Forced To Adopt Retired Military Dog Orc Chapter 5
byChapter 5: I Used to Own a Dog, But It Was Different Woof Woof Woof…
Nurse Manager (Hamster) said that a nearby Beastman hospital had suddenly borrowed many nurses due to an increase in emergency patients, leading to a severe shortage of staff at the Sanatorium.
Si Jiu, who was temporarily helping out, was assigned to care for a Brown Bear Beastman patient. He was a former combat starship pilot in the Beastman military who had injured his leg on the front lines of the Interstellar War when he was young, requiring him to use a wheelchair year-round.
When Si Jiu entered the ward carrying a tray of medicine, the elderly, gray-haired Brown Bear Beastman was sitting in his wheelchair watching television.
On the screen, the Beastman Planet Imperial News Bulletin interrupted its regular programming with an urgent announcement: “Today, around 3 PM, a vicious assault occurred in the suburbs of Eldean Town in the Imperial Southern District. Preliminary statistics indicate that at least five Beastman civilians were attacked by unidentified assailants while returning home. All injured parties have been transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. Three victims are severely injured and are currently undergoing emergency resuscitation. The scene is bloody and horrific. The Imperial Security Force has sealed off the surrounding streets and launched a comprehensive search.”
The news anchor, a Deer Beastman with antlers, was dressed in a suit and tie, his expression grave as he warned: “Residents of the Southern District are advised to temporarily avoid the area of the incident. Please ensure you travel in groups when going out at night. Marshal Silver Night was enraged upon hearing the news and has ordered a thorough investigation of the case, vowing to severely punish the perpetrators and safeguard the lives of every citizen on the Beastman Planet…”
“Hmph, it must be those human refugees from Yalan Star!” The Brown Bear Beastman angrily slammed the water cup in his hand onto the nearby table. He looked up and finally noticed Si Jiu, who was placing the medication on the bedside table.
Si Jiu offered the embarrassed Brown Bear a perfectly standard, professional smile: “This is your medication for today. I’ve placed it here. Please take it after your meal.”
He then helped the mobility-impaired Brown Bear Beastman by pushing the mobile tray table closer to him. The television was still playing some noisy, babbling program. The Brown Bear’s ears twitched, and his round eyes stared at Si Jiu. He clearly recognized him as a human but found it difficult to lash out.
Si Jiu maintained his smile, efficiently clocking out on the nearby medical electronic tablet. He nodded slightly to the patient, turned, and left, his movements smooth and effortless, leaving no trace behind.
But once outside the ward, he couldn’t smile anymore. It wasn’t just the dissatisfied growl he heard from the Brown Bear before closing the door; it was also because the area in the suburbs of Eldean Town in the Southern District was precisely where the Military Logistics Sanatorium was located.
Si Jiu’s rented studio apartment was in Eldean Town. Glancing at the news report, the location of the attack was exactly on his mandatory route to and from work.
No wonder nearby hospitals suddenly saw a surge in patients and desperately needed nurses due to staff shortages—
…For safety’s sake, it would be best for him to leave work early and go home.
Fortunately, he wasn’t scheduled for a night shift this month.
As Ran Lie’s exclusive nurse, the big dog didn’t require overnight care, but before leaving, Si Jiu needed to check in with Ran Lie as per routine.
He conveniently brought the big dog his dinner. When he pushed open the door, Si Jiu found the big dog half-lying down, watching the mobile terminal AI tablet placed on the hospital bed. VIP electronic equipment was more comprehensive than that in standard wards; it included not only the AI tablet but also a light-screen computer nearby, though Ran Lie had never used it before, likely because his dog form made it inconvenient.
Si Jiu placed the meal tray on the bedside cabinet: “Mr. Ran, here is your dinner. Please enjoy.”
The big dog lifted his head. The tablet was also broadcasting the assault incident. Currently, three victims were severely injured, and one had not yet been taken off the critical list.
Si Jiu recalled the Brown Bear Beastman mentioning that this might have been the work of humans…
It wasn’t impossible—among the humans who had relocated to the Beastman Planet with him, there were indeed several cynical extremists.
Therefore, he could understand why the Beastmen treated him poorly.
If Ran Lie also leaned toward the anti-human stance because of this, perhaps he would change his mind and choose not to live with him—would that be a good thing for him? But why couldn’t he feel happy despite thinking this way?
“Woof woof, woof woof, awoo?” The big dog’s dark paw pressed the pause button on the news broadcast. Si Jiu had already taken out his translation software.
—”When are you taking me back?”
Huh? Si Jiu blinked, almost failing to react.
Had too many steps been skipped in between? They were completely on different wavelengths!
“Woof woof woof!” Seeing Si Jiu momentarily stunned, the big dog immediately sat up straight.
—”Didn’t that long-nose tell you?” The long-nose likely referred to Director (Elephant).
“…The Director told me.” Si Jiu nodded, looking at the big dog’s anxious and expectant eyes. He found himself unable to immediately say that he still needed time to consider.
—”You, you don’t want to?” The dog’s barks turned into a slightly mournful “Awoo, awoo.”
