang was recovering exceptionally well, far better than expected.
It was also at that moment Jian Mo realized the rough beastman’s name was Shu Ming.
Tears welled up in Shu Ming’s eyes again. “Brother.”
The bear chieftain rasped, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to die.”
Jian Mo placed his stethoscope on Shu Guang’s chest, listening carefully. “You’re indeed improving.”
The bear grinned faintly. “Told you.”
Jian Mo withdrew the stethoscope gently. “No more talking. Rest.”
Shu Guang, too weak to argue, murmured, “Thank you…”
His voice trailed off as he drifted back to sleep, slipping into a half-conscious state.
