As the evening sky turned crimson with the setting sun, Ye Yunian no longer remembered how far he had traveled, only that he had finally brought Apple Bear to the base. He was utterly exhausted, but he couldn’t afford to stop.

Halfway to the base, Apple Bear had fallen into a fevered coma. For the latter half of the journey, Ye Yunian had carried him almost entirely on his own. The two bears managed to reach the area across from the base.

Ye Yunian wanted to carry Apple Bear all the way to the base gates, but he had no strength left. Instead, he carefully laid Apple Bear down in a nearby thicket, then rushed over to the gate to bang on the iron doors.

Luckily, Ye Yunian didn’t have to wait long before two staff members appeared.

Seeing them so close, Ye Yunian excitedly let out a series of loud cries. He kept looking back, gesturing toward the trees with his paw.

But pandas and humans don’t speak the same language. To the staff, his frantic behavior seemed alarming, causing them to step back cautiously.

Realizing this, Ye Yunian quickly climbed down from the gate, though he didn’t stray far. He continued to call out anxiously and pound on the gate.

As news spread that Ye Yunian had suddenly returned to the north gate of the base, more and more staff members began to gather.

“Why did Ye Yunian come back all of a sudden?”

“He sounds distressed. Could he be hurt?”

“We’re not sure, but something must have happened.”

The staff knew Ye Yunian well after raising him at the base for several months. He wasn’t a noisy or mischievous cub, so his urgent cries indicated that something serious had happened.

“He’s the panda we released. Hearing him call like this makes my heart ache.”

“Has the vet arrived?”

“They’re already here!”

“Open the gate, and get the tranquilizer ready…”

As the gate creaked open and the vet moved forward with a tranquilizer gun, Ye Yunian took one look at the gun and immediately turned around, sprinting back toward the woods on the other side of the road.

Not me! Don’t tranquilize me! Save Apple Bear!

Ye Yunian darted into the trees, disappearing in an instant, leaving the staff puzzled.

“Wasn’t he supposed to be injured?”

He certainly didn’t move like a wounded bear.

With the sun setting and the light dimming, the vet couldn’t get a clear view of the forest, so he reluctantly lowered the tranquilizer gun.

Everyone stood tensely, watching the treeline. After a few moments, Ye Yunian’s rear end emerged from the shadows of the trees.

The vet raised his gun again, but a colleague quickly stopped him. “Wait, Ye Yunian seems to be dragging something.”

Everyone paused, watching closely as Ye Yunian struggled to pull something much larger than himself out of the bush.

The bushes were flattened under his weight, and it wasn’t until a large shape emerged from the undergrowth that Ye Yunian finally stopped to catch his breath, looking back at the group with exhausted eyes.

The staff froze in shock.

The enormous shape that Ye Yunian had dragged out—was another giant panda!

“Am I seeing things? That’s another panda, right?”

“Yes, but it looks like it’s in bad shape…”

It finally dawned on the group that Ye Yunian hadn’t rushed back to the base because he was injured—it was because of this other panda.

Without wasting any more time, the staff rushed forward to assess the condition of the unconscious panda.

“We should sedate Ye Yunian just to be safe.”

“No need. If Ye Yunian wanted to attack us, he would’ve done it by now. He’s not here to fight.”

After a brief discussion, the team decided not to tranquilize Ye Yunian. Instead, they would try to approach him slowly.

With their equipment ready, the staff and vet moved cautiously toward Ye Yunian and the unconscious panda beside him.

To their relief, Ye Yunian remained calm as they approached, showing no signs of stress or aggression. In fact, he seemed unusually trusting, lying down next to the unconscious panda even as the group surrounded them.

“It seems like he knows we’re here to help.”

“Yeah, Ye Yunian isn’t going to attack us. Let’s move quickly.”

The panda beside Ye Yunian was large, almost the size of an adult. But despite their proximity, the unconscious panda showed no response, indicating that its condition was critical.