“I—Mr. Ran, you know I am a human.” Si Jiu could offer many reasons to refuse to take the big dog in. For example, his job was busy, and the time available for treating the big dog after work was limited; or that he was truly unaccustomed to living with others, which would cause inconvenience for both of them; or that his salary was limited, and he didn’t want to use the money that belonged to Ran Lie…
More importantly, as a Beastman, living with an unwelcome human—even if Si Jiu felt a sense of shared misfortune with the Pure Beast Species—what would Ran Lie think?
The dog’s eyes were round, looking especially innocent.
“Woof woof, woof woof woof!”
—”Yes, I know. I will protect you!”
The big dog’s logic was indeed very different from other Beastmen.
“That’s not what I meant, Mr. Ran.” Si Jiu felt defeated by the big dog. He was skilled at handling hypocrisy, coldness, mockery, and even worse treatment. He never cared about any of it; those malicious attitudes never caused a ripple of emotion in him. A faint smile was his usual response.
However, he was not good at dealing with Ran Lie.
He kept thinking of the little dog he had once owned. Crying “Awoo awoo awoo” in a cage outside a dog meat shop, looking at his young self with pleading eyes.
Perhaps it was that excessive straightforwardness that made it impossible to refuse.
But that little dog had later bitten him.
Since then, he had never owned another dog. About half a year later, the Interstellar Great Explosion occurred. Yalan Star was propelled by the massive cosmic blast into a completely unfamiliar star system, next to the even stranger Beastman Planet. The huge explosion also took away more than half of Yalan Star’s living beings.
That little dog must have…
The Pure Beast Species big dog looked just like that little dog grown up. Although he thought he would never like dogs again, he had already begun to unconsciously worry about the big dog’s life after retirement, or perhaps he hadn’t wanted to refuse the Director’s request from the very beginning.
“I don’t need you to protect me, Mr. Ran.” Si Jiu lowered his eyes. The big dog carefully touched the back of his hand with a paw. “I will provide you with continuous treatment, and you will pay a certain fee.”
That was fair.
“If you don’t mind, you can come and live with me.” You wouldn’t bite me back like that ungrateful little dog, would you?
“Woof woof!” The big dog’s excitement was palpable. He wagged his tail and nearly jumped up. Si Jiu couldn’t help but worry about his wound.
—”You agreed?!” The software specifically prompted: “The recipient is displaying extremely happy emotions.”
Sigh, he had let his emotions get the better of him after all.
Si Jiu couldn’t honestly say that this was just for work.
“Woof woof woof, woof woof.” The big dog, slightly calmed after Si Jiu stroked his head, nudged the tablet on the bed with his paw and looked at Si Jiu.
—”The area isn’t safe lately. I’ll go back with you tonight!”
Si Jiu hadn’t expected Ran Lie not only to notice today’s assault incident but also to consider his safety on the way home.
“No, your wound hasn’t fully healed yet.” Si Jiu felt that Ran Lie was about to jump off the hospital bed at any moment.
Canine Beastmen were mostly action-oriented. And Ran Lie was a champion among the action-oriented.
“You need at least two more days of recovery. You can only be discharged after a full body examination the day after tomorrow,” Si Jiu said, yet he vaguely sensed a serious expression appearing on the big dog’s face.
“Woof woof woof!”
—”Then you should stay here tonight!”
A warmth spread through Si Jiu’s heart. The VIP ward had a dedicated attendant cubicle for caregivers to stay overnight and look after the patient. Although Ran Lie asking him to stay overnight was essentially asking him to work an extra night shift, Si Jiu knew he was concerned about him.
It was a long-lost feeling of being cared for… even though he looked like a reckless big dog.
That’s right, he wasn’t an ordinary dog. He was a Beastman from the special forces of the Beastman military. He was different from the little dog he had once owned.
“It’s fine, don’t worry. The location of today’s incident has been sealed off, and the road home is full of police officers. It’s very safe.” Si Jiu said, one by one placing the steaming hot food from the tray onto the mobile table over the bed. “Please eat first.” It wouldn’t taste good cold.
“Woof—ugh, awoo…” The big dog lowered his head, seeming a little unwilling, yet also deep in thought.
Si Jiu smiled and shook his head, raising his hand to gently pat the big dog’s forehead again. His pair of erect ears twitched in response.
—”I’ll go home with you tomorrow. Long-nose will agree.” The voice from the translation software sounded surprisingly certain.
Not long after Si Jiu left the VIP ward, he received another call from the Nurse Manager. At first, he thought he was being asked to help other patients again, but the Nurse Manager told him to go directly to the Director’s office.
At that moment, besides the Director, there was a Beastman soldier in a military uniform in the office.
When Si Jiu stepped into the office, he was slightly stunned to see the soldier standing rigidly with a solemn expression—What was going on? Was it related to the assault in the Southern District this afternoon?
His first thought was his identity as a human from Yalan Star. Could he be suspected? Was he being called in for questioning or something…
This wasn’t the first time such a situation had occurred. Whenever something bad happened, humans were the first to be pulled out as suspects, even if they had merely passed by.
Although slightly tired, he had seen every kind of situation—he wasn’t someone easily bullied.
Si Jiu was already skillfully drafting his defensive statements in his mind.
“Si Jiu.” Director (Elephant) sat in his artificial leather armchair, lightly tapping the desk with his finger. Si Jiu waited calmly for him to continue.
“Orders from above. A soldier is to escort you home. The vehicle is outside. You may leave work early today.”
Ah, this situation was a first.