Chapter 65.2

Mu Ling went to check on the other animals, examining each one thoroughly from every angle. Despite Xiang Bie’s assurances that none of the others were injured, Mu Ling insisted on seeing for herself.

After inspecting everyone inside, she headed outside, eager to check on Magic!

But the moment she stepped out, she was suddenly drenched by a downpour!

Mu Ling stood numbly at the front door, completely soaked, staring stiffly ahead.

Wei Li, who had been about to spray more water into Magic’s trunk, froze in place. He stared at his drowned-rat-looking director in horror: “Di-Director?”

Mu Ling wiped her face, shook the water from her hands, and asked hoarsely: “What… are you doing?”

Wei Li pointed awkwardly at the ground and explained: “I was trying to wash away the blood stains here, but when Magic saw me with the hose, it kept insisting on playing with water. It kept stepping on my hose if I didn’t spray water into its trunk – I was forced to…”

Mu Ling: “…”

The animals from inside had followed her out by now.

Qilin nuzzled up to Mu Ling’s hand, licking the water from her fingers, then her hand.

Mu Ling rubbed Qilin’s forehead while watching the giant elephant approach with a delighted expression. She let out a long sigh and said: “Still energetic enough to play with water—I guess you really are fine then. Well, as long as you’re all right…”

Just then, a dry towel appeared in front of her.

Mu Ling turned to see Brother Xiang.

“Thanks,” she said, taking the towel and wiping her face, then her hair, before asking: “Where are those people?”

Wei Li answered: “Locked in the garage.”

Mu Ling asked again: “Have you called the police?”

Wei Li glanced at Xiang Bie, who replied: “Waiting for your decision.”

“Call them!” Mu Ling’s face turned cold. “Not just the police—report this to the military garrison too. This involves war beasts, so the military has jurisdiction. Plus, I suspect these people aren’t just poachers—they’re very likely connected to rebel forces.”

Wei Li was startled. While he and Brother Xiang could deduce these were rebels with 80% certainty based on the modified weapons, how did the park director know?

Wei Li immediately looked at Brother Xiang again.

Xiang Bie also asked gravely: “Rebels?”

Mu Ling nodded: “The war beast thefts on Four Bay Star were definitely connected to the rebels. We can’t rule out these people being the same—we need a thorough investigation regardless.”

Xiang Bie then said to Wei Li: “Report it then, quickly. Don’t delay the Zoo’s opening.”

The Zoo opened at 8:30, it was 7:00 now—They had an hour and a half. The military garrison was quite far, but they should be able to make it in time.

*

An hour later, Chang Jing appeared at Bi Ke Zoo’s entrance again.

It had been over a month since his last visit to borrow war beasts. Major Chang pressed his lips together and instructed his subordinate captain: “Go knock on the door.”

Just as his subordinate was about to comply, someone came running out—a middle-aged man in zookeeper’s attire. Seeing them, he smiled and opened the door: “The police are already inside. Please, come in.”

Major Chang led his team inside. When they reached the dormitory area, he saw several officers in police uniforms and that familiar slender figure.

“Ahem.” Major Chang suddenly cleared his throat, then adjusted his uniform to ensure it was perfectly straight before straightening his posture and walking over.

Hearing movement behind her, Mu Ling turned around and saw Major Chang. She smiled, stepped forward, and extended her hand: “Major Chang, it’s been a while.”

Chang Jing immediately shook hands with Mu Ling, while discreetly glancing at her wrist—there was no bracelet.

Chang Jing couldn’t help looking at Mu Ling’s other hand, but that wrist was hidden in her sleeve, out of sight.

“I heard you caught some poachers?”

Officer Liu from the police force spoke up: “We’ve seen the suspects, but Director Mu is concerned they might be connected to rebel forces. She mentioned that she previously killed a mutant beast on a starship by chance, and its origin hasn’t been traced yet. She’s worried it might be connected to the rebels, and that after she was exposed, the rebels retaliated with this attempt to steal war beasts. So she hopes we can handle this case jointly between military and police—investigating both the theft and tracking down rebel connections. We police have no problem with this. It’s up to you, Major Chang—should you take them first and transfer them to us later, or should we take them first and transfer them to you after our investigation?”

Chang Jing said: “Let’s see the suspects first.”

Mu Ling led them to the garage.

Inside the garage, all eight people were still unconscious, their bodies bloodied, lying sprawled about and tied up like dumplings.

Chang Jing looked for a few moments, then crouched down to examine them carefully, focusing on the burly man: “This one looks familiar.”

Mu Ling immediately leaned in closer, asking, “Familiar?”

Chang Jing stiffened at Mu Ling’s sudden proximity and backed away slightly, saying, “Just a bit, like I’ve seen him somewhere. Let’s take these people back to our military base first.”

