Jian Mo’s successful treatment of Shu Guang’s severe injuries had sent shockwaves through the nearby tribes.
When word spread that Jian Mo had returned, people from several tribes traveled great distances to ask about the feat. After hearing the details, they left in awe.
Though flattered by the constant praise, Jian Mo soon grew bored. To avoid the attention, he took Wu Jiong into the forest to forage, leaving early and returning late each day. This caused those looking for him to miss their chance.
After a few failed attempts, the number of visitors dwindled.
By late spring and early summer, the forest was bursting with life. Edible plants were plentiful, with almost every part of them fit for consumption, and insects could occasionally be harvested as well.
The abundance of food brought a surge in culinary creativity. Even in Jian Mo’s household, the menu changed daily. Excess food was either dried or pickled for storage or fed to Chirpy and the Tou Tou Beasts.
The household still had eight Tou Tou Beasts—one male and seven females. All the females were pregnant and looked healthy. It wouldn’t be long before there were more Tou Tou Beasts and an ample supply of beast milk, which would further expand their diet.
The He’an Tribe itself was thriving this year. Over the past few weeks, they had forged two batches of metal tools and produced two pits of paper. Jian Mo speculated that with a bit more paper, they could potentially trade with the Jin Tuo Tribe for metal ingots.
Papermaking was less labor-intensive than pottery and had a much higher return. Trading paper for metal would certainly be advantageous.
Speaking of papermaking, Jian Mo had previously considered adding lime to the soaking process to accelerate the decomposition of bark. However, given that they had an abundance of time and the current paper quality was sufficient for most uses, he set the idea aside. Lime was also challenging to produce, so saving resources was the better option.
One afternoon, as the massive white wolf that Wu Jiong had transformed into carried Jian Mo back to the tribe, a patrolling beastman greeted them with a chuckle. “The beastmen from the Hong Zheng Tribe just arrived. They’re waiting for you at the clinic.”
Jian Mo recognized the mischievous tone in the beastman’s voice and asked, “What’s the issue?”
“Bitten by bugs,” the patrolman replied.
Jian Mo frowned, puzzled. “What kind of bug bite would cause that reaction?”
“You’ll see when you get there,” the beastman replied, laughing. “Take your time—they’ve been waiting a while, so they won’t mind waiting a bit longer.”
With Jian Mo being the only proper doctor in the surrounding tribes, there wasn’t much they could do if he took his time.
“Alright, we’ll be there soon,” Jian Mo said, nodding.
Back at home, Jian Mo retrieved his medical kit and instructed Wu Jiong, “Can you grab some heat-clearing, detoxifying herbs from the riverside fields? I’ll need them to make a poultice after treating him.”
Wu Jiong agreed. “I’ll drop you off first, then go fetch them.”
Jian Mo nodded. “Sounds good. Grab extra so we can make more medicinal oil later.”
With everything ready, the two headed to the clinic. As soon as Jian Mo entered, he spotted the patient—a beastman in his animal form, covered in fiery red fur, with three bushy tails trailing behind him. The distinctive features marked him as a beastman from the Hong Zheng Tribe. Hearing the noise, the red beast turned to look at them.
Beside him were a few companions, all beastmen, who also turned their heads in unison.
Jian Mo couldn’t help but notice the red beast’s swollen snout, puffy eyes, and, most amusingly, his ears. The pointed tips of his ears were so swollen they had turned into round, drooping balls, making it impossible for them to stand upright.
The sight of the dejected giant beast almost made Jian Mo laugh out loud.
Composing himself, Jian Mo adjusted his mask and cleared his throat. “I’m Jian Mo. Let me take a look.”
The young beastmen accompanying the red beast greeted him politely. “Doctor Jian Mo.”
The red beast managed a weak greeting as well. “Doctor Jian Mo, sorry to trouble you this time.”
Jian Mo waved his hand dismissively. “Let me examine the injuries. What bit you?”
“Eight-Mouthed Bugs,” the beast replied.
Jian Mo had never heard of such a creature and turned a questioning gaze to Wu Jiong.
Wu Jiong explained, “These bugs deliver a painful bite and latch on tightly, refusing to let go. Their bites leave wounds that swell significantly, as if bitten by eight mouths at once. That’s how they got their name.”
“Quite the name,” Jian Mo remarked, stepping closer to the red beast.
The red beast lay down obediently.
Jian Mo quickly noted that the most severe swelling wasn’t on the beast’s face or ears—it was on his hindquarters.
