Chapter 214: 214, Chen Wudi's adaptability

After the wolf king's recent trials, Ren Xiaosu suspected the pack would grow significantly again in two months...

During the wolves' hunt today, he noticed their numbers had dwindled greatly, perhaps the missing were she-wolves.

By past patterns, a she-wolf's gestation to whelping lasts about sixty-three days—a swift span for humans, though whether this natural cycle had shifted with their evolution remained unknown.

Following the pack's traces into the mountains, Ren judged their den could not be far from the outpost, for the wolf howls that night had sounded near.

Yet he had not gone far when the wolf king suddenly appeared at the mountain path's end, blocking his way.

Ren always felt the wolf king seemed to be seeking him.

The wolf king let out a low whimper, and Ren pondered half a moment: "You've come to let me heal your companions?"

In the wild, beasts hunt cautiously, for even minor wounds might invite infection and death—bacteria and pathogens, even the mightiest species struggle against them, and time has proven them among the world's most tenacious lifeforms.

How many times has the world ended and reborn? Yet these microbes persist, unyielding.

When Ren finished speaking, the wolf king nodded.

Ren drew forth the black medicine: "This heals wounds. I know your pack has injured members—I can help them."

The wolf king's puzzled expression seemed to say: This stuff actually works?!

Earlier, Ren had wondered—humans can smear medicine with fingers, but how would wolves? They licked wounds to heal them.

If they licked this black medicine, wouldn't that be disastrous...

The wolf king hesitated, then turned to lead Ren deeper into the mountains.

In a sheltered valley, Ren saw dozens of wolf pups rolling on the grass, unafraid of him—they had encountered him before during their exodus, though now there were more.

It seemed the pack had not been idle along the way.

Of course, Ren understood; with food so abundant now, there was no time for books or cards, no other amusements.

When the wolves saw Ren arrive, they parted to let him pass, and he walked among them, heart racing, forcing down fear to press on.

One might say his skill was unmatched, his courage extraordinary—another would never dare venture so deep into a wolf den. It was no wonder he alone had thrived as a hunter in the settlement beyond the 113 Barrier.

Going further, Ren found six or seven wolves lying gasping on the ground, their surroundings tinged with blood.

Though bullets had pierced their muscles without fatal force, prolonged pain and bleeding would slowly drag them into the abyss.

Glancing at the wolf king beside him, Ren said: "I must extract the bullets from their wounds first—it will hurt. You must warn them not to bite me..."

The wolf king shook its head: Hurry!

Ren crouched by an injured male wolf, retrieving a small pair of forceps from his storage space—no need for sterilization now, for the wolves knew nothing of such practices.

Truthfully, this was his first time performing such a task; as he probed the wound with the forceps, he watched the wolf's reactions, lest pain provoke a frenzy.

To his astonishment, the wolf's eyes rolled back from pain, yet it uttered not a whimper.

"A brave soul among wolves," Ren mused, having located the bullet—it had penetrated shallower than he'd imagined, proving their muscles stronger than he'd thought.

With a clink, he tossed the extracted bullet onto a nearby stone, then casually smeared some black medicine on the wound.

The instant the medicine touched, Ren sensed the wolf's trembling muscles begin to relax.

In that moment, the wolf king's gaze toward the black medicine in Ren's hand transformed!

After tending to seven wolves, Ren was drenched in sweat, his fear of the pack now dissolved. Wiping his brow, he spoke boisterously: "When they recover, send us more game—we plan to sell the meat inside the Barrier, earn some coin for a good year. Sister Xiaoyu and Liuyuan need new clothes..."

The wolf king listened in silence, saying nothing, as they walked back toward the den's edge.

Ren never dreamed he'd one day move so freely among wolf dens—months prior, he had still treated them as imagined foes.

"Enough, no need to send any," Ren called over his shoulder: "Remember, they mustn't eat spicy food, nor scallions, ginger, or garlic..."

He paused, gazing at the snowy wilderness, realizing his professional habit had kicked in again—what did wolves care for spicy food?

Having been a doctor for mere days, yet already plagued by occupational quirks...

Once, in the settlement beyond the 113 Barrier, he had been the village's sole physician—the hope of all.

Now, he had become a veterinarian...

"Still, wounded wolves should eat less mutton—follow medical advice, understand?" Finishing, Ren inhaled deeply and turned to the wolf king: "Send more of those pheasants with green fuzz on their rumps—they're tastier than mutton, fragrant!"

The wolf king no longer wished to hear this chatter, turned, and returned to the den.

On his way back, Ren thought this life wasn't so bad—better than enduring cold glances within the Barrier.

Yet as he neared the outpost, he heard sounds amiss—everyone should be asleep, so why such a great blaze?

Approaching, he saw all gathered around a bonfire, roasting meat, while an old man sat among them, his white hair stark.

The elder smiled upon seeing Ren: "You're Ren Xiaosu, they said you went to relieve yourself—your 'relief' has lasted quite long."

Earlier, Ren had instructed Chen Wudi: if anything arose, Chen could improvise, claiming Ren had gone to defecate, avoiding conflict.

It seemed Chen had adapted well—Ren called to him: "How long have I been 'relieving myself'?"

Chen counted on his fingers: "Six hours."

Ren: "..."

Ren stood frozen, unsure how to respond, then asked Chen: "Who is this?"

Chen considered: "The Land Lord!"

Ren felt his head spin—how could such a serious matter be entrusted to Chen...

Li Qingzheng, seeing him stand motionless, hurried over to pull him down, muttering as he did: "A member of the Li clan, here to investigate the two missing officers—we haven't mentioned the wolves' daytime activities. Don't speak recklessly."

Ren faintly raised an eyebrow—an old man daring to investigate alone?

...

I, Zhouzi, beg for monthly tickets.