《Super Zoo》


 Chapter 1: 1 Looking for a Job

    Every year around May and June, graduating university students face the most pressing issue, finding a job.


    Suming majored in biopharmaceuticals, which wasn''t an easy field for job hunting. However, he had worked hard during college, had excellent grades, and even received several schrships.


    Logically speaking,nding a job as a technician in a pharmaceuticalpany shouldn''t have been too difficult. Many of his ssmates with poorer grades and abilities had found jobs.


    But for some reason, despite sending out N number of resumes and interviewing with a few local pharmaceuticalpanies, he hadn''t been epted.


    When he asked for a reason, they just fobbed him off by saying he wasn''t suitable.


    "Is this some kind of bad luck jinx, or is it just an unlucky year?" Suming loosened his cor and gulped down a big ss of cold water, hoping to dispel the frustration in his heart.


    The heat at the end of June was unbearable, and the cicadas outside the dormitory cried from morning till night as if they had lost their father, driving people to irritation and distraction.


    The school had a rule that all graduates must leave the campus and move out of the dorms by early July.


    Seeing as the final deadline was only about ten days away and most of his ssmates had already secured jobs, how could Suming not be worried about still having nomitment?


    If he couldn''t find a job by then, there would only be two options: return to his hometown or rent a ce on his own.


    The former was out of the question for Suming. His hometown was a small town surrounded by mountains with a poption of less than thirty thousand. Going back meant an even slimmer chance of finding a suitable job.


    Moreover, his family wasn''t well-off; they had significant financial burdens. When Suming got admitted to Yangchuan University, it was big news for the small town. Everyone, not just his family, had high hopes for him. They scraped together money to support his studies, but upon graduation, if he were unable to find a job, not only would he not be able to give back to his family, but also returning home to rely on his parents was something he found utterly uneptable.


    After all, everyone cares about face, and sometimes one would rather struggle on their own than let their family know they were not doing well.


    If pushes to shove, he''d just have to rent a ce while continuing the job search.


    "The rent''s not cheap these days, a regr single room costs several hundred a month, and they usually require three months'' deposit upfront. If it reallyes down to it, can I lend you some money first?"


    The speaker was a big fat guy, Suming''s roommate, Wang Hao. Wang Hao wasn''t as good as Suming in many aspects, but his father had connections and had long arranged a cushy government job for him.


    Although he was ''an official''s second generation,'' Wang Hao didn''t have many bad qualities. He was loyal, sociable, and after sharing a room with Suming for four years, they had developed a very good rtionship, bing close buddies.


    Hearing Wang Hao''s offer, Suming mentally calcted before smiling and saying, "I don''t need it for now, I saved some money from work-studyst semester, it should be enough for a while."


    "I know how much you have; what is that enough for?" Wang Hao muttered.


    Sumingughed, "I''ll make do for now; if it really doesn''t work, I''lle to you."


    Wang Hao and Suming''s rtionship didn''t require false politeness, and Wang Hao knew Suming well enough to understand that once Suming had spoken, he usually wouldn''t change his mind. He nodded and said, "Up to you then. But if you really can''t make it, just give me a shout, and I''ll send you the money immediately. My old man keeps a tight leash on me, but I could stille up with a few thousand if needed."


    Wang Hao, already prone to sweating due to his size, was sweltering; the electricity in the dorm had been cut off, and the fan had stopped working long ago. By the time he finished speaking to Suming, Mr. Wang was drenched in sweat.


    He slung his packed luggage over his shoulder and said, "I''m heading home first, this dorm is like an oven."


    "Have a smooth journey!"


    "How about a hug?" Wang Haoughed and spread his arms wide toward Suming.


    "Cut it out, look at all the sweat on you; don''t get it all over me," Suming teased with augh, then gave Wang Hao a robust bear hug.


    "Take care!"


    "Take care! Buddy!"


    After Wang Hao left, Suming was the only one left in the dormitory, staring at three empty beds¡ªit suddenly felt so deste.


    It wasn''t just the dormitory, there were hardly any people left in the entire dormitory building. Graduates usually started job hunting from March or April. Over the months, those with connections, like Wang Hao, had alreadynded jobs, and most of the rest had secured internships; it was just a matter of the quality of the cement. There weren''t many left in limbo like Suming.


    The weather was too hot, and Suming was feeling restless again. He stripped to his tank top and underwear, perched on the wooden bed, took out his phone, and continued to submit resumes online through the school''s localwork.


    "Hey, you''re still here? Aren''t you afraid of suffering a heatstroke?"


    Suddenly, the door to the dorm was pushed open, and a girl barged in nonchntly.


    The girl sported a neat, short fringe, her features were delicate, and she was d in a pair of hot shorts that could be described as sizzling, revealing her two pale, slender legs without reservation. Paired with a tight-fitting crop top, her figure cut an S shape that made mouths water.


    This girl had a rarepound surname: Nangong, her full name being Nangong Yan, a junior at Yangchuan University and Suming''s underssman, considered among the most attractive in her department.


    Suming and Nangong Yan were quite familiar with each other, but they hadn''t developed into boyfriend and girlfriend. When it came to matters of love, Suming could be quite dense at times.


    "I''m dizzy, how did you get in here? This is the boys'' dorm!" Suming got a shock, only wearing a pair of briefs¡ªhow could he expect Nangong Yan to pop up suddenly? In a rush, he grabbed a pair of boxers and pulled them on haphazardly.


    "Pfft, what''s so special about a boys'' dormitory, it''s not like I haven''t been here before."


    Nangong Yan wrinkled her nose and cockily tilted her chin at Suming.


    However, seeing Suming nearly naked, Nangong Yan''s pretty face blushed slightly and she turned her body to the side, letting Suming get dressed while exining, "The dormitory is empty, the gatekeeper is sleeping, so I sneaked in."


    After Suming pulled on his boxers and threw on a t-shirt, he asked somewhat nkly, "Why did youe here?"


    "What do you think?" Nangong Yan was frustrated seeing Suming''s clueless expression and said snappily, "Miss here is sleepwalking and just happened to sleepwalk into your dorm, okay?!"


    Suming, who was always a bit crude in understanding romance, knew he had said something wrong after speaking. Seeing Nangong Yan''s expression, he scratched his head embarrassedly, "Oh, oh, oh, you came to find me, right."


    "Duh!" Nangong Yan red at Suming cutely, "It''s infuriating how there can be such dense people like you in the world!"


    "Hehe..." Suming grinned and scratched his head.


    It wasn''t that he was really that dense; sometimes when facing Nangong Yan, who excelled him by far in both looks and family background, let alone other aspects, Suming felt something indescribable inside.


    "Laughing? Humph, I specifically came to ask how your job search is going, and you''re asking me what I''m doing here."


    "Still no luck," Suming shook his head.


    Nangong Yan''s eyebrows lifted slightly, puzzled, "That''s strange, you have such good grades, how can you not find anything?"


    "Just taking it slow," Suming felt helpless about it too.


    "With the dormitory about to kick you out, how can you take it slow? Are you nning to live on the streets when the timees?"


    Nangong Yan rolled her eyes yfully, then thought for a moment and asked hesitantly, "Should I ask my dad to see if he can help?"


    "No need, there''s still half a month left. If it really doesn''t work out, I''ll ask Uncle for help." Suming smiled. If he was willing to ask for help, he might as well go straight to Wang Hao''s grandfather.


    There''s always a debt of gratitude to repay when you owe someone a favor, and Suming didn''t want to owe anyone unless absolutely necessary.


    "Hey, are you really that unwilling to let me help you? Pfft, pure male chauvinism! Stubborn pride over practical needs!" Nangong Yan huffed and red at Suming.


    "Alright, princess, if there''s nothing else, I''m going to continue applying for jobs online. Take care, no need to escort you out." Suming grinned at Nangong Yan, then waved his hand, making a gesture as if to see her off.


    "Hmph! You... Never mind, I''m leaving!" Nangong Yan huffed and left the dorm.


    As she walked away, she fumed, thinking to herself, after knowing each other for so long, I''ve hinted more than once, it''s practically an invitation for you to chase me. And yet you remain as unmoved as a rock, what does it take!


    "Looks like it''s time to change tactics!" Nangong Yan''s eyes swirled about as she muttered to herself, "Should I find a guy to pretend to be my boyfriend, to provoke him?"


    "Yes! Just like that. As long as he is a man, he''s sure to get mad. Once we start fighting, won''t he meekly reveal his true feelings for me? Hehehe, hahaha..."


    After Nangong Yan left, Suming also revealed a wry smile.


    He wasn''t oblivious to Nangong Yan''s intentions.


    But in his view, if you truly liked someone, you should bring them happiness, not make them suffer with you, not to mention taking advantage of them. That''s why for so long Suming seemed to y dumb.


    "I need to find a job quickly!" Suming''s top priority now was job hunting; only with financial stability could he consider other things.


    This time, however, he broadened his horizons a bit, not necessarily looking for a pharmaceuticalpany that exactly matched his major. Any organization even slightly rted to his field was worth trying.


    With this in mind, there were more options for him, and Suming applied to several positions in session.

 Chapter 2: 2 Get Lost Flies and Mosquitoes

    People say that too many body lice and they''ll stop breeding, but Suming felt like he was going to scratch himself to death.


    It was summer now, and there were deadly amounts of mosquitoes in the dorm room at night, buzzing around his ears, utterly immune to mosquito coils.


    Unable to bear the bites any longer, Suming climbed groggily out of bed, intending to light a couple more coils.


    However, due to the darkness caused by a power outage, he didn''t notice the stool underfoot, stumbled over it with a loud tter, and fell forward.


    Luckily, he reacted quickly and managed to grab the washstand shelf, but due to inertia, the piece of jade-green at his chest swung in mid-air and smacked against the iron shelf, shattering.


    Suming was stunned, and instantly snapped back to rity.


    This piece of jade wasn''t particrly valuable, but it held great significance for Suming. His father, who researched animals, had been killed years earlier in a fight with poachers to protect endangered species. This was the only heirloom his father had left behind, and it was said to have been in the Su Family for several generations.


    Now, his father''s only relic had shattered just like that!


    Before Suming could even grieve, a bright light suddenly burst forth from the broken jade.


    "What the hell!" Suming eximed, startled, and instinctively stepped back. But no one was faster than light, and in an instant, the bright light surged into Suming''s forehead.


    In the blink of an eye, darkness prevailed again, and the two pieces of broken jadey quietly on the ground, as if nothing had happened.


    "Could I be seeing things?"


    Suming touched his head, his face, and gave himself a full-body pat-down, even checking his privates a few times. After about fifteen minutes, he confirmed he was unharmed.


    "How strange! Could I really have been seeing things?"


    Suming''s heart was in turmoil, but there had definitely been a sh of light just now.


    Just then, a mosquito buzzed past his ear, and Suming pped at it, smack after smack. Despite mosquitoes not being very fast flyers, they weren''t so easily hit either ¨C instead of the mosquito, he ended up reddening his own neck and face.


    Suming had been feeling frustrated these past few days, and with the added sleep deprivation and the breaking of his father''s relic, he was already at the end of his patience. Irritated by the mosquito''s buzzing, he suddenly yelled in the direction of the buzz, "Scram!"


    Buzz, buzz, buzz... buzz, buzz... buzz...


    The mosquito, as if it understood him, actually started to fly away.


    "Huh? What''s going on?"


    As a biology student, Suming knew about mosquito behavior ¨C such primitive creatures didn''t understand ''fear'' and wouldn''t be scared off by humans; they''d keep circling as long as they were hungry.


    If it were just that one mosquito flying away, it could have been a coincidence.


    Compulsively, Suming pretended the mosquitoes were suitable conversationalists and yelled at the ''mosquitoes'' buzzing around the room, "All of you, get out!"


    Through the moonlight filtering in through the window, he saw that the mosquitoes in the dorm room seemed to receive some kind of order, flying out the window in small groups.


    asionally, a few would fly past him, buzzing around as if trying to bite Suming.


    But as soon as Suming growled at them angrily, those mosquitoes staggered off away.


    "Holy crap, can Imunicate with mosquitoes?!" Suming was astounded.


    ...


    Suming didn''t sleep at all that whole night!


    At first, he was ''fighting'' the mosquitoes, but soon there were none left in the room; they had all flown away.


    After a while, he began to miss them and whispered out the window, calling them back ¨C probably too softly or too far away, it had no effect.


    Not giving up, Suming sneaked out of the dorm building and into the woods to find mosquitoes.


    On the way, he encountered several stray cats and dogs and had a sudden inspiration to trymunicating with them...


    ...


    Suming was pleasantly surprised to confirm that he indeed seemed to have a special ability.


    It wasn''t just mosquitoes ¨C he couldmunicate with all kinds of animals!


    Of course, animals were not intelligent enough to chat with him like humans, nor did they havenguage.


    However, when he focused, he could make animals understand his intentions, and likewise, he could sense the animals'' feelings and even control them to some extent.


    The lower the intelligence of the animal, the easier they were to control.


    For instance, he had ''scared away'' a few mosquitoes simply by shouting loudly the day before.


    When wandering around the campus at night, he encountered several stray cats that hissed at him. Suming could feel evident hostility, but once he emitted his goodwill, the strays calmed down.


    Late, he tried his ability on other animals, like birds and house cats, and it worked just the same!


    In conclusion, Suming had already confirmed a few things.


    First, he couldmunicate simply with animals;


    Second, after emitting goodwill, most animals were rtively friendly;


    Third, he could control some animals, but the higher the level of the animal, the more difficult it was to control. Generally, he still had to rely on munication" to resolve issues.


    Currently, the ones he could fully control were only little creatures like mosquitoes and flies. There was also a limit to their number¡ªfor instance, with mosquitoes, he could control about a dozen at a time, and with flies, only four or five, and it had to be within a certain distance.


    And because animals themselves were not highly intelligent, he couldn''t make them perform overlyplex actions.


    "It must have been that beam of light that gave me this power!" Suming was now certain of it.


    Although this ability hadn''t brought him any concrete benefits just yet, Suming was nheless excited; it was like having a superpower!


    Despite not having slept all night, he felt surprisingly refreshed and even came up with a name for his ability: ''Animal Friend''.


    Since he couldmunicate with animals and sense their emotions, Suming found he had be morepassionate than before, turning into someone who loved animals.


    People always feel spirited when they''re happy, and with this turn of events, the anxiety Suming felt about work had somewhat dissipated. He went to the cafeteria for lunch at noon and, after eating, felt leisurely enough to pack a few boxed lunches to feed some stray cats by the roadside.


    A significantly more robust ck cat swayed its head and pushed aside several kittens, vying to monopolize the boxed lunch.


    "Don''t snatch, get in line, let the little cats and mother cats eat first!" Suming gave the big ck cat a push.


    "Meow!" The big ck cat arched its back and raised its tail high, eyes fixed on Suming.


    "What are you looking at? Ever heard of respecting the elderly and being courteous todies?" Suming red and raised his hand, pretending he was going to strike.


    Hei was no fool; it probably knew that Suming was the boss here and that they would all go hungry if they offended him. After locking eyes with Suming for a second or two, Hei''s tail drooped listlessly, and it moved aside, looking defeated.


    Seven or eight stray cats, under Suming''smand, neatly lined up in three rows, with the little cats and mother cats in the front, and the boastful male cats at the back, each taking their turn to eat.


    Groups of students passing by the cafeteria curiously pointed and talked as they witnessed this scene. Several girls, their faces brimming with tenderness, even boldly approached to pet the kittens.


    "Wow, such cute kittens!"


    "Don''t disturb the animals while they''re eating," Suming said with a smile.


    "They''re so well-behaved today; they usually run away immediately when they see us. Sometimes they even hiss at us! Why do they listen to you so well?" a girl asked curiously.


    Why, because I''m a superhero with the power of ''Animal Friend''!


    Of course, he couldn''t say that. Smiling faintly, Suming replied, "Actually, these stray cats are very timid. They act fierce because they''re afraid that humans will hurt them. The key is to make them feel your goodwill."


    Suming was right; even without ''Animal Friend'', animals like cats and dogs could get along very well with humans if they felt close enough to a person.


    "Can I hold it?" a girl asked nervously, pointing at a little cat that had just finished eating.


    "Of course, you can. Just be gentle, especially avoid rubbing its belly since it has just eaten."


    As Suming spoke, he sent a friendly signal to the kitten, letting it know that the girl meant no harm.


    After the girl picked up the kitten, it obedientlyy in her arms, and, acting spoiled, it burrowed yfully into the plentiful curves of her chest, making the girlugh uncontrobly.


    "You lecherous little tomcat!" Suming was consumed with jealousy.


    In the distance, Nangong Yan also emerged from the cafeteria, followed by a rather handsome male student from the Chinese department.


    "Nangong, it''s my treat today. Just say what you feel like eating, don''t be shy¡­" The male student followed eagerly behind her, his expression full of joy and his tone somewhat sycophantic. He couldn''t believe that the esteemed beauty of their department had actually asked him out for a meal; his heart was about to burst with happiness.


    Nangong Yan hummed nomittally and looked up, suddenly catching sight of Suming and a group of girls feeding the cats.


    Her eyes widened with astonishment.


    "You''ve got some nerve, Suming. And here I was wondering why you couldn''t find a job¡ªyou''ve been spending all your effort on picking up girls! You''ve got thisdy all worked up!"


    "Nangong, there''s a new Japanese restaurant on the pedestrian street. It''s very authentic. Or, we could try the French foie gras next door¡­" The male student behind her hadn''t noticed the change in Nangong Yan''s expression and kept on prattling.


    "Buzz off!" Nangong Yan snapped back irritably, ring fiercely at the male student and spoke through clenched teeth, "Traitor!"


    With that, she stormed off without looking back, leaving the guy standing there,pletely bewildered.


    "How does eating foie gras make me a traitor? Is it because of the Japanese food?" The poor fellow was utterly confused and had no idea what he did wrong.


    Suming, however, was unaware of the incident that had unfolded with Nangong Yan; he was checking text messages on his phone.


    Good fortunees in waves and cannot be stopped. He opened his messages to find that he had received two interview invitations at the same time.


    One was from a pharmaceuticalpany of considerable scale, perfectly aligned with Suming''s field of expertise.


    The other was from a local zoo. After broadening his horizons the previous day, Suming had sent out resumes to even vaguely rted positions, including the zoo.


    He had only applied out of desperation, a shot in the dark, never expecting the zoo to actually respond.

 Chapter 3: 3 Trouble Brewing!

    After receiving two text messages, Suming hesitated for a moment.


    Had it been before, he wouldn''t even need to think about it; he definitely would have chosen the medicalpany.


    On one hand, it matched his major, and even starting as the lowest level technician, as long as nothing unexpected happened, he could gradually climb thedder over time.


    On the other hand, working in medical technology offered much better conditions than a zoo, and being a "technical worker" carried more prestige.


    Although the zoo was a public institution, the nation had been transforming in recent years, with public institutions gradually aligning themselves with enterprises, and new employees even had to pay their own insurance, so public institutions were no longer as attractive as they used to be.


    As a charitable organization, the zoo might be in somewhat better shape, but official staffing quotas were definitely tight.


    In fact, the zoo''s recruitment information had clearly stated that they were hiring contract workers, without formal employment quotas.


    One option offered good treatment, a promising future, perfectly matched his major, and had a respectable title of "scientific and technological worker"; the other was a temporary job doing odd jobs at a zoo, not at all on the same level. As long as his brain wasn''t damaged, the choice would be easy to make.


    But now Suming felt an instinctual aversion to the medicalpany, especially to working in its technology department.


    For research on new drugs, testing drug effects, and other reasons, medicalpanies generally used small animals for experiments, and most were live experiments.


    Suming had conducted experiments using small animals like mice and rabbits back in the universityb. He initially had some psychological barriers, but he got used to it over time.


    There was no helping it; they couldn''t use living people for experiments, after all.


    But having acquired the "Animal Friend" ability, allowing him tomunicate with animals, Suming instinctively felt a sense of closeness to them.


    Animals are animals, and certainly not as important as humans. But if Suming had to personally dissect a group of creatures that could municate" with him, he just couldn''t bring himself to do it.


    After hesitating, he finally decided to apply for the job at the zoo, putting the medicalpany on hold for the moment, to revisit it if necessary.


    ...


    "Yangchuan City Zoo, located on the outskirts of Yangchuan City, is fifteen kilometers from the city center. Backed by mountains and facing the water, it nestles at the edge of a Qinling Mountains branch and overlooks the Huating Reservoir, with a beautiful and pleasant geographical environment...


    The zoo was initially established in ''76, and after more than forty years of continuous development, it covers 120 hectares. Within the park, there''s an artificialke, a garden area, a botanical garden, and a free-range animal area, with undting terrain, lush vegetation, and fresh air. Currently, the zoo exhibits over 100 species and more than 3,000 animals, including...


    ..."


    On the bus to the zoo for the interview, Suming looked through the official website of Yangchuan Wildlife Park on his phone, ncing over the zoo''s introduction.


    It was possible that during the application process he would be asked questions rted to the zoo, so cramming somest-minute information was better than going inpletely unprepared.


    Suming, who had studied in Yangchuan City for several years, had visited the wildlife park a few times and knew a little about it.


    The wildlife park had been in Yangchuan for decades. Initially a modest little zoo, it gradually expanded and became an essential childhood memory for the local people of Yangchuan.


    The zoo''s location was indeed excellent, just like the official website described: backed by mountains, facing water, and with fresh air. In today''s cities where half the year is smoggy, the zoo was absolutely a great leisure destination. Not only were there animals, but also woonds, artificial mountains, andkes in the park. One could climb mountains and tourkes nearby, and transportation was convenient¡ªa half-hour bus ride from the city center, almost a part of the city itself.


    However, on Suming''s previous visits, the operational condition of the wildlife park seemed fairly average, not as thriving as described on the official site. It might have been due to management and state funding issues, as there was a lot of empty space in the park, and many animals appeared listless. On hisst visit, the tigers were so emaciated that it was heart-wrenching to see their ribs protruding.


    This also fit the characteristics of a non-profit public institution: mediocre performance, neither rising nor falling,fortably stable, getting by one day at a time.


    Suming soon arrived at the zoo and, after exining his purpose to the security guard, was directed to a three-story building in the northeast part of the zoo.


    The ground floor of the building housed a small store selling drinks and grilled sausages for visitors to rest their feet. However, the items were outrageously expensive; a bottle of mineral water that usually cost one yuan and fifty cents was priced at three yuan here.


    Even so, the business was surprisingly good. The small store, only a few square meters in size, had attracted a crowd of over twenty people.


    A middle-aged woman in her forties came out of the building holding a megaphone:


    "Attention, those here for the job interview, please hand in your resumes to me and then proceed to Conference Room 103 for the first round of written tests. After the test, Mr. Song will personally conduct the interviews, and candidates will be selected based on thebined results of the tests and interviews."


    Suming was taken aback. So these people weren''t tourists but here to apply for jobs?!


    Suming instantly felt immense pressure, a temporary position had actually attracted over twentypetitors, and with an unrted major and no work experience, the fact that a written exam about the zoo was required only added to his cluelessness.


    "Since I''m here, I might as well ept it." That was all he could think at the moment. Suming handed in his resume and joined arge group ofpetitors in conference room 103.


    The conference room was nicely decorated, but Suming had no interest in looking at the surroundings; he focused on his phone, quickly Googled ''zoo written exam questions''.


    "Guangzhou Zoo keeper interview questions"


    "Are there any test questions for Suzhou Zoo recruitment exams? Is the test difficult?"


    ...


    A long list of information came up, and just as Suming was about to click on one, the middle-aged woman from before walked in, carrying a stack of test papers in her arms.


    "Comrades, we will now start distributing the test papers, please turn off your phones. During the written exam, no whispering, passing notes, or any form of cheating is allowed. Anyone caught will be disqualified immediately."


    Suming could only turn off his phone and look around.


    The conference room had a faint scent of naphthalene balls; with those around, snakes, bugs, rats, and other small creatures would all keep their distance¡ªeven thest glimmer of hope for cheating disappeared.


    After receiving the test paper, Suming quickly nced over it and nearly sprayed out a mouthful of blood in shock!


    "The average lifespan of a giant panda, A 20 years B 25 years C 30 years D 40 years."


    "Among the following animals, which are ssified as national second-ss protected species (multiple choice) A White stork B Japanese seabass C Golden snub-nosed monkey D Clouded leopard E Wild yak."


    "Please describe, from the aspects of food preparation and environment, the caretaking points of attention during the rut of the sika deer."


    ...


    This has got to be too specialized! Isn''t Japanese seabass a dish? I don''t even have a girlfriend, what do I care about sika deer in heat for? What''s there to pay attention to, just do it...


    Almost simultaneously, the conference room filled with a chorus of gasps as it seemed everyone was stumped.


    Fortunately, Suming had plenty of experience with exams. For questions he didn''t know, he had his own ways of coping; for multiple choice questions, he''d y eeny, meeny, miny, moe, and fill in the essays whether he knew the answer or not...


    By blindly guessing and babbling nonsense, he finally managed to finish writing the entire paper.


    Then came the interview.


    Mr. Song, the zoo director, was in his fifties, but already had a head full of white hair, a severe and solemn expression, yet he spoke in a rather friendly tone.


    Beforeing, Suming had read about Mr. Song online; he had graduated from a renowned institution and was an authoritative figure in the field of animal research and conservation in China.


    Mr. Song carefully reviewed Suming''s resume and the written test, then talked with Suming for about ten minutes, askingmon recruitment questions such as why he wanted to work at the zoo.


    "Su, this position mainly involves the feeding and management of animals, and just havingpassion might not be enough. Your major and experience still fall short of our requirements. As the zoo director, I must be responsible for the animals here, and I hope you can understand."


    "I understand, I understand, thank you for your time."


    Suming stood up with a bitter smile, the message was clear, he wasn''t hired.


    "However, you''re still wee to visit the zoo anytime. Nowadays, fewer young people like animals."


    Mr. Song also stood up and nodded at Suming, "Please call the next candidate for me."


    As Suming turned and opened the office door, before he could step out, the middle-aged woman from before rushed in, flustered, and bumped right into Suming.


    The middle-aged woman didn''t have time to apologize to Suming, her expression was extremely anxious, and her voice changed with emphasis, "There''s big trouble, Mr. Song! A child has fallen into Monkey Mountain!"

 Chapter 4: 4 The Great Macaque Rampage

    "What''s going on!"


    Mr. Song hastily stood up with his thick eyebrows tightly knitted, and asked in a deep voice, "There are railings around Monkey Mountain, how could a child fall in?"


    A middle-aged woman with a sorrowful face said, "There''s a section of the railing that somehow, although it looked intact, copsed when the child leaned on it."


    "To the scene!"


    Mr. Song strode briskly out of the office, walking and asking, "Has a rescue been arranged yet?"


    The middle-aged woman followed behind him, sweating profusely as she said, "Three or fourrades have gone down, but those monkeys, for some reason, are acting like they''re insane. As soon as anyone gets close, they rush over and attack fiercely. Tworades were almost badly scratched..."


    "How is the child?"


    "The child looks to be about five or six years old, got caught in a tree when they fell, but then was taken away by the Monkey King, though they seem to be unharmed..."


    Mr. Song immediately took out his phone and dialed a number, "Hello, Mr. Dong, you''re at the scene, right? Get ready to use tranquilizer guns, keep the rtives calm, and ensure the child''s safety at all costs. I''m on my way!... What, not enough tranquilizer guns?..."


    Mr. Song hesitated for a moment and then said through gritted teeth, "Call the police, request their assistance, and if necessary, the Monkey King may be shot!"


    "But Director, that''s a national second-ss protected animal, and you almost lost your life saving that old Monkey King from the back mountain years ago!" the middle-aged woman said.


    "Human life is more important than anything else!"


    Mr. Song''s face also looked somber, but he did not hesitate to wave his hand to signal to the middle-aged woman to stop talking.


    Rushing down the stairs, there was a tour vehicle parked below. As Mr. Song was about to board the vehicle, he noticed that Suming had also followed.


    "What are you doing here?" Mr. Song asked with a frown.


    "My father, when he was alive, also worked on animal conservation research and had an understanding of some special animal behaviors. I might be able to help," Suming said.


    Indeed, his father had worked in animal research. Field workers like them umted a lot of experience with animals over the years, which couldn''t be learned from textbooks and theoretical knowledge.


    Suming had a sudden inspiration; with this reason, he could cover up many questions brought about by ''Animal Friends''.


    "Fine,e along, but don''t cause any trouble," Mr. Song said, giving him a long look without saying much else and gestured for him to get on the vehicle.


    "Beep beep beep beep beep... let theirrades through, let theirrades through..."


    The tour vehicle sped up, racing along the zoo''s forest path, and in a few minutes, they arrived at the perimeter of Monkey Mountain.


    By this time, Monkey Mountain was already surrounded by people. From a distance, one could see a section of the high railing that had copsed, with many people pointing toward the interior of Monkey Mountain and some taking photos with their phones.


    "Make way, make way, the Director is here!" the middle-aged woman cleared the path, as Mr. Song and his entourage quickly passed through the crowd to the edge of Monkey Mountain.


    A fashionable young woman had already cried herself into a tearful mess, disheveled and nearly copsing on the ground, wailing to the people around her, "Please, save my daughter... I beg you all..."


    A middle-aged man was embracing the young woman, his face as somber as water.


    "We are the child''s parents. What''s going on with your zoo? Give me a set of protective gear, and I''ll go save my daughter myself!" the man said to Mr. Song with an ashen face.


    "Rest assured, ourrades have already gone down, and we will do our utmost!"


    As Mr. Song spoke, his gaze swept across the interior of Monkey Mountain.


    After getting a clear view of the situation below Monkey Mountain, Mr. Song''s thick eyebrows trembled slightly, and his expression became more serious as he muttered to himself, "What''s happening, something''s not right!"


    Suming looked through the fence and saw that the main body of Monkey Mountain was a huge artificial hill, with a diameter of about seventy to eighty meters, set about ten or so meters below the horizon. Monkey Mountain''s rocks were rugged and uneven, with the highest point reaching almost level with the horizon.


    On one side of Monkey Mountain, there was a two to three-acre man-madeke, surrounded by tall fences.


    When visitors watched the monkeys, they would stand behind these fences. With the protection of the fencing and the sunken height of Monkey Mountain, the monkeys could not possibly attack people.


    At this moment, thirty to forty macaques had taken over the ''strategic points'' of Monkey Mountain, watching their surroundings with menacing eyes, clutching ''weapons'' like stones in their hands, baring their teeth and grimacing at the surrounding humans, making squeaking noises.


    Atop Monkey Mountain, in a stone cave big enough to amodate several adults, there sat an old white-furred monkey that was clearlyrger than the others.


    While there was chaos everywhere outside, the old white-furred monkey appearedpletely unconcerned and cid, surprisingly holding a trembling little girl in its arms.


    It was clear that under the leadership of the Monkey King, the entire troop had turned into a gang of "organized" "thugs," and the old Monkey King had taken the little girl as its own "offspring."


    However, a little girl is just a little girl, certainly not any monkey offspring. The old Monkey King mighte to realize this at any moment, and a random grab or scratch could disfigure the little girl, perhaps even threaten her life.


    Monkeys, despite their small sizepared to killers like tigers and bears that can easily dispose of a human, can be no joke when they go berserk and attack. A fewrge monkeys can even dare to fight with wolves.


    As for primates closely rted to monkeys, baboons and apes, their level of danger is no less than that of tigers and leopards!


    At the foot of Monkey Mountain, three zoo workers, dressed in thick cotton-padded jackets with their heads and faces tightly wrapped in cloth, one holding an electric shock stick and the other a tranquilizer gun, slowly approached Monkey Mountain.


    Seeing people drawing near, the monkeys perched on the hill began to shriek even more fiercely and, as if by some agreement, started to hurl stones down.


    Stones flew like rain, forcing the staff to dodge haphazardly.


    One unlucky fellow, not looking where he was going, stepped into thin air and¡ªthud!¡ªfell into a small pond.


    Luckily the pond wasn''t deep, just a ce for the monkeys to y in the water and cool off, and the man quickly scrambled to his feet, the watering only up to his waist.


    The other two, braving a rain of stones, finally made it to the base of Monkey Mountain.


    But before they could ascend, seven or eightrge monkeys leaped out from the caves around and pounced on the two men, scratching and tearing at them.


    Despite being protected by thick coats, their swift monkey movements were too much for an ordinary person to handle. With several monkeys attacking one person, biting and scratching, the workers were quickly ''decorated'' with monkeys in a bizarre fashion.


    In no time, the men were driven back by the monkeys, with one losing his footing and tumbling down from the artificial hill.


    Meanwhile, the Monkey King on the mountain top, seeming to be agitated by the scene, stood upright and lifted the little girl he was cradling above his head, as if ready to throw her down at any moment.


    The height of Monkey Mountain was at least ten meters, all solid rock. Even without the added force of the Monkey King, a fall would be catastrophic.


    "Wah... Mommy..." The little girl, held high in midair, burst into loud crying, her tender voice echoing through the air.


    Suming was taken aback and quickly tried tomunicate with the Monkey King using his spiritual power.


    But with at least thirty to forty meters between them, Suming could only vaguely connect with the Monkey King and was unable tomunicate effectively; it was clear that this Monkey King was more formidable than the other monkeys, and Suming waspletely unable to control its behavior.


    On the mountain peak, the old Monkey King, holding the little girl, lifted his head and nced in Suming''s direction.


    "Nan Nan, don''t be afraid, Mommy ising to save you..."


    Seeing this, the little girl''s mother became frantic, scrambling to her feet, intent on jumping into the midst of Monkey Mountain.


    A middle-ageddy from the zoo, along with a few female colleagues, was quick to restrain her.


    "You mustn''t go! I''ll save my daughter!" The girl''s father, with a darkened face, pushed past the zoo workers and strode toward the damaged railing to intervene.


    "No family members are to go! I''ll go myself!"


    Mr. Song, the zoo director, immediately blocked the girl''s parents, donned a cotton jacket for himself, and waved his hand, "Men under fifty, step forward; follow me down!"


    Seven or eight male staff members stood out, and it seemed Mr. Song was prepared to push through by sheer numbers. No matter how fierce the monkeys were, they couldn''t possibly stand against arge group of organized humans.


    "Wait a moment!" Suming suddenly stood up, his expression serious, "We cannot send more people down now!"


    "Who are you? Stop causing trouble!"


    "What do you mean?"


    Mr. Song and several zoo staff members almost simultaneously shouted at Suming, with the girl''s father frowning deeply and shoving Suming, "Move aside!"


    Suming stepped back to avoid the girl''s father, not dealing with the enraged parent, but seriously telling Mr. Song, "Right now, the Monkey King clearly sees the girl as its own offspring and won''t harm her. But if we send more people, and we provoke the Monkey King, then it''s hard to say what will happen!"


    Without waiting for Mr. Song or the others to speak, Suming continued, "Even with real animal offspring, there are instances where, in a crisis, parents will kill their own young rather than let them fall into enemy hands. Mr. Song, please calm down. You are an expert; I''m not wrong, am I!"


    Suming''s words seemed quite rational. Though he couldn''t answer those technical written questions, he did graduate with a degree in biology, and because of his father''s family knowledge, he had a basic understanding of animal behavior.


    Immediately, the surroundings fell silent, and dozens of eyes turned to Suming, then to Mr. Song.


    Mr. Song pondered for a brief moment, "Then what do you suggest?"

 Chapter 5: 5 The Little Monk Goes Up the Mountain

    Suming nced at Mr. Song and then over at the little girl''s father, saying, "If the family agrees, I can try to go into Monkey Mountain and see if I can save the little girl."


    As soon as he had spoken, a wave of gazes turned toward him, and the onlookers unanimously stared at Suming. Several zoo staff members clearly showed disbelief, and one middle-aged woman even said, "Young man, don''t be reckless. If our professionals can''t do it, what makes you think you can?"


    The little girl''s mother, however, grasped at Suming like a lifeline, nearly kneeling before him, crying incoherently, "Thank you, thank you..."


    Mr. Song waved his hand to cut off the middle-aged woman and others, his expression stern as he looked at Suming: "Macacas can be extremely dangerous when enraged. A few of them can even fend off wild wolves..."


    Just then, the crowd of onlookers suddenly let out exmations of shock.


    Apanied by the cries of the little girl, the Monkey King seemed to regain consciousness and realized that what was in his arms was not a ''little monkey'' but a human. He pushed the little girl onto the ground and started howling at her, baring his teeth and swinging his arms violently.


    "There''s no time!"


    Without waiting for Mr. Song to finish, Suming flipped over the fence through an opening and quickly climbed down thedder into the enclosure.


    Seeing someone approaching, the monkey troop seemed provoked, and a chorus of screeches erupted from Monkey Mountain. A few monkeys close by evenunched themselves straight at Suming.


    Far from dodging them, Suming instead rushed toward Monkey Mountain, taking long strides in the direction of the monkeys.


    At the same time, he utilized his ability as a friend of animals, releasing spiritual power toward the monkey troop.


    An atmosphere of restlessness permeated the monkey troop, so Suming quickly conveyed that he meant no harm, trying his best to soothe them.


    Several monkeys had already leaped from the mountain. The closest one let out a strange cry, catching a tree branch and swung toward Suming, its long arm reaching for his face.


    "Be careful!" burst a cry from the crowd of onlookers, as Mr. Song and the little girl''s father shouted simultaneously.


    At that moment, something astonishing happened: the monkey suddenly retracted its hand in mid-air, staring at Suming with wide, round eyes, curiously, and then let out a ''squeak... squeak... squeak...'' sound.


    As primates, macaques possess intelligence that surpasses recognized ''smart'' animals like pigs and dogs, and can sometimes use simple tools, undoubtedly standing out in the animal world.


    The monkeys in the zoo, often in close contact with humans, had seen more people than all the people present had seen monkeys; hence, they were not unfamiliar with the species ''humans.''


    However, in the moment it was about to seize Suming, the monkey suddenly felt a sensation from Suming that it would normally only feel amongst its own kind. Instinctively, it sensed that this young human before it would not harm it, and might even be friendly.


    More than that, the spiritual power emanating from Suming even made it feel a faint trace of fear. It was the natural intimidation that higher animals hold over those lower in the hierarchy.


    "Squeak squeak squeak¡­" The monkey, in its ownnguage, wanted to ask Suming what he was.


    Suming was about to exin to the monkey brother using spiritual power, but before he could, several other monkeys following closely crashed into the air, colliding with the lead monkey.


    The monkeys tumbled over one another, rolling down Monkey Mountain in a heap, their bodies thudding to the ground. The leader got the worst of it, being knocked straight into the pool.


    ```


    This little "ident" was nothing to the monkeys, who tumbled and frolicked in the mountains and forests all year round; several monkeys quickly got up, and the leading one climbed out of the pool, shaking off its damp fur.


    However, this time, the monkeys did not attack Suming but maintained a certain distance from him, and did not even show any intention of attacking; instead, they followed curiously behind him.


    Suming seemed like a monkey charmer, walking towards the top of Monkey Mountain with a few monkeys trailing behind him.


    As he passed by, the surrounding monkeys at first chattered and seemed ready to attack, but as he got closer, they calmed down, stopped showing their fierce faces, and began scratching their ears and cheeks, curiously sizing up Suming.


    Some of the bolder monkeys even joined the ''procession'' following Suming.


    The number of ''tails'' behind Suming grew, and the monkeys followed him, hopping about on the artificial rocks; some even pointed at Suming, making chattering noises to each other as if discussing something.


    The people around Monkey Mountain were astonished by this bizarre scene, their mouths agape,pletely dumbfounded.


    The little girl''s mother was so excited that she covered her mouth; through the safety barrier, she watched Suming with hope, while the girl''s father was incredibly nervous with every step Suming took, gripping the barrier tightly with sweaty hands.


    Mr. Song was also an expert with animals and knew some methods for interacting with and pacifying them but had never seen anyone who could get along with animals so harmoniously, blending into a troop of monkeys like a real animal.


    It was understandable, though, as many reports around the world showed humans and wild animals coexisting peacefully under specific conditions, and research had also proven that animals are very sensitive; if humans can truly be without malice, then it is possible to approach them.


    But understanding is one thing, and witnessing is another; Mr. Song was deeply shocked.


    As Suming walked along, he suddenly realized it was very quiet around him, devoid of ''human'' noise, leaving only the incessant chatter of the monkeys. He looked outside Monkey Mountain instinctively and saw that everyone was staring in awe.


    "Isn''t this a bit too exaggerated? Raising suspicion like this is not good." Suming''s eyes darted around, he pressed his hands together, bowed his head like a monk and walked towards the top of Monkey Mountain, making strange gestures as he went.


    The monkeys kept chattering, emitting an air of confusion, as if they were asking Suming, what are you doing?


    Suming''s gestures were for the people above to see and naturally had nothing to do with the monkeys.


    However, there''s a saying that in the deep forest temples often have monkeys, and when devout men and women see the monkeys while paying their respects at the temples, they tend to feed them, so the monkeys have always lived peacefully with the monks and even considered them their "bread and butter."


    It is said that one year when Mr. Jiang visited Mount Emei, on a sunny day, while Mr. Jiang and his guards were walking up the mountain, a troop of macaques suddenly appeared. Mr. Jiang, who was leading, broke out in a cold sweat out of fear; in his panic, he took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his brow, and that''s when the monkeys scattered. Apparently, when Mr. Jiang took off his hat and revealed his bald head, the monkeys thought he was a monk and naturally dispersed.


    So, with Suming''s palms pressed together, in Mr. Song''s eyes, this was linked to the anecdote of impersonating a monk. Of course, it was just an amusing tale and not at all unusual, whether it worked or not.


    Monkey Mountain was really just a slightlyrger artificial hill, and Suming, like a devout little monk with hands pressed together, head bowed, quickly ascended to the peak as if praying.


    The Monkey King, seeing his territory invaded, immediately forgot about the little girl and turned around; it ced its forearms on the ground in front of it, raised its red bottom, bared its teeth at Suming, and menaced him fiercely.


    "Chatter... chatter chatter chatter..." The Monkey King howled loudly, its saliva nearly spraying onto Suming''s face.


    ```

 Chapter 6: 6 Saving the Little Monkey

    From the Monkey King''s roars, Suming sensed a mix ofplex emotions: anger, fear, and a profound sorrow.


    Suming quickly crouched down and made a few gestures with his hands, pretending they meant something even he wasn''t sure of, then surreptitiously used his "Friend of Animals" tomunicate with the Monkey King using his spiritual power.


    The Monkey King was now blocking between him and the little girl; he couldn''t take the girl away without handling the Monkey King first.


    Unlike the other monkeys, the Monkey King''s emotional fluctuations were very intense. When Sumingmunicated with it using his spiritual power, he felt continuously bombarded. It didn''t take long for fatigue to wash over him.


    "Hand over the little girl, and I''ll spare your life!" Suming red and issued a directmand to the Monkey King, hoping to control it.


    But Suming''s spiritual power was pitifully weak. Controlling little creatures like flies or mosquitoes was one thing, but to control primates closely rted to humans, like monkeys, waspletely out of the question.


    The Monkey King countered with a strike and broke free from Suming''s spiritual power.


    Although he couldn''tpletely control the Monkey King''s actions, the surge of spiritual power did have some effect. The Monkey King seemed to be influenced and slightly shifted its body to the side.


    Suming seized the opportunity, darting past the Monkey King in an instant, scooping the little girl into his arms and shielding her with his body from the Monkey King.


    All he needed was that moment to grab the girl and go.


    Seeing Suming seed in rescuing the girl, the crowd that had gathered around finally erupted into cheers.


    "Big brother, you''re so awesome! Even the bad monkey listens to you!" the little girl in Suming''s arms said with wide eyes, admiringly, her small face still streaked with tear tracks.


    "Heh heh," Suming chuckled dryly. What was this little girl saying? If the bad monkeys all listened to me, wouldn''t that make me the baddest of them all?


    "Su,e back quickly!"


    Mr. Song had already crossed from outside the fence into the territory of Monkey Mountain, bringing along several zoo staff to ''support'' Suming. He shouted from the foot of the mountain while hurrying up to help.


    However, they didn''t receive the same ''treatment'' as Suming; as soon as they approached Monkey Mountain, they were immediately subjected to a ferocious attack.


    Just as Suming was about to turn around and leave, the Monkey King zipped over from the side. Instead of attacking Suming, it wrapped its forelimbs tightly around Suming''s legs, shaking them continuously and emitting a series of pitiful squeaks.


    The round monkey eyes looked up at Suming, doleful and pleading.


    "Buddy, she''s not your kid; I can''t give her back to you!" Suming hugged the little girl tighter in his arms and shook his head at the Monkey King.


    The Monkey King, too, shook its head and then freed one arm to point toward the depths of a cave, all the while tugging forcefully on Suming in the direction of the cave.


    "You want me to go into the cave with you?" Suming asked, puzzled.


    The Monkey King seemed to nod very human-like with determination.


    After contemting, Suming thought, it was just a Monkey King''s cave, not some frightful dragon''sir or tiger''s den. With his "Friend of Animals" ability, what was there to be afraid of?


    "Are you scared if big brother and the monkey go into the cave together?" Suming asked the little girl.


    The little girl had just escaped from the Monkey King''s clutches, and upon hearing they might return to itsir, she was clearly fearful, pouting her tender little lips.


    "Then, will big brother protect Chengcheng?" she asked tentatively.


    "Of course, with big brother here, the monkeys won''t hurt you. En, your name is Chengcheng, right?"


    "En, like sweet orange!" Chengcheng nodded vigorously, her little round face flushed and looking indeed like a ripe sweet orange.


    Impatient, the Monkey King took the lead and rushed toward the cave. Upon reaching the cave entrance and seeing Suming had not followed, it turned back and waved at Suming urgently, its demeanor one of pressing anxiety.


    Seeing the Monkey King like this, Chengcheng couldn''t help but burst into a giggle.


    Suming waved to the people outside Monkey Mountain, signaling that it was safe and there was no need to worry. Then he carried Chengcheng into the cave, following the Monkey King.


    There were many caves on Monkey Mountain, not exactly the ''homes'' of the monkeys, but rather ces for them to y and shelter from the wind and rain.


    This cave at the top of the mountain belonged exclusively to the Monkey King and served as a symbol of its status and position.


    Inside the cave, there was a stale smell of rotting hay. The cave was probably seven or eight meters deep and pitch-dark.


    The Monkey King''s red butt served as the best guide light, leading them all the way to the end of the cave.


    "Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak..." The Monkey King pointed anxiously at the wall at the far end of the cave and started calling out.


    By the dim light, Suming noticed a crack over a foot long on the floor of the cave.


    A newborn baby monkey, with most of its body trapped in the crack, hung its fluffy little head down, one arm lying limp against the wall outside the fissure, its condition unknown.


    "Squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, squeak, chirp, chirp..." The Monkey King frantically tried to pull out the baby monkey, but it was stuck too tightly and he couldn''t move it, so he turned to tug at Suming''s pant leg.


    However, with this tug, the baby monkey quivered slightly, seeming to still be alive!


    Suming suddenly realized that this was the Monkey King''s offspring, somehow fallen into this crack, and it seemed to have been a long time. The Monkey King probably despaired and found sce in Chengcheng, treating her like its own child.


    Now that it had found that Suming could understand its intentions, it wanted him to help rescue the baby monkey!


    "Big brother, please help the Monkey King, look how worried it is. The baby monkey looks so pitiful too..." The little girl had a kind heart. Seeing the baby monkey barely clinging to life, Chengcheng bravely said to Suming.


    "Squeak, chirp, chirp..." The Monkey King seemed to understand and nodded vigorously, then surprisingly put its hands together and bowed earnestly to Suming.


    Suming was taken aback for a moment but then remembered the gesture of joining his palms together he had made on the hillside earlier. The Monkey King was indeed clever and had picked it up instantly.


    "The baby monkey is seriously injured; it might not survive!"


    Suming wasn''t sure, as young animals are very fragile. Who knows how many days the baby monkey had been trapped here, injured, and it must have been forcefully pulled by the Monkey King. It might have internal injuries, and even if rescued, it probably wouldn''t survive.


    He sent a trace of spiritual power toward the baby monkey and indeed, its life force was very weak. If the Monkey King''s life force was like a me, the baby''s was like a tiny spark from a soybean, ready to extinguish at any moment even without a breeze.


    Just then, Suming unexpectedly discovered the baby monkey seemed to be ''absorbing'' his spiritual power!


    As the spiritual power was absorbed, the baby monkey''s vitality seemed to surge!


    "Eh, the Animal Friend has such ability to heal?" Suming was surprised and quickly released more spiritual power, actively letting the baby monkey absorb it to aid in its healing.


    As the baby''s vitality progressively surged, Suming felt increasingly exhausted, his eyelids growing heavy.


    But he bit his lip and continued releasing spiritual power. With the Animal Friend, spiritual power could regenerate, and rest would replenish it.


    After about half a minute, the baby monkey''s finger twitched suddenly!


    Following that, the feeble baby monkey managed to lift its head with effort and let out a soft "squeak" at Suming.


    "That''s wonderful, the baby monkey hase back to life!" Chengcheng cried out joyfully, hugging Suming''s neck and giving him a big kiss on the cheek with her little lips.


    The Monkey King was dancing with joy as well.


    From the entrance of the cave, Mr. Song''s anxious voice came in, "Su, Su, are you all right?"

 Chapter 7: 7 Onboarding

    Mr. Song still wasn''t at ease about Suming and Chengcheng, so he personally brought a few people, dressed like a beggar version of the Iron Warrior, wrapped in severalyers of thick military coats, with whitewashed iron buckets that had two eyeholes on their heads, and charged up to Monkey Mountain.


    Without the protection of Animal Friends, they faced countless dangers on their way, battling demons and spirits, their HP nearly depleted, until they finally struggled to climb to the top of Monkey Mountain and reached the cave entrance.


    The Monkey King was clearly very wary of these outsiders, shielding the young monkey that had just woken up, staring at them with widened eyes, and issuing threatening sounds.


    Fortunately, Suming was here, and the Monkey King seemed to understand that these people were here to "help rescue the monkey." Although he was agitated, he didn''t attack.


    "Oh, Xiao Kong! I was wondering why I hadn''t seen Xiao Kong these past few days. I thought he was hiding in some cave to y, but he was stuck here!" The zookeeper responsible for Monkey Mountain eximed upon seeing the young monkey.


    Xiao Kong was the name the zoo had given to this newborn monkey. The vast Monkey Mountain had seen no sign of a little monkey for several days, and the zookeepers hadn''t taken notice.


    "Is it still alive?" Mr. Song asked.


    "Alive, but it''s wedged in tight. We''ll need to chisel the crack open to rescue it!" Suming said.


    Mr. Song nodded, "We''ll handle it here. Su, you go ahead and take this little girl out first; her family must be frantic!"


    Suming hadn''t yet spoken when Chengcheng pouted, shaking her small head like a rattle-drum, "I want to wait until the little monkey is rescued before I leave; big brother will protect me."


    Suming also felt that he couldn''t leave now; without him there, who knew if the Monkey King would attack Mr. Song and the others.


    Thankfully, the cave was spacious enough for several people to fit inside without feeling cramped. Mr. Song first sent someone out to convey they were safe, while also bringing in some tools.


    After bustling around, they finally managed to expand the crack with a small drill machine and tools such as chisels and hammers, and rescued the young monkey.


    "Hurry, send it to the medical room for a check-up!" Mr. Song said. The young monkey, although alive, was very weak since it had been starved for several days. It needed to be examined and nourished before it could gradually recover.


    Unexpectedly, the Monkey King and his son were reunited, clutching the young monkey tightly, tears welling up, and he wouldn''t let go, nearlying to blows with the zookeepers.


    It was only after Suming intervened that the Monkey King understood they weren''t there to take his child away.


    Suming held Chengcheng in his arms, and Chengcheng held the young monkey, as they followed Mr. Song out of the cave and down the mountain.


    On the way down, the Monkey King followed closely behind Suming, not missing a step, all the way to the edge of Monkey Mountain. When it came to climbing down thedder and leaving Monkey Mountain, the Monkey King was still reluctant to leave.


    "Don''t follow us; we''ll bring him back once he''s healed!"


    Suming didn''t know if the Monkey King could understand, but he waved his hand at the old Monkey King and sent out a mental fluctuation at the same time.


    "Squeak, squeak, squeak..."


    The Monkey King seemed to understand Suming''s intentions, or perhaps he simply trusted him a great deal. He put his hands together in a gesture of prayer and then reluctantly left, repeatedly turning back as he returned to the depths of Monkey Mountain.


    ...


    "Daddy... Mommy..."


    After they had climbed up, they immediately sent the young monkey Xiao Kong off for treatment, and Chengcheng ran towards the young woman, whose eyes were red from crying, opening her arms wide.


    "My baby... you scared Mommy to death; this is all my fault, all my fault..."


    The woman took Chengcheng from Suming''s arms, hugged her tightly, her eyes brimming with tears, and kissed her indiscriminately for a spell.


    "Baby, quick, thank this big brother!" The woman said, and she actually began to kneel before Suming.


    From her attire, she appeared to be an intellectual, and her financial status definitely wasn''t poor. Under normal circumstances, such people, even in gratitude, wouldn''t kneel to someone like an auntie at the drop of a hat.


    But at that moment, she was simply a mother overjoyed at having her child back in her arms.


    In some ways, she wasn''t much different from the Monkey King. Natural instinct, a bond of blood!


    The only difference was that the Monkey King was male. Typically, female animals are more caring towards their offspring, but the Monkey King, possibly due to having a child at an old age or being rtively intelligent, had also shown a love for his offspring not less than that of a mother monkey.


    "Hey, no, no, no..." Suming quickly helped the woman up, and after some persuasion, he managed to get her to stand.


    In such a situation, anyone would have been moved to help, especially since he definitely had the ability to do so.


    ```


    "This littlerade, we owe you so much for today."


    Chengcheng''s father also came over and extended his hand to Suming.


    Suming shook his hand slightly; the other''s palm was sweaty and damp. Although he appearedposed, his anxiety was by no means less than that of Chengcheng''s mother.


    Had the zoo staff not been holding them back, the couple would have jumped into Monkey Mountain to save Chengcheng themselves long ago.


    Chengcheng''s father briefly asked Suming for his name and also took down his mobile number, then handed out a business card, "Comrade Su, we cannot thank you enough! Thanks to you stepping in to save Chengcheng today, my wife and I will never forget you in our lifetime. The mother and daughter were frightened today, so I will take them home first. We wille another day especially to express our thanks! This is my business card, and if you have time, you are very wee to visit our home!"


    "Don''t mention it, you''d better take them home to rest," Suming said, epting the business card.


    "Regarding today''s incident, we truly apologize, and on behalf of the zoo, I extend our apology to your entire family. Rest assured if there are any subsequent treatment or nutrition costs, the zoo will certainly cover them," Mr. Song said with sincere tone, as the zoo indeed bore inescapable responsibility for such an event.


    "I am not short of that little bit of money, nor would I exchange my daughter''s life for money. Fortunately, no harm was done. Comrade Song, you should rather give your thanks to Su," said Chengcheng''s father, showing a trace of dissatisfaction towards the zoo. He then greeted Suming and left with one arm around his daughter and the other holding his wife.


    "Big brother, remember toe and find me to y, okay!" Chengcheng, perched on Zhao Yun''s shoulder, waved at Suming from afar, smiling sweetly, utterly unlike someone who had just narrowly escaped from Ghost Gate Pass.


    ...


    The crowd gradually dispersed, and the middle-ageddy from the zoo exined the situation to the police who had just rushed over.


    Mr. Song, however, sought out Suming.


    "Young man, I can see that you have a way with monkeys. I have been studying animals my whole life and wouldn''t be confident in calming an enraged Monkey King."


    Implicit in Mr. Song''s words was a curiosity about how Suming managed to keep the troop of monkeys from attacking him and even got the Monkey King to behave.


    Suming had already considered this question while he was in Monkey Mountain and hade up with an answer.


    "My father taught me some methods to deal with animals. At that moment, I simply took a risk and fortunately it seeded. You are certainly aware that animals only attack humans when they feel threatened. Of course, if it''s due to hunger and hunting, that''s a different story."


    Calming animals to provide a sense of safety is one of the principles of being an animal''s friend, but under normal circumstances, it is very hard for humans to achieve this.


    After all, we''re different species, and it''s not as though animals will feel safe just because you have kind eyes and gentle movements.


    But with Suming, an animal friend, it was easy to aplish what is nearly impossible for the average person.


    Mr. Song nodded his head, "It seems you''re indeed not an amateur."


    "I just took a chance and got lucky; I was quite scared too," chuckled Suming.


    Mr. Song sighed and said, "Well, that''s the truth, but how many people can truly stay calm in a crisis? Young man, you''ve done well."


    "Done well? Are you not going to hire me?" Suming rolled his eyes internally but maintained a chuckle, "Just average, saving liveses first."


    Mr. Song asked some more questions, and Suming attributed everything to his already deceased father, leaving Mr. Song without any suspicion.


    Those who constantly deal with animals in the wild all have their own methods.


    Not to mention these monkeys who had lived in the zoo for many years and lost their wild instincts, even with wild beasts like tigers and lions in the wild, real experts could manage to peacefully coexist under special circumstances.


    Of course, this is very risky.


    "I didn''t expect your father and I were almost colleagues, though I am more inclined towards theoretical research," Mr. Song said with a somewhat nostalgic look.


    "If there''s nothing else, then I''ll take my leave," Suming smiled, "I''ve still got to look for a job!"


    "You little rascal, you''ve even learned to mimic this old man!" Mr. Song red.


    "Ah? What do you mean?"


    Mr. Song said grumpily, "You might not excel in theory, but you''re quite impressive in practice; why don''t you stay in the zoo and be a keeper?"


    "Thank you, leader!" eximed Suming, standing up straight and giving a rather awkward salute.


    ```

 Chapter 8: 8 Whisperwind Pavilion

    The next morning, Suming arrived at the zoo again.


    Mr. Song had arranged for the middle-ageddy responsible for the written test to help Suming with the onboarding process while he himself convened a meeting to investigate the responsibility for the recent ident.


    The fences around Monkey Mountain were all made of rubber-coated steel bars, extremely sturdy, and regrly inspected, supposedly guaranteed to be safe. However, this time, inexplicably, such arge hole had appeared, causing the little girl Chengcheng to fall down and nearly causing a major incident, which infuriated Mr. Song, who demanded a thorough investigation.


    The middle-ageddy, Mrs. Tong, was the director of the director''s office at the zoo and assisted the director with the daily operations of the zoo.


    Mrs. Tong was very enthusiastic, ceaselessly chatting with Suming and introducing him to the zoo''s situation and his work arrangements.


    Suming was considered an ''apprentice,'' responsible for assisting another veteran animal keeper with feeding the animals.


    Since the animals ate at different times, Suming had to spend most of his time in the zoo. Additionally, the senior director noted his youth and strength as well as his knack for dealing with animals, so he promptly arranged a set of dormitory quarters for him in the park. If any emergencies arose again, he could quickly respond and handle the situation.


    This was precisely what Suming wanted. Being a bachelor with no attachments, he had nned to rent a ce close to the zoo, and now he could even save on rent.


    Like Suming, quite a few zoo employees, for convenience''s sake, also lived within the park.


    In terms of ie, basic sry plus subsidies, duty pay, meal allowance, and various other bits and pieces, amounted to about three thousand in hand after deducting social insurances and housing fund, and it would gradually increase over the years.


    The sry wasn''t much, but Suming felt that if he could make good use of his ''Animal Friend'' ability, the benefits it could bring would far exceed any sry, so there was no need to quibble over such small immediate gains and losses. With its unique conditions, the zoo provided ess to arge variety of animals. For that alone, even if the zoo offered no sry and just covered meals, he would be willing to work there.


    "Su, don''t overthink it, temporary or permanent staff, it''s all the same. Now the pay is equal for equal work. Besides, I''m telling you, with the state''s reforms in the past two years, public institutions, especially ones like our zoo, are no longer offering new official positions..."


    Although there was nobody else around, Mrs. Tong still spoke in a hushed, secretive tone, "I''ve heard our zoo will soon be going through restructuring, and will have to be self-sufficient. Maybe then there won''t be any official positions avable, so you don''t need to worry too much about that."


    "Oh, okay." Suming nodded, but he wasn''t really considering the issue of employment positions at all.


    Just like his sry, the ''employment position,'' which was extremely important in the eyes of others, had now be like a floating cloud to him.


    Following Mrs. Tong past the central area of Wolf Mountain and Tiger Hill, through a small forest, and along a woond path for about fifteen minutes, they finally arrived at the dormitory.


    Suming''s eyes lit up!


    In front of him, a man-madeke of about ten or so acres, surrounded by a forest, glistened under the sunlight with rippling waves.


    Seven or eight hovercrafts were parked at the artificial beach beside the smallke. At the end of the beach, a winding water corridor led to the center of theke, to a two-story antique-like building.


    Although the building was somewhat old, with carved beams and painted rafters, it had a quaint charm like that of a water pavilion.


    Even from a distance, one could see the que hanging above the gate, inscribed with the words ''Whisperwind Pavilion'' in traditional characters.


    "Wow, a paradise on earth!"


    Suming almost shouted out. No wonder so many people wanted to work at the zoo. Although the pay wasn''t much and there were no official positions, the environment was simply too good to share with friends!


    This wasn''t just a dormitory but clearly a small waterside vi!


    If it weren''t for his job there, even with lots of money, he couldn''t have bought such a house to live in within the zoo.


    "As we serve the tourism sector, naturally, the environment is top-notch. This ce used to be a souvenir shop and tourist attraction, but when it couldn''t be sustained any longer, it was simply turned into staff amodations," Mrs. Tong exined.


    "How many people are living here?" Su Ming asked.


    With such a nice environment, if a bunch of people were living here, it would really spoil the scenery.


    "Just you by yourself. Our zoo is quiterge, and staff usually live alone or with their families. But staying here for a long time can be very dull and lonely. You young people like lively ces, so if you want to go out and have fun, just let me know and ask for leave," Mrs. Tong said.


    "No problem, I quite like it here."


    "That''s good. Whisperwind Pavilion has a total of six rooms, up and down, andes furnished, although the furniture is a bit old and worn. No one has lived here for a long time, so you might want to tidy up. There''s water, electricity, inte, and telephone. asionally, there might be touristsing here to have fun. If you want to earn some extra money, you can take on the operation of those boats. If it loses money, it''s on you, but if it makes money, the ie is shared fifty-fifty with the zoo."


    Mrs. Tong then told Su Ming about the pavilion and left the keys with him before going back to work.


    Su Ming walked along the corridor. The over-water corridor was about two meters wide. On both sides were stone chairs for people to rest and linger. Walking through the corridor with the breeze blowing across the water, carrying a hint of moisture, was refreshing and delightful.


    The corridor wasn''t long. After taking a couple of small turns, he arrived at ''Whisperwind Pavilion''.


    The tworge mahogany doors were studded with nine rows of rivets, resembling the main gates of an ancient official''s residence, and hung with a copper lock thick as Su Ming''s arm.


    Su Ming weighed it; the lock must have been about twenty pounds, which, paired with the doors, was more effective than any security door.


    Unlocking and pushing open the door, it creaked, and he was greeted with a musty smell.


    The name ''Whisperwind Pavilion'' was quite elegant, and it looked impressive from the outside, but the inside left much to be desired. Dust covered everything, and a single step left footprints on the dusty ground, with an unpleasant odor in the air.


    "Cough, cough, cough... It smells awful..." Su Ming covered his nose and went from room to room, opening all the windows.


    The pavilion had six rooms in total. Put together, they were less than two hundred square meters, divided into a bedroom, living room, storage room, and an electrical room. Cables for electricity and inte wereid through hidden conduitsing up from beneath the outside corridor.


    Tables, chairs, benches, and cooking utensils were all avable, and in the living room, there was a set of synthetic leather sofas. The storage room held somemon tools; a clean-up would make it fit for living.


    After familiarizing himself with the surroundings a bit, Su Ming hastily opened the back door and left, nning to clean up once the inside smelled better.


    Outside the back door was a forty or fifty square meter water tform, surrounded by a fence. Standing on the tform, he had a wide field of view, with the smallke and surrounding scenery all visible.


    The tform was originally intended for a tea house, but poor management meant that not many people came for tea.


    It was a bit hot, so Su Ming simply sat on the edge of the tform, took off his shoes, and dipped his feet in theke water.


    Theke water was cool and refreshing, and it felt incredibly good!


    "This really is a nice ce. But it''s no wonder the zoo doesn''t make money, with such a good spot left unused."


    Actually, it wasn''t exactly ''unused''. Yangchuan City Zoo was divided into three sections: the animal area, the garden area, and the scenic area, with this being part of the scenic area, essentially a small park.


    "So, am I now the park manager?"


    Su Mingughed softly, imagining an image of an old gatekeeper in a blue Sun Yat-sen suit with a red armband.


    Just then, while his feet were in theke, he suddenly felt something ticklish.


    There seemed to be something in the water!

 Chapter 9: 9: Bighead Catfish

    Suming looked down and saw several small green fish, about one to two inches long, swimming circles around his feet.


    The little fish seemed hungry, each one nipping at his feet with their round little mouths.


    "Right, with such a bigke, there must be fish. I wonder if my ''Animal Friend'' ability works on fish as well."


    Suming tentatively projected a thread of spiritual power into the water, and the fish circling his feet became more lively upon contact with it, waggling their tails and swimming around joyfully.


    Two slightly bigger fish, about the length of a middle finger, even jumped out of the water, leaping over Suming''s foot as if they were attempting to pass through a dragon''s gate.


    It seemed that the ''Animal Friend'' ability worked underwater too, but the intelligence of the fish was very low, allowing them to express only the simplest of emotions, such as fear or affection. It seemed unlikely that he couldmunicate with the little fish.


    Suming thought for a moment, then slightly moved his foot and lifted it out of the water to squat on the steps.


    Fish were easily scared, and any ripple on the water''s surface would certainly frighten these little ones away. Yet instead of leaving, the fish turned towards the surface and raised their heads, opening their small mouths, which were the size of small dots, and opening and closing them on the surface of the water.


    "Are you looking for something to eat from me? Ha-ha, a bunch of little gluttons. Just wait!"


    Ever since gaining the ''Animal Friend'' ability, Suming had truly be closer to animals on instinct, treating them almost like friends. He checked his pockets and found nothing edible, so he dashed to the convenience store and came back with tworge loaves of bread.


    This type ofrge loaf wasmon, about the size of a small watermelon, wrapped in stic and mostly generic with no special taste. Even at the scenic area''s convenience store, they were cheap and unwanted items, which is why there was a surplus; at two yuan each, they were very affordable.


    Not suitable for human consumption, they were perfect for feeding to fish.


    "Time to eat!"


    Suming stood by theke again, crumbled the bread into pieces, and sprinkled a handful into the water.


    A few fish scrambled for the bread, causing a small wave on the surface, and the floating crumbs were quickly eaten up. The little fish then opened their mouths wide, smacking their lips as they looked to Suming for more food.


    Fish were pure gluttons, eating as much as was avable. Some especially foolish ornamental fish would even eat until they literally burst.


    "Go on, get out of here, there''s nothing for you anymore." Suming grabbed a few more handfuls of crumbs and threw them forcefully towards the far reaches of theke.


    Large kes of bread floated on theke''s surface, but there was no bustling scene of a feeding frenzy as he had imagined.


    After several seconds, only a few sshes appeared as medium-sized fish surfaced. Most of the bread crumbs slowly sank beneath the water.


    "Howe there are so few fish?" Suming was surprised.


    The body of water in front of him wasn''t small¡ªabout ten acres with a depth of over two meters in the center and just over a meter in the shallow areas. Otherwise, the zoo wouldn''t have originally ced boats there.


    Normally, such arge body of water should have more fish, even without anyone stocking or managing it.


    Having seen many supernatural movies and TV shows from his childhood, like "Jaws" or "Anaconda," Suming''s mind couldn''t help but wonder if there was some sort ofke creature here that had eaten all the fish.


    But that was just a yful thought. It was broad daylight under a clear sky, and strange creatures weren''t permitted after the founding of the nation; with a distinguished state enterprise involved, there wouldn''t be any mythical beasts, right?


    Even if there were a water monster, it couldn''t have grown in such a smallke.


    Still, it didn''t hurt to be cautious, so Suming decided to project his spiritual power into theke once more, aiming to explore it further.


    Water was a good medium. After entering, the spiritual power spread out like a fan, extending in all directions. The distance and area it could cover were far greater than in the air.


    Suming''s spiritual power had covered nearly half of theke before he began to feel somewhat exhausted.


    The fish under the water were indeed pitifully scarce. Not only could they notpare with fish farms, but they were also far inferior to those abandoned wild ponds. After scanning a good part of the water area, Suming hardly found any fish, and most of them were the same kind of small fry he saw at the beginning.


    Just then, a dark shadow with tentacles drifted by in the water not far away!


    Huh? A tentacle monster? Suming quickly followed this shadow with his spiritual power!


    When his spiritual power covered it, Suming realized it was actually a catfish about half a foot long, and the so-called ''tentacles'' were the fleshy whiskers on either side of its mouth.


    Twenty or so centimeters below the surface of the water, the catfish was leisurely swimming and shaking its head with ease.


    A catfish ''half a foot long'' could only be considered small, but in thiske where fish were rare, it was definitely a ''tyrant''-level existence. No creature could threaten it, and its daily routine consisted of loafing around and asionally bullying other smaller fish.


    However, its easy days were over. While the catfish was rxing, its body suddenly shook slightly, and the whiskers fluttering on either side of its mouth suddenly spread out as if it had been ''electrified.''


    "Hehe, it really works!"


    Suming concentrated all of his spiritual power. Unlike before, when he dispersed it over a wide area, he now focused solely on the catfish, and instantly took control of it.


    After a moment''s ''daze,'' the catfish quickly became agile again and, under Suming''s control, dived into the water, bing his ''scout,'' swimming back and forth in theke and scouting the situation at the bottom.


    After swimming several rounds in the water, aside from asionally encountering a few other fish, and seeing some aquatic nts,ke bottom mud, and stones, the catfish discovered nothing like water monsters.


    Once it was under the control of spiritual power, its ''brain'' seemed to function much better. After swimming for a while, it actually returned to the shore, opened its mouth wide towards Suming, and smacked its lips, clearly begging for food.


    "Heh, you''re quite smart," Suming chuckled and threw thest small lump of bread crumbs into the water.


    The catfish sucked in the water and bread crumbs into its mouth all at once, joyfully spun around on the spot, and with a flick of its tail, its long whiskers fluttered in the water. Then it opened its mouth wide towards Suming, asking for more food.


    "No more, no more, go y," Suming said, pping his empty hands together, and he withdrew his spiritual power.


    Once it lost the control of spiritual power, the catfish flicked its tail and swam back into the deep water of theke.


    Suning was left alone, standing at the edge of the water on the tform, looking over theke. A gentle breeze blew and created soft ripples on the water¡ªpleasant, yet it felt as though something lively and vivid was missing.


    "Next time, I''ll stock some fry in here so I can fish whenever I have nothing to do," Suming thought to himself.


    This dy meant that half an hour had gone by, and the Fengshui Pavilion was now well-ventted. Suming found a broom and a mop inside the storage room along with a bottle of cleaner, its expiration date unknown, and he began cleaning the pavilion.


    Suming was quite skilled at housework from doing chores at home, and despite his efficiency, it was still a great deal of work. After three to four hours, he finally got the entire Whisperwind Pavilion cleaned.


    "Looks like I need to make a trip to the supermarket to buy some necessities. Cooking oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, tea, rice, meat, vegetables, water bottles, a thermal sk... ah, and I can bring over the bedding from my dormitory..."


    Suming listed a long shopping list, all of which he needed to buy. Mentally calcting the total, he realized he would barely have any money left after the purchases.


    Fortunately, he would receive his sry in a month, and he had already secured a ce to live, so he wasn''t in immediate need of money.


    He took a long sigh, feeling a sense of relief. After all theplications, he had finally settled his work issues and could get settled.


    Just as he was about to leave, his phone suddenly rang. When Suming looked, it was Nangong Yan.

 Chapter 10: 10 Are You Trying to Become Immortal!

    "Hey Su, the love god, where are you?" came Nangong Yan''s voice over the phone.


    "Love god? Since when did I be a love god, calling me a beast would be more like it," Suming chuckled, knowing full well that with his ability tomunicate with animals, he indeed had the potential to be quite the animal himself one day.


    "Right, couldn''t agree more! You big beast, alluring cats and teasing dogs!" Nangong Yan said with a serious tone.


    "Huh?" Suming waspletely baffled, what cats was he alluring and what dogs was he teasing?


    "Never mind, I saw some job postings online that might be suitable for you, I''ve sent them to your email, take a look for yourself."


    "Oh, thanks. But I''ve found a job," Suming smiled. This girl Nangong was not one to mince words, seeming quite brash at times, but she was genuinely nice to him.


    Nangong Yan was taken aback, "What, you found a job? You were still worrying about it yesterday and today you''ve got one? You''re not joking, are you?"


    "For real, they''ve even sorted out my staff amodation, I''m just about to head back to the school to pick up my luggage," Suming nced at the sky, and said, "It''s a bit much to exin over the phone, I''ll treat you to a meal some day and give you the details."


    "Okay, then I''ll really have to take advantage of you then," Nangong Yan said with augh.


    "Absolutely!"


    Having ended the call and with the sun almost set, Suming grabbed his shopping list and bank card, then left the zoo.


    The zoo, although located in a remote area, was still quite essible due to being a tourist site, with a bus heading downtown right from the main gate,ing every fifteen minutes or so.


    More than half an hourter, Suming had already returned to school, first stopping at the supermarket at the school gate to buy the life essentials listed, then heading back to the dorm to get his quilt, clothes,puter, and other stuff. After busying himself until after 8 o''clock, he had packed three huge bags almost as tall as a person, and then went to the security guard to process his dormitory checkout.


    After expending a great deal of effort, he finally managed to drag and haul the packages to the school gate, where Suming realized a critical problem: How would he take all this back to the zoo?


    Taking the bus was clearly out of the question, as any one of the three bags was nearly half a person tall, and he could at most manage two at the same time, which would be very inconvenient. As for taking a taxi, the drivers shook their heads repeatedly upon seeing the amount of stuff he had; it wasn''t that they were afraid of the trouble, it simply wouldn''t fit.


    After some thought, he dialed Wang Hao''s number.


    "Fatty, I need a favor. Bring your SUV to the school to help me move my luggage," Suming didn''t beat around the bush with Wang Hao. They had both gotten their driving licenses in university. The only difference was that Wang Hao had a car at home, whereas Suming hadn''t even touched a steering wheel for more than a year after getting his license.


    "Eh, you found a job? Alright, alright, I''m free anyway, I''ll be right there," Wang Hao agreed efficiently.


    In less than half an hour, a ck Ford Kuga SUV pulled up at the school gate, with Wang Hao hopping out of the driver''s seat and opening the back door of the vehicle.


    These urban SUVs, though not associated with any real off-road capability, do offer ample space; the back seats could be folded down t¡ªenough room for a car quake.


    The two of them together loaded the three huge bags into the trunk.


    "Where to?" Wang Hao, having buckled his seatbelt, snapped his fingers and asked.


    "The zoo."


    "Holy smoke, you''re working at the zoo? Su, you''re really something!" Wang Hao''s eyes widened with surprise as he gave Suming a thumbs-up.


    "Just a temporary job, no official position," Suming said with a smile.


    "That''s not bad either. After all, it''s about beingfortable, right? It''s stable and rxed, and the environment is nice. My old man also wanted to ''arrange'' for me to get in there initially, but guess what, the head of the zoo is such a schr, insisting on open recruitment, not doing favors for anyone. I didn''t see iting, Su, but you seem to have the knack!"


    "It was just a lucky break for me, really. Mr. Song didn''t want me at first," Suming simply recounted the incident of rescuing someone at Monkey Mountain, but he omitted the Animal Friends part and just mentioned that he was solely focused on saving the person and got lucky.


    "So Mr. Song is quite something, huh? Not even your old man''s clout worked?" Suming was indeed interested in Mr. Song. Wang Hao''s old man is no small-fry officer, an actual bureau-level cadre, and seems to be in charge of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, essentially the zoo''s boss''s boss. And you''re telling me Mr. Song didn''t give in even when he asked?"


    "Heh heh, forget about my old man. Even if the provincial leaders spoke up, that old director might not listen. Old experts like him may not hold high positions, but their experience speaks for itself. Who knows which old friend might be connected all the way to the top. Plus, they have students and disciples in high ces, not a few either. Given his good reputation, even top leaders don''t want to offend such an old expert."


    The two chatted about this and that along the way, and the Ford Maverick weaved through traffic, quickly returning to the animal park.


    Two of the animal park''s security guards stopped the car. Suming rolled down the window, presented his staff card, and exined to the guards. The Ford Maverick started up again and followed the small roads within the park, heading towards Whisperwind Pavilion.


    The Ford Maverick''s headlights brightly illuminated the park''s narrow roads, attracting the attention of various animals that wonderingly ambled up to the fences, looking over curiously. It wasn''t clear whether humans were watching them, or they were watching the humans.


    A few ostriches, still looking rather confused, tried to follow the car, only to thump into the fence unexpectedly.


    "A flock of dumb birds!" Wang Haoughed heartily.


    Soon enough, they reached the end of the road. Suming''s ce was surrounded by woods, and the car couldn''t go any further, so they had to walk.


    Wang Hao parked the car, turned off the engine, and they both got out to take their luggage from the trunk.


    "Having a car is convenient." Suming closed the trunk of the Ford Maverick and thought about asking Mrs. Tong next time if the animal park had any cargo vehicles. Otherwise, borrowing Wang Hao''s car every time for bulk purchases was too much of a hassle.


    "Speaking of cars, it''s frustrating. With my family''s resources, I could afford a Land Rover, but my old man insisted on buying a Ford Maverick for just 200,000. Every time I go out clubbing and picking up chicks, it depresses me. Think about it, who gets more attention: the guy driving a Land Rover or the one in a Ford Maverick? Driving this Ford Maverick, I''m almost too embarrassed to say hi to girls. Once I do, they might even mistake me for a rideshare driver. If I had a Land Rover, leggy girls would be climbing into my car like crazy..." Wang Hao, carrying a big bag, griped as they walked.


    "Oh, give it a rest. I can''t even afford a second-hand QQ, so be content!" Suming rolled his eyes. Dissatisfied with a 200,000 joint-venture car, many professors at the school drove only domestic cars worth around 100,000.


    After about fifteen minutes of walking, they finally made it out of the forest. Wang Hao, drenched in sweat, dropped his heavy luggage onto the ground, and immediately plopped down beside it, gasping for air.


    "Yeesh, Su, the ce you live is so remote, it''s practically the middle of nowhere! You''re killing me..."


    "You need some exercise, kid. You don''t want to end up with the three highs at such a young age," Suming said, also slightly sweaty but not as exaggerated as Wang Hao.


    "Enough, let''s keep moving. Rest up once we get to my quarters..." Suming urged, but Wang Hao didn''t respond.


    Not only did he not respond, but the gasping sounds also stopped altogether.


    Had the guy passed out from exhaustion?


    Looking down, Suming saw Wang Hao sitting on the ground with his fat legs crossed, mouth agape like a giant toad, staring nkly at the smallke and Fengshui Pavilion in front of him,pletely petrified.


    "Wang... Fatty... you okay? What''s gotten into you..."


    "You live... here?" Wang Hao asked with wide eyes, stuttering.


    "Yeah, the ce is a bit remote, and the house is somewhat old, but the environment''s not bad, right?" Suming scratched his head.


    "Damn! ''Not bad''?!"


    Wang Hao suddenly jumped to his feet with agility that belied his size, grabbed Suming with one hand and pointed emphatically towards the pavilion with the other, rambling incoherently: "You''re not kidding me, right? Just ''not bad''? I''ll be damned, man, you''re practically living like a celestial being here!"

 Chapter 11: 11 Theres something in the water!

    "What kind of immortal, can''t you wish me some good luck?" Suming rolled his eyes, what kind of way to talk was that, I''m not about to die, so how could I be an immortal.


    "I didn''t mean it that way, I just mean living here, goodness, it''s practically a heavenly abode! Living here is like being a hermit from a martial arts novel. I''ve got to see this ce!"


    Wang Hao, as if shot up with chicken blood, suddenly got excited; he picked up tworge bags, one in each hand, and like a fat penguin, waddled quickly up the overwater corridor towards Fengshui Pavilion.


    "Fatty, slow down, don''t fall into the water!" Suming, carrying a bag, chased after him.


    When he first arrived, he was just like Wang Hao, too excited to find his bearings, so he let Wang Hao run wild inside Fengshui Pavilion while he began to unpack and organize his luggage one by one.


    "Holy smokes, two levels, this is practically a vi. Old Su, this ce is so big, and it''s out in the wild, aren''t you scared to live alone? Want me toe and keep youpany?" Wang Hao walked down the wooden staircase after touring the second floor, giving Suming a knowing look.


    Suming moved the tower case of his desktopputer onto the table and nced at Wang Hao: "What wild outskirts, there are quite a few people living in the zoo."


    If it were someone else living in Whisperwind Pavilion, they might genuinely feel a bit scared at night, after all, there were no people within a few hundred meters, and beyond the zoo''s back wall nearby were the mountains.


    But Suming grew up in the mountains, so this wasn''t a problem for him at all.


    Every year during the holidays, especially the winter holiday and Chinese New Year, to prevent wild boars from ravaging the grain, the police station in Suming''s hometown issued hunting rifles to the mountain people and allowed hunting. Suming had apanied his family on hunts more than once, sometimes staying overnight in the mountains, so he was quite ustomed to it.


    "No need to move in, I''m a straight male through and through. But you''re wee to visit when you''re free; I won''t charge you an entrance fee!" Suming said with augh.


    Wang Hao, jumping up and down with his phone, took a look around and even took pictures to post in the university group chat.


    Wang Hao and Suming were ssmates and were in the same group chat. As soon as Wang Hao posted, Suming''s phone also began to vibrate incessantly with a string of messages.


    At the top of the group was Wang Hao''s photo of Whisperwind Pavilion. Although it was nighttime, there were lights around the pavilion, and the winding overwater corridor and the two-story, retro-style Whisperwind Pavilion were clearly visible with a smallke around.


    "Old Wang, where have you gone on vacation this time?" someone asked.


    "Looks like a movie shooting location, Boss Wang, you didn''t go break the unspoken rules with a female star, did you?" someone joked.


    "Unspoken rules my ass, this is our talented Su''s dormitory!" Wang Hao said.


    That set off a barrage ofments below.


    "Damn, it''s a purekeside vi!"


    "Whichpany, such good benefits to provide staff with akeside vi?"


    "Old Su,e out,e out, man, you''ve struck it rich!"


    Suming chuckled and typed a line: "Vi my foot, I''m watching over the zoo, living right inside it."


    Immediately, a string of astonished emojis followed.


    "Damn, does this mean I won''t need to buy a ticket to the zoo in the future?"


    "Nice ce, beautiful mountains and rivers, very pleasant environment!"


    "Old Su, you''ve got some wild connections, getting into the zoo like this! You weren''t so honest before, were you?"


    "No honesty my foot, temporary worker, get it? The kind that just fills a gap!" Suming typed with a smile.


    "This is what you call a temporary position? All that''s missing is the confirmation as the boss'' son!"


    "Envy, jealousy, hate, I also want to go to the zoo to feed the bears!"


    "More like feed you to the bears, haha!"


    "This makes those of us who went to bigpanies feel so inadequate!"


    "No, no, no, we''ve got to take Su for a ride!"


    Suming wrote, "It''s just for show, less than three thousand a month, you guys try it."


    "Such a nice ce, living there could extend someone''s life by years, I''d do it even if I had to pay three thousand!" said a rich kid in the ss, whose family ran a listedpany.


    "Alright, enough from you guys,e and visit when you''re free, I''ll host you!"


    After chatting for a bit in the group, Suming put away his phone and called Wang Hao up to the tform, sat by the water, and said, "I''ve got something serious to tell you."


    "What''s up?" Wang Hao took off his shoes, just like Suming had during the day, dipped his feet into theke water, and asked Suming.


    "See those boats over there?" Suming pointed to the pleasure boats not far from the shore.


    "Are you asking me to find some girls and rock the boat? Man, I''ve never tried boat rocking before!" Wang Hao''s eyes lit up.


    Suming pped his forehead, annoyed, "Rock what! I''ve got a small business opportunity. If you''re willing to invest, we can take over those boats and start a boating business, how about that?"


    During his cleaning stint that afternoon, Suming had encountered two groups of people asking if they could go boating, it seemed like there was business to be had. He was somewhat interested too.


    But these boats were quite old. To kick start the pleasure boating business, they''d definitely need to spend money on boat inspections, fuel purchases, and such, with initial investments costing at least several thousand, and that''s several big thousands.


    Suming didn''t have that much money, and even if he did, he wanted to pull Mr. Wang into the venture as well.


    "Sure thing, this business is doable. Twenty per boat per hour, thirty for bumper boats like yours, figuring on eighty bucks a day, more on holidays. You''ve got one, two, three...seven, eight boats, could make seventeen or eighteen thousand a month, pleasure boating has high profits, you could clear about thirteen or fourteen thousand." Wang Hao''s family managedndscaping, so he was clear on this kind of thing.


    "Let''s agree on that then, you invest, I manage, we split the profits."


    Calcting it, aside from the half going to the zoo, he and Wang Hao could probably take home about three or four thousand each per month.


    Three or four thousand isn''t much, but it''s what I get in hand from my sry. The key point is that this is almost a no-capital business, I''m required to be in the zoo 24/7 anyway, most of the time hanging around Fengshui Pavilion, so it''s like making extra cash in my idle time.


    Add that to my sry, and I could make close to seven thousand a month. In Yangchuan City''s working ss, that''s definitely not low, even the technical staff at those big pharmaceuticalpanies I failed tond a job at originally don''t make that much at the start.


    Moreover, Suming had another cunning n in mind.


    In friendships, feelings are the foundation, but if those feelings can be augmented with mutual benefits, the rtionship bes even more stable.


    Now that we''ve graduated, we don''t live together like before, spending all day in the same dorm. If my rtionship with Wang Hao consisted of nothing but eating, drinking, ying, and messing around, it''s certain to fade with time and as we both mature.


    Wang Hao''s family ran thendscaping, so if I could foster a closer rtionship with him through this little venture, it would be like creating a safety for myself. If I ever ran into any trouble, I could ask Wang Hao''s family for help.


    For Wang Hao''s family, a few thousand in extra ie isn''t significant, but it''s like giving Wang Hao a proper job to do, preventing him from running after leggy girls all the time and loafing around, which would eventually create problems and be a headache for his dad.


    Although the boating business isn''t huge, it benefits both sides indeed.


    Wang isn''t usually reliable, but he''s pretty serious when ites to proper business. The two sat by the water and quickly hammered out the details of the boating business, with Wang even contacting a boat repair professional.


    Just as they were discussing, Wang Hao suddenly changed color, shrieked, and leaped up as if shocked.


    "What happened?" Su asked in surprise.


    Wang Hao pointed at the water with a terrified expression, "Holy moly, there''s something in the water!"


    "What thing?" Suming looked at the water curiously, wondering if it could be a bighead catfish?


    After interacting with animal buddies, animals seemed to be smarter. Perhaps the bighead catfish, seeing the light, knew he was back and came looking for food, bumping into Wang Hao''s feet?

 Chapter 12: 12 The Alligator Turtle

    Sumingy on the railing of the tform, stretching his head to look into the water.


    In the light of the Fengshui Pavilion, he saw that on the surface of theke where Wang Hao had just stepped down, ripples formed, and arge head emerged¡ªit was the big-headed catfish from the day.


    After the big-headed catfish came to the surface, it floated there listlessly, half of its body resting on the stone steps, with its tail twitching feebly from time to time, and it bore a startling wound, as if bitten viciously by some ferocious animal!


    This fellow wasn''t here for food, but for help!


    Suming quickly and quietly released a stream of spiritual power, feeling its life force had weakened much since the day, possibly dying at any moment.


    He hurriedly channeled the spiritual power toward it, and stimted by the spiritual power, the big-headed catfish''s life force immediately showed signs of recovery.


    However, it had sustained a very serious injury; even a chunk of its tail had been bitten off. Almost a fatal wound for it, for the time being, it could only cling to life and was unable to move much.


    Suming had no choice but to fish the big-head out and keep it in arge water tank until it healed before returning it to theke.


    "Something''s not right!" Wang Hao shook his head repeatedly at the side.


    "What''s not right? Look at how timid you are, it''s just a catfish."


    Suming said this, but he also found it strange in his heart. There were hardly any fish in theke, and this nearly half-a-meter-long catfish was practically the king of theke. Moreover, with itsrge mouth eating all around, it was one of the more ferocious fresh-water fish. Even if there were small crayfish and crabs, they were the ones bullied by the catfish. What could have injured it like this?


    But Wang Hao was very certain, "It''s not this fish; the thing that bumped into my foot just now was sharp and hard!"


    As if to confirm Wang Hao''s words, not far away, more ripples surged on the water surface, but the ssh was several timesrger than when the catfish had appeared.


    A pointed head emerged from the ripples, with a beak shaped like a hawk''s hook, and its round eyes on both sides gleamed with a fierce light.


    A section of its back also rose above the water, with spine-like bony protrusions that appeared as ferocious as armor.


    "Crocodile?" Suming jumped in fright, for the creature looked incredibly like a crocodile.


    But he quickly realized that was ridiculous. If there were crocodiles here, there would have been a disaster long ago!


    Wang Hao eximed, "Damn, it''s a crocodile turtle!"


    A crocodile turtle, as the name suggests, is a turtle that looks like a crocodile. Crocodile turtles have a strange and fearsome appearance, one of the oldest reptiles, witnesses of the dinosaur era.


    Crocodile turtles have strong survival abilities, tolerate pollution well, reproduce effectively, and have arge appetite. Additionally, they''re extremely aggressive with few natural enemies, often causing cataclysmic consequences to the local aquatic biodiversity, particrly devastating to the freshwater ecology of Huaxia Country.


    Just one crocodile turtle can lead to aplete wipeout of a fish pond, and an established group of crocodile turtles can even severely damage the entire fish ecology of a freshwaterke! The authorities had repeatedly dered the release of crocodile turtles to be illegal.


    Suming suddenly realized why there were hardly any fish in theke. With this creature around, there weren''t enough fish to satisfy its hunger! It had be theke bully.


    This creature wasn''t native to Huaxia Country, but originated from the Americas. This crocodile turtle must have been released by some ''kind-hearted tourists''. As a result, theke''s fish had been mostly eaten up, and the crocodile turtle rose to be the unchallenged ruler of theke.


    "Bloody tourists!" Suming rolled his eyes in frustration. If it weren''t for this crocodile turtle, why would there be so few fish in the smallke? He had even considered stocking some young fish, but luckily, he hadn''t. With this menace here, any number would''ve been in vain.


    Moreover, crocodile turtles aren''t worth much, sold by weight, a few dozen bucks per kilo. Although this crocodile turtle was big, at best, it might only be worth a few thousand bucks.


    Suming guessed the creature had hidden in a cave or in thekebed silt during the day, which was why he hadn''t detected it with his spiritual power.


    That crocodile turtle surfaced, and seeing the big-headed catfish rescued, its food source gone, it didn''t linger. It cast a vicious nce at Suming and then burbled a couple of bubbles before slowly sinking back into the water.


    No matter how fierce the crocodile turtle was, it was no match for humans. Its ability to bully and dominate in thiske relied on its policy of preying on the weak and fearing the strong, adjusting its behavior ording to the situation!


    "Damn it, trying to run!" The crocodile turtle hadn''t expected to meet someone fiercer that day. Wang Hao, carrying a long bamboo pole, ran out from the Fengshui Pavilion without a word and swung it down.


    Crack! A crisp sound on the water''s surface, sshing water everywhere!


    Following that, a crisp snap echoed, as the bamboo pole, thick as a child''s arm, was unexpectedly bitten in half by the alligator turtle, which then slowly sank into the water.


    Wang Hao, refusing to give up, prodded the water with the remaining half of the bamboo pole, but theke surface was so vast¡ªhow could he possibly prod the fleeing alligator turtle?


    Summoning his thoughts, Suming quickly directed a stream of spiritual power into the water.


    As soon as the spiritual power touched the water, it immediately located the alligator turtle. The creature, having submerged itself, probably felt safe and hadn''t gone far, just lying motionless at the bottom of the river.


    The spiritual power firmly locked onto the alligator turtle, which immediately shuddered as if electrocuted. Its crocodile-like tail thrashed powerfully, trying to break free from Suming''s control.


    Suming also felt the connection to his spiritual power violently shaking. The alligator turtle, being a cold-blooded animal, was nothing like monkeys and cats that were easier tomunicate with; it was naturally deceitful and fierce, resistant to discipline.


    Furthermore, at this moment Suming held no ''good intentions;'' his intentions were full of ''malice,'' so the alligator turtle would definitely resist desperately!


    The friend of animals had be the enemy of the alligator turtle. The spiritual power connection shook violently, and in just a few seconds, stars danced before Suming''s eyes, signaling he could lose control at any moment.


    On the bank, Wang Hao kept poking around with a bamboo pole, several times nearly prodding the alligator turtle, which sensing danger, struggled and tried to escape into the distance.


    Suming''s scalp tingled, and in his mind, he heard a slight ''crack'' as the spiritual power connection waspletely broken by the alligator turtle.


    He hurriedly spread his spiritual power like a in the water, hoping to regain control of the alligator turtle.


    But the alligator turtle was far more formidable than a catfish, breaking free from the control of spiritual power after several struggles.


    After breaking free from the spiritual power control several times in a row, the alligator turtle apparently felt that the person ashore couldn''t harm it, and instead of fleeing, it brazenlyid at the bottom of theke, even provocatively shaking its tail in the direction of Suming.


    On the bank, Wang Hao was still irritatingly prodding with the bamboo pole. Suming waved his hand, "Wang, stop poking. We''lle back to deal with it in a couple of days!"


    "This creature can bite people; it''s a menace in theke," Wang Hao said.


    "Give me a few days to prepare, find some fishings or something, then we''lle back to handle it!"


    Suming knew all too well that if they let this alligator turtle roam theke, it would be very dangerous. Eating fish was one thing, but biting a person would be a major problem.


    From the glimpse of its shell when it surfaced, the creature appeared to be close to a meter long!


    Alligator turtles are naturally ferocious; such a big one could bite off a person''s wrist. With this creature in theke, what was the point in running a boating business? If a tourist got bitten while boating, he couldn''t afford thepensation even if he went bankrupt!


    But now that the alligator turtle was on guard, and with the vastke surface, capturing it would not be an easy task.


    "Bask in your arrogance for a few more days. Once my spiritual power is stronger, I''lle back to capture you!" Suming fiercely gestured a middle finger at the alligator turtle in the water,


    Suming had now realized that generally, therger and smarter the animal, the harder it was to control.


    Some animals, like macaques, although smart and yful, aren''t particrly vicious and can be managed more easily. But others, naturally more aggressive and cunning, like alligator turtles, are troublemakers.


    His current level of spiritual power wasn''t enough to handle this one.


    Fortunately, as long as he kept using the Friend of Animals ability, his spiritual power would gradually increase. Working at the zoo, he had plenty of opportunities to use it. As long as the creature didn''t escape, he would inevitably catch it one day.


    "Alright, we''ll deal with it next time!" Wang Hao said fiercely.


    ¡­


    The next morning, the phone at the Whisperwind Pavilion rang.


    "Su there? This is Peng Qing. I''m going to feed the animals at ten in the morning, I''ll wait for you at the warehouse."


    "Oh, I know, Mr. Peng. I''ll be right there."

 Chapter 13: 13: The Wolf and the Fox

    Peng Qing was an experienced zookeeper who had worked in the zoo since graduating from technical school, and had dedicated half his life to his job. He was hardworking and neverined, earning him a good reputation among the staff. Mr. Song, the zoo director, had assigned him to mentor Suming and be responsible for feeding the animals.


    "Mr. Peng, good morning." Suming arrived at the warehouse and greeted a simple and honest-looking middle-aged man.


    Mr. Peng, already dressed in his work uniform, was pushing a cart out of the warehouse. Seeing Suming, he smiled and said, "Morning. Go get changed, and then we can load the cart together and head out."


    "Right away," Suming scratched his head. Though Mr. Peng hadn''t said anything, Suming felt slightly embarrassed. It wasn''t great having the master wait for his apprentice on the first day of work.


    Suming entered the staff room next to the warehouse, took a blue coat off the wall, put it on, changed into a pair of rubber boots, and pocketed a pair of leather gloves. With an air of professionalism, he pushed out a small cart, fully equipped.


    Then, under the guidance of Mr. Peng, the two selected food for the animals from the warehouse, mainly meat but supplemented with some fruit and coarse grains. The two small carts were loaded with tenrge baskets.


    "This is going to cost quite a bit."


    Just this meal alone was probably a few thousand, and the zoo fed the animals more than once a day, with more keepers than just Mr. Peng and Suming.


    This also showed why zoos were difficult to manage; the expenses for feeding animals were staggeringly high. Yangchuan City had severalrge parks, but only one zoo. Other cities were simr, and just the daily feeding of the animals was a massive burden. The modest ticket revenue was far from enough to cover expenses, making it a significant financial strain for the government. Moreover, the zoo housed many nationally protected animals, and any death would result in ountability.


    Like other public venues, ordinary parks had it much better; they only required a one-time investment and had far fewer ongoing costs.


    "This food is barely enough to keep the animals from starving; the budget is just not enough," Mr. Peng said with a wry smile, shaking his head. He led the way with his cart, saying, "Let''s go to the Wolf Pen first."


    The Wolf Pen was a semi-enclosedrge cage. Twoyers of wire mesh enclosed a space of over fifty square meters, divided into two parts. The front section was the wolves'' activity area, where visitors could view the wolves through wire mesh over a railing about chest high. The rear half was the wolves'' "sleeping and resting" area, enclosed by walls.


    Arge metal sign hung outside the Wolf Pen with an introduction.


    "Mongolian Wolf, also known as the Steppe Wolf, belongs to the canine family. It is a subspecies of the Grey Wolf and is a national secondary protected species. Vignt and suspicious by nature, its form is simr to dogs, highly intelligent, and able tomunicate with its kin through scent and calls."


    In the evolutionary process of ancient animals, the three most perfectly evolved carnivorous animals were the Titan Birds, Saber-toothed Tigers, and wolves. Today, the Titan Birds and Saber-toothed Tigers are extinct, leaving only the wolves.


    In the Wolf Pen, arger wolf was drinking from a trough. Although it had its head down, its legs were straight, and its ears were pointed high and forward, giving it an impressive stance.


    Two other wolves stood not far from the trough, but theycked the ferocity of the drinking wolf. Their fluffy tails curled slightly upward and swayed from time to time, suggesting a desire to please.


    If he weren''t in the zoo, Suming might have thought he was looking at two Huskies.


    Several other wolvesy in the grass nests at the back of the pen.


    "The one drinking water is the alpha," Mr. Peng exined with a smile, and then took out a key to open a small iron window beside the feeding trough on the cage.Alerted by the scent of a stranger, the alpha raised its head. Its long ears instantlyid back on its head, and its back fur bristled. It bared its sharp fangs by curling up its lips and arched its back to roar at Suming.


    Even though Mr. Peng was closer to the alpha, the wolf roared at Suming and ignored Mr. Peng entirely.Mr. Peng exined, "Wolves are as smart as dogs, they know we''re here to feed them. But since you''re new, they don''t recognize you. They''ll get used to you after some time..."


    Before he could finish, the alpha suddenly stopped roaring and calmlyy down where it was, splitting its lips, rxing its ears to the side, sticking out its tongue, and yawning.


    The other wolves also stopped showing hostility towards Suming, and one even rolled over on the spot, exposing its belly.


    "What''s going on?" Mr. Peng was taken aback and stopped feeding, looking at the wolves and then back at Suming with a puzzled expression."


    The position of a wolf''s ears indicates its attitude; ears pressed back indicate a threat and preparation to attack, whereas ears rxed to the sides show a state of ease.


    As for exposing the belly, it signifies extreme trust and even a hint of coaxing affection. For most animals, the belly is the most vulnerable part that needs to be protected.


    At this moment, the alpha clearly had softened its aggression towards Suming, and the lean wolf rolling on the ground was showing a rare kindness to Suming.


    This behavior wouldn''t be surprising in dogs, but wolves were different. In theory, they only expose their belly while ying with their own kind.


    Having fed the wolves for so many years, at most, they would just be indifferent to Mr. Peng''s presence, far from being affectionate. As for exposing their bellies, that was something he had never even considered.


    Suming chuckled and waved a piece of beef in his hand, "I''m here to feed them, so of course, they want to please me."


    "The director said you had a way with animals. It seems he was right," Mr. Pengughed, tossing beef into the wolf enclosure.


    Of course, this was due to the "animal friend" attribute.


    Because of the "animal friend''s" spiritual power, the most simple and direct way, and also the most effective in gaining an animal''s trust, the effect it had even surpassed the rtionship Mr. Peng had established with the wolves through long-term feeding.


    After all, wolves only made guesses based on their habits about Mr. Peng''s behavior. For the naturally suspicious wolves, this kind of guesswork couldn''tpletely dispel their doubts and concerns, whereas Suming''s use of psychic abilities could achieve and even surpass the effect of munication among their own kind."


    The wolves weren''t stupid, especially those in the zoo, which had picked up some of the "merchant-like cunning" of humans. Given that they understood Suming was there to feed them, it was understandable for them to demonstrate some appeasing behaviors that were quite uncharacteristic of "wolfish nature."


    The lead wolf still cared about its pride, and its attitude toward Suming shifted from hostile to somewhat indifferent, maintaining its dignity as a leader; the rest of the wolves, particrly the weakest one, outright flipped over to show their bellies in a fawning manner,pletely abandoning their integrity.


    However, for Suming to control these wolves, especially that one, was nearly impossible.


    Suming helped Mr. Peng feed them, and in the blink of an eye, more than ten pounds of meat had disappeared into the wolves'' stomachs.


    The wolves still seemed unsatisfied, forming a circle around Suming under the lead wolf''s direction, all giving him a cold and threatening stare, as if to say, "If you don''t feed us, believe me, I''ll bite you to death."


    "Really ungrateful wolves..." Suming rolled his eyes.


    Interacting with animals is sometimes simr to interacting with people. Everyone has a different personality. With warm-hearted people, you can quickly be friends, but with those who are naturally solitary and indifferent, it takes much longer to build a friendship.


    In human terms, some animals are easy to get along with, like monkeys, while others, like wolves and those damned alligator snapping turtles, are more challenging!


    With the gift of being an animal friend, Suming could in theory be ''friends'' with any animal, or even their master, as long as his psychic power was strong enough.


    "Just take it slow. As the saying goes, the journey tests a horse''s strength and time reveals a wolf''s heart..."


    Just as Suming was about to throw some more meat down, Mr. Peng stopped him and scooped up a small basin of mushy strawberries to sprinkle into the Wolf Pen.


    "Wolves eat strawberries?" Suming asked in surprise.


    "Wolves mostly eat meat, but they also need to eat fruits. It helps bnce their diet and provides additional nutrients."


    Suming got an eye opener, watching the wolves sniff the strawberries and then devour them eagerly, sttering juice as they bit into each berry. After finishing, they even licked the strawberry juice around their mouths with their tongues.


    From outside the cage, they looked just like a bunch of perfectly sane Huskies.


    After feeding the wolves, Suming followed Mr. Peng to the adjacent Red Fox area.


    The Red Fox,monly referred to as ''fox'', had big, round eyes and bushy tails for bnce. Its fiery red fur had be somewhat messy and dull due to the zoo''scking nutrition.


    Red foxes are also ss two nationally protected animals, but unlike wolves, these adorable-looking creatures are typical loners, rarely gathering with their kind.


    Through psychicmunication, Suming discovered that red foxes were even more difficult than wolves to deal with.


    Wolves are like cold and proud swordsmen. They are hard to approach, but once you earn their trust, you can share a bond of life and death.


    The red fox, however, was like a cunning and fickle maiden, afflicted with generalized anxiety disorder, suspicious and uncertain about everything around her.


    The expression ''sly as a fox''es from this behavior.


    This littledy''s disposition could also be rather vicious. Mr. Peng told Suming that red foxes enjoyed ''overkilling''. Regardless of whether they could eat all their prey, they would kill any living creature they encountered.


    Like all littledies, the red foxes particrly liked fruits and snacks such as ''little birds''. Suming threw an apple into the enclosure, and the red fox quickly held the apple with its little paws, scurried to a dark corner, and started munching on it, asionally lifting its head to watch Suming warily from a distance.


    ...


    Having walked almost all morning and fed more than a dozen animals, such as leopards, wild boars, and others, Suming also visited the aviary and fed a Haidong Qing several pieces of meat.


    Suming tried tomunicate with every animal using his psychic power, intending to ''make friends and get acquainted,'' and he noted that each animal''s personality was quite unique, even among those of the same species.


    After feeding the animals, Suming and Mr. Peng returned the cart to the storeroom. After changing clothes, Mr. Peng patted Suming on the shoulder, smiling and said, "I live near Mingqing Residence. I have a big space there and grow some cabbage and cucumbers. If you don''t have time to buy groceries,e over and pick some for a fresh bite."


    "Thank you, Mr. Peng," Suming said, nodding with a smile.


    After a busy morning, his psychic power had also slightly increased. Suming hurried back to Whisperwind Pavilion, curious about the condition of his neighbor, the giant catfish, and whether it was recovering well.


    If possible, Suming of course wished for the creature to survive and thrive.


    Returning to Whisperwind Pavilion, Suming hadn''t even entered when he heard some rustling inside the room!


    "Could it be a thief, or could it be Mr. Wang?"

 Chapter 14: 14 Got Extorted

    "Director, the railing at Monkey Mountain was sawed through and then restored to its original state with ayer of rubber. It looks fine from the outside, but as soon as someone leans on it, the railing will break."


    In the zoo director''s office, Mr. Dong of the Security Department was reporting the results of the ident investigation to Mr. Song, the zoo director.


    Mr. Song frowned, "Check the surveince, see who did it!"


    Mr. Dong gave a bitter smile, "Director, as you know, our zoo has always had tight funds. It''s good enough to cover the animal expenses and staff sries. Those surveince cameras are mostly for show, many are old and out of order, and the resolution is so low that you can''t see anything clearly. There is one camera around Monkey Mountain, but it broke some time ago and it looks like it was deliberate."


    Mr. Song fell silent, his frown growing tighter and tighter until his thick eyebrows almost met.


    He had heard rumors that some developers were eyeing the vacantnd near the zoo to build vis.


    Normally, the government wouldn''t allocatend meant for public welfare to property developers. But if a serious ident urred at the zoo, that could change, at least it would provide an opportunity for others to exploit.


    "What do you think we should do about this?" asked Mr. Dong.


    "Pass on our information to the police for investigation," replied Mr. Song.


    They had no other choice. Since there was no incident and no evidence, they had little hope for a substantial discovery.


    "Director, why don''t you talk to the city officials, see if we can get more funds. We could strengthen the zoo''s security, install cameras on all the walls, and rece the existing cameras with high-definition ones," Mr. Dong suggested.


    "I''ll try my best," the aged director sighed, though he was well aware that maintaining the current level of funding would be good enough.


    The nation''s focus was on GDP as an assessment index. The principle for allocating funds was clear: prioritize units that could stimte the economy.


    Educational and research institutions, such as universities, were a given.


    But for public welfare organizations like zoos, heh, as long as they existed, that was enough; they were not ces for key investment.


    ¡­


    Outside Whisperwind Pavilion, Suming clutched a stick in his hand, crouched low, and tiptoed toward the pavilion''s main door.


    Since there were security guards patrolling the zoo, and there wasn''t much of value inside the pavilion, he didn''t lock the door when he left. Besides, who woulde to the zoo to steal? It''s not like they could kidnap tigers or bears.


    But to his surprise, someone had indeed broken into Whisperwind Pavilion!


    "Is it a thief, or is it Mr. Wang?"


    Mr. Wang was always carefree. If it were him, he wouldn''t be sneaking around.


    Suming slowly pushed open the door and was startled by the sight in the room.


    Around the big tub where the catfish were raised, five cats were squatting in a circle, each one craning their necks to watch the catfish inside the tub.


    The cats, big and small, sat encircling the tub, peering intently at the catfish.


    Arge ck cat even stretched out its chubby paw now and then, lying down and sweeping its paw across the tub, teasing the catfish. The catfish swam back and forth in the water, dodging the cat''s harassment and asionally sshing a few drops.


    The sound Suming had heard was the noise of cat paws stirring the water and the movement of the catfish.


    "Hey? Hei, and you gang, how did you get here?"


    The cats, all dirty, were the same strays Suming had fed at the schoolst time, the big ck cat Hei having been scolded for fighting over food.


    Seeing Suming arrive, the cats jumped down from the tub and snuggled at his feet, affectionately rubbing their heads against his trousers.


    The ck cat Hei stood on its hind legs, its front paws resting on Suming''s shins, its sharp ws catching on his trousers, as if wanting to climb onto him.


    Sumingughed, amused at how smart these cats had be, managing to track him down from the school by following his scent!


    It seemed that after using their spiritual power tomunicate with them and feeding themst time, these cats hade to regard themselves as the owners.


    Hei, feeling rather smug, shook his head and squinted his eyes, meowing once as if to say, "Go on, praise me."


    "Praise you? You''re extorting me!" Suming red at the cats with annoyance.


    If wolves and red foxes are among the more difficult animals to get along with, then cats are very easy to get along with.


    Aftermunicating with them again using spiritual power, the cats showed even more affection towards Suming than before, each one acting coy and charming, leaving Suming helpless and unable to drive them away.


    "Fine, if you want to stay, stay. I''m a bit lonely by myself, and a few extra mouths to feed won''t make a difference. From now on, you''ll live here."


    Before Suming could finish speaking, Hei jumped off his leg and turned around, tail erect and hips twisting as he headed towards the storage room.


    "What do you mean, that''s enough talk? Have you all turned into spirits?" Suming was startled. What kind of world was this where even the cats could snub you?


    Soon, Hei returned, with a dead rat in his mouth, looking very proud and self-satisfied as he gazed at Suming.


    Suming then understood, "Haha, so you''re nning to fend for yourselves, huh?"


    "Meow meow meow..." With a few cries, the other cats also brought several rats and bragged by dropping them in front of Suming.


    "That''s enough, that''s enough. In the future, just scare off the mice, okay? It''s quite disgusting!"


    It was only natural for cats to catch mice, but the thought of his pets messily gnawing on a pile of mouse carcasses in front of him was a sight Suming couldn''t bear to look at.


    The five cats sat in a row obediently in front of Suming, who began calling out names: "Let''s give you all names. Hei, you''ll still be Hei, as the leader, and you, white cat, will be Miao Yi..."


    From Miao Yi to Miao Si, they were named in order down the line, Hei included.


    "Everyone has a name now!" Suming said.


    All five cats immediately sat up straight.


    "Hei, you lead the way. Everyone to the bathroom, I''m giving you baths. Look how dirty you are, you look like... oh no, more like muddy monkeys..."


    "Meow meow meow..." All the cats unanimously expressed their opposition, transmitting a very unwilling emotion through the spiritual power. Dogs are natural swimmers, but cats are afraid of water, and for the feline folk, baths are akin to torture.


    However, as the head of the household, Suming couldn''t be soft-hearted at this moment. The cats were all strays originally, filthy and possibly harboring fleas or lice. He didn''t want to end up with a house full of pets and himself sick as a result. His animal friend abilities might make him immune to animal diseases, but it''s still better to not test that unnecessarily.


    Under Suming''s control... Actually, there was no need to use spiritual power. Just by grabbing the loose skin at the back of the cats'' necks, one in each hand, he tossed them all into the tub. He held them down,thered them up with soap, and rinsed them off, giving them a thorough scrub.


    "Meow..." With poor little faces covered in white foam, the cats looked pitifully at Suming, not daring to move.


    "Don''t expect me to go easy on you. If you want to stick with me, you''ll have to follow my rules. From now on, baths are mandatory! And yes, not just baths. As a cat, learning to swim is also essential!" Suming said with a wicked smile.


    "Meow meow meow..."


    ...


    After bathing all five cats and drying their fur, Suming set up a small cat bed on the first floor of the Fengshui Pavilion, fed them some bread, and then let them go off to y by themselves.


    Cats are a very contradictory creature; on one hand, they are afraid of water, but on the other, they are extremely curious and enjoy ying with water. After eating, the cats ran off to theke and frolicked around the smallke.


    The big-headed catfish swam back and forth in the tank, appearing to have healed quite a bit from its injury, but Suming didn''t dare let it back into theke just yet, since that alligator turtle was still there!


    "Meow meow meow..." Suddenly, a burst of cat meowing came from outside the window.


    "What now?" Suming opened the window and immediately burst outughing.

 Chapter 15: 15 The Demon and the Sentinel

    Every creature has its own story, and the alligator turtle is no exception.


    Having lived in theke for several years, the alligator turtle grew from a little thing into an enormous beast, bing the undisputed overlord of theke. The fish and shrimp in theke were its food, taken at its leisure, with no natural predators. Its living space was innumerable timesrger than the ss box it had at its previous owner''s home, and life wasfortable and leisurely.


    The only regret was theck of a female alligator turtle to enjoy.


    However, when it came to choosing between freedom and pleasure, the alligator turtle clearly preferred the former.


    But recently, it realized that its good days might being to an end.


    A young man had arrived at theke.


    The alligator turtle was not unfamiliar with humans; on the contrary, it had seen many people, including its original owner, and was quite worldly for an alligator turtle.


    Over the past few years, there had been asional incidents of tourists spotting it and trying to catch it.


    But each time, the alligator turtle easily escaped capture, the vast artificialke and deep waters making it difficult to find once it hid.


    As long as it was careful not to eat those apparently dangerous ''baits,'' there wouldn''t be any danger.


    So, as long as the zoo staff didn''t discover it, and there was norge-scale roundup or theke wasn''t drained, the alligator turtle''s good days could continue.


    But now things had changed, after having a face-off with Suming, it had managed to escape the control of spiritual power, but that power had instilled an instinctive fear in the alligator turtle.


    Animals have the survival instinct to approach what is beneficial and avoid what is harmful, and the alligator turtle was no different. It may not think like humans, but its survival instinct told it that this littleke was now filled with danger and no longer suitable for living.


    So, it decided to move.


    As a bachelor, moving was a simple matter; it could just carry its shell and leave, waving its tail elegantly without a cloud in tow.


    And so, on this sunny and pleasant midday, the alligator turtle set off.


    It crawled out of the water, chose a secluded direction, and headed toward the nearby woods.


    The zoo had more than one artificialke. The alligator turtle could sense that not far away was arger body of water. If it could just reach there, not only would there be more food, but it would also be safer¡ªno one would be able to catch it then.


    Just as it climbed ashore, the alligator turtle noticed that a small, fuzzy creature was blocking its path.


    The little creature had a pair of upright pupils and made strange "meow meow meow" noises, curiously stretching out its chubby little paws to scratch at its head.


    The alligator turtle was not one to hide in its shell when faced with trouble!


    In fact, its head couldn''t retract into the shell, and coupled with the strong biting force granted by nature, it possessed a brave heart!


    Apart from humans, the alligator turtle wouldn''t hesitate to fight against any animal!


    Especially not this fuzzy, frail little creature!


    So the alligator turtle didn''t hesitate to bite, as the small creature''s slender arms and legs couldn''t withstand its strength, and even its delicate waist would surely be bitten in two by the alligator turtle!


    With a crisp snap, the bite missed. The fuzzy little creature, nimble as lightning, swiftly retracted its paws, leaving the alligator turtle stunned by its own powerful biting force, causing its jaw to hurt and its head to spin.


    And as if that weren''t enough, the little creature then pped the alligator turtle''s head with the back of its hand, forcing the turtle to bow down.


    The p itself didn''t hurt; the little creature''s palm was soft, actually quiteforting against the head.


    But this was a tant provocation, not about pain but about the dignity of an alligator turtle!


    ```


    The alligator snapping turtle got angry and charged to fight with a life-and-death resolve!


    In a blur, the little guy had already jumped onto its back, and its small ws relentlessly scratched at the alligator snapping turtle''s big head that couldn''t retreat into its shell!


    This truly hurt!


    The alligator snapping turtle desperately twisted its body, its thick legs pattering, until it finally managed to throw off the creature on its back. But before it could rx for a few seconds, the little guy had jumped onto its back again.


    The alligator snapping turtle realized helplessly that this furry little thing was, although small and not particrly strong, so agile that it just couldn''t defend against it! It wanted to bite the intruder, but every attempt was easily dodged, while its opponent could use its sharp little ws to fiercely scratch it.


    It was like a demon!


    So, without any hesitation, the alligator snapping turtle turned tail and ran!


    As it fled, it looked back nervously!


    Fortunately, that little demon seemed scared of water, standing by theke, not daring to follow, and caterwauling at the water!


    The alligator snapping turtle went back into the water, not daring to linger, and sneaked along the bottom to the other side of theke, hoping to find a new direction to move its home.


    But as soon as it emerged from the water, it discovered in horror that not far away, another furry little ck demon was curiously staring at it¡­


    A sense of desperation washed over it.


    ...


    Suming leaned against the window and witnessed the spectacle. Each time the alligator snapping turtle came ashore, it was driven back into the water by the cat. At first, the turtle still dared to ''break through'' but each attempt was met with the cat brutally scratching its head.


    Soon enough, the alligator snapping turtle didn''t even dare to approach the shore and stayed in the water with half of its head poking out, vigntly watching the shore.


    A few of the cats had never seen a creature like the alligator snapping turtle, and their natural curiosity immediately exploded into action, running all around thekeside.


    "Hei! You lead the team, surround the smallke for me. We must not let this guy escape!"


    Sumingughed and used his spiritual power to issue instructions to the cats.


    It''s not the fear of theft, it''s the worry of the thief''s attentiveness. If the alligator snapping turtle really escaped, with the zoo being so vast and a reservoir not far outside, he truly wouldn''t be able to find it. And if the creature bore a grudge, it coulde for revenge at any time.


    Moreover, he couldn''t be sure whether the alligator snapping turtle had escaped or was still in theke. Therefore, as long as he didn''t catch the alligator snapping turtle, the boating business couldn''t get started.


    But as long as it was blocked by the cats in theke and couldn''t escape, then with his spiritual power gradually increasing, he would be able to catch it one day!


    Under Suming''smand, and driven by their own curiosity, Hei led several cats patrolling thekeside, like dutiful sentinels!


    ...


    Over the next two days, Suming went to work as usual, visiting all the animal areas in the zoo and making quite a few ''new friends''.


    In the zoo, the animals'' cries in both frequency and volume were different from usual these past few days. Many of the animals with higher intelligencemunicated with their own kind in their unique ways, expressing their confusion and curiosity about the strange ''creature'' that had arrived.


    That day, Suming switched to the afternoon shift with another colleague. As evening approached and it was getting dark, he passed by Monkey Mountain and saw the Monkey King squatting on top of it, vigorously waving at Suming, with the rescued baby monkey sitting on the Monkey King''s back, swaying back and forth.


    "Squeak squeak...gagaga..."


    "Are you calling me over?"


    Suming was familiar with the Monkey King, knowing the monkeys were quite intelligent and pleasant to get along with. Once acquainted, they posed no danger, so he simply entered Monkey Mountain through the keepers'' entrance.


    ```

 Chapter 16: 16: Hundred-Fruit Wine

    "Xiao Kong, you''ve recovered quite well."


    Suming patted the little monkey''s head. Just a few days ago, this guy was at death''s door, barely clinging to life, but was saved by spiritual power and after a few days of treatment in the infirmary, he was now jumping around energetically, a far cry from the same pitiful creature that had been stuck in the crevice of a rock.


    The little monkey bared its teeth at Suming and started to call out with a series of chirps, clearly very pleased with itself.


    This guy''s face was full of wrinkles; when it smiled, all the wrinkles would squeeze together, making it look like an olddy over a hundred and eighty years old, giving Suming a shiver of disgust.


    "Chirp... chitter... chirp..." The white-haired Monkey King somehow produced a section of bamboo tube and handed it to Suming.


    A refreshing and rich fragrance immediately wafted out from the bamboo tube.


    Suming took a look and saw that the bamboo tube contained arge half-barrel of emerald green liquid, which looked like liquor. The scent was even more fragrant than the Maotai that Suming had once drunk at Wang Hao''s ce.


    "Are you thanking me for saving Xiao Kong? Is this for me?" Suming tentatively asked the Monkey King.


    "Chitter... chirp..." The Monkey King nodded, then tilted its head back, ced its hands by its mouth, and mimed a ''drink'' gesture.


    "You mean, this stuff is drinkable?" Suming felt a bit amused.


    Seeing the Monkey King''s actions, coupled with the fragrant smell from the bamboo tube, it reminded him of a ''Hundred-Fruit Wine''.


    Not everyone may know what Hundred-Fruit Wine is, but this Hundred-Fruit Wine has another widely known name: Monkey Wine.


    Legend has it that wild monkeys in the mountains would gather various wild fruits and store them in tree hollows as a winter food reserve. If during that winter, there was no shortage of food or the monkeys happened to forget about their stored fruits, or the monkeys who stored the fruit met with an ident, such as dying or moving away, then the stored fruits in the tree hollow would ferment and turn into a whole hollow of Hundred-Fruit Wine.


    This is not just a legend; Hundred-Fruit Wine really does exist. In fact, "loving good liquor and color" is a trait shared by all primates.


    "Huainanzi" records a story where the King of Huainan, who loved to drink, would ce arge amount of melons and grains at the foot of the mountains every winter. When he returned to the mountains the following spring, he would often find many drunken monkeys, reeking of alcohol, lying all over the ground, easy to capture.


    The King of Huainan sent soldiers deep into the mountains where wild monkeys gathered. They encountered a giant tree, which could only be embraced by several men, with a hollow core. The fragrance of the wine could be smelled from a hundred yards away. Upon closer inspection, the tree was filled with ''extraordinary exotic liquor,'' which was the Hundred-Fruit Wine.


    Liu An, a polymath of the time, couldn''t stop praising the Hundred-Fruit Wine after drinking it and even presented some to the Han Emperor, earning a generous reward.


    Later, during the Rebellion of the Seven States, Liu Anmitted suicide after his revolt failed, and Huainan Kingdom was divided into three parts. The Han Emperor even had the hollow old tree transnted from Huainan Kingdom to Chang''an.


    However, thereafter the old tree never again bore a single drop of Hundred-Fruit Wine.


    Of course, it wasn''t the old tree itself that produced the wine; it was brewed by the monkeys, with the old tree merely serving as a container. The Han Emperor didn''t understand, thinking it was divine tree wine; by nting the tree but not raising monkeys, he naturally never tasted Monkey Wine again.


    In martial arts novels, starting from early authors toter ones like Jin Yong, Gu Long, and Liang Yusheng, Monkey Wine has appeared in their books with characters like Linghu Chong and Xiao Yuer having tasted it.


    However, such wild brews are the result of chance and were extremely rare even in ancient times, let alone in modern society where the natural environment has been severely damaged.


    These days, there are hardly any monkeys left, let alone Monkey Wine.


    Suming had seen ''Hundred-Fruit Wine'' for sale in the market, which was just a few types of fruits crushed and then artificially fermented to make fruit wine, not the same as the real Monkey Wine at all.


    The half-barrel of green liquid in front of him, could it possibly be Monkey Wine? Suming wasn''t quite sure and subconsciously looked around.


    Scattered around Monkey Mountain were plenty of half-eaten fruits, which seemed to be a plentiful source of ingredients for wine-making.


    "Chitter... chirp..." The Monkey King mimed the drinking motion again, urging Suming to drink the Monkey Wine.


    The fragrance from the bamboo tube kept teasing his nose, and Suming also found it incredibly tempting, unable to resist wanting to take a sip.


    But he was a bit unsure, this stuff certainly smelled good, but who knew if it was hygienic? Might there be germs or something, and if he drank it and it gave him diarrhea or an upset stomach, that would be one thing, but what if it caused partial paralysis or a stroke? How then?


    "Chirp..."


    ```


    Xiao Kong just couldn''t resist the temptation of the wine''s fragrance and leaped from the Old Monkey King''s back onto Suming, scurrying up to his shoulder with a swoosh while gripping his clothes. Extending a finger, Xiao Kong dipped it quickly into the bamboo tube for two drops of Monkey Wine, then eagerly sucked on that finger.


    The wrinkly little face instantly blossomed like a flower, as Xiao Kong joyously squealed, looking blissfully happy, and even stretched his head forward to get closer to the bamboo tube, wanting more Monkey Wine.


    Suming fed him a small sip.


    After finishing his drink, Xiao Kong smacked his lips, not only unaffected but even more energetic than before, his eyes round and wide, as red as his bottom.


    Xiao Kong continued to crane his neck for more drink, but the Old Monkey King swiftly reached out, grabbed Xiao Kong by the neck, and pulled him down, then pointed at the bamboo tube, signaling Suming to drink as well.


    "Should I give it a try?" Suming, too, was lured by the fragrance of the wine, and considering that Xiao Kong was fine after drinking it, perhaps it wouldn''t be a problem for him either.


    Still, it''s best to be cautious, drink less to start with¡ªafter all, even if it''s not hygienic, a little bit of wine shouldn''t be an issue.


    Suming dipped his finger into the wine and tentatively licked it.


    "Holy cow!"


    An odd sensation immediately bloomed on his tongue. The Monkey Wine was so fragrant and rich it was almost tangible, filling his mouth and giving him a sense of rity throughout his body.


    He took another small sip.


    This time it was even better, exactly like the descriptions in books¡ªafter just one sip of wine, it was as if he had consumed a Ginseng fruit, feeling refreshed through all 48,000 pores.


    Not only that, Suming was astonished to find that his spiritual power seemed to have increased slightly as well.


    Besides that, there were no other feelings of difort.


    "It can actually enhance spiritual power?!" Suming was surprised. The delicious taste was one thing but for him, the increase in spiritual power was far more important.


    The stronger the spiritual power, the more control one has in terms of range and quantity of animals that can be influenced. Suming could previously only increase his spiritual power little by little with continuous practice over time, never expecting such a shortcut.


    The slight amount of Monkey Wine he had just tasted brought an improvement to his spiritual power that exceeded the effect of an entire day of practice.


    If Monkey Wine helped to enhance spiritual power, it naturally couldn''t contain any viruses. Otherwise, having used spiritual power daily, he surely would have been done for by now.


    Suming forcefully restrained his urge to drink another sip, waited more than half an hour, and felt no difort. On the contrary, he was full of energy!


    So without further hesitation, he drained all of the Monkey Wine from the small bamboo tube in one go!


    "Ahhh, that''s the stuff!"


    Suming burped contentedly, the rich and fragrant Monkey Wine not only tasted sublime but also provided a significant boost to his spiritual power, a dual pleasure for both body and spirit!


    This wine must have had around thirty-odd degrees of alcohol because after finishing the little bamboo tube, Suming''s cheeks flushed a gentle red. He casually handed the bamboo tube back to the Old Monkey King and asked, beaming, "Is there any more?"


    As soon as he asked the question, Suming suddenly realized a problem: where did the winee from?


    Although Monkey Mountain was abundant in food, there wasn''t a ce for monkeys to make wine. With the scent of Monkey Wine so strong it could be smelled from meters away, had it been brewed on Monkey Mountain, the zookeepers who came and went daily would have surely discovered it long ago. How could it be his turn then?


    "Chatter chatter chatter..." the Old Monkey King gestured excitedly with his hands and feet.


    "Burp... I''m not a trash yer..." Suming, feeling a bit tipsy,ughed foolishly.


    "Chatter chatter chatter... squeak..."


    Standing on his two feet, the Old Monkey King positioned himself atop Monkey Mountain and let out a long howl, one that bore amanding air reminiscent of a fierce ape howling at the moon.


    From the various caves of Monkey Mountain, suddenly about twenty or thirty monkeys emerged.


    ```

 Chapter 17: 17 I will be very gentle

    After the monkeys appeared, they ran and jumped to the wall at the edge of Monkey Mountain and then, one by one, they stacked up like Arhats.


    These were the hardier adult monkeys from within Monkey Mountain, possessing considerable strength and with particrly agile movements. It didn''t take long before they managed, by following the perimeter wall, to construct a ''monkeydder'' several meters in height. The top of this monkeydder was less than half a meter from the top of the wall.


    By this time, the sky had turned dark, and the zoo had long since closed. There was no one around Monkey Mountain. Otherwise, if someone were to see this scene, it would certainly cause quite themotion.


    "Chitter chitter..."


    The Monkey King tugged at Suming, then leaped up to grab a branch, swinging on it like Tarzan. In just a few swings, he reached the side of the monkeydder, scurried up nimbly to the top, and with an effortless jump, clung onto the protective railing above the wall and flipped out from Monkey Mountain.


    "Jailbreak!"


    Suming was startled. If the Monkey King ran away, he wouldn''t be able to exin himself.


    Moreover, having lived for many years in the zoo where everything was provided for, the Monkey King had long lost the wild instincts of a wild animal. Out in the wild, although seemingly free, he would absolutely be unable to adapt.


    Whether for the public interest, private reasons, or for the Monkey King himself, loafing around in the zoo seemed like the best choice.


    Suming was about to catch up and use his spiritual power to control the Monkey King, bringing him back. Unexpectedly, after flipping over the wall, the Monkey King did not immediately flee but instead gestured Suming by waving his hand through the fence.


    "You want me to follow you?" Suming was slightly stunned, then he went through the zookeeper''s passage and squeezed out of Monkey Mountain.


    In no time at all, the Monkey King had run ahead several dozen meters. With one hand grabbing a branch and his other hand waiving at Suming, Suming quickly locked the exit door and hurried after him with big strides.


    So, with the Monkey King leading the way and Suming following behind, they traversed the wooded pathways of the zoo, heading towards the mountains at the back.


    Along the way, the Monkey King seemed to be extremely familiar with the zoo''s environment, taking familiar shortcuts through streets and alleys. When he asionally encountered a few zoo staff membersing towards them, he could hide in the shadows of the trees. Once Suming cheerfully greeted them and they were well past, the Monkey King leaped out again and continued running forward.


    After leaving the animal areas and entering the forest zone, they encountered no obstacles, and it wasn''t long before they reached the rear mountain wall of the zoo.


    The Monkey King scaled a tree and in a sh flipped over the perimeter wall.


    Suming hurriedly scrambled clumsily up the tree and reached the top of the wall.


    About to jump down, he suddenly felt a wave of dizziness.


    The rear mountain wall of the zoo was originally a mere two-meter-high earthen fence which tourists often scaled to sneak in without paying. Later, the zoo spent money to rebuild the wall, and now it towered over three meters high.


    Crouching on top of the wall, Suming gritted his teeth, aimed for a patch of grass on the ground outside the wall, and took a leap, jumping straight down.


    With a slight bend in his legs, Suming was prepared to take a tumble, but to his surprise, hended steadily. He swayed slightly and then stood up straight again.


    Suming was astonished, "Huh, my agility seems to have greatly improved!"


    Lots of unexinable things had happened recently, seemingly connected to his ''Animal Companion'' abilities.


    But at this moment he couldn''t be worried about those, as Suming caught up to the Monkey King once again.


    The Monkey King wasn''t in a hurry to escape, running a distance then pausing as if waiting for Suming to keep up. Soon, the two of them entered the back mountains swiftly.


    The zoo''s back mountain was an undeveloped tail end of the Qinling Mountain range, seldom visited by people, with no proper paths and covered in craggy stones and wild forests.


    Previously, Suming couldn''t have chased a monkey in the mountains, or even walked far at a leisurely pace by himself.


    But now, Suming was able to just about keep up with the Monkey King, indeed his agility had greatly increased over before, and his stamina seemed to be enhanced as well.


    Two figures, one man and one monkey, had been running through the mountains for nearly an hour. Just as Suming felt that his energy was reaching its limit, the Monkey King finally stopped, mbering up an old tree and sitting on it, swinging its tail back and forth.


    This ce was a small valley with a mountain stream babbling down, forming a small waterfall at a slope about two to three meters high, and below the waterfall was a tiny pond spanning several meters.


    Suming, however, had no time to admire the scenery, plopping down on the ground, he gasped for air, "I''m exhausted, huff huff huff..."


    "Chatter chatter chatter..." the Monkey King hopped around in the tree, pointing at therge tree below it.


    Only then did Suming notice that from the interior of therge tree wafted a rich fragrance, identical to that of the Hundred-Fruit Wine they had just sampled.


    Approaching the old tree, he saw its trunk, which would take two people to encircle with their arms, featured a hollowed-out section filled with lots of rotting, fermenting fruit.


    Drip-drop, a drop of emerald liquid fell from the hollow, the very Monkey Wine he had just tasted!


    Suming suddenly realized that this was where the old Monkey King made his wine!


    It seemed this fellow had long since found a way to escape the zoo, but clever as it was, it knew life in the zoo was carefree with food, drink, and no danger, like living in paradise. So, it continued to reside in the zoo and sneaked out to brew wine when bored.


    Underneath the tree sat an iron drum, apparently stolen from who knows where, collecting the drips of Hundred-Fruit Wine, and it was already nearly half full of the liquid.


    "Worthy of a creature that could evolve into a human, impressive!" Suming gave a thumbs up.


    The old Monkey King scratched its head, then pointed at the drum and then at Suming.


    "All for me?" Suming asked.


    "Squeak squeak..." the Monkey King nodded.


    "Generous! Your business is now my business from now on!" Sumingughed heartily;pared to humans, these animals were truly honorable.


    The iron drum was already filled with more than half a drum of Hundred-Fruit Wine, weighing probably around ten kilograms or so.


    The fermenting fruit would take half a day to produce a single drop of Hundred-Fruit Wine, and it was unclear how long it had taken to umte this much.


    "I''ll bring bottles tomorrow and take more wine back," Suming thought.


    "Squeak squeak squeak squeak squeak..." But the old Monkey King hastily scrambled to remove the rotten fruits from the tree hole, flinging them far into the forest.


    "Oh, you mean these fruits can''t produce any more wine?"


    "Squeak..." the Monkey King nodded, appearing to not only be adept at brewing wine but also quite experienced and skilled at it.


    With that in mind, there was no need to wait until tomorrow. Suming simply picked up the iron drum and, along with the Monkey King, returned to the zoo.


    The Monkey King didn''t need Suming to lead it and stealthily snuck back into Monkey Mountain to continue itszy, carefree days.


    Suming carried the drum of wine back to Whisperwind Pavilion and went to the convenience store to buy a case of c, emptied the c, and filled the bottles with Monkey Wine.


    He filled fourrge bottles and one small one.


    Outside the Fengshui Pavilion by thekeside, from Miao Yi to Miao Si, under Hei''s guidance, they patrolled responsibly, pairs of pupils glowing faintly in the darkness, watching the movements on theke''s surface.


    Swinging half a bottle of Hundred-Fruit Wine, Suming walked unsteadily onto thekeside tform andughed loudly at the water.


    "Hehehe, alligator turtles, oh alligator turtles, don''t be afraid, I''ll be very gentle!"

 Chapter 18: 18 The Big Prison

    Spiritual power entered the water and instantly spread out like an invisible, quickly expanding in all directions.


    At the bottom of the water, the alligator turtle, bullied by several cats all day, was sulking in the mud.


    It was a reptile, not an amphibian; though it wouldn''t die from holding its breath in the water, being able to stick its head out for air, it was still ufortable to stay in water all the time. With those cats around, it couldn''t even think of relocating to escape, let alone daring toe ashore to bask in the sun.


    If it were an ordinary timid turtle, it could always retreat into its shell when danger approached, and those demonic ws, sharp as they were, wouldn''t be able to do anything to its tough shell.


    But it just had to be a ''brave'' alligator turtle, with its head and limbs that couldn''t retract, leaving it no choice but to passively endure the cats'' attacks.


    The alligator turtle felt extremely aggrieved; it had finally found a small crawfish creeping over, stretched its neck and bit it, crunching the crawfish in two with a snap, chewing furiously as if to vent all its pent-up frustrations on the unlucky crustacean.


    As it was relishing its meal, a force loomed overhead and enveloped it, the familiar sense of terror instantly pervading the alligator turtle''s body!


    "Again?" The alligator turtle was somewhat contemptuous, thinking that damned human was really tiresome, attempting the same futile effort time after time. With this level of force, how could he possibly control me?


    It hurriedly struggled and thrashed, trying to break free of the spiritual power like it had before. But when it came to crunch time, the alligator turtle discovered with horror that this force was much more formidable than a few days ago; there was no escaping it!


    Once Suming had controlled the alligator turtle from the shore, he immediately felt the fierce bacsh from the turtle, the link to his spiritual power swaying and shaking.


    Suming was not only unfazed, but his eyes lit up with excitement.


    Although the alligator turtle struggled violently, the amplitude of the spiritual power''s vibrations was still within a controble range!


    This time he could definitely subdue the creature!


    A few secondster, the alligator turtle finally ceased resisting; arge ssh surfaced, and a shell asrge as a tabletop slowly emerged from the water.


    "Come on up!"


    Suming didn''t bother being polite and controlled the alligator turtle with his spiritual power, making it obediently crawl ashore.


    Seeing that it was about to fall into enemy hands and lose its freedom, bing a ve, the alligator turtle, in utter despair, wanted to make onest desperate struggle!


    An alligator turtle onnd is no less terrifying than one in the water! If that guy dared toe close, I''d bite him to death!


    But it had only thought this; before it could act, it found itself surrounded by precisely five furry little demons, terrorizing it!


    "Teach it a lesson!" Suming snapped his fingers.


    "Meow, meow, meow..."


    After a series of cat calls, the five cats, already curious about this big fellow and with Suming''smand, immediately swarmed it, scratching at the alligator turtle relentlessly and without direction.


    The alligator turtle tried in vain to bite, snap, snap, snap... a session of crisp sounds resonated as it kept chomping on air. It didn''t hurt even a single cat hair; instead, the force of its bite left it dizzy and disoriented.


    Ten minutester, the alligator turtle, whether from exhaustion or despair,y on the ground listlessly, letting the cats scratch and w,cking even the will to dodge,pletely submissive.


    Not counting the head and its crocodilian tail, the creature''s back shell alone was sixty to seventy centimeters in diameter. With its long crocodile-like tail, fierce head, and spiky shell, it looked quite intimidating.


    "Don''t y dead!"


    Suming boldly nudged the alligator turtle with his foot and, seeing that it didn''t move, he cautiously used spiritual power to bind it with rope.


    Animals like cats and dogs have a natural affinity for humans, and after a brief exchange through ''animal friendship,'' they''re usually obedient and well-behaved, even without the need for spiritual power. The alligator turtle, however, was stubborn and untamed, quite dangerous without the control of spiritual power.


    Suming nned to imprison it first and break it in, until it was thoroughly tamed.


    As for the alligator turtle''s ''future,'' Suming had ns.


    This guy was caught not because he was weak, but because he encountered his own nemesis. Without the ability of the animal''s friend, such a big alligator turtle would be almost invincible in the water and could easily take on three to five grown men.


    Even onnd, the alligator turtle''s lethality is extremely terrifying. Without being prepared, an average person would definitely not be a match for it.


    If it could be tamed, it could serve as a security guard, residing in theke and protecting the safety around Whisperwind Pavilion. If any unaware thief were to visit, the alligator turtle could surely give them a ''surprise''.


    The area around Fengshui Pavilion is surrounded by water, so if a thief foolishly decided to take the watery path... it''s only fair to deem that person as not having umted virtue in their past life.


    As fate would have it, the bighead catfish returned to theke to be the dominator there, while the former dominator¡ªthe alligator turtle¡ªwas tied up like a rice dumpling and thrown into arge jar to serve time.


    Two cats were squatting at the edge of therge jar, acting as jailers; whenever the alligator turtle misbehaved, they pped its head.


    Sumunicated with the alligator turtle using spiritual power for a while. The ability of the animal''s friend could reach straight to the heart and nature of an animal, and with the connection of spiritual power, it was impossible for the animal to deceive Su. This guy didn''t seem to resist, probably resigning to fate since it had always been raised by humans.


    But it didn''t show much affection to Su either, seemingly bearing some resentment.


    Having a nice time eating fish, swimming around, being boss¡ªthen suddenly getting kidnapped, its life went from heaven to hell in an instant. Any creature would feel resentful in that situation.


    Su threw a strip of beef into the jar as the alligator turtle''s dinner for the day, then went online to order a bag of cat food; the cats had worked hard earning their keep, not only catching mice but also helping him with the alligator turtle. They deserved a good reward.


    He took a photo of the alligator turtle with his phone and sent it to Wang Hao.


    "Woah, how did you catch it? I was nning to buy a fishing and have a go at it," Wang Hao eximed in astonishment.


    "I used meat to lure it up. Let''s talk business, we can start preparing to open the boating business," Su texted back.


    "Oh, I discussed it with my old man. He''s quite supportive. Send me your card number, and I''ll transfer you eight thousand yuan tomorrow as the start-up capital," Wang Hao said.


    "6222..."


    Su sent his Industrial and Commercial Bank card number to Wang Hao, then returned to his bedroom, turned on theputer, and opened a Word document to start working on a file.


    ...


    That morning, Mr. Song was processing work when someone knocked on the door.


    "Come in," Mr. Song said without lifting his head.


    Su walked in, holding a stack of documents, and said with a smile, "Good morning, Director."


    "Ah, Su," Mr. Song put down his pen and nodded to Su, "Take a seat. Has work been going smoothly these past few days?"


    "Mrs. Tong, Mr. Peng, and my colleagues have all been very supportive, everything is great, and I really like it here," Su said.


    "That''s good to hear. Our zoo has rtively simple interpersonal rtionships. Keep up the good work. What brings you here?"


    "Oh, Mrs. Tong mentionedst time about leasing the boats, so I did some preparatory work and thought about contracting the few boats by the littleke," Su exined.


    To lease the boats, there had to be a process, and Mr. Song''s approval and signature were needed. Su was here today to discuss this matter.


    "That''s true, leasing is possible. Previously, the boats were contracted by the employees who used to live there, but after they left their jobs, the boats fell into disuse," Mr. Song nodded.


    "Here is a proposal I''ve made, including the financial viability of the lease and management ns, for your review," Su said while handing over the documents he''d brought with him to Mr. Song.


    Mrs. Tong hadn''t mentioned needing a proposal, but Su felt that, as a new temp worker and a young person, just asking to contract the boats without anything to show¡ªsimply relying on words¡ªmight not be convincing enough for Mr. Song.


    Since he was dealing with this matter seriously, he had to show the right attitude first. To convince others to give him an opportunity, he needed to present something or at least an attitude that could be trusted.


    "You made a proposal? Hm, not bad, not bad, let me take a look," Mr. Song said, somewhat surprised as he nced at Su. He took the proposal, pulled out a pair of reading sses from a drawer, and began to read intently.

 Chapter 19: 19 Ways to Generate Revenue

    Suming was also not certain about the quality of the business n. Apart from the capabilities of his animal-loving friends, he was just an average college graduate, after all. It was impossible toe up with an extremely mature business n overnight.


    But there was still that saying, attitude is key. The proposal was quite meticulous and organized, Suming had written various essays and papers in university after all.


    The business n wasn''t long, just three pages. After Mr. Song read it through once, he went over it a second time before putting down the n, nodding at Suming with some approval, "I hadn''t realized, young man, that you are quite dedicated."


    "Actually, to be honest with you, I''ve never done business before. But my father told me that everything goes from not knowing to knowing¡ªthe key is whether you''re willing to put in the effort and whether you can endure hardships," Suming said.


    "That''s true."


    Mr. Song took off his sses, pondered for a moment, then lifted his head to look at Suming, "Young man, you are very fortunate. If you were a permanent employee of the zoo, it wouldn''t be convenient to take on a contract. Your status as a temporary worker has actually helped you."


    "So, are you saying that you agree?" Suming brightened slightly, while contracting the boat rental wouldn''t make too much money, it was at least expected to exceed his sry, and it was a risk-free deal.


    "Agreed. However, there is one thing about your n that needs to be changed..."


    Mr. Song tapped the desktop and smiled, "You are just starting out, so for boat maintenance, fuel, and the like, which all require investment, you won''t need to pay the park. After three months, then you can pay the park 30% of the ie."


    Suming was stunned¡ªthere was such a good deal? Mrs. Tong had told him about splitting the profits fifty-fifty with the park.


    "But there is something I need to remind you of, now that you''ve taken on the contract, you must make money. If, after three months, the boats don''t have any decent ie, or even if they just sit unused, that won''t do," Mr. Song said with a more serious tone.


    That was something Suming hadn''t expected Mr. Song to bring up.


    ording to Wang Hao''s estimation, the total ie from the eight boats could be around seventeen or eighteen thousand a month, which would be profitable.


    But that was merely a theoretical projection, and moreover one based on the boat rentals in downtown parks. The zoo was rtively remote, and most visitors came mainly to see the animals¡ªthey might not necessarilye to row boats. So whether the boat business could actually make money was still an open question.


    Suming initially thought that even if no one came to row the boats, at worst, he wouldn''t lose money, he simply wouldn''t earn any.


    But ording to Mr. Song''s words, it wasn''t enough just to make money, he also needed to ensure that a certain number of visitors utilized the boats.


    "You must set a standard, right? What usage rate do I need to achieve?" Suming asked after some thought.


    Mr. Song pushed up his sses and said, "As for the specific standard, it''s hard to say right now. However, I can tell you that the employee who lived in your ce before, when he took on the boat renting, most of the time, most of the boats were empty, and his ie for three or four months didn''t even reach ten thousand yuan. If you end up like him, that definitely won''t work."


    Three or four months and not even ten thousand yuan? Put another way, the director''s expectations weren''t too high; as long as there was an ie of three or four thousand per month, it should suffice.


    The problem was, the previous employee hadn''t made ten thousand in several months, which only indicated that very few people were interested in rowing. Why would Suming believe he could attract visitors?


    The zoo was still the same zoo, and the boats were still the same boats. To increase revenue, he needed toe up with a strategy,e up with some gimmicks!


    "How about it?" Mr. Song asked.


    "Okay," Suming nodded. There is a fifty percent chance if I try; without trying, there''s no chance at all. It''s not a difficult calction.


    "Haha, young man, you have ambition. Good, go call Mr. Tong over. I''ll instruct her to handle the contracting procedures for you. Once they''repleted, they''ll be given directly to you," Mr. Song said.


    After leaving the director''s office, it wasn''t long before Mrs. Tong arrived.


    "Director, I heard about the contracting from Su. You agreed?" Mrs. Tong came in and closed the door of the office.


    "Yes, the young fellow has ideas and the energy to follow through, so let him have a try," Mr. Song answered.


    "But, haven''t contracts always been split fifty-fifty in the past?"


    Mrs. Tong was somewhat puzzled. As the director of the director''s office, Mrs. Tong was essentially Mr. Song''s assistant and confidante. She had followed Mr. Song for nearly a decade and spoke her mind without much reservation in front of him.


    Mr. Song did not directly answer Mrs. Tong''s question but stood up and pointed to a map of the zoo on the wall behind him.


    "Our zoo covers a vast area, but the real animal zones ount for only a third. The rest are forest areas, scenic spots, arge artificialke, several substantial unusednds, and even mountains connected behind. The government has invested a lot in our zoo and has built a lot of infrastructure. But in reality, most ces are hardly utilized effectively."


    "Do you mean to use the zoo''s unique conditions to turn thoserge idle ces into sources of revenue?" Mrs. Tong asked tentatively.


    "Yes, I''ve only nowe to understand this principle, and it''s somewhatte," he admitted.


    Mr. Song chuckled bitterly, "You see, my background is in academia; I''m okay with conducting research, but managing a zoo is quite a stretch for me. When ites to the economy, I''mpletely out of my depth; my thinking can''t keep up with the market economy anymore. I never thought about this before, but now I see, failing to keep up with the trends means eventually getting eliminated. Look at our animals; they can barely get enough to eat. If a thief got in, we wouldn''t even have the money to rece a set of surveince cameras."


    "This is no small matter. Funds, policies, manpower... we are entangled in myriadplexities, and no one in our zoo knows how to handle these. Besides, we are a public welfare entity, and it''s not easy to generate revenue. We can''t just build a factory, can we?"


    "That''s why I''m thinking of letting the younger generation have a go, starting with Su''s boating service, and gradually begin to experiment. The boating business is not significant; at most, the zoo wouldn''t earn much from it, so it might be better to give up some benefits and support Su. If he does well and finds a way to generate revenue that suits the zoo, we can expand the scale. If it doesn''t work out, we can retract with minimal loss," Mr. Song exined.


    "Director, you''re not thinking of letting Su contract other parts of the park, are you? He doesn''t have that much money and, being so young, hecks experience," Mrs. Tong remarked. It wasn''t that she had any objections to Suming; she was simply speaking the in truth.


    "Of course, he''s not ready now, which is why I''m also evaluating him, including his abilities and character. If he''s capable and trustworthy, then I can gradually let him contract more areas besides the animal zones. As long as it''s generally for public welfare, I, as the director, still have that authority," Mr. Song said.


    Mrs. Tong sighed and mumbled, "Ah, state-owned units, good in some ways and not so good in others. It''s troublesome to get anything practical done; there''s pressure from all sides. We''ve outsourced some areas before, but it always ended in a stalemate, unresolved."


    "Hey, I''vee to terms with it. This old face of mine still has some clout, and I have a few old friends whose words carry weight. If we can truly find a way to improve the zoo this time, I''ll pull some strings. I''ll shoulder any pressure we face. Once we show results, the higher-ups will have nothing to say. They might even use us as a positive example for publicity," he mused.


    Mr. Song imed he didn''t understand politics, yet these words revealed a good grasp of the essence of bureaucracy.


    "Old director, you''ve devoted your life to our zoo," Mrs. Tong remarked sentimentally.


    "To tell you the truth, the restructuring of our zoo and self-sufficiency are already finalized; the official document with the red header wille out within a year. I''m close to retirement, but you all have a long way to go. You''ve followed me faithfully for over a decade, and I hope you all can live well. Even if not for you, I can''t disregard the welfare of these animals in the park; nearly half of them were brought here by me. In the end, one must start well and finish well," Mr. Song said.

 Chapter 20: 20 Business Is Hard

    After Suming finalized the contracting procedures, he made a call to request "Mr. Yang," rmended by Wang Hao, to inspect the pleasure boats.


    Mr. Yang used to work at the Parks Bureau in his early years butter resigned to contract the boating business in the city parks. Wang Hao''s father was in charge of the city''sndscaping work, and in his eyes, Wang Hao was like a crown prince. Having been notified in advance by Wang Hao, Mr. Yang didn''t hesitate and immediately brought his tools and hurried over.


    Eight boats in total, two rowboats, and the rest were those round bumper boats with water guns installed at the bow.


    After inspection by Mr. Yang, these boats were still mostly usable. The rowboats needed some minor repairs and reinforcement, and then buying some life jackets and fuel would be enough to start operating.


    "So, after I go back, I''ll send someone to buy the materials. By tomorrow at thetest, I''ll have someonee over and fix these boats for you. As for life jackets, I have plenty of them and will bring them over together. For the fuel, I''ll give you a supplier''s number. I''m a regr customer so you can mention my referral and get a 20% discount, and there won''t be any counterfeit goods."


    It''s simple when you have connections. Mr. Yang had a lot of experience in running boating businesses, and he had considered things Suming hadn''t even thought of.


    "Thank you for the trouble, Mr. Yang. Here''s a small token of appreciation." Suming handed Mr. Yang a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes.


    Although Mr. Yang came on ount of Wang Hao''s regard, he was after all working for him, and he might need his help in the future, so it was necessary to maintain a good rtionship. Mr. Yang probably wouldn''t ept money, so giving him a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes was not too shabby and conveyed the intended meaning.


    "You''re too polite; we''re all friends here. If there''s any issue with the boats in the future, just call me directly." Mr. Yang happily put the Zhonghua cigarettes into his bag.


    Early the next day, Mr. Yang sent a handyman who repaired the rowboats, brought a few barrels of fuel, and tested all eight boats on theke. He also left behind twenty sets of life jackets to ensure everything was safe.


    Suming even went on the boats himself to y for a while. The operation of the bumper boats was very simple, with a steering wheel to control direction and one button to start and another to stop; even a fool could operate them.


    Just as he finished up, he received a phone call.


    "Hello, is this Comrade Su?" A maic middle-aged male voice came from the other end.


    "Yes, I''m Suming. Who is this?" Suming recognized the voice as somewhat familiar.


    The middle-aged man chuckled, "I''m Zhao Yun, you know, from that day on Monkey Mountain..."


    "Oh yes, hello, hello, how''s Chengcheng doing?" Suming remembered now; this man was Chengcheng''s father. That day, the man had given him a business card filled with titles, a sessful middle-aged uncle in his career.


    His name was quite memorable, as it sounded like Zhao Zilong - the White Horse and Silver Spear''s Zhao Yun.


    "I took both mother and daughter to the hospital for a check-up. Nothing serious, just a fright. They''ll be fine after a couple days of rest. These past few days, Chengcheng has been mentioning you repeatedly. Her mother and I discussed it, and we''d like to invite you over for a meal to express our gratitude. When would you be avable?" Zhao Yun said.


    Such gratitude was difficult to decline, and after thinking for a moment, Suming replied, "Well... how about next month? I''m sorry, I''ve contracted some small projects at the zoo recently, and it''s just too busy for me to take time off."


    "Of course, that''s no problem," Zhao Yun paused, then asked, "Do you need any help with the project?"


    "Not at the moment, if I can''t manage, I''ll ask for your help," Suming said.


    "Alright then, we''ll see you then."


    "Okay, let''s settle on that for now, please say hello to Chengcheng and your wife for me."


    After hanging up the phone, Suming went to municate'' with the alligator snapping turtle again. The creature had softened its stance but was still far frompletely tamed.


    Suming was not in a hurry, as his spiritual power progressed rapidly after having the Hundred-Fruit Wine. Once his spiritual power was strong enough, he could use it to overpower andpletely subdue this fellow.


    It was somewhat simr to warfare; if strength wasparable, strategy was required, but when the gap in strength was toorge, all strategies were nonsense, and overpowering the enemy directly was all that was needed.


    Hundred-Fruit Wine could not endlessly enhance spiritual power; drinking just a small cup a day was the limit for boosting spiritual power. After that, a period was needed to digest and merge this enhanced spiritual power, and drinking more would be futile.


    Even so, the effect was far beyond the normal speed of improvement.


    Early the next morning, Suming tore off all the canvas from the boat, and the boat rental business was officially open for business.


    ...


    "Director Song, Su''s boat rental business officially began yesterday."


    Mr. Song was writing a report, and upon hearing Mrs. Tong''s words, he smiled, looked up, and asked, "How is business?"


    "Not so good."


    Mrs. Tong shook her head and said, "You know that our zoo doesn''t attract many visitors to begin with, and these days without any holidays, there are even fewer. His spot is out of the way, and visitors usually don''t go in that direction. ording to him, he saw not a single visitor all day yesterday."


    "Finding ways to generate revenue isn''t easy, you know. We''ve outsourced it before, and it still always went bust in the end. I reckon that in the end, Su likely won''t make any money either," Mrs. Tong said.


    But Mr. Song was much calmer: "Don''t worry, let''s wait and see, it''s only been a day after all."


    ...


    In Mingqing Residence, Mr. Peng and Suming were sitting opposite each other, with several dishesid out on the table in front of them.


    Mr. Peng poured Suming a cup of wine, smiled, and asked, "I heard your boat rental isn''t attracting many people?"


    "Mingqing Residence" is a charged attraction in the zoo,prised of over a dozen buildings fashioned in the Ming and Qing dynasties'' styles, nestled in a secluded woond. Inside, there are exhibits of imitation antiques as well as introductions to famous figures from the Ming and Qing eras in Yangchuan City.


    Mr. Peng lived in one of the rooms there, usually collecting admission fees. However, to connoisseurs, the so-called Mingqing Residence was but a joke for entertaining children, far from authentic. Coupled with the rtively expensive tickets, it saw pitifully few visitors, sometimes going days without anyone paying to visit.


    His sry wasn''t high, his spouse had died of cancer years ago, and he had a daughter in college, so he was always looking to save money. He even grew his own vegetables, cultivating arge vegetable garden behind Mingqing Residence. The vegetables they were eating were nted by Mr. Peng himself.


    It was only aftering to Mr. Peng''s ce did Suming realize that the zoo staff''s amodations were quite decent. While his own ce was adorned with pavilions and water terraces, Mr. Peng''s could barely be considered quaint and charming in the ancient style.


    Suming clinked sses with Mr. Peng, downed his in one gulp, and pursed his lips as he said, "It''s probably because it''s just opened, not many people know that they can go boating. I can''t exactly advertise in the newspapers for such a small business."


    "Advertising is so expensive, definitely unnecessary. You can make some signposts, put them around the park, and visitors will know there''s a ce they can go boating," Mr. Peng nodded.


    "Master, to tell you the truth, that''s exactly why I came here. I don''t know carpentry, so I wanted to ask for your help," Suming scratched his head.


    "Hey, you should have said so earlier, it''s simple. After we eat, I''ll help you make them," Mr. Peng said.

 Chapter 21: 21: Give the Money to the Cat!

    A family of three emerged from the Peacock Garden, the young wife clinging to her husband with one hand and pulling their chubby son with the other, a picture of happiness.


    "Hey, hubby, let''s go boating!" The wife swayed her husband''s arm.


    The husband nced at her and said, "Where can you go boating in a zoo?"


    "Look, look, it''s written on the sign, ''Boating Spot''."


    The wife pointed to a wooden sign by the road, its paint bright and clearly new.


    "What''s so fun about boating? You''re an adult, why are you acting like a child?" The husband shook his head, unimpressed.


    "Come on, please, I really want to go boating!" The wife cooed and gently shook her husband''s arm.


    The chubby son joined in, pouting, "Daddy daddy, I want to go boating too, I want to go boating!"


    "Ah, I can''t with you two, fine, fine, let''s go boating... "


    ...


    Outside Tiger Hill, several young students followed the signs to the boating area, heading towards Whisperwind Pavilion.


    "I really don''t get it, what''s so good about boating? Just floating on the water..."


    "Well, we''re just bored, killing time."


    "Then you might as well go boating in the city park, they even have motorboats there, how thrilling! Coming to the zoo just for boating, are you guys sick or something..."


    ...


    At thekeside of Shuixie Lake at Whisperwind Pavilion, eight boats were lined up, tethered to the small dock by ropes.


    There was also arge sign by the dock.


    "Self-serve boating, forty per hour, no more than one hour at a time, be safe, no roughhousing allowed!"


    The family from outside the Peacock Garden emerged from the woods and the husband, upon seeing the sign, frowned slightly, "What''s this ''self-serve boating,'' and why is it so expensive? The bumper boats in the city park are only thirty, and they''re charging forty here? Forget it, let''s not do this!"


    "Mom, look, cats!"


    The chubby son''s attention, however, had been captured by several cats roaming by theke.


    Some of the cats were lounging by the water soaking up the sun, some stood at the water''s edge, gingerly reaching a paw into theke to test the water. And onerge ck cat sat motionless on a big metal box, eyes wide, vigntly surveying its surroundings.


    Pouting, the wife said, "Ohe on, it''s only ten bucks more, we''re already here, you''re no fun. Look how nice this ce is, with hills and water, and cats too!"


    "Cats are everywhere, just a few stray cats..."


    The husband was somewhat helpless, but couldn''t argue with his wife and son, so he relented, "Alright, alright, ten bucks then. Hello, is anyone there? We want to go boating!"


    There wasn''t a soul around; he called out a few times before a young man in blue work clothes finally ran out from the Fengshui Pavilion.


    "Hey, we want to go boating," the husband waved at Suming.


    Suming hurried over, "Sorry, I need to run to the Wolf Pen. If you want to boat, just give the money to those cats."


    "What? Give money to cats? Did I hear that right?"


    The man was stunned and when he came back to his senses, Suming had already gone off in the distance.


    He looked at the cats, then at the retreating Suming, and finally turned to his wife in a daze, saying, "That guy''s got screws loose, right?"


    "Yeah, what does ''give the money to the cats'' even mean?" The wife was also puzzled.


    But the chubby son innocently put his hand on his hip and pointed at the yful cats not far away, saying in a babyish voice, "You two big dummies, hurry up and give the boating money to those cats over there!"


    "Silly son, how can cats take money?" The wife touched her son''s head,ughing lovingly.


    "This is ridiculous. Let''s not bother, since no one''s here, we might as well enjoy a free ride."


    The husband didn''t think too much, saw that indeed there was no one around, and went to untie one of the bumper boats.


    As he approached the rental boat, two cats that were ying with water nearby suddenly ran over, blocking his way to the vessel, arching their backs and holding their tails straight up, meowing at him continuously.


    "Huh? What''s this about? Do they actually want money or something?" The husband was taken aback,


    "Meow meow meow meow!"


    Miao San and Miao Si also gathered around, standing guard by the mooring rope, and even waved their little paws at him, looking fierce as if they were saying, "This mountain is mine, I nted this tree, no money, no entry!"


    "Dad, just give them the money!"


    The husband actually took out a fifty and, as if joking, shook it at Miao Yi, thenughed and said to his wife, "I don''t believe this cat can actually understand money?"


    "You are so bad, deliberately giving a fifty, do you think the cat will give you change for ten?" His wife cooed, gently pping him on the arm, but her eyes were filled with curiosity as she continued to watch Miao Yi.


    Unexpectedly, Miao Yi actually opened his mouth, grabbed the fifty from her husband, and turned to run.


    "No way, it took my money and ran?" The husband chuckled in disbelief.


    But Miao Yi didn''t run far, instead, he stuffed the money into a box beneath therge ck cat, Hei, then took another bill from the box and ran back, handing it to her husband.


    "Hey! It actually can make change!" The husband stared at the ten-dor bill in his hand, his eyes nearly falling out of their sockets.


    The young wife wasughing so hard she was shaking like a leaf, "Oh, this is too funny, give it another note, let''s try again!"


    While speaking, she took out a hundred-dor bill and gave it to Miao Er.


    Miao Er did exactly the same and brought back sixty in change.


    The family was thrilled, finding this even more entertaining than a circus.


    The couple, both young and driven by curiosity, gave money several times, and each time the cats managed to bring back the exact change. Then they began to intentionally take out bills of various denominations to tease the cats.


    "Heh, if you give it eight five-dor notes, it won''t recognize them..."


    "Let''s try again, two ten-dor notes and a twenty, hahaha, that should confuse them..."


    "Wonder if it knows how to handle coins..."


    The family was having a st, and eventually discovered that the cats weren''t all-powerful; they could only recognize the same denomination up to three notes, and they would only take forty dors at a time.


    They couldn''t figure out different denominations or addition and subtraction; they could only be given a hundred or fifty.


    "That''s quite reasonable; it shows they are well trained. Otherwise, they''d be supernatural cats!"


    No sooner had the husband finished speaking than he pped his forehead as if remembering something, his expression turning to puzzled doubt, "Hang on, that''s not right. We haven''t even boarded the boat yet, and these little guys have conned over five hundred from us!"


    "Hahaha, we''re really a pair of fools!" His wife didn''t seem too upset about the money, continuing to record the cats taking the money with her phone, stillughing uncontrobly.


    After spending over five hundred, the family''s curiosity was finally satisfied, and they stopped teasing the cats, boarding a bumper boat.


    The plump son still wanted to y with the cats, but after taking the money, the felineszily refused to move.


    "Greedy little devils!" grumbled the plump son, stretching out his hand to his mother, "Mom, give me fifty bucks!"


    The husband red at him: "Stop it, we''ve already spent over five hundred, that''s enough to buy a cat..."


    ...


    Not long after, the group of students arrived.


    "Wow, forty bucks an hour? That''s so expensive!"


    "We''re here now, might as well enjoy it," a girl coaxed.


    "Where''s the manager, anyone here? We want to row a boat!" the students called out loudly, yet there was no sign of any manager.


    On theke, the chubby son curled his hands into a megaphone shape, leaned over the side of the bumper boat excitedly, and shouted to the students, "Give the money to the cats, give the money to the cats!"


    "Huh?" The students looked utterly confused.


    "Meow..."

 Chapter 22: 22 Kickoff to a Good Start!

    In Whisperwind Pavilion, Suming opened a bag of cat food and poured it into a row of small bowls in front of him.


    Hei, along with Miao Yi to Miao Si, each cat had its own bowl and buried their heads in a fierce bout of eating.


    "Good job, everyone has worked hard."


    Sitting cross-legged on the bed like some old-schoolndlord, Suming opened the cashbox and counted it, totaling eight hundred and eighty dors.


    Suming didn''t go far today. It was the first day the boat service started, and he wasn''tfortable being hands-off as the boss. After a brief visit to the Wolf Pen, he immediately returned and hid in a nearby forest to secretly observe the situation on theke.


    Today, only six groups of tourists came, and although the total ie wasn''t much, every visitor paid to row the boat. Among them, many people, like that young couple, spent extra money for the sake of ying with the cats.


    These people would be free advertisers. As more and more people came in the future, ie would steadily increase.


    Rowing itself was nothing special. To attract people, one needed some gimmicks. Suming had been training these cats to collect money for thest few days. Not only was it novel, but it also fit well with the zoo''s own characteristics.


    Theoretically, pets like cats and dogs could indeed be trained to recognize money simply, and even give change.


    Of course, this required long-term professional training and was often only possible for professional circuses.


    At first, Suming couldn''t do it either; his spiritual power was insufficient. However, after obtaining Monkey Wine, his spiritual power surged each day, and eventually, he managed to teach these cats to recognizemon denominations and do simple arithmetic.


    With Suming''s current level of spiritual power, if he wished, he could even teach the cats to recognize all denominations of money and give change proficiently, but that would be too shocking for the world.


    "And you, although you didn''t contribute much, you did put in some hard work. Go and get some air, but don''t you dare bite that big catfish," Suming snapped his fingers at the alligator turtle peeking in from outside the door.


    As Suming grew stronger each day, the alligator turtle also became more and more obedient, even showing a pleasing attitude today.


    As a reward, Suming allowed it one hour a day to roam free in theke. If it behaved, the roaming time would increase in the future; if not, Suming certainly had ways to deal with it.


    The grateful alligator turtle nodded vigorously and took off. Suming discreetly assigned a sliver of his spiritual power to it, keeping an eye on its movements at all times.


    "Hey, Su! OMG, how did you do it? Those cats are incredible!" Wang Hao was excited on the other end of the phone.


    "How did you know?" Suming was taken aback, he hadn''t mentioned the cats'' feat to this kid.


    "Go and have a look. It''s all over the Yangchuan forum!" Wang Hao said.


    The Yangchuan forum was a semi-official forum in Yangchuan City with several hundred thousand registered users, most of whom lived and worked in Yangchuan. It was quite well-known.


    Suming essed the forum and immediately saw a pinned post at the very top.


    "Zoo Spotted With Money-collecting Cats!"


    The poster seemed to be the couple from earlier that day.


    "So, Her Majesty I took my husband and daughter to the zoo today..."


    With pictures to prove the story, there were more than a dozen photos of the cats collecting and giving change, as well as a serious Hei guarding the cash box. Apanied by the photos, the post recounted their family''s experience of the day.


    The post was made at 7:30 PM, and now, just three and a half hourster at 10:30 PM, the followingments had already exceeded one thousand, and the view count was nearing the whopping one hundred thousand mark.


    "Is this for real, or did a circus cat escape?"


    "Surely they must be trained, right? Cats are just pets after all, so what''s so surprising?"


    "You moron above, try training one and let''s see!"


    "The person above clearly never had a pet. It''s difficult, yes, but they can indeed be trained! Go search on Baidu, ''American Golden Retriever shops at the supermarket'' and you''ll understand. Besides, these are zoo cats after all."


    "The kitties are so cute and adorable... I''m melting..."


    "The sister above is soaked, guys below, remember to bring an umbre!"


    ```


    "Scram!"


    "Can we not derail the topic, please? We''re talking about cats, what do chicks have to do with this?"


    "The person above is a hooligan..."


    "A ssmate of mine also went today, they can testify, those cats were awesome!"


    "I''m going to the zoo tomorrow to row a boat and see these money-collecting cats for myself, anyone want to join?"


    "Count me in, count me in..."


    Suming was very satisfied. The publicity had the desired effect of drawing attention, serving as free advertising, while also keeping the sensation within the realm of what people would find believable.


    Apart from curiosity, there were also some voices of skepticism in the forum.


    "If there''s no staff around, who will save someone if they fall into the water?"


    "Is there a risk of someone stealing the money box?"


    "Cats can''t possibly tell real money from fake money, right? What if someone uses counterfeit bills?"


    Suming wasn''t bothered by the skepticism. In this day and age, the more people questioned and argued about something, the more popr it would be. It was only if no one cared that there would be a real problem. As for the issues raised in the posts, he had of course considered them all.


    ...


    Training the cats with spiritual power had been exhausting these past two days. Suming had switched to the afternoon shift today, nning to catch up on some serious sleep.


    He was woken up before ten in the morning by the noise from outside the pavilion.


    "I really want to stay in bed a bit longer!" Suming yawned. Living in the park had its drawbacks¡ªvisitors constantlying and going meant it could get noisy, and he couldn''t just send them away.


    Since he couldn''t sleep anymore anyway, he got up, washed up haphazardly, threw on a coat, and stepped outside the pavilion.


    He saw that all eight boats were already out on theke. Not too far from the shore, a group of visitors was lining up, furiously snapping pictures with their cell phones of the cats collecting money. The people at the front of the line weren''t in a hurry to board the boats; instead, they waved colorful bills at the cats, teasing them.


    Not far away, groups of two or three visitors were approaching from the forest path, evidently also drawn by the fame of the spectacle.


    It wasn''t until five in the afternoon, when Suming returned from feeding the animals and the zoo was about to close, that he reluctantly made an appearance outside the pavilion and persuaded the crowd to disperse.


    He counted the money in the boxes and it was close to three thousand!


    Which meant that the eight boats had been busy for the whole eight-hour day without a single break, and there was also a significant amount of ''tip money'' for the cats.


    That evening, the forum blew up with posts about the ''money-collecting cats'', practically taking over the board.


    The situation forced the moderator to intervene with a harsh announcement: anyone who started a new thread about the ''money-collecting cats'' would be muted for three days.


    "Damn, the mods are so heartless!"


    ...


    "Mr. Song, I never imagined Su had such a talent. You should have seen those cats he trained; they''re as smart as little humans, so empathetic. I want to ask him for one to take home. I''m just too shy to ask."


    With a cheerful expression, Mrs. Tong sat in the director''s office chattering, "You see, not only is his area crowded, but it''s also brought the whole zoo to life."


    "These are just the hot moments; if it stabilizes and we retain even half of our current numbers, that would be excellent," Mr. Song replied with a smile.


    Even so, the once-abandoned little boat business had turned a profit after just a few days of operation and had also helped to increase zoo ticket sales, which was a pleasant surprise for Mr. Song.


    He handed Mrs. Tong a business card: "Yangchuan Television Station''s ''Life of the People'' program wants to interview Su. This is the reporter''s card. Please look after them."


    ```

 Chapter 23: 23 Television Interview

    As the saying goes, "If you call a person a thousand times and they don''t respond, but if you have what they want they''lle knocking on your door." If Suming had to pay for advertisements for the cruise, he wouldn''t even be able to afford the fees if he sold his pants, and there was no guarantee that people would take the bait; yet, after the reputation of the money-collecting cat spread, the television station actually took the initiative toe for an interview.


    "Since when did you be a reporter? Aren''t you going to school anymore?"


    By the edge of the smallke, Suming, with a surprised expression, looked at the tall, fair-faced ''reporter'' in front of him.


    Not far away, a staff member wearing a Yangchuan Television Station vest was carrying a camera, and Mrs. Tong, the director of the zoo''s office, was luring several cats together with a bag of snacks,


    "Pssh, just because you''re working doesn''t mean I can''t do an internship," she retorted.


    Nangong Yan was dressed in a pink suit today, with light makeup, a bit less lively and spicy than Suming remembered her, but she appeared more dignified and steady.


    However, this girl''s actions were anything but dignified; she yanked Suming to one side, pretended to check the script, while secretly pinching his arm hard.


    "Humph, wasn''t it someone who said that once they found a job, they would treat me to dinner?"


    Suming''s mouth twitched in pain as he quickly tried to offer an apologetic smile, "I''ve been really busytely, totally slipped my mind. You see, with so much on my te, I barely have time to eat myself. Hey, how did you end up being a reporter, by the way?"


    "Don''t change the subject," Nangong Yan said, lifting her chin and ''tsking'' before she continued: "As a top student in the Chinesenguage department, what''s wrong with me interning at a television station, huh?"


    "It''s not about being a Chinese or foreignnguage major, the key is being pretty!" Suming said quickly.


    "You''re quite sweet-talking today, different from before," Nangong Yan''s mischievous eyes, sparkling with teasing, "But, you know, Mommy told me, when a man suddenly bes sweet-talking, it''s usually because he''s feeling guilty. Isn''t that right, Mr. Su?"


    "I''m no boss, heh heh, yeah, I forgot about it. How about this, you pick any restaurant you like, order anything, my treat!" Suming said.


    "Okay, at least you''re somewhat sincere. I''ll think about it," she said.


    "Nangong, are you ready? We can start now!" came the director''s call from the other side.


    "OK!"


    ¡­


    "Hello, everyone. I''m Nangong Yan, an intern reporter from the ''People''s Life'' column. I am at Yangchuan Zoo right now, bringing you a live report. Recently, a few cats have appeared in our city''s zoo, sparking heated discussions among citizens.


    These cats are no ordinary felines; they''re adorable and possess a very special skill: they can collect money!


    This is their owner, a zookeeper at the zoo, Suming."


    The camera panned to Suming, and he greeted with a beaming smile, "Hello, everyone."


    "Mr. Su, I''ve heard that your father was a field worker who dealt with various animals all year round. It seems you have inherited his insight into animal training, and these cats have been trained by you, right?"


    "Yes, my father passed away early, and training animals was the most valuable legacy he left me. I''m so grateful to him, and I miss him dearly."


    The sincerity in Suming''s voice was heartfelt, and as he spoke, Nangong Yan at his side was also visibly moved, nodding slightly.


    Suming paused briefly, then continued, "These cats were strays in my university campus. I''m someone who likes interacting with animals, so I started training them during my college years. They''ve been trained for three or four years now and can recognize the denominations of money. After I started working at the zoo, I thought that the zoo should have its unique attraction, so I specially trained them to find money. Hence, they became known as the ''money-collecting cats.''


    "I personally think ''Fortune Cats'' would be more appropriate," Nangong Yan said with a smile. "Now, let''s see how these cats collect and find money."


    The camera focused on the cats ''charging'' the visitors.


    Miao Yi was taking a fifty from a middle-aged woman, then wagging his tail as he handed the money to Hei and took a ten-dor note back from the cash box.


    "Ma''am, is this your first time here?" Nangong Yan directed the microphone toward the woman.


    "Yes, I heard these cats were very clever, so I especially brought my daughter to see them. And they are indeed incredibly smart. Look, it gave me ten dors back," the woman said, showing the ten-dor note Miao Yi returned to her to the camera.


    Nangong Yanughed as well, then handed the microphone to the woman''s daughter and crouched down to ask, "Little girl, do you find these cats cute?"


    "Uh-huh!" The little girl seemed a bit camera-shy, her face turning red, she murmured a response, but her eyes were fixed on Miao Yi.


    The middle-aged woman patted her daughter''s head, smiling, "I usually am busy with work and don''t have much time to apany my child. This is a great opportunity to spend time with her and to cultivate herpassion from a young age¡ªa win-win."


    A fat man suddenly jumped out and loudly interjected, "This sister is absolutely right! There are many species on Earth that are on the brink of extinction, and it''s possible that by our grandchildren''s generation, there won''t be any animals left! That would be a tragedy. We share the same Earth and the same sky; we can''t just live for our own pleasure and ruin the, leaving a mess for future generations. That''s why we need to protect animals, and bringing children here is about instilling a sense of animal conservation from a young age. I call on the people of Yangchuan to bring their kids to the zoo!"


    This fat man spouted off all sorts of grand principles with a serious expression, but Nangong Yan''s lips twitched twice, barely holding back herughter.


    "You''re so sneaky!" While the camera was on the cats, Nangong Yan gave Suming a yfully reproachful nce.


    The fat man was naturally Wang Hao, invited by Suming to act as a ''nt.''


    When the camera turned back, Nangong Yan asked Suming, "So, I''ve also seen some concerns fromizens, such as the issue of counterfeit money and safety. How do you address these concerns?"


    "I believe that the majority of our citizens have basic decency. Even if we asionally encounter some counterfeit money, we justugh it off, because, as our friend pointed out earlier, our hope is to bring people closer to nature and protect animals, rather than merely making money. As for the safety issue, we have life jackets, and without wearing a life jacket, the cats won''t let anyone onto the boat... Besides that, we have another safety measure!"


    Suming smiled and looked back at the crowd, "Who would volunteer to help out? I can give a live demonstration of our safety measures."


    Mr. Wang quickly stepped forward, puffing out his chest: "I will!"


    "Thank you. Would you be willing to jump into theke?" Suming said with a smile.


    There was a murmur of discussion among the onlookers. Although theke wasn''t deep, at nearly two meters, it could easily drown a fat person.


    Mr. Wang already knew Suming''s n, so while he feigned hesitation for the camera, he finally agreed as though ''out of face.''


    "It really won''t be a problem? I can''t swim!" Mr. Wang, not wearing a life jacket and seated on the boat, asked with a nervous face.


    Nangong Yan, struggling to suppress herughter, whispered to Suming, "This guy would be wasted if he weren''t an actor."


    "Am I not the honest one?"


    "You? You''re the director!"

 Chapter 24: 24 Its all up to you!

    With a ssh, Mr. Wang''s hefty body flipped head over heels from the hovercraft and tumbled into theke, creating arge spray of water.


    It was like watching a reality show, where, despite knowing that the zoo and film crew must have made arrangements to avoid any real idents, the sight of the fat man falling into the water still made everyone instinctively nervous. The crowd surged to the shore, watching Mr. Wang floundering in the water.


    In fact, the zoo had made no such arrangements and had no idea that Suming would pull such a stunt.


    Mrs. Tong was so scared that she turned pale and squeezed through the crowd to Suming, tugging at his sleeve and asking in a low voice, "Su, nothing will go wrong, right? Don''t mess around, I think this fatty is in big trouble!"


    And Mrs. Tong was right. Mr. Wang iled his arms around in the water for a few moments, then gurgled as he sank beneath the surface.


    The people on the shore were shocked. This man really couldn''t swim.


    Indeed.


    People who can''t swim are usually quite afraid of water. Initially, Mr. Wang was adamantly against it, but Suming had rehearsed with him more than once to ensure nothing would go wrong, and after much cajoling and persuading ''in the name of greater good,'' Mr. Wang begrudgingly agreed to make the sacrifice and y the nt.


    Mrs. Tong''s face turned deathly white in an instant, she grabbed Suming''s hand tightly and screamed, "Save him, quick, save him!"


    If someone drowned in the zoo and it made it on TV, it would be a huge liability¡ªeveryone, from the director to her as the office manager, would be in trouble.


    Before her words had even faded, where Mr. Wang had fallen into the water, a burst of spray rose up, and Mr. Wang slowly resurfaced, lying t on the water''s surface like a gigantic frog.


    "A turtle! Look at the size of that turtle!"


    A child pointed at theke and shouted loudly, and only then did everyone realize that Mr. Wang wasn''t floating up by himself; he was lying on the back of a huge alligator snapping turtle.


    The ferocious-looking turtle, however, was extremely tame at the moment, carrying Mr. Wang slowly towards the shore''s shallow water and depositing him there.


    Amidst a chorus of camera clicks and exmations, the turtle stylishly flicked its tail and then, with a sense of camera presence, slowly crawled back into theke, leaving behind a profound silhouette.


    Having done the deed, it departed without fanfare, concealing its merit and fame!


    "This...is this also a pet you''ve trained? How...how did you do it..." Nangong Yan''s expression became very strange, and she even forgot she was in front of the camera, her mouth forming an ''O'' shape, staring at Suming in disbelief.


    "The secret is..." Suming, looking just as mboyant as the turtle, drew out his voice and said seriously to the camera, "you have to have love!"


    ...


    "Today''s interview has truly been an eye-opener. A few adorable fortune cats and that hard-working rescue turtle have shown us a fact, that as long as humans are willing to treat animals well, they can be friends with animals."


    "I never really noticed before, but this girl is actually quite beautiful," Suming thought as he smiled at the television.


    ...


    In the following days, the crowd of visitors at Fengshui Pavilion reached a peak, with the line for boating extending back into the woods.


    Mobile phone cameras seemed to no longer satisfy the visitors; some crazed photography enthusiasts even set up long lenses on thekeshore without getting on a boat, just standing there, shooting all day long.


    If it was a cloudy day, Suming even felt he should wear sunsses to avoid being blinded by the shes.


    But these photography enthusiasts were rather decent; after their shoots, they would often slip a fifty or a hundred to the cats.


    What made Suming furious, however, was that the cats were actually dumb enough to go looking for change!


    By the end of the week, the ie had reached a terrifying twenty-eight thousand!


    Suming had some extra cash on hand, and the first thing he did was to make up for the meal he owed Nangong Yan.


    He felt a bit sorry for her. While he was worried about finding a job, Nangong Yan hadforted and cared for him a lot. He promised to treat her to a meal when he got a job but ended uppletely forgetting about it.


    He expected to be charged a hefty sum, but to his surprise, the girl chose to eat in the small cafeteria at the school. A meal and a piece, and didn''t even spend a hundred.


    Nowadays, both Suming and Nangong Yan were considered minor celebrities within the school. During the meal, they ran into a few ssmates from Nangong Yan''s ss, which inevitably led to some joking and teasing.


    ...


    Suming''s agreement with the zoo didn''t require him to pay for the next three months, so out of this time''s earnings of twenty-eight thousand, after deducting over three thousand in fuel costs, he was left with twenty-five thousand.


    He gave Wang Hao thirteen thousand, a little more than 50%. But Wang Hao was not having an easy time either. He fell into the water for the revolutionary cause, and such spirit definitely deserved encouragement.


    Wang Hao couldn''t stop smiling, not because he was short on money. Given his family background, over ten thousand yuan wasn''t a lot.


    But this was the first sum of money he earned with his own efforts, and the source of the money was very "just and honorable," which made him quite proud in front of his old man. It was said that Old Master Wang, the senior government official, was also very gratified and even dered on the spot that once Wang Hao made his own first hundred thousand, the family would add another two hundred thousand for him to buy a small Audi to drive.


    "Old Su, I''m thinking about quitting my job anding to help you."


    "No! Stop right there! I think we should contribute to the revolutionary cause at different positions. This way we can make more like-mindedrades, which would be beneficial to the development of our future revolutionary work. Don''t you think?"


    "I get it, it''s about making more connections, right! Old Su, you''re really sharp; no wonder you''re able to make money!"


    "Can''t you have a bit of a second-generation official''s sense of responsibility? Don''t be so blunt," Suming said with disdain over the phone.


    "That''s just with you. I''m shrewd with others. Alright, let''s drop it. You work hard, bro. Driving an Audi and picking up girls are all riding on you!"


    Suming shook his head andughed, he was speechless at how excessive his close friend could be.


    After hanging up the phone, he went to the bank and wired ten thousand yuan home. A couple dayster, he made another call to his mother.


    "Ming''er, why did you send so much money!" On the other end of the phone, his mother was clearly nervous. She knew how much Suming''s sry was; it was less than a month into his job, how could he possibly have ten thousand yuan.


    Parents would rather their children earn less money and be safe than doing anything illegal for money.


    "Mom, you know me, how honest I am. Rx; I took over the boating business at the zoo and made some money."


    Suming simply exined the boating business to his mother and she finally felt relieved.


    "Ming''er, you''ve grown up, and Mom feels assured now. There''s still some money here with me, and we have enough for the household. You should save the money you earn for getting married in the future, buy yourself some food and clothes, and don''t always wire it to us."


    Every time they spoke on the phone, his mother couldn''t help repeating the same words, but Suming never found it tedious.


    "Ah, if we weren''t family, we would not have entered the same door. Your dad spent his lifetime working in animal protection, and now you''re following in this line of work," his mother said with some emotion.


    "Mom, don''t overthink it. I just work at the zoo, I don''t go into the wild," Suming quickly reassured his mother, knowing what she was worried about.


    His father had died at the hands of an international poaching group while protecting endangered animals, and that group still existed to this day. Knowing that his work also involved animals, his mother couldn''t help but worry that he might repeat his father''s tragic fate.


    Suming verballyforted his mother to put the olddy''s mind at ease.


    However, in his heart, he told himself clearly that the debt for his father''s murder could not coexist under heaven, and no matter the consequences, he must see it settled!

 Chapter 25: 25 Our Little Secret

    The booming cruise business brought a significant boost in additional ie to the zoo. Mrs. Tong gathered statistics on the visitor flow over the past two weeks and discovered that it had actually increased by nearly twenty percentpared to the usual!


    "To put it inly, people areing for those few cats on his cruise. It''s a novelty right now, but once the novelty wears off, having half of the current visitor flow would be quite good."


    While that was true, Mr. Song still felt very satisfied and couldn''t help but show a smile. The main ie of the zoo was ticket sales, and the little cruise business had suddenly increased the zoo''s ie by twenty percent, without hardly any investment from the zoo''s end.


    Even if it was only half in the future, the zoo had made a big profit from this deal.


    Besides the tangible money, the TV station''s interview also served as free advertising for the zoo, which was an intangible ie.


    "Director, shouldn''t we strengthen our security? Look, our normal visitor flow is about four hundred people a day, but now, there are over a hundred peopleing just for Su''s cruise every day. The actual increase in visitors did not reach twenty percent, so definitely a lot of them must be climbing over the wall without buying tickets," Mrs. Tong said.


    "There''s no rush for that matter. You go and renegotiate an agreement with Su. From now on, for the cruise ie, the zoo will just symbolically charge a management fee, say, 10%," Mr. Song said.


    "Just 10%?" Mrs. Tong was surprised. "You mean?"


    "If the young man has had a sessful start, we should support him more. If he can save up a sum of money quickly, I might consider offering him more ces to lease."


    "The other ces that can be leased would take at least several hundred thousand in capital. He won''t be able to raise that much money anytime soon," Mrs. Tong said.


    "I have a feeling that the young man might bring us some surprises."


    Mr. Song said with a smile, "The biggest benefit the zoo gets from the cruise business is not the cut, but the boost in ticket sales and social impact. After thest TV interview, the city government specially praised our zoo, saying our civil service work was vibrant and effective. They even approved funding for us to renovate the park."


    "They approved funding? That''s an extremely rare and happy event!" Mrs. Tong said joyfully.


    Mr. Song nodded and said, "That''s why the better Su''s cruise business does, the greater the benefits it brings to the zoo. We shouldn''t charge him more management fees. The kid is capable, I''ve seen it, and he values rtionships. We can''t let a little bit of money chill the heart of the youth."


    ...


    After finishing work that afternoon, Suming specifically went to the Zoo Snack Bar to buy a bottle of red wine, then poured out all the red wine and filled it with half a bottle of Hundred-Fruit Wine.


    Days flew by and it was almost time for the visit Suming had arranged with Zhao Yun.


    Even though he was Chengcheng''s life-saving benefactor, in Huaxia culture, it''s customary not to visit someone empty-handed.


    After thinking it over, he didn''t have anything impressive to give as a gift. Zhao Yun''s business card had a long list of titles, a standard sessful person, so he probably wouldn''t care much for ordinary tobo and alcohol. Gifting Monkey Wine was the perfect solution, as it wouldn''t cost much and was quite distinctive.


    There was still more than half of the Monkey Wine left from thest batch he obtained from the back mountain, enough tost him several months. Suming had also specifically made arrangements with the Monkey King, who could brew arge barrel every winter. Selling it wouldn''t be enough, but for personal consumption and asional gift-giving, there was more than enough.


    Carrying half a bottle of Monkey Wine, Suming went to the office to ask Mrs. Tong for some time off, then took a taxi from the zoo entrance straight to the city.


    Binshui Elegant Garden was a well-known affluent area in Yangchuan City, located on the edge of the second ring road¡ªquiet amidst the hustle, with its ssical park-style architecture, it was also one of Yangchuan City''s earliest all-vimunities.


    The neighborhood was quiet and tranquil but notcking in liveliness, like the zoo. Luxuriant greenery and flowing water nked several row vis.


    Passing through the main part of the neighborhood, Suming arrived at the artificialke at the back, where Zhao Yun''s home was a standalone two-story vi. Suming rang the doorbell, and half a minuteter, a refined-looking woman appeared behind the security door.


    "Su''s here, pleasee in quickly!" The one who opened the door was Chengcheng''s mother, Zhaoqian.


    The woman who was crying and disheveled back then now radiated beauty, exuding the aura of an intellectual. Zhaoqian weed Suming through the gate and called into the vi, "Chengcheng,e see who''s here!"


    "Who is it!"


    Dressed in a little bear pajama set and wearing oversized slippers, Chengcheng walked out, and her eyes lit up at the sight of Suming. Her eyes immediately curved into crescent moons, and she ran towards him with her arms open.


    "Big brother!" she beamed, wanting a hug from Suming.


    "This child has been talking about you ever since herst visit," Zhaoqian said with affectionateughter as she watched Chengcheng.


    Suming changed into slippers and chuckled, lifting Chengcheng into his arms and followed Zhaoqian into the vi.


    The vi was decorated with an antique charm, furnished with numerous antiquities, but it was obviously far more upscale than the Mingqing Residence, which was specifically designed to swindle tourists'' money.


    "Big brother, is the little monkey better yet?"


    "He''s all better," Suming said.


    Chengcheng leaned close to Suming''s ear, blinked, and whispered, "Last time you told the Monkey King not to bully Chengcheng, and he listened to you. Can you teach me how to talk to monkeys, please?"


    To an adult like Zhaoqian, Chengcheng''s words were nothing but childlike innocence. She didn''t take it seriously and just smiled at Suming, who pretended to be very secretive and whispered to Chengcheng, "Sure, I''ll teach you next time, but this is our little secret, you can''t tell anyone else, okay?"


    "Yes!" Chengcheng nodded vigorously and held up her little finger, "Pinky promise! Chengcheng will keep it a secret!"


    "Su,e sit down. We don''t have guests today, and Zhaoqian made a few home-cooked dishes. Let''s have dinner here," Zhao Yun eximed cheerfully, hurrying down from the second-floor bedroom.


    "You two chat. I''m going to bring out the dishes," said Zhaoqian as she turned and headed to the kitchen.


    "Hello, Mr. Zhao," Suming greeted Zhao Yun with a nod.


    "Ha, you could call me ''big brother'' too, but since Chengcheng calls you brother, I might be pushing it," heughed.


    Inside the kitchen, Zhaoqian busied herself with cooking while Chengcheng ran back and forth from the kitchen to the living room, restless as a little monkey.


    While chatting and drinking tea, Suming learned that Zhao Yun had dealt with antiques in his early years andter opened a private museum called ''Gugu Zhai''.


    Suming was quite surprised; Gugu Zhai was well-known nationwide as it was one of the few and the first private museums in the country. In other words, all the collections in the museum were Zhao Yun''s private possessions.


    Although national regtions dictate that antiques with a certain age can only be collected and not sold, owning an entire museum was proof enough of Zhao Yun''s extraordinary wealth and connections.


    "It''s time for dinner, Zhao, help me move the table..." Zhaoqian called out from the kitchen.


    Suming took out half a bottle of Monkey Wine from his bag and ced it on the table, "Mr. Zhao, I didn''t bring much, but this wine was brewed by monkeys. It tastes good to me; you should try some."


    "Brewed by monkeys, Hundred-Fruit Wine?" Zhao Yun''s expression changed slightly, asking with a hint of confusion, "Su, did you buy this at the market?"


    "No, it''s really brewed by the monkeys," Suming exined.

 Chapter 26: 26: The Prodigal Son!

    "Did you actually see monkeys brewing wine?" Zhao Yun''s tone rose slightly, clearly conveying some disbelief.


    "I didn''t, actually."


    Suming thought for a moment, then described the events that took ce in the small valley behind the hill, but he left out a significant part of the truth. He didn''t mention that the wine was brewed by the Monkey King from the zoo. Instead, he said he went out to the hills behind for a stroll and encountered several monkeys staggering around. Those monkeys, upon seeing someoneing, screeched and ran away. Out of curiosity, he followed them and discovered Monkey Wine in a valley.


    Zhao Yun nodded. That made sense, as monkeys are not winemakers. How could they possibly brew wine in front of humans?


    His interest piqued, he asked, "Is that wine-brewing tree still there?"


    "Yes, it is," Suming nodded.


    "In that case, follow me!"


    After giving it some thought, Zhao Yun couldn''t even wait to eat. He stood up and headed upstairs.


    "Dinner''s ready..." Zhaoqian, wearing an apron, ran out of the kitchen, only to see Zhao Yun leading Suming up to the second floor. Wiping her hands on her apron, she hurried a few steps and stood at the bottom of the stairs, calling out to the backs of Suming and Zhao Yun, "Old Zhao, what are you doing now, bring Su down to eat!"


    "We''ll be right there." Zhao Yun didn''t turn his head as he waved his hand and led Suming into the second-floor study.


    The study was notrge, with a few paintings and calligraphy hanging on the walls. Suming didn''t understand much about such art, but he could tell at a nce that these were definitely not the kind of junk that hung on the walls of Mingqing Residence.


    An entire wall of the study had been converted into arge cab, filled with porcin and simr objects, all securely locked behind tempered ss.


    Squatting in front of a safe, Zhao Yun quickly twisted thebination and opened the door, taking out a wine cup and gently cing it on the table.


    The wine cup was about the same size as the small cups people use for drinking nowadays, but it had a light blue hue. It was unclear what material it was made of, but fine, intricate patterns surrounded the body of the cup, dark red like blood.


    The study was shaded from the light, dimly lit, and Zhao Yun hadn''t turned on the light either. Yet in the dimness, the wine cup seemed to glow faintly, as if it were enveloped in a mist.


    "This cup is a night-glowing cup. The ancients said, ''With grape wine and a night-glowing cup, drink the grape wine from a night-glowing cup.''"


    Leaning back in a Taishi Chair, Zhao Yun yed with the night-glowing cup, speaking unhurriedly, "Actually, that''s not entirely urate. Grape wine is a type of fruit wine, and for tasting any fruit wine, the night-glowing cup is the best vessel. Hundred-Fruit Wine is the king of fruit wines and, naturally, should be drunk from a night-glowing cup."


    Having said this, Zhao Yun took the Monkey Wine gifted by Suming and carefully poured a full cup into the night-glowing cup.


    A rich aroma of wine immediately filled the study.


    Zhao Yun''s eyes lit up as he lifted the cup to his nose for a deep sniff, then raised the cup to drink it all in one go. Closing his eyes, he fiddled with the night-glowing cup in his hand, seemingly savoring the rich vor of the Monkey Wine. After a long while, he took a deep breath and reopened his eyes.


    "Excellent wine! Indeed, it''s not the fake Monkey Wine sold in the market," Zhao Yun gave Suming a thumbs up.


    "I thought the wine had a unique taste, too, which is why I offered it to you," Suming said with a smile.


    "The wine is excellent, no question about it! However, Su, I can''t ept this bottle of wine," Zhao Yun said.


    Suming was puzzled: "Why, is there something wrong with the wine, not sanitary?"


    "That''s not it. Since it has already fermented into wine, there won''t be any bacteria. Even if it is somewhat unsanitary, it''s no big deal. We''re not doctors, after all; there''s no need to be that picky."


    Zhao Yunughed and exined, waving his hand, "Alcohol is the best germ-killer. Some old wines, after being cered in ancient tombs for hundreds of years, can still be drunk by people. At most, they get drunk, but there are no infections or anything like that. My point is, your bottle of Monkey Wine is quite valuable. I invited you over today to thank you for saving Chengcheng''s life. If I were to ept your Monkey Wine too, it would be taking too much of an advantage. So I can''t ept this gift."


    "This can be sold for money?" Suming hadn''t really thought about this. Although Monkey Wine was rumored to be miraculous, it was neither mass-produced nor known on the market for fetching high prices.


    With no reputation and no backing, carrying a bizarre bottle of wine iming it was brewed by monkeys and asking for a high price was bound to invite disbelief!


    "Let me exin at length, I deal in antiques, and the value of this Monkey Wine bears some simrity to antiques. Take this, for example, why is it valuable? First, because it is rare. The rarer something is, the more valuable it bes. Han Dynasty jade is valuable, right? I''ll tell you, if within a month, a dozen pieces suddenly appeared on the market in Yangchuan City, no, just three or four in quick session, the price would immediately drop;


    Second, you have to find the right buyer. Say someone likes porcin, if you insist on selling them calligraphy, they might buy it, but only to sell it on for a profit, so they are not willing to pay a high price. But if you find them a Tang Dynasty tri-colored zed pottery, it''s like cing a beauty before a lecher ¨C they would borrow money to buy it, because it''s a once in a lifetime chance ¨C miss this vige, and you''ll miss the store."


    Third, of course, it''s the quality of the item itself. Although this is Monkey Wine, I can''t be presumptuous about its condition. I''m a collector, but not a wine connoisseur."


    "Monkey Wine has different levels of quality? Then tell me about them." Suming was also somewhat intrigued.


    Zhao Yun tapped the table lightly with his slender fingers, saying in an unhurried tone, "Monkey Wine is a general term that epasses several categories.


    First, there''s what''s called ''Hundred-Fruit Liquid''. Monkeys collect a variety of fruits in one ce, which ferment, and the initial drips are ''Hundred-Fruit Liquid.'' Arge colltion of this Hundred-Fruit Liquid then undergoes a second fermentation to be ''Hundred-Fruit Brew.'' The value of the twice-fermented Hundred-Fruit Brew is naturally higher than the once-fermented Hundred-Fruit Liquid because monkeys are gluttonous and often, lured by the fragrance, they drink all the Hundred-Fruit Liquid before it can umte and ferment."


    The second fermentation is not the end; there''s a third fermentation. After all the fruit juice has dripped down and no more juice is produced, the collected Hundred-Fruit Brew is sealed in a ce for a third fermentation, producing a strong liquor aroma, and only then can it be called true Monkey Wine."


    Recalling what he had seen, Suming thought about how the Monkey King had discarded all the fruits that were no longer dripping liquid. So it seems that this would be considered three-time fermented Monkey Wine.


    Zhao Yun was unaware of Suming''s internal judgment and continued, "Second, it''s known as ''Monkey Grade''. There is a hierarchy within monkey troops. Monkey King, female monkeys, male monkeys, strong ones, weak ones, the old and the young¡ªthe status of monkeys varies. The higher the status of the monkey, the better the raw material they can obtain for brewing, while lower-status monkeys struggle even to eat well, let alone brew wine. Also, the older the monkey, the better the ''skill'' in brewing!


    Hence, the value of Hundred-Fruit Brew also depends on the age of the monkey that brewed it and its status within the troop.


    Third, it''s about ''Regional Grade.'' As the saying goes, a tangerine is a tangerine in the south of the Huai River but turns into a bitter orange in the north. Monkeys from different regions produce different wines, and some of the more famous ones include the Emei Macaque, the Huashan Monkey, the Mount Huang Monkey, and the Huang Monkey, among others."


    "I''ve learned something new!" Suming said with heartfelt admiration.


    "This is what friends told me."


    Zhao Yun waved his hand and chuckled, "These are categorizations from ancient texts. But even in ancient times, Monkey Wine was extremely rare, and nowadays, with hardly any monkeys left, where can we find Monkey Wine? Perhaps, in some remote old forests, a fortuitous discovery might still be possible. Therefore, whether it''s liquid, brew, or wine, or how the Monkey Grade or Regional Grade stacks up, anything brewed by monkeys is extremely precious.


    A real bottle of Monkey Wine is priceless, and even high-quality imitations are quite valuable. During the Republican era, a family would ce all kinds of fruits in arge vat, let them rot and ferment, add a little starter, filter it through asphalt, then distill, sun-dry, and bury it to artificially brew ''Monkey Wine.'' After consuming it, one would not have palpitations or feverish brains, sleep soundly, and wake up extremelyfortable with a clear mind and refreshed body-mind; such benefits were extremely good for the health. One bottle could sell for over a hundred silver dors, in high demand yet scarce, as it was expensive and troublesome to make, rarely done. As for today''s Monkey Wine on the market, using your young people''s words, that''s just ''haha''."


    "So how much do you estimate this wine to be worth?" Suming asked.


    "I can''t say for certain on that. While wine shares simrities with antiques, its quality is one aspect, and that requires appraisal by a professional; moreover, the price varies depending on the ce. For instance, a piece of antique, if I collect it in the countryside, it might be a few hundred, but go to the Liuli Factory in the capital, and it might fetch tens of thousands. If it goes up for auction, with some interested experts and a few bidders to drive the price, selling it for several hundred thousand wouldn''t be difficult. Monkey Wine, a hard-toe-by item, could fetch a sky-high price with some luck."


    After hearing Zhao Yun''s systematic exnation, Suming''s understanding of the value of Monkey Wine immediately broadened.


    He pondered for a moment and said, "Mr. Zhao, I still have some Monkey Wine. This bottle is a gift for you, as it''s utterly rude to take back a present once it has been brought into someone''s home. Besides, if it weren''t for you telling me this information today, I wouldn''t have known the preciousness of Monkey Wine. Consider this bottle my thanks; you must ept it!"


    Seeing Suming''s sincerity, Zhao Yun hesitated slightly before relenting and burst intoughter, "If that''s the case, I won''t be coy. Honestly, although I''m not fond of alcohol, collecting is my hobby, and seeing this Monkey Wine, I was indeed quite envious."


    Having said that, he carefully locked the remaining half bottle of Monkey Wine and the fluorescent cup in the safe, then turned to Suming, "You mentioned earlier that there is more Monkey Wine? If you trust me, I have connections with an auction house in Xiangjiang that could put it up for auction."


    "That would be much appreciated." Suming nodded; Zhao Yun''s offer was exactly what he needed.


    Just as Zhao Yun had said, the same item in different hands and at different asions can fetch an entirely different price.


    Even if a young fellow without a penny to his name like himself were holding a treasure, he couldn''t sell it at a high price, and might even be the target of envy.


    "Let''s go eat, Mrs. Zhao must be anxiously waiting!"


    Zhao Yun pulled Suming to leave. As they passed the safe, he pped his forehead with some annoyance and gave a wry smile, "Had I known this was genuine Monkey Wine, I wouldn''t have drunk so much in one gulp, such waste!"


    "Eh..." Suming was speechless, thinking to himself that if drinking this stuff daily made him the number one prodigal son, then what did that make him?

 Chapter 27: 27: Liquor Auction

    Before the meal, Suming and Luo Ben agreed on the details of sending the wine for auction.


    Luo Ben suggested it would be best to send the wine-making tree along with it to be auctioned together, which would make the Monkey Wine appear more authentic and enhance its legendary aura.


    For Luo Ben, using his social influence, chopping down a tree in the mountains was not a significant issue; all Suming had to do was show the way.


    After finalizing their ns, they finally sat down for dinner, gathering around the table without any hierarchy.


    Zhaoqian and Luo Ben were college ssmates. While Luo Ben''s business was booming, Zhaoqian worked as a teacher in a school in Yangchuan City. Since Luo Ben''s business was culturally oriented and already on track, he didn''t need to run around daily. The family lived harmoniously, and the couple was loving.


    Zhaoqian was quite skilled in cooking, and the table was filled with delicious dishes, including a bottle of Maotai.


    However, both Luo Ben and Suming found their meal somewhat nd. It was not too bad for Suming, as he had grown used to drinking Monkey Wine every day, but this was Luo Ben''s first time tasting it. Afterward, other drinks seemedckluster inparison.


    "You''ve really done me in, kid. How am I supposed to enjoy other drinks from now on!" Luo Ben chuckled and yfully tapped Suming with his chopsticks.


    Zhaoqian widened her eyes curiously from the side and said, "I remember in the novel ''The Smiling, Proud Wanderer'', Linghu Chong tricked an old beggar out of a bottle of Monkey Wine. I had no idea such wine actually existed in the world!"


    "There are endless wonders in this vast world. What we humans know is just a small patch of sky above our heads. The saying ''a frog in a well knows nothing of the ocean'' refers to our limited human perspective," Luo Ben said with a smile.


    Chengcheng, on the other hand, wasn''t concerned about the wine at all, and kept begging Suming to take her to see the monkeys. Suming said he would take her on her vacation.


    This response was somewhat perfunctory since Chengcheng was currently on summer vacation. The truth was that Zhaoqian had been quite frightenedst time and likely wouldn''t dare to let her daughter go to a ''dangerous'' ce like the zoo again so soon.


    Chengcheng pouted, her chubby cheeks puffed up as she said indignantly, "All you adults are in it together!"


    ...


    A few dayster, at Sotheby''sArt Center in Xiangjiang Golden Bell Road Pacific ce.


    Sotheby''s is the world''s oldest auction house with over two hundred years of history, growing from a small-town book market into one of the top three auction houses globally. It is renowned for its highmissions, quality service, and high reputation.


    In Asia, Sotheby''s established its Xiangjiang Branch. Its main business consists of porcin, calligraphy and painting, and wine, with regr categorized auctions held annually.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, wee to Sotheby''s annual wine auction in Xiangjiang."


    On the auction stage, a middle-aged Englishman, impably dressed and sporting a neatly-trimmed mustache, opened the proceedings with his wless aristocratic manners.


    The auction hall was quite spacious, split into an upper and lower section simr to an opera house. Yet the guests, numbering fewer than fifty, were sparsely seated throughout therge hall.


    But those in the auction industry knew that the fewer the guests at an auction, the higher the caliber and the more specialized it usually was.


    After all, the wealthy are few, and those affluent enough to collect in a specific field are even fewer.


    Only the kind of mass-market auctions gather arge crowd, where ordinary office workers can spend a few dozen dors on a ticket to enjoy the hustle and bustle.


    In a semi-open private room on the second floor, sat a young man who didn''t even qualify as an ''ordinary office worker''.


    "Don''t be nervous, you''re the seller, just think of today''s crowd as peopleing to give you money," Zhao Yun said to Suming with a smile, in a low voice.


    Suming wasn''t nervous but very curious; he had only seen this kind of ''high-end'' affair on TV and in movies before.


    After dinner that day, Zhao Yun immediately contacted the auction house, even fronted the seller''s deposit, and arranged the auction details. Suming took two days off and followed Zhao Yun to the auction in Xiangjiang.


    Upon arriving at the auction house, Suming discovered that Zhao Yun indeed had significant influence; the deputy head of Sotheby''s Asian Division personally received them and even arranged a private room at the venue.


    "Then you''re mistaken, the private room isn''t for my sake, but yours," Zhao Yun shook his head and said with a smile.


    "For me?" Suming asked, puzzled.


    Zhao Yun grinned and said, "Think about it, if there are good items, would there be ack of buyers? There are too many wealthy people in the world, but good items are numbered. So, what auction houses truly value are the sellers, especially sellers with potential. Though my museum has quite a few cultural relics and treasures, national regtions stipte that precious cultural relics of a certain level can be collected but are not allowed to be traded internationally. So in Sotheby''s eyes, my value is mainly my professional level, not the collectibles I own."


    "Is Monkey Wine that precious?"


    Suming thought Monkey Wine might sell for tens or even hundreds of thousands, considering the magnitude of the event.


    But even if it was hundreds of thousands, while it was a substantial sum for the average person, to Sotheby''s, items worth a few hundred thousand were probably too numerous to count, hardly enough to warrant special treatment.


    "The auction has started," Zhao Yun didn''t answer but pointed below.


    The first auction item was a bottle of 1787 Chateau Rieussec sweet white wine from France.


    Chateau Rieussec, also known as the Golden Drops Chateau, was the only First Great ssified Growth for sweet white wine in the Bordeaux 1855 ssifications, a supreme honor which at the time elevated Chateau Rieussec above the present-day five great chateaux including Lafite, Latour, and Margaux.


    Just the origin and vintage alone made this bottle of wine very valuable.


    The auctioneer, a small-mustached man named Luo Ben, revealed a yful smile and addressed the audience, "However, I need to rify one thing to everyone, this bottle may be a fake! Of course, I said ''may''!"


    The crowd below instantly buzzed with surprise, and Suming was also taken aback, asking Zhao Yun, "Is it really okay to publicly sell fake wine?"


    Zhao Yun was unperturbed, smiling as he said, "Just keep watching."


    "Ladies and gentlemen, in 2006, American collector Corrillo bought this rare wine for $100,000, setting a record for the world''s most expensive white wine at the time. However, shortly after, Mr. Corrillo imed the wine was a counterfeit, providing an authoritative authentication document. Yet the wine''s previous owner also produced an equally authoritative certificate of authenticity, so..."


    Luo Ben shrugged his shoulders and said, "So, the authenticity of this bottle of wine has be a mystery. Earlier this year, Mr. Corrillo entrusted us to auction off this mysterious bottle of red wine, with a starting bid, well, the same as the price it fetched in ''06, $100,000! Now, please raise your paddles!"

 Chapter 28: 28: Heavenly King Superstar

    After Luo Ben called out the starting bid of one hundred thousand US dors, there was a brief lull in the audience.


    Many of the attendees at the auction began to whisper among themselves, probably negotiating something.


    "One hundred thousand!" Finally, the first person raised a sign.


    "One hundred and twenty thousand!"


    "One hundred and fifty thousand!"


    "One hundred and eighty thousand!"


    After several rounds of bidding, the final price settled at two hundred and twenty thousand US dors.


    "Thank you, Earl Downton, this mysterious bottle of red wine now belongs to you!" Luo Ben gave a slight bow to thest bidder, a middle-aged English gentleman.


    Earl Downton stood up and, with very traditional British ssical noble etiquette, returned the gesture to Luo Ben.


    "Is that really okay? What if it turns out to be fake wine?" Suming was speechless; perhaps this is what real rich people are like.


    Zhao Yun exined to Suming, "Mystery and the unknown are also a huge attraction. Sometimes what they are paying for is the thrill, especially for these old nobles who have been ousted from the power struggle; they particrly like to show their presence in this manner."


    He sipped his red wine and said lightly, "Actually, there are many factors that influence the final price. Some are simply spection or ndestine bribes. But there are also true miracles. After all, there are many people in this world who don''t take money seriously."


    The second auction item was a bottle of champagne called Snow Champagne.


    This bottle''s history was not especially ancient; at leastpared to the previous Aceto Balsamico from 1787, the 1907 vintage seemed like a little brother. The vineyard it came from wasn''t particrly famous¡ªjust a purveyor to Tsar Nichs II.


    Royal vineyards may seem mysterious and noble in the eyes of ordinary people, but to real connoisseurs, they are only slightly better than mass-produced products. To the traditional aristocracy of Europe, the Tsar''s official vineyard was entirely seen as a second-rate establishment forcibly pretending to be elegant from a world of ice and snow.


    Then again, this bottle had a legendary backstory; in 1916, a German submarine sank a Russian vessel which held a case of 2000 bottles of Snow Champagne.


    The case of Snow Champagne and the sunken ship remained buried at the bottom of the sea for 82 years until they were salvaged in 1998 and brought back to light.


    Since the Tsarist regime was reced by the Soviet Union in 1922, and the royal vineyard was transformed into Comrade Stalin''s private holiday vi, Snow Champagne thus became swan song and was also known as ''thest royal banquet''.


    "Whether this bottle is still drinkable, I can''t be sure, but even if it is, with my modest ie, I definitely could not afford to drink such history!"


    Luo Ben made a little joke, and after a few light chuckles from below, he continued, "Any one of these two thousand bottles has the same starting price, one hundred and fifty thousand US dors."


    This time, the number of people bidding was much greater than for the mysterious red wine; the signs went up in rapid session, and the price soared quickly.


    "Third call, three hundred and fifty thousand US dors! Sold!" Luo Ben''s hammer came down hard. "Congrattions, Jacky!"


    The winning Jacky seemed to have a good private rtionship with Luo Ben, lifting his ss in front of him and giving a slight smile and nod to Luo Ben.


    "Is it really him?" Suming finally noticed that this ''Jacky'' from Xiangjiang was actually a very famous king of the entertainment industry. Suming had practically grown up listening to his songs.


    Zhao Yun said softly on the side, "This is Xiangjiang, after all; you often see celebrities of all sorts here. If you have something like watches or other collectibles, you might even run into Doctor Ho."


    Doctor Ho, also known as Stanley Ho, was a casino tycoon who adored collecting watches. Though he rose to fame through gambling, the elderly gentleman preferred to be addressed as ''Doctor''.


    The next few auction items varied; one was unsold, and the rest fetched prices between three hundred thousand and six hundred thousand, in US dors¡ªnot the Huaxia currency Suming had assumed.


    The atmosphere at the auction was not as tense and confrontational as Suming had imagined, with face-pping and people being stepped on. Instead, those who came to the auction were all individuals of a certain status. For them, collecting was merely a hobby. It wasn''t worth making enemies over a few hundred thousand US dors¡ªthat''s kid stuff.


    "The next item up for auction is a first for Sotheby''s, and indeed, any auction house in the world,"


    Luo Ben''s words immediately sparked a stir of quiet gossip. Sotheby''s had been established for over two hundred years¡ªwhat hadn''t they sold? Not to mention, it being a world first!


    It was said that during a certain period of war, a famous auction house even sold the sovereignty of a small country!


    "Most of you live in Xiangjiang and must have a certain understanding of Chinese culture. Some friends present are even close friends with Mr. Jin of Xiangjiang Ming Pao..."


    The crowd found it strange. Why bring up Mr. Jin, the venerable swordsman from the novels where snow nkets the earth and arrows fly toward a white deer?


    However, out of trust in Luo Ben''s professional level, everyone still listened patiently, with quite a few bing more curious.


    Hearing this, Suming knew his Monkey Wine was about to take the stage!


    Luo Ben''s Mandarin was exceptionally fluent. If Suming closed his eyes and disregarded Luo Ben''s appearance, he would almost believe he was listening to a true native Huaxia person.


    "In Mr. Jin''s books, there is a hero named Mr. Linghu, a character who loves wine as much as life itself and is never happy without it. He has tasted countless wines in his life. Speaking of wines that are naturally made, that embody the essence of heaven and earth and the spirit of nature, none surpasses a kind of wine brewed from a variety of fruits by monkeys. Ladies and gentlemen, the next lot is indeed a bottle of Monkey Wine, identally discovered in the Qinling Mountains on the maind!"


    The auction hall erupted into an uproar; many Huaxia people even stood up, with a superstar of heavenly king stature directly asking, "Robben, don''t joke around, does Monkey Wine really exist in this world?"


    "Oh, Jacky raises a very critical question. Indeed, I cannot provide an exact answer,"


    Luo Ben shrugged and said with a smile, "Because up until now, Monkey Wine has never appeared before. So, there isn''t a real sample topare with, and, of course, it''s impossible to capture the wine-making monkeys for interrogation to have them confess whether or not it was made by their hands."


    Luo Ben''s humor elicited a round of good-naturedughter before he continued, "However, we invited several experts to appraise it. They unanimously agreed that the winemaking process and ingredients of this bottle are indeed different from any known method of making wine. Moreover, it has a unique vor and extremely high nutritional value. Quality-wise, the wine should have undergone at least three fermentation processes. Additionally, although we have not captured that clever monkey, we did find the tree used for brewing, and afterparison, it appears that this wine was indeed brewed inside the tree."


    As he spoke, the projection of a hollowed-outrge tree appeared on the big screen behind him.


    "So, unless a monkey brews wine in person for everyone to see, we can never be absolutely sure whether it is Monkey Wine! I think, apart from Tarzan, there won''t be a second person in the world who would have the chance to witness a monkey brewing wine.


    If this is, in fact, a genuine bottle of Monkey Wine, then it may well be the only bottle ever found by humankind, and its value goes without saying! Of course, there''s always another possibility¡ªmaybe this is just a strange and mysteriously made fruit wine with a heartbreakingly good taste,"


    Luo Ben pressed down with his hands: "All right,dies and gentlemen, this equally mysterious bottle of Monkey Wine, will start the auction at the price of one hundred and eighty thousand US dors!"


    Jacky, without hesitation, raised his sign: "Two hundred thousand!"


    "Two hundred and twenty thousand dors!" Earl Downton, who had won the bid on wine earlier, raised his sign.


    Before Jacky could raise his sign again, another Huaxia businessman called out a bid of two hundred and fifty thousand.


    A businessman from Taiwan directly raised his sign: three hundred thousand.


    Jacky spread his hands in a smile towards the Taiwanese businessman, signaling his inability topete, then turned his head, whispering with a smile to his assistant, "Knew it¡ªshouldn''t have bought that Snow Champagne."


    The assistant shrugged helplessly.


    The Monkey Wine made its first appearance before the world as a once-in-a-lifetime find, not like other wines that, no matter how rare, are always avable in a few bottles. But this Monkey Wine might be, as Luo Ben put it, never seen again, so the bidding quickly reached the significant threshold of four hundred thousand US dors.


    As for the possibility of it being fake, these tycoons weren''t too concerned. A few hundred thousand US dors for a glimmer of hope was still within their reach.


    Not to mention, even Sotheby tended to believe it was genuine Monkey Wine. Then who could say it wasn''t?


    After the four hundred thousand dor mark, the number of bidders finally began to dwindle. After all, it was only a bottle of wine.


    At this point, the three still raising their signs were all Asians.

 Chapter 29: 29 Vinyl Records

    The three still raising their paddles were a Japanese man with a small mustache in a crisp suit, the Taiwanese man who had earlier bid $300,000 directly, and an elderly Korean gentleman.


    It was rather sad to say, this Monkey Wine was originally a specialty of the maind, a part of Huaxia culture, and yet, the finalpetitors were not a single maind Chinese.


    It seemed Easterners cared more about ''face''; the bidding between these three grew heated, and after the Monkey Wine reached $400,000, the price soared once more.


    In the end, the Taiwanese bidder hammered it down at $580,000!


    Sitting on stage, Suming was dizzy from this sudden stroke of fortune.


    My goodness, $580,000, do you know what that means¡ªalmost four million Huaxia currency!


    The hell, am I rich just like that?


    "Mr. Zhao, I actually... actually have a few more bottles. Should I bring them all out to sell?" Suming stammered as he asked Zhao Yun.


    "Foolish boy, haven''t you heard that scarcity makes something more valuable? Today, a unique bottle of Monkey Wine appeared, which is why it sold for this price. What do you think would happen if another bottle shows up tomorrow?" Zhao Yun retorted.


    "That''s true, heh heh, heh heh..." Suming chuckled awkwardly, indeed a bit too greedy for his own good.


    After the Monkey Wine was sold for the high price of $580,000, Suming was somewhat distracted during the rest of the auction, his head in the clouds.


    It was no wonder, even for a white-cor worker earning a sry of $100,000 a year, it would take a lifetime to make a few million. And here he was, having made what seemed like a lifetime''s earning in one day; it''d be strange not to be excited!


    Even though he was a bit out of it, Suming was still shocked by the final bottle of the auction.


    A bottle of 1992 Han Emperor Moutai.


    This liquor had only ten bottles produced that year, and as of now, only three are ounted for worldwide.


    This bottle eventually fetched a sky-high price of $1.89 million US dors!


    With enough money, a person often bes more generous and open-minded. Suming might have felt some envy, jealousy, or resentment before, but now he was merely astonished.


    Whether it was spection, or an underground deal, or the bottle was truly worth that much, Suming didn''t care anymore; what concerned him was his own $580,000.


    After the auction concluded, Suming followed Zhao Yun to the VIP customer area of the auction house.


    "Mr. Zhao, every time you visit, you bring us a surprise! Of course, congrattions to you too, dear Suming, you are truly a lucky young man!"


    By this time, Luo Ben had changed into a different outfit, no longer the formal suit he wore on stage, but rather a tight suit with gold trims that made him look mboyant. As he sashayed in, he greeted Zhao Yun with great enthusiasm, then extended his hand to Suming.


    "Your splendid introduction also yed a part in bringing that high price for the wine," said Suming, shaking hands with him, finding Luo Ben''s skin surprisingly smooth.


    "That''s my job after all, and to serve such a handsome young man as yourself is an honor," Luo Ben said, with a flirtatious twitch of his eyebrows.


    Zhao Yun burst outughing, "Luo Ben, let''s get down to the business at hand."


    Then, leaning close to Suming''s ear, he chuckled, "This guy is gay."


    Suming quickly withdrew his hand: "..."


    "Even if I am gay, I''m a gay with professional integrity," Luo Ben said nonchntly, pulling out a contract and adding for Suming, "ording to the agreement, for a final bid under $200,000, the auction house takes a 25% fee, and for $200,000 to $3 million, a 20% fee. The final bid for this auction was $580,000 US dors, so you need to pay $116,000 US dors inmission. Since it''s your first visit to the auction house, we can offer a 20% discount, plus with Mr. Zhao''s consultant status, that discount can be further reduced to 80% of the original rate, bringing your totalmission to... $74,240 US dors. I will take the liberty of rounding down, making it $74,000 US dors. The remaining $506,000 US dors, converted into Huaxia currency as per your request, will be transferred into your designated bank ount within a week."


    "That''s about 3.3 million Huaxia currency," Zhao Yun said.


    "Lucky young man, by maind standards, you are now among the young and wealthy. Have you thought about how you might enjoy life with this money? If needed, Sotheby can offer top-notch services," Luo Ben said.


    "Top-notch services, but they also require top-notchmissions. Su, don''t mind this English bloodsucker, just watch your purse," Zhao Yunughed heartily.


    Suming also smiled slightly and turned down Luo Ben''s ''kind'' offer.


    To an ordinary person, over three million might be considerable, but it''s still far from being truly wealthy. It''s not enough to splurge and enjoy life to the fullest.


    Suming originally didn''t care much about money. As long as he had enough for himself and could improve his family''s life, that was sufficient. After acquiring his animal abilities, he felt even more that making money wasn''t the most important thing. Or rather, one shouldn''t aim to earn money as the primary goal. As long as he kept strengthening his Animal Friend abilities, wealth would surely follow.


    So, when he came to Xiangjiang this time, he only took two days off and didn''t even n to sightsee. His thought was to hurry back to the zoo after the auction was over; that was where he truly belonged.


    "There is another matter. A client who attended the auction wishes to meet the seller of the Monkey Wine. Of course, this is not mandatory. We have a client confidentiality agreement, so if you prefer not to meet them, you can certainly decline," Luo Ben said.


    "Mr. Zhao, what do you think?" Suming asked Zhao Yun, who had more experience with auction houses, and he thought it wise to weigh his opinion for there could be benefits and no harm.


    "It won''t hurt to meet them. They could be part of yourwork in the future," Zhao Yun said with a smile.


    Before long, the door to the VIP room opened, and a middle-aged man with an assistant walked in.


    Suming was taken aback; he didn''t expect the one who wanted to meet him to be that superstar.


    "Haha, looking at Su''s expression, I think you don''t need to introduce yourself, Jacky," Zhao Yun obviously knew this Zhang Tianwang.


    "Idol, hello!" Suming, after a moment of surprise, caught on and put away his astonished expression, greeted Jacky with a smile. Now, he was the seller, not appearing as a fan, so there''s no need to be overly shocked.


    At that moment, Zhang Xueyou didn''t have the dazzling aura of the stage but instead appeared quite casual and rxed. He first nodded and greeted Zhao Yun, then with his slightly ented Mandarin, he said to Suming, "Just call me Jacky. I hope you won''t find it presumptuous of me to want to meet you."


    "Idol, you''re too courteous. I saw you upstairs earlier, if not for the ongoing auction, I would''ve rushed down to get your autograph," Suming said with augh.


    "It''s not toote for that."


    Zhang Xueyou''s assistant, very observant, interjected and took out an old-fashioned vinyl record from a bag. Holding the record with both hands, they offered it to Suming: "A small gift for our first meeting, please ept it with mypliments."


    "This is¡­" Suming took it and saw that the record was quite old but well preserved. The outer paper sleeve was wax-sealed, bearing Zhang Xueyou''s autograph, dated ''97.


    "A bit of augh, this is a vinyl record I made the year of the handover. It wasn''t released in the market, so it does have some collector''s value," Zhang Xueyou said, shrugging his shoulders with a smile: "I spend my days singing, acting, and earning money, I don''t have other hobbies. Just fond of collecting various wines. If Mr. Su has Monkey Wine again in the future, I wonder if you could inform me first?"


    Heughed somewhat sheepishly and exined, "The managementpanies are vampires; I work hard for my money. Spending high amounts at auctions, and frequenting them for wine purchases costs a lot, and the wife would fuss."


    "I understand, no problem. If I happen to have more, you''ll be the first to know, idol."


    Suming quite liked Zhang Xueyou''s candid attitude. He did have some more Monkey Wine left, aside from what he intended to drink, putting together another bottle wouldn''t be too difficult. Selling it directly to Zhang Xueyou wouldn''t work for 580,000 US Dors, but surely thirty thousand could be expected.


    However, as Zhao Yun mentioned earlier, such wine is rare and not easily found. If he sold it repeatedly, its value would diminish, making it less extraordinary. Therefore, he wasn''t nning to offer it just yet.


    "Thank you!" Zhang Xueyou then turned to his assistant, "Tony, leave my private number with Mr. Su."


    "Yeah, if I''m fortunate enough to find it again, I''ll call you," Suming said to Zhang Xueyou, waving the piece of paper with the phone number on it.

 Chapter 30: 30 Bear

    After chatting with Zhang Xueyou a bit longer in the VIP lounge, Suming and Zhao Yun said their goodbyes and left to catch their return flight.


    It was Suming''s first meeting with Zhang Xueyou, and he had a pretty good impression of the superstar. In private, the superstar didn''t put on airs and had a childlike innocence about him, yet he didn''tck the maturity of a middle-aged man.


    Suming and Zhao Yun hailed a taxi to the airport, Suming in the back seat. The driver didn''t start the car immediately but looked back from the front rearview mirror and said something in Cantonese.


    "Fasten your seatbelt, traffic regtions in Xiangjiang are strict; you have to wear seatbelts in both front and back seats. If you don''t, and you get caught by the traffic police, you could be fined up to five thousand or detained for a month." Zhao Yun buckled his own seatbelt while tranting for Suming.


    Suming hurriedly fastened his seatbelt, and seeing this, the driver started the car.


    The car ride was quiet, but upon arriving at the airport, the driver broke the rules.


    There were too many taxis at the airport, and seeking convenience, the driver stopped at a no-parking zone.


    "Hurry up and get out!" said the driver in a rush, which this time Suming understood.


    Before they got out, a motorcycle screeched to a halt next to their taxi. A female officer with long, impressive legs got off the motorcycle with style, showed her badge to the taxi driver, and then gestured for Suming and Zhao Yun to wait at the side.


    During the process, the driver was visibly disgruntled, swearing at the policewoman with a ''damn your mother'' that startled Suming.


    "It''s okay. As long as he doesn''t assault the officer, it''s not considered a big deal. The driver just wants the policewoman to hurry up so he can get back to business," Zhao Yun whispered to Suming.


    The policewoman not only didn''t retort but kept exining something. In the end, although the driver was dissatisfied, he still took the fine and drove away.


    "You can go now, sorry for the dy," the beautiful policewoman said politely, giving a salute to Suming and Zhao Yun in not-so-perfect Mandarin.


    Due to this dy, they were nearing boarding time, and several long lines had already formed at the gate. Zhao Yun had booked first-ss seats, and under the guidance of a Cathay Pacific Airways flight attendant, they boarded through the VIP entrance.


    At thirty thousand feet, Suming recalled the scene between the driver and the policewoman, shook his head, and muttered to himself, "What a strange ce."


    Zhao Yun thought he was referring to the convenience of the first-ss service and casually remarked, "Here, as long as you have money, you can buy any service. The real wealthy ss can even manipte the government."


    Suming shrugged his shoulders; he had no such ambitions. Managing a country is so tiring; how could itpare to the leisure of roaming in an animal park?


    Otherwise, why not establish a kingdom of animals and be the boss himself? That would truly live up to the name of a grand beast!


    Thinking this, he couldn''t help but find it amusing and his mouth curled into a smirk.


    "What are youughing at like a fool? Happy about making money?" Zhao Yun asked, puzzled.


    ...


    The trip to Xiangjiang was actually just a day trip. After getting off the ne, they went straight to the auction house, and then immediately headed back. Travel-weary from years of luxury, Zhao Yun bade Suming farewell after disembarking, telling him to visit when he had time, then hailed a car and left.


    With more than three hundred thousand in hand, Suming was in quite a good mood and took a car straight back to the zoo.


    On the way, he pondered that now, with money in his possession, perhaps it was time to expand the pleasure boat business a bit and move it to thergest man-madeke in the zoo.


    Making money was not his main objective, but he wouldn''tin about having more. The smallke next to Whisperwind Pavilion was too tiny, and at most, it could amodate only ten pleasure boats.


    Now the pleasure boat business was booming, and from morning to evening, tourists swarmed around Whisperwind Pavilion. At first, he found it lively, but as time went on, Suming felt like he was going to be driven mad by the noise, unable even to sleep in.


    The few feline stars were also exhausted, day after ''clocking out'', they''d drag their little heads in single file, staggering back to Whisperwind Pavilion and copsing into a deep sleep with waves of continued snoring, forgetting all about their yful nature.


    The alligator snapping turtle, on the other hand, had a rtively carefree life, apart from that day when Wang Hao did the demonstration, nobody else had fallen into the water.


    But ever since the TV station broadcast the footage of the turtle saving someone, everyone knew about the fierce-looking but humanely-intelligent alligator snapping turtle in the littleke, who not only didn''t hurt people but would also rescue them.


    Human curiosity was no less than that of the feline stars, so every day, many tourists would throw things like sausages into the water to feed the turtle.


    And there were quite a few unruly kids, using small branches and the like to poke incessantly into the water; the bolder ones even used fishing lines in attempts to lure the turtle out.


    The alligator snapping turtle then had to spend each day avoiding human disturbances, resisting the temptation to eat those artificial foods that might upset its stomach, living a life on edge.


    Suming thought that, while changing venues, he should let the feline stars take a break for a few days. In the future, he wouldn''t mandate all of them to ''work'' at the same time, ideally setting up a duty roster. Rarity breeds value, and if the feline stars collected money every day, their appeal would diminish over time.


    He would also have to establish a rule that prohibited visitors from throwing random food into the water or trying to catch the alligator snapping turtle, which was his personal property!


    Just as he returned to the zoo and before he had the chance to speak with Mr. Song, he saw Mr. Peng leading a group of workers hurrying from the front.


    "Su, Su, quick, quick, quick, change your clothes ande with us!" Mr. Peng also saw Suming and waved a long-handled he was holding.


    "What''s going on, dressing up like this?"


    Suming was startled to see the group in front of him d in thick military coats on such a hot day, with high rubber boots, gloves, and their heads and faces wrapped in thick cloth, wearing goggles simr to those of pilots, looking from a distance like anti-chemical troops from a ''Resident Evil'' movie.


    "Somehow a swarm of bees showed up in Xiongshan and made a few hives; we need to get rid of them quickly!" Mr. Peng said.


    Having been recruited forbor right after his return, Suming took a set of military coat he was handed and followed the crowd toward the direction of Xiongshan.


    Xiongshan was home to three Asian ck bears, also known as moon bears, dog bears, or Himyan ck bears.


    The ck bear was strong and powerful, an undeniable overlord in the wild!


    Yet this creature had a fatal weakness: its insatiable appetite for sweets, especially honey. In the wild, once it spotted a beehive, it would surely try to steal the honey inside, regardless of being stung with multiple welts by a swarm of bees, not caring and never learning. If it was robbed once, it would still go after the hive the next time it saw one.


    Had it been truly in the wild, that would have been okay, as the bear could always run, but in the zoo, Xiongshan''s range was limited. If the bear beat them to it and stirred up a ho''s nest, there would be nowhere to run.


    The thick-skinned bear could handle a few stings, but there were many visitors in the zoo. If bees started stinging people, it would be a real problem.

 Chapter 31: 31: Basketball Hive

    By the time Suming and Mr. Peng arrived at Xiongshan, the tourists nearby had already been evacuated, and the animal keeper Li was so anxious that he was sweating profusely. Through the cage bars, he pointed at several trees on Xiongshan and stammered, "There, right there..."


    The area of Xiongshan was only a little more than one-third the size of Monkey Mountain. Inside, there were some rockeries, but there was also a small patch of woods with over a dozen trees.


    Several beehives, each almost the size of a basketball, hung on the treetops. From a distance, they looked like heavy fruits, with many bees flying in and out of the hives.


    Underneath those trees, tworger bears sat on the ground with their legs crossed, their eyes wide open and round, staring intently at the beehives several meters above their heads. A smaller ck bear, almost one meter high, was standing upright with its front paws resting on the trunk, making ''woo woo woo'' sounds at the hives above, its face full of longing and shiny drool dripping down from the corners of its mouth.


    After seeing the beehives clearly, Mr. Peng was quite surprised and asked Li, "Suchrge beehives? Li, are you sure whether they are honeybees or wasps?"


    Wasps aremonly referred to as "yellow jackets," and they are much more poisonous and aggressive than honeybees. A sting from a yellow jacket, if not treated in time, can easily lead to poisoning, and about a dozen yellow jackets could sting a person to death.


    Honeybees don''t easily sting people because their stingers are connected to their intestines, and the bee dies after stinging. Yellow jackets, on the other hand, can use their stingers repeatedly.


    If there were several basketball-sized wasp nests, then it would be a big problem. The zoo probably wouldn''t dare to handle it; they would have to call in a professional fire brigade to deal with it.


    "It''s not wasps, it''s honeybees!"


    Zookeeper Li''s face looked mournful as he said, "I just discovered them the day before yesterday; there was only one beehive about the size of a fist. Since we do have honeybees in the zoo, I didn''t pay much attention. But then yesterday, it was unbelievable, several more beehives had appeared out of nowhere, and that''s when I realized something was wrong. I prepared toolsst night nning to remove them today, but I didn''t expect that there would be even more of them this afternoon, and they''ve grown sorge!"


    As the administrator of Xiongshan, if the bears were badly stung by the honeybees, or if a person got stung, Li would be held responsible. At the very least, a month''s performance bonus would be docked, and if something really serious happened, he might even lose his job.


    Like Suming, Li was also a temporary worker. He came from a rural family too, with a younger sister in school, depending on his ie to support the family. No wonder he was so anxious.


    Mr. Peng and the other animal keepers looked at each other in dismay. It was normal to have some nts and asionally some honeybees or small beehives in the zoo, but for so many to appear overnight was abnormal.


    Xiongshan was not far from the back mountain, which was lush with blooming flowers and a wild environment, rarely trodden by humans. If the honeybees were to settle down, they should have done so in the back mountain. Why would theye running to Xiongshan out of nowhere?


    "Su, what do you think?" Mr. Peng asked Suming instinctively.


    Suming was also at a loss as to why this was happening. Could these honeybees havee for him?


    But then he thought it was unlikely. Although ''Friend of the Animals'' could bond with animals, it required him to actively use his spiritual power; it wasn''t like honey that could be smelled from far away.


    "Never mind the reason for now. Li, you and the others lead those bears away first. Su,e with me to knock down the beehives!"


    Mr. Peng put on a headcover, took a long bamboo pole in one hand, which had cotton soaked in gasoline wrapped around one end, and gestured to Suming to carry arge bucket.


    Suming felt a wave of frustration thinking, ''Mr. Peng, you''re too kind. It was clearly Li''s neglect that allowed the beehives to multiply and grow into a menace, and yet you''re taking on the most dangerous task of stirring up a ho''s nest and bringing me along with you.''


    There was no choice, since he was Mr. Peng''s apprentice. If his master was going, he had no choice but to stiffen his resolve, carry the bucket, and follow.


    "An animal friend should be effective against bees, right? I just don''t know how many bees it can control at once!"


    Suming looked at the severalrge beehives and didn''t feel very confident. Inside thoserge hives, there could be thousands of bees. If something went wrong and they all swarmed out to attack him...


    Just thinking about that scenario made his scalp tingle, his skin breaking out in goosebumps. He instinctively wrapped his head and face tightly, leaving only his eyes exposed, with swimming goggles hanging around his neck, ready to protect his eyes whenever necessary.


    Under Xiongshan, there was a keeper''s entrance. After opening the iron gate and walking down the pitch-dark corridor for seven or eight meters, he arrived in a dim room.


    The room was divided into two sections, one side was where the ck bears rested, and the other was where the keepers dispensed food. There was a device on the wall to control the iron gates. When it was time to clean Xiongshan, they would lure the ck bears back to their resting ce with food. Then, an operator on the other side would close the door to the ck bears'' rest area with a switch, allowing entry into Xiongshan.


    Currently, all three members of the ck bear family were lingering under the trees, and the resting area was empty. Various half-eaten fruits and meats were carelessly scattered around, emitting an unpleasant odor.


    "Ding ding ding... ding ding ding..." Keeper Li, holding a big b of raw pork in one hand and a small iron rod in the other, struck the iron cage to make noise, trying to attract the nearby ck bear family.


    Usually, as soon as they heard this sound, the ck bear family would know there was food and immediately run over.


    But at this moment, the three bears only nced over listlessly and then turned back, greedily salivating at the beehives in the trees, not even moving their buttocks.


    The small ck bear, Hei, didn''t even nce over here, a bright shiny line of drool hanging from the corner of his mouth, nearly reaching the ground.


    Clearly, the allure of honey was far greater for them than the fatty and greasy, not very fresh pork.


    Li was so anxious that he began to sweat, hitting the iron bars harder with the small rod, creating a noise so loud it hurt people''s ears.


    But to no avail, not only did the ck bear family note over, one of therger ck bears even bared its teeth towards them with a ''huff huff huff'' growl.


    A ck bear''s ''huff huff huff'' is not a sign of sleepiness but an expression of anger. Clearly, Hei was very dissatisfied with those who were disturbing their dreams of delicious honey.


    "Su, have you got any ideas?" Mr. Peng suddenly asked Suming. Suming fed the animals every day with him, and Mr. Peng had clearly felt that all the animals were very close to him. Combined with Suming''s previous heroic act of saving the little girl, Mr. Peng had an inexplicable trust in Suming.


    Not far away, due to Hei''s constant shaking of the tree, one of the beehives finally wobbled slightly.


    A drop of honey slipped out from the beehive andnded right into Hei''s gaping mouth.


    "Wu wu wu..."


    Hei let out a series of contented cries, and Suming felt a wave of happiness through his spiritual power.


    "Damn, this is bad!"


    But Suming didn''t feel any pleasure, instead, he yelled out loud, quickly shrinking his neck and putting on the swimming goggles, enveloping his entire body in a military coat, wrapping himself up tight!

 Chapter 32: 32: Run!

    ```


    One hallmark of a foodie is that life can be dispensable, but food is not!


    The bear family was a clear overlord among foodies. After the little bear tasted the dripping honey, its entire being... oh, the entire bear acted as if it had hysteria, making whimpering noises with its mouth and wiggling its plump buttocks, desperately shaking the tree trunk.


    The trunk wasn''t very thick to begin with, and it began to tremble as it was vigorously shaken.


    A bear child having a fit is one thing, after all, it''s still young and its strength is not great, but once Papa Bear and Mama Bear joined in, the situation immediately changed!


    The three ck bears seemed to have coordinated, encircling the trunk and fiercely shaking it together. The trunk emitted a creaking sound as if it couldn''t bear the weight anymore, and leaves and twigs flew everywhere.


    ck Bear Dad took two steps back and actually struck a charging pose, and then, bang, he rammed his shoulder into the tree!


    The trunk shook violently, and all the beehives hanging on it fell down!


    Buzz!


    Even at a great distance, a buzz could be heard. The beehives hadn''t hit the ground yet when a ''ck cloud'' emerged¡ª arge group of bees buzzed out of the hives, swarming around the falling beehives!


    Below, the gluttonous family looked up foolishly, stretching out their chubby bear paws to catch the descending hives. Don''t be fooled by their pudgy appearance, reminiscent of meat mountains; their movements were surprisingly agile and urate.


    Three bears, the two adults catching one each, and little Hei cradling with both arms, caught all five hives without missing a single one.


    Having secured the food, the bear family was ecstatic, opening their mouths to bite into the hives they were holding. Mid-air, the buzzing swarm of bees went into a frenzy, and in formation dove towards the bear family!


    "Aoaoaoao..."


    "Aoao..."


    "Aoaoao..."


    Ghostly bear shrieks suddenly filled Xiongshan, as the bears managed to knock down the hives but before they could even taste a drop of honey, they were chaotically stung by countless bees.


    The bears initially tried to swat away the bees with their big paws, but there were just too many. Instead, they caused quite a few friendly fires. Papa Hei, trying to save his cub, identally sent little Hei tumbling away like a rolling meatball.


    Soon, the three bears gave up their futile resistance and ran amok in Xiongshan.


    Only creatures with thick skins like bears could endure such an attack. Any other animal would likely have been half-dead after such a stinging spree.


    Li was extremely worried as if these three bears really got into trouble, his job would definitely be at stake!


    He frantically banged on the iron bars, trying to get the bears to take refuge in the resting room, but at this moment, the bears were somewhat crazed and did not notice him at all.


    "Quick, jump into theke!" Suming urgentlymunicated with his spiritual power to the bears. There was a shallowke in Xiongshan for the bears to y in usually.


    Although the youngest, little Hei was the smartest. It immediately understood Suming''s intention and without hesitation dived into theke with a ssh, sending water flying in all directions!


    The water covered little Hei, and the pursuing bees buzzed around for a few circles. Seeing nowhere to sting, they reluctantly changed targets and went to attack Papa Bear and Mama Bear.


    Seeing the bad situation, Papa Bear and Mama Bear let out a few roars and fought their way through the bee swarm¡ª of course, shedding their own blood. With a leap like a fish, they followed and jumped into theke.


    Now they were in deep trouble. Theke was neitherrge nor deep, frankly, it was just a small pool. Little Hei was small in size, and most of its body could hide underwater. But Papa Bear and Mama Bear were too big; the water in the pool barely reached their bellies, offering no defense against the bee attack!


    Little Hei had managed to hide in the pool, but as soon as Papa Bear and Mama Bear jumped in, the water level significantly dropped as they disced most of it. Even little Hei couldn''t hide anymore!


    Suming grabbed the iron rod from Li''s hand and banged hard on the cage, shouting with all his spiritual power, "Come back here!"


    Li had been banging on the bars for a while, but the bears, as if they were deaf, paid him no attention. Suming only struck once, and the bears obediently scrambled out of the pool and rushed into the resting room''s cage, not even bothering to shake the water droplets off their fur.


    "Eh? How did you do that..." Before Li could express his amazement, he suddenly screamed, "Oh my gosh!"


    ```


    Behind them, arge swarm of bees chased after them.


    Whether it was on the zookeeper''s side or near the bear''s rest enclosure, there were only iron cages which couldn''t block the bees at all. Once the bears ran over, they brought the bees with them!


    Now it was trouble, not only for the bears but humans were about to suffer too!


    Suming had no time to exin, he hastily took out a lighter to ignite it, while Mr. Peng immediately understood Suming''s intention, quickly handing over the bamboo pole soaked in gasoline.


    With a whoosh, mes shot up, turning the bamboo pole into a small torch. Mr. Peng extended the torch towards the swarm of bees, waving it chaotically while shouting, "Light the fire, quickly light the fire, bees are afraid of fire and smoke!"


    The rest of the zookeepers, as if waking from a dream, fumbled for lighters to ignite their torches.


    A few torches were lit, and they finally managed to keep the swarm of bees outside the iron cages. Even so, a few fast-flying bees prated the cage, and Li''s hands were immediately bitten, swelling into severalrge bumps.


    Most animals are afraid of fire, and bears are no exception. The bear couple was locked in the rest enclosure, the torches dangerously close to them. This carefree food-loving pair, whether scared by the mes or stung by the bees, started wailing, huddling in a corner of the cage, their ck eyes filled with terror as they looked out.


    The swarm of bees gathered outside the cage, blocked by the torches, not daring to enter, but they showed no signs of dispersing as the torches began to burn out.


    "What''s going on?" Mr. Peng asked in confusion. Normally, when disturbed, a swarm of bees would attack en masse as an instinctive response, without holding grudges, especially when encountering fire and water, they would usually disperse.


    But this group of bees acted as though they had an irreconcble vendetta against the bears, preferring to be smoked to death rather than retreat!


    Suming instinctively turned to look at the bear family in the adjacent cage and suddenly realized the truth! These three gluttons still clutched the beehive, unwilling to part with their food even in their escape!


    One of the beehives had been bitten in half, revealing a Queen Bee with a big belly!


    No wonder the bees refused to leave; the Queen Bee was ''held hostage'' by the bears. They weren''t out for revenge or anything, they were trying to rescue the Queen Bee!


    Suming was Furious with these two; how greedy could they be?


    "Throw the beehive out!" Suming red fiercely, unleashing all his spiritual power towards the bear couple.


    "Wuu wuu..."


    Suming had been drinking Monkey Wine for a while, and his spiritual power had increased rapidly. Now, at full force, it was not to be underestimated. The two bears, cowed by the force of the power, obediently and forcefully threw the beehive away!


    But the problem was, they had been too obedient. Instead of throwing the beehive outside the cage, they hurled it in Suming''s direction, over the fence!


    Suming''s eyes widened instantly, as a million alpacas galloped through his mind!


    "Damn it! I said throw it out, not throw it to me!" Suming roared inwardly.


    A bear''s strength is no joke, and the beehive, never strong to begin with, split into several pieces when they threw it, falling to the ground with a st.


    Because of inertia, the unfortunate Queen Bee shot out of the beehive, tracing a splendid parab, and smashed against the wall on Suming''s side, ''bia'' turning into mush!


    All around instantly grew quiet, everyone stood stunned, staring at the wall where the Queen Bee was now just a smear of flesh.


    Crackle, crackle... the sound of the mes whispered, as thest torch¡­ finally went out¡­


    "Run!"


    Nobody knew who screamed first, their voice almost breaking into a sob.


    A few people, tumbling and crawling, ran for their lives towards the exit of Xiongshan.


    Arge swarm of furious bees squeezed through the cages, following them closely.

 Chapter 33: 33: The Homeless Bees

    The bees'' brains really weren''t that great, it was clearly Hei the bear who had crushed their Queen Bee to death, yet they were buzzing after these humans, fighting them to the death, and swarming in with a buzz, chasing furiously behind Suming and his group.


    How could people on two legs outrun flying bees? In no time, several individuals were surrounded by a great swarm, and although they were wearing thick protective suits, the sheer number of bees and their small size allowed them to relentlessly burrow through the gaps in the suits. Before the group could even run out from Xiongshan, Li and Mr. Peng started screaming, having been viciously stung several times.


    The passageway in the cage was low and narrow, with artificial rock on both sides. As Li frantically fled for his life, he carelessly mmed headfirst into a rock, screaming in agony as he tumbled to the ground.


    "Stop yelling and keep running!" Suming turned and helped Li up with one hand while frantically waving the other to drive the bees away.


    "Thank you, thank you¡­" Li stumbled to his feet and followed, running in a stumbling manner. He had been stung several times, and even his voice sounded out of tune.


    Having finally run out from Xiongshan, the bees were still closely following behind. Mr. Peng shouted, "Spread out and run towards less crowded areas!"


    Immediately, the people scattered in different directions, and the swarm of bees behind them also split into several groups, each pursuing their targets.


    The swarm chasing Suming was thergest,prising well over half of all the bees.


    "Su, be careful!" Mr. Peng sensed something wrong and bellowed at Suming, turning around with the extinguished bamboo pole in hand, ready toe to Suming''s ''rescue''.


    "I''m young and can run fast, I''ll be fine!" Suming didn''t look back and kept running forward, shaking the half piece of the beehive he held in his hand as he went.


    In the blink of an eye, therge swarm seemed truly attracted by the beehive in Suming''s hand, all changing course to chase after him. Suming sprinted ahead for his life and soon vanished from sight, while Mr. Peng and the other keepers finally escaped danger.


    Li swung his hands, driving away thest few bees around him, and took off his headgear. His eyes were red and swollen ¨C it was unclear if it was from being moved or from the stings ¨C but tears flowed copiously.


    "Mr. Su is such a good person!"


    ¡­


    Suming had no intention of sacrificing himself for others. His spiritual power worked very well on these mindless creatures, like casting a, controlling a vast group at once. Under his control, the bees couldn''t sting him, so he simply decided to do a good deed effortlessly, helping the others out.


    "Make way, make way, the bees areing, I won''t be responsible if they sting you!"


    Suming was surrounded by bees, as if enveloped in a cloud of ck mist, which was quite eerie. While running, he waved his hands and shouted, as bystanders at the roadside, witnessing the scene, scattered like they were avoiding the gue, and took out their phones to capture this rare sight.


    "Hey, isn''t that the guy who raises the fortune cats?" Someone recognized Suming. It seemed that his fame had risen since appearing on TV; he could still be recognized even dressed like a biochemical warrior.


    "Could it be that the zoo has added a new performance? A bee stinging act?" someone curiously remarked.


    "Are you crazy, ying with death¡­" said the previous person, disbelieving.


    Suming ignored thesements, leading the bees towards less popted areas, while pondering to himself that returning to the waterside pavilion was not an option now. Although the bees wouldn''t sting him, he couldn''t possibly stay in the pavilion all day controlling the bees, lest they end up stinging visitors or the cats and dogs, which wouldn''t be good.


    The same logic applied to the rest of the zoo; it was off-limits as well.


    Bees were not pests, and since he had them under control, there was no need to kill them. Suming simply ran toward the back mountain, guiding the bees back there to make their homes¡ªperhaps they might even produce some honey for him to enjoy.


    He soon arrived at the zoo''s enclosure wall, where the Monkey King had escapedst time. The wall was over three meters high, but Suming didn''t seem to struggle at all. With a sprint, he deftly grabbed a tree branch and scurried up to the top of the wall. With a leap, he vanished over the other side.


    The back mountain was sparsely popted, so Suming didn''t need to maintain the appearance of ''fleeing for his life'' anymore. He slowed his pace and strolled leisurely toward the deep forest, allowing the swarm of bees to flit around him.


    At first, the bees followed behind Suming, but after more than half an hour, the swarm suddenly elerated, flying ahead and burrowing into the deep forest with familiarity¡ªalmost as if they were guiding Suming.


    Through the connection of spiritual power, Suming could sense that the bees were very familiar with this ce, and even felt a sense of attachment.


    "Is the ce up ahead your original home?" Suming became curious.


    Bees were of low intelligence and could not uratelymunicate any information to Suming; they just kept flying determinedly in a certain direction.


    Suming found a sugarcane-thick tree branch, kicked it until it broke, and held it as a weapon, maintaining a small distance from the bees as he followed them at a steady pace.


    After walking for almost another hour, the bees finally stopped, buzzing outside a small grove, yet not daring to fly into the woods. They also conveyed a sense of fear, as though there was something frightening within those trees.


    "Come on, you were brave enough to sting me, weren''t you? You weren''t afraid of people, what are you afraid of now?"


    That''s what Suming said aloud, but he heightened his vignce internally. Nature is magical, and many animals have natural predators; even the mightiest elephants can be killed by small mice. The bees might not be afraid of people, but that didn''t mean they weren''t afraid of other animals.


    He clenched the tree branch tightly and crawled onto a rock, looking down into the woods from a vantage point.


    The back mountain was filled with trees and rocks, and the forest in front of him was no different, except for lusher vegetation. Beyond the trees, the ground was covered with wild grass and flowers about half a foot tall. At a nce, he saw no dangerous creatures.


    "I hereby appoint you the role of scouts..."


    Suming attempted to control a few bees, wanting them to scout inside the woods, but the normally obedient bees showed signs of resistance, clearly reluctant to enter the forest.


    Suming''s spiritual power was not something a few small bees could resist; though they were unwilling, they obediently flew into the forest under Suming''s firmmand, scattering in all directions.


    Not even a minute passed before one spiritual connection suddenly snapped!


    Two flying creatures that closely resembled bees, but were noticeablyrger and covered in gray-brown, appeared in the forest, stabbing one of the scout bees with the stingers on their tails.


    The scout bee instantly lost its ability to resist, and the two creatures immediately opened theirrge mouths, their mandibles slicing like scythes, and bit the scout bee in half. They then began to devour it with relish.


    "So, it''s wasps! No wonder the bees had been chased away!" Realization dawned on Suming as he witnessed the scene.

 Chapter 34: 34: The Battle With The Hornets!

    A few bees acting as little whirlwinds had just flown into the forest when two hos appeared, one of them biting a bee in half and feasting on the bee''s corpse with relish.


    Hos, scientifically known as Hufeng, also known as tiger head hos, arerger than bees and have strong aggression and toxicity. A slight sting can cause allergic shock and even be life-threatening.


    The hos at hand were all grey-ck, with deep ck chests, looking downright sinister¡ªthey must be the type known as ''Asian Giant Hos.''


    What beekeepers fear most are these kinds of hos. Asian Giant Hos do not make honey themselves but are fond of it, as well as of eating bees, so they can be considered the natural enemy of bees. Although they are rare in numbers, with groups only consisting of a few dozen or even fewer, theirrge size and ferocious temperament mean that bees are no match for the Asian Giant Hos. A small group of these hos can cause a bee field to fail entirely and, over time, they may even consume all the bees.


    If you were to take the perspective of ying a video game, bees would be a group of miners, while Asian Giant Hos would be an elite fighting force!


    Moreover, Asian Giant Hos are highly retaliatory; if you can''t exterminate thempletely, the escaped hos oftene back for revenge.


    Therefore, once beekeepers discover a swarm of Asian Giant Hos near their apiaries, they typically choose to abandon their original beekeeping spot. If it''s truly impossible to leave, they sometimes might keep a small group of bees not far from the ho''s nest, as a form of ''tribute'' to the Asian Giant Hos.


    Suming suddenly understood why the swarm of bees had moved, fleeing haphazardly to the zoo¡ªit turns out their home had been invaded by a gang of robbers!


    As soon as the Asian Giant Hos appeared, the bees wandering outside the forest immediately became restless, buzzing chaotically, as if they wanted to escape!


    "Stop panicking! There are only two of them, and you''re over a thousand..."


    Before Suming finished speaking, a burst of buzzing came from the forest, and arge swarm of Asian Giant Hos emerged, dense as a dark cloud, likely numbering over a hundred!


    With individualbat power far surpassing bees and being their natural predators, bees inherently fear them. A group of over a hundred Asian Giant Hos¡ªlet alone a thousand bees, even tens of thousands of bees might not dare to do battle with them!


    Upon discovering arge group of ''delicacies,'' the swarm of Asian Giant Hos immediately buzzed towards the bees, who were already in a frantic state of disarray. The bees were unable to fly as fast as the Asian Giant Hos and were quickly scattered.


    The group of Hufengs plunged into the swarm of bees, causing great ughter!


    After whirling around in the air for a while, an Asian Giant Hos squad actually flew towards where Suming was hiding!


    "You daree at me? You''re asking for death!" Suming''s spiritual power surged, enshrouding the Asian Giant Hos.


    The moment they came into contact with the spiritual power, this group of Asian Giant Hos abruptly halted in the air, fluttering their wings aimlessly, like travelers who had lost their way.


    The hos live up to their reputation as fierce creatures known as ''killer bees.'' Although they are notrge and not considered intelligent, they are extremely ruthless. Suming could hardly manage to control just a dozen or so Hufengs before he felt his spiritual power being stretched thin.


    Suming quietly estimated that with his current level of spiritual power, he could control no more than thirty Hufengs at most.


    Meanwhile, not far away, over a hundred Asian Giant Hos were rampaging, ughtering the bee swarm en masse, with countless bee corpses falling like raindrops every second!


    This won''t do! Suming was still counting on these honeybees to make honey for drinking in the future, and since these honeybees hade into contact with spiritual power, they could indirectly be considered Suming''s subordinates. As the ''boss,'' Suming certainly couldn''t just watch his little brothers get ughtered!


    "Go, fight them with everything you''ve got!" Suming''s spiritual power shook as he manipted about a dozen Asian Giant Hos as the vanguard, turning their spears to charge into the midst of the ho swarm.


    Then, with the remaining spiritual power, he controlled the leftover honeybee troops, following behind the dozen or so Asian Giant Hos,unching a counterattack against the main ho forces!


    This caught the ho swarmpletely off guard!


    The main force of the Asian Giant Hos had never imagined that theirrades, who had been fighting alongside them just one second ago, would betray them and be quisling underlings in the next, unprepared, a small portion was immediately wiped out!


    Honeybees are no match for Asian Giant Hos; in addition to being smaller in size and less venomous, the main reason lies in their rtively gentle nature, making it difficult to formrge-scale offensives!


    Just like a flock of sheep meeting wolves, even with a numerical advantage, they can only be ughtered or run away!


    But now the situation was different. Under Suming''s control, the honeybees were divided into teams, each team led by a fierce quisling Asian Giant Ho, effectively organizing a group of irregr soldiers into an army!


    One honeybee had just plunged its stinger into the abdomen of an Asian Giant Ho when the ho turned its head and bit off the slim waist of the honeybee!


    But immediately afterward, more honeybees swarmed it, sacrificing their lives fearlessly to plunge their stingers into its body!


    In the blink of an eye, the ho was surrounded and beaten by a group of little honeybees, its body filled with stingers!


    An Asian Giant Ho quisling captain flew past it and with a snap of its jaws, bit off its head!


    If the little honeybees are considered ordinary warriors like cannon fodder, then these treacherous quisling Asian Giant Hos are the generals leading the troops, the vanguards of the charge, the powerful warriors who can decide the oue on the battlefield!


    Wherever there was tough resistance, the quisling Asian Giant Hos would strike, and wherever the situation on the battlefield was dire, there would appear the shadows of Asian Giant Hos!


    Under Suming''smand, the one-sided battle quickly turned around; the honeybees went from being the ughtered to the besiegers, continuously taking down one Asian Giant Ho after another!


    Of course, the Asian Giant Hos would not just wait to be killed. Merely in terms of ''temperament,'' they were even more ferocious than crocodiles and tigers, showing no intention of running away despite being at a disadvantage, instead, they counterattacked the honeybees even more fiercely!


    Among them, severalrger ''powerful warriors'' inflicted heavy casualties on the honeybee troops, continuously taking down the charging honeybees, presenting the very image of a ''one man army''!


    Seeing this scene, Suming''s eyes darted around, manipting several quisling Asian Giant Hos to sneak up covertly!


    Though the Ho champions were fierce, they were not highly intelligent and could not distinguish which of their own kind wererades and which were traitors. Often, seeing an Asian Giant Ho fly by, they thought it was aradeing to join the battle...


    Thus, the quisling Asian Giant Hos quietly yed the ''assassin'', taking advantage of the unguarded battle-engaged Hos, and secretly struck, precisely taking down one Ho champion after another.

 Chapter 35: 35: Quisling Er Gouzi

    Under themand of the great marshal Suming, the battle soon drew to its conclusion. With the cooperation of the decoy hos, the Bee Legion achieved a sweeping victory, leaving the ground littered with the carcasses of bees and Asian Giant Hos.


    Out of the horde of more than a hundred Asian Giant Hos, only a scattered twenty or thirty remained, the vast majority being decoy Hos. The few survivors could not mount any effective counterattack and werepletely surrounded by the decoy force and the Bee Legion, with no opportunity to escape.


    Nearly a thousand bees had also suffered heavy losses, but due to theirrge initial numbers, around five or six hundred survived the battle.


    Commander Suming sat on the ground, somewhat weary. Even the simplest bee and ho were still lives, and controlling so many of them in battle was a considerable drain on him.


    But there were benefits. Spiritual power was like a ''skill''¡ªthe more it was used, the more proficient it became, and it would gradually increase. Throughmanding this great battle, Suming''s use of spiritual power had clearly advanced to a new level. His control over numbers, precision, and range had all improved since before.


    Thus, the remaining few Asian Giant Hos, without any surprise, fell under Suming''s control and joined the ranks of the decoy army.


    Only the Bee Legion and the decoys were left; with no enemies remaining, the battle naturally came to an end. The remaining hos and bees, like a troop standing for inspection, flew in front of Suming.


    After fighting side by side in a ''bloody battle'', it seemed that a kind of radeship'' had formed between the decoy Asian Giant Hos and bees. Although not intimate, they clearly divided into two groups, yet they refrained from attacking each other.


    "Go and see if there are any remaining enemy forces in the woods!" Suming issued themand, and the hos, leading a group of bees,zily flew into the forest to scatter and search.


    Animals don''t have as many cunning thoughts as humans. In battles, they either swarm together or scatter in disarray; they don''t engage in behavior like watching fires from across the river or sabotaging their teammates. After searching the woods for a while, no remnants of the enemy were found.


    Suming gestured grandly, "That''s settled, then. From now on, the bees will live in this forest!"


    Located in the wilderness, the area was less likely to be disturbed by humans. Meanwhile, the surrounding flora was lush, an ideal ce for the bees to settle. The bees had originally lived here, and now, reiming their lost territory and returning to their homnd, they were visibly overjoyed and buzzed around Suming excitedly.


    Attracting bees and butterflies was precisely what this meant. Although there were no frivolous butterflies, there were indeed several hundred frenzied bees.


    "I am not Xiaolongnu, stop buzzing around me all the time; go settle down!" Suming clicked his fingers at the bees.


    The bees flew away, leaving the twenty to thirty remaining decoy hos with nowhere to go. They buzzed around Suming pitifully, as if to say ''considering our service to the Party-State, give your brothers a hand'', ''we may not have the merits but we did the hard work''.


    "I need to find a way out for you too..."


    Suming thought for a moment, "This is what we''ll do: you will live here too. The bees will share some of their honey with you; after all, there''s so much they can''t eat it all. You, on the other hand, will protect the bees, but you are forbidden from harming them again!"


    Humming contentedly, the hos dashed into the forest. Now in sheer numbers, the hos were at an absolute disadvantage. Moreover, after a battle under spiritual power control, the bees had gained experience inbating the hos and were somewhat stronger than ordinary bees. Should these hos cause trouble while he was away, the bee swarm would be capable of suppressing them.


    The Asian Giant Hos buzzed away happily, content with the idea of living peacefully without having to fight to the death. In the past, though the bees were weak, they would rather die than provide honey to the hos, even if it meant moving or fighting to the end rather than submitting. The hos had no choice but to take risks and plunder, which was both troublesome and risky.


    Now that Suming had given hismand, it was foreseeable that this group of hos would soon be living the easy life of having everything handed to them.


    One ho,rger than the others by a size, lingered behind. Just as it was about to fly into the woods, its body shook and it stopped midair.


    "Er Gouzi, follow me from now on and serve as my liaison!" Suming snapped his fingers.


    The ho turned its head and flew back to Suming, perching on his shoulder as they walked down the mountain together.


    Thisrger ho was one of the first ''defectors'' to side with Suming during the battle, fighting its kin most eagerly, thus earning the honor of being named by Suming.


    As soon as Suming and Er Gouzi returned to Whisperwind Pavilion, they found arge crowd waiting, including Mr. Song, Mrs. Tong, Mr. Peng, the animal keeper Li from Xiongshan, and Mr. Dong from the zoo''s security department.


    "Huh, what brings all the leaders here?" Suming was caught off guard and subtly instructed Er Gouzi to hide under the pavilion''s eaves without making a sound, allowing it free movement but forbidding it from hurting anyone.


    Seeing Suming appear, everyone in the room breathed a sigh of relief, looking as if a great weight had been lifted. Mrs. Tong, with her quick tongue, spoke first: "Gosh, we heard you lured the bees away with honeb to protect the otherrades. The director immediately sent people to back you up, but when we couldn''t find you after a long search, we were all frantic, fearing something had happened to you!"


    Mr. Peng gave Suming a solid punch on the shoulder. "You rascal, not answering your phone had me really scared." He circled Suming, looking him over and asking, "You''re not injured, are you?"


    "No, I led the bees to the back mountain and then tossed away the honeb, making a detour before running back here," Suming shook his head as he said.


    "That''s good to hear. Just as I thought, Su has his ways. What could a bunch of bees do to him?"


    Mr. Song stood up with a chuckle, nodded at Suming, and then his expression turned serious as he looked at Mr. Dong and Li, "Dong, with bees causing a ruckus in the zoo, as the head of security, you''re the one responsible if anyone gets stung. And Li, if Su hadn''t risked his own safety to divert those bees, you''d be the one failing at your job. Both of you owe Su the most thanks."


    "Master Su, I can''t thank you enough. Ah, it''s all my fault for being careless at work." Li stood and gave Suming a deep bow, his head wrapped in bandages that were still seeping blood, indicating he had taken a hard tumble during his escape.


    He was genuinely grateful to Suming. Escaping from Xiongshan, he had crashed into a rock and copsed, stars exploding before his eyes, unable to even tell directions. If Suming hadn''t turned back to pull him up, he might have indeed been stung badly by the bees.


    Though bee stings weren''t as poisonous as wasps'', being surrounded and stung by hundreds of bees was no joke; even three lives wouldn''t be enough.


    His bow was exceptionally deep. Suming chuckled and quickly steadied him, "Mr. Li, you''re too kind."

 Chapter 36: 36 A Den of Beasts

    "He should thank you, you''ve made a contribution to the zoo," Mr. Song said with a chuckle.


    Mr. Dong had been following Mr. Song for a long time; hearing the hint in Mr. Song''s words, he added, "What the director means is, Su not only dealt with the beehive promptly, preventing a bigger incident, but also showed bravery and determination during the process, putting others before himself to protect his colleagues. We should not only thank Su, but also put forward amendation for him."


    Suming was taken aback. What did this mean? As a member of the leadership team, Mr. Dong using the word mendation'' represented, to some extent, the zoo leadership''s intent.


    Looking somewhat perplexed at Mr. Song, Mr. Song, however, appeared nonchnt and unfathomable. He stood up, nodded slightly at Suming with a smile, and said, "Alright, alright, as long as you''re fine, we''re relieved. You rest up; we''ll be going back now."


    With that, he led the group away from the pavilion.


    Mr. Peng, walking at the end, whispered some advice to Suming, "You young man, don''t be so impulsive in the future. Always think of safety first!"


    "Don''t worry, I''m fine," Suming reassured him, tugging at Mr. Peng''s sleeve and quietly asking, "What did Mr. Dong mean by mendation'' just now?"


    "Commendation is just that,mendation. The leaders value you! Keep up the good work!" Mr. Peng said with a smile.


    Suming could only shrug in an overdone way to express his bewilderment. The leaders had valued him for not just a day or two; was there any need to be so secretive about it?


    After seeing off Mr. Song and the others, Suming closed the doors to the pavilion and called Er Gouzi out. He then used his spiritual power to summon a few cats and the alligator turtle, one by one, inside.


    Hei opened his big eyes, curiously staring at Er Gouzi, seemingly considering Er Gouzi an intriguing toy. He even swiped at him twice, trying to catch Er Gouzi.


    Er Gouzi buzzed around to avoid him; he didn''t want to y with this ''big fellow''. One careless move could pulverize him into ground meat.


    Undeterred, Hei leaped with astounding agility, jumping over half a meter high, in a you-can''t-escape-until-I-catch-you attitude.


    Er Gouzi obviously wouldn''tply!


    Even though he had be a turncoat, that was only because Mr. Su, his boss, was too fierce, not because he himself was a coward. As an Asian Giant Ho, Er Gouzi was the very definition of ferocity. Sticking his butt out, he exposed his sting, ready to fiercely strike back at Hei.


    Before he could sting Hei''s paw, Suming harshly jolted him with spiritual power, and Er Gouzi had no choice but to obediently fly behind Suming, buzzing around, to express his discontent with Hei.


    "Can you stop buzzing?" Suming felt a chill. This creature flying around him was one thing, but the buzzing, it always gave him an unpleasant sensation, like flies swarming around, you know.


    The alligator turtle, however, didn''t show much surprise at Er Gouzi''s arrival, barely deigning to give Er Gouzi an extra nce, with an air of seeing-no-ho.


    In the alligator turtle''s proud heart, he was the fiercest one there, besides Mr. Su, of course.


    In fact, nature has its own wondrous rules of creation. Even though the alligator turtle had the size, strength, and lethal potential, it still wasn''t a match for the cats, nor for Er Gouzi.


    "Alright, alright, get to know each other. From now on, you''re all family. No friendly fire!"


    Suming like an elder, had the animals acquaint themselves with one another.


    However, as soon as he said that, it felt somewhat off.


    In front of me was a crocodile turtle holding its neck high and looking at the sky, a few cats hopping around, and an Asian Giant Ho that could kill a person with its sting¡ªin no way did they look like ''one family.''


    They were clearly just a bunch of animals!


    "Great, I''ve really be a big animal!" Suming pped his forehead.


    ...


    The next morning, after feeding the animals, Suming went to Xiongshan.


    As soon as Suming got to Xiongshan, he saw the ck bear family twisting and turning on their stroll inside Xiongshan, with the bear parents leading the way and the little ck bear following behind, nosing half a watermelon as he walked, eating it with juice sshing everywhere.


    Indeed, they were a heartless bunch of foodies¡ªjust yesterday they were chased all over by bees, nearly causing the death of a keeper, and today they acted as though nothing had happened, leisurely enjoying their little life.


    Under the innocent appearance of these foodies usuallyy a smart heart.


    Aftermunicating with spiritual power yesterday, the ck bear family had recognized Suming. With their keen sense of smell, as soon as Suming approached Xiongshan, they sensed his scent, immediately raised their heads, and stood up outside of Xiongshan, vigorously waving their big bear paws at Suming; the white V on their chests was especially striking.


    The little ck bear even held half a watermelon in its arms, showing it off to Suming as if asking him if he wanted to eat together.


    However, before Suming could do anything, the little ck bear seemed a bit reluctant to share, quickly withdrew its paws, took a big bite out of the watermelon, eating seven or eight tenths of it, and then once again held up the remaining bit in its paws, showing it off to Suming.


    "Look how stingy you are¡ªno one''speting with you for a busted watermelon!" Suming rolled his eyes in irritation.


    "Mr. Su, you''re here! Look, great stuff!" Li came over from behind, carrying a wooden bucket and shaking it at Suming.


    In the bucket were the beehives that had fallen yesterday. These hives were originally the size of basketballs, but they had fallen from the trees and been smashed by the ck bear, breaking into fragments, which neatly filled a bucket.


    Li''s eyes were still swollen as he said squinting, "Thanks to your help yesterday, this is for you. I heard from Mr. Peng and the others that beehives can be sold for money; it would be a waste to throw them away."


    Beehives could indeed be sold for money, not just the hives but also the honey and bees within them, including the royal jelly.


    However, they weren''t worth much; a hive of this size, along with royal jelly and such, would fetch at most around one or two thousand yuan, and these hives had already been shattered, with the royal jelly and honey mostly licked clean by the ck bear.


    "Still, that''s not bad, it can sell for a few hundred yuan, which is like a month''s bonus."


    Li, upon hearing Suming''s exnation, wasn''t disappointed, but ratherughed happily.


    He also came from the countryside, and his family wasn''t wealthy. With just that fixed monthly sry, a few hundred yuan seemed like quite a windfall to him.


    But Suming didn''t want to sell them for money. For one thing, a few hundred yuan didn''t mean much to him at this point¡ªto put it arrogantly, it couldn''t even be counted as money, and it would be a hassle to find a buyer, making it not worth the effort.


    Secondly, seeing these hive fragments actually reminded Suming that they had other uses, which were much more important than a few hundred yuan.

 Chapter 37: 37 The Surplus Value of the Honeycomb

    "Thanks, then consider it a purchase from me for five hundred bucks," Suming took the bucket containing the fragments of the beehive, then pulled out five hundred yuan and stuffed it into Li''s hands.


    "I can''t take this, how can I ept the money!" Li was initially stunned, then hurriedly refused, insisting on not taking the money no matter what.


    Even though the guy was somewhat clumsy at work and not the sharpest tool in the shed, he was incredibly honest. Suming had helped him and even saved him; these broken beehive pieces were meant as a thank you to Suming, so how could he take money for them?


    But Suming insisted, forcefully stuffing the money into his hand before picking up the bucket and running off without a trace.


    "What a good person!" Clutching the money, Li was moved to tears once again.


    ...


    Suming carried arge load of broken beehive back to Fengshui Pavilion, took out a few pieces, and sniffed them under his nose, smelling a faint fragranceing from within the hive.


    Breaking off a small piece, he found the hive still contained quite a bit of honey and royal jelly.


    He broke apart almost the entire half bucket of beehive, then found a knife and scraped off the remaining royal jelly from the pieces of the broken beehive, like spreading butter, smearing it all onto a separate, slightlyrger piece of beehive.


    "Er Gouzi, go, call a few wasps over, big ones!" Suming snapped his fingers and directed Er Gouzi, who was resting on a beam in the room.


    Er Gouzi sure knew how to enjoy life. In less than a day, it had built a small nest on a horizontal beam on the ceiling of the first floor of the pavilion, a ce to rest that also served as a hideout for catching mosquitoes, flies, spiders, and other small insects.


    It flew out of the pavilion leisurely, heading towards the mountain behind, and before long, it returned with more than a dozen brawny Asian Giant Hos.


    "Take this to the bees, and don''t you dare snack on it on your way!"


    Suming handed over the piece of beehive smeared with royal jelly to the hos, who swarmed over it, grabbed the hive, and buzzed back towards the mountain again.


    The bee colony had suffered a terrible loss this time, with the Queen Bee gone, and they would need some time to recover. ording to the rules of the colony, they would certainly produce a new Queen Bee, and the growth of a Queen Bee required the consumption of royal jelly. The royal jelly he had scraped off was specially prepared by Suming for the new Queen Bee.


    With this ready supply of royal jelly, both the Queen Bee''s growth and the colony''s recovery rate would be significantly elerated.


    About a quarter of the broken beehive was left in the bucket, and Suming smashed it all up, then poured the crumbs into a stic bucket filled with purified water, and went to buy two bottles of vinegar from a small store.


    "Are you having dumplings for dinner?" the store owner asked.


    "No, I''m getting some vinegar in case someone''s having dumplings, so I can ask for some," Suming said with a shake of the vinegar bottle and a smile.


    Store Owner: "..."


    After returning, he poured both bottles of vinegar into the stic bucket, screwed on the lid, and ced it in a ventted, cool spot on the second floor to ferment.


    Thest time Nangong Yan came for an interview, she mentioned a minor issue, and he hadn''t had any solution to offer at the time, but now these beehives came in handy.


    The bee episode was finally over, and Suming shifted his focus back to the contracted pedal boats on the artificialke.


    He had nned to discuss this with Mr. Song when he returned yesterday, but the unexpected bee incident had dyed him.


    "Su, your timing is perfect!" Mr. Song saw Suming and, even before Suming could speak, took out a bright red certificate from his desk.


    There was also several hundred yuan included with the certificate.


    "What''s this?" Suming opened the red certificate to find an award, which read ''Yangchuan City Zoo First Half-Year Outstanding Worker, Comrade Su Ming.''


    Suming was startled. Without rhyme or reason, how did I be an "outstanding employee"?


    It dawned on him then. No wonder Mr. Dong was talking aboutmendation yesterday, it turns out it was foreshadowing for this matter.


    In privatepanies, the honor of being an outstanding worker doesn''t mean much, not even as practical as a bonus.


    But in public institutions, it''spletely different.


    Behind the honor implies that leadership might be considering promoting you, which means it''s a capital for promotion.


    At the very least, it signifies that the qualifications of the honoree are important, and in state-owned units, qualifications are very important.


    That''s why Suming was surprised. How could a temporary worker like himself receive the title of an outstanding employee for the first half of the year? This honor was essentially the highest a regr zoo employee could obtain.


    Mr. Song, the zoo director, seemed to have noticed Suming''s confusion and exined with a smile, "Although you haven''t been here long, your work performance is there for all to see. In just one month, you not only did your job well, but also made the boat business thrive. Moreover, you handled two emergency incidents in a row, saving a tourist the first time and risking yourself to prevent colleagues from getting hurt the second time. Thus, the zoo''s leadership team has collectively decided to bestow this honor upon you!"


    Zoo leadership team? Suming thought to himself, all the old staff at the zoo have been at Mr. Song''s beck and call for decades. Isn''t everything in the zoo ultimately decided by your words alone? What ''leadership team''?


    The money tucked inside the certificate of honor was quite a sum, a neat stack of a thousand, which for the cash-strapped zoo, a thousand yuan award could be considered ''a hefty sum''.


    "Su, have you ever considered taking on some greater responsibilities?" The old director asked leisurely.


    "Ah? Greater responsibilities?" Suming''s eyes widened.


    "Honor is always apanied by responsibility," the old director said with seemingly good intentions, guiding Suming, "Look, your boat business is doing well, and the zoo, well, we just take a basic management fee. Your ie for the month has been quite substantial."


    "What do you mean?" Suming asked tentatively.


    Hearing the director''s tone, it seemed like he was thinking along the same lines as himself.


    However, since the director brought it up first, he wasn''t in a hurry to speak.


    "I think Whisperwind Pavilion has too few boats to meet visitor demand. Shuijun Lake has arge surface area, perfectly suitable for investing in a few more boats to expand your business. If you''re willing to take on the lease, the zoo can contract Shuijun Lake out to you as well," the director said.


    ''Shuijun Lake'' is thergest man-madeke in the zoo, the very one Suming had his eyes on, also the paradise from the alligator turtle''s dream.


    Legend has it that before Cao Cao attacked Chi Bi, he had trained his navy at Yangchuan, hence theke was named ''Shuijun''.


    But it was just a legend after all. Yangchuan City was quite a distance from Chi Bi, and unless Cao Cao had his head caught in a door, he wouldn''t likely train his troops here.


    Yet you never know. With things a thousand years ago, it''s hard to be certain, and Cao Cao, usually as clever as a ghost, asionally did things as if his head had been pinched by a door. It wouldn''t be a surprise.


    "What do you think? There''s also a Whisperwind Pavilion near Shuijun Lake, which the government spent several million to build. It''s a famous site. If managed well, it has great potential," Mr. Song spoke calmly, yet in Suming''s eyes, it seemed like Mr. Song was enticing him to lease that area.


    Suming felt amused. The old director always appeared rather staid, but when it came to the zoo''s development and future, he instantly transformed, bing shrewd and calcting.


    "Director, I''ve thought it over, and I''m willing to take on the lease of Shuijun Lake."


    Suming nodded his head, "However, I have a condition!"

 Chapter 38: 38 Contracting Fees and Management Fees

    Mr. Song''s eyes lit up, "What conditions, are they about the management fees?"


    Suming was not originally going to talk about management fees, but since Mr. Song mentioned it, he naturally took the opportunity to say, "Of course, I hope the management fees can be as low as possible."


    Mr. Song chuckled and said, "You can rest assured on that matter, as long as the business is run well, the zoo won''t charge you extra management fees. The 10% from the pavilion side definitely won''t work, after all, Shuijun Lake is a major attraction, and the zoo needs to justify it, but within my authority, I can give you the lowest rate."


    In the zoo, Mr. Song''s authority was of course beyond doubt. His words, to some extent, were like a deration to Suming that he would not profit off the management fees.


    Just like before at the pavilion, a good boat business would drive the zoo''s ticket revenue, which is the main profit growth point for the zoo.


    Seeing Suming nod, Mr. Song quickly followed up with, "However, there''s one thing I need to rify with you."


    "Go ahead."


    Mr. Song said, "I hope that if you need to hire help in the future, you''ll consider our zoorades first, after all, it''s best not to let the ''water flow into someone else''s field'', and it can also be a small benefit the zoo offers them."


    The zoo staff had fixed ies, not much work, and most of them were idle for a big part of their working day. If they could earn some legitimate extra money, that would be an indirect benefit from the zoo to its employees.


    Suming nodded, "Of course, I wouldn''t feel reassured hiring someone from outside. But what I wanted to discuss wasn''t about the management fee."


    Mr. Song red at him, "Then what have you been going on about?!"


    "Heh." Suming chuckled. After all, you were the one who brought it up.


    Then he spoke seriously, "I hope to contract the entire Shuijun Lake, not just the boat business on theke. In other words, everything in Shuijun Lake, including the water, fish, and even the mud and rocks on the bottom, I want management and ownership rights during the contract period. Also, the surrounding anciry buildings, like the Whisperwind Pavilion you just mentioned, while I don''t contract them now, I want the priority to do so under the same conditions in the future."


    When Suming finished speaking, Mr. Song was startled and asked curiously, "What do you want all that for?"


    Without waiting for Suming to reply, Mr. Song suddenly realized and said, "You''re not thinking of fish farming, are you? Su, you''re new and might not be aware, but Shuijun Lake is an artificialke, quiterge but with very poor water quality, not suitable for aquaculture."


    Mr. Song even thought Suming had watched too many films or read too many novels and wanted to search for treasures on the bottom of Shuijun Lake. He continued, "Although our ce is a ''scenic and historic interest site'', we all know that the so-called historic site is just a gimmick; we are far from the Chibi Ancient Battlefield. Even if you were to unearth an historic relic, that would belong to the nation."


    Suming hadn''t thought that far. Theke only had a twenty-year history; it was impossible there would be anything valuable in it. Forget about salvaging, at most one could find a few mobile phones that tourists identally dropped into theke.


    He simply felt that since he was contracting, he should haveplete control over theke. He did not want to be in the middle of business and have others interrupt him for some strange reasons.


    As for the ecological problems in Shuijun Lake, Suming wasn''t worried; with the ability of ''Animal''s Friend'', was there not a ce for him to use his skills in such arge body of water?


    Beyond that, there was a main reason Suming hadn''t mentioned.


    The geographical location of Shuijun Lake is excellent, right next to the back mountain, and there isn''t even a fence between theke and the mountain, with the end of theke leading directly to the mountain.


    The mountain is a branch of the Qinlin Mountain Range, filled with countless animals, it can be said to be a natural treasure.


    Geographically speaking, to upy Shuijun Lake is to control the passage to the back mountain. Whatever you do in the back mountain, traveling through Shuijun Lake is very surreptitious and not easily discovered.


    "If I can''t lease the entire Shuijun Lake, then I won''t lease it at all," Su Ming stated bluntly and yed the rogue.


    Mr. Songughed, pointed at Su Ming, and said, "I didn''t see iting, you''re young, but your ambitions are big. If you really want to lease the entire Shuijun Lake, it''s not impossible. However, there are two major principles you have to adhere to, and if you can meet them, I''ll represent the zoo and sign a contract with you."


    "Please, tell me," Su Ming said


    "First, you can''t change the public welfare nature of Shuijun Lake. You must allow visitors to recreate on theke and ensure their safety. If an ident happens, you will be held responsible. As long as you can do this, I don''t care what you do in Shuijun Lake; you could even raise sharks if you have the means."


    "Okay," Su nodded.


    "Secondly," Mr. Song shook his head, looked at Su Ming with a somewhat helpless gaze, and said slowly, "It''s about the fee. If you simply lease the boating business of Shuijun Lake and are willing to invest in a few more boats, then as for the management fee, like I said earlier, I have the authority, at most it''s 30% of your total revenue, and it''s negotiable.


    But now you''re proposing to lease the entire Shuijun Lake, including the ie from theke, that''s a different matter. You won''t be paying a ''management fee'' but a ''lease fee,'' and these two are entirely different concepts. Although it''s clear to everyone that theke can''t sustain fish, thus not profitable, after all, it is a significant national asset, we must have an exnation for the higher-ups.


    inly speaking, whether you earn or lose, you''ll have to pay a hefty lease fee in full, and in advance."


    "How much exactly?" Su Ming asked.


    "Three hundred thousand per year. If you lease Whisperwind Pavilion together, the minimum lease term is three years," Mr. Song added, "That''s the lowest limit I can decide on my own."


    That is, regardless of whether you make or lose money in the future, you must first pay 900,000 to the zoo.


    Seeing that Su Ming remained silent, Mr. Song thought the amount had frightened him. Recently, the boating business had been lucrative, but it wasn''t to the point where one could easilye up with nearly a million.


    Moreover, this 900,000 is just the lease fee paid to the zoo. To develop Shuijun Lake, whether for aquaculture or anything else, substantial additional investment would be required. Without several million in funds, it''s impossible to secure the lease.


    "Su, I know you''re bold, but one has to eat one bite at a time. I still suggest that you stick with the boating business for a few years, then slowly expand after you have a certain amount of savings. To be honest with you, there have been businessmen in the past who wanted to lease Shuijun Lake and even came for on-site inspections, but they all came to the conclusion it isn''t suitable for aquaculture. Other projects can''t be set up in just a day or two either."


    Save up for a few years? That''s the normal route. If, with the help of Animal Friends, he still scrimped and saved, afraid to take any risks, Su Ming felt he might as well bash his head in. Even with the biggest golden finger, he would at best be a hangman with a golden finger, living a menial life.


    "Ny thousand is ny thousand, Mr. Song, I''m willing to lease it. Get the contract ready, and we''ll sign it as soon as the money is handed over!"

 Chapter 39: 39 Holding the Country Back

    Mr. Song was earnestly trying to persuade Suming, after all,ing up with nine hundred thousand all of a sudden was too much. It was a lot of money not only for a young man who had just graduated and came from a not-so-well-off family background, but even for a middle-ss family, nine hundred thousand was not a small sum.


    When Mr. Song heard Suming agree without hesitation, he was taken aback and stared at Suming for a long time before asking uncertainly, "Do you have nine hundred thousand?"


    "Look at what you''re saying, if I didn''t have the money, why would I even talk to you about this?" Suming said with a smile.


    Mr. Song paced back and forth in his office twice before frowning and saying, "That''s not right, yourke pavilion''s boating business is doing well, but it''s been less than a month, at most you would have made seventy or eighty thousand, where did you suddenly get so much money? Su, you didn''t borrow it, did you? Borrowing money for business isn''t wise!"


    "Heh heh, Mr. Song, what if I told you I had some damn good luck and a big pile of money fell from the sky, would you believe me?"


    "You''re not going to say you won the lottery, are you?"


    "It''s simr to winning the lottery."


    Suming chuckled and didn''t try to hide anything, he straightforwardly told the story of auctioning the Monkey Wine.


    Just like with Zhao Yun, Suming also omitted a detail at this time, not mentioning that the Monkey Wine was made by the  Monkey King in the zoo. Instead, he said that he had gone hiking in the back mountains during his free time, stumbled into a small valley by chance, and discovered the Monkey Wine. Then with Zhao Yun''s help, he auctioned it off at the Xiangjiang auction house to some capital-rich fool.


    Although this exnation sounded a bit exaggerated, even legendary, upon scrutiny, there were no ws.


    Furthermore, with Zhao Yun''s help, Mr. Song, who had been a leader for decades, was well aware of Zhao Yun''s background. With a major yer like Zhao Yun aiding him, making a few million was not difficult.


    Even without the Monkey Wine incident, given Zhao Yun''s background and connections, helping a young man up thedder would be easy, especially since Suming was his daughter''s lifesaver.


    Suming never intended to hide the fact that he made money from the auction. With more than three million at his disposal, why would he still pretend to be poor and live a hard life? That''s no different from being broke. At least when he was broke, living a hard life felt justified. But having money and not daring to spend it, constantly hiding it and being overly cautious, that would be utterly depressing.


    So, he might as well admit it boldly, "I''m just lucky, what you gonna do about it?"


    The ''honesty'' of Suming actually dispelled any doubts Mr. Song had. There aren''t many people who are lucky, but they do exist. Newspapers and TV reports every other day about someone who found a treasure and made a fortune overnight. Just a few days ago, there was a report about a farmer who found a meteorite Luminous Pearl worth over sixty million. Compared to that, Suming''s three million seemed rather modest.


    After listening to Suming''s exnation, Mr. Song was stunned for a moment, and then marveled at how incredibly fortunate Suming''s luck was, almost equivalent to winning the lottery.


    "Heh heh, when people win the lottery, it''s like five million or a few billion. I only made just over three million, still a long way to go," Sumingughed.


    "Don''t act like you''re being coy after snagging a bargain, young man. Now that you have money, as a member of the zoo, it wouldn''t be too much to ask for a donation to the zoo, would it?"


    "Ah?" Suming''s face turned dark all at once¡ªit was instant karma!


    Mr. Song was quite straightforward and said, "It''s not easy being in charge here. We can''t even afford to install cameras in the zoo, so don''t make a face like it''s hurting your wallet. I won''t ask for much, just donate thirty to fifty thousand to beef up the security around the areas where we keep the top-tier protected animals. It can be counted as your contribution. That way, when I submit the contract to my superiors, it will go through the approval process much smoother."


    "Sure thing, since you''ve asked, let''s not do thirty or fifty thousand¡ªjust add thirty to fifty, making eighty thousand. Let''s round it up, I''ll throw in another twenty thousand, for a total donation of one hundred thousand!" Suming said with the air of a nouveau riche squandering his fortune.


    The feeling of tossing money around was a mix of pain and pleasure¡ªthe poor resent the rich not because the rich spend foolishly, but because they envy them for being able to spendvishly. Some say that spending money hand over fist, just like makingrge sums, is one of life''s greatest pleasures.


    The rest of the affair went smoothly. By noon that same day, Mr. Song had made contact with their overseeing agency and garnered their approval.


    Unexpectedly, Mr. Song also secured an extra perk for Suming: since Shuijun Lake was sitting idle, and it wasn''t being rented out to outsiders anyway, if Suming paid the lease in full for three years upfront, the first year would be at two hundred thousand, the second year at two hundred and fifty thousand, and only the third year would at three hundred thousand.


    Suming hadn''t nned on paying in installments anyway. With this calction, minus the hundred thousand donated to the zoo, Suming saved an additional fifty thousand.


    Everyone was pleased¡ªthe government reduced the financial burden on the zoo, the zoo got money to improve security and a one-time ie of seven hundred and fifty thousand, and Suming acquired three years of ownership and management rights over argeke.


    Just the cost of renting excavators to dig ake the size of a hundred acres would have taken a huge sum out of Suming''s pocket, not to mention that Shuijun Lake had all kinds of facilities already in ce. Taking it over as-is saved Suming a great deal of effort and money.


    "You better do a good job. Once you''ve made some achievements, I''ll find a way to get you nominated for Yangchuan City''s Outstanding Entrepreneur," the zoo director said, patting Suming''s shoulder heavily.


    Suming grinned, "Please don''t, you''ve already cost me seven to eighty thousand just for being an ''Outstanding Worker of the Zoo.'' I don''t dare to take on any city-level distinctions¡ªthat might cost me even more, and I certainly don''t have enough money for that."


    "By the time you''re recognized as a city-level Outstanding Entrepreneur, you won''t even blink at tens or hundreds of thousands," Mr. Song said.


    He made sense¡ªanyone qualifying for a city badge typically boasts assets worth hundreds of millions.


    Suming didn''t even have to wait to umte a fortune of a hundred million. After news spread through the zoo that he had be a millionaire of three million simply by stumbling upon ''Monkey Wine,'' it caused quite a stir.


    Upon hearing that Suming made a few million from finding something like ''Monkey Wine,'' Mrs. Tong''s eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. When she was overseeing Suming''s contract signing, she kept asking if he had a girlfriend and what type of girls he liked, acting every bit the eager matchmaker, which actually made Suming quite embarrassed.


    "Sister Tong, I''m still young. The state advocates forte marriage andte childbirth, so isn''t it too soon to be thinking about getting married?" Suming scratched his head andughed.


    Mrs. Tong, however, was vehement, ring at him and retorting, "Too soon? Haven''t you seen that the state has even allowed for a second child now? It''s all because you young folk keep wanting a few more years to yourselves, refusing to marry and have kids, and that''s leaving the country short on human resources!"


    Suming was left speechless. So it''s my fault the economy''s struggling? Is it because I''m not chasing girls that I''m dragging the country down?

 Chapter 40: 40 Buying a Car

    Mrs. Tong was known for her big mouth, and Suming always felt as if she had some kind of broadcasting aura about her. Any piece of information in her possession wouldn''t take half a day before every employee in the zoo, from top to bottom, knew about it.


    After signing the contract, the colleagues Suming ran into on his way all came up to congratte him, moring for Suming to treat them to a meal.


    Suming wasn''t stingy at all. He promised everyone, nning to invite all the employees of the zoo on some weekend, for a big feast.


    "Good people get rewarded!" Li, the keeper in Xiongshan, muttered while feeding the bears.


    "You should be careful with money. Put it in the bank to earn some interest. Save it for setting up a family and establishing yourself in the future. Don''t spend this money."


    Mr. Peng earnestly put away the two bottles of Wuliangye that Suming had given him and then spoke to Suming, both pleased and a bit reproachful.


    "It''s only right for an apprentice to honor his master. These two bottles of liquor didn''t cost much," Suming replied nonchntly.


    Mr. Peng was a good man. Many old masters had the habit of demanding bribes and would even keep secrets. If you ran into one with an odd character, they might deliberately make things difficult for the apprentice. But Mr. Peng always took good care of Suming and often invited him out for a drink. The master-apprentice rtionship was quite strong.


    Moreover, Huaxia people ce great importance on the inheritance of the master-apprentice lineage and respecting the teacher and valuing the doctrine. Now that Suming had some money, if he didn''t honor Mr. Peng, he would feel uneasy, and besides, people might gossip about him behind his back.


    "Being of little use when needed but causing trouble otherwise" is a typical characteristic of a petty person. Suming didn''t want to be doing well in his business while having someone trying to sabotage him behind his back.


    Everyone knew Suming had made money, but he didn''t dare to tell his family.


    Since he wasn''t living with his mother and they were hundreds of miles apart, suddenly telling her that he had struck it rich might clear things up, but she was elderly and might worry needlessly.


    After thinking it over, Suming decided to spend five hundred thousand at the insurancepany to buy a financial-stylemercial insurance policy, with his mother as the beneficiary.


    From then on, his mother would receive over a thousand yuan each month until her death. In their small mountain hole, a thousand yuan was already more than enough to livefortably, not to mention his mother had other sources of ie. No matter what happened in the future, his mother''sst years would at least be free of financial worries.


    Over the phone, Suming merely mentioned that each month he would send back a little over a thousand yuan, without telling his mother that if something happened to him, the insurancepany would pay out the entire five hundred thousand to the beneficiary¡ªwhich was his mother.


    With that done, after ounting for the contracted services and the insurance money, Suming had about two million left for himself.


    Cash, house, car, wife, son... He had the cash, and Whisperwind Pavilion was morefortable than a big vi; he wasn''t in a rush for a wife and children, so that left the car.


    "It''s time to buy a car."


    Suming didn''t know much about cars, so he simply called Wang Hao, an expert in this field¡ªat least among his college friends; Wang Hao knew the most about cars.


    Actually, besides Zhao Yun, Wang Hao was the first person to know about the windfall Suming hade into.


    Over three million was a sum that Wang Hao''s family could barely afford, but all of the money was managed by Wang Hao''s parents, and he himself couldn''t evene up with three hundred thousand.


    "You lucky bastard, your luck is off the charts!"


    Driving the little Wing Tiger, Wang Hao joked, "Just a trip to the mountains and you stumble upon a few million. Then there''s the boat business, right? Same boats, others can''t even attract a crow, but look at you¡ªearning easy money, appearing on the little TV, sipping on wine, hardly ever checking the site, and cash just pours into your wallet. Next time, take me to see your family''s graveyard; I bet it''s billowing out blue smoke."


    "It''s not like that; training cats and alligator turtles is really hard work," Su Ming said.


    Wang Hao rolled his eyes, "Hard work? Brother, I feel like you''re just ying around. Old Su, you must have done some great deeds in your past life. It''s like divine help. From now on, I''m following you. Don''t forget to include me in any good fortune thates your way!"


    Wang Hao was actually in a very good mood; getting involved with Su Ming in the boat business, he initially invested eight thousand yuan. Later on, without doing much of anything, he earned just over forty thousand yuan in nearly a month.


    With this rate of making money, plus his old man''s subsidy, the dream of getting a new car wasn''t far off.


    "Speaking of buying cars, do you have any rmendations?" Su Ming asked.


    "Depends on the price range you''re considering, and what type you''re looking for," Wang Hao said.


    Patting the steering wheel of the Wing Tiger, Wang Haomented, "Generally speaking, there are sedans, SUVs, andmercial MPVs, which you definitely wouldn''t consider¡ªthe kind that seats a lot of people. Sedans have less space, lower ground clearance, but in the same price range, their configuration andfort are better than off-road vehicles."


    "Cross out sedans, definitely an off-road vehicle. As for the budget, anything between two hundred thousand to six hundred thousand works," Su Ming mused. Due to the needs of ''Friends of the Animals'', he''d undoubtedly need to drive into the wild, so off-road capabilities were a top priority in his vehicle.


    As forfort, that was less important¡ªhe grew up riding on tractors, after all. Even if the off-roadfort is less than optimal in a vehicle worth several hundred thousand, it would still bepared to simr ss sedans, not likely worse than a tractor.


    "Then there are a lot to consider¡ªover twenty thousand, there''s a bunch like the Wing Tigers, Touareg, Subaru, and also many nice cars for thirty or forty thousand, like the Handa and Pajero. If you want practicality at around fifty or sixty thousand, you can buy a Toyota Land Cruiser. Middle Eastern tycoons drive those; add a machine gun and it can be an armored vehicle. If you want something prestigious, you could also get a BMW or Mercedes; I think the cheapest Range Rover nowadays is also around fifty or sixty thousand.


    However, since you''re asking for real off-road capability, I have two pieces of advice. First, don''t buy domestic cars¡ªat least get a joint venture one. Not that I''m unpatriotic, brother, but domestic cars have developed rapidly in recent years yet stillg significantly behind world-ss levels in core technologies like engines. Second, don''t buy city SUVs."


    "Isn''t that a city SUV?" asked Su Ming, puzzled.


    Wang Hao nodded and said, "This car is mainly for my old man; he mostly drives around the city. City SUVs just have the look of an off-road vehicle. Their off-roading ability is slightly better than sedans, but it''s impossible to take them to truly harsh terrains. Their main appeal is therger space. There''s a joking term for them, called ''grocery getter''."


    After listening to Wang Hao''s introduction, Su Ming had a rough idea, but when ites to buying a car, he still needed to see them in person. Vehicle performance was one thing, but the appearance was also important¡ªno one wants to spend money on a car they''d hate to look at.


    Luxury Car za, thergest new car marketce in Yangchuan City, hosts many brand-name 4S shops.


    Wang Hao found a parking spot and parked the car. The two got out, and Wang Hao pointed to two storefronts with silver bull logos, "Let''s start with Toyota. Hate to admit it, but the little Japanese cars are definitely world-ss."


    One GAC Toyota, one FAW Toyota.

 Chapter 41: 41 Wrangler

    In the spacious showroom of the 4S shop, seven or eight different types of demo cars were on disy, with a few scattered customers looking at vehicles alongside salespeople. Suming and Wang Hao had just entered when a lightly made-up female sales associate approached them proactively.


    "Good day, sir. May I ask what kind of vehicle you''re interested in?"


    Although she asked, she didn''t wait for Suming and his friend to respond and instead started to introduce the closestpact sedan, "You''vee at just the right time. This Vios 1.3 manual edition is currently on a special promotion, exempt from purchase tax, and the on-the-road price is just over 70,000. It has a fuel consumption under 6 liters per 100 kilometers, making it a very cost-effective choice in many aspects."


    As a salesperson, ''reading people'' is an important skill, and the sales associate, with her wealth of experience, had rmended the car she felt was most suitable for Suming and Wang Hao the instant sheid eyes on them.


    Youthful buyers generally don''t have strong purchasing power, and they don''t know too much about cars, focusing mainly on fuel efficiency and looks. They want something fuel-efficient and stylish, and this Vios meets both of these criteria, enjoying consistently good sales.


    "We are interested in looking at SUVs," Suming said.


    "Oh, right this way, please!" Although the sales associate was somewhat surprised, her smile remained unchanged, and she turned to lead Suming and Wang Hao in a different direction.


    "The Rav4 is a well-established SUV, this is the new model for 2015, the price range is from 180,000 to 270,000. Among its peers, it has ample space and a very fashionable appearance," the sales associate exined.


    "This car is in the same category as my Escape. I''ve test-driven it, and indeed, it has plenty of space but average power," Wang Hao added from the side.


    Suming thought the Rav4 looked quite attractive; its front gave off an imposing yet somewhat adorable impression.


    Most Toyota models have appealing designs, with smooth flowing lines and beautiful shapes, but as Wang Hao mentioned, like the Escape, the Rav4 is more of an urban SUV, a "grocery getter," not worth considering.


    "Shall we take a look at the others?" Suming asked.


    The sales associate smiled but didn''t immediately take them to see other models. Instead, she hinted, "Well, anything above that will be quite expensive and not in the same range as the Rav4."


    "Let''s take a look and then decide," Suming suggested.


    "Then you might consider the Prado and the Land Cruiser," she said.


    This time, the sales associate didn''t provide much of an introduction, simply leading Suming and his friend to the demo vehicles and standing nearby with a smile, saying nothing.


    Suming took a close look at the specifications and even climbed inside to experience it for himself.


    The imported Land Cruiser was indeed a fine vehicle, a full-time four-wheel drive made for off-roading, with a 4.6L engine producing over 300 horsepower, and weighing two and a half tons. It was like a small mountain parked there, intimidating in size with a surprisingly spacious interior and, notably, quitefortable.


    To be honest, Suming was somewhat tempted, but there was a problem: the price was too high. The base model alone was going for eight hundred thousand, and that was without any add-ons or booking and waiting for delivery.


    "What about the Prado? What do you think? This series ranges from 370,000 to 700,000 for the base vehicle. If you include purchase tax, insurance, and the like, the drive-away price is roughly 10% more than the list price. Compared to the Land Cruiser, the Prado looks a bit smaller, but it''s also much more spacious than most other SUVs and almost matches the Land Cruiser in performance. I would say the value for money is quite good, and it has quite a presence on the road."


    Seeing Suming seriously considering the Land Cruiser led to a subtle change in the sales associate''s demeanor. When she introduced the Prado, she was noticeably more detailed and enthusiastic than when she introduced the Land Cruiser earlier.


    The Prado''s English name is ''PRADO'', but people in Huaxiamonly refer to it as ''Domineering'', and the vehicle lives up to its name with a very assertive appearance. It''s the kind of tough vehicle that Wang Hao mentioned earlier¡ªoften seen in Huaxia''s police and military fleets and even modified with machine guns by the Middle Eastern tycoons.


    "How''s the fuel consumption?" Suming asked.


    "I can tell you are quite interested, so I''ll be frank. In the city, take the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology''s official data and multiply it by 1.3. However, it has a low consumption on the highway. With good driving habits, it''s about eleven liters per hundred kilometers," she replied.


    "What do you think?" Suming asked Wang Hao, who gave a thumbs-up and said, "The car is beyond reproach; it''s indeed a good one with decent off-road capabilities."


    The female salesperson was very experienced and could tell from their expressions that they liked the car and also had the financial capability. Seizing the moment, she said, "If you can make a decision today, by paying a fifty thousand yuan car collection procedure fee, you can sign the car contract."


    Suming was startled and looked towards Wang Hao. Isn''t it usually a deposit? What on earth is a car collection procedure fee?


    "Hey, some cars sell so well that not only do they not get discounted, but they also require an additional car collection procedure fee to get the car. You can choose not to pay extra, but then you''ll have to wait. You might not get the car for several months. It''s the same with Volkswagen''s Tiguan. For a car costing over two hundred thousand, you have to pay an additional ten to twenty thousand in collection fees," Wang Hao exined with apparent expertise.


    Suming frowned slightly, somewhat displeased. What was this? Buyer''s extortion?


    Seeing Suming hesitate, the female salesperson advised, "I think since you''ve taken a liking to it and you have a connection with this car, spending forty or fifty thousand more after already considering spending hundreds of thousands doesn''t make much of a difference. What do you say?"


    "Do I have to pay extra?" Suming asked.


    The saleswoman nodded apologetically and then said, "Let me go and ask the manager if it''s possible to pay less. However, the collection fee is definitely required; it''s an industry rule..."


    Upon hearing this, Suming waved his hand dismissively, "Forget it, let''s look some more."


    It wasn''t like this was the only good car dealership around. Although his money came easy, almost as if blown in by a strong wind, he had no intention of being fleeced. Since he was a child, he hated being coerced. Just because he liked this car, they demanded a higher price for collection; was there any difference from extortion?


    "Wait, let me discuss with the manager and try to minimize the collection fee..." The saleswoman, seeing a big sale about to slip away, hurriedly chased after them in her high heels.


    By the time she reached the doorway, Suming and Wang Hao had already entered another 4S shop.


    "There goes the deal." The saleswoman sighed dejectedly, feeling quite down.


    ...


    Suming and Wang Hao continued to browse through several 4S shops.


    At GAC Toyota, they checked out the Hignder ¡ª a good family car, but wanting in off-road capabilities and requiring an additional collection fee; the Buick Enve was powerful, but Suming didn''t like its design, and the cheaper Land Rovers seemed to be more for show than practicality; as for Mercedes and BMW, they were definitely top-notch cars. One could get one for four or five hundred thousand, but Suming felt he wasn''t quite at that level yet.


    Wang Hao, tired from following around, said, "Man, having money is its own trouble, not knowing how to spend it!"


    "That''s because it''s still not enough money. If I had a few hundred million, I''d just buy whatever I liked, and that''d be simple!" Suming joked.


    "I don''t even dream of a few hundred million; if I can make ten million in my lifetime, I''d consider it a life well-lived," Wang Hao said.


    Legitimately earning ten million is no small feat for anyone, but for Suming who had never taken ten million all that seriously, if he didn''t earn it in his lifetime with his animal friends'' abilities, he might as well be dead.


    As they talked, they arrived at the east end of the luxury car za, in front of a modest-looking 4S shop.


    The shop was quiet, without a single customer. There was only a young male salesperson sitting to one side with his leg casually propped up, smoking away,pletely nonchnt. Seeing customersing in, he didn''t bother to get up to greet them and simply shouted from afar, "Feel free to look around..."


    Suming was here to buy a car, not to make friends with salespeople, so their enthusiasm, orck of it, didn''t matter. He headed straight for the disy area.


    His eyes lit up when he saw the Jeep Wrangler on disy.


    "Damn, how did I forget? When ites to off-roading, of course, it''s got to be Jeep!"

 Chapter 42: 42: The Tough Guy and the Chuunibyou

    Jeep can be said to be one of the first off-road vehicles that Huaxia people came in contact with, to the extent that for a while, ''Jeep'' was synonymous with off-road vehicles.


    This four-wheel drive vehicle made by the American Chrysler Jeep, because of its stable performance, powerful engine, adaptability, and especially its tough and durable nature, was not only quite famous in the civilian field but was also widely used in the military. During World War II, Jeeps nearly became the exclusive vehicle of choice for generals.


    Suming''s generation grew up watching many World War II, Anti-Japanese War, and Liberation War movies, in which no matter which side''s officers appeared on the battlefield, they were definitely riding in a Jeep.


    Next to a troop marching through a sandstorm, a military green Jeep would speed by with two soldiers in the back carrying carbines, and the general sitting in the passenger seat wearing sunsses, nting a cigar in his mouth¡ªthis was simply the most iconic image.


    The Jeep Wrangler before his eyes featured straight and strong lines, exuding a powerful, masculine aura.


    The original model of the Wrangler was precisely that kind of Jeep often used by American soldiers in World War II. After decades of constant model changes and upgrades, it had significantlyrger space, improved maneuverability and adaptability, and its off-road capability only improved. Featuring adder-frame construction with solid front and rear axles and non-independent suspension, and locks for the front, center, and rear differentials, it was the unequivocal choice for a hardcore off-roader. Paired with a reliable engine, no matter how harsh the surrounding environment, it could instill confidence in anyone.


    "How could I have forgotten about it!" Wang Hao pped his forehead and said, "Speaking of off-roading, those cars we saw earlier are just toyspared to this fe!"


    "The Grand Cherokee is also not bad," the male salesperson finally finished his cigarette and meandered back, butting in to add his rmendation.


    Not far from the Wrangler was a Grand Cherokee, which inparison, wasrger and carried a somewhat stronger business-like ambiance.


    If the Wrangler was a lone swordsman wandering the world, then the Grand Cherokee was like the head of arge sect. Although both were strong, the Wrangler was more about showcasing individuality, while the Cherokee was moreposed and restrained.


    In a Xiangjiang movie called ''Blind Detective'', the female police officer yed by Sammi Cheng drove a Grand Cherokee, which was quite domineering.


    "If your requirement forfort and business suitability is higher than off-roading capability, I personally rmend the Grand Cherokee. Its interior and features are much stronger than the Wrangler''s. On the other hand, when ites to off-road performance, it''s the opposite. Hey, you could directly take it mountain climbing with no problem, and the Wrangler is fully mechanical, while the Grand Cherokee is equipped with a lot of electronic gadgets. To put it in off-roaders'' terms: mechanical means a guarantee of safety," the male salesperson continued.


    "Is electronic really safer than mechanical?" Suming asked Wang Hao.


    Wang Hao nodded, "Of course, electronics rely on circuits, which can easily malfunction if they get wet. Mechanical systems are different¡ªunless they rust through. For example, if a car falls into a river, the electronic controls for the door and windows would fail, and the passengers could easily get trapped and suffocate inside. That wouldn''t happen with mechanical controls."


