Chapter 56.1

Director Harry’s startled shout gave Mu Ling a fright. She hurried over but stopped dead in her tracks at the sight before her. The two lions in the cage were in terrible condition.

If they had merely appeared tired and listless when setting out earlier, now they looked gravely ill.

In just a one-hour drive, the light had completely faded from their eyes. The two lions were weakly leaning against each other, with vomit in front of their cage and waste beneath it.

…Vomiting and diarrhea.

Director Harry, drenched in sweat, was visibly panicking as he anxiously asked Manager Li, “Manager Li, could you have your vet look at Roumei and Xiaoduo?”

Manager Li naturally agreed. Since Ji Xiang’s team would likely still be busy, he suggested, “Let’s head over there directly.”

With that, he closed the vehicle door and took the driver’s seat.

Director Harry quickly got into the passenger seat, with Mu Ling following in the back.

Driving proved faster than Director Ge’s group, who had taken a different route on foot.

When they arrived at the veterinary station, the young nurse waiting outside seemed surprised to see them instead of Director Ge.

After Manager Li’s brief explanation, the nurse hesitated, “Only Dr. John is available right now. Dr. Julie is still on her way, and Ji Xiang’s condition is critical—Dr. John and Nurse Wang are occupied in intensive care and can’t assist other animals at the moment.”

The nurse glanced at Director Harry, “If it’s just motion sickness, I could give them an anti-nausea and anti-diarrhea injection. Would that help?”

Director Harry hesitated, unable to be certain that Roumei and Xiaoduo were merely suffering from motion sickness.

Just then, a gentle female voice spoke from behind, “Could I borrow your veterinary tools and equipment?”

Everyone turned to see a young woman standing two steps behind Director Harry.

Mu Ling adjusted the white fox in her arms, securing it better, and said modestly, “Though I’m not a professional, I’ve treated many animals at Bi Ke Zoo. I should be able to examine Roumei and Xiaoduo, but I’ll need to use your diagnostic equipment.”

The nurse studied Mu Ling for a moment before recognition dawned, “You’re from Bi Ke Zoo?”

She hurried inside, “Let me ask Dr. John. Please wait.”

After the nurse left, Director Harry turned to Mu Ling, his face lighting up with hope, “Director Mu, you can really help?”

Mu Ling smiled, “Well, I’ve been serving as both director and veterinarian until we hire a formal vet.”

Director Harry nodded eagerly, “Thank goodness.”

The nurse soon returned, “Dr. John says you can use the equipment.”

Mu Ling directed, “Then let’s bring Roumei and Xiaoduo inside.”

The other Fu’ai Zoo staff had arrived in another vehicle. Working together, they unloaded the huge cage and wheeled the two listless lionesses into the veterinary station. Mu Ling surveyed the facility—it was more than twice the size of Bi Ke Zoo’s, primarily due to the extensive equipment filling two large rooms.

After a quick look around, Mu Ling pointed to the operating table in the main hall, “Could we have Xiaoduo lie here?”

A dark-skinned, middle-aged keeper opened the cage and called out, “Xiaoduo, come.”

Usually, both lions would scramble to get out when the cage opened, but today, clearly unwell, they merely squinted and licked their noses before resting their heads on their paws, curled together and unmoving.

“Xiaoduo, Xiaoduo!” The keeper called several times, but she remained motionless, even closing her eyes from exhaustion as if wanting to sleep.

The keeper tried opening a can of food. Finally, the smell roused both lions, and Xiaoduo was coaxed onto the operating table.

While the lioness lowered her head to eat, Mu Ling removed her backpack, set it at her feet, and took out a chain to secure it to a cage. She softly instructed the white fox, “Sit here and behave.”

The fox obediently sat in the backpack, its snow-white head raised, purple beast eyes fixed intently on Mu Ling’s every movement.

“Xiaoduo, lie down,” Mu Ling, now in protective gear, gently placed her hand on the unfamiliar lioness’s back, slowly pressing down.

Unfamiliar with Mu Ling’s scent, the lioness growled in displeasure and turned away from her touch.

Mu Ling didn’t force the issue, withdrawing her hand to wait until Xiaoduo finished eating and the keeper could coax her down.

The lioness quickly finished the small can of food. Just as she was about to return to Roumei—

She retched violently, bringing up everything she had just eaten.

Even after emptying her stomach, she continued to heave bile.

The Fu’ai Zoo staff watched heartbroken, and Director Harry nearly burst into tears, “Xiaoduo…”

After several bouts of vomiting, Xiaoduo sniffed at the mess, then finally lay down under her keeper’s guidance, weakly resting her head in his lap.

