Chapter 45.2

The atmosphere in the animal dormitory was so tranquil and ethereal that it felt almost surreal.

Commander Duan glanced around, his gaze finally settling on Wei Li. Lowering his voice, he asked, “Does Director Mu usually sleep like this?”

Wei Li was just as puzzled, whispering back, “Since the animal dormitory was built, this is the first time the director has slept on the floor with the war beasts. She usually at least has a sofa bed.”

Commander Duan was speechless.

He looked over at the young woman sleeping soundly, surrounded by animals. The creatures, disturbed by the noise from the door, began to stir awake. A Ripper Tiger, a Swift Fire Leopard, a Dark Snow Wolf, and an Eagle all opened their eyes, casting chilly glances toward the doorway.

Commander Duan then looked over at his own beast, Magic.

Strangely, Magic was still asleep. Wasn’t it supposed to be more alert and suspicious after its mental trauma?

Back at the war beast hospital, Magic would become agitated whenever anyone approached. Why was it so relaxed now, even snoring?

Wait… was Magic’s skin shiny?

Commander Duan looked closer and realized there was ointment on Magic’s hide.

Pressing his lips together, he asked Wei Li, “Can I check your park’s surveillance? I want to see what happened to Magic last night.”

The entire facility had surveillance, essential for a place with so many daily visitors.

Wei Li led Commander Duan and his team to the monitoring room.

As the group left, the last ones—Lin Xuan, Zhao Fang, and Li Yan—took one last complex look at the dormitory before quietly closing the door and joining the others.

Over the next hour, they fast-forwarded through footage from 10 PM last night to 5 AM, watching both the plaza and the animal dormitory cameras.

The footage showed Magic kicking its cage, Director Mu ingeniously applying ointment with a broomstick, the appearance of another staff member, Xiang Bie, a brief camera glitch, and then Xiang Bie and Mu Ling pushing Magic’s cage into the dormitory.

“Whoa, Director Mu and Brother Xiang are so strong!” Fas exclaimed, staring at the monitor in awe.

Wei Li quickly clarified, “The footage skipped a bit. They must have used a wheeled dolly to help move it. Otherwise, there’s no way they could have done it.”

Fas nodded in understanding. “Oh, that makes sense.”

No one questioned it further, all assuming a dolly had been used.

Wei Li sighed in relief as the team moved on to watch footage of the dormitory. When the last video ended, everyone was silent.

Finally, Commander Duan broke the silence. “I don’t understand.”

His intense gaze was fixed on the screen. “Why did Magic suddenly change?”

In the war beast hospital, Magic had never shown any gentleness or friendliness. Ever since it became ill, its condition had deteriorated rapidly. Sometimes it attacked people, sometimes it cried. The hospital vets noted that its damage value rose quickly—from 30 to 50 in just two months.

Even when Magic retired, its condition hadn’t improved.

Yet, a little ointment—Director Mu had just applied a little ointment—changed everything.

It must be the ointment.

Commander Duan immediately asked, “Can I have some of that ointment?”

Wei Li hesitated. “I’ll need to ask the director.”

Commander Duan took a deep breath, nodding. “Then we’ll wait for her to wake up.”

Mu Ling slept until her alarm rang at 7 AM.

The vibration startled her awake. Yawning, she was about to turn over when she felt a sharp tug on her scalp. “Ah! My head hurts!”

Looking up, she met a pair of sharp eagle eyes.

“Tayun!” Mu Ling pulled the giant eagle into her lap, poking its head playfully. “If I go bald, I’ll pull out all your feathers and make myself a wig!”

The eagle, perched uncomfortably on her thigh, climbed up her arm and settled on her shoulder, nibbling gently at her hair as if searching for lice.

Mu Ling sighed. “You’re why my shoulders are uneven.”

One shoulder normal, the other bearing a twenty-jin eagle—heavier than a bag of rice!

The animals around began stirring. Qilin lay still, while Lightning, thirsty upon waking, went to the water dispenser. The little wolf continued sleeping as Qingjiao groomed it. Meanwhile, the giant elephant had begun munching on leaves from a nearby tree.

“Hey, hey, hey, Sis! Leave those leaves alone!

I’l go get you some feed!”

Mu Ling rushed outside, only to find more than forty people waiting.

She froze in surprise.

Tayun took off immediately, soaring into the sky.

