CHAPTER 236: CHAPTER 236: WORSENING CONDITION

"How is Zizi’s mother doing?" Cassias bluntly asked Eldemar.

His face didn’t have its usual patience. Instead, it was filled with a typical kid’s rebellious expression, stubbornness. Eldemar glanced at him with his face all wrinkled, unimpressed.

"You are getting more and more impolite, kid," he complained, but there was no trace of blame in his tone.

Zerra sucked in a deep breath, her thoughts wandering. Why did they seem familiar with each other? It wasn’t the first time they met, or what?

The more time she spent with Eldemar, the more curious she became. This elder was quite eccentric. Despite his kind and patient appearance when faced with her, his temperament was odd.

She couldn’t get used to it for a while. However... Wasn’t he quite strict with Cassias lately too?

He always ordered the little boy to water his medicinal herbs and spared Zerra from doing so. She could do whatever she liked, but Cassias must wake up early and water them for him.

Zerra fell silent. Why did it seem like the turtle old man had taken in Cassias as his disciple? She licked her fur hard, deep in thought.

"Zizi?"

Someone waved his hand in front of her face, making her jump a few steps back. She heaved a sigh of relief when she saw it was Cassias.

However, that feeling of relief was instantly gone when she glanced in Eldemar’s direction and found him staring at her. He was smiling. Her heart jumped; she inexplicably felt guilty for eavesdropping.

"I..." before she could explain, Cassias glanced at Eldemar and took her away.

What a good friend. He saved her from awkward situations.

Still, her ears twitched and her tail couldn’t help but sway slightly, her nervousness evident. She opened her mouth. "Did Mr. Eldemar take you in as his disciple or something?"

Cassias hummed. "He didn’t. But perhaps he can be considered half-teacher since he taught me about medicinal herbs and their functions."

"Ohh." She blinked with her watery eyes. It turned out she was just overthinking it. She continued, "About my mother..."

"She just sent a new back a while ago and Mr. Eldemar didn’t have the time to tell you yet." He could tell what she was thinking at a glance. "Your mother is fine."

He rubbed her fur. His warmth somehow helped her to calm down. She waited for him to continue.

"There had been endless zombie beasts recently, so they have to deal promptly with them. They also found contaminated source of water. Your mother listed some water sources we shouldn’t touch."

As he walked, he continued to tell him the information he had gained from Eldemar so far.

Zerra was still not assured. She was silent for a moment, her eyes gazing elsewhere but at him. "Was she hurt?"

Cassias arched his brows as he flicked her forehead gently. "You shouldn’t doubt your mother’s power, little fox. She is powerful. If she had gotten injured, she might have requested medicine from Mr. Eldemar. She only asked about you."

The little fox snorted. "It’s natural to be worried about my mother."

He let out a small laugh when he heard that. "You are right."

The two cubs conversed as they walked through the rooms, heading to their bedrooms. Eldemar stared at them, his thoughts unknown.

***

The days with Eldemar acting as their guardian were relatively peaceful. At least for the two cubs.

Until that peace was broken. They saw a familiar spiritual beast cub being carried in Eldemar’s place one day. It was the koala’s cub.

Zerra’s pupils constricted, and she held her breath. The koala cub... was on the verge of zombie transformation. Judging from how the little cub’s skin was slowly turning inti darker color, it had reached an irreversible degree.

The condition was severe; there were some bite marks big enough that ripped the koala cub’s fur, making some of the skin exposed.

"That..." Zerra was at a loss for words. The door slammed shut as Eldemar treated his patient. He had an unhappy look on his face.

It didn’t take long for the three to come out again–Eldemar and the koala cub’ parents. They were bringing a clay container filled with ashes.

The owner of the ashes was clear. The female koala kept sobbing, holding onto the clay container tightly. She almost refused when her mate tried to take it from her. However, they had no choice but to bury the clay container, reducing the risk of zombie virus infection.

"Thank you, Mr. Eldemar." The male koala was much calmer, but it was clear he had been hit by his offspring’s death.

He took his sobbing mate, who was trying to dig up the clay container. She was clawing at the ground like a crazy person. Zerra faintly heard what she was yelling about in sorrow. "My cub isn’t dead. Why did you have to bury my cub?!"

The female koala’s power was much weaker compared to his mate. As he forcefully dragged her away, he bid farewell to Eldemar. "Until we meet again, Mr. Eldemar."

He didn’t forget to give them a warning. "The mountain isn’t safe anymore, Mr. Eldemar. Better to watch for the cubs too. A zombie snuck up on our cub when we weren’t looking." He motioned to Zerra and Cassias when he said this.

Then, he walked away with his mate after mentioning they were going to move out of the mountain.

Zerra watched the whole thing in a daze. What just happened? Their playmate had died. She turned to Cassias, who also had his brows knitted together.

It was just recently that he had made friends with other cubs, and now one of his friends had died. He must be in great sorrow right now.

She tugged on his clothes, signaling him to enter the house. Inside, she gave him some strawberries to console him. His mood seemed to be much better after that.

One fox and one little boy fell silent, each with their own thoughts.

That was the scene Eldemar witnessed when he returned inside. He didn’t bother them. However, that night, he ordered the two cubs to move their rooms near his workroom, where he always stayed .

It was like the calm before the storm. After the koala cub’s death, the tense atmosphere lingered. And as it turned out, it was just the beginning.

Eldemar wouldn’t accept just anyone to be treated, but many people still tried their luck with him. More and more spiritual beasts came. At first it was the cubs who were injured, and as time passed, there were more adults than cubs.

Half of them were injured because of the fight with zombie beasts, and the rest were on the verge of zombie transformation. Eldemar couldn’t help much if it was the latter. Moreover, he wouldn’t take all the requests.

"Mr. Eldemar received two patients again today." Zerra scrunched her nose. Her worry skyrocketed each passing day.

If not for her mother always sending messages every few days to report about her condition, she might have died with worry. It was an illusion-like world, but still...

No matter what had happened in the past, she wanted the tiger to be well. Especially when the past could no longer be changed.

Zerra stared at Cassias, wondering why his subconscious was replaying this memory.

Cassias had just returned from watering the medicinal herbs in the backyard. He pursed his lips when he heard Zerra’s words. "What do you think if Mr. Eldemar is going to leave the mountain too?"

She snapped her gaze toward him, looking extremely troubled. "Did he say this to you...?"

If that was the case, what about her mother? She hadn’t gone back yet!

"He has such a plan." Cassias stiffly nodded. "This mountain is no longer safe."

She was well aware of that. It was just yesterday that two zombie spiritual beasts attacked them. They appeared at the medicinal herb plantation, in front of the herbs.

The fight between Eldemar and them had destroyed the medicinal herbs, worsening his mood.

"Did Mr. Eldemar ask you to tell me this?" She knitted her brow.

"Yes." Cassias nodded, but his face was still stained with worry. "Your mother has been informed too. If we move, she might return."

Zerra’s eyes lit up when she heard that, not noticing Cassias troubled face. However, she just didn’t expect that they would move so soon.

After Eldemar was finished with today’s patients, they immediately packed up and left at night. They were crossing the lake. Eldemar let the two cubs stay on top of his body.

The night was extremely quiet. Oddly quiet.

At unknown time, they finally arrived at the other side of the lake. Zerra had to use her senses to slide down from the turtle’s gigantic body.

However, soon she held her breath. "Be careful!"

Her warning came too late. In the silent night, merging with the blackness, they failed to notice a quiet presence. As soon as they landed ashore, a gaping mouth already waited for them.