When Li Huowang woke up again, it was still nighttime. He had learned from the Monk that he had been out cold for a full three days.
Although he felt extremely hungry, his spirit was much better than right after his skin had been peeled.
Digging out some dry food and a water bottle, he began to eat and drink voraciously as he headed toward his shed skin. To his surprise, Mantou was actually there.
It was curled up, forming a large yellow ball, diligently guarding Li Huowang's skin even while asleep, with two large dead rats lying beside it.
Smelling the scent of food, Mantou immediately woke up and sat squatting there, wagging its tail at Li Huowang ceaselessly.
"The more people I meet, the more I like dogs," said Li Huowang as he stroked Mantou's head, then threw the half-eaten piece of hardtack far away for Mantou to fetch on its own.
As Mantou was gnawing on the hardtack, Li Huowang crouched down and carefully pulled his skin out of the dirt.
