Chapter 213: Trying Something New

After the division of labor was complete, the six Beast Husbands went off to work without any objections.

Sora remained at the round table, her expression thoughtful as she considered what they should do next.

When the plague toxin had first appeared, she had thought that containing it within the Tribe would be enough. If everyone followed the rules, avoided unnecessary contact, and stayed away from dangerous areas, perhaps they could survive until the threat passed.

But after what had happened to Martin, she realized that simply controlling the spread within the Tribe wasn’t enough.

Martin had only gone near the ashes and yet had still contracted the illness.

If even someone as careful as the Tribe’s Chieftain could become infected, then sooner or later, someone else might make the same mistake. They couldn’t remain on the defensive forever.

Everything still needed to be dealt with at its source.

If she could develop a medicine capable of treating the plague toxin, then everything would become much easier.

Sora lowered her eyes and called out to the System in her mind.

"System, do you have medicine that can treat the plague toxin?"

The System’s response came quickly.

[Sorry, Host. The System cannot provide this medicine.]

Sure enough.

Sora wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

She had already learned that whenever she desperately needed something, this broken System was usually the least reliable thing to ask.

Back then, it hadn’t even given her medicine for lice.

Now she wanted something capable of treating a deadly toxin, so expecting the System to hand it over for free was obviously wishful thinking.

She sighed inwardly.

This was precisely why she hadn’t immediately asked the System for help.

However, she wasn’t finished.

If the System couldn’t provide medicine, perhaps it could at least provide information.

Sora asked another question.

"Then do you know the cause of this plague toxin?"

There was a brief pause before the System answered.

[Host, according to the System’s query, the source originated from an animal called a squirrel.]

Sora’s expression changed slightly.

So it really was a squirrel.

Previously, she had thought that Dan and Alex had simply been unlucky enough to encounter an infected squirrel.

She hadn’t expected that their encounter would eventually turn into such a massive disaster.

Their luck really was terrible.

Still, knowing the source was already a major breakthrough.

The plague toxin was essentially a virus. If she could locate an antibody or discover a way to neutralize the virus, then perhaps she could solve the problem completely.

Rather than waiting for another person to become infected, she needed to find a cure before the situation became even worse.

Just then, Xavier, Lucas, and Ace returned to the Wild Kitchen after finishing their task of chopping and distributing the firewood.

They hadn’t even had time to sit down and rest when they noticed Sora carving something at the table.

Ace immediately became curious.

He looked at the tiny wooden pieces in her hands and chuckled.

"Kaelira, are you making a teething stick for the little cub?"

He leaned closer and examined the small object.

"The thing you’re carving is too small. It wouldn’t even be enough to get stuck between our White Tiger’s teeth."

He hadn’t expected Sora to start preparing things for the little cub so quickly.

Previously, she had refused to admit that the child in her belly wasn’t his.

Now she was already making things for the baby.

Since snakes didn’t need such an item, Ace naturally assumed that Sora was preparing it for his little cub.

Xavier rolled his eyes at him.

"When have you ever seen white flowers attached to a teething stick?"

"White flowers? What white flowers?"

Ace immediately looked toward Sora’s hands.

While they were talking, Sora had somehow attached small pieces of white material to the ends of the carved wooden sticks.

Ace stared at them curiously.

He had never seen anything like them before.

"Kaelira, what are you making?"

Sora continued working without raising her head.

"Cotton swabs."

"Cotton swabs?"

Ace repeated the strange name.

"What are those for?"

Even Lucas looked interested.

None of them had ever heard of such a thing.

"You’ll know soon enough," Sora said. "There’s no time to waste. You three help me make some bamboo tubes in this shape first."

She pointed toward the round table.

The three Beast Husbands followed her finger.

On the table was a strange oval-shaped container made from bamboo.

They hadn’t seen such a thing before, but the structure wasn’t complicated.

Since Sora had said it was urgent, none of them asked unnecessary questions.

They immediately began copying the shape.

Meanwhile, Sora continued attaching cotton to the small wooden sticks.

The cotton had come from the fruit of a particular plant.

Its appearance reminded her of the kapok trees she had seen in the Apocalypse. Once the fruit matured and split open, soft white fibers emerged.

It was perfect for making cotton swabs.

As for the adhesive, Sora had prepared a sticky paste herself.

She carefully attached the cotton to the ends of the wooden sticks, making sure they were secure.

