Chapter 45: 45, What kind of doctor are you?

Compared to Yang Xiaojin’s caution, Ren Xiaosu looked at the others in the group and found their vigilance somewhat lacking—twelve private troops here, yet not even a night watchman.

Inside each tent, snores shook the heavens, clearly everyone was sleeping like the dead. The large beasts were indeed kept beyond the barricade, but your hearts are too bold.

Yang Xiaojin’s breathing was even and shallow, clearly not in deep sleep.

Ren Xiaosu felt his caution was justified, for he had seen many killed in the night, but what kind of environment had shaped Yang Xiaojin into this habit?

He believed a person’s past experiences determined their present mindset and habits; Yang Xiaojin must have endured extremely perilous circumstances.

At dawn, Ren Xiaosu went to check the spot where he had thrown fish bones while the others were still asleep. Last night, he had deliberately left some fish meat to see if any beasts would be drawn there.

Many fear beasts because they think them so fierce they wouldn’t fear humans, yet beasts are not so reckless—in fact, most are very alert. A lone beast would likely leave upon seeing so many tents, but the fish bones and meat here were far from the camp, enough to leave traces.

Ren Xiaosu approached the area cautiously, listening intently for any signs of beasts, yet found nothing.

But when he arrived, he suddenly noticed the fish meat and bones had vanished, with no animal tracks around!

Ren Xiaosu immediately drew the bone knife from his sleeve, staying alert as he carefully retreated. Could ants have carried them off? It was possible—ants now grew as large as fingernails, and if there was a nearby anthill, they could have cleared the area overnight.

Yet doubt lingered in his heart. When he returned to the camp, everyone was already packing, folding tents into the off-road vehicle’s trunk.

Liu Bu continued complaining to Luo Xinyu: “Xinyu, you shouldn’t have swapped chocolate with him. Refugees don’t deserve such luxuries!”

Luo Xinyu ignored him; she hadn’t expected to lose two chocolates!

The convoy set off, following Ren Xiaosu’s guidance as they finally ventured deep into the woods. Sunlight filtered through the canopy, making the forest seem especially serene.

By now, everyone had forgotten the terror of the giant deer tracks the night before. Ren Xiaosu even heard singing from the rear vehicle, followed by the raucous laughter of private soldiers sharing crude jokes.

It was as if they had come for a picnic.

Along a stretch near the river, Ren Xiaosu told the driver: “Stay as far from the river as possible.”

He didn’t know what dangers lurked in the waters, only that the previous night’s scene had left a deep impression.

The driver scoffed: “We’re still far from that river, and there’s only fish in it. Will they leap ashore to bite you? Just don’t swim.”

Ren Xiaosu said nothing more, having made his decision—if crisis struck, he would abandon these fools and flee swiftly.

At that moment, the lead vehicle slammed on its brakes. The private driver shouted: “Ahead!”

Ren Xiaosu turned to see a massive elk.

Elk, the second-largest deer species, were naturally huge, living in herds and feeding on grass, leaves, tender shoots, bark, and fruits, often licking salt and alkali.

This elk must have been over two meters tall, standing silently in the road, staring at the convoy.

The convoy fell into tension; the private soldiers grabbed their automatic rifles, racking bolts. Suddenly, rustling sounds came from the woods—two smaller elk emerged, clearly the first’s offspring.

Xu Xianchu’s voice crackled through the car radio: “Don’t shoot!”

The elk seemed non-aggressive, merely glancing at the convoy as if to say, “What the hell is this?” before preparing to leave. Everyone exhaled, their nerves easing.

The private soldiers laughed: “Just herbivores, look at you all scared. There won’t be any large carnivores here.”

They began teasing each other again, as if the earlier tension had never been theirs.

But then the elk suddenly charged toward the convoy, its head lowered, massive antlers aimed straight at the lead vehicle!

The driver cursed and slammed the gas, swerving into the woods without regard for trees or flipping.

Fortunately, as the elk arrived, the lead vehicle turned just in time, grazing its antlers. The following vehicles were less fortunate—the antlers, unyielding and powerful, pierced into the engine compartment like a forklift prong, and with a jerk of its head, flipped the entire car!

Before the private soldiers could exit their vehicles, the elk vanished into the woods with its two young, as if to say, “One strike and we’re done.”

Someone fired wildly at the elk’s retreating form, but missed entirely—their marksmanship was shockingly poor.

Ren Xiaosu’s vehicle, speeding away, crashed into a tree by the dirt road, its hood crumpling and belching white smoke.

Someone shouted from the convoy: “Come save them!”

Liu Bu’s voice rang out: “Isn’t that refugee the doctor from the settlement? Get him over here!”

Ren Xiaosu climbed out and rushed toward the convoy, only to find the second driver had merely a minor arm scrape—what was the fuss about?

Death had accompanied refugees since childhood, as mundane as everyday chores. A scrape like this was nothing.

Ren Xiaosu frowned, having no intention of treating the man—private soldiers like him weren’t worth wasting black medicine on. Yet he wondered why the elk had suddenly turned aggressive.

Liu Bu shoved Ren Xiaosu, shouting: “Aren’t you a doctor? Save him!”

“Oh,” Ren Xiaosu muttered, approaching the driver’s wound: “Heal quickly, heal quickly, heal quickly…”

Liu Bu gaped: “Is that how you treat wounds? What kind of doctor are you!?”

Ren Xiaosu paused, then ventured: “Shaman doctor?”