The red beast, which resembled a mix between a fox and a weasel, had a backside so swollen it was nearly double its normal size. Even the fur seemed to have retreated into the swollen flesh.
Jian Mo pressed gently on the area and discovered that the bug’s head was still embedded in the wound. Several intact bugs remained attached as well.
This wasn’t surprising—many insects, like ticks and bees, left parts of themselves behind to release toxins into their victims and maximize the damage.
The red beast flinched at Jian Mo’s touch, clearly in pain.
Jian Mo apologized as he said, “Let me examine it first; this won’t take long. Are the fangs firmly embedded in the flesh, making them hard to remove?”
The red Zheng beast nodded. “Yes, they’re very hard to pull out, which is why I didn’t dare to try on my own.”
“What happens if they aren’t removed? Swelling and infection?” Jian Mo asked.
“Something like that,” the beast replied. “I’ve been bitten before. If it’s just one or two bites, I can endure it until it heals. But this time, there are too many wounds—I doubt I can tough it out. Ugh, it hurts so much I don’t even dare shift back to my human form.”
Jian Mo picked up a pair of tweezers. “I’ll try to extract the fangs completely.”
The beast let out a low grunt of agreement, while his companions watched Jian Mo expectantly.
Jian Mo asked the beast to move to the open area outside the clinic and had him position himself to maximize the light. He began by removing fangs from accessible areas.
The Eight-Mouthed Bugs resembled ticks but weren’t quite the same. Their fangs couldn’t be twisted out; instead, they had to be rocked back and forth before being carefully pulled free.
After removing one fang, Jian Mo showed it to the red Zheng beast and his companions.
“That’s it! Those fangs are tormenting me!” the beast growled with frustration.
Jian Mo glanced at his swollen hindquarters. “It might be easier if I shave the fur in the affected areas.”
The red beast looked conflicted. “Do we have to? I haven’t found a mate yet.”
“I’ll try my best to work around it,” Jian Mo replied.
The beast nodded quickly. “Thank you, and sorry for the trouble.”
Climbing onto the beast’s back, Jian Mo meticulously extracted the fangs one by one.
Each extraction left a noticeable puncture wound, red and swollen. Jian Mo cleaned the wounds with a cloth soaked in soapy water as he worked.
Most venomous insect toxins were acidic, and soap helped neutralize the pain. However, applying herbal poultices would still be necessary for proper healing.
As Jian Mo grew more adept, his speed increased. He combed through the beast’s entire body, removed all the fangs, cleaned the wounds, and applied medicinal herbs.
Finally, the red Zheng beast let out a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Doctor Jian Mo. It feels so much better now.”
Jian Mo finished treating his swollen ears and asked, “It doesn’t hurt anymore?”
The beast replied, “It doesn’t hurt as long as I don’t move.”
“Then don’t move too much and let it heal properly,” Jian Mo advised.
“Understood,” the beast agreed with a deep breath of relief. “By the way, Doctor Jian Mo, I’m Jing Huo from the Hong Zheng Tribe.”
Jian Mo smiled. “I figured you were from the Hong Zheng Tribe. How did you end up with these injuries?”
Jing Huo grimaced. “Don’t ask. I found a silver-leaf tree and noticed some syrup seeping out. I went to taste it, and out swarmed a whole horde of Eight-Mouthed Bugs. They covered me in bites. I tried to run, but they chased after me and kept biting my rear.”
His companions laughed. “Serves you right for being greedy! If you hadn’t tried to hog it for yourself, maybe someone else could’ve shared the attacks with you.”
Jing Huo defended himself, “I wasn’t being greedy! I just wanted to see if the sap was sweet. If it was, I’d have told you all. Even if I didn’t, I’d have told Fang Jiang!”
One of his companions smacked him on the belly. “Enough already.”
From the conversation, Jian Mo gathered that Fang Jiang was the sub-beastman Jing Huo had a crush on.
After double-checking Jing Huo’s body to ensure no fangs had been missed, Jian Mo said, “Take some soap and herbs home with you. Clean the wounds with soapy water every morning and evening, then apply the herbs. You should be fine in a few days.”
Jing Huo nodded repeatedly. “Thank you, Doctor Jian Mo.”
Jian Mo smiled. “You’re welcome.”
With the fangs removed, Jing Huo no longer worried about trapping them in his flesh when shifting back. He turned away, shifted to his human form, and donned his beast-hide skirt and sandals.
