Chapter 23.1

When Wei Li emerged from the garage after securing the two hyenas in a cage, he found the crowd still fixated on the forest, anxiously awaiting any sign of movement.

Checking the time, Wei Li realized the director had been gone for over 15 minutes. Concerned, he whispered to Xiang Bie, “Brother Xiang, should I go check on the director? She’s just a young woman, after all.”

Xiang Bie frowned, hesitating before nodding. “Alright.”

As Wei Li turned to retrieve protective gear, the crowd suddenly erupted, “Look! She’s coming down!”

Wei Li spun around, relieved to see the director descending. She still wore her protective suit, though carelessly—jacket open, sleeves rolled up, and helmet off, as if indifferent to safety precautions.

To everyone’s astonishment, the director casually removed the protective suit entirely, draping it over her arm as she continued her descent.

“Does this mean the animal’s gone?” someone speculated.

“It must be. Why else would she remove the suit?”

“But what kind of animal was it? Those eyes… it had to be a predator.”

“Could it be Qingjiao?” another tourist whispered excitedly. “If I see Qingjiao again today, I’ll be the happiest boy alive!”

“Boy? Aren’t you 26 already?”

“I’m forever young!”

As the playful banter continued, the director reached the midpoint of the trail. Suddenly, she halted, glancing back towards the forest.

“Is she looking at the animal?”

“Can she still see it? Wasn’t it supposed to be gone?”

Just then, a shadowy figure with glowing green eyes emerged slowly from the dark underbrush.

The crowd gasped collectively.

“It’s a panther!”

“Wait… it’s not just any panther—it’s Lightning!”

“Lightning? How is that possible?” The visitors were stunned. “Why is Lightning coming down the mountain?”

Xiang Bie narrowed his eyes, as if expecting this. His suspicions about Director Mu Ling deepened.

Wei Li, bewildered, exclaimed, “Brother Xiang! Lightning’s following the director down? How could this be? With all these people around, and knowing how much Lightning dislikes humans, it still followed her down?”

Xiang Bie calmly ordered, “Get everyone inside the store. We can’t risk startling Lightning.”

Wei Li quickly ushered the tourists into the nearby store, where they pressed against the windows, watching anxiously.

Mu Ling gently stroked Lightning’s ear as they descended. The panther, occasionally unsettled by unfamiliar scents, nudged closer for comfort. She wrapped an arm around its neck, soothing it as they walked.

Reaching the service area’s edge, Mu Ling gestured to Xiang Bie, indicating she’d take Lightning to the veterinary station—the only place with a cage large enough for the panther. Xiang Bie nodded, and she proceeded.

Inside the veterinary station, Lightning remained calm until they passed Qilin’s room. The panther suddenly halted.

Qilin, sensing another predator, opened its amber-green eyes, staring coldly at Lightning.

For a moment, the two creatures locked eyes—assessing each other. Qilin moved towards its cage door with a predatory air. Lightning stared back, unafraid, seemingly weighing its chances against the massive creature.

As tension built, Mu Ling softly said, “This way, Lightning. This will be your room.”

Hearing her voice, the panther followed her into a cage, curling up peacefully. Qilin remained seated by its cage bars, watching intently.

“You stay here a bit. I’ll get you some food, okay?” Mu Ling whispered, stroking Lightning’s head. The panther nuzzled her gently, obedient and calm.

Passing Qilin’s cage with food for Lightning, Mu Ling greeted it, “Hi, Qilin!”

Qilin eyed her coldly but became visibly agitated watching Mu Ling tend to Lightning.

As Lightning ate eagerly, Mu Ling praised it, “Good job! Eat up—there’s more if you finish.”

Suddenly, a loud clang echoed from Qilin’s cage—it had knocked over its water bowl.

“Hey! Don’t drink that—it’s dirty!” Mu Ling rushed over, scooping up the bowl and petting Qilin. “What happened? Did you spill it accidentally? It’s okay. I’ll get you more.”

She returned with fresh water and a cloth. As she cleaned, Qilin pressed against her, seeking affection. She smiled and kissed its head.

A whimper from Lightning’s cage caught her attention. The panther was holding up its paw, limping slightly.

“Lightning? What’s wrong? Are you hurt?” Mu Ling inspected the paw, finding no visible injury.

“Is it a cramp?” she wondered, massaging gently. “It’ll feel better soon. Maybe you need some calcium supplements.”

Noticing Mu Ling’s prolonged absence, Xiang Bie came to check on her.

As he approached, he saw Qilin deliberately knock over its water bowl again, causing another spill. Mu Ling rushed over immediately, scolding gently, “You’re just trying to get my attention, aren’t you?”

Before Xiang Bie could intervene, Mu Ling darted back to Lightning’s cage, worried. “Lightning, are you still in pain? Wait… wasn’t it your right paw before? Why are you limping on the left now?”

Xiang Bie observed silently as Mu Ling dashed between the two animals.

In the animal kingdom, competing for attention is normal—winning favor means more resources. But these two creatures seemed to have mastered the art of manipulation.

“I need to have a word with their previous owners,” he muttered under his breath.

“Director,” Xiang Bie called out. “The tourists are still waiting.”

Mu Ling hastily wiped her hands. “Right! I’ll be out in a second. Brother Xiang, keep an eye on them for me, okay?”

As soon as she left, both animals settled down, feigning sleep.

Xiang Bie sighed. “These two…”

Rejoining the tourists, Mu Ling was greeted by Professor Zhou’s eager request to see Lightning and Qilin again.

Mu Ling hesitated but agreed to show Qilin. “I’m still getting to know Lightning, so it’s not safe to bring him out yet.”

“But you seem so close already,” Professor Zhou remarked, surprised.

Mu Ling smiled wryly. “He’s just… clingy, I guess. We’ve only known each other for two hours.”