The foreigner had no ear at all. Where his outer ear should have been, there was a dark red lump of flesh!
The lump pulsed faintly with Thomas's heartbeat. Several hideous gashes split its surface, constantly oozing beads of blood.
Master Tiger frowned deeply at the sight and could not help asking quietly, "What the hell is that?"
Cui Jiuyang quickly recovered. He gently replaced Thomas's gauze, covering the horrifying sight, and said gravely, "I don't know either. I've never seen anything like it."
Since the previous night, Thomas's mind had grown increasingly unstable, and his speech had become confused and incoherent.
Now, as Cui Jiuyang and Master Tiger discussed his ear right in front of him, he seemed to hear none of it. He merely asked blankly, "My ear... how is it?"
Cui Jiuyang gave him an offhand reassurance. "Nothing serious. It'll be better soon."
At that, a satisfied smile appeared on Thomas's face, and he began praising the "kind doctor" who had treated his ear again.
What had happened to Thomas was simply too bizarre, beyond Cui Jiuyang's knowledge, leaving him at a loss for what to do.
It seemed that if they wanted the truth, they could only wait until they saw He Feixu that evening and then consider their next steps.
They finally struggled through a long day filled with Father Thomas's theology, blending East and West and setting gods and ghosts on the same path.
After dark, Cui Jiuyang could hardly wait to set out with Master Tiger and the half-mad foreigner for the mountains outside the city, in search of the Moonlit Tower.
After walking along rugged mountain paths for roughly three hours, the three finally arrived outside the Moonlit Tower.
Before them stood the same brightly lit courtyard, with a grand, imposing wooden