Chapter 25.2

Colonel Song had just arrived at the entrance of the ward when he froze. Before him was Qilin.

A golden tiger sat on the ground. As it noticed people approaching from outside, its brownish-green beast eyes swept over them coolly.

Colonel Song had seen videos of Qilin getting its nails trimmed. His gaze instinctively fell to the creature’s paws before scanning the various bandages covering its body.

Although Qilin had suffered many injuries, compared to Pimi, it was still considered healthy. At least its external wounds could heal. But the internal injuries…

Colonel Song lowered his gaze melancholically. However, as he shifted his eyes, he unexpectedly spotted a jet-black panther in a cage diagonally across from him.

The panther’s expression was cold, its emerald-green beast eyes filled with wariness and vigilance toward strangers.

Colonel Song recognized it at once. It was a Swift Fire Leopard.

He had been so preoccupied with Pimi all day that he hadn’t checked the trending news. He had no idea that Bi Ke Zoo had a Swift Fire Leopard.

Seeing the panther, Colonel Song was visibly shocked. He opened his mouth to ask a question when he heard Director Mu’s voice from inside, “Brother Xiang, is the water ready?”

Colonel Song looked ahead and saw—

A young, beautiful woman crouching behind a lean, black-maned lion. One hand held a damp towel while the other gripped the lion’s hind leg. She forcibly spread the lion’s legs apart and began wiping its inner thighs with the towel.

As she wiped, she turned around and asked in surprise, “Colonel Song, weren’t you already upstairs resting?”

Colonel Song: “…”

He didn’t respond, only stared at Director Mu. Then his gaze slowly shifted to the lion lying on the ground, panting heavily and grumbling under its breath.

The lion seemed truly angry. Its teeth were bared, and the wrinkles on its nose made it look extremely aggressive. Its eyes were pitch black with occasional flashes of green, signaling the beginning of its rage.

At that moment, Mu Ling finished wiping the lion’s inner thighs. She let go of its hind legs and turned to rinse the towel. The lion, meanwhile, licked its lips. The wrinkles on its nose disappeared, its bared teeth retracted, and the green light in its eyes vanished. It had been furious but, with Mu Ling gone, seemed to let it go.

It let it go.

Colonel Song: “…”

“Colonel Song?” Mu Ling called out while rinsing the towel, her eyes filled with suspicion.

Colonel Song finally snapped back to reality. He opened his mouth, his throat hoarse from the shock, and said, “I-I came to help.”

Mu Ling smiled. “It’s just a small task. No need to worry. I’m almost done. I just need to rinse once more with clean water and blow-dry the fur. Oh, by the way, Pimi has already taken its medicine. It should be able to sleep well tonight.”

Already taken its medicine.

Colonel Song: “…”

Just then, four employees from Happy Valley entered, each carrying several basins. When they saw Qilin and Lightning, they were visibly startled. Then they spotted Director Mu wiping Pimi’s bottom again.

The four of them: “…”

“You’re here too? No need to help; I’m almost done here. Just set the water basins over there,” Mu Ling instructed, pointing to an empty space. She needed to change the water.

The four employees stood frozen for a moment, then belatedly placed the water basins down.

Mu Ling used a clean, damp towel to give Pimi one last wipe.

Pimi growled low, baring its teeth and displaying anger.

But it growled its growl, and Director Mu wiped her wipes, neither interrupting the other.

Once the large lion was thoroughly cleaned, Mu Ling stood up and stretched her back. “Could someone help me dump the water and rinse the basins?”

Seeing so many people standing around waiting to help, Mu Ling didn’t want to reject their good intentions and subtly directed them.

The four employees and Colonel Song exchanged a moment of silence before all five began to carry the water in perfect unison.

A short while later, Wei Li arrived with a blow-dryer.

There were outlets in the ward. Mu Ling plugged in the dryer and began blow-drying Pimi’s fur.

The warm air felt pleasant, and Pimi finally showed no dissatisfaction. After its fur was dry, Mu Ling handed the dryer back to Wei Li and turned to the five people lingering in the corner. “I’ll be sleeping at the veterinary station tonight to keep an eye on Pimi. You all should head back and get some rest. We’re all tired today. We can deal with everything else tomorrow.”

After the door of the veterinary station closed, Colonel Song and the four Happy Valley employees stood outside. Unable to hold back any longer, Colonel Song asked Wei Li, “Has your Director Mu always cared for retired war beasts like this? Has she ever been bitten?”

Wei Li thought for a moment before firmly shaking his head.

“No, never.”

The group: “…”

A silence settled over them, but suddenly, there was a loud “bang” from inside the veterinary station.

Wei Li, thinking something was wrong, hurriedly opened the door. What he saw was the director lying on the couch outside, with Qilin and Lightning sitting beside her. Qilin had its head tilted near Mu Ling’s, while Lightning, more affectionate, rested its chin on her stomach. Mu Ling lay curled up, one hand stroking Qilin’s fur, the other gently scratching Lightning’s nose bridge. The loud sound had come from Qilin accidentally bumping a nearby chair with its hind leg.

Wei Li: “…”

Colonel Song and the other four, arriving behind him: “…”

Wei Li quietly closed the door and complained to the others, “Let’s go back. Honestly, the director spoils them so much every day. She’s going to spoil them rotten. Now Qilin is already acting more and more like a little princess. I bet Lightning will be the same in a couple of days.”

He grumbled to himself, noticing no one else was responding, and figured he might have been talking too much, so he stopped.

Colonel Song and the four others didn’t speak because…

They were thinking.

The next morning, Mu Ling was awakened by the sound of her communicator.

