Ziqian didn't know if beastmen's bodies would react well to medicine from the Earth, and this made him a little uneasy. But he hadn't expected the antibiotic to work so effectively because after only a few hours, the results were already obvious.
The swelling around the wounds had gone down noticeably, and the redness, a sign of early infection, had begun to fade.
Several beastmen who had been groaning earlier were now resting more comfortably, their breathing steadier and less pained. A few even managed to sit up.
Ziqian was both relieved and surprised to see how quickly the injured beasts were healing. But what eased the heavy weight in his chest the most was that Huo's condition had also improved.
The color had begun to return to his face, and the harsh tension in his features had softened. His wounds, which had looked terrifying just hours ago, were now visibly healing.
As per the guardians, even Huo's nearly shattered bones in his arms were slowly mending together, and the visible swelling was reducing bit by bit.
Everyone was recovering—except for one.
Ras sat beside his unconscious brother, watching the rise and fall of Rei's chest. His breaths were still there, but each one seemed weaker than the last.
Ziqian had done everything he could. He had cleaned every wound with care, applied the powdered antibiotic, and even fed Rei two more Blood Replenishing Pills. Almost all of the concoctions and herbs Lia had given to him were used on Rei alone, but all Ziqian had managed to do was stop the young beast's bleeding and ease his pain.
Ziqian wanted to buy the same pills he had given to Huo and try them on Rei, but the two guardians stopped him. They said that it would be a waste of points, because the pills would have little to no effect on Rei's condition.
Unlike Huo, Rei didn't have ruptured vessels, but his internal organs had sustained severe damage. The five-horned monster had also devoured his right arm and leg—there was nothing left to reattach.
If Ziqian truly wanted to help Rei, he needed to buy much more expensive pills and medicine, but his current points weren't enough for that.
[Points: 171]
Actually, Ziqian still had one more option—one last item he hadn't dared to use.
But this item was a gamble.
[Root of the Man-Eating Tree – 50 points]
Holds the power to heal—or to kill.
Description: A twisted root from a carnivorous tree infamous for devouring careless travelers.
Origin: Witch Sphere
Warning: Unchewable.
According to Ero and Phi, this root was an extremely important ingredient in high-grade potions. The price alone—50 points for a single root—was proof of how rare and valuable it was.
Unfortunately, it was also a dangerous item.
Just like its fruit, the root grew from the resentment of the dead. But unlike the fruit, the root was the part that absorbed everything directly—all of the lingering good, the festering hatred, traces of life, and the final moment before death. Because of that, the root could become either a potent healing medicine… or a deadly poison.
Whether it saved someone or killed them depended entirely on the person's luck.
It was, in every sense, a true gamble.
But this was the only item he could find that he could actually afford. Ziqian had searched through the shop's endless list of medicines, and the more he scrolled, the more frustrated he became. There were countless miraculous items, but he didn't have enough points to buy them.
He desperately wanted to help, but he didn't want to be the one to decide another person's life or death. In the end, the choice shouldn't be his. It belonged to Rei's family. He would explain the risks and then let them decide whether or not to use the root.
Inside the tent, Ziqian rested quietly in Xue's arms.
The cold, unapproachable man from before was now the one constantly nagging him to rest, and Ziqian agreed on the condition that Xue would rest with him.
They remained like that for half an hour, but Ziqian didn't feel sleepy at all. He felt warm, safe, and peaceful. This silent, tacit understanding he has with Xue is really comforting.
That's why, without a second thought, Ziqian decided to tell Xue about Rei's condition and the risky gamble of using the root of the Man-Eating Tree. Naturally, he didn't mention where he had obtained such an ominous thing or how he knew about it. Xue didn't ask either. He just quietly listened.
It's been hard on you," Xue said softly once Ziqian finished speaking.
"Not hard," Ziqian murmured. "I just want all of us to go home soon." He nuzzled lightly against the man's chest.
"Yes… let's go home," Xue replied, gently caressing the sub-beast's long black hair. His arms circled Ziqian instinctively, holding him close.
Ziqian shivered, not from the cold, but from the way Xue touched him. The man's naturally cool chest felt solid beneath his cheek, and every breath Ziqian drew filled him with Xue's refreshing scent.
