Chapter 62.2

Feifan ambled over and plopped down with its rear end sticking up, its eyes locked on the white fox.

Seeing Feifan behaving obediently, Mu Ling grabbed its arm to examine the injuries.

Bruises, cuts, and gashes—it had them all.

“You look like you just finished wreaking havoc in the Celestial Palace^[1]A reference to “大闹天宫” (Havoc in the Heavenly Palace), a famous episode from Journey to the West where Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) creates chaos in Heaven. This common Chinese … Continue reading,” Mu Ling remarked while gently disinfecting the wounds with a cotton swab.

The baboon flinched at the sting and tried to struggle. Mu Ling blew softly on the injuries to soothe the pain.

Intrigued by the blowing sensation, the baboon paused its struggle, staring curiously at Mu Ling. Once the pain eased, it shuffled closer to her. Then, with its free hand, it mischievously reached over her to poke at the backpack sitting at the foot of the bed.

“Gah!” The white fox growled in annoyance.

Feifan, however, was delighted, baring its teeth in a gleeful “wo-wo-wo” laugh.

Mu Ling sighed. “Not just mischievous, but handsy too.”

Before long, Director Tian arrived outside the hospital room.

He had hurried over after hearing from his assistant that the situation was critical. But upon arriving and peering in, he found—perfect tranquility.

The assistant, slightly embarrassed, explained, “Well, it was quite serious earlier.”

Director Tian said nothing, silently observing the scene inside the room. After a while, he broke into a smile. “Director Mu certainly has a way with war beasts. Once this is over, perhaps she could help us track down Lieyan.”

The assistant blinked. “Huh?”

She came here to help, and now you want to give her more work? This isn’t like you, Director.

Director Tian clasped his hands behind his back. “If she can find Lieyan, let her take both Feifan and Lieyan back with her.”

The assistant’s eyes widened in shock.

Without offering further explanation, Director Tian waved a hand and walked away.

The assistant watched his retreating figure, then turned back to observe the room. Having worked with Director Tian for years, the assistant couldn’t help but notice his unusual attitude toward Director Mu—especially after her heartfelt declaration yesterday: “If Lieyan isn’t doing well, I’d like to take him back.”

The assistant sighed softly. The Director had been betrayed before when it came to trusting people. Hopefully, this time, his judgment wasn’t wrong.

Half an hour later, Mu Ling emerged from the hospital room. When told about helping to find the Scarlet Flame Monkey, she responded without hesitation, “I’ll give it a try.”

The assistant asked curiously, “Do you have a method in mind?”

Mu Ling cleared her throat. “I’ll use my tried and tested traditional technique.”

Another thirty minutes later, in the eastern forest of Changshan Zoo, Mu Ling climbed up a tall tree overlooking a valley and began calling out loudly, “Wo-wa! Wo-wa!”

From afar, the assistant and staff members tasked with catching Lieyan watched speechlessly.

There she was, imitating Lieyan’s call in front of Feifan, and Feifan’s call in front of Lieyan.

A double agent indeed, they thought.

Mu Ling remained dedicated to her role as a living megaphone.

Sure enough, within ten minutes, an urgent response came from the distance: “Wo-wo!”

Smiling, Mu Ling called out again, “Wo-wa! Wo-wa!”

This exchange continued for less than five minutes before Lieyan came running out. However, just as it approached Mu Ling’s position, the giant net hidden beneath the leaves snapped shut, instantly capturing the small Scarlet Flame Monkey.

Having successfully outsmarted both the Purple Lightning Baboon and the Scarlet Flame Monkey, Mu Ling suddenly realized she might be the greatest villain in the animal kingdom.

As soon as this thought surfaced, she pushed it away.. No, no, no, I’m doing this for their own good.

Turning to the white fox, she asked, “Lingren, isn’t that right? Big sister is only doing what’s best for them, right?”

Lingren, blissfully ignorant, just whimpered affectionately, still cuddling with Mu Ling.

That reminded her—Lingren only showed such affection because it mistakenly believed she was loyal to it.

Mu Ling sighed internally.. I really have become quite the master of deception.