Knowing it wouldn’t fly far, Mu Ling didn’t call it back. Instead, she turned to the crowd. “What’s going on?”

Wei Li sighed and explained the situation.

After listening, Mu Ling slapped her forehead. “Oh no, I forgot to tell you! Magic won’t be going up the mountain today, Commander Duan. I want to wait until its external injuries heal. With daily treatment, it should recover fully in about two weeks. I’ve examined the wounds—most aren’t serious, but a few need dead tissue removed and stitching. It was too dark last night, and I wasn’t familiar enough with Magic’s temperament to risk it. Today, I’d like to see if it will let me do the procedure.”

Just as Wei Li was about to mention the ointment, Commander Duan interjected, “I’ll join you.”

Mu Ling smiled warmly. “With its owner present, Magic will surely feel more at ease.”

After freshening up, she fed and medicated the animals, instructed Brother Zhao to bring down two golden rabbits for backup, then headed to the dormitory with her medical kit, ladder, broom, and a cart of feed.

Commander Duan followed, though his presence noticeably agitated the animals. He ignored this, donning full protective gear. Having watched the footage, he knew the war beasts wouldn’t attack with Mu Ling present.

“Magic, breakfast time!” Mu Ling called, pouring out the feed.

The giant elephant immediately coiled its trunk around a bundle of feed and began eating.

While it munched, Mu Ling cautiously reached out to touch its hide.

The rough texture was dotted with stiff bristles.

Magic’s dark eyes glanced at her but showed no resistance, continuing to eat.

Commander Duan narrowed his eyes as he joined her, running his hand over Magic’s skin.

The elephant remained calm, only flicking its tail slightly.

A Miracle!

The word flashed through Commander Duan’s mind. This was the most cooperative Magic had been in six months.

But was it reasonable for an elephant with a damage value of 53.2 to be this compliant?

He watched as Magic finished eating and drinking, then turned as if wanting to play with the other animals.

“Magic, attention!” Mu Ling commanded.

Commander Duan looked at her in surprise.

Embarrassed, Mu Ling said, “I only know a few commands I picked up.”

Commander Duan nodded. “But Magic won’t listen to your commands. I’ll—”

Before he could finish, Magic stood at attention before Mu Ling, its legs straight and parallel, head raised, trunk curled high in a perfect elephant’s salute.

Commander Duan was speechless.

Not recognizing the salute, Mu Ling patted Magic again and set up the ladder. “Commander, could you hold this steady? I’d rather not get knocked off.”

He held the ladder as she climbed up.

Once there, she continued gently stroking Magic’s forehead, trying to keep it calm before the procedure.

Magic, unaware of her intentions, delighted in her gentle touch. It nuzzled her palm eagerly, even wrapping its trunk around her waist, its whole body swaying with joy.

Seeing Magic so comfortable, Mu Ling thought the time was right for treatment. But just as she was about to ask for her medical kit, she felt herself being lifted—Magic had wrapped her in its trunk.

“Ah!” she cried out in surprise.

Commander Duan started, ready to call for help, but stopped when he saw Magic simply adjusting her position.

Mu Ling, terrified of falling, straddled the trunk, clutching tightly to its tip.

Then the trunk began moving up and down, up and down…

“What the—! Is this the same game you played with the little wolf last night?”

Indeed, Magic was using its trunk as a swing, just as it had done with the little wolf.

“S-stop it!” Mu Ling called out, nervous laughter in her voice. “Sister Magic, look at me! I may be seven years younger than you, but I’m already twenty! We fresh graduates don’t play on swings anymore!”

The elephant, not understanding human speech, seemed to smile with its inverted triangular mouth. It placed her on its forehead and straightened its trunk, offering her a path down just as it had done for the little wolf.

Mu Ling lay frozen atop the elephant’s head, looking helplessly at Commander Duan below. “Commander… what should I do now?”

Commander Duan’s pupils trembled.

He couldn’t understand, couldn’t accept, couldn’t believe it.

He had raised Magic for twenty-seven years, and it had never once let him ride its trunk.

How was this possible? Why was this happening now?

Yes… this must be insanity—a result of its 53.2 damage value. Magic had truly gone mad.

“Commander Duan?” Mu Ling called again.

Through gritted teeth, he responded, “Don’t talk. I’m thinking.”

Mu Ling fell silent.