System 999 fell briefly silent.
Even it had to admit that its host had an alarming talent for saying shocking things at the worst possible moments.
It quickly scanned Lang You's body from head to toe.
[Good news. His intestines are still intact. You'll just need to suture the wound later.]
Yue Ling frowned slightly at the thought of her own sewing skills.
Lang Zuo rushed in carrying a pot of boiling water—only to see his brother lying motionless with his eyes closed. His face drained of all color.
The stone pot slipped from his hands and crashed heavily onto the ground, boiling water splashing everywhere.
"He just fainted," Yue Ling said calmly.
But her gaze was fixed on Lang You's injuries—especially the gaping wound in his abdomen, where blood continued to pour out relentlessly.
[999, the bleeding won't stop.]
[Host, there's a type of herb outside the cave that can stop bleeding.]
[Why didn't you tell me earlier?!]
Yue Ling was momentarily speechless. She'd been struggling here for so long already.
System 999 sounded a little guilty.
[Ahem… Host, don't focus on the details. Saving Lang You is what matters most right now.]
The male beastmen watched in confusion as the small female abruptly stepped away from the stone bed and sprinted toward the cave entrance.
The old shaman shook his head.
So she'd finally realized she was in over her head and run away. Poor Lang You—enduring all that pain for nothing.
The others, including Bai Ying, felt equally incredulous. They couldn't believe they had actually trusted this clueless mad female for even a moment.
Lang Zuo clenched the rim of the stone pot so tightly that deep finger marks appeared in its surface.
"Take Lang You back," the old shaman said with a dismissive wave. "It's time."
Yue Ling returned quickly, following System 999's guidance, clutching several stalks of fresh green herbs in her hand. As soon as she stepped inside the cave, she saw the beastmen lifting Lang You to move him.
"What are you doing?!" she shouted.
Her voice rose sharply. Moving a critically injured patient without stabilization would only worsen his condition.
As expected, the moment they shifted him, blood burst from the shoulder wound she had barely managed to control. Lang You groaned and coughed up a mouthful of blood-tinged foam as he was jolted back into partial consciousness.
The male beastmen exchanged uneasy looks.
One of them spoke hesitantly. "Female Yue Ling, you can't keep acting so recklessly."
Yue Ling raised the herbs in her hand, her expression cold and firm.
"This is a hemostatic herb. Put him down. His wounds cannot withstand any more movement."
Did they want Lang You to die?
"Put him down," Bai Ying said suddenly.
His gaze lingered on the crushed greenery in Yue Ling's hand, and something in her certainty made him act.
The beastmen obeyed, carefully lowering Lang You back onto the stone bed.
"You know medicine?" the old shaman asked, staring at the herbs in disbelief.
"A little," Yue Ling replied without hesitation. "The Beast God came to me in a dream."
She didn't want these stubborn males interfering again, so she used the one thing they all believed in.
"After the Beast God appeared to me, I regained my clarity. I'm no longer mad."
Invoking the Beast God immediately changed the atmosphere. No one dared look at her as if she were foolish now.
As she spoke, her hands never stopped moving. She crushed the herbs against a stone, grinding them into a thick, dark-green paste. The pulp and juice soaked into a piece of animal hide, which she then pressed firmly against Lang You's wounds.
"Hiss—"
Lang You sucked in a sharp breath as the cool paste touched his burning flesh.
"It stings," he murmured weakly.
"Bleeding first," Yue Ling said evenly. "I'll stitch the wounds afterward."
Outwardly calm, inwardly she was bombarding System 999 with questions.
[999, you said the Beast World has strong rule enforcement. If I keep using the Beast God as a shield, won't I be punished?]
[No. You are not a native soul of this world. The Beast God operating under these rules cannot bind or punish you.]
Yue Ling finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
"So… Female Yue Ling," the old shaman asked, his voice trembling, "you also received guidance from the Beast God?"
Her words fell like a stone into still water, stirring waves throughout the cave. The old shaman's hands shook as he spoke, his eyes shining with excitement and barely contained joy.