The work continued for some time.

Eventually, the three Beast Husbands finished carving the bamboo tubes.

They looked at the collection spread across the table.

"Kaelira, all the ones on the table are finished. Should we continue making more?"

Sora looked over them.

There were already around a thousand.

That was more than enough for the moment.

She shook her head.

"No need. That’s enough."

The finished cotton swabs were carefully placed inside the bamboo tubes.

Then Sora had the three Beast Husbands pack the U-shaped bamboo tubes into Animal Skin Pouches.

Once everything was prepared, Sora finally looked at Lucas and Xavier.

"Which of you two can fly more steadily?"

The objects she was carrying couldn’t be shaken too violently.

If they were damaged on the way back, all the work they had done would be wasted.

"Of course, it’s me."

Lucas immediately raised his head proudly.

But then he paused.

"Wait. You said two?"

He turned toward Xavier.

"Are you saying Xavier can fly too?"

Lucas’s expression was full of disbelief.

"When did a snake learn how to fly?"

Xavier didn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he transformed into his snake form.

His body rose into the air and swayed gracefully from side to side.

He then looked at Lucas with obvious triumph.

"Of course. It was a long time ago."

Ace stared at him.

"Xavier, did you break through your Beast Rank?"

Otherwise, how could a snake suddenly fly?

Ace immediately used his senses to examine Xavier.

His expression became even more confused.

"No. Your Beast Rank is still fifth rank."

Xavier blinked.

"Maybe I was born able to fly and only discovered it recently."

Ace snorted. Then Lucas added

"Hmph. Even if that’s true, how can a latecomer like you compare with those of us who were naturally born to fly?"

Lucas immediately turned toward Sora.

"Kaelira, are you going somewhere? Ride on my back. I’ve been flying since birth. I have twenty years of flying experience."

Xavier refused to lose.

"What’s twenty years?"

He looked smugly at Lucas.

"Didn’t Kaelira say she needs stability? My snake body is flat. In that regard, I’m better than you."

Lucas immediately retorted, "Who knows what you’ll be like when it rains? My feathers are waterproof."

Xavier glanced at the clear sky.

"It’s not raining."

"That doesn’t mean it won’t rain!"

"It’s still not raining."

The argument quickly escalated.

Sora watched the two of them bicker and sighed.

To be safe, she decided not to choose immediately.

"Stop arguing. Both of you come with me. I’ll know which one is more stable after I ride on your backs."

The moment they heard that both had a chance, the two immediately quieted down.

Sora glanced at Xavier.

His front was completely bare, leaving her with nowhere convenient to place the things she was carrying.

After considering it, she climbed onto Lucas’s back.

"Then let’s go!"

Lucas immediately spread his wings and took off.

As he ascended, he deliberately looked back at Xavier with a triumphant expression.

Xavier rolled his eyes.

"What are you showing off for? Kaelira said she still needs to test. Maybe you’ll be replaced halfway."

The three of them began flying into the sky.

That left Ace standing alone on the ground.

He stared upward in confusion.

"What about me?"

Sora had originally intended to tell him that he didn’t need to come.

But when she looked at his large figure standing there alone, he somehow looked rather pitiful.

She hesitated before pointing toward Xavier.

"Xavier, carry him. It’s better to have an extra person to help." ℯℯ𝑙.

Xavier lowered himself reluctantly.

Ace climbed onto his back.

Soon, one Female and three Beastmen were flying through the air.

Once Lucas had carried Sora high enough, he asked, "Kaelira, where are you planning to go?"

Sora activated her Earth Ability and began using its detection function.

Her awareness spread through the surrounding area.

Before long, she noticed a red region marked not too far away.

Her eyes brightened.

She pointed toward it.

"Let’s go there."

The stronger and more abundant the resources in that area were, the more useful they would be to her.

Lucas nodded.

"Alright, Sora. Hold on tight. I’ll get you there in a flash."

The instant he finished speaking, his body shot forward like a streak of light.

The sudden acceleration left Xavier and Ace behind.

Xavier wasn’t worried.

He simply followed at a steady pace.

"Idiot," he muttered. "Do you think this is a speed race?"

His eyes narrowed as he watched Lucas disappear farther ahead.

"Kaelira wants stability."

With that, Xavier continued following at an unhurried pace, carrying Ace on his back as the three Beastmen and Sora headed toward the mysterious red area revealed by her Earth Ability.