As the team drew closer, they debated how to gently move Ye Yunian aside, but before they could make a move, Ye Yunian stood up on his own.

Lowering his head, he nudged the unconscious panda with his mouth, struggling to turn him over.

With this motion, the lead vet caught sight of the massive wound on the panda’s abdomen.

The team’s expressions darkened.

“This injury is severe!”

One of the vets spoke softly, trying to calm Ye Yunian. “Ye Yunian, can you step back a bit? We won’t hurt you or him. Let us take a look.”

As if understanding the vet’s words, Ye Yunian glanced at them, then turned to affectionately lick Apple Bear’s face before backing away several meters, giving the staff space to work.

Ye Yunian’s obedient behavior touched everyone’s hearts.

He was such a gentle panda, and it seemed like he had matured a lot during his seven months in the wild. However, the normally clean and tidy Ye Yunian looked quite disheveled, and it was clear that carrying the injured panda had been a significant struggle for him.

Everyone felt a pang of sympathy, but there was no time to waste. A few staff members stepped forward and began assessing Apple Bear’s condition.

Ye Yunian stood nearby, watching them nervously.

“There are so many wounds—probably from another bear’s claws.”

“Hmm? What’s this on his wounds?”

The vet picked at some residue and examined it closely. “It looks like dandelion…”

The staff were astonished, and all of them couldn’t help but glance at Ye Yunian.

The wound on Apple Bear’s chest and abdomen was deep, and it was clear that he had lost a lot of blood when he was injured. With a wound this severe, a panda’s natural healing abilities wouldn’t have been enough to stop the bleeding so quickly. In fact, the blood loss could easily have been fatal.

Yet, not only had Apple Bear’s bleeding stopped, but the wound had also started to scab over. If not for the infection, the wound might have fully healed with the help of these herbs and his natural resilience.

The vet couldn’t help but focus on the herbs near the wound. It was unclear whether Apple Bear had applied them himself, or if it had been Ye Yunian, who was anxiously watching from the side.

The vet suspected it was Ye Yunian.

After evaluating Apple Bear’s condition, the vet instructed the staff to bring out a specially designed stretcher from the base.

With combined efforts, they carefully lifted the 200-pound Apple Bear onto the stretcher, secured him, and prepared to carry him back to the base.

Perhaps due to the unfamiliar smells surrounding him, Apple Bear slowly opened his eyes, still groggy from the fever.

When he realized he was tied to a stretcher, surrounded by strange humans, he panicked and began to struggle.

Startled by his sudden movements, the staff quickly set the stretcher down and backed away.

As they considered how to proceed, Ye Yunian rushed over like an arrow.

One staff member hadn’t even noticed the furry figure appear beside him until it was too late, giving him quite a scare.

But Ye Yunian wasn’t focused on the humans—he had no intention of hurting anyone. Instead, he crouched beside the stretcher, sniffing Apple Bear anxiously and making soft “mm-mm-mm” sounds.

Apple Bear, hearing the familiar noises, turned his head and locked eyes with Ye Yunian.

Ye Yunian was looking at him with deep concern, his eyes filled with worry.

Apple Bear didn’t like being around humans. He had awoken to find himself bound to a stretcher, surrounded by strange upright creatures, and no sign of Ye Yunian. Of course, he panicked.

But Ye Yunian’s timely arrival reassured him. Hearing the young panda’s comforting noises, Apple Bear began to calm down.

Though there were many unfamiliar humans around, Ye Yunian didn’t seem to be in danger.

Apple Bear wanted to get up and lick Ye Yunian, but he was too weak.

Ye Yunian seemed to understand his intentions and leaned his head closer.

Apple Bear gently sniffed him, confirming that Ye Yunian wasn’t hurt, and then gave his head a gentle lick.

The staff around the stretcher looked on in amazement.

For Ye Yunian to bring this bear to the base for treatment, it was clear their bond was strong. But they hadn’t expected it to be this strong. Was this larger bear perhaps Ye Yunian’s mother?