When he was young, he too had once dreamed of the Beast God. After waking, he inexplicably understood fragments of healing knowledge and had naturally become the tribe's shaman. It was the foundation of his authority and pride.
Now, looking at Yue Ling—her eyes clear, her expression lucid, no longer wearing that vacant, foolish look she once had—he found her story disturbingly believable.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the Snow Wolf Tribe would give rise to two shamans. And even more unbelievable was that this once-mad female was capable of treating such grievous injuries. Judging by her composure and methods, her shamanic power might even surpass his own.
In the Beast World, shamans and females were the pillars of a tribe's growth. Even the great beast cities rarely possessed two shamans. Yet here they were—favored by the Beast God himself. If this continued, the Snow Wolf Tribe might soon rise to become the strongest tribe on the Northern Continent.
Yue Ling nodded faintly, feeling a twinge of guilt under his reverent gaze. Her eyes drifted back to Lang You. The bleeding from his wounds had visibly slowed, and relief bloomed quietly in her chest.
So the herb really works.
"Lang Zuo," she said, steady and decisive, "bring the bone needle, the thread, and the boiling water."
Lang Zuo moved immediately, rushing to deliver everything she asked for.
Yue Ling picked up the bone needle. It had been carved from animal bone and was nearly as thick as her pinky finger. One glance told her this would be unbearable.
"Is there a thinner bone needle?" she asked, frowning. "I'll need to pierce his skin. This one is far too thick."
Bai Ying stepped forward and took the needle from her hand. "Leave it to me."
She looked at him in surprise, then obediently placed the needle into his palm. "Thank you."
"Anything else?" Bai Ying asked.
Yue Ling glanced around the crowded cave. "Everyone except the shaman and Lang Zuo should leave. Too many people means stagnant air—it's bad for the patient."
The old shaman reacted at once. "You heard her. All of you, out."
Though curiosity burned in their eyes, no one dared defy the tribe's most revered shaman. Seven or eight male beastmen filed out of the cave one by one.
Yue Ling instructed Lang Zuo to cut a corner of animal hide and soak the pieces in boiling water.
She then carefully wiped the blood from Lang You's body, methodically inspecting each wound before applying more of the hemostatic herb. Her head was bowed, movements gentle yet precise. Minutes slipped by unnoticed.
When she finally wiped the sweat from her temple, Bai Ying returned, holding the bone needle. He had ground it down—sharp, slender, and clean.
Yue Ling examined it and nodded with satisfaction. As Bai Ying turned to leave, she called out softly, "I also need fire."
He paused, puzzled. The old shaman was equally confused. He understood that she intended to stitch the wound—but fire?
"What do you need fire for?" the old shaman asked.
"For sterilization," Yue Ling replied calmly. "If it's not sterilized, the wound will become infected. Instead of healing, it'll worsen."
The old shaman blinked, utterly lost. "What is… sterilization?"
"These things carry pathogens," Yue Ling explained patiently, lips curling faintly. "High heat kills them. That's sterilization."
"What are pathogens? And what does it mean to kill them?"
The old shaman felt as if he were sinking into clouds. He had never heard such concepts in his life. Clearly, the Beast God favored this former mad female immensely—to grant her such profound healing knowledge.
Yue Ling pressed a hand to her forehead. "…Pathogens mean filth. Unclean things. Killing them means sterilizing."
"And what exactly is a 'thing'?"
Yue Ling: This is giving me a headache.
Fortunately, Bai Ying returned with the fire source just in time, saving her from the conversation.
She immediately held the bone needle over the flame, carefully scorching it.
Then she stopped Bai Ying again. "There's no anesthetic. Stitching will hurt badly. I need you to hold Lang You down."
Bai Ying didn't know what anesthesia was, but he understood pain—and struggle. Just like when they pulled out the branch earlier.
"I understand," he said.
"You too, Lang Zuo," Yue Ling added. "Help restrain him."
Lang Zuo nodded vigorously.
Lang You let out a weak scoff. "Don't underestimate a beast."
Yue Ling glanced at him, amused to see he still had the strength to boast. She gave him a thumbs-up.
"Let's hope you can keep that confidence in a moment."