    "I see," Suming was encountering this information for the first time. Before, he had thought those who drowned were silly, wondering why they didn''t just open the doors and windows to escape.


    "How about it, want to take it for a test drive?" the male salesperson didn''t ask if Suming could afford it but asked directly instead.


    "Let''s try it!" Suming didn''t hesitate and followed the salesperson out of the hall, hopping into a test drive vehicle.


    He had learned to drive with a manual transmission, and although it had been a while since he had driven, he still knew how. The Wrangler before him had an automatic transmission, which was even simpler to operate, pretty much like driving a bumper boat or bumper car.


    Suming rested his right foot on the elerator, gently giving it gas. As he started off, he immediately felt a strong sense of pushback.


    Only someone with a death wish would floor the elerator in the city. Moreover, the power of this 3.6L hardcore off-road vehicle was not to be underestimated; most of the time, there was simply no need to press the pedal to the floor.


    This vehicle, born purely for off-roading, was indeed a rare sight in the city. The Wrangler took to the test drive route around the 4S dealership, and along the way, it attracted plenty of attention. Continually, drivers passing by would roll down their windows to get a look at the Wrangler.


    Whirr¡­ A vigorous engine noise heralded the approach, as an Audi A6 arrogantly sped past the Wrangler.


    "Damn it, Su, chase after that mother****er!" Wang Hao was livid.


    Suming just chuckled, knowing full well that anger was a driver''s worst enemy, especially for a novice. Besides, different cars served different purposes, and the Wrangler wasn''t made for drag racing.


    "Idiot, just ignore him." The male salesperson flipped the bird through the open roof of the Wrangler, whistled, and said, "If this were off-road, he wouldn''t stand a chance at catching even our exhaust!"


    Suming looked at the salesperson with unexpected admiration; he had been car shopping all day and all the salespeople he met were well-trained and very polite. This carefree attitude was rare indeed.


    The salesperson just grinned: "I''m just a temp here to pass the time."


    Suming: "..."


    Wang Hao: ...


    After a test drive, Suming also gave the Grand Cherokee a try. Thefort of the Grand Cherokee was indeed far superior to the Wrangler. The suspension on the Wrangler was rather stiff, making for a bumpy ride.


    "So, what do you think? Are you sure?" Wang Hao pulled Suming aside to discuss.


    "The Wrangler!" Suming replied without hesitation. It was like choosing a partner¡ªif the eyes agreed, nothing else mattered.


    In the end, they chose a 3.6L four-door version of the Wrangler. There were no discounts or additional fees for the car pick-up procedure; it was all quite standard. Including purchase tax, insurance, and registration fees, the drive-away price was just shy of 600,000 RMB.


    The salesman conjured a CD and slipped it into the Wrangler''s console like magic.


    "This CD, I''m giving it to you personally, it''s a perfect match for this car."


    Other features of the Wrangler were quite ordinary, but the sound system was exceptional. As the salesman pressed y, a song filled with the raspy texture of bygone eras began to y.


    "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away¡­"


    Old soldiers never die; they merely fade away.


    "This song is called ''Old Soldiers Never Die,'' and it was widely popr among the Allied forces during World War II. Apanying the Allied warriors through battlefield sweeps was the ''ancestor'' of this Wrangler. A war correspondent at the time described Jeeps this way: Without it, I don''t think we could''ve won the war. It could do anything, including carrying twice its designated load, go anywhere¡ªas in chase through the deserts of Africa for tens of thousands of kilometers. It''s as loyal as a dog, as strong as a mule, and as agile as a goat."


    The salesman''s eyes carried depth: "Honestly, I''m quite envious that you can own such a car¡ªa true man''s ride."


    Before Suming could respond, Wang Hao tugged at Suming''s sleeve, leaned in, and whispered in his ear.


    "Let''s get out of here quick, this guy''s got a serious case of chuunibyou."

 Chapter 43: 43 Shuijun Lake

    The male salesperson might have had "second year middle school syndrome," he might not have¡ªit didn''t really matter. What mattered was that Suming indeed liked the Wrangler a lot and paid for it the same day. He went to the DMV to pick a license te and received a temporary te.


    "Damn, how are we going to handle two cars?" Wang Hao looked at his Wolfsburg Edition Tiguan and then at Suming''s Wrangler.


    With the two cars parked side by side, the Tiguan, which could usually hold its own in terms of appearance, paled inparison to the very individualistic Wrangler and waspletely turned into just another car.


    "Each drive our own car, each return to our own home, each find our own mother," Suming said, as if it were obvious.


    "No way! Today I have to properly take your car for a spin. Otherwise, I definitely won''t be able to sleep tonight, feeling all unbnced. I''ll leave my Tiguan here ande get it tomorrow."


    Without further ado, Wang Hao hopped into the driver''s seat of the Wrangler. Suming just smiled and said nothing, sitting down in the passenger seat.


    As soon as the seatbelt was clicked on and the seat pushed back, the Wrangler surged forward like a wild horse that had broken free of its reins.


    Before long, Suming began to regret letting Mr. Wang drive; whenever they passed a pretty girl, the guy would deliberately slow down, drive past her, and then very sassily blow a kiss.


    "I think you should seriously find a girlfriend," Suming said.


    Wang Hao solemnly replied, "I think, man, I should seriously buy a nice car!"


    ¡­


    Wang Hao first drove home, and then Suming moved to the driver''s seat and leisurely drove back to the animal zoo.


    Arriving at the zoo in a Jeep caused a stir, neither huge nor small.


    The younger staff thought that since Suming was so rich, why didn''t he buy a Mercedes-Benz or BMW. The older folks though, were all thumbs up about it.


    After getting back to the park, he purposely drove around Shuijun Lake.


    Shuijun Lake had willows shading its banks and a pebble-covered track running alongside it. Every few dozen meters there was a long bench, creating a rather nice environment.


    However, circling theke, he found hardly any tourists; therge man-madeke seemed deserted and chilly.


    Whisperwind Pavilion stood by theke. Its architectural style leaned towards that of the Han and Tang dynasties, and it was six stories tall, about thirty meters high. The ground level had a hundred square meters or so of space selling souvenirs and such, while the top level was off-limits to visitors for safety reasons. The remaining four floors disyed wood carvings for which people could buy tickets to see.


    When Suming arrived, it was three o''clock in the afternoon, but not a single tourist was in Whisperwind Pavilion. Zhou, responsible for selling souvenirs, was dozing off on the counter, and only raised his head when he heard the sound of a car outside.


    "Yo, Su! My goodness, that''s a ssy ride. Back in the day, only big bosses and generals could ride in something like that. Did you buy it?" Zhou came out with a cheerful grin.


    "At most, I''m just a little security guard, haha." Suming chuckled and then handed over a cigarette, asking, "Mr. Zhou, is this ce usually so empty?"


    Mr. Zhou looked at the ''Zhonghua'' brand on the cigarette, didn''t smoke it, but clipped it to his ear, and said with a wry smile, "Whoes here? These souvenirs are all fakes and they''re sold at killer prices. They''re charging fifteen yuan for a ticket just to see a few pieces of junk wood upstairs, as if people are fools. As for Shuijun Lake, it used to be that people woulde here to row boats. Later, a boss took over to breed fish and stopped renting boats. As a result, the fish farming failed because the water quality was said to be too poor."


    After chatting with Mr. Zhou and getting an idea of the situation with Shuijun Lake, Suming gave him half a pack of ''Zhonghua'' and then went to the edge of Shuijun Lake to do some on-site inspection.


    As the saying goes, "To raise fish, first raise water; good water raises good fish." In fact, not just for fish farming, water quality is extremely important for most aquatic life. When the water is good, fish and shrimp grow quickly and have excellent meat quality, whereas otherwise, even surviving can be difficult.


    The more valuable the aquaculture product, the higher the water quality it requires, and freshwater fish are no exception. Since Suming had taken on the contract for Shuijun Lake, of course, he also wanted to try his hand at aquaculture.


    As he walked around theke, he found most of the water was a pale green with poor transparency; some corners of theke were even slightly reddish, apanied by a faint stench.


    Shuijun Lake is a man-madeke with no flowing water. Over the decades, without effective management measures, it gradually became a stagnant pool. Such water quality supports only creatures like crayfish and loaches, or catfish¡ªthey aren''t picky about cleanliness and love to consume waste and carrion.


    Not long ago, a newspaper published a news story: a famous grilled fish restaurant had been using bighead carp that were raised on leftover restaurant food, the feeding scene was disgusting, and the entire pond stank.


    This report caused quite a stir, and even the grilled fish restaurant was forced to close down.


    Actually, it''s precisely because they eat this stuff that bighead carp grow well and fast.


    However, Suming had no ns to farm bigheads or catfish on arge scale; not to mention how profitable it would be, if he turned a perfectly good man-madeke into a stinking dump, Mr. Song would be the first to have issues with him.


    Though he wasn''t going to farm catfish, they could still be put to good use. He drove out to get some and along with alligator snapping turtles, putting them in theke to carefully search the waters.


    The two hard workers roamed the man-madeke all night without uncovering anything unusual.


    Theke was teeming with fish but only a smattering of ornamental ones; in contrast, there was an abundance of loaches, eels, small crabs, and crayfish, providing a feast for the snapping turtle and catfish.


    "Bighead, you stay here. Snapping turtle, you go back to your guard duty at the pavilion!"


    The bighead catfish was overjoyed, diving into the water and pping its tail contentedly, while the snapping turtle gaped halfway, staring nkly at Suming, looking almost sullen.


    Water quality didn''t matter to these two; Shuijun Lake had far more space than the pavilion, and theke was full of tasty treats, so naturally, it was much more enjoyable than the smaller one.


    "Oh,e on, if what you say goes, then what do we need me as the boss for!" Suming couldn''t be bothered with it.


    After returning, Suming took out the honeb he had brewed a few days before. It had fermented nicely by now and when mixed with vinegar, it had a sour-sweet taste.


    "Hey, Nangong the great reporter, what are you up to?" he texted Nangong Yan.


    Soon after, Nangong Yan promptly called back, "Are you free tomorrow? If you''re not busy, let''s hang out."


    "Wow, your TV station is so busy, why do you have time off tomorrow with no holidays or anything?"


    "Didn''t I tell youst time I''ve been getting lots of aely? It''s been getting worse over the days, and make-up can''t cover it anymore. The director told me to take some time off and stay off camera for now," Nangong Yan shared, sounding downcast.


    "Well, that''s perfect. Tomorrow I n to visit Huating Reservoir to check out aquaculture possibilities;e and have some fun," Suming said.


    "Farm what? Do you even know how to do aquaculture?" Nangong Yan asked, curious.


    "That''s just it; I don''t know what to farm, nor do I know how. That''s why I need to do a reconnaissance of the reservoir. Also, to rx a bit, I''m nning a barbecue; after the survey, we can go grill some meat by the reservoir!" Suming exined.


    "Great! Just the two of us," Nangong Yan said.

 Chapter 44: 44 I Suspect You Are Gay

    ```


    Huating Reservoir was more than a dozen kilometers away from Yangchuan City District, right beside the city zoo. A twenty-minute walk from the zoo was all it took to reach the reservoir, surrounded by mountains and clear waters, making it a popr destination for citizens to visit with their families during weekends.


    After Suming acquired Shuijun Lake, he indeed had ns to raise fish there. Such argeke couldn''t be left unused, and other than aquaculture, there weren''t any other viable projects.


    Every profession has its own expertise, and Suming was an amateur in fish farming. He didn''t understand anything about fry, feed, feeding, disease prevention, sales, etc.


    Besides engaging in biological research, Suming was a novice in all other matters. Many college graduates find themselves in a simr plight after graduation; their field of study doesn''t align with their actual job.


    But there''s still that old saying, ignorance isn''t scary,ck of dedication is. Paths in life must be carved by oneself; providence won''t arrange everything for you to simply grasp. Life is a process of continuous learning and progress.


    A portion of the eastern side of Huating Reservoir was contracted out to a fishingpany, dedicated to fish farming. Rumor had it that their business was extremely profitable, bringing in tens of millions in revenue each year. Suming contemted seeking advice and learning from their experience.


    The fish farming business in the reservoir was quite extensive, almost monopolizing the freshwater fish market in half of Yangchuan. It was not on the same scale as the modest Shuijun Lake, and there were no fundamental conflicts between the two.


    Early in the morning, he bought two Chinese sturgeons and two bottles of Wuliangye. He also prepared some barbecue equipment to put in his car and headed towards the Nangong Family.


    ...


    At the entrance of Guanghua Residential Area, Nangong Yan was dressed in a loose tracksuit, her hair tied into a short ponytail, making her look neat and tidy.


    However, at that moment, she was furiously yelling into her phone.


    "Don''t you have any sense of time? Even driving, you''re an hourte; I''m done with you!"


    Suming was wronged. He had never driven before and was unfamiliar with the road conditions; who knew that the city would be congested early in the morning.


    "Hurry up, you''re driving me crazy!"


    "Okay, I see you now. I''ll just make a U-turn and be right there," he said.


    Nangong Yan had just hung up the phone when a brand-new BMW 320 zipped from the roadside, its body swaying slightly as it stopped in front of her.


    Nangong Yan was startled; hadn''t he said he wasing in a Jeep Wrangler?


    The BMW''s window slowly rolled down, revealing a handsome face. It was then that Nangong Yan realized it wasn''t Suming inside, but Huang Fei, the host of another program at the television station.


    Huang Fei had joined the TV station a few years before Nangong Yan. With a good family background and an attractive appearance, he had made a name for himself on TV as one of the more famous hosts in Yangchuan City.


    As Huang Fei was her senior in the industry, Nangong Yan was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the BMW. Still, she managed a polite smile and asked, "Hello, Brother Huang, what brings you here?"


    Huang Fei shrugged his shoulders, rested his arm on the car window, and trying to look suave, flicked his hair, "I happen to be free today, care to join me for lunch?"


    Entering the workforce inevitably involves necessary social interactions. The key is to hold on to one''s sense of judgment. Nangong Yan also came from a decent family, and although she didn''t fear Huang Fei, there wasn''t any need to offend him without cause. However, she had already agreed to meet with Suming and could only apologize with a smile, saying, "I''m really sorry, I have made ns with a friend."


    "Oh... is that so..."


    Although Huang Fei''s face still wore a smile, he then casually broached a seemingly unrted topic, "We''ve had some neers in your program recently. You''ve been off-screen for a while now; should I mention something to your director? Just to be sure these neers don''t take your ce."


    ```


    Nangong Yan listened to his words, and the smile on her face disappeared in an instant, herplexion turning somber as she spoke with a stern face, "Huang Fei, whether or not I can be on camera has nothing to do with you, and you can''t decide my future. If there''s nothing else, you can leave."


    After she finished speaking, she no longer looked at Huang Fei, turning her gaze elsewhere.


    Huang Fei felt a bit awkward, his face changing slightly as he forced a chuckle, just about to say something to lighten the mood.


    Suddenly, an outrageously styled off-road vehicle barreled from a distance, sticking close as it zoomed past the BMW, and with a swoosh, it stopped with precision in front of the BMW.


    The petite 320 behind the Wrangler was like a dainty littledy next to a brawny, muscr man ¨C not a hint of presence to speak of. Even in terms of lineage, the BMW waspletely dominated by the imported Jeep.


    Huang Fei was so frightened he nearly wet himself, his face turning ashen. When the Wrangler had zoomed past the BMW so closely, the slightest miscalction could have ended with the off-road beast rolling right over the top of the BMW.


    Staring at the off-road vehicle ahead for a good while, he finally roared, "Damn it, how the hell do you drive..."


    The door of the Wrangler opened, and Suming poked half his body out from the driver''s seat, looked back at Huang Fei, and asked, "What''s up?"


    Huang Fei, who was quite scared, stammered a bit. Suming shook his head, puzzled, and muttered, "Crazy." Then, turning to the stunned Nangong Yan at the side, he snapped his fingers, "Get in the car!"


    "Oh... oh, okay..." Still in a daze, Nangong Yan climbed into the backseat of the Wrangler.


    Suming stepped on the gas, and the Wrangler belched a puff of smoke, roaring off, leaving Huang Fei dazed in his car.


    After Nangong Yan got in the car, she looked at Suming, who was focused on driving, and suddenlyughed, saying, "You''re pretty fired up today, driving this off-road vehicle, even you''ve be fierce. What did they do to you?"


    Suming turned slightly, casually pulled out the seatbelt from the passenger side for Nangong Yan, then sat back upright and said, "I just wanted to teach him not to park randomly, otherwise he might end up getting crushed by an off-road vehicle."


    "Oh? I thought you were jealous," Nangong Yan said, twirling a lock of her hair.


    "What''s there to be jealous of without dumplings?"


    Sumingughed as well, "Seriously though, that guy didn''t really have any dishonorable intentions toward you, did he?"


    Nangong Yan snorted with a pout, muttering, "Cut it out, is that so strange? I''m so pretty that aside from you, it seems a lot of men have dishonorable intentions towards me."


    "If I''m getting in the way of something good for you, should I take you back?" Suming teased, pretending to test the waters.


    Suddenly, Nangong Yan leaned in, squinted her phoenix eyes, and scrutinized Suming for a good while before saying out of the blue, "I''ve always been curious if you''re gay?"


    "I do actually know a gay person," Suming suddenly thought of Luo Ben from the auction house.


    "Cut it out, I suspect you''re the gay one!"


    Nangong Yan sat back in her seat, "As for that guy, I don''t think much of him at all, just a yboy."


    Suming didn''t need to worry about Nangong Yan; her dad was the leader of the criminal police brigade of the city''s Public Security Bureau. It was all right for men to pursue Nangong Yan normally, but if anyone dared to harbour ulterior motives, her dad would surely swallow them whole.


    He reached behind the seat to pull out arge stic bucket, deliberately changing the subject, "I brought this for you, remember to take it home after we get back."

 Chapter 45: 45 Its none of my business

    Nangong Yan looked back at the stic bucket and asked, "What''s that?"


    "A beehive soaked in vinegar. Didn''t you sayst time that your e was too severe to appear on camera? If you drink a small cup of this every morning and evening, I guarantee that within a week, your e will bepletely gone."


    She widened her eyes, "Really? I''ve tried several medicines and none worked. Can this beehive thing be so powerful, working within a week?"


    Suming confirmed firmly, "It''s normal for a 21 or 22-year-old to have e, it''s just puberty. Taking medicine could actually disrupt your body''s functions. From now on, don''t take medicine, just drink this. It''spletely natural, and I assure you that in a week you''ll get back a face that''s loved by everyone and makes flowers bloom."


    Soaking a beehive in vinegar to clear heat and detoxify was actually a remedy my dad taught my mom. Back in our hometown when the young women had e problems, they would seek my mom''s help, and there would be noticeable effects within two or three days.


    Gazing into the rearview mirror, Nangong Yan squeezed a small emerging pimple on her chin and said, "Alright, I''ll listen to you and stop taking medicine for now. But I have to be on camera next week, and if the e isn''t gone by then, you''re dead meat!"


    "Big sister, we''ve known each other for several years now and you scare me like this every time. If I were supposed to die, I would''ve died hundreds of times by now. Can''t you change up your lines next time?" Suming said with augh.


    "I''ll do as I please, none of your business."


    After driving out of the city, the road became increasingly narrow, and Suming simply turned the steering wheel, taking the car off the main road and plunging into the wilderness.


    The Wrangler''s off-road capabilities are not for show. Slopes less than thirty degrees were crossed effortlessly, and it easily sshed through small streams, about half a meter deep with pebbles underneath, to the envy of sedan owners watching from the distance.


    In the end, she decided to follow the road along the reservoir''s edge. The bumpy ride whitened Nangong Yan''s little face, as she clutched the frame tightly.


    Speaking strictly from afort perspective, off-road vehicles are certainly not asfortable as sedans of the same ss, especially the Wrangler, which has a ssic rugged style and is far fromfortable.


    But then again, if you switched to a sedan, even a million-dor one, it wouldn''t be able to drive straight to the reservoir''s edge; you''d have to park on the side of the road a few kilometers away and walk over.


    Fortunately, the road became much smoother once they reached the side of the reservoir, mostly grassy and t.


    Nangong Yan''s attention was soon captured by the distant view: the boundless reservoir surface shimmered, with water birds asionally flying out from the reed beds, gliding over the water, thennding on a shallow bank not far away to groom their feathers or search for food among the aquatic nts at their feet.


    "So beautiful!" Nangong Yan leaned back in her seat, somewhat mesmerized by the scenery before her.


    Yet Suming, inappropriately, thought to himself whether those water birds would taste good if grilled.


    While he was friends with animals, he wasn''t a vegetarian, after all. The food chain is a basic naturalw, and he only made it a point not to eat animals he knew personally.


    Before long, a narrow concrete road appeared in front of them. They followed it for a few hundred meters and arrived in front of a three-story vi.


    The vi was the kind built on residentialnd in the countryside, surrounded by red walls over three meters high, with two stone lions crouching on either side of the big iron gates.


    A sign hung on the gate: Huating Fisheries Company.


    Before Suming could get out of the car, a burst of barking came from the yard behind the gate.


    "Anybody home?" Suming knocked on the iron gate.


    The gate cracked open, and a bald man with a ''Nin'' character tattooed on his arm and no shirt on, holding two wolf dogs, asked impatiently, "What do you want?"


    "Oh, I''m from Yangchuan City Zoo, we''re looking to start fish farming and wanted to seek some advice from your boss¡­" Suming exined his purpose to the young man.


    The bald man frowned and was about to shut the door, but after Suming showed his zoo employee ID, he resisted his impatience and let Suming finish.


    "You wait here, I''ll go ask the boss."


    The bald man mmed the big iron door shut, turned and went upstairs, then came back down in just a couple of minutes.


    "Mr. Zhou, it''s them!" Apanying him was a dark-skinned and lean man, the owner of Huating Fisheries Company, Mr. Zhou.


    Mr. Zhou looked at Suming expressionlessly, then at the gift he was holding, and said coldly, "I have nothing to do with your zoo. If you want to farm fish, that''s your business, not mine. But I warn you, if I find out you''ve got designs on my reservoir, you''ll be in trouble."


    After speaking, he turned and left.


    "Let''s go!" The bald man waved his hand as if shooing away flies and mmed the door shut.


    Given Mr. Zhou''s attitude, it was impossible to get any fish farming advice from him.


    However, Suming wasn''t in a hurry; without the butcher, would he have to eat hairy pigs? There were plenty of people who knew how to farm fish, not just him. Relying on his "animal friends," Suming didn''t believe he couldn''t raise good fish.


    Aftering into contact with spiritual power several times, the bighead catfish became more active and started to eat and swim more robustly. In just a month, they had noticeably increased in size.


    "What an attitude, as if hiring a few paroled ex-convicts to watch the fish pond makes him the mob!" Nangong Yan''s dad was a detective, and she was the least afraid of these types of people.


    "Forget it, if they don''t want to help, then let''s just have a barbecue!"


    Suming started the Wrangler again and found a spot of grass near the water by the reservoir. Heid out a stic sheet on the ground and moved the barbecue grill from the car.


    The barbecue grill was bought online: an adjustable iron frame with a set of iron skewers, tes, and other tools, along with two kilograms of charcoal, all for two hundred and twenty yuan.


    He piled the charcoal like a pyramid and then used solid alcohol to light it. Suming ced the meatden iron skewers on the grill and rapidly flipped them back and forth.


    Before long, the meat skewers started to sizzle lightly, with asional droplets of oil falling onto the charcoal below, turning the red meat into a uniform light golden color.


    "You''re pretty skilled at this, do you barbecue often?" Nangong Yan looked at Suming''s deft handling and asked curiously.


    "This is nothing, just wait and see," Suming said, focused on the changing colors of the meat. He picked up a seasoning bottle from the grill and evenly sprinkled the seasoning on the skewers.


    Nangong Yan took a sniff from the sidelines and her eyes lit up, "This smells amazing! What seasoning are you using?"


    Suming shook the little tin bottle that held the seasoning and replied, "It''s a recipe from my dad, mainly cumin and pepper salt, along with some aromatic Chinese herbs."


    Back when his dad was alive, he mainly worked in the field, and he''d spend half the year cooking outdoors. Over time, he developed a good cooking skill, especially in barbecuing and other campfire cooking techniques¡ªhe was simply first-rate!


    Soon the first batch of skewers was ready, and Suming handed one to Nangong Yan with a flourish, "Dig in!"

 Chapter 46: 46 Really Brave!

    Nangong Yan was about to take a bite of her skewer when she heard Suming say "start munching," and the skewer halted at her lips. She red at Suming, "******, all you think about is munching, munch your head..."


    Suming continued to ce raw meat on the fire as he nonchntlyughed without raising his head, "Munch what head?"


    Nangong Yan was stunned for a moment before she caught on, and her face flushed red all at once.


    "...I can''t be bothered with you... I''ll eat first, and if it''s not delicious, you''re dead meat!"


    She delicately took a small bite of the skewer, chewing a few times.


    "How is it?" Suming asked.


    "Wow, it really tastes amazing, quite different from the street-stall vor! You truly are husband material, capable in both the hall and the kitchen!"


    While talking, Nangong Yan pouted and blew on the still-steaming skewer, fanning it with her hand. Without waiting for it to cool, she stuffed the remaining half skewer into her mouth, which instantly puffed up filled to the brim.


    "Barbecue res up e, you have a face full of pimples, eat less!"


    "Never mind that, don''t I have your honey vinegar? Anyway, if the pimples don''t go away, you''re dead meat!"


    Suming: "..."


    Nangong Yan kept talking nonstop, yet her eating pace astonishingly didn''t slow down. The second batch of skewers was still cooking, and the first batch of a dozen had already disappeared from her hand; Suming''s barbecuing couldn''t keep up with her eating.


    "Slow down, sis, I haven''t even had a bite yet!"


    Suming looked up and nced over at an old man fishing in the distance, and then turned to Nangong Yan, "I''m going to ask that old man if he''s caught any fish, buy a couple to grill and eat."


    It''smon to find people fishing by the reservoir, but due to the reservoir''s vastness, if luck wasn''t on their side, they might not catch a single fish all day long. However, with good luck, they could catch up to several kilos or even tens of kilos of big fish.


    The skewers weren''t filling enough; even after grilling for so long, they were hardly enough for Nangong Yan. Compared to that, fish were much better; a fish weighing one or two kilos would probably satiate Nangong Yan.


    "You go ahead, I''ll do the grilling!" Nangong Yan waved her hand and stood in front of the barbecue grill.


    Suming wiped his hands on his apron and headed towards the fishing old man.


    He hadn''t gone far when several barks echoed in the distance. A few young men, armed with sticks and bats, ran towards the fishing old man from afar along theke.


    Leading them was a man holding two big wolfhounds, the tattooed bald guy Suming had seen at the fisherypany.


    "Who gave you the permission to fish here!" the bald guy bellowed from a distance.


    The old man jolted in fright, hurriedly reeling in his fishing line and grabbing his stool to run.


    The bald man let go, and the two wolfhounds dashed forward, quickly catching up with the old man and trapping him front and back, barking and growling menacingly at him.


    The old man, fearing the dogs might bite him, crouched on the ground, too scared to run any further.


    At this point, the bald man caught up from behind, snatched the old man''s fishing rod, and sharply snapped it over his knee into two pieces, casually tossing it aside. He then fiercely asked, "The reservoir is leased by my boss. Who allowed you to fish in the reservoir?"


    The old man looked at his broken fishing rod with distress but dared not say anything. Instead, he pleaded, "I''m so sorry, big brothers, I really didn''t know the reservoir was leased. I haven''t caught any fish, and my rod is already broken. I won''te back anymore, isn''t that enough..."


    A sleazy-looking young man kicked the old man, "Bullshit, just because you say you didn''t catch anything means you didn''t catch anything?"


    After being kicked to the ground, the old man didn''t resist, instead showing his empty fish basket, "Big brothers, look, I really didn''t catch any fish."


    "I don''t care whether you caught anything. Pay the fine, five hundred bucks!" the bald man impatiently said.


    "Big brother, I only have a few bucks on me for the bus fare, I really don''t have¡­"


    The bald man raised a steel pipe and menacingly swung it in front of the old man, viciously saying, "Stop wasting words. Either pay up or I''ll break one of your legs! Your choice!"


    He was wielding a steel pipe to intimidate the old man when he spotted a young man looking over from a distance. He turned around, raised the pipe in his hand to point, and bellowed at Suming, "What are you looking at? It''s none of your business, scram!"


    Suming wasn''t one to meddle in other people''s affairs; under normal circumstances, he wouldn''t get involved.


    These thugs were hired by the fisheriespany to watch over the fish pond, specifically to prevent anyone from stealing or fishing. Driving the old man away was within reason, even if their methods were somewhat excessive. Without showing a bit of ferocity, people wouldn''t be intimidated, and the fish in the reservoir would''ve been pilfered long ago.


    However, this bald guy repeatedly cursed at people to their face, which definitely irked Suming. Anyone else would have been enraged in his shoes.


    As the distance closed, the bald man recognized Suming and red at him, "Hey, it''s you. So what, are you nning to step in?"


    Suming ignored him, squinted his eyes to survey the water area where the old man was fishing, and then said, "I remember you guys leased the eastern area of the reservoir. The old man is fishing here; it doesn''t seem to concern you."


    The bald man''s face twisted with malice as he asked in a sinister tone, "I''m just asking you, are you intending to meddle in this?"


    With that, several thugs quickly circled up, ring at Suming with ill intent.


    Two wolfdogs, spurred on by their owner, also shifted their focus, their blood-red eyes fixating on Suming. Their sharp teeth bared from the corners of their mouths as they let out low growls, looking ready to pounce.


    Suming nced at the two wolfdogs and, without a change in expression, released his spiritual power. As soon as the dogs came into contact with the spiritual power, they immediately became much more docile, sitting down on the spot. Their eyes softened, and they stuck out their long tongues, panting heavily at Suming with a haha sound, even wagging their tails.


    The bald man looked at the two wolfdogs in befuddlement, somewhat at a loss. These two dogs were usually fed live chickens and ducks, known for their ferocity and had bitten people who came to fish or steal fish more than once. Why had they be so docile today?


    Suming bent down to pick up a broken fishing rod from the ground, then continued, "You are supposed to guard the fish pond. It''s one thing to drive people away, but what right do you have to break someone else''s fishing rod? And when you fine people, do you provide a receipt?"


    "I can tell, you came looking for trouble today! You want a receipt, right? I''ll give you a receipt!"


    The bald man raised the steel pipe and swung it down towards Suming''s shoulder while bellowing, "Hit him!"


    The thugs were just about to make a move when they witnessed a scene that left them stupefied.


    The meddling kid, seeing that they were about to attack, surprisingly turned around and bolted without hesitation!


    "Fuck! Trying to run! Hei, Erhei, go!"


    Upon hearing their owner''smand, the two wolfdogs sat foolishly in ce, shaking their heads at the bald man, then looking at the fleeing Suming, their tongues hanging out as they panted, but they refused to get up and give chase.


    The wolfdogs were raised by the fisheriespany and, although they were intimidated by Suming''s spiritual power and wouldn''t attack him, Suming''s current strength wasn''t enough to make the dogs turn on their owner. So the wolfdogs were feeling quite lost, unsure of whose side to take.


    "Damn it, this is insane!"


    The bald man cursed and led his men to chase after Suming himself.


    The path along the riverbank was rough. These thugs often brawled and were physically fit. It didn''t take long for them to almost catch up with Suming.


    From afar, Nangong Yi had already taken out his phone, prepared to call the police.


    Before he could make the call, a buzzing sound suddenly arose from nearby, and a ''ck cloud'' floated out from the woods, flying towards the direction of Suming and the bald man.


    "What is that... Fuck! Wasps! Watch out!"


    The bald man got a big scare, knowing as tough as he was, he dare not challenge a swarm of wasps, so he abruptly halted his chase.


    Seeing the waspsing, Suming also stopped running, turned around, and gave the bald man a peculiar smile. He then slowlyy down on the ground, covering his head with his hands and staying motionless as if terrified of attracting the attention of the wasp swarm.


    Once prone, Suming looked up at the bald man with seemingly good intentions, blinked admiringly, shed a thumbs-up, and shouted, "The wasps are here, and you''re not hiding? That''s gutsy!"


    The bald man was taken aback, musing that he had seen many fools but never one like this. Did he think by lying down and covering his head, he''d be invisible to the wasps?


    No sooner had the thought passed than, as if to prove the simplest principle: ''if you don''t dodge, wasps will sting you,'' the swarm of wasps, initially hovering between the two groups, suddenly swarmed towards the bald man and his men.

 Chapter 47: 47 How Many Years to Wait?

    ```


    After the wasps appeared, the situation suddenly reversed. The bald men, who were chasing Suming with steel pipes, couldn''t care about Suming and the fine anymore, as they were frantically chased by the wasps.


    The two wolfdogs squatted on the side, looking bewildered as they watched the bald men screaming and running past them, followed by arge swarm of dark objects.


    The wasps quickly caught up with the bald men. On the distant riverbank, there were constant wails and howls of misery. The bald man who had been leading the charge was the first to suffer, being stung several times on his bald head, which swelled withrge welts, making him look like a descending Buddha from afar.


    Under Suming''s deliberate control, the wasps stung the men in non-lethal areas. Although the venom released wasn''t deadly, it was enough to give them an unforgettable lesson.


    In the blink of an eye, the ruffians were stripped of their defenses and had fled without a trace.


    The two wolfdogs, realizing their master had disappeared, looked at each other and then stood up, trotting over to Suming, wagging their tails and sticking out their tongues to lick Suming''s face.


    "Stop licking, that''s all slobber, pretty disgusting."


    Suming rubbed the wolfdogs'' chins, got up from the ground, dusted the mud off his body, and showed Nangong Yan a grin, "A bunch of idiots, they don''t even know to hide when they see wasps, with that intelligence, they can only be thugs."


    "Are you okay?"


    Nangong Yan circled around Suming, inspecting him to make sure he hadn''t been stung by the wasps, then she pulled out a pack of tissues, took one out, and handed it to Suming to wipe his face.


    Suming acted as if nothing had happened, casually holding the leads of the two wolfdogs in his hands.


    "Hey, you''re not thinking of..." Nangong Yan''s eyes widened as she looked at the two wolfdogs.


    "If they want to follow me, what can I do? I''m actually in need of some guard dogs."


    Suming shrugged, squatted down, and seriously asked the wolfdogs, "I''m asking you, are you following me willingly?"


    The two wolfdogs'' tongues hung out long, panting with big huffs of breath.


    "Oh my... you really are the king of beasts!" Nangong Yan said, exasperated.


    The old man who had been fishing, still shaken up, interjected, "You two, better leave quickly. If theye back with more people, we won''t be able to get away!"


    They had left with two people, but returned with three, plus tworge wolfdogs.


    The Wrangler had two rows of five seats. When Suming arrived, he had removed the rooftop, so the two wolfdogs sat in the cargo area, leaning their front paws on the edge of the car, curiously looking out as theyy there.


    Suming chatted with the old fisherman while driving.


    The old man''s name was Zhu Chenggui, who was already in his sixties. He used to live by the reservoir. Back then, there was no Huating Reservoir; Zhu Chenggui and all the mountaineers nearby lived off thend, farmed a few acres, raised fish, and in winter went into the mountains to hunt and gather winter bamboo shoots and walnuts; life was not bad.


    Later, when the reservoir was developed and arge relocation project ensued, all the vigers nearby were moved out. Zhu Chenggui received a sum of money for settling down and moved to the city to live.


    Having spent the first half of his life in the mountains andcking education, he couldn''t find any decent work after moving to the city. He could only work as a security guard at a factory, earning very little. With rent to pay and a life to live, he could barely make ends meet. After decades, he hadn''t married, and the subsidy he received for settling was running out. Unwilling to buy groceries, he would asionallye to the reservoir to fish to supplement his living.


    From this perspective, Zhu Chenggui was actuallying to the reservoir to "steal fish."


    Suming, struck by a thought, asked, "You know how to fish, but do you know how to raise fish?"


    Zhu Chenggui cracked a smile showing his yellowed teeth, somewhat pridefully, "Sure, what mountain people don''t know how to raise fish? We used to have a fish pond at home, made quite a bit of money every year, but it was all filled in when they built the reservoir."


    "That''s perfect, I have ake. You help me take a look, see if fish can be raised there."


    ```


    The old man nced at the time, somewhat hesitant, "I still have to work the night shift, I need to be back before nine o''clock tonight!"


    "Don''t worry!" Suming floored the gas, and the Wrangler sped off like a wild beast.


    Suming first dropped Nangong Yan home on the way, then returned to the zoo with the dog and Zhu Chenggui, heading straight for Shuijun Lake.


    "The water area is certainly vast, probably over a hundred acres. If farmed well, you could get over ten thousand pounds of fish per acre!"


    "Over ten thousand pounds per acre?" Suming was startled. What an idea, it would be like theke was full of fish, with fish bumping into fish, and you could flip a fish with any random stone you throw.


    Zhu Chenggui said, "Mixed farming is the way to go. You farm the ''four major family fish,'' and with good management, over ten thousand pounds per acre is easy."


    The four major family fish are the traditional four kinds of freshwater fish, which are collectively known as ''ck, grass, silver, bighead carps.'' Carp is alsomon in Huaxia, even more so than the four major family fish, but due to the Tang Dynasty''s avoidance of the ''Li'' surname, the court banned fishing and consumption of carp, so it''s not among the four major family fish.


    These four aren''t the most delicious of fish, nor do theymand high prices, but they dominate the market and are the mostmonly seen, with the widest distribution channels.


    Although some specialty fish are valuable, their farming costs are high, too. The more precious the fish, the weaker its resistance to diseases and the stricter its requirements for growth environment and food. A slight inattention can result inplete loss, so for now, Suming wasn''t considering them.


    Zhu Chenggui continued, "The silver carp and bighead carp move along the water surface, while the ck and grass carps stay at the bottom¡ªone vegetarian, the other carnivorous. The mixed farming of these fish not only avoids mutual interference but also promotes each other, increasing yield."


    "With mass breeding like this, there must be a significant cost for fry and feed, right?" Suming calcted briefly; he had less than two million left. Without being sure of making a profit, he couldn''t possibly invest all his money in fish farming.


    Shuijun Lake had over a hundred acres of water surface, but without much experience, he couldn''t farm too much. Even at the farming density previously mentioned, investing in fish fry and daily feed for a third of that area wasn''t a small expense.


    Zhu Chenggui revealed a cunning peasant''s smile, "You certainly need to buy the fry, butter on, the big fish produce the little fish, and then you have the fry in yourke, allowing you to gradually reduce the introduction of new fry each year. As for the feed, try to give as little as possible. Let me tell you, fish that grow on feed have a fishy taste and won''t sell for much. In the past, when we farmed the four major family fish, no one would ever think of buying feed for them; feeding with feed would be like smashing one''s own brand!"


    "Then what do we feed them?" Suming asked, puzzled.


    Fish grown on feed may not taste great, but they grow fast. What else to use if not feed? Natural growth is good, but it''s too slow, sometimes taking years to gain a pound; there was no time for such dys!


    Seeing Zhu Chenggui intentionally smiling without speaking, Suming quickly handed over a cigarette, and with a heh-hehugh, Zhu Chenggui lit up and took a puff before speaking, "You don''t need to feed them anything. The key is, you have to raise more ck fish in theke! As long as you have ck fish, you don''t need to feed the others; they''ll grow quickly and well naturally!"


    "Why is that?" Suming asked curiously.


    "After you raise ck fish, go buy some small mixed sea fish for them every now and then. The mixed sea fish are oily, and after the ck fish eat them, their feces are oily and nutritious. The other fish will eat the ck fish''s feces. Since the feces are naturally produced and high in oil, the other family fish grow even better than the wild ones after eating it."


    Listening to Zhu Chenggui''s exnation, it seemed quite reasonable, so Suming inquired, "Are mixed sea fish expensive?"


    "If you buy them in the market, a ton costs about one to two thousand yuan. If you collect directly from the fishermen, it''s even cheaper. They usually can''t sell those small fish."


    "You wouldn''t need to feed mixed sea fish every day; grow some aquatic nts, green algae, and mix in some loaches and snails, and that''s pretty much it. If you do well over a year, I can''t guarantee ten thousand pounds per acre, but harvesting three to four thousand pounds of the four family fish and two to three thousand pounds of ck fish per acre is absolutely doable."


    Having technical skills doesn''t always equate to being a boss, and Zhu Chenggui was a typical example. He had the skills to farm fish butcked the capital and space to do so. Suming was the opposite.


    "But this water of yours..." Zhu Chenggui pointed at the somewhat ckish water of Shuijun Lake and shook his head, "is too poor."


    "What should I do then?" Suming asked.


    "When we used to farm fish, we had ponds that were just a few acresrge. We would drain all the water from the pond when catching fish and then draw fresh water from theke, so water quality wasn''t an issue. Yourke is too big, emptying it entirely is definitely not an option. You can only start by raising fewer fish and growing more aquatic nts to restore theke''s ecosystem first. After a few years, when the water quality improves, you can startrge-scale fish farming."


    Suming pped his forehead, after all that, it turned out he would have to wait a few years to start!


    I''ve only leased it for three years!

 Chapter 48: 48: The Cat-Dog War

    Seeing it was gettingte, Suming drove Zhu Chenggui back to the factory where he was on duty.


    On the way back, Zhu Chenggui brought up the topic of cigarettes and alcohol,ining about how life was so tough that he couldn''t even afford a little drink.


    Suming, being a perceptive person, stopped by a supermarket and specifically bought two bottles of Jiannanchun and a pack of Double Happiness cigarettes for Zhu Chenggui.


    For the two hundred yuan worth of goods, Zhu Chenggui kept thanking him and said if there was ever any issue with fish farming, he should just ask. He might be old, but if there was one thing he was skilled at, it was fish farming and fishing.


    Though they hadn''t spent much time together, Suming could tell that Zhu Chenggui was sly in a peasant-like way and somewhat mercenary, so he had no ns to rely too much on him for fish farming matters.


    Heading back to the zoo, Suming hit the evening rush hour and encountered traffic jams all the way, arriving at Whisperwind Pavilion when it was already pitch dark, around eight o''clock.


    Before even entering, he could hear a cacophony of cats and dogsing from inside the pavilion.


    Upon pushing the door open, the house was inplete disarray, pots and pans knocked over everywhere, and two big wolfhounds and the Meow Corps led by Hei were having a standoff, tense and ready for battle.


    Under Hei''s leadership, several felines formed a semicircle, cornering the two wolfhounds against the wall. Their fur bristled, they stood on tiptoes, and their tails were as straight as antennas!


    The wolfhounds, not showing any weakness, stuck by the wall, their upper bodies crouched down, mouths open to reveal sharp canine teeth, and fiercely barked at the group of cats as if they were ready to pounce at any moment!


    The alligator turtle, apparently havinge inside to find something to eat, had a bag of chips in its mouth, caught between the frayed nerves of the felines and the wolfhound brothers, leaving it stretching out its big head in a panic, unable to decide whether to advance or retreat.


    As the saying goes, those who love to watch the turmoil don''t fear the chaos escting. Er Gouzi, the wasp, not wanting to be outdone, crawled out of its little nest in the beams and buzzed annoyingly around the room, making a bad situation worse.


    "Will all of you f***ing stop it!"


    Suming strode in, stood tall, and yelled at all the animals up and down.


    Seeing its chance while the cats and the wolfhound brothers were taken aback, the alligator turtle, still holding the bag of chips, scurried out of the pavilion like the wind, and plopped into the pond with a ssh.


    "Woof woof woof..."


    "Meow meow meow..."


    "Buzz buzz buzz..."


    "Buzz your mother! It''s none of your damn business!" Suming looked up and pointed at Er Gouzi, "Back to your nest!"


    Er Gouzizily circled the room and returned to its small wasp nest, but its two belly eyes twinkled with mischief, unable to resist the urge to keep watching the drama unfold.


    The wolfhound brothers wagged their tails frantically, almost dragging their tongues on the floor, doing their utmost to ingratiate themselves with Suming, hoping he would take their side;


    "Aren''t you two a bunch of cowards? You''re supposed to be descendants of wolves, and you let a few cats bully you and have the nerve toe whining to me?" Suming rolled his eyes.


    The felines, too, pulled back their bristled fur, walked with their heads held high and elegantly sauntered to their corner to lie down one by one.


    "And you guys, stop this nonsense. If you want to fight, take it outside, and look at the mess you''ve made in the house!" Suming pointed at the mess on the floor.


    Hei yawned, rubbed his face with his meaty paw, and carried an air of indifference that seemed to say he couldn''t give a damn.


    "I''ve got toy down some rules for you all, from now on, anyone who causes trouble will go without food for a day!"


    Suming was already frustrated with the fish farming business, and ording to what Zhu Chenggui said, it would be years before he could profit from fish farming. What''s the point then?


    Even though money came easily to him, he couldn''t afford to waste it like this. A few yearster, the lease would be up and the nearly seventy thousand yuan he paid for the lease would have been for nothing!


    As Suming tidied up the Fengshui Pavilion, which had been turned upside down, he pondered over how to purify the water in Shuijun Lake quickly.


    The nearby Huating Reservoir was suitable for fish farming because of its good water quality.


    Shuijun Lake, being a man-madeke which had been unmanaged for many years, couldn''t possibly reach the water quality of Huating Reservoir in a short period of time. But if it could even reach 30 percent of Huating Reservoir''s water quality, it would be enough to farm fish.


    The two wolfhounds, unconcerned with Suming''s mood, wagged their tails and trotted around him as if they had urgent news to report.


    With a slight probe of his spiritual power, Suming realized these two guys were starving. They hadn''t eaten anything all day.


    Without needing to ask or think, Suming knew for sure that the Meow Corps must have bullied the neers and hoarded all the food, so he turned his head and red at Hei.


    "Meow..." Hei meowed reluctantly and then dragged a pile of stuff from the depths of the cat''s nest.


    Cat food, dog food, snacks... and there were even several lively little fish and shrimps...


    "You''ve even learned to hide stuff now? No more bullying the wolfhounds, and you two, don''t bite the cats... Alright, you two will be called Wang Cai and De Fu," Suming decided as he pointed at the wolfhound brothers.


    Wang Cai and De Fu scampered off with their food to eat, while Hei and some junior Meow Corps members, already full, listlessly yed with a half-dead crayfish. The crayfish, dragging its tail to escape, was scooped back by Hei''s paw after several flips, brandishing itsrge pincers threateningly at Hei.


    Because they had been following Suming around all day and frequently came into contact with Animal Friendship, the cats'' strength and speed had noticeably increased. After several snapping attempts by the crayfish, Hei skillfully dodged them and with a hefty pat, the crayfish was smacked into the wall with a st, its shell cracked, clearly beyond saving.


    "If you''re going to eat, can you not be so cruel..."


    While talking, Suming suddenly had a revtion, as if he had remembered something very important!


    "Wait! Wait... the crayfish... where did the crayfishe from?"


    Suming remembered that when he had sent Big Head and the alligator turtle to scout Shuijun Lake, he found that although there were very few fish, there were lots of loaches, crayfish, and crabs, which thrive in dirty water and mud.


    A bold idea emerged in his mind!


    Without further thought about tidying up the house, he ran to the tform and yelled towards theke, "Old Turtle,e with me!"


    Then, he turned and ran towards Shuijun Lake.


    The zoo was already closed, and there wasn''t a soul around Shuijun Lake, the breeze rustling the willows on the shore with a sound like whispers.


    Near the shore,rge ripples appeared on the water as a big-headed catfish over a foot long surfaced, whiskers fluttering and half a loach hanging from its mouth. Seeing Suming, the big-headed catfish swallowed the loach whole with a gulp, then straightened its body in the water, tail flicking, waiting for Suming''smand!


    "Old Turtle, Big Head, both of you go into the water and herd all the loaches, crayfish, crabs, anything that digs holes, right up to the shore. I want to talk to them!"

 Chapter 49: 49 The Su Family Construction Team

    ```


    Shuijun Lake, a sleepless night!


    A clever catfish with an oversized head, alongside a ferocious snapping turtle, the two rascals teamed up to cause a ruckus in Shuijun Lake, like warlords recruiting strongmen, driving groups of loaches, eels, crabs, and crayfish toward theke''s edge.


    In such argeke, if humans were to undertake this task, it might take a month or two to find all the crabs and crayfish, but the catfish had lived in the water for a while, idly wandering around every day, bing extremely familiar with every inch of this territory.


    Where the crayfish were, where the loaches were abundant, the catfish knew like the back of its fin, leading the snapping turtle straight to the key spots.


    The snapping turtle acted timid in front of cats and dogs, leaving one speechless, but in front of aquatic life, it instantly transformed into the most terrifying predator. Any that didn''t obey were bitten to death as a snack. Shuijun Lake had plenty of crayfish and crabs, and Suming didn''t mind giving his subordinate a bit of a treat.


    Suming wasn''t idle either. As soon as the catfish locked onto a location, Suming would rush over by boat, controlling all the hole-digging aquatic creatures in the area with his spiritual power, and then hand them over to the snapping turtle to be escorted to thekeside.


    He was busy until three or four in the morning, finally going over the entire Shuijun Lake. Apart from a few that slipped through the, almost all the hole-digging aquatic creatures had been driven to an abandoned dock nearby.


    There weren''t many aquatic creatures in theke, but that''s rtive to the hundred acres ofke surface. Now, with the loaches, eels, crayfish, and crab soldiers gathered together below the hundred-acre surface, the scene was quite terrifying. In the darkness, the ck water churned violently, and dense shadows kept flickering under the surface.


    Suming took a deep breath, casting his spiritual power like a fishing over the densest area of creatures below the water''s surface.


    Suming issued a simplemand to the creatures like the loaches, "Dig towards Huating Reservoir!"


    His idea was simple and rough: if Shuijun Lake could be connected to Huating Reservoir, theke could be a lively body of water, and its quality could significantly improve within a month, rendering future concerns about water quality unnecessary!


    "Let''s get to work!" Suming waved his hand grandly.


    On the surface, Shuijun Lake appeared unchanged, but a huge engineering project hadmenced in the pitch-ck depths!


    Loaches and eels were expert diggers, both in skill and endurance. These creatures, fond of "burrowing," didn''t mind hard work and could keep going for days without tiring. In the city''s clogged sewage pipes, releasing a few loaches and eels could clear the blockage in no time.


    Crayfish and crabs were the best transporters. Perhaps they were kin to dung beetles, as they seemed to enjoy shaping mud into balls and blocking their burrow entrances with them. This behavior was now particrly useful, as they could move the soil excavated by the loaches and eels out of the tunnels and, when encountering rocky obstructions, act as a shock troop to clear the debris.


    To prevent the newly dug channels from copsing, Suming had even obtained the zoo''s construction blueprints, starting the excavation from geologically stable directions and keeping the size of each channel within certain limits.


    If needed, he would even purchase pipes toy in the holes dug by the loaches.


    The shortest distance between Shuijun Lake and the reservoir was a little over a kilometer. The digging process would undoubtedly produce arge amount of soil, which could conveniently be used to form a thickyer of silt on thekebed for breeding snakehead fish or perhaps even cultivating economically valuable aquatic nts like lotus roots.


    Suming could now control hundreds of aquatic creatures at once, then use these controlled creatures to influence their peers. With the snapping turtle and the catfish assisting on the side as supervisors, they could muster a workforce of about five to six hundred at a time. The remaining loaches, crabs, and the like were organized into shifts, taking turns at the front lines.


    ```


    Based on digging for about seven to eight hours a day, the tunnel would not take half a month toplete.


    But just two hourster, Suming was already struggling, his spiritual power was nearly exhausted. Even though the amount of spiritual power increased daily after having Monkey Wine, it still couldn''t keep up with controlling so many aquatic creatures working continuously.


    With no other choice, he had to temporarily halt the work and return to his waterside pavilion for a sleep to replenish his spiritual power.


    However, before he could sleep for a few hours, he was woken up by tourists boating outside. Muttering curses, Suming rubbed his eyes and climbed out of bed.


    After the initial excitement of the first month, the boat business had settled down from being hot to steady. It was bringing in slightly over ten thousand a week, which amounted to about fifty thousand a month.


    After deducting expenses, the 10% management fee for the zoo, and the half-share for Wang Hao, Suming himself could make a stable twenty thousand a month.


    He wasn''t concerned about the money now, so he decided to temporarily shut down the boating service. Once the artificialke''s channel waspleted, he nned to move the boating business there and let the cats take turns collecting money.


    If other businesses, such as fish farming, grew, Suming even thought about hiring more park staff to manage the boat business. It wasn''t tiring; they could sit back and earn moneyfortably. This would be a welfare benefit for the park staff, and it would be a good exnation to Mr. Song since he would need the zoo staff and Mr. Song''s support for many things in the future.


    But the time for that wasn''t now. After getting up, Suming first went to feed the animals.


    In the wolf pack, the she-wolf had grown her belly and had a poor appetite,ying listlessly in the house all day, but the Wolf King was indifferent, busying himself with his aloof and cool demeanor, acting as if it''s none of his business.


    There was no Wang around the Wolf Pen, only the red fox and the ck bear family. ck Bear Dad, of course, couldn''t run over from dozens of meters to mess with the Wolf King''s wife. Even if the red fox had the desire, itcked the courage, and even with the courage, it didn''t have the ability.


    Suming was the only zookeeper who dared to enter Haidong Qing''s cage to feed it. Upon seeing Suming, Haidong Qing pped its wings and pounced towards him.


    Suming lifted his arm, and Haidong Qingnded steadily on his forearm. Even with the thick protective sleeve, Haidong Qing''s talons, sharp as knives, still made Suming''s forearm sting.


    "I''ll find a chance someday to take you out for a flight," Suming nodded to Haidong Qing, knowing the creature longed for the boundless blue skies for more than just a day or two.


    Out of a desire to protect Haidong Qing''s wild nature, if Suming could tame it, the zoo authorities would permit him to asionally take Haidong Qing into the wild for outings.


    Upon Suming''s arrival, the male peacocks in the Peacock Garden all unfurled their tail feathers in a sh, unting them seductively, making Suming quite embarrassed. I''m not a female peacock, yet you guys disy your feathers at me every day, what''s your game?


    After tending to the animals, he returned to his waterside pavilion, ready to continue sleeping and replenish his spiritual power to battle it out at thekeside tonight.


    As soon as he entered, he smelled a faint sweet scent.

 Chapter 50: 50: The Giant Blue Honey

    Inside the courtyard of the small two-story vi of Huating Fisheries Company, a bald man and his several subordinates stood in a row, each with a bruised nose and a swollen face. The bald man had it the worst, his head still wrapped in a bandage.


    That day they were chased by hos until they were scared out of their wits, and in the end, with no other choice, they all jumped into theke to escape the cmity.


    Even though they reacted fairly quickly and saved their own lives, they still suffered a great loss. The one who was most severely injured nearly died in theke and was sent straight to the hospital for emergency care, barely hanging onto life.


    On the way to the hospital, the bald man began to convulse in the ambnce and even lost control of his dder and bowels.


    ording to the emergency doctor, they were lucky; being targeted by such arge swarm of hos in the wild and still managing to save their lives was quite fortunate.


    But saving their lives came at a cost. Mr. Zhou of the Huating Fisheries Company ended up paying over twenty thousand yuan in medical expenses for them at the hospital.


    "Mr. Zhou, it''s definitely that kid who sabotaged us! Once I''ve recovered, I''ll take a few brothers and teach him a lesson!" the bald man said indignantly.


    Zhou Jin, the boss of the fisheriespany, was an old gangster. Back in the day, he had quite the reputation among the hooligans of Yangchuan City, until he was sentenced to twenty years for causing a fatal injury.


    After his release, he realized the world had changed, that money is what truly matters now, and that just fighting and killing would eventually lead to obsolescence, so he gathered a group of brothers released from jail, contracted a section of the Huating Lake Reservoir in the east, and started a fish farming venture.


    While it''s true that in fighting and killing were already outdated, his underlings were a group of fierce and ferocious cohorts. They dominated the fish market, andbined with the genuinely delicious fish raised in Huating Lake, they became very popr. In just a few years, Zhou Jin had already secured arge share of Yangchuan''s fish market.


    Hearing the bald man''sint, Zhou Jin slightly frowned, "It''s your own stupidity. You didn''t know to avoid it when you saw the hosing; you deserved to be stung! Why didn''t the hos sting him?!"


    The bald man huffed and did not speak. Strictly speaking, it seemed the incident couldn''t really be med on that kid.


    But no matter what, if it weren''t for that kid''s meddling, how would he have ended up stung so badly by the hos!


    Just thinking about how he lost control of his dder and bowels in the ambnce, and how his brothers still teased him about it, the bald man couldn''t help but seethe with anger!


    "The two dogs are also missing; could they have been taken away by that kid?" said another gangster.


    "If they''re gone, they''re gone, just buy two more!"


    Zhou Jin waved his hand impatiently, interrupting the gangsters''ints, his face darkening as he said seriously, "Let''s put the ho issue aside for now. Next month we are releasing the fry; I want all of you to focus and be vignt! If anything goes wrong with the fish pond, I''ll skin you alive!"


    With a gangster history deeper than anyone present, and being their senior boss, Zhou Jin''s stern look made all the underlings, including the bald man, dare not utter another word.


    ...


    As Suming just entered the gate of the water pavilion, he smelled a faint sweet aroma wafting through the room.


    A few cats, having a day off from work, idled at home. Right now, they were forming a small circle on the ground, looking up at the ceiling beam with eager eyes.


    Wang Cai and Defu were also looking up, barking incessantly at the ceiling beam.


    It was Er Gouzi''s small nest on top of the ceiling beam; somehow he had offended this group of cats and dogs.


    Buzz buzz buzz...


    A swarm of bees, carrying a fist-sized mini beehive, flew down from the beam, slowly descending in front of Suming, with Er Gouzi following behind, circling the beehive in a frenzy.


    The scent wasing from the beehive.


    "Honey?"


    Suming reached out and took the beehive, only to see that it was covered with tightly-packed small holes, with ayer of pale golden, sticky substance on it.


    Honey doesn''t actually have much of a scent before it is processed, but the honey in this small beehive emitted an incredibly sweet, heartwarming fragrance.


    Er Gouzi loved honey the most. He circled the beehive eagerly, yet he didn''t dare to snatch the food from Suming''s hand, buzzing anxiously.


    "Big brother, you''re a ho, not a fly. Can''t you have some dignity? Stop buzzing all the time!" Suming red at Er Gouzi, but still scooped out a little bit of honey with his pinky and stretched it towards him.


    Er Gouzi swooped over to Suming''s honey-covered finger in a sh, opened his mouth, and devoured the honey voraciously while fluttering his wings at the same time.


    Suming watched with repulsion. The way this creature ate from his finger was just like a fly sitting on dung!


    "Come on, what''s seen must be shared!" Suming scooped out some honey from the beehive again and smeared a bit onto the mouths of the cats and wolf-dog brothers, causing the several pets to zealously lick their lips.


    Wang Cai and Defu''s saliva even dripped from the corners of their mouths to the ground, and these silly creatures actually bent down to lick the saliva that was vored with honey.


    "Is it really that delicious?"


    Suming was slightly stunned. To his knowledge, the taste of unprocessed wild honey was quite in and nothing to rave about. Some people even thought it had a weird taste.


    Could there be something unusual about this honey?


    He decided to try some himself.


    Indeed, the taste was good, sweet, and deliciously fragrant, somewhat like a syrup.


    Not only that, but after the honey entered his mouth, his spiritual power started to recover rapidly!


    "Holy smokes, this is like the legendary ''Elixir''!"


    Fearing he might be mistaken, Suming tried a little more honey, and his spiritual power indeed soared swiftly!


    Based on this rate, a fist-sized beehive of honey would be enough to replenish his current spiritual power seven or eight times over!


    This was definitely great news. With this treasure, he wouldn''t need to wait each day for his spiritual power to recover slowly. If he ran out of spiritual power, eating some honey would replenish it!


    This way, not only could he elerate the progress of the work, but it would also benefit other aspects significantly. For example, if he carried some honey with him wherever he went in the future, he could sustain bat'' for extended periods.


    Amidst his excitement, Suming bought several well-known honey products from the local store and conducted experiments with each one.


    In the end, he discovered that only the honey produced by the bees he had saved could enhance spiritual power, while other honey had no such effect, and in terms of taste, seemed to be inferior to the wild honey made by his bee colony.


    Suming pondered for a moment. First, there was the Monkey Wine that could increase the upper limit of spiritual power, and now, the honey that could elerate the recovery of spiritual power... There was no doubt that this was because the bees hade into contact with spiritual power and undergone some changes.


    "Let''s go and check on that group of bees on the back mountain!"

 Chapter 51: 51: Giant Queen Bee

    Suming, apanied by Wang Cai and De Fu, climbed up the back mountain. As they approached the woond where the bees had settled, several wasps suddenly descended from the sky, buzzing as they blocked the path.


    One wasp lowered its altitude and flew in front of Wang Cai and De Fu, a pair ofpound eyes sizing up the wolfhound brothers.


    The wolfhound brothers immediately became tense and barked furiously at the wasps circling in the air.


    "Easy now, hold your fire, they''re friendlies!" Suming snapped his fingers, projecting a thread of spiritual power to soothe the wolfhound brothers slightly.


    The Wasp Squad was positioned there by him to protect the bees, and it seemed that the wasps were not only diligent but also quite clever; they even knew to set up a checkpoint outside the woods rather than just aimlessly wandering inside. This way, if a formidable enemy that the wasps couldn''t resist appeared, they could raise the rm beforehand, giving the bee colony time to relocate.


    At the same time, he reached out with his spiritual power and made brief contact with the sentry wasps. Recognizing the familiar sensation, they circled Suming a few times before flying off with a p of their wings, continuing their sentry duties.


    The wolfhound brothers sheathed their fangs but still looked puzzled. They seemed to misunderstand Suming''s words. How could these little fellows with wings, who looked nothing like them, be ''friendlies''? Could they be winged puppy cubs?


    ...


    Inside the forest, life was thriving, and the bee colony appeared to have regained its vitality. Bees of all sizes were busy flying about, collecting nectar and making honey. There were also squads of wasps patrolling back and forth, clearly dividing their duties.


    Several heavy beehives were hanging in the center of the woods; those were the residences of the bees.


    Moreover, on the treetops of the forest, many fist-sized beehives hung like ''fruits'', the same kind that had been given to Suming before, with bees continuously entering and exiting the hives.


    A little farther away, two huge wasp nests, which could be described as gigantic, hung around twenty or thirty meters above the ground on the treetops. They looked like tworge eyes, ''watching'' over every movement in the woods from a high vantage point.


    The bees and wasps each had their roles: one group made honey, the other served as guards on watch, with no further incidents of fire and bloodshed.


    The backbone of the bee colony was mostly survivors of thest battle, all of whom recognized Suming. Seeing him arrive, they gathered around him from all directions. Hundreds of bees big and small circled around Suming, creating an unsettling scene, which once again set off Wang Cai and De Fu''s incessant barking.


    "Hard work,rades, go on with your tasks!" Suming waved his hand gently like a reviewing general, and the bees dispersed once more, each going about their work.


    Standing on tiptoes, he plucked a fist-sized beehive from a nearby tree, fully packed with honey. He tasted a bit, and sure enough, like before, it had the effect of enhancing spiritual power.


    In just over a dozen days, the bee colony had recovered its vitality, not only increasing in number but also startingrge-scale honey production. This was partly due to the Animal Friends ability, and another important reason was that within the bee colony, a new Queen Bee had emerged!


    The Queen Bee was indispensable to the colony, able tomand it and continuously breed new bees to expand the flock. In some ways, the Queen Bee''s contribution to the colony was even greater than Suming''s!


    Without Suming, this group of bees would at most exist haphazardly, like other wild bee colonies. But without a Queen Bee, the colony would gradually decline.


    The Queen Bee''s hive was as big as a basketball, hanging on an old locust tree about four or five meters off the ground. Suming took off his shirt and climbed up the tree branches little by little until he reached the hive.


    Peering through the holes in the hive, he saw lying inside a Queen Bee with a slender waist and plump hindquarters, her wings already atrophied!


    "This one''s huge!" Suming was somewhat surprised; a normal Queen Bee was just slightlyrger than a regr bee, at most two to three times the size of an ordinary bee.


    Yet this Queen Bee before him was about the size of half a c bottle, truly colossal!


    No wonder the bee colony had recovered so quickly. Such a gigantic Queen Bee must have incredible reproductive capabilities!


    This littledy sure could bear offspring!


    The Queen Bee also noticed Suming''s arrival. After staring at him for a while, she took the initiative to send out a consciousness.


    Although the consciousness was weak, its message was very clear. If tranted into human words, it would be just two: Master.


    Suming paused, slightly startled. What''s going on here?


    The intelligence of a typical bee swarm is quite low; only Er Gouzi, who has been following me for a long time, has shown a significant improvement in intelligence. The rest can only simply ept orders and are not yet capable of municating'' with me.


    Like the Queen Bee, conveying rtively clear consciousness requires at least the intelligence of several cats. The Queen Bee''s ability tomunicate just now even seemed to surpass that of the bighead catfish.


    Speaking of the bighead, Suming couldn''t help but get annoyed. That guy was just a simpleton, growing flesh but not brains. After following him for so long, he still often gets confused, and expressing a simple idea requires half a day ofmunication and may still not be clear.


    Inparison, this newly born Queen Bee was naturally much smarter than the other bees!


    "Do you need me for something?" Suming tentatively sent out his spiritual power.


    The Queen Bee actually made a somewhat anthropomorphic gesture, shaking its transforming little wings as if waving, followed by a wave of uneasy emotions.


    Animals have an almost instinctual intuition for danger, and Suming could sense that the highly intelligent Queen Bee was not very satisfied with this forest, feeling that it was not a safe habitat.


    "You mean you want to move?"


    Suming pondered for a moment and felt that the Queen Bee had a point.


    Although this was already deep in the forest, the nearest man-made road was probably more than five kilometers away, but that did not mean that people would definitely note here.


    Now the bee swarm was very useful to him, providing a steady supply of ''honey'' that could restore spiritual power. And this Queen Bee, clearly the product of evolution, would definitely attract human attention if discovered, which could lead to potentially being caught for research.


    If anything happened to these bees, the loss would be enormous!


    Even though they were protected by the Wasp Squad, Suming did not want to have all the people who identally stumbled in here to be silenced by the wasps. He was a friend of animals, not a homicidal maniac.


    Moreover, as the bee swarm continued to grow in size and number, more honey would be produced in the future, making the flowers and nts in this forest seem somewhat insufficient.


    Thinking of this, Suming smoothly slid down the tree trunk to the ground.


    He suddenly unleashed all his spiritual power, enveloping all the bees and wasps around him, and then gave amand to the swarm.


    Move deeper into the mountain!


    The specific location was for the Queen Bee to decide, ensuring safety while also having an abundant environment with enough flowers for honey production.


    Since the bees and wasps could all fly, travelling long distances was not an issue. Once they settled, the Wasp Squad would just need to inform him of the exact location, and regr tributes to the ''big blue hive'' would suffice.


    After arranging everything, the bees began to get busy, carrying their hives down from the trees and flying slowly towards the depths of the mountain.


    Suming did not immediately leave but held the hive where the Queen Bee resided, walking with the moving group in the mountains for a while and constantlymunicating with the Queen Bee using spiritual power.


    He could distinctly feel that each time the Queen Bee made contact with his spiritual power, it would send back a wave of joy. The fact that this giant Queen Bee could develop a degree of wisdom and had arger body size than typical Queen Bees was certainly due to the association with spiritual power. To the Queen Bee, Suming''s spiritual power was even more attractive than royal jelly, making it the perfect opportunity to ''interact'' with the Queen Bee for a while.


    The Queen Bee was not content to stay quietly in the hive but waggled its round, plump tail,zily climbed out, and aimed right into Suming''s arms, constantly sending him a dependence-filled emotion, as if wanting Suming to hold it.


    "Easy, easy, don''t break your little waist!"


    The Queen Bee at this moment was almost the same size as a newly born kitten, and because of its overlyrge and round tail, it appeared to have an extremely delicate waist, giving the illusion that it could snap into two with just a light touch.


    Suming quickly and gently supported the Queen Bee with both hands, cradling it in his arms like a child.


    The Queen Beey in Suming''s embrace and sweetly fell asleep.

 Chapter 52: 52 Great Success

    Suming followed the bee swarm deeper into the mountains, starting off through grassy ins and woonds, which gradually became rougher to traverse, strewn with chaotic rocks. From the distant forests, there asionally came cries of night animals, which were hard to identify.


    Only then, did Suming set down the Queen Bee, and bid the swarm a temporary farewell.


    The massive main hive was carried by hundreds of worker bees, hovering midair while the Queen Bee poked a tiny head out from the hive, watching Suming leave and constantly sending waves of reluctance to part.


    "It''s not like we''re parting in life or death, no need to be so clingy!" Suming, on the other hand, was heartlessly cheerful,ughing at the Queen Bee, waving his hand, and turning to stride towards the outside of the mountains.


    The Queen Bee even threw a bit of a ''tantrum,'' refusing to go. She just sprawled in the hive, desperately using her spiritual power to contact Suming until he was so far away that her feeble spiritual power couldn''t reach him anymore.


    Because of the kinship with animals, the Queen Bee''s ''intelligence'' far surpassed that of ordinary honeybees. For her, Suming was not only her owner, but also her ''mentor'' in life''s growth; he was also the only one in this world that she couldmunicate with.


    After Suming walked away, the Queen Bee slowly crawled back into the hive, lying in therge empty nest.


    Even with her kind flitting all around, the Queen Bee''s simple heart felt an odd emotion called ''loneliness'' for reasons unbeknownst to her.


    ...


    When Suming rushed back to the zoo, it was already the early hours of the morning. He first returned to Whisperwind Pavilion for a cup of Monkey Wine, then, with the jar of Blue Bee Honey tucked in his arms, he headed straight for Shuijun Lake.


    The nighttimeke was deathly still, with not a single shadow around Shuijun Lake.


    Thousands of ''excavators'' were lurking beneath the calm surface of theke, ready for themand!


    "Let''s get to work!" Suming waved his hand grandly, his spiritual power sprinkling across theke.


    This time, it took a full five hours, and Suming replenished his spiritual power once with bee honey, until the sky slightly brightened, only then did he stop the work and return to Whisperwind Pavilion to sleep and rest. Spiritual power isn''t omnipotent, after all, and he needed at least a few hours of sleep a day; he didn''t want to drop dead at the edge of theke.


    During the day, he apanied Mr. Peng to feed the animals in rounds.


    The pregnant she-wolf had been very irritable these days, always looking at everyone crossly and at times, had nearly injured the keepers.


    Whether it''s women or female animals, they''ve never been the reasonable sort. When picking fights and getting angry, their intelligence seems to rival Einstein''s; when they lose their temper, their fighting power is second only to Ultraman; when they go crazy, their danger is only slightly less than that of a Tibetan Mastiff... The danger presented by a pregnant she-wolf had obviously surpassed that of a Mastiff; even the Wolf King dared not get close to her.


    With a piece of beef in his mouth, the Wolf King approached the she-wolf cautiously, his tail even swaying unnaturally a few times in a submissive manner, only to be pped across the face by her, nearly wrecking his good looks.


    In an instant, the Wolf King''s hair became disheveled. Getting up, he nced sideways at Suming as if to say, ''you deal with her.''


    "Coward, you can''t handle your own wife and you''re asking me to deal with her?" Suming rolled his eyes.


    To this, the Wolf King could only express his helplessness. Every family has its own difficulties, wolves included.


    Suming cajoled and deceived until he finally managed to handle the mother wolf, mixing beef and sour plum tomatoes into a mush and feeding it to her through the cage.


    "When''s she giving birth, this is too exhausting!" Suming pointed at the mother wolf and asked Mr. Peng with a bit of a headache.


    "Just hold on, it''s almost time." Mr. Peng patted Suming on the shoulder with a helpless look. Now, among all the zookeepers, only Suming could approach the mother wolf to feed her, so the responsibility of caring for her fell entirely on Suming''s shoulders.


    After being scorned by Suming several times, the new anteater finally showed a hint of enlightenment, no longer licking every hole it saw. But for some reason, it developed a new bad habit, a fondness for digging holes.


    Suming had a ''few talks'' with it, but to no avail. This big fellow from North America seemed to be struggling with the local conditions, bing restless like someone with an anxiety disorder, never still for a moment, constantly moving and biting.


    "Do I have to speak English tomunicate?" Suming scratched his head, letting it be. If it loves digging, let it dig. The zoo floor is made of concrete anyway, and anteaters aren''t known for their digging skills. It could dig its whole life and still not expect any aplishment. Once it wears its ws out to bleeding, it''ll surely stop being restless.


    Days passed like this, interacting with various animals during the day, and at night, a lonely figure would sit on thekeside dock by the dark waters of Shuijun Lake, staring nkly at theke surface for most of the night.


    The underwater construction project was progressing very smoothly, advancing at a rate of forty to fifty meters a day.


    As Suming''s spiritual power grew stronger, so did his control ability. The ''excavation team'' controlled by his spiritual power became smarter, and the project''s speed elerated.


    One night around half past midnight, Suming felt sleepy and the underwater passage suddenly copsed with a swoosh, burying dozens of loaches that were wriggling forward under the rubble, and several crabs that were transporting gravel were crushed to death on the spot. It took a great effort for the loaches to get out from the site of the copse.


    Miners have always had a tough lot, getting buried alive with nopensation to speak of.


    Since it was an underwater operation, with the tunnel deep underground and the mud holes softening in the water, copses were inevitable. Suming learned from this mishap and covertly purchased a batch of pipes. Whenever a section was dug and he found soft soil that might lead to a copse, he would ce a pipe down.


    As the skills of the digging workers increased, these little creatures seemed to find the knack of excavation. About a weekter, there were no more incidents of copse. Instead, the pipes Suming had bought were hardly put to use.


    At half-past three in the morning, Suming was dozing off by theke, his head drooping little by little, his spiritual power spreading faintly into the water.


    De Fu and Wang Caiy on the grass on either side of him, already asleep. Still, at the slightest rustle, the brothers'' ears would perk up alertly.


    Suddenly, arge swirl of water arose on the surface, and a crocodile turtle, covered in mud and waterweeds, emerged from beneath the water straining its neck toward Suming, its thick neck pulsing as it made a hoarse sound.


    Suming''s eyes snapped open, his spirit instantly electrified!


    Atst, the first passage was excavated!


    Within the perceivable range, the bottom of Shuijun Lake and the distant reservoir were now connected by a passage a few dozen centimeters in diameter. The waters of both sides mingled in the passage, flowing into each other. The poor-quality stagnant water from Shuijun Lake was streaming into the reservoir, while the high-quality fresh water from the reservoir slowly poured into Shuijun Lake.


    Not far from this passage, four other simrly sized passages were also nearingpletion.

 Chapter 53: 53 Hurry up, Big Head!

    As the first underwater passage waspleted, Shuijun Lake and Huating Reservoir were finally connected, and the waters from both sides began to flow slowly through the underground channel.


    The national standard ssifies water quality into five grades, with Grade I being the water source quality, natural reserves, and reputed to be the best in quality, but it is very rare and almost nonexistent in human settlements;


    Grade II is suitable for centralized drinking water sources, first-ss protection zones of surface water, habitats of rare aquatic organisms, spawning grounds for fish and shrimps, and foraging grounds for juveniles and young fishes; Grade III covers second-ss protection zones for surface water sources, wintering and spawning migratory passages for fish and shrimps, aquaculture areas, and swimming zones; Grade IV applies to general industrial water areas and recreational water areas with no direct human contact; Grade V serves agricultural water areas and general scenic water bodies.


    Water below the fifth grade is basically of no use and is generally referred to as wastewater.


    Huating Reservoir itself is a national AA scenic spot with water quality reaching the second grade. Grade II water sources can be said to be the best water avable in human settlements, and because of this, the fish cultivated in Huating Reservoir are of high quality and popr in the market;


    In contrast, the water quality of Shuijun Lake is at the fifth grade, the lowest level, which is vastly different from that of Huating Reservoir. There''s no guarantee the fish can survive in it, and even if they do, the taste would definitely be poor. It''s barely suitable for personal consumption, let alone selling in the market for profit.


    It was for this reason that the old fisherman Zhu Chenggui once told Suming that to raise fish on arge scale in Shuijun Lake, theke''s ecology must first be improved, and the water quality enhanced over several years.


    Now, with the underwater passage connecting Shuijun Lake and Huating Reservoir, allowing the waters from both sides to flow through, theoretically, it should not be long before the water quality of Shuijun Lake can approach that of Huating Reservoir!


    By dawn, the remaining passages had also been opened up.


    "Big Head, follow the channel and swim over to the other side," Sumingmanded the Mekong giant catfish.


    The ones sent to explore are usually expendable; a copse in the tunnel, arge fish appearing in the reservoir on the other side, just about any minor ident could result in losing one''s life. The Mekong giant catfish, being a creature that feared death and coveted life, did not hesitate to gather dozens of loaches and a group of crabs before cautiously entering one of therger underwater passages, with the loach and crab squad following closely behind.


    It wasn''t foolish; in case of blockage or copse, if trapped in the mud, the ''rescue squad'' behind it coulde in handy, ready to begin rescue operations at any moment.


    "My goodness, you''re not as dumb as I thought. When ites to fearing death and coveting life, you''re as shrewd as anyone!" Suming was taken aback and chuckled softly.


    Big Head swam slowly through the passage, surrounded by the gentle flow of water from bothkes. asionally, some small fish or shrimp from either side would slip into the channel, scattering in panic as Big Head passed.


    The journey was safe throughout. Most parts of the passage were reinforced with pipes, which essentially prevented copses. At most, some mud and gravel created obstacles, but with the rescue squad following close behind, it wasn''t a problem. The loaches could easily loosen up obstructions at the front, and then the crabs and lobsters would join forces to clear the pipes.


    In short, everything was calm. After about half an hour, a faint light suddenly appeared ahead in the pitch-dark passage, signaling the end of the tunnel was near!


    With a powerful flick of its tail, Big Head shot out of the passage like a torpedo and entered the waters of Huating Reservoir!


    Upon entering the reservoir, Big Head instantly felt an exhrating sense of relief and began to circle around joyously, thoroughly enjoying itself.


    The water quality here was far superior to that of Shuijun Lake, reminiscent of someone who had been living in a smog-filled capital city and suddenly arrived in an idyllic haven of green mountains and clear waters.


    Bighead was considered an ''old troop'' under Suming''smand, and after many instances of ''coboration,'' the spiritual power connection between the two was much more stable than with ordinary animals. With other animals at such a distance, Suming wouldn''t be able to make contact at all.


    Even so, a distance of over a kilometer made Suming feel powerless, the spiritual power connection with Bighead felt as if it were barely there, extremely weak, prompting him to bellow, "There will be plenty for you to y withter, but first scout the area clearly for me!"


    Suming was Bighead''s boss, provider, and spiritual anchor. Hismands were more effective than anything else, to the extent that they could even subdue Bighead''s innate love for water typical of fish. On receiving the instructions, Bighead immediately stopped wandering aimlessly. Its whiskers by its mouth swayed with the ripples of water, and with bulging round fish eyes, it carefully observed the surroundings.


    The tunnel''s exity beneath a small hillock made of a mix of rock and soil, which was rtively sturdy and would not copse except in the rare case of a heavy downpour. Its location was quite secluded with no nearby roads, just shrubbery, with some waterfowl nesting among them.


    The exits of the five tunnels were all about three meters deep under the water surface, with the shallowest being over two and a half meters.


    This was something Suming had nned before the tunneling: the exits had to be secluded and hidden enough to ensure they were not easily discovered by others. He didn''t want to go through the effort of creating the tunnel, only to have someone easily seal it from the other end.


    From what he saw so far, the locations of these exits were very good, almost impossible to be found.


    In a nearby reed bed, a long-beaked water bird seemed to notice Bighead''s presence. It opened its wings, its long legs forcefully kicking as it took to the air, swooping down towards Bighead, skimming the water''s surface!


    Like an arrow released from a bow, the water bird dived with lightning speed directly above Bighead, its long sharp beak thrusting viciously towards Bighead''s head!


    Whoosh...


    The bird''s sharp beak carved a long ripple on the water surface, almost flying past t against it!


    Luckily, Bighead had been with Suming for so long that both its reactions and fitness were far superior to a typical catfish. In the nick of time, Bighead executed a ''thousand-pound plunge'', its plump tail thrashing desperately as it dove headfirst into the deep water, narrowly escaping danger!


    Even so, Bighead was scared out of its wits, and pfft¡ªbehind its tail, a cloud of murkiness emerged; it had lost control of its dder and bowels in fright¡­


    Don''t be fooled by Bighead catfish now over a foot long, almost equal in size to the water bird¡ªwater birds were its natural predators. No matter if it grew to ten or twenty pounds, the sight of a water bird would still send it into hiding, as in the bird''s eyes, it was merely arger lump of flesh.


    Seeing its meal slip away, the water bird circled resentfully above the water for a few rounds, quacking strangely a couple of times at the water before eventually flying away listlessly without finding a solution.


    In the water, Bighead was still recovering from the shock, darting around crazily almost as if it had lost its mind, with even Suming''s spiritual power unable to calm it down immediately due to the great distance separating them.


    One moment up, the next diving down, now darting to the east, then bolting to the west¡ªafter more than ten minutes and having moved several dozen meters away from the shore, Bighead''s emotions gradually began to settle.


    It flicked its tail, ready to turn around and swim towards the tunnel, but it couldn''t muster any strength, feeling as though something behind it was ''clutching'' it tightly!

 Chapter 54: 54: Fish Seedlings that Fall from the Sky

    The bighead carps'' recently calmed little heart immediately began to pound wildly once more, terrifyingly as if its soul had flown to the heavens. It struggled desperately in an attempt to break free from the ''monster'' behind it¡ª but inadvertently, the more it fought, the tighter it got ''grabbed''.


    As it thrashed about in a frenzy, the bighead carp somehow ended up in a stretch of fishings, with its tail getting hooked by the.


    Fishings areid out with particr care; those set up by the experienced are not for catching fish, but rather for ''entangling'' them. Once fish and shrimpe into contact with thes, they get tightly bound. The more they struggle, the more thes embed into their scales, making it difficult for evenrge fish to escape. In the end, they could do nothing but be entangled and wait for death.


    At this moment, the that ensnared the bighead carp extended indefinitely to both sides, forming a long underwater wall, encircling a vast expanse of water on one side of the Huating Reservoir.


    On the other side of the, the interior side, was a scene brimming with life.


    Myriads of fish swam to and fro¡ªfinger-length crucian carp, three- to four-tael ck carp and grass carp, stickleback-like silver carp, half-pound bighead carp. At the bottom of the water, in the mud, dark sleepers, four or five taels in weight, opened their mouths wide in search of any edible thing, ...


    It was truly a world filled with fish.


    "Don''t be afraid, bighead, I''ll send the shrimp soldiers and crab generals to rescue you right away!" Suming quickly dispatched a pair of crabs, charging towards the, ws waving.


    ...


    On the shallow banks on the east side of Huating Reservoir, dozens of boxes filled with juvenile fish were piled up. A bald man and a group of his men lifted box after box, dumping them into the reservoir. The cramped fishlings poured eagerly into the water, scattering rapidly in all directions.


    Not far away, several trucks continued to deliver more boxes of fishlings to the shallow bank.


    Countless fishlings kept being released into theke; soon, thekeside was overrun with various small fish, pping their tails and thrashing about, before swimming off again, only to be followed by more new fishlings dumped into thekeside...


    The so-called ''fishlings'' were not the kind that are semi-transparent and only a few millimeters in size;mon species like the ''Big Four'' fish, only counted as juveniles when they grew to a few taels. Aquaculturists buy these juvenile fish, and within a fast half a year or a slow year, they can be reared to weights ranging from half a pound to several pounds, ready to be sold for money.


    Since juvenile fish are rtively weak and incapable ofpeting withrger fish for food, they must be raised together until they grow to a certain size before they can be spread out to be raised with the otherrger fish.


    Zhou Jin, the owner of Huating Fisheries Company, d inrge rubber boots, stood on the shallow bank, very satisfied with the scene before him, and shouted loudly to his subordinates, "Stay sharp in theing period, Baldy, you and a few others will live by the riverbank!"


    The bald man waved to a few other fellows, signaling them to keep working, then he jogged over to Zhou Jin. He pulled out a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, offering one to Mr. Zhou, and said with a ttering smile, "Don''t worry, Mr. Zhou, with us here, no one dares to steal any fish!"


    Zhou Jin took the cigarette and nodded, "I paid a lot for these fishlings. They are all first-rate. We can''t afford any mishaps!"


    The bald man showed a somewhat ferocious grin, baring his teeth and saying, "This is what we do. If anyone dares toe here and fish or steal, I''ll break his damned legs!"


    Zhou Jin nced sideways at the bald man and said indifferently, "Mind your measure, don''t maim them, and certainly do not cause any deaths!"


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Zhou. The brothers are all out of the big prison; handling a few people is no sweat. We all know the score!"


    ...


    While Zhou Jin was releasing fish fry by the shore, Suming''s crab rescue team had also arrived at the designated location.


    Below the unseen surface of the water, a dozenrge crabs scuttled onto the fishing, and with a few clicks and cks, they tore a big hole in the that was trapping the bighead catfish.


    The bighead catfish wanted to flee by shaking its tail, but then Suming issued anothermand.


    Upon discovering the group of fry, Suming immediately realized they must be those that Mr. Zhou from Huating Fisheries Company had released for cultivation.


    There was only one contractor for the entire Huating Lake, no other.


    The bighead catfish had no choice but to obey, and together with the group of crabs, they slipped through the hole in the.


    It wasn''t until 9:30 in the morning, when the zoo was about to open, that the bighead catfish finished scouting the inside of the. The number of fry inside was uncountable, mainly consisting of the four major families of fish, along with several othermon food fish, such as the snakehead.


    Mixed cultivation was not a sophisticated method; most fish farmers adopted it, just differing in specific methods.


    Suming did a quick calction and estimated that so many fry, along with the associated water nts and shells, would likely require an investment in the millions.


    Shuijun Lake wasn''trge, and ording to what Zhu Chenggui previously said about mixed breeding of the four major families of fish and the snakehead, the initial investment in fry alone would probably be around three to four hundred thousand. Furthermore, this was Suming''s first foray into fish farming¡ªhe didn''t know where to purchase such arge number of fry, and secondly, hecked the experience to judge the quality of the fry. If he wasn''t careful, he might spend a lot of money only to buy arge amount of sick or inferior fry.


    If it were another fish farmer, Suming might have given it some thought; after all, it''s not easy for people to raise fish, and ''stealing'' these fry would indirectly harm someone.


    But as for Huating Fisheries Company, he had no such psychological burden.


    When he initially sought advice, Zhou Jin''s attitude was one thing, but the actions of his subordinates, who beat people and finessed money with their near-robbery ''fines'', were enough to show these people were not of good character.


    Not to mention, they released attack dogs without a second thought that day. If it had been someone else without the capability of Animal Friends, they would have been mauled half to death by those two wolfhounds.


    After the conflict with the bald man, Suming kept an eye out and made specific inquiries about Zhou Jin. His fisheriespany indeed had a good reputation for the quality of its fish, but Zhou Jin and thepany itself had a poor reputation. It was said that Zhou Jin had done quite a few bad things in his earlier years. He had relied on some dishonorable tactics to drive away several fishermen who wanted to contract Huating Reservoir, andter in business, it was not umon for him to practice bullying and forced buying and selling.


    The fisheriespany had only contracted a small part of the reservoir, yet now they treated the entire reservoir as their own territory. On the Yangchuan forum, there were not a few posts about people getting bitten by guard dogs or beaten up while fishing near Huating Lake, and regardless of whether they called the police or went to seek justice, it all came to nothing.


    In in terms, this fisheriespany was a business gang with a background in darkness and evil.


    Suming was not the least bit lenient when dealing with Huating Fisheries Company.


    Now, all he needed to do was wait for a week or two until the waters of the reservoir and Shuijun Lake were fully exchanged and the water quality in Shuijun Lake improved, then he could make his move on the fry in the reservoir!

 Chapter 55: 55: Determined Honor

    After making up his mind, Suming sent Big Head to monitor the reservoir while he waited for the water quality of Shuijun Lake to improve.


    He wasn''t idle either, finally able to move the boat business to Shuijun Lake.


    That morning, Mr. Yang, whom Wang Hao had found to help inspect the boats, drove a container truck through the back door of the zoo, going straight to a dock beside Shuijun Lake.


    "Su, the boats are here!" Wang Hao had grown even fatter recently, looking like a round ball, and he ''rolled'' out of the passenger seat.


    Mr. Yang also got out of the driver''s seat, greeted Suming with a smile, and said, "Impressive, young man, in just a few days, your business has grown even bigger!"


    Shuijun Lake was more than ten timesrger than theke at Whisperwind Pavilion, and those few little bumper boats were certainly not enough. So, after deciding to move the boat business to Shuijun Lake, Suming asked Mr. Yang to help ce an order at the boat factory for ten rowing boats, eight pedal boats, and two assault boats.


    The rowing boats were the cheapest, nothing more than a big piece of iron sheet. Pedal boats were a little more expensive, and the most expensive were the assault boats. In total, Suming spent nearly three hundred thousand.


    When Wang Hao heard about it, he even took the initiative to invest the more than eighty thousand yuan he had earned earlier as a second investment, putting it all in.


    As he put it, you need to invest to reap, clear ounts make good friends, and because we have a good rtionship, I can''t just take a share of the profits for nothing.


    Mr. Yang directed the workers to unload all the boats from the container, tethering them by theke, while Wang Hao rubbed his hands together excitedly on the side: "Hey, those two assault boats are so cool! Later, let''s take a spin on theke!"


    Looking at the surface of Shuijun Lake, Mr. Yang suggested, "With such a bigke and only twenty boats, plus the original bumper boats, that makes only 28. That might not be enough."


    Given the size of Shuijun Lake, even several times more boats could fit, but Suming no longer considered the boat business as his main venture. Furthermore, he needed to raise fish, and too many boats on theke would easily frighten the fish.


    Moreover, Suming had calcted the zoo''s visitor flow; the number of boats would be just right. During holidays, there might be a queue for boating. If there were more boats, many would be idle on regr days, which was neither necessary nor cost-effective.


    Among these boats, Suming also nned to allocate one as a rescue boat and one as a dredging boat.


    After securing all the boats, Suming and Wang Hao hopped onto an assault boat, slipped life jackets over their necks, and started the motor.


    A gust of wind hit them head-on, the waves parting along the sides of the assault boat. Riding the wind and breaking waves, the boat roared across theke surface; sshing water surged from both sides, like a wild dog breaking free, happily dashing forward, leaving a long trail of ripples behind it.


    The speed of the assault boat wasn''t actually very fast, at least notpared to a car, but at forty kilometers per hour on the water, it was enough to make one''s blood surge, to truly experience what speed and passion are!


    "I''m the king of the world!" Wang Hao stood at the bow, opened his arms, and screamed into the wind like a pig being ughtered.


    Sumingughed heartily, if you''re the king, then what am I, the Queey?


    "I''m the Big Monster!"


    Suming also stood up and roared into the wind!


    The full pond of fish, shrimp, eels, and crabs joyfully danced along at the bottom of the water!


    ¡­


    With the boat business opening once again, a small ticket booth was newly built next to the dock at the entrance of Whisperwind Pavilion. Suming hired Zhou, who used to sell souvenirs at Whisperwind Pavilion, to sell tickets.


    With Zhou''s help, the workload of the cats was significantly reduced¡ªthey only needed to make an appearance each day, pose at the window, and asionally fiddle with some money.


    Unexpectedly, this turned into a new gimmick.


    ces running small businesses often have Lucky Cat figurines with a swinging arm, but now, the "on-schedule" cats sitting in the window became the money-drawing mascots of the boat ticket office.


    Customers liked it, so that''s what Suming provided. He simply trained the cats to perform a silly motion: sitting still, then mechanically waving their front paws back and forth.


    This action was exactly like that of the Lucky Cat figurines. Each time the cats did this, it amazed the new visitors, practically turning them into a live advertisement for the boat service!


    Some of the experienced visitors who had been to Whisperwind Pavilion wouldment with an air of expertise, "That''s nothing... let me tell you, one of those cats even picked up a ten-yuan note from me before..."


    The curious onlookers would immediately start asking questions, and at such times, Zhou would excitedly stick his head out of the ticket office to tell the crowd, "Don''t rush, folks, every weekend, our Lucky Cats will perform a special money-collecting trick!"


    It was predictable that the business on weekends would skyrocket.


    Zhou was so energetically hawking because he had his reasons.


    Although he had an easygoing job at the zoo, his ie was small¡ªonly two thousand and four hundred yuan a month, even less than the animal keepers who had various subsidies. His job was to watch over the gate of the Whisperwind Pavilion and asionally sell some souvenirs, but the money went to the zoo, so life was tight for him. When Suming first gave him a Zhonghua cigarette, he had been reluctant to smoke it.


    Now that Suming had employed Zhou to sell tickets right beside the Whisperwind Pavilion, and it didn''t conflict with his regr job, he could manage both. He was paid two thousand and five hundred yuan a month, effectively doubling his ie!


    An old man without education or special skills, with a total monthly ie of five thousand yuan, could now match the sry of office workers in bigpanies. Zhou was grinning from ear to ear every day, and whenever he met people, he would enthusiastically praise Suming for his abilities and kind heart.


    Apart from Zhou, Suming also hired Mr. Peng and Li, a keeper from Xiongshan.


    They worked in shifts. When not feeding the animals, they would manage the boats at the dock, taking care of passenger embarkation, boat maintenance, and being ready to rescue any visitor in danger.


    Mr. Peng, with financial difficulties and a daughter in college, was both Suming''s mentor and a senior employee at the zoo. Suming paid him a monthly sry of three thousand, and no one would object. Li, being young and single like Zhou, was paid two thousand and five hundred.


    Mr. Peng didn''t say much in the way of thanks but simply worked very hard. When drinking with friends behind the scenes, he would sometimes be sentimental, saying that as he grew old, he had acquired a good apprentice; the heavens were looking out for him.


    Li, generally a bit slow-witted, knew very well how to be grateful.


    After Suming had helped him get rid of a beehive and saved him, Li had been deeply grateful to Suming. Now, he had be Suming''s avid fan. If he ever overheard anyone saying anything negative about Suming, he would immediately jump into the conversation, ready to argue heatedly.


    Actually, no one at the zoo genuinely spoke ill of Suming behind his back¡ªpeople are usually quick to praise others when they''re doing well. Recently, as Suming became more sessful, the staff only regretted not having established a close rtionship with him early on like Mr. Peng had done, instead of gossiping.


    Mr. Song, the head of the zoo and the real boss, immediately decided to reserve the title of Advanced Worker for the second half of the year for Suming after hearing about his hiring the three employees.


    After learning about it, Suming could only give a helpless smile. There was no need for the old zoo director to be so tantly favoring him.


    It was just a few months into the year, and the Advanced Worker award for the second half of it was already settled!


    "Mr. Song, I absolutely cannot ept this honor!" Suming said decisively to Mr. Song.

 Chapter 56: 56 Today is a good day

    "Why can''t I have it?"


    Mr. Song looked a bit bewildered at Suming and said, "To be honest, thest ''Employee of the Month'' was somewhat to encourage you, but this time it''spletely different, you truly deserve this honor."


    Mr. Song pointed to a big pile of documents in front of him and said, "I won''t even mention the lifesaving incident. The revenue from ticket sales at the zoo has stabilized with an increase of about 20% because of your boat business¡ªthat''s a great achievement! Second, the honor you brought to the zoo led to recognition from our superior units and even got us funding! Third, Mr. Peng and Mr. Zhou are long-time employees of the zoo with tough family situations. Li might be young, but he''s also a key person, and his family''s rural background isn''t great. You hired them, which increased their ie and indirectly contributed to the zoo. Fourth, leasing Shuijun Lake generated a one-time ie of over seven hundred thousand for the zoo. Fifth, your own work has been excellent; the pregnant she-wolf in Wolf Pen now only recognizes you..."


    "Director, Director, let me interrupt a moment!" Suming quickly cut off Mr. Song, who was listing off his aplishments. What does he mean the pregnant she-wolf only recognizes me? It''s not like I got her pregnant!


    "Go ahead."


    "My dad taught me a saying, ''Don''t just look at the path ahead but also the road behind. The more sessful you are, the more you mustn''t lose your bearings,''" Suming said.


    It was somewhat cryptic talk, but people of Mr. Song''s age could understand the subtext in Suming''s words.


    However, he hadn''t expected someone of Suming''s age to say such things, so he was a bit surprised. After staring at Suming for a few seconds, he said, "Are you afraid of others getting jealous and causing trouble behind your back?"


    "That''s not it. Our colleagues in the park are all pretty easy to get along with. But I think it''s best not to challenge human nature. I''ve made money now, received honors, and my business is doing alright. Why hoard all the good things? For a hollow reputation, a few hundred bucks, always blocking the ways of other colleagues. Nothing mighte of it in the short term, but over time, inevitably, it might lead to dissatisfaction among others," Suming said.


    "Did youe up with these thoughts all on your own?" Mr. Song looked at Suming with an even stranger expression.


    Suming''s insights possessed a certain wisdom of the workce. It would seem reasonableing from a workce veteran who had been around for decades, buting from a twenty-something like Suming, who had just graduated from school, Mr. Song found it quite unexpected.


    Even Mr. Song himself hadn''t thought so deeply before; he merely felt that Suming truly deserved the honor.


    Suming chuckled, "There''s knowledge to be found in everything, isn''t there? Just like that old saying goes, no matter what you do, you need to think it through."


    Suming was well aware that, despite his ''friends of the animals'' abilities, he still lived in the secr world. To have afortable life, he must manage his rtionships with those around him and the secr world well.


    A coward doesn''t be a true warrior just by gaining a golden finger; at best, they be a bully. A loser who can''t even be amon person won''t achieve true ultimate sess simply because they''re a ''friend of animals''.


    Maybe one day, when the ''friend of animals'' powers grow strong enough, Suming could ignore all mundane concerns, but that time wasn''t now.


    Besides, the mundane world, with all its splendor, held countless wonders!


    "Your considerations aren''t without merit. Let''s leave the ''Employee of the Month'' for the second half of the year vacant for now."


    Mr. Song nodded, "But I want to tell you something. A couple days ago, our district was asking for nominations for model workers, and our zoo nominated you!"


    "Model worker of the district?"


    "Of course, it''s not decided yet. There are so many units in the district, and in the end, only ten spots for model workers. It might not necessarily be you," Mr. Song said.


    Suming pondered for a moment. Being nominated as an honorarybor model was rather inconsequential, a distinction separate from the zoo''s own glory, and it did not conflict with the honors of other staff members. Even if there were a conflict, it would be with Mr. Song, who obviously wouldn''t mind.


    ...


    It was the middle of the night again.


    Spending every night by thekeside, Suming felt like he was about to develop night vision. Everything around was pitch-ck, yet he could see quite clearly, not missing any rustling of the grass within a dozen meters.


    "De Fu, will I be like you, with eyes that glow at night?" Suming asked the wolfhound brother lying beside him.


    Wang Cai and De Fu sat squatting on the grass, lifting their heads with an innocent and bewildered look, their four little eyes shining brightly.


    The wind blew, and arge patch of dark clouds drifted from afar, obscuring what was already a dim moonlight.


    Tonight was without light!


    "What a perfect night for thieving!" Suming stretchednguidly, dispersing his spiritual power into theke.


    At the bottom of the artificialke, the mud roiled violently, and crabs and lobsters, eels and loaches emerged from dark corners, either twisting their bodies or waving theirrge pincers, gathering into dozens of small squads.


    Among them, some that had been in contact with spiritual power several times, being slightly superior in strength and intelligence to their peers, naturally became squad leaders. Suming channeled all his spiritual power into these squad leaders, who thenmanded their own teams.


    Rows of shrimp soldiers and crab generals, like an army, entered the passageway in session, burrowing into the tunnel leading to Huating Reservoir on the opposite side.


    Soon, these uninvited guests passed through the tunnel, emerging one after another from the exit on the Huating Reservoir side, lining up and stopping beneath the exit in the water, quietly waiting for something, like a series of solemn military formations!


    The alligator turtles were too big to squeeze through the tunnel; leading the rear this day was a bighead catfish. It emerged from the exit, wriggled a few times, then swam to the very front of the formation.


    "Let''s get to work!" Suming snapped his fingers, issuing the order to the bighead.


    The bighead flicked its tail, swimming forward, and the entire team moved as well, following the bighead''s lead, towards the distant fish nurserys.


    Half an hourter, the gigantic fishing surrounding the fish nursery had been torn open at the bottom by fiverge holes, big enough for a person to pass through. Pairs of shrimp soldiers and crab generals charged through these holes into the!


    Suming''s fish and shrimp, following the ''rehearsals'' of the past few days, lined up in columns, like a giant whirlpool, simultaneously enclosing an area of water about an acre in size, then continuously shrinking the space, herding the enclosed nursery fish towards the center.


    The arrival of these unwee guests immediately caused intense panic among the nursery fish; the entire body of water boiled over, and consequently, the surface rippled, asionally bursting with sprays of water.


    Baldy and a few others were ying cards inside the shack when they heard noises outside. Grabbing shlights and clubs, they rushed out.

 Chapter 57: 57: Escorting the Fry

    People who linger in the shadows are often night owls. Past one in the morning, the lights in the fish shed on the shore were still on. The ground inside the shed was littered with beer bottles tossed every which way, and there were a few leftover dishes on the table. The bald man and a few thugs were bare-chested, ying a game of Fight the Landlord.


    "What''s that noise?"


    The sound of water from theke reached the fish shed, and the bald man dropped his cards onto the table and turned to peer out the window.


    "Must be the wind, what else could it be in the middle of the night? Dude, y your card!" another thug said nonchntly.


    The bald man looked out the window for a moment; outside was pitch ck, no sign of anyone around. He kicked a guy who was dozing off and said, "Erzi, go check out what''s going on!"


    The one called ''Erzi'' muttered a few words, reluctantly got up, grabbed a shlight and a steel pipe, and walked out of the fish shed.


    "Keep ying cards!"


    The bald man and the others continued their game. Before long, Erzi came back, flopped onto a bed, and yawned widely.


    "I sent you to check things out, howe you''re back so soon?" The bald man kicked him again.


    Erzi replied with annoyance, "Nothing, bro, just the fry jumping around! Probably going to rain, the air''s stuffy andcks oxygen."


    ...


    Below theke surface, the shrimp soldiers and crab generals had already herded all the fry within an acre together, and then, like escorting prisoners, pushed the school of fry towards the outside of the fishing, in the direction of the underwater passage.


    Fish have a natural tendency to follow the crowd, instinctively swimming together, especially the smaller ones, because they have little ability to protect themselves. Swimming alone makes them easy prey for other strong aquatic creatures, but sticking with the group is much safer.


    Leading at the front was a bighead carp, followed by thousands of fry forming a long queue, quite a spectacle.


    Initially, the procession was orderly, but soon after leaving the fis and not swimming far, chaos ensued!


    Due to therge number of fry and the varied species among them¡ªthis group alone contained seven or eight different species¡ªsome, out of fright or other reasons, veered off the nned route and scattered in all directions.


    The shrimp soldiers and crab generals roamed around the perimeter of the school of fish, and when they came across any fry straying from the group, they would rush forward and herd them back onto the intended path.


    Of course, there were formidable ones among the school of fry; some fish were even the natural predators of shrimp and crabs!


    A small ckfish, weighing about half a pound, flipped its tail and charged at a pair of shrimp soldiers and crab generals with its mouth wide open!


    Unlike the timid and mild-mannered crucian carps, this omnivore, which preferred meat, even had a row of fine teeth lining its mouth, making it one of the more ferocious kinds among freshwater fish.


    The ckfish opened its mouth wide and sucked in forcefully, creating a powerful current!


    A small crayfish, the closest to it, flicked its tail, trying to escape, but the immense suction pulled it right to the ckfish''s mouth!


    The ckfish didn''t have to struggle; it simply mped its mouth shut, effortlessly biting the small crayfish in half, and gulped down its sulent tail with a satisfied swallow!


    The ckfish, content, wobbled its head and turned towards its next target. The area was teeming with little shrimps and crabs¡ªits favorite food; it could have a feast without any effort!


    From the standpoint of the food chain, the ckfish was a natural enemy of the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, and its presence should have sent the little crabs and crayfish scattering in terror!


    But it immediately realized something was off!


    After the sacrifice of one crayfishpanion, rather than fleeing, the remaining shrimp soldiers and crab generals didn''t scatter; instead, they closed in on it from all directions!


    The ckfish felt a slight pain behind it, as a small crab, barely a fraction of its size, with tworge pincers viciously mped onto its tail!


    Such a minor injury was nothing to the ckfish, who forcefully flicked its tail, instantly flinging the small crab away.


    It turned around, ready to punish the audacious crab, but before it could charge, several other areas on its body simultaneously erupted in intolerable pain¡ªmore crabs and lobsters hadtched onto it!


    A small crab, barelyrger than a coin, even deviously climbed onto its gills, a tiny yet extremely sharp w mercilessly jabbing towards the ckfish''s eyeball!


    Scared out of its wits, the ckfish couldn''t care less about punishing the previous crab and was solely focused on shaking off these detestable little creatures, desperately twisting its body in the water, trying to use the current and its own thrashing to rid itself of the shrimps and crabs clinging onto it.


    The water churned in a wild brawl, with crabs and lobsters repeatedly being tossed away, but immediately after, even more fearless shrimp soldiers and crab generals charged at the ckfish!


    Soon, the ckfish was coated in ayer of ''armor'', as dozens of crabs and lobsters of varying sizes clung onto it like bone-eating maggots, covering its entire body¡­


    ¡­


    This scene was everywhere.


    Of course, this aggressive character within the school of fish fry wasn''t the only one; the ckfish, green fish, and even the grass carp were not easy to provoke. Fish fry continuously attempted to break away from the main group or to prey on the nearby shrimp soldiers and crab generals.


    As natural predators, these fierce fish fry had individualbat strengths far surpassing that of the crabs and lobsters!


    However, after undergoing Suming''s training, the crabs and lobsters were no longer disorganized militia but had be an orderly, fearless ''army''. After paying a small price, they easily suppressed the fierce fish fry that dared to create trouble.


    One after another, confident fish fry dashed out from the ranks only to return shortly thereafter, covered in wounds, back to the main group, obediently following along through the underwater passage to Shuijun Lake.


    Suming sat in an assault boat, waiting on the surface above the passage. Whenever a fish fry entered, he would simply use his spiritual power to ''brainwash'' them unreasonably, thoroughly subduing the fish fry.


    His spiritual power, if not needed for control but solely for conquest, had no trouble at all with the almost brainless, small fish fry¡ªit was an easy and straightforward task to wash their brains.


    With countless fish fry, his spiritual power quickly bottomed out. Suming picked up the beehive on the boat, scooped a clump of honey, and stuffed it into his mouth before taking a big gulp.


    In no time, the entire school of fish from a whole acre of water in the Huating Reservoir had been herded into Shuijun Lake, bing wholly Suming''s ''private property''.


    The shrimp soldiers and crab generals regrouped, returned to the Huating Reservoir, and once again cordoned off an area of water about an acre in size, following the same method to herd the fish fry into Shuijun Lake like sheep.


    It took an entire night, but finally, Shuijun Lake was saturated with fish fry, including not only the four main household fish and ckfish mentioned by Zhu Chenggui but also a considerable number of carp and upturned-mouth fish.


    Suming''s spiritual power drained again and again, then refilled swiftly. With the aid of the great blue honey, he was practically a perpetual motion machine, his spiritual power never running dry!


    Suming estimated that just this batch of fish fry had saved him at least four to five hundred thousand yuan, and that was assuming a smooth transaction without being swindled.


    But for the Fishery Company, the loss was much more than four to five hundred thousand yuan!


    On one hand, though the shrimp soldiers and crab generals were very diligent, many fish fry still escaped during the transfer!


    The worst part was that severalrge holes had been made in the fishings, and within a few days, the remaining fish fry in thes would mostly escape through these holes.


    "Zhou, you''ve had it hard!"


    Suming sincerely sped his hands and bowed in the direction of the Fishery Company Vi, then shamelesslymanded the shrimp soldiers and crab generals to take arge amount of snails and aquatic nts used by the Fishery Company for nurturing fish fry and slyly moved them to Shuijun Lake.

 Chapter 58: Chapter 58: The Problem with Feed

    Now they had fish fry, and they were all top-quality specimens. Their fish farming venture could finally take the first step.


    What came next was the problem of feed.


    Early the next morning, Suming went online to research "mixed sea fish."


    Zhu Chenggui had mentioned that the key to polyculturey with the snakehead fish; they needed to be fed mixed sea fish regrly to produce oily, nutrient-rich "snakehead poop," which would serve as high-energy food for the other species.


    The so-called mixed sea fish weren''t a single species but rather a collective term for many kinds of sea fish. These fish were either very small or simply did not grow big, and their taste was not as good as other sea fish. However, they were abundant: fishermen could haul up a lot with a single cast of theirs. Due to their lowmercial value, they were usually sold by the ton, processed into feed, as a byproduct of fishing.


    There were plenty of mixed sea fish for sale online: fresh, frozen, and even processed ones.


    But the prices made Suming frown.


    The cheapest were 1,200 yuan per ton, with better ones ranging between 1,500 and 2,000.


    And with shipping fees, it was even more expensive!


    The snakehead was a voracious eater by nature; the more they ate, the faster they grew while also undertaking the important mission of "pooping." They not only had to poop but to poop a lot, and of good quality and quantity...


    That meant they needed arge amount of mixed sea fish to feed them.


    Considering the density of snakehead cultivation in Shuijun Lake, it was estimated that from the start of the farm to when the fish go to market, at least a few hundred tons of mixed sea fish would be required. Adding in the small amount of other feed needed, just the cost of feed would be over 500,000 to 600,000 yuan.


    It wasn''t that Suming couldn''t afford this amount; there was still more than half of the money left from selling Monkey Wine¡ªover a million yuan. However, in business, it''s always wise to have a way out. Since the future sales volume of this batch of fish was still uncertain, it would be somewhat risky to hastily invest most of the money.


    But to ensure the quality of the fish, mixed sea fish had to be bought. Suming ced an order online for ten tons of mixed sea fish and a small amount of various feeds, transferring 20,000 yuan through Alipay. The seller promised delivery within two weeks.


    After shutting down theputer, Suming''s eyes darted around. He needed to think of a way to recover the feed costs from somewhere else.


    While Suming was pondering over the cost of feed, over at Huating Reservoir, a bald man took his crew out on theke in boats and began pouring bags of premium fish feed, which they had brought with them, into the waters of Huating Lake.


    Large amounts of feed were scattered on the water surface, creating ripples as they slowly sank. However, there was no frenzy of fish vying for the food¡ªonly a few sporadic little fish popped up here and there, making the vast surface of theke seem sparsely popted.


    "Why aren''t the fish biting?" the bald man asked in surprise.


    Zhou Jin sat beside him, looked up at the weather, and said, "New fish are always like this, they get scared. It takes a few days for them to start feeding. The weather has been a bit stifling these days, so it''s normal they aren''t biting. You guys keep a close watch, and make sure no one steals the fry!"


    The bald man patted his chest firmly, "You can rest easy, Mr. Zhou. If the fish aren''t biting, that''s out of my hands, but if someone dares to steal the fry under my watch, you hold me ountable!"


    Zhou Jin nodded in satisfaction. Looking at the bandage on the bald man''s head, he patted the bald man''s shoulder, "I trust you to handle things. Work hard, and when this busy period is over, I''ll pull out a few tens of thousands of yuan for you to get some payback!"


    "Thank you, Mr. Zhou!"


    Zhou Jin snorted coldly, "You''ve been with me for more than a day or two, so of course, I have to take care of things when you get into trouble! Besides, that Suming kid still wants topete with us for business. If we don''t teach him a lesson, soon everyone will have the courage to go against us!"


    ...


    In the following two days, everything was calm and quiet. The fry at Shuijun Lake had just arrived and weren''t eating yet, so there was no need for Suming to worry.


    The boat tours were also doing well, with over twenty boats operational for eight hours each day, enjoying an upancy rate of nearly seventy to eighty percent. With Mr. Peng, Zhou, and Li managing everything, Suming could rest easy, only having to send over a cat to act as a mascot at scheduled times.


    Suming slightly reduced the price of the boat tours, with the average cost of different types of boats being about thirty yuan per hour. Based on the volume of customers in the past few days and the expected increase during holidays, the boat tour business could bring in an ie of around one hundred and fifty thousand yuan per month. If managed well, it could exceed two hundred thousand yuan.


    After deducting various expenses, Suming and Wang Hao could easily fifty thousand yuan each month, which was a fairly stable ie, neither too big nor too small.


    The so-called "neither too big nor too small" was, of course, from Suming''s perspective. He now had a seven-figure sum on his bank card, so a few tens of thousands of yuan didn''t mean much to him.


    But for Wang Hao, fifty thousand yuan a month was a huge sum. As a civil servant of his level, his monthly ie was only a few thousand. Even if he dared to risk his head for corruption, he might not be able to embezzle that much in a month.


    Wang Hao was a bit anxious these days, somehow not feeling quite right. He was on the verge of bing a minor financial tycoon, with a Range Rover and long-leggeddies seeming within reach, yet he dared not show the ecstasy in his heart, especially not to his father.


    To have fifty to sixty thousand yuan rolling in each month without any effort... it was something he feared might shock his father if mentioned.


    Anyone would be a little overwhelmed by such a situation. Everyone hopes for a windfall from heaven, but if one were actually hit by a nugget of gold while walking down the street, they''d probably be dumbfounded on the spot.


    "Su, how on earth did you pull this off? I can''t wrap my head around it. Just two months after graduation, and I''m looking at an annual ie of nearly a million? I just can''t grasp it, it''s like a dream!" Wang Hao''s voice even trembled over the phone.


    "Then I wish your dreames true!" Sumingughed heartily. This was just the beginning; the boat tour business had only been running for a few days, and even if it continued like this, there was still a distance from an annual ie of a million yuan.


    Moreover, Suming was well aware that the boat tour business had reached about asrge a scale as possible. There wouldn''t be explosive growth in the short term.


    Even with argerke surface and more boats, it would only lead to vacancies.


    Unless his capital increased substantially, allowing the boat tour business to enter another level. For example, taking over the entire boat tour business of West Lake in Hangzhou, or starting a cruise business on a freshwaterke or even the Yangtze River.


    However, such goals were currently far too distant. Without tens of millions in capital and a strong backing, it was virtually impossible.


    Er Gouzi established contact with the bee swarm. Under the leadership of the Queen Bee, the honeybee and ho swarms found a nice new home, almost deep in the mountains, very safe, and surrounded by lush flowers and nts, ideal for making honey.


    The only downside was that the ce was too remote and the path difficult. Suming estimated that a trip there and back would take him several days, so he could only wait until the fish farming waspletely stable before finding some free time to go and have a look.


    During the day, Suming would walk around with De Fu and Wang Cai, feed the animals, and let the wolf-dog brothers get to know the other animals in the zoo to avoid future mishaps.


    Most animals were fairly easy to get along with. The likes of red foxes were naturally afraid of wolf-dogs. The bear family, because of Suming''s influence, was quite enthusiastic towards the wolf-dog brothers, even extending friendly gestures like offering the wolf-dogs watermelons to eat. The tigers, although majestic and proud, did not give the wolf-dog brothers a hard time.


    The only ones that didn''t get along were at Wolf Pen!

 Chapter 59: Chapter 59 The Wolf Cub

    The wolf-dog brothers, each time they encountered the Wolf King, looked as though they were sworn enemies turning green with envy. Despite once being of the same species, they now couldn''t stand the sight of each other, facing off with a ferocious roar through the bars of their cages each time they met.


    The reason for this didn''t need to be spelt out for Suming to guess.


    The Wolf King probably thought, "You bunch of traitors have abandoned the glory of our ancestors to grovel and fawn over humans. How dare you parade in front of me, the shamelessness is utterly unbearable!"


    As for the wolf-dog brothers, "You might be tough, but you''re still trapped in a cage, all bark and no bite, what''s the point of putting on airs!"


    It was the Wolf King''s pregnant wife, who was about to give birth, that actually seemed to have a fairly good attitude towards the two wolf-dogs, making Suming feel somewhat guilty on behalf of the Wolf King.


    "Su, hurry up, the female wolf is giving birth; you need to go there!" Early on Tuesday morning, Mr. Peng hurriedly called Suming out of his waterside pavilion and dragged him towards the Wolf Pen.


    What Mr. Peng hoped for was that when the wolf pups were born with Suming present, they''d firsty eyes on Suming upon entering the world. This natural bonding would make future care and management much easier.


    Mr. Peng meant well, but Suming always felt there was something odd about what he said.


    Why do I have to be there when the female wolf gives birth? I might be Bigmonster, but really, those pups have nothing to do with me!


    That said, when he heard about the wolf giving birth, Suming was actually quite happy.


    Damn it, I''m finally liberated. Never again will I have to put up with that sulky face of the pregnant wolf!


    The one who felt equally liberated was the Wolf King, who had endured his fair share of humiliation during this time.


    Strangely enough, the wolves in the zoo seemed tock some wildness due to their upbringing, which affected their temperament and habits, making them quite different from the wolves in the wild.


    Wolves take great care of their pups and are loyal to their mates, but it''s unheard of for a male wolf to dote on a pregnant female wolf too. The female wolf, during her pregnancy, was extremely irritable, constantly snarling at the Wolf King who, to everyone''s surprise, would just take it all without showing a shred of his supposed kingly domineering presence, looking like a beleaguered little man. Suming found it quite pitiable to watch.


    The pregnancy period of the female wolves in the zoo also differed from that in the wild; wild wolves usually give birth in the spring.


    During spring, life rejuvenates, and after a hungry winter, most animalsck peak strength and are preupied with finding food, which lowers their alertness. This makes it easier for the female wolf to hunt, enabling her to produce ample milk to nourish her litter.


    The wolves in the zoo, however, didn''t have to worry about food. While they didn''t necessarily feast, they were at least well-fed, which even altered their birthing schedule, sometimes leading to births in summer or autumn.


    Even weirder, while a female wolf in the wild normally has at least three or four pups in a litter, the zoo''s female wolf only gave birth to a single pup, leaving everyone quite baffled.


    Among nine dogs and one Tibetan mastiff, that sole one is always the fiercest. It''s uncertain whether this one and only wolf pup will grow up to be the strongest wolf.


    Regardless, the fact that the birth had finally happened was good news for everyone.


    Due to the hot weather and the pregnant female wolf, the zoo spared no expense in installing a ss chamber and air conditioning in the Wolf Pen.


    Looking through the clear ss, the Wolf King sat quietly inside his cage, asionally ncing around warily, while the female wolfy in her den, continuously licking arge chunk resembling a centa with her protruding tongue.


    It wasn''t intent on consuming the centa but rather on licking off the blood scent from it, to keep away other carnivores, avoiding a threat to the newborn cubs. Even though some habits have changed for wolves in captivity, the majority of their instinct still remains deep in their bones.


    By the mother wolf''s side, therey a little grey, downy-furred wolf cub with ck bristles, relentlessly burrowing into its mother''s embrace.


    Mr. Songy propped up against the rail at the edge of the Wolf Pen, leaning forward with squinted eyes as he watched the mother wolf and her cub for a while before saying, "The Wolf King and his mate are both old now, and the mother wolf is two years older than the Wolf King, so I''m guessing she doesn''t have much milk. Mr. Peng,e with me, we need to take the cub out for bottle-feeding."


    The lifespan of prairie wolves is normally 12-16 years, and the Wolf King couple were already ten years old when they came to the zoo. Having lived here for another two years, by human standards, they are elderly, especially the mother wolf, who is in her twilight years, thus her milk is understandably scarce.


    "Let me do it!" Suming quickly dissuaded Mr. Song and Mr. Peng.


    Wolves normally have very strong aggressive instincts, and the mother wolf, being protective of her cub, was especially tense and sensitive at this time, making it extremely dangerous to approach the cub. Although there are protective measures in ce in the zoo, it''s not one hundred percent safe.


    If someone else went, even if their own safety could be ensured, it could easily startle the recently delivered mother wolf. If this caused a postpartum depression or some other problem, it would be bad.


    Mr. Song looked at Suming, nodded, then signaled Mr. Peng to give the bottle to Suming and patted Suming''s shoulder, "Be safe!"


    Carrying the bottle, Suming circled behind the Wolf Pen and opened the iron gate, slipping through the keepers'' corridor.


    Simr to the interior of Xiongshan, the keepers'' corridor at the back of the Wolf Pen was separated from the pen itself by an iron fence. The mother wolfy not far from the fence, and Suming crouched by it, close enough to touch the cubs with an outstretched hand.


    Hearing the footsteps approaching, the mother wolf, lying down at first, suddenly jumped up as if electrified, her wolfish howl erupting from her neck. She used her body to shield her cub, baring her fangs and emitting a low growl.


    "Easy!" Suming released a wave of spiritual power, shaking the bottle at the mother wolf.


    The mother wolf smelled the familiar scent on Suming and let down her guard, lying back down beside her cub.


    Now closer, Suming could see the cubs more clearly: the little wolf cub was just slightlyrger than a palm, with a thin grey film still covering its eyes, which were blue, watery, and the pupils were already visible as dark spots.


    Seeing a strangere in, the little fellow, which had been energetically burrowing into his mother''s embrace, suddenly stiffened his tail and limbs, tilted his body sideways, and with a little thud, fell to the ground, eyes tightly shut, his body going rigid and motionless.


    It looked as though the little wolf cub had been frightened by Suming to the point of a heart attack, dropping dead on the spot.


    "Such an over-the-top performance!" Suming almostughed; the little cub didn''t recognize him and was ying dead.


    So, releasing a faint spiritual power, Suming probed towards the little cub.


    Newborn wolf cubs are naturally sensitive to spiritual power; upon contact with it, they immediately sensed that the ''big guy'' in front of them held no malice. Instead, they felt an attachment.


    Only then did the little cub let down its guard, slowly opening its eyes, curiously looking at Suming before shaking its head and struggling to rise.


    It reached out with its tiny paws to wave about in the air, as if trying to catch that ''spiritual power,'' but came up empty, lost its bnce, and tumbled again.

 Chapter 60: Chapter 60: The Busty Mom

    The little wolf that had just been born didn''t have much strength, its legs were weak and wobbly, making walking very difficult. Falling over a few times would only benefit its growth without any harm.


    Suming bent down to check the mother wolf''s chest and sure enough, it was dry and shriveled, with hardly any milk.


    It made sense, considering the mother wolf''s age. In human terms, she would be at least sixty years old. For her to still be able to give birth was a miracle in itself, so of course, there was no chance she could have much milk.


    "Who would have thought that I, the grand bigmonster, would one day find myself ying the role of a wet nurse!" Suming chuckled as he unscrewed the milk bottle and passed the nipple through the bars.


    But he wasn''t offering it to the cub, but to the mother wolf first.


    The mother wolf sniffed the scent from the nipple, then somewhat puzzledly stuck out her tongue and licked it.


    With a little squeeze from Suming, several streams of milky white fluid squirted from the nipple into the mother wolf''s mouth.


    A few drops of milk trailed down the mother wolf''s fur, and the little wolf, smelling it, immediately pushed forward, extending its barbed little tongue and furiously licking the milk off the mother wolf''s fur, making a very strange noise.


    "It''s for the little wolf to drink!" Suming said with a smile.


    The mother wolf swiped her front leg, pushing the approaching cub to the side, then bent her head down, licking the milky drops from her fur. Once she had ensured safety, she felt at ease and picked up the cub by the mouth, cing it in front of Suming.


    Seeing the nipple approach, the cub let out a ''whine'' and clumsily charged at the nipple, grasping it in its mouth and sucking vigorously.


    A stream of bubbles emerged from the bottle with a gurgling sound, and a fair amount of milk dribbled from the corners of the little wolf''s mouth.


    Outside the Wolf Pen, Mr. Song and Mr. Peng, who had been anxiously watching since Suming entered, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Mr. Peng chuckled, "Su really has a knack for this job. It seems there''s no animal out there that he can''t handle."


    Mr. Song also nodded, adding, "Alright, let''s leave the wolf to Su. We shouldn''t crowd around here, lest we scare it and spoil the situation."


    Seeing the people outside the Wolf Pen leave, Suming found feeding through the cage too bothersome. He sent a calming wave of spiritual power to the mother wolf, and seeing that she had no objections, he simply opened the small door between the keeper and the Wolf Pen, and crawled inside.


    Upon Suming''s arrival, the Wolf King and a few other wolves nced his way, but otherwise remained still, showing no signs of objection, and certainly no aggression.


    The mother wolf stood up, stretching out in a long, dog-like yawn, then yawned again before settling down, watching Suming feed the little wolf.


    Suming sat down against the bars, casually scooping the little wolf into hisp. With one arm securing it, he fed it from the bottle held in his other hand.


    At first nce, the little wolf cub didn''t seem very different from a puppy, but on closer contact, the differences were significant.


    Puppy cubs, when they''re born, have very smooth and sleek fur, giving off an immediately adorable impression; however, the wolf cub was entirely different. It was fundamentally still a wild creature. Although it was covered in fine, soft, ash grey down, sporadically there were longer, harder, and darker wolf hairs poking through the down. With the fur varied in length and uneven, it emitted a wild aura. Holding it felt somewhat prickly, and there was a faint wolf musk about it¡ªnot unpleasant, but definitely exuding a wild scent.


    The cub''s head was dark and shiny, and its eyes couldn''t even fully open, only half-lidded. Yet it had already grown fine, sharp fangs. The fangs protruded out from the sides of the nipple, baring outside its lips, and it looked quite fierce while drinking milkpared to a little puppy cub.


    Watching the wolf cub suck on the pacifier with its little sharp teeth, Suming subconsciously touched his own chest, feeling a sudden chill over his nipples.


    A few minutester, Suming felt the cub''s belly, which was somewhat swollen. He then picked the little guy up by the scruff of its neck and set him down.


    The wolf cub was not willing to leave. With its bloated stomach, it couldn''t stand up, so ity beside Suming, rolling onto its back, belly up, swinging its little paws toward Suming.


    Suming, seeing how small it was, extended a finger and gently pressed on the little one''s belly. The cub made afortable ''woo woo'' sound, and with its two front paws, hugged Suming''s finger and tried to bring it to its mouth.


    Suming felt a ticklish and tingling sensation on his fingertip, along with a little bit of pain, and promptly pulled his finger out of the wolf cub''s mouth.


    The wolf cub was still young, with not much strength, and its teeth hadn''t fully grown in. Biting Suming was more yful than harmful, so it didn''t cause Suming any real injury.


    "You dare bite me!" Suming said with augh, flicking the wolf cub''s head with his finger. The little wolf whined and rolled over, then wriggled back up and clumsily moved closer to Suming again.


    After ying with the little wolf for a while, it finally began to feel sleepy. Suming picked it up and returned it to the wolf den, cing it under the mother wolf. The pup nestled against her belly and soon fell asleep, emitting very soft snoring sounds.


    The mother wolf quietly watched over them, her eyes half-open, while the Wolf King and a few other wolves guarded outside, creating a serene and peaceful environment.


    The red foxdy living next doory on the ss window, peeking over with round eyes opened wide, curiously watching the newborn wolf cub.


    "How tragic, a single dog... oh no, a single fox!" Suming grinned and teased the red fox.


    The red fox gave him a frosty look, stared at Suming for a while, then turned away haughtily, shaking her fluffy tail and swaggered back into the small woods, leaving behind a solitary silhouette.


    After the mother wolf gave birth, the zoo simply reassigned Suming''s duties, allowing him to put aside other work and temporarily be a dedicated nanny.


    Although there was less variety in his work, the workload had increased.


    If it were someone else, just calming the mother wolf and the extremely energetic cub would consume a lot of time, but Suming didn''t have this problem. Taking half an hour twice a day to feed milk, his work for the day was generally done.


    It was not clear whether it was due to the nutrition of the milk prepared by the zoo or Suming''s affinity with animals, but in just a few days, the wolf cub had grown significantly stronger and more lively. No longer the shaky little thing from the beginning, it could now run around wildly in the Wolf Pen.


    Shuijun Lake was also brimming with life. Boaters suddenly discovered that thiske, which used to be lifeless, seemed to have unexpectedly be home to many varieties of fish.


    The newly introduced fish had finally adapted to the environment after a few days and would asionally pop up to the surface, even performing tricks like the carp leaping over the dragon''s gate, attracting quite a number of tourists who would bring bread and steamed buns to feed the fish.


    If it were just bread and steamed buns, that would be one thing¡ªthough it would not really benefit the fish, it wouldn''t harm them either.


    But a few dayster, Suming noticed something was amiss!

 Chapter 61: Chapter 61 Fish Feed

    Dogs are naturally swimmers, and ever since Suming had thrown De Fu and Wang Cai into the water once, they hadpletely fallen in love with Shuijun Lake. They spent most of their time soaking in theke, no longer caring to frolic with the cats.


    Suming even specially ordered a set of small life jackets for them, so now they could cool off in the water and asionally y the role of lifeguards.


    That morning, Wang Cai brought back a stic snack bag from the water and barked at a few tourists rowing on theke. That''s when Suming learned that some uncivilized tourists not only fed the fish but also threw trash into theke.


    If fish ate the stic bags, they would certainly be doomed. Even if the fish didn''t eat them, such items were hard to dpose naturally. They would umte on thekebed, and over time, they would be difficult to clean up, causing significant water pollution.


    Suming immediately had Li take a motorboat around theke, and fortunately, the wolf-dog brothers had discovered the pollutants in time. There weren''t many stic bags and the like in theke, but even so, they retrieved more than a dozen.


    Having no choice, he erected signs stating "No Swimming, No Feeding the Fish" around Shuijun Lake at intervals. He then had the wolf-dog brothers patrol the area, asking Zhou, Mr. Peng, and the others to keep an eye out and remind the tourists not to litter.


    The stic bag incident served as a wake-up call for Suming. Shuijun Lake was an open waterbody, and it was impossible to prevent outsiders from getting close. With the steady flow of people, it was inevitable that some would throw things into the water; simply reminding the visitors was not enough.


    He sent Er Gouzi back to the mountain and had him bring back fiverge blue beehives filled with honey.


    With these tonic supplements, Sumingvishly used his spiritual power tomunicate with all aquatic life in theke, entrusting them with some important tasks, such as not sneaking back to the reservoir through the channel and not eating the trash dropped by visitors.


    You can''t me the tourists entirely for littering; it''s not always right to escte it to a matter of ''quality'' or ''morality''. The zoo itself did not have many trash bins, and there were even fewer near Shuijun Lake. Often, you had to walk several hundred meters to find one, so sometimes tourists just threw garbage into theke for convenience.


    Therefore, Suming dug into his own pocket and spent over ten thousand yuan on several dozen simple trash bins, which he ced in a row along Shuijun Lake.


    After taking care of these matters, the ten tons of Mixed Sea Fish and half a ton of ordinary feed ordered by Suming finally arrived.


    Zhu Chenggui had saidst time that to ensure the freshness and quality of the fish, they should reduce feeding them other fish food. Feeding less did not mean not feeding at all. The half ton of ordinary feed Suming bought was not intended to be the main diet for the fish. It was primarily to bnce their nutrition and also had some water purification and antibacterial effects. It was a practical type of concentrated feed that people usually mix into the fish''s diet.


    Wang Cai and De Fu, who were about to go swimming to cool off, could smell the fishy scent from the truck from far away and barked furiously at it.


    The Mixed Sea Fish had already been preliminarily processed into minced chunks and were frozen. As soon as the truck''s door opened, an intense fishy smell wafted out, causing Suming to stagger several steps back.


    "Take it to the warehouse!" Suming quickly pulled down the rear shutter of the truck with a snap, covering his nose as he sat down in the passenger seat and said to the driver.


    If so much Mixed Sea Fish were stored near Whisperwind Pavilion, nobody could live there anymore. The stench could kill a person. At that rate, they might as well convert it into a fly farm.


    The zoo had arge warehouse with pools, a cold storage unit, and even a small ughterhouse¡ªeverything was all-inclusive. Normally, it was mainly used to store food for the animals, but because the zoo was under financial stress, a good half of the warehouse was left vacant, which was quite a waste.


    The space was unused anyway, so when Mr. Song heard that Suming was truly nning to raise fish, he straightforwardly approached Suming with a proposition to rent a portion of the warehouse to him. Suming could store the fish feed and other rted items there, and in the future, if there were fish for sale, they could also be stored in the warehouse. The condition was that it must not encroach upon the space for the zoo''s various goods.


    Suming agreed without hesitation. After all, the warehouse was huge, and even with the addition of feed and such, it would hardly be filled to capacity, so there would be no issue of taking up space needed for the zoo''s goods.


    The crux of the matter was that the rent was dirt cheap!


    The zoo employees Mr. Lin and Lin, an uncle and nephew pair who managed the warehouse, earned just over two thousand yuan a month. The rent Suming paid for the warehouse, aside from the utilities which he covered himself, was to provide each of them with a stipend of fifteen hundred yuan a month.


    By this calction, for such an expansive and well-equipped warehouse, the yearly rent was just over thirty thousand yuan, and he had two experienced hands in Mr. Lin and Lin to help look after it¡ªsuch a deal was impossible to find elsewhere.


    Since the warehouse was the property of the zoo, with just a word from Mr. Song, Suming benefited from this great deal. It proved how crucial it was to maintain good rtions with the boss!


    The zoo was just as much a beneficiary. Although the majority of the warehouse was vacant, it couldn''t be rented out to anyone outside the organization. The warehouse housed food for the animals, and any ident would have led to big trouble and disputes. Besides, outsidersing and going wasn''t convenient. Renting to Suming negated these concerns.


    At first nce, the zoo didn''t earn any money from this, but Mr. Lin and Lin, the uncle and nephew, did benefit.


    The uncle and nephew''s wages were among the lowest in the entire zoo, even less than what Suming earned when he first joined. With the current cost of living, a little over two thousand yuan a month was simply poverty level. The Lin duoined to Mr. Song every now and then, begging for a raise. Yet, since wages for each position were fixed, Mr. Song couldn''t simply increase them on a whim. If he raised their pay, what about everyone else?


    By renting, Suming essentially solved Mr. Song''s headache and effectively appeased the staff''s sentiments.


    It might not seem like much, an extra thousand or two, but for someone used to receiving a fixed few thousand yuan per month, this sudden increase was truly significant and made a real difference. If it hadn''t been for Suming''s intervention, they would have had to wait at least seven or eight years for their sry to rise by that amount through seniority alone.


    And this was for technical staff. For someone like the Lin family''s uncle and nephew, it was unlikely their wages would increase by that much even by the time they retired.


    First, there was Mr. Peng, Zhou, and Li, and now Mr. Lin and Lin, the uncle and nephew, who had seen their ies greatly increase due to their association with Suming. Consequently, the enthusiasm of all the zoo staff was significantly boosted, and everyone felt hopeful.


    So, when they saw Suming arrive, Mr. Lin was even warmer than when he saw Mr. Song. With Li in tow, they bustled about, enthusiastically moving all the feed into the warehouse.


    "Mr. Su, take a seat; we''ve got the moving covered." Lin made a cup of tea for Suming and then came over with a grin, asking eagerly, "Mr. Su, by the way, do you need extra hands for feeding the fish?"


    Feeding the fish? When Suming heard these words and nced at the mountain of feed, a brilliant idea seemed to strike him.

 Chapter 62: Chapter 62 Nurse Hu

    Feeding fish certainly required manpower; with over a hundred acres ofke surface, and fish fry worth hundreds of thousands, they needed to eat every day. Even with automatic fish feeders, someone needed to regrly add feed and operate the machines.


    But Suming was unwilling to hire additional staff just for the sake of feeding fish.


    After all, contracting Shuijun Lake was about doing business to make money, not charity. In a mutually beneficial situation, he was willing to contribute to the zoo, and didn''t mind sacrificing a little profit.


    However, Mixed Sea Fish was not cheap, and in order to raise healthy fish, it was necessary to purchase them, which in itself was a considerable investment. With theke''s fish yet to yield profits, hiring several people specifically to feed the fish would simply be too costly.


    Suming had been pondering this issue for a while. Various fish could grow by eating Hei''s feces; Hei ate Mixed Sea Fish, saving the cost of other feeds. But Hei itself was quite a big eater¡ªa big Hei weighing several pounds needed nearly a pound of food a day.


    With this calction, the cost of buying Mixed Sea Fish for one fishing season seemed rather frightening.


    Mixed culture methods weren''t exclusive to Suming''s practice; most fish farmers used them, each with their own techniques. If not for learning the trick of using Hei feces from Zhu Chenggui, Suming wouldn''t have had much technical advantage in simply culturing the four major fish families.


    So, Mixed Sea Fish was a necessity to purchase and feed.


    Generally speaking, fish farming wasn''t an excessively profitable industry; just the input of fry and feed alone took up arge portion of costs. Not to mention the factors of natural disasters, human misfortunes, and market fluctuations. With bad luck, a fish farmer could work hard all year only to not make a profit, but actually lose money.


    Companies like Huating Fisheries Company were, after all, the minority, upying reservoirs with excellent water quality, essentially free from natural disasters, with powerful backing, and unfazed by human misfortunes and market fluctuations¡ªessentially making a sure profit.


    Hearing Lin mention this issue, and recalling the previous trash incident in Shuijun Lake, Suming suddenly thought of a possible solution, though he wasn''t sure whether it would work.


    He bought several pounds of lychees and, carrying them, proceeded to Mrs. Tong''s office.


    Mrs. Tong was ying online "Landlord" when she heard the knock. Without looking up, she called out "Come in."


    "Ah, it''s Su¡­"


    Upon seeing Suming enter, Mrs. Tong quickly yed out her four twos, sessfully finished her game, then clicked the ''exit game'' button, stood up, and weed Suming in. Seeing the lychees he was carrying, Mrs. Tongughed and said, "You didn''t have to be so polite, justing in was enough."


    "Heh, it''s nothing special," Suming chuckled, cing the lychees on the table and sitting down. He asked, "Mrs. Tong, you mentioned your niecest time, Nurse Hu from our Zoo Health Clinic, how busy is shetely?"


    Mrs. Tong was noticeably startled: "Ah? Hu... Hu... You, want to find her?"


    The zoo had a small health clinic with one doctor and three nurses, mainly serving various animals¡ªin other words, a veterinary clinic.


    However, it also served ''humans''. Medicine for regr illnesses was not avable, but for the asional cold or fever, getting medicine from the clinic was much cheaper than at a regr hospital, which was a minor perk the zoo offered to its internal staff.


    The zoo had its fair share of job cements through connections, and Nurse Hu was from Mrs. Tong''s hometown, making her technically a distant rtive who should call Mrs. Tong "Auntie" by theplex familial terms.


    Mrs. Tong was a warm-hearted person. When Suming first contracted theke pavilion''s boating business and Mrs. Tong found out Suming was single, she tried to set him up with Nurse Hu. However, Suming had no such intentions, and every time Mrs. Tong brought it up, he would casually dismiss it.


    Later, within a single month, Suming made over three million from an auction and significantly expanded his business. Mrs. Tong stopped bringing up the match-making.


    The reason was simple: before, Suming, who came from the mountains and was rtively poor and a temporary worker, was at most a match for Hu, perhaps even reaching too high. But now, things werepletely reversed. Suming had transformed into a young and wealthy boss, quite handsome too, and there seemed to be something going on between him and a beautiful TV reporter. He obviously wouldn''t give a second look to her niece.


    So, hearing Suming bring up Nurse Hu himself, Mrs. Tong was exceedingly surprised, wondering if Su actually preferred the kind of robust, capable girl who could manage a household and raise children well?


    "My elder sister, that''s not what I meant!" Suming hastily exined to Mrs. Tong, and only then did she understand.


    She made a phone call to the health clinic, and before long, Nurse Hu arrived.


    Nurse Hu had a tall figure, standing close to 1.7 meters, which definitely made her stand out among other girls. However, proportionate to her height was her waist, which was as thick as a bucket. Her loose nurse uniform on her looked like a tight outfit, hugging her tightly and highlighting the rolls of fat on her stomach that resembled Michelin tires. She also sported a healthy, rosyplexion on her face.


    Anyone who saw Nurse Hu for the first time would agree with Mrs. Tong''s opinion: she was a rugged and hearty girl, one who could manage a household and bear children well.


    "Yo, Mr. Su is here too!" As soon as Nurse Hu entered, she called out loudly and greeted Suming, even looking like she wanted to p him on the shoulder.


    "Hey hey hello, have a seat..." Suming quickly shuffled backward. His frail body certainly couldn''t handle her p; if she actually pped him, he would copse on the spot, and that would be a huge loss of face.


    Mrs. Tong shot Nurse Hu a stern look: "Don''t be so informal, sit down. Su has something good to ask you about!"


    "Ah? What good thing? Tell me, Mr. Su, I''m all ears!" Nurse Hu plopped down on the chair carelessly, grabbed a lychee, peeled it, and tossed it into her mouth.


    "It''s like this, your health clinic doesn''t have much going on usually, right? I happen to have a little business on my side but short on manpower..."


    ...


    That very afternoon, Nurse Hu, along with two other nurses, walked toward Shuijun Lake, each carrying severalrge buckets.


    The other two nurses, slender and frail, each carried a small bucket and seemed to struggle, holding them with both hands as they slowly made their way to theke. Nurse Hu, on the other hand, was decisive. She found a carrying pole, hooked arge bucket on each end, and set off with the vigor of a fierce wind!


    "Here theye!" Mr. Peng had already been notified by Suming and greeted Nurse Hu and her colleagues with a beaming smile as they arrived.


    "We''re here! Don''t mind us, carry on with your work!"


    Nurse Hu called back with her loud voice. Then leading the other two nurses, they carried the buckets to thekeshore near the boat dock, picked up arge wooden sign that was covering the buckets, and shoved it fiercely into the ground. Then, casually picking up half a brick from the ground, she banged the top of the sign several times with it, driving the sign deep into the soil.


    The sign had two lines of big characters.


    The first line read: Fish feed for sale, 5 yuan per bag!


    The second line read: Bottle feeding fish, 10 yuan per bottle!


    After setting up the sign, she untied three small folding stools from the carrying pole, sat on one herself, and said to the other two nurses, "Sit down."


    "Sister Hu, do you think anyone will buy it?" One of the nurses asked timidly while looking around, a bit embarrassed.


    "You are acting like thieves, no wonder no one is buying! When selling things, how can you not shout about it? Watch me!"


    Nurse Hu rolled up her sleeves and, like a magician, pulled out a megaphone. She then started to shout into it:


    "Selling fish feed here, fragrant and sweet fish feed! Buy a bag of fish feed, feed the fish while rowing the boat. It''s an exercise and allows you to watch the fish, killing two birds with one stone, folks!"

 Chapter 63 Spending Your Money to Feed My Fish

    Nurse Hu''s shout was so loud that the other two nurses turned bright red with embarrassment, and the younger nurse gave Hu a punch, "Goodness, why are you shouting so loud? It''s so embarrassing¡­"


    "You two are just too delicate. How can you sell anything without calling out? Learn from me!"


    Nurse Hu gave them a stern look and continued, unabashed, to shout into the megaphone:


    "Selling fish feed! Fragrant and sweet fish feed here! Five bucks a bag, it''s not a loss, it''s not a cheat, buy a bag of fish feed, get a day''s good mood¡­"


    The boat dock already had some people preparing to row and others strolling by theke; her calls instantly attracted a lot of attention.


    People love a spectacle, and with three nurses in uniforms sitting in a row by theke, many tourists couldn''t resist crowding around out of curiosity.


    "Didn''t they say not to feed the fish?" someone asked.


    Nurse Hu said nonchntly, "That''s for not feeding them at random. What have you all been feeding them? stic bags, junk food, the fish would all die from that! Our feed is genuine Mixed Sea Fish, mixed with quality feed. The fish grow big and strong from it, how can it be the same?"


    The tourists weren''t foolish, and someone quickly caught on,ughing, "That''s clever, so your zoo is having us feed the fish and we have to pay for it!"


    "Give and take, right? Everyone''s here to have a good time. A few bucks won''t break the bank, that''s the idea, isn''t it?" Nurse Hu said.


    She was right: for Suming, feeding the fish was a job, not entertainment; for the tourists, it was the exact opposite. Throwing feed into the water, attracting a swarm of fish scrambling for food, was entertainment, not work.


    Everyone had their own agenda. With different starting points, the calctions differed. For the tourists, spending a few bucks for some fun was only natural.


    This approach wasn''t original to Suming, as many agritourism sites already offered ''pick your own'' or even ''nt your own'' experiences. Customers do the picking and nting themselves, effectively sparing the farmers the trouble, and still paying them for it¡ªit''s the same principle, paying money for happiness.


    On the outskirts of Yangchuan City, there was a famous strawberry farm. Every year, when strawberries were in abundance, many visitors would flock there to pick strawberries and experience the joy of ''hands-on''bor. The growers saved on the costs of picking, transport, and packaging, yet the strawberries sold for a higher price than those on the market, boosting the local farmers'' economy and giving city folk a chance to get close to nature¡ªa win-win.


    Nurse Hu was eloquent, and in no time, she had sold nearly half a bucket of fish feed.


    Those who bought fish feed went on the boats and sprinkled it generously over theke. They hadn''t expected much fish activity, but to their surprise, as soon as the feed hit the water, it boiled with activity as countless fish jostled and surfaced to vie for food.


    The fingerlings had been deliberately starved by Suming for several days, so they naturally gorged themselves when they encountered food.


    For a while, theke surface was erupting with schools of fish andrge sshes. The scene was quite spectacr; Shuijun Lake seemed to have e alive'' all at once.


    The feed mostly consisted of broken pieces of Mixed Sea Fish which domestic fish wouldn''t eat; these would sink to the bottom to be consumed by ck fish, while the four domestic species mainly feasted on the small amount of pellet-shaped quality feed mixed in.


    "Tell me, youngdy, what''s the deal with feeding fish with this ''baby bottle''?" an olddy with her grandson asked, looking puzzled at Nurse Hu''s sign.


    Nurse Hu pulled out a baby bottle from the bucket, which was actually just an empty mineral water bottle, but fitted with a rubber nipple. The bottle was full of quality feed and finely chopped Mixed Sea Fish.


    The nipple was cut with a fewrge slits, and there was a small bamboo pole tied to the back, about a meter in length.


    "You see, just like this!"


    Nurse Hu took a bamboo pole to the riverbank, extended a bottle full of feed to the water surface, where the feed leaked from the cut nipple and fell into the water, enticing the fish below to surface, swarm towards the bottle, each with their round mouths, jostling to suck the feed from the nipple.


    Smack, smack, the little fish vied with each other, rushing to nibble on the nipple, looking like a group of kids sucking on milk.


    Since the majority of the feed in the bottle were Mixed Sea Fish, mixed with only a small amount of premium feed, those domestic fish had to suck hard to pull the tiny pieces of Mixed Sea Fish out of the nipple.


    In this way, the fragments of Mixed Sea Fish would also sink to the bottom, to be eaten by the snakeheads.


    "Granny, granny, I want to y, I want to y..." The little grandson pped his hands with joy, tugging at the aunt''s sleeve and acting coy.


    "Alright, alright, dear, how much is it for one go?" the aunt asked.


    Nurse Hu handed over a bottle and said, "Ten yuan per bottle, with no time limit!"


    A bag of mixed feed cost five yuan, and the bottle contained roughly the amount of one bag, yet the price was doubled. As for time, it was irrelevant ¨C a bottle of feed, at most less than a kilogram, would be eaten up by the fish in no time.


    With the first person paying up, others followed suit. Those whoe to the zoo were either young people or parents with children, as well as quite a few couples. Nurse Hu had prepared over twenty bottles, and in less than an hour, all were sold out.


    A row of older and younger kids squatted by theke shore, extending the bamboo poles with bottles into the water to attract the fish, creating a scene of merriment.


    ...


    Suming stood at the top of Whisperwind Pavilion, taking in the view of Shuijun Lake and the majority of the zoo, and when he saw Nurse Hu energetically hawking below, he couldn''t help butugh. He really hadn''t picked the wrong person; Nurse Hu''s personality was just perfect for this line of work. She sold the feed better than he had anticipated ¨C not only did she hawk loudly, but she even came up with the clever idea of using the bottles.


    He had made an agreement with the three nurses from the clinic that when they were off duty, they would take turnsing here to sell fish feed by the boating area, using the money from selling feed to cover the shortfall of buying feed.


    Even if he bought the best Mixed Sea Fish and premium feed, including the cost of shipping, it would only amount to two thousand yuan per ton, averaging out to one yuan per jin (half a kilogram).


    He would then wholesale the feed to Nurse Hu and the others at four yuan per jin, allowing them to take the goods first and payter, settling ounts once a week. It was nearly impossible for them to lose money, and any profit they made was theirs to keep.


    In this calction, as long as he could sell 25% of the feed, he would be able to recover his capitalpletely, achieving a break-even point, which meant he would be raising fish essentially for free.


    Suming was shrewd. A profit of one yuan per jin wasn''t much, but it couldn''t be ignored considering therge total volume. If they sold a certain amount, Nurse Hu and the others must set aside a portion of the profit to be reinvested in the clinic to buymon medications, which would be distributed for free to sick employees at the zoo.


    That way, if the feed sales increased significantly in the future, everyone in the zoo would get a share of the benefits, reducing the likelihood of jealousy.


    Of course, talking about big profits was still too premature at this point.


    Suming observed for a while, noting that there were indeed many visitors buying feed to feed the fish. The threerge buckets of feed brought by Nurse Hu and the others were sold out in less than two hours.


    He suddenly realized that, including the free fish seedlings, if everything went smoothly, once the hundred acres of fish grew to adulthood, it was practically all clear profit!

 Chapter 64: Chapter 64 The shameless dog

    By 4:30 in the afternoon, the zoo was still open, but Nurse Hu had sold all the animal feed she brought. She took her gear and went back to the clinic to settle the ounts, sending Nurse Liao and little Nurse Liao to find Suming to arrange for tomorrow''s ''goods,'' nning to order another two hundred pounds.


    Suming was a bit surprised, considering they only started selling the feed in the afternoon. In reality, they only worked for a mere two hours and sold a hundred and thirty pounds of feed, earning over two hundred dors. Moreover, today was the first day they set up shop. As word spread, the number of customers seeking animal feed would only increase.


    ording to that calction, for an eight-hour day, they should at least n for four or five hundred pounds for tomorrow to make sense.


    After asking around, he found out that the three of them had to do shifts at the clinic and couldn''t spend the whole day by theke, so they could onlymit three or four hours each day to this venture.


    Suming nodded his head, realizing that selling animal feed could be a viable path, but relying solely on these three nurses was not enough.


    "Why are you two so stressed? With such an introverted personality, it''s not a big deal if you''re not cut out for business. But how will you manage dating and marriage in the future?" After discussing the important matters, Suming chatted idly andughed.


    Nurses Liao, who were cousins, came straight to the zoo after earning their associate degree and had been working there for just half a year, always inside the clinic without much interaction with people, animals aside. They had rather introverted personalities. Sitting in the back of the Wrangler following Suming to the warehouse to pick up goods, both of them kept their heads down all the way. If Suming asked them a question, they would just reply and not dare to say anything extra, looking all nervous.


    The little liveliness that Nurses Liao had mustered up with great difficulty vanished instantly upon hearing Suming mention dating and marriage. They buried their heads into their chests, their ears turning beet red.


    Suming shook his head helplessly, knowing the sisters were famously reticent. They would blush at the drop of a hat when speaking with male colleagues, to the point where the zoo''s young men felt awkward about going to the clinic, fearing they might be assumed to be up to no good.


    Luckily, the wolfhound brothers were also in the car. While Nurses Liao might not be good with people, they were quite affectionate with animals. Each of them held a big dog in their arms, checking tongues and scratching itches, making the wolfhound brothers sofortable that their tails wouldn''t stop wagging.


    "You turncoats... Are you brothers nning to marry the pair of sisters?" Suming sent a scornful message with his spiritual power.


    All of a sudden, little Nurse Liao let out an "Aiya" from the back seat, rming Suming into thinking she got bitten by a dog. He immediately hit the brakes and turned to look.


    The bashful sisters had their heads hanging even lower, their faces flushed a cooked crab''s shade of red. They huddled together like two quails, shivering and about ready to cry, not daring to look at Suming.


    The wolfhound brothers were eagerly rubbing against the sisters and sticking out their long tongues, trying to lick their faces!


    Upon closer inspection, even Suming''s face turned red!


    After being fondled by the sisters, the wolfhound brothers shamelessly became aroused, poking around their waists with... that thing.


    The awkwardness Suming felt at that sight was indescribable; he seriously wanted to dig a big hole, bury these two shameful hooligans first, then bury himself!


    "Get down, you shameless rascals!"


    This time, without using his spiritual power, Suming pped them with two smacks, causing the wolfhound brothers to howl in protest as they scrambled down from the back of the Wrangler.


    Completely oblivious to the concept of shame, the brothers stood on their hind legs at the door after getting out of the car, with their tails wagging they stuck out their tongues at the nurses, disying an exceedingly lewd expression, as though the words "perverted wolfs" were engraved on their faces.


    "Go on, get lost!" Suming kicked the elerator and restarted the Wrangler.


    After thatmotion, the atmosphere in the car grew even more awkward. The nurses sat silently, blushing and keeping their heads down, and Suming didn''t know what to say, so he pretended to enjoy the scenery while driving.


    Fortunately, the warehouse wasn''t too far and they arrived shortly. Suming called on Mr. Lin and little Lin from the warehouse to open the door, and they weighed out two hundred pounds of feed from the cold storage.


    "Thank you, Mr. Su..." little Nurse Liao finally managed to force out the words, looking as if it was the hardest thing she''d ever done.


    Afterwards, silence ensued. The wolfhound brothers were off mixing somewhere for half the day and only returned to Shuijun Lake around 8:30 in the evening.


    When ites down to it, mating is a natural instinct for animals, and humans too get impulsive¡ªit''s just that humans know how to control it, or to put it another way, humans know how to pretend.


    Education is still necessary, Suming said seriously, "Love doesn''t distinguish age, gender, or nationality, but it does distinguish species. No matter how cute you two act, the nurse sisters won''t let you climb onto their beds or get fresh with them. You''re barking up the wrong tree, purely wasting your energy and feelings¡­"


    The wolf-dog brothers didn''t seem to understand and sat side by side with nk expressions, looking at Suming.


    A few catsy in their nests, looking at the wolf-dog brothers with scorn.


    Speaking of which, the wolf-dog brothers were also unlucky. They used to live by the Huating Reservoir, where they asionally encountered a few stray dogs to settle their personal issues. Now living in the zoo, although their living conditions have drastically improved, they''ve had topletely give up on that aspect of their lives.


    The zoo had all sorts of animals, except for dogs, and no matter how bold the wolf-dog brothers were, they didn''t dare target tigresses, lionesses, female crocodiles, or female bears. Even if they had the guts, they didn''t have the ability.


    "How about I get you two neutered? That would save all the fuss," Suming scratched his head, tentatively asking.


    Perhaps understanding him this time, the wolf-dog brothers let out a pitiful howl, their tails curled between their legs, mping their hind legs tightly together as they shook their heads frantically.


    "Why so dramatic, it was just a suggestion... No sense of humor at all..."


    ...


    A week passed by quickly, and on the weekend, Nurse Hu came to settle the feed ounts with Suming.


    It wasn''t even a full week, just over four days, with each of the three taking turns spending two hours a day selling the feed, almost one thousand pounds of mixed feed were sold.


    Nurse Hu might not be much to look at, but she was really thoughtful. ording to her observation, the reason for the good sales of the feed was partly because the fish in Shuijun Lake were abundant; every time a handful of feed was thrown in, it would draw many fishpeting for it, creating a quite spectacr scene!


    Moreover, there were a rich variety of fish, unlike ordinary parks with only koi. People get aesthetic fatigue; if they can only see one kind of fish, they lose interest over time. The fish Suming brought from Huating Reservoir mainly included the ''Four Major Families'' of fish, along with seven or eight other species, even some that weren''t economically valuable but notmonly seen.


    "Goodness, this money is too easy to make!" Nurse Hu pped a stack of bills in her hand, making a snapping sound.


    The total amount of money wasn''t huge; over half a week, the profit for the team of three nurses was just over thirteen hundred, averaging out to just over four hundred for each nurse, close to two thousand per month.


    Just like the actual situation for all zoo staff, the nurses didn''t have much to do, their sry wasn''t high, and they didn''t have many opportunities for extra ie. An additional two thousand a month was purely a no-cost business, free money.


    After settling ounts with Nurse Hu, it was already past ten in the evening, and Suming went to Shuijun Lake alone to check out the fruits of the week''s work.


    The feed was basically pollution-free. The Mixed Sea Fish was almostpletely eaten by the snakehead fish, and the shrimps and crabs in the water also benefitted.


    At the bottom of theke, the mud showed signs of snakehead fish moving around, and asionally dark clumps would emerge from the mud, resemblingrge clumps of water grass slowly drifting up to the surface.


    Of course, it wasn''t water grass but snakehead fish poop.


    Without waiting for the snakehead fish poop to fully disperse in the water, various domestic fish, drawn by the smell, would converge from the surroundings and open their mouths to vigorously suck in the floating snakehead fish poop¡­


    With an overabundance of snakehead fish, if you stood beneath the surface of the water at that moment, thekebed would seem like an active ''volcano'', with poop erupting from various ces, and immediately afterward, swarms of fish would rush over to consume it.


    Suming scratched his head, unsure if this scene should be described as spectacr or creepy¡­


    In fact, although snakehead fish poop is excrement, it isn''t as dirty as one might imagine. After a round of purification through the digestive tract of snakehead fish, things in the feed that might not have been very hygienic and could cause pollution, or bacteria, would be broken down and absorbed, neutralized. Therefore, snakehead fish poop was definitely much cleaner and more nutritious than most of the things wild fish ate.


    In summary, in just a short week, the ecological chain of Shuijun Lake was basically established. If you observed carefully, you could see that the sizes of various fish fry had grown a bit.

 Chapter 65: Chapter 65 Joy for Some, Sorrow for Others

    Suming purposely used his spiritual power to catch a few crucian carps and found that the fishes'' growth rate had somewhat exceeded expectations, or rather, exceeded the normal speed ofmon sense.


    Among the four major domestic fish, the crucian carp grows the slowest; artificial breeding sees crucian carps going to market at just over half a pound, and one pound is considered big.


    If it''s a purely wild crucian carp, one pound is rather rare.


    Shuijun Lake is now connected to Huating Reservoir, and the water quality of both is simr. Although it is considered artificial breeding, the quality of the fish is not much different from that of the wild ones, which is one of the reasons why the fish from Huating Reservoir sell so well.


    In just one week, these crucian carp fry, which were originally only around two taels, now averaged about two and a half taels each.


    Fish tend to grow faster when they are young and slower as they get bigger. For instance, if a two-tael young crucian carp is well-fed, rested, and taken care of, it might grow one tael of flesh in a month, but a one-pound crucian carp might not grow an additional tael in half a year.


    Even so, the growth rate of the fish in Shuijun Lake is somewhat rming.


    If this pace continues, in at most half a year, the crucian carp will generally weigh over half a pound each, and various principal fish species will also reach the standard for sale and dining.


    Suming had a few reasons in mind.


    First, the ck fish feces is indeed a wonder for feeding fish; good food leads to good growth. Second, the water quality of Shuijun Lake has significantly improved, and a variety of fish, along with shrimp soldiers, crab generals, loaches, and eels, have formed a good ecological system, which means a better living environment.


    Besides, the contribution of the animal friend couldn''t be overlooked. The alligator turtles, bees, cats, and dogs, all of which had interacted with the animal friend, underwent some positive evolution. The fishes in Shuijun Lake had all been blessed by Suming''s spiritual power, which naturally made them different from ordinary fish.


    Speaking of ''evolution'', in recent times, the fastest to evolve in theke had to be the bighead catfish.


    Its size was now close to one and a half feet, which, while notrge for a catfish, was a colossal sizepared to its original size of less than half a foot.


    Compared to other fish, the bighead catfish not only had better food and living conditions but also possessed an advantage that no other fish could match: it had followed Suming the longest. As a result, both in terms of favor and intelligence, it was the highest in theke, naturally bing the manager of theke.


    Under the nourishment of power, the big meaty catfish grew even more stout.


    Suming squatted by theke, extended a finger, tapped the bighead catfish''s ser-ball-sized head, andughed, "Be careful not to get caught and turned into a fish head hotpot!"


    The bighead catfish seemed quite unconcerned; in Shuijun Lake, it could summon arge group of underlings at any time. As long as Suming didn''t fancy a fish head hotpot, it was absolutely safe.


    After checking on the growth situation of the fish in Shuijun Lake, Suming decided that he needed to further increase the feeding volume.


    Since the nurses only had limited time, managing only half a day during workdays and selling two tons of feed a month at most, this amount of feed was not enough for one hundred acres of fish.


    Since the zoo had plenty of manpower, Suming simply got Mr. Peng, Zhou, and Li to join the feed selling team. The three of them would take shifts, plus the three nurses on rotation, ensuring that visitors could always buy feed during the zoo''s opening hours, without any gaps.


    After trialling this method for another week, Suming was stunned to discover that he not only earned back the money spent on the feed but also made a profit!


    For every pound of feed, he could make a profit of over forty cents. Even if the fish grew biggerter on and the feed from the visitors was not enough, he could use the profits to hire someone specifically for feeding the fish.


    After calcting the ounts, Suming felt great and picked up a baby bottle, squatting by theke and feeding the fish together with a bunch of kids.


    Watching the innocent smiles on the children''s faces, Suming felt somewhat guilty and thought, Am I being too mercenary?


    ```


    Whether hearts are ck or red isn''t important, what''s important is, whether it''s the fish in Shuijun Lake, the zoo workers, or the visitors, everyone is overjoyed!


    But in fact, is there such a thing as a win-win solution in this world that doesn''t let down the Buddha or one''s beloved? If someone is happy, then surely someone is unhappy!


    The boss of Huating Fisheries Company, Mr. Zhou, has been very unhappytely!


    About a week ago, Zhou Jin started feeling that something was off!


    For several days in a row, when it was time to feed, barely any fish surfaced, and at first, Zhou Jin thought it was due to the weather¡ªperhaps the fish weren''t biting, so he didn''t worry too much about it.


    But a few dayster, despite the weather improving, the situation remained the same; he would dump several boatloads of feed into theke, but there would still be little activity.


    Zhou Jin had been fishing for more than a year or two, and he had an incredible amount of experience in this field. He immediately sensed that there was a problem! Even a neglected, wild pond wouldn''t be this lifeless.


    It''s just like with people: when someone feels down, at most they eat less, but they don''t just stop eating altogether.


    If one stops eating entirely, that''s not simply feeling down, that''s suicide!


    Of course, fish wouldn''tmit suicide!


    He thought perhaps it was some fish disease that had caused a mass loss of appetite, so he hastily sent a bald-headed man with a team to catch some fish to inspect.


    To their astonishment, after casting severals, they only managed to haul up a few small fish and shrimp!


    Zhou Jin stared at the empty fishings, his heart skipped a beat, a chill running up his spine, and he hurriedly jumped onto a trawler, personally steering the boat around theke.


    The trawler wasrge with plenty of horsepower, and the trailing was sturdy too, but it was all for nothing. In the end, the oue was no different from before; it was as if all the fish beneath the water''s surface had vanished overnight!


    "Dammit! How many times did I tell you to watch the fish, watch the fish! You tell me, where are the fish!"


    As Zhou Jin looked at the empty fishing, veins bulging on his forehead, he kicked the bald-headed man over, grabbed him by the cor, and asked with a twisted expression and a stern voice.


    The bald-headed man''s eyes widened. He stammered, "Mr. Zhou... we have been living by theke... patrolling every day, it''s impossible for anyone to steal the fish..."


    "Then you tell me, where are the fish! Did they grow wings and fly away?!"


    "Could it be those water birds..." Hearing the word "wings," a lightbulb went off for the bald-headed man, who cleverly nced towards the bushes on the shore.


    He had been guarding this ce for some time, and although he spent most of his time sleeping and ying card games, hardly diligent, the idea that someone could steal all the fish right under their noses seemed impossible. There were so many fish in theke; losing a few, or even several dozen, would be understandable, but not all of them!


    "Bullshit! Even a thousand times more water birds couldn''t eat that many fish!"


    Zhou Jin pointed frantically at theke surface, "Go, get into the water and find them!"


    The bald-headed man and a few followers put on diving gear and descended into theke. They roamed around the area where the fry were being raised, and finally confirmed a fact that made Zhou Jin''s eggs twitch: indeed, the fry had vanished!


    "Mr. Zhou, there are several big holes under the fishing over there! The fish must have escaped through those holes!"


    ```

 Chapter 66: Chapter 66 The Incident Occurred

    "What, the fishings are broken? Impossible!"


    When Zhou Jin heard from the bald man that the fishings were broken, his first reaction was that it was impossible.


    As a professional breeder, he obviously knew how crucial thes for enclosing fish fry were. If even thes were torn, there would be no profits, only losses.


    Having farmed in Huating Lake for many years, he knew theke''s conditions - there could be some shrimp and crabs, and asionally bigger fish woulde to steal food. Therefore, before releasing the fry, he had invested a great deal of money and effort to buy top-quality fishings.


    Although the fishing lines were not thick, their tenacity was extremely strong, interwovenyers uponyers. As soon as fish or shrimp approached thes, they would get entangled and couldn''t escape, eventually getting trapped by the and dying.


    ording to the quality of thes he purchased, not to mention ordinary fish and shrimp, even if a small Yangtze alligator appeared, it wouldn''t possibly break through thes, likely ending up entangled and waiting to die.


    "Mr. Zhou, could I possibly utter lies with my eyes wide open? If you go down and see for yourself, you''ll know!" the bald man said.


    "I''ll go take a look!" Without another word, Zhou Jin put on his diving suit and dived into theke, swimming towards the direction the bald man had pointed out.


    After more than ten minutes, ripples spread across the water''s surface as Zhou Jin emerged, quickly swimming back to shore, striding up the bank, taking off his helmet, revealing a face colder than theke water itself.


    The bald man indeed hadn''t lied. In the water on one side of the, there were five big holes, each about the size of a foot basin. With holes thatrge, not just fry, but even fully grown fish could easily escape.


    Judging from the waterlogged edges around the tears, these holes must have been there for at least seven or eight days. That length of time was enough for all the fry to have escaped!


    Zhou Jin was a sullen person, rarely smiling, but the bald man who had followed him for several years had never seen him looking as terrible as he did then. The bald man, somewhat afraid, swallowed his saliva and mustered the courage to say, "Mr. Zhou..."


    "Shut up!" Fire seemed ready to burst from Zhou Jin''s eyes, yet his tone was frigidly cold, like ice chunks, as he gritted his teeth and asked the bald man word by word, "Don''t you stand guard here all day? Someone made such a big hole in the and you''re telling me you didn''t know?"


    "Could it be the work of a ferocious fish rather than a human? Maybe it''s not man-made?"


    The bald man couldn''tprehend. The was located several tens of meters away from the shore and was in deep waters too. Besides, thes were very sturdy. If it was sabotage, the culprit would have either had to row a boat over thes or wear a diving suit, not to mention having the right tools. It was definitely impossible for this to happen under their watch.


    "If there was only one hole, that could be possible. But five holes, all about the same size and in a row? You''re telling me this is the work of fish? Did the fish be spirits?"


    Furthermore, Zhou Jin had carefully checked around therge holes; there were no remnants of fish scales on the nearbys. If arge fish had broken through, it couldn''t have left no trace at all.


    Besides, if it really was a big fish that had collided with or bitten the, it would have certainly caused a greatmotion. Only humans could have quietly damaged the fishing.


    Hearing Zhou Jin say this, the bald man muttered, "It''s hard to say, those hos the other time..."


    Zhou Jin pped him across the face, causing the bald man to stumble and angrily said, "How dare you bring up that damn ho bullshit to me? How many times have I told you to keep an eye on the fish? I pay you to prevent these issues! Damn it, you''re always going on about hos, and now under your watch, someone has stolen over a million yuan worth of my fry. What do you have to say for yourself?"


    After being pped by Zhou Jin, the bald man''s mind seemed to clear, his eyes lighting up with doubt as he said, "But, Mr. Zhou, I just remembered hearing that the Naval Lake Zoo has started raising fish too."


    "There''s such a thing? Go check it out, what kind of fish the zoo is raising and how many," Zhou Jin said.


    Raising fish in Shuijun Lake was no secret at all; it was easy enough to find out. A thug interjected, "There''s a post on the Yangchuan forum from a tourist who fed the fish at the zoo,plete with pictures. From what I saw in the photos, there are loads of fish, and they are all small. At the time, I even thought, isn''t thispeting with our business? We should teach them a lesson..."


    "Take me to see it!"


    A group of people returned to thekeside vi, went online, opened the forum, and found the post.


    Zhou Jin''s eyes were sharp; he immediately noticed that the fish in the photos were all fingerlings. The young man who had oncee to him asking for advice on fish farming was standing on thekeside with a broad grin, feeding the fish with two wolfhounds at his side.


    "Damn, that''s Hei and Erhei!" The bald man eximed as he pointed at the two wolfhounds.


    Zhou Jin''s face grew stern as he checked the time the post was made, which coincided with shortly after he had stocked his fingerlings.


    All the signs were just too coincidental!


    "Mr. Zhou, it''s definitely that kid Suming who''s messing with us! I''ll take a couple of guys over to deal with him!" The bald man erupted in anger.


    After all, Zhou Jin was an old hand in this game, having seen plenty of the world. After an initial burst of rage, he quickly calmed down and, frowning, considered for a moment, then said, "There are two things to do now: get over there and handle them. First, the fish farm at the reservoir can''t be left idle, order another batch of fingerlings immediately, and if we hurry, we can still catch the season; second, get Suming''s number for me, I''ll give him a call, have a chat."


    "Have a chat?" The bald man paused, then said, "Mr. Zhou, if you ask me, we might as well just call the police. Isn''t the deputy chief of the police station close to you? Lock him up, and it would still be up to you how to deal with himter."


    "What about evidence? With no solid evidence in hand, how can the police arrest someone from the zoo?"


    Zhou Jin hummed darkly, "Stealing my fish won''t be so cheap. I''ll have a good talk with him, make him spit out what he owes! If he doesn''t see sense, I naturally have other ways."


    The bald man, along with a few men, angrily made their way to the Naval Lake Zoo that same afternoon.


    This group was all buzz cuts with dragons and phoenixes tattooed all over, their faces menacing, as if afraid others wouldn''t realize they were thugs. Simply standing at the entrance of the zoo, they truly frightened many tourists into taking a detour.


    However, intimidating ordinary folks was one thing, but the zoo was a state establishment; to let a few punks scare them would be a joke. Their actions, in fact, alerted the security department of the zoo. Dong, the head of security, led several young guards to block them at the entrance and didn''t let them in.


    Dong, capable of being the head of security, naturally had some solid connections¡ªat least, he was on the same level as Zhou Jin, and he certainly didn''t give any credence to the bald man''s bluster.


    In the end, it was Zhou Jin who made a call and obtained Suming''s mobile number.


    "Mr. Zhou, I''ll speak inly; if you have business, then talk business, but don''t mess around. This young Su is someone our director values," Mr. Dong said calmly into the phone.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Dong, it''s just a bit of business I want to discuss with him. He raises fish, doesn''t he? We could coborate," Zhou Jin''s voice could not be discerned for any wrongdoing over the phone, as though he truly had a cooperative project to discuss with Suming.

 Chapter 67 Cooperation?

    That afternoon, while Suming was feeding milk to the young wolves in the Wolf Pen, his phone rang.


    The little wolves had grown robustly under Suming''s care, darting around yfully in the Wolf Pen every day. Seeing Suming pull out a ''ck box,'' the little wolves mistook it for a new milk bottle, whimpering as they mbered onto him, their paws reaching for Suming''s phone.


    "Go y on your own."


    With a tap on the little wolf''s forehead, a game Suming often yed with them, the little wolf would stiffen and topple over backward, feigning death just like ying possum.


    From the other end of the phone came the voice of an unfamiliar middle-aged man, who introduced himself and mentioned the fish theft at Huating Reservoir.


    "Mr. Zhou, I don''t understand what you''re getting at. Your fish fry have gone missing, but what''s that got to do with me?"


    "Whether it concerns you or not, you and I both know very well," Zhou Jin said.


    Since Suming was the perpetrator, he had anticipated that Zhou Jin would eventually suspect him. The fact that he was farming fish in Shuijun Lake was no secret and couldn''t be hidden. Receiving Zhou Jin''s call, he wasn''t surprised and responded indifferently, "If I remember correctly, you once said something, and now I''ll return the favor in kind, ''You raise yours, I raise mine; we are unrted to each other.''"


    No evidence, just inner certainty¡ªworthless. If a certainty could convict someone, what would be the need forws?


    So, without any evidence, Suming wasn''t worried at all that Zhou Jin could do anything to him.


    The underwater passages were very well hidden and located a considerable distance from the fish enclosure. Discovering those few entrances was virtually impossible. Furthermore, Suming had arranged for regr patrols around the passages, shrimps and crabs acting as his guards. Even if Zhou Jin stumbled upon them by sheer luck, Suming could seal off the passages at any time, leaving no evidence behind.


    Suming adamantly denied any involvement, and Zhou Jin wasn''t surprised either, having expected Suming to deny it. He chuckled coldly, "Young man, do you think you can just hide in the zoo every day without any evidence and I''ll have no way to touch you? I advise you to be clear about one thing; don''t think you arepletely safe just because the animal farm has got your back."


    "Mr. Zhou, are you threatening me?" Suming grinned.


    "Threatening? No, no, I''m aw-abiding businessman; how could I threaten you?"


    Both parties were not fools. In this day and age, recording devices were all toomon. Both were wary of each other, careful not to leave any leverage over the phone. Zhou Jin chuckled and said, "I have a proposal for cooperation. If you agree, it would be beneficial for both of us. As for the fish fry, I can let bygones be bygones. A loss of around a million is bearable for me. Who knows, we might even be friends in the future."


    Cooperation? Suming pondered briefly. What could there possibly be to cooperate on between him and Zhou Jin, and to mutual benefit at that?


    After thinking it over, he caught Zhou Jin''s drift and asked, "Are you suggesting that once the fish grow bigger, I should sell them directly to you?"


    "Smart man! No wonder those bald-headed guys lost to you," Zhou Jin admitted.


    Hearing Zhou Jin put it that way, Suming''s mind raced. In fact, this wasn''t entirely uneptable.


    Firstly, there was no deep hatred between him and Zhou Jin¡ªit was just business, and if he could make money from it, it wouldn''t necessarily be a bad deal. Secondly, being new to the breeding industry, he didn''t have established channels for selling his fish. If Zhou Jin would take them off his hands, even at a lower price it would do, especially since he hadn''t spent a dime on the fish fry or feed.


    "What''s the price?" Suming asked.


    "20% of the market price," Zhou Jin stated.


    Suming''s expression darkened slightly, "Mr. Zhou, is this how you make friends?"


    Offering 20% of the market price was as if Suming had worked hard only to benefit Zhou Jin in the end, even at a loss to himself.


    Zhou Jin, however, had calcted a great deal for himself. If he could buy at that price, it would be even more cost-effective than raising the fish himself.


    Zhou Jin chuckled coldly on the other end of the line, "Don''t forget, I''ve lost a lot more fish fry than you have in yourke. If you don''t agree, I assure you, you won''t make a single cent in the end."


    "Then there''s no need to talk further." Suming hung up the phone.


    On the other end, Zhou Jin''s phone emitted a series of beeps.


    The bald man by his side had been carefully observing Zhou Jin''s expressions and guessed much of the situation, saying, "Mr. Zhou, since that kid doesn''t appreciate what''s good for him, he can''t me us. I can take a few guys to climb the fence at midnight, slip some poison into hiske, and guarantee all his fish will be dead in less than three days."


    This was an old tactic of Zhou Jin''s crew. In the past when there were some scattered breeders near the reservoir, Zhou Jin would never beat or scold them, but he would secretly send the bald man to poison their ponds, killing all the fish. Most small-scale breeders couldn''t withstand such a loss, which would immediately end their business.


    Over the years, with this method, Zhou Jin had swallowed up all the breeders around Huating Reservoir, creating a monopoly with Huating Fisheries Company.


    But Zhou Jin shook his head, "No, in the end, Shuijun Lake is part of the zoo''s property, and poisoning is a serious crime; the police would certainly investigate thoroughly!"


    "So we just let that kid off the hook?" the bald man protested, "Mr. Zhou, I can wait for him at the zoo''s entrance. I don''t believe he''ll never leave the zoo!"


    "Having been in the breeding business for so many years, of course, I have a way to make him suffer in silence! Come with me upstairs."


    Zhou Jin led the bald man and a few underlings up to the second floor of the vi, entering his bedroom.


    In the center of the spacious bedroom stood a huge aquarium, about four to five meters long, resembling a giant coffin.


    Inside the ss tank, seven or eight long-bodied, eel-like creatures swam slowly.


    Compared to eels, these creatures were muchrger, with the longest nearly reaching a meter in length, as thick as an adult''s arm, covered in diamond-shaped scales like armor, and equipped with long, bird-like beaks.


    At first nce, they looked more like crocodiles without legs!


    Next to therge tank, there was a smaller aquarium with a dozen or so koi swimming back and forth. Zhou Jin scooped a koi more than half a foot long with a small fis and tossed it into therge aquarium.


    As soon as the koi hit the water, one of the creatures darted toward it like an arrow, its long mouth filled with backward-curving fangs, mping down on the koi.


    Before the koi could struggle, the other creatures also rushed over, tearing and shredding it.


    In the blink of an eye, that koi, weighing at least two pounds, was torn to pieces and devoured by the creatures, leaving no trace behind as if it had never existed, except for the faint red blood threads floating in the water, creating a bloody, gruesome scene.

 Chapter 68 : 68: The Crocodile Gar

    As soon as the big koi hit the water, it was immediately torn apart and devoured by several strange fish, while the bald man and a few thugs watched in astonishment, "Holy shit, these fish are fierce, Mr. Zhou, are these piranhas?"


    "These are not piranhas, but they''re worse than piranhas!"


    Zhou Jin grabbed a towel and wiped his hands as he said, "This is the crocodile garpike, one of the fiercest freshwater fish, brought over by a friend from South America. These creatures are like crocodiles but even more vicious. They eat only meat and are poisonous. The biggest ones can grow to five or six meters long. In a pond, if you have one of these, hmph..."


    "Oh, I get it! Mr. Zhou, you mean to secretly release these crocodile garpike into Shuijun Lake to devour all the fry!"


    The bald man gave a big thumbs up: "Brilliant! Mr. Zhou, that''s really smart!"


    "Hmmph, didn''t that kid say we should each raise our own? Fine, I''ll let him raise them. I want to see what he can raise with these creatures around! Not to mention fish, even crabs and loaches will be entirely wiped out!" Zhou Jin said fiercely, throwing down his towel.


    A henchman off to the side wasn''t so sure, "Mr. Zhou, these creatures are fierce, but there''s only a few of them, and thatke of his is over a hundred acres. Even if these crocodile garpike eat their fill, they can''t consume that many fish, can they?"


    "You don''t understand." Zhou Jin sneered with a shake of his head: "There are many fish that eat other fish, even humans, but why is the crocodile garpike notoriously vicious? Because it''s violent in nature, loves to kill indiscriminately. It will bite to death all other fish in its vicinity, whether it can eat them or not. There''s a term for it, called ''overkill''."


    "Besides, we''re not talking about a day or two here. We''ve got all the time in the world. Today a few dozen, tomorrow a few dozen more. By the time that kid notices, there''ll barely be any fish left in theke."


    The bald man was eager to get started: "You can count on me, Mr. Zhou. I''ll climb over the fence tonight and release them into Shuijun Lake."


    ...


    Around ten o''clock at night, Suming was stopped by a patrolling security guard who mentioned that Mr. Dong had been looking for him during the day. With nothing in particr to do, Suming nonchntly made his way to the security office.


    As he entered the gate, he was greeted by a wall disying dozens of TV screens, each showing surveince footage from different areas of the zoo.


    "Mr. Dong, you really upgraded the artillery!" Suming greeted Dong, who was sitting at the monitoring station, with a chuckle.


    Thest time he was in the monitoring room, not even a third of those dozens of TVs had clear images, most of the surveince equipment was broken.


    "It''s all thanks to you. After that incident with the lucky cat, the higher-ups approved some funding. Plus, you donated a hundred thousand, and the zoo finally had the money to beef up security. We overhauled the entire surveince system, installing and recing where needed. The project was justpleted today."


    Mr. Dong said while gesturing for a young security guard to bring a chair over.


    "Mr. Su, please take a seat," the young guard said politely.


    "Thank you," Suming nodded at the guard, then jokingly said to Mr. Dong, "So all our moves are being watched under your ever-watchful eyes now, are they?"


    "You little rascal, can''t you just say what you want to say instead of beating around the bush and cursing me?" Mr. Dongughed heartily and then said, "I get it, it''s about privacy. The old zoo director said there''s no need to monitor where we staff live. It''s mainly the perimeter fence and the animal areas that matter. You''re not nning to bring a girl back to the waterside residence for some fun and are worried I''ll see, are you?"


    "I wish, but unfortunately, no girl is willing." Sumingughed.


    "That''s not true, I hear those three girls at the nurses'' station are always chattering about you behind your back. They might just be interested in you."


    Whenever Suming thought about the nurses'' station, his scalp would tingle. After the wolf-dog incident, it was a bit awkward whenever he encountered those nurse sisters. As for Nurse Hu, she was still as carefree as ever.


    But Suming really didn''t have the courage to bring Hu back to the waterside residence.


    "Let me ask you something. Why have you gotten involved with someone like Zhou Jin?"


    Mr. Dong shifted his gaze from the monitors, nced at Suming with some concern, and asked, "Is there a conflict in business? Zhou Jin is not an easy opponent. If you need help, I can talk to him."


    "His own fish go missing, and he uses me of stealing them," Suming said.


    "What a joke, with several kilometers between Shuijun Lake and Huating Reservoir where his fish farm is, how could they be stolen? Digging tunnels? He''s just used to being a bully. Seeing your fish thriving, he wants to swindle you. It''s not the first time this has happened. Several of our neighbors have been pressured by him to the point where they couldn''t continue and eventually moved away. You don''t need to pay him any mind. If there are any problems, the park will take care of you."


    Mr. Dong''s casualment had almost guessed the truth, and Suming also smiled without saying much.


    After a little more small talk, Suming was ready to leave.


    Before he could step out, a figure suddenly appeared on one of the surveince screens, d in torn, ragged clothes, clumsily climbing over the zoo''s fence and jumping out.


    Immediately afterwards, the wolf-dog brothers appeared in the frame. Although the footage was silent, it was evident they were furiously barking in the direction of the person who had climbed the fence.


    In light of a recent sabotage where Monkey Mountain''s fence was tampered with, Mr. Dong''s heart skipped a beat when he saw the surveince footage. He grabbed the walkie-talkie at once, "Zhao, Zhao, go check the east back wall. Someone just climbed over! They were chased off by Suming''s wolf-dogs!"


    "I''ll have a look too," said Suming.


    By the time the group arrived, the fence climber was long gone, but the wolf-dog brothers were still guarding the base of the fence. With no hope of catching up now, Mr. Dong could only instruct the security guards to be more vignt during their night patrols.


    "I''ll be going then, Mr. Dong, you''re busy," Suming said, seeing there was nothing for him to do. He turned around with the wolf-dogs and headed towards Shuijun Lake.


    Since he was raising fish, Suming naturally had to prevent sabotage or theft. These days, he had the wolf-dog brothers stationed near Shuijun Lake most of the time, especially after today''s threatening call from Zhou Jin. Suming had also specifically dispatched several cats to the area and had instructed the alligator snapping turtles and bighead catfish to strengthen their vignce.


    He even sent Er Gouzi to the back hills to gather a swarm of bees and hos, hiding them in the trees surrounding Shuijun Lake.


    With creatures that fly, run, and swim, all under hismand, Suming had set up aprehensive defense in the air, onnd, and in water. No matter how capable Zhou Jin was, he''d find no way to mess with Shuijun Lake.


    The person who climbed the fence must have visited Shuijun Lake before, to have been chased by the wolf-dog brothers.


    ...


    Under the moonlight, the bald man sprinted down the path along the edge of the reservoir, anxiously ncing back while running, afraid of being pursued.


    After finally reaching Zhou Jin''s vi, the bald man breathed a sigh of relief and yelled at ackey, "Water... water... get me a ss of water..."


    Meanwhile, outside the vi, Er Gouzi, who had been stealthily following, was perched on a tree branch. Hispound eyes coldly watched the bald man enter the vi before buzzing his wings and heading back towards the zoo.


    "How did it go!" Zhou Jin hurried down the stairs.


    After guzzling half a teacup of water, the bald man wiped his mouth and replied hesitantly, "Uh, uh, uh, done!"


    "Did anyone see you, and did anyone chase you?" Zhou Jin pressed.


    "Nope, I was wearing a mask. Looked around the whole time, no tails!"


    "Good."


    Zhou Jin''s eyes suddenly narrowed with suspicion as he scrutinized the bald man''s disheveled appearance, "How did you get into such a state?"


    Upon Zhou Jin''s inquiry, the bald man nearly burst into tears andmented with a miserable face, "Mr. Zhou, I''ve suffered! I nearly lost my life trying to get this done!"

 Chapter 69 : 69: A Hard Life

    Although the bald man was only a thug, on Yangchuan Road, mentioning "Bald Brother" still meant something.


    He might not daremit murder or arson, but when it came to fighting and brawling, he never pulled his punches. By all ounts, one could say that he was tough enough to be categorized as a ruthless man. Even if he got his head split open, tears wouldn''t be expected, yet at this moment, the bald man was crying miserably, like a little wife who had been wronged.


    "Stop beating around the bush, get to the point!" Zhou Jin said, ring at him impatiently and pointing at therge bumps on his head, he asked in surprise, "Hey, did you get stung by wasps again?"


    The underlings nearby immediately thought of thest time the bald man was stung by wasps and had an ident with his dder and bowels; they almost burst intoughter.


    "Laugh my ass off! Let him speak!" Zhou Jinmanded angrily.


    With tears streaming down his face, the bald man began to recount his encounter that evening.


    As darkness fell, he packed seven crocodile eels, each at least half a meter long, into arge snake skin bag and climbed over the wall into the zoo.


    When he stealthily made his way to the edge of Shuijun Lake, the bald man was quite proud of himself.


    This time, not only would he avoid being held responsible for the loss of the fish, but he could also take this opportunity to seriously retaliate against Suming.


    In truth, he had no significant grudge against Suming. Logically speaking, the bald man understood that the wasp sting from before should have been an ident and had nothing to do with Suming.


    But obsession is a dangerous thing. The more the bald man dwelled on the past incident, the more he hated Suming. The more Zhou Jin held him back from personally dealing with Suming, the stronger the bald man''s desire for revenge grew, like a seed taking root and sprouting in his heart, growing everrger.


    Now, with these crocodile eels, all the fish in theke would not survive. That kid was bound to suffer a significant loss.


    Crocodile eels didn''t just eat fish. Theserge crocodile eels could band together and even biting a person to death wouldn''t be a problem. If a visitor were injured, that kid would definitely have to take responsibility.


    By then, not only would Shuijun Lake not be up for lease, but he might even get fired. Temporary workers are, after all, meant to take the fall.


    If Suming was fired, without the protection of the zoo, Suming, being an outsider, would be at the mercy of whatever he, Bald Brother, wanted to do to him, whether it be crush him t or twist him into a pretzel, it would all depend on his word.


    Watching each of the crocodile eels slide into theke from the snake skin bag and quickly vanish in the water, the bald man couldn''t help but get excited. He seemed to foresee the future where Suming would cry and beg for mercy under his steel pipe.


    "I''m going to break your third leg as well... Ow, what the hell is that..."


    Engrossed in the fantasy of his future violent acts, the bald man suddenly felt an intense pain on his head, as if he''d been pricked by a needle, and instinctively pped his bald forehead.


    With a smack, he hit nothing, but the buzzing sound that he remembered all too well reached his ears!


    "Damn it, not this again!" Hearing the sound, the bald man nearly had a heart attack and quickly retreated several steps. He wrapped his head with the wet snake skin bag tightly, leaving only his eyes visible, and looked around cautiously.


    Fortunately, there were only one or two wasps circling him. The bald man waved his arms frantically and finally managed to drive the wasps away.


    Although the wasps were gone, therge bump on his head was incredibly painful. It seemed that the wasp''s venom was particrly potent; in less than half a minute, the bald man felt dizzy and an oppressive sensation in his chest, as if arge stone were pressing down on him.


    He leaned against a tree and retched "urgh, urgh, urgh" a few times, but other than saliva, nothing came out.


    Looking up, he saw a few cats squatting on the grass in a dark corner not far away, staring coldly at him.


    Thekeside was tranquil and serene, the faint moonlight glittering on the surface of the water, creating ripples as smooth as jade. In such a beautiful moment, the bald man involuntarily shuddered inside and uttered a rather bookish phrase,


    "This is not a ce to stay for long!"


    Thinking this, he hastily turned around and fled the way he came. Thankfully, he didn''t encounter any patrolling security guards. His escape went incredibly smoothly. After walking a distance through the pitch-ck woods, he was just about to reach the fence that surrounded the woods.


    Just then, the bald man suddenly felt something was off. From behind him came the sound of rustling footsteps, as if something was following him.


    "Who''s there!" A chill ran down his spine, and he slowly turned to look back.


    Not far behind him, tworge dogs that looked like calves slowly emerged, their eyes pitch ck as they gazed at him oddly, tilting their heads.


    "Eh, Hei and Erhei? It''s you guys!" The bald man recognized the two dogs at a nce¡ªthey were exactly the ones they had raised to guard the fish pond by biting people.


    His eyes twirled, and he thought that Zhou Jin had been quite dissatisfied with him recently, if he could not onlyplete the task smoothly this time but also bring back the two stolen wolfhounds, maybe he could improve the impression Zhou Jin had of him.


    It seemed that these two dogs had been following him all along, but they hadn''t pounced to bite, which meant that Hei and Erhei still recognized him.


    The bald man sneakily looked around, and seeing no one else, he whistled at the two wolfhounds and whispered, "Hei, Erhei, follow me!"


    Upon hearing the whistle, the two wolfhounds cocked their heads, as if they remembered something, and their eyes grew even more bewildered.


    "Come on, Hei... Erhei..."


    The bald man, afraid of incidents happening if they dyed, and of being discovered by patrolling security guards, crouched down and started moving towards the dogs, intending to lead them away. He had barely taken two sneaky steps when suddenly the expressions of the wolfhound brothers changed. They lowered their bodies, their eyes turned fierce, and they slightly bared their teeth, revealing two rows of gleaming fangs, and started to growl lowly.


    "Woo... woof..."


    Wang Cai finally let out its first bark, and the sound immediately carried far away. In the distant woods, two shlight beams appeared; someone had heard the noise and was rushing over!


    The bald man didn''t even think before he turned and ran!


    In his panic, he forgot a basic rule: you should never run when encountering dogs in a narrow path!


    The two wolfhounds were originally feeling somewhat sentimental, but his running away instead infuriated the wolfhound brothers, who chased after him like lightning from behind.


    Howl howl howl... Howl howl howl...


    In the darkness, there was a tangle, and it was unclear whether it was a human or a dog that was yelping.


    Luckily, these two dogs had been trained by Suming, not to bite people to death. They didn''t bite at vital parts and still sort of recognized the bald man, showing ''mercy'', or else the tworge wolfhounds were more than capable of literally biting the bald man to death.


    Even so, in just a few seconds, the fleshier parts of the bald man''s buttocks and thighs were ferociously bitten several times, causing heart-wrenching pain, and arge chunk of his trousers was torn off.


    The shlight beams were getting closer, and the sound of footsteps could be heard clearly. The bald man bit down on his pain, and in this critical moment, he burst out with surprising potential and fought hard to shake off the two wolfhounds'' pursuit. He scrambled up the back wall, running up to the top in a few quick steps and sat straddling it.


    The wall top was covered in shards of broken ss, and as the bald man straddled the wall, he screamed out in agony. The intense pain in his buttocks and the two hands that grasped the wall top were pierced and bleeding profusely, and his whole body was impaled by his own weight.


    Having dozens of ss shards stuck in his behind was an indescribably ''special'' experience. The bald man''s mouth and facial muscles twitched, and any slight movement brought piercing pain.


    "Who''s there!"


    The security guard finally emerged from the woods, shone the shlight toward the wall top. The bald man hurriedly covered his face, and at this point didn''t care about anything else, flinging one leg over the side of the zoo.


    Crack crack... a few faint snaps rang out, and arge number of ss shards on the wall suddenly disappeared, all embedding into the bald man''s buttocks.


    ...


    "Mr. Zhou... I''m literally risking my life for your business... Ow, be gentle..."


    The bald many on the couch, sobbing as he recounted the ordeal, with a henchman using tweezers to remove the ss shards from his buttocks one by one. A few other henchmen couldn''t hold back anymore and burst intoughter, covering their mouths.


    "First, it was hos; could this guy really train hos?" After hearing the bald man''s story, even Zhou Jin was a bit skeptical.


    It wasn''t impossible, as beekeepers could use the nature of bees to simplymand them.


    One of the henchmen held back hisughter with a cough and said, "Mr. Zhou, we should send the bald guy to get some shots first, in case he contracts rabies. That wouldn''t be good."


    Zhou Jin looked at the bald man with a bit of disgust, waved his hand, "You take him to the hospital, and you guys,e with me to guard the fishpond. We cannot afford any problems with this batch of new fish fry!"

 Chapter 70 Encircling the Crocodile Gar Fish

    As the bald man recounted his miserable experiences, a life-and-death battle was unfolding in the waters of Shuijun Lake.


    On the calm surface of the water, waves sshed about as if some monster was struggling beneath.


    Suming was seated in a motorboat, eyes intently fixed on the water''s surface, while two German Shepherds rested their front paws on the edge of the boat, tongues out as they stared at the water, asionally emitting threatening growls.


    Despite their excellent water skills and formidablebat abilities, the dogs were helpless when it came to fighting aquatic creatures!


    The recently introduced ferocious Alligator Gar hadn''t been in theke for long before the big-headed catfish that guarded theke detected their presence!


    Alligator Gars are natural-born killers, and the big-headed catfish stood no chance against them. Thetter wouldn''t dare to engage directly inbat, for approaching would only be tantamount to suicide. In desperation, the big-headed catfish could only lead the nearby fish far away, doing its best to minimize losses.


    By the time Suming arrived, in less than twenty minutes, the seven Alligator Gars had already killed dozens of various fish and shrimps!


    Suming immediately recognized these creatures notorious as "freshwater destroyers" and unleashed a surge of spiritual power upon them.


    The Alligator Gars, being one of the ten most ferocious freshwater fish, surprisingly had a strong resistance to spiritual power. They were irritable and fierce and difficult to tame. Upon contact with spiritual power, they wriggled free from control and struggled to escape.


    With Suming''s current level of spiritual power, he was not totally helpless, but the size of theke was vast and the Alligator Gars were highly cunning. It was not easy to urately pinpoint their location. Even if they could be barely locked on, the Alligator Gars would not submit in a short time.


    Suming quickly guzzled arge mouthful of blue honey, replenishing his spiritual power to the brim, and controlled the school of fish to lure the Alligator Gars towards the center of theke.


    On the way, dozens more juvenile fish, used as bait, were sacrificed!


    "Damn it! Zhou Jin, I swear I''ll make sure you have a failed harvest every year!" Suming gritted his teeth fiercely.


    At that moment, in the waters beneath the boat, appeared a huge whirlpool made up of thousands of various fish species!


    At the very center of the whirlpool were the seven gathering Alligator Gars!


    Layers of juvenile fish, connected head to tail, swam around the Alligator Gars rapidly, like migrating schools of fish in the ocean.


    On the outermostyer were the weakest Crucian Carps, norger than a palm. Being nearly defenseless, they were positioned on the periphery for protection. Their main mission was to drive the whirlpool, ensuring the formation remained intact. Since fish have a schooling instinct, with the Crucian Carps constantly rotating, the whirlpool''s formation would not be disrupted!


    The rtively plump ck Carps formed the backbone of the whirlpool. They were muchrger than the Crucian Carps, and the force of their full-on collisions in the water was formidable, acting like walls to protect the fragile Crucian Carps and other small fish.


    Sleek and fast-swimming Silver Carps darted through the whirlpool like des, causing confusion amongst the Alligator Gars.


    The seven Alligator Gars were like being trapped in a giant iron barrel, the water currents stirred up by the fish whirlpool causing them to sway. However, their ferocity was fully provoked at this moment, as they madly charged at the fish formation, tearing open gaps in the whirlpool each time!


    Fortunately, with theke teeming with fish, each loss was quickly replenished by more, with ck Carps tightlyyered overyers of defensive rings, as thick as fortresses. The impact of their own swimming also generated strong forces, and the Alligator Gars'' charges hit the whirlpool like heavy blows on slippery butter, with half of their energy dissipating due to the whirlpool''s rotational force!


    The main purpose of the fish whirlpool was to prevent the Alligator Gars from escaping. The only ones truly qualified to fight the Alligator Gars were the Snakeheads!


    As carnivorous fish, the Snakeheads, although not as infamous as the Alligator Gars, were no match for ordinary freshwater fish. Their bodies were all muscle, their strength formidable, and their mouths filled with sharp teeth containing slight venom.


    If the Alligator Gars were like special forces amongst fish, then at least the Snakeheads were akin to well-armed militia!


    With their numerical advantage, and under Suming''s unified direction andmand,rge groups of Snakeheads burrowed through theke''s muddy bottom, entering the midst of the whirlpool fearlessly from below,unching a group charge toward the Alligator Gars!


    It wasn''t just the ckfish; the bottom of theke had turned into a veritable ''forest of swords and sabers.'' Countless crabs and lobsters, brandishingrge and small pincers, surged upwards. If a crocodile gar swam a tad too low in an attempt to rest and regain its strength, it would immediately be mped so viciously that it was left with wounds all over its body.


    The greenfish and grass carp were rtively fewer in number, but they had likewise joined the fray.


    The grass carp wererger and packed a more powerful ramming force than the silver carp. A single grass carp weighing around five pounds could knock an adult unconscious with its full force in water!


    Wherever the whirlpool showed a weak point, arge grass carp would immediately fill in. If the crocodile gar wasn''t paying attention, it would be knocked aside and sent sliding far away.


    Greenfish are omnivorous and their favorite food is snails. They are nicknamed ''snail cracker'' and even though their teeth are long gone, their sucking power is remarkable. With their fleshy lips, they can suck the flesh of snails right out of the shells. Under the waters home to greenfish, there''s often a thickyer of empty snail shells.


    One by one, the greenfish mped theirrge mouths firmly onto the crocodile gar, severely slowing down the speed of these otherwise lightning-fast creatures.


    Suming''s side kept sustaining casualties, and with it, the crocodile gar''s stamina was rapidly depleting.


    Gradually, the whirlpool currents and water movements, which had seemed trivial at first, began to have a significant impact on the battle. As the fish swirled faster and faster, a vortex even appeared on the surface of the water, and the crocodile gars in the water started to falter and il.


    In water, fish are like people onnd: if a person can''t walk steadily on shore, it can only mean that they have reached the brink of exhaustion!


    "Now''s the time!"


    Suddenly, the whirlpool opened arge gap, and a monstrous-looking alligator turtle with a swaggering gait entered the battleground from the fissure!


    Whether in offense or defense, the alligator turtle was far superior to the crocodile gar. Against one-on-one, there was no question of the oue. But normally, faced with seven crocodile gars, the alligator turtle would have to flee!


    However, at this moment, the crocodile gar had reached the end of their tether. The arrival of the alligator turtle was thest straw that broke the crocodile gar.


    Looking every bit the demon, the alligator turtle chased the disoriented crocodile gar in a frenzied pursuit. Repeatedly, crocodile gars would crash into the ''walls'' of the whirlpool, only to be pushed back by the formidable collision force, and then chased again, crashing back into the whirlpool...


    Seeing the opportune moment, Suming licked arge mouthful of honey and violently poured his spiritual power into the seven crocodile gars without any reservation!


    Nearing utter exhaustion, the crocodile gars finally could no longer withstand the erosion of spiritual power and gave up resistance!


    The water''s surface gradually returned to calm...


    ...


    After the great battle, nearly three hundred of Suming''s fish fry, shrimp, and crabs had perished, with the majority being crayfish. Due to their shelled bodies, these creatures were actually quite fragile; a sweep from the long bodies of the crocodile gars killed many at once.


    Compared to the total poption of Shuijun Lake, these losses were negligible. But if not for Suming''s timely discovery and strategicmand using spiritual power, given enough time, these few crocodile gars could have wiped out everything in theke.


    All seven crocodile gars were captured and brought back to the Fengshui Pavilion. They looked like prehistoric monsters, with slimy scales covering their bodies and long mouths filled with sharp teeth¡ªthey looked unspeakably strange.


    After recovering a bit of strength, the crocodile gars even showed signs of rebelling once more!


    "Give up resistance, turn away from darkness and toward the light, right the wrongs, switch sides and strike back¡ªthat''s your only way out!"


    Suming sat inside the Whisperwind Pavilion with a cold smirk.

 Chapter 71: Chapter 71 The Tragic Daily Life of the Crocodile Garfish

    In the lobby of the first floor of Whisperwind Pavilion, seven gar-pike eels were strung up by ropes threaded through their gills, hanging from the beams like a row of salted fish, asionally writhing.


    The gills are a crucial part of a fish, and even the most ferocious fish would immediately lose the ability to resist once a rope was threaded through them, rendering their great strength useless.


    Besides, Suming was constantly bombarding them with his spiritual power.


    The fishy smell emanating from the gar-pike eels drew the attention of several cats. Fish was the felines'' favorite food, and to them, these formidable creatures that even snapping turtles would hesitate to provoke were merely sizeable meals.


    The cats, as if fitted with springs, pounced haphazardly on the ground, leaping up to try to snag the suspended gar-pike eels with their front paws.


    However, the beams of the Fengshui Pavilion were over three meters high, and the longest gar-pike eel was less than one meter, leaving a gap of about one to two meters from the ground, a height the cats could not reach.


    Hei tried to jump repeatedly, the highest attempt falling short by less than half a meter, eyes locked on the gar-pike eel it nearly grasped. Dissatisfied, it paced with feline steps, circling the eels several times before it actually started directing the other cats to form a ''catdder''.


    "Get down, get down, all you ever do is cause a ruckus! With no need to sell tickets every day, are you all just bored to death?"


    Suming stepped forward and grabbed the cat at the bottom of the ''catdder'' by the neck, pulling it out. The makeshiftdder copsed instantly, and the cats on top tumbled to the ground like little meatballs.


    "I''ve already told you, the only way out is to forsake the dark and seek the light, to correct the chaos and return to order!"


    Holding the cat in his arms, Suming red fiercely at the gar-pike eels and said, "Let me tell you, if you don''t behave, you''ll hang there for a day. With me here, you won''t even be able to die if you wish to!"


    As he spoke, he sent another wave of spiritual power their way, and the gar-pike eels, which were already at death''s door, seemed to regain some vitality.


    At this moment, Suming bore not even the slightest hint of ''animal friendliness''; he was nothing short of a demonic jailer.


    The only ones to me were the gar-pike eels themselves for being so obstinately rebellious!


    Other animals, even fierce ones like tigers, could usually bemunicated with normally¡ªthey were just ''difficult to manage'' and didn''t fall under Suming''s control. But these gar-pike eels were like rocks in atrine, stinking and unyielding, making any attempt at propermunication like ying the lute to a cow,pletely ineffective.


    To draw an analogy, when dealing with people, while everyone''s personality is different, most are still normal human beings. If you reason with them and make sense, they usually listen, and even if they disagree with your point of view, you can stillmunicate.


    But some individuals¡ªlike these gar-pike eels¡ªare simply mentally ill, with personality disorders, possibly even paranoid or prone to violence, perhaps even a bit insane; they are not normal and thus you cannot use the normal approach with them.


    When they were first caught and brought ashore, Suming tried to ''talk'' to them with his spiritual power, but these fellowspletely ignored him. With a forceful flick of their tails and a quick turn, they opened their mouths to reveal their sharp teeth, biting at Suming, who narrowly avoided them thanks to his preparedness!


    Since reasoning failed, he resorted to force! Dealing with the gar-pike eels was both challenging and straightforward¡ªoverpowering them with violence, no matter whether they were paranoid or mentally disturbed, breaking their willpletely, subduing and frightening them, would naturally result in their obedience.


    Suming had all the time in the world¡ªshould one day prove insufficient, he would carry on for two days, and if two days were not enough, then four days it would be.


    The stubbornness of the gar-pike eels subjected them to a hellish daily existence.


    Three times a day¡ªmorning, afternoon, and evening¡ªroutine ''torment'' by spiritual power was their due.


    If souls did indeed exist, Suming figured that spiritual power could directly reach them, capable of invoking both a sense of closeness and a primal fear and pain.


    True to the phrase "refining both body and mind," to merely flog the gar-pike eels with spiritual power was far from adequate.


    Suming, at the height of his excitement, had even crafted a small leather whip for himself. Whenever he had nothing else to do, he would take it out andsh it a few times just for fun.


    The garpike''s body was covered in armor-like scales and coated with mucus, which should have protected it from blows. But Suming was cruel and vicious, and he always waited until the mucus on the garpike''s body was dry before hitting it. With each crack of the whip, several scales would be stripped away.


    Physical pain was one thing, but the greatest torture was fear!


    From time to time, a few cats would casually stroll into the Fengshui Pavilion, looking up at the garpike with ill-intent, as if contemting the best ce to sink their teeth in.


    Once when Suming was away, Hei somehow persuaded De Fu, who was resting at home, to let him climb onto its back. De Fu actually agreed, and with one leap, Hei managed to snatch the longest garpike, hugging its body and viciously taking a big bite...


    When Suming returned, he saw Hei using all four limbs like a ko, clinging to the garpike''s tail and swinging in mid-air, with its sharp little ws flicking out and digging into the gaps between the scales, causing the garpike so much pain it nearly passed out.


    The garpike was lucky that its scales were incredibly hard, and Hei couldn''t bite through them; otherwise, it would probably be reduced to a fish skeleton by now.


    If the cats could not pose a real threat to the garpike, then the alligator turtles certainly could, and with ease!


    The one that was over a meter in diameter, with legs as sturdy as iron pirs and standing over a meter tall, could easily reach the garpike with a full stretch of its long neck.


    Conveniently, the alligator turtle''s gargantuan, millstone-like teeth could grindingly crush the garpike''s scale armor.


    Even more coincidentally, the garpike was also on the alligator turtle''s menu...


    After enduring multiple forms of torture, in less than three days, the garpikes had already be docile. Compared to the creatures that were always thinking of eating them, Suming, who merely beat them, seemed almost angelically kind...


    The moment they couldn''t see Suming, the garpikes felt uneasy. After all, being humiliated and whipped was still better than being eaten bit by bit!


    "What about you guys, aren''t you pathetic?"


    Suming asked, pointing with the tip of his whip at the several garpikes.


    The garpikes had been let down and werenguidly crawling on the floor of the Fengshui Pavilion. When they heard Suming speak, they quickly twisted their bodies and swam to his feet, raising their heads and eagerly trying to climb onto his legs like a bunch of tentacled creatures.


    "This scene is disgusting!" Suming shuddered with distaste.


    Now that the garpikes had calmed down, Suming no longer nned to torture them. He left two small ones to be raised in the littleke of the Fengshui Pavilion and released the other five into Shuijun Lake.


    To avoid these personality¨Cdeficient creatures harming other fish, Suming specially enclosed a few dozen square meters of water near the corner of Shuijun Lake by the back mountain for the garpikes to live in temporarily.


    The garpikes, having gone several days without food, frenziedly swam in circles upon being released, desperately searching for something to eat.


    In the rest of Shuijun Lake outside, there was ''food'' everywhere. However, after Suming''s discipline, these creatures wouldn''t dare to eat the fish or shrimp from theke, even if it killed them.


    "If you want to eat, find it yourself!"


    Suming looked in the direction of Huating Reservoir and let out a coldugh.

 Chapter 72 A Big Incident Occurred!

    Although the surveince footage didn''t capture his face, subsequent feedback from the bee and dog attacks indicated that the sneaky individual who had released the crocodile gar into the fish pond, and then got stung by wasps and bitten by dogs, was indeed the bald man.


    Suming wouldn''t believe it was just the bald man''s personal actions and had nothing to do with Zhou Jin, even if you killed him.


    The bald man''s backer was Zhou Jin. Zhou Jin had already clearly threatened Suming over the phonest time, and besides, releasing crocodile gar to wreck the fish pond ecology, this kind of ''technical'' sneaky move, was not something the bald man with his level of intelligence coulde up with.


    Putting all these incidents together, the mastermind behind them could only be Zhou Jin without a doubt.


    Since Zhou Jin had shown his true colors, Suming did not intend to be polite with him. He decided to fight fire with fire, sending the crocodile gar back to the reservoir through the channel to eat Zhou Jin''s fish.


    These few crocodile gar had a massive appetite, and it would cost a pretty penny to feed them. Suming didn''t want to pay that bill.


    ...


    From the sky above, Huating Reservoir looked like the shape of a cbash, divided into tworge bodies of water in the east and west, connected by a narrow stretch of water in the middle.


    The western body of water, connected to the Yangtze River, was several timesrger than the eastern one and served as the main body of the Huating Reservoir, being an open public water area;


    The smaller eastern body of water, on the other hand, was a fish farming area contracted by Zhou Jin, withrges separating it from both sides.


    The eastern sector was divided into a Fry Zone and an Adult Fish Zone. Normally, once the fry had grown for two or three months and reached a slightlyrger size, they would be moved from the Fry Zone into the Adult Fish Zone to be raised freely.


    This was also why, though Zhou Jin suspected that those fry had fallen into Suming''s hands, he couldn''t do much about it openly. With a big hole in the fishing, those fry could have also escaped into the reservoir, and unless he could clean out the entire Huating Reservoir on both sides and confirm there weren''t enough fry in the reservoir, he couldn''t report a fish theft.


    This mammoth project was impossible, not just for apany boss like him, but even the municipal government couldn''t manage it.


    The crocodile gar, swimming through the underwater passage, arrived at the ''cbash'' eastern side, at the fisherypany''s Adult Fish Zone. After roaming around in the water, they discovered a new batch of fry where they had released fryst time.


    It seemed that Zhou Jin had restocked the fry. However, this time, the Fry Zone''s security was extremely tight.


    The fishings under the water surface had all been reced with high-strengthposite materials, and in addition, there were three small motorboats patrolling back and forth on the surrounding water.


    A small cruise ship was moored not far away. After suffering a significant lossst time, Zhou Jin simply moved to theke with two of his subordinates, living on the ''Chuanhua Zi 008'' cruise ship, directing operations day and night.


    After the catfish and the crocodile gar passed through the passage, they quickly reported back the situation to Suming.


    Suming pondered for a moment. If he sent the crocodile gar to forcefully attack the Fry Zone, with their ferocity, they could certainly bite through theposite materials given some time. However, that would definitely cause amotion and attract the attention of the patrol team on theke.


    "Never mind the fry, go eat the big fish in the reservoir!" Suming made a decisive decision, changing his strategy.


    If eating the fry was like cutting off Zhou Jin''s future harvest, then eating the fish in the reservoir was like severing Zhou Jin''s current harvest.


    The several crocodile gar, ted, rushed towards the Adult Fish Zone in the east. Considering their nature and appetite, the reservoir was bound to experience a significant reduction in production within half a year.


    After arranging all of this, Suming suddenly found that he seemed to have unexpectedly be idle, with nothing to do.


    The pleasure boat business was proceeding in an orderly fashion, and with Mr. Peng and his team in charge, and several cats taking turns as the mascot, there was no need for worry. He could just sit back and earn tens of thousands a month;


    In terms of fish farming, the water quality of Shuijun Lake had already reached that of the reservoir. The fish''s living environment was not an issue, and with the three nurses primarily in charge, assisted by Mr. Peng''s team, he didn''t even have to handle feeding himself. Thest batch of feed that cost twenty thousand hadn''t beenpletely sold yet, but the cost had already been recouped, with a little profit made;


    The only person who might cause him trouble, Zhou Jin, couldn''t stir up any waves for the time being. The defense around Shuijun Lake was tight, both onnd and in the air. Zhou Jin didn''t even know that the alligator-sauridae had already defected. There were likely to be no other disturbances any time soon.


    Even if there were any idents, he always had two bodyguards with him, one overt and one covert. At least one of the wolf-dog brothers would be out in the open, and Er Gouzi was hidden in the shadows, ready to summon a swarm of wasps at any moment.


    He had been consuming Monkey Wine and honey from the big jars daily. Plus, by constantly directing andmunicating with various animals, and with his "Animal Friend" ability, both his total spiritual power and control were steadily improving every day.


    Life was getting a bit too uneventful¡ªspending days wandering around the zoo, thening back for a long nap, and ordering another batch of feed online.


    Not even a week had passed when Suming himself started to feel a bit restless, as life was too leisurely, which was quite unsettling, and he was always looking for something to do.


    Thus, he pondered taking half a week off to visit the new home of the bees in the back mountain. The Queen Bee had sent several messages wanting to see him. Plus, he had promised Ji Xiang, the Haidong Qing from the zoo, that he would take it out for a flight when the chance arose.


    However, before Suming could properly prepare, Nangong unexpectedly called him with another big piece of news!


    The one in trouble wasn''t Suming, but Zhou Jin from the fisheriespany!


    A major ident had urred at Huating Reservoir. The owner of the fisheriespany, Zhou Jin, had sustained serious injuries and had nearly died!


    It''s a long story to tell, and it was essentially Zhou Jin''s bad luck.


    He had been raising fish for many years and was naturally a good swimmer. He would often enjoy swimming in the reservoir. The day before yesterday at noon, as usual, he went swimming in the reservoir and was fiercely rammed in the chest by a strange aquatic creature. He spat out blood and immediately passed out, sinking below the water.


    Fortunately, he was not far from a small pleasure boat, and his subordinates rescued him. They promptly called 120 and took him to the hospital.


    It was said that Zhou Jin suffered several broken ribs and was still in the hospital for emergency treatment. Whether he could be saved or not was still unknown.


    However, this wasn''t the "big incident" that Nangong was talking about!


    At the time Zhou Jin was hit, there happened to be a few people ying by the Huating Reservoir. They recorded the moment the "aquatic creature" struck Zhou Jin with their phones and uploaded it to the inte.


    From the video footage, the aquatic creature appeared to have short fins and swam from a distance at high speed toward Zhou Jin.


    After hitting Zhou Jin, the creature also leaped out of the water and in a panic, it identally crashed its head into the side of the nearby pleasure boat. Its head was immediately busted open, blood sttered, and it left a dent in the side of the boat.


    Some people recognized the chubby creature, looking somewhat like a pig, as the Yangtze River dolphin, a national first-ss protected animal.

 Chapter 73: Chapter 73 Yangtze River Finless Porpoises

    The Yangtze finless porpoise, a ss I protected animal of the nation, is somewhat simr to dolphins, butcks the dolphin''s elongated snout. Its head is rounded and somewhat pig-like, hence it is also called ''river pig''.


    The Yangtze finless porpoise had long been listed on the endangered species as, with fewer than a thousand individuals remaining worldwide, even rarer than the giant panda. They typically inhabit rivers andkes near the Yangtze River. Years ago, wild finless porpoises were spotted in Dongting Lake, but with the incessant exacerbation of environmental destruction, no sightings of wild porpoises have been reported for many years.


    At this moment, a Yangtze finless porpoise, even rarer than the Baiji Dolphin, had appeared in the reservoir and had collided with a person, immediately drawing widespread attention. The TV station, naturally, would not miss such explosive news and sent Nangong Yan to conduct the interview.


    Nangong Yan was unaware of the so much grudge and gratitude that had happened between Suming and Zhou Jin during this period. She called Suming simply wanting to consult with the specialist on why the typically docile finless porpoise would suddenly attack a human.


    "Probably because the porpoise was frightened," Suming gave a vague answer.


    In fact, upon hearing Nangong Yan''s ount, Suming had already guessed the reason.


    With its massive size, what could possibly startle a finless porpoise in a reservoir? It must have been targeted by several crocodile-snouted garfish. Focused solely on escape, it inadvertently collided with Zhou Jin, who was swimming.


    Perhaps it had been chased all the way from the western part of the reservoir to the east. Thoserges would not stop crocodile-snouted garfish.


    A fish weighing five jin could knock an adult unconscious with a full force collision in the water. Getting hit by a fish weighing ten jin was almost like being hammered.


    The porpoise in the video must have weighed at least seventy to eighty jin, maybe even over a hundred jin. Being struck by such a hefty creature, it was fortunate that Zhou Jin did not die on the spot.


    After hanging up, Suming quickly called back several crocodile-snouted garfish and, sure enough, it turned out just as he had expected¡ªthe finless porpoise had initially been in therge area on the west side of the reservoir. For some reason, it had been chased by the garfish and broke through the barrier separating the two parts of the reservoir, rushing into the water area contracted by Zhou Jin.


    Not long after Suming ''inquired'' with the garfish, Mr. Song called him over.


    When Suming arrived, Mr. Song was reviewing the video. A chubby porpoise, over a meter long, first collided rapidly with Zhou Jin, who was swimming in the water. Then it leaped like a fish, banging its head against the side of a nearby small cruise ship with such force that it even dented the ship. Both the porpoise, which was injured and bleeding from the head, and Zhou Jin spilled blood into the water, turning the surface red.


    "Judging from the video, it''s definitely a finless porpoise. The reservoir is very close to the Yangtze River, and the gates are opened every few years. It''s likely that the finless porpoise swam upstream into the reservoir during open gates," Mr. Songmented while handing a document to Suming, "Prepare yourself for this notice issued from above. You''re joining the team with me."


    Suming looked at it. It was a red-titled document issued from the provincial level, "Notification on the Establishment of the Huating Reservoir Yangtze Finless Porpoise Protection Investigation Team."


    "Since the discovery of the finless porpoise, rted departments at all levels have taken it very seriously. A special task force has been formed, led by provincial and municipal agricultural, forestry, and fisheries officials, with the assistance of the Agricultural Sciences Academy and the zoo, to jointly conduct the investigation. The injured porpoise would find it difficult to survive in the natural environment. The most crucial task now is to locate this injured porpoise and protect it immediately. Arrange your affairs and then head to the reservoir with me," said Mr. Song.


    "There''s nothing special to instruct, shall we go now?" asked Suming.


    "Good, drive your car, and let''s departure at once!" Mr. Song nodded seriously. After finishing his words, he walked briskly out of the office. They descended the stairs and got into Suming''s Wrangler, heading directly towards Huating Lake nearby.


    They quickly arrived at the site of the incident at Huating Lake. Several vehicles were parked by theke, and arge military-green temporary tent had been erected.


    Inside the tent were a few machines, with arge table set up in the middle, atop whichy a t map of Huating Reservoir. Around the table, about ten people were gathered in discussion.


    Standing at the very front was an elderly man in his sixties, wearing ck-rimmed sses, with only a few tufts of ck hair remaining on his bald head. At first nce, he resembled an older version of San Mao.


    "Mr. Song,e over here, we were just waiting for someone from the zoo!"


    As Mr. Song walked into the tent, the "elderly version" of San Mao looked up and quickly waved him over.


    "This is Professor Chu Tianning from the Provincial Agricultural Sciences Academy, Assistant Director of the investigation team and also an old ssmate of mine," Mr. Song hurriedly said to Suming before striding into the tent to briefly greet Professor Chu and the others around him.


    The people inside were divided into two groups, one from the Agricultural Sciences Academy, led by Professor Chu, with a few younger individuals who were his students and two employees from the Provincial Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Center.


    The other group consisted of government officials, led by a middle-aged man in his fifties.


    "This is Suming, Su, a young key member of our zoo, and he will be joining me in the group''s work."


    As Mr. Song introduced Suming, the middle-aged man gave Suming a meaningful smile.


    Seeing this man, Suming felt amused; this leader was none other than Wang Hao''s father, Director Wang Jianse.


    Every time Suming saw Wang Hao''s dad, he found it quite funny. Wang Jianse was considered an idol-level figure among middle-aged and older women, resembling Chen Daoming in appearance, but how could Wang Hao just happen to look like Guo Degang? Itpletely defied the theory of gics.


    Although they recognized each other, in this public setting, both of them tacitly avoided any acknowledgement.


    "Mr. Wang, everyone''s here now. Would you like to say a few words?" Professor Chu asked.


    "All of you are engaged in animal research and protection. I won''t go over the importance of the finless porpoise in our country''s animalmunity. Let me just briefly convey the spirit from our superiors," Mr. Wang began with a chuckle, then his expression turned solemn as he continued, "The discovery of a wild finless porpoise has been given great importance by our superiors, and they have made two demands of us. First, we must find the injured finless porpoise, and second, we must ensure its protection."


    After finishing his speech, he looked at Professor Chu and Mr. Song with a smile and said, "Chu, Song, you two are the experts on this matter. You decide how to proceed. I won''t lead experts out of my field. I''ll take care of the logistics for you. If you need any equipment or manpower, just let me know."


    Professor Chu nodded and turned to Mr. Song, "Song, time is of the essence, so I won''t beat around the bush. Here''s the work n: Mr. Wang will instruct from shore, and for the rest of us, three people per boat, equipped with sound detectors, we''ll conduct a dra search from both sides of the reservoir to find that finless porpoise. Does that work for you?"


    Instead of responding directly, Mr. Song looked at Suming and asked, "Do you have anything to add?"


    Professor Chu''s students and the two other government workers were baffled; at such a gathering, there was little room for such a young person to speak, nor did they understand what special skill this inconspicuous young man possessed to warrant such consideration from Mr. Song.


    Feeling a bit embarrassed by the attention, Suming scratched his head, "No additions, we''ll do as directed by the leaders."


    Director Wang Jianse gave Suming a slight smile and said, "Alright, then let''s get started."

 Chapter 74 : 74 The Expert Specified Above

    The entire work group consisted of fifteen people, and after excluding Wang Jian She and two government workers, the actual field operation team, including Suming, totaled twelve.


    These twelve split into three groups, each equipped with radios and sonar detectors, along with some shallow water equipment, before boarding three small boats.


    Originally these three boats belonged to a fishingpany, but now that Zhou Jin was hospitalized and still in critical care, the boats had been temporarily requisitioned.


    As a matter of course, the few followers of Zhou Jin were also requisitioned as ''local citizens cooperating with the work'', responsible for guarding the fishing boats.


    The bald man had snuck off to release the crocodile snakest time and ended up returning with injuries all over his body; he had just been discharged from the hospital yesterday.


    Who would have thought that just as he stepped out, Zhou Jin was admitted, and suddenly seeing Suming, the bald man felt a shiver of unease for no apparent reason, with a chill rising simultaneously from the top of his head and his rear end. Instinctively, he took a step backward and eximed in shock, "It''s you?"


    Before Suming could speak, Wang Jian She''s secretary, with a stern face, asked, "This is Mr. Su, the expert assigned by the higher-ups. Do you have a problem with that?"


    The bald man nced at the serious-faced secretary and then back at Suming with a look of uncertain surprise. Wasn''t this guy just a temp at the zoo? How in the world did he suddenly turn into an ''expert designated by the higher-ups''?


    Whether he was an expert or not didn''t really matter; it was the words ''the higher-ups'' that were truly frightening.


    "Oh, no problem, we know each other," Suming chuckled, "Mr. Bald, now''s not the time to catch up."


    "Yes, yes, yes..." Baldy came to his senses as if waking from a dream, quickly stepping aside to untie the ropes of the fishing boat and allowing Suming and the others to board.


    Before long, the fishing boat had sailed away from the shore.


    The bald man stood on the shore with a few of his followers, and one of them, seeing that they were all to themselves, leaned in and said, "Bro, doesn''t this punk have a grudge against us? This is the perfect chance to get him!"


    "Get your sister!"


    The bald man red at him, then with a mix of helplessness and frustration, smacked his forehead heavily, saying, "Didn''t you see he''s got connections with the government? I wondered, how could he dare topete with Mr. Zhou and cause trouble with just being a temp? Turns out he''s got people up top! No wonder, no wonder..."


    "So we just let it go?" the follower asked.


    "What else can we do?"


    Baldy gestured towards the temporary tents on the shore and said, "Those people in the tents, which one of them can we afford to offend? If we get on their bad side, with just a word from Mr. Wang, Mr. Zhou''s reservoir contract won''t happen, and we''ll be left eating air and drinking farts!"


    ...


    The fishing boat Suming was on wasn''t much different in size from the assault boat he used on Shuijun Lake. Besides Mr. Song and Suming, there was also a graduate student of Professor Chu named Liang Shi.


    Liang Shi was the kind of person who looked very honest at first nce, wearing thick sses, speaking little, and had been staring tensely at the sonar indicator at the bow of the boat ever since embarking.


    Drip... Drip... Drip... Drip...


    The sonar device emitted a consistent soft beeping sound. The principle behind the monitoring system was simr to radar, continuously scanning the surrounding hundred meters of water with their boat as the central point.


    From the video footage of the collision with Zhou Jin, the finless porpoise appeared to be at least 1.2 meters long, presumably an adult, and the sonar would reflect anyrge creatures over a hundred centimeters in length onto the monitor.


    Mr. Song was also holding a radio,municating every now and then with the search personnel on the other two boats.


    Suming wasn''t particrly in a hurry. Having learned that a special team had been assembled to investigate, he had already instructed the alligator gar to return to Shuijun Lake and even temporarily blocked those few passages at the reservoir end, lest they survive the enemy''s gunfire only to fall into the hands of their own people.


    Before sealing off the waterway, Suming had specifically summoned the bighead catfish, along with a dozen or so juvenile ck carp, to scatter and search the water for any injured Chinese River Dolphins.


    After searching for more than half an hour, the three boats found nothing, and Suming received no feedback either. He didn''t know whether the dolphin was dead or had simply hidden itself.


    Liang Shi was staring intently at the sonar screen the whole time without moving his eyes. He was nearsighted and kept rubbing his eyes, which were blood-red; seeing this, Suming couldn''t help but feel a bit of pity. He patted Liang Shi''s shoulder and said, "Take a break, I''ll take over for you."


    "Thank you so much! Then I''ll trouble you to watch for a bit while I put in some eye drops ande back to relieve you."


    Liang Shi repeatedly expressed his thanks, made way from in front of the monitor, and sat at the back of the boat. He took out a bottle of eye drops, removed his sses, tilted his head back, and squeezed a few drops into his eyes.


    Suming, preupied, watched the monitor and made small talk, "Liang, you''re still a student, right? Howe even the student army has been sent out?"


    "Yeah... I''m in my third year of graduate studies... Oh, Mr. Su, we''re about the same age, you can just call me by my name..."


    With his eyes closed, Liang Shi spoke in a rather wooden tone, "Our agricultural academy''s graduate practice courses count for credit, and my thesis topic happens to be about wild Chinese River Dolphins. That''s why Professor Chu specifically brought me along for this operation."


    "Oh, so you''re the real expert on river dolphins," Suming teased.


    Liang Shi said a bit embarrassed, "It''s all theoretical knowledge from books; in fact, I''ve never even seen a wild river dolphin."


    "Ah? Then how will you write your thesis?" Suming asked, taken aback.


    Talking about the river dolphins, Liang Shi''s words clearly became more plentiful, "It''s like this, there are three types of river dolphins. The ones we''re talking about are usually the freshwater ones, called Yangtze River Dolphins. In 2006, the United Nations conducted a survey, and the wild poption of the Yangtze River Dolphin was less than 1,500. Moreover, it decreases by about 10% every year. By now, the number of wild Yangtze River Dolphins in the whole world is probably less than five hundred. In reality, it might even be fewer. Over the past few years, I followed Professor Chu and traversed through the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze, including nearby Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake, but there have been no signs of river dolphin activity for a long time."


    "How will you write your graduation thesis?" Suming asked.


    "I just hope we can find that dolphin this time; if we really can''t, I''ll have to stay for an extra year and change my topic," said Liang Shi with a wry smile and then opened his eyes. He crawled toward the front of the cabin and said, "Mr. Su, my eyes are better now, let me do it."


    Suming was about to make way when a ''beep'' suddenly sounded from the detector!


    All three people on the boat turned their gaze to the sonar at once, and on the screen, about twenty meters from the boat, a dark, fish-shaped shadow appeared underwater, maintaining the same direction as the fishing boat and slowly swimming forward.


    Liang Shi immediately became excited, grabbed the walkie-talkie and blurted out, "Hey hey hey, Boat Two has discovered a suspicious target, Boat Two has discovered a suspicious target!"


    After some faint static, Professor Chu''s voice came through the walkie-talkie, not directly answering Liang Shi but instead asking, "Song, are you there?"


    Liang Shi was startled, realizing his reporting overstepped his bounds, as Mr. Song was the team leader on the boat. With an awkward scratch of his head, he handed the walkie-talkie to Mr. Song.


    Mr. Song nodded at him without saying much and spoke into the walkie-talkie, "I''m here. We found something big, looks a lot like that dolphin."


    "Let the young people go down and check it out."


    "All right," said Mr. Song, putting down the walkie-talkie. Before he could speak, Liang Shi had already hurriedly started pulling on a diving suit, eximing, "I''ll go, I''ll go!"


    "Su, you go with him. The two of you watch out for each other and be careful!" Mr. Song said.

 Chapter 75 : 75: Someones Missing!

    Huaxia had not discovered wild Jiang dolphins for many years, and the recent sighting at Huating Reservoir was taken very seriously by the higher-ups, who allocated a batch of specialized equipment. Every fishing boat was equipped with diving suits.


    Mr. Song had already given Suming a brief instruction on how to use the diving equipment. Mimicking Liang Shi, Suming suited up properly, and then the two of them sat on opposite sides of the boat, giving Mr. Song a ''thumbs up'' for ''ready.''


    "Be sure to pay attention to safety!"


    Still not at ease, Mr. Song added another word of caution. Suming and Liang Shi looked at each other through their diving goggles, nodded simultaneously, and then, leaning backward, plunged into theke with a backward somersault.


    Meanwhile, in another direction, a bighead catfish was also racing towards them at high speed.


    After getting into the water, Liang Shi gestured to Suming, pointing ahead, and then with a twist of his waist, he took the lead and swam towards the direction where the shadow had appeared.


    Suming gently glided through the water with his fins, following about half a meter to the side and behind Liang Shi, ready to assist at any moment.


    ording to the data from the detector just now, the ''target'' was deep underwater. The two dived headfirst, swimming diagonally downwards. As they went deeper, the light from above dimmed, and they were surrounded by murky darkness, with visibility less than half a meter. There was not a single sound in the water, nothing but an eerie and deathly silence.


    Liang Shi, with far more experience using the diving equipment than Suming and eager to find the Jiang dolphin, swam faster and faster, soon leading by a considerable distance. Suming, following behind, could barely see Liang Shi anymore; he could only discern a figure floating ahead, so he quickly turned on the underwatermp on his helmet.


    A focused beam of light shot out from the searchlight, cutting through the gloom under the water, forming a long column of light. Countless tiny aquatic organisms, like specks of dust, glittered as they passed through the beam.


    Within the visible range of the searchlight, however, there was no sign of Liang Shi!


    Suming startled slightly, thinking, Where did this guy go?


    Just as this thought crossed his mind, his helmet was bumped, and suddenly, a series of dull thuds... thump, thump, came from behind¡ªit was as if something in the water was knocking on his helmet!


    A buzz ran through Suming''s scalp; he felt a surge of blood ready to burst out. Instinctively, he turned his head to look back!


    He saw a huge head pressing against the helmet, its two pitch-ck eyes staring directly at him through the diving goggles!


    Several tentacle-like barbels floated above therge head, pale and ghostly under the searchlight''s illumination!


    "Shit!"


    Suming hadn''t quite recovered from the shock, which had rattled him considerably. He paddled water frantically backward, waving his arms in confusion as bubbles of oxygen burbled chaotically from his mouth.


    With some distance between them, Suming could finally see that it was not some ghost from the waters but actually the bighead catfish.


    The bighead catfish, shaking its head, swam beside Suming, nudging his helmet with its mouth, seemingly quite curious about this object.


    "Next time don''t just suddenly ''biu'' out like that; you can scare someone to death!"


    Suming was sweating bullets, almost wanting to strangle the creature. If he weren''t underwater, he might have been frightened to the point of urinating! Come to think of it, he might already have been scared enough to do so without realizing it because of being in the water...


    "Have you seen any other people?" Suming asked the bighead catfish using his spiritual power.


    Finding the Jiang dolphin would be great, and it wouldn''t be a big deal if they didn''t, but it was absolutely essential that Liang Shi remained unharmed!


    The bighead catfish nodded, circled around Suming a few times, and then, with a flick of its tail, swam leisurely off at a thirty-degree angle. Suming quickly made a few strokes with his hands and followed close behind.


    After following the bighead catfish for approximately fifteen meters, Suming finally saw a blurry shadow in the distance, over a meter long. From afar, it looked like both a fish and a person.


    Suming powerfully kicked back with his legs, stepping hard on the water, and shot towards the shadow.


    As he got closer, Suming realized there was something off about this shadow. Although it was about the length of a human, it definitely wasn''t human-shaped!


    If it were a person, it should have been elongated, unlike the roundness of a Jiang dolphin.


    The shadow in front was like a massive ellipse!


    He hurriedly drew his arms back, halting his forward momentum and staying motionless in the water, not daring to move an inch and even trying to minimize his breathing.


    In the beam of the shlight, ayer of dark green scales swept by¡ªa massive creature underwater slowly glided past Suming.


    Since it had scales, it definitely was not Liang Shi nor a finless porpoise, but some kind of giant fish! Suming remained still, holding his breath and focusing on the enormous fish just a short distance away. A fish of such size was extremely dangerous in the water; a casual flick of its tail could easily knock a person unconscious.


    The giant creature seemed not to have noticed Suming, as it kept moving slowly toward the deeper parts of theke, gradually distancing itself from him.


    Suming finally exhaled in relief, nning to quietly approach the giant fish and attempt to control it with his spiritual power. Such arge fish was extremely rare; if he could control it, the benefits would be numerous.


    No sooner had Suming moved than the giant fish seemed to sense something amiss, abruptly flicking its tail and turning to charge right at Suming!


    In Suming''s pupils, the rapid approach of a gaping maw reflected!


    ¡­


    At that moment, the surface of the water was in uproar!


    "I told you to be careful, to be careful¡ªwhy don''t you ever listen!"


    Mr. Song''s eyes almost shot fire as he red at Liang Shi in front of him, berating him so fiercely that his spit flew all over Liang Shi''s head and face.


    Having scoured the waters below and determining that the dark shadow was not a finless porpoise, Liang Shi had turned back the way he came. His objective had only been to find the porpoise, and it wasn''t until he got back on the boat that he realized they had lost track of Suming.


    Mr. Song and the others waited on the boat for a while longer, but still, Suming did not surface. It was then that Mr. Song became anxious, swiftly making contact with the other boats to ry the situation.


    Learning that someone was missing, Professor Chu and the others panicked, no longer concerned with searching for finless porpoises. They hurriedly approached from afar, gathering above the area of the incident.


    Professor Chu and Mr. Song conferred, and although Mr. Song had trained Suming in the use of diving equipment, it was, after all, Suming''s first dive, which carried great risks. With such a long time psed without surfacing, something might have indeed gone wrong. They made an immediate decision not to wait any longer, deploying all the divers avable to work in pairs and search for Suming under the water!


    "Chu, Song, don''t panic just yet, I''m on my way. Little Su is quite clever; it''s not certain that something will go wrong."


    Through the walkie-talkie, Wang Jian She tried to reassure the two older experts, but his tone was more anxious than anyone''s.


    Not to mention the rtionship between his son Wang Hao and Suming, if an ident had truly happened and someone had died, he, as the leader of the team, would be the first to me!


    Professor Chu''s face was ashen with frustration as he red at Liang Shi, "You, you, how could you be so careless! It''s good to be fully invested in your research, but in situations like these, you... oh... "


    "Teacher, it''s all my fault, all my fault!" Liang Shi was also frantic, almost in tears.


    Professor Chu said nothing, turning instead tofort Mr. Song: "Song, it''s just a big green fish. Fish are timid creatures that generally get frightened away by humans¡ªthere shouldn''t be much danger."


    "I hope so," Mr. Song sighed deeply, pausing to pray for divine protection. A green fish thatrge could easily cause someone to ckout from the slightest collision. Fainting in the water was as good as being dead.


    "Everyone, pay attention! Pair up and get ready to dive for the search and rescue!"


    Wang Jian She''s voice rose above theke, as he stood on the bow of the yacht with a megaphone, his face an ashen hue.


    Liang Shi put his diving helmet back on, preparing to be the first to dive in search of the missing person.


    Just then, the surface of the water suddenly rippled, and arge ssh erupted!


    "What is that thing!" someone on the boat eximed.


    Among the sshes, an enormous green fish, the size of a small hill, emerged!


    And astonishingly, there was a person riding on the back of the green fish!

 Chapter 76 The Fish Knight

    The person on the fish''s back was wearing a diving helmet, making it hard to see their face, but Mr. Song still recognized them right away, eximing in rm, "Suming!"


    Hearing Mr. Song''s cry, the person on the fish''s back took off their helmet with one hand, revealing a grinning face ¨C who else could it be but Suming!


    As soon as Suming emerged from the water, he saw arge crowd of people gathered on the boat, staring at him open-mouthed. He was momentarily stunned, but quickly understood what had happened ¨C these people must have thought he was in trouble.


    Without further ado, he removed his helmet and rode the big fish in a wide circle on the water''s surface, waving to the people on several boats around him and calling out loudly, "I''m fine, how about you all!"


    The enthusiastic greeting was met with no response!


    Everyone on the three nearby boats was leaning forward, their eyes glued to Suming and therge fish beneath him, their mouths agape and jaws nearly dropping, disbelief written all over their faces!


    Therge green fish under Suming''s crotch was at least one and a half meters long, who knows how old it was. After it emerged from the water, it thrashed about frantically, shaking its head and darting around in the water ¨C clearly trying to rid itself of the pesky guy on its back!


    What was strange was that no matter how the fish darted about, Suming sat steadily on its back, and every time the fish tended to sink or sped up so fast that he might lose his bnce, Suming would forcefully ''wave his hand'' and then, astonishingly, therge green fish would obediently swim in the direction of Suming''s wave.


    After Suming had ridden therge green fish around in the water for several circles, the onlookers realized that he was holding a thick and long water weed in his hand, the end of which passed through the gills of the green fish like ''reins'', steering the fish.


    The water churned in waves as the green fish swam with Suming on its back,ughing heartily, sometimes even letting out ''giddy up'' calls, thoroughly enjoying himself.


    Mr. Song, Professor Chu, and Wang Jian She, the elder of Wang Hao''s family, each stood at the bow of their boats, exchanging nces. All three of them rubbed their eyes as if to make sure they weren''t seeing things.


    After ''riding'' the green fish for a while, Suming eventually slowed down beside the boat, saluted the people on board in an awkward manner, and loudly reported, "Reporting to the leaders, I have determined that the dark shadow was not a finless porpoise but thisrge green fish. I have subdued it, please give instructions!"


    Only then did the three leaders fullye to their senses. Mr. Song waved at Suming with a cryugh expression, leaning over the side of the boat, and shouted, "Alright, alright, if you''ve had your fun,e back on board. We have serious business to attend to!"


    Professor Chu alsoughed and, using the ng of the younger inte crowd, said, "Su, better rein in your ''Divine Skill'', it''s not easy for the green fish to grow this big. Don''t kill it!"


    Wang Jianguo gave a long sigh of relief, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders and plopping down onto a chair at the bow of the boat.


    Whether the fish lived or died wasn''t his concern. Even if all the fish in the reservoir died, he would still be a leader as long as the people were safe ¨C that was the real stroke of luck!


    While the leaders each had their own thoughts, the younger folks had already taken out their cell phones and were snapping away at Suming riding the fish.


    Two girls from the Agricultural Science Institute, excited and shouting, aimed their phones at Suming. He struck a victorious pose for the camera with augh and then turned back to say, "Reporting to the leaders, I''ve just detected some otherrge fish in theke, which will definitely interfere with our search! I suggest that if we find any fishrger than one meter, we should capture and detain them right away!"


    This was indeed a problem. If every time the sonar detected arge fish people had to go down to investigate, not only was it unsafe, but it was also a waste of time and could lead to duplicate efforts.


    "Chu, Song, what do you think?" Wang Jian She turned on the walkie-talkie on the boat and asked.


    "It''s feasible, we have the fishing and trawlers ready, but where do we put such a big fish when we get it out of the water?" Professor Chu spoke through the walkie-talkie.


    Mr. Song and Suming were the closest, with Suming now astride the fish, leaning against the side of his boat. Hearing Suming''s ''suggestion'', Mr. Songughed, pointed his finger at Suming in a mock gesture, and then responded into the walkie-talkie, "Let''s ce it in our zoo. Su is in charge of Shuijun Lake, and the water quality there is pretty good. It''s more than adequate for raising these fish!"


    If it were any other time, it definitely wouldn''t be allowed to transfer fish from a reservoir to a private pond, but due to the urgency of finding the river dolphins, such concerns were overlooked. Besides, the victim Zhou Jin was still lying in the hospital, with no one to object, so the three leaders quickly reached an agreement. Mr. Song made a call to Mr. Dong of the Security Department, asking him to bring a small truck to transport the fish.


    Mr. Dong soon arrived at theke with the truck, sticking half his body out of the cab, and shouted across the water, "Hey Su, what kind of acrobatics are you performing? When did you learn to float on water with Divine Skill!"


    From his distant vantage point, Mr. Dong could only see Suming seemingly floating on the surface, until Suming rode the fish to the shore. The big blue fish stranded in the shallows revealed the truth, startling Mr. Dong so much he almost hit the gas and drove into the water.


    Everyone on the boat also came ashore and surrounded Suming and the big fish, bombarding him with questions. Liang Shi and his group of graduate students looked at Suming with a newfound respect, realizing why the zoo had sent him. He truly had skills.


    Not to mention, encountering such a huge fish underwater, not only did Suming manage to safely escape, but he also subdued it. Such quick-wittedness, calm bravery, and clever adaptability were not something ordinary people possessed.


    The bald man saw Suming from afar, surrounded like the moon by stars by various leaders and government officials, and couldn''t help swallowing his saliva, thinking regretfully, "Of all people I had to offend, it had to be him!"


    To add insult to injury, from a distance Wang Jianguo patted Suming''s shoulder affectionately¡ªa sight that made the bald man wish he could p himself!


    The big blue fish wasn''t taken away immediately; first, it was weighed. It was a whopping 184 pounds, measuring up to one and a half meters long!


    Wang Jian She called the bald man over, looking strictly businesslike, and said, "Let''s make this clear, Su, this fish was found in someone''s contracted area, so you can''t just take it for free. You need to pay the market price for the fish! How much is a pound for a blue fish now...¡­"


    Such arge fish was a rare find and its value couldn''t be measured simply by weight. The bald man looked between Wang Jian She and Suming. After hesitating for a moment, he clenched his teeth, mustered a smile, and said, "Hehe, dear leaders, for wholesale blue fish, the price is six yuan per pound..."


    "I''ll pay ten yuan, I absolutely won''t let you suffer a loss!" Suming dered emphatically, pping his chest as if he refused to take advantage of anyone.


    In the end, the huge fish was bought for less than two thousand yuan. It seemed fair, but it was practically a steal!


    After this small episode, Mr. Dong escorted the truck and delivered the big blue fish back to Shuijun Lake, and everyone resumed their search for the river dolphins.


    The search wasn''t going very well, though. As the day turned into night and three boats had circled the entire reservoir, not a single dolphin was found. Instead, they caught four big fish over one meter long¡ªtwo carps, and one blue and one grass fish respectively.


    These big fish were naturally ''bought'' by Suming at ''market price'' and all were released into Shuijun Lake.


    Thus, the first day of the search effort concluded. Wang Jian She took some government officials back to the city, while Professor Chu, Mr. Song, and others stayed overnight in tents by theke.


    Suming once again became an inte sensation as a video of him riding the fish posted by a female student from the Agricultural Science Academy went viral on Youku Video. In just a few hours, the views rocketed to the top of the homepage and were spotlighted by Youku''s official rolling disy!


    The Youku editor even gave the video an extravagant title: "The Man Standing on the Azure Waves¡ªThe Fish Knight."

 Chapter 77 The Worlds Number One?

    Suming had no idea that he had gone viral on Youku. After a full day of work that left him exhausted, he naturally had no time to go online because of the evening meeting to n the next day''s search efforts.


    Nangong Yan called after nine in the evening, right after the meeting, with the words, "You''re done for, how could you not tell me about such explosive news!"


    His words confused Suming, whoter learned that he had be a fairly well-known ''inte celebrity.''


    The "stepping on the blue waves" video on Youku umted over five hundred thousand views, with more than three hundredments below.


    Alongside the video were several popr web dramas; with its five hundred thousand views it may not seem like muchpared to several million hits for other dramas, but it should be noted that the video had only been uploaded for a little over three hours, with no publicity behind it. It attracted attention purely on its own merits and made it to the homepage in a few short hours, alongside many web dramas that had been uploaded for months.


    After browsing through thements, one caught his attention; aizen named ''Eats Fish Without Spitting Bones'' mentioned that such a big carp could qualify for the Guinness World Records.


    Suming had a moment of inspiration and quickly did a Baidu search.


    If he really could set a world record, the appearance of the ''world''srgest carp'' in Shuijun Lake would definitely be a huge boon, both for the zoo and his own business!


    Not to mention anything else, just by selling exhibition tickets, both the zoo and he could make a fortune!


    However, the results were somewhat disappointing for Suming. Thergest carp recorded to date was a fish caught in Jinling Reservoir in 2004, measuring 185 centimeters and weighing 106 kilograms.


    The biggest ones caught today were only around 180 kilograms, slightly short of the world record.


    In thements following the video, some had found this record, but mostizens were not so much concerned with the size of the fish.


    "So what if it''s the world''s first? It''s just big, but who can ride it like the fish in the video?"


    "That Guinness World Records fish has long been made into a specimen. Among the living carps, this one might actually be the biggest!"


    A well-known user with the nickname ''Professor'' humorouslymented, "Who would have thought that a fish could steal a horse''s job, this is outright choking the industry!"


    Thisment sparked even more discussion than the original post, as the ''Professor'' was actually the screenwriter for a popr web drama from next door, ''Never Would Have Guessed.'' Manyizens started egging on the ''Blue Wave Knight'' to ride the fish and make a cameo in ''Never Would Have Guessed.''


    Sumingughed at thements; theizens were really a rowdy bunch. What did this have to do with ''Never Would Have Guessed''? If he were to appear anywhere, it should be on a geography magazine, or some program about vicious big fish, or perhaps a wilderness survival show.


    But what Suming never would have guessed was that Nangong Yan actually shared the video on YouTube, attracting a lot of attention from viewers abroad.


    Before long, someone mentioned in the university group chat, "Su, when are you gonna take us to ride fish for fun?"


    "Ride what fish? Can you even ride a fish?" someone replied, not everyone had seen the video.


    An idea lit up in Suming''s eyes ¨C that was a great idea! Once the river dolphin issue was resolved, he could definitely try to develop a ''fish riding'' experience. It was sure to be profitable!


    ...


    The next day, as dawn broke, the investigation team continued their work, still divided into three groups, searching the reservoir for the injured river dolphin.


    Boats slowly moved across the surface of theke, with sonar detectors conducting a dra search.


    As time ticked away, the river dolphin remained nowhere to be seen.


    Professor Chu, Mr. Song, and the others looked increasingly grave¡ª with the river dolphin suffering from serious injuries, the longer it took to find it, the greater the likelihood of its death.


    "Song, do you think it''s possible that the river dolphin is already dead, and that''s why the sonar detector can''t find it?"


    From the other end of themunicator, Professor Chu asked with a heavy tone.


    The search team had scoured the entire reservoir yesterday, and even today, they had systematically checked half the reservoir to no avail. Sonar detectors can only locate living creatures; if the river dolphin was already dead, no matter how hard they searched, it would be undetectable.


    Mr. Song shared the same concern and, looking at Suming, asked, "Do you have any thoughts on this?"


    Liang Shi, also in the group, shifted his gaze off the detector screen and onto Suming''s face, eagerly anticipating some different insight from him.


    "Is there a possibility¡­" Suming pondered for a moment before saying, "Maybe the river dolphin is hiding in some corner of the reservoir to heal its wounds, which is why the detector can''t find it?"


    "If that''s the case, we''ll have to rely on manual searching bit by bit. The workload for the search is too much!"


    Liang Shi looked out over the vast expanse of water before him, voicing his worries, "There are just over a dozen of us; even if we all dive in to search, it would take at least two weeks to cover the entire reservoir. By that time, even if we find the river dolphin, it''s almost certain to have died from its severe injuries!"


    "We have no other choice but to count on luck now," Suming said, helplessly spreading his hands.


    In fact,st night, he had returned to the zoo and had the creatures of Shuijun Lake open a new pathway, summoning arge number of his subordinates into Huating Reservoir to begin a-style search underwater.


    The underwater search was progressing no slower than the detector, and was even more precise in uracy. If it weren''t for the fact that aquatic animals are generally quite slow-witted, he would have had his shrimp soldiers and crab generals inquire about the river dolphin to each of their passing kin.


    Having confirmed that the detector could only detect creaturesrger than one meter, Suming no longer had any concerns and simply called the crocodile gar to help search in the reservoir.


    The more capable a person is, the bigger their temper; geniuses hand in hand with madness, and the crocodile gar were no exception. Although their character was somewhat twisted, once tamed, their ability to work underwater was quite formidable, surpassing other fish species.


    Hearing Suming speak this way, Mr. Song promptly decided and told Professor Chu, "Chu, we don''t have any other choice now. We''ll have to do our humanly best and leave the rest to fate; let the young fellows dive in and search!"


    "We have no other choice! Ah, Song, let''s just pray to heaven. If we can''t find this river dolphin, in our lifetime, we may never again have the opportunity to witness a wild river dolphin," Professor Chu said with a hint of despondency.


    Subsequently, allrades under forty, including Suming, who had nearly "gone missing" yesterday, got into their diving suits one by one and plunged into the reservoir like arrows.


    Shortly after Suming entered the water, he spotted two crocodile gar twisting their bodies in the water and drifting over to his side like seaweed!


    "Have you found anything?" Suming asked.


    The two crocodile gar wrapped around Suming''s arms, seeming rather eager to please, one on the left and one on the right, making him look like an Arhat in a temple harnessing dragons. After entwining Suming''s arms, they tilted their heads slowly in the water, both pointing diagonally in the same direction; then they exerted force simultaneously and pulled Suming, swimming forward with great effort.


    "Huh? Where are you taking me?"


    Suming felt a strong pulling force from both arms as the two crocodile gar dragged him, and with a whoosh, his body shot through the water.

 Chapter 78: Chapter 78 A Family of Three

    ```


    Underwater, two moray eels functioned like engines, dragging Suming through the water at an extremely high speed. Suming didn''t have to exert any effort at all. As long as he stretched both arms straight forward, he would shoot forward, with the underwater scenery zipping past him as if flying.


    "I''ve be a superman underwater!"


    If instead of water, it had been air surrounding Suming, at that moment, he would have looked just like Superman flying with his arms extended!


    While Suming was having the time of his life underwater, the people on the surface were almost scared to death!


    Because Suming had nearly ''had an ident'' when he entered the water yesterday, Wang Jian She had specially allocated a batch of ''top-grade''municators, which could not only locate divers within a short distance but also allow for simplemunication with them.


    "What''s going on! Su, what''s happened?"


    "Su, if you receive this, please respond, please respond! Are you in danger?"


    The urgent shouts of Mr. Song and Professor Chu came through the earphones.


    At that moment, to Mr. Song and the others, it seemed that shortly after Suming had entered the water, he suddenly elerated and started moving at a startling speed below the surface. They were shocked and thought Suming had encountered some danger, so they hastily checked the situation through themunicator.


    Unable to speak in the water, Suming could only press the green button on his waist three times in session to indicate that he was safe.


    "This kid, could he be swimming?" Professor Chu was somewhat puzzled, looking around at several students with a bemused look, muttering to himself.


    "Wow, he swims so fast, just like Phelps!" A female student sped her chest with a look of adoration on her face, clearly a die-hard fan of Phelps, the swimming champion known as the North American Flying Fish.


    An older male student''s mouth twitched with a hint of contempt, shaking his head in silence.


    As fast as Phelps, what a joke!


    From the speed of ''Su,'' Phelps might just barely keep up with him in a short sprint. But once the distance exceeded a hundred meters, no, there wasn''t even a need for a hundred meters, probably just fifty meters, Phelps would likely not even see his shadow!


    The real experts are hidden amongst themon people!


    With the help of the moray eels, Suming swam incredibly fast, and soon he left the control center''s detection range and entered a tributary of the reservoir.


    At the end of the tributary was a small pond. Of course, ''small'' is rtive to the reservoir; in terms of area alone, this pond was probably not much smaller than Shuijun Lake.


    The pond had been abandoned for many years and was rarely visited. To prevent fish from the reservoir from escaping into the pond, thick fishings were ced at the junction where the waters of the two sides met at the end of the tributary.


    But at that moment, Suming saw arge hole in the, obviously burst open by some creature. The hole was nearly two feet in diameter, and even with Suming''s waistline, he could easily squeeze through, not to mention allowing dolphins to pass.


    "Is the river dolphin in the pond?" Suming asked the moray eels, not so sure.


    As aquatic creatures, the moray eels'' brains weren''t much more useful than a big head, and their ability to express themselves was just as vague; Suming could only guess as he went along.


    "Cut the chatter and lead the way!" Suming decided not to bother guessing further; they must have brought him here with a purpose, so he simply let the moray eels drag him through therge hole in the fishing.


    The moray eels entered theke and headed straight for the opposite bank with a clear destination in mind. It didn''t take long to cross the pond, and the water around them became shallower and shallower.


    Suming simply stood up, stepped on the muddy bottom, and climbed up the bank, dripping wet.


    Suming took off his diving helmet, gave his arms a shake, and whoosh, one moray eel slid down his arm to his chest, coiling around his torso, while the other wrapped around his waist like a belt.


    In front of him was arge expanse of reed marsh that had begun to yellow a bit, standing about as tall as a person. When the wind blew, the reeds made a soft whooshing sound. Thankfully, it was daytime; it would have been quite scary if it was nighttime.


    Arge swath of reeds had been knocked down in the marsh, creating a ''path.'' Wet mud still clung to the ttened reeds, as if something had crawled over them, leading deep into the marsh.


    "You guys better not be setting me up!"


    Looking at the reed marsh pathway, Suming''s heart skipped a beat.


    After all, the Yangchuan area was known to have specimens of the Chinese alligator! If it wasn''t a river dolphin but a ferocious beast like a Chinese alligator in the reeds, that would be just too ridiculous!


    ```


    My spiritual power may barely suffice to deal with Yangtze Crocodiles, but that would be if they confronted me head-on.


    The problem is that the dense reeds all around could provide cover for a sneaky attack if a Yangtze Crocodile were tounch a surprise strike from hiding, which would be really bad!


    Suming worried, but the two crocodile fish seemed to say, "Don''t worry, everything''s gonna be alright," stretching their necks like they were swollen body parts, adamantly pointing in the direction of the path through the reeds.


    "I''ll trust you this time, but if there''s any trouble, when we get back, I''ll stew the both of you tentacle freaks together!"


    Suming threatened the crocodile fish viciously, then cautiously grabbed arge stone from the ground and edged his way into the reeds.


    Following the path that had been trampled down, after about seven or eight meters and a slight bend, a very low bleating noise came from the bushes ahead, sounding like a young goat crying out.


    Relieved by the sound, Suming quickly ran forward, parting the reeds in front of him in one swift motion!


    In the small clearing aheady three creatures that looked like dolphins, but with round heads¡ªonerge and two small.


    Jiang dolphins! And there were three of them!


    Thergest dolphin was over one and a half meters long, and it had arge wound on its bare forehead where the bone was visible, oozing a mix of pale red blood and light yellow pus, giving off a terrible stench with several flies buzzing around it.


    Its body was covered with cuts of all sizes, apparently inflicted while breaking through fishings.


    Therge jiang dolphiny motionless; it was unclear whether it was dead or alive.


    The bleating noises came from the two smaller dolphins, each only half a meter in size, huddled on either side of therger one''s body.


    On the ground were a few fish the size of a palm. One young dolphin struggled to move its tiny fins, pushing the fish towards therger dolphin''s mouth as if trying to feed it;


    The other youngster persistently nudged therge dolphin with its head, but therge dolphin remained still, causing the two little ones to cry out in distress.


    Suming''s arrival startled the two young dolphins, who stopped their movements and looked at him with fear.


    Perhaps sensing a threat, therge dolphin, whose condition was uncertain, also weakly opened its eyes.


    After seeing Suming, it struggled to move its injured fin as though it wanted to shield the little ones behind it, but sadly, weakened by severe injuries, its fin drooped down again before it could fully open.


    Thus, therge dolphin could only look at Suming with cloudy eyes, filled with a pleading expression.


    A single tear slid down from the corner of therge dolphin''s eye.


    "Don''t be afraid, don''t be afraid!"


    Suming quickly released three waves of kind spiritual power, enveloping the dolphin mother and her two offspring.


    Unexpectedly, the spiritual power, which always worked wonders on animals, failed on the jiang dolphins!


    Seeing Suming approach, the young dolphins didn''t be friendlier but instead shrank back in fear, burying their heads behind therger dolphin, trembling.


    Suming was taken aback but then understood the reason!


    The dolphin family wasn''t afraid of him but was frightened by the two crocodile fish clinging to his body!


    "Wait outside!" Suming grabbed a crocodile fish in each hand and tossed them forcefully out of the reeds, where they traced an arc in mid-air and plopped into the pond outside.


    Sure enough, after throwing the crocodile fish aside, the hostile demeanor of the dolphins disappeared immediately.


    The two little dolphins even dared toe closer to Suming, energetically raising half their bodies and struggling to bring their fin-like hands together in front of their chests for reasons unknown.


    The two chubby little creatures finally managed to bring their fins together at their chests and, like worshipers praying to Buddha, put their hands together and incessantly bowed to Suming.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll save your mom!" Suming nodded and channeled all his spiritual power into the jiang dolphin mother''s body.

 Chapter 79 Rescuing the Yangtze Dolphin

    When Suming''s spiritual power barely made contact with the dolphin mother, he immediately realized that she was severely injured and on the brink of death.


    If she were human, a critical condition notice would have been issued, preparing for whates after life. Suming had just appeared when she suddenly woke up, wanting to protect her calf¡ªpurely a brief return to a more conscious state before death.


    Find your next read on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    After a reassuring dose of spiritual power was transferred into her body, the dolphin mother slowly fell back into a deep sleep.


    "This isn''t going to be easy!"


    Frowning, Suming continuously channeled spiritual power into the dolphin mother. From the feedback, it was clear that her injuries were too serious for ordinary medical methods to cure. First she was chased by an alligator gar, then she injured her head, and finally, she broke through a fishing and was bleeding out, waiting for death here; her life force was almostpletely drained. Even if she was brought to the world''s most advanced medical facility right now, it would be difficult to save her¡ªit would only dy the inevitable.


    As the saying goes, medicine can''t cure a dying patient; whether it''s humans or other creatures, if the life force is exhausted, no treatment, no matter how powerful, will work.


    The two small dolphinsy pitifully on either side of their mother, theirrge, dark eyes looking at Suming with both curiosity and expectation.


    "Don''t worry, little guys," Suming said, releasing two streams of spiritual energy to soothe the youngsters'' emotions, then gently touched their heads.


    Now, the most important thing was to use spiritual power to help the dolphin mother recover her life force little by little. Once her life force began to grow stronger, conventional treatments would be effective.


    Suming decided not to notify Mr. Song and the others just yet. Their presence wouldn''t help, and they might even cause harm in their rush to ''treat'' the dolphin, potentially making things worse.


    With that in mind, Suming gestured towards the sky.


    As a loyal guardian, Er Gouzi was incredibly dutiful and had been working very hard. Wherever Suming went, it followed, even if Suming was in the water, it had to follow from above, never straying more than a few steps away.


    At one call, Er Gouzi made a shining entrance, buzzing out and diving to kill several flies circling the dolphin mother''s wound, invigorated by the meal.


    "Stop eating for now, we have serious work to do! Go to the bees and bring back some honey! If you can manage it, bring back some food as well. Remember, it''s food for me to eat, not flies or mosquitoes!"


    Treating the dolphin mother was going to be a massive task, likely not a short-term endeavor. Suming needed honey to replenish his spiritual power and had to eat as well.


    Suming gave detailed instructions several times, specifically stating ''human food''. He didn''t want Er Gouzi naively bringing back a bunch of dead bees and dragonflies. It would be a disaster if he starved before the dolphin mother was healed.


    "Buzz... buzz... buzz..." Er Gouzi left, visibly tired.


    "Wait! Have the Queen Bee make some royal jelly for you to replenish your strength!" Suming quickly added another order.


    "Buzz buzz buzz!" Er Gouzi perked up and flew off swiftly.


    As time ticked by, just when Suming felt his spiritual power was nearly depleted, the dolphin mother''s life force finally showed signs of stabilizing. Although she wasn''t out of danger yet, she wasn''t as close to death as she was at the beginning.


    The dolphin mother opened her eyes once again and used her fins to pat the two young dolphins. She looked at Suming with eyes full of pleading.


    Dolphins are much more intelligent than fish, not far off from dolphins in terms of IQ. Suming immediately understood her and, with a grin, said, "Don''t worry, you won''t die. You don''t need to worry about your young."


    From afar, the familiar buzzing sound finally arrived, and a mixed transport squad ofrge bees and hos appeared, bringing three big blue beehives full of honey, plus a few peaches that were not fully ripe.


    Beyond that, Er Gouzi also brought a ''message'' from the Queen Bee, who seemed to be missing Suming.


    "Missing me?" Suming scratched his head, surprised that the Queen Bee could even exhibit ''emotions'' now.


    From a scientific perspective, only vertebrates are thought to be capable of experiencing ''emotions''. As for the Queen Bee? Suming wasn''t sure if she counted as a vertebrate.


    ```


    However, upon second thought, the queen bee was much smarter than the other bees, and besides, she was a female; it seemed quite normal for her to have the asional temper tantrum.


    "Got it, let her be for now, I''ll check on her when I''m free,"


    Suming waved his hand and took a couple of bites out of a peach. The peach wasn''t fully ripe and tasted a bit tart, so he decided to smear some honey on it and eat it that way, both replenishing his spiritual power and staving off hunger.


    Two curious little river dolphins approached, looking greedily at the peach and honey in Suming''s hand, their mouths half open, drool almost dripping.


    Suming chuckled, dipped some honey with his finger, and spread it near the little river dolphin''s mouth. The dolphin, tasting the sweetness, was very pleased and began to roll around on the ground, flipping back and forth with its chubby body.


    "Can''t give it all to you guys; I need this to save your mom," Sumingughed, but it reminded him that the little river dolphins probably hadn''t eaten for a while, so he shouted, "Er Gouzi!"


    Buzz... Er Gouzi appeared, his mouth full of royal jelly.


    "Have the two gar reapers catch some fish... "


    ...


    "People are gone again! What''s going on here!"


    Professor Chu was frantic, pacing back and forth in the temporarymand center with such speed that his few remaining strands of hair swayed as if he were an immortal about to ascend to the heavens.


    After a day''s search, when it came time to count heads, they realized that Suming was missing once again!


    As the highest-ranking leader, Wang Jian She showed his face on the first day but didn''te after that. Therefore, the actual leader in charge now was Professor Chu, with Mr. Song assisting. If they failed to find the river dolphins and instead lost a person, nobody could escape the responsibility.


    The underwatermunicator had a limited range; it didn''t work beyond three hundred meters, making it impossible to contact Suming.


    As for cell phones... who on earth brings a cell phone while diving...


    Mr. Song, having learned from yesterday''s experience, was reasonably calm and not too worried. He gave a few students a look, signaling them to keep quiet for the moment, but stood up and waved to Professor Chu, "Chu, Chu, don''t panic. I know Su, he''s quite skilled at fieldwork and shouldn''t have run into any big trouble. Besides, he sent a safety message earlier today."


    Professor Chu was already on the edge, and none of the students dared to speak up. Only Liang Shi, who was an honest and straightforward person, said, "Hey, thest safety confirmation was four or five hours ago! If something really happened, the oxygen in his tank would have been depleted long ago!"


    Professor Chu, with nowhere to vent his anger, found a target in Liang Shi''s remarks and pointed at him shouting, "You, you¡ªlook at you! You''re the one who got him lost yesterday, and you still haven''t learned your lesson today. You should''ve kept an eye on him! Damn it, such a tall man but with a head full of mush! Get out and stand guard!"


    "I..." Liang Shi''s mouth fell open, full of grievance. He did want to keep an eye on Suming, but with Suming''s swift swimming speed, who could keep up? Besides, they weren''t even in the same group today...


    Disheartened as he was, with a signal from Mr. Song, Liang Shi obediently went outside the tent to stand guard.


    To say Mr. Song wasn''t anxious at all would be false, but Suming was his man. He couldn''t add fuel to the fire at this point but could only try to soothe the situation, scooping up a bowl of steaming soup from the big pot and handing it to Professor Chu, "Chu, have some food first. Maybe Su has found some clues about the river dolphins and that''s why he''s dyed."


    Professor Chu put the soup bowl aside. With so much on his mind, he had no appetite for soup. Hebed the few sparse hairs on his head to one side, pped his forehead with his hands, andmented, "Ah, how can I even think about river dolphins now. I''ll be fortunate if there''s been no ident, this is killing me!"


    "Let''s eat first, and then we''ll all go look for him," Mr. Song called out.


    Exhausted from the day, everyone started eating noisily.


    Just as they were halfway through their meal, Liang Shi, who was standing guard outside, suddenly shouted excitedly:


    "River dolphins!"


    ```

 Chapter 80 People and People

    The tent was said to be pitched by the water''s edge, but in reality it was still fifty to sixty meters away from the water. So when they heard Liang Shi''s cries, everyone was startled, casting curious looks toward the entrance. Professor Chu even mmed his chopsticks down hard on the table, eximing angrily, "What finless porpoise? Can finless porpoises just crawl up to the shore on their own? This kid is getting more and more muddled!"


    With a rustle, the tent p was swept aside, and a soaking wet Suming walked in from outside, followed by a shocked Liang Shi.


    All eyes were focused on what Suming was cradling in his arms!


    In Suming''s arms, he held a finless porpoise on each side. The two youngsters, probably frightened by the sight of so many people, burrowed hard into Suming''s chest, revealing only four small ck eyes that looked around with curiosity, yet also a hint of wariness, at everyone inside the tent!


    Mr. Song was stunned, his chopsticks falling silently to the ground while the bowl of soup in his other hand tipped over, spilling hot soup all over him!


    With his face flushed with excitement, Liang Shi pointed to the finless porpoises in Suming''s arms, stammering as he yelled, "Tea.. Teacher... finless porpoises, finless porpoises, look, two baby finless porpoises!"


    It was only then that everyone seemed to awaken from a dream. Professor Chu red fiercely at Liang Shi, "I''m not blind, quit your yelling!"


    Seeing Suming, Mr. Song let out a long sigh of relief, the weight finally lifting from his heart, before turning his interest to the baby finless porpoises.


    "Howe there are two youngsters? What about the one in the video?" Mr. Song asked.


    "I found them in an abandonedke nearby, a family of three. The big one is injured; I couldn''t move it, so I brought the two youngsters back first. We need to prepare the boat quickly and go save the big one," Suming spoke as he gasped for breath.


    He had carried the two hefty ''babies'' out of the water, up to the tent, and he too was exhausted.


    "A family of three! Goodness, if you don''t open shop for three years, when you do, it''s a boom! How many years has it been since we''ve encountered wild finless porpoises? And now, not only have we found them, but an entire family at once! Su, you''ve made a great contribution! Wahahaha!"


    Professor Chu suddenly burst outughing like a madman, throwing his head back while his wild hair danced around.


    The others were also smiling from ear to ear.


    From a biological perspective, discovering three wild finless porpoises at once is of significant importance for research and conservation.


    From an individual career development perspective, everyone in the survey team had earned substantial merit, and for Mr. Song and Chu in charge of the team, they might just make a prominent mark in the annals of academia.


    "What are you waiting for? Stop eating, let''s move! Su, lead the way!"


    Everyone dropped their utensils and ran as a swarm outside; once on the boat, Suming returned the two baby finless porpoises back to the reservoir. Just as Professor Chu was about to say something, he saw that after the baby finless porpoises went into the water they didn''t flee but instead stood upright in the water, pointed with their flippers ahead, then swam slowly forward just atop the surface, as if guiding the way.


    Mr. Song knew this must be another of Su''s good deeds and asked with some uncertainty, "Have you tamed them?"


    Suming chuckled, "Finless porpoises are very intelligent, you know, and since I''m their savior, taming them was easier than taming those wolves."


    "You''ve got a knack for this. When we get back, I''ll make sure tomend you!" Mr. Song patted Suming''s shoulder with great satisfaction.


    When they found the mother finless porpoise, she was still lying immobile among the reeds, her wound looking quite dreadful, as if she wouldn''t make it, which distressed Professor Chu.


    But Suming was confident. Are you kidding? He had poured all of his spiritual power, from three bee nests into her, and the mother finless porpoise''s vital signs hadpletely stabilized. She was merely very weak and would recover quickly with proper care.


    However, scars on her head were probably inevitable, marring her appearance.


    Everyone used a tarp to shield from the rain, scrambling to lift the river dolphin into the onboard water tank. Following the reservoir''s tributary, they returned to the shore-based main camp.


    Normally, they should have immediately sent therge river dolphin to a city with better medical facilities, or even to the capital for treatment.


    But now the river dolphin''s injuries were "severe", there was no time to dy, and it couldn''t withstand the long journey, so Professor Chu and the others discussed for a while and decided to treat the river dolphin on the spot.


    "Song, I''m going to call Mr. Wang and the Agricultural Science Academy right now to request personnel and equipment to be sent over. Does Yangchuan have an aquarium or something where we can temporarily house and treat the river dolphin family?" Professor Chu asked Mr. Song.


    Mr. Song patted Suming on the shoulder, his eyes full of expectation: "Su, make some sacrifices and let the river dolphin family stay in your Shuijun Lake for now."


    The size and water quality of Shuijun Lake were suitable for the life of river dolphins, and since it was within the zoo''s control area, putting the river dolphins there was naturally the best choice.


    However, Shuijun Lake was used for fish farming, and river dolphins'' main diet was fish. Even a small river dolphin had an astonishing appetite; once put in theke, it would definitely eat a lot of Suming''s fish, causing some losses.


    Seeing that Suming didn''t speak immediately, Professor Chu thought that Suming was reluctant. After all, the river dolphins were not personal property, but "national" assets, and it seemed somewhat unreasonable to ask Suming to sacrifice his personal interests to take care of the river dolphins.


    "Su, don''t worry too much. Since we found the river dolphins, the authorities will definitely allocate funds. Rest assured, I won''t let you suffer any personal loss!" Professor Chu said earnestly.


    In fact, what Suming was thinking about wasn''t the issue of funds at all. No matter how big the appetites of the two small river dolphins were, how many fish could they eat? Compared to the entire Shuijun Lake, it was a drop in the bucket; at the worst, he''d earn a few thousand less.


    Even if Mr. Song and the others hadn''t mentioned it, Suming was nning to take the initiative and offer to temporarily house the river dolphins in Shuijun Lake. He was thinking about more distant matters.


    Now that Professor Chu had also taken the initiative to promise "subsidies", Suming naturally had no hesitation, immediately nodding his head: "Of course there''s no problem, protecting animals is everyone''s responsibility!"


    "Good, young man, you''re conscientious!" Professor Chu patted Suming''s shoulder heavily.


    These old fellows had been toughened by going to the countryside, their hands were frighteningly strong, and Professor Chu, fuck, was like someone who had practiced the Vajra Palm technique, sending Suming staggering with one p, his teeth clenched in pain.


    "Meep meep..." The small river dolphin started calling out in dissatisfaction at Chu, even opening its mouth as if trying to scare Chu. But the round little fellow was too cute, and when it got angry, it didn''t look fierce at all, but rather it made everyoneugh heartily.


    After making their decision, the investigation team rushed back to the zoo overnight. Su allocated a roughly four to five mu area of water at the northeastern corner of Shuijun Lake for the family of three river dolphins to live temporarily. The mother dolphin couldn''t move around freely for the time being and was ced in shallow water. Find more chapters on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    Professor Chu was initially worried and scooped up some water to sniff under his nose, then his eyes brightened and he eximed, "Song, when did the water quality of Shuijun Lake be so good?"


    "It''s all thanks to these young people!"


    Mr. Song stretched his hand to pat Suming''s shoulder, but seeing the situation "turning sour", Suming twisted his waist and dodged.


    Mr. Song''s hand stopped mid-air, and he let out a heartyugh, pointing at Suming and saying, "Chu, in my opinion, we old bones should almost let go now and let the young ones take on the responsibilities!"


    Professor Chu looked at his direct student Liang Shi.


    Liang Shi was squatting by the water, staring at therge river dolphin with a silly grin on his face.


    Professor Chu then looked at Suming, sighing in frustration and saying helplessly, "Ah, you can''tpare people with one another!"

 Chapter 81 The Person Without a Home

    ```


    Under the sun, there are no secrets to keep, and news of the finless porpoises'' discovery spread that very night.


    Early the next morning, Wang Jian She personally led a team to the shores of Shuijun Lake.


    Along with them came tworge trucks, loaded with a plethora of various materials and equipment.


    "Su, well done!" Thankfully, Wang Jian She wasn''t in the habit of patting people on the shoulders and came up to give Su Ming a firm handshake.


    "It''s all thanks to Mr. Wang''s excellent guidance," Su Ming replied in a quiet chuckle.


    Wang Jian She also smiled. Looking around to ensure there were no outsiders, he said, "You''ve done well,d. You''ve made a significant contribution this time. Do you have any requests?"


    Now that Wang Hao was following Su Ming, he had an easy time earning tens of thousands a month without much to do, and with Su Ming''s significant achievement, it also helped Wang Jian She''s career. Naturally, Wang Jian She wouldn''t be stingy in giving Su Ming some leeway in certain areas.


    Upon reflection, Su Ming realized he didn''t have any immediate ''requests''.


    Not to say he had none at all, but the timing wasn''t right. For major policies, even if Wang Jian She approved them, Su Ming currentlycked the capacity to handle them. Moreover, it wasn''t worth wasting the favor for some trifling advantage.


    "Young man, look further ahead," Wang Jian She said profoundly as he nced over the mountains behind Shuijun Lake. "Chairman Mao said, ''There is much to do in this vast world.''"


    Su Ming just smiled and replied, "Then I will need more guidance from the leadership in the future!"


    At the edge of Shuijun Lake, Professor Chu and Mr. Song had already begun setting up equipment with their teams, establishing a temporary rescue shelter in the shallows to start treatment.


    The police station dispatched two chiefs and several assistant police officers who cordoned off arge area. A group of zoo staff with nothing else to do gathered outside the cordon, pointing and chatting about the porpoises in the water.


    On theke, a few sporadic boaters were drawn over, rowing closer and craning their necks to see.


    A crowd of journalists, having somehow learned of the news, appearedkeside with their cameras at the ready.


    "May I ask, who discovered the finless porpoises?"


    "Hello, I''m a reporter with Daily News. Are these porpoises wild?"


    "Mr. Wang, Mr. Wang, may I ask¡­"


    Wang Jian She waved cheerfully at the reporters, saying, "Dear members of the press, the finless porpoise is an important protected species in our country, critically endangered. This time, with the assistance of the Yangchuan City Zoo and the Agricultural Science Academy, we''ve discovered three wild finless porpoises all at once, which is unprecedented! Currently, the porpoises need treatment. Therefore, Professor Chu and Mr. Song are not avable for interviews. The porpoises are severely injured, so please refrain from rushing to take their pictures to avoid causing secondary harm!"


    There were too many reporters on the scene, one station was even broadcasting live. Upon hearing Wang Jian She''s words, the reporters exploded into a frenzy, interpreting hisments as a ban on interviews.


    After themotion had died down a bit, Wang Jian She continued unhurriedly, "Please don''t misunderstand. If our friends from the media have any questions, Su Ming from the zoo will answer them for you! Hehe, and to respond to the question asked earlier, the first person to find the injured finless porpoises was Su Ming. Comrade Su braved the waters, searching tirelessly for eight whole hours, and finally discovered their traces in a deserted reed marsh. One can say that Comrade Su Ming is the hero of this search and rescue team! Su, share with everyone!"


    Su Ming, with a beaming smile, stepped forward and nodded at the crowd of journalists.


    "Master Su¡­"


    "Comrade Su¡­"


    "Handsome¡­"


    Before Su Ming could even speak, a dozen microphones were thrust toward him. The closest one, pushed too forcefully, nearly poked him in the mouth. Su Ming quickly stepped back a few paces to escape the reporters'' encirclement, jumped onto a Taihu stone by theke, and spoke down to the reporters in a loud voice: "Friends, there are too many of you for me to answer individually. So, let one reporter ask questions on your behalf; tell that reporter friend what you want to ask, and I will respond to all at once!"


    Without waiting for agreement or dissent from the crowd, Su Ming casually pointed into the group of journalists, "How about you, miss, go ahead with your questions!"


    "Ah? Oh yes, thank you!" Nangong Yan, who had been around Su Ming a long time and whose acting had improved dramatically, put on a surprised expression. Unbeknownst to those unaware of their scheming, there was no hint of the mischief between them.


    "May I ask¡­"


    ```


    ...


    In the intensive care ward of Yangchuan City First People''s Hospital, Zhou Jin had finally passed the critical stage, and was able to manage some liquid food the previous evening.


    Illness brings a longing for family ties.


    At this moment, the ward was empty, save for the noiseing from the television. Zhou Jiny alone on the hospital bed with his chest wrapped in a thickyer of bandages, feeling a bitter taste in his heart.


    If only he hadn''t gotten involved with the gang and had instead settled down to start a family, perhaps his children would be old enough to help with errands, and he wouldn''t have to suffer such a serious injury alone, without anyone to show him warmth or concern.


    His life had been saved, but he had broken six ribs and suffered injuries to several internal organs; his spleen had even been ruptured. The doctors said he needed to rest in the hospital for half a year before he could be discharged and that he must avoid overworking and getting upset in the future.


    A somewhat hazy figure popped into his mind.


    It was a vige girl. A few years ago, her family raised fish near Shuijun Lake. One time, taking advantage of his drunkenness, he forced himself on the vige girl, then intimidated and bribed her with twenty thousand yuan to settle the matter. Because of the incident, her family''s reputation was ruined, and they had no choice but to give up the fish pond and move away.


    "Damn it, if only I had gritted my teeth and married that woman back then!" Zhou Jin regretted to himself.


    During his days of recuperation in the hospital, Zhou Jin not only thought about starting a family but also used the rare downtime to calmly reflect on the recent series of "idents".


    The bald man being injured repeatedly, the loss of the fish fry, including this time nearly being killed by the big fish¡ªall these incidents, whilecking evidence, made Zhou Jin, with his years of experience in the underworld, feel that they were not mere coincidences.


    As for enemies, he had many, but somehow, he couldn''t help but suspect Suming.


    Ever since that kid showed up, strange things had been happening one after another.


    "Comrade Su Ming, I hear you work at the zoo. In just a little over a month, you''ve been honored as an outstanding employee. This time at Huating Reservoir, you risked your personal safety to save the Yangtze River dolphins..."


    Suming, Huating Reservoir, Yangtze River dolphins¡ªthese keywords immediately caught Zhou Jin''s attention. He struggled to turn his head slightly and nced at the television out of the corner of his eye.


    On TV, the familiar young man was wearing a sunny smile that made Zhou Jin''s teeth itch with hatred.


    "It''s him! What happened at the reservoir, and what''s this about the Yangtze River dolphins?!"


    Zhou Jin quickly called for the nurse and had her dial the bald man''s number.


    Over the phone, the bald man recounted the events to Zhou Jin.


    Zhou Jin''s face grew increasingly dark, his heart bleeding inwardly.


    The one that had bumped into him was the Yangtze River dolphin, and there were three of them to boot!


    If he had gotten his hands on them and secretly sold them to some foreign collectors, that would have been no small sum!


    If the Yangtze River dolphins had been found elsewhere, so be it, but those dolphins were found in the reservoir where they had grown up eating his fish, and they had nearly cost him his life!


    They should have been his!


    If only he had held on for a bit longer without passing out, if only he had directed the bald man and the others to capture those dolphins...


    The more Zhou Jin thought about it, the angrier and more upset he became. It felt as if there was a heavy stone pressing on his chest, leaving him struggling to breathe. Continue reading at m|v-l''e-NovelBin


    "Protecting animals is everyone''s responsibility, and contributing to the country is what I should do. As for the government reward, that''s not important," the TV showed Su Ming speaking earnestly.


    Zhou Jin''s eyes bulged, and he suddenly spewed a mouthful of old blood!


    The beads of blood sprayed out more than half a meter high and then fell straight down, sttering all over his head and face.

 Chapter 82 Magical Zoo

    "Mr. Su, I heard you have quite a knack for training animals. Last time, you trained several ''money cats'' to collect money, which caused quite a stir among the citizens! And this time, it''s said that you''ve tamed two baby river dolphins in just one day, is that true?"


    "It''s all taught by my dad¡ªI''m just a second-generation beast master!" Suming said very seriously.


    Nangong Yan raised the corner of her mouth, smiled, and asked, "So, is it possible to call the baby river dolphins out of the water so we can take some shots? Don''t worry, we''ll stay back, we absolutely won''t disturb the river dolphin mom!"


    This wasn''t just a request from Nangong Yan, but the collective will of the masses. Other reporters also joined in themotion, requesting shots of the baby river dolphins, their anticipation barely contained.


    Most of the audience are kind-hearted and love animals; even just filming giant pandas can greatly boost viewership. Now with two wild baby river dolphins more precious than giant pandas in theke, how could they pass up such a great opportunity!


    "How about this, everyone follow me and stand by the shore, try not to make loud noises!"


    Suming stood by thekeside, with a row of long and short cameras behind him, staring at theke''s surface. He inserted two fingers into his mouth and blew three sharp whistles at theke¡ªtwo long and one short.


    Minutester, there was a disturbance on the calm surface of theke.


    "Here theye, here theye!" someone said anxiously.


    Two half-meter-long river dolphins suddenly surfaced far away. Everyone thought they were going to jump like dolphins, but instead of jumping, the two river dolphins showed half of their bodies on the water''s surface and seemed to be racing across the water''s surface toward the bank, paddling against the wind.


    "River dolphins are hearty creatures that surface against the wind; this is the legendary ''river dolphins worshiping the wind''," Suming exined, babbling somewhat.


    Click, click, click... there was a flurry of camera shutters from behind. The reporters were rather civic-minded; to avoid startling the baby river dolphins, they mostly turned off their sh.


    In the spotlight of the crowd, the two little river dolphins quickly reached the shore.


    River dolphins and sea dolphins are simr in personality¡ªyful and energetic, and not afraid of humans. In fact, they get a bit hyper with human attention.


    Seeing so many curious humans, the two little guys didn''t need any direction from Suming and started showing off like synchronized swimmers, half-floating on the water. Their flippers waved joyfully up and down like arms, asionally spinning in ce, sshing water everywhere.


    Nangong Yan, being of a young girl''s disposition, couldn''t help but bend down, squatting on the riverbank wanting to touch the dolphins'' heads.


    Before her hand reached the dolphins, one of the little guys suddenly spouted a small stream of water, spraying it all over Nangong Yan''s head and face.


    The surrounding reporters couldn''t hold back any longer and burst intoughter, turning their cameras to capture Nangong Yan as part of the scene, filming her as well.


    Suming passed a handkerchief to Nangong Yan and, with a very softugh, said close to her ear, "Isn''t this what they call ''you know what''...?"


    "You know what?" Nangong Yan asked, wiping her face.


    "Just, you know what..." Suming said.


    "What ''you know what''? Make it clear! Otherwise, you''re dead meat!" Nangong Yan opened her eyes wide, puzzled.


    Suming, with a mischievous smile, said, "But you insisted I say it... bukkake, haha..."


    "Facial... go to hell!" Nangong Yan was halfway through her sentence when she realized, her face flushing red instantly as she abruptly stopped and pushed hard against Suming.


    Suming, standing on the edge, was pushed off-bnce and tumbled headfirst into theke with a ssh.


    Bubbles gurgled up on the surface as Suming slowly sank into theke...


    Nangong Yan''s expression shifted slightly as she shouted toward theke, "Hey, hey, are you okay..." Many other reporters also gathered around, nervously watching the water.


    But the two little river dolphins seemed indifferent, not only did they not attempt a rescue, they merrily circled the spot where Suming had fallen in.


    "Hey, go save him!" Nangong Yan, who couldn''t swim, was frantic, her little face deathly pale as she yelled at the two river dolphins.


    A few male journalists had already taken off their shirts and shoes, ready to jump into the water to rescue.


    Just at this moment, about twenty meters from the shore, the water suddenly churned up, creating waves over two meters high!


    Amidst the waves, Suming surfaced, riding on the back of arge green fish, waving vigorously at the journalists on the shore, his whole body dripping.


    Therge green fish carried Suming, nodding and shaking its head as it swam toward the shore. Its pace was leisurely, tracing a figure eight in the water, as if deliberately showing off its swimming skills.


    This scene was even more shocking than the sight of the river dolphins, and those sharp journalists certainly weren''t going to miss such a great story. They quickly adjusted their positions, focusing their lenses on Suming from a distance. Discover exclusive tales on m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Riding on therge green fish, Suming was in no rush to reach the shore. Seeing the journalists snapping away, he simply grabbed the fish''s pectoral fins and steered it back and forth in the water.


    "He''s the Blue Wave Knight!" someone in the crowd suddenly shouted.


    Upon hearing the shout, a few journalists immediately remembered the pinned video they saw on Youku. They hadn''t thought of it before, but now, looking at the man riding the fish, they realized it was indeed the same Suming they saw in the video!


    Now this was a boon¡ªwhat was supposed to be a single news story had turned into two big headlines, and they had hit the jackpot with this trip!


    "And what is that?" someone asked, pointing to something in the water.


    As Suming cut through the waves, fourrge fins appeared behind him on the water''s surface, trailing at a rxed pace and drawing five long lines in the water.


    asionally revealing themselves beneath the water''s surface were several giant carps and green fishes, each over a meter long.


    The surface of Shuijun Lake had be a vast meadow, with Suming riding Da Xiong, therge green fish, leading four other big fish, galloping unrestrained across theke.


    ¡­


    Suming yed in the water for about fifteen minutes, figuring the journalists on the shore had enough footage by then. He then steered Da Xiong to shore, carefully stepped on the slippery back of the fish, and leaped ontond.


    "You scared me to death!" Nangong Yan said.


    Sumingughed heartily, "Don''t worry, this is my turf."


    The other journalists weren''t concerned about Suming''s wellbeing; they surged forward, surrounding him, and breaking the previously agreed upon ''one question per person'' rule, they bombarded him with questions:


    "Excuse me, are you the ''man who treads on the blue waves'' from Youku?"


    "Are thoserge fishes also trained by you?"


    ¡­


    "Everyone quiet down, as you have seen, those fishes are tame and can act as lifeguards, so there''s no need to worry about safety issues when boating on Shuijun Lake," Suming said.


    A journalist from the back row suddenly asked loudly, "Mr. Su, have you ever considered starting a fish-riding entertainment business in the future?"


    Suming gave a slight smile toward the camera, "The conditions aren''t right just yet, so it''s not something I''ll be pursuing for the time being, however..."


    He shifted his tone: "In the not too distant future, such a service will definitely be avable. Actually, it''s not just about riding fish. In the future, the zoo will offer a variety of fun programs. The fortune cat is just the first step, and I hope everyone will continue to pay attention to Yangchuan City Zoo and support us. I will definitely bring to you a world filled with magical animals!"


    As if to punctuate Suming''s words, two baby river dolphins leaped out of the water, one on each side, grazing past each other and creating a beautiful arch of water spray!

 Chapter 83 Look at your mom!

    About how to "arrange" those five big fish, Suming had considered it as well.


    The smallest of these fish weighed just over 100 jin (approximately 50 kg), with thergest green fish reaching 180 jin (approximately 90 kg); they definitely couldn''t be treated like ordinary fish, killed for their meat or sold off.


    In modern society, it is exceedingly rare for fish to grow sorge; it would take at least several decades. ording to the elder generation, suchrge fish have "spiritual power" and killing them would be an inauspicious act.


    As for releasing them, that''s nonsense. Not to mention that Suming had bought them with his own money, even if he did release them, they might be caught by someone downstream in a few days after being released upstream.


    Find your next read at m_v l|e-NovelBin


    These days, with sand dredgers and fishing boats everywhere, severe pollution, and the wild living environment of animals being horribly destroyed, these fish would probably not have as good a life in the wild as they would following Suming.


    In the end, Suming was not someone with an entirely noble and righteous backbone; he frankly couldn''t be bothered to do things that involved sacrificing his interests for the greater good.


    Under normal circumstances, capturing such big fish usually leads to an exhibition with an entrance fee. People seek novelty, and these enormous fish, all five of them, would certainly attract plenty willing to pay to see them.


    Suming thought further ahead, possessing the ability to befriend animals, it would be too wasteful to merely use suchrge fish for exhibition purposes.


    As he had told that reporter, he indeed wanted to develop a "fish-riding" attraction.


    Riding horses ismon, but riding fish is an unprecedented idea; no zoos around the world, including ces like Disney, have a fish-riding attraction.


    Maintaining horses is expensive; a batch of good horses is costly by itself, and with feed and maintenance, the investment is significant. Moreover, horse riding is rtively more dangerous and not widespread in China.


    Big fish, on the other hand, are different. The five fishbined cost less than ten thousand yuan, while just one leg of a decent horse is worth more than that. Daily feeding is easy to manage; they would eat whatever is in theke, are unlikely to get sick, and are very easy to keep alive.


    Therefore, the prospects for the fish-riding attraction are undeniable.


    But to truly create a fish-riding attraction that is both safe and fun, the conditions are not yet ripe.


    With Suming''s spiritual power to control them, riding these big fish would be no issue, but that doesn''t mean others could ride them too. If someone else tried, the big fish simply wouldn''tply, and Suming would need to slowly "train" them.


    Beyond that, management issues also need to be resolved. Like the boat ride attraction, the fish-riding attraction would definitely require management by professionals with specific knowledge.


    Typical aquarium attendants could handle this job, but Yangchuan City Zoo is so poor it can hardly make ends meet, having barely any decent aquatic animals, let alone ''high-end configurations'' like an aquarium, thus no aquarium attendants.


    It''s not that there are no aquatic animals; in fact, the zoo has many, all residing in Shuijun Lake. Although there are no rare protected species, there are enough in quantity.


    The fish-riding project is temporarily unable tounch. Not just fish riding, but even the boat ride business has been temporarily suspended due to the arrival of the finless porpoises, to avoid startling the injured porpoise.


    Professor Chu, true to his word, allocated two thousand yuan from the research funds topensate Suming for his financial losses during this period.


    "Two thousand yuan..."


    Suming felt speechless while holding the money. He didn''t even mention the loss from the boat ride business¡ªjust the fish that the two young dolphins had eaten recently probably amounted to more than two thousand yuan.


    These two youngsters lived up to their reputation as "Love for Life," indeed having appetites as enormous as pigs. Despite their small size, only slightly bigger than babies, they did nothing but y and eat from morning to night, consuming severalrge buckets of food each day.


    There''s a saying that a child without a mother is the most pitiable, but for Suming it was quite the opposite. He couldn''t bear to treat these two guys poorly and wouldn''t let them eat the four major types of fish from theke. Instead, he would go to the market every day and specially buy foods like grenadiers, big silverfish, and bass, which happen to be the dolphins'' favorite foods.


    Both God and the constitution say that all men are created equal, and by that logic, animals should be equal, too.


    In reality, that''splete nonsense.


    Just as people with good looks receive preferential treatment everywhere, as two of the world''s few remaining wild dolphins, the treatment of the two dolphin calves was the best in the entire Yangchuan City Zoo.


    After a few days, these two rascals had be picky eaters and turned their noses up at the ordinary fish in theke.


    Nevertheless, Suming really couldn''tin about theck of money. Just for this 2000 yuan subsidy, the research team had to organize a discussion meeting and go through a bunch of procedures to get it approved.


    Protecting animals might sound glorious, but even if done well, it doesn''t add a single cent to the nation''s GDP. Professor Chu and his team often run on insufficient annual funds, so being able to provide 2000 yuan is already quite considerate.


    Suming now couldn''t be bothered with worrying about this small amount of money. He simply bought himself a small motorboat and moored it in the middle of Shuijun Lake, lounging in a deck chair to sunbathe while scattering his spiritual power into the water.


    During this period, the fish in theke had grown a size bigger. With the rate they were growing, they would be ready for sale in just a few months.


    Lately, the gharial gar fish had be much better behaved. Without Suming''s control, they would go to Huating Reservoir to feed on time each day ande back full, resting within the area Suming had designated for them quite obediently, saving Suming quite a bit of trouble.


    The alligator snapping turtles and the bighead carp had nothing better to do; they did nothing but eat all day, quickly growing in size.


    The alligator snapping turtles were somewhat better off, mainly putting on muscle and looking like muscr men. Paired with a fierce-looking shell, they looked quite majestic, and could probably scare quite a few people if they went out at night;


    Bighead carp, however, was a lost cause, growing fat and clumsy with a tendency to mutate into a pig. At first nce, it resembled a plump, ck dolphin.


    The mother dolphin was undergoing treatment, and without her to keep them in check, the dolphin calves acted like two idling hooligans all day in Shuijun Lake, messing around. Sometimes when they saw tourists, they would even pop up to spit water, turn in a circle, and wiggle their butts, baiting for some snacks and screams from young girls.


    When they saw Suming''s boat approaching, the two dolphin calves started calling out joyfully from afar, leaping through the wind and over the water''s surface, quickly reaching the side of the motorboat, where they stood upright on the water, twisting and turning.


    Suming casually threw a bass from the bucket, and before the bass even fully hit the water, one of the dolphin calves waiting by the side of the boat leaped, its tail gliding over the surface as if it were sliding on the water, and snatched the fish in its mouth.


    The other dolphin calf, having missed out, was so anxious that it kept calling out, paddling with its flippers while perched on the edge of the boat, its round head desperately pushing towards the direction of the bucket.


    "You shameless thing¡­" Suming grabbed a squid and tossed it over; its tentacles spread out in the wind, stting the face of the dolphin calf with a ''biu'' sound.


    The dolphin calf opened its huge mouth, leaned its body slightly backward, and then inhaled forcefully, slurping the entire squid into its belly, much like slurping noodles.


    "Stop eating, go see your mom!"


    "Go see your mom" had recently be a popr phrase in Yangchuan City. Ever since the TV report about the family of dolphins at the zoo, swarms of tourists were attracted every day, eager to personally see this animal even rarer than pandas. Later, some cheeky person wrote aedic article online titled "I''ve Come to See Your Mom."


    The article went viral overnight, and "go see your mom" became a popr phrase, meaning "see something rare."

 Chapter 84 Giving Up Treatment

    Actually, due to the needs of treatment, the mother finless porpoise was strictly protected. The treatment room built by the side of Shuijun Lake was surrounded by reflective warning tape, and there were patrol officers from the police station who would not allow any unrted people to approach, so the majority of visitors had no chance to see therge finless porpoise up close.


    Although they missed seeing therge finless porpoise, the visitors were not disappointed, as their attention was quickly drawn to two young finless porpoises frolicking in theke.


    The young finless porpoises were naturally friendly towards people, and with Suming''s secret "instructions," they would also intentionally approach the visitors, acting cute and coy up close, quickly capturing the hearts of many tourists.


    In these few days, the zoo''s ticket sales skyrocketed, pleasing Mrs. Tong so much that she couldn''t stop smiling, and Shuijun Lake also became famous in the process.


    Over at the treatment room, to avoid frightening or infecting therge finless porpoise, only Professor Chu and a few medical personnel coulde and go. Other staff members of the zoo, including Mr. Song, were not allowed to enter freely.


    Although Suming was the finless porpoise''s lifesaver, he was not a member of the medical staff, and treating the finless porpoise was not his responsibility. At first, he was among those restricted from entering freely.


    Yet for some reason, after therge finless porpoise had slightly recovered its strength, it suddenly refused to take its medicine and was very resistant to human proximity. Whenever there was someone in the treatment room, therge finless porpoise would be very nervous, unwilling to quietly ept treatment and constantly thrashing its body.


    This disturbance not only prevented its recovery but also showed signs of worsening its condition.


    Professor Chu was an expert in this field and had encountered such a situation more than once. Therge finless porpoise was originally a wild animal, and it had been injured due to a collision with a human, most likely developing a "psychological shadow" towards humans.


    To get therge finless porpoise to ept treatment, Professor Chu had the medical personnel inject it with a sedative.


    But each time the effect of the sedative wore off, it would start causing trouble again.


    Sedatives and anesthetics, if injected multiple times, can cause irreversible harm to an organism, reducing biological function and intelligence¡ªpossibly even turning it into a vegetative "nt fish." Therge finless porpoise was now a preciousmodity, being closely watched by the government, media, and public. There was no room for error. Professor Chu did not dare to force it, yet he could not just let the porpoise die from its injuries. In just two or three days, having tried countless solutions to no avail, he was so anxious that his hair turned white.


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    When Mr. Song heard of the situation, he casually reminded Chu, "Su is the finless porpoise''s lifesaver, why not let Su try? The kid has a way with animals, even the troublemakers in the zoo are quite obedient under his care."


    Initially, Chu wasn''t very hopeful. The animals in the zoo were artificially bred, nothing like wild finless porpoises. Taming animals did not mean he could make the finless porpoise obedient.


    But he had no other options. With the mindset of a dead horse being used as a live horse doctor, he let Suming give it a try.


    When Suming walked into the treatment room, something astonishing urred!


    The previously disobedientrge finless porpoise suddenly calmed down, even making an effort to prop up its body and crawl to Suming''s feet, affectionately rubbing itsrge head against Suming''s legs, showing none of its earlier defiance but resembling a well-behaved little girl, or rather, a young wife...


    A few medical staff members and Professor Chu were stunned then and there, with faces full of bewilderment.


    "Where''s the medicine?" Suming gestured to Liang Shi, who was preparing the medication, with a flick of his finger, and Liang Shi, as if waking from a dream, hurriedly passed arge syringe full of medication to Suming.


    Suming squatted down and patted therge finless porpoise''s head, saying, "Good girl, open your mouth."


    Previously, administering medicine to therge finless porpoise was a hassle, requiring it to be restrained with bands, then two people had to force open its mouth and inject the medication inside. Despite this, most of the medicine would still be expelled by the finless porpoise.


    But at that moment, with just a simplemand from Suming, therge finless porpoise seemed to understand and obediently opened its mouth, allowing Suming to inject the medication.


    The medicine was bitter and astringent, and after ingesting it, the Yangtze river dolphin pped its flippers near its mouth a few times in dissatisfaction, making discontented humming sounds as if it found the taste quite unpleasant.


    "Have a candy..." Suming reached into his pocket, unwrapped a piece of milk candy, and popped it into the river dolphin''s mouth.


    "You can''t just feed it anything..." just as Liang Shi was about to stop Suming, Professor Chu, who had been observing from the side, stopped him.


    Suming then fed the river dolphin several other types of medicine and, finally, some perch as food. After having its fill, the river dolphin was finally willing to lie in the water quietly and heal.


    Liang Shi quickly took the opportunity to attach several metal tes connected to a device onto the river dolphin''s body, focusing on the readings to monitor its recovery.


    Professor Chu pulled Suming out of the treatment room and asked, "Su, do you have some sort of method? Why does the river dolphin listen to you so well?"


    Suming thought it amusing inside. Wasn''t it obvious? At the critical moment when the river dolphin''s life was hanging by a thread, he had continuously infused it with spiritual power for six or seven hours straight. As a result, an indelible mark was left in the river dolphin''s consciousness. Combined with his ability tomunicate with the dolphin directly, it would be strange if it didn''t listen to him.


    But he couldn''t just tell Professor Chu inly, so Suming smiled and said, "Nothing special, really. It''s probably just like what Mr. Song said, I saved it, so it trusts me more, I guess."


    This exnation seemed somewhat far-fetched, but beyond that, Professor Chu really couldn''t think of any other exnation.


    Besides, the intelligence of river dolphins is already quite high,parable to that of a three or four-year-old child. Children of that age rarely act on reason and often go with their feelings, listening to those they like.


    At that moment, Liang Shi rushed out of the treatment room, his face alight with joy as he held up the detector and eximed, "Professor, look, the river dolphin''s recovery effect is especially good this time, and the medicine''s effectiveness has even exceeded the best expectation by more than 20%!"


    "Oh? Better than the best expectation?" While Professor Chu''s eyebrows lifted in delight, he felt somewhat puzzled as well.


    Exceeding the best expectations was undeniably a good thing. However, the effects of the medicine were scientifically calcted and verified, with the upper and lower limits determined by countless scientific experiments. The medicine purchased for the river dolphin was also top quality, free from any counterfeit or substandard issues. How could it exceed the best medicinal effect?


    He looked at Suming with suspicion, as if trying to find the answer in his expression.


    Suming chuckled, saying half-jokingly, "It''s just like with people, if you''re in a good mood, you heal better, that''s all."


    "That sounds pretty reasonable."


    Professor Chu realized that Suming definitely had some ''trick up his sleeve,'' but extracting it from him was simply impossible.


    He pushed back a few stray hairs from his forehead and said to Suming, "Well, since the river dolphin''s mood improves when it sees you, it looks like you''re going to be busy for a while. From now on, you''ll have to visit the treatment room three times a day, morning, noon, and evening, for an hour each time to feed the dolphin its medicine!"


    "What about my actual job?" Suming asked.


    "Saving the life of a river dolphin is the greatest contribution you can make to the country!"


    And so Suming, the temporary worker, became someone who had to clock in at the treatment room ''for work'' at scheduled times each day to contribute to the nation.

 Chapter 85 Wedding Dress?

    For a whole week, Suming devoted himself entirely to the treatment of the Yangtze River dolphin. Although the schedule was supposed to be three times a day, one hour each time, in reality, he was almost always in the treatment room from morning to night, staying with the dolphin.


    The River dolphin''s recovery speed far exceeded everyone''s expectations. By Saturday, it had almostpletely healed, but for safety''s sake, it still needed to be observed for a few more days.


    So, today Suming finally got some free time, taking the two little ones out on theke.


    After the arrival of the River dolphin and those big fish, the number of tourists exploded. Even though the boat tours were temporarily suspended, the feed business boomed tremendously. As the feed was mostly made of Mixed Sea Fish, it was not only suitable for feeding ordinary domestic fish, but the young river dolphins also liked it. asionally, with good luck, it could even attract those huge fish weighing over tens of pounds, causing a wave of exmations from the tourists.


    In these few days, tons of feed were sold daily, and the iepensated for the losses from the boat business. Just within a week, the ie earned by the three nurses from the health clinic and Mr. Peng and his colleagues from selling feed amounted to what they usually made in a month.


    When Suming entered the treatment room, Liang Shi was holding a notebook, observing the River dolphin, and making some records, preparing for his graduation thesis.


    Seeing Suming, Liang Shi hurriedly put down his notebook and greeted him, "Mr. Su, you''re here!"


    Suming nodded, touched the River dolphin''s head, and immediately, it turned over, belly up towards Suming, and wiggled its stomach to act spoiled.


    "How''s the recovery going?" Suming asked, partly addressing the River dolphin and partly Liang Shi.


    "Hmm, very good. It canpletely stop the medication tomorrow. Mr. Tang is writing a summary report for the higher-ups."


    "What about your thesis? With three River dolphins as your subject material, you shouldn''t have any problems now, should you?" Suming asked with a smile.


    Liang Shi scratched his head and grinned naively, "Shouldn''t be any problem now. Many domestic experts who specialize in River dolphin research don''t get this kind of opportunity. I was just lucky this time, thanks to Mr. Tang and you, Mr. Su. Speaking of which, I''ve caused you trouble during this time and even affected your business. Once it''s off the medication, Chu will arrange for it to be transported to the provincial capital to be raised together with the other Baiji Dolphins."


    "What, it''s going to be moved?" Suming frowned slightly.


    "Yes," Liang Shi said as if it were a matter of course, "We can''t keep it in Shuijun Lake forever, can we?"


    "Why not?" Suming pointed to the waters outside, saying, "This area isrge enough, and the water quality is quite good. There shouldn''t be any problem keeping them here."


    Liang Shi shook his head, "The facilities and conditions in Yangchuan City are rtively poor. The provincial capital has arge conservation center withplete settings and staff. Generally, any endangered or injured aquatic creatures are sent to the conservation center in the provincial capital. The future feeding, breeding, and training for release into the wild will also be done by the provincial side."


    Hearing this, Suming suddenly became a bit annoyed. After all the hard work, was he just making a wedding dress for someone else?


    Seeing Suming''s darkened expression, Liang Shi didn''t know what to say. He was just a student, and he had no say in such a big matter. Even if he wanted to help, he was powerless.


    "Don''t get me wrong, this has nothing to do with you. You do what you need to do."


    Seeing that Liang Shi''s expression wasn''t great, Suming waved his hand at him, signaling him not to feel guilty about it or anything, and then turned and left the treatment room, heading straight for Mr. Song''s office.


    After giving Mr. Song a brief overview of the situation, Mr. Song also let out a wry smile after hearing it.


    "You think I don''t want to keep the river dolphins at the zoo? What a joke. I''d love nothing more! Our zoo doesn''t even have a handful of national first-ss protected animals, and even fewer aquatic ones. Look around, we don''t even have a small aquarium! If we could keep these three river dolphins, it would be a tremendous help to the development of our zoo!"


    "Then, can''t you speak to the higher-ups to keep the river dolphins here?" Suming said, holding a water bottle and filling up Mr. Song''s cup with water.


    Mr. Song picked up the cup and took a sip of water before continuing, "It''s useless! There are some things you probably don''t know about. Yangchuan City and the provincial capital are both top-ranking cities in our province. Because the provincial capital is administratively higher than Yangchuan, it has always implicitly held sway over Yangchuan City. And Yangchuan? They don''t really take orders from the provincial capital either. Both sides have always been openly and covertlypeting in all aspects, including the ownership of these river dolphins."


    "The river dolphins were found in Huating Reservoir; they should definitely belong to Yangchuan City!" Suming said.


    "You might say that, but the provincial capital has other ideas. Huating Reservoir is connected to the Yangtze River, and it''s clear these dolphins swam into the reservoir from the Yangtze when the gates were opened. Why should they definitely belong to Yangchuan City? Besides, the river dolphins are a shared treasure of Huaxia, even of the Earth, not just a single locality''s. Once they throw that big hat down, what can you say?" Mr. Song had probably experienced many such incidents before and spoke with some indignation.


    "Damn it, if they can pull rank, can''t the leaders of Yangchuan City do the same?" Suming cursed and muttered.


    Mr. Song gave a bitter smile, "Just in terms of protecting the river dolphins alone, we can''tpete with the provincial capital. The provincial conservation center''s hardware and software surpass anything in Yangchuan City or any other wildlife conservation agency. It''s truly first-rate. The dolphins would be better cared for there. Also, Liang Shi told you, didn''t he? It''s standard practice for endangered animals to be sent to the provincial conservation center," he said with a sigh.


    "There are so many reasons; it''s already a done deal that the river dolphins will be sent to the provincial capital..." Mr. Song sighed.


    "Even Mr. Wang doesn''t care..." Suming said irritably. After all, it was a feather in Wang Jian She''s cap, too; how could he just resign himself to giving it away?


    Mr. Song shook his head slightly, lowering his voice before saying, "Actually, if you paid close attention, you should have noticed some signs. Take, for example, the head of this special team is our own Mr. Wang from Yangchuan City, but from the beginning to the end, he has only shown up two or three times and hasn''t been too concerned with the team''s affairs. On the other hand, Professor Chu from the provincial agricultural college, the deputy team leader, and his students are the ones actually handling the team''s work. Think about why that is."


    Suming originally thought that this was because Professor Chu was a professional, but after hearing what Mr. Song said, he pondered for a moment and then had a sudden realization.


    "Oh, I see now. The provincial agricultural college is in the provincial capital, and that conservation center is also managed by the college. Mr. Wang knew all along that even if the river dolphins were found, they would end up going to the provincial capital in the end. It''s not that Yangchuan City wouldn''t get any credit, but the lion''s share of the credit, and all the benefits that the dolphins would bring, would actually go to the provincial capital. So, he just didn''t bother to invest much effort in this matter, just going through the motions."