She opened her eyes, disoriented for a moment, then remembered she had fallen asleep on the veterinary station’s couch.

Sensing she was awake, the tiger and panther sleeping beside the couch also opened their eyes. They stood up, shook their bodies, stretched, and looked at her.

Mu Ling glanced at the communicator. It was an unfamiliar number. She answered, put it on speaker, slipped on her slippers, and walked toward the hospital ward area. “Hello, who’s this?”

A man’s voice came from the communicator, “Hello, is this Director Mu from Bi Ke Zoo? This is the Shenwang Star Military Headquarters.”

Mu Ling’s steps faltered. She immediately thought of the military officers she had met yesterday and quickly replied, “Oh, hello. Is there something I can help with?”

The man continued, “It’s like this. Your zoo assisted us in fighting against the mutant beasts. We’ve applied for a reward and commendation banner for you. We plan to deliver them today. Is that convenient?”

Mu Ling hadn’t expected the military to be so efficient. She hurriedly said, “Yes, of course. Thank you for your trouble!”

The man chuckled good-naturedly. “No trouble at all. In fact, we’re already at your zoo’s entrance. Could you help us open the door?”

Mu Ling: “…”

She was stunned. After hanging up, she quickly checked on Pimi in its cage. Pimi had already woken up at the sound and was looking at Mu Ling with open eyes, though still lying down.

Seeing that Pimi was still alive, Mu Ling hurriedly left the veterinary station and rushed toward the main entrance.

As soon as Mu Ling left, Lightning sat by the main door, looking at the lock in front of it.

Qilin turned around, intending to return to its cage to sleep, when suddenly it heard a “click.” The tiger turned its head to see the vet station door open, and the black panther dashed out of sight in a flash.

“…”

Qilin tilted its head in confusion. After a few seconds of silence, it lifted its foot and also ran out.

Mu Ling had just reached the main entrance. When she saw the dozen military trucks and several dozen soldiers in combat uniforms outside the zoo’s main gate, she was startled. Wait, was this really necessary for a reward of 600 star coins and a banner?

Mu Ling was somewhat dazed. After opening the door, the straight-backed young man at the front extended his hand to her, “Director Mu? My surname is Chang.”

Mu Ling hurriedly shook his hand, “Chang…” She looked at his shoulder insignia, “Major Chang, hello.”

Major Chang withdrew his hand, turned to take the commendation banner and envelope containing the star coins from a subordinate, and solemnly handed these two items to Mu Ling. At the same time, he stood at attention and saluted Mu Ling, “On behalf of the Shenwang Star Garrison, I thank you for your assistance.”

As he saluted, the seventy or eighty soldiers behind him simultaneously saluted Mu Ling.

Mu Ling was completely flustered, quickly waving her hands, “Oh, no need, no need. It’s what we should do. You don’t have to do this.”

Major Chang lowered his hand and said with a gentle smile, “To be honest, Director Mu, we came today with another matter we’d like your help with.”

Just as Major Chang got to this point in his speech, an officer behind him suddenly interrupted, pointing inside the zoo, “Major, look!”

Major Chang looked inside, his face immediately changing color. He saw a jet-black panther and a tiger with multiple bandages on its body charging towards them with fierce postures and swift strides.

The two beasts approached menacingly. The combat soldiers behind Major Chang immediately began to draw their weapons.

Mu Ling turned around to see Lightning and Qilin, and was also startled. When she saw the officers drawing their weapons, she quickly stopped them, “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!”

As she spoke, she quickly walked back, shouting loudly, “Qilin! Lightning! Stop right there!”

The running beasts didn’t listen at all.

A beast tamer squad leader behind them immediately said to Major Chang, “I told you the retired war beasts in the zoo are completely unreliable. They really do suddenly go berserk and attack humans. Isn’t this proof?”

Major Chang scolded, “What’s the use of saying this now? Quickly protect that female director!”

As he spoke, he had already rushed forward to pull Mu Ling behind him.

But just as his hand touched Mu Ling’s arm, the panther in front had already bared its sharp teeth and claws. Its green beast eyes carried a sharp killing intent as it pounced to attack Major Chang.

Major Chang’s expression was grave. As he was about to dodge, a slender, soft female arm blocked in front of him. Major Chang knew this was bad and was about to push Mu Ling away when she had already hugged the pouncing Lightning.

Lightning’s sharp teeth closed just before they could scratch Mu Ling. The coldness in its eyes quickly receded. The black panther froze in its tracks, stunned as it was held in Mu Ling’s arms. After a moment’s thought, it stuck out its tongue and gently licked Mu Ling’s face.

But Mu Ling was furious with it. She stood up, quickly shielding the black panther behind her, and asked the young military officer, “Are… are you alright?”

Major Chang looked at the black panther that Mu Ling was protectively guarding behind her, his expression serious. He didn’t speak.

Mu Ling was extremely embarrassed, “Its name is Lightning. I forgot it could open doors. It opened its cage by itself yesterday… I’m so sorry. You’re not hurt, are you?”

Major Chang’s expression remained serious, but he still said, “No.”

Mu Ling breathed a sigh of relief. She turned back, first looking at Lightning sitting in front of her pretending to be good,

Then at Qilin that had fallen behind Lightning and was now walking over.

Mu Ling laughed angrily. With her hands on her hips, she scolded, “Mu Qilin! Mu Lightning! Are you two trying to rebel? Come back with me!”

As she spoke, Mu Ling grabbed Lightning’s scruff with one hand and Qilin’s scruff with the other, quickly fleeing the scene with the tiger and panther in tow.

No joke, the entrance was full of soldiers. These two troublemakers had nearly assaulted the military just now. What if they pressed charges? Better to run as fast as possible!