Looking slightly embarrassed, Jing Huo asked, “Doctor Jian Mo, what should I offer as payment?”
Jian Mo thought for a moment. “Bring me ten pieces of hardwood. About this thick,” he said, gesturing with his hands. “Deliver it after you’ve healed.”
Jing Huo quickly broke a blade of grass and bent it to match Jian Mo’s measurements. “Got it.”
After thanking him again, Jing Huo and his companions prepared to head back to the Hong Zheng Tribe before nightfall.
As Jian Mo and Wu Jiong watched them leave, they walked side by side back home.
Jian Mo mused, “I’d never heard of Eight-Mouthed Bugs before. Are they only found near the Hong Zheng Tribe? And what about the silver-leaf trees and sweet sap?”
Wu Jiong explained, “The bugs aren’t exclusive to the Hong Zheng Tribe. They can appear in any of the nearby territories, but they’re rarely seen. As for silver-leaf trees—”
“Their leaves have a silvery underside, which is how they got their name. Normally, they’re unremarkable, but when bitten by Eight-Mouthed Bugs, they secrete sweet sap that coats their bark. It tastes quite good.”
Jian Mo’s eyes lit up. “Is it as sweet as the juice boiled from tubular flowers?”
“Much sweeter,” Wu Jiong replied.
“Then it’s essentially sugar sap!” Jian Mo exclaimed.
“Pretty much,” Wu Jiong said.
The prospect excited Jian Mo. In this era, obtaining sugar was no easy feat.
They knew where to find honeybird nests, but those could only be harvested once a year at most. The juice from tubular flowers was mildly sweet but barely counted as sugary. Making malt sugar from Mien Grass was a reliable option, but it required too much effort to gather and cultivate.
Jian Mo asked eagerly, “Are silver-leaf trees common? And do they always attract Eight-Mouthed Bugs?”
Wu Jiong answered, “The trees are fairly scattered—one here, one there, not in large clusters. The bugs are even rarer. If you want, I can take you to see one tomorrow.”
Jian Mo nodded enthusiastically. “Sounds good. We’ll wear hats, masks, and thick clothing to avoid getting bitten.”
He couldn’t forget how even Jing Huo’s ear tips had swollen up—it was a fate he wasn’t eager to share.
Wu Jiong remarked, “It’s not that serious. Eight-Mouthed Bugs aren’t particularly fast. That beastman from the Hong Zheng Tribe must have panicked after being bitten, stumbled into the dense forest, and got stuck, which is why he was bitten so badly. Did you notice the scratches on his body and how his claws were worn down? He must have been trapped for a while.”
Jian Mo thought about it and agreed. “Still, that’s pretty miserable.”
The next morning, Wu Jiong, in his giant white wolf form, carried Jian Mo straight to the forest where the silver-leaf trees grew. Familiar with the area, Wu Jiong quickly found the first tree.
The silver-leaf tree was massive, standing around 34 meters tall. Its trunk was straight, and its crown perched high above the ground.
Jian Mo tilted his head back to look up and realized he had seen this type of tree before.
“So, this is a silver-leaf tree,” Jian Mo said.
Wu Jiong nodded. “That’s it. This one hasn’t been bitten by Eight-Mouthed Bugs. It’s completely intact.”
Jian Mo squinted upward but couldn’t see much. “Let’s check another tree.”
Wu Jiong agreed. “Follow me.”
Their luck wasn’t great that day. The next tree they found hadn’t been bitten, nor had the one after that. Searching for specific trees in a forest proved exhausting, so Jian Mo suggested they hunt and forage along the way and check for silver-leaf trees as they encountered them.
They wandered deeper into the forest, searching for trees. By the end of the day, they still hadn’t found a bitten silver-leaf tree, though their foraging baskets were full. Among their finds were leaves from a tree the Tou Tou Beasts particularly loved to eat.
Jian Mo also collected some silver-leaf tree leaves, intending to use them as bookmarks. The underside of the leaves gleamed like silver, resembling delicate crafts.
The more elusive the bitten silver-leaf trees were, the more curious Jian Mo became. He even grew stubborn, determined to find one.
For several days, hunting and other activities took a backseat as Jian Mo focused solely on his quest for a bitten silver-leaf tree.
Finally, they spotted one.
It was unmistakable—a massive lump bulged from the trunk, as though a balloon had been stuffed beneath the bark. Even with his less acute vision, Jian Mo could see it clearly.