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    Mr. Song nodded, "In fact, Chu and his team, like me, are schrs at heart and still have a passion for protecting animals. They probably haven''t thought so much about it, but in reality, it''s just like you said! Think about it: you, me, Mr. Wang, even the city officials, we would all like the river dolphins to stay in Yangchuan City. These animals are even rarer than the giant pandas. If managed well, they could be a major feature of Yangchuan City, but nobody''s taking the lead on it. Why not? Because everyone knows, even if they raise the issue, it wouldn''t make a difference!"


    "So you''re saying there''s absolutely nothing we can do? If all else fails, can''t we keep the two younger river dolphins?" Suming asked.


    "That''s even less likely," Mr. Song replied helplessly, shaking his head, "Suming, don''t think too much about it. No matter what, even if the river dolphins are sent away, your contributions can''t be erased."

 Chapter 86 The Meeting about the Ownership of the River Dolphins

    After leaving Mr. Song, Suming still felt somewhat unconvinced.


    For a national-level protected animal like the finless porpoise, ownership belongs to the state, not to any particr province or city, and certainly not personal property.


    But in practice, who is responsible for raising and managing the finless porpoises can be quite different.


    It was like with Zhao Yun, whose private museum housed many items that the nation prohibited from trade, which inly speaking, are national property. Zhao Yun was merely a custodian.


    Yet, over a decade, with the help of these ''state-owned'' collections, Zhao Yun rose in prominence, bing a member of Yangchuan City''s elite and even establishing substantial connections overseas.


    Therefore, economically speaking, it was essential to keep the finless porpoises; from a personal attachment perspective, the finless porpoise family was like friends to him. After spending time together, they had developed a friendship, and a forced separation would be hard to ept.


    If someone suddenly tried to take away his caninepanions or the feline stars from Suming''s side, he would certainly disagree. Even with creatures like Da Tou, Er Gouzi, and the crocodile snakeheads, Suming couldn''t bear to give them away.


    Besides, without me, the finless porpoise family would have long perished. Now youe to put in your two cents and im credit?!


    He sat in the pavilion by the water, pondered for a while, and then made a phone call to Wang Hao.


    "Looking for my dad?" Wang Hao was initially startled and said jokingly, "Hey, Su, you''re really moving up in the world, treating my old man as your equal now. Just two days ago, he was talking about you, telling me to learn from you more."


    Soon, a deep voice came from the other end of the phone, Wang Jian She.


    After listening to what Suming had to say, Wang Jian She thought for a brief moment and said, "Mr. Song is right, although Yangchuan City would also like to have the custody of these fish..."


    Suming''s mouth twitched, thinking to himself, Leader, finless porpoises are not just any fish; you are, after all, in charge of parks, agriculture, and fishery - could you not be a bit more professional?


    However, it was unnecessary to get hung up on these details; he just waited to hear Wang Jian She say ''but.''


    "But... as much as everyone desires it, there''s hardly any possibility in operation. Mr. Song has already told you the reasons. Moreover, my position isn''t suitable for speaking out lightly."


    Anyone reaching Wang Jian She''s position was shrewd. Although he had an appreciation for Suming, without full confidence, Wang Jian She wouldn''t rashly suggest keeping the finless porpoises. If the attempt ultimately failed, it would give the impression to superiors that he was unreliable in handling matters.


    Wang Jian She pondered for a moment and then continued, "How about this, if you really are confident that you can keep these fish here, then let Mr. Song file a request. Draft a report in the name of the zoo, submit it up the chain to me, and I will consult with the city government, following the due process."


    The zoo has a duty to protect animals, and developing its own business is also an implied part of its role. If the proposal to keep the finless porpoises came from the zoo and was reported step by step, even if it didn''t work out in the end, Wang Jian She wouldn''t be held ountable.


    With no other options at the moment, Sumingmunicated with Mr. Song once more, Mr. Song thought it over and saw this as a glimmer of hope, so he drafted a proposal that very day.


    "Suggestions on Keeping Three Wild Finless Porpoises in Yangchuan City Zoo for Raising and Care."


    The proposal was processed through several steps and arrived at Wang Jian She''s office. After reviewing it, he took it along with a few other forestry and agricultural documents to the municipal partymittee and found a deputy mayor in charge of this area.


    "Wang, what is your opinion?" Leaders generally do not take the initiative to express their views. After reading all the documents, Mr. Sun, the deputy mayor, picked out the report from the zoo and asked Wang Jian She.


    Wang Jian She pondered for a moment and did not answer directly but smiled and said, "Thank goodness the finless porpoise is still at the zoo. If it had already been transported away, there would be nothing to discuss."


    Mr. Sun also smiled and said, "Then should we have a meeting with the people from the provincial capital and talk about it?"


    "To be honest, the chances are slim. However, if we don''t fight for it, then there''s no chance at all," Wang Jian She said.


    With one word from the leader, the subordinates scramble to act. That very evening, the deputy mayor in charge of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries from the provincial capital, the heads of the relevant departments, and the Agricultural Sciences Academy all received a letter from Yangchuan City. A team led by Mr. Sun and managed by Wang Jian She was formed on Yangchuan''s side to handle negotiations with the other party.


    "What a joke! Song, do you know the condition of your zoo? Do you have specialized equipment, professional staff, and what will you do for the reproduction of the finless porpoise? Who will take responsibility for training the young porpoises for release into the wild? Who will look after their daily lives?"


    Sitting around the conference table were rows of leaders of all levels, with Professor Chu bombarding his old ssmate, Mr. Song, the head of the zoo, with a barrage of questions.


    "Chu, calm down, we''re in the middle of a discussion," Wang Jian She said amiably in an attempt to smooth things over.


    Mr. Song replied indifferently, "Chu, what you''re saying isn''t right. If we don''t have it, we can build it, we can buy it. Once we have the finless porpoises, we can then develop the necessary facilities."


    "Song, you make it sound so easy. Of course, with the economic strength of Yangchuan City, I believe it can be done. But that''s not something that happens overnight. If there is a problem with the finless porpoise in the meantime, who will take responsibility?"


    The one speaking was Mr. Jiang, the head of the agriculture department from the provincial capital, who led the team for this meeting. The provincial capital had a slightly higher status than Yangchuan City, and Mr. Jiang''s rank could barely match that of deputy mayor Mr. Sun. However, Mr. Sun did not attend the meeting, so the ranks were perfectly matched.


    "Mr. Jiang, can you guarantee that sending the finless porpoise to the protection center will not result in any problems?"


    Wang Jian She picked up his teacup, used the lid to wipe away theyer of tea foam on top, blew on the scalding water, and with a smile said, "As I understand it, when Professor Chu and his team were treating the finless porpoise, the animal wasn''t cooperative at all and nearly died. It was only thanks to the core staff of Yangchuan City Zoo and Comrade Su that the problem was resolved. To go back further, when it was time to search for it, therades from the Agricultural Sciences Academy exerted great effort but failed to find the finless porpoise. Instead, it was Su who found a family of three finless porpoises. Without Su, the porpoises might have died long ago, and we wouldn''t need to have this meeting to discuss the fate of the porpoise."


    Professor Chu''s face turned dark. As a respected professor and a top expert in his field, he had encountered significant ''errors'' both in finding and treating the finless porpoise, and it seemed, was outperformed by an ordinary zoo employee, and a temporary one at that.


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    In such a situation, how could he have the face to say that Yangchuan City Zoo couldn''t take good care of the finless porpoise?


    Seeing the change in Professor Chu''s expression, Wang Jian She put down his teacup and chuckled towards Professor Chu, "Chu, don''t misunderstand me. I''m not questioning your professional level. What I mean is that our Yangchuan City Zoo has talent too and is fully capable of taking good care of the finless porpoise."


    Professor Chu frowned slightly and said, "If Comrade Su Ming were to take care of the finless porpoise, I would be at ease. However..."


    "Wang, the state has spent tens of millions to establish the protection center. If the finless porpoise is not sent there, it would notply with the policy!"


    Mr. Jiang from the provincial capital interrupted Professor Chu, his eyes sweeping over the individuals from Yangchuan City and profoundly stating, "To put it bluntly, if we send the finless porpoise to the protection center and something unexpected happens, we will still be following regtions. But if it stays in Yangchuan City, and given that the city''s conditions are somewhat inferior, if something happens to the finless porpoise, how will you exin to the higher-ups and the public?"

 Chapter 87 Group Events

    The meetingsted for about an hour, and afterwards, Mr. Song returned to the zoo and informed Suming of both parties'' final decision.


    They would still follow the original n and send the river dolphins to the provincial capital.


    However, the provincial capital was willing to pay a sum of money, about one hundred thousand yuan, as a reward for the members of the special rescue and protection team who had performed meritoriously¡ªin in terms, this meritorious member was Suming and the zoo. They were using money to seal their lips.


    Besides, after the river dolphins were sent to the protection center in the provincial capital, Yangchuan City Zoo could send staff to the protection center at any time to participate in the study, nurturing, and future wildlife release of the river dolphins.


    "They sure are cunning to the extreme, sending people over there is just freebor for them," Mr. Song said, not entirely convinced.


    At the negotiation table, Yangchuan City''s side had actually gained the upper hand.


    Without equipment that could be purchased, having technical personnel like Suming there, and with Shuijun Lake currently serving as a ready-made habitat for the river dolphins¡ªthey could simply set aside a part of the reservoir for the river dolphins'' habitat if it really came down to it.


    But what ultimately settled the matter was a sentence from Mr. Jiang of the provincial capital.


    Sending the river dolphins to the protection center was following the rules. Conversely, keeping them in Yangchuan was an exception, a breach of the system. If things turned out fine, then all was well. But should the river dolphins suffer the slightest mishap, everyone would have to bear the responsibility, especially a few leaders on the Yangchuan side.


    The ''River Dolphin Ownership'' first meeting thus concluded.


    One hundred thousand yuan was something neither Suming nor the zoo cared much about. It wasn''t that the amount was small, but inparison to the immense various values of the river dolphin, one hundred thousand was insignificant, hardly worth mentioning. With the river dolphins present, the zoo could see a monthly ticket revenue increase of much more than this amount.


    It''s like thinking you''ve found a nugget of gold when in fact, upon appraisal, you discover it''s merely a piece of brass. Brass can be sold for a little money, butpared to gold, it''s pure trash.


    Not only did they fail to reach their goal, but they also stirred up a potential ho''s nest.


    After the meeting, in an increased state of ''vignce'' and to prevent any unforeseen issues, Mr. Jiang from the provincial capital immediately phoned the protection center that evening, asking them to send a vehicle to pick up the family of river dolphins.


    Early on the third day, arge container truck with a huge water tank drove into the zoo and arrived at the edge of Shuijun Lake.


    Professor Chu looked at Suming, scratched the few strands of hair on top of his head with some embarrassment, "This... Su, no matter what, we''re all working to protect the river dolphins..."


    "Anyway, I think the way the provincial capital is handling this isn''t very honorable. Why should all the good things be sent to the provincial capital?"


    Suming rolled his eyes, openly expressing his dissatisfaction.


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    Within the crowd of onlookers, someone loudly said, "Exactly, it was discovered in Yangchuan City to begin with. Are the residents of the provincial capital the people while our Yangchuan residents are ss enemies?"


    Once one person spoke up, there was immediately another to support the statement, "Why should you provincial capital folks get all the benefits?"


    "Pure hegemonism, it''s bullying!"


    Apart from the public, reporters from several media outlets received the news overnight and arrived at the zoo early in the morning, setting up their cameras and capturing the scene of the river dolphin transport.


    "Su, it''s not something that can be exined clearly in a sentence or two, I just hope you can understand," Professor Chu said with a wry smile before gesturing to his students and shouting, "Load the river dolphins into the truck, be careful!"


    The three river dolphins were wrapped in waterproof fabric. The container truck extended a mechanical arm and lifted each of the three dolphins into therge water tank at the back.


    After entering the water tank, the river dolphins swam around in a daze for a moment. Seeing Suming through the transparent ss of the tank, all three approached his direction, waving their fins frantically at him through the ss.


    "You guys need to behave yourselves from now on." Suming extended a hand and pressed it against the ss.


    The river dolphins, oblivious to what was happening, saw Suming reaching out. Thergest dolphin used its round head to nudge against the ss towards Suming''s hand.


    "All right, let''s go!" Professor Chu said.


    The container truck slowly started moving. Suming followed for a couple of steps, and it was only then that the river dolphins, watching Suming getting further away, realized he wasn''t going with them.


    The two young river dolphins immediately began crying out anxiously and stood up, trying to squeeze their small heads through the lid and edge of the water tank.


    Butpared to the narrow gap, their heads were simply too big to fit through!


    The adult river dolphin looked towards Suming and swam back and forth anxiously, continuously hitting the ss tank with its head and tail, creating loud thudding noises and causing water to ssh everywhere.


    Seeing this, the container truck had to stop, and a group of journalists and Suming hurriedly caught up to the truck.


    "What''s going on?" Professor Chu asked with a frown.


    "Isn''t it obvious? These river dolphins can''t bear to part with their owner!" Nangong Yan eximed loudly.


    "Look, the river dolphins are crying!"


    All three river dolphins stood upright in the water tank, like tiny prisoners, piteously leaning on the clear ss, their fins repeatedly pping against it, as they looked at Suming with small eyes that shed clear tears, like streams of spring water.


    At this sight, many people fell silent.


    Professor Chu felt a bit of a sting in his nose; he clearly remembered that many years ago, they had rescued a river dolphin that had been injured by a fishing boat. That dolphin, just like today, shed tears before it died.


    "Mommy, they are all bad people... the river dolphins are so pitiful..." came a young girl''s voice from the crowd, quivering with sobs.


    Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted loudly, "We can''t let them take the river dolphins away, the river dolphins belong to Yangchuan City!"


    "Protect our river dolphins!"


    And that was it, the onlooking crowd surged forward, forming a human wall around the container truck, determined not to let it leave.


    "What are you doing!"


    Professor Chu red fiercely at Suming before standing on the truck and yelling to the crowd, "This is the government''s decision, not something any one person can change. Sending the river dolphins to the conservation center is for their own good! Comrades, please understand!"


    The crowd was not buying it.


    "Understand my ass!"


    "We''ll understand if you leave them here!"


    Professor Chu was between a rock and a hard ce and hopped off the truck to pull Suming aside and whispered, "Su, don''t cause trouble unnecessarily. If this turns into a mass incident, neither of us can afford it!"


    "Professor Chu, it''s not like I instigated this, I can''t afford anything!" Suming said, and indeed this wasn''t something he had caused; Friends of the Animals wasn''t powerful enough to manipte people to this extent.


    "Get Song here. If we have to call the police to resolve this, it won''t look good for anyone," Professor Chu turned and ordered a student.


    Mr. Song, the zoo director, soon rushed over and, though reluctant, patiently persuaded the surrounding crowd.


    After more than an hour ofmotion, even the local police had arrived and spent a long time trying to persuade the crowd, who finally gave way to let the container truck restart and slowly make its way out.


    This time, it hadn''t gone ten meters when a loud ''bang'' came from inside the water tank!

 Chapter 88 Refusing to Leave Even if Beaten to Death!

    A loud crash!


    The river dolphin mmed into the ss like it was trying tomit suicide!


    The tank ss housing the river dolphin was special reinforced, thickened tempered ss, strong enough that not even a shark could break it¡ªlet alone a river dolphin!


    Despite the ss remaining unbroken, therge aquarium tank shook violently, water sshing out through the seams of the lid and soaking the interior of the vehicle.


    The container truck had to stop again, but the river dolphin, as if gone mad, continued to ram itself against the ss of the tank without regard for its own life.


    Crash! Crash! Crash!


    The sounds were like explosions, frightening enough to make people afraid, and the wholepartment began to tremble slightly.


    Now things really escted! The river dolphin already had a scar on its forehead from a previous injury which had only recently healed; after several collisions, the wound split open again. A stream of crimson blood seeped from the dolphin''s forehead, spreading rapidly inside the tank, and, in no time at all, by the time Professor Chu arrived to check the situation, the water in the tank had turned a faint red!


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    There was also arge gash on the dolphin''s head, and despite this, it continued relentlessly to collide with the ss.


    Professor Chu''s face turned ashen instantly.


    Not only was Chu almost scared to pee, but Suming also felt his scalp tingle, and he hurried over to release spiritual power into the aquarium tank.


    Indeed, the actions of the river dolphin hitting the ss had everything to do with Suming. This was a ''sneaky trick'' he had conceived. The matter of the dolphin''s ownership was actually quite simple¡ªif the river dolphin itself refused to leave, then nobody could do anything about it!


    Suming''s tactic was to get the river dolphin to make a bit of amotion, to bang against the ss a bit just to show that it wanted to stay. For one, it would attract the attention of the onlookers, and second, with so many reporters present, once it hit the television, public outcry would likely force the issue, and the river dolphin could probably be kept there.


    But Suming never expected the river dolphin to take it so seriously and go overboard, colliding too fiercely, actually disying a tendency toward suicide!


    It was also Suming''s oversight this time; he neglected the basicmon sense that, although river dolphins are intelligent, they certainly don''t have the same cunning as humans, their thoughts are straightforward and they don''t act. Realizing it truly might be separated from Suming, the river dolphin was extremely reluctant to part; its fierce collisions were not an act but a true outpouring of emotion.


    Regardless, animals are still animals, and their intelligence cannot bepared with humans. If the one in the tank wasn''t a river dolphin but Wang Hao, Suming believed he would have definitely put on an outstanding performance.


    With the river dolphin injured, the two smaller dolphins were so anxious they frantically pped the ss with their fins, crying out distressingly, pleading Suming for help!


    Suming gritted his teeth and released all his spiritual power without reservation, calming the river dolphin and treating its wounds simultaneously.


    Now the public anger that had just settled down exploded once again. Spectators charged forward, surrounding the vehicle; some young people even pulled open the vehicle door, dragging the driver and one of Professor Chu''s students out while raising their fists to strike!


    "Everyone, my friends, please stay calm," Suming implored as he hopped up onto the vehicle, shouting to the angry crowd.


    It was all supposed to be an act, and if people were really hurt, the nature of the incident would change; moreover, Professor Chu and his colleagues were quite decent people. They just had different opinions from Suming''s, and there was no need to harm them.


    "Do they still want to take the river dolphin away?" someone asked loudly.


    "This is not protection, it''s murder! We absolutely cannot let them take the river dolphin away!"


    "Let them say it themselves, leave the river dolphin here!"


    Old Chu''s mouth was filled with bitterness, feeling extremely frustrated. With things the way they were, there was no point in taking it!


    The river dolphin clearly acted in a way that if it were to be taken away, it would rather die. If the vehicle continued driving out, the dolphin''s brains might actually get smashed out!


    They couldn''t possibly bring back a dead river dolphin. If they forcibly took the river dolphin, causing it tomit suicide, not only would there be no credit for the Province''s Agricultural Science Institute or the Yangchuan City government, but it would also be a major ident. Old Chu would be scorned by thousands, stinking for miles against the wind, and his lifetime reputation would be washed away, and he would be shunned by the whole academicmunity!


    Moreover, his true aim wasn''t to vie for fame and profit, but rather to protect the endangered river dolphins. Even if he had to take them to a conservation center, it was out of consideration for their survival.


    After all, protecting river dolphins shouldn''t turn into forcing them to their deaths¡ªthat would make him a true sinner!


    To put it more severely, whoever caused the death of the river dolphins would not only be disgraced but might also end up in prison!


    "We''re not taking them, not taking them for now. Hurry up, take the big river dolphin to the treatment room, release the two smaller ones back into Shuijun Lake," Professor Chu nearly roared. At this point, the ownership of the river dolphins was no longer important; saving the life of therge river dolphin was what mattered most!


    ¡­


    That very afternoon, the TV station reported the scene that had unfolded at the zoo. The river dolphin refused to leave and began by shedding tears and crying, then proceeded to hit its head against the wall.


    The image of a creature ready to die for its beliefs, coupled with Nangong Yan''s heartbreakingly sad tone of voice, instantly ignited sympathy in everyone!


    The media present at the zoo weren''t just from the TV station¡ªnewspapers and websites also quickly covered the incident, sparking tremendous attention.


    By evening, what had started as news solely about the river dolphins slowly began to ferment, with the finger of me pointing towards the provincial government!


    Manyizens and viewers raised sharp views, suggesting that the tragedy urred because the provincial capital, in pursuit of political performance projects and regional interests of its own city, disregarded the life and death of the river dolphins!


    In just two days, the topic exploded like a virus,


    "River dolphin cannot bear to leave its saviors, dies to make a statement"


    "Thest tears, no fame or profit in heaven..." as if the river dolphins had died, the sensational headlines suggested¡­


    "Don''t let politics kill humanity''sst friends!"


    In a talk show with three hosts, a middle-aged host wearing sses said, "As everyone knows, dolphins are among the most intelligent of animals. But what about the river dolphins? Let''s first take a look at a few pictures¡­"


    In a well-known dating show, female guest number six unhesitatingly turned off her light, pointing out to the male guest who boasted about owning several expensive pet dogs, "I like men with a caring heart! If you truly have a caring heart, you should act like the zookeeper from Yangchuan City Zoo and take real action to help animals in need, instead of just talking big here!"


    Not just ordinary people, but some celebrities also got involved.


    "Blessings to the river dolphin family!" Before a reality show started, several celebrities lit red candles together, praying for the river dolphins.


    The web series director Jiao Shou, who had leftments onlinest time, issued a call for donations for the river dolphins and tagged many well-known online personalities.


    A veteran superstar from Xiangjiang even offered to adopt some protected animals to support animal protection with concrete actions.


    So-called ''adoption'' and ''taking in'' are different; taking in only means bringing the animals home to care for them, whereas adoption involves merely paying a sum of money and getting one''s name listed, leaving the care of the animals to zoo-like animal protection agencies.


    At the same time, it also sparked a trend of showing off pets. Many celebrities posted selfies with their pets, showcasing theirpassion;


    Several famous inte influencers, during their live streams, had cats and dogs sitting proudly on their chests or along their long, slender legs. A session of coquettish behavior and seeking affection won them countless rewards¡­


    One scene after another was broadcast, one Weibo post after another was shared, and Yangchuan City''s forum was bursting at the seams with this topic. In Baidu searches, the words ''river dolphin'' surged to the top three positions.


    Fortunately, the main character of the incident, therge river dolphin, recovered quickly under Suming''s care.


    A few dayster, Yangchuan City and the provincial authorities once again held a meeting, at the same room as before.


    "The second discussion meeting on the issue of the ownership of wild river dolphins!"

 Chapter 89 The Second Meeting about the Ownership of the River Dolphins

    The same location, the same participants, the same agenda.


    But the mood of the parties waspletely different fromst time!


    The meeting service staff prepared tea for all the attending leaders and set it on the table. Wang Jian She, the actual person in charge from Yangchuan City, lifted his teacup and leisurely scraped off the foam at the top with the lid, smilingly said to hisrades from the provincial capital across the table, "Everyone, have tea, please."


    Mr. Song didn''t rush to speak either, his eyes half open as if his mind was wandering far away.


    On the other hand, the faces of several people from the provincial capital, Mr. Jiang, Professor Chu, weren''t looking too good.


    After the river dolphin incident was reported a few days ago, they immediately faced pressure from all sides. The media called them all day to interview, asking sharp questions, leaving them exasperated;


    The media was one thing, but the key issue was that their superiors had questioned them more than once: what exactly went wrong? Something that started as a purely joyous asion, how did it turn into such chaos!


    The whole country, evenpatriots from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, were paying attention to this matter; even the main leaders of the province had personally inquired once!


    The instructions from the city leaders of Jiangjin City, the provincial capital, were very clear.


    First, resolve the river dolphin incident as soon as possible, minimizing the impact, and ensure that the incident does not continue to ferment and cause even worse effects;


    Second, they must still try their best to secure ownership of the river dolphin.


    At this point, the matter had escted beyond just a river dolphin issue. It subtly revealed thepetition between the two major cities in the province.


    To put it seriously, the provincial leaders were watching from above. The officials who could handle the matter better, securing the river dolphin and avoiding public bacsh would be seen as morepetent in the eyes of the leadership!


    The little river dolphin even had an impact, to some extent, on the careers of both parties!


    Of course, this impact was not decisive, nor was it very serious; at most, it would cause the superiors to take a slightly closer look. But the achievements of officials umte just like this, little by little. Moreover, in the officialdom, no one wants to be a stepping stone for others to climb higher.


    Thus, the actual situation nowying before them: in terms of procedure and material conditions, the river dolphin rightfully belonged to Jinhai City, the provincial capital;


    However, considering public opinion and the current actual condition of the river dolphin, Yangchuan City seemed more appropriate to keep it.


    With leaders on both sides preupied with their own thoughts, no one wanted to bring up the issue first and risk being at a disadvantage.


    It was Professor Chu, ustomed to academic pursuits, who couldn''t hold back. He cleared his throat lightly and said, "Song, the river dolphin refuses to leave because, frankly, it''s too attached to your zoo''s Su Ming! You go talk to him, let him handle it."


    "How should he handle it?"


    Mr. Song finally opened his eyes. "Song, ssmates are ssmates, but reason is reason, and I have to make this clear. It''s true that the river dolphin is close to him, and little Su does have some talent in dealing with animals. But at the end of the day, the river dolphin can''t understand human speech. How do you expect little Su to deal with it? Are you suggesting he tell the river dolphin, ''Be good, stop making trouble, obediently go with the leaders from the province because they have delicious food and treats for you'', and then the river dolphin will honestly obey and go with you?"


    As Mr. Song put it that way, Wang Jian She at the sideughed heartily while Professor Chu red, "Song, when did I ever say the river dolphin could understand Su Ming''s words! You''re just being obstinate!"


    "That was too harsh, Chu, too harsh. I don''t think that''s what Mr. Song meant."


    Mr. Jiang, the mayor of Jinhai City, hastily tried to smooth things over. For talks of this level, using phrases like ''troublesome and nonsensical'' was not quite fitting of their status. Behind the scenes, they could fight for their ims, but on the surface, it was all about maintaining a harmonious front.


    His gaze turned to Wang Jian She and he said, "Wang, what do you think about this? You and Su have a talk, get him to cooperate with us, and we''ll take the finless porpoises away. Then, on a few other cooperative projects, we could make some small concessions."


    Both cities were in the same province and wereparatively economically developed, engaged in bothpetition and coboration. Mr. Jiang and Wang Jian She held simr positions in their respective cities and, aside from the matter of the finless porpoises, there were quite a number of other ongoing projects between them.


    By giving a little leeway on this issue, Mr. Jiang could make Wang Jian She''s work go much more smoothly, which was an advantage too good to ignore.


    Unexpectedly, Wang Jian She shook his head firmly, saying, "Mr. Jiang, let''s keep things in their ownnes. We''re talking about the finless porpoises, let''s not get sidetracked."


    Seeing that despite his cheery demeanor Wang Jian She was quite resolute, Mr. Jiang frowned slightly and asked, "Do you really insist on keeping the finless porpoises in Yangchuan?"


    "It''s not that we insist on keeping them; it''s the finless porpoises'' own wish."


    "Wang, stop joking, what wishes could finless porpoises have?!"


    Wang Jian She chuckled and unlocked his phone, bringing up several news articles, "Alright, alright, not the finless porpoises'' wishes, but surely this represents the will of the people! Look online, on TV, the public is strongly demanding that the finless porpoises stay in Yangchuan. Mr. Jiang, serving the people, isn''t it?"


    In a private meeting, Wang Jian She brought out this big argument, leaving Mr. Jiang somewhat speechless. He was a bit irritated and red at Wang Jian She, saying, "Wang, if you put it that way, does that mean the people of Jinhai City aren''t ''the people''?"


    The back-and-forth bickering continued, and the negotiation once again reached a deadlock.


    At that moment, Mr. Jiang''s phone suddenly lit up with a text message from his secretary, and his eyes lit up as he started to smile.


    "Wang, at the end of the day, the key lies with Comrade Su Ming from the zoo. This young fellow is outstanding in his work and very capable, but how can such a goodrade still be a temporary worker without formal employment status at the zoo?"


    Before Wang Jian She could respond, Mr. Jiang turned to Professor Chu, asking, "Chu, if we transfer him to your Agricultural Science Institute and give him a staff position, wouldn''t that be no problem?"


    Professor Chu''s eyes sparkled, "No problem, I''ll talk to Zhao."


    The ''Zhao'' he referred to was the president of the Provincial Agricultural Science Institute and also a disciple of Professor Chu. Even without the issue of the finless porpoises, getting a staff position at the institute for someone was easily sorted with just a word from Professor Chu.


    Mr. Jiang nodded, "Not just the Agricultural Science Institute, I suggest we directly transfer him to the Conservation Center. He''s got the skills, consider it a special recruitment, directly appointing him as a deputy-level clerk! Additionally, didn''t our bureau recently allocate a bonus of one hundred thousand yuan for meritorious employees? We could add a bit more to that."


    "Mr. Jiang, what are you implying, just taking our people away?"


    Wang Jian She was not pleased, his expression darkening slightly, "Anything you can offer, are we incapable of matching? Mr. Song..."


    Mr. Song spoke leisurely, "Ah, I''m getting old, and I''ll retire in a few years. Su certainly is worth cultivating as my sessor."


    "Heh, Mr. Song, don''t beat around the bush with me. Isn''t your zoo about to undergo organizational restructuring and be self-sufficient? If he takes over, wouldn''t that just be like taking on a huge burden?"


    Mr. Jiang waved his hand dismissively and said, "I think we should ask young Su himself what he wants."


    To most people, since Jinhai is the provincial capital and a half-grade higher than Yangchuan; and with the provincial government also located in Jinhai, even a position of the same level would offer a far better development prospect and sry than one in Yangchuan. Besides, the zoo was soon to be restructured, while the Conservation Center offered a secure job for life¡ªas long as the state existed, the Conservation Center would be state-supported. Anybody in their right mind would know which option to choose.

 Chapter 90 Play Tough!

    Mr. Jiang from the provincial capital certainly couldn''t call Suming directly in the meeting room. That would be far too disrespectful to the officials from Yangchuan City. In fact, after figuring out that Suming was still a temporary worker, Mr. Jiang had sent a text message to his secretary, instructing him to go directly to the zoo to find Suming.


    While the meeting room participants were still squabbling, Mr. Jiang''s secretary had already located Suming.


    Any secretary to a leader must be adept at verbal gymnastics, writing, and social drinking ¨C indispensable skills indeed.


    If the secretary were female, there might even be an additional skill required.


    However, this secretary was a man, very efficient at his job, and when he found Suming, he talked eloquently.


    He started with the facts, analyzing Suming''s current temporary worker status, saying how with Suming''s talent and achievements, it was a shame for him to work in a precarious small zoo, merely feeding bears¡ªas if casting pearls before swine. He expressed his profound pity for Suming, etc. Continue reading on m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    This wasying out the facts, reasoning logically;


    Next, the secretary swiftly changed tack, talking up the many wonderful development opportunities in the provincial capital, how much the leaders valued talent, and if Suming were willing to work in the provincial capital, what he could achieve, going through several benefits Mr. Jiang had promised, analyzing them one by one with Suming;


    This was discussing conditions, making promises;


    In the end, the secretary''s tone took another sharp turn, bing serious. He mentioned that the dispute over the Baiji Dolphin had already brought considerable negative impact to the governments of both ces, and if it were not resolved quickly, it would greatly damage the government''s reputation and significantly affect the friendship between the two cities.


    The key to resolutiony in how you, Su, would choose. Comrade Su, you should prioritize the overall situation and make a wise choice, to contribute to the nation and relieve the government''s worries, and so on;


    This was about making clear the greater good, talking politics, and pressuring with a high hat.


    The secretary used his three-pronged approach in session, changing his manner rapidly, mixing soft and hard tactics¡ªa surefire strategy against the general popce. He had expected that the young Suming, even if unable to make a decision on the spot, would at least be internally conflicted.


    But who could have expected that Suming would sit there listening attentively from beginning to end, asionally nodding his head and making sounds of agreement, yet not saying a word, not taking the bait no matter how attractively the secretary painted the picture or how dry his mouth and tongue became.


    When the secretary finished, Suming instead offered him a ss of water with a grin, asking, "Bro, are you thirsty? Have some water, drink up."


    Caught off guard, the secretary stood holding the ss of water, dumbfounded for quite a while before he finally said, "Su, you need to make a decision quickly."


    Sumingughed lightly, "Certainly, Mr. Jiang values me so much, I''m very touched. But this matter requires consultation with our zoo''s leaders. No matter what, I am still an employee of the zoo after all."


    With that said, the secretary most likely understood what Suming meant.


    The zoo leader, Mr. Song, and then there was Mr. Wang above him ¨C what could they possibly consult on?


    Straight to the point, Suming had declined the offer in a manner that saved face for everyone involved.


    "Leader, that kid is tough to handle!" After leaving the zoo, the secretary sent a text message to Mr. Jiang.


    Mr. Jiang, who was still in a meeting, saw the message and his expression darkened slightly. For the sake of those few Baiji Dolphins, Old Jiang couldn''t remember how many times his expression had darkened.


    Seeing Mr. Jiang''s expression suddenly change, Wang Jian She and Song from the Yangchuan side exchanged a smile. Wang Jian She said cheerfully, "Old Jiang, why don''t we call Suming over and ask for his opinion?"


    "That won''t be necessary," Mr. Jiang said.


    Mr. Songmented indifferently, "I know this kid, Su. He has a strong sense of loyalty and is very capable at his job. Unless he insists on leaving, our zoo would definitely not let him go."


    This, the second meeting ended in aplete deadlock, and the problem was shelved again.


    After the meeting, Mr. Jiang pulled Wang Jian She aside with a stern face and asked, "Wang, we can''t keep dragging this out indefinitely. This issue must be resolved as soon as possible. Name your conditions. What do we need to do for you to let us take the river dolphins away?"


    Wang Jian She thought for a moment and said, "Mr. Jiang, since it hase to this, I''ll speak frankly with you. The river dolphins are a hot potato right now, and if you can take them, we won''t stand in your way. But if you can''t, then they must stay in Yangchuan City, just like you said; we can''t keep going back and forth on this."


    On his way back to the zoo, Mr. Song called Suming and learned from the phone that Mr. Jiang''s secretary had visited.


    "The bureaucrats from the provincial capital actually y such underhanded tricks, heh, Su, don''t worry, you''ve shown loyalty, and I can''t let you down either. After this is over, I will fight for your staffing issue and any rewards. Mr. Wang will also speak on your behalf, we won''t let you suffer," Mr. Song said.


    It wasn''t about the staffing for Suming, as that had almost lost all its allure for him; nor did he care much for the tens of thousands in rewards.


    Everyone has their personal ounts to settle. Mr. Jiang wasn''t wrong in his thinking before; if it had been someone else, they probably would''ve agreed to transfer to the provincial Protection Center to work. But Suming had his own ideas.


    First, although the zoo wasn''t developing well and was financially strapped, with just a handful of big and small cats, no matter what, the total number and variety of animals were far beyond what that quiet, showroom-like Protection Center couldpare with. That ce, it was said, only had a few Baiji Dolphins at most, not conducive for nurturing one''s ability to be a friend of animals;


    Second, he had already made his mark in the zoo, had good rtionships with everyone from top to bottom, the boat tours and fish farming businesses were making steady progress, and besides, he had leased Shuijun Lake for three years; leaving now would mean all the previous effort was for nothing;


    Third, although people are naturally profit-driven, if someone is too inclined to sit on the fence, turning with every slight benefit like a weathervane, that person will neverst long. The political world has its darker aspects, but that doesn''t mean itcks rules; no leader likes a subordinate who turns on them at the sight of a minor advantage. Political opportunists are unwee everywhere.


    Suming''s decision led to an extreme event urring.


    Early the next morning, just after seven o''clock and before the zoo was open for business, the truck with the container for transporting the river dolphins once again entered the zoo.


    Professor Chu arrived with several students, followed by a group of medical staff.


    The group headed straight for the temporary treatment room by the side of Shuijun Lake. Professor Chu stepped off the vehicle and immediately instructed the medical staff to take a tranquilizer gun out of the van.


    At this stage, the authorities from the provincial capital were left with onest option: to sedate the river dolphins and transport them away. Surely a sedated dolphin wouldn''t smash itself against the walls trying tomit suicide.


    Mr. Song and Suming also received the news and hurriedly came from afar.


    "Sorry, Song, but for the dolphins'' sake, we have to take them away," Professor Chu raised a hand, and three tranquilizer darts, onerge and two small, whizzed through the air.


    Credit to the medical staff for their uracy, not a single shot missed, hitting the three river dolphins squarely.


    The family of dolphins turned to look at the darts embedded in their flesh, utterly bewildered.


    The tranquilizer had started to take effect. After being hit, the dolphins didn''t resist; they just floated motionlessly in the shallow water, quite peacefully, asionally flicking their tails.


    "Prepare for the transfer and be careful not to harm the dolphins!" Professor Chu directed the students to begin preparations as the small crane arm on the back of the container truck slowly extended.


    Everything was ready; they just needed the dolphins to pass out before moving them onto the container truck.


    Unexpectedly, they waited for a full twenty minutes!


    The three dolphins were no different from how they were twenty minutes before, still good and healthy in the shallow water, asionally twisting their bodies and looking up to call out to Suming, with no sign of fainting.


    "What''s going on?" Professor Chu was a bit dumbfounded.

 Chapter 91 Those with money contribute money, those with strength contribute effort

    Three anesthesia needles went in, and the Yangtze finless porpoise still hadn''t passed out after twenty minutes.


    Professor Chu waspletely stunned. These anesthesia needles were specialized forrge animals¡ªeven an African elephant wouldn''tst more than three to five minutes!


    Of course, the finless porpoise is much smaller than an elephant, so the injection amount was also reduced ordingly.


    However, under the same dosage, a Baiji Dolphin would pass out in at most two minutes. Therger Yangtze finless porpoise, which has a simr size and physical structure, shouldn''t possibly withstand it for more than five minutes!


    The dosage for the smaller finless porpoise was less, only half that of therger one, but it should have been enough.


    No matter how you looked at it, there was no way it would take twenty minutes to take effect, but the reality was that the three finless porpoises were fine, as if the three shots of anesthetic had all expired simultaneously.


    "Give it another shot!" Professor Chu said through gritted teeth.


    This couldn''t keep dragging on like this. The leaders of both cities had already made a decision¡ªthe matter needed to be resolved quickly. If they couldn''t take the finless porpoises with them, then the porpoises would have to stay in Yangchuan.


    As eight o''clock approached, if they dyed until the zoo opened and visitors started pouring in, things would be very troublesome. Even if they managed to sedate the finless porpoises, the crowd might not let them take the porpoises away.


    So the second wave of anesthesia needles went biubiubiu flying out, and the three sharpshooters once again performed steadily, hitting the finless porpoises with each shot!


    As time ticked by, Professor Chu and a group of provincial workers were incredibly anxious, spinning around in ce like ants on a hot pan, but the finless porpoises still had not passed out. They didn''t even show any signs of fainting and continued shaking their heads and locking eyes with Suming...


    Another twenty minutes passed.


    Out of options, Professor Chu looked at the anesthesia gun, his expression hesitant, and he was reluctant to make the decision for the third shot!


    Too much anesthetic could cause irreversible damage to the animals. Although the finless porpoises hadn''t passed out, ording to Professor Chu''s experience, two doses of anesthetic were already at their limit. If another dose was administered, the finless porpoises might pass out.


    But more likely, once they passed out, they might never wake up again!


    Besides, who could guarantee that the third shot would definitely sedate them? If they still didn''t pass out after the third shot, should they just keep shooting one after another?


    Keep hitting them until they obey, until they''re dead??


    As these thoughts ran through his mind, sweat beads began to form on Professor Chu''s bald head.


    "Old Chu..."


    Mr. Song walked over to Professor Chu, patted him on the shoulder, and spoke in a very calm tone, "We''ve been old friends for a lifetime. I know what''s on your mind. If it''s all for the good of these animals, why be so adamant about sending them to the conservation center?"


    "But... sigh!" after struggling internally for a long while, Professor Chu let out a long sigh in the end.


    "Come here!" Chu gestured to Suming, motioning him toe over as he had something to say to him.


    Suming was now exhausted!


    Theoretically, after the first shot of anesthetic, both therge and small finless porpoises should have been down, but Suming had been secretly using his spiritual power to fight against the anesthetic in the finless porpoises'' bodies, which is why they barely managed to stay conscious.


    It was a bit like the martial arts novels where the finless porpoises were poisoned, and Suming used his Inner Strength to expel the poison from their bodies.


    Nowadays, the anesthetic produced by medicine is quite potent. With six shots for the three finless porpoises over two rounds of anesthesia, the total dosage was enough to bring down arge elephant. Suming''s spiritual power might be powerful, but to expel so much toxin from the finless porpoises'' bodies was very taxing for him.


    The finless porpoises didn''t pass out, but he himself was so tired that he was feeling dizzy. If a few more shots were administered, he might be the first to copse.


    When Professor Chu called out to him, Suming felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, "Professor Chu, do you need me for something?"


    "Su, these three Yangtze finless porpoises might just be thest three wild ones on Earth."


    Professor Chu gazed at the porpoises in the water with deep affection before turning to Suming with a serious expression, staring at him for a long time.


    It was to the point that Suming started to feel ufortable when Professor Chu finally shifted his gaze away from Suming''s face, stroked the few strands of hair on the top of his head, and then suddenly bowed deeply to Suming.


    "Professor Chu, what are you doing!" Suming quickly stepped aside to dodge and then helped him back up.


    "From now on, the care of these porpoises is entrusted to you, and you must take good care of them no matter what," said Professor Chu passionately.


    Old Chu was simr to Mr. Song in some respects, both exhibiting an admirable obsession with animal protection and scientific research, a cause to which they could be said to have dedicated their entire lives.


    Suming had thought that due to the issue of the porpoises'' ownership, Professor Chu might have been unhappy with him, but he did not expect Professor Chu to make such a statement at this moment. He was at a loss for words, only able to pat his chest repeatedly, ensuring that he would definitely take good care of the porpoise family.


    Mr. Songughed with a "hehe" while holding onto both Old Chu and Suming, "Su has great abilities, he will definitely take good care of them. Old Chu, you can rest assured, I''m here too. If this kid dares to let the porpoises suffer, I''ll be the first to not let him off the hook!"


    "I''m counting on you both!" Professor Chu nodded firmly.


    That afternoon, negotiation teams from both Jiangjin City and Yangchuan City held the ''Third Meeting regarding the Issue of Ownership of Yangtze Finless Porpoises'', which was also to be thest.


    The agenda was the same, the venue was the same, the people were the same.


    Contrasting with the calcted stances of the first meeting and the tense atmosphere of the second, by the third meeting, since there was no longer any doubt regarding the ownership of the porpoises, the atmosphere was very rxed, truly harmonious.


    Several decisions were reached at the end of the meeting.


    First, the three wild Yangtze finless porpoises would stay in Yangchuan City, with Yangchuan City Zoo specifically responsible for their feeding, protection, as well as future breeding and reintroduction to the wild. They could be exhibited to the public within the premise of not harming the porpoises;


    Second, the Provincial Agricultural Science Institute and the Provincial Endangered Aquatic Life Conservation Center had the right to inspect the living conditions of the porpoises in Yangchuan City periodically and were obliged to provide technical support to Yangchuan City Zoo; at the same time, they could observe and study the porpoises in the zoo when there was a need for scientific research;


    Third, Yangchuan City, led by Wang Jian She, would establish a special Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Group, and the city government would regrly allocate funds, designated for the feeding and protection of the porpoises;


    Finally, it concerned rewarding those who had made significant contributions to the special team.


    Since most of the benefits had gone to Yangchuan City, the reward money came from Yangchuan City: 150,000 yuan in total, with 100,000 given to Professor Sun and his team at the Provincial Agricultural Science Institute as research funding. The remaining 50,000 was awarded to a temporary worker at the zoo, Suming, for his role in discovering the porpoises.


    Suming wasn''t particrly concerned with the 50,000 yuan reward, but when he saw the final decision of the meeting, he immediately realized something very important!


    From now on, while the porpoises would still be under his care, the costs of their upkeep would be funded by the government!


    The expenses for feeding and caring for the three porpoises were no small matter; in just a week or two, the cost of fish alone had eaten up thousands of his money.


    In the future, there would be breeding and reintroduction to the wild, and they couldn''t just be kept in Shuijun Lake forever¡ªa specialized care facility might even need to be built.


    There would also be regr health check-ups, various testing equipment, and a whole host of assorted expenses¡ªall costing money.


    Calcted out, if all these expenses were toe out of Suming''s pocket, with his current financial capability, it would be quite a strain.


    But now, with the conservation agency footing the bill, a significant burden had been lifted, the wealthy contributing money and the able contributing effort.

 Chapter 92 Becoming Regular Staff

    The matter of the Yangtze finless porpoises came to a close, and before leaving Yangchuan City, Professor Chu specifically sought out Suming once more, asking him for a favor.


    After hearing Professor Chu out, Suming nodded without any hesitation and then turned to Liang Shi, who was standing by, with a nod and a smile: "Don''t worry, from now on you''ll be in the zoo, if there''s anything you don''t understand,e to me."


    "Thank you, Mr. Su!" Liang Shi said, scratching his head.


    As mentioned before, Liang Shi''s graduate thesis was centered on the study of wild Yangtze finless porpoises.


    In the past, where could one find living wild Yangtze finless porpoises for study? Now that he had finallye across three, Liang Shi naturally didn''t want to miss the opportunity and intended to stay at the zoo to observe the porpoises up close in order to betterplete his thesis.


    In fact, Professor Chu had another little consideration, which Suming didn''t fail to notice.


    He probably still wasn''tpletely confident in the zoo''s technical capabilities, deliberately leaving Liang Shi there to help out. Although Liang Shi was a bit wooden and not good at socializing, his expertise in aquatic biology was quite high; among the younger generation in China, he was considered a notable figure.


    Suming mentioned it to Mr. Song, then simply arranged for Liang Shi to stay in the zoo, living in Mingqing Residence with Mr. Peng. Mingqing Residence was quite spacious, and usually, there weren''t many visitors. With Liang Shi moving in, it meant Mr. Peng would havepany, and it could inadvertently boost the poprity of the ce. Otherwise, Mingqing Residence would be as quiet as a haunted housee nightfall.


    The conservation group of Yangchuan City had already been established, consisting of eight members, led by Wang Jian She as the head of the group. The actual person in charge was the deputy head, Mr. Song, along with a few other government department officials.


    Bureau chiefs, division chiefs, they were all officials. The only in citizen was Suming, who was therefore the only one actually responsible for doing things, tasked with taking care of the porpoises.


    The three Yangtze finless porpoises were temporarily kept in Shuijun Lake, where the group had allocated some funds for their feed and care during this period. They also cordoned off an area of about ten acres on theke, forbidding tourist boats from approaching to prevent the newly reopened boats from colliding with the porpoises.


    Compared to an aquarium, ten acres of water is vast, but whenpared to the original space the porpoises had in the reservoir, ten acres seems rather cramped.


    Now, all three porpoises had learned bad habits from Suming; they stayed obediently in the protected area during the day, but at night, when no one was around, they''d leap out of the area and race around theke.


    During thest meeting, Wang Jian She conveyed instructions from higher-ups that Yangchuan City nned to build a small aquatic animal conservation center within the zoo for the future needs of the porpoises.


    Even for a small conservation center, a significant amount of funding was required: some from the city, some from the province, some from the zoo, and for whatever shortfall remained, that was for Wang Jian She, the group leader, to worry about.


    "A conservation center? That''s not something a few or even several dozen acres can solve. Where in the zoo could we have enoughnd for that?" Suming thought for a long time but could not figure out where in the zoo would be suitable for building a conservation center.


    The zoo had plenty of opennd, but the vast majority was forest, notkes. Since it was meant to be an aquatic animal conservation center, it would certainly need to be based around ake.


    Could it be that they had their sights on my Shuijun Lake? Suming''s eyes flickered with thought.


    "Don''t make wild guesses. You''re a hero in this, no matter whosend they take, they won''t take it from you. Besides, those three porpoises only recognize you now. If they offend you,d, nobody''s going to have it easy," Mr. Song reassured, half-joking: "Heh, nobody anticipated that the porpoise dispute could actually be resolved. Wang made quite a name for himself in the city as the lead official; I heard he''s going to join the city''s municipalmittee leadership. Let Wang worry about thend and money."


    "Mr. Wang, joining the citymittee at just over fifty?" Suming was taken aback.


    "Being able to snatch a piece of meat from the provincial capital''s mouth, Wang is riding high right now."


    Mr. Song, the zoo director, was actually quite pleased with himself too. Wang Jian She was the zoo''s supervising leader, and through the finless porpoise incident, they had developed a deep revolutionaryradeship. Now that Wang had been promoted, securing funding for the zoo would naturally be easier in the future. Even if there were restructuring, he could persuade Wang to fight for better terms and benefits.


    "I called you here for an important matter."


    Mr. Song took out several forms from the drawer and spread them on the table, "The establishment hase through, fill out these forms, and you''ll be a formal employee of the zoo. Oh, and write a party membership application when you get back, I''ll be your sponsor."


    At thest meeting of the Yangchuan City Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Group, the entire group wasposed of government officials, with Suming being the only outsider.


    After discussing official matters, Wang Jian She joked that such an outstanding youngrade like Su should not be left out of the organization and should be absorbed into it. And Mr. Song, your zoo as well, howerade Su is still a contracted temporary worker up till now. If it wasn''t for Su''s strong revolutionary stancest time, someone would have almost poached him.


    With instructions given in a light-hearted manner by the senior leadership, the zoo''s supervising leader, Mr. Song, already had this in mind, meaning Suming''s official position and party membership had almost be a matter of course.


    "Leader, didn''t you say that formal workers with a fixed establishment can''t easily take on contracted zoo industries?" Suming asked with some confusion.


    "In theory, that''s true, but who gets to exin the theory? The leaders, of course!" Mr. Song said with augh.


    Suming nodded emphatically, feeling deeply the superiority of the system once again.


    However, he was also aware that relying solely on ''the leaders'' wouldn''t suffice. Although Song and Wang had his back, Yangchuan had more than these two leaders. He understood the key was still to achieve results himself, as everything would be easier to discuss with results to show for it.


    Furthermore, Suming had participated in two meetings, where he distinctly felt the sense of urgency concerning the zoo''s restructuring, which was likely another reason.


    Once the restructuring happened and self-financing was required, who would care whether the people handling zoo industries were established employees or temporary workers? By that time, everyone would be on contracts. Discover more content at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    After his promotion, Suming''s remuneration improved slightly, with an additional thousand yuan per month.


    "Yay? Didn''t they say equal pay for equal work? Why do established workers earn more than temporary workers?" Suming asked earnestly.


    "Are you getting cheeky with me now? You don''t want the raise, is that it?" Mr. Song red at him before exining, "Of course it''s equal pay for equal work, but your job responsibilities have changed now, you don''t have to be a feeder anymore."


    Mr. Song knew Suming was busy, and it would be a waste to keep him on a fixed schedule feeding the animals, so he ''promoted'' Suming.


    Suming would no longer be responsible for feeding animals in a specific area but would act as an assistant to the zoo director, managing all the animals in the zoo. Specific tasks would be carried out by feeders at all levels; Suming only needed to make unscheduled inspections around the zoo and handle any emergencies that arose with the animals.


    In other words, Suming was now considered Mr. Song''s direct subordinate and a middle manager of the zoo, and so his sry was naturally increased.


    He still wasn''t part of the upper echelon. The real top brass of the zoo was Mr. Song alone, wielding both executive and political power. The zoo''s official party secretary, rarely seen in person, had just held a nominal position, residing in the old cadre''s sanatorium for three or four years already.


    Speaking of a pay raise, Suming always felt as if he had forgotten something very important.

 Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Liang Shi Petitions

    Sry is money, and whenever money was mentioned, Suming felt like he had forgotten something important.


    What could it be? Something rted to money?


    Scratching his head, Suming left Mr. Song''s office, pondering all the money-rted ventures he was involved in.


    First, he made a trip to the medical clinic.


    At the clinic, only Nurse Liao was on duty. Just as he entered, Suming caught a glimpse of her bending over, searching for something, and her oversized nurse''s uniform sketched an alluring half-circle behind her, swaying tantalizingly.


    Hearing footsteps, Liao turned her head, and upon seeing Suming, her usually reserved face flushed red, as if it was programmed to do so.


    "It''s nothing important, just came to ask how the feed business has been doingtely." Suming rolled his eyes, wondering if he didn''t look trustworthy enough since this girl would clutch her waistband so tightly every time she saw him.


    Gripping the belt cinching her nurse''s uniform, Liao stuttered through an update for Suming.


    Lately, the feed business had been going smoothly; the sellers were making so much money their hands were cramping from counting it all.


    It wasn''t that there was too much money to count but rather that the customers purchasing the feed usually paid in small change, resulting in a whole box of low-denomination bills by the end of the day.


    "You''re making money, so go ahead and find yourself a proper boyfriend. Don''t waste it!" Suming red at Liao, thinking he wished she would get married soon, so he wouldn''t feel like a thief every time he visited the clinic...


    "Oh..." Liao replied with her head down, clutching her waistband even tighter.


    With the feed business in good shape, he then went to Whisperwind Pavilion to meet with Zhou.


    Seeing the ''God of Wealth'' arrive, Zhou was all eagerness, offering tea and cigarettes.


    Just seeing the cigarettes Zhou offered ¨C fifteen yuan a pack ¨C Suming knew that the boating business was doing well too, considering Zhou used to smoke four-yuan packs.


    The fish hadn''t hit the market yet, so there was no question of any problems there.


    Thinking of fish, Suming suddenly pped his forehead, remembering what he had forgotten!


    It was the five fish that weighed over a hundred pounds each!


    Under normal circumstances, any one of those big fish, even the smallest carp, would have caused quite a stir. It was unthinkable that Suming would have forgotten about them.


    But recently, all the attention has been stolen by the family of finless porpoises; media, public interest, and governmental focus had already shifted from the ''Surfing Knight'' video to the three wild finless porpoises, even Suming had been entirely preupied with how to keep them.


    So, those five fish, which were close to breaking a Guinness record, were supposed to make headlines but ended up being overlooked.


    Now, those five fish were idle every day, stuffing themselves full and then sleeping in Shuijun Lake, a total waste of resources.


    Unused resources would expire with time, so Suming went straight to Liang Shi and asked, "Are you familiar with the behavior ofmon fish, uh, like the behavior of ck carp, carps, and such?"


    Liang Shi was holding a camera, taking pictures of the finless porpoises feeding from a distance, when Suming asked him that question, he immediately nodded: "Yeah, I''ve studied that, and during my first year of grad school, I even raised fish for half a year."


    Suming was a bit surprised. Fish farming was tough work, and most people associated it with the work of farmers¡ªfarming thend, raising animals. Liang Shi, at the least, was a graduate student and seemed refined and cultured. Suming had not expected him to have experience raising fish.


    "In our College of Agriculture, graduate students have both theoretical learning and practical operation at the same time. We have experimental fields and water bodies in the institute; hehe, I even won an award for fish farming!"


    Liang Shi scratched his head a bit sheepishly and pointed to Shuijun Lake in front of him, saying, "Mr. Su, I see you have such a bigke here, but no one''s specializing in taking care of the fish¡ªthat''s not good. Why don''t I help you out? I''m by theke from morning till night every day anyway, observing the finless porpoises and not doing much else."


    Liang Shi was doing research at the zoo and had the basics covered¡ªfree meals, drinks, and lodging. Moreover, thanks to Suming''s influence, the zoo provided him with the best of everything, leaving Liang Shi feeling quite embarrassed, so he wanted to make a contribution to the zoo, or to Suming.


    Liang Shi''s skill in fish farming and his award were unexpected to Suming. The fish in Shuijun Lake were growingrger by the day, and it was indeed time to find someone knowledgeable to look after them. Now that Liang Shi had volunteered, Suming was naturally happy.


    "Then that''s settled. Since I have almost a year left until graduation, I''ll leave the fish in your care. If there''s anything you need, just let me know. If the fish sell well, I''ll give you a bonus!"


    "Mr. Su, you speaking like that makes me feel like an outsider. I''m living the good life here, and it''s all thanks to your clout¡­" Liang Shi scratched his head andughed sheepishly. Anyone smart enough to make it to grad school was no fool; he might seem a bit slow at times, but that didn''t mean he didn''t understand basic social niceties.


    Suming smiled slightly and waved his hand. His original intent in approaching Liang Shi wasn''t to have him take care of the fish. Liang Shi volunteering was simply an unexpected bonus.


    He inserted two fingers into his mouth, directed a strong whistle toward theke surface.


    Before long,rge sshes appeared on several spots of the water, as five big fish, each weighing over a hundred pounds, popped their heads out from all directions, creating waves as they swam towards the shore.


    The appearance of the big fish instantly drew the attention of tourists near Shuijun Lake. There were exmations andmotion everywhere, as people standing on the shore stretched their necks to peer into the water and pointed excitedly.


    The fish soon swam under the bank where Suming stood, with the leading big ck carp opening its round,rge mouth, and smacking its lips at Suming, begging for food.


    A big ck carp weighing one hundred and eighty pounds could swallow a ser ball with its mouth, but Suming didn''t carry fish food that big around with him, so he waved his hand and smiled, "Today, there''s nothing for you to eat, and it''s not just today. If you want to live well in the future, you''ll have to rely on your own hard work. You can''t keep living off others like this!"


    Though he spoke thoughtlessly, Liang Shi blushed slightly and scratched his head, taking it personally.


    "Look at me, I should really watch my mouth. The words I just spoke weren''t directed at you!"


    Suming paused, thenughed and pretended to fan his mouth a few times before pointing to the big fish and exining, "What I meant was this: these guys spend their days doing nothing in theke; why not put them to use and develop a ''ride the fish'' attraction? It could increase ie and add to the entertainment options for the guests. What do you think?"


    Suming had thought about the idea of a fish-riding attraction when he first discovered the big fish, but the conditions weren''t ripe at the time; then the struggle for the finless porpoises'' ownership rights urred and dyed the project. Now he was rtively free, and having Liang Shi, a fishery expert, it was the perfect time to get started.


    "Ride the fish?" Liang Shi looked at the several fish, then at Suming, and had an epiphany: "Oh, I see. You mean like what you did in the reservoir that day."


    "Right, I want you to help manage it," Suming nodded.


    Liang Shi pondered for a moment and said, "The key is, how do we make the fish obey? Thest time, you wrestled with the fish, and you only managed to control them using water nts as reins¡ªthat was just luck. It''s not like we can always take such risks when riding fish, and fish aren''t horses. If we were to put ''reins'' through their gills, they wouldn''t live more than a few days."


    Fish gills are like human lungs¡ªif a person asionally gets water in their lungs, it''s not a big deal, at most causing a choking cough and an inability to exert themselves, but if they''re continuously choking on water, of course, they''ll be dead as a doornail.


    Liang Shi added, "There''s a lot of mucus on the back of a fish, slippery and slimy, and they have arge row of fins too; riding them normally wouldn''t be feasible."

 Chapter 94 Seeing Chengcheng Again

    The carps have a row of fin-like spines growing on their backs, standing up more than a dozen centimeters tall, and those are all sharp bone spikes. Riding on them would be almost like riding on a row of nails.


    Last time Suming rode a fish, in the eyes of Liang Shi and Professor Chu, it was a matter of life and death, a necessity.


    But if it were to be a leisure activity, safety andfort woulde first. Even if visitors were willing to "sit on a nail board" for the novelty, the zoo and Suming would not dare to take the risk. If someone were to get their buttocks pricked by a spine, it would be a serious ident.


    Suming, however, seemed confident: "Leave the fish training to me, and I''ll handle the other issues as well. All you need to do is manage these fish well in the future."


    "Then there shouldn''t be much of a problem," Liang Shi nodded.


    However, he was still curious. Despite the fish''srge size and seemingly friendly demeanor, their intelligence was very low due to species limitations, unlike animals with high intelligence such as cats, dogs, and dolphins, and were thus difficult to tame. Their "friendliness" was merely an instinct.


    Not to mention fish, even a horse, is not something you can ride just because you want to. Horses also require long periods of professional training, and a wild horse''s danger level is no less than that of a fierce animal.


    Even tame mounts are not entirely safe and still pose the risk of throwing their rider off.


    Not to mention fish!


    Liang Shi really couldn''t figure out what methods Suming had up his sleeve to be so sure he could tame those big fish.


    Lacking any cunning ns, Liang Shi simply asked Suming directly as soon as the question popped into his head.


    "Hehe, I can talk about everything else but not this. It''s a family craft that''s never shared. My old man made me swear when he was alive that I''d only pass it down to the boys and not the girls. Otherwise, I''d be cursed with bad luck!" Suming rambled on.


    Hearing Suming talk so resolutely, Liang Shi had to suppress his burning curiosity, knowing it wouldn''t be appropriate to ask any further.


    With a thought, Suming directed the big fish to stand by at theke''s edge. He then ran back to Whisperwind Pavilion, returning with a pile of tools. He picked a shallow spot by theke, waded in, and had the big fish line up and swim to him one by one, measuring their length, girth, and even pulling open their mouths to measure the "caliber."


    Liang Shi couldn''t understand what Suming was up to, but he followed behind with paper and pen, dutifully noting down whatever Suming said.


    After taking all the measurements, Suming brought the notebook filled with Liang Shi''s notes back to Whisperwind Pavilion.


    Riding the fish safely was never a worry for Suming.


    There''s a saying that the older the ginger, the spicier it is, and a thousand-year-old turtle bes a spirit. Each of these big fish was like a creature that had cultivated into a spirit. Although they weren''t as intelligent as wolf and dog brothers, their IQ was still higher than that of ordinary fish. At least they understood one fact: if they harmed humans, they would be in for a bad time.


    This survival instinct could suppress their wild nature, so with that premise and then using spiritual power to train and condition the fish to obeymands, even in Suming''s absence, they would be well-behaved enough to be ridden. This was not a difficult task.


    The current problem was how to ride them. Their backs were slippery and sharp. Even if the big fish were willing, most people couldn''t mount them.


    Closing his eyes, Suming envisioned several patterns in his mind, and then opened up a design software. Using the recorded data, he turned the imagined patterns intoputer models and sent them to Wang Hao over the Inte.


    "Hey, Wang, doesn''t one of your dad''s subsidiary units have a horse farm?" Suming asked over the phone.


    "Hold on..." It sounded like Wang Hao was singing at a karaoke bar, with deafening music in the background. He probably stepped out of the room to find a quieter ce before continuing, "Damn it, I''m apanying some folks from affiliated units for karaoke; I''m about to puke from all the drinking... What''s that, you mentioned a horse farm? There''s one, but you''re not thinking about raising horses, are you? Su, let me tell you, it seems fancy, but it''s really not lucrative. The owner of that horse farm got millions invested and can''t get out of it. I advise you not to make the same mistake..."


    Wang Hao was probably drunk, his words slurred and babbling non-stop to dissuade Suming from getting into the horse business. Suming hurriedly cut him off, "Stop, stop... I have no intention of raising horses. Can you ask the horse farm people if they can make a batch of leather protective gear for me?"


    "You mean like saddles, stirrups, and stuff?" Wang Hao asked.


    "Something like that, but the styles are a bit different. I''ve drawn a few sketches and also size data for the protective gear; I''ll email them to you for you to check out when you get home tonight," Suming said.


    "Got it... Well, I''ll head back then, they''re calling me in for another drink... uh..."


    Suming shook his head, thinking that Mr. Wang really went all out. Despite his dad being a leader, he still had to socialize all day, drinking excessively.


    It wasn''t two or three days before Wang Hao showed up at Shuijun Lake, not in his small X-wing Tiger but in a rented truck, which had the back loaded with severalrge cardboard boxes sealed with duct tape.


    After getting out of the truck, Wang Hao, looking puzzled, asked Suming, "Su, I''ve brought the protective gear, all made of top-quality leather. But the sizes you''ve given are really odd ¡ª they don''t fit a horse, more like a big fat pig. Is the zoo nning a pig-riding event?"


    Suming looked at the increasingly chubby Wang Hao and said with augh, "You never visit our zoo; where would we get pig riding from..."


    Wang Hao paused for a moment before realizing, and rubbed his double chin in distress, "Damn, do I have some kind of strange disease? Why am I getting fatter and fatter?"


    Suming poked his belly with a finger and advised, "Your body is your own, pay more attention in your daily life, so you don''t end up with ''the three highs'' while you''re still young." Read new chapters at m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    They had had this conversation more than once. Wang Hao had always been heavyset, but ever since he had be a civil servant after graduation, he had been gaining weight as if he were fattened in April, prosperously putting on pounds. A few days of not seeing him was enough to notice an increase in his girth, faster than the growth of the big heads nourished by spiritual power. It even scared Suming to watch.


    Wang Hao sighed, "Ai, at myst check-up, I already had high blood pressure and fatty liver. There''s no helping it, it''s the demands of the job."


    Suming frowned slightly, "Did they prescribe you any medication?"


    "There''s no cure for this kind of illness. The doctor told me to maintain my health through daily care. Luckily, I''m still young, so there won''t be any major issues for a while." Wang Hao shrugged, "Let''s not talk about this, let''s check out the protective gear."


    ...


    "Big brother!"


    Chengcheng, wearing a small floral dress, spotted Suming from afar and ran up to him, wanting a hug.


    Suming chuckled and hoisted her up, greeting Zhao Yun''s following parents, "Mr. Zhao, Auntie Zhao."


    Zhao Yun''s parents nodded and smiled, with Zhao Yun pointing at the boatsing and going on Shuijun Lake and the people lined up feeding fish on the shore, and remarked, "Your business is doing pretty well."


    "Just some smallmerce," Suming replied modestly.


    Suming smiled and then turned to ask Chengcheng, "Are you scared, Chengcheng?"


    Chengcheng''s bright dark eyes spun around twice, and with a clever smile, she said, "If big brother takes me with him, I won''t be scared!"


    "Alright, big brother will apany you!"


    Sumingughed heartily, and Zhao Yun seemed quite casual about it, while only Zhao Yun''s wife, Zhaoqian, looked worried. She tugged at Suming''s sleeve, asking uncertainly, "Su, are you sure it''s not dangerous? Chengcheng can''t swim!"

 Chapter 95: Chapter 95 Refitting Fish!

    "Auntie, don''t worry, I''m still here!"


    Suming said, while taking a small life jacket from Liang Shi''s hands and gesturing to Chengcheng. Chengcheng immediately extended her arms obediently towards the sky, allowing Suming to help her into her life jacket.


    Seeing Chengcheng fully equipped, Liang Shi took out something from his bosom that looked like arge conch, with a row of holes on its surface.


    Liang Shi ced one end of the ''conch'' to his mouth, pressed several holes with his hand, puffed up his cheeks, and gave a forceful blow towards the water.


    "Whoo¡­ whoo¡­" A deep sound emitted from the specially made conch, melodiously drifting across theke surface.


    This ''Sea Conch Horn'' was also specially made by Suming - it could produce sounds that were not loud, but very deep. By covering different holes, it could emit various types of sounds.


    Therge fish, having been specially trained, would obediently swim to the shore upon hearing the sound. The Sea Conch Horn could issue different sounds to direct the fish to carry out simplemands, such as approaching the shore, turning, and returning. After making the horn, Suming also taught Liang Shi how to blow it.


    Liang Shi was clever and picked it up quickly. With the horn in hand, he tested it several times by theke, and therge fish indeed obediently followed the instructions, performing various behaviors.


    Suming astonished Liang Shi with this disy of skill, and he looked at Suming with newfound awe, different from before.


    Suming didn''t care much, "It''s just a little trick. India also has snake charmers who use horns, and snakes are much more difficult to handle than fish."


    It''s true, but seeing something with one''s own eyes, as opposed to reading about it in newspapers or seeing it on television, ispletely different. Witnessing it in person has a much greater impact!


    Moreover, even snake-charming masters can y horns to control snakes themselves, but nobody has heard of anyone who could transfer such a skill overnight to another person.


    Liang Shi was a scientist used to exining things with science, but indeed there are phenomena that current science cannot exin. Thus, in Liang Shi''s mind, Suming was instantly ssified as a sort of ''master.''


    Not long after the sound of the horn, ripples disturbed the water by the steps on the shore, and thergest green fish slowly appeared at the surface.


    "Is this¡­ a fish?" Zhao Yun stared, dumbfounded.


    The gigantic green fish, weighing around one hundred eighty pounds, was fully armed with a double saddle on its back. Wide belts wrapped around its belly, securely fixing the saddle in ce. Two saddles were spaced about a meter apart, leaving space in the middle for the fish''s fins to move.


    The fish''s ''face'' looked menacing, resembling arge shark with two rows of sharp, snow-white teeth that glittered in the sunlight!


    Upon closer inspection, it turned out that it wore a semi-open ''mask'' on its head, simr to the face armor of ancient warhorses, leaving itsrge eyes and big mouth exposed. The mask featured shark teeth painted with water-resistant paint, highlighted with waterproof fluorescent powder.


    On either side of the mask were small copper rings, to which leather reins were tied. One end of the rein was attached to the front saddle, allowing the person seated at the front to steer by pulling on the reins. The force on the reins would be transmitted to the fish''s head through the copper rings on the mask, instead of passing through the fish''s gills like when Sumingst rode a fish, so it wouldn''t harm the fish.


    Besides these essential control devices, to add to the entertainment, Suming had creatively equipped the fish with ayer of ''armor.''


    This armor, of course, wasn''t made of metal but was instead lightweight boards and foam of various shapes, painted, and made up to look like a ''Magical Beast.''


    For example, thisrge green fish now had jagged ''bone spurs'' running along both sides of its body,bined with the sharp ''teeth,'' it resembled a bizarre Magical Beast from the abyss.


    The lightweight boards used to dress up the fish not only added a fun element but also increased buoyancy, reducing the burden on the mount, and furthermore acted as protection for the riders - killing three birds with one stone.


    On the sides of the green fish were even two long greatswords, and needless to say, these too were props, made of stic. When riding the fish, they could be drawn to brandish impressively.


    The bizarre outfit was no wonder Zhao Yun was startled at first nce.


    "Holy shit, what is that, a dragon!"


    At the distant shore, someone suddenly eximed in amazement, catching the attention of many onlookers who turned to gaze in the direction the shout came from.


    It turned out to be the big carp that couldn''t stand loneliness, emerging from the water and waggling its tail as it swam toward them!


    However, the ''modified'' big carp, now shining brightly in golden light that was blinding to the eyes, had two horns on its head and had been dressed up by Suming as a golden dragon.


    The only slightly discordant note was that this ''dragon'' was excessively fat, with a belly bothrge and swollen as if it were pregnant...


    Once the tourists could see the true form of the ''dragon'', they burst intoughter and started taking pictures with their phones and cameras, all aiming at the ''Fat Golden Dragon''.


    As the saying goes, good wine needs no bush, and Suming''s fish-riding business did not require active advertising. The oddly dressedrge fish alone, even if they couldn''t be ridden, were enough to draw crowds.


    Seeing the crowd gathering and taking photos, Suming gave Liang Shi a meaningful look,


    Liang Shi caught on, blew a few sts on his horn, and the remaining three big fish also bobbed to the surface.


    To the eye, these ''monsters'' were nothing like fish. One with horns on its head was clearly the legendary white unicorn; another with several long, thin ''legs'' surrounding its body looked like a massive water spider;


    The most outrageous fish had been dressed up by Suming as a Pegasus, with fake wings attached to either side which seemed to incorporate some small mechanism, causing the wings to p as the fish moved.


    The appearance of these ''Magical Beasts'' immediately got the tourists shouting excitedly. They threw feed into the water as if money was no object, trying to lure the strange fish their way. Those in boats rowed fervently, eager to get closer to the big fish.


    But the big fish ignored them, following the sound of the whistle andzily making their way to the shore.


    Now things were getting exciting. The tourists followed the big fish to the shore, and the previously spacious dock was instantly packed to the brim.


    "Hey, hey, no photography, no photography!"


    Liang Shi didn''t know that the big fish had been tamed with spiritual power and, fearing that too much photography would scare them, hurried to dissuade those seeking selfies with the fish. But everyone was busy with their phones, snapping away, impossible to be stopped.


    Sumingughed heartily and said, "Forget it today, first-day photos are free. After this, a photo with the fish will cost five bucks each time!"


    Upon seeing the big fish, Chengcheng was already too excited to wait, eager to ride them. Pointing to the closest big blue carp, she tugged at Suming''s arm, pleading incessantly, "Big brother, I want to sit at the front! I want to sit at the front!"


    Hearing the little girl say this, the tourists realized that these fish were not just for show but could also be ridden?


    That seemed highly unlikely, and they looked at each other in disbelief.


    "That''s too dangerous!" Before Suming could respond, Zhaoqian suddenly spoke up.


    During theirst visit to the zoo, Chengcheng had nearly lost her life, leaving Zhaoqian, her mother, with a considerable psychological shadow. After more than two months, she had finally given in to Chengcheng''s pleas and agreed to bring her back for another visit.


    Now seeing the big fish, Zhaoqian began to worry again. Among the fish, even the smallest wasrger than Chengcheng, a scary sight indeed. She dared not let Chengcheng ''ride'' on them.

 Chapter 96 The Crazy Woman and Her Mother

    Seeing Zhaoqian suddenly change her mind and forbid Chengcheng from riding the fish, Zhao Yun let out a heartyugh, grabbed a life jacket, and without exnation, helped Zhaoqian into one and put one on himself.


    "Hey, Zhao, what are you doing!"


    Zhaoqian was shocked and immediately guessed what her husband was nning. Her face turned pale with fright as she shrank back repeatedly, "No, no, no... I don''t want to... I don''t want to... I''m scared..."


    "Su, can I just go ahead and put her on?" Zhao Yun, embracing Zhaoqian, turned his head and asked Suming with a beaming smile.


    Suming was stunned. She is your wife; What does that have anything to do with me? But in such a public setting, "just going ahead," seemed a bit too bold, didn''t it?


    However, he quickly realized that Zhao Yun''s ''put her on'' wasn''t what he was thinking, and promptly nodded, "Oh, oh, oh, just go ahead, just go ahead, hold on to the saddle, there are footrests on both sides."


    "I don''t want to... I don''t want to get on..."


    Zhaoqian was almost in tears, iling her arms wildly, but Zhao Yunughed heartily, disregarding her protests, scooped her up around the waist, walked to the water''s edge, and bent over to ce Zhaoqian on the seat behind the big green fish.


    Once seated on the fish''s back, Zhaoqian continued to struggle, but Zhao Yun scared her by saying, "Don''t move around, or you''ll scare the fish!" While speaking, he pulled a ''safety belt'' from the saddle and clicked it into ce.


    Startled by her husband''s intimidation, Zhaoqian dared not move about carelessly anymore, afraid of rming the big fish beneath her and being thrown off; she gripped the saddle tightly and pleaded with a mournful face, "Husband...e up quickly, I''m scared riding by myself..."


    Zhao Yun and Zhaoqian, one a handsome middle-aged uncle and the other a charming and graceful young woman, were a perfect match, a picturesque pair that naturally attracted attention wherever they went. With this little disy between the couple, the people around them couldn''t help but startughing.


    Zhao Yun swung a leg over and mounted the front of the big fish like a big boy, shook the reins, and shouted to Liang Shi, "Let''s go!"


    "Wuu... wuu... wuu..." A deep horn sound echoed.


    The big green fish flicked its tail, turned around smoothly in the shallow water, and began moving slowly towards the center of theke.


    "They can really ride it!" Seeing the couple safe and sound, the people on the shore let go of their doubts, watching Zhao Yun and his wife with a mixture of curiosity and nervousness.


    The big fish gradually entered the deep water area, and while Zhaoqian initially felt scared, she gradually realized that the big fish under her was very stable, showing no sign of falling into the water. Coupled with her husband''s sturdy and reliable figure right in front of her, her heart, which had been in suspense, finally began to ease somewhat, still with three parts fear and seven parts curiosity, she reached out bravely to touch the big fish beneath her.


    Many small fish followed behind the big fish, yfully swimming around near her feet.


    Although Zhao Yun was a man of wealth with no small amount of experiences, riding a fish was a first for him, and being amidst the green hills and waters already made for a joyful mood, he suddenly felt the impetuous spirit of youth. Holding the reins in one hand, he drew a fake stic sword from his side, swinging it at the air and let out a loud "Charge!"


    As if understanding hismand, the fish''s fins shot up, doubling its speed and throwing up waves as it surged through the waves, with the strong breeze blowing in their faces and whipping Zhaoqian''s long hair about.


    "Husband, this is so thrilling!" Zhaoqian, now letting herself go, spread her arms wide and shouted from behind.


    On the shore, the tourists couldn''t wait to try riding the fish, but with only five fish avable and now fewer left, it was a matter of the quick getting the chance and the slow missing out; they immediately swarmed towards the dock.


    "Big brother, hurry up, hurry up, the fish are going to be taken by them. Let''s quickly pick one!" Chengcheng was on the verge of tears. She had been promised a fun day, and now her parents were the ones having fun first, leaving her aside while the remaining few fish might not even be avable for her turn.


    "Don''t worry, you''ll ride to your heart''s content today!"


    Suming was rather calm and not in a hurry at all. What a joke, my fish, and I can''t ride it when I want to?


    He had already called the security department in advance, and Mr. Dong had sent several young security guards to wait by the dock. At Suming''smand, the security guards immediately rushed over and formed a barrier in front of the crowd.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, tourists and friends!"


    Suming, as if by magic, pulled out a megaphone and yelled at the crowd stopped by security: "Today is our internal testing, today is our internal testing! The fish riding attraction is not open yet... That''s a good question from our friend there, when will it be open? Starting next week, it''ll be open four days a week¡ªWednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, five hours each day!"


    "Another excellent question from our friend here, of course, there''s a fee, ten minutes per ride, sixty yuan per person!"


    Sixty yuan was quite a bargain. Suming remembered the karting venue in the city charging sixty for just eight minutes. This fish riding was a unique experience in the world¡ªten minutes for sixty yuan, excellent value for money!


    "Only four days a week, and just five hours each day?" someone called out, thinking the operating hours were too short.


    "Brother, these are fish, not boats. Try being ridden all day long, they''d be dead tired! Five hours is pretty good!" Mr. Dongughed heartily.


    Even though it was already announced that they were not open today, the tourists still gathered at the dock, refusing to leave. They couldn''t ride the fish themselves, but watching others ride was a rare sight to see.


    Some quick thinkers hurried to the boat ticket office to buy tickets, rowing out onto theke for a closer view. In just a few minutes, the twenty or so boats were all booked.


    "Let''s go, Chengcheng, mount up!"


    "Oh yeah! I want to ride a unicorn!" Chengcheng yelled excitedly.


    Find your next adventure on m_v l|e-NovelBin


    Liang Shi strode into the shallow water, "leading" the fish disguised as a "unicorn," the secondrgest green fish, to the shore. Suming lifted Chengcheng onto the back seat and climbed onto the front seat himself.


    It was fortunate that these were big fish trained by Suming''s spiritual power and fitted with wooden nks to lighten their load. Otherwise, evenrger fish wouldn''t have been able to support the weight of two people.


    Even so, when Suming sat down, he could clearly feel the second green fish sinking down sharply.


    "Good thing I didn''t let Mr. Wange!" Suming thought to himself.


    The second green fish slowly swam out of the harbor and headed for the vast waters. Chengcheng made a megaphone shape with her hands around her mouth, shouting towards Zhao Yun and his wife in the distance: "Daddy, mommy, here wee!"


    Zhao Yun flicked the reins, and the first green fish nimbly turned in the water, heading their way to rendezvous!


    Suming''s grin was devilish as he pulled arge water gun from under the fish''s saddle, pumped it a few times, and sneakily handed it to Chengcheng.


    Chengcheng understood immediately, her big eyes cunningly curved into two crescent moons. She hid the water gun behind Suming''s back. As the two fish drew near, she suddenly pulled out the water gun from behind Suming and yelled, "Hands up, surrender or get soaked!"


    Zhao Yun and Zhaoqian were already having a st, and Chengcheng had a mischievous grin as she opened fire.


    Hissss... As they passed each other, Zhaoqian let out a delicate shriek, soaked from head to toe by her daughter''s water gun spray. Angrily, she pped Zhao Yun''s shoulder heavily: "Look at how naughty your daughter is!"


    Zhao burst intoughter, "You can fight back, you know!"


    It was still quite hot, and everyone wore shorts and T-shirts, so there was no fear of catching a cold. As they say, like parents, like daughter; Chengcheng''s mischief was probably inherited from Zhao Yun and Zhaoqian. Indulged by Zhao, Zhaoqian still had a little girl''s nature. Hearing her husband''s words, she actually searched around the big green fish and found a water gun!


    "There really is a water gun! Hurry, turn around. I''m going to get back at that naughty little thing!"


    Soaked through, with her hair all disheveled, Zhaoqian looked like a wild kid who couldn''t grow up, holding her water gun and charging over the water surface.


    "Chengcheng, mommy''sing!"

 Chapter 97 Monkey Tricks

    The battle began, with both sides equally matched; Suming had two people, one pilot and one little attacker, while Zhao Yun also had two people, simrly divided in their roles, and the fight was too close to call!


    Shuijun Lake, with its hundred acres of water,cked nothing more than ''ammo'' for water guns, enough for these two mad women to fight till the end of time!


    What a chaotic battle! Caught up in the excitement, Zhao Yun even drew a stic sword to attack the enemy pilot, Suming, who of course wouldn''t show any weakness either, pulling out an intable trident from beside the second green fish, and like knights in a duel, they passed by each other, stabbing and shing wildly without any rhyme or reason!


    The onlookers, who loved a goodmotion, cheered enthusiastically from the shore as the battle raged on the water, shouting encouragements like "Go for it, go for it..."


    In the early morning, dozens of people gathered together shouting, making quite a spectacle, their voices carrying all the way to the animal area and attracting even more tourists to gather around Shuijun Lake to watch the battle. Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -NovelBin


    The three yful river dolphins couldn''t stay idle seeing such a scene, constantly leaping out of the water near thebatants, jumping about.


    Mr. Song and Mrs. Tong initially thought some group incident had urred and ran to the edge of Shuijun Lake, but upon seeing the situation, both were dumbfounded. Mr. Song, after asking around with Mr. Dong and Liang Shi, finally understood that this was a new attraction developed by Suming: riding fishbined with taking photos with them.


    "This kid, how does his brain work so well! What a brilliant idea!" said Mr. Dong with a big grin.


    "It''s not just about having a smart brain, even if you share this idea, without his fish-training skills, others can''t imitate it," Mrs. Tong said.


    Mr. Song, with an air of nonchnce, said lightly, "Little Tong, you go back and write a report. I think it''s time we raise the entrance fee to our zoo. Let''s increase it by five yuan."


    The zoo''s admission had always been twenty-five yuan, and although prices had risen over the years, the admission fee had stayed the same. It wasn''t that they didn''t want to raise it, but the key issue was theck of appealing attractions to justify an increase, and without that, higher-ups would not approve.


    First came the Lucky Cat Cruise Boat, and now a fish-riding attraction, not to mention the family of three river dolphins. Mr. Song pondered that now was the perfect time for a price hike.


    If the higher-ups approved, it would mean the zoo''s ie would increase by 20% without any additional effort.


    "Hehe, Mr. Song, about our year-end bonuses, don''t you think they should also go up?" Mr. Dong asked with a mischievous smile.


    "You from the security department, make sure to keep a good watch over this area of Shuijun Lake. From now on, Su''s business is the zoo''s business. Don''t let any problems arise with his ventures. As for the year-end bonus, if the zoo''s performance improves, how could I shortchange you?" Mr. Song said.


    ...


    The water battle was so intense that even Suming and Zhao Yun were taken aback; when women go crazy, they don''t consider age andpletely lose control.


    This, however, was agony for the two big fish on their ''first day at work''; even with Suming deliberately replenishing their spiritual power, they were struggling to keep up with the prolonged high-speed sprint. When the four riders dismounted on the shore, the tworge creaturesid t in the shallow water, unwilling to move.


    Those big fish weren''t silly at all; they were very perceptive.


    If it were any other tourist riding them, they would most likely conserve energy and do the bare minimum. But with Suming bringing people along, it was different. If they could ingratiate themselves with Suming, they''d have better days ahead, and today, they really gave it their all.


    "Huff, huff, huff... I''m so tired, so tired..."


    The moment they got off the fish, both women uttered the same words. Suming and Zhao Yun exchanged helpless nces. You''re tired after fighting so enthusiastically? The fish aren''tining about being tired, so what are you tired for?


    "Quick, change out of your wet clothes!" Zhao Yun, anticipating that they''d likely get wet today, had wisely brought several sets of dry clothes.


    Suming also realized that his preparations were still somewhatcking. After the official opening, he''d need to buy some raincoats to prevent visitors from getting their clothes wet.


    "Over there, go to the Whisperwind Pavilion to change."


    Leading Zhao Yun and his family of three, Suming entered the Whisperwind Pavilion by the shore of Shuijun Lake.


    The Whisperwind Pavilion was a bona fide scenic spot, a six-story tower that was muchrger than Whisperwind Pavilion. The first floor sold souvenirs, while the upper floors housed wooden statues. Usually, not many people were willing to pay to go upstairs to have a look, as the space was veryrge. Zhaoqian and her mother ran up to the third floor, while Suming and Zhao Yun changed clothes on the second floor.


    "This Whisperwind Pavilion has been around since I was young; it''s a pity to see it standing empty all these years, such a waste," said Zhao Yun with a hint of regret as he changed clothes.


    Imitating ancient architecture, the pavilion boasted carved balustrades, painted rafters, soaring corners, and beastly roof charms, located close to Shuijun Lake. Each level had a viewing gallery around it; opening the surrounding imitation antique wooden doors, one could gaze far at the Qinling Mountains or admire the dense forests andkes of the zoo, making it a rare and ideal ce to visit.


    Strictly speaking, the Whisperwind Pavilion was also within the scope of Suming''s contracted area. Suming felt it a waste to let it stay vacant; he had once considered asking Zhao Yun to exhibit some antiques there.


    However, after discussing it with Zhao Yun, it seemed unfeasible. Firstly, the average personcked the ability to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit goods. Qin Shi Huang''s toilet and a thirty-yuan imitation from the street side ced together, not many people could tell them apart. Secondly, every piece of Zhao Yun''s antiques was valuable. Bringing them for exhibition, a bump or scratch would be a big problem, not to mention the high cost of security measures would outweigh the benefits.


    "No rush, good opportunities sometimes rely on luck. If ites, ites; if not, no amount of brooding will help," Zhao Yun said.


    The twodies took over an hour to change clothes. When they came down from upstairs, they even applied makeup and looked nothing like they did during the water fight.


    "Dad, big brother, my mom and I are so hungry our stomachs are growling," Chengcheng said.


    "Do you have anything tonight? Let''s go out to eat together," Zhao Yun asked Suming.


    Suming thought about it and realized he had nothing on. The cats and dogs were left to their own devices; the major-headed alligator, croquet eels, and crocodile snooks were mixing it up, while Liang Shi was taking care of the dolphins andrge fish in the pond. They didn''t conduct boat tours or feed sales at night, so now he was quite free.


    "Bring the little monkey too!" Chengcheng called out.


    "Sure," Suming chuckled. Xiao Kong, the little monkey, had grown quite a bit. Taking it out to eat was feasible, but he wasn''t sure whether the restaurant would allow it in.


    In the end, at Chengcheng''s earnest request, Suming went to Monkey Mountain and carried Xiao Kong out.


    "Mr. Su, please be very careful not to lose it!" Hou, the Monkey Mountain keeper, followed behind, incessantly giving reminders.


    Now with his increased status and riding the tide, Suming managed all the animals in the park. Keeper Hou, his subordinate, didn''t dare to oppose him despite harboring reluctance, and could only follow behind with a mournful face.


    "Its father could have sneakily escaped long ago; if it were going to get lost, would it wait until now?" Suming found this amusing but agreed, saying don''t worry, if the monkey gets lost, I''ll just stick some fur on myself, y monkey and sneak into Monkey Mountain for you.


    The Monkey Mountain keeper didn''t know whether tough or cry, thinking to himself, my lord, if the monkey really runs away, you''re in favor, and I''ll be in a pit of trouble!


    Seeing Xiao Kong, who had grown considerably, Chengcheng could hardly recognize the monkey. But Xiao Kong was quite clever, standing on Suming''s shoulder and chattering away, gesturing a hello to Chengcheng.


    The group took Zhao Yun''s Audi A8 and headed straight for a famous seafood restaurant in the city. As soon as Chengcheng and her family entered, Suming, following behind, was stopped by the security guard.


    "No monkeys allowed in!" the security guard said.

 Chapter 98 Kidnapping the Lady Monkey

    This really couldn''t be med on the security guard. Suming was wearing just big shorts and sandals, with a monkey standing on his shoulder, he was short of having a begging bowl in his hand¡ªno one would believe he wasn''t a street performer.


    And what a coincidence it was¡ªout of a shadowy corner opposite, a beggar in tattered clothes emerged, with a monkey squatting on his shoulder as well.


    But that monkey was almost bald all over, dirty, small, and skinny, nowhere near as impressive as Xiao Kong.


    The street performer eyed Suming from across the street, their gaze meeting subtly, a look of mutual understanding in his eyes, while Xiao Kong waved enthusiastically at the monkey opposite from afar.


    Given that scene, it would have been strange if the security had let Suming in.


    Suming scratched his head and snapped his fingers, suddenly Xiao Kong leaped from his shoulder, stepped on the security guard''s head midair, hopped over him, and dashed straight into the restaurant.


    "Xiao Kong,e here!" Chengcheng called out, and Xiao Kong jumped into her arms.


    "We''re together," Zhaoqian called out to the security guard from a distance.


    Suming didn''t expect Zhao Yun to have such a big face. When the restaurant manager saw Zhao Yun, he ran over from afar, incessantly calling out ''Mr. Zhao, Mr. Zhao,'' signaling the security guard to let them through and personally leading them to a specially arranged private room.


    In the private room, Suming picked up a piece of steamed Chinese sturgeon, tasted alright, and then casually passed the fruit te to Xiao Kong. Xiao Kong was picky and chose two cherry tomatoes, one in each hand, their juice sttering all over his face as he ate.


    Chengcheng had forgotten her hunger as well, cheering as she dashed out of the private room. Soon, she returned with a big te of cherry tomatoes, tossing them one by one to Xiao Kong, who leaped up to catch them, sometimes seeding, and sometimes missing, spilling cherry tomatoes all over the room.


    Zhaoqian followed with a bowl, trying to feed Chengcheng, who, holding cherry tomatoes, was busy chasing Xiao Kong...


    In the end, only Suming and Zhao Yun were eating at therge table. Suming picked up a piece of sturgeon, which was quite tasty, and, curious, he asked, "Mr. Zhao, do you own this restaurant?" Along the way in, the staff''s courtesy towards Zhao Yun wasn''t something a regr customer would experience.


    "A friend runs it, but I have a small stake," Zhao Yun replied with a smile. "I''m quite a meddler in business, like to get involved in a bit of everything."


    Zhao Yun spoke modestly, but Suming was very aware of the man''s strength. He wasn''t the managerial type but an investor, who didn''t need to show his face in everything, a rather low-profile rich man.


    Shares are shares, and bills are bills. Although Zhao Yun was a shareholder, he still had to pay for his meals. When the bill came after the meal, Suming took a peek¡ªone table with eight dishes and one soup, totaling three thousand five hundred.


    "Damn!" Suming couldn''t help but twitch his eyebrows. Over three thousand was affordable for most, but this wasn''t for treating clients or leaders¡ªit was purely casual dining among acquaintances, yet it had cost over three thousand, definitely a bit too extravagant.


    It seemed he was still too poor!


    "Poor? You''ve graduated less than three months and already have your own business, flourishing at that. Even city officials know about you, and you still want more? At your age, I was still a welder in a factory," Zhao Yun said as he drove. "Perfect, I have quite a few friends who run restaurants. When the fish from Shuijun Lake are ready, make sure to let me know."


    "That would be great," Suming nodded. He had researched and found that the big restaurants in Yangchuan generally sourced their freshwater fish directly from Huating Reservoir, which was Zhou Jin''s fishingpany, because the fish there were indeed of high quality. This had more or less monopolized the supply chain for the big restaurants.


    If he could get a piece of that action and leverage the restaurants'' volume and reputation, the sale channels for Shuijun Lake''s fish would smoothly open up.


    After briefly discussing the future fish sales with Zhao Yun, they arrived at the gates of Yangchuan City Zoo. Suming got out of the car, said bye to Chengcheng, and then took Xiao Kong back to Monkey Mountain first.


    Before entering Monkey Mountain, Xiao Kong stood on Suming''s shoulder and bared his teeth towards the distant woods, making a few sounds.


    Suming was startled as he saw the bushes shake and a scrawny, dirty little monkey, bald all over, poke its head out of the forest, cautiously looking this way.


    Xiao Kong swooped down in a sh, dragging the skinny monkey to Suming''s feet, wildly gesticting with his hands and feet, and making squeaking and chirping noises.


    The skinny monkey didn''t dare make a sound, looking very nervous, constantly shrinking behind Xiao Kong.


    Suming thought the scrawny little monkey looked a bit familiar; upon closer inspection, he realized it was the dirty monkey from the old man who performed with it outside the restaurant. The skinny monkey had a few small, firm lumps on its chest ¨C surprisingly, it turned out to be female.


    "Oh man, such a young age and already learned to abduct women!" Suming almostughed out loud,


    "Squee squee squee... Chatter..." Xiao Kong was frantic, scratching his head and ears, his hands moving hectically as if he were a deaf-mute.


    "Alright, alright, let''s not make this a habit, eh!" Suming was speechless; wild monkeys will be wild monkeys, after all ¨C bold and daring creatures capable of all sorts of antics.


    Hou, the Monkey Mountain keeper, hearing themotion, came over. At the sight of the two monkeys, he thought he was seeing things and rubbed his eyes. It took him a while to realize that there were indeed two!


    He looked at Suming with a bit of confusion, wondering how to broach the subject. You took one away and brought back two; what sort of logic was that?


    "I told you I wouldn''t lose her. I''ve returned her with interest, you owe me a drink next time!" Suming chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.


    "I''m impressed! Where did you find her?" Hou said with augh.


    "Ran into a wild monkey on the road. The key thing is personal charm; even monkeys can''t resist, insisting on following me home!" Suming said with a proud look on his face.


    Xiao Kong, standing to the side and pointing to his own nose, chirped away in protest, wanting to pierce through Suming''s thick skin. Clearly, it was Xiao Kong that had the charm, enticing the female monkey toe back, right?


    What Xiao Kong and the abducteddy monkey did, Suming had no idea; once back at Fengshui Pavilion, the alcohol started to hit him, and he went straight to bed.


    The night passed without incident, and the next morning, Nangong Yan barged straight into Whisperwind Pavilion, hauling the still groggy Suming out of bed.


    "Sister, could you be a little moredylike, please? Bursting into a single man''s residence like this is so awkward. What if you saw something you shouldn''t have? It''s only eight-thirty in the morning! Let me sleep a little longer!" Suming groaned with the nket over his head.


    Nangong Yan hade today with a mission!


    With one bizarre incident after another at Suming''s ce, the TV station''s leaders, knowing that Suming and Nangong Yan were ssmates, had sent her to conduct an interview. As a result, she had almost be the station''s lead reporter, appearing on camera more frequently than official reporters. Her visit today was specifically for the ''fish-riding project''.


    "Don''t act all cute after getting a bargain. The TV station is giving you free advertising, and you''re not happy? Hurry up, take me to ride the fish, or you''re dead meat!"


    "Sister, are you here for business or to y?" Suming said helplessly, smacking his forehead.


    "Mixing business with pleasure!" Nangong Yan said confidently.


    After taking Nangong Yan fish riding for half an hour and ensuring that she had her fun, she finally started her official report on the fish-riding project in earnest.


    In the age of the inte, there are no secrets. Not long after Nangong Yan''s first-hand report, videos of Zhao Yun''s family riding fish spread online, and someone even dug up the old Blue Wave Knight video.


    In the era of the inte, the speed at which information spreads is truly astonishing. In just two or three days, not only Yangchuan City but most of the province knew that Yangchuan City Zoo was about tounch a brand new entertainment project the following week: fish riding!

 Chapter 99: Chapter 99 Ticket Scalpers

    The Ride Fish project hadn''t officiallyunched yet, but it already garnered extensive media coverage, attracting countless attentive eyes.


    If it were just "riding fish," it wouldn''t be that unusual of an activity.


    Zoos and circuses have their dedicated trainers, among whom there are experts in dolphins, and with special training, riding fish isn''t impossible.


    But that could only be done by professionals, and it had to be in a designated area.


    However, turning fish riding into an entertainment activity, open to the general public so everyone could ride, suitable for all ages, was indeed a groundbreaking first!


    Prior to this, Suming''s "hunger marketing" coupled with overwhelming media publicity, quickly started to ferment and show its effect. The photos and videos of Zhao Yun''s family riding fish that day, along with the first video of Suming as the Blue Wave Knight, had astonishing numbers of views andments. On the Yangchuan forums, for the past few days, nearly all other topics were overshadowed by discussions about Yangchuan Zoo''s new project.


    Not only did riding fish possess entertainment value, but it also held an auspicious symbolic meaning in Huaxia''s history, representing the achievement of enlightenment and a carefree, joyful existence.


    Legend has it that during the Warring States period, there was a man from Zhao State named Qin Gao, skilled in maneuvering through water and who lived for over two hundred years. One day, Qin Gao gathered his disciples and instructed them to bathe, burn incense, and wait at a riverside shrine he had told them to build. After saying this, Qin Gao dove into the great river and vanished from sight.


    His followers did as instructed, setting up an altar by the water and waiting for several days. Suddenly, Qin Gao appeared, riding on a giant red carp, surfacing on the water. He then ascended to immortality on the fish, observed by a crowd of thousands.


    Wang Anshi wrote a poem that said, "First learned of the water immortal riding a crimson carp, forever sought the mountain ghost with the schrly fox." Water immortals and mountain ghosts are quasi-divine beings, while crimson carp and schrly foxes represent aquatic and terrestrial spirits, symbolizing the mystical spirits of the mountains and waters.


    Riding fish at the zoo obviously wouldn''t turn you into an immortal, but those fish, dressed up as various mythical monsters, certainly gave off a cosy vibe.


    The zoo could almost be described with the words "the focus of public attention." Every day, there would be visitors specifically inquiring about the Ride Fish project. Mrs. Tong''s office received multiple calls from media outlets wanting to report and interview throughout the day. The few ''armed'' fish even managed to steal the limelight from the river dolphins, which had been a hot topic until then, achieving a perfecteback.


    Seeing that the momentum was already built up, the Ride Fish project finally officiallyunched.


    As soon as the zoo opened that morning, the queue of people waiting to buy entrance tickets extended all the way to the distant road. More than a dozen media reporters had already arrived early at the main entrance, ready to rush into the zoo to gather firsthand information.


    The five big fish were simply not enough to meet demand; they were booked up in the blink of an eye by the visitors at the front of the line, and at a minimum, each booking was for an hour or more. The giant blue fish was even reserved by a tycoon for the whole day.


    The crowd of visitors became unhappy. Over a hundred people were lined up, waiting to ride the fish, and if everyone was going to book for over an hour, those at the back of the line wouldn''t get a turn even if they waited all day.


    As new visitors kept joining the queue, thekeside became noisy and chaotic. Just as the crowd was about to be passionately excited, Suming made a timely appearance, introducing a new rule: during the opening month, each person could only ride for a maximum of twenty minutes to ensure that the majority of visitors could have a turn if they were willing to wait. This calmed the angry crowd.


    Tagging along with Suming was the alligator turtle.


    The business of ride fish was booming beyond expectations. Suming, believing a noble alligator turtle shouldn''t live off handouts while doing nothing, brought the turtle over to the site, much like the fish, to be ridden by people.


    This guy looked fierce without any deliberate dressing up, already resembling a great monster, and Suming, for added entertainment, had actually crafted a ''giant python'' out of rubber and foam, which he coiled around the tortoise''s body inyers.


    "Thank you, friends, for your enthusiastic support. To show our gratitude, we''ve also introduced a surprise for today:"


    He pointed to the tortoise, asrge as a small hill, and said loudly through the loudspeaker, "That is the Xuan! Wu! Divine! Beast! Ten minutes for a hundred bucks!"


    With the alligator snapping turtle in the shallow water, about the size of a table top, its limbs like sky-supporting iron columns, it cooperatively lifted its head towards the crowd on the shore and let out a low roar as Suming spoke, even shaking the rubber python tied around its body.


    The visitors instinctively shrank back, but since everyone was clear that this was an entertainment projectunched by the zoo, akin to a haunted house ¡ª scary to look at but actually safe ¡ª no panic ensued.


    Thus, the bootleg ''Xuanwu'' joined the big fish brigade, with the six hefty creatures almost ceaselesslymuting between the diving area and theke''s surface every ten or twenty minutes, carrying the next group of visitors.


    Despite their best efforts, the queue waiting to ride the fish grew even longer, and the visitors who had ridden the fish before became walking advertisements for the attraction, posting photos on socialworks and friends'' circles after their ride, promoting the zoo for free.


    By noon, seeing the long queue, Suming had an idea and dialed Mrs. Tong, "Mrs. Tong, have the snack bar whip up some boxed lunches to sell by Shuijun Lake!"


    "Alrighty!" Mrs. Tong was thrilled as she hung up the phone, and after a while, Mrs. Sun from the snack bar showed up by Shuijun Lake with a cart full of boxed lunches, shouting, "Boxed lunches for sale, boxed lunches for sale, ten bucks each, one meat, three veggies..."


    Mrs. Sun made a tidy sum and after cleaning up the lunchbox trash, she found Suming and covertly handed him a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, then left happily.


    That''s how the first day went by, with the six mounts never getting a moment of rest.


    The next day, the queue was even longer than the first, and even ticket scalpers appeared!


    A few shady-looking young men arrived early to stand in line, and after buying their tickets, they didn''t get on the fish but began shouting to sell their spots for five to six times the price to those lined up behind them.


    Upon seeing this, Liang Shi didn''t dare take any action on his own and hurriedly reported the situation to Suming.


    "I hate scalpers the most!" Suming frowned and told Liang Shi, "Tell them, no reselling fish tickets. Anyone who doesn''t wait in line and buys a ticket from someone else, it''s null and void. We won''t acknowledge it!"


    Liang Shi did as Suming had instructed and informed those young men that reselling tickets was not allowed.


    But the men, seeing Liang Shi''s honest face, ignored himpletely and even dragged him into a nearby grove, with the lead blond kid actually pulling out a knife and threatening Liang Shi, saying if they messed with their business, they shouldn''t me them for not giving Liang Shi any respect...


    "This kind of thing is happening! In the mighty Huaxia, and ofws, daring to pull a knife on my turf, is there no king''sw anymore!" Suming furiously eximed upon hearing the news.

 Chapter 100: Chapter 100 The Thoughts of the Wolf King

    In the zoo, Mr. Song''s word was thew, and by the side of Shuijun Lake, Suming was thew!


    "There''s not much point in involving the police station with this matter. At most, they''ll grab those little ruffians, give them a brief education, and release them. It doesn''t really ''cure the illness or save the people.'' To deal with these types, you have to let them know that Ma Wang has three eyes!"


    He made a direct call to Dong, and before long, Dong arrived with seven or eight young security guards who stormed down to Shuijun Lake, grabbing necks and pressing down shoulders, dragging and kicking those little ruffians all the way to the security office.


    "There''s now and order anymore!" Mr. Dong mmed his leather belt heavily on the table with a dull thud.


    Don''t be fooled by Mr. Dong''s friendliness in normal times; he was a bonafide reconnaissance soldier who had retired from the military, and one who had seen action¡ªa tough character. With just a darkened face, he could scare someone to death. His fighting skills were also exceptional; with a baton wrapped in rubber, he greeted those little ruffians with a merciless flurry of blows. They were beaten so badly that each one cried for their fathers and mothers, none capable of getting up, and strangely there were no visible injuries.


    "Dong, that''s enough. They''re just kids who don''t know any better. Why bother with them? Keep at it for another ten minutes, then send them to the police station," Suming suggested kindly.


    ...


    "Hello, everyone. I''m Nangong Yan, an intern reporter from Yangchuan Television Station, reporting live from the zoo, where I am covering the fish-riding activity. The zoo''s fish-riding activity has been running for a full two weeks, providing the public an excellent ce for leisure and entertainment. ording to our research, our city''s zoo is the first in the country, and even the world, to poprize the fish-riding project..."


    On TV, behind reporter Nangong Yan was a long line of visitors waiting to ride the fish.


    The fish-riding activity had been running smoothly for two weeks, other than some minor issues with ticket scalpers at the start, and was a huge hit every day.


    In order to ensure the fish''s stamina, Suming adjusted the opening hours based on the zoo''s flow of visitors, setting them to four days a week¡ªWednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday¡ªwith only one hour in the morning and three hours in the afternoon.


    Because Suming employed a strategy of scarcity marketing, limiting the avability, he could ensure that there would be a long period when the big fish would not be left idle.


    He had calcted the ie from this period, and at this rate, the five fish and one alligator turtle would collectively generate a revenue that would far exceed that of the pleasure boats, approaching one hundred fifty thousand in just one month!


    Sixty yuan for a ride was actually a price made for the benefit of the public. If he wanted, he could charge two hundred yuan per ride, and people would still be willing to pay. But since it was a zoo, aside from making money, he also had to consider public welfare. It wasn''t necessary to earn an extra few hundred thousand at the risk of beingbeled something detrimental, which could affect future development.


    He had called Professor Chu and decided to give Liang Shi, as an internship wage, three thousand yuan.


    Managing the big fish was practically Liang Shi''s major, so Professor Chu naturally had no objections. After expressing gratitude, he asked Suming over the phone to take good care of Liang Shi.


    If it were a master''s student studying something likeputer science, three thousand yuan for a month''s internship sry would be considered quite average. But Liang Shi''s field of study was rather niche, and most people didn''t get any internship stipend at all, being able to eat was good enough, and finding a job after graduation was difficult. Now, not only was Liang Shi well-fed and well-amodated, but he was also earning three thousand yuan. He could probably be considered the best off among his peers.


    Since Suming had contracted Shuijun Lake, there was no need to pay extra management fees to the zoo. Deducting what was paid to Liang Shi and the expenses for the fish and alligator turtle''s food and drink, the pure profit from the fish-riding activity in one month exceeded one hundred thousand yuan.


    With this addition to the pleasure boat ie, the entertainment activities on Shuijun Lake were already generating over one and a half million in revenue for Suming per year!


    Of course, during winter the pleasure boat business slumped, and the fish-riding activity was also subject to weather conditions¡ªno swimming during rain, snow, or cold weather. Even so, on an annual basis, the entertainment activities on Shuijun Lake would still bring in a substantial ie of a million yuan!


    Even for Suming, this was a sum that couldn''t be ignored¡ªit was a stable ie! Even if the fish farming business suffered an unexpected setback, Suming could livefortably on the ie from the entertainment activities alone.


    In fact, looking at it now, it seemed highly unlikely that the fish farming business would run into major trouble.


    The only enemy, Zhou Jin, was still in the hospital and could never have imagined that the garfish he had sent were now traitors to their cause, not only causing no damage to Shuijun Lake''s fishery but spending their days in the reservoir eating Zhou Jin''s fish;


    At the same time, due to contact with spiritual power, the fish in Shuijun Lake had be very friendly to humans. Arge number of tourists flocked to Shuijun Lake to ride fish and go boating. Far from disturbing the fish, this interaction actually promoted the growth of various species.


    The fish in Shuijun Lake were now well fed, living in a good environment, getting plenty of exercise every day, and were in good spirits, so it was impossible for them not to thrive. All that was left was to wait a few more months for them to grow up, and then discuss supply issues with Zhao Yun.


    Reportedly, there were already people from other areas looking to emte Suming by trainingrge fish to start a fish-riding business.


    But only Suming knew clearly that without the help of Animal Friends, at best, they could only get professional breeders to ride the fish briefly. To poprize it as a lucrative entertainment business was practically impossible.


    The only regret was that there were too fewrge fish. It would have been even better if there were a few more fish weighing over a hundred pounds. Each big fish was like a cash cow, constantly earning money for Suming.


    However, this was not something that could be rushed. It was rare for ordinary domestic fish to grow sorge; it required great fortune.


    In recent times, the garfish had swept through Huating Reservoir, consuming countless fish of various sizes, but they had not seen any weighing over a hundred pounds; even those over fifty pounds were rare.


    Without weighing over a hundred pounds, they simply could not support the weight of a person. Even with Suming helping with his spiritual power, it wasn''t enough, so to be selected for the ''cavalry team,'' they had to meet the threshold of weighing at least a hundred pounds.


    Suming had developed a habit; when everything was going smoothly, he would disappear from everyone''s sight, stay away from the hustle and bustle, and immerse himself in his primary work, mixing with the animals.


    Animal Friends was his foundation, and Suming had never forgotten that. Therefore, even his various business ventures were built on the basis of Animal Friends. If he forgot this and only focused on making money, indulging in the glittering world, his future achievements would end there.


    Perhaps it was because he had offspringte in life, but ever since the arrival of the wolf pups, the Wolf King had been distracted, sitting by the cage alone, staring nkly at the outside world, sometimes ignoring his food when offered.


    Suming had casually thrown a piece of beef to the Wolf King just now, but he remained unchanged, ncing at the meat before continuing to look outside, brooding deeply.


    "Squeak, squeak, squeak..." The sound of scratching ss came as the red fox next doory on the ss, its bright little eyes staring at the piece of beef the Wolf King had not touched, scratching the ss with its paws.


    Suming picked up the beef and tossed it over the cage. The meat fell next to the red fox through a gap on the top of the cage, and the red fox happily dragged the big piece of beef into the bushes.


    "Eat slowly, don''t choke yourself to death!" Suming shouted to the red fox across the cage.


    Just then, the Wolf King suddenly stood up, gazing out of the cage, and let out a mournful and long howl.


    "Awoo..."


    As the Wolf King howled, the other wolves also raised their heads and began to howl outside the cage.


    The wolf pups, just awakened by the noise, also didn''t understand what was happening. They stared at their father, puzzled, and then instinctively joined in the howling with the Wolf King, though their voices sounded milky and were slightly hoarse.


    "Stop howling, this can''t be rushed, take it slow!"


    In the entire zoo, the only one who understood the Wolf King''s feelings was Suming.

 Chapter 101: Chapter 101 Model Worker

    Everyone had their own duties to attend to, and while Suming was having a heart-to-heart with Wolf King, Wang Jian She was in his office reviewing documents.


    The secretary knocked and came in, cing a stack of materials on the corner of Wang Jian She''s desk, and said, "Mr. Wang, Mr. Li has asked me to deliver these model worker materials for your review. This year, their district has a total of ten model worker slots, but they''ve received over a hundred nominations. These neen individuals are rted to our agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors."


    "Mmhmm, got it. I''ll take a look. Come pick them up tomorrow morning," said Wang Jian She without lifting his head.


    There are many aspects involved in the operations within a bureaucracy, such as selecting district model workers, which is quite an art.


    Choosing model workers isn''t a decision made by a single person; many aspects must be taken into ount. For example, Wang Jian She is from the city bureau and oversees issues rted to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries in the whole of Yangchuan City, but he does not specifically manage the work of any particr district. Ultimately, the district model workers are determined by the district leadership team, but nominations rted to agriculture, forestry, and fisheries must seek Wang Jian She''s opinion.


    Simply put, out of the ten slots, two are for the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries sectors, and Wang Jian She gets to select these two.


    Wang Jian She was very busy, juggling his routine duties and caring for the Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Group''s work, busy from morning till night without a moment''s rest. It wasn''t until close to the end of the day that he rubbed his temples, leaned back in his office chair, and began to read through the model worker candidate materials the secretary had brought.


    Li Mingyu, deputy director of the city park...


    Bai Tao, head of the Shipping Administration...


    After reviewing several candidates in session, none seemed quite right. Some had been model workers for several years in a row, and reappointing them as such would be meaningless and might even attract criticism; others had no noteworthy achievements to speak of, making it impossible to convince the public;


    Still, there were some suitable candidates, but with limited slots, it was impossible to amodate everyone.


    "Zhou Jin, General Manager of Huating Fisheries Company, provides nearly a thousand tons of fishery products to the provincial fishery market every year and is Yangchuan City''srgest freshwater fish breeder and supplier, with annual taxes reaching the scale of one million yuan..."


    There are many private enterprises with tax scales reaching millions, but those in agriculture, forestry, and fisheries typically earn less. Reaching a tax scale of one million is certainly a giant within the industry.


    As the person in charge, Wang Jian She had had some interactions with Zhou Jin and was familiar with him.


    Zhou Jin left an impression on Wang Jian She as being one of those uneducated but capable and ambitious, or rather, having grand aspirations like a crude, self-made individual. He had always wanted to secure an official position and had been active in various circles, even going through Wang Jian She''s connections.


    However, Wang Jian She had always been cautious in his official conduct, never engaging in anything that broke the rules, as was evident from the fact that he only bought a Ford EcoSport for Wang Hao. Besides, with the state''s strong anti-corruption efforts, Wang Jian She dared not mess around.


    The Yangtze finless porpoise was discovered in the Huating Reservoir this time, and for this, Zhou Jin even suffered several broken ribs. Although there was no contribution to speak of, his hardships were undoubtedly significant, and giving him a model worker title could be considered a constion from the higher-ups.


    Wang Jian She thought for a moment, then drew a circle in the upper right corner of this list, indicating this person could upy one slot.


    Then he continued to look down the list until, upon reaching thest person, Wang Jian She suddenly curled the corners of his mouth, unable to suppress augh. The photo of the young man wearing a sunny smile was none other than Suming.


    Wang Jian She deliberated for a moment, then drew a half-circle in the upper right corner of Suming''s list, and also drew half-circles on the lists of two other individuals.


    A full circle meant that Wang Jian She suggested the person be a model worker; a half-circle meant that Mr. Wang acknowledged the person but whether the district leadership team would grant the title of model worker was ultimately their decision.


    The slots were very limited, and although Suming had some merit, everyone else nominated also had their own significant achievements.


    After all, Suming''s qualifications were quite junior, and he was a bit too young.


    Furthermore, following the Yangtze finless porpoise incident, there had been his regrization, promotion, and bonus awards; he had already received the rewards due to him. Without any new significant achievements, if they insisted on giving the model worker title to Suming, while the district would agree to save Wang Jian She''s face, it would be too obvious, as if Wang Jian She was overly eager to promote Suming.


    Wang was now highly regarded by the Deputy Mayor and was at a crucial stage of being promoted into the leadership of the Municipal Committee. At this time, the most important thing for him was to maintain stability.


    In such a situation, if it were any other leader, Suming wouldn''t even be considered. Yet, due to the Yangtze Finless Porpoise incident and the rtionship between Suming and Wang Hao, Wang Jian She eventually made a half-turn and left the decision to the district leadership team.


    Discover hidden tales at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    ...


    The district had just confirmed seven model workers and three pending, and with over half a month left before the announcement of the awards, the candidates for model worker were already conveyed.


    "Mr. Zhou, if you ask me, they might as well just hand out some cash, what good is being a model worker!" said the bald man visiting Zhou Jin in the First People''s Hospital, peeling an apple andining at the same time.


    Zhou Jiny in the hospital bed, temporarily unable to move, but hisplexion had improved significantly.


    He sure was lucky.


    Watching TVst time, Zhou Jin was so infuriated by Suming that he spat out a few mouthfuls of blood. Unexpectedly, this misfortune turned into a blessing. After the doctor''s emergency treatment, it turned out that the chest congestion was cleared. Those mouthfuls of blood he spat out actually helped with his recovery.


    "What do you know!" Zhou Jin snapped, "Being a model worker is an opportunity, you understand?"


    "An opportunity for what?" The bald man was good in a fight, but talking politics to him was like ying the lute to a cow.


    "Forget it, forget it, you wouldn''t understand anyway," Zhou Jin let out a long sigh, suppressing his anger, and reminded himself to just see the bald man as a pig-headed fool. He couldn''t afford to get angry again at this moment.


    Bing a model worker was the first step. If he could ride this east wind and manage to progress further, it would greatly benefit his future business endeavors.


    He directly ordered the bald man, "Go get some bank cards made... and also, arrange a meeting with Mr. He for me. If he''s free, drive him to the hospital. I have something to discuss with him."


    The bald man nodded, "Oh. But will Mr. He be willing to help?"


    Zhou Jin frowned. Mr. He was very shrewd; he was always amiable in dealing with people, offending no one. Zhou Jin had asked him for a few small favors in the past, so they were somewhat acquainted.


    However, to what extent Mr. He would be willing to help, Zhou Jin wasn''t sure. Strictly speaking, his rtionship with Mr. He wasn''t deep, and the few favors he had asked were not against any principles, just expediting matters with the handling staff below.


    As the line of national legal enforcement grew tighter, Zhou Jin couldn''t tell whether Mr. He was actually willing to go out on a limb for him.


    But since Mr. He was the highest-ranking official Zhou Jin knew who also happened to be in direct charge of his affairs, he couldn''t think of anyone else but Mr. He to turn to.


    "Alright, I''ll get it done." The bald man finished speaking, crunched into the peeled apple with relish.


    The bald man had been peeling the apple next to Zhou Jin for quite a while. Zhou Jin initially thought it was for him and felt moved, thinking that despite the man''s simplicity, there was at least some sentiment there, some sign that he cared.


    But to his surprise, the bald man had no such intention. Zhou Jin''s eyes went wide with incredulity, "That apple..."


    "Huh? Mr. Zhou, you want an apple? You should''ve said so earlier!" Holding the apple with a bite taken out of it in one hand and a fruit knife in the other, the bald man asked with wide eyes.


    Zhou Jin turned red with anger, struggled to turn his head away from the bald man, and said with a weak and breathless voice, "Get out, out, out... go get the cards, find Mr. He... Stop hovering around me... wait, call... call the nurse in..."

 Chapter 102 : 102 Freedom

    Wolf King stillcked the ability to express his thoughts as precisely as humans, but he possessed the intelligence of a child of several years old, was capable of simple reasoning, and had improved intellectually with the help of Suming and Friends of the Animals after some time of interaction.


    During this time, he had been howling to Suming, conveying a simple message: freedom.


    Freedom is something ingrained in the bones of all wild animals, who would rather endure hunger and cold, battle with nature and humans, and fight other ferocious beasts than to be kept in cages as pets for people''s amusement.


    The Wolf King and his mate were old and had lived in the zoo for many years. Even if they went to the wild, they most likely wouldn''t adapt and wouldn''t survive.


    But it was different for the wolf cub; it was still young and fully capable of adapting to life in the wild, returning to the vast nature instead of spending its lifetime in this iron cage, being gawked at by people.


    No parents in the world would ever wish for their children to be destined from birth to live their entire lives devoid of freedom, trapped in a cage.


    Wolf King''s gaze was icy as he looked at Suming.


    "Old buddy, if you''re asking me for a favor, can you give me a more friendly look? Can you stop being so cool and pretending to be Ximen Chuixue all the time?" Suming squatted side by side with the Wolf King on the steps of the Wolf Pen, nced at the Wolf King, and said with irritation.


    Wolves naturally have that chilling gaze and are not good at expressing emotions, even when they look at their cubs, they still wear that same expression.


    The fact that the Wolf King ''condescended'' to squat next to Suming like arge dog was already showing him a lot of face. asionally tourists passing by the Wolf Pen were amazed by this scene and would take out their phones to snap photos.


    "Wolves aren''t in a good mood today; no pictures! Those who are just hanging around, go row boats and ride fish instead!"


    Suming waved his hand to shoo away the tourists like flies, used his spiritual power tomunicate with the Wolf King, and tried to calm its mood first. The Wolf King was already in his twilight years and wasn''t very healthy; thest thing he needed was to be sick from worry.


    In theory, training animals to return to the wild is also one of the responsibilities of a zoo, and as long as there is a suitable method to return the wolf cub to the wild, Mr. Song, the zoo director, wouldn''t oppose it.


    In the provincial animal protection center, one of the most important duties is ''release to the wild,'' which involves nurturing the animals'' wild instincts and re-introducing them to nature.


    ''Release to the wild'' may sound simple, but it''s quite difficult to achieve. It requires a lot of manpower, material resources, and there''s a whole slew of follow-up work to be done. The state has limited resources in this regard, so for now, they can only be applied to endangered species such as giant pandas and Baiji dolphins. Prairie wolves aren''t at that level and it wouldn''t be feasible to spend the effort and money on them exclusively.


    Moreover, the act of releasing them to the wild itself carries great risks. Wild animals are naturally suited for the wild environment and can learn survival skills from their parents and pack. However, the wolf cub was born in the zoo, surrounded by ''rtives and friends'' who are also captive animals, and the skills for hunting and surviving in the wild arergely forgotten. The little wolf cub has nowhere to learn even if it wanted to.


    Rashly releasing the wolf cub into nature could only backfire.


    Butpared to Wolf King and his mate, the little wolf cub had a natural advantage; it was young, unassimted by humans, like a nk te. If trained properly from a young age, there was hope for it to return to nature when it got a bit older.


    After leaving the Wolf Pen, Suming went straight to Mr. Song, the zoo director, and shared his ideas.


    As expected, Mr. Song''s thoughts were simr to Suming''s. Although prairie wolves are protected animals, they aren''t particrly rare. The zoo wouldn''t be greatly impacted whether there were a few more or a few less.


    On the contrary, if they could train the wolf cub to return to the wild, it wouldn''t only benefit the animal, but it would also be a fine project for the zoo to promote, showcasing their achievements.


    "Since you have this in mind, I have no objections. However, there are two conditions, first, you must not harm people or the wolves; second, the zoo currently cannot afford to fund this." Mr. Song said straightforwardly.


    "No problem, as long as you give the go-ahead, I have my answer." Suming said.


    "How do you n to start? Reintroduction is a major challenge worldwide, and after years of experiments, even the province''s Baiji dolphins haven''t been sessfully released back into the wild." Mr. Song asked with a bit of curiosity.


    Suming thought for a moment and said, "Right now, I don''t have any particrly good solutions, but I think that since the wolf pups are just born, they can''t stay in the Wolf Pen forever. Otherwise, if they get used to being fed by humans for too long, they will lose their innate wildness, making it even harder to return them to the wildter on."


    Mr. Song was somewhat surprised and asked tentatively, "Are you saying, to let the wolf pups out?"


    "Yes!" Suming nodded confidently.


    "That is a wolf! Don''t be fooled by its size now; it won''t be long before it can harm people!" Mr. Song said.


    Mr. Song said, "Suming, if I have you with them, you should be reassured, right?" Suming said this while casually picking up a water bottle, and with a smile, he filled Mr. Song''s cup with water.


    Mr. Song hesitated for a long while, finally agreeing reluctantly, "Su, don''t cause any trouble. If something doesn''t seem right, lock the wolf pups back up immediately!"


    "Don''t worry, it''s just a small wolf! With you overseeing the zoo, even a dragon would have to lie down obediently, let alone any jackals or leopards."


    "Quit the fooling around. You''re always up to something. Shuijun Lake has just started flourishing, and now, herees the issue with the wolf pups, keeping this old man on tenterhooks."


    "Heh heh, with you at the helm, our zoo''s ship won''t capsize!"


    After getting Mr. Song''s approval, Suming felt like he had a powerful talisman in hand, and he went back to the Wolf Pen to pick up the young wolves.


    The Wolf Pen was Mr. Peng''s territory. After giving him a heads up, Suming took the wolf pups out directly.


    The Wolf King and his mate did not behave like most parents whose children were leaving on a long journey, fussing over them for miles. The old couple nced at their offspring icily through the bars of the cage, then turned away simultaneously and went back to their den as if the pups taken away were the children of someone else.


    "Aroo..." The young wolfy on the concrete steps outside the Wolf Pen, and let out a somewhat pitiful howl toward its parents in the dark distance.


    Seeing that its parents were unmoved, the young wolf tilted its head looking at Suming, its little mind unable to understand why mom and dad didn''t want it anymore.


    Growth inevitablyes with growing pains. Suming snapped his fingers at the little guy, turned, and slowly walked away, casually saying, "Come on, a wolf must learn to grow up on its own..."


    Having been walked away from by Suming, and ignored by the Wolf King and his mate, the young wolf stood on the steps, looking around bewilderedly, first this way, then that way.


    A gust of wind blew, and the young wolf instinctively shrank its neck, with its small ears suddenly standing up. It looked back at the Wolf Pen with some reluctance as if it had made up its mind, then turned its head, and with its four little legs, it ran towards Suming, picking up speed as it went.

 Chapter 103 : 103: The Bird Thief

    The arrival of the little wolf caused quite a disturbance in Whisperwind Pavilion.


    Merely in terms ofbat strength, the cats and dogs were all stronger than the little wolf. The wolf-dog brothers need not be mentioned, for one p from them could send the little wolf flying. Even the felines, under Suming''s long-term nourishment of spiritual power, had be quite fierce, and could hold their own in a one-on-one skirmish with the little wolf. If Hei himself took action, he could even suppress the little wolf.


    As for the alligator gar, snapping turtles, and river dolphins, those were aquatic forces, a different matter entirely.


    Yet it was this fuzzy little wolf that, upon appearing, triggered immense wariness in the cats and dogs. The usually feuding wolf-dog brothers and the felines actually set aside their differences and formed a united front, leaning against the wall and growling at the little wolf.


    The little wolf cub was not to be outdone, its eyes cold and fierce as it swept over the line ofrger opponents, its sharp teeth peeking out from its lips as it prepared to pounce.


    The little wolf was naturally wild, fundamentally different from the cats and dogs. That essence of wildness about it instinctively made the cats and dogs feel afraid.


    If in the wilderness, they were creatures of entirely separate camps, for predators and prey were not distinguished based on size!


    When hunting, the small hunting dogs dared to attack giant ck bears and wild boars frenziedly. This is not because the hunting dogs were brave, but rather because they were so terrified that they resorted to almost insane behavior. Animals attack humans often for the same reason.


    Humans are the same, when practicing boxing, one''s pores open in a flush at the moment of power exertion, the sensation akin to the fright of encountering a ghost on a nocturnal path. When a vertebrate is deeply shocked, the nervous system is stimted, unleashing potential. The difference is that humans have reason; after being frightened, they may be too scared to attack, whereas animals be even more ferocious.


    "Everyone, stay put!"


    Suming shouted angrily. His spiritual power swept over both groups like a heavy nket, serving as a mediator, as he used his spiritual power to connect the cats and dogs with the little wolf.


    Spiritual power connected at the most basal and fundamental level ofmunication, and with Suming in the middle acting as a peacemaker, the tense standoff between the two sides eased considerably.


    "You guys stay home and watch the house for the next few days. I''m taking Huiya to the back mountain!"


    Huiya was the name Suming had given the little wolf cub. Hopefully, one day, it would be a wild Grey Wolf with sharp ws and teeth...


    Since it was about preparing for the wild, it would not do to keep the little wolf like the household pets in Fengshui Pavilion, but instead take it out into nature as much as possible.


    After the bees found a new homest time, the Queen Bee wanted to see Suming more than once, but he had been too busy to visit. Now was the perfect time tobine both tasks: to take the little wolf to Monkey Mountain and also pay the Queen Bee a visit.


    The bees'' new home was quite far, and Suming estimated that going back and forth in the mountains would take two to three days. He would have to spend the nights in the mountains, so he had to prepare in advance. First, he drove to the city''s outdoor gear store and bought some wilderness equipment.


    A tent, Swiss Army knife, windproof lighter,pressed biscuits... He couldn''t bring too much, just filled a backpack.


    In theory, Suming, with his Animal Friend ability, was invincible in the mountains and security was not an issue. But perhaps it was because he had grown up watching various supernatural creature movies that his first solo venture into the deep mountains gave him an exciting feeling. After leaving the outdoor gear store, he went to a military surplus store and bought a dagger and a replica AK bay, which made him feel fully secure.


    After finishing all of that, he returned to the zoo and picked up Huiya.


    Besides Huiya, there was another ''old friend'' he needed to take with him.


    He had long ago promised Haidong Qing to take it out for a few days, and he had never had the chance to fulfill his promise, but this time there was an opportunity to mix business with pleasure.


    As soon as he entered the bird park, the Haidong Qing, whose ws were like white jade, seemed to acutely sense something and pped its wings to take flight,nding steadily on Suming''s arm.


    "How many times have I said not to clutch my arm! It hurts!" Suming rolled his eyes and with a shake of his hand, Haidong Qing hopped onto his shoulder.


    Haidong Qing is scientifically known as an ipiter, acimed as the bird that flies the highest and fastest in the world, with the moniker "the deity of eagles", the legend goes that out of a hundred thousand divine eagles, only one "Haidong Qing" is born.


    As with all myths, the story of one Haidong Qing emerging from a hundred thousand divine eagles isrgely nonsense; however, the ferocity and rarity of Haidong Qing are true. Among birds of prey, the Haidong Qing has virtually no rival. In fact, owing to its ability to fly, it does not have natural predators in the animal kingdom, besides humans.


    During the Qing Dynasty, if anyone caught a white-wed Haidong Qing, it had to be presented to the Imperial Household Department for the emperor''s enjoyment. A single Haidong Qing was worth dozens of taels of silver, sufficient for amon family''s needs for several years; even a criminal could achieve amnesty by offering a Haidong Qing.


    Several Qing emperors, notorious for their bad poetry, ironically all loved to write poems. Kangxi himself penned, "Of winged insects thrice-a-hundred in sixty, the Haidong Qing is the most divine."


    In modern times, due to excessive hunting by humans, the Haidong Qing almost became extinct, especially the white-wed Haidong Qing, which became even more rare. Thus, before the appearance of the finless porpoise, this white jade Haidong Qing was nearly the most precious of the few animals in the zoo.


    When Suming wanted to take away the Haidong Qing, Mr. Peng was initially a bit anxious, but seeing how obediently it perched on Suming''s shoulder, he shook his head with a smile and didn''t say much more, turning to return to managing the pleasure boats at Shuijun Lake.


    It''s said that "one in ten survives, rare is the name of eagle". Taming a wild eagle is extremely difficult. After capturing one, you first have to tie up its "feet with tethers" and prevent it from sleeping for days on end, wearing down its wildness, which is known as "waiting out the eagle"; then you proceed through other steps like running it on a leash, andstly "slimming down", scraping out its intestinal oil to make the bird hungry before it can be tamed. Only after that can you take it out for falconry.


    Once tamed, the loyalty of an eagle is quite high. Seeing the Haidong Qing obediently hopping onto Suming''s shoulder, Mr. Peng knew that this Haidong Qing had beenpletely tamed by Suming, and there would be no problem taking it out.


    As for how it was tamed, Mr. Peng didn''t ask further.


    Suming had a way with animals, and this was no longer a secret. Comparing oneself with another in terms of training animals, or always pondering how Suming managed it, is nothing but masochism.


    As Suming was about ''to carry'' Haidong Qing out, suddenly, a very shrill voice next door erupted, eximing, "Thief! Bird thief!"


    Suming was startled and looked around; outside the cage, there was nothing but emptiness, not a ghost in sight.


    "Idiot, idiot!" a voice blurted out, no more than four or five meters away from Suming.

 Chapter 104: Chapter 104 Diamond Parrot

    Two voices rang out in session; Suming looked around but couldn''t find anyone speaking, then suddenly remembered something, chuckled, and turned his head to look at the birdcage next door.


    In the neighboring birdcage lived a pair of ''sisters''!


    The two half-meter-tall Diamond Parrots, were standing on the treetops, seemingly unconcerned, their curved beaks preening the feathers on their bodies.


    The Diamond Parrot is a type of parrot thates from Mexico and Brazil, growing to nearly a meter in length, making it one of the most spectacrrge parrots, with its body covered in bright red feathers, with blue and red tails and wings, hence the name ''Diamond Parrot''.


    Like all parrots of their kind, the Diamond Parrots are also known as ''strongmen''; in the rainforests of the Americas, there are many tough nuts that are hard to crack even with a hammer, yet Diamond Parrots can easily use their beaks to peel off the outer shell of the fruit and get to the seeds inside. Explore more at m,v l''e-NovelBin


    Aside from their beautiful, magnificent exterior and immense strength, the Diamond Parrots have another incredible ability: many of the fruits and flowers in their diet are poisonous, but having consumed these over time, the parrots have developed a resistance to poison, giving them an indestructible physique.


    Those who like to chatter tend to live longer, and this is true for parrots as well; Diamond Parrots can even live to eighty years old. This pair of sisters is only in their early twenties, in the prime of their youth.


    Needless to say, those sentences from before hade straight from the beaks of these two Diamond Parrots.


    "Pretend, keep pretending!"


    Ignoring their ''it wasn''t me'' act, Suming chuckled and threw a nut through the bars of the cage, hitting one of the parrots on the head. The parrot tilted its head, caught the nut in its beak, and then cracked it open with a snap.


    Seemingly having picked up some foulnguage from the tourists, the other parrot tilted its head and called out to Suming, "Idiot! Idiot!"


    "No swearing allowed!"


    Suming red at the two culprits, then prepared to leave with Haidong Qing.


    Not long after they stepped out of the birdcage, he heard the Diamond Parrots pping their wings behind him, and in a strange tone, they said, "Take me with you, take me with you..."


    "And me, and me..."


    Turning his head, Suming saw both parrots pressing against the cage, calling out to him through the wire gaps, pping their wings trying to follow, but the cage barred their way.


    Parrots are quite intelligent and can naturally mimic human speech. Suming, whenever he visited the aviary, wouldmunicate with them using spiritual power, chat with them and amuse them. Over time, these two rascals could actually conduct simple exchanges using humannguage.


    "You two are too clever! Just stay put in your cage!"


    Suming had no desire to bring these two along; bringing too many animals at once could lead to idents, and it would be difficult to exin to Mr. Song.


    Actually, if it were any other animal, even a fierce beast like a tiger or lion, Suming would be willing to take them, but not the parrot sisters!


    The animals in the zoo each had their own personalities, such as the aloof wolf, the suspicious fox, the simple bear...


    These parrot sisters, in particr, were extremely chatty, with incessant babbling that was incredibly noisy.


    It was fine to chat with them asionally, but after more than ten minutes, Suming would feel like there were buzzing flies around his ear, unintentionally giving rise to an impulse to strangle the pair.


    Seeing that Suming was ignoring them, the parrot sisters became agitated and started shrieking with their hoarse voices.


    "Idiot! Idiot! Come back! Come back!"


    "Someonee! Someonee! There''s a thief! There''s a thief!"


    The parrots'' voices were sharp and piercing, carrying far and wide, which soon disturbed the nearby tourists, with many heading in this direction. Upon seeing Suming with Haidong Qing on his shoulder, the tourists gave him strange looks, as if they were looking at a thief.


    "I''m a keeper!" Suming hurriedly exined.


    Unrelenting, the Diamond Parrots kept shouting from behind, "A thief! A thief!"


    Another parrot chimed in, screaming: "Catch the thief! Catch the thief!"


    Suming wasn''t worried about actually being mistaken for a thief since he was carrying his zoo ID.


    But who knew what kind of trouble these two mischief-makers would stir up next! It''s not unusual for a parrot to speak, but if the Diamond Parrot disyed intelligence far beyond mere mimicking, that would be too shocking and might arouse suspicion.


    "You vile creatures, you''ve even learned to make threats!"


    Before the Diamond Parrots could cause any trouble, Suming quickly sent two bursts of spiritual power their way, "I''m taking you with me, now shut up immediately!"


    The Diamond Parrots immediately fell silent, flew back to their perch, and started pecking at the fruits with their heads down. Yet they asionally nced up at Suming, worried he might sneak away without keeping his promise.


    "Am I that kind of person?" Suming rolled his eyes.


    ...


    Thus, the group departing that day had gained two parrots as tall as small children.


    There were no roads in the mountains, not even trails suitable for a Wrangler to navigate, so Suming entered the mountain through a small path. At first, he encountered a few hikers sporadically, but after three or four hours, the path led to wilderness, with not a soul in sight.


    Er Gouzi was buzzing ahead, leading the way, while Haidong Qing soared in the skies above, its sharp eyes scanning the ground. asionally, it would dive into the forest and lightning-fast snatch a small snake.


    Since the two parrots were toorge for Suming to carry, they flew low, from one tree to another on his left and right, advancing in a ''leaping'' fashion.


    "Hurry up, dumbass!"


    "Dumbass, hurry up!"


    The parrots'' urging sounds were incessant.


    Huiya followed closely behind Suming¡ªabout the size of a small dog and with no great ability to defend itself, but it showed no signs of fear. Instead, it was curious about everything around, pawing at every dry tree and pile of leaves it saw. asionally, it would stop and growl at the dense woods in the distance.


    Suming walked in the middle, carrying arge backpack, with a replica military spike hanging from his waist and a dagger strapped to his calf. A Swiss Army knife andpass were tucked in the pocket of his jeans. His gear weighed over twenty pounds, but thankfully, his friendship with animals had also increased his physical strength significantly, otherwise, he couldn''t have walked so far.


    The deeper he went into the mountains, the more difficult the terrain became. There were no signs of human activity, and various birds would fly out of the forest from time to time. Before five in the afternoon, the dense woond blocked out all the sunlight, and darkness gradually settled in the forest.


    By around six o''clock, the forest waspletely dark, the trees casting heavy shadows, the woods silent except for the asional cry of an unknown animal. Every step he took on the thick nket of dead leaves made a squeaking sound.


    In the darkness, Huiya''s eyes glowed a soft blue light.


    The parrots had not stopped chattering all the way, and now they started up again.


    "I''m tired! I''m tired!"


    "I''m hungry! I''m hungry!"


    The two creatures were like a double act, standing on the treetops, endlessly squawking.


    "Make camp right here!"


    Suming simply called a halt to the march, pulled out his bay, and cleared a small area of dead leaves.


    The Diamond Parrots flocked to Suming,nding in front of him, waiting for him to feed them.


    Suming waved the bay at the Diamond Parrots and asked with a sinister smile, "How about I roast the two of you for dinner?"

 Chapter 105: Chapter 105 Practice Hunting

    The two Diamond Parrots were scared out of their wits by Suming, pping their wings so vigorously they leaped a good distance into the air, huddling head-to-head as they shook their heads and squawked at Suming incessantly.


    "No! No!"


    "Yameidie! Yameidie!"


    "Just scaring you guys a little."


    Suming chuckled, "If you don''t want to be eaten, then go fetch some dry branches and kindling. I need to make a fire."


    The two strong and robust parrots quickly dragged plenty of kindling from the woods, piling it up. Suming also cleared a space on the ground, took out a lighter, and ignited the campfire.


    As a natural instinct, Huiya had an inherent fear of fire and huddled behind Suming, not daring to get close to the fire.


    While gathering wood, the parrots also helped themselves, fetching quite a few pine cones from the forest. Having lived in the zoo for a long time and not fearing fire too much, they stacked the nuts by the campfire. They picked up the pine cones one by one, cracking them in their beaks with force to pick out and eat the pine nuts inside.


    Suming set up a field pot over the fire to cook somepressed biscuits and canned meat. Soon, the pot began to boil with a bubbling sound and a fragrant scent wafted out as Suming stirred it with a spoon.


    Enticed by the aroma, the young wolf Huiya bravely inched closer to the campfire, pacing back and forth around the pot, its tail wagging excitedly with a look of longing.


    "This isn''t for you!" Suming tapped the young wolf''s head gently with the spoon.


    Huiya howled in confusion, looking bewildered.


    Taking Huiya out was meant to cultivate its wildness in preparation for its eventual release into the wild. If everything continued as it had been in the zoo, with the zookeepers handling everything and Huiya simply stretching out its hand for clothes and opening its mouth for food, how could its wildness be fostered?


    Huiya was still too small to hunt for itself, which was hardly realistic, but Suming had ns.


    It wasn''t long before a ck shadow descended from the sky with a strong gust of wind.


    The Haidong Qing that Suming had sent out to hunt had returned. Under its feet, on one side, it held a meter-long snake that appeared to have been killed by the Haidong Qing, limp and motionless with both ends dangling; on the other foot, it clutched arge mountain rat that was still squirming.


    The mountain rat, a specialty of the mountainous region, was muchrger and far fiercer than the average house mouse. Plump and nearly the size of a small cat, it lived in the mountains, feeding on bamboo shoots and tree roots while drinking spring water, creating a muscr and tasty meat¡ªa fine delicacy of the mountains.


    In Yangchuan City, situated near the mountains, mountain rats were sometimes sold in the market¡ªeach costing upwards of a hundred yuan.


    Without much thought, the Haidong Qing tossed the still-living mountain rat in front of Huiya and thennded on the ground, feet pressing down on the snake. It lowered its head and with a powerful beak, pierced a big hole in the snake''s belly, then started eating heartily.


    "This is your food. Take care of it!" Suming said to Huiya, pointing at the corpulent mountain rat.


    The mountain rat had been petrified from being captured by the Haidong Qing and then being dropped from midair,nding in a daze. After steadying itself, its beady eyes looked around sneakily to scope out its surroundings.


    Huiya approached the mountain rat cautiously, circling around it with curiosity, observing the rat closely.


    This was its first encounter with such a ''creature.'' Instinctively, Huiya knew it was a tasty morsel, but up until now, it had only been nursing or asionally nibbling on meat. No one had ever taught it how to eat a living thing.


    Since the Haidong Qing was utterly preupied with the snake and paid no attention to the mountain rat, the rat seemingly saw its chance. Its eyes lit up and with a swift dash, it darted away from Huiya.


    Huiya only saw a blur before it reflexively swatted with its paw, but it came up empty.


    In that instant, the mountain rat had already darted far away, and it seemed it was about to escape.


    "Stop! Stop!"


    The odd voice rang out, and it was unclear whether it was the sister or the younger Diamond Parrot swooping down from the sky, stepping on the mountain rat''s back. With a body as heavy as a small hill, it was no surprise that the rat was pressed to the ground, its four legs frantically digging at the earth trying to escape, but it could not move at all.


    "Can we eat it, can we eat it!"


    Parrots generally don''t eat meat, but it seemed that the plump mountain rat had sparked their appetite. Another Diamond Parrot also approached, lowered its head to bite the rat.


    "Don''t eat it!" Suming sent a wave of spiritual power over.


    Reluctantly, the Diamond Parrot brought the mountain rat back and dropped it in front of Huiya again.


    "Rookie! Rookie!"


    "Wuss! Wuss!"


    The two parrots, having had their prey snatched from their mouths, were quite discontented. Not daring tosh out at Suming, they could only taunt Huiya incessantly from the side.


    "Ao... Ao..." Huiya was angry, growling lowly at the Diamond Parrot sisters, and even waving its little paws threateningly.


    If it came to fighting, the little wolf was only a tad stronger than a cat at this point, no match for the enormous Diamond Parrots. But the fact that Huiya dared to threaten the Diamond Parrots showed that it still had a wild nature within, it justcked the skills and that''s why the mountain rat escaped.


    The Diamond Parrot sisters were naturally sharp-tongued but not particrly aggressive. Seeing Huiya''s challenge, they flew up to a high branch in the name of safety, and once they were sure they were 100% safe and the little wolf couldn''t threaten them any longer, they sat on the branch and kept cussing out the little wolf.


    "Idiot! Big idiot!"


    "Dummy! Big dummy!"


    In the quiet woods, the noise of these two troublemakers filled the air. Suming couldn''t be bothered to use his spiritual power to stop them, instead, he snapped his fingers at Haidong Qing, who was eating with blood all around its mouth, and said, "Shut them up!"


    Haidong Qing, in the midst of eating vigorously, was extremely disgruntled at being interrupted. It lifted its head with a cold demeanor and stared at the parrot sisters on the treetop.


    One thing counteracts another; as a bird, Haidong Qing was the ruler of the skies. With a re from Haidong Qing, the two nagging parrots actually shut their mouths and didn''t dare speak again. They bowed their heads and boredly started preening their feathers.


    By the campfire, the little wolf alsounched an attack, its body crouched low, growling at the mountain rat, ready to pounce;


    The mountain rat, seeing no escape, unleashed its fierce nature in this life-or-death moment, baring its mouth to reveal two huge incisors capable of easily biting through tree roots, and shrieking shrilly at Huiya.


    Huiya''s body shot forward, its front pawsnding on the mountain rat''s shoulders, and it bit toward the rat''s neck; the plump mountain rat, not much smaller than Huiya, pushed forward powerfully and managed to flip Huiya over. However, its shoulders were also scratched by Huiya''s ws, leaving several bloody marks, causing it to squeal in pain.


    Huiya swiftly got up and, without hesitation, grasped the mountain rat''s plump behind with a paw, biting down on its thigh.


    Huiya and the mountain rat sparred back and forth.


    At first, the mountain rat was able to resist a few times, and even take the upper hand for a short while with its strong body, but after a few rounds, Huiya seemed to find the rhythm of hunting, began to adapt to the life-and-death struggle, and the wildness of the wolf started to show. The mountain rat quickly found itself on the receiving end of blows, umting fresh wounds all over its body.


    Finally, Huiya found an opportunity and bit through the mountain rat''s neck.

 Chapter 106 Hundred Flowers Valley

    Wolves are natural hunters, while mountain rats are at best just slightly stronger small animals. Once Huiya found its rhythm, the mountain rats stood no chance at all¡ªthey had their necks bitten and broke within moments, dead on the spot.


    This time, Huiya didn''t need anyone to teach it, instinctively lying atop the mountain rat and tearing it apart.


    Before Suming had even finished his meal, half of therge mountain rat had gone into Huiya''s stomach, its mouth smeared with blood. It extended its barb-covered tongue, licked the blood-stained fur around its mouth, and then tilted its head toward the sky, letting out several high-pitched ''howls''.


    Compared to the mature howl of the Wolf King, Huiya''s howls were short and immature, but they were wilder.


    Survival of the fittest¡ªSuming had the gift of animal friendship but was not a mother to the animals. There was no need for him to care about the life and death of each animal, nor did he intend to disrupt the bnce of the food chain with his abilities. He merely observed silently as Huiya hunted the mountain rat, without any intervention.


    It wasn''t until Huiya started to call out that Suming quickly covered the little guy''s mouth.


    "Quiet down, what if you attract a pack of wild wolves!" Suming red at Huiya.


    Struggling in Suming''s arms, Huiya, probably still unsatisfied from its earlier howling, squeezed its head out of Suming''s hands and opened its mouth to continue making noise.


    Suming grabbed its jaws and pped it on the buttocks with a smack.


    "You''ve only been eating meat for a few days, and your wings aren''t hard yet, and you dare to disobey!"


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    After being hit, Huiya didn''t dare to make any more noise, its sharp little ears drooping back, looking at Suming with a pitiful expression.


    ...


    Nothing happened that night. With Huiya, Haidong Qing, and the Diamond Parrot standing guard, Suming simply extinguished his campfire and dove straight into his sleeping bag, sleeping until daylight broke.


    Upon opening his eyes, the soft sunlight filtered through the leaves, falling onto the forest floor covered with dried leaves, creating bothrge and small patches of light. The morning calls of birds in the forest filled his ears, and the air was tinged with the delicate fragrance of dew.


    A furry head rested on his chest; Huiya had somehow squeezed into the sleeping bag during the night, lying on Suming''s chest. With a slight movement from Suming, Huiya immediately woke up, crawled out of the sleeping bag, and stretched extensively on the ground.


    Suming climbed out from the sleeping bag as well and went to a nearby mountain spring to scoop up a handful of water to wash his face.


    He had originally thought that he might encounter somerge animals in the middle of the night, like wild boars or simr, but instead, although they had reached the deep forest, animals were scarce. There were plenty of small creatures like birds and rodents, butrger ones were rare.


    It seemed that the animals had been scared off by people, all moving to the deeper forests, only emerging when absolutely necessary.


    Norge animals, but human traces were found!


    Following the stream in the mountains for over two hours, Suming discovered a small campsite on the riverbank. It appeared that someone had camped there the night before.


    From the scale of the camp, there seemed to be about five or six people, possibly adventure travelers or local hunters from the nearby mountains.


    Huiya sniffed around the campsite for a while, found the direction in which these people had left, and seeing as it wasn''t towards where the Queen Bee was, Suming decided not to meddle and continued on his way.


    Along the journey, it was practically all about climbing over mountains and ridges. In some ces, there was simply nowhere to set foot, with steep slopes of eighty or ny degrees blocking the way, or vast marshes of mud where even Suming, with his current skills, couldn''t cross. Fortunately, the threerge birds were there. Although they couldn''t possibly carry over a hundred pounds of Suming flying across, the three of them working together to grab Suming greatly reduced the weight and finally allowed him to pass through with difficulty.


    It was not until the afternoon, after circling around a small mountain ridge and trekking through the maze-like woods for a while, that they arrived at a little canyon.


    Just two or three meters wide beyond the small canyon, there were cliffs on both sides, while underneath were patches of cobblestones, clearly indicating a dried-up mountain stream.


    Several bees buzzing at the mouth of the valley weed Suming, who fortunately reacted quickly and hugged the necks of the parrot sisters, preventing the foolish birds from almost biting those few small bees to death.


    "Whoo... Whoo..."


    "Chirp chirp... Chirp chirp..."


    The parrot sisters, with their necks squeezed, made strange noises.


    Guided by the bees, Suming entered the canyon and after winding his way for about fifteen minutes, a light suddenly shone in front of his eyes!


    He was greeted by a valley surrounded by mountains, with a small waterfall in the far distance cascading down the cliff, nourishing the vegetation in the valley.


    From the higher ground at the entrance of the valley, one could overlook the entire valley, which appeared as a sea of flowers, blooming with a variety of unnamed wildflowers everywhere.


    "What a great ce!" Suming nodded in satisfaction. Standing on the slope and looking down, the valley seemed rather small. That was due to the high perspective, but in reality, the actual size of the valley was probably astonishing, muchrger than an entire zoo. Not only was it hidden, but it also abounded with wildflowers, providing the bees with ample raw material for making honey.


    Walking down the grassy slope into the valley, Suming felt as if he were in the legendary Hundred Flowers Valley, everywhere bloomed vivid flowers, butterflies danced, and joyful bees wereboring, with a faint sweet fragrance seemingly in the air.


    The more variety of flowers, the better the honey produced, and in just a short distance, Suming had already seen dozens of different types of wildflowers.


    Huiya followed closely behind Suming, floundering in the tall grass that was even higher than it, yfully chasing butterflies and dragonflies, trampling arge swath of the meadow, thoroughly enjoying itself.


    In such a ce, it was umon to find anyrge predators, and with Haidong Qing patrolling in the sky, Suming let Huiya romp around as it pleased.


    So he casually followed the honeb deeper into the valley and, after walking more than a mile, finally saw the long-lost swarm of bees.


    In the branches of about a dozenrge por trees, heavy beehives were hanging. One particrlyrge hive, about half a person tall, was especially noticeable.


    Throughout the woods, bees flew swarming, far more than Suming had anticipated. At a distance, the mass of bees looked like a dark nket.


    "Eh? Why are there so many bees?"


    Suming was slightly surprised to see that the number of bees before him was at least five to six timesrger than thest swarm, covering the sky and filling the air. Even if the Queen Bee was prolific, the bee colony couldn''t have grown sorge in such a short time, could it?


    Upon closer inspection, Suming realized something was amiss!


    These bees were grouped together, constantly colliding violently, with mass attacks between clusters of bees, and injured bees were falling on the ground like raindrops!


    The bee colony was not making honey at all, but was in the midst of a war!

 Chapter 107 Battle in the Valley (Part 1)

    "What''s going on? Could there be a mutiny?!"


    Seeing the bees fighting amongst themselves, Suming was shocked. It had been a good month since hest saw them, and now he wondered if there was some conflict between the honeybees and the wasps, or if something had happened to the honeybees themselves that started infighting.


    Looking closely, most of the wasps weren''t participating in the battle. They were grouped together, guarding thergest hive; it didn''t look like a mutiny. They were probably protecting the Queen Bee''s safety.


    Moreover, honeybees are naturally pacifistic, and their stingers can only be used once. After stinging, they would die, so honeybees normally won''t engage in battle lightly, let alone attack their trenchmates, the wasps, without any good reason.


    Furthermore, with the Queen Bee, whose intelligence far exceeded that of a regr honeybee, presiding over the swarm, such circumstances should have never urred. The swarm should only thrive and grow.


    With these thoughts in mind, Suming, filled with doubt, projected his spiritual power into the warring bee factions.


    As soon as his spiritual power entered the swarm, the honeybees he touched were immediately distinguished. They split into two clearly divided camps.


    A small portion of honeybees gave off a familiar feeling, like poverty-stricken peasants seeing their Red Army kin; while the vast majority of honeybees seemed perplexed by the spiritual power, showing no response at all, as if it was their first encounter with spiritual power.


    Suming then realized it wasn''t a mutiny within his swarm, rather, his own bees were battling unfamiliar ones from the mountains.


    In that case, of course, he had to help his own.


    Without hesitation, and no time to ask any questions, Suming channeled half of his spiritual power into his faction of bees, organizing the individually fighting swarm into a systematic battle formation, just like thest time. Withrger, stronger bees leading the groups and Suming in overallmand, they fought strategically.


    At the same time, he used the old method, throwing the remainder of his spiritual power over the enemy swarm.


    The bees in the forest were so densely packed that when the spiritual power hit, it controlled arge number of the enemy honeybees, like a descending upon them.


    Suming''s spiritual power now vastly surpassed the level it was at the first time he controlled bees, forcibly causing hundreds of the enemy honeybees to ''defect'' at once.


    If any refused to obey, Suming didn''t bother with words. With a jolt of spiritual power, if he didn''t shake them to death, at least he could stun them, rendering them incapacitated!


    With that, the previously disadvantaged Su Army Bees suddenly got a shot of adrenaline. With the help of arge number of controlled defectors, theyunched an effective counterattack against the opposing swarm, significantly changing the situation.


    But the enemy''s numbers were truly overwhelming. Although the bees Suming controlled amounted to hundreds, they were just an insignificant part of the enemy''s force. The remaining enemy swarm still held an absolute numerical advantage.


    After a brief initial confusion, the enemy honeybees, of unknown origin, quickly turned the tide, using their superior numbers to firmly suppress the Su Army Bees, regaining the upper hand.


    Even with Suming''smand, it often took three or four of the enemy''s lives to take down one of the Su Army''s, but the enemy bees were nearly innumerable, like a nket covering the sky. It wasn''t just a matter of trading three or four lives for one of Suming''s bees; they could afford to trade thirty or forty, and still have plenty to spare.


    If this trend continued, the Su Army Bees would be wiped out before all the enemies could be killed.


    Moreover, there were enemy forces that had clearly spotted Suming, swarming towards him in droves.


    "Damn it!"


    Suming''s scalp tingled as he stared at the dense swarm of bees getting closer and closer. Just the group flying towards him probably numbered over ten thousand. No matter how powerful his spiritual power, he could not possibly control so many at once.


    "Save me! My God, someone save me!" Suming''s voice cracked as he let out a frantic shout, nearly wetting himself with fear.


    There was a slight shadow overhead as three gigantic birds descended from the sky, charging towards the swarm!


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    The Haidong Qing let out a long cry, diving with its wings spread like des on either side of its body. It struck hard into the middle of the swarm!


    Lunging forward at high speed, the Haidong Qing, like a sharp battle sword, easily cleaved a clear path through the dense swarm, splitting the bees in half!


    The Haidong Qing soared back into the sky, then once more performed a dive, charging repeatedly through the swarm at high speed, each time easily breaching the bee''s defense and slicing the dense swarm into pieces, throwing them into total disarray!


    If the Haidong Qing was an invincible de, then the two Diamond Parrots were like twin hammers!


    The flying capability of the Diamond Parrots was subpar, nowhere near that of the Haidong Qing. If they tried to replicate the Haidong Qing''s stylish, high-speed dive, the only result would be a nosedive into the ground, leaving them dazed and confused!


    But they had their own methods!


    The Parrot sisters, one on the left and one on the right, charged into the wings of the swarm like two hefty penguins, waddling with plump figures. With a powerful p of their wings, they could create a gust that blew awayrge clusters of bees.


    Though their flight was weak, they were not incapable of flying. Within the swarm, the two parrots glided more than they flew, hopping and skipping like tworge tanks bulldozing through a crowd of infantry, scattering the surrounding bees in all directions with every move.


    "Squash you, squash you!" They squawked as they barged through.


    Birds are the natural nemesis of bees. They have thick, dense feathers that even the stingers of bees or hos can''t prate. Both the Haidong Qing and the Diamond Parrots were exceptional in this regard. In their presence, it didn''t matter how numerous the Su Army Bees were; they could only passively receive blows.


    Moreover, Suming was causing havoc in the rear with his spiritual power! This time he had learned to be smarter. Instead of using his spiritual power to directly control the rebellion of the bees, he divided his power into several streams, causing chaos within the swarm, harassing here and stirring up trouble there. Sometimes, he even deliberately gathered the bees in the path of the three birds'' attack, scattering arge group with a swoop.


    After the three birds dispersed the bees, they didn''t wait for the opponent to regroup. A surge of spiritual power would shake violently, knocking the recently recovered bees into disarray.


    It didn''t take long for the bees, with their limited intelligence, to lose all ability to mount an effective offensive, bingpletely disorganized.


    The terrifying aspect of a bee swarm lies in its numbers. Thousands of bees attacking at once would even make wolves and tigers flee. But now, with the desperate defenses of the three giant birds and Suming''s interference, the attacking battalion of bees heading for Suming had been totally routed!

 Chapter 107 : 107: Battle in the Valley (Part 1)

    "What''s going on? Could there be a mutiny?!"


    Seeing the bees fighting amongst themselves, Suming was shocked. It had been a good month since hest saw them, and now he wondered if there was some conflict between the honeybees and the wasps, or if something had happened to the honeybees themselves that started infighting.


    Looking closely, most of the wasps weren''t participating in the battle. They were grouped together, guarding thergest hive; it didn''t look like a mutiny. They were probably protecting the Queen Bee''s safety.


    Moreover, honeybees are naturally pacifistic, and their stingers can only be used once. After stinging, they would die, so honeybees normally won''t engage in battle lightly, let alone attack their trenchmates, the wasps, without any good reason.


    Furthermore, with the Queen Bee, whose intelligence far exceeded that of a regr honeybee, presiding over the swarm, such circumstances should have never urred. The swarm should only thrive and grow.


    With these thoughts in mind, Suming, filled with doubt, projected his spiritual power into the warring bee factions.


    As soon as his spiritual power entered the swarm, the honeybees he touched were immediately distinguished. They split into two clearly divided camps.


    A small portion of honeybees gave off a familiar feeling, like poverty-stricken peasants seeing their Red Army kin; while the vast majority of honeybees seemed perplexed by the spiritual power, showing no response at all, as if it was their first encounter with spiritual power.


    Suming then realized it wasn''t a mutiny within his swarm, rather, his own bees were battling unfamiliar ones from the mountains.


    In that case, of course, he had to help his own.


    Without hesitation, and no time to ask any questions, Suming channeled half of his spiritual power into his faction of bees, organizing the individually fighting swarm into a systematic battle formation, just like thest time. Withrger, stronger bees leading the groups and Suming in overallmand, they fought strategically.


    At the same time, he used the old method, throwing the remainder of his spiritual power over the enemy swarm.


    The bees in the forest were so densely packed that when the spiritual power hit, it controlled arge number of the enemy honeybees, like a descending upon them.


    Suming''s spiritual power now vastly surpassed the level it was at the first time he controlled bees, forcibly causing hundreds of the enemy honeybees to ''defect'' at once.


    If any refused to obey, Suming didn''t bother with words. With a jolt of spiritual power, if he didn''t shake them to death, at least he could stun them, rendering them incapacitated!


    With that, the previously disadvantaged Su Army Bees suddenly got a shot of adrenaline. With the help of arge number of controlled defectors, theyunched an effective counterattack against the opposing swarm, significantly changing the situation.


    But the enemy''s numbers were truly overwhelming. Although the bees Suming controlled amounted to hundreds, they were just an insignificant part of the enemy''s force. The remaining enemy swarm still held an absolute numerical advantage.


    After a brief initial confusion, the enemy honeybees, of unknown origin, quickly turned the tide, using their superior numbers to firmly suppress the Su Army Bees, regaining the upper hand.


    Even with Suming''smand, it often took three or four of the enemy''s lives to take down one of the Su Army''s, but the enemy bees were nearly innumerable, like a nket covering the sky. It wasn''t just a matter of trading three or four lives for one of Suming''s bees; they could afford to trade thirty or forty, and still have plenty to spare.


    If this trend continued, the Su Army Bees would be wiped out before all the enemies could be killed.


    Moreover, there were enemy forces that had clearly spotted Suming, swarming towards him in droves.


    "Damn it!"


    Suming''s scalp tingled as he stared at the dense swarm of bees getting closer and closer. Just the group flying towards him probably numbered over ten thousand. No matter how powerful his spiritual power, he could not possibly control so many at once.


    "Save me! My God, someone save me!" Suming''s voice cracked as he let out a frantic shout, nearly wetting himself with fear.


    There was a slight shadow overhead as three gigantic birds descended from the sky, charging towards the swarm!


    The Haidong Qing let out a long cry, diving with its wings spread like des on either side of its body. It struck hard into the middle of the swarm!


    Lunging forward at high speed, the Haidong Qing, like a sharp battle sword, easily cleaved a clear path through the dense swarm, splitting the bees in half!


    The Haidong Qing soared back into the sky, then once more performed a dive, charging repeatedly through the swarm at high speed, each time easily breaching the bee''s defense and slicing the dense swarm into pieces, throwing them into total disarray!


    If the Haidong Qing was an invincible de, then the two Diamond Parrots were like twin hammers!


    The flying capability of the Diamond Parrots was subpar, nowhere near that of the Haidong Qing. If they tried to replicate the Haidong Qing''s stylish, high-speed dive, the only result would be a nosedive into the ground, leaving them dazed and confused!


    But they had their own methods!


    The Parrot sisters, one on the left and one on the right, charged into the wings of the swarm like two hefty penguins, waddling with plump figures. With a powerful p of their wings, they could create a gust that blew awayrge clusters of bees.


    Though their flight was weak, they were not incapable of flying. Within the swarm, the two parrots glided more than they flew, hopping and skipping like tworge tanks bulldozing through a crowd of infantry, scattering the surrounding bees in all directions with every move.


    "Squash you, squash you!" They squawked as they barged through.


    Birds are the natural nemesis of bees. They have thick, dense feathers that even the stingers of bees or hos can''t prate. Both the Haidong Qing and the Diamond Parrots were exceptional in this regard. In their presence, it didn''t matter how numerous the Su Army Bees were; they could only passively receive blows.


    Moreover, Suming was causing havoc in the rear with his spiritual power! This time he had learned to be smarter. Instead of using his spiritual power to directly control the rebellion of the bees, he divided his power into several streams, causing chaos within the swarm, harassing here and stirring up trouble there. Sometimes, he even deliberately gathered the bees in the path of the three birds'' attack, scattering arge group with a swoop.


    After the three birds dispersed the bees, they didn''t wait for the opponent to regroup. A surge of spiritual power would shake violently, knocking the recently recovered bees into disarray.


    It didn''t take long for the bees, with their limited intelligence, to lose all ability to mount an effective offensive, bingpletely disorganized.


    The terrifying aspect of a bee swarm lies in its numbers. Thousands of bees attacking at once would even make wolves and tigers flee. But now, with the desperate defenses of the three giant birds and Suming''s interference, the attacking battalion of bees heading for Suming had been totally routed!

 Chapter 108 The Battle in the Valley (Part 2)

    The enemy Bee Strike Group Army wanted to execute a beheading operation against Suming, but instead of stealing a chicken, they ended up losing their rice. Suming''s head was not cut off; instead, the three big birds and Suming gave the enemy a good dose of spiritual power harassment that was almost like jesting and bantering, leaving their forces in total disarray. There weren''t actually many bee casualties, but their morale and spirits were thoroughly scattered. The remaining ones were like headless flies, flying aimlessly without purpose.


    "It''s best to pursue the retreating enemy with vigor. The battle had only achieved a partial victory, and the reactionaries are trash, they won''t voluntarily crawl into the trash bin unless you sweep them into it. In the main battlefield of the forest, the Su Army Bees were still being suppressed. Without pausing, Suming immediately directed the three big birds to rush into the woods, assisting the Su Army in dealing with the remaining enemies and engaging in a second battle."


    With the experience gained earlier, the battle went much more smoothly.


    Although there were many enemy bees, they were not like the Su Army Bees, which were directed by Suming and resembled more a group of scattered soldiers. On the Su side, they already had their own bridgehead. The Su Army Bees trapped in the center were like a huge bait, attracting the enemy bees to surround and attack. A few big birds charged together, with spiritual powering to the rescue from all around.


    The trick to surrounding a point and rescuing is to have enough strength to defeat the reinforcements, but the enemy bees clearly didn''t possess this strength. The reinforcements they attracted were not of the weak kind like in the Meng Lianggu Campaign with Li Tianxia and Huang Baitao''s troops, but rather the heavenly soldiers and generals of the animal kingdom. The besieged Su Army Bees were no less than the American Mecha Ace Division. Despite the huge numerical difference between the two sides, their actualbat effectiveness was exactly the opposite.


    As time passed, the enemy bees'' living strength dwindled, with most of them dispersed, and they couldn''t even maintain a numerical advantage over the Su Army anymore.


    After fighting for over an hour, Suming suddenly realized that despite the vastness of the woods, there were no more adversaries left¡ªthe enemy bees hadpletely copsed.


    "It''s so lonely..." Suming looked up at the sky, making a goose-like gesture, his eyes even squeezing out tears of loneliness born from being at the top.


    Actually, it was because he had been carelessly bitten on the back of his neck, and it hurt.


    "Stupid idiot..." came the parrot sisters'' weak but mocking voices from within the forest. After a big battle, although the three birds weren''t injured, they were exhausted! Of course they were, even ughtering a hundred thousand pigs bound up without resistance would require half a day of exertion, let alone inbat.


    "Why didn''t anyone kill you two smart mouths?" Suming rolled his eyes, spat on his hand, and rubbed it on the big lump where he was bitten on the neck¡ªanother jolt of pain¡ªbefore he entered the woods to observe the aftermath of the battle. Readtest stories on m_v-l''e|-NovelBin


    A fierce battle had been fought, and the woods were strewn with dead bee corpses everywhere, among them a few wasps as well. The grass was thickly carpeted with them, making a crunching sound when stepped on, guts and fluid oozing out¡ªit was disgustingly revolting.


    "I heard that roasted bees are delicious. I should have brought a grill, to avoid wasting them!" Suming thought wickedly.


    The enemy''s casualties were too many to count, nor was there a need to. But based on previous observations, the Su Army bees and wasps had suffered casualties up to 30% of their total numbers, with almost no injured survivors, all dead in battle.


    It was a good thing Suming arrived in time. They''d just about managed to win the battle. If he had been even half a dayter, he would not have been able to see his subordinates, the bees he had painstakingly raised.


    "What the hell is going on! Damn it, what exactly is happening!"


    Although he had won, Suming still had his head in the clouds. Bees were peaceful creatures, andrge-scale battles like this were rare, even among different groups. What on earth was going on? It was not easy to grow arge group of bees and hos that could provide a stable supply of honey, and now so many had died all at once. Suming felt as if his heart was aching¡ªthis was all his property!


    The bees in the colony were exining to Suming through ''mental power'' in a buzz of voices, but these creatures'' intelligence was so low that it took forever to express a simple word or phrase, let alone rify such aplex event. Suming had questioned them for a long time and not only had gotten nowhere but also ended up with a headache from the incessant buzzing of these bees.


    "Where''s the leader, Queen Bee, you tell me!" Suming directly contacted the Queen Bee with his spiritual power.


    When Suming was not around, the Queen Bee was the highest authority in the bee colony, with most of the hos guarding her. So the Queen Bee was rtively safe. Likewise, in Suming''s absence, she was the only one who couldmand all the bees and hos.


    "You little wench, if you don''t spill the beans today, I..." Suming threatened fiercely but stopped mid-sentence. Even if the little wench couldn''t give a reasonable exnation, he couldn''t really force himself on her, could he¡ªwhateveres before or after?


    Although he couldn''t really impose any terrible punishment on the Queen Bee, she could still clearly sense Suming''s anger through his spiritual power and shrank back into her hive in fright.


    The Queen Bee had grown bigger since theirst encounter and now resembled a small kitten, huddling pitifully in her nest, too scared to respond to Suming''s words.


    "Honey, running away is useless! Come clean, and for the sake of our past affection, I won''t make things difficult for you!" Suming changed his strategy, beckoning the Queen Bee with a finger and saying with a flirty smile.


    The Queen Bee wasn''t stupid; the problem was that the spiritual connection was too direct, and facial expressions couldn''t lie. She could still detect Suming''s rage beneath his rogue-ish grin.


    After repeatedly questioning her several times, the Queen Bee finally sent several weak strands of spiritual power, like a child who had done something wrong, somewhat hesitantly exining to Suming the cause and process of the event.


    To say she ''exined'' it wasn''t quite right; the Queen Bee didn''t have thenguage skills for that, but through the direct exchange of spiritual power, Suming finally figured out what had happened!


    This valley was flourishing, and before the Queen Bee led her troops here, there were already more than a dozen groups of indigenous bees thriving. Each group''s numbers far exceeded that of the Queen Bee''s.


    As Suming knew, bees were not belligerent and the valley was big enough to amodate even several times as many bees, so when the Queen Bee''s troops settled here, the local indigenous bees didn''t show any hostility. Of course, there was also no sort ofmunication between them. Both sides went about their own business and lived their own lives; initially, they got along just fine.


    If anyone is to be med, it would be the Queen Bee for stirring up trouble and causing a big mess.


    Strictly speaking, it wasn''t entirely the Queen Bee''s fault for causing trouble¡ªin the end, it was Suming who had created the chaos.

 Chapter 109: Chapter 109 Indigenous Alliance Army

    Bees are not prone to warfare. Apart from natural instincts, there''s another important reason: their intelligence is quite low.


    War, politics, or, in other words, the actions of grabbing money, food, women, or territory are mostly exhibited by higher life forms. Creatures like bees, who are almost brainless, will not engage in a life-or-death struggle unless other beings threaten their survival. Their tiny brains certainly don''t entertain thoughts of ''honor,'' ''conquest,'' or ''progress.''


    In fact, except for humans, the vast majority of animals do not attack other animals unless their lives are threatened or for the sake of hunting to survive.


    If the Su Army Bees were still like ordinary bees, there would, of course, be no issue, and what Suming would have seen today would have been a beautiful scene of colonists and Indigenous Bees living harmoniously together. Unfortunately, the new bees had been baptized by spiritual power, and both their intelligence and other abilities far surpassed those of the Indigenous Bees.


    The Queen Bee was among the best of them, even beginning to develop a rudimentary thinking ability. In a sense, this Queen Bee had already transcended other bees by a whole level of life, bing a different species entirely. The gap might even be greater than that between human ancestors and apes.


    When the neers'' civilization far exceeds that of the natives, yet the natives upy the richestnds and endless resources, war is almost inevitable.


    But it is only ''almost'' inevitable, not absolutely so.


    Although the Queen Bee wasrge, it had littlebat ability and was, in fact, the least warmongering among the bee colony. The existence of the Indigenous Bees did not threaten the survival of the Su Army Bees. Under normal circumstances, fighting might not ur.


    But the problem just had to lie with the Queen Bee!


    Since acquiring rudimentary thinking ability, the Queen Bee was no longer on the same level as other bees, even those from its own tribe. Despite the size of the colony, there was not a single bee capable ofmunicating with it.


    In the vast valley, therger the bee colony grew, the more intensely the Queen Bee felt its solitude.


    People cannot be idle; too much idleness leads to mischief, and this is even more true for women, whose idle thoughts run wild over time. Granting women the same rights to work as men is indisputably one of humanity''s most creative legitive acts. By channeling women''s excess energy into work, it has liberated countless malepatriots...


    "I digress!" Suming continued to organize his thoughts.


    Idle and bored, what could an idle woman do? Shop and buy clothes? Clearly, the Queen Bee was not in such a condition; gossip with girlfriends? Please, there wasn''t any other bee worthy of being her girlfriend here!


    So that left only one option: think about men!


    Therefore, within her secluded chamber, the lonely, cold, empty, and helpless Queen Bee increasingly longed for her spiritual and life mentor, Comrade Su Ming.


    She had tried several times through Er Gouzi to send a message, wishing to see Suming, but Suming had been too busytely, barely touching the ground with his feet, and thus, visiting the bee colony in the mountains had been on hold.


    When a woman has too much idle time and starts to indulge in wild thoughts, it is already a very dangerous omen, and if this woman wields power, it often leads to big trouble!


    Bees are the same, with the Queen Bee feeling bored, she actually started entertaining the thought of "expanding her territory", turning her longing for Suming into the drive to increase her tribe''s domain.


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    In her simple mind, an unsophisticated idea emerged: since the swarm could provide honey to help Suming, then expanding the swarm''s territory and bringing more bees under hermand would produce more honey and better help Suming.


    And so, a fierce war thus unfolded!


    In the valley, there were originally twelve groups of Indigenous Bees, with even the smallest group outnumbering the Queen Bee''s followers; however, the bees led by the Queen Bee, in both individual and team fighting strength, surpassed the Indigenous Bee groups. Not to mention they also had arge group of fierce ho enforcers. Thus, during the initial days of the war, the Queen Bee''s troops took the Indigenous Bees by surprise, quickly annexing two small tribes!


    As a result, they had now provoked collective fury!


    Bees, with their low intelligence, don''t think much and don''t have any schemes in their bellies, but precisely because of this, they have a natural and urate instinct for danger. The behavior of these foreign bees posed a huge threat to the remaining Indigenous Bee groups in the valley, and they decided to join forces topletely eliminate this group of invaders.


    The remaining ten groups of bees joined hands, outnumbering the Queen Bee''s followers by dozens or even hundreds of times, and within just a few days, the Queen Bee''s troops were forced into a retreat, suffering heavy losses. Not only did they lose all the gains from their conquests, but they also had most of their original territory snatched away, leaving them only with this small forest as a base, struggling to resist the Indigenous Alliance Army.


    Luckily, the Indigenous Alliance Army did not have amander like Suming and only acted on instinct. After gaining a good position, they did not press on to annihte the Su Armypletely but, every day, sent arge group of bees to attack the forest.


    Sometimes they sent more, sometimes less; even at its smallest, the enemy forces outnumbered the Su Army Bees by one or two times. Fortunately, the Indigenous Bees were not smart, and within their own groups, there was hardly any coordination, let alonebined arms across tribes. Meanwhile, the Queen Bee had arge group of hos, which, at critical moments, could serve as a surprise weapon, enabling her to barely hold on up until now, though each day the ranks were thinning.


    "So you''re saying it''s all my fault? It''s because I''m cold-hearted and uncaring, failing to show concern, that we''re in this situation?" Suming asked the Queen Bee, pointing at his nose.


    The Queen Bee dared not make a sound, which amounted to an admission.


    "Damn it! Since the battle has started, why didn''t you notify me earlier?"


    Suming was a bit annoyed. Since the war had already begun, the Queen Bee should have informed him earlier. If he''d known there was a war of annihtion going on in the valley, he would have dropped everything toe here on a two-day leave.


    A feeling of distress emerged from the spiritual power of the Queen Bee, as if afraid of being punished by Suming. It had started the war and if it had won, of course, there would have been no issue; but with the current situation of being passively beaten and suffering heavy losses, it seemed hesitant to ask Suming for help, fearing his punishment.


    Or rather, it worried that Suming, who rarely visited as it was, might distance himself even more because of this incident.


    Suming almost burst intoughter at the absurdity: "Good grief, you aren''t even a real woman, can''t you be a bit less delicate in your thoughts? Big sis, as the Queen Bee, don''t you think you should have the imposing presence of a mother of the world? You''re making me scared here. If in a few years you really develop human intelligence, won''t I be tormented to death by your gloomy grudge?!"

 Chapter 110 Friend and Foe

    As for the Queen Bee''s feminine whims, Suming was truly speechless. Different animals have different personalities¡ªbears, wolves, and even two foul-mouthed parrots, Suming could understand, but the Queen Bee had now transformed into a resentful woman, which really gave him the creeps!


    What the heck, sister, you''re just a bee, do I have to date you all day long or what?!


    Even if you have a nice figure, a slim waist, and a big butt, Nangong Yan''s figure isn''t bad either, not to mention she''s got two big white buns in the front. As the saying goes, you can nibble when you''re hungry and squeeze out a juice when you''re thirsty; they can even warm your hands when it''s cold. Sister, as a bee, even if I wanted to date you, how would that work? Do you want me to break you?!


    "Yikes, that''s so vile..." Suming shivered, "Forget it, forget it. Let''s not assign me. Trouble has been caused, so I''ll clean it up. Next time you have any actions nned, report to me first!"


    Queen Bee: "..."


    Now isn''t the time to discuss who''s right and who''s wrong. In wars among animals, talking about right and wrong doesn''t really make sense. Romance between humans and beasts... Damn it. I said I wouldn''t bring this up...


    The key point is that the Queen Bee is under Suming''smand. Even if she was at fault, Suming didn''t want to me her. As the saying goes, familyes first, not reason; your elbow must never turn outward! Experience more content on m v|l e''-NovelBin


    The pressing matter at hand is how to win this battle!


    Suming''s Queen Bee had already deeply offended the other bee queens in Hundred Flowers Valley, and irrevocably so!


    It''s said that women are petty and hold long grudges, but this issue isn''t really about gender. From a biological perspective, the Queen Bee is the mother of the entire hive, the highest ruler. Each hive can only have one queen bee, and when two hives merge into one, one of the queens must inevitably be killed!


    A mountain cannot have two tigers, a house cannot have two queens... Huh???


    Anyway, no matter what, now that war has broken out and brains have been bashed out, Suming''s Queen Bee is naturally opposed to the other indigenous queens, stuck in a deadly struggle! Either the nine queens of the other hives will die, or the Su Army Queen Bee will fall. Otherwise, the war will never end!


    If Suming had to choose, of course, there was no suspense¡ªhe''d let the other nine queens die!


    Suming wondered if there was a rtively simple way to solve the problem, like using spiritual power to forcibly control the other queens and incorporate their hives under hismand.


    Let''s not talk about whether it''s feasible. Even if it is possible, there would be two huge potential problems.


    First, if the original queen bee still exists, her hive will not truly assimte with another hive. In the future, the dozen or so hives would still be loose sand, acting independently, only nominally under Suming''s rule;


    Second, and most troublesome, the Queen Bee has developed intelligence because of spiritual power, so the other queens, after long exposure to spiritual power, will likely also develop intelligence and learn simple reasoning.


    Perhaps it''s because the Queen Bee is ''female'' that her thoughts are veryplex. A thinking female queen bee is already enough of a headache for Suming. Imagine if in the future he has to deal with over a dozen thinking female queens, rife with ongoing grudges and conflicts¡ªwouldn''t he be driven mad?!


    Furthermore, what if, just what if, all those dozen or so queens wanted to date him, each with their own different temperaments¡ªcould their jealousy and other odd rivalries lead to another fight? Would they not rest until they''ve ripped each other''s guts out and sttered each other''s brains everywhere?


    "Why must it be like this, could being too charming be a curse?"


    Suming looked up to the sky and let out a long sigh. I''m supposed to run a zoo, not be an emperor. I don''t need any of this pce intrigue stuff!


    After giving it some thought, Suming, embodying the boldness of a bigmonster, decided to thoroughly settle the issue once and for all by killing all the Queen Bees from the other species to prevent future troubles!


    "Sympathy for women and love for beauty, I never understood that crap! What I love is to mercilessly destroy beauty, to brutally force my way, mwahaha!"


    The Queen Bee immediately conveyed a burst of jubnt emotion, twisting her slender, plump hips toward Suming. Herpound eyes glittered with something called ruthlessness, appearing like an aplice!


    "So cruel! So cruel!"


    "So malicious! So malicious!"


    The two Diamond Parrots hopped around noisily, constantly squawking, until Suming grabbed their beaks.


    "Let me go, let me go..." the parrots shook their heads, trying to struggle out of Suming''s devilish grasp.


    "Keep bbering and moving, and I''ll send you two to be the vanguard!" Suming threatened them fiercely.


    The two Diamond Parrots immediately fell silent.


    Don''t be fooled by their recent triumph, decimating the native bee tribes effortlessly, but that was only because today''s attacking bee tribe was just a small part of the Indigenous Alliance Army. Furthermore, they had the home-field advantage, with the Su Army Bees taking the front, Haidong Qing leading, and Suming backing them up, allowing for a glorious battle record as if they were fighting in an uninhabited territory.


    If the pair of them dared to charge into Indigenous Alliance Army''s territory alone, facing the remaining ten groups of the alliance bees, even if they were twice as fierce, they wouldn''t be able to withstand it. They wouldn''t die but certainly would be stripped of ayer of skin.


    "Just how many are in the Indigenous Alliance Army!"


    The Queen Bee couldn''t provide an exact number. The enemy hadn''t sent their entire forces in one go yet. If that had happened, the Su Army would have already beenpletely wiped out!


    Hence, Suming could only gather a rough estimate. Among the remaining ten groups of bees, the smallest group had more than five times the number of the original Su Army, not considering the current Su Army, which had already been reduced by 30%. Thergest group, on the other hand, had numbers over fifteen times greater than that of the Su Army! The bee army they repelled today was merely a small part of the alliance.


    "Damn it, now it''s truly going to be one against a hundred!"


    Even Suming was a bit shocked. What kind of concept was that? Thousands simply couldn''t describe it. It was probably several hundreds of thousands!


    With so many bees gathered together, not even Haidong Qing or the Diamond Parrots could do anything. Although they had thick feathers to protect them from the bee stings, their stamina was limited. The alliance army could simply assign a portion of their forces to exhaust them to death.


    Faced with such a vast number of bees, Suming''s current spiritual power was also of little use. Controlling hundreds or even thousands at a time was futile and wouldn''t take long to be overwhelmed by the bee army.


    Moreover, thebat strength on their side was already dwindling. After several days of intense warfare, not only had the Su Army Bees been severely reduced, but the warriors were also extremely tired. Some couldn''t even fly properly anymore and were resting on the ground. Forcing them into battle would be no different than sending them to their deaths.


    Additionally, Suming''s side had a fatal weakness!

 Chapter 111: Chapter 111 Counter-Decapitation Operation

    The strongest ces are often also the greatest fatal weaknesses; the human brain controls all actions, and an army''smand center directs hundreds of thousands of troops. Just a single bullet or a shell can bring down a person or paralyze an army.


    Therefore, for Suming''s side, the most dangerous and weakest link was actually Suming himself, as themanding officer.


    If the Indigenous Alliance Army was just a bit smarter and directly sent hundreds of thousands of bees to attack Suming himself, Suming wouldn''t even have a chance to escape and would immediately be dead as a doornail. Even if the Indigenous Alliance Army wasn''t smart enough to think of a decapitation strategy, just like today, with random attacks and a small portion of bees swarming, it was enough trouble for Suming!


    "Mother..." The thought of being stung by hundreds of thousands of bees made Suming''s skin crawl, and he shivered involuntarily.


    "Mother... Mother..."


    "So itchy... So itchy..."


    The Diamond Parrot not only mimicked speech but also imitated Suming''s shivering motion, convincingly trembling a few times while squawking strangely and shaking its feathers. A number of dead bees were sandwiched in its feathers, and they fell like rain showering arge swath of bee corpses as it shook.


    "Shut up, are you shaking fleas off!" Suming red at them, and then his eyes rolled around aimlessly.


    Actually, it wasn''t entirely without a solution!


    The greatest weakness of the Bee Allied Army was their low intelligence; so far, even after being defeated today, there was not the slightest indication that they would deploy their entire force. Hence, they were virtually incapacitating themselves, relinquishing their greatest advantage: numbers.


    If Suming was willing to take it slowly, subduing a portion of the bees today, taking out a squad of the Alliance Army tomorrow, gradually wearing down the enemy''s strength, the tide would turn in his favor, and he could eventually eliminate the Alliance Army.


    The problem was that this approach was too time-consuming; it certainly couldn''t be resolved within ten days or half a month. Suming had only taken a few days off, and he had brought out several protected animals from the zoo; if he didn''t return after half a month, the zoo would surely file a missing report. The police, apanied by sniffer dogs, would surely search the mountains, and it would be no good if they stumbled upon this ce by mistake.


    Not to mention anyone else, after being missing for over ten days, they would definitely notify my mother. My mother is already in poor health; she mustn''t get so agitated that she passes away ¨C that would mean gaining a wife while forgetting one''s own mother...


    Wait? Did I just say something strange...?


    "What should I do? Decapitation? Wait, I''ve got it!"


    Suming thought for a while, and his eyes lit up ¨C if the Bee Allied Army didn''t know how to use the decapitation tactic, why shouldn''t he?!


    Although the Queen Bee of the Alliance Army wasn''t as crucial to them as Suming was to hismand, she was still the leader of the swarm, having a significant impact on the whole swarm''sbat strength!


    If he could eliminate the Queen Bee from each group within the Alliance Army, theirbat strength would drop drastically, and it was very likely that many of the Indigenous Bees would defect to the Su Army, which had a Queen Bee. Suming didn''t believe that bees had any racial pride or a never-surrender integrity; for most animals, the saying "He who provides is mother" wasn''t derogatory, but a rule of survival.


    Then, with his support from the sidelines, maybe it would only take a few days to resolve the Alliance Army''s issue and subdue thempletely.


    Ever since acquiring the ability tomunicate with animals, Suming had mostly encountered lone animals and was used to overpowering them with his spiritual power; he seldom faced being overpowered by them, so much so that it took him a while to remember precision targeted strikes.


    "I''m so itchy... I''m dying from the itchiness..."


    The two Diamond Parrots were still shaking their ws when Suming gripped their necks, one in each hand, and lifted them out, "You two, go ahead with me to scout the enemy''s position and figure out the exact location of the Queen Bee! Haidong Qing, stand by in the air!"


    To carry out a counter-headhunting strategy, the first step was to ascertain the position of the enemy''s Queen Bee; otherwise, searching for the nine Queen Bees amidst the vast Hundred Flowers Valley and countless protective bees was almost like looking for a needle in a haystack.


    Huiya leaped forward a few steps, ready to follow, but Suming quickly released a burst of spiritual power: Stay put.


    Huiya''s thinyer of downy hair was no match for the attacks of a swarm of bees, not to mention itself, even its father, the Wolf King, surrounded by so many bees, would meet his end.


    The animal kingdom has its peculiar rules, one thing suppressing another; wolves dare to sh with Haidong Qing and even more so dominate the Diamond Parrots, yet ironically they stood no chance against little bees. On the contrary, even the smallest bird species, as long as they are feathered, are not afraid of bees, having a dead grip over them.


    Leaving the beehive forest where the Queen Bee''s headquarters was located, Suming headed towards the depths of the valley with his three bodyguards. The Diamond Parrots, being toorge, hardly flew and hopped along on either side, while Haidong Qing circled overhead, observing the overall situation.


    Not far along the way, they neared the territory of the Allied Army, and just by looking from afar, Suming''s heart skipped a beat!


    It was a vast forest that was almost impossible to see across at first nce. Inside the forest, dense beehives hung like fruit on the branches. From a distance, the forest looked like a witch''s dwelling in a magical world''s ck Forest,pletely shrouded in a ck mist, swarming with countless bees.


    "How many could there possibly be!" Suming''s scalp tingled at the sight, and he didn''t dare to get too close, but from such a distance, it was impossible to see where the Allied Army''s Queen Bee was.


    Fortunately, the world nevercked traitors. Sumingy in the bushes, controlled a few passing Indigenous Bees using spiritual power, and instructed them to scout the forest.


    The forest was dozens of timesrger than the small woond where the Su Army was stationed, looking like a small forest itself. After the traitor bees flew in, they casually wandered around and only an hourter did they fly back,zily.


    Even so, they hadn''t figured out the positions of all the Queen Bees, only finding fourrge beehives.


    "Four is still four, one less for every one killed!"


    Sumingy in the bushes, using a Diamond Parrot as a shield, and gave instructions to Haidong Qing, "Follow the guidance of the traitor bees to perform targeted strikes, behead the Queen Bee!"


    The informant returned to therge wooded area and flew about twenty meters into the grove, finally stopping beneath an old elm tree!


    On the branches of that elm tree, there hung a beehive the size of a basketball, twice asrge as the others ¨C clearly, a Queen Bee resided inside!


    "Now''s the moment, take it down!" Sumingmanded Haidong Qing to carry out the beheading!


    Haidong Qing let out a long cry, its wings mped tightly against its back. It dived at a diagonal angle from mid-air like an arrow, fiercely plunging into the grove towards therge beehive!

 Chapter 112 Decapitation Strike, Failure!

    Haidong Qing was extremely fast, and when it charged into the woods, the bees hadn''t even reacted. In just a few seconds, Haidong Qing had located therge beehive, and with a slight effort of its ws, it snatched the hive, pped its wings and was ready to soar into the sky!


    "Well done!" Suming was greatly encouraged, his hands waved excitedly as if he had already seen sess within reach!


    It was the Diamond Parrot''s bad luck; Suming''s punch intended for someone elsended squarely on the unsuspecting Diamond Parrot''s belly. Mistakenly injured by the punch, therge body of the Diamond Parrot wobbled like a Weeble, staggering back a few steps before it fell on its back to the ground, its ws fluttering and it cried out weirdly, "Oh mother... I''m hit..."


    Suming: "..."


    However, what followed didn''t go as smoothly as imagined; it seemed that Haidong Qing had encountered trouble!


    When Haidong Qing dived, its speed was very fast, so fast that not a single bee, under normal circumstances, could keep up with it, leaving the bees far behind.


    But when it stopped midair to grab the hive with its ws, an unavoidable pause urred;


    And after seizing the hive, Haidong Qing had to elerate again to take off, which meant another short pause, not to mention the hive itself had weight!


    In that instant, the swarm within the forest erupted into chaos!


    In the woods, where there were bees everywhere, each inch of space bore traces of bee activity. Haidong Qing could shake off the bees chasing it, but as long as it remained in the forest, it was still surrounded by a sea of bees.


    This brief halt allowed the nearby bees to pounce onto the feathers of Haidong Qing. In the blink of an eye, the once majestic Haidong Qing turned into something that looked rather disgusting, covered in a denseyer of bees, which made it appear as if draped in a grey robe.


    Bees may be small, but they also have weight. One or two could go unnoticed, but several hundred bees were a different story. The umted weight now caused Haidong Qing''s speed to immediately falter; its body was even dragged downwards!


    Haidong Qing forcefully spread its wings, giving its body a violent shake!


    Like a rain of projectiles, countless bees were flung away as if they were concealed weapons. Yet, immediately more bees swarmed over again, taking their ce and crawling all over Haidong Qing.


    With its body entirely covered in bees, Haidong Qing no longer had space to move; additionally, the rest of the bees changed their strategy, swarming onto the hive en masse. In the blink of an eye, the hive grew fatter as it wasden with bees that vigorously pped their wings, pulling the hive downwards, preventing Haidong Qing from taking their queen.


    Not far away, even more swarms of bees were converging from all directions!


    "Damn!" Suming was dumbfounded. Were these still bees or a bunch of flies swarming around feces?


    In just the span of a few breaths, Haidong Qing was covered anew in several thickyers of bees. At first, Haidong Qing managed to p its wings a few times in struggle, but as more bees piled upon it, it became increasingly hard to even spread its wings. Whenever it barely managed to do so, arge swarm would surge into the space beneath its wings.


    Now in a dire situation with its wings immobile, Haidong Qing plummeted to the ground. Some bees were scattered by the fall, but many more swarmed in from all sides. Quickly, from Suming''s perspective, Haidong Qing''s outline was no longer visible. One could only see a ck, bulging mound on the forest floor, resembling a small hill that was still growing, its surface writhing disgustingly.


    Haidong Qing, truly a fierce creature, even when it fell to the ground, clung tightly to the beehive with both ws, refusing to let go and immediately attracting even more bees.


    Continuing like this, not to mention the Haidong Qing, even a Magical Beast wouldn''te out on top. Even if it wasn''t stung to death, it could be crushed, suffocated, or sickened to death¡­


    Seeing this, Suming couldn''t care less about beheading or not. At this point, the life of Haidong Qing was the most important. If anything happened to Haidong Qing, he could forget about his precision strike beheading n. Mr. Song would be the first to carry out a ''precision strike'' on him!


    Killing or losing a nationally protected animal wasn''t a big deal but wasn''t trivial either, especially since it was Suming who had volunteered to take it out of the zoo. Besides, Haidong Qing had been loyally protecting him on their journey, minding its own business. Falling from grace and being bullied was already miserable enough, but dying from such bullying would be utterly tragic.


    "Let go of the beehive,e back quickly!"


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    Suming hurriedly issued themand to Haidong Qing. At the same time, holding the shield, the Diamond Parrot rushed forward a great distance, getting as close to the woods as possible. He then used his spiritual power to shake off a portion of the bees attacking Haidong Qing.


    After receiving Suming''smand, Haidong Qing let go of the w, releasing the beehive.


    Free from this heavy burden, Haidong Qing immediately felt much less pressure. Most of the Bee Allied Army in the forest were also drawn to the beehive, guarding it fiercely and no longer climbing onto Haidong Qing.


    Haidong Qing pped its wings hurriedly but, unexpectedly, failed to take off. The number of bees on it was simply too great, forming a thick wall.


    Suming quickly injected his spiritual power into the fray, bang bang bang, the bees blocking Haidong Qing were blown away as if hit by small bombs, scattering in great numbers.


    Seizing the opportunity, Haidong Qing pped its wings vigorously, let out a cry, and finally soared into the sky!


    However, the Bee Allied Army seemed unwilling to let Haidong Qing go. Behind Haidong Qing, like a long dragon emerging from the forest, they relentlessly pursued!


    As the ruler of the skies, Haidong Qing''s flying skills were far superior to those of the bees. Once freed from the swarm, its speed increased, and it shot upward, like an arrow piercing the clouds, heading straight for the high heavens.


    The swarm below was left far behind, and the bees couldn''t fly that high. A few dozen meters up, and the strong winds would blow them away. Eventually, the pursuing swarm dispersed and returned to the forest.


    Haidong Qing shook its feathers in the air, like flicking off lice, dislodging many bees hidden among its plumage. Before they could hit the ground, they were whisked away by the wind.


    Suming, upon seeing this, finally let out a long sigh of relief. Holding the parrot, he quickly retreated to a safe spot and then sent out a psychicmand to have Haidong Qingnd.


    "Are you okay?"


    As soon as Haidong Qingnded, Suming tossed the parrot aside, hugged Haidong Qing, and thoroughly checked it to make sure it wasn''t seriously injured. Only after confirming it had lost just a few feathers did he finally settle down.


    The beheading n hadpletely failed.

 Chapter 113 The New Troops

    In the Su Army''s headquarters, the Queen Bee and Er Gouzi, along with arge swarm of Su Army Bees and hos, are buzzing around, receiving a briefing from Suming.


    Suming, hands sped behind his back, paces back and forth, muttering to himself, "Such a bloody lesson!"


    "Lesson... lesson..."


    "Bloody... bloody..."


    Two Diamond Parrots stand at the treetop, parroting loudly, imitating Suming''s demeanor, with wings folded behind them, their bellies puffed out, and their heads nodding minutely, as if they''re delivering a lecture to the bees.


    "The key issue now is..."


    Suming had gotten into the habit of talking to himself after spending so much time with animals. He was in the middle of a sentence when he suddenly shut up and looked up at the parrots.


    The parrots also gazed at him as if they were waiting for him to finish so they could mimic him.


    Suming rolled his eyes, thinking that the real issue was the overwhelming number of the Bee Allied Army. Their numbers were so terrifying that even the Haidong Qing, the fastest among them, couldn''t capture the enemy Queen Bee and kill her before being surrounded. It was even worse for these two hefty and slow-moving Diamond Parrots; at least the Haidong Qing could escape, but these two were simply delivering themselves on a tter.


    Could he only keep wearing them down slowly? This approach would waste a lot of time. Or he could go back to the city to buy those beekeeper suits... But that would take too much time and, considering today''s attack by the Haidong Qing, it was possible that the Bee Allied Army could crush him under their weight.


    The Haidong Qing had sustained minor injuries, but it didn''t affect itsbat ability. It had made a round in the sky and somehow grasped a sparrow, now bloodied and munching on it, intestines dangling out!


    Seeing the sparrow, an idea struck Suming. He yelled at the Haidong Qing, "Stop eating!"


    "Stop eating! Stop eating!" The two parrots had been waiting for Suming to speak and hurriedly imitated him.


    The Haidong Qing paused, looking nkly at Suming with a sparrow''s intestine hanging from its mouth, slurped it in, and waited for Suming''s briefing.


    "You forced my hand, using human-wave tactics against me, you''re still not up to par!"


    Suming snapped his fingers at the Haidong Qing, "Go, catch birds, any kind of bird! They have to be alive!"


    "Catch birds! Catch birds!"


    "Alive ones! Alive ones!"


    "Shut it, you two don''t just stand there either, you winged creatures, always hopping on the ground, aren''t you ashamed? Go and help out!" Suming turned and pointed at the two parrots.


    The parrots also pointed their wings at Suming, "Ashamed, are we? Ashamed, are we?" "Go help, go help!"


    "Damn it, I''m telling you two to go help!"


    Suming, striding like a reactionary warlord, marched up and smacked each of the parrots with a p.


    The Diamond Parrot sisters'' heads tilted from the impact, a couple of feathers flying up, finally realizing they were being told to move. They hopped and skipped out of the woods, pping hard and taking to the sky in a clumsy flight, joining the Haidong Qing to catch birds.


    "All units, rest, prepare for battle!" Suming barked the order at the Queen Bee.


    Subsequently, the two Diamond Parrots kept bringing back a variety of birds.


    Tiny sparrows, pitch-ck crows, chattering magpies that never stopped shrieking, delicaterks, intricately patterned thrushes, and even arge heron, a nationally protected animal.


    The heron, a waterfowl, was somehow captured by the Haidong Qing. After being dropped off, it looked bemusedly at a crowd of varied birds that werepletely different from itself.


    Sometimes the Diamond Parrots brought the birds back alone, and sometimes they herded arge flock like ducks. On one asion, the two parrots even teamed up to bring back an eagle.


    The eagle appeared dejected, covered in scratches, clearly having suffered. Presumably, during the capture, the eagle tried to resist and got a harsh lesson from the Haidong Qing.


    With every bird they brought, Suming used his spiritual power to indoctrinate them; only cooperation and obedience were their way out, to serve the Party-State dutifully, and how he wouldn''t treat them unfairly, continuously bombarding their minds with these thoughts.


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    By evening, the catching nearedpletion. Nearly four hundred birds of various species and sizes filled the tree branches, forming a dense and silent cluster.


    At the highest point, beside therge beehive, the Haidong Qing watched the birds below with a stern gaze.


    Suming, hands still behind his back, looked on with satisfaction at his newly formed aerial force. The two Diamond Parrots stood by his side, heads held high, chests out.


    "Everyone present, await orders!" Sumingmanded as his spiritual power emanated.


    "Swoosh..." Hundreds of birds at once tucked in their wings, standing tall on the treetops, ready for Suming''smand.


    Suming stepped out of the woods, slowly raising his arm, pointing towards the dark forest ahead, "Direction, straight ahead! Target, the Bee Allied Army''srge beehive! All units, prepare!"


    No sooner had the words left his mouth than hundreds of birds took flight from the grove behind him, swirling together in the air without dispersing, forming a sudden dark cloud overhead.


    Suming, like a wizard of legend, emerged from the midst of this dark cloud, his arm pointing to the forest ahead now thrust down sharply, mimicking the gesture of a beheading.


    "All units, attack! Against any resistance, kill without exception!"


    The Haidong Qing let out an eagle cry that split the sky, leading the flock of birds in the charge! The dark cloud swept across the sky, drifting towards the distant Bee Allied Army''s headquarters, casting a shadow over the forest!


    A dark cloud so heavy it seemed the city might copse!

 Chapter 114 The New Queen Bee

    This was a battle without any suspense.


    Birds are the natural predators of bees, and even the weakest of sparrows holds an overwhelming advantage against bees, posing no threat to them until their strength is exhausted. No matter how numerous the bees may be, they cannot threaten the birds until their energy is depleted.


    More than four hundred birds of various kinds formed a flying force, plunging into the forest andunching a one-sided ughter against the Bee Allied Army, which outnumbered them by a thousandfold.


    Just an hourter, the Bee Allied Army in therge forest hadpletely disintegrated, and tenrge hives housing Queen Bees were brought before Suming by the flock of birds, neatly lined up on the ground in a row.


    Considering that the Bee Allied Army would be his subordinates in the future, and that the strategy of beheading had already seeded, there was no need to kill the ordinary bees. Suming sounded the retreat to have the flock of birds temporarily leave the woods and stand guard near the hives to prevent the Bee Allied Army from attempting a recapture.


    Two Diamond Parrots tore open the hives with a peck and a bite, easily exposing the Queen Bees inside.


    The ordinary Queen Bees were entirely outssed by Suming''s Queen Bee, with thergest of the allied Queen Bees not exceeding the length of a cigarette pack, and the smallest about the size of a USB drive. Next to them, Suming''s Queen Bee seemed a giantpared to dwarves.


    Suming tested them with his spiritual power and found these wild Queen Bees to indeedck intelligence, reacting very weakly to the spiritual power and not even as evolved as the ordinary bees of the Su Army.


    In light of this, he had no intention of keeping these Queen Bees, to avoid future troubles, so he asked his own Queen Bee, "It''s up to you, how do you n to deal with them?"


    The Queen Bee''s tiny mandibles cked together a few times. The mandibles of ordinary bees have almostpletely evolved to be invisible, and though this Queen Bee, due to the spiritual power, has regrown some, they remained very small, appearing not at all ferocious but ratherical when waved around.


    "Eat them?" Suming was mildly surprised. Queen Bees feed on royal jelly, belonging to the herbivore category. When had this creature changed its diet and started eating meat?


    A few slightlyrger Asian Giant Hos buzzed over, circling above the allied Queen Bees, and Suming then understood what his Queen Bee meant. It wasn''t that she wanted to eat the rival Queen Bees herself but rather wanted the Asian Giant Hos to eat them.


    Before Suming''s arrival, the Asian Giant Hos had yed a significant role in the battle against the Bee Allied Army. Although they had not participated directly in all the fights, they staunchly defended the hives housing the Queen Bee, and had it not been for them, the numerically superior Bee Allied Army might have wiped out the Queen Bee long ago.


    Within the bee poption, the Queen Bee holds the highest status, growing by consuming royal jelly. Consequently, the ''nutritional value'' of a Queen Bee is the highest. The Su Army Queen Bee, by allowing the robust Asian Giant Hos to eat these enemy Queen Bees, was rewarding them.


    The social structure of the Asian Giant Hos is even moreplex than that of bees; they too have a Queen Bee, followed by drones and worker bees. When Suming subdued this group of Asian Giant Hos, his experience with spiritual power was still limited. Due to an oversight, he killed their Queen Bee andter, to ensure a supply of royal jelly for therge blue bees, gave all the royal jelly to the bee colony for quick recovery and production of a new Queen Bee, neglecting the Asian Giant Hos'' development.


    As a result, this group of Asian Giant Hos has yet to produce a new Queen Bee. Originally numbering only a few hundred, the swarm was powerful inbat but,cking a Queen Bee, was unable to reproduce, dwindling with the death of each ho. After several fierce battles, now fewer than a hundred and some Asian Giant Hos remained, perilously close to extinction.


    The intention of the Su Army Queen Bee was to give all the rival Queen Bees and the royal jelly from the hives to the Asian Giant Hos, allowing them to quickly produce a new Asian Giant Ho Queen Bee. In the future, the hos would continuously grow in numbers, staving off the danger of extinction.


    If there had been tens of thousands of Asian Giant Hos at that time, maybe the Queen Bee could have slowly devoured the Bee Allied Army without Suming''s help.


    "Huh, you''re quite clever! Let''s do exactly that!"


    After getting Suming''s approval, the returning Asian Giant Hos carried the captured Bee Allied Army''s queen bees and the broken beebs full of royal jelly back to their nests.


    Er Gouzi had been following Suming closely, busying himself before and after the saddle, and he also received a Bee Allied Army queen and arge chunk of the beehive as a reward. Usually harmless and docile in front of Suming, he now revealed his ferocious side. Pouncing on the queen bee the size of a lighter, he snapped the queen''s waist with a crunch and began to devour her rapidly.


    In the forest on the opposite side, the scattered Bee Allied Army showed signs of rallying. Their Queen Bees had been captured by Suming, and the remaining bees seemed to want toe to the rescue. However, with several hundred birds waiting sternly on Suming''s side, the leaderless Bee Allied Army was simply a mess and could not organize an effective attack. After several futile charges, they were easily defeated by Suming''s flock of birds.


    By the afternoon of the next day, the Bee Queen sent a message: a new Queen Bee had finally emerged among the Ho Swarm.


    Perhaps inheriting traits from the Su Army Queen Bee, the new Asian Giant Ho Queen Bee was about ten centimeters in length. Though not as terrifyingly sized as the original ho queen, she was still muchrger than the average ho queen.


    On the chest of the Ho Queen was arge patch of jet-like ck, and along her round waist were rings of dark, bizarre patterns, deep in color as if ink.


    Such Asian Giant Hos, with darker ck on their bodies, are more venomous. The patterns on ordinary hos are merely dark brown, while the newly-born Ho Queen clearly possesses a toxicity far superior to her kind.


    It can be foreseen that the offspring she will produce will also possess shocking venom.


    Suming tested her with his spiritual power and, unsurprisingly, the Ho Queen''s intelligence exceeded that of ordinary hos. It was on par with that of the newly-born Bee Queen, capable of simplemunication.


    Given this, he simply stayed in the valley for another day, nurturing the new Ho Queen with his spiritual power.


    By doing so, he inadvertently resolved the issues troubling the Bee Queen.


    The biggest problem for the Bee Queen was not finding anyone tomunicate with, leaving her lonely and isted. Now, the Ho Queen was her equal in ''social status'' and also possessed an intelligence not inferior to hers, making for suitablepanionship.


    Suming had been worried that the two queens might have conflicts due to their different species. Unexpectedly, after just half a day, the two queensmanded their subordinates to move their hives together. They even built a corridor between the entrances of each other''s hives, allowing direct ess to each other''s ''bedrooms'', clearly disying a tight-knit friendship.


    "Good, very good. You two sisters should get along well. As the saying goes, harmony in the family leads to prosperity in all things!" Suming said with heartfelt emphasis.

 Chapter 115: Chapter 115 Poachers

    Having just spoken, Suming himself felt it was somewhat inappropriate, thinking that his words had sounded odd¡ªit wasn''t like he was running a harem. What was this about "sisters" and what did "Family prosperity depends on harmonious rtions" even mean...


    "Anyway, that''s the gist of it. Just get the spirit of it! To make things clear, I''ll give you both names."


    Suming scratched his head and pointed at the Queen Bee, "Right, you''re a honeybee, so from now on you''ll be known as Mi Hou, and for you..." he then pointed at the Asian Giant Ho Queen Bee, "You''re an Asian Giant Ho, so you''ll be called... Chest Hou... no, that name is too risqu¨¦, better to call you Hu Hou."


    Mi Hou and Hu Hou lifted their heads, their fourrgepound eyes simultaneously looking at Suming. They both waved their small emergent wings to indicate they understood.


    Due to the bee swarm incident, Suming had already spent four full days in the mountain. He had only requested three days of leave, and together with the weekend, that totaled only five days. Counting the days, it was time to head back to the zoo.


    After the loss of their Queen Bee, thebined bee forces were no longer a significant threat. Within just a day, over a thousand honeybees had defected to join him, and the remaining allied forces no longerunched attacks, wandering aimlessly in the valley like headless flies.


    As one side weakened and the other gained strength, especially with the addition of another Queen Bee in Su Army, the bird squad could temporarily stay to help strengthen the divisions. With the situation well in hand, Suming didn''t need to personally oversee it; the responsibilities could be left to the two Queen Bees to slowly usurp the original allied territory and forces, and taking over the entire valley was just a matter of time.


    Before the sun had set, Suming, with three birds and one wolf in tow, followed the original path out of the canyon, leaving the valley behind.


    "Don''t wanna go home! Don''t wanna go home!" The two parrots kept squawking all the way.


    It wasn''t just them; both Haidong Qing and Huiya also dragged their feet on the way back, showing a very reluctant demeanor.


    After being cooped up in cages for so long, the rare chance to run wild felt like having holidays, and time always seemed to fly exceptionally fast.


    "Quit it, there will be plenty of chances toe out in the future."


    With Suming leading the way, they didn''t encounter any other incidents. And when night fell, they continued to camp out. Haidong Qing caught a wild rabbit for Huiya to practice on, and with the previous experience dealing with the mountain rat, Huiya killed the little bunny quickly and efficiently.


    Watching the little rabbit getting its neck bitten through by Huiya, Suming felt somewhat distressed, but soon after the fragrance of roasted rabbit meat started drifting through the air, any pretense of concern promptly dissipated with the breeze.


    With Huiya experiencing bloodshed for the second time, it hadn''t grown much in size, but there was a noticeable change in its demeanor, or perhaps in its mentality. Beside Suming, it still behaved like a little pet, but when acting on its own, its eyes betrayed a fierce and cold vibe.


    At night, Huiya also joined the night watch, lying beside Suming''s tent and squinting as if napping.


    With the group of animals keeping watch, Suming had nothing to worry about and quickly fell into a peaceful sleep.


    In the middle of the night, while Suming was half-asleep, he suddenly felt something wet on his face. He opened his eyes and saw Huiya licking his face.


    From the distant woods came the rustle of footsteps.


    "Someone there?"


    Suming immediately snapped awake, grasping his dagger and crawled out of the tent. He concealed himself in the nearby bushes and watched the direction of the sound with caution.


    He wondered who would be walking in these deep, old woods at night. The night was the realm of animals, and even experienced hunters wouldn''t wander the mountains after dark; it was very dangerous.


    Could it be a wild man? There were legends that someone once spotted traces of wildmen in Qinling, and the nation had even sent teams to search for them, but they came back empty-handed, and the matter was dropped.


    If it really was a wild man, that would be a rare sight¡ªSuming wouldn''t be content until he saw it with his own eyes. Being a bold adventurer, he sucked in a deep breath and began to crawl slowly forward.


    Meanwhile, after brieflymunicating with the three birds using his spiritual power, Haidong Qing was perched motionless on a tree overhead, and the two Diamond Parrots were huddled together just a few dozen meters away, apparently having spotted the other party.


    However, a few shlight beams flickered on the edge of a stream ahead, shattering Suming''s wishful thinking of finding the "wild man"¡ªwild men wouldn''t use shlights.


    "Catch the thief! Catch the thief!"


    "Let go of me! Let go of me!"


    The parrots'' odd cries suddenly pierced the night''s tranquility in the mountains; the sounds wereing from exactly where the shlights were.


    "What''s going on?" Suming mustered his courage and moved closer while also sending Er Gouzi to fly over and observe from a closer range.


    By the dim moonlight, he saw a line of people walking up the stream towards the mountains.


    From their attire, these people were clearly not ordinary hikers. Each was dressed in uniform climbing gear,den with bothrge and small packs, and some even carried long ''sticks'' on their back, which were unmistakably guns!


    In the middle of the group was a tall, burly man with a cage the size of half a person strapped to his back, containing the two Diamond Parrots.


    "Keep squawking, and I''ll blow you two away!" a man drew a pistol and fiercely jabbed it twice against the cage housing the Diamond Parrots.


    In his other hand, he also held a cage. Feedback from Er Gouzi indicated that a monkey with light golden fur and a white face was confined within¡ªit was the nationally protected Qinling Golden Monkey.


    Suming realized it was poachers he had stumbled upon!


    Among the poaching team, the one leading turned back and chuckled eerily at those behind him, saying, "Mr. Qian, if you blow them away, don''t me me for docking your share."


    "How much could these two parrots be worth? At most 50 to 60 thousand, right? We have bigger dealsing up, no need to burden ourselves with these two nuisances," Mr. Qian retorted with some dissatisfaction.


    "Nuisance! Nuisance!" the parrots squawked back at Mr. Qian.


    Before the leader could respond, the burly man carrying the parrots turned his head and sneered, "50 to 60 thousand? Mr. Qian, looks like you''ve been wasting your time; you don''t have any eye for value. These two parrots are cunningly clever. With a bit of training, they could sell for 100 to 200 thousand!"


    "So what!" Mr. Qian argued, unimpressed, "We''re here for a major trade. If we find what we''re looking for, the buyer is willing to pay 1.5 million US dors. What''s 100 to 200 thousand Huaxia currencypared to that?"


    "Whether that thing even exists is still up for debate, and if we don''t find it, this whole trip will be a loss. Catching other animals, at least we can make back the investment," said someone else from the team.


    The group continued talking among themselves, but their leader, clearly losing patience, barked, "Enough chatter, keep moving!"


    The group fell silent once more and continued their journey deeper into the mountains along the stream.


    From the conversation of the others, Suming deduced they were not disorganized poachers but a coordinated group, and this foray into the mountains was aimed at a particrly rare, specific target.


    His father had been killed by poachers, and Suming harbored a deep hatred for poachers. Besides, the two Diamond Parrots being captured by the poachers meant he had to attempt a rescue. Sumingy on the dry leaves and issued instructions to Haidong Qing and Huiya, "Follow them, but don''t get spotted!"

 Chapter 116: Chapter 116 Mysterious Target

    This tracking went on for the better part of the night.


    All the way, Suming didn''t dare to get too close, lest the other party discover him, so he had Er Gouzi, the smallest of them, tail them, while he himself, together with Haidong Qing and Huiya, followed from over a hundred meters behind;


    He also gave instructions to the two Diamond Parrots, telling them not to shiver anymore to avoid irritating Mr. Qian in a temper, in case he really snapped at them, which would be tragic.


    Even Suming himself couldn''t stand the parrots'' foul mouths at times, feeling like strangling the nuisances, let alone the thieves.


    The poaching team was clearly well-trained, carrying various types of equipment and moving at a fast pace along the stream deep into the mountains, until they stopped in front of arge pool around ten o''clock the next morning.


    Sumingy in the woods on the opposite side of the river, and with the dawn light improving visibility, he could see that the poaching team consisted of six men, all Huaxia men; the one leading them wore sses and looked refined, while the remaining had a fierce appearance, clearly not the good sort.


    The burly man carrying arge cage for the parrots was now shirtless, bathing in the stream and revealing his developed muscles, while the others, under the direction of the man in sses, set up a small encampment and started cooking.


    The cages with the golden monkeys and Diamond Parrots were ced in the center of the camp, with two poachers holding rifles on guard.


    "Damn it, this is practically a small army of hunters!" Suming cursed to himself.


    Only after daylight did Suming see clearly the equipment of the other side: six men, with just semi-automatic rifles numbering four, all shiny new Type 56s, probably also some handguns among other firearms, and each person had a military dagger strapped to their leg.


    Apart from weapons, the other outdoor gear was also veryplete, all high-end goods,pletely different from the imitations Suming had bought from the military supply store.


    When Suming''s father was alive, he had more than once dealt with poachers, sometimes even engaging in direct gunfire, and the most frustrating aspect was the disparity in equipment between the parties.


    Bigger poaching gangs were often covertly supported by international criminal organizations, outfitted better than professional national teams, and were not afraid of encountering wildlife protection officers in the wild. As representatives of justice, wildlife protectors, forest rangers, and forest police could at most be equipped with a few Type 54 pistols; once they shed, they were simply outgunned and even directly silenced by the poachers.


    Suming had been nning to call in bees and wasps to join the battle the night before; no matter how fierce the firepower, they''re helpless against a swarm of bees.


    But before he could call for the bees, his eyelids involuntarily twitched: one of the poachers actually had a small methrower strapped to his back!


    What kind of joke was this? Were they here to poach or to go to war?


    The poachers before him had such formidable firepower, they could easily massacre a police station in a surprise attack. It seemed that they were determined to seed this time and even prepared to sh with the local police.


    Suming quickly ran through all the protected animals in Qinling in his mind, wondering what they could possibly be after to invest such a great sum; it didn''t seem like any were worth one and a half million US Dors.


    Even a giant panda or a Yangtze River dolphin wouldn''t be worth that much, except maybe dinosaur eggs.


    The muscr man bathed in the water while Mr. Qian held a rifle on the bank andughed oddly, "Da Xiong, be careful not to let something in the water bite off your eggs!"


    What''s in the water? Suming peeked out, a bit curious.


    Not far from the poaching camp, there was a cliff several tens of meters high with a waterfall flowing down, creating a pool below where the water spilled into a creek.


    However, the creek wasn''t more than a meter deep and was crystal clear, not appearing particrly dangerous.


    "Go to hell!" Da Xiong viciously flipped the bird towards the shore and then pulled out a round instrument from his leather pants pocket. He collected some creek water in the device as if he was testing it.


    Da Xiong watched the instrument for a while and then waved to the man with sses on shore, shouting, "He, the water quality matches the sample, it must be here."


    "Good,e on up. We''ll get to work after eating!" the man with sses said.


    Da Xiong climbed ashore, and the poaching team circled up to eat around the camp. Suming, however, looked around curiously. For now, the only ce that might contain valuable wildlife was the pool formed by the waterfall''s impact.


    The pool wasn''trge, less than a hundred square meters¡ªabout the size of a three-bedroom apartment. From a distance, it looked like deep emerald green, suggesting great depth.


    In horror films, such pools often harbored giant pythons or aquatic monsters, but Suming knew very wellrge animals required extensive living spaces. Given its small surface area, even if the pool was deep, it was improbable for anyrge water monster to reside there.


    Could it be a Chinese alligator? Or a Chinese sturgeon?¡­


    Suming thought of several rare animals that might live in the pool. Although these were umon, they weren''t worth two million US dors. You could buy a bunch of them for two hundred thousand dors on the ck market, hardly necessitating such effort.


    Moreover, ording to the ck market''s rules, these people should be considered ''mercenaries'' or ''hired poachers.'' A buyer paying one and a half million US dors was mainly for their hard work, and the catch''s value must surpass this amount.


    Besides a dinosaur egg, Suming couldn''t think of any animal in the world worth that much money.


    Since it didn''t make sense, Suming simply stopped trying to figure it out. He instructed Haidong Qing to search nearby for some helpful animals while hey low under the fallen leaves in the forest, discreetly observing the poaching team, knowing they''d eventually provide an answer themselves.


    The waterfall poured down into the pool, causing sshes to leap and the sound of the babbling water, drowning out the poachers'' voices from across the river. Everything remained peaceful for over fifteen minutes until the poachers finally finished their meal.


    Three poachers, including Mr. Qian, stood up to stretch and then donned simple diving suits, armed themselves with military knives, and stepped into the water along the edge of the pool.


    The slope of the pool was steep. After just two steps, the three were already half-submerged, and with a plunge, they darted towards the center of the pool.


    A few bubbles gurgled up from the surface of the pool, and then the three were out of sight.


    The other three poachers, guns ready, waited on the shore.


    About four or five minutester, a string of bubbles suddenly erupted from the middle of the pool. Arge swirl of waves followed as if something was about to burst forth from underwater!

 Chapter 117 Water Monster?!

    "The monster is out!"


    At this moment, Suming was even more nervous and curious than the poaching divers, staring unblinkingly at the surface of the water from a distance.


    With a ssh, water flew in all directions, but the result was very disappointing to Suming; it wasn''t a water monster at all, but a poacher diver.


    The poacher popped his head out and made a gesture to the shore, indicating he had caught nothing.


    Soon after, two more divers emerged from the pool and made the same gesture to their leader, He.


    "You guyse up first!"


    The three wet divers mbered onto the shore, and after He said a few words, they took off their diving suits and switched ces with three men on the shore. The new trio took up guns to stand guard, while He, removing his sses, donned a diving suit with two other poachers and plunged into the pool.


    A few minutester, the second group of divers also surfaced, and it seemed they too hade up empty-handed.


    "Could the intelligence be wrong?"


    Suming was practically concerned for the poachers; they seemed as if even they didn''t know if the target they were after actually existed¡ªit was merely a ''possible existence'' and not a certainty. If there was truly nothing in the pool, wouldn''t the poachers have made a wasted trip?


    Please, no, if you guyse up empty, I''d feel bad evenunching an attack!


    After He came ashore, he didn''t send anyone back into the water but instead gathered a few men to discuss something.


    Before long, two of the poachers left the camp, guns in hand, and entered the forest. After a while, two gunshots rang out from the woods, and the poachers returned, spreading their hands towards He in a helpless gesture, indicating they found nothing.


    Experience tales at mvl


    Suming didn''t know what they were nning but kept watching from a distance, motionless. He watched as He paced back and forth, appearing to ponder something, then he gestured toward a cage not far away that contained a Diamond Parrot and said a few words.


    The burly Da Xiong immediately opened the cage, grabbed the Diamond Parrot by its neck with one hand, and pulled it out.


    The Diamond Parrot was still very much alive, struggling as Da Xiong held it, but he was very strong and experienced. He grasped it from behind by its neck, rendering the Diamond Parrot''s biting and scratching futile.


    He took out a long climbing rope, tied one end to the Diamond Parrot''s waist, and held the other end in his hand, then nodded at Da Xiong.


    Da Xiong grinned, swung his arm in aplete circle, mimicking the motion of a throw, and with that, the Diamond Parrot was flung through the air.


    The Diamond Parrot screamed as it arced through the air and plopped into the pool, causing a ssh.


    He, clutching the rope, quickly led the other thieves into the nearby woods and dropped to the ground, staying motionless as they concealed themselves.


    Afternding in the water, the Diamond Parrot iled a bit before floating to the surface.


    Mammals are generally born swimmers, varying only in their proficiency. There''s a joke that in ''Journey to the West'', when Monkey could not defeat Friar Sand in the Flowing Sands River, he called for Zhu Bajie''s help, suggesting that pigs swim better than monkeys.


    Humans are born with the instinct to swim; infants, soon after their birth, first learn to il their arms and legs, which is actually the motion of swimming. However, many people grow up withouting into contact with water and gradually lose this swimming instinct,pounded by fear, they end up unable to learn how to swim.


    While golden monkeys can swim, this was not a leisurely dip in the zoo during the hot summer months; it had been terrified by poachers. After falling into the water, it emitted a pitiful cry and iled about trying to swim to the other side of the pond to escape.


    The pond wasn''trge, and as the monkey called out, it used its arms and legs to paddle, reaching the bank in a few strokes.


    Just when the monkey was about to scramble ashore, the climbing rope tied around its waist suddenly yanked back. He, hidden in the forest, gave a forceful pull on the rope, and ''whoosh,'' the monkey fell back into the pond, dragged to the center by the rope.


    The monkey was quite clever and tried to untie the climbing rope from its waist, but the knot the poachers had tied was quite professional, and despite the monkey''s pulling and scratching, it couldn''t get it undone and eventually gave up, trying to swim in another direction instead.


    But its efforts were bound to be in vain. Just as it nearly reached the bank, the climbing rope jerked again, and the monkey was once more yanked back into the pond by He.


    After being tormented like this, the monkey''s cries became even more intense. It was practically thrashing about in the water, wildly iling its limbs, and Suming could hear it all too clearly from a distance.


    It was then that Suming realized He and his men''s intention ¨C since they couldn''t find their target in the water, they simply used the monkey as bait, aiming to lure the target out, just like fishing.


    Themotion made by the monkey was significant and its size not negligible, so to most carnivores, it would appear to be a sizeable meal. If their target was in the pond or nearby, it would surely be disturbed by the monkey and unable to resist jumping out.


    However, the monkey was about the size of a street dog and probably weighed at least ten pounds. To use it as bait meant that the poachers'' target must be quiterge in size! Could it actually be something like a Yangtze alligator?


    After sshing and crying in the water for quite a while, with no response from the pond, the monkey seemed to realize that it couldn''t escape its fate and stopped swimming randomly. Instead, it climbed onto a rock under the waterfall, curled up in fear and despair, and watched the surroundings. It asionally let out a sharp ''squeak¡­'' possibly as a distress signal.


    The two Diamond Parrots on the shore had held back for a long time but finally couldn''t resist any longer. They started yelling at the monkey, "So noisy, so noisy!" "So annoying, so annoying!"


    Before they finished speaking, there were two ''biubiu'' sounds, and two darts flew out from the forest, hitting the parrots right in their plump buttocks.


    "Ah¡­ so dizzy¡­"


    The two parrots moaned weakly, rocking and tumbling down inside their cage.


    Suming, startled, hastily checked with his spiritual power and discovered that the parrots were still full of life, they had just fainted, which reassured him. It seemed the poachers, wary that the parrots'' calls might scare away their target, had administered a tranquilizer.


    Suming felt both annoyed and amused, thinking to himself that he had told those two chatterboxes not to make noise, yet they still did, and now they got what they deserved!


    At that moment, the monkey perched on the rock seemed to sense something, suddenly turned around, facing the direction of the waterfall, baring its teeth and screeching fiercely at the waterfall.


    "Has it gone mad, screaming at the waterfall for what?... No, wait, I understand now!"


    Behind the waterfall, a dark creature suddenly burst forth, grabbed the golden monkey in an instant, and swiftly pulled it behind the fall!


    "Damn, what is that!"


    Suming broke into a cold sweat. During that fleeting glimpse before the creature''s head emerged from the waterfall, he had clearly seen its gaping mouth filled with rows of interlocking sharp teeth!

 Chapter 118 Reality Show

    ```


    The nameless creature suddenly appeared from behind the waterfall, mped onto a golden monkey in its jaws, and swiftly retreated back behind the waterfall.


    Suming had an epiphany, no wonder He and his group of poachers had sent two teams underwater, scoured the riverbed entirely, and still hadn''t found their target!


    The "thing" wasn''t in the pool at all, but behind the waterfall above the pool!


    If he hadn''t guessed wrong, there must be a cave or some habitable space behind the waterfall, where the "thing" was hiding all along. It was only a waterfall away from the poachers, a mere stone''s throw between them!


    "Could it be a giant python?!" Suming suddenly recalled a horror movie titled ''Anaconda'', where humans were being chased by a mutated giant python and took refuge behind a waterfall. However, the situation was reversed now; the "thing" was hiding behind the waterfall, while the poachers were outside.


    If it indeed was a mutated python tens of meters long, it might actually be worth millions of US Dors!


    However, ording to Suming''smon sense, pythons couldn''t possibly grow to tens of meters; reaching over a dozen meters was already a marvel of nature. Even with his current level of spiritual power, nurturing it over several years might help a grown python break past its size limit, but reaching tens of meters seemed improbable.


    A quantitative change is bound to lead to a qualitative change. If there really was a python tens of meters long behind the waterfall, then these few men might not be able to handle it! Even guns would be useless!


    There was no time for further thought; after the golden monkey was snatched away, a piercing scream resounded from behind the waterfall, then all went silent!


    "Surround it! Surround it!"


    Six poachers sprinted out from the opposite woods, guns in hand, and rushed to the edge of the water, forming a semicircle as they raised their rifles towards the waterfall, encircling the poolpletely!


    The appearance of the ''water monster'' was as shocking to Suming as it was thrilling to the poachers, whose voices unconsciously grew louder in their excitement, allowing Suming to hear everything clearly.


    "What the hell is that, He?"


    "Is it the thing the client is looking for?"


    The poachers, guns at the ready, pointed towards the waterfall and asked He loudly.


    He''s reply was unexpected; he shouted, "It might be, everyone be careful! We want it alive!"


    Hearing their conversation, Suming was stunned; this group of people didn''t even know what their target was!


    Could it be they found this ce based on a strange water sample and were nning to capture any peculiar creature they saw? Was their employer really that unreliable, or were they just burning through money, tossing around over a million US Dors for fun?


    At the water''s edge, He had already pulled out a ''stick'' as thick as a calf and over a meter long from his gear.


    With a flick of his wrist, another section popped out; it was a rodposed of several sections, much like a fishing rod.


    He pulled out seven or eight segments in quick session, making the rod roughly ten meters long, with a small ring at the tip of the first section. Another poacher took out a steel wire, slipped it onto the rod''s ring, then joined He in holding the tail end of the rod, and they both thrust it towards the surface of the waterfall where the creature had retreated back to!


    Unexpectedly, the space behind the waterfall seemed vast; with this thrust, He and hisrade jabbed into emptiness and stumbled forwards, nearly toppling over.


    He was not willing to give in; after getting up, he pulled out a few more segments from the rod, extending it to a total length of a dozen meters or so, and thrust it into the waterfall again!


    ```


    Unexpectedly, the result was still the same; they touched nothing, and the creature behind the waterfall did not show itself, as if it had vanished into thin air.


    He, wielding a long stick, poked around that spot as if measuring the ''terrain'' behind the waterfall.


    Even Suming now realized there must be a hole about a meter wide behind the waterfall, a rather deep one. Without a doubt, the ''water monster'' was hiding inside the hole!


    "I want to see what you will do!" Suming was no longer in a hurry; hey hidden in the fallen leaves, watching with great interest the poachers'' next move.


    For Suming, this had turned into an exhrating reality show!


    Your next journey awaits at mvl


    As the stars of this reality show, the poachers now had two choices. The first was to wait for the water monster in the cave toe out on its own. But this option was purely a matter of luck, dependent on fate. Who knew when the creature might emerge.


    The poachers had just delivered a ''feast'' to the ''water monster'' behind the waterfall. Suchrge creatures, though they need to eat a lot, also have quite the ability to endure hunger¡ªhiding away for one or two months after eating the golden monkey would not be unusual.


    Even though this ce was deep in the wilderness, the poachers were, after all, engaged in illegal activities. How could they possibly wait calmly in this ce for one or two months? The night is long, and dreams are many. Who could predict what unexpected events might happen over two months?


    The second choice was to send someone to risk passing through the waterfall and enter the cave on the other side...


    This option, of course, was the most straightforward, but it was also extremely dangerous, almost tantamount to gambling with one''s life!


    Nobody knew what kind of creature the ''water monster'' behind the waterfall was, and the hole was notrge, allowing at most one person to bend over and move in and out. Even with a gun, there was no guarantee of safety!


    In such a cramped space, firing a gun was a gamble with life. With just a bit of bad luck, there was no need for the ''water monster'' to take action; a ricochet could be deadly!


    If it really was arge python lying in wait behind the waterfall, then it would be a sure death for anyone who entered!


    There was still another choice: turn back and leave. But then the 1.5 million dors inmission would be washed away. Converted into Huaxia currency, each of them could take home over a million!


    At this moment, the poachers had to make a difficult decision!


    After discussing for a long time, they finally decided to send someone behind the waterfall to find out what was there, driven by the lure of money.


    He brandished his Type 56 rifle and dered loudly, "Who will go in first? If the job is done, you''ll get an extra 200,000 dors!"


    The poachers looked at each other, all a bit hesitant. Life was precious, but the temptation of 200,000 dors was equally significant!


    Suming was certain that in the end, someone would be willing to earn those 200,000 dors, and surely, it would not be He.


    As expected, after a few minutes, a poacher stepped forward: "He, I''ll go. But let''s make it clear¡ªmy extra 200,000 must not be a penny less."


    The one who stepped forward was not the muscr Da Xiong but, surprisingly, thenky Mr. Qian, who had been the most vocal withints on the road.


    "Good!"


    He nodded, drew a pistol from his waist and handed it over to Mr. Qian, meanwhile unloading Mr. Qian''s shoulder rifle, and said, "The buyer wants it alive; the price will be greatly reduced if it''s dead. The rifle is too powerful; you take the pistol! Don''t shoot unless you have to. It''s best to use a knife!"

 Chapter 119 The True Face of the Water Monster

    Mr. Qian grumbled a few words as he took the pistol, probably something along the lines of cursing andining.


    In the previous moment of terror, everyone saw clearly that the creature behind the waterfall was as thick as a barrel, with staggered sharp teeth in its wide mouth and lightning-fast speed. It had dragged the golden snub-nosed monkey into the cave in the blink of an eye, and the monkey had lost its life without even a chance to resist.


    Such a ferocious ''monster'' might not be dealt with by a mere handgun.


    But while Mr. Qianined, he knew very well that a dead animal was worth far less than a living one. If he brought several rifles and opened fire, he''d be safe, but if they killed the ''monster,'' it would be worthless.


    In their line of work, they gambled with their lives. Without certain risks, why would he earn two hundred thousand dors more than others?!


    As they talked, the brawny Da Xiong had already inted a small rubber dinghy using an air pump. Mr. Qian jumped onto the dinghy and slowly paddled towards the waterfall.


    When he was about a meter away from the waterfall, Mr. Qian poked behind it twice with his oar, locating the position of the cave behind the waterfall. Seeing that there was no movement, he tucked the pistol into his waistband, held a military dagger in one hand, and carried something like an electric baton in the other. He stood up from the boat, stepped on arge stone at the edge of the waterfall where the golden snub-nosed monkey had been standing, gritted his teeth, and plunged into the waterfall!


    A few secondster, a hand reached out from behind the waterfall, signaling ''safe'' to those outside.


    Suming became even more curious. Logically, after Mr. Qian rushed behind the waterfall, he should have encountered the ''monster ''face-to-face, but this gesture meant that there was no immediate danger, indicating he hadn''t seen the creature.


    From this, one could deduce either that the ''monster'' had already fled, which seemed unlikely, as the area around the waterfall was tightly encircled, or that the ''monster'' could be invisible; otherwise, it couldn''t possibly disappear from sight under such scrutiny.


    Or there was a veryrge cave behind the waterfall that Mr. Qian couldn''t see the end of it when he entered, hence he hadn''t seen the ''monster''.


    The poachers around the pool didn''t idle either. Two of them guarded with guns, while the other three set up arge very skillfully in a position directly facing the entrance of the waterfall cave. Anything rushing out from inside would smash into the, trapping itself.


    After all was done, everyone stared at the waterfall without blinking.


    The water rushed down from high above, forming a constantly flowing curtain of water. The sound of the water churning echoed in the mountains, adding a sense of oppression, making each second feel exceptionally lengthy.


    After about five or six minutes, a gunshot suddenly came from behind the waterfall!


    The gunshot was muffled and echoed as if it came from a great distance!


    Immediately after, there were several more shots, getting closer and closer to the mouth of the cave!


    The water curtain at the entrance flickered, and a thick shadow burst out from behind it, plunging into the pool with a plop.


    The poachers at the entrance had already spread their, waiting. Two of them shouted at the same time, and the was cast over, trapping the shadow in an instant.


    The shadow, wrapped in the, let out ''wa wa wa'' cries. Its massive body thrashed and twisted in the pool like a wicked dragon, sshing water everywhere.


    He bellowed, "Drag it up!" Two poachers grabbed the fishing and, with efficiency, dragged the ''monster'' ashore. While being pulled, the creature didn''t stop twisting its body in 360-degree turns, sending pebbles on the shore flying all around and plowing a small trench in its path.


    One of the poachers was quick to react, picking up a tranquilizer gun and taking brief aim. A mist of anesthetic shot through theting and hit the creature, which then thrashed a few more times before gradually going still.


    Mr. Qian then leaped out from behind the waterfall, holding a handgun in one hand while surprisingly holding the golden monkey from before in the other.


    However, the golden monkey was limp all over, its head, limbs, and tail drooping, motionless, and it was unclear whether it was alive or dead.


    Standing on the rubber boat, Mr. Qian called out loudly, "Did you get it?"


    "Done!" He gave Mr. Qian a thumbs-up, while the other two poachers clumsily untangled the from the creature, revealing the true identity of the ''monster.''


    Suming squinted at the sight. The creature had a dark greenish-ck body, nearly two meters in length, with a tail and four legs, a t and rounded head ¡ª somewhat reminiscent of a lizard and a bit like a crocodile, but without any scales on its body, which appeared fleshy.


    "Is it actually a Chinese Giant Smander?" Suming was stunned.


    The Chinese Giant Smander, also known as ''baby fish,'' is thergest extant amphibian in the world and one of the most precious. It is a national second-ss protected animal, and it cries in a way that sounds like a wailing baby.


    Though the Chinese Giant Smander might look somewhat dopey and cute ¡ª even imitating the cries of a baby ¡ª it can be deceiving. If you''re fooled by its appearance and approach it, you''re bound to suffer a significant loss.


    Chinese Giant Smanders are ferocious by nature, feeding on creatures like fish, shrimp, birds, turtles, and snakes. Their mouths are lined with sharp, dense teeth; once they mp onto their prey, it''s almost impossible for the prey to escape. Their hunting methods bear some resemnce to crocodiles: they stealthily stalk their prey or lie in wait in a cave, maintaining position until the prey approaches, then they explode with astonishing speed,unching a surprise attack and swallowing their victim whole.


    A Chinese Giant Smander over one meter long can bite off an adult''s arm with no trouble; its danger level isparable to that of crocodiles.


    Luckily, these poachers chose to send someone into the cave instead of waiting by the pool. Chinese Giant Smanders have a strong ability to endure hunger; an adult can survive without food for two to three years. If the poachers had stubbornly waited at the cave entrance, they likely would have starved to death while the smander hid without showing itself.


    Nevertheless, Suming still found it iprehensible. A wild Chinese Giant Smander was indeed precious, but it was just that ¡ª precious, certainly not worth millions of US dors!


    "Could it be because this Chinese Giant Smander is particrlyrge?" Suming wondered.


    The Chinese Giant Smander is also known as the ''longevity fish.'' Its lifespan is rted to water quality; with good water and abundant food, it can average seventy to eighty years, with the oldest on record living over one hundred and twenty years.


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    As a result, there''s a folk belief that the longer a Chinese Giant Smander lives, the higher its nutritional value, and it can even cure certain terminal illnesses.


    This Chinese Giant Smander, from a distance, appeared to be roughly two meters long, likely having lived over a century. Could it be that a buyer was suffering from a terminal illness and wanted to consume the smander as a cure?


    However, just like the myth of ''riding a fish to immortality,'' these are just stories. No one truly believes that riding a fish can turn someone into an immortal, and simrly, there''s no scientific evidence or real-life examples to prove that Chinese Giant Smanders can cure terminal diseases.

 Chapter 120 Covert and Overt Sentinels

    Not only was Suming puzzled, the poachers by the pond were clearly also a bit confused. The buyer offered such a high price, could it be just for this Chinese Giant Smander?


    He, the boss, had a thought and raised his head to loudly ask, "Mr. Qian, what else is behind the waterfall?"


    Mr. Qian pointed at the waterfall and shouted back, "Boss, something''s not right. There''s a really big karst cave back here, with quite a few holes in the cave walls. It took me half a day to find this smander and drive it out!"


    Startled by this, He looked at the other poachers andmanded loudly, "Mr. Qian, lead the way. Da Xiong, you two, take the equipment and follow me in for a look. Yangzi, you two stay outside."


    "Alrighty!" The two poachers guarding the pond shook their rifles in their hands.


    He hesitated for a moment before adding to them, "Stay sharp, this is a big deal we have here. If anyonees, take them out directly, and make sure not to let any word out!"


    After that, He and the other two poachers shouldered their equipment, jumped onto a small intable raft, and followed Mr. Qian back into the cave behind the waterfall.


    Four of the six men had left, taking most of the guns and equipment with them, leaving only two poachers behind. Suming''s mind stirred slightly; now was the perfect opportunity to rescue the Diamond Parrots and the other animals!


    The two men first put the giant smander into arge cage, then whispered to each other for a while. One, with a pistol tucked away, sat in the center of the camp, guarding the equipment and the prey;


    While the other, with a rifle slung over his back, ran into the woods near the camp, climbed a tree, and hid in the shade of the leaves, establishing two guard positions: one visible, one hidden.


    From this tiny detail, it was evident that this was a very experienced group of poachers, who might have even received military training.


    This setup of visible and hidden guard posts was extremely cunning. If someone identally wandered deep into the mountains and came upon the camp, seeing only one person, they would certainly approach for directions or help. Then the hidden guard in the tree would open fire first, while the visible guard in the camp would take advantage of the confusion to draw his pistol and act, ensuring that none of the intruders would escape.


    Even if they encountered police or paramilitary forces, the poachers wouldn''t get caught all at once; the hidden guard couldunch a surprise attack, or fire a warning shot to alert the fellows in the cave.


    Sumingy on the opposite side of the river, observing both sentries with clear vision, and almost couldn''t help butugh out loud.


    If these two had just stayed together, guarding the campsite by the water with their guns, it would have been more difficult to get to them, but they had cleverly separated, digging their own graves. Well, they could hardly me me for that.


    Just a few minutester, the hidden sentry in the forest suddenly let out a loud "ow" and the branches around him shook violently.


    The visible sentry in the camp instinctively reached into his chest, grabbing the pistol grip, shifted his body to take cover behind arge cage, peeking out with half his head, and shouted towards the direction of the hidden sentry, "Yangzi, what happened?"


    "Nothing, dammit, got stung by a wasp, hell, these wasps are so venomous, it''s killing me!"


    The branches trembled as the hidden poacher Yangzi showed his head behind the treetop, telling the visible sentry, "Bring me some insect repellent!"


    "Why do all these weird things always happen to you! Dammit, why didn''t the wasp sting me?"


    The visible sentry climbed up from behind the cage, rummaged through the equipment for a while, and walked into the woods with a bottle of insect repellent, casually handing it to the hidden sentry in the tree, while still advising, "That stuff has a strong smell, don''t use too much."


    "I know, stop nagging," the hidden sentinel in the tree took the potion and smeared it on his exposed skin.


    Ming Shao walked back to the camp leisurely.


    Before long, another scream came from the area where the sentinel was positioned.


    "Didn''t he apply the potion? How did he get bitten again?" Ming Shao was taken aback and shouted toward the sentinel''s location, "Stop crying wolf, a few hos won''t kill you. Endure it and be careful not to get discovered."


    Apparently, the sentinel was also worried about being discovered and didn''t make another sound, but the branches around him shook a few times as if to protest.


    Ming Shao nced over and muttered, "Damn! Everyone''s so eager to split the money, but when ites to doing some work, it''s like pulling teeth!"


    After speaking, seeing no more movement from the sentinel, he took out a can of beef, pried it open with a knife, and started eating.


    At this time, a poacher named ''Yangzi'' sat rigidly on a branch not far away, with a steel-greyplexion, his rifle hanging on his chest, and both hands hanging by his side, unable to move a muscle, let alone a finger. Terror filled his wide-open eyes, and his breathing grew faster and weaker.


    On his wrists and neck, there were two tiny holes each, oozing dark beads of blood.


    Two silver ring snakes slowly slithered across his body, winding up to the treetops along his neck.


    The venom of the silver ring snakes was fierce, ranking in the top five among their kind. A bite would be unquestionably fatal without immediate treatment. Readtest stories on mvl


    Even so, ordinary silver ring snake bites would not result in instant death; the victim usually had enough time to call for help.


    But these two snakes caught by Haidong Qing and controlled by Suming injected all their venom into Yangzi in one go, several times the normal dose.


    Besides, a bite from the silver ring snake isn''t particrly painful; the victim would feel like they''ve been stung by something¡ªoften less painful than a ho¡ªtaking several minutes before the nervous and respiratory systems began to numb.


    Yangzi, leaning against the tree, initially thought it was a ho sting when he was bitten by the snakes. He didn''t pay much attention at first. By the time he realized something was wrong and tried to call for help, the poison had taken effect, paralyzing his nervous system, and he couldn''t even scream. It took all his strength to shake the branches twice, hoping to catch the attention of hispanion Ming Shao, who dismissed it as a ho sting too and didn''t take it seriously.


    Yangzi was still alive but indistinguishable from a dead man. He couldn''t speak or move, feeling the numbness spread throughout his body as he helplessly watched himself slip closer to death.


    From the opposite grove, Suming gauged that the hidden sentinel wouldn''t survive much longer. He surveyed the terrain, noting that the camp where Ming Shao was stationed was located on a clearing between the pool of water and the woods, surrounded by rounded pebbles on the ground,pletely bare with no concealment. From any direction, it would be challenging to guarantee that the enemy could be eliminated before they could fire a warning shot.


    He thought for a moment, tore several pieces from his own clothing, smeared some mud on his face, and then nonchntly stood up and walked out of the forest.


    "Who''s there?" As soon as Suming appeared, Ming Shao spotted him and asked cautiously from a distance.


    "Brother, a few of us ssmates came to the mountain for fun and got lost!"


    Seeing someone, Suming immediately put on an excited and relieved expression, rushed out of the woods, crossed the stream, and ran towards the camp,pletely unguarded and looking naive and inexperienced.

 Chapter 121 Female Classmate??

    "How many ssmates do you have? It''s way too dangerous to get lost in these wild mountains!"


    The sentry casually handed a bottle of mineral water to Suming and asked with a smile. He shook his hand, which was behind his back, in the direction of the sentry, signaling not to shoot yet and wait until he got a clear picture of the situation.


    Suming took the mineral water and drank it fiercely without a word, as if he had been thirsty for a long time. After guzzling down more than half the bottle, he even let out a satiated burp before stopping.


    His gaze swept over the cages holding the animals and he asked with some confusion, "Big brother, what is this...?"


    "Oh, we''re from the Provincial Animal Protection Association. These animals are injured, and we''re taking them back for treatment."


    Ming Shao said with a righteous face, "You young folks are too reckless. Deep in the mountains and forests isn''t a ce for you. If something happened, how heartbroken your parents would be!"


    "It was those female ssmates who insisted on going on an adventure into the mountains. Then, there was no cell signal, and even thepasses and such started malfunctioning. We''ve been walking for a whole day and night without finding a way out."


    When he heard "a few female ssmates", a sly glint quickly shed in Ming Shao''s eyes. With a stern face, he said, "Where are your other ssmates? Hurry and get them here, we have a map. When we leave the mountain, we''ll take you with us!"


    "They''re just a short distance behind us. Hey you guys,e over here, we''ve met some good people!"


    Suming cupped his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice and called out loudly toward the forest they hade from.


    Ming Shao also squinted his eyes, following Suming''s gaze, looking for those ''female ssmates''.


    "Where are they?"


    "They''reing, they''reing. Look, those few in the woods..." Suming pointed towards the forest.


    Indeed, there was a rustling of tree branches, as if someone was walking towards them.


    Ming Shao licked his lips and said with a smile, "Such a young age, and already acting as a guardian of beauty. Your female ssmates must be pretty, huh...?"


    "They''re all campus beauties, and we even have amateur models!" Suming said earnestly.


    "Ah, that''s good, that''s good!"


    Before Ming Shao''s words had finished, he felt a thud at the back of his head and a sharp pain, stars bursting in his vision. Then his body swayed, and he knew nothing anymore.


    "Screw you, asshole, who said you could touch my female ssmates? I haven''t even had my turn yet!"


    Suming kicked the copsed Ming Shao twice, holding a blood-stained cobblestone in his hand.


    Ming Shaoy motionless on the ground, his back head covered in blood, no one could tell if he was dead or alive.


    Suming checked his breathing and realized that the notion in TV dramas of knowing whether someone is dead by their breath is misleading. With severe injuries, the breathing could be so faint it''s almost like being dead. Without professional knowledge, it''s really hard to judge.


    Suming didn''t stand on ceremony with him; he searched his entire body, found a wallet with several thousand yuan, and stuffed it all into his own pocket. He then took the handgun from his embrace, the dagger from his leg, as well as a small stun gun, and armed himself with them.


    I had wanted to summon the banded kraits to bite Ming Shao one more time, but those two snakes had already depleted their venom. Other extremely poisonous creatures in the mountains were also few and far between, not so easily found. So, I decided to call over a small swarm of hos to sting him instead.


    The venom of those hos was quite potent, easily enough to kill a person with just ten or so stings, let alone someone who was half-dead already? I guessed Ming Shao would reunite with the hidden sentry in the underworld very soon.


    "Does this count as murder?" Suming scratched his head, finding it quite strange.


    One would think that at this moment, emotions should beplex, with a bit of fear, but Suming felt almost no ripples in his heart, as if he had just gone to the market to buy some vegetables.


    Could it be that after spending so much time with animals, I''ve changed, truly bing a big monster?


    "To regard human life as worthless, it seems I can take the path of a cold-blooded killer! Hahaha, it looks like I was born with the air of an overlord!"


    Suming, full of self-mockery and braggadocio, then opened the cage and let Haidong Qing grab the two Diamond Parrots that were still unconscious and fly to a safe ce to stand by.


    He checked with his spiritual power and, somehow, the golden monkey wasn''t dead, just passed out. The Chinese Giant Smander was also groggy. Suming nced at the waterfall; with all themotion, a considerable amount of time had passed since He and his men had entered. They mighte out at any moment now, and there was no time to save these two creatures.


    Filled with curiosity about the cave behind the waterfall, Suming steeled his heart, gripped his pistol in one hand, and an electric baton in the other, and swam to the big rock beneath the waterfall before diving in behind it.


    There was a recessed space behind the waterfall that could amodate one or two people standing. The ground was covered with mossy stones that were slippery; one had to hold onto the rocks to barely be able to stand.


    In the middle of the recess, there was a hole about a meter or so, less than two meters in diameter. It was pitch-ck and unknown where it led, with a trickle of water constantly flowing out of the hole, merging with the waterfall''s flow and into the pool below.


    Sumingy down at the opening of the hole to listen. There were no sounds inside, so he raised his pistol and electric baton and crawled into the hole.


    A cold breeze that wasn''t too strong hit him in the face, along with a thick mist. Using the faint lighting in from behind, he saw that the cave was vertically oval-shaped. Walking inside, Suming could barely stand upright, but the space was very narrow on both sides. In some ces, he had to sidle through.


    The cave was damp and dark. The deeper he went inside, the quieter it became, a stark contrast to the tumultuous sound of flowing water outside, giving off a creepy and somewhat terrifying atmosphere.


    Fortunately, the cave wasn''t too deep¡ªbarely twenty meters¡ªand he reached the other end, which suddenly opened up. Continue your saga on mvl


    "Oh my goodness!"


    Suming was taken aback by what he saw. In front of him was a ratherrge karst cave, its ceiling covered with stctites pointing sharply down at the ground, which was rugged with stones and crisscrossed by streams.


    Based on its location, the cave''s ceiling should be right beneath the creek that flowed above the waterfall. Water trickled down from the cave ceiling intermittently, falling onto the ground and forming little pools from the constant dripping over the years.


    There were possibly some small holes at the top of the cave or cracks leading to the surface, allowing sunlight to squeeze through and cast various weak spots of light inside the otherwise pitch-ck cave, bringing faint illumination.


    With the help of the light, he could see many small andrge caves on the surrounding cave walls, ranging from palm-sized ones to ones big enough for a person to crawl into, much like a traditional cave dwelling.


    As Suming marveled at the sights before him, he suddenly heard footsteps and voices emanating from the depths of the cave.


    He quickly crouched down, hiding behind arge stone pir, peeking out with half his face to observe the surroundings.

 Chapter 122 Savage

    The cavern was spacious, and even the slightest sound could cause an echo, so for a time Suming couldn''t determine the exact direction of the noise. He could only guess at a general area, which seemed to be on a piece of the mountain wall to his front right.


    There were more than a dozen openings of various sizes on the mountain wall. It wasn''t long before a shadow flitted across thergest cavern mouth, and He emerged, clinging to the stone wall as he jumped to the ground, followed closely by the burly Da Xionging out from the same hole.


    "Damn it!" Da Xiong cursed, rubbing his head, a faint trace of blood still visible on his forehead.


    The caves inside the cavern varied in height; Da Xiong was tall and burly, which made crawling through the holes quite inconvenient. He probably had hit his head just now. He ignored him, taking a whistle to his lips and gave it a blow.


    It seemed that this group was searching for something inside the cavern.


    Immediately, an answering echo came from within the mountain. It wasn''t long before Mr. Qian led another poacher to poke their heads out of another hole.


    The hole was over two meters high and over a meter wide, probably thergest one in the cavern. It was only thirty or forty centimeters above the ground. Mr. Qian stepped onto the ground, pointed toward the hole behind him, and said, "He,e and take a look at this. It seems like someone''s been living here!"


    "What? Someone living here?" He was slightly startled. This damn ce was dark and damp, and even in the height of summer, it was deathly cold. At night, it could freeze a person to death. Who would live here? It was tantamount to a long-lived person hanging themselves because they were tired of living.


    Despite his surprise, He still proceeded into therge cave with Da Xiong.


    Suming had no idea what Mr. Qian had discovered in the cave to think someone lived there. He too was eager to check out therge cave, but showing himself now was tantamount to suicide. The entrance to this cavern was so well-hidden it was ridiculous. If it hadn''t been for the incident with the silurus, even if someone stood outside the waterfall, they wouldn''t suspect there was arge cavern behind it. If he died here, even when his bones turned white, no one would find them.


    Therefore he could only suppress his curiosity, patiently waiting. He thought to himself that He and his group would leave at some point, and now that he knew the location, he coulde back to exploreter.


    It was only a shame he hadn''t found more poison, otherwise, he could have let some venomous snakes lie in ambush at the entrance and have them bite He and his men as they left the cave. All of those men would die here.


    Having already taken action, Suming wasn''t nning on showing any mercy.


    These people had small methrowers, which weren''t easy to deal with. Suming calcted that after they left the cave, he would have Er Gouzi bring a group of hos at night to ambush them. If He could order two sentries to kill someone, it meant that this group wasn''t made up of good people. If they died, so be it; the big cave would serve as a perfect grave.


    It wasn''t long before He and his group came out of thergest hole. As they walked, He was saying, "Maybe what the buyer wants is that thing in the cave. Since it''s nesting here, that thing will definitelye back. Let''s go out first and lie in ambush around the pool. Everyone stay alert!"


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    "Thing? What thing?" He hadn''t needed to say anything. By mentioning it, he made Suming''s insides itch with curiosity. What kind of animal lived in thatrge cave that was so valuable?


    We''re talking millions of US Dors here. Even if a giant panda''s ancestor showed up, it might not fetch that price!


    Luckily, it seemed that He and his men weren''t nning to linger in the cavern for much longer. After briefly discussing, they started to head back toward the entrance the way they came.


    The poachers'' procession passed perilously close to Suming''s hiding spot behind a stgmite. At the closest point, they were less than a meter away from Suming. They filed out one by one, crawling through the opening towards the outside. Suming hid behind therge stgmite, holding his breath and daring not to move a muscle.


    Only after all those people had crawled into the exit tunnel did Suming tiptoe over, like a big cat, stealthily running towards the entrance of therge cave.


    A putrid smell of rotting flesh wafted out from the cave; Suming turned on the shlight attached to the other end of his stun baton and shone it inside.


    He saw that therge cave was only about four to five meters deep, with animal bones stained with flesh scattered on the ground.


    At the end of the cave, there was a pile of dry grass and firewood, looking like a sleeping nest, and by the side of the grass pile was an assortment of rocks with different shapes¡ªsome t, some long and thick like clubs, and some the size of watermelons; their purpose was unclear.


    "Uh-oh, not good!"


    Suming was observing the cave when he suddenly remembered He and his men saying they would guard the cave entrance. How could he get out then!


    Besides, Ming Shao''s corpse was still outside. If He and his men saw theirpanion''s dead body, they would definitely be cautious!


    "Damn, I''ve overstepped, and now I''m in trouble!"


    Thinking this, Suming wasted no time pondering over any strange creature inside the cave, hurrying back the way he came, hoping to escape behind the waterfall while He and his men were shocked by theirrade''s death.


    As long as he could flee into the woods, the mountains were his domain. Unless He obliterated the mountain with a nuclear bomb, even if they had ten times the firepower, they couldn''t do anything to him. On the contrary, he had numerous ways to deal with them.


    Following the tunnel leading to the exit, he barely reached the entrance and was about to pass through the waterfall when he heard several fierce roars and gunshots outside on the bank.


    "What now!" Full of courage, Suming peered out from behind the water curtain.


    On the bank by the camp, there stood a stark-naked hulk of a man, possibly two meters tall, with bronzed skin, a full beard, and hair reaching his waist.


    "A wild man!?" Suming was startled. Man, although he is scruffy, could this wild man''s physique be any more dashing? Generally, wild men are raised by animals; they walk on all fours with hunched backs, and their behavior resembles animals more than humans, but this long-haired, bearded ''man'' had no excessive animalistic features. Instead, he was tall and straight, with a muscr build that reminded Suming of the War God from Greek mythology.


    Suming was sure if someone shaved this creature''s long hair and beard and dressed him in human clothes, he would probably look no different from a normal person.


    At that moment, out of the four poachers, three were aiming guns at the strong man, who was holding the bodybuilder-like Da Xiong by the neck with one hand, suspending him mid-air as if he were a pitiful rag doll.


    "Roar! Roar!"


    Using Da Xiong as a human shield in front of him, the wild man issued fierce roars towards the other three poachers. He had a huge wound on his right shoulder, the skin and flesh turned inside out, oozing blood profusely.

 Chapter 123: Chapter 123 One by One, They Die Miserably

    "Bang!"


    It wasn''t clear who fired the shot, but the wild man, with agility thatpletely belied his huge stature, bolted out like a civet, incredibly evading the bullet.


    However, Da Xiong in his grasp was not so lucky, and it seemed to vent his anger, the wild man swung his arm and powerfully smashed Da Xiong onto the ground.


    Despite the crashing noise of the waterfall, Suming could clearly hear the dull sound of the impact, ''thud,'' his eyelids twitching. He saw Da Xiong''s head nt into the ground like a stake, forcibly driven in by the wild man so that his head and half his shoulder were buried underground, leaving most of his body exposed.


    The ground of the campsite was covered with ayer of pebbles on top and mud beneath. After Da Xiong was ''plugged'' into the ground, his legs twitched up a couple of times, and copious amounts of fresh blood oozed out from between the pebbles.


    "Damn, that''s too horrific!" Suming grimaced and drew in a sharp breath, it hurt just watching.


    The wild man, having vented his anger and killed Da Xiong, suddenly found himself without a shield and was surrounded by the remaining three poachers, each armed with a rifle. They kept their distance, and it seemed the wild man was somewhat afraid of firearms. He dared not make any sudden moves for the moment, bending his body slightly and growling lowly at the poachers.


    The poachers had never expected to encounter a wild man on this trip!


    When it came to value, a living wild man was priceless. Despite having lost threerades, if they could capture the wild man, this trip would be worth it!


    He''s face turned vicious as he yelled, "Don''t shoot to kill! We need him alive! Mr. Qian, the tranquilizer gun!"


    The poachers were brutal men, ustomed to killing and death and not in the least deterred by the loss of theirrades. On the contrary, they were excited, advancing slowly towards the wild man with their guns, operating on the principle of ''every man for himself.'' The more who died, the fewer people there would be to share the loot!


    Mr. Qian pulled out a tranquilizer gun, not bothering to aim, and fired!


    The wild man, in turn, dodged to the side, evading Mr. Qian''s shot, but before he could regain his footing, another poacher shot him from behind with a tranquilizer dart, hitting him squarely in the waist!


    "Aaah!" the wild man bellowed, ferociously reaching back to snap the tranquilizer dart''s needle off in his waist. He staggered but didn''t fall, instead picking up a pebble and hurling it furiously at the gunman.


    The poacher was already bracing for the wild man''s retaliation. Before the wild man could throw the pebble, the poacher bent his knees slightly, preparing to dodge.


    Unexpectedly, before he could jump aside, a barely audible ''pfft'' sound came from the waterfall behind him, as a tiny tranquilizer dart flew out and stuck him in the lower back.


    Of course, the tranquilizer wouldn''t take effect instantly, but being stung in the kidney area was distracting enough. In that split second before he could react, the wild man''s pebble came whistling through the air, striking him squarely in the face!


    ng! down he went!


    The strength of a human skull isn''t exaggerated, and the hard pebble shattered into several pieces against it. The man''s head was like it had been hit by a sniper''s bullet, a bloom of ''peach blossoms'' appeared as his face was smashed into a watermelon-like pulp, and he dropped to the ground with a wobble.


    "Oh my god! Too bloody!"


    Suming gasped in shock again. How strong could this wild man be? The rock in his hand was as deadly as a firearm!


    There was chaos outside, and as anotherrade''s death was witnessed, He and Mr. Qian both instinctively fired their guns at the same time, "bang, bang" two shots, one hit the wild man''s thigh and the other hit his buttocks. The wild man let out a strange cry, covered in blood, and fell to the ground.


    The wild man had an incredible vitality. If it had been a normal person, being shot three times by a rifle would have likely half destroyed their body, and even without the gunfire, the anaesthetic needles would have been enough to take down two or three ordinary people. Your journey continues with §Þ??


    Even so, the wild man was struggling to hang on, lying on the ground, huffing and puffing, with blood flowing out of his wounds as if it cost nothing.


    "Damn, this is worth it! Mr. Qian, one hundred and fifty thousand US Dors! Seventy-five thousand each for the two of us!"


    "Hey, that''s not right, He. We agreed I would get an extra twenty thousand! Now that everyone else is dead, are you going back on your word?" Mr. Qian flipped his eyelid, and subconsciously moved the muzzle of his gun, originally aimed at the wild man, slightly towards He.


    He''s face turned grim: "Fuck you! Mr. Qian, what the hell are you doing? We haven''t even sold the goods, and you''re starting a fight in our nest! I''m telling you, if you kill me, you won''t be able to get it out of the mountains by yourself!"


    "That''s not how you speak, He. We both live life on the edge. If you bully me, that''s not eptable!" Mr. Qian said ominously.


    "Enough talk, if you want an extra twenty thousand, you''ll get it! Hurry up, put that wild man in a cage! Get some hemostatic medicine too, don''t let it die!"


    "Yeah, that''s more like it! See, this is why I respect you, He. A man of his word, honorable!" Mr. Qian said.


    He waved his hand impatiently: "Stop talking crap, and get a move on. With such a big fellow, we still need to figure out how to get it out of the mountains!"


    "Alright then!" Mr. Qian slung his rifle over his shoulder, held a pistol in one hand and a metal baton for subduing wild animals in the other, and walked towards the wild man.


    This kind of metal baton was specifically designed for animals ¨C about one and a half meters long, with a noose at one end. Once the noose was ced around the neck of the prey and pulled tight, the rope would constrict, making it impossible for the prey to reach the person at the other end of the stick, over a meter away. To avoid being strangled, the animal had no choice but to submit.


    Mr. Qian skillfully flicked his hand and the noose went around the wild man''s neck. The wild man roared, attempting to get the noose off, but Mr. Qian pulled lightly, and the noose tightened around the wild man''s neck, digging into its flesh.


    "Roar... huff..." The wild man let out a reluctant cry, its hands with long nails clinging tightly to the noose, its eyes bloodshot with rage.


    "What''re you yelling for? If it weren''t for the fact that we n to sell you, I would''ve blown your head off already!" Mr. Qian dragged the wild man towards the cage like dragging a dead dog.


    Just then a loud gunshot rang out suddenly from behind Mr. Qian.


    Mr. Qian ducked his head in fright and instinctively rolled to the side, smoothly unloading his rifle from his shoulder and aiming it at He while lying on the ground: "Big-head He, fuck your mother!"


    But He still had his gun slung on his back, holding a half-bottle of mineral water, which he dropped in shock at the sound of the gunshot. He then reached back for his gun.


    It wasn''t until Mr. Qian aimed at him that He''s hand barely touched his gun-barrel, so the shot couldn''t have been fired by him.

 Chapter 124 Surrender and Spare Lives

    Mr. Qian raised his gun and realized that He hadn''t even taken his rifle off his back¡ªthe shot hadn''te from He at all.


    Both men were taken aback.


    "What lousy shooting!" Suming muttered from behind the waterfall.


    It must be stressed that Suming was legitimately skilled with a handgun! His old man worked in wildlife conservation outdoors, and Suming had been exposed to the ''54 pistol from a young age. As he grew up, he even experienced live ammunition shooting during military training, so the captured replica ''54 wasn''t at all unfamiliar to him.


    However, being able to shoot a handgun doesn''t necessarily equate to shooting urately.


    Mr. Qian was only about twenty meters from the waterfall. Suming, holding the gun behind the waterfall, aimed for a long time but still missed. The bullet flew at least twenty or thirty centimeters from Mr. Qian into the trees.


    Shooting a handgun is challenging¡ªit''s not just about firing, but hitting the target urately. At a distance of more than twenty meters, even trained police officers can''t guarantee a hundred percent uracy; a sixty percent hit rate would already be considered good. Being able to hit any target within twenty meters is the level of a sharpshooter.


    For a gun enthusiast like Suming, missing the target at a distance of twenty meters wasn''t really a disgrace.


    Outside the waterfall, after a momentary stun, He and Mr. Qian both shifted their gaze behind the waterfall. Guns without silencers make distinguishable noises, and anyone but a deaf person could urately pinpoint the location of the gunshot.


    Both men immediately performed standard tactical movements, lying down on the sandy beach, aiming their rifles towards the waterfall''s mouth.


    "Damn it! Who''s there,e out!"


    Before Mr. Qian''s words fell, another bang came from behind the waterfall, and a bullet hit the ground less than twenty centimeters from him, kicking up chipped pebbles that left a bloody mark on his face.


    Without saying another word, He fired three consecutive bullets behind the waterfall. The bullets vanished into the curtain of water as if into the abyss, without stirring up the slightest ripple. Continue reading at §Þ??


    Suming also cursed under his breath, thankful that he had watched plenty of war movies and had somebat experience. He didn''t stay put after shooting; he immediately ducked into the cave.


    No sooner had he ducked inside than several sparks emerged from where he had been standing on the wall. The three bullets had knocked down a considerable chunk of rock¡ªif he had been a bit slower, his body would have had several new bullet holes by now.


    Since he''d already blown his cover, Suming decided to go for broke. Clearing his throat, he managed a not-so-standard Mandarin, and yelled out seriously to the outside, "This is the forest armed police, this is the forest armed police, you are surrounded. Dropping your weapons is your only way out!"


    "Fuck you!" was the retort, met with a bullet.


    Suming, undeterred, fired back by instinct.


    It''s hard to say if Mr. Qian was unlucky or lucky. Suming shot at him every time but never hit him. Another bullet struck the ground not far from him, skipped up, and flew past his scalp.


    "Fuck!" Mr. Qian felt a slight pass over his head, as if it had been grazed by a knife, nearly pissing himself in fear. Had the bullet been a centimeter lower, his life would''ve been over.


    Without hesitation, he executed a side roll and tumbled to a blind spot behind the waterfall at the mouth of the cave. Unless the person inside the cave came through the waterfall, there was no way they could aim at him again.


    Mr. Qian had just rolled to safety and hadn''t had the chance to raise his gun to aim when something mmed into his back, as if he had collided with something.


    Immediately after, his neck tightened, and an unpleasant body odor wafted over from behind. Mr. Qian suddenly realized that under his panic, he had unwittingly rolled right next to the wild man!


    Just the thought that the wild man, who killed as easily as ughtering chickens, was right behind him, sent Mr. Qian''s heart plummeting to his intestines!


    "Why am I not passed out yet, could the tranquilizer gun have failed?!" That was Mr. Qian''sst thought.


    The wild man, filled with sorrow and anger, still a bit dizzy, saw Mr. Qian practically deliver himself to the doorstep. Not one to be polite, he seized Mr. Qian''s neck with one hand, and without waiting for Mr. Qian to raise his gun, the other hand, clenched into a fist the size of a sand pot, rained down three heavy punches onto Mr. Qian''s head.


    If this were ancient times, the wild man''s fists might have been even more fierce than Lu Zhishen''s who had killed Zheng the butcher with a flurry of punches. But this man simply needed three. After the three punches, half of Mr. Qian''s head was buried in the ground, and the half that remained outside resembled an overturned sauce jar, red and white blood messy and mixed.


    Well now, of the six poachers, only He remained, gued by intense frustration.


    What was this mess?! His group of six, all armed to the teeth, each one an experienced hand, could have held their ground against a squad of armed police, yet they hadn''t even seen their opponent''s face when five were finished off with brutal efficiency!


    If it weren''t for He''s military experience offering him a robust mental fortitude, he might have broken down without needing Suming or the wild man toy a finger on him.


    Especially the two men outside the cave who died so mysteriously: one lying on a tree, body turned ck as if poisoned; the other with the back of his skull shattered, his face swollen like a pig''s head. If it weren''t for their clothes, He would hardly recognize them.


    His two subordinates were no slouches and pretty sharp, too, or he wouldn''t have entrusted them with the watch. Yet, they were effortlessly taken down by the enemy, without even a chance to sound the rm. This suggested that the enemy didn''t have numbers, but were indisputably masters among masters, proficient in closebat, adept with poisons, proficient with¡­ rocks?


    Who on earth could this be? Several groups shed through He''s mind at once: the hunting squads from the Middle East, the ck Death mercenaries from South Africa, the Fallen Angels from North America, ckwater security...


    His mind was in disarray; these factions were not ones they could afford to provoke¡ªin fact, they weren''t even qualified to provoke them.


    Was it the employer silencing them? He was shocked, took a deep breath, and hid behind a metal cage. With one hand holding a gun and the other clutching a backpack filled with dry food, he slipped stealthily toward the woods.


    Even though He wore sses, suggesting a schrly look, they were actually in ss for disguise¡ªhis natural vision in both eyes was 1.2. He came from a line of hunters and grew up to fight jungle warfare in the military. He was confident that once he retreated into the woods, it would be his domain. Using the deep mountains and forests as cover, he could slowly ascertain the enemy''s situation and even unexpectedly turn the tide of battle.


    "I''ll say it onest time, drop the weapons and surrender to save your life,"


    a voice resounded faintly, genuine and sincere, from behind the waterfall.

 Chapter 125: Chapter 125 Theres No Cure for a Sharp Tongue

    As the saying goes, "fine words butter no parsnips," Suming''s good intentions, when they reached He''s ears, were mistaken for a sign of Suming''sck of confidence. If he were notcking in strength, why would he bother calling out instead of charging out and exterminating them on the spot?


    "ying this game with me, you''re still too green!" A fierce look shed in his eyes as he crouched and slowly backed into the forest, nning to find cover to hide behind and then take action depending on the situation.


    In the deep forest, there were far too many ces to take cover; everywhere wererge trees that two or three people could barely get their arms around. With a quick movement, He hid behind a tree, revealing only part of his face as he peered through binocrs towards the waterfall.


    Just as he was watching, from deep within the jungle suddenly came a buzzing sound that grew louder and closer.


    He swiftly turned his head to look, and at that nce, he was stunned.


    He saw arge swarm of hos, like a dark cloud, buzzing towards him, and within the blink of an eye, they were upon him.


    Suming, hidden behind the curtain of water, saw a dark ''ball'' tumble out of the forest. The ball stumbled towards the river bank, screaming heartrendingly as it ran, until it copsed to the ground after only a few strides.


    "I can hardly bear to look..." Suming felt goosebumps all over, his entire body itching unbearably.


    By now, all six poachers had perished, and the hos had returned to stand by in the forest. He''s corpse was a gruesome sight to behold. Suming crawled out from behind the waterfall, sighed as he looked at He''s body, and thought to himself, I wasn''t deceiving you; if you had been willing to surrender, I truly wouldn''t have killed you. I could have turned you in to the authorities, and who knows, I might have even gotten a reward for it.


    But now, all six were dead. How was he to hand them over to the authorities? Not to mention six, he wouldn''t be able to carry even one. Besides, without proof of their guilt, it would be hard to exin.


    "Forget it, I won''t add to the burden of the crematorium colleagues. Let''s just return them to the bosom of nature."


    As Suming leaned against arge stone by the creek, he vomited while distracting himself by thinking of this and that. The scene was simply too gory, and even he found it hard to stomach.


    Haidong Qing, along with Huiya, kept a vignt watch over their surroundings, one on the ground, the other in the air.


    "All dead! All dead!"


    "So disgusting! So disgusting!"


    The two parrots, somehow having woken up, hopped out of the forest. Upon seeing the scene, they started to squawk horrendously.


    One of the parrots, not paying attention,nded right on the savage. After the savage had hammered Mr. Qian to death, hey motionless. The parrot, likely thinking the savage was already dead, leaned in to peck at him.


    Before it could peck, the savage suddenly shot out a hand and firmly grasped the neck of the Diamond Parrot!


    "**** sister..." The parrot''s stream of invectives was cut short as its voice ceased. With its neck seized, it could no longer make a sound, its body shaking frantically, feathers flying everywhere.


    "Stop!" Suming bellowed. The scene had been too chaotic, and he''d forgotten about the savage. This creature had frightening strength; even on the brink of death, a casual grasp could probably kill an adult, let alone the Diamond Parrot.


    The savage was still six or seven meters away, and snapping a neck could be done in an instant. Even if Suming could fly, it would be toote to rescue the parrot. Talking nonsense really does kill a bird!


    Suming turned ashen, cursing inwardly. Look where your smart mouth got you! Mom''s warning from this morning was for nothing. Now that you''re awake, you just had to be a smart aleck!


    Are you happy now? You''ve finally talked yourself to death!


    Suming, used to using his spiritual power, sent a burst of it toward the savage without thinking in his moment of panic!


    To his surprise, as soon as his spiritual power touched the savage, the hand that was about to snap the parrot''s neck stopped. The savage struggled to lift its head, itsrge, bright eyes looking nkly at Suming, even showing a trace of wariness.


    "Eh? What''s going on?" Suming was also bewildered; it seemed like he couldmunicate with the wild man using spiritual power!!


    Communicating with animals using spiritual power was not a problem, and controlling them was something Suming had considered before. After all, humans are also a type of animal. Since spiritual power was effective on animals, it might well be effective on humans too.


    For this reason, he had tried several times, but whether it was because he was wrong or because human intelligence far exceeded that of other animals, spiritual power had no effect on humans, at least not that he could notice.


    However, in that moment, both the wild man''s reaction and the feedback from the spiritual power proved that spiritual power did work on the wild man.


    "Could it be because this guy lives in the wilderness or grew up with animals, so he''s considered half-human, half-beast?"


    Enjoy more content from §Þ??


    While Suming was wondering, he released a bit of spiritual power to probe the wild man again, filled with benevolence. Judging by the spiritual power alone, Suming''s attitude towards the wild man was even more affectionate than a long-lost lover''s reunion.


    As expected, the wild man slowly put down the parrot, and the wariness in his eyes quickly disappeared.


    The Diamond Parrot, once freed, quickly fluttered its wings and hopped away, opening its mouth to curse, "Shit sister! Shit sister!"


    The other parrot was not to be outdone and chimed in from another direction, "Smash your mouth! Smash your mouth!"


    Even Suming wanted to strangle them both now; who had they learned these nonsense words from? Next time, he must put up a sign in the parrot area prohibiting visitors from swearing!


    Of course, the wild man couldn''t understand these swear words. Uttering a faint "ho ho..." from his throat and clutching his wounded shoulder, he gave Suming a pleading look for help.


    "Oh oh oh, hang in there, I''ll find something to stop the bleeding!"


    Suming quickly scrambled to his feet, rummaging through the poacher''s gear in a frenzy. It was only because of the wild man''s robust constitution that he hadn''t bled to death from the bullet wound, or passed out from the tranquilizer dart.


    After fumbling about clumsily for a while, he finally found a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao, as well as some hemostatic gauze and alcohol; summoning his courage, he approached the wild man and shook the medicine in his hand.


    "I''m going to save you, it''s going to hurt a bit, but don''t you hurt me..." Suming cautiously crouched down, conveying his intent in both humannguage and spiritual power, repeating the message twice.


    The wild man stared with wide eyes and nodded vigorously.


    Only then did Suming feel reassured, he opened the Baiyao, scooped out a small pill from the powder, and ced it in the wild man''s mouth for him to swallow.


    The old-style Yunnan Baiyao always contained such small pills, known as ''life-saving seeds,'' for internal use.


    When the wild man opened his mouth, his teeth were fairly white, but due to ack of dental care and eating raw food, his breath was so foul, it almost knocked Suming unconscious.


    After feeding him the pill, Suming held his nose and cleaned the wild man''s wound with alcohol, then sprinkled Baiyao over the injury.


    Throughout the process, the wild man''splexion was pale, clearly in tremendous pain, but he seemed to understand that Suming was helping him and gritted his teeth to endure it.


    But for now, this was only a temporary measure to stop the bleeding; there was still a bullet in the wound, and he needed to get out of the mountains immediately to have a doctor operate and remove the bullet. Otherwise, infection and inmmation could be fatal.


    The problem was that the wild man was injured and probably unable to travel that far; with hisrge size, Suming couldn''t carry him either. He might manage to carry him a few dozen meters, but the idea of carrying him out of the deep mountains was a pipe dream.


    Unless a helicopter came to rescue them right now, no matter what, the wild man wouldn''tst until they could get out of the mountains.

 Chapter 126 The Fallen Leaves Must Return to Their Roots

    Suming used alcohol to disinfect the Wild Man''s wound and then applied Yunnan Baiyao and gauze for a simplified dressing, which barely managed to stop the bleeding.


    It was less that the bleeding was stopped, and more that the Wild Man''s blood was almost drained. With three bullets, three holes, in his shoulder, and behind his thigh and buttocks, he received no timely medical treatment after being shot and had just been lying on the ground. During the fight between Suming and He, the Wild Man even managed to contribute a few moves, ultimately killing Mr. Qian.


    By the time everything settled, nearly ten minutes had passed. For an ordinary person, with threerge bullet wounds, they would have bled out long ago. It was only because the Wild Man''s physical condition was so astonishingly robust that he was still alive.


    It was also a stroke of luck¡ªit was probably because of the excessive bleeding that the anesthetic didn''t work. The Wild Man was pale but still somewhat conscious and hadn''t fainted. If he had fallen unconscious with such severe wounds, not even a deity could save him.


    "Hang on, I''ll carry you down the mountain to find a doctor!" Suming said, sweating profusely with urgency. There was a long way to go to get out of the mountains, and carrying the Wild Man would slow him down even more. Even if he managed to carry him out, the Wild Man likely wouldn''t survive that long and would die halfway.


    There was no other choice, they had to treat the situation like a dying horse on itsst legs. Although the Wild Man could sense spiritual power, he was not a pure beast, and the healing effects of the spiritual power were not as evident on him as they were on other animals¡ªespecially since his wounds were too severe and he was nearly bled to death.


    People do what they can and leave the rest to fate¡ªit was up to the Wild Man''s own destiny now.


    Just as Suming bent down to hoist the Wild Man onto his back, the Wild Man waved arge, fur-covered hand and then struggled to turn over, crawling towards the direction of the pond.


    "Hm? Could it be that the Wild Man has a tradition of water burial? Is he going to the pond to wait for death?" Suming was startled.


    The Wild Man crawled on the ground, leaving a trail of blood behind. Before he even reached the shore, he ran out of energy andy on the ground, gasping for air and tilting his head to stare toward the waterfall.


    Suming suddenly realized, dismissing the thought of a water burial. This guy was trying to crawl back to the cave behind the waterfall. That cave with signs of habitation was likely his ''home''!


    "Hold on, hold on! I''ll take you inside!"


    Suming tested with his spiritual power and his guess was indeed correct. The Wild Man had a strong desire to return to the cave. Suming didn''t know exactly why he wanted to go back, but there was no time to discuss it now. He quickly went over, grabbed the Wild Man''s arm, exerted himself to lift the huge body on his back.


    As the saying goes, "dead weight," which implies heaviness, certainly applies when someone has passed away. Though not dead, the Wild Man was close to it and already heavy due to his two-meter stature. Suming stumbled, nearly copsing under the Wild Man''s weight.


    The Wild Man also groaned in pain.


    Fortunately, the waterfall wasn''t far. Suming gritted his teeth, carried the Wild Man to the edge of the pond, ced him on a small intable boat, and then jumped in himself, paddling towards the waterfall. It took a Herculean effort to carry the Wild Man to the recess behind the waterfall and drag him through the cave entrance into the interior.


    The Wild Man''s breath grew weaker, and his consciousness started to fade. The feedback from spiritual power was muddled; his body asionally convulsing, he seemed on the brink of death!


    "Hey, hey, hey, don''t you die! Hey!" Suming was desperate, pping the Wild Man''s face with a crack. He meant to just pat his face, but in his urgency, he struck too hard, turning it into a p, echoing crisply through the cave.


    Spiritual power was poured into the Wild Man like it was free, hoping to stimte him back to life.


    Luckily, it worked. After being pped twice, the Wild Man''s cloudy eyes brightened slightly, and he made a "ugh" sound from his throat, regaining some awareness.


    After surveying his surroundings, the wild man twitched his nose twice, tilted his head, and extended his tongue like arge dog, licking the damp spots on the cave floor.


    Suming thought he was thirsty from heavy blood loss and hurriedly took down the military canteen from his waist to feed the wild man.


    The wild man sniffed the opening of the canteen but didn''t drink the pure water inside, instead continuing to lick the dampness on the ground.


    Suming, faced with the wild man''s picky behavior, simply emptied the water from the canteen, stood up, and looked around.


    In fact, the cave was located beneath a waterfall and river, its floor was stony, with water constantly seeping down from inside the cave and its ceiling. These drippings, umting over time, formed trickling streams that gathered in the uneven ground, creating puddles of various sizes. Suming found a basin-sized puddle, filled the canteen halfway with water from it, and handed it back to the wild man.


    After a brief sniff, the wild man nodded heavily and made "uh-uh-uh" sounds from his throat, opened his mouth wide, and, holding the canteen, began to guzzle the water with gusto.


    Having drunk the water in the canteen, the wild man seemed revitalized, like an injection of a cardiac stimnt had been administered. His gaze cleared, and he even propped himself up with one hand and sat up on the ground, panting heavily.


    Suming, surprised by the scene, hurriedly scanned him with his spiritual power and found that the wild man''s vitality had clearly increased.


    He quickly filled another half canteen with water, then assisted the wild man as they slowly walked back to thergest den, which evidently was the wild man''s home. Upon entering, the wild man copsed onto a pile of dry grass, gasping for air.


    Through all these exertions, the wild man''s gunshot wound burst open again, the gauze turning blood-red as blood continuously seeped from the wound.


    Suming frowned slightly and after a moment''s thought, pulled out a Swiss Army knife and a lighter from his pocket. Imitating what he had seen on television, he disinfected the de by repeatedly running it through the me.


    Extracting a bullet is a skillful job, requiring an incision to be made in the flesh over the wound, then forcibly removing the bullet. During this process, the patient not only experiences excruciating pain, but it is also extremely dangerous. A slight mistake could damage tendons, resulting in permanent disability, and if the bullet had prated bone, it would be even more troublesome.


    Moreover, opening up the wound could lead to significant blood loss and possibly death.


    Of course, Suming didn''t possess such skills, let alone practical experience, but now he was left with no choice but to take a gamble on luck and extract the bullet by force. Any further dy and the wound might be infected and fester, putting the wild man''s life in grave jeopardy.


    Suming looked at the wild man and said very seriously, using both spiritual power and humannguage, "I am going to extract the bullet! It will hurt a lot... "


    The wild man, with wide eyes, seemed to understand Suming''s intention, made "uh-uh" sounds from his throat, and then nodded.


    Suming, holding the searing hot knife, gestured over the wound on the wild man''s leg, pondering where to make the incision.


    "I''m doing this to save you, you better not hit me!"


    After saying this, Suming cut down fiercely with the knife.

 Chapter 127 Surgery

    The cave echoed with one scream after another...


    Huiya and Haidong Qing, standing guard outside the cave, looked at each other. Initially ready to rush behind the waterfall to ''save someone,'' fortunately, Suming notified them in time with his spiritual power, and this group of creatures obediently stayed by the pond to keep watch.


    The screams inside the cave gradually turned into low moans.


    Actually, it didn''t take long, but Suming felt as if it had been years¡ªthe surgery was finally over. Looking at the two bullets that had been removed, he let out a long sigh of relief, exhaustedly sitting down on the ground.


    Although the wild man''s face was covered in hair, it was still obvious¡ªhe looked pale and scary, lying there listlessly, the pile of grass beneath him stained red with blood.


    He was rather lucky; none of the three bullets had hit vital parts. The wild man''s muscle density was astonishing, two bullets were embedded in his muscles, and one rifle bullet had gone straight through, flying out the other side; therefore, Suming only found two.


    As for Suming''s surgical skills, they were, of course, horribly bad. This could be judged from the wild man''s screams¡ªan indicator of the ''barefoot doctor'' Suming''sckluster scalpel work.


    When he first cut into the flesh, Suming was able to stay calm, his heart steady and hands without tremor. Although the wild man was in pain, it was a sharp and clear sort of pain, a decisive hurt.


    But searching for the bullets in the wound was not so easy. With blood and muddled flesh and bones mixed together and the cave''s lighting very dim, it was not easy to find such tiny bullets. Suming himself was a nervously crude man, roughly equivalent to poking around in the wild man''s wounds with his fingers.


    The wild man passed out from pain and woke up again several times¡ªa testament to his brute strength, for anyone else might have died from the pain long before.


    If the roles were reversed, Suming felt that if he were the wild man, he would rather die than let an amateur like himself perform surgery.


    But all of this had finally passed. Compared to surgery, Suming''s bandaging skills were obviously much better, using alcohol to disinfect, sewing the wound with thread, applying medicine...


    After being busy for most of the day, he was finally done!


    "Actually, it''s not too bad, huh!" Suming''s hands were covered in blood as he took an interested look at the wound on the wild man''s thigh, which had been stitched into a flower-like shape.


    The wild man was still alive, turning his head to look at his wound and managing to give Suming a silly grin.


    That grin seemed to pull at his wound, and he winced, his voice trembling slightly.


    "Get some rest. If you don''t have a fever by tonight, you can consider your life saved!" Suming told the wild man.


    The wild man pointed at the water bottle, seeming thirsty again. Suming passed the water bottle to the wild man, who indeed had arge capacity¡ªhe had only drunk half a bottle when entering the cave. Now, with a few gulps, he drained half of the military water bottle, and still seemed to be looking for more, licking his lips and pointing towards the small puddle outside the cave.


    "Still drinking? Damn, let me make it clear, if you drink too much, I am not going to attend to your peeing needs!"


    Suming was exasperated. It had not been that long, and this savage had already guzzled down five or six jin of water. How big could his stomach possibly be?


    The savage looked at Suming with bright, clear, pitiful eyes, making Suming unable to bear it. He waved his hand in surrender, "Alright, alright, I won''t abuse a patient. I''ll go get you some water." After speaking, he picked up the kettle and stood up, walking outside to find a small puddle and gurgled back with half a kettle of water.


    The savage seemed pleased, babbling at Suming in a series of unintelligible noises, then held the kettle with his functioning hand and in a blink, the half kettle of water was gone.


    Today, this guy had been shot and operated on by Suming, having teetered between life and death several times. After drinking the water, he finally couldn''t hold on any longer and fell into a heavy sleep, emitting faint snores.


    Suming checked, and the savage''s forehead temperature was still normal; he didn''t have a fever. At the same time, he noticed that the snoring sound was different from a person''s. A person''s snorees from the nose or throat, some overweight people snore from their chest cavity, but the savage, his snoring came from his abdomen, simr to that of a wild beast. Huiya''s belly would also rumble when it slept.


    Suming was now full of various questions and extremely tired, but there was no time to explore the truth, nor was it the time to sleep. He first left the cave and saw the bodies strewn haphazardly outside, which needed to be dealt with quickly, lest the smell of blood attractedrge predators.


    Fortunately, the poachers came equipped. Several entrenching tools were a big help for Suming, and Huiya also helped by digging the ground with its front paws. Before long, they dug out arge hole.


    Suming scavenged for a while, finding a total of more than six thousand in cash, three bank cards with unknown PINs, a few handguns, and some random trinkets on the bodies.


    As the saying goes, wealth is external, you can''t take it with you in life or death. Since these people had gone off to meet Marx, they certainly wouldn''t need the colorful bills and guns; the great proletarian revolutionary leader might even denounce them as the "ck five" and have them criticized by the people even in death.


    Given this, Suming took everything and only then pushed the bodies into the hole to bury them. He covered it with ayer of cobblestones so that it looked no different from the surrounding ground.


    "Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, when youe out to hustle, you must always pay your dues, Mother Earth is fooling you¡­" Respecting the dead, Suming murmured several incoherent eulogies, then turned to rummage through the equipment these people had brought.


    Guns and ammunition, outdoor tools, hunting equipment, food, and drinking water¡ªapart from thest two, Suming currently had no use for the rest.


    Not only were they of no use yet, but most of the items couldn''t even be exposed¡ªfor instance, the rifles, handguns, and the small pile of shiny bullets wrapped in oil paper would mean trouble if discovered.


    But they mighte in handy in the future, especially the weapons and ammunition, which were too dangerous to carelessly discard; they might harm the flora or get picked up by children, which would be troubling...


    Suming called Diamond Parrot over to help, and they moved all these items to a hidden cave behind the waterfall, cing them in elevated, dry alcoves where they mighte in handy in the future.


    When all of this was done, it was almostpletely dark. Suming left Er Gouzi outside,manding several wasps to stand guard, and called all the animals into the cave.


    Haidong Qing, Huiya, and Diamond Parrot, as the seasoned regrs, were very obedient. Upon entering the cave, they curiously looked around, but without Suming''s orders, they didn''t dare to wander and all gathered in arge cave facing the savage''s, resting for the time being.

 Chapter 128 Strange Water

    The two new members of the team, the golden monkey and the baby fish, got along fairly well after somemunication with Suming''s spiritual power.


    The golden monkey actually hadn''t suffered any serious injuries. Upon examination, Suming found that the little guy had just shed some fur and had a few superficial wounds, while everything else was normal. The baby fish had a habit of storing food and had probably nned to eat itter when it was dragged into the cave, still not hungry. However, before the baby fish had a chance to eat, Mr. Qian had wriggled into the cave, driving the big baby fish out.


    Compared to monkeys like macaques, the golden monkey was rtively ''well-behaved''. After understanding the situation, the little golden monkey sat in the corner of the cave, hunching its shoulders and staring with its dark, fearful eyes at the Diamond Parrot sisters and Haidong Qing. These guys were several timesrger than it in size, and their presence in the cave felt quite oppressive.


    And that scruffy little wolf didn''t look too easy to mess with, either.


    "Call me big brother! Call me big brother!"


    "Smile! Smile!"


    The two parrots began to teasingly hassle the golden monkey, one on either side.


    The little golden monkey wouldn''t call anyone big brother as it was scared stiff, huddled in a corner, daring not to move an inch.


    "Don''t scare it, you guys! Especially you two, if you''re so capable, make Haidong Qing call you big brother!" Suming specially warned them, considering, after all, that they were a national ss-1 protected animal.


    The giant baby fish had also woken up by then. Its two dark, little fishy eyes stared at Suming for a while, looking somewhat unfriendly, but soon it shook its head and chickened out.


    The creature might have been fierce, but it wasn''t stupid; plus, it had been living for who knows how many years, so it was pretty sharp. It quickly grasped a few things: first, Suming meant no harm; second, it was powerless to resist; and third, it seemed that the person in front of it had saved it. Taking these points together, it would be foolish to make trouble for itself.


    The big baby fish seemed very familiar with the cave, wagging its tail as it crawled into the wild man''s den, nudging him with its head. Seeing that the wild man seemed still alive, it wagged and squirmed back out, found a bed-like big rock in the cave, and climbed up to lie down.


    "So, you two are neighbors?" Suming discovered the rtionship between the baby fish and the wild man only after probing with his spiritual power.


    Initially, he had thought the baby fish had raised the wild man, but observing the wild man''s behavior and mannerisms, he seemed more like a human than a feral child raised by animals.


    It appeared that the two were merely neighbors, and it was extraordinary how they had managed to coexist peacefully until now without getting eaten by one another.


    "Wa wa... wa wa..." The baby fish''s cries echoed in the still cave as Suming''s eyelids grew heavy. Holding a handgun and resting not far from the wild man, he soon fell asleep.


    He didn''t know how long he had slept when he felt a warm sensation on his face. Upon opening his eyes, there was the wild man''s fuzzy face close to his own,rge nostrils huffing out hot air.


    "Good morning..." Suming didn''t even know when his courage had grown so much. If it had been the past, waking up to such a sight would probably have scared him half to death, but now he waspletely unppable, not feeling the slightest bit of fear, and evenzily greeted the wild man.


    "Hoh hoh..." The wild man showed an ugly smile on his face, shaking Suming''s military water bottle in his hand at him.


    "Wow, you want water again, big brother? Can you ever get enough, or are you the reincarnation of Sha Wujing..."


    Before Suming could finish muttering, the savage surprisingly got up from the ground, bent at the waist, leaned against the wall, and slowly made his way to the cave entrance. Then, mimicking Suming''s actions from the previous day, he pressed the water bottle to a puddle to fill it with water.


    "Huh?" Suming was somewhat surprised. This guy has recovered so quickly? Shot three times, and after just one night''s sleep, he could barely walk!


    He scurried to his feet and walked to the cave entrance. The savage didn''t look at him, squatting by the puddle, eyes wide open, intently staring at the water bottle and swaying it back and forth, making strange emphasis in his throat as if encountering something iprehensible.


    Suming looked into the pool andughed. The fellow had the bottle''s opening facing up, above the water surface, while putting the bottom of the bottle into the puddle. After trying to fill it for quite a while, not a single drop of water went in.


    "That''s not how it''s used. Let me teach you," Suming said, shaking his head with a smile. The savage was imitating his water-filling actions from yesterday, but he hadn''t seen clearly while lying in the cave.


    The savage handed the water bottle to Suming with a puzzled look. Suming deliberately slowed down his movements, tilted the mouth of the bottle towards the puddle, and gently ced it in. Then the water poured into the bottle, creating a bubbling sound.


    "Heh heh... heh heh..." The savage''s eyes brightened, and he danced with joy. However, his movements were too vigorous, and he aggravated his wounds, making him grit his teeth in pain.


    "You try it!" Suming poured the water back into the puddle and handed the empty bottle to the savage.


    The savage''srge hands took the bottle, first looking at Suming, then at the bottle in his hands, and finally staring at the puddle a few times. He hesitantly mimicked Suming, slowly tilting the bottle''s mouth into the puddle.


    With more bubbling, seeing the water fill the bottle, the savage was very excited,ughing foolishly with "heh heh heh" like it was a game. He kept pouring out the water from the bottle, filling it up again, then pouring it out and filling it up again, thoroughly enjoying himself.


    Every time he filled the bottle with water, the savage would shake it towards Suming as if showing off a treasure. Hearing the sound of water hitting the sides, he wouldugh contentedly.


    Suming smiled and shook his head.


    At this moment, aside from being a bitrger and more imposing than a normal person, the savage didn''t seem much different from an innocent and naive child;


    Yet just ten or so hours before, Suming had seen another side of him that was extremely dangerous. Da Xiong, a big burly man, was held like a doll in the savage''s hands and was smashed to death. With one punch, he blew Mr. Qian''s head apart, and he even managed to dodge the first bullet at thest moment by sheer instinct.


    Suming rubbed the messy-haired head of the savage and said, "I''ll teach you something elseter. For now, stop ying and go back inside the cave to rest."


    Without using spiritual power, the savage seemed to understand some of Suming''s words, and nodded vigorously. Then, with both hands, he offered the water-filled bottle to Suming.


    "Is this for me to drink?" Suming asked.


    "Heh heh! Heh heh!" The savage thought Suming didn''t understand his intention, so he gestured a drinking motion with his head held high while holding the water bottle, and handed it back to Suming.


    Suming took the water bottle, frowning slightly.


    He had felt that there was something strange about the water here yesterday.

 Chapter 129 Asking Me to Take a Bath?

    When I first saw the poachers by the pond, they were using a small device to test the water quality, as if they hade here based on the sample of water quality, which indicates that the water here is distinctly different and very specialpared to other ces.


    Unfortunately, the device was smashed to pieces along with Da Xiong''s head by the wild man; otherwise, it could have been useful.


    Another aspect was the wild man himself, whose recovery speed was astonishing. On one hand, it was due to his robust physique, and on the other, his spiritual power also yed a role, albeit to a lesser extent. But now that I think about it, it seems to be closely rted to the water here as well.


    After being injured, the wild man struggled to return to the cave, and once inside, he immediately wanted to ''drink water.'' Before surgery, he chugged several jin of spring water, and when he woke up, the first thing he did was to fetch some water to ''thank'' his lifesaver, me. All of these subtly indicate that the water here is definitely extraordinary.


    Beyond that, the size of that baby fish is also quite astonishing! The size of the baby fish is rted to its age, which in turn is directly linked to the food and water quality. This baby fish appears to be no less than two meters long, suggesting that the water here is incredibly good, far surpassing that of Shuijun Lake. Suming estimated that it''s even likely to exceed national first-ss water quality.


    The logic seems to make sense, and since the wild man drank it without any issues, getting more energetic with each sip, the animals that drank plenty of the cave water should be safe from poison.


    Suming poured some water into his palm and then stuck out his tongue to taste it.


    The taste¡­


    Generally, spring water doesn''t have much vor. If spring water has a taste, well, that''s bizarre¡ªunless someone upstream is peeing¡­


    Yet this spring water has an extraordinarily faint ''strange vor.''


    Worried that it might be his imagination, or that he had contaminated it with the scent of his palm, Suming bravely bent over the edge of the pond and took a small sip.


    Indeed, there was an indescribable ''strange vor.''


    By ''strange vor,'' I don''t mean to say it was unpleasant to drink. The water was crisp and initially tasted slightly astringent and sweet, but that sensation almost immediately vanished. After the water flowed down the throat, it even gave the impression of ''merging'' into the body.


    Overall, the water in the cave was colorless and tasteless, yet drinking it made one feel as if it were very ''fragrant.''


    "Could it contain some special nutrients?" Suming wondered, not quite sure.


    The wild man saw Suming drinking water and smiled broadly, contented, then he tooy down by the water''s edge, plunged his head in, and gulped down the water voraciously, nearly draining the puddle in one go.


    Such puddles weremon throughout the cave, with water continuously flowing from various parts of the cave and quickly refilling the emptied puddles.


    The cave was quite spacious, but aside from the various holes in the stone walls around it, the main space was rtively open and could be seen at a nce. Suming craned his neck and looked around; there was nothing particrly remarkable about the cave.


    Stctites hung from the cave ceiling in all directions, with droplets of water dripping down their tips and falling to the ground.


    "Perhaps it''s because of the stctites?" he mused.


    Suming was also somewhat uncertain. In ancient legends, consuming ''stctites'' after cultivation was said to lead to asceticism. Of course, that idea seemed far-fetched; eating this stuff daily, Suming wasn''t sure if you''d be an immortal, but getting kidney stones was guaranteed.


    Stctites are essentially calcium carbonate and calcium hydroxide which indeed have some medicinal value. Many medical texts record their uses¡ªnot for immortality, but in small quantities, they can serve to cool heat, remove fire and nourish yin, and strengthen yang.


    Maybe the quality of the water here has something to do with those stctites hanging overhead.


    The savage had his fill of water and saw Suming lost in thought. He looked puzzled, then imitated Suming by plopping down on the ground, tilting his head back, gazing up at the sky with a vacant look in his eyes, not knowing what to see.


    Suming couldn''t help butugh. He pointed at the water on the ground and then at the stctites above, sending a query through his spiritual power.


    "Ho! Ho!" the savage shook his head vigorously.


    Suming was taken aback, "The water here has nothing to do with the stctites?"


    "Ho ho! Ho!" The savage stood up, leaning on arge stone, and pointed towards the deepest part of the cave, calling out twice.


    Seeing Suming was still sitting, he simply reached out to pull Suming''s arm, dragging him in that direction.


    "Slow down, slow down, don''t split your wound open again!" Suming quickly got up and turned to support the savage instead.


    "Ho!" The savage seemed a bit anxious, pointed ahead, and led Suming toward the depths of the cave.


    Although the savage walked slowly, the cavern wasn''trge, and they soon reached the deepest part of the cave.


    This ce was rtively high within the cavern. One side had a cliff face, and below it, like the waterfalls outside, there was a pool of water.


    However, the pool wasn''trge, about the size of a twelve-person round table at a hotel. A small stream kept flowing into the pool and then flowed out. Standing here, one could see that most of the water in the cave came through this pool.


    The savage led Suming to the edge of the pool and pointed at it, grunting incessantly.


    "There''s nothing special here..." Suming looked around and waspletely puzzled. It wasn''t a spring, just a bigger puddle, at most thirty to forty centimeters deep. One could easily see the pale rocks at the bottom of the clear water. There were no fish or anything else; everything looked very normal and nothing seemed unusual.


    The savage sat on the edge of the pool, tilted his body, and slid into the water. Hey on his back, with the wounds on his buttocks and thighs soaking in the water. Then with the hand he could move, he scooped up some water and poured it on the wound on his shoulder.


    Suming chuckled, "Oh, I get it, this is your regr bathing spot? Are you inviting me to take a bath?"


    The water quality here indeed was excellent, and a cool bath on a hot day would indeed be refreshing. However, Suming had no intention of bathing. The cave was already damp and chilly; the water here had a strong cold energy. Suming didn''t have the savage''s indestructible physique¡ªif he wasn''t careful and caught some illness, it could be serious. An ordinary person soaking in such cold water could end up with cold qi entering their body, likely leading to infertility.


    The savage didn''t respond to Suming, lying in the pool, amusing himself with the water for a while until he was thoroughly drenched and then, satisfied, he turned and took a big gulp from what seemed like a rge bathtub.''


    Suming swallowed hard: "..."


    Right at that moment, the savage suddenly opened his palm and grabbed toward the bottom of the pool, where the pale rocks were!


    With one grab, the hard rocks crumbled like brittle foam, the savage tearing off arge chunk in his mighty grip and leaving the imprints of his fingers on the rock underneath!


    "What the heck, is this some kind of Mighty Eagle w Skill!"


    Suming''s eyes nearly popped out of his head; that was just too exaggerated!

 Chapter 130 Big Fat Meat

    The wild man effortlessly ripped off arge piece of rock from the bottom of the water, giving Suming quite a shock¡ªand his eyeballs almost popped out!


    It''s true that the wild man was fierce, strong, fast and had a good constitution, but in the end, he was just flesh and blood. How could he possibly break through rock?


    Not only did he break it, he tore off arge piece?! And this wasn''t weathered rock!


    The rocks in the cave were extremely hard, something Suming knew well. During gunfights, rifle bullets couldn''t prate them; at most, they would chip off bits of rock and leave a mark on the cave walls! Yet the wild man managed to rip off arge piece in one go. Wasn''t he bing a superman?!


    Even in martial arts novels, there''s nothing so exaggerated!


    The Nine Yin White Bone w was fierce enough, with Mei Chaofeng and her husband dominating others with this move for half their lives by piercing through skulls. Even Zhou Zhiruo, who came after, could not pierce through a skull.


    Wang Chaoyang, the foremost among the Five Greats with divine skills, spent his life practicing martial arts but could only poke holes in wooden boards with his fingers. His wife, Lin Chaoying, cheated by inscribing a few characters on a stone b with her fingers, which scared him back immediately.


    But that was only writing a few characters, not directly ripping off arge chunk of rock, and she did that by cheating!


    Tears streamed down Suming''s face as he realized he had encountered a reclusive master of exceptional caliber. Seeing how effortlessly he lifted heavy objects, Suming was sure his martial arts prowess had already surpassed Jin Yong''s System and perhaps was not far from reaching Huang Yi''s System!


    From then on, consuming divine medicine, learning divine skills, starting a harem, reviving ancient martial arts, dominating the world, breaking out of Earth, scattering the sr system... those good days wereing...


    "He..." The ''exceptionally skilled recluse,'' with a face full of hair, presented the torn piece of rock to Suming as if offering a treasure.


    Suming was about to kneel and cry out, "Great hero, please take me as your disciple," when his eyes caught something odd about that torn-off piece of rock.


    It was white, tender, looking like a big chunk of fat...


    "Huh?"


    Suming paused, instinctively extended his finger, and poked what he wasn''t sure was ''fat'' or ''rock.''


    With a single touch, it caved in, squishy and quite springy.


    "Hehe..." The wild man chuckled foolishly.


    "I... go..."


    Suddenly feeling electrified, Suming leaned over and grabbed at the rge rock'' on the bottom of the water.


    As expected, the whitish rock on the bottom wasn''t really a rock at all. It felt like rubber when grabbed, softer than rubber but more resilient than fat.


    If one had to describe it, grabbing it was like holding onto a beauty''s chest; moreover, the kind that could hardly be grasped with one hand, soft flesh oozing out from between the fingers...


    Suming was no gentleman when it came to women, and joy filled his heart as he bellowed, "Behold the full power of my divine skill!"


    With a swoosh, he easily tore off arge piece of white, flowery flesh from the chest of a beauty at the bottom of the water.


    Althoughcking in actualbat experience, Suming had seen his fair share of tutorials, the tricks to dealing with a beauty''s chest were nothing more than a grab or a lick, and without any hesitation, he stuck out his tongue and licked the piece of ''flesh''.


    Indeed, the strange taste of the spring water was due to this chunk of ''flesh'', the terrain here was elevated, most of the water collected into the pool, flowed through the bottom of it, soaked by thisrge piece of ''flesh'', and then flowed out, taking on this vor.


    The wild man saw Suming grab a piece and thought he was being ''taught'' again, bursting intoughter as he wildly grabbed with both hands, immediately tearing off several more pieces.


    "Stop, stop, stop! My ancestors, stop grabbing!" Suming''s heart bled at the thought, and he hurriedly stopped the wild man''s naughty behavior.


    The white substance at the bottom of the water was not any kind of stone, but rather ''Poria''!


    Moreover, he could now be one hundred percent certain that what He and his group were looking for was neither a baby fish nor a wild man, but this super-sized Poria! It was just that it was not easily noticeable underwater owing to its color resembling that of rocks!


    Poria, in Huaxia, was reputed to be extremely magical, also known as meat Lingzhi. This thing virtually had no life span limitations, as long as it wasn''t destroyed and the environment allowed, it could practically live forever, its shelf life was even longer than the legendary ''love'', symbolizing immortality in the eyes of the ancients.


    The elixir of life that Qin Shi Huang sought after was exactly this, and it was said that Yao, Shun, and Yu all consumed this and lived past a hundred years.


    History going back more than three generations has basically be mythologized, so whether or not eating this thing can bring immortality is unknown to anyone.


    However, many medical texts recorded that Poria indeed had good medicinal value, Shennong''s Materia Medica and Compendium of Materia Medica specifically mentioned that consuming Poria over a long period could make one''s body light and unaging, extending life like an immortal.


    In Suming''s view, this notion was somewhat nebulous, what does ''long-term consumption'' mean? Is it eating once a week, or eating it daily as a meal? Is it consuming hundred-year-old Poria, or thousand-year and million-year-old Poria? If it''s thetter, even if consumption could make one an immortal, no one in the world from ancient times to the present has had the financial or material resources to do this.


    Modern medicine, essentially Western medicine, had also studied Poria.


    In the view of Western medicine, Poria was a blend of myxomycetes, bacteria, and fungi, rich in proteins, but whether it had medicinal value, how much value it had, and even whether it could harm the human body were all without conclusions for the time being, as some said it could fight tumors, anti-aging, and enhance immunity, while other studies suggested exactly the opposite, believing consumption could lead to various bacterial infections, minor cases resulting in diarrhea and severe cases leading to death¡ªonly then really bing an immortal.


    Speaking of Poria itself, it was also a rare curiosity in the biological world, neither animal nor nt, but something in between.


    The only thing that was for certain was that in modern society, the rarity of Poria definitely exceeded that of ss-protected wildlife, the older the Poria, the rarer it was, some people even specifically drank water infused with Poria.


    Even if Poria had no medicinal value at all, from the perspective of collectibles alone, its price was astonishing, it was said that Poria over a thousand years old could cost tens of thousands of US dors per gram.


    Poria, just like the giant panda, was both a national treasure and the oldest biological specimen still living.


    Some foreign scientists after researching even proposed that Poria could be the ancestor of humans and all flora and fauna.


    asionally, newspapers would report the discovery of Poria, stories like an olddy finding Poria, cutting a little to sell each year, and bing a millionaire, or the Chinese Wild Ganoderma Museum discovering an exceedingly rare thousand-year-old Poria in a certain year, worth several hundred million, and so on.


    As for how old this Poria in front of his eyes was or how much it was worth, Suming dared not be certain, since those reports contained a lot of hype.


    But what he could be certain of was that the robust physique of the wild man and the abnormal size and lifespan of the giant baby had an absolute connection with this Poria!

 Chapter 131 Treasure

    Since "Ì«Ëê" isposed of various types of ''fungi,'' these fungi will disperse into the water, making the water infused with "Ì«Ëê" beneficial to some extent.


    Of course, whether these ''effects'' are beneficial or harmful cannot be generalized.


    So far, a few things can be confirmed. The poachers found this ce using a special water sample; the water quality here is unique, not due to the waterfall outside, but because of the presence of "Ì«Ëê" in the cave. The water in the cave flows through the pool where "Ì«Ëê" resides, gets soaked by "Ì«Ëê" and finally flows out of the cave into therge pool outside.


    Secondly, the effects exhibited by this "Ì«Ëê" are mostly positive. The "wild man" and the "Chinese Giant Smander" must have been consuming the water steeped with "Ì«Ëê" for years, resulting in the smander''s long lifespan and the wild man''s robust physique and astounding recovery abilities.


    This is also the most important point.


    The quality and effects of "Ì«Ëê" grown in different environments are vastly different. "Ì«Ëê" grown in ces of pristine mountains and clear waters can be said to absorb the essence of nature, possessing extraordinary qualities. It is said that there are simr entities like "Ì«Ëê" in swamps; by the same logic, those that reside year-round in muddy, polluted waters, or even miasmatic airs, absorb corrupt essences, bing extremely toxic over hundreds or even thousands of years.