This is bad, Ziqian thought as warmth coiled low in his stomach. Too tempting.
His fingers slid along Xue's waist as he tilted his head up, lips brushing dangerously close to Xue's collarbone.
"If you keep touching me like that," Ziqian whispered, voice low and teasing, "I might think you want something… more."
Xue looked down at Ziqian, his blue eyes darker than usual, heat lurking beneath his calm exterior. "And if I do want something more?" Xue asked quietly.
Ziqian's heart skipped. He needed to stop before he lost the last bit of whatever self-control he had left.
With a flustered laugh, Ziqian slipped out of Xue's hold and grabbed his wrist, tugging him along toward Ras, while reminding himself that there were still important matters to discuss.
But even as they walked, the warmth of Xue's touch lingered. He could also feel the man's warm gaze tracing the back of his neck, sending shivers down his spine.
~
Inside the tent of the wounded, only a few people were left resting.
Meeting with Ras made Ziqian unusually nervous. Thankfully, Xue was the one who explained everything to the beast. If Ziqian had been the one speaking, he probably would've stammered.
How could he possibly say something like, "Let me feed him this root, and we'll see if he lives or dies," without sounding horribly rude?
But what Ziqian didn't expect was Ras's response.
The moment Xue finished explaining the risks, the man didn't even hesitate and agreed without blinking.
"Are you sure?" Ziqian asked in disbelief.
Ras lowered his gaze, his lips twisting into a bitter smile. "If that's his only chance… then I hope he dies from it rather than keeps living like this." His voice shook slightly.
He inhaled sharply as he sat closer to his brother. "His body is already too broken. If we try to take him back to the tribe in this state, he may not even survive the journey," Ras added.
Ziqian wanted to comfort him, but the words stuck in his throat. Even Xue remained quiet, his expression solemn.
Xue glanced at Huo, who was lying nearby and still unconscious, but his condition was clearly improving. He knew he would make the same decision if he were in Ras's situation.
Seeing the determination in Ras's eyes, Ziqian stilled his heart and said, "Alright, let's try." He took out the root from his bag. It is a small, twisted, dark-red root, pulsing faintly as if it had a heartbeat.
A chill crept to Ras the moment the root of the man-eating tree was exposed. Even Xue's expression hardened.
Ziqian knelt beside Rei. The root felt heavy in his hands, and his fingers trembled slightly.
With Ero and Phi's guidance, he sliced off a thin piece of the root—the size of a fingernail. The scent of blood is much stronger than that of fruit.
"Ras… I'll give it to him now," Ziqian said quietly.
Ras nodded as he held Rei's shoulders steady. Ziqian lifted Rei's chin gently and slipped the tiny piece into his mouth. With a light pressure, he guided Rei's throat to swallow.
In the next moment, Rei's body suddenly jerked.
Ziqian immediately grabbed Rei's left wrist, checking his pulse while Ras firmly held Rei's trembling body as black veins spread from his heart.
"His pulse is getting fast."
Rei's breathing quickened, his chest rising and falling in shallow, rapid movements.
"Rei… hold on," Ras whispered hoarsely. His hand trembled where it held his brother's shoulder.
Ziqian could only kneel there, his heart pounding with fear as he watched the strange black veins spreading in Rei's whole body.
For a while, Rei's body kept on trembling, then his left hand curled slowly, as if trying to grasp something. His rapid breathing became gasps.
Rei's body suddenly arched, and a loud groan sounded in his throat.
"Rei!" Ras shouted as he tried to tighten his grip on Rei's body. His eyes were now brimming with tears.
Ziqian's eyes widened as the black veins across Rei's skin began to shrink, retracting toward his chest like ink being drawn back. His pale and lifeless complexion is now flushed with a faint warmth.
"It's working…" Ziqian whispered.
Then the black veins gathered over Rei's heart slowly dissolved, evaporating into a black mist.
Rei collapsed back into Ras's arms.
Slowly, Rei's eyelids opened, revealing his unfocused eyes as he weakly looked at his older brother. "…Brother," he called, his voice rasped.
Ras broke, and with a strangled cry, he pulled Rei into an embrace. Rei! You idiot, you scared me!"
Ziqian's knees nearly gave out in relief. Xue caught him before he fell, wrapping an arm around his waist. "Thank God!" he whispered.