Excited, Jian Mo grabbed Wu Jiong’s hand and bounced. “That lump must have the sweet sap inside, right?”
Wu Jiong glanced up. “It does.”
“How do we get it? Should we puncture it and let the sap flow out?” Jian Mo asked.
“No need,” Wu Jiong said. “The sap is contained within a thin layer of bark. I’ll climb up and cut it down.”
Wu Jiong scaled the tree with ease. The lump was about 10 meters up the trunk, but he reached it in no time. Pulling out his knife, he carefully cut around the bark and detached the lump.
Once on the ground, the lump resembled an inflated balloon. A simple puncture would release the sweet sap inside.
Jian Mo stared at it, eager to try. Wu Jiong asked, “Want to taste the sap?”
Jian Mo hesitated before shaking his head. “Not now. We didn’t bring a container, and if we puncture it, the sap will probably spill everywhere. That’d be such a waste.”
“Let’s bring it back home to try,” Wu Jiong suggested.
“Good idea. Let’s see if there are more lumps nearby,” Jian Mo said.
The presence of one lump indicated nearby Eight-Mouthed Bugs, which likely meant more lumps.
“Let’s head northeast. There are a few more silver-leaf trees there,” Wu Jiong said.
As they continued their search, they found several more lumps, each about the size of a watermelon. Wu Jiong climbed up to cut them down, and Jian Mo carefully cradled the lumps, feeling the liquid gently sloshing inside.
The sap felt thick, perhaps due to its high sugar content.
By the end of the day, they had collected six lumps. Two were already damaged, allowing some sap to seep out. Jian Mo tasted it and found the sap as sweet and sticky as honey.
No wonder Jing Huo had risked being stung to drink it.
The damaged lumps were carefully placed on large, non-toxic leaves in their baskets. Jian Mo and Wu Jiong moved cautiously to minimize spillage. Back at home, Jian Mo didn’t bother salvaging the spilled sap—it became a treat for Chirpy instead.
The intact lumps, however, were poured into jars for gradual enjoyment.
The sap’s high concentration meant Jian Mo didn’t need to worry about spoilage. He initially considered boiling it for sterilization but decided it wasn’t necessary. At such a high concentration, bacteria would struggle to survive due to the osmotic pressure.
Humming a tune, Jian Mo cut into the lumps one by one. As he worked on the fourth, Wu Jiong suddenly stopped him. “Wait. Something’s off with this one.”
Jian Mo quickly moved the lump away from the jar and sniffed it. “Really?”
Sure enough, a faint whiff of alcohol tickled his nose. He carefully sliced the lump open over a large clay basin.
Inside, the sap was slightly cloudy, less viscous, and emitted a sharp alcoholic aroma. It resembled diluted honey water rather than thick sap.
“How did this happen?” Jian Mo wondered aloud.
Wu Jiong pointed to a tiny hole in the bark. “Probably because the sap was exposed to Eight-Mouthed Bugs at first, then rainwater seeped in. As the bark healed, the trapped sap fermented.”
“What a coincidence,” Jian Mo said, eyeing the nearly full basin of sap. He hesitated. “Should we throw it out? Seems like a waste.”
“It’s probably not drinkable,” Wu Jiong cautioned.
“I’ll try it first. If it’s bad, I’ll toss it,” Jian Mo said, scooping a bit with a clean, dry spoon. He sipped cautiously.
A tangy, sweet flavor spread across his tongue—a mix of alcohol and vinegar. The sap had likely fermented partially into vinegar before turning alcoholic, creating an odd but intriguing taste.
Wu Jiong grabbed his wrist. “Be careful.”
“I only tasted a drop. It’s actually not bad—you should try,” Jian Mo said.
Wu Jiong leaned in and took a sip. He nodded. “It’s drinkable, but the flavor’s strange.”
“Probably due to improper fermentation. I’ll try to salvage it,” Jian Mo decided.
He retrieved an empty jar previously used for snow-pearl fruit wine. Without cleaning it, he considered using it as a starter for fermentation.
Before pouring the sap in, he reconsidered. “I’ll heat it first to kill off any unwanted bacteria. Better safe than sorry.”
Wu Jiong agreed. “That’s a good idea.”
Jian Mo added, “Once it ferments, we’ll test it on an animal. Maybe the male Tou Tou Beast. If it’s fine, then we’ll drink it.”
Food safety was no joke. For now, salvaging the sap would have to do. Hopefully, they could turn it into something worthwhile instead of letting it go to waste.
