Chapter 118.1

The truth, while somewhat cruel, really did seem to be just that.

One by one, the experts from the Search and Rescue Beast Training Academy fell into a daze.

They stared blankly at the Iron-Skinned crocodile below, disoriented and unwilling to accept reality…

“But… it was clearly a voluntary rescue behavior…”

“Even… even if the motive was different, what, …what difference does it make…?”

“In any case, it did save someone. As long as it can save people, that proves crocodiles can be trained for rescue. It’s fine, totally fine…”

Seeing how shattered they looked, Mu Ling scratched her face and muttered, “Well, since we’ve already found Guardian, if you want to keep studying it, go ahead. Do you still need my help?”

Over twenty people suddenly turned to look at Mu Ling in unison—then all frantically shook their heads: “No need!”

Their promising rescue beast had just been turned into a child playing house in her words. They really didn’t want to see Director Mu again anytime soon!

She was such a buzzkill!

Completely unaware that she’d been silently rejected, Mu Ling waited a while longer until another vehicle came to pick up her group.

While Director Lu and the others continued tailing the Iron-Skinned crocodile as it left, Mu Ling’s group returned to the service area. She then called over Xiang Bie and Wei Li to discuss another matter.

“I mentioned before that I felt like I was overlooking something about the Butcher,” she began. “Today, this Guardian incident gave me a clue. I think I know what I’ve been overlooking.”

Xiang Bie and Wei Li remained silent, their eyes fixed on her.

Mu Ling continued, “All along, we’ve been separating war beasts from ordinary animals. We believed that when a war beast does something, there must be a reason—it must be because they were raised by humans, so their actions are influenced by human behavior…”

“But after watching Guardian today, I realized that might not be the case. Although Guardian is a war beast, it also learns survival rules from its own kind. Which means—setting aside their war beast identity—at their core, they’re still animals.”

Wei Li was confused by the director’s roundabout explanation and asked perplexedly, “Director, they are animals to begin with, aren’t they?”

Mu Ling looked straight at him: “Then if they’re animals, couldn’t Butcher’s behavior be explained from a purely animal perspective?”

Wei Li: “…”

He froze: “How would we do that?”

Mu Ling replied, “A wild animal that’s the only male of its species in the entire park suddenly shows concern for a female of another species. Now factor in this animal’s mating season—isn’t it possible that Butcher is nice to the mother wolf purely because he’s in heat but has no outlet for his hormones, so he’s redirecting his reproductive instincts toward other animals?”

Wei Li: “…”

He was stunned: “Butcher is… in heat for Meihua and the others?”

Mu Ling shook her head: “Not in heat—emotional displacement. It’s like a bachelor who can’t get a wife or have children, and when he’s frustrated enough, starts being overly kind to pregnant women. The main point is, ‘I have all this leftover affection with nowhere to use it, so I’ll spend it on you.'”

Wei Li now understood and began searching on the StarNet: “So when is the Black Claw Ferocious Badger’s mating season…”

Mu Ling said, “Honey badgers prefer to breed in spring and summer. Black Claw Ferocious Badgers, due to their different living environment, prefer to breed in autumn and winter. That means, normally speaking, Butcher is currently in mating season.”

Wei Li frowned: “But we haven’t seen him make any courtship signals.”

Mu Ling replied, “Didn’t I just say? He’s the only Black Claw Ferocious Badger in the entire park. Who would he court—thin air?”

Xiang Bie pondered for a moment, then said, “I’ll check with the War Beast Center.”

With that, he stepped aside to make a call. After a while, Xiang Bie returned and said, “The Center confirms that it is indeed still mating season for Black Claw Ferocious Badgers.”

Mu Ling hurriedly asked, “Can they help us find any single female badgers?”

Xiang Bie shook his head: “I asked. They said Black Claw Ferocious Badgers are S-class talented animals, already rare in number, and besides, mating season is almost over.”

Like honey badgers, Black Claw Ferocious Badgers practice polygyny, meaning one strong male can have several wives. In this situation, females at breeding facilities are in even higher demand.

Many healthy Black Claw Ferocious Badgers couldn’t find mates, let alone theirs, which had health issues.

Mu Ling looked dejected: “But our Butcher would make such a good father. Look how nice he is to other species’ pregnant females—he’d surely be even better to his own mate. No, I’m not giving up. I’ll keep asking around.”

Mu Ling began offering high rewards for a wife in various animal zoo exchange groups. After hours of inquiring, she did find another zoo with a retired Black Claw Ferocious Badger, but theirs was also male, so no match.

After asking around for a long time, Mu Ling still couldn’t find a dating prospect for Butcher.

Just as she was about to give up, Director Tian from Changshan Zoo spoke up in the group: “I know a zoo that recently received a female Black Claw Ferocious Badger.”

Mu Ling quickly called Director Tian, smiling sweetly: “Grandpa Tian, which zoo were you talking about?”

Hearing her sweet tone, Director Tian smiled and replied, “It’s called Maple Leaf Zoo. It’s not in our Eastern Star Region but in Ancient Blue Star of the Southwest Star Region. Isn’t Planet 917 also in the Southwest Star Region? During the monster riot on Planet 917, that female Black Claw Ferocious Badger was injured and retired. I heard from the deputy director of Maple Leaf Zoo that they haven’t figured out how to properly raise that Black Claw Ferocious Badger yet.”

When Mu Ling heard that Maple Leaf Zoo was on Ancient Blue Star, she became excited. Mu Ling had a natural affinity for Ancient Blue Star. Her grandfather had loved Ancient Blue Star’s culture, which meant that although Mu Ling had never been there, she had yearned for it all her life!

Mu Ling quickly said, “Director Tian, could you help me ask if Maple Leaf Zoo would be willing to arrange a blind date with us? Our Butcher is really wonderful—sleek fur, refined features, smart and brave, both intelligent and courageous. No exaggeration, in my half a lifetime, I’ve never seen such an excellent Black Claw Ferocious Badger. He’s absolutely the pinnacle of his kind! A blind date would definitely be worth it!”

Listening to her exaggerated praise, Director Tian said helplessly, “I’ll ask for you. I’ll get back to you later.”

After hanging up, Mu Ling anxiously waited.

Ten minutes later, Director Tian called back: “Maple Leaf Zoo says they’re not opposed to a blind date, but you’ll have to go there yourselves.”