The keeper gently stroked her fur while Mu Ling took out a stethoscope, placing it beneath the lion’s belly to listen to her heartbeat.

After a moment, Mu Ling said, “Her heart’s beating too fast. Let’s draw some blood.”

She requested a syringe from the nurse.

Taking Xiaoduo’s right forepaw, she located a vein, parted the fur, cleaned the area with an antiseptic swab, and inserted the needle.

“Roar!” The lioness felt the pain and immediately struggled.

The keeper quickly held her down, but Xiaoduo, now agitated, tried to stand, her paws scrabbling against the table while attempting to bite her keeper.

Director Harry watched anxiously. The keeper would be fine—he was Xiaoduo’s surrogate father and she wouldn’t truly hurt him—but Xiaoduo didn’t know Director Mu. How would he explain to Bi Ke Zoo if she got injured?

He glanced worriedly at Mu Ling but saw she remained perfectly calm, steadily drawing blood without any sign of fear or nervousness. Once finished, she praised the lioness warmly, “Well done, Xiaoduo. You were so brave.”

She pressed a cotton swab to the wound, secured it with medical tape, then proceeded to take a sample from the lioness’s rear with another swab. Patting Xiaoduo gently, she soothed, “All done now, no more fuss. You did so well.”

The whole process was terrifyingly smooth.

Director Harry couldn’t imagine how many fierce beasts she must have done this to.

The agitated lioness finally calmed, sensing she was no longer being examined. The keeper continued stroking her fur soothingly.

Mu Ling took the blood and swab samples to the equipment area.

She ran several basic tests: complete blood count, allergy screening, urinalysis, and stool analysis. But she added one more crucial test—

A check for mutated viruses in Xiaoduo’s system.

While waiting for the results, Director Ge and his team finally arrived.

Seeing Director Harry’s group, Director Ge was startled, “You all…”

Manager Li quickly explained the situation.

After listening, Director Ge glanced at Xiaoduo on the operating table, now resting with her keeper, then looked toward Mu Ling in the equipment area. He frowned slightly.

The nurse hurriedly explained, “Dr. John approved the use of the equipment.”

Director Ge accepted this and asked, “How is Ji Xiang?”

The nurse led him toward the ICU, explaining quietly, “He’s gone into shock twice already. Dr. John thinks continuing like this is meaningless—it’s only prolonging his suffering…”

While they entered the ICU, Manager Li couldn’t help but follow, though he remained outside, watching through the window.

Xiaoduo’s test results would take at least half an hour. During this time, no one emerged from the ICU, though Roumei had another bout of vomiting, albeit seeming less severe than Xiaoduo’s condition.

After what seemed like ages, there was finally movement from the ICU. Mu Ling, who had been cuddling her fox, looked up to see Director Ge emerging with an older nurse who must have been Nurse Wang.

Director Ge approached Mu Ling and unexpectedly extended his hand, “Director Mu.”

Surprised by the gesture, Mu Ling stood and shook his hand, “Director Ge?”

Director Ge gave a bitter smile, “I’ll be frank with you. Director Mu, we know of your experience treating S-level war beasts. Would you please examine our Ji Xiang? Our doctors believe he’s suffering too much now—that continuing like this is cruel. But his owner is currently on a mission on another planet, unreachable. I just want him to hold on a few more days, at least long enough to see his owner one last time…”

Mu Ling understood and nodded, “I’ll take a look. However, Director Ge, I’m really not a professional. Our zoo simply had no veterinarian, which is why I stepped in. Your veterinarians are surely far more capable than I am. If they can’t help, I’m not certain what I can do…”

Mu Ling actually didn’t know if her special ability to treat war beasts was related to that incident.

If it was, how could this ability be triggered?

She had never been able to trigger it herself, so she couldn’t guarantee 100% that she could cure every war beast.

Director Ge quickly reassured her, “No pressure. Just try your best.”

Finally, Mu Ling was led into the ICU by Director Ge and Nurse Wang.

Inside, an adult leopard lay on an iron bed, its once-beautiful markings now dull and lifeless. Multiple layers of padding had been placed beneath its emaciated body in an attempt to provide some comfort.

Its mouth hung slightly open as it lay on its side, with an oxygen mask fitted over its muzzle providing a steady flow of air. But even this seemed unable to ease its suffering. Its half-open eyes, struggling to remain conscious, showed no trace of life—as if the magnificent war beast had already begun to fade away.

…

「Edited」Manager Chen and Harry to Director Chen and Harry.