    Suming sent a st of spiritual power to the "wild man" then assisted him in climbing out of the small pool and took position on the opposite side to help Suming lift "Ì«Ëê" from beneath the water surface.


    Unexpectedly, "Ì«Ëê" was extremelyrge, and felt all too soft and slippery when touched. Suming attempted to lift it a couple of times only to find it incredibly heavy; the squidgy mass gave no purchase, making his efforts feel like tugging at fatty flesh¡ªlifting only arge chunk at a time, utterly impossible to hoistpletely.


    Continuing in this manner would surely tear "Ì«Ëê" apart.


    "Ì«Ëê" has self-regenerating capabilities, simr to fission. Even if a piece is periodically cut off, it won''t take long for it to grow back fully, and the carved-off section can still survive as a new "Ì«Ëê"¡ªa truly marvelous feature.


    Though "Ì«Ëê" has this marvelous ability, aplete "Ì«Ëê" is certainly valued higher. Moreover, from a subjective human point of view, there is an inexplicable reverence towards giant life forms. A whole enormous "Ì«Ëê" is far more impressive than a pile of fragments, even if they have the same value.


    Suming thought for a moment. The squishy "Ì«Ëê" in front of him reminded him of a scene from the novel he had read, "Ghost Blows Out the Light". Without a second word, he stripped off all his clothing, leaving himself d in just a pair of boxer shorts.


    The temperature in the mountains was already low, and it was even colder in the sunless cave, instantly causing Suming to shiver uncontrobly and his "bird" to retract.


    Seeing Suming strip, the "wild man" scratched his head in confusion, then looked down at himself. His body was nothing but fur; it didn''t seem like he had any clothes to take off.


    "Come help!"


    Suming jumped into the pool, standing on the soft "Ì«Ëê" underneath, and, with much iling, maneuvered his clothes and trousers to wrap around it. The "Ì«Ëê," sprawled on the bottom of the pool and almost as wide as Suming''s height, thankfully was soft and easy to handle; no matter how much it was twisted and squeezed, there was no issue. After much effort, they finally managed topletely cover "Ì«Ëê" with the clothing. The originally sprawling mass of "Ì«Ëê" now looked like a small mound of flesh gathered on top of the clothes.


    "One, two, three¡ªlift!"


    Suming and the "wild man" each grabbed an end of the clothes and pulled hard, slowly lifting "Ì«Ëê" out of the water. Judging by the feeling in his hands, Suming estimated that this "Ì«Ëê" weighed at least a hundred pounds.


    With a ssh, they finally lifted "Ì«Ëê" out of the waterpletely.


    Themotion attracted the attention of Huiya and the others; all the animals had gathered around, except for the Haidong Qing that had gone hunting early in the morning.


    Huiya circled the "big meat pie" incessantly, asionally reaching out its paws to scratch the Chinese Giant Smander a few times, clearly intrigued;


    The big axolotl crawled over to the Chinese Giant Smander with a patter, its two small eyes fixated on the plump and tender creature, looking as if it had long been drooling over it. Seeing this, the savage kicked the big axolotl, sending it tumbling over several times and crashing into arge rock. It got up, still eyeing the Chinese Giant Smander from a distance, clearly with bad intentions.


    p p p, the sounds of wings beating filled the air as the Diamond Parrot sistersnded directly on the Chinese Giant Smander, jumping on it like a trampoline, their bodies bouncing up and down.


    "So dizzy! So dizzy!"


    "So slippery! So slippery!"


    "Get off!" Suming grabbed the two troublemakers by the neck and yanked them off, joking aside, the Chinese Giant Smander''s body was soft and defenseless under the paws of these two, who had not jumped much before their hard ws punctured many little holes into it.


    The white-faced golden monkey seemed to be the most timid,ing overst with its tail tucked, and after arriving, it did not make any other moves like the other animals were, but sat obediently close to Suming''s leg, flicking its tail back and forth.


    "Let me tell you something, listen up, from now on no hurting this Chinese Giant Smander, especially you, Chinese Giant Smander and you two parrots!" Suming pointed at the Chinese Giant Smander as his spiritual power enveloped the animals present.


    The exact uses of this Chinese Giant Smander, how long it had lived, and any other relevant information were still unclear to Suming. However, the value it currently demonstrated was already quite astonishing.


    The hidden boss behind the poachers offered over a million US dors just for thebor costs for this thing, and if it were to be sold on the market, the price would definitely reach a staggering figure;


    Additionally, the water soaked by the Chinese Giant Smander had some very special effects, Suming was now in the aquaculture business, so it might be helpful, and it seemed both the savage and the big axolotl needed this kind of special water;


    Besides, such arge Chinese Giant Smander, even if its medicinal value were zero, would still be an extremely rare collectible as an item itself.


    Therefore, to describe this Chinese Giant Smander as a priceless treasure might seem an exaggeration, but for Suming, this creature truly deserved the description "of immeasurable value." He had to protect it at all costs¡ªif these animals, in their rough y, identally harmed it, he would be devastated.


    Spiritual power, like radar, spread out in all directions, greeting each animal in the vicinity;


    And a portion of that spiritual power coincidentally passed over the Chinese Giant Smander.


    Unexpectedly, the Chinese Giant Smander responded!


    "Huh?!" Suming''s eyes suddenly widened as he stared intently at the Chinese Giant Smander on the ground.


    This thing wasn''t an animal, so how could it react to spiritual power like one¡ªcould it be alive?!


    Fearing he was mistaken, Suming quickly concentrated and sent another wave of spiritual power toward the Chinese Giant Smander.


    Just like before, as soon as the spiritual power touched the Chinese Giant Smander, it immediately responded!

 Chapter 132 Evolve into an Animal?

    The Grand Duke responded to the spiritual power once again. However, the "response" was far from as clear as that of the animals andcked any substantive meaning. It was merely an instinctual acknowledgment, akin to a person hearing someone call their name and absentmindedly saying "oh".


    Even the lowest intelligence fish or invertebrates such as earthwormsmunicated with spiritual power in a manner far moreplex than the Grand Duke.


    The Grand Duke before them did not seem to be municating" as much as it was simr to a person shouting into a valley and receiving some echoes in return.


    But regardless of how weak the response was, any response was still a response. Spiritual power was not effective on all forms of "life" but was limited to animals. It had absolutely no effect on nts.


    In other words, the Grand Duke had now evolved into an animal! Even though its intelligence and thinking capability were so weak they were almost nonexistent, far behind any known animal, and not even close to smart creatures like cats and dogs, it couldn''t understand Suming''smands, nor could it possibly do any work ording to Suming''s will.


    But since it had be an animal, it was no longer in a state of obliviousness, and there was the possibility of further evolution in the future.


    Suming calmed his mind and pondered. The Grand Duke, as a life form, was already on the boundary between nts and animals. This particr Grand Duke had clearly lived for many years and could potentially evolve further, bing either an animal or a nt.


    Now that the Grand Duke could already be considered an "animal", spiritual power could assist its evolution. Suming scratched his head, looked at therge Grand Duke before him, and thought that if one day this creature, which had lived for at least a few hundred years, developed real intelligence and thinking capabilities, what kind of scene that would be.


    Wouldn''t it be a monster?


    Suming squatted beside the Grand Duke and studied it with his spiritual power for a while. In the realm of spiritual power, the Grand Duke was like a newborn baby, utterly clueless but very vigorous, absorbing the spiritual power, akin to nutrients, that was invested in it.


    "Spiritual power can indeed promote evolution!" Suming was slightly ted and quickly channeled more spiritual power into the Grand Duke''s body.


    What surprised Suming was that although the Grand Duke was still in the "infant" stage from an evolutionary perspective, it had a much bigger "appetite" than other high-intelligence animals. Suming used up almost seventy percent of his spiritual power, all of which was absorbed by the Grand Duke, and it still seemed unsatisfied.


    With Suming''s current level as an animal friend, seventy percent of his spiritual power would be enough to save a medium-sized animal that was severely injured and on the brink of death or substantially enhance the intelligence of an average animal to the point where it could barelymunicate with humans.


    Yet so much spiritual power infused into the Grand Duke had hardly changed it. It remained oblivious, with virtually no alteration.


    Life forms like the Grand Duke had been around for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years, known as living fossils. In the hierarchy of life, it could be considered very primitive,cking even basic intelligence, but from another perspective, it could also be seen as a super life form with endless secrets, iparable to ordinary animals or nts.


    It seemed that to truly develop intelligence andmunication in the Grand Duke would definitely not be a short-term achievement.


    "Uh uh..."


    The primitive man''s voice came from the side. Suming looked up and saw two Diamond Parrots had perched on him at some point. One stood on top of the primitive man''s head, mistaking his tangle of hair for a nest, while the other wobbled on his shoulder.


    These parrots were fat andrge, weighing several dozens of pounds each, which wasn''t much for the primitive man with his terrifying strength. However, the man was severely injured, and with the disturbance from the parrots, the wounds began to break open again, eliciting a deep groan of pain.


    The wild man, though primitive, had the highest intelligence among animals but the lowest among humans. If this had been in the past, he probably would have bashed the brains out of these two parrots by now. However, after spending a day together, he seemed to understand that these two fluffy fellows were Suming''s subordinates¡ªin other words, they were all family now. He didn''t feel it was appropriate to hit or chase them away, so he could only emit threatening growls, looking at Suming and waiting for him to take charge.


    "Get down, get down. If you''re not busy, go help Haidong Qing hunt!" Suming mimicked a punching motion, pretending he was going to hit them. The two parrots immediately cowered, shrieking as they flew off the wild man and burrowed out of the cave to find their own food.


    "See that? Next time they bully you, just scare them, but don''t really hit them!"


    As Suming instructed the wild man, he pushed Tai Sui back into the small pool again. The water soaked by Tai Sui had a very beneficial effect on the wild man''s injury recovery. Now the most important thing was to let the wild man heal as quickly as possible.


    "Ho ho!" The wild man, imitating Suming, waved his fist menacingly in the direction the parrots had flown off, letting out a roar and baring his full set ofrge teeth with a grin.


    This fellow was naturally strong, and with his wild hair and long beard, he didn''t need to try hard to look intimidating. Now, raising his fist to imitate Suming, he immediately seemed very fierce. The two Diamond Parrots had long since flown away, but his antics gave a few other animals quite the scare.


    Huiya zipped half a meter back in an instant, baring his teeth and growling lowly at the wild man. The big baby-fish used all four limbs to twist and quickly hide behind arge rock without daring to show its head, while the golden silk monkey zipped behind Suming and peeked out from behind his leg with half of its tiny pale face, watchfully eyeing the wild man.


    "Is it that scary?" Suming was taken aback. He raised his fist and let out a roar like he had done before, but this time the animals paid him no mind.


    The wild man was also startled, then he opened and scratched his head with his clenched fist, and made a ''hehehe'' sillyugh towards the animals around, seemingly with a bit of an apologetic air.


    Suming, speechless, pointed to the pool and said to the wild man, "Keep soaking. Once your injuries are healed, I''ll take you to the city."


    ...


    Suming had disappeared again!


    "Should we call the police?" Mrs. Tong was somewhat anxious as she spoke with Mr. Song, "He only asked for three days off, and including the weekend that''s five days. Today is the seventh day. I went to Whisperwind Pavilion and didn''t see him, and nobody in the zoo has seen him either. His car is still parked by the pavilion. Could something have happened?"


    Mr. Song, however, was quite calm, saying, "It hasn''t been forty-eight hours yet, a report wouldn''t be epted."


    "This kid, always going off to the back mountain for no reason. In the wild, what if he encountered a wild animal or something? God forbid anything happens to him. Su is now the pir of our zoo. If anything happens to him, the whole zoo will be in chaos!" Mrs. Tong murmured worriedly.


    Though Mrs. Tong hadn''t received any direct benefits from Suming, as an old employee of the zoo, she had watched Suming after he arrived make the zoo prosper day by day. Of course, she wished for Suming to be safe and sound.


    Mr. Song, on the other hand, chuckled. If it had been any other employee missing for two days, he might have been even more anxious than Mrs. Tong. But Suming was a different case. After experiencing a series of incidents, Mr. Song had gradually be ustomed to Suming''s asional ''disappearances'', which each time seemed to bring some surprise to everyone.


    "Hey, you worry too much. I can''t be sure about other ces, but in the wild, I trust Su''s abilities¡ªhe won''t run into trouble. And even if he really did encounter something, didn''t he take a hawk with him? Both the hawk and the wolf know the way; they''lle back to report if there''s an issue," Mr. Song said.

 Chapter 133 Return

    In the wards of Yangchuan City''s First People''s Hospital.


    As the saying goes, good spiritse with good news; the state of one''s body can influence one''s mood, and conversely, one''s mental state can also impact one''s health.


    Take Zhou Jin for example, when he saw Suming being interviewed on televisionst time and saw several finless porpoises that he thought should belong to him, at least in his own opinion, had be the property of the zoo, he was so angry that he coughed up blood on the spot;


    But when he learned through certain channels that he had been named a districtbor model, Zhou Jin''s mood gradually improved. He felt that his recent run of bad luck had finally ended and that good days were just around the corner. The dark clouds over his heart dissipatedpletely, basked in sunshine.


    Happy events lift the spirits, and with an improved mood, his illness also recovered rapidly. The doctor told him that at this rate, he would be able to get out of bed and move around in a wheelchair in another two or three weeks, and he could probably manage to walk a little in a month or two.


    ...


    In the deep mountain cave.


    It was unclear whether it was due to the strong physical constitution of the wild man himself, or the miraculous effects of the so-called "Regal Soak," or perhaps both factors yed a role, but the wild man''s gunshot wound healed at an astonishing rate. In just a couple of days, the wound had basically healed and no longer affected his movement, as long as he avoided strenuous exercise.


    "Okay, let''s get ready to set off!"


    Suming stood at the edge of therge pool outside the cave, with a row of his ''soldiers'' standing in front of him.


    The two Diamond Parrots and Haidong Qing, the three-bird team, didn''t require Suming''s attention for their movements. Huiya had also gradually gotten used to outdoor life and had much better mobility in the mountains than Suming. The golden monkey was the same, having grown up in the mountains.


    Since He and his crew could find this ce, the cave was no longer safe. Suming had to take the divine creature and the baby fish with him.


    The divine creature and therge baby fish were a bit troublesome. The divine creature was unconscious and legless, nothing more than a huge b of meat that couldn''t be moved.


    Fortunately, with the strong wild man around, Suming made a simplerge bundle out of the canvas left by He and stuffed the divine creature inside for the wild man to carry on his back;


    Therge baby fish did have legs, but it was not convenient to move around in the mountains. The wild man once again became theborer, casually picking up the nearly two-meter-long baby fish and tucking it under his armpit.


    While the wild man was recovering from his injuries, Suming transferred the poachers'' shady equipment elsewhere. He had the Queen Bee send out arge swarm of bees, moving the items one by one to be hidden in the Hundred Flowers Valley like ants relocating their home.


    Mainly weapons, these things weren''t very useful in the city and could easily bring trouble, but one never knew when they mighte in handy.


    "OK, let''s hit the road!"


    Suming snapped his fingers and took a step to leave, but suddenly felt light as a feather and started to float up.


    The wild man easily hoisted Suming onto his shoulder and chuckled at Suming with a smile.


    "Can you handle this? Don''t pop your wound open!" Suming was riding on the wild man''s shoulder like a horse, which saved a lot of energy, but he still worried a bit about the wild man''s injury.


    The wild man grinned and gestured that it was no issue, then took big strides and started walking forward.


    Suming truly experienced what it meant to "stride like the wind." The wild man had a tall frame and long legs that, when swung out in stride, reminded one of long bamboo poles, rapidly covering ground as the scenery whizzed past on both sides. Suming, therge baby fish, and the divine creature together weighed over four hundred pounds, but this hardly seemed to affect the wild man''s pace.


    With this, the journey that would have taken almost half a day was greatly shortened. By the time the sky was getting dark, Suming, riding on the wild man''s shoulders, could already see the highway and the outline of the zoo at the foot of the mountain from afar.


    However, thest stretch of the road was more difficult to traverse. Being close to the city and at the edge of the mountain, there were asionally tourists hiking up, and it would be very bad if someone spotted a wild man or a divine creature. They might face the danger of being imed by some great beast known as the ''nation''...


    Thus, Suming directed the wild man to choose the more difficult paths down the mountain, which took a bit more time. They then silently infiltrated the zoo from the side of the naval households.


    By the time they got back to Whisperwind Pavilion, it was already pitch-dark.


    Suming had Er Gouzi deploy several wasps to stand guard around Whisperwind Pavilion, and then led his troop of subordinates back into the pavilion.


    "Meeting time!" Sitting in the small room on the second floor, Suming looked at his newly acquired ''subordinates''. Among these guys, some could be seen in the light of day, but there were others that could not be seen, and he needed to spend some effort to properly settle them.

 Chapter 134: Chapter 134 Two Big Pieces of News

    Early the next morning, Suming rushed to Mr. Song''s office and had a lengthy, hushed discussion with him. Then he went to cancel his leave with Mrs. Tong, enduring a lecture due to his sudden disappearance.


    Chapter Stay:


    In the afternoon, the zoo was buzzing with two pieces of news!


    Firstly, the Monkey Mountain administrator noticed an oddity during feeding time: a small monkey with a pale face and light golden fur had appeared on the mountain.


    Being in charge of Monkey Mountain, he was quite familiar with monkeys and immediately recognized that this little neer was a Qinling Golden Monkey, a national first-ss protected animal!


    Originally, the macaques living on Monkey Mountain were also nationally protected animals. However,pared to the Qinling Golden Monkey, they paled in significance. As a national first-ss protected species, there are fewer than 3000 Qinling Golden Monkeys left. They are listed on the World Conservation Union''s endangered species red list and undoubtedly count as a national treasure!


    Speaking of national treasures, Huaxia had many, but in terms of cherished status, Qinling Golden Monkeys were even less regarded than giant pandas. However, the panda is indigenous to Shu, and as valuable as it is, it bears no rtion to Yangchuan City or the province. Meanwhile, the Qinling Golden Monkey is a representative and treasured species local to Yangchuan City, whose value cannot be overstated.


    In fact, the mascot of Yangchuan City was the Qinling Golden Monkey, but the zoo had not seen a true "Qinling Golden Monkey" for many years.


    Not only did theyck Qinling Golden Monkeys, Yangchuan City Zoo hadn''t even acquired any other variety of golden monkeys for many years. For arge national zoo, this was quite unreasonable; as rare as they are, the species is numerous, and obtaining a few should not be difficult.


    The reason for this was quite clear upon reflection. If Yangchuan City''s symbol was the Qinling Golden Monkey, but other types of golden monkeys were being kept in the zoo, it would seem like the city was contradicting itself. This would suggest that Yangchuan''s animal protection efforts were poor, failing to preserve their own unique species, resorting to disying ''counterfeit'' substitutes instead.


    "Out of sight, out of mind," became the approach of Yangchuan''s rted leaders, who outright banned the zoo from introducing any variety of golden monkeys.


    The administrator rubbed his eyes, confirming the identity of the little creature not far away as a Qinling Golden Monkey. He was initially bewildered, then overjoyed, followed by a sudden drop in his heart.


    The macaques are not the docile type. Despite all being monkeys, the macaques would not show a golden monkey any kindness, quite the opposite: they''re known to be unfriendly towards intruders in their territory!


    Seeing therge group of macaques surrounding the golden monkey, the administrator''s legs went weak, nearly breaking into tears!


    If a Qinling Golden Monkey was attacked or even killed by the other macaques in front of him, his days as an administrator would be over!


    "Oh my goodness!!" The administrator, quick-witted in a crisis, swiftly took out his phone to call Suming. In this situation, apart from him, it was unlikely anyone else could help.


    However, the administrator''s fingers paused on the dial button. He had been in Monkey Mountain for several minutes already and now, looking closely, he observed that the macaques, far from intending to attack the golden monkey, were merely chattering anxiously around it, driven by curiosity and even disying some ''friendly'' gestures.


    The old Monkey King sat atop a nearby hill, showing no displeasure at the intruder, merely squinting and basking in the sun.


    The old Monkey King''s beloved son, Xiao Kong, was in the center of the troop, squatting behind the golden monkey, picking lice off of it; and the grimy little female monkey that Suming had somehow acquiredst time¡ªnow the ''crown princess''¡ªwas offering the small golden monkey some fruit, presenting a scene of brotherly respect and harmonious affection.


    "Huh?!"


    The administrator felt that his attempts had once again been turned on their head, and he stood there dazed for a good while before remembering that he needed to report the situation immediately. So, he dialed the office of the director and stammered out, "Director¡­ there''s something that''s appeared out of nowhere at Monkey Mountain¡­"


    "Oh, a golden monkey, right? Suming already told me about it, he found it ying in the back mountain, it was injured, so he brought it back to the zoo to be cared for."


    "Ah? Oh¡­" the administrator said nkly.


    "Well then, just take good care of the golden monkey. I''m writing a report about the discovery of the golden monkey to submit to the authorities. If there''s nothing else, I''m hanging up."


    ¡­


    An additional golden monkey in Monkey Mountain didn''t cause much of a stir among the majority of visitors and staff, as most couldn''t tell the difference from a distance and it didn''t create too much of a sensation.


    However, not far from Shuijun Lake, near the construction site of the aquarium that was under construction, quite amotion had erupted: people crowded around threeyers deep, including zoo staff, visitors, and construction workers.


    After it was decided to keep the finless porpoise in Yangchuan City, the provincial capital could only reluctantly ept it, but the porpoise couldn''t be kept in Shuijun Lake indefinitely. That ce was open to the public, with peopleing and going and boats moving back and forth on theke, which was not conducive to the protection of the porpoise.


    So, Yangchuan City and the provincial government invested some money to build an aquarium at the zoo. A while ago, Wang Jian She had arranged the financing and the construction of the aquarium had officiallymenced.


    Mr. Dong of the Security Department wore multiple hats, acting as construction supervisor on behalf of the zoo, and he, along with several security guards, conducted daily inspections at the site.


    A little after three in the afternoon, Suming arrived at the construction site apanied by a burly stranger, who was pushing a cart. Suming called out from a distance, "Dong, Dong, when building the aquarium, add an annex for raising baby fish!"


    "What baby fish? Where did you get baby fish?"


    Dong was taken aback and hadn''t grasped Suming''s meaning, when he saw the burly man tip the cart over, revealing a big ck, long, and thick creature that started to wriggle out of the cart.


    "Holy mother, what is that thing!" Dong was startled by therge creature in the cart, but upon closer inspection, he realized it actually was a baby fish!


    Baby fish weren''t particrly rare; they could be bred on arge scale artificially, and a pound could be bought for two to three hundred yuan on the market. However, seeing a baby fish over two meters long with your own eyes was a totally different experience!


    It was like crocodiles, whether wild or domestically raised, their numbers far exceeded those of baby fish. But if one day, a gigantic crocodile over ten meters long suddenly appeared before you, the shock would not be easy for the average person to ept.


    "Back up! Back up! Everyone, be careful!"


    Dong shouted into the megaphone and then cautiously approached the baby fish, pointed an electric prod at it, and asked Suming, "Is this really a baby fish? How did it get so big, and where did you get it from?"

 Chapter 135: Chapter 135 Changing Appearances

    Dong didn''t yell through the megaphone at first, and things were okay, but as soon as he did, his voice carried a long way. People are curious by nature, and hearing there was "danger," instead of dispersing, they flocked over even more quickly.


    In the eyes of most people, the frilled fish are cute, adorable, harmless, valuable, or even tasty... Few actually know how fierce the frilled fish can be, so seeing an extraordinarilyrge one, the crowd didn''t have the slightest sense of danger. Instead, they boldly moved closer, wanting to observe this big fellow up close.


    Even Mr. Dong, after his initial surprise, took out an old-fashioned mobile phone to snap a photo.


    "Back off, back off! Do you all have a death wish?"


    Suming shouted. He could manage if one or two people came closer ¨C he would just control the frilled fish with his spiritual power to prevent it from attacking. But with so many people crowding in at once, if the frilled fish were startled and behaved abnormally, his spiritual power might not be able to control it in time.


    He had seen the power of the frilled fish before; those kids who were about to touch the frilled fish''s head could have their heads bitten clean off in one bite!


    Just a while ago, Mr. Dong in his uniform was shouting through a megaphone and it didn''t work, let alone Suming shouting with his voice. The people around him acted as if they hadn''t heard, each one of them eager to touch the fish.


    "Ho!"


    A roar suddenly erupted from the crowd, like a p of thunder from nowhere, and the burly man with a sad-looking stubble who had been following Suming charged into the crowd. With arms like steel bars, he swung them to the sides, parting the crowd at once, and then grabbed two kids who were about to touch the frilled fish''s head and tossed them back into the crowd.


    "Waah waah waah..." The crowd was dense, and although the kids weren''t hurt, they were frightened and burst into tears as soon as they hit the ground.


    The children''s parents immediately became upset and stepped forward to argue, but they didn''t dare to confront the burly man. Standing there like an iron giant, he looked intimidating, and the parents, being wise, pointed at Suming and mored for an exnation.


    "Want an exnation, my ass! Dammit, I saved your kids'' lives, and now you dare demand an exnation from me!"


    Before they could respond, Suming shouted and, with all his might, kicked a newly nted young por tree beside him.


    The young por was as thick as a child''s arm, and after Suming''s kick, the tree shook a few times but didn''t break. Instead, the kick sent Suming stumbling back a step.


    "You try!" Suming said, his face reddening, and he motioned to the burly man with his mouth.


    The burly man stepped forward and kicked just as casually, lifting his foot without any obvious effort, and the tree snapped in two with a creak.


    "Everyone watch this!" Suming held the tree trunk in front of the frilled fish, which, as if being provoked, opened its mouth wide and bit down hard on one end of the trunk. It then began to roll on the spot like a crocodile.


    Squeak, squeak, creak... Amid a grating sound that made one''s teeth ache, the tree trunk was twisted into a corkscrew.


    Seeing this, the argumentative parents fell silent, thinking back to how their children had dared to try touching the frilled fish and breaking out into a cold sweat.


    "See? This thing bites!" Suming rolled his eyes in annoyance, then added, "When the aquarium is built, everyone who wants to see cane back."


    Only then did the crowd franticly back away several meters, as if they were terrified the frilled fish would suddenlysh out at them.


    "All right, all right, scatter now. Go do whatever you were doing," Mr. Dong waved everyone off and dispersed the crowd.


    Suming let the axolotl crawl back into the cart and said to Mr. Dong, "Dong, I stumbled upon this in the back hill. I''ve already reported it to the zoo director. When building the aquarium, don''t forget to reserve a den for it."


    "Don''t worry, no problem. Just in time, the aquarium originally only had three finless porpoises and it looked deserted. Now with this axolotl, it finally resembles something. This big axolotl might even qualify for a Guinness World Record."


    After finishing about the axolotl, Dong curiously looked at the robust man following Suming and wondered, "Is this your friend? Quite strong-looking!"


    "He''s a distant rtive from my hometown,e to seek refuge with me," Suming chuckled.


    The sessive appearances of the golden monkey and the axolotl attracted the zoo''s attention to such an extent that many people didn''t take much notice of the ''hometown rtive'' that had arrived with Suming.


    This stout ''hometown rtive'' was, of course, the wild man. Chapter Stay:


    Last night, Suming had the wild man bathe in the Fengshui Pavilion, then shaved his hair and beard, and bought somerge-sized sportswear in the morning.


    Compared to the typical image of a wild man, this one originallycked a bit of a wild beast''s appearance and looked more human. After Suming''s grooming, hepletely resembled a countryman new to the city, robust and honest, yet very simple.


    After shaving his hair and beard, Suming also discovered that, in fact, the wild man was quite handsome. Aside from slightly high cheekbones, his looks could score around sixty to seventy points, and his eyes were bright and piercing, thanks to years of living in the wilderness.


    "Why do you look so familiar?" Suming always felt there was something recognizably familiar about the wild man''s facial features. Could he be an old buddy or best friend from his past life?


    Aside from the wild man, the smallke at Whisperwind Pavilion was also undergoing some secret changes.


    At one end of Shuijun Lake, a group of shrimp soldiers and crab generals started a new project, aiming to connect the smallke next to the Fengshui Pavilion with Shuijun Lake;


    If one observed carefully, there were noticeably more hos and bees around the trees surrounding Shuijun Lake. The wolf dog brothers and cat siblings had also been assigned by Suming to take shifts guarding around the Fengshui Pavilion.


    After returning from the construction site, the wild man stripped off his clothes, wearing onlyrge boxer shorts, and dove into the smallke, drinking theke water in huge gulps.


    Suming didn''t mind him and busied himself in the kitchen, cooking while saying to the axolotl sprawled at his side, "You''ll stay here for now. Don''t try biting the sacred beast, or I''ll stew you! Here, this is what stewed fish looks like..."


    Suming fished out arge chunk of sulent fish tail from the pot of boiling fish soup and threw it to the giant axolotl, threatening it as he did so.


    The giant axolotl seemed not to mind the heat, swallowing the two pounds plus fish tail in one bite, smacking its lips with relish. It wasn''t foolish; the stew was delicious, and it certainly wouldn''t bite the sacred beast that Suming hid in the smallke.


    Besides, the water from the sacred beast was highly beneficial for the growth of the giant axolotl. Unless it was starving, it wouldn''t easily attack the sacred beast.


    The fish in the pot was fished out from Shuijun Lake. Suming tasted it himself and found it quite good. Its taste was on par with the fish from Huating Reservoir, and as for the vor, that all depended on the skills of the cook.


    Lately, the fish in Shuijun Lake had been thriving rapidly; in a few months, they could be sold on the market.


    Suming called the wild man in for the fish meal and picked up the phone. After contemting for a moment, he dialed Wang Jian She''s number.

 Chapter 136: Chapter 136 Distant Cousin

    Suming''s excursion into the mountains had reaped considerable rewards, yet the greatest feat, or rather merit, actuallyy in wiping out an entire squad of armed poachers.


    However, exining this merit was too troublesome, and revealing it would likely invite a string of trouble for himself, so Suming had no intention of telling anyone.


    He called Wang Jian She to seek his help in solving the "identity" problem of the Wildman; the guy couldn''t always be without an ID.


    He gave Wang Jian She a rough overview of the situation, sticking to the story he''d crafted long ago, "Right, he''s a rtive from my hometown, sort of a distant cousin of mine. Back when they were enforcing the birth control policy, he was the second child and never got his household registration, remaining undocumented. He had a fever when he was little that damaged his brain, so he''s not very articte, and he''s a bit slow. Now he''se to the city to join me, and I''m thinking it might be possible to get him registered."


    "It used to be difficult to do, but now that they''ve rxed the one-child policy, it''s much easier. Do this, send me his photo and name, and other such information, and I''ll have someone take care of it for you," Wang Jian She agreed quite readily.


    Name? Suming thought for a moment. Since this guy was so fierce and supposedly my cousin, let''s just call him Su Meng.


    Wang Jian She also made some small talk with Suming on the phone, though it wasn''t just idle chatter as it carried some significant information. He told Suming that if he got selected as abor model, that would be great, but if not, there was no reason to be disappointed. After all, Yangchuan City hadn''t seen someone as young as Suming be abor model in the past ten-plus years. Given the rapid rise Suming was on, even if he didn''t get selected this time, he''d definitely make it in the future.


    While bing abor model certainly had its perks, Wang Jian She all but guaranteed Suming a spot, meaning that even if he didn''t make it this time, he would next time. Naturally, Suming had no reason to say much more on the matter.


    Wang Jian She also advised Suming to speak with Wang Hao, asking him to drink less often. He''d heard that Wang Hao''s health hadn''t been great recently, with blood pressure and lipids rmingly high during several hospital exams.


    "Mr. Wang, you know how his work is, with all theworking. How about this? Once my business gets a bit bigger, I''ll just let Wang Haoe work with me," Suming said, shaking his head. When hest asked for Wang Hao''s help in finding someone to make a fish saddle, Wang Hao had mentioned a project involving attracting investment that kept him busy wining and dining all sorts of people every day. It seemed morous on the surface, but such entertaining was in fact quite taxing.


    Suming hadn''t expected Wang Hao to stick with the project with such diligence. After all, he had his father''s protection and a share of the tour boat business profits. Even if Wang Hao aplished nothing, he could livefortably.


    The callsted only a few minutes, and by the time Suming hung up, a whole pot of fish had disappeared. Comrade Su Meng, the Wildman, didn''t look full at all, still cradling the big pot in his arms and licking the bottom with a scraping sound.


    "Is my cooking really that good?" Suming''s mouth twitched twice, thinking, I don''t have the energy to cook another pot, let''s just order takeaway.


    He ordered several hundred bucks worth of takeaway, considering it was Su Meng''s first time eating prepared food, Suming didn''t dare to order too much greasy, fatty stuff, getting a portion of various dishes, along with a ten-yuan serving of steamed buns.


    A dozen or so dishes¡ªfried, saut¨¦ed, deep-fried, boiled¡ªfilled therge round table to the brim, an inviting array of colors and tempting aromas.


    Without hesitation, Su Meng reached out with his big hand to grab a te of stir-fried kidney, but a pair of chopsticks appeared out of nowhere and smacked his hand.


    Su Meng recoiled, looking at Suming in confusion.


    "From now on, you eat with chopsticks!" said Suming as he demonstrated chopsticks in his hand, then deliberately slowed his movements, cing them on the table, picking them up again slowly, holding food, and repeated the use of chopsticks.


    "You try it!"


    Suming ced the chopsticks in front of Su Meng, who scratched his head, looking at the chopsticks, and then, mimicking Suming, awkwardly grasped them with his fingers.


    "Good, now try picking up some food!" Suming encouraged.


    Suddenly, Su Meng lifted the chopsticks high and stabbed them down hard!


    "You don''t use a fork¡­" Suming covered his face, only to find that Su Meng hadn''t attempted to ''stab'' the vegetables but had speared arge white steamed bun onto his chopsticks, taking a huge bite that halved it instantly.


    Sumingughed, pushing the te of oil-braised kidney flowers with sauce towards him, saying, "Dip it, dip it!"


    "Ho! Hoho!" Su Meng''s throat emitted muffled sounds. Using the steamed bun, he dipped it into the sauce and ingeniously wrapped some kidney flowers inside, making a Chinese ''burger.''


    Suming chuckled, surprised that Su Meng was quite clever, and thus went on to teach him the use of chopsticks and spoon several more times.


    During the lesson, Su Meng quickly mastered the use of the utensils, and the entire spread of dishes was thoroughly polished off.


    Thankfully, Suming had the foresight to buy ten fist-sized white steamed buns at one yuan each, which finally satiated the big oaf.


    "Ugh¡­"


    Lying on two reclining chairs on thekeside tform of Shuixie Lake, Suming and Su Meng basked in the sun while digesting. Su Meng, patting his belly, atst ceased his ho-ho-ing and gave a sonorous burp of satisfaction.


    Suming turned to look at Su Meng, thinking if he was to integrate into human society, this constant ''uh-uh-uh'' and ''ho-ho-ho'' wouldn''t do; he''d have to slowly teach him how to speak.


    "Come on, repeat after me, ''Abra-cadabra''¡­"


    "Hoho¡­ Uh-uh¡­"


    "Abra-cadabra!"


    "Uh-uh¡­ Hoho¡­"


    Seeing no other choice, Suming had to temporarily abandon the idea of getting Su Meng to speak. Perhaps after living in human society for a while and bing familiar with people''s speech patterns, it wouldn''t be toote to teach him then.


    The water quality of Shuixie Lake was still inferiorpared to Shuijun Lake. That old sturgeon seemed to have the ability to evolve the water''s quality; however, having been released into the smallke for less than a day, there hadn''t been much of an effect. The clean-water-loving big baby fish stayed in theke for just a short while before crawling onto the shore, finding a cool spot to lie down motionlessly. From a distance, it looked just like arge piece of tree root.


    Today was Hei''s day off. These cat aliens had learned to eat the public grain. After ''clocking out'' from the cruise boat area, they would casually catch a few fish from Shuijun Lake to eat. Hei dragged a palm-sized crucian carp next to the big baby fish, chewing energetically, asionally ncing at the baby fish, seemingly contemting where to take the first bite.


    "Hey, Mr. Zhao, got a question for you."


    Suming, lounging on the recliner with his legs crossed, dialed Zhao Yun''s number.


    On the other end, Zhao Yunughed with interest after understanding Suming''s intention, asking, "Guinness? What have you found this time, applying for a Guinness World Record?"


    "Baby fish!"


    Suming had checked online. Thergest recorded baby fish was 120 years old, 180 centimeters long, and weighed over 60 kilograms. He had measured his own; he didn''t know its exact age, but it was 244 centimeters long and weighed 73 kilograms.


    Unless something unexpected urred, this baby fish was about to set a new record, bing thergest baby fish in history, and earn a spot in the Guinness Book!

 Chapter 137 Guinness

    Speaking of the Guinness World Records, the timeline could trace back over half a century ago to a huntingpetition in Wexford County, Ennd.


    Hunting, as a sport, has been regarded by the British elite as a traditional ''aristocratic'' activity since the Middle Ages. Every aspect of the hunt was highly borate, from the choice of horses and breeds of hunting dogs to the selection of shotguns and shooting skills, even including the minute details in attire. Each detail was a reflection of a traditional noble''s style. To sessfully hold a hunt or to stand out in the event was a matter of great pride for the traditional nobility.


    From the early 19th century, with the robust growth of capitalism, traditional nobles gradually lost their dominance. However, those with proud pedigrees and old-fashioned nobility still looked down upon the newly risen upstarts, who were wealthy butcked cultural depth. Thus, at hunts and social gatherings, there was often a rivalry between the old and the new.


    Lord Hugh Beaver, the managing director of the Guinness Beer Company, was a typical example of a ''nouveau riche'' in the eyes of the old aristocracy.


    At that moment, Lord Beaver''s shotgun was aimed at a golden plover over forty yards away, hidden among the reeds. Seven or eight Labradorsy quietly by his side, waiting for their master to shoot the target. Once he did, these obedient little hounds would swarm forth to catch the pitiful golden plover.


    "Bang..."


    With the sound of the gunshot followed by a puff of smoke, the distant golden plover, in a sh, had spread its wings, flying away like an arrow.


    Lord Beaver fired a miss, his face turning slightly red, and he muttered, "Good heavens! Golden plovers must be the fastest-flying birds in the world¡ªI bet no hunter can hit one at forty yards!"


    "Ha-ha, my dear Sir, the golden plover is certainly not the fastest-flying bird!"


    The speaker was an earl with white hair, not far away, whose family had a long history dating back to the reign of King George, a typical old-fashioned noble. He pointed to a grouse he''d just caught and called out loudly to Lord Beaver, "The grouse is the fastest-flying bird in the world! Perhaps you''ve been too busy making money to bother learning the basics of biology!"


    Lord Beaver''s face turned a bit awkward; his previous statement had been offhand. To tell the truth, he indeed did not know what the fastest-flying bird in the world really was.


    However, in such an asion, Lord Beaver was not willing to be derided by this earl, a relic of the past, and said somewhat displeased, "Earl Warren, you im that the grouse is the fastest-flying bird in the world. Do you have any evidence to support this im?"


    "Ha-ha, there''s no need for proof; our ancestors already affirmed this in thousands of years of hunting activities. Every old-fashioned noble who frequently participates in hunts knows this well,"ughed Earl Warren heartily.


    Thus, in this huntingpetition, Earl Warren won what was referred to as dignity, while the shrewd Lord Beaver, following the contest, spotted a business opportunity amidst the mockery!


    If there were a book in the world that could answer the question of ''what truly is the number one in the world,'' it would surely be a hit!


    Therefore, the ''Guinness World Records'' magazine, named after the Guinness Beer Company, was founded and, within a mere six months, became one of the most popr magazines in Europe.


    After several decades of development, the Guinness World Records has influenced the entire world, and ''Guinness'' has evolved from a small magazine to a vast international institution.


    In a sense, the Guinness Records institution is itself a ''world''s first.''


    In the 1990s, the Guinness World Records prated Huaxia¡ªand where everyone loves spectacle andparison¡ªand Guinness has since attracted considerable attention.


    A super-sized dollfish could surely attract a lot of tourists, but if this dollfish also had the halo of ''world''srgest'' above its head, the economic benefits and political influence it could bring would be absolutely worlds apart.


    Suming currently had the ability to apply for the Guinness World Record, not only for that dollfish but also for the Tai Sui.


    ording to current records, the Tai Sui in his hands was about two to three timesrger than the existingrgest one!


    However, Suming had no ns to expose Tai Sui prematurely, and for a long time toe, he wouldn''t let anyone know that he held such a Tai Sui.


    First, it was for the sake of his own safety.


    The financial backers behind He and his group of poachers had spent so much money, and what they likely wanted was this very Tai Sui. Once it was exposed, it would inevitably attract trouble.


    Suming did not believe he currently had the strength to go head-to-head with a financial backer who could casuallye up with a million US dors in service fees to organize an armed theft squad;


    Second, he considered it from an economic standpoint.


    Tai Sui had much more research value than giant pandas or dollfish, and once it was revealed, it could even lead to government intervention and possibly direct expropriation.


    Although some Tai Sui were preserved by private individuals and could be sold and even profit handsomely, that was because those Tai Sui were generally about a hundred years old and not very valuable, so the government didn''t bother to intervene. However, the world''srgest Tai Sui was preserved in a national exhibition hall, so Suming had to take precautions in case someone came over and said, "Hand it over to the nation..."


    There were no such concerns with the dollfish, though. While the nation did ban capturing, selling, and consuming wild dollfish, private breeding wasn''t prohibited. Artificially bred second-generation or higher dollfish could be sold and consumed.


    The world''srgest dollfish was currently in the hands of a private domesticpany, serving as breeding stock, and had reproduced many offspring over the years, earning thepany a lot of money.


    If there were no idents, this dollfish should be simr to the antiques of Zhao Yun, with ownership belonging to Suming, yet it had to be well protected, and it could not be sold or ughtered, among other restrictions.


    Thus, he mentioned the dollfish to Zhao Yun, who was quite interested and said, "Applying for Guinness is very simple now, you just fill out the form and pay the fee on their Chinese webpage. Hey, let me ask you, is this fish owned by your zoo, or is it personally yours?"


    "It''s personally mine," Suming said.


    "That''s good. If there''s a chance, you should get a female to try for egg production. The economic value of dollfish is quite decent. I''ll help you make some contacts, and you should be able to sell it for a good price," Zhao Yun said with a smile.


    About the breeding of dollfish, Suming had indeed done some research online. In previous years, a pound of dollfish could sell for two to three thousand in restaurants, and even direct sales from breeders were over a thousand. However, in recent years, the state has tightened regtions, and many luxury consumptions have disappeared from the public eye, causing the price of dollfish to plummet to two or three hundred. Even so, this was still far more valuable than the four major domestic fish.


    "I''ll give it a try if there''s a chance," Suming also smiled. He was not in a rush to do breeding now; the old giant dollfish had been a bachelor for nearly a couple of hundred years, so there was no urgency to find a mate immediately. First, he should proceed with the Guinness application.

 Chapter 138: Chapter 138 Preparation Work

    Suming had heard that in the past, to apply for a Guinness World Record, one needed to go through a particr Huaxia agency, which had very cumbersome procedures. That''s why he sought out Zhao Yun, who had extensive social connections. However, he didn''t expect that the application process had changed.


    Perhaps the Huaxia agency had been skimming too much money, which even the British headquarters couldn''t turn a blind eye to anymore. Suming sometimes really struggled to feel affection for some of his own country''s institutions, those that would seize every opportunity to pluck a feather as the goose passes by. The key issue was, even after taking the money, they still couldn''t get the job done.


    "Damn it, why should I care? I''m hardly making any money, and here I am getting all worked up."


    Suming pped his own head and then logged onto the Guinness official website and clicked into the Chinese version.


    "Snap!" With a crisp sound, Su Meng, the wild man sitting beside him, imitated Suming by heavily smacking his own head, producing a sound loud as firecrackers that startled Suming.


    To prevent Su Meng from getting lice or something, Suming had simply shaved his head bald the day before, and he looked quite fierce. Su Meng smacked himself with such ''enthusiasm'' that not only did the sound shake the waterside pavilion, but a vivid handprint also appeared on his head, and then he gave Suming a silly bigugh.


    Suming rolled his eyes, thinking that in the future, when he watched movies alone in his room at night, he would have to make sure the door was tightly closed to prevent this guy from imitating something he shouldn''t...


    After submitting the form online and paying a fee of over five thousand yuan for the authentication process, it was all set. Soon, his phone received a message, "Dear Suming, your application is under review. Once approved, we will contact you..."


    The first to make contact with Suming wasn''t the Guinness headquarters, but Mr. Song.


    The old man gave Suming a task to write down the events of the rescue of the golden monkey in an official document.


    "After you''ve written the document, submit it along with my funding application to the higher-ups, requesting a grant to renovate Monkey Mountain and improve the monkeys'' diet. The discovery of the golden monkey is very important; put your heart into it," Mr. Song said.


    Making up stories was one of Suming''s strong suits, no problem at all. Heughed and said, "Mr. Song, aren''t you being a bit too biased? When there were dozens of macaques living there, I never saw you request money from the higher-ups to improve their lives. Now, just one golden monkeyes along, stays for less than two days, and you''re already thinking of this?"


    "It''s not just any golden monkey; it''s a Qinling Golden Monkey!" Mr. Song said impatiently: "Do you think I didn''t want to ask the city for money before? The point is, I couldn''t get it! The Qinling Golden Monkey is a precious gem, a symbol of Yangchuan City''s animals. In the eyes of our leaders, a thousand macaques can''tpare to one Qinling Golden Monkey. If I don''t take advantage of this opportunity to request funds from the higher-ups, what''s the point of me being the zoo director?"


    Suming''s eyes twinkled as he said, "Don''t all cities have something like a ''city flower''? How about we ask the higher-ups to issue a document officially naming the Qinling Golden Monkey as Yangchuan''s ''city beast'', and let Xiaobai be the first to hold the title."


    Xiaobai was that golden monkey nearly done in by the giant plushie fish. Because of his very white face, Suming had given him the name Xiaobai.


    Suming had been half-joking, but Mr. Song''s eyes lit up: "Hey, that''s right! You young people have such sharp minds. If it''s designated as the city beast, the higher-ups will definitely allocate regr funds to the zoo. But the name ''city beast'' doesn''t sound great; it''s too simr to ''corpse''... Hmm, how about calling it a ''mascot'' instead..."


    Suming was now very familiar with Mr. Song and joked, "Leader, you seem to have be quite fixated on moneytely, not at all like the morally and artistically dual-skilled old scientist I initially met."


    "You rascal, do you think I''m doing this for myself?"


    Mr. Song pointed to the armchair opposite his desk, signaling Suming to sit. Once Suming was seated, Mr. Song said, "I''m retiring next year. Even if the zoo closes down, it won''t affect my retirement pay. Let me give you a heads-up, just keep it between us, don''t let it out. The higher-ups have already decided to release a document at the beginning of next year about the zoo''s restructuring. The more I secure for the zoo now, the less pressure you''ll all face in the future."


    From the day Suming started working at the zoo, there had been constant talk about restructuring, a topic that had been circting for two or three years. Now, the time had finally been set.


    Unlike most employees of the zoo who felt anxious about restructuring, Suming looked forward to it with anticipation.


    The majority of the staff at the zoo were beneficiaries of the existing system and naturally did not wish to see it shaken or even broken. Different from them, Suming, although holding an official position, preferred the zoo to operate on amercial model, free from too many restrictions.


    "Has the specific n for restructuring been decided yet?" Suming asked.


    "It''s under discussion," Mr. Song said with augh. "Although the final details haven''t been settled, there''s one main principle: the better we perform here, the stronger our position in negotiations, and the better terms we can strive for!"


    "Excellent, it''s not just the golden monkeys, I''m also nning to apply for a Guinness World Record for our Giant Smander," Suming dered.


    Mr. Song pped his hands on the table with satisfaction and said, "Great! Remember to make a big ssh! It''s a critical period right now, and the zoo really needs to make itself felt."


    ...


    The Guinness headquarters were quite efficient. Within four or five days, Suming''s application had been approved. An official with a slightly awkward ent had even made a long-distance call to inform Suming that an adjudicator from the Huaxia region would visit the zoo the next Saturday.


    "Babe, I''m letting you know first. The media coordination is all yours!" Suming told Nangong Yan on the phone.


    Nangong Yan readily agreed to handle the task Suming entrusted her with. After discussing the specifics, she joked, "Why don''t you just hire me as your press officer?"


    "Sure, once I build up my career, I''ll hand all the externalmunication work over to you. By then, you''d better not regret leaving your position at the TV station," Suming said.


    With a yful smile, Nangong Yan responded, "It''s a deal then!"


    Suming sometimes spoke without much thought, especially around his own people like Nangong Yan and Wang Hao, saying whatever came to mind. He hadn''t expected that the casual words he uttered today would be taken to heart by Nangong Yan, who even adjusted her career ns because of them.


    If previously Nangong Yan''s goal at the TV station was to be an outstanding reporter and host, now she had added a goal: towork with colleagues in the media to be able to assist Suming in the future.


    "I can see it now, this guy is pouring his heart into his business, without a trace of distractions from romance. But that''s probably for the better. Too much emotion in love cuts short the spirit of a hero. It''s good that a young man of his age is not preupied with romantic entanglements all day long. If that were the case, I would think less of him! Besides, I''m still young and as pretty as a flower. He can''t possibly escape me, can he? Hmph, we have all the time in the world!"


    Though Nangong Yan had never been sessful in her endeavors with Suming, she was always full of confidence.


    What Nangong Yan hadn''t noticed was that ever since Suming saw her being harassed by the BMW driver, several inconspicuous hos had been hovering around her, protecting her twenty-four hours a day.


    People are not emotionless like nts and trees; even the greatest beast has a heart.

 Chapter 139: Chapter 139 Promotional Campaign

    Huaxia has to this point achieved 129 Guinness World Records. Each time a new record is established, media from all walks generates a buzz around it, especially in recent years with the development of the inte: as soon as a record is created, it immediately spreads across the nation, and hundreds of millions of people quickly be informed.


    However, it seems there has never been a case where a potential Guinness Record became a heated topic before it was even set.


    Therge "big baby" fish at Yangchuan City Zoo appears to have broken this rule, at least within the scope of Yangchuan City.


    The day after Suming and Murong Yan''s conversation, posts about therge "big baby" fish gradually began to appear on the Yangchuan forum.


    The initial posts were somemonly seen travelogues.


    Nowadays on the Yangchuan forum, about seventy to eighty percent of the local travelogues center around the zoo, featuring fortune-bringing cats, crocodiles as big as mountains, finless porpoise babies, and superrge fish, nearly filling up the entire section.


    The previously rather quiet ''Yangchuan Tourism'' subsection, therefore, became lively due to this.


    If it were any other organization, forum members would have grown impatient with travelogues about it dominating the discussion all day, certainly considering it spam by paid posters formercial promotion. But the zoo was different, with one fresh event after another, all rarities not seen for decades, and some, like riding a fish, werepletely unprecedented.


    The key was the proximity to the localmunity. If anyone didn''t believe it, they just needed to spend two yuan on a bus ride to the zoo to experience it firsthand and then they would know the truth of the matter.


    The first batch of travelogues came with photos of therge "big baby" fish. One daring individual managed to somehow slip past the security cordon,y a meter away from the "big baby" fish, and even shed a V-sign with his fingers for a photo op.


    In the photo, the fish was even longer than the person taking the photo! "Big baby" fish aremon, but ones thisrge were practically mythical creatures; most people would never hear of such a thing in their lifetimes!


    Latter on, someone uploaded a short video in which therge "big baby" fish cast aside its usual ''mild and adorable'' image known to the public, showing a ferocious side as it snapped a thick branch with a crunch of its toothy maw!


    In this day and age, what the general public craves is novelty and excitement! If a crocodile were the one to snap a branch, it wouldn''t be anything noteworthy, but a "big baby" fish the size of a crocodile doing so was aplete overturn of everyone''s cognition!


    A wolf killing a sheep is not unusual, but if a sheep were to crisply snap another sheep''s neck in one bite, that would definitely be explosive news!


    This little clip was quickly shared like wildfire. Not to mention WeChat Moments, several major domestic websites also reposted it. Within just two or three days, it amassed impressive click rates.


    At that time, Yangchuan City TV Station very opportunisticallyunched a special program titled "This Zoo is Extraordinary."


    The feature journalist for this program was assigned to Yangchuan Television Station''s rising star, Nangong Yan. An assistant zoo director responsible for the animals, Comrade Su Ming, apanied the crew throughout the entire zoo, covering the recent happenings in the zoo for an overall report.


    Not only did they cover the fortune-bringing cat and fish-riding, but there were also too many other zoo happenings worth reporting on. Even some events that Su Ming considered ''second-tier'' attracted more audience attention than the majority of other news!


    "The zoo has always cared about the reintroduction of captive animals into the wild. This little wolf, named Huiya, has already lived sessfully in the mountains behind for a while and is beginning to adapt to life in the wilderness..."


    "Yes, as the viewers can see, the most distinctive monkey at Monkey Mountain, the very symbol of Yangchuan City that hasn''t been spotted for many years, is none other than the Qinling Golden Monkey. And why can the Golden Monkey live together with macaques? Do we even need to ask? Animals too need to establish a harmonious society. Different species of monkeys living together in love and harmony, sharing fruits, sharing wives...uh...director, please delete this part in post-production..."


    "Let me rify that the phrase ''look at your sis'' wasn''t said by me, but by these two Diamond Parrots! Here, I''d like to appeal to our visitors to be civilized when touring the park, especially in front of the parrots. Don''t use curse words, teach them civilizednguage like ''hello, handsome''...Damn, if you two dare to cuss at me again, I''ll pluck all your feathers! Uh...director, please delete this too..."


    "Under the concern of provincial and city leaders and the strong support of the Provincial Agricultural Science Academy, the zoo is about to establish a small aquarium for the finless porpoises to live in. It will also be open to our visitor friends... Oh right, the giant doll fish that''s been dubbed ''the ruffian'' online will be neighbors with the finless porpoise family!"


    Nangong Yan asked in a timely manner, "I heard that you discovered ''the ruffian'' in the mountains and are preparing to apply for a Guinness World Record for it, is that so?"


    Suming nodded, "That''s right! I have some good news for everyone. My application has been epted, and this Saturday morning, Guinness will send a special Certification Officer to the zoo for an on-site certification. On that day, the zoo will be open to the public for free. We wee all citizens and media friends toe and witness the birth of a new world record!"


    Three dayster!


    In thergest grass section of the zoo, a temporary stage had been set up, with a vibrant banner fluttering in the wind bearing the words ''World''s Largest Wild Doll Fish''.


    In the center of the stage, there was a several-meters-long transparent aquarium, and the giant doll fishy on the pebbles at the bottom of the tank.


    Under Suming''s deliberate direction, the giant doll fish shook its head and wobbled at the surrounding tourists, asionally opening its big mouth to show off its sharp teeth, disying a fierce and diabolical appearance, which scared some timid girls into low-pitched screams.


    The best spots in front of the stage had been taken by the media that rushed to the scene, with over a dozen media outlets forming a semicircle below the stage.


    However, the snapping sounds from the professional media werepletely drowned out by the noisy crowd on thewn behind them. Behind the media team, there was a sea of tourists that looked like an ocean of people.


    Today was the weekend, most residents were already off work, the zoo was free to enter, plus the chance to witness the creation of a world record. Such opportunities didn''te every day!


    "Ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet!"


    From the loudspeakers on the stage, a somewhat weird and shrill voice rang out!


    Far from quieting down, the crowd underneath erupted into a good-natured burst ofughter, and Wang Jian She and Mr. Song, sitting at the back row of ''leaders'' seats on the stage, couldn''t help butugh as well.


    Suming stood behind the speaker, but the one speaking wasn''t him.


    On his left and right, there were two round stools with a Diamond Parrot standing on each, half a meter tall. The phrase from before was spoken by the parrot sister on the left.


    After the parrot sister finished speaking, she tucked her head in and gave way. The parrot sister on the right quickly leaned over to the speaker and, with an odd intonation, said, "Now, please wee, the Guinness Certification Officer, Mr. Zhao, to the stage!"

 Chapter 140: Chapter 140 Grand Ceremony

    As Sister Parrot finished her sentence, a melodious sound of Scottish bagpipes arose from outside thewn, and the crowd below automatically dispersed to both sides, clearing a path.


    Zhao Yun, dressed in a formal western suit, walked towards the stage with a smile, greeting and gesturing to the surrounding people as he advanced.


    A row of bagpipers, dressed in traditional Scottish kilts and wearing little hats adorned with feathers, followed behind Zhao Yun, ying a traditional Scottish tune.


    It was only a few days ago that Su Ming learned that a certification officer named ''Zhao Yun'' was in charge of certifying the record.


    At first, he thought it was a coincidence of namesakes, but after receiving confirmation from Zhao Yun himself, did he realize it was indeed the museum curator, a dapper middle-aged man. This Guinness Certification Officer was just one of Zhao Yun''s many leisurely positions.


    Su Ming couldn''t help but feel a little sentimental; this dapper middle-aged man really had a finger in every pie!


    Zhao Yun ascended the stage and shook hands with Su Ming, then in front of the entire audience, loudly recited the oath of the Guinness Certification Officer and rified the certification rules.


    Afterpleting all this, Zhao Yun took off his suit and put on a set of rubber protective gear. Apanied by Su Ming, he entered one end of therge aquarium to measure the Chinese Giant Smander''s length. Then, several security guards came up, lifted the creature, and ced it on arge electronic scale to weigh it.


    Though most people already knew the oue, the moment Zhao Yun, holding the certification results, stood back in front of the loudspeaker, the entire ce quieted down, looking at Zhao Yun with great anticipation!


    "Ladies and gentlemen, after full supervision and certification by this officer, this rare wild Chinese Giant Smander measures 247 centimeters in length and weighs 73.16 kilograms, breaking the 12-year record and bing thergest Chinese Giant Smander in the world!"


    Zhao Yun''s voice, amplified by fourrge loudspeakers ced around, rang above thewn. He handed the certification certificate to Su Ming, smiling, "Congrattions, Mr. Su, and congrattions to all friends present. Together we have witnessed the birth of Huaxia''s one hundred and thirtieth Guinness World Record!"


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!..."


    Outside thewn, a row of cannons fired eight times consecutively, countless ribbons and golden foil papers flew towards the sky, whirling around like a grand daytime fireworks festival!


    At this moment, the shbulbs below nearly outshone the sun, with the sounds of cameras clicking and cheers merging into one.


    I don''t know who was the first to raise both hands and start shouting aloud, "Bandit! Number one in the world!"


    Immediately thereafter, many more people raised their hands, like a human wave, voicesbining into four words.


    "Number one in the world!"


    "Number one in the world!"


    ...


    A regr Guinness certification, when held elsewhere, would at most attract a few local media reports. Yet, the certification of the bandit Chinese Giant Smander was turned into a nationwide celebration by Su Ming!


    The certification ceremony was just a beginning. After the awarding, they brought in a dozen barbecue stands and a long line of trays filled with drinks and pastries, arranged in a circle around thewn.


    Several clowns, seemingly from nowhere, holding a long string of balloons, entered among theughing children.


    The vendors who usually sold their goods near the zoo were also given special permission to enter today, with their fluffy white cotton candy, bright red tanghulu with a sour tang, refreshing big bowls of tea, and colorful soap bubbles floating in the air¡­ Not far away, an asional loud pop of popcorn being made took everyone back to their childhood.


    At the same time as the pic, some of the more docile animals from the zoo, led by their caretakers, came to the center of thewn for a close and intimate encounter with the adults and children present.


    And the star of the day was the "bandit" big baby fish who had truly been outfitted like a bandit!


    There had been a surplus of materials from the previous outfitting of a fewrge fish, which Suming repurposed to custom-make a set of "battle armor" for it.


    It had short jeans on its four legs, wooden revolvers tucked at both sides of its waist, a bandana wrapped around its head leaving only two shiny ck eyes exposed, swaggering through the crowd shaking its head and wagging its tail, looking every bit the ouw from the American Wild West!


    This grand event began at nine thirty in the morning andsted until the zoo was about to close in the afternoon. Just before leaving, everyone was given a free newly printed promotional booklet for the zoo, and many people still wanted more.


    It''s okay if you''re left wanting more because tonight, Yangchuan City TV Station will rebroadcast the celebration. With the TV station''s reputation, a program that draws this much attention will surely be reyed over and over. If you haven''t had enough, just watch it at home on TV.


    Everyone was very satisfied with the results of the certification; the government even made a special call to praise them. The only person with mixed feelings was Mr. Song.


    It was he who had told Suming to make a big show of it to increase the zoo''s poprity and argue for better policies at the restructuring meeting.


    Little did he know that Suming''s nning would take the event fromrge to astonishingly grand. To the uninformed, it would appear as if Yangchuan City was hosting a major celebration. Huaxia had many Guinness records, adding a total of 130 this time, yet none had ever been made with such an extraordinary disy of effort.


    As a result, the goal was far surpassed, and the sess of the event was undeniable. With the TV station broadcasting it several times, Yangchuan Zoo made a nationwide name for itself.


    But a great deal of money had also been spent. The funds that had just been approved for the protection of the golden monkeys were almost half-gone before they even warmed the zoo''s bank ount.


    "You kid, you make money fast, but you spend it even faster!" Mr. Song said somewhat helplessly.


    Suming, however, appeared unconcerned, smiling and saying, "As long as the money spent is worth it, then it''s not wasted!"


    Suming''s words were soon proven true.


    In the following weeks, the zoo''s visitor traffic skyrocketed, more than doubled the usual, even surpassing the crowds seen during major national holidays. The additional ticket revenue alone had not only recouped the costs of organizing the festival but also turned a profit.


    Previously, Yangchuan Zoo didn''t weigh much in the hearts of Yangchuan City residents, regarded merely as amon leisure destination, and being quite far from the city center, it was considered a ce "you''d think of only if there was nowhere else to go," perhaps visited once a year.


    However, after Suming''s initiatives, the zoo rapidly became a "highly distinctive and interesting" location, not just for local citizens of Yangchuan City who would visit whenever they had time but also for visitors and business travelers to Yangchuan, who made the zoo a must-see attraction.


    Substantial earnings also came from group tickets sold to schools andpanies for social outings.


    Not only did the zoo earn money, but so did Suming. With the simple logic of rising visitor numbers, all his business ventures flourished, leading him to consider adding more tour boats and raising the prices for fish rides.


    Financial gain was one aspect, but there was also political sess.


    That morning, the district notified that Su Ming, due to his outstanding performance and significant contributions to the construction of the zoo and Yangchuan City, had been recognized as the year''s District Model Worker!

 Chapter 141 Each Harboring Their Own Schemes

    Speaking of which, the title of "Model Worker" in Yangchuan City''s Shuanghu District might not seem very significant, but after all, Yangchuan City is among the top thirty in the nation, a medium-torge city capable ofpeting with provincial capitals. Shuanghu District is a rtively prosperous area within the city, and in terms of strength, it''s not inferior to some prefecture-level cities, so the distinction of being a Model Worker of Shuanghu District carries considerable weight.


    The Model Worker award ceremony took ce in the district government auditorium, presided over by District Committee Secretary Sun. After a somewhat dull and lengthy routine speech, District Organization Department Minister He presented awards to the ten Model Workers.


    Including Suming, ten Model Workers from various units, dressed in suits and adorned with sashes, filed onto the stage and stood in a row.


    To say they "stood" might not be entirely urate, as among the ten people, only nine were standing. The remaining one was sitting in a wheelchair, pushed onto the stage by a ceremonial usher.


    That person was naturally Zhou Jin. Seeing Zhou Jin''s chest and abdomen bound with splints and bandages like a rice dumpling, Suming couldn''t help but want tough, thinking to himself that this guy was really fighting hard.


    Injured so severely, yet he didn''t forget to worm his way into the circle of fame and gain, with five or six ribs broken, he didn''t properly recover in the hospital. How long had it been? He rashly checked out to receive the award. Any slight bump on the road could cause secondary injuries, potentiallynding him back in bed for several months.


    As the saying goes, with broadened horizons, one''s heart grows wider. Compared to the fully armed poachers with foreign financial backers that Suming had dealt with in the back mountains, Zhou Jin now seemed to Suming like just a local ruffian leader, with a bunch of hooligans at hismand, no longer posing any substantial pressure.


    Zhou Jin saw Suming as well but his expression wasn''t as rxed as Suming''s. He could never have imagined that Suming would be a Model Worker, too.


    To be aware, Huating Fisheries Company is an established powerhousepany in Yangchuan''s fishery industry, dominating the freshwater fish market in Yangchuan City for many years, adding millions in taxation annually. Almost half the freshwater fish on the tables of Yangchuan''s residentses from Huating Reservoir. Zhou Jin himself had lobbied up and down over the years, establishing powerful connections in the government. Even so, it had taken considerable effort to be named a Model Worker.


    Zhou Jin was very clear in his mind that if it weren''t for this incident with the finless porpoises and the serious injuries he sustained, he might not have been considered for the Model Worker title this time!


    Howe this guy, who had been on the scene for only a short time, could so easily be a Model Worker?


    Seeing the calm and collected expression on Suming''s face made Zhou Jin so frustrated that he couldn''t contain his anger. Although there was no evidence so far, he always had the feeling that Suming''s rise to prominence was built at least in part on his shoulders, or perhaps even more... Yes, it''s like he''s standing on my head and taking a piss... The more Zhou Jin thought about it, the less pleasant he felt.


    That''s why one should never get stuck in a rut; being narrow-minded is like practicing the technique of ''Seven Injuries Fist,'' first injuring oneself before hurting others. If one''s skill isn''t proficient, one might end up hurting oneself severely before even touching another. As Zhou Jin pondered this, he felt a heavy pressure in his chest, as if a stone were lying on him. He hurriedly took out some strong medication and swallowed it, thus avoiding another public incident of vomiting blood.


    Since they were under the public eye on stage receiving awards, although both had their own thoughts, there was no chance for conversation. Their eyes briefly met, and each had their own contemtions and emotions.


    Behind District Organization Department Minister He, two ceremonial ushers followed onto the stage, awarding the Model Workers one by one.


    "Comrade Zhou Jin, outstanding private entrepreneur, founder of Huating Fisheries Company, skilled in aquaculture, a major taxpayer, enriching the food baskets of the citizens..."


    "Comrade Li Dazhuang, an eighth-grade machinist, dedicated for decades at the grassroots level, diligently contributing withoutint..."


    "Comrade Suming, an outstanding core staff member of the zoo, an exceptional animal conservation worker, a Guinness World Records creator..."


    As Mr. He handed out awards, the big screen in the auditorium disyed an introduction of the corresponding Model Worker.


    When Suming was introduced as a ''Guinness World Record Creator,'' the severalrge characters caught the attention of quite a few people in the audience.


    There are district model workers every year, which honestly, is just a regional award. The Guinness World Records, on the other hand, are unique and global. The two are iparable.


    After Mr. Sun finished the opening speech, he took a seat in the middle of the first row of the audience and turned to Mr. Yang, who was sitting beside him, whispering with a smile, "No wonder both the zoo and Mr. Wang rmended this Comrade Suming. It turns out he''s a world champion."


    Mr. Sun and Mr. Yang are the top two officials of Shuanghu District, having coborated for many years and maintaining a good personal rtionship. Mr. Yangughed and said, "Exactly! You just returned from an inspection yesterday, so you probably haven''t watched TV. The award ceremony by Guinness for him was very grand; it''s be a major event for our city!"


    Mr. Sun''s expression became serious, "Oh? I need to see that to avoid embarrassment at the meeting in the city this afternoon if the leaders ask about it and I don''t know." He turned and ordered the person behind him, "Mr. Wang, when you go back, get me the video of Suming''s Guinness award presentation to watch."


    ...


    The award ceremony wasn''t long,sting less than two hours in total. After the leaders concluded their closing remarks, it ended.


    As the officials left, the honored workers also departed from the auditorium, everyone returning to their own homes and finding their own mothers, those who were acquainted made ns to go drinking and dining, which goes without saying.


    Suming stepped out of the auditorium and casually handed the prize money and the certificate of honor to Su Meng.


    Su Meng, the wild man, had be Suming''s personal bodyguard. Clothes make the man, and Su Meng, already very masculine and tall, was now dressed in a sharp ck suit, making him look like one of the Central Security Bureau Bodyguards standing at the entrance of the district government building, drawing curious nces from many people who thought he was guarding some high-ranking official.


    Walking with Su Meng to the parking lot, Suming saw a Toyota Alpha parked opposite the Wrangler. The bald man was pushing Zhou Jin beside the Alpha, waiting for ackey to open the door.


    After thest incident with the river dolphins, the bald man''s attitude towards Suming had subtly changed from within. He harbored a certain indefinable reverence for the ''expert sent from above.''


    In fact, during thest rescue operation, the bald man was practically working under Suming. So when he saw Suming, he was momentarily startled and stood there awkwardly, not sure whether to greet him or pretend he hadn''t seen him.


    Zhou Jin was oblivious to the change in the bald man''s expression and stared darkly at Suming from across the parking space.


    Having lived in the wilderness for a long time, Su Meng had developed a keen sixth sense and immediately sensed the hostility from Zhou Jin opposite him. His eyes widened and he was about to go over and beat Zhou Jin up.


    To be sure, Su Meng could take down several men, including the bald man, all by himself. But there were surveince cameras everywhere, and since they were within the district governmentpound, fighting wasn''t a wise choice. Suming patted Su Meng''s shoulder and said with a smile, "Let''s not stoop to the level of a disabled person, let''s get in the car!"


    As the Wrangler slowly drove past the Alpha, Zhou Jin couldn''t help himself and called out with a pointedment, "Mr. Su, how''s the fish farming goingtely?"


    Suming''s expression shifted slightly as if hit in a sore spot, but he squeezed out a smile, "Very well! No need for you to worry!"


    "That''s good, that''s good. If you can''t sell the fish at the end of the year, remember to look for big brother. I still have some connections in the market," Zhou Jin chuckled.

 Chapter 142: Chapter 142 Hu and Su Meng

    In the Alpha, Baldy drove and curiously asked Zhou Jin, "Mr. Zhou, why are you being so courteous to him?"


    Zhou Jin was in a great mood, appearing much more rxed both in demeanor and tone than before, and said to Baldy with a chuckle, "You''ve forgotten, we released a few snakehead murrels into hiske. Just look at his expression, it''s clear he''s discovered a decrease in fish but still puts up a front with me, saying it''s ''very good.'' He''s fooling ghosts! I want to see by the end of the year how many fish are left in that brokenke of his!"


    How many fish were left in Shuijun Lake wasn''t something Baldy knew or could find out. However, working at the reservoirtely, he unexpectedly discovered that dead fish often floated up, and not in small numbers; the whole reservoir showed signs of a decrease in yield!


    Fortunately, looking at the overall situation of the reservoir, the reduction wasn''t significant enough to cause a fatal impact on the fisherypany. Since Zhou Jin had recently been ill and in a bad mood, and couldn''t afford to get upset, Baldy thought it over and decided not to tell him for the time being. Instead, he scattered some medicine in theke to treatmon fish diseases.


    Meanwhile, Zhou Jin was feeling triumphant, saying, "I''ve already helped secure the reservoir''s contract renewal, though it''s going to cost quite a bit of money. At the end of the year, you guys should make a trip to the market and give a heads-up to the other major sellers, increase the price of fish by twenty percent!"


    "Damn, it''s really weird, how can fish be raised in a ce like Shuijun Lake with such poor water quality?" griped one of the underlings.


    "He must have spent a lot on water purification equipment," Zhou Jin conjectured with a sinister smile. "Next year, I''ll take over that kid''s Shuijun Lake too! All the investment he''s making now is just preparing a dowry for me!"


    ...


    "Trying to trap me in my own words?"


    Suming drove his Wrangler through the traffic, feeling equally fantastic.


    When Zhou Jin asked that question before leaving, he was obviously probing for the results of the snakehead murrel operation in Shuijun Lake.


    The seven snakehead murrels had long switched sides, turned their backs on him, and were now happily gobbling up fish in the reservoir, growing plump every day. They fed and killed relentlessly, causing chaos in the reservoir, ensuring a drop in yield by the end of the year.


    When Zhou Jin first asked, Suming even thought about bringing up the snakehead murrel matter just to rile up Zhou Jin. But then he thought better of it; if he did, it would simply alert Zhou Jin, allowing him to guard against it. Since he was happy indulging in his delusions, Suming decided to let him continue feeling good until the fish went to market, and then see if he could still smile.


    Zhou Jin was nning to take over Shuijun Lake, but Suming was also eyeing Huating Reservoir! Relying solely on the hundred acres of water in Shuijun Lake, he could only ever engage in small-scale operations. To truly expand the aquaculture business, a vast space was essential.


    It seemed necessary to adjust the strategy of snakehead murrel sabotage after returning, targeting therge, seble fish specifically, and sparing the smaller ones for the time being.


    "Su Meng, switch ces with me!" Suming parked the car near the zoo on a dead-end street and snapped his fingers at Su Meng.


    "Ah ho¡­" Su Meng, listening daily to Suming and others talk, had finally begun to diversify his vocalizations, moving beyond the initial ''ho ho'' to mastering several other sybles.


    Following Suming''s instructions, Su Meng took the driver''s seat and, mimicking Suming, buckled up the seatbelt.


    "If you''re going to be a bodyguard, you need to learn to drive! Today, bro''s gonna teach you," said Suming, patting Su Meng''s shoulder.


    Su Meng, simple-minded, would do anything Suming asked without fear. He nodded vigorously and excitedly grabbed the steering wheel, shaking it from side to side.


    Seeing him like that, Suming started to regret it again, thinking to himself this is literally risking one''s life to teach.


    "Su Meng, this... I''m entrusting my life to you, so go easy..." Suming gripped the car''s handle tightly...


    Before he could finish, he heard Su Meng let out a battle-like roar, the Wrangler thundered, and a strong sense of pushing against his back surged, shooting the car forward...


    ...


    By the time they returned to the animal zoo, Suming was sweating all over, terrified.


    Fortunately, after an afternoon of death-defying driving practice, Su Meng finally mastered the driving skills. For one thing, automatic cars are really easy to drive, just as people say, "even a fool can drive one"; secondly, Su Meng was like a nk te now, learning anything very quickly, which was beyond Suming''s expectations.


    "Yo, Mr. Su, got a personal driver now!"


    Nurse Hu walked over with an empty feed bucket, greeted Su Meng who was in the driver''s seat in a carefree manner, and without waiting for Suming''s response, she opened the door and jumped into the passenger seat, patting Su Meng on the shoulder, "Hey, big guy, give me a lift, first back to the clinic."


    Su Meng red fiercely at Nurse Hu, while Suming behind them waved weakly and said, "Drive, drive, take Hu with you."


    "See, you''re so petty, just burning a bit more gas! The owner himself isn''tining, and here you are, a driver who won''t lift a finger, despite being such a big guy!" Nurse Hu said to Su Meng.


    Su Meng probably couldn''t be bothered to argue with her, so since Suming had told him to drive, he just drove, silent and cold the whole way, and dropped Nurse Hu at the clinic.


    Nurse Hu jumped out of the car and smiled at Suming, "Thanks Mr. Su,e in for a visit, huh."


    Suming saw from the clinic''s entrance a nurse inside, not sure whether it was Liao or Liao.


    These two sisters have the same effect, turning red-faced and fidgeting with excitement whenever they saw him, making him feel like an old lecher, so to avoid the awkwardness, he said, "Forget it, I have things to do, next time."


    "Alright then, I''m going inside, I''lle this weekend to settle the ounts!" Nurse Hu waved at Suming, then rolled her eyes at Su Meng, "Big guy, be more generous in the future, got it?"


    Without waiting for Suming or Su Meng to say anything, Hu turned around with her waist swinging like a water bucket and walked into the clinic.


    On the way back to Huating Reservoir, Suming kept feeling something was off, somewhat strange, and when they arrived at the gate, he suddenly realized, incredulously, he said to Su Meng, "Say, Hu couldn''t have taken a fancy to you, could she?"


    Su Meng looked at Suming with a nk expression, his big eyes blinking, suddenly opened his shirt, revealing his dark iron-like chest muscles, and waved his fist in the direction of the clinic.


    Thews of the jungle are simple and brutal, nothingplicated like youthful love or moonlit flowers, if one animal takes a liking to another, the mostmon method is to conquer directly through force.


    "Don''t you go causing trouble!" Suming got a shock, hoping he wouldn''t end up with a rape charge before the residency was even settled.

 Chapter 143: Chapter 143 Old Friends

    But then again, if Su Meng is like a sharp steel knife, then Suming is the sheath; with Suming around, Su Meng wouldn''t cause too much trouble.


    However, Su Meng''s episode did remind Suming that many of his subordinates, as well as the animals, birds, and fish, are still single. Take the Wolfhound brothers, for example, their personal issues remain unresolved. To this day, they still leer at the nurses in the medical center. Even the fierce bandits could use a partner; they''re quite lonely.


    "I''m still single myself." Suming didn''t have much of a solution for this sort of thing; it all came down to luck and fate.


    Speaking of being single, that wasn''t quite urate for some. A few of the feline residents had been getting cozy with each other, and one of the seven croc-gecko-eels seemed to be pregnant. And the parrot sisters, always cuddling up together to preen each other''s feathers, made Suming suspect that they might be a couple.


    The happiest were surely Mi Hou and Hu Hou; they nevercked malepany. With literally thousands in their bee and ho colonies, they could mate with whomever they pleased, which made Suming quite envious.


    The next day was the weekend, and another celebration was held internally at the zoo to honor Suming.


    The stage from the previous Guinness event was still up, and Mr. Song stood on it, waving to the crowd below, "Suming, get up here and say a few words! Let''s give him a round of apuse!"


    "p p p p p..." The apuse was enthusiastic, and Suming was pushed onto the stage by Mr. Peng, Li, and others.


    Suming scratched his head, chuckled, and said into the microphone, "What should I say?"


    Amidst the friendlyughter below, Mrs. Tong called out loudly from beneath the stage, "Just say whatever you''ve got to say."


    "Well then, I said I''d treat everyone to a celebration when the boat business kicked off, but never found the opportunity. I''ll skip the rest, and just say this: after work today, I''m treating everyone to a feast at Fish Joy Park. Everyrade from our zoo, count yourselves in; food''s on me, drinks aplenty!"


    The apuse from below was even warmer. Mr. Songughed and said, "That''s a straightforward offer. Dong, have your security department arrange a shuttle service for everyone from the zoo after work."


    The upside of working at a zoo is the leisurely pace. After the meeting, most people were already off duty. Aside from a few on call, around thirty people boarded the zoo''s shuttle. Liang Shi and Mr. Song followed Suming''s Wrangler, and arge group noisily set out for Fish Joy Park.


    "Fish Joy Park" was not an "amusement park" but a restaurant specializing in fish dishes. As Suming expected, Zhao Yun was friends with the owner, so he invited Zhao and his family along too.


    Zhao Yun''s connections were... Seeing Zhao cheerfully greeting the restaurant owner, Suming felt his own aplishments were still far too modest.


    They opened three interconnected banquet rooms. The dozens of guests took their seats and began toasting and passing drinks around. One after another, the zoo staff came to offer Suming drinks. At first he managed to fend them off, but it wasn''t long before his steps began to wobble, and his tongue started to slur.


    Su Meng stepped up, valiantly defending his cousin. Alone, he faced the crowd, downingrge cups in one gulp. Drinking liquor as if it were water.


    Zhao Yun and Suming sat on a nearby sofa, sipping brewed tea to sober up. Seeing how Su Meng drank, Zhao almost spat out his mouthful of tea, his eyes bulging, "Your cousin is too fierce! Who drinks like that!"


    "Mountain folk, they can usually hold their liquor..." Suming let out a full burp, his eyes bleary as he spoke.


    "I''m impressed!" Zhao Yun gave a thumbs up, then said, "I''ve got something to tell you. Remember Jacky from Xiangjiang we metst time?"


    Suming was a bit muddled from the drink and took a while to remember who Jacky was, then chuckled, "Oh, Zhang Tianwang. You could have just said his Chinese name, kept saying ''Jacky'', it took me a minute to catch on."


    "Saying the name directly will get the book banned!" Zhao said seriously.


    Suming: "..."


    "Jacky will be holding a concert tour in the provincial capital in a few days," he said. "He got in touch with me and wanted to invite you over to meet him."


    "Meet with me?" Suming was taken aback, thenughed and said, "Such a big star wants me to go all the way to the capital to meet him? If he has something to discuss, he cane directly to Yangchuan. They''re not that far apart, just a few hours'' drive."


    From the perspective of a fan, if Jacky personally invited him, Suming would be willing to go. Plus,paratively speaking, Jacky''s time was indeed much more precious than Suming''s, who spent his days leisurely eating and ying.


    However, after theirst meeting in Xiangjiang, their rtionship should be more appropriately defined as friends. Moreover, Jacky''s search for him was probably rted to Monkey Wine; so asking him to meet and having Zhao Yun convey the message did feel a bit like ying the diva.


    Zhao Yun chuckled, waved his hand, and said, "You might be misunderstanding. He''s not that familiar with you, and afraid you might get the wrong idea, that''s why he didn''t approach you directly and had me pass on the message instead. He needs you for something rted to his concert tour; he''s asking for your help."


    "Ah? To be a guest performer?!" Suming''s eyes lit up, thinking to himself, could it be that I''m going to be a big star in the entertainment industry?!


    Zhao Yun looked Suming over, his smile holding a hint of teasing, "Why don''t you sing a song for us to hear first?"


    "Uh... that..."


    "You have his personal number, right? Give him a call after dinner, let him tell you the details," Zhao Yun suggested.


    ...


    If you look at the Guinness World Records, Jacky was actually a predecessor of Suming''s.


    Back in 1995, Jacky set a world record for a singer''s solo concert with his ''You Learn Friends'' 100-show tour;


    In 2007, at the age of 45, Jacky challenged himself again by holding the ''Light Years World Tour'' and served as the artistic director of the concert. The toursted 12 months, spanned 58 cities, totaled 105 shows, and sold over two million tickets,pleting an undisputed world wonder and breaking his own Guinness World Record.


    In today''s world where countless little stars rise rapidly only to dim just as quickly, relying on scandals and controversies to grab attention, such achievements may well be unsurpassed.


    Actually, in the golden age of Xiangjiang, each star of Jacky''s level had a brilliance behind them that would be hard to replicate.


    For example, Andy, who is also among the top tier of stars, has stood firm in the entertainment industry for thirty years, winning more than 500 various awards, setting a Guinness World Record for the most awarded entertainer in the world.


    When Suming walked out of the airport with Nangong Yan and Su Meng, he saw Jacky''s assistant with two bodyguards holding signs to wee them at the exit from afar.


    The assistant greeted Suming, then nced at Nangong Yan, his eyes lighting up. He gave Suming a thumbs up with an exaggeratedugh, "Wow, Su Sheng has such good fortune, such a stunning girlfriend, absolutely gorgeous!"


    Nangong Yan''s face turned red, and Sumingughed, saying, "Just a friend, just a friend..." Before he could finish, he felt a sharp pain in his back, where Nangong Yan had pinched him hard.


    The assistant pretended not to see their yful banter and arranged for his subordinates to handle the luggage. He then led Suming and the others to a business van parked at the entrance, and opened the door: "Su Sheng, Miss Nangong, please get in the car, Jacky and the nning team are waiting for you at the hotel."


    After getting in the car, the assistant tactfully closed the partition between the driver''s seat and the back seat. Nangong Yan let out a sigh of relief, dropped her poised facade, and looking incredulous, asked Suming with wide eyes, "You really know Jacky? I thought you were joking the whole way here!"


    "Old friends," Suming said with an expression as if struck by lightning.

 Chapter 144: Chapter 144 Legend of the Hungry Wolf

    In a top-floor suite of a four-star hotel in the provincial capital, Jacky, dressed in casual clothes, stood up from the sofa and strode forward to give Suming a hug, then turned to point to the other people in the room and said to Suming with a smile, "This is my nning team. There are too many to introduce individually, you''ll get to know them when we work together."


    "Hey, Su Sheng!"


    "Hello, Mr. Su!"


    After greeting everyone in the team, Suming took out a bottle of red wine from behind and handed it to Jacky, "There, don''t say I''m not a good friend. This is for you."


    As soon as the wine was brought out, the nning team, including Jacky''s assistants, were obviously taken aback.


    The bottle of red wine was obviously cheap mass-produced wine, not to mention thebel was entirely in Chinese and itcked a seal, indicating that it had been opened, and the cork even had a small hole.


    Although it''s the thought that counts in the gift exchange between friends, Jacky is, after all, a megastar, not a beggar. Giving such low-grade wine, and one that had been opened no less, seemed like an insult. The team members, meeting Suming for the first time and sharing no particr camaraderie, had a few sour expressions, and someone''s face darkened into an unfriendly grimace.


    Nangong Yan, following behind Suming, blushed furiously, wishing she could crawl into a hole.


    She had told Suming before that if he was not going to give a gift, that was fine, but if he did decide to give one, it should at least be something decent, especially since Suming didn''t care about spending a few thousand dors more. Contrarily, Suming, in a careless manner, had asserted that it was a man''s business, and said she shouldn''t worry about it, insisting that the gift had enough weight to it.


    Initially, she thought Suming was joking about meeting Jacky, not taking it seriously, but now here they were for real, and to her disbelief, Suming actually presented this ''second-hand wine'' to Jacky publicly!


    Jacky himself was taken aback at first, but then he seemed to remember something, swiftly uncorked the wine with a ''pop,'' and sniffed it, his eyes lighting up with a look of surprised delight.


    "Could this be..." Jacky trailed off.


    "Of course, it is," Sumingughed.


    "Wow, this gift is too generous!" Jacky beckoned an assistant over, handed the bottle over with great care and instructed, "Julia, secure this wine in the safe. No one is allowed to touch it; you''re personally responsible for it. Remember to carry it with you when we leave."


    Seeing Jacky''s serious demeanor, the assistant and team members were a bit puzzled. Julia nodded, holding the wine close like a child, and headed into the next room.


    Jacky let out a long sigh, then said to Suming, "I asked for your help, and you give such a precious gift. How can I ept this!"


    "It''s nothing, it''s just your good luck, and I happened to find some again," Suming replied, sounding as if it were no big deal when, in reality, he felt quite rxed about it. The Monkey Wine brewed by the Monkey King - he had a few big mineral water bottles of it at home, drinking it daily like a health supplement. Once winter came around in a few months, the Monkey King would brew plenty more, effectively making it an unending supply.


    But of course, this secret was unknown to the others. In Jacky''s eyes, this present was extremely valuable.


    "Let''s not talk about this now. Regarding the matter we discussed on the phone, I''ve almost taken care of it. Let''s start the meeting and finalize the concert details; we shouldn''t dy your important business," Suming said.


    Men''s meetings are boring. After discussing with the nning team for a while, Nangong Yan couldn''t help covering her mouth to stifle a yawn. Jacky noticed and gestured to his assistant, "Julia, why don''t you and Miss Nangong take a walk around the shopping district downstairs? You''re both beauties; you should find plenty to talk about while shopping together."


    The assistant named Julia was pretty good-looking and tall, but standing next to Nangong Yan, the term ''beauty'' probably wouldn''te to mind for her. There had been rumors of something between Jacky and this assistant, but that was their personal business, and Suming wasn''t interested in meddling. After all, what sessful man doesn''t have rumors? A man without rumors is either not sessful or too cunning, managing to keep everything in perfect bnce.


    Women''s rtionships can be strange. Julia and Nangong Yan didn''t know each other at all, yet the moment shopping was mentioned, they instantly became close friends,ughing and leaving the suite arm in arm.


    With the floors below housing stores of world-famous brands, where any trinket costs thousands, Suming thought, take it easy,dy, don''t spend the equivalent of half the ticket sales from Jacky''s concert. He then shot a look at Nangong Yan.


    Nangong Yan shot him a re that seemed to say, do I look like someone who hasn''t seen the world?


    ...


    At 8:30 in the evening, the provincial capital performance center''s stadium was filled with the concert which started as scheduled, and beneath the stage, thousands of fans held glow sticks in their hands and shouted ''Jacky''s name loudly!


    "Wow, this is my first time sitting in the front row at a concert! Jacky! Jacky! Jacky!" Nangong Yan, pulling on Suming''s sleeve, yelled excitedly, her forehead beading with fine sweat.


    She was actually not Jacky''s fan, and neither was Sumingpletely. For people of their age, Jacky was considered an old-timer. But in such a grand scene, with everyone shouting together, the adrenaline of each person surged wildly, and they were infected without realizing it.


    "Big sister, calm down a bit!" Suming couldn''t help wanting tough. The guy on stage had just given Nangong Yan a full set of Herm¨¨s a few hours ago; they were acquaintances. Was there really a need to be so excited?


    After thousands of calls, a high-pitched wolf howl filled the stadium, and Jacky finally made a grand entrance, kicking off the concert with "Legend of the Hungry Wolf" under the explosive music!


    "She turned off the evening lights and her shoulders became dim;


    Sparks intertwined, trapped in the sediment


    The heart just wounded, can''t stand the changes


    "


    Just like the title, "Legend of the Hungry Wolf," there was a part in the instrumental interlude of the song that included wolf howls as harmony.


    When he finished the lyric "Love is like a hungry wolf, its mouth seems sweet, but if you approach it for fun, its ferocious nature will show," fireworks suddenly shot up around the stage; and in the middle of the stage behind him, an elevating tform slowly rose!


    Seven living Grey Wolves, lined up side by side on the tform squatting in a row, appeared before tens of thousands of spectators in the stadium. At the same time, they howled towards a microphone in front of them!


    The wolf howls in the background music just now weren''t synthetic; they were real wolf howls!


    "Legend of the Hungry Wolf" actually featured real wolves!


    After a brief silence in the venue, the thrilling scene instantly set the crowd on fire!


    "She leaned on my shoulder, her breath loud near my ear


    High temperature generated,plexions doing damage


    While the gentleman ys with fire, the warm smoke cannot be blown away


    She adds her lips to mine, forcing me to endure


    Overwhelming love rushes at me, kissing and entangling wildly


    Even though it''s known that love leaves me with no tomorrow"


    As Jacky tip-toed, singing and dancing on the stage, those wolves actually followed his steps, revolving around him like backup dancers, matching the music and letting out long howls to the sky!


    The audience below nearly went mad, countless glow sticks waving everywhere, the entire stadium was filled with fans'' screams, the enthusiasm of the fans almost flipping the roof of the stadium!

 Chapter 145: Chapter 145 He Came to My Concert

    After a rendition of "Legend of the Hungry Wolf" that caught everyone by surprise, even to the point where it could be called unprecedented, the stage lights dimmed.


    Then the music rose again, transitioning into another fast-paced song.


    "A wild cat''s life, beautiful and untamed


    Women like wild cats,ughing as they challenge you to take your shot"


    This was a niche song that hadn''t been widely sung, but the audience was made up of Jacky''s familiar fans; most of them were not strangers to this fast-paced song, "Love of the Wild Cat."


    Amidst the cheers, Jacky appeared on stage, his body covered with multicolored feathers, tiptoeing like a giant cat!


    Behind him followed six differently colored cats, all stepping in a cat-like manner lined up in a row, following Jacky''s movements, wiggling their chubby bottoms to the beat of the music as they sashayed onto the stage!


    If you imed that the cats were too small, that only the people in the front row could see them clearly while those at the back couldn''t at all, then the thirty-meter-high big screen vividly presented the scene to every viewer¡ªsix cats, ck, white, and spotted, lifelike as they followed Jacky in the performance, executing nimble turns and hip twists;


    "A wild cat, ying like it''s hunting"


    As the song reached its climax, Jacky threw his arms up, and with a unified flick of their tails, all the wild cats stood up and started waving their plump little paws at the audience below.


    The crowd''s voices were nearly hoarse, and even Nangong Yan, who had known the concert itinerary since the morning, was so stimted by the scene that she jumped up, mimicking the movements of the cat-like beings on stage, twisting and turning while desperately shouting at them.


    "A wild cat, your efforts are futile, how can you break free from the confines of my heart..."


    As the song came to its end, Jacky gestured a pistol with his hand and "bang"¡ªhe shot at the wild cats.


    The row of cat-like beings fell in response, like dominoes one after another, tumbling into a heap on the stage.


    After the upbeat music, it was time for a slow song. Apanied by a mncholic piano tuneden with autumn sorrow, Jacky''s voice, tinged with a trace of world-weariness, filled the air as the stage backdrop transformed into bleak autumn winds and falling leaves,


    "The intense feeling of autumn, heavy on the hearts of those who part


    A cup of wine carries a myriad of emotions


    Partings are frequent when the leaves fall


    Holding your hand, pressing it to my heart


    "


    A gust of wind blew, and on the dry branches of an old tree, a solitary Haidong Qing stared into the distance...


    ...


    "Damn, what''s going on? The ruckus in there¡ªisn''t it like they''re fighting?" asked a captain standing among a line of armed police responsible for security outside the concert stadium.


    The lieutenant turned around to look but couldn''t see the inside clearly and said, "I don''t think so. From what I''ve heard, the concert is so popr that they pulled us inst minute to keep order."


    "I mean, these people, just for chasing stars. Is it worth being so crazy? They make it sound like a battle, with the shouting audible for miles. Anyone unaware would think there''s a riot," the captain said dismissively.


    ...


    ```


    "This time, you''ve really put in the hard work!"


    At the small celebration the next day, Jacky raised a ss of red wine and gently clinked sses with Suming, then excitedly¡ªand somewhat indecorously¡ªdowned it in one gulp,


    "Jacky has held hundreds of concerts, but none has ever been as explosive asst night!" Julia said with a lightugh from the side, "We owe it to our special nning consultant."


    This ''special nning consultant'' referred to Suming.


    Right after the concertst night, before Jacky even had time to remove his makeup backstage, Julia had Suming summoned so she could hire him as the team''s ''special nning consultant.''"


    The so-called ''special consultant'' didn''t need to follow the team around to participate in events and had ample free time. If necessary, Suming could get involved in future team nning and would charge a fee based on the number of times he participated.


    Not just with concerts, but with filming too, there were plenty of opportunities for coboration.


    Suming had justughed at the time, saying that since they were friends, there was no need to talk about fees; a few VIP tickets to the front row of the concert would suffice. Whenever Jacky needed help, if he could spare the time, lending a hand would be no problem.


    Despite Jacky''s usual rogue middle-aged man demeanor, having mixed in the chaotic Xiangjiang entertainment industry for many years, he was very particr about doing things right. Since Suming didn''t want money, he signed a check for 500,000 on the spot and donated it to Yangchuan City Zoo to improve the living conditions of the animals.


    "I won''t refuse this money." Suming epted the check with a heartyugh.


    "Eh? Where''s Miss Nangong? Why isn''t she here?" Jacky looked around curiously, wondering why the space behind Suming was empty.


    "She was so spurred by the efficiency of your Xiangjiang colleagues that she''s been passionately working on a press release in the hotel since early morning!" Suming replied with a smile.


    The efficiency of Xiangjiang''s reporters and paparazzi was indeed astonishing; the news ofst night''s concert was on the front pages of several major newspapers and various tabloids by early morning. Photos and videos of Jacky performing with various animals had been shared so widely that half of the ind already knew about it.


    Nangong Yan had quite a few media colleagues in her social circle. As soon as she opened her eyes that morning, everyone in her feed was talking about the concert. Nangong Yan was so regretful she could hardly stand it. She had been on the scene, yet she hadn''t published the news immediately!


    So, she skipped the celebration entirely, holing up in her hotel to rush out her article.


    "Wow, does it have to be thatplicated? Julia, just push back this afternoon''s fan meet by a couple of hours, and ask Miss Nangong to give me an exclusive interview," Jacky said, shrugging his shoulders with an easy smile.


    "Why not make it a joint interview with both you and Mr. Suming?" Julia suggested, "After all, it was the two of you working together that made the concert such a huge sess."


    And so, Suming''s return trip to Yangchuan was dyed by several hours. The content of the exclusive interview was nothing special, mainly about how Jacky met Suming and their coboration on nning this unique concert. However, in the article, Suming was portrayed not just as a ''zookeeper'' or a ''boat tour operator,'' but rather, with some intentional shaping by Jacky and Nangong Yan, as a ''hidden expert in the midst of the city.''


    Towards the end of the interview, Suming made a suggestion, encouraging Jacky to adopt an animal.


    Now that the maind and Xiangjiang were one family, there was a high degree of openness towards Xiangjiang''s artists. Adopting an animal in the maind could greatly increase an artist''s recognition by both official and public circles, even though Jacky was already sessful and didn''t need to urgently make money in the maind. As an artist, increasing one''s fame was never a bad thing at any point.


    "Jacky, Mr. Suming''s proposal is great!"


    Julia said, cradling an iPad and looking down at it while speaking in a professional tone, "After yesterday''s concert, thements on Weibo were several times more than usual, and the number of followers has also clearly increased. Adopting an animal now would greatly help your development in the maind."


    "At my age, just singing songs and acting in ys, it''s all good as long as everyone''s happy," Jacky said,ughing.


    However, as an artist, nobody wouldin about bing more famous, so the news of Jacky adopting an animal, after some nning, quickly made media headlines.


    On the morning of the third day after the concert finished, Jacky, apanied by several team members, made a special visit to the zoo with Suming.


    ```

 Chapter 146 Donation Ceremony

    ```


    As a veteran superstar idol with undeniable fan numbers, although many fans are no longer in their youthful years and have grown up, even bing parents, their attitude towards the idol is now more rational and mature, no longer as crazed as in their early days.


    But when Jacky''s nanny van arrived at the entrance of Yangchuan City Zoo, Suming was still shocked by the sea of fans that greeted them!


    The few security guards at the zoo werepletely overwhelmed by the enthusiastic fans. The city bureau had to send a toon of armed police to help maintain order. The local police station had almost all of its officers present, who, together with the armed police, set up a long security line in front of the zoo, keeping the excited fans on both sides.


    The news had only been out for three days, and Suming couldn''t help but mutter, "You''re more famous than the ****..."


    Jacky, while waving to the fans on both sides, winked at Suming and said with a lowugh, "Of course, the **** has only been president for a dozen years, but I''ve been a heavenly king for decades..."


    Suming: "..."


    To Suming''s surprise, Zhao Yun''s wife, Zhaoqian, was also one of his fans. She was at the very front of the crowd with Chengcheng in her arms, waving her hands furiously at Suming and shouting, "Su, Su, let me in, let me in..."


    Zhao Yun was away on a business trip today, otherwise with his status, he could have avoided mixing with the general public. Suming spoke into the walkie-talkie, "Dong, Dong, let that woman in the dress holding a child in..."


    There were too many people, and Suming hadn''t noticed that Dong was right behind him until he was tapped on the shoulder. Dong, sweating profusely, red at Suming, "Why didn''t you notify us a few days earlier? You only mentioned this big star wasing yesterday, and we are all in disarray."


    Without waiting for Suming to speak, Dong somehow fished out an old-style CD, which looked like Jacky''s album that sold over 500 gold, ''Farewell Kiss'', and handed it to Jacky, unabashedly asking, "Idol, could you sign this for me..."


    Suming was speechless. Dong could use his position to get Jacky''s autograph, but other zoo staff couldn''t do the same. Nurse Hu could only squeeze through the crowd toward them, and Mr. Liao, ovee with excitement, even forgot to hold onto his waistband when he saw Suming... And there was Zhaoqian, who was too far to hear what she was shouting, with Chengcheng looking like a little stuffed doll in her arms, almost getting squished out of shape...


    Suming quickly rushed in front of Jacky to Zhaoqian and whispered into her ear, "Mrs. Zhao, take Chengcheng to the Whisperwind Pavilion. Once the event is over, I''ll have Jackye over himself. You can have him sign as much as you want, even write essays... Please don''t squeeze in here, if Chengcheng gets hurt, Zhao won''t let me off the hook..."


    "Really? Are you that close to him..." Zhaoqian''s eyes sparkled.


    A star is like a bomb, creating a stir wherever they go. Jacky''s team, with great difficulty, entered the gates of the zoo under the protection of the armed policerades, and the fans followed like a swarm of bees.


    On thewn where the Guinness awards were presentedst time, a few leaders in suits were standing and smiling, pping their hands in anticipation.


    Wang Jian She''s official position was quite high, but he only stood in an off-center position to the middle-left. To his right, which was the very center of the leadership team, stood a smiling, amiable old man in his sixties, a familiar face who often appeared on television news from Yangchuan City and even the provincial level.


    Most of the media had also gathered on thewn, with Nangong upying the best spot. She had upgraded her equipment; a whole team worked just for her, setting up several unique-looking cameras that looked like Transformers at the best spot under the chairman''s tform.


    "Hello, I am the director of Yangchuan Zoo..." Mr. Song stepped down from the red carpet to greet them, shaking hands with Jacky first, and Suming tugged at his sleeve, ncing towards the tform, "Who is that leader? He looks very familiar."


    Under Mr. Song''s leadership, as Jacky and Suming walked towards the tform, Mr. Song, looking around, quietly introduced, "That''s Mr. Sun, the Deputy Mayor, the direct superior of Mr. Wang. He''s personally presiding over the ceremony since he heard a big star was making a donation..."


    "Wow, such a high-ranking official hase. Looks like I''ll have to bleed a lot!" Jacky said with augh.


    As for high-level ''officials'', Yangchuan''s Deputy Mayor wasn''t particrly significant for Jacky, who had been in Xiangjiang for decades, having met numerous Governors, Special Administrative Region Chief Executives, and Chief Secretaries countless times, undoubtedly an individual well-versed in handling major events. Furthermore, the circle he was in was very diverse, ranging from various super second-generation individuals to gang leaders rising from the underworld. A Deputy Mayor from a non-capital city was unlikely to make Jacky bleed too much. Instead, due to Jacky''s poprity, he might even add to the political achievements of the retiring Deputy Mayor.


    However, locally speaking in Yangchuan City, the Deputy Mayor''s personal participation in the zoo''s donation and adoption event was a significant show of face for Yangchuan City Zoo.


    After ascending to the stage, Jacky shook hands in turn with Mr. Sun, followed by Wang Jian She and a crowd of government officials, following protocol.


    Next, Mr. Sun spoke, highly praising the support of the Xiangjiangpatriots for the maind''s animal protection efforts, expressing his sincerest gratitude and hoping that morepatriots from Xiangjiang woulde to the maind and to Yangchuan City for tourism and investment.


    As a star who had received various honors like the Top Ten Youth Award and Outstanding Representative several times, Jacky was no stranger to such events and even improvised a speech in Mandarin, which was not perfect.


    Next, two ceremonial hostesses brought up a giant check the size of a door panel with ''Huaxia Currency Five Hundred Thousand Yuan Only'' written on it. Jacky, Mr. Sun, and Mr. Song, holding the check together, smiled and posed for the photographers.


    The donation ceremony was only the first step; to be frank, this donation was in thanks to Suming for using animals in his concert. Suming, considering their friendship, did not charge a fee, so the money was instead donated to the zoo.


    The main purpose of Jacky''s visit today was adoption.


    As mentioned before, adoption and fostering are different. As the name implies, fostering means taking it home to raise, with custodial rights, while adoption does not grant these rights. The animals are still cared for by the zoo; Jacky is responsible for the money, which is just nominal ''fostering''.


    Beforeing, Jacky had asked Suming what would be the best animal to adopt.


    ```

 Chapter 147: Chapter 146 Adoption of Finless Porpoises

    From Suming''s perspective, adopting any animal was the same; the notion of ''all creatures being equal'' precluded the idea of one being nobler than another.


    But in reality, the significance of Jacky adopting an animal was entirely different. The choice of animal often reflected the celebrity''s personal interests, hobbies, and values in the eyes of the public. For instance, if Jacky were to adopt a crocodile or a piranha, it wouldn''t be uneptable, but such a choice might lead people to believe that Jacky had an inherent liking for brutality, which could be worse than not adopting at all.


    Therefore, the animal to be adopted should beparatively adorable and people-friendly.


    Secondly, the animal itself needed to have some value and fame. Wild dogs and cats were cute, but adopting them and conducting an adoption ceremony would seem somewhat nonsensical, overly hyped, not to mention how little they were worth. It wasn''t usible to put so much effort into adopting, only to donate fifty dors a month for the animal''s food expenses; such a gesture would beughable.


    In light of this, Suming suggested Jacky adopt a finless porpoise.


    Arge tank containing a family of finless porpoises was brought up; Jacky stood smiling next to the tank, dressed in a waterproof suit, as the two small porpoises obediently opened their fins and waved them back and forth towards Jacky, like children begging to be hugged.


    Feeling somewhat unsure, Jacky quietly asked Suming, "If I hold the little baby, the big finless porpoise won''t get mad and bite me, right?"


    "Don''t worry!" Suming had already notified them with his spiritual power, asking the porpoises to deliberately show affection towards Jacky. Since finless porpoises were naturally friendly, and with Suming''s intentional introduction, there would naturally be no problem.


    Realizing that Suming could tame even wolves, making them obediently cooperate with him on stage, Jacky figured the finless porpoises should pose no issue either. So, he boldly reached out and cradled a small porpoise in his arms.


    True to expectations, the porpoise family was very well-behaved. Far from showing any discontent, the cradled baby porpoise even waved its fins towards the cameras below the stage, as if greeting them.


    Dozens of cameras and video recorders below lit up simultaneously, capturing the scene.


    "Wow, it''s really so cute, even better than Disney! Next time I have some free time, I''ll bring my daughter to y here..." Jacky said to Suming while holding the little porpoise, smiling.


    Next, a ceremonial cheque was presented with the amount of three hundred thousand yuan.


    The total of eight hundred thousand yuan wasn''t a major expense for Jacky and was almost negligiblepared to the positive impact generated by the concert and the adoption coverage in the news.


    Julia and the nning team had previously conducted professional analysis and predictions; ording to the patterns of current media, if no significant idents urred, Jacky was expected to dominate the major headlines for at least a week, which would subsequently increase his poprity by a small margin.


    The reason for the small boost wasn''t that the adoption event and the animal concert were ineffective; rather, it was because Jacky''s fame was already so substantial. Not everyone in the maind was a fan of Jacky''s music or movies, but anyone who had lived in cities, from teenagers to those in their fifties or sixties, rarely didn''t know of this superstar.


    For a celebrity at his level, already possessing a high base of poprity, making any further progress was difficult; maintaining his current status was alreadymendable.


    Receiving the cheque this time were the principal leaders of the Yangchuan City Finless Porpoise Protection Group¡ªWang Jian She, Zoo Director Song, and Suming, who was directly in charge of the finless porpoises. The three of them, along with Jacky, posed together with therge cheque, all smiles for the media photos.


    Fortunate it was daytime, Suming thought; had the ceremony been held at night, he reckoned his eyes would have been blinded by the countless shing cameras!


    Just like all ceremonial meetings, after the donation and adoption ceremony ended, the leadingrades present needed to gather for a group photo.


    This was where the arrangement of positions became quite particr, the stage was lined with officials, the least of whom was a deputy division-level cadre, arrayed ording to the hierarchy of their ranks. Mr. Sun and Jacky stood at the very center, while Wang Jian She, the bureau chief, could only stand slightly to the left. Zoo Director Song normally wouldn''t have been able to stand at the core position, but as the host and recipient of the donation for this ceremony, he also stood beside Jacky at the central position.


    Suming was now an assistant to Zoo Director Song, merely at the level of a deputy department-level clerk, so he consciously ran to the very left of the group and found a spot on the edge to stand.


    Below, before they started taking photos, Wang Jian She whispered something to Mr. Sun, who chuckled, then Wang Jian stepped out from the group and gestured to Suming.


    "Ah? Calling me?" Suming trotted over with a smile, greeting everyone as he went, "Hello, Mr. Sun, hello Mr. Wang, hello all the leaders..."


    Mr. Sun smiled and nodded his head as Wang Jian She pointed to a spot next to Zoo Director Song, saying, "You little hero, why stand so far away? Stand next to your director."


    A director from thendscaping department, who was very perceptive, moved aside to make room. Suming shed a grin and squeezed into the spot.


    So, in the photo, Suming, a deputy department-level clerk, regally appeared in a position just two people away from Mr. Sun, close to the central spot¡ªa position that, to those familiar with the protocol, was usually reserved for actual division-level cadres with real power.


    "Are they preparing to promote me?" Suming mused with a wide smile as he posed for the photo.


    ...


    After the ceremony ended, Jacky, epting an invitation from Suming, came to Whisperwind Pavilion with only his assistant Julia, remaining very low-key.


    Perhaps due to the intervention of some auspicious timing, the water quality in Shuixie Lake had noticeably changed recently. Just standing by theke and sniffing the misting off the surface was enough to feel an invigorating sensation, boosting one''s spirits powerfully.


    Seeing the environment of the pavilion, Jacky''s eyes lit up, and heughed, "Wow, if we shoot a period drama in the future, can we use this ce as the location?"


    "You''re already past fifty¡ªdo you still think you''re at the age of the ''Eastern Evil and Western Poison'', Hong Qigong, to shoot those action-packed period dramas?" Suming rolled his eyes.


    Julia, who was on the side petting the backs of the wolf-dog brothers, chimed in, "Many of Jacky''s friends are directors and artists; he could introduce them toe here."


    When Suming saw the wolf-dog brothers approaching, his eyelids twitched. Dealing with these brutes was one thing; after all, intimidating a nurse was one incident within the zoo, but it would be an entirely different d¨¦bacle if they were to act inappropriately now. He''d be humiliated all the way to Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.


    Feigning a kick, he scared off the wolf-dog brothers, then turned to Julia with a smile, "Well then, make sure to bring some beautiful actresses! But for now," he pointed with his chin towards the Fengshui Pavilion, "Jacky, you should hurry up and go sign autographs for them."


    No sooner had he spoken than the doors of the pavilion burst open, and arge group of people rushed out.


    "Idol!" Wang Hao led the charge, like a crazed, massive meatball, thundering towards them.

 Chapter 148: Chapter 147 Outdated?

    ```


    So embarrassing, so utterly embarrassing!


    Whenever Suming thought about yesterday''s situation at Whisperwind Pavilion, he felt overwhelmingly mortified. Usually, everyone acted so dignified, but why did they lose all their integrity at the sight of a celebrity, tossing it all into Shuijun Lake!


    Initially, he had arranged for Zhaoqian and some zoo staff to wait inside the pavilion. Not all of these people were Jacky''s fans; in fact, to some extent, the era of the Four Heavenly Kings had passed.


    But such a big star isn''t someone you can meet at any given moment, and since he was visiting the zoo, it would be a pity not to get an autograph or something.


    Somehow Wang Hao got the news, probably from Wang Jian She, and he also came over.


    To be honest, Wang Hao wasn''t a Jacky fan, at most a well-meaning passerby; he was a die-hard fan of Chi-ling! But this kid was born to love excitement. Not only did hee by himself, but he also posted a message in the university group chat, saying, "Suming has captured a wild Heavenly King Jacky. If you want to touch your idol up close, hurry to the zoo."


    Social circles and group chats have a terrifyingly fast spread. This message quickly proliferated from the ss group chat to the major group chat, followed by the alumni group chat...


    The news that Jacky wasing to Yangchuan had already been widely spread by Suming and Julia''s deliberate nning and wasmon knowledge in Yangchuan City, so no one in the group doubted the authenticity of this message.


    Now there was a huge crowd at the zoo entrance, all from Suming''s school, whether they knew him or not.


    The zoo''s security guards recognized Wang Hao, knowing he was a beefy friend of Suming and Mr. Wang''s son, so naturally, they didn''t dare stop him. Wang Hao led arge group of people straight to Whisperwind Pavilion.


    Logically speaking, with so many people rushing into Whisperwind Pavilion, it should have called down a horde of hos, and not one would have made it out alive.


    Luckily, Er Gouzi had been growing smarter recently and notified Suming upon seeing the situation, thereby averting a disaster for these alumni.


    Even so, as they charged toward Jacky, Suming still vaguely saw several people withrge bumps on their foreheads, probably caused by making too much ruckus in the pavilion, warranting a warning from Er Gouzi''s dispatched soldiers.


    After closing in on their idol, this group revealed their shameless true colors.


    Asking for an autograph was one thing, but why the need to take off your shirt and have someone sign your belly?


    Having an autograph on the belly was one thing; after all, it was still within the range allowed by the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, at most vulgar, but not against the rules!


    But what about that female alumna who graduated who knows when? What is that you''re holding? You think just because it doesn''t have straps, I can''t recognize those round, rolling semicircles? There are kids here, do you really want a major celebrity to sign your 34A bra?


    Although the ce for signature was inappropriate, it at least wasn''t bodily contact.


    But for those of you puckering up, insisting on kissing Jacky, that''s not so great, right? No matter how you look at it, the man is married with two kids who, in ancient times, would have been old enough to marry. Plus, there''s a scandal-ridden assistant behind him; it''s a bit improper for a group of girls in their twenties to cling to him like that!


    As for a certain male ssmate who also started amotion wanting a kiss, Suming couldn''t be bothered to scold him and simply kicked him into theke...


    Luckily, Jacky was used to big scenes, and this level of ''enthusiasm'' wasn''t new to him. He managed to cope.


    Amidst a thudding sound, Suming thought someone had brought in cotton-picking. On a closer look, it turned out to be the breezy guy, known for his golden voice since university, who would always take the stage with his guitar during school performances, garnering countless gazes as he briskly appeared.


    The breezy guy insisted on pulling Jacky aside to listen to his cover of "Li Xiann."


    ```


    "Bro, do you think my voice could make it in a talent show?" Suave Bro asked Jacky full of hope. Once the heartthrob of the campus, adored by thousands of girls, he was now just another face in the nightlife of bars, not doing particrly well for himself.


    This time, Jacky was really stumped, and it was hard to give a direct answer. After thinking it over, he patted Suave Bro on the shoulder seriously, "You could easily get by with your good looks, why do you feel the need topete with talent?"


    Suave Bro sat by the water, hugging his guitar, lost in his reflection, unsure whether he was admiring his ''good looks'' through the water, the ones he could supposedly rely on, or contemting jumping in to never resurface.


    Signing autographs, stealing kisses, and unting vocal skills¡ªSuming tolerated it all as he watched from the sidelines. It was a bit embarrassing, but after all, it was driven by genuine affection for Jacky!


    However, the behavior of a few young girls left Suming speechless.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t leave until everyone has an autograph!" Jacky said with a smile, pen in hand, as he asked the three young girls, "Where would you like me to sign?"


    One girl lifted her head, her cheeks blush-red, and with big blinking eyes said, "Uncle Jacky, do you know Gu Tianle? I really like him..."


    "Wu Yanzu is the real heartthrob! Uncle Jacky, could you please get me his autograph..."


    Thest girl, tentative yet hopeful, said, "If it''s not too much trouble, I also really like brothers Peng Yuyan and Wang Dalu..."


    Jacky''s pen hovered mid-air: "..."


    Wang Hao joined in the teasing, "And Sister Zhiling..."


    "Scram, scram, scram¡­" Suming kicked him away.


    Looking at the innocent faces of the young girls, if it weren''t for the fact that they were his juniors, Suming seriously considered letting two big wolves take care of these three girls disrupting the event!


    Jacky burst intoughter and said that if he happened to meet those celebrities in the future, he''d help them get autographs, or if they came to Xiangjiangter, he would take them to hang out with them.


    ...


    After causing a ruckus at the Whisperwind Pavilion until the afternoon, Julia nced at the time and reminded Jacky that it was time to go, or he''d miss his flight. It was only then that Jacky managed to extricate himself from the crowd of true fans and faux passersby.


    "You''ve really had a rough day!" Suming said earnestly as he saw him off to the car.


    "Haha, I have a secret, want to hear it?" Jacky raised an eyebrow.


    "Go on," Suming said with a smile.


    Jacky startedughing, "If it weren''t for seeing the enthusiasm of your ssmates today, I would have thought I was already out of touch with the younger crowd!"


    "No way, bro."


    "It''s all because of you! Since I''ve known you, you''ve never shown the excitement of meeting a celebrity. Every time you see me, it''s like you''re looking at an ordinary person, you never even asked me for an autograph, it really made me think my time was up."


    "Then, Bro, could you sign something for me?" Suming burst outughing.

 Chapter 149: Chapter 148: The Old Drunkards Intent Is Not in the Wine

    "Him again?"


    As Zhou Jin watched the television program, his eyelids twitched involuntarily when he saw the segment on the donation ceremony. Suming had been appearing on screen far too frequentlytely, which, although not a direct threat to Zhou Jin, was certainly not a good thing.


    Since learning from Mr. He that Yangchuan City Zoo would undergo restructuring next year, Zhou Jin had prepared to go all out this year, saving up some money and leveraging connections to annex Shuijun Lake within the zoo as well.


    He was a man with ambition, or rather, aspirations. The fishingpany was just the start of his career. In his view, fish farming at Shuijun Lake was not particrly profitable, but theke''s prime location, echoing the far-off Huating Reservoir, was like an enve nestled within the zoo.


    If he could get his hands on Shuijun Lake, he would have a reason to slowly encroach on the zoo''snd once it restructured.


    The zoo was truly a treasure trove of feng shui, with mountains behind and water in front, and once he attracted sufficient funds at the right time, Zhou Jin could transform into a real estate developer overnight!


    No matter how big the fish farming industry grew, it was hard-earned money for life. However, real estate, or rather,nd trading, wasmonly known for its exorbitant profits. No one has heard of anyone bing the richest in the country through aquaculture¡ªit''s at best the richest in the vige, but real estate in Huaxia held boundless possibilities. With the right operations, one could ascend to the top echelons of the national wealth hierarchy in just a few years.


    If Suming really became a celebrity, taking over his Shuijun Lake business in the future would be fraught with difficulties.


    Baldy watched the television alongside Zhou Jin, but his thoughts werepletely different from his boss''s.


    Baldy had no grand ambitions. His greatest dream was to follow a rich and powerful boss, live carefree, and throw his weight around. He had once joined the most influential ''group'' in the country, reveling in his days as an urban management officer, but was soon purged from the revolutionary ranks. Afterward, he joined Zhou Jin, and just as he was enjoying some good years, Suming came along.


    Seeing Suming taking photos with city leaders, Baldy gasped, thinking to himself that the kid truly had connections up high, and he was lucky he hadn''t offended him too badly!


    ...


    While everyone at Huating Reservoir had their own concerns, Suming was quite at ease, having been allotted a private office in the zoo where he spent his days fishing, sleeping, and reading newspapers.


    As the nning team had anticipated, Jacky''s special concert coupled with the news of animal adoption dominated the headlines of major entertainment media for an extended period of a fortnight, only to be reced by the marriage news of a famous domestic male star after more than two weeks.


    Being reced didn''t mean being forgotten. Due to a series of animal-rted reports, it actually sparked an ''animal craze''; celebrities, especially from the entertainment industry, seemed to have found a new way to increase their fame, with the current trend on social media being to show off pets.


    In the midst of the widespread pet-showing craze, some ''out-of-tune'' scenes emerged. A female star from Singapore, now a mother, posted her baby''s photos as usual, immediately drawing a torrent of criticism and abuse, using her ofckingpassion...


    "God damn it, these people must have lost their minds. Is it that, now that living conditions are better, the number of psychos has also increased?" After seeing this message, Suming got the same impression as Jacky initially did, wondering whether he was out of touch. What on earth are these young people thinking nowadays? Is it wrong for a mother to post a picture of her own son now?


    After Jacky''s move, it quickly became fashionable to adopt pets. It wasn''t just Yangchuan City Zoo; there were several zoos in Xiangjiang alone, as well as Disney Parks, and major cities in the maind also had their own zoos, many with facilities and animal species numbers surpassing those of Yangchuan City Zoo. Following suit, there were endless announcements about some star adopting some animal, some big name getting a new animal son or daughter, someedian bing sworn brothers with a Northeast tiger...


    The same trick, brilliant the first time, smart the second, but merelymonce the third... If it was used thirty times, it was simply nauseating. Despite the increasing number of simr announcements, Suming noticed that none matched the fame of that day Jacky adopted a finless porpoise in Yangchuan¡ªfar from it. Furthermore, every time a new adoption was publicized, it would inevitably mention the original adoption event in Yangchuan City, amounting to another round of free promotion.


    Animals are everywhere in the world, and one doesn''t need toe specifically to Yangchuan City Zoo to adopt any. But if you want to tame animals to help with a performance, especially a live show like a concert without special effects, then Suming''s ce is the only option, with no alternatives.


    There are no secrets under the sun, and besides, Suming didn''t want to keep it a secret. As soon as Jacky made the headlines, it quickly became known among the entertainment industry that Yangchuan City Zoo had a talent!


    Lately, Suming had received quite a few invitations hoping he could bring animals to assist with performances. Even Jacky himself had phoned once, as he had a friend in the Xiangjiang entertainment circle who hoped to get Suming''s help.


    However, Suming turned them all down. First, the number of animals suitable for performing was limited. Actually bringing a tiger on stage would involve aplicated procedure and could easily attract criticism from animal protection organizations. Second, the animal concert''s appealy in its novelty. If it happened as frequently as every other day, it would gradually be degraded to a mere circus act, which would be far too lowbrow.


    So now, Yangchuan City Zoo''s reputation could almost be described as resoundingly sessful. At least within the national zoologicalmunity, it seemed no other zoo could match Yangchuan City Zoo''s fame, which could almost stand shoulder to shoulder with ces like Xiangjiang Disney and other world-renowned entertainment spots.


    Mr. Song had recently been applying to the higher-ups to designate Yangchuan City Zoo as a 5A national tourist spot.


    This appraisal wasn''t something that could be decided by Yangchuan City''s municipal government alone; it had to be reported up the chain, and whether it could be approved was up to the higher authorities.


    In truth, everyone from the zoo staff to Suming, from Wang Jian She to Deputy Mayor Mr. Sun, were all too clear about the oue in their hearts: it was simply impossible! No matter how famous Yangchuan City Zoo had be, there were still many substantial gaps before it could meet the criteria for a 5A tourist attraction due to issues like the venue and hardware facilities.


    A 5A tourist area is usually granted torge-scale travel locations with numerous sights. The only theme park-like venue with limited space that had been ssified as a 5A attraction nationwide was the Forbidden City.


    But just because the higher-ups might not approve it, didn''t mean one couldn''t apply. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. With the zoo''s fame currently at its peak, making a frequent impression on the authorities was the real objective.


    The intention behind the move was not in the proposal itself. When the response for the 5A scenic area application came, it was shrouded in a barrage of bureaucratic jargon, concluding that it didn''t meet the requirements for a 5A tourist site.


    "Great, great!" Suming and Mr. Song were both extremely pleased with the oue!

 Chapter 150: Chapter 149 The Decision of the City

    Along with the application for a 5A scenic area designation, a report titled "Proposals for Zoo Animal Rewilding Preparation Work" was also submitted. Unlike the application, this report was sent to the municipal government for discussion, and Yangchuan City''s government had the authority to review and issue approval.


    Using the young wolf Huiya and Haidong Qing as case studies, the report analyzed the feasibility of rewilding efforts and proposed that the biggest issue currently was theck of propernd. A space simr to a nature reserve was essential, where entry of outsiders would be prohibited and managed by the zoo, enabling the animals to initially adapt to a wild environment. This way, the animals that grow up in the nature reserves could have their offspring directly released into the wild.


    It was not explicitly stated, but everyone understood that the hill behind the zoo, being a part of the Qinling Mountains subrange and adjacent to the zoo, was the most suitable location for both management and future rewilding efforts.


    In the municipalmittee discussion meeting, Mr. Sun, who was nearing retirement, straightforwardly proposed that since the hill was essentially wastnd, it should be provided to the zoo for rewilding preparation work. Furthermore, the zoo should be responsible for the environmental protection of the hill. If it were well-managed, it could potentially support the zoo''s involvement in the national 5A scenic area evaluation process¡ªa case of multiple benefits in one stroke.


    Don''t underestimate a 5A level scenic spot. A properly operated 5A scenic area can significantly boost a city''s tourism economy.


    As ifpensating the zoo for not achieving the 5A scenic area status this time, the municipalmittee finally decided that the zoo could pilot the rewilding work on the hill.


    This was a somewhat vague resolution and did not explicitly allocate the entire hill to the zoo.


    After all, "the hill" is a vague term. Strictly speaking, it includes several dozen hilltops andrge mountains that stretch into the Qinling Mountains, not just a small hill of dozens or hundreds of acres. Even though this area is currently underutilized, it could not be just handed over to the zoo¡ªno matter how extensive the area, not even the mayor had that authority.


    This is like even the highest leaders wouldn''t have the audacity to allocate the Daxinganling to a particr entity. Although the hill behind the zoo isn''t as famous as the Daxinganling, the nature of both is the same, as they bothprise a mountain range.


    Nevertheless, with this resolution, the zoo could at least use the hill legally.


    "This is the best, andrgest, favor I could secure for the zoo before my retirement," said Mr. Song earnestly to Suming. "However, you must understand that the hill can currently only be used for rewilding. Strictly speaking, it does not count as an asset of the zoo."


    Suming understood Mr. Song''s implication and smiled, "Don''t worry, Director. We take it one step at a time¡ªjust like eating one bite at a time. This is only the first step. Now that we''ve reached out to the hill, it marks the first step, and in the future, given the opportunity, we''ll gradually take over the hill, piece by piece."


    "I never thought about making money in my life, but now that I''m old, I find myself avaricious," Mr. Song chuckled with a bit of self-deprecation. However, he had no choice given the current restructuring. Securing more now meant a stronger foundation post-restructuring for both the animals and the people working with him, benefiting everyone.


    "You''re busy, so I''ll go check on the aquarium," Suming said.


    The city''s master n was to establish an aquatic life conservation center adjacent to Shuijun Lake within the zoo, but such things have to be done step by step. Starting too ambitiously could lead to the same issues faced by the provincial-level center, bing nothing more than an empty shell. Therefore, for now, they''ve only built a rtively well-equipped aquarium.


    Of course, the key reason was theck of funds.


    The family of three river dolphins and the big sturgeon were the first to be housed in the aquarium. Being world-renowned and star attractions, in just one week after opening, the number of visitors had already surpassed 30,000.


    Thirty thousand is not an impressive number, as some nationally famous spots exceed that in daily visitors on holidays. Yet, before Suming arrived, Yangchuan City Zoo only saw a monthly footfall of 15,000 to 20,000 visitors.


    Regardless, even if the visitor numbers eventually decrease, the ie from admissions to the zoo would still roll significantly higher than before. Consequently, after discussing with Mr. Song, Suming decided not to increase the admission fees. In fact, at the appropriate time, they might even reduce the prices. As long as the total number of visitors continued to rise, the overall ie would naturally follow suit.


    The main body of the aquarium was connected to Shuijun Lake, where the river dolphins lived in a new, small artificialke. However, two sides had transparent ss for visitors to watch. To prevent monotony, the zoo also added various fish species to share the space with the river dolphins.


    Behind the aquarium was an artificial cave, with a circr path constructed above it. Below there was an artificial waterfall and artificial ponds, reminiscent of the caves Suming saw in the hill. Visitors on the path could observe the big sturgeon living below.


    Upon seeing Suming''s arrival, the big sturgeon expressed its discontent somewhat gloomily.


    "Gurgle gurgle gurgle¡­" The sturgeon didn''t just mimic the cry of a child when upset; it could also produce frog-like sounds, with its belly puffing rhythmically¡ªa rather amusing sight.


    "How about I release you back into the hills if you''re not satisfied?" Suming said with augh.


    The big sturgeon immediately calmed down. The older it got, the more timid it became. After nearly being killedst time, it had grown to cherish its life and did not wish to be ced in a precarious situation again. After all, life in the zoo wasfortable and safe, with the added bonus of being willingly provided food.


    This creature was a bit insatiable. Just like humans, after bing warm and full, it started thinking aboutpanionship. Having lived alone for decades, or perhaps even a century, it felt too lonely after settling into a stable life and wanted to find a partner.


    "If you don''t mind interspeciespanionship, it would be easy¡ªI could just get you a fewrge fish..."


    The old sturgeon looked nkly at Suming, as if it was staring at an idiot.


    Finding a partner for the old sturgeon was not easy. There were artificial breeding farms in China, but female sturgeons were usually used as broodstock and were expensive. More importantly, despite the old sturgeon appearing docile and endearing in Suming''s presence, it was actually quite irritable. If a female sturgeon was too small, it might easily be bitten to death by him.


    Suming patted its head, "So you see, you need to work on your temper first. When you learn how to cherish and be gentle with thedies, I''ll then find you apanion!"

 Chapter 151: Chapter 150: Business Trip

    Time flew by, and with the tireless efforts of the shrimp soldiers and crab generals, the passage beneath Shuijun Lake and Shuixie Lake was finally opened and connected. Taishui still honestly sprawled at the bottom of the Shuixie Lake, taking baths daily. Suming had tested it several times, but this guy hadn''t changed at all since the beginning, and Suming had no idea when it might actually turn into an ''animal'' andmunicate with him.


    The weather had turned a bit colder, and the fish-riding business was not doing so well. Actually, there were still visitors, but Suming didn''t feelfortable letting them into the cold water, risking them to catch a cold or a fever, so he nned to suspend the fish-riding activity in a week or two.


    In just three months, several big fish had earned Suming nearly half a million in profits. It was about time to give them a rest so they could fatten up for the next season.


    Liang Shi naturally became the aquarium''s manager, spending half his time in the aquarium taking care of the Yangtze finless porpoise and writing his thesis, and the other half on Shuijun Lake, looking after Suming''s fish.


    "It''s amazing, itpletely overturns mymon sense!"


    Wearing one-piece rubber suits, Liang Shi and Suming stood in the shallow water area with the water reaching their waists. Liang Shi held a crucian carp weighing about five or six liang in his hand and said to Suming, "It hasn''t been even half a year, and the fish have grown so much!"


    Raising fish has a fixed cycle, and the four major domestic fish are economically important breeds that grow rtively quickly. However, the growth rate of the fish in Suming''s Shuijun Lake still far exceeded Liang Shi''s expectations and general knowledge.


    Every so often, he would select various fish samples from theke for observation and found that the growth rate of Shuijun Lake''s fish was about one to four times faster than in other environments. Therefore, over the course of three or four months, most of the earlier fingerlings had grown into adult fish.


    The silver carps and bigheads mostly exceeded two kilograms, and thergest ck carps and grass carps had gone over three kilograms. Even the rtively small crucian carps generally weighed more than half a jin, all reaching the standard size for sale.


    "And look..."


    He continued, pointing excitedly at the struggling crucian carp in his hand, "They have fat on them, but their strength is great, which proves that it''s not just the result of being fattened up with feed!"


    "So why is that?" Suming pretended not to understand and asked. It would indeed be weird if the fish in theke, often in contact with spiritual power, did not grow fast. The bighead catfish now weighed more than ten jin. when Suming first saw it, the creature was less than one jin, looking like a mutated tadpole. In such a short time, its weight had increased by more than tenfold. The growth of the other fish was considered slowpared to that.


    When it came to schrly pursuits, Liang Shi was always a bit straightforward. He shook his head solemnly and said, "To tell the truth, I don''t know why! However, I have a few guesses. On one hand, it could be because the feed and cultivation methods you''re using are suitable. On the other hand, the many tourists at Shuijun Lake could also be making the fish more active. And maybe... it''s because the water quality here is better. But it''s still hard to understand, really baffling, what exactly is the reason?"


    While talking, Liang Shi even showed a little bashful ''embarrassed'' expression, as if he felt that Suming had entrusted him with such a big responsibility and yet he couldn''t figure out why the fish were growing quickly and well, thereby failing Suming''s trust.


    Suming felt a bit sorry to fool such an honest person and held back hisughter, saying, "Anyway, it''s a good thing! You can stay here and continue your research, who knows, you might even make a Nobel-worthy discovery."


    "You''re joking, Mr. Su, I''m not that capable. However, you can start to look for buyers now. Except for keeping a portion for breeding, the rest can be sold," said Liang Shi.


    "Just wait a bit, I have to go on a trip soon. Once I''m back, I''ll immediately get in touch with the buyers," Suming said.


    Last time when he ate with Zhao Yun, they discussed Zhao Yun rmending a few restaurants to try selling the fish, to see how it goes.


    Zhao Yun was not in Yangchuan recently. ording to Zhaoqian, he had gone to South Africa for some gold mining conference and had not been back for more than a month.


    Mom''s spaghet, did he own a gold mine in South Africa? Suming couldn''t help but purse his lips, after making an international long-distance call, he found out that it was just a gathering for collectors from around the world, after all. The so-called gold mine was just a charming fa?ade, having nothing to do with actual gold. He couldn''t return for over a week.


    It just so happened, the city had assigned a task to the zoo, and Mr. Song directly handed over the responsibility to Suming, who needed to make a trip to the neighboring Changping County.


    After making some preparations at Whisperwind Pavilion, he gathered all the animals, big and small, and instructed them not to cause any trouble during his absence. The next morning, Suming hopped into his Wrangler and left the zoo, heading towards Changping.


    Once he finally squeezed out of the city, Suming took to the provincial road, put on a pair of windproof goggles for the wolf-dog brothers, then floored it, sending the Wrangler surging to a hundred kilometers per hour!


    Su Meng sat in the passenger seat. The wild man, though possessing incredible fighting power, had never ridden in a vehicle this fast, which terrified him as he tightly clutched the handle, his face turning a bit pale. The wolf-dog brothers, bold as thieves, had no idea what fear was. Rising to sit halfway, they propped their front paws on the back of Suming''s seat, with goggles on, their tongues wildlyshing in the wind, drool and spit flying everywhere, as their head and neck fur danced furiously!


    "I''m bringing you two to get some education, so you learn to appreciate the good life you have!" Suming shouted loudly.


    This business trip was all about dogs!


    "Dog meat boils three times, even immortals can''t sit still," goes the saying. Many ces in Huaxia had the tradition of eating dog meat, especially during May and June when lychees were ripe. Dog meat paired with lychees and yellow wine is considered a delicacy and a great health tonic.


    A few years ago, there were reports that arge dog meat festival was held every May and June in a southern city, where thousands of dogs were ughtered for consumption.


    This caught the attention of dog lovers, who would flock to the city during the dog meat festivals and try to rescue dogs in various ways.


    This year was no exception. Months ago, a group of dog enthusiasts, upon receiving a tip, discovered arge truck filled with dogs of unidentified origins. They spontaneously organized and engaged in a car chase on the expressway, eventually stopping the truck in Changping County and demanding that the driver hand over the dogs. Naturally, the trucker refused. He was simply transporting goods, and losing the cargo meant he would have topensate the owner, essentially working for nothing for half a year.


    The confrontation escted, and blood was allegedly shed. When the police arrived and investigated, they found that indeed the dogscked quarantine certificates and their origins could not be ounted for. As a result, the dogs were confiscated, and the truck driver swallowed the bitter pill with much frustration.


    Then came the problem: what to do with so many dogs? Changping County was just a small town with no zoo, and there was no way to manage the feeding and excretion of so many dogs, let alone their medical care and treatment.


    The police were quite astute, passing the problem onto the animal lovers. The dogs have been saved; now it''s up to you to figure out what to do next.


    It''s one thing for dog lovers to rescue dogs, but when ites to adopting these dirty, diseased, scrappy, disabled, or sick dogs, nobody seemed willing. They pooled together some money and sent over a hundred dogs to an animal rescue center in the suburbs of Changping County.


    The rescue center had limited funds and facilities; they simply couldn''t care for these dogs indefinitely. Therefore, the higher authorities arranged for someone from the nearby Yangchuan City Zoo to investigate the situation on-site and find a way to resolve the issue.


    Logically speaking, Changping County falls under the jurisdiction of the provincial capital, and the problem should be theirs to solve. However, perhaps because of the previous unpleasantness with the finless porpoises, the burden was passed directly to Yangchuan City, implying, "Doesn''t your zoo have capable people? Then you handle it."


    So the capable Mr. Su was entrusted with the expectations of the organization, embarking on a mission to rescue dogs.

 Chapter 152: Chapter 151 Ambulance Station

    Suming, with two dogs in tow, showed off on the highway for over half an hour in his convertible Wrangler, and the wolf-dogs with their goggles were too eye-catching. Passing vehicles couldn''t help but look their way, until they were stopped at a toll station by a traffic cop. A middle-aged officer saluted him and gave Suming a serious talking-to.


    "Although I can''t find any traffic regtions to penalize you, as a traffic officer, and also as a father, I must remind you: Reckless driving endangers both yourself and others!"


    Despite the reprimand, Suming was actually grateful to the traffic officer. After all, who doesn''t make mistakes? Everyone can be reckless in their youth, but acknowledging your errors is the key to change, and recklessness doesn''t equal ignorance.


    "It''s all your fault, you two! See what showing off has led to?" Then, Suming turned his head and sternly scolded the wolf-dog brothers, confiscating their goggles and making them lie down obediently in the backseat before continuing the journey.


    Near Yangchuan and Changping, there were many mountains, rivers, and streams. After getting off the highway, Suming continued along a mountain ring road for half a day before entering a bumpy dirt road. Following this road and enduring the bumpy ride, they arrived at their destination just as it was getting dark.


    From a distance, the rescue station looked like arge farmhouse, surrounded by red brick walls, and two old rusty iron gates which had a metal sign hanging crookedly, painted with a few words: Changping County Animal Rescue Station.


    As soon as the car stopped, Su Meng jumped out, clutching the door, retching violently¡ªthis guy had not been feeling well throughout the trip and suffered from severe motion sickness.


    After Su Meng finally felt a bit better from vomiting, he leaned pale against the door. Even though he was nearly two meters tall, he looked surprisingly weak, leaving Suming speechless. Suming then passed a wave of spiritual power over to him and found that the guy was indeed just suffering from motion sickness, nothing serious.


    It was odd, spiritual power didn''t work on anyone else, just on Su Meng. Could it be because he was a wild man, half human, half animal? Or was it because his mind was simpler?


    The two wolf-dogs, however, were full of energy, despite their ''hair'' being messy. Their fur was whipped into disarray by the wind along the way, making them look like wild dogs at first nce.


    Suming got a bottle of mineral water from the back of the car for Su Meng and then went up to knock on the door. As he approached the gate, a series of dog barks came from inside the yard.


    Having dealt with animals for a long time, Suming could tell, even without using spiritual power, that these barks were pitiful, not aggressive. The dogs were barking in fear due to the approach of strangers.


    The gatekeeper was a man in his fifties named Lin, who was also the head of the animal rescue station. Suming exined his purpose and handed over his work ID.


    "Ah, you''re finally here!"


    Mr. Linined non-stop as he opened the gate: "Those so-called animal lovers, do they have nothing better to do, bringing in so many dogs? There are only two of us here; how can we possibly take care of them all..."


    Suming didn''t know what to say. Workers like Lin at the grass-roots level had their own difficulties. It was okay for him to vent a little¡ªit was no big deal. While listening to Lin''sints, Suming parked the car in front, and then, along with Su Meng and the wolf-dog brothers, followed him inside.


    As he stepped through the main gate of the courtyard, he hadn''t yet seen any dog, but a pungent kennel smell hit his nose, making him slightly furrow his brow.


    It was only after he walked further in that he saw the ratherrge courtyard littered with dog cages of all sizes, probably over a hundred of them. Some cages were empty, but the rest held all sorts of dogs.


    The majority were the kind of local dogs used for guarding homes in rural areas. Besides those, there were also a few pet dogs: Huskies, Golden Retrievers, mixed wolf dogs... Suming even spotted a Chihuahua and a Bulldog.


    He really couldn''t understand: the local dogs and even the Huskies still seemed to have some flesh on them, but what about the Chihuahua and the Shar-Pei? Those creatures were nothing but skin and bones, with hardly any meat. How could someone eat that? Besides, it''s usually the ck and yellow dogs that taste somewhat better. Who''s ever heard of eating a Chihuahua?


    Whether they were local dogs or pet dogs, they all had one thing inmon: dirtiness! Their fur was matted together, and at first nce, they resembled giant mop heads. Many of the dogs had visible wounds, some with scabs, some still oozing pus and blood, and a few dogs'' legs were bent at strange angles, clearly broken.


    Overall, the sight was incredibly pitiable. The dogs, seeing someone approach, trembled terribly and huddled in the corners of their cages, whimpering softly.


    Following behind, Su Meng didn''t have many thoughts about the scene. To him, these creatures were no different from ordinary animals; they were all edible. Su Meng''s ssification was very simple, just two categories: edible and non-edible. Suming and the wolf dog brothers were non-edible, but these dogs seemed to be edible...


    The wolf dog brothers, upon seeing these ''fellow creatures'', barked a few times and then trotted over to the cages, sniffing the dogs inside with their noses. They meant no harm, but this friendly gesture from one of their own kind only frightened the dogs in the cages even more.


    Mr. Lin led the way at the front,ining as he walked. He grumbled about how some dog lovers were creating unnecessary problems and went on to say that his small rescue station was struggling financially and couldn''t afford to keep these dogs.


    Suming didn''t say much, waiting until Mr. Lin''sints had mostly subsided before finding an opportunity to ask, "Lin, how many dogs do we have here now?"


    "We had one hundred and fifty when they arrived, and every day some die. Now we only have a bit over eighty left. Look, they''re all here!" Mr. Lin pointed to the courtyard in front of him and startedining again, "Mr. Su, you''re from the higher-ups, you don''t know the difficulties we face here. I mean, our little station gets an annual budget of only a hundred thousand yuan, including the sry for myself and a temp worker. Where''s the money to feed them?"


    "Can''t you ask the management body for some special funding?" Suming pointed at a dog with a broken hind leg and said, "At the very least, get them some medicine. Otherwise, they''re all going to die, aren''t they?"


    Lin nced around to make sure no one was listening, then tugged at Suming''s sleeve and whispered, "Mr. Su, to be honest, our rescue station can''tpare to your zoo. It''s like a bottomless pit, no matter how much money we have, it''s never enough!"


    "But we can''t just ignore them, can we? This matter has already hit the news." Suming frowned, feeling that it was uneptable to just watch this many animals die here.


    "The funds allocated under normal circumstances are barely enough, but who would have expected hundreds of dogs toe all at once!"


    "There has to be some sort of solution," Suming said with a frown.

 Chapter 153: Chapter 152: Something Is Fishy

    Hearing Suming''s question, Mr. Lin''s mouth twitched twice, and he looked somewhat sheepish and evasive, mumbling, "The situation was so sudden, and with the county''s finances tight, funding would definitely prioritize the human rescue stations first, to ensure the animals'', and our rescue station has never had to rescue so many dogs in one go. As the director, this is all I can do for now. The death toll of the dogs is rising, and we had no choice but to ask for your help, if this doesn''t work out, we will have to figure out another solution ourselves..."


    Listening to Mr. Lin speak, Suming quickly sensed something wasn''t quite right.


    What Mr. Lin called ''just doing this for now'' effectively meant neglecting the issue. If left long enough, the problem would resolve itself as the dogs died off, and the hot potato would simply cease to exist. This was a way of stalling for time because time could solve all problems.


    Of course, funding for the rescue of humans must be prioritized; there''s nothing wrong with that. The funding for the animal rescue station hadn''t been dyed, either. The only mey in the fact that the crisis hade too suddenly and Mr. Lin''s job was difficult, all of which Suming could understand. However, what really struck him as odd was Lin''s remark about "figuring it out on our own."


    The rescue station was only so big, and counting Lin, there were only two employees. How were they supposed to solve the problem themselves?


    Could it be they were secretly killing the dogs? Surely not, as such an act, if exposed, would spell disaster not only for the rescue station but also for the higher-ups in charge.


    So this "figuring it out on our own" was quite puzzling! In other words, did Mr. Lin resort to some special means to solve the funding issue?


    "How exactly did you solve it?" Suming asked nonchntly.


    "Hahaha, well, now that you guys are here..." Mr. Linughed awkwardly, clearly reluctant to discuss the topic further, but he hospitably ushered Suming and Su Meng inside the house, saying, "Let''s eat first, have a meal first. You''ve bothe a long way, you must be tired from the journey. I''ll ask Lin to get some drinks to wee you."


    Lin was the other employee at the rescue station, a temporary worker, Mr. Lin''s only subordinate, and Mr. Lin''s nephew. To be fair, these base-level workers really had it tough. With an annual budget of a hundred thousand yuan, after deducting the sries of these two, there was still a huge amount of work at the rescue station to deal with. Suddenly having to care for hundreds of dogs, it was quite an achievement to have maintained their current situation.


    "No need, no need, I''ve brought alcohol in my car." Suming took out a bottle of Wuliangye costing over four hundred yuan from the back of his Wrangler. Ever since he started dealing with higher-ups, his trunk was always equipped with a box of fine alcohol and several packs of Zhonghua cigarettes, just in case.


    A bottle of Wuliangye costing over four hundred yuan would normally be too extravagant for an average family to consume regrly, reserved only for entertaining friends and rtives during the festive season. Mr. Lin and Lin, watching over this rundown rescue station, certainly didn''t have the money to indulge in fine liquor, usually drinking bulk alcohol priced at four or five yuan per catty.


    However, their capacity for drink was not meager. Suming''s bottle of Wuliangye was quickly bottomed by the three men. Suming gave a nod to Su Meng, who then fetched another bottle.


    Both Mr. Lin and Lin were drinking themselves into a stupor, their speech slurred, and Suming felt quite dizzy himself. Thankfully, most of the alcohol was being consumed by Su Meng, who drank as if it was water, allowing Suming to remain rtively clear-headed.


    "I must say... Mr. Lin, you guys really have it... have it tough¡­" Suming burped from the alcohol, his face flush and grinning goofily, "Working with so little money, and so much to do, where''s it all supposed toe from? Just feeding these dogs you''ve rescued until now must''ve cost a fair bit, right?"


    Mr. Lin, who had drunk quite a bit, was starting to get muddled, while Lin slurred, "Well, it''s not too bad, we''re not spending our own money anyway..."


    "What?!" Suming''s eyes brightened at thisment. What do you mean, not spending your own money?


    "That''s right, the rescue station has its funding!" Suming said cheerfully, "The government''s paying, so of course it''s not out of your own pocket."


    "The state doesn''t pay a damn cent!" Lin burped after drinking, "It''s still up to us to figure out a way..."


    Suming was about to say something, but Lin had already gone limp and slid under the table, passing out from drinking.


    ...


    Suming had Su Meng carry the now passed out Mr. Lin to bed and then left the room, standing outside in the yard. The cold night air blew, sobering him up quite a bit.


    From the conversation during the drinking, he could confirm that the Lin duo had other ways of making money, just managing to keep the ambnce station afloat!


    "What way could that be?" Suming scratched his head, they wouldn''t be turning around and selling these dogs to dog traders, would they? That didn''t seem likely, as it was illegal, and the uncle and nephew pair, although somewhat cunning, didn''t appear to be the kind to take such huge risks. After all, they kept the ambnce station going just to secure their own jobs. If the station couldn''t continue, their own livelihoods would be damaged too.


    So what could it be?


    Suming released a surge of spiritual power, attempting to connect with the injured dogs, thinking perhaps these animals, after staying here a while, might have some answers.


    However, his normally effective spiritual power seemed to have little to no effect on these dogs! Likely due to excessive trauma, most of the dogs'' thoughts were scattered fragments, making even the simplestmunication impossible. Many of the dogs even felt extreme fear at the sudden intrusion of spiritual power and didn''t respond to Suming at all.


    These poor guys were traumatized! Just like people who survive a terrifying earthquake, they were in a state of shock. At such times, if you ask them anything, they won''t respond to you. Even if you show concern, they won''t ept it, and trying to force an answer could lead to hysteria or even more damage to the already hurt beings.


    The best and only tactic at such a time is patience ¡ª given enough of it, psychological wounds gradually heal, and only then can normalmunication be possible.


    Apart from the severe trauma, Suming noticed another critical problem: these pet dogs no longer seemed to be friendly towards people.


    Dogs and wolves might share amon ancestor and look simr, but they are fundamentally different. Wolves are wild creatures, naturally independent. Even Huiya, the Wolf King, could be said to have a ''good rtionship'' with Suming but definitely not one of dependency.


    To put it another way, even if Suming couldmand wolves, without him, Huiya and the others could survive just fine and wouldn''t suffer from any ''psychological issues''.


    Dogs are different, though. They''re pets, raised by humans, meant to keeppany or assist humans, so a dog''s nature is to be close and dependent on people.


    But in his few encounters, Suming found that these pet dogs seemed to have lost their dependency on humans. On the contrary, they had a deep-seated wariness towards humans! It was like encountering a wild wolf in the wilderness upon sighting a person!


    Using another term, this was called severe psychological trauma, and it had caused irreversible damage to the victim¡­ ah, no, the victim dogs'' spirits.


    Suming was puzzled; simply being captured, even if roughly handled at the time, shouldn''t result in such severe ''psychological trauma''.

 Chapter 154: Chapter 153 Little Spy

    ```


    After some thought, it seemed unlikely that Lin would mistreat the dogs, as there was absolutely no need for that.


    So I looked up the news reports from that time on my phone, and that''s when I found the reason.


    It turned out that these dogs had already been through Ghost Gate Pass once. The first time, someone had rescued them from the dog meat market, but somehow, they ended up being sold again. This rescue was like their second lease on life.


    There was only one exnation: these dogs, having witnessed countless of their own kind being butchered alive at the dog meat market, were utterly traumatized.


    Helpless, Suming could only stop trying tomunicate with them and instead used his spiritual power to simplyfort them, hoping they could find some peace. However, the effect wasn''t very good; after all, most of the dogs still suffered from serious injuries, and both their physical and psychological traumas were equally lethal.


    "Hello, Mr. Song? It''s Su," Suming called Mr. Song, and faint sounds of a child''s voice could be heard from the other end of the phone, so Mr. Song was probably taking care of his grandson at home.


    I discussed the situation here with Mr. Song, who fell silent for a while before saying, "This is something you''ll have to decide on your own. But you need to think it through, bringing back so many dogs, how will you manage the situation afterward? ording to what you said, these dogs definitely can''t be adopted by others. If brought back, the zoo itself would have to care for them. Over time, that will certainly be no small expense. Money is one aspect, but managing so many dogs is another issue..."


    Mr. Song went on and on, then finally sighed, "Ah, what I see doesn''t bother my heart. If I were there myself and witnessed this scene, I would be soft-hearted too. Anyway, say what I might, the decision is yours to make."


    Suming knew what Mr. Song was worried about. A zoo has a greater scale and level than a rescue station, but that doesn''t mean it has endless funds. On the contrary, with arger scaleesrger expenses. Nearly a hundred dogs added would be a significant burden for the zoo to support for no reason. Moreover, just as he had discussed with Mr. Song earlier, these dogs definitely could not be adopted out; they would need to stay in the zoo indefinitely. They might even have to avoid too much human contact for a short period to prevent further psychological trauma.


    Actually, as for how to deal with these dogs, Suming had thought of a possible solution to try.


    However, what he was most curious about right now was exactly what Lin was up to?


    Snoring sounds came from Lin''s room, and since Suming had drunk quite a bit, his tolerance wasn''t great, and he felt dizzy. It didn''t take long before he couldn''t hold out anymore, and he simply went to the guest room to sleep it off.


    After sleeping until ten o''clock the next morning, Suming woke to find that Lin and Lin had already gotten up, each carrying a big basin filled with some mushy dog food, feeding the dogs in the yard.


    Seeing Lin and Lin, the dogs refused to eat anything. Lin and Lin could only use a spoon to scoop the mush into the small food bowls in front of the dog cages. Only after they moved far away did the dogs dare to carefully lick at the food.


    The Wrangler brothers ran back and forth, sniffing cage after cage, trying to express their friendliness. But the other dogs still didn''t pay much attention to them, making them lose interest. Seeing Suminge out, they wagged their tails and ran to Suming''s feet.


    "Hey, another three diedst night. At this rate, it won''t be long before they''re all gone," said Lin with a sigh. "What''s the zoo''s final word on this? We need toe up with a solution fast."


    "Where are the dead dogs?" Suming asked.


    "I had Lin take them up the mountain and bury them in a deep pit."


    Suming grew even more suspicious. What was this, out of sight, out of mind?


    ```


    He thought for a moment, then said with slight apology, "I talked with our director over the phonest night, and there are simply too many dogs here for the zoo to take care of. We can send over a batch of dog feed and a small amount of medicine, but for the rest, we''ll have to trouble you to handle it."


    "What the hell use is that!" Lin muttered under his breath, and then started cursing those dog lovers, pointing at the dog cages and saying, "Why bother saving these dogs? Kill them with one swift cut¡ªit''s quicker for them, and at least if they get eaten, they have some value. But now, they not only will end up dead, they''ll die painfully, suffer themselves, and drag us into this mess..."


    Suming didn''t care to listen to hisints any longer. Maybe he had a point, butining solved nothing. So he packed up a little, then got back into the car with Su Meng and the wolf dog brothers, and said, "Mr. Lin, we''ll be heading off then. I''m really sorry we couldn''t be of help this time, I''ll arrange for the zoo to send over the feed as soon as I get back."


    "Ah well, that''s the only thing we can do. It''s tough for everyone; we understand!" Lin extended his rough hand, shook hands with Suming, and then saw him out to the door, watching the Wrangler depart.


    It wasn''t until the Wrangler had gradually disappeared from view that Lin returned to the rescue station''s room.


    Su entered from outside before long, saw only Lin there, and asked, "Uncle, did the zoo''s people leave?"


    "Yeah, they left."


    "So, what about these dogs?"


    "They won''t take them; we have no choice. We can only deal with them little by little." Lin turned to look at the dogs and muttered, "Such a sin."


    ¡­


    Suming drove the Wrangler away from the rescue station, but he didn''t leave Changping County. Instead, he found a small motel not far from the edge of town, close to the station, and settled in for the time being.


    "It''s all on you now!" Suming snapped his fingers at Er Gouzi, who was circling above his head. Buzzing, Er Gouzi took a few turns and then staggered out through the motel window, heading toward the direction of the rescue station.


    Suming knew very well that if he stayed at the rescue station, the Lins would definitely not make any move. Therefore, to get a clear picture of what they were up to, it was essential for him to leave first. However, once he had left, he would have no idea what they were doing. Both Su Meng and the wolf dog brothers were too conspicuous for reconnaissance.


    So the responsibility fell on Er Gouzi, a creature that wouldn''t raise suspicions wherever it flew. Although it wasn''t very intelligent and unlikely to ''narrate'' a situation in full detail, it could at least provide some scattered fragments of what it saw, from which he could roughly deduce what had happened.


    While waiting for news from Er Gouzi, Sumingy on the small bed in the motel,zily chatting with Su Meng while resting with his legs crossed.


    Su Meng couldn''t speak humannguage and could only make some simple sounds. Staring wide-eyed, he uttered "Oh, oh... Mhm, mhm..." leaving it unclear what he was trying to express.


    Actually, after spending a day with the Lins, Suming didn''t think they were evil people. They were barely maintaining this shabby little rescue station with the little money they received, which was indeed not an easy task. If it was up to him, with a hundred thousand a year for both sry and rescue funding, he would have dropped everything and left¡ªthe situation was a joke! With only that little money, the so-called rescue station was nothing more than a facade that couldn''t aplish much.


    But what was the Lins'' trick? Now that Suming himself had some wealth and plenty of time, the little affluent idle man couldn''t rest easy without getting to the bottom of this. It itched at his conscience and was an ufortable feeling.

 Chapter 155: Chapter 154: Explosive Breaking News!

    Suming and Su Meng were waiting in the hotel for news from Er Gouzi, but as the night wore on, Er Gouzi still hadn''t returned, and Suming was getting sleepy. Dressed and in a daze, he dozed off on the small hotel''s bed.


    In the middle of his sleep, he heard some noise at the door. Suming jolted awake and, using the light seeping in from the corridor, saw something like a business card slipped through the crack of the door. He picked it up and saw it was printed with a picture of a vixen, categories like college girls, office workers, married young women, and a contact number starting with 139¡­


    "Damn¡­" Suming rubbed his eyes and continued to curl up on the bed.


    He was in and out of sleep until the sky started to brighten, and he was almostpletely asleep when he felt something on his face, tickling him. His instinct was to p it away.


    Luckily, he held back. Er Gouzi hade back at some point, flying in through the window and now lying on his cheek. If he had actually pped, Er Gouzi would have been unintentionally killed by one of his own¡­


    "Don''t lie on my face next time..." Suming got up and rubbed his face, thenmunicated with Er Gouzi using his spiritual power. Er Gouzi wasn''t particrly intelligent and was not very clear in his expression, but it seemed that not long after it had returned, a car had arrived at the shelter. Mr. Lin had moved some dogs onto the car, which stayed for a while before leaving.


    "Damn, these two wouldn''t be secretly selling dogs, would they? That''s way too bold!" Suming was shocked. To put it bluntly, that was guarding and stealing, like a bank vault guard sneaking out the gold to sell. Of course, the value of dogs and gold was different, but the nature of the actions was the same, both being severe illegal activities.


    It''s true that appearances can be deceiving; Mr. Lin seemed so honest and yet could do such a thing behind the scenes!


    The question was, who had they sold those dogs to? If the dogs ended up in various restaurants, that would be quite a spectacle. Such a story, once reported, would certainly be sensational:passionate citizens, poor injured dogs, and an animal shelter secretly selling them ¨C every aspect was highly newsworthy.


    "Did you remember the license te number?" Suming asked.


    Er Gouzi buzzed and buzzed, unable to articte clearly. Eventually, after struggling, it flew around aimlessly in the air, darting around like it was drunk, and Suming had no clue what it meant.


    "Oh, I get it!" Suming said, an epiphany hitting him as he watched Er Gouzi flittering in front of him, "Fly it one more time!"


    So Er Gouzi twisted its body and flew chaotically in front of Suming again. This time, however, Suming figured out what it meant: the creature couldn''t articte human license te numbers clearly but had memorized the ''pattern'' of the license te. It was trying to draw the license te number with its flight path.


    Suming recorded Er Gouzi''s flight trajectory and finally got a license te number. It appeared to be from the provincial capital, Jiangjin City.


    "That''s not right!" Suming pped his forehead. A license te number was of no use on its own¡ªwith so many cars on the road, where was he to find this particr one? It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack.


    Unexpectedly, after Suming recorded the license te number, Er Gouzi buzzed out of the window and circled outside before zooming off into the distance with a buzz.


    Suming stuck his head out from the window and gazed outside, only to see Er Gouzi soaring across the road in the distance. This was the entrance to the county town, lined with small motels, eateries, and such, providing rest and refreshments to passersby. Early in the morning, many people were having breakfast by the roadside, where a variety of vehicles were also parked. Er Gouzi had just stopped on top of arge cargo truck.


    Suming''s eyes lit up, the license te of this truck was the one that Er Gouzi had sketched!


    "Su Meng, let''s go!" Suming hurriedly went downstairs to settle the bill at the front desk, then casually walked up to the rear of the truck as if he was just passing by. The back of the truck was concealed with tarps, making it impossible to see what was being transported from the outside. Seizing the moment when no one was paying attention, Suming swiftly peeked inside through a gap in the tarps.


    Sure enough, it was full of dogs!


    "Nicely done!" he praised Er Gouzi briefly, then Suming, with Su Meng and two wolf dogs, got into the Wrangler parked not far from the big truck and waited.


    After a wait of about twenty minutes, a middle-aged man emerged from a breakfast shop, boarded the truck, started the engine, and drove off unsteadily into the distance. Suming also started up the Wrangler and followed behind at a leisurely pace, curious to see where the truck would eventually ''unload'' its cargo.


    Soon, both vehicles had left the county town behind and gotten onto a provincial road. After following for more than an hour, therge truck turned off the provincial road and onto the highway leading to Jiangjin City.


    Taking advantage of the force of the news media was a tactic Suming often employed. To stir up attention, help from the media was indispensable. As he followed, he made a call to Nangong Yan.


    "Hello, Nangong, I''ve got some dynamite news. Are you in on it? It''s tooplicated to exin over the phone. If you''re in,e to the provincial capital as fast as you can. Call me when you get here!" He didn''t borate on the phone, just hung up after a few brief words, and then continued the pursuit.


    It must be said that the perks of working for a TV station are quite good, or perhaps because Nangong Yan had covered several valuable news stories recently, her status at the station had improved significantly. As soon as the station''s leadership heard that it was a call from Suming, with the promise of explosive news, they immediately let Nangong Yan take a news van and head straight for Jiangjin.


    The big truck was moving rtively slowly on the highway, cruising at only about 80 kilometers per hour. Suming was in no rush, just driving slowly behind. Consequently, Nangong Yan''s vehicle, which had leftter, caught up just as they were nearing the Jiangjin toll station. The two vehicles entered the station one after the other.


    At the toll station, Nangong spotted Suming''s very distinctive Wrangler immediately and called him from the news van at the back, "What''s this huge news about? You didn''t borate on the call, making me rush out here all flustered¡ªI''ve been touching up my makeup the whole way!"


    Suming sat in his car andughed: "Big sis, you''re casting flirtatious nces to a blind man this time. No matter how good your makeup is, it''s useless. We might have to conduct an undercover investigation!"


    "Ah? But I''ve brought a whole team with me, and another vehicle¡­" Nangong Yan said, feeling flustered in the van behind.


    "Cut the chatter, hurry up, get in my car, just bring a simple camcorder or something like that."


    The door of the business van flung open with a tter, and Nangong Yan, in her high heels, jumped out of the van and hopped over to the Wrangler in front, knocking on the window.

 Chapter 156: Chapter 155: I Dont Really Look

    "Su Meng, move to the back!" Su Ming snapped his fingers at Su Meng, and after Su Meng climbed to the back to sit with the wolfhound brothers, he opened the door and Nangong Yan ducked in, still holding a pair of high heels.


    "That''s your cousin, right? Hi, nice to meet you, I''m Nangong Yan, your cousin''s ssmate." Nangong Yan was seeing Su Meng for the first time, and she greeted him politely.


    The two wolfhounds were way too familiar with Nangong Yan to need an introduction; upon seeing her, they happily squatted on the back seat, sticking out their tongues and panting heavily at her.


    Not being used to interacting with others, Su Meng didn''t know how to respond to Nangong Yan''s greeting. However, as someone who had lived in the wild, he was very good at imitating, so he turned to look at the wolfhounds, scratched his head, and mimicking them, squatted in the backseat and stuck out his tongue, panting at Nangong Yan.


    Nangong Yan was startled and asked Su Ming in a low voice, "Is there something wrong with your cousin here..." while saying this, she pointed to her temple.


    "Don''t you dare insult our hometown''s unique way of greeting!" Su Ming said with dead seriousness.


    Nangong Yan''s mouth twitched a couple of times, but she was used to Su Ming''s often erratic behavior. She snorted, then casually pulled out the seatbelt and buckled up, before magically producing a small makeup kit. She opened the car''s vanity mirror, started to touch up her makeup without even turning her head, and said, "What exactly happened, tell me about it."


    Su Ming nced at her out of the corner of his eye, and said with resignation, "No need to put on makeup, it''s an undercover investigation!"


    "What do you know, who told you that you can''t wear makeup on an undercover assignment? Besides, putting on makeup is in a woman''s nature, and since it''s undercover, I''ll just do a natural look... Ah, why am I even exining this to you, you wouldn''t understand, just tell me, what''s happening?"


    Women seemed to have an innate gift for makeup; Nangong Yan chatted while looking into the small mirror, her hand moving swiftly over her face. Using things like makeup remover pads, she quickly wiped off her original makeup, then went on a frenzy of application that resulted in what she called a ''natural look,'' which did seem quite natural.


    "Be careful not to poke your eye out!" Su Ming said as he watched her draw on the eyeline with a sharply pointed eyebrow pencil while sitting in the car. He couldn''t help but be a bit afraid and reminded her, before briefly exining the situation to her.


    "Oh, I know, I know,st time when those people were rescuing these dogs, our station had colleagues who went to report on it! It caused quite a stir back then. They blocked the dog delivery truck on the highway, determined to take the dogs with them. The driver delivering the dogs even drew a knife; in the end, the police arrived, found out that the batch of dogscked quarantine certificates, and confiscated them all. The news caused quite a debate online after it was reported... Hey, how do I look in my makeup?"


    As Nangong Yan was talking, she turned her head and looked at Su Ming with a beaming smile. Su Ming was taken aback by her sudden change of topic and after staring at her face for a few moments, he said, "Not bad, pretty, it looks a lot like you."


    "Howe this doesn''t sound like anything nice?" Nangong Yan snapped her makeup case shut, shoved it into her purse, and then pointed at the truck ahead: "Is that the truck?"


    "Yeah, let''s see where exactly they''re taking the dogs!" Su Ming said.


    "Alright, you drive, I''ll start filming..."


    Nangong Yan had already pulled out a handheld camcorder and began filming the truck ahead, speaking slowly: "This is Yangchuan City TV Station, I''m the reporter Nangong Yan, and right now we are conducting an undercover program. ording to information provided by our source, these two trucks in front of us are carrying several dozen dogs rescued by animal lovers two months ago. However, after just two months at the rescue station, these dogs were once again secretly loaded onto these two trucks with unknown destinations, which is really quite suspicious... Now we''ll interview our source, sitting right next to me, Su Ming..."


    "Dammit, don''t film me..." Before Su Ming could finish, Nangong Yan mischievously gave him a shot on camera, yfully adding: "This face must be very familiar to our viewers, as it''s none other than Yangchuan City''s model worker, holder of a Guinness World Record, a legendary figure at the zoo, always dedicated to animal protection, Mr. Su! Mr. Su, could you briefly tell us how you came across this issue?"


    That wicked girl, filming me even though I said not to! Su Ming pinched Nangong Yan''s thigh hard where the camera couldn''t see, causing her to grimace in pain. Only then did he cough artificially at the camera and say, "First, let me correct you, the Guinness record holder is my pet axolotl, not me. This is what happened..."


    "Alright, we can now see that the trucks carrying the dogs have entered Jiangjin City District. Oh, it seems that the provincial capital is even more congested than our Yangchuan City. While we''re stuck here, let''s continue our interview with Mr. Su. Mr. Su, what''s your opinion on animal lovers rescuing dogs? Opinions are divided on the inte; someizens believe that dogs are man''s best friend and should not be treated the same as pigs and sheep, and they highly support the actions of animal lovers; while others argue that animal lovers are not qualified to enforce thew, and thatw is the baseline for morality. They say that in breaking thew to talk about morality, they are acting irrationally. So, what do you think?"


    "I don''t really have an opinion," said Su Ming, gripping the steering wheel and facing forward. He couldn''t care less to get involved in these pointless debates. He thought he might as well sleep than waste time squabbling, so he shrugged his shoulders, looked ahead with an expressionless face, and continued, "I think that for a driver, the most important job is to focus on the road, to be responsible for their own life and the lives of others, rather than chatting while driving. Don''t you think? Pretty girl?"


    "Tsk, not cooperative at all! This segment should be cut!" Nangong Yan scorned him with a re, then temporarily turned off her camera to save the battery.


    The provincial capital was indeed jam-packed; it wasn''t even six o''clock when they entered the city, and it wasn''t until nine-thirty at night that they finally crossed the district and stopped in front of arge group of buildings on the outskirts, at the big iron gate.


    Su Ming and their vehicle were parked far back, at the edge of the forest.


    "Huh? Why is it this ce? What are they doing bringing dogs here?" Nangong Yan stared at the big sign over the gate, puzzled.


    "Let''s follow them and find out! Su Meng, you stay here with the dogs, Nangong, you''re with me on the truck!"

 Chapter 157: Chapter 156: Old... Classmate

    The truck transporting the dogs was parked not far outside the metal gate. The driver got out of the truck and was handing something off to the security guard. Suming and Nangong Yan parked their car at a distance and, taking advantage of the darkness, sneaked up to the back of the truck.


    When Suming was young, he lived in the mountains where transportation was inconvenient. Every time he went to the city, he''d travel on foot, hitching rides on any passing vehicle he could. This developed into a ''great skill'' for climbing onto vehicles, be it tractors, dump trucks, or lorries¡ªas long as they weren''t fully enclosed in the back, he could climb on.


    It was more difficult for Nangong Yan, though. She had grown up in the city, her family having chauffeured her in small cars since the day she could remember. Having never done anything like this before, especially in high heels, she struggled to climb onto the back of the truck, her slender arms grappling in vain for a long time without sess.


    "Clumsy, clumsy, clumsy, clumsy!" Suming tapped her on the head and then hoisted her up onto his shoulder with one hand gripping the back of the truck and his feet braced against the tires. He effortlessly climbed up into the truck''s cargo area.


    Nangong Yan''s eyes nearly popped out. "When did you be so strong?"


    "I''ve always been strong, just low-key about it." The abilities granted by his affiliation with Friends of Animals, although not as exaggerated as in cultivation novels, were more than enough to carry a person weighing a hundred or so pounds.


    "I knew it, I must have lost weight recently, haha!" Nangong Yanughed foolishly.


    "Quiet down, don''t talk!" Suming immediately gestured to Nangong Yan with his index finger, signaling her to keep quiet lest the driver overhear.


    There were about twenty cages inside the truck, housing the same dogs they had seen at the rescue station. The dogs showed no affection when they saw Suming, looking at him with a numb expression. A few of the more timid ones even curled up in the corners.


    "Shh! You guys stay quiet too!" Suming silently released some spiritual power to prevent the dogs from barking before Nangong Yan could.


    Not long after, the gate that was blocking their way opened, the driver climbed back into the truck, and the big vehicle slowly drove inside.


    Along the way, through the gaps in the canvas at the back, they could see young men and women frequently walking by on either side. Nangong Yan whispered into Suming''s ear, "This is the Medical University in the provincial capital. What do you think they''re bringing dogs here for?"


    Suming had noticed the ''Jiangjin City Medical University'' sign hanging at the entrance of the big iron gate when the truck had stopped there earlier.


    Both of them hadn''t expected that the truck''s destination would be a university, instead of ces like dog meat restaurants as imagined.


    "Maybe they are brought here for experiments. Have you forgotten that our school also used animals for live experiments?" Suming said.


    "I was in the Department of Chinese, how would I know about your department?"


    "Who said so, didn''t you once say that rabbit tasted very good? That rabbit was..." Suming closed his mouth, wearing a mischievous smile.


    Nangong Yan froze, and after several seconds, she pinched Suming fiercely, "You''re too cruel! Errr..."


    "Stop it! That rabbit died after the experiment and it was anesthetized during the experiment, so it died peacefully..."


    Nangong Yan rolled her eyes, "But if it''s being brought here for experiments, there''s not much of a story. All the medical institutions in the country use living animals for experiments, and it''s within the regtions. At most, it''s a story about the rescue station selling dogs on the side, but that''s not a big deal¡ªit''s to a university, not to private individuals..."


    That was indeed unexpected, even Suming hadn''t anticipated such an oue, but since he was here, he couldn''t just do nothing. He needed to find an opportunity to get those dogs out. A person''s role could truly dictate their thoughts; back when he was a student, he could dissect little white rabbits without flinching, and even feed them afterwards. Now that he had changed his identity, transformed into a "beast", watching dogs being experimented on was something his conscience, quite frankly, couldn''t bear.


    It wasn''t long before the truck stopped in front of aboratory building, and Suming quickly led Nangong Yan to jump off from the back.


    Just as the two of themnded, the driver had alreadye around to the back. Seeing two young people behind the vehicle, the driver was taken aback: "What are you doing here?"


    Nangong Yan was startled and froze.


    "We''re senior students, here to conduct experiments in theb building," Suming retorted confidently, "And what are you doing?!" While speaking, he nced at the back of the truck, "Oh, you''re delivering experimental materials, right?"


    With students everywhere in the school, the driver didn''t think much of it and assumed they were just passing by, nodding his head: "Yes, that''s right. Don''t get too close though, these dogs haven''t been quarantined yet." After saying that, he climbed into the back of the truck. As he was climbing, he muttered to himself about how all the students looked so mature these days.


    Suming, Nangong Yan: "..."


    The two ''students'' who were obviously older were left speechless, then went to sit on a bench not far away to observe the situation.


    Shortly after, a few younger-looking male students came out of theboratory building and helped the driver move the dogs inside.


    Er Gouzi followed behind and circled in the woods nearby, and Suming gave it an order to follow those students and see where they ultimately ced the dogs.


    Ever since hearing the remark about looking old, Nangong Yan had been pouting and looking gloomy. After sitting down, she took out a small mirror and started inspecting her face from every angle, all the while mumbling: "Do I look old? Where exactly? Howe?"


    "Big sister, can we focus on the task at hand?" Suming shot her a nce, pointing to the small camera hidden in her bag. Reluctantly, Nangong Yan uttered an "Oh," then stealthily turned on the camera, filming the scene unfolding outside theboratory building from a small hole in her bag.


    About fifteen minutester, all the dogs had been moved into theboratory building. The truck driver and a student who looked like a leader had a brief exchange, and then the driver left with the vehicle.


    "Let''s go, let''s go inside and have a look!" Suming said, pulling Nangong Yan toward theb building.


    However, when they reached the entrance of theboratory building, they hit a snag. Entry required a campus card, and these two fake students, where would they get such a thing? There were also several cameras around the entrance, making it clear that forcing their way in was not an option.


    "What do we do now?" Nangong Yan asked Suming.


    Suming scratched his head, looking around, then suddenly his gaze settled on the entrance. The male student who had just spoken with the driver was still standing at the door, smoking at the edge of a small grove.


    His eyes lit up with a cunning glint, and he turned to Nangong Yan with a dead-serious expression, saying, "Nangong, I think you don''t look old at all and are quite charming indeed!"


    "Really?" Nangong Yan''s eyes lit up with delight, then she paused, "Huh? Why are you being so sweet today?"

 Chapter 158: Chapter 157 A Bad Person

    Suming had a sweet mouth for a reason; he told Nangong Yan about his n with a smile. After listening, Nangong Yan became so angry she almost burst intoughter.


    "You''re simply not human!"


    "I''m clever, aren''t I?" Suming said with a naughty lift of his eyebrows.


    "Well, it is quite clever. Watch me!" Nangong Yanughed heartily, took a quick nce at her eyebrows in a small mirror, then with a snap, she closed the mirror and stuffed it into her bag. Striding confidently in her high heels, she swayed her way toward the grove. Suming looked around like a thief, then turned and ran to an inconspicuous corner to wait.


    ...


    "Oh, hello, hello, how can I help you?" Peng Lin, the president of the Medical College Student Union, looked at the girl in front of him, and his eyes lit up. Her figure and demeanor were clearly a cut above the average college girl.


    "It''s like this..." Nangong Yan said in a coquettish voice, "I graduated this year, and I came back to find my advisor in theb building to get some documents, but when I got to the door, I remembered I needed a campus card to get in¡­" While she spoke, Nangong Yan batted her eyshes in a helpless manner. "Could you help me out, ssmate¡­"


    "No problem!" Before Nangong Yan could finish speaking, Peng Lin patted his chest with a thud and stamped out his cigarette butt. "Come on, I''ll take you inside!"


    "You''re such a nice person, brother!" Nangong Yan said, her smile bright and beautiful as she followed Peng Lin toward theb building.


    Peng Lin was also in high spirits, asking her along the way what department she was from, mentioning he was the Student Union president, and suggesting that since they''ve met by fate, she should give him her phone number so he could take her out for meals and movies in the future¡­


    As they reached the main entrance, Peng Lin had just taken out his card and swiped open the door when suddenly, from a corner nearby, a man rushed out like lightning.


    "Thank you brother, this is my boyfriend. We came together today. Goodbye!" Nangong Yan gave Peng Lin a gentle smile and then, arm in arm with Suming, the two of them walked grandly into theb building, leaving President Peng Lin stunned at the entrance.


    Watching their retreating figures, it took a while for Peng Lin to squeeze out a sentence, grumpily saying, "Damn, the good vegetables always get hogged by the pigs!"


    ...


    "Hey, why are you bing worse and worse now? I didn''t see this bad side of you before," Nangong Yan said, giggling so much that her whole body shook as they walked upstairs.


    "How can you say that? I see you''re enjoying this quite a bit too, right?" Suming imitated Nangong Yan, extending a finger like a delicate orchid, and tapped it on Nangong Yan''s head, asking in a coquettish voice, "Isn''t that right, brother?"


    "Get lost, that''s disgusting!"


    Theb building wasn''t crowded. They asionally passed a few students and teachers who didn''t pay much attention to Suming and her. The students probably thought Suming and her were young teachers, while the teachers thought they were students. In any case, they proceeded smoothly.


    Suming had also graduated from a biology program and was quite familiar with theb building. In mostbs, they worked with chemical experiments, not as much with live subjects as one might imagine, because live subjects are expensive and not that many are avable for student use. There were also a fewbs with human specimens, usually in more remoteboratories, but even those were dry and not scary in broad daylight.


    Er Gouzi had already scouted out that the dogs had been temporarily left on the rooftop. Suming and Nangong Yan climbed the stairs to the top level.


    This level had noboratories, just a door leading to the rooftop, and was quite deserted, with hardly anyone around.


    They had just arrived at the top and weren''t even through the door yet when a teacher-like figure turned the corner and gave them a somewhat strange look, readying to ask them something.


    Suming thought quickly, pretended not to see the teacher at all, and without hesitation grabbed Nangong Yan, pinned her against the wall, and gave her a fierce kiss.


    Nangong Yan was stunned, eyes wide open.


    The teacher looked at them a few times with a curious expression but shook his head and walked past them, apparently mistaking them for two students sneaking around to be intimate with each other.


    "Damn, that scared me," Suming let go of Nangong Yan and sighed with relief only after the teacher had gone.


    It took a while for Nangong Yan to gather her wits, and then she looked at Suming with anger ring in her eyes, "You... took advantage of me!"


    "Sister, it''s just acting, okay?" Suming asked, defiantly.


    "Bullshit! Does acting require sticking your tongue out?" Nangong Yan wiped off the saliva left on her mouth, asking fiercely.


    "I was aiming for authenticity! Doesn''t a bit part need dedication? Doesn''t it need acting skill?" Suming continued to defend himself and then, before Nangong Yan could blow up, quickly turned and headed towards the small door leading to the rooftop, "Stop nagging, if it''s a big deal, I''ll let you kiss me backter!"


    Nangong Yan retorted bravely, "You said it, kid. If you dare go back on your wordter, you''re dead meat!"


    "Ah... wow, the weather is really nice!" Sumingughed awkwardly, clumsily moving past the issue, and pushed the door open to step out onto the rooftop.


    The weather was indeed good, the moon brightly speckled with stars, a big full moon hanging high in the sky, without a hint of smog in sight. These days, with the provincial meetings happening, the weather was exceptionally nice; every day was clear, the smog vanished, pollution gone. It was baffling how the weather turned so pleasant whenever there were significant meetings. It showed that our party, our country, was in harmony with the heavens, a child of destiny...


    "Cut the crap! Lucky for me this camera works at night too; otherwise, it really wouldn''t capture anything clearly!" Nangong Yan took out her camera, tested it, and found it to be quite satisfactory¡ªthe advanced device could film clearly even in the dark.


    Following Er Gouzi''s lead, Suming and the others found a group of dogs caged behind therge water tank on the roof!


    Unexpectedly, in addition to these newly arrived dogs, there were another seven or eight dogs tied next to the pipes behind the water tank!


    "What is going on here!" Seeing these dogs, Nangong Yan''s eyes widened in shock, and Suming also felt a tingling sensation on his scalp!


    The seven or eight dogs before them were almost all injured, hastily wrapped with dirty gauze through which blood seeped, some with stomachs torn open, others with disturbing wounds, and one even had both its front legs gone, oozing foul-smelling pus from the wounds...


    The worst part was, these dogs were all alive! Lying on the ground, they emitted faint whimpers, their eyes devoid of any helpless expression, only emptiness...


    Suming checked them with his spiritual power and found these dogs to be nearly devoid of consciousness, essentially either dazed or just a breath away from death!


    "Damn, how could this happen!" Even Suming got a bit angry. In their past experiments, they at least made it quick for the animals, putting them down after the experiment. It was outrageous to leave these injured animals behind after experimentation, letting them wait for death amid extreme pain!


    This was far beyond the bottom line of scientific research!

 Chapter 159: Chapter 158 He Is a Good Person

    "Can it still be saved¡­?" Nangong Yan''s face was a bit pale as she held up the camera, filming these dogs that had been experimented on but were still alive, and asked Suming in a soft voice.


    Suming sighed, shook his head, and said that Friends of Animals weren''t omnipotent. These dogs were one breath away from death. If they could be saved, it would be defying the heavens¡ªthere would be no death in this world then.


    He turned his head, picked up arge canvas, and covered those dogs that had just been delivered and were still caged. Then he walked over to the seven or eight dogs that had been experimented on, clenched his teeth, and one by one, snapped their necks.


    "What¡­what are you doing?" Nangong Yan eximed in surprise.


    "They can''t be saved. I''m giving them a quick end to spare them from a drawn-out suffering," Suming sighed.


    "How can it be like this? Experiments can''t be this cruel!" Nangong Yan, still a girl at heart with innate kindness, stared at Suming and asked, "You haven''t done this before, have you?"


    "How is that possible!" Suming thought to himself. After his very first experiment in his freshman year, he even dug a grave for that unlucky rabbit. Gradually he got used to it and didn''t bother with the hassle. But the teacher who led the experiments had made it clear in the firstb session that using animals for experiments was a necessary evil but absolutely forbade any unnecessary torture of the animals.


    In some respects, the treatment of the animals they used for experiments, while they were alive, was quite good. In the summer, he would even sneak into theb to enjoy the air conditioning meant for the animals.


    All animals, including humans, die, but there are different ways to die.


    Just as both of them were a bit stunned, the iron door leading to the rooftop creaked open, and other people came up to the rooftop, walking towards them.


    "Hide!" Suming quickly pulled Nangong Yan and hid behind the dog cages.


    The sound of footsteps grew closer, and soon they reached the area near therge water tank. Following that, two students, a male, and a female, emerged.


    The male student looked familiar. By the moonlight, it turned out to be Peng Lin, who had just led them into the experimental building ...The girl was unknown.


    In Peng Lin''s hand was a little yellow dog with a sutured cut on its back, nearly lifeless and limp in Peng Lin''s grip. Peng Lin casually threw the yellow dog onto the ground.


    "Senior brother¡­this isn''t quite right, is it?" the female student frowned upon seeing this. It was night, and the dogs on the ground were nearly dead and motionless, so they hadn''t noticed that their necks had already been snapped.


    Peng Lin spoke with an indifferent tone, "What''s the problem? The experiments are done. Just leave them here to die on their own!"


    "But that''s too inhumane; they''re lives after all!" the female student objected.


    "Then what do you suggest we do? You''re not saying we should give them each an injection? That''s dozens of dors per shot, and that''s our experiment funding," Peng Lin said.


    "But that''s what the so-called experimental funds are for, aren''t they? To be used for experiments. The school has allocated the money; it''s not like it''sing out of your own pocket," the female student argued.


    "Save wherever we can!" Peng Lin spoke like an old hand, persuasively saying, "Think about it, they''re going to die in the end anyway. What''s the difference between dying by an injection or waiting to die here? Why waste the money?"


    "You make it sound nice, but if it were you with your belly cut open, left here to wait for death, what would you feel!" the female student huffed, dissatisfied, and then murmured softly, "The money that''s saved probably just goes into your own pocket..."


    Peng Lin''s face darkened, "You''d better not go around spreading that kind of talk!"


    "Senior brother, we''re from the same hometown. I''m just kindly reminding you, messing around like this is going to cause trouble. If word gets out, do you still want to graduate?" the female student advised.


    "You''re just too soft-hearted!" Peng Lin said as he reached into the cage to grab a dog, not even bothering to look up. "Stop the nonsense and pick another dog quickly, theb below is still waiting for them. Besides, who would report on this? You''re overthinking it. We''re a prestigious national institution; who woulde investigate us? If you don''t talk and I don''t talk, who would know?"


    "I know, and I''ll report it!" Nangong Yan suddenly jumped out from behind the cages, holding a camera, and started snapping pictures of Peng Lin.


    "Holy shit!" The girl was startled into a big jump.


    "Fuck¡­" Peng Lin was dumbstruck in an instant.


    "Fuck nothing, prestigious institution my ass, you''ve read all your books into a dog''s belly!" Suming appeared like a ghost from the back, somehow found a brick, and smacked it down on Peng Lin''s head.


    With a crack, the brick broke in two, and Peng Lin''s eyelids flipped, his body going limp as he fell over, knocked out.


    "Make sure to cut this part out!" Suming signaled a ''V'' gesture with the brick towards Nangong Yan.


    "You didn''t kill him, did you?" Nangong Yan was also taken aback.


    "What a joke¡­ It''s just a brick¡­"


    Suming said casually, then cracked a smile and turned to the little girl with a very kind smile. "Little sister, tell big brother, what''s really going on here?"


    The little girl''s eyes widened as she stared at Suming for a good while, and then suddenly with a ''uh'' noise, her eyelids flipped and she went limp and fell over as well.


    Now Suming and Nangong Yan were truly bbergasted ¨C they hadn''t expected the little girl to be so faint of heart that she fainted from fright. They tried pinching her Philtrum and even gave artificial respiration, which of course, Nangong Yan did, but the little girl just wouldn''t wake up.


    Later, Suming resorted to something ruthless, reaching out to undo the little girl''s belt. The girl whooshed upright all at once, as if jolted back to life.


    "Big brother, big sister, it really wasn''t my fault¡­ I tried to persuade him¡­" the little girl sobbed as she spoke.


    Nangong Yan rolled her eyes at Suming. "Stop scaring the kid!" Then she returned the belt to the little girl andforted her, "Don''t be scared, don''t be scared. We''re not bad people. I''m a reporter, and this guy who looks like a thug is actually a model worker and a party member to boot¡­"


    The little girl became even more afraid.


    It wasn''t until Nangong Yan showed her press ID and Suming his work badge that the little girl finally believed they weren''t bad people and she started to reveal the inside story to Nangong Yan, sobbing all the while.


    It was just as they had heard earlier: the dogs were used for experiments. The school allocated a yearly budget for experiments that included funds to euthanize the test subjects without pain. However, Peng Lin, who was in charge of the research funds, decided to save that money. Instead, he would simply leave the animals that had been experimented on to die on the rooftop.


    "Damn it, how much money can that even save?" Suming, who was somewhat of a professional, calcted quickly in his head ¨C this could only be saving a few thousand yuan a year at most.


    "Do you think everyone is as rich as you are? Don''t forget, back when we were students, your monthly living expenses were just three hundred," Nangong Yan said.


    "Ugh¡­" On the side, Peng Lin, who had been knocked unconscious, started toe to, looking bewildered in their direction.


    What greeted him was another brick. Suming, holding the brick, swayed it in front of his face and grinned, saying, "ssmate, I''m willing to let go of the fact that you took liberties with my girlfriend just now. I''ll ask you a question, you answer. If you lie, I''ll use this brick to reshape your face, got it?"

 Chapter 160: Chapter 159: What Should Be Done?

    Peng Lin was at the peak of frustration, looking at Nangong Yan with a stomach full of grievances. He had wanted to say something like "I didn''t take advantage of her, she deceived my feelings," but when he saw the brick in Suming''s hand, the words at the tip of his tongue changed to, "Big brother, just ask, I''ll spill everything..."


    "Alright, alright, start from the beginning. Where did you buy these dogs from?"


    One has to say that the quality of the current Young Pioneers is really poor, not a bit of the backbone like Liu Hn or Wang Erxiao. The interrogation went incredibly smoothly. Suming would ask a question, and Peng Lin would spill the beans, often replying with dozens of sentences. Before long, everything was clear.


    All the dogs were purchased from the rescue station, one hundred per dog. As for the funds saved, they all went into Peng Lin''s own pocket. He used that money to operate and run for the student council president.


    "You''re kidding me, you think you''re running for President of the United States? You need to spend money to run for student council president?" Suming felt like his brain couldn''t keep up.


    With a mournful face, Peng Lin said, "Big brother, you graduated many years ago, right? You don''t know the situation. Now, running for student council president is too difficult. If you don''t take people out for meals, drinks, and foster good rtionships, who will vote for youe election time?"


    Suming rolled his eyes, "So you''re saying you ran for student council president just to take everyone out for meals and drinks? Should Imend you for serving the people then?"


    "It''s just that being president gives you some prestige, and it also means more opportunities to interact with female ssmates..." Peng Lin said while sneakily ncing at Nangong Yan.


    Nangong Yan red at him, took the brick from Suming''s hand, and shook it at Peng Lin, "Keep looking at me, and I''ll smack you!"


    Peng Lin trembled with fear, quickly pointing at the young girls, "No, no, big brother, big sister, I meant them..."


    ...


    After getting the situation straight, Suming and Nangong, with Peng Lin in tow, went on a trip to the Changping County Rescue Station.


    To catch a cheater, you have to catch a pair; there had to be a confrontation between Mr. Lin and Peng Lin; otherwise, it would just be one-sided statements.


    Peng Lin was reluctant at first and even thought about taking the opportunity to run away. But when he saw the burly Su Meng sitting in the car and the tworge wolfhounds, he threw that idea out the window. Knowing that the Wrangler cost several hundreds of thousands, Peng Lin was even a bit in awe of Suming.


    You know how young people are, they have an indescribable sentiment towards authoritative and sessful figures¡ªpart envy, more admiration. Especially when the sessful person is about their age. Of course, Suming didn''t really count as a sessful person at the moment, but in the eyes of someone like Peng Lin, who would break thew for three or four thousand yuan a year, he was definitely a remarkable figure.


    When the Wrangler returned to the rescue station, Mr. Lin came out to open the gate and his face changed the moment he saw Peng Lin also sitting in the back of the car.


    "Mr. Lin, I''ve confessed everything, so you should spill the beans too!" Peng Lin would have been wasted not acting; with his demeanor, he could y a traitor without even needing makeup.


    "Ah, at this point, what else is there to say. I had no choice!" Mr. Lin sighed deeply, "Let''s go inside and talk."


    Once inside, Lin was there, peeling sugarcane with a knife. Looking up and seeing Suming and the others enter, Lin was startled and subconsciously shook the knife.


    "What are you trying to do! Silence us?" Peng Lin got scared, hiding behind Su Meng in an instant.


    Then they just saw Lin chuckle and cut off a piece of sugarcane, offering it to Suming, "Want some? Just dug it out from the field this morning."


    Suming took the sugarcane and started munching on it, finding it really sweet. He turned to ask Nangong Yan if she wanted some, to which she red at him and said, "Let''s talk business!"


    "Oh, oh, oh, right, Lin, what exactly are you all trying to do here? How could you secretly sell the rescue station''s dogs for personal gain?" Suming asked, holding half a sugarcane he had bitten into and looking quite stern.


    Lin squatted in the corner, holding his head in his hands, murmuring gloomily, "We had no other choice!"


    "Be more specific, what do you mean you had no choice!" Peng Lin added with false bravado, "I bought those dogs only for scientific research. I''m the one who had no choice!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Nangong Yan let out an unsatisfied snort of displeasure.


    Suming went over to pull Lin up, "Sit down, let''s talk while sitting." After saying this, he turned to re at Peng Lin and pointed to the corner, "You, squat over there."


    "But I''m on your side," whined Peng Lin, as he obediently squatted in the corner. Lin sighed again and said, "Mr. Su, you say I''m seeking personal profit, but I don''t ept that usation. Think about it, I sell a dog to the university for a hundred yuan, right? But what if I sell to a restaurant? A kilo of dog meat sells for tens of yuan at a restaurant, and a light dog weighs around four or five kilos, while a heavy one can be twenty to thirty kilos. If I were greedy for money, I''d sell directly to restaurants, making at least one hundred and fifty, or even close to two hundred yuan per dog¡ªno problem!"


    Suming and Nangong Yan exchanged nces; Lin''s words did seem sincere and not without reason.


    "Right, selling to the universities means at least they''re used for research," Lin mumbled on the side.


    "Exactly, we''re doing it for research," Peng Lin tried to pitch in but was silenced with a re from Suming.


    "Also, look here, if I really just wanted to make money, why would I only sell more than twenty dogs, totaling just over forty including the ones from before, not even fifty?" Lin stood up and pointed outside, "Look, there are still over fifty dogs in the yard. If I wanted to make money, I could''ve sold them all."


    "Mr. Su, my uncle truly had no other options," Lin said, spitting sugarcane onto the ground with frustration, "So many dogs came all at once, needing food and care, medicine for sickness, but not a cent came from above. They told us to figure it out on our own. How could we figure it out? We can''t print money! We could onlye up with this idea, to sell a portion of the dogs and use that money to support the remaining ones. It would be best if someone could take these dogs away; if not, once the money runs out, we''ll have to sell another batch to support those that are left."


    "But what about the money left by the kind-hearted people who sent the dogs previously?" Nangong Yan asked.


    "That money was barely enough. It all ran out in just over a month," Lin replied.


    Lin spoke with exasperation, "Now that things havee to this, you''ve taken your photos, we''ve admitted to our actions. Decide what you want to do. The worst-case scenario¡ªwe take our stuff and leave, I''ve had enough of this suffocating rescue station!"


    "What do you think we should do with this situation?" Nangong Yan asked Suming, looking uncertain. She had been ready to make a big deal out of the story, punish the bad guys severely, but it turned out, everyone had their own tough circumstances to deal with. Of course, Peng Lin was an exception.


    "Let me think," Suming said, walking around the yard with his hands behind his back. Outside the dog cages, there were little enamel bowls filled with food, and a faint smell of disinfectant hung in the air. It seemed that Mr. Lin truly hadn''t pocketed the money.


    Nangong Yan followed him out and looked back at the room, quietly speaking to Suming, "Actually, they''re not really bad people, Peng Lin aside, Mr. Lin can be sympathized with. If we just report this directly, Mr. Lin''s job will surely be lost, and it''s not just about losing a job¡ªthere may also be legal repercussions."


    "But we can''t just let this go, can we," Suming said.


    "Of course not, that''s why I''m here to discuss it with you. You''re full of clever ideas," Nangong Yan said, resting one arm on Suming''s shoulder, smiling slyly, "Think of something, a good solution!"

 Chapter 161: Chapter 160 Black and White

    Suming brooded in his room all night.


    There were solutions, of course. This affair, in essence, wasn''t some earth-shattering scandal. Calling it illegal seemed a bit much, but it wasn''t exactly legal either¡ªit was a borderline case.


    The crux of the matter was moral judgment.


    Thew is a yardstick, a benchmark, but no one ever said morality yed that role. Morality is different for everyone, depending on their stance or status; sometimes it''s just hot air. So with this issue, the keyy in how it was ''expressed.'' Different narratives could lead to different oues. Depending on the direction of the narrative, the results could be totally different.


    The next morning, Suming called Mr. Song, "Director, here''s what I think. Since it''s already a done deal, there''s not much point in assigning me. And if we''re being strict, nobody''s really responsible, except for that student who embezzled animal **********. Their responsibility isn''t that great either. If we blew the lid off this, in the end, it would be the little guys, Lin and Lin, who''d take the fall."


    "I''ve talked to Wang about this, and he basically agrees with you. Changping County is under Jiangjin City, and even though Jiangjin City doesn''t get along too well with our Yangchuan City, we''re still colleagues. They''ve got their difficulties, and while our original intention was to help rescue the animals, if this were to be reported, it could justplicate things for the other side''s work," Mr. Song exined.


    "We can''t just let this slide, right?" Suming said with a slyughter.


    "Wang said he''ll discuss the matter with the relevant departments in Jiangjin City. The batch of dogs was their responsibility, and now that we''re taking them in, a little bloodletting is definitely in order!"


    "Exactly, boss, you get me!" Sumingughed heartily.


    "I knew you were the sort to feather your own nest!" Mr. Songughed as well and then shifted to a more serious tone, "So, what exactly are you nning to do with those dogs? The zoo doesn''t have enough space to keep them if you bring them back."


    "Here''s what I''m thinking..." Suming shared his thoughts in detail with Mr. Song.


    That very afternoon, Wang Jian She spoke with the officials in charge from Jiangjin City over the phone and sent them the video material that Suming had obtained. After that, both sides held meetings and, after discussions that went on into the night, they finally arranged everything that needed to be done afterward.


    Nangong Yan also received direct instructions from the head of the TV station on how to handle the follow-up news coverage.


    The news content remained the same, but the angle of the reporting changed significantly.


    "This approach seems fine, but won''t some people use us of muddling right and wrong?" Nangong Yan asked Suming, somewhat puzzled.


    "What is right, and what is wrong?" Suming rolled his dark eyes, "Do we have to offend everyone in the world to be right? Sister, you can''t always think you''re the sole sober man in a world full of drunks. With this approach, we solve the problem and maximize benefits. What''s wrong with that? If we had just bluntly exposed the truth as initially intended, it might have felt satisfying, but beyond letting off steam, it would have beenpletely ineffective. Insisting on exposing the truth would ultimately be unhelpful, and it might even disrupt the work between the two regions, leading to social instability. Who would benefit from that? The ordinary, honest people would still be the losers. Besides, our report tells the truth as it is, without any fabrication."


    "Why does everything seem so reasonable when ites out of your mouth?" Nangong Yan remarked.


    "That''s because it''s inherently reasonable!" Sumingughed heartily.


    "Alright then, I''m off to prepare the news draft!"


    "Mr. Lin, these dogs will need to stay a bit longer, but certainly not for too much time¡ªI''ve got the next steps nned out. Just one thing: do not sell them again," Suming warned Mr. Lin before leaving.


    "Don''t worry, I wouldn''t dare. But you''d better hurry; I can''t afford to keep them for long. And you said you''d find vets for the dogs, to treat them, to disinfect them. Where will all that moneye from?"


    "No worries. If we''re out of money, we''ll just ask Chairman Peng for it!" Suming patted Peng Lin''s shoulder, "Little Peng, you''ve made tens of thousands over your college years, haven''t you? It''s time to give a little back to society."


    Peng Lin felt like dying. How long had he been the student council president? Less than a year. And managing theb¡ªfor just a year as well. All in all, even with the embezzled euthanasia drug funds, it didn''t amount to four thousand. Where would this so-called tens of thousandse from?


    But Suming had warned him. If Peng didn''t bleed a little for this, the video showing him embezzling funds for animal euthanasia would find its way to the inte, and then not only would he lose the student council presidency, he wouldn''t even be able to keep his student status and would be waiting to be expelled.


    Having no choice, Peng Lin had to cut his losses. He coughed up not only the few thousand he embezzled but also sold off a bunch of his possessions, including hisptop and an iPhone 6, to scrape together twenty thousand yuan. He handed it to Mr. Lin as reimbursement for various expenses incurred by the rescue station during that period.


    After everything was settled, Suming drove back to the zoo.


    A few dayster, media outlets from both Jiangjin City and Yangchuan City reported the story almost simultaneously.


    Three months before, a kind-hearted individual rescued a batch of dogs without quarantine certificates and temporarily ced them in the Changping County Rescue Station. Although the sheltercked funds, Mr. Lin spared no expense, managing just enough to keep most of the dogs alive, waiting for people to adopt them.


    But months went by with no one willing to adopt. With no other options, the shelter initiated a coboration with the Jiangjin City Medical University, donating some of the weaker dogs for medical experiments. In return, the university funded the shelter to ensure humane treatment for both the remaining shelter dogs and those used in experiments.


    To apany the news, there were photos of the dogs in the shelter and images of theb. At least from the pictures, the dogs seemed to be doing quite well.


    Even though it was an act borne out of necessity, the news still sparked a heated debate.


    Some people thought this was a suitable solution, alleviating the nation''s burden while providing medical institutions with suitable test subjects. For these dogs, it was considered a contribution to humanity and certainly better than waiting to die in the shelter.


    Others felt this solution was too inhumane. The dogs had been saved originally to live, but now they were ending up dead anyway, which begged the question of why they were rescued in the first ce.


    Yet, the most intense discussion centered on the dog lovers themselves.


    After rescuing these dogs, why not take full responsibility to the end?

 Chapter 162: Chapter 161 Maximizing Profits

    Were these dogs saved out of kindness and love, or was it merely an act to prove oneself as a kind and loving person, thus obtaining a sense of superiority and gratification?


    This was the topic most discussed these past few days.


    Somehow, someone found a few photos. In the photos, after saving the dogs, the majority of so-called animal lovers wore smiles, shed V-signs in victory poses, took group photos, then shared them on WeChat Moments and Weibo, reaping countless likes. After a celebratory meal, they disappeared without a trace, leaving the dogs to fend for themselves.


    "This is making the rescue station pay for their ''kindness.'' It''s just like someone who keeps saying how much they love their girlfriend, how they would give their life for her, but when it''s time to pay up, that person is nowhere to be found. When the girlfriend needspany, faces crises, that person is just at home ying video games," someone said.


    "No one asked them to save those dogs, and they weren''t obligated. But if they chose to step in, they should see it through to the end. Half-hearted efforts like this are no different from abandoning one''s own dog, aren''t they?"


    "Let''s face it, it''s just because those dogs are ugly and dirty, not appealing, right? Looks matter even in the world of dogs."


    ...


    Somehow, the focus was once again diverted towards the animal lovers, sparking heated online debates, with hopes that those who initially rescued the dogs would take responsibility for them.


    With some targeted ''help'' from the authorities in both cities, personal information about the dog rescuers was quickly doxxed and exposed online.


    That''s when things started to escte.


    Whether it was due to pressure or genuine love, a portion of the dog rescuers stepped forward, offering to donate money to help the dogs. A very few even offered to adopt the animals.


    However,pared to the initial number of dog rescuers, very few stepped forward. The majority quietly changed their phone numbers.


    At this point, the official Weibo ounts of the governments from both sides spoke up.


    They addressed three issues. First, whether they are dog lovers or not, civilians are not obligated to engage in dog protection, so it''s wrong to morally hijack or condemn those who love or eat dogs. The government will promptly introduce regtions to standardize the dog meat market, overseeing breeding, transportation, quarantine, and ughter to sales, ensuring the market operates legally and effectively;


    Second, there must be an effective solution for animal rescue. Otherwise, even if this incident is resolved and the dogs at the Changping County Rescue Station are properly settled, simr tragedies will ur in the future.


    Third, due to public opposition, the partnership between the rescue station and Jiangjin City Medical University was temporarily suspended.


    The actions of both governments this time were very swift.


    Yangchuan City Government decided to officially allocate two mountain peaks at the back of Yangchuan City Zoo, covering several thousand acres of woond, to the zoo as part of its industry.


    On one hand, it would serve as arge semi-open rescue area where the dogs saved this time, along with future rescued cats and dogs, could settle down. On the other hand, it clearly demarcated the management boundaries of the zoo, providing a definitive red-letter document for future rewilding efforts and asset management to avoid disputes.


    At the same time, the provincial capital Jiangjin City proactively donated funds to help Yangchuan City Zoo establish arge semi-open rescue area. It also advocated that in the future, if there were more rescued animals elsewhere, they could be uniformly sent here for care, financed by the local government, with Yangchuan City Zoo managing.


    With the government taking such a stance, the online criticism decreased significantly, and even many praises appeared. After all, both governments had presented very concrete ns to address the issue with high efficiency and not just empty talk.


    Originally, it was a disastrous affair. If the incidents of selling and mistreating dogs were to be reported urately, Lin could not escape responsibility, nor could the relevant leaders at the Medical University avoid being criticized. Simrly, the heads of the rescue station and their superiors would have been severely attacked by public opinion. In fact, Yangchuan wouldn''t benefit at all, but rather seriously offend Jiangjin City and Changping County.


    Harming others for personal gain isn''t unusual, Suming often engaged in such actions, but actions that harm both oneself and others, even to the point of causing mutual destruction, are utterly nonsensical¡ªonly a madman would do such things. Later on, those missing kind-hearted individuals might jump out again, standing on the moral high ground to criticize and give orders.


    Now, with the situation handled this way, Lin became two diligent, conscientious grassroots rescuers. The leaders of the rescue station and the Medical University might have used questionable methods, but it showed that they were also working hard to solve the problem. The governments from both sides appeared to act in the public''s interest and decisively intervened, demonstrating formidable governance skills.


    The animal lovers also got off the hook. The zoo took in the dogs so they wouldn''t have to be responsible. However, after this incident, anyone thinking of rescuing dogs in the future would probably think twice before taking action¡ªafter all, with rescuees responsibility.


    Everyone was happy, except for Peng Lin, the president of the student council, who was very unhappy. His iPhone 6 had been switched for a Nokia with a blue screen, his Asusptop for a second-hand desktop, and he could no longer serve as president of the student council. He was busy working in the cafeteria to pay off his debts, leading a life so strapped for cash that he even quit smoking.


    "In that case, I''ve also saved a future lung cancer patient!" Suming suddenly felt his image grow taller.


    In reality, the biggest beneficiary was the zoo.


    Last time, although they had in effect been permitted to use the back mountain for rewilding work under the guise of receiving donations, there was no official document, and it had not been publicly announced. More crucially, allowing the zoo to rewild in the back mountain did not mean giving thend to the zoo¡ªthere''s a big difference between the two. It meant thend could be used, but ownership was not transferred, and others could use it if needed.


    It''s like themunal square in a residential area, wheredies can dance and men can practice Tai Chi.


    But now, with an official document in ce, the significance has changedpletely. The back mountain peaks are now officially the property of the zoo, which can also use areas beyond those peaks following the spirit of previous meetings.


    With thend in the hands of the zoo, it was almost the same as being in Suming''s hands.


    And those dozens of dogs, while shabby and unfriendly from a pet owner''s perspective, could still be put to good use by Suming.

 Chapter 163 Chapter 162 Waiting to Get Diarrhea

    ```


    "This mountain will inevitably be developed sooner orter; better to have it firmly in the zoo''s hands than let someone else do it," Mr. Song said. "We don''t need that much space just for releasing animals into the wild and wildlife conservation. But have you thought about what exactly you want to do with such arge piece of forestnd? Setting up factories or building houses is definitely out of the question, as it can''t affect the animals'' habitat."


    "I understand that, but as for what to do with it exactly, I haven''t given it much thought yet. Maybe nt a load of cabbages when the timees?"


    Suming cracked a joke and then pointed at Shuijun Lake below: "The urgent task at hand is to deal with the fish in theke first, it''s almost the end of the year."


    Time does fly. Wandering here, strolling there, and half a year has almost passed. As the weather gradually got colder, the fish-riding business on Shuijun Lake had already stopped. Severalrge fish had been transferred to the aquarium, where they enjoyed ''benefits'' typically reserved for the nation''s honoured retired cadres, along with the river dolphins and baby fish. Meanwhile, the boat-riding business was still ongoing, with the big and small catsing every day to sell tickets. Stay tuned with empire


    One of the cats seemed to have gotten its belly erged by who knows whom,zing around all day. Suming simply gave it maternity leave¡ªwhen the kittens were born and weaned, then it coulde back to work. He wasn''t short of money now.


    He suspected that Hei was responsible, but it could also be another cat; the rtionships among the felines had be veryplex! After getting their fill, these animals became just like humans, all day long thinking about that sort of thing. Since hanging out with Suming, the previously stray cats had skipped ahead an entire human era, bounding into amunist paradise with their legs thrown up high, no worries about food and shelter, hence they seemed tock other pursuits. Especially with their continually increasing intelligence, there seemed to be signs that a sort of ''pce intrigue'' was unfolding.


    The poor wolf dog brothers, both being male and rted by blood, couldn''t even get up to any mischief if they wanted to! But wait until that group of dogs arrived, those two scoundrels were probably going to be worn out.


    Speaking of the fish in Shuijun Lake, they''ve been growing at an astonishing rate recently!


    They say ''astonishing,'' not ''delightful,'' and for a reason. On the one hand, the growth rate of the fish was just too fast, surpassingmon sense. The fish in Shuijun Lake had only been there for six months, and even with Hei''s fish poop acting as fertilizer and Liang Shi''s excellent care, there''s no way they could''ve grown so much in just half a year. The average size now was that of fish that would normally be two years old!


    This of course had to do with the Animal Friends! Suming found that different animals often had varying results when frequently interacting with the Animal Friends. Generally speaking, there were three categories of effects: size, constitution, including strength and agility, and intelligence.


    For animals like cats and dogs, extended interaction mainly increased their intelligence, followed by constitution, with minimal change in size. Fish, on the other hand, primarily grew in size; for example, the bighead catfish, which grew from half a pound to over ten pounds in just six months.


    Suming even wondered if the bighead could live for decades, it might just grow into a whale!


    On the other hand, especially in recent times, the fish in Shuijun Lake seemed overactive. Fish are usually rather quiet when the weather is cold or very hot, dutifully lying low in their nests and not moving much. Buttely, Shuijun Lake has been ''boiling with fish activity,'' with fish of all sizes darting about as if their nests had exploded.


    Liang Shi was taken aback at first, thinking it was either ack of oxygen or some fish disease. He tested the oxygen content in the water, which turned out to be very OK, no issues at all. He then scooped up a few fish to check them, and they didn''t look sick either.


    "So what''s going on?" Suming didn''t understand either.


    "I don''t get it, I can only say the fish have too much energy!" Liang Shi scratched his head, somewhat embarrassed to say.


    Was there such a thing? Suming was surprised. Even with an abundance of energy, there''s a limit, right? Take humans, for example; they get excited for a few days over a joyful asion, maybe act a bit crazy, and that''s about it. But based on Liang Shi''s words, it had been almost a month, and the fish in theke were still in an extremely excited state.


    That wasn''t excitement; that was madness¡ªexactly like Fan Jin getting his degree.


    ```


    Fortunately, this wasn''t really a bad thing. Fish that are more active are less prone to disease and their flesh tends to be firmer. The only issue was their excessive appetite. Recently, the fish feed business alone couldn''t satisfy these creatures, so we had no choice but to employ the zoo staff in full force, scattering feed by the river after work.


    But fish being so lively all the time was ultimately not normal. Suming wouldn''t dare sell them to the market without finding the cause. If people ended up getting sick from eating the fish, the trouble would be huge. Hundreds of tons of fish from Shuijun Lake could harm so many people. If things went south, within half a year, the people of Yangchuan City might all develop illnesses, and then this book could be rebranded as a post-apocalyptic zombie saga¡­


    Thinking it over, could it be that bastard Zhou Jin had done something again, releasing some weird substance into theke?


    That possibility wasn''t nonexistent, but it wasn''t likely. Theke''s defensive perimeter wasx on the outside but strict on the inside. The wolves and cats had been called back from guarding the river banks. However, with the dramatic increase in bee and horsefly poptions in the back mountains, Queen Bee and Hu Hou had sent quite a few minions. Now, nearly every tree by theke had one or two bees or horseflies on duty, so if there was any movement, it surely wouldn''t escape my notice.


    After thinking it through, there was only one possibility: the supernatural being Tai Sui! Recently, Shuixie Lake, where Tai Sui resided, had been connected to Shuijun Lake, with the waters mingling. Clearly, the water that Tai Sui soaked in had some special effects, which the savage and the giant baby fish could attest to.


    Could it be that the water soaked by Tai Sui was causing the fish''s excessive excitement?


    As a result, Suming conducted an experiment specifically for this purpose. Heted several dozen fish of different types and ced them in the aquarium''s tanks. A few dayster, when he checked on them, those fish were indeed behaving normally! But once he returned them to Shuijun Lake, they started causing amotion again.


    Without a doubt, it was the water influenced by Tai Sui that was causing this!


    "Su Meng, draw some water for me to drink," Suming called out to Su Meng, who was sprawled by Shuixie Lake, gulping down water.


    Su Meng, this fellow, ever since following me back to the human world, was quite normal, except for not being able to speak and having extraordinary strength and appetite. In all other aspects, he was bing more and more like an ordinary person. There was just one thing: he drank water from Shuixie Lake every day like an animal.


    Suming sometimes drank a bit of the water Tai Sui had influenced, which indeed had the effect of invigorating the spirit, but it was always boiled first, and he didn''t drink much. Now, he had to confirm that this kind of water indeed had no negative effects.


    Soon, Su Meng returned with arge bucket of water, this time steeped withke water. The water in the bucket seemed to contain some floating matter, looking like cotton fluff.


    "Damn it, consider it a sacrifice for science!" Suming prepared a bunch ofmon medicines, set his mobile phone number to the emergency line 120, and then, with clenched teeth, hugged the bucket and gulped down the water furiously.


    Same old recipe, same old taste! After chugging half a bucket, other than feeling a bloated stomach, everything else was normal. In fact, he felt clear-headed and spirited.


    Then, Suming just sat in the chair, motionless.


    "Little Su, what are you doing?" Mrs. Tong called out from a distance as she walked by thekeside and saw Suming sitting alone on the tform by Shuixie Lake, zoning out.


    "I''m waiting for diarrhea!" Suming waved his hand, looking like he wanted no one to bother him.

 Chapter 164 Chapter 163 Testing Water Quality

    Mrs. Tong looked at Suming with bewilderment. "Has this child gone mad?" she muttered to herself as she walked away.


    Even as night fell, Suming didn''t feel any difort in his stomach. On the contrary, he was getting a bit hungry.


    "This works?" Suming was a bit stunned this time. That was half a bucket ofke water with floating particles! Drinking it straight down and nothing happens? Even if it was just ordinary cold water, gulping down so much in one go would surely cause stomach pain!


    To say nothing happened wasn''t quite urate either. Suming had been extremely excited all day, but when it came to sleep at night, he slept incredibly well. He had actually slept for just over four hours, waking up before dawn, yet feelingpletely rejuvenated.


    Could this be the legendary "drink during the day to avoid drowsiness, drink at night for a good sleep"?


    "Mr. Zhao, I need a favor from you." Suming waited patiently until daylight and then called Zhao Yun.


    "Tell me, is it about the fish? Looking at the time, they should be going to market soon. Bring me samples of all kinds of fish, and I''ll help you market them," Zhao Yun asked with a yawn on the other end.


    "The fish can wait a few days. I have a water sample here. Could you find an agency to test it for me? But it has to be confidential," Suming said.


    "Okay, I''ll send it to Switzend for testing. Absolutely no one else will know," Zhao Yun said after some thought.


    Suming had long been aware of Zhao Yun''s influence; even if Zhao Yun had said he would send the samples to the moon for testing, Suming would have found it perfectly normal.


    He now had to find out exactly what effectiveness the water infused by the Tai Sui had - and it had to be scientifically tested!


    After the phone call with Zhao Yun, it wasn''t long before Suming''s phone rang again. It was Lin from Changping County.


    "Boss, I''m on the road with those dogs. We should arrive at your zoo around noon," Lin said.


    "Okay, call me when you get here, and I''lle to the entrance to meet you."


    Regarding the Houshan Nature Reserve, the efficiency of both governments this time was quite remarkable. In just one week, all the necessary paperwork had been processed, and the sponsorship funds of 200,000 RMB from Jiangjin City had been secured. Speaking of 200,000 RMB, Suming had toin a bit. Although it was a symbolic sponsorship, wasn''t it a bit too ''symbolic''? A provincial capital city reduced its troubles so much because of him, and all they coughed up was 200,000 RMB?


    There wasn''t much that Suming could do about such shameless behavior, given the government officials'' higher status. After all, 200,000 RMB was better than nothing. Besides, the money wouldn''t end up in his pocket anyway; he was just the person in charge.


    Checking the time, it was only half past eight. Suming didn''t feel like sleeping anymore. He got up, reached under the bed for an empty mineral water bottle, filled it with water from Shuixie Lake that had been infused by the Tai Sui, and then drove to Zhao Yun''s house with Su Meng.


    As he arrived at the gates of Zhao Yun''s vi, he saw Zhaoqian walking out with Chengcheng, who was carrying arge backpack with a bear pattern on it. Zhaoqian was crouching down to tie her shoces.


    "Chengcheng, why are you pouting so much? nning to hang a soy sauce bottle from it?" Suming approached with a heartyugh.


    Zhaoqian turned her head and was startled by the tall Su Meng before saying, "Oh, it''s you, Su. I''m taking Chengcheng to ballet ss."


    "I! DON''T! WANT! TO! GO! MY! FEET! HURT! A! LOT!" Chengcheng enunciated every word loudly and then, holding on to Suming, she pleaded pitifully, "Big brother, can you take me out to y, please..."


    Zhaoqian hurriedly gave Suming a covert look, signaling him with her eyes. Suming ruffled Chengcheng''s hair and sternly warned her, "No way, little girls who don''t do ballet won''t grow tall!"


    "Really?" Chengcheng looked at Suming skeptically.


    "Uh... haha, hehe, Mrs. Zhao, please exin to Chengcheng. I''ll go inside first..." Experience tales with empire


    After saying that, he hurriedly took Suming and squeezed sideways through the vi''s gate. If Chengcheng were his own child, it wouldn''t matter if she didn''t jump, and ballet wouldn''t necessarily amount to much in the future anyway. But now, no parent wants their child to lose at the starting line, and Zhaoqian kept giving him meaningful looks. As an outsider, it wasn''t good to debunk a child''s mother in front of her, and as for why not doing ballet would stunt her growth, let Zhaoqian worry about that.


    It''s funny to say, but with a father like Zhao Yun, Chengcheng was born way ahead of the starting line. It''s like running a 100 meter dash where everyone starts at the starting point, but Chengcheng starts at the 50 meter mark. Yet that''s still not enough; they want to push her to the 90 meter mark.


    I guess all parents are like that, one can''t understand their feelings without being a parent themselves.


    As soon as he entered the door, he saw Zhao Yun sitting in the living room on the first floor, wearing pajamas and eating breakfast, with many cute little bears printed on the pajamas.


    "Mr. Zhao, does your family belong to the bear n?" Suming grinned andughed.


    "There is no bear n in the whole country," Zhao Yun looked down at his pajamas, alsoughed, and said, "My child''s mother bought them. You know women, they never really grow up." Then he pointed to the various dishes on the table and said, "That must be your cousin, right? He looks quite robust! Have you two had breakfast yet? If not, join in, let''s eat first and then talk."


    "Oh." Suming went to the kitchen on his own, grabbed two pairs of chopsticks, and with Su Meng, sat down at the dining table.


    It turned out to be a bit of a tragedy, Su Meng had a huge appetite and didn''t know what being polite was; he ate so voraciously that soon there was hardly anything left on the table. Luckily, Zhao Yun had eaten early, otherwise he might have gone hungry.


    While eating, Zhao Yun kept staring at Su Meng''s face and asked Suming curiously, "I haven''t seen him before, have I? Why does he look so familiar?"


    "Probably not, but now that you mention it, he does seem familiar," said Suming casually.


    That statement was a stretch of the imagination, but fortunately, Zhao Yun didn''t pay much attention and offhandedly said, "Nonsense, if he''s your own cousin, how can you not find him familiar?!"


    "Could this be what they call a ''generic face''? Familiar to everyone who sees it?" Suming wondered aloud.


    "You might as well say it''s a connection from a past life," Zhao Yun was sometimes nonsensical, and after rambling a bit, he asked, "What about the water sample you mentioned? Show it to me."


    "Oh, oh!" Suming stuffed half a tea egg into his mouth and casually took out a crumpled mineral water bottle from his bag and ced it on the table.


    Seeing the crumpled mineral water bottle, Zhao Yun''s mouth twitched uncontrobly, "Is this what you used to hold it?"


    "I''m testing the water inside, not the bottle," Suming replied.


    Zhao Yun shrugged, grabbed the bottle, unscrewed the lid, and smelled it, "It smells quite nice. Any problems with it?"


    "Nothing too serious, it just seems a bit different from normal water," Suming answered.


    Zhao Yun didn''t ask where Suming got the water; he just nodded, "Alright, I''ll get it tested as soon as possible. Ten days at the soonest, a half month at the most; I''ll let you know when I get the results."


    "Alright, I have something to do at noon, so I''ll head back," Suming stood up and walked towards the exit, casually pocketing thest tea egg on the table, "I''ll take one of your tea eggs."


    "Don''t you have any pride, swiping tea eggs?" Zhao Yun said, exasperated.


    "This stuff is precious. Ordinary folks can''t afford it; I only get to enjoy these when I visit you..."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 165 Chapter 164 The City Knows How to Play

    It wasn''t just Suming who was worried about the fish.


    Not far from Huating Reservoir, Zhou Jin had also been troubledtely, to put it precisely, he had a mix of joys and worries.


    This matter has to be divided into two stages. The first stage urred after thebor model conference concluded. For a period following that, fish kept dying in the reservoir. Baldy first tried to keep it a secret, but eventually, when too many fish had died, it became impossible to hide, and Baldy had no choice but to tell Zhou Jin.


    Zhou Jin was mostly hospitalized at that time, and he almost coughed up blood when he heard the news. Maybe because he had coughed up blood quite frequently recently, there wasn''t much left to cough up, and he managed to suppress it after a few coughing fits.


    But mysteriously, since that day, no more fish had died in Huating Reservoir. Not only did the fish stop dying, but they also became much more active.


    Like Suming, Zhou Jin initially thought the fish might have caught some disease, but afterting a few for examination, he found nothing. Being an experienced fish breeder, he immediately realized that this unusual activity was a blessing. He instructed Baldy to increase feeding, aiming to fatten the fish aggressively before year-end.


    As for why these fish suddenly became active, and whether there would be any hidden issues after they were sold, he didn''t ponder as deeply as Suming did. Zhou Jin urgently needed money to continue leasing the reservoir, and the sudden surge in fish vitality meant more earnings¡ªfor him, that was a cause for celebration.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Suming had already rushed back to the zoo and was observing the surface of Shuijun Lake by the backside of the mountain while waiting for Lin to bring those dogs over.


    Several alligator gar were residing in a small area of theke, with two females visibly pregnant, their bellies bulging. Suming didn''t know whether sending the pregnant alligator gar back to the reservoir to hunt fish could cause them any distress, but since cats had maternity leave, it only seemed fair that gars should too. So, he let them rest.


    While the alligator gar rested, other shrimp soldiers and crab generals were busy digging holes at the bottom of theke. All of Shuijun Lake''s aquatic troops were concentrating their efforts on constructing arge tunnel, which uponpletion, would allow fish under ten pounds to pass through.


    A ten-pound fish, cradled in one''s arms, would berger than a human infant.


    Suming had an epiphany and realized how foolish he had been before. Instead of simply killing the fish in Huating Reservoir, why not drive them to Shuijun Lake and exploit them for his own benefit?


    Once this dawned on him, Suming smacked his forehead continuously, so much so that he felt like jumping into the water. He had been too kind before, only thinking about using alligator gar to bother Zhou Jin''s fish. Why hadn''t he considered erging the tunnel and bringing the fish over to hiske? By selling some and adding others to theke, he could achieve sustainable use, as if Zhou Jin was raising fish for him.


    "Boss, are you okay? You shouldn''t smack your forehead like that. Do it too much, and it''ll damage your brain!" Lin jumped down from a big truck not far away, looking at Suming who kept pping his head with a worried expression.


    After the ''big incident'' was exposedst time, Lin was quite frightened. Being the head of the rescue station, he was well aware of the responsibilities he would face. Being fired would be letting him off lightly. But Suming not only refrained from throwing him out but also managed to keep him and his nephew employed. Furthermore, in the reports orchestrated by Suming, the uncle and nephew came out looking like they ''deserved some credit for their hard work''.


    It wasn''t just about keeping their jobs. As the zoo was setting up arge rescue center, the nominal rescue station in Changping County was rendered redundant. Lin and Lin were brought over to the zoo by Suming to manage the rescue station behind the mountain.


    The uncle and nephew harbored no ill intentions. Initially, they were forced into a corner and hade up with that ''dumb idea''. If they had any other option, who would want to be the viin and do such a heartless act?


    To them, the zoo seemed like a prestigious superior department, and in fact, it was. Moving from a county-level rescue station to a city-level zoo and managing such arge area was a dramatic elevation for both of them.


    Sincethen, Lin began calling Suming ''Boss''. Seeing Suming standing by theke vigorously patting his head, Lin was frightened. Could his benefactor be so upset that he was considering jumping into the water?


    "I''m just ying by smacking my forehead," Suming said casually.


    "Ah? Leader..." Lin suddenly realized. No wonder everyone says city folks know how to y the game.


    "Lin, stop calling me leader from now on, you''re a lot older than me."


    "That won''t do, you are the leader after all, a deputy division-level cadre! You''re at the same level as our county bureau leaders!" Lin insisted.


    "Alright..." Suming couldn''t figure out how the hierarchy in the zoo was determined. Mr. Song was a deputy department-level cadre, enjoying department-level treatment, but below him, thergest rank was deputy division-level, which included himself. Considering cities rank half a level higher than counties, he indeed ranked on par with the heads of the various bureaus in Changping County.


    "Leader, the medical school has returned the dogs¡ªthey''ve brought back eighty-two dogs. I''ve brought them all here. What should we do now?" Lin asked.


    "Hold on." Suming had just finished speaking when a chorus of "howls..." came from not too far away.


    By the sound of it, it was a wolf howling. At first, Lin didn''t think much of it. After all, they were in a zoo, and wolf howls were normal. But when he followed the sound, Lin was shocked. His eyes widened, his legs went weak, and he grabbed Suming: "Leader... the wolf has escaped..."


    Looking in the direction of the sound, by the riverbank not far away, a Grey Wolf about the size of arge dog was charging toward them like lightning, with two wolf dogs chasing furiously behind.


    It looked as though a wolf had escaped from the zoo, and the wolf dogs were capturing the fugitive.


    "It''s just a wolf. Why are you saying it over and over, as if it''s the ''Three Wolves Mystery''..." Suming chuckled, bending down to pick up Huiya, who was charging toward him.


    The young wolf had grown quickly in just over a month, nowrger than the average local dog, almost the size of a small wolf dog.


    After all, Huiya was a wolf, not a dog. Like its father, it didn''t enjoy being held by humans. After rubbing its neck against Suming''s arm a couple of times, it haughtily shook its head and walked away, squatting at Suming''s feet with a defiant look scanning the surroundings.


    Suming couldn''t help but tease, "Can''t you stop acting so aloof? Sitting like that, you''re no different from a dog."


    On the contrary, Wang Cai and De Fu had recently taken up the role of Huiya''s nannies. After returning from the back mountain, Mr. Song personally spent half a day with Huiya and finally agreed that, when the zoo was empty, Huiya could leave the cage to wander around the zoo but couldn''t go far. Plus, it had to be watched by the tworge wolf dogs to prevent idents.


    As Huiya squatted down, Wang Cai and De Fu also settled on either side of it, forming a concave ''V'' shape, with the high points on the sides and the low point in the middle.


    "Leader... is this wolf yours? It won''t bite, will it?" Lin asked with astonishment.


    "It definitely will bite if you provoke it, but if you don''t, it won''t bite you. Come on, get in the car..."


    The wolf dog brothers, as if understanding human speech, put their front paws on the back of the vehicle, squatted with their hind legs, and leaped inside. Huiya was left squatting behind the car, gazing up at the back with a puzzled look: the poor thing was too short to climb up...


    "Ah, that''s a heavy blow to the short ones." Suming simply scooped up Huiya and jumped into the car.


    Lin was extremely impressed, thinking that no wonder no one adopts dogs anymore; city people have started to y with wolves.


    Little did Suming know that Lin''s thoughts had veered off course. Suming had only brought Huiya along because he nned to release Huiya into the wild with the pack of dogs!

 Chapter 166 Chapter 165 Release into the Wild and Reverse Domestication

    From the moment he started preparing to rescue these dogs, Suming had been brewing a n that sounded utterly impossible to realize!


    The eighty-some dogs in the vehicle, which Suming encountered for the first time and probed with his spiritual power thereafter, he found had probably really been frightened by humans, showing no affinity for people at all. Even after they spent some time in the rescue station, their instinct was still to resist upon seeing humans,pletely losing their trust in mankind.


    Having the gift of Animal Friends, he was barely able to interact with them normally, but others simply couldn''t manage that. Allowing these dogs to be adopted, or letting them continue living in human society, was akin to cing a very timid person inside a horror city, essentially subjecting them to twenty-four hours of fear and torment. Therefore, neither supervision nor adoption would work.


    So, he had no intention of letting these dogs continue living as pets.


    After all, dogs weren''t creations of nature but were domesticated by humans. The very first dogs were actually wolves that had been kept by humans, tamed over generations, gradually losing their wildness and turning into dogs. Then humans bred various dogs through crossbreeding, leading to the diverse breeds of pet dogs we see today.


    Suming, with a burst of creative thinking, nned to have these dogs live in the wild, to rewild them, to make them turn back into wolves, or at the very least, be wild creatures again. They wouldn''t have to rely on humans for survival.


    If it were anyone else attempting this, even a national animal research institute, it would hardly be possible. But with the help of Animal Friends, it might just be achievable.


    Moreover, Suming had a natural advantage¡ªHuiya could help him! An important factor in de-domesticating was adapting to wilderness life and learning the skills needed for survival in the wild. In other words, they needed a simr wild creature to teach them!


    But typical wild beasts were either tamed in zoos,cking wilderness survival skills, or purely natural wild monsters, like bringing in a real wild Grey Wolf, which would certainly have plenty of survival experience but be too unsafe. Without Suming present, it might see these dogs as food.


    Huiya was perfectly suited for this role, lying between wild and captive existence, obedient and safe, yet untamed at heart with natural wilderness survival genes. After all, in the wild, wolves had stronger survival adaptability than dogs.


    On the flip side, the existence of these dogs was also beneficial for Huiya. Although Huiya would grow up to be a fierce Grey Wolf, it was still young now, struggling even to climb into a vehicle. Leaving it alone in the wild was not without risks. Small rabbits and foxes posed no threat, but Huiya was naturallybative. If it encountered bigger Grey Wolves, bears, wild boars or the like... Of course, there weren''t any such creatures in the hills behind the city now, but even a small wild boar could be a lot for Huiya to handle.


    Previously, Huiya could only venture out when Suming went to the hillside, but Suming didn''t need to be immune to taming like monkeys, and couldn''t possibly go to Monkey Mountain every day, so Huiya''s rewilding progress was very slow. Now, with thisrge group of dogs, together with Huiya, it could teach them wilderness living skills, and if they ran into trouble, the dogs could help Huiya in collective fights. As long as they didn''t encounterrge groups of humans, no one could beat them!


    Although it had to be said, among this group of dogs, the Chihuahua didn''t seem to have much fighting power, but several of the native dogs were quite intimidating. Golden Retrievers might not be aggressive, but their size was big enough to scare ordinary animals.


    However, Suming also considered that these pet dogs wouldn''t adapt to the wild life overnight; at least their stomachs couldn''t handle raw meat. So, from the two hundred thousand sponsored by Jiangjin City, he spent a few thousand yuan building arge circle of kennels on a hillside, having Mr. Line by often to take care of them, feeding them and such.


    "Got it?" Suming briefly exined the next steps to the Husky brothers and Huiya. There wasn''t really any particrly troublesome ''work'' to do¡ªhereafter, Huiya and the Husky brothers would live in the hills, leading the pack of seventy or eighty dogs, simply taking them ''ying around'' in the mountains every day.


    Just one rule, don''t wander off too far, keep within the mountain top allocated to the zoo. And don''t hurt anyone.


    Regarding Suming''s n, Lin instinctively felt something was unreliable, no matter how yful city folks could be, they shouldn''t go about it like this.


    Suming mustered all his strength, squeezing out every bit of spiritual power, to give a thorough ''baptism'' to the dogs so they could better integrate into the natural environment, and then he began opening the dog cages one by one.


    It was strange to say, but the dogs, who knew Suming and had spent some time with Grey Wolf and Huiya, didn''t show much affection. Yet, when Huiya appeared, there was no resistance; instead, they cautiously emerged from their cages, boldly approaching Huiya.


    Huiya sat on the ground, quickly surrounded by a host of dogs. Inparison to manyrge dogs, Huiya was rather small in size, but his presence was formidable. While the multitude of dogs fixed their gaze on him, he sat in the middle, lifting his head proudly, ncing obliquely at the sky, nked by the Grey Wolf brothers as his guardians, looking as if he had been struck by lightning.


    The other dogs imitated Huiya and sat down, all lifting their heads to the sky as well.


    Even Suming couldn''t help but look up, as if there was something curious in the sky.


    Just then, Huiya suddenly let out a wolf howl with all his might.


    After a few seconds of silence, all hell broke loose! All the dogs joined in the howling, creating a cacophony that could drive one insane. Some small dogs like Chihuahuas and Pekingeses werepletely off-key; their cries sounded like ghosts wailing. The two Huskies were especially fierce, howling as if they were real wolves. They looked the part too, except that, upon closer inspection, one could see their eyes looking remarkably dumb...ass...---


    Awooo, ooooh, woof woof woof... the back mountain was filled with an eerie chorus of cries!


    After about half a minute of howling, with their throats going hoarse, the dogs still kept on. Huiya seemed to find the howling a bit boring, shook his head to stop, then impatiently swiped away a few dogs blocking his path with his paws, andzily ran towards the mountain.


    Without any need for Suming''s direction, arge group of dogs simply followed suit. Dozens of dogs, which had seemed lifeless just days ago, now appeared as if reborn, bursting with tremendous energy, barking and frolicking as they followed Huiya up the back mountain, spreading over the hills like a sea of dogs. The short-legged onesgged behind, tongues lolling out as they ran desperately.


    "Hahaha, sess is in sight!" Witnessing the scene, Mr. Lin''s brain short-circuited, Suming stood with his hands on his hips,ughing uproariously.


    Managing these vast mountains would be quite a feat, but with these dozens of dogs, and the continuously rescued animals that would arrive, they were all his subordinates. What scoundrel would dare to make trouble here?


    How does that saying go? Wherever there are animals, that is my kingdom.


    ~~~~~~


    PS: I see some ssmates asking for speedier updates; please understand that this book has never missed twice-daily updates, maintaining its free status with 360,000 words. Once it''s on sale, I will definitely speed up the release rate.

 Chapter 167 First Net

    The two of them nned the brewery''s affairs a bit more. If the investment wasn''t consideredrge, Suming was thinking of putting in some of his own money, on top of providing water and recipes, as well as the monkeys and such, to hold arger share of stocks.


    Zhao Yun was indifferent, as if it didn''t matter to him whether he held a controlling interest or not. His business principles were odd and not like those bosses with strong desires to control, who must have the majority share andmand authority. He was different, an investor-type, with a stake in everything but without managing thepanies, nor necessarily being thergest shareholder. That way, he always got a piece of the pie without much worry, and even if an investment asionally failed, it wouldn''t hurt him too deeply. If bad luck struck and apany broke some major policy or even thew, he wouldn''t have to take responsibility.


    "However, since you also want to invest, it''s time to start preparing the money. This isn''t just about a few hundred thousand," said Zhao Yun. A brewery is a solid business, and costs like the factory, equipment, employees, raw materials, and future advertising cannot be spared a penny.


    "It just so happens that I''m selling the fish during this period, so I''ll have the money," Suming nodded. Now that he was sure the water was fine, he could confidently sell the fish. Between the boat rides, fish riding small businesses, and the money left from thest alcohol sale, he had nearly two million on hand.


    Investing in the brewery would probably require at least this much, and that might not even be enough. He couldn''t put all his money into it or his cash flow would be cut off, so he had to sell the fish as soon as possible. If the profits from fish farming were good, he''d need to keep a portion as reserve funds to continue farming next year.


    "In that case, I''ll give you a few business cards. They''re for the supply departments of several liquor restaurants in the city. After you return, catch a batch of fish and send a hundred pounds or so to each to test the waters," Zhao Yun took out a small stack of business cards and handed them to Suming.


    Besides the hotels, the seafood market was also a major outlet, but Zhao Yun didn''t have much of awork there, so Suming would have to run around to each one himself.


    ...


    After half a year''s worth of busyness, it was finally time to harvest. Liang Shi, along with a few newly hired workers and newly purchased fishings and fish containers, came to Shuijun Lake. The zoo''s staff members, who were free at the moment, also gathered around theke to watch the excitement.


    As today wasn''t a day forrge-scale fishing, Shuijun Lake remained open for business. There were still many tourists rowing boats on the water.


    Liang Shi boarded two small boats with the workers, and Suming stood at the bow of a speedboat, yelling, "Open the, now!"


    As a result, everyone around burst intoughter.


    Before Liang Shi and the others could spread the, fishes from theke kept jumping towards the surface with loud sshes, as if they couldn''t wait to be caught. Some even leaped onto the nearby boats, frantically thrashing about with their tails.


    The fishermen had never seen such a scene before¡ªit was simply that there were too many active fish in theke.


    Once they cast the big and dragged it slowly forward with the speedboat, it didn''t take long for the, teeming with fish twisting and turning, to hinder the boat''s progress.


    In the end, they dragged the to the shore, and several workers tried to pull it ashore but couldn''t move it. It took a phone call from Suming to the security department to get four more young and strong security guards over, and only after shouting synchronized chants with seven or eight men did they manage to get the big to the shallow water and then onto the shore.


    Exhausted and drenched in sweat, Suming thought to himself that this was the plight of being poor¡ªfor, if they had enough money in the future, they could simply use machines instead of peopleboriously haulings.


    While the fish in theke hadn''t seemed impressive, once they were hauled ashore, they nearly formed a small mountain of fish, which was quite a sight. Many tourists gathered around to join the excitement, and after weighing, theful of fish turned out to be more than twelve hundred pounds.


    "Hey, are you selling these fish or not?" a tourist asked from the side.


    "Yes, we are, all at market price," Suming said with a grin, surprised that people were interested in buying just as he had brought the fish up¡ªa good omen for the start of business.


    The tourists were also just joining in the fun; after all, the fish weren''t expensive, and it would cost them the same wherever they went. Those who wanted to buy paid, and those who could carry did the carrying. By the time they were about to close for the day, they had actually sold nearly half of the catch.


    "Well, that''s great. From now on you might as well just set up a stall by theke and sell fish," Mr. Dong joked.


    "Everyone is just looking for a bit of excitement. Relying solely on this, I would have to wait until the cowse home to sell all these fish," Suming chuckled. But Mr. Dong''s suggestion wasn''tpletely unreasonable; the space by Shuijun Lake was sitting empty anyway, just like when they first started selling feed. Letting the zoo staff sell fish in their spare time could work, selling however much they could.


    Next, Suming divided the remaining 800-plus pounds of fish into seven portions, sorted by type. Then, based on the business cards Zhao Yun had given him, which indicated the different specialties of the stores, he delivered the fish to several restaurants ordingly.


    For example, restaurants specializing in hot pot mainly received ckfish and catfish, while those known for barbecue primarily got silver carp and crucian carp. Conventional restaurants received a bit of everything from the four major types of fish.


    Most of these restaurants had some connection with Zhao Yun, some where he even held a share. So, although they didn''t know what Suming''s fish were like, they all epted them quite smoothly. Each restaurant only took a bit over a hundred pounds; if the fish tasted good, they would buy more, and if not, at least they had given face to Zhao Yun. However, it meant Suming wouldn''t have repeat business from them.


    After running around to the restaurants, Suming selected arge quantity of fish and delivered them all to Zhao Yun''s ce.


    Zhaoqian was also at home, and when she saw Su Meng carrying two bags as big as a person, with something violently wriggling inside, she got quite a fright. Hearing that these were all fish raised by Suming himself, Zhaoqian turned around and called upstairs, "Old Zhao, where are we going to put all these fish?"


    Find adventures on empire


    Zhao Yun, wearing pajamas covered with numerous teddy bears and shuffling in slippers, wandered down from the second floor and pointed to a door on the first floor, "That bathroom is unused, put them in the bathtub!"


    The tworge bags of fish, more than a hundred pounds, were all poured into arge bathtub. After filling it with water, white foam bubbled up from the surface.


    "So many fish, so many fish!" Chengcheng probably didn''t need to learn ballet today, as she followed into the bathroom and poked around in the bathtub with a small toothbrush.


    "Why did you bring so many fish here? Weren''t you supposed to deliver to restaurants first?" Zhao Yun asked Suming, confused.


    Suming replied, "I''ve already delivered to the restaurants, and there was still quite a lot left over. I thought I''d bring some here for you to try and see how they taste."


    "Alright then, we''re having fish for lunch. I''ll go prepare the seasonings and whatnot. Old Zhao, Su, you two clean up the fish," Zhaoqian said with a meaningful nce toward Zhao Yun, then sashayed out the door.


    Suming was left bewildered. What was that supposed to mean? The couple was far from young; flirting in front of me, a youth, wasn''t really appropriate, was it?

 Chapter 168 No MSG Added

    Men like it when a woman bats her eyes at them, but fellows like Zhao Yun, who had been married for many years, knew all too well that a wife batting her eyes for no reason was definitely not a good thing.


    That flirtatious look meant that Zhao Yun could start doing hardbor!


    "You wouldn''t think of cking off either. Come with me to kill the fish." The two of them carried a big basin full of fish to the backyard of Zhao Yun''s vi and set it by the tap.


    Zhao Yun turned out to be quite skilled at household chores. The fish were all thrashing about, but with a confident tap of the back of the kitchen knife behind their heads, Zhao Yun rendered them motionless. Then, with scissors, he swiftly sliced open their bellies and scooped out their innards.


    Continue reading at empire


    Watching, Suming''s eyelids twitched. It was only fish they were killing, but with Zhao Yun''s technique, he could have been a professional assassin. So, the two men began a bloody butchering task in the backyard of Zhao''s house, which resembled a garden...


    Chengcheng squatted to one side. The little girl was quite brave; she watched the bloody scene of killing fish without blushing or batting an eyelid. Unlike most little girls who would scream about cruelty, she instead perched on a small stool, thoroughly engrossed in watching, showing she truly was her father''s daughter, likely to be adept at fish ughtering in the future.


    "How did your talk go with those few restaurants? Is there any chance for future business?" Zhao Yun asked, his hands covered in blood, as he casually plucked a clump of viscera from the belly of a ckfish and tossed it into the nearby trash can.


    "I delivered a batch to each of them, and they all epted it, paying me market price. But," Suming rinsed off a silver carp that had been gutted, saying, "it seems that they don''t n to order fish from me in the future. After I delivered the fish, they didn''t keep my phone number or business card. I hinted at further business, and they didn''t bite."


    "I see..." Zhao Yun wiped the sweat from his brow with his arm, thought for a moment, and said, "That''s understandable, after all, they''re used to purchasing fish from Huating Reservoir, and changing suppliers suddenly carries certain risks. Let''s take it slow. Since they bought this batch of fish from you, if the quality is good, we can discuss further."


    That was true, but Suming was in urgent need of money. Without selling this batch of fish quickly, he wouldn''t have the funds for many other things, such as investing in the brewery or developing the hillside behind his home.


    "Otherwise, shall I step in to help you negotiate?" Zhao Yun offered.


    Zhao Yun had good rtionships with the owners of several restaurants, even holding shares in some. If he stepped in, they would definitely consider buying a portion of their fish from Suming to honor his rapport with them.


    After thinking for a moment, Suming replied, "Let''s not. If you step in, it would seem like I''m using connections to get favors. Even if they do purchase from me, it might not be a lot, and it could make everyone''s situation awkward."


    "As long as your fish is good, you shouldn''t worry about sales," Zhao Yun said.


    That was easy to say, but what defines good or bad? Average fish might not be discernible to most people. Besides, Suming didn''t have the time to slowly explore the market; it would take too much time.


    "So, what do you n to do?" asked Zhao Yun.


    "I do have a n, something I thought of a long time ago, but I''m not sure whether it will work or not... Let''s not talk about this now. We''ll discuss it after lunch," Suming replied.


    Zhao Yun looked at him curiously, "Why do I feel like you''re talking as if you''re about to eat ast meal..."


    Sumingughed heartily, chopping off a fish head and swinging it about, "That''s exactly what it is, ast meal."


    Chengcheng pped her hands and eximed, "Big brother, your knife skills are amazing!"


    Zhao Yun: "..."


    At noon, the Zhao family''s meal was oddly vish''.


    It was calledvish because there were many dishes, a total of ten dishes and one soup with stir-fried, pan-fried, boiled, and deep-fried varieties, filling the entire table;


    But it was odd because apart from that one soup, all ten dishes were fish-based, including spicy diced fish head, braised carp, pan-fried fish chunks, steamed bighead carp, tofu stewed with ckfish, fish soup...


    Zhaoqian didn''t dare to kill fish, but her cooking skills were pretty good. Even though they were all fish dishes, she managed a variety, so they didn''t look monotonous on the table. With colorful seasonings and variously shaped tes, dishes, and bowls, it looked like a feast that was very appetizing.


    "Let''s start, let''s start, Chengcheng eat slowly, don''t choke on a bone!" Zhaoqian took off her apron and waved her hand with a burst of enthusiasm.


    Suming and Su Meng weren''t shy either, and started eating right away. Suming had been eating fish from his ownke quite oftentely, so he was used to it, regardless if it was tasty or not. However, Zhaoqian''s cooking skills were much better than his own, so he found himself enjoying the meal. Su Meng couldn''t really care less about taste; he ate fish like a meat grinder, with the main goal of filling his stomach. Even if the fish was raw, he''d chew it up and swallow it down, leaving nothing behind, not even skin or bones.


    The Zhao family of three ate their meal in a much more genteel mannerpared to the two from the Su family. Zhao Yun casually picked up a piece of the braised carp''s belly with his chopsticks and just as it reached his mouth, his eyes lit up. After smacking his lips a couple of times to finish the fish, he looked up at Zhaoqian with a smile, "It''s very good, you''ve improved a lot recently."


    "Stop ttering me, it''s always been like this. There''s no increase or decrease," retorted Zhaoqian coquettishly, then picked up a piece of the tofu that had been stewed along with the fish for Chengcheng, saying, "Eat more tofu, it''s good for your health."


    Chengcheng probably didn''t like tofu that much, as she poked at it with her chopsticks, making a few honeb-like holes, then reluctantly sucked on her chopsticks.


    "Wow, it''s so fresh!" Chengcheng looked up with wide eyes and said in surprise.


    "Are you trying to sweet-talk me like your dad? I cooked for you every day and never heard you say it was tasty," Zhaoqian said with augh.


    "No, no, no." Chengcheng shook her head vigorously, her pigtails swinging back and forth, as she seriously said, "Mom, it''s true, I''m not lying to you, your cooking skills have really improved, the tofu tastes pretty good." After finishing that small piece of tofu, she picked up another.


    "Ah, you two, always saying nice things in front of Su." Women like to hearpliments, and although Zhaoqian knew that Zhao Yun and Chengcheng were probably just trying to make her happy, she was still quite delighted, scooping up a spoonful of fish soup and sipping it daintily.


    After tasting it, Zhaoqian was stunned. She stared at the milky white fish soup and mumbled to herself, "That''s not right, why is it so delicious? I didn''t even add MSG?"


    .........


    PS: I just realized it''s been over a month since Ist asked for votes, no wonder I''ve been feeling offtely! Must request some votes!

 Chapter 169 Smashing the Signboard?

    Zhao Yun''s family was particr about cooking healthily, so they rarely used MSG and other chemical products, and given that fish is inherently a fresh ingredient, there was no need for MSG, especially not in fish soup¡ªto savor its pure, original vor.


    Zhaoqian took a sip of the soup and noticed something was amiss¡ªthe fish soup tasted much fresher than before, and it didn''t seem like the artificial vor of MSG or chicken essence.


    "See, I tell you your cooking is improving, but you don''t believe me," Zhao Yun said as he picked up a small piece of fish head to eat and nodded at Suming with satisfaction.


    Zhaoqian quickly grabbed some fish from several dishes to taste and then had a moment of realization, saying, "Oh, Zhao, you must be ttering me, my cooking skills are still the same. It''s the quality of this fish that''s particrly good. Su, aren''t all these fish raised in theke? Howe they taste even better than the wild ones? And there''s a very special vor, I can''t quite put my finger on it, it''s notmon in other fish. Did you add any additives?"


    Hearing Zhaoqian''sments, Suming finally rxed. It proved that the fish from Shuijun Lake, nourished by the water where Tai Sui had soaked, indeed had an extraordinary taste.


    The thing about "vor" is that it''s quite subtle and sometimes subject to psychological influence. The reason to have Zhao Yun and Zhaoqian taste the fish was to avoid being clouded by his own subjective views. They had no idea that the water these fish lived in was extraordinary, and considering Zhao Yun''s experience, the fact that their family, who had seen and eaten a lot, gave their approval, was sufficient to prove that the fish from Shuijun Lake were truly exceptional. Enjoy more content from empire


    "What additives? If there were any, I wouldn''t be bringing them to your house. Our zoo has good water quality! Just look at the finless porpoises and the like; they all used to live in Shuijun Lake and they''re all fine," Suming said while patting Su Meng, who was engrossed in devouring his meal. "This guy drinks directly from theke water all the time, look how strong he''s grown!"


    "Oh, I see¡­" Zhaoqian, appeased by Suming''s exnation, picked up arge piece of fish for Chengcheng. "Eat more, the fish today is especially delicious!"


    Soon, all the fish on the table had been picked clean, leaving only bones. Chengcheng was sucking on a long ckfish spine, while Zhaoqian cleaned up the dishes and Zhao Yun sat on the sofa, brewing two cups of tea. Then he took out an antique-looking pipe, lit it, took a couple of puffs, and said to Suming, "Since the quality of your fish is top-notch, there''s nothing more to say. I''ll call them right now and have them order more of your fish!"


    "No need, no need. Didn''t I mention I have a n? Now it seems I can put it into action¡­" Suming whispered his n to Zhao Yun.


    After hearing it, Zhao Yun was momentarily stunned before pointing at Suming andughing helplessly. "I have stakes in those stores; you rascal, are you trying to sabotage my brand?"


    "That''s why I had to speak to you first,"ughed Suming.


    "Informing me before you sabotage my brand, you''re incorrigible," Zhao Yun didn''t object. He thought for a moment, nodded, and said, "Alright then, just be careful not to overdo it. Not only are those store owners good friends of mine, but I also have shares in them."


    "Don''t worry¡­"


    ¡­


    In the world, most industries earn money by providing services and products to others, selling theirbor. However, there exists an industry where you do nothing, dine and drink everywhere, critique and nitpick to your heart''s content after eating and drinking, and in the end, you don''t even have to pick up the tab.


    This kind of person is called a gourmet, or a gourmet food critic.


    Food criticism is generally a side job. Gourmets themselves are famous chefs with considerable ies, and they do not rely on sponsorships from businesses to make a living. At the same time, they possess a wealth of professional knowledge; their stance is rtively neutral, and the credibility of their reviews isparatively high. A well-known gourmet''s review can even greatly impact a restaurant''s sales to arge extent.


    However, in China, so-called food critics are mostly shills. Their literary skills are better than their knowledge of food, living off kickbacks from businesses.


    Last year, Yangchuan City specificallyunched a food column, airing once a week, introducing the delicacies of Yangchuan City and its surroundings. Initially, they invited a local so-called gourmet. This person''s primary identity is an inte celebrity, living off promoting various foods to their online followers. In a nicer way, they are frencers; bluntly put, they are idle drifters. The reviews from such people aren''t very reliable, and they would only say good things in every episode. The viewers aren''t fools and could tell at a nce that this was a shill, so the show never really took off.


    A few months ago, just when the program was about to be cancelled, the television station made a big effort and invited a foreigner from the provincial capital to be a guest.


    This person named Sibei''er was a Frenchman who had appeared on two episodes of ''The vor of Huaxia'' and was famous for his characteristic reviews. He himself is a Michelin three-star certified chef with several of his own restaurants in France.


    In the world of chefs, a three-star Michelin chef is basically the highest honor, essentially the pinnacle of the industry worldwide.


    After Sibei''er made a few episodes at Yangchuan Television Station, because of his objective reviews and professional attitude, he suddenly boosted the ratings of the program quite a bit. Although it still couldn''tpare with several popr variety shows, it has be well-known among the households of Yangchuan City, and when citizens have free time, many watch it with great interest.


    The host of the Yangchuan Gourmet program and Nangong Yan have a good rtionship; they are like workce besties. Nangong Yan and she whispered some things these past days, and then the Yangchuan Gourmet was preparing to do a show aboutmon freshwater fish.


    "As everyone knows, freshwater fish are the highest-selling fish species in our country. Compared to other precious edible fish, the four major domestic fish might not taste quite as good, but because of their low cost and ease of breeding, they have be the mostmon delicacy on the citizens'' dining tables. In this episode, I will join Mr. Seibel in embarking on a few restaurants that serve freshwater fish to find the tastiest freshwater fish."


    The first stop was the Fish Joy Garden, where they had a dinner party at the zoo; this ce can be regarded as thergest fish-specialized restaurant in Yangchuan City.


    The restaurant was still open for business, and the filming spot was set up in a semi-open private dining room at a corner, where Seibel, despite being there to taste food, was dressed in a neat suit with his hair slicked back. Those who didn''t know would think the old man was going to attend some banquet.


    The server brought over various signature dishes made from fish one after another, and before long, the table was full.


    "Wow, indeed, it''s thergest specialized fish restaurant in Yangchuan City; it looks very appetizing. Mr. Seibel, please enjoy your tasting," said the host on the side.


    However, Seibel did not pick up his chopsticks but looked at the fish in front of him and said in somewhat stiff Chinese, "Eastern people cherish presentation, aroma, and taste in their cooking; based solely on appearance, the chefs at this restaurant are undoubtedly skilled, with excellent color and fragrance. So much so, without even tasting, I can guess that these fish won''t taste bad. However, in my personal opinion, as a chef, turning ingredients into a delicious meal is only the second step. The first step is to keenly select the best kind from among the many seemingly simr ingredients!"

 Chapter 170 The Fastidious Foreigner

    Upon hearing Mr. Seibel say so, the host seemed not quite to understand and asked, "Mr. Seibel, what do you mean by that?"


    "I believe that an excellent chef should not only possess cooking skills but should also be able to distinguish the quality of the ingredients themselves. Let''s take your fish for example, the same braised fish dish, cooked by the same chef and even underpletely identical conditions in every aspect, would the taste necessarily be the same? No, no, high-quality ingredients have a natural advantage! As far as I know, in Huaxia, chef apprentices don''t get to cook right away, they must first learn to select ingredients, and that''s the reason."


    As Mr. Seibel spoke, he deftly picked up a small slice of braised carp with his chopsticks, choosing not the boneless belly but a tender piece of flesh beneath the fish''s eye.


    "Hmm, just as my tongue tells me, this fish is delicious. Despite the use of many heavily vored artificial seasonings, they can''t possibly mask the natural delicious taste of the fish. The seasoning has perfectly integrated with the fish, and the freshness of the fish itself has been brought out by the seasonings. It is clear that this hotel has a highly skilled chef," he said, putting down his chopsticks.


    After Mr. Seibel finished speaking, the face of the hotel lobby manager standing to the side nearly burst into bloom with a smile.


    "But..." Mr. Seibel changed his tone, "there is a saying in the East: ''Learning has no end.'' The same goes for gourmet food. Just because this dish tastes great, should we stop our pursuit of even more delicious food? No, no, no..."


    The onlooking crowd widened their eyes at Mr. Seibel, unsure what this foreigner was trying to say¡ªwas he suggesting the fish was good, or not good?


    The manager of Yuleyu Restaurant was also feeling perplexed, what was this foreigner up to? Was he here to show support or to undermine them? He shot a plea for help toward the host, who could only shrug helplessly. Mr. Seibel''s thoughts were always unique, sometimes even ''bizarre,'' and he could indeed make some unexpectedments on the show that even she, as the host, couldn''t control.


    However, it was precisely because of Mr. Seibel''s unique style that the viewership of the show had increased, which was very eye-catching. In reality, she, the host, was just an errand-runner and utterly incapable of interfering with Mr. Seibel''s actions.


    Unconcerned with those around him, Mr. Seibel continued, "Currently, from the aspects of culinary skills and seasoning, there isn''t much room for improvement with this fish. Even if I were to cook it, I likely wouldn''t do any better, especially since I''m more skilled with Western cuisine. But my tongue tells me that this is a pond-raised domestic fish. Therefore, in terms of the taste of the fish meat, itcks a bit of the wild and spirited vor..." Continue your saga on empire


    After finishing, he nodded at the hotel manager, "Handsome manager, would you agree with my assessment?"


    "Spirited vor, for eating fish? Why don''t you just eat it alive for guaranteed spiritedness, goddamn foreigner!" the lobby manager cursed inwardly, though he dared not show it on his face and hastily replied, "Oh, yes, it is domestic. However, it''s not raised on feed. We''ve had a longstanding cooperation with our supplier, whose fish quality is absolutely no problem."


    The lobby manager was also exasperated. These domestically raised fish were cheaper and when customers ordered fish, they usually got this kind. He''d never heardints about their taste. Did this foreigner have such a discerning pte that he could tell the difference with just one bite?


    So, he quickly summoned a server to remake the dish. Before long, a new fish soup arrived, with several bright green scallion slices floating in the milky-white broth.


    "Ah, this is much better!" Mr. Seibel didn''t even try the fish this time; he took a sip of the soup and nodded in satisfaction, pointing at the fish soup, "This time, I taste a hint of nature and freedom, which is very important for the fish. If I am not mistaken, this must be a wild fish, right?"


    "Yes, Mr. Seibel!" The lobby manager tried hard to keep up, wondering what this ''freedom'' was about. He swallowed, shed a thumbs-up, and said, "This is from thergest reservoir in Yangchuan City, the Huating Reservoir, which is veryrge and connected to the Yangtze River. It''s practically a wild environment, and the water quality of the reservoir is extremely good, so the fish raised there are especially delicious."


    After speaking, he added in his mind that it was also quite expensive¡ªinparison, the price of the same fish from the reservoir was 20% higher than the artificially raised fish from before.


    "If I were to give a score, I would give the first fish I tasted 60 points, but for this fish, I can give 80 points," Mr. Seibel nodded, wiping his mouth with a napkin, looking ready to stand up and leave.


    The host hade with a ''mission'' and seeing Mr. Seibel about to leave, she hastily thought of a way to steer the conversation towards what Nangong Yan had instructed, but before she could speak, the manager of Yuleyu Restaurant took the initiative to ask, "Mr. Seibel, why only 80 points? You said this fish is very good and even lively and free. It should score at least 90 points, right? Could it be that our chef didn''t do a good job?"


    "Oh, no, no, it''s not to do with you, but rather a certain insistence of mine, this old fellow," Mr. Seibel said with a chuckle, shaking his head, "I believe that only the finest ingredients deserve a score of 90 or above. Such ingredients, when tasted, give an extraordinary sensation. Of course, such superb ingredients are almost impossible toe by, hence, this isn''t your problem."


    "But the fish from Huating Reservoir are already the best in Yangchuan City. I think there might not be any better in the entire country. Your standard seems too mysterious," the lobby manager muttered, thinking to himself that now ''extraordinary'' had been brought up, why didn''t the old foreigner just say that eating it would grant immortality?


    A server whispered a reminder, "Manager, didn''t the zoo send over a hundred pounds of fishst time?"


    "The zoo''s fish are alsoke-raised. People even row boats on theke, so the taste of the fish is likely not even as good as the domestic ones," the lobby manager whispered back with a frown.


    "Just try it, maybe it will meet the foreigner''s taste," the server suggested.


    After thinking it over, the lobby manager pulled the host aside to discuss, "We have another batch of fish here, but I have no confidence in it. If the foreigner doesn''t like it, our reputation will be ruined."


    The host, fully aware of the situation, understandingly replied, "No problem, we''re not live broadcasting. Just prepare those fish, and if Mr. Seibel finds them unsatisfactory, we''ll cut that segment before airing."

 Chapter 171 80-Point Dishes, 100-Point Ingredients

    Soon enough, several fish dishes were remade and brought to the table.


    Just by their appearance, they didn''t seem much different from the previous fish dishes, be it steamed, boiled, pan-fried, or deep-fried. When ced together, it was hard to tell which was superior.


    This time, Seibel chose a fish head with heavy seasoning, the chopped chili fish head. He used his chopsticks to push all the chili aside, then picked out a small tender piece of meat from underneath the eye and tasted it.


    "Mr. Seibel, how is it this time? Do you feel that magical sense you mentioned?" the female host asked, holding back herughter.


    Seibel didn''t speak but waved his hand to indicate to the host not to disturb him. Then he picked up a piece of meat from below the neck of a carp, a spot where the fish''s head and belly meet, and which is usually the fishiest part of the carp. Of course, if the ck lining in the fish''s belly isn''t cleaned out properly, that would be the fishiest part, but obviously, the chefs at Pleasure Fishing Park wouldn''t make such a basic mistake.


    After finishing, Seibel still didn''t speak. He picked at other parts of several fish, tasting a small portion here and there. When he eventually got to the braised snakehead fish with tofu, he didn''t even go for the fish but instead picked up half a piece of tofu. Read exclusive chapters at empire


    The people around were amazed. This foreigner was odd, choosing parts like the tougher back of the fish, the bony tail, or the fishy parts that most people would avoid.


    "Manager, does this foreigner have a tendency towards self-punishment?" the young employee who had proposed using the zoo''s fish asked the lobby manager quietly. These parts of the fish were generally not eaten and were thest to be cleared up to be fed to pigs as slop.


    "You know nothing, it''s precisely these parts that are usually not tasty which can truly demonstrate the real quality difference of the ingredients!" the lobby manager whispered back. At first, he thought Seibel was a bit too superstitious, talking about feelings while eating fish, but now he had begun to admire Seibel, recognizing him as a true connoisseur.


    Everyone was looking on eagerly as Seibel ate the fish. Watching someone savor food made them drool, and Seibel''s slow but meticulous eating made people think, ''I want to taste that too.'' The hall gradually quieted down, and the soft sound of people swallowing could asionally be heard.


    Seibel, unhurried, tasted all the newly prepared fish one by one, finally put down his chopsticks, took a sip of water to cleanse his pte, and let out a long sigh.


    "Mr. Seibel, how many points would you give to these fish dishes?" the female host asked, seizing the moment.


    Seibel, with his infuriatingly slow temperament, shook his head nonchntly, "Let''s not score yet. Mr. Manager, could you prepare a sashimi dish for me to try? Use the same batch of fish from the zoo," Seibel motioned to the fish from the zoo.


    "Sashimi? Isn''t that only for salmon? How can you make sashimi from the four major types of fish and snakehead fish?" the lobby manager asked, puzzled.


    "No, no, no. Although the Yamato People are masters of raw cuisine, the earliest version of sashimi was actually transmitted from your Tang Country, called ''qiekwai.'' All four major families of fish can be used for sashimi; of course, this kind of carp is an exception¡ªtoo many bones and the texture is not suitable."


    After Mr. Seibel made his point, probably for fear that the hall manager and the audience might misunderstand, he turned towards the camera with a smile and said, "Taste-wise, the culinary skills of the chef from Fish Joy Park are impable. The fish from the reservoir I tasted for the second time, and the fish from the third, actually don''t differ all that much. The reason I wanted to eat sashimi was to verify the raw quality of the ingredients."


    The old man Mr. Seibel was a big shot; what he said goes. Soon, arge te of sashimi was brought up. Several types of fish were selected from parts with fewer bones, sliced into individual pieces, and arranged in different sections on the te, forming a sashimi tter.


    Mr. Seibel took a sip of water and then tasted the sashimi made from each fish in turn. Finally, he put down his chopsticks, and this time, without needing anyone to prompt him, he directly addressed the camera, "This time, I am still giving 80 points..."


    "Oh..." A somewhat disappointed murmur rippled through the crowd¡ªit was the same old story after all the fuss.


    Unconcerned with others, Mr. Seibel continued, "Any fish, when cooked with a great amount of seasoning, inevitably masks the original delicate vor of the fish. Therefore, in my opinion, it is simply impossible to surpass 85 points. Thus, eighty points can already be considered very high. But...if we''re just talking about the ingredients themselves..."


    Mr. Seibel pointed at the sashimi on the table with his chopsticks and uttered a satisfied exmation, "These fish, I must say, are among the most delicious freshwater fish I''ve ever eaten. If I were to grade these fish, in the category of freshwater fish, they''d receive a full score!"


    The notoriously picky Mr. Seibel actually gave a perfect score! Even the host couldn''t quite believe his ears and asked, "Mr. Seibel, are you saying that these ingredients are top-notch?"


    "Of course!" Mr. Seibel nodded vigorously, "It''s hard to imagine that these fish were raised in a man-madeke. Had I not been told about the origin of these fish beforehand, I would have thought they were from some pristine natural water source, like a cier, or a ce untouched by humans¡ªonly such ces could yield such deliciousness!"


    After finishing, Mr. Seibel shrugged with a smile, "It''s a pity that the French don''t have the habit of eating these fish, otherwise I would definitely consider ordering a batch for my restaurant. But who knows, maybe the reason the French don''t like Chinese fish is that they''ve never tasted something this delicious."


    After saying this, Mr. Seibel asked the somewhat stunned restaurant hall manager, "I think you could order arge quantity of these fish. Their future sales prospects must be very good."


    "Huh?" The hall manager finally snapped back to reality. There''s no more fish; the zoo had only sent over a hundred pounds, and more than twenty pounds were used up just for Mr. Seibel''s tasting! But he was quick-witted and promptly said to the camera, "We still have plenty of this type of fish here, and everyone is wee toe and taste."


    The female host¡ªwith the goal now fully achieved¡ªhad a spark of inspiration and sought to gild the lily by asking, "Then Mr. Seibel, apart from being delicious, does this kind of fish have any special nutritional value?"


    Mr. Seibel shook his head and said with a smile, "I think if I said that eating this fish could improve intelligence or increase physical health, our viewers would love to hear that. However, the truth is that I''m just a chef, not a top-tier nutritionist, let alone a scientist, so I can''t offer an answer to that. But I believe that savoring delicious food brings a happy mood, and what can possibly be better for one''s health than feeling joyful?"

 Chapter 172 There Is No Love Without a Reason

    Who says foreignersck personal connections, who says they are alwayspletely impartial and selfless?


    There''s no such thing as a cat that doesn''t crave fish, and just as crows are universally ck, capitalist crows are especially dark!


    Mr. Seibel indeed possesses world-ss culinary skills and offers very objective critiques on food, enjoying a good reputation.


    But that does not mean Mr. Seibel lives in a vacuum,pletely detached from social intricacies.


    Zhao Yun, as one of the Guinness Asia Region''s certifiers, has numerous international connections and various prestigious titles, naturally leading to acquaintance with Mr. Seibel.


    To ensure the n was foolproof, before making this news story, Suming had first asked Zhao Yun to host a dinner, inviting Mr. Seibel over for a meal that featured nothing but fish from Shuijun Lake.


    Mr. Seibel, faced with a table full of fish, was of course quite puzzled. Zhao Yun exined that these fish were raised by a friend using a "special method," inviting Mr. Seibel to taste and assess them.


    So, the segment that is now airing on the Yangchuan food show was actually "pre-performed" at Zhao Yun''s home several days earlier. The surprise Mr. Seibel showed after eating those fish at Zhao Yun''s was exactly the same as what was shown on television.


    Of course, Mr. Seibel''s professional integrity is solid. It was precisely because he had tasted these fish earlier and approved of their vor that he agreed to help Zhao Yun, or rather, to help Suming put on this act. If the taste of the fish was subpar or just average, Mr. Seibel wouldn''t have agreed to ruin his reputation even with his connection to Zhao Yun.


    Suming had initially considered slipping Mr. Seibel a card or something, but then thought better of it, as the way foreigners think can be quite different from our own. It might backfire, so instead he gave Mr. Seibel his business card, offering a thirty percent discount should Mr. Seibel wish to buy fish from him in the future.


    "Isn''t this tantamount to toying with public opinion?" Nangong Yan, who was also watching TV in the pavilion, holding a pregnant cat, scratched the cat''s ears and asked with a smile.


    "Can''t you find a healthier way to entertain yourself!"


    Suming lifted the pregnant cat from her arms and ced it in the nest, then pulled out a sleeping fellow and ced it in Nangong Yan''s arms before saying, "How could this be considered toying with public opinion? At most, it''s called dress rehearsal! Doesn''t your TV station have dress rehearsals for programs? And those reality shows, aren''t they all arranged in advance ording to a script?"


    "You know this too?" eximed Nangong Yan with wide eyes.


    "The audience knows it, do you think they''re stupid? It''s all for a bit of fun. The celebrities y their parts on screen, the audienceughs below; everyone is in the know, it''s a symbiotic rtionship. True friends understand without pointing it out."


    Suming stood up, put on his coat, and headed out, "Enough talk, I''m off to arrange the fish at Shuijun Lake. There''s food in the kitchen, heat it up and eat if you''re hungry."


    "It sounds odd, there isn''t a formal wedding or anything, howe it seems like you already started living together?" Nangong Yan rolled her eyes.


    Before the food show was aired, Suming had already received a call from the manager of the Fish Joy Park supply department, hoping to ce an order for a batch of fish with him. After the show was broadcast, several hotels and restaurants Suming had supplied fish to previously also called in quick session, hoping to further cooperate and ced orders for fish with Suming.


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    Such demand necessitatedrge-scale fishing; small catches likest time definitely wouldn''t suffice. Just therge orders from these hotels required the first delivery to be about a dozen tons, and if the sales were good, they would need to deliver weekly.


    Shuijun Lake had already been half-closed off, its surface partitioned with floating barriers to keep recreational boats away, while the other half was dotted with temporarily retrofitted fishing boats, and a group of workers on the shore sorting out fishings.


    Fishing is a skilled job, withs consisting of countless threads, a slightck of attention can result in them getting tangled, and too much tangling can render a useless. There was also a technique involved in casting thes for fishing; without it, the fish could easily get injured, and even if they didn''t die immediately, they wouldn''tst long.


    "Mr. Su, want to give it a try?" Liang Shi dragged arge over and asked Suming with a smile.


    "Nah, I can''t handle this thing properly," Suming quickly waved his hand.


    Suming had tried fishing withs as a child, but being rather clumsy, he would mess with a few meters long for ages and still get it tangled before it even hit the water. After that, he never touched fishings again. Besides, standing around wasn''t as good as lying down; it was better for the workers to do this kind of physicalbor, while he could enjoy the view from the shore.


    Several boats started moving simultaneously, draggings from the shore toward the opposite side of theke, causingrge swirls of water to surface, stirring like boiling water wherever they passed. The ripples glistened, and fish of all sizes were rmed, darting everywhere. This darting action made them stick to the surroundings; some fish even jumped out of the water in panic, and from the shore, it looked as though the fish were willingly leaping into thes.


    Liang Shi had previously asked whether they should drain some water from Shuijun Lake to facilitate fishing, but theke was far toorge for the volume of work involved in draining it to be feasible. Suming, having nothing better to do, decided to use his spiritual power to delve into theke waters, guiding groups of fish living in the middle and lower reaches to swim upward, falling intos of their own ord.


    Over half a year, the bighead catfish had grown to an extravagant weight of over ten pounds each. Although they weren''t as fierce as the ck carp, as Suming''s direct subordinates, the bighead catfish were much more intelligent than other fish and even had the power to ''lead their minions.'' Currently, all crocodile gars in theke were under theirmand.


    Following the standards provided by Suming, the bighead catfish, along with the crocodile gars, herded all therger-sized ck carp in theke to the other side to avoid catching them.


    There was a reason behind leaving theserge ck carp: one aspect was for breeding the following year, and another was that the ''food'' for other fish in Shuijun Lake consisted primarily of the feces from the ck carp. Therger ck carp produced correspondinglyrger feces, and keeping them was meant to facilitaterge-scale manure production for the following year.


    Although using ck carp feces as feed for fish wasn''t unhygienic but rather quite eco-friendly, the idea was quite off-putting, so Suming didn''t tell anyone other than Liang Shi.


    By evening, they had caught nearly twenty tons of fish, which were sent to various hotels in several batches. Early the next morning, Suming''s cell phone kept chirping with message alerts¡ªhe received several bank deposit notifications. They were payments for the fish from the various hotels. When Suming finally awoke and calcted the total, it was close to 290,000 yuan.

 Chapter 173 As One Falls, Another Rises

    ```


    The fish density in Shuijun Lake was actually not very high. ording to polyculture yield calctions, a high yield for farmed fish could approach 4 tons per acre, with a standard yield of around two to three tons beingmon.


    Apart from a few shallow areas on the periphery of Shuijun Lake, there was a total of 123 acres avable for fish farming. If we were to calcte at ''full capacity,'' it would be sufficient to raise 400 tons of fish. However, Shuijun Lake is not a private fish pond after all; it also serves as a recreation spot for visitors. One reason Suming was able to contract it at a low price was precisely this factor. As a result, the density of fish Suming raised at that time was not particrly high. A rough estimate suggested that Shuijun Lake could yield about 200 to 250 tons of fish each year.


    Based on market prices, if all could be sold, it would be around three to four million Yuan, not a sensational figure.


    But the profit margin was substantial. Labor and feed costs for Shuijun Lake were virtually non-existent, as they had been earned back in other ways, with profits still to be made. As for the fish fry, not a penny was spent. Aside from hiring some workers forting and incurring some costs, there weren''t any other significant expenses. It could be said that it was all pure profit.


    Moreover, Shuijun Lake was now capable of producing more than just over 200 tons of fish! Therge channel connecting Shuijun Lake and Huating Reservoir had been cleared. As long as there was a market, fish from Huating Reservoir could be brought over for sale. It should be noted that the farming area in Huating Reservoir was more than ten times the size of Shuijun Lake!


    However, all of this was predicated on having a market. Without a market, even ten thousand tons of fish would be useless and would just have to wait to die and rot!


    The major hotels had ced some orders, but these were not sufficient to fully absorb all the fish from Shuijun Lake. A stall by the zoo next to theke sold fish as a small gimmick; they sold a couple of hundred pounds a day, an additional revenue stream for the zoo employees, but this did not address therger issue for Shuijun Lake.


    So ultimately, a solution had to be found in the fish market. Yangchuan City''s fish market was aimed at the general public and had numerous small fish vendors. This was where the main battlefield for salesy.


    Yet, opening up sales channels in the fish market was not that easy.


    The hotels and restaurants went for the high-end or at least mid-range approach, while most small merchants targeted the daily needs of the public. They preferred to y it safe, reluctant to change suppliers lightly, and moreover, there were too many small vendors tomunicate and pitch to, one by one.


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    There was also an underlying reason why the merchants in the fish market were unwilling to change suppliers; to arge degree, it was because their current supplier was Huating Fisheries Company.


    On one hand, the fish from Huating Reservoir were not much worse off than those from Shuijun Lake, at least not to an extent the average person could taste. On the other hand, those involved in the aquatic market knew that Huating Reservoir had a not-so-clean background, and it was better not to offend them if possible. Previously, there were small vendors who changed suppliers, but their end was not favorable, and they were quickly squeezed out of the aquatic market through various means.


    "Isn''t this too overbearing?" Suming asked Su Meng, opening his eyes wide in astonishment.


    Su Meng waved his fists angrily a couple of times, seemingly ready to resolve the matter by force.


    "Of course, that won''t do. We arew-abiding citizens! Let me ponder this!" Going in with force was definitely not suitable. Huating Company had a reputation for corporate bullying, which wasmon knowledge, but if you really thought about it, there weren''t any concrete legal proofs against them. You can''t just im a fish vendor is afraid of being retaliated against by Zhou Jin to prove that Zhou Jin hasmitted a crime, can you?


    ...


    Zhou Jin, as he wished, finally met with Mr. He. However, Zhou Jin didn''t feel too happy about it. Mr. He was visiting as a representative of the city''s Fisheries Association. Zhou Jin wanted to bring up certain topics several times, but Mr. He inconspicuously interrupted him each time without giving him a chance.


    ```


    There was another worrying matter: the fisherypany was running out of working capital. Zhou Jin made a lot of money, but he also had more ces where it needed to be spent. Despite the grand facade of the fisherypany, the cost of upkeeping rtionships and making investments were allrge figures. Plus, having spent more than a decade in prison and experienced many hard times, Zhou Jin, a bachelor, had always been one to spend when he had money, greatly enjoying life''s luxuries. As a result, thepany''s liquid assets weren''t substantial.


    ording to past years'' patterns, once the fish seedlings were in the water and the feed was prepared, the end of the year would bring in the sales, a cycle that would repeat itself. Zhou Jin had already arranged for the feed and fish seedlings, and there wasn''t much else that really needed spending this year. The money in the ount should have been enough.


    But with Baldy getting injured one after another, and Zhou Jin himself suffering severe injuries and being hospitalized, not to mention the loss of fish seedlings... a series of blows tightened the financial stress. This was amon problem among private enterprises¡ªwithout sufficient reserved funds, they could be aggressive when things were going smoothly, but struggled to cope with various unforeseen disasters and cmities.


    For those in business, working capital is the lifeblood coursing through thepany''s veins. Once cash flow issues arise, the entirepany could be paralyzed. And Huating Reservoir wasn''t like other industrialpanies that could secure mortgage loans from banks; the reservoir was leased, and the lease was nearly up. Their material assets were limited to a self-built small vi without a property title, a few cars, and several fishing boats that had seen better days, none of which could secure much in loans.


    If this were the past, it wouldn''t be a cause for concern because as long as the fishery business operated normally, money would continue to flow in. Especially with the end of the year approaching, which was prime time for fish sales, cash would quickly return once the fish were sold.


    At the beginning of the season, inexplicably, some fish had died in the reservoir, butter on, things improved with fewer fish deaths, and the fish grew fatter and more robust than in previous years.


    Just as it looked like the money was about toe in, several high-end hotels with long-term cooperation suddenly notified him that they would temporarily stop ordering fish from the reservoir!


    Zhou Jin sharply realized that this was a serious problem!


    These orders weren''trge enough to be fatal for the total output of the reservoir. His primary sales channel was the local fish market in Yangchuan City, as well as shipments to other regions.


    But the immediate settlement of the fish payments from high-end hotels provided cash inrge sums within a short period, whereas repayments from the fish market were rtively slower.


    Moreover, supplying fish to high-end hotels wasn''t really about making money, but about building a reputation, essentially getting these establishments to vouch for the quality of the reservoir''s fish.


    For instance, iming that a certain five-star hotel uses exclusively our fish, and that our fish sell exceptionally well in certain prominent restaurants, would establish a reputation. More people woulde to buy the fish as a result, and there would be more willingness to coborate and purchase fish from the reservoir.


    But conversely, if it got out that a certain prestigious hotel, which had always used fish from the reservoir, was no longer sourcing from him this year but had switched to another supplier, it would be a significant blow to the reputation of Huating Fisheries Company.


    Local market influence might not be affected momentarily, as Zhou Jin had the final say in Yangchuan City''s fish market, no fishmonger daring to deal with fish from Shuijun Lake as yet. But for those distributors from outside the city, it was a different story. Some were as influential as Zhou Jin and bought from him because of the quality and fame of the reservoir fish, not because of Zhou Jin''s influence.


    Therefore, while the orders from those hotels might not have beenrge, their significance was critical. If someone were to snatch those orders away, one could foresee that Huating Fisheries Company''s future orders would dwindle, leading more people, especially those distributors from outside, to turn their attentions towards Shuijun Lake.


    ********************


    PS: Mr. Zhou is courting disaster again. How does that saying go? You don''t court death if you don''t seek trouble. What do you say, should we cripple him for good this time?

 Chapter 174 Ant Nest

    ```


    The bald man, however, disagreed with Zhou Jin''s idea, saying, "Mr. Zhou, aren''t you thinking too much? How big can Shuijun Lake be? At most, it''s just two to three hundred tons of fish. Even if they sell them all, it''s impossible for them to steal our market."


    This made sense, actually. Although the cultivation area of Huating Fisheries Company was just a small part of the entire reservoir, not even one-tenth, it was still a behemothpared to Shuijun Lake, and the two were not on the same level in terms of output at all. With millions of people in the entire Yangchuan City and the whole province, the market was so vast that the few hundred tons from Shuijun Lake were insignificant. Even if Shuijun Lake sold all its fish, it couldn''t deal a fatal blow to the reservoir; there was no directpetition between the two at the moment.


    The bald man spoke this way for another important reason. He really didn''t want to provoke Suming again. After several attempts to cause trouble for Suming, not a hair on Suming''s head had been harmed while he himself had nearly lost his life under mysterious circumstances.


    The bald man was not highly educated and was somewhat superstitious at heart. He wondered if this person was under some sort of divine protection. Otherwise, how could he have such smooth sailing?


    Zhou Jin snorted coldly, "What do you know! A thousand-mile dike is destroyed by an ant''s nest, do you understand the meaning? A tiny ant makes a hole on a thousand-mile dike. If you ignore it, let it develop, before long the whole dike will copse!"


    "Mr. Zhou, you''re really cultured!" The bald man quickly pped on some ttery while inwardly scoffing with disdain, thinking to himself, I have at leastpleted nine years ofpulsory education, yet this semi-illiterate who didn''t even finish elementary school dares to spout off to me.


    People stand in different positions, each with their own reasoning. Zhou Jin''s thinking wasn''t necessarily wrong; several hotels changing suppliers all at once, and all choosing Suming''s Shuijun Lake simultaneously, was definitely a dangerous signal. The Suming of now was more than just a tiny white ant. Although far from having the power to confront Huating Fisheries Company head-on, not being on the same level, he was already posing an insidious threat to Huating Fisheries.


    For so many years, Huating Fisheries had virtually monopolized the market in Yangchuan with nopetitors. Now, the sudden rise of Shuijun Lake was undoubtedly a huge provocation and threat to Huating Fisheries.


    "So, Mr. Zhou, what should we do?" The bald man pped his forehead, anxiously said, "It''s quite strange indeed. Those snakehead fishes I put inst time should have caused substantial reduction in the fish poption of Shuijun Lake by now, but it looks like nothing has happened at all. Not only that, but I heard that the fish raised by that kid are particrly tasty, even better than our wild-caught ones."


    "It''s really damned weird, they haven''t had a reduction in output, yet we have lost quite a bit..." a blonde underling muttered a few curses on the side.


    Thisment struck Zhou Jin like thunder, suddenly enlightening him.


    He had seen the dead fish in the Huating Reservoir before. Some had died for no apparent reason, while it seemed others had been killed byrger fish or aquatic animals. Huating Reservoir wasrge; the water surface contracted by the fisheriespany was less than one-tenth. It wouldn''t be strange to have some ferocious animals in other areas. In fact, it was impossible to avoid such losses when raising fish in the reservoir, as they were considered part of the nned loss that happened every year. This year, however, there were simply more than usual.


    At the time, Zhou Jin didn''t pay much attention to it, but now, thinking back, it seemed suspicious.


    On the day of the model worker award, he had a chance encounter with Suming in the garage. He had pretended to care while actually probing with a question about the fish in Shuijun Lake recently. At the time, Suming had appeared nonchnt, and Zhou Jin thought he was just faking it.


    There were many other details, including how the bald man had been attacked by wasps and wolf dogs after releasing the snakeheads that day...


    All these incidents, when linked together, led Zhou Jin to suddenly guess the truth: it was very likely that the other party had discovered the bald man releasing the snakeheads all along, but had kept quiet about it, secretly retrieving the snakeheads and introducing them to the Huating Reservoir to harm his fish!


    "It must be so!" Zhou Jin''s face turned blue with anger.


    "What must be so?" The bald man widened his eyes and asked.


    ```


    Zhou Jin red at him with displeasure, "It''s all because you screwed up!" Having said that, he simply repeated his conjecture.


    The bald man felt a deep sense of grievance, thinking to himself, haven''t I been risking my life ving away for you, and now it ends up being my fault?


    That''s what it''s like being an underling, the big brother ims the rewards, and I''m left holding the bag. The bald man sighed and said, "So, Mr. Zhou, what do we do now?"


    "Just waste that kid and be done with it!" That was the same bleached-blond underling from before.


    Zhou Jin paced around the room with his hands behind his back, "No, he''s now a known figure in the city, being direct and harsh would look bad. If they start investigating, it would be very easy for them to trace it back to me."


    "Then I''ll go poison the fish in Shuijun Lake." The bald man said helplessly.


    "That''s just asking for trouble! He''s already started selling fish, if you poison them and people die, a major poisoning case is something nobody can cover up!" Zhou Jin said, while he went over in his mind, from the first time he met Suming to everything that had happened since, hoping to find some clue that could be exploited.


    "Right, do you guys remember when he first came, asking me how to raise fish?" Zhou Jin asked.


    "Yeah, brother, you were so domineering you told him to scram," ackey chimed in with ttery.


    "That''s where the problem lies. He knew nothing about fish farming back then, so how could he have grown so many fish in just a few months? And raised them so well? There has to be someone guiding him!"


    "Could it be someone from the Agricultural Science Institute? I heard there''s a graduate student helping him out," the bald man suggested.


    "No!" Zhou Jin shook his head, "When the Agricultural Science Institute came to Yangchuan, his fish were already thriving¡ªit must have been before that! Oh, I remember now. That day at the river, you guys were stung by wasps because of some old man fishing there, andter, that old man left with that kid, didn''t he?"


    "Right, right, that''s true!" The bald man would never forget the tragedy that unfolded by the river.


    "It might have something to do with that old man. You guys go find him. I have this intuition that it''s highly likely rted to that old man. If we find him, we might just find a breakthrough!" After bing a reservemittee member, Zhou Jin began to speak more and more sophistically; even words like "breakthrough" began to slip out.


    "But that''s like looking for a needle in a haystack! Where do we even start?" The bald man was dumbfounded.


    "Don''t we have surveince footage? Check the tapes, luckily I''ve been ill, so the footage from a few months back probably hasn''t been wiped yet."


    ***********


    PS: Although I rarely show up in the book review section and hardly ever speak much within the book, I do read the reviews every day. You guys always manage to guess the outline for what''sing next, which feels somewhat embarrassing... Covering my face...

 Chapter 175 Zhou Jins Plan

    ```


    Sometimes, people can''t help but believe in fate, as many things, upon looking back, seem to have been destined all along.


    For instance, if Zhou Jin hadn''t fallen seriously ill and been hospitalized, if he had remained in charge of the vi overseeing the entirepany''s operations, his underlings wouldn''t have dared to ck off, thekeside surveince footage would have been reced long ago, and he would never have found Old Zhu Chenggui, who used to fish by theke. And what happened afterward would never have urred.


    But precisely because Suming sabotaged him, Zhou Jin fell seriously ill, too unwell to update the surveince cameras, and thus, quite luckily, found the old man in surveince footage from several months prior.


    Baldy brought some guys over and "invited" Zhu Chenggui to Huating Reservoir.


    Zhu Chenggui was feeling quite depressed during that time.


    A few months ago, he met Suming and taught him some fish-farming techniques, thinking that if Suming wanted to seed in fish farming, he couldn''t do it without him. He assumed Suming was one of those second-generation rich kids who knew nothing about starting a business with their family''s money, so he decided to put on airs and act like an expert, waiting for Suming toe back to him for advice voluntarily. That way, he''d be in a position of power, able to make more demands and benefit from Suming.


    Little did he expect that after putting on an act for several months, Suming would never contact him again, and instead sessfully raise fish and frequently appear on television.


    Zhu Chenggui regretted it deeply, wishing he had put aside his airs and curried favor with Suming from the start. s, the world doesn''t sell regret medicine. At the beginning, helping him out when his business hadn''t taken off would have been like sending charcoal in snowy weather, but now that Suming had made it, trying to butter him up would be nothing but begging.


    So when Zhou Jin asked him about fish farming in Shuijun Lake, Zhu Chenggui didn''t hesitate and bragged about how he had taught Suming to raise multiple species together and how to use snakehead fish waste as fertilizer.


    "Mr. Zhou, when ites to raising fish, I''m quite the expert. I won''t lie to you, the sess Shuijun Lake enjoys today is all thanks to the ideas I gave back then¡­" Zhu Chenggui rambled on, his tone filled with dissatisfaction towards Suming. It was as if he were saying, "I helped you so much, and you fobbed me off with just a few bottles of liquor¡ªthat''s really dishonest."


    "So that''s why his fish are raised so well, it''s all because of using fish manure as fertilizer!" Baldy had an epiphany. He pped his forehead and said to Zhou Jin, "Mr. Zhou, how about we leak the news about him feeding fish with manure? People will definitely stop buying his fish."


    ording to the usual thinking, using manure as feed would certainly be considered unsanitary, and spreading such news would undoubtedly cause an uproar.


    However, one must not generalize. Zhou Jin was an industry insider, and he knew all too well that this method of feeding fish was not only hygienic but was also a natural and pollution-free approach. If this news were to be publicized, it would not harm Shuijun Lake in the least, but instead would serve as free advertising, proving that the fish from Shuijun Lake were naturally raised.


    Every other day, there is a new report online about something containing additives that shouldn''t be consumed, or about something else using chemicals harmful to the body, scaring everyone into believing that anything artificially cultivated is definitely inferior to naturally urring things. People would rather pay more for natural products. This is like vegetables where those that are grown with chemical fertilizers taste worse and fetch lower prices; but those grown with organic fertilizers look plump and lively and have a good market.


    So Zhou Jin red at Baldy and said, "You should spend more time reading books and less being ignoramus!" Recalling some ''past events,'' he added irritably, "Never does anything of use, but always good for nothing!"


    Baldy was quite resentful, thinking to himself that he was on Zhou Jin''s side, trying toe up with ideas and suggestions, yet not a single piece of praise from Zhou Jin¡ªjust scolding at the drop of a hat. Is this how a boss should behave?


    ```


    Zhou Jin had no idea what the bald man was thinking. He turned his head to question Zhu Chenggui, "Old Zhu, I''m asking you, aside from this polyculture and using fish manure as fertilizer, did youe up with any other ideas for him?"


    Zhu Chenggui shook his head, "No, that''s all."


    "That''s strange," Zhou Jin said as he paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back. "I''ve seen his fish; they all seem to be over two years old. He''s been raising fish for less than a year. Just polyculture and fish manure alone can''t make fish grow this fast!"


    Zhou Jin and Zhu Chenggui, both experienced fish farmers, pondered for a while but could not figure out why the fish in Shuijun Lake grew so abnormally fast. If they hadn''t grown so quickly, they wouldn''t have taken the market from Huating Company today.


    As Zhou Jin mulled it over, he realized that just specting here on his own wouldn''t yield any results¡ªhe needed someone to actively investigate. So, he patted Zhu Chenggui''s shoulder, "Old Zhu, I need you to do something for me. If you handle it well, I''ll give you five thousand yuan for your troubles."


    Having lived a long life and though somewhat crafty, Zhu Chenggui was no fool; on the contrary, he was quite astute. He had seen the rivalry between Zhou Jin and Suming and, hearing Zhou Jin''s words, Zhu Chenggui hesitantly said, "Mr. Zhou, if it''s something that could harm others, or wrongdoing, I dare not do it!"


    "Rest easy, I wouldn''te to you for things like murder or arson!" Zhou Jin then shared the details of the task with Zhu Chenggui.


    Zhu Chenggui considered it for a long time before finally nodding reluctantly, "I may be able to do this task, I''ll do my best."


    "It''s not about doing your best, it''s about seeding!" Zhou Jin sneered and shook his head, "If you do well, the five thousand yuan is yours. If not, Old Zhu, you will no longer work as a security guard at the factory. Just pack your bags and go back home to farm."


    Zhu Chenggui''s face immediately fell, and ncing toward the not-too-distant reservoir, he thought to himself that his hometown had been ttened to make way for the reservoir, with nowhere left for him to return to and farm.


    "Alright, Old Zhu, you better head back now, waiting for your update. Get it done quickly!" Zhou Jin took out his wallet and gave him several hundred-yuan bills, "Take this to spend first. Once the job''s done, you''ll have your reward!"


    ...


    These past few days, Suming was frequently wandering around the fish market. Even though he had opened up sales outlets at various big restaurants, the market route remained stagnant. The reason was the same: Huating Fisheries Company had dominated the fish market for many years, and challenging their position was not a matter that could be resolved overnight.


    Following the normal rules of the aquaculture industry¡ªnot like real estate or stocks¡ªses cannot happen all at once; it''s hard to be rich overnight. One has to take it step by step, first expanding one''s own aquaculture business. Only after reaching a certain scale topete with Huating Fisheries can one slowly erode their market share through various business strategies.


    This approach is steady but also the slowest. Suming had been considering these past few days if there was a better way to quickly oust Huating Fisheries Company from the fish market. That''s why he was visiting the market every day, scouting for various intel.


    He had just returned to the animal park pavilion that day when he heard from the chat group that Yutian Ayaka had released a new AV, and he was preparing to download it to have a look when his phone suddenly rang. It was the gatekeeper, who said that an old man named Zhu Chenggui was looking for him.

 Chapter 176 Asking for Tips?

    "Zhu Chenggui? Who''s that?"


    Suming thought for a full ten seconds before vaguely recalling. It seemed he did know such a person¡ªit was his first trip to Shuijun Lake for a barbecue with Nangong Yan when he came across that bald-beaten old fisherman. The old man hadter taught him mixed breeding techniques.


    At that time, Suming felt the old man was a bit mercenary, so he hadn''t kept in contact afterwards. He had no idea why the man had suddenly sought him out.


    "Oh, oh, oh, I remember him. Let him in," Suming said.


    Suming shrugged, left theputer uploading new films, threw on a jacket, and headed outside. No matter what, they had a connection once, and it wouldn''t be right to ignore someone just because he''d made a bit of money.


    He hadn''t gone far when he saw an old man in a blue Zhongshan suit, very familiar¡ªZhu Chenggui himself.


    "Old Zhu, long time no see!" Suming greeted him cheerfully, ncing at the time, "Come on, it''s almost mealtime. I''ll take you to the little restaurant near the entrance for a couple of drinks."


    Zhu Chenggui''s smile was a bit stiff as he hee-heed, "Mr. Su, you''re too polite. There''s no rush to drink; I''ve actuallye to ask for your help with something."


    "Oh? What''s the matter, tell me." Although Suming wasn''t overly grateful to Zhu Chenggui, he had after all given him pointers back then, and following his advice had indeed made a significant difference. These acts of kindness Suming still remembered.


    The old man was living a hard life. If it was something that Suming could help with effortlessly, he didn''t mind doing it.


    Whether it was the long time since they''d seen each other or something else, Zhu Chenggui seemed a bit nervous. His speech was halting, his expression flickering; he took a long time to exin even a simple matter.


    "Oh, you have a rtive who wants to breed fish and heard that I do a good job, so he came to learn from me, to ask for experience, right?" Suming nodded.


    "Yeah, yeah, that''s exactly it," Zhu Chenggui quickly agreed.


    Suming curiously asked, "But aren''t you an expert in this field? The mixed breeding and ckfish dung techniques I use here, I learned them from you."


    The good fish from Shuijun Lake were due to Zhu Chenggui''s expertise in part, but more importantly, there were two fundamental changes in the water quality: the first was the connection with Huating Reservoir; the second was the influx of Taishui into Shuijun Lake. Moreover, the catalyzation by spiritual power yed a role.


    But these reasons Suming could not tell anyone. If Zhu Chenggui was here to borrow money, that was easy to discuss; even tens of thousands could be considered. But the core technology was non-negotiable.


    Zhu Chenggui took out a pack of cigarettes that cost twenty-some-yuan from his pocket, fumblingly tore it open, and offered one to Suming.


    "Ha, Old Zhu, looks like your standard of living has gone up," Suming took the cigarette, then pulled out a lighter to light it for him.


    "Let me do it, let me do it," Zhu Chenggui demurred, then covered the me with his hand and leaned in to light his cigarette. He then gave a sheepish smile, "I know the limits of my techniques¡ªthey can''t produce the high-quality fish in yourke. Mr. Su, I''m not an outsider, right? Do you have any tricks up your sleeve?"


    "Tricks?" The word made Suming''s heart skip a beat, and instinctively made him wary.


    It was like the guilty conscience of a thief; after thinking for a moment, he casually said, "What tricks? I just followed your teachings. But I did spend quite a lot on water purification chemicals and equipment, cleaned up theke water a bit. Didn''t you tell me before that the water here was no good for fish breeding and needed purification first?"


    "Oh, oh, oh¡­" Zhu Chenggui sounded distracted as he responded, then hesitantly asked, "Mr. Su, could I go take a look at the edge of yourke?"


    "Of course, that''s fine," Suming hadn''t thought much into it and took Zhu Chenggui to the shore of Shuijun Lake.


    It was quite cold, and on theke, a few scattered pleasure boats floated. On the other side, towards the back mountain, a row ofrge fishings wasid out to dry, taking advantage of the sunny weather to prepare for tomorrow''s catch.


    Zhu Chenggui stood by theke, peering a few times into the water. Although the water quality had improved, the artificialke still looked a bit different from the reservoir on the surface; the color was slightly darker, and it had the appearance of ''fertile'' water.


    "Hmm, that''s strange¡­" Zhu Chenggui muttered to himself.


    "Strange what?" Suming asked.


    "If it had been done the way I told you, the fish wouldn''t have grown this fast. I''ve seen your fish, they''re even better than those of us old hands at fish farming," Zhu Chenggui said with a ttering smile.


    "Oh? Where did you see my fish?" Suming asked with a smile.


    Zhu Chenggui paused for a moment, then followed up with a chuckle and said, "Ahem¡­ well, at the fish market, of course, on a small stall. The stall owner pointed out to me that they were from your Shuijun Lake, selling real well."


    "Oh¡­" Suming also smiled and didn''t ask further. His gaze swept over theke andnded in the distance where Liang Shi was walking out carrying a big pile of documents. Suming pointed at him from afar and said, "That young man is from the Agricultural Institute; he''s been helping me with fish farming recently. It''s not that I am good at it, but that young man has the technical know-how."


    "Heh, Mr. Su, don''t fool this old man. Sure, those school folks are good at studying and taking exams, but when ites to fish farming and farm work, they don''t have any real skills."


    Because of the Tai Sui, the surface of Shuijun Lake would sometimes have a few bits of ''floc'' floating around, but very seldom, almost impossible to notice if you weren''t looking for it.


    But with Zhu Chenggui''s sharp eyes, he had spotted it already. He pointed to the water surface, sidled up to Suming, and whispered with a secretive chuckle, "Mr. Su, tell me the truth, did you put something in the water?"


    "What thing?" Suming was taken aback, but quickly understood from Zhu Chenggui''s secretive taunting smile what he meant.


    The ''thing'' Zhu Chenggui was referring to wasn''t the Tai Sui or spiritual power.


    These days, in business, everyone knows a bit of ''underhanded tricks,'' such as adding poppy husks to beef noodle dishes, or puttingundry detergent in fried dough sticks, to make their ''products'' seem better than others. And those in fish farming, if they want to fatten up their stocks in a short time, also have ways, such as using certain chemicals.


    However, this kind of practice is generally illegal. Fish that are chemically fattened, although they grow fast, will retain some toxins in their bodies. Consuming fish that have been fattened with chemicals can affect a person''s health and leave hidden dangers.


    Zhu Chenggui, slyly implying this, was hinting at that very meaning. Otherwise, it would be rather difficult to exin why the fish in Shuijun Lake grew so fast.


    At that moment, Suming''s face darkened, "Old Zhu,ing here and having meals on me is fine, and I''ll help you out with anything I can. But you can''t go around saying this kind of thing. If it gets out, what will happen to my business!"


    The more solemn Suming was, the more Zhu Chenggui felt his guess was right. He quickly forced a dryugh, "I''m not going to b about it. Rest assured, Mr. Su. I was just curious about what exactly you put in there. I have a rtive raising fish who might want to try it too, earn a bit more money."


    "I already said nothing was added," Suming frowned and shook his head, "Old Zhu, if you don''t have anything else,e have some food at the gate. Let''s not talk about the fish anymore."


    "Oh no, that won''t be necessary. I still have a night shift," Zhu Chenggui hastily waved his hands and said, "Then I''ll be off now, you go ahead." After saying that, he turned and hurried toward the zoo''s main entrance.


    Suming, with hands behind his back, stood by theke watching Zhu Chenggui''s retreating back and suddenly let out a cold snort ofughter. Experience more tales on empire


    ***********************


    PS: Next week there will be a strong push, and if nothing unexpected happens, the book should be on the shelf by next Friday when there will be a surge of activity!


    I''ve created a Penguin group: 332352624, with verification: Super Zoo, which is the book''s title. Feel free to chat and goof around in there~~ As for me, if I''m not writing, I''m on my way to write, although usually I''m lurking, but I''ll have Er Gouzi sneak in the corner and quietly spy on you all~~~


    If interested, you can change your group nickname to Wang Cai''s Lucky Big-headed Old Croc, Huiya, Mr. Song, or something like that, haha~~

 Chapter 177 No Laughing Allowed!

    At first, Suming couldn''t be entirely sure, he just felt that Zhu Chenggui''s tone and expressions were off, but after the conversation ended, Suming could be one hundred percent certain that his visit was definitely problematic¡ªit was all an excuse for some rtive wanting to raise fish and learn from him!


    Firstly, his fish were now sold to major restaurants and were never seen in the fish markets, except for a little stall in the zoo. Yet, Zhu Chenggui imed he had seen Shuijun Lake''s fish in the fish market where the stall owner even greatly rmended them. This was clearly inexplicable.


    Suming himself wandered the fish market daily but had never seen any fishmonger selling fish from Shuijun Lake. On the contrary, if he asked the fishmongers about Shuijun Lake''s fish, most of them would shake their hands repeatedly, swearing they did not have any. With Zhou Jin reigning over the current fish market, those merchants wouldn''t dare offend him and wouldn''t even stock fish from Shuijun Lake, so how could they possibly be actively promoting it?


    Secondly, if Zhu Chenggui was truly here to seek advice on fish farming, in the end, Suming didn''t actually tell him the secret. Even if he thought Suming had used "banned" chemicals, Suming didn''t reveal which chemicals he had used.


    Yet, when Zhu Chenggui left, there wasn''t a hint of disappointment, but rather, he was brimming with high spirits. Either his mental state wasn''t normal, or he had already obtained what he wanted to know.


    All of this proved, Zhu Chenggui was up to something.


    "I didn''t start trouble with you, but you''vee looking for trouble with me..." If Zhu Chenggui really was up to something, there was no need to guess who was behind it. Now surrounded by friends everywhere, Suming''s only adversary was Huating Fisheries Company.


    However, it''s not entirely fair to say that Suming didn''t provoke Zhou Jin¡ªhe had recently also been nning in the dark how to bring Zhou Jin down. At most, it was just two people plotting against each other, this so-called ''Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each showing their divine prowess''. Whoever has the ability will cross and be an immortal, whoever doesn''t will drown halfway.


    "Er Gouzi, follow that old man and see where he goes!" Suming snapped his fingers subconsciously.


    Experience tales with empire


    The familiar buzzing didn''t sound beside his head, and he then remembered that Er Gouzi had gone to Hundred Flowers Valley''s bee colony for ''restructuring'' these past two days, and was not in the zoo.


    With two intelligence-exceeding-ordinary bees assisting each other, they hadpletely conquered Hundred Flowers Valley''s unity mission. Perhaps the Queen Bees, now bored, had found therge number of bees and the original ''factions'' too disorderly, and wanted to reorganize the ranks. So Suming had sent Er Gouzi to assist them.


    Without Er Gouzi, Su Meng appeared out of a lush treetop with a big head. The zoo had many trees, and this fellow seemed to be developing in the direction of a monkey; idly, he had taken a liking to climbing trees to pick fruit.


    "Follow him, but don''t get caught."


    Su Meng was also a good candidate for tailing someone. Zhu Chenggui had never seen Su Meng before, and Su Meng''s wilderness survival skills were very strong. Not to mention tracking a person, even following a wolf might not lead to discovery.


    Su Meng strode out and followed.


    ...


    "Are you sure he''s put chemicals in theke?" Inside Huating Fisheries Company''s small vi, Mr. Zhou jumped up from his chair, his face alight with excitement, after hearing Zhu Chenggui''s report.


    If the fish in Shuijun Lake were indeed chemically induced to grow, then as long as he could grab evidence and make it public, not a single fish from Shuijun Lake would sell! Not only that, but with such a scandal, Suming would no longer dream of contracting Huating Reservoir, and the zoo might even be pressured into firing him!


    That''s the way people are¡ªthe higher they climb, the less able they are to afford negative news. A major negative news story could destroy a person''s lifetime achievements overnight!


    Zhu Chenggui hesitated for a moment before saying, "He didn''t admit it, but, based on my experience, there''s an eighty percent chance he''s used growth promoters, and judging by his expression, it''s definitely illegal. Mr. Zhou, the moment I brought it up, his face changed color right away, there''s surely something fishy."


    Zhou Jin smacked his forehead with some annoyance. "No wonder the fish in Shuijun Lake grow so fast. If it hadn''t been for getting sick and being swamped with all sorts of misceneous things, I should have thought of this."


    "We must still verify this matter. We absolutely need solid evidence!" Zhou Jin said with his hands behind his back.


    "Ah?" Zhu Chenggui said with a pained expression, "Mr. Zhou, where would I get evidence from? Otherwise, you could buy a few fish from Shuijun Lake and check them out when you get back. Then you would understand."


    Although the fish from Shuijun Lake weren''t sold directly to the market but primarily to big restaurants, getting a few wasn''t difficult¡ªnot to mention that they were also being sold at the zoo, where they could be easily obtained.


    However, Zhou Jin felt that it would be best to fish out several directly from Shuijun Lake to examine, to prevent any denial from theke authoritiester. After all, the fish that had been sold had changed hands once.


    Having suffered a few silent losses at the hands of Suming, he had now be shrewder. He had finally caught a big handle and was determined to cement the evidence, turning the matter into an irond case, leaving no chance for Suming to turn things around or offer any defense.


    "Baldy, go to the zoo tonight and sneakily fish out a few," Zhou Jin instructed.


    "Ah?! "


    From the start, Baldy had been shrinking in the corner, not daring to let out a sound,pletely stripped of his usual bravado, terrified that Zhou Jin would pick him again to deal with Suming. His heart was in his throat the whole day, and yet he still couldn''t avoid it. Hearing Zhou Jin''smand, Baldy nearly wet himself with fright; his face turned pale as he said with a mournful look, "Mr. Zhou, I have to sneak into the zoo again..."


    Thest time he had snuck in and released the crocodile fish, he had nearly lost his life, and now he had developed a psychological shadow regarding the zoo. Essentially, it was a shadow cast by Suming. Even though he was still with Zhou Jin, he instinctively didn''t want to antagonize Suming anymore.


    Thinking quickly on his feet, Baldy''s eyes darted about as he immediately found an excuse: "Mr. Zhou, there are cameras installed all over the zoo''s fences now. I can''t possibly get in!"


    "Use your brain!" Zhou Jin poked him in the forehead with his finger, angrily saying, "You don''t have to climb the fence. Just take a detour, go around the back mountain. There''s a part of the back mountain that connects to Shuijun Lake. You go down the mountain from there, and you''ll be at Shuijun Lake!"


    Baldy was at a loss for words, utterly miserable. The other underlings on the side smirked maliciously, each enjoying some schadenfreude as they thought about Baldy''s first ordeal with the bees and the incontinence, the second with the dog bite and ss cuts. Who knew what kind of heart-stopping ''adventure'' awaited him this time?


    "Laugh my ass off!" Baldy dared notsh out at Zhou Jin, but he wasn''t afraid of these little hooligans. He menacingly pointed at their noses shouting, "Whoeverughs again will be joining me to steal fish tonight!"


    The small-time hooligans immediately stoppedughing, turning their heads and looked elsewhere with all seriousness.


    *********************


    PS: Next week it''s onto the promotional push. If nothing unexpected happens, it should be on the shelves by next Friday, and it will be explosive!


    I''ve set up a Penguin group: 332352624, verification: Super Zoo, just as the book''s title. Feel free to chat and have augh in there¡ªI mostly keep to myself but I''ll send Er Gouzi to lurk in the corner and quietly keep an eye on you all~~~


    If you''re interested, you can change your group nickname to Lucky Big-headed Old Croc, Huiya, Mr. Song, or anything simr, haha~~

 Chapter 178 The Anxious Bald Brother

    Zhu Chenggui, who had not dared to join the conversation earlier, mustered his courage and asked cautiously, "Mr. Zhou, about the five thousand yuan we agreed on beforehand... hehe..."


    "What''s the rush? I asked you to gather information; can you confirm it now?" Zhou Jin stared at Zhu Chenggui, his face dark as he asked in return, "You can''t be sure, can you? Turns out I still need to send people to investigate. So why should I pay you now? Just wait patiently. If it turns out your guess is correct, then we''ll talk."


    Zhou Jin wasn''t intentionally nning to renege on paying Zhu Chenggui. Although his finances were tight at the moment, five thousand yuan wasn''t arge sum for him, and he could afford it. The reason he wasn''t paying now was to keep Zhu Chenggui on the hook; firstly, in case there was something in the future he needed Zhu Chenggui to do; and secondly, to prevent Zhu Chenggui from telling Suming the truth after getting paid. So before Suming was taken down, he wouldn''t pay up.


    However, Zhu Chenggui couldn''t help but have other thoughts upon hearing this. He was just an ordinary farmer and didn''t have as many schemes as Zhou Jin. He felt that Zhou Jin was being evasive, using him and then going back on his word.


    "Geez, look at this mess. I''ve yed the viin and haven''t even made any money," Zhu Chengguimented. But he was helpless; Zhou Jin was powerful and wealthy. Even if Zhou Jin denied him the payment, what could he do about it?


    For the better part of the day, the bald man had been on tenterhooks. As dusk approached and time passed by, his nervousness grew, with his heart pounding relentlessly.


    "Stay calm, stay calm. You have to stay calm!" The bald man continually reassured himself with positive self-talk. It was just a small zoo, just stealing a few fish, not a person. What was the big deal?


    Even if he were caught, what would be the worst oue? At most, he would be used of trespassing, pay for a ticket, a fine, and reimburse the price of the fish. That would settle it.


    "It''s going to be fine. Just rx, rx!" The bald man took a deep breath and, following the rxation poses taught on a TV yoga program, he did several to calm himself down.


    Hey, it really worked!