The police had no objections: “Fine, you take them then.”

Chang Jing then asked Mu Ling: “Their injuries—they’re not life-threatening, right?”

Between bear claw marks, hoof prints, and one person whose eye was swollen huge, possibly from being pecked…

Mu Ling said, “I’ve checked—not life-threatening. The war beasts know their limits. Apart from dealing with mutant beasts and normal hunting, they won’t easily cause fatal harm to other animals or humans. Only this one is more serious—according to the surveillance footage, he shot at our war beasts, injured one of them, so the beast retaliated and bit his shoulder down to the bone.”

Major Chang frowned: “How are the war beasts?”

Clearly the safety of the war beasts was more important than the life or death of poachers!

Mu Ling shook her head: “They’re fine, just a scratch. A blessing in disguise, I suppose.”

Major Chang also breathed a sigh of relief: “Still too dangerous.” He looked Mu Ling over: “And you? Are you alright?”

Mu Ling smiled: “I’m fine. I knew nothing about this—when I woke up they were already lying here. You should take the surveillance footage too—everything that happened last night is recorded.”

“Good.”

As he spoke, Major Chang extended his hand again to shake with Mu Ling.

This time he deliberately offered his right hand, so Mu Ling would have to use her right hand too.

Sure enough, Mu Ling extended her right hand, and Chang Jing saw that her right hand also had no bracelet.

With indescribable feelings in his heart, after lowering his hand, Major Chang’s expression showed some disappointment. He then said to the people behind him, “Take them away.”

More than ten soldiers immediately stepped forward and carried away all eight poachers.

When they walked out of the garage again, Xiang Bie had just arrived in a shuttle car.

Seeing Mu Ling and Chang Jing walking together, Xiang Bie fell silent for a moment and went around to the back of the car to check the tires.

Mu Ling and the others happened to stop at the back of the cart. Chang Jing looked deeply at Mu Ling and said, “Well, I’ll be going then.”

Mu Ling smiled: “Alright, thank you for coming out so early.”

“It’s our duty. Once we have results from the interrogation, we’ll notify you immediately.”

Mu Ling nodded.

By now, the police officers and military soldiers had walked far ahead, but Major Chang was still standing there.

Mu Ling thought Major Chang had something else to say, so she patiently looked at him.

Chang Jing did indeed have something to say. After a moment of silence, he said, “Um, I received the tickets you sent to the military base.”

Mu Ling remembered that after Major Chang had given her the bracelet, she had sent him many admission tickets in return. She said, “Since I didn’t know what you liked, I thought the zoo might be a nice place to relax. You could come with friends and family when you have time. But I haven’t seen you visit, so I thought maybe you didn’t like it.”

“I-I do like it, but, but training… I can hardly leave the base, I haven’t had a day off in a month, I…” Major Chang suddenly started stammering!

Mu Ling quickly reassured him: “Don’t worry, I didn’t mean anything by it. I know you’re busy!”

Major Chang’s ears suddenly turned red, and he said somewhat embarrassedly, “I just don’t want you to misunderstand. I really consider you a friend, and I really value your gift…”

Mu Ling smiled again: “Mm-hmm, I know, me too. The tickets never expire anyway, you can come whenever you have time.”

Just then, someone called from behind: “Major Chang.”

Chang Jing looked back for a moment, then turned back to Mu Ling and said, “Well, I’m leaving…”

Mu Ling replied warmly, “Take care.”

Chang Jing took one last look at Mu Ling before reluctantly turning to leave.

After Major Chang had walked away, Mu Ling saw she still had some time and wanted to check on the animal dormitory again. But as soon as she turned around, she saw Brother Xiang was still working on the tire.

Mu Ling crouched down and looked at the tire, asking, “Is it seriously damaged?”

Xiang Bie started, glanced at her, stood up and dusted off his hands: “No.”

Mu Ling dug in her pocket for a while and pulled out a tissue to give him, casually saying, “The military’s results shouldn’t take too long, though I wonder if we’ll hear the real answer this time.”

Xiang Bie raised an eyebrow: “Oh?”

Mu Ling shrugged: “Well, I never heard the real answer on Four Bay Star.”

Xiang Bie looked toward the main gate again and said flatly, “This Major Chang probably wouldn’t lie to you, would he? Aren’t you friends?”

Mu Ling suddenly smiled: “He was just being polite. If I took it seriously, that would be too presumptuous… Anyway, I’m heading over there. But Brother Xiang, if there really is something wrong with the tire, don’t drive it—use a different car! Safety first!”

As Mu Ling walked away, Xiang Bie watched her retreating figure, then looked at the perfectly fine tire, but said nothing and got back in the car.