Chapter 3.1

The new park director, though young, was undoubtedly a woman of action.

Immediately after lunch, she changed clothes and announced her intention to venture into the forest.

While washing dishes, Wei Li turned and said, “Alright, I’ll take you in shortly, but we can’t go too deep. It’s getting late, and we should avoid staying in the forest after dark—that’s when snakes, insects, and rodents come out.”

Mu Ling asked curiously, “So, Brother Wei, how do you and the others spend the night in the forest during multi-day patrols?”

Wei Li explained, “We stay in treehouses. Brother Xiang and I can climb trees and are accustomed to the narrow spaces, so we won’t fall out. But for you, Director…”

Mu Ling understood Wei Li’s concern about her ability to manage.

Not wanting to make things difficult, she said, “That’s fine, we’ll just stay near the outskirts and leave before dark.”

Wei Li finished washing the dishes, dried his hands, and said, “Okay, let’s go.”

They took a mountain vehicle to enter the forest, specifically designed for ranger patrols. The vehicle was encased in reinforced glass on all sides, ensuring safety even if attacked by large predators.

The ride wasn’t particularly fast, but it was extremely bumpy. Mu Ling recalled the words of the small shop owner at the mountain’s base—the environment here was indeed harsh.

No kidding.

Her bottom had barely touched the seat before being jolted up again. The entire journey, she felt like a pancake being repeatedly flipped.

When the vehicle finally stopped, Mu Ling was utterly exhausted, slumped against the window, barely conscious.

Suppressing a laugh, Wei Li reassured her, “Director, this is just how it is in the forest. We’re not even on the main path, which would be a bit smoother. But since you wanted to take photos, I took us on a side trail where we’re more likely to spot small animals. The golden-furred rabbits often frequent this area.”

These small rabbits weren’t dangerous; they were timid and generally stayed on the outskirts, more afraid of the larger predators deeper in the forest than of humans.

Seeing Mu Ling still looking drained, Wei Li rubbed his nose and suggested, “Why don’t you rest a bit longer? Since we’re already here, I’ll go patrol ahead for a few minutes and come right back.”

Mu Ling nodded weakly, watching him leave.

After a few more moments of recovery, Mu Ling remembered her purpose. She activated her light brain’s camera, setting it to external flight mode. Opening the car window, she let the camera fly out to scan for animals within a 50-meter radius.

Her older model light brain had a camera that could only fly 50 meters. She’d heard newer versions could reach 100 meters.

The forest was dense. Through the feedback images, Mu Ling confirmed there were no animals within range, which disappointed her. But it was still early—she hoped they’d have better luck if they ventured a bit deeper.

After letting the camera wander aimlessly for less than 10 minutes, Wei Li returned. Upon hearing Mu Ling’s lack of success, he started the vehicle to take them further in.

Whether from adapting to the bumps or passing the initial discomfort, Mu Ling didn’t react as strongly during the later part of the ride.

At their next stop, although her bones felt rattled, Mu Ling’s spirits remained relatively high.

Wei Li got out to patrol again while Mu Ling continued scanning with her camera. 

Still nothing.

This cycle of driving, stopping, and scanning continued. They captured plenty of mysterious, eerie forest scenery, but not even a hint of animal life.

Mu Ling sighed and asked Wei Li in a low voice, “Brother Wei, our zoo does have animals, right?”

Wei Li was at a loss for words.

He replied helplessly, “They really aren’t coming out today. We’ve been driving for almost two hours without seeing a single one.”

Mu Ling worried, “With this animal sighting rate, visitors will demand refunds…”

Scratching his head, Wei Li suggested, “Well, we could go a bit further. There’s a small stream ahead. With luck, we might spot some animals drinking.”

They drove deeper, and just as they neared the stream, Mu Ling finally saw her first animal after two and a half hours—a masked palm civet.

The civet, a feline species, was truly small and inconspicuous as it perched on a tree branch. Its brown fur blended so well with the bark that Mu Ling might not have noticed if she hadn’t been staring intently.

“Brother Wei, Brother Wei, I see one!” she exclaimed excitedly.

Wei Li also breathed a sigh of relief. He felt that if they hadn’t seen any animals soon, his director might lose her temper.

He carefully parked the vehicle at a distance to allow Mu Ling to take photos discreetly.

Mu Ling deployed her camera, which stealthily approached the civet. However, the feline’s sharp senses were too keen. It instantly spotted the large camera, opened its eyes, turned its head, and with two swift movements, vanished down the tree.

“What the—” Mu Ling was speechless, stunned into silence.

Wei Li didn’t dare make a sound, fearing the director might shut down from disappointment.

Mu Ling recalled her camera and gently caressed the blurry image of the civet’s fleeing form on the screen, murmuring, “It’s fine… at least it’s a good start…”

Wei Li cautiously suggested, “Director, should we come back tomorrow?”

Mu Ling was speechless.

Wei Li continued, “It’s almost 4 PM now. It’ll take over two hours to get back, just in time for nightfall…”

Mu Ling, feeling drained, nodded in resignation.

Wei Li breathed a sigh of relief. “Then please wait here for a moment. I’ll check by the stream—there might still be animals there. If I see any, I’ll call you!”

Streams were often gathering places for animals coming to drink. By observing for blood or animal remains on the shore, rangers could also determine if there had been any infighting among the park’s animals.

After Wei Li left, Mu Ling sat in the car, reviewing her photos.

The images were all captured automatically by the smart capture function, and none of them were any good. The video did capture the civet’s fleeing back, but it happened so quickly—from discovery to escape took less than a second. Mu Ling had to slow it down 8 times to barely make out what the civet looked like.