    Once he calmed down, the bald man even began to reflect. The past few times, he had failed because of his carelessness, getting stung by wasps, chased by dogs, and ending up with a torn up behind from broken ss on a wall. So this time, he resolved to be well-prepared!


    He found a thick coat with a hood and put on a face mask, wrapping himself up snugly, ready for any wasps. Just to be safe, he also stuffed a can of mosquito repellent spray into the coat pocket.


    This spray could be used on wasps, but more importantly, it could act as a makeshift methrower. Mosquito repellent usually contains alcohol, which, when sprayed towards a lighter, creates a me-thrower effect.


    Besides that, he strapped an electric stun stick to his waist. Should he encounter a dog again, he''ll use the stun stick to zap it unconscious!


    After some thought, he still didn''t feel secure enough and filled his coat pockets with all kinds of small tools for survival and escape, such as a Swiss army knife, a thin wire for picking locks, emergency Yunnan Baiyao... he even packed arge chunk ofpressed biscuits...


    Once he had done all this, the clock on the wall showed half-past eleven, and outside, it had grownpletely dark. The bald man was in luck; the sky tonight was starless and moonless, pitch-ck¡ªperfect for mischief!


    "Huff huff!" The bald man took a deep breath and said to Zhou Jin, who was absorbed in ying online Landlord, "Mr. Zhou, I''m heading out!"


    He expressed himself with the gravitas of a martyr facing the end, hoping to receive some words of encouragement from Zhou Jin. However, Zhou Jin had justnded a good hand as the Landlord and was concentrating on his cards; without looking up, he waved his hand dismissively, "Go early ande back early. Don''t screw up again..."


    "Damn!" The bald man cursed in his heart, then turned around, flung open his trench coat, and strode into the night. If it weren''t for the mood-destroying mask he wore, he might have had the air of a certain underworld hero at that moment.


    Taking arge detour, he first climbed up the other side of Shuijun Lake''s back mountain, trudging through the nearly pathless mountain for over an hour, until nearly two in the morning, he finally arrived at the foot of the mountain on the other side.


    Because theke is right at the foot of the mountain, there is no surrounding wall within a range of one or two hundred meters. Once you reach the foot of the mountain, you are by thekeside. Through the swaying shadows of trees, the distant Shuijun Lake appeared extremely tranquil in the night, ripples like fish scales spread across the water surface, extending into the distance.


    The bald man cautiously scanned the surroundings. The dim woods were silent, showing no signs of anything unusual, and the most feared hos were nowhere to be seen. So he quickly took advantage of the darkness, jogging softly on the moist and muddy ground until he reached theke.


    Everything was normal! The bald man''s heart was half-eased. It seemed that today''s operation should be a great sess!


    He then took out something that resembled a walking stick from his coat, extended it into the water, and pressed a button on the back.


    This was a small fish lure device that emitted a sound wave to attract nearby fish. Although essentially a high-end toy¡ªnot guaranteed to draw fish and certainly not suitable forrge-scale fishing¡ªif one only needed a few fish as samples, the difficulty was not great.


    Dududu... The fish lure device made a faint sound. As the light on it blinked, ripples began to appear on theke''s surface. Judging from the waves, a big creature was swimming towards them.


    The bald man was pleased, keeping a poker face as he waited by theke. When the creature was about to reach the shore, the bald man, wearing rubber shoes, leapt into the water and grabbed hold of the big fish!


    "Huh? What''s this?" The bald man was stunned, feeling something hard, cool, and slightly prickly in his grip.


    Immediately following that, a surge of intense pain shot through the back of his hand. The water''s surface became stained with a patch of blood, as the bald man''s hand was viciously bitten by something!


    "Oh my god..." The pain brought tears to his eyes. He scrambled and rolled back onto the shore, and with the aid of his shlight, he saw that a chunk of flesh from the back of his hand was bitten off, the blood oozing out.


    But right now, he couldn''t care less about the pain; he was more terrified. What on earth was that mysterious creature in the pitch-ck water!


    Slowly, a fierce head emerged from the water, its cold gaze fixed on the bald man.


    "An alligator, damn it, how could there be an alligator here... Oh no, wait, what is this thing!"


    The creature in the water resembled an alligator, but when most of its body emerged, the bald man suddenly remembered¡ªit was the giant alligator turtle owned by Suming, which had once been featured on TV and was said to have acted as a ''lifeguard'' in Shuijun Lake.


    The alligator turtle had grown so huge, it was now nearly as big as a round table top. It looked like a small hill floating on the water, exuding an intense sense of oppression. Moreover, with its ferocious appearance, being stared at by an alligator turtle from a close distance was even scarier than encountering an alligator.


    In fact, that was true. A giant alligator turtle of such size, once it became aggressive, could be even more dangerous than an alligator.


    "Lucky I got to shore in time!" The bald man was relieved, but then he paused: Wait a minute, this creature is amphibious, it could also chase me ontond!


    *********


    PS: I''ve used up all the highlights for this week, more toe next week~~

 Chapter 179 The Mysterious Dog

    The bald man followed Zhou Jin in fish cultivation and gained some understanding of aquatic creatures; such a big-headed crocodile turtle, if it really came ashore, three of himself wouldn''t be enough for it to eat. Despite its four short legs, if it really started running, he couldn''t be sure he could outrun it!


    Gazing at the crocodile turtle''s cold little eyes, the bald man even had the illusion that this guy might be lying in ambush for him?!


    Fortunately, the crocodile turtle didn''t seem too interested in the bald man. After staring at him for a few times, it turned and swam toward the depths of Shuijun Lake. It wasn''t long before it had swum far away and disappeared below the water surface in the distance.


    "Huff, huff, huff..." The bald man was stunned for a long time before he finally came to his senses, the wound on the back of his hand burning with pain.


    He was lucky; it seemed the crocodile turtle hadn''t bitten down urately, otherwise, with its huge size, it could have easily bitten off his entire hand.


    After waiting a while longer and seeing that the crocodile turtle didn''t return, the bald man gritted his teeth, mustered his courage, and once again approached thekeside. He picked up the fish attractor, preparing to ce it into the water.


    Just a few seconds after he put it down, he heard light rustling footsteps from the woods behind him!


    In the quiet of the night, that sound was like thunder in the bald man''s ears. Already paranoid and anxious, the sound made his heart skip a beat, and he abruptly turned around to look back!


    He saw a yellow dog staggering out of the pitch-ck woods!


    "Where did this stray doge from?" the bald man wondered, startled.


    Fortunately, the dog wasn''t big, about the size of a country watchdog, not much taller than a small stool ¡ª not a threat at all. Aftering out of the woods, the yellow dog indifferently nced at the bald man, neither barking nor paying him any attention, and casually went to thekeside to drink water.


    "Scared me to death!"


    The bald man rolled his eyes and sat down by theke, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.


    "Doodle-doodle-doodle..." The sound of the fish attractor rang out again. This device was somewhat useful for fish, but not for other creatures. As the bald man squatted there drawing fish, the little yellow dog drank water a few meters away, coexisting peacefully without interfering with each other.


    Before long, rustling footsteps sounded from the woods behind him once again. This time, two dogs emerged, a Chihuahua and a Pekingese, but both were filthy dirty, appearing to be strays as well.


    The bald man found it odd and muttered, "What the hell, why are there so many strays in the woods?"


    The Chihuahua and the Pekingese were a bit more ''enthusiastic'' than the yellow dog, trotting over to the bald man''s feet and looking up at him.


    "Scram, get out of here!" the bald man snarled as he shook his fist menacingly. Such tiny creatures didn''t need an electric baton; one punch was enough to kill them.


    The two little dogs, displeased, ran off and settled at a distance, crouching down with their heads over the river''s surface, tonguespping up the water eagerly.


    And so, by thekeside, there was now one man and three dogs.


    But the event was far from over; strictly speaking, it had just begun!


    Minutes passed, and the bald man finally seeded in attracting a silver carp weighing about three to four pounds, but in the process, a Golden Retriever, a Samoyed, and a Dachshund came out of the woods in a group to drink water by the river.


    An idiot could tell something was off with so many dogs appearing all of a sudden. The bald man then remembered a piece of news he had seen recently; a zoo had rescued dozens of pet dogs and established a rescue area.


    It seemed very likely that these dogs were the ones that had been rescued.


    With this realization, the bald man was no longer as afraid. The most terrifying thing in the world is the unexined, but these were just pet dogs. No matter how many, they wouldn''t harm people, so there was nothing to fear.


    He didn''t have time to think too much, and continued to lure the fish, because stealing just one fish wouldn''t be enough to fulfill his task.


    Next, various dogs kept sauntering out of the woods; at one point, three Huskies dashed out and nearly scared Baldy to death. At first nce, he thought they were wolves.


    Before long, there were twenty or thirty dogs drinking water by theke. They were all very quiet, not a single dog barking, acting as if theypletely ignored Baldy.


    The sound of dozens of dogspping up water echospping sounds by thekeside, which was particrly eerie in the quiet of the night.


    Baldy was getting more and more anxious, his scalp tingling. This seemed inexplicable; besides, he felt that there was something off about these dogs'' expressions, but he couldn''t quite put his finger on what it was.


    If he really had to say, Baldy always felt these dogscked the cuteness typically found in pets, giving an impression of coldness and forbidding, like beasts; furthermore, the fact that dozens of dogs were drinking water on their own ord, without ying or fighting among each other, and not a single one barking, was just too odd!


    Even stranger, once these dogs finished drinking water, they didn''t leave but instead crouched by theke, silently staring at him.


    Too creepy!


    His heart was pounding faster and faster, forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart, and under the gaze of dozens of different dogs, he finally managed another ten or so minutes, catching seven or eight fish and clumsily stuffing them into a sack, just as he was about to stand up and leave.


    As he made his move, all the squatting dogs suddenly stood up in sync with his motion!


    "Damn it!" Baldy twitched the corners of his mouth and said with a face as pitiful as if he were about to cry, "Dear dog brothers and sisters, you''re not cats, you don''t eat fish. I''ve done no wrong by catching some fish, let''s not intrude on each other''s territory, okay? Well, I''ll be leaving now..."


    After speaking, he took out an electric baton, waved it threateningly a couple of times, and with heart thumping and trepidation, slowly backed away towards the woods.


    Just then, a cold breeze blew by, as if dispersing the clouds in the sky and revealing arge, round moon!


    Aoou! A high-pitched wolf howl resonated through the woods!


    Simultaneously, all of the dogs started to howl at the sky in unison! The sound of numerous footsteps, shadows upon shadows, dozens of dogs emerged from all directions, surrounding Baldy in the middle.


    The leader of the pack, a little fellow, wasn''t very tall, even smaller than the tworge wolfhounds next to it. However, bathed in the moonlight, Baldy could clearly discern that this was an undeniable wolf!


    "Goddamn!" Baldy bellowed, falling over with a thud, the fish spilling from the sack to flop around on the ground.


    Gazing at the dogs closing in from all sides, baring their teeth, Baldypletely lost hope. Now he was done for, the electric baton was no match for so many dogs and wolves! Not to mention others, even those tworge wolfhounds could take his life!


    Hang on, wait a minute, those two wolfhounds look familiar... Holy sh*t, aren''t those Hei and Erhei?


    "Baldy bro, what a coincidence, we meet again."


    Just then, a figure emerged from the woods, smiling and greeting Baldy cheerfully.


    *****************


    PS: Regarding the updates, some friends have mentioned that they''re too few. Please understand that for the past three months, this book has been updated twice every day without a break; this week is the big push, and after the push, it will be put on sale. After going on sale, there will be an explosion of updates.


    No problem with the explosion, as long as everyone subscribes, we will definitely try our best to burst burst burst. Just don''t let it be that I do all the bursting, but then no one subscribes; that would be too tragic~~

 Chapter 180 Dont Cry Anymore

    There was no need to see a face; just by the voice, Baldy knew it was Suming! He was all too familiar with this hateful sound, as it seemed every time he heard it, he was in for some bad luck.


    Suming walked through the pack of dogs with a chuckle, approached the dumbstruck Baldy, squatted down beside him, patted his cheek, and said, "Baldy, what brings you to my ce in the middle of the night?" After that, he nced at Baldy''s still-bleeding hand andughed, "Next time, give me a heads-up beforeing, so you don''t have to suffer getting chased by dogs and bitten by turtles."


    Baldy originally wanted to talk tough or make some excuse, but when it came to it, he somehow couldn''t bring himself to speak, instead feeling a surge of sadness from within.


    What followed was quite a bizarre scene, as Baldy stared at Suming for a few seconds and then suddenly burst into tears!


    This even baffled Sumingpletely, "Come on, you''re a grown man, and you''ve been a tough guy who''s hacked people as a city manager. I didn''t hit you, I didn''t curse at you, so why the hell are you crying?"


    "Hey, hey, Baldy, don''t be scared, don''t be scared, I''m not going to hit you, not going to hit you," Suming scratched his head, thinking, this isn''t how it''s supposed to go, you''re supposed to wait until after I''ve tortured you before you start crying.


    Ever since Su Meng had followed Zhu Chenggui and found out that he went straight from the zoo to Huating Reservoir, Suming had been sure that it was Zhou Jin''s doing. Of course, he couldn''t predict exactly what Zhou Jin would do next; he could only spread bee sentries around Shuijun Lake: Even though Er Gouzi was not around, there were still plenty of other bees in Hundred Flowers Valley.


    In the middle of the night, the bees didn''t notice anything unusual, but the dogs ying in the back mountain discovered Baldy''s tracks. The German Shepherd brothers immediately informed Suming.


    At that moment, Suming considered the situation. In the dead of the night, in the wilderness, it would have been quite easy to kill Baldy.


    But such an action, other than providing personal satisfaction, would hold no real significance. Instead, it could put him in a disadvantageous situation. Even if Baldy died, Zhou Jin could easilye up with other schemes. There was logic to a thief fearing every day, but no logic to expecting someone to guard every day. Explore stories at empire


    Besides, in all the skirmishes with Baldy and Zhou Jin, they were always the ones to suffer losses, while Suming didn''t suffer even the slightest. There was absolutely no need for ''getting even.''


    It would be better to use Baldy for something else. He had deliberately arranged for the dogs to scare him first, and then discuss other matters. He didn''t expect Baldy to break down so quickly, which left him at a loss for words as all the threats and bribes he''d prepared were left unsaid, and he just watched Baldy cry.


    The guy was usually tough, but once he started crying, he was like a woman, sobbing while mumbling incessantly.


    "Mr. Su, to tell you the truth, I really didn''t want to oppose you... it''s all that bastard Zhou Jin forcing me..."


    "I feel miserable, so wronged... I''ve been stung by wasps until I''m barely recognizable... My butt still has a row of cuts from ss... wuwu..."


    "That bastard Zhou Jin... Despite me risking my life for him, he doesn''t have a single word of praise..."


    Baldy was sobbing and babbling, which left Suming at a loss for words too. If it were a woman crying, he might have had some way to handle it, but with a man, and an ex-gangster who had been an enemy no less, crying like this in front of him, it was totally awkward.


    "Should I offer him a tissue or something?" Suming thought about it and decided against it, finding the thought too dreadful to contemte. It was just too creepy!


    After waiting a while longer, with Baldy still sobbing non-stop, Suming finally couldn''t stand it anymore and pped him on the forehead, "Damn it, if you keep wailing like this, I''ll bury you today!"


    And believe it or not, that worked. Baldy stopped crying immediately.


    He looked at the dogs around him, then at Suming, and finally deted like a punctured ball, "Ah, Mr. Su, at this point, there''s nothing I can''t say. I realizedst time that you''re no ordinary person! I''ve long since wanted to stop causing you trouble, it''s all that bastard Zhou Jin..."


    "Get to the point!" Suming said.


    "Here''s the thing..." The bald man spilled the beans and narrated everything about the situation.


    ...


    "Damn it, I knew this bald-headed guy was unreliable, can''t even manage to steal a couple of fish properly!"


    The next afternoon, Zhou Jin was furiously berating everyone. The bald man had vanished sincest night, and by now, nearly twenty hourster, he still hadn''t returned. Not only was he physically absent, but he also wasn''t answering calls or replying to text messages, as if he had disappeared from the face of the Earth.


    "Mr. Zhou, could it be that the bald brother got caught by the zoo and was sent to the police station?" one of the underlings wondered.


    "Who''s talking nonsense out there!" Suddenly, the bald man''s voice came from outside the door, swiftly followed by the door being flung open. The bald man entered, sopping wet and carrying arge snakeskin bag, which he dropped heavily on the floor.


    He red at the person who had spoken before turning to Zhou Jin with his head held high, "Mr. Zhou, I''ve got the fish back!"


    "What took you so long?" Zhou Jin asked, frowning, his gazending on the thick bandage around the bald man''s palm.


    "Mr. Zhou, you have no idea, I almost didn''t make it back. It was so bizarre, luckily I was smart and prepared! Last night, while I was catching fish, guess what I ran into?"


    "Cut to the chase, stop beating around the bush!" Zhou Jin said impatiently.


    "You remember that alligator snapping turtle, the one that was reported before, right? It''s in Shuijun Lake! I got bitten by the damn turtle, and my phone fell into the water too. So I went to the hospital first to get a couple of drips to prevent infection beforeing back here," the bald man exined.


    Zhou Jin didn''t care whether the bald man had caught an infection or not and asked, "You didn''t get caught by the zoo staff, did you?"


    "No chance, I took the route you told me, going through the back mountain. It''s really safe there, not a soul in sight."


    "Alright, enough talk. Get those fish out; I need to have them checked to see if there''s anything wrong with them!"


    Not long after, a small car drove out of the vi, with Zhou Jin and the seven or eight fish ''stolen'' by the bald man leaving Huating Reservoir, heading towards the city''s animal quarantine agency.


    The bald man and a few other underlings stayed behind at the vi, with nothing to do. The bald man fired up theputer to y online cards, but before he had yed many hands, he mmed the mouse down on the table and cursed, "What the hell is with this shitty inte connection, can''t even y a game of Fight the Landlord without itgging!"


    A fellow underling who was in charge of managing thepany''sputers snickered and said, "Bald brother, it''s probably because you''ve downloaded too many videos, must''ve got a virus."


    "Fuck!" the bald man stood up, annoyed, and said, "Hurry up and fix this damnputer. What''s the password for Mr. Zhou''s officeputer, I''ll go use his to y?"


    The underling hesitated for a moment but then said, "123456."


    "Fuck, how do you manageputers with that kind of password, it''s as good as having none!" the bald man cursed and then went upstairs into Zhou Jin''s office.

 Chapter 181 Conspiracy Brewing

    The bald man was almost driven to copse by the pack of dogs, and this was not without reason. If he indeed encountered a pack of wolves, he would be scared too, might even wet his pants, but that fear certainly wouldn''t match the shock these dogs gave him.


    The more docile a person or animal usually is, the more terrifying it bes when it turns to the other extreme. Just like a fluffy little sheep, if one day you suddenly see it with a mouth full of blood, gnawing on another sheep, that would be scarier than seeing a wolf eating a sheep, even though the action is the same, but the former goes beyond people''s psychological expectations and tolerance.


    Zhou Jin had gotten the fish and these past two days he had been so busy that he barely touched the ground. He first took them to the city''s Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center for a check and was overjoyed with the results, the fish indeed containedrge quantities of hormones.


    To be on the safe side, he even went to the provincial capital to find the agricultural science academy''s animal inspection station for a confirmation.


    After two days, the final certification finally came out.


    Both the provincial and city-level inspection agencies found various residual artificial hormones in the fish that were tested, mainly urea and diamine, and also a portion of ****ketone!


    There have long been rumors on the inte about aquaculture farmers feeding fish and shrimp contraceptives, but this statement isn''t urate and falls under the category of rumors. For one, doing this is too expensive and not worth the cost; secondly, for most fish and shrimp, taking contraceptives not only doesn''t promote faster growth but can in fact affect their growth.


    But this rumor wasn''t without basis.


    There were indeed a few unscrupulous breeders who, for the sake of making fish and shrimp grow faster and bigger, did indeed add various hormones to the feed! After eating it, the fish would balloon in size crazily, just like the ones in Shuijun Lake, growing several pounds in half a year, and appearing very healthy at a nce.


    Clearly, if people ate these hormone-grown fish, it would definitely affect their health, and could even cause serious diseases and hidden dangers! Therefore, this practice has always been prohibited by the state.


    "No wonder this guy''s fish grow so fast!" On the way back to Yangchuan City from the provincial capital, Zhou Jin was extremely excited. After passing two levels of inspection, there was no doubt about the result!


    With this huge leverage in his hands, even if Suming had powerful backing, he was bound to fall. Perhaps, even the zoo might be implicated because of this!


    Of course, plotting someone''s downfall is a profound knowledge.


    The same incident, with different methods of execution, yields different effects. Zhou Jin had been in the mix for decades, climbing up from the bottom of society, dealing with everyone from petty thugs to government leaders and social elites. When it came to the experience of ying the social game, he was definitely rich.


    Now that he had a significant leverage in his hands, Zhou Jin actually calmed down. He decided that he must carefully n a fatal blow to Suming this time,pletely break him down so he could never get back up again.


    The gears were slowly beginning to turn.


    Suming was now one of the top leaders of the zoo with his own office. That day, he was drinking tea and reading the newspaper in his office when he casually turned the page. There was a news piece of modest length that caught his attention.


    "Nine-year-old girl''s breast development"


    As a major sleaze, seeing this title made Suming''s eyes light up, and he couldn''t help but read on.


    The content of the news was brief, and he quickly finished reading it. It was about an incident in another city, where a nine-year-old girl with chest pain was taken to the hospital and discovered, to her parents'' shock, that she had developed breasts. Although girls do tend to develop earlier nowadays, it should still ur after the onset of menstruation, at least at eleven or twelve years old. This ismon sense that everybody knows. A nine-year-old girl barely has any body hair, so what is there to develop?


    After a series of examinations, the hospital found that the girl had far too much estrogen.


    Thus the parents started looking for the cause. The girl quite liked seafood, and tracing the clue back to the market, many of the crabs sold by the fish farmers were found to have been erged with hormones.


    Suming had been waiting for several days and finally got a piece of news rted to hormones and aquaculture. After reading it, he felt that the news was very familiar, as if it wasn''t the first time he''d seen it. So, he looked it up online and it turned out to be news from several years ago, which somehow got revived.


    Interestingly, this several-year-old news, published in a small section on the fourth page of the newspaper, had somehow garnered quite a bit of attention.


    First, there was a buzz in the Yangchuan City forum; the Food and Health sections were flooded with posts about hormone-induced breeding.


    "Hormone-fed pork, causing man to be sterile!"


    "How to correctly identify fish products boosted with growth promoters!"


    "Sterility-inducing baby cucumbers!"


    "Don''t just pop cold medicine, or you might turn into a busty babe!"


    "Why is a 70-year-old grandpa ying with.. his joystick every night? Turns out it''s because he took hormone-containing health products!"


    ...


    Sensational and eye-catching headlines like these weren''t limited to fish products; they covered almost every type of food one might encounter in life - chicken, duck, fish, eggs, cucumbers, carrots, vegetables, and even some health supplements and medications.


    But all of these issues pointed decisively to one thing: hormones.


    To be more precise, it was about illegal hormone additives.


    Besides their shocking headlines, these posts were apanied by many disturbing images, such as girls whose breasts were bigger than their heads, or old men whose faces were withered due to an overload of who-knows-what.


    Those were the mild ones, some pictures of food and people looked as if they had been radiated by a nuclear bomb, and were simply nauseating to look at.


    Netizen reactions to this were mixed.


    "Have somemon sense, will you? Hormones don''t work on nts!" That''s a science buff, who listed a ton of data and chemical forms below.


    Some people pointed out that many of these posts were several years old and had already been debunked, like the one about ''a young woman eating raw tomatoes and then bing uncontrobly aroused, attacking her father-inw.'' That story is clearly a hoax. Even if tomatoes did contain hormones, could they really have such a strong effect?


    Yet, many others couldn''t help but feel a wave of panic. After all, this issue was tightly linked to everyone''s daily lives, dealing with it every day, the inevitable cycle of buying groceries, cooking, and doing nature''s call.


    "Reject hormoneden food, advocate for all-natural!"


    "Scared the hell out of me, from now on I''ll just grow my own veggies in the courtyard..."


    "What if I don''t have a yard? Am I supposed to nt broli in a flowerpot?"


    "What about chicken, duck, fish, and meat? You can''t possibly raise these yourself, can you?"


    "Sigh, it alles down to luck then. I can only pray to God that I don''t buy any hormone-contaminated food! There''s a little sister in my family, if she gets affected, we''re doomed!"


    Some saw a business opportunity amidst the chaos: "Selling homemade fertilizer, fresh and spicy poo, guaranteed all-natural, stinky as hell, free shipping my dear, it''s still warm upon delivery..."


    "My four decades of virginity finallye in handy, aged virgin urine, guaranteed to make your bok choy grow healthy and tender..."


    "Once I''ve got the money, I''m emigrating. This country is too dangerous!"


    "Don''t worry, I grew up on Tri-Cow milk powder, got vinated with expired shots, and Love for Life is munching on gutter oil-fried skewers while strolling through the first haze of the morning. I''m invincible, a little bit of hormones is nothing to me!"


    Discover stories at empire


    Suming had almost scrolled through all the posts. The inte nowadays really left one speechless, any topic could deviate and spiral into wild tangents.


    However, no matter what, the interest of many citizens was indeed drawn to the ''food hormone'' issue. In just a few days, the number of posts about hormones had exploded to over a hundred on the Yangchuan Forum, almost monopolizing the health and dietary sections. Just about any rted post got thousands or even tens of thousands of clicks, the interest rivaling the craze Suming once created with his money-attracting cat and the fish-riding stunt.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 182 This is Far from Enough

    "Interesting," Suming watched hisputer screen, his eyes whirling around.


    It was tough on Zhou Jin, a guy nearing fifty years old, with no more than a middle school education, actually knowing to utilize the inte to drum up support.


    "But, if it''s just that, it''s still far from enough," Suming said, grinning mischievously as he stroked his chin.


    ng! The door was pushed open heavily from the outside.


    "Who''s that, barging into the leader''s office without knocking?!" Suming rolled his eyes.


    "Knock your head!" Nangong Yan stomped in wearing her high boots, saying as she did and actually knocked on Suming''s forehead quite painfully.


    "Ouch!" Suming clutched his forehead, wincing in pain, "Are you sick?! I''m a leader here, dare toy hands on me again, and believe it or not, I will deal with you on the spot!"


    "You think you can? Bring it on!" Nangong Yan stood with her hands on her hips and her chest out, tilting her chin up in a challenging manner.


    "Forget it, it''s not a good look during the day," Suming said as he went over to close the office door. "What brings you here?"


    Suming felt quite frustrated. In the past months, he had changed a lot, and so had Nangong Yan. Even though she used to be a stubborn miss, she was quite shy when it came to matters between men and women and used to try to be gentle around him; but now, she waspletely the bossy CEO type, resorting to the violence approach... This wasn''t a good development.


    "What brings you here all of a sudden?"


    "Have you been on Yangchuan forumstely? The inte is going crazy over the issue of hormones in food," Nangong Yan said with an unusually serious tone, staring at Suming, "Your fish grow so fast, you haven''t been using hormones, have you!"


    "How could I! Big sister, you forgot, I eat them myself!" Suming said.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    That reminded Nangong Yan. She sometimes visited Whisperwind Pavilion, iming to help Suming cook and do chores, but in reality, she came to mooch food and drink. It was mostly Suming who cooked, while sheid on a little rocking chair on the Fengshui Pavilion tform, holding a cat and sunbathing like andlord''s wife. Some of those meals had indeed been fish.


    "Hmph, you''ve got some conscience at least! I''m telling you, if you dare to make unscrupulous money, I''ll have nothing to do with you in the future!" Nangong Yan grumbled, then sat down on the sofa opposite Suming.


    "Big sister, am I that kind of person? Obviously not!" The weather was freezing, and Nangong Yan''s little face was as red as a persimmon. Suming poured her a cup of hot tea and asked, "What''s the rush? What made youe running here?"


    Nangong Yan wrapped her hands around the cup of tea to warm them and sniffled twice before saying, "The hormone issue has been making a lot of noisetely. The TV station might make a special program on it, and they want me to host it. I came today to get things straight first, in case there''s a problem with your fish..."


    "Hehe, after all, you still care about me," Suming said with a chuckling smile. She hade all the way in the cold just to give him a heads up, telling him that the TV station was starting to pay attention to the hormone issue. Yangchuan City TV Station was the mouthpiece of Yangchuan City Government, and the station''s involvement meant the government''s shadow loomed in the background.


    "Give me a break!" Nangong Yan snorted. "Well, since your fish are fine, I should ept it then."


    "No, don''t! You really shouldn''t!" Suming quickly shook his head. "You mustn''t take on that program!"


    Nangong Yan found it very strange and opened her eyes wide in confusion, "Why? Don''t you know that these kind of social issue programs are very popr? In the TV station, there are several female hosts like me who all want to present this special program. Everyone''s been fighting over it behind the scenes. Others are dying for the chance, so why won''t you let me do it?"


    Nangong Yan also had her regr job to do, and in the TV station''spetitive environment, it wasmon for hosts to engage in overt and covert battles. She had been rising quicklytely, which inevitably drew the envy of some other hosts. The programs most likely to yield sess and fame were those covering social issues and entertainment. Like the previous food programs, one might work on them forever without gaining recognition, but with these hot-topic programs, just a few episodes might make you an overnight sensation. So, naturally, there waspetition among the hosts.


    "Not letting you do the program is for your own good." Suming hummed with a coldugh, "This isn''t as simple as it looks on the surface. Better steer clear for now. Who knows, getting involved might just bring bad luck to whoever touches it."


    Hearing Suming say this, Nangong Yan took his face in her hands, studying him for a while and pouting, "Fess up, are you the one messing things up behind the scenes!" Your next read awaits at empire


    "Hehehe, all I''ll say is, bad people won''te to a good end." Suming grinned, "Come on, give me a kiss first."


    "Stop it." Nangong Yan dodged swiftly and tapped Suming on the forehead before speaking seriously again, "But right now, the station only has this n and might not necessarily go through with the program. We''ll have to see the ultimate impact of the issue. You know how the inte is nowadays, with new news popping up every few days, this might just cool down after a while."


    "That won''t do!" Suming spoke earnestly, "How could we pass up such a big social event? It''s sure to happen!"


    "Cut it out, you''re not the station manager to be so sure," Nangong Yan said.


    Sumingughed, "Although I''m not your station manager, I can assure you that this matter won''t just end here. Just wait and see, it''s going to get bigger and bigger."


    ...


    While Suming and Nangong Yan were goofing around in the office, there was also a bustling scene of activity in the small vi of Huating Fisheries Company.


    The vi''s first-floor hall looked like an inte caf¨¦, with seven or eightputers set up. Cables stretched across the floor like a dense spider web, as a bald man and his gang were all focused on theirputers online.


    In just a couple of days, a group of thugs had been trained by Zhou Jin to act as a cyber troop. They scoured the inte for all sorts of posts about food hormones, spreading them on Yangchuan forums, and creating numerous sock puppet ounts toment and add fuel to the fire.


    It wasn''t just them; Zhou Jin also mobilized some other friends from society and, on the bald man''s suggestion, secretly hired some professional cyber troops to make a big noise. This rapidly turned the hormone issue into a hot topic within just a few days.


    The strategy of creating momentum was actually inspired by Suming, which Zhou Jin picked up from him.


    As the saying goes, ''Know the enemy and know yourself, and you will never be defeated.'' Zhou Jin and all other grassroots heroes, who may not have had much formal education, were well-versed in epics like the ''Three Kingdoms'' and ''Water Margin'' and drew many strategic and tactical inspirations from them.


    Zhou Jin had carefully studied Suming and found that the keyponent in all of Suming''s recent sesses: creating momentum. Before doing anything, Suming would first use the inte, television, and other media to build up ''momentum'' to the fullest, then strike like lightning, achieving maximum impact.


    Thus, in Zhou Jin''s n, creating momentum was a focus of substantial effort.


    "Very good, but this is far from enough!" Zhou Jin stood on the second-floor corridor, like a hero, full of vigour, and gestured vigorously towards the floor below!

 Chapter 183 Thorough Fermentation

    When ites to the speed of information dissemination, newspapers and television have actually be outdated; today''s youth hardly pay attention to those media, with some even opting out of owning a television. As for Inte forums, their influence is waning, too. Just look at the once-popr Haijiao forum, which is now nearly overrun with advertisements.


    Q is still in use, but mostly as a tool for casual chats among friends or for work purposes.


    Today, the hottest tform is undoubtedly WeChat Moments. With just a smartphone and Inte ess, you can use it anywhere you go, without being tied to aputer. Furthermore, Moments has an incredible ability to spread content¡ªposts with even a smidgen of humor or novelty can spread like a contagious disease, jumping from one friend to many, from one circle to another...


    Enjoy new chapters from empire


    In short, it''s a modern device that can spread information to thousands of people overnight. Even those of Zhou Jin''s age know that to build momentum, you cannot do without this little thing!


    In just two or three days, residents of Yangchuan City found that their Moments werepletely swamped with an article titled "Your Silence Makes You An Aplice: The Agony of Hormones."


    "We live in this city, and like all humans around the world, we must eat and drink to survive. We go to the markets to buy vegetables, shop at supermarkets, and over time, we''ve grown ustomed to the food we purchase, instinctively believing that since we''ve paid for it, since it''s sold in government-approved stores, it should be healthy...


    At least, it should be safe...


    However, how many people realize that with every bite of food, we are gambling with our own health and that of our families!"


    ...


    "For our elderly parents, for our innocent children, starting with me, I refuse hormones! Report hormone-tainted food! Demand severe punishment for unscrupulous vendors who add hormones!"


    "I don''t need your ''likes,'' please forward this message!"


    "Every share you make could unknowingly save a family!"


    "


    The article was several thousand words long and appealed to emotions dramatically, ardently raising the issue of hormones in food.


    The article didn''t contain highly specialized scientific knowledge, nor did it pinpoint who was responsible for adding hormones. Instead, it used a fragmentary approach, collecting many tragic cases caused by the consumption of hormoneden food, and paired them with heart-wrenching images to construct the article.


    Intentionally or not, most of the cases featured in the article shared twomonalities.


    Firstly, the victims in these cases were mostly children. In civilized societies, nothing tugs at the heartstrings like children''s issues. Coupled with shocking photos of the afflicted children, these stories instantly stirred the emotions of every parent;


    Secondly, whether by coincidence or not, most of the cases were linked to aquatic products, particrly themon "big four" family of fish found in markets. nts, on the other hand, were not mentioned, as anyone with a bit of sense or who took the time to do a little research would know that using hormones to expedite the growth of nts is unreliable. This omission inadvertently lent the article credibility, and as freshwater fish, especially the "big four," are widely consumed, the story had the potential to influence thergest possible audience.


    Nobody knew who first posted the article or where it originated. But within just two days, it had touched the nerves of everyone, and any person with an ounce of conscience feltpelled to share it. It was impossible to count how many times it had been forwarded or reached the number of Moments feed.


    One thing was certain, as soon as you opened WeChat Moments, the article was there to be seen.


    There''s no denying that the article was well written¡ªeasy to understand, emotive, and persuasive.


    Another day or two passed, and the impact of the article had spread beyond Yangchuan City to the whole province and even the entire country.


    The most direct consequence was that the fisheries market in Yangchuan, the origin, took a significant hit! Fish in the markets simply wouldn''t sell; fish that used to sell for over ten yuan, now couldn''t even get buyers at half the price. People weren''t just reluctant to buy¡ªthey were even afraid to ept fish as a gift.


    As for seafood ordered in big restaurants, that number dwindled even more. When you buy fish to cook yourself, at least you can see the live fish and have control over the cooking process. But in restaurants, where fish is served already cooked, who knows what kind of fish it is, whether it contains hormones, or if anything unsanitary was added during cooking.


    For Suming here, the fish market hadn''t even opened, and his orders from severalrge restaurants had already dropped by more than half.


    It wasn''t just Suming''s Shuijun Lake that was affected; sales for Huating Reservoir''s fishery also plummeted. However, rtive to Shuijun Lake, Huating Reservoir fared slightly better. Zhou Jin had been in the industry for many years, had extensive connections, and could sell to other regions if Yangchuan''s market slumped, or even at low prices to neighboring countries if necessary.


    Of course, the situation was only slightly less grim; the overall market downturn was devastating, and the reservoir''s sales volume was still heavily impacted, not even reaching one-fifth of the usual figures at this time of year.


    This was a ssic lose-lose situation. If this continued, this winter would be an exceedingly harsh one for the fisheries market in Yangchuan City and possibly even the entire country.


    Meanwhile, there was a strong public outcry, demanding a rigorous inspection of the food market, especially the aquatic products market, to provide an exnation to the residents.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Exnation my ass!" Wang Jian She cursed in his office. How did such an inexplicable situation arise out of nowhere? Currently, there were no reports of anyone in Yangchuan suffering from hormone-rted illnesses; in other words, there was no responsible party to be found, so what was there to exin?


    Sometimes the government feels quite aggrieved too¡ªno matter what happens, big or small, if the public is unhappy, they vent their frustration at the government. This issue had blown up a bit too much, almost bing national news, and investigations traced the source back to Yangchuan. As Wang Jian She was in charge of Yangchuan City''s agriculture, forestry, and fishery sectors, he was the one who ended up being med for this mess.


    "Wang,ining won''t help us now," Mr. Sun, the almost-retired deputy mayor, waved his hand. "The urgent task is to solve the problem and ensure that the public has ess to fish they can trust, to meat they can feel safe about!"


    "I know, senior leader, I''m just venting a bit in front of you. Once I step out of this door, facing the media, facing the public, of course, I can''tin about anything," Wang Jian She sighed, smiling wryly and gesturing towards the office door.


    "There''s this deputy chairman of the Fisheries Association named Zhou Jin who has proposed a special measure in response to this incident and presented it to the city authorities. They think it''s a good idea, and I wanted to get your thoughts on it," Mr. Sun exined.

 Chapter 184 Industry Self-Inspection

    Yangchuan Fisheries Association is a non-governmental organization formed spontaneously by breeders and does not yet have a real chairman. Severalrge breeders act as vice-chairmen and discuss matters together when necessary.


    "Oh? What proposal?" Wang Jian She was slightly taken aback and somewhat surprised as he took the proposal from Mr. Sun''s hands. It seemed that Mr. Sun had specificallye to discuss the feasibility of this proposal with him today.


    The content of the proposal wasn''t long, less than three pages, and Wang Jian She quickly read through it.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "Do you think it''s feasible?" Mr. Sun asked.


    After a moment of contemtion, Wang Jian She said, "If we''re looking at the proposal itself, I think it''s feasible. Having the industry itself take the lead in self-inspection is probably the best approach."


    Mr. Sun nodded in agreement, "We''re on the same page here."


    "However, regarding Zhou Jin in this proposal..." Wang Jian She hesitated slightly, half as if seeking guidance and half as if discussing, and said, "I''ve heard his reputation isn''t very good. If he''s in charge of this, might there be unexpected adverse effects, causing unnecessaryplications?"


    Mr. Sun grunted in acknowledgment, paced around the office twice with his hands behind his back, and finally said, "Wang, let''s just worry about the present. Besides, Zhou Jin does have some prestige in the Fisheries Association."


    "All right, I agree with this proposal. If there''s anything you need my side to coordinate with, you can tell him toe directly to me," Wang Jian She said.


    "I hope this issue can be resolved smoothly, so we both can give a good ount of ourselves to those above us. I''ll have my secretary give Zhou Jin a heads up. If he handles this well, the municipalmittee will remember his contribution," said Mr. Sun, his words carrying an implicit meaning. If handled well, it naturally meant promotion and wealth; but if Zhou Jin took the initiative to solve the hormones issue and messed it up, he might have to bear the brunt of the me.


    To put it in a rather clich¨¦d way, this was both an opportunity and a challenge.


    After all, the reason Mr. Sun and Wang Jian She had agreed to the proposal after discussing it for half a day was not because of its excellence, but because, at times when the government couldn''te forward, there was someone willing to "share the government''s worries" without implicating the government. This allowed the government to always stay behind the scenes, retaining the initiative, able to advance or retreat as necessary.


    ...


    "Dear citizens and viewers, hello, this is Yangchuan City TV Station''s special program on food safety. I''m the host, Shen Meng. Recently, the issue of hormones in food has gone viral online, causing some panic among the popce. Today, we have invited the vice-chairman of Yangchuan City United Fisheries Association and the leader of Huating Fisheries Company, Zhou Jin, as our guest,"


    After the charming hostess with slightly narrow and sharp eyes finished speaking, the camera shifted to a neatly dressed middle-aged man sitting diagonally across from her, Zhou Jin himself.


    "Hello everyone." Zhou Jin sat upright with the demeanour of an honorable man, nodding slightly towards the camera, and said, "As the host has mentioned, food safety issues concern everyone''s health and cannot be taken lightly."


    "So, as the vice-chairman of Yangchuan Fisheries Association, what is your view on this matter?" the host, Yang Meng, asked.


    Nangong Yan was also sitting in Suming''s office watching the television, grumbling discontentedly, "Seeing Yang Meng''s face just annoys me. She''s psychologically twisted, always making life difficult for neers. When I first started at the TV station, I had to put up with so much from her! What, just because she''s got an affair with a station leader..."


    "When I make it big one day and buy your TV station, that''s when, if you have an affair with me, you can then give her hell!" Suming joked.


    On the TV, Zhou Jin continued, "I personally run an aquaculturepany, so I am extremely concerned about this issue. After the incident, I immediately sought out relevant experts, and I want to start by debunking a myth for everyone here, the issue with hormones generally doesn''t exist in nts, so everyone can rest assured when consuming nt products."


    Continue reading at empire


    "What about animals?" the host asked knowingly.


    "Right, animals can definitely be affected by hormones. Fish, in particr, can be influenced by even a small amount of hormones in the water, which means from a cost perspective, fish farming is actually the most likely to use hormones. I think that''s one of the reasons why the host invited me here today, haha."


    The host smiled and nodded, "That''s exactly right. This hormone scandal has not only caused panic among citizens but has also had a huge impact on you and the entire aquaculture market of Yangchuan City. As the vice president of the Yangchuan Fisheries Association, and with your Huating Reservoir being thergest freshwater fish farm in Yangchuan City, do you have any strategies in ce?"


    "Oh, just a few days ago, on behalf of the entire Yangchuan Fisheries Association, I proposed a motion suggesting that the Yangchuan Fisheries Association take the lead in conducting aprehensive inspection of all fish farmers within Yangchuan City who are above a certain scale. Also, to reassure the public, the entire process of the inspection will be made public, broadcasting live on-site so that the citizens can see the truth in real-time! Just before I came to the studio, the association had already had a meeting to develop the inspection process and n, and we have invited scientists from both provincial and city levels to form an expert group, with full apaniment and coordination by the association, and the live broadcast will be carried out by Yangchuan City TV Station!"


    "That is great news! If safety can be assured at the source, then citizens will surely feel much more at ease when making purchases," the host said with a smile. "Now there are over a dozen fish farms in Yangchuan City, where do you n to start?"


    "As a socially responsible entrepreneur, I would suggest starting with my Huating Reservoir," Zhou Jin said.


    "Good, let''s give Mr. Zhou a round of apuse for his selflessness! Finally, I have one more question, if any issues are found at a fish farm during the inspections, what kind of penalties will there be?"


    "Firstly, the Fisheries Association will impose the strictest economic penalties and expose those involved, adding them to the supplier cklist. At the same time, we will make the evidence public and hand it over tow enforcement agencies, and for those suspected of illegal activities, the government departments will initiate legal proceedings."


    Zhou Jin''s statements on TV quickly spread through various channels.


    In the past, when simr issues arose, the TV station would sometimes conduct undercover investigations, such as the annual March 15th consumer rights day programs, but never once did they use a live broadcast format!


    That meant everything urring during the investigations, every word of each participant, every detail, would be presented to the audience just as it was.


    There are no secrets under the sun, and the audience is not foolish; as long as the inspection is broadcast live, it will be very difficult to y any tricks, or at least the difficulty of ying tricks will increase substantially, especially when the hormone issue has already been fervently highlighted in the public eye, nobody would take the enormous risk for one or two fish farms.


    Furthermore, in front of countless viewers, once any issue is found at a fish farm, no matter what the identity or background of the owner, they will inevitably face the most severe penalties.


    As soon as the news of live broadcasting came out, it signified that the administrators were serious, undoubtedly rejuvenating spirits and quickly attracting a significant amount of attention. It wasn''t only the residents of Yangchuan City but also the whole province and even the entire country that turned their focus to the small Yangchuan City TV Station.


    Although the live broadcast hadn''t started yet, the ratings of various shows on Yangchuan City TV Station had evidently increased a lot over thest few days.

 Chapter 185 Initial Victory

    ```


    The onlinemunity also maintained a huge level of interest.


    "Three dayster, the truth will surface!"


    "Stay tuned, exterminate the pests!"


    "The nation''s yer is about to emerge!"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The information of over a dozen notable breeding households in Yangchuan City was dug up and shared online, leading manyizens to specte about which families might be affected, sparking a lot of discussion and verbal sparring.


    Under the watchful eyes of the public, the vigorous inspection activity finallymenced one winter noon.


    "Leader, the viewership has been climbing since morning and has now reached 32.76%, and it''s still rising!" Yang Meng reported to the station''s leadership through themunicator.


    "Excellent, we''ll start the live broadcast now!" An excited voice came from the other end of themunicator. The broadcast hadn''t even officially started, yet the viewership had already soared, breaking several records along the way! Even the actual viewership of CCTV''s Spring Festival G wasn''t this high.


    Of course, the Spring Festival G team would definitely report higher numbers.


    "Hello, everyone. I''m Yang Meng from Yangchuan Television Station. Now, apanied by Mr. Zhou from Yangchuan Fisheries Association and two experts from the province, we have brought professional testing equipment to the scenic Huating Fisheries Company..."


    Yang Meng briefly introduced Huating Fisheries Company, like she was presenting an advertisement. Then, the two experts boarded a fishing boat with the camera crew and randomly casts usingputer-selected coordinates, hauling in dozens of pounds of various freshwater fish.


    Next, the two experts in front of the camera meticulously tested the fish that were caught. The tests were designed to be visually intuitive, using thetest equipment to disy clear digital readings of various element levels within the fish. If any level exceeded the limit, the testing device would instantly rm.


    After a busy afternoon, all the fish that had been caught were finally tested, and the testing device''s numbers had always been the safe green. This meant that there was no issue of hormone levels exceeding limits in the fish from Huating Fisheries Company.


    Not only were there no hormone excesses, but the data also proved that the fish from Huating Fisheries, in terms of nutrition and meat quality, were slightly better than ordinary wild fish, offering good edible value.


    Huating Fisheries Company passed the safety inspection, and the entire city breathed a sigh of relief. As Yangchuan City''srgest fishery supplier, if there had been a problem with its fish, it would mean that most of the fish consumed in Yangchuan over the years contained hormones.


    The television station was ecstatic; the program''s viewership hit its peak during the broadcast, breaking through 35%! It was expected that no other program would surpass this viewership for a long time.


    This also directly reflected the level of attention from viewers across the city, province, and entire nation regarding the incident!


    After the broadcast, the inte was filled with praise that same evening.


    "Raise fish with a conscience, be a person with a conscience!"


    "Decisive action, appropriate handling,mendations to the Fisheries Association!"


    "Don''t eat fish this winter, but if you do, make it Huating''s fish!"


    ```


    And many continued to specte, who among the remaining fish farmersmitted such a disgraceful act?


    In the following days, the Fisheries Association, the television station, and experts tirelessly investigated each farm! They even stationed people to guard the fish ponds 24 hours a day to prevent any tampering.


    During this period, the inspection team did indeed find two small fish farms with issues. One farm was feeding their fish with swill, and another, which raised crabs, used a slightly higher dosage of disinfectant, resulting in crab meat that was a bit tougher.


    However, these were minor issues that did not even qualify as vitions, much less have any connection to the hormone over-standard issue. The owner of the fish farm, to prove that his fish were not harmful to health, even ate a few swill-fed fish in front of the camera.


    As each fish farmer was eliminated from the list of suspects, the public''s anxious hearts finally settled.


    The television station''s ratings remained high, but the viewers'' attitudes had shifted significantly, from initial anger and tension to anticipation and curiosity, with many even looking forward to the unfolding drama.


    Only one remained, the Naval Lake Zoo of Yangchuan City Zoo.


    It was a simple problem, if in a group of ten, one is a murderer and after investigation, the other nine have alibis, then who is the murderer?


    When all else is eliminated, the only one remaining must naturally be the culprit, a truth even children are aware of!


    After a series of investigations, the truth seemed to surface, with all fingers pointed unanimously towards Naval Lake!


    Find adventures at empire


    Before the inspection of Naval Lake, there had already been arge outcry online against theke and the zoo.


    Yangchuan City TV Station even dedicated a special program to the issue, with Zhou Jin as a guest and Yang Meng hosting. The entire program was an attack and usation, implicitly and explicitly revolving around Naval Lake. Zhou Jin was particrly indignant, mming the table live on air, stating that as the vice-president of the Yangchuan Fisheries Association, he was deeply pained by the emergence of such a disreputable fish farmer in Yangchuan and insisted on a thorough investigation to find the root cause and give the citizens of Yangchuan City an exnation.


    As the viin of the piece, Naval Lake became ''infamous'' this time around. Without spending a penny on advertising, it gained exposure not only throughout the city and province but also on many national media outlets, and even CCTV briefly mentioned it with a floating text message.


    Wang Jian She had never expected the scandal to fall on Suming''s head and hastily called him.


    "Suming, tell me the truth, did you use hormones or not?" Wang Jian She''s tone was very stern; if Suming''s fish really contained hormones, not to mention Wang Jian She, even Mr. Sun could not save Suming.


    Besides, in such an environment, which leader woulde forward to speak for a widely condemned businessman?


    Suming appeared nonchnt,ughing on the other end of the phone, "Mr. Wang, don''t worry, if there''s really a problem, I''ll handle it as it should be handled; I won''t make things difficult for you!"


    From Suming''s words, Wang Jian She sensed something was off and asked with suspicion, "You mean¡­"


    "Mr. Wang, I''m a party member, how could Imit such a disgraceful act? Rest assured, I pledge with my party loyalty that there''s absolutely no issue!"


    Mr. Song, the zoo director, was also nervous. These past few days, he had frequent heart-to-hearts with Suming, and although he didn''t say it directly, his implication was clear: If you really did something disgraceful, confess quickly. Perhaps you might receive leniency. At worst, you could sell your car, add it to the money from thest liquor sale, pay the fine together, and the old man could ask around to plead for you, hoping to avoid prison.


    "Leaders, can''t you have a little more faith in me?" Suming was exasperated, did he really look like a bad person?

 Chapter 186 Buying a Ticket to Enter

    "I also don''t think you''re that kind of person,"


    Mr. Song, the animal park director, paced back and forth in his office, hands sped behind his back, and said with suspicion, "This hormone scandal came too suddenly. I always feel like there''s someone scheming behind this. Now all the me is being pointed at you. Have you offended someone recently?"


    It must be said that Mr. Song, despite his age, had been through many trials and his senses were still sharp. Suming didn''t hide anything and nodded, saying, "Someone wants to screw me over."


    "What a bastard!" Mr. Song was furious, mming his hand on the desk. He definitely wasn''t calling Suming a bastard. Now Suming was being groomed by Mr. Song as his sessor, the park''s future hope. To target Suming was to target the park, to disrupt Suming''s life was to cut off the park''s future.


    Moreover, the park was already being dragged into this: Shuijun Lake was the property of the park, and if something really was amiss with theke, the park surely wouldn''t escape me. At this critical juncture of restructuring, if it turns out that theke was stocked with hormone-fed fish, that would be troublesome.


    "Don''t worry, leader, there won''t be any problems. I may like money, but I haven''t stooped low enough to earn the kind that weighs on my conscience," Suming reassured him before the corner of his mouth turned up with a cold smile, "It''s time to put an end to this matter. Some people are just like flies, buzzing around incessantly, truly bothersome."


    Hearing Suming''s intense tone, Mr. Song tensed up and said seriously, "Su, don''t do anything foolish. You can''t bemitting crimes!"


    "Rest assured, leader, I''m aw-abiding citizen, and a Party member at that. How could Imit a crime!" Suming said. Experience new stories on empire


    ...


    The day of the inspection at Shuijun Lake finally arrived. Early in the morning, before the gates of the animal park had even opened, the entrance was already swarming with people. Journalists from all over had arrived early, and the scene wasparable to a press conference.


    Unexpectedly, the park''s security blocked the gate, preventing entry, and a conflict arose between the inspection team and the park''s security. Mr. Dong, the head of security, had ordered all eight of the security guards on duty to form a line at the gate like guardian deities; stomachs protruding, chests puffed out, security belts tightly fastened, and electric batons in hand, they blocked the gate, refusing entry.


    The presenter, Yang Meng, timely spoke into the camera, "Dear viewers, this is Yang Meng, reporting live from the scene. The inspection team''s attempt to enter Shuijun Lake is being met with barbaric obstruction by the animal park''s security. ording to the information we''ve received, Suming, the leaseholder of Shuijun Lake, has gone from a university graduate who couldn''t even find a job to the park''s second-inmand, with a worth of millions. He can even order the park''s security to resist the inspection team. This certainly raises suspicions and makes one wonder whether there could be deeper, darker secrets involved. Let''s wait and see!"


    Her report clearly vited the principle of objectivity, heavilyced with subjective spection and expressed with strong personal emotions. If a regr person made suchments, it wouldn''t be an issue, but for a presenter to say this in front of a live camera was highly improper.


    However, at this point, nobody was paying attention to that. In any industry, the victor is hailed as a hero, and the vanquished is condemned as a viin. If it turns out that Shuijun Lake is contaminated with hormones, Yang Meng''sments would be seen as righteous, and she might even be hailed as the ''conscience of the journalism industry.''


    "It''s toote to show fear now!" Zhou Jin, impatient, waved his hand and said to Mr. Dong, "Where''s Suming? Have hime to see me."


    Old Dong crossed his arms and looked at Zhou Jin expressionlessly. After a while, he uttered one sentence, "Buy a ticket to enter the park."n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Zhou Jin never expected Old Dong to say such a thing and was taken aback, "What are you talking about! The inspection team is here to inspect Shuijun Lake, tell these guards to stand aside! Otherwise..."


    At that moment, Suming strolled out of the park, each hand holding arge wolfhound half as tall as a man, followed by a towering young giant, looking every bit the part of a domineeringndlord.


    "Or what?" Suming''s voice was even louder than Zhou Jin''s, nearly shouting in his face, "I''m asking you, who gave you the authority to inspect? Do you represent the police, or the courts?"


    With thatment, Zhou Jin was momentarily at a loss for words. Indeed, while he was the vice-chairman of the Fisheries Association, the association was not an enforcement agency and, in theory, had no right to forcibly inspect the properties of other entities!


    Yang Meng opportunistically passed the microphone and asked in a bizarre tone, "Mr. Su, your refusal to let the inspection go through, does that imply that Shuijun Lake harbors secrets not fit for the public eye?"


    Suming rolled his eyes, "Are you saying anyone can just hop into bed with their superiors willy-nilly?"


    Questioned like this on live television, Yang Meng''s face went white with anger, "Don''t nder people!"


    Suming shrugged his shoulders, "Oh, so it''s not like that. Does that mean, because you don''t let your superiors in, there''s a ''secret not fit for the public eye'' on your bed?" Suming specifically emphasized the phrase ''secret not fit for the public eye'', returning the distastefulment back to Yang Meng.


    After speaking, he turned to the camera and said calmly, "I support hormone inspection, but there arews governing the country and rules governing the home. Ordinary people buy tickets to enter the animal park, and so must the inspection team. Mr. Dong, keep a tight watch here. If anyone tries to force their way in without a ticket, call the police immediately!"


    With that said, he walked back into the park with the two dogs at a leisurely pace.


    The notion that everyone has to buy a ticket to enter resonated with many, a thought countless people have but cannot express. And the previous confrontation with Yang Meng about the bed was particrly provocative and risqu¨¦. It instantly raised Suming''s standing among the viewers, casting him in the light of a straightforward, principled young man. It became difficult for a time to associate him with unscrupulous breeders.


    With Zhou Jin blocked at the entrance and considering the hassle of seeking government assistance at that time, he eventually bought a ticket and entered the park honestly.


    "What a twist!" Zhao Yun sat in front of the TV and chuckled to himself, no wonder online tforms are so popr now¡ªthe excitement of live broadcasts, with unexpected developments at any turn.


    There were many viewers who shared Zhao Yun''s thoughts, and perhaps even more exciting events were yet to unfold.

 Chapter 187 A Twist in the Tale

    Actually, the cost of tickets for a few dozen people was negligible for both the zoo and Suming.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The reason Suming had staged such a disy to intimidate the other party was, on the one hand, to establish a tough image through television, sending a message that even a small zoo was not to be trifled with, to prevent any Tom, Dick, or Harry from stirring up future trouble. On the other hand, a hardline leader tends to be more popr, and it also helped to generate public interest for both the zoo and himself. After all, the development of the zoo still relied on visitors. In recent years, the ''fan economy'' had emerged, and if the zoo could garner a subset of diehard fans, it would be greatly beneficial for the future.


    Furthermore, now that things had escted to this point, with all pretense of cordiality gone and true intentions revealed, there was no need to save face for anyone anymore; if they were going to act, they needed to do it thoroughly!


    After a minor incident at the entrance, the inspection team and the reporters finally arrived at Shuijun Lake Beach.


    "The vast expanse of water you see before you is Shuijun Lake, which was formerly an artificialke of the zoo and has been contracted by Suming this year for fish farming. After the dedicated efforts of Zhou Jin and experts from the inspection team over this period, all fish farmers in the city have been investigated, leaving only Shuijun Lake before us!"


    Your adventure continues at empire


    Host Yang Meng stood on the edge of Shuijun Lake, with the vast hundred-acreke behind her and a line of boats temporarily out of service docked at the bank, and continued in an emotional tone:


    "The scene that unfolded at the zoo entrance earlier was shocking; fortunately, we have finally made it to the edge of Shuijun Lake. Hidden within this seemingly tranquilke, are there any unspeakable secrets? Now, let us invite our experts to conduct their examination and reveal the truth to us!"


    "On what grounds do you make such statements!" The experts had not yet revealed the truth, and at the side, Liang Shi, unhappy, walked up to the camera and asked host Yang Meng.


    All the fish in theke had been under his care, abor of love in which he had invested a great deal. He knew better than anyone whether hormones had been used and certainly could not allow someone to insult his hard work in front of him.


    Liang Shi wore a one-piece work suit, looking like a fisherman. Yang Meng nced at him and asked disdainfully, "And you are?"


    "My name is Liang Shi, I''m a graduate student at the Provincial Agricultural Science Academy!" Liang Shi pointed at the fish in theke and said, "I''ve been taking care of these fish, and I can assure, with my professional expertise, that there are absolutely no hormones! Moreover, Comrade Host, you cannot make random usations in front of the television audience without any evidence; that would be legally ountable!"


    The two experts from the inspection team were from the province and were already acquainted with Liang Shi''s teacher, the old expert from the Agricultural Science Academy, Professor Tang. They naturally recognized Liang Shi too. With the camera rolling, it wasn''t the time to say anything particr, but they exchanged surprised nces.


    They trusted the integrity of Professor Tang and Liang Shi. Since Liang Shi was helping to raise fish here, there probably shouldn''t be any issues.


    "There will be evidence!" Zhou Jin stepped forward abruptly, blocking Liang Shi, and said to the camera, "Now, please, let the experts proceed with the inspection!"


    Having said that, he led the two experts and several assistants briskly toward the boats on theke.


    It didn''t take long after boarding the boat for three locations to be selected, and then the boat moved to each in turn, castings to catch fish. There were plenty of fish in Shuijun Lake; they easily hauled up dozens of pounds.


    After being brought back to shore, the reporters who had been waiting eagerly snapped photos, intending to document this somewhat historic moment.


    By that time, the zoo had opened, and many tourists had arrived. Some hade specifically to witness the inspection of Shuijun Lake, drawn by the spectacle. Quite a few tourists looked anxiously at the inspection equipment, many of whom had bought fish directly from the zoo and found them delicious after taking them home. After repeated purchases, their entire families had consumed the fish, and they silently prayed that the inspection would not reveal any problems.


    Zhou Jin stood to one side with his arms folded, his eyes coldly fixed on the data disyed by the equipment, awaiting the moment the numbers turned red.


    As long as the issue with the fish was uncovered in front of the national audience, even with Suming''s great abilities, he wouldn''t be able to escape responsibility!


    At that thought, he subconsciously nced at Suming, hoping to find expressions of nervousness or fear on his face. Unexpectedly, Suming was on the other side, not even ncing at the testing scene, as if the whole thing had nothing to do with him. He looked utterly rxed and was even bending down to y ''shake hands'' with the two big German Shepherds.


    Seeing those two ckbacks wagging their tails nonstop at Suming made Zhou Jin very angry. You traitors! I''ve treated you well in the past; why weren''t you this obedient then?


    The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, especially seeing Suming''s calm demeanor. Zhou Jin couldn''t help but lose his temper, feeling none of the pleasure of impending victory.


    Out of sight, out of mind, he decided to shift his gaze to the inspection equipment not far away.


    Time ticked away, and the fifty-eight pounds of various fish hauled from Shuijun Lake passed the inspection one after the other without incident. The numbers on the equipment remained stable, consistently staying within the safe range.


    Zhou Jin''s face grew increasingly ugly, and sweat started to form on his forehead. In the cold weather, he kept wiping his forehead with a handkerchief.


    The host from Yangchuan City TV Station, Yang Meng, at first couldn''t stop talking about the dangers of hormoneden fish, subtly implying that Shuijun Lake was the source of the problem. But after talking for so long without discovering a single problematic fish, Yang Meng turned mute. She spoke less and less, eventually not uttering a word for long periods. The atmosphere of the live broadcast became exceedingly dull, as if the host wasn''t even there.


    Until thest fish went through the inspection process, all sampled fish from Shuijun Lake were qualified!


    The atmosphere on site suddenly turned awkward. Everyone present, including therge number of reporters who hade along, had arrived with the mindset of ''catching the bad guys'' for the day.


    After inspecting other fish farms, it was obvious that Shuijun Lake would surely have issues. Many media outlets were even prepared with draft news articles denouncing Shuijun Lake, Suming, and the zoo, waiting to release them the moment problems were discovered here.


    No one had anticipated that Shuijun Lake would turn out to bepletely free of defects!


    Since the inspection process had been broadcasted live every day, with the cameras spending a third of their time focused on the testing equipment, the numerical readouts were quite clear. Thus, many viewers and journalists who weren''t professionals could also understand the data shown by the testing devices.


    Based on the data, the fish from Shuijun Lake not onlycked hormones but conversely had extremely high nutritional value!


    If anyone were to rewatch all the live broadcasts from this period, they would realize that the fish from Shuijun Lake had higher nutritional value than those from any other farm, even surpassing the fish from Huating Reservoir!


    Everyone was taken aback. What was supposed to be a crackdown on corrupt merchants and viins ended up revealing a high-quality supplier with a big, honest heart.


    ********


    PS: How many chapters should I explode tomorrow?


    Usually, it''s two chapters, and four is considered a burst, but it always feels like something is missing. Maybe five chapters?


    If five isn''t enough, how about six? Seven? Let me think...

 Chapter 188 Happy or Not (First Update)

    The inspection was over, and the scene became very awkward. Prior to this, almost everyone was certain there was a problem with Shuijun Lake. They were all primed to denounce and use after the inspection, but now that vigor waspletely wasted, like punching cotton.


    "Does anyone have anything to say?" Suming, leading the sniffer dog, walked into the crowd with a smile and said, "Why so quiet all of a sudden? Don''t hold it in until you hurt yourself, okay?"


    "Impossible! This can''t be!" Zhou Jin was the first to break the silence. His hoarse voice carried a hint of desperation. He swiftly walked over to the fish that had been tested, randomly flipped them over a few times, then grabbed one of the inspectors as if clinging to a lifeline, and said excitedly, "Could it be that the instruments are broken, or did you make a mistake?"


    The expert, a respected figure in the industry, a scientist from the province and an associate professor, was questioned about his professional expertise by Zhou Jin during the live broadcast. His face darkened instantly and, without a word, he shook off Zhou Jin''s hand and said coldly, "If you think there''s a problem with my skills, you''re wee to seek someone else."


    Another expert also said, "Our inspections all followed scientific procedures, Mr. Zhou. If you think something is wrong, you''ll have to figure it out on your own."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    After that, the two began to pack up their testing equipment and didn''t even nce at Zhou Jin.


    Zhou Jin stood there awkwardly, while Suming cheerfully approached the camera and said to the somewhat dazed host Yang Meng, "Now, it seems you should announce the results."


    It was only then that Yang Meng snapped out of it. She took a deep breath to calm herself and reluctantly managed a stiff smile towards the camera, saying, "Dear viewers, as of today, the inspection team has checked all freshwater fish breeders in Yangchuan City, including Shuijun Lake, and has not found any hormone-fed fish!"


    With every word Yang Meng uttered, Zhou Jin couldn''t help twitching the corners of his eyes, feeling increasingly suffocated in his chest.


    He simply couldn''t understand. The fish stolen from Shuijun Lake by the bald man that day all contained high levels of hormones. Why couldn''t they be detected today?


    From the inception of the hormone incident to today, it had been only a little more than a week. Even if Suming had been on guard, it was impossible for him to have reced all the fish in Shuijun Lake!


    Moreover, Zhou Jin had long anticipated this move. Before the inspection team arrived, the Fisheries Association had already sent people to monitor all fish breeders to prevent them from getting wind of the inspection and secretly dealing with the problematic fish, swapping them out.


    He thought he had it all under control, but now that nothing could be detected, hadn''t all his efforts and the money he spent been in vain?! Find adventures at empire


    No, it wasn''t just a waste of effort! The current situation was that not only had he failed to cause any negative impact on Shuijun Lake and Suming, but he had inadvertently promoted them: the data on the testing equipment was just too perfect.


    *********


    The author''s Weibo: Yins¨¨ J¨¬ni¨¤nb¨¬521


    Zhou Jin suddenly remembered what the foreigner said on thest Yangchuan gourmet show, "I''m just a gourmet, not a scientist. The nutritional value of fish must be scientifically tested." Now, in front of a national audience, it had been scientifically proven with instruments that the fish from Shuijun Lake had extremely high nutritional value.


    Dammit, all the trouble I went through was just to prove that Suming''s fish were top-notch?!


    What on earth is going on!


    "Mr. Zhou, what are you thinking about?" Just as Zhou Jin was morosely considering vomiting blood, Suming cheerfully came over, took Zhou Jin by the arm, and walked him towards the camera, loudly saying, "Mr. Zhou, as the chairman of the Fisheries Association, you should be happy that there are no problems. Why the long face?"


    Zhou Jin red at Suming with intense hatred, his chest aching with anger and his hands trembling, wishing he could smack his palm across Suming''s smiling face.


    However, in front of so many reporters and live cameras, Zhou Jin couldn''t lose his temper, so he had to squeeze out a very stiff smile, almost gritting his teeth as he said, "Yes, very good, very good."


    Suming relentlessly asked, "So, Mr. Zhou, are you happy or not, pleased or not? Say a few words to everyone."


    The audience in front of the TV almost burst intoughter at Suming''s question¡ªnobody speaks so freely on live broadcasts, making it seem like a situationedy.


    Only Zhou Jin himself knew the agony he felt, his lungs were about to explode with rage, but he couldn''t show it and had to force a smiling face. As the initiator of this inspection and the chairman of the Fisheries Association, Zhou Jin had to make a concluding statement.


    "With such inspection results, I... I am very happy, finally the citizens of the entire city can have... can have peace of mind when eating fish..."


    With every word Zhou Jin uttered, he felt as if his heart was bleeding, and before he could finish speaking, a hot surge burst uncontrobly from his chest, with a buzzing noise ringing in his ears.


    Then everything went dark, and he couldn''t hear anything anymore, copsing to the ground.


    The scene instantly turned chaotic, as the crowd only saw Zhou Jin''s face looking quite wrong, frighteningly pale, as he spoke before suddenly vomiting arge mouthful of blood and fainting.


    "Quick, call 120, Mr. Zhou is so happy that he vomited blood and passed out!" Suming shouted with immense concern.


    Soon, the ambnce arrived at the zoo, and the medical staff awkwardly lifted Zhou Jin into the vehicle.


    It has to be said, sometimes reporters are like flies, with incredibly sensitive noses. The mboyant inspection concluded abruptly, Zhou Jin spewing blood¡ªeverything seemed to give off an unusual scent.


    So they immediately found a new lead and went after Suming, wanting to dig out some insider information from him.


    But Suming had long since disappeared, and not just Suming, all the zoo''s staff, as if they had agreed beforehand, turned into sealed gourds, refusing to express any opinion on the incident, no matter how the reporters questioned them.


    Ultimately, the reporters also dispersed in disappointment.


    The inspection of the aquatic products in Yangchuan City finally came to a close.


    But this was not the end of the matter, Suming''s retaliation was just beginning.


    The grudge between Zhou Jin and Suming had be tooplicated to tell right from wrong¡ªZhou Jin was a street tyrant and a gangster, and Suming did not consider himself a paragon of virtue either, it was merely thew of nature. When a tiger invades another tiger''s territory, even if they can coexist peacefully, it is only temporary. Given any slight chance, both parties would try their best to kill each other. Since things had progressed to this point, there was no need to hesitate; it was time for aplete resolution.


    The speed of media dissemination is astonishing. After the inspection of Shuijun Lake waspleted, major news and online media outlets quickly made the news public.


    On the surface, it seemed like a cause for universal celebration.

 Chapter 189 The Internet is Not a Lawless Place (Second Update)

    For the ordinary people, this was absolutely great news; the party leadership of Yangchuan City wasmended by the provincial authorities for their decisive actions and effective measures in the face of mass panic during a crisis, especially Wang Jian She who had conducted the inspections behind the scenes and was named and praised at the provincial conference.


    Yangchuan City''s fish market began to regain its vitality and the number of people buying fish picked up, and those few restaurants also started to reserve fish in small quantities from Shuijun Lake. But overall, the blow was still tremendous, and it would be quite difficult to return to the original prosperity anytime soon.


    Zhou Jin was hospitalized once again, and after being resuscitated, he survived, but he had to be monitored in the intensive care unit, unable to leave his bed, with various tubes inserted all over his body.


    Thest time he was hit hard by a finless porpoise, the doctor explicitly told him that it would be best to rest in bed for a few months, and to avoid getting angry. But he stubbornly did not listen; just over a monthter, he forced himself to take part in the model worker award ceremony andter went through the hospital discharge procedures, continuing to fight the illness and Suming. Now, his old wounds and new injuries had red up simultaneously, and he had all but lost half of his life.


    Just when everyone was jubnt, another problem quietly surfaced.


    If steroids had indeed been found in the fish, then even if the previous articles and posts were somewhat exaggerated, they were notpletely groundless.


    But in fact, no such steroids in fish were detected. Not only in Yangchuan City, but nearby cities also conducted substantial random inspections and found nothing.


    Then the question arose, why did there suddenly appear so many posts about steroid fish overnight, and how did they spread so quickly within a few days?


    Your next chapter awaits on empire


    Had it been just a few posts, it would have been one thing, but these posts undeniably caused an extremely negative impact!


    The most direct result was that the fisheries markets in Yangchuan City and its surrounding areas experienced arge-scale contraction in a short time, and the economy slid to a certain extent; moreover, with the Spring Festival approaching, it caused considerable panic among the people and gave rise to many unstable social factors.


    Perhaps the ordinary people did not think too deeply; for them, as long as the fish were safe, it was fortunate. But for the government, it was not as simple as that.


    Wang Jian She received a call from Mr. Sun''s secretary early in the morning and rushed to his office. As soon as he entered, Mr. Sun said with a stern expression, "The partymittee had a meeting this morning specifically to discuss this matter! We must thoroughly investigate who is spreading the rumors and causing public panic!"


    "It''s just too much!" Wang Jian She was also furious, if there had been any factual basis and someone messed around online, it might have been excusable, but to create such amotion over a groundless issue, known nationwide no less, was simply smearing the face of Yangchuan City.


    "Wang, you will still be in charge of the follow-up investigation. The partymittee has already spoken to therades from the online affairs office, and they will cooperate with you. The inte is not awless zone, and for those who spread rumors and create trouble, we will deal with them severely ording to thew!" Mr. Sun said.


    Wang Jian She knew a bit about the intews; with 5000 views or 500 shares, one could be sentenced, and over the past two years, national leaders have emphasized the issue of the inte more than once. Offices managing online affairs were established in various ces, equipped with cyber police, putting substantial effort into inte management.


    The influence of this inte rumor incident was too malign; it left themon people in a state of anxiety and rose to a level that could be called "as clear as daylight to the authorities".


    "Moreover, you should be aware that such rumors, ostensibly created for so-called click rates, for personal gain, actually attack the government!"


    This statement from Mr. Sun set a ''tone'', conveying the directive of the partymittee. To put it inly, it called for a crackdown in the most severe terms possible.


    ...


    In an office of a deputy director at Yangchuan City TV Station, the big screen repeated the day''s interview at Shuijun Lake, with host Yang Meng''s words deliberately targeting Shuijun Lake echoing over and over in the office.


    Many viewerments scrolled back and forth beneath therge screen.


    "Does this host have a grudge against Shuijun Lake or what?"


    "It''s like she knew in advance there was something wrong with the fish in Shuijun Lake? Now she''s pped her own face!"


    "So unprofessional, she might really be sleeping with the boss, that''s how she climbed up to the host position..."


    ...


    The deputy director''s face darkened as he picked up the remote and turned off the big screen. Annoyed, he turned to Yang Meng sitting opposite him and said:N?v(el)B\\jnn


    "This is ridiculous, you''re professionally trained, how could you say those things on live broadcast! Did a dog eat your professionalism?"


    Yang Meng had none of the pride and flourish she had when she started the show, looking very haggard. If Shuijun Lake had indeed turned out to have problems, her usations would have been the words of justice, the conscience of journalism; now that nothing was found, they turned into harsh and unprofessional criticism.


    "How was I to know it would turn out like this, Shuijun Lake was the only one left, I thought for sure there was a problem there!" Yang Meng was quite frustrated and took a cautious nce at the deputy director before speaking in a somewhat coquettish tone, "You have to help me with this, you just have to."


    The deputy director frowned and thought for a moment before saying, "You should stay out of this matter for now. Keep a low profile on the show for the time being. Hmm, it''s best to take a leave of absence, stay off the show for a while!"


    "How can that be!" Yang Meng screamed as if she were a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "You know as well as I do how cutthroat thepetition is right now, just missing a few shows and others will easily rece me!"


    "Foolish woman!" The deputy director mmed the desk hard: "What do you know, I''m protecting you! I''m telling you, it''s not over yet. The city government is furious and wants to investigate the rumor-mongers thoroughly. You''ve been involved from the beginning and added fuel to the mes, you could easily get dragged into it."


    "Me, but it''s really not my fault, I didn''t spread the rumors..." Yang Meng''s momentum faltered; she hadn''t expected things to get this serious. Regardless of hermanding presence on TV, acting the part of a tough woman, she knew very well that she was just a local station host, and any citymittee leader could end her career with a single expression of dissatisfaction, leading to her being cklisted and put on ice.


    "That''s why I''m suggesting you take a leave for a while, don''t appear in public media for now, wait until the attention dies down, and then you can continue working," the deputy director said.


    Yang Meng left the office feeling dispirited. The deputy director opened hisputer and received a mass-sent email on the internalwork.


    "To all departments: Following discussions by the partymittee of the TV station, in order to cooperate with the city''s propaganda department and the city inte office in the special operation to rectify online rumors, our station has established a special program team, specifically led by News Department Nangong Yan, who will handle the reporting and interview work. All departments are expected to provide full support. Hereby notified."


    **********


    PS: The previous postunch acknowledgement was sent incorrectly, ending up in the VIP chapter. I apologize to friends who subscribed for the acknowledgement!

 Chapter 190 Closing the Net (Three More)

    Suming refused to ept media interviews that day, and he had his reasons. Because the struggle toe was more covert, it was better for him to not show his face. When Wang Jian She told him about the city''s decision to investigate online rumors, he secretly informed the bald man.


    Surrender yourself!


    "Leader, since I''m surrendering voluntarily, can I be given a lenient treatment?" Continue your adventure with empire


    In the interview office of thework management department, the bald man sat nervously on one side of therge table, while a row of government officials sat on the other. Wang Jian She sat at the center, nked by seven or eight colleagues from thework office and the city bureau.


    This morning, thework office received an anonymous tip-off letter, using Zhou Jin, the general manager of Huating Reservoir, of using the inte to spread rumors about hormone-treated fish to undermine hispetitors.


    The whistleblower, Xu Aiguo, oh, that is, the bald man, was fully involved in Zhou Jin''s rumor-mongering and now, driven by his guilty conscience and the immense pressure from the people''s government, is willing toe forward and expose Zhou Jin.


    Todays'' governance demands openness and transparency, particrly in matters involving the inte. Any slight mishandling may raise suspicions of a cover-up. Therefore, while Wang Jian She conducted the interview with the bald man, he specifically invited the television station''s special team to be present, recording the entire process and conducting interviews as well.


    Wang Jian Sheughed and said, "Rest assured on that front. You are just an employee of Zhou Jin, acting on his orders. At most, you would be considered an aplice. Moreover, since you''re turning yourself in voluntarily, if the evidence you provide significantly aids our investigation, we could exempt you from punishment. Of course, the colleagues from thework office will conduct ideological education with you afterward¡ªyou must never again spread or start rumors."


    "I understand, I appreciate your generosity, leader."


    After a series of intense spiritual and physical blows, the bald man no longer wanted to oppose Suming. After that night when he was reduced to tears by a dog, he hadpletely given up on confronting Suming. Thinking back on Zhou Jin''s despicable attitude toward him, the bald man outright defected and switched sides to join Suming, exposing all of Zhou Jin''s ns to Suming before Suming sent him back to Zhou Jin''s side as a top-level mole.


    The fish he brought back were indeed fished out of Shuijun Lake, but Suming had injected each fish with arge amount of hormones, aiming for Zhou Jin to be caught in wrongdoing and then inciting Zhou Jin to escte the issue step by step, eventually leading him to fall into his own trap.


    The bald man quickly confessed everything, omitting only one detail¡ªhe didn''t mention that Suming had caught him stealing fish from Shuijun Lake. Instead, he imed he had beenzy and randomly bought a few fish, injected them with hormones to hand over to Zhou Jin, not expecting Zhou Jin to make such a fuss over it.


    "What a lesson, Comrade Xu! Although you are not directly responsible, if it weren''t for your negligence, Zhou Jin wouldn''t have taken this criminal step," Wang Jian She said earnestly.


    "Yes, yes, I will certainly work diligently and live an honest life from now on!" the bald man said hastily.


    "Besides your testimony, do you have any other evidence?" a police officer from the city bureau asked.


    "Yes, yes, Zhu Chenggui is also willing to testify, and several other employees can too. Oh, theputers used for the postings are still in thepany''s vi..."


    That very afternoon, the investigation team split into two groups. One went to the hospital to interview Zhou Jin, who was there for treatment, and the other searched the small vi of Huating Fisheries Company. Inside, they found seven or eightputers used for the crime. They controlled the employees of Huating Fisheries and discovered extensive evidence of rumor-mongering on their phones.


    Additionally, thepany''sputers contained more than one terabyte of pirated and pornographic videos, which were turned over to the office for the elimination of pornography and illegal publications...


    A person may take ten or twenty years to rise from nothing, facing countless trials and tribtions; but to destroy someone, often only one thing is needed.


    Almost overnight, Huating Fisheries Company, which once had unrivaled prominence in the Yangchuan City fisheries market, found itself on the brink of copse.


    Faced with overwhelming concrete evidence, Zhou Jin had no room for sophistry and could only honestly admit to his crimes.


    "Dear viewers, remember not long ago, Zhou Jin sat in this very studio, dering that he would investigate the hormone fish incident thoroughly. At the time, none of us could have imagined that the very instigator was him. For personal gain and through unfairpetition, he caused enormous panic in society and incalcble economic losses.


    ording to the relevant legal provisions, the cyber affairs department and the Public Security Bureau filed the case, and the Procuratorate initiated the prosecution. Based on thetest news we''ve received, Zhou Jin was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for spreading rumors and endangering public security, organizing and disseminating illegal obscene materials, among other charges. Considering he is currently hospitalized and immobile, the sentence is suspended for one year until he recovers, after which he will be taken to prison to serve his sentence.


    Dear viewers, I hope we can all learn from this event to keep our eyes open and arm ourselves with scientific knowledge, so we aren''t easily deceived by rumors. Also, trust that our government, our party, has the capability to create a peaceful, stable, and safe living environment for us. That''s all for today''s program; I am Nangong Yan, thank you everyone for watching."


    "Suspended for a year?" Suming turned off the television and chuckled as he stroked his chin.


    Zhou Jin was a capable fellow after all. Like a tough worm that wouldn''t die, how had he managed to secure a suspended sentence under such adverse circumstances?


    Baldy has already been exposed and couldn''t find any news about Zhou Jin. But this kind of thing didn''t need any probing; anyone could guess that Zhou Jin must have spent a hefty sum to grease palms, and given his genuine poor health, that''s why he got the suspension.


    Although it''s only suspended for a year, his total sentence is three and a half years. If he earns some merits during the suspension and behaves well, he might get a reduced sentence. Perhaps in the end, Zhou Jin won''t need to serve time at all and could continue being the boss of his fisheriespany.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Wishful thinking! Now that our mask has been fully torn off, if I don''tpletely ruin you and devastate your reputation and family, how will I ever sleep peacefully?"


    Suming dialed Zhao Yun''s number: "Mr. Zhao, do you know any formidablewyers? I want to file awsuit."


    Spread out on the table in front of Suming were a pile of business cards from the aquaculturists who had been inspected during the hormone incident. Due to the incident, these farmers, including Suming, had all lost a lot of money recently.


    "Really formidable ones? Whether awyer is formidable or not depends on how solid their rtionship is with the court. I do know a few who were judges before they went into private practice aswyers," Zhao Yun said from the other end of the phone.


    "That would be the best."


    "What are you up to now, kid? The hormone fish business has caused quite a stirtely. It''s not you behind it, is it?" Zhao Yun said with an I-knew-you-were-up-to-no-good tone.


    "Hehehe, knowing but not telling is what good friends do. Mr. Zhao, I''m a fish farmer. I''ve invested so much, and now it''s time to bring in thes," Suming said with a sly smile.

 Chapter 191 Huge Compensation (Four Updates)

    In the intensive care unit of Yangchuan City First People''s Hospital, Zhou Jin, with several tubes inserted into his arm,y despondently on the hospital bed, his eyes listlessly staring at the ceiling.


    The hospital did not treat Zhou Jin harshly because he was a criminal; on the contrary, the conditions in the room were very good. The heating was turned up high, and outside the window was a scenic garden area. The few nurses responsible for the ward were, to say the least, quite attractive¡ªscoring at least eighty points. If he wasn''t seriously ill, living here would be almost like recuperation¡ªrefreshing and invigorating.


    But Zhou Jin had no interest in any of these things; his heart felt ice cold.


    At first, he could not understand at all why a wless n that could have led to Suming''s demise had ended so abruptly, as if his opponent had known everything in advance!


    He even felt that all his ns had been seen through by the other party, as if he had been under the impression that he held the initiative from the beginning to the end, yet it was all just following the opponent''s rhythm.


    Looking back, it was as if he had dug a pit for himself and buried himself in it.


    When the investigation team brought the "tainted witness," the bald man, to his room for an interview, he immediately understood everything.


    His most trusted confidant, the bald man, had betrayed him!


    With the bald man turning traitor, there were no secrets left at his end! Every single move was crystal clear to Suming, who observed everything calmly, waiting until the most critical moment to let the bald mane forward and report, delivering a fatal blow to him.


    "I''m just a joke, eh!" Zhou Jin''s mouth was filled with a bitter taste. He had been strategizing extensively, only to end up a clown on the stage.


    Though he was in pain and anger, he had not given up hope.


    Having faced numerous challenges in half a lifetime in society, Zhou Jin had his exceptional strengths that had brought him to his current position!


    He had spent a huge sum of money, nearly all his earnings from recent years, to finally get a postponed sentence for a year. No matter what, he still had control over the Huating Reservoir, and the foundations of the fisheriespany were still intact. As long as he could get out of the hospital smoothly and continue to run the fisheriespany, there would always be a day for aeback.


    This is an age of forgetfulness. How many shocking news stories appear on the inte every day? Yet in no time at all, they are gradually forgotten. As long as he remains resolute and continues running thepany, once the storm passes, a resurgence is not impossible!


    "One day I will let everyone know that what I''ve lost, I will personally take back!" Suddenly, Zhou Jin thought of a line from the movie "A Better Tomorrow," and it could not be more appropriate for this moment.


    Just then, the door of the ward was pushed open, and two court officers in uniform walked in.


    "Comrade Zhou Jin, on behalf of Yangchuan City Intermediate People''s Court, I am notifying you that a civil dispute will be heard in court the day after tomorrow. Eleven breeders from Yangchuan City have jointly sued you for unfairpetition, causing them tremendous economic losses. This is the court summons. The hearing will be in the second courtroom in two days, and we hope that you can¡­" The court official nced at the various tubes in Zhou Jin''s arm and shook his head, continuing, "It''s alright if you can''t attend. The court will appoint a defense attorney for you. I''ll leave the summons here."


    After speaking, the official ced a court summons at the head of Zhou Jin''s bed and left, leaving Zhou Jin lying on the bed, dumbfounded and speechless.


    ¡­


    ```


    Two dayster, the second tribunal of the Yangchuan City Intermediate People''s Court opened a session to hear the ''civil dispute'' in absence of the defendant, Zhou Jin, who was ill and unable to attend.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    The intiffs, a group of eleven breeders mainly from Shuijun Lake, sued Zhou Jin for using unfairpetition means to spread rumors, which directly led to a depressed fishery market in Yangchuan City. Just Suming''s household alone lost almost 600,000 yuan in orders during the rtively short period of the rumors, and the other householdsbined suffered a direct loss of more than 2 million yuan.


    This was just the visible direct loss. In thewsuit, the intiffs also added ims for mental and reputationalpensation. Zhou Jin''s actions amounted to a collective mockery, greatly damaging the reputation of all Yangchuan City breeders.


    The intiff''swyer believed that, although investigationster proved the intiff''s innocence, the malevolent impact was difficult to fully reverse. Especially since Zhou Jin, as the vice-chairman of the Fisheries Association, was secretly spreading rumors and suppressing local breeders, the fishery market in Yangchuan City would face a difficult situation for a long period, losing a significant portion of the public''s trust.


    Therefore, Zhou Jin shouldpensate not only for the direct losses but also be responsible for future indirect losses.


    As for the evidence, the government''s investigative group had already looked into it thoroughly, reaching a conclusion with no room for doubt.


    As for the defendant, or Zhou Jin''swyer, they couldn''te up with any substantial rebuttal. The entire court session from beginning to end was just a formality, with only a symbolic mention of the defendant''s poor health at the time of closing, hoping the court would take a humanitarian approach and consider mitigating the sentence.


    "Now announcing the judgment of case number 2014180, Yangzi Civil, all rise."


    Everyone in the courtroom stood up as the chief judge read the judgment dispassionately, "The defendant, Zhou Jin, for viting..."


    "Compensate the eleven breeding households a total of 4.6 million Huaxia currency exactly. This judgment is delivered to both intiff and defendant, effective from the date of issuance."


    After the trial, Suming exchanged a few words with the other breeders and then went forward to shake hands with Zhang Si Ming, thewyer introduced by Zhao Yun.


    "Mr. Zhang, we''ll need your attention for the matters toe."


    It''s not to say that as soon as the court orderspensation, the money will be surely received. In fact, in many cases, the judgment has little effect; if the defendant simply refuses to pay, there''s nothing that can be done, and they can even abstain from attending the court sessions.


    This is how many defiant debtors are made, having the money but just dragging their feet about paying, leaving the intiff winning the case but not only failing to get a penny but also having to pay various expenses¡ªa ssic case of winning the trial but losing money.


    Thus, the follow-uppensation matters still require apetentwyer, someone with good rtionships on all sides, to break through various barriers and ensure thepensation is smoothly received.


    On the police side, the Nangong family has connections as her father is a leader in the municipal criminal police team. As for the court, that''s where professionals likewyer Zhang Si Minge into y.


    Continue your adventure at empire


    "Rest assured, you''re a friend of Zhao''s, and I will certainly take good care of the matter he''s entrusted to me," said Zhang Si Ming with a smile.


    "However, I''ve heard that Huating Fisheries Company''s ounts don''t have much money left, hardly enough to cover thepensation. It might evene to asset liquidation," Suming learned from Baldy that Zhou Jin had been spending money like water over thest six months, leaving less than one million yuan in liquid funds in thepany ounts.


    Lawyer Zhang Si Ming sensed that there was more to Suming''s words, and nced around. Seeing that there was no one nearby, he pulled Suming into a corner of the corridor and whispered, "What would you like to do?"


    ```

 Chapter 193 192 Chapter Contracting the Reservoir (Five Updates)

    Sumingughed, "Mr. Zhang, while I don''t quite understand thew, I do know that if hispany''s ounts don''t have enough money topensate, then he has to either pay out of his own pocket or dere bankruptcy and then liquidate thepany''s assets to pay off the debt, right?"


    "Yes. However, thepensation amount this time is not small. I have already checked Zhou Jin''s personal ounts through connections, and there''s only about a hundred thousand left. It seems now that he can only sell off thepany''s assets." Mr. Zhang nodded as he spoke.


    That''s why you must find a capablewyer. Awyer can quickly obtain a court order to investigate the defendant''s assets at the bank. But if thiswyer doesn''t have a good rtionship with the court, or if the intiff applies for the investigation order themselves, the process can be very troublesome.


    Zhang Siming used to be a presiding judge in one of the courts of the intermediate people''s court; he had managed to get this done even before Suming had brought it up.


    "So then, the only option left is to dere bankruptcy and auction off thepany''s assets to settle the debt, or rather, not to auction, but to use those assets after a discount aspensation to us, right?" Suming said.


    "That''s possible," Zhang Siming shrugged, "but personally, I don''t rmend you take those assets. I''ve looked into his assets, a self-built vi, three cars, and two rather old small yachts. These won''t be of much help to your business, and you won''t make much money even at a discounted price. I suggest you go for cash."


    Suming smiled slightly, "Mr. Zhang, you left out one item."


    "What?" Zhang Siming was slightly startled; as a professionalwyer, he had estimated property values more than just once or twice¡ªhow could he possibly make a mistake on such a matter?


    "The contracting rights to Huating Reservoir!"


    Suming spoke slowly, "I''ve checked, and he has contracted Huating Reservoir with more than half a year left on the contract, and he has already paid the contracting fee. Calcted against the cost of the reservoir''s contract, it should roughly cover my losses."


    Zhang Siming pped his forehead, "I get your point now; you want to take this opportunity to seize the contracting rights to the reservoir."


    Suming shrugged, "Yes, as you''ve seen, I''m also in the aquaculture business¡ªand Huating Reservoir is a juicy piece of meat!"


    "In theory, it''s feasible, but there isn''t just one intiff this time; there are more. What if they also want it?"


    Without waiting for Suming to exin, Zhang Siming had already swiftly reviewed the details of the other aquaculture households in his mind.


    As their representativewyer, he was well aware of the situation of these aquaculture households. Upon reconsideration, he immediately realized that besides Suming, the other aquaculture households that had joined him in thewsuit were not veryrge. Apart from Suming, the others simply didn''t have the capacity to take over Huating Reservoir by themselves, even if they were given the rights to the reservoir, they wouldn''t be able to afford the future contracting fees.


    It was like a smallpany with only a dozen employees suddenly being asked to rent an entire floor of an office building¡ªnot only would it not promote thepany''s development, but it could also lead to bankruptcy due to the exorbitant rent.


    Realizing this, Zhang Siming sucked in a breath of cold air and asked in disbelief, "Had you calcted all this from the beginning?"


    "Heh, why else would I go to such great lengths to sue him? You think it''s really for those tens of thousands of yuan?" Suming said with a light smile.


    Zhang Siming stared at Suming for several seconds before giving a thumbs-up, "Young and promising! No wonder someone as impressive as Mr. Zhang treats you like a friend!"


    From Suming''s words, Zhang Siming could tell that Suming didn''t care about the tens of thousands of yuan¡ªnot because he was already so wealthy that such an amount was negligible to him, nor because he was young and arrogant.


    His vision wasn''t just fixed on money; it was fixated on theyout of the enterprise. In the constant growth of the business, more money would naturally be made. This was a thought only a truly mature entrepreneur would have, and Zhang Siming hadn''t expected to see this quality in Suming today.


    After all, this young man, who looked no different from a fresh college graduate, had only finished university less than a year ago.


    Having made his way in society and known for his wide connections, Zhang Siming had met many people. Compared to them, Suming''s current business wasn''trge; strictly speaking, it was quite small. But how old was Suming this year?


    Moreover, ording to what he knew, Suming was a self-made man, not like some so-called second-generation rich kids who built their startups using their family''s power and background.


    His mind racing, he thought of Zhao Yun.


    Discover hidden stories at empire


    Who was Zhao Yun? A big investor. Projects that Zhao Yun took interest in hardly ever incurred losses. The guy in front of him had even caught the eye of Zhao Yun!


    "Promising!" Three words immediately sprang to his mind, and his expression warmed significantly as he said, "Mr. Su, don''t worry, I''ll take care of this matter for you. If yourpany needs any legal assistance in the future, you cane directly to me, and I will do my utmost."


    Speaking of thepany, Suming gave a wry smile, "I haven''t even established apany yet."


    A twitch showed at the corner of Zhang Siming''s mouth, "You''re running a business of millions in scale without establishing apany? Aren''t you scared the government wille after you? Personally, I advise that you establish thepany as soon as possible, or there might be some procedural issues in taking over the reservoir."


    Suming had been thinking along the same lines, so they instantly struck a deal. Zhang Siming was tasked with handling thepany registration and wouldter serve as thepany''s legal advisor.


    However, Suming was at a loss when it came to naming; after much thought, he could onlye up with a name that sounded utterly ordinary: Taoyuan Fisheries Company.


    After leaving the courthouse, Suming returned to the Zoo Listening Wind Waterside Pavilion and powered on aptop that wasn''t connected to the inte. After entering his password, he carefully tallied up all the ie and expenses he had recorded over the period, ensuring a smooth acquisition of the reservoir.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Even for him, theoretically, it would be quite difficult to take over Huating Reservoir. He needed to prepare for investing in the winery while also considering next year''s breeding at Shuijun Lake, which created a tight financial situation. And with the New Year approaching, he nned to take a sum of money home.


    But ns can''t keep up with changes. With such a great opportunity presenting itself, Suming couldn''t let it pass by! From the day he subdued the bald man and learned about Zhou Jin''s scheme, he had made up his mind: no matter how difficult, he had to take control of Huating Reservoir!


    If he missed this opportunity, securing the reservoirter might cost him several times the price.


    Yet, he possessed advantages that others did not have. First, his fish grew quickly. As long as he secured the reservoir, by the end of next year, when the fish in the reservoir hit the market, there would be a significant return of funds, and the rent for the reservoir wouldn''t pose any pressure. Second, he could use the underwater passage to transfer some of the fish from Huating Reservoir, which meant extra earnings for this year.


    Er Gouzi had returned from Hundred Flowers Valley and was now sitting quietly at the window.


    After undergoing reorganization in the back mountain, Er Gouzi¡ªperhaps due to a ''reward'' from the two Queen Bees¡ªhad a darker pattern on his body. It was like ink, deep and pitch-ck.


    After Suming finished with the ounts, he looked up and snapped his fingers at Er Gouzi, "Off you go to work. Be careful not to get discovered!"

 Chapter 194 Capturing the Market (Seven Updates)

    Baldy wasn''t dumb; hearing what Suming said, he immediately grasped his meaning.


    The new boss was nning to take over the personalwork resources left by Zhou Jin and continue doing business with those out-of-town partners of Zhou Jin''s, while immediately seizing the local fishery market in Yangchuan City.


    Obtaining the rights to the reservoir was only the visible profit and could even be said to not be the greatest gain.


    The real significancey in eliminating Zhou Jin, the tycoon of the Yangchuan City fishery market, leading to a power vacuum in the fishery market in a short time. It turned into an undefended piece of cake, and as long as one acted quickly, one could rapidly seize the market without the need to slowly encroach upon it as would be required under normal circumstances.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Furthermore, Zhou Jin''s business partners were also important business resources. It took him almost twenty years to build up this businesswork, connecting with numerous out-of-town bosses and bing business partners. Now, all these rtionships had fallen into Suming''s hands.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Su, I''ll head to the fish market right now to spread the word and then contact those out-of-town dealers. I guarantee everything will be done perfectly!" Baldy had just switched allegiance to Big Boss Su and needed to show his eagerness to prove himself, fearing that he would have no value to use. Hearing that Suming had tasks for him, he suddenly felt energized.


    "There''s no rush," Suming waved his hand, "Let me tell you how to handle this matter."


    Baldy was slightly startled, unsure what Suming was plotting, but after listening carefully to Suming''s detailed exnation, he couldn''t help but give a big thumbs up: "Brilliant, Mr. Su, you''re truly brilliant!"


    "Stop with the ttery, I''m not a nobledy. Just get to work. I''m letting you know, that old bullying and dominating racket of yours, cut it down in the future. I am a legitimate businessman," Suming stated seriously.


    The corner of Baldy''s mouth twitched twice. He couldn''t help thinking, ''A legitimate businessman, really? Zhou Jin, such a big hooligan, simply because he crossed you, hispany went under and he died under mysterious circumstances in less than half a year. Does the world have such a legitimate businessman?''


    But then again, Zhou Jin did indeed overdo many things in the past, angering the heavens and the people. His reputation was particrly bad among themon folks, especially those small-time fish peddlers, which was why it took him so many years to barely make it to a provisionalmittee member.


    And this new boss, despite being young, understood very well how to keep a low profile; not only was he ruthless in his methods and earned a lot of money, but he also had an especially good reputation. On the surface, nobody could find a single fault with him, no wonder Zhou Jin couldn''t defeat him.


    Soon, there were some subtle changes happening in the Yangchuan City fish market.


    For the vast majority of ordinary citizens, the copse of Huating Fisheries Company was not considered news at all. In this city with tens of thousands ofpanies, a few copsing and a few people dying, as long as it didn''t concern them, nobody would pay attention.


    Suming didn''t want to make a big fuss over the situation and attract too much attention. The government didn''t want to bear the infamy of ''driving people to death,'' so, under the deliberate omission of both parties, media reports about the incident stopped at Zhou Jin''s sentencing. The news about the copse of Huating Fisheries Company and Zhou Jin''s death was suppressed and not widely disseminated, known by few.


    The fish vendors at the Yangchuan City fish market were worried; they used to get their stock mostly from the reservoir, but now that the reservoir had a new owner, the supply to the fish market was halted. Despite the market''s generally unfavorable conditions, due to supply far less than demand, fish became scarce and even showed a trend of increasing in price.


    "This year, the fish yield from the reservoir is too low. A portion was already reserved by out-of-town dealers in advance, and our Mr. Su also needs to keep some as breeding stock for next year, so for this year, we will not supply to the local market," Baldy''s office had moved to the entrance of the market, where a special tent had been set up to facilitatemunication between Taoyuan Fisheries and the market''s fish vendors.


    Even a piece of toilet paper has its use, and since Suming kept Baldy around, he still had him manage the fishery market. The fish vendors were all savvy, and dealing with them wasn''t easy; there had to be someone like Baldy who could hold them in check. Suming wouldn''t allow Baldy to bully or dominate, and likewise, he wouldn''t let the vendors take advantage of the fisheriespany.


    Hearing what Baldy said, the fishmongers'' faces turned green. If there were no local suppliers, they would have to buy from further afield, yet being small operators, the cost of transportation would not be worthwhile unless they purchased in small quantities¡ªbut then they might not make enough sales. Moreover, it was strangely coincidental that not only the reservoir had stopped supplying fish locally, but other small breeders had also ceased supplying, as if they had all agreed to it.


    "What''s the rush, I haven''t finished talking!" Baldy red, "Our Mr. Su is a model worker, a party member; how could he disregard everyone''s livelihood? Although the fish from the reservoir are not supplied locally, the fish from Shuijun Lake are given priority to the local supply! You all saw it on TV, right? The fish from Shuijun Lake, rmended by the French, are of top-notch quality ording to inspection data, much better than those from the reservoir!"


    Upon hearing this news, the fishmongers finally felt some relief, for the fish from Shuijun Lake indeed had an excellent reputation. However, Shuijun Lake was only so big, and the quantity of fish it could provide was far from enough.


    And since the main clients of Shuijun Lake were Yangchuan City''s major restaurants, after fulfilling their needs, how much would be left for the fishmongers present?


    "You can rest assured about that, Mr. Su is a businessman with a sense of mission. He has said that he must ensure the citizens have their food baskets filled. This year, in addition to supplying the major restaurants, Shuijun Lake will also provide four hundred tons of various fish to the fish market!"


    After saying this, Baldy put on a show of sighing, "Ah, our Mr. Su really went all out to ensure the people have a good New Year, even taking out the breeding fish and fry from Shuijun Lake."


    In fact, Baldy was also a bit puzzled, how could Shuijun Lake produce so many fish, almost double the expected amount. But after he had started working with Suming, he had set a principle for himself: do whatever Mr. Su asks, don''t ask what you shouldn''t, don''t say what you shouldn''t, don''t think what you shouldn''t.


    For someone like him, living in such a carefree and oblivious way was actually quite happy and rxing. Discover stories with empire


    "What about the price?" the sharp-eyed fishmongers finally asked the most crucial question.


    There was no need for Baldy to suggest a price increase, the fishmongers themselves raised the price. Considering Seibel''s phrase ''100 points of premium ingredients,'' it was only natural that these fish should cost more than ordinary ones.


    Furthermore, despite Shuijun Lake''s im of providing four hundred tons of fish, rtive to the entire market, it was still a bit insufficient, supply still fell short of demand, which ording to market rules, would inevitably lead to a price increase.


    After negotiating with the fishmongers in the market for an entire day, Baldy finally settled the order quantities and prices for each of them. The four hundred tons of fish were divided up, and the prices were not exorbitantly high, about 20% higher than the fish from the reservoir.


    While Baldy was dealing with local fishmongers, Suming had brought other breeders from Yangchuan City and a group of bosses from other ces to Huating Reservoir.


    Huating Reservoir, with a water area of 28 square kilometers, resembles an upside-down gourd shape, the contracted area taken over from Zhou Jin was actually just the ''mouth of the gourd'', approximately 2.5 square kilometers, less than four thousand mu of water surface.


    The fish-farming density in the reservoir was much lowerpared to fish ponds and Shuijun Lake, but such arge water area could still result in sales volumes in the tens of millions of Huaxia currency per year. If one had the capacity to take over the entire reservoir for aquaculture, even if it was just the fourmonly farmed fish of the lowest economic value, the annual turnover could still reach several hundred million and even near a billion.


    Of course, Suming didn''t have the ability to do that now. Firstly, the investment was toorge, and he didn''t have wide enough sales channels to sell all the fish; secondly, the policy didn''t allow it. The government built the reservoir mainly for flood prevention and to supply water to the city''s water nts, not for fish farming.


    A few days ago, through Baldy, Suming contacted each of Zhou Jin''s former business partners one by one, inviting them to Yangchuan City, to discuss future cooperation with other local breeders. These people included those who supplied fish fry and feed to the reservoir, as well as those who purchased fish in bulk, and some bosses who couldn''t make it sent their representatives.

 Chapter 195 Young Talents (Eight Updates)

    Zhou Jin''s business had a wide scope. Hiswork covered not only the local area of Yangchuan City but also other cities within the province, even including inter-provincial ventures. The business dealt with a variety of things, from fry procurement and fish feed purchasing to adult fish sales and fish product processing. He even knew quite a few construction team leaders.


    Among these people, some provided fry and feed to the reservoir, some purchased fish in bulk from the reservoir, and some bosses who were too busy to attend sent representatives instead. They lined up along the riverbank, each with their bodyguards and entourage. At first nce, there seemed to be dozens of them.


    Arge group of people gathered by the reservoir, forming small circles. Those who knew each other chatted in groups of three or five, while those who didn''t would greet each other and politely exchange business cards. Many people''s industries intersected, and there might be opportunities for coboration in the future.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Suming lit a cigarette and asked the bald man, "Has everyone arrived?"


    The bald man quickly took out a lighter to light Suming''s cigarette, then pulled out an electronically printed list andpared it to the people present, one by one.


    "Yeah, nearly everyone is here."


    "Nearly everyone is here?" Suming frowned.


    The bald man quickly exined, "Those who have had contracts over five hundred thousand with the fisherypany, as well as those who cooperate frequently, are all here. The remaining are insignificant minor yers and won''t affect future business. I didn''t notify them one by one to save your time. As per tradition, when the reservoir changes contractors, you will be their major financier, so those minor bosses will definitely visit you proactively..."


    "Alright, I got it." Suming cut off the bald man''s endless chatter and strode into the crowd.


    Seeing the person in charge arrive, the various bosses present stopped their conversations and turned various gazes towards Suming. Some were spective, wondering what methods this young boss used to rece the cunning Zhou Jin. Some looked at him as if he were a mountain of gold, their eyes gleaming with anticipation, and many were simply curious since Suming looked so young, almost like a college student¡ªin fact, Suming had indeed just graduated.


    There was also a small faction that didn''te with good intentions. Cooperation is based on equity and mutual respect, presupposing a bnce of power. Zhou Jin used to be a boss on the same level as them, but this young neer, whom they had never heard of, had suddenly emerged. Whether he could hold the floor was yet to be seen.


    These people had a wolf''s instinct in their bones. If Suming could maintain control of the situation, they would naturally cooperate with him as before. Otherwise, in their eyes, Suming and the fisherypany were just a big fat piece of meat waiting to be carved up.


    If Suming were still a student at a university, he might be intimidated by such a scene.


    But having been tempered over this period, his experience in dealing with people was no longerparable to that of his younger self.


    What was most important was that he possessed the ability of an Animal''s Friend, which fundamentally made him a superhuman.


    Even though the people before him had wealth and influence, they were still just ordinary people in the eyes of a superhuman. Suming''s aura couldn''t possibly lose to theirs.


    Walking into the crowd, Suming smiled and said loudly, "Gentlemen, everyone knows about Mr. Zhou''s situation, which is quite regrettable. I''ve taken over Shuijun Lake now, and due to the hurry, we don''t even have an office, so I could only ask everyone to talk business here by the water. Please don''t mind."


    A chubby boss from the provincial capital dismissed the formality with a wave of his hand, "Mr. Su, there''s no need for niceties. We are all businessmen. If we were here to eat, drink, and y, we wouldn''t havee to you. Just give us a straight answer, will the contracts signed with the reservoir this year still be honored?"


    "That''s right, Mr. Su, we''ve already paid our deposits," another boss added.


    Suming took over Zhou Jin''s reservoir, as well as his previous orders. Failing toplete these orders would require him to paypensation.


    Many knew that this year''s fishery harvest at the reservoir wasn''t good, and most of the catch was used to offset debts when dering bankruptcy, leaving not much fish in the reservoir. They confronted Suming with a tough issue right off the bat. If Suming couldn''t resolve this problem, those present would immediately turn on him¡ªthey all had contracts, and this was the perfect opportunity to demand a heftypensation.


    Suming looked back at the local breeders behind him and said with a smile, "Gentlemen, rest assured, Mr. Zhou''s business has copsed, but the reservoir is still there. The business we''ve done before was pleasant, and it will continue in the future. As you''ve heard, part of the fish in the reservoir has been used to offset debts to our local breeders. I''ve discussed it with the local breeders, and this year, we won''t sell these fish locally. We''ll pull together and sell them to all of you to fulfill the orders without any problem."


    The fish weren''t simply gone; they had just been transferred to the local breeders. Suming made preparations well in advance. Before convening these partners for a meeting, he had already discussed it with the breeders.


    Previously, the fish from the reservoir were used topensate the breeders at a discounted rate, the price being very low. Now Suming had gathered these breeders together to sell the fish to dealers from outside the area. Through this inflow and outflow, those smaller-scale breeders were set to make a good profit.


    The remaining fish were partly herded through underwater channels to Shuijun Lake, where they were sold locally at high prices together with theke''s original fish; the other part was sold to these out-of-town dealers for a small profit.


    Hearing Suming say this, the visiting bosses were reassured. They didn''t care whether Zhou Jin was dead or alive; what concerned them was whether their businesses would suffer losses.


    Moreover, securing consensus with the local breeders so quickly and their unanimous support indicated to them that this ''young whippersnapper'' had an influence on Yangchuan''s fishery no less significant than Zhou Jin''s. If it wasn''t for strong capabilities, then it was surely due to a formidable backing.


    An individual like that, if cooperation is an option, there''s no need to offend them.


    The most sessful business owners among the visitors exchanged nces from afar and could clearly discern each other''s intentions; they could try a friendly coboration first.


    "Mr. Su, you''ve summoned us from far and wide for this? Wouldn''t a simple phone call have sufficed?" someone in the crowd asked.


    Suming chuckled, "This time I''ve invited everyone not only for the previous orders but also to discuss future business ventures with you all."


    Future business? The arriving business owners were slightly taken aback, staring at each other in confusion. They were curious about what Suming might be selling. Perhaps there was a new profitable opportunity? They were all ears now.


    "In fact, this year all the main breeders from Yangchuan City are here. Among our guests, many are wholesalers of fish fry and feed. Let''s take this opportunity to discuss matters for theing year and ensure everyone has a prosperous time," Suming continued with a smile.


    For the local small-scale breeders, negotiating alone means smaller purchases and sales volume, which often led to pressure on pricing. Now, with Suming taking the lead in Yangchuan''s fishery industry, organizing them and uniting their efforts, they had much more clout in purchasing and sales negotiations.


    Of course, this kind of negotiation couldn''t take ce with a big group ofrge and small business owners blowing in the wind by the reservoir. Instead, a fleet of vehicles made their way to arge hotel in the city, partially owned by Zhao Yun, where they booked three adjoining private rooms to fully embrace the Huaxian virtue of discussing business over the dinner table.


    "My liver''s not in the best shape, and I shouldn''t drink much. Gentlemen, this is my assistant. Tonight, whoever manages to drink him under the table, I will personally offer a 2% discount on next year''s prices!"


    After signaling for a few rounds of drinks, Sumingughed and left his capable assistant Su Meng to handle the situation, while he himself took the chance to ''visit the restroom,'' slipping away to a small private room diagonally across.


    There were only two people sitting in the small room, yet they had ordered a full table of dishes.


    But with barely any food touched, it was clear that the mood of those in the room was glum, with no interest in feasting or drinking.


    Seeing Suming enter, the two immediately stood up with smiles on their faces. One quickly cleared a chair at the head of the table, while the other strode forward, slightly bending and reaching out with both hands, warmly and somewhat sycophantically shaking hands with Suming, "Mr. Su, it''s a pleasure to meet you. Congrattions! Please, have a seat!"


    "Mr. Wu, Mr. He, good to see you," Suming greeted them warmly, shaking hands with each in turn. "You both are respected seniors; I wouldn''t dare take the seat at the head of the table."


    As two of the Fisheries Association''s vice presidents, along with Mr. Zhou, they both had their own modest businesses. Economically speaking, they didn''t quite qualify for the role within the fisheries, but owing to their veteran status and well-established connections in the Yangchuan fisherymunity, they had assumed the positions. Strictly speaking, Mr. Zhou was the only one truly in charge, while these two vice presidents yed more supportive, cheerleading roles.


    "Not at all, Mr. Su. You are young and aplished and rightfully belong at the head of the table," Mr. Wu said with a chuckle.


    Seeing that Suming still hesitated to take a seat, Mr. He had an idea, "Hey, we''re all among friends here. This is a round table; there''s no head or foot of the table. Please, take a seat, Mr. Su."


    Suming finally agreed to sit down, saying, "The two of you invited me separately, may I know what for?"


    "It''s like this," the vice presidents looked at each other, and Mr. He took out an embossed invitation from his pocket. Mr. Wu exined, "A snake can''t move without a head. The colleagues in the Fisheries Association hope Mr. Su will take on the position of vice president."


    Suming had suspected as much; it must be about this. The Fisheries Association certainly needed a leader for regr coordination. Under normal circumstances, the person with thergest business normally took the lead. In Yangchuan City, whoever controlled Huating Reservoir held the power.


    After politely declining a few times, he somewhat reluctantly epted. After exchanging some pleasantries, the vice presidents took their leave, and Suming returned to the private room he hade from.


    As the door swung open, a pungent smell of alcohol hit him, and he was startled by the sight before him.


    The floor was littered with... oh, not corpses, drunkards. Out of the whole crowd at the three tables, less than a handful could stand or sit properly, the rest were all in various states of intoxication.


    Standing in the center of the room was Su Meng, holding a bottle of liquor, looking as if he had conquered the world.


    "Oh my goodness! Su Meng, Su Meng, you were only supposed to drink symbolically, why did you take it so seriously?"


    The stinging pain in Suming''s heart was palpable as he realized the cost. Bottles of Moutai, each one costing four figures, how much money had just been squandered!

 Chapter 196 Vice President (Nine Updates)

    The banquet ended several days ago, and Suming was still feeling the pinch.


    That day, when he settled the bill, it totaled 136,000! The bulk of it was alcohol, and at least half of that was guzzled down by Su Meng himself!


    Even for a five-star hotel, even for a high-ss ce, that meal was ridiculously expensive!n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Zhao Yun even got wind of it and called specially to tease him, saying something about thanking Mr. Su for donating to the hotel and how he should send a "Good Samaritan" que to Mr. Su when he had time.


    "Why must brothers make things difficult for each other!"


    But on second thought, having gotten all those big and small bosses utterly drunk, even though it cost a hefty sum in alcohol, he had saved on the expense of taking them to nightclubs for a happy time... After a few out-of-town bosses woke up, none of them mentioned drinking again, presumably, no one would dare challenge Suming to a drinking contest in the future.


    "Looking at it this way, I''ve actually reversed a bad practice in the business world!"


    "Mr. Su, your cousin is too much, even the professional drinkingpanions can''t match his tolerance, he''s definitely talented. With that capacity for liquor, he could easilynd a job paying two or three hundred thousand a year."


    Zhang Siming half-joked and then handed a pile ofpany certificates to Suming.


    "There''s also the matter of hiring some clerical staff. Especially an ountant," Zhang Siming reminded.


    Currently, Taoyuan Fisheries Company was nothing but a shell, with Suming as the boss and a bald man as the sole person handling specific tasks. Physicalbor aside, which could be taken care of with temporary hires, a dedicated ountant was a must.


    Over the past few days, Zhang Siming had helped with the ounting, and once the fish produce from Shuijun Lake and the reservoir were all sold, the total revenue had already approached ten million! Managing such arge sum required ounting and tax payments, and Suming still needed to prepare for investing in a distillery, next year''s fish fry and feed for Shuijun Lake and the reservoir...


    Without realizing it, Suming was no longer the small business owner who lived off a tour boat business, scraping together a few hundred thousand a year, but a genuine medium-sized fisheriespany boss. Even in the business circles of Yangchuan City, he had be a notable figure.


    "Yeah, I know. I''ve got someone in mind for the ountant position, but it''s going to take some time. In the meantime, since the money hasn''t been fully ounted for yet, yourw firm can manage it for me. Oh, and Mr. Zhang, now that mypany is officially established, your consultancy fee will also be paid from thepany ounts. We need to ensure everything about ourpany''s operations is legal," Suming said.


    "You can count on that."


    Zhang Siming was hired as the legal advisor for the fisheriespany, with an annual sry of 300,000. All thepany''s legal matters were his responsibility.


    No wonder he gave up his post as a deputy chief judge and resigned to go into business. In the court, his official annual ie was less than a hundred thousand, and even with some extra unofficial ie, honestly, it wasn''t all peaceful money. Furthermore, it wasn''t as much as outsiders might imagine.


    Now, just from taking cases, he could make three or four hundred thousand a year, all above board, and with Suming''s payment, he was closing in on a million a year. He had freedom, no longer subject to the system''s restrictions, and was much morefortable than before.


    After chatting with Zhang Siming for a while, Suming''s head started spinning with all the business affairs, so he simply made a call to Liang Shi, "Are you graduating next year, have you found a job?"


    Liang Shi was probably observing river dolphins, and the line was quiet. When Suming asked this, Liang Shi was taken aback and said, "Not yet."


    "Come work with me. Be the deputy manager at my fisheriespany. I''ll pay you three hundred thousand a year plus a year-end bonus," Suming offered directly.


    Three hundred thousand a year was an astronomical sum for a recent graduate, especially in the niche field of fisheries. Liang Shi had gotten along well with Suming over a few months, and he agreed without hesitation, albeit with a bit of indecision, "I can do breeding, but I''m probably not fit for sales."


    "That''s why you''re the deputy manager! You don''t need to worry about sales. Just ensure the fish are well-taken care of. If you have ssmates with the same specialty, you can also recruit them to thepany. Come now, and work out the breeding details for next year with Mr. Zhang," Sumingughed heartily, slipping into the role of a hands-off boss.


    A boss should focus on the strategic direction of thepany, stepping in to solve issues that arise but can''t be expected to manage every single detail. Even Zhuge Liang would be exhausted to death if he tried to do everything himself.


    So, having set the general tone, Suming left all the minor details to Liang Shi, and then made a video call to Zhao Yun.


    There was Zhao Yun, still wearing that utterly out-of-ce pajama set with lots of bear patterns, speaking seriously about the preliminary n for the distillery. He said if Suming wanted a major share, the investment had to exceed six million.


    "I just... " Suming pped his forehead. Just a few minutes earlier, he had been a millionaire, but now, after all the ins and outs, the avable funds in hand were still the two million left from selling Monkey Wine.


    "Money, oh money, the more I earn, the less it seems! Anyway, Su Meng, let''s go for a walk in the garden."


    Strolling leisurely in the zoo with his hands sped behind his back and Su Meng in tow.


    These days, the wolf-dog brothers spent most of the week in the back mountains ying like crazy with Huiya and the other dogs. ording to various signs and information, the pack had gradually adapted to living in the wild, with some dogs even starting to eat raw meat.


    Huiya hadpletely turned into a wild child, barely distinguishable from wild wolves, except it usually wouldn''t harm humans¡ªprobably because of spending so much time with Suming.


    However, the wolf-dog brothers were stressed about one thing!


    In a wolf pack, only the alpha has the right to mate. Now that the dog pack was much like a wolf pack, Huiya transformed from a sweet baby into a dominating leader and became the alpha, with the wolf-dog brothers just below it. They had the prestige, but when it came to rtionships, they couldn''t solve their problems and felt quite pitiful.


    Farther away, the bee army of Hundred Flowers Valley was already fully reorganized...


    To be honest, Suming didn''t know how the two Queen Bees had managed the reorganization, and he couldn''t be bothered to find out. As long as the pair didn''t cause trouble, that was good enough. The supply of Big Blue Honey was more than plentiful, enough to bathe in even during the cold days, not exaggerating.


    The stock of Monkey Wine was almost gone, down to just one mineral water bottle. In a few days, he nned to take the Monkey King to the back mountains to find a secluded spot to start brewing Monkey Wine and get the recipe.


    "Wow, it''s been a while since I''ve been this rxed."

 Chapter 197 Chewing Gum (Ten more updates)

    Walking on the cobblestone path in the park, the winter sun felt itchy on my skin... oh no, I mean it felt warm and cozy. People strolled by in small groups, and asionally someone would exim in surprise, stopping to take a photo with the stray cats wandering around the zoo.


    When the cats from Cat didn''t have to work on the boats, they often roamed around the zoo. Everyone in the zoo, inside and out, knew them, so they were allowed to wander as they pleased.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    These guys were usuallyzy, but as soon as they saw a tourist wanting a picture, they''d straighten their bodies and wave at the camera like beckoning cats, all the while meowing.


    Back when I was poorer, I had vests made for a few kittens... The so-called vests'' main feature was their many pockets. Before heading out, I would casually stick a five or ten-yuan bill in the vest pocket, with a corner deliberately sticking out. After taking pictures with the tourists, they would often slip a ten or five yuan into the vests'' pockets. Some big spenders would even stuff in a hundred...


    Now that I don''tck such small change, these felines seem to have fallen in love with this money-collecting activity. The vests are empty when they leave the house, but after returning, they bulge with cash. A shake in ce sends money flying everywhere.


    They were truly cats that brought in wealth.


    I don''t care about this small change now, using it all to buy cat food, all imported at that, which has made a few cats quite picky eaters. If this trend continues, they''ll probably taste every cat food vor in the world.


    Halfway through my walk, I suddenly remembered to call Wang Hao. I had told Wang Jian She before that once I had a bit of a career, I''d have Wang Hao join me so he wouldn''t have to be at receptions every day, running his health into the ground. Right now, I just happened to need trustworthy hands.


    But after several calls, there seemed to be no signal on Wang Hao''s end, just a female voice saying "out of service area." So I called Wang Jian She and found out that Wang Hao was in the critical phase of a government project and had been running around the rural towns.


    The official conduct in rural towns sometimes can be helpless, with alcohol required for all sorts of matters, big and small. The other party had no ill intentions; it was just custom or sometimes a bit too much enthusiasm. No matter what, Wang Hao was sent by the city, and with Wang Jian She covering him up there, but still, when doing work below, he had to drink, often nearly to death at every meal.


    "The current official scene... sigh... let''s not talk about that. I was actually nning to look for you, because Wang Hao''s mother and I discussed it. His civil servant job is not that great. Once he finishes this project, seen through from start to finish, he''ll resign ande help you, to gain some experience in society," Wang Jian She said, not sounding like a leading official at all but more like a father worried about his son.


    "Great, I''m nning to merge the zoo''s fish-riding and boat-riding businesses into a small entertainmentpany. Have Wang Hao manage it for me," I said.


    "Ah, that''s thoughtful of you. It''s still the ssmates that have the closer rtionship. When you have time,e over to my house for a visit," Wang Jian She said.


    "Sure thing, Mr. Wang, you''re busy, so when Wang Hao gets back, give me a call," I said, exchanging a few more pleasantries before hanging up.


    With the Wolfhound Brothers not around, I couldn''t y the viin. My mood was good, so I decided to let out the Parrot Sisters for some fresh air. I found a couple of small chains to tie to their legs and had Su Meng follow behind holding them.


    Along the way, the two parrots never stopped chattering and throwing shade at female passersby.


    "Not wearing pants..."


    "Snake-spirit face..."


    Even I was surprised¡ªwhen did these two get so smart, managing to say things like "snake-spirit face"? Who taught them that?


    But their eyesight was still terrible! The person was clearly wearing stockings, okay? Just transparent ones...


    Wandering nonchntly along the way, as we passed by Xiongshan, the Parrot Sisters began their roasting session towards the bear family. One said, ''Big-headed and thick-necked,'' and the other chimed in: ''Either a boss or a cook.''...


    A little girl holding a pack of chewing gum was excitedly shouting outside the bear enclosure, "Don''t wait for the animal to say hi for you!"


    The bear family looked through the bars at the little girl, utterly bemused, as she talked and started unwrapping the chewing gum, ready to throw it into Xiongshan.


    "Looking for trouble!" I rushed forward with quick steps, snatched the chewing gum fiercely from the little girl''s hands.


    The little girl was startled, about to cry after having her candy taken. Her parents were even more upset, "Hey, what do you think you''re doing, snatching candy from a child?!"


    I red at them, pulling out my work badge for a quick sh, and said sternly, "Don''t feed the animals willy-nilly! Bears eating chewing gum can get gastrointestinal diseases. I''ll let it slide this time, but I''m confiscating the means ofmitting the offense. If you''re caught again, there''ll be a fine, you hear..."


    After saying that, he slipped the chewing gum into his pocket, leaving behind a stunned family of three, turned around with his hands behind his back and ambled away.


    Once he turned a corner, Suming took out the chewing gum, unwrapped all five sticks, and stuffed them into his mouth, chewing vigorously.


    As he passed by Tiger Mountain, the two parrots were just about to make a snarkyment when a newly arrived Bengal Tiger inside Tiger Mountain suddenly let out a fierce roar with a "roar."


    When Suming was in school, he had observed tigers up close at the zoo. Those tigers that had been confined for a long time had be docile and rarely roared, and even when they did, it wasn''t scary. But it was a different story with the new tigers; their roars were truly frightening. Even though you were separated by a cage and knew they couldn''t harm you, their roars could still make your legs weak and heart pound in fear.


    The tiger is the king of beasts, and that''s no mere saying. Perhaps animals like lions and rhinoceroses are not weaker than tigers in terms ofbat ability, some perhaps even stronger, but in terms of aura, the tiger firmly overshadows any other animal.


    This Bengal Tiger, having been confined in the zoo for less than a week, let out a wild roar so mighty that it spread throughout half the zoo.


    Just a moment ago, the zoo was filled with various noises: the monkeys on Monkey Mountain chattering, the gibbons making their strange calls, and so on, but all these noises suddenly vanished. Birds from several groves fluttered their wings and took to the sky in rm.


    The parrot sisters'' criticism was cut off mid-sentence, turning into a ''cluck,'' like chickens who had their necks snapped. They suddenly urinated in fright, then their legs gave way, and they plopped down on their own poop...


    "Scared now?" Suming taunted with his hands behind his back, sniggering creepily.


    He too had once wanted to learn how to roar like a tiger to understand how to be so intimidating. Hemunicated with a tiger using "Animal Companion" and the tiger was quite open, roaring for him to see.


    But even after the tiger had roared itself hoarse, Suming failed to get it right. His voice had the look butcked the soul-stirring power of a tiger''s roar.


    It seemed to be an issue with physical structure, the tiger''s secret technique. It''s like how the sounds of mating tigers wouldn''t possibly excite Suming ¨C same principle...


    "What am I even thinking about..." Suming rubbed his face.


    Up ahead, beyond a row of wooden fences, arge group of tourists had gathered, leaning on the fences and pointing at the animals inside, waving tree leaves and the like, full of energy.


    Behind therge enclosure, divided into several sections, were camels, ostriches, and a dozen or so assorted deer previously.


    A few new members had arrived here the day before yesterday.


    "Grass Mud Horse!"


    A chubby kid was lying t on the fence, yelling incessantly at the new arrivals inside, which resembled sheep but with long necks and an appearance that seemed 30% sleazy and 70% cute: "Grass Mud Horse, Grass Mud Horse, Grass Mud Horse..."


    The new members behind the fence were indeed the legendary "Grass Mud Horse," also known as alpacas.


    With their timid nature and being new to the zoo, they were already wary of the unfamiliar environment. Startled by the chubby kid''s shouting, they immediately trembled and huddled in a far corner, staring in terror at the people outside the fence.


    Children love a lively scene, and the other kids around the fence, being naughty, started shouting along. A few braver ones even picked up small stones to throw at the alpacas.


    "You fatso! Grass Mud Horse!"


    "Grass Mud Horse! You fatso!"


    The two parrots started cursing out loud, not at the alpacas inside the fence, but at the chubby kid. Despite their sharp tongues, the parrot sisters could tell friend from foe. Seeing the chubby kid bullying the new alpacas, they got furious and started swearing, pping their wings, ready to peck the chubby kid! Experience new tales on empire


    *****************


    (Ten chapters for todayplete! Please subscribe, vote for monthly tickets, and all that jazz!)

 Chapter 198 Timid Divine Beast

    Suming quickly grabbed the two parrots. The Diamond Parrot was so strong, and its beak so hard, it could even peck a hole in a red brick, let alone this chubby kid who was like a ball of meat; if pecked by the parrots a few times, he''d likely be sent straight to the meat processing factory.


    "Alpaca, alpaca..." The childish cursing echoed through half of the zoo, with the chubby kid leading a group of children, shouting louder and louder and even crazily picking up small stones and twigs to throw at the terrified alpacas hiding in the distance.


    The mischievous children made trouble, the adults around didn''t intervene, thinking the small stones and twigs couldn''t injure the alpacas with their thick curled hair, so they happily stood by,ughing and watching themotion.


    Suming rolled his eyes at the back and nced at the ''Civilized Park'' metal sign not far away, then secretly dispersed a dose of spiritual power to embolden the alpacas.


    He had to teach these mischievous kids a lesson, that the alpacas, as the leading figure among the four mythical creatures, were not to be trifled with!


    The alpacas, naturally timid, hesitated for a moment after being encouraged by the spiritual power, then stood tall with their long necks and walked to the fence with aughable pigeon-toed gait, drawing near the shouting children.


    Seeing the alpacas approach, the mischievous kids yelled even louder, and the chubby kid reached out to pluck the wool from the neck of the nearest alpaca.


    Just then, the alpacas suddenly sneezed heavily several times...


    Alpacas, also known as mas, have been on Earth for thousands of years and, like their close rtives the camels, when startled or angry, will spit saliva and snot; and they also have a very special ''racial ability'': they can spit dung!


    So, what alpacas spit out is not just saliva, but saliva mixed with dung!


    Pfft, pfft, pfft...


    Blobs of sticky liquid, like water cannon shots, sttered all over the kids'' heads and faces. With their sizable bodies, simr in size to a donkey''s, and abundant thick, stinky saliva and mucus, the alpacas made a mess!


    The alpacas, frightened half to death and already incensed, now deliberately increased the dosage under Suming''s direction...


    The children were as if doused with a phlegm-filled spittoon from above, their faces smeared with a transparent mucginousyer, looking like subjects freshly extracted from a culture fluid. With each breath, their nostrils puffed up with tiny transparent bubbles.


    The chubby kid cried out with a wail, pfft... a big mouthful of something between saliva and snot sprayed precisely into his mouth.


    Pfft, pfft... caught up in the frenzy, the alpacas made it seem like some Alpaca-vs-Zombies battle; a group of alpacas stood in two rows behind the fence, continuously spitting through the bars. Once the front row ran out of ammo, the back row took over, and when the back finished, the front was reloaded and ready to go; they kept at it, quickly clearing arge area around the fence.


    "Alright, alright, let''s disperse!"


    Suming thought they''d had enough fun, retracted his power, and had the alpacas behave and return to the grasnd to rest. He then walked into the crowd and said loudly, "We should watch animals in a civilized manner. mas are very shy creatures, but they are extremely friendly towards humans. Even when frightened, they can only retaliate by spitting saliva. Such honest creatures shouldn''t be bullied by us."


    The few children and parents who got sprayed endured the humiliation; ma saliva was just disgusting, not poisonous and without any corrosive elements - a good wash would do the trick. And the onlooking tourists, not being the victims, were thoroughly amused by the mas'' spitting spectacle.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    mas, closely rted to camels, may look dopey and cute with faces that seem soothing like a kind olddy''s, but they are actually very hardworking. Initially used as ''beasts of burden'' like cattle and horses, they are true powerhouses of transport.


    Alpaca wool is also very valuable. The wool sheared from one alpaca in a year can be worth one or two thousand US dors if it''s of good quality. Suming hadn''t set his sights on the alpaca wool yet because the zoo''s alpaca poption was too small. With only seven alpacas so far, to make money from their wool, that number would have to increase by at least ten or twenty times.


    Besides, just thinking about alpacas without their wool gave Suming the heebie-jeebies, sending shivers down his spine. He figured the alpacas themselves probably didn''t want to be sheared either.


    As the sky darkened and the zoo closed for the day, Suming entered through the staff entrance at the back and made his way into the enclosure.


    The few alpacas saw Suminging and immediately showed a very affectionate side, swarming up to him and surrounding him in the middle, staring at him with their mop-like curly heads.


    Being surrounded by seven beastly alpacas at nightfall, Suming felt a bit nervous. He muttered a blessing for good luck and hoped he wouldn''t encounter any weird events.


    "Nice hairstyle!" Suming rubbed the head of the nearest alpaca, then counted them, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. In total, seven alpacas. The biggest one was even taller than Suming, and the smallest one was over a meter tall.


    With nothing better to do, Suming simply started giving them names. When it came to naming, Suming had alwayscked talent. Based on their sizes, he named them Big Grass, Second Grass¡­ all the way to Seventh Grass.


    "Come here, Big Grass, I mean you," Suming beckoned to the biggest alpaca with a flick of his finger.


    Readtest stories on empire


    The alpaca waddled over with its butt swaying. Suming patted its backbone and asked, "How about I ride you for a bit?"


    If it had been a horse, Suming wouldn''t have been interested, but the alpaca in front of him was very appealing. He had been wanting to ride one for fun since daytime but didn''t because there were too many people around, which would have looked bad. He had patiently waited until night.


    Alpacas were camelid animals after all, and watching Suming for a while, the alpaca didn''t seem to show any objection. Reassured, Suming ced his hands on Big Grass''s somewhat curved back and, with a bit of effort, leapt onto it.


    "Um¡­" Big Grass let out a strange cry, its limbs went soft, and it copsed under Suming''s weight, continuously spitting out saliva, clearly very displeased.


    "That''s not right; I''m not that heavy." Suming scratched his head and tried another one, but the result was the same.


    After trying one by one, each time he jumped on, they would let out a strange cry and copse before he could even sit on their backs. Suming then realized it wasn''t because he was heavy or because they were unwilling to carry him; they were just naturally timid.


    Suming couldn''t be bothered to control them with his spiritual power, riding an alpaca was just for fun, and it wasn''t a big deal if he didn''t seed. These neers just needed time to get used to the environment; they could be more familiar with each otherter.


    "But you guys are too cowardly!" Suming spat on the ground contemptuously.


    In response, the alpacas imitated him, lifting their heads and opening their mouths as if to spit on him. Suming got so scared that he ran away helter-skelter.


    When he got back to the pavilion, Wang Cai, the leader of the wolfhound brothers, was squatting at the entrance, something dark and murky in his mouth. Seeing Suming return, Wang Cai wagged his tail and ran over, dropping the thing at Suming''s feet before panting heavily with his tongue out, looking eager to please.


    "Eh? What''s this?"


    Suming picked it up and saw it was a grimy copper piece, dirty with mud and emitting a strange smell, a mysterious find from who knows where by Wang Cai.

 Chapter 199 A Bunch of Junk? (Second Update)

    ```


    In these days, Huiya and the others spent their days frolicking in the hills behind the house, mainly honing their hunting skills. They often brought their catch to Suming. Sometimes it was a small wild rabbit, sometimes half arge field mouse, and even wild fruits.


    These things weren''t of much use, though they were pretty good for barbecuing, so Suming had been eating game frequently and was starting to get a bit tired of it.


    The copper piece before him was dirty and looked like a piece of junk, inedible and unseble. He had no idea where the pack of dogs had found it.


    Suming took the copper piece into the pavilion, turned on the tap to wash off the mud, and under the light, he could see that it was an arc-shaped object, covered in rust with some indistinct patterns on it. It looked like a fragment, possibly a small part of a vessel.


    "Did you pick this up from the back hill?" Suming chuckled and asked Wang Cai.


    Wang Cai, with his tongue out, nodded his head, and Suming muttered, "It''s not an antique, is it?" before casually cing the fragment on a table.


    How many antiques could there be in the world, that a few dogs could just stumble upon them? Besides, there are plenty of counterfeits around these days, and even modern furniture often imitates ancient styles. Finding a piece of what looks like ancient bronze in the mountains isn''t all that rare.


    After ying some online games, he went straight to bed.


    Early the next day, just as dawn began to break, he heard scratching noises on the door panels, followed by creaking sounds. Suming rubbed his eyes and got out of bed, opening the pavilion''s door.


    "I''m going, did you guys move the junkyard over here?"


    Suming was startled by the sight. Piled in front of the pavilion''s door were mounds of mud-stained broken porcin bowls and rotten copper vessels, with the wolf dog brothers holding a tattered cloth-like item in their mouths, standing guard in front of this pile of junk, wagging their tails vigorously at Suming.


    It was then that Suming felt something was off.


    There were no households in the hills behind the house, so where had they found so much rubbish that seemed to be everyday items? On closer inspection, the ''tattered cloth'' the wolf dog brothers were holding looked like a piece of clothing.


    Suming took the tattered cloth from the mouths of the wolf dog brothers. A putrid smell hit his nose immediately, along with a foul stench. He held his nose, shook it out in the wind a couple of times, and unfolded it to find that it indeed looked like an ancient robe, with strange embroidery patterns on it. However, the garment was severely decayed and its original appearance was indiscernible.


    Seeing this item, Suming suddenly became a little unsettled. Luckily, the zoo was not open yet, and there wasn''t a soul near the pavilion. He hurriedly moved the broken dishes and pots, along with the tattered clothes, into the pavilion.


    If it had been just one or two pieces of porcin, or a few broken copper pieces, it wouldn''t have been surprising. But a pile as big as this was quite abnormal. Especially since they all obviously had been dug out from the ground, which was suspicious!


    It should be noted that the hills behind his house were a branch of the Qinling Mountains.


    The Qinling Mountains are considered one of the cradles of the Huaxia nation, the "greatest dragon vein." Since ancient times, numerous ancient cities have been established around the Qinling Mountains, with many emperors and generals choosing to locate their tombs within them.


    Even if not belonging to emperors and generals, the countlessrge and small towns built along the mountains meant that there were many ancient tombs in the Qinling, and due to the rugged terrain, most areas have remained untouched and rarely visited by man to this day. So, the appearance of mysterious items would not be unusual.


    ```


    Wildman Su Meng was discovered in the Qinling Mountains.


    Suming''s heart suddenly skipped a beat, fearing that this group of dogs might have desecrated someone''s tomb!


    At his age, he had seen plenty of novels and movies about tomb robbing and immediately thought of tomb exploration adventures.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    However, the act of tomb robbing, as thrilling as it sounds, is actually not as interesting as it is depicted in the novels.


    The more he interacted with Zhao Yun, the more Suming understood that so-called ''tomb robbing'' was in fact a dangerous and rather dull activity. Not only was there a significant safety risk, but it wasn''t as profitable as one might imagine.


    Firstly, the majority of tombs were buried underground, and after several hundred years, the apanying burial items would have been mostly damaged beyond recognition. The appearance of antiques is very important; for example, items from the Ming Xuande period, aplete piece and a damaged or even shattered one, would have a price difference as vast as the heavens and the earth. Take this pile of ''junk'' for example, almost entirely in fragments, such quality items wouldn''t fetch more than a few pennies, even if they were antiques.


    Secondly, tombs of lower status didn''t contain many valuable items, and those few high-ss tombs, belonging to emperors and high-ranking officials, might contain some quality items, even so-called ''divine national treasures'' like the Simuwu Ding or gold-threaded jade clothes.


    But such items are priceless; their true value is impossible to estimate. Yet, if you try to sell them surreptitiously, it''s hard to find buyers. In the end, you might only get a few million, all the while risking execution. Experience exclusive tales on empire


    Those auction-level items like the twelve zodiac animal heads can sell for billions, but they''re mostly driven by spection.


    Once, Zhao Yun told him about a group of professional tomb robbers who had unearthed several tombs from the Ming and Qing Dynasty times. The apanying burial items were rtively abundant, adding up to dozens of pieces, but they only made one or two million at most. Eventually, they were caught and sentenced to over fifteen years each.


    Suming, even by simply staying safe and doing nothing, could earn tens of millions a year; it simply wasn''t worth it for him to deal with relics for a few millions and risk going against the entire nation and losing his head.


    Zhao Yun was the best example. He managed a museum and could easily sell off national treasures if he wanted, but Zhao Yun would never do such a thing. The simple reason was that he could make far more money through legitimate business than through crooked means.


    Looking back at the pile of items, Suming was also unclear about what exactly they were. The so-called antiques were just his guess, and they could very well be a bunch of useless modern replicas.


    "Let''s go, take me to the ce where these items were found and let''s have a look."


    Suming was preparing to follow the wolf-dog brothers to the back mountain when his phone rang. It was Zhao Yun, who said there was some business with the distillery that he wanted to discuss with him and asked if he had time toe over.


    After thinking it over, Suming reasoned that if there really was an ancient tomb, he had no experience and going there recklessly would be too dangerous. Moreover, his current prospects were bright, and he had neither the need to rely on selling relics for money nor the desire tomit a crime for a few ''cultural relics.'' His greatest wish was merely to go on an adventure for fun if an ancient tomb was indeed discovered.


    So he simply took a bag of ''trash'' and drove to see Zhao Yun, deciding to leave further actions pending until after the appraisal.


    *************


    PS: There''s more toe!

 Chapter 200 Appraisal (Third Update)

    After arriving at Zhao Yun''s home, Zhao Yun was sitting in the living room reading the newspaper. Suming changed his shoes and entered the house, but he didn''t bring up "antique appraisal" first; instead, he discussed the distillery with Zhao Yun. At the moment, this was the priority.


    Zhao Yun had already found professional engineers and budget personnel, drafted a n for establishing the distillery, and taken care of the rted approval processes. Suming had also already transferred four million from the Taoyuan Fisheries Company''s ounts through Zhang Siming''sw firm, plus the two million he dug into his own pockets for, making a total of six million.


    Once that money was spent, Suming became utterly penniless. If not for the small sry he still received monthly from the zoo and the continuing boat tour business, he wouldn''t even be able to afford gas for the Wrangler. The fisheriespany''s ounts werepletely drained; they could only wait to slowly recoup the money from selling fish.


    He had originally nned to tour several indkes in the Yangtze River Basin before the Chinese New Year, looking for freshwater fish with higher economic value to breed. Now, due to financial constraints, the n had been temporarily shelved.


    Zhao Yun had invested five million himself. With both of their contributions, the total investment was eleven million, which was actually a very, very small scale for a distillery.


    The funds were in ce, but there were two problems, neither too big nor too small.


    "The first is the form. You need to hurry up with the training of the monkeys you mentionedst time," Zhao Yun said.


    Suming nodded, "I''ve already begun handling it." He had ordered several tons of various fruits from the zoo''s warehousest week, not knowing exactly which fruits the Monkey King would use for brewing; it was better to have a surplus just in case.


    The form was key to the distillery, directly affecting whether it would be profitable. Suming was confident that the Monkey King would provide the form, but to create a buzz, he was also considering getting a few more monkeys involved, using the excuse of "releasing them into the wild" to have them learn the craft of making Monkey Wine from the Monkey King in the hills behind the zoo. In the future, these wine-making monkeys could "work" at the distillery.


    As long as these gimmicks were established, he dared not im that the distillery could growrge enough to go public, but making money was absolutely assured. Plus, it seemed the monkeys actually enjoyed brewing, probably because it meant they got to eat lots of fruit.


    "Then there''s the issue ofnd for the factory," Zhao Yun continued, his expression showing a hint of difficulty.


    He had selected a few sites, but none were ideally located; they were merely backup options. If they really couldn''t find anything better, they would have to make do with one of those.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "ording to the city''s regtions, all plots ofnd must go through public bidding and auction. For slightly better locations, we can only buy throughpetitive bidding. If ites to that, our investment will only be enough to purchasend. I''ve thought of a solution, whether we could rent a piece ofnd from behind your zoo. After all, the distillery''s remote location wouldn''t matter; there''s no need for it to be in the bustling city center," Zhao Yun suggested.


    "I''ll have to think of a way," Suming said, also feeling a bit troubled.


    Having rights to use thend behind the zoo meant it wouldn''t be difficult for him, with his current status at the zoo, to set aside a plot for a different purpose. However, there was a condition: the hillside existed under the guise of an ''animal sanctuary.'' If they were to engage in farming pollution-free crops, that could be justifiable, but modern industrial activities like building a factory or distillery would undoubtedly bring some pollution, which was a policy issue.


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    "What about finding a piece ofnd near the reservoir?" Suming pondered and asked, "It''s close to a water source, and transportation is rtively convenient nearby. Building a factory near the reservoir would be better than in the hills."


    "There are indeed several ready-to-auction plots around the reservoir, but as far as I know, the city currently intends to zone these plots for residential rather than industrial use," Zhao Yun exined.


    ording to the government''s nning, different plots ofnd are designated for different purposes. Industrialnd and residentialnd are, as the names suggest, for building factories and housingplexes respectively. After purchasing a plot, construction must adhere to the n¡ªyou can''t buy industrialnd and build residential buildings on it, and vice versa; that would be illegal.


    Though there is only a two-character difference between the two, the prices for residentialnd and industrialnd are worlds apart; residentialnd can cost several times more than industrialnd.


    A significant portion of the government''s fiscal revenue nowes from auctioning state-ownednd. The prices of residentialnd are skyrocketing each year, with new record-setting bids for building plots and floors continually emerging. This is a major reason why housing prices remain high. Every year the government says it wants to control housing prices, but when the cost of thend ounts for more than half of the construction costs, along with dozens of various types of taxes, how can housing prices possibly drop if neithernd prices nor taxes are reduced?


    Getting back to the main point, the area around Huating Reservoir, far from the noisy city center and with its pleasant scenery and serene environment, is perfect for constructing vimunities. It''s understandable that the government wants to rezone the surrounding plots as residentialnd, to sell at higher prices and increase fiscal revenue.


    With Zhao Yun''s current status, he definitely had influential connections within the government¡ªSuming guessed that his background was probably much more significant than his own. However, changing thend use around the reservoir from residential to industrial involved the financial lifeline of Yangchuan City Government¡ªit was a matter of vital and principled interest. Even if Zhao Yun stepped in, Suming doubted he could make it happen.


    Zhao Yun probably knew this as well and ultimately just shook his head,ughing, "If it really doesn''t work out, we can buy a plot somewhere else. There''s plenty of constructionnd in the nearby counties and towns. As long as you have the money, buyingnd won''t be a problem. It just means the transportation of raw materials will be a bit more troublesome."


    "After I go back, I''ll also think of some ways. If possible, it would be best to stay near the reservoir or the back mountain," Suming still hoped to have the distillery close by for convenient management. Besides, if he could build the distillery in either of those two ces, he could even cultivate various fruits on arge scale in the back mountains to directly supply the distillery, making the process more convenient and making good use of the mountains¡ªa win-win situation.


    The two chatted for a while longer. As parents, their conversations would inevitably turn to their children, and Zhao Yun was no different. Before long, he was talking about Chengcheng.


    Suming was taken aback by the conversation; kids these days matured so early. There was a little boy in Chengcheng''s ss who had written her a love letter!


    Zhao Yun didn''t seem to care much. It was natural for children to have those misty feelings for each other. It wasn''t just the kids nowadays; even when Suming and his peers were in elementary school, it wasmon to hear about who had a crush on whom. Zhaoqian, on the other hand, was incredibly worried, nagging Zhao Yun every day about how puppy love could distract from studies and affect one''s outlook on life, and so on.


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Zhao, leave it to me! Beating up and intimidating the little kids, helping with homework, pretending to be a parent at parent-teacher conferences, that''s my expertise, only fifty bucks a pop!" Suming pat his chest with a resounding thump.


    "Forget about it, Chengcheng isn''t interested in those kids anyway. She says they''re too immature, always ying League of Legends or something, not mature at all," Zhao Yun said casually.


    Suming was at a loss for words, thinking to himself that he yed too, not only League, but sometimes even CrossFire...


    After some idle chit-chat, and seeing that Zhao Yun had no other business to discuss, Suming took out some pieces of broken porcin and chunks of copper from his bag, piled them on the table, and said, "Mr. Zhao, can you take a look and tell me what these are?"


    ********


    PS: Another chaptering in fifteen minutes!

 Chapter 201 Digging Graves with a Permit (Four Updates)

    Zhao Yun and Suming sat on opposite sides of therge table. As Suming poured out a hodgepodge of items from his bag, Zhao Yun initially nced over them nonchntly, but his eyebrows quickly furrowed, and his expression became serious. He dragged a chair over to sit next to Suming and began to examine the small fragments one by one carefully.


    Seeing Zhao Yun''s expression, Suming knew that these things were probably not ordinary, at least not modern imitations. He asked, "Mr. Zhao..."


    Zhao Yun, however, cut him off with a question, "Where did you find these things? Wait,e up to my study on the second floor!"


    Without further discussion, Zhao Yun packed the items, carried the bundle, and hurried up to the second floor, with Suming following. They entered the study, and Zhao Yun casually locked the door behind them.


    "Mr. Zhao, even if it is a genuine antique, there''s no need for such a fuss, acting like we''remitting theft." Suming joked. With no one else at home, Chengcheng and Zhaoqian were out, was it really necessary to lock the door?


    "I''m doing this for your own good. You think I can''t tell? These all came from the ground. If word gets out, you''d be in big trouble."


    Zhao Yun red at Suming irritably, "Don''t get carried away with those novels about tomb raiding. I''m telling you, the state has specialized personnel dealing with such matters. If the items are worth anything, you''ll be under surveince as soon as you try to deal with them."


    "Is there really a Dragon Group?" Suming suddenly got excited at the thought. If there was a Dragon Group, I, as a person with special abilities, would join them!


    "Dragon Group? What''s that?" Zhao Yun, being of an older generation, clearly had no idea what ''Dragon Group'' meant. He didn''t dwell on it but instead repeated his warning to Suming not to sell any antiques privately. The state had people covertly managing these issues. If it were an ordinary antique, it would be one thing, but if it were a national treasure, with Suming''s current connections, he would be apprehended before he could even sell it abroad.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "As mysterious as you make it sound, it might not even be an antique." Suming was indifferent, since he had no intention of making money from it.


    Zhao Yun turned on a white incandescentmp in the corner of the study and pulled out a magnifying ss. Under the bright light, he inspected the rubbish Suming had brought, then opened a drawer and took out a palm-sized bottle. With a small brush, he dipped it into the bottle containing an unknown liquid and brushed it over a copper piece several times, examining it carefully under the light.


    "How is it?" Although Suming didn''t count on making money from it, his curiosity was piqued, and he asked somewhat nervously.


    "If this isn''t an antique, then there are no antiques in the world," Zhao Yun replied, putting down the copper piece and tapping on it, "It should be from the early to mid-Ming Dynasty. Tell me the truth, how did you get this?" Your journey continues on empire


    Suming didn''t hide anything, spilling the details to Zhao Yun like pouring beans from a bamboo tube.


    After listening, Zhao Yun pondered for a while and then said, "Based on what you''ve told me, there should be a tomb in the back hill. However, judging by the patterns on these fragments, the tomb''s owner was likely just an ordinary person, at most slightly wealthy. It''s a good thing you didn''t actively dig up the tomb; otherwise, the nature of the issue would be different. I''ll tell you, such tombs do have archaeological value, but they really don''t have much economic value. If you dug up something worth a few hundred thousand, it would be quite remarkable."


    "Looking at how you''re talking, having been influenced by you all these days, my heart is like a bright sun, never once did I think of raiding tombs," Sumingughed, "You won''t believe it, but I even thought, if the tomb''s owner was unearthed, as a good deed, I would bury him back."


    "Heh, I''ll just pretend to believe you. Anyway, no one knows what treasures might be inside the tomb right now."


    "Mr. Zhao, you get me!" Suming said with a yful grin.


    If there really was something uniquely rare and valuable, given Suming''s character, he definitely wouldn''t end up on the losing side. And Suming was well aware that Zhao Yun was a businessman, and all businessmen have an innate desire to profit. Ultimately, this middle-aged, handsome man wasn''t the type to selflessly dedicate himself to the interests of the Party-State.


    Zhao Yun thought for a moment, then said, "Well, first take me to that ce for a look, and we''ll talk about the rest after we find the tomb."


    "Talk about the rest?" Suming, with his sharp senses, caught a hint of something unusual in Zhao Yun''s words and deliberately asked, "What ''rest''?"


    Zhao Yun blinked and asked, "Don''t you want to see the ancient tomb for yourself before the state excavates it? You should know that once the state starts its excavation, many primary sources will be top-secret files, and even I might not get a chance to see them."


    "Mr. Zhao, you''re tempting me to be a tomb raider," Suming chuckled.


    Zhao Yun''s expression turned serious, and he said earnestly, "Nonsense, if you go digging up graves, that''s called tomb raiding! But if I take you to dig, that''s called protective excavation! I have a license!"


    Suming was close to crying from frustration, truly envious. Zhao Yun actually did have a ''license''. It was something called a ''National Cultural Relics Excavation Protection Qualification Certificate''.


    With this thing, one could legally dig up graves. Of course, stealing the relics inside the tomb was not allowed, but if it was just him and Suming going into the tomb first, who would know what they did inside?


    Zhao Yun, after all, was a bit moreposed than Suming, still a professional. Before they set off, he made a phone call, and had someone deliver tworge backpacks filled with equipment and tools. The guy who delivered the stuff seemed to be one of Zhao Yun''s confidants; he didn''t say anything when he arrived, didn''t ask any questions, just dropped off the goods and left.


    Carrying these things, the duo left Zhao''s vi, drove back to the zoo to pick up Su Meng, and followed the guidance of two shepherd dogs to the back mountain. After threading through the deep woods for hours, the leading shepherd brothers finally stopped in a small stream in the mountains, barking at a slope nearby.


    Their current location was right at the top of a mountain owned by the zoo, situated between another peak used by the zoo but not part of its property. The two mountain tops formed a ''V'' shape, and Suming and the others were now at the bottom of the ''V''.


    To put it more vividly, they were in the cleavage of a ''career line''.


    There were no paths around, the terrain on both sides was fairly steep, with at least a forty-degree incline. The slope was dotted with trees and rocks, and from a distance, they could see arge patch of bare earth exposed by andslide caused by mountain floods, standing out awkwardly like a bald spot in the midst of greenery.


    From this distance, several small ck dots that looked like dogs were on that bare patch, roaring at the ground.


    ************


    PS: That''s all for today, continued tomorrow

 Chapter 202 Attack

    "What is it?" Suming squinted at the distance, but it was too far to see clearly what the dogs were barking at.


    Zhao Yun simply said, "Go up the mountain and take a look, and we''ll know."


    Thus, the two of them climbed up the slope using hands and feet together. The slope must have been about forty degrees, almost requiring hands and feet to get up. Suming and Zhao Yun handed over their backpacks and equipment to Su Meng, who climbed up like arge ape, zipping up swiftly. Zhao Yun and Suming followed behind, and after climbing for nearly half an hour, they finally reached the elevated area of the slope, a few dozen meters high.


    Strangely, there were no ancient tombs or the like in sight, only a nted hole about the size of a water vat on the ground. A few dogs surrounded the hole, slightly bending their bodies as if facing a great enemy, staring at the entrance as if there was something very dangerous inside.


    Scattered around the slope near the hole, there were some ancient vessels half-buried in the soil. It looked like the scraps that the wolf dogs had given to Suming had been picked up nearby...


    Zhao Yun and Suming looked at each other, a bit surprised, and the same thought crossed their minds at the same time: could this hole be a robber''s tunnel?


    Seeing Suming approaching, Huiya turned its head and bared its sharp fangs at Suming, a gesture of affection that startled Zhao Yun. At first, he hadn''t noticed that among these dogs was an actual wolf!


    "It''s alright, it''s mine," Suming said, patting Huiya''s head with a smile.


    Zhao Yun, seeing that Huiya wasn''t biting, was reassured and walked up to the hole to look down. Suming also walked cautiously to the entrance and bravely peered inside.


    The sun could shine in from this position, and with its help, he could see down into the darkness. It seemed very deep with bursts of cool air hitting his face. It looked like there might be water at the bottom.


    Zhao Yun casually picked up a fist-sized stone and threw it into the hole. A ''plop'' was heard soon after, indicating the stone hitting water. By the sound of it, the water was not very deep.


    Suming was a bit scared, but even more curious. He couldn''t help but ask Zhao Yun, "Shall we go down and have a look?"


    Zhao Yun, well, he might seem like a mature, sessful businessman on the outside, but deep down, he did notck the adventurous spirit of a man. Additionally, he had a background in antique research and spent his youth wandering all over the ce fiercely and wildly. It was only after he had a family and took on the responsibilities of a father and husband that he gradually settled down.


    Faced with therge hole before them, Zhao Yun also felt an itch in his heart as if a cat''s paw was scratching him. The two were in immediate agreement and decided to go down and explore.


    Zhao Yun prepared various tools on one side while Suming hugged Huiya and whispered a few words to it.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "You''re not nning to take the wolf down with you, are you?" Zhao Yun asked, a bit perplexed as he put on a miner''s hat with a searchlight.


    "That''s actually a good idea," thought Suming, realizing the reason in Zhao Yun''s remark. Wild animals naturally have a keen instinct for danger, and with Huiya''s night-vision, it might be more useful in the dark environment than a person would be.


    However, Suming had instructed Huiya to do something else, and soon Huiya ran off swiftly with a few dogs.


    Suming, worried that Zhao Yun might not be able to ept what was toe, intentionally gave a heads-up, "Mr. Zhao, you don''t think there could be zombies or something like that inside, do you? Should we prepare some weapons?"


    "You''ve watched too many movies. There''s no such thing. If there is indeed a tomb below, the real dangers are mechanisms and air quality, or at most a fewrge rats." Zhao Yun carelessly tossed a shlight over a foot long to Suming.


    It felt quite heavy, suitable as a bludgeon, but Suming still looked unconvinced, saying, "I''d rather prepare some weapons."


    "Suit yourself," Zhao Yun said indifferently. He had seen many first-time tomb raiders like Suming, whose heads were filled with all kinds of strange fantasies, acting as if they were going to war in Iraq, fully armed for a tomb expedition.


    In reality, in a tomb, weapons are far less crucial than experience.


    After a while, Huiya returned with the dogs, carrying tworge waterproof bags and dropping them in front of Suming.


    Suming opened the bags and Zhao Yun nced casually, then was stunned, eximing, "The weapons you talked about... are these?!"


    Indeed, the bags contained real weapons: two pistols, two rifles, and two tightly packed boxes of bullets.


    These were seized from a poaching gangst time and had been hidden in arge cave ever since. Huiya knew the way and had brought a portion over with the dogs.


    "Heh heh heh..." Suming chuckled mysteriously, shouldering a rifle and tucking a pistol at his waist, then tossed the bag to Zhao Yun.


    An ordinary person would undoubtedly ask a lot of questions at this point, but Zhao Yun had seen these things in his younger days. He and Suming also had an understanding, rarely prying into each other''s secrets under normal circumstances.


    Picking up a rifle casually, he expertly pulled the bolt twice and aimed it as if targeting something.


    "Not bad, but it''s best not to shoot. If there is indeed a tomb below, stray bullets could easily harm us," he said.


    Zhao Yun slung the rifle over his back and tugged at the climbing rope around his waist, handing the other end to Suming, getting ready to go down and check the depth of the water in the hole.


    But before he could descend, Huiya had already taken the lead, leaping directly into the hole.


    With a ssh, a sound of water followed by swimming noises came up. Suming hurriedlyy down at the entrance and shone the shlight downwards.


    In the circle of light from his shlight, Huiya pped and swam swiftly through the water, quickly vanishing into the depths of the cave, followed by the soft sounds of fur shaking and Huiya''s bark signaling everything was safe.


    "Down!" Zhao Yun said without hesitation, grabbing the climbing rope and sliding into the cave, while Suming illuminated the descent with his shlight. Zhao Yun sank just two or three meters before touching the water surface, and as his body slowly submerged, the water reaching about his chest, he finally stopped sinking and gestured an OK sign to Suming.


    Suming hammered the end of the climbing rope firmly into the ground with a peg, then slid down the rope himself, his feet gradually disappearing into the water.


    It might have been in his head, but even through the waterproof suit, he could feel the water in the cave was bone-chillingly cold.


    Soon, feeling solid ground beneath his feet, he realized he had reached the bottom. Suming and Zhao Yun were of simr height, around 1.77 meters, and the water in the cave came just up to their chests.


    Finally, Su Meng jumped down directly, like a human bomb, causing arge ssh as he hit the water.


    The cave was pitch dark, and for Suming, who was in such a ce for the first time, his heart was aflutter. Clutching his gun firmly in one hand above the water, he turned his head to look around. Suddenly, about twenty or thirty meters ahead, he saw two ghostly lights floating in mid-air.


    "Shit!" Suming got a fright, nearly yelling out loud.


    But the ghostly lights made a sound first. After Zhao Yun waved his shlight, it turned out to be Huiya. The shore was just twenty meters ahead. Huiya had already climbed ashore, listlessly yawning, sticking out its tongue to lick its mouth, stretching luxuriously, and then lying down, waiting for Suming and the others.


    Those two ''ghost lights'' were its eyes.


    Suming also quickly turned on his shlight, sweeping it around. Overhead was a cave that sloped upward; there wasn''t much space to either side or the back¡ªonly about seven or eight meters from the cave walls. Only straight ahead was the area spacious, a reasonably sized body of water followed by the shore.


    The space on the shore seemedrge, and moving the shlight, he could glimpse the ruins of buildings in the distance, but they were too far away to make out what they were.


    "Let''s go ashore and take a look," Zhao Yun signaled and led the way through the chest-high water, with Su Meng bringing up the rear and Suming, the most cautious, sticking safely in the middle.


    The three of them moved slowly through the water, the soft babbling sound echoing in the cave. Ripples radiated around them as they advanced, and the cave echoed with their sshing.


    The water wasn''t deep, but since there were only two beams from their shlights, the rest of the water looked ominously dark, too calm¡ªas if a creature could leap out at any moment.


    Perhaps because of the stagnant water umted over many years, and because the cave wasn''t well-ventted, the air was always tinged with a rotting smell, making it very ufortable to breathe.


    Fortunately, Huiya remained lyingzily on the shore, showing no sign of sensing danger.


    The floor beneath the water was sloped, and the closer they moved toward Huiya, the shallower the water became. Before long, the water only reached halfway up the body of Zhao Yun, who was leading, and up to the thighs of Suming.


    Just as they were about to reach the shore, suddenly, on the other side of the pool, a faint ssh sounded as if something had slipped into the water.


    At the same moment, Huiya, which had been lying down, jerked to its feet, its fur bristling on its neck, howling fiercely behind Suming and the others!


    The water''s surface split unexpectedly to both sides, spraying droplets everywhere, as something seemed to rush rapidly towards them from beneath!


    In the blink of an eye, before Suming and hispanions could react, the ''thing'' underwater had reached Suming, about to collide with his waist!


    "Get down!"


    With a roar, Su Meng reacted instantly, stretching out his arms, grabbing Suming with one hand, Zhao Yun with the other, and hoisted them high out of the water, before powerfully thrusting them forward.


    Experience tales at empire


    Suming and Zhao Yun felt themselves flying through the air, then with two sshes, theynded on the shore in agony.


    Su Meng was about to charge onto the shore when, taking one step, he was suddenly yanked back as if bitten by something from behind, violently dragged backward, and plunged into the water.


    **********


    PS: You don''t have to worry about the word count for this segment.


    Let me exin the update schedule after going live: as always, there will be updates every day at 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., not less than 6,000 words a day. Of course, there will often be more. There''s no set rule for bonus updates; I will do my best to write them.


    Also, at midnight today, the average subscriptions for this book just broke a thousand!


    This is a great encouragement for a neer.


    Here, I''d like to be honest with everyone. Because I didn''t get rmendations for a while, I was a bit distracted while writing, so some of the plotlines were not very satisfying. Starting now, as my backlog is almost depleted, I will treat this book with a more serious attitude and will not let you down!


    No more rambling; there will be an extra update today! Two chapters in the morning and two chapters in the evening, 3,000 words each, a total of 12,000 words!


    Let''s work together, aiming for an average of 1,500 subscriptions next!

 Chapter 203 Alien vs. Predator (Second Update)

    Suming and Zhao Yun were thrown onto the shore, and Suming felt a sudden dread in his heart, bearing the pain, he gritted his teeth and turned back to look.


    In the darkness, a figure flickered and arge burst of spray rose from the surface of the water. Therge figure of Su Meng was dragged from behind by something and violently fell backward, disappearing beneath the water in an instant.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "Fuck me!" Suming''s eyes were about to split with rage!


    Su Meng, though a wild man picked up from the wilds, was simple and honest in nature, and had practically lived and shared meals with Suming; their rtionship was no less than that of real brothers! Moreover, Su Meng was ambushed from behind by the creature in the water because he had just saved Suming and Zhao Yun.


    It was unclear whether Su Meng was unconscious or dead; after being dragged into the water, there was no sign of struggle or resistance, and the water surface immediately calmed down. With the help of the shlight, only a faint ripple could be seen extending towards the depths of the pool, as if the monster underwater had dragged Su Meng down with it.


    Huiya howled, its body tensed for a spring into the water, but Zhao Yun quickly stepped in front of it. Onnd, Huiya might have a fighting chance, but in the water, it wouldn''t even be able to protect itself.


    Suming, now with a gun, dared not use it for fear of identally shooting Su Meng in the chaos. He hastily cast his spiritual power into the water.


    The water was cold and dark, with no signs of any other living creature''s activity. Fortunately, Suming''s spiritual power was now strong enough that he quickly locked onto Su Meng and that underwater creature in the farthest corner.


    Purely through spiritual power, it was impossible to make out exactly what the thing was, only that it was veryrge, almost the size of a baby doll fish.


    Upon the slightest contact with the spiritual power, the underwater beast immediately perceived it as a great provocation, fiercely retaliating with a savage burst of consciousness.


    Given Suming''s current strength of spiritual power, he could control even a fierce tiger. However, the sudden counterattack from the creature in the water shook him so violently that he became dizzy and staggered before falling onto his backside!


    There were only three possibilities for this to happen: either the creature in the water had high intelligence, close to that of humans; or the creature was much older than its normal kind. As the saying goes, with agees wisdom, and older animals often have a spiritual nature, offering strong resistance to spiritual power!


    The third possibility, a target of astonishing size like a giant whale or an elephant, was unlikely given the creature was not small but clearly not as big as a whale. That possibility could be ruled out.


    But now Suming had no time to think about all this; saving Su Meng was the top priority. A brief contact with Su Meng had revealed that he was still alive, just temporarily unconscious, possibly due to hitting his head on an underwater rock when he fell.


    Without any hesitation, Suming clenched his teeth and condensed all his spiritual power, unleashing it all at once.


    Suming''s spiritual power had grown immenselypared to before, nurtured daily by the Big Blue Bee''s honey and Monkey Wine, stronger by the day. His full-powered blow, an invisible and intangible force like a little cannonball, fiercely bombarded that underwater beast.


    This kind of spiritual strike was not a physical injury, but a direct projection into the depths of consciousness. If it had been an ordinary beast like a bear or lion, it might have been turned into an idiot by Suming''s attack. The underwater creature, although ferocious, could not endure it and instantly released Su Meng, thrashing wildly in apparent agony.


    After releasing this spiritual force, Suming felt utterly drained, almost copsing, supporting himself on the ground while gasping for air.


    Meanwhile, Zhao Yun was not idle. He quickly rigged a grappling tool resembling a hand onto one end of the climbing rope and, eyeballing the ce where the water churned, he threw with force.


    The grappling hand, carrying the climbing rope, skidded across the surface of the water andnded right where the water was sshing, sinking into the depths.


    This grappling hand appeared to be in the shape of a ''hand'', very much like the ancient grappling hooks used for scaling walls. However, it was ingeniously designed. Its ws were curved in a 360-degree fashion, so if touched by this device, one would be immediately snagged, and even slippery fish couldn''t escape.


    Zhao Yun''s aim was clear: it didn''t matter if the grappling hook caught the creature or Su Meng, or both¡ªif he could just pull them to shore, the rest would be easy!


    The metal hook sank quickly into the water, and Zhao Yun pulled back with both hands, the climbing rope snapping taut, indicating that something was caught. He hurriedly pulled backward while Huiya, too, followed, biting the climbing rope, its legs taut, scrabbling on the ground to help pull.


    The rope clearly had caught something heavy, but whatever was in the water didn''t struggle, so it must have hooked onto Su Meng. Suming also recovered a bit of strength and crawled over to help pull, and soon Su Meng''srge figure emerged from the water.


    All thismotion woke Su Meng, who had likely inhaled a lot of water and choked while submerged. Hey in the water coughing violently, shaking the entire cave as if it were trembling.


    Before Su Meng was fully ashore, the creature in the water had recovered from the psychic shock and was chasing after him. In its element, it moved incredibly fast, reaching Su Meng''s side in the blink of an eye and then surfacing with half its body.


    With the shlight''s beam, Suming finally saw the true face of the beast!


    The creature was covered in scales and armor, angr and rugged, with a long, t mouth full of crisscrossing sharp teeth. It had four stout legs like iron pirs, and its back sported mountain-like ridges that extended down itsrge tail.


    "Fuck, a crocodile!" Suming''s mind reeled.


    In the eyes of most people, including Suming, an animal lover, crocodiles ranked among the most terrifying and ferocious of animals, even far surpassing tigers and lions. Thus, in both the animal kingdom and human society, looks were indeed a significant issue.


    Take crocodiles, for example. Even a juvenile crocodile with little killing power looks so ugly and terrifying at first nce. A giant panda, though, with biting strength second only to a Pr Bear and a sprinting speed that can surpass Liu Xiang''s top speed on t ground, can climb trees over twenty meters high and use three or four wolves as cushions for y. Despite being a powerhouse, it manages to make a living by acting cute.


    Zhao Yun didn''t even think before quickly drawing his pistol. Without appearing to take aim, he lifted his hand and hurriedly fired a clean shot.


    "Bang!" A sh of fire burst from the muzzle, and the gunshot echoed through the cave.


    Sure enough, the introverted middle-aged hunk was unexpectedly a whiz with a handgun¡ªno one had imagined that the usually refined Zhao Yun could shoot so well!


    The bullet whizzed between Su Meng''s legs and struck the crocodile in the spine, taking a small chunk of flesh with it!


    The croc took the bullet without showing any sign of injury; instead, it was enraged, its wide mouth forcefully snapping towards the nearby Su Meng!


    Caught off guard, Su Meng had suffered a setback and was probably feeling quite sullen. Seeing the crocodile lunge at him, Su Meng''s movements were surprisingly nimble for his size as he suddenly drew his belly back, causing the crocodile to miss and snap its jaws shut with a loud p.


    What happened next was utterly astonishing!


    Rather than retreating to the shore, Su Meng let out a roar and threw a punch straight down, hitting the crocodile right on its closed upper jaw.


    Boom! The ground beneath them seemed to tremble, and the front half of the crocodile waspletely submerged in water while the other half was flung up high like a seesaw.


    Suming gasped in a breath of cold air wincing painfully just watching.


    Such a ferocious punch would usually leave other animals, even an average crocodile, either dead or severely dazed. But this beast, able to withstand Suming''s spiritual power, used the force of Su Meng''s punch to twist its waist, its tailshing like a steel whip at Su Meng''s waist. The massive impact sent Su Meng stumbling back,nding with a ssh in the water.


    "Get to the shore!" Zhao Yun called out, already holding his rifle at the ready. Since Su Meng was unharmed, once he made it to drynd, between his and Suming''s powerful rifles¡ªand with Su Meng, the human tank on their side¡ªthe croc wouldn''t stand a chance.


    Suming too, mustered a bit of spiritual power into Su Meng''s body, noticing a set of bloody gashes on his leg probably from the croc''s bite. It was only him, anyone else would likely have lost a leg.


    But Su Meng ignored Zhao Yunpletely, and the influx of spiritual power from Suming invigorated his spirit. Instead of retreating, he roared and plunged back towards the crocodile in the water.


    If that crocodile had any sense, it would have been baffled seeing Su Meng like this. Many are fierce, but none so reckless; many throw away their lives, but none quite this crazed.


    With another ng, Su Meng struck again, sending the crocodile flying into deeper water. Su Meng, being a swimmer, dove after it determined to pursue the croc!


    Zhao Yun''s jaw almost dropped as he yelled at Suming, "Tell your brother to get up here; is he trying to get killed?!"


    Even the strongest person is at a disadvantage fighting in water, with only half their strength; the reverse is true for crocodiles, which can exert full power in their element.


    Yet now, Suming was not so worried. He knew Su Meng well¡ªpossessing beast-like instincts and survival skills, Su Meng''s judgment of the situation was often much more urate than a human''s. Without considerable confidence, Su Meng wouldn''t have rashly pursued the beast.


    Take for instance lions and tigers. When hunting, they won''t make a move without confidence, even if their prey looks weak, like a mere gazelle. They won''t act rashly or put themselves in danger¡ªa lesson in animal instinct that humans could hardly learn, no matter how clever they are.


    After Su Meng entered the water, the pond turned into a maelstrom. The deep area only came to just above his waist, and he fought like a sea demon, standing to rain punches on asion, or submerging to create violent waves with his thrashing.


    "Awooo, awooo!" Huiya howled from the shore, seemingly cheering him on.


    At the noise, several ''things'' suddenly sshed down from the mouth of the cave above the pond.


    It turned out that two Huskies and a Labrador, watching from outside the cave, had leapt down hoping to lend a hand.


    "Get back up, get back up!" Suming called out urgently; this was no job for them.


    The Huskies, Suming saw through them long ago, didn''t need his prompting¡ªthey yelped and scrambled to the shore at the first sign of trouble,plete cowards. The smaller Labrador, on the other hand, swam around Su Meng, looking for an opening to join the fray. But Suming used his spiritual power to force it out of the water. A fight at this level was not for the Labrador to interfere.


    "Hahaha..." The Huskies took to the shore with eyes wide, cocking their heads while staring at the water, the expression on their faces screaming, "You scared me to death!"


    ...


    PS: Two more chapters tonight. The essence quota is all used up this week, I''ll add more for everyone next week!

 Chapter 204 Ancient Architectural Complex (Three More Updates)

    "Dogs are all the same, yet the difference is too big."


    Suming scornfully nced at the two Huskies. If Wang Cai''s luck were here, he might actually have been able to help, even a Chihuahua could be considered ''ferocious''pared to these two Huskies.


    The people on the shore felt like time was passing slowly, but in reality, the fight in the water had ended in less than half a minute. Su Meng walked back ashore, dragging the crocodile by its tail, as if he was dragging a dead dog.


    As soon as the crocodile left the water, it tried to bite back at Su Meng. Su Meng let out a thunderous roar, as if he had struck a muffled thunder in a cave, then swung with one hand and spun the crocodile in the air, before mming it hard on the ground.


    There was a dull thud, and a crocodile-shaped pit appeared in the muddy ground. The crocodile nowy there, unable to resist any longer, its limbs syed out, twitching its ws as if it had epilepsy.


    "It didn''t get smashed into an idiot, did it?" Suming couldn''t help but swallow his saliva.


    Zhao Yun had his eyes opened today; hearing those stories about Li Yuanba having the strength of a thousand jun, he thought they were just brags, but the man before him was a true living Overlord. If he had been in ancient times, he would have been a fierce general capable of taking on ten thousand enemies.


    But he had to maintain hisposure after all, and after a brief moment of shock, he quickly took out a roll of ck duct tape from his backpack and had Su Meng press down on the crocodile''s mouth while he wrapped the tape around it,yer byyer.


    The crocodile''s biting strength was formidable, but it didn''t have much strength to open its mouth, so even a giant crocodile seven to eight meters long couldn''t bite if an adult held its snout shut. Thus, after capturing a crocodile, the first thing to do was to tie its mouth, not the limbs, like when capturing a person.


    Of course, just to be safe, Suming still secured the crocodile firmly with a piece of high-strength climbing rope.


    Three dogs and a wolf curiously gathered around the crocodile, asionally wing at its tough back scales. The Huskies probably also realized there was no danger and simply climbed onto the crocodile''s back and sat down, howling upwards at the sky with a not-so-authentic wolf howl, their eyes exuding the smug expression of a conqueror.


    "You few, get down. Don''t kill it. This guy is a national treasure!"


    Stay updated with empire


    After observing for a while, Suming and Zhao Yun recognized that this slightly over two-meter crocodile was the nationally protected Yangtze Alligator, known as a living fossil from the same era as the dinosaurs.


    In terms of numbers, the Yangtze Alligators might even be rarer than the Yangtze River dolphins, with possibly only dozens left in the wild, their status in Huaxia''s animal kingdom nearly on par with that of the giant panda. But as always, in this age where appearances are everything, the adorable giant panda certainly enjoys more poprity and attention than the fierce-looking crocodile.


    The Qinling Mountains and the Yangtze River Basin have been the habitats of the Yangtze Alligator since ancient times. When Sumingst went to rescue the dolphins and arrived at the abandonedke''s reed marshes, he was even worried whether there might be Yangtze Alligators there.


    Yangtze Alligators are actually quite docile by nature and typically don''t attack humans. Even if they do, it''s rare for them to kill their prey.


    Su Meng was lucky; he encountered a Yangtze Alligator, so he didn''t suffer severe injuries. When crocodiles hunt, they bite their prey and fiercely roll their bodies to shred it, but the Yangtze Alligator isn''t that violent. Its hunting method is somewhat humorous: after biting its prey, if it''s and animal, it drags it into the water to drown it; if it''s an aquatic animal, it throws it onto shore to wait for it to die of asphyxiation.


    That''s why the Yangtze Alligator was trying to drag Su Meng into the water.


    And although the Yangtze Alligator has seemingly sharp teeth, they are actually socketed teeth, incapable of cutting or chewing, only able to mp onto prey likerge pincers. Sometimes, if the prey is toorge and the alligator can''t swallow it, it has to wait helplessly beside the prey for it to dpose... All in all, if there were a ranking for the most dim-witted among crocodiles, the Yangtze Alligator would definitely be a contender.


    Suming measured it with a tape measure; this Yangtze Alligator was about two meters three in length, making it quite massivepared to the generally smaller Yangtze Alligators. It also seemed to be quite an old fellow.


    Being a Cretaceous species with nearly ten thousand years of history, the Yangtze Alligator could be considered a ''pseudo-mythical beast'', having almost reached a perfect form in millions of years of evolution, hence its strong spiritual power resistance. The bloodline of the big baby fish from before was even more ancient than that of the Yangtze Alligator, but it was more opportunistic.


    The stronger the individual''s abilities, the fiercer their temper, and the same goes for animals. The big baby fish had submitted to Suming not only because it wasn''t as fierce as the Yangtze Alligator, but also because it had misjudged the situation.


    "It must have fallen from that hole up there." Zhao Yun pointed to a hole above the water surface not far away, as when they had walked out of the water, they hadn''t found any other fish in the pond. This pool was just a puddle with no food to satisfy a Yangtze Alligator, so it couldn''t have been living in the cave all along.


    An unfortunate crocodile.


    "Not necessarily." Suming turned his head to look back into the depths of the dark cave.


    After getting ashore, they discovered that the space behind the cave was veryrge, much more spacious than the karst cave Su Meng had lived in. The Wolf Fang shlight couldn''t reach the end at all. It was possible that some animals might be lurking in there, possibly even bing prey for the Yangtze crocodile.


    They just didn''t know what kind of strange and unusual creatures might appear in this dark cave.


    "Let''s first dress Su Meng''s wounds," Zhao Yun said. He seemed to know a bit of everything. His skill in applying medicine and bandaging surpassed that of the junior nurses at the zoo''s medical station by far. He applied medicine to Su Meng''s injured lower leg to prevent inmmation and then swiftly bandaged it with gauze.


    Meanwhile, Suming took this opportunity to use his shlight to observe the ''cave'' on shore.


    He had already seen what appeared to be numerous structures on shore, but it was only from a closer distance that he could see clearly that they were houses.


    Houses, many houses!


    Near the water''s edge, there were rotting pieces of wood of various sizes scattered on the ground, along with some oddly shaped stones. The nearest few houses hadpletely copsed, leaving only foundations, while others had one wall or half of them copsed, as if something had smashed them down from the sky with great force.


    Further away, there were three rows of houses, about dozens in total, stretching into the distance. From the exterior, most of the structures seemed intact, and judging from the architectural style, with flying eaves and intricate carvings, arranged in neat parallel rows, they were likely from the Ming and Qing dynasties, in the style of Huizhou architecture.


    The three rows of houses were spaced several meters apart, forming two natural underground streets.


    After dressing Su Meng''s wounds, Zhao Yun also shone his shlight inside. After getting a clearer idea of the situation, he inhaled sharply.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Mr. Zhao, don''t scare me, please," Suming rolled his eyes. The cave was already eerie, and seeing all the structures like something out of a zombie movie, Suming was actually feeling quite on edge. Zhao Yun''s sharp intake of breath was sudden and sharp, like slurping porridge, and hissed ''whoosh'' in the cave, startling Suming.


    "No, I''m just astonished. I didn''t expect to find an ancient architecturalplex here!"


    "So what?" Suming asked nervously, pointing to the row of Huizhou style houses in front of them, "Do you think, when we walk past, a bunch of zombies might suddenly jump out of the houses on both sides of the street?"


    "If this were a movie studio, that might be possible," Zhao Yun replied with a smile, then exined, "You don''t study antiques, so you don''t understand the value of thisplex of buildings. There might not be any particrly valuable artifacts here, but thisplex itself is a microcosm of an era, a vige¡ªit''s a massive cultural treasure!"


    "Stop lecturing me, Mr. Zhao. Don''t worry, I surely won''t demolish these houses to sell them off," Suming said.


    Zhao Yun oscited the shlight a few more times and, after pondering for a moment, said, "I think I''ve figured it out. This ce isn''t any sort of ancient tomb. It must have originally been a vige or a small town built on the mid-slopes of a mountain, which got submerged by a mountain flood. It''s very likely that part of the town was swept down the mountain years ago, and what we see now is the part that survived the disaster. When we go in, you have to be very careful, try not to touch any of the structures inside the town. Since it''s been washed over by a mountain flood and has been underground for so many years, these buildings are quite unstable. A little external force could easily cause them to copse."


    Zhao Yun seemed drawn to this rare underground architectural site, eager to explore deeper.


    Su Meng was in slightly better condition, having an injury on the leg but still able to move. Huiya could be of some help, the Labrador was not big but was naturally a hunting dog and could lead the way. As for the two Huskies, forget it, it was better to keep them close by, just to prevent them from causing any trouble.


    Suming checked on the old Yangtze crocodile using his spiritual power. The beast was beaten half to death and barely hanging on, unable to resist. It seemed it wouldn''t die for the time being, so they bound it up and left it there, nning to figure out how to bring it back to the zooter. The aquarium was short on animals, so upon returning, they could make it neighbors with finless porpoises and paddlefish.


    Thus, the three men, three dogs, and one wolf slowly walked into the architecturalplex along the street to the left.


    Hearing Zhao Yun say it wasn''t an ancient tomb but a mountain vige made Suming feel even more in danger! A tomb, at most, might contain one or two people, but if a vige was torn down by a mountain flood, how many dead would be inside?


    There was even a movie called ''The Old Corpse of the Mountain Vige''!


    Zhao Yun was speechless and said, "Why can''t you young people be a bit more materialistic? Did you waste all those Marxism political science sses? Do you have to find some zombies or monsters before you''ll be satisfied?"


    "Because monsters are valuable!" Suming gave an exnation that even Zhao Yun found quite reasonable.

 Chapter 205 A Big Tank of Hot Manure! (Fourth Update)

    Suming had visited the Terracotta Army before, and if one were topare the scale, the Terracotta Army was definitely muchrger than this underground town surrounding them, and more awe-inspiring, too. After all, the Terracotta Army was the burial apaniment for Qin Shi Huang and could be considered one of Huaxia''s most luxurious and high-ss tombs.


    However, visiting the Terracotta Army and personally walking in this yet-to-be-discovered undergroundplex were twopletely different experiences. The surroundings were pitch-ck, quiet enough to make one feel like suffocating, with eerie ancient houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties on both sides.


    In such an environment, there wasn''t a trace of humanistic art; instead, it made one''s skin crawl, as if behind every door, every wall, lurked some horrifying entity, staring at them coldly from the entrance.


    "Can you not scare yourself? You''re starting to freak me out a bit," Zhao Yun said, shining the shlight on Suming''s face with a flick, speaking irritably.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    He was standing in front of a house, engrossed in studying a mottled copper wind chime hanging under the eaves with his shlight, while Suming kept talking about ghosts and goblins from behind him, turning quite agitated.


    Given Zhao Yun''s experience, he was well aware that such ces were unlikely to have any ghosts, at most they might find a few mummies. But frightening each other could scare someone to death, especially in such a dark underground setting, and Zhao Yun could not stand Suming''s incessant babbling.


    "It really is scary. Look around; you wouldn''t even need makeup to shoot a ghost movie here," Suming said, waving the shlight around as he spoke.


    As the shlight''s beam crossed a house opposite them, Suming thought he saw something inside. He instinctively moved the shlight back and aimed it at the house''s main door.


    It was nothing important until he looked, and then his scalp buzzed as if it would explode!


    The door had copsed, and the shlight''s light shone inside, revealing a silhouette standing behind a screen facing the door! Your next read is at empire


    The figure had its arms stretched out rigidly on both sides, standing unmoving behind the screen, but it had no head.


    If it weren''t for the fact that he had just relieved himself by the water, Suming would have nearly wet himself in fear. His legs went weak, and he clung to Zhao Yun, hanging on him like a ko, and with a crestfallen face, said, "Is there a ghost behind the screen?!"


    Zhao Yun picked up Suming effortlessly and, without a word, crossed the street littered with broken stones and chunks of mud to the opposite house''s doorway. Standing at the threshold, he paused briefly to ensure the room was rtively stable before entering directly, then disappeared behind the screen.


    Seeing Zhao Yun disappear into the darkness without saying a word from beginning to end made Suming''s heart thump wildly, "Damn, could this old guy be a ghost?"


    Thinking this, he sent a burst of spiritual power to Huiya, instructing it to follow and take a look behind the screen. Even if there were ghosts, they wouldn''t eat a wolf, should they?


    Huiya was not scared at all and was about to enter the house when another silhouette flickered out from behind the screen¡ªit was Zhao Yun.


    Zhao Yun had the shlight in his mouth and was holding a robe in his hands. He came out and unfurled it in front of Suming, asking somewhat incoherently, "Is this what you saw?"


    The robe was old and ragged, but it did resemble the shadow he had seen on the screen. Suming was speechless and shone the shlight back at the screen. Sure enough, the ''figure'' was gone.


    What Suming had seen as a ''silhouette'' was merely this robe hanging on the screen.


    "I''ve told you before, don''t be superstitious. Where has your Party member''s consciousness gone?" saying this lightly, Zhao Yun carefully spread out the robe on the ground, afraid that any rash movement would damage the already decaying ancient garment.


    "This is mid-Qing Dynasty clothing. It looks like this small vige has been around for several hundred years," Zhao Yun said while taking out several small gs with fluorescent stripes from his backpack and cing them around the garment on the ground as a simple protective measure, to prevent someone from identally stepping on the garment in the darkness.


    "The person living in this room must have been a woman!" said Suming in a huff, pointing at the house opposite them.


    "Hmm? How do you figure that?" asked Zhao Yun, curious.


    "Only a woman would hang her clothes up so neatly!" said Suming.


    After giving it some thought, Zhao Yun nodded, "There is reason in your words."


    After doing all that, Zhao Yun returned to the front of the mansion where he had been standing before, put on gloves, and carefully pushed open the front door. With a creaking sound, the door slowly swung open, and a foul smell wafted out from behind it.


    "Let''s go, take a look inside this house. It seems to be thergest one here; maybe it belonged to the n leader or the vige head. There might be some valuable things inside. Keep your steps light and don''t touch anything carelessly."


    Zhao Yun cautioned them a few times, then stealthily entered through the gate. Suming also crouched down and followed him in. Even though there was not a single ghostly shadow in the mansion, the two of them moved as if they were thieves, causing Su Meng, following behind them, to imitate their actions and tiptoe inside.


    Behind the door was another screen, but this one was made of stone. After bypassing the screen, a courtyard the size of the waterside pavilion appeared. Shining the shlight around, there was arge urn in the center of the yard. Ancient wealthy families used to ce these wealth-gathering urns in the front courtyard, raising fish inside to attract wealth and ensure safety.


    Suming leaned in for a closer look and saw the urn''s water had long dried up, but it was filled with something dark and murky, the nature of which was unclear.


    Zhao Yun pulled out what looked like a long-handled spoon from his backpack and stirred it around in the urn, instantly unleashing a pungent stench that also carried a sharp, offensive odor.


    Suming covered his nose and frowned as he said, "This couldn''t be a urinal, could it?"


    Zhao Yun, standing closest and feeling dizzy from the sudden onught of the foul smell, instinctively took a big step back and retched twice before saying, "How could that be? Does your family put the piss pot out in the yard for all the guests to smell as theye and go?"


    "Maybe the homeowner wanted to grow vegetables in the yard and used this big urn to collect human manure. If that''s the case, Mr. Zhao, you might have just stirred a hundred-year collection of shit and piss with that stick!" Suming said disdainfully, pointing at the ''long-handled spoon'' in Zhao Yun''s hand.


    Zhao Yun, disgusted by his words, hurriedly rubbed the spoon on the ground a couple of times and wondered aloud, "What on earth is this stuff? It smells terrible. It does resemble the smell of feces, but who woulde here to fill up an entire water urn?"


    Even if the former owner of the house had an odd penchant for defecating in the courtyard urn, after decades or even centuries had passed, any excrement should have dried out. It couldn''t possibly emit such a foul stink, nor could it still be wet.


    But now, in front of themy an urn full of fresh, steaming dung!


    "Mr. Zhao, don''t scare me like that!" With his vivid imagination, Suming was instantly frightened and recoiled, instinctively turning his head to look around.


    It seemed as if, at any moment, someone could rush out from one of the dark rooms inside, pants down, and jump over the urn to relieve themselves.


    This was far too eerie!


    "It might not necessarily be excrement; it could be dposed leaves and branches or something. It''s normal for the underground environment to be damp and have moisture," the materialist Zhao Yun offered another seemingly reasonable exnation.


    But Suming was still uneasy. If it wasn''t feces, then it was somewhat tolerable, but if it was, the problem was grave. They were currently underground, in an ancient town buried centuries ago. If the urn indeed contained fresh excrement, then there was only one conclusion: someone was living here!


    Who would live in such a ce? Even a wild man like Su Meng wouldn''t. Moreover, as they had approached the ruins of the ancient town, they had not seen any signs of human habitation.


    Zhao Yun also realized the seriousness of the situation. Meeting zombies or wild men wouldn''t necessarily scare him; but the thought of encountering tomb raiders was different: in such a ce, it would lead to a life-or-death struggle.


    With heightened alertness, both men had their guns ready. Zhao Yun pointed towards the hall within the courtyard and said, "Let''s check out the house in the back first."


    After he finished speaking, he suddenly added, "If we do encounter trouble, don''t hesitate and don''t babble. Just shoot! It''s better they die than us."


    "Wow, Mr. Zhao, you''ve really taken a page out of the inte novel protagonists'' ybook," Suming said with genuine admiration.


    Zhao Yun: "..."


    ********


    This chapter is a bit shorter, just 2500 words. Please forgive me; I really couldn''t do more.

 Chapter 206 Footsteps (One more)

    The courtyard was nked by mottled walls, and at the other end, as you walked in, was arge room, the hall of the mansion.


    The roof was almostpletely devoid of tiles, exposing the inteced beams, beneath which was a row of half-open wooden doors, their paper windows long rotted and tattered, hanging in the window frames. It was a good thing there was no wind on the ground, otherwise the blowing would have surely produced a very scary whistling sound. Now both Suming and Zhao Yun''s hearts were in their throats, and even a slight stir of grass or leaves made them extremely nervous.


    Only Su Meng seemed oblivious to the word "fear" and showed no curiosity about the surroundings, almost as if he wereing home.


    "You really kill the mood. Do you know how hard it was for me to create a bit of a horror atmosphere?" Suming said helplessly as he looked at him.


    The three of them stealthily made their way to the bottom of the great house, tiptoeing. They first listened carefully through the door; hearing nothing inside, Zhao Yun then signaled with a gesture and gently pushed one of the wooden doors with his gloved hand.


    The door creaked open with a grating sound that made one''s ears ache, slowly opening inwards as twin beams of shlight followed, piercing the pitch-ck room.


    The shlight swept through the room, revealing a hall with a square table in the center, nked on both sides by empty Taishi Chairs. Lined up on the table were three four-legged dishes, as if for offerings, only they were empty as well.


    In front of the table, two rows of chairs stood parallel, like the meeting hall of arge family n. From the design of these chairs, one could imagine that the town, though remote when it existed, was a ce of educated people, perhaps even a locally prominent family.


    The room was divided into front and back sections by a screen wall that connected to the winter melon beams on the roof. Seeing the round, bulging beams confirmed the previous judgment. These types of beams, which are quiteborious to construct and are carved from whole pieces of high-quality wood, are resistant to pests, and could endure for hundreds of years, indicating they were not something an average farmer could afford.


    The square table and Taishi Chairs were under the screen wall, while at the very top of the wall hung a que full of dust, almost covering the original writing.


    Suming could barely make out the four characters on the que but couldn''t discern the content. On either side of the que, at the edges of the screen wall, the round columns were carved with a pair of couplets, which weren''t as dusty, so the characters were readable. However, they were written in a cursive style, almost like grass script, and the lighting was dim; Suming nced at them but hardly recognized anything.


    While Suming couldn''t recognize them, Zhao Yun was a specialist in this area. He walked softly into the room, aiming the shlight at the que and the couplets, slowly moving it along while murmuring the words under his breath.


    "It seems the owner of this house wasn''t an ordinarymoner. He should have been a military officer from the Ming Dynasty," Zhao Yun said with a fair degree of certainty.


    A military officer? Suming, puzzled, asked, "Wasn''t this ce all civilian dwellings?" The ''relics'' he had taken to Zhao Yun for appraisal earlier were said by Zhao Yun to have patterns used bymoners. Since arriving at this undergroundplex, all the houses they had seen along the way, judging by their standards, belonged tomoners, not nobility. At most, they represented a somewhat wealthier family.


    In ancient times, the ss hierarchy was strict. No matter how wealthy amoner might be, they couldn''t use items reserved for nobility withoutmitting an offense that, at its most severe, could warrant the death penalty. The bigger the family, the more they would be aware of this, with no one willing to risk making such a mistake and ruin the entire family.


    Zhao Yun pondered a moment and said, "Perhaps he was a retired official who returned to his hometown to live out his days, or someone who had been deprived of his rank and exiled back to his hometown due to some offense. Anyway, from these couplets, the master of this house must have been on the battlefield and earned military merits. It isn''t that they used the standards of nobility."


    Not quite understanding these things, Suming just listened to what Zhao Yun said. Military officer or civil official, as long as there were no zombies or monsters, he wasn''t afraid.


    Just as he scanned the surroundings, from behind the screen wall came a rustling sound, as if something were dragging itself along the ground.


    The sound wasn''t loud, but the room was so quiet that itnded distinctly in the ears of both Zhao Yun and Suming. They almost thought they had misheard and exchanged nces, but the surprise they saw in each other''s eyes confirmed they were not mistaken.


    Almost simultaneously, Huiya arched its back and let out a low growl toward whatever was behind the screen wall!


    Under normal circumstances, Zhao Yun and Suming would chat and joke, even making nonsensical quips. But at critical moments, they both reacted almost identically and immediately!


    Startled, they both sprang into action, each taking a side, darted past therge screen wall, and made their way to the room behind.


    Behind the screen wall was a half-empty room filled with shelves, pots, and the like, along with several pots of long-withered flowers. One side led to a door to the back courtyard, and the other side to a room from which the sound emanated.


    Once the shlight shone, the dust-covered ground disyed a long drag mark leading towards that door.


    In the blink of an eye, Suming and Zhao Yun took a deep breath and simultaneously rushed into the room.


    As the shlight beam swept across, surprisingly, a bedroom appeared with arge copper mirror standing beside a big bed, so rusted it couldn''t even reflect the shlight''s glow.


    During the brief sweep of the shlight, something seemed to sh by. Suming instinctively moved the shlight to the side.


    There stood a tall, slender figure with its back to them!


    The figure wore a dark red robe, facing the direction of therge bed and mirror, as if it was admiring its own reflection.


    Suming''s heart pounded wildly, thinking he had mistaken hanging clothes for a person again. Since it was a bedroom, it wasn''t odd for there to be clothes hanging on a rack, so he subconsciously reached out to grab the red robe.


    Just as he extended his hand, Zhao Yun suddenly bellowed, "Withdraw your hand!"


    From Zhao Yun''s perspective, he saw it clearly, this time it wasn''t just clothes¡ªit was indeed a person!


    The person''s head had two tall hair buns, making the back of their head look extremely elongated, resembling a hat-wearing ghost with their shoulders slightly shuddering as though they were silently sobbing.


    This wasn''t a scene from "A Chinese Ghost Story"; a weeping woman in red suddenly appearing in an ancient underground house was never a good omen. In movies, such scenarios usually followed with the woman turning her face to reveal a horrifyingly pale and ghastly countenance.


    ***********


    PS: This section won''t count toward the paid word count.


    Today, I noticed two more patrons, and I was prepared to add more chapters. But then I suddenly saw ament saying, "updating ten chapters for a reward of fifty thousand..."


    My heart raced at the mention ofmemorative coins. Fifty thousand starting coins were one thing, but more importantly, I felt incredibly inspired by everyone''s enthusiasm!


    It shows that as long as I work hard, everyone is supportive enough! Effort does pay off!


    But ten chapters... heavens, where would I find ten chapters? After posting on Sunday, I wrote for a whole day and currently have a backlog of ten thousand words. I was nning to save some just in case and wait until the subscription hits 1500 before releasing ten chapters in a burst.


    But seeing everyone so passionate, I''m quite excited about thememorative coins...


    So here''s the deal, I''ll push myself, and we''ll do as we did on the first day of VIP¡ªwith a minimum of two thousand words per chapter. I''ll try to write some more tonight and see if I can find some time tomorrow to add a bit more. Including the current backlog, it would be best if I could reach ten chapters. But if I really can''t make it, don''t be disappointed, everyone!n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After writing, I will set up a timed release, starting from seven in the morning, with a chapter every fifteen minutes.


    I''m all in!


    Lastly, I still plead for a legitimate subscription, rmendations, and monthly tickets. If the performance is good, perhaps I could score a great rmendation on the client application¡ªit all depends on you all!

 Chapter 207 The Woman in Red (Second Update)

    Zhao Yun realized something was wrong and let out a loud yell in just an instant. In that split second, Suming''s hand had already touched the woman''s shoulder, only to feel emptiness as the woman''s shoulder suddenly copsed!


    "Fuck your grandfather!" Startled by Zhao Yun''s loud shout and the sudden copse of the shoulder, Suming cursed out loud and stumbled three or four steps backward, pressing his back tightly against the screen wall, his whole body breaking out in a cold sweat.


    The woman suddenly turned her head around. Suming couldn''t see clearly what she looked like; from a distance, he only saw a ghastly pale face covered in white hair and two pitch-ck eyes bulging outward, intensely creepy.


    She was the epitome of ''thinking of crime from behind, thinking of self-defense from the front''!


    Zhao Yun showed his ruthless side and without saying a second word, shot the woman in red in the thigh!


    "Bang!" The bullet hit urately on the back of the red-clothed woman''s dress, but it was as if she was floating in mid-air, not affected at all. The bullet made a hole in her dress, passed through it, and with a plop, struck a leg of the big bed.


    The big bed had seen hundreds of years and was already rotten. It had barely managed to stay standing until now because it had not been subjected to external forces. As soon as it was hit by the bullet, one of the bed''s legs shattered instantly, and the big bed copsed with a crash.


    Perhaps the big bed was something the woman in red treasured or used for resting; her sudden rage was evident when her head rotated more than 100 degrees, and she let out an eerily shrill howl at Zhao Yun.


    The sound was piercing to the ear, just like the ghostly screams used to scare people on the inte.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Her mouth, already swollen looking, bulged grotesquely high. When she opened her mouth wide, her face suddenly split open, revealing a huge ck hole amidst the white hair, with crisscrossing sharp fangs inside.


    "Mr. Zhao, you''ve ruined her dowry!" When pushed to the extreme by fear, some people copse while others be numb. Suming belonged to thetter category. Now he didn''t feel scared at all; he just yelled out loud, raised his shotgun, and struck hard at the woman''s gaping mouth with the butt of the gun!


    The hit connected, but the sensation through the rifle was very light, not like hitting a person ¨C it felt almost like hitting a balloon, weightless.


    It was strange; the woman seemed unfazed by bullets, yet Suming''s hit to her face made her fall to the ground. Before Suming and his partner could move to grab her, she turned her head to let out another chilling howl at Suming, then using her hands and feet together, scuttled like a crawling creature, rushing towards a corner door in the room and whooshed, escaping from the room.


    Her movements were so agile that Suming immediately thought of the zombies from Resident Evil.


    Suming and Zhao Yun advanced a couple of steps, pushed aside the curtains over the corner door and followed through. There was another courtyard beyond, with paths on both sides seemingly leading to a side yard. The surrounding walls were mostly damaged, with one wall even copsed, but the woman had vanished without a trace, no sign of where she had gone.


    The whole process had only taken a few seconds by now, and it was just then Su Meng, Huiya, and the three dogs had made their way into the room. They barked furiously at the yard beyond, and Huiya, baring his teeth, was about to chase after the figure when Suming grabbed him by the cor and pulled him back.


    "It''s not a rabbit, and it might really be a female ghost or something. That''s not part of your job description!" Suming said to Huiya.


    Huiya twisted and turned, its two wolf ears pping left and right like fans, clearly very unhappy.


    "Being unhappy is useless, stay here obediently!" Suming tossed it aside, then looked at Zhao Yun, still feeling anxious, and said, "Mr. Zhao, can you use Marx''s materialism to exin to me what the hell that thing was just now?"


    Although Zhao Yun had just been shouting and decisively firing his gun, appearing unafraid, it was all a reflex response. To tell the truth, it was his first time encountering such a situation too, his face pale with fright, leaning against the wall, gasping for breath.


    Upon hearing Suming''s question, he answered with conviction, "How would I know? Marx believed in God too, in this situation we can only ask God!"


    "God can''t handle Chinese ghosts!" During the brief glimpse just now, Suming could be sure that woman couldn''t possibly be human.


    Not even a wild man, and even if it were Su Meng, he wouldn''t move on all fours like a dog crawling on the ground. And how could a person''s mouth be sorge, even more exaggerated than the Slit-Mouthed Woman.


    Besides, Zhao Yun''s shot had hit the woman''s leg squarely. Even if it were Su Meng, getting shot would have made him stumble, but that woman... let''s still call her a woman for now, was so skinny, seemed utterly unaffected by the bullet.


    Even Su Meng, who was afraid of neither heaven nor earth, now lookedpletely bewildered. Only Huiya and the three dogs were excitedly moving around the room, not scared but rather thrilled, wagging their tails, sniffing around, all eventually converging beside the copsed bed, fiercely sniffing at the remains of the bed.


    The quilts on the bed had long decayed into scraps, and the wood was rotten beyond recognition. Stepping on it would leave a deep footprint. Who knows what they could sniff out. Could they really catch the red-dressed woman by the scent from the bed?


    "You''ve read a lot of spooky novels. Can you guess what that thing was just now? I don''t think it quite resembled a ghost," said Zhao Yun, somewhat puzzled.


    Zhao Yun had a point. On closer thought, Suming also felt something was amiss. Although the woman was terrifying, she was nothing more than unnerving in appearance and sound, seemingly without real lethality. On the contrary, she was brought down by a single shot from his gun and fled in a sorry state.


    If ghosts were that weak, then there''s nothing to be afraid of.


    However, considering that, the pile of excrement in the front yard''s big jar was very likely the handiwork of the red-dressed woman. If it were a ghost, it shouldn''t need to defecate, right? It must be some very special creature.


    Suming automatically pictured a scene in his mind, a Slit-Mouthed Woman wearing a big red robe, lifting her gown like an acrobat, squatting by the edge of the water jar to defecate, which gave him chills!


    Whether it was a human, a ghost, or something else, staying in this room wasn''t a solution, so they returned to the courtyard at the front.


    Just as they stepped outside, from behind several walls not far away, the eerie scream suddenly resounded again, identical to that of the red-dressed woman from earlier!


    Following that, from all directions of the courtyard, one after another, the same piercing screams erupted almost everywhere, one after another, the ghostly howls echoing throughout the entire underground ancient town.

 Chapter 208 What on Earth Is It? (Three Updates)

    Suming and Zhao Yun werepletely dumbfounded, their scalps numb with terror.


    From the sounds of it, those red-clothed women¡ªor whatever they were¡ªalmostpletely surrounded the courtyard they were in, likely numbering over a hundred, perhaps even several hundred.


    "I told you, there might be lots and lots of little monsters jumping out in this damn ce, and yet, Mr. Zhao, you scorned me!" Suming said irritably.


    "I..." Zhao Yun was also frustrated. He could never have imagined that amon Ming and Qing dynasty architecturalplex could house so many ghostly entities. It was beyond any rational exnation. "All right, all right, I was wrong. Damn these dog-things, what the hell are these creatures?"


    In his desperation, even the usually refined and cultured Zhao Yun let slip a crude swear word that was quite offensive, clearly showing how rattled he was. Regardless of how muchbat strength those ghost women possessed, their overwhelming numbers were the problem. Dozens or hundreds of them swarming together could bite the two men to death, each taking just one bite.


    The surrounding screams were intermittent, each one more tragic and piercing than thest, not at all sounds that animals could make. They were nearly identical to the synthesized screams from horror films, jarring and terrifying. Suming took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Zhao, if things get really bad, we''ll have to break through and get back to the surface!"


    They were surrounded on all sides andpletely trapped in this room. Escaping would not be easy, but they had no other choice. Zhao Yun clipped the shlight to his hat, held the rifle in both hands, and said, "Okay, I''ll lead the charge. Su Meng and the wolf follow you, the dog follows me, and then we split up and run. We''ll regroup at the tunnel entrance!"


    Having said this, he prepared to head outside.


    Before Zhao Yun could take a single step out of the front door, Huiya, leading three dogs, suddenly rushed out of the yard first, roaring and pouncing in the opposite direction of the loudest screams, diving into the ancient houses on both sides of the street.


    "What now!" Zhao Yun was so anxious he was about to sweat. He knew that Suming was deeply attached to these animals and likely wouldn''t abandon them to save himself.


    Suming initially wanted to curse, but a sudden insight stopped him from doing so and he blocked Zhao Yun, "Maybe they''ve found something. Let''s wait and see." With that, the two men raised their guns, backing against a wall that was still rtively sturdy, warily watching both sides of the door.


    After Huiya and the dogs charged out, the screams in the darkness grew even more pitiful. Mixed in were the sounds of wolves and dogs howling, and in several houses, furniture was being knocked over, suggesting a fierce battle was taking ce.


    Shadows continuously darted out of the houses, moving so nimbly across rooftops with such an eerie grace as if gravity did not apply to them.


    The battle, though intense,sted only a few minutes before it ended. The howling in the dark gradually diminished, and the asional sounds that did arise were much farther away, as though the creatures had been frightened off by Huiya and the dogs.


    Not long after, a few small points of light appeared in the darkness, and Huiya and the dogs trotted back, seemingly holding something long and flowing in their mouths.


    "Did they catch one?" Suming looked from afar, thinking it was one of the red-clothed women.


    It was only when it came closer that he saw a wolf and three dogs lined up side by side, each gripping the head, waist, and legs of the red-clothed woman, respectively. Her body was limp as if boneless, with most of it dragging on the ground.


    They said it was a person, but once Suming shone the shlight, he had an epiphany!


    It was actually just a piece of clothing,pletely devoid of a body, with only a head¡ªwhich exined why Zhao Yun''s shot had no effect.


    Huiya opened its mouth and tossed the woman''s ''head'' in front of Suming. The ''head'' tried to flee, but Suming grabbed the two ''buns'' on top of the head and lifted it up.


    With the light of the shlight, he saw not a head, but a somewhat cute creature!


    The creature was only slightly smaller than Huiya, about the size of a cat, furry all over, with a long mouth and a few whiskers at the sides. Its small, pitch-ck eyes squinted into slits under the light, making it lookzy.


    What Suming was holding weren''t ''buns'' at all, but tworge ears that resembled cattail leaves, simr to rabbit ears, long and pointed. If they were not being held but fully spread out, they would look likerge banana leaves, even bigger than the little fellow''s entire body.


    "Oh, I get it now, you little rascal, sneaking into the red clothes and standing on the bed to scare us, right? That big jar of hot poop in the yard is clearly your, oh, your masterpiece!"


    Suming chuckled, realizing that everything he''d seen had been this little one''s mischief. It must have wriggled into the red clothes and then stood on the bed, showing only its head. From behind, it would indeed look like a standing person! In fact, except for the head on the neck, the clothes were empty.


    Suming had been quite frightened earlier, and now that he had caught the culprit, he shook the little thing by its ears a few times in retaliation. Clearly irritated, the creature''s mouth suddenly gaped open as if it was about to yelp, but Suming quickly pinched its mouth shut with his other hand, turning the cry into a muffled ''owow woof''.


    Eerie wails still echoed around them asionally, but now Zhao Yun and Suming could finally rx. It turned out to be just arge group of small animals living underground, harmless, and they wouldn''t even have to lift a finger themselves¡ªHuiya and the others could take care of them all.


    Especially for Suming, who was even less concerned; he was a friend to animals. He might turn tail and run if faced with a zombie or two, but these big-eared little creatures, even a thousand of them, would be no threat.


    The little creature wasn''t dumb; after being captured and realizing it stood no chance against this ''big fellow,'' it ceased its struggles immediately. Its ck eyes rolled around, and, astonishingly, it put its front paws together, bowing repeatedly to Suming as if it were paying respects like a human.


    Its gaze suddenly became pitiful, and its fluffy tail hung down beneath its body, sweeping back and forth as if begging Suming for mercy.


    "You were so bold just now, and now you start acting cute! You''re really cunning!" Suming sneered at the little one.


    "What on earth is this creature?" Zhao Yun also leaned in, filled with curiosity.


    The little creature looked like a fox, but with ears even longer than those of a rabbit. It didn''t have the sly appearance of a typical fox; at first nce, it almost seemed like a big squirrel.


    As Zhao Yun spoke, he reached out a finger and scratched the little creature''s belly, which made it wriggle with ticklish delight.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 209 Love is a Must! (Four more)

    "This guy is a fox, seems like it''s called the long-eared fox, right? But originally, it''s from the Americas, how did it end up here?"


    Suming spoke while holding and shaking its long ears. The long-eared fox seemed to have given up resisting, helplessly drooping its head and limbs, disheartenly shaking a few times with Suming''s movements, its long tail dragging below it like a pendulum, swinging back and forth.


    The long-eared fox, also known as the fennec fox, is the smallest canid in the world ¨C in other words, the smallest fox ¨C with particrly long ears as its characteristic feature. It''s not an extremely rare species but, due to its cute appearance, it can be kept as a pet, mainly inhabiting Africa and the Americas. That''s why Suming found it odd why so many long-eared foxes would pop up in this undergroundplex.


    "Hard to say; in the middle tote Ming Dynasty, there was already trade with the West ¨C it might have spread from there," Zhao Yun couldn''t provide an exact exnation and could only specte roughly.


    Because one of theirpanions had been captured, the long-eared foxes that had already been scared off gradually began to gather around again, their cries bing even more piercing, heart-wrenchingly intive. There must have been hundreds of them ¨C no wonder the Yangtze alligator could survive in the pool ahead, the long-eared fox poption in the nearby ancient town was probably its food source.


    Huiya and the three dogs barked back defiantly into the darkness, but their number was simply too small. Up against hundreds, their voices werepletely drowned out by the others.


    "Mr. Zhao, don''t be scared," Suming suddenly said something inexplicable, then took a deep breath. Zhao Yun was taken aback, "What am I afraid of?"


    Immediately after, Suming''s mouth opened wide, his eyes round with shock as he roared deeply into the darkness, the sound so simr to a tiger''s roar.


    The tiger, the king of beasts,mands respect, not through mere promation ¨C the tiger''s roar in the forest submits all animals to its will. The foxes around were startled into silence by this roar, and the surroundings suddenly became quiet.


    "Good job, kid; you''ve got it down pat!" Zhao Yun gave a thumbs up.


    If the Bengal tiger from the zoo were here, it would tearfully rejoice ¨C it had coached Suming to roar like a tiger until its voice went hoarse, and now Suming had finally grasped two or three points of truth. Although far from a real tiger''s roar, it was enough to frighten the little foxes.


    Huiya and the three dogs weren''t scared by this copycat tiger''s roar; they tensed, ready to charge into the dark again when Suming quickly stopped them. Don''t be ridiculous, there were so many foxes, they couldn''t possibly catch them one by one until New Year''s Eve.


    "I''m going to put you down, don''t run off, okay?"


    Suming shook the long-eared fox a little before setting it down on the ground. The fox didn''t dare to walk away, lifting its head and gazing at Suming with round, puzzled eyes. Suming took a piece of beef jerky out of his pocket and offered it. The fox''s eyes whirled, cautiously moving closer to sniff it before grabbing the jerky in its mouth, pressing it to the ground with its small paws, and munching with relish.


    The two Huskies,pletely devoid of a hunter''s dominance, sat on either side of the long-eared fox, tongues out in a ttering manner ¨C they were almost licking boots, staring eagerly at the fox, as if they wished they could say, "Give me some, give me some."


    "Have some dignity, will you!" Suming t out took out severalrger pieces of beef jerky and distributed them to the Huskies and the Labrador. Huiya seemed less interested in the beef jerky ¨C after a sniff it turned away andy down to the side, eyeing the long-eared fox''s long ears with an unfriendly gaze.


    Those ears looked very appetizing, probably quite chewy.


    The long-eared fox seemed to sense the danger too, its ears swooshing t against its back as it raised its head, two small eyes warily watching Huiya. Unintimidated, it bared its teeth at Huiya, revealing two rows of sharp little teeth.


    Even so, the long-eared fox didn''t forget to protect the half-eaten piece of beef jerky with its paws, holding onto it tightly.


    "You better not bite it, we''re all on the same side now!" Suming silently sent a telepathic message to Huiya, because without a warning, there was a chance Huiya might make a meal out of the long-eared fox someday. After all, their rtionship was quite straightforward¡ªprey and predator. Of course, the one with the long ears was the prey.


    Once the long-eared fox had almost finished eating, Suming sent it a telepathic message. The fox was incredibly clever, or rather, incredibly cunning, and didn''t need much guidance from Suming to get the message.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    It began by digging a small hole in the ground, burying thest bit of beef jerky before covering it up thoroughly with dirt. Only then did it turn and scamper off into the darkness to find itspanions.


    In this day and age, the biggest fear was ''traitors.'' With a guide amongst them, no fortress was impregnable.


    It wasn''t long before the surrounding cries gradually died down. A few minutester, in the dark street ahead, a huge swath of lights suddenly twinkled. Led by the same long-eared fox from before, arge group of long-eared foxes came rushing over like a flood.


    The two Huskies that were gnawing on the beef jerky were startled, jumping a good half meter high on the spot with a whoop. Huiya and the Labrador swiftly got up and stood in front of Suming, eyes fiercely fixed on therge group of long-eared foxes that had reached them.


    Despite their small size, these long-eared foxes were still wild animals and now held an absolute advantage in numbers. They were not to be trifled with, baring their sharp teeth at Huiya and the Labrador in a show of aggression.


    "Don''t shoot! We''re all friends here!" Suming quickly swept a broad wave of spiritual power across the area, like an invisible, enveloping arge group, slightly brainwashing all the long-eared foxes to let them know he meant no harm.


    Now Suming''s spiritual power was formidable, especially against weak but clever creatures like the long-eared foxes, making it an effortless endeavor. Affected by the spiritual power, the expressions of the long-eared foxes instantly changed, their wariness fading away gradually, as they started to squint happily, looking endearingly naive. The bolder ones even wagged their tails and inched closer to Suming''s feet.


    Zhao Yun stared in disbelief, as if having seen a ghost, fixing his gaze on Suming: "How... how did you do that?"


    "The key is love! You need to let go of your racial prejudices, embrace them, and let them feel that you love them. Then, they will love you too!" Suming said, his face looking like that of a chatan.


    "Forget it..." Zhao Yun knew this was Suming''s ''family'' method of taming beasts and did not probe further. Shrugging his shoulders somewhat jokingly, he said, "I love them, but if I tried that, Mrs. Zhao would have my life."


    *****


    PS: Give me strength!

 Chapter 210 The Flatterers Inscription (Five Updates)

    ```


    Thisrge group of foxes, after a rough count, seemed to be close to two hundred. Suming simply couldn''t understand why foxes, which usually have no more than a dozen or so in a group, would have such an enormous family. Could it be that they had lived for several generations in this underground town, proliferating into a huge n?


    But that didn''t seem to make sense either. If they had lived underground all this time, some animal characteristics would inevitably have degenerated. However, the foxes in front of him looked quite normal.


    Perhaps it was an unsolvable mystery.


    Suming was toozy to think about it and bent down to pick up the long-eared fox in the red outfit that he had found first. He held it by the ears, brought it to his chest, and tapped its moist little nose with his thumb, saying, "From now on, you''re their leader. I''ll give you a name. Seeing as your ears are long and you seem intelligent, with a rather sneaky look to you, I''ll call you ''Big-eared Thief.''"


    The long-eared fox didn''t understand what ''Big-eared Thief'' meant; it just listened as Suming called it that, squealed twice with its eyes squinted, as if to agree.


    When the little guy wasn''t screaming on purpose, its voice was quite pleasant, damn it. But when it let out those terrifying screams like before, it was absolutely horrifying. Even Suming had almost peed himself the first time he heard such a scream.


    Zhao Yun, unable to make heads or tails of what he was seeing, chuckled and said, "What are you doing with so many foxes, taking them home to stew?


    "To raise them in the zoo, or let them roam in the back mountain with the dogs. This ancient site will definitely have to be ''handed over to the country'' in the future. Suming has no use for keeping it; once protective excavations begin, these foxes definitely won''t be able to stay here any longer. It''s best to bring them to the back mountain for now, since that ce is also a wild environment."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Suming rubbed Big-eared Thief''srge ears and remarked, "If Chengcheng likes them, I''ll give her a couple to take home as pets."


    "She would definitely be thrilled, just afraid her mother wouldn''t agree. Zhaoqian is timid and scared of these furry things," Zhao Yunughed. "But if her mother sees these foxes, whether she decides to raise them or not, she''ll definitely start moring to buy a fox-fur coat again."


    "That''s not very environmentally friendly. Next time I go to the zoo, I''ll pluck some feathers from a peacock to make Mrs. Zhao a peacock feather coat."


    The two of them cracked a few jokes and felt much more rxed now that there didn''t seem to be anything particrly dangerous left in this undergroundplex.


    Suming and Zhao Yun, following the pack of foxes, investigated severalrge houses, but didn''t find anything of particr value. Most of the furniture was decayed beyond repair, though there were a few vases and pots from the Ming and Qing dynasties.


    As Zhao Yun had said earlier, this undergroundplex might have been a residential area from a hundred years ago. Overall, it represented a tremendous cultural treasure and could be studied for insights into Ming and Qing culture, but it didn''t have any particrly valuable individual artifacts. Even if they took whatever they wanted, they probably could only make a few hundred thousand at most, which wasn''t very significant.


    As a party member, Suming was now quite aware. Nowadays, to make money, have a future, and livefortably, there''s a six-word mantra: listen to the party, follow the party! He would never do anything to offend the party or the state.


    Besides these, in some of the houses, they found several skeletons. It was impossible to tell if they were male or female, young or old.


    Suming felt a slight stirring in his heart, emptied his backpack, and packed the bones into it before returning to the edge of the pool.


    The Yangtze alligator was still lying obediently in the pit. The group of foxes that had apanied them were particrly envious when they saw this enemy of the alligators, scratching and wing at it incessantly.


    The alligator''s skin was thick and hard, difficult to prate even with bullets, let alone the ws of a few small foxes. While it couldn''t be injured, it was very annoyed by the scratching. Unfortunately, its big mouth was tightly bound by tape, and it couldn''t move, so it just closed its eyes in frustration, pretending nothing was happening and taking on the approach of ''out of sight, out of mind'' as it yed the shrinking turtle.


    ```


    Suming dug a big pit in the ground, poured all the bones from his backpack into it, and then covered them with dirt. He put his hands together and gave a bow. No matter who these skeletons were in life, now that they were dead, Suming did not wish for them to be disyed like exhibition items for people to gawk at. He decided to let dust return to dust, soil to soil, and buried them in a pit. It was, after all, a fateful encounter, even if centuries apart. As for whether they would be dug up by "experts"ter, that was no longer his concern. It was enough that he had shown his respects; he didn''t need to insist on anything more.


    Over there, Zhao Yun had also nearly finished exploring. Two streets, a total of more than sixty Ming and Qing buildings, most of which were fairly intact, but would definitely need protective repairs, otherwise, it might not be long before arge-scale copse of the houses here would ur, which would truly be a shame.


    The three of them were ready to leave the cave, having Su Meng climb out first along the climbing rope, and then nned to hoist up the crocodile, the fox, and the like.


    As he was "packing" the crocodile, Big-eared Thief zipped out of Suming''s arms, bit his pant leg, and started pulling him towards the street. A whole bunch of foxes were also running in the direction they came from.


    "What''s the matter? Don''t want to go with me?" Suming asked with his spiritual power, and it seemed like Big-eared Thief wanted to make a trip back ''home'' first.


    With so many foxes living here, there was definitely a den somewhere. What Big-eared Thief referred to as ''home'' was actually just a fox hole. Suming chuckled to himself, thinking it''s not like they were humans moving houses, needing to take furniture along; it''s just a fox hole, could there be anything worth holding onto? Probably just some food.


    "Alright, alright, let''s go home first." Since Suming was not in a hurry, he followed Big-eared Thief down the street.


    After walking about several dozen meters, he saw a stone stele more than a meter high standing between two households. The foxes skirted around the stele and then vanished from sight. Suming followed and found behind the stele a hole about forty to fifty centimeters in diameter, which the foxes had used to slip into their den.


    Zhao Yun followed and was surprised, "Huh, how did I miss this hole just now?"


    With no light here, relying only on shlights, and the hole being behind the stele, it certainly was not easy to find. Plus, as an archaeologist, Zhao Yun''s first instinct upon seeing a stele was to study the inscription, not to consider that there might be arge hole behind it.


    "What''s written on the stele?" asked Suming, who was semi-illiterate in this regard, pointing at the traditional characters on the stele that didn''t have any punctuation marks.


    "It seems to be about the battle of Poyang Lake, the glorious deeds of Emperor Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang defeating Chen Youliang''s six hundred thousand navy." Zhao Yun said.


    Sumingughed, "It seems the tradition of ttering the leaders in our country has a long history. Even a small vige would erect a stele to suck up to the emperor. Is it worth it? It''d be more practical to tter the county magistrate."


    While saying this, Big-eared Thief popped its head out of the hole with something in its mouth. Aftering out of the hole, it spit the object out, held it up with its front paws, stood up on its hind legs, and presented it to Suming as if offering a treasure.


    Suming reached out to take it, but Big-eared Thief hugged it to its chest and refused to hand it over, staring at Suming with its dark, shiny eyes.


    Suming was stunned for several seconds before he burst outughing. Out of beef jerky, he offered an Oreo sandwich cookie instead, which Big-eared Thief grabbed with its mouth before finally handing over the object it had been holding to Suming.


    Suming took it and saw it was a round, mud-covered object. After wiping it with his sleeve, it turned out to be a pearl the size of a thumb!


    ********


    PS: Huff, huff, huff, and here we go again!

 Chapter 211 A Not-so-serious Ancient Tomb (Sixth Update)

    The pearl itself was not so rare, and one the size of a thumb, even of excellent quality, wouldn''t be worth much, at least not to Suming at that time; its value was not too high.


    But if ced hundreds of years ago, in a small vige of just a few dozen families, it would have been a treasure!


    Suming and Zhao Yun looked at each other and had the same thought: Could these foxes be thieves, stealing valuable things from the vige and hiding them in their dens?


    No wonder thisrge vige didn''t have a single valuable item left¡ªit turns out the Big-eared Thieves had stolen everything!


    This was truly a case of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. Sumingughed heartily and gave the Big-eared Thief a big kiss, while Zhao Yun, excited, had already climbed down and was shining a shlight into the hole, peeking in from the entrance.


    "See anything?" Suming had just peeked into the hole when he was hit by the pungent stench of fox, forcing both men to cover their noses and frown.


    Just then, another long-eared fox emerged from the hole, this time with something t in its mouth.


    Suming felt his pockets, "Shoot, nothing to eat left," and Zhao Yun volunteered a box of chewing gum... but then thought better of it and broke off a small piece of instant noodles to give to the newly emerged fox, trading it for what it was carrying in its mouth.


    A copper coin. Zhao Yun quickly spat on it, rubbing it vigorously, and then under the light, pulled out a magnifying ss to examine it closely, mumbling as he looked, "Da... Yi... Tong Bao..."


    The characters on the coin were the reign title of the emperor who had the coins made, such as Yongle Tongbao and Qianlong Tongbao. Hearing Zhao Yun say this, Suming couldn''t help butugh and said, "Da Yi Tong Bao? Mr. Zhao, are you sure you''re not seeing things? There was no such reign title called Da Yi during the Ming Dynasty, right? Or during the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, or Qing Dynasties for that matter. The Da Yi Emperor, that''s a new one on me."


    Zhao Yun lifted his head, carefully pulled out a seble bag, ced the copper coin inside, sealed the bag, and ced it reverently in his backpack.


    After this, he finally said, "That''s because you''re uncultured. Just because you haven''t heard of it doesn''t mean it doesn''t exist."


    "There really was a Da Yi Emperor?" Suming was skeptical, pouting, "It couldn''t be one of those rebel leaders who crowned themselves emperor, right? The name of that reign sounds like one picked by a makeshift emperor."


    "This time you''re half right. This emperor did indeed proim himself, but he was no ordinary rebel leader."


    Zhao Yun pointed to a nearby stone stele and said, "You know who Chen Youliang is, right?"


    "Yeah, the eighth generation disciple of the Beggars'' Sect, Cheng Kun''s student, who almost killed Zhang Wuji... Okay, okay, Mr. Zhao, please don''t look at me like I''m illiterate. Chen Youliang, the one who nearly destroyed Zhu Yuanzhang. At that time, thend was divided between three: one part to him, one to Zhu Yuanzhang, and one to Zhang Shicheng. Chen Youliang had the greatest power and established the Great Han, but what does that have to do with this Da Yi thing?"


    "Da Yi was Chen Youliang''s first reign title, and it was during a time when his forces were at their strongest, and he was at the height of his power," exined Zhao Yun, pointing towards the fox den. "I''m going to go down there and take a look. Stay at the entrance and back me up."


    "No, no, no, let''s go down together. Su Meng, you stay at the entrance and back us up. Anyway, with your size, you won''t fit down there."


    Suming couldn''t miss out on such an exciting adventure, and since the den was already a foxir, all the foxes inside were ''friendly,'' so there wasn''t any danger.


    So the two men put on simple gas masks¡ªnot because they feared ack of oxygen; if foxes could survive inside, it meant there would be enough oxygen below.


    The main issue was that the fox den smelled so awful, one whiff at the entrance and you could be knocked half dead; without a gas mask, I reckon you''d vomit outright.


    After preparing themselves, the two hooked their shlights onto the miner''s helmets they wore on their heads, muttered a dull ''OK'', and then crawled into the hole one after the other.


    The entrance of the fox den was like a twisty, nting slide, leading steeply downward. The cave was so narrow that there was no question of standing, you couldn''t even sit up straight. Zhao Yun was in front, sitting on the ground with most of his body lying in the hole, holding a gun pointed downward at an angle, inching himself further down, with Suming following right behind him.


    About seven or eight meterster, Zhao Yun called out that they had arrived. His feet touched ground, and he straightened his body and climbed out of the hole to stand up, followed closely by Suming.


    Uponnding, Suming felt something was off.


    Ever since arriving in this undergroundplex, all the floors were made of dirt. In an ancient vige, there was no money to pave the streets with tiles, and even most of the house floors were justpacted earth.


    But now, there was a hard sensation underfoot, clearly indicating the presence of floor tiles!


    A few swings of the shlight beam allowed them to get a rough look at the surroundings, leaving Suming and Zhao Yun stunned!


    Before them was a stone chamber of about a dozen square meters, floored with fish and dragon patterned tiles. The floor was rather clean, not at all like the mess of fox feces they had imagined.


    In the center of the stone room was a stone tform about a meter high, and on that tform sat a small three-legged bronze tripod.


    The tripod, about half a meter tall, appeared quite ''miniature'' and seemed out of ce.


    It was as if a poor man wanted to pass for rich but didn''t have the money, so he skimped on materials and ended up with this tiny tripod instead.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "This is too unserious, burial is a significant event in one''s life, how can it be treated so carelessly?" Suming couldn''t help but criticize internally.


    Looking to both sides, there were two small side rooms that one could see the end of with just a nce, inside which were various vessels piled up. A slight shine with the light revealed that most of them were already broken, probably smashed by foxes ying around here.


    Directly in front of the stone chamber was an arched corridor, about three meters tall and two meters wide!


    The corridor seemed to be seven or eight meters long. The light from the Wolf''s Fang shlight pierced through the passage, revealing another room inside. The full picture was indistinct, but merely peering through the corridor, directly opposite the entrance, stood a coffin!


    "Damn, it''s really an ancient tomb!"


    Suming immediately got excited. His initial goal for this trip was to explore an ancient tomb. It was only after descending that he realized it was just a cluster of ancient dwellings, and his enthusiasm had waned significantly. If it hadn''t been for thatrge group of foxes and the Yangtze alligators stirring things up, this trip would have been toockluster.


    He never would have thought that beneath this cluster of dwellingsy an actual tomb! Although that little tripod wasn''t very serious andpletely disrupted the solemn atmosphere of the ancient tomb, at the end of the day, it was still a tomb.

 Chapter 212 Luminous Pearl? (Seven Updates)

    "Don''t let the size of the tomb fool you. Though it looks shabby and the cauldron seems shoddily made, what we''re seeing here is far beyond what an ordinary wealthy person can afford. Besides, a cauldron is a cauldron, no matter if it''s mini-sized. You can''t disregard its importance just because it''s small!"


    "In ancient times, a cauldron was an item of great significance to a country. Even a miniature one wasn''t something an average person would be qualified to use. At the very least, it belonged to a noble, if not a self-proimed one. Otherwise, it was a destitute noble, but definitely not somebodymon."


    Several long-eared foxes emerged leisurely from the inner chamber of the tomb, each holding various small objects in their mouths. ces with heavy yin, like tombs, tend to attract animals like weasels, foxes, and hedgehogs. It seems these foxes had turned this tomb into their den."


    Suming directly sent out several waves of spiritual power, making the little critters drop what they were holding, while Zhao Yun threw the remaining instant noodles in front of them, and then led Suming to the mini cauldron.


    "Let''s go, let''s go. Let''s check out the coffin first!"


    Suming said impatiently. What was so exciting about a broken cauldron? The real thrilly with the dead inside the coffin. There might be valuable burial objects to find and, after discussing with Zhao Yun, sneaking one or two pieces as family heirlooms wouldn''t be too bad¡ªeven without selling them, keeping them as heirlooms would be quite nice.


    Zhao Yun, however, was much more circumspect, "No rush, let''s first examine the inscriptions on the cauldron to figure out who is actually buried here."


    Upon hearing this, Suming noticed the dense array of tiny characters on the surface of the mini cauldron and patiently squatted down to wait for Zhao Yun.


    The cauldron was filthy, making it difficult to read many characters. Zhao Yun took a small brush to clean off the dust. Suming sniffed and was about to spit on it to help clean when Zhao Yun almost jumped out of his skin stopping him. He took out a bottle of mineral water instead, pouring a bit on the cauldron''s surface before gently wiping it with his sleeve.


    "Saliva is corrosive; this thing is a treasure. Ruining it would be considered damaging a national relic," Zhao Yun half-jokingly exined, then leaned over to study it through a magnifying ss.


    Suming couldn''t understand the characters and grew restless waiting, so he decided to inspect the chambers on either side himself.


    The side chambers were small, about the height of a person and a couple of square meters in size. One had a few rows of broken pots and jars piled in a corner, while the other scattered around its floor were some of the coins like the ones he''d seen earlier, but not many¡ªjust a few dozen, with not a single golden or silver ingot in sight. Definitely a sign of poverty.


    "Mr. Zhao, are we done?"


    Luckily, the cauldron wasn''t too ancient, and the inscription wasn''t obscure, at least not enough to stump Zhao Yun. He nodded, about to reply to Suming when he saw that thetter''s face had gone pale and his legs were tightly pressed together, his body slightly bent and leaning against the wall as if in great difort. Through the simple gas mask, Suming''s face was crumpled in unease.


    Zhao Yun was immediately rmed, "What''s wrong?"


    "Nothing serious, just a really urgent need to pee! Seeing those jars inside made it worse, but I didn''t want to urinate into them; they''re cultural relics. What if the state finds out one day that I pissed on cultural relics? That wouldn''t be good," Suming said, twisting his legs.


    "Why don''t you just go against the wall? We''ve had foxes living here, after all. When the archaeological team arrives and notices an ammonia smell, they''ll just me it on the foxes. Hurry up and pee; once you''re done, we''ll check out the inner chamber of the tomb."


    "Mr. Zhao, you''re bad," Suming chuckled and quickly turned to face the wall to relieve himself.


    As he was making hissing sounds, he heard Zhao Yun exin from behind, "It''s clearly written on the cauldron that this vige is called Chen Family Vige, secretly established by a subordinate of Chen Youliang, as a ce for his descendants to guard his tomb."


    "Ah?" Suming shivered, feeling suddenly at ease as he zipped up and said, "That can''t be right. Isn''t Chen Youliang''s grave under the Yangtze River Bridge? I even visited it once when I passed by."


    "There''s a legend that after the battle of Poyang Lake, Zhu Yuanzhang never found Chen Youliang''s body. Some say it was washed away by the water, others say it was snatched away by his men. To stabilize the morale of his troops and the people, Zhu Yuanzhang built a cenotaph for Chen Youliang."


    Zhao Yun walked up to the corridor, "We''ll find out once we go in."


    "There won''t be any traps, will there?" Suming suddenly said.


    "Hmm, being careful is always right," Zhao Yun nodded, took off his backpack, tied it with a rope, threw it forcefully to the other end of the corridor, and then slowly pulled it back.


    That backpack was filled with various equipment and was quite heavy¡ªeasily over twenty pounds. When Zhao Yun had pulled it halfway, the ground in the middle of the corridor creaked open, revealing a flipping board trap. The backpack immediately fell through.


    Suming looked over the edge, and his face turned green. Below the flipping board was arge pit over a meter deep, with densely packed swords and spears pointing up from the bottom.


    The foxes were small and light, so they could walk over it without triggering the flipping board. If two people had walked over carelessly, falling in wouldn''t have been fun. If the fall didn''t kill them, an injury like a shattered egg or a burst chrysanthemum would ruin the rest of their lives.


    "Stick to the edges!" Such flipping board traps weremon in ancient tombs and posed no challenge to Zhao Yun. He pointed with experience to the sides of the corridor.


    The flipping board took up about eight or nine-tenths of the corridor''s width, but there was still about half a foot of space on each side safe for footing. Therefore, the two of them moved slowly forward, with their backs against the corridor''s walls, and safely passed through the corridor.


    The tomb chamber inside was slightlyrger than the outer chamber. Thickyers of hay and dead branches were piled on both sides, probably moved in there by the foxes as they made their home. But the tomb chamber appeared very empty, with just one coffin in the center. The outeryer of the coffin had rotten beyond recognition, and the coffin''s lid had already been pried open during the y of the foxes.


    A light from a shlight revealed the inside of the coffin in disarray, the silk used to wrap the body was as rotten as a pile of mud, lightly covering the bottom of the coffin; among ity a sparse number of burial objects like pearls and copper coins.


    Judging from the burial objects in the coffin and previous signs, the subordinate tasked with guarding and repairing Chen Youliang''s tomb wasn''t wealthy. After Chen Youliang''s forces perished, there wasn''t much of value left for burial objects. Constructing such arge tomb was already the limit.


    Some bones were scattered throughout the coffin. Zhao Yun, wearing gloves, gently picked up half a skull and blew on it, revealing a hole the size of a fingertip on the side of the skull.


    "There''s no mistake, Chen Youliang died from an arrow to the head!" Zhao Yun said excitedly.


    Suming''s attention was on the burial objects. His sharp eyes caught something strange in the corner of the coffin. He picked it up and wiped it clean. It was a stone sphere the size of a thumb, resembling a Luminous Pearl, but it did not emit any light.


    "Another counterfeit Luminous Pearl," Suming said with a wry smile. Chen Youliang would probably die of anger if he were alive; the burial objects in this tomb were all shoddy, cut-corner fakes.


    However, the surface of this Luminous Pearl was covered with dark red stripes.


    Suming thought about keeping the Luminous Pearl as a souvenir, considering it looked worthless. However, before he could discuss it with Zhao Yun, a very familiar sensation came from inside the Luminous Pearl¡ªit was as if a strange power surged into his body.


    This feeling was extremely simr to the time he first realized his ''Friend of Animals'' ability!


    **********


    PS: Ah, it''s almost 3 AM! Exhausted, but my mind is very excited!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The goal of ten chapters is within sight, I''m going all in! I''ll pull an all-nighter and sneakily catch up on sleep at work tomorrow! I''ll write the next day''s manuscript when Ie back tomorrow night! Lucky it''s Sunday. I wrote quite a bit during the day, or else it would be the death of me~~~

 Chapter 213 Attach Soul (Eight Updates)

    As I was saying, it happened in the blink of an eye. The force had barely entered my body when the blood-red stripes on the Luminous Pearl quickly faded away without a trace, as if they had never been there.


    Zhao Yun carefully ced Chen Youliang''s hole-pierced head back in the coffin. He then turned his head to see Suming holding a piece of the Luminous Pearl in a daze and gave him a nudge, "Possessed by something?"


    "Oh. No, no." Suming nced down at the Luminous Pearl in his hand, noting the dark red stripes were now gone. He held up the Luminous Pearl and asked Zhao Yun, "Mr. Zhao, what''s this? Looks like a Luminous Pearl, but it''s not lighting up, eh?"


    "Luminous Pearl? Many ancient Luminous Pearls were made of fluorite, not very valuable. It''s normal for them to exhaust their light after a few hundred years," Zhao Yun took the ''Luminous Pearl'' and examined it, "Yes, this is fluorite."


    Suming had seen fluorite before. Next to the Naval Lake Zoo, the Whisperwind Pavilion used to sell souvenirs, including two ''Luminous Pearls'', or fluorite, the size of ping-pong balls priced at five thousand. They had been there for over three years without a single buyer.


    But ordinary fluorite didn''t contain the energy that this Luminous Pearl had! After thinking for a bit, Suming straightforwardly said, "Mr. Zhao, I''d like to keep this stone."


    Zhao Yun looked at Suming and chuckled, "Just a reminder, things from the dead are not lucky. Besides, it''s not worth much.


    Suming replied, "Just keeping it for fun."


    Zhao Yun was not the kind of person who was oblivious to feelings and social customs. Besides, if Suming had not informed him and he hade to excavate this underground relic alone, he would have taken whatever he wanted from it anyway.


    With this in mind, Zhao Yun casually turned away, pretending to study the patterns on the coffin, talking to himself, "I didn''t see any Luminous Pearl here."


    Suming smiled too, pocketing the Luminous Pearl. The energy inside had already been absorbed, and for Suming, the greatest value of this unlit Luminous Pearl no longer existed.


    He wanted to keep this jade not to sell it but because the energy within was unique!


    After absorbing it, he realized that this energy did not enhance spiritual power but added a new function to his Friend of Animals ability, based on spiritual power.


    It allowed him to attach his spiritual power to animals, personally experiencing what the animals saw and heard. When using it, it would consume a certain amount of spiritual power over time. The more animals he attached to and the farther away they were, the greater the spiritual power consumption.


    It wasn''t clear why, but as soon as the energy from the jade entered his body, he distinctly realized its function.


    Suming spected that perhaps the original Friend of Animals ability was notplete, merely a basic version. Therefore, even though the energy in the Luminous Pearl had been absorbed, he still wanted to keep it to further study it.


    While Zhao Yun was upied studying the coffin, Suming subtly attached a strand of his spiritual power to a long-eared fox.


    "Holy moly!"


    The entire world waspletely different. He saw two giants before him; weren''t they himself and Zhao Yun? From those big ears, faint and varied strange sounds could be heard. The ground beneath his feet seemed to be teeming with ants moving around.


    Huh? Suddenly, there was a strong craving for ants, and despite the embarrassment of the thought of eating ants, he couldn''t help but want to dig for them with his ''hand''. His ''hand'' had be strange too, furry and fleshy, with several sharp little ws hidden in the paw.


    Meanwhile, there was also the consciousness of a little fox itself that existed, creating a very strange sensation.


    "It''s me." Suming quickly sent a message to the consciousness of the long-eared fox itself, knowing the little creature wouldn''t ponder about things like ego, self, or spiritual power. Once it confirmed it was Suming, the fox obediently started digging with its tiny paws.


    After a few scrapes, it indeed found some ants. Suming swallowed and extended its tender little tongue to lick them up.


    "These are really tasty." Both Suming and the fox''s consciousness felt a sense of satisfaction but also an immense shame at the same time. Thesepletely different feelings gave him a momentary conflict of emotions.


    Just then, Zhao Yun nudged Suming''s arm and a voice came to his ears, "What are you daydreaming about now? It''s about time we head out."


    This feeling was too eerie, as if he had acquired a doppelganger. His own body and the spiritual power attached to the little fox both had awareness and sensation.


    Suming quickly retracted his spiritual power from the little fox and pretended as if nothing had happened.


    So, the two of them left the tomb chamber, climbed back out the fox hole the way they came in, and then gathered the long-eared foxes that had ''moved house'' before, instructing them to put all the copper coins, pearls, and such that they had removed from the grave back into ce, as these items weren''t valuable and of no use to the foxes.


    When they got back to the first pool, Suming couldn''t resist testing the ability on a Chinese alligator.


    "Can''t see a thing." Suming''s vision immediately blurred significantly, and a few dogs that were close by in real life appeared as several shadows moving about. However, looking up towards the opening of the cave, it was already light outside, and he could see birds flying at hundreds of meters high with absolute rity, even making out each feather in detail.


    It then dawned on Suming that alligators'' vision is different from humans. They are nearsighted underwater and far-sighted onnd.


    However, his hearing was quite clear, seemingly even stronger than that of the big-eared long-eared foxes.


    Given the characteristics of this ability, Suming named it ''Soul Attachment.''


    Zhao Yun was right beside him, so Suming didn''t dare to experiment any further, fearing he might give the game away. He retrieved his spiritual power from the alligator, had Su Meng climb up first using the rope, followed by Zhao Yun. He stayed in the cavest, squatting in front of the Chinese alligator and sending a message with his spiritual power, asking, "Old Gator, do you want to stick around in the mountains on your own, ore back with me?"


    The Chinese alligator was injured all over, probably with its pride hurt the most. It couldn''t move recklessly as before but resisted in silence: it ignored Suming.


    "Come back with me to get your injuries treated first. You are alone like a solitary fish. Besides, with the foxes gone, there''s nothing for you to eat here, and you''ll starve sooner orter. Stay in the zoo for a while, and if you want to leaveter, I''ll find an excuse to release you into the back mountains."


    As he talked, Suming wrapped the climbing rope around the old gator a few times, then whistled to the cave opening. Su Meng stood above and pulled on the rope, slowly drawing the Chinese alligator out through the hole.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The opening was only about forty to fifty centimeters in diameter, and it was fortunate that the Chinese alligator was rtively small. Had it been a Nile crocodile, it might well have gotten stuck at the entrance.


    *****


    Two more updates, let''s keep up the energy!!

 Chapter 214 Settling Down (Nine Updates)

    After the Yangtze alligators exited, it was the foxes'' turn. Suming asked Zhao Yun to empty both his and Suming''srge backpacks, and then in one go, he stuffed four or five foxes into each bag to be hoisted up.


    The little foxes huddled together, their fluffy fur crowding therge bags. Theyy on the edges of the bags, curiously surveying their surroundings as they rose upwards, seemingly unable to understand why they were suddenly ''floating''. Some of the little ones even grinned, revealing their tiny sharp teeth with the corners of their mouths turned upward, looking as if they were smiling, which was quite amusing.


    After more than an hour of work, all the foxes were finally lifted up. Suming was exhausted like a dog and asked Zhao Yun to toss down a Snickers bar. After eating a few bites, he regained some energy. He then secured the climbing rope around his waist, gave a thumbs up to those above, and was pulled up slowly by Su Meng.


    "My God, I finally made it out!" It wasn''t noticeable inside the cave, but once outside, he immediately exhaled a breath of stale air, and the surrounding air became incredibly fresh.


    Outside the cave, a dense crowd of foxes looked up at Suming.


    "Big-eared Thief, take your minions and follow me," he said. The "home" of the long-eared fox would soon be excavated for national protection, and they had nowhere else to go for the time being. They might as well stay with the dogs in the Houshan Nature Reserve for now. After all, there was plenty of space on those several mountain tops for a few hundred foxes.


    With a grand wave of his hand, the fox army poured down the hillside like mercury in full flow. As for the old alligator, it was still a dangerous creature and shouldn''t be unrestrained; only the ropes tied around its limbs were removed, and its mouth was still wrapped inyers of tape. Su Meng carried it over his shoulder as if he was hauling a big sack.


    The procession of people and animals made their majestic exit from the deep forest. When they were nearly out of the mountains, Suming stopped and said to Zhao Yun, "Mr. Zhao, I''m going to settle the foxes first and won''t return with you."


    "Alright, after I go back, I''ll report the findings of the tomb and the underground architecturalplex to the relevant authorities," smiled Zhao Yun, patting Suming''s shoulder. "You''ve made a contribution again, and you''ll probably have to do more interviews. You now appear on TV more often than our mayor."


    "Mr. Zhao, I was just going to tell you, when you report this to the higher-ups, it''s best not to talk too much about me. Even if you must mention me, try to downy my presence."


    Zhao Yun expressed his surprise, "Why is that? You are a hero. Thisrge-scale architecturalplex, along with Chen Youliang''s tomb, is a major discovery in the field of archaeology. Reporting your involvement will certainly bring rewards, and with a little publicity, fame and fortune wille your way."


    "Hehe, if there''s a cash reward, you can keep it. Consider it a New Year''s gift for Chengcheng from me. I just don''t want the fame," Suming shook his head and said calmly, "I''ve been in the limelight too much in the past six months, just like you said, appearing on TV and in newspapers every now and then. I already have enough fame; now, I want toy low for a while. Being too conspicuous at my age is actually not a good thing."


    After hearing his words, Zhao Yun initially looked astonished, but then he nodded in agreement, patting Suming''s shoulder approvingly and saying, "So young, yet you know the value of keeping a low profile. Rare indeed. That''s good. Well, leave the rest to me; I''ll handle it. Your contributions will be known to the leaders, but when ites to publicity, we''ll try not to mention you. This way, you''ll get the credit without attracting too much attention."


    Zhao Yun was almost twenty years older than Suming, but the two were able to be friends,rgely because Suming, despite his youth and asional nonsense, usually showed greater maturity than his peers when it was time for serious business or critical moments. Overall, there was a small generation gap.


    In him, Zhao Yun saw a younger version of himself.


    "Hehe, Mr. Zhao, I can rest easy with you in charge," Suming chuckled. Entrusting this matter to Zhao Yun, he was perfectly reassured. The charming older man was all but perfect ¡ª in family, career, social engagement, and personal rtionships, there was nothing he couldn''t handle well.


    After parting ways with Zhao Yun at an intersection, Suming led the Huiya foxes towards the small slope where he had first built kennels for the dogs.


    As he walked, he couldn''t help but project his spiritual power onto a Husky.


    Suddenly he felt overwhelmingly happy; inexplicably ecstatic, every little thing brought joy, whether it was small stones, birds flying, flowers blooming, or the foxes... Everything seemed fun from the Husky''s perspective.


    The only slightly unbearable part was his nose; the keen sense of smell could detect the poop of some unknown animal from tens of meters away.


    What''s even more terrifying is the urge to run over and have a taste! Damn it...


    He tried with Huiya again.


    "Is this what Ximen Chuixue feels like?" The instant he possessed Huiya, he felt as if he''d be arrogantly aloof, with a scorn for everything except Suming, looking down upon all creatures with the air of those overbearing novel protagonists from ten years ago.


    It seemed like Su Meng was immune to this ability, after all, he was human, not an animal. However, Suming considered that it might also be possible that his spiritual power wasn''t strong enough yet, or perhaps the Animal Companion ability had other undiscovered ''patches''. Maybe one day he would be able to control humans too. After all,municating with Su Meng using spiritual power, although not as effective as with animals, still had some effect.


    He continued to y and experiment with the ability as he walked, and Suming gradually became familiar with the soul possession ability. Using it consumed a bit of spiritual power, and more so over long distances, but the consumption was still manageable for his current level of spiritual power.


    At the same time, he knew better than to use this power too often. It could easily lead to a split personality if he wasn''t careful. Imagine dealing with people but identally thinking he''s a dog or a crocodile¡ªthat would be hriously disastrous. Like talking to Hu or the Liao nurses from the medical facility, and suddenly rubbing up against them...


    "No, this is terrible¡ªI''m bing more beastly. Is Animal Companion meant to turn a pure and kind-hearted good guy like me into a monster?!"


    However, it was indeed fun and incredibly practical. Previously, when sending animals like Er Gouzi on errands or to keep watch, their limited intelligence only allowed them to describe events simply. But with soul possession, he could see and hear everything firsthand, which was much more urate than any message ryed by an animal.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Before long, he reached his destination. On the neat hillside stood dozens of dog kennels, bothrge and small. Even though the dogs scarcely stayed here anymore, just asionally making visits, Mr. Lin still regrly brought some food and looked after the ce.


    Now it seemed that keeping these uncle and nephew around was the right decision. They were both honest folks. After the animals were moved to the zoo and Houshan was left under their care, Suming didn''t visit often. But they still diligently manned their posts every day without any shirking orziness.


    Lin was on duty today, and he greeted Suming from afar as he saw him approaching.


    "Mr. Su, where did you capture all these rabbits? If you''re free, how about we roast some?" Lin probably hadn''t seen a fox with such big ears before and mistook it for a rabbit, grabbing Big-eared Thief by the ears and shaking it, he said curiously, "Eh, this is a fox?"


    "Let go, let go, it hurts..." Suming suddenly screamed. He was currently possessing Big-eared Thief and could feel everything the animal felt.


    Of course, he wouldn''t suffer any actual harm; if an animal he possessed got injured or even died, his own body wouldn''t sustain the same injuries, but the sensations would still be transmitted back to him. Lin was pulling on Big-eared Thief''s ears and he felt the pain too.


    Lin held Big-eared Thief''s ears and looked at Suming with a bewildered expression.


    Suming withdrew his spiritual power and took Big-eared Thief from Lin''s hand. Hugging it close, Big-eared Thief was obviously shaken by the encounter, its ears trembling. Suming chuckled, petting its head, "There, there, no scare in a touch."


    Then he told Lin, "These foxes are the ones I''ve rescued. They''ll be staying on this hill for the time being. Go back and let Mr. Lin know."


    In folk tales, foxes, hedgehogs, and weasels are all considered to be creatures with a mystical aura, and if you encounter them at home, you should never offend them. Hearing what Suming had to say, Lin expressed his surprise, "Mr. Su, keeping so many foxes, that''s not going to bring good fortune."


    **************


    PS: How was that, how was that? Was it powerful, did it have spirit?


    My eyes are starting to blur, damn it, I''ve gotten this far, so I have to pump out the tenth update no matter what!

 Chapter 215 Degree of Kinship (Ten more updates!)

    Mr. Lin and Lin were to help care for the foxes in the future, and Miss Red Fox, the Wolf King''s neighbor from the zoo, might even move in. If the uncle and nephew were always scared of foxes, that wouldn''t bode well for their future interactions.


    "Don''t worry, they''re all obedient. Come on, say hello to Lin." Suming snapped his fingers.


    The big-eared foxes at the front stood on their hind legs, holding their little front paws together like fists, and bowed to Lin as if to pay their respects.


    "Oh my goodness, I can''t ept such reverence from so many grand fox immortals!" Lin, who had been steeped in his elder Lin''s superstitious teachings from a young age, panicked and sat down on the ground, hurriedly put his hands together in prayer and returned several bows to the foxes.


    Foxes have a natural tendency to imitate other animals. Rural temples sometimes have legends about fox immortals, precisely because creatures like foxes and weasels, upon seeing the motionless y Bodhisattvas sitting in the temples, also learn to do the same, climbing onto desks to imitate the Bodhisattvas.


    As Lin bowed like this, the dozens of big-eared foxes in front, who had seen him do it, also started imitating him and bowed back to Lin. Hundreds of big, ppy ears waved up and down, creating a ratherical scene.


    "Alright, alright, everybody up." Suming was right between the two groups, making it look like a whole n of filial descendants were bowing down to him. He felt as if he were about to die from the oddity of the situation. He quickly projected a wave of spiritual power to get the big-eared foxes to stand up first, then helped Lin to his feet.


    Lin got up and dusted off his knees, still somewhat nervously, and gave Suming a thumbs-up, saying, "Mr. Su, I''m really impressed with you, having all these grand fox immortals listen to you. You must be the reincarnation of a Bodhisattva!"


    "You know what, Lin, that ass-kissing is pretty awkward." Sumingughed, "Go on, tell Mr. Lin to take good care of these foxes from now on."


    "Sure thing, I''m on it." Lin turned to walk down the mountain. As he passed by therge group of foxes, he deliberately put his hands together and gave a slight bow to the foxes... whoosh, which led the crowd of big-eared foxes to bow back to him again.


    "You guys might as well be monks. I''ll just build a small temple for you on the back mountain." Suming chuckled.


    After Lin was gone, Suming greeted Huiya, who tilted his head back and let out a long, lingering wolf howl toward the sky.


    Soon enough, dozens of dogs from all directions began returning one by one. They became visibly excited upon seeing the group of foxes, as if ready for a mealtime.


    The foxes, however, were terrified. Dogs and wolves are natural predators of foxes. In their dens, they might stand a chance with their numbers, but out here, not even that advantage existed. Surrounded by more than eighty diverse dogs, there was nowhere to run.


    "Awoo, awoo, awoo..." Nearly two hundred little foxes made pitiable sounds, theirrge ears trembling with fear as they all huddled tightly together.


    Foxes are exceedingly clever, having just learned to ''greet'' by bowing, and they quickly put it to use. Several dozen foxes on the outside did just that, bowing towards the dogs with expressions that almost pleaded, "Don''t eat me, please don''t eat me."


    Suming, though a friend to animals, never interfered with the food chain. Wolves, dogs, crocodiles eat foxes; foxes eat birds; birds eat insects. This is the natural order and cannot be disrupted just because one can control animals and thus force them to stop eating meat and be vegetarians.


    But then again, there''s always a difference in closeness and affection.


    When ites to animals, Suming''s rule has always been ''to not harm those you know, and to not let those you know harm each other.'' Besides, these mountains are vast and abundant with food, and the Lins even bring food regrly. There''s really no need for infighting...


    "Listen up!" Suming stood on the roof of arge dog kennel and called out loudly.


    No sooner had his voice fallen than all the dogs, like soldiers hearing an officermand ''at ease,'' sat down promptly, tongues out and heads held high, looking up at Suming.


    "Good, from now on you and the foxes will be neighbors. If you wish to live in harmony, then do so. If not, keeping to yourselves is also fine. Just two rules: first, no killing each other! And second, if an outsider bullies one of our own, everyone must help!"


    After he finished speaking, he waved to Huiya, "Youe and set an example for them."


    Huiya didn''t even care for dogs, let alone foxes. He dragged his tail and unwillingly walked up to Big-eared Thief, staring coldly at it for a while¡ªterrifying Big-eared Thief so much that all its fur stood on end. Then Huiya suddenly lifted his front right leg and patted Big-eared Thief''s head twice as if to say, "From now on, I''ve got your back."


    "Hehehe." Su Meng chuckled from the sidelines, then also raised his hand and patted Huiya on the head twice.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Huiya was very annoyed, tossing and turning its head.


    ...


    Not long after returning to the zoo, news broke that a burial site and underground buildingplex belonging to Chen Youliang had been discovered in Yangchuan City.


    Although Chen Youliang was just a rebel king, he was well-known in history and could be mentioned in the same breath as Zhu Yuanzhang. Though his tomb might not contain any national treasure-level artifacts, its historical and cultural value was immensely high.


    Moreover, the site was not just Chen Youliang''s tomb; there was arge cluster of Ming Dynasty buildings above it. This was a truly rare find, more valuable than the typical royal tombs, so the nation paid great attention to it. Led by Zhao Yun, the director of the museum, and arge group of experts from all over the country, a protective excavation was started.


    During this time, Zhao Yun and Wang Jian She each made separate calls and talked about a few things.


    The first was about Suming, who specifically instructed Zhao Yun to briefly mention him in the report and reached an understanding with the leaders and experts involved not to give him any special media coverage.


    No matter what, Suming had made a contribution, and both Zhao Yun and he were given a government reward of fifty thousand yuan. Government rewards are not usually a lot of money, but they are prestigious.


    Neither Zhao Yun nor Suming cared about the money and decided to donate it to the zoo.


    Second, it was said that once the excavation of the buildingplex waspleted, the government might n to turn the site into a tourist attraction simr to the Terracotta Army, although on a smaller scale. This was ''insider'' information, not yet publicly announced, because the final oue of the excavation was still uncertain.


    Zhao Yun and Wang Jian She knew about it in advance because the location of the undergroundplex was very close to the back mountain of the zoo, part of the garden management, and Zhao Yun was a nationally renowned archaeologist. If it bes a tourist attraction in the future, it might be jointly managed by Zhao Yun''s museum and the zoo.


    The third was a surprisingly good piece of news. Thend for the distillery might have found a buyer, and the location was quite good¡ªnot as good as next to the reservoir, but much better than the several other selected plots that had been considered.


    ...


    PS: Of course, this still doesn''t count against subscription word counts.


    Ten chapters done! I can hardly believe it myself¡ªI actually did it!


    Although I''m writing a farming novel, I am a man, and men should have a certain tenacity!


    In the next few days, we''ll stick to the normal pace, to let thememorative coins catch a breath and to let me build up a stockpile of chapters. The average subscription is likely to hit 1500 soon, and at that point, I''ll still deliver ten chapters!


    While I too wish for ten chapters every day, if I copse, then all is for naught.


    The sky is almost bright, and although I feel exhausted, my spirit is good! Watching the backend data gradually increase fills me with strength.


    Everyone has dreams, and since I''m writing, I have my own little ambitions. This book is doing well so far, and life doesn''t give you that many chances. The opportunity is right before me, and if I fail to grab it, it''s my own fault. I can''t me anyone!


    I, the author of thememorative coin, am not a very gifted writer and didn''t have much of a basis before. I can only work harder than others to repay everyone''s support and inch closer to my dreams.


    Fours days since theunch, two days with four chapters, and two days with ten chapters!


    Of course, it''s not possible to always be this intense, but frequent extra updates and bursts of many chapters are still doable!


    Let us join hands and create a miracle together! I believe that an average subscription of 1500, 2000, is certainly not the limit!


    Finally, the same old three sentences: please subscribe, please rmend and reward, and please support in every way!

 Chapter 216 Labor is the Most Glorious

    ```


    Zhao Yun initially selected a few plots ofnd for the winery construction; however, the locations were not ideal. Either they were too far from the animal zoo for Suming to manage, or thend was too expensive to afford.


    After the discovery of Chen Youliang''s tomb in the back mountain, a piece ofnd about four or five kilometers away from the tomb, nestled halfway up the mountain, suddenly became avable.


    This plot ofnd was approximately several dozen acres, also embedded halfway up the mountain, and it directly faced the location of Chen Youliang''s tomb. It was currently barrennd that had been intended for residential use, to sell for the construction of luxury vis on the hillside.


    But now, with an ancient tomb discovered a few kilometers away, thend was obviously not suitable for building vis for living. If it were in the city, a distance of four or five kilometers would be considered quite long. There are residential areas within five kilometers of a crematorium, and it wouldn''t matter. But in the mountains, four or five kilometers seems very short, and on a clear day, one could almost see the opposite side at a nce.


    Who would spend a lot of money to buy a vi when, upon opening their eyes each day, they could see the slope of a dead person''s tomb in the distance? That would be looking for bad luck. Moreover, those who can afford vis are either rich from business or holding official positions¡ªsuch people are most concerned about auspicious signs and good luck.


    Therefore, thisnd was definitely not suitable for residential use anymore. The Construction Committee and several other government departments discussed whether to change the intended use of thend. Zhao Yun nned to blow some wind from behind the scenes and pull some strings to see if they could convert it into an industrial site, which could then be acquired for the winery.


    Upon hearing this, Suming also made a call to Wang Jian She, hoping he could help and lend some support from behind. Land approval was not originally under Wang Jian She''s jurisdiction, but since the plot was in the mountains, Wang Jian She, a leader in charge of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, had some say in the matter.


    "Hmm, this..." Wang Jian She pondered for a moment before saying on the other end of the phone, "It shouldn''t be a big issue, I''ll try my best. Oh, did Wang Hao call you since he came back yesterday?"n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "I received his call, nning to ask him out for a meal in a couple of days, and we can talk about thepany''s future ns," Sumingughed. Wang Hao was a constant worry to Wang Jian She. He was always hanging around aimlessly, and while Wang Jian She feared that his son could cause trouble, he also worried about his son''s health when he genuinely dedicated himself to his work.


    Even if there were no ties with Wang Jian She, Suming did not want Wang Hao to overwork himself to illness due to their friendship.Suming also needed capable people, and after this past half year''s experience, Wang Hao had developed his abilities and was familiar with various governmental departments, making him perfect for helping Suming out.


    During the hectic days, The Monkey King hadn''t even had time to brew new batches of Monkey Wine in the back mountain, and the New Year''s celebrations were fast approaching.


    Suming nned to return home for the New Year. Despite apparent smooth sailing these months, a lot of perilous events happened that only Suming was privy to. Now that his small enterprise was finally taking shape in Yangchuan City, it was time to visit his mother and, preferably, bring her to Yangchuan City.


    The zoo was closed for seven days during the New Year, and after taking an additional two weeks of leave, he had a total of twenty days of vacation. Before leaving, there were still matters to wrap up at the zoo.


    This year''s end-of-year bonus was so generous it was astounding. The zoo''s ticket revenue alone was nearly twice of previous years, and the employees, having helped Suming with this and that, made more in tips than their regr sries. When Mrs. Tong drafted the bonus distribution, Suming, in his customary style, suggested taking the smallest share for himself, a mere thousand yuan as a token gesture.


    "Fine, since you don''t care about that little bit of money anyway," Mrs. Tong said afterpleting the bonus distribution and closed the office door, "Su, there''s something I''d like to discuss with you."


    "Ah?" Suming was taken aback, hoping it wasn''t another matchmaking ploy?


    It turned out to be exactly that, though not for Suming.


    Mrs. Tong asked, "Your cousin, Su Meng, aside from not being eloquent, there''s nothing wrong with him here, is there?" While speaking, she pointed at her temple.


    "There''s nothing wrong with him, but his family is very poor!" Suming said.


    "Well, no matter how poor, after working with you for a couple of years, won''t all be well?" Mrs. Tong was clear-sighted and whispered to Suming, "My distant niece Hu seems to have taken a liking to Su Meng."


    Suming chuckled internally, thinking, I knew it. Seems like Nurse Hu, strong and sturdy, likes men of the same build. She''s not my type, and I''m not hers.


    "If she likes him, she should pursue him. Su Meng is easy to get along with," Suming hoped that Su Meng could have a family life. Since he hade to this world, it wouldn''t be good to be forever alone, and Suming would have his own family eventually, so what would Su Meng do? It wasn''t like he could follow Suming for his entire life?


    "That''s why I''m asking you if he has any issues here!" Mrs. Tong spoke mysteriously, "I''ll tell you, you know Hu, she''s extroverted, not like some girls who are bashful, but Su Meng seems utterly oblivious to her advances."


    "Really? Is it possible he''s not interested in Hu?" Suming inquired.


    Although Su Meng still struggled to speak, he could generally understand others, and he could handle normal social interactions. Sometimes he wouldugh loudly in his unique way, which was because he was inherently innocent, not truly foolish.


    "Well, now I have to say something to you!" Mrs. Tong said, "Hu doesn''t mind that your brother is mute, and yet he''s the one snubbing Hu? I''m telling you, a good girl like Hu is hard to find!"


    Suming pped his forehead, thinking, Mrs. Tong, your logic is wed, if Su Meng isn''t interested in her, whye after me?


    ```


    Mrs. Tong continued, "Do you think my Hu is too robust? Hey, it''s good for a woman to be sturdy, better for childbirth! Since I''m older, I''ll say something shameless, with Su Meng''s physique, how could an average girl withstand him?"


    Suming waspletely stunned by the married woman''s boldness and managed to say, "Well, I''ll ask him what he really means, okay?"


    "That''s right, that kid Su Meng doesn''t speak easily and beats around the bush. Don''t let Hu wait any longer; she''s already twenty-five this year..."


    After Mrs. Tong finished talking, Suming took two bottles of Monkey Wine and two packs of cigarettes over to Mr. Peng at Mingqing Residence.


    Among the older generation of staff at the zoo, Mr. Peng was the first to take Suming under his wing and had the best rtionship with him. Perhaps because of this, now that Suming has be sessful, Mr. Peng has naturally be the big brother among the old zoo staff.


    "I know you''ve been busy. As long as you keep this kind intention, I''ve not taught you vainly as my apprentice. Hehe, to tell the truth, you''ve outstripped me long ago in skills," said Mr. Peng as he cooked a few dishes and chatted with Suming over drinks.


    "Master, where are you spending the New Year?" asked Suming.


    Suming knew Mr. Peng''s situation at home; his wife had passed away early, and he only had one daughter, who was studying in college in another ce. It was uncertain if she woulde back for the New Year.


    "My girl ising home this year, so I''ll be home for it!" Mr. Peng''s face glowed as he talked about his daughter. She had excellent grades at school and often received schrships. She used to study and work part-time due to their poor financial conditions. Now that Mr. Peng was in charge of the boats and feed, their financial situation had improved, so he didn''t let her work so hard anymore.


    Raising his ss to Suming, Mr. Peng put his drink down and said, "Su, I have something to discuss with you. My girl will be graduating after the New Year. Could you help her find a job?"


    Having been a recent graduate himself, Suming knew too well the difficulties of job searching. It wasn''t always the case that good grades guaranteed a good job. Moreover, Mr. Peng was getting on in years. He hinted that he wanted his daughter to stay in Yangchuan City after her graduation, and as a zookeeper with no connections or resources, it wasn''t easy for him to secure a good job for his daughter.


    "I''ve actually thought about it, just didn''t want to demean her," said Suming, also sipping his wine. "I''m about to start a small distillery soon; we need an ountant. Your daughter majors in that, right? If she''s willing, she can start with us. But the distillery won''t be big, probably less than a dozen people."


    "That''d be great! I''d be reassured if she works with you. You know, the society is so chaotic nowadays, and my girl, she looks like an angel. I''m just worried she might get taken advantage of."


    "Absolutely, don''t worry. I can''t promise much, but she definitely won''t be taken advantage of at my ce."


    Suming held back hisughter; Mr. Peng was good at everything except exaggerating about his daughter. When he drank too much, he would use all kinds of hyperbolic adjectives on his daughter. Suming had seen photos of her; she wasn''t bad-looking but far from an angel ¡ª just a pretty face.


    After a night of drinking with Mr. Peng, Suming gave Liang Shi the next day off. There wasn''t much money left in the ounts, so he gave him 40,000 yuan to go home for the New Year.


    He then visited Mr. Song''s house. The old man was indeed getting older; he kept dozing off while chatting in the living room. Suming didn''t disturb his sleep, left the gifts, greeted his family and left.


    "You don''t look so good," said Suming, who hadn''t seen Wang Hao for a while and was shocked at his appearance.


    Mr. Wang''s face had an unhealthy pallor, like someone on the brink of death.


    "Dude, it''s almost New Year''s, don''t jinx me!"


    Wang Hao rolled his eyes, "Last night, I had to apany our leaders to have fun. Damn it, the old lecher had his fun, and he had to find me twopanions. Look at how fat I am now, how could I cope with two?"


    "So you''re saying that was very painful for you?" said Suming.


    "Absolutely, it was torture. At this rate, I''ll vomit at the sight of delicacies and get turned off by beauties. My whole life is about to be ruined!" Mr. Wangmented, clutching his head in agony.


    "Damn, how did the Party end up recruiting a degenerate like you?" Suming flipped him the bird, "Come work for me after the New Year, I guarantee you''ll spend twenty hours out of twenty-four immersed in the joy ofbor."


    "Fantastic!" Wang Hao pped his thigh, "I now think the happiest thing in the world is to work!"


    *********


    PS: In the next few days, there will be double updates with 6,000 words each. I''m working on building a buffer, but don''t worry, because we''ll soon reach 1,500 average subscriptions, and then you know what happens...

 Chapter 217 Preparing to Go Home

    About Wang Hao, Suming had long made arrangements.


    Mr. Song mentioned that day too, after the New Year at most two months, they would officially begin the restructuring, and by then the zoo would establish a pany". Wang Hao wasn''t very involved in the matters concerning animals, but he was quite familiar with the entertainment projects in the park.


    For example, boat rides, fish riding, and several other chargeable attractions, selling souvenirs, selling feed, and such matters could all be managed in a unified manner.


    Besides the existing projects, now that the zoo had gained some fame and the scenery was also nice, sometimes there would be filmpaniesing here to rent the venue for shooting, and Suming felt it was necessary to subdivide the industry a bit, to engage in refined and specialized management.


    Since dealing with the government and various circles of people was sometimes necessary, Wang Hao was more than suitable. As for the original staff of the zoo, most of them were just ordinary people, not as adept as Wang Hao in this respect.


    After being busy for several days, Suming even went to visit Dong''s family. Suming had too much to buy when he went home for the New Year, so much so that the Wrangler couldn''t fit it all, thus he borrowed the zoo''s big Buick business van from Dong.


    He actually forgot to give Nangong Yan a heads-up!


    It wasn''t until Nangong Yan personally made a grand appearance and scolded Suming that he remembered.


    "It''s not that I forgot you," Suming said, covering his wallet and speaking tenderly, "but because you are always in my heart, I''ve grown ustomed to your presence."


    "Me too! So it''s time for you to pay the bill," retorted Nangong Yan, swinging an Herm¨¨s bag.


    If a woman''s anger could be resolved through shopping, Suming followed behind and quipped, "Didn''t you see what they said on the inte? Herm¨¨s is so out. Anyone still buying Herm¨¨s is just showing off."


    "You''re right!" Nangong Yan snapped her fingers, "Then let''s go to Herm¨¨s."


    Suming: "..."


    Nangong Yan may have shouted loudly, but in the end, she didn''t buy too many things. She just dragged Suming around all day, until Suming''s legs almost became thinner.


    ...


    Having taken care of the people, Suming also had to arrange for the animals'' life during the New Year''s holidays.


    Tigers, bears, and such originally from the zoo weren''t much of a concern; the feeders would arrange shifts during the New Year to look after those guys. The main concern was the batch he had brought inter.


    "You three don''t need to worry for now," Suming said, sitting on the edge of the pool, rolling up his trouser legs and dipping them in the temperature-regted water, where a family of three Baiji dolphins was swimming.


    The Baiji probably also thought of living in the wider wilderness, but the current conditions didn''t allow it. Releasing such endangered animals directly into the wild was definitely not an option¡ªtoo dangerous; but to set aside arge protected area for just three Baiji also wasn''t feasible.


    Even the reservoir wasn''t safe; althoughrge in area, besides the leased sector, its waters were frequently visited by people who came for outings, and it was connected with the Yangtze River, with floodgates opening yearly. For endangered animals like the Baiji, which had been discovered, they had to be under strict protection.


    In fact, Suming thought they were mainly too lonely. If there were more Baiji to keep thempany, it would be much better.


    The two young Baiji stood upright on the water surface, waving at Suming with their fins and circling in ce; the big Baiji was calm, and as Suming patted its head, he said, "It would be great if we could find a male. Being able to breed the next generation would make it much more likely to establish a protected area. Hey, if we can''t find a Baiji, would a Baiji Dolphin do?"


    Baiji Dolphins, although also very rare, at least had artificial breeding and protection bases. Finding a way to get a few to keep the Baijipany shouldn''t be too difficult.


    The big Baiji didn''t seem to understand, but it genially shook its head regardless.


    Suming hadn''t spoken much when the axolotls and the Yangtze alligators in the back began causing amotion again, and the aquarium echoed with the loud banging of fierce collisions.


    The Yangtze alligator had been severely beaten by Su Meng one day and was not lightly injured; fortunately, it was not a critical hit, and Suming used his spiritual power to heal it, and it quickly returned to health. Since it was also a nationally protected animal, a national treasure of the first grade, and its status was no less than that of the big axolotl, the zoo had arranged it next door in the aquarium, separated by reinforced ss.


    The Yangtze alligator was a rare animal too, and in the few days since it arrived at the zoo, many tourists had bought tickets to see it.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    Though both reptiles looked somewhat simr, the Yangtze alligator looked fiercer, and being new, it drew all the attention of the visitors in the aquarium. The zoo even ced arge photo of the Yangtze alligator out front, to attract tourists.


    The big axolotl suddenly felt neglected, not only having its territory taken over by this creature but also its limelight. That wouldn''t do!


    Full of resentment, it often screeched at the Yangtze alligator through the ss.


    Inparison to other alligators, the Yangtze alligator was rtively mild-mannered, but that was rtive to other alligators. Now provoked by such a fleshy giant, it could not bear it, violently pping its tail against the reinforced ss as a show of dominance, causing the aquarium to resonate with loud bangs frequently.


    The big axolotl seemed a bit smarter; seeing that the Yangtze alligator couldn''t smash the ss, it was emboldened, and its daring grew even more.


    Both were old and stubborn old men with quite bad tempers, bing neighbors and taking turns annoying each other daily. When Suming arrived, he saw the big axolotl spraying water through the ss at the old alligator, a sign of contempt.


    "Come on, you two are up there in years; is this really fun for you?" Suming pointed at the axolotl first, saying, "You''re just relying on having a sheet of reinforced ss in between. If I put you together, do you think you could beat the old alligator?"


    The paddlefish were about the same size as the Yangtze alligators, but in terms of both offensive and defensive capabilities, they were outssed by the alligators by a long shot. In a real fight, a Yangtze alligator could finish the battle in one bite.


    It was a twist of fate that paddlefish, though possessing a fighter''s spirit, were not a warrior breed by nature. And while the Yangtze alligators were rtively more amiable at heart, preferring a low-key life, the heavens had endowed them with sharp teeth and a thick armor-like hide.


    Raising animals was like raising children. Sometimes Suming had to y the role of a family elder, protecting them when necessary and meting out criticism and punishment when required. After admonishing the paddlefish, he turned his attention to the Yangtze alligator and said,


    "And you, don''t get smug! Just because the paddlefish can''t beat you, doesn''t mean you can beat me! As long as you don''t bully it, I won''t bully you. It''s the New Year; the two of you should keep the peace for a few days. If Ie back and find the ss broken... Paddlefish, you''d better be ready to be eaten by the alligator, and alligator, be ready to be eaten by me!"


    There wasn''t much he could do about the old guys who didn''t see eye to eye. Theirbined ages were even greater than that of his great-grandfather, so he could only pretend to be fierce as he lectured them.


    As for Huiya, Suming brought him back to the Wolf Pen.


    Huiya had grown almost asrge as the Wolf King after a few months apart. The two generations of Wolf Kings did not exhibit much affection towards each other. After Huiya entered the cage, he and the Wolf King couple exchanged nces and then eachy down in their own nests to rest, behaving like strangers to one another.


    But looking at it from another perspective, for Huiya, a nearly adult male wolf, being allowed to enter the cage and even lie down in the nest by the Wolf King couple was a rare gesture of affection. In the wild, even parent wolves would not allow their grown progeny toe near their territory, let alone enter their nests.


    "It''s the New Year. Spend some good time with your parents, and after the New Year, you can go y in the back mountain," Suming waved to Huiya from outside the cage.


    Huiya disdainfully turned his head away from Suming, while the Wolf King bared his teeth at Suming in a gesture of gratitude that looked rather menacing, as if he was about to devour Suming.


    Hundred Flowers Valley was too far away, so he didn''t visit. Instead, he sent Er Gouzi to make the round trip and convey his greetings to the two Queen Bees.


    When Er Gouzi returned, he brought back a gift from the Queen Bees: arge barrel of top-quality royal jelly.


    It wasn''t a small bucket; it was the kind used for oil, arge iron barrel. Just transporting this huge barrel of royal jelly took tens of thousands of bees and wasps, who had to take turns along the way, giving the tiny insects quite a strenuous workout.


    These bees encountered the Monkey King and Xiao Kong, who were surveying the back mountain for suitable winemaking spots. The swarm of buzzing bees startled the monkey father and son duo, nearly causing a mishap.


    After their visit to the zoo, the monkeys performed an animated dance and chittered away at Suming to express their immense shock. Sumingughed and gave them over a hundred pounds of bananas from the zoo''s storage to ''calm their nerves,'' and only then did the father and son cheerfully leave, holding their tails high like gpoles.


    The crocodile gars swam through the underwater passage to spend the New Year at Shuixie Lake, where the concentration of auspicious water was the highest, benefiting their growth as well as the future little crocodile gars. After half a year of hard work, they too deserved to enjoy some special treatment.


    Datou and the snapping turtle were toorge to squeeze through the underwater passage, so Suming carried Datou in his arms while sitting astride the wide, t back of the snapping turtle as it crawled back into Shuixie Lake.


    The scene was filled with rustic charm, resembling a fusion of a ''yearly abundance'' chubby kid and a turtle sage. As they passed, many visitors crowded around to take photos. Unfortunately, because of the snapping turtle''s spiky ridged back, Suming could only sit for a moment before he felt pain in his buttocks.


    "Are you about to give birth?"


    In Shuixie, Suming rubbed the head of a little white cat. Its belly was round, and it had be toozy to move, spending the whole day lying in its nest.


    By his reckoning, it was only about half a month until the little white cat would have her kittens.


    The other cats circled around curiously, staring at the white cat''s belly and gently touching it with their furry little paws. They seemed inexperienced, so expecting any help from them when the white cat gave birth seemed unrealistic.


    Hei, who was sitting quietly on one side, awaited Suming''s decision.


    "Here''s the thing, Xiaobai wille home with me. If she gives birth, I can look after her. Hei, you take charge of them. Just stay here at Shuixie Lake during the New Year, and don''t bite the wires or y with the sockets," Suming instructed.


    Hei meowed in understanding, swinging his tail to show he got the message, though he still seemed a bit concerned, sneaking asional nces at Xiaobai''s belly.


    "As a fellow male, if you want to look, just do it openly. No one is going to hold you responsible," Sumingughed heartily.


    Finally, on the 28th of thest month of the year, Suming went on a massive shopping spree. The eight-seater business van was nearly filled with various New Year''s gifts in the back two rows. Suming also brought along a recent lump sum he had received and, apanied by Su Meng, released Haidong Qing from the avian yard.


    "You fly ahead," Suming said as he unbuckled the small iron chain from Haidong Qing''s leg. With a slight lift of his arm, Haidong Qing pushed off and soared away, vanishing into the sky, where only a small ck dot could be seen from the ground.


    "Take me with you! Take me with you!"


    "I want to go too! I want to go too!"


    The parrot sisters had had enough and began moring at Suming from the neighboring cage.


    "You two can''te with me, but don''t worry, I''ve already prepared some nice treats for you," Suming said as he pulled out severalrge bags of various nuts from his backpack, including plenty of pistachios and walnuts, and ced them inside the parrot cage.


    In an instant, the floor of the aviary was covered with nuts, and the two parrots fluttered down to dive headfirst into the feast¡ªa veritable paradise of food.


    Having taken care of everything and greeted Mrs. Tong, Suming, along with Su Meng, drove out of the zoo and set off toward his hometown.

 Chapter 218 Maoxi County Sun Town

    On this trip home, Suming brought none of his other animals, only Xiaobai and Haidong Qing. It goes without saying for Xiaobai the cat, being pregnant naturally meant she received extra care and attention, though Suming knew even without him, Xiaobai could very well give birth on her own. But Suming still didn''t feelfortable leaving it alone in the zoo.


    With the Soul Attachment Ability, Haidong Qing had be an extremely important partner.


    Of all the animals at present, it had the most powerful vision. From thousands of meters in the air, it could clearly see a small mouse on the ground, and because it could fly, taking it out was the most convenient and least likely to arouse suspicion.


    In the air, Haidong Qing was almost an invincible existence; its own safety was not an issue. Unlike Er Gouzi, who had to guard against some predatory birds, especially when going into the mountains, Er Gouzi''s situation was actually quite dangerous.


    If there truly was an emergency, Haidong Qing''sbat ability also couldn''t be ignored; dealing with an adult or two was no big deal. Moreover, its speed was extremely fast, equally suited for delivering messages and signaling warnings.


    Suming certainly couldn''t just call the zoo and tell the person who answered, "Please let Er Gouzi, that is, the ho in my room, take the call."


    In midair, a Haidong Qing spread its wings and soared, while below, on the expressway, Suming was driving amercial van filled with New Year''s goods and gifts, apanied by Su Meng, leaving Yangchuan City and heading toward their hometown.


    Attaching a wisp of spiritual power to Haidong Qing as it flew in the sky, Suming couldpletely keep track of any movement within several kilometers, bing a super biological radar.


    Of course, nothing in the world is perfect. Even though Suming was sitting in the car, he felt gusts of wind blowing across his face as if they were cutting into his skin with knives, making him extremely ufortable. In less than half a minute, he couldn''t even keep his eyes open, and tears streamed down uncontrobly.


    The biggest feature of the Soul Attachment Ability, although not susceptible to physical harm, was sharing the same physiological sensations as the animal he was attached to. Haidong Qing was long ustomed to flying at thousands of meters high and its eyes, structurally different from a human''s, didn''t fear the wind, but Suming couldn''t handle it.


    After enduring for a while, Suming couldn''t take it anymore and withdrew his spiritual power.


    "Su Meng, I want to have a very serious talk with you," Suming said as he drove, iming to be ''very serious,'' yet his face showed not the slightest sign of seriousness, as if he was holding back augh.


    Su Meng, however, nodded vigorously, looking at Suming with a serious expression, waiting for him to speak.


    "Be serious, be serious," Suming told himself twice in his mind, then he asked, "What do you think of Nurse Hu?"


    Su Meng hesitated not a bit, giving a thumbs up and nodding, "Good! Good!"


    "What about having her as your wife?" Suming asked again.


    This time, Su Meng didn''t respond immediately. He thought hard with wide eyes and a puzzled look, uncertainly nodding his head and then shaking it, going back and forth between the two several times, until finally, he slumped back in the seat, his head down, silent.


    Sinceing to the human world with Suming, Su Meng had gradually understood that a wife wasn''t just for ''having offspring,'' there was the matter of living life together, along with many other things he still didn''t quite understand.


    Seeing Su Meng like this, Suming also understood the gist of it, Su Meng had a fondness for Hu, at least no aversion; but talking about marriage was too premature, even dating was a bit early.


    "Don''t think too much, just let it happen naturally."


    Suming muttered to himself somewhat roundaboutly, "When you can be sure that you want to spend a lifetime with a woman, then naturally you can find a woman to live that lifetime with."


    Maoxi County, 160 kilometers from Yangchuan City, consists of one county town, fifteen townships, numerous viges, and a total poption of sixty-six thousand. The entire county is nestled in deep mountains, situated in a remote area with inconvenient transportation. There''s little arablend and no characteristic industries. As a result, Maoxi County has remained one of the poorest counties in the province for many years, a prime focus of poverty alleviation efforts.


    When the Japanese army invaded China, they upied all cities around Maoxi County, but they never attacked Maoxi County itself. On one hand, because Maoxi was so small and secluded that it might not have even been on their maps, and on the other, the rugged mountains made it difficult for personnel and especially heavy weaponry of the Japanese army to prate.


    Despite years of poverty alleviation, Maoxi County only grew poorer. Even in the county town, the average monthly ie was about fifteen hundred yuan at most, and the townships below were even poorer.


    Suming drove off the national highway onto a mountain road and, after a perilous two to three-hour journey on steep roads, finally arrived in Maoxi County town, nestled in a mountain hollow.


    The town had hardly changed since he left. Its old district was about the size of amercial district in Yangchuan City, with seven or eight main streets lined with old two- and three-story buildings. A five-story Carrefour supermarket stood as the town''sndmark.


    The one notable change was several newly built residential areas surrounding the county town, with dozens of multistory apartment buildings that had sprung up. However, as he drove past the gates of theseplexes, they seemed deserted, giving no impression that people actually lived there.


    Suming''s home wasn''t in the county town but in Sun Town, about twenty kilometers away from the county town, which could be considered deep in the mountains.


    To say that Sun Town was a town is quite an exaggeration; it was really just arge vige with no more than a hundred households scattered at the foot of the mountains. The town was basically in a very primitive state of self-sufficiency, with people relying on a bit ofnd they carved out of the mountains to live a simple life of farming at dawn and resting at dusk.


    Living off thend and the waters, the residents of Sun Town also had other sources of ie. Every autumn, the mountains would be full of wild walnuts ripe for picking, and in the winter, bamboo shoots were everywhere underground, along with many other economically valuable nts. This was the wealth given by nature to humans: as long as one wasn''tzy and was willing to go into the mountains to pick walnuts and dig bamboo shoots to sell in the county town, one could make a few thousand yuan a year to supplement the household ie.


    The minibus wound down the mountain road and arge expanse of residences built along the hillside came into view; Suming was finally home.


    "You can go y in the nearby mountains. Just be careful," Suming greeted Haidong Qing, then lightly stepped on the elerator and slowly drove into Sun Town.


    With the New Year fast approaching, many of the townspeople who worked outside were steadily returning home, making the town quite lively, bustling as if it were market day, with peopleing and going. A clothing store and a beauty salon on the side of the road yed popr songs through loudspeakers, and the streets were dotted with various stalls selling firecrackers, couplets, and all kinds of New Year goods.


    The Buick GL8 that Su Ke had borrowed from the zoo wasn''t anything special, its main advantage being itsrge capacity, but in Sun Town, it was a rare high-end vehicle. He recalled that even the town mayor''s car was a Wuling Hongguang. As they slowly drove down the town''s only main street, a group of children followed behind, shouting, "Big Buick! Big Buick!"


    Suming couldn''t help feeling a bit sentimental; when he hadn''t yet left the mountains, the only car brand he knew was Jeep, and that was because its logo was the English word "jeep."


    Back then, he didn''t even know what the Mercedes symbol looked like and always thought that the Red g was Mercedes. But as living standards gradually improved and the mountain viges inevitably had more contact with the outside world, even these seven or eight-year-old children could recognize a Buick. It was an undeniable fact: although the gap between rich and poor had widened, the lives of ordinary people were getting better day by day.


    The car slowly stopped in front of a somewhat secluded two-story building. These self-built two-story buildings weremon throughout the town, with their vermillion wooden doors already eroded by time and showing their blotchy and indiscernible original colors, and the simple grey-white walls in many ces revealing the red bricks beneath. Under the eaves hung a row of dried salted meat and sausages, and an old yellow dog from towny nearby,zily basking in the sun.


    "We''re home," Suming said, looking at the door and feeling his heart warm slightly.


    The atmosphere in Sun Town was simple and honest; the doors were not even locked, merely left ajar. He got out of the car, pushed the door open, and walked in. The spacious main room housed only arge wooden table, a few chairs, and the walls were adorned with New Year paintings of the God of Wealth, a few thermoses, and a very old,rge color TV set with a rounded back. Besides that, there were hardly any other pieces of furniture.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Suming''s family didn''t live on the first floor of their home; he peeked into a small room on the side, which was still the familiar grain storage room, enclosed by bamboo strips with arge barrel over one meter in diameter and as tall as a person, filled with unthreshed rice.


    There was a small yard at the back, and now that the town had biogas, the kitchen was located there. Even before entering the yard, the aroma of cooking meat wafted from the kitchen.


    Upon hearing someone outside, a middle-aged woman with somewhat graying hair came out from the kitchen.


    The woman looked a bit aged, with unavoidable wrinkles on her face, yet she was in high spirits, and even dressed in mountain woman attire with an apron on, there was an undeniable schrly aura about her that could not be concealed.


    "Mom, I''m back," Suming called out, almost on the verge of tears.


    "It''s good you''re back, good you''re back," Mrs. Su''s eyes also reddened a bit, as she used to when Suming was a child, reaching out to rub his head.


    But Suming had grown up now, taller than when he''d left for university, and naturally bent his head down. However, Mrs. Su''s hand stopped at his face, gently caressing it, and with a smile she said, "My son has grown up, I can''t pat his head like a child anymore."


    "No matter how big I get, you''re still my mom," Suming wrapped his arms around his mother''s arm, sniffed towards the kitchen, and asked with a grin, "What are you cooking? It smells delicious."


    "Hurry, hurry, wash your hands. I made your favorite dish, braised pork with bamboo shoots. Wash your hands ande eat!"


    Mrs. Su, when she was young, was a city girl who met Suming''s father during the movement of "educated youths" going to the countryside. Because her family was a family ofrgendlords and reactionary warlords before the liberation, they were still subjected to struggles even after the Third Plenary Session rectified the wrongs. Thebel stuck since her grandfather''s background was indeed problematic, not a case of wrongful persecution. As a result, Mrs. Su couldn''t go back to the city and settled down in her father''s hometown of Maoxi County, where she lived for the better part of half a lifetime.


    Wang Hao used to joke with Suming that his family overthrew Suming''s. If not for the revolution, Suming''s grandfather was a Huangfu military academy graduate, a bigndlord, while Wang Hao''s grandfather was authentically a poor peasant.


    "Mom, I brought a friend home," Suming said cheerfully as he washed his hands.


    Mrs. Su was first startled, then her eyebrows lit up with joy as she scolded, "Bringing home a girlfriend and not telling me earlier¡ªI cooked all your favorite greasy and meaty dishes. City girls can''t stomach that! Don''t let her break up with you after just one meal; that would be my fault..."


    "Mom, it''s not a girl, it''s a guy!" Suming interjected.

 Chapter 219 Everyday Family Talk

    Suming quickly exined, "He''s a homeless man I met while working. He had no ce to call home and seemed so pitiful, so I found him a job at the zoo. He doesn''t have a family, and had nowhere to go for the New Year, so I brought him home with me."


    "You and your dad were cut from the same cloth when he was young, always nosing into other people''s business!" Mrs. Su said a bit worriedly.


    Any parent who hears that their son has taken in a vagrant will not first think to praise him for his kindness and willingness to help, but rather worry about safety issues.


    Only those who have no stake in the matter would openly praise Suming for his kind heart and such.


    "Don''t worry, the man is really good, earnest and honest. He''s also strong and has even acted as my bodyguard on asion," Suming chuckled and said, "There''s just one thing, he didn''t have a household registration, so I pulled some strings and registered him as my distant cousin, calling him Su Meng. If anyone asks, you mustn''t slip up."


    "Got it, I always keep my mouth shut. And you, inviting someone to our home and making him wait outside? That''s not how you treat guests. Call him in, quick," Mrs. Su said.


    Suming shouted outside and with a whoosh, the van door slid open, and Su Meng hopped out like a bag peddler, carrying tworge duffel bags, one on his back, hanging another in front of his chest, and hefting one more on his shoulder,den with bags big and small as he entered the house.


    "Child, you should have helped him with some of those. Why are you treating him like a pack mule!" Mrs. Su, an educated and reasonable woman, gave Suming a stern look, then went to help Su Meng with the bags,ughing while saying, "Come on, put them down. My goodness, you''re such a strapping young man!"


    After setting the bags aside, Su Meng gave a boomingugh, which caused Mrs. Su tough along, "What a simpled. Go wash your hands and then have dinner with your brother."


    The rich and hearty country dishes were to Su Meng''s taste; after the meal, severalrge bowl-like dishes were all emptied, along with half a pot of rice.


    After dinner, Mrs. Su brewed a pot of tea, turned on the lights in the hall, and the three of them sat in the hall chatting. A mother''s heart is always with her son. Despite Mrs. Su''s usual refrain from expressing her worries and always telling Suming over the phone not to worry about home, her heart was forever fixed on her son.


    Elderly parents simply hope their children live a safe, uneventful life, not seeking wealth or grandeur, but just wishing for steady, healthy living. Yet young people do not wish to settle for mediocrity and have dreams for the future, willing to wager their youth to strive for it.


    Suming had been careful not to worry his mother these past six months, rarely mentioning business matters to her, only saying that he worked at the zoo and sometimes dabbled in small business on the side. Now face-to-face with his mother, he finally had the chance to tell her about recent events, like chartering boats, Shuijun Lake, the reservoir, and the future n to establish a distillery. He just omitted some key details, such as Animal Friends and Zhou Jin.


    Initially, Mrs. Su was happy for Suming, but as she listened, her eyes suddenly reddened. Stroking Suming''s head, she said with a choked voice, "My son, how much hardship have you endured in these half a year to get to this point?"


    Only a real mother could say such a thing! Mrs. Su''s first thought was not that her son had made a fortune and brought honor to his ancestors, but about how difficult it must have been for Suming, an outsider with no connections, to strive in Yangchuan City.


    "Who says so? I haven''t suffered at all. It''s like I''ve been living in a honey jar every day, even bathing in honey," Suming said, scratching his head with a sheepish grin. He wasn''t joking; the amount of honey delivered from Hundred Flowers Valley was so vast that he couldn''t use it all himself and had to give it away as gifts.


    Speaking of which, he had brought a jar of royal jelly for his mother. He asked Su Meng to bring out the big jar of royal jelly, saying, "Mom, you should dissolve a small cup of this in warm water and drink it every morning and evening. Over time, it will help with detox and keep your skin youthful."


    "Wasting money again! Why buy so much? This must weigh over a hundred pounds; how long will it take me to finish all this?" said Mrs. Su as she looked at the meter-tall barrel.


    "Your son is rich now; I can provide for you to live a long life. Besides, it''s made from our own bees, so it didn''t cost a thing," Suming said.


    "You still don''t need this much. Tomorrow, we''ll send some to your uncles and aunts."


    The ''uncles and aunts'' Mrs. Su mentioned were not Suming''s blood-rted uncles and aunts. Sun Town was formed long ago by arge n with the same surname, and the residents all had intertwined familial ties. The town had a simple and sinceremunity spirit, and while Suming was absent these years, the family greatly appreciated the care from these distant rtives and neighbors.


    "Don''t worry, Mom, I''ve bought a whole van of gifts. Tomorrow, I''ll go door-to-door to give them away," Suming said.


    "Even then, we can''t drink that much. Don''t let it go to waste. I''ll keep a small bottle, and the rest you can save for your future girlfriend. Speaking of which, I almost forgot, you''re of age now; it''s about time you seriously start looking for a girlfriend," said Mrs. Su.


    Smacking his forehead, Suming knew it would only be a matter of time before this topic came up at home. He hadn''t told his mother about Nangong Yan because things between them weren''t settled yet.


    Telling her wouldn''t help; a mother''s worry is endless. If he didn''t say anything, she''d urge him to find a girlfriend; if he did, she''d press for a prompt engagement; once engaged, she''d worry about the wedding; after the wedding, she''d be eager to babysit grandchildren¡­


    Poor are the hearts of parents; as long as they live, they worry for their children every day. Only when their eyes close for thest time can they stop worrying.


    "Your son is now a model worker, a Party member, a young entrepreneur, and even a leading cadre! You think I''ll have trouble finding a wife? In the future, countless girls will be throwing themselves at me. You just make sure not to get dazzled by the choice," Suming said with augh.


    "You, my boy, talking about countless girls! You''re just like your father," Mrs. Suughed as she heard Suming say this.


    "I have something serious to talk to you about. After the New Year,e back to Yangchuan City with me. I''ll buy an apartment in the city, or we could just move into the zoo. I''ll find you a quiet ce where we can take good care of each other,"


    Suming''s most important reason foring back this time was to bring his mom to live in Yangchuan City. In the past, his career was unstable, filled with unknowns, and there was Zhou Jin always targeting him. Suming didn''t want to cause his mother any worry. Now, it was time for his mother to enjoy some blessings in Yangchuan City with him.


    He had even considered, under the guise of establishing apany in the future, building a small vi right next to the zoo for his mom to live in.


    To his surprise, Mrs. Su didn''t even think about it before shaking her head and saying, "I won''t go. You just stay well in the city. I''ll stay in the town."


    "The town is both poor and remote¡ªnowhere asfortable as a big city. Besides, with such a distance between us, I can''t have peace of mind about you," Suming said with a look of grievance as he sat on a stool.


    "You child," said Mrs. Su, gently rubbing Suming''s head in a soothing manner, showing a calm smile, "Don''t forget, your mom lived in a vi in big Shanghai when she was young. How could I not know the benefits of a big city?"


    "Then you won''te with me to Yangchuan City. Or, we could go to big Shanghai," Suming thought, ready to go all out¡ªnext year, after earning money from the reservoir, he''d buy her an apartment in Shanghai!


    Mrs. Suughed and said, "You young people, you all like bustling cities. Mom was the same when she was young. But now that I''m older, I actually prefer the peaceful life here, growing my own vegetables, keeping my limbs moving, enjoying the fresh mountain air, which is so much morefortable than enduring the pollution in a big city."


    Suming was always a bit uneasy about his mom living alone in the town. Sensing her son''s concern without needing him to speak, Mrs. Su continued, "As long as you''re doing well out there, Mom''s happy. I raised you since you were little; I''m not even fifty, and I can take care of myself. Besides, I have the monthly money you give me plus my pension, which is even higher than the town chief''s sry, enough for all my needs."


    In a secluded ce like Sun Town, there really wasn''t much to spend money on. Many of the local elderly didn''t have any ie; they lived simply by farming and receiving subsistence allowances. Even in a county town, more than a thousand yuan a month was enough for an elderly person''s expenses.


    "Oh, I almost forgot, it''s not just over a thousand anymore¡ªin the future, there''ll be almost five thousand yuan a month." Suming had scraped together another 1.5 million and, along with the previous 500,000, had taken out amercial insurance policy at the insurancepany, so the monthly interest would be close to 5,000, more than enough for his mother''s expenses.


    A person who doesn''t worry about the future will have troubles close at hand. Every time he earned a sum of money, he would set aside a small part for thismercial insurance. If something unexpected ever happened to him, this money would be sufficient for his mother''stter half of life.


    "I also brought back a hundred thousand yuan this time," said Suming as he took a small bag from Su Meng and opened it, revealing stacks of bright red cash inside.


    Seeing so much cash, Mrs. Su quickly closed the bag, handed it back to Suming, and said, "I don''t need that much money by myself! You''re starting a business, and finances are tight. The family can''t support you much, but at the very least, we shouldn''t hold you back. Take this money with you when you go back."


    This time Suming was adamant, refusing to take it. Seeing that Suming was unwavering, Mrs. Su gave in and locked the money away in a small cab. Then she said to Suming, "I don''t spend much, so if you really want to help, figure out a way to help the people of the town. Ever since your father left, the townsfolk have done a lot for our family, and arge part of your college tuition was gathered through donations by the town chief and the townsfolk. One should remember one''s roots; now that you have a career, you should give back to your hometown."


    "I understand, Mom. I''ll keep it in mind. Don''t worry too much; I''ll think of something," Suming nodded.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Truly, with his current financial situation, repaying the entire Sun Town wasn''t practical. But he could see it was his mother''s wish, and as a son, he had to try his best to fulfill it, if only to make his mother happy.


    People often talk about repaying their parents and being filial. When ites down to acting on those words, filial piety is about acquiescence. Even if it means making some sacrifices, as long as it can bring peace and joy to one''s parents, that''s true filial piety.


    Mrs. Su was right¡ªthe people of Sun Town had been kind to their family, and it was even fair to say that they owed them a debt of gratitude. Without the townspeople''s donations, Suming would not have had his college fees paid. With his mother living as a single woman in the town and managing quite well, it was definitely thanks to the help from their neighbors.


    But how to repay them was something Suming needed to ponder. Giving someone a fish is not as good as teaching them to fish. Just handing out money couldn''t work. Firstly, Suming didn''t have that much money right now; secondly, giving money directly sometimes does not help people and might even cause them to bezy and ultimately do harm instead of good.


    After chatting for a while longer, Suming specifically brought up the matter of the family''s ancient jade. His mother didn''t know much about it either, only that it had been passed down in his father''s family from generation to generation. He also brought out the Luminous Pearl for his mother to take a look, but nothing new was discovered.


    Moreover, regarding Su Meng, both he and Zhao Yun felt that he looked familiar. Suming asked his mother if she found Su Meng to seem familiar, to which she decisively responded that she had no sense of recognition whatsoever.


    It was soon after 9 p.m. His mother used to sleep early because she lived in the mountains. Seeing that she was getting sleepy, Suming didn''t say much and helped his mother upstairs to her bedroom.


    Knowing that Suming was used to city life and did not go to bed early, Mrs. Su still took the time to warn him before going to sleep, "If you want to go out, just stay in the town. Don''t go out into the mountains in this winter weather. You never know when a wild boar mighte out and hurt someone."


    "Don''t worry, Mom," Suming smiled, thinking to himself that if he really encountered a wild boar, it was unclear who would harm who.


    ********


    PS: I can''t believe there are 48 votes urging for updates~~ Don''t y like this, guys. With the subscriptions getting close to 1500, I need to prepare for a big burst~~

 Chapter 220 Going into Labor? (Start of the first update)

    Mother knows best. After Suming returned to his bedroom, he indeed tossed and turned in bed for ages without a hint of sleepiness. With no inte connection in the mountains, he couldn''t go online to pass the time either. Su Meng also couldn''t sleep, lying in bed staring at the ceiling with hollow eyes.


    So he sat up, closed his eyes, and sent out a stream of spiritual power. Since entering the mountain, Haidong Qing had always been flying not far from Suming''s home in the surrounding hills. Sometimes Suming would attach his spirit to it momentarily to see what the creature was up to, and most of the time, he found it hunting.


    Despite it being the dead of winter, Haidong Qing managed to catch several hibernating snakes, including a highly venomous species known as the "iron triangle," which people often call "dead in five steps." Oddly enough, snakes usually hide in their burrows during hibernation and don''t show themselves, so it was a mystery how Haidong Qing even found them.


    No matter how good the conditions in the zoo, they wouldn''t normally feed it venomous snakes. The same animal, raised in captivity or in the wild, are entirely different concepts. Thus, leaving the zoo with Suming was a rare privilege for any animal; even if Suming did nothing, it would still be a treat for the animals. Haidong Qing, having been out for just one day, had already enjoyed a grand feast.


    Responding to Suming''s call, Haidong Qing let out an eagle cry in the sky, made a swanky sharp turn, abruptly stopping its nosedive and turned its head like an arrow, flying towards Suming''s two-story house.


    Suming saw a small ck dot in the moonlight quickly approaching from afar, and knew it was Haidong Qing arriving. With a thought, he used his ability to attach his spirit, extending his spiritual power to it from afar.


    "Holy shit! This is so thrilling!"


    In an instant, Suming felt as though he was on a super Cloud Soaring Roller Coaster, hurtling down from the sky at high speed. The nighttime scenery whisked past on both sides and the ground approached rapidly, and his own figure standing on the small balcony of the second floor became more and more distinct.


    He could even see a small pimple emerging on his own chin from Haidong Qing''s perspective.


    Just when it seemed they would crash, Haidong Qing fluttered its wings, creating an invisible current of air. Its form halted in mid-air, performed a smooth turn, and in the blink of an eye, with the momentum of thunder, it gentlynded on Suming''s arm as light as a feather.


    His arm sank slightly as one of Haidong Qing''s talons rested on his arm, while the other clutched something sticky and handed it over to Suming.


    A strong stench hit his nostrils; it was a small snake gall, dark green and slightly ckened.


    "Hehe, thinking of me even while you eat?" Suming chuckled. Snake gall is a treasure, good for vision and dispelling heat. He didn''t stand on ceremony with Haidong Qing and washed it with water, found a bottle of white liquor at home, soaked it briefly, and swallowed both the liquor and the gall together.


    A bitter taste spread in his mouth, and the bitterer the gall, the better its effects. He rinsed his mouth with water. After a while, guessing that Mrs. Su must be asleep by now, he quietly opened the door, took Haidong Qing and Su Meng with him, and silently left the house, following a narrow winding path toward the mountain behind.


    After meandering for about half a kilometer, they had left Sun Town and arrived at the hillside, where a vast array of graves appeared before them.


    He passed numerous tomb mounds and stopped in front of a modestly sized one, where several yellow papers were held down by a brick at the head of the grave, surrounded by blooms that suggested frequent care.


    Carelessly, Suming sat cross-legged in front of the grave, lit a cigarette, and stuck it upside down on the head of the grave.


    A father is like a mountain, the pir of a family and the greatest reliance in a child''s heart. When a family loses the father, a son like Suming has to take on the father''s role.


    "Dad, don''t worry, I''m now capable of taking care of mom and myself," Suming thought silently as he looked at his father''s grave.


    Under the moonlight, the barren hill with its withered graves, a young man, a wild man, and an eagle.


    ...


    Early the next morning, New Year''s Eve.


    Vige New Year''s traditions are numerous. On New Year''s Eve, the first thing to do upon opening the door is setting off firecrackers to ward off evil spirits. As the only male in the family and the pir of the household, this task fell to Suming.


    Before dawn, all of Sun Town was already in an uproar, filling the air with a thick scent of sulfur and saltpeter as soon as he stepped outside. The streets were enshrouded in blue smoke, and the not-so-wide streets wereyered with thick red scraps of firecracker paper. The cracking sounds were deafening, just like a battlefield!


    Suming and Su Meng, each holding a roll of ten-thousand firecrackers,id them out in two lines on the ground, took a lighter in hand, stood at one end, and shouted, "Happy New Year!"


    "Crackle, crackle, crackle..."


    It seemed to be Su Meng''s first time seeing firecrackers; heughed heartily like a child, curious and a bit scared, jumping around the firecrackers like arge monkey.


    After setting off the firecrackers, they immediately moved on to pasting couplets.


    Before the liberation, couplets served not just for festivity but also had a practical purpose. As long as red couplets were posted on the door, creditors seeing them could note to collect debts, and all matters had to wait until the end of the New Year celebrations. Landlords and bullies like Huang Shiren, who even on New Year''s Eve would lead people to demand debts and force families to sell their children, were utterly despised and rare even during the feudal society.


    The couplet pasting also followed a tradition of "leaving marks everywhere." It wasn''t just the front and back doors that needed couplets, but every corner that could be pasted shouldn''t be overlooked. The grain storeroom would have "bumper harvest," the bicycle "travel thousands of miles by day, eight thousand by night," and even for the Buick business car that Suming drove back, they prepared "safe travels."


    On New Year''s Eve, people typically didn''t visit rtives. Although doors were kept open, everybody was busy with their own families. By noon, they just had a casual meal. Downstairs, Suming and Su Meng enjoyedrge pieces of meat with their bread, while Mrs. Su made some rice soup to feed the pregnant cat, Xiaobai.


    After the white cat arrived home, it stayed in a small room at the back, to avoid being frightened by the loud firecrackers. A little nest was made, and with its belly swollen, the white caty therezily and refused to move. Mrs. Su ced half a bowl of rice soup beside Xiaobai''s nest, and it would tilt its head to lick a few sips whenever it felt like eating; if not, it just continued sleeping.


    It seemed that the birth of the kittens would happen in the next few days; perhaps by the time Suming returned to Yangchuan City again, he could bring a few little cat cubs with him.


    At noon after lunch, ording to tradition, they went up the hill behind their house to visit the graves of their rtives and at the same time invite the ancestors toe home for the New Year.


    By the time Suming and his mother arrived, several families had already gathered there. Suming was the first person from Sun Town to be admitted to a university, which had created quite a stir in the whole town. Seeing Suming return, the vigers couldn''t help but ask him a few more questions.


    "Hey, isn''t that Suming? When did youe back? Come over to our ce for New Year''s," said an older man with a beaming smile.


    "Suming, how long are you nning to stay this time?"


    "You''re making a name for yourself out there, don''t forget to take care of your mom; she had a hard time raising you all by herself."


    "Mrs. Su, your son has made something of himself. I saw him driving back in such a big car; you must be living the good life now," said an olderdy with augh.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    After a few words of small talk, with questions about where Suming was working now, whether he had a girlfriend, and how much money he was making per month, the discussion was nothing more than casual chitchat. Suming didn''t mention that he owned apany, as it wasn''t something he could easily exin in just a sentence or two, so he simply said he was running errands for the zoo director.


    "That''s like being the leader''s secretary, eh? Very promising! No wonder you can drive such a nice car!"


    Mrs. Su was pulled aside by Auntie Three from next door. The two women were whispering quietly to each other, asionally looking over at Suming withughter.


    Seeing their expressions, Suming could guess what they were talking about, but he didn''t want to burst their bubble. He took his mother by the arm and greeted everyone cheerfully before they made their way to his father''s grave.


    "Su, another year has gone by. Today, your son hase back to visit you with me," Mrs. Su said as she knelt in front of the grave to burn paper offerings. Su was long deceased, and his wife had grown ustomed to living alone. She did not wail or cry, but instead talked to the deceased as if she were chatting about family matters.


