Astral Apostle

Chapter 42: Fishy (2)

Reiner raised his chin. “Father has often said that he admires your character. Everyone in the village knows that you don’t leave your friend despite his brain problem. You even take care of his daily life every day. You’re a good person!”

“What friend with a brain problem… Oh~”

Zhou Jing’s expression froze as he turned around.

Hidden in the shadows at the corner of the street was a familiar figure peeping silently.

Ross: (o _ O)

Zhou Jing: “…”

It seems that in the eyes of the villagers, I’ve been taking care of this stupid follower…

Zhou Jing shook his head lightly, speechless.

“Alright, move aside. I still have to train. I don’t have time to talk to you today. Let’s talk about it later.”

“Ah? Alright then.” Reiner hesitated for a moment before stepping aside. He asked expectantly, “Then can you tell me the story of the outside world next time?”

“I’ll definitely do it next time…”

Zhou Jing quickly slipped away.

He was about to head to the training ground when he saw a familiar figure.

It was a strangely dressed old man. His face was smeared with paint, and he had two feathers stuck in his head. He wore a robe woven from black feathers, and he held a walking stick—it was the witch doctor he had seen in the death replay of Will Wood.

In the past few days since he came to the village, Zhou Jing had not met the other party in the village, nor had he specially visited the pharmacist’s hut outside the village.

The witch doctor was stunned for a moment. He stopped in his tracks and hesitated.

What? Are you worried about this “family member” causing trouble?

Zhou Jing narrowed his eyes and went straight up to him. He said in a deep voice, “I’m Jason·Wood, a new hunter of the village. You must be the witch doctor of Frostwood Village.”

The witch doctor was hunched over, looking old and frail. He spoke like a whisper. “That’s me… I’ve heard of you too.”

“They say that you were the one who treated my brother before he died?”

“Yes…” The witch doctor nodded weakly as if he was too old to do anything. He only shook his head slightly.

“I haven’t visited you in the past few days. I’m new here and I’m not familiar with the village yet. Do you mind showing me your pharmacist’s hut?”

Although Zhou Jing was asking, his tone was firm.

The witch doctor paused twice on his cane as if hesitating. Finally, he nodded.

“Alright, come with me.”

With that, he turned around and slowly led the way.

…

They walked out of the village and followed a small artificial dirt road for a while before arriving at a small slope that overlooked the village.

There was a sparse forest here with a small house—It was the witch doctor’s hut.

Beside the hut were flowerbeds with many unknown herbs.

The witch doctor opened the door and walked in. Zhou Jing followed behind, sizing up the layout of the room.

The house was not small, but there were too many things placed inside, making it appear narrow. There were rows of shelves by the wall filled with old books and some bottles and cans.

There was a workbench inside. On it was a set of strange metal tools that were most likely used to make potions.

“It’s a little messy. Sit anywhere…” The witch doctor slowly sat down.

Zhou Jing looked around and locked his gaze on the only chair in the room under the witch doctor’s butt.

…If not for your old arms and legs, I would be sitting on your lap right now.

Zhou Jing shook his head and did not mind. He asked, “Speaking of which, I still don’t know your name.”

“… Gamma.”

Zhou Jing nodded and continued to ask, “I heard that you used to be a wandering pharmacist? I’m a little curious. How many years have you been in Frostwood Village?”

“I’m old and can’t remember. Six, maybe eight years?”

Gamma shook his head and suddenly paused. However, he suddenly sighed before he changed the topic.

“Maybe you heard some rumors from Griff. When I was treating your brother, I used up all my potions, so I could only do my best. Unfortunately, I couldn’t save him in the end.”

Zhou Jing’s heart skipped a beat.

This guy took the initiative to mention this… Maybe he thought it was my intention to denounce him. 

Zhou Jing remained calm and only slowly spoke.

“I heard from Griff that you stayed in the village to be a doctor on the condition that the Hunter Team help you gather herbs?”

“Yes, that’s right…”

“Then after staying in the village for so many years, you can’t possibly not have enough medicine to save a person, right?”

Hearing this, the wrinkles on Gamma’s face seemed to deepen. He replied in an ashamed tone.

“I know that my level is not good enough, so I chose to stay in such a small village. Besides, I’m old and my limbs don’t listen to me, so I always fail in refining potions. Hunters need to enter the forest to hunt often, and they will be injured occasionally. I’ve used up most of the potions I made in the past… I’m sorry about Will, but I had no choice.”

Zhou Jing raised his eyebrows slightly.

Gamma knew that his standards were poor, so he stayed in a remote place like Frostwood Village to live as a form of retirement.

He sounded quite sincere, but Zhou Jing felt his covering up seemed to make things more suspicious.

However, there was no evidence, so he could only keep his suspicions to himself.

“Alright, I understand. You don’t have to apologize to me anymore.”

Zhou Jing did not continue to pester him. He felt that he would not be able to get anything out of Gamma at this rate.

“Thank you, thank you…” Gamma repeatedly nodded, his voice in a barely audible murmur.

Zhou Jing touched his chin and suddenly said, “Then you’re old and can’t operate well. Have you thought of finding an apprentice? I have a candidate here.”

He wondered if he could bring Ross over as an apprentice pharmacist. Even if Gamma claimed to be very inferior, he should at least know how to identify herbs. There should be no problem teaching him.

Gamma hesitated but then shook his head. “No, I don’t have the energy to teach an apprentice…”

Zhou Jing narrowed his eyes at his words.

Not recruiting apprentices… Does he not have the energy, or did he not want to?

From the looks of it, he’s worried that he’ll starve to death if he teaches his apprentices his abilities…

Or was there something else going on?

Several thoughts flashed through Zhou Jing’s mind.

Although Gamma was quite sincere, Zhou Jing still felt suspicious of him. However, he did not have any evidence or clues at the moment.

There was still a long way to go. He would slowly investigate in the future… For now, there was no need to complicate matters. The most important thing was to develop himself in peace.

“Alright, sorry for disturbing you today. I’ll leave first.”

Since the other party was unwilling to teach herbalism, he could not force the issue.

Zhou Jing did not stay any longer and left.

Gamma sat silently in his seat for a while before suddenly opening his eyes wide. His eyes were bright and full of life, and his appearance no longer looked old and haggard.

He walked to the window and looked out to confirm that Zhou Jing had left.

Only then did Gamma look away and pace the room, his expression guilty and regretful.

“Tsk, I didn’t expect Will to have a brother—especially one who wants to stay in the village! If I had known earlier, I would have given Will some medicine. I wonder if I’ve managed to fool his brother.

“At this juncture, there is an unknown outsider in the village. I’m worried … Sigh, I hope there won’t be any accidents during the next delivery.”

Gamma looked uncertain.