4: The father beast seems to be dying.

There wasn't enough food, and witch medicine was especially expensive.

Hu Qi felt that his Father Beast might not make it.

"Cough, cough, cough..." White Fox couldn't help but cough incessantly.

"Daddy, where does it hurt?"

"Aqi, don't worry, Father Beast is fine. I'm just a bit tired." Saying this, White Fox feebly drifted off to sleep.

Hu Qi's heart ached, his eyes rimmed red. Biting his lip, he grabbed the family's last piece of beast skin and quickly ran towards the Witch Doctor.

In the Beast World, Witch Doctors were extremely rare, only large tribes had them.

Stone Village, as an ancient tribe, possessed its own Witch Doctor.

The Witch Doctor was an elderly Fox Beastman Male named Hu You.

When Hu Qi arrived, Witch Doctor Hu You was busy laying out herbs to dry in the sun.

The little White Fox cub was extremely anxious: "Witch Doctor, my Father Beast is sicker now. His head is burning hot, it seems like he's about to die. Please help him, I can't lose my Father Beast! Our family still has a piece of beast skin!"

Hu Qi took out the family's last intact piece of beast skin. "This beast skin is whole, thick and soft. It's the last one we have. Please! I beg you, save my Father Beast!"

Hu You glanced down at him and spoke earnestly, "Hu Qi, I already went to see him with you yesterday. Your Father Beast has had a high fever for five days now. I'm afraid he can't be saved. And even if I wanted to save him, the medicine I have on hand isn't enough."

The herbs Hu You had were ones he personally gathered bit by bit from the mountains. The tribe consumed a lot of medicine, and he couldn't gather enough to keep up.

"No medicine? There has to be medicine!" Hu Qi pleaded urgently. "Please don't give up on my Father Beast. I truly can't lose him!"

"Little fellow," Hu You sighed. "It's not that I don't want to save him. It's truly impossible."

Hu Qi wiped his tears, then stood up resolutely. "Then can you tell me what kind of witch medicine it is? I'll go gather it myself from the mountains!"

Hu You looked at him in surprise. "Little Cub, do you know what it means for a young Beastman to enter the forest?"

Hu Qi was only five years old. A five-year-old child entering the forest was like delivering a meal to the wild beasts.

Hu Qi bit his lower lip hard, his eyes moist. "I know. But Father Beast is my only family. I can't let my Father Beast die!"

Hu You was ultimately moved by such sincere filial devotion. "Alright, I'll tell you what kind of herb it is. But you must understand, your Father Beast's Physique has always been poor. Now, with a high fever for five days, if you can't find the herbs before tonight, your Father Beast might have to go meet the beast god."

Hu Qi knelt on the ground and kowtowed. "No, that won't happen. I will definitely find the herbs!"

Watching the little fox leave, Hu You couldn't help but murmur, "So pitiful. White Fox, once so fine, was ruined by a vicious Female. To live in such hardship... such a small cub having to run around for him... truly pitiful..."

...

Meanwhile, Nan Zhisui was still feeding the Little Snake Beastman with Ham Sausage.

The Water-Blue Little Snake poked out its slippery head, eating the small pieces of Ham Sausage she fed it.

Wow, so delicious!

Munch munch, eat quickly.

Nan Zhisui watched, her little face flushed.

Wow! So cute!

Feeding a little cutie is so blissful!

After feeding another small piece of Ham Sausage, Nan Zhisui said, "Little Snake, it's getting dark. The forest is most dangerous at night. We need to find a way to find a tribe to stay with."

She Yang nodded. "Ssss, ssss." Pretty Older Sister, I know there's a fox tribe nearby, but it's a bit far.

Nan Zhisui guessed and asked, "Are you saying you know there's a tribe nearby?"

The Little Blue Snake continued nodding.

Nan Zhisui asked again, "Can we reach it tonight?"

The Little Blue Snake shook its head.

"Ssss." No, it's too late to go back now.

"Then we'll find a way to spend the night in the forest first."

After all, Nan Zhisui had plenty of experience in the wild with the System before, so she adapted very well now.

She and the Little Blue Snake searched for firewood together.

Although the Little Blue Snake didn't quite understand what Nan Zhisui wanted to do, it did whatever Pretty Older Sister instructed.

Every time the little snake brought over a piece of wood, Pretty Older Sister would pat its head and praise it.

Wow! So happy!

Nan Zhisui piled up some firewood, then lit it with a lighter.

Seeing the burning flames, She Yang quickly hid behind a nearby rock, nervously refusing to get close.

Nan Zhisui couldn't help but laugh. "Little spicy strip is so timid. Look how scared you are."

"Ssss..." Pretty Older Sister, that's dangerous. Come over here.

"It's just fire, nothing to be afraid of." Nan Zhisui scooped up the little snake and teased it. "Older Sister will teach you how to use fire."

The closer it got to the fire, the more scared the little snake became. It slithered behind Nan Zhisui and peeked at the small flame.

Nan Zhisui set up an iron pot over the fire, took out seasonings from her space, pulled out a frozen chicken, and started making chicken soup.

Nan Zhisui loved to eat, but before, penniless in the Beast World, she didn't even have seasonings. Even salt was a rare commodity. Life was truly bitter.

Now, with 200 cubic meters of supplies at her disposal, she could use whatever she wanted!

...

The sky grew completely dark.

The little white Fox Beastman, clutching a few witch herbs, ran frantically without watching his path.

Just moments ago, sniffing for the scent of the herbs, he had finally found them!

He managed to pick the herbs, but he had angered a Wolf Pack!

He had no choice but to transform into his little fox form and run desperately.

A pack of wolves, starved for several days, chased after him.

Help, help, help!

The little fox stumbled, injuring his knee. He whimpered twice but still refused to let go of the herbs. Clutching them, he ran with a limp.

Nan Zhisui's chicken soup was ready. Just as she was about to ladle it out to eat, she heard the howls of wolves not far away.

She Yang immediately raised his head. He listened carefully to the sounds of the Wolf Pack. Among the wolves' cries, he also heard Hu Qi's voice.

He sniffed carefully. It seemed like Hu Qi's scent. It was Hu Qi's scent!

But wasn't Hu Qi a fox cub from Stone Village?

What was he doing running into the forest?

It seemed there were no other adult Beastmen with him!

She Yang was frantic. He flicked his tongue towards Nan Zhisui, hissing urgently.

What to do? Pretty Older Sister was just a Little Female, and he was just a Little Cub.

Hu Qi was also just a Little Cub.

What should he do?!

He coiled around the hem of Nan Zhisui's nightgown and tugged towards a tree.

Pretty Older Sister, wolves can't climb trees. You hide in the tree first! Hu Qi is my friend. I have to save Hu Qi!

Unexpectedly, Nan Zhisui simply scooped up the little snake. Holding She Yang, she climbed up the tree and looked down from above.

Under the bright moonlight, Nan Zhisui saw a pack of wolves chasing a very young-looking little White Fox. The little White Fox had a leg injury and looked like he was about done for.