    "Rest assured, your son is doing fine outside, with a stable job and earning money..."


    "It''s just that I worry about his marriage. In our town, boys his age all have partners; some are even married..."


    "Our son is very filial. Don''t worry down there. I''m doing just fine¡ªhealthy and in good spirits..."


    "You need to watch over your son, ensure everything goes smoothly and peacefully for him. I don''t ask for him to be wealthy, as long as he lives a healthy and happy life."


    These words, rather than being spoken for the deceased to hear, were more for Suming to listen to.


    After visiting the graves, they returned home and brought all the outdoor items inside¡ªeven the broom and dustpan couldn''t be left out¡ªthen they closed the front door. This signified that the year hade to an end as of now, and if there had been any misfortune, it would end today as well.


    Tomorrow, on the first day of the New Year, when they opened the door again, they would wee a brand-new year!


    It was barely past three in the afternoon, and there were few people in Suming''s family, so they didn''t need to prepare an extravagant New Year''s Eve dinner. Having shut the door and finding themselves with nothing much to do, Suming casually brought out a deck of ying cards and suggested, "Since we''re free anyway, why don''t we y some cards?"


    While they were talking, they suddenly heard a "meow, meow, meow..." from the back room¡ªnot the usualzy or coquettish sounds, but outright screams!


    "Could it be time for her to give birth?" Mrs. Su put down her cards and, while speaking, walked toward the back, with Suming and Su Meng following.


    Upon entering the room, they saw Xiaobai leaning pitifully in the nest, her belly heaving, panting heavily. With each breath, she would look down at her swollen belly with an almost human expression of bewilderment.


    Seeing Suming and the otherse in, Xiaobai seemed to have found her saviors, and she lifted her head energetically, meowing at them for help.


    *********


    PS: Outbursts alwayse when you least expect it.


    The average subscription has finally reached its target, thanks to everyone''s support, and I''ve kept my promise: ten chapters in a go!


    But as I have been writing 3,000 words per chapter, I won''t be dividing them¡ªpreviously, ten chapters were 2,000 words each, totaling 20,000 words. This time, seven chapters averaging 3,000 words each will surely exceed 20,000 words.

 Chapter 221 Difficult Birth! (Second update, please subscribe)

    About the matter of giving birth, Suming and Su Meng had no experience whatsoever. Not to mention giving birth themselves, they had never even seen anyone else do it.


    But even those without experience could guess with high uracy that Xiaobai the cat was about to give birth. Maybe it''s simr to humans, with contractions andbor pains...


    Animal childbirth can sometimes be simr to humans. Mrs. Su took a small stool and sat by the nest, gently rubbing the white cat''s belly. As she massaged, she also spoke to the white cat, murmuringforting words like "be good," "don''t be afraid," and "rx," treating the small cat as if it were a little person.


    "Should we prepare scissors, hot water or something?" Suming was clearly nervous.


    This would be the first time an animal in the zoo is having offspring. Last time the she-wolf gave birth to Huiya didn''t count because he wasn''t present then; he arrived only after she had given birth. Watching an animal give birth was apletely different feeling. Every time the white cat cried out, Suming couldn''t help but feel a tug at his heart.


    It must hurt so much! Suming looked at the white cat''s hugely swollen belly, then down at his own. He only underwent surgery for appendicitis once in his life, and he almost couldn''t handle it even with anesthesia. He presumed giving birth was even more painful.


    However, that''s a pain he would likely never experience in his lifetime.


    "It''s still early, it''s probably going to take several more hours," Mrs. Su said with a smile as she continued to rub the cat''s belly. "You think giving birth is that easy? She''s going to be in pain for several hours before she gives birth."


    Suming was still a bit uneasy, so hemunicated with Xiaobai using his spiritual power. But the white cat was in so much pain it was nearly delirious, how could itmunicate with Suming? All it could do was desperately cry out for help,pletely forgoing its usualziness. It even had convulsions asionally, and it was unclear whether this was due to pain or some other reason.


    Suming felt like time had never passed so slowly. After waiting for ages, he checked his phone and realized only a few minutes had passed. Su Meng was also there, awkwardly rubbing hisrge hands together, wanting to help but unable to.


    Mrs. Su looked at them and said with mild amusement: "If you two don''t have anything to do, go y elsewhere. The cat is birthing kittens, what are you two big men doing watching this?"


    "I''m not busy anyway, so I might as well stay here," Suming insisted on staying concerned, simply took a small stool, sat down to wait, and sent Su Meng away. He could possibly be of help by staying, but Su Meng certainly couldn''t¡ªbetter to keep him away from the bloody scene, knowing how violent he could be.


    Time trickled by, and the sky outside gradually darkened. By the time it was past ten at night, the Spring Festival G had already been on for a while, and the white cat''s voice had be hoarse, its cries sounding like scraping iron. Yet there was still no sign of movement in its belly, andmunication through spiritual power was ineffective.


    After another half-hour of patient waiting, finally, there was some movement. A little bit of red appeared behind the white cat''s rear, looking like a clump of flesh.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    "It''sing, it''sing, the head is showing!"


    Just as Suming breathed a sigh of relief, the white cat suddenly let out a piercing scream of agony. The small clump of fleshy tissue retracted back in, and then it started rolling around the nest, kicking its own belly desperately with its hind legs, like a rabbit.


    "What''s happening!" Suming eximed in shock.


    Could it be that Xiaobai, resenting the cat''s father for being too responsible and not being present at the birth, was going to induce its own miscarriage in a fit of rage?


    That''s too cruel! Suming shuddered at the thought, making a mental note to himself that when his wife gave birth, he would be there no matter what, even if the sky were falling.


    Mrs. Su''s expression turned grave. She quickly held down Xiaobai to prevent further kicking and gently massaged along its nk. Without looking up, she said to Suming, "This doesn''t look good, it might be a difficultbor!"


    "Mom, stop joking, how could a cat have a difficultbor!" Suming was genuinely startled.


    "Cats are animals, too, why can''t they have difficultbors! People can die from childbirth, so it''s possible for other animals as well," Mrs. Su said.


    She turned to Suming and asked, "Have you been feeding them any strange things while taking care of the cats?"


    "No, not at all!" Suming shook his head. If even the imported cat food costing several hundred per bag was considered junk, then does that mean I''ve been eating like a pig?


    These cats lived well and slept soundly in the zoo, without any nutritional deficiencies. Though they asionally worked at the tourist boats, that was within the range of normal activity, and no one was ill-treating them. Instead, they would often bully other animals, relying on the fact that they were his earliest underlings ¨C even the wolf-dogs had been gang-beaten by them. Thus, it was unlikely that they were in a bad mood or suffering from prenatal depression.


    These little guys were extremely clever and would never carelessly eat rubbish food given by tourists.


    Originally a gang of street cats, their quality of life had significantly improved aftering to the zoo, so how could they end up having a difficultbor?


    "The reason is hard to say. It''s simr to people, some are due to physical constitution, others because of incorrect fetal position. Oh, look at how big its belly is, it''s very likely that there are too many kittens and it''s too thin to give birth. I can''t be sure either." Mrs. Su hadn''t given up her efforts and continued to gently massage the cat''s belly while speaking.


    Another half an hour passed, and there was still no birth. At first, Xiaobai tried hard to deliver, and asionally a part of a kitten would appear, but as time went on, Xiaobai couldn''t even muster a cry. asionally its tail and limbs would twitch, and its eyes were half-open.


    Suming could even feel that it had no strength left in its body.


    "Should I go find a vet? Is cesarean section possible?" Suming asked uncertainly.


    "Where are you going to find a vet? There''s none in town, and while there is one at the county breeding station, everyone has gone home for the Spring Festival. By the time you drive to the county and find someone, this cat will definitely be dead!" Mrs. Su shook her head.


    Even if they found a vet in the county, it wasn''t certain they could treat the cat. Maoxi County was very poor; they couldn''t even take care of people, let alone pets like cats and dogs. The veterinarian at the breeding station mainly dealt withrger livestock like cattle and sheep, and might not be skilled in treating cats.


    As for returning to the city now, that would definitely be toote, not to mention Yangchuan City. The nearest city still required a six or seven hours drive, and with the first day of the new year, with people either on holiday or heading home, even in the city it might not be possible to find someone. This hassle could even hasten Xiaobai''s death.


    "So what do we do?" Suming asked.


    Mrs. Su sighed, stroked Xiaobai''s head with pity, and said, "Leave it to fate, if this little thing is lucky, it might just pull through on its own."


    On hearing this, Suming''s face turned green. This was gambling with a life. Seeing Xiaobai like this, already exhausted and incessantly assaulted by pain, it had no strength to go on; it was merely a matter of dying the inevitable.


    "Don''t feel too bad. Childbirth is like passing through Ghost Gate Pass. In the past when medical conditions were not so advanced, many women died during childbirth, and this cat is too weak. Childbirth is inherently dangerous; you can''t me yourself," Mrs. Su consoled Suming.


    Of course, it wasn''t Suming''s fault, but that didn''t mean Suming could just watch Xiaobai die from difficultbor. Had it been an animal Suming didn''t know, its death wouldn''t matter much. But Xiaobai had been with him for half a year, living and eating at the waterside pavilion, and they had developed a deep bond. His rtionship with them was no longer simply that of an owner and a pet, it was more like a patriarch to the small children of a family.


    Besides, if something did happen, how would he exin it to Hei, to Miao Er, to Miao San? Would he say, sorry your wife kicked the bucket, why not find another one?


    Suming quickly checked with his spiritual power, and Xiaobai''s vital signs were still normal, but her life force was trickling away. He hurriedly continued to pour his spiritual power into her, trying his best to sustain her life.


    But this wasn''t a long-term solution. The energy consumed by giving birth was massive, and it couldn''t go on like this forever. Spiritual power wasn''t omnipotent; it could heal injuries, but giving birth wasn''t an injury. It still depended on Xiaobai''s own efforts. Even with Suming''s strong spiritual power, he couldn''t help deliver the kittens; he could only make sure she held on for the time being.


    Judging from the feelings transmitted by the spiritual power, Xiaobai was not only close to copsing, but her consciousness was also bing unclear, probably due to the severe pain.


    "You mustn''t pass out!" Suming urgently increased the intensity of his spiritual power! As long as Xiaobai remained conscious, there was always a glimmer of hope, but if she fainted, it would bepletely over; brace for a corpse and multiple deaths!


    Stimted by the spiritual power, Xiaobai seemed to regain a bit of consciousness and, with a meow, used thest of her strength to make another attempt.


    The result was no different from before, the kittens were still in the belly, refusing toe out. Not only did the birth not happen, the spiritual power Suming had provided was alsopletely drained.


    After such a prolonged difficultbor, Xiaobai''s physical and mental stamina had both reached their limits. Even with the aid of spiritual power, she was at the end of her rope.


    This was like a person copsing on the ground unable to move after running a hundred kilometers. Even if given a bowl of thousand-year ginseng soup, at best it would ensure they didn''t die, but they wouldn''t suddenly be energetic because their body''s capacity had reached its limit.


    "It seems the kittens cannot be saved, if it reallyes down to it, focus on saving the mother," Mrs. Su suggested to Suming. Insisting on birth might result in stillborn kittens, and ultimately Xiaobai might not even survive. If the embryos were ''terminated,'' perhaps the mother''s life could still be saved.


    "No, I have an idea!" Suming suddenly thought of a possibility!


    "What idea?" Mrs. Su asked, puzzled.


    Suming''s ''idea'' was something he absolutely couldn''t say aloud, so he told Mrs. Su,"I have a vet friend, I''ll call and ask him."


    After that, he went to the outer room and made a show of making a phone call, then came back in and said, "My friend taught me some obstetrics techniques, I''ll give it a try."


    Obstetrics techniques? Mrs. Su was taken aback.

 Chapter 222 Octuplets (three updates)

    Suming pulled up a stool and sat beside the mother cat, taking Mrs. Su''s ce. With one hand, he pretended to scratch its belly while covertly using his Soul Attachment Ability to attach his spiritual power to the white cat.


    No sooner had he employed The Soul Attachment Ability than Suming''splexion underwent a drastic change. He felt as though an immense hand had seized his intestines and yanked them down hard. Not only a tug but also a vicious twist followed, and after the twist, another pull...


    This sensation was overwhelmingly intense, beyond what words could articte. Suming uttered an "oh," his mouth agape in an oval shape, legs trembling, a chill striking at his rectum, nearly tumbling off the stool.


    "What weird thing are you up to now?" Mrs. Su,pletely oblivious to the agony Suming was enduring, asked curiously.


    Suming, eyes rolling back in pain, bit down on his teeth and squeezed out a faint smile, "I... I''m ying with the cat..."


    "ying with the cat? Cut it out. This little one is in pain right now. Don''t scare it..."


    Mrs. Su was speaking when she suddenly noticed that the white cat''s cry had changed significantly from before!


    The white cat had almost passed out earlier, lying motionless, only spasming asionally. But after Suming scratched and made a ''funny face,'' the white cat''s previously tense body had visibly rxed, opened its eyes, meowed softly, and even managed enough strength to flick its tail at Suming.


    "Eh? Is this actually working?" Mrs. Su, exceedingly surprised, nced between the grimacing Suming and Xiaobai, thinking that the veterinarian from the city''s zoo really had some tricks up their sleeve.


    Mrs. Su looked puzzled at Suming. If he was making a funny face, that could still be understandable, but was his funny face really that hideous? It was like he was being tortured.


    "Mom... My friend said... It''s all about acupressure massage... You have to press along the cat''s belly like this..."


    As Suming spoke through gritted teeth, he continued the "massage" on the white cat''s belly in a bizarre way that nobody couldprehend, pretending to perform a so-called aiding birth technique.


    It suddenly urred to him that spiritual power was bidirectionally connected. The Soul Attachment Ability was based on spiritual power, and since it could feel an animal''s sensations, might it also be possible to ''share'' those sensations, in other words, share the animal''s pain?


    The white cat''s biggest problem at the moment was a difficult birth due to an unknown cause. As his mother had put it, perhaps because of an excessive number of fetuses, itcked the strength for childbirth. If it could ''make it through,'' it would be fine, but if not, it might not survive.


    Suming didn''t know much about obstetrics, butmon sense suggested that ''making it through'' meant relying on physical and willpower. If he could share some of the pain from childbirth, reducing it to the level of a smooth delivery, or even lower than a normal one, perhaps the white cat''s willpower could solve the problem.


    The facts now seemed to prove that Suming''s guess was correct! After the Soul Attachment Ability was activated, the pain that the white cat felt significantly decreased, and some of it transferred to Suming.


    Of course, there might be many other factors involved in dystocia that couldn''t simply be resolved by lessening the pain.


    But this was the only method at present, to help the white cat endure a certain amount of pain, to focus its strength and spirit to bravely attempt again, and to forcibly deliver the babies in her womb. Animals are different from humans; humans have willpower and can bear pain, but animals do not possess such willpower. Although Xiaobai, who was frequently exposed to spiritual power, had somewhat stronger willpower than the average wild or domestic cat, it was still an animal and couldn''t bepared to humans.


    Since its willpower couldn''t quickly be increased, the solution was to reduce the sensation of pain.


    The method was quite effective, but Suming paid a heavy price.


    "I really shouldn''t speak thoughtlessly in the future," Sumingmented, his face a picture of misery. He had just said he would never experience the pain of childbirth in his life, and now here it was, instant karma!


    A grown man, without any ce in his belly for a baby, felt the pain transferred to his organs, mainly his intestines, feeling as though they were being yanked out, with a most embarrassing sensationing from his rectum...


    After enduring several minutes of excruciating pain, Xiaobai indeed seemed much better, slowly regaining her strength and starting a new attempt!


    This was the most painful moment!


    It is said that the maximum pain a person can endure is 45 units of pain, with the pain of childbirth amounting to 57 units, equivalent to 16 broken ribs at once.


    From a man''s perspective, the most intense pain one can feel is testicr trauma, roughly 200 units.


    So, as Suming suffered through the delightful equivalent of breaking 16 ribs, he encouraged himself that this was still far from a man''s limit; he had to endure it!


    Mrs. Su had no idea about Suming''s bittersweet ordeal. Seeing him contorting his face, she wanted to reproach him, but in reality, after Suming''s improvised birthing techniquebined with his grimacing, Xiaobai did show signs of recovery. Her belly was pulsing rhythmically, far from the deathly stillness from before. Even flipping over and crawling out of her nest, she began to try more actively.


    Just as the kitten, still wrapped in its amniotic sac, started to emerge again, the pain that Suming shared was nearing its breaking point. If this continued, Suming feared he might faint from pain before the kitten was even born, which would be disastrous!


    Suming pped his forehead hard, chiding himself for his foolishness. He had forgotten one of the key traits of the Soul Attachment Ability!


    This power wasn''t limited to a single animal; it could be used on multiple targets!


    ```


    Why go through the silly ordeal of enduring the suffering of the white cat''sbor alone?


    Thinking of this, Suming grinned mischievously and spread his spiritual power out like radar, searching for any animal within a few dozen meters.


    ...


    Huang, with a name like that, you''d know he''s a dog.


    Having hung around Sun Town for several years, everyone in town recognized him. He had never been hit, and people often gave him their leftover food. Full, he''d lounge under the eaves basking in the sun, and after waking up, he''d leisurely stroll around, asionally acting as a guard dog, helping the townsfolk drive away wild boars from the mountains.


    As a stray dog, Huang''s life was quitefortable except for his single status, without any substantial regrets.


    Today, many people in the town were setting off firecrackers which, ording to experience, meant that tomorrow he''d surely get plenty of delicious food, maybe even meat! With hopeful dreams of a better tomorrow, Huang found a grassy nest and nestled into a fragrant sleep.


    While in the middle of his sleep, Huang suddenly felt a chilly breeze behind his butt, and his tail shot up high as he awoke in a panic, looking back in terror.


    ...


    In fact, Cui Hua was a rooster. As an elder among his kind, he intuitively knew that he''d managed to live so long without being killed because he''d crowed every morning without fail since he was young.


    So, he developed a good habit: as soon as it got dark, he''d dutifully return to his nest to sleep.


    Early to bed, early to rise, makes a rooster crow in time! Daily crowing is the key to survival!


    He''d barely slept when Cui Hua suddenly felt a weightiness in his abdomen, and his pointed rear end shot up, waking him from his dreams with a bizarre sensation.


    Could it be he wasying an egg?!


    ...


    Deep under the ground, more than a meter down, an earthworm was busily digging tunnels as usual. It didn''t know why it spent every day burrowing through soil, but from the moment its life began, digging had be an instinct.


    As it burrowed, the earthworm jolted as a sensation called ''pain'' spread throughout its body.


    I''m broken! Without hesitation, the earthworm used its special ability; its rear half detached from the front, and both halves continued to burrow in opposite directions with determination.


    ...


    Almost simultaneously, the abdomens of all the animals within a dozen meters of Suming''s house began to feel odd sensations, and before Suming''s eyes, a multiview monitor seemed to appear, showing dozens of different scenes: chicken nests, grass shacks, dog kennels, pitch-ck ones, and even a couple in the midst of lovemaking...


    "Oh, mom, I didn''t mean to ¨C sorry, carry on!" With basic decency still intact, Suming quickly withdrew the soul attachment from the animal in someone''s bedroom.


    As he deployed the Soul Attachment Ability, his spiritual power drained away rapidly, like a receding tide. Correspondingly, the pain that had been borne by Suming alone was now shared by dozens of animals. The burden on Suming''s body instantly lifted, and the excruciating pain in his abdomen eased to just a slight difort, akin to an upset stomach.


    For Xiaobai, things were even more rxed, and before long, the first kitten was finally born with ease!


    The newborn was about the size of a palm, with sparse white fur and no hair on its tiny legs. It was covered in mucus and couldn''t even open its eyes.


    The cat mother extended her tongue and licked the viscous liquid off the little one. The kitten wriggled a bit and, with eyes closed, mewed softly at Suming.


    "Don''t touch the kitten, if it smells like humans, the cat mother won''t recognize it and might kill it," warned Mrs. Su quickly, pping away Suming''s hand as he reached to touch the kitten, and cautioned him concernedly.


    Actually, not just cats, but most animals have this trait. However, Suming''s animals did not have this problem after being exposed to spiritual power. Pretending to wear a glove, he cradled the kitten and lightly tapped its damp nose with a finger.


    The kitten, unable to open its eyes,tched onto Suming''s finger guided by the scent. Its teeth hadn''t yete in, so nibbling on Suming''s finger felt ticklish.


    After that, one kitten after another was born with ease.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    When the clock struck twelve, the white cat had sessfullypleted the birthing process. Experience more tales on empire


    A total of eight kittens, four ck and four white. A first litter of eight was umonlyrge, no wonder there wereplications.


    ```

 Chapter 223 The Inescapable Hat of Poverty (Four Updates)

    There were a total of eight kittens, their fur not yet fully grown, and after being born, theyy in a row under the belly of the big white cat, little heads butting chaotically as they searched for milk.


    The big white cat used her paws to push several kittens aside, gathering them to one side of the nest; she knew that Suming had just helped her out greatly. Barely managing to rise, she sprawled at the edge of the nest, her azure eyes staring pleadingly at Suming, meowing and swishing her tail from side to side, expressing gratitude in her unique way.


    "Stop wagging your tail, what are you doing learning from dogs, you''re a cat." Suming said with a chuckle as he stroked her head, then he picked her up andid her back in the nest. At once, the eight kittens swarmed over, crying hungrily for milk.


    Only then did Suming withdraw his "spiritual power" ability. It was only during the first birth that he suffered more. Afterwards, with his clever mind, he had distributed the sensation of pain among all the animals around, so the slight difort didn''t bother him anymore.


    There was a little interlude after the kittens were born: the mother cat didn''t feed them immediately but instead ate her centa. After giving birth, the mother cat was extremely weak, and this nourishment was a great tonic, just what she needed to replenish her strength.


    But her appetite wasn''t big enough to eat all eight centas. After consuming half, Mrs. Su took the remaining four, cleaned them in a dish, and ced them in a cool spot upstairs, feeding the mother cat one each day over the next few days.


    While Mrs. Su dealt with the centas upstairs, Suming called Su Meng inside. The two of them brought a couple of stools over, sat down in front of the cat''s nest, and watched the row of kittens nursing with dopey expressions of fascination.


    After watching for a while, both Suming and Su Meng simultaneously touched their own bellies, feeling very hungry...


    "Crackle, pop..." Read new chapters at empire


    It was past midnight; the deafening sound of firecrackers erupted outside, marking the arrival of the New Year. The big cat and her kittens, all having been blessed by "spiritual power," especially the kittens who had received "spiritual power" prenatal care in the womb, were not very afraid of the noise of the firecrackers, even a bit curious.


    On Chinese New Year''s Eve, Suming''s family spent their time helping the cat give birth, weing eight new little lives.


    It was around two or three in the morning before the sound of firecrackers outside started to fade, and the family of white cats, exhausted, fell into a deep sleep.


    Suming, with Su Meng in tow, went to wish their mother a Happy New Year, receiving two big red envelopes, delighting in their bounty as they returned to their room to sleep. It was Su Meng''s first time receiving a red envelope, and after getting it, he handed all the money inside to Suming, keeping the bright red wrapping paper tucked into his pocket like a treasure for himself.


    Usually trailing behind Suming every day with nowhere to spend money, Su Meng probably thought the envelope prettier than the money, hence keeping just the envelope.


    Suming shook his head, exining to him for half a day. He thought it was about time to give the guy some spending money; otherwise, he''d be broke even for a date.


    ...n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Sometimes Suming actually found Chinese New Year quite annoying; he could never sleep well, especially in Sun Town. Just as he was dozing off and dreaming of his belly suddenly swelling huge and bursting, releasing loads of little monsters...


    He was jolted awake by the sound of firecrackers.


    "Oh my, that scared the life outta me."


    Seeing that it wasn''t even dawn yet and wanting toze in bed a bit longer, Suming was about to do just that when Mrs. Su came pushing through the door, sat down beside Suming''s bed in her new clothes, and gave the nket a smack, "Get up, get up, time to go wish people a Happy New Year with Mom!"


    "Mmm... Mom... just a bit longer..." Suming mumbled, barely able to open his eyes, nced at his phone, and noted that it wasn''t even five in the morning. Hezily pulled the nket over his head.


    Having grown used to sleeping in after years in the city, and even while attending school, he had never gotten up this early. Later, working at the zoo, he slept anytime he wanted.


    "Youzy boy, could you even sleep if I let you? The firecrackers outside are all going off; they''ll be at it for hours," Mrs. Su said, giving Suming''s behind another smack through the nkets.


    That was true; on the first morning of the New Year, fireworks could go on for hours, and Suming likely couldn''t have slept even if he had taken sleeping pills. Like a rising corpse, he bolted upright, pping his cheeks briskly to wake himself up.


    "Don''t p yourself silly, get moving. Finish breakfast downstairs and thene with me to give New Year''s greetings."


    Resigned that stalling wouldn''t grant him more sleep, Suming leaped from the bed, dressed quickly and neatly, yawned as he went downstairs, grabbed a bit to eat, and then wandered into the next room with his bowl.


    Mrs. Su had already prepared milk for the cat family. Seeing that there was nothing out of the ordinary with the feline family and that the mother cat showed no signs of postpartum hemorrhage, Suming finally feltpletely at ease. After slurping up his own breakfast in just a few mouthfuls, he told Su Meng to stay and watch the house while he, carrying big and small bags, went out the door with his mother visiting homes to extend New Year''s greetings.


    Many people in Sun Town were Suming''s elders, some even Mrs. Su''s, although distant rtives. They had often been a great help to his family and, as custom and reason would have it, it was only right to visit them for the New Year.


    The first stop was at Second Uncle''s house.


    Second Uncle, also surnamed Su, was Suming''s father''s distant paternal uncle; no one really knew how many generations removed. It was said that Second Uncle''s father and Suming''s grandfather were brothers, yet Second Uncle had married Suming''s father''s aunt... Rtionships in Sun Town were that intricate: everyone was linked to everyone else in some way. You might bump into an old man on the street who could turn out to be Suming''s grandfather, or conversely, see a child who Suming might have to address as "Uncle."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 224 Wild Boar Enters the Village (Fifth Update, Please Subscribe)

    "In our town," he said, "those who are young and strong are all working in the county city. The better ones can earn more than two thousand a month, and even the less skilled ones make seven or eight hundred, which is much better than farming here in town. There was a time we had investment attraction projects, but in the end, none of them took off."


    Suming was somewhat familiar with the ''investment attraction'' initiatives the uncle mentioned.


    The government''s efforts to alleviate poverty were significant. If a businessman was willing to invest in impoverished areas, the government would offer very favorable policies and even provide various subsidies.


    What should have been a positive initiative led to a scam where subsidies were fraudulently imed. Some unscrupulous businessmen were not really interested in investing; they simply targeted the subsidies and benefits offered by the government, took the money, and left, abandoning a mess in the localmunities.


    Suming still remembered an incident that happened a few years ago in the county: an out-of-town boss imed to want to build arge chemical nt that would employ a thousand people. He convinced the county government to grant him arge parcel ofnd for the nt at no cost, and then the county government helped to mortgage thisnd to a bank for a loan of forty million...


    But as soon as the boss got his hands on the loan, he vanished without a trace. To this day there is no sign of that factory, only a vast, unfinished building to show for it. Essentially, the county government used its ownnd to secure a multimillion loan from the bank, the money was taken away by the boss, and now, not only is thend mortgaged to the bank, but the remaining debt is also on the county government to repay.


    Maoxi County was already impoverished, with very low fiscal revenues. After several such incidents, it was burdened with a heavy economic load, making further development even harder. From the county''s leadership to the viges, there was also a wary attitude toward outside investors, resulting in an investment environment far worse than before.


    This created a vicious cycle: the more the county tried to attract investments, the more it needed to invest upfront. Much of that investment ended up being wasted, leaving the county poorer, and the number of businessmen willing to invest grew fewer. Naturally, this meant that the local residents couldn''t make any money.


    For now, Suming couldn''t concern himself with the whole county''s affairs, and frankly, he neither had the responsibility nor the ability to alleviate poverty. He was simply trying to figure out how to make life a little better for the people of Sun Town; after all, this was where he''d grown up, and its people were his friends and family.


    "Uncle, would you be willing to go work elsewhere, like in the city, for instance? Even though it''s not much, you could make three or four thousand a month, which is a lot more than what you''d get in the county city," Suming asked.


    The uncle nodded. "Going to the city would certainly be good, but I''m worried about wage arrears. I had two workmates whobored for a year in the provincial city, and guess what, it turned out to be all for nothing; they weren''t paid. The boss said, ''Sue me if you can!'' We''re uneducated andck connections; how could we ever win awsuit? I''ve also heard of bosses who find all sorts of excuses to cut back on wages when they make payments so that the sum you get in the end is less than half of what was initially promised. It''s still better than working in the county."


    Listening to their conversation, Second Uncle interjected, "Suming, you know many people in the city. If there are trustworthy bosses, introduce one to your uncle. He can work hard. If he earns more money, he can support Er Ya to continue schooling. If she could go to college like you, it would give her something to strive for in life."


    Mrs. Su probably knew what Suming was thinking, but she didn''t say much. She understood the difficulties of doing business, and if she made too many promises now, it would be like setting a tight noose around Suming''s neck. If he couldn''t deliverter, it would be even harder for him to face his hometown folks.


    "Alright, I understand. If there''s any job opportunity, I''ll definitely prioritize people from our Sun Town first," he said.


    After chatting for a while longer, Suming and his family said their goodbyes. They left the house and after a short walk, arrived at the eastern side, at Mr. Gu''s ce.


    Mr. and Mrs. Gu had opened up more than ten acres on a hillside and, following advice from county experts, specialized in greenhouse cultivation, regrly producing off-season vegetables and fruits. He was a well-known good samaritan in town; he''d often give away his harvest to anyone who needed it, as long as it wasn''t excessive. A small portion of the tomatoes that Mrs. Su ate during winter was actually gifted by Mr. Gu.


    Perhaps as a reward for his good deeds, Mr. Gu had two sons. His eldest, Gu Baoxian, got into a technical secondary school in the county a few years ago, making him one of the more promising young men in town; his other son, Gu Baojun, was also doing well academically, serving as a ss representative in a county school.


    As they entered, the Gu family was gathered together, listening to a mboyantly dressed woman exuberantly describing something.


    "San Sheng, you''re really quite diligent, attending to matchmaking duties on the first day of the new year."


    Suming found this auntie rather amusing, the widow San Shengzi, who lost her husband at twenty-five and has been professionally matchmaking for thirty years since then. In over a dozen towns and viges under Maoxi County, there wasn''t a soul who didn''t know her. One could say that if she earned a bit of merit for every marriage she arranged, she''d have enough to qualify as some sort of minor Bodhisattva by now.


    Upon seeing Suming and the others arrive, everyone at the table stood up, exchanged warm New Year''s greetings with a smile, and then San Shengzi pointed to a young man sitting at the edge of the table, wearing sses, and said, "Mr. Gu''s son, Bao Xian, is already neen this year. We''re looking to arrange a marriage for him, so when he''s of age, he can get married and ease Mr. Gu''s mind."


    This demure young man was Gu Baoxian, and beside him, slightly younger and with two bars on his sleeve, was his brother Gu Baojun.


    "Found anyone you like?" Suming asked Gu Baoxian with a grin, looking at arge assortment of photos on the table.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    He smiled shyly and said, "My dad will decide."


    Old Gu seemed to have started on the wine early today, his face flushed as he said, "I''ve found a girl for the boy; she''s pretty, and her family is good. We just need to sell the vegetables and fruits from the mountain next year, and we''ll have the money for the bride price."


    "Oh, then congrattions are in order!" Suming said with a fist salute.


    "Dad, I''d like to find a job first," Bao Xian said.


    "You just focus on finding your job; it won''t interfere with the arranged marriage," Mr. Gu reassured.


    San Shengzi also smiled and chimed in, "Bao Xian, you should learn from your Su Ming. Just look at him, driving a big Buick now. If you also find a good job in the future, you could lift your brother up too. When the timees, I''ll arrange another marriage for your brother."


    "San Shengzi, don''t drag me into this," Sumingughed heartily, simultaneously pulling out two thick red envelopes and handing them to the brothers, saying, "This is from my mom; keep it."


    The subject hadn''te up yet, but once Suming mentioned it, San Shengzi quickly gathered the photos on the table and pulled out a few more from her bosom, handing them all to Mrs. Su, "Your Suming is of marrying age too. Look if there''s a girl to your liking. Given Suming''s prospects, and considering thed himself, I guarantee that no girl in our county would refuse him. If you don''t fancy any of these, I can look further, even if it''s the mayor''s daughter, I''ll speak for Suming."


    Mrs. Su looked meaningfully at Suming and said, "San Shengzi, I''m afraid this kid might have found someone in the city..."


    "Oh oh, right, right, look at my head!" San Shengzi pped her forehead and said to Suming, "But Suming, don''t underestimate those city girls with fancy dress and shy looks; they''re all spoiled to the heavens. A wife from town would surely be better at managing a household."


    Suming chuckled to himself, thinking that no matter how spoiled, they were just like Nangong Yan¡ªquite nice actually.


    After chatting for a while, Suming and his mother took their leave, visited a few more rtives and friends, had lunch outside, and by the time they got home, it was nearly dark.


    Shortly after entering the house and just about to sit down for dinner, they suddenly heard the sound of gongs and drums outside, followed bymotion and someone shouting loudly, "The wild boars are ravaging the crops!"

 Chapter 225 Porcupine (Sixth Update, Please Subscribe)

    "Wild boars areing down from the mountains! Wild boars areing down from the mountains!"


    "Everyone be careful!"


    It started with just a few people shouting, running around on the streets. Since it was dinner time, most town folks were at home, but soon the whole of Sun Town was abuzz. Burly men rushed out of their homes, holding shlights, leading dogs, carrying poles and other farming tools, heading towards the mountains in the back.


    "Wild boars?" Suming almost burst outughing. He just felt a bit nd in the mouth, craving some game to spice up his meal, and here was some being delivered right to his door?


    If it had been any other animal, even something like a venomous snake or a crocodile, Suming might have taken it in stride, perhaps even taken it under his wing if things went well. But it just had to be wild boars that caused him immense psychological trauma from a young age!


    That year, his father had just passed away, and Suming was still a young boy. Seeing his mother struggle to support them by working two jobs in the county, he wanted to lighten her burden. So, he spent half a month clearing nearly an acre of slopingnd for farming.


    For a little kid who found even carrying a hoe strenuous, to manage to cultivate an acre ofnd was incredibly hard. His mother cried secretly when she found out. Later, she taught him farming hands-on. That small acre ofnd held not only Suming''s sweat but also many of his fond memories.


    Just when he was about to harvest the crops, one afternoon, two wild boars appeared before him. In front of him, they ravaged that acre ofnd, turning it upside down, ruining everything!


    Suming charged at them, biting and hitting, but how could he overpower wild boars? He was knocked down on the spot and got trampled over several rounds, a punching bag for the boars. Luckily, the wild boars weren''t big, only about thirty or forty pounds each. His uncle arrived just in time with others and saved his life.


    Ever since then, Suming had an itching urge for revenge whenever he saw wild boars. Even the ones kept in the zoo, he didn''t care much for.


    In Suming''s eyes, if tigers were sovereigns, wolves were swordsmen, and crocodiles were assassins, then wild boars were nothing but tyrants, bullies who preyed on the good people!


    It wasn''t just Suming ¨C there wasn''t a household in the town that didn''t hate wild boars. These creatures were devastating to crops, not only eating them but also turning whole fields topsy-turvy. Wherever they went, they trampled all the crops in the vicinity to death. One wild boar could easily destroy arge patch of field in a single night.


    "Uncle Gu, what happened, where did the wild boarse from? Did anyone get hurt?" Mrs. Su was also rmed and came out, stopping Uncle Gu as he passed by.


    Uncle Gu holding a hoe more than a meter long, said in a rush, "Trouble at Gu''s ce, no time to exin. Suming, don''t just stand there,e with Uncle Gu and help!"


    "Sure thing!" Suming agreed without a second thought, ready to go with Su Meng.


    The men of the small town all felt a duty to protect their homes. Mrs. Su didn''t stop him but handed Suming a hoe from behind the door saying, "Take this with you, you two be careful!"


    "Got it, Mom, just lock the door and stay safe at home," Suming took the hoe and rushed off with Uncle Gu, following the crowd towards the direction of the farnd up in the mountains.


    While running, Uncle Gu kept shouting to both sides, "Wild boars areing, all the men from the housese out to help; women stay at home, lock everything up tight. Watch out for wild boarsing into the town and hurting people!"


    More and more people were running towards the fields, continuously joined by others¡ªa good few dozens. Almost all of the town''s grown men were there, along with about a dozen dogs.


    The stray dog Huang also joined the pack. Its rear end had been mysteriously sore all night on New Year''s Eve, but today, being the first day of the New Year, it had scavenged lots of good food from different households and was full of energy.


    Despite therge number of people and the dogs, everyone heading out to fight the wild boars looked tense.


    Wild boars are an entirely different creature from domestic pigs. Domestic pigs are docile andzy, with bodies full of fat; wild boars are aggressive and fierce, their bodies packed with powerful tendons, immensely strong, with tough, thick hides. They often wallow in the mud, creating a protective shell on their already rough skin. Their short tusks are as sharp as des and formidable weapons as well.


    Even tigers sometimes hunt wild boars, but truthfully, a 300-pound wild boar can often knock a tiger to death, while a tiger''s fangs and ws often struggle against a boar.


    A wild boar is like a toned-down version of a rhino. If youe across several frenzied wild boars at once, even tigers, lions, and bears would give way. There''s an old saying in the mountains: ''Courage for hunting tigers, a board for hunting boars.'' And by ''board,'' they mean a coffin nk.


    Tigers might be fierce, but deep down, they fear humans. Boars, on the other hand, are fearless. Even a newborn wild piglet will attack humans on sight when not the least bit hungry, making hunting wild boars dangerously life-threatening.


    On the way, Suming only learned the details from Uncle Gu.


    Gu had vegetable greenhouses on the hillside, nning to sell the produce next year for his son Bao Xian''s marriage betrothal. He cherished the crops like treasures, inspecting them every day, just fearing wild animals might spoil them.


    Especially in winter, when the mountain animals were short on food, Gu simply set up a shelter in the field and stayed overnight on the mountain with his dog.


    Today, Auntie Three went to his house to discuss a marriage proposal, and Mr. Gu was so pleased that he drank a few extra cups and took a nap at home. Once the effects of the alcohol had worn off and he returned to the mountain, he saw more than a dozenrge and small silhouettes in the fields that looked like wild boars, tearing the greenhouses to shreds.


    It wasn''t just Mr. Gu''s greenhouses that were destroyed; Widow Auntie Three''s lettuce and cauliflower, and Mr. Cheng''s cabbages and radishes, all suffered damage as well.


    Mr. Gu was petrified on the spot. If it were just one or two small wild boars, he might have been able to chase them away, but with so many wild boars, which could be aggressive while feeding, he feared for his life. So he rushed down the mountain to Sun Town to report the news, which led to the scene we just witnessed.


    "Eh, Second Uncle, I remember that every winter, the town used to give out guns to the farmers to hunt wild boars," Suming said curiously.


    "It''s all because of some national regtion, a conservationw, which says that wild boars are protected animals. Starting this year, we''re not allowed to hunt them anymore!" Second Uncle said indignantly. "Damn it, people have nothing to eat, yet they protect pigs!"


    Suming chuckled at his words. Ironically, wild boars are such formidable creatures, able to fight, reproduce, and with exceptional abilities to adapt to their environment. A group of wild boars together almost has no natural predators, not even tigers can do much to them.


    Yet when confronted with humans, they were almost driven to extinction in just two or three decades, eventually bing a nationally protected species.


    As Suming ran, he sent out a stream of spiritual power into the Haidong Qing soaring above in the sky. His gaze focused, looking toward the distant fields, he saw indeed a number ofrge and small silhouettes scattered across the hillside.


    In one of the central fields, several greenhouses had been so thoroughly wrecked they were beyond recognition, with their sparse remains scattered about, and the nts insidepletely ravaged. Nearby fields had also suffered heavily, with cabbages, radishes, and cauliflower dug up from the ground and trampled beyond recognition.


    Seven or eight small wild boars, as if injected with adrenaline, were butting their heads and charging around the fields like bulldozers, seemingly unsure whether they were ying or doing something else.


    "My goodness, the second eldest boar hase out!"


    Suming was almost startled into eximing when he saw thatrgest of the wild boars, especially the biggest one.


    Small wild boars were still bearable, being roughly the size of dogs.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    But there were four adult wild boars, each of a frightening size, with thergest one weighing at least six or seven hundred pounds! From Haidong Qing''s point of view, it looked like Zhu Bajie from "Journey to the West" had revealed his true form!


    You should know that wild boars grow very slowly. A domestic pig easily grows a couple hundred pounds in a year, but wild boars take two to three years to reach that size. Suming had never even heard of a wild boar that weighed six or seven hundred pounds; such arge wild boar was as rare as a Northeast tiger and would only appear in the deep untouched forests.


    The other three adult wild boars were also extremelyrge, likely around three to four hundred pounds each. Normally, a two hundred pound wild boar would be considered big.


    While talking, it wasn''t long before arge group of vigers emerged and reached the fields on the hillside.


    The families who had suffered losses had been waiting halfway up the hill. They hadn''t dared try to drive away the wild boars by themselves before the rest of the townspeople had arrived. Seeing peopleing, Widow Auntie Three sat down with a thud on the ground, beating her chest and crying loudly, "What are we going to do, I rely on this little bit ofnd as a widow to get by, how will we manage next year?"


    Her work as a matchmaker and pulling barges was just a ''hobby'' for a little extra money. Her real source of ie was still farming.


    "Aba, aba... ah, ah, ahh... aba..." Mr. Chen, unable to speak, pounded his chest and stomped his feet frantically, gesticting wildly with his hands, his eyes red with anxiety. He was a single man and a mute, relying on the crops to save some money for living.


    Mr. Gu squatted on the ground with a dry tobo pipe, sighing, "Why did I have to drink those extra cups? If I hade just two hours earlier, I could have saved some of the harvest... Ah, it''s all because of my gluttonous mouth..." As he spoke, he began to p his own face.


    Gu Baoxian squatted nearby, trying to console him, "Dad, don''t be like this, who could have expected these wild boars toe out during the holidays..."


    "Ah, what about the money for your engagement? And your little brother has to go to school next year... What''s going to happen now?" Mr. Gu was so upset he was close to crying.


    "Dad rest assured, I won''t get engaged, I''ll go out to work and earn money, no matter what, I have to support my little brother''s education!" Gu Baoxian said with determination.


    It might seem like a long time had passed, but in fact, it was just a matter of a few sentences. Second Uncle had considerable authority in the town. Holding a hoe, he directed the vigers, "Quick, quick, quick, surround them, don''t let these damned beasts escape!"


    About dozens of people rushed forward, surrounding therge swath of fields like a metal barrel, with dozens of shlights shining chaotically into the fields and at least ten dogs barking furiously.


    Such a formidable lineup had already startled the wild boars in the field. Therge and small wild boars stopped their feeding and turned to face the surrounding crowd, wheezing loudly, ready to go berserk at any moment.


    "Don''t surround them, spread out!" Suming suddenly shouted.

 Chapter 226 Easy for You to Say (Seven Updates)

    The sky was too dark, and the wild boar was too far away for the vigers to see clearly just how big it was, so they bravely surrounded it.


    But Suming saw everything clearly through the eyes of Haidong Qing. A wild boar weighing five to six hundred pounds is a force to be reckoned with, capable of killing a cow when enraged. The other three, weighing three to four hundred pounds each, were not to be trifled with either.


    If the boars were cornered to the point of desperation, it would spell danger for everyone present. Summing did not wish for anyone to die undeservingly, especially those in his vige who had watched him grow up.


    But it was already toote!


    The temperament of a wild boar is inherently vtile, equivalent to what psychology terms a choleric personality. Zhang Fei was like a firecracker, exploding at the slightest touch! Moreover, they were feeding, and animals are extremely intolerant to disturbances during feeding.


    Even Suming wouldn''t interrupt the feeding of ferocious animals like Yangtze crocodiles or snapping turtles, as it would undoubtedly leave them irritable, despite the fact that they couldn''t harm him.


    What then of the ordinary townsfolk?


    Before the words were out, the second brother pig''s hooves suddenly kicked off, charging at Mr. Chen with a fearsome squeal, shaking the ground as it moved.


    Who says pigs are dumb and clumsy? The second brother''s speed over a short distance was astonishing, even faster than Liu Xiang, reaching Mr. Chen in the blink of an eye.


    The night was pitch ck, and the wild boars were huddled together, so no one had really seen how many there were or their exact size. But once the wild boar charged and broke away from the group, drawing closer to the humans, everyone realized the formidable size of the beast, prompting a chorus of panicked cries as people scattered every which way.


    Spiritual power, of course, had effects on wild boars, but that didn''t mean instant control over them. At the moment, it was a matter of life and death for them; if they didn''t attack the humans, they would be the ones to die. Thus, suppressing their instinctual survival urge with spiritual power was not a simple task.


    Despite this, Suming did not give up the effort and suddenly shot a wave of spiritual power toward the boar.


    The second brother paused for a moment but didn''t stop its charge! Given its weight and speed, the inertia was immense, and even if it wanted to, stopping was not an option.


    On the contrary, this unfamiliar spiritual force shook the boar, revealing its sharp tusks as it bared them from the sides of its mouth!


    Mr. Chen, given his advanced age, froze upon seeing the wild boar, forgetting to dodge. He just stood there stunned with a hoe in hand!


    Just as the second brother was about to collide with Mr. Chen, a ck shadow suddenly darted out at an angle, fearlessly throwing itself at the boar.


    When there''s a substantial gap in power, courage doesn''t count for much. A sorrowful yelp followed, and the brave native dog was sent flying by the impact.


    Without thinking, Suming extended spiritual power to the airborne dog. Although the dog was bound to be hurt by such a hit, the spiritual power would ensure it didn''t die.


    In what seemed like a moment, the second brother had reached Mr. Chen, and a violent collision appeared imminent.


    "Look out, Mr. Chen!" Suming had been on guard, aware of the danger. With a loud shout, he tackled Mr. Chen to the ground and the two of them rolled away, narrowly avoiding the wild boar''s charge at thest moment.


    Immediately afterward, there was a low roar of "Ho!" from behind, followed by the wild cry of an enraged boar.


    How fierce was Su Meng? Wild boars were nothing to him, he''d even dare to fight a bear. Having recently beaten up a Yangtze crocodile, it was clear Su Meng wasn''t easily provoked. Seeing Suming almost hit by the boar, Su Meng couldn''t stand idly by. He intercepted the boar head-on, grabbing its two sharp tusks with both hands.


    Had it been a fair fight on level ground, Su Meng would have been a match for the wild boar, or at least, not far behind. But the boar was in full sprint, and the force of its momentum far exceeded its own strength. Not just Su Meng being human, even if there was an elephant in its way, it likely would''ve been toppled over!


    "Ssshhh..." A violent friction noise sounded as Su Meng, with his arms extended and holding the boar''s tusks, leaned forward almost parallel to the ground, his feet skidding backwards on the earth from the push of the boar.


    That sound came from Su Meng''s shoes as they scraped against the ground; hisrge feet, like a pair of hoes, plowed deep furrows into the field.


    The people in Sun Town, not too far away and using their shlights, saw everything quite clearly and couldn''t help but exim in awe. How was this giant of a man still human? He was like a celestial warrior descended from the heavens!


    But Su Meng''s moment of glorysted only a few seconds before he lost his bnce and fell face down on the ground.


    Yet the wild boar continued to run, its several hundred pounds of weight stepping over Su Meng''s back as it dashed toward the mountains to escape.


    Without hesitation, Suming sent a wave of spiritual power onto Haidong Qing, instructing it to follow the boar through the sky.


    Such arge wild boar was a rare sight indeed, and it was unclear where it hade from. Following it to find out where itsir was seemed prudent. Besides, after causing so much damage to the crops, they couldn''t simply let it go!


    Su Meng had really bad luck today!


    Like a troop with a monkey king, the wild boar had their ''Boar King'', and this huge wild boar was obviously the king of this group. Wherever it charged, the rest of the wild boars would follow suit, forming a line behind it.


    Just as Su Meng was stepped on by the big wild boar from behind and hadn''t yet gotten up, a squad of wild boars charged out, squealing loudly, stepping on his back, and broke through the encirclement.


    "Think you can run? Not so easy!" Suming enveloped thest two small wild boars with his spiritual power and leaped into the air, grabbing the tails of the two small wild boars with one move.


    Those two wild boars didn''t look big, were not even as tall as a KFC, but they were frighteningly strong. Snorting and squealing, they dragged Suming, who weighed over a hundred pounds, along the ground.


    Su Meng had just climbed up from the ground, his face covered in dust. Spitting out a few mouthfuls of spit, he saw what was happening and hurried over, grabbing each of the two small wild boars with one hand and forcefully pressing them down onto the ground. The two little wild boars were no match for Su Meng and were pinned down unable to move, just like little people ttened by a giant in an animated film, limbs spread out, squealing towards the distance.


    The wild boars apparently didn''t have much of a family concept, as those that escaped didn''t even bother about their capturedpanions and dashed into the mountains without looking back.


    In just a few dozen seconds, most of the wild boars had vanished without a trace. The townspeople who came to round them up gathered together, took a head count, and aside from Mr. Gu taking a tumble, no one else was hurt.


    They hade to round up the wild boars, but unexpectedly, a counter-charge by the wild boars had scattered their encirclement. The main reason was the unusuallyrge size of that Boar King, which scared everyone into a panic at the beginning; otherwise, it wouldn''t have ended like this.


    "I''ve lived in the mountains for half my life, and in the end, I was still caught off guard! It was also lucky that Suming acted quickly, otherwise, I might not have been able to save my old life, and the vigers would probably have suffered losses," said Mr. Gu, still in shock as he patted Suming on the shoulder. He then looked at Su Meng and gave a thumbs up, saying, "This kid did a good job too. If it weren''t for him stopping that big pig... Hey..."


    "This is my distant cousin." Suming smiled and then said, "Mr. Gu, there''s no point in talking about merits or not at this time. Let''s quickly see what has been lost."


    There was really no need for a detailed tally; one sh of a shlight showed that at least half of the several dozen acres of fields on the hillside had been ruined. Mr. Chen''s family suffered the heaviest losses, with most of his crops destroyed.


    Although other families hadn''t suffered disaster, they were quite discouraged. Most people in the town were rted somehow, and their fields were nearby. If the wild boars came here today, they might pige theirs next time.


    Mr. Chen, the mute, and the widow Mrs. Gu felt an injustice with nowhere to vent, and could only shed tears. The fields were the lifeline for farmers, who depend on the harvest for the year. With such a disaster striking this year, not to mention being unable to do what they had nned, they didn''t even know how they would get by the next year.


    "Mr. Gu, fellow vigers, there''s no point in being too sad about things being this way," Suming said.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Hearing Suming say this, the three affected households thought it was merely constion, which wouldn''t be of any help, but still nodded politely, showing their gratitude. For Suming, the town''s cherished university student, to risk his lifete at night to help them drive away wild boars was an act of kindness to be acknowledged.


    Mr. Gu, being a straightforward man and Suming''s elder, waved his hand and said, "How can we not be upset? You live in the city and don''t understand the difficulties of rural life. Mr. Chen has to provide for his son''s education, the mute needs to find a wife, and though Mrs. Gu is alone, she also struggles. You''re standing there without worrying, but that''s because you''re clueless. After all, you were just a small kid when you went to the city for school; you don''t know the situation in the countryside."


    Sometimes the truth doesn''t necessarily solve anything. Hearing Mr. Gu speak like this made the three families even more upset. Thinking about theing year, sorrow rose from their hearts, and they could not help but cry again.


    "Mr. Gu, you''ve misunderstood me," Suming quickly rified. "I''m not just talking without concern. You all need to quickly tally the losses ¡ª the government has subsidies avable!"


    Upon hearing this, their eyes suddenly lit up. Mrs. Gu stopped wailing, the mute ceased his cries, and Mr. Chen knocked his dry pipe on the ground a few times. The group stood up in a rush.


    "Government subsidies? How are they provided, what kind of subsidies?" Mr. Gu asked, surprised.


    The rest of the townspeople also gathered around Suming, waiting for him to exin in detail.


    As farmers in the mountains, the crops of Sun Town are under constant threat from wild animals all year round; a new victim could emerge at any time! Therefore, this ''subsidy'' that Suming mentioned was directly rted to every single one of them.


    *********


    That''s a wrap!


    Never expected that we would hit 1500 average orders so quickly, you are all too powerful, and I must keep my word... right?


    We will not do bonus chapters for average orders anymore; firstly, because the average order count increases slowlyter on, making everyone anxious while waiting; secondly, two chapters of 20,000 words each really puts a lot of pressure on me.


    So, bonus updates will be randomised throughout the days, oftening in threes, fours, or fives!


    Huff huff, I can almost feel the exhaustion from a cat struggling to give birth, let me go copse for a while~~

 Chapter 227 Money and Reason

    ```


    The mountains were dark and chilly, not a ce for talking. The second elder left a few strong young men in the watchtowers of the fields to guard against the boars causing more trouble, and the rest of the people hustled down the mountain to discuss thepensation details back in the town.


    Article 14 of the "Huaxia Wildlife Protection Law" clearly stiptes that for losses caused by the protection of national and local key protected wild animals, the local government shall providepensation. The methods for suchpensation shall be determined by the governments of the provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the central government.


    Thisw had been in ce for many years, yet few people knew about it. On the one hand, who would bother studying a wildlife protectionw for no reason? Suming only became somewhat familiar with it after working at the zoo and needing it for work. Many farmers in Sun Town hadn''t had much schooling, let alone studying thew.


    Moreover, in backward ces like Sun Town, which were rtionship-oriented societies, people trusted solving problems through "connections" rather than thew. Especially for the lower-ss farmers, they were somewhat fearful of thew and didn''t want to get involved in wsuits''.


    Ultimately, it was up to the government to pay, and less trouble is better than more. The county was so poor, it was practically in tatters; of course, they wouldn''t take the initiative to advertise this regtion.


    As far as Suming knew, the province did have apensation n. In other words, if their crops were destroyed by a second-ss protected animal like wild boars, the farmers could rightfully demand governmentpensation, which the government was obliged to provide.


    Of course, that was the theory. In practice, how much topensate, and how long it would take to receive thepensation, depended on having capable people to manage the process.


    By the time they got back to the town, it was nearly dawn. Arge group of people, sleepless, all poured into Suming''s house.


    The originally empty hall of the Su Family''s house suddenly teemed with people; there weren''t enough stools for everyone to sit on, many just squatting on the ground and the threshold, looking at Suming expectantly, waiting for him to exin the details about thepensation.


    Every family in Sun Town owned fields in the surrounding mountains; ifpensation could be implemented, they wouldn''t have to live in constant fear.


    Mrs. Su saw so many peopleing over, she quickly started boiling water for tea, offered the seeds and snacks usually reserved for guests during the New Year, and after asking the second elder about the situation, she pulled Suming aside and whispered, "It''s about a few thousand yuan for the dozen or so acres of crops. If it reallyes to it, you can pay it. Didn''t you just give me a hundred thousand yuan the other day? I don''t need that money..."


    The second elder heard everything loud and clear as he was nearby and, before Suming could speak, he got upset and said loudly in front of everyone, "Auntie, that''s not the way to put it. One thing at a time, Suming has made something of himself, but his money didn''te from a gust of wind! We''ve suffered a disaster, to take the government''s subsidy, that is what the state stiptes, and we are entitled to it! To ask Su to pay, what kind of approach is that? Would that not be charity? We can''t start this precedent. We can''t expect little Su to foot the bill for every disaster in the town!"


    The second elder wasn''t well-educated, but his point was made with convincing force. Many people in the town might have been uneducated, but they understood the basic principles of how to behave; nodding their heads in agreement upon hearing him.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The second aunt, wiping away tears, said, "The second elder is right, Suming, I can''t let you pay for this! You''re educated and worldly, we just ask you to help our three families, to find out about the government subsidy, and that''ll be enough."


    "Oh, I was just worried that Gu and the others were getting anxious!" Mrs. Suughed too and said to Suming, "Since everyone believes in you, you must take this seriously. Make sure thepensation is settled before you go back to the city."


    "Don''t worry. Every province has a differentpensation n. Let me call a friend first to see how exactly it''s done in our province," he said.


    ```


    ```


    Unable to ess the inte in the vige, Suming simply gave Liang Shi a call. Liang Shi was a research student at the Agricultural Academy, and the experts from the Academy were often involved in formting agricultural regtions andws for the province, so Liang Shi should have a good understanding of these matters.


    Noisy sounds came through from the other end of the line; it seemed like Liang Shi was at a KTV. Suming hadn''t expected the usually reserved Liang Shi to have a wild side. He chuckled and said, "Happy New Year! Are you out having fun?"


    Liang Shi moved to a quieter spot, chuckled shyly, and said, "They''re my ssmates. They heard I made some money raising fish with you, and now they''re robbing me blind at the bar." Then with a hint of nervousness, he asked, "Mr. Su, I was about to call you. Drinks here are so expensive; a bottle of beer costs over fifty yuan, am I getting ripped off?"


    Suming couldn''t help butugh; his own reaction the first time he went to a bar with Wang Hao was much like Liang Shi''s.


    "Everything''s overpriced in ces like that. Don''t worry, just get a receipt, and we''ll reimburse you through thepany hospitality expenses when you''re back. But remember, no uwful behavior, and if you want to pick up girls, that''s out of your own pocket."


    Suming started with a joke before getting down to business, "Perfect, since they are your ssmates from the Provincial Agricultural Academy, you could help me inquire aboutpensation for crops damaged by wild animals in our province. I was just talking about this because during the New Year''s visit home, some of the vigers'' fields were damaged by wild boars!"


    He was making the call from the main hall, and the other vigers were watching him eagerly. When Suming mentioned ''Provincial Agricultural Academy,'' many vigers'' eyes lit up, their expressions filled with respect. In the eyes of these farmers, the experts at the Agricultural Academy held a status even higher than county leaders, let alone those from the provincial level.


    After a brief conversation, Suming hung up the phone and told everyone, "What a coincidence, my friend has ssmates who are currently interning at the relevant provincial departments, dealing with this exact issue. He''ll ask around and call me backter!"


    "Let''s have some tea and cigarettes while we wait," Mrs. Su said, arranging tea and tobo for everyone.


    Uncle Er lit a cigarette and patted Suming''s shoulder heavily, jokingly saying to the others, "See that? The Su kid really made something of himself. We''d have to run to the township head over anything, but he just makes a phone call and gets through to provincial leaders!"


    A p from Uncle Er''s iron palm made Suming''s eyes roll, thinking to himself, if the old man kept pping like that, he''d tten him out!


    Meanwhile, Mr. Gu was puffing on his pipe, lecturing his two sons, "Look at your Mr. Su. Now you understand why your father insists on sending you to school despite hardships! Without an education, without seeing the world, you''ll never amount to anything!"


    After Suming''s call, the atmosphere had clearly be much more rxed. Auntie Er resumed her role, chatting to Mrs. Su on the side in whispers, gossiping about the county leader''s daughter, the township leader''s cousin, and such¡ªmaking it sound as if all the unmarried women in the county were lining up to be selected by Suming as consorts.


    Soon, Liang Shi called back.


    On the policy front, the province stiptes apensation of 50%-80% based onst year''s market price.


    "Such arge range?" Suming didn''t quite understand and asked.


    ```

 Chapter 230 228

    If thepensation is only 50%, that would be far too low.


    Liang Shi exined that this fluctuating range mainly targets two aspects. First, the initial distribution focuses on efficiency, while the secondary distribution emphasizes fairness; therefore, the poorer areas receive more subsidies; in ces with better economic conditions, farmers have higher ies, and the small amount of money from thend does not ount for much, so they get less subsidy.


    Because of poverty, Sun Town even got an advantage in this.


    The second reason is the value of the ''damaged goods'' itself. Some agricultural and livestock products have high added value, and their market prices fluctuate greatly. For example, rabbit farmers in other regions were affected by a wolf disaster, but the long-eared rabbits could be sold not just for meat but also for their fur, and the prices are heavily influenced by market fluctuations. Therefore, it''s difficult to calcte their specific value, leaving a floating range to give the government flexibility in management.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    The damaged crops in Sun Town are not so particr; their prices are rtively stable and are calcted based onst year''s market price unanimously.


    After asking Liang Shi about the specific process for applying forpensation, Suming finally hung up the phone and detailed the information to the vigers.


    "Mr. Gu, the mute, Third Auntie, you all should quickly tally up the damage you''ve suffered. Then, everyone can help by pressing a handprint to verify it was caused by wild boars. Submit the documentation to the town office. My friend''s ssmate is going to visit various rural areas after the New Year, and Sun Town is the first stop in our county. I''ll ask him to try to aim for 80% subsidy, and strive to have thepensation distributed within two months," Suming said.


    "Does that mean if our crops are damaged in the future, we can also manage it like this, looking to the government for subsidies andpensation?" Xiaohuzi, who lives in the next street, asked.


    "Of course!" Suming nodded, "The government protects wildlife, but humans are still the priority, aren''t they? It''s not like we''re going to protect animals when people can''t even get by. After you go back, also spread the word to rtives and friends. The government has regtions; they won''t let everyone suffer losses."


    "Ah, it''d be great if they couldpensate everything in full,"mented Second Elder regretfully.


    Suming chuckled quietly and said in a lowered voice, "How much was lost is up to what the vigers themselves report, right? Mr. Gu, you three families don''t do anything else these few days. Open up a few more acres of farnd. You don''t need to nt anything... You get what I''m saying, don''t you?"


    Only a fool wouldn''t understand! Suming''s words were almost too clear; although they could only bepensated for up to 80%, you could certainly im a bit more damage than what actually urred. For instance, if ten acres were originally affected, now you could till two more acres of wastnd, report twelve acres of damage, and after the calctions, it would equate to essentially 100%pensation.


    The witnesses are all from our ownmunity, the investigator is Liang Shi''s ssmate, and the reported amount isn''t much higher¡ªyou can''t find a reason why it wouldn''t go through.


    Of course, if someone is too greedy, iming a loss of thirty or forty acres, or even seventy or eighty acres when they only suffered damage on ten, trying to get rich by defraudingpensation, Suming certainly wouldn''t help.


    A major catastrophe was now easily resolved, at least in theory, and the mood of the people shifted from deep sorrow to great joy in an instant, especially with the New Year around the corner. Everyone was excited, forgoing sleep; they simply brought over tables and chairs from various homes and started a few rounds of mahjong and poker in the main hall of the Su Family''s house.


    Gambling over cards during the New Year''s holiday is a traditional custom in the countryside. Many avid gamblers would lose everything they earned from half a year''s work during these few festive days, which is not umon.


    This is tradition, and Suming didn''t interfere. Despite it being well into the night, the Su Family''s main hall was bustling with activity. Only now did the true festive spirit of the New Year be apparent.


    Suming, however, didn''t join in the card-ying. Ever since he gained the power to attach his soul, he always had the impulse to use it, and ying cards with this ability felt like cheating, as he could see everyone else''s hand perfectly clear. So instead, he just sat behind his mother, grinning as he watched her y. His mother was having a run of good luck; she swept the board in just one round, winning two games.


    "Suming, your uncle has a favor to ask of you." Mr. Gu tugged at Suming''s sleeve from behind, and the two walked to a secluded spot in the backyard before Suming said, "Uncle, there''s no need for formalities. Just tell me what you need, and I''ll help if I can. If I can''t, I won''t string you along."


    "Well, it''s not a big deal. I know you have wide connections in the city. You see, Bao Xian is about to graduate, and since they don''t have sses in thest half of the final term of the year, I was hoping you could help him find a job in the city," Mr. Gu said.


    Actually, Suming had been approached by more than one person asking for help finding a job. His uncle had mentioned it before. Suming had been nning this for a while and had arrangements in mind, which he could have disclosed today.


    But after observing the situation in Sun Town over the past few days, he decided to hold off on mentioning his ns, just in case. It might be overcautious, but being a bit extra cautious never hurt.


    "Uncle, don''t worry about this matter. I''ll work something out. I can''t say exactly how right now, but you can be assured that, in the end, I''ll make sure the vigers all have something lined up," Suming said.


    "You''re reliable, and I trust you." Mr. Gu was reassured by Suming''s words, even though Suming hadn''t made a definite promise, as it was clear Suming genuinely wanted to help.


    While they were talking, someone from the main hall called out, "You all must be hungry by now, don''t go to sleep yet! The wild boar meat is cooking, and it will be ready by dawn. Everyone who helped gets a share of the wild boar meat to take home..."


    The voice belonged to the town butcher, and Suming was startled at first, then pped his forehead, realizing he hadpletely forgotten about the two small wild boars. Though called small, together they nearly weighed a hundred pounds. The butcher was efficient and had ughtered the boars soon after returning.


    Butcher Sun, carrying a yoke with two baskets filled with pale wild boar meat, was showing off his butchering skills in the main hall. Spotting Suminging out, he picked out arge piece of pork stomach and said, "Suming, this pork stomach is nourishing. I brought it especially for you to make soup for your mother to replenish her health."


    Indeed, the meat of a wild boar is of better quality than that of a domestic pig, but if not prepared well, it can be gamey and not particrly tasty. The same old principle applies to humans, too: You''ve got to be principled first. For familiar animals, like the white cat, you''d even endure the pain ofbor to help them; for unfamiliar ones, let nature take its course in the food chain.


    To protect animals doesn''t mean indiscriminately using superpowers to keep all animals alive; that would be disrupting the food chain. As long as there''s no overhunting or mistreatment, that''s good enough.


    Taking the wild boar stomach from Butcher Sun, Suming was startled to see several small lumps on it, resembling boils.


    "What''s this? The wild boar didn''t have stomach cancer, did it?"


    The second elder leaned in for a look, "Ah, what a treasure! Suming, cook this up for your mother right away. It''s really nourishing!"

 Chapter 229 Snakes and Boars (3rd update for subscription)

    "What on earth is this?" Suming looked at those lumps of flesh, feeling a bit queasy and unclear about what they actually were. He dared not just cook them up for his mom to eat.


    They looked pretty disgusting, as if the pig was suffering from advanced gastric cancer.


    He sniffed them and was surprised that there was no rotting smell as he had imagined. Instead, amid the scent of blood was a faint trace of fragrance.


    Mom was ying mahjong and she nced over, saying with a smile, "Go and stew it, it''s something good."


    Apparently, this had to do with the wild pig''s diet.


    The hard-haired, thick-skinned wild pig had a diverse diet: bamboo shoots, medicinal herbs, bird eggs, mushrooms; wild rabbits, mountain rats, venomous snakes, centipedes¡ªat anything edible, they were not picky, and they particrly enjoyed eating snakes.


    Because they ate nts containing various natural Chinese medicinal herbs, the wild pig''s stomach was like being immersed in these herbs for a long time, offering high medicinal value and making them impervious to hundred poisons. This was very simr to the Diamond Parrot.


    Just as the rooster is the natural enemy of centipedes, the wild pig is the bane of venomous snakes.


    After swallowing venomous snakes, the snakes'' fangs could bite into or ''hook onto'' the inner wall of the wild pig''s stomach. The wild pig''s stomach would then grow grantion tissue over the wounds, bing the ''lumps'' Suming saw. Each snake eaten could create such a lump with a certain probability. The more lumps there were, the higher the medicinal value. They were excellent for preventing and treating rheumatism, stomach diseases, and the like.


    There was even a saying that wild pigs that could grow these kinds of growths had mostly eaten Lingzhi mushrooms because Lingzhi have a decent detoxifying effect.


    This im was unverified, but there were quite a few wild Lingzhi in the mountains. Ordinary wild Lingzhi, like tree Ganoderma, weren''t too valuable. It was entirely possible for a wild pig to encounter and eat them.


    "One, two, three..." Suming counted, and this young wild pig''s stomach actually had four lumps. Despite its small size, it seemed to have eaten quite a few venomous snakes in its short life.


    Listening to Second Uncle and the others discussing, even for such a small pig stomach, if sold, it could fetch several thousand yuan. It was immediately effective for anyone suffering from rheumatism, leg pain, or stomach diseases.


    All two wild pigs had been ughtered. The other''s stomach also had a lump, which was worth much less inparison, but it was still a rare find.


    "Money, money be damned, my mom''s health is the most important. I''ll stew one stomach first. Nobody leave, after the soup is ready in the morning, then you can all go home and sleep." The mountain air was damp, making it easy to get joint issues. Suming wasn''t bothered about the few thousand yuan now. He chuckled, took the two stomachs to the kitchen in the back, found some yam and the like, and stewed them together in a big pot.


    While the stew was simmering, he used his soul-attachment ability to contact Haidong Qing.


    After leaving, that group of wild pigs had run quite a distance deep into the mountains, and Haidong Qing had been following them quietly from the sky. With Suming''s current level of spiritual power, he was almost at his limit. He saw vaguely as his Second Senior Brother led arge group of his followers onwards into the mountain depths. Suming had no idea where they were headed.


    As the spiritual connection was about to break due to the distance, Suming gave Haidong Qing a shout, "Keep on their trail!"


    Haidong Qing pped its wings in response, and suddenly it was like Suming was watching an old ck and white television; the image grew increasingly blurred,rge patches of static appeared, and the ''connection''pletely broke off.


    Spiritual power is still not strong enough! Suming thought. Once he got back to Yangchuan City, the first thing he would do was get the Monkey King and the others to brew the Monkey Wine as quickly as possible to continue enhancing his spiritual power.


    "If my spiritual power were strong enough, couldn''t I see the White House directly from Yangchuan City?" Suming thought with a bit of pride.


    Putting it more exaggeratedly, in theory, as long as one''s spiritual power is strong enough, one could even monitor every corner of the Earth!


    Of course, that''s just wishful thinking. Even with the help of Monkey Wine, there''s no way my spiritual power could ever reach that level by the time I die.


    The night passed without incident, and Cui Hua, the old rooster next door, began to crow ''wo wo wo'', while the air grew cooler. The scent of pig stomach soup wafted from the kitchen, energizing the people in the main hall who had yed mahjong all night and were now weary. At the whiff of the aroma, their spirits were instantly revived.


    Auntie shuffled the cards while chuckling, "I''ve always said Suming wouldn''t have trouble finding a partner. How many of these young guys nowadays can cook? Just look, Suming whips up a simple soup, and I''m practically drooling."


    On one hand, Suming''s cooking skills were indeed decent, and the ingredients this time were quite good; on the other hand, everyone was hungry after chasing wild boars and ying cards all night. The moment the delicious smell drifted out, it naturally enticed everyone''s cravings.


    "Let''s stop ying and have some soup before we all head home," Mrs. Su pushed away the mahjong tiles and shouted toward the back kitchen, "Suming, serve the soup, and scoop some more stomach pieces. Steam some more buns on the stove while you''re at it."


    Suming had already steamed the buns and was about to serve the soup when the white cat mother surprisingly crawled out of her nest, tiptoed into the kitchen, stood up by the stove, and began to mewl impatiently, looking utterly eager.


    "Meow meow meow¡­" The newborn kittens, hardly able to walk and their eyes not yet open, actually tumbled and crawled behind the opposite door curtain, peeping out and sniffing in this direction, some of them drooling.


    "Ha ha, I nearly forgot about you. Right, you''ve just had babies, and you need to produce milk. Some stomach soup will be a good nourishment for you."


    The stomach soup was white and thick like milk. Suming filled half a washbasin first and carried it to the next-door cat room. Upon entering, the big and small cats circled his legs. The kittens stumbled around, tumbling and getting up again like little weebles.


    "Careful, it''s hot, don''t drink too fast, and stay out of the basin," he cautioned.


    The small amount of soup in the basin wouldn''t be enough to drown them, even if they fell in; they would just get a bit wet. After Suming had blown on it a few times, thinking the temperature should be about right, he set down the basin. The big and small cats immediately crowded around, sticking out their tongues and furiouslypping at the soup with a rapid ''slurp slurp'' sound.


    After sorting out the cat family, Suming then carried a basin as big as a bathtub full of soup to the front living room, stacking a dozenrge bowls into a pile, "There are steamed buns on the back stove, help yourselves if you want any."


    The sight of a big crowd eating breakfast together was quite grand. Each person held arge sea bowl full of stomach soup in one hand and a steaming hot baozi in the other. Some were perched on the fence, while others sat on chairs, surrounded by the sound of ''slurping'' everywhere.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    In no time at all, they had polished off arge pot of soup and more than twenty buns, with Suming and Su Meng also contentedly having their fill. After breakfast, the card game broke up and everyone went home to sleep.


    "I''m going to sleep for a bit. After I wake up, I''ll go look for that group of wild boars in the mountains," Suming yawned and said to Su Meng.


    *****


    PS: There will be another update tonight.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 231 Boar Whistle

    Wu gave a slight smile, knowing that Mr. Hong was about to talk terms. He nodded, "Mr. Hong, we will definitely do our utmost to support whatever we can from the government''s side!"


    As the head of Sun Town, Wu naturally had his experience and astuteness, especially since the county had been duped more than once by so-called "investment attraction" schemes; everyone up and down had be vignt. So before attracting investment, Wu had deliberately investigated this young Mr. Hong.


    In the provincial capital, Mr. Hong owned a cateringpany, with two sizable restaurants under his name, as well as some other industries, quite well-known in the sector.


    Having a solid industrial foundation was the main reason Wu was willing to cooperate with Mr. Hong.


    Especially the two restaurants, Wu had personally inspected them, and although they were somewhat old, they were still doing well. The location and the interior decoration were first-rate. Even if Mr. Hong had some trickery up his sleeve and decided to run, those restaurants under his name couldn''t possibly run away.


    Businessmen definitely aim to make a profit; if Sun Town couldn''t offer Mr. Hong particrly favorable policy treatment, why would he invest here? So, hearing Mr. Hong start to talk terms, Mr. Wu wasn''t in a hurry at all, just listened with a chuckle as Mr. Hong prepared to make his demands.


    "Mr. Wu, I''m going to cut the pleasantries. It''s impossible for me to invest arge amount without seeing the profit first," Mr. Hong said inly.


    Listening to Mr. Hong speak, he seemed like a straightforward man. Mr. Wu nodded and gestured for him to continue. Mr. Hong went straight to the point, "I only have three requirements..."


    Mr. Wu listened quietly, beginning to hesitate.


    The three requirements Mr. Hong proposed were as follows: the first seemed reasonable¡ªleasing thend for the breeding farm for twenty years, with the first two years being free of charge. Those were just the nearby forestnds, which originally weren''t costly to lease and key was that no one woulde here to lease them anyway.


    The second condition was a bit much. The workers at the breeding farm, although all from Sun Town, would have their wages deferred for half a year, to be paid in full after six months. Supposedly, this was because Mr. Hong needed arge stock of goods for his restaurant after the New Year''s celebration, causing a shortage in his working capital.


    That was still bearable, but the third condition made Mr. Wu vignt. Mr. Hong hoped the town government would co-sign for a bank loan using the breeding farm as security, with the loan being used to build the breeding farm.


    Land approval, loans, and utilizing loans for operations before repaying them, this was indeed amon business practice. Using borrowed chickens toy eggs didn''t necessarily mean Mr. Hong was a swindler. Some bosses have indeed started from nothing and made it big this way, while others copsedpletely because one link in the chain broke.


    Because the county had encountered several such scams before, Wu couldn''t help but be extra cautious.


    "Mr. Hong, let''s be clear before we be friends. Your requirements are not impossible, but I have a condition too. You must mortgage one of your restaurants to us. Otherwise, if you ran away in the end, where would Sun Town find the money to repay the bank?" Mr. Wu said with a chuckle.


    Unexpectedly, Mr. Hong didn''t object at all, agreeing directly, "That''s only fair! We can go to the county notary office today and do the mortgage notarization! Mr. Wu, you''re being too cautious, my family''s business isrge, and so are the financial turnovers. It''s just after the New Year, the best time for my restaurant business when I need to spend a lot of money on stock. Give it half a year, and once my liquid funds are free, everything will be fine."


    Seeing Mr. Hong agree so readily, Mr. Wu finally felt at ease.


    "Mr. Wu, why don''t we sign the contract today and then go do the mortgage notarization together?" Mr. Hong tentatively asked.


    Mr. Wu was about to agree, but then thought that such a major decision should not be made so hastily. So, with a smile, he said, "Mr. Hong, how about this, you go stay at the county guesthouse for a couple of days first. We''ll have a small meeting here in the town to prepare some preliminary work. In three days, we''ll sign the contract. How does that sound?"


    Mr. Hong sighed slightly in disappointment, "Ah, I''ll do whatever you leaders say. But Mr. Wu, please hurry it up. I have too much to handle at my restaurant and can''t spare much time."


    "Rest assured, rest assured..."


    After seeing off Mr. Hong, Mr. Wu picked up the office phone and called each of the town''s ''cadres'' one by one, summoning them to discuss the breeding farm matters.


    With the scale of Sun Town, it should have been downgraded to a vige by now, but it had been dragging on without resolution. The so-called ''town cadres'' were just a handful,ically so, like Uncle Li the head of the civil defense, Auntie Wang in charge of the office and virtually an organizationalmittee member, even Suming''s mother held a token title of women''smittee member...


    ...


    Suming said goodbye to his mom and then, together with Su Meng, followed the trail the wild boar had taken into the mountains yesterday. This ''trail'' was actually a small mountain stream that had dried up in the winter. After following the riverbed lined with pebbles for about four or five miles, they werepletely out of path.


    Haidong Qing circled in the sky for a while, indicating that the wild boar was still far away.


    The mountains around Sun Town were not like those behind a zoo; these were real towering ranges. Many areas were sheer cliffs or cliffs tens of meters high, or they were steep slopes with gradients over sixty or seventy degrees¨C impossible for people to climb.


    Suming''s soul attached to Haidong Qing and took to the skies to survey the area before finally choosing a rtively easy route. By rtively easy, it meant that it was just barely passable for a person. They were lucky to have Haidong Qing and the soul attachment ability, otherwise, there''s no telling how much more they would have had to detour.


    Even with an observation of the surroundings in advance, the journey was tough, as they had to push through bushes and wade through waters. As the sky darkened, they were finally approaching thest known location of the wild boars.


    Suming hadn''t expected the path to be so treacherous. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he thought to himself that his mom must be worried sick by now, probably not expecting them back until the next morning.


    "Slow down, stop here," Suming gestured, signaling to Su Meng not to go any further.


    The two found a ce to hide downwind. Su Meng, agile as a monkey, quickly scrambled up a tree.


    Suming, helpless below, pped his forehead and whispered, "Big bro, get me up there first..."n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Su Meng grinned and slid back down the tree. Then, like carrying a ko on his back, he quickly hoisted Suming up into a tree several meters off the ground.


    From Haidong Qing''s perspective, they could clearly see arge mud pit covered with dry leaves about a hundred meters ahead, the leaves concealing filthy water underneath.


    The fewrge wild boars they had seen the day before were frolicking in the mud pit, looking utterly carefree and showing no signs of grief over losing their offspring.


    In the forest nearby, seven or eight piglets were grunting as they rooted around in the dirt with their noses, likely searching for something to eat.


    Thergest boar, Second Brother, leaned against a tree wide enough to require two people to wrap their arms around it. It acted as if it had epilepsy, grunting while rubbing its back against the old tree, scraping off arge patch of bark.


    Not far away, there was a pile of pig dung nearly a meter high! It was baffling why they piled their dung so high; were they trying to prove they had a talent for architecture?


    With such arge group of wild boars gathered together, it wasn''t easy to make a move. However, Suming hade prepared this time and had a well-thought-out attack n.


    He took out a small whistle-like object from his chest; it was something old hunters used when hunting wild boar. He put it in his mouth and blew hard.


    "Eey... eey eey..." The whistle made a strange noise, resembling the cry of a female wild boar in heat.


    Upon hearing the ''female wild boar''s'' calls, several boars on the other side indeed stopped all activity, their small ears twitching as they looked over curiously in this direction.


    Hearing the call of a female wild boar but not smelling her scent, the boars seemed puzzled.


    But, this wasn''t a problem. They would find out if they went over to investigate. For a male wild boar, eating was the top priority, mating came second. As long as their life was filled with food and sex, a pig''s life was blissful; they had not lived in vain!

 Chapter 232 Lingzhi and the Five-Paced Snake

    Several male wild boars, upon hearing the whistle, were just about to take action when Second Senior Brother wouldn''t have it!


    He got up from under the tree, staggered in front of the other wild boars, lowered his head, and let out a "huff, huff, huff..." as if threatening them with his growls.


    Like most social animals, the hierarchy in a boar herd was strict. As the boar king, Second Senior Brother always ate the best food first, yed with the best toys first, and got the prettiest sows first... He was used to being overbearing!


    Intimidated by Second Senior Brother''s roar, the other male wild boars grunted their discontent, shook their little tails, turned around, and went off to find something to eat. Only one fellow, weighing probably around four hundred pounds and not much smaller than Second Senior Brother, confronted him for a while. However, when Second Senior Brother bared his tusks, even that guy chickened out and slinked away with his tail between his legs.


    Suming had anticipated this oue. Working at the zoo, his greatest gain was understanding the habits of many animals. With the help of spiritual power, this understanding was extremely important.


    His n was to first lure Second Senior Brother over, then quickly subdue him with Su Meng''s help, aided by spiritual power!


    Weighing six or seven hundred pounds, Second Senior Brother was like a small mountain, the most difficult one in the herd. In a one-on-one, Su Meng might not be his match, but with spiritual power to aid him, it shouldn''t be a problem.


    As long as Second Senior Brother was taken care of, the rest would be a piece of cake!


    Quickly, Second Senior Brother began waddling over, shaking his big belly and wobbling his head as he left the herd and walked this way.


    "Get ready!" Suming signalled to Su Meng with a look. Last night, Su Meng had suffered because Second Senior Brother had used momentum to his advantage. Today they would give him a taste of his own medicine. They''d have Su Meng jump down from the tree in a free fall, aiming to daze Second Senior Brother with the impact!


    Since wild boars have poor eyesight but a keen sense of smell, Suming had borrowed the tiger''s method of hunting wild boars and hid downwind. Second Senior Brother, swaying with every step and panting heavily, approached, full of anticipation to cause havoc, wholly unaware of the danger.


    Just as he was about to get close, Second Senior Brother suddenly stopped. Cocking his head, he snorted "huff, huff, huff" towards the back left.


    "What''s going on?!" Suming was startled and instinctively looked in that direction.


    Not a single hair in sight. In the broad-leaved forest, there were only dead leaves on the ground, a few trees, and rocks of various sizes.


    But through Second Senior Brother''s ''eyes,'' it wasn''t the same.


    Clearly attracted by something on the left, he didn''t hesitate at all and turned to trot in that direction, not even caring about the pretty sows anymore.


    "It must have found something tasty to eat," Suming thought.


    For animals, eating and reproducing are top priorities, and it''s food thates first. It''s the same for humans; filled stomachs lead to wandering thoughts, except for perverts who wouldn''t masturbate on an empty stomach... Anyway, Suming wouldn''t.


    Wild boars have an extraordinary sense of smell; they can detect things buried one to two meters underground, so he must have smelled something delicious!


    Second Senior Brother didn''t walk far before stopping under a tree. With its head lowered, its long snout dug chaotically beneath the tree, quickly pushing aside the thickyer of fallen leaves to reveal arge hole big enough to bury its head in.


    Curious, Suming wondered what delicacy the wild boar had found. Since he couldn''t see clearly from the tree, he sent Haidong Qing down to perch on the treetop where the boar was digging. He projected his spirit into Haidong Qing, looking down from above.


    Pulling back the view, he saw that the boar had uncovered arge area of dead leaves, revealing a Lingzhi mushroom growing beneath that tree!


    The Lingzhi wasn''t very big, just slightlyrger than the palm of an adult man, light purple and somewhat whitish.


    Suming wasn''t well-versed in nts and couldn''t determine the exact grade or value of this Lingzhi.


    Lingzhi mushrooms are often considered treasures in legends, but most Lingzhi are hyped up. Depending on their appearance, variety, and age, their value can vary greatly, with the most expensive being astronomically priced, while the cheaper ones can be bought for just tens or a hundred yuan and are not considered rare treasures at all.


    Second Brother was clearly attracted to this particr Lingzhi, his small ears pping excitedly back and forth as he approached it, his snout pouted, snorting as he began to gnaw.


    Gnaw gnaw gnaw... In just a few bites, the Lingzhi waspletely devoured.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Such a small Lingzhi would hardly be enough to fill a dog, let alone Second Brother with hisrge frame. He clearly wasn''t satisfied, and after finishing off the top, he wanted to eat the bottom...


    To ''eat the bottom'' meant that Second Brother began to dig at the ground with his mouth and teeth, trying to unearth the roots of the Lingzhi.


    Kerch kerch, after digging just a few times, Second Brother suddenly "whooshed" backwards several steps, his two glossy ck eyes alertly watching the ground.


    Suming was taken aback, had he discovered something good?


    At the base of the Lingzhi, there was a fist-sized hole. From above, it appeared quite deep, pitch-ck, and nothing inside could be seen.


    Haidong Qing, upon seeing this hole, couldn''t help but flutter his wings, ready to fly. Suming quickly asked him to wait, not wanting to scare Second Brother away.


    Second Brother stared at the hole for a while, then suddenly stuck his long, pointed beak into it and started to huff and puff, as if he was blowing air into the hole.


    Suming almostughed at the sight, what was he doing? Blowing up a balloon, a big balloon?


    After a few blows, Second Brother retracted his snout, stepped back two paces, still staring intently at the hole.


    From within the hole, a triangr head slowly emerged, followed by a grey-brown neck. At a nce, it looked almost like a dried leaf, and if it weren''t for Haidong Qing''s excellent vision, Suming might have had trouble seeing it clearly.


    It was a five-step snake!


    Suming suddenly realized why Second Brother was blowing air. The five-step snake was probably hibernating, and by blowing warm air into the hole, Second Brother was trying to wake it up to eat it!


    Haidong Qing had fluttered his wings suddenly, wanting to fly, because he too had spotted the snake hole.


    Just judging by its head, this five-step snake was not small, and it was uncertain whether Second Brother could handle it.


    Faced with such an interesting situation, Suming wasn''t in a hurry to deal with Second Brother anymore and was perched in the tree, eagerly observing the confrontation.


    After the five-step snake showed its head, it seemed to be unaware of what was happening and hissed a few times, as if testing the environment around it.


    With agility thatpletely belied his size, Second Brother rushed over with a boom, his fangs hooking onto the snake''s neck, then with a forceful shake of his head!


    Crash! It was like a mischievous child tugging on a yarn roll, Second Brother dragged the entire body of the five-step snake out of the hole, which was at least one and a half meters long!


    "Hiss!" The five-step snake was not one to be trifled with either, and it lunged to bite Second Brother''s nose. If it got a hold of him, even if First Brother came, he''d be out of luck.


    Second Brother shook his head, and before the snake could bite him, it was flung away,nding among the withered grass.

 Chapter 233 Wild Boar Eats Snake, Suming Follows Behind

    After being flung away, the first response of the five-step snake wasn''t to flee but to coil its entire body together, raise its triangr head with a flickering me-like tongue, and hiss threateningly at the second brother.


    The second brother stood a meter away, in no hurry to attack, sizing up the five-step snake with his little eyes while making "ao ao" noises, like a martial arts expert, leisurely circling around the five-step snake with his short four legs.


    Suming was afraid it would attract other wild boars. Fortunately, there was no movement in the distance, probably because the boar herd downwind hadn''t smelled the five-step snake.


    As the second brother circled, the snake''s head followed, closely watching his every move.


    Seeing this, Suming immediately felt that the second brother was much smarter than he had imagined, whereas the five-step snake seemed rather foolish. If you keep following its rotations, you''ll end up dizzy.


    Sure enough, after two circles, the five-step snake couldn''t hold back any longer andunched an attack. In a swift motion, its body shot out, mouth gaping nearly 180 degrees, with two fangs protruding outward like daggers aiming for the second brother''s groin!


    What a move, the Testicle Biting Technique!


    The second brother''s body was all tough hide, rough and thick, making it unlikely for the five-step snake to bite through. But the tworge testicles hanging down in the groin area were a weakness;rge and soft, a bite there would mean certain death!


    This move, though indelicate, was the mostmon method snakes used against wild boars!


    The second brother''s reaction was anything but that of a dumb pig. Even if Monkey were here, he couldn''t have done it any better. With a powerful push of its hind legs, the second brother astonishingly performed an almost handstand-like maneuver to dodge the snake.


    The five-step snake flew past hisrge testicles, but due to its long body, while the head went through the legs, the rest hadn''t caught up, and the second brother''s hind legs had alreadynded, stepping directly on its tail.


    In pain, the five-step snake turned to bite, but the second brother moved faster, firmly pressing down on the snake''s "vital inch" with another hind leg, then turned its head and bit the snake''s.


    Without giving the five-step snake a chance to retaliate, the second brother tilted his neck and sent the snake''s head, along with a small segment of its body, into his mouth, chewing crunchily and enjoying his meal.


    In less than two minutes, the meter-long five-step snake was slurped up by the second brother like noodles, bitten into pieces, and swallowed down to his stomach.


    Even a domestic pig could easily use its teeth to crush red bricks and swallow them. Suming had done this as a child, throwing a brick at a pig, only to have the pig crunch and eat the brick. Now it seemed the second brother was even more fierce; a bite from him was noughing matter.


    "Okay or not?" Suming asked Su Meng.


    Su Meng nodded vigorously.


    Only then did Suming blow the whistle again.


    Well-fed and ready for action, the second brother had just finished eating the snake and was full of energy with nowhere to expend it. He heard the call of the sow again and rushed to the tree where Su Meng was, but found no trace of the sow.


    As he wondered, there was a buzz in his head. Suming had alreadyunched an attack with his spiritual power from the tree, unleashing it without reservation and bombarding the big wild boar like a cannonball. He then took a big gulp of honey.


    "Next time, have the bees make some Orleans grilled meat vored honey..." Suming smacked his lips, feeling that always drinking the same vor of honey was too monotonous. If Orleans grilled meat didn''t work, he could always try adding some fruit juice.


    In the heat of the moment, as the wild boar was still confused, Su Meng shouted from above and descended... His posture was very simr to a policeman from an old videogame, Street Fighter, who jumps up, legs together, and stomps down on his opponent''s head with his feet.


    Su Meng, weighing nearly two hundred pounds, added to the force of gravity in freefall, gave the second brother a taste of eleration. With a m, his head nted straight into the ground.


    "Keep it up, finish the fight quickly!" Suming shouted from the tree.


    Themotion here was so big that even a bunch of pig teammates should have heard it and rushed over to help.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    Sure enough, the wild boar herd in the distance was disturbed and started to move in this direction.


    "Distract them!" Suming quickly instructed Haidong Qing to take flight.


    Wild boars are of a fiery temper and are the easiest to provoke. Haidong Qing flew over, pecking each wild boar''s head fiercely before nimbly flitting about at a low altitude.


    Although the wild boars weren''t fatally injured, their anger was instantly ignited. These pig teammates immediately forgot their mission to rescue their boss, wildly chasing after Haidong Qing throughout the woods, grunting and snorting.


    "I have godlike teammates; you have piglike teammates! Wahahah!" Suming couldn''t stopughing. These wild boars could be smarter than monkeys at times, but at their dumbest, they were hriously stupid.


    Underneath the tree, the Second Brother was dazed by Su Meng''s kick, staggering to get up; Suming sent another st of spiritual power his way. While still in a daze, he suddenly felt someone mount him from behind.


    "Go, wild boar knight!" Suming shouted from the tree. Su Meng, riding on the Second Brother''s back, resembled a Barbarian Tribes boar knight from Heroes of Might and Magic.


    However, the wild boar underneath him was uncooperative, desperately trying to ram into the tree with Su Meng on its back, not caring about mutual destruction.


    "Heh-heh!" Su Meng bellowed, raising his fists as big as sandbowls and ruthlessly pummeling the wild boar''s back and head.


    At the same time, Suming asionally sent out a wave of spiritual power to interfere with the wild boar''s path.


    The Second Brother became a headless fly, darting wildly through the woods. Despite intending to harm Su Meng by crashing into the tree with its back, each time something went awry, and it would end up smashing its own head instead.


    No matter how tough the hide, such violent impacts over and over were too much to bear. After several hits, the wild boar grew apprehensive, no longer daring to charge at the tree with full force; it wandered disoriented in the woods, grunting softly.


    Intense pain was also throbbing from its back, as Su Meng''s fists had worn away the skin. Had it not been for the thick hide, any tiger might have been beaten to death by Su Meng, bleeding from the seven orifices.


    "Now''s the time!"


    Seeing the wild boar''s will weakened, Suming immediately surged with spiritual power, trying to gain control of it.


    This "control" was essentially normalmunication, allowing them to coexist peacefully. Animals don''t have as many cunning thoughts as humans; as long as you canmunicate, some cajoling can easily make them obey and prevent them from harming crops in the future.


    Previously, the wild boar waspletely unreasonable and had no desire tomunicate.


    Suming was not new to this situation; back in the day, the crocodilian snapper had been even more stubborn than the wild boar, attempting to retaliate despite being captured.


    For such cases, Suming had one philosophy: subdue them, then talk!


    After the release of spiritual power, Suming established contact with the wild boar.


    Unexpectedly, the Second Brother was quite stubborn; despite being beaten to such a state, he still gave Suming the cold shoulder. After realizing Suming was in the tree, the Second Brother spun around and charged fiercely at it.


    The tree wasn''t thick, so when the Second Brother collided with it, the trunk shook violently, almost causing Suming to fall!


    "Oh? Thick-skinned and unafraid of being beaten? Second Brother, remember, you''re forcing my hand here!" Suming pulled open the small bag he carried with him.

 Chapter 234 A Brave Mans Decision (Four chapters asking for subscription)

    Suming''s small bag was filled with many red, pointy nts.


    Every farmer in Sun Town feared wild boars, except for one household.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Because what they grew were hot peppers!


    There was one time wild boars came down the mountain to ravage the crops, and a few clueless ones rushed into their chili field. After a fierce munching... there was no "after." Those boars took a few bites of the peppers and cried all the way home¡­


    Ironically, Suming happened to be someone who loved spicy food. In his school days, he was too poor to afford dishes in the cafeteria, often eating his rice just with dried chili peppers.


    Suming transferred his soul-attaching ability to his second senior brother, who first red ferociously at Suming before seeing him pull out a bright red chili pepper to stuff into his mouth.


    "Eating dry hot peppers in this freezing weather is so exhrating!" Suming chewed on a handful of dried chilies as though they were snacks, and even waved at Su Meng, "You want some? So fragrant!"


    He even prepared a tube of spicy strips, in case the peppers didn''t do the trick. But it looked like he wouldn''t need the spicy strips after all. Just as Suming took a bite, the second senior brother below suddenly stood frozen in ce as if hit by a paralysis spell.


    The next second, second senior brother let out a pig-ughter-like howl, rushing toward a nearby pond with Su Meng on his back, and dove in, gulping down water.


    The burning sensation came from Suming''s mouth, not from the second senior brother itself, so drinking more water was pointless.


    The only effect was that it made Suming feel as if he was drinking water too.


    Having eaten so many hot peppers, Suming also felt a bit thirsty, but with the sensation of drinking, he suddenly felt refreshed all over, grabbing more chili peppers to stuff into his mouth while mumbling indistinctly that it would be nice to have a little drink.


    Huffing and puffing... second senior brother drank a belly full of water, but the spiciness in his mouth intensified, until he could no longer drink and struggled to crawl onto the shore.


    Tears fell in big drops from the corners of second senior brother''s eyes.


    "Spicy?" Suming asked.


    Second senior brother nodded vigorously, gasping for air with his mouth wide open.


    "Can we talk now?" Suming asked again.


    Second senior brother nodded his head again with force.


    ...


    After second senior brother became submissive, the rest of the wild boars surrendered with little effort. Only the one that weighed nearly four hundred pounds, just slightly smaller than second senior brother, probably the second-inmand in the boar hierarchy, was still a bit resistant, wanting to have a showdown with Suming.


    It turned out that the second-inmand was no match for the leader! With just a few peppers, Mr. Second fell in linepletely.


    "Look at you guys, there are so many delicacies in the mountains: Lingzhi mushrooms, spring water, willow herb shoots, zhe mashis, and even poisonous snakes. The mountains offer an endless feast; why must you go and cause trouble in people''s crops?"


    After the beatdown came the ideological education. They needed the hard approach, but also the soft touch. It''s like educating a child; when they make a mistake, they must be punished, but after the punishment, a lesson needs to be taught.


    Suming sat on the back of second senior brother, talking to a group of wild boars of various sizes.


    Haidong Qing settled on the head of Mr. Second like a ck crow, embodying the saying "a crow perched on a pig''s back¡­"


    The wild boars breathed heavily, honest enough not to attack again, but from the looks of it, they didn''t seem to realize their mistake.


    "That''s true, in your eyes, crops are nts, food for you as well! But stealing cropses with risking your lives; is it really necessary?"


    In the beginning, Suming thought that the mountains were devoid of food, which was why these creatures came down to forage. But it seemed there was plenty to eat and drink on the mountain. In the short time he''d been here, he''d seen second senior brother devour arge snake and a Lingzhi mushroom, and the other wild boars had found plenty to eat and drink as well.


    Under these circumstances, why would they still take the risk toe down the mountain? Animal instinct should keep them away from humans, unless it was¡­


    "Huffing... huff... huff¡­" second senior brother gestured with his mouth toward the distance.


    "Huh? You don''t live here?" Suming asked.


    Piggy No. 2 stepped out of the ranks, sheepishly lifted its hind leg, revealing its undercarriage.


    "Are you bored or what? I''m asking you a serious question, and you show me your balls, what''s that supposed to mean?" Suming felt baffled, could Piggy No. 2 possibly be trying to seduce him with its ''beauty''?


    But with one nce, he saw that between Piggy No. 2''s legs, there was only one testicle left, lonely suspended there... The other had been bitten off by something.


    "Oh my goodness, that must hurt so much!" Suming and Su Meng, both male animals, instinctively clenched their legs together, but couldn''t help the shivery feeling in between.


    In the future, one really mustn''t speak or think carelessly!


    Just that day he''d been talking about childbirth, experiencing it firsthand; he was also wondering how much pain measured in whatever unit a smashed testicle would be... and lo and behold, today he encountered a smashed one.


    Brother Two, on the side, used his simple logic to roughly exin the situation to Suming.


    Suming got goosebumps listening, because it was too gruesome! It was so brutal that one couldn''t help but burst intoughter, yet one felt embarrassed tough.


    Because Piggy No. 2''s testicle wasn''t bitten off by someone else, but by Brother Two! It turned out that one day, Piggy No. 2 was bitten by a poisonous snake in that area, and to save hisrade, Brother Two bravely bit where the snake had bitten, a true hero shedding a testicle, and bit off the poisoned one from Piggy No. 2!


    "Alright, alright, let''s stop talking about this¡­," if they continued, Suming feared he would have nightmares in the future.


    Overall, the situation was like this: the wild boar herd''s original habitat was a very nice ce, with plenty of good food and drink, things like Lingzhi mushrooms and mountain springs, but it was upied by a group of poisonous snakes.


    Although wild boars are natural predators of snakes, if there are too many snakes, the wild boars can''t do anything except flee in a panic.


    This group of wild boars was temporarily homeless, so they wandered everywhere, settling wherever they ended up, and they ventured into human territory.


    "Should I help you, or not? You know, I''m not fond of wild boars," Suming pondered, stroking his chin.


    ¡­


    When Suming left Sun Town, it was probably a little before one in the afternoon, telling his mom he''d go out and y for a while. Who would have known that his outing wouldst until eight or nine in the evening without him having returned.


    "Would you believe this kid, grown so big and still making people worry. His car isn''t gone, where could he be?" Mrs. Su was really getting anxious. The countryside around the vige isn''t as safe as the city, especially at night. Not to mention the threat of various wild animals, even getting lost could lead to big trouble!


    Mr. Wu, the town chief, was also at home and tried to reassure her: "Hey, a young man going into the mountains isn''t a big deal."


    Suming went to the mountains, and since there''s no cell phone signal out there, he left his phone at home. Mrs. Su nodded while flipping through the phone,ing across Mr. Song''s number.


    In the days after Suming came back, he talked a lot about Mr. Song. Knowing that her son had a good rtionship with this leader, Mrs. Su couldn''t resist and made a call to Mr. Song, wary of leaving a bad impression on the leader, so she didn''t directly mention Suming''s ''disappearance.'' Instead, she delicately inquired if the zoo had assigned any tasks to Su Min that required going up the mountains.


    Mr. Song, hearing this, guessed most of it right away andughed, saying, "Is that kid missing again?"


    "Yes, that''s right, he went into the mountains, and we can''t find him!" Hearing Mr. Song speaking the truth, Mrs. Su didn''t hide it.


    But she still paused a moment, wondering why he said ''again.''


    "Hey, don''t worry, Mrs. Su. Suming is not doing this for the first time. He frequently ys disappearing acts around here. Rest assured, as far as I know, there''s nothing in the wild he can''t handle. Maybe when hees back, he''ll bring some surprises with him," Mr. Song said on the phone.


    "What surprises? Coming back safe and sound is the biggest surprise," said Mrs. Su after a few words of pleasantries, feeling a bit more at ease and hanging up the phone.


    Mr. Wu continued to console: "Auntie, don''t be too anxious. If he doesn''t return by the end of the night, tomorrow at dawn, I''ll have people go up the mountains to search."


    ¡­


    PS: Tragic...

 Chapter 235 The Wild Boars Home

    Suming and Su Meng each rode arge wild boar, followed by a dozen smaller ones, setting off majestically toward the deep forest.


    While others y the leading role as dragon knights or phoenix riders, Suming was quite unconventional. Originally aspiring to be a mythical beast rider, he found the alpaca too timid to mount, so he had to settle for being a wild boar rider.


    Arge group of wild boars and two men marched valiantly into the deep mountains, trudging through mountains and wading through water, until they finally arrived at the ce where the wild boars used to live by midnight.


    The wild boars stopped their steps tens of meters away, gathering together, looking ahead with great vignce.


    Suming''s spiritual power surged forth, covering the dense forest ahead, and he was taken aback!


    With Suming''s current level of spiritual power, seeing animals like tigers, lions, elephants, or even whales wouldn''t normally cause him much surprise. However, what he discovered in the ''home of the wild boars'' made him gasp!


    The so-called ''home of the wild boars,'' the ce where the wild boars had lived, was actually a forest predominantlyposed of wends. It was too dark to see clearly, but under the cover of spiritual power, it was evident that arge number of elongated creatures were in this not-sorge area.


    Clearly, these were snakes. There were thousands of snakes of various sizes and types¡ªdefinitely not just a few!


    The second senior brother had not lied after all; snakes had indeed taken over their home.


    What truly astonished Suming was not the number of snakes but the fact that so many were slithering around. The forest was practically a ''snake garden,'' with snakes hanging from the treetops and branches and more moving through the wend grasses.


    Bear in mind, this was winter, the time for snakes to hibernate. The asional one or two snakes waking from hibernation due to extreme hunger or some special reason to seek food could be understandable, but thousands of snakes simultaneously defying nature by not hibernating and instead gathering together was highly abnormal!


    Moreover, many types of snakes have the habit of cannibalism, especially when food is scarce in winter. They would not hesitate to eat their own species, let alone their eggs.


    Yet, the thousands of snakes at the home of the wild boars seemed to coexist peacefully.


    What force could possibly make these snakes abandon hibernation and assemble without interfering with each other?


    On the edge of the wend, a few dozen square meters of the area seemed somewhat empty, hosting only one snake.


    A reticted python about five or six meters long!


    Reticted pythons, also known as the king of pythons, are the longest pythons in the world. There are two ''mosts'' among pythons: the green anaconda holds the record for weight, and the reticted python for length! Adult reticted pythons average 8 to 9 meters, and the longest ones can reportedly exceed 12 meters.


    Lengthy but not hefty¡ªwhat does this suggest? It suggests that reticted pythons are slender and attractive. From a hundred meters away, the python looked thin and long, with quite an elegant curve. But don''t be deceived by its appearance. Despite being slender, the reticted python has astounding constricting power, not at all inferior to the much heavier green anaconda.


    This five or six-meter reticted python was obviously not yet fully grown, just a juvenile. Of course, even in its younger years, such a tremendous creature could inflict fatal damage on amon wild boar. This python could at least contend with the second pig, if not ovee the second senior brother.


    Seeing this reticted python, Suming was even more perplexed.


    This species of python, known for its rtively docile nature, was on the brink of extinction and had never been spotted in the Qinling Mountains; why then was it here now?


    Seeing so many snakes gathered together, including a reticted python, Suming couldn''t help but be cautious!


    The darkness was too deep, and even with the aid of spiritual power, recklessly entering the wild boar''s den was an extremely dangerous affair. There were simply too many venomous snakes around; a single inattentive moment resulting in a bite would spell utter doom.


    Haidong Qing perched on the treetop, feeling somewhat eager to move. Although there were many poisonous snakes, for a creature capable of flight like itself, that was hardly an issue; the snakes were nothing more than moving feasts. Given enough time, like a month, perhaps it could deal with all the snakes on its own. Of course, that python with the distinctive-like pattern was an exception.


    "Let''s wait for daylight," Suming said, then patted his trouser pocket.


    In the pocket was a packet of realgar powder. Snakes weremon in the mountains, and before venturing in, the people of Sun Town would habitually bring a small packet of realgar powder; if they had to spend the night in the mountains, it could be used to repel snakes.


    Suming had also developed this habit from a young age; however, that little bit of realgar powder was like a drop in the ocean against thousands of snakes.


    "Damn it, if I''d known it would be like this, I''d have brought in a ton of realgar powder!"


    Time passed quickly, and daylight gradually broke. The first rays of morning sunlight pierced into the woods, but it was eerily quiet all around, not even a bird''s chirp could be heard. With so many snakes gathered, all the birds in the vicinity had been devouredpletely.


    After sunrise, Suming discovered something new.


    Indeed, the home of the wild boars was a wonderful ce; the foliage in the surrounding woods was lush, and various types of fungi grew on the bodies of the old trees. Wild mushrooms were everywhere, and there were evenrge patches of Lingzhi!


    Lingzhi may not be very valuable, and Suming wasn''t well-versed in the quality of Lingzhi, so he merely nced at them.


    His attention, however, was attracted to the center of the wend.


    The so-called "wend" was filled with aquatic nts, which is why it didn''t freeze even in the dead of winter. At the center of the wend, a patch of ground about twenty or thirty square meters emerged from the water, like a small ind within.


    Snakes were everywhere in the wend and the surrounding woods, but not a single one in that central area!


    Not only were there no snakes, there weren''t any aquatic nts either; instead, a type of fungus that resembled mushrooms thrived.


    They looked like mushrooms, but weren''t mushrooms. First, they were much smaller than mushrooms, and the ''little umbres'' atop them were half-oval rather than t circles. Their surface was light yellow and uneven, covered with a-like pattern of wrinkles, resembling a small honeb-shaped rugby ball.


    "Huh? Could that be Morche?" Suming''s mind shed with the thought.


    Suming might not know the exact value of Lingzhi, but he had some understanding of Morche.


    This rare type of fungus, akin to the renowned ''diamond of the fungi'' ck truffle, if ck truffle was the ''king of fungi,'' then Morche would be the ''queen.'' Not only was it delicious, but it also had a meaty taste despite being a nt, and it was highly nutritious, known for its health benefits such as kidney enhancement, virility boosting, brain nourishment, and energizing effects.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    On the market, the international price for wild Morche could reach three to four thousand euros per kilogram. Even those cultivated artificially could cost up to a thousand or two thousand yuan. It goes without saying that it had an incredibly high economic value.


    Wild Morche was quite rare and typically grew in high-altitude areas. It was almost impossible to find them in mountains like Sun Town, which had an elevation of less than one thousand meters. Therefore, the appearance of such arge patch of Morche in front of him was quite a surprise for Suming.


    "Could it be that these snakes, including thatrge python with the pattern, were attracted by this patch of Morche, fighting to im them?" Suming spected to himself.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 236 Incurring Public Wrath

    Legend has it that animals like snakes possess a kind of spirituality, instinctively guarding "heaven-sent treasures" such as thousand-year-old ginseng or top-quality Lingzhi mushrooms, around which there are often animals ''protecting'' them.


    In in terms, animals discover valuable nts before they''ve fully matured and stake out the area, waiting to devour them upon full maturation.


    In thisrge patch of wild morel mushrooms, a few particrlyrge ones stand out. If the guess is correct, it must be these delicious and nutritious morel mushrooms that attracted the nearby snakes!


    "Hehe, could it be that these snakes are all males in need of virility, so they''re after the morel mushrooms for that extra boost?" Suming spected, not without malice. After all, like ck truffles, the greatest nutritional value of morel mushrooms lies in their potency and kidney supplementation.


    Napoleon was remarkably potent, conquering countless enemies on the battlefield as well as countless noblewomen in bed. However, it''s said that in his youth, Napoleon was actually not so capable and had just average ability at best. One of his generals, however, was quite formidable and had more than a dozen children. Learning that this general''s vigor was due to eating several ck truffle stewed chickens daily, Napoleon also adopted this method¡ªconsuming arge quantity of ck truffles¡ªand, indeed, his ability dramatically improved, and he fathered a son that year.


    Whether this legend is true or not, the effectiveness of ck truffles in improving male vitality is well-known. At one auction, Dr. He from Macau once bid nearly 3 million yuan for a ck truffle king, celebrating his 86th birthday. Dr. He had read countless women in his life, taken three wives, and had many descendants. Yet even in his 80s, he would still purchase the truffle king, indicative of its profound secrets.


    The effects of morel mushrooms are not inferior to those of ck truffles.


    Not only were the snakes tempted, but even Suming couldn''t help but drool over these morel mushrooms!


    It wasn''t that he needed kidney support at such a young age, but rather he was thinking of the vast expanses of emptynd behind the zoo!


    He had long been considering what to nt on the hills behind the zoo to utilize the emptynd and create some economic benefit.


    But cultivating ordinary nts was just too low in cost-efficiency; expending a lot of effort for just a few hundred thousand yuan a year didn''t mean much.


    It would be different with morel mushrooms, though.


    It was previously thought that morel mushrooms could only survive in high-altitude areas, but now evidence showed that they could thrive in the woonds below the altitude of a kilometer surrounding Sun Town, so transntation to the hill behind the zoo should work as well.


    In the domestic market, even cultivated morel mushrooms could fetch four to five hundred yuan per jin, and the prices would be even higher on the international market. Moreover, the environment on the hill was far superior to artificial conditions, almost a semi-wild state.


    Furthermore, the growth of any nt is inseparable from a water source; water is one of the most important elements for nt growth. Now that theke water soaked by Tai Sui not only supports fish farming and the future establishment of a distillery but also has plenty to spare. It wouldn''t be enough to irrigate an entire forest, but for just a small patch of morels, it wouldn''t pose a problem. Cultivating ten or more acres of top-quality morel mushrooms would require little effort yet yield a substantial ie.


    Even if the yield were smaller, setting aside economic value, eating them would be extremely beneficial. No amount of money is more important than good health.


    With that in mind, Suming pondered how to acquire that patch of morel mushrooms among the thousands of snakes.


    "Should I use the method I did with the bees, first controlling a portion of the snakes, making them fight amongst themselves? Or perhaps get the wild boars to form a charge formation and directly storm in, scattering the snakes?"


    Suming stroked his chin, thought of several methods, and weighed which one would be better.


    There were many eying the morel mushrooms, not just Suming. As the saying goes, "The quick ones get the meat; the slow ones get none." While he was pondering strategy and tactics over here, someone else was too impatient to wait!


    The giant python, five to six meters long, slowly swam into the wend, twisting its body nimbly among the aquatic nts and heading towards the center where the morel mushrooms grew.


    Being thergest among the group of snakes, its movement immediately rmed the other snakes. A few Chifeng Jin Snakes and Red-Dotted Jin Snakes that were blocking its path scattered in all directions as they saw the giant pythoning their way.


    Most pythons, including the giant python, are immune to many snake venoms and are not afraid of those venomous snakes. In its view, those "little guys" that are a fraction of its size were insignificant.


    Suming''s eyes lit up. Catch the king first to capture his subjects, since the other snakes all fear this giant python, wouldn''t it be okay if I just controlled the giant python? What''s this called? "Using the emperor tomand the princes!"


    "Hehehe, big brother, how about after I dig up the morel mushrooms, I take you back with me too? You could hang out in the hills behind my house. You could help me guard the morel mushrooms, how about it?" Suming grinned and was just about to release his spiritual power.


    But suddenly, the situation unexpectedly changed!


    When the giant python entered the wend, it initially faced no resistance¡ªall the small snakes fled from its path. But as it approached the cluster of morel mushrooms in the center, the little snakes stopped fleeing!


    Not only did they not flee, but some of the fiercer ones, like the Red Chain Snakes, evenunched an attack on the giant python themselves. A Red Chain Snake and a ck-Striped Snake shot out, snapping viciously onto the body of the giant python.


    The giant python''s scales were like armor, thick and hard. Even a handgun might not pose a threat at a distance, much less two small snakes. The attacks of the Red Chain Snake and the ck-Striped snake didn''t harm the giant python at all, not even breaking a scale.@@novelbin@@


    The giant python, when attacked, casually twisted its body and flung the Red Chain Snake, which was less than a meter long, through the air. Then it opened its mouth wide and bit the ck-Striped Snake, swallowing it whole without even chewing.


    The ck-Striped Snake and the Red Chain Snake paid with their lives, yet they couldn''t stop the giant python''s advance, causing only a negligible ''inconvenience.''


    Two small snakes were not enough to stop the giant python; but what if there were more?


    As the giant python continued toward the center of the wend, aiming for the morel mushrooms, not only did the snakes that were in front stop fleeing and attack it, but many other types of snakes that were lurking around also left their own little territories, swimming from all directions towards the giant python!


    The thousands of small snakes, scattered throughout, saw the giant python attempting to ''monopolize'' the morel mushrooms and became mon enemies''. In less than half a minute, they all swarmed into the wend, surrounding the giant python tightly,yer uponyer.


    Realizing this, Suming suddenly understood. All these snakes gathered together maintained a delicate bnce, all because of therge patch of morel mushrooms. The giant python, relying on its sheer size and strength, wanted to monopolize them, and consequently incurred the wrath of the masses.


    "Eh? So, you''re saying they would fight a deadly battle without me even lifting a finger?"


    *******


    PS: Two chapters for now, three moreing tonight.

 Chapter 237 Fearing that the World is Not Chaotic Enough (Three Updates)

    ```


    As the saying goes, a clumsy fighter may defeat a skilled one, and the python sure is fierce. In a one-on-one battle, no snake present, not even the most venomous ones, could pose a real threat; they''d simply be delivering themselves up for defeat.


    But there were simply too many snakes. Around the python, at least two to three thousand of various venomous kinds had gathered, the smallest being about forty to fifty centimeters and thergest around one to two meters. Some would raise their heads high in the water, sticking out their tongues as if threatening the python, while others lurked beneath the surface, ready to strike at any moment.


    However, these snakes were not foolish enough to attack immediately upon encircling the python.


    They probably knew that under the current circumstances, whoever struck first would die first. The instinctive desire for survival allowed them to urately gauge the strength of their opponent.


    And the python was no fool either. While animals may not be highly intelligent, they possess a keen intuition and can make quite urate judgments about situations, especiallyrge creatures like the python that aren''t prone to take risks foolishly.


    After seeing the thousands of snakes swarm toward it, the python wisened up and stopped moving forward. It coiled its body in the wend and didn''t rush to advance any further. Its triangr eyes coldly observed the surroundings.


    "Eh, the way that big snake is coiled up, it kind of looks like a huge pile of poop! No, no, I''m getting distracted again..."


    Suming pped his own cheek and pulled his thoughts away from the utter nonsense, focusing instead on the movements of the python.


    This guy, coiled up like poop, nced around with his triangr eyes for a while, then turned his head toward the direction from which he''de, evidence of a retreat, as if he had given up.@@novelbin@@


    "That won''t do, if you retreat, do you expect me to handle these venomous snakes alone? Too dangerous!" As the saying goes, the emperor isn''t in a hurry but his eunuchs are. The mighty python itself was ready to give up, but Suming wouldn''t have it.


    This wasn''t like the small fish and shrimp before, nor was it like bees; when using group control over those animals, even if Suming had apse, the problem wouldn''t be too big, as, at worst, one or two might escape his control.


    But in front of him was arge group of snakes, at least one to two thousand of them venomous. If he had to rely on himself alone, using spiritual power to control them, one bite would spell his doom.


    He had to create chaos to fish in troubled waters and seize his opportunities from the fire.


    With this in mind, Suming didn''t hesitate to release all his spiritual power, pouring it all into the python!


    If it had been earlier when the python was attacking with high fighting spirit, Suming might not have been able to control it instantaneously, but now the python was prepared to retreat. It was like an army being forced to withdraw due to insufficient strength; even without having suffered a fatal blow, their morale was definitely affected.


    That was precisely the state of the python, somewhat disheartened. So when Suming''s overwhelming spiritual power came flooding in, it was immediately controlled by Suming without any prior indication.


    "Brother, charge for me!" Suming roared inwardly, shouting out a line like a reactionary officer might, andmanded the python to barrel into the mass of snakes!


    This really stirred up the ho''s nest!


    With a few thousand snakes gathered within just tens of square meters, the density was, needless to say, akin to snakes piled thick upon one another, reminiscent of a mass of writhing maggots¡ªthose who have used squat toilets before would likely have witnessed such a scene...


    Suming himself had seen it as a child, not only seen but also thrown stones at it. Sometimes when he was bored squatting, he would even light a piece of paper on fire and drop it in...


    The current situation was much like that, the big snake, like a stirring stick, recklessly stormed into the throng of snakes, its long and strong body wildly thrashing and colliding without any order in the surrounding mass of snakes.


    The python had already been ready to pull back, and the surrounding snakes had also rxed their guard, preparing to leave. But then, the python suddenlyunched a surprise attack. The snakes were caught off guard in an instant, water sshed all over the wend, and amidst the fric dashing of golden snakes, smaller snakes were sent flying in clumps by the body and tail of the python, whilerger ones were thrown intoplete disarray!


    ```


    In this instant, the overlord python unleashed its might, using its size advantage and the element of surprise topletely dominate the battle.


    "Huff... huff..."


    Suming was quite happy to see this turn of events, but his second senior brother made disgruntled snuffling noises, seemingly very displeased with the overlord python stealing the limelight.


    "Hmm? Don''t tell me you''ve suffered at its hands before?" Suming couldn''t help but nce at his second senior brother, thinking to himself what a coward you are, unable to even defeat a juvenile overlord python.


    There, the overlord python had the upper hand, but it was only for a moment, as the situation quickly reversed again!


    If it truly could rely on its size to take on thousands, it wouldn''t have needed Suming making mischief from the sidelines earlier; it would have chosen to charge instead of retreat.


    After suffering minor setbacks, the various snakes around quickly regrouped and swarmed the overlord python. In the blink of an eye, countless small snakes enveloped the python, making it look swollen as it became sluggish in movement.


    Some of the rtively fearsome venomous snakes coiled around the overlord python and fiercely bit down with their gaping mouths.


    Suming hurriedly withdrew his spiritual power.


    On one hand, the overlord python was now deep within enemy ranks, with no escape and no way out; the only path to survival was a bloody battle, so there was no longer a need for mind control; second, in terms ofbat skill, Suming was definitely inferior to the overlord python itself. Continued control with spiritual power would not only fail to help but could also create chaos, so it was better to let the overlord python fight on its own.


    As expected, once the spiritual power was withdrawn, the overlord python managed to regain some ground, fiercely rolling its body in the wends, its lengthy body striking wildly in all directions.


    Continuously, small snakes were eaten or flung away, but even more rushed forward, only to be thrown again, and the cycle repeated...


    The most tragic were those aggressive venomous snakes. Some had the strength to pierce their fangs into the overlord python''s scales, but as the python rolled, they met with misfortune. Their thin fangs stuck in the scales, snapping off with crisp sounds.


    If human teeth were broken while alive, it would mostly be agonizingly painful; but it''s different for venomous snakes. With broken fangs, their survival was unlikely. Even if they didn''t die immediately, they wouldter starve to death because they couldn''t hunt without teeth... And they couldn''t just eat pur¨¦es or drink porridge.


    The overlord python was also at the height of frustration. Ever since it discovered those morel mushrooms, it had crawled out of the deep mountains and guarded them here for about seven or eight days. During this time, it had tried more than once to stealthily devour the morels alone, but every time it made a move, the other snakes would immediately attack it.


    No matter what, with its huge body and a bit of cunning, it could at least have retreated unscathed without getting the morels. But today, inexplicably, just as it was preparing to leave, "a heat of the moment" impulse emerged, as if it were a hot-blooded youth, prompting it to fight against this bunch of annoying small snakes.


    You should know, as a cold-blooded animal, the overlord python had never felt such an impulsive rush in its life!


    Not just it, but its parents, its grandparents, and its ancestors for eighteen generations, have never felt such an impulse in thousands of years!


    Little did it know, the impulse wasn''t its own, but rather the work of a troublemaker named Suming, dozens of meters downwind from it.


    Impulsiveness is the devil, and ites with a price!


    The battle raged on for a full twenty minutes, almost half an hour, and finally began to wind down gradually.

 Chapter 238 Giant Fungus (Fourth Update)

    Humans often curse each other by saying someone is "aszy as a dead snake." In the wend, that''s exactly what it looked like, dead and respired snakes of all shapes and sizes everywhere. Snakes, big and small,y limp and motionless.


    Suming used his spiritual power to probe around and discovered that the vast majority of the snakes had not suffered fatal injuries; even a small number of venomous snakes with broken fangs weren''t going to die anytime soon. It''s just that the snakes were originally supposed to be hibernating at this time; all their bodily functions were at a low ebb, and after this battle, they had almost run out of energy.


    The most tragic was actually the python king.


    This fellow made a big fuss, and there were several times when he nearly ran out of strength. Suming seized the opportunity, and with a wave of spiritual power, he healed its wounds and replenished its strength, or else it would have been brought down by the snake horde long ago, definitely unable to achieve the current results.


    With spiritual power as its support, the python king became like a perpetually moving machine, thoroughly clearing the field. Most of the poisonous snakes in the wend were too weak to fight again, and even within the entire wild pig''s home, there weren''t many snakes that could still pose a threat to Suming; but the python king was also seriously injured in the battle, and had been sustained by spiritual power all along. As soon as Suming withdrew the spiritual power, the python king immediately copsed, limp like a person who had been relying entirely on stimnts - as soon as the effects wore off, they went from superhero to super scared.


    Heaven have mercy, it was only a step away from that delicious patch of morels!


    Small wounds covered its entire body, various venomous teeth had exploded among the scales, and its five- or six-meter-long body had at least four or five hundred poison fangs stuck in it, with a few ces where even the scales were torn, revealing the pale red snake flesh beneath.


    "With a p of thunder, daddy makes a shining entrance!" Suming strode toward the wild pig''s home.


    Haidong Qing faced a ground full of food, having endured a whole night, and now finally it could feast to its heart''s content. With a p of its wings, whoosh, it dashed over and pecked viciously at a half-dead silver ring snake.


    Suming greeted Haidong Qing and chose to start with the snakes that were almost dead. The living ones might still be useful to himter.


    "Huff... roar roar roar..." The wild pig''s enthusiasm was in no way inferior to Haidong Qing''s, spreading its hooves and roaring as it charged forward.


    This group of creatures was also quite miserable. They were originally living herefortably, drinking from mountain springs, eating various herbs and Lingzhi, with arge patch of delicious morels about to mature, life as happy as that of immortals; however, misfortune came from the sky while they sat safely within their home, and such a good ce was seized by a swarm of snakes.


    If the territory had been seized by other animals, the wild pigs might have felt a bit better. After all, they are a bunch of heartless, rough creatures that don''t even care when their young are captured and cooked. But it was particrly irritating that it had to be snakes that took over their territory, considering that they were supposed to be the natural predators of snakes.


    Especially the second pig, who had lost a testicle, got red-eyed and rushed to a Large Red Chain Snake more than a meter long, striking fiercely with its tusks and ¨C whoosh ¨C punctured a huge hole in the Red Chain Snake''s belly.


    That Red Chain Snake was only as thick as a child''s wrist, and such arge hole nearly severed it in half, killing it instantly.


    The second pig was still not satisfied. It kept jabbing, jabbing, jabbing with its tusks, reducing the Red Chain Snake to a pile of mush. Then it turned around, sat down heavily on it, crushing it into a pile of mush, and finally, with a plop, it defecated arge pile on top of the remains, only then happily wagging its little tail.


    Poor second pig, full of resentment, finally avenged the deep-seated hatred for its lost testicle.


    "You wait for me by the water, and be careful of the snakes," Suming warned Su Meng, then rode on the Second Brother, carefully wading through the water towards the center of the wend.


    The water in that part of the wend wasn''t deep, just about thirty to forty centimeters, and ces were even shallower than ten centimeters. For the size of the second pig, it was no trouble at all, and it quickly reached the patch of morels.


    A vast expanse, with at least hundreds of sheep''s stomach mushrooms, tender yellow, made one involuntarily want to take a bite. Among them, one mushroom was about as big as half of a mineral water bottle, standing out like a crane among chickens.


    "This big?" Suming estimated that it probably weighed at least half a pound!


    The density of fungal nts is low, their volume is small, and their weight is light, especially sheep''s stomach mushrooms, which usually only weigh a few tens of grams. Two or three hundred grams would already be quite exaggerated. Suming had heard from Zhao Yun before, who, along with a professor, spent almost three million to buy ck truffles, known as the king of mushrooms, and it weighed just over two hundred grams.


    The sheep''s stomach mushroom before him, if taken to auction, would likely be extraordinarily valuable.


    Thinking this, Suming subconsciously wanted to bend over and touch therge sheep''s stomach mushroom.


    Just as he bent down, the snakes around, which had seemed half-dead, many of them struggled to raise their heads, fixing their gaze on Suming!


    The python that had seemed lifeless just now also strenuously raised its head and stuck out its forked tongue towards Suming in a threatening gesture. Likely because it was truly out of strength, that red, forked tongue only protruded a small section before the python could no longer hold itself up and copsed back into the puddle.


    If these snakes were human, they would certainly feel frustrated enough to cough up blood; they had guarded this spot for so long, fought life and death battles, almost losing their own lives, only for someone else to easily pick the fruits of victory.


    "This isn''t good of you."


    Suming crouched by the water, extended a finger towards the group of snakes and shook it, saying seriously, "As snakes, what''s the point of eating these sheep''s stomach mushrooms? They can''t actually increase vigor, right? What''s the point of kidney replenishment for you? At most, it''s just for the taste. But if I sell them, I can get you a lot of tastier, cheaper food. Even if I don''t take them, so many of you dividing up these few mushrooms, in the end, not even one snake will get a bite. In contrast, if I take them back to cultivate, when there''s a harvestter on, everyone will have some to eat..."@@novelbin@@


    Completely worn out, the snakes helplesslyy there listening to Suming''s brainwashing. Suming summarized earnestly, "So you see, everyone supports my work, lets me take these sheep''s stomach mushrooms, and I won''t let you down in the future. It''s a mutually beneficial good thing. As the saying goes, at home one relies on one''s parents, outside one relies on friends, right?"


    The snakes knew no such reasoning! It won''t be brainwashed by Suming so easily, and as their strength slowly returned, a few even assumed an attacking stance.


    Suming red, simply used his Soul Attachment Ability on those snakes that had the strongest intent to resist, then cheerfully took out some Haidong Qing powder, sniffed it under his nose.


    ...


    Using abination of soft and hard tactics, reasoning, stating facts, employing strategies, and finallymunicating through spiritual power, over a hundred snakes calmed down.


    Suming then used arge amount of spiritual power to help the python, which was quite seriously hurt. If not treated promptly, it might indeed not survive.


    Maybe it''s true that snakes have a sense of spirituality. While being helped by Suming with spiritual power, the python gradually dropped its hostility and even became willing to trymunicating with Suming. This was probably also due to its ''breed''; the nature of pythons isn''t very aggressive, they areparatively mild and can even be kept as pets.


    In addition to keeping over a hundred venomous snakes and the python, the vast majority of the other snakes were sent back by Suming to their original habitats once they regained some strength.


    So many snakes could perhaps ount for the total snake poption of several nearby mountains. If left in this ce, or all taken away, then in the short term, the ''snake'' link would be missing from the local ecosystem, which would cause not insignificant damage to the biological system. Perhaps the next year, a certain kind of animal would proliferate into a gue or even cause a pestilence in the nearby viges.

 Chapter 239 The Wild Boar Hero (Five Updates)

    With fewer snakes, Suming was more confident in using his spiritual power to make them obey. He didn''t have any tools on hand, so he couldn''t take all the morel mushrooms with him. Leaving these snakes behind would help him keep watch for the time being. Once he returned to Sun Town and had cell signal, he could make a call to the zoo, asking them to send a vehicle to collect both the snakes and the morels.


    The zoo was indeed short of a herpetarium, so much so that standard reptiles like the Chinese alligator and the Chinese giant smander had no choice but to masquerade as "aquatic creatures" and live in the aquarium, resulting in a rather disorganized disy. Those in the know said the zoo''s resources were limited; others who didn''t, thought the zoocked even basic professional knowledge, significantly downgrading its ss.


    With this batch of snakes, they might even be able to apply for funding to build a reptile house or establish an open-air snake park before undergoing reforms. These hundred plus snakes were not randomly chosen by Suming; instead, he had deliberately picked them. Some were rtively rare species, others were of a size muchrger than their peers, and some were highly venomous. In short, each and every one had its unique characteristics.


    Snakes are different from other wild animals; there''s actually an abundance of them in the wild, so there''s no necessity to release them. Wild snakes and those bred in zoos are really no different. Stay connected with empire


    "Big snake, there''s a saying among us humans, ''No fight, no acquaintance...''"


    Suming squatted in front of the king python, treating its wounds with spiritual power and talking to himself.


    After spending so much time dealing with animals, Su Meng, the guy, still couldn''t speak, so Suming had developed a habit of talking to himself. As he spoke, he felt his words were not quite appropriate¡ªit didn''t seem like a situation of ''no fight, no acquaintance''. So, with a chuckle, he turned to the king python and said, "Hey, thatst bit made me seem insincere. I''ll just be upfront. In this world, it pays to follow a good leader. Would you have any issue following me from now on?"


    Obviously, the king python couldn''t understand humannguage, but Sumingmunicated the message directly through spiritual power. This creature had lived alone in the wild from a young age, with nothing much to hold onto, so it didn''t matter where it lived its life. Moreover, due to the spiritual power and the healing of its wounds, it didn''t resist.


    Cold-blooded animals have this particr trait¡ªthey are neither particrly affectionate nor extremely hostile; they are indifferent to everything, belonging to the category of ''three-no animals'': not active, not rejecting, and not responsible.


    After treating the king python, Suming carefully dug out the biggest morel mushroom, roots and all, with arge clump of soil still clinging to it. Then, to be on the safe side, he scattered the rest of the cinnabar powder among the mushrooms to prevent any snakes from sumbing to temptation and stealthily eating them.


    One or two morels wouldn''t be an issue, but it would be troublesome if they destroyed the hard-won harmonious rtionships that had been established. It had taken several dozen snakes and quite a bit of bloodshed to build these rtionships¡ªthey had note about easily.


    Looking at the time on his phone, he saw it was already noon the next day, and Suming dared not dy any longer. If he didn''t return home soon, he couldn''t imagine how worried his family would be.


    "Piggy Two, Brother Second, stop your feasting and take us back first! The rest of you wild pigs, do whatever you want; just stop ravaging the human crops."


    ...


    As Suming had predicted, despite Mr. Song''s reassurances that nothing could have happened to Suming, Mrs. Su, having waited all night without her son''s return, finally became too restless to sit still. The next morning, as soon as Mr. Wu, the town leader, heard that Suming hadn''t returned, he didn''t hesitate to gather a dozen strong young men with experience in the mountains to search for Suming.


    The head of the armed forces, Mr. Chen, leading the team and carrying an old-fashioned firearm, said to the group of men in front of him with a booming voice, "I''m telling you, little Su is the most promising young man in our town. No matter what''s happened, you must find him for me, alive or dead..."@@novelbin@@


    Upon hearing this, Mr. Wu rolled his eyes internally, thinking to himself, ''Mr. Chen, at your age, can''t you think before you speak? He''s been missing for less than 24 hours; strictly speaking, even the police wouldn''t file a report on this. Why are you already talking about ''seeing a corpse''?


    Mrs. Su was anxious indeed, but she didn''t really think something terrible had happened to Suming. After all, her son had grown up in Sun Town and ventured into the mountains many times before. It was just one night that he hadn''te home, not several days of disappearance.


    The mountains nearby didn''t harbor any fierce wild animals, so it should still be safe. But as a mother, she was bound to worry. Thus, hearing Second Uncle bluntly talk about finding a body made her a bit angry, thinking to herself that he was cursing her Suming.


    Second Uncle meant well, although his words were inappropriate, his actions were decisive. In no time, he had assigned tasks to those heading out for the search.


    Just as the search party was about to set off into the mountains to find Suming, Mr. Chen suddenly ran over from afar, pointing toward the mountain behind them with an incredibly odd expression on his face, "Aba aba... ababa aba..." He was gesticting wildly as if he had seen a ghost.


    "Mr. Chen, don''t cause a fuss!" Mr. Wu waved him off, "We''re off to look for Suming. Whatever you need, it can wait until Suming returns."


    "Baba baba... aba..." Mr. Chen, bing increasingly agitated, tugged Mr. Wu''s sleeve and started running toward the outskirts of town. After a few steps, he realized his mistake and turned around to grab Mrs. Su''s sleeve.


    Second Uncle smacked him on the head, "Mr. Chen, are you looking for trouble?"


    "Aba..." Before Mr. Chen could exin anything, the town had already be bustling with excitement.


    Many people rushed out from their homes, pointing and gesturing toward the hillside not far from the outskirts of town.


    The town was situated at the base of the mountain, and in broad daylight, it was easy to see what was happening up on the slope.


    There was Suming and Su Meng, each riding a massive wild boar, thundering down from the mountain. While charging down, they were waving at them from afar and shouting loudly, "I''m back!"


    Everyone stood there dumbfounded, mouths agape, heads tilted up at a thirty-degree angle, staring straight at Suming and Su Meng as they descended the slope.


    It took a good long while, until Suming and the others had already reached the base of the mountain and the houses of the town had blocked the view so that they were no longer visible, that Second Uncle and the others came back to their senses.


    "My goodness, so thisd went into the mountains to catch wild boars?" Mr. Wu murmured to himself.


    Second Uncle stood stunned for a moment, then burst into heartyughter, giving Mrs. Su a thumbs-up, "Auntie, you sure didn''t raise your son in vain! Seeing the town in distress, he not only thought ofpensation for the vigers but also went into the mountain to take revenge for everyone!"


    As a mother, of course, she was delighted to see her son doing well, willing to hear others praise him. Mrs. Suughed a little embarrassedly and modestly said with a hint of pride, "These two reckless boys, they just don''t know any better. You can''t easily mess with wild boars. Their father in heaven must be watching over them."


    Mr. Chen was on the side, frantically waving his hands. This time, everyone understood. Mr. Chen''s hand motions were to say that Mrs. Su was wrong. After waving his hands, he jumped up and threw a hard punch into the air, simting a few hits. He then posed as if performing the Dragon Subduing Eighteen Palms from the TV drama The Legend of the Condor Heroes, and then he pretended to ride a horse, looking proud and content as he swayed on the spot.


    "Ha ha, Mr. Chen is saying that your sons Suming and Su Meng are just like Guo Jing, able to subdue dragons and tigers, true heroes indeed!" Auntie Two joined in the teasing from the side.

 Chapter 240 The Mute Riding a Pig

    Suming and Su Meng rode tworge wild boars down the mountain and then swaggered into Sun Town.


    From a distance, the two wild boars didn''t seem all that remarkable. But as they entered the town and came up close, their presence was quite shocking.


    The Second Senior Brother weighed six to seven hundred pounds, resembling a small ck mountain, with two tusks over half a foot long, a tuft of hair on its head as hard as steel needles, looking fierce; Pig Junior had a smaller head but was also a rare sight among wild boars. As the two pigs walked down the street, they immediately took up the not-so-wide road, sending people running in all directions.


    This was the first time in over a decade that wild boars had brazenly entered the vige, and the town immediately boiled over with excitement. The townspeople were curious yet a little scared, not daring to approach, standing far away and pointing, chattering nonstop in discussion. Your next journey awaits at empire


    Suming and Su Meng rode the two wild boars through most of Sun Town and stopped about ten meters away from the front door of the Su Family Small Building.


    The young adults who had been preparing to go into the mountains to look for Suming were like a group that had seen a ghost, all swooping into the Su Family home, peeking out from behind the door, clutching their hunting rifles, nervously watching Suming and the others, for fear that the two wild boars would go berserk and hurt someone.


    Mr. Wu, the town mayor, turned pale, and the Second Uncle took Mrs. Su by the arm and stepped back, asking, "Suming, what''s the situation with you two? How did you bring the wild boars back?"


    Mrs. Su, seeing Suming standing right next to the wild boar, feared for his safety and eximed, "What on earth is going on? Step back a bit, be careful you don''t get knocked over by the wild boar!"


    But Suming seemed unconcerned, and instead patted the Second Senior Brother''s head, smiling and saying, "Everyone, rx. These two wild boars are old and have human-like intelligence. I''ve already tamed them; they won''t hurt anyone."


    They had all seen with their own eyes how Suming and Su Meng rode the wild boars all the way back home. Although they had guessed as much, hearing Suming say it himself was still hard to believe. After all, these were tworge wild boars, almost impossible to fully tame even for domestic pigs, let alone naturally ferocious wild boars?


    But facts were more eloquent than speeches, and the scene before their eyes was the best proof. Suming patted the Second Senior Brother''s head, and not only did it not resist, but it actually shook its head and snorted in a coquettish way, pping its small ears, looking quite content.


    "Dad, Second Uncle, Auntie..."


    Gu Baoxian squeezed his way out from behind the crowd and suddenly said, "Su Ming works at the zoo, where he specializes in training animals. The animals there all listen to him, if he tells them to go east, they never go west. The TV station even featured a special report on it. Last time in Xiangjiang, there was a film star''s concert with many animals dancing alongside, all arranged by Su Ming..."


    While he spoke, he took out his phone, showing everyone a video clip. Jacky''s ''Legend of the Hungry Wolf'' yed. Mr. Wu and the Second Uncle leaned over to watch the small phone screen where a pack of wolves on stage could be seen moving in rhythm, performing various actions. The Second Uncle and Mr. Wu, seasoned mountain folk, recognized at a nce that in the video, these were real wolves, not dogs.


    "Huh? You can go online?" Suming was actually taken aback.


    Gu Baoxian scratched his head sheepishly, "It''s not online, I downloaded it to my phone at school. This video is really popr on the inte, and I just found out it was nned by Su Ming."


    Many of the young people nearby, hearing this, looked envious. Several who were fairly familiar with Suming called out from a distance, asking loudly, "Suming, do you know Jacky?"


    "Not only does he know him, Su Ming is good friends with Jacky. The television and newspapers reported it. Jacky even went to the zoo specifically to support Su Ming, and the deputy mayor was there too!" Gu Baojun said with pride.


    The two brothers were young and studied in the county town, they had more contact with the outside world than most. Especially in the field of entertainment news, they were more in the know than those people from the town who never left home, or those who worked away from the vige.


    People immediately began moring, asking Suming to help get Jacky''s autograph or the like.


    Upon seeing this video, the second elder and the others finally convinced themselves of Suming''s ability to train animals. Some of them pped their foreheads in realization, "Look at me, forgetting everything; Suming works at the zoo, of course he knows how to tame animals. Besides, his dad was in this trade, he must have passed down all his skills to him."


    The second elder guessed rightly and spared Suming the need to exin any further. Suming just chuckled, taking it as an admission.


    "Ah ba ah ba..." The first to bring the news, Mr. Chen, puffed out his chest as he walked up to Suming, pointing first at his nose, then at the wild boars, and finally at Suming, with a face full of pride. As if to say, "See, I didn''t lie to you, did I?"


    Suming had further ns for these two wild boars; he must dispel the townspeople''s fear of them, and this was the perfect opportunity.


    So, with augh, he patted Mr. Chen on the shoulder, "Mr. Chen, do you dare to ride a wild boar?"


    "Mr. Chen, ride one!"


    "Mr. Chen, don''t chicken out. You''re always the brave one, aren''t you?"


    "Ride one, and who knows, maybe some girl will fancy you for it. Mr. Chen, ride!"


    Although everyone now knew the wild boars were tamed, having tworge wild boars in front of them still made the people somewhat nervous because these animals could do some serious damage if they went berserk. It wouldn''t be hard for them to mow down a few people. Their goading of Mr. Chen to ride the wild boar was somewhat with the intention of having him ''trip the mine''¡ªif even Mr. Chen was safe on top, then it would prove the wild boars were indeedpletely tamed and posed no threat.


    Mr. Chen''s eyes rolled hesitantly; he did want to show off, but he was also afraid the wild boar wouldn''t "recognize" him and would go mad and hurt him.


    Suming gave Su Meng a look, and understanding the cue, Su Meng suddenly lifted Mr. Chen onto the back of the Second Brother boar and then with a smack on its rump, the Second Brother began trotting ahead, head low on its short legs.


    "Ah ba ah ba ba..." Mr. Chen got a huge fright and immediatelyy t on the back of the Second Brother, hugging him tightly for fear of being thrown off.@@novelbin@@


    They hadn''t gone far before Mr. Chen realized that therge boar beneath him had no intention of hurting or throwing him off, and was actually running quite steadily. His courage grew, his face brightened, and he sat up straight, waving energetically at the people on either side of him, calling out triumphantly "ah ba ba," his face beaming with the look of a general who had won a battle.


    Without having gone too far, Suming whistled from behind, and the boar turned around, carrying Mr. Chen back. Mr. Chen jumped down from the Second Brother''s back, his face flushed with excitement, and beamed proudly, pointing to his nose and showing off.


    Seeing that Mr. Chen was fine after riding, many bold and eager townspeople also wanted to ride. This was exactly what Suming intended. He sent twomands of spiritual power to the Second Brother and the Second Pig, instructing them to give the townspeople a bit of fun, and asked Su Meng to watch over them so nothing would go wrong. Then he went home.


    While the second elder stayed at the door to watch the excitement, Mr. Wu followed in, looking as though he had something to say to Suming.


    Mrs. Su got there first, "Please sit for a while, Mr. Mayor, I''m just taking Suming upstairs for a drink of water." Having said that, she gave Suming a look and pulled him upstairs.


    ...


    PS: Three more chapters in the morning, shall we have another three in the evening???

 Chapter 243 Hong Family Cuisine (Four Updates, Please Subscribe)

    Jiangjin City, Hong Cai Catering Services Co., Ltd.


    The "Mr. Hong," Hong Bo, who had negotiated with Mr. Wu for an investment attraction project, was now sitting behind the spacious desk in the general manager''s office, his educated and refined face ovee with weariness. He stared nkly at therge banner on the wall that read "Delicacies Passed Through Generations."


    That piece of calligraphy had been written personally by an old leader who had been friends with the Jiang Family since the founding of the cateringpany.


    Thanks to the good rtionship with that old leader at the time, and Hong Bo''s business tactics, the Hong Family Cuisine had been thriving in those years. The banner was treated like a treasured talisman, hung in the most conspicuous ce in the downstairs hall.


    Back then, Hong Bo was full of ambition, even considering opening franchised chain stores and aiming to take Hong Family Cuisine public within ten years.


    But unforeseen circumstances often arise. With the nationwide series of anti-corruption campaigns and the prohibition of using public funds for extravagant meals, high-end restaurants like Hong Family Cuisine, that catered to the luxury market, suffered a massive blow, and their business increasingly declined. When that old leader was ced under investigation for disciplinary vitions, Hong Family Cuisine became even less frequented. Previous regr contacts and customers who once frequented the ce, now all shunned it, not daring to patronize it any longer. The banner that read "Delicacies Passed Through Generations" had long been taken down from the hall and hung in Hong Bo''s own office instead.


    Hong Bo had thought several times about disposing of the banner, which might bring misfortune. Still, he couldn''t quite bear to do so. On one hand, Hong Bo was actually quite sentimental. Although the old leader had vited nationalws and regtions, he had a good personal rtionship with the Hong Family for several generations. Deep down, Hong Bo disliked the coldness that often followed hardships.


    But more importantly, every time he saw that banner, Hong Bo would be reminded of the glory of his ancestors.


    The words "Delicacies" didn''t need exnation. Although Hong Family Cuisine served high-end dishes that ordinary people couldn''t afford, the cooking skills warranted the exorbitant prices. The real significancey in the words "Passed Through Generations." Stay tuned to empire


    The earliest ancestor of the Hong Family, who hade from the Han Army Banner, once held the deputy position in the imperial tea and food service, bestowed with the sixth-rank official hat. His skills in preparing hilsa herring were unparalleled, earning him the nickname "King of Hilsa Herring," and he was renowned in his time.


    Over the next two hundred years, the Hong Family produced generation after generation of famous chefs. Almost every generation had someone who held an important position in the imperial tea and food bureau, giving rise to legendary figures like "Barbecue King," "Stir-Fry King," "Stewing King," and countless others. After more than a dozen generations, the Hong Family could be said to have mastered the cuisine of both the southern and northern parts of Huaxia, with all sorts of cooking techniques being top-notch.


    By the time of Hong Bo''s grandfather and father, dramatic changes had taken ce across thend of Huaxia. The prosperity of the Hong Family had waned, and the skills passed down by their ancestors had mostly been lost.


    It was not until the mid tote ''90s, when Hong Bo came of age, that the Hong Family''s fortunes began to improve slightly. It seemed that Hong Bo didn''t inherit the culinary talent of his ancestors, but he was a natural businessman. Within a few years, he transformed from a street-side stall owner at the very bottom of society into a rising star in the Jiangjin City catering industry, amassing a fortune worth millions.


    He would have never imagined that now he would be losing sleep over a mere two million yuan bank loan. If he didn''t repay the bank''s loan within half a year, his restaurant would be sealed and auctioned off to pay debts. He was thus forced into a desperate move, pretending to set up a pig farm in Sun Town to obtain a loan, robbing Peter to pay Paul.


    Hong Bo was not entirely deceiving Mr. Wu. In his n, if the restaurant could survive the difficult six-month period and show slight improvement, he wouldmit to running the wild boar farm seriously, expanding the scope of the Hong Family''s business to avoid putting all his eggs in one basket as before.


    The question was, even if he could obtain the bank loan, could he reallyst those six months?@@novelbin@@


    A bitter smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of Hong Bo''s mouth. Unless some miracle happened, given the current operating situation of the restaurant, it was nothing more than clinging to a feeble existence for a little while longer.


    ```


    But aside from that, he had no other options. Now he could only grit his teeth and tough it out. If he could drag it out for half a year, that was half a year, and who knows, maybe there would be a turnaround.


    "Ah, the wisdom of our ancestors rings true; gold and silver are external possessions, and no matter how much money one has, it can all be spent one day. Only the skills we learn and carry with us are truly solid," Hong Bo sighed.


    At that moment, someone pushed open the door to the office, and a girl dressed as a chef walked in.


    This girl was tall, likely over one meter seventy-five, in her twenties, with a pretty and delicate face. But her striking, arching eyebrows gave her usually gentle appearance a touch of spirited vigor.


    In the entirepany, the only person who could walk into Hong Bo''s office without knocking was his cherished only daughter, Hong Feifei.


    Hong Bo had no culinary talent, nor did he care much for cooking. However, his daughter, Hong Feifei, was theplete opposite. From a young age, she loved to cook, and by the age of eleven or twelve, she could manage a whole table of dishes, outshining many housewives. As she grew up, she demonstrated amazing culinary talent, and before she turned twenty-five, she became the head chef of Hong Family Cuisine. With her transcendent cooking skills, she earned the respect of all the top chefs from across the country who worked in thepany''s kitchen.


    After Hong Feifei entered, she casually took off her chef''s hat, letting her ck hair fall loosely, walked behind her father''s chair, and began to gently knead his shoulders, speaking softly, "Dad, you''re worrying about the loan again, aren''t you?"


    "Yeah, it''s true, you know how tough things are at home right now. Girl, I won''t hide it from you, we might have to brace ourselves for bankruptcy, I''ve let you down," Hong Bo said, his hand patting his daughter''s back.


    Yet Hong Feifei simply smiled faintly, "Dad, why speak of letting each other down between father and daughter? If ites to it, we can just go back to setting up a street stall like when I was a kid, right? With the family''s handed-down skills, could we really starve to death?"


    "I just don''t want you to suffer, my girl. At your age, which is like a flower''s, you should be enjoying life," Hong Bo said.


    Hong Feifei chuckled, "Dad, you don''t understand me. As long as I can cook and create delicious food, that''s the greatest enjoyment for me."


    "You always say pleasant things to put my mind at ease," Hong Bo turned his head to look at his daughter, managing a forced smile. "Let''s talk about something happier. How''s your personal situationtely? You''re not getting any younger, you should consider it seriously. As a woman, you''re eventually going to marry a man, aren''t you?"


    Upon hearing the words ''marry a man,'' Hong Feifei''s face clearly changed, but it wasn''t the bashfulness of a girl or the aversion of being pressured into marriage¡ªit was more of a startled panic.


    "Dad, can we not talk about this?" Hong Feifei''s expression turned a shade colder.


    Thinking of his daughter''s lifelong issues was a source of endless worry for Hong Bo, even more so than the bank loan, but he truly didn''t know what to say and could only sigh as usual, "Ah, you."


    Just then, the office phone rang. Hong Bo picked up and heard a familiar voice on the other end.


    "Hello? Oh, Mr. Wu, hello, hello... What? The farm project is off? Why! ... Oh... All right, I understand..."


    ```

 Chapter 245 The Wild Boars Happy Life (Part 6)

    Soon, Sun Town buzzed with two big pieces of news.


    The first was that the town government took the lead in recruiting eighty young and middle-aged workers. After the new year, some would go to Yangchuan City first; the rest would report directly to Suming''s liquor factory once it was built.


    At first, everyone reacted just like Mr. Wu, the town chief: no one had expected that Suming''s so-called "small business" would actually be three wholepanies!@@novelbin@@


    The sries offered by Suming were not high, averaging a little over two thousand yuan a month in hand. However, all three factories provided room and board and welfare benefits such as the five social insurances and one housing fund. Taken together, it was more than working in the county city for three or four thousand yuan a month, which, for any family in Sun Town, was no small sum.


    More importantly, Suming was a local, with his family also in the town. Working for hispany, one would basically not encounter the issue of unpaid wages.


    "However, let me be clear upfront!"


    Arge group of young people seeking to sign up had already gathered at the entrance of the town government office. Mr. Wu stood under the national g, megaphone in hand, shouting to the noisy crowd: "Suming has made it and hasn''t forgotten his hometown, willing to give Sun Town a helping hand. But if someone goes there and, relying on being thepany boss''s fellow viger, causes trouble and doesn''t abide by thepany''s rules, I, as the town chief, will be the first to bring him back!"


    "Don''t worry, chief. We will definitely work hard and not shame our town," someone in the crowd said.


    "That''s good! Those who are registering,e this way to fill out the forms, then take them to the county hospital for a physical examination."


    The second big piece of news was that the town nned to collectively invest in a wild boar breeding farm.


    The people of Sun Town were poor, and earning money was hard. The little savings in each household had a clear purpose: some for retirement, some for building houses, others for their son''s wedding preparations.


    Since the collective investment affected every family, the town elders and representatives from each family gathered at Sun Town''srge ancestral hall for a meeting. Sun Town was mainly popted by people with the surname Su, and as others had gradually moved into the town, thisrge ancestral hall had be the ce where everyone discussed matters.


    "If you ask me, this is a good opportunity. Instead of keeping your money idle, it''s better to put it to work so it earns more money for you, much better than storing it at home!" Mr. Su was the first to speak, his voice booming like a bell.


    When it came to money, one couldn''t help but be cautious. Someone chuckled and asked, "Mr. Su, you''ve never raised wild boars before, so how do you know for sure it will make money? What if they aren''t raised properly and can''t be sold?"


    This was a very practical question; nobody in the town had ever raised wild boars, so no one could guarantee it would definitely be profitable.


    On the side, Mrs. Su interjected, "If it was someone else talking about raising wild boars, I''d have to think it over. But since it''s Suming who''s saying it, I trust him. Alright, clerk, register this: my family will put in five thousand yuan."


    "That makes sense."


    Mr. Su nodded vigorously: "If you asked me how to raise wild boars, I wouldn''t have a clue. But I''ve lived a lifetime and if there''s one thing I''m sure of, it''s my ability to judge character. Think about it, this boy Suming made such arge fortune quietly. If it were any of you, could you do the same? Besides, during the New Year, he came back and solved so many of the town''s problems. Su Cheng, you''ve hunted your whole life, let me ask you, if you were asked to catch a few wild boars, could you do it?"


    A dark-faced man below chuckled sheepishly and shook his head.


    "Su Cheng, your son has been working in Yangchuan City for three years now, right? Could he run apany?" Mr. Su asked another question.


    Another man in his fifties, with a chubby face, also shook his head andughed, "My boy''s not up to it; he wouldn''t know how to manage even if he had the money."


    "Andst time, when Gu''s and two other families had their fields ruined by wild boars, would we have not just epted our bad luck in the past? Who could have thought that with just a few phone calls from Suming, the problem would be solved? This kind of insight, this capability, not to mention us in Sun Town, even those influential figures in the county can''t all achieve this, right?" Mr. Su asked.


    Hearing him speak, many in the crowd nodded in agreement. No matter how well something is said, it doesn''tpare to being well done. They had all seen with their own eyes what Suming had aplished since he returned.


    "That''s right! I''m putting in money, not because I know how to raise wild boars, but because I''m confident in this kid, Suming. I trust that the path he''s pointing us down won''t lead us astray!"


    Second Master waved his hand with a grandiose ir and said to the town ountant, "Write it down, I''m taking out my coffin savings, ten thousand yuan!"


    "Second Master, it''s hard to tell normally, but you''re quite wealthy!" Someone joked from below before adding, "Then I''ll put in three thousand!"


    "I''ll put in two thousand!"


    "I''ll put in four thousand!"


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    The number of people willing to contribute funds kept increasing, even Mr. Chen ran up to the clerk, gestured with two fingers, and put down two thousand yuan.


    By the end of the tally, the small Sun Town had actually raised a total of two hundred and five thousand yuan!


    Mrs. Su eventually stood up, holding a small box in her arms, and opened it in front of everyone.


    Inside were bright red hundred-yuan bills!


    "Although my Suming is thinking of the town when he proposed this wild boar raising n, it''s also because everyone respects him that they''ve contributed funds. Here is one hundred thousand yuan, the money my son gave me for my old age. I''m now investing it in this venture. If we make money in the future, we all share in the profits; if we lose, I''ll write off this hundred thousand and give it all to everyone!"


    ...


    The town was bustling with recruitment and fundraising, and the year was notably different than usual, filled with an air of hope for the future, giving everyone something to look forward to.


    Yet the instigator of this affair, Suming, was currently absent from this hustle and bustle, located on an empty plot ofnd outside the town.


    Purebred wild boars are a nationally protected species prohibited from trade. Thus, ''raising wild boars'' actually refers to the second generation wild boars, which are the crossbred offspring of purebred wild boars and domestic pigs.


    As for the meat quality of these second generation wild boars, apart from exogenous factors such as breeding methods, there is a most vital innate factor: the gic quality of the breeding pigs.


    Second Brother and Pig Number Two were rare adult purebred male wild boars, grown up in the mountains eating Lingzhi mushrooms and drinking spring water, making them ideal for breeding!


    Currently, before the eyes of Second Brother and Pig Number Two were six plump and white female domestic pigs, lined up in a row, sticking out their rear ends, swishing their short little tails, waiting for their favor.


    In the eyes of Second Brother and Pig Number Two, these domestic sows seemed like heavenly fairiespared to the tough and leathery wild sows they were used to in the mountains; their skin was white and smooth, theirrge pores alluringly open, their bellies jiggled invitinglyyer uponyer, and their pleasing grunts were so exciting it was almost unbearable.


    They had never dreamt they''d see such a fortunate day!


    Moreover, they had learned from Suming that this wasn''t just for today. Whenever they had the urge, they would have their way. Not only with the six sows before them but also potentially with many more in the future to satisfy their desires.


    For a wild boar to live such a life was to not have lived in vain!


    Of course, there were some disappointments, and at this moment, Pig Number Two was dearly missing its own ''egg''.

 Chapter 249 The Gibbon Wants to Break Out of Prison!

    ```


    Suming first went to the Wolf Pen and brought out Huiya. With the year over, Huiya had obviously gained weight, its mouth chubby with flesh, looking like those overfed pets that don''t exercise. Suming pinched the flesh on its cheeks and pulled them to the sides, which could be stretched into a fan shape.


    "You need to lose weight," Suming said with a somewhat disappointed tone, having spent half of thest year energetically turning this creature into a wild Grey Wolf, only for it to gain a ring of fat after one holiday season, almost turning into a little pig.


    He then went to the storage room and checked the various fruits bought for the Monkey King to make wine with, amounting to over a ton, all stored there.


    Suming didn''t know what kinds of fruits the Monkey King would need for winemaking, so he simply bought arge variety of what was avable, letting the Monkey King chooseter. Different fruitsbined would create different vors, maybe resulting in several types of wine with different tastes.


    He had just left the storage room and hadn''t walked far when his phone rang. Picking it up, he saw it was Hou from Monkey Mountain calling.


    "Hello, Hou, what''s up?"


    "Boss, something''s not right in the back mountain, can youe and take a look?" Suming was now in charge of all the animals in the park, meaning he was the direct superior of all the keepers from his job responsibility standpoint. On the other end of the call, Hou sounded nervous, and in the background, the cries of animals howling ''owk owk'' could be heard.


    "Is that the White-browed Gibbons crying over there? Why do they sound so miserable?" Suming recognized the ''owk owk'' sounds, the White-browed Gibbon area was right next to Monkey Mountain, also managed by Hou.


    "Yes, yes, yes,e quick, they are rebelling!" Hou''s voice changed in urgency.


    White-browed Gibbons rebelling? Suming was taken aback. What rebellion was this all about? Were these gibbons nning to overthrow humanity to rule over Yangchuan City Zoo and lock humans in cages?


    Hou was an experienced keeper, capable of handling the usual small incidents, but now even he sounded so stressed; it seemed the situation might indeed be tricky. Suming said he''d be right there, hung up the phone, gged down one of the zoo''s electric sightseeing cars, jumped into the passenger seat, and headed straight for Monkey Mountain.


    In thetter half ofst year, as Suming''s business boomed and the zoo saw an increase in visitors and economic benefits, Mr. Song decided to purchase five second-hand sightseeing cars for shuttling guests around the zoo. These open-air electric cars had four rows each and could seat up to twelve people, with a top speed of less than 40 kilometers per hour, perfect for a leisurely sightseeing experience around the park.


    "Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, itchy eggs..." The sound of children''s songs came from the loudspeakers of the sightseeing car, and colorful lights flickered on its roof, giving a festive and somewhat silly air to the ride.@@novelbin@@


    "Grey Wolf... Mom, look at the Grey Wolf..." A child passing by the sightseeing car pointed excitedly at Huiya, who was squatting in the back, and started shouting.


    They hadn''t gone far when Pleasant Goat''s song was overpowered by a barrage of primate screeches, howls of ''owk... owk...''ing from the direction of Monkey Mountain.


    "Mr. Su, do you think those gibbons are in heat? They''ve been howling continuously since Chinese New Year, and it''s gotten even worse in the past few days, never stopping from morning until night¡ªit''s enough to kill a person!" The security guard driving the car frowned as he spoke. The gibbons'' calls were quite piercing and once they started, they could be heard throughout much of the zoo. Plus, these animals were incredibly resilient, able to call for hours on end without needing a sip of water or a rest when they first arrived at the zoo.


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    Suming wasn''t sure what the issue was; the mating season for the gibbons was usually around May or June, so what were they doing getting all worked up in the dead of winter?


    The sightseeing car wound its way along the zoo''s narrow roads, and soon they arrived near Monkey Mountain, where from a distance, one could see a crowd of visitors gathered, pointing and talking about the mountain from afar.


    "Excuse me, excuse me!" Suming said as he led Huiya through the crowd.


    ```


    Hou had approached from a distance and, seeing Suming, let out a long sigh of relief, pulling him towards the opposite side of Monkey Mountain, "Mr. Su, you''re finally here, I was about to die of anxiety, take a look quickly!"


    Opposite Monkey Mountain, there was a huge rectangr iron cage, about a dozen meters long and over four meters high, with a few connected trees nted inside.


    This was the home of the White-browed Gibbon, which actually looked more like a smaller-sized gori with extremely long arms, no tail, and their most distinctive feature being their pair of snow-white eyebrows¡ªhence their name.


    The White-browed Gibbon is a ss-I national protected animal, with fewer than 500 remaining in the wild, making them one of the more ''precious'' animals in the zoo. Suming nced into the cage and immediately understood why Hou was so agitated.


    Inside the cage, several of the seven White-browed Gibbons were swinging their long arms on the branch closest to the outside of the cage, swinging their bodies as if on a swing, fiercely kicking against the iron cage with theirrge feet. Of course, the cage wasn''t something they could kick open, but with seven gibbons taking turns at it, the cage shook violently.


    If it was just kicking the cage that would be one thing, but tworger gibbons simply jumped onto the cage, using their heads to ram against it, baring their teeth and opening their mouths to bite the iron bars.


    "I heard things started getting weird before the New Year?" Suming asked.


    Hou anxiously responded, "Exactly, during the New Year, it was a bit better, they just called out and that''s it. These past two days, they''ve intensified their attacks on the cage!"


    Suming realized then that this wasn''t a rebellion, it was an escape attempt!


    The cages in the zoo were extremely sturdy. With only their sharp teeth andrge feet, these gibbons were doomed to fail. The problem was, at this rate, the gibbons could very well bash themselves to death!


    Decent, ss-I national protected animals were ramming themselves to death in Yangchuan City Zoo, right under the keepers'' noses? If this news were to get out, it could cause a huge uproar; the outside world would definitely think the zoo was mistreating its animals.


    Actually, these gibbons were treated much better than the monkeys on Monkey Mountain. Not only did they have fresh fruit, but they were also asionally given live sparrows and the like to eat.


    "Use the tranquilizer, if one dose won''t do it, give them two doses!" Suming said.


    "We tried that, it was useless, they went crazy again as soon as they woke up," Hou stated gloomily.


    With a light snap, one of the gibbons had broken half a tooth, its mouth full of blood, wailing in pain with an "owk..." and fell from the cage to the ground. But after rolling over a couple of times and getting back on its feet, it leapt onto the cage again, continuing to chew on the bars with its remaining half tooth.


    "Wow..." The scene was a bit gory, and a burst of exmations rose from the gathering crowd. A dad, seizing the teachable moment, educated his chubby son: "See? If you continue to steal sweets, your teeth will end up as brittle as the gibbon''s..."


    Suming''s eyelids twitched as he watched, wondering what grievances these gibbons had suffered, what level of distress to be so frenzied?


    Discreetly releasing a few strands of spiritual power, he made slightmunication with the gibbons, and to his astonishment, found that they held no grudge against the keeper Hou, nor were they dissatisfied with the tourists or their diet. Their anger was, astonishingly, all directed at the group of monkeys on nearby Monkey Mountain.

 Chapter 250 Why Must Monkeys Trouble Monkeys

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    Monkey Mountain was only separated from therge enclosure inhabited by the gibbons by a five or six-meter-wide circr path, making them genuine neighbors.


    Monkey Mountain was recessed into the ground, so from within the gibbons'' enclosure, one could easily take in the entire view of Monkey Mountain. Conversely, from Monkey Mountain, one could see into the gibbons'' cage just as well. It could be said that every move of one party was under the watchful eye of the other.


    Being primates themselves, the gibbons and the macaques of Monkey Mountain used to get along quite well and rarely fought. If the Monkey King was in a good mood, he would even throw some fruit towards the gibbons'' enclosure from a distance. Their nguages" must have been mutually intelligible, as they sometimes chattered and hooted at each other across the circr path, holding conversations that no one else could understand.


    At this moment, as the gibbons were going mad with their hooting and howling on this side, the monkeys of Monkey Mountain were exceptionally quiet, as if they were enjoying the spectacle. In groups of three or five, they sat in various ces atop Monkey Mountain, looking over here with their faces upturned, with some of the monkeys evenically gesturing at the gibbons.


    At the entrance to the Monkey King''s cave at the highest point of Monkey Mountain, the old Monkey King, Qinling Golden Monkey, along with Xiao Kong and his thin ''girlfriend'' that he had coaxed over, were sitting in a row looking over, asionally turning their heads to squeak and chatter, seemingly exchanging thoughts with each other.


    "Hoot hoot... hoot hoot... hoot hoot hoot..." Seeing theposed demeanor of the macaques, the gibbons grew even angrier. At the back of their cage, they swung their fists furiously at the Monkey King and his cohorts and desperately pounded the cage with both fists.


    Suddenly, the old Monkey King turned around, presenting his red buttocks to the gibbons and waggling his tail, as if taunting, ''Come on, if you dare, hit me.''


    "No wonder the macaques have offended the gibbons, making them so angry," Hou said, feeling quite frustrated.


    "You go to the medical clinic first and get the vet to stop the bleeding for that gibbon that broke its tooth. I''ve got this under control," Suming said. The gibbon he was referring to had its mouth full of blood and was still headbutting the iron cage, looking as terrifying as a zombie monkey from Resident Evil.


    He had long used his spiritual power to treat the injured gibbon; it wasn''t going to die, but they still needed a professional vet for the broken tooth.


    After sending Hou away, Suming slipped on a red armband onto his arm, picked up a loudspeaker, and started addressing the gathered onlookers: "Dear visitors, please go and enjoy other parts of the zoo for the time being, and don''t startle the gibbons."


    Many people in the crowd were filming with their phones, and someone asked in a loud voice, "Are you guys abusing the animals in your zoo?"


    Sure enough, before the gibbons were even dead, suspicion had begun to arise, and this was not a good sign. Suming used to like using the power of the media, but the media, especially public media, wasn''t 100% controlled by any one person or force.


    At times, public media were like flies, swarming wherever there was excrement. With so many cell phones recording, if they didn''t handle the gibbon situation well, it could easily attract public attention and dump the me right on the zoo''s doorstep.@@novelbin@@


    Now was the time to hold the restructuring research conference, and Mr. Song was in the city, arguing over every penny with city leaders for the future of the zoo, and they could not afford to let out anyments that were detrimental to the zoo.


    "Rest assured, everyone, Yangchuan City Zoo never abuses animals. On the contrary, every animal in the zoo receives the best of care. The gibbons are acting out because they are frightened, and that''s because... "


    Because of what? Suming didn''t know, and even if he did, he couldn''t just say it outright. Quick thinking, he turned the me back, saying sternly, "It''s because some visitors have behaved inappropriately..."


    Upon hearing this, many visitors subconsciously stepped back from the gibbon enclosure, as most people preferred not to court trouble, fearing that any mishap with the gibbons might fall on their shoulders.


    Suming quickly took the opportunity to release his spiritual power and made contact with all the gibbons.


    They meant only one thing: calm down first, any demands could be discussed.


    The gibbons, being primates, were naturally very smart, no less intelligent than the macaques, and having dealt with Suming more than once, they knew this young master wielded real power, unlike other zookeepers at Yangchuan City Zoo. After receiving Suming''s assurance, they indeed quickly regained theirposure, no longer seeking death or acting out. They hung from the tree branches, swinging back and forth, looking at Suming, waiting for the forting ''negotiation''.


    "See that!" Suming said, even more justified now, shouting to the visitors through the megaphone, "This time is forgiven, but if something simr happens again, the zoo will check the surveince to assign responsibility. There will be fines or police reports, no clemency! Okay, everybody, disperse for now."


    Action speaks louder than words; as soon as the visitors retreated, the gibbons stopped their outcry. The earliermotion was undoubtedly rted to the visitors. Thus, the crowd gradually dispersed.


    "Alright, now tell me, what exactly happened? How did the macaques offend you?"


    With his hands behind his back, Suming walked up to the gibbon enclosure and casually slipped a small piece of chocte through the bars.


    The gibbon closest to Suming swiftly reached out, snatched the chocte, and stuffed it into its mouth with gusto. While eating, it hopped down from the tree and danced around, gesticting: pointing towards Monkey Mountain at one moment and then in the direction of the mountains behind at another, followed by a few hopping gestures on the spot.


    "Hmm?... Eh... Oh, I see."


    After watching the gibbon''s gestures for a while, Suming finally understood why they were rioting!


    The me stilly with Suming himself, in the end.


    The Monkey King used to secretly escape the enclosure, climbing out of Monkey Mountain to go y and brew liquor. However, to avoid being detected by the keepers, the frequency of the escapes was low, and the duration of each was quite short.


    In recent times, since Suming needed the Monkey King to prepare for brewing, the Monkey King had to visit the back mountains often to ''scout the area.'' Therefore, Suming intentionally adjusted Hou''s shifts, allowing Hou to spend most of his time away from Monkey Mountain. As a result, both the number of escapes and the time spent out by the Monkey King surged dramatically.


    It wasn''t just the Monkey King who left either; Suming had also instructed the Monkey King to train a group of underlings to assist with the brewing in the future.


    Well now, starting from before the New Year''s celebrations, the gibbons next door had to watch helplessly each day as the macaques opposite swaggered out of Monkey Mountain and headed to the mountains behind to frolic freely. Especially during the New Year holidays, when Suming arranged the duty roster, he specifically gave Hou a long break,ing to the zoo only once every three days, so the macaques often went out for one or two days at a time.


    Originally, everyone was the same: the macaques were trapped on Monkey Mountain, and the gibbons were confined in cages, none having freedom. But now, their neighbors could leave and y openly, and of course, this caused imbnce in the gibbons'' hearts!


    Macaques are spirited and mischievous by nature, and they were quite naughty. The more discontent the gibbons became, the more the macaques provoked them: often jeering at the gibbons before they left; and upon return, they would unt fruits, small birds, and other goodies they found in the mountains, eating and drinking in front of the gibbons to show off.


    The gibbons tended to be more temperamental than the macaques, a lot like goris; how could they stand such provocation?


    If not dying in silence, then it was an outburst in silence; after putting up with it for half a month, the gibbons were practically going crazy with anger, finally choosing to erupt!


    "Oh, you want an equal share of the fun; you want to go out too," Suming nodded in understanding.

 Chapter 252 - Acrobatic Performance (Four Updates)

    ```


    Animal brewing differs from mechanical human processes, not just in terms of raw materials and technology, which are subjective factors, but also the location of brewing and the surrounding environment y a significant role.


    For example, using the same brewing materials and techniques, there would certainly be a taste difference between wine brewed next to a toilet pit and wine brewed beside an ancient spring of a thousand years...


    This had no scientific basis and was purely Suming''s own spection... He felt that wine was the essence of grains, and if it could be fermented in an auspicious location, perhaps it could even absorb some essence of the sun and moon or the spiritual energy of the earth and heavens.


    The ce the Monkey King had chosen was located on a mountain top about three to four hundred meters high, in the upper middle part of it. There weren''t many trees around, but those that were there were very thick, nearly all requiring two people to encircle them, and with canopies spreading like umbres, blocking most of the moonlight, while specks of light filtered through the gaps in the trees, forming patches of light of various sizes and shapes on the ground.


    Because the tree canopies were sorge, they would definitely block out most of the sunlight during the day, so apart from these big trees, there were only sparse flowers and grass on the ground, with few other nts, and just a thinyer of dead leaves.


    Not far away, there was a gently sloping yellow-rock face. In reality, it was a bare yellow stone slope, angled at around twenty to thirty degrees, about thirty to forty meters in length and over ten meters in width, and you could climb up it by bending over slightly.


    From a distance, Suming had already spotted this rock face, and from afar, the shape of the yellow stone slope was quite interesting, resembling a reclining beauty on the mountainside... Of course, in Suming''s eyes it looked like a beauty, but if a woman was looking, it could also be said to resemble a reclining Song Joong-ki or Eddie Peng on the mountainside...


    There was a constant trickling of water flowing down the yellow stone rock, eventually gathering into a very narrow stream, flowing down the mountain.


    The Monkey King indeed knew how to choose a location; there were two or threerge trees in the forest with hollowed-out cores due to their great age, with only a thickyer of bark wrapped around them, which was perfect for brewing wine.


    Once they arrived at the destination, the dogs bent their front legs, and the macaques and gibbons jumped down. There seemed to be some distance between the two groups, clearly divided into two lines, each taking turns to approach Suming and Su Meng to help them unzip the small backpacks they were carrying on their backs.


    Additionally, Suming had purposely brought along arge bottle of mineral water, not knowing if the Monkey King would find it useful. At the moment, it seemed the Monkey King didn''t need it.


    "Comrades, let''s hurry up. We''ll head back before dawn,"


    Suming waved to the primates, leaving the next steps up to them. He would simply y the role of a clerk, recording their ingredients and brewing methods¡ªthat said, after discussing with Zhao Yun, Suming thought it wasn''t necessary to record how the monkeys brewed the wine. The monkeys had their own secrets, and some methods couldn''t be learned just by watching with the naked eye.


    Besides, the distillery was aimed at the general public, not some high-end auction style, nor did it need authentic Monkey Wine. After it opened, they would just have a few monkeys pretend to brew wine for show. The current brewing was mainly for Suming himself to drink, to increase his spiritual power.


    Brewing wine wasn''t an overnight task; it required a period of fermentation. Today, they would just put the fruits into the tree hollows and let the monkeys meddle with them until nearly dawn. They woulde back in a few days to check.


    The dogs, having no tasks at the moment, scattered around to y on their own, having run all night and likely feeling a bit thirsty, they went to lick the water flowing down the nearby yellow-rock face.


    Suming turned on his phone''s night camera feature and followed the troop of monkeys to the big tree. He was quite curious, how exactly did these monkeys brew wine? Was it really just tossing a bunch of fruit into a tree hollow and waiting for it to ferment to call it done?


    Last time, the Monkey King worked alone and probably just used a simple mechanical method like Suming imagined. But this time, there were more monkeys, and the Monkey King seemed to have thought up some ''new tricks'' beforehand.


    Before the monkeys officially began brewing, Su Meng first took out arge folding filter board from his bag, which, when opened, was the size of a desktop. He shoved it into the old tree''s hollow and then propped up a few supports underneath, cing a bucket under it. cing the fruits on the filter board would ensure that the fermented wine would drip into the bucket, rather than seep into the mud on the ground.


    Afterpleting the preparations, the Monkey King swiftly climbed up a tree branch over two meters above ground with three sturdy male monkeys, lining up in position. They leaned forward, tails swinging like hooks, hanging from the branch and extending both arms towards the waiting monkeys below, and they chattered "squeak squeak squeak..."


    ```


    The monkeys below, as if onmand, took out various fruits from their bags and threw them up one by one.


    Question: If there are four monkeys in the tree and four on the ground, and you throw fruit at the monkeys in the tree, how many monkeys are left in the tree?


    The answer is still four monkeys.


    Just as a pear was about to hit the Monkey King''s head, with a flick of his arm, he caught the pear and then smashed it with force into the tree hole, where the pear burst with a st onto the filter board in the center; almost at the same time, the Monkey King''s other hand caught the second apple flying up and tossed it into the tree hole as well.


    "Impressive martial skills!" Suming was stunned, this was just like the legendary through-the-arm fist technique.


    The Monkey King repeated the process, ceaselessly catching and smashing the fruits into the tree hole, then catching more fruits; the other three adult macaques also imitated the Monkey King, throwing their arms around as if performing acrobatics, catching and smashing fruits, then catching more...


    Bang bang... st st... hiss hiss... Fruits flew chaotically, six arms danced wildly, and various sounds of the fruits and the tree trunk colliding echoed from the tree hole, as the fruits were smashed to a pulp, quickly piling up on the filter board.


    Experience new stories on empire


    At first, Suming thought that the monkey troop''s method of brewing wine was indeed very stimting to the senses and had great promotional potential; if turned into a promotional video in the future, it would surely be a hit!


    But from a practical standpoint, it seemed a bit like overkill, oveplicating the simple task of smashing the fruits into the tree hole. Why bother with all the hassle of passing through the hands of the Monkey King and the three male macaques as if performing acrobatics? They could just as easily throw them directly into the tree hole from the outside.


    However, as he observed, Suming realized it wasn''t as simple as he had imagined. The four monkeys in the tree had a method to their fruit throwing.


    The Monkey King''s hands moved the fastest and his actions were the most adept, working almost simultaneously with both hands. The other three male macaques were significantly slower, with the youngest one only managing to catch with one hand at a time before moving on to the next action after throwing.


    It seemed that this skill required training and cultivation; not every monkey could do it.


    There was also another more important point. The main ingredients for brewing wine were therger fruits like apples, peaches, and pears, while the smaller fruits like strawberries were less in quantity, with only one bag of them. If Suming was not mistaken, they probably served as some sort of ''voring additive.''


    Therge fruits were thrown and caught haphazardly, but the small fruits were only thrown to the Monkey King. The golden snub-nosed monkeys were mainly responsible for throwing the small fruits, sending them to the Monkey King at regr intervals every few seconds. It seemed that the timing of adding these small fruits was crucial, likely a key secret in making Monkey Wine. This technique was something only the Monkey King could master skillfully.


    "Oh, so it''s about dividingbor and focusing on the details," Suming gave a thumbs up, indeed very smart for primates close to humans.


    While the macaques toiled away at brewing, the gibbons were utterly rxed. Since Suming did not allow them to stray far, they had nothing to do, so they hung side by side on the branches of another old tree, swinging idly.


    Looking over in the dark of night, they resembled a row of hanging ghosts, quite spooky. It would be one thing if they were just hanging ghosts, but what made it more eerie was that they were small in size and carried backpacks, appearing like a group of schoolchildren ghosts.@@novelbin@@


    Especially the oldest gibbon, which had white hair on its face and pale blue skin on its arms, looked just like a white-haired zombie in the moonlight.


    "Shame lies not in not knowing something, the true shame is in not knowing and refusing to work hard!"


    Suming said helplessly to the gibbons, "Gentlemen, can''t you follow along and learn a bit?"

 Chapter 253 Please Resort to Reverse Psychology

    Cbash Brothers, Cbash Brothers, on a single vine blossom seven flowers, Ultimately, seven monkeys were made... Seven White-browed Gibbons swaying on the trees, Suming turned into an old man with a white beard, earnestly instructing them, hoping that they too could learn some wine brewing techniques.


    Truth be told, Suming did not expect them to learn how to brew wine.


    There was talk of Monkey Wine, but it seemed there was never any White-browed Gibbon Wine. Though White-browed Gibbons and regr macaques are both primates, they are after all different species. Suming felt they were closer to orangutans; if they could brew wine, then orangutans might as well make ''Orangutan Wine''.


    However, if the White-browed Gibbons learned a few tricks and could imitate the macaques in brewing wine, they could potentially help with promoting the brewery in the future. That way, with both monkeys and gibbons, it wouldn''t raise suspicion; onlookers would just think they were trained animals from a zoo.


    Moreover, each White-browed Gibbon was carrying a bag of fruit on its back. They had had their fill of dinner and now couldn''t snack anymore, which would just go to waste otherwise.


    "Isn''t that right,e on, at least follow along and learn a couple of moves."


    Brewing wine is a technical task, and Suming didn''t know how, so he couldn''t use spiritual power to force them to brew. Besides, revolutionary work must rely on self-consciousness. If he forced them this time, what about next time? Surely he couldn''t always be watching over them.


    Despite Suming talking himself hoarse, the gibbons couldn''t care less. They pouted their thick lips, flipped their eyelids to the sky, and swayed even more vigorously on the trees. Some even deliberately made faces at Suming.


    "A bunch of bastards, I knew I shouldn''t have brought you out! Next time I won''t bring you out!" Suming pretended to threaten.@@novelbin@@


    The threat didn''t work either. Macaques are yful and clever by nature, while White-browed Gibbons'' temperament can be described as mischievous with a hint of defiance, like a bunch of rebellious teenagers who do the exact opposite of what they''re told, and if you push them too far, they explode.


    "Or what, you don''t want to brew wine, just sit there?" Suming tried a different tactic, thinking maybe if he told them not to do it, they might just insist on doing it.


    "Oook oook oook..." The seven gibbons vigorously nodded at Suming without hesitation.


    "Oh man..."


    Suming finally gave up on verbal persuasion, realizing that ideological education was futile.


    So, he projected a strand of spiritual power onto the Monkey King, employed the Soul Attachment Ability, and thought to himself that he would personally experience it first, learn the brewing techniques following the Monkey King, and then gradually attempt to teach the White-browed Gibbons. If it came to it, he would just have to learn whether they liked it or not, supervising during filming for promotional videos if necessary.


    Once the Soul Attachment Ability was activated, Suming felt a dizzying spell as the world spun around him. No wonder he felt dizzy, the Monkey King was hanging upside down on a tree and still swaying.


    A peach the size of a fist whooshed towards him as though it was a small cannonball. Just as it seemed about to hit him in the eye, Suming instinctively tilted his head back and cried out, "Oh my..." before he could finish, the Monkey King lightning-fast caught the peach and casually tossed it into a tree hollow.


    Experiencing it firsthand allowed Suming to better appreciate how quickly the Monkey King could act, all-seeing and all-hearing. Suming couldn''t help but praise, "Awesome! All of you guys are quite impressive too, Xiao Kong, you''ve grown much stronger recently..."


    He had not anticipated that, upon casuallyplimenting the macaques, the White-browed Gibbons would take offense!


    Four White-browed Gibbons jumped down from the trees, each grabbing fruit from the others'' backpacks and throwing it at the gibbons still hanging in the trees; those in the trees held on with one arm and imitated the macaques in trying to catch the fruit.


    "Oh! I get it now!" Suming was momentarily stunned but soon had an epiphany.


    These White-browed Gibbons had always had a chip on their shoulders against the macaques, feelingpetitive. After hearing him praise the macaques, they became disgruntled, wanting to prove that they were more impressive than the macaques!


    In ancient times, wise rulers were not afraid of internal conflict among their ministers; they even hoped for it within the court. As long as they could keep the repercussions of such rivalries within limits, it could motivate both sides to work harder and serve the court more diligently.


    Now, it was the same with the macaques and the White-browed Gibbons.


    "The gibbons aren''t bad either, keep it up!" Suming deliberately said.


    The gibbons grinned smugly at the macaques, and the macaques immediately started chattering louder and picking up the pace of their wine-making. Fruit flew everywhere in the air, turning the scene into a veritable fruit battlefield.


    "Good, turns out the macaques are even better!" Suming mused.


    "Ook ook... ook..." The gibbons'' fighting spirit surged, their anger levels skyrocketing!


    But honestly, the macaques were indeed much stronger. Although the gibbons were nimble, they were still novices and didn''t have an ''old expert'' like the Monkey King leading them. They often missed their target with the fruit, either tossing it into the woods or directly hitting the other gibbons on the head or stomach, prompting howls of pain; or the gibbons in the trees would fail to catch the thrown fruit, grasping at air and quickly bing disorganized.


    After a while, the petition'' resulted in most of the macaques'' fruitnding inside the hollow tree, while the gibbons'' fruit mostly rolled around on the ground, not making it into the hole.


    Not long after, the gibbons realized this and changed their strategy, all climbing onto branches and lining up in a row.


    "What are they nning now?" Suming watched curiously.


    He observed as they each moved to the mouth of the hollow, hooked their hind legs onto the bark around the opening, and hung upside down like golden hooks, emptying the fruit from their backpacks right into the hollow.


    Soon enough, the hollow was filled with quite a bit of fruit.


    Then, one by one, the gibbons hopped down from the tree and lined up ording to their size in front of the hollow.


    "Ook ook!" The gibbon at the front of the line suddenly pounded its fists fiercely into the pile of fruit in the hollow, sshing juice all around.


    After a good while of pounding, the first gibbon seemed tired, its long arms dragging by its sides as it staggered to the end of the line, and then the next gibbon in line hammered at the hollow in the same fashion...


    The gibbons'' arms were very strong, and it wasn''t long before arge portion of the fruit in the hollow was reduced to pulp.


    "So, that''s their n." Suming chuckled, finding it tough for the creatures who hade up with such a tactic.


    Since it was a matter of physicalbor, and the gibbons weren''t as strong as Su Meng who was idle anyway, he simply decided to join the queue in the gibbons'' team, ready to help hammer the fruit. Find your next read at empire


    Unexpectedly, when Su Meng approached, the gibbons persistently pushed him away, refusing to let him join in the work.


    "Quite temperamental, aren''t they? Alright then, if they don''t want help, let them do it themselves." Sumingughed from the sidelines.


    And so, the gibbons lined up in front of an old tree to smash fruit, while the macaques hung from another old tree catching them, both sides working fervently.


    Soon, all the brought fruit was processed, and the first stage of wine-making waspleted. Most of the fruit in the macaques'' hollow was smashed open; in the gibbons'' hollow, however, it was thoroughly mushed, like a pile of fruit puree.


    "Let''s get ready to go." Suming whistled, and a dozenrge dogs immediately came back from all directions.


    Huiya and the wolf dogs came running down from a steep slope of yellow stone, soaking wet and steaming.


    "What''s the matter, got boiled?" Suming blurted in surprise. In the middle of winter, why would they be steaming?

 Chapter 255 The Long-Eared Fox Imitation Show

    The Tyrant Python lived on the first floor of Whisperwind Pavilion. This guy was prettyzy; it had delegated the task of guarding the morel mushrooms to the alligator snapping turtle and would spend all day coiled on the ground motionless. asionally it would swim in theke outside, and sometimes Suming worried he would step on it whening and going at night.


    You couldn''t really me it, since it was supposed to be hibernating. The other snakes Suming brought back were still asleep in the big cages in the warehouse.


    As soon as Wang Hao walked in, he was nearly scared to death at the sight of the huge snake. The Tyrant Python''s head was positioned right between Wang Hao''s legs, looking up and bringing its head close to Wang Hao''s face, they locked eyes.


    Wang Hao''s face turned deathly pale, he was so frightened he couldn''t speak, and just sat on the ground, making "uh-uh" sounds in his throat.


    Suming pped the Tyrant Python on the head and red, saying, "Don''t scare him. You''re not Mrs. Bai, and he''s not Xu Xian. If you scare him to death, it''s me who''ll have to treat his fright."


    After being pped on the head by Suming, the Tyrant Python behaved itself andy down, moving its body to go sleep inside the room.


    Wang Hao was quite shaken, and it took him a while to recover. He tugged at the corner of his mouth and quipped, "So, this is really your pet? You could reach the heavens with this one!"


    "This is nothing. Snakes like these are quite docile. Over in India, people even keep pythons to look after children."


    Suming took the business license from him and checked it out. The legal person was himself, and the general manager was written as Wang Hao.


    The entertainmentpany currently had two major business areas, which were boat tours and fish riding. The total number of boats had increased to thirty, which was pretty much the limit for Shuijun Lake while it was stocked with fish, including one extra big fish discovered in the reservoir. Other than the shares Wang Hao originally held in the boat tour business, Suming took out another 10% of the total revenue as Wang Hao''s share as the general manager. Conservatively estimated, Wang Hao''s ie could reach five to six hundred thousand a year. He was in charge of the specific operations, relieving Suming of any concerns.


    Wang Hao was well-versed in these two business operations. He had, after all, established the boat tour business with Suming from scratch, so there was no need for Suming to offer any extra guidance. Hence, he introduced him to the zoo employees currently managing these business areas, greeting each of them in turn.


    Peng Xue, Mr. Peng''s ''heavenly beauty'' daughter, hadn''t returned to school after the New Year. With no sses during herst semester at university, she stayed at Taoyuan Fisheries Company as an ountant, while also handling the ounts for the entertainmentpany part-time.


    Suming had often heard Mr. Peng singing his daughter''s praises to the skies. After meeting her in person, Suming thought she deserved a score of seventy to eighty, pretty quiet and demure.


    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. While Suming was not impressed, Wang Hao took one look and was smitten. He pulled Suming aside and sheepishly asked, "I... if I ask her out, it wouldn''t vite anypany management rules, right?"


    "Of course not," Suming advised, "but her dad is my master, and she''s a decent girl. You''d better take it slow and not scare her off." He knew everyone involved; if Wang Hao were just ying around, there were plenty of women in the world for that, easily essible for a price. There was no need to take advantage of Mr. Peng''s daughter.


    But Wang Hao''s flushed face seemed pretty serious. Even as the chairman, Suming couldn''t possibly object, and he even hoped Wang Hao would settle down and start a family.


    So, instead of taking Wang Hao to get familiar with the business, it turned out to be Wang Hao taking Ms. Peng to get acquainted with the operations.


    Not wanting to be a third wheel, Suming discretely left, first checking on the Monkey Wine brewing, where some Hundred-Fruit Brew was already dripping. He sniffed it; it was still far from the actual Monkey Wine, at least another ten days to half a month to go.


    On his way back, he took a detour to the dog kennels on the hillside.


    Just as he reached the hillside, he saw Mr. Lin and Lin, squatted in front of a doghouse-like kennel, hands together as if praying, mumbling to themselves.


    Experience tales at empire


    Suming approached quietly, then heard Mr. Lin saying, "Fox Immortal, Fox Immortal, please heal my lumbar muscle strain soon, and help my wife''s hypoglycemia improve this year..."


    Meanwhile, Lin mumbled, "Bless me with a lottery win, no foul-outs in mahjong..."


    In front of them on the groundy a whole cooked chicken.


    Inside the kennel before them, a Broad-eared Fox was seated, its tall ears perked up, eyeing the plump cooked chicken, its whiskers quivering and saliva nearly dripping as it asionally licked its lips.


    "What are you guys doing!" Suming suddenly shouted from behind Mr. Lin and Lin.


    "Ah!" The uncle and nephew pair jumped in fright, turning to see Suming, Mr. Lin quickly stood up, "Oh, boss, it''s you. You should have called out; the path isn''t easy to walk, I would have sent Lin to fetch you."


    Lin quickly offered a small stool, wiping it with his sleeve and cing it at Suming''s feet, "Boss, please, have a seat."


    "What''s all this about?" Suming pointed at the cooked chicken on the ground.


    Mr. Lin and Little Lin were also quite the characters. It would have been one thing if they''d actually fed the foxes with the poached chicken, but they had covered the chicken with arge stic dome, like a disposable takeaway bowl, with the dome secured onto the bowl underneath. The fox could see the poached chicken through the clear dome, drooling with desire, but it just couldn''t open the clear cover to get to the chicken, so it could only look on with longing.


    "Heh heh heh, a chicken costs over twenty bucks, we wouldn''t really feed it to them. We were nning to keep it to apany our drinks," Mr. Lin chuckled, "Just leaving it here for the sake of appearance."


    "You two really aren''t sincere at all, are you? You can''t even give offerings and yet you expect the fox spirit to bless you with safety and wealth? Aren''t you just treating the fox spirit like a fool?" Sumingughed heartily. This uncle and nephew duo were treasures in their own right; it was his first time seeing anyone make a wish in such a manner. Luckily, the Broad-eared Fox didn''t have any ''magical powers'', or else their behavior would have surely brought them misfortune.


    But why on earth had they decided to worship the Broad-eared Fox?


    "Boss, you have no idea, these fox spirits really are sentient." Little Lin interjected from the side.


    "Tell me about it, what happened?" Suming grew curious.


    Up on the hillside, the dozens of kennels that were originally for the rescued dogs to live in were now mostly empty as the dogs'' wildness grew day by day and they usually spent their nights in the woods, rarely returning to the kennels. After the group of Broad-eared Foxes arrived, however, they ''took over'' the dog kennels, forming small groups of two or three and living inside.


    Unlike the dogs, the Broad-eared Foxes were particrly attached to their ''dens''. Before they left Chen Youliang''s tomb, they even deliberately went back home to move their belongings. Once settled in the kennels, they would spend half the day in their respective homes and even if they went out to y, they woulde back on time to sleep.@@novelbin@@


    So when it wasn''t early evening or dawn, the kennels were full of Broad-eared Foxes, often emitting howls as ifmunicating with each other.


    Already somewhat superstitious about the legends of the fox spirits, Mr. Lin and Little Lin, who had been caring for the foxes in this deste wilderness, felt a little uneasy. They couldn''t say from where, but somehow, they''d ended up acquiring a small wooden Buddha statue about half a meter tall and ced it next to the kennels, hoping to repel anything unclean that might be around.


    "Oh, and then? Weren''t you supposed to be worshipping the Buddha? How did it turn into worshipping the fox? "


    Only then did Suming notice that next to the kennels there really was a small Buddhist shrine. At first, he hadn''t paid it any attention, thinking it was just another kennel, but after Mr. Lin mentioned it, Suming realized that inside the shrine, there indeed was a statue of a bodhisattva with hands together in prayer and apassionate appearance, sitting on a lotus throne.


    "Look, boss," said Mr. Lin, as he put his hands together and bowed towards the Broad-eared Fox in front of him.


    The Broad-eared Fox, a second ago yearning for the poached chicken, sat down on the ground with its short hind legs crossed after being bowed to by Mr. Lin, and it pressed its front paws together, adopting a more serious expression.


    At first nce, it looked quite simr to the nearby bodhisattva statue, seven or eight points alike.


    Not only that, but Mr. Lin recited "Amit¨¡bha," and the fox followed with a high-pitched voice.


    If one listened carefully, one could discern that the Broad-eared Fox was actually imitating Mr. Lin''s speech!


    "Look, boss, isn''t that something? That''s why I''m saying, the fox spirits are indeed sentient. We give our respects from time to time; even if they don''t bless us, at least they wouldn''t harm us!" Mr. Lin said.


    Suming watched the Broad-eared Fox and the statue for a while and began to guess what was happening.


    It had nothing to do with sentience; this behavior was rted to the foxes'' natural instincts.


    Most foxes have the ability to imitate others. As mentioned before, wild foxes and weasels around the small temples, upon seeing the y bodhisattvas, often imitated the bodhisattvas'' poses. The bolder ones even dared to climb onto the offering tables, brazenly epting the incense and enjoying the offerings, which is how the tales of fox spirits like the Great Fox Spirit and Yellow Spirit originated.


    If he had to guess, Mr. Lin and Little Lin must have first worshipped the y bodhisattva, and the Broad-eared Fox, seeing them do it, imitated the pose of the bodhisattva.


    As for the sounds simr to Mr. Lin''s speech, that had to do with the foxes'' method of hunting. The foxes'' talent for imitation wasn''t limited to movements¡ªthey could also mimic sounds. Imitating human voices wasn''t really their strongest suit; foxes were best at imitating the calls of birds. They could mimic the mating calls of female birds to attract nearby males.


    Moreover, these Broad-eared Foxes had already dealt with Suming''s spiritual power and were far smarter than ordinary foxes, so it was no surprise that they yed the part of deities rather convincingly.


    What should have been a mere chuckle for Suming suddenly became serious when he thought about the offering of poached chicken, prompting him to ask Mr. Lin, "Now, how many of the Broad-eared Foxes can imitate humans?"


    "What? Imitate humans?" Mr. Lin was startled, unsure of Suming''s meaning.


    Suming then exined to Mr. Lin that the behavior of the Broad-eared Fox was simply an animal''s imitation of humans, not any sort of sentience.

 Chapter 256 Fox Home

    ```


    The fox issue served as a wake-up call for Suming. On the one hand, it could be seen as just a group of foxes mimicking human movements, amusing visitors with their antics. On the other hand, it bordered on feudal superstition, and as a zoo that promoted scientific knowledge, perpetuating feudal superstitions was absolutely forbidden.


    If it were just one or two foxes, it might not be so bad. But if all the foxes brought back could mimic, who knew what kind ofmotion it might cause when visitors saw them.


    Lin and Lin were somewhat superstitious, and if Suming didn''t rify things to them, they might truly take the Broad-eared Fox for a divine ''Fox Immortal'', and if they spread that notion to visitors, it would put him in a very passive position.


    "Leader, the more than one hundred foxes you brought back, they all have an essence, oh no, they can mimic humans!"


    Even though Suming had already told Lin about the fox mimicking human behavior, Lin still had his superstitions, gesturing towards the direction of the Chen Youliang Tomb Cluster and lowering his voice, he said, "Leader, I heard that an ancient emperor''s tomb was discovered in that direction. You''re well-read, analyze it for me, could these Fox Immortals havee from that tomb? Otherwise, why would they be so... erm, capable of mimicking?"


    Being well-read and feudal superstitions seem mutually exclusive, don''t they? Suming inwardly rolled his eyes, lowered his voice, and said with a serious expression, "Lin, you know about King Zhou, right?"


    "I do, King Zhou had a wife called Daji, terribly flirty!" Lin chimed in from the side.


    "Cough, cough, cough..." Clearly Lin missed the main point, Suming coughed twice, then asked, "Then do you know what Daji was?"


    "Who doesn''t know that? Daji was a seductive fox spirit who specially came to cause havoc to King Zhou''s realm." Lin hadn''t finished speaking when his face changed, "Leader, these foxes, they wouldn''t all be fox spirits, would they?"


    Despite their superstitious beliefs, Lin and Lin were no fools. There were countless people in the world worshipping Buddha and praying to deities, but that didn''t mean they all believed in the existence of gods and Buddhas. If one day, a real Buddha appeared before them, the first reaction of most people would definitely be: swindler.


    It''s like how many people are afraid of ghosts, but deep down they are very aware that there is no such thing as ghosts in the world.


    Although Lin and Lin worshipped the Broad-eared Fox, it was nothing more than a custom with a bit of spiritual reliance. However, to suggest that the hundred-plus Broad-eared Foxes were all fox spirits, Lin and Lin didn''t buy into it.


    "Of course not, in the bright daylight and the clear sky, there are no cow-heads or snake-gods! These foxes are certainly not fox spirits!"


    "But Daji was a fox spirit, with tens of thousands of years of cultivation!" Lin said.


    Tens of thousands of years of cultivation? Who told you that? You don''t even read carefully. If Daji had tens of thousands of years of cultivation, she could have pped Jiang Ziya to death with a single palm, and maybe even be sworn sisters with Nvwa. Would she then still be pped around by King Zhou and have her head chopped off by Jiang Ziya?


    However, now was not the time to discuss Daji''s cultivation. Suming slowly turned his head to look at Lin, then at Lin, keeping their anticipation high before he finally said, "It''s true that Daji was a fox spirit, do you know what kind of fox Daji was?"


    That question was a bit profound. Enjoy new stories from empire


    Asking if Daji was a fox, everyone knows. But if you ask where Daji lived, how old she was, her measurements, what color corset she liked to wear, not many people would know. Those are details that most people don''t bother about.


    "Daji was a Nine-tailed Fox, a creature from ancient Han mythology, originating from the ssic of Mountains and Seaspiled during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, whichter spread to Japan, Korea, and other Asian regions. The ssic of Mountains and Seas and the ''Nanshan ssic'' state: ''On Qingqiu Mountain, there is a beast, it looks like a fox but has nine tails...''"


    Suming cited ssics and exined a great deal, leaving Lin and Lin baffled before he steered the conversation to the key point, saying seriously, "The ancient legends about the fox spirits are mostly about the Nine-tailed Fox. The Nine-tailed Foxes from the ssic of Mountains and Seas, which you know, is basically a fantasy novel, mostly fictional. It also contains arge bird called Kunpeng, whose wings are said to span 90,000 li..."


    "That''splete nonsense. How big is Earth? If there were really such a huge bird, wouldn''t it have eaten the whole Earth?" Lin argued.


    "Exactly, it''s fiction. Our foxes are called Broad-eared Foxes, originally from abroad, with absolutely nothing to do with the Nine-tailed Fox, let alone possessing any essence of divinity. They are just rather cute and smart animals," Suming exined.


    "Oh..." Lin and Lin suddenly seemed to have an epiphany and turned to look at the Broad-eared Foxes.


    Suming didn''t bother to confirm if they really understood, but took the opportunity to insist, "Move that Buddha statue away, and if any visitors see the Broad-eared Foxes performing human actions or mimicking human speech, make sure to exin it clearly to them. Definitely don''t let this turn into a feudal superstitious event, transforming this ce into a Wong Tai Sin Temple."


    Thinking it over, he still felt a bit uneasy. If they were mistaken for adherents to feudal superstitions, it would be too troublesome. They had to be thoroughly preventative, so he went directly to Mingqing Residence, and together with Mr. Peng, they did woodworking for several days at the back of Mingqing Residence. They also hired a construction team to renovate the surroundings of the foxes'' dwelling.


    ...


    That day, the zoo operated as usual. However, some attentive visitors noticed that there were new signposts at every corner in the zoo, each with arge arrow pointing in the direction of the hills behind.


    ```


    "Fox Home, proceed in this direction!"


    A family of three walked out of the aquarium, having just watched the giant smanders, Yangtze alligators, and the finless porpoise family. The man held his wife with one hand and led his chubby son with the other.


    "Mom, Mom, I want to go boating and ride on the fish!" The plump son was wearing a Yangtze alligator hat souvenir he had bought at the aquarium entrance, and a rubber alligator tail was tied around his waist, making him look like a fat alligator turned human.


    The man frowned in boredom, "Every time wee here you want to go boating. In just these six months, between boating and zoo admission fees, we''ve spent several thousand. Aren''t you tired of it?"


    "But those cats are really fun, and I heard they''ve had kittens..." The wife said in a coquettish manner, linking arms with her husband.


    If there were someone with a good memory here, they''d surely recall that this family of three was the very first to patronize Suming''s fortune cat boating business. That day they spent several hundred yuan ying with the cats before even boarding the boat.


    The man had recently been feeling a little depressed.


    They all liked animals and used toe to the zoo often. In the past six months, the zoo hadunched several paid attractions and had continuously introduced new rare animal species, making their visits even more frequent. Every time they visited, they would spend money ying around before leaving.


    During the New Year when the family tallied up the year''s expenses, they were shocked to find that in just thetter half of the year, they spent nearly four thousand yuan on zoo trips, nearly every weekend, which was almost equivalent to one month of his sry.


    "Why are you so stingy? Didn''t you get a year-end bonus of twenty thousand during the New Year..." The wife grumbled in a spoiled tone. These days, doesn''t everything cost money when a family goes out to have fun? Not to mention something as simple as watching a movie or having a meal, which can cost several hundred. Spending a whole day at the zoo, getting close to nature, engaging in parent-child activities, and fostering a child''spassion is definitely worth the money.


    She made it sound so reasonable that her husband couldn''te up with a rebuttal. His gaze shifted andnded on a sign not far off.


    "Hey, wife, how about we go see the foxes!"


    "Fox Home?" Following her husband''s gaze to the sign, the wife also noticed it and wondered, "Isn''t there already a fox enclosure next to the Wolf Pen? Where did this Fox Home pop up from, behind the hill? Could the sign be pointing in the wrong direction?"


    Without further ado, the husband started walking in the direction indicated by the signage, leading his wife and son. "It''s not like we lose a piece of meat by taking a look." While walking, he thought cheerily to himself that seeing the foxes couldn''t possibly cost much...


    "Fox Home" wasn''t too far from the park. Originally, this area was allocated to the zoo for monitoring rescued stray cats and dogs. To facilitate adoptions and care, it was located right next to Shuijun Lake in the zoo and was the same mountain that Baldy once visited to steal fish. You could directly reach it by boating on Shuijun Lake or by exiting the back door of the zoo, crossing a road, and then walking along a mountain path for over a hundred meters.


    Many of the visitors who saw the signpost were curious, so they followed the indicated direction up the mountain path to this ce. Along the halfway mark on the mountain trail, they often spotted several fit pet dogs darting through the surrounding woods.


    About halfway up the slope, there was arge screen with the words "Fox Home" written on it. The area was enclosed with knee-high fencing, forming arge circle and looking like a quaint little farmstead, albeit one that was smaller than where humans lived.@@novelbin@@


    "Could there really be many foxes living here?" asked a visitor, looking around; this ce didn''t seem like it held animals at all, instead resembling a rural countryside.


    "Comrades and friends, esteemed visitors!"


    Mr. Lin whipped out a megaphone from behind like a magician and announced in slightly awkward Changping County Mandarin, "This is the zoo''s Fox Home, home to a group of foreign foxes that are cute-looking and very intelligent..."


    Foreign foxes? The crowd was momentarily taken aback.


    Following Mr. Lin and Little Lin around the screen, the visitors finally saw several dozen tiny ''houses'', and within those, the foxes made their abode.


    Upon closer inspection of theyout of these small chambers, the visitors finally understood why this ce was called Fox Home; it wasn''t just a name coined haphazardly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Separator ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Due to certain special reasons that you know of, the fox plot has been extensively modified. It might seem weird, but it won''t affect the main storyline~~


    The title cannot be changed temporarily; it will be updated within the next two or three days.

 Chapter 257 The Future of Taoyuan

    ```Turning past therge stone screen carved with "Fox Home," Suming now understood why this ce was called "Fox Home" as he arrived at the fenced hillside.


    In front of him were dozens of wooden houses, about half a person tall, lined up much like a human residential area. However, each house was a standalone "vi" with its own courtyard, appearing like a group of vis standing tall among the mountains from a distance.


    The owners of these miniature houses were foxes.


    The vis had no doors and were semi-open, allowing one to easily see inside; each vi housed foxes, some with just one or two and others with five or six. Suming had allocated these homes to the little guys based on family units. Those with more family members hadrger vis, while those with fewer had smaller ones. The bachelors actually had the best deal because they had the most space per capita...


    At a nce, these foxes were different from those seen in zoos. Their bodies were much smaller, but their ears were big and long, like two giant fans perched on either side of their heads, as if they had stepped out of a cartoon.


    These foxes seemed not to be afraid of humans at all. In the face of arge group of tourists, the Broad-eared Foxes showed no signs of rm. They neither bared their teeth in a defensive posture nor scattered in fear. On the contrary, it was as if they didn''t notice the tourists at all, continuing to do whatever they were doing, whether sleeping or ying in their vis...


    Looking around, there were at least a hundred foxes with long,rge ears that looked quite cute, and they formed a tiny vige, grouped by family.


    "Eh? What''s that on these foxes?" A girl suddenly pointed at a vi not far from her, as if she had discovered something very interesting.


    Following the direction of her finger, one could see four Broad-eared Foxes in a vi near the edge; two of them wererger and the other two were young, their fur not yet fully grown, covered in a denseyer of fine fluff, a family of four.


    The tworger Broad-eared Foxes were actually wearing small clothes. The designs were very simple: one in an ancient men''s robe and the other in a short cheongsam. The two adult Broad-eared Foxes, dressed in these clothes, looked like a couple from the Republic of China era. If the one in the men''s attire had put on a pair of sses, they would have looked even more lifelike.


    The two young foxes, the older one wore a simple jacket that looked, upon closer inspection, to be a school uniform, and the youngest Broad-eared Fox wore nothing but a red belly band...


    The belly band even had a big "Fu" character on it.


    "Over there too..."


    "This family is dressed up as well..."


    Surprised exmations continued to rise, as they realized that all the Broad-eared Foxes living in Fox Home were dressed in human clothes. To prevent difort for the little animals, the clothes were made very simply, often just a single piece of cloth, but it was still apparent that there were different styles.


    Mostmonly seen were outfits resembling those of farmers; the vis'' thatch-covered roofs, under the eaves at the entrance, hung rows of small, dried salted meats, little corn cobs, and small red chili peppers. The courtyards even thoughtfully contained several mini-sized hoes...


    It wouldn''t be surprising if they kept chickens in the yard, but if they did, the chickens probably wouldn''t survive. Imagine a fox farmer raising a flock of chicks, only to have them disappear the next day, and then they raise another flock, which again disappears on the third day... What a cold joke...


    There were also a few ''fox'' families dressed as schrs, with small bookshelves carved into the walls of their vis, which were filled with carved books...@@novelbin@@


    This ce was truly a small vige. There was an ancient well at the vige entrance with water so that any Broad-eared Fox coulde and drink when thirsty; at the eastern end of the vige, there were two houses that looked rather shabby, inhabited by only a single bachelor fox. The house opposite had its yard gate tightly locked as if fearful of someone breaking in, as it housed a fox widow...


    Behind the vige was a small Land Temple, and at the vige''s main entrance stood a house half a meter tall, uninhabited by foxes, and adorned with a pair of small ques: Fox Ancient Town, Agricultural Books Passed Down Through Generations... it turned out to be Lake Vige''s ancestral hall.


    If it weren''t for the fact the inhabitants were foxes, this ce wouldpletely look like a secluded small vige tucked away from the world.


    It was the Broad-eared Foxes'' ''reminder'' to Suming, for Broad-eared Foxes live in tropical areas, mostly deserts, and are quite susceptible to cold. Even when theyter lived in ancient tombs, they huddled together in airtight underground chambers, maintaining a constant temperature.


    However, the zoo''s back mountain was very cool, especially at night. Even during the hottest days of July and August, the breeze at night in the mountains was chilling to the point where Mr. Lin would have to use a nket while on watch. The Broad-eared Foxes couldn''t bear it, so Suming simply found a tailor to make them some warm clothes.


    Later, an idea struck him, and he decided to turn this ce into a hidden haven called Taoyuan.


    ```


    The Fox Home has barely been developed, at less than one-tenth of its nned size. It''s merely in its infancy, resembling a small vige. Suming intends to clear some terraced fields on the surrounding hillsides in the future, nt flowers and trees, introduce a stream, and turn this ce into a true Shangri-La.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, please be careful not to step on the foxes, or damage any structures in the Fox Home..." Mr. Lin shouted through the megaphone.


    Visitors chuckled and cooed as they watched the foxes from beyond the fence of the ''small vige.'' Before long, some of them crossed the short fence and walked on the paths inside Fox Home, squatting at the doorstep of the small vis to y with the Broad-eared Foxes who lived inside.


    Broad-eared Foxes are not aggressive and are fed well daily, so they don''t have any issues being close to humans. But the entire vige was built on a true-to-life reduced scale, so what were spacious roads andrge rooms for the foxes appeared to the humans like oversized toys. Lin and Xiao Lin''s responsibility was to keep an eye out so that the tourists didn''t inadvertently damage any public property.


    Less than half a day after Fox Home opened, batches of visitors arrived one after another. Many heard about it through social media and friends, and purposely took advantage of their lunch breaks to visit. The scene was bustling, yet orderly. Without Mr. Lin and Xiao Lin having to remind them, the tourists tread lightly for fear of harming these cute little creatures or ruining their ''homes.''


    However, in the afternoon, Mr. Lin noticed that a few tourists were acting strangely.


    It''s always what you''re afraid of that happens. Explore more at empire


    Foxes, due to their graceful figures and cunning looks, have maintained a unique position in Huaxia''s folklore for thousands of years. Names like deceptive fox, Huli Jing, and immortal have been ingrained in people''s hearts. The sight of foxes always brings to mind thoughts of the mysterious and the mystical, especially among the older generation.


    And these Broad-eared Foxes were particrly clever. Not only were they adorable, but they also seemed spirited. Unlike other animals, which have various instinctive reactions like fleeing or disying aggression when they see humans, these foxes seemed utterly indifferent. Theirposure alone was not something ordinary animals possessed. Furthermore, dressed in anthropomorphic clothing with lively eyes, they appeared almost capable ofmunicating with humans, giving off an impression of being ''spiritually awakened.''


    Like Mr. Lin and Xiao Lin in the beginning, the vast majority of people didn''t believe in the existence of demons or immortals, but when they saw the Broad-eared Foxes, some of the more superstitious visitors couldn''t help but think of the Fox Immortal.


    "


    A man adorned with arge gold watch, clearly a nouveau riche, squatted in front of the small Land Temple at the entrance to the vige, muttering, "Fox Immortal, please bless me with a fortune this year and make Zhang Daya across the street lose until he''s down to hisst pants..."


    An elderlydy with a face full of wrinkles was squatting in front of a small house, praying with her hands sped, whispering, "Fox Immortal, bless me to win more money in mahjong and keep my rheumatism at bay..."


    As luck would have it, some of the foxes in Fox Home, bored of staying indoors, were wandering around the vige. Two just happened to pass by and, seeing the olddy with sped hands, imitated the gesture perfectly. Their front paws pressed together, they bowed to the humans facing them...


    That attracted a crowd immediately. The olddy was dumbstruck, incessantly muttering, "The immortal has shown a sign, the immortal has shown a sign..."


    While repeating this, she kept bowing relentlessly toward the little foxes.


    Her exmations drew a crowd, each person gawking at the group of foxes exchanging bows with humans.


    Most of the people present didn''t believe in Buddhism or Taoism. If anything, nowadays more people believe in astrology than religion. To them, it seemed likely that the zoo trained these foxes using some special method.


    Even so, it was a rare spectacle. The number of spectators grew, and among them, a few superstitious folks started bowing to the foxes as well. Really, they were just seeking peace of mind; they didn''t truly believe these foxes had any ''magical powers.''


    The earlier rich man boldly stuffed a hundred yuan into the Land Temple''s donation box, saying, "Don''t just bow, give some donation. How else will the Fox Immortal bless you!"


    "Right, right, right..." The olddy fumbled for her purse.


    Seeing this, Mr. Lin felt he couldn''t stay seated any longer. He had to step forward and rify the situation. Suming was indeed prescient; Fox Home could have ended up fostering feudal superstition. While Mr. Lin was somewhat superstitious himself, having run a rescue station for so long, he understood the gravity of the situation. It would be a different story for anyone to keep a few pet foxes and worship them at home, but a zoo is a public institution. If people started worshiping the Fox Immortal and offering money in a zoo, it would be apletely different issue.


    It was time to step in and take charge.

 Chapter 258 Science Popularization Lecture

    Lin saw that many people were worshipping the little foxes and even stuffing money into the small Land Temple, and he knew he had to step in and put a stop to it.


    The Broad-eared Fox was lively, adorable, and intelligent, no doubt, and the fox certainly had many mysterious legends among the people, that was also true. However, this ce was a zoo, a public welfare institution open to society, carrying out a variety of functions such as entertainment, spiritual and cultural construction, and science poprization. Ifrge-scale ''incense burning and Buddha worship'' activities, even those involving ''charitable donations,'' were to take ce in the zoo, what would that be? It would promote feudal superstition and have a very negative impact.


    It was just like ying mahjong or watching ****, a few old men and women ying small-stake mahjong in the courtyard was a form of leisure and entertainment, but if they set up a gambling den, fully equipped with mahjong tiles and with thousands of dors changing hands, that was gambling; if you''re discreetly watching adult movies with headphones on at home in the middle of the night, that''s your private life, nobody''s business, but if you were to broadcast it on arge screen in a public square, that would be illegal. Experience tales with empire


    Lin might not have been highly educated, but having worked at the rescue station for half his life and been somewhat involved in the system, frequently participating in various forms of study, he had a clear understanding ofws, regtions, andmon knowledge. He had the most basic awareness on issues of right and wrong; he understood the principle behind it.


    What surprised him somewhat was that Suming, despite his young age, was also keeping this issue tightly in mind. He even anticipated this scene might happen, gave a heads-up in advance, and assigned it as a key task,ing up with a strategy that ensured both civil and scientific engagement without pushing visitors away.


    Sense of awareness, ah, no wonder he could be a leader.


    While thinking, Lin took out severalrge wooden signs that had been prepared in advance and ced them at the entrance to the Fox Home. The signs bore a few eye-catching words: "Civilized Viewing, Healthy Visits."


    What''s meant by ''civilized and healthy'' inherently included the concept of ''scientific.'' Civilized people, civilized society, civilized behavior, not only refers to civilized manners but also to a civilized and healthy mindset, rejecting feudal superstitious activities.


    Of course, we couldn''t directly write ''No Worshipping the Fox Immortal'' on the sign; that would be counterproductive, drawing even more attention and possibly even sparking interest among people who hadn''t intended to take part in superstitious activities, having a negative effect.


    However, beneath therge words "Civilized Viewing, Healthy Visits," there were several lines of small print that provided a detailed introduction to the Broad-eared Fox''s habits, specifically pointing out the animal''s ability to mimic the behaviors and sounds of other animals.


    Seeing this sign was essentially telling everyone that the peculiar actions of the Broad-eared Fox were not some kind of ''spiritual power'' but the natural instinct of this animal.


    With severalrge signs in hand and a big hammer, Lin hammered the signs into ce around Fox Home, then, speaking through the loudspeaker, said, "Please make way¡­make way¡­" as he squeezed through the crowd.


    "Madam¡­sir¡­everyone¡­" Lin stood among the crowd and said loudly, "Please enjoy your visit in a civilized manner. The Broad-eared Foxes in the zoo are not any kind of Fox Immortal; they are just ordinary animals, and their only distinction is perhaps being rtively smart¡­ Also, to therade who just put in money, please take your money back. In the future, a small entrance fee will be charged for the Fox Home in order to maintain facilities and feed the foxes¡­"


    After Lin exined for a while, most of the surrounding people looked confused, as if they were looking at a big fool.


    This was obvious! Except for a very few individuals, nobody really thought these foxes were Fox Immortals; people were just here to see the excitement. Was there really a need toe out and exin that?


    That''s what the visitors thought, but Lin couldn''t afford to think that way. Even though most people didn''t take it seriously, if just a few individuals did, it was an indication that he hadn''t done his job well. If word got out, it could tarnish the reputation of the zoo.


    The tycoon from before grinned andughed, saying, "Oldrade, I won''t be taking my money back. Just consider it a donation, okay? These little foxes really are quite adorable; let it be used to buy them some nice food, drinks and clothes¡­"


    However, the woman who had been worshipping the Broad-eared Fox frowned and said uneasily, "Comrade, you shouldn''t speak like that. There''s an old saying that hedgehogs, foxes, and weasels have spiritual power, and you mustn''t offend them; otherwise, you''ll face retribution."


    Lin was speechless; he had heard this saying, but it had its own contextual background. Because weasels and foxes were cunning creatures, if you ''offended'' them, they might take it to heart, sneak into your house, and wreak havoc, like stealing a chicken or two.@@novelbin@@


    As for hedgehogs, they might look cute, but they were very stubborn. Once caught, they''d curl into a ball and surround themselves with spikes, tensed up as if they were angry. Hedgehogs also carried a lot of bacteria. People in the mountains would sometimes eat caught hedgehogs, and if they were unlucky, they''d catch a disease. In the days when medicine was not advanced, superstitious people thought it was because they had offended the hedgehog, suffer the hedgehog''s divine retribution.


    That''s why the old saying existed, suggesting that hedgehogs, foxes, and weasels were not to be offended, as they were considered immortals by the people.


    These pieces of knowledge¡­ it was Suming who told Lin¡­ Many young people only know about the "three great immortals: the porcupine, the fox, and the weasel," but they don''t know why these three animals are called the great immortals, especially the porcupine. Many people were suddenly enlightened, and Lin''s speech inadvertently yed a role in science poprization.


    "However, these foxes are indeed quite human-like, just like kittens and puppies. It''s fun to treat them as entertainment and y with them," Lin said as he suddenly made a scary face at a Broad-eared Fox which was looking up at him, puffing up its cheeks and bulging its eyes.


    The Broad-eared Fox was startled for a moment, then imitated Lin''s expression, puffing up its chubby cheeks with all its might and widening its eyes. With naturallyrge and round eyes, this action made its shiny ck eyes upy half of its face.


    With Lin''s interference, no one continued their ''feudal superstitious'' activities. However, many young people sat outside the doors of the various houses, yfully teasing the foxes with all sorts of funny gestures and faces.


    Yet there were still many kind-hearted young people with a sense of childlike innocence who silently wished upon the little foxes in their hearts. For example, "little fox, please heal my mother''s illness soon," or "please bless me to pass all my final exams¡­" It was a beautiful kind of wishful thinking, simr to wishing upon a shooting star or a birthday cake. As for this, Lin turned a blind eye; one couldn''t exactly call wishing upon stars superstitious.


    These young people chanted towards the small vis, and the Broad-eared Foxes inside seemed to understand, nodding their heads as they listened and muttering incessantly.


    Continuously, tourists seeing the ''Fox Home'' sign inside the wildlife park would head toward the back mountain one after another. Along the way to the back mountain, an endless stream of visitors descending discussed their recent experiences with excitement.


    Those tourists who had ''interacted'' with the foxes would, upon leaving, promptly inform their rtives and friends via phone calls or boast with pictures on Weibo and Moments, spreading the word from ten to a hundred, drawing ever more people by word of mouth.


    Throughout the day, the number of visitors to the back mountain remained at peak levels, unlike typical scenic spots with highs and lows. It was one peak after another, like waves in a massiveke, each wave surging higher than thest, continuously breaking previous visitor records. As time went on, prior visitors'' promotion gradually took effect, andter arrivals increased still more.


    Even after the wildlife park closed, a multitude of visitors still gathered outside the back mountain ''Fox Immortal Slope.'' There was no helping it, as this area was open-air and could be directly essed without going through the wildlife park, so it wasn''t affected by the wildlife park''s operating hours.


    The visitors were enthusiastic, but the little foxes couldn''t handle it.


    Even humans, who typically work an eight-hour shift, would feel exhausted after work. How much more so for animals?


    No matter how friendly or connected to spiritual power these fox immortals were, at their core, animal instincts still prevailed. Even a Husky, energetic as they are, couldn''t be active twenty-four hours a day. As tourists came and went in waves, many Broad-eared Foxes were so tired that their ears drooped, unable to sit up and looking utterly listless in their dens.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, visitors¡­"


    Lin''s Mandarin, thick with the ent of Changping County, once again emerged from the loudspeaker: "Today''s activities are over. From now on, we will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every week, with a three-hour break at noon¡­"


    With an overwhelming number of visitors and limited space in Fox Home, those wishing to get up close to the foxes had to queue. Many people had waited in line for hours, only to hear Lin announce the day''s end, inevitably leaving some displeased. The crowd lingered around the slope, reluctant to disperse.


    At that moment, a rustling sound came from the surrounding woods, and an animal about the size of a wolf dog slowly emerged from the forest. From a distance, it coldly eyed everyone.


    The tourists nearby initially thought it was a dog, but a few with sharp eyes realized immediately that it was a genuine, bona fide, unmistakable big! Grey! Wolf!


    "Oh my god, a wolf ising!" someone screamed.


    It''s said that wolves and weasels are kin, conniving together¡ªwolves being fierce, foxes cunning. However, faced with the cold, predatory gaze of the Grey Wolf that seemed ready to pounce at any moment, the visitors suddenly felt that the Broad-eared Foxes back in Fox Home were angelically adorable byparison.

 Chapter 260 Opening a Weibo Account (Fourth Update, Seeking Subscription)

    ```


    Lin reminded Suming to be aware of the importance of employee personal issues and family care; as a growingpany, the boss sometimes needs to take an interest in these matters. Apany with a human touch is often better at retaining staff and building a sense of unity.


    "I told you the boss could solve it! Remember, if you have any problems, go to the boss!" Lin pretended to be angry as he red at Lin, then grinned and said, "You''re giving the boss extra trouble, boss. If there''s any cost involved, I''ll cover it!"


    Suming rolled his eyes speechlessly, "I am the highest leader in thepany. If I agree, what more is there to spend money on?" He stood up, patted Lin on the shoulder, and said, "Just keep doing a good job here with your family, and that''s the best reward for me."


    ...


    How long does it take for news to spread across a medium-sized city with a poption of five or six million?


    In ancient times, it might have taken days or even a month. But nowadays, informationworks are so advanced that, as it turns out, it only took one day for almost the entire Yangchuan City to learn about the venerated foxes at the zoo.


    The first to spread the news, of course, was the inte.


    The Yangchuan forum is like the barometer of trends in Yangchuan City. Everyone in Yangchuan City who regrly uses the inte knows about this forum; Suming has also created buzz on this forum more than once in the past.


    In today''s world where nationwide forums BBS are fading, local forums like Yangchuan forum, with a strong regional vor, are surviving and thriving.


    Luckily, as long as the ''product quality'' is good, there will always be word of mouth.


    That very afternoon, someone posted about the divine foxes on the forum. A few hourster, the clicks andments went through the roof, cing it prominently on the forum''s homepage under ''Today''s Hot Topics''.


    "Believe it or not, I''m stunned!"


    The post was made by a member recounting their ''bizarre'' experience at the zoo that day.


    "I heard the zoo got a new Yangtze alligator, so I drove there early in the morning to see it. Aftering out of the aquarium... hold on, let me rant for a moment. Alligators are reptiles, so why are they in an aquarium?... Anyway, I saw a weird sign that said ''Fox Home,'' and then..."


    The rest of the member''s story was a bewildering journey filled with fantasy. Apanying the story were a dozen photos. In the images, little foxes wearing human clothes and sporting broad, eye-catching ears posed for the camera, making all kinds of expressions that only humans would¡ªpouting lips, scratching ears, putting hands together in a prayer gesture... as if they were living little beings.


    "Is this Yangchuan City Zoo? I go there often. Sure, there are a few red foxes, but I''ve never seen foxes like these. Are they even foxes? They look like a mix between rabbits and mice!"


    "Did you Photoshop these pics, OP?"


    "So many Ali, they look super cute! OP, tell the truth, where did you take these?"


    "You must not know, they''re called Broad-eared Foxes, a type of mini fox!"


    "I went too, the guy at the entrance even yed rock-paper-scissors with me! Hahahaha, it was hrious, this dummy only knows how to throw scissors..."


    "My mom said that foxes are very spiritual, but the zoo says no worshiping them..."


    "I secretly made a wish in my heart, hoping to seed in my love confession..."


    "I have a feeling, it seems like these little foxes can understand human speech..."


    "The most amazing thing is the Fox Home itself, it''s like a hidden, ancient, mysterious vige deep in the mountains, it made me think of Tao Yuanming right away..."


    By evening, several more posts about Fox Home popped up on the forum and were hotly discussed.


    Nowadays people generally have better living conditions, especially young people, who are quitepassionate. The Broad-eared Foxes, naturally adorable, became even more interesting once dressed in tiny clothes, mimicking human mannerisms.


    Of course, as per inte tradition, taking conversations off-topic is inevitable.


    So in some threads, the discussion veered from the Broad-eared Foxes themselves to the ''behind-the-scenes'' individuals responsible for them.


    Ament from a previousizen became ssic: There''s talent in the zoo!


    Broad-eared Foxes are wild animals after all, and to be so human-like, better trained than circus animals, there must be an expert at the zoo.


    The online discussions were in full swing, and the news was also spreading like wildfire on WeChat Moments. Even Suming saw videos of Fox Home being shared in his own Moments and several group chats.


    In a college group chat.


    ```


    "The zoo? Isn''t that where Suming works?"


    "Suming came out, does your zoo really have a fox immortal?"


    Wang Hao took up the conversation below, "Of course we do, it''s in the back mountain. But let me correct one thing, it''s not an immortal! Don''t set Suming and me up!"


    "Mr. Wang, I heard you started some sort of entertainmentpany? Are there any unspoken rules involving female stars..." As he spoke, the conversation veered off course again.


    "Bullshit, ourpany is the Zoo Entertainment Company, alright? Unspoken rules with what female stars! Besides, I''m just a general manager, if anyone''s going to have unspoken rules, it''d be Chairman Su..."


    "Suming is the secret owner?!!" A long string of exmation marks followed.


    Although everyone knew that Suming was doing quite well, and even had dealings with big stars from Xiangjiang, after all, it had only been a little over six months since graduating. Suming usually wasn''t very ostentatious, appearing before everyone as a zoo employee, so their impression of him was still that of a young student who wasn''t well-off but worked very hard back in college.


    As for Wang Hao, he had always beenbeled as the son of an official, especially since Wang Hao''s dad was a local leader in Yangchuan City, which was more rtable to everyone''s lives.


    If you said Suming hung out with Wang Hao, everyone would think it normal, but the other way around, it would inevitably cause surprise.


    The few who had found the best jobs when they graduated were now merely earning a monthly sry of less than ten thousand yuan. Compared to doing business like Wang Hao, it was not close at all, and it was understandable that Wang Hao''s business dealt with zoos and the like. After all, his dad had a natural advantage as a city leader in charge of this sector.


    So, ording tomon sense, everyone would think that Wang Hao''s backing was actually his father, Wang Jian She, and that Suming was rising up with Wang Hao''s help. No one expected the real situation to be aplete reversal, with Suming being the actual boss.


    Suming casually typed a few words: "Just a smallpany, earning some pocket change."


    And it really wasn''t a front; the entertainmentpany''sbined ie from all sources was just about a profit of two million yuan a year, quite small indeed. For his overall business empire, it was indeed just pocket change.


    "No way, you definitely have to treat us!"


    "Right, Mr. Su has to treat us, Mr. Wang has to treat us! The rest of you, keep in formation!" They were all egging them on.


    "Mr. Su has to treat us! Mr. Wang has to treat us!"


    "Mr. Su has to treat us! Mr. Wang has to treat us!"


    A long string followed behind, and Suming typed a few words: "Once I''m done with this busy period, I''ll treat everyone to a get-together, the ce is your choice."@@novelbin@@


    To be honest, with his horizons ever expanding and his business growingrger, Suming felt a growing distance from his college ssmates. To him, the vast majority of his ssmates hadn''t changed much from school days, still like half-grown kids.


    On the contrary, he was getting closer to mature individuals like Zhao Yun and Mr. Song.


    People grow gradually in different environments and under different circumstances. Some grow quickly, others slowly, and time gradually stretches the gap between those who were once alike, not just in wealth, but also in mentality.


    If it wasn''t for his initial decision to go into the boat business with Wang Hao, he would probably feel the same way about Wang Hao. Fortunately, Wang Hao had a high starting point, had seen quite a bit of the world in the past six months, and Nangong Yan, who had been toughened up in a ce like a TV station, could still hold conversations with him.


    The next day, the fox''s video was posted on several major websites. A fox wearing traditional Huaxia attire, living in a mysterious mountain vige, and acting human-like yet extremely cartoonish ¡ª all these points were very attractive. In one day, the video''s views surged, and some even bypassed restrictions to share these videos on international social media tforms like YouTube and Facebook, reportedly drawing considerable attention.


    Suming noticed that it wasn''t just the fox''s video that soared to the top of the charts; the previous riding fish video still had high views, even if it had dropped from the homepage due to time, but if you sorted by category, there were still a plethora of riding fish videos. The initial one of Suming riding a fish and others taken by visitors to the zoo were there too. Your adventure continues at empire


    He typed "Yangchuan City Zoo" into the search bar and hit enter, only to see several hundred zoo videos pop up, all filmed by visitors to the zoo. Videos of Yangtze alligators, axolotls, alpacas, and such were all there, and the views andments were not low.


    An idea struck Suming. Since so many people enjoyed watching animal videos, why not start a Weibo ount to publish rted information about zoo animals, or even actively post some videos? As long as he had enough followers, future promotions wouldn''t have to rely entirely on other media; he could take control of the initiative in his own hands.


    The country was now pushing for information-based construction, and the zoo was no exception. Like most government units, the zoo had its own official website and Weibo ount.


    However, the zoo''s website was just for show, an empty shell.


    The technology was outdated, the pages were ugly, the interactivity poor, and the site''s information wasn''t updated timely, filled with outdated info and the empty rhetoric of officialdom. The Weibo ount wasn''t deliberately operated either, sometimes not even managing to post once a month, so both the visitors and follower count were low.


    It''s time to revamp; they might as well give up the official Weibo with thepany''s restructuring.


    After some thought, Suming registered an ount called "Taoyuan Interests" and wrote in the information section: Yangchuan City Zoo.

 Chapter 261 Songs War

    In the age of the inte, especially now in the era of fan economies, a Weibo ount with a massive following can have an immeasurable impact when ites to publicity. A so-called public intellectual or big V can create tremendous economic benefits with just hundreds of thousands of fans.


    The "Taoyuan Charm" ount''s future orientation will primarily focus on the zoo''s animals and various entertaining programs, asionally advertising for other Suming industries, like the future distillery, so there''s absolutely no need to resort to the unscrupulous tactics of certain public intellectuals by spreading false information or pandering for attention.


    In some respects, the more influential this Weibo ount bes in the future, the more it benefits societal harmony, the happiness of people''s families, and a life full of positive energy.


    At the moment, this newly registered Weibo ount doesn''t have any followers. Suming is also toozy to promote it elsewhere, like posting on other forums or advertising. A Weibo ount needs careful management, and it certainly won''t be effective just by posting small ads on a few forums or leavingments under popr threads.


    ...


    Inside arge conference room at the city government, Mr. Song, Wang Jian She, and leaders from several rted departments have been discussing the specific ns for the zoo''s restructuring for the past few days.


    As the zoo''s current top official, Song is naturally fighting to secure better conditions for the zoo to facilitate future development;


    On the other hand, the other leaders, representing the government, are considering the issue from the opposite perspective. Since the zoo was once within the system and received government care, now that it''s leaving the system, the less it can take with it, the better.


    This isn''t selfish; the fiercer the argument and the struggle from both sides, the more it shows they are responsible people. If a group of irresponsible people were involved, everyone might appear amicable on the surface, but that would cause the state''s assets and the zoo''s future to suffer tremendous losses.


    In these past few days, both sides engaged in verbal battles,id out their reasoning, and even resorted to obstinate bickering, negotiating fiercely over every single term and not giving an inch, all seeking to maximize their benefits.


    In such a situation, as a government leader, it wasn''t appropriate for Wang Jian She to overtly support the zoo.


    Sometimes the discussions became so heated that they reached a deadlock, or they proved so strenuous that a temporary recess was called to have some tea, chat, and watch television to ease the tense atmosphere.


    The topic of discussion today was about the n for the zoo to return a portion of its fixed assets at a discounted value.


    In the zoo, from the pavilions, towers, groves, andwns to a stone bench beside the path and a lightingmp, all were built with state investment. After the restructuring, these assets belong to the zoo, hence the generated profits go into the zoo''s ounts, not to the state.@@novelbin@@


    Therefore, these assets must be assessed in mary terms and returned to the state.


    Of course, these ''assets'' aren''t machinery and don''t directly generate value, plus they have been used for many years, so their assessed value is quite low.


    But the immensity of the zoo means that the overall total is a significant figure.


    The current issue is whether to pay it all back at once or to return it over several years. If it''s to be repaid annually, there are details to work out, such as over how many years and whether interest should be charged.


    The discussion is deadlocked on this point.


    "How could we make a one-time repayment? Mr. Liu, by saying that, you''re tantly wanting to see the zoo copse!"


    Don''t let Mr. Song''s usual jovial demeanor fool you; when ites to issues affecting the future development of the zoo, he''s upromising and very hard to persuade. He mmed his hand on the table, his voice filled with anger.


    Mr. Liu red in response, "How can you say that, Song? How am I wishing for the zoo to copse? If the zoo copses, how would that benefit me?!"


    Mr. Song snorted displeasedly, "The first year after restructuring is the toughest year for the zoo. It''s bad enough not to get financial support from you, but you''re trying to pull the rug out from under us by asking for a full repayment at once. Where would the zoo get so much money? ...Alright, alright, even if we coulde up with such arge sum of money, even if I could borrow it, if all the zoo''s liquidity went back to the government, leaving our ounts empty and us drowning in debt, how are we supposed to continue operating? If that''s not an intentional n to see the zoo fail, what is it then?" Experience tales at empire


    Mr. Liu was equally resolute, puffing his beard and glowering, "Why restructure? It''s to reduce government burdens, optimize resource distribution, and adapt to the market economy, right? Survival of the fittest, and those who can''t adapt will be eliminated by the market! If the zoo can''t continue operations and shuts down, that''s a management issue at the zoo, and naturally, otherpanies will take over. To put it bluntly, after restructuring, the government doesn''t care about the zoo''s survival. But under no circumstances should we allow the state''s assets to just slip away like that."


    Sitting next to Mr. Liu was a rtively younger official who seemed to hold a lower position. When Mr. Liu took a hard stance, this younger man went for a softer approach. Clearing his throat and adopting an anguished expression, he chimed in, "Mr. Song, you''re a veteranrade too. Think about how during these years of our country''s economic reform, so much precious state-owned property has just slipped away for next to nothing, a truly heart-wrenching loss..."


    "He, save the official jargon for someone else. Am I saying that?!" Mr. Song, stubborn with age, cut off the younger man before he could finish his sentence.


    All present were Party officials and leaders in charge of their respective areas. Now that they were meeting privately, not facing the media or their subordinates, continuing to speak officialese really was a bit pointless.


    Scolded like this by Song, little He also awkwardly smiled without saying anything more.


    Song snorted and softened his tone, "I understand what little He means. I''m an oldrade myself, of course I wouldn''t just watch state assets slip away. But we all need to think about it, the purpose of restructuring is for the government to reduce its burdens, throwing away unnecessary baggage and handing it over to the market. That''s the right thing to do. However, the ultimate goal is to hope the zoo operates well, generates tax revenue to feed back into the government''s finances, enriches the lives of the people, and prospers the market economy. It''s not about letting the zoo go under, right? If it''s just about shedding burdens without seeking development, then we might as well not restructure at all. We could just close every zoo, park, and public institution, and then there''d be no need for government financial appropriations anymore."


    "Of course not, of course not," Wang Jian Sheughed and took a sip of tea before saying, "Let''s all calm down, Song, you continue at your own pace."


    This restructuring meeting was originally supposed to be chaired by Mr. Sun, the Deputy Mayor, but the old man''s advanced age and poor health kept him from attending, so Wang Jian She took over as the presiding official.


    Mr. Song nodded and also slurped two sips of tea before he continued, "Liu, I understand the financial difficulties you face, and I hope you can understand us too. Give the zoo some time to buffer, returning funds annually, and not a cent will be missing. If we are to calcte the interest, then calcte it as the bank would."


    Seeing Mr. Song''s insistence, if Liu wouldn''t step back, the negotiation couldn''t continue. He wavered slightly, "What you say is right, but what if the zoo does go under? Who will I look to for the money then?"


    Song, it seems like you''re the one being unreasonable now. What if I win a hundred million in the lottery and pay back the money right away?"


    In truth, Mr. Song''s words were somewhat unreasonable. Given the existing statistical probabilities, the likelihood of the zoo going bankrupt after the restructuring was many thousands of times higher than winning a hundred million in the lottery. Liu''s spection was entirely possible, while Mr. Song''s hypothesis was practically impossible.


    In saying this, Song was staking his old reputation on the line.


    A one-time refund versus annual installments, although the total amount of money was the same, even with interest for annual payments, it meant something entirely different for the zoo''s finances. The former would be too much pressure, quickly draining the zoo''s financial resources, while thetter would allow the zoo to transition smoothly.


    In Song''s view, this negotiation was thest thing he could do for the zoo. It was his final battle, and it had to be a beautiful one!


    Both parties were holding firm, unwilling to speak further.


    Seeing the discussion reach another impasse, Wang Jian She wasn''t in a hurry. He chuckled, "Let''s take a break, watch some TV. Hey, someone get the attendant to change the tea leaves."


    Wang Jian She had seen many such situations before. Somerge state-owned enterprise restructuring meetings were far more intense than this one, with people smashing cups and cursing at each other in the meeting rooms.


    The attendant came in to change the tea leaves and boil water, and casually turned on therge LCD TV screen in the conference room.


    By coincidence, the image on the screen was from Yangchuan City TV Station''s rising new anchor, a young and excellent reporter, interviewing the zoo''s outstanding employee, Suming.


    Looking at the surroundings, they seemed to be on the back hill of the zoo, surrounded by a sea of tourists.


    "What''s that? Foxes? Why are they dressed up like little people?" Mr. Liu stared at the TV screen, puzzled.


    Mr. Song replied nonchntly, "Whether they are foxes or little people doesn''t matter. As long as they bring profit to the zoo, that''s a good thing!"


    The interview from the TV began to fill the conference room.


    "Mr. Su, the Fox Home on the back hill of the zoo, having been open for just under three days, has already attracted widespread attention. What do you think is the reason for this?"


    Suming now held the position of ''head'' of the zoo''s Special Coordination Division. This division was established after Suming arrived and while it sounded secretive, it was really in charge of managing all animals and any sudden incidents.


    Facing the camera, Suming smiled faintly and said, "I think it represents social harmony. Our material lives are continuously enriched, human rtions, and our connection with nature are harmonious, our living conditions are better, and we demand superior spiritual enjoyment and leisure life. The zoo, riding on this wave, has managed to achieve certain results. Of course, it is inseparable from these adorable broad-eared foxes."


    "Speaking of broad-eared foxes, I have a question that all the visitors and viewers in front of their TVs would like to know," Nangong Yan''s lips curled up slightly, revealing a mischievously yful smile as she asked Suming, "These little foxes are very human-friendly and can interact simply with people. Did the zoo specifically train them? Everyone knows that in Huaxia, there are many magical legends about foxes¡ªnot to mention in folklore there''s the saying about Fox Immortals¡­"

 Chapter 262 Marriage Fate

    "Hehe, as for that question..."


    Suming deliberately acted mysterious and didn''t directly answer but instead gave a secretive smile and said, "In novels about gods and spirits like ''Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio,'' there are many beautiful women who were transformed from fox spirits. In folk tales, foxes are also considered to be extremely spiritual animals. As far as I know, there are also young men and women making wishes under that wishing tree not far from here..."


    Nangong Yan was taken aback, thinking that Suming was going to spout nonsense. This was in front of television cameras, after all. If he said something indicative of feudal superstitions, it wouldn''t end well!


    Suming paused, then continued with a smile to Nangong Yan, "Actually, I think that the reason why humans are happy isn''t because every wish is fulfilled or every dreames true, but because even after experiencing hardships and disappointments, we still have beautiful dreams and wishes, looking forward to the future. So, I believe there''s no need to scrutinize legends as if conducting scientific research."


    On the other end of the television, on the hill behind them, Nangong Yan and Suming were looking at each other face to face. She looked into Suming''s eyes and suddenly felt that his words were not only for the audience but also for herself.


    For some reason, looking at Suming''s face under the sunlight and the faint, tender smile hanging on it, Nangong Yan felt her heart begin to beat faster.


    "Well..." As a professional host, after a slight distraction, she immediately got back into the groove and continued asking, "So, will the zoo bring us more surprises in the future?"


    "Of course, to let everyone keep up with the Great-Eared Fox Immortal''s updates and thetest news of other animals in the zoo, including new entertainment activities, we''ve registered a Weibo ount. You can follow ''Taoyuan Interest'' on Xinhai web; all fans have a chance to participate in a draw and can win exclusive prizes from many star animals in the zoo, including the Broad-eared Foxes..."


    ...


    In the conference room, Wang Jian She said to Mr. Song with a smile, "Mr. Song, thisd Suming really does you proud! While you''re here negotiating terms, he''s on the TV news, giving you strong support!"


    It''s like international negotiations where, in the midst of talks, one country suddenly achieves a great sess in a certain field, thereby giving their representatives at the negotiating table more confidence.


    "Ah, kids ying around. For more than half a year, I''ve just been watching him create all sorts of things¡ªthere are boat rides on fish, a whole bunch of endangered animals, some kind of Guinness record was even broken, and now he''se up with this Taoyuan. Young people..."


    Mr. Song''s tone seemed modest, but the way he spoke and his expression seemed to be brimming with smugness.


    Wang Jian She turned to Mr. Liu andughed, "Mr. Liu, how about this? The zoo seems to be doing pretty well now, and the risk of closing down seems small. Look, why don''t youpromise and agree to spread the discounted payment over fifteen years?"


    "Fifteen years?! No way, no way! Wang, you must be joking."


    Mr. Liu kept shaking his head, but momentum is important in negotiations. The news report had acted like an elerant, boosting the zoo''s side''s momentum, and Mr. Liu found himself forced to make some concessions, gritting his teeth, "Eight years, no more!"


    "Eight years will do, but the interest will be half of the bank''s rate for the same period!"


    "Mr. Song, you... ah, fine."


    As they say, concede an inch and they''ll take a mile. In the following negotiations, Mr. Song pressed his advantage and actually managed to gain ground in several uses, securing very favorable terms for the zoo.


    ...


    After the interview at the TV station ended, the camera crew began packing up. Nangong Yan said something to her colleagues at the TV station to send them on their way first while she stayed behind to y for a while.


    She came over to Suming and said, "Wait for me a second," before running off hastily into the small woods behind.


    "Hey hey hey, the woods are the dogs'' territory, don''t just pee anywhere!" Suming quickly followed her. The dogs marked their territory in the woods with the scent of urine. It wouldn''t be appropriate for Nangong Yan to go there and take a leak, right? If the dogs thought she was encroaching on their territory and bit her, that wouldn''t be good.


    Nangong Yan''s face turned red with anger: "What nonsense are you talking about? Who told you I was going to do that... I''m going to take off my makeup and then change it!"


    "Oh oh oh oh... then be quiet, don''t yell so loudly."


    Suming felt quite embarrassed, but it wasn''t his fault. Normally, when men head into the woods, it''s definitely to relieve themselves. Who knew that women had another option: to remove and change makeup.


    It''s not like he hadn''t seen her without makeup before. What''s so shameful about a bare face? Suming actually thought that Nangong Yan somehow looked better without makeup.@@novelbin@@


    "Tsk, bare faces are for husbands to see. Who are you to me? Can I just show anyone my bare face?! Wait here!" Nangong Yan rolled her eyes at him and then sauntered off into the woods with a swaying hip.


    Watching Nangong Yan''s graceful figure disappear into the woods, Suming was amused. This girl hadpletely changed from when they were in school; she had be so hip, cool, and explosive!


    "But I like it... Wait! That''s not right. Why did I switch into this submissive mode again? This isn''t good!"


    This time he waited for half an hour. Unable to hold it any longer, Suming ran to the opposite woods to relieve himself. After returning and waiting a bit more, Nangong finally strolled out of the woods leisurely.


    Looking at her face, the makeup was indeed different from before. For the camera, she wore a professional makeup look to seem thinner, which looks good on screen but a bit distorted in real life. Now, with light makeup, she looked much morefortable.


    Suming felt it was necessary to regain some of his manliness. Having been in submissive mode for too long might make it hard to change backter. He gave a fierce re and motioned to Nangong Yan from afar with a hooked finger, "Come on, I''ll take you to y with the foxes!"


    Nangong first gave an eye roll, as if she couldn''t be bothered with him, then, with a suppressed smile, she naturally took Suming''s arm, hanging off it like a ko, while from her bosom she pulled out a bamboo tube as thick as a child''s arm, filled with bamboo sticks.


    A fortune-telling stick container!


    Suming was taken aback and peered curiously toward her neckline, "Eh? How did you hide such a big stick container inside your chest?"


    "Go away, go away..." Nangong Yan pushed him away and shook the stick container, saying, "They say foxes are the most spiritual; I want the fox to do a divination for me and draw a marriage fortune stick."


    Suming waspletely speechless. She came prepared indeed, even bringing her own stick container. He had intended to refuse Nangong, what a joke, you, as a prominent leader''s wife... perhaps the future one, leading the way in feudal superstition...


    The problem is the leader''s wife is in charge of the leader, even if she''s the future leader''s wife, Suming''s opposition would be invalid.


    He just didn''t know if the Broad-eared Foxes would know how to use the stick container for divination?


    Who would have thought, they actually did! When Nangong Yan and Suming arrived in front of a small vi, Nangong Yan fed the little fox a sour dried bayberry. The little fox ate it and squinted its eyes into a slit. Then, in front of the fox, Nangong shook the stick container back and forth in her hand. There was a small hole at the bottom of the stick container, and with a shake of her hand, a stick fell out of the small hole.


    Nangong did it several times, and the little fox actually learned how to do it. It looked rather proud, squinting its narrow eyes, its two little paws clutching the bamboo stick container and shaking it importantly. Its body even swayed along with it as if it was drunk and might fall over at any time.


    Nevertheless, Nangong Yan was still a girl at heart. Although she knew not to take fortune-telling seriously, now that it was her turn, she was a bit nervous. She handed the stick container to the Great-Eared Fox inside, put her hands together, and prayed softly, "Fox Immortal, Fox Immortal, you must bless me with a good fortune stick."


    Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle, Nangong Yan stared intently at the bamboo stick container.


    Thump! A stick fell out, and Nangong Yan quickly picked it up to look.


    At first nce, her lips puckered up.


    Suming leaned over and saw it was a medium stick, with the message: "Sadness beneath the willow bridge, the green waves, there once a dazzling reflection arrives."


    No need for a specialized interpretation, just reading these two lines made one feel a bit mncholy; it probably wasn''t anything good.


    Nangong Yan, a Chinese literature major, sighed as she looked at the stick, saying, "This wasposed by Lu You in mourning for his deceased wife Tang Wan. They were torn apart by their feudal families when they were young. Yearster, they identally met again in Shen Garden, but that encounter turned into an eternal farewell... Ah..."


    "Not counting, not counting¡ªlet''s try again." Suming interjected from the side.


    "Right, again! I just don''t believe I''m this unlucky!"


    Nangong Yan nodded, put the stick back into the container, handed it to the skillful Great-Eared Fox, and then pointed her finger a bit threateningly at the little wet nose of the Great-Eared Fox and said, "Giving you another chance here!"


    Although Nangong Yan was speaking to the fox, Suming always felt as if it was a warning to himself... This was getting inadvertently caught in the crossfire, it wasn''t him who drew the stick!


    The little fox continued shaking the container, and after a few shakes, another stick fell out.


    Suming snatched the stick before anyone else could, and upon seeing it, his face turned green.


    It was a low stick!


    The low stick was bad enough, but the words on it were quite unpleasant, pushing all the me onto the man.


    "The concubine''s eyes always on the Xushan, the lover like the stone Buddha, originally heartless." After Nangong Yan read it, she suddenly huffed coldly, giving Suming a sidelong nce.


    "How about the beauty of the Chinese department gives it a trantion?" Suming said with a forcedugh.


    "There''s nothing much to trante, just eight words: The falling flowers have intentions, but the flowing water is heartless. The woman is like Xushan, visible at a nce, but the man, he is like the stone Buddha, cold and heartless," Nangong Yan said in a mncholic tone.


    "Sister, wasn''t it supposed to be eight words?" Without another word, Suming snatched the stick back and stuffed it into the container, saying, "Again, again, I simply don''t believe it. Even by probability, it can''t always be a low stick, right!"


    Nangong Yan sometimes had a stubborn streak. After drawing two marriage fortune sticks with very bad omens in a row, far from shrinking back, she seemed to be even more determined to challenge the Fox Immortal.


    Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle... Thump!


    "Medium stick: If there were no resentment in those eyes, one would not believe in enduring love in the mortal realm. Again!" Nangong Yan, gritting her teeth, stuffed the stick back in.


    Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle... Thump!


    "Low stick: The courtyard is full of fallen flowers, the curtains unrolled, the broken-hearted fragrance of herbs, distant. Again!" Nangong Yan''s eyes gradually narrowed.


    Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle... Thump!


    "Low stick: Love is a word without proof, do not let the tears fall on the love letter. Again!" Nangong Yan''s eyes gradually narrowed, and with a cold, menacingugh, she said.

 Chapter 263 Amazon Lotus

    I''m going to die!


    What kind of bad luck is this girl walking under today? She drew eight lots in a row, and they were either middle or lower fortunes, and none of them were good. They were all about unrequited love, heartbreak, tears, wilted flowers, and other ghastly things.


    If she keeps drawing, she''s going to cry! Not Nangong Yan, but Suming will cry. Starting from the third lot, every time Nangong Yan drew an unlucky lot, she would grit her teeth and pinch him hard. It really hurt!


    "Stop, stop, stop, I know what''s going on!" Suming yelled, rubbing his leg, and stopped Nangong Yan from drawing the ninth lot.


    "Why? Are you messing with this?" Nangong Yan''s expression was ferocious. If there had been a blower to make her hair flutter in the wind, she would look exactly like a white-haired witch.


    "How could that be possible! It must be because this little fox is too tired! Look, look, its little arms are trembling. It can''t even hold the cylinder of lots!" Suming held the cylinder tightly, with a grin he said, "Let''s call it a day for now. Another day, another day, we''lle back when the little fox''s energy is restored."


    "No way, I don''t believe it! Am I destined to be unlucky as a star of cmity?"


    If it were just one or two unlucky draws, Nangong Yan could haveughed it off, but after drawing eight or nine negative lots in a row, she was really fuming with anger. Puffing with rage, she insisted on drawing again, determined not to give up until she got a good lot.


    "Alright, alright, let''s switch to another fox immortal. How about that?"


    "Okay." Nangong Yan stood up and went with Suming towards another fox immortal.


    Before leaving, she didn''t forget to poke the little fox that had drawn the lots for her with her slender fingers, grumpily saying, "You little rascal!"


    This time, Suming brought her to the Big-eared Thief.


    The Big-eared Thief was the most in touch with spiritual power and was considered to be the smartest and most agile. Whether he could save the flesh of his thigh depended on it.


    The Big-eared Thief held the bucket, shook it for a long time, but couldn''t shake out a single lot.


    Suming''s mind moved, he used his Soul Attachment Ability, attached his spiritual power to the Big-eared Thief, and sneaked a peek at the lots being shaken.


    This is the one, give it a shake!


    Pop! A lot falls out, and Nangong Yan quickly picks it up.


    Upon seeing it, her face rxed with a smile, holding the lot and gesturing to Suming, "Look, look, I finally drew a good lot!"


    The lot read: Assiduous words carry pledges; in the poem, a promise known to both hearts. It meant that two hearts were in harmony, a good omen indeed.


    "I told you so, that little fox was too tired." Suming sighed with relief, thinking to himself that he was tired too. It took a lot of effort to find this one lot.


    To his surprise, Nangong Yan handed the lot back to the Big-eared Thief and urged with a giggly smile, "One more time, one more time!"


    Suming rolled his eyes and sent another wave of spiritual power.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh... Pop!


    "Yay! A very good lot! A graceful and virtuousdy; a gentleman''s perfect match! One more time!"


    One more time!


    One more time!


    As if seeking vengeance, Nangong Yan relentlessly drew seven or eight more times.


    The situation took aplete 180! All the lots were good this time!@@novelbin@@


    Not until she almost emptied the bucket of all the good fortunes did she end the trip of seeking a love match, finally feeling satisfied.


    In the sunset, Nangong Yan''s little face was a rosy flush as she hugged Suming''s shoulder. The two of them walked down the hill slowly.


    Nangong Yan was a very clever girl, and as they walked, she suddenly looked up at Suming with a puzzled expression, "There were only about twenty lots in the bucket. I drew all the good and bad ones. Doesn''t that seem too coincidental? Come clean, did you mess with them?"


    Suming smiled without saying a word, just reached up and rubbed her head.


    "Hee hee, it doesn''t matter whether you did or not, in the end, they were all good lots. I''m exhausted," Nangong Yan giggled, hanging on to Suming''s arm like a big ko.


    Suming felt something very strange squeezing his arm. He was flushed with a surge of excitement without even having eaten sheep stomach mushrooms, "Um, did you bring a swimsuit?"


    "No... it''s freezing..."


    "Oh..."


    "What?"


    "Do it!"


    "Do it, do what? Go, go, go..."


    After spending the afternoon at the zoo and noticing it was gettingte, Suming drove Nangong Yan home.


    Nangong Yan came from an affluent family and was quite outstanding herself. Back in school, she was always at the forefront of fashion. Whether it was her attire, daily essentials, or her own aesthetic taste, she was far ahead of most girls her age.


    It''s expensive to raise a girl, but that doesn''t mean they can be without manners. On the contrary, Nangong Yan was brought up very strictly. After a meal in a restaurant in the city and a movie, it wasn''t even ten o''clock when Suming drove Nangong home.


    Amber Garden might not be as luxurious as the vimunity where Zhao Yun lived, but it''s still one of the high-end residential districts from the early years of Yangchuan City. Suming''s Wrangler, worth over half a million, was just a mid-range car in Amber Garden; it couldn''t even enter themunity gate and was stopped by the security guard at the entrance.


    That''s why one should never be too arrogant. There are too many rich people nowadays, and Suming''s assets, most of which were still in the initial stages, were just enough to get him out of poverty. Even if they all developed well, he was far from the realm of the real tycoons.


    But no wealth couldpete with the power of a beautiful face. As Nangong poked half her head out of the car window and said a few words to the security guard, the gate creaked open, and they entered themunity with a simple face scan.


    "Nice face!" Suming teased while driving and searching for building B7 of Nangong''s home.


    "Cut it out. Half the residents here are staff from various units, and there are quite a few officials too. The security guards are retired armed police, and they generally don''t let outsiders in," Nangong exined.


    Arriving under building B7, Nangong was about to get out when she suddenly frowned and said, "Let''s take another round outside ande backter."


    Suming had been with Nangong for so many years, and he could not be fooled by her expression. Without driving off immediately, he asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Nangong didn''t hide it, pointing across the street to a red Maserati parked under a streetlight and said with a hint of disgust, "He''s an advertising client of our TV station, a yboy. He''s chased almost all the pretty female hosts, one after another. And now, it''s my turn. He''s been pestering me every other day, and I can''t be bothered to argue with him."


    The Maserati''s front lights were still on, the engine hadn''t been turned off, and through the slightly open window, one could faintly make out the sharp profile of a young, rather handsome man behind the wheel.


    "Do you want me to step in?" Suming asked.


    "No need. Working at a television station, I''m mentally prepared for this sort of thing. Don''t worry, I can handle it. Besides, flies don''t bite seamless eggs. I know the principle of keeping myself clean. It''s just that I don''t want to p a smiling face, there''s no need to tear each other''s faces off," Nangong Yan said, shrugging nonchntly.


    Whether as friends or lovers, trust and respect are indispensable and even the most important. Since Nangong said so, Suming didn''t insist. He silently ordered Er Gouzi, who was hiding in the back seat of the Wrangler, to stay close to Nangong for protection, and to report back immediately if anything unusual happened.


    Since acquiring the Soul Attachment Ability and Haidong Qing, Er Gouzi''s status as a ''personal little detective'' was greatly shaken. If Suming was active in the city area, Er Gouzi could still y a role, but once they were in the mountains, Er Gouzi''s rtively frail body was clearly not as useful as the nearly invincible Haidong Qing.


    Therefore, Er Gouzi was assigned specifically to Nangong Yan, along with a dozen wasps, forming a "Wasp Special Action Team" dedicated to her protection.


    Nangong was a girl with a clear understanding of situations and smooth handling of affairs. Despite her family''s strong background, it''s always better to be safe than sorry. Suming gave Er Gouzi considerable authority; if Nangong faced any danger and Suming couldn''t get to her in time, Er Gouzi could directlymand the Wasp Special Action Team tounch an attack.


    "Do I have a bit of paranoia?" Suming sometimes wondered. It wasn''t as if they were in a movie, with bad people lurking everywhere. But as a male, the instinct to protect and possess a female is perhaps an unavoidable nature.


    As the Wrangler started up again and slowly headed towards themunity gate, Suming stealthily rolled down the rear window.


    "Why are you opening the window in this freezing cold?" Nangong asked curiously.


    "Ah? It''s stuffy in the car; need to get some fresh air," Suming said, feigning innocence.


    Everyone has a dark side, and Suming was no exception. Rational he might be, emotional he remained. To have someone brazenly hit on his potential woman right in front of him, what aboutws? Justice? Where did social fairness and justice go? Does driving a Maserati mean you can bully someone driving a Wrangler? Why does a Wrangler have to be stopped by security at the gate, while a Maserati can arrogantly enter and park under the streetlight?


    Suming felt it was his duty to maintain social harmony and protect the ''vulnerable groups'' like himself, an unquestionable responsibility!


    Er Gouzi quietly flew out of the back window, its wings fluttering as it buzzed unhurriedly towards the open window of the Maserati.


    ...


    Ren Chen leaned back in his seat, a bit bored as he checked his Cartier watch. It was already 9:10 p.m., and Nangong Yan still hadn''te home. ording to information he''d gathered, Nangong Yan rarely came homete unless she was working overtime. On his previous visits to Amber Garden, he managed to catch Nangong Yan by camping out under her building before seven o''clock.


    He couldn''t help but nce at the bunch of Amazonian lilies on the passenger seat. This flower had an enchanting fragrance and crystal-clear petals, extremely rare in Yangchuan City''s market.


    Ren Chen was a definite yboy, handsome and sessful, young and wealthy. Years of experience in the field had made him very attuned to the thoughts of women. In his opinion, giving 999 roses was clich¨¦ and outdated, lowering both his and the woman''s status. Gifting Amazonian lilies was both charming and ssy, and with a simple online search, any girl would be astonished at the price of this small bundle of lilies.


    When it came to making money, Ren Chen didn''t dare im he was the most outstanding young entrepreneur in Yangchuan City, but he was supremely confident when it came to women!

 Chapter 264 Why Not Become an Internet Celebrity?

    The rarity of the Amazon water lily is cherished not only for its scarcity but more importantly for its short blooming period, whichsts only a few hours.


    At this moment, the pristine white petals were already showing signs of withering. Like the night-blooming cereus, this flower, though breathtakingly beautiful, would wilt just two to three hours after blooming.


    Just like Ren Chen''s personality, when pursuing a girl, he was as enthusiastic as a zing fire, incredibly captivating, but the moment he got her, he would quickly lose interest and move on to the next target.


    Seeing that the bouquet of lilies was about to fade, Ren Chen shrugged his shoulders, ready to throw the valuable flowers out of the car window and leave the neighborhood.


    In the process of hunting his prey, Ren Chen always had patience. Failing once or twice meant nothing to him. On the contrary, women who got wet at the sight of him he found unchallenging and uninteresting.


    A fierce woman fears a persistent man, and Ren Chen was well aware that with his wealth and looks, as long as he was persistent, there was probably no woman in Yangchuan City he couldn''t win over.


    Just as he picked up the Amazon water lily and was about to throw it out the window, a buzzing sound came from within the petals, and a dark-bodied wasp darted out, stinging him squarely on his handsome face.


    "Fuck!"


    Despite his refined and youthful appearance, Ren Chen had never been bullied; he was the one who bullied others and was far from a coward. Although his face was in severe pain, he instinctively pped at it fiercely.


    "Snap!" With a crisp sound, the wasp had already flown off to who knows where, and his pnded squarely on his own face, causing him to grimace in pain again.


    Immediately after, his cheek burned painfully. Ren Chen quickly turned on the interior light and looked in the car''s vanity mirror.


    In the mirror, his once charming little face swelled up in an instant, looking like a pig''s head, with the left side so swollen that it covered his left eye. Tears unwillingly streamed down, and his cheek was red, swollen, and turning purple. From the little hole where the wasp had bitten, pus and blood were still oozing out.


    In just a few short seconds, his entire face began to numb, especially the half that had been bitten, which was nearlypletely numb.


    "Damn it... I hope this doesn''t ruin my looks..."


    Ren Chen felt extremely frustrated, thinking about his bad luck. The fragrance of the Amazon water lilies failed to lure a woman but attracted a wasp instead.


    ...


    "You''re absolutely right!" Suming said earnestly while driving, addressing Nangong Yan, "Driving in the dead of winter, there''s absolutely no need to open the windows. Isn''t that just showing off?"


    "Huh?" Nangong Yan, a bit puzzled, looked at Suming, thinking I just said it''s a bit cold with the windows down, I never said you were showing off.


    "I''m reflecting on myself. The sage says, ''Reflect on yourself three times a day.'' I always hold myself to the sage''s standard and reflect on myself constantly," he said, while he rolled up the rear window. Er Gouziy quietly in the back of the car.


    Nangong Yan looked at Suming for a while, then, with a flicker in her big eyes, she leaned in with a smile and asked, "Oh, I get it, you''re jealous!"


    "Eating vinegar regrly is good for stimting intestinal movement, aiding digestion, and preventing various respiratory infections!" Suming said matter-of-factly, "But that handsome guy, I guess he won''t be bothering you for several days."


    "How do you know?" Nangong Yan asked curiously.


    "God told me!" Suming said seriously. Even though Er Gouzi had released less than a quarter of its venom, that handsome guy would need at least a week to reduce the swelling.@@novelbin@@


    Nangong Yan was used to Suming''s often nonsensical chatter and didn''t ask further, just smiling and saying, "Did God tell you anything else?"


    "God also said that when I get rich, I have to buy a nice car!" Suming said between clenched teeth.


    Afterwards, Suming and Nangong Yan drove straight to the night market, eating everything from skewers to crawfish to milky tea, until almost midnight. Nangong began to feel nauseous, and only then did he take her home, perfectly exemplifying what''s meant by ''a tonic rtionship between a man and a woman.''


    On the drive back to the zoo, Suming wondered if there was something wrong with his psyche. Or was it that he had grown ustomed to being alone, developing a more reclusive nature? This was why, although he and Nangong were getting closer, he had never broken through the final barrier.


    At almost the same time, Nangong was lying on her bedroom bed, pondering the same question.


    She and Suming had a very clear understanding of the nature of their rtionship by now.


    Half-jokingly, they had even shared a Fa-style kiss during that visit to the medical school.


    She understood Suming. Behind his sunny smile hid a heart that was hard to reach. Sometimes Nangong could feel that perhaps due to theck of a father since childhood, there was a cold spot hidden deep in Suming''s heart, inadvertently revealing a charisma that was both alluring and dangerous.


    So, Suming''s feigning ignorance was understandable to Nangong, and it was within her expectations; that''s just how he was.


    Understanding was one thing, but frustration was another. There was nothing that couldn''t be discussed between besties. Lying in bed, Nangong held her phone and vented a stream ofints to a girlfriend on WeChat.


    A voice message came from the other end. Her girlfriend''s pace was like a singing bird, swift and fast, with English mixed into the Shanghainese: "Yer outta yer mind, men are just despicable creatures, ya can''t give ''em no good face, understand?"


    "With your smooth talking, why aren''t you being an influencer on social media?" Nangong replied, appending an eye-rolling emoji at the end of her message.


    ...


    On Xinhai Web, the Weibo ount ''Taoyuan Yiqu'' that Suming had registered now had 3,482 followers. The total number wasn''t much, and only a day had passed since Nangong Yan''s interview was broadcasted on TV, so expecting to be a big V with hundreds of thousands of followers from just one TV program was clearly unrealistic.


    However, the number of followers was continuously growing; each refresh saw an increase in followers.


    This feeling was a bit like when a web novel gets a good rmendation spot, and the author refreshes their backstage favorites, which grow rapidly during the rmendation period. However, once the novel is up for sale, the followers drop drastically because many readers go off to read pirated versions¡­


    Gaining more than three thousand followers¡­ oh no, three thousand favorites, in one day was indeed a fierce effect of the rmendation, followed by a bunch of messages.


    Most of them were about the Broad-eared Fox, along with some about axolotls, Yangtze alligators, Qinling Golden Monkeys, and there were even inquiries about when the fish riding project would reopen.


    "The fish riding project will reopen on May 1st, wee to ride!"


    "The axolotl has been quite lonelytely; if anyone knows where to find a big, plump female axolotl, please leave a message¡­"


    "This Qinling Golden Monkey is male, so there''s no question of it being a white tiger or a golden tiger¡­"


    "The grey wolf in the back hills is definitely not Grey Wolf, I guarantee to Chairman Mao, if you n to smash it with a frying pan, please call 120 first"


    ...


    Suming took some time to reply to many of the fans'' messages and uploaded a video of monkeys riding dogs and running wild in the mountains. He deliberately added a watermark ''All rights reserved, Taoyuan Yiqu'' in the video.


    Within a few minutes of posting the video, a refresh brought twenty new messages and six repost notifications.


    As new videos kept being updated and widely spread through various channels, more people woulde to know about the ''Taoyuan Yiqu'' Weibo ount. The number of future followers would definitely keep increasing. Although there were only a few thousand now, tens of thousands of followers in the foreseeable future did not seem far off.


    But speaking of which, the influence of celebrities was still enormous; even a celebrity who had not acted in anything, after a few appearances on reality shows, could gain millions or even tens of millions of followers.


    Currently on Weibo, what everyone cared about most was what gifts they could get. Suming had already mentioned on TVst time that early followers could enter a draw for gifts prepared by the zoo''s star animals.


    About the lotto giveaway, Suming hade up with it on the spur of the moment and had blurted it out without really thinking about what gifts to give.


    But since he had said it, he had to make it happen. Just like impulsively promising readers ten new chapters of a web novel tomorrow and having to churn them out overnight, regardless of bloodshed andck of drafts, being a person of one''s word was vital. One''s reputation was built or destroyed by such actions.


    What exactly should he give? Suming thought for a moment.


    The real issue wasn''t about what gifts to give.


    People who could spend money to visit the zoo were at least notcking basic necessities and were not after the small advantage of the gifts.


    The main thing was about creating a lively atmosphere. Giving a gift through a draw was about bridging the gap between the public ount¡ªor the zoo¡ªand the followers, thus enhancing their connection.


    So, the method of giving gifts and the draw itself was very important; the gifts themselves were secondary. Of course, if the gifts were astonishingly amazing, the effect would be much better.


    "Gift preparation in progress¡­ please look forward to it¡­"


    ...


    In the afternoon, Mrs. Tong suddenly approached Suming.


    Song had been attending meetings in the city these days and didn''te to work at the zoo, so any important matters would bemunicated over the phone with Suming and a few other leaders in charge. The routine work management of the zoo was now the responsibility of the office director, Mrs. Tong.


    Mrs. Tong brought a data analysis chart that detailed the zoo''s visitor numbers.


    From the chart, it was evident that the zoo''s visitor numbers remained fairly constant until June. After June, which was after Suming''s arrival, the curve began to rise, maintaining a high-speed upward trend, with a steep upward nting curve continuing until this year.


    So far, the visitor numbers were approximately 210% of the same periodst year, meaning there were more than double the visitors.


    The zoo''s main ie was from ticket sales, so the number of visitors decided the zoo''s financial health.


    These days, the Fox Home project had been initiated in the back hills. Whether for their devout interest or merely seeking novelty, it had be exceptionally popr, with a significant surge in visitors.


    However, many of them were noting through the zoo to the back hills, but rather sneaking in by taking back routes and climbing up from the wastnds around the back hills. In other words, many people were not buying tickets.


    Mrs. Tong suggested building a fence around the essible paths leading to the back hills.

 Chapter 267 265

    Fare-jumping... It''s quite normal, it''s not just the back mountain, even the perimeter wall of the zoo, after being raised, is just about two or three meters high, and two adults can easily boost each other over it. Even when they''re caught, at worst, they just have to pay for a ticket.


    Fare-dodging can''t bepletely prevented, but it also can''t be ignored.


    Explore more at empire


    "Build, we must build! Construct a big surrounding wall, or like foreign nature reserves, enclose our zoo''s two mountains within!"


    "Alright, I''ll go find a construction team. After I''ve stamped the paperwork for the wall, I''ll bring it to you for your signature," Mrs. Tong said.


    Mrs. Tong''s visit today had an actual purpose, which was to say this line.


    The talk about building a wall was just an excuse, not the real aim.


    The zoo''s privatization meant a change in ownership wasing, and Mrs. Tong, after so many years at the zoo, could clearly see how the situation was unfolding. It was obvious to everyone who the future head of the zoo would be¡ªnot just to a former zookeeper like her, but even to the ordinary zoo employees.


    At such a time, her stepping forward as a senior employee, the leadership tier just below Mr. Song, to consult with Suming about work was a statement of position, a clear signal of her support for Suming''s session and his work.


    For an older employee like Mrs. Tong, who could be considered a senior to Suming, even if she wanted to make a statement, she couldn''t be direct about it. So, she used this method of consulting about work, implicitly acknowledging Suming''s authority to exercise Mr. Song''s powers.


    "Why look for a construction team? Just get Su Desheng and his crew," Suming said with a chuckle, since a construction team was readily avable. Su Desheng, the eldest son of his uncle from his father''s side, worked in construction. He had been aborer in Maoxi County Town and knew many bricyers, fully capable of organizing a construction team.


    Su Desheng and his crew were currently building the Little Serpent Garden in the back mountain, preparing to house over a hundred snakes. It made sense to hand the wall construction to them as well.


    Mrs. Tong understood and let out a chuckle, "That works! After the reform, there will surely be many building projects. Don''t bother with different contractors for each job; just let them handle it all. The more we cooperate, the better we know each other, and any issues can be easilymunicated."


    "Mrs. Tong, with you as this office director managing the day-to-day affairs of the zoo, it really takes a load off my mind," Suming said with a smile.


    You pair a gift with another¡ªa quid pro quo. Mrs. Tong had made her stance clear, and naturally, Suming had to reciprocate. Besides, Mrs. Tong was truly adept at managing the zoo''s daily operations, unsurpassed in her familiarity with the zoo.


    Following Mrs. Tong, the heads of several important departments like security and finance, as though they had arranged it in advance, sessively came to Suming to "consult about work."


    "Leader, this doesn''t seem quite right, it looks like I''m eager to usurp power," Suming said, calling Song in the evening.


    Although he was to be Song''s sessor, Song had always treated him well. Song had not yet left his position and was attending meetings in the city. If Suming took over now, behind his back, it wouldn''t be right, either emotionally or rationally.


    However, Mr. Song was already aware of these happenings and said, "I''ve instructed them to consult with you in the future. I''m still here, but not for much longer, and the privatization meeting will soon conclude. While I''m still in office, I want you to get familiar with the zoo''s management. I can still lend a hand and see you off to a good start. Just do your job with confidence, no worries!"


    "Ah, what can I say about such a leader," Suming said, feeling sentimental. He knew his progress to this day was mainly due to his ability as an animal friend, but it was also inseparable from the help of people like Mr. Song and Zhao Yun.


    Mr. Song chuckled on the other end of the phone, "If you couldn''t step up, I couldn''t have pulled you up. In other words, you''re the zoo''s benefactor. Stop overthinking, just do your job well, and make the zoo thrive. Don''t let the employees who follow you wholeheartedly suffer. That''s more important than anything else!"


    While Mr. Song was still in meetings, Suming had already taken over the powers of the zoo director.


    Within less than two days of exercising his authority, Suming encountered his first issue.


    It was a problem faced by all leadership officials.


    Looking at the several bottles of fine liquor, numerous high-quality cigarettes, and a thick kraft paper envelope in front of him, Suming knew it was time to test his party integrity.


    "What are you doing, Uncle?" Suming said, a bit speechless, to his uncle Su Desheng sitting across from him.


    This uncle had rushed to bring Suming a gift immediatly after securing the contract from Mrs. Tong.


    "Suming, don''t misunderstand, I don''t mean anything by this," his uncle kept waving his hands, looking somewhat uneasy. "This stuff isn''t a thank you for giving me the contract. You''re a leader now, and you have apany, lots of expenses. You take care of us, and we want to show our gratitude any way we can."


    "Uncle, the best help you can give me is to ensure the project is well done. I''m not trying to offend you, but I can''t ept these gifts or the money. I know your situation; you''ve just organized the construction team, and the funds for the project have not been released yet. You must be stretched thin as well. Return whatever you can of the liquor and cigarettes, and share the rest with your workers."


    Suming understood his uncle''s good intentions, but he absolutely could not ept. For one thing, they were rtives, and Suming did not want to make things too vulgar; for another, as a private entrepreneur, he actually did not like to ept gifts.


    ```


    "In a nutshell, this is just like taking his money to give it back to him."@@novelbin@@


    Seeing that his uncle was about to say something else, Suming slightly stiffened his face, half-jokingly, half-seriously said, "Uncle, if you keep talking about it, you''ll be making memit a mistake. I''m a party member, you know!"


    "It''s not just my idea, the co-workers discussed it together. Back in the county, we had little work and little pay. Now that you''ve given us an opportunity, everyone wanted to thank you in person but were afraid of disturbing your work. That''s why they asked me to act as a representative and bring these here," Uncle exined.


    "I appreciate the sentiment, but I absolutely cannot ept the gifts, with party discipline hanging over my head," Suming said with a smile.


    After refusing Uncle''s gift, Suming was actually rather pleased inside.


    It wasn''t just through scheming, embezzlement, and corruption that one could find happiness; sometimes, upholding principles and enhancing one''s moral cultivation could also bring a sense of fulfillment.


    "Storehouses filled and manners understood," the key was to have money for oneself. Developing the economy is the top priority and there''s no falsehood in that. Discussing morality with someone who can''t even afford meals is not just nonsense, it''s shameless.


    "It looks like in the future it would be quite necessary to establish a high cash prize for a ''Moral Exemr Award'' at the zoo!" Suming thought to himself while browsing the inte.


    The number of followers on his Weibo ount increased geometrically, approaching thirty thousand, and continued to grow.


    The videos that had been shared yed a significant role. The way information spreads on the inte is explosive. As long as there is content attractive enough, there''s no need to worry about followers.


    There were simply too manyments and, with Suming currentlycking an operations team, managing the Weibo ount by himself was a bit too much; it was impossible to reply to everyment. He could only skim through them hastily, just to get the gist.


    Suddenly starting a Weibo ount, dealing with a deluge ofments every day¡ªthese online remarks ranged from the pleasant to the unpleasant, and even included baseless insults. For instance, someone with a self-righteous tone questioned why he wasn''t protecting humans instead, with so many refugees in Africa and so many kids in rural areas unable to afford schooling. Why was the zoo spending money on animals?


    That was one of the better ones. Although logically confused, it at least had substance. And then there were those that were the most frustrating; for no apparent reason, they just started by sending greetings to his entire family...


    Suming knew not to take things on the inte too seriously, yet he was still a person with emotions. After a few days, the Weibo thing really started to get on his nerves.


    Zhao Yun suddenly showed up, waving at Suming stylishly from inside his Audi.


    "I heard you''ve been bothered these days. I''ll take you to a peaceful ce."


    Deyuan Temple, thergest temple in Yangchuan City.


    Deyuan Temple wasn''t far from the zoo. One was to the east of the back mountain, and the other to the west. They faced each other across the mountain and it took less than twenty minutes to get there by car along the mountain''s base.


    In Yangchuan City, even in the entire province, Deyuan Temple held a pivotal position in the Buddhistmunity.


    To be precise, Deyuan Temple was argeplex and also a famous tourist spot in Yangchuan City, covering hundreds of acres with dozens of main and side halls, pavilions, terraces, and towers, a pond for releasing aquatic creatures, lotus pools, and a total of forty-nine scenic spots all in all, with beautiful surroundings and pleasant scenery.


    Of those so-called forty-nine spots, most were there to make up the numbers, but the giant sculpture of Han white jade at the main entrance was extremely rare, vividly depicting the grand scene of Sakyamuni''s descent to earth at birth.


    At that time, the World-Honored One descended as an infant, with twin dragons spouting water to cleanse Him. One dragon spewed warm springs while the other spewed cold. The World-Honored One then took seven steps forward, with each step, radiant golden lotuses bloomed beneath his feet. Uponpleting the seventh step, the World-Honored One pointed one hand to the heavens and the other to the earth and dered, "Above heaven and below heaven, I alone am the honored one."


    Such was the scene engraved upon that wall of Han white jade.


    "Above heaven and below heaven, I alone am the honored one"¡ªthis saying is often misunderstood. Actually, it is not some proud deration of arrogance.


    In Buddhism, this ''I'' refers to ''consciousness of the self,'' that is, one''s own mind. The true meaning behind the Buddha''s words is that nothing is more important than maintaining one''s true self; at all times, one should not forget their original mind.


    "I Buddha" means the same; the heart is Buddha. As long as one understands their own mind and follows it, everyone is their own Buddha. Everyone is the master of their own life and need not take orders from others or any deity beyond humans.


    Monk Jidian once said, "Meat and wine pass through the intestine, but the Buddha sits in the heart," conveying the same sentiment.


    Suming couldn''t help but smile. It seemed his own spiritual journey was far from sufficient; his heart had not yet fully settled. He had thought that after more than half a year of seeing the world, growing the business, and maturing, he would not be perturbed by malicious online attacks¡ªbut he found he still couldn''t keep calm.


    Life is like a practice of cultivation, and he was still green. There was a vast difference between him and the Sakyamuni, the one revered "above heaven and below heaven." He still needed to refine himself.

 Chapter 266 Salvation of All Beings

    "In a sense, the essence of Buddhism is actually philosophy, studying Buddhist teachings is to explore the principles of life. Among all the religions in the world, Buddhism is the only one that doesn''t im divinity, doesn''t engage in personality cults, and instead inspires followers to discover their own potential. This is very simr to Maslow''s humanistic psychology."


    Zhao Yun, this middle-aged man, knew quite a bit and along the way, he started to introduce Buddhism to Suming.


    Deyuan Temple had existed since the early Ming Dynasty, but was reduced to ashes during the invasion of the World War II. Twenty years ago, all that remained of Deyuan Temple was a small Land Temple at the entrance, without even a temple keeper, practically barrennd.


    Later, a Huineng Monk came along with the grand vow to restore Deyuan Temple. It took him nearly ten years to travel across half of Huaxia, running around making contacts... or one could say, pulling in investment sponsorship.


    Today''s Deyuan Temple had been ''begged'' into existence by sheer tenacity.


    Huineng Monk naturally became the abbot of Deyuan Temple. Unlike ordinary monks who only knew about fasting and chanting, Huineng actually had quite a business mind, was progressive, and in just a few short years, he expanded Deyuan Temple, making it the biggest temple in Yangchuan City. In the city, he came to hold significant sway.


    As he was discussing this with Zhao Yun, he saw a fat monk in a dark yellow robeing out from a side hall in the distance. The monk looked to be in his fifties and was extremely hefty. If not for his obesity, he would resemble a Shaolin warrior monk.


    The fat monk spotted Zhao Yun from afar and came over smiling broadly, "Amitabha, Mr. Zhao, you''vee. Huff huff..." Just great, before he had even walked a few steps, the fat monk was already panting out of breath.


    His smile resembled that of Maitreya Buddha, with his face flesh puffing up.


    The old monk is definitely sneaking meat! Suming thought.


    "Huineng Monk, you''ve gotten even fatter."


    Learning that the fat monk was Huineng, Suming was initially incredulous, wondering how someone so overweight managed to travel far and wide to raise funds.


    But on second thought, Zhu Bajie traveled the lengthy journey of eighty-one thousand miles on a vegetarian diet, and still didn''t slim down. Maybe the fate of the chubby is predestined, and has little to do with exercise or dieting.


    "Amitabha, so Mr. Su is here. I''ve long heard of Mr. Su''s renowned reputation, such a promising young man." As the old Huineng talked, he jiggled his ample flesh, taking Suming and Zhao Yun to his abbot''s chamber to offer tea.


    These days, even monks have to keep up with the times, or they''ll be left behind and eliminated. Deyuan Temple''s transformation from a small Land Temple into the biggest temple in Yangchuan City had a lot to do with Abbot Huineng''s openness.


    As soon as Suming entered the abbot''s chamber, he was somewhat stunned. The ''chamber'' in front of him waspletely different from the traditional monk''s living quarters he had imagined, not exactly luxurious, but spotlessly clean with modern office supplies like LCD TV,ptop, inte, etc., basically identical to a corporate executive office.


    It was only missing a female secretary to answer the phone at the door.


    In fact, there was a sign hanging at the entrance of the abbot''s chamber: Abbot''s Office.


    Inside the office, there was a small coffee table with a set of purple y teapots and cups. Huineng Monk brewed several rounds of tea, and the three of them chatted over tea.


    Suming and Zhao Yun were businessmen, and Huineng was a monk, but for the sake of promoting Buddhism and expanding Deyuan Temple, he inevitably had to deal with worldly matters. As they talked, the conversation turned towards the national economic situation.


    Whether apany or a temple, publicity is essential for survival and development. Huineng even had his own Weibo ount. So, he promptly booted up theputer and followed Suming''s ''Taoyuan Interest'' ount, mutually bing fans.


    "Almost fifty thousand followers..." Huineng Monk pulled out a pair of sses from the drawer, put them on, and while staring at theputer screen, he mused as he moved the mouse: "The registration date is... oh, only five days ago! Most excellent, most excellent. If there''s a chance in the future, Mr. Su, I hope you can help promote Deyuan Temple, it would be a virtuous deed."


    Huineng Monk''s Weibo ount had over seventy thousand followers, but it had been registered for seven to eight years. It had only reached its current size with substantial promotion from Deyuan Temple. Suming''s ount, in less than a week, had gathered tens of thousands of followers, indicating his significant influence.


    However, although Huineng''s followers were not numerous, they were all disciples from across the country with high loyalty, absolutely ''hardcore fans.'' Many were economically capable adults, and among them were sessful, financially robust authorities and celebrities with social status, holding immense potential energy.


    As the saying goes, a close neighbor is better than a distant rtive. Deyuan Temple and the zoo were separated by just a mountain and had no conflicting business interests. Suming had not known the old Huineng until today, but now that they were acquainted, mutual support and cooperation were natural expectations. Suming chuckled and said, "Master is too kind. Our two establishments should definitely keep in touch and promote each other."


    After Huineng finished using the inte and shut down theputer, he somehow pulled an iPhone 5S from beneath his roomy monk''s robes, "Mr. Su, let''s add each other on private WeChat, so we can easily stay in contact in the future."


    Suming''s mouth twitched twice. Last time there was a new release, Nangong queued to buy it but still didn''t manage to get one. This old monk must have truly immersed himself in learning the central principles, taking keeping up with the times to the extreme.


    Huineng''s WeChat ID was ''Monk Huineng,'' with a profile picture of the popr cute monk tapping a wooden fish. Suming stifled augh and added him as a friend. Soon after, Huineng received the friend request.


    "Hmm? The Great Animal? That''s your ount, right, Mr. Su?" Huineng was initially taken aback.


    "Hehe, yes, we work in different fields. You manage a big temple and are called a little monk; I manage a group of animals, so I''m called the Great Animal. It''s a bit embarrassing." Suming said with an awkwardugh. This WeChat ount was originally for friends and ssmates, and the name Great Animal was meant as a joke, so it was fine. But now, as more business partners and social acquaintances started adding him, the name became somewhat embarrassing. From a certain angle, Suming''s skin was actually quite thin.


    However, Huineng was only stunned for a few seconds before he looked at Suming with utter seriousness and said, "Amitabha, Mr. Su, this is a good name!"@@novelbin@@


    Ah? Suming was speechless. Was he praising me or scolding me?


    Old Huineng spoke earnestly: "This name has a story. Among the Buddhist Devas Eight Divisions, the Dragon Division, Garuda Division, Mahoraga Division, and others, despite having the bodies of animals, have converted to Buddhism, spreading the great path, and bing the honored protectors of the Buddhist faith. And this ''Great'' character, in Buddhism, signifies great wisdom, great detachment, great ease. It seems, Mr. Su, that you possess considerable innate wisdom. Just like Zhao, you are a talent for the protection of the Buddhist faith. Excellent, excellent, Amitabha!"


    Suming waspletely convinced. With such an abbot in charge, it was no wonder that Deyuan Temple was thriving! When Buddhists exin things, it''s sometimes like fortune-telling ¨C the same matter or omen can lead to vastly different interpretations depending on the method. Any religious person youe into contact with is definitely first-ss when ites to verbal skill.


    "Buddha indeed has insight, choosing you, old Zen master, to be the abbot of Deyuan Temple. How could the Dharma not thrive?" Suming said with a smile.


    "I am unworthy! Excellent, excellent! We still need the support of all the protectors." Abbot Huineng alsoughed.


    ...


    After spending the afternoon chatting in the abbot''s office, Suming felt he had gained much insight. Abbot Huineng hailed from Zen Buddhism, and his deep understanding of the Dharma went without saying, with his wealth of stories and analogies. What''s more valuable is that he wasn''t bound to the scriptural text and managed to integrate Buddhist teachings well into daily life. Discussing anything with him never felt dry, and time seemed to fly by.


    When he stepped out of the abbot''s office, the evening bell of Deyuan Temple resounded. Gazing at the majestic Mahavira Hall before him, Suming was suddenly moved.


    Old Huineng, a nationally renowned and virtuous monk, was steeped in the Dharma and had poured his heart and soul into Deyuan Temple. In the eyes of outsiders, he was a monk of high virtue indeed.


    But for the growth of Deyuan Temple, for the ideal he held dear: to promote the Dharma, this hermit, already advanced in years, could lower his stature and, like the younger generation, learn to use an iPad, studyputers, and use high-tech like WeChat.


    Find exclusive stories on empire


    Moreover, Suming saw not a single trace of negative emotion from him because of this. Old Huineng dly embraced these seemingly unrted activities to Buddhism, yet through them, he spread the Dharma even more effectively.


    This old monk had truly embodied the saying: "The wine and meat pass through the intestines, but the Buddha stays in the heart."


    "So, after chatting with old Huineng, you feel much better, don''t you?" Zhao Yun said with a smile.


    "Indeed." Suming stretched expansively and nodded.


    "I knew him when I was younger. Whenever I had troubles on my mind, I liked toe here to sit. Sometimes it seemed we hardly talked about anything, but I would always feel much better."


    Zhao Yun made a slight bow towards the distant Mahavira Hall and said softly, "What is meant by universally saving all beings? This is the universal salvation of all beings."


    ''"Universally saving all beings''? Isn''t that phrase a bit grand?" Sumingughed.


    "If you''re willing, you can donate some money for incense to the temple. It''s not easy for old Huineng, and to say he is universally saving beings is no exaggeration," Zhao Yun said.


    "Offering incense is no problem, but you say Deyuan Temple is short on funds, isn''t that a bit extreme?" Suming asked, puzzled.


    Zhao Yun exined, "You probably don''t know, but Deyuan Temple started a charity project several years ago, sponsoring children from impoverished areas like Qinghai Gansu to go to school, so the temple''s finances have always been tight. I''ve seen the files of those sponsored children; their living conditions are so tough that city kids can''t even imagine. Many are orphans living with a grandparent who is ill, and the family''s total annual ie, including government subsidies, is just two to three thousand yuan. There are many children the age of Chengcheng who don''t even know whatputers or smartphones are, let alone QQ and WeChat¡­"


    "For people like us, who have been in the business world for a long time and have seen the ugliest side of humanity, we habitually think the worst of everyone and measure everything by its economic value. Old Huineng is different from us; he is a person of great resolve, great ambition, and great kindness."

 Chapter 268 Out of the Ordinary

    After reporting to the higher-level party organization and obtaining approval, Mrs. Tong took over as the Party Secretary and also worked as the office director, coordinating with Suming''s work and bing his assistant. Before the zoo''s restructuring, the Party Committee was somewhat an overlooked existence; after the reform, its importance diminished further, with its main work being to organize thebor union and take care of employee welfare and the like.


    "Suming, you should host the uing meeting," Song nodded to Suming and pushed the microphone towards him.


    Restructuring did not mean the zoo had be Suming''s personal property. Apart from managing his own business and contracted projects, he now had another task, as Mr. Song had put it: to grow the zoo and improve the employees'' ie. These two roles were different. Within the zoo, Suming was like a manager, drawing a sry and dividends; for his own business, Suming was a private enterprise owner. But these two roles each had advantages the other did not, allowing for mutual promotion andplementation.


    When Mr. Song was speaking earlier, many employees were somewhat nervous, not because they feared Mr. Song, but because, after many years as a leader and with his age, he naturallymanded an air of authority.


    They had always been worried when Mr. Song mentioned the topic of future employee engagement. As per tradition, after restructuring, some of the grassroots staff would definitely be let go.


    When it was Suming''s turn to speak, the employees rxed quite a bit. They weren''t underestimating Suming; on the contrary, because Suming had always brought continuous surprises to the zoo, over time, they had developed a kind of confidence in him, always feeling that Suming wouldn''t announce bad news. Find your next read on empire


    "Since the director has entrusted this matter to me, I will address what everyone is most concerned about first," Suming had sometimes chatted with the employees recently and vaguely knew what was on their minds, mainly their concerns about future job security.


    Hearing this, the employees below allughed, and Suming also said with a smile, "There are rumors that there will beyoffs..."


    Before he could finish, theughter below instantly vanished, and seeing everyone''s tense expressions, Suming waved his hand, "What''s the rush? I said it''s just a rumor. Other units doy off people after restructuring. For ces like the zoo that are running deficits, technically speaking,yoffs are a way to cut costs, actually the only way. However, in my opinion, to save money, there''s no need to consideryoffs at all. First, dismissing a few people won''t save much money, and second, all of you are experienced employees of the zoo. If anyone leaves, it will be very difficult for others to take over their area of work right away. For others to get familiar with that job and smoothly take over, it will definitely require a lot of effort and time, which is also an invisible loss. Weighing both sides, it''s better not toy off anyone!"


    The employees below nodded subtly. What Suming said had struck a chord with them, and by the time he reached thest four words, their hearts hadpletely settled.


    "Not only are there noyoffs," Suming continued, "but let me give you another piece of reassurance: your current ie will not be reduced."


    If the previous statement had eased everyone''s minds, this one rxed thempletely¡ªit was as if nothing had changed through the restructuring. So as soon as Suming finished speaking, there was a stir below, and employees began to smile and whisper to each other.


    Mr. Song didn''t speak but cast a meaningful nce at Suming. Song wasn''t adept at power games, but that didn''t mean he didn''t understand them. How to manage people was crucial for the sess of a business, and leading such arge team was not something that could be aplished simply by handing out favors. Trying to be nice to everyone and unable to refuse anyone would only backfire in the end.


    Sure enough, after a brief discussion among the employees, Suming resumed his speech with a calmer demeanor but in a tone that was anything but rxed.@@novelbin@@


    "Everyone, the reason we''re notying off staff is partly for the reasons I mentioned earlier, but more importantly, because you are all oldrades, having served in the zoo for many years. Even if there is no credit, there is at least hard work; I, a young man, have received tremendous support and care from you all in my short half-year at the zoo, and I keep that in my heart," he said seriously. "However, everyone has seen the financial situation of the zoo. Without government financial support, we are losing money every month. The money in the ounts won''tst long, and we still need to return it to the government year after year. As it stands, in at most a year, if we can''t achieve a bnce of ie and expenditure, the zoo will find itself in a very awkward position. To put it bluntly, if we don''t work hard, in a year''s time, prepare to file for bankruptcy and close down. At that time, I can stop being the deputy director, as I have the reservoir and other businesses. But for everyone else, forget about sries; even keeping the jobs will be in question."


    Suming''s words served as both a precaution and a foundation for what he was about to say next.


    Many of the seasoned people within the zoo grasped Suming''s point and waited quietly for him to continue. Security Head Lao Dong nodded and said gravely, "Mr. Su is right. Restructuring a business is both an opportunity and a challenge. If it''s well managed, everyone''s ie will increase; if not, we can''t even guarantee our jobs."

 Chapter 269 Standard Official Response Routine

    Huineng walked over with seven young monks from afar, and the crowd immediately parted to make way. Holding both positions as a leader in the Chinese People''s Political Consultative Conference and the Buddhist Association, Huineng''s status was higher than most of the so-called leaders present. After shaking hands with everyone, he joined Wang Jian She, Suming, and Mr. Song for amemorative photo.


    Reporters have the most up-to-date information, and two interview vans had already arrived outside the zoo. Several reporters sprinted towards the zoo entrance with the speed of a hundred-meter dash.


    "Eh? I didn''t see your little friend," Zhao Yun said, tilting his head and smiling at Suming in the crowd.


    All of this had been arranged by Suming in advance. Departments that could really make money could be restructured discreetly. Since the economy would not be an issue in the future, keeping a high profile would only invite gossip and spection.


    However, departments like the zoo, which weren''t profitable, had no need to be discreet. If the event was too quiet and subdued, it could evoke a sense of destion and bleakness among people. On the contrary, making the restructuring vibrant and bustling could inspire hope for the future, boost morale, and unite people internally; externally, it could use the opportunity to further increase the zoo''s visibility. It would be an auspicious start.


    Zhao Yun, already in on the secrets, jokingly asked Suming if he had decided to "hide his beauty in a golden house" and prevent Nangong Yan from showing up and grabbing the spotlight when he noticed her absence amongst the reporters.


    In the past, Nangong Yan was the first to be notified of any news rted to Suming¡ªshe was practically bing Suming''s exclusive reporter.


    Suming hadn''t really nned that. He didn''t notify Nangong Yan simply because this wasn''t major news, and it didn''t matter who reported it. Besides, he could be quite considerate. The space at the zoo''s entrance was neither too small nor toorge, and it was already packed with people. The reporters had forcibly squeezed their way through the crowd, and Suming didn''t want Nangong Yan to suffer that ordeal. There would be plenty of opportunities for better news stories in the future¡ªthere was no need for her to struggle in a crowd here.


    "Excuse me, Master Huineng¡­" A reporter finally pushed through the crowd, not bothering to fix his coat, which was partially torn from the scuffle, and stretched his microphone towards the stage, raising his voice to ask, "Are you also here to celebrate the restructuring of the zoo today?"


    "Amitabha, please kindly make some room for these reporter friends," Huineng began with a warm smile and palms pressed together, gracefully asking the tourists gathered around to let the reporters through. Once all the reporters reached the stage, he continued with a cheerful smile to the question from the fastest reporter, "Deyuan Temple and the zoo are half a mountain apart; we''re practically neighbors. As an old monk, I''vee to join in the fun and congratte my old neighbor."


    "Hello, Master Huineng..." A young reporter from the Yangchuan Evening News hurried to ask, "Ever since the Fox Home was established behind the zoo, even the Wishing Tree, which had been ignored for a long time, has be popr. Every weekend, many people go there to make wishes. What are your thoughts on this?"


    After this question, the other reporters stopped jostling to ask their own questions and instead extended their microphones toward Huineng. Clearly, they were all interested in this topic.


    Reporting and journalism are ultimately about conveying information and uncovering truths; but more often than not, they''re also about attracting attention, generating sales, viewership, readership, and bringing in economic benefits. Therefore, sometimes reporters y the role of someone who fears the world is not chaotic enough, and their questions can be quite tricky and peculiar. Find exclusive stories on empire


    For example, the question just posed was a trap.@@novelbin@@


    If Huineng''s response was to deny the Wishing Tree''s powers, that would be akin to pping the zoo in the face and undermining its efforts, making his previous remarks about congratting his "old neighbor" seem insincere. On the contrary, if Huineng affirmed the Wishing Tree''s powers... that would be even more inappropriate. With Huineng''s status, how could he suggest that an old tree possesses magical powers? That would indeed be advocating feudal superstition.


    So, whether Huineng responded directly or indirectly, he would be falling into a trap. The reporters would then have ample material to sensationalize upon their return.


    If it wasn''t a public event, Suming would have almost felt like kicking that reporter. The question was intentionally provocative and poorly crafted.


    But Huineng wasn''t encountering this kind of situation for the first time. As a worldly famous monk, Huineng had faced many tricky questions before. Some reporters even prepared to give him a hard time whenever they saw him approaching. Over time, Huineng had honed his skills in dealing with them.


    Huineng gave Suming a nod and then, smiling at the reporter, said, "Whether it''s chanting scriptures and Buddha''s name or burning incense and making wishes, the ultimate goal is to express one''s sentiments and yearn for a happy and beautiful life, to build a harmonious society together. Good indeed, good indeed!"


    After a slight bow with palms pressed together, Huineng continued with a smile, "From this perspective, as long as one harbors good intentions, there is no difference between Buddhist disciples and believers, people outside Buddhism, or even all living beings."


    Listening off to the side, Suming couldn''t help wanting tough. The old monk''s response embodied the essence of a spokesperson''s savvy¡ªpolitically impable on a broad level, unchallengeable on the details, and ambiguously nonmittal.


    This left a huge ''space for imagination.'' The power of human imagination is boundless, and as long as neither Huineng nor the zoo explicitly defined their stance, there would always be endless spection amongst the people.


    ...


    "Look, isn''t that Dong over there? Dong, you''re grinning like a flower..."


    "Ah, there''s Zhao! Zhao, you look much fatter on TV, not like in person..."


    "Deputy Director Suming is so stylish, just like a big star, full of charisma!"


    "Of course, the Deputy Director and the big stars from Xiangjiang are good friends... Oh, that''s our warehouse staff in the photo, when was this taken? Quick, record it to show my wife at home, I''m on TV too, a celebrity now..."


    The zoo''s restructuring ceremony was supposed to be merely an internal affair, but under Suming''s management, it became a medium-sized news event in Yangchuan City, even making it onto the city''s evening news at seven. This news program held a status in Yangchuan City simr to that of CCTV''s News Simtion perhaps.


    When it was broadcast, the zoo specifically organized the off-duty staff to watch the program together in the conference room. Most of the zoo''s personnel made a brief appearance on the news. For ordinary people, appearing on television was quite exciting, and the conference room was filled withughter and cheers throughout the viewing.


    The number of followers on Suming''s "Taoyuan Intentions" Weibo ount finally broke through the 50,000 mark, approaching 60,000.

 Chapter 270 Swinging the Hoe to Undermine the Foundation

    Weibo was full ofments, many from fortunate fans who had attended the zoo''s restructuring, posting photos from the event. Who would have thought that the kindly looking Huineng Monk was so popr with the youth, with many of the photos featuring fans posing with him, and in a few pictures with children, Huineng would be making scissor-hands gestures, smiling just like a Maneki-Neko.


    Just as Suming had previously spected, the average fan didn''t pay much attention to the restructuring of the zoo itself, but Huineng Monk''s appearance drew considerable attention. With des and criticisms abounding, Huineng was a controversial figure both in Yangchuan City and across the nation. His presence alone significantly boosted the zoo''s visitor numbers.


    Not only did Huineng support the zoo; Wang Jian She''s attendance also meant he was standing with the zoo. As the leader in charge of agriculture, fisheries, and forestry, it was entirely appropriate for Wang Jian She to attend the zoo''s restructuring. However, with so many rted city institutions, even if Wang Jian She could clone himself, he couldn''t be present at "celebrations" for each one. If Huineng''s presence served to attract civilian attention, Wang Jian She''s presence represented an official stance: despite its restructuring, the zoo remained a key concern for Yangchuan City.


    There was a reason why Wang Jian She was working so hard this time. First, he was in a good moodtely. Just like the hot gossip, it was almost certain that Mr. Sun was retiring, and Wang Jian She was set to take his ce. Second, Wang Hao''s matter was finally settled, a significant relief for him.


    Wang Hao, who had stakes in the boat tour business, switched to an Audi A4 after the year-end bonus. It wasn''t too expensive, just over three hundred thousand. In Suming''s opinion, you either stick with the same car or make a significant upgrade. For instance, if he were ever to rece his Wrangler, it would need to be worth upwards of a million; otherwise, it was pointless. As for Wang Hao, he was just showing off. Upgrading from a two-hundred-thousand car to one worth three hundred thousand was, apart from a more intimidating brand, no substantial change.


    Nheless, it was fitting for Wang Hao, who was now a leader of an independentpany, in charge of the zoo''s boat tours, fish riding, and the Fox Home project, with an annual ie of several million. Driving an Audi was in line with his status.


    Wang Hao switching to an Audi was most likely rted to Peng Xue as well. There''s aplete change in confidence whenparing seducing girls with a Ford Kuga to doing it in an Audi.@@novelbin@@


    Everything seemed to be going well. But when some people are happy, there are bound to be others who are not.


    Ren Chen was one of those not so happy. After being bitten by Er Gouzi that evening, he endured the pain and drove to the hospital. On the way, he had a minor ident, crashing his Maserati into a roadside telephone pole, breaking the bumper.


    There''s truth to the saying "you get what you pay for." Despite such a violent crash, Ren Chen ended up with nothing more than scrapes. His habit of wearing a seatbelt, developed from years of driving sports cars and asional racing, was a significant reason why he wasn''t seriously injured.


    After the car ident, he no longer had to drive himself to the hospital. Instead, he dialed for an ambnce and was directly taken to the hospital for treatment.


    The injury caused by the bee sting on his face healed in a few days, and the repairs for the Maserati cost him several hundred thousand yuan, which didn''t worry him much in terms of finances. However, a series of unfortunate events¡ªmissing Nangong, followed by a bee sting, then a car crash¡ªleft him feeling incredibly unlucky.


    If it were an ordinary person, they might think these weren''t matters of luck but rather a string of cause and effect: chasing after Nangong Yan, buying an intensely fragrant flower, driving with the windows down in the cold to show off, which attracted the bees. His face swelled up like a pig''s head, yet he still insisted on driving to the hospital, leading to the ident. However, wealthy individuals like Ren Chen tend to be superstitious, believing in feng shui and fortune.


    "Go to Fox Home? Are you joking?"


    In a high-end private clubhouse on the outskirts of Yangchuan City, former hotshot TV anchor Yang Meng put down her ss of red wine. She touched her heavily eyeshadowed eyelids and looked at Ren Chen sitting opposite her with an incredulous gaze.


    During thest ''hormone storm,'' Yang Meng was criticized for letting her personal emotions affect her reporting, which did not align with the standards of a journalist. Following the advice of the deputy station manager, she had to take some time off and temporarily leave the screen until things blew over.


    As she had feared, although the hormone scandal passed without dragging her into it, when she returned to the station, her job had been taken over by a neer. She, the former star anchor, could only do behind-the-scenes work now, asionally making ''friendly appearances'' in some minor shows just to maintain the minimum on-screen presence. It was difficult for her to find fame again, and she could barely keep viewers remembering who she was.


    Yang Meng and Ren Chen had known each other for a while. Ren Chen''s family had advertising ties with the TV station, and he never missed a chance with a beautiful girl; whereas Yang Meng had advertising quotas to meet and wasn''t exactly virtuous herself. They hit it off not long after meeting and had rolled around in the sheets a few times.


    However, Ren Chen had a peculiar personality and quickly lost interest in any beautiful woman he got his hands on. Their secret affair didn''tst long before they reverted to a rtionship of casual friends.


    Surprisingly, they got along even better as friends than as lovers. They had a great time together. Ren Chen would sometimes take care of Yang Meng regarding advertising deals, and asionally she would introduce him to aspiring models, showgirls, and the like looking to make a name for themselves.


    When Yang Meng heard about Ren Chen''s minor car ident, she naturally wanted to visit him. Ren Chen wasn''t severely injured, and after the swelling on his face subsided slightly, he invited Yang Meng to the clubhouse for a meal.


    Upon hearing Ren Chen suggest visiting Fox Home, Yang Meng looked at him with surprise.


    "What''s wrong? I''ve seen the video, Fox Home seems quite interesting," said Ren Chen with a light smile. But he didn''t tell Yang Meng the truth.


    With his current status, how could he possibly be interested in a group of little foxes? A bunch of morously bewitching vixens, perhaps. The reason he wanted to visit Fox Home was that he had heard Nangong Yan liked animals and often appeared at the zoo.


    "It''s not about whether it''s fun or not," Yang Meng teased, deliberately keeping him in suspense. Narrowing her eyes, she spoke in a flirtatious manner, "Others may go, but you are the only exception! You can''t!"


    "Why not?" Ren Chen was even more puzzled.


    "Aren''t you chasing after that Nangong Yan girl?" said Yang Meng.


    "Right! What does she have to do with the foxes?" Ren Chen thought Yang Meng had figured out the real situation, but he kept hisposure, maybe Yang Meng had more information.


    However, Yang Meng simply refused to continue, lifting her wine ss to take a delicate sip. She then tossed her long hair back and turned to look outside the window, embodying the image of tranquility.


    Ren Chen, with plenty of experience flirting among women, saw through Yang Meng''s green tea, bitchy facade and knew what she was getting at.


    He got up and sat next to Yang Meng, taking her slender wrist into his hand. He looked at thedy''s watch on her wrist and chuckled, "Such a beautiful wrist shouldn''t be wearing a cheap watch worth just a few thousand. I saw a Vacheron Constantin that wasn''t badst time. Let''s have a look after dinner, and if you like it, I''ll buy it for you."


    Only then did Yang Meng shift her gaze from the window back to him. She lightly punched him in a half-serious, half-joking manner and said reproachfully, "You scoundrel, always chasing after the new and getting tired of the old."


    "Haha, you''ve got that wrong. I like new things, but I don''t tire of the old," Ren Chen leaned in and gave Yang Meng a kiss on the cheek, "Tell me, what''s really going on?"


    Yang Meng said somberly, "Nangong Yan has a boyfriend, did you know?" Your journey continues on empire


    The reaction to this statement would differ greatly between a nobody and a rich guy. Ren Chen was not the least bit surprised; instead, he shrugged indifferently, "It would be weird for such a beautiful woman not to have a boyfriend. But what does it have to do with me? I''ll just win her over, could her boyfriend be handsomer or richer than me?"


    "He definitely isn''t richer than you, but," Yang Meng sneered, "her boyfriend is currently the deputy manager of the zoo. Going to see the foxes would be like sending money to her boyfriend''s establishment, wouldn''t it?"


    After speaking, she seemed intent on stirring up trouble, coaxing him, "When did you be so kind-hearted? If Nangong Yan gets married in the future, are you also nning to send a red packet to congratte her?"


    Yang Meng and Nangong Yan were both leadingdies at the television station. Even though they were not responsible for the same program, they were inherentlypetitive. Nangong Yan was younger and prettier and had risen quickly recently, which posed a significant threat to Yang Meng. During the hormone incident, Yang Meng had a dismal end, while Nangong Yan took the opportunity to make a small appearance, which grated on Yang Meng''s nerves.


    In fact, among the many young and pretty women at the television station, Yang Meng took a particr dislike to Nangong Yan, and there was a reason for that. Yang Meng was the type of woman willing to do anything for advancement, while Nangong Yan was the opposite, maintaining her principles and limits. The two were simply not cut from the same cloth, each looking down on the other.


