"How did you know what happened to us?" One of the beasts asked a warrior who was helping gather wood.
It was a question many members of the hunting group wanted to know.
"Hm… I'm not sure," the man replied, looking conflicted about how to explain it properly.
"What do you mean?" The beast pressed.
The other beasts from the hunting party began to gather around, drawn in by their conversation. They too wanted to know how help had arrived before they'd even sent someone to call for rescue.
The beast warrior scratched his head, then began recounting what he had heard back in the tribe before the patriarch summoned them for this mission—how they had traveled day and night with barely any rest, encountered only a few monsters along the way, and eventually arrived at this place.
And everything that had happened seemed to revolve around one person.
"How can that be?" A beast asked in surprise. It was hard to believe everything the beast warrior had said.
Everyone knew that monsters became more restless and violent at night, their senses sharpening to an extreme. Traveling after dark was extremely dangerous, even for them—it was like courting death.
"It's true!" The warrior insisted when he saw the disbelief on their faces. "You can ask the others."
"When the patriarch ordered us to accompany the young patriarch to rescue you because Ziqian saw something had happened to Huo, we didn't believe it either. But we couldn't disobey the patriarch or the high priest."
"During the journey, we all had our doubts. But when night fell and we continued walking through the forest in our beast forms, Ziqian suddenly pointed in a direction and said there were monsters ahead, telling us to change our route. None of us sensed anything, yet the young patriarch still listened. And after we changed direction, we heard howls coming from the place he warned us about. At first, we thought it was just a coincidence… but it didn't happen only once." The warrior went on, his voice growing louder, filled with admiration as he recalled the journey.
"He's also the one who guided us to this exact location. When we finally saw your state and that five-horned monster, we realized everything he said was real."
"Ziqian is incredibly powerful and brave," the warrior finished with a sigh.
The surrounding beasts fell silent. They couldn't immediately process what the warrior beast had said. Even the high priest didn't have such abilities… did he?
The story spread immediately, stirring excitement among everyone and filling the temporary camp with lively chatter. But as the noise grew, Xue's expression only became colder.
Meanwhile, Ziqian slept peacefully, unaware of it all.
~
Ziqian was woken by Phi after an hour and a half. He still felt lightheaded, but he forced himself to sit up. That nap replenished his energy just enough for him to move again.
"Are you okay, Ah-Zi?" Phi worriedly asked.
Ziqian nodded. "I'm fine. I'll only be able to relax once everyone returns to the tribe safely."
"Why don't you buy a nourishing pill from the shop, Ah-Zi?" Ero suggested again. They had been urging him since last night, but their ward remained stubborn about spending his points on himself.
"This is nothing," Ziqian insisted. "I'm already used to this kind of routine. I even once went to work and school for four days without sleeping," he said proudly, as though it were some sort of achievement.
The two guardians sighed. When it came to stubbornness, they could never win against their Ah-Zi.
"Then, are you ready?" Ero asked, deliberately changing the subject.
They want to avoid talking about Ah-Zi's past because it didn't just sadden them, but it angered them as well.
"Yes! Let's go out now and help the wounded!" Ziqian said as he packed all his things into a bag made of monster hide, including the items he had taken out from his inventory.
As Ziqian headed out with Phi and Ero floating beside him. He immediately noticed the strange looks the passing beasts gave him. Their eyes were filled with admiration and an inexplicable reverence.
Ziqian felt goosebumps all over his body.
He was just about to look for Xue when the man appeared, with a deep frown on his handsome face.
"What's wrong?" Ziqian asked.
"Let's go inside." Xue didn't answer his question. He simply reached out and gently pulled Ziqian back into the tent.
Ziqian sensed something was off with Xue. He wanted to ask the man once again, but the moment they slipped back into the tent, his question was swallowed back into his throat because Xue's lips were already on his.
The kiss was sudden, fierce, and unrestrained. Xue's mouth pressed against his with a hunger that made Ziqian's breath hitch.