After being captured, Lieyan kept struggling and screaming, but it was futile. The staff loaded it into their vehicle, and Mu Ling followed in another car.

When she arrived at Feifan’s ward, sharp monkey cries filled the air.

Along with the medical staff, she peered through the window.

Inside, Lieyan, with just its tail tip colored red, was perched on Feifan’s back, chattering non-stop. It seemed overjoyed—tugging at Feifan’s head fur one moment, grabbing its tail the next. When Feifan tried to pull it down, it refused, instead using Feifan’s neck as a stepladder to reach its head.

Once up there, it started an energetic dance party on Feifan’s skull.

Mu Ling: “…”

Feifan: “…”

“Wo-wa!” Finally, Feifan had enough. It lowered its head to let Lieyan down, then quickly scampered toward a distant table.

Lieyan immediately gave chase. Feifan fled to the sofa, but Lieyan followed once again. Finally, with nowhere left to run, Feifan turned and let out an angry roar: “WO-WA!”

This time, Lieyan was truly frightened. It retreated two steps and crouched down, nervously scratching its toes, its long tail tucked tightly between its legs as it trembled pitifully.

Mu Ling: “…”

She quietly remarked, “Now I understand why Feifan and Lieyan only meet occasionally instead of living together.”

The medical staff: “…”

“With a ‘child’ like this,” she added, “no wonder Feifan’s mental trauma won’t heal. Just watching is enough to raise my blood pressure.”

The medical staff: “…”

Mu Ling stayed at Changshan Zoo until noon before leaving. That afternoon, she returned to her hotel to refine her presentation for the sharing session.

Initially, her prepared draft contained simple animal care insights. But after seeing the situations at Changshan Zoo and Monty Zoo, she made some additions based on certain cases.

For example, the importance of addressing war beasts’ emotional dependencies. The skill of discovering their compatibility with other animals, plants, humans, and environments.

Basic war beast training could be organized regularly. With proper coordination from local military units, monthly conquest battles could be arranged—letting multiple war beasts hunt one beast together. This would foster camaraderie among them while stimulating their natural hunting instincts.

For war beasts with severe injuries or weak constitutions, avoid relying solely on medicinal treatments. Instead, focus on awakening their mental resilience and natural healing abilities.

Most importantly, don’t coddle war beasts or treat them like greenhouse flowers. They were once warriors who weathered storms. They possess the strength to stand alone, and should regularly be given opportunities to prove their worth.

She wrote several comprehensive additions. By evening, while others dined below, she stood on stage presenting.

The noisy banquet hall initially buzzed with conversation, but as Mu Ling delved deeper into her insights, a profound silence fell over the crowd.

This final dinner gathering of the exchange conference had drawn almost everyone. Her words reached countless eager ears.

After her thirty-minute presentation, people immediately swarmed around her.

“Director Mu, some of what you mentioned appears in War Beast Center documents, but they’re too general. Every animal is unique—there’s no universal template. Could you elaborate further?”

“Director Mu, our director would love to hear this too. I recorded it—that’s okay, right?”

“Director Mu, after the conference ends, would you consider visiting us on Quimu Star? We have a B-class war beast showing exactly the symptoms you described.”

“Director Mu! Director Mu!”

Just as she was about to be overwhelmed, Directors Chen and Harry came to her rescue, flanking her on either side.

Mu Ling had just started to thank them when Director Chen announced, “Director Mu belongs to our Shenwang Star. If she’s visiting anywhere, it’ll be Silin and Fu’ai first. Everyone else needs to wait their turn.”

Mu Ling: “…”

Finally, Director Tian stepped in to resolve the situation. “Let’s give Director Mu a chance to eat. You’ve all finished your meals while she hasn’t. Besides, you’re all in the group chat now—she’s not going anywhere.”

Director Tian commanded respect, and the crowd dispersed, breaking into small groups to discuss the practical applications of Mu Ling’s suggestions.

By dinner’s end, Mu Ling’s light-brain had collected dozens of new contact numbers.

The next morning—departure day—brought a knock on her door just after eight.

Expecting Director Chen or Harry, she called out, “Coming!”