    The provocative tone in Yang Meng''s words was too strong. Ren Chen might be young, but he had plenty of social experience and could not fail to hear what she was implying. He merely smiled faintly and said, "Then what do you think I should do? Should I attack her boyfriend?"


    If Yang Meng had a choice, of course, she would want to ruin Nangong Yan, preferably so she could never appear on television again and exit the industry entirely. But clearly, Ren Chen was not going to do that; as for dealing with Nangong Yan''s boyfriend, that would be even less beneficial for Yang Meng.


    "So you see, you don''t need to use reverse psychology on me," Ren Chen spoke with full confidence, "I''m not new to courting women. With the right technique, there''s no corner that can''t be dug."


    Seeing Ren Chen''s confidence as if there wasn''t a woman on earth he couldn''t conquer, Yang Meng''s curiosity was piqued, and she asked, "So, what''s your n?"


    "You''re a woman, don''t you understand?" Ren Chen''s mouth curved into a slightly devilish smile, "Confronting her boyfriend would only antagonize her. Even if I ruined her boyfriend, she wouldn''t fall for me, but rather despise me more. Besides, I''m just rtively wealthy, not a national leader. The zoo and my business don''t intersect, so how could I ruin anyone I choose. The key issue is to win Nangong Yan''s favor herself."

 Chapter 271 Have a Cup of Banlangen to Calm the Shock

    "Having a good impression is very important!"


    Suming, with hands sped behind his back like some old party cadre, sauntered down the zoo''s path while he sermonized with the tone of someone who''d been there, done that, "Dating isn''t like acting in a Korean drama where two people start off disliking each other, only to go through a series of fights and arguments before discovering they are meant to be together, happily ever after as bickering lovers. That only happens in TV and movies. In general, it begins with both parties having a good impression of each other, then slowly developing from there. At the very least, not finding each other disagreeable is a prerequisite."


    "You make it sound like you''ve got a ton of experience," Nangong Yan said, sporting activewear that made her look like one of those square dancing aunties despite being only in her early twenties. She swung her arms vigorously back and forth as she walked.


    "Of course, we are a prime example! Look at us¡ªyou liked me from the first nce, didn''t you? And I, I had a good impression of you too. Then after what seemed like a series of uneventful interactions, our rtionship deepened gradually, and here we are today, taking a natural course to officially start dating," he exined.


    Nangong Yan gave a big eye-roll at Suming, "Considering I''m as pretty as a flower with a line of suitors that could stretch out for blocks, how did I end up falling for someone as shameless and cheeky as you?"


    The rtionship between Nangong Yan and Suming had undergone a fundamental change¡ªtheir metaphorical sheet of paper suddenly torn.


    Of course, it was just the sheet of paper that was torn... nothing else.


    We must move forward in time, back to the day after Suming took Nangong Yan home, when he seriously considered the nature of their rtionship.


    Suming wondered why he had not epted Nangong Yan''s feelings before. It wasn''t that he didn''t care about her; on the contrary, he was very aware that he held Nangong in high regard in his heart. The reason he had skirted around the subject from college until they began working was due to his own circumstances.


    It was probably a habit he had developed. Even after he had earned some money after graduation, Suming still avoided the issue. It was not until the day the zoo formally restructured that he looked around at the people who came to congratte him¡ªfrom government leaders to arge group of fans, socialites, and the dozens of employees from the zoo¡ªand Suming suddenly realized that he was no longer the poor boy with nothing to his name.


    Even though he had lost his spiritual power, with his current wealth and experience, he was certainly a match for Nangong Yan and could provide her with a good living environment.


    What then could prevent two people from being together?


    It was after seeing that trident emblem at Amber Garden that one night that Suming seemed to have an epiphany.


    It wasn''t because he was afraid of someone else pursuing Nangong Yan, but he realized she had been waiting for him quietly all along, never making any demands that would put him in a difficult position. How long does a woman''s youthst? Should she just keep waiting like this?


    So, the sheet of paper was punctured just like that.@@novelbin@@


    They officially moved beyond the ttering phase and entered the ''dating'' stage.


    Having been in an ambiguous rtionship for so long and suddenly starting to date, a rather troublesome issue arose: both were too familiar and toofortable with each other, giving off a ''marriage of long-standing'' vibe. Neither of them had dated before, so after deciding to officially date, Nangong Yan thought hard and finally blurted out: "Couples usually go to parks or watch movies, why don''t we do that too..."


    And so they began hanging out at the zoo.


    "The thing is, after what you''ve said, I suddenly feel like our time together isn''t romantic at all," Nangongined, swinging her arms as she pouted.


    "Not romantic, huh?" Suming walked forward with his hands behind his back and said, "Songs say the most romantic thing is to grow old together. Look at us¡ªwe''ve skipped ahead a few decades and are already at the stage of growing old together."


    Indeed, they were just like an old couple out for a stroll¡ªone with hands behind his back, the other swinging her arms. Not only did Nangong have to interview, but she was also responsible for nning programs and often worked on copy in front of theputer. Suming told her that walking with her arms swinging can help with blood cirction and prevent issues like varicose veins in the future. Nangong Yan, spending most of her time without having to think too hard when she''s with Suming, believed whatever he said, which is how their park visits ended up looking the way they did.


    ncing sideways at Suming with a hum, Nangong said, "Growing old together? Seems like you left out the first half of that phrase, didn''t you?"


    "Alright, alright, let''splete the first half of that," Suming chuckled and reached out to grab Nangong Yan''s hand, which had been swinging back and forth.


    Nangong Yan talked tough, but when Suming truly reached out, she suddenly felt a little unsure and instinctively pulled her hand back slightly.


    She tugged once, but her hand didn''t budge; Suming''s grip was firm, holding her small hand tightly.


    "Hey, do you even know how to date? Have you ever held a girl''s hand before? Who holds hands as strongly as you do?"


    "Clearly, I''ve never dated before!"


    When Suming finally rxed his grip a bit, Nangong Yan noticed his palm was somewhat mmy and wondered, "It''s not even hot, why are your palms sweaty? You''re so young, why is your body so weak?"


    "Body weak..." Suming''s mouth twitched, "Sister, I''m just nervous, alright?"


    "Are you really not weak?" Nangong eyed Suming with a yful look, intermittently emitting an ambiguous and mysterious chuckle.


    "All talk and no proof, just half a mile ahead to the waterside pavilion where I live. Why don''t we go to my room and check?" Suming raised his eyebrows and approached with a cheeky grin.


    Nangong Yan lifted her face slightly, "Dream on! Keep walking! First, you have to make up for all the park strolls, movies, and concerts you owe me!"


    "I knew it, whoever confesses first, dies first. Now I''mpletely passive," Suming said.


    "Hahaha, I''ve said it long ago, you can''t escape the palm of my hand!" Nangong Yanughed heartily...


    Walking hand in hand through the zoo practically made their rtionship public. Quite a few zoo employees who came upon the scene were initially stunned, then smiled in blessing.


    Of course, there were also bitter smiles.


    For instance, Mr. Peng felt a bit gloomy; he''d originally intended to introduce his daughter Peng Xue to Suming. But upon witnessing Suming holding hands with Nangong Yan, Mr. Peng could only give up. That night, after returning to Mingqing Residence, he pulled Liang Shi over to have a few shots of liquor and finally came to terms with it.


    "Forget it, children have their own blessings. Wang Hao isn''t too bad either, just a bit overweight..."


    Mrs. Tong finally let go of a nagging worry. Women of her age, when ying matchmaker, possess a ''never rest until the goal is achieved'' mentality. As long as Suming was single, Mrs. Tong always felt as if she had unfinished business, a typical case of OCD.


    "You two! Ah, what should I say about you both!"


    In the medical room, Nurse Hu finished calcting this week''s sales for fish feed, stood up from in front of theputer, hands on hips, and said loudly to the Liao sisters, "Since you both are interested in him, why didn''t you say something sooner? Ah? Why not? If you don''t speak up, how is he supposed to know?"


    The Liao sisters stood there with their heads hanging down like scolded schoolchildren, their faces flushed red, their hands sped tightly in front of them, feeling incredibly tangled up inside.


    Seeing them like this, Hu''s heart softened, and with a sigh that held a bit of frustration, said, "Oh, you two introverts. Being shy is one thing, but you could at least have shown a bit more warmth. Instead, every time you see him, you act as if you''ve run into a thug, as if you can''t wait to tie your belts into a dead knot. Why? Inside, you guys clearly wish he''d tug at your belts, yet you push him thousands of miles away with your expressions..."


    Already thin-skinned, the sisters were both embarrassed and anxious upon hearing thest part about ''wishing someone would tug at their belts.'' They nearly broke down and suddenly started crying.


    True to being identical twins, they were not just sisters connected by heart, but even cried in unison without prior arrangement.


    "Hu, are you trying tofort them or provoke them?" The vet came in, carrying arge bag.


    Hu''s voice was loud, so he heard her from outside. As he entered, he instantly understood the situation seeing the two nurses crying their eyes out.


    "I''m just so annoyed! Tell me, vet, people usually say ''firste, first served,'' they had such a good opportunity, and now they''re crying. What''s the use?" Hu said. Continue your saga on empire


    Her words were too hurtful. Just a moment ago they made the nurses feel ashamed and anxious, and now, they sank the Liao sisters into deep regret.


    "Ah, such bitterness... all from past lives'' karma..."


    The vet shook his head, sat behind the desk, and looking at the nurses who couldn''t stop crying, said, "Actually, this is a good thing. You two listen to me for a second, cry afterward if you feel like it."


    The vet was a well-educated man, with high qualifications, and good skills, leading the medical station with significant authority. The two nurses held back their tears and lifted their swollen red eyes to look at him. Hu was also curious to hear how he''d console them, wondering how this could possibly be good.


    "It''s simple, let''s assume he didn''t have a girlfriend, and also assume he liked both of you. Then I ask you, he can''t marry you both, right?" The vet spread his hands, stating the obvious.


    The Liao sisters were stunned, looking at each other with their teary and somewhat swollen eyes. Well, isn''t that the truth!


    So that meant, their unrequited love for Mr. Su had no hope from the start! Regardless of whether Suming had a girlfriend or not, it was never their turn!


    "Exactly... that''s the logic. You sisters are so close, neither willing to hurt the other, and since the country doesn''t allow marrying two, this whole thing was nonsense from the beginning," the vet said lightly, waving his hand.


    Even Hu was bewildered, staring with her mouth half open at the two nurses.


    "Wow..." The nurses'' tears flowed uncontrobly once more. ording to the vet, they were just in fools, mistaken from the start to finish.


    "Ah, young people just don''t see the bigger picture. What is affection, what is love, but a y acted out by men and women..."


    The vet hummed a few song lyrics, pulled out two packets of Isatis root from his bag, and threw them on the table, "Stop crying, have some Isatis root to calm your nerves..."

 Chapter 272 A Worthy Opponent

    This Saturday morning, Suming and Nangong Yan were supposed to drive to a nearby farmstead for some fun, but both of them overslept. They woke up and saw it was almost 9:30, so they simply called each other, agreed to cancel their ns, and went back to sleep for a while.@@novelbin@@


    It was almost noon by the time they got up and met at the zoo. After strolling around, they arrived at the fox attraction on the back hill. Sometimes Nangong Yan would joke with Suming about thest fundraising, saying that these were a group of fox immortals that had brought them together, and he better treat them well.


    In the past, the Fox Home could only be considered a hillside, with no development around it¡ªa purely wild environment. Now, this ce could be considered an ''attraction.'' Following Suming''s overall n, Su Desheng had already started construction, building roads and installing fences around the original hillside to develop the site.


    At present, the construction had just begun, and it was not yet possible to see what it would eventually look like.


    However, the conceptual drawings were designed with Suming''s involvement. They even consulted the cultural antique expert, Zhao Yun, to further renovate the previous vi to match the future vision of a Taoyuan paradise.


    The architectural style maintained consistency with most of the zoo''s structures, old and traditional. Oncepleted, the hillside would transform into a miniature vige with an ancient Tang and Han dynasty ambiance¡ªhouses scattered about, paths crisscrossed, fences amid peach blossoms and willows, and even little bridges over streams. These were ''little'' bridges indeed¡ªevery building was built to a specific reduced scale, forming a miniature retro vige.


    The foxes were the ''vigers'' of this ce, and since Nangong Yan referred to them as fox immortals, Suming named the vige ''Ancient Moon Xian Residence.''


    The Ancient Moon Xian Residence was currently nothing but a busy, dust-filled construction site, incredibly noisy. Many young foxes simply chose not to ''open for business.'' Some followed the wolf-dog Huiya to y in the mountains, while others just closed their ''doors'' and, ears pressed together, curled up to sleep at home.


    Even so, it could not quell the enthusiasm of the tourists.


    The old wishing tree had regained its energy. Lin had ordered many red wishing fabric strips, which he gave to the Broad-eared Foxes to sell. The zoo had cats selling admission tickets before, now they had Broad-eared Foxes selling wishing strips, which the tourists quickly grew fond of.


    In front of the few foxes'' homes still ''open for business,'' long queues formed. Dressed as ''sly merchants,'' wearing fake little mustaches, Broad-eared Foxes distributed wishing strips to tourists, who would toss a few coins into a box by their door.


    Suming and Nangong Yan patiently lined up, and finally, it was their turn.


    "Don''t look!" Nangong Yan pulled a red blessing strip and then turned around to write a few words on it with a waterproof pen. Suming, curious, tried to peek at her wish, but Nangong Yan blocked him with her body.


    After Nangong Yan finished writing, she chuckled and yfully ruffled the little ears of the fox, who shook its head and let out a couple of ''ah ah'' sounds, then stretched its paw into arge basket beside the house.


    Filled with bells the size of walnuts, the fox rummaged in the basket for a while, flicked a small bell with its sharp little w, then squinted, blew on the bell, and handed it to Nangong Yan.


    "Hehe, these little guys are getting more and more humanlike..." Nangong Yan chuckled as she tied the bell to the fabric strip and then pulled Suming over to arge tree a short distance away.


    From the tree, many long and short wishing strips swayed in the wind, bells hanging on the fabric strips tinkling, making the whole tree ring with a crisp and pleasant sound.


    "Where should I hang it?" Suming took the wishing strip from Nangong''s hand, looked up at the tree, which had many branches and most of the lower ones already adorned with fabric strips.


    "That one, that one!" Nangong Yan stood on tiptoes, excitedly pointing at the highest branch, yelling.


    "Alright, watch this!"


    Suming chuckled, grabbed the fabric strip like he was wielding a meteor hammer, swung his arm around, circling the end with the bell in wide loops, ''whoosh whoosh whoosh,'' turned it over a dozen times, and with a loud ''go,'' heunched it.


    The wishing strip flew from his hand, trailing a long red tail into the sky, arcing through the air, thennded steadily on the highest branch. The bell, still carrying momentum, wrapped around the branch a few times, firmly securing the fabric strip to the tree.


    A gust of wind passed, and Nangong''s wishing strip, along with hundreds of others, fluttered in the breeze, carrying all the beautiful wishes far into the sky with the sound of tinkling.


    Sessfully tossing the wishing strip onto the designated branch was a very good omen. Suming seeded on the first try, which thrilled Nangong Yan. She jumped into the air, shed a victory sign, cheered, then high-fived Suming to celebrate.


    "Come on, let''s take a photo and then post it on social media to show off our love!" Suming took out his phone and smiled at Nangong Yan.


    Nangong Yan posed under the tree full of wishing strips, her smile blooming as she looked into the camera.


    Just as Suming was about to press the shutter button, he saw from his phone''s screen Nangong''s gaze suddenly shifting to something behind her, as if she had seen something unpleasant, her smile quickly fading, and her brows furrowing slightly.


    "What''s going on?" Suming put down his phone and turned his head to look.


    Behind him was a hillside teeming with tourists and construction workers, showing no sign of anything amiss.


    Quickly, though, Suming realized where the problemy.


    People have their own presence. For instance, leaders who have been in high positions for years tend to exude amanding aura even in private settings; simrly, genuinely wealthy people, despite modest attire, possess a distinct demeanor when standing amongst the average crowd. If this rich person also happens to be a handsome standard-bearer, he''d stand out like a crane amongst chickens, a beacon in the darkness.


    Among the crowd of tourists at the back was one such fellow who was young, wealthy, and handsome. This guy also caught sight of Nangong Yan, and from a distance, he shed an engaging smile, waved at her, and then took big strides toward this direction.


    "Could this guy be Ren Chen?" Suming put away his phone, cocked his head, and asked Nangong Yan.


    Nangong Yan replied with some annoyance, "Who else could it be? Why does this guy haunt me like a fly wherever I go?"


    "Thatparison doesn''t seem quite right," Sumingughed and said, "I think it''s more fitting to say he''s a hardworking little bee ¡ª wherever there are flowers, there he is."


    Nangong couldn''t help but chuckle. Her previousparison was indeed inappropriate. Flies buzz around dung, and if Ren Chen were a fly, what did that make her?


    After augh, the displeasure in her heart was swept away. A woman''s thoughts can jump rapidly. She immediately pouted and asked Suming, "Seeing your rival approaching, you don''t seem to be nervous at all..."


    It was a tricky question. Too much anxiety might suggest pettiness, suspicion, and sensitivity, but an absence of concern could be taken as ack of care.


    Suming nced at Nangong Yan, then responded with a faint smile, "For a beauty like you, it''s only natural to have admirers. My calmness stems from my trust in you. Without the most basic trust between us, what is there to talk about in a rtionship?"


    "Yeah! I got it!" Nangong Yan nodded seriously, understanding that trust means respect andprehension, and sometimes these two words weigh more than sweet nothings.


    Ren Chen didn''t notice Nangong Yan at first when he arrived from afar. It was only after Nangong and Suming went under a tree to toss a wishing cloth that he spotted her, followed by seeing Suming chatting andughing with her. A hint of displeasure shed clearly across his face, and his slender eyes narrowed slightly.


    But then, as Nangong Yan noticed him and Suming also turned to look, the displeasure on his face quickly vanished, reced by a warm smile.


    "Nangong, what a coincidence to run into you here."


    Ren Chen gave Nangong Yan a slight nod, then turned to look at Suming, appraising him before extending his hand generously; "You must be Nangong''s boyfriend. I''ve heard a lot about you. Truly an impressive figure. Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Ren Chen."


    That day, after learning from Yang Meng that the Broad-eared Fox was Nangong Yan''s boyfriend''s property, Ren Chen did not deliberately avoid it. Instead, he visited the Fox Home attraction with great interest a few times, and today, his visit coincided with the moment Nangong Yan and Suming were making a wish.


    Undermining a rtionship isn''t technically challenging; it all boils down to one word: persistence.


    This persistence does have its nuances ¡ª maintaining a proper measure and timing is essential. On the one hand, you need to frequently appear before the woman, showing omnipresent concern with enough ''screen time'' to ensure she''s aware that someone cares about her. On the other hand, this concern must not reach a point of annoyance. Overdoing it can be counterproductive. Presenting oneself as just a friend allows for proximity and gives the woman an excuse to let down her guard: after all, they''re just friends.


    Patient suitors are a formidable adversary for even the staunchest of women. Over time, as a couple''s rtionship naturally encounters conflicts and friction, a sufficiently patient andposed interloper who persistently hovers around the woman can eventually find an opening.


    It''s akin to how predators hunt. A lion eyeing a buffalo waits as the herd migrates. A hasty attack and the lion risks being mobbed. So it follows at a safe distance, never losing sight of its target, ready to pounce at the first sign of an opportunity, like if the buffalogs behind.


    As Ren Chen himself said, with the right effort, no corner can resist being dug up. This wasn''t his first rodeo; it wasn''t just young girls in rtionships like Nangong Yan ¡ª he had even pursued married women before, with ample experience. Continue your journey on empire


    Furthermore, almost perfectly embodying the proverb of the yboy, Ren Chen, with nock of patient admirers, enjoyed the chase as part of the fun.


    Thus, when he learned that Nangong Yan had a boyfriend, Ren Chen was neither rushed nor angry; instead, he became even more interested.


    Seeing Ren Chen reach out so confidently, Suming was slightly taken aback. It seemed he had met his match; this was not the typical narrative of the clueless rich second-generation getting a p in the face.

 Chapter 273 Nangong Yans Resolve

    One does not p a smiling face, and at this moment, Ren Chen''s courteous demeanor took Suming by surprise.


    It waspletely off-script! The normal plot progression would involve Ren Chen ranting and raving, trying to oppress others with his wealth, actively seeking his own doom bying over to humiliate himself, revealing an odious nouveau riche ugliness that even the gods would despise, and then, with a light smile, using his "spiritual power" cheat to harshly teach this guy a lesson!


    Could it be the wrong approach? Or was this guy in front of him actually a decent fellow?


    Clearly, Ren Chen was no good fellow, despite the polite tone of his speech, which contained no attacks on Suming. Yet, Suming could still sense a very restrained arrogance in his attitude.


    It was like the feeling one gets when government leaders meet petitioning citizens¡ªthe words are impable, the attitude sincere and warm, and the manners considerate, but deep down they don''t really take the other party seriously.


    After extending his hand, Ren Chen looked at Suming with a beaming smile. He was hoping Suming would not reciprocate the amiability, better yet to say something sharp and sarcastic, or even punch him in the face. Then it would be clear to see which of the two men was superior, who had more cultivation and magnanimity.


    Suming was thinking the same.


    The two men stared at each other for a few seconds, then chuckled simultaneously. Suming extended his hand and lightly shook hands with Ren Chen, saying with a smile, "Actually, we met a while ago. One evening, when I was taking her home, I saw you sitting in your car downstairs."


    When that night was mentioned, Ren Chen felt a tingling illusion on the left side of his face, gave a forcedugh, not wanting to discuss that night and said to Nangong Yan, "It''s a coincidence to meet you here, an unexpected encounter is better than a nned one, let me invite you both to lunch."


    Although he mentioned ''inviting you both,'' while speaking, Ren Chen never nced at Suming, his gaze remained constantly on Nangong Yan, obviously without any intention of seeking Suming''s opinion.


    Now was the time for lunch, and the three of them were getting along ''harmoniously.'' Under normal circumstances, such invitations are rather difficult to refuse, and even if one does, a polite excuse is generally offered.@@novelbin@@


    However, to everyone''s surprise, Nangong Yan shook her head and straightforwardly said, "I don''t think it''s necessary."


    Ren Chen was taken aback, about to say something, when Nangong Yan stepped forward, looped her arm through Suming''s, and, with an expressionless face, told Ren Chen, "My boyfriend and I are quite happy by ourselves; we don''t want to be disturbed by irrelevant people."


    Seeing Nangong naturally wrap her arm around Suming, Ren Chen couldn''t help but twitch. He had never been so directly rejected before, no matter howposed or patient he was.


    Men must save face when speaking to each other, considering status and propriety, sometimes smiling through gritted teeth even when desiring the other''s downfall. But women are different; Nangong Yan''s tone and demeanor left no room for Ren Chen to save face.


    Your next chapter awaits on empire


    One does not p a smiling face, but this approach seemed not to work with Nangong Yan.


    Nangong Yan''s embrace made Suming''s heart swell with sweetness. He turned to her with a slight smile. This girl was good; she really saved their face!


    "Cough cough..." Faced with Nangong Yan''s rebuke, Ren Chen coughed awkwardly, and said, "You''re not right, Nangong. No matter what, we are friends, aren''t we? Since you have a boyfriend now, let''s all have a meal together to celebrate..."


    This time, Nangong''s response was even more decisive; before Ren Chen could finish, she coldly cut him off, enunciating each word, "Akihito Ren, it seems you''re mistaken. First of all, we aren''t exactly friends; you''ve done business with the TV station, and we''ve met a few times, at best we''re merely acquaintances. Even if there''s any direct business interaction in the future, it will be strictly professional. Apart from that, there is no personal rtionship. Secondly, I have no interest in any personal rtionship with you, so there''s no need for us to have a meal together."


    Finished speaking, she turned to Suming and said, "Honey, let''s go."


    How domineering! Such a queenly manner! It seems my time as the underdog wasn''t in vain, Suming chuckled, shrugged at Ren Chen, and then walked away with Nangong Yan.


    Nangong Yan had only taken one step forward when she suddenly turned back and said calmly to Ren Chen, "Akihito Ren, also, if there''s no work-rted matter in the future, please don''t bother me again, and no need to send flowers or anything; it disrupts my work."


    After delivering her final words, Nangong held Suming''s arm, and the two walked down the slope, chatting andughing.


    Ren Chen stood frozen in ce, his face alternating between shades of blue and red, his handsome countenance rapidly shifting, finally contorting into something rather ferocious.


    The area around the Wishing Tree was crowded with tourists hanging their wishes, and the ce was bustling with people. Nangong Yan''s voice had been quite loud, and the surrounding tourists had heard everything loud and clear. People who enjoy a spectacle don''t mind exacerbating matters, and seeing a love triangle and the upbraiding of a handsome man unfold only captivated their attention more, prompting many to pull out their phones and take pictures with glee.


    "Stop taking pictures! Scram!" Ren Chen finally couldn''t hold in his fury, veins bulging on his forehead as he bellowed at the people around, then stomped off down the hill in a different direction.


    While it''s true that a fiercedy fears an insistent suitor, the precondition is that the suitor can persist; Nangong Yan''s stance left no room for sentiment, decisively cutting off the possibility of further interaction.


    Actually, if she were to continue shamelessly persisting, it wouldn''t necessarily be a hundred percent impossible. The ways of the world are unpredictable, and no one knows what future cmity might ur. But to do so would be too difficult. It wasn''t simply a matter of hot love meeting a cold backside anymore, but rather self-degradation, enduring insults while still offering a smile in return.


    This way, Ren Chen''s previous n of relentless pursuitpletely fell through, with no possibility of being carried out anymore.


    Ren Chen indeed had a wealth of experience in chasing women and was very patient, but he had never encountered a scenario like this. With his personal attributes, looks, and wealth, even if he was rejected, it would be done kindly. No one had ever rejected him like Nangong Yan, leaving not the slightest shred of courtesy.


    This was simply the kind of treatment that ording to the legends, only those ''wildly stubborn'' would encounter. Ren Chen could never have dreamt that such an event would happen to him.


    In the beginning, everything was under control. How did it suddenly take such a drastic turn? Could it be that his approach was wrong?!


    ...


    "You were just too cool! Come on, give me a kiss!" Sumingughed heartily, wrapping an arm around Nangong Yan and nting a kiss on her cheek.


    Nangong''s recent furious demeanor, full of amanding aura, was like that of a queenpletely different from her usual style.


    But honestly, Suming hadn''t expected Nangong Yan to say such resolute words to Ren Chen at first.


    There are many ways to reject someone. A beautiful girl like Nangong, who has been pursued by countless people since her youth, would have learned a whole set of methods to reject others without hurting their feelings. Yet, Nangong chose the most ungracious and seemingly low-ss method without hesitation.


    As soon as she uttered those words, she hadpletely offended Ren Chen, not only leaving no chance for him but also not giving herself any leeway.


    "Ew, that''s disgusting, all saliva." Nangong Yan shrank back like a little rabbit, raising her hand to wipe the saliva from her cheek, before looking seriously at Suming and saying, "You trust me, and I won''t let you down. Anyway, I don''t want to deal with him at all. Better to let him give up hope once and for all; there''s no need to keep a spare tire for ambiguities. It''s not good for everyone."


    "Looks like I can''t always see you as a little girl anymore." Suming stopped joking and stroked her long hair upon hearing Nangong Yan''s sincerity, saying, "This time you''ve really offended him. If you encounter any difficulties at the television station, tell me, I''ll handle it."


    Sometimes, Suming could be thick-skinned, but at other times, he was incredibly attentive. Thest time at Amber Garden, when he first saw Ren Chen''s car, although Nangong Yan was reluctant to engage with Ren Chen, she did say ''better not to burn bridges unless necessary,'' indicating that Ren Chen had some clout, at least as one of the television station''s major clients.


    Working at the television station and having offended Ren Chen, Nangong could potentially face a negative impact on her career. Her decisive and upromising rejection of Ren Chen was partly because of her distaste for him, but more importantly, it was for the sake of Suming.


    At this moment, Suming certainly needed to step up, ready to bear any negative consequences that might arise for Nangong.


    "It won''te to that. I go to the television station to work, not to ingratiate myself by debasing myself." Nangong Yan had the temperament of a youngdy, she tilted her head up and huffed, "Even if I did piss him off, worstes to worst, I''d just quit. I''m not desperate for that sry! If my dad doesn''t support me, you''ll have to!"


    In various industries, unspoken rules exist, but in most cases, those who have something to gain are the ones who encounter such rules. Someone like Nangong, who didn''t want to climb up by unscrupulous means and could even say ''I don''t need this job,''ing from a somewhat influential family, wasn''t someone others could easily manipte.


    "Absolutely, I''ll support you and your dad too!"


    Suming was not worried about whether Nangong Yan could be famous or anything like that. Even if Nangong Yan spent her life as a low-level clerk or not working at all, he could afford to support her. He was just concerned that any career setbacks might dampen her mood. Seeing that Nangong Yan didn''t seem to take it seriously at all, Suming felt relieved.


    "But still, that guy did say something that really resonated with me!" Nangong Yan suddenly said earnestly to Suming.


    "Ah? What did he say?" Suming was taken aback.


    "It''s mealtime, I''m hungry!" Nangong puckered her cheeks and said yfully, tugging on Suming''s arm, "Take me out to eat!"


    "Pick any restaurant in the city!" Suming dered with great enthusiasm, pping his chest.


    "After eating, we''re going shopping!"


    "We''ll shop, of course! From head to toe, buy whatever you like! Two dresses, one to wear and one to gaze at, two pairs of shoes, wearing one and tossing the other! If we don''t max out the card, we won''te back!"

 Chapter 274 Drunken Monkey

    Suming drove with Nangong Yan to a famous restaurant where they feasted heartily on Japanese cuisine. The so-called "ryori" or cuisine in Japanese, which means ''to process'' in Chinese, stands for ''dish'' in Japanese. In contrast to the focus on color, aroma, and taste in Huaxia''s gourmet food, Japanese cuisine prioritizes visual enjoyment as well as the delicacy and beauty of the food presentation and the harmonization of ingredients and crockery.


    In other words, it was not filling at all. Arge table of beautifully presented small dishes reminiscent of an art exhibit, but s, the amount of food in each dish wasn''t even enough to feed a cat.


    Not only was it unsatisfying in terms of portion size, but sitting was also ufortable, feeling the squish against one''s stomach when seated cross-legged on the tatami mats. Suming thought he''d rather squat to eat¡­


    "Try this, it''s really special, the taste of their sashimi. You get what you pay for..." Nangong picked up a piece of fish, as thin as a cicada''s wing with her small silver chopsticks, dabbed it with wasabi, and ced it on the smallcquer te in front of Suming.


    Suming had yet to judge the quality of the food, but the prices were definitely steep. He had dined in quite a few upscale restaurants with Zhao Yun, and in terms of price, this ce was by no means inferior.


    After a taste, Suming suddenlyughed, "Don''t you find this taste very familiar?" He often ate fish from Shuijun Lake and was more than familiar with the taste of fish raised in waters of great "spiritual power". The moment this piece of sashimi hit his taste buds, they screamed an unmistakable signal: it was a product of Shuijun Lake.


    "No way!" Nangong Yan''s eyes widened in surprise. She picked up a small piece without dipping it in any sauce and savored it carefully in her mouth.


    "I couldn''t possibly be mistaken. In the whole city, the only fish with this tastees from Shuijun Lake, nowhere else," Suming asserted.


    "This is outrageous!" Nangong Yan mmed her chopsticks down on the table, upset, "The menu clearly stated it was ck tuna!"


    ck tuna, also known colloquially as ''ck Skipjack'', is not widely recognized by either of those names. However, people are familiar with itsmon Chinese names ''bluefin tuna'' or just ''tuna''.


    This fish is known for its rich and delicious flesh and high nutritional value, making it a top-grade ingredient for sashimi. Also, because of overfishing and subsequent scarcity, its price has skyrocketed.


    The most expensive dish on the table ordered by Nangong was this te of ck tuna sashimi.


    But in Shuijun Lake, only four major species of fish and ckfish were raised¡ªno ck tuna was to be had. If it was as Suming said, and the sashimi on the te originated from some kind of fish in Shuijun Lake, then the restaurant was switching the real for the fake, tricking consumers.


    "Forget it, it''s just a small amount of money. There''s no need to make a fuss and ruin the meal," Suming stopped Nangong Yan, who was about to confront the restaurant staff.


    A few hundred bucks was no big deal, and the taste wasn''t bad after all. He was actually quite curious about this counterfeit ck tuna fish slice.


    In theory, the flesh of ck tuna, whether in terms of color or texture, is noticeably different from theke''s major species and ckfish, and a connoisseur could tell at a nce. Even an experienced food lover like Nangong Yan should have been able to identify it easily.


    The restaurant must have used some clever slicing technique to make the two kinds of fish appear simr.


    The key was the taste. If Suming wasn''t so familiar with the fish from Shuijun Lake, he might have beenpletely fooled. It wasn''t until Suming pointed it out that Nangong Yan noticed something was amiss.


    "If I''d known it''d be like this, I might as well have grabbed a couple of fish straight from Shuijun Lake." Nangong Yan blinked herrge eyes earnestly, "Instead of letting these swindlers make money, why don''t you just open your own restaurant? After all, the fish from Shuijun Lake taste so good, surely you won''tck customers."


    "I''d love to open a big restaurant," sighed Suming, shrugging, "but I don''t have the money!"


    Thoughcking funds to open a grand restaurant, he had plenty for shopping, and that afternoon they hit Wanda za for a spree. Amid the current economic downturn, except for the dining establishments, Wanda za stores were staffed more heavily than patronized¡ªSuming and Nangong practically had half a floor to themselves. After a round of shopping, Suming bought a watch and Nangong a bag. They left with a strange feeling, as if something wasn''t quite right.


    "I bought a watch today¡­" murmured Suming.


    "And I bought a bag today¡­" echoed Nangong from the passenger seat.


    The two turned their heads to look at each other and simultaneously burst outughing, "This is just too absurd!"


    ...


    Early the next morning, just as Suming arrived at the office, Mrs. Tong came knocking on the door, followed by Hou, the bashful keeper from Monkey Mountain, hanging his head.


    Seeing their demeanor, Suming sensed there was trouble again, "What''s the matter? Sit down, Mrs. Tong, and you too, Hou."


    Hou nced nervously at Mrs. Tong, who red at him, "Just speak up when you''re told to, you''re so big, yet act like a shy girl."


    "Deputy Director, I made a mistake at work... please chastise me..." Hou said, hanging his head low.


    "You haven''t said anything yet, how can the leader criticize you! Besides, the Deputy Director isn''t that kind of unreasonable person!" Mrs. Tong said from the side.


    Suming realized then that Hou must have done something wrong. At thest meeting, when the new zoo regtions were announced and work discipline was emphasized, Hou must have been afraid of being punished, so he brought Mrs. Tong along to intercede for him.


    Hou usually had a very proper work attitude and was a responsible person, so Suming didn''t rush to me him for anything. He asked what had happened first, and only then did he learn that Monkey Mountain and the gibbon area were at it again.


    Last time when the gibbons collectively threatened suicide as a form of protest, Suming had resolved the issue. It hadn''t been long since then, and now there was unrest once more. Hou felt he had let down his leader''s trust for not doing his job well.


    "Wait, let me go take a look first," Suming said, curious. How could there be trouble again out of nowhere? Last time he took the gibbons up the mountain for a night of fun. They even held a wine-makingpetition with the monkey troop, which wasted quite a few fruit for brewing.


    Arriving at Monkey Mountain, those white-browed gibbons were indeed lying on top of the cage again, howling towards Monkey Mountain; although this time, they refrained from using drastic measures like crashing into walls tomit suicide.


    Seeing Suming hade over, the gibbons howled even more vigorously, shaking the cages hard and baring their teeth at Monkey Mountain. Some were even randomly gesturing with their hands.


    With a slight probe of his spiritual power, Suming could sense the gibbons felt as though they had suffered a great injustice.


    "Hm? How did the monkeys offend you again?" Suming was taken aback.


    Thest time the gibbons went mad, the monkeys on the other side were just onlookers, but now, Monkey Mountain was eerily quiet,pletelycking the usual buzz of monkeys frolicking everywhere. The vast expanse of Monkey Mountain had only a sparse few monkeyszily lying on the ground, belly up, looking almost as if they were on their deathbeds. Most of the monkeys were nowhere to be seen, likely hiding in the various caves of Monkey Mountain.


    The weather today was nice, with warm sunshine. Monkeys didn''t have a habit of sleeping in, if it were a normal day, they would have already run out to y all over, basking in the sun, grooming for fleas, flirting. The current deserted scene obviously didn''t fit the monkey troop''s characteristics.


    Initially, Hou, the animal keeper, only noticed the unusualmotion from the white-browed gibbons and had not paid attention to Monkey Mountain. Now following Suming and taking another look, he also realized something was off.


    "Deputy Director, I''ll go inside Monkey Mountain to check," Hou quickly volunteered. If something had happened on Monkey Mountain, as the manager, it would be inexcusable, and no amount of intercession would suffice. Moreover, there was a national treasure, the Qinling Golden Monkey, in the mountain. If anything happened to the little guy, it would be a serious incident of negligence.


    Speaking of it, Hou felt quite depressed. His work was always diligent and honest, without any shirking or deception. Howe both Monkey Mountain and the gibbons had developed problems at the same time?


    "No need, it''s not your fault, and you''re not to me. Alright, go do your work; I''ll go down Monkey Mountain to take a look." Suming suspected that this must have something to do with the ''conflicts'' between the gibbons and the monkey troop. Such matters had already surpassed the abilities of a regr animal keeper, and Hou couldn''t be med. Discover stories at empire


    Entering Monkey Mountain through the keeper''s entrance, Suming strode towards a macaque lying on arge rock, basking its belly in the sun. Macaques always had a clever liveliness about them. Under normal circumstances, they would have scampered away as soon as someone approached and they detected the presence of people.


    But until Suming walked up to it, the macaque didn''t notice, sprawling like a pig with its belly facing upward, its cheeks as red as its bottom, actually asleep and emitting light snoring sounds. Bubbles were emerging from its mouth corner, and drool was trickling out.


    "I go, who''s the bored visitor that fed the monkeys alcohol?" After getting closer, Suming smelled a strong scent of alcohol from the macaque. It seemed this fellow was drunk!


    The remaining few monkeys lying on the ground were the same, all dead drunk, sleeping sweetly and soundly, drooling profusely.


    Walking deeper into Monkey Mountain, not surprisingly, the rest of the monkeys were all drunkenly sprawled inside the caves, with an overturned bamboo tube beside the Old Monkey King...


    Suming picked up the bamboo tube to have a sniff, and it reeked of alcohol. It seemed it wasn''t visitors who had fed the monkeys alcohol, but rather the monkeys themselves had stolen it and drunk it on their own.


    "The Monkey Wine is ready?" Suming sniffed carefully again, and the wine in the tube didn''t quite smell like Monkey Wine. Previously, Monkey Wine was low in alcohol content, simr to ordinary wine. But the scent from the bamboo tube was closer to that of mild liquor.


    Primates have an affinity for alcohol and amour; it''s not surprising that monkeys like to drink. But where did they get so much liquor? Could it be that this bunch of louts sneaked out in the middle of the night, swept a liquor supermarket clean, and then ate all by themselves, not sharing with the gibbons, which is why the gibbons were furious?


    "Stop sleeping, stop sleeping," Suming lifted and shook the Old Monkey King, who was too self-centered. If they had swept through a tobo and liquor supermarket, he knew only to steal alcohol, how could he not think of bringing back a few packs of good cigarettes?


    The Old Monkey King woke up from Suming''s shaking, squinting sleepily, and grinned at Suming, revealing a few yellow teeth, then went limp again, sliding down along the wall.@@novelbin@@


    "Auk! Auk! Auk auk auk!" The angry calls of the gibbons came from behind, along with the sound of banging on the cages.


    "What? They stole your alcohol?" Suming was startled.

 Chapter 275 Applying for a Patent

    That day, Suming took the Macaque Group and the Gibbon Group to the back mountain. The Macaque Group was skilled in wine brewing, while the Gibbon Group''s ''wine brewing'' was purely an imitation done in a fit of pique, spurred by the macaques.


    A big pile of rotten fruit, though it could ferment into wine, didn''t equate to Monkey Wine. If it was that simple, there wouldn''t be a need for monkeys to brew it¡ªSuming could''ve done it himself. So he never really expected the gibbons to sessfully brew any wine; after all, those few backpacks of fruit weren''t worth much, and it was okay to let the gibbons have their fun and waste some fruit.


    Unexpectedly, the gibbons actually managed to produce wine!


    Suming, apanied by one of the gibbons, arrived at the wine brewing site on the back mountain, only to see the fruits in two hollow old treespletely rotten, with the rich fermenting liquid seeping through the cracks in the dividers and dripping steadily into therge wooden barrels below.


    The tree on the east was the one where the macaques made their wine. The barrel underneath was already more than half full. Suming dipped his finger in to taste it¡ªit was the same old recipe, the same old taste, identical to the Monkey Wine he had drank before.


    The tree on the west was used by the gibbons for wine brewing. Suming hadn''t been hopeful at the start, but now he observed a shallowyer of liquid in the barrel below. It wasn''t the emerald green of Monkey Wine but resembled something like yogurt¡ªa milky white liquid.


    He also sampled this with his finger and found it incredibly fragrant and quite strong in alcohol content, nearly approaching that of a clear spirit, and it also possessed the effect of enhancing spiritual power. Perhaps because its alcohol content was higher than that of the macaques'' wine, it provided an even greater boost to spiritual power.


    No wonder these gibbons rebelled! While the macaques lived in the semi-open Monkey Mountain and coulde and go "freely," the gibbons were locked in cages and couldn''t get out without Suming''s help. Last time, the two groups brewed together, and now the macaques had sneakily drunk the clear spirit brewed by the gibbons. No wonder they were enraged!


    Only a thinyer of gibbon wine was left in the barrel, indicating that the macaques had likely stolen most of it.


    "Those little rascals!" Suming rubbed the head of the gibbon that followed him as a form of constion.


    No matter what, having one more species capable of brewing wine wasn''t a bad thing. Gibbon wine was strong and more effective at enhancing spiritual power, Suming felt it was necessary for him to increase his alcohol tolerance. If he could drink clear spirits every day like he drank Monkey Wine, his spiritual power would certainly rise much faster.


    ¡­


    "Here, Mr. Zhao, this is the recipe for Monkey Wine."


    In Zhao Yun''s home, Suming took out two pieces of paper filled with writing and handed them to Zhao Yun. During the time the two monkey groups were brewing wine, he had filmed the entire process, then summarized it into a written recipe to serve as the initial product form for Great Sage Liquor Industry.


    Of course, this was just a basic recipe. Whether it was Monkey Wine or Gibbon Wine, the authentic vors were all achieved through the animals'' own brewing, which Suming mainly used for personal consumption. Even if he had many gibbons and macaques, they couldn''t possibly support the entire wine factory''s brewing operation. In the future, the factory''s wine would mainly be produced by man and machine. So even with the same recipe, the wine produced would be entirely different matters.


    Using the two types of Monkey Wine as the base forms, he would need to add the Tai Sui Water as an additive and conduct a series of professional experiments to determine how to best blend the Tai Sui Water with the current Monkey Wine form to achieve the optimal effect.


    Zhao Yun carefully examined the papers and expressed his curiosity, "Hmm? One is a fruit wine recipe, and the other is a clear spirit recipe?"


    "Yes, this way we can have two products: clear spirit and fruit wine. Actually, both are fruit wines, it''s just that one has a higher alcohol content and the other is lower," Suming nodded. The gibbons mastering high-proof alcohol brewing had brought him not only a new method to enhance spiritual power but also a new gship product for the liquor factory. In the future, they could produce both high-proof and low-proof alcohol.


    "These two forms will be very interesting at the time. I''ve never seen wine made like this. Where did you get them from?" Zhao Yun, who was mainly into antiques, also had a basic understanding of other trades, and was somewhat of an all-around knowledgeable person. Naturally, he knew a bit about alcohol, and after reviewing the two forms, he was utterly intrigued.


    By this time, Suming was no longer intending to keep the source of Monkey Wine a secret from Zhao Yun. In the foreseeable future, although the monkeys and gibbons wouldn''t be responsible for the entire liquor production, regrly ''pretending'' to brew as a marketing stunt was essential. Over time,rge groups of macaques and gibbons ''faking'' the brewing process in the liquor factory, doing so very convincingly¡ªmore professionally than real workers¡ªwould make it quite obvious to any discerning individual working there. The true source of Monkey Wine wouldn''t remain hidden from Zhao Yun, as a bit of thought would make it clear to him.


    When Zhao Yun asked about the source of the form, Suming could have chosen not to tell. But the rtionship between Suming and Zhao Yun had changed from the beginning¡ªon a personal level, they were good friends, and they were going to start a liquor factory together. On some minor matters of little consequence, Suming decided to be forthright.


    He carefully chose his words, and with a mysterious smile, said, "Mr. Zhao, to be honest with you, these two forms weren''t acquired from human hands." In his speech, he emphasized the word ''human''.


    "Not from human hands?" Zhao Yun was taken aback and looked puzzled at Suming. What did "not from ''human'' hands" mean? If not from humans, could it be from ghosts? Or perhaps a family legacy?


    Discover stories with empire


    Suming simply smiled without saying a word.


    Zhao Yun was quick-witted indeed. Although he initially went off on a tangent, seeing Suming''s secretive smile, a lightbulb went off in his head. It felt like an electric jolt connecting many previous details all at once.@@novelbin@@


    In Monkey Mountain, he used the family tradition of animal training to save Chengcheng;


    Before long, he discovered Monkey Wine;


    When they were originally discussing opening a liquor factory, Suming even said that they could send a few monkeys over to pretend to make wine as a publicity stunt;


    Now, he was holding two strange fruit wine recipes, with a secretive look, saying they weren''t obtained from "people"...


    Linking all these things together, Zhao Yun already had a good idea and incredulously asked Suming, "Do you mean to say that these two recipes are the ones used by the monkeys to make wine? The Monkey Wine that appeared at the auction..."


    "That''s about the size of it." Suming roughly exined the events to Zhao Yun.


    Of course, he didn''t mention any animal friend abilities, simply stating that after saving Chengcheng, he found out the Monkey King had escaped. He followed and discovered the Monkey King knew how to brew wine, which led to the Monkey Wine at the auction. Later he had a brainstorm; if macaques could brew wine, perhaps gibbons could too. He tried it out, and it turned out to be true, hence the two new recipes.


    "Oh, I see!" Zhao Yun listened intently to Suming''s exnation and sighed a sigh of relief after hearing it all.


    "Hehe, that Monkey Wine was too sensational at the time, and I was really too poor, so I kept it a secret from you. Don''t hold it against me," said Suming with a chuckle.


    "There''s nothing to take offense at." Zhao Yun wasn''t upset at all, instead, he said with a smile, "Besides, our rtionship back then wasn''t like it is now. If it were me, I would have kept the secret too. But now that you''ve got a regr supply of Monkey Wine each year, get me a few bottles."


    "Sure, I can give you a bottle every month, no problem. But what do you need so much wine for?"


    Monkey Wine was significant for Suming, but for everyone else, it was just a rare quality wine. Zhao Yun was into collecting, where rarity equals value. One or two bottles might be valuable, but if he were given a bottle every month, it would instantly be less precious.


    Zhao Yun''s eyes widened as he asserted valiantly, "Who said I''m saving it for a collection? Is it wrong to use it for drinking? Last year I had a sip, and it was to die for. I''ve been itching for more ever since. It''s too precious; every sip lessens the amount left, and once it''s gone, it''s irreceable despite having the money. That''s why I resisted the temptation and didn''t indulge, keeping it locked in the safe. Now that you''ve got a stable source, of course I want some to satiate my cravings!"


    "Uncle, it''s worth several million a bottle, and you just want to satisfy a craving? That doesn''t seem quite right," Suming joked.


    "And yet you drink it every day like water without feeling a pang," countered Zhao Yun.


    Zhao rolled his eyes and then seriously said, "First, I''m going to have the forms tested by an institution to see if theyply with food safety regtions. There''s another really important thing¡ªsince these two recipes are unimed, you should hurry up and file for a patent, so no one copies our wine or even outright steals it. If someone counterfeits it and patents it first, we''d be crying without any tears."


    This was indeed a point of attention. The patent office didn''t care who originally developed the forms; whoever filed for the patent first legally owns it. There were too many bloody lessons where the real inventors neglected to file for patents, only to have their ideas snatched away by counterfeiters who patented them first. This left the inventors not only unable to reap the benefits they deserved but also unable to use their own forms anymore.


    Suming immediately calledwyer Zhang Si Ming to handle the patent application. It wasn''t just about patenting the two basic forms, but also about nning two product patents for the future, officially developed with "Ginseng Water" that Suming and the liquor factory would co-own.


    Filing for a patent wasn''t difficult with a clear process to follow. It could be managed by spending a little money. Zhang Si Ming readily agreed and then joked over the phone, "Mr. Su, didn''t you just take over the zoo as deputy director? When did you start developing new wines as well? You truly are a Jack of all trades."


    "Heh, it''s a long story. I''ll treat you to a drink when the wine is developed," Sumingughed.


    "You got it!"


    After finishing the call with Zhang Si Ming, Suming chatted with Zhao Yun about the current progress of the liquor factory''s construction. Thanks to the low cost of thend, the factory''s startup funds were fairly ample. With money paving the way, the construction was going smoothly, and in a month or so, the factory would be ready to start operations.


    ...


    There will be another chapter tonight!

 Chapter 276 The Intent to Kill Me Never Dies (Four Updates)

    Suming hadn''t logged into his Weibo ount for just two days, and when he logged in again, thements section had already exploded.


    A video had been shared, the one from the other day on the back mountain, where Nangong Yan rejected Ren Chen in front of everyone. A fan with a Weibo ount was present and recorded it on their phone, then uploaded it online.


    The main elements of a story include: time, ce, characters, and events. Whether a story is captivating depends a lot on these factors!


    Nothing tugs at people''s heartstrings quite like gossip, and the ''event'' captured in the video was extremely exciting; it had happened just a couple of days ago, and the location was at the well-known Fox Home;


    As for the characters, they were even morepelling¡ªone was the Weibo ount holder, the familiar park managerrades, and the other was a beautiful young famous journalist; even the viin was a suave, handsome man!


    Not a single piece of gossip has ever been so closely tied to the fans'' lives! It''s like live gossip happening right around them!


    All over Weibo, it was boiling with activity, with several hundred morements appearing, all about this video.


    "What a woman of clear love and hate!"


    "This girl is too direct, isn''t she? That handsome guy looks so pitiful..."


    "Clearly, the values are all wrong! So what if he''s handsome? Does being handsome give you the right to be the third party, to pry into someone else''s rtionship?! Park Manager, I support you!"


    "Park Manager, you''re just a wimp. If someone dared chase my girlfriend, I''d ughter their whole family! I hope you wear a green hat for life, unfollowed with determination!"


    "...Is there something wrong with this person''s brain?"


    "But honestly, the third male lead is really handsome, Park Manager, introduce him to me... What a waste, shame on that..."


    "Actually, the Park Manager is also quite handsome. He could''ve relied on his looks, why the hell should hepete with skills?"


    "Park Manager, when did you get a girlfriend? Whoo-whoo-whoo, can you hear the sound of my heart breaking?"


    "Wow, I''ve seen this third male lead before, my ssmate works at theirpany, and I heard thepany is getting ready to go public on the startup board. Park Manager, you''ve met your match!"


    ...


    The real surprise, this gossip video, had a better promotional effect than advertising on TV¡ªWeibo followers were shooting up, and at this rate, it looked like it would soon break through the hundred thousand mark.


    "Is this even possible?"


    Those who can''t keep up with trends are doomed to be eliminated, and after careful study, Suming identified three types of new followers because of the video.


    One type was dominated by Nangong''s strong queenly aura,ing to support her specially; the second was purely there for the spectacle and incidentally found interesting animals in this Weibo¡ªthe majority were tuned to fandom through this route; the third were sidelookers, all here for the handsome guys, a small handful for the park manager, and the majority for Ren Chen.


    This ratio clearly showed that Suming was handsome at best, while Ren Chen was very handsome, following the path of a sunny fresh meat.


    With so many fans leavingments, Suming definitely had to show up.


    "Thank you everyone for your concern, we are doing very well, socialist corners are solid and cannot be toppled." Then he attached a photo of two hands held together.


    However, even though socialist corners are solid and cannot be toppled, as long as the imperialists'' desire to destroy us isn''t dead, one cannot afford to let their guard down!


    ...


    The Foreign Business Club in Yangchuan City is located next to a small park on the outskirts and, from the outside, has a heavy Western architectural style, very simr to America''s White House. Twenty years ago, the Foreign Business Club was Yangchuan City''srgest state-owned hotel, offering dining, amodation, and entertainment, and was the only hotel catering exclusively to foreign businesses.


    After the hotel was restructured and acquired by a privatepany, it waspletely transformed into a private club in the past few years, renowned for providing first-ss service, luxurious experiences, and high-level security for privacy. Of course, the fees are not something ordinary people can afford. Those who frequented the club were either rich or noble, and it only served members, without membership, even the wealthy could not enter.


    Ren Chen was a VIP member of this club, and he was sitting in the same private room where he had met with Yang Mengst time, with Yang Meng also present.


    "So, you''re giving up?" Yang Meng was quite surprised.


    She hadn''t expected that within a few days of not seeing him, Ren Chen had lost the overbearing confidence of ''easily charming all the fierce women in the world'' and was actually preparing to give up on pursuing Nangong Yan.


    Yang Meng had known Ren Chen for quite some time now, yet this was the first time he had seen him willingly back down in such a matter.


    "Cutting losses in time," Ren Chen shrugged, his tone slightly gloomy, "She put it that bluntly¡ªpursuing her further would be pointless. It''s a sunk cost."


    Yang Meng''s gaze swept over the new Cartier watch on his wrist, her slender phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and she snorted with evident disdain, "I thought you were so capable, but you can''t even handle a girl fresh out of school."


    Ren Chen''s expression suddenly darkened, his eyelids flipped and he gave Yang Meng a cold nce.@@novelbin@@


    Ren Chen had been outright rejected by Nangong Yan, but Nangong Yan hadn''t spent a cent of his money from start to finish. She had no financial demands of him and had never given him any hint or hope¡ªit was Ren Chen who had built castles in the air. So even though he had lost face at the time, he couldn''t very wellsh out at Nangong Yan.


    But Yang Meng was different. This woman had received numerous benefits from Ren Chen. In his eyes, Yang Meng was amodity that could be settled with money. Now, she was ridiculing him to his face. Ren Chen was someone who highly valued his face and naturally was displeased, his voice icy as he said, "If you have no solution, then shut up and stop talking nonsense."


    Ren Chen usually had the appearance of a sunny handsome man, beloved by everyone, and seemed like an innocuous, dashing young man. But now, with his smile gone and his face set, he projected an ominous character. Experience new stories on empire


    Yang Meng felt a chill when she met his gaze, and the mocking smile on her face turned into an awkward grin.


    "What''s with you flipping your mood so suddenly, it''s quite boring. I was just joking¡­" Yang Meng feigned a wronged look and said, "It''s not like there''s absolutely no way."


    "Really? Tell me." Ren Chen said. Nangong Yan was the first stronghold he had not conquered in his many years of romancing, and although Ren Chen said he had given up, the failure had subtly be an obsession. If given the chance, of course, he wanted to win over Nangong Yan.


    "That day you said the key was Nangong Yan, and there was no need to trouble her boyfriend. I actually disagreed, but you seemed so confident at the time that I didn''t speak up."


    Yang Meng seemed to have a knack for stirring trouble. When it came to backstabbing, she came alive, animatedly saying, "With a girl like Nangong Yan, who has someone in her heart, she can''t make room for another. So as long as she''s dating, it will be hard for you to make a move. Besides, what gives her the nerve to be so tough? Is it just because her boyfriend has some money? If her boyfriend is ruined, there might still be an opportunity for you."


    Ren Chen stared expressionlessly at Yang Meng, silently listening to her until she finished, "You also have a point, but it''s almost all nonsense. Her boyfriend is the deputy director of a zoo, how am I supposed to take action? Besides, I definitely can''t appear in this myself."


    If Ren Chen personally went against Suming, even if he defeated Suming, Nangong Yan would ultimately resent him for it. Plus, Ren Chen knew that his financial and social power wasn''t enough to effortlessly crush Suming, especially since Suming, as the deputy director of a zoo, a public figure, hadplex connections with government officials; he was even more difficult to deal with.


    "There wasn''t an opportunity before, but now the zoo has just undergone restructuring, and there''s a great chance right in front of us. Didn''t you go to Fox Home the other day¡­" Yang Meng told him her n.


    After hearing her out, Ren Chen closed his eyes and leaned back on the sofa, contemting for a moment. Going over Yang Meng''s words in his mind, with his experience, he found it to indeed be a viable method. Even if it didn''tpletely topple Suming at once, it could still get him into significant trouble.


    Whether in officialdom or in business, thest thing anyone wants is ''trouble''. A minor issue could lead to a slew ofplications and problems, and one misstep could affect everything. This was especially true for semi-public figures like Suming.


    For example, Ren Chen himself was in such a situation. Hispany was preparing for an IPO on the Growth Enterprise Market. Any slight unfavorable news could affect the IPO, and any impact on the IPO would immediately affect a series of coborative projects at thepany.


    "What do you gain by telling me all this?" Ren Chen asked.


    "Me? We''re friends, of course, I''m on your side to help you¡­"


    "That way of talking is treating me like an idiot," Ren Chen said, shaking his head.


    Yang Meng shivered under Ren Chen''s gaze, clenched her teeth and said bitterly, "If it wasn''t for her boyfriend, I would still be the popr host at the station. How could I have ended up like this today! If you can ruin her boyfriend, you''ll be avenging me. As for Nangong Yan, without her boyfriend''s support and constant supply of exclusive news tips, how could she, a green girl,pete with me?!"


    "Oh, I see, you want to use another''s hand to kill," said Ren Chen.


    "Our goals are at least aligned," Yang Meng smiled again, "Boss Ren, the video of you being rejected has been posted online, go see how people areughing at you, you''ve be aughingstock. Can you really swallow this blow, to be stepped on by some country bumpkin?"


    Due to frequent meetings of influential individuals at the Foreign Business Club, security and confidentiality measures were extremely tight there. Each private room waspletely soundproof and even equipped with anti-eavesdropping devices, so Yang Meng and Ren Chen could speak freely within, with no reservations.


    The two of them talked for several hours in the private room and, getting caught up in the moment, they went at it once more, reliving old memories.


    After they left, a nondescript little wasp crawled out from under the sofa, buzzing as it flew out through the open door.


    "HAHAHA, finally back to the predictable script. I knew it, someone as wealthy and sessful as Ren Chen wouldn''t give up just like that!"


    Suming retracted his Soul Attachment Ability, stroking his chin as his eyes rolled around.


    He hadn''t expected Yang Meng to be involved. To put it bluntly, she was even more detestable than Ren Chen.

 Chapter 277 Distorted Psychology

    As a nouveau riche, Suming was fairly acquainted with the wealthy. Persistence was the most typical characteristic of such people, especially someone like Ren Chen, a self-made boss,


    one could say he was indefatigable or shameless, but either way, he wouldn''t easily stop in the face of difficulties. Doing business was no simple matter. Even with family backing, it wasn''t all smooth sailing. If one shrunk away at the first sign of trouble, Ren Chen''spany wouldn''t have grown sorge.


    **//Cowards and sessful people are fundamentally differentiated by their attitudes towards difficulty. The former evade it, me others or curse their fate for not having a wealthy father, and then sulk about it, feeling the entire society owes them; thetter look for solutions or simply give uppletely.


    So after Nangong directly rejected Ren Chen, for safety''s sake, Suming initiated ''biological surveince'' on Ren Chen.


    Haidong Qing was like a centralputer in the air, monitoring the overall situation, and arge number of wasps functioned as individual nodes, tracking Ren Chen. If anything suspicious urred, Suming would be the first to know.


    Knowing that Ren Chen and Yang Meng of Yangchuan City TV Station had met, Suming felt something wasn''t right. He hurried to the vicinity of the Foreign Business Club and used the Soul Attachment Ability to let a small wasp follow them into the private room, eavesdropping on their conversation.@@novelbin@@


    Of course, it wasn''t just the conversation he overheard. The lewd acts they indulged in afterward, Suming also saw through the eyes of the wasp.


    Wasps havepound eyes, and it was as if Suming was looking at manyrge screens arranged together, ying simultaneously, a rather thrilling experience...


    Ren Chen pursuing Nangong was something Suming was certain to dislike, but could understand. A fairdy is a gentleman''s delight, and a scoundrel''s too. The standard Nangong Yan exhibited was there for all to see. It was entirely normal for Ren Chen to like her. Putting oneself in Ren Chen''s shoes, having cold water thrown publicly in one''s face and even the videos posted online, one would definitely feel upset.


    But what did this have to do with Yang Meng?! From beginning to end, Nangong Yan had never provoked Yang Meng. ims like ''you can only me yourself for standing in my way'' were just nonsense, even the head of the TV station stood in the way of Yang Meng bing the head.


    One could only say that this woman was twisted inside.


    Fortunately, knowing Yang Meng and Ren Chen''s subsequent n meant they no longer posed a significant threat.


    Surprisingly, their n was to manipte the situation using foxes, which exactly mirrored the ''exploiting feudal superstitions for profit'' issue Suming had once considered.


    Reforming the zoo with a new young director aiming for economic gain by exploiting feudal superstition... It sounded like a decent plot.


    Suming had been on high alert for this from the start, acting very cautiously, but Yang Meng still sought to attack him with it. It''s the thought that counts, but Suming may have actually been at a disadvantage if he hadn''t learned of their scheme in advance.


    If Old Song had still been in charge, given his experience and prestige, this trivial matter certainly wouldn''t have touched him, but it was enough to trouble Suming, a green youngster. If things went poorly, even the position of deputy director could have been stripped away.


    "Howe their thoughts coincide with mine so exactly?" Suming couldn''t help butugh. Could it be that viins all think alike?


    Even if they hadn''t brought it up, he had been nning to regte the Fox Immortal project himself. After the restructuring, it was probably better to distinguish between the zoo''s and his personal assets. Now was the perfect opportunity to take care of it all at once.


    ...


    "An undercover investigation?"


    In the deputy director''s office of Yangchuan City TV Station, Mr. Shi''s eyes widened as he looked across the desk at Yang Meng sitting opposite him.


    Mr. Shi and Yang Meng had shared an improper rtionship. Despite Yang Meng''s attractive figure and vigor in bed, Shi had quickly distanced himself from her. He felt Yang Meng was mediocre in ability but had far too much ambition, and her demands became more and more unreasonable. Being too close to such a woman wasn''t good for him.


    Take the hormone incident, for example. It was through Mr. Shi that Yang Meng had the chance to do the live broadcast of the show, seeking the spotlight only to harm herself and almost drag Shi down with her.


    However, people must pay for their actions. Even though Shi had distanced himself from Yang Meng, he couldn''tpletely erase their past. Yang Meng often came to him, asking for various favors, some of which he could provide, some not, causing Shi asional distress as if he were entangled by this woman.


    He shouldn''t have sought momentary pleasure!


    And now, shortly after returning to the TV station, Yang Meng, without settling down for a few days, approached Shi requesting he assign her a few people to carry out an undercover investigation program.


    ```


    "What''s there to go undercover for? It''s just an entertainment project at the zoo. It''s just a few foxes, after all. The zoo is supposed to train a few animals to attract attention and increase revenue, which is perfectly normal. Besides, they''ve made it clear that visitors should be civilized." Shi frowned, saying with a headache.


    If it was a really valuable program that could bring in viewership, Shi would certainly not object.


    But the undercover investigation proposed by Yang Meng was to look into the Fox Home project at the zoo, which seemed like making a mountain out of a molehill. Shi was aware of this project¡ªit was very popr, brought a lot of joy to the public, and for most people, it was seen as a fun and positive image. What would be the point of going undercover on such a program?


    Moreover, there might be religious issues involved. One false move and they wouldn''t just fail to produce a valuable news story, but the TV station could also step on andmine, bringing about a whole load of trouble¡ªan arduous task with no appreciation, like lifting a rock only to drop it on one''s own feet.


    Find more to read at empire


    With so many entertainment projects in zoos and parks of all sizes, did they all have underlying issues that warranted undercover investigations?


    When the zoo hadunched projects like Fortune Cats and Fish Riding, they were very popr and the TV station had special reports on them, which also had good ratings. On this point, several directors at the TV station, including Shi, appreciated Nangong Yan. The news materials she obtained were both high in ratings and universally acimed, spreading positive energy and bringing good economic and social benefits to the station.


    "It''s precisely because of the religious aspects that it''s worth reporting! Every time there is a topic about the abbot of Shaolin Temple, even if it''s a minor piece of gossip, it can make the headlines and stir up a buzz."


    "Is that evenparable!" Shi nearly wanted to m his hands on the table. Those in the media circles knew that about half of those news stories concerning Shaolin Temple were likely concocted by the subjects themselves to increase their fame.


    Just look at the lifecycle of those news stories: they start with explosive content, followed by a series of even more shocking revtions, and once they''ve attracted enough attention, they usually end abruptly. It''s amon strategy in self-promotion.


    Besides, taking a perfectly popr entertainment project and politicizing it was simply an absurd waste of time and effort, a case of looking for trouble when there was none.


    Even if they went to investigate, what evidence could they possibly find? Director Shi and his family had visited Fox Home, now the Ancient Moon Xian Residence, which hosted some foreign foxes that were quite adorable. He hadn''t seen any feudal superstitious activities there!


    "Leader, I''ve observed the situation for a few days and am absolutely confident. There are definitely people engaging in this type of activity. Just give me personnel and resources, and I can capture it!" Yang Meng lowered her voice, "Once we have evidence, they won''t be able to exin it away. The money from tickets and wish-making charms could be framed as profiting from feudal superstition..."


    "Enough, enough..." Deputy Director Shi waved his hand impatiently and stared at Yang Meng, asking word by word, "What''s your big vendetta against the zoo? Are you intent on throwing mud on them?"


    Yang Meng didn''t have a vendetta against the zoo; her grievance was with Nangong Yan, unterally, an unrequited love met with unrequited hatred.


    Yang Meng was even more encouraged, "Moreover, as far as I know, the Fox Home project isn''t entirely the zoo''s own, but is contracted to Taoyuan Entertainment Company, a purely profit-driven project! A private enterprise exploiting religious superstition for profit..."


    After hearing Yang Meng out, Deputy Director Shi stood up, paced back and forth in his office with his hands behind his back.


    Yang Meng''s analysis wasn''t unreasonable¡ªif exploited properly by the media, there could be an angle to this story.


    Still, it was a story that couldn''t be delved into too deeply, didn''t hold much importance, and would offend people.


    After thinking it over, he decided to let it go. Even if they obtained evidence and implicated the zoo, it would be a thankless task.


    "Leader, if you agree to let me investigate this time and approve the manpower and equipment for me, I''m sure I can dig up some insider info, and then we''re even," Yang Meng offered her final bargaining chip.


    For Yang Meng, this was a great opportunity to return to the front line of programming! She provided the clues, nned the project, conducted the undercover investigation, and would be the only one to appear on TV as the host in the end.


    The hotter the Fox Spirit project was now, the more attention the undercover report would receive when broadcasted. As the instigator, Yang Meng would naturally regain importance within the TV station.


    Her final bargaining chip convinced Shi. He didn''t want to entangle with this madwoman anymore. After a moment''s consideration, he said, "I can approve the personnel and equipment, and the program can be yours to do. But remember, first, the impact should not be too wide-reaching, limited only to the zoo, absolutely must not extend to Deyuan Temple or other religious organizations, and certainly cannot involve Wang Jian She; second, you must adhere to impartiality during the program production, report the facts objectively, and not repeat the mistakes of the past!"


    "Don''t worry; there will be no issues this time. Then I''ll go prepare," Yang Meng felt invigorated by the prospect of turning her fortunes around.


    "Hold on." Shi called out to her, speaking sternly, "Yang Meng, considering past events, I''m giving you this opportunity, but if you mess it up, there won''t be a next time."


    "Shi, you underestimate me."


    ```

 Chapter 278 Stink Wherever It Leaks

    After Yang Meng left, Shi sighed involuntarily.


    As a member of the television station''s leadership, Shi''s personal life was not very disciplined, but his abilities were quite remarkable. Through observation, he noticed that among the young employees of the TV station, Nangong Yan, despite being the least experienced and not formally trained in broadcast hosting, was exceptionally good at her job, disying the demeanor of a great leader despite her youth.


    Moreover, this young girl seemed to always carry some kind of good luck with her.


    If he could entrust the program to Nangong Yan, he would feel a bit more at ease.


    Of course, this was only a thought in his mind. Shi knew that the current deputy director of the zoo, Wang Hao, was Nangong Yan''s boyfriend. Nangong Yan''s smooth sailing was not only due to her own abilities but also had a lot to do with the support of the young deputy director behind the scenes.


    If they let Nangong Yan expose her boyfriend''s secrets, it would be like having a wife investigate her husband. Even if Yang Meng were broad-minded enough to step aside, Nangong Yan herself would never ept the task.


    Thinking of Yang Meng made Shi feel depressed again. The primary reason he approved Yang Meng''s undercover investigation was their past rtionship. If he refused Yang Meng''s request, in case this woman made a fuss, it would be troublesome.


    "I hope this woman can hitch herself to a high branch soon and stop showing up before me," Shi thought, nning to introduce her to some bosses once Yang Meng''s reputation improved after the covert news operation, so she would stop bothering him in the future.


    Disasterse with a beautiful woman, as the saying goes, and wherever she goes, trouble follows!


    ...


    That morning, the Broad-eared Fox deity''s attraction in the zoo''s rear mountain was as bustling as ever. The construction of the Ancient Moon Xian Residence had begun to take shape, and a small ''miniature'' countryside on the outskirts had beenpleted. ording to a one-to-ten ratio, several mini fields wereid out, where small fruits, like cherry tomatoes, wouldter be nted for the Broad-eared Fox deities'' snacks.


    Even miniature scarecrows were ced in the fields¡ªmore urately called straw foxes.


    The hillside was crowded with visitors, and long lines formed outside the open ''business'' doors of the foxes'' dwellings. Among these tourists, however, were a few who looked a bit ''sneaky,'' constantly ncing around and wearing earpieces as if they were listening to music.


    Yang Meng, dressed in casual sportswear with oversized sunsses that covered half her face and a stylishrge sun hat, would not be recognized except by someone who knew her very well. She was at the end of the line for the Prayer Immortal Residence, pulling at her cor and whispering into a tiny microphone clipped to her shirt, "Attention, everyone, we need people on three sides. Group A, focus on capturing footage of tourists praying with their hands together in front of the little houses. Group B, head to the mid-slope and focus on filming people buying tickets. Group C, go to where the lucky charms are sold by the fox, and film the transactions between the foxes and people..."


    Unnoticed, several undercover agents scattered around the hillside adjusted their portable mini cameras and aimed them at one merit box after another.


    ...


    A pot-bellied nouveau riche casually handed a hundred yuan to Lin, the ticket seller, saying, "Keep the change, get the foxes some chicken wings with it..."


    A boy of about seven or eight squatted in front of the Land Temple, his hands pressed together in a prayer, and said to the Broad-eared Fox before him, a bit shyly, "Little fox, little fox, please make sure my mom gets well soon! Once mom is better, I''ll buy you roast chicken to eat!"


    A young couple arrived at the entrance of the Prayer Fox, and the boy took out twenty yuan and stuffed it into the money box at the entrance. The girl picked up a prayer ribbon and wrote ''May west forever, never to part'' in delicate characters. Upon seeing this, the boy grinned and added a few words behind it: ''May you bear sons soon, have many children and grandchildren.''


    "Get out of here..." The girl said with a shy smile, yfully punching her boyfriend,


    The fox selling the prayer ribbons picked out a red bell from the basket with a beaming smile, hung it on the prayer ribbon, and handed it to the couple. Laughing and teasing each other, they took the prayer ribbon and ran towards the distant Wishing Tree...


    ...


    All these scenes were clearly recorded by several mini cameras.


    Time flew by quickly, and it was almost closing time for the zoo. The visitors on the hill were gradually leaving, and soon, only a dozen or so remained, with more trickling out.


    If one paid close attention, four or five of the ''tourists'' had actually been ying there the whole day. It hadn''t been noticeable when the crowd was thick, but now, if everyone else left and these undercover agents stayed on the hillside, it would be too conspicuous.


    Yang Meng took out a pinhole camera the size of a thumb from her pocket, spat out the gum in her mouth and, pretending to tie her shoces, stealthily stuck the camera under the eaves of the Broad-eared Fox deity''s dwelling... At the same time, the other undercover agents did the same, hiding several pinhole cameras in various concealed spots, and then left the hillside along with the rest of the tourists.


    After leaving the zoo area, Yang Meng and several undercover agents from the TV station did not return to the station but met up at a secluded location outside the zoo.


    "I''ve rented a motel nearby. We''ll all stay in the motel tonight and take turns staking out the rear mountain. Keep your cellphones and Wi-Fi on, set to silent, and stay in touch at all times..." Yang Meng ordered a series of follow-up actions.


    Once Yang Meng finished speaking, one of the young employees from the TV station cautiously asked, "Sister Yang, can the station reimburse us for the donations we made today?"


    The others nodded vigorously as well. They had been staking out on the hill all day, repeatedly queuing up and spending hundreds just for the lucky charms. These young employees were all scraping by on their meager sries, begrudging the fact that they had to spend their own money on an official task.


    And it wasn''t just for today¡ªthe undercover operation was expected tost three or four days. If the TV station didn''t reimburse them, the expense would be too much for them to bear out of pocket.


    Of course not, the foxes wouldn''t issue them receipts, so what''s there to reimburse?


    However, Yang Meng generously waived it off with a gesture, "Don''t worry, if the station doesn''t reimburse, I''ll cover it. Everyone, work hard these next few days. Once the program airs, I''ll personally give each of you a big red envelope!"


    The group, hearing this, joyfully set off.


    By around 6:30 in the evening, all the visitors had already left the zoo, and the back hill had quieted down. The foxes, who had worked hard all day, crawled out of their homes one by one and started frolicking and ying in the open space around them.


    Suming and Wang Hao walked up the hillside shoulder to shoulder, with Su Meng following behind, carrying arge box that was more than half his height in one hand, and clutching a big wooden bucket under his other arm.


    Lin came up to greet them with a smile, "Hello, leaders, good to see you, Mr. Wang."


    "The bucket is filled with milk to give the foxes an extra meal..."


    As Suming spoke, Su Meng had already put therge bucket down. Around the bucket were several teats, and upon seeing the bucket, the Broad-eared Foxes ying nearby swarmed over. They crowded around the teats and started sucking greedily, making loud slurping noises. Some of the little foxes drank so eagerly that white milk spilled out from the sides of their mouths, and those who didn''t get a teat looked on enviously and tried to lick it up.


    Last time, I thought foxes were like cats, prone toctose intolerance, but it turned out the little foxes love milk and don''t have that problem at all.


    "No need to fight, there''s enough for everyone."


    Suming greeted the Broad-eared Foxes with a chuckle, then walked with Wang Hao to a Merit Box and asked Lin, "How are the earnings today?"


    "Not bad, the ie from both admissions and the sale of prayer talismans is up by at least 20% from yesterday..."


    As Lin spoke, he and young Lin brought all the money boxes together. They were all heavy, and when opened, were filled with various denominations of banknotes and coins. Then, the group started counting the money together, and Su Meng poured the coins from the Merit Boxes into the big box he had brought.


    "Mr. Wang, could you sign off on this?" Lin took out a small booklet and handed it over to Wang Hao.


    Wang Hao took the booklet, nced over it, and casually wrote his name under today''s Merit Box ie.


    "Su Meng, go with Mr. Wang and deliver this money to the entertainmentpany''s ount. Be careful on the way," Suming instructed Su Meng.


    Wang Hao grumbled, "We need to find an office closer. It''s too much of a hassle to keep running back and forth like this."


    Lin offered an apologetic smile and said, "That''s easy, thepany is making so much money."


    ¡­


    This scene was clearly captured by hidden cameras, which transmitted the footage through wireless devices to Yang Meng''s phone, not far away in the woods.


    "Perfect! Now we''ve got solid evidence!"


    An employee from the television station who apanied her looked around nervously and said with some anxiety, "Sister Yang, there are wolves in the back hills of the zoo. We should leave early... "


    As dusk fell, most of the back hill remained undeveloped, surrounded by tall trees and dense forest. When the wind blew, it always seemed like something was hiding nearby, watching them.


    Enjoy more content from empire@@novelbin@@


    "What''s there to be scared of!" Yang Meng scoffed, "If the zoo''s wolves bite someone, that''s another big headline!"


    "I give up, Sister Yang, you really are dedicated!" the young employee said irritably.


    ¡­


    Yang Meng continued with her covert investigation on the back hill for the next several days, recording plenty of footage of visitors giving money. Every day after the zoo closed, someone from the entertainmentpany woulde to count the ie of the day and take away the money.


    This afternoon, as soon as Suming arrived on the hill, Lin rushed over in a panic, "Leader, leader, it''s terrible!"


    "What''s so terrible?" Suming rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, can''t you pause between sentences? What''s wrong with me?


    "It''s not that, our ledger is missing!" Lin was frantic.


    "Oh." Suming nodded indifferently.


    Seeing Suming''s rxed expression, Lin thought he hadn''t understood and repeated anxiously, "Leader, the ledger is gone!"


    "I know, the ledger is gone, and that''s good," Suming whispered.


    "Huh?" Now Lin was confused. He stood there with his mouth open before finally saying, "Leader... are you, are you alright..."

 Chapter 279 Mess around

    Losing the ledger wasn''t a trivial matter; the money in the Fox Sage''s Merit Box was counted daily. Then, Taoyuan Entertainment Company would sign to receive it, making it the initially traceable source. If the ounts were unclear, not only would it be difficult for Taoyuan Entertainment to do the books, but Mr. Lin wouldn''t be able to rify things in case of financial issues.


    "It''s finally lost!" Aftering down the mountain, Wang Hao took a long breath and felt relieved. These past few days, he had to trudge up the mountain every day, and he was utterly exhausted.


    "You really need to watch your health. You''re practically half-dead climbing a slope less than a hundred meters." Seeing Wang Hao drenched in sweat, Suming couldn''t help but worry about the guy.


    "Yes, I''m so fat. What am I going to do in the future?" Wang Hao said, touching his belly in frustration.


    "Knowing it is good¡­" Suming began to say but then suddenly realized what Wang Hao meant was not the same as what he had in mind.


    When Wang Hao said "what am I going to do," he didn''t mean it in the sense of "how to deal," but in the literal sense of the words.


    This fatso had been a public servant for a while and had be increasingly lewd!


    "Do, do, do, that''s all you think about! How is it going with Peng Xue, any progress? If you two get along, it would settle one of your parents'' worries."


    Touching his belly, Wang Hao said with a grin, "The progress isn''t bad, but I haven''t done it yet."


    "I''m¡­ done!"


    ...


    "Hello, everyone, wee to the Focus News program on Yangchuan City TV Station. The guest next to me, I believe, is a familiar face to those who regrly follow our channel, the famous host Ms. Yang Meng."


    That evening, during the program nicknamed ''Yangchuan City Focus Talk,'' also known as ''News Focus,'' a fellow host, Yang Meng, was invited as a guest.


    "Yang Meng, I heard you''ve been frequenting the zoo recently. Are you bringing us some ''gifts'' about the zoo in this episode?" the host asked with a smile.


    "Of course," Yang Meng nodded, her expression grave. "There is a gift indeed, only it''s not one that will make people happy."


    "Oh? What kind of gift is it?" the host asked, feigning curiosity and steering the conversation further.


    "In the past while, through undercover investigation, I discovered that some unscrupulous businessmen are manipting animals and exploiting thepassion of the broader public to amass wealth. Director, please switch to the video I captured..."


    The television screen flickered, showing the footage Yang Meng''s team had filmed over the past few days ¨C visitors of different identities and ages stuffing money into wooden boxes...


    Special editing made the images sh continuously, with the elderly and children appearing on the screen, putting their hands together in front of the foxes and murmuring as if in worship...


    After the editing, the video kept showing hands stuffing money into the box, followed by rapid shots of people worshipping.


    Then came the footage of Suming and Wang Hao, along with Su Meng, opening the box, counting the money, and taking it away.


    The people in the video were clearly visible. However, due to the equipment, the sound was not very clear, and subtitles scrolled at the bottom of the TV screen:


    "Take this money back to Taoyuan Entertainment to ount for it..."


    "Thepany has made so much money..."


    "Mr. Wang, please sign for it..."


    ...


    "This is the ledger I found. You can all have a look." Yang Meng held up the ledger that Mr. Lin had lost. The director gave a close-up, and the camera zoomed in on the ledger. As two slender fingers slowly flipped through it, the figures on the ledger were clearly disyed in front of the camera.


    There were thousands of yuan in daily ie at the rear mountain, often breaching ten thousand. Just in the three days that Yang Meng conducted her undercover investigation, Wang Hao had signed for a total of thirty-six thousand yuan.


    "You should all see very clearly now. The ultimate destination of these earnings is Taoyuan Entertainment Company. And the chairman of Taoyuan Entertainment Company is the newly appointed deputy director of the zoo."


    With a calm expression, Yang Meng spoke slowly and deliberately, "Like everyone, I would sometimes go to pray and offer some money for incense and merit. What I want to ask is, however, as we can see from the footage, this wasn''t happening in a temple, but at a tourist attraction. And the money obtained didn''t go into the zoo''s ounts, but instead into a private enterprise. This is something we must ponder..."


    ...


    After the program aired, it quickly triggered a series of responses.


    The most direct was reflected on Suming''s Weibo ount.


    His followers had surprisingly increased by a few thousand! This could also be considered a characteristic growth method in Huaxia; no matter if it''s good or bad publicity, fame brings followers.


    However, these several thousand followers didn''t alle to support him; many came to curse.


    "Fuck you, die zoo..."


    "How desperate for money are you to scam with animals!"


    "Boycott the zoo collectively!"


    "I''m going to poison the animals at the zoo tomorrow, poison them all to death!"


    ...


    Suming, having spent a lot of time on Weibo, noticed a pattern: those who spew vulgarities and harsh words couldrgely be ignored. Many people didn''t even finish reading the news and had no idea what happened before they started cursing. They were just trying to make their presence felt online. They wouldn''t spend money on tickets to enter the zoo, much less dare to actually do anything. Besides, the zoo now hadprehensive security measures, so there was no need to worry about such pointless threats.@@novelbin@@


    What really deserved attention were those fans who made sensiblements.


    "Those who want to cause trouble can always find it, it''s up to you, Director, to handle it..."


    "The TV station must be full of themselves! Why should they care where the money goes? As long as it''s fun, that''s all that matters!"


    "Exactly, going to the movies also costs money."


    "Right,e out and rify, Director! Fox Home and the zoo have brought us so much joy, please don''t let them be shut down!"


    Many fans clearly expressed the wish for the zoo to provide an answer.


    After some thought, Suming replied, "Don''t worry, everyone. Even though we make money, we absolutely don''t earn it unscrupulously! There will be an answer!"


    ...


    "Suming, Wang Hao has told me everything about the matter. That kid sometimes speaks out of turn; I''m not very reassured, so I specifically called to ask you for the details." Wang Jian She was the first to call Suming.


    "Mr. Wang, rest assured, this whole thing is pure nonsense. Not only will Wang Hao not be at fault, he might even be praised. Doesn''t the city honor outstanding young entrepreneurs every year? Maybe this year it''ll be his turn."


    "Ah?" Wang Jian She was stunned on the other end of the phone.


    ...


    In the Huaxia TV Station director''s office, Nangong Yan handed in her resignation letter with a stern face.


    Mr. Mi had a pretty good rtionship with Nangong Yan''s father, having worked together previously, and he treated Nangong Yan as a younger rtive. After ncing at the letter, he looked up in surprise and asked, "What is this, girl? Why resign out of the blue?"


    "Director, I can''t do this job any longer!" Nangong''s attitude was unusually firm: "Even if there are statews and family rules, there should still be room for personal feelings!"


    "Exin yourself clearly!" Mr. Mi said in a stern voice.


    "I''m a staff member of the TV station. Without any notice, they started investigating my boyfriend! How am I supposed to face anyone?"


    Nangong''s temperamental nature could sometimes be exasperating and sometimes unexpectedly effective. If it had been another employee who spoke to Mr. Mi in this manner, they would have been scolded and sent away long ago. But Mr. Mi knew Nangong had been like this since she was young and that she didn''t harbor any bad intentions. Even her own parents couldn''t control her, so he could only keep a stern face and ask, "Exactly which program are you talking about? Exin clearly!"


    "The Focus News, the one about the foxes in the zoo!" Experience new stories on empire


    "Foxes? Not this program again, the city office even called this morning to inquire about it!"


    Mr. Mi pushed his sses up on his nose, pondered for a moment, and said, "Nangong, don''t lose your temper. Calm down, this isn''t a small matter. Hm, give your boyfriend a heads-up. If there''s really any skullduggery, it''s best if hees clean himself, otherwise things will get troublesome."


    ...


    In Deputy Director Shi''s office, Shi looked at Yang Meng, who was wearing a smug smile, and felt an urge to strangle her.


    "Didn''t I tell you, don''t implicate too many people, especially Wang Jian She! But no, you had to drag his son into this. What are you thinking? Do you have any idea of the consequences this could bring about?"


    "Calm down, Leader, I''m sorry, I''m sorry. How was I to know that chubby guy was Wang Jian She''s son! Besides, the zoo has quite the reach, who would have thought Wang Jian She''s son would be working for them?"


    Although she was verbally admitting her mistake, Yang Meng''s demeanor showed she didn''t really care much, mumbling, "At worst, in my following reports, I won''t implicate that chubby guy and will shift the focus instead."


    "Good that you understand! For the uing reports, focus on the zoo and that deputy director. Compared to Wang Hao, Deputy Director Su is more well-known. Concentrate the public''s attention on him!" Deputy Director Shi rolled his eyes and continued to bang on the table, "And about the evidence you said you had, what are those things you came up with? They''re not even close to being evidence! Other than making the zoo look bad, what''s the point?"


    Footage of collecting ticket fees, people putting their hands together in prayer, buying prayer charms... Despite using some technical means to edit the videos together, they gave the impression that the zoo''s leadership colluded with private businesses to scam money through superstition...


    But anyone with the slightest bit of sense could see that these videos were strung together and couldn''t be used as evidence.


    As for the tickets, what''s wrong with selling tickets? Prayer charms, typical souvenirs, and they weren''t expensive! Private businesses, what a joke, Taoyuan Entertainment had contracted for the Ancient Moon Xian Residence project, of course, they were the ones collecting the money!


    Shi had hoped Yang Meng could dig up some real material, but all she came up with was these insignificant trifles.


    But Yang Meng had her own ns.


    No evidence this time, no problem. Even if it was clear mudslinging, as long as they could stir up the issue and attract enough uninformed viewers, pressure would force an investigation into the zoo.


    Putting herself in their shoes, Yang Meng believed that there had to be shady secrets behind the zoo''s rapid rise. Investigate, and there would surely be something to discover!


    This mudslinging was just the catalyst for the entire n. When the real issues with the zoo were eventually uncovered, who would remember that edited footage?


    "The zoo is so famous now; it has done us a great favor. Yesterday''s rating increased by two points. If we continue to do a few more special programs, the ratings will surely skyrocket! The city might even set up an investigation team."

 Chapter 280 Worse than Animals

    Ren Chen grabbed the remote control and turned off the TV with a disdainful shake of his head.


    In his opinion, the methods Yang Meng had adopted were still too petty, like scratching an itch through one''s boot, and unlikely to deal a fatal blow to the zoo. He could somewhat guess Yang Meng''s thinking¡ªshe wanted to create more public opinion momentum to investigate the zoo.


    But could she really find out anything? Not necessarily.


    However, he also enjoyed seeing Suming''s misfortune. After all, it was not costing him any money or effort, so he might as well treat it as a show. If Suming really got caught in the end, he would find an opportunity to go ''kindly''fort Nangong Yan. Your journey continues with empire


    Of course, he hoped Suming would be investigated by the superiors because of this incident. At that time, he would take the initiative to step forward, spending money and pulling strings to help Suming.


    The more a woman is heartbroken, the more he must show he is the man worthy of her reliance. Opportunities to offer such attentive assistance are hard toe by.


    "Let them investigate, let them! I''ve got my money for connections all ready!" Ren Chen thought excitedly. Why should I just wait here idly? Why not also get moving and push the government to set up an investigation team?


    ...


    "Self-examination?! What self-examination, and how, who to examine?! Isn''t this just making a fuss over nothing?!" Mrs. Tong, filled with righteous indignation, was the newly-appointed Party Secretary and Union Chairwoman of the zoo. She had received a notification from the higher-level Party organization, hoping that the zoo''s Partymittee would carry out a self-examination ande up with an exnation promptly.


    Having the zoo''s Partymittee conduct a self-examination was equivalent to letting the zoo investigate itself, which was already quite a favor. Both overtly and covertly, it was taking care of the zoo. Yet, the employees of the zoo were still furious.


    After many tight years, the zoo was finally starting to thrive and gain poprity. They hadn''t provoked anyone and, with unanimous hard work, they were strengthening the zoo. Now, someone had jumped out to create trouble, purely a backstabber.


    "Mr. Su, our Partymittee has had a meeting. Just do a random check and im that the TV station''s report is false. Now that the restructuring is done, the authorities above can''t really do anything to us, right?" Mrs. Tong said to Suming.


    Mrs. Tong, who was quite experienced in workce tactics, meant that Suming, a young leader just beginning his role, should take a strong stance, even if it meant offending some leaders. Otherwise, people would think the zoo was an easy target for anyone to make a move on.


    "No, no, no." Suming waved his hand and smiled, "Since there''s going to be an investigation, let''s do a thorough investigation, a serious andprehensive one!"


    "Huh?" Mrs. Tong was stunned, not understanding Suming''s intention.


    "Not just our own examination, Mrs. Tong. As representative of the zoo''s Partymittee, invite the upper-level authorities to send someone. This time our Partymittee of the zoo will assist in the investigation, the zoo will cooperate, and I''ll make sure Taoyuan Entertainment cooperates too."


    The tone of Suming''s speech was as if the matter did not concern him in the least, akin to eagerly watching a big scene unfold.


    ...@@novelbin@@


    When it was time to investigate, there were to be no dys or mud dragging. Responding to the invitation of the zoo''s Partymittee, the audit department, along with the district organization department and the districtmission for discipline inspection, formed a small investigation team that took up residence in the zoo the following day.


    The progress of the investigation team''s work was surprisingly smooth; they had never seen a party under investigation so cooperative, leading several members of the investigation team to vaguely sense that nothing woulde out of this investigation.


    Once Taoyuan Company and the zoo voluntarily presented their ounts, the investigation team couldn''t even be bothered to check them, only ncing at the ounts before inwardly cursing the TV station for dumping a hot potato on them.


    "Mr. Su, as Deputy Director, what do you say we conclude the investigation here?" the investigation team leader suggested to Suming in his office, with a cheery and inquiring tone.


    Suming chuckled as he sipped his tea, then looked up and asked, "Is it all checked out?"


    "Yes, it''s all checked out, and there''s nothing wrong."


    "No, no, no, leader, whether there''s something wrong or not, you don''t need to tell me¡ªI of course know there''s nothing wrong." Suming smiled, "But since you''vee all this way, you shouldn''t havee for nothing."


    The investigation team leader was taken aback. What did he mean by "shouldn''t havee for nothing"?


    Suming coughed and said formally, "You should give the public the truth and clear my name."


    ...


    Unlike the live show during the hormone incident, the Yangchuan City TV Station''s Yangchuan Focus program always maintained a neutral stance before the truth was uncovered.


    If there were questions, there would be answers. Since the undercover reporter raised doubts about the charity funds, this episode of Yangchuan Focus invited the zoo''s Deputy Director, the General Manager of Taoyuan Entertainment, Wang Hao, and the head of the investigation team to the studio to announce the investigation results and respond to external rumors.


    Ren Chen, watching these three people sitting righteously in the studio on the TV screen, had a sinking feeling in his heart, knowing that nothing good would follow. If there were real issues uncovered, would Suming and Wang Hao still appear on TV with smiles on their faces?


    As expected, the investigation team announced the investigation results in detail.


    First, Taoyuan Company took over the contract for the recreational projects on the back mountain, and there was nothing wrong with them collecting money;


    Second, the so-called superstitious activities were purely nderous usations. The zoo had installed 24-hour surveince cameras to prevent theft; the full video footage revealed no such problems.


    Regarding people putting their palms together and making wishes, Suming chuckled, "I even make a wish when blowing out candles on my birthday cake."


    The third point was unexpected by everyone.

 Chapter 282 Then Ill Kill You!

    ```


    Although Great Sage Liquor Industry is a "small winery," with the current scale, if they put full effort into production, reaching an annual output of a hundred tons would be absolutely no problem; especially fruit wines, which have a much higher production volume than white spirits.


    Mixing white spirits and fruit wines to produce just a mere ten tons of alcohol is too embarrassing to even mention as a winery. To the uninformed, they might think it''s some small family workshop.


    "The winery is just starting out and currently has no market. Producing too much at once can easily lead to overstock. Even with this batch of liquor, I''m not confident it will definitely have a market. I n to start by distributing through personal connections, sending it to various restaurants. You have a lot of resources at your disposal too, right? Those restaurants that buy your fish, the bosses you coborate with and the like¡ªstart by giving them a batch to slowly build up a good reputation, and then we can move on to advertising. Oh, your Weibo can also be put to good use, with nearly a hundred thousand followers¡­"


    Zhao Yun''s idea was very steady. ording to his n, step by step, the winery would gradually expand without too much financial strain in the short term. If they produced several hundred tons all at once before establishing a market, although the liquor wouldn''t spoil, arge stockpile with no cash flow could lead to insufficient funds for subsequent investments.


    Nowadays, advertising costs are astronomical, and even with Nangong''s connections, Yangchuan City TV Station wouldn''t give the winery free advertising. Even a short TVmercial could lead the winery into a financial crisis.


    As for Weibo marketing, Suming did consider it. It''s not that it wouldn''t work, it''s just that the effectiveness might not be very pronounced.@@novelbin@@


    An audience of a hundred thousand might be more than enough to make a killing as a Weibo merchant, but for promoting arge winery, it seemed rather insufficient.


    That''s why those top celebritiesmand exorbitant endorsement fees. One look at their Weibo, with fans ranging from the millions to tens of millions, and it''s clear why.


    "What about using those monkeys for promotion?" Zhao Yun asked. Utilizing monkeys in liquor making as a publicity stunt was their biggest trump card.


    "Of course we can, but specifically, how should we advertise?" Suming pondered, rubbing his chin while his eyes rolled around in thought.


    Should they just shoot a short video and put it online as their promotion?


    Although this could attract some attention, it felt a bit low-end, didn''t it? It still looked like a product from a handicraft workshop.


    Or should they stick to the original n and seek a report from the TV station?


    But the effectiveness of that was also dubious. After all, Yangchuan City TV Station was just a local channel, with a limited audience, and just one program of a few minutes or even ten minutes would end and that was thatcking sustainability. The reason advertisements are effective is that they bombard you every day for a long stretch of time, over a month or two, making asting impression.


    The key issue was still theck of funds. The more money you make, the more you need to spend. If there were tens or hundreds of millions of spare cash at hand, there would be no such frustration¡ªthey''d directly buy prime-time advertising spots on national television, bombarding viewers day after day with phrases like "Don''t ept gifts during festivals, only ept Da Sheng Liquor..."


    In no time, even if no one had actually drunk Da Sheng Liquor, Great Sage Liquor Industry would be a nationally known brand, followed by orders that flooded in like snowkes, leading to marrying a rich beauty and reaching the peak of life...


    "You''re not really delusional, are you?" Zhao Yun coldly doused him with reality, "Where would you get a billion, and spare at that? If you had a spare billion, would you still be sitting here doing psychopath tests with a seven or eight-year-old girl?"


    Indeed, if he had a spare billion, he''d have long gone to cure his madness...


    Suming estimated that if Zhao Yun was willing to sponsor them, with his worth, they could probably scrape it together. But Zhao was not one to venture down such risky business paths. Throwing a few million into an investment "for fun" was one thing, but asking him to drop a billion on advertising, especially with no profits in sight...


    "I guess not even if I were your own son, right?" Suming asked tentatively.


    "You know me!" Zhao Yunughed loudly.


    ¡­


    Jiao Shou. Not a kind of wild beast that can make noise, certainly not a beast that can''t, and neither a domesticated animal that can or cannot make noise.


    Jiao Shou literally means "calling beast," a title given to a group of people. Netizens refer to those experts with a certain level of scientific expertise, even a certain status in academic circles, but who often tter the authorities and deliberately distort facts for personal gain and reputation as "Jiao Shou," also known as "brick experts."


    But the "Jiao Shou" in question here is none of the above; his online handle happens to be Jiao Shou.


    Jiao Shou is currently very troubled.


    When people are troubled, they usually scratch their heads, and Jiao Shou is no exception. His bald forehead is scratched with crisscrossing blood stripes, but Jiao Shou ispletely oblivious, still scratching furiously, indicating the depths of his inner turmoil.


    Even when extremely troubled, most people wouldn''t scratch their head to the point of bleeding, but Jiao Shou is not most people.


    Ever since he embarked on the path of creation, Jiao Shou''s life had undergone earth-shattering changes. Whether it was making small self-media videos or now producing web series, Jiao Shou spent a vast amount of time and energy writing scripts every day. Explore more adventures at empire


    Wracking his brain, he couldn''t recall how many brain cells had died. Sometimes, he couldn''te up with a single interesting joke for days on end, or, having finally thought of an episode''s script, he''d immediately scrap it because it didn''t satisfy him. He''d lost count of how many times this had happened.


    It was a bit better when he was a self-media creator, as he hadn''t yet hit the boom period of self-media. Back then, it was just a hobby with no economic considerations. But now, working on a web series was a matter of survival, not just for him but for the whole team! As the pir and soul of the team, when a hobby became a job, when it became a responsibility, sometimes it wasn''t so fun anymore.


    The web series he was currently working on, "Never Would''ve Guessed," had be a smash hit after its second season and had already be the benchmark leader among domestic web series.


    Behind the joy he brought to audiences on the screen was Jiao Shou''s round-the-clock writing, leading to the demise of countless brain cells.


    One can''t excel in creativity without a touch of madness; every creative person is a madman, each with an extreme side.


    "Jiao Shou, stop scratching your head, you''re bleeding!" said a member of the writing team who looked both masculine and feminine, trying to persuade him.


    "It''s okay, you get used to it after a while."


    Jiao Shou raised his head aimlessly, the blood streaming down his bald head. He didn''t care, and as he gazed at the group of drama staff looking at him with odd expressions, he muttered as if talking to himself, "I''m so frustrated, I can''t figure out what to film for the next episode. What should I do? My head hurts so much¡­"


    "That''s because your head actually is broken. Cough cough, I think, Jiao Shou, you''d better bandage your head¡­" Another actor coughed a few times, then made a gesture to the actress sitting opposite.


    The actress silently stood up, walked to a cab in the office, and opened it. The cab was neatly stacked with hemostatic medicine, gauze, and the like. It was apparent that this wasn''t the first time Jiao Shou had scratched open his head; everyone had gotten used to it and had long been prepared for it.


    She grabbed some gauze, then dipped a brush into a lot of hemostatic powder and carefully brushed it onto Jiao Shou''s head,yer byyer. Her movements were very skilled, looking like she was brushing oil on a scallion pancake. In no time, ayer of what looked like vegetable oil¡ªoh, no, hemostatic powder¡ªcoated Jiao Shou''s bald head.


    Then the actress wrapped the gauze around Jiao Shou''s head like one wraps a pancake around scallions. In the end, she tied the ends of the gauze into a neat butterfly knot with her slender fingers.


    "Yay! All done!" The actress stood behind Jiao Shou and made a "scissors" gesture to everyone.


    Immediately, someone in the office whipped out their phone and took a quick picture, posting it to their social media in a sh.


    "Do you think that just because my head isn''t bleeding, my heart doesn''t hurt?" Jiao Shou turned around and asked the actress sadly.


    "Jiao Shou, it''s just that the number of viewers has decreased a little, and those who stayed are expressing dissatisfaction with the recent episodes, that''s all. It''s not a big deal," one of the actors said.


    "Today we lose one, this week ten, next week it will be twenty, and the week after, twenty-five!" Jiao Shou got angry.


    "Why will it be twenty-five the week after next, not thirty, eh? Jiao Shou, it seems your math isn''t very good!" someone asked with wide eyes, seriously.


    "That''s not the point! The point is, this indicates that the quality of the show is declining. If we don''te up with new plots, more interesting storylines, no innovation, ''Never Would''ve Guessed'' will soon lose arge audience and the market! Then none of you will make money!"


    After being bandaged up, Jiao Shou seemed to think a lot more clearly and finally steered the conversation back on track.


    "Innovation? ''Never Would''ve Guessed'' as a web series is the biggest innovation already... Besides, where could we find that many ''never would''ve guessed'' things? If someone were trying to kill me, I''m sure I''d be able to think of anything!" the lead actor said.


    "Then I''ll just kill you."


    Jiao Shou fetched a huge, nail-studded club,monly known as a Wolf Fang Club, from under the table and advanced step by step towards the lead actor, chuckling, "Heh heh, I''m going to kill you. Come up with a ''never would''ve guessed'' plot twist before I kill you¡­"


    Cornered against the wall, the lead actor watched as the nails on the Wolf Fang Club nearly touched his face and then suddenly shouted, "Wait, I''ve got it!"


    Everyone in the office showed signs of joy! Truly worthy of Jiao Shou, he had thought of such a powerful way to stimte the creative inspiration of the staff!


    "Speak, what''s the idea?" Jiao Shou also became somewhat excited, his hand holding the Wolf Fang Club trembling slightly.


    "Eh, not my handsome face¡­"


    With a finger, the lead actor carefully pushed away Jiao Shou''s Wolf Fang Club and moved closer, smiling apologetically, "Jiao Shou, how about we add some animals?"

 Chapter 283 Cooperation in Filmmaking

    The moment he finished speaking, the male protagonist teleported in an instant, taking advantage of the Jiao Shou''s moment of distraction to escape the range of the Wolf Fang Club''s attack.


    "You must be joking, right? Don''t tell me we haven''t had animals before?" Jiao Shou, clutching the Wolf Fang Club, stepped toward him with a fierce glint in his eyes.


    "Seems like we really haven''t, given how tight the budget is and how expensive it is to rent animals, they never really appeared!"


    A burly man suddenly stood up and said angrily, "Even if we didn''t have animals, our special effects team could create them with CGI. Everyone knows our unexpected special effects are the best!"


    The entire meeting room fell suddenly quiet.


    Everyone, including Jiao Shou who was pursuing the male protagonist, turned around at the same time, staring at him with wide eyes.


    "Isn''t that so? Isn''t the unexpectedness of special effects one of our biggest selling points?" the burly man asked assertively.


    Jiao Shou finally calmed down.


    If even the shameless head of the special effects team could survive so brazenly in the world, then why should he be fixated on brutally killing the male protagonist, this unfortunate guy?


    "Okay, okay, let''s continue with the meeting. Share your ideas in detail, why did you think of adding animals?" Jiao Shou put down the Wolf Fang Club and asked the protagonist calmly.


    The audience of ''Bing Lu Yu,'' mainly young people, tend to be morepassionate, and animals are actually a good gimmick that could align with the aesthetic preferences of Bing Lu Yu''s audience. So the overall direction wasn''t wrong.


    In fact, animals had appeared in the show before. There was an episode with a cat which saw quite impressive view counts.


    But filming with animals can be quite challenging in practice. Unlike actors, animals won''t simply follow a script to perform, and many animals inherently fear crowds. Even domestic pets may behave shyly or aggressively around strangers, so a few short shots with animals may not be a problem, but it''s clearly impossible to have them y important roles throughout an entire scene.


    The problem is, just adding a few short animal clips fundamentally won''t change the status quo of the show and won''t be enough to create a buzz.


    Constant innovation and the addition of new elements are the biggest challenges for all web series. Audiences experience aesthetic fatigue and we must find new elements and tricks before they get bored, otherwise, a web series could rapidly rise to fame and fall just as quickly.


    "This idea came from a video I sawst time, Jiao Shou, do you remember the Blue Wave Knight? You even left ament on it," Baiker said.


    "Huh?" Jiao Shou thought to himself, how can I possibly remember? I leave hundreds ofments online every day, with all sorts of bizarre names like Blue Wave Knight Ultraman and Giant Lobster on the inte, how could I remember them all? Besides, my memory has deteriorated, so it''s quite normal for me to not remember.


    "The video of that guy riding a fish all over the ce in the Yangchuan City Reservoir!" Baiker continued to remind him.


    "Oh..." Jiao Shou nodded heavily: "I still don''t remember."


    Baiker: "..."


    However, the female protagonist turned out to be one of Yangchuan City Zoo''s fans, she pulled out her phone, connected to wifi, and showed Jiao Shou a few videos published by ''Taoyuan Interests.''


    "Huh, this does look interesting..." Jiao Shou''s eyebrows raised.@@novelbin@@


    ...


    After receiving the call, Suming immediately rushed back to the zoo.


    The call from the team of ''Bing Lu Yu'' hade directly to the office of the zoo director. Mrs. Tong picked up and the person on the line expressed their wish to visit the zoo''s leadership in person to discuss the possibility of cooperation.


    "Could it be a scam?" Mrs. Tong said uncertainly. Her phone often received fraudulent messages and calls from people iming to represent some famous TV program saying she''d won a prize.


    "Probably not." Suming guessed that no scammer would be bold enough to make a house visit, and besides, he recalled having had brief interactions with Jiao Shou, the director of Bing Lu Yu. Once the other party arrived, everything would be clear.


    Suming didn''t watch web dramas much, especially since starting his business; he rarely went online when it wasn''t necessary. He only knew that ''Bing Lu Yu'' was a very popr web series and had only seen a few episodes, which he found quite fresh.


    Considering the potential for coboration, Suming took the time to look it up online.


    It was unexpected: he knew the web series was popr, but he didn''t realize it was through the roof. The two seasons released on the official website had umted over 2 billion views, and it was impossible to count the hits on various pirate and reposting sites;


    The total number of followers for several of the main creators on Weibo had surpassed the ten-million mark long ago. Just the director Jiao Shou alone had nearly seven million followers.


    "I remember that sunset run, thest of my fleeting youth..."


    "That''s when I''ll get a promotion and a raise, be the general manager, step up to CEO, marry a tall, rich and beautiful girl, and reach the pinnacle of life. Just thinking about it gets me a little excited..."


    These were phrases even Suming, who was practically being washed out by the times, soon to join the ranks of uncles, knew by heart¡ªwhat more, they were ssic lines in this web series.


    Suming silently shut down hisputer, ovee with frustration. "Ipletely chose the wrong profession, I should have gone into showbiz!"


    In search of some constion, he searched for Jacky and discovered that the old guy didn''t even have a Weibo! That made him feel somewhat better.


    Suming leaned back in his swivel chair, legs crossed, clueless about what on earth the show''s crew had in mind for their cooperation.


    If he wasn''t wrong, it wasn''t for his good looks and talent. He wasn''t old enough to do a talk show memoir, and if it was to be a personal interview, it should be someone like Be Lu Yu, not Jiao Shou.


    So that left only one possibility: animals.


    "Mrs. Tong, please return their call and tell them we''d be delighted to have them visit the zoo," Suming said to Mrs. Tong.


    No sooner had Suming agreed to a meeting to discuss the possibility of future cooperation than the production team took a red-eye flight and arrived at the zoo.


    After the zoo had closed, a ck business car sneaked in, and three men in ck stealthily got out¡ªlooked like they weremitting a burry. If Suming hadn''t been notified beforehand, that car wouldn''t have made it half a mile in the zoo and the people inside would have been stung into pig-headedness by wasps.


    Jiao Shou himself, along with two members of the production team, made their way directly to Suming''s office. Suming, having not left work, was waiting in his office. After a brief introduction and small talk, they jumped straight into business.


    "Mr. Su, here''s the situation. We''re hoping the zoo can provide some professionally trained animals to help us shoot an episode of Jiao Shou," Jiao Shou said straightforwardly.


    Suming nodded, "What are the specifics?"


    Seeing that Suming didn''te back with any modest titudes, Jiao Shou felt even more confident and exined, "On my way here, I saw the concert you nned for Jacky. To be honest, it was incredibly striking. If it weren''t for my friends in the industry, I would have thought it was all post-production visual effects. I hope the zoo can provide animals with a level of training no less than the animals in that concert. Of course, it''s fine if they''re a little less skilled, but the bottom line is they must be able to cooperate with the shooting."


    In Jiao Shou''s view, for the zoo animals to be trained to the level of that concert was already an unbelievable feat. Surely only a very special few animals could achieve that standard; not all animals were capable of such.


    Suming didn''t directly answer Jiao Shou''s question. During thest concert, his spiritual power wasn''t nearly as developed as it was now, and the animals had less contact with the spiritual power as well. If he was willing, he could offer animals to act in the performance with both a greater quantity and better ''acting'' skills thanst time.


    He thought for a moment and smiled, "Forgive my bluntness, but I''ve seen your show and I can say it''s incredibly popr. I don''t know why you suddenly came to me, because if the animals don''t perform well, it wouldn''t be of much benefit to your show; yet, if they perform too well, they may easily steal the spotlight from the main characters."


    Jiao Shou pondered for a moment, probably deciding whether to bepletely frank. After a short pause, he stroked his bald head and gave a wry smile, "Mr. Su, since we need to cooperate, I won''t keep anything from you. Web series have their own difficulties. After two seasons, although we''ve built up a fan base, many have started to feel aesthetic fatigue. Professionals have analyzed that for a viral web series like ours, if there are no new elements introduced, by the second half of the third season, it will start to decline."


    He looked up, his eyes alight with something called ''dreams,'' and earnestly said to Suming, "My entire team and I have put a lot into this series, but I believe that this series is just a starting point. I''m treating it like my own child, not like a pig to fatten and sell."


    Raising pigs means fattening them up to sell and make a quick buck, while raising children means hoping for them to grow up strong.


    Suming nodded slightly. Young people, especially young entrepreneurs, often sharemon topics and experiences, which makes it easier to be open and honest. Suming also hoped for more forthrightness and less deceit in future cooperation.


    "As for the animals, you can rest assured. I promise that the animals who perform this time will definitely be stronger and more numerous than those at thest concert!"


    Jiao Shou''s eyes lit up, but Suming then asked, "But have you thought about the script?"


    "I had some rough ideas on the way here, but the script isn''t shaped yet. The Fox Immortal project at the zoo is really popr, and there are enough foxes. I was wondering if we could center the story around that?" Jiao Shou asked.


    "The Fox Immortal isn''t out of the question, but..." Suming paused before continuing, "Recently the Fox Immortal has sparked some controversy, and I''d rather not have the foxes exposed on the screen again too soon."


    "That''s fine; we don''t have a script yet, so it''s open for discussion," Jiao Shou said.


    At that time, another production team member chimed in at the right moment, "Mr. Su, may I ask how the zoo charges for such a coboration?"


    Explore new worlds at empire


    Jiao Shou also looked at Suming with a questioning gaze. Jiao Shou''s series was well-known, but just like Suming''spany, it faced hefty expenses despite itsrge operations¡ªas outsiders might imagine, the budget was not as generous and often had to be squeezed.


    Moreover, Jiao Shou had more ambitious ns for the future, which would require a significant amount of money.


    "No charge..." Suming began with a slight smile. Not waiting for Jiao Shou and the others to ask in confusion, he continued, "However, I have my conditions."

 Chapter 284 Glass Heart Jiao Shou

    Hearing Suming say he didn''t want a bor fee", Jiao Shou was initially a bit excited, but then it dawned on him, no! There was definitely no such thing as a free lunch in the world.


    No surprise, the ''but'' that followed made his heart skip a beat.


    It''s the free things that are the most troublesome. It''s just like ordering in a restaurant; those people who say ''I''m fine with anything'' are the most difficult because you have no idea how to please them, and often you end up having to order a bit of everything...


    "You''re not going to insertmercials, are you?" Jiao Shou asked tentatively, unable to imagine that there were indeedmercials inserted in the show. However, they were usually presented in a joking and humorous manner, seldom like serious TVmercials, which could severely affect the viewer''s experience.


    Of course, while Jiao Shou was reluctant to insertmercials, it was a condition he could ept.


    He probably thought Suming wanted help promoting the zoo. He said, "Don''t worry, we will definitely add subtitles at the beginning and end of the show to thank Yangchuan City Zoo, and I''ll read them out myself."


    "No, no, no, you''ve misunderstood me. I''m not about insertingmercials or thanking Yangchuan City Zoo," Suming said, with a somewhat dangerous smile on his face.


    "Then what do you want?" Jiao Shou frowned slightly, sensing that Mr. Su, the vice-director of the zoo, was aiming high.


    Suming said with a smile, "I don''t want to advertise, but to turn this entire episode of ''You''d Never Expect'' into a pure promotional film!"


    "Impossible!" Jiao Shou was so shocked that he jumped up at once, blurting out without hesitation, shaking his head vigorously to the point that Suming worried it would fly off his neck.


    As amercial web series, adding a bit of advertisement was fine, but Suming''s intention was not just product cement, but to turn an entire episode into a puremercial!


    This would fundamentally change the nature of ''You''d Never Expect'', from entertainment to advertising. Not to mention the viewers who were already tired of the same old content would abandon the show without hesitation, even the most loyal fans would be full ofints and desert the web drama altogether.


    ording to the current situation of ''You''d Never Expect'', even if it lost viewers, it would be a slow decline, not causing immediate fatal damage to the program.


    But if Jiao Shou agreed to Suming''s request, it would be digging his own grave, immediately killing off ''You''d Never Expect''!


    "Mr. Su, this request is absolutely impossible. Let''s talk about money instead; I can try to pay more for the animals'' fees. Product cement in the show can also be negotiated," Jiao Shou made some concessions.


    But Suming wouldn''t budge. He didn''tck the money, and he didn''t need that kind of ineffective product cement advertisement. As Jiao Shou thought, it was just for fun and didn''t serve any real promotional purpose.


    Jiao Shou came with sincerity, truly wanting to cooperate with the zoo, and Suming was also genuine. But both sides had their own bottom lines they must stick to in the cooperation. Once that line was crossed, the partnership would be meaningless, and might even have negative effects.


    Jiao Shou made some more concessions, but Suming firmly refused to change his original intention, insisting on making it amercial film.


    The negotiation between the two parties was on the verge of a deadlock.


    "Mr. Su, if you insist, then we can''t cooperate." Jiao Shou said, patting his head with a sigh, "It''s a pity."


    Explore stories at empire


    With that, he prepared to get up and take his leave.


    "Jiao Shou, I don''t think you need to rush to refuse," Suming was confident, "How about we first shoot a pilot episode ording to my concept? I can even finance this episode. After it''s made, we don''t go live immediately but have an internal screening. You assess it, and if you''re satisfied, we go live; if not, we''ll do it your way."


    That was indeed a solution, nothing more than the crew working overtime to rush an episode.@@novelbin@@


    "Okay," Jiao Shou shrugged, "But Mr. Su, frankly speaking, we are probably wasting time. The audience won''t like a purelymercial film."


    "That may not necessarily be the case," Suming began to smile, "I''ll give you an initial draft of the script as soon as possible. After you refine it, we start shooting."


    ...


    Located deep in the mountains, Dasheng Liquor Factory in Yangchuan City was built halfway up a hill, essible only by a concrete road from below. To facilitate the lives of its employees, the moderate-sized factory decided to build a dormitory area within thepound. Working and living here, though distant from the bustling city, backed by green hills, surrounded by clear water, with a view of the Huating Reservoir at the foot of the mountain, the scenery was beautiful.


    These past few days, the staff of Great Sage Liquor Industry noticed a group of people ''shooting a TV show'' around their facility, setting up all sorts of equipment early in the morning and working till dusk. During lunch and after work, the workers would curiously watch the filming, arge group of them squatting on the ground with bowls in hand, eating while discussing the nearby shooting site.


    Three minutes of performance on stage requires ten years of practice behind the scenes. An audience only sees a web series episode for a short 20-30 minutes, but in actual filming, a single shot often needs to be taken multiple times, even more than a dozen times to be satisfactory. There''s also makeup for the actors, post-production editing, and other specialized work, with the time spent often dozens or even hundreds of times more than what''s seen on the TV screen.


    A 100-minute movie, if well-made, might require years to shoot. ''You''d Never Expect'' doesn''t need to be crafted with such precision, but the crew still busied themselves for a full three days.


    The first time he saw the factory, Jiao Shou waspletely stunned for half a minute, looking at the ''bizarre'' building in front of him, he said unbelievably, "This... this isn''t..."


    "Hehe, it''s an imitation, it just looks a bit alike. Otherwise, it would be an infringement," Suming said with a smile.


    Thest shot was done in a spacious room inside the liquor factory. By the time Jiao Shou and the crew arrived, the ce had already been cleared, and the several animals that were acting were already dressed neatly, waiting there.


    "Action!"


    ...


    After another two days, the crew busily worked on post-production and finallypleted this episode of ''Beyond Your Imagination'' in the wee hours of the night.


    Suming was called up in the middle of the night to the Yangchuan City Zoo meeting room, where he joined Jiao Shou and several key creative staff to watch the internal premiere.


    During the short twenty minutes of the episode, the meeting room was almostpletely silent, every person''s attention focused on therge projection screen in front of them.


    Since it was the first time cooperating with arge number of animals on such a scale, the creators involved in the premiere were very nervous while watching the sample. Although they had personally taken part in the filming and knew exactly how the plot unfolded, the key creators were still somewhat unsure whether the scenes unfolding before them were trulypleted with those live animals.


    The special effects were still the kind that could beughably edited directly in Word, but the ''actors'' were living animals, humans and animals together with theical low-budget effects creating a strong contrast andedic effect.


    Soon, the episode ended. The lights in the meeting room came back on.


    "It''s stunning!  Very surprising!" Jiao Shou was the first to stand, pping vigorously, but his face bore no hint of a smile, instead, he looked deadly serious.


    "I think it will definitely be OK!" The male lead, Bai Ke, shrugged and said, "If audiences don''t buy this, I really don''t know what other methods will satisfy them?"


    The other key creators exchanged looks, and it was clear they were rather confident, all wearing rxed expressions on their faces.


    Only Jiao Shou kept his face straight, brows deeply furrowed, arms folded across his chest in deep thought.


    Suming''s gaze shifted to Jiao Shou, "Jiao Shou, why so serious? Give us a word, will it work or not?" Just as Bai Ke said, if this doesn''t work, then they really wouldn''t know what else to shoot.


    Jiao Shou took a deep breath and slowly said, "If we really air this episode, it would be a huge challenge for the crew. We might receive a pleasant surprise, but we can''t rule out the possibility of losing arge number of viewers. This makes me very hesitant, to air or not to air?"


    Suming couldn''t help butugh at Jiao Shou''s tangled appearance.


    He understood what Jiao Shou was struggling with. This episode could be said to be revolutionary, and any innovation might cause the original audience to feel ufortable, let alone such a significant change? If the audience really couldn''t ept it, it could deal a fatal blow to the crew.


    When the viewership was dropping, Jiao Shou was worried about the show''s decline and was eager to introduce new elements. Now that there were new elements, Jiao Shou worried that the audience wouldn''t ept them.


    In the end, it was not about whether this episode was well produced or even whether the audience could ept it, but rather that Jiao Shou took the show ''Beyond Your Imagination'' too seriously, fearing any mishap that might ur, so he was somewhat worried and undecided.


    It''s like parents worrying about their children, not wanting them to interact with society for fear of them bing reclusive and ostracized; and yet when letting them mingle in society, worrying they might be bullied or pick up bad habits.


    Any creator who has risen from obscurity tends to be sensitive, and Jiao Shou was no exception. Suming walked over, patted Jiao Shou on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "Jiao Shou, this show is your hard work, so I respect your decision. You can choose to air it or not."


    Jiao Shou nodded without a word, obviously still hesitating. Suming continued, "We''ve worked together these past few days, so we''re friends, right? I have a piece of advice for you. When making a show, it''s inevitable to receive various critiques. Right now you''re just shooting a web series. If a few poor reviews disturb you, how will you face those venomous film critics when you start making films? Brother, take it easy, just focus on producing good content; otherwise, without any outside criticism or abandonment, you''ll beat yourself first."


    Jiao Shou stared at Suming for a moment, and finally made up his mind, "Release it for streaming!"


    ...........


    PS: Gathering for May Day, not sure what time I''ll be back tonight, so just two updates today~~ It''s been a long time since there were just two updates, feeling a bit shy to mention it~~


    Group number: 332352624. From May 1 to May 3, every afternoon at six o''clock, I''ll be in the group to send out red packets~~


    About May Day additional updates, what do you think, will there be any...?

 Chapter 285 Li Xiaomaos Daily Life

    Like many young people of her age, Li Xiaomao''s leisure life each month was clearly divided into two parts.


    The first half of the month, right after she received her sry, she would spend her days shopping, dining, and buying things with her besties, taking beautifying selfies, and receiving likes in her social media circle; thetter half of the month, after she ran out of cash and maxed out her credit card, she would stay in her apartment surfing the inte, ying video games, watching web series, and participating in or watching various fan wars on forums and social media.


    That afternoon, Li Xiaomao returned to her apartment after work, tip-toed out of her high heels the moment she entered, tossed her bag onto the bed, and headed to the bathroom to strip off her crisp officedy attire. She roughly stuffed her stockings into the washing machine, leaned on the washbasin, and with one hand reached into her tank top to twist and pull out a pink-patterned bra, hanging it on a rack on the wall.


    "Ah, I''m so tired!"


    Free from these constraints, Li Xiaomao feltpletely rxed. She changed into a loose-fitting cartoon pajama set, vigorously rubbed her hair in front of the mirror, and the woman in the mirror, devoid of any sharp professional image of a career woman, instantly transformed into a homebody and a dried-up girl.


    Shuffling in her Hello Kitty slippers, Li Xiaomao yawned as she returned to the bedroom. She flopped onto her big, soft bed face up and pulled over arge pillow with a cat''s face printed on it to cushion her back.


    "Ah, I''m so bored, so bored. Having a boyfriend is more annoying than a dog, but without one, I get so lonely..." Li Xiaomao muttered to herself while she turned on herptop to browse the inte.


    She had been following a few web series recently, and one of them titled ''Never Would''ve Guessed'' updated today. She clicked on the official website and saw thetest episode had been released.


    This series was originally rmended by a colleague at work. There were many young people in her office following this series. After watching the first episode, Li Xiaomao was immediately attracted to the funny plot, the exaggerated character performances, and the unexpected plot twists.


    Be it regr TV shows or movies, they generally tell aplete story. Regardless of how well they are made or how thrilling the plot is, watching them can be very tiring. ''Never Would''ve Guessed'' broke away from the traditional format. It relied on nonsensical, dry-humor segments patched together, presented in a sketch-like manner, offering a stress-free viewing experience without any heart-wrenching content. It was perfect for relieving stress after a day''s hard work, suiting the fast-paced modern lifestyle.


    However, such series have a fatal w: theck of a central storyline. Unlike traditional dramas that continuously pique the viewers'' curiosity, keeping them eagerly awaiting the next episode, and since the humor tends to be more or less the same, it''s easy to experience aesthetic fatigue once the novelty wears off.


    Li Xiaomao belonged to the category of casual fans. She wasn''t a hardcore one; she''d watch the series when she had free time to kill and to cheer herself up. After binge-watching the first season, she indeed started to feel some aesthetic fatigue during the second season. Although she would follow each new episode, she wouldn''t wait in front of theputer for the release of the next one.


    "La,... Never Would''ve Guessed......" A familiar intro music yed from herputer speakers, and every time Li Xiaomao heard this tune, she felt very rxed. Discover exclusive content at empire


    "I wonder what fun stuff will be in this episode..." Li Xiaomao said to herself with a smile.


    Next, the screen turned ck, and a man''s voice that tried to sound serious, yet was clearly full of goofiness, promised the ''personal reading'':


    This episode is sponsored by Yangchuan City Dasheng Liquor Industry. Da Sheng Liquor, the drink of youth, friendship, and health, brewed by a monkey!


    At the same time, a cheesy WordArt-style subtitle appeared on the screen.


    "What the hell is Da Sheng Liquor? Sun Wukong, huh? What''s this about a monkey brewing liquor? Do monkeys even know how to brew?"


    Just from the first line, a string of questions popped up in Li Xiaomao''s mind, and her curiosity was piqued as she continued to stare at the screen.


    The screen quickly shed an outline of the episode''s story.


    Like every episode, this summary zoomed by so fast that viewers hardly had time to read it, and Li Xiaomao could only catch a few keywords from the screen full of white text¡ª


    Father-inw, brewery, Jumping King...


    Following that, the mncholic face of the male lead filled the screen as he introduced himself with a voice goofier than Jiao Shou''s:@@novelbin@@


    "My name is Copper Hammer. To the outside world, I''m just a suffering construction worker, but my real identity is that of a professional fitness guy. Since my growing years, I''ve been training my fiery hot biceps every day..."


    Just as Copper Hammer was showing off his fiery hot biceps, a bright red brick came out of nowhere and hit him squarely in the back of the head.


    "Copper Hammer,e and move bricks!"


    "Well, after five years of hardbor for eighteen hours a day, three hundred sixty-five days a year with no break, I finally saved enough for a down payment on a house. Today, I can walk with my head high into the upscale and luxuriousmunity where my girlfriend, Xiaomei, lives, and propose to her parents... Hehe, just thinking about it gets me a bit excited..."


    The scene shifts to a shabby shack on a construction site. A line of words appears above the shack, typed in Word: The High-End Hao Hua Community''s Xiaomei''s Home.


    Copper Big Hammer was stunned, "Holy fork, did I remember it wrong? This is clearly just a little store in the shack. When did Xiaomei''s ce fall to such a state? And this is too sloppy, they even mistyped the luxurious ''hao''! No matter, I must get Xiaomei''s parents'' consent today, marry the white and wealthy beauty, and reach the pinnacle of life. I''d wager my fiery hot biceps if needed!"


    Just as he was feeling proud of himself, Xiaomei, dressed in rags, rushed out of the shack and threw herself into Copper Big Hammer''s arms, bursting into tears, "Big Hammer bro, I can''t marry you!"


    "Ah! Ah! Why is this happening!" Copper Big Hammer was as if struck by lightning.


    Then, as expected, five crudely drawn lines appeared in the sky using Windows Paint.


    Worried that the audience wouldn''t understand what it was, they deliberately apanied it with a few crookedly writtenrge characters on the side: Five Thunderbolts. An arrow pointed to Copper Big Hammer''s head, with ''struck his apex'' written beside it...


    The picture cuts to inside a room, where Jiao Shou, ying Xiaomei''s father, is in bed coughing violently. With each cough, an irregr polygon created using Word''s drawing tool bursts onto the screen, with ''blood'' written inside in bold red letters.


    "Indeed, a bloody scene! Uncle, what''s wrong with you! Why haven''t you died¡ªno, why do you look like you''re about to die!"


    "Cough cough cough, Big Hammer, the situation is like this..."


    The scene changes to a beautiful, secluded mountain area.


    "Who could''ve thought, Xiaomei''s dad has a terminal disease, and only the Da Sheng Liquor produced in Qinling can treat it. So now I must sneak into the Great Sage Liquor Industry to obtain the legendary item: Da Sheng Liquor for Marrying Xiaomei! Though I''m sure it''s just an advertisement, for Xiaomei, I''d wager my biceps and more¡ªwhat''s a mere ad inparison?!"


    But I heard that the Great Sage Liquor Industry is full of dangers, with terrifying monsters lurking. Nobody has ever sessfully stolen Da Sheng Liquor from there. Even the thief saint, Bai Yutang, failed and left the underworld to be a waiter... What a joke, am I, a man with fiery hot biceps, scared of a few brewers and watchful old men?! Beating up elders over sixty years old and children under eight is as easy to me as reading the lines on my palm, muahaha..."


    The camera glides through the misty mountains, switching to Copper Big Hammer''s perspective as he searches for the Great Sage Liquor Industry.


    When the frame settles on a ssical, idyllic building halfway up the mountain, Li Xiaomao''s eyes light up, she mutters to herself in a daze, "Huh? This looks so familiar¡­"


    At the same time, countless viewers watching this episode express the same sentiment: "This distillery, it''s so familiar!"


    As a casual yer of World of Warcraft, Li Xiaomao almost immediately realizes that this distillery is strikingly simr to the exterior of a new level 90 dungeon in World of Warcraft called ''Storm Brewery''.


    What''s meant by ''strikingly simr'' is that at first nce, it makes one think of the distillery inside the game, because the styles of both are virtually identical. However, if one were to look closely, they''d find quite a few differences in details, and it''s not a carbon copy.


    At the entrance of the distillery, the six bold characters written in powerful brush calligraphy read: Yangchuan Dasheng Liquor Industry!


    The screen shows a distillery in surreal style,pletely different from the ordinary image of factories bristling with chimneys and reinforced concrete. It looks like it could only exist in cartoons or period dramas,plemented by nearby springs and streams, and the swaying water wheel, creating an entirely serene, otherworldly scene.


    "Huh? Since when did the special effects get to be so amazing? Could it be that Jiao Shou finally fired the head of the special effects team?"


    Li Xiaomao first thought it was done using animation, but upon a closer look, she realizes it''s an actual building.


    "Wow, such a big budget? Just this building alone must have cost millions!" Li Xiaomao thought, surprised. She also worked in the animation industry and knew that although web dramas were popr, they didn''t make as much money as outsiders might think. Spending millions on background for a single episode would be beyond extravagant.


    It''s not just low-budget web series; even big budget movies worth hundreds of millions rarely build a real set. They usually opt to rent film studios to save costs.


    In the scene, Copper Big Hammer bursts intoughter upon seeing the Great Sage Liquor Industry from afar: "Muahaha, so it''s just an ancient ruin, no security, no city management, not even a doorkeeper, what could possibly stop me from stealing the Da Sheng Liquor! Fiery hot biceps, let''s set off with me!"


    ******


    PS: For Labor Day, a holiday for work, of course, I have to work hard on my writing. It''s necessary to have an outburst. I''ll post three chapters of 9K in the morning, then roll back to sleep, and continue writing after getting up~~


    Of course, asking for monthly tickets, subscriptions, and all kinds of support is also necessary. Cast your fiery hot biceps in the vote!!

 Chapter 286 King Tiao Tiao Rabbit Sauce!

    ```


    "Let''s go, we''re on our way, fast and furious without dy!"


    Woosh... woosh woosh... Before Copper Hammer''s words had even finished, he executed several instant teleports, leaving his original spot and appearing in front of the Great Sage Liquor Industry the next second.


    Upon seeing those ''instant teleport special effects'', Li Xiaomao couldn''t help but purse her lips again¡ªit seemed the head of the special effects team was still alive.


    Because aside from the unimaginable special effects supervisor, there was no one else in the special effects business thick-skinned enough to draw a few crude lines for wind and call it an instant teleport effect.


    "However, what exactly is inside this liquor factory? It shouldn''t be as simple as it seems on the surface, right?" Li Xiaomao wondered curiously.


    Following the unimaginable style, a series of twists and turns was bound to ur next, likely something ordinary people ''would never be able to guess.''


    Copper Hammer himself said it, the factory was full of ''dangers''. Could it be that this factory, like that dungeon in the game, was overtaken by a bunch of monkey demons?


    That seemed unlikely. Thinking this, Li Xiaomao''s mouth quirked up in a smirk, thinking her spection was a bit too wild. Where would one get so many monkeys to help with the filming? Besides, monkeys are the most mischievously untamable animals¡ªhow could one expect them to obediently participate in a shoot?


    The special effects were more likely.


    However, considering the fact that the unimaginable special effects team leader was still alive, Li Xiaomao had little expectation for the special effects¡ªthey were bound to be trash. These cheesy effects, appearing asionally, could be effective due to the stark contrast, but if they were all over the screen, not only would they fail to be funny, they would actually be irritating.@@novelbin@@


    "Holy cow, as expected of the wine of youth, friendship, and health! Indeed, it smells wonderful!"


    No sooner had Copper Hammer stepped inside the Great Sage Liquor Industry than he let out an exaggerated sigh of emotion, then mumbled to himself, "ording to the information I''ve gathered, the Great Sage Liquor Industry is run by a bunch of monkeys brewing wine, hahaha, do they really expect me to believe such an absurd lie? Do I look like I''m that gullible?"


    "There really are monkeys..." Li Xiaomao was taken aback.


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    In theputer screen, the camera shook downward, focusing on Copper Hammer''s waist area, where he seemed to be wearing a big yellow apron full of bananas hanging all around.


    Copper Hammer''s face stiffened, and he coughed awkwardly twice: "Ahem, I can exin these bananas, they are definitely not for dealing with monkeys! Definitely not! As a bodybuilder possessing biceps as hot as fire, it''s perfectly reasonable for me to carry a lot of bananas containing various trace elements to replenish my body''s needs..."


    While he was exining the purpose of the bananas, several shadows suddenly whizzed by, darting into the room next door at lightning speed!


    "Don''t scratch me, don''t scratch me, I''ll give you big bananas!" Copper Hammer didn''t hesitate to unbuckle his belt... the one with the bananas hung on it, tossed the bananas out, and immediately crouched down hugging his head.


    After a moment''s silence, Copper Hammer stood up, pressed against the wall, and tiptoed cautiously toward that room.


    As the camera slowly advanced forward, even Li Xiaomao, who was watching the video, couldn''t help but wonder¡ªwere they really about to see a whole bunch of live monkeys next?


    The biggest feature of unimaginable dramas is that they make you unable to predict the next part of the story!


    Not only was Copper Hammer clueless about what he was about to face next, but Li Xiaomao was equally puzzled, and along with them, several hundred thousand viewers watching this episode were also specting¡ªwhat bizarre things might appear in that room next?


    Could it be a swarm of monkeys?


    "Eh, why haven''t I turned on the livement stream?" Li Xiaomao had a sudden epiphany¡ªthe livement stream allows viewers''ments to be broadcast in real-time on the video, providing excellent interaction. What is everyone saying, how are they specting?


    With that thought, Li Xiaomao pressed the button to turn on the livement stream.


    In an instant, the screen waspletely covered withments!


    It was impossible to count how manyments were rapidly scrolling across the screen, the density such that words ovepped words, making it totally unclear what was being said in thements!


    "Creak..." The oldptop emitted a groan under the strain and the screen suddenly went ck, leaving only Copper Hammer''s muttering voiceing from the speakers, and nothing else was visible.


    "Fuck me!" Li Xiaomao let out a very udylike shriek!


    This was truly beyond her imagination! The integrated graphics card in her oldptop, after years of struggling under heavy loads, had finally been ''blown up'' by the countlessments.


    Li Xiaomao stared nkly at the screen for several seconds before reacting. She threw the brokenptop aside, jumped out of bed, still in her pajamas, and rushed out of her room''s door, heading straight to a neighboring room and banging on the door furiously.


    The door opened, revealing a face of another young girl just like Li Xiaomao, and Copper Hammer''s slyughter could be heard from inside: "Hehe, just the thought of soon sneaking away with Da Sheng Liquor really gets me a bit excited..."


    It appeared this girl was also watching unimaginable.


    "Damn, why aren''t you wearing a bra, aren''t you afraid of running into perverts..." The girl was astounded as she watched the two chunks of flesh on Li Xiaomao''s chest tremble wildly!


    ```


    In broad daylight, even though there were no people in the corridor, wasn''t it a bit too unrestrained for Li Xiaomao to dash through mid-air like that?


    Without further ado, Li Xiaomao rushed into the girl''s room and said while walking, "Cut the chatter, it''s not like you don''t have one, what''s there to be curious about! Myputer is broken, came here to watch with you, huff huff, luckily I made it in time. What do you think US Dor will encounter?"


    As she spoke, Li Xiaomao had already dragged a chair over and was sitting in front of theputer screen.


    "It should be monkeys, didn''t he just say that Great Sage Liquor Industry is a bunch of monkeys brewing wine?"


    The two girls sat side by side in front of theputer, just as US Dor finally reached the door of that room, turned around, facing the inside!


    "Ah! How can this be! Indeed, it''s beyond anything we could have imagined!"


    The room waspletely empty, not a single monkey in sight.


    In the center of the room, a chubby rabbit was sitting on the floor, hugging a super carrotrger than itself, munching on it enthusiastically.


    "Huh, why is there a rabbit?! Thispletely defies logic!" US Dor muttered, his eyes wide.


    After the rabbit saw US Dor, it put down its carrot, red with its red eyes, and said to US Dor, "Obviously, I am the first level''s BOSS. You can call me Invincible Beautiful Bunny Chan or Jumping King, but if you want to steal the Da Sheng Liquor...unless...um unless..."


    Bunny Chan seemed to forget her lines, rubbed her chubby paws against her head and her long ears swung from side to side before she finally continued, "Oh, that''s right unless you step over my dead body..."


    Of course, the voice of the rabbit in theputer was dubbed. And from the voice, it was clear it was again Jiao Shou doing the dubbing.


    But the expression on Bunny Chan, Jumping King, was extraordinarily lifelike, practically a professional actor in rabbit''s clothing.


    When US Dor entered the door, Bunny Chan immediately put down the carrot, lifted her head toward US Dor, andter when she spoke, her two front paws even took positions like a boxer, one in front and one behind, looking like a miniature kangaroo, especially pensive when she forgot her lines...


    "Li Xiaomao, is this some kind of special effect?" the girl asked in amazement, turning her head to Li Xiaomao, who was majoring in animation.


    Li Xiaomao felt her brain short-circuit¡ªit was clearly a live rabbit, not a special effect!


    After all, theirpany couldn''t produce such vivid special effects, and although it might be possible to hire a high-end foreign special effectspany, those high-end effects cost a fortune per second, thousands or even tens of thousands of US Dors!


    Clearly, even selling Jiao Shou wouldn''t cover that cost, so there was only one possibility left.


    "Fight a rabbit? How do I fight?" US Dor looked bewildered in theputer.


    He only brought bananas meant for monkeys; he''d never heard that rabbits liked bananas, and he didn''t know if they would work. So he took a banana and tentatively waved it at Bunny Chan, asking with a sleazy grin, "Jumping King, let big brother through, and big brother will give you a big banana!"


    Bunny Chan''s ears twitched, and she swung her tiny fists at US Dor fiercely, disdainfully saying, "You''re so filthy!"


    "But I really only have a big banana!" US Dor said, scratching his head, perplexed at how to deal with a rabbit that didn''t eat big bananas. Was he really going to have to resort to using his fiery-hot biceps?


    US Dor was at a loss, while Bunny Chan, still on the spot, waved her little fists as though cheating and even deliberately hinted to US Dor, shouting, "Come on, young man, unleash your famous ultimate move, let this king witness the legendary Nine Suns Divine Fist!"


    "Huh? So I know Nine Suns Divine Fist?!"


    Thinking this, US Dor''s body trembled, emitting an aura of supremacy. A powerful force gathered towards his fists; the left was as cold as frost, the right as hot as mes...


    "Frost special effect", "me special effect"


    Eight big characters typed in Word suddenly appeared on US Dor''s fists. The special effects team leader lived up to expectations, once again making everyone spit out their food with a cheap effect.


    "Damn it, this is too pdash, my opponent is a talking, jumping, carrot-eating rabbit that could tell I was filthy at a nce! These cheap effects are just not up to par..."


    Clearly, US Dor was wrong again!


    As soon as the fist effects were released, US Dor hadn''t even thrown a punch when the Jumping King on the other side, as if frightened, swiftly leaped backwards with its ears sticking up straight, eximing in terror, "Wow, is this the legendary Dual Extremity of Yin and Yang?!"


    "How did you figure that out?..."


    Before US Dor could finish, Bunny Chan suddenly acted as if struck by a heavy blow, bellowed out, "Too powerful, I can''t resist at all!" After saying that, her body stiffened, and she fell to the floor, stiff like an ice pop with bothrge front teeth sticking out.


    "Hey, you''ve passed the level! Aren''t you going to move?" the fallen Bunny Chan said to the dumbstruck US Dor, her head cocked to one side, her voice weird and funny.

 Chapter 287 The Future Blockbuster (Vote for Monthly Tickets)

    Copper Hammer breezed through the challenge with a smug smile on his face, "Never would''ve guessed I''d pass the first level this easily, my fiery biceps didn''t even get to see action. Looks like the next levels will be a breeze too! Xiaomei, just wait for me to steal back some Da Sheng Liquor to cure your dad''s illness!"


    After "easily taking down" the first boss, King Jumper, both Copper Hammer and the audience began to rx.


    The screen shifted, and Copper Hammer arrived at the entrance of another room.


    "What could be inside this one?"


    Before him was a giant wooden hut, about five or six meters tall, with its corners stacked full of liquor barrels¡ªthe monkeys rumored to have upied the distillery had finally made their appearance!


    Several white-browed gibbons wearing straw hats were carrying barrels on shoulder poles towards a corner, shouting chants as they walked.


    In the center of the room, there sat a huge rectangr barrel three meters tall, surrounded by a crowd of macaques of varying sizes, among them a golden monkey and an old white-haired monkey standing out distinctively.


    "Monkeys indeed! Dig into my big bananas!" Copper Hammer yelled as he quickly untied the banana hanging from his waist and hurled it at the monkeys.


    Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh¡ªthe room filled with scurrying monkey shadows, arge group of macaques forming a chain, each hanging by the tail of the one above, dangled from the edge of the barrel. They grabbed the iing bananas with lightning speed, as though performing acrobatics, then tossed them into therge fermenting vat.


    Continue your journey on empire


    "Hmm, more bananas... oh no, I want apples! Damn Copper Hammer, you''ve disrupted our brewing!"


    The old Monkey King let out an angry roar, clearly dubbed by Jiao Shou.


    No sooner had the old Monkey King''s voice fallen than seven white-browed gibbons lined up neatly in front of Copper Hammer, tilting their straw hats, shouldering nted, eyeing him with an unfavorable look like a gang of street punks.


    Only then did everyone notice that these gibbons were clothed in human attire, specifically the kind of tunics worn in ancient times,plete with belts around their waists.


    Each gibbon had a hatchet nted in its belt!


    "Brothers,"manded King Ukuku, standing on the edge of the barrel and howling to the sky while robustly thumping his chest, producing a drumlike ''thump, thump, thump,'' "take this invader down!"


    The seven gibbons moved in unison, pulling the hatchets from their belts and swinging their bodies left and right in time with the rhythmic thumping, inching closer to Copper Hammer.


    The screen went ck, followed by the agonized scream of Copper Hammer: "Oh no, my fiercely fiery biceps..."


    Subsequently, subtitles appeared: Copper Hammer was brutally beaten and fled Great Sage Liquor Industry in disarray.


    "Huh? It can''t be over, can it?" Li Xiaomao looked at another girl who shook her head uncertainly, "It shouldn''t be..."


    When the screen lit up again, Copper Hammer''s haggard face filled the screen once more, arge bandage wrapped around his head, his once prideful zing biceps in ster.


    "My name is Copper Hammer. I''m a struggling bricyer. I was concussed by a group of monkeys while trying to steal liquor from Great Sage Liquor Industry. Who would have thought that in the end I''d still get the Da Sheng Liquor, cure Xiaomei''s father, and marry Xiaomei..."


    Why was he still able to obtain the Da Sheng Liquor after being beaten by the monkeys?


    The scene widened to reveal the backdrop behind Copper Hammer graduallye into focus.


    It was a tobo and liquor store, and on its shelves stood two rows of Da Sheng Liquor, a row of spirits, Da Sheng Pure Brew, and a row of fruit wine, Da Sheng Hundred Fruits Brew.


    "They''re avable everywhere, who the hell told me I had to steal it from Great Sage Liquor Industry!" Copper Hammer yelled into the camera, "The bastard who tricked me,e out! I promise I won''t kill you!"@@novelbin@@


    "Then where can we buy it?" asked a voice off-screen. Clearly, it was also Jiao Shou.


    Copper Hammer''s expression suddenly changed, the anger on his face vanished in an instant, reced by a sycophantic smile as if he was everyone''s darling: "Yangchuan City''s Da Sheng Liquor is avable in all major stores in Yangchuan City, not for 998, not even for 888, just 488, direct sales from the manufacturer, contact number XXXXXX!"


    Xiaomei popped out from the side, hugging Copper Hammer''s shoulder with one hand and holding a bottle of Da Sheng Liquor with the other, cooing, "Yangchuan Great Saint Liquor, truly brewed by monkeys, the drink of youth, friendship, and health!"


    Jiao Shou, ying the role of Xiaomei''s father, appeared behind them with a fake beard obviously stuck on, a satisfied smile on his face, "This holiday season, no gift is expected, but if you''re giving, let it be Great Saint Liquor!"


    This episode concluded with a clear credit in the end credits, "Special thanks: Yangchuan City Zoo, Yangchuan Dasheng Distillery, for your great support!"


    It was then that the audience had their moment of realization. The scenes in this episode weren''t specially constructed by the production crew but were actually from a real ce akin to Taoyuan, "Yangchuan Dasheng Distillery"; and the animals in the drama weren''t special effects but were trained by Yangchuan City Zoo!


    ...


    After this episode of "Unbelievable" aired, Jiao Shou initially fell into a state of great anxiety, but then one piece of good news after another arrived!


    "Jiao Shou, the view count has reached two million!"


    "It''s broken four million!"


    "Ten million! My God, how is this possible? It''s been only three days!"


    "Jiao Shou, the data analysis team just sent their results. ording to the current momentum, this episode''s view count will soon surpass the first episode of the first season and break the previous viewing record! And it won''t just break the single-episode record of "Unbelieable," it might set the highest viewing record for all web dramas to date!"


    Receiving the continuous stream of good news, the entire creative team was in a state of extreme excitement. Several actors gave each other high-fives in celebration. Jiao Shou managed to remain calm and asked, "What about the audiencements? How are they?"


    This was crucial. If the view count was high but the audience was cursing, then they would be in big trouble!


    "Rave reviews! The frequency ofments is around 2.4 times that of any other episode when they''re first released, and it''s almost entirely positive praise, especially for the animals in it!"


    Hearing the analysis team say this, Jiao Shou finally let the weight off his heart and logged into the "Unbelievable" official website from hisputer in Suming''s office to see for himself.


    Thement section was nearly exploding with overwhelmingly positive feedback.


    Many people said that this episode really achieved the "Unbelievable" effect!


    From the moment that resembled the Great Sage Liquor Industry, which seemed like a nod to Storm Brewery, to Rabbit Sauce, a group of monkeys posing as the Axe Gang, and even the twist that Da Sheng Liquor could be casually bought alongside the road, the episode offered a breath of fresh air!


    Of course, many viewers realized that the main goal of this episode was to market Da Sheng Liquor.


    But this didn''t affect the rave reviews.


    Web series audiences are the most forgiving. They watch "Unbelievable" to have fun and rx. As long as the show meets these modest demands, they couldn''t care less about the advertising¡ªthey don''t mind it at all.


    Most of the audience is rational too¡ªthey understand that the "Unbelievable" crew isn''t running a charity program. They need to make money to continue their work, and the more they earn, the more motivated the creative team is. If they don''t make money, how can the creators even feed themselves, let alone attract investment and effort for filming? So, advertising is a perfectly normal practice.


    In short, as long as the audience finds it entertaining and their needs are met, they don''t care whether you''re advertising or not. What everyone dislikes are those boring ads created purely for product promotion.


    While thements and view count for this episode on the website were skyrocketing, Jiao Shou''s personal Weibo follower count was also soaring.


    For a blogger nearing eight million followers, due to therge base number, there''s usually not a significant increase in normal circumstances. But now was clearly not a "normal circumstance." With every refresh, Jiao Shou''s Weibo follower count shot up by hundreds, spring-loaded with growth.


    "Thank you to Mr. Su, Deputy Director of Yangchuan City Zoo, for your tremendous help, and thanks to Yangchuan Dasheng Distillery for the friendly coboration!" Jiao Shou returned the favor, mutual following with "Taoyuan Charm" ount and shared the link to Taoyuan Charm.


    "Deputy Director Su, I won''t go on with thank-yous; honestly, no amount of thanks can convey the gratitude I feel right now!" Jiao Shou went up to Suming and gave him a big bear hug. "If there''s a chance in the future, I hope we can have further opportunities to coborate!"


    "I hope we can coborate again in the future, too. But next time, I can''t offer just a friendly coboration¡ªI''ll have to charge a substantial service fee," Suming said with augh.


    "Absolutely!" Jiao Shou checked the time and said apologetically, "The investors are calling a meeting. There might be an increase in investment andprehensive packaging for ''Unbelievable,'' and perhaps even a feature film may be made in the future. I need to rush back for the meeting. I won''t intrude any longer, Deputy Director Su. If you''re free to visit the capital, I''ll be your host!"


    In recent years, there has been a trend of turning web series or popr variety shows into what are called major films. Once a web series or a variety show bes wildly popr, someone will invest in making a rted movie. These movies require little investment, are produced quickly, and due to arge fan base and light content, they often make a significant profit, offering a high return on investment.


    Even if a web series bes wildly popr, the creative team doesn''t really make much money; but it''s different with movies. ording to the domestic revenue-sharing model, a movie that makes hundreds of millions at the box office can earn nearly hundreds of millions for the producers¡ªabsolute windfall!


    Since Jiao Shou put it that way, Suming didn''t feel right holding him back¡ªthat would be like cutting off his opportunities. Heughed and said, "Then I''ll congratte you in advance! Let''s keep in touch at any time!"

 Chapter 288 The Unbuyable Legend

    "Jiao Shou, can I stay in the zoo to y for a few days? I don''t need to attend the meeting anyway, and I don''t seem to be in the next episode."


    Who would have thought that right before the film crew was about to leave the zoo, the lead actress Xiaomei suddenly asked Jiao Shou.


    Actually, her role in this episode wasn''t substantial, just a symbolic presence at the beginning and end, and her lines totaled two sentences. She didn''t need to familiarize herself with the plot nor spend time filming; frankly, her part could have been yed by a cardboard cutout.


    Precisely because of this, she had plenty of free time on set to y with the animals. While others were filming, she would be squatting on the sidelines, teasing the monkeys. Most girls like animals, and the ones brought in for filming had been specially trained by Suming, able to be both cute and act like domineering CEOs, quickly capturing Xiaomei''s tender heart.


    As she spoke, she was hugging a fatty rabbit, the very one named Tutu-chan.


    Tutu-chan, the Hop-hop King, was rescued from Huiya''s mouth by Xiaomei and, after being trained with spiritual power by Suming for a day, joined the filming crew on the spot, ying the role of Boss Number One, the Hop-hop King.


    "Yeah, okay, just don''t trouble Mr. Su," Jiao Shou warned specifically before boarding the vehicle, and Xiaomei said with a giggle, "I wouldn''t dream of it."


    It was unclear whether she was talking to Jiao Shou or to Tutu-chan as she rubbed the rabbit''s long ears, "Right, we are being very good, aren''t we?"


    Girls who say they are well-behaved usually aren''t all that docile. Xiaomei might look quiet and like the girl next door, but she was a celebrity, after all. Using his spiritual power covertly, Sumingmanded a couple of hos to follow Xiaomei day and night for the next few days, to ensure that no idents urred in the zoo.


    "Mr. Su, where will I be staying?" Xiaomei asked Suming while holding the rabbit.


    "You''re not staying at a hotel?" Suming was slightly taken aback. It sounded like she was expecting him to take care of her amodations and meals.


    Poor little star, without a decent nanny or agent and having to worry about lodging and meals herself. Staying in a hotel was possible, but the nearest one was several kilometers away from the zoo, and as a stranger in Yangchuan City, Suming couldn''t possibly assign someone to apany her exclusively.


    "Why don''t I stay at your ce? It''s quiet with beautiful scenery, and I can y around in the zoo every day." Xiaomei tugged at Suming''s sleeve and cooed.


    When the crew negotiated with Suming, they sometimes did it in the office, sometimes directly at Whisperwind Pavilion, and Jiao Shou had even shared tea with Suming on the pavilion''s deck. Xiaomei had been there too and quite liked the environment.


    "Stop joking, what are you thinking? You''re not afraid of scandal, but I am," Suming rolled his eyes. If she really moved into the pavilion, that would be like mud falling into the crotch ¨C not poop, but close enough.


    Well, of course, thatparison isn''t quite suitable. Xiaomei did have her charms, definitely not mud, let alone poop...


    Besides, as someone with a girlfriend, how could he possibly let another woman move in to live with him?


    "So where will I stay? I''m not going to a hotel. If I wanted to stay in a hotel, why would Ie to Yangchuan City?" Xiaomei pouted, her eyes rolling whiter than the fur on Tutu-chan in her arms, practically threatening to faint herself if he suggested she stay at a hotel.


    I knew it, definitely not the docile type. Jiao Shou leaves and her true naturees out. But the mention of Whisperwind Pavilion gave Suming an idea. There was more than one ''Whisperwind'' in the zoo; beside Shuijun Lake, there was a six-story Whisperwind Pavilion with an environment just as nice as the Fengshui Pavilion, and it was much closer to various attractions in the zoo. After arranging for a cleaning crew, he let Xiaomei stay there to make do for a few days.


    "There''s a boat on theke below, and you can even ride fish; if you want to go fishing, find a researcher named Liang Shi; the pebble path beside theke leads to the main area of the zoo, and the small path behind it goes straight to the Fox Immortal. Oh, and there''s a grey wolf on the hill behind, which you have seen; don''t wander around at night, be careful not to be carried off by a wolf..." Suming gave her a list of dos and don''ts.


    "I heard there''s a hot spring, where is it?"


    After the monkeys finished brewing the wine, Suming didn''t hide the existence of the hot springs anymore. He had even sent his uncle Su Desheng with a construction team to scout the area, nning to refurbish the surroundings when funds permitted. Xiaomei probably heard about it from the zoo staff.


    "The hot spring hasn''t been developed yet; the surrounding area is rough, and it''s not safe for you to go there as a girl."


    ... Stay connected through empire


    This episode, beyond everyone''s wildest dreams, didn''t only te Jiao Shou and the film crew when it aired, but Suming also experienced the sensation of overnight fame.


    Jiao Shou exchanged follows with Taoyuan Interests and actively rmended them.


    While Taoyuan Interests already had some young fans, along with some older ones who may not all enjoy web series, the unexpected fans were mainly young people. Thus, Suming''s original followers might not all be interested in the unexpected hit show, but most of the surprises'' fans were quite fond of animals.


    In just a few days, the followers of Taoyuan Interests surged to nearly five hundred thousand, and the number continued to rise!


    What''s called a nouveau riche, that''s it!


    In the past, despite being on TV and dealing with the Fox Immortal incident, along with a charity funds investigation, he spent so much time and effort, and only just managed to break a hundred thousand followers on Weibo.


    But now, just by assisting with a web series and exchanging follows with Jiao Shou, in less than a week, his follower count multiplied several times, so much so that even Suming began to doubt the data on the server, wondering if there was an error in the stats?


    Fifty thousand followers, all real people without any fake followers. While still far from the tens of millions that popr stars boast, it had surpassed many so-called famous institutions and shows, an unimaginable feat for a zoo with educational purpose.


    Suming went online to check, and among thergest zoos in the country, just in terms of Weibo marketing, they''ve been left in the dust by Yangchuan City Zoo by a long shot. The Capital Zoo''s Weibo only just broke ten thousand followers, and the renowned Songjiang Wildlife Zoo''s followers have just surpassed fifty thousand, which isn''t even on the same level as Yangchuan City Zoo.


    The new followers are also interested in more than just the "Never Would Have Guessed" show itself.


    At first, everyone''s attention was focused on the animals featured in the show. Those monkeys and hopping kings were poles apart from the animals in regr zoos, with many people mistaking Yangchuan City Zoo for a circus. But after longtime fans introduced them to previous posts and dug up a series of videos featuring things like riding fish and Fox Immortals, only then did they realize that this was no circus¡ªYangchuan City Zoo is simply one of a kind!


    "Holy shit, are these foxes for real? Are you sure it''s not CGI? I''m convinced!"


    "Are they really riding fish?"


    "Juste and visit Yangchuan Zoo, and you''ll know. I go there to y every week, and the fish-riding attraction has been redeveloped for a month now, with lines every day!"


    "What breed of axolotl looks like a crocodile?"


    "The one beside it is the crocodile. These two guys fight every day. Last time I went, I saw the axolotl spraying water at the crocodile!"


    "That''s a huge python, just letting it crawl around on the ground, is that really okay?"


    "The zoo director mentioned that they are building a snake park on the hill behind the zoo; the pythons will live there in the future, and there are hundreds of wild venomous snakes..."


    "I''ve been into ''Magical Beast'' since the ''50s, and I''d like to visit Yangchuan Dasheng Distillery in person. Director, will the distillery be open to the public? Do they have Chen. Stormstout Brew?"


    "Isn''t Stormstout Brew rted to pandas? Could there be pandaren?! Director, are there really pandas there?"


    "Director, director, is that Da Sheng Liquor really as amazing as they say? The drink of youth, friendship, and health?"


    "Same question, I''m going to my girlfriend''s house next week, and I don''t know what gift to bring. Director, where can I actually buy Da Sheng Liquor? I''ve searched many stores and can''t find it!"


    ...


    Alongside "Never Would Have Guessed", another name that has been making waves is none other than Yangchuan City Dasheng Liquor Industry.


    With a focus different from that of general viewers, professional journalists from major news outlets have a keener sense of smell and concentrate on digging deeper into phenomena beyond their surface.


    Close to the water, Whisperwind Pavilion got the moon first and was the first to publish an article.


    "Who is King in the Age of the Inte?"


    The article analyzed marketing models in the inte age, posing a question: In an era where information spreads at incredible speeds, how should product marketing be conducted? Clearly, the old adage "If the wine is good, it needs no bush" no longer applies. In the current environment, which is more important¡ªproduct quality or marketing?


    Other major media outlets also published their articles almost simultaneously.


    "Never Would Have Guessed breathes second life..."


    "A national frenzy of celebration!"


    "Humans and animals, you protect me, and I bring you joy!"@@novelbin@@


    "Overnight fame: Yangchuan City Dasheng Liquor Industry!"


    "In fact, Da Sheng Liquor is currently unavable on the market!"


    "Hundred-Fruit Wine¡ªExploring the origins of Monkey Wine brewing."


    Media outlets from major southeastern Huaxia regions, as well as numerous national inte media tforms, like Qianbaidu and S¨­uhu, had several columnists provide in-depth analysis, as nearly all of them voiced their opinions due to the poprity of that episode of "Never Would Have Guessed."


    This is not just about a web series heating up once more, but about the underlying effective marketing model it represents.


    But as of now, this so-called ''Yangchuan City Da Sheng Liquor'' isn''t avable for sale in various major stores as mentioned in the web series.


    On the contrary, Da Sheng Liquor can''t be bought on the market at all.

 Chapter 289 The Furthest Distance in the World

    "Boss, I want Great Sage Liquor! Yeah, that kind of baijiu! What, you don''t know? Are you kidding me, you run a tobo and liquor store and you don''t even know Great Sage Liquor? What are you doing?"


    "Boss, give me twenty skewers ofmb, ten skewers of grilled kidney, and two bottles of Great Sage Liquor... Huh? Don''t have it, stop messing around, bro''s not short on money, hurry up, bring out the liquor!"@@novelbin@@


    "Xiao Li, your boyfriend''s no good... Why? You know I love to drink good liquor, and it''s not like he doesn''t know about it. Even the auntie next door who dances in the square knows that our city has a new monkey liquor, and your boyfriend still brings this low-ss booze, clearlycking sincerity!"


    ...


    After the unexpected poprity and the media reporting on the behind-the-scenes marketing strategies, Yangchuan Dasheng Distillery''s reputation soared, especially in Yangchuan City itself, where almost everyone who drinks was aware of a new nationally famous product from their hometown.


    But just try to buy it!


    Da Sheng Liquor was like the mist-shrouded Great Sage Liquor Industry; clearly existing, yet untouchable, cloaked in a dense veil of mystery.


    "Hey, I''ll tell you, you really did something big, making such a huge ad for the distillery without making a fuss!"


    Zhao Yun usually spent most of his time at home being a homebody and imitating a husband. Homebodiese in different varieties; some justze around at home doing nothing but eating, ying games, and surfing the inte. The kind of homebody Zhao Yun was, just like Zhuge Liang, honed his skills at home, keeping abreast of the situation everywhere, understanding the world without stepping outside.


    Reading books and newspapers every day, Zhao Yun kept seeing news about Great Sage Liquor Industry and realized that, in just half a month, the once obscure Great Sage Liquor Industry had shot to fame. The previous concerns about sales channels now seemed like a joke. Worried about not being able to sell ten tons of liquor? That''sughable. Even if that number were multiplied by ten, it would likely still be snapped up in an instant.


    In this period, he had already received severalrge orders. Zhao Yun visited today to discuss with Suming about increasing production. They wanted to take advantage of the current boom of Great Sage Liquor and timely release the product onto the market.


    "I think, it''s not quite the perfect moment yet," Suming said, gesturing with two fingers, "Why not stretch it a bit more."


    "You mean, do scarcity marketing?" Zhao Yun thought for a moment and then said, "But scarcity marketing must be premised on the continuous fermentation of the product, constantly releasing attractive news. That will keep consumers'' appetite on tenterhooks. Otherwise, scarcity marketing can easily backfire, not only failing to achieve the expected results but if dragged on too long, consumers will gradually forget about Great Sage Liquor."


    As he spoke, Zhao Yun pulled out a wrinkled newspaper from his back pocket: "Look."


    When Suming saw this action from Zhao Yun, he couldn''t help but twitch. A sessful middle-aged man from the twenty-first century, acting like a coal miner stuffing a newspaper in his pants pocket, was just too old-fashioned. What happened to getting news on a smartphone?


    The newspaper headline was eye-catching: "Great Sage Liquor is absent from the scene, but its legends are all over the ce."


    The subtitle read: "The greatest distance in the world is when I hear all about you, but you''re not by my side."


    Of course, the content was still about Great Sage Liquor. After gaining fame, the actual liquor was nowhere to be seen on the market. Everyone was like treasure hunters, searching for the true presence of Great Sage Liquor.


    "This reporter must have started in martial arts novels, writingmentaries so emotionally..." Suming said, speechless.


    "Never mind whether it''s emotional or not, but he does have a point. It''s no good just stretching it out endlessly. If you don''t have any follow-up ns, I still suggest putting the product on the market ASAP. At least release those ten tons first to give everyone a taste," Zhao Yun said.


    Of course, there is a follow-up n.


    Suming had considered that although Da Sheng Liquor seemed very popr at the moment, being discussed on just about every website, at the end of the day, this was unexpected publicity brought about by the show, not the liquor itself.


    But what Suming wanted to sell wasn''t the unexpected attention, but the Da Sheng Liquor itself. The show was merely a ''catalyst''.


    If one were to follow normal logic, taking advantage of the current fame of Da Sheng Liquor and decisively entering the market would certainly be profitable. However, this would rely on the novelty brought by the unexpected attention, and once that faded, one would still need to return to building Da Sheng Liquor''s reputation slowly and steadily.


    Instead of that, it would be better to start shifting the public''s attention now. Taking advantage of the high level of interest brought by the show, divert some of the public''s attention to the real product: Da Sheng Liquor itself.


    "I think when you have time, you''d better spend some money to do an MBA." Zhao Yun finally managed to listen to Suming''s exnation and couldn''t help frowning, "I understand what you mean, but you exined it in a way that''s too abstract. If I hadn''t been in business for decades and had some experience, I wouldn''t understand a word you''re saying..."


    "Well, for someone with schizophrenia, it''s still quite an achievement to be able to exin it like this. Anyway, as long as you understand, that''s good enough for me," Suming rolled his eyes and shrugged nonchntly.


    "What exactly do you n to do?" asked Zhao Yun.


    "You must know some experts in the liquor industry, right?" Suming asked confidently.


    He knew Zhao Yun all too well. Zhao Yun''s investments might seem capricious and impulsive to outsiders, as if he was investing on whims like someone who had more money than he could spend. But in reality, every investment Zhao Yun made was well-considered and carried a high probability of profit. He would never touch an industry he didn''t understand.


    Find more to read at empire


    Since Zhao Yun and Suming''s investment in the distillery was a joint venture rather than a loan to Suming, Suming was sure that even if Zhao Yun didn''t understand liquor, he would have knowledgeable friends in the industry.


    "Feels like you''ve seen right through me..." Zhao Yun shrugged, "I can indeed contact some industry experts. Are you nning to have them help support the product?"


    "That''s pretty much the idea," Suming nodded and tapped the newspaper on the table with his finger, saying, "These media outlets only got it half right. In the inte age, marketing is indeed very important, but the quality of the product itself is the foundation for sustainable development. We must never treat consumers like fools. What they want to buy is the liquor."


    A few dayster, in the No. 1 Hall of the Yangchuan City Hilton Hotel, a rather grand new productunch event was held.


    The organizer was Yangchuan City Dasheng Liquor Industry, broadcast exclusively by Yangchuan City TV Station, and specialists from Jiangjin City Liquor Testing Center were invited.


    Mr. Seibel, the foreigner who had participated in the Yangchuan gourmet show, was also present, chatting andughing with a group of blond-haired, blue-eyed foreigners.


    Theunch event was still more than an hour away from beginning, with people on site forming small groups and chatting amongst themselves. In the corner, Suming and Nangong Yan were muttering about something.


    "I am innocent!"


    ...


    PS: Keeping your word is important; otherwise, it''s like passing wind. The red packet is sent, delivering five updates, now I''ll go sleep for a bit~~ snooze~

 Chapter 290 Meeting Ren Chen Again

    Xiaomei staying at the zoo was something that Suming didn''t keep a secret from anyone, so Nangong Yan somehow found out.


    Normally, Nangong Yan was very busy with work and hardly had time for online dramas, but as a media person, it was impossible for her not to know about such a popr show, especially since "Da Sheng Liquor Industry" recently had a coboration with the show.


    The moment Nangong Yan saw Xiaomei, she recognized her as the female lead from the show.


    "Mr. Su, you''re quite something now. You haven''t made much money, but you''ve already started to ''cultivate'' female stars," Nangong Yan said sarcastically.


    Before women fall in love, they all act like goddesses aloof from worldly concerns, but once in love, their true natures are revealed. Therefore, men should never think they have found a genuinely transcendent goddess. If a woman truly bes immune to jealousy and transcendence, that would be rather dull.


    Being somewhat familiar with this, Suming didn''t get mad because irrational behavior is sometimes just a form of affection. He defended himself with conviction, "I need to correct you on two points. First, I have made quite a bit of money; second, I haven''t ''cultivated'' her. Our rtionship ispletely innocent. If I were to cultivate anyone, it would be a female host."


    "What female host?" Nangong Yan didn''t catch on at first but after a moment, she realized he was referring to her.


    However, it did make sense for Nangong Yan to be a little jealous. Xiaomei was holding that bunny Dip. Nangong Yan felt somewhat frustrated, thinking that she had been hanging out with Suming for so long without such exclusive treatment, and yet Xiaomei had only been around for a few days before he had specially trained such a cute rabbit to give to her.


    "That''s not the same at all!" Suming protested, "In a way, both Ji Xiang and Xiaomei are helping with the promotion; they are like mascots. Also, howe that guy came along?"


    Suming had perfected the art of changing the subject and pointed to a handsome man in a neat suit not far away, holding a ss of red wine and scanning the room. It was Ren Chen, the man who had once pursued Nangong Yan.


    "For an event like this, anyone with money can buy a ticket, and besides, didn''t you say that it was open to everyone for free? It''s quite normal for him, an outstanding businessman, young and wealthy, to attend," Nangong Yan remarked. Explore hidden tales at empire


    Suming found it somewhat incredible. Could this guy still be after Nangong Yan''s attention? People have limited patience. Last time, Ren Chen hadn''t gone too far, so Suming hadn''t retaliated harshly. But if Ren Chen continued to harass Nangong Yan, forcing Suming to change from a justifiable antagonist to an unforgivable one with rising evil points, Suming would not hold back.


    "It''s not that exaggerated. This Ren Chen... hmpf, I have my reasons for not bothering with him," Nangong Yan appeared indifferent.


    Next, a scene that even surprised Suming unfolded. Ren Chen, from afar, lifted his ss towards Nangong Yan as a greeting but did not head in her direction. Instead, he walked over to Xiaomei with a big smile and struck up a warm conversation with her.


    "See? People like him just love whomever they see," said Nangong Yan with a look of disdain.


    Suming was impressed; there really were such people in the world.


    "The key is that he''s rich and doesn''t know where to spend his money. Chasing girls, for someone like him, is just a pastime. If he seeds, great; if not, no big deal, he''ll just move on to another. The world may run out of many things, but never beautiful women," Nangong Yan exined on the side.


    "Why do I feel there''s more to your words?" Suming pondered aloud.@@novelbin@@


    "Smart little buddy," Nangong Yan said, ruffling Suming''s hair like an elder sister, with a giggle, "Yeah, I''m giving you a warning in advance, don''t you turn bad in the future!"


    "My hairstyle''s ruined, my hairstyle''s ruined! Stop it, I am about to go on stage..."


    As they chatted, the lights dimmed gradually. The MC slowly walked onto the stage, and the spotlight followed his steps, finally settling on the tform. The TV cameras also moved, focusing on the stage and clearly presenting the sight to the audience.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, wee to Yangchuan Dasheng Distillery productunch event. I am your host for this event, Song Jun."


    After a brief introduction and expressions of gratitude, the host with his modting voice moved on to the main topic, "I believe whether our guests here or the viewers in front of the TV, everyone is very familiar with Da Sheng Liquor! Regrettably, no one has ever seen the true face of Da Sheng Liquor. It''s like a stunning beauty veiled, seemingly standing right before our eyes, yet remains unfathomably elusive!"


    Women and wine, for men, are sometimes interrted, and since most of the audience at the event were men, the host''s words elicited a knowing chuckle.


    "A bunch of smelly men, so boring. See how cheap theirughter is? Like a bunch of little teddy bears!" Nangong Yan muttered disdainfully under her breath on the side.


    "I didn''tugh. Why are you pinching me?" Suming winced andined.


    "Would you be happy if I touched another man''s waist?" Nangong asked righteously in return.


    Okay, there seemed to be a strong reasoning here,pletely irrefutable, but the burning sensationing from the waist was clearly not just a ''touch,'' unless Nangong had practiced Iron Sand Palm...


    "So next, may I invite the chairman of Yangchuan City Dasheng Liquor Industry, Mr. Su Ming, to reveal the mysterious veil of this beautiful person for us! Please wee Mr. Su Ming!"


    With a sh of light, the spotlight moved across the hall andnded on Su Ming. Following that, the hall erupted in warm apuse. Nangong Yan swiftly retracted her hand from Su Ming''s waist. Su Ming straightened his expression and, like a groom walking the red carpet, waved to everyone while stepping onto the stage.


    "Hello, Mr. Su Ming," the host greeted him before turning to all the guests in the hall and jokingly said, "Who would have thought that our first surprise of the day would not be the mysterious beauty, but a young and handsome sessful entrepreneur like Mr. Su Ming."


    In a setting where everyone lifted the sedan chair, most of the attendees were high-profile individuals who might interact with Su Ming in the future, and many were already his business partners. Moreover, a rising young talent like Su Ming was someone everyone wanted to establish a good rtionship with.


    Furthermore, when it came to Mr. Su''s looks, well, he couldn''t be called handsome like a movie star, but amidst the generally pot-bellied, balding, middle-aged businessmen, he definitely ranked second to none. Hence, after the host finished speaking, the audience immediately responded with even more vigorous apuse.


    Even Ren Chen, currently known as ''the most handsome man in business,'' joined in the enthusiastic apuse.


    Perhaps it was a case of telepathy, as their eyes met unintentionally. Seeing Ren Chen smile so happily, Su Ming''s heart skipped a beat; he wondered if this guy swung both ways and had taken a liking to him too?


    If that was the case, he''d really have to give him a chop!


    When the apuse died down a bit, the host continued, "Before we unveil the mystery, I believe everyone, like myself, is curious about the Great Sage Liquor. I have a few questions, and I wonder if Mr. Su could answer them for us?"


    "Of course, I came here today to formally introduce the Da Sheng Liquor to everyone," Su Ming replied with a nod and a smile.


    "There are rumors that what makes Da Sheng Liquor unique is that its brewing formes from a group of monkeys?"


    Even though the guests knew the host would ask this question, when he actually said it out loud, everyone''s gaze instantaneously fixed on Su Ming, awaiting his response.


    Whether it was the unbelievable depiction of monkeys brewing wine in an online drama or the subsequent rumors spread, it was all baseless ''hearsay.'' Only the answer publicly stated by Su Ming himself carried genuine credibility.


    Su Ming slowly nodded and said, "That''s right, the initial form of Da Sheng Liquor indeed came from elder monkeys in the mountains and waster improved by the distillery''s technicians to arrive at its final form."


    Wow! A buzz swept through the audience, and despite hearing Su Ming''s admission, many still wore expressions of disbelief.


    "Speaking of which," Su Ming continued, "if anyone here is familiar withst year''s liquor auction at Sotheby''s in Xiangjiang, you might recall a bottle of Hundred-Fruit Wine from ancient Huaxia legends. That bottle of wine was the original version of the now Da Sheng Liquor from Great Sage Liquor Industry."


    "Mr. Su, is the Hundred-Fruit Wine you mentioned the same as the Monkey Wine often referenced in martial arts novels?" someone from the audience couldn''t help but ask.


    "Correct," Su Ming nodded and said with a smile: "That bottle of Hundred-Fruit Wine, which is indeed the Monkey Wine, has already been authenticated by Sotheby''s specialists. If you''re interested, you could look up the information from back then."


    If Su Ming''s personal admission was just one side of the story, referencing Sotheby''s auction was tantamount to having Sotheby''s back the Great Sage Liquor, greatly enhancing the authenticity of the Monkey Wine.


    "This really is a surprising yet expected answer."


    After themotion in the audience subsided, the host continued: "So, for the second question, is it true that the Great Sage Liquor was actually brewed by monkeys themselves, as we just mentioned about the Monkey Wine?"


    "Ha ha, that rumor is exaggerated," Su Ming replied, this time with a denial, and said with a smile: "First of all, with an annual production scale of hundreds of tons, it''s impossible to have that many wine-brewing monkeys. And secondly, the wine made by monkeys may not pass national quality inspections. I am a party member after all; I can''t be selling substandard products."


    A small joke elicited a knowing smile from the crowd, many of whom actually held party memberships.


    "However!" Su Ming turned the conversation, saying: "Although genuine Monkey Wine is rare, it''s not nonexistent. Starting this year, Great Sage Liquor Industry will produce a limited number of Monkey Wine annually, to be auctioned at Sotheby''s. Of course, these are as collectibles, not food items."

 Chapter 291 Do You Know Amway?

    Last time arge group of macaques and gibbons went to the distillery to help with a photoshoot, some of which involved scenes of wine making. After the shoot, Suming unexpectedly discovered that these monkeys seemed to have taken a liking to the job of "wine making"!


    Strictly speaking, they enjoyed drinking alcohol.


    Whether it was macaques, golden snub-nosed monkeys, or gibbons, all of them were drunkards. The Monkey Wine they brewed, except for the portion Suming kept to enhance his spiritual power, waspletely consumed by the monkeys themselves. Moreover, their taste in alcohol was exceedingly particr; they would only drink the real Monkey Wine that they brewed themselves. The wines bought from the market, even prestigious brands like Maotai or Wuliangye, were sneered at; simrly, they also refused to drink any wine from the distillery that was improved using the form for Monkey Wine.


    Since monkeys can''t possibly develop fatty liver from drinking too much, and since they love alcohol and would only drink what they brewed themselves, Suming simply set up a small "workshop" in the distillery, nning to have them brew wine on a regr basis for their own consumption.


    As long as there were sufficient materials, aside from what the monkeys and he would drink, there would definitely be a surplus. And that would be genuine Monkey Wine, which at one point auctioned for over two million a bottle. It would be a real shame to waste it; it was perfect to serve as the highest-end gship product of Great Sage Liquor Industry. It wouldn''t be sold to the public, but instead sent to auction.


    Of course, once Monkey Wine became a reproducible product, even if it was a limited edition with only a small number being auctioned each year, its price would be significantly discounted from the astronomical figure it fetched originally.


    But think of the quantity! Even if it was just one hundred thousand per bottle, auctioning twenty or thirty bottles a year would still result in an ie of a few million¡ªmoney that fell from the sky, which would be foolish not to earn.


    Two or three million for a bottle of liquor was beyond the financial reach of most people and likely rendered it unmarketable. But what about one hundred thousand per bottle? Even moderately wealthy people could afford it, and of course, they might not buy it for themselves to drink, but as a high-end gift, it was both prestigious and value-retaining; there was absolutely no worry about sales.


    Sure enough, as soon as Suming mentioned that Monkey Wine would be regrly sent to Sotheby''s for auction in the future, someone even took the floor to say that it would be lessplicated to just hold the auction in Yangchuan City.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, now that Mr. Su has promised that genuine and rare Monkey Wine will be on sale every year, all you need to do is wait patiently," the emcee said.


    The role of the master of ceremonies was to ensure the event proceeded smoothly ording to schedule; matters such as where exactly the auction was held clearly did not concern today''s main topic. He quickly steered the topic back on track and then continued, "So, Mr. Su, next, please unveil the mysterious veil of Da Sheng Liquor for us!"


    As the emcee and Suming turned toward the back of the stage, the spotlight that had initially been focused on them stopped, then suddenly split into two separate beams, each illuminating something behind them.


    It was indeed a "mysterious veil"!


    Behind the stage, there were two irregrly shaped ''objects,'' about two meters in length and width each, covered in thin veils of greenish-blue and off-white.


    Although the veils were thin, due to the lighting effects, it was impossible to discern whaty behind them from the outside. Just as the host had emphasized, they were like two "maidens shrouded in mystery."


    Twodies-in-waiting, dressed in red cheongsam, stood on either side holding silver trays. Suming took a long, gold-ted wooden rod from one of the trays and, like a bridegroom entering the bridal chamber, lifted the off-white veil on the left.


    "Oh..." As the scene hidden behind the veil was revealed, a murmur of surprise echoed through the hall.


    It was a miniature model of a rockery, with mist resembling flowing water and streams gently cascading down from the mountaintop, which reached a climax with an impressive bottle of the long-famed ''Da Sheng Pure Brew'' ced at the very top.


    Meanwhile, therge projection screen on the stage clearly disyed the Da Sheng Pure Brew bottle, designed with blue and white porcin and adorned with an exquisitendscape painting. The scenery on it matched precisely with the rockery model.


    Next, Suming lifted the other "veil."


    This time, beneath the veil was the Da Sheng Hundred Fruits Brew. Dozens of monkey models with various expressions and sizes held different fruits in their hands, and right in the center there was a pattern of a fairy in flight, holding a bottle of ''Da Sheng Hundred Fruits Brew'' in her hands.


    Not until these two bottles, clearly presented in front of everyone, did the lights in the exhibition hall finally gradually brighten again, making the entire hall as bright as day.


    "So what you''re now seeing, are the current leading products released by Great Sage Liquor Industry: the Da Sheng Pure Brew, a strong-aroma baijiu, and the Da Sheng Hundred Fruits Brew, a low-alcohol fruit wine brewed from a variety of fruits. Now, please allow therades from Jiangjin City Liquor Testing Center to announce the random inspection results of these two types of liquor," said the host.


    Any food, liquor, or beverage must pass inspection by the relevant quality supervision departments before it can be sold. Although the two Da Sheng Liquors had already passed inspection, since this was an unveiling event, the formalities still had to be observed. Two staff members from the testing center, dressed in uniform, stepped forward to publicly read the inspection results:


    "ording to the GB10345 and GB2757 health standards, Da Sheng Pure Brew and Da Sheng Hundred Fruits Brew produced by Yangchuan Dasheng Distillery meet national standards. The Da Sheng Pure Brew has a clear and transparent color, no suspended particles or sediment, color score is premium grade; it is soft and clean, the aroma harmonious, and the aftertaste longsting, vor score is premium grade..."


    From a national standard perspective, the quality of alcoholic beverages is divided into several categories: color, aroma, taste, and physicochemical properties, each category having Super Grade, First Grade, and Second Grade from the highest to the lowest.


    Both varieties of Great Sage Liquor are of Super Grade.


    Currently, there are actually quite a few domestically-produced liquors that have reached Super Grade status, typically the well-known brands that people are familiar with.


    In other words, it''s not to say that Great Sage Liquor is definitely the best liquor in the country, but based solely on the test results, it can absolutely rank among the top in the nation.@@novelbin@@


    After the two inspectors recited their lines by the book, apuse started below. Normally, this would be the time for them to leave the stage, but they nced at each other, and one male inspector cleared his throat into the microphone as if he had something more to say.


    The apuse quieted down, and everyone in the audience looked at them puzzled. Typically when representatives from inspection and notary organizations attend such an event, they only do so as a formality, sticking to standard phrases without saying a word less or more, let alone improvising some impromptu speech on the spot.


    "Well, additionally, in the process of inspection..." the male inspector apologized with a smile before continuing, "we found that both types of Great Sage Liquor contain an abundance of microelements. These aren''t part of the national standard assessment, but out of responsibility towards the public and the producers, we coborated with research institutions to conduct a secondary test for microelements in the beverages, ultimately confirming that the elements in Great Sage Liquor are beneficial to human health. They significantly aid in fatigue recovery, fightingmon viruses, and boosting one''s constitution, and the fruit liquor also has a decent anti-aging effect. Of course, as previously mentioned, since there isn''t a unified standard in this area, we can only describe it with the uncertain term ''significant.''


    Another, apparently more meticulous female assessor added, "For instance, when ites to fatigue recovery, we found through multipleparisons that two hundred milliliters of fruit liquor has an effect equivalent to that of a bottle of Red Bull."


    The exhibition hall immediately became abuzz with chatter, it was the first time anyone had heard of liquor having these health benefits.


    Doesn''t that imply that the more Great Sage Liquor you drink, the more energetic you be?


    Not only would it make you more energetic but also offer viral resistance and improve your physique? How could this be?


    And as for skincare and anti-aging? Wasn''t this more like selling cosmetics and health products? Find exclusive stories on empire


    So much so that the people present suddenly felt a sense of disbelief, almost expecting that in the next moment, the two assessors on stage would earnestly ask, "Friend, do you know Amway?"


    However, these terms, which would normally only be found in advertisements, were nowing from the mouths of two assessors representing national authority and professional institutions. That meant the peculiar effects were not exaggerated promotions but a reality!


    Immediately, someone asked, "It''s not hormones, is it?"


    "No," the assessor shook her head, "It''s purely natural microelements, not hormones. As for what exactly these microelements are and how they are brewed, this involves the trade secrets of Great Sage Liquor, which probably only Mr. Su of Great Sage Liquor knows."


    Instantly, dozens of eyes turned to focus on Suming''s face. If curiosity and questions could be turned into money, Suming would have struck it rich by then. He merely shrugged and said with a smile, "Sorry, a trade secret, noment. However, Great Sage Liquor will soon be avable on the market, and then everyone can personally experience these effects."


    The so-called trade secret was clear only to Suming, even Zhao Yun wasn''t entirely in the loop. The key came from the ancient creature whose age was unknown. Water infused by this creature and used as an additive was why Great Sage Liquor had these ''miraculous effects.''


    Su Meng was the perfect example, having grown up drinking water soaked with this ancient creature, he became exceptionally robust, like a character straight out of a Marvel movie. It waspletely within expectations that the diluted water additives would allow Great Sage Liquor to produce some rare but eptable effects for the average person.


    Even now Suming drank the water drawn from the ancient creature daily. Although it didn''t enhance his spiritual power, he could actually feel his physical condition improving day by day.


    "I think that with so many magical effects, Great Sage Liquor should be considered a health product, not just an alcoholic beverage¡­" At that moment, a discordant voice rang out from the crowd; Seibel stood there with a ss of red wine, speaking earnestly.


    Seibel was known for her unique insights and discerning tastes, holding considerable standing in the culinary world. However, herment was quickly disregarded after rows of monkeys entered carrying several bottles of Great Sage Liquor, inviting the guests to taste it. Everyone was too eager to try the Great Sage Liquor to bother listening to the foreigner''s ramblings.


    While everyone was tasting the liquor, Suming slipped away to a secluded corner to call Zhao Yun. That guy was too low-profile, being a major shareholder but not even attending theunch event.


    "Young people like you should enjoy the spotlight. I watched the live broadcast on TV, and it looked quite impressive," Zhao Yun said on the other end of the phone.


    "We''re ready for mass production," Suming said with a smile.

 Chapter 292 : No need to worry anymore!

    ```


    The night grew deep, and Li Lei was still hunched over his desk, intently working through problems, preparing for tomorrow''s midterm exam.


    "Son, it''s gettingte, if you''re tired, go to sleep," Li Lei''s mom pushed the door open and, ncing at the clock on the wall which had already struck twelve, said with a touch of heartache, "Don''t stress too much about the exam results, don''t ruin your health over it!"


    "No, Mom, I''m not sleepy! I want to keep studying!" Li Lei turned his head and replied, not the slightest bit fatigued, his spirits high.


    "You''re just like your dad, so stubborn. You''ve been doing math problems since noon, for twelve hours straight, how can you not be tired?! Listen to your mom, go to sleep now!"


    "Mom, I''m really not sleepy! Look, what is this?!" Li Lei pulled out a bottle of liquor from under the desk like a magician and shook it at his mom.


    "This is... Da Sheng Hundred! Fruit! Brew!" Li Lei''s mom eximed in astonishment.


    "Correct, this is the legendary Da Sheng Hundred! Fruit! Brew!"@@novelbin@@


    Li Lei unscrewed the cap and guzzled down several big gulps, instantly feeling refreshed. He wiped his mouth and loudly dered, "Ever since I had Da Sheng Hundred Fruits Brew, Mom, you don''t have to worry about my studying at all!"


    ...


    At 5:30 in the morning, just as the sky was beginning to lighten with a hint of dawn, Han Meimei''s rm clock red loud and clear.


    "Ah, so annoying, absolutely cannot sleep in the morning, absolutely cannot get up in the morning..." Han Meimei mumbled groggily, pulling the covers over her head in frustration.


    Like all young office workers, Han Meimei was full of untapped potential butcked the courage to get up. Every morning before she climbed out of bed, she had to wage a fierce psychological battle.


    "Stop sleeping, honey, you have an interview today!" In the end, Li Lei didn''t end up with Han Meimei; instead, the man lying beside her, her boyfriend, vigorously shook her shoulders to wake her up.


    "Mmm mmm mmm, ten minutes, no, five minutes, just let me sleep three... min... utes..." She murmured before drifting off again.


    Seeing Han Meimei sleeping like a log, her boyfriend''s eyes shed with determination and a hint of brutality, "I have to use the ultimate move! It''s just a bit expensive..."


    As he spoke, he took out a bottle of Da Sheng Pure Brew from under the bed and poured it down Han Meimei''s mouth.


    Han Meimei''s eyes popped open, and like a robot powered by electricity, she leaped out of bed, "Ah! What time is it! Damn it, why didn''t you wake me up! I''m doomed, I have an interview today!"


    Two minutester, Han Meimei was fully dressed and ready to go. The sound of her high heels echoed down the hallway as she walked away.


    "With Da Sheng Liquor, no more worries about a girlfriendzy as a pig!"


    ...


    "Bingbing, it''s been a while!" In a high-end beauty salon in the capital, a mboyantly dressed beautician, with his fingers elegantly curved, spoke in an androgynous tone with a peculiar emphasis.


    Since her debut, Bingbing had never quite understood one thing: why were all the great beauticians gay? Could it be because they dealt with beauties from the entertainment industry every day, leading to aesthetic fatigue that made them prefer men?


    But who gives a shit! Bingbing thought to herself with an internal curse, as long as the beautician''s skills were good enough.


    After lying down, the beautician quickly applied a thickyer of mud-like substance on Bingbing''s face and, while massaging her facial acupoints with slender fingers, gossiped: "Bingbing, your Brother Niu came here for a health treatment yesterday. He''s been looking quite frailtely¡­"


    Who cares! Bingbing rolled her eyes inwardly, changing the subject, "Tomy, I''lle in next week for a sheep centa injection."


    ```


    "Ugh, my name is Marry now!" the beautician cooed, then her hands fluttered chaotically like ppers of a pellet drum, her expression dramatically exaggerated, "Stop with the centa injections already, every time you do it, you get an allergic reaction for days, and it just breaks my heart to see..."


    Like it''s any of your business! Bingbing retorted impatiently, "So what am I supposed to do? I have movies to shoot. You charge an arm and a leg here; if I don''t act, where am I going to get the money to pay you?"


    Experience more content on empire


    "Of course, there''s a way, look!"


    The beautician produced arge bottle as if by magic and unted it in front of Bingbing, "Ta-da-da-dah!"


    Ta-da-da-dah, my ass! Bingbing almost cursed out loud but held back, "What is this stuff?!"


    "A miraculous red wine, Da Sheng Hundred Fruits Brew! With this, your beautiful face will have the most intimate protection. Drink a cup every day, and you won''t need to inject all those messy chemicals anymore!"


    Bingbing couldn''t hold back anymore; Da Sheng? What are you, a buffoon sent by the Monkey King?


    ...


    "Boss, boss, this is bad, we need more Da Sheng Liquor, and fast!" the young clerk shouted into the phone.


    On the other end, the supermarket owner was surprised, "Didn''t we just stock up on a dozen bottles this morning?"


    "They sold out as soon as we opened the doors! Now there''s a mob outside, using us of discriminating against customers, of unequal treatment, because we won''t sell them the Da Sheng Liquor."


    "Where am I supposed to get it from! There''s only so much Da Sheng Liquor on the market, and I only got these few bottles thanks to a connection! The hell is wrong with the owner of Great Sage Liquor Industry? Such a fantastic wine, and they only produce a few thousand bottles? That''s nothing!"


    ...


    All of the above are fabricated, and if it happens to correspond with reality¡­ that would really be too unfortunate.


    No matter how good Da Sheng Liquor is, it''s certainly not a stimnt, and the diluted water of the mythical deity Tai Sui couldn''t possibly have such effects. The content mentioned above is actually just web stories.


    Although there are no such exaggerated effects, stories do stem from real life, and these stories do illustrate the poprity of Da Sheng Liquor from one perspective.


    With the help of an unexpectedly hot trend, after the press conference, orders for Great Sage Liquor Industry flew in like snowkes, not just from Yangchuan City but from all over the province and even the country, and even Seibel from France specifically ordered a small batch for his private restaurants in Paris.


    The ten tons of sample liquor produced earlier were already bottled and given priority to the local market. But that was clearly nowhere near enough, and the whole factory was now running at full tilt.


    ording to Zhao Yun''s preliminary calctions, even with the factory working at full capacity to produce a million tons per year, it would barely meet market demand.


    Based on current capacity, the factory was projected to generate a profit of about twenty to twenty-five million a year for Suming''s share.


    And unlike an amusement park in a zoo, as long as the quality is maintained, the reputation will continue to grow, and sales will only increase. Of course, that''s assuming the factory can produce enough wine.


    "I suddenly feel like money has just turned into a bunch of numbers," Suming said somewhat dazed.


    "You''re getting ahead of yourself there. A top-of-the-line luxury car could eat up your entire year''s ie," Zhao Yunughed, "But hey, it''s still quite an achievement for someone your age. After making money, have you thought about taking another trip to Xiangjiang? It''s a shopping paradise, after all! One trip, and I guarantee you''lle back feeling like money is never enough."


    "Absolutely going!" Suming pped his thigh emphatically, "What''s the use of having money if you don''t splurge?!"

 Chapter 294 : The Ten Outstanding Entrepreneurs

    The distillery''s profit of more than twenty million a year was currently just a theoretical number on paper. Only when everything went smoothly, and the ounts were settled at the end of the year, could this money truly end up in Suming''s pocket.


    But that didn''t stop him from splurging. Since the New Year, the small entertainmentpany had merged, the zoo had undergone restructuring smoothly, and the distillery had made a breakthrough¡ªthese big three events; and with unexpected cases such as Fox Fairy, growing Morel mushrooms, and helping to shoot films, as well as various small projects, he was extremely busy. Now that everything was finally on the right track, it was the perfect time to take Nangong on a trip to Xiangjiang.


    Speaking of which, ever since Suming officially confirmed his rtionship with Nangong, although they were in the same city, they didn''t spend much time together, not like the ordinary couple that sticks together every day.


    Most of the time, both were busy with their own careers; and even when they were together, they would either take a walk in the zoo or simply have dinner and watch a movie in the city. Their lives were calm and simple without any dramatic romantic plot twists. They hadn''t even gone out traveling before.


    Sometimes, Suming felt it was quite unreasonable himself¡ªhow was this a state of being in love? Nangong didn''t say anything because she was a very sensible girl, but that didn''t mean she didn''t wish for it in her heart.


    So Suming called Nangong. As expected, when she heard that Suming wanted to take her on a trip to Xiangjiang, Nangong was stunned for several seconds.


    "Is it some kind of holiday?"


    "Your birthday? That''s not right, your birthday is still a long way off¡­"


    "Suming, tell me honestly, did you do something to upset me? Don''t tell me you and Xiaomei¡­"


    Suming, speechless, said, "As your boyfriend, taking you on a trip is quite reasonable, isn''t it? Your reaction makes me feel very guilty¡­"


    Once she was certain Suming wasn''t joking or talking nonsense, Nangong didn''t hesitate to ask for half a month''s leave.


    For the whole day, everyone in the TV station noticed that Nangong seemed like a different person, beaming with joy and smiling all day long.


    It was rare for TV presenters to take leave, and it was even rarer for popr hosts with regr shows to do so. Unless absolutely necessary, even if they were almost dying, as long as they could move, no presenter would take leave because it was tantamount to giving up the opportunity to appear on camera.


    When it was heard that Nangong had asked for an extended leave, the TV station was abuzz with gossip.


    "Hey, did you hear? Nangong has taken half a month off!"


    "What about her show? So many people are dying to be on camera, and she just takes leave whenever she wants¡­"


    "Who canpare with her? She''s found a rich boyfriend. You all still don''t know? The recently popr Great Sage Liquor Industry belongs to her boyfriend¡­"


    Someone said sourly, "We''re not like her; we work to make a living, while she just does it for fun."


    Yet, just when the ne tickets were booked, an unexpected situation urred.


    Suming was looking up the route for Xiangjiang Disnend online when he suddenly received a call from Wang Jian She.


    "Hello, Mr. Wang!"


    From the other end of the phone, Wang Jian She''s heartyughter came, "Suming, I have some good news to tell you."


    ...


    This morning, in the office of Deputy Mayor Sun from Yangchuan City government.


    As the deputy mayor in charge of economic construction, Deputy Mayor Sun could be said to be one of the deputy mayors with the heaviest authority and busiest schedule, almost drowning in never-ending official duties every day.


    Sun understood very clearly that someone with a not-so-powerful background like him, regardless of his abilities or how hard he worked, once reaching the deputy mayor position, his political career had peaked, with no further promotion possible. Therefore, as he neared retirement, he gradually began to delegate power, allowing ''younger'' officials like Wang Jian She to take over smoothly, giving them a leg up, so that when he retired, they would remember this favor.


    Some oldrades, despite nearing retirement, still clung to power, hindering the session of neers, and such people often didn''t have pleasant ends. Old Sun did not wish to be that kind of person. Stay tuned to empire


    Deputy Mayor Sun looked at a document briefly, then handed it to Wang Jian She, who was sitting across from him, "Jian She, a list of the top ten outstanding young entrepreneurs from Yangchuan City hase up. I''ve looked it over, there''s no problem. You take a look, and if it''s okay, let''s set it like this. You''ll take charge of the following award ceremony; I won''t make an appearance."


    "All right, leader, rest assured," Wang Jian She said as he put on his sses and meticulously read from beginning to end.


    As he read, he suddenly shook his head and smiled.


    Deputy Mayor Sun, with a keen eye, caught Wang Jian She''s small gesture and lifted his head to ask, "What''s wrong, is there something inappropriate?"


    "Oh, no, no," said Wang Jian She.


    There was nothing wrong with the list. Wang Jian Sheughed because he was thinking of himself.


    Having frequent contact with Suming and Wang Hao working under Suming, Wang Jian She was well aware of Suming''s rapidly growing business scale. Initially, he subconsciously thought Suming''s name would be on the list, but upon finishing, he found that it was not.


    Yangchuan''s Top Ten Outstanding Young Private Entrepreneurs¡ªthis honor sounds quite prestigious, but in actuality, it''s not so easy toe by.


    Besides the hard criteria of being under forty years old, there are some potential soft conditions. For example, making outstanding contributions to the local economic construction and having a high level of enterprise recognition. In practice, these soft conditions usually trante to one benchmark: owning assets over one hundred million.


    Suming hasn''t yet met this standard. The zoo can''t be counted as his personal property.


    Moreover, Yangchuan City has a rather bewildering tradition: other cities evaluate the top entrepreneurs at the end of the year, but Yangchuan evaluates the previous year''s in the first half of the following year. So, if we go byst year''s assets, Suming is even less qualified.


    Wang Jian She had just shaken his head and chuckled, not out of dissatisfaction with the list, butughing at his own preconceived notions and wishful thinking.


    Furthermore, this award is the fastest route to the Chinese People''s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and privately, it''s seen as a ''CPPCC springboard'' by those private enterprise owners.


    How old is Suming this year, isn''t he just under 24? Those so-called ''young entrepreneurs'' are at least in their thirties, especially those without a background whoe from humble beginnings; they are generally over 35. If a young chap in his early twenties were to step onto this springboard, it would indeed be quite shocking.


    Just then, Mr. Sun''s secretary knocked on the door, bringing in several newspapers, with "Huaxia People''s Daily" on top.


    To those unconcerned with politics, a purely official newspaper like the Huaxia People''s Daily seems full of boring political propaganda and officialese. But to politically astute officials like Mr. Sun and Wang Jian She, this newspaper serves as a weathervane for domestic politics, allowing them to capture thetest dynamics from the central government.@@novelbin@@


    Wang Jian She knew that Sun had a habit of reading the newspaper every morning and said, "Well, I''ll be off then," and turned to leave the office.


    Mr. Sun responded with a grunt and picked up the People''s Daily to start reading.


    Just as Wang exited the building, Mr. Sun''s secretary hurried after him, gasping for breath: "Mr. Wang, the deputy mayor requests you return; there is something else he wishes to discuss with you."


    Wang Jian She was slightly taken aback. Despite his age, Mr. Sun was always very steady in his work, never making such slip-ups. Why didn''t he mention it earlier if there was something important?


    Odd as it was, Wang Jian She quickly turned around and went back to the office. As soon as he entered, Mr. Sun pointed to the list of outstanding entrepreneurs in his hand: "Jian She, rece someone with Suming from Great Sage Liquor Industry."


    "Suming? He doesn''t seem to qualify," Wang Jian She remarked, puzzled.


    "Just look at this, and you''ll understand," Mr. Sun handed over the Huaxia People''s Daily to Wang Jian She.


    On a not particrly prominent corner of the third page, there was amentator''s article:


    "Inte Marketing + Traditional Industry: The Development Path of Yangchuan Dasheng Distillery in the New Era."


    To be honest, the article wasn''t written very professionally. Many views were wishful thinking, andpared to the actual conditions of the current era, they were somewhat outdated.


    But the quality of the article doesn''t matter at all!


    What''s important is that the article highly praised the sess Great Sage Liquor Industry achieved through Inte marketing and promoted it as a model of the traditional industrybining with modern Inte technology.


    What is Huaxia People''s Daily? It''s the party''s newspaper, its mouthpiece, a mouthpiece of the highest echelons in the capital! Amentator''s article is second only to an editorial in terms of official representation.


    With this article endorsing Great Sage Liquor Industry, even if Suming is too young and his assets too scant, he has enough credentials to be listed among Yangchuan City''s outstanding entrepreneurs.


    "The award ceremony could be held with a bit more pomp; it''s also Yangchuan City''s honor, after all," Mr. Sun said with a jovial smile.


    ...


    "Ah?" Suming said, grimacing with his phone in hand, speaking to the person on the other end: "This... Can''t the award ceremony wait until I get back?"


    "You must be joking. The whole city waiting for you? Do you think you''re a national leader?"


    On the other end of the call, Wang Jian She''s temper was nearly sent askew. Anyone else would have coveted such an honor, yet this young man, on the contrary, seemed so dejected, as if he was being terribly wronged.


    "Mr. Wang, I really have something urgent!" Suming scratched his head, "If it''s really impossible, just rece me; I''m giving up the honor, okay? Otherwise, how about Wang Hao?"


    "Wang Hao is still too green and not eligible. Moreover, I''m telling you, even if you don''t want it, it won''t work! This time it was Mr. Sun who personally specified you. Not epting it¡ªare you implying you have issues with Mr. Sun or dissatisfaction with the city government?" Wang yed a shameless card by resorting to using his official rank, throwing the big hat at him audaciously.


    "Mr. Wang, I assure you with my party spirit, it''s not like that."


    "So it''s settled then. It''s only a matter of dying for a few days anyway. How do they say it using the popr phrases of today? Oh right, whether you go or not, Xiangjiang is there, neither near nor far, neither more nor less. A few days'' dy for you two won''t make Xiangjiang disappear from the Earth. Suming, you''re young; career is what''s important. With a career set, are you afraid you won''t find love?" Old Wang really went all out: reasoning with logic and moving with sentiment, bringing out inte ng despite his age.


    With Wang Jian She having dered his position, Suming found it hard to insist further and could only grit his teeth and agree, promising to attend the award ceremony on time.

 Chapter 295 : Xiankelai Daniu

    The award ceremony for outstanding entrepreneurs took ce as scheduled at the Municipal Committee Reception Center. The four-story building of the reception center looked unremarkable from the outside, and even appeared a bit old. The decoration of the award hall was also very simple. At first nce, it might not evenpare to an average three-star hotel; it was just neater.


    But it was only after Nangong Yan mentioned it that Suming realized the unimpressive decorations in the hall were actually mostly imported goods. To use a rather vulgar phrase, it was low-key luxury.


    As the ceremony was for private entrepreneurs, there wasn''t an overly serious official atmosphere at the event. It was more like a small wine party held by a business association. Besides a few government officials, most of the attendees were social elites from Yangchuan City. Before the ceremonial event began, they naturally formed small groups here and there, chatting in corners of the venue.


    Suming had a previousmitment and couldn''t take Nangong Yan shopping in Xiangjiang. To apologize, he first took her on a shopping spree at Golden Eagle. Nangong, dressed in a white evening gown, drew quite a bit of attention the moment she entered the venue with Suming.


    Some of that attention was naturally for the stunningly beautiful Nangong, but even more of it was directed at Suming.


    This was not a gathering of college students, but a city-level Entrepreneur Association event. At this kind of gathering, Suming, just over twenty years old, looked too young, prompting surprise from onlookers.


    Most of the attendees had received the guest list in advance and knew that among today''s ''top ten,'' there was a young man who had risen rapidly; in less than a year, he had gone from an ordinary college graduate to founding several influentialpanies, with even the capital''s Party newspaper publishing amentator''s article about him. It seemed he was the one.


    Such a person either had an astonishingly powerful background or exceptional abilities far beyond ordinary people. In any case, his future was boundless. Some of the prestigious businesspeople present had already met Suming, having seen him at the Da Sheng Liquor release event. And since one of the goals of the wine party was to buildworking resources, Suming spent his time greeting the familiar and unfamiliar with nods and smiles, sharing a few words and pleasantries along the way.


    Zhao Yun did not attend; he was already past the stage of needing to buildworks through such wine parties. In his own words: The time spent being courteous with these folks would be better spent at home with his wife and kids.


    Sure enough, Suming saw Ren Chen again. Like him, Ren Chen had brought a femalepanion with a voluptuous figure and an inte celebrity''s pointed face. He was also one of this year''s top ten outstanding young entrepreneurs.


    While Ren Chen had smooth sailing in business recently, he repeatedly hit walls in terms of ''rtionships.'' He suffered a setback with Nangong, and when he tried to flirt with Xiaomei, he didn''t expect she had seen a video of him being rejected by Nangong online, andpletely ignored him, leading to another self-inflicted embarrassment.


    After several meetings and interactions, Suming felt that Ren Chen might have some psychological issues, likely stemming from ack of security since his youth, which drove his relentless pursuit of newpanions.


    Suming and Ren Chen, from a distance, raised their sses to each other, then Suming tilted his head and whispered to Nangong Yan beside him, "That guy is quite pitiful, no decent woman seems willing to pay him any attention."


    "I think you''re just jealous."


    "To tell you the truth, I''m not jealous at all."


    "Clearly that''s not the truth. If you said you were a little bit envious, I might actually believe you," Nangong said with a yful smile.


    As they talked, the lights gradually dimmed. Wang Jian She took to the stage and began with his opening remarks, "Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of Yangchuan City''s municipal government, and on behalf of Mr. Sun, I wee everyone''s arrival..."


    The following award ceremony was rather quick. Wang Jian She spoke a few formalities on behalf of the government, the big projector screen briefly introduced the ten young entrepreneurs, and then the ten individuals went up on stage, lined up, shook hands with Wang Jian She, and received their certificates from him.


    Suming stood fourth from the left, looking around; among the ten people on stage, the only ones who could really be called ''young'' were himself and Ren Chen. To note, Ren Chen was also approaching thirty, several years older than him.


    The city was being economical, it seemed. At the previous Model Worker award, there was at least a few thousand yuan in prize money, which was more substantial. This time, however, there were only certificates, medals, and a silver-ted trophy. Even the expenses for the wine party were collectively sponsored by the entrepreneurs in attendance.


    After the award presentation, everyone left the stage to find acquaintances to chat with. This was the real ''value'' of the wine party. In the midst of conversation andughter, several business deals were being concluded.


    In less than an hour, Suming had negotiated three orders with a few newly acquainted businessmen: a batch of Da Sheng Liquor, a purchase of fish feed, and a third deal with a vice principal of a private elite school nning to take students on an outdoor development training session at the zoo.


    Not far away, Wang Jian She was holding a ss of red wine, talking to someone. He looked up, saw Suming, and waved him over, "Suming,e here for a moment."


    "Excuse me for a moment," Suming nodded apologetically to the vice-principal, then made his way through the crowd with Nangong Yan to Wang JianShen''s side, smiling and saying, "Mr. Wang."


    Wang Jian She turned to the person across from him, who also turned to look at Suming.


    Earlier, there was a distance between the two sides, and someone was blocking the view, so Suming hadn''t seen the person''s face and full figure clearly. But now, getting closer, he realized it was a woman dressed in adies'' suit. Judging by her age, she was in her thirties but not yet forty, with short hair and bangs framing a round, egg-shaped face that featured a pair of charming phoenix eyes. Her figure beneath the business suit was explosively exaggerated, the archetype of a femme fatale.


    However, there was a touch of indifference, even an air of authority, in her demeanor, giving the impression that she was not easy to approach.


    "This must be Nangong. I often hear Suming and Wang Hao talk about you. You and your ssmates really made quite the story," Wang Jian She chatted briefly with Nangong and then introduced her to Suming, "Suming, this is Mr. Ding from Xianki Catering Group. By age, you should call her Sister Ding."


    He turned to the femme fatale and introduced, "Mr. Ding, this is Mr. Su from Great Sage Liquor Industry."


    Suming had heard of ''Xianki'' Catering Group, known in Yangchuan City, but he hadn''t expected that the CEO would be such an attractive woman. Seeing that Wang Jian She made a special effort to introduce him to this woman, Suming thought Wang Jian She was trying to bridge connections: Suming had Yangchuan City''s finest fishery and most famous liquor, which meant there were many opportunities for future cooperation with Xianki.


    Thus, he extended his hand, smiled slightly, and said, "Nice to meet you, Sister Ding."


    To his surprise, Ding just looked at Suming expressionlessly for a few seconds, the corner of her mouth twitching up in an ambiguous smile, then nodded at Wang Jian She without acknowledging Suming, "Mr. Wang, you can chat. I''m going to sit over there." Read thetest on empire


    Without waiting for Wang Jian She to respond, or even saying another word to Suming, she turned and strode away.


    Suming coughed awkwardly and withdrew his unshaken hand, nced around to see that no one was watching, squinted his eyes at Wang Jian She, and murmured with a smallugh, "Mr. Wang, what does this mean? Is she mad at you?"


    This was Suming''s first encounter with Mr. Ding, and since there was no old grudge and no recent conflict, it was clear her sour expression wasn''t intended for him; it was likely targeted at Wang Jian She. Wang Jian She was at the prime of his life, holding considerable power, and on the rise in his career. And since Ding was quite alluring, Suming even wondered if there was something fishy going on between them.


    "Those words shouldn''t be said carelessly; why would she be mad at me? But well, there is some resentment," said Wang Jian She, shaking his head and smiling as he pointed at Suming, "The ''outstanding entrepreneur'' spot you got was at the expense of Mr. Ding; no wonder she''s angry seeing you."


    "Oh, so it''s my fault, huh?" Suming rolled his eyes,ining to Wang Jian She while tugging at Nangong, "I said I didn''t want to do it, yet you insisted on having me. Now look, not only did I miss the chance to apany my girlfriend, but I''ve also offended Mr. Ding. I didn''t gain any benefit, and now I''m the bad guy both inside and out. Isn''t this injustice, Mr. Wang?"


    Before Wang Jian She could respond, Nangong nudged Suming with her elbow, "Look at you. Uncle Wang is only thinking of your best interest. You should be thanking him."


    "No need for thanks, I really didn''t help much this time," Wang Jian She waved his hand dismissively with augh, "The initial list from Mr. Sun didn''t include you because you were considered too young and inexperienced. You should be thanking the party and the state. With that op-ed piece, you truly deserve the title of outstanding entrepreneur, and no one can fault you for it. As for Xiaoding, it''s understandable if she can''t get over it right now, but with time, she wille around. There are many potential areas for coboration between your twopanies in the future, so there''s no need to sour your rtionship over this. That''s why I introduced you."


    Suming didn''t want to fall out with anyone, multiple friends meant multiple roads, but it was apparent that Ding might not see it the same way. The honor of being among the ''top ten'' wasn''t that important in Suming''s eyes, but to other entrepreneurs, especially younger ones, the title was significant and couldn''t be bought with money.


    I''m not going to be resented by some femme fatale, am I? Suming couldn''t help but mutter to himself. Ever since he started doing business, he had encountered all sorts of strange things and people.


    "Now you''ve made quite a bit of money, and our country has always advocated that entrepreneurs should have a sense of social responsibility and take on social responsibilities. While making money, don''t forget about your essential job," Wang Jian She reminded him cheerfully.@@novelbin@@


    Essential job? Suming was momentarily baffled. What essential job? Isn''t being a boss my essential job? But he quickly realized what was being referred to. He held multiple roles now, and if the reservoir, entertainmentpany, and Great Sage Liquor Industry were purely for-profit enterprises, the zoo was a public, educational endeavor. While earning money, it also carried the social responsibility of serving the public.


    Profit from the former, reputation from thetter.


    The enterprises under Suming''smand were still in their infancy, not counted among the top in Yangchuan City''s businessmunity, yet Yangchuan City Zoo had gained increasing influence within the short year since Suming''s arrival, bing well-known nationwide.


    Suming understood Wang Jian She''s point. It was in the city''s interest for the zoo to achieve more sess and bring glory to Yangchuan City. For Wang Jian She, who was in charge of fisheries, forestry, and agriculture, the zoo''s performance could give him more capital and aplishments, aiding him in seeding Mr. Sun smoothly.


    Suming chuckled, "Don''t worry, boss. I was actually contemting some new projects for the zoo, nning to get to them after returning from Xiangjiang. I might as well get the projects going before I leave."


    "Ah, looks like I''ll need to extend my leave," Nangong sighed softly from the side.

 Chapter 296 Live Streaming Platform

    Originally, I had thought that receiving the award for one of the top ten outstanding entrepreneurs would dy me just two or three days at most, and it would still be possible to go on a trip after the ceremony. However, after talking with Wang Jian She at the award ceremony, Suming was ready to start a new project.


    As a result, the travel ns with Nangong Yan had to be postponed once again.


    "It seems like I''m falling into your trap step by step. It''s clear that you''re the one who stood me up, so why do I still feel like you make a lot of sense and I''m not even angry?" Nangong asked with wide eyes and a somewhat puzzled expression.


    "No, no, the key is that you have a great sense of responsibility and an open mind. You have the demeanor of ady of the house!" Suming praised.


    "Do you have to keep staring at my chest when you talk about an open mind?"


    "It''s more direct and visual that way."


    ...


    After the award ceremony, Suming postponed his itinerary once again. He first sincerely apologized to Nangong, then praised her for virtues like her broad-mindedness. Finally, he swore that next time, even if the sky should fall and the earth crack open, or the sun rise in the west, he would take her to Xiangjiang for a shopping spree.


    Upon returning to the zoo, he called an internal meeting first thing the next morning.


    Ever since the zoo''s restructuring, although Mr. Song still held the title of head zookeeper, he barely visited the zoo for work. The asional times he did show up were just to bring his grandson for fun and never to meddle with the zoo''s operations. At every meeting, it was Suming who sat at the leader''s seat, with Mrs. Tong presiding.


    "Mr. Su, everyone is here. Shall we start?" Mrs. Tong sat at the side and asked Suming with an inquisitive tone. The heads of several key departments in the zoo were present, all smiling broadly.


    On one side of the meeting room stood a cab almost as tall as a person, which was sparsely filled with just a few old trophies and some slightly yellowed certificates, looking rather empty. This was the zoo''s trophy cab. Judging by what was inside, the zoo''s history was hardly glorious¡ªfew in number and long in years.


    Those two rtively newer trophies were obtained after Suming''s arrival, one for the recent river dolphin incident and one for this outstanding entrepreneur award. Explore more at empire


    Theoretically, the trophy for the outstanding entrepreneur should have been ced at Great Sage Liquor Industry, but since Suming was also a leader of the zoo, he thought about it and decided to ce the trophy there to bolster the zoo''s facade.


    This trophy carried a lot of weight, signifying robust financial strength and full government support. The presence of this one outstanding entrepreneur trophy alone had nearly overshadowed all the others in the cab. Not only did Suming look good, but the zoo''s employees were also quite excited. Everyone wanted to follow a boss who was capable and had prospects for the future, and Suming was not only capable and promising but also treated his employees very well. Everyone present understood that the future of this young deputy zookeeper was the future of the zoo, as well as the future of all the staff present.


    Suming nodded, signaling that the meeting could begin. Mrs. Tong tapped the microphone, coughed twice to test the volume of the microphone, and then continued, "As you all know, Mr. Su has won the title of Yangchuan City''s Top Ten Outstanding Entrepreneurs. Let''s start by giving him a warm round of apuse in congrattions."


    p, p, p... There weren''t many people in the meeting room, but the apuse was quite enthusiastic. Mr. Dong of the Security Department, who had been in the military, was said to have practiced martial arts like capturing hands and iron sand palms, and his palms were all covered in thick calluses, producing loud, crisp pping sounds that could practically vibrate one''s eardrums.


    Siting close to Dong, Suming''s ears buzzed from the vibration and he wondered, "Was your career in the military that monotonous, Dong, that you got those thick calluses from practicing iron sand palms?"


    When the apuse had quieted down a bit, Suming raised his hand gently downward to signal, and smiled, "This is the result of our joint effort. In the future, it won''t be just my personal achievement; our zoo, and everyone present here, will continue to reap various honors. Now, Mrs. Tong, would you please give everyone a brief update on the zoo''s recent situation?"


    "Alrighty." Mrs. Tong opened a newly purchasedptop, projected the image onto arge screen, and detailed the zoo''s quarterly ticket revenue, visitor traffic, staffing expenses, animal care and management costs, office expenses, and other data through a PowerPoint presentation.


    ```@@novelbin@@


    Overall, the data shows that the zoo''s visitor traffic is steadily increasing. If this growth rate continues, it is expected to break even by the second half of the year, including the repayment of the government''s financial debt.


    "I estimate that there might even be a slight surplus by the end of the year," Mrs. Tong said cheerfully.


    Zoos are different from ordinary businesses; even after reorganization, they are not aimed at generatingrge-scale profits. Their efficiency at making money is not as high as that of general businesses in the short term. Achieving a bnced budget is already sufficient for stable operations. In fact, the majority of zoos in the country can''t manage to do this. As for a surplus, for a pure zoo, that''s simply unimaginable.


    But Yangchuan City Zoo has done just that, even while shouldering the debt of the government''s finances. No wonder Mrs. Tong and the staff present were beaming with joy.


    "Ahem, everyone, please quiet down a bit," Suming coughed and said, "During the award ceremony I attended, I had a chat with Mr. Wang, the head of our municipal department. The city hopes that we will continue our efforts and further strengthen and expand the zoo. I also think that simply maintaining financial bnce is not enough; we must identify new points of growth."


    The people present had various personal connections with Suming, and as a leader, he was normally approachable. The atmosphere of the meeting was rather rxed, allowing for open discussion. Hearing Suming speak, the head of the finance department spoke first, saying, "That''s certainly good news, but I''ve done the calctions, and our current visitor numbers are nearing saturation. Even if there is an increase in the future, it will be gradual and in small increments. With just a few million inhabitants, Yangchuan City simply can''t support people visiting the zoo every week, no matter how attractive it is."


    There was some truth to this statement. The zoo''s revenue mainly relies on ticket sales, and the size of the city''s poption limits the zoo''s ie. But even inrger cities with poptions in the tens of millions, zoos don''t necessarily make money, because although there''s higher visitor traffic, the investment costs are also high. When these are offset against each other, most still operate at a loss.


    So when looking at sources of ie, a pure zoo is fundamentally unlikely to make much money.


    Unless Yangchuan City was a renowned tourist city, like Xiangjiang, capable of attracting visitors from all over the country. When Suming and Mr. Song initially considered applying for the 5A tourist attraction status, they had this goal in mind, but a mere zoo was unlikely to achieve 5A status.


    "If the number of visitors continues to increase, the security department will have to hire more staff; otherwise, we won''t be able to cope," Mr. Dong said.


    "Don''t worry, Dong, with more visitors, the revenue naturally increases, and you will definitely be able to hire a few more guards," Sumingughed with Mr. Dong before continuing, "Director He makes a good point. Relying on visitors from Yangchuan itself indeed won''t result in a substantial increase in a short period. However, strengthening the zoo is not just about the economic aspect; while making money is one aspect, what is more important is carrying out public welfare and educational promotion. Mrs. Tong, if I remember correctly, a very important indicator for the government''s assessment of zoos used to be educational promotion, right?"


    "Yes, thergest indicator," Mrs. Tong nodded.


    Suming took out a business card and handed it to Mrs. Tong, "Mrs. Tong, this is the business card of the vice principal of Runhua Public School. Their school will organize an outdoor student activity at the zoo in a while. You might want to get in touch with them first. Starting with Runhua Public School as a breakthrough point, we can raise awareness with schools throughout Yangchuan City about scientific knowledge and environmental conservation awareness."


    Runhua Public School is a well-known private boarding school in Yangchuan City and even in the province that offers education all the way from elementary to high school and assists with arrangements for studying abroad after high school. Of course, the tuition fees are frighteningly high and not affordable for an average family. While the quality of education at this school cannot necessarily be called first-rate, most of its students n on studying abroad and do not participate in the national college entrance examination in China. Therefore, the school has always valued what it calls "quality education."


    Coborating with Runhua Public School on outdoor activities is not primarily about earning a small amount from venue fees; the key is that it opens the door to exchanges with various other schools. From the standpoint of social responsibility, educating and promoting science to students is definitely the best approach, and it is also the most popr.


    Runhua Public School is part of the massive Runhua Group. Little did Mrs. Tong expect Suming to have dealings with Runhua Group. Carefully keeping the business card, she chuckled at everyone, "See, I told you our young and promising director has even the high-level management of Runhua Group seeking out a connection."


    "Mrs. Tong, since we''re all insiders here, let''s save the praise and self-praise for another time. This vice principal is just someone I met at a meeting, nothing more than an acquaintance. He isn''t exactly top management,"


    Suming said with a humble smile. In meetings, it''s customary for subordinates to tter the leadership, and it''s necessary for the leaders to be modest and polite. He continued, "Besides promotional work, we cannot neglect our business operations. As Director He pointed out, the poption of Yangchuan City is limited, and tourists from other ces aren''t likely to visit solely for the animals. Hence, to expand our operations and facilitate virtual visits for travelers, I''m nning to set up an online livestream tform."


    A livestream tform? The majority of the staff present were momentarily puzzled, especially the older ones who weren''t sure what that entailed. A couple of the younger employees, who were regr inte users, initially thought of "female inte celebrities."


    However, they quickly grasped Suming''s intention. Just like the trending online broadcasts, Suming''s proposed livestream tform would indeed feature the same concept, but the stars would be the animals, not primping and posing inte celebrities.


    ```

 Chapter 297 Profit Model

    The majority of the zoo employees were very unfamiliar with the "inte live streaming" tforms, and the few who did frequent the inte only knew about "female anchors". It wasn''t until Suming exined that everyone understood what it was all about.@@novelbin@@


    Put simply, it was about live streaming the day-to-day lives of animals in various parts of the zoo. Without having to visit Yangchuan City Zoo, people could watch these animals directly through the inte. Technically, it was quite simple - just a basic implementation of the Inte of Things, abination of high-definition cameras andwork transmission technology.


    After a brief introduction by Suming, everyone in attendance seemed to understand, but their expressions suggested they were still somewhat baffled. Since they had never encountered it before, Suming moved theptop from Mrs. Tong to in front of himself and casually keyed in a URL, then pressed Enter.


    Theputer was connected to the projector in the meeting room, and as soon as Suming hit the Enter key, a window popped up on therge screen of the projector, drawing everyone''s attention.


    One second... two seconds... three seconds... after about a dozen seconds, the window was still a dark expanse with nothing visible. In one corner of the window, a small circle seemed to spin endlessly, disying "connecting to thework..."


    "Aye, our zoo''s crappywork could use an upgrade," Suming rolled his eyes. He had only heard about connecting a local areawork with a phone through aputer, but never the other way around. Today, he was pioneering by using hisptop to connect to the mobile wirelesswork on his phone.


    The image on the screen flickered, revealing arge room with a cement floor, empty without any "furniture", surrounded not by walls but by rows of iron bars.


    The employees present were all too familiar with this kind of ''room'' - it was, of course, where the zoo animals lived.


    In a corner of the roomy arge pile of hay, and amidst it, one could vaguely make out a skinny lion with split, yellow fur that almost matched the color of the hay, dozing off in the pile.


    The lion was gaunt andy still as if dead, hardly distinguishable from a dead dog. Probably unaware of being on screen, the skinny lion didn''t exhibit any awareness of being a host and didn''t even nce at the camera; it was just preupied with sleeping.


    The idea of an online zoo was not first proposed by Suming; in fact, two or threerge zoos in the country had already adopted this method, live streaming the lives of animals online. There had even been rumors about live streaming "baby-making", which sparked a heated debate on the inte.


    Of course, that was just a topic of discussion. Broadcasting pornography on the inte and engaging in vulgarity is called trafficking in pornography and is illegal; but streaming animals mating doesn''t have any legal ground to be considered illegal.


    The scene on the screen was from Shanghai Zoo''s Lion Pavilion.


    After seeing the online live stream with their own eyes on the big screen, the older employees, including Mrs. Tong, immediately got a very direct impression of Suming''s proposal.


    Having plenty of experience, the people present were seasoned employees. Their unfamiliarity with live streaming tforms was due tock of exposure, notck of intelligence. Now that they had encountered it, they quickly began to express their own opinions and views.


    "Hmm, this method is good, from thefort of our homes we can have aplete view of all the animals, whether you want to watch tigers or lions, it''s very convenient."


    "I''m all for installing more cameras," Dong said cheerfully. "In the future, we can keep a clear eye on the dynamics throughout the zoo from the monitoring room."


    "It also reduces the pressure on the caretakers. Yeah, it would be best to also install simr software on our phones, so that no matter where we are or what time it is, we can be aware of the animals we manage. While lessening work pressures, it would also improve efficiency, a win-win."


    Mrs. Tong chuckled, "That''s why they say technology is the primary productive force. Mr. Su is young and has a sharp mind, keeping up with the times, while we the elderly are just about to be out of the loop."


    That was just a courteous remark; it was true that young people were quick-thinking and kept pace with modern times, but older people had precious experience umted over the years, having gone through countless events, lessons that young people could not match.


    Seeing Mrs. Tong was polite but not entirely rxed, seemingly worried, Suming asked with a smile, "Mrs. Tong, this is an internal meeting, all family here, please speak your mind."


    The room quieted down for a moment as everyone turned their attention to Mrs. Tong.


    "Well, it''s not that I think your proposal is bad," Mrs. Tong rified her stance before speaking. "This inte live streaming, it will indeed promote our zoo well, is convenient for management, and allows the public to enjoy watching the animals. But the question is, how does it make money?"


    Mrs. Tong was being very practical! It wasn''t that she was money-hungry, but rather because it was a very real concern.


    Building an inte live streaming tform would definitely require the zoo to invest in software,working, hardware, and other upfront costs; a sizable expense. Andter, there would need to be dedicated technical staff maintaining the tform, possibly even customer service personnel, all of which cost money.


    The zoo wasn''t solely profit-driven, but it couldn''t afford to promote science and public welfare at any cost. The days of getting by on government subsidies were over. If the zoo were to operate healthily for the long term, economic issues must be considered.


    Let''s not even talk about making money, at the very least we can''t lose money, and ideally we could even solve the zoo''s construction problems.


    For instance, with the Fox Immortal project behind the hill, the donations collected are partly used to help impoverished children and are given in the name of charity; a small part goes towards supporting the staff managing the Fox Immortal and rted charitable affairs; another part is invested in an entertainmentpany, used for developing the hill, killing three birds with one stone. Although Suming and the zoo employees don''t directly profit from this, looking at it from another angle, saving a considerable amount of money has the same effect as making money.


    However, the current online zoo, despite having a catchy hook,cks a viable profit model, just as Mrs. Tong said.


    Speaking of money, everyone at the meeting began to propose ideas.


    "What about pay-per-view?" someone suggested, "Like, charge one yuan for an hour of viewing or something?"


    "Or sell memberships, like a monthly subscription for thirty yuan."


    "Why not bundle it with zoo admission tickets? For example, buy a ticket and get a few hours of viewing time... Hmm, that''s not good either; it won''t work for people out of town. Alternatively, buy viewing time to get a ticket?"


    Everyone was offering ideas left and right, and soon a slew of suggestions were collected. Some sounded quite good, while others not so reliable. Suming didn''t confirm or deny any directly but asked Mrs. Tong to record all these suggestions.


    But Suming was very aware that, even the seemingly good suggestions were currently of no use.


    Because even if they were good ideas, they were more like icing on the cake; they could be adopted if the live streaming tform was already popr, but relying on these ideas to make the tform hot was unlikely.


    It''s like lighting a fire; if the fire is already burning, adding firewood will make it ze more fiercely, but having just the firewood without a source of ignition won''t do any good, no matter how much you have.


    The online animal zoo is well-liked but not making any money, and this isn''t just a problem for Suming''s zoo alone. Zoos that have opened online tforms all face this challenge.


    Take the Shanghai Zoo''s live stream, for example. This lion has been on screen for over an hour and is still lying therezily; if you don''t look closely, you might not even notice there''s a lion there. Other animals are pretty much the same; some hide in their dens out of camera shot.


    Even broadcasting a circus performance live doesn''t guarantee viewers are willing to pay, let alone for animals, especially when most animals often lie there motionless.


    No wonder that zoo started live streaming animals mating to produce offspring; they were driven to such measures by sheer desperation, as ast resort.


    "Should I also have the animals mate every day? They''re idle anyway. The lion''s not too shabby; this fellow can go at it hundreds of times a day. A big bunch of snakes entwined and mating also seems pretty spectacr; axolotls, no, the axolotls don''t have mates yet; well, when the boars arrive, they can perform live. I just don''t know if the second brother is still up for it. When I left, he had already developed a psychological fear of mating..."


    Although Suming was still sitting in the conference room with a subtle smile characteristic of a leader, his mind was filled with all sorts of R-rated scenarios. In the not-so-distant future on the zoo''s giant screen, a wild mating frenzy¡ªmating in the sky, on the trees, in the water, in the soil, in the cages... Explore more stories with empire


    It would be perfect to have Mr. Zhao provide narration: Springes, and life awakens, it''s mating season for the animals. Look over the wilderness, and you''ll see animals joyfully mating everywhere...


    "Deputy Director Su, Deputy Director... Su... what''s wrong, what are you thinking about?" Mrs. Tong''s voice was heard by his ear. She noticed Suming''s vacant expression and the strange smile on his face, which made him look absentminded, and discretely tugged at him.


    "Oh, oh, oh, no worries, let''s continue the meeting."


    Suming couldn''t help but twitch the corners of his mouth a few times. He thought, despite all rity ofws and country, even if broadcasting animals mating wasn''t illegal, it might suddenly get censored...


    "Let''s decide on that, then. We''ll establish the online streaming tform first and see how it goes. Afterward, based on the foundation of the tform and the actual situation, we can discuss the profit model," dered Suming in conclusion, smiling, "Fortunately, the zoo''s financial situation is still pretty good. We can afford this investment, and even if it doesn''t turn a profit, we could consider it charity work."


    He said this to reassure the zoo employees, preparing for the worst in advance.


    But in his mind, Suming never really thought that way. What a joke, if there''s no profit, he''d rather be back at the Water Pavilion... strumming the... guqin than bother with such an effort. Rather than the animals spending time on a live stream, they might as well get some big sleep.


    However, the specifics of how to do this were certainly worth nning out carefully.

 Chapter 298 Not Optimistic

    Setting up a live streaming tform technically isn''t difficult. Any randomputerworkpany in Yangchuan City could handle the job. The hardware is readily avable, just buy it with cash. Even the streaming software temtes are online; just modify them slightly, and you''re good to use them.


    "Don''t worry, leave it to your big brother here, I promise to get it done quickly, beautifully, and cheaply. And I''ll definitely take good care of the maintenance afterward,"


    The speaker was a dark-faced man who looked well into his thirties. He was not tall but robust, at first nce resembling a foreman moving bricks on a construction site.


    Appearances can be deceiving, and this saying couldn''t be more true.


    The man in question, named Shen Yan, had the appearance of a hardborer selling his manpower, yet he was actually just a year older than Suming and still under twenty-five. Back in their school days, he was known as the "madputer whiz," a bona fide tech elite.


    After graduating, Shen Yan started his ownputerpany, which became a proud topic among the school faculty. Teachers often said during sses: "Look at Shen Yan, he became his own boss right after graduation, and what about you guys? You struggle for ages just to write a basic ''helloworld'' C++ program..."


    And there was another unexpected point: the darkplexioned Shen Yan, who was only slightly more handsome than Wu Dng, was quite popr among the girls. Maybe it was because he often went to their homes to fix theirputers.


    Suming was part of a college group chat. One day, he saw Shen Yan posting a message about expanding his business to include not just software but also hardware, hoping for everyone''s support and business referrals. So, Suming reached out to him.


    They finished discussing the matter, and Suming and Shen Yan caught up for a bit. They brought a couple of chairs out, sat down on the pavilion tform to bask in the sun and drink tea.


    "This huge snake... it... it doesn''t bite, does it?" Shen Yan, breaking out in a cold sweat, stammered as he spotted the python coiled up and sunbathing on the tform.


    No sooner had he spoken than a flurry of ripples appeared on the surface of the water in front, as a small hill surfaced¡ªa giant turtle extended itsrge head from the water and carefully peeked into the house.


    It had been bullied by the gaggle of cats in the house when it was "younger." Now, though it had grown into a massive creature, it still had a psychological shadow. Each time it poked its head out, it would stealthily check first to see if the cats were around.


    "Off you go, go y in the water with the turtle, stop lying around and scaring people. And next time, don''t coil up like that, you look like a giant pile of poop..." Suming snapped his fingers at the python.


    The python turned its head and looked at Suming indifferently, seeming dissatisfied with Suming''sparison to "poop," and even flicked its tongue out in a show of defiance before finally unfolding itself and sliding slowly from the tform exit into the water.


    Shen Yan was stunned by the sight, and after a moment, he sighed, "Man, the life you lead... no wonder when your namees up in the group, everyone is green with envy."


    "You''re not doing too bad yourself," Suming said as he rinsed the cups with the first pour of tea, then used tongs to discard the water in the cups before pouring tea into the eight ancient vine teacups on the tray. "Tea is served."


    Shen Yan picked up a small cup between two fingers, took a sip, and continued, "I''m not that great, businesses are tough these days. All the hard-earned money goes right to thendlord. Your ce here is nice, peaceful like Taoyuan, utterly untroubled."


    He set down the cup, pointed at the tea set, andughed, saying, "Take this for example. I''ve visited quite a few businesses, and it''smon to drink alcohol, but this is the first time I''ve met a boss of our age who drinks tea. No wonder people say that those who drink tea are richer than those who drink alcohol. When you drink alcohol, you just brag and then go home and sleep off the buzz, but when you drink tea, it''s all about reflection."


    Suming smiled and didn''t respond. Shen Yan wasn''t just a technical nerd who could start apany right out of college and run it sessfully. He was now working on a zoo project, so some things were better heard and not taken too seriously. These lines about the spirituality of drinking tea and wine weren''t really to be believed.


    In Sun Town, there was an old man who drank tea all his life and never touched a drop of alcohol, and he still relies on government welfare. How do you exin that?


    "Alcohol warms you the more you drink, water chills you the more you drink. I take the middle path, drinking tea, neither cold nor warm," Suming said.


    Talking about warmth, Shen Yan seemed to have quite a lot on his mind, "Warmth, the warmth and coldness of human rtions, that''s all it reallyes down to in this world."@@novelbin@@


    "What''s up, suddenly feeling so sentimental?" Sumingughed and asked.


    "It reminds me of thest ss reunion," Shen Yan shrugged. "That''s why sometimes I don''t feel like going to reunions. Those who are doing better than you unt their wealth and show off, and those who aren''t as sessful as you feel like you''re showing off. A perfectly good catch-up meal turns into a grand show where everyone''s thinking who knows what. Once you leave and the cold wind blows, all that remains is the warmth and chill of human rtions."


    "You can''t be serious, you''re making it sound too gloomy."


    "Seriously, people have changed so much after graduation. It''s rare to find anyone who is still as genuine as you were in school. It''s precious to maintain a pure and simple heart," Shen Yan remarked.


    "So big brother, are youplimenting me or scolding me?" Sumingughed heartily, feeling as if Shen Yan''s words sounded like he never grew up and was always childlike.


    Although Shen Yan was reflective about life, the engineering progress did not dawdle at all.


    In just one afternoon, a professional construction team was dispatched by him to install high-definition cameras in various locations specified by Suming in the zoo, and they carried out wiring and a series of other tasks.


    At the same time, he personally apanied the software designers to discuss the live-streaming tform''s software requirements with Suming.


    The so-called software requirements refer to how the zoo wanted the live-streaming tform to look and what performance and functionality requirements they had, all of which needed to be clearly specified.


    Just discussing these requirements took up two whole days.


    Suming wouldn''t have to worry too much about the following steps, but rather wait for Shen Yan to produce the finalized live-streaming software as quickly as possible.


    After the online tformunched, Suming would then be able to take Nangong for a trip.


    "May heavens bless us, let there be no more idents this time!" Suming prayed silently; one always has to face the consequences of their actions.


    If he stood Nangong up again, he feared he might not have good days ahead of him.


    If they waited any longer, it would be May Day.


    In the time before the tform''sunch, Suming wasn''t idle either.


    He made contact with several of the more well-known zoos in the country, such as Capital Zoo and Shanghai Zoo.


    Currently, these two represent the peak of domestic zoos and in terms of size, they both surpassed Yangchuan City Zoo.


    There were still seven or eight others, such as Shu Zoo and Coastal Zoo, which were on the same scale as Yangchuan City Zoo.


    Learning from others to improve oneself was beneficial, and these exchanges and learning experiences among zoos were good practices.


    Moreover, even though Suming was the deputy director, he was effectively at the helm of Yangchuan City Zoo, so when he himself reached out to other zoos, it was giving them considerable respect.


    Still, the responses from these zoos varied.


    Capital Zoo barely paid any attention to Suming; the young person who answered the phone responded indifferently to Suming andcked even the courtesy of inviting him for an exchange visit before hanging up.


    Shanghai Zoo, on the other hand, was quite courteous.


    When they heard that Yangchuan City Zoo wanted to establish an online live-streaming tform, the person in charge gave several suggestions.


    However, in the end, they advised Suming quite tactfully to be cautious about an online zoo venture because there were risks, suggesting that Shanghai Zoo had suffered losses in this aspect before.


    When Suming wanted to delve deeper, they were not willing to discuss it any further.


    As for cooperation, that was out of the question.


    They were upfront about it, iming that Shanghai Zoo was too busy with its own operations to engage in coboration, and they did not rely on online tforms to generate revenue.


    Both of theserger zoos had a bit of pride; after all, they did not see themselves on the same level as Yangchuan City Zoo.


    Before the restructuring, they were considered part of the same "system," but post-restructuring, the state-owned zoos had a sense of innate superiority over Yangchuan City Zoo.


    It was the smaller zoos that were extremely enthusiastic.


    Not only did directors of the same level take the initiative to speak with Suming personally, but they also arranged for middle managers to maintainmunication with Yangchuan City Zoo, agreeing on future mutual visits and even setting up a group chat.


    There weren''t many people in the group, fewer than ten, representing each zoo.


    Find adventures on empire


    Suming shared his idea of starting an online zoo with everyone.


    Coastal Zoo, located in a major tourist city with the zoo being one of the famous attractions and having arge visitor flow, had never considered live streaming.


    However, Coastal, always at the forefront of reform initiatives, was quite interested in the novelty of live streaming.


    Shu Zoo had nned to create an online tformst year and had conducted research, but the n stalled due to financial issues.


    After analysis, other than the giant panda, there didn''t seem to be anything particrly worth live streaming.


    The situations in the other zoos were simr: an online tform would be beneficial for a zoo and everyone was quite interested, but with unclear revenue prospects, they were hesitant to invest.


    It wasn''t just a one-time investment; ongoing maintenance and promotion were costly, and if there were no profits, the zoo would have to keep footing the bills.


    "We can''tpare with you, Yangchuan; after your restructuring, you have financial autonomy, while the rest of us are still dependent on government subsidies, and we dare not engage in such wasteful endeavors," someone in the group half-jokingly said.


    Despite the jesting tone, it was apparent that the whole industry was not optimistic about live streaming.


    "Last year, we didn''t manage to broadcast the whole zoo live, but we did set up a pilot in the panda area," said the person in charge of Shu Zoo.


    Someone immediately questioned, "How did it go? Did anyone watch it?"


    The question was not about profitability but rather viewership.


    Clearly, everyone understood that relying on this for ie was unreliable, and drawing some attention was already good enough.


    "Who watched it... well, at first, the number of visits increased quickly, reaching hundreds of thousands daily, but within less than two months, interest dwindled, and now... let me check... now we have roughly more than three thousand visits a day..."


    "Mr. Su, you have to be cautious!"


    "Definitely be cautious! It''s not easy to make a profit after restructuring, don''t let your efforts go to waste on this!"


    The sentiment was well-maintained towards the back of the discussion, with everyone urging Suming to think twice and not to rush into investing in thework tform.

 Chapter 301 Male Internet Broadcaster

    ```


    This time, it was Suming''s turn to bepletely taken aback.


    Xiaomei hadn''t even left, it had only been a few days since thest episode was shot, and unexpectedly, Jiao Shou hade back!


    What was even more surprising was that the young man with a sigh-inducing stubble, and a lean figure came back with Jiao Shou.


    "Eh? Han Han?" Suming looked at the young man and found him very familiar, but at first, he couldn''t recall who he was. Celebrities, the kind that one can recognize on TV at a nce, are not necessarily immediately identifiable in real life.


    "Shh!" Han Han blinked, "Keep it a secret, keep it a secret."


    Suming said a bit awkwardly, "You know... you don''t have to worry too much about keeping it a secret."


    The ce where the three of them met was the conference room of Yangchuan City Zoo, and there were quite a few people inside, part of them employees of the zoo and the others were workers under Shen Yan.


    With so many people all busy with their work, they seemed not to notice Han Han at all, carrying on with whatever they were doing.


    Apart from Suming, no one recognized him. Han Han''s main fan base consisted mostly of post-80s literary youth. It would have been strange if any of the bear-feeding staff at the zoo or Shen Yan''s workers had recognized him.


    It made Han Han a little embarrassed, as if he was being ignored. He pursed his lips, looking quite pitiful.@@novelbin@@


    The conference room was in a chaotic state, so Suming led them directly to his office before asking with some surprise, "Howe you two suddenly showed up?"


    "It''s a long story!" Jiao Shou raised his eyebrows, roughly exining the previous disputes about the movie and the investors to Suming.


    Contrary to Suming''s expectations, Jiao Shou was actually nning to resign and quit!


    "No way, you''re currently doing web series, which actually have a lot of potential, and what about your many fans?" Suming was shocked, thinking that Jiao Shou was being way too capricious!


    Could Jiao Shou really not think that web series were at the height of their poprity, with millions of viewers? Even if he couldn''t realize his ''movie dream'', it was still a promising career path. To just up and quit?


    Letting down the audience, not earning money, not to mention that¡ªwhat about the contracts with investors? Abruptly walking away like this, wouldn''t the investors sue him into bankruptcy?


    Despite the glitz and m seen in the entertainment industry among directors and celebrities, the real big yers were the behind-the-scenes investors, controlling vast capitals and extensiveworks. If Jiao Shou really walked away, not only would he probably owe a hugepensation, but it could also ruin him andpletely drive him out of the business.


    It wasn''t until Han Han exined that Suming understood what Jiao Shou meant by ''not doing it anymore'' was after finishing this season, not abandoning it right now.


    He didn''t want to watch Unexpected Visitor go downhill and hoped to end the web series at its peak, then find new investors who were willing to fund his movies!


    "Things were going so well, how did ite to this?" Suming felt it was such a pity. Jiao Shou hade from his hometown to the capital as a drifter, struggling for many years, and had finally had his break. Although he was still a distance away from his dream of bing a true leading director, he had be a name in the industry and had his share of fame and fortune. Unexpected Visitor was the collective effort of the entire crew. From obscurity, it had be a leading web series in the country. Giving up now was indeed very regrettable.


    Seeing Jiao Shou from the corner of his eye, Han Han shrugged at Suming, saying, "It''s all because of money."


    "It''s the ideals!" Jiao Shou stubbornly insisted.


    Whether it was for ideals or money, it wasn''t Suming''s problem. Since Jiao Shou had already made up his mind, it was his choice. Suming didn''t feel the need to advise otherwise. Besides, Suming probably didn''t know the whole truth, so it was better to stay out of other people''s business.


    "So why did youe here?" Suming asked Han Han. If Jiao Shou was here, it meant he was on a mission or simply wanted to take a break, but why would Mr. Hane along? They were practically strangers, without much connection. Was Mr. Han nning to write a book about animals, so he came to the zoo for inspiration?


    "I followed him to rx a bit. Is there a quiet room avable? Can you arrange one for me to stay in for a few days?" Mr. Han was quite presumptuous, not bothering with pleasantries at all.


    To rx a bit? Suming rolled his eyes internally, thinking why don''t you go to a spa if you want to rx, there''s a beauty salon right at the entrance. This is a zoo, what''s here to rx with? Should a bear give you a massage, or a python loosen your muscles?


    But so be it, the zoo wasn''t short on a few empty rooms.


    Amodation wasn''t a big issue. Whisperwind Pavilion was mostly vacant. The business of selling fake and inferior cultural memorabilia on the first floor had been canceled a long time ago. It simply wasn''t profitable and was a waste of utilities and management effort. The four floors above had ample space. Aside from Xiaomei living on the second floor, the third, fourth, and fifth floors were all avable for lodgings. Once the front door was locked from the outside, no one without a key could get in, which also saved them from the ''harassment'' of their fans, big and small.


    "This ce is amazing!" Han Han was staying on the fifth floor, the very top.


    Whisperwind Pavilion was shaped like a tower, narrower from the bottom to the top. The top floor had a space of less than one hundred and fifty square meters, with bluestone brick floors and imitation antique windowttice wood doors all around. Upon opening them, there was a corridor outside. Standing on the corridor, one had a wide view¡ªalmost the entire zoo was visible.


    The only downside was the strong wind. If all four doors were opened at once, the draft would be strong enough to blow hats off. Suming''s hair on his head was whooshing back, getting as messy as a dog''s.


    Jiao Shou stayed downstairs, busy writing scripts for the remaining episodes, which at least gave him something to do. But Mr. Han, as he said, came to ''rx,'' with nothing to upy him¡ªsurely he couldn''t just spend his time enjoying the breeze all day, could he?


    ```


    "Otherwise, how about I find you something to do?" Suming asked against the wind.


    "What kind of work?"


    "How about being a live streamer?"


    ...


    Mr. Han''s Weibo, Jiao Shou''s Weibo, and the Weibo for Whisperwind Pavilion at the zoo all posted a new message at almost the same time.


    The zoo''s announcement was the most straightforward: The live streaming tform for the zoo is officiallyplete, and the first broadcast will start at noon tomorrow. Everyone is wee to log in and watch!


    There was a small hint at the end: There will be a mystery guest.


    The news about the zoounching a streaming tform had actually been released on Weibo a while ago. Hundreds of thousands of followers were quite interested; after all, the live stream was free, so watching animals when bored and killing some time didn''t seem like a bad idea.


    So, not long after this Weibo post went up, it received a lot of attention, and several other zoos that had connections with Yangchuan City Zoo even shared this post.


    What most people discussed was thatst hint: There will be a mystery guest.


    Many people were guessing who this mystery guest could possibly be.


    Some guessed it was Jiao Shou, some guessed it could be celebrities like Xiaomei or inte stars, others spected it might be the zoo director himself, and there were those who guessed it could be the Jumping King or a monkey from the Axe Gang. In short, everyone''s thoughts were gravitating towards the unexpected.


    Because on Jiao Shou''s Weibo, there was a very simple post: See you tomorrow!


    See you tomorrow? At first nce, these words seemed nonsensical, not like schoolmates parting after ss or colleagues saying goodbye at the end of the work day.


    You can''t just see a celebrity whenever you wish. Jiao Shou had fans all over the country, and he couldn''t clone himself. See you tomorrow, how and where would you see him?


    Jiao Shou''s fans and those of Whisperwind Pavilion had a significant ovep, and once the fans from both sides connected the dots between the two pieces of information, they guessed it: Jiao Shou would most likely appear on the zoo''s live streaming tform tomorrow.


    The fans who had followed Jiao Shou for a longer time all knew that before working on the web series, Jiao Shou had actually been an "inte celebrity," posting his series of "Jiao Shou Teaches You XXX" videos online. At that time, the concepts of live streaming and social media influencers had not yet taken off, but essentially, he started out as a live streamer, except his content was pre-recorded, not live.


    When Jiao Shou was creating pre-recorded content, he had no financial backers or inte marketers to hype him up; he relied solely on the quality of his content, good reputation passed by word of mouth among friends, and gradually gathered his initial fan base, making a name for "Jiao Shou" online.


    The situation now, where a slightly interesting program could be an overnight sensation with the operation of marketers and capital, gathering millions of fans, was unfathomable back then.


    It was clear that in this regard, Jiao Shou had certain strengths. A portion of his old fans from those days were really looking forward to his return to the old trade.


    "Looking forward to Jiao Shou returning to his true self!" someonemented below.


    Suming found and rewatched Jiao Shou''s original "Jiao Shou Teaches You XXX" series.


    Due to differences in time, production technology, team capabilities, and audience groups, one couldn''t simplypare his old work with the recent series.


    But it was clear that the videos Jiao Shou made before didn''t have the heavymercial scent of theter ones, nor did they deliberately pander to the audience. Every segment had its own charm and felt uncontrived. At least to Suming, it seemed that the Jiao Shou from the series was closer to the real-life Jiao Shou.


    Mr. Han''s Weibo also had a short message consisting of just four words: Long time no see.


    In this era of abundant inte celebrities, no one would link this very cryptic post from Mr. Han to Whisperwind Pavilion''s Weibo.


    But with his mention, quite a few fans actually remembered that Mr. Han had not appeared in the public eye for a long time, as if he had vanished into thin air.


    Then someone replied with the phrase "When will we meet?"


    The person originally said it casually, but Mr. Han actually responded: "Tomorrow at noon, Yangchuan City Zoo, live streaming tform."


    Inte celebrities usually maintain an air of mystery, speaking ambiguously to leave people guessing. Mr. Han, being an artistic person by nature, was especially like this. His Weibo tended to be metaphorical and obscure in information, so his straightforward reply this time created a sense of discrepancy.


    "Yangchuan City Zoo? What''s that?"


    "Are you going to be a male web broadcaster? Dance for us, xoxo¡­"

 Chapter 302 Brushing for Gifts

    The speed of information dissemination in the inte age is astonishingly fast. When three Weibo ounts posted short messages at the same time, within a few hours, the followers of each ount made the connection.


    Therefore, the identity of the mysterious guest on Yangchuan Zoo''s live streaming tform was ready to be revealed: ''Jiao Shou + Mr. Han''.


    "What are these two good buddies doing at the zoo?"


    "Could there be an affair?"


    "The zoo director really has a widework of friends, even bringing his father-inw to support the event!"


    Suming''s chat group of various zoos also received this news.


    The zoo officials in the group were mostly middle-aged, all over thirty years old, with a few approaching fifty. They had virtually no understanding of live streaming, this newfangled thing, and they weren''t optimistic about the prospects of expanding live streaming through celebrity endorsements.


    Utilizing the star effect can indeed make a ssh and increase viewership in a short time, but there are two issues; without solving them, the live streaming tform cannot operate normally and healthily.


    The first is still the old problem, the mization model.


    Having celebrities indeed helps with promotion, but it still doesn''t solve the profitability issue. Even if a small number of fans are willing to pay to watch their idols live stream, having celebrities appeares at a higher cost. Suming couldn''t possibly always find celebrities willing to appear for free.


    The second is about content. This is also an old problem. The reason live streaming of animals is not very popr is that itcks content. Animals can''t sing or perform, nor can they identally have a wardrobe malfunction. There''s not much appeal; it''s okay for a fresh experience watching for a few minutes, but it''s tough to draw people to watch the live stream for a long time.


    Previously, no one could have imagined that, although the plot was fragmented, there was still a storyline in ce. What kind of story could there be with two celebrities live streaming? After all, they would merely be introducing the animals.


    "Would people really be willing to sit in front of aputer, spend hours watching celebrities chat, and even be willing to pay for it?"


    Suming did not immediately answer these questions in the group.


    It wasn''t that he was hoarding his wisdom, unwilling to share his experience, but rather due to the generational gap. Some knowledge simply can''t be imparted through words alone. Only after these older colleagues see the results for themselves and reflect on them will they understand.


    These two issues, fundamentally, are due to the old thinking of these older colleagues, who haven''t caught up with the times and don''t understand the mainstream inte audience of today.


    Actually, Suming didn''t quite understand it himself either.


    Take the various live streaming tforms of today, for instance. What content do they have, really? It''s nothing more than ying video games, sharing bits of everyday life, or simply streaming themselves eating and sleeping. Female streamers might sing, act cute, and asionally show a bit of leg.


    If the goal is purely for ''titition'', it would be better to go watch an adult film directly, or go to an overseas site like MFC for an uncensored live adult video feed.


    Yet, paradoxically, these live streams, which the so-called veteran colleagues found uninteresting, manage to attract hundreds of thousands of viewers, including wealthy patrons who don''t hesitate to spendvishly.


    Audiences have grown tired of watching celebrities perform while wearing masks on stage. They''re more eager to see the authentic side of performers'' lives. That''s why not only online tforms are booming, but reality shows are also extremely popr. Of course, today''s reality shows are also staged, but they stage life itself, and at least they appear authentic.


    So, whether there''s a plot or not, and regardless of its quality, doesn''t really matter. Life is a drama that depends entirely on acting skills. The sess of a live stream rests on the hosting ability of the presenter and the nning of the show.


    The live broadcast was scheduled to start at noon sharp. Suming did not participate in the live stream but watched the first live broadcast in the conference room with several core employees of the zoo and Shen Yan.


    ording to the data provided by the technical staff, around 9 am, people began visiting the live streaming tform''s server. However, at that time the stream hadn''t started yet, and all they could see on the screen was a clueless Persian cat with its face filling the screen, and a countdown timer reading ''Time left until the live broadcast starts: N minutes N seconds.''


    As the countdown progressed, the number of visitors began to rise.


    After 11:50 am, the traffic reached a peak.


    "We have about twenty-five thousand people currently," Shen Yan offered a rtively urate figure just one minute before the live stream was set to begin.


    Twenty-five thousand people didn''t sound like many, especiallypared to thebined forty million followers on the three Weibo ounts, which it didn''t even amount to a thousandth of.


    But this can''t be viewed simply in terms of raw numbers.


    First, among the three Weibo ounts, the one with the most followers belongs to Mr. Han, and a significant portion of his fanbase are not the type to watch live streams; these people are not the target consumer group for live streams. Second, not all followers check Weibo every day; many might only visit it after lengthy intervals, so not all fans were aware of today''s live broadcast debut; in fact, it could be said that most didn''t know. Third, not everyone has the time to watch live broadcasts on the web at this particr moment.


    Another key point is that the live streaming tform is currently only avable on PC, with no mobile app developed yet. Nowadays, aside from working, most young people hardly useputers, preferring to surf the inte on their smartphones or iPads, which excludes yet anotherrge group of potential viewers.


    Overall, without any deliberate extensive publicity, the first live broadcast managed to attract more than twenty thousand people, which is considered a fairly good result. If millions of people had rushed in all at once, the zoo''s server would probably have crashed in an instant.


    Mrs. Tong and several zoo employees were startled by this number!


    "More than twenty thousand people! Goodness, over twenty thousand people came to see our zoo just in one morning!" Mrs. Tong was quite amazed.


    The usual visitor traffic of the zoo was only a fraction of this number; if there were this many visitors every day, wouldn''t the zoo soon be nationally famous?


    She couldn''t help but think how great it would be if all these people could buy tickets to watch. Yangchuan City Zoo would immediately be the most profitable zoo in the country!


    Suming, however, was rtively calm. A portion of these more than twenty thousand people came for the celebrities, not the zoo itself. Without the star appeal, the numbers would greatly decline.


    As for everyone buying a ticket to watch the live stream, Suming was certain that if they did that, it would be good if one-twentieth of the twenty thousand people stayed, so that wasn''t realistic either.


    The live broadcast time was set by aputer program; before it started, there was just the countdown timer and the big-faced Persian cat on the big screen. If you clicked on its face with the mouse, it would let out a meow.


    Ten seconds, nine seconds... two seconds... one second...


    Finally, the time arrived, and the screen shed as the entrance to the live broadcast tform opened.


    After clicking to enter, what appeared before everyone was a scene vastly different from that of the Shanghai Online Zoo.


    The live broadcast room was divided into two parts. On the left was a copsible list, split into two main categories: celebrity live broadcasts and animal live streams. When expanded, the list showed detailed entries, such as reptiles, amphibians, and flying creatures under animal live streams.


    On the right side, most of the screen had small windows for each live broadcast, with the top rowbeled ''Current Hottest Rooms,'' automatically generated based on the number of people in each room; below that were ''Zoo Rmended Rooms,'' which, as the name suggests, were chosen by the zoo''s live tform editors, who rmended rooms they thought were particrly valuable or featured new animals.


    The online tform was an innovation for zoos nationwide, a path of reform worth studying and exploring. Hence, not only Yangchuan Zoo organized internal viewing, but other zoos were doing the same, including Shanghai Zoo, which had pioneered the online zoo concept nationwide.


    Everyone wanted to glean some sessful experiences or lessons from Yangchuan Zoo''s live broadcast this time.


    Upon entering the livestream tform, it was a bit of a surprise to discover that the two guest stars, Jiao Shou and Mr. Han, were not in the same live room fooling around but in different rooms, each hosting their own stream.@@novelbin@@


    Not just the two of them; the unexpected female lead Xiaomei also opened a room, taking on the role of a proper online hostess.


    The fans rushed into their respective idols'' rooms, and almost instantly, the ''Current Hottest Rooms'' refreshed to show: Mr. Han''s room, Jiao Shou''s room, Xiaomei''s room.


    Following closely was ''Ancient Moon Xian Residence,'' with just a few dozen fewer people than Xiaomei''s room.


    Viewers could only enter one room at a time, but Suming could see the situation in all rooms from the back end.


    In Mr. Han''s room, therge screen showed Mr. Han standing on the outer corridor of the fifth floor of Whisperwind Pavilion, the wind tousling his hair but not the bristles of his beard.


    "Hello, everyone. I''m currently at one of the scenic spots in the zoo, the top floor of Whisperwind Pavilion. At the moment, this is also my temporary home..."


    Before he could finish, a row ofputer-generated Fortune Cats appeared on the room''s screen, shaking their arms and wriggling their bottoms as they passed across the screen, followed by a banner that read, ''Morning 6:30 Cat gifts Mr. Han ten Fortune Cats!''


    Apanied by the ''meow meow meow'' of cat sounds.


    Then a small queue of mantis shrimps with urine spraying from their heads swam across the bottom of the screen, "White Mouse gifts Mr. Han ten ''Mantis Shrimps''..."


    Following that, the line of gifts at the bottom of the screen was nearly continuous, with people gifting Fortune Cats, Mantis Shrimps, and asionally a few ''Hip-hop Monkeys,'' most being for Mr. Han, while the others were for ''animals.''


    On the subtitles, there was a nk space in front of the word ''animals,'' not indicating what animal it was, probably one that would make an appearanceter.


    The program had just started, and Mr. Han had only spoken a few words before receiving hundreds of small gifts, and the animal yet to appear had already received over thirty gifts.


    "Hmm, what''s this function?" In the livestreaming room of Shanghai Zoo, a leader watching the livestream pointed to a row of function buttons at the bottom of the screen and asked the technician beside him.


    The row of function buttons had tworge ones,beled ''Gift to Host'' and ''Gift to Animal,'' with a row of smaller buttons reading ''Mantis Shrimp,'' ''Fortune Cat,'' ''Hip-hop Monkey,'' ''Grey Wolf,'' ''Unlucky Bear,'' ''White-forehead Tiger,'' ''Lion King,'' ''Prehistoric Crocodile,'' and ''The Magnificent Super Monster.''

 Chapter 303 How to Become Good Friends with Alpacas

    "What on earth is this?" the leader from Shanghai Zoo asked, puzzled.


    The technician, who was younger and more familiar with online live streaming, exined, "Viewers can spend money to buy props to give to the host, and then, depending on the value of the props, the host and the zoo split the earnings."


    "Ah? There are people who have so much money they don''t know how to spend it? Isn''t that just foolish?" The older leader couldn''t understand this business model at all. After a moment of confusion, he asked, "So how much for these mantis shrimps and monkeys?"


    The technician quickly opened the ''Live tform Usage Instructions'' next to him.


    It clearly stated that the live streaming tform was hosted by Yangchuan Zoo and operated by Taoyuan Entertainment Company.


    After the gifts are converted into money, the entertainmentpany takes 30% as essential operational costs and service fees. The rest, after deducting taxes, goes entirely to the host when given to the host; when given to the animals, it is used to improve their living conditions, which means it goes to the zoo.


    Specific prices:


    ''Mantis Shrimp'' one for 0.1 yuan; ''Fortune Cat'' one for one yuan, Hip-hop Monkey ten yuan, Grey Wolf fifty, Unlucky Bear a hundred, White-forehead Tiger five hundred, Lion King a thousand.


    And the ''Prehistoric Colossal Crocodile'' incredibly reached a shocking five thousand yuan each!


    ''The Most morous Super Monster of Them All'' was seriously twisted, costing ten thousand yuan each.


    "Are you kidding? Not to mention ten thousand yuan each, even that hundred yuan Unlucky Bear won''t have any buyers, right? This is basically throwing money into the water!" the leader said in disbelief.


    Their generation had grown up in hard times; even though they had be leaders and their financial situations had vastly improved, their consumption concepts were entirely different from those of young people today.


    While watching, they heard Mr. Han say on the screen, "I''ve found a very interesting guy, let''s call him over for everyone to see..."


    All they saw was him take out a whistle, put it in his mouth, and blow hard. A small ck dot appeared in the sky in the distance, approaching the screen at high speed.


    With a swoosh, a majestic Haidong Qingnded steadily on the railing in front of Mr. Han.


    "A Haidong Qing that seems to also know how to greet people," Mr. Han said, and indeed, the Haidong Qing, appearing quite humanlike, raised one of its white-feathered ws and shook it at the camera, though its eyes remained defiant, looking as though it didn''t take any of these humans seriously at all.


    "Woo woo woo..." A fat bear, looking downcast with its arms hanging, walked past the bottom of the screen, followed by a few little bees chasing and biting it,


    "Mr. Chen sent one Unlucky Bear to the ''Haidong Qing''..."@@novelbin@@


    "We''ve got a tycoon over here!"


    "Tycoon, give us a Lion King!"


    "Tycoon, let''s be friends..."


    A flurry of messages immediately flooded the chat box.


    "Thanks to Mr. Chen for his support. I suggest that if you want to give gifts, give them to these animals to support animal conservation and improve their living conditions," Mr. Han mentioned offhandedly before introducing somemon knowledge about the habits of Haidong Qing, then said, "This Haidong Qing also has a killer move; it seems it can also catch fish..."


    In the video, the Haidong Qing pped its wings and shot towards Shuijun Lake like an arrow, barely touching the surface before soaring skyward again with arge carp wriggling in its ws.


    "Awooo!" With a tiger''s roar, a tycoon indeed sent a White-forehead Tiger.


    ...


    In Xiaomei''s live streaming room.


    It really was just a room. Xiaomei, who seemed to be a homebody at heart, hadn''t stepped out even during the daytime, but instead huddled inside her room at Whisperwind Pavilion''s second floor, disheveled, wearing pajamas.


    "Ah!" Xiaomei yawned widely, rubbing her eyes andzily said, "Hello everyone..."


    "Time Reveals gifted Xiaomei 99 Mantis Shrimps..." A swarm of Mantis Shrimps, seemingly urinating, streamed across the screen.


    The zoo leaders were almost driven crazy,pletely unable to understand how this girl could receive gifts by doing nothing. Was these people''s money really blown in by the wind?


    "Oh, thanks for the Mantis Shrimps. If only they were spicy boiled crawfish, I''m feeling so hungry," Xiaomei pouted, scratched her head, and in a dazed look said, "What was I supposed to stream today? Oh right, rabbits. Rabbit, rabbit, where did you go..."


    She searched around the room for a while and couldn''t find the rabbit. Eventually, as if she remembered something, she lifted the quilt.


    There on the tatami floory arge rabbit sleeping, with a half-eaten carrot in its embrace.


    "Rabbit, stop sleeping, it''s time to be on the show!"


    Xiaomei stroked the big ears of the rabbit, holding it in her arms and facing the screen she said, "Hee hee, doesn''t everyone find this rabbit familiar? That''s right, it''s the Jumping King from ''No One Would Have Thought''! Rabbit,e on, show everyone a jump!"


    The Jumping King, having been woken up, seemed quite unhappy, staring with its red eyes and refusing to jump.


    "Come on, don''t be shy, it''s not like I''m asking you to strip!" Xiaomei said.


    Immediately,ments appeared alongside the screen: "Xiaomei, do a jump!"


    "If Xiaomei jumps, I''ll send a White-forehead Tiger!"


    "This is a serious online live streaming show, I won''t dance or deliberately expose my chest!" Xiaomei held the Jumping King close to her chest and said earnestly.


    "But your chest, it indeed has a big White Rabbit." Someonemented.


    "You''re so dirty..." Xiaomei rolled her eyes and hugged the rabbit tightly.


    With a head already small, when she squeezed it forcefully towards her chest, it instantly got buried in there.


    "Let go of that rabbit, let me do it!"


    Tightly embraced by Xiaomei, the rabbit probably felt smothered and couldn''t breathe. It struggled, stepping on Xiaomei''s chest as if it were rising up on two fleshy cushions and perched on Xiaomei''s shoulder. Its hind legs kicked wildly as it treated her chest as a pair of pads.


    "Awooo, awooo!" Upon seeing this scene, someone immediately sent ten Grey Wolves!


    "Awoo!" A White-forehead Tiger appeared behind the Grey Wolves, this time gifted to Rabbit-chan.


    The rabbit kept stepping on Xiaomei''s chest determinedly, its little round tail twisting and twirling, seemingly about to burrow into her pajamas. Xiaomei''s face turned red, and she quickly grabbed its hind legs to pull it out, ring as she said, "Rabbit, you''ve learned some bad habits!"


    Rabbit: "..."


    Just then, the live stream chat was filled with arge message: Red Comet has sent a prehistoric giant crocodile to the Alpaca!


    Upon seeing that message, many people immediately switched rooms!


    What happened? Someone actually sent out a prehistoric giant crocodile worth five thousand yuan!


    ...


    A few minutes earlier, in Jiao Shou''s live stream.


    In the frame, Jiao Shou stood in a grassy field, with several alpacas hiding in a corner behind him, stretching their necks and looking curiously in his direction.


    "Squeak squeak squeak¡­" Ten monkeys, each with an axe strapped to its waist, danced across the screen, "onlyMengMiao sent ten Hip-Hop Monkeys to Alpaca..."


    "Hello everyone, I am Jiao Shou, and as you can see behind me, there''s a group of alpacas, the foremost among the legendary four creatures! Today, I''m going to teach you how to be friends with such mythical creatures!"


    The timid alpacas got scared upon seeing a strange bald man approaching and huddled together.


    Jiao Shou said seriously, "As you can see, alpacas are naturally timid creatures. So, if you want to befriend them, you must first emit feelings of goodwill, like what I''m about to do next¡­"


    After saying that, he changed his expression in an instant, putting on a very lewd smile, andughed loudly at the alpacas not too far away, "Come on,e here, I promise I won''t beat you to death!"


    The alpacas were immediately stunned!


    The camera followed Jiao Shou as he moved forward, and he proudly made a scissor gesture to the camera, "Just like I said, after promising I won''t beat them to death, they really felt my goodwill. As I kept approaching, the alpacas showed no intention of attacking me!"


    Soon, Jiao Shou reached the group of alpacas and said to the camera, "Now, let''s move on to the second step of befriending alpacas! Let them know not only am I not a threat but also their friend!"


    "How will they know that?" someone asked in thements.


    "It''s simple!" Jiao Shou puffed up his chest, "Next, I will imitate another one of the legendary four creatures. This way, they''ll think I''m also a mythical creature and one of their own, and hence ept me."


    After saying this, he turned towards the alpacas and started making strange calls, pinching his throat, "Y¨¡ m¨¦i di¨¦! Y¨¡ m¨¦i di¨¦! M¨°tuo M¨°tuo Y¨¡ m¨¦i di¨¦!" While calling out, he also frantically rubbed his hands all over his own body.


    Suming, who was watching the live stream, couldn''t help but spurt a mouthful of water onto Shen Yan opposite him, soaking his face. Even though he already knew the plot, he couldn''t hold back hisughter at Jiao Shou''s performance.


    It wasn''t just Suming, the entire live stream room burst intoughter. The gifts flowed incessantly ¨C Mantis Shrimps, Maneki-nekos, too many to count.


    In the zoo, visitors near the Alpaca House were startled by someone''s loud calling and wondered what was happening. Under the bright sun and clear sky, they thought the zoo was shooting some adult-only film.


    They instinctively turned to look and dozens of gazesnded on a bald head who was ***ing loudly.


    The visitors weren''t too shocked since they were farther away, but the alpacas nearby were utterly baffled. They stretched their necks, looking at Jiao Shou in bewilderment.


    "You see, they now think of me as another one of the four legendary creatures: Y¨¡ m¨¦i di¨¦! So, now, I can touch them and be good friends with them!"


    Finally, Jiao Shou stopped screaming, nodded in satisfaction, and reached out to touch the belly of a female alpaca.


    Most quadruped animals like cows and sheep have a row of nursing tools on their bellies¡­ and Jiao Shou''s hand was reaching right there.


    "As a good friend, I''ll just milk a little. I''m sure they won''t mind," Jiao Shou justified his shameless action.


    At that moment, the female alpaca that was about to be touched finally had enough. Like a human sniffling, it sucked in through its nose with a ''huff huff'' sound.


    "Pfft!"


    "Pfft!"


    "Pfffpfffpfff!"


    A spray of mucus and saliva showered Jiao Shou in an instant.


    A subtitle appeared: "Unfortunately, today''s teaching seems to have been unsessful. The friendship turned over as easily as the flipping of a boat. Jiao Shou is soaked!"


    Thus that previous scene urred: a prehistoric giant crocodile worth five thousand appeared, leaping out of the screen.


    Whenever someone gifts such a super gift, it is announced in all live stream rooms. Jiao Shou''s room suddenly surged with thousands of people, sending its ranking to number one instantly.


    In Mr. Han''s room, Haidong Qing was streaming how to eat fish, with only the skeleton of a big carp remaining. Mr. Han had moved a rocking chair from Whisperwind Pavilion, leaning on it and watching with a smile as Haidong Qing ate the fish.


    A fan suddenlymented, "Jiao Shou''s room has surpassed us in total gifts!"


    "Push it up, push it up!"


    "Calling all tycoons, it''s time to show your power!"

 Chapter 307 304

    The celebrity live stream continued until the zoo was about to close in the afternoon.


    Live streaming differs from acting, as hosts don''t need to consume mental and physical energy, and unlike other online live streams that rely on "selling sex" for money, our hosts didn''t need to sing or dance, which saved their energy, so the live stream couldst a long time.


    By the time Xiaomei arrived at around two o''clock, she even managed to take a nap,pletely baffling everyone with her ability to sleep so much.


    After waking up, she discovered that not only had the number of people in the live broadcast room not decreased, but it had increased, and a huge pile of gifts had appeared.


    Mr. Han had a simr experience.


    The environment at Whisperwind Pavilion was just too nice, quiet and the air fresh. Leaning on a rattan chair, with a gentle breeze and the warm sun shining on him, Haidong Qing eating fish beside him, he sat and dozed off. In the live broadcast room, it was clear to see saliva dripping down from the corner of his mouth.


    If this were a formal news or entertainment program and the host fell asleep during the program, it would undoubtedly be a colossal blunder.


    But on online live streaming tforms, it''s a different story altogether ¨C audiences are there to see another side of celebrities, their private lives. As soon as Mr. Han started drooling, gifts from viewers below came flooding in.


    "He made money even in his sleep," someer described this live stream event.


    After the celebrity live broadcast ended, Shen Yan reported the data.@@novelbin@@


    The number of viewers in the three celebrity rooms rose steadily, reaching a peak of nearly fifty thousand.


    Within those few hours, the three celebrity rooms received gifts totaling over 120,000 yuan in value. The most gifts were received during Mr. Han''s drooling and Xiaomei''s nap times.


    Of these, roughly 70% were for the celebrities themselves, and 30% were for the animals.


    After the celebrities finished their live broadcasts, the live streams of other animal rooms continued. Celebrities can''t possibly be in front of the camera 24/7, but it''s no problem for the animals; the ordinary animal rooms are live streaming non-stop, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.


    Learning from the experiences of Shanghai Zoo''s live streaming tform, Yangchuan City Zoo cleverly installed cameras so they could almost always capture the animals'' full range of activities and ensure that the animals were always visible on camera.


    The animals at Yangchuan Zoo had all been more or less exposed to Suming''s spiritual power and had developed a certain "sensibility." Suming hadmunicated with all of the animals in advance, and while they were somewhat sensitive to the cameras, they often performed for them.


    Some of the animals with more aloof characters, like the wolves, would not intentionally perform; they would just coldly re at the camera with a sidelong look each time they passed by.


    Nheless, this was much better than the previous live streams at Shanghai Zoo since the animals and the viewers on the other side of the camera developed a certain level ofmunication.


    However, there were many animals with livelier personalities who relished performing in front of the camera.


    For instance, after filming "You Wouldn''t Believe It If They Died," the monkeys learned a new skill: dancing. They often lined up and wiggled their red bottoms at the camera.


    The dolphin family, naturally yful and especially the two baby dolphins, would swim for a while and then pop their heads out to wave at the camera or perform a water-treading maneuver.


    The bears would sit under the tree in front of the camera, hugging watermelons, their fur dripping with juice. Their primary skill was eating; watching the threerge bears chomp through a huge amount of food was appetizing.


    The liveliest of all were the two parrot sisters.


    These two chatterboxes were always babbling non-stop, but now with a camera in front of them, they went utterly mad, spending all day in front of it, taking turns delivering aic dialogue.


    "Hello everyone, my name is Donkey Qian!"


    "I know, I know, drinking, smoking, and perm!"


    ...


    So even when there were no celebrity hosts, the zoo''s live streaming tform still retained its poprity, with new fans continuallying to watch.


    Most people were quitepassionate and, upon learning that the gifted items would go towards improving the animals'' lives, protection and construction of the zoo, many generously opened their wallets.


    Within just a few days, due to humanpassion, the novelty of this unique live streaming model, and the animals'' inclination to perform, the poprity of the live streams rose sharply. Just the gifts received in the various animal live stream rooms had reached a staggering figure.


    Mrs. Tong could hardly believe the statistics.


    If everything went smoothly, she could foresee that in the future, the revenue from live streaming would make up a significant portion of the zoo''s ie, even surpassing ticket sales.


    Even now, more than twenty animals were able to sustain themselves through the gifts given by viewers during live streams.


    The zoo''srgest expense was the cost of feeding and managing the animals, so if live streaming could cover this expense, the zoo would nearly have no major expenses left.


    "This is something I could never have imagined in real life," Mrs. Tong said cheerfully while chatting with the staff. "If you had told me before, I would never have believed that our zoo could make money so easily."


    Indeed, it was easy, as the zoo hardly did anything: Taoyuan Company operated the live streaming tform, and Shen Yan''spany''s development department handled the technical side. The zoo just had to sit back and wait for its share of the profit.


    "Mr. Su really has a good head on his shoulders to keep up with the times," Mr. Peng said with augh. Although Suming was the deputy director, he had once been Mr. Peng''s apprentice, and mentioning Suming always made Mr. Peng feel proud.


    "Obviously. Otherwise, how could someone his age be the deputy director and a distinguished entrepreneur? He started as a temp worker, inconspicuous and modest; who would have thought he was so capable. The old director really had an eye for talent," Mrs. Tong remarked with emotion.


    In the medical office, Mr. Liao and his wife were feeling frustrated again; every time Suming achieved sess and appeared before everyone''s eyes, they regretted not being morepetitive in the past.


    And Hu was actually putting on makeup!


    Clearly, she wasn''t too familiar with the technique; looking into a small mirror, she had smeared lipstick onto her cheeks.


    "I told you, it''s toote for regrets now," Hu said with her lips pursed. She already had a big mouth, and with it fully coated in lipstick, it looked like a gaping maw.


    The veterinarian read the newspaper without looking up and teased, "Who are you putting on lipstick for? It''s pretty clear Su Meng isn''t into that. Instead of doing this, why don''t you make me some herbal tea; I''ve been suffering from insomnia..."


    "What does herbal tea have to do with insomnia? Besides, who said I''m definitely putting on makeup for Su Meng? Can''t I enjoy looking beautiful?" Nurse Hu red.


    "If you really loved beauty, you wouldn''t put on any more lipstick. It''s quite scary to look at, like a monstering down the mountain. Oh, right, Su Meng has the look of a wild man; maybe he''d actually like it."


    Jiao Shou kept up his sarcasticments while turning a page of the newspaper, continuing without looking up to speak to Mr. Liao, "And you two, stop crying all the time. Although you missed out on a big tree, there''s still a whole forest out there. Liang Shi and Mr. Su''s ssmate, what''s his name, oh, Shen Yan¡ªboth are single. You could try flirting with them."


    ...


    Yangchuan Zoo''s live streaming tform had achieved certain sess, and the news quickly spread through the industry.


    The online tform offered recorded streams, and the real leaders of several famous zoos organized viewings of the recordings to learn from their experiences.


    When a deputy director from Shanghai Zoo saw someone sending giftsbeled ''prehistoric giant crocodile,'' his eyeballs nearly popped out. It wasn''t until the cigarette in his hand burned down to his fingers that he flinched from the pain, dropped the cigarette, and asked the technician beside him, "Li, when we created our online zoo, why didn''t we do the same?"


    Compared to Yangchuan City Zoo''s live streaming tform, although Shanghai Online Zoo was the first of its kind, itgged far behind in terms of visual effects in the streaming rooms and interactions with the audience, not to mention theck of a gift-giving feature.


    The technician replied with a bitter smile, "Boss, it''s not a fairparison."


    "Why, is it difficult on a technical level?" the deputy director asked, puzzled.


    "It''s not a technical issue; implementing a gift-giving function is easy. But our zoo''s situation is different from theirs. Look, they''ve hired celebrities¡ªthere''s the star effect for you. Besides, Yangchuan Zoo''s animals perform, each one trained to act just like humans; that''s how they attract viewers. Our animals, on the other hand, do nothing but sleep; even if we add a gift-giving function, nobody would use it."


    The leader was a reasonable man, and the technician hit the nail on the head. Celebrities aside, the key was the animals.


    Yangchuan City''s animals were lively, cute, endearingly silly, or at the very least haughtily aloof¡ªeach had its own charm. Compared to them, the animals from other zoos seemed more like patients with autism and depression¡ªhow could they possibly attract an audience?


    "We also have animals that can perform. Our dolphins can jump through hoops and bnce balls; we could definitely train them further to create a new source of revenue," the deputy director thought. He was not old-fashioned and had an open mind. Since the technology to implement a ''gift-giving'' feature was not difficult, and Yangchuan Zoo had already zed a sessful trail, they could easily replicate it. Even if they couldn''t match Yangchuan Zoo''s excellence, it would still be better than letting the online tform continue to lose money.


    Meanwhile, leaders from other zoos, including Capital Zoo and Shu Zoo, who were watching the live stream, were entertaining the same thought: to imitate Yangchuan City Zoo by establishing their own live streaming tforms and training animals to perform.

 Chapter 305 Political Tasks

    Capital Zoo''s deputy director in charge of publicity was a bit annoyed as he looked at the assistant before him. After Yangchuan City Zoo''s live streaming tform became popr, the leadership of Capital Zoo had organized a viewing and nned to contact Yangchuan City Zoo to learn from their experience.


    However, when a call was made, the response from the director''s office at Yangchuan Zoo was full of barbed mockery, leaving them with an awkward rebuff.


    Capital Zoo''s status in the national zoo hierarchy was akin to the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch of ancient times, dominating over other domestic zoos in both administrative level and scale. They always acted imperiously, and whenever they set their sights on someone else''s animals and resources, a single word from them was enough to im them for their own. When had they ever been treated this way?


    But Yangchuan City Zoo had already restructured and essentially wasn''t part of the same system as Capital Zoo. You, the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch of Huaxia, could have long arms, but you can''t manage Robin Hood Zorro.


    It was onlyter discovered that the actual person in charge of Yangchuan City Zoo, who was also the founder of the live streaming tform, was Deputy Director Suming. Before theunch of the online tform, he had already called, politely seeking to exchange ideas with Capital Zoo. However, the assistant who took the call didn''t take it seriously at all and coldly hung up.


    Now it would be surprising if they showed Capital Zoo any good face!


    "So young, where did you learn this bureaucratic style!" the deputy director said pointing at the assistant with irritation, "Thinking you''re so important because you''ve got a career establishment! Standing on the prestige of the Capital, feeling superior to everyone else? You don''t even regard the leaders of brother units with any respect! Let me tell you, if one day our zoo undergoes restructuring, all of you will be out in the cold!"


    The assistant was scolded until he was at a loss. That day when he took the call, the voice on the other end sounded far too young, barely over twenty, like a student. He wondered how there could be such a young leading official. At first, he thought it might be a scam, which is why his response was particrly unpleasant.


    It was onlyter that he remembered there was a particrly young leader at Yangchuan City Zoo, who had even been mentioned in a meeting within the system. That must have been the person who called.


    Most people harbored a stereotype about young leaders, presuming that they must have climbed thedder through connections rather than ability.


    This assistant was no different. Even after discovering Suming''s true identity, he didn''t take the mention of the online live stream and the possibility of coboration seriously, dealing with it in a perfunctory manner.


    Little did he know that in just a few days, Yangchuan City Zoo''s live stream had be a hit!


    "How did you offend them, and how are you going to make it up to me!" After scolding the assistant for a while and letting off some steam, the deputy director spoke earnestly, "Look at them; a second-tier local zoo still knows to keep up with the times, reform, and develop. Comrade, our Capital Zoo can''t afford to becent. We should lower our stance when it''s necessary and learn from them."


    ...


    Shanghai Zoo was in an awkward position as well, being the first in the nation to attempt an online zoo. At the beginning, when Yangchuan called to glean wisdom, they responded warmly enough, but with a tone that doused enthusiasm. Acting like old hands, they told Yangchuan how unworkable and unprofitable an online zoo was...


    Now the tables had turned, and without their help, Yangchuan managed to make its live stream vibrant and sessful. Now Shanghai Zoo, the so-called pioneer of online live streaming, had to turn to Yangchuan for guidance.


    How does that saying go? Oh, right, you ignored me at first and now you can''t reach me.


    ...


    These days, the "Huaxia Zoo Research Discussion Group" established by Suming saw a continuous influx of new verification requests, weing many new friends. The group''s membership skyrocketed from a mere seven or eight to over forty, all leaders from zoos of various sizes across the country.


    "We should have had a group like this a long time ago to exchange ideas and learn from each other''s experiences!" said someone from Huabei Zoo.


    "Yes, Deputy Director Suming has done us a great service by bringing us together," said the speaker, who was the assistant deputy director from Capital Zoo. If it weren''t for him calling to specifically apologize that day, Suming would have forgotten about the whole incident long ago.@@novelbin@@


    With Suming''s current wealth and status, he was too busy with major affairs to bother remembering a slight from some minor staffer.


    "Deputy Director Suming, our zoo is also nning to learn from you and set up a live streaming tform¡ªplease give us some guidance when the timees."


    "We wee ourrades from Yangchuan Zoo to visit our park. We are also in the process of establishing a live streaming tform."


    That brought the conversation back on topic. Other zoo leaders were forthright in the group, stating their intention to follow Yangchuan City Zoo''s lead and establish their own tforms, hoping that Deputy Director Suming would share more of his experience.


    On one hand, they genuinely wanted to learn from Yangchuan Zoo; on the other, they were giving a heads-up as a courtesy, so Suming wouldn''t think they were simply jealous of his live streaming sess and trying to steal business covertly.


    The main purpose of Yangchuan Zoo''s online tform was to make money, with promotion as a secondary aim. In contrast, other state-owned zoos prioritized gaining recognition through the tform for public welfare and educational outreach because even if they made money, most would have to be handed over. If they didn''t make a profit, they would still receive government funds, so their focus was more on ''making a name'' through the online tform or, in other words, conducting public welfare and educational promotions.


    One pertains to survival, one affects political achievements; both are very important.


    "Everyone''s too kind; we are all in the same industry, let''s learn from each other and progress together," Suming replied cheerfully.


    Before starting the livestream, Suming had been clear in his mind that if it didn''t take off, then so be it. But if the online tform were to seed, there would be a swarm of imitators to follow.


    Online tforms are open to the public; there is no way to keep them secret. Whether it''s Yangchuan City Zoo or any subsequent imitators, neither could keep their activities secret from the other. Even if Suming were to be domineering, he had no reason to prevent other organizations from engaging in the same industry as his. Even as formidable as China National Petroleum Corporation is, there is still Sinopecpeting with it.


    Doing business isn''t about fearing crowds ofpetitors. The more people involved, therger and hotter the animal livestreaming "cake" bes. Having more zoos join in is a good thing for the growth of the livestreaming industry.


    However, who will ultimately profit from this industry and who will be eliminated is like the Eight Immortals crossing the sea, each showing their divine powers.


    Running a restaurant is the same: some restaurants are deserted while others boom. Simrly with real estate development: some bosses be the wealthiest, while others flee or jump from buildings. So, in the end, it''s not about fearingpetition in business but rather how you operate it.


    Since Yangchuan City Zoo was the first to make livestreaming popr, it''s essential to maintain that lead.


    One step ahead, always ahead.


    Youthful, flexible-minded, and quick to embrace new things, these are the advantages of Sumingpared to other zoo leaders; Yangchuan City Zoo, being autonomous in financial and administrative powers after the reform, operates with high efficiency, which is another edge it has over other zoos. Suming was confident that as long as he could fully utilize these two advantages, he would achieve "always imitated, never surpassed."


    In the past few days, he had devised a set of subsequent management strategies based on the actual situation of the zoo''s livestreaming and also by drawing on the experiences of other online tforms.


    But for now, these ns must be put off, as the immediate priority was to take Nangong shopping in Xiangjiang! Once he got back from Xiangjiang, he would implement them step by step.


    Making money is ultimately for a better life. If life gets ruined, then no amount of money matters. He had stood up Nangong twice already and couldn''t do it a third time.


    Unexpectedly, there was a problem on Nangong''s end.


    Nangong stood Suming up.


    "I''m so angry, I was about to quit on the spot!" On the phone, Nangong stomped her feet in frustration and annoyance.


    "Don''t worry, tell me slowly what exactly happened," Suming calmed Nangong and added, "If ites to it, just quit the job. It''s not like I can''t support you."


    The situation was like this.


    Unlike cities like Beijing-Shanghai-Guangzhou, where celebrities are asmon as dogs and big shots roam everywhere, Yangchuan City is just a mid-tier city at the tail end of the second line. Nobody would have imagined filming in Yangchuan City before. But now, with Mr. Han and Jiao Shou living in the zoo, it became a valuable news lead in itself.


    If it were just these two people, it would merely be ''valuable''. But the poprity of the livestreaming tform suddenly linked many valuable news leads: the sessful reform of a state-owned unit, unexpected web dramas, the star effect of Mr. Han, the local zoo leading a national trend, and the application of inte technology in the new era...


    All these news leads linked together, elevating it beyond mere value! It almost reached the political importance of ''promoting the urban image of Yangchuan City, boosting local economic development, aligning with government policies and the Central Committee.'' As the official media, if Yangchuan City TV Station did not cover such significant events, it would undoubtedly be failing in its duties.


    Outsiders might not be fully aware, but the upper echelons of Yangchuan''s local TV station and government knew all too well that behind all this was one man pulling the strings: the deputy director of Yangchuan Zoo, Suming.


    Therefore, the task of interviewing Suming and reporting on the story fell on Nangong Yan. There was no way around it; since Nangong and Suming were a couple, she had always handled the reports about him in the past.


    Oh, it''s not to say ''always'', rather, any news report about Suming that wasn''t done by Nangong Yan would end up a mess, leaving the presenters, the TV station, and even the government in an embarrassing situation.


    So, the head of the TV station directly recalled Nangong from her vacation and issued this glorious yet arduous political task without any room for discussion.


    The station head''s exact words were, "You must do it, and you must do it well. Only you can do it! If you want to resign, you must finish this program first!"


    "Huh? So you''re saying it''s my fault?" Suming asked, staring nkly.

 Chapter 306 Stars and Grassroots

    Suming suddenly felt like he bore the sins of the world. At the end of the day, if he hadn''t set up that online tform, Nangong wouldn''t have been assigned a temporary task, and right now the two of them could be walking hand in hand: Nangong''srge hand holding his own small one, strolling through the night market in Causeway Bay, perhaps even bumping into celebrities like Tin Lok, Tak Wah, or Yenzu who might be filming there...


    But on second thought, if he didn''t set up the online tform, didn''t strive to manage various businesses, didn''t interact with the animals, the zoo and thepany wouldn''t be able to develop, and he would still be the poor kid who couldn''t even find a job. Even if Nangong was willing to follow him, all he could do was to take her to set up a street barbecue stall in the small alleys of Yangchuan City and watch others enjoy skewers...


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    With these thoughts, his mood improved greatly.


    "Don''t worry, once the show is over, I''ll definitely make up for the trip!" It seemed that they really had to wait until Labor Day.


    Nangong wasn''t someone who made a fuss over nothing. Since the TV station did have an important interview task, she prioritized work. Her thoughts quickly returned to the program, and she said over the phone, "Okay then. Prepare seriously, this report is very important to the top."


    ...


    "This morning at 10 am, Mr. Sun, the Deputy Mayor, apanied by Wang Jian She, the Director of Yangchuan City Forestry Bureau, and others, visited Yangchuan City Zoo. With the apaniment of Song Zhiwen, the zoo director, they held a symposium with the zoo staff. During the symposium, Mr. Sun had a friendly conversation with the zoo employees and carefully inquired about the zoo''s development and the staff''s ie levels after the reform. The zoo employees expressed that the restructuring brought new vitality to the zoo and motivated their work enthusiasm. As the zoo''s scale expanded, their personal ies also saw significant increases...


    At noon, after dining with the employees in the zoo''s cafeteria, Deputy Mayor Sun and his entourage toured the entire park. When they came to entertainment projects outsourced by the zoo, such as boat rides and Ancient Moon Xian Residence, Mr. Sun eagerly boarded a boat and took a tour on Naval Lake Zoo...


    Comrade Suming, the Deputy Director of the zoo, gave a detailed introduction of the live streaming tform''s functions to Mr. Sun and his group. Mr. Sun nodded frequently after hearing this, thoroughly inquired about the technical principles of the live streaming tform, current traffic, and other information, and even joined the famous writer Han Han and well-known director Yi Xing for a live stream, interacting intimately with viewers...


    In the live stream, Mr. Sun highly praised the series of reforms carried out under the leadership of the two directors after the zoo''s restructuring, and congratted Yangchuan City Zoo on its impressive achievements.


    After its restructuring, Yangchuan City Zoo, through continuous innovation in developing new projects and cooperating with social enterprises,bined traditional zoo operations with modern inte technology in a series of measures, quickly finding its footing in the market economy. While ensuring public educational services and serving the leisure needs of citizens, it also created economic benefits. It became a positive example for many other institutions undergoing reform, paving an effective path...


    Lastly, Mr. Sun expressed the hope that Yangchuan City Zoo would continue to persevere, aggressively move forward and achieve more great results, driving the tourism economy of the entire Yangchuan, and bing a model for urban construction and ecological protection, as well as a harmonious coexistence of nature and people..."


    The coverage of Yangchuan City Zoo was actually part of aprehensive series of programs. The visit by Deputy Mayor Sun this morning was just the beginning of this series.


    Ordinary people might not pay too much attention to this coverage, and moreover, the zoo had be quite reputable and eminent in the minds of Yangchuan citizens, making the leaders'' inspection seem quite natural.


    But to ''industry insiders'', other zoo managers across the country, the significance was different.


    "Did you see that, Yangchuan City is starting to set examples!"


    "This Mr. Sun mainly focuses on the economy, right? Who would have thought that a zoo, a unit that basically doesn''t make money, could be a beacon of economic development? This was unimaginable in the past."


    "Comrades, our brother units are catching up despite such difficult circumstances. Here at Capital Zoo, with our abundant resources located in the political center, we should give more thought to the future development path of the zoo."


    Zoo leaders around the country felt somewhat envious upon seeing the report.


    Just as a zoo director had said, a zoo is a public education institution and is not aimed at making a profit. It would be understandable for a leader in charge of urban cultural and ideological construction or environmental protection to conduct the inspection, but an inspection by a deputy mayor who focuses on the economy definitely has deeper implications.


    This means that in Yangchuan City, the zoo is not just a piece of decorative facade, nor a ''non-essential unit''; it has gained a significant political and economic status.


    Strictly speaking in terms of making money, the zoo could neverpete withrge factories or real estate developers. Its main role is still to serve as a city''s public face. When this promotional role besrge enough, quantitative change leads to qualitative change.


    For example, the current live streaming tform is virtually a twenty-hour, non-stop promotion of Yangchuan City and the zoo to all parts of the country. As long as the live streaming tform exists for a day, continues to be this popr, the visibility of Yangchuan City will rise higher day by day.


    In some ces far from Yangchuan, there were even those who didn''t know the provincial capital Jiangjin City, but were aware of Yangchuan City, and such cases were not few and far between.


    Unbeknownst to many, a small trend of following in the footsteps of Yangchuan City Zoo emerged quietly among national zoos.


    Some practices of Yangchuan City Zoo couldn''t be replicated, like anything involving Fox Immortal, which could only be discussed verbally to grasp the spirit; while others could be directly adopted, such as the live streaming tform that had already been under construction.


    Following this, the TV station produced several programs with an in-depth look at the zoo from the perspectives of both the zoo''s employees and the contractor, Taoyuan Entertainment Company.


    The final interview regarding the zoo was held on schedule in the studio of Yangchuan City TV Station, featuring two guests, Suming and Mr. Han. Jiao Shou simply couldn''t find the time, as he was holed up in Whisperwind Pavilion writing scripts all day.


    To make sure no one was unaware of this live streaming tform, the host Nangong Yan, after introducing the tform and showing some video clips from the live streams, turned the camera to Mr. Han first.


    "Thank you, Mr. Han, for being our guest at the TV station. Everyone knows you''ve had many jobs, and are currently a professional race car driver. What made you suddenly take up live streaming?"


    Mr. Han still wore hiszily content smile and said, "I''m not in it for the long haul; maybe it''s just fate. I happen to like animals a lot and have always kept dogs. This visit to the zoo coincided with Mr. Suunching the tform, so I joined in for the experience."


    Nangong chuckled and asked, "I heard that on the day you appeared, you received arge number of gifts?"


    Mr. Han and Suming exchanged nces before Mr. Han took over and said, "Yes, about the gifts, Jiao Shou, Mr. Su, and I have discussed it. We''ve decided to donate all the gifts from the viewers to the zoo at no charge, to support wildlife conservation and the development of the zoo''s infrastructure, helping the animals live better lives."


    "Very grateful," Suming interjected with a chuckle from the side.


    "Speaking of gratitude, I want to thank the zoo too. Through this program, it seems my fan base has grown quite a bit," Mr. Han said with a chuckle, shrugging.


    "Celebrities often participate in public service activities to promote nature conservation. This time, Mr. Han, you can truly be said to have made a real contribution to animal conservation," Nangongmented.@@novelbin@@


    "It''s not just about me, actually," Mr. Han continued. "If other celebrities and well-known individuals want to engage in such activities in the future, they can also do so through the zoo''s tform. It''s a direct form of charity, and for the celebrities themselves, it''s a way to gain publicity."


    "So, Mr. Su, the Taoyuan-themed Weibo ount for the zoo is nearing eight hundred thousand followers, and the day-to-day traffic of the live streaming tform is continuously rising. Surely, part of this is due to the celebrity effect. What does the zoo have in mind for the future of the live streaming tform after Mr. Han leaves?"


    Nangong turned the conversation to Suming: "Will you continue to invite celebrities to participate in live streaming, as Mr. Han suggested?"


    "Definitely, that will continue. We are already starting to develop a mobile APP client. Regarding celebrity streamers, to be candid, multiple acimed individuals have proactively reached out to the zoo, hoping to participate in charity live streaming."


    Celebrities are all exceedingly savvy; they don''t need Mr. Han to make such a statement. Anyone with even a little fame wouldn''t truly be interested in those tens of thousands worth of gifts; it''s easier to simply donate them to the zoo for the benefit of the animals without any cost to themselves.


    In other words, in the future, when inviting celebrities to live stream, the zoo side won''t need to spend much money. Of course, top-tier celebrities might be an exception, but there are far too many willing celebrities from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, ready to promote without a charge.


    "You might remember, Jacky adopted a river dolphin baby, and I can reveal that he called me the day before yesterday, expressing his desire to visit the zoo and do a live stream with the river dolphin baby next time he''s in the maind. Of course, relying solely on celebrities isn''t enough to support the entire tform."


    Suming continued, "Animal performances are one aspect, celebrity participation is another, but additionally, the zoo is looking to hire full-time broadcasters. Celebrity hosts will support, but full-time broadcasts are the main focus."


    "Full-time broadcasters?" Nangong Yan echoed.


    "Yes, full-time broadcasters will be online for one to two hours every day, fostering interaction between the broadcaster, animals, and audience. This gives ordinary people a chance to showcase themselves on screen," he exined.


    Suming concluded with a smile, "The zoo''s mission has never been solely about protecting animals, nor is it about sacrificing humans for animal conservation, as extreme measures are not sustainable. As fellow beings on this, we hope for mutual advancement between humans and animals and harmonious coexistence with nature. Humans give animals a chance, and in return, animals offer humans a gift."

 Chapter 308 Eat Meat and Drink Soup

    Tired of discussing the topic of male gods with Wang Hao¡ªwhether it was the mainstream trend of charming young idols or the non-mainstream niche of sleazy, low-ss ones¡ªit all had nothing to do with him anyway. There''s definitely something wrong with the aesthetics of this era. A man who solely relies on his good looks like himself is no longer in demand. It''s truly tragic...


    Getting back to the main topic, he and Wang Hao discussed issues of employment and treatment of the anchors after recruitment.


    All the anchors, regardless of gender, would be temporarily managed by the Taoyuan Entertainment Company after being recruited; ording to Suming''s view, they should be regarded as something between ''employees'' and ''artists'' and temporarily managed as employees.


    As forpensation, it would primarily be based on the gifts received, as the anchors wouldn''t have a base sry. But unlike star anchors, thepany would no longer take a 30% management fee. After deducting the part that goes directly to the animals, the gifts for the anchor would be split fifty-fifty between thepany and the anchor.


    Suming also discussed some safety issues. Apart from a few rtively tame animals, most animals still posed a certain level of danger, so he instructed Wang Hao to work on drafting an employee management protocol and a safety manual or something simr as soon as possible. Initially, it was crucial not to allow anchors toe into direct contact with the animals.


    "I have another suggestion, and I''ll just give you a general direction. You figure out the specifics," Suming said to Wang Hao, pausing and turning around as he was about to leave.


    "What is it?"


    "Have you ever seen the auditions for ''Super Girl''?" Suming said with a grin.


    ...


    Though Wang Hao was still as round as a ball, Suming was quite confident in his working capabilities. Now that the online tform was smoothly up and running and the future development n set, all they needed to do was to follow the n systematically.


    In terms of recruitment specifics, Suming only gave a broad direction, and Wang Hao understood the drill and began to take action.


    He didn''t go about recruitment as typicalpanies would, such as renting out an office building or a room for private one-on-one interviews.


    Before the interviews started, Wang Hao specificallymissioned a construction team to build a small stage on the grass in Yangchuan Zoo and announced that the interview process would be held publicly in the zoo and simultaneously livestreamed on the online tform.


    At the same time, Wang Hao also contacted local vendors selling lobsters, beer, and fried chicken, preparing to set up food stalls during the interview.


    Just as Suming had said on TV, while the zoo''s live streaming tform aimed at promoting animal protection, it also gave grassroots talents a chance to showcase themselves before the public.


    So, following Suming''s ''suggestion,'' Wang Hao implemented the strategy, turning Taoyuan Entertainment''s internal audition into a public audition event akin to a reality show.


    The effect was indeed excellent. The first batch of auditions attracted arge crowd of onlookers, causing the zoo to unexpectedly extend its closing time to 9 PM.


    There was also a small incident where one day Ren Chen took the initiative to find Wang Hao and rmended a girl, hoping Wang Hao could pull some strings to let her be an anchor.


    When Wang Hao came to ask Suming, Suming didn''t want to get involved after hearing it was a rmendation from Ren Chen. Meeting with Ren Chen would be somewhat awkward, so he simply watched a video of the girl.


    She fit the bill perfectly, as pure as a natural big white cabbage grown with farm manure in the countryside, both fresh and vibrant, precisely what would appeal to the ideal image of the boy-next-door for homebodies.


    "With my years of experience in judging people, she''s definitely an expert in acting the innocent," Wang Hao said with conviction.@@novelbin@@


    "You decide on this matter. But Ren Chen didn''t just tter you for help, right?" Suming said with a smile.


    "He tried to give me a card, which I refused. Later, he expressed that theirpany would be willing to fully sponsor the auditions," Wang Hao said, grinning, "Don''t be fooled by his lecherousness; he really is willing to spend money on women."


    "Money from the easily deceived is not to be missed," Suming said lightly.


    Suming was beginning to find Ren Chen an interesting person. Ever since he stopped harassing Nangong¡ªif one could put aside his personal lifestyle issues¡ªfairly speaking, Ren Chen was not your traditional antagonist. He was well-mannered publicly, capable, self-aware, knew how to weigh his actions, and was different from the typical rich second-generation who acted high and mighty solely based on their family''s wealth and power.


    Suming even felt that Ren Chen''s current attempt to pull strings and sponsor with arge sum of money wasn''t just for that natural big white cabbage of a girl; it was likely also an effort to mend their rtionship. There was no need for Suming to step in. A simple interaction between Wang Hao and Ren Chen might suffice as a response to his goodwill.


    ...


    "What is Yangchuan City Zoo up to now!! Are they really gearing up for a ''Super Girl'' audition or what!"


    After Yangchuan Zoo''s live streaming tform became popr, other zoos were quick to copy and set up their own tforms, with some already in the testing phase.


    Imitating may seem somewhat embarrassing to talk about, but if it works, many are still willing to do it.


    However, Yangchuan Zoo was too much of a sensation, especially with its ''inviting celebrities to livestream'' and ''grassroots anchors''...


    The other zoos had no choice but to continue imitating; what else could they do if not follow the trend? Could they really attract audiences solely with their zoos'' animals?


    Not to mention the star fans economy and the aspiring grassroots economy created by Yangchuan Zoo''s live streaming tform already drawingrge audiences, even the appeal of the animals alone was no matchpared to those of Yangchuan City Zoo.


    The result was a rather awkward situation: imitation might not guarantee sess, but from the current point of view, not imitating was certain doom.


    So, other zoos timidly began their promotions, intending to invite celebrities and recruit grassroots anchors.


    Just a few days passed, and Yangchuan City turned its grassroots anchor recruitment into a grand, nationwide talent search feast.


    "Boss, are we still copying or what?" The assistant asked with a blushing face.


    Copying once might be ignored with augh, since there are many imitative shows now; but copying twice starts to look bad, and being caught copying is embarrassing and like chewing on leftovers.


    In just a short timeframe, copying three times in a row was practically turning into a joke. Does it mean that apart from Yangchuan City Zoo, other zoos around the country have no creative capacity at all? Are they only capable of copying?


    The executives themselves felt embarrassed even without the audience poking fun.


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    After long consideration, the leader finally sighed helplessly and said with rolling eyes, "We''vee this far, how can we not follow? If we follow, at worst we get to sip some soup even if they get to eat the meat."

 Chapter 310 Gold Shop Robbery??

    A group disembarked from the airne and took a shuttle bus to the exit where the local travel agency''s guide was already waiting. From afar, the guide came up to them, waving a small g and leading the group toward the waiting tour bus parked outside the airport.


    Before even leaving the airport, Suming spotted a woman holding arge sign, wearing exaggerated sunsses just like Nangong''s. The sign read: "Deputy Director Suming from Yangchuan Zoo."


    "It''s Julia!" Nangong recognized the personing to pick them up at once; it was Jacky''s female assistant. Julia, spotting Nangong, put down the sign and jogged over.


    Suming couldn''t help but be amazed; if he remembered correctly, these two women had only met once before when he helped Jacky with the concert nning, and they had gone shopping together.


    Half a year had passed since then, and despite being so far apart and both wearing superrge sunsses, they could still recognize each other.


    "Mr. Zhang, you guys go ahead on the bus and wait for me, I''m going over there to meet a friend," Suming said to the tour guide, then walked over to Julia with Nangong.


    After the two women met, they hugged each other warmly and chatted enthusiastically,plimenting each other on looking younger and how well the outfits suited them. Then Julia took a pale gold card out of her bag and handed it to Suming.


    "Mr. Su, the charity g will be held at 7 p.m. three days from now at the Penins Hotel. This is the invitation card, and you may bring ady with you."


    "Thank you," Suming ced the pale gold card in his bag and said to Julia, "Give my regards to Jacky."


    "Jacky asked me to apologize to you on his behalf. He''s tied up promoting his new movie and couldn''t possiblye to pick you up. If he makes it on time, he might also attend the charity g. Nangong, if you want to go shopping in the next few days, just CALL me, and I''ll apany you. These men only know how to make money; you just need to make sure you spend some of it for them, and that''ll be OK."


    Nangong smiled with pursed lips, while Suming mentally rolled his eyes. What kind of logic was that?@@novelbin@@


    Beforeing to Xiangjiang, Suming learned from a casual conversation with Zhao Yun that Sotheby''s was going to co-host a small charity g in May, which, in simple terms, was a charity auction.


    However, attending such a charity g wasn''t as simple as buying a $50 ticket. The attendees were either rich or noble, all social elites, directly invited by the organizers.


    Of course, invitations could still be bought with money. For example, the gold card in Suming''s pocket would cost 400,000 Hong Kong dors if sold. That meant even if you participated in the g and bought nothing, nor sold anything, you''d still have to fork out 400,000 just for a meal.


    All proceeds from the auction would eventually be donated to charity, so prices generally wouldn''t soar too high.


    While the items were not expensive, there were often some interesting and memorable trinkets, such as a beloved pocket watch of a certain Sir Akihito Ren, or antiques collected by some rich tycoon. Suming was quite interested and managed to get an invitation card through Jacky. He nned to bring Nangong with him to the g, adding a unique ''sight'' to the trip.


    After a brief chat with Julia and leaving a contact number in Xiangjiang, Suming and Nangong caught up with the zoo''s double-decker tour bus and left Lantau Ind along with therge group. Once the bus entered the rtively bustling Hong Kong Ind area, at the entrance of the famous Hennessy Road, Suming asked the driver to stop and got off the bus with Nangong.


    "We''ll go off on our own fun. You guys enjoy yourselves. Meet up at the hotel the night before we leave!"


    The zoo staff on the bus nodded cheerfully, except for Su Meng, who squeezed his head out of the window, pointing at his nose and calling out frantically.


    Suming winked at Nurse Hu, who was sitting in the same row, and then waved to Su Meng, saying, "Su Meng, don''t follow us. Hang out with everyone else, and don''t be afraid to spend some money on whatever you want to buy."


    After that, turning around, he took Nangong''s hand and the two of them ran into Hennessy Road, disappearing into the stream of people in the blink of an eye.


    ...


    Hennessy Road is located at the heart of Causeway Bay, connecting Wan Chai and Causeway Bay. Less than two kilometers long, it is one of the busiest and most bustling areas in the whole of Hong Kong. Jacky once shot a movie, "Full Moon over Hennessy," with scenes set in this location.


    Suming and Nangong Yan strolled hand in hand among the incessant flow of people, with jewelry and gold shops everywhere along the road, as well as lots of cheap snacks and tea restaurants full of Hong Kong''s traditional character. Looking up, they could see one of Hong Kong''s most famous shopping malls, the Sogo Department Store, not far away.


    The mix of high-end shopping venues and inexpensive, characteristic eateries formed the unique charm of Hennessy Road.


    Suming had previously thought the road was named after the brandy Hennessy, and Nangong had mercilessly teased him for this. Only then did he learn that the road was named in honor of a former governor of Hong Kong, the British Sir Hennessy.


    Just like Hong Kong''s Royal Police Headquarters building, Mailey Building, named in honor of Sir Charles Mailey, the first Commissioner of Police, and the famous Lai Tak Tsuen, named after the former Secretary for Public Works, Michael Wright, this glittering modern city of Xiangjiang is filled with too many traces of British colonialism.


    "Hey, hey, hey, it''s been over a decade since we were liberated, and the mighty and valiant troops stationed in the port are just a few kilometers away. You''re clearly a wicked capitalist, so stop acting like a proletarian fighter troubled by the concerns of the country and the people, will you!"


    Nangong''s eyes sparkled with excitement all the way, like a greedy mouse that had fallen into a chef''s banquet kitchen. Faced with countless tempting dishes, she had no idea where to start nibbling. Listening to Su Ming''s sentimental rant, she gave him a look as though she was looking at an idiot.


    "Why can''t I be concerned about the country and the people? I am a Party member!" Su Ming stated his stance firmly.


    "Alright, alright, Comrade Party member! My convictions aren''t as firm as yours. Now I''m off to be corrupted by capitalism! Hahaha!" Nangong Yan tossed a coquettish nce and dragged Su Ming into a Chow Sang Sang store by the roadside.


    Before the temptation of beauty, Comrade Su Ming, the Party member, copsed in defeat. Smitten by Nangong Yan''s flirtatious eyes, his party loyalty flowed away with the Pearl River into the sea, as he followed Nangong into the jewelry store.


    The store was teeming with people. Nangong squeezed up to the counter and pointed at a row of glittering jewelry below, asking the attendant to let her try them on, while she admired herself in the mirror without any real purpose.