Regardless, thanks to Ye Yunian’s presence, Apple Bear no longer struggled, allowing the staff to approach and lift him once more.

“Hurry, let’s get him to the emergency room!”

As the staff lifted Apple Bear again, he instinctively wanted to resist, but Ye Yunian called out softly.

Don’t move.

Stay calm.

These people aren’t bad.

Ye Yunian’s wide, wet eyes gazed at Apple Bear, soothing him with soft reassurances.

Apple Bear couldn’t fully understand what Ye Yunian was trying to convey, but the young panda’s voice helped ease his anxiety.

And, truthfully, Apple Bear was too weak to resist any further. Trusting that Ye Yunian wouldn’t lead him into danger, he resigned himself to the situation and allowed the humans to carry him away.

Ye Yunian couldn’t interfere with the staff. To ensure Apple Bear stayed calm and allowed himself to be treated, Ye Yunian kept a close distance, walking just far enough away to avoid getting in the way, but close enough to follow the stretcher into the base.

The staff were astonished by what they were witnessing.

One of them even pulled out a camera to capture the remarkable scene.

Apple Bear’s condition was dire. Despite his desire to stay awake, he soon fell unconscious again, and the staff quickened their pace, rushing him to the emergency room.

As for Ye Yunian…

His caretaker had finally arrived, albeit a bit late.

Seeing Ye Yunian following closely behind the stretcher, the caretaker rushed over. “Ye Yunian, come with me. They’re taking him to the emergency room. I’ll take you back to your pen.”

The caretaker spoke gently, unsure if Ye Yunian would understand, or even remember his scent. But he had to try.

If Ye Yunian cooperated, great. If not, they would have to resort to using a tranquilizer.

To the caretaker’s surprise, Ye Yunian actually stopped walking when he heard the caretaker’s words, no longer following the stretcher.

Delighted, the caretaker pulled out some honey he had prepared to coax Ye Yunian back to his pen.

Ye Yunian glanced at the caretaker, but his attention quickly shifted back to Apple Bear.

The stretcher was already disappearing from view, but Ye Yunian could still sense Apple Bear’s presence. He knew he could catch up if he wanted to.

But what good would it do?

The base’s vets would take care of Apple Bear. There was no need to worry anymore, Ye Yunian reassured himself.

After holding himself together all day, Ye Yunian finally allowed himself to relax.

With the weight off his shoulders, he suddenly felt light-headed.

The honey the caretaker was holding smelled delicious, and Ye Yunian’s stomach growled. Unable to resist, he started walking toward the caretaker.

But after only a few steps, his legs gave out beneath him.

What’s happening?

Ye Yunian felt the world spin, and then everything went black as he collapsed to the ground.

In the distance, he vaguely heard the caretaker shouting his name, but Ye Yunian had no energy left to respond.

That night, Ye Yunian slept deeply.

He even had a nightmare, dreaming that he had walked all day without finding the base. In a panic, he jerked awake, only to find himself lying in a familiar, white-walled room.

He stared at the ceiling for a while, finally realizing that he was back in his pen.

Phew~

It was just a nightmare.

Ye Yunian let out a long sigh of relief.

He remembered clearly—he had made it to the base with Apple Bear.

But just moments ago, hadn’t he been outside? How had he ended up back in the pen?

As Ye Yunian tried to sit up, he noticed that his limbs were restrained. His left arm was attached to an IV, with a drip of clear liquid hanging above him.

His caretaker had been keeping a close eye on him and immediately rushed over when he saw Ye Yunian awake. “Stay still, Ye Yunian. The glucose drip is almost done.”

Hearing the words “glucose drip,” Ye Yunian blinked, understanding what had happened.

He hadn’t eaten anything all day. After noticing that Apple Bear was unwell that morning, he hadn’t wasted a single moment.

All day long, Ye Yunian had been focused on getting Apple Bear to the base.