But opening the door revealed—

“Director Ge?”

Director Ge stood there with an awkward smile. “Director Mu, I have a small favor to ask…”

Twenty minutes later, Mu Ling reached the ground floor lobby to find a truck parked outside. Director Ge sat in the passenger seat, beaming at her appearance.

Mu Ling: “…”

She glanced at the truck’s cargo hold and sighed softly.

*Well, since Director Ge asked so earnestly, I suppose I can look after Ji Xiang for a while. I have been worried about it anyway…*

Just then, her light-brain chimed. Checking the caller ID, she answered, “Hello?”

Director Tian’s assistant’s voice came through: “Director Mu, our director has a gift for you. It’s already at the starship center.”

Mu Ling: “…”

“What gift? Didn’t Director Tian already give me plenty of local specialties yesterday?”

The assistant laughed. “Feifan and Lieyan.”

Mu Ling: “…”

“What?”

“You mentioned wanting Lieyan back before, right? The director says you can take them both. No transfer fees, no adoption fees. Of course, if you’d rather not…”

Mu Ling pressed her lips together. How could she not want them?

These past days, she’d worried constantly about Feifan. Given that it had been stolen once before at Changshan, and the culprits never caught, she felt deeply uneasy…

But should she accept such a generous gift from Director Tian?

After a moment, she asked, “Could their keepers come along too?”

The assistant started.

“I mean,” Mu Ling explained, “if Director Tian agrees, they could come to Bi Ke Zoo with me. I’ll train them free of charge, and they can return afterward.”

The assistant’s eyes lit up. “Really? You’d do that?”

Mu Ling smiled. “Of course. And…”

She glanced again at the truck outside, spotting Ji Xiang’s keeper grinning foolishly from the driver’s seat.

“…it won’t just be those two.”

The morning flight meant Mu Ling didn’t reach Shenwang Star until nine that evening.

At ten o’clock that night, Wei Li and Xiang Bie still waited at the Bi Ke Zoo’s ticket office.

“Brother Xiang,” Wei Li couldn’t help asking, “why wouldn’t the director let us pick her up from the starship center?”

Eyes closed in rest, Xiang Bie replied, “She said she had too much luggage. Silin’s vehicle would drop her off en route.”

Wei Li grumbled, “Everyone else gets picked up except her. How embarrassing.”

Xiang Bie stayed silent.

Suddenly, a distant horn broke the quiet.

Xiang Bie’s eyes snapped open. Narrowing them, he strode from the ticket office.

Wei Li hurried after him.

At the entrance, they watched a truck bearing Silin Zoo’s logo slowly stop outside their gate.

Mu Ling hopped down from the back seat, waving to Director Chen in front. “Thank you, Director Chen!”

Director Chen waved it off, indicating no thanks were necessary.

“Director!” Wei Li ran over excitedly. “You’re finally back! We missed you so much!”

Mu Ling chuckled. “Really? Brother Xiang told me yesterday that you said I was embarrassing myself out there.”

Wei Li’s face reddened. He bumped Xiang Bie. “Why do you tell her everything?”

Ignoring him, Xiang Bie eyed Mu Ling’s backpack. “Where’s your luggage?”

“In back,” she called out. “Fass!”

Fass emerged from the cargo area pushing two suitcases. Wei Li rushed to help, but stopped short as three more men jumped down, also pushing luggage. They even carried several cages…

Wei Li: “…”

Five minutes later, Xiang Bie and Wei Li silently watched the Silin truck drive away, then turned to the three strangers and their mysterious cages.

Mu Ling smiled brightly. “Let me introduce everyone! These are keepers from Changshan and Monty Zoos, and in these cages we have Feifan, an S-class Purple Lightning Baboon; Lieyan, a B-class Scarlet Flame Monkey; and Ji Xiang, an A-class Hundred-Flower Leopard. They’ll all be living at our Bi Ke Zoo from now on!”

Xiang Bie: “…”

Wei Li: “…”

After a long silence, Wei Li finally asked, “Director, did you go to Four Bay Star to stock up?”

Mu Ling laughed. “Think of it as bringing home some VIP guests.”