The man pried his lips open, deepening the kiss as if he wanted to swallow every sound Ziqian might make. It was rough, almost desperate, yet undeniably intoxicating.
Even so, Ziqian didn't push him away. He kissed back with matching intensity, letting himself be swept into the heat of the moment.
This man… he's way too domineering.
A thrill rushed down his spine.
It's seriously a turn-on.
Ziqian's lips were already tingling, almost numb by the time Xue finally pulled back. Their breathing was uneven.
Xue rested his forehead against Ziqian. He immediately noticed the small split at the corner of the sub-beast's mouth, and he felt a sense of guilt.
"I'm sorry…" he murmured as he nuzzled against Ziqian's neck.
Ziqian didn't mind.
He wrapped his arms around Xue and held him close, one hand gently rubbing slow, soothing circles along the man's firm back.
"Are you calm now?" he asked softly.
He didn't need to ask why Xue had kissed him like that. The answer was obvious.
What a jealous man, Ziqian thought, a tiny smile tugging at the corner of his sore lips.
Inhaling the faint fragrance of Ziqian's pheromones, the tension in Xue's shoulders eased as he answered with a soft "Mm."
"Is everything I asked for ready?" Ziqian whispered, his hand still tracing Xue's back.
Xue nodded.
"Then let's go? I need to treat them," Ziqian coaxed.
Xue reluctantly drew back. Looking at the flushed sub-beast, he couldn't help but lean in again and give a quick kiss on Ziqian's lips—light, apologetic, yet possessive.
He took Ziqian's hand, squeezed it once, and led him toward the tent entrance.
Ero and Phi appeared and then let out a silent sigh as they looked at the two.
Gai, come back soon… The person you share the strongest affinity with is slipping away, and his connection to Nia is growing stronger instead.
~
Ziqian started treating Huo, relying on the guidance of the two guardians and the medical knowledge he had recently absorbed.
He carefully cleaned the wounds across Huo's body, making sure not to aggravate the fractures or reopen the torn flesh. Ziqian was paying attention to every detail.
Then he squeezed the juice of the Man-Eating Tree Fruit into a bowl. Its appearance was like a lump of raw flesh soaked in fresh blood, and the strong scent of iron made his stomach churn.
With Xue's help, they slowly fed the juice to the unconscious Huo.
Ziqian also slipped the Unary Bone Restoration Pill and the Blood Replenishing Pill into the blood juice, making it easier for Huo to swallow everything at once.
Ero confirmed that the three items did not have any conflicting effects, so there should be no issue giving them together.
After treating Huo, Ziqian immediately moved on to disinfect the injuries of the other beastmen, using clean water mixed with a few drops of unripe lume juice.
Earlier, Ziqian asked Xue to grind the antibiotic tablets into a fine powder. He then applied the powder to the wounds of the beastmen before wrapping them with clean, broad leaves to keep the medicine in place and protect it from dirt.
For those with fractured limbs, he used flat, sturdy branches to make splints.
After making sure every injured person had been properly treated, Ziqian began preparing a pot of soup for them. Xue had already gathered and cleaned the ingredients, setting them neatly at Ziqian's side so he could focus on cooking.
Nearby, the other beasts who had been taught by Xue started frying chunks of meat over the fire.
The smoky aroma slowly filled the air, and the temporary camp, though still weary, felt a little more alive.
The entire time Xue stayed by his side without asking a single question. He didn't ask where the fruit, the pills, or the strange tablets came from.
The man simply stayed by his side, doing whatever he asked of him.
This trust made Ziqian's chest feel warm.
Huo was the first person he met in this world. He was also the first person to offer him help. while Xue had unknowingly become the one he relied on the most.
In such a short time, he had grown comfortable in this world, and his days became far easier because of them. Before he even realized it, the twins had become important to him.
If the day ever came when he had to choose between them, it would undoubtedly be a hard decision.
And that time didn't feel far away.