Chapter 13.2

“Just left like that?” Mu Ling said skeptically, scanning the area in all directions. After confirming there was indeed no other activity nearby, she muttered, “Did it run away when it saw you coming back, Brother Xiang?”

As she spoke, she quickly asked Xiang Bie, “What about the mother wolf?”

“Shook her off,” Xiang Bie replied briefly, then asked, “Where’s Wei Li?”

Mu Ling explained that Wei Li had gone with the workers to get the vehicle. Xiang Bie frowned, “Let’s go find them. The mother wolf will return soon. If we don’t leave quickly, she’ll catch the pup’s scent.”

Xiang Bie and Mu Ling switched places. He took the driver’s seat while Mu Ling cradled the wolf pup in the passenger seat.

The car started quickly.

The five-kilometer distance wasn’t far. Both groups soon met up. Going down the mountain, Xiang Bie led the way in the off-road vehicle, with Wei Li following in the workers’ car.

Because of the rough mountain roads, Mu Ling carefully protected the pup the entire way, using her body as a cushion to minimize the jolting.

When they returned to the service area, it was almost midnight. Wei Li went to arrange accommodation for the workers, while Mu Ling and Xiang Bie rushed to the veterinary station.

Mu Ling placed the pup on the operating table. Seeing the wound hadn’t worsened, she quickly continued cleaning it.

As Mu Ling worked, Xiang Bie assisted her. After thoroughly cleaning the wound, stitching it, bandaging it, and setting up an IV for the pup, she finally sighed in relief. She removed her gloves and gently stroked the pup’s soft fur with her fingertips.

Xiang Bie asked, “Is it okay now?”

Mu Ling smiled, “It should be fine now, but we’ll need to monitor it tonight in case of any complications. After that, it’s just regular dressing changes. Young animals recover faster than adults. After a week of treatment, it should be about 70-80% healed.”

Hearing this, Xiang Bie frowned, “A week?”

Mu Ling looked at him, “Yes.”

Xiang Bie said, “Within 24 hours, regardless of life or death, the pup must be returned to the wild.”

Mu Ling was stunned.

Xiang Bie continued, “When we found the pup, it was already impaled on tree branches. The mother wolf was trying to forcibly pull it out. The pup kept crying, and I feared she might kill it, so I shot her with a tranquilizer. But it didn’t work. When the mother wolf stood up, I realized it was Qingchao.”

Mu Ling asked, confused, “Qingchao?”

Xiang Bie explained, “An S-class retired war beast, the Dark Snow Wolf Qingchao. It was once bitten by a mutant crocodile on the battlefield and tested positive for the Peng Yaminjing virus. After treatment, it became immune to tranquilizers.”

Mu Ling was shocked, “So the tranquilizer was useless against the mother wolf. Then what happened?”

“I provoked her, luring her away forcibly, allowing Master Zhou to contact you and buy you time.”

Xiang Bie looked at Mu Ling again, “Although we’ve temporarily lost Qingchao, her maternal instincts are strong, and her sense of smell is extremely keen. Within 24 hours, she’ll definitely find her way to the service area. If she can’t see her pup then, she’ll surely attack people.”

Mu Ling’s expression turned grim, “But if we return the pup within 24 hours, we won’t be able to change its dressings afterward. If it continues to live rough in the mountains, the wound might get infected again. We might not be able to save it then.”

Xiang Bie was silent for a moment, then grunted, “Qingjiaois more important than the cub.”

If forced to choose, Xiang Bie could only choose Qingchao.

Mu Ling couldn’t quite accept this, “Isn’t there a way to have both?”

Xiang Bie didn’t respond.

After pondering for a while, Mu Ling suddenly slapped her thigh, “I’ve got it! I have a connection we can use.”

Saying this, she immediately walked towards the back.

Xiang Bie thought Mu Ling was going to fetch something, so he waited outside. After a few minutes, when Mu Ling hadn’t returned, he went inside.

As he approached the ward, Xiang Bie saw that Mu Ling had already climbed into the iron cage of Qilin. She was crouching beside it, massaging its shoulders and legs while talking, “Big Sis, can you help me with something? Do you know Qingchao? The Dark Snow Wolf? You two were old colleagues, right?”

“See, if it comes back looking for me, could you make an appearance and scare it off for me? Just frighten it away, that’s all. It’s five years old, you’re eight. You’re older, so it’ll definitely be afraid of you.”

“Sis, my one and only sister, Sister Lin, can you just do something? If this works out, I’ll reward you with two cans of food.”

“Three? Five? Ten? Whatever you want!”

Xiang Bie was speechless.

This is your so-called connection?

Getting Qilin to intimidate the Dark Snow Wolf?

If it listens to you, then maybe it could work, but…

Xiang Bie looked at Qilin again. It stretched lazily, probably thinking Mu Ling was playing with it. It boredly swished its tail, rolled over next to Mu Ling, nuzzled its head into her arms, licked its lips, and went back to sleep.

Xiang Bie couldn’t help but comment, “Your connection is almost as lazy as a pig. Can it really be relied upon?”

Mu Ling was indignant.

She quickly covered Qilin’s ears and reproached Xiang Bie, “Brother Xiang, how can you say such things in front of the child?”

Then she lowered her head and whispered into Qilin’s ear, “Don’t listen, Qilin. He’s just saying nonsense.”