    Su Ming curiously looked around. The Chow Sang Sang in Xiangjiang and in Yangchuan City weren''t all that different.


    The only difference was the crowds.


    In the Chow Sang Sang store in Yangchuan City, there were more staff than customers. The scenario at this Chow Sang Sang on Hennessy Road was the exact opposite¡ªcustomers almost bursting the store at the seams, most of them uniformed maind tourists speaking Mandarin, seemingly a tour group that had booked the entire ce.


    There was no incident like in my imagination where a tour guide and shopkeepers would suddenly lock the doors and force shopping. The atmosphere in the store was rtively harmonious, with the beautiful female attendants speaking Mandarin with a Cantonese ent and the tourists conversing in their local dialects.


    Finally, Nangong chose a pair of very extravagant gold earrings, looking like the type that divas in the eighties wearing batwing shirts might have donned.


    "You''re so out of touch. This is called retro. Fashion trendse in twelve-year cycles. Haven''t you seen how many girls are wearing skinny jeans again? These big earrings can look super chic with the right clothes!"


    The attendant maintained a very professional but never irritating smile as she confidently said, "Not only does thisdy look beautiful, but she also has top-notch taste..."


    Sometimes when women shop, it''s not so much about the quality of the goods, but more about buying a good mood. Even knowing that the female attendant was ttering her, Nangong still gave a pleased smile and was ready to pay with her card.


    Unexpectedly, the attendant hadn''t finished her praise. Seeing Nangong take out her card, she continued with a smile, "This style of earrings has a grand presence. If a younger girl wore them, it would just seem overly extravagant, but they are perfect for a truly mature and alluring woman, like you."


    Nangong had her card outstretched already but at thatment, withdrew her hand and red at the attendant, "What did you say? Do I look that old to you?"


    Su Ming almost burst outughing. Of course, Nangong wasn''t old¡ªshe wasn''t even twenty-five yet. It was her style that made her appear mature and worldly¡ªarge sunhat, oversized sunsses that covered half her face, and ace scarf. If it was a night out, she''d definitely be dazzling, but in a busy store, shepletely looked like a mature, elegant woman, not at all like a girl in her early twenties.


    "Let''s go, let''s go, I''m not buying it!" Nangong, stomping her feet in anger, pulled Su Ming and was ready to leave.


    "Buy it, buy it, buy it!" Su Ming said, holding back hisughter.


    Seeing Su Ming trying to suppress hisughter just made Nangong even more upset, "I refuse to wear stuff meant for old people!"


    "If you won''t wear it, give it to your mom, or I can take it back for mine," Su Ming couldn''t hold back any longer. He took out his card and handed it to the dumbstruck attendant, winking at her, "Wrap up those earrings."


    Seeing the deal that had flown awaye back, the attendant, after a moment of shock, gave Su Ming a grateful look and took the card, rapidly processing the transaction.


    In the end, the purchase was made. Four thousand two hundred Hong Kong dors, Su Ming didn''t ask for a tax refund, and left the Chow Sang Sang store with the little bag and Nangong Yan.


    No sooner had they stepped a dozen meters out of the jewelry store than Su Ming saw across the street, several people wearing face masks, each with arge backpack. There was a chill in their eyes visible behind the masks, a murderous vibe as they made their way towards the direction of the jewelry store.


    "Eh?! What''s going on? It''s not a jewelry store heist, is it!?"


    Su Ming instantly became thrilled. This was too exciting, a ssic scene from a Hong Kong cops and robbers movie¡ªthe big jewelry heist¡ªand he had stumbled upon it!

 Chapter 311 The God of Cookery

    Suming quickly pulled Nangong to one side to hide, but he couldn''t contain his excitement inside!


    The few men with masks, carryingrge bags, and a fierce gleam in their eyes took another step closer to the jewelry store, and with each step, Suming''s heart skipped a beat.


    At this moment, he was no longer a zoo director¡ªZhang Ziqiang, Hao, and Brother Haonan seemed to have possessed him, and he could even guess what was going to happen next!


    Soon, a car woulde screeching around the corner and crash into the jewelry store, then these men would pull out AKs from their bags, burst into the store, and shout, "This is a robbery, men to the left, women to the right, transgenders in the middle"...


    The female sales assistants, terrified out of their wits, might manage to keep cool and secretly press the hidden rm button under the counter...


    Two uniformed policemen on patrol around the corner, one hand on their revolver and the other pressing down their cap, would duck and hurry over, but upon seeing the police, the brazen gunmen with AKs wouldn''t hesitate to open fire, pinning down the inclothes officers with an onught of bullets, preventing them from raising their heads,


    "This is officer PC2300987, calling headquarters, we have a robbery on Hennessy Road, requesting backup, requesting backup!"


    The PTU assault team and the Flying Tigers would swarm in from all directions, and then a fierce shootout would ensue...


    If it really happened like this, Suming thought this trip to Xiangjiang would be totally worth it!


    Unfortunately, things often don''t go as one hopes.


    The ''ferocious-looking'' ''masked robbers'' stopped in their tracks behind the iron bars at the entrance of the jewelry store, calmly took out several big banners from theirrge bags, lifted them above their heads, and through the iron bars, shouted at the maind tourists in the store: "Parallel traders, go back home!"


    The uniformed patrol officers appeared as expected, two bespectacled inclothes officers walked over from the corner, but neither did they jog nor draw their guns, nor was there a scene of calling for Flying Tigers backup. The two patrol officers stood with their arms crossed, a look of helplessness on their faces, as they positioned themselves between the jewelry store and the ''masked robbers'' to prevent the anti-parallel traders from acting rashly.


    The maind tourists in the shop took a brief look outside, and seeing the police around, they continued shopping; many of the local Xiangjiang people passing by seemed to be used to this kind of scene, shaking their heads and walking around these protesting youths.


    "Damn it, the robbers turned into anti-parallel traders?" Suming was greatly disappointed. What happened to the Big Circle Boys? What happened to the major jewelry store robbery?


    Things were getting worse, not better!


    Nangong didn''t take these anti-parallel traders too seriously either, and they continued to shop along Hennessy Road, picking up some souvenirs and such. Coming out of Sogo Department Store, it was almost four-thirty in the afternoon, Nangong Yan touched her stomach and said, "I''m hungry after all this walking!"


    "I''m both tired and hungry!" Suming, carrying bags big and small, looked around and suddenly pointed to a small alleyway at the corner of the street, "Come on, let me treat you to some noodles!"


    At the entrance of the alley, there was an open-air stall set up, and surprisingly no police came to drive it away. There was no sign on the stall, but the makeshift dining tables around it were nearly full, which suggested the food must be pretty tasty.


    Nangong Yan held back a retort, "Hey, wee to Xiangjiang just to eat ramen?"


    "This isn''t just any ramen! Have you seen ''God of Cookery''? What Stephen Chow is eating in there, the mixed offal noodles that cost twenty to thirty bucks, are these!"


    Strictly speaking, what the noodle stall sold was cart noodles. The mixed offal noodles that Stephen Chow ate in the movie ''God of Cookery'' were a modified version of cart noodles.


    While exining, Suming led Nangong Yan across the street and shouted at the chubby stall owner who was scooping noodles, "Two bowls of cart noodles, extra pork skin and beef brisket, and two more servings of curry fish balls!"


    "Choose, want to add more noodles and soup too? Are the beef brisket and pork skin free of charge? Why not get three bowls then? Go take a seat and wait!" The sweaty, overweight owner didn''t even lift his head as heined rapidly and then swiftly went back to scooping noodles and preparing toppings.


    They found an empty table, and in just a few minutes, the fat owner brought over arge tray, mmed two bowls of noodles down on the table causing the soup to ssh, then ced two tes of round and shiny curry fish balls on the table and walked away.


    Despite the appalling service, the two bowls of cart noodles were brimming with more than the usual amount of beef brisket and pork skin, and the two tes of curry fish balls were also loaded with ingredients, round and glistening with a thickyer of broth poured over them, truly tantalizing.


    "Eat up, eat up. Curry fish balls are a mainstay of Xiangjiang''s street eats. It''s said that Xiangjiang consumes ten million fish balls a day. I did some research online, and this ce serves the most authentic fish balls and cart noodles around, a real old brand!" Suming said as he bit into a fish ball that was incredibly bouncy, nearly ecstatically so.


    Turning her head towards the owner''s retreating figure, Nangong Yan pouted in dissatisfaction, "Hmph, what an attitude! I''llin about him!"


    "All this for just over sixty bucks to fill us up, do you expect him to give us a smile and call us ''boss'' too? Come on, just eat, it''s super tasty!" Suming seemed unconcerned as he plucked a crispy piece of pork skin from his bowl and put it into Nangong''s.


    This is the charm of Xiangjiang''s street stalls; these small stall owners are ordinary folks, often culturally rudimentary and temperamental. Some owners are as warm as family, while others might dig their noses and toss sarcasticments at you as though you were enemies. No matter what, they always serve genuine goods and, unless it''s way out of line, they try their best to meet customers'' demands to ensure everyone is well-fed.


    "Ew, pork skin is so gross..." Nangong delicately held the pork skin with her chopsticks, bracing herself as she took a small bite.


    "How is it?" Suming asked, blinking curiously.


    "Mmm, mmm!" Nangong''s eyes shone as she nodded vigorously, gulping down the rest of therge piece of pork skin with indistinct mutterings, "Woah, so hot, so hot... Wow, it''s really tasty, it''s my first time eating such chewy pork skin!"


    In reality, cart noodles are just a cheap type of noodle dish in Xiangjiang, previously amon street food among the lower and middle sses in Xiangjiang, simr to beef noodles in maind China. Diners could choose their own toppings and soup, with options including beef brisket, pig''s blood curd, pork skin, radish, and a choice of beef sauce, satay sauce, or curry sauce. For around twenty bucks, you can have a satisfying meal with both meat and vegetables, delicious and affordable.


    But the same cart noodles can tastepletely different in the hands of different people.


    The cart noodles Karen Mok served in the movie "God of Cookery" were dreadful: the alkaline noodles weren''t rinsed with cold water, the fish ballscked both fish and curry vors, the radishes were too sinewy, the pork skin was overcooked andcked bite, and the worst part was a lump of shit still in the pig intestines¡ªit was aplete disaster!


    However, the cart noodles that Suming and his friends were now enjoying were the exact opposite. Beforeing to Xiangjiang, Suming had specifically done his homework, looking up numerous travel guides online and conducting a series of preparations.


    This little stall on the corner of Hennessy Road was run by a mysteriously devoted fat boss who had specialized in cart noodles for twenty-five years, setting up his stalle rain or shine, serving only cart noodles and curry fish balls, and attracting countless regrs. As a result, even the Hennessy Road police were too embarrassed to drive him away and tacitly allowed him to set up shop there.


    To do the simplest things to perfection, that''s art.


    "Try the curry fish balls again... Wow, they really taste different from what we usually eat..." While Suming was talking, he had already wolfed down the seven fish balls in front of him and turned to shout at the boss, "Two more servings of fish balls, please."


    "Damn kid, eating so fast, how can your uncle keep up! Wait a minute!" The fat boss shouted back without lifting his head, his hands moving like the wind among the steaming pots, the steam billowing around him like a hermit from another world.


    Nangong Yan''s mouth was already stuffed full with just one fish ball, her cheeks puffed out as she struggled to bite but didn''t dare to, asking worriedly, "Is it going to explode?"@@novelbin@@


    "It''s not a ''pee-cow'' meatball; what''s there to explode?"


    With one bite, the freshness of the fish and the aroma of the curry instantly spread through her mouth. Fresh and smooth, Nangong Yan''s mouth could hardly stop; she opened her mouth and fanned air into it nonstop, trying to cool down the somewhat hot fish balls while pulling on Suming''s sleeve and pleading, "It''s so delicious, what if we can''t eat this again? When you go back, you should start a fish ball shop too!"


    That was not a bad idea indeed¡ªfish balls made from the fish in Shuijun Lake would definitely be fantastic!


    But where to find a chef with skills like the fat boss''s?


    Such skilful master chefs usually have odd tempers, and even if you offer a high sry, they might not be willing to join.


    "Loser, don''t talk about your uncle behind his back. I''m old, but my ears aren''t deaf!"


    The big, fat boss appeared behind them out of nowhere, mming down tworge tes of freshly-made fish balls onto the table, followed by banging down two bottles of soy milk with a thud.


    "Well, considering you have some taste, your uncle will give you two drinks on the house."


    "Thank you, Uncle!" Nangong Yan said with a smile, looking up.


    ...


    Half an hourter, two bowls of cart noodles were polished off to thest drop of soup, and all four tes of curry fish balls were devoured without a single one left.


    Nangong Yan was like a ko, holding onto Suming''s arm with one hand and half-hanging off him, pouting with cheeks full andining, "I''m so stuffed! I''m going to die; now I''ll gain so much weight that I won''t be able to get in front of the camera when I get back!"


    "That''s what you get for gobbling down three tes of fish balls in one go¡ªtoote for regrets now!"


    "But they were really good, you know? Why do the exact same fish balls taste so much different in Yangchuanpared to here?"


    "Of course, that''s why they''re called time-honored brands."


    "Anyway, I''m so full, I need to digest. Where are we going tonight?" Nangong Yan, sitting on a street bench, took off her high heels to rub her feet.


    "You''re this tired and you still want to go out?" Suming gestured toward the nearby L''hotel Nina et Convention Centre and asked slyly, "How about we head to the hotel a bit early to settle in?"


    "Fat chance, we''re getting separate rooms at the hotel! Besides, it''s only five in the afternoon, settle in my ass!"


    Putting her high heels back on with a show of spirit, Nangong Yan jumped up, hands on hips, and pointing at the distant skyscrapers, she eximed loudly, "I want to enjoy the nightlife of Xiangjiang!"


    When ites to nightlife, there are two prime spots in Xiangjiang.


    The first choice is Lan Kwai Fong Bar Street along Queen''s Road, an L-shaped alley filled with a variety of bars, where countless handsome men and beautiful women release their abundant energy under the stimtion of neon lights and alcohol, living youth to the fullest.


    Clearly, that''s a ce to bring Su Meng or Wang Hao, but definitely not Nangong Yan.


    Plus, Suming wasn''t too fond of drinking himself.


    "So, where to?" Nangong Yan asked.


    "Haven''t you heard the saying? Chase stars in Seoul, bet on horses in Xiangjiang. Since we''re in Xiangjiang, how can we not go bet on horses at the Happy Valley Racecourse!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªSeparating line¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Shit, I actually forgot what I was going to say¡ªwas it soliciting votes, subscriptions, or something else??? Oh, it seems like Mother''s Day is around the corner. You guys should go home if you can, or make a phone call if you can''t! Wishing all mothers around the world good health!

 Chapter 312 The Peoples Good Police Officer

    In Xiangjiang, horse racing has a history of over 100 years. Initially, it was a purelypetitive sport among jockeys and between horse owners, with bets limited to a bottle of champagne or a dinner. However, as the economy of Xiangjiang soared, horse racing gradually evolved into a professional sport, bing integrated into the lives of the people. Over one-third of the poption in Xiangjiang are horse-racing enthusiasts, making it a stylish leisure and social activity, and one of the most representative aspects of Xiangjiang culture.


    It also brings about considerable economic benefits.


    The most profitable industry in Xiangjiang is not filmmaking or entertainment, not manufacturing, not even import and export trade, but legal gambling!


    Out of all forms of gambling, betting on horses and the Mark Six Lottery are the most prominent. Just betting on horses alone can reach a total annual betting turnover of nearly a hundred billion Hong Kong dors. The Xiangjiang Jockey Club, which manages these two businesses, even turns over a gambling tax that exceeds 10% of Xiangjiang''s total tax revenue.


    No wonder our great chief architect had the insight to propose "fifty years unchanged," with horses still running and dances still going ¨C truly a visionary!


    The Happy Valley Racecourse, also known as the Happy Valley Racetrack, is the first professional racetrack in Xiangjiang. It''s located in the bustling Wan Chai District and surrounded by dense skyscrapers. Due to the night races happening today, traffic near Happy Valley is extremely congested. Suming and Nangong Yan, sitting in a taxi, are less than a kilometer away from the main gate of the Happy Valley racetrack, but the road ispletely blocked.


    The taxi driver inches forward with the traffic, grumbling about the congestion in Cantonese.


    The streets are crowded with people, all heading towards the main entrance of the Happy Valley racetrack. After inching along for over ten minutes without even covering a hundred meters, Suming simply hands the driver some Hong Kong bills and then, pulling Nangong, decides to proceed on foot.


    The night at Happy Valley is brightly lit; the surrounding area packed with upscale residential blocks and high-end hotels. Nearly half the pedestrians are foreigners, and as they walk along, several buildings feel strangely familiar.


    "They say lots of TV dramas and movies are filmed here at Happy Valley, maybe we''ll run into a celebrity!" Nangong Yan says with a giggle, looking around excitedly.


    "That''s very possible. This ce is crawling with celebrities; many of Xiangjiang''s stars like to gamble on horses, and I think Jacky is even a member of the Horse Club."


    Following the crowd on foot, they finally arrive at the entrance of the Happy Valley racetrack. On both sides of the entrance, there are rows of betting terminals for buying horses and betting on the Mark Six. If one does not wish to buy a ticket and enter, they can ce bets right at the terminals. Outside, it''s easy to listen clearly to the live racementary, and with a good vantage point, one might even see the live broadcast on the big screens inside the racetrack.


    However, since they''vee all this way, they obviously want to enter and see for themselves. The ticket line has already formed several long queues, and Suming is about to join the line with Nangong when Nangong says, "Hold on a second," and runs to the betting terminal to fiddle with it.


    "We should go in and check out the horses'' conditions before cing our bets," Suming remarks curiously.


    "No, no, I''m buying Mark Six!" Nangong takes two lottery tickets from the ticket dispenser, grins at Suming, and says, "If I hit the jackpot, I''ll take care of you, brother!"


    "Guess I''m out of luck for this lifetime then," Sumingughs. While he''s somewhat confident about betting on horses, when ites to Mark Six, not even God can guarantee who will win.


    "You never know. Let''s go, buy the tickets now."


    There are two types of admission tickets for the racetrack: a general admission fee of 10 Hong Kong dors, which visitors like Suming from the maind can ess for free by presenting their Maind Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents;


    the other is called "Tourist Badge," costing 100 Hong Kong dors, granting ess to the "Members'' Enclosure." The facilities and the view from the Members'' Enclosure are much better than those from the general admission area, offering a full view of the entire racecourse.


    Because of the dy in buying lottery tickets, by the time they went to purchase admission tickets, the Members'' Enclosure tickets were already sold out, with only general admission tickets avable.


    Upon hearing that there were no tickets left, Nangong pouted and asked Suming, "What do we do now? Should we buy tickets at a higher price from someone else? Do you think there are scalpers here?"


    "I doubt it," Suming shakes his head and looks around. Police officers are patrolling almost everywhere around the entrance of the racetrack.


    During Suming''s first visit to Xiangjiang, he experienced firsthand how strictly the police enforced thews ¨C a taxi driver had been fined by a female traffic officer for an illegal parking vition in an unattended corner of the airport, all in less than ten seconds.


    Interestingly, the driver kept cursing and urging the officer to hurry up with the ticket.


    In such a high-profile venue as Happy Valley, with so many patrolling officers around, it''s unlikely scalpers would have room to operate.


    Even if there were scalpers, Suming wouldn''t want to buy tickets from them. He hated ticket resellers. They disrupt the normal market order, making it difficult for the sick to get doctor''s appointments and for home-goers to find tickets, ultimately scamming ordinary people.


    "So, what do we do?"


    "Let me think..." Suming scratches his head, recalling a travel guide to Xiangjiang he had read.


    There''s a risky method they could try.


    "Did youe up with a n?" Nangong asks expectantly.


    "Hehehe... Nangong, you look really young today..."


    "Huh? Every time you speak like that, it''s never good news!"


    "What are you talking about? I''m taking you to buy some clothes!" Suming grabs her and runs towards a clothing store not far from there.


    "What? We''re here to watch the race, why are we buying clothes now?!"


    ...


    They shop with urgency; buying and changing on the spot. Soon, Suming and Nangong Yan emerge from a clothing store not far from the ticket office.


    Nangong now looks like apletely different person. She has shed her earlier wealthy attire, stuffed it into her bag, and changed into a pure-looking schoolgirl outfit that seems to drip with innocence. She has also removed her makeup, switched high heels for t sports shoes, and slung a backpack over her shoulder, suddenly appearing seven or eight years younger.


    "Will this work?" Nangong tries to hold back herughter, looking somewhat uncertain.


    "I don''t know for sure. I''ve seen this trick online, and it''s said to be effective. Plus, I believe in your acting skills. Besides, it''s no problem if it doesn''t work; you look pretty good in this outfit too," Suming says, sizing up Nangong with satisfaction and nodding his head.@@novelbin@@


    "Cut it out," Nangongughed so hard he could barely breathe, "Do you know that just now, when we were paying, the clerk at the clothing store looked at you like you were some kind of perverted pedophile."


    This really wasn''t the clothing store clerk''s fault. As soon as Suming walked in, he started moring to buy clothes that made him look young, the younger the better, ideally to make Nangong look twelve. Nangong wasn''t very old to begin with, so naturally the clerk thought it was weird when he heard this request.


    Thinking about Suming''s ''n'', Nangong tried to suppress hisughter, took hold of him and whispered, "Hey, hey, don''t you think we''re being too naughty, like we''re bullying the police oppas? Look at these oppas, each one is both handsome and cute..."


    "I''m so sick of all this cutesy soft-boy crap!" Suming rolled his eyes, "And how is it bullying? This is helping the policerades in Xiangjiang serve the people better! Enough talk, I''m off to buy the tickets. You wait here, and don''t get kidnapped by human traffickers, okay?"


    "Go on, I''m not really a child."


    Suming raced to the ticket counter, bought two tickets for the public stands, and hurried back, handing one to Nangong. Then, arm in arm like a close couple, they headed toward the entrance.


    The ticket checker, a woman in her thirties, took their tickets and raised her head to stare at Nangong for a moment, then looked at Suming with confusion, but didn''t let them through.


    "Is there a problem?" Suming asked.


    Hearing Suming''s Mandarin, the ticket checker grew more puzzled and turned to Nangong, "How old are you this year, over eighteen yet?"


    A sh of panic crossed Nangong''s face as if he''d been caught, but then he defiantly raised his head in a rebellious schoolgirl manner, "None of your business!"


    Nangong''s words were in perfectly standard Cantonese, however. Find exclusive stories on empire


    "No admittance for those under eighteen. Please, show me your ID card," the ticket checker said sternly.


    Hearing that she needed to show her ID card, Nangong seemed to panic all at once, stammering, "I... I''ve been over eighteen for a while." After saying that, his big eyes spun around seeking help, looking to Suming.


    The ticket checker''s eyelids twitched as she stared at Suming.


    Suming frowned slightly and, as if he''d just thought of a n, said forcefully, "You have no right to check my ID card."


    Seeing their behavior, the female ticket checker became even more suspicious and promptly stopped checking tickets at their line. She gestured to a colleague nearby with a shout in Cantonese and then said to Suming and Nangong, "Please wait a moment."


    After saying that, she turned and left, heading toward a young police officer patrolling not far away.


    "Wow, we can actually..." Nangong turned, his back to the others, and gave Suming a thumbs-up.


    "Don''tugh, be careful not to give us away." Suming kept a straight face as he spoke.


    In no time, the ticket seller came back with a young police officer. The cop wasn''t much older than Suming, a tall guy nearly six feet, in a police uniform that was utterly captivating.


    He nced impassively at Nangong and Suming, then adjusted the brim of his hat, "Hello, please show me your identification."


    "We''re tourists from the maind, we haven''tmitted any crime, on what grounds are you checking our ID cards?" Suming defiantly said, his neck craned.


    "I''m sorry, but now I have reason to suspect you of abducting an underage girl. Please cooperate ande with me to the police office at the racecourse."


    The police in Xiangjiang indeed enforced thew strictly, but sometimes they were too rigid. If they found someone without an ID card during a check, they had the right to detain them. And since Nangong appeared underage, it was even more suspicious.


    The officer pulled out a small notebook, jotting something down with a serious expression. After finishing, he spoke into the radio on his shoulder, "Calling headquarters, a suspected case of child abduction at the racecourse, send a riot van."


    "Alright, I''ll cooperate, but there''s no need for a riot van. I''m not some big-time gangster." Suming shrugged, thinking to himself that this was an abuse of government resources. They were just two unarmed tourists, yet even a riot van was being called in¡ªas if the fuel cost nothing.


    Why not call in the Flying Tigers or even request the People''s Liberation Army to deploy?


    However, upon hearing the words ''gangster'', the policeman''s expression changed. He leapt back over a meter as if facing a great enemy, grabbed the gun on his belt, and bent slightly as he shouted fiercely, "Put your hands on your head!"


    Suming: "..."


    Now this was just great. They hadn''t run into any gangsters robbing a jewelry store on Hennessy Road, but here at the racecourse, this jittery cop was treating them like criminals.


    Dutifully taking Nangong with him, they followed the officer to the racetrack police office. As soon as they entered, without waiting for the officer to ask, Suming took out and ced both their IDs on the desk.


    The officer studied the birth dates on the ID cards, carefully looked them over, andpared their faces with the IDs, clearly taken aback.


    "One moment, please." He took the IDs and left the room, probably to verify them.


    It wasn''t long before the officer returned, politely handed back their IDs, and said apologetically, "I''m truly sorry for the inconvenience caused. On behalf of the racecourse and the police force, I would like to extend our apologies to you both..."


    Suming''s eyes widened innocently as he looked at the officer, waiting for him to continue.


    "Additionally, to make up for your loss, after discussing with the Horse Club, we would like to offer you seating in the member''s area if you are still interested in watching the race," the policeman finally got to the crucial point.


    Who could have thought it would actually work! Suming''s eyes brimmed with moved tears, "That''s what a good people''s policeman is all about."


    "Thank you so much! Also, there''s no need to apologize, I am a party member, and cooperating with your work is my duty!"

 Chapter 313 Betting on Horses

    "I''m really sorry for holding up both of your precious time¡­"


    That old-fashioned and somewhat adorable police officer had escorted Suming and Nangong Yan all the way to the gates of the racetrack. When they parted, he was still apologizing profusely, the expression of guilt unmistakable on his face.


    As they were saying goodbye, the officer even took out his own wallet to treat them each to a cup of pearl milk tea.


    I won''tugh, I just won''tugh, I''m determined not tough, I''m sure I can hold it in¡­ In the end, I couldn''t help it. No sooner had the police officer turned around to leave than Suming and Nangong Yan burst outughing behind his back. Suming was leaning against the wall, Nangong against Suming, both of them were nearly bending over withughter.


    "You¡­ how can you always be¡­ so full of mischief¡­" Nangong said, leaning on Suming, her small hand constantly pping his shoulder, as milk tea sshed everywhere from the other hand, her body shaking withughter, wordsing out in fits and starts, "Oh my,ughing so hard my stomach hurts¡­ just now¡­ in the guard room, I almost¡­ couldn''t hold it in¡­"


    After all, Suming was a guy, and his threshold forughter was just a tad higher. Although he was struggling to contain his own mirth, he somehow managed to keep his cup of milk tea from spilling.


    To be honest, he learned this trick from a sneaky strategy online, and at first, he didn''t expect it to seed at all. Since they were out on a trip, the oue didn''t matter. If the police wouldn''t let them into the VIP section in the end, it was all right; it would just be a small adventure and fun.


    Who would have thought, it actually worked, just like what was described in the online guide.


    These Xiangjiang police are just too adorable.


    "I won''t do it again, I won''t do it again. The police officer was so na?ve and cute, I almost wanted to go up and tell him the truth." Suming took a sip of his milk tea and, perhaps it was just psychological, but it seemed to taste better than the ones sold in Yangchuan City.


    I''m a party member, after all. It''s not good to always worship things from abroad. But then again, since we''ve already returned, the police officer and the milk tea can''t be considered ''foreign'', can they?


    "Let me have a drink, damn it, I''ve spilled all of mine." Nangong caught her breath and leaned in toward the straw in Suming''s milk tea, eagerly sipping until half the cup had disappeared, finally pulling back contentedly.


    By the time they were talking, the two of them had made their way to the members'' seats on the second floor.


    As expected from the premium treatment, not only was the view expansive and the spacerge, but there was even a buffet at the back with free fruit drinks, small cakes, and unbelievably, even barbecue!!


    If this were in the maind, a hundred yuan ticket for the members'' area would absolutely be a losing proposition. There might even be people who could eat all day with a single ticket. Yet, not many people were getting food from the back, even though the races had not yet started and most of the audience was focusing on the track below. Only a few people passing by the buffet bothered to get some drinks, hardly anyone was seen loading up their tes as Suming had imagined.


    Damn it, there I go worshipping foreign things again!


    Nangong shook her phone and said with a giggling smile, "I secretly filmed the police officer. If I uploaded the video on a live streaming tform, it would definitely blow up."


    That was certain. But Suming still had some principles. Although he was joking, no matter what, the cop had helped them out and had been very responsible. To have him fooled and then put the video online, how would the man be able to work and face people without bing aughingstock?


    This was like stirring up trouble between two sides of the strait.


    "Oh, I get it, I''ll delete the video." Nangong stuck out her tongue and deleted the video.


    As Suming led her through the back row, they realized that everywhere they looked people were smoking and drinking, with lots of cigarette butts and racing stubs littering the ground. Nangong Yanughed and said, "See, not everything about capitalism is good, right? Yangchuan City has a smoking ban in public ces."


    Nangong hadn''t done her homework beforeing, but Suming knew that no-smoking signs were posted all over Xiangjiang street and that littering could result in a fine of 2000 Hong Kong dors; the enforcement was very strict.


    The only exception was the racetrack. Inside the racetrack,plete rxation and freedom prevailed¡ªpeople could smoke if they wanted to, drink if they wanted to, and throw things on the ground without anyone caring.


    Actually, there were no seats left in the members'' area. It was filled with people chatting or studying the racing guide with heads bowed. Fortunately, there weren''t many rules about watching the horses¡ªit was all about being rxed andfortable. Many people just leaned against the railing. Suming simply stepped forward and sat on the railing, while Nangong leaned against the fence, craning her neck to see below.


    The racetrack below was a circr track, over 1400 meters in total length. Each race featured 12 horses, and ording to the announcement, there would be eight races tonight: two long-distance races of 2200 meters, two mid-distance races of 1600 meters, and the remaining four as middle or short-distance races.


    Horse racing has one particrity, no matter how long the course is, the finish line doesn''t change; it''s the starting position that gets adjusted.


    Once the starting positions are determined, arge tractor would pull the starting gates to the designated spot. After the jockeys lead their horses into the gates, they would be ready to start the race.


    There''s still some time before the race begins, and neither the jockeys nor the horses have appeared on the field. On the big screen across the racetrack, the information for the twelve horsespeting in the first 800-meter race is already scrolling, and the host introduces the horses and their jockeys to the audience in a rhythmic voice.


    "Which one shall we bet on? Which one?" Nangong, attending a horse race for the first time, hadn''t even seen the horses yet but was already revved up by the atmosphere on site, tugging at Suming, extremely excited.


    "Calm down, calm down, you''re about to bubble at the nose."


    "I am not." Nangong couldn''t help but touch her nose anyway.


    Suming turned on his phone''s camera and 4Gwork, connecting to a video call with Wang Hao, who was holding a stack of files in his hand, presumably the resumes of candidates applying for a broadcasting position.


    "You sure seem to be having fun, man. Holy cow, are you watching football?"


    Through Suming''s phone camera, one could just make out therge grassy expanse of the racetrack, and Wang Hao mistook it for a ser field.


    "I''m at the racecourse. Don''t say I''m not loyal, there are twelve horses in total. You tell me which one you fancy, and I''ll ce a bet for you," Suming chuckled as he pointed the camera at the distant big screen.@@novelbin@@


    "I can''t see the names at all! Here''s the deal, bet on the one with the coolest name for me, five hundred bucks!"


    The coolest name? Suming went over them one by one, from top to bottom: Mount Chang Storm, Thunderbolt Rifle, Bailiwang, Born to Wealth... Ah, this one''s cool, it''s called ''Governor''s Scepter''!


    "Alright, if it wins, it''s yours; if not, it''s on me."


    After hanging up the phone, a smallmotion arose on the track below, as many tourists and gamblers left their seats and surged toward the small track next to the field.


    The jockeys finally led their horses out for an appearance, casually walking in the exhibition area to the left of the field, epting the final inspection from the gamblers, who could take thisst chance to observe the condition of the horses and jockeys in order to finalize their bets.


    A racehorse''s performance is greatly affected by its condition before the start of the race. A horse that usually performs very well mayg behind if it looks lethargic before the race; conversely, even a normally poorly performing horse can cause an upset if it is in high spirits.


    There''s a difference between animals and humans. Humans can rely on various scientific methods to minimize the effects of their condition, but animals can''t. They are wholly influenced by their state due to their nature.


    Many of the gamblers in the members'' area also left, groups of two or three descending the steps along the side to go downstairs and check out the horses. Suming and Nangong squeezed into the crowds below, and saw that these racehorses were a world apart from the horses one might see in a normal zoo used for photo opportunities; each one sported a fine coat and a robust figure, and for the race, they had even received a fresh trim of their mane on their heads and had their tails neatly groomed, fluttering in the wind like a soft fabric conditionermercial.


    The jockeys, however, didn''t look quite as good, most of them were quite handsome but, to reduce the horses'' load, all had two things inmon: first, they were skinny; second, they were rtively short. As thin as they could be, as short as they could be.


    If someone like Suming stood among them, he would definitely be considered tall and strong.


    "So handsome, so handsome!" Nangong, being bold, stuck her head out and got close to a ck horse named ''Great Joy'', snapped a quick selfie, and excitedly posted it to her Moments,pletely forgetting the original purpose of her visit.


    Actually, remembering the original purpose wouldn''t have done much good; they hade down to observe the condition of the horses, but Nangong didn''t know the first thing about horses, and neither did Suming, who simrlycked knowledge about horse conformation. It was difficult for them to discern the condition of a horse just by looking into its eyes or such.


    But he had spiritual power.


    Spiritual power whooshed out, epassing all twelve horses.


    Racing is simr to human athleticpetitions; for instance, in the Olympic 110-meter hurdles, the athletes themselves cannot be certain of the oue. Even someone as formidable as Liu Xiang or as fly as Bolt wouldn''t dare guarantee their cement before the race has started. Find more to read at empire


    However, as ''athletes''peting in the same event, they do have some understanding of their own condition and a rough idea of their opponents.


    Just like Liu Xiang might feel his condition is quite good on a given day, and there aren''t too many strongpetitors present, he wouldn''t guarantee first ce, but he would still be confident of making the top three.


    The situation now was simr; the moment the horses made contact with the spiritual power, theirrge eyes all turned a few times, they flicked their elegant tails, and turned their heads curiously to look at Suming.


    "How are you feeling?"


    "How do you feel today?"


    "Do you feel confident?"


    "What? You''re brimming with power, eager for action? Cut the crap, I just looked at the race predictions, and nobody''s betting on you..."


    "Mm-hmm, you''ve had good results before, and you seem confident today too, very good, I''m counting on you..."


    ...


    It turned out that horses'' intelligence wasn''t below that of monkeys, and they seemed even more personable than monkeys. Suming''s munication'' with the twelve horses went extremely smoothly; it didn''t take much effort to get a clear sense of their ''self-evaluation''.


    The horse that had posed for a photo with Nangong, named ''Great Joy,'' seemed to be in the best condition. Although its past results were mediocre, at this moment, the animal was like an embodiment of Ye Liangchen, full of confidence.


    "Comrades, do your best, and I wish you all great sess!"


    After greeting the horses, he pulled Nangong along and hurried toward the betting station, "Let''s go, time to ce our bets!"

 Chapter 314 Great Joy and Lion Castle Dragon

    The methods for betting on horse races are incredibly diverse, with various bettingbinations. Suming didn''t have the time to study each one, so he just looked at a few of the simpler and moremon options.


    Win, which means correctly guessing the first-ce horse in a particr race;


    ce, guessing one of the horses to finish in the top three;


    These two types have rtively higher chances of winning, so their odds are ordingly lower. Even when you factor in the individual odds for the horses, the numbers aren''t startling, usually only a few to several times the bet. For example, in a race with 12 horses, a win would theoretically pay out 12 times; ce would be 4 times.


    But each individual horse also has its own odds. With the same win bet, betting on a hot favorite would mean a smaller payoff if sessful, while a longshot win would yield higher rewards.


    This time, the hottest for win betting was Governor''s Scepter. If you bet on it and Governor''s Scepter actually took first, you''d likely get around 8.92 times your bet. The longshot ''Lionsgate Dragon,'' if it managed to win, could pay out 21 times.


    Suming had previously paid special attention to ''Lionsgate Dragon,'' hoping for a spectacr upset.


    But the result was disappointing. No wonder this horse was a longshot; its form was bizarre, disying not even a hint of fighting spirit, utterly listless, and slightly rascally - as if embodying the attitude ''a dead pig doesn''t fear boiling water.'' After all, if I''m already at the bottom, could I possibly finish worse?


    Horses are naturallypetitive and hate to lose. In the wild, when one horse starts running, the others will follow without hesitation, not to follow, but to overtake. People often use the term "dragon-horse spirit" to describe someone who is tenaciously striving. It''s uncertain how that jockey trained this naturally spirited racehorse into a listless hooligan.


    In addition to win and ce betting, which have low odds and straightforward gamey, there are also several types with high odds but low chances of winning that involveplex y. These include high school level permutations andbinations.


    Quine, guessing the first and second ce horses in a single race; for a race with 12 horses, theoretically, it could pay out 66 times;


    T cepot, guessing the top three regardless of order, could reach an astounding 220 times; Explore hidden tales at empire


    Trifecta, urately guessing the first, second, and third horses in order. Suming, whose math teacher had left the world too soon, fiddled with his phone for a while, and the payout was over a thousand times!


    The most terrifying are the Quartet and First Four.


    Both the Quartet and First Four involve guessing the first four ces, the difference being the former requires exact positions, thetter does not; ordingly, the payouts are roughly ten thousand times and five hundred times¡­


    "No wonder in Xiangjiang movies, every Xiangjiang person gambles on horse racing as if they''re crazy. Once they get so-called ''insider information,'' they''d even borrow money to bet. Put a thousand on a Quartet, and if it hits, that''s ten million!"


    For the first time, Suming felt that his own earning capacity was truly too low!


    Of course, hitting the right bet is not that simple. Horse betting is quiteplex; different betting types, odds fluctuations, the horses'' conditions and track records all contribute to a constantly changing ''matrix'' of elements. In theory, to make money, one must choose the optimal state of several elements and strike during that most stable moment in the betting matrix. That''s why there are many popr horserace guides, teaching people how to bet on horses, and all sorts of self-proimed experts and horse-gods bing famous.


    But it''s all in vain, just like with the lottery. If these so-called experts and horse gods were really that great, they wouldn''t be selling horserace guides for a living.


    Suming decided to ce a bet of five hundred for Wang Hao on Governor''s Scepter for the win, then, thinking it over and based on the information he had just gleaned from the horses, he made his own bets.


    "Five hundred on Number Four, Joyful Heart for the win; five hundred on Judge, Joyful Heart, Governor''s Scepter for the Trifecta; five hundred on Governor''s Scepter, Joyful Heart for the Quine."


    Nangong, who knew nothing about this, chimed in from the side, "I''ll also bet on Joyful Heart for the win, five hundred."


    Two thousand Hong Kong dors were handed over in exchange for four thin printed tickets. In the vast majority of cases, this money is as good as thrown away, contributing to the special administrative region''s charitable welfare and the development of the Xiangjiang Jockey Club.


    After returning to the stands, the tractors down on the racetrack had put the starting gates in ce. The jockeys were mounted and ready to go, waiting only for the signal to start the race.


    Then there was a bit of an incident; eleven horses obediently followed their riders into the gates, but the least favored longshot, ''Lionsgate Dragon,'' resisted by pressing its head against the gate. No matter how much the jockey urged it, it just twisted its hindquarters stubbornly, absolutely refusing to enter.


    The crowds on both the upper and lower levels of the racetrack were soonughing uproariously, and the jockey was extremely embarrassed. He dismounted, gently brushed Lionsgate Dragon''s mane with a brush, and murmured something into its ear as if pleading with it.


    Nangong was also quite surprised and remarked, "There are horses that don''t listen to their owners too?"


    "Of course, after all, horses are animals," replied Suming with a shrug. The rtionship between a racing horse and its jockey is one of cooperation, not hierarchy.


    Not just racing jockeys, but even the animals in a zoo have their own personalities and temperaments. Sometimes when they''re in a mood, they might not listen at all. They have to be handled like children, with a mix of coaxing, deceiving, and sometimes, even intimidation.


    It''smon to see such interesting incidents ur during horse betting. Horses with personality are very popr. For example, even though Lionsgate Dragon has consistently poor results, the organizers still invite it and its jockey to every event.


    "I think you treat women the same way: a mix of sweet-talking and deceiving," Nangong said as he unwrapped a lollipop and popped it into his mouth, grumbling as he sucked on it.


    "You''re too old for lollipops, what if you spoil your teeth and can''t appear on TV?!" Suming red and snatched the lollipop, stuffing it into his own mouth.


    Nangong: "..."


    After much coaxing for nearly seven or eight minutes, Lionburg Dragon finally twisted its ***** and reluctantly entered the starting gate.@@novelbin@@


    On the racecourse''s big screen, twelve horses were lined up behind the gate, ready for action, and suddenly the entire track fell silent.


    Under mechanical control, a row of starting gates slowly lifted simultaneously, and all the horses burst out of the gates at almost the exact same moment!


    Including Lionburg Dragon, which initially refused to enter the gate, twelve horses galloped away, vying for the lead on their way to the finish line, with the jockeys perched on their steeds, standing in the stirrups, their bodies buoyantly bobbing up and down with the rhythm of the horses.


    At the start of the race, the spectators at the side of the track didn''t shout aloud; instead, they were surprisingly quiet.


    The only sound was the announcer''s voiceing from the loudspeakers.


    "Now leading is Governor''s Scepter, Governor''s Scepter is the big favorite of this race... Wow, the Chief Justice is close behind, just half a horse length away..."


    The first race was just an 800-meter sprint, and after running less than 300 meters, the leaders had already begun to emerge clearly. Leading the first group were the two biggest favorites, Governor''s Scepter and Chief Justice.


    And, living up to expectations, Lionburg Dragon wasgging behind atst ce...


    "What''s going on? Wow, Great Joy! After half a turn, Great Joy has caught up. It''s now in third ce, wow, and Great Joy has just overtaken Chief Justice, but Chief Justice retakes the lead, it''s a real dragon and tiger fight, both horses now side by side in second ce..."


    After half a turn, Great Joy, in good form, suddenly exerted itself, surging from fifth to run neck and neck with the second-ce horse!


    "Ouch!" Suming suddenly felt a sharp pain in his palm as if something had pricked him hard; it turned out Nangong, seeing the long shot he bet on - Great Joy - possibly pulling an upset, was so tense she had dug her nails into his palm.


    The 800-meter race was extremely short; from the horses breaking out of the starting gates to nearly finishing, the race announcer only had time to utter a few words.


    With only thest fifty meters to the finish line, all eyes were on the three or four horses in the leading group!


    The racecourse, which was eerily quiet just moments before, suddenly erupted as the leading horse rounded thest bend, less than fifty meters from the finish line, with a deafening roar of cheers!


    Almost all gamblers stood up, rushing to the rails or hopping onto their seats, waving their betting slips in the air, shouting themselves hoarse cheering on the horses they bet on!


    "Great Joy, go go go! Great Joy!" Nangong was so excited that sweat dripped down, a damp lock sticking to her forehead.


    "Governor''s Scepter is in the lead, with Great Joy and Chief Justice going head to head... Oh my God, Yellow River Enterprises is making a move, overtaking the two horses in front, and is now contending for third with Chief Justice..."


    As they approached the finish line, the unforeseen happened again! A horse named ''Yellow River Enterprises'' that had been in and unremarkable suddenly powered through, passing several horses ahead of it, and even left this race''s heavy favorite ''Chief Justice'' behind by a third of a horse''s length, charging into the third spot to vie with Great Joy for second!


    The entire ce was aboil, and even Suming couldn''t help but stand and cheer loudly for Great Joy!


    This is the allure of horse betting; even the most perspicacious jockeys and horse experts don''t know what will happen next!


    But as quickly as the moment arrived, Governor''s Scepter was already first across the finish line, followed closely by Great Joy and Yellow River Enterprises, who finished neck and neck. Chief Justice was behind by two horse heads in fourth, with the rest of the field following in session.


    Because the rivalry for second and third ce was so close, ordinary viewers couldn''t tell the difference; the big screen reyed the slow-motion footage, and the announcer''s voice chimed in: "Governor''s Scepter wins as expected, the contest for second ce is so intense, Great Joy causes a surprise by a margin of half a horse''s head over Yellow River Enterprises..."


    As the dust settled, the punters had mixed expressions; those who won danced and embraced, celebrating, while those who lost tossed their tickets to the ground, some spat in anger, cursing at something.


    Just then, a wave ofughter spread from the edge of the field.


    Everyone''s attention had been fixed on the first group, and nobody noticed what was happening behind.


    Lionburg Dragon hadn''t even run 500 meters before it was left behind by twenty or thirty meters by the other horses, and hardly anyone paid attention to it. Lionburg Dragon''s jockey seemed to have been thrown off it; it wasn''t until long after all the horses had passed the finish line that he, limping, led Lionburg Dragon across the line.


    Amid theughter, there was still scattered apuse from the sidelines, praising the jockey''s professionalism. Regardless, he had persisted and pleted'' the race.


    Lionburg Dragon had probably never received so much attention and seemed quite proud, tossing its mane.

 Chapter 315 Casino Lights

    After the first race ended, the gamblers took advantage of the intermission to either go collect their winnings or ce bets for the next race.


    Wealth departs and happiness remains, as long as there''s gambling to be done, the gambler doesn''t consider it a loss. Gamblers will not leave the track until they''ve spent theirst penny; as long as the horse races continue throughout the day, there is endless hope, and the vast racecourse is like a perpetual money-sucking machine, constantly absorbing vast fortunes without rest.


    "Not! Happy! At all!"


    Nangong muttered, she and Suming had both bet on Big Happy to win, but Big Happy came in second, just a hair away from first ce.


    It was Wang Hao who had casually bet on ''Governor''s Scepter'' to win, and earned over six thousand.


    "You''re still not satisfied? You forgot I also bet on the triple trio and the double!"


    Nangong, confused by these moreplex betting types, asked cluelessly, "Did you win anything then?"


    Suming and Nangong were in line to collect their prizes when he looked at the three horse tickets in his hand and said, "Yellow River Enterprises suddenly burst forward, so the triple trio was a miss; but it looks like the double won with Governor''s Scepter and Big Happying in first and second."


    Before Nangong could respond, several punters in line in front of them turned around, faces filled with envy and jealousy.


    "Wow, the young chap hit the double, he''s made a fortune!"


    "Ridiculous, even Big Happy cane in second, that''s just not right!"


    Seeing how excited the people around her were, Nangong started to grasp the situation, guessing that the double must have paid quite a bit, she widened her eyes and asked Suming, "How many times the bet did you win? Is it more than a single bet?"


    "Miss, do you understand horse racing? A single bet, at most 12 times the money, that''s peanuts. This young man hit the double, and with an outsider like Big Happy in it, it''s at least 60 times!" said an old man with a fan, interjecting with a smile.


    "6... 60 times!" Instantly, Nangong''s eyes filled with countless little stars, tugging at Suming''s sleeve, "Wow, we''re made!"


    "Can you show a bit of restraint, you''re almost drooling," Suming chuckled, not taking it too seriously.


    Five hundred bucks at 60 times is just thirty-odd thousand Hong Kong dors, not much for him. Even for Nangong, with a month''s sry, bonuses, and subsidies and all, her ie was over ten thousand, so thirty thousand wasn''t startling.


    Though it wasn''t a big deal, he was still quite happy, as this money was like found loot; after all, he wasn''t relying on horse racing to get rich, it was all for the thrill.


    "Yellow River Enterprises, sounds like it''s sponsored by Li Chaoren''s group. If it wasn''t for that bugger, we would have hit the triple trio, now that would''ve been the real jackpot, a thousand times!" Sumingughed.


    "Right, right, right, Li Chaoren''s such a scoundrel, already so rich but stillpeting with usmon folks over this little bit of horse racing money, it''s despicable!" Nangong nodded vigorously.


    Nangong''s words were purely a woman''s irrationalint. If it were a major race, the prize money earned by a horse, most of it, about 70%-80%, goes to the owner, the jockey gets around 10%-20%; unless Li Chaoren himself had purchased that horse, he wouldn''t get a cent. With Yellow River Enterprises being such arge group, sponsoring a few named racehorses was perfectly normal, and might not have had anything to do with Li Chaoren personally.


    However, Nangong was pretty and lively. Hearing her speak like this, many of the people in line to collect their winnings at Xiangjiangughed, and some even cursed Li Chaoren along with her.@@novelbin@@


    Li Chaoren upies a strange position in the hearts of the people of Xiangjiang. Everywhere in their lives, they can see the shadow of the Li JiaChen Group, living in Li Chaoren''s buildings, using his group''s water, electricity, and gas, furnished with his group''s furniture, and seeing his retailpanies and metros outside.


    Some say, from birth to death, for every action and every penny spent by a person in Xiangjiang, a portion flows into Li Chaoren''s pocket. Thus, the ordinary people of Xiangjiang both love and hate him.


    After collecting the winnings, calcting the odds, it came to thirty-eight thousand Hong Kong dors, a thick stack held in hand like a brick.


    The greatest magic of the casino is not that those who lose money don''t want to leave, but that those who win don''t either. Anyway, Suming and Nangong didn''t care about thirty or forty thousand dors, so they decided to keep ying; there were seven races left that day.


    This time they bet big, staking two thousand dors each on single win, double, ce, triple trio, and single T. Nangong, influenced by Suming''s recent double win, gave up on the single and instead ced three doubles.


    The forty thousand they''d just earned was quickly spent by more than twenty thousand.


    The old man with the fan who had spoken earlier saw Suming increase his bets in a blink and couldn''t help shaking his head, with the look of someone who''s been there, advising, "Young man, there are no undefeated generals at the racetrack, uncle''s lifetime of experience tells me, when you win, quit while you''re ahead."


    "If you''re so knowledgeable, uncle, why are you still queuing to bet just like me? That''s the charm of gambling, you know you''ll lose, but you just can''t resist taking the chance," Suming responded.


    The old man looked stunned, then burst outughing, "All gamblers in the world are the same, unwilling to leave until they''re cleaned out. Uncle here is wishing you luck."


    "Wishing you luck as well," Suming waved his pile of betting slips at the old man and headed back to the member''s area with Nangong.


    The second race started quickly, a middle-distance race of one thousand meters. Before this race, Suming didn''tmunicate with the horses, but instead relied on the rmendations of the experts in the racing guide to ce random bets, and the result was twenty thousand dors gone in an instant.


    Before the third race began, Suming learned from his earlier mistake. It was clear these so-called experts couldn''t be trusted at all. If he believed them, he would end up bankrupt and pant-less!


    Bringing Nangong and the twelve horses from the third race, Suming had a heart-to-heart with each of them.


    This race ovepped with some of the horses from the first race. Da Kuai Huo was still in, and unexpectedly, the Lion Castle Dragon that made a fool of itself in the first race was also there.


    Da Kuai Huo was brimming with confidence this time, its eyes full of fighting spirit; while Lion Castle Dragon still had its rascal look, as if it didn''t care about anything and had the attitude that it didn''t matter if it wasn''t allowed to race.


    It seemed like this was a horse with a story.


    Back at the betting point, Suming saw that old man again.


    The old man, clutching a win bet ticket, appeared ted, having likely won a lot in the second race, probably earning about tenfold.


    Seeing Suming toss his betting ticket into the trash can casually, the old man, waving his fan, came over and said triumphantly, "Young man, you lost, didn''t you? There''s a saying in the maind, ''Ignoring the advice of the elders leads to immediate loss.'' Uncle wasn''t wrong, was he? Giving away twenty thousand to the Horse Club like that, you might as well take a pretty girl to a bar."


    Only when he got closer did Suming notice that the old man had a tattoo on his forearm and walked with a noticeable limp, his fan-shaking hand trembling constantly as if he had suffered a severe injury. It seemed likely that in his youth, the old man might have been involved with gangs.


    There are many such elderly people in Xiangjiang, who were once influential in gangs, cruising around in Benzes, but now retired due to injuries or other reasons, had a bleak old age, with no children and alone, spending their days gambling on horses, watching operas, and shooting the breeze with the youth to pass the time.


    The old man had the money to bet on horses and could sit in the members'' seats, which at least meant he was doing okay financially, not one of those destitute, down-and-out big shots sleeping on the streets.


    But this was none of my concern. As a Communist Party member, should I be afraid of a retired gang leader? Suming chuckled and replied, "There is another saying in the maind, ''From the people, for the people.'' I''m a Party member; consider that money a donation to charity."


    The old manughed exaggeratedly, "Young man, trying to scare uncle with the People''s Liberation Army?"


    Both were joking around, and afterughing and talking, it was Suming''s turn to ce his bets.


    This time, he only bet five thousand on the win, but Nangong''s ambitions were growing. She even ced a bet on a trifecta with over a thousand odds, iming that if she was going to win, she might as well win big!


    When the third round began, Da Kuai Huo charged out of the gate in the lead, maintaining a huge advantage from start to finish, crossing the finish line three horse lengths ahead of the second ce.


    Nangong lost a thousand, while Suming''s bet on Da Kuai Huo to win, at eleven to one, pushed his capital to over sixty thousand.


    With previous experience, Suming had a good grasp of the horses'' temperaments, makingmunication even more effective.


    In the following two races, Suming ced five bets¡ªthree misjudged losses and two correct wins.


    In horse racing, big rewardse from small bets. When you lose, it''s just a small capital, but a win can bring in several times, dozens of times, or even hundreds of times the investment.


    From the two wins, one was again at 66 to one for a double, and the other was a single T at 220 to one, skyrocketing his capital to a staggering 720,000. Any more than that, and he would not settle in cash, but rather directly into a card or a horse betting ount.


    Nangong''s purse was stuffed with cash, she was smiling so much her face almost went numb, hugging her bag close like she had scored a fat little boy, following behind Suming.


    "Hey, hey, we''ve won so much money, won''t the racetrack send gangsters to rob us?" Nangong, having seen plenty of Xiangjiang movies, asked Suming quietly and with some concern.


    If it was an underground illegal betting den, winning that much would definitely mean not getting out. But the Horse Club and the racecourse had legit government backing, and it wouldn''t be like what Nangong described, not even for winning over sixty million, let alone six hundred million. Just like winning the lottery, the winners are not only not hunted down by the government, but the government also helps keep it confidential and provides security.


    The old man who''d been pretending to be an experienced ex-gang member was no longer acting the part. He followed Suming, treating him like a guiding light. Whatever Suming bet on, the old man would follow suit.


    After cing a bet, the old man caught up from behind with his fan, pulling Suming aside, and asked mysteriously, "Young man, do you have some insider info? Give Uncle a hint, and I''ll give you a cut of the profits."


    "Those kinds of jokes could get people killed, Uncle. I''m just a tourist from the maind; where would I get insider info? It''s just good luck," Suming shrugged.


    "Uncle''s been betting his whole life and has never seen such good luck," the old man persisted.


    After each race, the big screen would disy a list of those who won the most, including winners, their methods, and the amounts, to stimte more betting. Of course, there were no specific winner''s details, represented instead by a Mr. or Ms. So-and-So.


    By the fourth race, the name ''Mr. Su'' had appeared on the big screen, in eighth ce.


    By the end of the fifth race, some of the shrewder gamblers noticed that there was still a Mr. Su on the screen, but he had climbed to third ce.


    At the start of the sixth race, the moment the twelve horses burst out of the gates, even Suming, who had been unfazed until now, couldn''t help but feel a jolt in his heart, clenching his fists with sweat starting to form in his palms.


    Nangong was too nervous to speak, clinging tight to Suming, her hands trembling slightly.


    This time Suming ced three bets, all in variousbinations, with the lowest at 66 to one for a double, betting a minimum of twenty thousand on the three methods!

 Chapter 316 Forty Million

    The 2,200-meter middle-distance race ended quickly, and as all the horses crossed the finish line, the winning list shed on the big screen.


    "Wow, I see Mr. Su again!" the host eximed excitedly throughout the venue, "I wonder if it''s the same Mr. Su from before, if it is, then he''s made a fortune."


    "Just who is this Mr. Su, he''s practically a god of horses!"


    The other host joked on the side, "Bet every race, win every race. If this keeps up, he''ll buy out the entire Horse Club!"


    The ''Mr. Su'' who won first ce bought three types of bets and hit a trifecta.


    Trifecta means that in this race, he urately predicted the first, second, and third ce horses.@@novelbin@@


    With 14 horses participating in this middle-distance race, to choose three out of 14, the odds are,bining permutations, a total of 2,184 possibilities, making it a super jackpot, a low-probability event.


    On the big screen, after taxes, Mr. Su''s prize money started with a "4" and was followed by a long string of digits, with a total of eight digits before the decimal point.


    The entire racetrack was boiling with excitement, and even thoughrge prizes are often handed out in horse racing, such instances of winning tens of millions at once are notmon and hardly ur a few times in a season.


    However, those who frequently bet on horses have seen more of the world, and winning tens of millions in one race is astonishing, but if ced in the history of betting on horses in Xiangjiang, such prizes have been awarded quite a few times. Moreover, there are so many ways to bet on horses, and the vast majority are done through telephone or off-track betting, so even though there''s some surprise at ''Mr. Su''s'' good fortune, the gamblers at the racetrack remained calm and made their bets for the next race.


    At this time, "Mr. Su" was down by the lower track with Nangong, observing the horses that would be running in the next race.


    Nangong was in no mood to watch the horses at the moment! Her little heart was almost leaping out of her chest, and her face was flushed, barely able to stand straight. If it weren''t for Suming supporting her, she would have nearly copsed with weak knees the moment she saw "Mr. Su" winning on the big screen.


    "Stay calm, just stay calm. It''s only tens of millions. The assets in your husband''s name, if converted, also amount to tens of millions," he said.


    Suming himself couldn''t even be convinced by his words, let alone Nangong.


    He put a lot of effort with Zhao Yun''s help behind the scenes, and after a year, he managed to establish severalpanies with assets totaling tens of millions.


    But now, one trip, a little over an hour of betting on horses, and it''s over forty million in the ount. Although it''s in Hong Kong dors, converted to Huaxia currency, it''s also over the forty million mark!


    An hour of joy equates to a year of hard work! It''s the hard work of several lifetimes for an ordinary person!


    "A horse doesn''t get fat without night grass, a man doesn''t get rich without a windfall. No wonder people in Xiangjiang love gambling so much!"


    Now he truly understood why so many people in Xiangjiang liked betting on horses. Many poor people would rather skip a meal to save money to gamble.


    With an investment of just a few tens of dors, hitting it big just once couldpletely change one''s destiny.


    And the odds for this game are much better than the lottery! Pure luck bets like win bets have about a 10% chance, and even the most difficult quadre has a chance of one in over twenty thousand.


    Whether it was the British Government or the Special Administrative Region Government, they allowed legal betting on horses, which to a great extent even yed a role in stabilizing the society.


    "Could it be that by the time we leave the racetrack, we''ll have be billionaires?" Nangong was already starting to float away, with two more races remaining. ording to Suming''s current unstoppable ''luck,'' casually hitting it big again and raking in a hundred million was entirely possible.


    The old uncle, who had been following behind for insider tips earlier, had squeezed his way up to Suming at some point, pressing down his straw hat and leaning in to whisper with a chuckle, "Mr. Su, may I have a word with you?"


    The address had unconsciously changed from ''youngd'' to ''Mr. Su.''


    Hearing the old man utter ''Mr. Su,'' Nangong red at him fiercely. This old man was too crafty; the title ''Mr. Su'' now carried too much weight, and letting others hear it could cause trouble.


    "Sure," Suming nodded and led Nangong away from the smaller track.


    Theme old uncle limped to the second floor and took them both to a ''Happy Stand.''


    The so-called ''Happy Stand'' is a kind of semi-circr enclosure that juts outward, where small groups of friends can watch the horse races, drink beer, and chat. It''s semi-open, offering some privacy.


    "Please take a seat, Mr. Su. Uncle here is treating you to a beer, and you, lovelydy, don''t need to be so nervous. This is the Horse Club, not Kowloon City. No one dares to snatch your purse here," he said.


    Once they reached the ''Happy Stand'' on the second floor, theme uncle seemed to adopt an air of authority, generously gesturing for the waiter to bring over a few cans of Blue Girl beer.


    Seeing the old uncle''s demeanor, it seemed he wasn''t there to ask for any ''inside tips.'' Suming squeezed Nangong''s hand to signal her not to worry and said with a smile, "Uncle, what should I call you?"


    "Just call me Mr. Li."


    Mr. Li put his cane aside and asked straightforwardly, "Su Sheng, are you nning to ce bets on thest two races as well?"


    Suming shrugged, "With my luck running this hot, not gambling would be an insult to the heavens."


    "Good, young man should have the guts to fight and struggle! When I was your age, I had even more courage than you do!"


    Mr. Li nodded, not only did he not say things like ''quit while you''re ahead,'' but instead, he gave Suming a thumbs up in admiration. However, he quickly changed the subject with a chuckle, "But, you should also leave a way out for others, shouldn''t you?"


    Upon hearing Mr. Li say this, Suming understood.


    A way out? For whom? The implication was already quite clear.


    The gambling world is the gambling world, official backing or not, it''s all the same. A few tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands don''t matter much, but the concept of gambling tens of millions in one night is entirely different. Nearly the entire day''s profit for the Horse Club had fallen into his own pocket, which was enough to concern them.


    Moreover, he had been winning consistently, and if he continued to bet on thest two races, as Nangong had predicted, it could very well exceed a billion.


    "Mr. Li, I didn''t know before that the Horse Club actually had connections with the triads." Suming didn''t agree immediately, but instead changed the topic.


    Mr. Liughed heartily, "This is Xiangjiang. If it were a few decades earlier, go out and see ¨C which restaurants, which gambling dens, which bus lines didn''t have the shadow of triads behind them. However, I have no association with the Horse Club, and even if it''s the triads, there are patriotic ones. It''s everyone''s responsibility to ensure the economic prosperity and social stability of Xiangjiang."


    Suming almost spat out his beer all over Mr. Li''s face. He was dismissing his connection with the Horse Club, denying he had beenmissioned by the Club to approach him. That was understandable.


    But thetter part of his statement waspletely off the mark.


    Leaning in, Mr. Li said with a chuckle, "Mr. Su, with your superb gambling skills, there''s not much to wager on in Xiangjiang, just the lottery and horses, and there''s not much to make from that ¨C it''s a shallow pond that can''t amodate a dragon. Why not take those tens of millions in capital and y in Macau instead?"


    "Oh, I see. You think I''m some kind of gambling expert who came to smash up the ce?" Suming suddenly realized, just now he had felt that the Xiangjiang Jockey Club was being petty. It was just tens of millions, but they went out of their way to persuade him not to gamble, which seemed rather beneath them.


    Keep in mind, the Xiangjiang Jockey Club is considered the most upscale club in Xiangjiang, with an annual turnover of a hundred billion and profits in the tens of billions, contributing over 10% of Xiangjiang''s taxes. Although it operates on a membership system and has a rtively loose organizational structure, every member is a social elite.


    Among them, a few hundred ''selected members'' are the core members, each capable of causing a minor earthquake in Xiangjiang by simply stamping their foot. Some well-known figures include personalities such as the Chief Executive, Li Chaoren, the Chairman of the Mary Authority, the Chairman of Xinhongji, Chief Justice...


    The Club certainly thought he was some gambling expert. If he continued to bet, it wouldn''t just be tens of millions or even billions at stake. If they couldn''t find any evidence of him ''cheating,'' even if he won ten or even dozens of billions, the Horse Club would have to ept it, holding their noses.


    So, under these circumstances, Mr. Li, with his triad background, acted as a mediator to negotiate.


    Mr. Li continued, "The money the Horse Club makes goes to charity and benefits the people of Xiangjiang. You said earlier that you were a party member, Su Sheng, it wouldn''t be right topete with the public for money."


    "Oh really?" Suming almostughed again, unsure if Mr. Li truly didn''t understand or was just ying dumb. Furthermore, isn''t Macau also part of our territory?


    "Winning money from the Horse Club is like winning money from the special administrative government," Mr. Li said with a grin.


    "I do pay my taxes," Suming replied.


    However, after winning forty million, Suming had already been considering quitting while he was ahead.


    As thergest official gambling organization in Xiangjiang, he didn''t believe they had no way to deal with a gambling expert. If they let themselves be ughtered, the Xiangjiang Jockey Club would have been emptied by the world''s gambling masters long ago.


    If he insisted on continuing to bet, it wouldn''t even take the triads to resolve it ¨C the Horse Club would naturally have a way to ensure he didn''t win.


    One should be content. It was as if he came to Xiangjiang for a trip, and every citizen of Xiangjiang gave him six dors, with more than forty million falling on his head from the sky, snatching food straight from the mouth of the special administrative government. What''s there to be dissatisfied with?


    Now that someone from the Horse Club had intervened, it was the perfect opportunity to gracefully step down.


    Just as he was about to speak, a waiter walked over from a distance and quietly said something to Mr. Li.


    Mr. Li kept nodding, and once the waiter had left, "It turns out you and Jacky are friends? He''s in the VIP lounge upstairs, inviting you for tea."


    The VIP lounge was also for members only, but it was not something just anyone could enter with money ¨C one had to be a bona fide member of the Xiangjiang Jockey Club to have the privilege of watching horse racing from a box.


    Suming was taken aback ¨C didn''t he say he was busy making a new film? Howe he ended up here betting on horses!

 Chapter 317 Brother Shi Long Wu

    He pushed open the doors to the private box, one side of which was arge floor-to-ceiling window that offered a clear view of the entire racetrack below, where two men stood before the window, their backs to Suming, looking down at the racecourse.


    Upon hearing someone enter, both men turned around simultaneously.


    One was Jacky, and upon seeing the other, Nangong couldn''t help but exim on the side, "Long Wu?"


    The man had a slightly elongated, square face with sharp and defined features. Despite the inevitable wrinkles crisscrossing his face due to his age, his posture was ramrod straight. He wore a suit and stood there, not cracking a smile, like a sharp steel knife; also, due to his age, although he had a spirited look, he was very reserved and not overbearing at all.


    If Zhao Yun was a middle-aged handsome man who took the refined and cultured route, then the man before them was the tough-guy uncle of the hard-boiled style.


    Hearing Nangong call out the name "Long Wu," Jacky and the tough-guy uncle exchanged nces and smiled at the same time.


    When the tough-guy uncle had kept a straight face without a smile, he seemed as distant as an iceberg, rejecting others from a thousand miles away. But when he smiled, Suming realized that such a tough guy actually had a pair of peach blossom eyes.


    "I always said it, you are even more imposing than the God of Gamblers!" Jacky chuckled.


    The tough-guy uncle called ''Brother Ten'' shrugged, saying, "It seems my acting is really bad. Having yed so many roles, only Long Wu seems to be memorable to people."


    The uncle before them, oh, should be said brother or perhaps boss, was indeed Xiang Huaqiang, the loyal, stone-faced bodyguard ''Long Wu'' from the God of Gamblers film series.


    As he said himself, in fact, aside from Long Wu, he had yed many other roles. He was a famous supporting actor during the golden age of Hong Kong cinema and had even been nominated for the Best Actor award at the Golden Horse Awards, overtaking Leslie Cheung. Yet, what people truly recognized and remembered him for was Long Wu.@@novelbin@@


    Seeing this man, Suming instantly understood two things.


    First, why Jacky said he was busy with new film affairs yet, in fact, was here gambling on horses. Because the Long Wu with Jacky was not only an actor as a pastime; his real identity was the former chairman of the Xiangjiang Yongsheng Film Company, now the chairman of the Huaxia Star Group.


    Huaxia Star Group is a listed enterprise in Xiangjiang, their business scope involving properties, hotels, health products, entertainment, and other fields, with their most famous endeavor being film production. Therefore, Jacky being together with him must be rted to a new movie project.


    Second, why the retired triad big shot Mr. Li would bring him to this private box. There had always been rumors that beneath the surface, Long Wu''s other identity was that of the leader of the New Record, one of the top four triads in Xiangjiang before its handover, a true underworld figure.


    If he hasn''t guessed wrong, these two gentlemen are also official members of the Xiangjiang Jockey Club, maybe Long Wu is even one of the core elective members. The club encountered him, someone who came to ''smash the scene,'' and just so happened to have Long Wu there, so they had Mr. Li step in to mediate; Jacky, seeing ''Mr. Su'' in the box watching the race from below, took the opportunity to invite him up to meet.


    "Let''s have a formal introduction." Jacky led Suming and Nangong into the box and formally introduced them, finally turning to Suming with a smile and saying, "You can just call him Brother Ten, just like me."


    The Xiang Family had thirteen brothers, and this Long Wu was the tenth in line.


    What kind of background Long Wu had, Suming had roughly known from the inte, and it was pretty much as expected. The Xiangjiang Jockey Club was a ce frequented by celebrities, so seeing him here was not too surprising.


    Hearing that Suming, at such a young age, had built up a substantial industry all by himself and was also a party member, Long Wu''s eyes brightened slightly as he looked at Suming with a hint of admiration, half-jokingly saying, "Young and promising, eh? No wonder the maind government is so powerful, making both sides of the strait so well-developed."


    "Brother Ten, if you want to join the Party, I''ll be your sponsor," Suming said seriously.


    Long Wu: "..."


    "Brother Ten, can you sign an autograph for me? I''m a fan of your movies!"


    Whether it was a party member or a triad boss, neither had any solutions for dealing with such young, pretty girls who could act coy. Long Wu probably wrote the characters ''Long Wu'' more times than his own name in his life. Now in the private box of the Jockey Club, he didn''t expect to meet an ''enthusiastic'' fan, shook his head with some helplessness, then swiftly signed his name.


    Not long after they settled into the box, the seventh race on the track below had already begun. From therge floor-to-ceiling windows of the box, they could clearly see the twelve horses burst out of the gates and gallop away.


    Although the setup in the box was moreplete, even equipped with a betting machine that allowed direct betting without the need to queue at the window, it was a pity that they couldn''t hear the shouting of the audience outside or thementary from the host, making it feel like it wascking the proper racing atmosphere. However, if celebrities like Jacky or Long Wu appeared directly on the race track, they wouldn''t need to watch the horses, as signing autographs would keep them busy until their hands ached.


    "Just saw a ''God of Horses,'' Mr. Su, on the big screen a while ago, didn''t expect it to be you. I hope you aren''t unhappy about me breaking your streak," Jacky jokingly said as he passed two sses of red wine, one to Nangong and one to Suming.


    Taking the wine, Suming nodded to Jacky in appreciation, and then said, "With a master like Brother Ten here, I think even if I wanted to win, I probably couldn''t anymore. Better to quit while I''m ahead."


    "If it were greyhound racing, I could consider myself half an expert, but as for horse racing, I''m still a rookie, just raising one for fun now and then," Long Wu said.


    When Suming called Long Wu a ''master,'' he certainly wasn''t referring to his horse racing skills. After entering the private room, everyone present tacitly avoided mentioning the incident of Mr. Li hoping Suming would stop cing bets, and Suming likewise made his stance clear through his actions.


    Everyone there was savvy, and some things didn''t need to be spelled out. Hearing that Long Wu also had a horse in the race, Suming looked on with curiosity and asked, "Which one is Brother Ten''s horse?"


    "It''s Big Happy," Long Wu pointed with one finger, towards the Big Happy currently straining and advancing from fourth ce, a mix of three parts affection and seven parts helplessness in his voice, "Every time I watch it run, it gives me a heart attack."


    There was something interesting about Big Happy. It appeared to be of average standard, but its explosive power was strong, often suddenly picking up speed in the middle of the race and overtaking several horses. However, it seemed there was always a gap it couldn''t close between itself and the first ce, like an unbridgeable moat.


    After the seventh race ended, Big Happy did as before, skyrocketing from fourth to second ce, but the gap to the first ce was still significant, almost a full horse length. Throughout the final twenty meters, Big Happy was desperately chasing but never caught up.


    "Big Happy has potential, onlycking in that final step. It seems tock the boldness to challenge for first ce. Look at it, even if the first ce isn''t that fast, it always fails to catch up, almost content with being in the top three," Sumingmented calmly.


    He had observed Big Happy several times and found, first of all, that its physical condition was not inferior to any of the other horses on the field ¨C a basic requirement, since a horse with poor stamina obviously can''t perform well in races.


    What''s more important is that Big Happy has a strong fighting spirit, like an entrepreneur brimming with hope for the future, exuding positive energy like the sun itself.


    The issue is itsck of the ''I''m number one in the world'' kind of dominance and risk-taking spirit, belonging more to the steady and calcted type ofpetitor.


    Shebao Dragon, on the other hand, had the opposite traits; its physical condition was up to standard, but its temperament was stubborn, like a rebellious teenager.


    "Shebao Dragon is Mr. Luo''s horse; everyone knows that, and it has a temper as quirky as Mr. Luo''s," Long Wu nodded, impressed by how Suming had urately analyzed the two horses with just a few remarks, and looked at him with renewed interest, chuckling, "It seems Su Sheng is indeed an expert."


    "He''s the director of a zoo on the maind, just like a beast tamer at an aquarium with dolphins. How could he not understand them?" Jacky said.


    "I just guess a bit, that''s all," Suming replied with a humbleugh.


    "There''s onest race left. How about the three of us ce a bet?" Long Wu suggested.


    "Wow, I''m not joining in!" Jackyughed and shook his head, "Both of you are experts, especially Suming. He''s a true professional. Betting against him would be like gambling on stocks with Soros, basically just giving him money to spend."


    "If you say that, Brother Ten might really think I''m here to swindle the Horse Club''s money. I''d be scared of being chopped to death on the street," Suming said, pretending to be afraid.


    "It''s been over a decade since the handover; no one dares to hack people on Xiangjiang street anymore, rx."


    Long Wu wasn''t bothered by Suming''s pointed joke and justughed it off. Turning to Suming, he tilted his head and said, "I had Mr. Li go looking for you earlier, cutting off your revenue stream. If I lose, consider it a small rpense."


    Brother Long Wu had been very amiable since their meeting, giving the impression of a trustworthy old friend, sometimes even shyly smiling in a way that would make girls want to cuddle and pamper him¡ªan endearing uncle figure, without a trace of the former gang leader or entertainment industry tycoon''s airs.


    However, when it came to betting against Suming in horse racing, an inherentlypetitive activity that must result in one winning and another losing, Long Wu''s tone betrayed a strong challenge.


    Suming guessed that it wasn''t necessarily because of him, but it was clear beneath the uncle''s mild exteriory a relentless,petitive spirit.


    "What should we bet on?" Suming shook the small Nangong bag full of cash, "I only have seventy-something thousand in cash. Brother Ten isn''t nning to take away all the forty million I just won in one go, is he?"


    Naturally, the Xiangjiang Jockey Club and Long Wu wouldn''t be socking in sportsmanship as to not ept a loss of a mere several million and immediately set a trap to regain face. Still, it wasn''t Suming''s home turf, so being cautious was the best course of action; always good to be wary.


    Suming wasn''t worried about Long Wu taking his forty million, but rather, what if he won? If he won forty million from the Horse Club and then from Long Wu, would the uncle fly into a rage and have him killed?


    Seeing Suming''s expression, Long Wu suddenly burst intoughter.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªDividing Line¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    PS: I had considered adding a little more to the three chapters of over nine thousand words and dividing them into four or five chapters, then tagging them as four or five updates in avish manner. But then I thought about it, that would be deceiving people... I believe everyone who purchases chapters will see that my daily guarantee of three chapters is the very same as those four or five updates... Of course, I''ll still find time to add more when possible...

 Chapter 318 Won a Horse?

    "You youngsters think too much. Do you believe I would step in for the Horse Club to win back those forty-something million?"


    Long Wu''s gaze drifted away from Suming''s face as he pulled out a cigar from his chest pocket, bowed his head to cut the cigar, and spoke lightly, "If they couldn''t afford to lose even this small amount of money, the Horse Club would never have grown to its current scale. Not to mention that real tycoons wouldn''t even take a proper look at the Horse Club, even someone like me looks down on it."


    The Xiangjiang Jockey Club has a history of over a hundred years with the support of the special district government and the entire Xiangjiang upper ss society, so forty million is certainly nothing. The Long family, ruling the Xiangjiang underground for decades and making a fortune in the entertainment and stock market, had amassed wealth both above and below the table, and didn''t care much about the forty million either.


    But Suming was different. A year ago, he couldn''t even find a job. His greatest hope at the time was to find steady employment, grateful if he ended up with four to five thousand a month after deductions for social security and housing fund.


    Even now, his entire worth, when converted, was roughly that amount. That is, of course, if he didn''t seek financing or venture capital.


    For someone like him, who had been in business for less than a year, the perspective from which he viewed problems was naturally different from that of families with decades or centuries of umted wealth.


    Although Long Wu had made his stance clear, Suming couldn''t help but roll his eyes, thinking that if the Horse Club really didn''t care about the money like you said, would they dare let me keep gambling? There''s a bottom line, and once someone breaks through it, the Horse Club would still have you step in to mediate.


    "Since everyone''s having such a good time, it seems I have no choice but to join in," Jacky said, shaking the bottle of red wine in his hand. "I''m no match for Suming at horse betting, and I don''t have as much money as Brother Shi. How about we bet something else? Win or lose, no hard feelings. I happen to have a bottle of ''78 red wine at home, perfect for a bet."


    "Alright, I''ll use that horse, Great Joy, as my bet. If I lose, it goes to the winner," Long Wu said.


    Suming fumbled around his person but couldn''t find anything valuable, turning his head to look at Nangong, "I''ll bet her."


    Jacky: "..."


    Long Wu: "..."


    Nangong: "..." A p came flying right at him.


    Suming dodged quickly, grinning, "Just kidding, to lighten the mood. I can''tpare to you guys, as I''m a penniless guy. How about this, I''ll also bet with booze. This year, Great Sage Liquor Industry will release ten bottles of genuine Hundred-Fruit Liquid brewed by monkeys, I''ll put that up as my bet."


    "Couldn''t be better!" Long Wu pped his hands, "Jacky is always boasting about the monkey liquor you gave him, now to have ten whole bottles in front of me, if I win them, Jacky, you better shut up for good!"


    "Brother Shi, you''re happy too early. Suming, you''ve got to step it up. I''d rather lose the red wine to you!" Jacky shrugged.


    Nangong tugged Suming''s sleeve at the side, blinking her eyes and whispered, "Can I join too?"


    The VIP box was no more than twenty square meters, so everyone was seated close together. Long Wu naturally heard Nangong andughed, "Beautifuldy, men are responsible for earning money, women for spending it. You don''t need to ask his permission for spending money."


    "Brother Shi, the way you say it sounds as if I''m bound to lose!" said Nangong, not willing to give in.


    "Woah, I didn''t say that," Long Wu''s tone clearly suggested otherwise, while Jacky, with his wine in hand, chuckled silently. Both could see that Nangong was absolutely clueless about horse betting and was bound to lose if she yed.


    "No problem, if you want to y, y. If you lose, it''s on me; if you win, it''s yours," Suming patted Nangong''s hand, signaling her to join the game if she wished.


    "Hmph!" Nangong shoved her handbag stuffed with cash onto the table and unzipped it, revealing roll after roll of Hong Kong dors, looking like a fierce female bandit here for an arms deal.


    "I don''t have horses or liquor, just cash. Is that okay? If not, I''ll bet my boyfriend on it."


    Suming could onlyugh helplessly, "Instant karma, eh? Too bad I''m not worth much."


    Long Wu nced at the money in the bag, "Wow, the beauty is seeking revenge for her husband today! All right, I''ll raise the cash. In addition to Great Joy, if you win, I''ll personallypensate you with this much."


    The four of them bet on the eighth race. Since it was an internal contest with no bookmaker, they scrapped all fancy betting methods and just bet on the winner, meaning which horse would finish first.


    There was a betting machine in the room, and Long Wu and Jacky ced their bets in turn. Long Wu, seeing no strong contenders in the field, thoughtlessly chose his horse, Great Joy. Jacky went for a chestnut horse named Disney''s Light.


    The stakes weren''t high in this race, the main ingredient being fun, simr to a small game among friends. Suming didn''t need to cheat; he hadn''t municated'' with the horses beforehand and simply picked a popr one named ''Paradise Gate'' based on the horse racing guide''s rmendation.


    "What should I pick?" Nangong asked Suming.


    "You listen this well without even being married, careful or you might never be able to lift your head at home," Long Wu chuckled.


    "Mind your own business," Nangong retorted with a cocked face, pulling on Suming, "I''ll listen to him, so there!"


    Seeing the affectionate couple, the two uncles, experienced in life, couldn''t help butugh, Suming held Nangong''s hand, "Pick whatever you love, as long as you''re happy, it doesn''t matter!"


    "Okay, then I''ll pick... Pink Rose, yes, that one!" Nangong finally settled on a pure white horse, that was spotlessly white without a single stray hair, and it was a mystery why it was named that.


    After making his choice, Nangong began to waver. This was, after all, over seven hundred thousand¡ªa substantial sum of money. He looked anxiously at therge pile of cash on the table and then at the few people in the room, casting a plea for help at Suming as he muttered, "Will it work? I have this feeling that I might lose..."


    Jacky and Long Wu were people ustomed to the big scene, their lifestyles on a different level from ordinary people, and although Suming''s finances were not yet a match for them, with his "animal friend" ability, he could be considered a person with special powers, his perspective even more detached.


    At this moment, seeing Nangong fretting like an ordinarymoner over a bit of "small money", he found her more endearing and genuine, revealing a hint of cuteness.


    "Don''t worry, beauty, if you lose, I won''t take your money," Long Wu said with a smile.


    "That won''t do, I''m a woman, but I know the importance of keeping my word!" Nangong said confidently, her face held high. However, the fact that she was gripping Suming''s hand tightly betrayed her inner nervousness.


    The eighth race, thest one of the evening, finally began as scheduled.


    In this race, only eight horses werepeting. For the first third of the track, they were neck and neck, with asionally one horse taking a slight lead, only to be quickly chased down by the others.


    After the midway point, three horses finally stood out, maintaining their lead.


    Surprisingly, the ''Horse God'' Suming and the seasoned Horse Club member Jacky had chosen horses that weregging behind, while Nangong, theplete novice, and newbie Long Wu had chosen two horses, Pink Rose and Da Kuai Le, that made it into the top three.


    In the midst of the audience''s cheering, the broadcast was filled with the astonishedmentary of two hosts.


    "Wow, Da Kuai Le, the eternal runner-up, is taking charge! He''s ahead of second ce by a full body length!"


    "There''s less than eighty yards left. Pink Rose is still behind. It seems that, as long as Da Kuai Le maintains the lead after thest turn, there''s a ny-nine percent chance he''ll win against all odds!"


    Watching the leading horses speed past the final turn, the positions of the first two remained unchanged. Pink Rose visibly exerted more effort, chasing to within about a head''s distance, but Da Kuai Le still easily held onto the lead. Experience tales at empire


    As for the horses chosen by Jacky and Suming, they were far behind in the second group, not even contending for first ce, let alone the top three, unless they suddenly activated nitrous oxide injection mode; the oue was already decided.


    Jacky pped his hands together, "Wow, Horse God, you''ve misjudged this time; looks like we''re going to lose our liquor."


    With the win nearly in the bag, the rest of the race seemed devoid of suspense, and Long Wu shrugged it off with ease.


    "Come on! Come on! Pink Rose has to win!" Nangong stared intently out the window at the race track.@@novelbin@@


    Unfortunately for her, although Pink Rose was still trying desperately to catch up, the inherent strength of Da Kuai Le seemed to edge out Pink Rose by a bit; the gap had not only failed to close but was stretched to half a horse''s length.


    Pink Rose''s poor initial odds were not without reason; the horse had mediocre endurance, and its burst of speed could onlyst a few seconds. If it couldn''t overtake in those few seconds, there was no hope afterwards. Now, approaching the finish line, the gap between them continued to widen before our eyes.


    "Don''t worry, beauty. I''ve never gone back on my word. Your bet''s on me; it''s for you to buy clothes withter on..."


    Before Long Wu could finish speaking, a sudden turn of events urred on the racetrack below!


    Just as the finish line was less than twenty meters away, the leading Da Kuai Le, as if having lost its target, actually looked back, and its pace visibly slowed.


    Seizing the opportunity, Pink Rose quickly overtook it!


    The crowd erupted into shock! Many bettors jumped up from their seats and rushed towards the railing closest to the race track!


    If it weren''t for Da Kuai Le''s jockey desperately urging his mount, this incident would have looked like a clumsy attempt at cheating¡ªas if the sure winner Da Kuai Le deliberately slowed down to wait for Pink Rose!


    After Pink Rose took the lead, Da Kuai Le seemed to regain its focus and hurriedly chased after it, swiftly closing the gap.


    Unfortunately for the two horses, they were only a dozen meters from the finish line, and it was already toote to exert more effort.


    Pink Rose was the first to cross the finish line, followed closely by another horse. Da Kuai Le, originally destined to win, ended up in third ce.


    Seeing this oue, the spectator stands were in an uproar, with the audience shouting wildly into the racetrack, some with excitement, others swinging their betting slips in anger.


    "Wow, unbelievable! Can someone tell me if I''m seeing things?" one of the hosts said in shock.


    The other hostughed nonchntly, "The jockey of Da Kuai Le is in big trouble now. A sure win turned into a third ce just like that; I bet those who wagered on Da Kuai Le want to curse him right now!"


    "Those who bet on Pink Rose must be praying for his long life by now."

 Chapter 320 Buy a Plane to Visit Mom

    The race concluded, and after Jacky and Long Wu had already finalized the distribution of the new film, they took Nangong to the Horse Club to handle the paperwork for the transfer of ownership. Suming paid another more than one hundred thousand in misceneous fees. After the trip, Sea Mimi would be sent over specially to apany them back to Yangchuan City.


    Sea Mimi''s jockey was a young Englishd named ''Tony'', with a pair of azure eyes and short, naturally curly blonde hair. Skinny and short, if it weren''t for theck of facial hair, one could easily throw him into Monkey Mountain and pass him off as a big monkey.


    Tony was even younger than Suming, only 22 this year, but his Mandarin was quite fluent with a surprising hint of a Tianjin ent.


    "If you''re willing, how about continuing as Sea Mimi''s jockey?" Suming figured that with his own build, it was impossible for him to ride Sea Mimi in a race.


    Nangong wouldn''t work either, not because she was a woman, but because she belonged to the fiery type with long legs and height******¡ªunless she was willing to reduce her bust size to 34A. Given her current height of nearly one meter seventy and a weight slightly over one hundred, she was a bit heavy for horse racing.


    What a joke, if Nangong was willing, Suming wouldn''t be! Between Sea Mimi and Sea Mimi, any man with a sane mind would know which to choose! Without Sea Mimi, what''s there to be happy about? That only leaves unhappiness!


    "You still trust me?" Tony was somewhat surprised. To anyone, Sea Mimi''s blunder today was inseparable from the jockey.


    This young new horse owner in front of him didn''t hesitate at all to invite him to continue as the jockey, and Tony suddenly felt like he had met a true leader.


    Suming wanted to say a few words of encouragement, but thought it sounded too fake; after all, when there''s a problem with the horse, it certainly involved the jockey.


    Moreover, Long Wu had only a general interest in racing, and the jockey Tony he found was second-rate material, who even seemed to be working part-time while studying at Xiangjiang University of Chinese. Meeting Tony for the first time and talking about trust, Suming didn''t even believe it himself.


    Suming sighed, patting the big monkey''s shoulder. "Tony, this isn''t about trust. I just don''t have anyone else to choose from. Can you rmend someone else?"


    Tony was stunned and looked at Suming for a long while before heaving a sigh, "Well, honesty is also a virtue, after all."


    Although Tony was mediocre, Sea Mimi still had great potential, at least in being perceptive.


    When he saw Suming and Nangong arrive, he wagged his tail, leaving a trail of footprints in the sand, trotting up to them without paying any attention to Tony. Instead, he lowered his head and affectionately nuzzled Suming''s face with his big head.


    During the races earlier, Suming hadmunicated with Sea Mimi using his spiritual power, making Suming seem like a close friend to Sea Mimi at this moment.


    Nangong was eager to climb onto Sea Mimi''s back, and despite several attempts, she couldn''t get on due to the horse''srge stature.


    "You definitely won''t be satisfied today, but once we get back to Yangchuan, I''ll take you riding by the reservoir in the mountains," Suming chuckled. Visitors were not allowed to ride horses at the racetrack, even horse owners couldn''t ride on the track on race days,


    Nangong was persistent, looping her arms around Sea Mimi''s neck and made Suming take seven or eight photos before she was willing to give up.


    Sea Mimi probably wanted to show affection or something and extended its purple tongue to lick Nangong''s face, which earned him a stern lecture from Suming. I haven''t even had the chance to do that; when was it your turn, kid?!!


    "Wow, I told you they were fated, it''s like in a previous life Sea Mimi already knew them,"ughed Jacky.


    Long Wu watched the scene from the side, too depressed to speak.


    He had spent money on this horse for over a year and visited often, but Sea Mimi had never shown such intimate behavior.


    "Brother Ten, the key is your aura is too strong!" Suming said with certainty.


    "It''s passed down in the family; I can''t help it," Long Wu joked for once.


    Read exclusive adventures at empire


    ...


    Everyone headed home, each to their own mother. Leaving the racetrack, it was already close to midnight, and the streets of Happy Valley were still bustling with people, the lights bright, as the nightlife of this city that never sleeps was just starting.


    The night breeze blew as Suming and Nangong reminisced about the events at the racetrack, which seemed like a dream.


    They came to see the stars, and not only did they see the stars, but they even met the big bosses behind most of Xiangjiang''s stars!


    They wanted to gamble on horses, and in the end, they directly won a horse!


    "And also, also the over forty million¡­" Nangong could hardly stand steady, hanging onto Suming, gazing into the night sky with an expression full of a sentiment called ''money craziness'', mumbling, "When we get back, we''ll train Sea Mimi well, and then win all their money..."


    "Little money grubber, hold onto your purse!"


    The more than seven hundred thousand won earlier was rolled up and stuffed into Nangong''s handbag, making good use of her three-thousand-yuan Kun bag for the day.


    Clutching the strap, Nangong swung her purse like a big windmill, twirling and chanting, "Seventy-some thousand, all soggy!"


    Now that her boyfriend had suddenlye into forty million, Nangong was very arrogant¡ªshe''d be flying if she had wings.


    ...


    People who don''t spend their money are bastards! Those who act frugal after making money are just show-offs! They won''t be wronged even if they''re struck by lightning.


    He called the tour guide directly and told them we wouldn''t be staying at the travel agency''s assigned hotel from tomorrow onward!


    A hotel without sea-view rooms, is that even fit for people? To get up early in the morning, sit in a car for an hour just to get to Disney Park, is that eptable treatment? Please, we''re here to travel, not to ride buses!


    Change it, all of it. All staff from the zoo, start moving base from tomorrow, relocating to the hotel at Disney Park!


    What, the previous hotel was booked for five days, so even if we don''t stay, the money for the remaining days will not be refunded by the travel agency?


    If it wasn''t for the phone call, Suming would have used his big palms to p them across the face!


    Who told you to refund? Did I ever say that? Traveling is about spending money, and you''re fussing over this little sum with me for half a day? I''m dealing with hundreds of thousands in a second, do you think I care about your lodging fee? It''s simply an insult to the maind tycoons!


    Mr. Zhang was on the verge of tears, where could he find such a good tour group? If all tourists were like this, there would be no forced shopping, no shady tour guides!


    He made a phone call to his mom, saying outright, "Mom, I won a lottery."


    "Ah?" On the other end of the line, his mom was stunned, followed by, "You sound like it''s quite a bit, did you win tens of thousands?"


    "Hahaha, Mom, add a ''hundred'' in front of the ''tens''." Sumingughed wildly. He was still afraid of startling the olddy, after all, in the eyes of the older generation, winning a 500,000-dor prize meant a life of ease.


    His mom fell silent for a while before saying something Suming never expected, "Now that you''ve won the lottery, don''t work so hard to make money. Take care of your health."


    What else could he say, his tears nearly fell.


    There were things he wanted to say but was afraid to bring up too soon, worried about being scolded for wasting money.


    He called his uncle Su Desheng, asking him to find someone to tidy up his mother''s house back in his hometown, and by tidying up, he meant building a proper vi.


    Then he called Zhao Yun.


    "What? Say that again!" Zhao Yun, woken by Suming from his sleep, thought he had heard wrong.


    Suming repeated it.


    "Buy a helicopter, you have money to burn?"


    "I''m buying a helicopter to conveniently visit my mom often!" Suming gave an irrefutable reason.


    "Okay, I admit you have a point. Of course, I know friends in aviation..."


    He was nearly defeated by Zhao Yun; there seemed to be no industry this guy couldn''t find a connection in. Suming reckoned that if it wasn''t for the country''s restrictions on selling nuclear bombs, even Mr. Jin would probably be able to buy a couple from Zhao Yun.


    "A small helicopter isn''t expensive, there are ones for several hundred thousand to over a million, the cheapest being two hundred thousand. The problem is the yearly maintenance costs can also run into the hundreds of thousands. Buying one is just asking for trouble."


    "What kind of talk is that? How is going home to see my mom a burden?"


    "All right, all right. You''re tough, I got it. But where did you get so much money from?"


    "The people of Xiangjiang are too enthusiastic, when they heard I was traveling, they lined up to give me money!" Sumingughed heartily.


    "You must have won on the horses or the Mark Six lottery." Zhao Yun''s mind was indeed sharp, guessing almost correctly at once, but he wasn''t envious. Yawning, he said, "I''ll continue sleeping then, and I''ll help you ask about the ne tomorrow."


    "It''s buying a ne, not ''flying a kite''!" Suming reminded.


    "Flying a kite, pervert! Looking for death?"


    A pillow flew from the distance of the luxurious room, hitting Suming precisely on the head. Nangong, wrapped in arge bath towel, revealing rounded shoulders, walked out of the bathroom and red at Suming, "Why haven''t you gone back to your own room to sleep?"


    "With things as they are now, if I leave, wouldn''t I be worse than a beast?!" Suming dered righteously.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªDivider¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    PS: There will be two more chapters tonight. It''s already over seventy thousand words, should I continue to push it?@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 323 A Mans Dream and A Womans Dream

    The richer you are, the less money seems to be enough.


    Having made a clean forty million, Suming originally thought that for the next year or two, he wouldn''t need to worry about money. But when hey down and took the time to think quietly, he found that there were indeed quite a few ces where money was needed!


    The situation with the zoo wasn''t too bad; there was no need for him to put in more money for the time being. The profits from a few projects were enough to cover the zoo''s expenses and expansion. Moreover, Suming was the manager of the zoo, not the owner, so there was no reason for him to personally dig into his pockets.


    What needed money were the other few private projects of his, each like a hungry child waiting to be fed.


    At the reservoir, there was ample water area, but when he took over the reservoirst year, due to financial constraints, the density of the aquaculture wasn''t nearly at saturation. If one were willing to spend the money to buy fingerlings, hire workers, purchase small fishing boats, and fishing crates and such, it would be no problem to expand the breeding scale several times over.


    Currently, the fish from the reservoir and Shuijun Lake were hot sellers in the market, and several bosses from other ces would take as much as they could. As long as one was willing to invest money, by next year, they could be rolling in profits.


    The same logic applied to the distillery. In a short period, Da Sheng Liquor had already be a well-known brand in Yangchuan City. Describing it as ''high demand but short supply'' might be an exaggeration, but it was urate to say that supply couldn''t meet demand, and many distilleries from other areas had begun contacting the distillery, hoping to ce orders.


    However, given the current scale of the distillery, whether in terms of manpower or factory machinery, it could at most sustain a capacity of a hundred tons a year. To increase production further, it would require substantial additional investment for expansion. That was another hefty sum of money.


    Wang Hao''s entertainmentpany, althoughprised of small projects, also had room for expansion.


    Take the pleasure boats, for example. The reservoir area was so vast; below the water are fish, but above the water and the surroundings were still unused. Purchasing a few boats, they could be used for fishing patrols during the rainy season andke cruising for tourists at other times, which had great development potential. Based on Suming''s years of experience living in Yangchuan City, citizens preferred going to ces like the reservoir for outdoor outings on weekends and holidays. It was a pity that there had never been any interesting projects at the reservoir. When Zhou Jin was around, even fishing had to be done sneakily. If managed well, a new path could certainly be forged.


    Oh right, he should also buy a small ne.


    Making money was an irreversible path. When Suming had been a poor student, he thought that people could truly be satisfied and happy with what they had. But once he started down this path, he realized that either you spend someone else''s money to buy your happiness, or when you''re broke, you delude yourself withforting thoughts.


    The process of making money was a pleasure in itself; put grandly, it was an ideal, a career; speaking realistically, without all that money backing him, he wouldn''t be here grandly gambling with Nangong, but would be in some shabbypany, acting subservient to the boss during the day and sucking up to a future mother-inw in the evening; without money, the zoo wouldn''tst, and his spiritual power wouldn''t have improved so quickly; without money, his mother would still be at home eating out on a retirement sry of less than a thousand Yuan a month, and the people of Sun Town would still be wailing over the wild boars ruining their few acres of grain...


    For a grown man to just eat his fill and sleep, waking only to eat again, and not do things that benefit the people and society¡ªcan he still call himself a party member?


    "I knew you''d y dumb once you got your hands on it. You said a lot, but it seems like you''ve forgotten something very important," Nangong said as shey on Suming''s chest, pping him hard. A crisp ''smack'' echoed through the room.


    "How could I forget!" Suming winced and grimaced in pain, a bloody handprint emerging on his chest, and said earnestly, "Proposing and getting married is a once-in-a-lifetime event. How could I treat it so carelessly?"


    Hearing Suming hit the nail on the head, and understanding that he knew exactly what he was doing, Nangong''s expression instantly softened. She nestled against his chest and whispered, "As long as you''re sincere, the formality isn''t important."


    "That''s from your perspective, but from mine, if I have the capability to give you a grand ceremony and yet I skimp on it, all the sweet talk would just be lip service, no heart in it. Besides, I''m actually quite traditional at heart and I love extravagance. I had no choice when I was poor, but now that I finally have a chance to make money, I must use the opportunity to show off and indulge, maybe even get a little revenge on society while I''m at it."


    Just as Nangong understood Suming, Suming also truly understood Nangong. She had been raised in a well-off family, pampered from a young age, and though she never demanded anything openly, deep down she dreamed of a proposal and wedding like those in fairy tales, creating memories to treasure for a lifetime.


    If Suming really took the "sincerity over formality" sentiment to heart and just bought a cheap diamond ring to propose, then celebrated by having a couple bowls of noodles at the next-door restaurant, Wang Lao San''s, the consequences would be catastrophic.


    Your adventure continues at empire


    That''s how little princesses turn into wicked queens and old witches, and he didn''t want to tremble at the sight of apples for the rest of his life.


    "I can''t win against you, but don''t think I don''t know what you''re up to, hmm hmm... Anyway, what''s done is done, what else can I do, have it your way." Nangong had known Suming for so long and understood his true nature very well. She shifted her body, huffed twice, and found a morefortable position to lie in.


    Nangong could guess what Suming was thinking, and Suming knew she could guess, and that she wouldn''t misunderstand him. Ancient literati would call this ''a meeting of the minds,'' but modern creative types would simply term it ''finding someone who gets me.''


    This feeling was great. The couple had their share of yful bickering, arguments, and mood swings, but most of the time, they found peace in each other''spany. It might not seem overly romantic, but it felt secure. Or perhaps there was a type of romance that only the two of them understood in their hearts.


    "It''s all because of what you said this afternoon, it got me itching to create a Disney... a living breathing Disney..." Suming muttered to himself.


    Nangong was already drowsy, resting her head and responding sleepily, "Then do it..."


    Suming stared at the ceiling, "I definitely don''t have the power to do it now. But tell me, is it possible to achieve it before I turn thirty? Then I might very well be the youngest wealthy man in the country, not counting those who inherited their wealth."


    "Mmm... take me home to meet your dad... oh... when I wake up..."


    Nangong''s voice faded away, trailing off incoherently. Suming looked down slightly to see the girl already asleep on his body, her little nose twitching with each breath.


    Suming smiled softly, reached out to turn off the bedroom light, pulled up the nket a bit, and gently draped it over Nangong''s exposed shoulder. Then he wrapped his arms around her, as sleepiness overwhelmed him.


    That night, Nangong had a dream. She dreamt that she was wearing a princess gown, in a magnificent castle. The castle faced the sea and backed onto the green hills, bell tones rang out, and brilliant sunshine spilled across the entire forest. Various animals, dressed in splendid attire, surrounded a young man on horseback with a sword on his side, who came before her. The youth dismounted and knelt on one knee before her...


    Even in the dream, she could clearly recognize the face of the person before her¡ªit was Suming.


    Suming had a series of dreams that night.


    Winning a big prize in the lottery, hitting a four-game win streak at the horse races, the party finally deciding to kick Trump out and choose him to run in this year''s election... The most enjoyable dream was where all the animals came to life, running, jumping, talking, and singing just like humans. All the males called him "Great King", and all the females did the same, though naturally, their pronunciations were different...


    There he was, sitting on the throne of the Great King, chin in hand, pondering a very serious question.


    Should he have the wildly seductive leopard princess attend his bed tonight, or the charming kitty? The little tiger was also a good option, or perhaps the rabbit? But no matter whom he chose, someone would feel neglected.


    That''s it, why not have them all together? But his body couldn''t take it... Ah, it''s so tough, being a man is too tough!


    Just then, the door to the cave was suddenly kicked open with a bang, and Nangong charged in dressed like a fully-leveled warrior, her legendary gear sparkling brightly, wielding a pair of eerilyrge scissors...


    He had never seen a warrior use scissors as a weapon; the scene was especially dissonant. Suming was just about to ask why the scissors were sorge when he felt a chill between his legs, and then he was abruptly awakened.


    "Holy crap! It was a dream! It was all a dream!" Suming looked out at the sky, washed in azure, and broke out in a cold sweat.


    But something was off. Even though he was awake, why did there still seem to be a coolness between his legs?


    He looked down to see Nangong up already, the nket from the bed wrapped around her. The girl was sitting with her legs curled up on the other side of the bed, smiling at him.


    The balcony door was open, and he was d only in a pair ofrge, hollowed-out boxers. With the sea breeze blowing in, the "draft" whistled through the big leg holes of the boxers¡ªnow that was a cool breeze.


    "You''re up; I''ve been watching you for a long time," Nangong cooed, hugging the nket like a little cat and snuggling closer, her voice sticky and her gaze seductive. Between couples who had been intimate, it was easy to understand what that look meant.


    "Hold on!" Suming instinctively backed away and squeezed his legs together, asking nervously, "You don''t have those scissors, do you?"


    "Huh? What scissors? Where are the scissors? What do you need scissors for?" Nangong was taken aback.


    ...


    The ellipsis above signifies that after Nangong''s moment of surprise, an intense, not-for-children battle ensued. They were young and fiery, and after being together for a while, who knows when a spark could ignite a fierce sh.


    By noon, they were toozy to go out. They stayed sprawled on the big bed and ordered lunch from the front desk. Suming also called Mrs. Tong, and everything with the zoo staff''s schedule for the past two days had gone smoothly¡ªthey were all at Po Lin Monastery on Mount Dayu, making prayers. Mrs. Tong, with evident smugness in her voice, said that Po Lin Monastery was nothingpared to their zoo''s "Fox Immortal" in effectiveness.@@novelbin@@


    She reassured Suming that their group was having a great time and not to worry. However, for him and Nangong, being a couple rarely out together, they should really enjoy themselves.


    "Is Su Meng doing okay?" Among the group, Su Meng was whom Suming was most concerned about. Without him by Su Meng''s side, Suming was worried he might go off, turn into Tarzan, and cause trouble¡ªnot aughing matter, since Hong Kong''s police were armed, and being shot in the street was not an option.


    Haidong Qing was currently ying near Mount Dayu with no foreseeable danger, so he decided to have it apany Su Meng.


    "Hey boss, let me tell you, your cousin and Nurse Hu might be a thing!" Mrs. Tong, instantly energized at the mention of romantic affairs, found a quieter spot and whispered excitedly for a good while. The gist was: Su Meng ignored everyone except Nurse Hu, who just needed to give him a re, and Su Meng would behave!


    "This can''t be happening; another henpecked husband!" Suming erupted.


    "Why do you say ''another''?" Nangong asked, her smile blooming like flowers.


    "Wang Hao''s dad is a henpecked husband!" Suming replied quickly, all earnest, then deliberately snorted twice, pretending to say, "I have no respect for such men..."


    "Oh? Is that right?" Nangong approached, eyes narrowing.


    "You again?!" Suming rolled over to pin her!


    Suming had been having such a great time these past days that he almost forgot about the charity banquet. Nangong, however, had kept it in mind. After their tussle, they left the hotel to pick out clothes for the evening''s charity banquet.

 Chapter 324 Love the Motherland and Abide by the Law

    The organizer of this charity dinner was none other than Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, the oldest and most influential charitable institution in Xiangjiang. Many, including Suming, often mistakenly called it ''Huadong Hospital''...


    Tung Wah Group of Hospitals was established in the 1870s and has beenmitted to providing diversified services to the general public ever since, including medical, educational, andmunity services. The so-called "Group of Hospitals" originally referred to Kwong Wah Hospital, Tung Wah Hospital, and Tung Wah Eastern Hospital. Starting from a small Chinese medicine clinic, it now boasts over two hundred clinics and medical units scattered throughout Hong Kong.


    In terms of social status and influence, the reputation of Tung Wah Group of Hospitals even surpasses that of the Horse Club. After all, though both are involved in charity, the Horse Club is ultimately a gambling profit organization, while Tung Wah is a medical institution that saves lives and aids the injured. Horse Club extracts money from the pockets of the vast Xiangjiang citizens, while Tung Wah actually provides services, many of which are free. The two cannot be mentioned in the same breath.


    "Both started from barefoot doctors and old army medics, so why is there such a big gap?" Suming grumbled, tilting his head back.


    "Why do you talk such nonsense? Don''t move, don''t move, your tie''s crooked again. Such a grown man and you can''t even tie a tie properly..."


    Suming was dressed in a sleek dark suit, while Nangong wore an elegant light blue evening dress adorned with a brooch set with a sapphire, leaning in to help him straighten his tie. For an event like a charity dinner, obviously, they couldn''t show up in jeans and a jumper, so after leaving the hotel, the two went shopping on Queen''s Road.


    With forty million in his pocket, Suming had stopped worrying about ''little expenses'' like buying clothes; he didn''t even look at the price tags. Armani suits, Gi, plus a few seemingly simple but elegant essories for Nangong ¨C when they checked out, the bill was close to a seven-digit figure.


    Then, under the ghostly stares of the shop attendants, the two, dressed in clothes worth over a million, walked hand in hand to the curb and hailed a battered taxi.


    All the way, the taxi driver kept ncing at the couple through the rearview mirror, so much so that Suming got a bit annoyed and red, asking, "What are you looking at? Haven''t seen tourists from the maind before?"


    The driver was in a good mood and with a not-so-standard Mandarin chuckled, "Wearing such expensive brands and riding in my old cab, be careful of being found out."


    "Found out? Found out what?" Suming was stunned at first, then realized the driver thought they were wearing knockoffs. Indeed, who could afford million-dor brands and still take a taxi?


    No matter whether it''s the maind or Xiangjiang, or even the Western world abroad, it seems all taxi drivers love to talk. Suming shrugged helplessly, "No choice, my helicopter hasn''t been delivered yet, otherwise I''d take that."


    "Take a helicopter, shoot, might as well say take a Gundam," The taxi driver''s mouth twitched twice, thinking when maind tourists also became such braggarts.


    The taxi weaved through the traffic on Xiangjiang''s narrow streets, especially in the busy city center, where it''s rare to find fourne roads in parallel; most are singlene with few two or threenes. Drivers are required to strictly follow traffic rules, with cars proceeding in an orderly manner, so even though the roads were narrow, the taxi sped along and quickly reached the Penins Xiangjiang, where the dinner was held.


    The Penins Hotel opened in 1928 and is Xiangjiang''s oldest hotel, as well as one of the most luxurious and famous hotels in Hong Kong and worldwide, nicknamed "the Gabrielle". During the golden era of the entertainment industry in Xiangjiang during the ''80s and ''90s, this was a gathering ce for famous movie stars and entertainers. Many celebrities even rented rooms here for long periods, hence it was also known as the "Entertainers'' Lounge".


    From a distance, The Penins Hotel looks like a castle in inverted ''U'' shape, with a towering main building in the middle and two annexes extending like walls to repel enemies. In fact, in its nearly a hundred-year history, the hotel has indeed been used multiple times as a militarymand center, a bastion in times of war.


    The taxi driver deftly turned the steering wheel, making a turn and heading toward the hotel entrance through the ring road, nestled amongst a row of luxury cars approaching the hotel''s gate, the beat-up taxi looked especially shabby.


    "Wow, lucky day, another chance to see a big star!" The taxi driver suddenly pointed at a Lincoln with the number 9 at the end.


    "Which star?" Suming stretched his neck curiously to look forward, but the back window of the Lincoln was tinted so dark that it was impossible to see who was inside.


    "Mr. Xiang, you know, Long Wu from ''God of Gamblers'', do you know him?!" The taxi driver seemed excited.


    Suming and Nangong exchanged nces, thinking it would be some big star, but it was just Long Wu, whom they had seen just a couple of days ago, nothing to fuss about. So, Suming replied somewhat absently, "Oh, I thought it was ''God of Gamblers'' himself."


    The driver, sensing their slight disappointment, turned back, excitedly saying, "What''s the ''God of Gamblers''? You mainders don''t get it. With just one word from Mr. Xiang, god, saint, and knight of gamblers would all turn into obedient children. This is a real Xiangjiang tycoon, no award statuette needed for this star!" As he said this, he rolled up his sleeve to show Suming the tattoo on his arm, "Back when I was in the underworld years ago, he was my idol..."


    "Whoa, could you focus on driving, please? Watch the road ahead, an ident might get you chopped by his goons. It''s just Long Wu, I know, he was Xinji''s former ringleader, just the other night we were betting on horses together," Suming interjected quickly. Find exclusive stories on empire


    "Betting with you?" The driver rolled his eyes dramatically, his expression darkening with the ruthlessness of a once-underworld figure, he said sternly, "Kid, I don''t care about your bluffing, but don''t you disrespect my idol!"


    "I really did gamble on horses with him, and he lost a horse to me!" Suming protested. How had it turned into insult? I, a proud member of the Party, gambled on horses with a former gang leader, and I didn''t feel insulted, so how did it be an insult to him? Don''t these Xiangjiang folks have any sense of right and wrong anymore?"


    Hearing Suming''s words, the driver''s expression grew even more disdainful, and he let out an exaggeratedugh, "Lost a horse? Wow, pretty boy, you think horse betting is about wagering actual horses? That winning means getting the horse?" He realized that this young maind tourist didn''t have a clue, was pretending to understand, and had just been bragging all the way.


    "There''s no exining it to you. How about I get him to sign an autograph for you to offset the cab fare?"


    This time, the driver didn''t even bother to turn his head, dismissively waving his hand, "Alright, alright, I believe you. You have a helicopter, you''ve gambled with Mr. Xiang, you''ve yed ball with ******, and you''ve even yed games with aliens, okay?"


    Suming was about to say something when Nangong tugged at him and whispered, "Are you really that bored, arguing with him about this stuff?"


    "Right, I''m bored anyway, what does it matter where I shoot the breeze?" Suming said with a grin.


    As they spoke, they arrived at the entrance of the hotel. The Lincoln in front had stopped, and the taxi came to a stop as well. A bellboy ran over, his face sporting an enthusiastic but not servile smile, and opened the door of Lincoln number one. Following that, a foot d in shiny leather shoes stepped out from inside.


    "He''sing out! I''m finally going to meet my idol!" The cabbie was so excited that he forgot to stop the meter, which kept ticking up in small increments. Nangong handed over arge denomination bill, and the driver, without looking back, waved it off, "No time to make change, I won''t take your money. Get out, don''t make me miss seeing my idol!"


    In front, Long Wu stepped out of the car, wearing a dark suit, apanied by a middle-aged woman decked out in jewels. The driver was taken aback; Long Wu''s outfit today was the same as Suming''s.


    "Wow, the same outfit, but my idol wears it a thousand times better than you!"


    As the driver spoke, Suming and Nangong had already gotten out of the cab, and, arm in arm with Nangong, Suming called out ''Mr. Xiang'' from behind.


    Long Wu, who was about to head into the hotel, turned around when he heard someone calling him. At first, he was a bit startled, then he smiled and voluntarily stopped to wait for Suming at the hotel entrance.


    "What? He really knows him?" The driver was stunned, a bit disheveled, and couldn''t bear to leave, so much so that he didn''t hear the cars honking behind him urging him to move.


    After a brief exchange at the hotel entrance, Suming took out a small piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Long Wu, muttered a few words, and Long Wu subsequently showed a rather odd expression as he wrote something on the paper.


    Suming ran back to the taxi, knocking on the driver''s side window.@@novelbin@@


    The cabbie quickly rolled down the window and, gripping Suming''s hand in excitement, said in disbelief, "Wow, pretty boy, you really are friends with my idol! Just ignore what I said earlier, don''t take it to heart, alright?"


    "We''re all just joking, what''s there to fuss about? Hurry up and drive, don''t block traffic." Suming casually handed the small piece of paper he had just gotten back to the driver, "Oh, I almost forgot, your idol''s autograph, consider it the cab fare, I won''t take advantage of you."


    Having said that, he quickly turned and ran back to the hotel entrance.


    The driver took a look at the ''paper'', which turned out to be an Armani receipt. The long string of digits made his eyelids twitch, and at the bottom of the receipt, a somewhat sloppy line of writing was still recognizable, "Love the country, abide by thews. Mr. Xiang."


    "Mr. Xiang, I will remember!" The cabbie nodded earnestly at the receipt, quickly covered his arm to hide the tattoos, and carefully tucked the Armani receipt into his wallet.


    Outside the hotel, Long Wu looked somewhat helplessly at Suming running back.


    Although he hadn''t been a gang leader for many years, as a former top-level gang boss who had oncemanded the winds and the clouds, writing something like "abide by thews" felt strangely embarrassing to think about.


    "Mr. Xiang, I think you really have the potential to be a Party member. If you want to join the Party, I''ll ask someone to write an application for you when I get back!" Suming came running back, shot the breeze again, and then formally nodded and smiled at the woman next to Long Wu, "Mrs. Xiang, hello!"

 Chapter 325 Kidnapping Case!

    Mrs. Xiang was naturally Long Wu''s wife. Although she seemed a bit plump, Suming had seen her photos from her youth online, and it was fair to say she was no less stunning than any female star under Long Wu''s entertainmentpany umbre. With Long Wu being a dominating figure in both the entertainment industry and the underworld, his enduring marriage to her was considered a beautiful tale in Xiangjiang, suggesting Mrs. Xiang must also have some tricks up her sleeve when it came to handling her husband.


    On their way to the charity banquet, the formation of the group changed, with Suming and Long Wu, who were wearing the same outfit, walking in front while Mrs. Xiang strolled behind with Nangong, constantly imparting wisdom. "You see, men are all about loyalty; they get hot-headed and forget everything else. Look at him, he can never say no when his friends ask for help¡ªwhich is fine at the Horse Club with so much money on the line; what''s losing a few tens of millions? Why should he get involved...?"


    Though her words were tinged with a thick air of bragging, they came across as sincere and not at all annoying. Implying through her words that Suming was also a friend on their side, suggesting he should win more money from the Horse Club. Nangong, shrewd as theye,ughed and said, "Brother Ten has quite the reputation. Here, his word carries more weight than the Chief Executive''s orders. Otherwise, why would the Horse Club specifically ask for Brother Ten? Mrs. Xiang, what exactly are we auctioning off tonight?"


    "Just some useless stuff that they want us to throw money at. But at least it''s all for charity, umting virtues for our descendants."


    The banquet was held at Felix Restaurant on the 28th floor of the Penins Hotel. The organizers had booked the entire restaurant. Upon entering, Suming saw that many guests had already arrived to attend the dinner. Along the way, quite a few people greeted Long Wu.@@novelbin@@


    Unlike the press conference in Yangchuan City, in tonight''s setting, Suming was a mere bystander, not recognizing a single person. So he simply greeted Long Wu''s family before heading straight to his seat, a window-side position where he sat down.


    From the 360-degree circr viewing ss, looking down upon Victoria Harbour at dusk, one could see lights scattered about, brilliant like a river of stars. Sitting in such a ce, even the most ordinary person could easily develop ambition or, let''s say, motivation to strive.


    "That''s what the glitz and mour mean. Who knows how many people struggle their entire lives, thinking they''ve finally reached the peak of the pyramid, only to find out they''re still just powerless ordinary humans," Suming suddenly mused aloud.


    "Wow, Mr. Su, you have such a beauty by your side yet you''re pondering philosophy. What a waste," an expat suddenly appeared across from them, wearing a mboyant, tight-fitting,ce-patterned suit and striking a coquettish pose with his hands.


    Seeing him like this, Nangong thought she was encountering a pervert, subconsciously inching closer to Suming. However, upon second thought, she felt it was rude and forced a smile, asking, "Who might this be?"


    "Mr. Su, don''t remember me? Wow, that''s too forgetful, it really breaks my heart," the expat said with a forlorn look, casting Suming a flirtatious nce.


    "Luo Ben, are you hosting the auction tonight?" It took Suming several seconds to recognize the man¡ªit was the auctioneer from thest Sotheby''s auction. Heter found out that the man was an unabashed gay.


    "Of course it''s me. That **** once said Mr. Su had potential, right? Half a yearter, you''ve be even more handsome!" Luo Ben said with a smitten smile.


    Nangong felt goosebumps crawling on her skin. Sumingughed it off, "Don''t worry, this guy isn''t into women. Luo Ben, can you help me take a look at these items tonight and tell me which ones are particrly valuable for collecting?"


    Before entering the venue, the waitstaff had distributed a small booklet to each guest that introduced tonight''s auction items. Suming had flipped through it and wasn''t very interested. He wasn''t an expert in this area, but since Luo Ben had shown up, it was worth asking him in case there was a chance to score a bargain.


    "Oh, Mr. Su, isn''t that like asking me topromise my professional ethics?" Luo Ben blinked, sending electric shocks through Suming, before pretending to be reluctant, "But who could resist such a handsome request? I simply can''t refuse you."


    "So you''re saying I''m trading in my good looks," Suming alsoughed.


    Before the start of this kind of charity banquet, small groups of acquaintances would gather and chat; no one paid much attention to Suming''s group. Luo Ben flipped through the booklet, pointing out a few trinkets. A g signed by Peng Dingkang, thest Governor of Xiangjiang, and a discontinued Patek Philippe watch both held potential for appreciation. Hard to say that buying them was as good as making money, butpared to other charity auction items that were almost like giving money away, they wouldn''t be a total loss.


    "There are animals too?" Suming was slightly startled, pointing to a page in the catalogue featuring a rare pure white Golden Dragon fish, along with several Hexagonal Dragon fish.


    The pure white Golden Dragon fish was actually just suffering from albinism, its body entirely devoid of any impurities except for its red eyes, giving it an extremely elegant appearance. As a high-end pet fish, its price could reach as high as two to three hundred thousand US dors per fish. However, the starting bid for this fish was already a hundred and fifty thousand US dors, which made purchasing it rather pointless.


    Hexagonal Dragon fish aren''t fish but a type of smander that lives in the water. They look like a miniaturized version of axolotls, but they''re much cuter; pink in color with a t broad mouth, two naive little ck eyes, and around theirrge heads are six coral-like tendrils, making them appear like water sprites from a fairytale.


    "Some kind-hearted, well-born kid must have donated their pet," Luo Ben shrugged and added softly, "Actually, they just didn''t want to care for them anymore."


    "These long-horned little fish are so cute; let''s buy them and keep them!" Nangong had no resistance to such mythical creatures.


    The Hexagonal Dragon fish weren''t expensive; nine of them were bundled together with a starting bid of ten thousand US dors. However, ten thousand dors could buy a truckload of Hexagonal Dragon fish in the pet market.


    Suming flipped through a few more pages and burst outughing when he came across a horse. Upon reading the description, he couldn''t help but chuckle¡ªit was "Fortress Dragon."


    "Mr. Su, please don''t buy it; this horse is terrible," Luo Ben urged upon seeing Suming seemingly interested, "It''s always at the bottom each year. Its role in horse racing is just to y the clown and amuse everyone."


    "I like it!" Suming''s eyebrows raised, Nangong was having a great time, and he himself didn''t have a horse yet. Buying one to ride would also put some pressure on his second senior brother, lest he think he''s the only mount and be spoiled and arrogant.


    ...


    The auction began promptly, and since it was for charity, Luo Ben''s hosting style waspletely different from his usual at the Sotheby beverage exclusive sale, focusing on jokes and banter, making the audienceugh time and again.


    The bidding wasn''t toopetitive either. After a symbolic two or three raises in the price, if someone showed genuine interest, others would naturally bow out. Following the thought that as long as Nangong was happy, the money was well spent, Suming bought that small box of hexagonal dragon fish for twenty thousand US dors after bidding twice.


    When Luo Ben announced that the item up for auction was the Lion Castle Dragon, the room burst intoughter, and no one raised their paddle for a long while. It was not a matter of being stingy with money¡ªthe Lion Castle Dragon was a live creature that would surely race again. To spend money on it and then lose face in futurepetitions was unthinkable.


    Hence, Suming didn''t even encounter anypetition and bought it at the starting price.


    "Eighty thousand US dors for a purebred racehorse, Su Sheng has scored big!" Luo Ben dered with a hammer fall, using aical tone.


    Those present turned their heads to look at Suming, some with expressions reserved for amateurs, some even with kind smiles, sympathetically shaking their heads.


    If it was purely about pedigree, for eighty thousand US dors, getting a purebred racehorse was indeed a steal. However, this batch of Lion Castle Dragon had virtually nopetitive value, turning into a burden once bought. Only good for ying the clown and finishingst, its previous owner could not stand the mockery, which was why it was put on auction as a charitable item.


    Many even thought that this new face was using such methods to make a name for himself, even if it meant integrating into the upper circle as quickly as possible.


    No matter what, once Luo Ben called out the buyer''s name, the elites in attendance immediately remembered Suming.


    "Don''t mind their opinions. The Lion Castle Dragon has potential; it justcks a good owner. If it''s well trained and achieves one or two good results in major races, its value could increase tenfold or a hundredfold. Let them regret it then," Long Wu advised with a smile, standing by his friend''s side to cheer him on, though it was clear he didn''t really believe in the Lion Castle Dragon''s potential.


    Read exclusive chapters at empire


    The Lion Castle Dragon''s former owner presented the documents to Suming, saying, "I heard from Brother Shi that Mr. Su won tens of millions at the Horse Club a few days ago, a true connoisseur. I hope that the Lion Castle Dragon will shine in your hands!"


    This man''s surname was Luo, a textile magnate from Xiangjiang and the son of Luo Dingbang, founder of the Lion Castle Dragon brand, which is why the horse was also named ''Lion Castle Dragon''.


    "Wow, so the ''Horse God'' who ''robbed'' the Horse Club in Happy Valley is Mr. Su! Mr. Su, you''ve taken a stand for all of us. I suggest we give Mr. Su a round of apuse!" Luo Ben, making an extremely excited face on stage, began pping first.


    The tycoons at the dinner changed their expressions slightly as they looked at Suming, and the sympathetic smiles that were previously on their faces disappeared, reced by curiosity.


    Most of the tycoons present were horse racing enthusiasts. Tens of millions was an amount they could afford, but winning tens of millions from the Horse Club was another concept altogether. Usually, they were the ones giving money to the Horse Club, and the Horse Club earned loads of money from them every year. Hearing Luo Ben saying this, everyone smiled knowingly and started pping humorously.


    After the little interlude, a few more trinkets were auctioned off. Suming''s table was fairly close to Long Wu''s, and they chatted idly while watching the auction.


    Just as the auction wasing to an end, the Lion Castle Dragon''s previous owner, Luo Jiaju, who was sitting not far away, suddenly walked over to Long Wu disrespectfully with quick strides.


    Those sitting close by could see that Luo Jiaju''s face was extremely pale; despite the restaurant being air-conditioned, his forehead was drenched withrge beads of sweat.


    "Mr. Luo, what''s the matter?" Long Wu asked, frowning.


    "Brother Ten, I just received a phone call from home. My daughter has been kidnapped. I have already asked my family to call the police. The police have no leads for now, and I would like to ask Brother Ten for help in gathering information," Luo Jiaju said with a grim face.


    His voice wasn''t loud, but because of the close distance, Suming heard everything loud and clear.


    Finally, a big event had urred! Suming''s eyes brimmed with tears.

 Chapter 326 Senior Female Inspector!

    """


    People who seek pleasure are not afraid of trouble!


    Suming''s trip to Xiangjiang was indeed joyful, winning money at the horse races and having a st at ces like Disnend Ocean Park, but as someone who grew up watching Xiangjiang films, his deepest wish was actually to experience a scene straight out of those movies!


    For instance, gang street shootouts, major gold shop heists... This kidnapping may sound a bit less morous, but it''s still amon plot device in the stories, and it sounded thrilling.


    Before the handover, Long Wu was a major triad boss, and Xinji was considered thergest society in the entire harbor, with close to a hundred thousand members. Its reach extended into every corner of Xiangjiang''s underworld. Whether they were foreign or local criminals, it was difficult to pull anything off in Xiangjiang without Xinji catching wind of it. Even though they had gone legitimate, their influence remained significant and in terms of gathering information, they were indeed more convenient than the police.


    The only slight annoyance was that Long Wu''s first question was "Have you called the police?"


    This made Suming secretly scorn him in his heart!


    Xiangjiang is home to so many tycoons that kidnappings happen one after another. Among the top ten wealthiest, including Li Chaoren, more than half had been kidnapped. However, how different levels of wealth responded to kidnapping varied.


    The truly top-tier wealthy would usually choose not to alert the police beforehand, trying to cooperate with the kidnappers as much as possible, with the safety of the hostages being their top priority. For these tycoons, paying a ransom of a few billion was feasible, and the value of a qualified family member was far greater than that amount. Moreover, they had massive clout of their own and could handle a kidnapping potentially as efficiently as the police.


    Most ordinary tycoons, however, would choose to call the police immediately, like Luo Jiaju in this case. After calling the police, he immediately sought out Long Wu, hoping to get information from both ends.@@novelbin@@


    Mrs. Xiang was about to speak when Long Wu had already stood up, patted Luo Jiaju''s shoulder, and walked him outside, "Mr. Luo, don''t worry just yet, let''s talk outside."


    Suming would not miss such an opportunity and quickly followed them out. Discover exclusive content at empire


    Long Wu looked back at him, somewhat puzzled. Suming couldn''t just admit that he was purely there for the spectacle, so he quickly, with a serious face, said, "Brother Ten, maybe I can help."


    Luo Jiaju looked at Suming with skepticism, clearly not believing that a tourist from the maind, despite being good at betting on horses and having some money, could have any way to help with a kidnapping in Xiangjiang. Long Wu, however, nodded and said seriously, "Alright,e along."


    Suming looked back at Nangong, who shrugged, "Men should handle their business; we women won''t interfere. I''ll go shopping with Mrs. Xiang."


    Suming originally wanted to invite Nangong along for the excitement, but since she stated her intention, he couldn''t just say ''No problem, join us; it''s not fun to watch alone.'' He could only nod to Mrs. Xiang, "Please take care of her."


    Their sudden departure caught the attention of the other patrons in the restaurant, who whispered and spected about whether something unexpected had urred.


    "Did you see? Every time his friends have a problem they go to him, and he takes on their big troubles..." Mrs. Xiang''s tone was the same as at the beginning, sheined about her husband''s excessive loyalty, but was clearly filled with pride.


    Nangong had also learned this approach and added, "My man is the same, you know how men are..."


    ...


    Men who offered help, men who watched for excitement, and that man in real trouble, the three rushed downstairs. Long Wu''s bodyguards had the car ready and waiting at the entrance. After they all got in, Long Wu briefly inquired about the situation.


    This afternoon, several kidnappers broke into Luo Jiaju''s Sai Kung vi and kidnapped his daughter. Based on eyewitness ounts, there were six kidnappers with covered faces. Two of them spoke with maind ents, they had handguns, and before they left, they demanded a ransom of 48 million Hong Kong dors, mentioning that further instructions for the drop-off woulde via telephone.


    After hearing this, Long Wu immediately made a few calls.


    Although Suming did not speak Cantonese, he could understand it. Long Wu asked his people to check if any mainders had recently bought guns or drugs on the ck market, rented houses in remote areas, or let slip any hints about nning a big heist.


    As expected of a former triad leader, if the kidnappers had any contact with the local ck market, they were bound to find clues by following the trail.


    "When there''s news, call me immediately." After hanging up, Long Wu gave Luo Jiaju, who was continuously wiping sweat from his face, a slight nod, then turned his gaze to Suming. He didn''t speak, but his eyes were asking a question.


    Obviously, Long Wu was wondering how Suming could help.


    If it were someone else, like Zhao Yun, Suming would probably blurt out something like "I''ve watched Detective Conan and Young Bao Qingtian; I have a sharp mind that can help analyze the case." However, he wasn''t that familiar with Long Wu yet. After a moment of thought, he revealed a mysterious smile and said, "Brother Ten, I have my own eyes in Xiangjiang."


    The "eyes" he referred to was actually Haidong Qing, who spent his days flying all around the sky. If he wished, he could have an extensive view over half of Xiangjiang. How much this might help with the kidnapping, however, was hard to say.


    But to Long Wu, Suming''s words were a revtion. Even Luo Jiaju turned sharply to stare at Suming, both thinking simultaneously of Suming''s background: he was from the maind and more crucially, he was a party member!


    """


    Seeing the two of them looking at himself with such solemn respect, Suming felt really embarrassed and coughed, "Brother Ten, where are we headed next? Is it to Xinji''s headquarters, oh, I should say Tuodi."


    The prototype of Hong Xing in Young and Dangerous movies is none other than Xinji. Just like in Hong Kong films, Hong Xing''s headquarters has an old and smoky meeting room where the bosses of over a dozen divisions meet. In the meeting room, there''s a statue of Guan Gong, and both sides of the conference table are filled with top figures from the underworld, decked in gold chains, and with dragon and phoenix tattoos. Someone short-tempered might even m the table and curse, "Damn it, they even dare to mess with Brother Ten''s friends. Drag them out and chop that bunch of bastards!" Then the other bosses would chime in with their agreement, and the full force of Xinji''s hundred thousand members would be mobilized to scour the world for the kidnappers.


    Suming might even be able to borrow a squad from Long Wu, pretend to be an underworld big shot, and strut around unting his power... Come to think of it, don''t those big shots in movies get to enjoy free services at saunas and spa retreats on their turf...?


    Long Wu had always appeared unsmiling, but upon hearing Suming''s question, the corners of his mouth involuntarily twitched twice as he slightly tilted his head towards the car window, "Where to, you''ll see for yourself."


    Turns out, while they were talking, they had already arrived at their destination. Looking out through the car window, Suming saw an imposing building with several big characters: ''New Territories Police Station''.


    A g, dyed red with the blood of martyrs, fluttered in the wind...


    Suming waspletely dismayed.


    After getting out of the car and entering the police station, they went straight to the legendary serious crime unit. They were received by a female officer who seemed to hold a high position,


    "I''m He Baowen, Senior Inspector from the New Territories Serious Crime Unit, currently in charge of this case."


    The female officer, who bore a striking resemnce to Zhu Yin, wore the Xiangjiang police summer uniform, a skirt just above knee-length and ady''s shirt that was slightly tight-fitting, topped with a jaunty police cap... Images of an old Hong Kong film called something like Uniform Temptation... sprang to mind for Suming... What am I thinking about again!?


    Though He Baowen looked very feminine, her approach to work was swift and decisive. She didn''t bother with anyforting words and got straight to the case details.


    The police were efficient. After the report was made, they had gathered surveince from around the vi area. The footage showed that after kidnapping the hostage, the perpetrators drove westward and ultimately abandoned the car at the foot of a deserted hill. The police found the car and discovered it had been reported stolen more than ten days ago.


    "The trail ends here. The police have deployed officers and dogs to search the area around the abandoned car, but it''s unlikely that any information will turn up anytime soon." He Baowen turned to Long Wu and asked, "Mr. Xiang, do you have any clues?"


    It seemed she was well aware of Long Wu''s identity.


    "I will handle the stolen car issue." Long Wu promptly made a phone call, and after a short while, information came through from someone named ''Da Fei'' on the other end.


    It was six mainder customers who bought the car from him three days ago. Da Fei, suspecting they came from the maind, decided to keep an eye on them and had someone tail them. They were seen driving into Flying Goose Mountain.


    "Flying Goose Mountain?" The expressions of everyone present suddenly tensed. The location where the car was dumped was not far from Flying Goose Mountain.


    He Baowen immediately made a call to headquarters¡ªthere was a lead indicating kidnappers were at Flying Goose Mountain, requesting backup support, to begin a sweep of the area immediately!


    "So what, we just sit here and wait?" Suming, who had been acting like a bystander, finally couldn''t help opening his mouth.


    What''s the excitement in that? I won''t get to see a gang meeting, but following the Flying Tigers or something on a manhunt in the mountains would be thrilling. Can''t just sit here sipping coffee in the office, can we?


    He Baowen seemed to have been oblivious to Suming''s presence, probably lumping him together with Long Wu''s bodyguards. Only when he spoke did she nce his way, her eyebrows raising in question as she asked, "And you are...?"


    "A friend from the maind." Long Wu coughed.


    "Oh." He Baowen responded coolly.


    Generally speaking, when a beautiful woman ends her sentence with something like ''Oh huh, dinner, bath'' and stuff, the conversation is pretty much over. True enough, He Baowen didn''t entertain Suming''s ''suggestion,'' and with a stern face, said, "The police have trained professionals to handle this. You just wait here. I understand your feelings, but going to the scene would only cause confusion."


    The ''understand your feelings'' part was probably meant for Luo Jiaju, while the ''cause confusion'' was clearly directed at Suming.


    Time ticked by, with constant updates flowing in. The police had split into several teams to enter Flying Goose Mountain. One team found items on the mountain that might have belonged to the kidnapped victim, another stumbled upon a few cabins that showed signs of habitation but were now empty.


    All signs were pointing sharply to Flying Goose Mountain. It looked like they might be closing in on the kidnappers, when suddenly, Luo Jiaju''s phone rang.


    He Baowen gestured, and a professional officer began tracing the call. Luo Jiaju''s phone was set to speakerphone, and a voice with a maind ent came through, ominously stating, "Mr. Luo, you actually dared to call the cops. It seems you don''t care about your daughter''s life!"

 Chapter 327 Ill Step In When Theres Trouble

    Hearing the kidnapper''s words, everyone present furrowed their brows.


    In typical kidnapping cases, there are several key ''points'' that influence the development of subsequent events, the most important of which is the kidnapper''s reaction upon learning that the victim has alerted the police.


    Notifying the police brings significant psychological and mental pressure to the kidnapper. Despite having anticipated that the victim might call the police, the highly tense nature of kidnapping as a ''job'' often leads to most kidnappers reacting furiously and injuring the victim. In the gravest of cases, they might even kill the victim outright.


    Even if they don''t harm the hostage immediately, alerting the police sends a signal to the kidnappers that their operation has entered a more challenging phase and must end quickly. The entire process bes fraught with danger, and the slightest provocation might provoke the kidnappers into extreme actions.


    Many kidnappers, for the sake of their own safety afterwards, may decide to kill the victim even after receiving the ransom upon learning that the police have been notified.


    Therefore, once kidnappers find out about the police being notified, it exerts tremendous pressure on both sides, the struggle immediately esctes, and kidnappers could be caught at any moment, while the victim could be faced with the dire oue of being killed at any time.


    To put it inly, since the other party had brought up the police, it was as if a final ultimatum had been issued to both sides: either pay up swiftly or face the hostage being killed without further ado. As for whether the kidnappers would kill the hostage after receiving the money, and whether the police would capture them, that remained to be seen; however, the idea of conducting a slow and methodical search with arge police force, as had been done before, was certainly no longer viable. By the time the kidnappers were found, they might have already taken action.


    A tense atmosphere quickly engulfed the surveince room as they had reached the point of direct confrontation, bays at the ready.


    He Baowen''s expression turned serious as he grabbed a piece of paper, quickly scribbled a few words on it, and pushed it in front of Luo Jiaju.


    Stuttering, Luo Jiaju said, "Don''t get excited, I didn''t call the police, it must be a misunderstanding..."


    "Bullshit! I''ve already seen the police searching the mountain. Dare you say you didn''t call the police! Mr. Luo, enough of this nonsense. Tomorrow morning at 9:30, bring 40 million in cash to Ocean Park. Only one person is allowed toe. If I see any cops or anyone who looks like cops, your daughter is dead for sure!"


    Luo Jiaju looked helplessly first at Long Wu, then at He Baowen... from the order in which he sought help, his hopes seemed to rest more on Long Wu; he never nced at Suming from start to finish, which also showed that, in his eyes, Suming was just a non-entity.


    Continue your journey with empire


    He Baowen kept a straight face and nodded, at which Luo Jiaju immediately said, "Okay, okay, I promise you. Just don''t do anything rash, you must ensure my daughter''s safety. Let me talk to her first!"


    "Daddy, save me!" A frightened female voice came through the phone instantly.


    But then it switched back to the kidnapper''s voice, "Mr. Luo, I''m aware of how tough Xiangjiang police are, but you need to think clearly, even if the police get to me, I can kill your daughter with one shot before they can react."


    "I understand, I understand, I will deliver the money on time, but how should I contact you when I get there?"


    "We will contact you!" The kidnapper hung up immediately after saying this, leaving a busy tone on the other end of the phone.


    Clutching the phone emitting a continuous tone, Luo Jiaju looked at Long Wu and He Baowen for help.


    He Baowen paced back and forth with his hands behind his back. The kidnapper clearly had some experience, choosing Ocean Park for the ransom drop where the crowds were toorge and having a gun greatlyplicated the capture and tracking efforts.


    If a gunfight broke out, innocent bystanders could easily be injured, sparking a new uproar.


    "What do you think?" He Baowen looked up and asked.


    "It has only been two hours since the police were searching the mountain. Since the kidnappers spotted the officers, it means they are still within Flying Goose Mountain! Choosing Ocean Park for the ransom drop is an intentional distraction to divert the police''s attention," Long Wu analyzed calmly.


    "Flying Goose Mountain is too vast. There''s not enough time to send officers to search inch by inch! Besides, with the kidnappers hidden and the officers exposed, searching the mountain could easily provoke the kidnappers to kill the hostage!" another officer in the room said.


    An experienced officer added, "Logically, the kidnappers must have split into two groups: one to guard the hostage, the other to collect the ransom. If the ones collecting the ransom get caught, the ones guarding would kill the hostage."


    Suming, who had been silent so far, suddenly stood up.


    All eyes turned to him, for he was brought in by Long Wu. Although he''d been ignored all along, Long Wu must have had his reasons, and now that Suming was stepping forward, he might really have some valuable insight!


    Finally being acknowledged and having the chance to get involved in the kidnapping case, Suming puffed out his chest and said confidently and loudly, "The kidnapper is from the Qian-Gui region!"


    The room fell silent for several seconds, and everyone''s expressions turned indescribably odd.


    Was that not obvious? Anyone could tell from the ent, and even if the locals present couldn''t, a verification of the recording would reveal it. But the real question was, how did that information help with the kidnapping case? Was the kidnapper''s origin important? Could one possibly say to the kidnapper, "I''m your fellow townsman," and expect the kidnapper to release the victim?


    After all that analysis, was this his conclusion? It was aplete waste of everyone''s time and emotions!


    He Baowen''s mouth twitched as he gave Suming a stern look, then once again turned to Luo Jiaju and said, "Mr. Luo, the hostage should still be on Flying Goose Mountain. We will send inclothes officers to monitor all the mountain passes, and first thing tomorrow morning, we will send someone to Ocean Park with the money. Once the kidnappers collect the ransom, the police will track them to locate the hostage. Additionally, Mr. Xiang, our manpower might be insufficient, so we hope you can mobilize..."


    She paused for a moment before continuing, "Um, mobilize willing citizens to assist us."@@novelbin@@


    Long Wu nodded. The people he could mobilize greatly outnumbered those in the police station and, on the surface, appeared as an array of characters mingling in Xiangjiang society, far less conspicuous than the police.


    "Chen Yongren! Bright and early tomorrow morning, you''re responsible for delivering the money!"


    A young male police officer snapped to attention, saluting He Baowen with precision, "YesMadom!"


    "Much appreciated, Chen sir!" Luo Jiaju hurriedly bowed deeply to Chen Yongren.


    "Hold on a second!" Just then, the consistently ignored but never discouraged Suming spoke up again.


    Seeing Suming ''meddling'' again, He Baowen finally got a bit angry, mming the file in her hand onto the desk and ring at Suming with hands on hips, "Wow, pretty boy, can''t you stop? What do you want to say now!"


    A moment ago, He Baowen had a cold, steely, and unapproachable air about her, a veritable shrew with not a hint of femininity. However, her outburst somehow gave her an alluring charm.


    "Atst, the scent of uniform seduction///appears..." Suming muttered.


    "What did you say!" He Baowen furrowed her brows, ring intensely.


    Feeling a bit embarrassed, Long Wu coughed as a signal to Suming not to sh with the female supervisor. Times had changed, and gone were the days when cops clocked off and gangsters called the shots. If the shrew went berserk, even he, a former titan of the underworld, couldn''t protect Suming.


    "I''m saying, he''s not the right person to deliver the money!" Suming pointed at Chen Yongren. What a terrible name, it''s like it''s asking to be whacked.


    "What''s wrong with me doing it!" Chen Yongren was the first to object, and He Baowen, too, was fixated on Suming, her posture screaming ''if you don''t make sense today, you''re going to regret it.''


    "Have you considered that not just anyone can deliver the money? The person making the delivery has to meet at least two criteria."


    Suming stood up, walked to the middle of the office, and said to those around him, unhurriedly, "First off, one, they have to be sharp enough to not lose the robbers or to handle sudden situations! Chen Sir, you may be good-looking, but obviously, you''re not sharp."


    "Why not?" Chen Yongren asked, eyes wide with innocence.


    "Wow, just look at the face and you''ll know. If someone were to jump out and use me, guess what I''d do?" Suming pointed at his nose.


    Chen Yongren, still ying the fool, shook his head and asked, "What would you do?"


    The others present were all somewhat intrigued by Suming and stopped interrupting him, waiting for him to continue.


    "You still don''t get it with that silly look on your face?"


    Suming rolled his eyes and said, "Whatever I say, you just ask away, like you''re totally following my lead, right? Believe me, if you keep going along with what others think, any random person from Tieling could swindle you into paying the ransom out of your own pocket!"


    "Why would that be?" Chen Yongren looked utterly lost and confused, and what''s more, where on earth was Tieling?


    "No ''why,'' it''s because you''re a blockhead!" Suming pointed at his nose, "If someone were to speak against me, regardless of whether they''re right or wrong, I''d shoot back on impulse, and not stand there like a dummy asking, ''why oh why?'' Baaah... baaah... do you think you''re a sheep or something?"


    "Enough, please show the least bit of respect for the Xiangjiang police!" He Baowen''s mouth twitched as if she wanted tough but held it back, then she straightened her face again, "Now, tell us the second reason."


    "Alright, the robbers made it clear they don''t want to see cops. I know you''d have him dress in in clothes, but look at him, how perfect that salute was, purely instinctive. Even in in clothes, that''s enough for him to be spotted immediately! Even if the robbers don''t recognize him, with all the people in Ocean Park, what if someone randomly shouts ''sir''? Guess if he would just drop the bag and start saluting?" Suming asked.


    Despite the tension in the air, imagining Chen Yongren''s response had everyone struggling to suppress a chuckle. Suming''s reasoning made sense, and the resulting scenario, although exaggerated, wasn''t impossible.


    Chen Yongren was clearly a rookie, but even if a veteran were to take his ce, it might not help. Long in a profession, one''s actions and even the gaze in their eyes give away characteristic traits that aren''t easily concealed. For example, Suming himself now had the makings of a beast, eyes aglow whenever he was alone with Nangong Ye at night...


    Luo Jiaju was the first to break the silence and spoke to He Baowen, "I think what Mr. Su said makes sense! If the robbers get furious, I can''t ensure my daughter''s safety! I''d like someone else to go." He finished speaking and then nodded at Chen Yongren, "Officer Chen, it''s nothing personal, I hope you understand!"


    "Oh," Chen Yongren said, disheartened.


    He Baowen looked at Suming with a mockingly amused expression, "Then who do you suggest should go?"


    Hearing this, Long Wu, guessing the gist, looked up incredulously at Suming.


    As expected, Suming gave a sly smile, "Since I''ve posed such a tricky problem for Madam, of course, I should be the one to solve it. In the maind, when there''s trouble, the Party member always steps forward. As a Party member, I''ll go!"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªEnd of Line¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    So this is what positive energy looks like! Yes, that''s right!

 Chapter 328 Sir, Your Bird Is So Impressive

    Beast Tamer, what the heck? Does a beast tamer have anything to do with party membership?!


    Senior Inspector He Baowen waspletely flustered. Where was the promised special forces expert? Where was the maind practitioner of Qigong with extraordinary talents? At the very least, he should be a discharged soldier, right? But after all the fuss, a bird flew in? That''s your ability?! Flight Avenger? Birdman Avenger?


    In He Baowen''s eyes, this young maind man standing before her¡ªwith a bird on his shoulder, who wasn''t much younger than her, wearing an annoying, smiling grin¡ªsuddenly turned into a "Birdman"!


    Luo Jiaju was also stunned. Everything was normal, and then suddenly a bird appears? This situation was getting stranger by the minute.


    Only Long Wu, in his amazement, could understand somewhat. All that talk about beast tamers and party members was nonsense. Suming''s real job was just a zoo director, wasn''t it?


    He suddenly remembered a hugely sensational concert starring Jacky, where various animals helped him dance, a topic that dominated the headlines in Southeast Asia for over half a month. Now thinking about it, Suming seemed to be the special consultant and nner for that concert.


    If this was the maind, especially in the grasnds, the appearance of the Haidong Qing would make Suming''s intentions clear. But this was Xiangjiang, where the ancient art of eagle training had long been forgotten¡ªat least, he had never seen eagle training scenes in the countless Xiangjiang films he''d watched from childhood to adulthood.


    "Using this eagle to catch kidnappers? Seems like...," Luo Jiaju coughed, "it''s a bit too frail for that, right? A police dog would be more effective. Besides, the kidnappers have guns!"


    "Catch kidnappers?" Suming was taken aback. Luo Jiaju''s thoughts were clearly misguided. No matter how formidable the Haidong Qing was, engaging in a direct fight with an armed man was very dangerous; creating a distraction was more reasonable.@@novelbin@@


    Furthermore, if he or a friend or family member were in danger, it would be somewhat justifiable to risk an animal to save them. But just for the sake of getting involved in a kidnapping case to satisfy some perverse interest, risking the Haidong Qing''s life was something neither He Baowen nor Suming would agree to.


    "We''re not capturing, but tracking the suspect! I''m not familiar with the roads in Xiangjiang, and I can''t keep up with the speed, but it can fly in the sky without a problem! It only listens to me. If I don''t participate, no one else canmand it."


    To match Suming''s words, the Haidong Qing even ''nodded'' its head and let out a ''cooing'' sound that signifiedpliance, much like a pigeon.


    As Suming spoke, he casually picked up a Snickers bar from the table¡ªno idea whose it was¡ªpeeled off the wrapper, and handed it to the Haidong Qing to eat. He Baowen''s eyes went wide: "Hey, that''s my Snickers!"


    "Wow, Madam, no need to be so stingy. A pretty woman like you shouldn''t eat too much of that stuff; you''ll get fat, and then your uniform will burst at the seams!" Explore new worlds at empire


    Being a woman, He Baowen subconsciously looked down at her police uniform when she was told she was fat. Thankfully, except for the chest area being a bit tight, the rest of it was okay.


    While Suming talked, the Haidong Qing pecked at the Snickers, then disdainfully turned its head away and spat out the small piece it had nibbled into its mouth.


    "See that? Even the bird won''t eat it! Cut back on the junk food, Madam!" Suming rolled his eyes and nonchntly stuffed the remainder of the fairlyrge bar into his mouth, eating with vigor.


    "I want to test and see if this bird is really as capable as you say!" It was clear that He Baowen didn''t believe it.


    The others had the same expression. Seeing is believing, and no matter how grandiose Suming''s ims were, they found it hard to believe without seeing for themselves that this bird could truly track.


    In thisrge group, there were underworld leaders, wealthy tycoons, and the elite of Xiangjiang''s police. If they were duped by a bird, it would be an enormous joke once the word got out.


    "Sure, no problem. Handsome, I''m talking to you!" Suming gestured to Chen Yongren, who was zoning out on the side.


    "What do you want?" Chen Yongren walked over, clearly reluctant.


    "You leave the building now, hop on a police motorcycle, and ride off in any direction. In two minutes, it will find you. Of course, you must be on the streets; if you''re hiding in some house, no one can find you."


    Chen Yongren nced at He Baowen, seeking permission. He Baowen hesitated for a moment, then nodded her head and added, "Speed up!". Initially everyone ignored Suming, with He Baowen inplete control of the situation, but now Suming gradually took over, and thepetitive He Baowen felt somewhat unconvinced. She hoped Chen Yongren could regain some face; otherwise, it would turn out that the professional police of Xiangjiang were no match for a bird from the maind...


    He Baowen secretly nced at Suming, huffing in her mind, yeah, a bird and a birdman.


    "Yes, Madam!" Chen Yongren snapped to attention and saluted, ring at Suming resentfully before turning and walking out of the office. His footsteps echoed loudly as he descended the stairs.


    "See what I mean? He''s no good. Making such a racket going downstairs, be careful not to break the stairs!" Suming said with scorn.


    "Young man, it''s pointless to make snide remarks. Get your bird ready!" He Baowen huffed.


    Suming nearly spit out his food. What was this woman talking about? What does ''get your bird ready'' mean? He looked down; his zipper was still up...


    Downstairs, the sound of a motorcycle starting up was heard, and therge group in the office immediately rushed to the window, flung open a row of windows, and each stuck their heads out to look down.


    Chen Yongren could be seen mounting the motorcycle, looking back and throwing a two-finger salute up at the building very stylishly, then twisting the throttle and speeding away. No one could tell if he was deliberately provoking or just not paying attention, but the police siren light on the back was still on; it was as if he didn''t take the Haidong Qing seriously at all.


    From the fifth floor, the streets of the New Territories outside the police station were brightly lit, crowded with vehicles and people. As Chen Yongren left the station on his bike, he quickly blended into the crowd, and the taillights of his motorcycle became indistinguishable among the myriad of lights, difficult to tell apart.


    At this moment, trying to find Chen Yongren was like finding a needle in a haystack.


    "Let your bird take off now, anyter and we won''t even see the taillights!" He Baowen reminded from the side.


    "A promise of two minutes is two minutes." Suming nced at his watch, one and a half minutes had already passed, only thirty seconds remaining. There were many traffic lights on the streets of Xiangjiang, so there was no need to worry that Chen Yongren would get too far away.


    Long Wu was somewhat uneasy and reminded, "One and a half minutes and two minutes make no difference. When we take action, we don''t let the robbers run for two minutes first."


    Suming nodded but still didn''t release the eagle. Instead, he continued to watch the watch, staring as the second hand ticked forward.


    "This Birdman Avenger really keeps his word." He Baowen nodded silently to himself, his perception of Suming involuntarily changing.


    As the second handpleted itsst tick, Suming''s shoulders slightly shrugged.


    Haidong Qing''s ws gently pushed off from Suming''s shoulder, its wings slicing open like knife edges with a whoosh, emitting a long cry as it turned into a sword of lightning and shot into the sky. In a blink of an eye, it was reduced to a mere ck dot.


    "Wow, so cool!" Two younger female administrative officers in the office couldn''t help but exim in admiration.


    He Baowen turned his head and red at them, then turned back to look at Suming, narrowing his eyes and looking up into the sky for Haidong Qing.


    By then, there was no trace of Haidong Qing to be seen!


    As Haidong Qing soared into the clouds, Chen Yongren had long since disappeared into the sea of people and the night. The office quieted down again as if nothing had happened. However, everyone was still holding a trace of tension inside, even He Baowen was somewhat anxiously anticipating what would happen next.


    "Madam." Suming suddenly spoke up, breaking the silence.


    "Did you find him?!" He Baowen blurted out, everyone immediately looked at Suming, their eyes filled with hope.


    "Ahem, that... I''m a bit thirsty, could I have a cup of coffee?" Suming chuckled dryly.


    He Baowen rolled her eyes, then snapped her fingers at a petite female officer, "Abby, make a cup of coffee for Mr. Su, and by the way, order supper for everyone too, the usual, milk tea and egg tarts..."


    "Wow, eating like this will really make you fat," Suming shrugged, kindly reminding, then he took the coffee from the officer named Abby and nodded with a smile. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee." Abby didn''t leave immediately, but full of curiosity, she asked softly, "Mr. Su, is your bird really that amazing?"


    Suming almost spat out his coffee but managed to hold it in and seriously said to Abby, "Ah Abby, in the maind, girls don''t directly ask guys about their birds like this, mine is called Haidong Qing."


    "Oh... sorry..." Abby''s little round face slightly reddened, "Then, your Hai..."


    "Haidong Qing."


    "Anyway, that big bird, can it really find Chen Yongren?"


    "It should be able to." Suming nodded.


    In fact, with his Soul Attachment Ability, he had already detected Chen Yongren''s whereabouts. The guy looked dopey and foolish, but unexpectedly he was quite shrewd, having slipped through the crowd toward the direction of Tuen Mun Road. There aren''t many traffic lights or people on Tuen Mun Road, and a motorcycle could easily speed up and quickly cover a lot of ground.


    However, for Haidong Qing flying in midair, this was not an issue at all. The fewer people there were, the easier he would be to spot.


    The reason Suming wanted coffee was to think about how to tell these people Chen Yongren''s location. He couldn''t exactly say that Haidong Qing telepathicallymunicated it to him, could he?


    "Madam, call Chen Yongren and tell him he can stop anywhere he likes, Haidong Qing will find him," Suming suddenly said.


    "Can do." He Baowen immediately made a call, speaking a few words to Chen Yongren in Cantonese.


    Before long, the phone rang. He Baowen turned on the speaker, and Chen Yongren''s exaggerated shout came through, "Wow, Madam, the moment I stopped, that bird appeared, it seems like it''s been following me!"


    The office broke into an uproar, everyone astonished and incredulous. Luo Jiaju let out a long sigh of relief as if a weight were lifted and copsed onto the sofa, while Abby, the young female officer, waved her little fists excitedly, "Mr. Su, your bird is really amazing!"


    Suming: "..."

 Chapter 329 Divine Skill Plus Technology

    ```


    By all ounts, after Haidong Qing had caught up with Chen Yongren and urately pinpointed his location, the oue of this ''race'' was already quite clear.


    "Madam, my current position is¡­" Chen Yongren was just about to report.


    But He Baowen cut him off, "Don''t say your position yet." She turned her head, her expression a mix of a smile and not, and asked Suming, "Su Sheng, your bird couldn''t possibly report his position as well, could it?"


    Everyone present was taken aback, as it seemed He Baowen had made a good point.


    After all, Haidong Qing wasn''t human, and even if it were, it wouldn''t possess the ability to transmit messages over thousands of miles. It was beyond everyone''s expectations that Haidong Qing could catch up to Chen Yongren, but it was stillprehensible, simr to how a hunting dog can track¡ªit''s rare to see a trained falcon in Xiangjiang, but that doesn''t mean the people of Xiangjiang don''t understand the concept.


    However, to say that Haidong Qing couldmunicate Chen Yongren''s exact position from several kilometers away to Suming waspletely beyond normal humanprehension, bordering on myth. Clearly impossible.


    After saying this, the stern-faced female inspector finally showed a triumphant expression like that of a little girl who had stealthily enjoyed her candy, "Su Sheng, if it''s about tracking a kidnapper, your bird has to tell us the location, right?"


    Long Wu shook his head at the side, smiling without a word.


    In fact, as long as you can keep up with the target, there are plenty of ways tomunicate back to humans and bring them to the kidnapper''s hideout.


    With Long Wu''s wealth of experience, he could see that this young, zealous female inspector was only saying this to save some face at thest minute, deliberately making an impossible condition to trouble Suming.


    Luo Jiaju also recognized this, but he didn''t overthink it. He was just so infuriated that he wanted to curse. At a time like this, when his daughter''s life was at risk, these two young people were here bickering? Yet he couldn''t afford to offend these two key figures and could only sit angrily on the couch.


    "How about we call it a draw," Long Wu offered, trying to defuse the situation.


    "I don''t mind at all," replied He Baowen, arms crossed over her chest, further tightening the already snug police uniform and forcing two prominent mounds to rise, her gaze yfully fixed on Suming.


    Suming put down his cellphone and calmly disclosed an address: "Two kilometers down Tuen Mun Road, in the woods on the right..."


    "What?" He Baowen''s smile froze, assuming Suming had blurted out a random address. She quickly made a call to verify Chen Yongren''s whereabouts.


    "Madam¡­ yes¡­ I''m on¡­ Tuen Mun Road, two kilometers¡­ The woods?... Yes, right at the woods..." Chen Yongren''s voice was intermittent, as though the signal was poor.


    The entire office fell silent in shock¡ªif finding Chen Yongren had been surprising, the revtion of his exact location was now akin to encountering a ghostly terror.


    "How is that possible!" He Baowen eximed as she stood up abruptly, hands mming down on the table, her movements so vigorous that her chest heaved, mirroring the tumultuous waves inside her.


    The young officer Abby asked timidly, "Su Sheng, what''s going on? Can you tell us, please?"


    "Here, see for yourself¡­" Suming handed his cellphone to Abby.


    With just one nce, Abby gasped and jerked the phone away, her cheeks flushing red, but she couldn''t help letting out a giggle.


    "What is going on!" He Baowen red at Abby.


    "Madam, you should see for yourself." Abby passed the phone over, stifling herughter.


    He Baowen looked at the phone and felt her nose twist in irritation.


    The phone disyed a video that seemed to be taken from midair. Chen Yongren, his back to the camera, was standing under a tree, twisting about, with a murky liquid streaming from his feet, as if he were urinating... Not far away was a sign. The script wasn''t very clear, but one could still make out the words ''Tuen Mun Road, 2''.


    "Madam, can we be a bit more professional! It''s the twenty-first century. Don''t tell me you''ve never heard of cameras." Suming took a sip of his coffee and said to everyone in the office with a smile, "I tied a tiny high-definition camera to Haidong Qing''s leg. Naturally, I could see everything clearly from the other side."


    When Haidong Qing returned, a quick inspection revealed a small camera indeed attached to its leg.


    In the recent times, Suming had been inseparably close with Nangong. Sometimes Haidong Qing was too far away for the current level of spiritual power to connect, and even if he did use soul attachment and opened Haidong Qing''s vision, the sensation of being sted by the high-altitude cold wind was simply too painfully invigorating, with tears being swept away in a flow. Hence, he simply decided to get a camera and attach it to Haidong Qing''s leg, connecting it wirelessly to his cellphone.


    Explore more at empire


    "Everyone, I beg you, let''s quickly finalize the n!" Luo Jiaju could no longer hold back and spoke up, his face etched with distress: "It''s already past midnight!"


    "Okay, I''ll report to the higher-ups first."


    Allowing Suming to participate in the operation was a big deal that He Baowen herself couldn''t decide. She went to the next room and called her direct superior, a chief inspector named Chen Mingli, and reported everything she had witnessed, while also asking the higher-ups to look into Suming''s background.


    Before long, He Baowen returned, regaining her efficient policewoman demeanor, "The higher-ups have approved. I will lead this operation, and Suming, the director of Yangchuan City Zoo, will be joining us! Now, let''s discuss the specific n!"


    ...


    Kidnappers, police officers, and the underworld figures under Long Wu, all busied themselves in the night.


    A squad of Flying Tigers members had received orders, ready and waiting at five in the morning tomence an all-out assault;


    ```


    ```


    At least half of the uniformed patrol officers on vacation across the New Territories were urgently called back, some changing into inclothes, others pretending to be on patrol, appearing on the roads around Flying Goose Mountain and Ocean Park.


    Batches of people, no different from ordinary citizens, came to the foot of Flying Goose Mountain, started campfires, and appeared to be tourists camping out, but asionally in their exchanges of nces, there was a hint of the ferocity and savageness unique to the Jianghu.


    "Wow, Huo Dongjun, can you not use a watermelon knife that''s cut through people to slice the beef offal? It''s so disgusting," a blonde youngsterined beside the campfire.


    Huo Dongjun, who had recently risen in the ranks of the gangster world and was in charge of preparing the BBQ ingredients, waved the watermelon knife in his hand at him and said ferociously, "Pick, if you find it disgusting, don''t eat it!"


    ...


    Inside the police building, Suming asked Long Wu one more time if he really didn''t want to join the party.


    Big brother, what kind of society is this? It''s practically a model of excellent coboration between good citizens and the police.


    Standing at the window, Long Wu passed over a cigar and said deeply, "Who would want to go against the government and engage in fighting and killing if they could make money peacefully? How much could one earn from such violence?"


    "With your awareness, I must pull you into the party!" Suming said confidently.


    Long Wu: "..."


    In the depths of Flying Goose Mountain, a dark cave faintly echoed with the sound of people talking.


    "Motherf***er, these Xiangjiang tycoons are too damn rich, over forty million, they agreed without a second thought!"


    "That''s why we say, we are serving justice on Heaven''s behalf!"


    "Bro, why don''t we take it a bit further? It''s so suffocating out here in the wild, let''s have a go at that woman, huh? Damn it, these richdies smell so fragrant..."


    "Shut the hell up, if it''s a kidnapping, then it''s just a kidnapping, cut out the nonsense!"


    "Bro, we''ve already kidnapped her, having a go is just a trivial matter!"


    "You don''t understand shit, this is called professional spirit. We are in the business of kidnapping; if we touch her, won''t that turn into rape? That''s messing with other lines of business! Haven''t you heard on TV, it''s only when you''re professional that there''s a chance!"


    Someone in the caveughed, "Old Bear, you can spare us the Lan Xiang rhetoric. Little Mao, just bear with it. Once we have the money, you can go and visit all the beauty parlors in the city! That woman is not simple; she''s been very calm throughout, not crying, not causing a fuss. We better not provoke her, to avoid anyplications."


    "Brother You, the police already know now. You must be very careful when you go to collect the money tomorrow. Be extra vignt at all times and make damn sure nobody tails you. If you don''te back by ten-thirty, we''ll assume something has happened to you, and at that point, everyone is on their own. We can''t save you, and killing this woman will be taking revenge on your behalf. Then we''ll temporarily disband."


    "Bro? If we kill the woman, what about the money? Did we do all this for nothing? We''ve already invested several tens of thousands."


    "Are you stupid? There are so many tycoons in Xiangjiang; even if we fail this time, as long as we have people and guns, we can go for bigger targets next time! But listen to me, if we get the money, we release the person; if we don''t get the money, we must kill the person. This is called credibility! Establish a reputation, and in the future, when we kidnap someone again, the victim will obediently and calmly deliver the money to our door. This is called service! Old Bear is right; even in our line of work, we need to be professional!"@@novelbin@@


    "Bro, hearing you talk like that, I''m getting fired up. It''s like we''re engaged in some grand endeavor..."


    ...


    Early the next morning, before Xiangjiang Ocean Park had even opened, a group of inclothes police and society members pretending to be ordinary tourists had already arrived at Ocean Park to take control and set up positions.


    Ocean Park, surrounded by the sea on three sides, is rtively easy to control due to its geographical location, but it''s just toorge. It''s thergest ocean park in Asia. Also, the park''s buildings are distributed in two ces: one on top of Nang Mountain and the other in the Wong Chuk Hang Valley below, connected by an overhead cable car. The park also contains Ocean World, Green Field Garden, Bird Paradise, Water Park, Children''s Kingdom, and so on, a total of eightrge areas. With daily visitor numbers reaching hundreds of thousands, especially during the May Day holidays, once doors open to the public, it will definitely be packed with people. No matter how many police are deployed, it''s impossible to ensureplete control of every corner.


    "Hey hey hey, this is Suming, this is Suming, this is a test, this is a test, please respond if you hear me! OVER!" Suming squatted on the grass, curiously speaking into the tinymunicator hidden inside his cor.


    "Mr. Su, you''ve tested it for the eighth time already, and I''m sitting on a bench just twenty meters away from you," came the exasperated voice of He Baowen through the earpiece: "Please sir, could you take this seriously?!"


    "Madam, there''s no need to be so tense, rx a little."


    As Suming spoke, he held his open cellphone at his waist, aiming the phone''s camera ahead of him.


    In the cellphone, Wang Hao''s chubby face appeared, with the background looking like it belonged to some broadcasting room!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Divider ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    PS: I just checked thements section, and a reader mentioned that there seems to be a chapter missing between 327 and 328. I checked, and indeed there is! When I was submitting the chapter that day, I felt something was off. I had two chapters in reserve, so why was there only one left after posting? Now thinking about it, I probably forgot to copy it from the writing software to Word to save...


    Such a tragedy! I will try to see if I can recover and find it. If I can, it will be posted in the rted free chapters of the work.


    The general plot is: Suming, taken by a whim to personally participate in a kidnapping case, volunteers to help pay the ransom. The police think that he is not a professional and raise safety and capability concerns. Then Suming pulls out a bird... oh no, summons a bird...


    ```

 Chapter 330 The Consequences of Not Wearing a Seatbelt

    Suming thought of a sneaky trick at first.@@novelbin@@


    If there was an online streaming tform in Yangchuan City, why not simply live stream the rescue operation? It was certain to cause a sensation.


    However, upon further thought, if the rescue were sessful, then live streaming would be no problem. But what if it failed?


    In the end, if there was a shootout between the kidnappers and the police, the kidnappers fled, and the hostage got brutally killed¡ªblood and gore sttering across the screen... Then the live stream would be a huge problem, and it would be like outright smearing the reputation of Xiangjiang Police. Someone might even sue him for viting human rights and portrait rights.


    So, he decided on apromise¡ªrecord it first. Afterwards, depending on the oue, broadcast it. If the end result were joyful for all parties, of course no one would oppose this opportunity for publicity. Otherwise, forget it.


    "OK, very clear, extremely clear! Su, if this were live streamed, I bet there''d be several hundred thousand people rushing into the stream," Wang Hao still felt a bit regretful.


    "A recording can still create a sensational effect. Everyone''s seen hostage rescues in movies, but who has seen a real one? Don''t worry! All right, enough said, can you see the video from Haidong Qing clearly?"


    "Extremely clear!"


    "OK!"


    "Su, take care of yourself, don''t get the camera sttered with blood..."


    ¡­


    As time ticked away, after Ocean Park opened, visitors flooded in like a tide, quickly filling the park to capacity. Suming couldn''t even see He Baowen, who was just twenty meters away.


    Just after 9:30, Suming''s phone, which belonged to Luo Jiaju, suddenly rang with a number he didn''t recognize.


    "All units, pay attention, all units, attention, the kidnappers are calling!" After He Baowen made the announcement over the radio to notify everyone, Suming answered the call, and a voice with a maind ent came through, "Hello, is this Mr. Luo? Did you bring the money?"


    "I brought the money, but I''m not Mr. Luo."


    Hearing a different person on the phone, and with a standard maind Mandarin at that, the kidnapper on the other end became visibly wary and asked in a low voice, "Who are you? Where''s Luo Jiaju!"


    "Mr. Luo obviously can''t show himself personally; what if you kidnapped him as well? I''m a friend of Mr. Luo. I''ve brought the money. Where are you, and how should I give it to you?" Suming asked.


    After a few seconds of hesitation, the voice on the phone said, "You don''t need to know where I am. Tell me what you are wearing and describe your appearance."


    Suming described his outfit in detail before the kidnapper continued, "Now, carrying the money bag, walk towards the crossroads between the Cloud Soaring Roller Coaster and the aquarium. There''s a big shark balloon at the intersection; stop there once you arrive."


    After speaking, the kidnapper hung up the phone.


    With no other option, Suming did as he was told and made his way through the crowd toward the crossroads half a mile away.


    "First team, follow up, ensure Mr. Su''s safety!" He Baowen''s voice came from themunicator, and Suming quickly said, "Stand further back. The kidnapper is definitely nearby, don''t get spotted."


    "We''re professionals, of course, we understand! Just do your part!" He Baowen, highly tense, replied somewhat impatiently.


    However, after finishing her response, she realized she might have sounded too harsh. After all, Suming was risking danger to help, so she mellowed her tone, adding with he slightly unnatural tone, "Be careful yourself."


    Blending in with the crowd, Suming reached the crossroads where the shark balloon was located. Like any regr tourist, he stood below the balloon with a big bag, taking selfies with his phone.


    A few minutester, the phone rang again.


    "Good, I see you..."


    "Big brother, can you hurry up? Nearly 50 million in cash, not cheques¡ªit''s tiring to carry!" Sumingined before the other party could finish speaking, "Don''t believe me? Wait till I hand it over to you, and you try carrying this kind of money for a few kilometers. It''s several dozens of kilos, practically killing me. Hurry up ande get it¡­"


    "Shut up!" The kidnapper on the phone, probably confused by this unusual scenario of someone eager to get rid of the money because it was too heavy, snapped back.


    This was all precious experience! The kidnapper mentally nodded, thankful for this experience¡ªnext time they kidnapped someone and demanded a billion, one person might actually not be able to carry it.


    "Big brother, where exactly are you?" Suming said impatiently.


    "Do you take me for a fool?" The kidnapper sneered, "Now, go get on the sightseeing cable car."


    "What?" Suming was taken aback, wondering why he should ride a sightseeing cable car out of the blue.


    But upon ncing towards the cable car, Suming immediately understood the kidnapper''s intent!


    Ocean Park was split into two sections, one part of the park on Nang Mountain, the other part in the valley of Wong Chuk Hang below. A cable car spanning over a kilometer in the air connected the two parts. Most of this distance, except for a few small areas on the edges of the two major park zones, was deste wilderness.


    The police had stationed their forces entirely within the park, and that vast area under the cable car, in the wilderness, was devoid of personnel.


    The kidnapper had it all figured out. Once the cable car reached any random position, he would simply have Suming throw the money down from the cable car and then pick it up before making his escape.


    Even deploying police forces now would be useless; in the originally deste wilderness, if people suddenly appeared after the kidnapper made the call, even a fool would know they were cops, and the kidnapper would not dare to appear.


    Actually, it was an excellent n; the kidnapper could casually take the money and leave without being exposed or risking capture. However, what he couldn''t possibly anticipate was that while people couldn''t keep an eye on him, there was still a bird in the sky.


    "Su Sheng, do as he says; your bird¡­ Haidong Qing can monitor from the air," He Baowen urged through themunicator, "Besides, we''ll try to set up at both ends of the cable car."


    Within less than a minute, the kidnapper called again to hurry things along, "Go now, board the next sightseeing cable car!" After speaking, he hung up the phone.


    Suming had just walked over to the cable car entrance and bought a ticket when, suddenly, a woman appeared behind him wearing sunsses and short denim hotpants, her long legs exposed, looking just like a fashionable female tourist out for fun.


    The ''female tourist'' also bought a ticket and followed right behind Suming''s cable car.


    "Wow, Madam, how did you get here?" While queuing, Suming slightly tilted his head as if admiring the scenery and said to He Baowen, who was disguised as a tourist, behind him.


    He Baowen looked straight ahead and whispered, "The higher-ups have given a strict order to ensure your safety! The cable car is out of our control now, how could I be at ease if I don''t follow you?"


    "Isn''t that a bit exaggerated? I''m not made of y, a big man like me, needing your protection?" said Suming.


    "Do you think I want to protect you? Stop talking, be careful not to be discovered!" He Baowen said, pretending that the queue was too crowded and deliberately knocking Suming with her knee from behind.


    Suming turned and red at her, mouthing the words, "Don''t take your personal revenge on me!"


    He Baowen took off her sunsses, her face a picture of innocence, and said in a delicate voice, "Sorry, sir, it''s really crowded!"


    Suming: "..."


    Soon, they boarded their cable cars. Suming rode alone in a blue one painted with dolphins, while He Baowen got into another that followed just behind. The two cars slowly ascended the slope one after the other.


    Not long after leaving the station, his phone rang, "I see you. Don''t hang up. Listen to my instructions."


    Suming looked down, and as the cable car climbed, the ground below got farther and farther away. He suddenly realized a serious problem!


    "Brother¡­ there''s something I must tell you!" Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire


    The kidnapper, impatiently, said, "Cut the crap, it''s not your turn to call the shots now!"


    "No, really, it''s serious." Suming looked down and asked, "Have you thought about it? There are tens of millions in this bag. If it''s thrown from this height, the bag will burst, and with the wind so strong in the mountains, all the money will blow away. How will you take it then?"


    Everyone, including He Baowen, hadn''t expected Suming toe out with such a remark.


    Suming hadn''t foreseen it either. He had seen many Xiangjiang movies where kidnappers fail to get the money for various reasons, but never because the money bag burst open, and the cash was lost.


    The kidnapper was clearly stunned too and didn''t respond immediately.


    "That''s life, brother, unexpected idents always happen," Suming even consoled the kidnapper, trying to probe, "Shall we find another way to hand over the money?"


    The kidnapper was silent for a good seven or eight seconds, it being the first time that someone considered the kidnapper''s perspective. Atst, he chuckled, "Brother, you''re not a bad guy."


    "Absolutely, just don''t harm the hostages, and it''ll be great."


    Before Suming could finish, the kidnapper interrupted him again, his tone turning stern, "But you don''t need to worry about that, just do as I say!"


    "Well, anyway, I''ve warned you. If the bag bursts, you can''t me me for not being sincere, and you certainly can''t harm the hostages because of that," Suming repeated his concern.


    "Why do you talk so much nonsense! Just do as I tell you, or I''ll slice you up too!" The kidnapper''s head was throbbing from Suming''s grumbling.


    The cable cars were bi-directional, with two rows of cars moving up and down, not far from each other. An adult with a bit of courage could even jump from one car to the other. While talking, Suming saw a man in a caring down from the opposite direction, wearing ck sunsses and covering half his face with arge mask.


    The man was holding a phone in one hand and gesturing to Suming with the other, "Throw the money over, into this car with the yellow mouse painted on it!"


    So the kidnapper didn''t recognize Pikachu...


    He Baowen, sitting in the cable car behind, was suddenly overjoyed!


    The cable car on the opposite side led down to the park area below. As long as the man took the money and left through the cable car exit, they could arrange for professional paparazzi to follow him while the Haidong Qing continued its surveince from the sky. With this dual approach, he could by no means escape the police''s sight.


    By following him, they could find the hostages!


    "Catch!" Suming lifted the bag of money and threw it right over.


    The bulky bag flew in an arc through the air and headed towards the opposing cable car.


    The kidnapper reached out to catch it and grabbed the strap of the bag.


    Then, something happened that no one had expected.


    It''s true that although the art of filmes from life, it should surpass life.


    The cash in the bag was dead heavy to begin with, andpounded by Suming''s throw, the inertia caused the kidnapper, who had just grabbed the bag, not even having time tough, to change colors abruptly. His body, as if in slow motion, skewed towards one side of the cable car...


    Right after that, he vanished with a whoosh.


    A muffled thud came from below. It turned out that the kidnapper had been pulled by the powerful force and had fallen from the cable car...


    Fallen off...


    Fallen off...


    Suming blinked, taking a moment to grasp what had just happened, his face grave, "Ah, that''s what happens when you don''t wear a seatbelt!"

 Chapter 331 Descending from the Sky

    Sudden changes caught everyone off guard!


    Before delivering the money, He Baowen and the police made thorough preparations, considering several possible idents that might ur and prepared corresponding contingency ns, iming that their n was foolproof wouldn''t be an exaggeration.


    But no one had expected that the kidnapper would actually fall off the cable car!


    Life is like an unpredictable young girl, just when you think you''ve won her heart and are about to take her body, you find out that such lovable creature is actually a boy...


    "We''re in big trouble!" came He Baowen''s murmur from behind on themunicator.


    Their original n was to let the kidnapper take the money and get away, and then send people, along with Haidong Qing, to track him from behind, locate the kidnapper''s hideout, andunch a strong attack to rescue the hostages. But now that the kidnapper had fallen from the cable car, from such a great height, if the kidnapper was dead, there would be no one to track!


    Not only was it impossible to follow him anymore, but the other kidnapper waiting with the hostage would surely suspect something had gone wrong if he got no response for a long time, and would likely harm the hostage!


    The height of three or four stories, falling straight down, if it wasn''t death, it would be a disability.


    "Attention all units, attention all units! Seal off the area below and immediately search for the kidnapper!" He Baowen anxiously said to themunicator, praying to God that the kidnapper was still alive so they could force the information about the whereabouts of his aplices out of him.


    Haidong Qing, flying in midair, dove down and skimmed beside the cable car, plunging headlong into the woods where the kidnapper had fallen. At such high speed, its leg-mounted camera could barely see anything, Suming didn''t hesitate to activate the Soul Attachment Ability.


    Through the eyes of Haidong Qing, Suming could clearly see that the ce where the kidnapper fell was not in the middle of nowhere, but arge artificial forest, surrounded by high walls and fences, which seemed to be some sort of venue with a sizable area, where lots of bamboo had also been nted.


    At that moment, the kidnapper was lying on his back in a pool, his head covered in blood, unconscious or dead.


    His hand was still tightly clutching the bag of money, half of which was in the water and the other half on the shore. The bag had ripped open from the fall, scattering rolls of Hong Kong dors around it.


    Not far away, two ck and white animals, oney on the ground, the other stood upright behind it, looking like they were mating.


    Probably startled by the kidnapper who dropped from the sky, the two creatures froze, maintaining the doggy style pose, turned theirrge heads curiously and looked towards the edge of the pool.


    A twitch formed at the corner of Suming''s mouth, those two creatures with round cheeks,rge ck eye patches, and plump bodies could never be mistaken by any Huaxia person!


    Brother kidnapper, if you had to fall, you had to crash into the panda enclosure at Ocean Park!


    There was not a single visitor in the panda enclosure.


    Thest time Suming brought Nangong to visit, they mentioned that pandas go into heat every May, and in order to protect the two pandas Yingying and Lele undisturbed by tourists for sessful breeding, the panda enclosure was temporarily closed. Experience more content on My Virtual Library Empire


    At that time, Suming wondered about the ridiculous naming; Yingying and Lele, put together weren''t they just ''indecent joy''...


    Pandas are not afraid of humans at all, like to y with humans, and are extremely curious. Seeing the kidnapper fall down, Lele and Yingying paused and then stopped their embarrassing activity; with their characteristic pigeon-toed walk, swaggering theirrge behinds, they proceeded one after the other towards the unconscious kidnapper.


    As the cable car continued to move, the tourists and He Baowen above also witnessed this scene, pointing and gesturing towards the panda enclosure below. Upon seeing the two pandas approach the kidnapper, whose life or death was uncertain, even screams erupted from the cable car.


    Giant pandas may look silly and clumsy, but they are still wild animals and are omnivorous beasts with strong attacking abilities! In the wild, if too hungry, they would even eat animal carcasses, possess tremendous strength, terrifying biting force, and ws as sharp as scalpels. Even in y, a careless move can easily inflict fatal injuries on people.


    This kidnapper was no beast tamer, and in case of sudden shock, the pandas would likely be unhinged.


    "Quick, notify the park management to open the panda enclosure and let our people in to save him!"


    If the kidnapper was killed by a panda, leading to the failure of the hostage rescue... He Baowen almost cried at the thought. It would have been too unjust if he hadn''t died from the fall only to be squashed to death by a panda. Could they really put a giant panda on trial for obstructing justice?


    She might be Xiangjiang''s first police officer to take the fall for a panda, and for the rest of her career, she might be mockingly called ''Panda Policewoman''.


    How bitter...


    Finally, the cable car reached the ground, and He Baowen couldn''t even wait for it toe to aplete stop. With an agile flip and a swing of her long legs, she leaped out of the cable car and ran towards the panda enclosure.


    "Madam, calm down, the pandas won''t hurt him," came a confident voice at her side, as Suming caught up from behind, running alongside He Baowen.


    "How would you know?!" He Baowen turned her head and said without any good air.


    "Did you forget? I''m the one who runs a zoo, a Beast Tamer at that!"


    He Baowen had previously felt a bit disdainful when Suming said he was a Beast Tamer, even though Haidong Qing had proven its capabilities, she hadn''t taken it too seriously.


    What era was it already, a society of science and technology; so what if someone could train animals? The worst-case scenario was a job in a circus troupe.


    But now, upon hearing the words Beast Tamer, He Baowen clung to them like a lifeline and couldn''t help but ask, "Can you... can you really be sure?"


    "Unless Ocean Park is skimping on the pandas'' meals, not feeding them, there''s no way they''d attack that guy. You can rest easy, these pandas interact with humans often, they know he''s a ''person,'' so they won''t harm him."


    Hearing Suming''s confident words, He Baowen finally rxed a bit and managed a strained smile, "If it''s really as you say, after this kidnapping case is over, I''ll treat you to a coffee¡­"


    As they spoke, they ran, and soon they were not far from the panda enclosure, the big sign of the enclosure clearly visible ahead. Before He Baowen''s coffee invitation could finish, a heart-rending, ghastly howl erupted from the panda enclosure:


    "Panda Yingying, **** your ancestors for eight generations!!"@@novelbin@@


    Suming and He Baowen exchanged a look of shock; that cry was truly tragic, sounding as if someone were wailing at a grave, having lost their dear mother or father.


    However, it had a strong presence, so it didn''t seem like it came from someone hurt by the pandas.


    ...


    A few minutes earlier, the kidnapper You had fallen from the cable car while grappling with a big bag containing over forty million, tumbling into the panda enclosure.


    From the height of three or four stories, You would have likely ended up dead or at least paralyzed under normal circumstances. Luckily, he clung to the bag throughout the fall, which acted like a big cushion, providing a degree of protection. There were many trees within the panda enclosure; as he fell, the branches caught him several times, serving as a secondary buffer and greatly reducing the force of his descent.


    And finally, instead of hitting the ground, still clutching the bag, hended in therge pool of the panda enclosure.


    Abination of these factors meant that even though You was knocked unconscious on the spot, he didn''t suffer any fatal injuries.


    With the panda enclosure closed, finally free of visitor interference, Yingying and Lele were engaged in aborious endeavor to produce offspring, happily pushing one behind the other at a critical moment, only to hear a loud ssh not far away, as if something had fallen from the sky.


    It was akin to when humans are engaged in some ''recreational activities'' in a hotel room, and suddenly the door is kicked in by police officers shouting about a raid... It could easily cause a heart attack from shock or sudden death or something... Anyway, they were startled, especially Lele, who went limp right there... they turned their heads towards the edge of the pool.


    Despite their big, round eyes, pandas are actually quite short-sighted and pretty much myopic, seeing everything blurry. All they could see was a vague shadow by the pool. Both curious and a bit frightened, Yingying and Lele approached the pool''s edge. It wasn''t until they got closer that they realized it was an unconscious human with blood on their head.


    Pandas are very friendly towards humans among wild beasts, especially since Yingying and Lele were raised by humans from a young age and had a fondness for them. They''re also not short on intelligence, about on par with a three-year-old child. Seeing the unconscious kidnapper You, Yingying instinctively pushed him with her fleshy paw, hoping to wake the man up to y with them.


    After a few shoves and You remaining motionless, Yingying had an idea, turned around, dipped into the pool, and after soaking her thick fur with water, climbed back out and shook her body next to You, sshing like arge dog.


    The dropletsnded on You''s face, the cool water jolting him. He let out a groan, showing signs of waking up.


    Yingying was even more delighted, running to and fro between the pool and bank, using her water-drenched fur to try and rouse You.


    Lele, with nothing better to do, became intrigued by the big bag of money. An opening in therge nylon bag had allowed bundles of Hong Kong dors to spill out. Curiously pawing at them, a small pile of the currency humorously rolled down the slope by the pool''s edge and fell into the water like toys.


    Now thoroughly entertained, Lele gleefully continued until all the scattered notes had ended up in the pool. Still not satisfied, Lele unsheathed her sharp ws with a swipe.


    There was a ripping sound, and the bag carrying money was torn wide open by a long gash...


    The instant You opened his eyes, he saw a magnificently silly face with two big ck circles, staring curiously at him.


    Seeing You awake, that big fellow grinned, revealing a row of sharp,rge teeth...


    "I''m screwed..." You''s brain buzzed, nearly peeing himself out of fear. With a swift roll, he scrambled to one side, crawling out of the water.


    "Where is this?!" It took several seconds for You to recall the events that had just transpired. His eyes brightened, and he looked around searching, "Right, the money, I need to grab the cash and run!"


    The two pandas looked on dimwittedly, sitting while showing their bellies, with the money bag next to one of them.


    But the formerly full bag now appeared empty, save for a few rolls of Hong Kong dors lucky enough to be stuck in the corners of the bag.


    Above the water, rolls of cash already soaked were slowly sinking.


    "Panda Yingying, **** your ancestors for eight generations!" Seeing this scene, You let out a sky-shattering shriek, nearly coughing up a mouthful of blood.


    He rushed to retrieve the money from the water, but as soon as he stepped in, both Yingying and Lele followed closely behind, grabbing onto each of his legs from either side, shaking and nudging him as if pleading to y with them.


    "Get lost, get lost, get lost!" With the two of them weighing well over two hundred pounds together, it was impossible for You to collect the cash while being hindered by the pair. He kicked and shoved impatiently, attempting to free himself from the pandas'' hold.


    Caught off guard by You''s kicks, the pandas tumbled over several times. After rolling away, they persistently ran back for more, insisting on ying with him.


    "Damn it,e again and I''ll ughter you!" Anger rising, You drew his gun and pointed it at the two pandas.


    Just then, the doors to the panda enclosure opened, and a swarm of uniformed and in-clothed police officers rushed in.

 Chapter 332 Kidnapping the Giant Panda

    Suming and the police stormed into the panda enclosure at the very moment, only to see a scene like this: Hong Kong dors were floating all over the pool, the fallen kidnapper was bloodied, his face twisted in a ferocious grimace, holding a gun to two giant pandas, loudly scolding them;


    The two giant pandas werepletely oblivious to the fact that they could be killed in the next second. Far from backing away, they crawled over to the kidnapper, rearing up on their hind legs to hug his thighs. One panda even naively lifted its head, sniffed the dark muzzle of the gun, and curiously opened its mouth, as if wanting to bite the barrel.


    The noise of the police rushing in also startled You, who turned his head and felt as if he had plunged into an ice cer, freezing in ce. He had been surrounded by the police all along!


    Seeing more people arrive, the two giant pandas became even more yful, acting like animals that had gone wild. They kept pulling on You''s clothes, their short legs iling about, desperately trying to climb onto him.


    They were quite clever, actually. When they had been grabbing the bag earlier, their sharp ws had sprung out and shredded the nylon bag in one stroke. Now, while ying with the person, they were very measured, keeping their ws retracted within their fleshy paws, not harming the kidnapper at all.


    In their tugging and climbing, they resembled two oversized kos hanging off the kidnapper, one on either side. Both pandas were eight or nine years old, in their prime with plenty of strength and not a light weight either. Distracted, the kidnapper stumbled backwards and fell to the ground with a thud.


    "Ah ah ah..." The pandas also toppled over, rolling around a couple of times. They were tough and weren''t bothered by the tumbling. Getting up, they pounced on You once more.


    "They really are oblivious to danger," Suming''s scalp tingled at the sight. Everyone had been worried that the pandas might harm the kidnapper, but now it was clear they were just two innocents. He would be thanking his lucky stars if the kidnapper didn''t hurt them.


    He quickly unleashed two streams of spiritual power, urging the two pandas to leave the kidnapper at once.


    Upon the slightest contact with the spiritual power, the pandas felt the sudden presence of a ''fellow being.'' They paused slightly and turned to look in the direction of the source of the spiritual power.


    Pandas are famously nearsighted, and they could only see a blurry figure in the distance gesturing to them.


    To the pandas, the kidnapper was the ''toy'' they had already gotten hold of, while the distant figure was an unclear ''fellow being.'' Which was more important, the toy or the fellow being? The two pandas hesitated, not immediately letting go of the kidnapper.


    He Baowen, however, breathed a sigh of relief. Just as Suming had said, those two giant pandas hadn''t harmed the kidnapper at all. In fact, they seemed quite cute and wouldn''t hurt the kidnapper for the time being.


    As long as the kidnapper was alive, anything was possible. Now that the kidnapper had faced the police, it was definitely not possible to track him secretly. The only option was to apprehend him for questioning and hope to get him to cooperate with the police!


    The confrontation between the three parties was a matter of an instant. After falling, You was stunned for a second before raising his hand hesitantly at the crowd rushing in.


    "Bang!" A gunshot rang through the sky, and a bullet flew past, its target uncertain.


    Damn, what a desperado, I like it! Suming trembled with excitement, finally witnessing a shootout between the police and the kidnapper. It was just too bad they were using a lousy handgun instead of something like an AK.


    The crowd of police scattered like ants doused with boiling water, spreading out in all directions to find cover. He Baowen, agile as she was, leaped like a leopardess bursting with power, darted more than a meter away and took cover behind arge rock, pulling Suming, who was closest to her, along with her.


    Unexpectedly slim as she seemed, this girl had some serious strength, probably some judo technique or another under her belt. Caught off guard, Suming felt like he had been flung through the air before crashing behind therge rock, dazed.


    "Wow, Madam, you''re too violent..." Suming said, rubbing his head.


    "Shut up!" He Baowen didn''t even look at him as she rolled over, her long legs sweeping, and ''mounted'' Suming.


    The stone used for cover was small; it was barely adequate for one person to hide behind, let alone two. He Baowen''s movement was purely instinctive, and as she mounted Suming, the two of themyered up and down in such a way that they were just fully concealed by the stone.


    However, her straddling in such a way made their position look quite peculiar, an unconventional woman-on-top of a man.


    In the heat of the moment, He Baowen didn''t realize anything amiss. One hand bracing against the stone, she poked half of her face from behind it and yelled at the kidnapper, "I am Senior Inspector of New Territories Major Case Squad He Baowen, and you are surrounded by police. Put down your gun right now ande out to surrender!"


    On such a scorching day, He Baowen was dressed in casual clothes ¨C just a pair of short shorts and a low-cut tank top. As she leaned towards the rock, her body tilted forward, and the most prominent part of her upper body lunged towards Suming''s face.


    Suming barely had time to appreciate the view before a vast expanse of plush whiteness rapidly expanded before his eyes. Then suddenly, his vision went ck; his face had been fiercely collided with by two mounds of flesh.


    Based purely on instinct, Nangong''s were softer andrger, while He Baowen''s were probably firmer from regr exercise. Though slightly smaller, they were exceptionally stic, each having its own merits.


    Sadly for Suming, there wasn''t much time to enjoy the scenery. It was only a fleeting thought before He Baowen''s body pressed down, and the two mounds of flesh pushed tightly against his face, knocking the back of his head against the artificial rock behind them. He winced in pain, seeing stars and felt slightly dazed and confused.


    ''Gnashing one''s teeth'' obviously meant opening one''s mouth... As He Baoweny on the artificial rock, she suddenly felt an odd sensation on her chest, warm and a bit wet...


    Looking down, she was instantly enraged. She held Suming''s head with one hand, showing no mercy or gentleness, shoved him forcefully to the side, and gave him a fierce re, hissing through clenched teeth, "You pervert!"


    "Damn it, what the hell!" Suming finally managed to rescue himself from the brink of suffocation. His vision was still swimming with stars, and he felt extremely annoyed. I came here to witness a gunfight, not to nibble on your damn flesh. You pressed them against me yourself, almost smothering me to death, and you me me for it?


    Not far away, in response to He Baowen''s call, came the second gunshot. You, hiding behind the pool, found cover and started to retaliate, clearly prepared to resist to the bitter end.


    "To the person opposite, I''ll say it again. Put down your weapon now. If you''re willing to cooperate and act as a tainted witness, I can plea for you in court, and you might get out of prison after just a few years..."@@novelbin@@


    He Baowen relentlessly continued her efforts to persuade the perpetrator to surrender while covertly signaling to two police squads to nk both sides of the panda enclosure.


    The kidnapper dared to open fire, but the police couldn''t afford to shoot. First, they needed to capture the kidnapper alive to interrogate him about the hostages'' whereabouts, and second, the panda enclosure''s two giant pandas, Yingying and Lele, sat obliviously by the pond between both parties, looking back and forth with confusion. Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Pandas are a national ss-protected animal, a symbol of Huaxia, the stars of Xiangjiang Ocean Park, adorable darlings of the entire nation... and most crucially, these two pandas were gifted by the central government to the special administrative region. If anything bad happened to them, if they were identally injured in the shootout, the consequences would be unimaginable!


    After a few nces, the two pandas noticed the kidnapper hiding in the nearby grass and became excited. Wiggling their bottoms and their short legs, they toddled towards the perpetrator...


    "Everyone, be careful not to hurt the pandas!" He Baowen shouted urgently.


    "Are you an idiot?!" Now it was Suming''s turn to re at her intensely. That''s the trouble with Xiangjiang police ¨C too rigid and thoughtless in their actions. By saying not to hurt them, do you think the other side will oblige? You might as well have exposed our weakness to them by yelling it out!


    He Baowen didn''t need Suming''s scolding; no sooner had she said those words than she regretted them, wishing she could p herself. With both sides focused on each other, no one was paying much notice to the two pandas. Why bring them up and cause trouble? She could only me her excessive concern for the pandas. When she reported the operation n to her superiors, they emphasized that the exchange was taking ce at Ocean Park. They specifically instructed to ensure the safety of the animals, especially the two giant pandas gifted by the central government.


    Fearing something might happen, just as He Baowen yelled out, You seemed to have an epiphany. He burst from the grass, grabbed a panda, and used it as a shield while pressing his gun to the panda''s head and barked menacingly, "Step back! All of you step back, or I''ll kill this panda!"

 Chapter 333 He Baowens Choice

    The panda¡­ the hostages¡­ These two things that originally had nothing to do with each other had now be intertwined: the kidnapper You held a panda as a ''hostage,'' demanding the police to clear a way for him.


    Enjoy exclusive content from My Virtual Library Empire


    The officers present all understood the importance of the two pandas and were momentarily stunned, daring not take any reckless action.


    The teams of police that were closing in from the sides, who had almost reached the pool and were only about ten meters from You, suddenly stopped dead in their tracks, crouching on the spot in the grass, not daring to move closer for fear of endangering the panda.


    The captured panda didn''t realize it was in mortal danger, probably thinking that this old chap was just ying with it. It wasn''t frightened in the least. On the contrary, it wrapped one arm tightly around You''s neck, giving him a big hug and using its whole body to shield him, acting as a panda flesh shield.


    The other panda that wasn''t taken hostage was having none of it, seeing that You didn''t include it in the ''fun.'' It let out a childish whine, ''ah ah ah,'' clung to You''s thigh, and shook vigorously, as if saying, ''I want a hug too, I want a hug too''¡­


    Now, You was in a tight spot, embraced by these two national treasures. Their value was immeasurable, even far more important than the over forty million Hong Kong dors, and the police were careful not to act rashly, looking at one another unsure of what to do.


    Seeing the police stopping in their tracks, not daring to advance any further, You was so moved he almost cried. Just moments ago, he couldn''t wait to kill these two pandas, but now, they had be his amulets.


    "Madam, what do we do!" The voice of an officer from the Serious Crime Unit came through the earpiece; He Baowen was the highestmander on the scene, and only she could decide on the next course of action.


    An aggressive attack was too risky; a single squeeze of the trigger from the kidnapper could end the panda''s life. Then, the major media outlets of Xiangjiang would undoubtedly make a big deal out of it. The New Territories Serious Crime Unit forcing the death of a national treasure, just thinking about such headlines was enough to make one''s scalp explode... even some groups with ulterior motives would jump at the chance to make a statement, causing detriment to the ********.


    Even if they were to storm in, it might not be effective. The nearest officer was about ten meters from the kidnapper, and at that distance, the hit rate of a handgun was too low. Even a sharpshooter couldn''t guarantee hitting the kidnapper without harming the panda.


    Calling in a sniper, who might be able to kill the kidnapper from a few hundred meters away, wasn''t feasible time-wise;


    Besides, to rescue the hostages¡ªthe real hostages, Luo Jiaju''s daughter¡ªthey had to ensure the kidnapper was alive to possibly learn the whereabouts of the hostages from him. If the kidnapper was killed, the hostages wouldn''t survive either!


    For such a dilemma, the Xiangjiang Police actually had experience; they had a standard procedure.


    He Baowen hesitated for a moment before ordering through themunicator, "Negotiation specialist, Mr. Zhang, please request headquarters to send a negotiation specialist immediately!"


    "Yes, Sir," a policeman who was called upon responded.


    He Baowen theny on the rock, continuing to call out to the kidnapper, trying her best to persuade him, "The person opposite, don''t be impulsive. As long as you cooperate with us and safely release the hostages, your crime isn''t grave. You could be a material witness, and you''d only have to serve a few years in prison before being released¡­"


    "Cut the crap! I''ll give you three minutes to bring a police car filled with gas to the entrance!"


    You didn''t listen to He Baowen''s words at all, jabbing the panda''s head harshly with the gun barrel, "See? I''ve got two pandas here. If the police car doesn''t arrive in three minutes, I''ll kill one! Let''s see how you exin that to the entire nation!"


    The panda being held hostage had its head tilted by the gun barrel, and while one would expect it to get angry, the creature instead hummed a couple of times and nuzzled closer, its chubby body twisting coyly, wrapping around You even tighter.


    The other panda even came over and nudged You''s gun with its face as if asking for the gun to be jabbed on its head as well to make it fair.


    He Baowen was thoroughly exasperated with these two pandas. Are these even bears? Are these even cats? They were simply two lovesick fools!


    "Madam, headquarters responds, the negotiation specialist and the Flying Tigers are on the way, they will arrive within half an hour," reported an officer who had been in contact with headquarters to He Baowen.


    "Half an hour¡­" He Baowen felt the urge to smash hermunicator. The kidnapper said he''d kill one every three minutes, in half an hour, even a dozen pandas would be dead!


    "No choice, we have to risk it!" She gritted her teeth. Compared to the pandas, human lives were more important after all, especially since the hostage was the daughter of a tycoon, a celebrity in society.


    In Xiangjiang, those in real power, apart from the central government, were actually the upper-ss tycoons. Their intentions had to be considered even by the Special Administrative Region government.


    In a moment of thought, He Baowen had already made her decision to storm in!


    When it rains, it pours; just as He Baowen was giving orders, another deep voice of a middle-aged man came through themunicator, "I am the Chief Inspector Li Zhengwen. I would like Senior Inspector He Baowen to speak with me!"


    This Chief Inspector Li Zhengwen was He Baowen''s direct superior, the leading figure of the Serious Crime Unit. He Baowen immediately responded, "Sir, this is He Baowen!"


    "A minute ago, the Commissioner of Police called me and told me that the Board of Directors of Xiangjiang Ocean Park had applied to the Chief Executive of the Special Administrative Region, requesting the police to do their utmost to ensure the safety of the two pandas in the panda enclosure! The Commissioner instructed me to pass this message to you," said Li Zhengwen indifferently.


    He Baowen''s face stiffened, the order to storm in hanging at the tip of his tongue, but he was unable to issue it.@@novelbin@@


    If Luo Jiaju was a wealthy man, then the backstage boss of Xiangjiang Ocean Park was a magnate among magnates, with Luo Jiaju being merely aparatively wealthyndlord in front of them. Even if the two pandas weren''t gifts from the central government,cking thatyer of political influence, the opinion of the Ocean Park board alone would require the SAR government to take it seriously!


    "Sir, what should I do?" He Baowen asked resentfully. Damn these rich bastards, always causing trouble for the police!


    "I am only responsible for delivering this message. As for what to do, you are the on-sitemander, aren''t you? It''s entirely up to you," said Chief Inspector Li Zhengwen with a chuckle, then turned off themunicator. Clearly, he had no intention of shouldering this heavy responsibility.


    From the police rushing into the panda enclosure to the end of Li Zhengwen''s conversation with He Baowen, it might seem like a long story, but it all happened within just a few short minutes. Suming was still dizzy.


    He was unlucky, first being mmed to the ground by He Baowen with a shoulder throw, leaving him staggered and dazed; before he could recover, he was pinned down by He Baowen like a duck and eventually hit his head on a rockery stone, staying dizzy throughout. Just now, as he wasing to, he heard He Baowen curse furiously, "A bunch of losers! Eat shit!"


    "What''s wrong, Madam? Who''s going to live broadcast ****?!"


    "None of your business! First team, second team! Prepare to storm in, try to protect the pandas..." Ultimately, He Baowen made up her mind, prioritizing the rescue of the hostages.


    After all, she was a police officer, not a politician. From the police academy onwards, she was educated to uphold justice,bat crime, and protect the safety of Xiangjiang citizens¡ªideals that had taken firm root in her. At the critical moment, she chose to do what a police officer ought to do.


    "But what about the pandas if we storm in?" asked Suming.


    "Can''t think about that too much now!"


    "Hold on, Madam, let me talk to him!" Suming quickly said.


    "You? He will listen to you?"


    "He might not listen to me, but the pandas just might," Suming winked at her and chuckled, "You forgot, I am a Beast Tamer, you know!"


    At that moment, You''s bellowing came across once again, "Where''s the car? It''s been two minutes already! It seems you won''t see reason until you''re face to face with a coffin. I''m killing one panda right now!"


    "Wait a second!"


    Without waiting for He Baowen''s consent, Suming used a surge of strength from his waist to flip He Baowen off him, rolled out from behind the rockery and stood up with his hands raised, shouting towards You, "Countryman, countryman, don''t shoot, I''m one of us, just listen to me for a moment!"


    Suming suddenly popping up infuriated He Baowen. This guy was way toox, acting without seeking her approval. What if the kidnapper shot him?


    But at the same time, she also harbored a glimmer of hope. They had all seen Suming''s bird; it truly was unique. Perhaps Suming really could defuse the standoff at this moment?


    So, she quickly gestured to all the officers to stand down and watch how the situation unfolded.


    Countrymen meet, their eyes brimmed with tears.


    To be honest, after hearing the familiar Maind ent, You''s heart fluttered a bit.


    Of course, it was merely a flutter, far from enough to make him drop his weapon ande out to surrender. Instead, he clung tightly to the panda in his embrace, squeezing most of his body behind the panda, and said guardedly, "What do you want to do? Get lost, get lost..." Thetter part of his sentence was addressed to the panda.


    The other panda, not taken hostage, seemed startled by the sudden appearance of another person, cried out ''ah ah'' twice, and backed away, pushing its butt into You''s arms while covering its face with its front paws as if by doing so, it would be invisible.


    "Brother, it''s truly for your own good!" Seeing that the kidnapper did not shoot, Suming grew bolder; his entire body stepped out from the cover of the rocks, hands held high, presenting an utterly honest and harmless demeanor as he slowly walked forward.


    "Bullshit, for my own good?! You think I''m an idiot! Stop, take one more step and I''ll blow your head off!" You shouted, swiftly waving the gun at Suming.


    Good, good, as long as he doesn''t shoot, that''s all that matters. I''ll make sure to talk some sense into him!

 Chapter 334 Pandas Arent Easy to Bully either

    Suming said seriously, "Brother, I''m really looking out for you. If the police catch you, at worst you''ll go to jail, but you won''t die. But now, taking two pandas hostage, you could be in danger at any moment!"


    "Cut the crap, who are you trying to scare!" You didn''t believe him at all.


    "These two are wild animals. Think about it, even your pet cat would scratch you if it got desperate, let alone a panda! Panda, panda, they''re the same as a bear. They look obedient now, but if they get agitated, one p could kill you!" Suming continued to scare him.


    Everyone is afraid of dying, and You was no exception. He subconsciously nced at the two pandas¡­


    The one he held hostage sat on the ground like a big ball of meat, covering its eyes with its paws in embarrassment, as if ying the children''s game of ''you can''t see me, you can''t see me,'' its tail quivering like a little puffball; the other one kept rubbing its big head against him, eager to climb onto him but always failing, desperately unsure of what position to take¡­


    These two clowns, dangerous? Just like bears? What a joke! If they were dangerous, then earthworms could kill people!


    "You''re full of it!" You rolled his eyes.@@novelbin@@


    "I''m not lying to you. Do you know, pandas have a nickname, called the Iron-Eating Beast. You''ve heard of Pi Xiu, right? The creature that eats metal? That''s the panda!"


    "What it eats is none of my business!" You viciously jabbed the panda''s head with his gun and yelled at the police, "Where''s my car, my car! Don''t think stalling will work. As soon as three minutes are up, I''ll start shooting, starting with the pandas!"


    Without showing any reaction, Suming took two more steps forward, pointing at the gun in You''s hand, "Your gun is made of steel, and the panda loves to eat that. Don''t say I didn''t warn you; when a panda goes crazy, even it''s afraid of itself! It might bite off your wrist in one go!"


    This statement had some effect. You''s hometown also had pandas, and the stories of them loving to eat iron were not unfamiliar to him. Back when there were many pandas in the mountains, farmers living nearby would carefully store their iron-fitted farming tools at night to prevent them from being devoured by pandas venturing down from the mountain.


    Although from the moment he took the pandas hostage until now, apart from an initial simple curiosity towards the ''gun,'' the pandas had shown no signs of wanting to snatch it or even eat it, You still unconsciously moved his hand backward, holding the gun a bit further away from the panda.


    Suming seized the opportunity without hesitation, sending out two powerful streams of spiritual power instantly connecting with Panda Yingying and Lele.


    In an instant, You felt an inexplicable sense of danger. The two pandas, which had looked so docile earlier, now had a wild shine in their big ck eyes.


    The panda he used as a hostage slowly extended its plump paw toward You''s handgun.


    "Back off!" You, startled, quickly jerked his hand holding the gun backward, trying to dodge the panda''s paw.


    Though he had moved the muzzle away from the panda, it was still originally aimed at its head. With that lift of his hand, the muzzle turned towards the sky, losing its threat to the panda in that instant.


    He Baowen''s heart skipped a beat¡ªopportunity! Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire


    Suming initially used the ''Iron-Eating Beast'' to trick the kidnapper, which she understood was to distract him from aiming the gun at the pandas. It was an opportunity for the police, albeit with a small chance of rescuing the pandas, it was still better than nothing.


    But then, in just a few words, the panda covering its face out of shyness truly reached for the kidnapper''s gun. This was definitely beyond He Baowen''s expectation! It seemed too coincidental to simply dismiss¡ªwhen the kidnapper had previously pointed the gun at the panda''s head, the panda showed no resistance, instead it covered its face tightly as if guilty, without any sign of retaliation.


    However, the opportunity had finallye! He Baowen''s hand holding the gun was sweaty, and she spoke quickly into themunicator in a low voice, "Everybody get ready!"


    You also seemed to sense something was amiss, as he lifted his hand, the officers previously lying low around him stirred, clearly about to take action!


    "Won''t shed a tear until you see the coffin!" You, enraged, steeled his heart to kill one of the pandas to show these cops a lesson!


    He decided to take out the one that had been causing trouble on the side first!


    Before he could fire, the panda used as a shield suddenly lunged forward¡­


    Just now, the panda was hugging him, with most of its weight supported by the ground, but with this lunge, it was entirely different. Pandas can be quite powerful at short distances, and with a weight of over a hundred pounds, it mmed into You like a small meaty cannonball.


    A panda looks cute when it''s not provoked, and you can tease it all you want. But with that sudden outburst, You had no chance to resist and thumped back with a roll.


    "Fuck, I''ll take you down!" You, having fallen to the ground, immediately raised his gun. Before he could shoot, the other panda also rushed over and with a hefty p of itsrge fleshy paw, sent You''s gun ttering to the ground!


    "Ow!" You screamed in pain as his right wrist was dislocated and hung down eerily.


    A cry of an eagle echoed through the sky, and Haidong Qing, who had been ready for action, swooped down like a sharp sword. With a light touch of its ws on the ground, it snatched away the gun on the floor before You could reach it.


    "What are we waiting for, move!" He Baowen shouted, ordering the police to rush forward. Seven or eight officers swarmed You, pinning him firmly to the ground. No matter how he struggled, it was futile, and he was quickly handcuffed and brought over.


    The two big pandas followed behind, waddling eagerly, but this time they did not go to y with You. Upon spotting Suming, their fellow species, they rubbed against his legs, one on each side.


    "I warned you earlier that pandas are not to be trifounded with, but you wouldn''t listen, and now you''ve learned your lesson," Suming said to You with a helpless expression. Then he squatted down and hugged both pandas, one in each arm.


    The pandas were soft, their fur still a bit damp to the touch; holding them felt like embracing tworge meatballs. Happy to finally meet someone willing to y with them, the pandas kept nuzzling their big heads into Suming''s chest.


    "Thank you for today!" He Baowen nodded gratefully at Suming, finally feeling relieved. No matter what, the pandas were safe.


    Then, turning her face, her pretty features frosted over as she gritted her teeth and said, "Take him away!"


    You, a desperado, was uncooperative and, instead of surrendering, red with bloodshot eyes, yelling crazily, "Die, cops! I won''t betray my brothers! I''m telling you! If I''m not back in three hours, the hostage will pay with their life for my absence!"


    "Three hours!"


    This deadline sent a chill through everyone present!


    Calcting the distance from Flying Goose Mountain to here, plus the time lost during the capture, there was at most two hours left!


    In other words, the police had, at most, one hour to get the kidnapper to divulge the exact location of his aplices. If an hour passed without this desperado confessing, the hostage would face a lethal threat!


    The expression on every officer''s face turned grave. They had finally caught the criminal and protected the pandas, but if the hostage died now, it would all be in vain; frustration was stewing in everyone''s hearts.


    He Baowen''s eyes narrowed slightly as she said, through clenched teeth and enunciating every word, to You, "Think carefully, if you cooperate, I guarantee you''ll spend no more than five years in jail before you get out, but if you don''t cooperate..."


    "Fuck off, you little bitch!" You, obviously extremely ferocious, paid no heed to He Baowen''s words and interrupted her rudely, instead shing a vicious smile revealing his yellow teeth, his gaze sweeping over He Baowen''s chest and legs as he sneered, "Little bitch, when I get out, you''ll be the first ***** I ****!"


    He Baowen''s eyebrows furrowed slightly. The police were not afraid of encountering desperadoes, but it was a problem to deal with lunatics who were beyond reasoning.


    Logically speaking, her offer was already very generous. If the hostage were to die, even as an essory, You would have to serve decades in prison ¨C at least twenty to thirty years, even life imprisonment. But if he turned state''s evidence and cooperated with the police, it would only be five years.


    Any person with a slightly sane mind would know what to choose...


    "Would a person with a normal brainmit kidnapping?" Sumingmented from the side, arms crossed.


    The two pandas were still clinging to him, perfectly replicating the treatment You had received, wrapping around his legs and waist, trying to climb onto him. From a distance, it looked as if he was wearing a pair of furry pants with ck and white fur.


    "I''ll remember you, kid. When I get out..."


    "Go to hell, you think you can still get out!"


    Before You could continue his rant, Suming punched him. His spiritual power had significantly enhanced his physical strength, and that punch was not something to shrug off. It sent You staggering back a few steps, falling to the ground with a mouth full of blood.


    Suming prepared to follow up with a kick, but as he lifted his foot, he realized his leg was ''tied'' with a panda, too heavy to lift.


    "Damn it, you dare to hit someone, the police are assaulting people! I willin to the Comints Division and the Independent Police Comints Council! I''ll expose your torture and forced confessions to the media!" Surprisingly, You was well-acquainted with the structure of the Xiangjiang Police, evidently having done his homework. As soon as he opened his mouth, he mentioned three entities that gave any Xiangjiang policeman a headache: the Comints Division, the Independent Police Comints Council, and the media.


    The Comints Division is directly subordinate to the Police Department, ranking even higher than the New Territories Serious Crime Unit. The Independent Police Comints Council doesn''t directly receiveints; it''s an independent and supervisory body made up of societal figures, reporting directly to the Governor of the administrative district. These two supervisory bodies ensure that the Xiangjiang Police Force strictly enforces thew while also abiding by thew.


    From a certain perspective, the Xiangjiang Police''s adherence to strictw enforcement is due to these two supervisory bodies.


    As for the media... all government departments in Xiangjiang both love and hate it. No matter the oue of such a major kidnapping case, as long as the kidnapper is willing to be interviewed, the police can''t stop it. Once he starts ndering on the media, it will be a significant trouble.

 Chapter 335 Civilized Law Enforcement (Four Updates)

    "You''re still being arrogant? I''m going to smash you to death!" Suming held a panda above his head with both hands, ready to smash it down on You, the panda iling its limbs and screaming "ah ah ah" in midair.


    "Stop!" He Baowen decisively blocked Suming.


    "Madam, can you drop the miscedpassion? We only have one hour left. Are you still nning to ask questions politely?" Suming could only put down the panda. He first flipped You the bird, then told He Baowen, "I''ve seen a lot of these types. If you don''t get tough, it won''t work! If you talk to him nicely, he won''t understand. Beat him into a pig''s head first, then he''ll behave!"


    In movies like "Prison Storm," "Blues of Jiang," and "Tales of Lai Lok," there are always scenes of coercion before the interrogation. Suming wanted to see it firsthand. Maybe this stern policewoman woulde up with some fresh tactics, like donning a leather suit, stepping into high heels, and strutting onto the scene with a little whip...


    A twitch appeared at the corner of He Baowen''s mouth. How she wished she could hit him!


    If time went back thirty years, coercive interrogation was Xiangjiang Police''s foolproof strategy. The police station had more tortures than the dungeons, with things like the top ten brutal Qing Dynasty tortures being no big deal.


    "Cough cough... We have to enforce thew civilly, ording to the regtions!" He Baowen coughed, herplexion somewhat abnormal.


    Seeing her expression, Suming guessed most of it and leaned in close to whisper in her ear, "Madam, are we not allowed to use coercive interrogation?"


    He Baowen instinctively turned her cheek away as Suming leaned in, but seeing that he had no "excessive" moves, and was merelying close to talk, she tensed up slightly, coughed again to mask her embarrassment, then simrly leaned in close to Suming''s ear and whispered very softly, "What do you think? This scum, I wish I could stomp him to death with high heels! But now the interrogations are recorded, and the higher-ups have ordered it three times, saying no torture is allowed or the consequences will be severe..."


    After speaking, she added a little resentfully, "Even if we take him back to the police station for punishment now, we wouldn''t have enough time!"


    The two whispering to each other left the other officers exchanging nces. What was going on? Did Madam still have the mood to flirt with a pretty boy?


    "Ah, I got it..." Suming nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly asked, "What if, I mean if, the one who acts isn''t human?"


    "What?" He Baowen blinked, utterly confused.


    "Like, what if he got injured by the panda during the kidnapping? That would exin things, right? Remember, pandas are wild beasts!"


    After saying that, he patted the head of the panda that was nearly climbing up to his waist and asked it, "You''re very ferocious, aren''t you?"


    "Ah!" The panda cooperated by opening its mouth wide, swinging its head and roaring at He Baowen, but no matter how you looked at it, there wasn''t a hint of ferocity. It looked more like... like a chubby kid yawning with its mouth wide open.


    "Ah ah ah!" The panda shook its head around and, seemingly shy, suddenly raised a paw to cover its face, then burrowed into Suming''s embrace with its head lowered.


    "This... This..." He Baowen was dumbfounded. Was this supposed to be ruthless? Then wouldn''t Teletubbies be world-destroying demons?!


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    "Don''t worry, I''m a Beast Tamer, remember? Take your team and leave, give me ten minutes, and I''ll handle it!" Suming was brimming with confidence.


    He Baowen took a step back, staring at Suming for several seconds.


    Suming was holding a panda in one hand and cradling another in his arms. Both pandas were cuddling against him, creasing his already lightweight summer clothes, making him look like a refugee out begging with two kids.


    "Are you sure?"@@novelbin@@


    "Stop dawdling, hurry up and go!" Suming chuckled as he bumped into He Baowen with his shoulder, signaling her to leave quickly. It wasn''t that he was trying to cop a feel, but he really couldn''t free his hands as they were upied with the pandas.


    If it had been anyone else''s suggestion, He Baowen wouldn''t have considered it. What a joke, let a kidnapper out of her sight? If something went wrong, who would be responsible? Failing to catch the suspect was one thing, but if they let the kidnapper escape or even harm the pandas... oh, and Suming, that would be dereliction of her duty!


    But with "unreliable" Suming making this suggestion, He Baowen found herself somewhat undecided.


    Earning someone''s trust is not something that can be done merely by talking. It requires concrete actions. Fromst night up until now, Suming had more than once done the impossible when everyone else thought it couldn''t be done.


    "Fine, I trust you this one time. Hey, be extremely careful. Don''t make me take the me! I''m not removing the suspect''s handcuffs, and you should be careful too. All units... fall back..."


    The officers were visibly confused, not understanding Madam''s n, but they still followed the order, retracing their steps, leaving the panda enclosure.


    "Remember to close the door!" Suming waved cheerfully at He Baowen, who was thest to leave.


    The door to the panda enclosure slowly closed, and once again, tranquility was restored inside, leaving only two men and two pandas.


    Watching Suming''s strange smile, You swallowed nervously and subconsciously shuffled backwards, "What... what are you going to do..." His hands were cuffed behind him; he couldn''t even stand up straight.


    Suming took a step forward, but the panda on him was too cumbersome, and his waist was bent under its weight. With a big scoop, he set it down, "There there there, you get down first." Then with one hand, he gently led a panda by the paw, slowly squatted down in front of You.


    "If you dare touch a hair on me, I''ll still file aint against you!" You said with an intimidating front but fear within.


    "That''s the thing, I''m somewhat familiar with the Xiangjiang police system... let''s have a discussion..."


    Checking the time, only thirty seconds had passed. Suming wasn''t in a hurry. He spoke as if to himself, "For coercive interrogation, you need evidence, usually starting with an injury inspection. Isn''t that right?"


    Before You could speak, Suming took the initiative, "But there''s a big difference between getting injured by a wild beast and getting hurt by a person. Any rookie medical examiner can tell that apart. Wouldn''t you agree?"


    Just as You was about to respond, he was interrupted by Suming again, who was petting the panda''s round head: "There''s a movie called ''Kung Fu Panda'', have you seen it? No worries if you haven''t, the name says it all. Pandas that know kung fu, moves like the Heart Plucking Fist, Ball Breaking Kick, the Spinning Panda Tumble, and so on..."


    "What the hell do you want!" You finally lost his patience and shouted.


    "Nothing much, if people can''t hit you, these pandas surely can, right?"


    Suming slowly stood up with a smile and said, "Plus, when pandas hit, they don''t know their own strength. If they kill you on the spot, consider yourself lucky. But if they leave you paralyzed, kidneys shattered, liver exploded, and blind, just prepare to spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair. Maybe the prison will even throw in a special care single bed for you. Oh, and you can try to reveal that the police allowed pandas to beat you up... but I wonder if anyone would believe that?"


    "It''s impossible for pandas to..."


    Before You could finish speaking, the big panda Lele, who had been squatting next to Suming, staggered over to him, stood on its hind legs, one hand on its waist, looked him up and down, then suddenly pped him, as if a gang leader was disciplining a member who broke the rules.


    No matter how silly pandas are, aftermunicating with spiritual power for so long, they knew who the bad guy was. Suming deliberately did not have Lele use much strength this time; it was simply to scare You.


    But how strong are pandas? Even if Lele only used a fraction of its strength, it was more than enough for a human to bear. You''s face swelled up immediately, leaving a row of scratch marks.


    "So, you held the panda hostage, the panda fought back, scratched your face. It''s all perfectly justified, isn''t it!"


    Suming stepped back, crossing his arms, and snapped his fingers at the other panda Yingying, "Show him another Spinning Panda Tumble!"


    Yingying turned its head around, then with a twist of its behind climbed onto a small tree nearby, nearly two meters tall, shaking the branches vigorously like Tarzan and letting out a ''roar''. Immediately after, it jumped down from the tree.


    There was thick grass and soil below, and the panda seemed a bit clumsily as itnded, keeping a sitting position, its hefty body pressing heavily on the ground, causing thend to tremble slightly.


    Pandas are tough and resilient; climbing trees and sometimes falling from them aremon urrences, sometimes even a part of their yful antics. Lele didn''t care much, shook its head, got up, and then looked eagerly at You''s belly, ready to take action.


    The ground where it had just sat showed a noticeable irregr circr indentation.


    "If someone were lying there, I wonder if it could squash anything out of them!" Suming curiously looked at You lying on the ground, his hands miming an explosion, his mouth producing a "duang!" sound effect.


    You''s face had turned ashen, his teeth clenched, silent. He realized that this guy wasn''t joking around¡ªthe pandas would indeed listen to him!


    If he really ended up disabled or with internal injuries from the pandas...


    "Wait a minute, wait a minute..."


    "It seems you''re still holding on to a glimmer of hope!"


    Suming was having too much fun to give You a chance to speak, totally ignoring him, with a look of feigned sorrow, he turned to the pandas: "Seems like this person really needs to experience the power of Kung Fu Panda firsthand. Which one of you wants to go?"


    Without hesitation, both pandas charged forward.


    "Oh, excellent idea, that''s what I call attacking from both sides!" Suming nodded emphatically.


    ...


    Outside the Panda Pavilion, time ticked away slowly, He Baowen kept checking her watch as every second felt unbearably long. An older police officer next to her spoke in a concerned whisper, "Madam, nothing has gone wrong, right?"


    He Baowen raised her brows, "I promised him ten minutes, there''s less than five minutes left! The moment time is up, no matter the result, we bring him back..."


    She hadn''t finished speaking when the bamboo door behind her creaked open. Suming walked out jovially, "Madam, don''t say I''m not punctual, it''s only been six minutes. Done! He''s willing to cooperate!"


    "How''s the suspect?" He Baowen asked as she briskly passed by Suming, leading a group of officers into the garden.


    They saw You still lying by the poolside, with some blood on his face but no other apparent injuries.


    Two pandas, one at each side, squatted beside him. The ws that rarely came out were unsheathed, looking like des hovering over You''s belly, as if contemting where to strike.


    Meanwhile, a Haidong Qing perched on You''s head, its beak looming over his face, just one peck away from potentially gouging out his eyes.


    "I''ll cooperate! I''ll cooperate! I''ll tell you everything! Just get these animals away from me!" You, seeing the police officers, was more relieved than if he had seen his own kin, his hoarse voice tinged with a hint of crying.


    The officers exchanged incredulous looks between You and Suming, then back at You again. He Baowen stammered for a moment before asking, "You... He... How did this..."


    "I didn''t hit him." Suming shrugged indifferently: "I''ve said it before; this kind of person doesn''t understand humannguage. They need animals to do the talking."

 Chapter 336 You Are a Good Person (Five More)

    There is a breaking point in every person''s psyche, and once someone crosses that threshold, they can be unrecognizable. Some tough guys can withstand the most severe tortures¡ªwaterced with chili, tiger bench for three days and nights without faltering, but then, a seemingly genteel yet psychopathic doctor appears with a razor-sharp scalpel and threatens to cut off their "little brother" if they don''t talk. In an instant, that tough guy might just crumble into a coward... Even Party members have their limits...@@novelbin@@


    The interrogation that followed went quite smoothly. Due to time constraints, there was no time to take the suspect back to the station, so they conducted the questioning right in the Panda Garden. The policepletely sealed off the entrance to the scene. He Baowen personally conducted the interrogation while Suming, having nothing to do, sat with the two pandas at the side and listened in.


    After causing a ruckus for half the day, the pandas were getting hungry. They wiggled their butts, found a bamboo stick to embrace, and started gnawing on it vigorously. Suming maliciously made the two creatures sit right beside You and chew.


    You''s eyelids were twitching as he watched the pandas obliterate the bamboo, as thick as a child''s arm, as if it were sugarcane... No, at least with sugarcane you spit out the chewed-up residue, but these two beasts ate bamboo without even spitting out the bits. In no time, half a stick had vanished into thin air.


    Every time You spoke too slowly or showed any sign of hesitation, the pandas would threaten him as if to intimidate him by viciously biting a piece of bamboo and then raising their heads to stare at him with their bright, round eyes, silently.


    Very soon, like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube, You confessed everything. With a mournful expression, he pleaded with Suming, "Big brother, I''ve told you everything I know, can you get them to move away from me? Or Madam, just lock me up instead..."


    "Don''t worry, you''ll have plenty of time to spend in Stanley Prison from now on!" He Baowen said with a coldugh.


    ...


    The Xiangjiang Police Force''s efficiency was indeed high. When Suming followed He Baowen to the foot of Flying Goose Mountain, two fully armed and masked teams of the Flying Tigers were already in a serious huddle, squatting on the ground and discussing the uing rescue operation around a map.


    Flying Goose Mountain, also known as Kowloon Peak, is located at the intersection of Wong Tai Sin District, Kwun Tong District, and Sai Kung District. Despite the highest peak being just over 600 meters, it provides amanding view of the entire Kowloon Penins and the seascape of the North Shore of Hong Kong Ind.


    Years ago, this was an unnamed wastnd, where a kindmunity of fishermen lived at its base. One day, a band of pirates came to plunder and ravage, and a white swan descended from the skies, punishing the pirates with an odd array of methods. In memory of the swan, the mountain was named Flying Goose Mountain. Discover hidden content at My Virtual Library Empire


    Thus, along the way, many stalls selling roast goose could be seen. The roasted goose legs from Flying Goose Mountain truly had a unique vor, and Suming even had the driver stop midway to buy arge bag, treating everyone in the car to the delicacy.


    "Suming is really nice," said the young female officer Abby, her mouth greasy from the food as she chuckled.


    He Baowen was also at her wit''s end with Suming, thinking he had discovered something important when he had the car stop, only to find that Suming had hopped out to buy arge bag of roasted goose legs. It dawned on her that after a busy morning, she was indeed a bit hungry.


    "Can''t you take things more seriously? We''re here to save lives, not to go on a pic! Don''t you have any humanity!" He Baowen said in exasperation.


    Some police officers, who were heartily eating the meat, felt a bit awkward when He Baowen made thatment. With hostages in a dire situation and their families in great distress, here they were, feasting on roast goose in the car. Thinking about it, it did seem a bit...


    "Well then, Madam, what do you suggest we do?"


    Suming, however, defended himself boldly, retorting, "Whates next, don''t we all know? We have tob the mountain, perhaps even fight a firefight with the kidnappers. We''ve been busy all morning, our stomachs are growling with hunger. Are you nning to send your men into battle with the kidnappers on an empty stomach? Would that be humane? Eating well and drinking our fill¡ªthat''s how we gather strength to fight the kidnappers, and that''s how we truly take responsibility for the victims'' families! Does breaking down in tears and showing sympathy to the families actually solve the problem?"


    After his speech, Suming waved his hand at the officers, "Eat up quickly, we have work to do afterward."


    The officers looked at He Baowen with questioning eyes, and she, still stunned by Suming''s words, rubbed her temples vigorously and finally said with a wry smile, "It''s as if you''re saying I''m an ipetent police officer. Fine, everyone eat. I guess I was too uptight."


    Instantly, the police car was filled with the sounds of enthusiastic devouring. Suming passed over a roasted goose leg with a grin, "Here, Madam, I know you have a hearty appetite, so I saved you the biggest one."


    He Baowen: "..."


    ...


    Beyond the roast goose legs, there are two other famous aspects to Flying Goose Mountain. It is the burial site of Dr. Sun Yat-sen''s mother, and is also a training base for the Xiangjiang Scout Troop.


    There''s another well-known story about Flying Goose Mountain familiar to mainders born in the ''80s: the first time Little Stutter met Chan Ho Nam, he stammered a threat, saying "I, I, I''ve got over eight, eight thousand brothers on Flying, Flying Goose Mountain, can sh you to death in minutes..."


    Though exaggerated, this story indirectly indicates the vast expanse of Flying Goose Mountain, where hiding a person in the wilds is akin to finding a needle in a haystack if it weren''t for You''s precise directions.

 Chapter 337 A Bunch of Good Person Cards

    "A misunderstanding? What misunderstanding?" Suming asked. Could she be thinking that I was trying to hit on her?


    He Baowen was indeed not bad-looking, at first nce she resembled Zhu Yin. When she wore her uniform, she had a certain allure, and in disguise, her figure was quite impressive... If Suming were to say honestly that he didn''t want to take another look, that would be a lie. Beautiful flowers and nts could attract the eye, let alone a beautiful woman.


    But as for hitting on her... The girl might be overthinking it. Do all pretty girls have this kind of innate confidence?


    While Suming was lost in his irrelevant thoughts, he heard He Baowen speak from beside him, "When I first saw you, I just thought you were Mr. Xiang''s bodyguard. I was even amused, wondering why Mr. Xiang would choose someone with such a baby face to be a bodyguard..."


    "Ah? Can I take that as apliment on my good looks?" Suming interrupted.@@novelbin@@


    "Hehe, you can," He Baowen gave a faint smile, then continued, "After that, I saw you making lots of ridiculous requests and insisting on working with us on the case. To be honest, I thought you were treating this operation purely as an adventure. So, I didn''t have a good impression of you, thinking you were inhumane."


    Suming shrugged, "Then I can only say that you didn''t misunderstand me, I indeed thought that way. Every year so many people die because of crimes, what does that have to do with me? I can''t just break down every time I see someone suffering. Millions of people die of starvation in Africa every year. I can only help when I can, and when I can''t, there''s nothing I can do about it. It''s not worth getting upset over, probably what you call being inhumane."


    He Baowen shook her head, "Yeah, I thought the same as you at the beginning, but when you jumped out from behind a rock and confronted the kidnappers with your chest exposed to their guns, negotiating with them at that moment, I realized I was wrong. Even trained police officers with a duty to serve might not be able to do that. At least that''s true for me, the first thing I thought about was my own safety, and then the hostages."


    "You could have just said I was impulsive, I didn''t think too much at that moment," Suming said.


    "I studied psychology, and those kinds of subconscious reactions best reflect a person''s true nature," He Baowen looked at Suming seriously and said, "Perhaps even you don''t know it, but you''re a very brave and kind person."


    "Ah?!!!!" Suming was shocked. Am I really that kind of a person? I''ve lived for so long and I really didn''t know!


    "So all in all, you''re a good person!" He Baowen said earnestly, "I''m happy to know you."


    "Madam, one ''good person card'' is enough, do you really have to give me a double kill?" Suming said helplessly.


    Whether or not to ept the good person card was no longer up to Suming; he couldn''t refuse it even if he wanted to. And He Baowen wasn''t the only one issuing him a good person card.


    In less than half a day, Suming received a whole bunch of ''good person cards''.


    The forms of these ''good person cards'' varied.


    Right at the scene of the hostage rescue, Director Liao''s assistant followed up by representing the police force, verbally giving Suming a good person card;


    On the way back to the police station, Long Wu made a call since his identity was a bit special and it was inconvenient to show up in public, so he let Suming y the good guy, leaving the rest for Suming to handle.


    After returning to the police station, Luo Jiaju, with his rescued daughter, didn''t even wait to give a statement but came to issue Suming a good person card immediately.


    Compared to He Baowen''s ''sweet smile good person card'' and Director Liao''s assistant''s ''revolutionary righteousness good person card'', the card Luo Jiaju presented had a weightier content.


    "Mr. Su, no amount of thanks would be enough, but once my daughter has recovered a bit, my whole family will surelye to the maind to thank you in person," Luo Jiaju said, handing over a bank card, "Here is six million Hong Kong dors, donated to Yangchuan City Zoo in my daughter''s name, please be sure to ept it."


    The forty-eight million Hong Kong dors originally meant to be ransom money scattered inside the panda enclosure were all picked up by the police and returned to their rightful owner, most of the money had been soaked in water but was not heavily damaged after drying.


    Forty-something million was not a small sum for Luo Jiaju either; it nearly drained hispany''s operating capital. To take out six million afterwards to express gratitude was a generous gesture.


    "This... how embarrassing," Suming coughed, constantly telling himself I am brave, I am kind, I didn''t save people for the money... but after talking for so long, he didn''t believe himself, why was the re from the bank card so blinding, oh no, my eyes are going blind!


    Click click click, it turned out to be the shing of cameras in the police station office.


    The Xiangjiang Police had aplex rtionship with the media, loving and hating them. After the kidnapping case was sessfully closed, the Public Rtions Section notified the famous media of Xiangjiang immediately. Before Suming and the others had returned, a crowd of media people was already waiting in the police station.


    Suming was aware of this small donation ceremony in advance, and since it was a donation to the zoo and not to him personally, he specifically called Mrs. Tong, who was on vacation, toe and ept the donation in her capacity as the Secretary of the zoo''s Party Committee.


    At first, Mrs. Tong thought Suming was joking when she heard the news.


    No matter how famous Yangchuan City Zoo was, it was only well-known in Yangchuan itself, at best known in the whole province and slightly famous nationwide. How could a tycoon from Xiangjiang donate, and donate six million at that? Even the Capital Zoo didn''t receive such treatment!


    When she was brought over by the police car and entered the police station building, and saw Suming chatting andughing with several people who looked like leaders, surrounded by journalists, Mrs. Tong was finally certain that a wealthy phnthropist really had donated money.


    "From now on, I won''t dare to say that the bodhisattvas in Xiangjiang aren''t effective, they are mightily so, mightily so!" The ountant who came with her had been excitedly mumbling all along, "I made a wish at Baolian Templest time for the zoo to prosper, and today someone donated so much money; it''s like the bodhisattvas really opened their eyes!"


    "It''s not that what you said isn''t right, but it''s notpletely right either."


    Mrs. Tong straightened her face, patiently analyzing for her: "If it weren''t for Mr. Su helping the Xiangjiang Police to rescue people, that rich man''s daughter would have been dead long ago; why else would he donate money to the zoo? Mr. Su risked his life to secure benefits for our zoo; and you, just like that, attribute all the credit to the bodhisattvas! Isn''t that a bit inappropriate?"


    "Exactly, exactly, look at my silly mouth. Speaking of our director, he is indeed incredible; my goodness, those are armed and ruthless criminals, even the Xiangjiang government couldn''t handle them, but our director managed to take them down with just a few dogs!" the ountant said, rambling on. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Impressed or not, you have to be! Otherwise, why would the old director specifically choose Mr. Su as his sessor?"


    Before the donation ceremony, these two had almostughed their mouths off; now, in front of arge group of journalists, Mrs. Tong forcibly held back the excitement in her heart, diligently keeping a straight face, barely managing to keep it together, but the moment she received the bank card from Luo Jiaju''s hand, she couldn''t help but let a smile spread across her face.


    Suming stood up and shook hands vigorously with Luo Jiaju, "On behalf of the zoo, I thank Mr. Luo for his donation." Then, they both faced the cameras, letting the journalists take photos.


    "May I ask Mr. Su..."


    "Hello, I am a reporter from Ming Pao..."


    "I am from the Xiangjiang Daily..."


    Arge group of journalists immediately crowded around, surrounding Suming and Luo Jiaju in the middle, with microphones almost shoved into Suming''s mouth, eager for an interview.


    "Dear journalist friends, dear media friends!" A supervisor from the Xiangjiang Police Public Rtions Division came out to mediate, standing between the journalists and Suming and his group, smilingly saying, "Please everyone, there''s no need to rush. The kidnapping case has just been solved, and there are a lot of follow-up tasks to be done. As the victim and main participant in cracking the case, Mr. Su and Mr. Luo will have to give a written statement to the police and cooperate with the police in the ongoing investigation, so they won''t be epting interviews today. However, don''t worry, in a few days, the police will hold a special press conference to provide detailed reports on the case to everyone. Mr. Su and Mr. Luo will be attending, and you can ask any questions at the conference then. Thank you all!"


    This cultivated-looking supervisor had ample experience in dealing with journalists, and after a few polite words, he promptly escorted Suming and Luo Jiaju away.


    "Ms. Tong..."


    "Thisdy... thisdy..."


    With Suming gone, the journalists instinctively turned their heads, casting their gaze on the two zoo employees. Extracting information from the colleagues of the parties involved could also serve as a good lead-in and add color to the story.


    "Ahem, ahem, ahem..."


    Mrs. Tong, surrounded by a group of journalists, with a face full of ruddy flush, stood tall and straight, proudly saying, "Speaking of our director, he''s really something special; I think he could have a whole book written about him. Let me start from the first time I met him and tell you all about it..."


    While Mrs. Tong was in the police station office, sharing with the Xiangjiang reporters about ''My Days with Director Su'', Suming was in the interrogation room behind the police station, interrogating the kidnapper with He Baowen.


    When Suming entered the interrogation room, You gave a start, instinctively stretching his neck, looking behind Suming.


    "Don''t look, I didn''t bring the panda." Suming casually pulled over a chair and sat down next to He Baowen.


    Hearing Suming say this, You let out a sigh of relief, settled into his chair, his handcuffed hands cradling his head.


    "How''s it going, talking yet? If you don''t cooperate, I''ll bring those two pandas back to y with you; the guys haven''t had the pleasure yet," Suming asked He Baowen.


    He Baowen smiled sweetly, "They''ve all talked; once inside, these guys were much more obedient than we thought, spilling everything we asked."


    After saying this, she handed over the interrogation transcript to Suming, "Take a look, and if there''s no problem, you can also sign your name."


    "I should sign? Is that appropriate?" Suming looked at He Baowen somewhat strangely; the woman was again smiling sweetly? Something was off; that didn''t fit her image of a stern and tough policewoman. Since he''d known her, he had only seen her smile like that once, when the hostage was rescued; other than that time, even when she did smile, it was a variety without femininity. Smirks, cold smiles, bitter smiles, scoffs... never a sweet smile.


    Could it be because the hostage was rescued, she could be promoted, receive a raise, bemended, marry a tall, rich, and handsome man, and reach the pinnacle of life, which is why she was happier?

 Chapter 338 Red Flags and Colorful Flags

    He Baowen nonchntly crossed one leg over the other, nearly propping them up on the table. It was obvious that she felt very rxed at the moment, arms folded across her chest, and said to Suming, "I let you have a look, what''s wrong with that? Besides, you''re a key involved party, aren''t you?"


    "Oh, I get it. After I sign it, this statement is not just a testimony but also a witness." Suming nodded. The trial, he estimated, was at least a month away, and he was going back to the Maind soon, possibly without the chance to attend and testify.


    "Of course, it''d be even better if you were willing to stay in Xiangjiang for another month," He Baowen mentioned casually.


    Suming just smiled and didn''t respond to herment.


    Seeing Suming bow his head in silence, the corner of He Baowen''s mouth twitched with an unnatural expression that shed across her face, but she immediately returned to normal and remained silent, quietly waiting for Suming to finish reading the record.


    After carefully reading through the record, Suming wrote down his name and handed it back to He Baowen, asking, "What do you think the sentence will be?"


    "The hostages came out safe. These kidnappers will probably get between ten and twenty years each," He Baowen gestured with her mouth towards You, who was sullen across from her.


    "Madam, may I speak with him alone for a moment?" Suming motioned to You, who had been sitting with his head in his hands, looking depressed.


    "Just don''ty hands on him," He Baowen joked, standing up to walk out of the interrogation room.


    When she reached the door, she stopped, turned back revealing half of her side face hidden by short hair, and smiled at Suming, "We''re all friends here. If you like, call me Pau. There''s no need to always address me as Madam; it makes me sound like a tomboy."


    "Yes! Madam!" Suming grinned.


    "Smart aleck!" He Baowen was momentarily taken aback, followed by a fierce show of her middle finger, then with a flip of her bangs, she stylishly exited the room.


    Only Suming and You remained in the room. You shrank back a bit, asking with a hint of panic, "What¡­ what do you want?" Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Nothing much, just remembering that we''re both from the Maind. Meeting here in this ce is a kind of fate, I suppose."


    You red at Suming resentfully. Fate? What a joke. If not for you, would I be sitting in prison? By now, I could have been far away with the money.


    "Whether it''s bad fate or good fate, it''s still fate," Suming looked back at the camera behind them, then pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He lit one for himself and tossed the rest in front of You, throwing him the lighter as well.


    "Humph, trying to be nice now is pointless, isn''t it?" You didn''t touch the cigarette on the table, speaking with a thick undertone of resentment.


    Suming lowered his head, watching the smoke curl up from his fingertips. With a flick of his thumb, he knocked off the ash onto the floor, shattering it.


    He looked up, the corner of his mouth quirking in a slightly mocking tone, "Do you think I''m afraid of retaliation from you guys, which is why I wanted to talk alone?


    "Isn''t it? You just asked thatdy officer how many years we would get¡­"


    "What a joke!" Suming interrupted, looking at You with some pity, "Don''t even consider that you''ll have to spend at least a decade in the clink, but even if you were released now, do you think you could touch me?"


    As if talking to himself, Suming said, "I made a fortune of nearly one billion barely a year after graduating college, took over a state-owned zoo, and even made a name for myself back in the Maind. My bodyguards could beat dozens like you single-handedly. Do you really think the lot of you could touch me? When you get out, you won''t even be able to look up at me. With just one word from me, I could have you dead without even leaving a trace of your bones. Why should I be afraid of your revenge? Remember, don''t assume that Maind tycoonsck means to protect themselves like those in Xiangjiang."


    You''s lips twitched twice. Although Suming''s words were harsh, they were the truth.


    "Besides, the major figures in Xiangjiang are my friends. If I wanted, I could easily have you die violently in prison. A few Maind kidnappers dying in Stanley Prison ¨C nobody would care. Even your families wouldn''t know you were dead," Suming continued.


    After all, You was a tough guy and the leader of the kidnappers. His pride took a hit under Suming''s barrage, and he said in heavy breaths, "Suming, you''re tough! I can''t beat you, but there''s no need for you toe humiliate me, is there?"


    "Humiliate you?" Suming scoffed, "To tell you something truly humiliating, I really don''t need to waste my timeing here just to humiliate you."


    "What¡­ what are you trying to say?" You was at a loss for words.


    "If it were in the past, I might have killed you guys. Do you know why you''re still alive?" Suming asked lightly.


    "Why?" You was perplexed.


    "Because the hostage is alive, and I heard you didn''t touch her. She is actually quite attractive. I hate rapists and drug dealers the most," Suming said coolly.


    "We kidnapped for ransom, not rape!" You retorted angrily.


    "That''s right, you didn''t go to extremes, so I don''t want to either. It''s that simple," Suming shrugged, crushed the cigarette butt underfoot, and stood up to leave. "I didn''t n to say much to you. Just take care of yourself. If I have to give you advice, let it be a clich¨¦¡ªreform and strive to be a better person in the future."


    "You stayed just to tell me this? That simple?" You was stunned.


    "What did you think?" Suming turned and walked towards the exit of the interrogation room.


    "Hey, you forgot your cigarettes." You suddenly picked up the nearly full pack of cigarettes and shook it at Suming''s retreating figure.


    "Keep them for yourself." Suming didn''t turn back as he walked out the door.


    You looked down in silence, took a cigarette from the pack Suming had tossed over, tremblingly lit it with a lighter, and after a moment, heaved a deep sigh.


    ...


    Outside the interrogation room, He Baowen was leaning against the wall with one leg propped against it; one hand was cradling her chest, and the other held a slenderdy''s cigarette.


    Seeing Suminge out, she blew a smoke ring in his direction and lifted her chin, "Why did you suddenly decide to say those things to him?" Although Suming had been left alone with the suspect, He Baowen still had to monitor their conversation.


    "Seeing that girl walking out of the cave and bursting into tears, something inside me was moved."


    "What moved?"


    "To let the kidnapper also try what it''s like to lose personal freedom, locking them away for decades seems better than taking their lives." Suming waved his hand to disperse the light blue smoke ring drifting towards his face and said, "Madam, you''ve changed a lot since the case was solved, smoking and swearing."


    "Does calling me ''Madam'' satisfy you?!" He Baowen squinted, asking resentfully.


    "Alright, alright, it''s all the same what I call you. After all, it''s just the two of us in this hallway. Even if I called you ''hey,'' it wouldn''t matter, right?" Suming shrugged his shoulders and continued walking outside.


    He Baowen straightened up, tossed the half-burned cigarette on the ground, and stamped it out, then followed Suming from behind, deliberately calling out in a vengeful manner, "Hey, hey, hey, hey..."


    "I hear you! Speak up if you have something to say," Suming said.@@novelbin@@


    "You just said, if they hadmitted rape or murder, you wouldn''t let them live to see now. Is that really true? I''m really curious. Do you have a way to kill them while the police are present?" He Baowen asked with a gossipy expression.


    Suming turned around, looked at her with pity for a long time, and finally sighed deeply, speaking faintly, "Madam, please use your head. Obviously, I was just scaring them."


    ...


    After leaving the police station, Suming first went to pick up Nangong, who had been with Mrs. Xiang and already knew about the kidnapping case.


    After saying goodbye to Mrs. Xiang and Long Wu, and leaving their opulent residence outside Kowloon ¨C Long Wu had even arranged a car for the ride ¨C Nangong kept a stony face the entire way and didn''t say a word to Suming as if he was holding back anger.


    Back at the hotel, as soon as they entered the room, Suming felt a sharp pain in his lower back.


    "I... Why are you pinching me? It hurts like hell!" Suming grimaced in pain. Nangong hadn''t held back at all, putting all her strength into pinching the soft flesh of his lower back fiercely, not just pinching but also twisting it.


    It hurt so much that Suming''s head buzzed; he leaped away, lifted his shirt to look, and saw arge, purplish bruise on his waist, looking as if cancer cells had spread.


    "This is thest time I warn you, speak nicely. If you fucking hit me again, I... I''ll really lose my patience with you!" Suming was furious, thinking how in the world he had dodged life and death situations, ignored flirtatious nces from a policewoman ¨C well, it seemed that way, at least he hadn''t responded.


    He hadn''t been hurt by bullets and gunfire, but now, back home, he was fiercely ''ambushed'' by his own people. Was there no justice? Now and order? When would social fairness and justice evere my way!


    Nangong watched him with narrowed eyes for a good ten seconds, then her eyes suddenly reddened. Staring at him, tears began to pour out.


    "I..." Suming felt defeated.


    Seeing her cry so sadly, Suming felt a bit guilty and mumbled, "What''s wrong now? Just tell me." He then reached out to take Nangong''s hand.


    Nangong didn''t look at him and forcefully shook off Suming''s hand.


    But her crying only grew more frightening, soundless yet like pearls with broken strings, the tears fell incessantly, soaking a good part of her dress... (If anyone''s mind goes there, it''s not my fault...)


    When a woman cries, there''s only one possibility: she feels wronged.


    At such a moment, words are useless; no exnation is needed, and no reason can be probed. Suming sighed and gently took Nangong in his arms, whispering in her ear, "It''s alright, it''s alright, I''m here."


    Nangong burst out, wailing loudly, pounding Suming''s shoulders, "Why are you so reckless, all those people had guns. If something happened to you, what would I do! I''ve been worried to death since yesterday... You didn''t call me... and I didn''t dare to call you..."


    Suming''s heart melted on the spot.

 Chapter 339 Who needs a giant panda!

    What''s a man after? Isn''t it just about having someone worry about you while you''re out there busting your ass, knowing that everything you do has meaning? It used to be mom, but now that I have Nangong, everything feels worthwhile.


    "You''re never allowed to do something like this again, it''s so dangerous! I didn''t sleep at allst night..." Nangong said while resting on Suming''s chest, drawing circles on his chest with her long nails andining with a bitten lip.


    "Wow, up all night... Then howe you were so peppy just now? I nearly got drained dry by you!" Sumingughed, stroking her waterfall-like ck hair.


    The big bed was quite a mess, the two of them had ended up on it without really knowing how, and had tumbled in the sheets...


    "Stop it!" Nangong gently pped his chest, then lifted her head, smiled shyly, and asked, "Howe every time we talk, it always ends up like this?"@@novelbin@@


    "It proves I''m lecherous and you''re wanton, we''re a match made in heaven!" Suming said with mock seriousness.


    "I really want to tear off that mouth of yours!" Nangong raised her hand to pinch Suming''s cheek.


    "Let go, damn it, it''s okay if my waist turns blue, but if my face swells up, that''s going to be a problem. Brother''s got to make a living with this face! I''ve got a press conference to attend in a few days!"


    Nangong actually let go obediently, though she hadn''t really used much force pinching Suming''s face in the first ce. She continued to lie on Suming''s chest, muttering to herself, "It''s really sinful, how did I ever meet you?"


    "Who else do you want to meet? Ren Chen? Or that Mercedes-driving rich host from before?" Suming red and asked.


    "What if I fell for them, what would you do?" Nangong lifted her head and asked with a mischievous smile.


    "I''d break off their third leg and feed it to the pandas, making you a widow for life!" Suming pretended to threaten fiercely.


    "Break off... Ouch, that sounds painful..." Nangong couldn''t help shivering, then snuggled closer into Suming''s arms, curiously asking, "Do you think that panda ever got pregnant?"


    "Ah? What''s with this sudden change of topic?!" Suming was taken aback by her question.


    Earlier, under Nangong''s interrogation, Suming had told her about the entire kidnapping case from beginning to end, including the female inspector He Baowen. Of course, he didn''t mention the part where He Baowen asked to be called "pau".


    Suming thought she would be all over He Baowen, asking questions left and right, or asking if the woman was pretty or not... But who could have guessed that Nangong was actually concerned about whether the pandas that had been disturbed while mating had seeded in "making a bear"? What on earth was this woman thinking?!


    "How would I know? We''ll go check them out when we have time. With all this fuss, they probably won''t be able to mate again for a while. The Panda Garden is reopening in a couple of days, and we can still go have fun before we leave."


    We were discussing this when suddenly the phone rang.


    "Who is it, calling at this time? It''s been eighty thousand words already, it''s so hard toe by some intimate scenes, and this call has to interrupt now? It''s just inhuman!"


    Suming was furious. If not for the phone call, they could have easily had another five or six thousand words... He picked it up to see it was from Wang Hao.


    "Wang, don''t say I didn''t warn you. If it''s nothing important, I''m breaking your third leg!" Suming said fiercely.


    "Huh?" Wang Hao on the other end was stunned for a while before understanding what Suming meant, also shuddering, "You''re so ruthless. I have two pieces of good news and one bad news. Which do you want to hear first? Never mind, I''ll just tell you. The first good news is, Sun has finally retired, and my dad''s been promoted to deputy mayor."


    "Well, that''s some really good news! Wang, congrattions, your third leg is safe!" Suming hadn''t finished speaking when he received another punch to the chest from Nangong.


    "Well, thanks for that, thank your entire family! The second piece of good news, the video of you helping the police catch the kidnapper has gonepletely viral!"


    "It''d be strange if it didn''t go viral, that''s not really good news," Suming said, his face showing he had expected as much.


    After saving the hostages, the first thing he did was actually discuss the matter of video broadcast with the assistant director Liao. Liao Yuting consulted the superiors, and so did Wang Hao with his father; both sides agreed that the video could be broadcast. Broadcasting it would help promote rtions between the maind and Xiangjiang, and bring the people of both sides closer together, which was of great significance.


    However, it was not convenient for the government to broadcast it, especially not on television. The entertainmentpany''s live streaming tform thus became the best medium. Of course, this was no longer live but time-dyed. Luckily, it was still very timely.


    "What''s the bad news?" Suming asked.


    "It''s also rted to the broadcast. It''s too much to exin in just a sentence or two, so I recorded the process, and it''s on the intr. You can log in with your admin ount and check it for yourself," Wang Hao said.


    The room had Wi-Fi, and Nangong had brought herptop. She connected to the inte, entered the entertainmentpany''s live streaming tform''s backend, and located the broadcast video. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Because it was quite rushed, they didn''t have time to do much promotion at first. The tform''s homepage only featured an announcement, and a promotional tweet was sent out from the Twitter ount of Taoyuan Interest.


    Before the broadcast, many people werementing, expressing their doubts.


    "The zoo director fighting kidnappers? Is this for real? It sounds like something out of a movie!"


    "Hasn''t heard about any recent kidnappings in Xiangjiang?"


    But as soon as the footage went live, viewers in the chat room started to realize something wasn''t quite right. The video was filmed on Suming''s cellphone, which was shaking violently. It was incredibly noisy around, teeming with tourists and filled with the sounds of Cantonese and various Chinese ents.


    This ultra-realistic ''filming technique'' immediately pulled all the viewers into the scene.


    "Could it be a documentary?"


    "Holy sh*t... It''s really Ocean Park, I''ve been there!"


    "Hahaha,ughing my ass off here, he actually fell down, how can this robber be so dumb? What kind of idiot robber does that!" Gifted 99 Hip Hop Monkeys to the ''kidnapper''...


    "Holding a panda hostage? This kidnapper is really going all out!"


    "It''s a real gun!" Gifted a Prehistoric Crocodile to the panda...


    More than an hourter, when police stormed into Panda Garden and a gunfight broke out, the number of people in the live stream had already surpassed three hundred thousand! The entire streaming tform lit up with the eye-catching banner ''Zoo Director Battles Xiangjiang Kidnapper'', and nearly all the viewers on the tform flooded into the room.


    Meanwhile, as the ''live'' drama became increasingly realistic, more and more viewers shifted from disbelief to skepticism, and eventually came to realize that this seemed to be an authentic hostage rescue!


    Word quickly spread from one person to ten, then from ten to a hundred, as the news disseminated rapidly through friends'' circles and Weibo posts!


    Maind tourists, assisting police in Xiangjiang, rescue hostages!


    This headline appeared almost simultaneously on major websites, and the top domestic search engine even changed its homepage headline and included a link to the live streaming tform! It''s no exaggeration to say that, apart from those who were watching movies, ying games, or reading novels, most people online in Huaxia could easily learn about the chat room news!


    A real kidnapping, on-scene footage, maind gamers, Xiangjiang desperadoes, gunfights, rich heirs, panda hostages... Several highly engaging keywords set the inte aze instantly.


    Suming had cut the part where the panda interrogated the criminal, and when the video switched to the base of Flying Goose Mountain, with Suming leading a pack of police dogs up the hill, the streaming tform suddenly went dark, taking about fifteen minutes toe back online... It turned out that the sheer number of simultaneous viewers, along with the frenzy ofments and gift-giving, had overwhelmed the server''s capacity.


    Luckily, Shang Shenyan, the tech guru responsible for the tform, was ratherpetent and proactive. He had purchased backup servers from the start and was backing up the data in real time. When the server crashed, he quickly switched on the backup servers.


    When the video came back on, the police were already nearing the cave...


    After several hours of live streaming, backend data showed that at its peak, around nine hundred thousand people were logged into the room, and this number didn''t fluctuate much in the subsequent period. In other words, roughly eight to nine hundred thousand people were watching this ''pseudo-live'' event! And this was all without any prior promotion, in a hastily arranged broadcast.


    The gifts received were worth nearly a million Huaxia currency, with ''super monsters of exquisite elegance'' alone totaling seven or eight!


    Correspondingly, the number of fans of Taoyuan Interest also skyrocketed by over a hundred thousand.


    On Weibo and the live streaming tform, the countless messages of praise and the ensuing positive impacts were too numerous for Suming to go through in detail.


    All of these of course were not the ''bad news'' Wang Hao spoke of, but the ''bad news'' indeed had a direct connection with the live tform''s explosive poprity!


    "Pandas? What pandas? Where the hell am I going to get pandas for them?!" Suming was frustrated, unable to fathom why theizens'' excitement matched Nangong''s,pletely nonsensical.


    The bad news was that after watching the video, viewers from the maind, especially those from Yangchuan City, were unanimously hoping that Yangchuan City Zoo would also keep a few pandas.


    The "hope" of one person is not to be feared, but if tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of regr customers of Yangchuan City Zoo and the live streaming tform clients all express that hope, it demands attention!


    The problem is, Suming had no way of obtaining pandas! These creatures are Huaxia''s most famous animals, without ''among others,'' and are rare. Only a handful of zoos in the country have them, and they all consider them their crowning jewels, treating them like precious children.


    If it were another first-ss protected animal, even red pandas or Yangtze alligators, Suming could think of a solution, exchanging animals with other zoos using the ones from Yangchuan City Zoo.


    But pandas are an impossibility! There''s a saying in the circles that the only way to get a panda is if you have two pandas to trade. Yangchuan City Zoo might have bears and cats, but no giant pandas...


    And Xiangjiang Ocean Park giving pandas to Yangchuan Zoo was even more out of the question. Yingying and Lele were gifts from the central government to Xiangjiang. If Xiangjiang''s government were to give them to a maind zoo, what would that imply, a refusal to the central authority?


    "Where can we get pandas?" Nangong was also baffled. He spun hisrge eyes around and suggested, "Why not just catch one in the mountains?"


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªLine Break¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Tragedy struckst night when it rained. I was sitting at the window in my underwear, enjoying the rain and typing away so carefree with the breeze lifting my spirits. Then, before falling into a drowsy state, I sneezed seven or eight times in a row. Waking up, I found myself feeling dizzy, sick with a cold... With the change of seasons from spring to summer, everyone take care of your health and don''t seek out the cold¡ªlessons learned at the cost of much snot and sneezing!!!

 Chapter 340 Theyre All Mine

    "Catch?" Suming rolled his eyes, "It''s a panda bear, not some stray cat that you can just catch at will. Besides, even though your husband works at the zoo, he''s not invincible enough to just grab a panda whenever he fancies¡ªit''s against thew!" Unless a panda was injured, then it might make sense for the zoo to bring it back for treatment and protection.


    "So what do we do? There are hundreds of thousands of people signing a petition, all of whom are customers of the zoo and yourpany. You can''t just ignore them, can you?" Nangong said.


    "What do we do, just deal with it!" Suming said this, but he still took the matter seriously and gave it some thought.


    The panda issue was neither insignificant nor trivial; it was the kind of problem that, even if it couldn''t be solved right away, had to be taken to heart and dealt with as much as possible.


    A zoo is also a ''business'' in essence, much like running a restaurant. To be sessful, customer feedback is crucial. If customers like to eat braised pork knuckle and you insist on serving them in white steamed buns, you''re just asking for trouble.


    Even from the zoo''s own standpoint, having a few panda bears as the star attractions is quite necessary. Which top-tier zoo in the country doesn''t have pandas? Yangchuan City Zoo is renowned nationwide, and it would be quite embarrassing to admit that we don''t even have a panda.


    When ites to other Grade I protected animals like the Yangtze alligator and the golden monkey, they''re popr too, but they''re simply not in the same league as the giant panda. In this regard, pandas have really given all the chubbies around the world something to be proud of.


    After thinking for a while and still noting up with a good solution, he considered that if worst came to worst, they could temporarily borrow the two chubbies from Xiangjiang Ocean Park.


    It''s just that he didn''t know if Xiangjiang Ocean Park would be willing to lend them. After all, if other organizations wanted to borrow Suming''s pandas, he would definitely object. Not to speak of such treasures as panda bears¡ªeven a big-chested cat would be too precious to lend out!


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    "What are you rambling about, what big-chested cat?!" Nangong touched Suming''s forehead to check for fever. No fever.


    Suming''s gaze drifted slowly downward from her neck, "What''s far in the horizon is actually right before your eyes!"


    "Again?" Nangong quickly retracted, hugged her chest protectively, and took on the appearance of a startled little bird, her big eyes fluttering in feigned innocence.


    "I wasn''t nning on doing this again, but you''re tempting me now, aren''t you?" Suming squinted his eyes, radiating a domineering aura.


    "You''re so cheeky..." Nangong bit her lip, her voice sappy, her eyes watery as she looked at Suming.


    "Courting death!" Suming muttered through clenched teeth as he lunged at her.


    ...


    Fighting is a real drain on one''s energy. After getting up, feeling ravenously hungry, he put the issue of pandas on the back burner. Leaving the hotel, the two hailed a taxi and headed straight for the snack street in Mong Kok. They ate their way from one end of the street to the other, indulging in everything on offer, until their stomachs were perfectly round.@@novelbin@@


    In the meantime, Mrs. Tong called to inquire about the ns ahead. The zoo''s group trip was only five days long, and considering the time, they''d have to head back tomorrow.


    "Here''s what we''ll do, you take everyone back first. I can''t leave yet, since I have to attend a press conference with the Xiangjiang Police. I also need to discuss borrowing pandas with Ocean Park, so I expect I''ll be dyed for another week before I can return," Suming exined while munching on a skewer of beef offal.


    "Okay. Mr. Su, several media outlets from back home have called asking about the hostage rescue incident, hoping for interviews. How should I respond?"


    Wang Hao had also mentioned this to Suming. After the video broadcast, domestic media would certainly want to verify its authenticity. Wang Hao''s phone had been exploding with calls from various outlets, and the zoo''s on-duty office had been receiving many calls as well, with some media even going directly to the Xiangjiang Police for confirmation.


    The governments and police forces on both sides of the strait shared a simr view: they could proceed with widespread publicity. The situation was not just about cracking a kidnapping case; it had acquired an extrayer of positive energy because of the involvement of Suming, a tourist from the maind. It was a perfect example of harmony in society, promoting positive cross-strait rtions.


    Wang Hao had specifically set up a live broadcast room, where the video of the hostage rescue was being reyed, along with various rted materials that the media had dug up.


    "If the media ask for an interview, just tell the truth since most of the details are in the video. Oh, and don''t make me out to be too much of a hero; it would be embarrassing to be put on too high a pedestal," Suming specifically cautioned, knowing Mrs. Tong well enough to realize that if she spoke off the cuff, he might return to the maind to find that he had been portrayed as a reincarnated deity.


    "There''s no need for me to exaggerate!" Mrs. Tong said proudly on the phone: "The facts speak for themselves, you are indeed a living hero, Mr. Su!"


    "Those are good words, but why do they sound so awkward to me?" Suming was speechless. A living hero? Was he implying that he was close to death, or that if he did die, he''d be an even greater hero?


    "Anyway, you deal with it as you see fit. Oh, and there''s another important matter I need you to attend to," Suming said earnestly.


    "What? What is it?!" Mrs. Tong was startled. Was there something more important than a kidnapping case? Had something unexpected happened?


    "Before you head back, you and the ountant should visit the department store to buy some gifts for Mr. Song. Get plenty of health and wellness products, and since he has a grandson, buy something that children like too. I''m not sure about these things, so just handle it. Don''t worry about the cost¡ªif the zoo''s ounts are too tight, I''ll pay for it myself," Suming instructed.


    Mrs. Tong was silent for several seconds before responding, her voice tinged with emotion, "You always think of everything, Mr. Su. I''ll make sure it''s taken care of, don''t worry."


    After hanging up the phone, Nangong clung to Suming''s arm and suddenly hummed twice.


    "What''s up with you now?" Suming asked curiously.


    "You''re quite attentive. This time they''ll definitely say, ''Mr. Su is grateful for old ties and knows how to repay favors, never forgetting the one who dug the well when drinking water...''"


    "I knew you had all sorts of little womanly thoughts!" Suming rubbed her head. "What do you think we''re going to do next?"


    "Do what?" Nangong asked in surprise.


    "Up ahead is the shopping street. I, your leader, will personally apany you to buy gifts for your parents, my mother, oh, and that whole gang of your girlfriends!" Suming pointed to the brightly lit street ahead.


    "Really? Hehe! I thought you had forgotten..." Nangong said coquettishly as she shook his arm.


    "I can remember the old zoo director; how could I forget the elders at home? Let''s go!"


    "I knew you were the best!"


    ...


    The shopping force from the zoo split into two groups, sweeping through the major shopping centers in the north and south of Xiangjiang. Mrs. Tong''s shopping style leaned toward domestic and old-age, while Suming''s was thoroughly luxurious, all about high-end cosmetics, gold and jade jewelry, and the like.


    Nangong was thrilled when shopping, wanted everything she saw, but after she finished, she looked at her pile of spoils and asked with a pout, "Isn''t this a bit impractical?"


    "New money should look like new money!" Suming said grandly with a wave of his hand. "We only buy what''s expensive, not what''s right. These days no onecks the necessities; since it''s gift-giving, it''s the thought that counts for family, and the face it gives to friends. I think your choices are quite discerning, absolutely fantastic!"


    "Really?" Nangong asked uncertainly.


    "Truer than 18-karat gold!" Suming swore confidently. Shopping was all about the mood; what was practical or not was a secondary concern. It was no fun to spend money and then be filled with regret. All those bags piled on top of each other didn''t add up to more than a few hundred thousand, not even as much as thest two sets of gowns.


    Nangong had also drunk quite a bit of the local homemade brew along the way, which tasted like rice wine. It was sweet at first and didn''t seem alcoholic, so she guzzled several cans as if it were water. However, she soon realized that the brew had quite a kick, and halfway through the mall, Nangong''s steps in her high heels began to wobble.


    There''s no reasoning with a woman, and even less with a drunk woman. At this moment, as long as she''s happy, it''s clear skies.


    He casually picked out a Graff ne for Nangong to wear, grinned, and said, "Sincerity and love can''t beat diamonds and gold! Come on, let''s get another one!"


    "My neck is going to be full!" Nangongughed, her eyes nearly squinting shut.


    It wasn''t just her neck; her ten fingers were almost full too. Suming noticed she had a particr way of buying gifts for her girlfriends: Anything that could be tested, worn, or tried on, she had to try it herself first. She had gone through seven or eight different cosmetics in one evening alone, applying makeup, removing it, and then applying it again. And she didn''t miss a chance to try on every piece of gold and silver jewelry. Now, Nangong was glistening with gold all over her body and, with the effects of alcohol, her cheeks were flushed, making her look like the daughter of a Fujian tycoon about to be married off.


    The nearby sales assistant looked at the couple with a smile, her expression a littleplicated. The thrill of a bigmission, envy of Nangong, and a touch of contempt for the mainders'' crazy gold buying, mixed with the sourness of the grapes one can''t reach, mingled and fermented in her eyes, quite intimidating...


    Suming turned his head to look at her, leaned in, and shamelessly asked, "So, how''s that for opulence?"


    "Great, really great!" The sales assistant couldn''t hold back and burst intoughter.


    Nangong red, "Hey, what are youughing at?"


    The sales assistant tried to contain herughter, "I just think your husband is really good to you."


    "Hehe... jealous, aren''t you?" Nangong asked with wide eyes.


    "Ah? Uh..." the sales assistant stammered.


    "Jealousy won''t help; what''s mine is mine! The boyfriend is mine, the rings and nes are also mine..." Nangong wrapped one arm around Suming''s neck, hanging on him, smiling foolishly like some female hooligan, causing many tourists around to turn their heads and look their way.


    Suming pped his forehead; she was thoroughly drunk. Under his own guidance, the unreliable girlfriend development n had finally seeded. Nangong was beginning to show signs of evolving towards a nonsensical and silly character, and today, emboldened by alcohol, she took the first step into an inescapable abyss.

 Chapter 341 Honorary Citizen

    Three dayster, a news conference was held as scheduled in the auditorium of the Xiangjiang Police Headquarters building on Weaponry Street.


    The auditorium, with a capacity of two hundred people, was full.


    What Xiangjiang certainly wasn''t short of was media. From the government-affiliated Phoenix News at the top tier, down to the gossip magazines on street corners, dozens of newspapers and periodicals of all sizes were in attendance; furthermore, since the news about the ''kidnapping case'' didn''t involve political opinions, but was about moral and legal boundaries that all humanity should abide by, even many radical newspapers that usually held opposing views to the government had specially sent reporters to cover the event.


    As three public rtions officers, adorned with shining police stars on their shoulders, took to the stage, a flurry of shutter sounds immediately filled the auditorium. It took a good ten seconds before the venue quieted down again.


    "Good afternoon, friends from the media, distinguished guests. I''m Lin Dong, Chief Inspector of the Public Rtions Department of the Xiangjiang Police. Now, on behalf of the police, I will disclose the details of the major 5.4 kidnapping case..."


    Chief Inspector Lin Dong took a full ten minutes to read through the document in his hands, detailing the entire kidnapping case for the audience.


    "Alright, now it''s time for questions!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, arms shot up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, and Lin Dong chuckled. "Let''s have thedy in the third seat of the second row on the left ask her question." Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    A very charming young female reporter took the microphone, stood up, and said, "Hello, Chief Inspector Lin, I''m a reporter from The Daily. From the briefing just now, we all know that Mr. Suming from the maind yed an indispensable role in this kidnapping case. It can be said that without Mr. Suming, the oue of this case would be hard to predict. So, my question is, is Mr. Suming really just an ordinary tourist, or is he a master from some mysterious department on the maind sent to assist the Xiangjiang Police? Um... much like the protagonist in the movie ''Central Security Bureau Bodyguards'' from years ago."


    A wave of quietughter rippled through the gathering. Strictly speaking, this question seemed a bitical for such a serious asion.


    However, the journalisticmunity was well aware of The Daily''s style. It was a poprprehensive newspaper with a strong entertainment focus,pletely reader-oriented. Gossip was always popr, and this question actually represented the sentiments of many ordinary citizens in Xiangjiang.


    Even Chief Inspector Lin Dong couldn''t help but shake his head and smile wryly, "Not that I''m aware of, at least the police didn''t receive any notice from the central government. As for whether Mr. Su is a master, well, he is present himself, you may ask him to answer you."


    The microphone was passed to the first row; Suming, dressed in a suit, took the microphone, stood up, turned back to nod slightly at the female reporter from The Daily, and then said with a hint of mystery, "Speaking of mysterious masters, we have genuine masters present here!"


    The female reporter from The Daily was taken aback, and the many reporters at the scene looked at each other, confused; even the three public rtions officers on stage grew curious.@@novelbin@@


    Suming gestured towards several reporters not too far away and said earnestly, "Mr. Zha, the former owner of Ming Pao, created the Sunflower Manual, the Nine Yang Divine Skill, and a series of other divine techniques decades ago. If I am considered a mysterious master, then wouldn''t Ming Pao be a martial arts hall? The reporter friends from Ming Pao, naturally, are all masters."


    A few Ming Pao reporters shrugged nonchntly, as if to say they were not involved. The room chuckled again. Though Suming didn''t deny it directly, he had given his answer with a humorous attitude.


    "If there really are such divine skills, I would ask our friends from Ming Pao not to keep them secret; our police force would definitely offer a high sry to hire you as coaches," Lin Dongughed. "Since Mr. Su has mentioned Ming Pao, let''s have a reporter from Ming Pao ask the next question."


    "Thank you!" A bespectacled middle-aged male reporter from Ming Pao took the microphone and stood up. "First, I want to rify that I absolutely have not practiced the Sunflower Manual!"


    The conference room erupted withughter. The atmosphere of the news conference had not been particrly tense even after the sessful resolution of the kidnapping, and these humorous exchanges hadpletely rxed everyone''s mood.


    After theughter subsided, the male reporter turned serious and said, "I''d like to ask Chief Inspector Lin, since the kidnappers are all nationals from the maind and have been incarcerated here in Xiangjiang, does this indicate that cooperation betweenw enforcement agencies across the strait will be further strengthened? Can we achieve information sharing?"


    Unlike The Daily, Ming Pao always stressed taste and seriousness, paying great attention to the maind. Despite the previous humorous remarks, the question posed was very sharp.


    The police were naturally adept at handling such enquiries, emphasizing the central government''s leadership over the special administrative region, then going on to praise the efficiency of the maind police force highly, and finally indicating that the two sides would strengthen cooperation on the basis of the constitution and variousws of the special administrative region in order to better serve the citizens andbat crime.


    Following this, reporters from Sing Tao Daily, Wen Wei Po, Ta Kung Pao, and five other media outlets took turns asking questions, which were answered by the Xiangjiang Police, Suming, and the case''s principal victim, Luo Jiaju. The real person involved, Miss Luo Jun, was not present due to her physical and mental condition; her father, Luo Jiaju, answered on her behalf.


    After the question and answer session concluded, and not following the usual protocol for ending the press conference, Lin Dong continued. "Friends in the media, I would also like to announce two rted pieces of news here. The first piece of news is that Yangchuan City Zoo and Xiangjiang Ocean Park have be friendly partners, and Xiangjiang Ocean Park''s two pandas, Yingying and Lele, will arrive at Yangchuan City Zoo next month for a two-month coborative exchange exhibition."


    The so-called ''friendly partner'' rtionship doesn''t involve any binding powers or obligations on either side, it''s just about adding each other''s zoo names and website links at the very bottom of their respective ''partnership'' webpages. It''s no big deal. If Suming wanted, he could easily establish this kind of rtionship with every zoo in the country, provided they were legitimate organizations without any vendettas to settle....


    The cooperative exchange trip for the pandas Yingying and Lele did require some effort from Suming. Actually, the board of directors at Xiangjiang Ocean Park couldn''t make the decision on their own and had to consult the upper echelons of the Special Administrative Region''s government through the police.


    The government, for its part, was very amodating and approved the request the same day, seeing it as another opportunity to strengthen the friendship between the maind and Xiangjiang.


    Suming hadn''t expected that the Xiangjiang board would stir up trouble in the end. Those damn capitalists were too greedy, showing Suming the daily visitor stats for the panda exhibit with a strictly-business attitude, listing out a whole array of data and charts to demonstrate how much revenue the pandas brought in daily for Ocean Park.


    Suming almost wanted to curse them out, ''As if Ocean Park is in such dire need of this petty cash. You have the nerve to ask me for money for a two-month loan? If I hadn''t stepped in, those pandas might have ended up disabled, and then you''d be the one crying, still hoping to make money off of them. Dream on.''


    The so-called ''elites'' at Ocean Park with their Western concepts had taken the Huaxia tradition of clear-cut deals between even the closest of brothers to the extreme, calcting each expense down to the penny, even including the ''depreciation'' of the panda''s future lifespan.


    At first, Suming thought this was standard practice, so he shared Xiangjiang Ocean Park''s ''method of calction'' with his domestic zoo Q-group. But the leaders of zoos from all over were stunned; it was their first time hearing about calcting depreciation on an animal''s life span.


    When you think about it, it''s not entirely without reason. A panda can live twenty to thirty years, a ''lending period'' of two months would reduce its ''value'' by one percent.


    But since when do we treat pandas like machines that depreciate over time?


    In reality, the rental fee wasn''t much for either party. Ocean Park wouldn''t get rich or go broke over it, and Yangchuan City Zoo wouldn''t go poor without it, but including Suming, the maind zoo administrators were fairly speechless. In the West, this is a normal business practice, but to Eastern eyes, it seemed a bit petty and quitecking inpassion.


    The media present had mostly learned through various channels about the panda exchange, but the news did not cause much of a stir, just a sparse scattering of apuse.


    "Next, I am pleased to announce a special resolution by the Xiangjiang Special Administrative Region government, please stand..."


    The three police officers on stage were the first to stand, while the reporters below looked at each other in confusion. What special resolution? They hadn''t heard any rumors about it.


    Only Suming had received a notice and left his seat, standing on the first tier of the stage awaiting the announcement.


    Police Superintendent Lin Dong read the resolution in a steady voice, "...after consideration, it has been decided to award Mr. Suming with the title of Honorary Citizen of Xiangjiang, in recognition of his special contributions to Xiangjiang."


    After he finished, apuse didn''t immediately break out in the auditorium as one might expect. Most of the reporters doubted they had heard correctly.


    ''Honorary Citizen'' is amon local title adopted by various governments to encourage andmend foreigners who have made outstanding contributions. Just as it says on the tin, besides the ''honor,'' it grants the rights of a normal citizen.


    Xiangjiang also has this tradition, and bing an honorary citizen isn''t something unusual. But to the reporters'' surprise, the status was typically announced along with the knighthood ceremony on July 1st every year. The fact that it was proimed in May was unprecedented.


    Moreover, thosebeled ''Honorary Citizens'' are often not really ordinary ''citizens''; they''re either wealthy or noble, with real ordinary people seldom getting the chance at such recognition.


    Put differently, the significance of this honorary citizenship far outweighed the routine ones announced each July 1st. It could even be said that this was Xiangjiang''s firstmon person ''Honorary Citizen''.


    It took a long while until the moment Suming ascended the stage, and that''s when thunderous apuse burst through the hall.


    Clearly, awarding such an honor to a ''righteous hero'' who risked his life to save others had a more inspiring effect than bestowing it on the so-called tycoons who have made ''significant contributions'' to Xiangjiang''s economy!


    "Tragic, after all these years, I am still just amoner," Suming thought to himself.

 Chapter 342 Not Used to Drinking Coffee

    The next morning, various major local media in Xiangjiang started to write and publish articles.


    The New Report, ''Heart of a Hero¡ªEven Ordinary People Can Be Heroes''; it seems that female reporter has always harbored a ''master dream'' in her heart;


    Oriental Daily, ''Maind Tourist Joins Hands with Xiangjiang Police, Cracks Kidnapping Case, Foolish Kidnapper Falls into Panda Exhibit, Tragically Trampled¡­''. This is currently the most entertaining newspaper among the orthodox papers in Xiangjiang. Those who are familiar with its history would know that the founder of this paper came from the same mold as Long Wu, and was even more exaggerated than the Long family back in the day, so it''s not surprising that it takes an entertainment approach.


    Ming Pao, ''Building Friendship, Deepening Cooperation¡ªStarting with Ping Pong Diplomacy from Thirty Years Ago'', it starts with the friendly exchanges of ping pong teams during the Cold War era that fostered the normalization of rtions between Huaxia and the United States and discusses whether the maind, Xiangjiang, and even Bao Ind can find amunication approach that is not resisted by the general public, such as panda diplomacy. Of course, the use of the word ''diplomacy'' is not appropriate.


    Ta Kung Pao, ''Honorary Citizen, a Commoner''s Victory''; it lists the background and origins of all those who have received the title of honorary citizen over the past decade, suggesting that the awarding of honorary citizenship in the future should consider more ordinary people who truly move the hearts of the people of Xiangjiang, instead of it being a feast where the rich divide the honors among themselves.


    Sun Newspaper then published amentary article ''Knights and Gentlemen'', mercilessly pointing out that in modern society, there are far too many ''gentlemen'' in fine clothes, but very few ''knights'' willing to step forward in times of crisis. If one does not have the brave and upright heart of a ''knight'', then so-called ''gentlemanly demeanor'' is but a hypocritical veneer.


    Apart from the regr newspapers, as a city with a long history of gossip, the various gossip tabloids in Xiangjiang are innumerable.


    "Lone Beast Tamer, Captures Spicy Female Cop''s Heart!"


    "Madam Throws Herself into His Arms, Maind Visitor Cold and Unfeeling¡­"


    "Illicit Sister-Brother Love, Gunfight of Life and Death Affection!"@@novelbin@@


    "Crossing Customs to Sleep With You!"


    "Trainee Female Cop Bes Smitten with Deputy Zoo Director, shes with Stern Female Supervisor!"


    "Three Women Vying for Husband¡­"


    These were not just sensational headlines; the reports were vividly written, with clear timelines, characters, and events, including inner monologues and dialogues¡ªonly sparing the readers the explicit love scenes. They even found a number of blurry photos, making it impossible to identify who was actually in them.


    Fortunately, readers took these tabloid articles as mere entertainment and did not take them seriously. These tabloids, in a bid to grab eyeballs, would dare to write anything except for the reactionary material. If these reports were all true, then Suming''s few days in Xiangjiang would be so busy that he wouldn''t have time for anything else; he would be chasing women day and night, for every single one of the twenty-four hours wouldn''t be enough for all the hooking up and fooling around.


    ...


    In an office building in Causeway Bay, there was a coffee shop that was not very big but was very quiet. A fat catyzily on the piano at the entrance, looking peacefully at the men and women in the shop under the soft and warm lighting.


    When Suming entered the coffee shop, he immediately spotted He Baowen sitting alone in a corner, staring nkly into space.


    "Didn''t expect you, Madam, with your usually resolute and brave demeanor, would like such a¡­" Suming looked around at the caf¨¦''s environment, which was stered everywhere with stickers of cartoon cats, andughed: "ce full of childlike whimsy."


    Last time, before the case was solved, He Baowen said she would invite Suming for coffee if they cracked the case sessfully. Suming didn''t take it to heart at the time, but, after the press conference, He Baowen actually called and arranged to meet here.


    After receiving the call, Suming considered briefly before deciding to go.


    "Every woman must have a naive ce in her heart; even women nearing thirty are no exception. Sometimes when I feel the pressure is too much, Ie here to sit for a while, to prevent myself from turning into a manly woman." He Baowen waved to the waiter, then asked Suming, "What will you drink? It''s on me. Theirtte is really on point here."


    "I''m used to drinking tea, so no matter how good the coffee is, I can never get used to it, first impressions and all that." Suming shrugged and smiled: "Lemon water will do."


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    "A ss of lemon water with ice, thank you." He Baowen greeted the approaching waiter and then looked at Suming with a smirk, "A man who would even snatch my snacks is actually drinking lemon water. You surprise me."


    "I was really hungry back then, just like when I bought roast goose legs in the police car, my stomach was the priority," Suming said with a smile.


    "Are you hungry now?" He Baowen asked stiffly, and after speaking, she touched her own stomach as if offering an excuse, "I''m a bit hungry, how about we go for ate-night snack after the coffee?"


    "Madam, you really have an irregr lifestyle," Sumingughed.


    "The freedom of a single life," He Baowen shrugged, "Coming or not? I know a ce that''s been making egg tarts for decades. I always eat there whenever I work overtime. You visitors from out of town might not find such an authentic little shop."


    "I''d like to go, but my girlfriend is waiting for me at the hotel. You know how it is, a woman alone in a hotel gets scared at night," Suming said, seemingly offhandedly.


    Upon hearing the words ''girlfriend,'' He Baowen momentarily stiffened; although she said nothing, her disappointment was hard to conceal, and for the rest of the conversation, she seemed somewhat distracted.


    Time flew by, the antique clock in the coffee shop struck ten, and Suming''s ss of lemon water was empty. He Baowen did not continue to order drinks, and they both left the coffee shop after paying the bill.


    Walking side by side on the streets of Causeway Bay, the usually cheerful policewoman was very quiet the whole way, hardly speaking at all, and seemed preupied with her thoughts.


    At that moment, Suming did not know what to say either, so he could only apany her as she strolled down the street.


    He Baowen was a very decent woman in every way, but each time she smiled at him, Suming''s mind would naturally wander back to the moment when Nangong ruthlessly turned down Ren Chen, a scene that was moving in its decisiveness.


    As he earned more and more money and met more and more women of all kinds, Suming found that what he often thought of were the minor details of his past days with Nangong at the campus.


    "This is my stop," He Baowen finally spoke up, for the first time, in front of an apartment building.


    "I''m very happy to have met you, Pau. I never expected to get to know such an outstanding woman on my trip to Xiangjiang. It''s an honor," Suming nodded and smiled.


    He Baowen was silent for a moment, then suddenly revealed a confident and proud smile simr to the first time she''d seen her at the police station, and gave Suming a manly punch on the shoulder, "Wow, is this what they call friend-zoning?!"


    "This... haha, you give me one, I give you one, we''re even!" Suming said while rubbing his shoulder that had be a bit sore from the punch.


    "Get out of here, go keep your girlfriendpany. I''m a tough policewoman; I''m not as fragile as you think!"


    With one hand on her hip and the other mimicking a gun gesture at Suming, He Baowen stared with fierce eyes and warned, "Also, let me tell you, next time you meet a girl, tell her early on that you have a girlfriend, or else, bang!"


    "Absolutely!" Sumingughed, "Then I really am leaving."


    "Go on, get going!" He Baowen took the initiative to turn around and stride toward the apartment, nonchntly waving her hand without looking back.


    After watching He Baowen enter the elevator, Suming then turned and left.


    At the crossroads on his way to the hotel, Suming pulled out his phone and dialed Nangong''s number.


    "Hello, finished with your coffee?" came Nangong''s sweet voice from the other end of the line.


    "I told you, I''m used to tea; coffee isn''t really my thing," Suming replied.


    "Hehehe¡­" Nangongughed foolishly.


    "Laughing at what? Did you book the ne ticket online like I asked you to?"


    "Mhm, the eight o''clock flight tomorrow night! On the same ne as the Big Happy lion dragon from Causeway Bay!"


    "Alright, we''re going home tomorrow!"


    ...


    The next evening, an Orient Airlines flight slowly took off from Xiangjiang International Airport, heading towards Yangchuan City.


    Almost at the same time, in a bar in Lan Kwai Fong, two off-duty policewomen were drinking together in a small booth.


    In front of He Baowen, several beer bottles were already empty, her face flushed red with alcohol, but her eyes were bright, focusing on the policewoman opposite her as she rambled, "Abby, what exactly is wrong with me?"


    The young Officer Abby, equally tipsy from the drinks, belched before saying, "Madam, who says there''s anything wrong with you? You''re gorgeous andpetent, bing a senior inspector before you''re even thirty. The whole police force treasures you!"


    "Are you saying I''m old?" asked He Baowen, eyes wide open.


    "Not at all!" Abby quickly covered her mouth, "No, no, not at all."


    "Then why is it that I expressed my feelings so clearly and he didn''t show any interest at all!" He Baowen pointed at her own nose, eyes wide, "Do you know, this was the first time in my life that I took the initiative to confess to a guy, and I failed!"


    "But there''s no rule saying that a girl has to seed when she confesses. Besides, so many officers have confessed to you, and you''ve rejected them just the same" Abby mumbled softly.


    "Wow, whose side are you on?!" He Baowen said.


    "Madam, of course I''m on your side. But Su Sheng has a girlfriend, right? Would you be happy if he lied about being single and then took you to a couple''s hotel? It''s better to have things out in the open, for everyone''s sake," Abby, though young, had a clear sense of reasoning.


    "Abby, you really suck atforting people, you know that? Saying that, I feel even worse! Does that mean I missed out on a good man?!"


    "Then what should I say? Su Sheng is indeed a good person," Abby pouted.


    "I''m just not happy,e on, let''s go dance!" He Baowen staggered to her feet, taking Abby''s hand and heading for the dance floor.


    Abby, knowing He Baowen''s usual style well, was so frightened; she quickly held her back and shook her head like a rattle-drum, "No, Madam, you''re drunk as a skunk, someone will take advantage of you, and then you''ll end up hurting someone again. It''ll be a lot of trouble."


    "Then keep drinking with me!" He Baowen lifted a bottle of liquor.


    "I really can''t drink anymore!" Abby said with a pained expression, taking the bottle from He Baowen''s hand and putting it back on the table. Looking for a better idea, she then said, "Actually, Madam, when you''re working on a case, you''re much more on point than now!"


    "What? Speak up!" The music in the bar was loud, making it difficult for He Baowen to hear, so she asked loudly.


    "I said!" Abby also shouted into He Baowen''s ear, "Su Sheng isn''t married, so if you were as determined as when you''re working cases, you might still have a chance! After all, he''ll be back by the end of the year for the horse races, won''t he?"


    "What?!", He Baowen eximed.

 Chapter 343 BMW X6

    As soon as Nangong boarded the ne, she curled Suming''s arm into her embrace and fell asleep. This sleep carried her over the ocean and across high mountains¡­ When the nended at the new airport in Yangchuan City, it was almost dawn after the luggage was checked in.


    The chilly breeze outside the airport felt icy against the skin, making Nangong shiver and curl up tightly. Suming draped a coat over her before stretching out his hand to hail a taxi.


    "I don''t want to take a taxi! Let''s walk back!" Nangong, having slept enough on the ne, was invigorated by the cold wind.


    "Are you crazy? The airport is almost ten kilometers from downtown, big sister. Walking back would be exhausting!" Suming rolled his eyes and motioned with his lips towards the several suitcases on the ground: "Also, with all this luggage, if we walk back, will you carry it?"


    "I don''t care, I just don''t want to ride back," Nangong said, whining and shaking his arm.


    "Why not?!" Suming really couldn''t understand. It was dark and far from the city center, plus there was a ton of luggage¡ªwhat kind of madness had gotten into this girl? Having dated for so long, hadn''t she had her fill of strolling down roads? Even if she wanted to shop, she should at least pick a ce worth browsing through. He had never heard of a couple wandering on the national highway in the middle of the night...


    "I have to work tomorrow and won''t see you for a long time. I just want to spend more time with you," Nangong said softly, pouting her lips.


    "I... ah..." Suming couldn''t resist Nangong like this, and felt disheartened. He lifted his hand to rub her head.


    During this trip to Xiangjiang, the two of them had established a substantial rtionship. After that night, Nangong was apletely different creature from before, incredibly clingy to Suming. Now Suming felt like he was both a boyfriend and a father.


    The taxi driver, who had been waiting for a while, heard their conversation, poked half of his body out of the car window, and said to Suming with a smile, "Are you getting in or not? The littledy wants romance, but there''s a time and ce for that. Walking back to the city from the airport at this hour will take until dawn, and it''s not safe."


    "Hehe, you can go, driver. We''re not taking a taxi," Suming said with a wave of his hand and an apologetic nod.


    "Look here, young man, let me give you a piece of advice. Don''t be silly. If you end up unable to continue halfway, you''ll be the ones at a disadvantage, not me. I''m looking out for you; it''s not about the cab fare. There are plenty of passengers..." the driver went on and on.


    "Hehe, I''m happy to be foolish, and it''s an honor to spoil my girlfriend!" Suming said with a lovestruck look on his face.


    Seeing Suming''s determination, the talkative and warm-hearted driver showed an utterly bewildered expression, shook his head regretfully, and put the car in gear to drive towards another couple trying to hail a taxi.


    After dating, Nangong''s IQ seemed to drop rapidly, especially when she was with Suming. She hardly used her brain, acting on impulse, and Suming indulged her, thus establishing a habit. Seeing the taxi really drive away, Nangong started to regret her decision a bit. Looking at the pile of luggage at her feet, she said anxiously, "How do we walk back? We have so much luggage, and you can''t carry it all!"


    "Even if I could carry it, I shouldn''t, it''s almost ten kilometers. Do you really take me for a beast of burden?" Suming said.


    "What should we do then?" Nangong nced at Suming tentatively, like a child who had done something wrong, and said softly, "What if... we just take a taxi after all..."


    "Are you really willing to take a taxi?"


    "I have no choice, I obviously want to spend more time with you," Nangong said reluctantly.


    Suming chuckled, "Wait here for me, keep an eye on the luggage!" Then he turned and walked back into the airport.


    "Hey, what are you going to do?" Nangong called after him.


    "I''ve got a n!" Suming turned back to caution her, "Stay right here, don''t wander off, and don''t get taken away by some bad guy."


    "I know, I know, I''m not a child!"


    Watching Suming''s figure quickly disappear into the airport, Nangong turned to sit on the biggest suitcase, crossing her legs and stretching them out on the sidewalk in afortable position. Then she wrapped herself tight in her coat, letting the long sleeves dangle on either side, tilted her head slightly, and looked up at the starry night sky with a sweet smile on her lips.


    As a top student in college who had secured an internship at a TV station before even graduating, Nangong''s IQ and EQ were higher than most of her peers.


    But she really liked this feeling of letting gopletely, not needing to rack her brains over a TV program, not worrying about what the future held, nor having to disguise herself as a prickly, strong-willed woman. Just like this, with no need to think about anything, quietly waiting for a man to return.@@novelbin@@


    Although this man had all sorts of ws, sometimes stealing nces at beautiful women or brutally making fun of her, and even asionally doing things that a normal person might not consider too appropriate, as long as he was by her side, Nangong always felt secure.


    Not far away, the chatty driver had just picked up a couple, and from his rearview mirror, he saw Nangong emerge under the starry sky, looking as though she had stepped right out of an artsy film. He was clearly taken aback for a moment, then shook his head with a smile, suddenly understanding the young boy''s decision.


    The driver too had been young once, and if he had such a girl enter his life back in his youth, no matter the request¡ªeven if it meant travelling to the ends of the earth¡ªhe would have agreed without hesitation.


    "Ah, such is fate," the driver sighed, shrugged his shoulders, started the taxi, and drove off.


    Suming had been gone for about twenty minutes and still hadn''te back, leaving Nangong feeling a bit anxious. She sent him a WeChat message, and he quickly replied saying he would be right back.


    "Hey, what are you actually up to? Don''t tell me you pretended to go to the airport and took a detour for some ''big health care''..."


    "Stop with the ''big health care''; you can give me er," Suming sent back a smiley face emoji, "I''ll be right back."


    Just as Nangong was about to send a blushing emoji in reply, a BMW X5 suddenly roared into view from afar. Its tires screeched against the ground,ing to an abrupt halt in front of Nangong.


    Leaning on the row of tires closest to Nangong, the distance between the tires and the tips of her toes was no more than a meter and some. Subconsciously, Nangong stiffened her foot and frowned at the X5 in front of her.


    The car window slowly rolled down, revealing the fairly handsome face of the driver who greeted her, "Hi, what a coincidence!"


    This guy was Huang Fei, a colleague from the Nangong TV station and one of the popr male hosts. Previously, when Suming had invited Nangong to a barbecue at the reservoir, they had encountered him at the entrance of the Nangong''s residentialplex. At that time, he was driving a new BMW 320, trying to hit on Nangong, and drove so fast it startled her. After Suming arrived in his Wrangler, he left Huang Fei in a cloud of exhaust.


    "It''s you?!" Nangong was slightly taken aback, then frowned even more, giving his BMW X5 several scrutinizing nces. She felt displeased by hisck of manners; he always drove so fastst time it was in a residential area, this time at the airport, both ces crowded with people. What if he hit someone?


    People like him shouldn''t be allowed to have a driver''s license.


    Seeing Nangong take a longer look at his car, Huang Fei mistook her intent and immediately became smug. He poked half his head out of the window, resting his arm on it and boasting, "I made some money investing with friends recently and bought this new car, it cost over 1.2 million!"


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    "Oh." Nangong responded indifferently, her gaze drifting away, clearly uninterested.


    If there were a ''ranking of phrases with the most lethal impact from women to men,'' the word "Oh" would definitely be on the list. Huang Fei coughed awkwardly and struck what he considered a very handsome pose, asking, "Are you waiting for a taxi? Let me give you a lift, we can take a drive along the way."


    "No need, I am waiting for my boyfriend," Nangong said expressionlessly.


    Upon hearing the words ''my boyfriend'', Huang Fei''s smile froze momentarily. Of course, he vividly remembered thest time at the gate of Nangong''s residentialplex, that guy driving a grotesquely oversized off-road vehicle, at least inparison to his BMW 320 at the time, which nearly crushed his car as it roared over the top of it.


    However, after that ''frightening'' encounter, Huang Fei found that driving an off-road vehicle felt manlier and made a greater statement. So, after making some money, he sold his somewhat effeminate BMW 320 and invested heavily in this luxurious, status-symbol BMW X5.


    Before buying it, Huang Fei had hesitated. Although his family background was decent and he had recently made some money, a brand-new X5 still drained all his savings, and he even borrowed over a hundred thousand from friends.


    But after getting behind the wheel, he immediately felt it was worth every penny; there was something different about him. The wider view from the higher position, that sense of superiority as he looked down on everything, surged within him. The powerful BMW engine was ecstasy; a simple press on the gas pedal and the sheer force pushing him back made it seem like he could fly off in a rocket at any second.


    The head-turning rate of girls at the nightclubs also went up significantly. Sometimes he didn''t even have to approach them; just rolling down his window and stopping outside the entrance of any bar, it wouldn''t be long before a dolled-up girl woulde up to chat with him.


    Hearing Nangong mention her ''boyfriend,'' Huang Fei was slightly startled, and then he scoffed naturally. Far from driving away, he shifted into park, looking around almost expectantly for the Wrangler''s presence.


    In front of the X5, a Wrangler worth four or five hundred thousand was nothing. This time, he was determined to redeem the scene from that day!


    His gaze settled on an exit not far away. Suddenly there was amotion, followed by arge group pouring out. What was odd wasn''t just the stream of people from the exit, but that the crowd was uniformly looking back and pointing into the exit, taking photos with their phones and cameras as if something strange inside the airport had caught their attention.


    A somewhat familiar figure ''floated'' out from mid-air, as if sitting on air, casually waving at the people around while ''floating'' outwards.


    "I''ll be damned, what in the world... A horse!"


    A few secondster, as the crowd by the exit dispersed, Huang Fei could finally see clearly. That man wasn''t floating; he was sitting atop a glossy, sleek stallion, with another following behind. The two horses, stately and splendid, strode out of the airport one after the other; they were undoubtedly professional racehorses, a far cry from the mangy, old horses used for photo ops in parks.

 Chapter 344 My Princess

    Although it was already night, the number of tourists outside the airport was still considerable, and many airport employees gathered around to watch the scene unfold.


    Lionburg Dragon approached Nangong with elegant horse steps from amidst the crowd; Suming, mounted on the horse''s back, leaned forward slightly and reached out his hand to Nangong with a smile, "Get on the horse, my princess."


    Nangong''s heart was about to melt, covering her mouth and so excited that she couldn''t utter a single word.


    "Wow, a ck horse prince!"


    "Quick, get on the horse, get on the horse!"


    "That''s so romantic!"


    The excited crowd was about to explode, with many people lifting their phones high above their heads and snapping photos on tiptoes.


    Lionburg Dragon thrived on the attention of the people, and feeling so many eyes on it, the horse was as pleased as could be, throwing its head in a showy manner and letting its ck and lustrous mane flutter in the wind. It snorted loudly, spraying the closest individual in the face.


    No one took note of the unlucky person because the shrieks had already begun; nearly every young girl present had stars in her eyes as they all covered their mouths and screamed... It was a mystery how they could still emit such shrill sounds while covering their mouths.


    However, their boyfriends'' faces turned sour as they muttered jealously, "Show-off! So what if you have a horse, are you that special? With you doing this, how are others supposed to live? You''re so capable, why don''t you just fly to the sky?!"


    "You... How did you bring them out here..." Nangong''s voice broke in her astonishment, both crying andughing.


    "I told the shippingpany they didn''t need to deliver; I would pick it up directly, and pay them as usual."


    Suming dismounted swiftly, skilfully tying severalrge trunks with rope and securing them to the back of the cheerful Big Quickstep. In the revolution, everything was equal, it wouldn''t matter which horse carried the luggage, but Lionburg Dragon was sensitive and Big Quickstep was apliant and sunny goodrade. Carrying luggage was obviously not as prestigious as carrying the male lead, and if Lionburg Dragon were to carry the luggage, it would likely throw a tantrum.


    After Suming had secured the luggage without a word, he suddenly swept Nangong into his arms and ced her on Lionburg Dragon''s extended saddle, then he mounted as well, sitting behind Nangong, wrapping his arms around her waist and grabbing the reins.


    With a slight flick of the wrist, Lionburg Dragon began to strut forward, head held high with pride.


    Nangong felt her entire being melt away, leaning into Suming''s embrace, blissfully happy.


    "Excuse me, could you please make way..."


    Once the crowd had cleared a path, it was then they noticed a brand new BMW X5 standing forlornly in front, with a man seated in the driver''s seat staring open-mouthed in their direction.


    "Why is this guy here?" Suming had a good memory and recognized Huang Fei from atop the horse.


    Nangong couldn''t be bothered to nce in that direction, her long hair covering half her face as ity against Suming''s chest. She softly nestled against him and said in a coquettish voice, "Oh, just ignore him, let him drop dead, just hold me tight."


    "Therade driving the BMW, please make way and do not obstruct the path. Everyone, please disperse." Among them, a staff member from the airport came out to direct traffic.


    Huang Fei hadn''te back to his senses when someone from the crowd, eager for gossip, shouted, "Hey, make way!"


    "So annoying, ruining such a romantic atmosphere!"


    The frustrated boyfriends finally found a target for their ridicule, mocking Huang Fei inside the vehicle, "A fake BMW meets a real ''baoma'' (treasure horse), now you''ve be a d//mbass!"


    It was then that Huang Fei snapped out of his daze and engaged the drive gear with a belly full of irritation.


    He felt as though he might explode; what kind of world was this, where racing horses would pop out of nowhere? What about the promised Wrangler? Could it be that those who drove Wranglers really owned horses? And those flying nes, were they all terrorists?


    "Damn it, so capable, why don''t you just fly to the sky..." Huang Fei grumbled the same sentiment echoed by all the men, pressing on the elerator in frustration.


    The BMW X5 roared off from the airport as if fleeing, soon disappearing into the night.


    He was unaware that Suming had already decided to buy a helicopter; perhaps in some time, he might really take to the skies.


    ...


    Under the dim streetlights, on the marathon rubber track leading towards the city, two horses walked one after the other towards the urban area at a leisurely pace. The shadows of the two figures atop the horses stretched out long and swaying on the road.


    Every now and then, cars passed by, all of them slowing down to roll down their windows and cast astonished nces from afar.


    "Hey, are we okay doing this, affecting traffic and all..." Nangong bit her lip and said.


    "What''s not to like, you''re enjoying it inside," Suming flicked Nangong''s cheek with his finger.


    "...Annoying..." Nangong moaned shyly.


    But their yfulness had consequences. They were barely dressed and pressed tightly against each other, and her demure shyness immediately caused a prehistoric beast to awaken at her back, pressing fiercely against the two peach-shaped curves in front of it.


    "Hey hey, are you trying to kill me, right in the middle of the road..." Nangong turned to pinch Suming''s thigh, her face flushing red.


    "Hehe, we''ve got coats on, how about we shake things up a bit?" Suming cheekily suggested.


    The earthquake didn''t happen, but when they were almost into the city, they got stopped by traffic police.


    A young traffic officer with several people stood by the roadside, spotting someone riding a horse towards them from far away, immediately raised a hand to signal them to approach and dismount for an inspection.


    Normally, the traffic police would have been off duty at that time, but upon approaching, it turned out there had been a traffic ident on the road with traffic police rushing to the scene.


    "Eh, that car looks very familiar, and so does that person..."


    A cement pole on the side of the road had been snapped in half by a collision, half of it pressing down on the roof of a BMW X5, which looked like it had nearly been totaled, with a copsed hood and forlornly emitting smoke. Not far away, an ambnce shed its lights.


    Huang Fei had his head wrapped in a bandage, blowing into a breathalyzer with a gloomy face.


    "It''s you!"


    "It''s you!"


    Both parties were stunned.


    "Do you know each other?" the traffic police asked, looking at Suming and pointing to Huang Fei.


    "We don''t know each other!" Suming quickly shook his head.


    "He''s a colleague, but we''re not close," Nangong exined, holding backughter.


    The traffic officer looked skeptically at the two horses and said sternly, "Alright then, tell me what''s your story, riding horses in the dead of night. What''s all this about?"


    "Here''s the thing..."


    After listening, the traffic officer thought for a long time and couldn''t find any traffic vitions on Suming''s part. He wasn''t drunk driving, speeding, or changingnes improperly...


    The fake BMW goes to the traffic police officer; as for the real horses, the traffic police truly had no recourse. Suming pulled out the zoo''s documents exining the horses were to be delivered to the zoo, and the traffic officer even took the responsibility to call a patrol car to escort Suming on his way.


    "Oh, you''re Mr. Su, the deputy head of the zoo, aren''t you? We''ve all heard about how you made Yangchuan City proud in Xiangjiang!" said the responsible traffic officer, praising Suming before adding, "However, riding horses on the road is ultimately unsafe, don''t you agree? Follow the police car and get back to the zoo as quickly as possible, to avoid causing disturbance and to be responsible for your own safety. Does that work for you?"


    "Yes, yes, therade police officer is right," Suming nodded and then, pulling the officer aside, gestured towards Huang Fei, who had already been taken to the police car, and whispered, "What''s his deal?"


    "His problem is serious! Drunk driving, excessive speeding, destruction of public property. ording to the regtions, he should be detained for fifteen days and have his license revoked. Fortunately, he didn''t hit anyone. You''re not nning to plead for him, are you?"


    "How could I! I am a person with party spirit!"


    After entering the city and attracting a few more nces from people who were upte not sleeping and strolling on the streets, the journey was quiet. The police car, shing its lights, arrived at the entrance of the zoo, startling the two security guards on duty who thought a fugitive had entered. Seeing Suming leisurely following on horseback, they breathed a sigh of relief.


    It was already past midnight; the two horses temporarily shared a space with the alpacas, where there was plenty of room. They were distant rtives after all, so there was no fear of estrangement. The only precaution was to warn Lion Castle Dragon not to bully the alpacas, or it would get a nasty spray.


    Driving the Wrangler, he brought Nangong and a pile of luggage to her house.


    Downstairs, holding a big suitcase, Nangong winked at Suming, "Aren''t you going to meet my dad?"


    Her father, a leader in the criminal police force, knew she wasing home tonight and was probably waiting, the lights in the room still on.


    "Kings don''t meet kings," Suming replied haughtily.


    "Tch, I''m going up then, kiss me!"


    ...


    Suming arrived back at Whisperwind Pavilion past three in the morning. He had just unlocked the main gate of the Pavilion when a menagerie of beasts all made their appearance.


    A huge, somewhat frightening shadow manifested in the water with a ssh; themanding python in the corner of the deck slowly raised its neck. A dozen cats of various sizes in the room, waking up at the sound, began to meow and pounced on him like little cannonballs.@@novelbin@@


    The familiar buzzing overhead, Er Gouzi, his personal bodyguard, was taking a break since Nangong wasn''t in Yangchuan City, resting at the Pavilion.


    Holding the cats big and small and chatting with the animals at Whisperwind Pavilion for a while, Suming couldn''t hold out from weariness any longer. He climbed upstairs to the bedroom and immediately fell asleep, not even bothering to wipe off the kiss mark on his face.


    ...


    ...


    In the Yangchuan City Deputy Mayor''s office, the newly appointed Deputy Mayor Wang Jian She was holding a meeting with leaders responsible for economic work from bureaus such as the Industrial and Commercial Bureau and the Development and Reform Commission. Wang Jian She took over Mr. Sun''s position, and his main job was the same: focusing on the economy.


    Among those present was an old friend of Suming, Mr. He, the former backer of Zhou Jin. Thanks to some behind-the-scenes maniption by Suming, Mr. He had be one of Suming''s staunch allies, giving the zoo full support in his work. After Wang Jian She''s promotion, Mr. He''s career flourished, and he moved into Wang Jian She''s former post.


    "I''ve called everyone here to discuss our next steps in economic development work. Since we''re all veterans and colleagues here, I won''t hold any official meetings; let''s just chat in the office."


    Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    Putting down his teacup, Wang Jian She''s face still wore a smile, but then his tone shifted sharply, "Although the atmosphere is rxed, our task is daunting. Last week, the central government issued another document, stressing once again the need to transform our growth model and follow a path of scientific development. At the provincial meeting I attended, provincial leaders also demanded that each city makes good use of its resources and follows a path of green development. The old model of growth at the expense of the environment, that can absolutely not continue anymore."

 Chapter 345 Hummingbird 206 Small Helicopter

    The leaders of the various departments present were nodding rhythmically, as if their heads were fitted with some sort of machine that moved in time with Wang Jian She''s cadence, uttering "hmm" from their noses, and quietly agreeing with ''yes, yes, yes'' from their mouths.


    But after Wang Jian She finished speaking, no one took the initiative to continue the conversation.


    Transforming the economic growth model is by no means as simple as just talking about it¡ªit involves countless entangled interests and the need for cooperation among various departments. Each step is exceptionally difficult.


    "Comrades, I''ve said from the beginning that everyone needs to take this seriously, and not to think that it''s just talk from above."


    Wang Jian She picked up his tea and took a sip, then continued, "To use a popr saying, the shift in development models is something the higher-ups are serious about. This concerns everyone here, the performance evaluation indicators for our entire Yangchuan City. It will be our work goal for theing year, for several years, or even throughout our political careers!"


    After speaking, he put down his teacup again and looked around the office with a smile.


    After a brief silence, Mr. He was the first to speak, "Mr. Wang is right. If we talk about green growth, our city has natural advantages. Yangchuan City is an ancient capital with a long history and cultural heritage, facing the Yangtze River and backed by the Qinling mountains, plus we have arge reservoir, and a prime location. Not to mention, the current tourism around the fisheries and the zoo is doing well. In my opinion, our city definitely has the potential to vigorously develop the tourism industry and can consider tourism as a new green economic growth point."


    Mr. He''s remarks were half in agreement with Wang Jian She, but that was notpletely correct; there are too many well-known 5A tourist attractions and destinations across the nation, but those that can provide substantial economic growth for a city, let alone serve as an economic pir, are few and far between.


    Moreover, even though Yangchuan City is not a first-tier metropolis, it is still a mid-sized city with millions of residents, a massive overall economic base that cannot be stimted bymon tourist spots bringing in tens or hundreds of millions a year.


    "Mr. He has a point. Developing the tourism industry, like Shanghai Disney, Mount Huang, Qingdao, would not only provide tax revenue but also stimte economic prosperity in various industries across the region," Wang Jian She first affirmed Mr. He''s words, and then added, "Of course, relying on one industry or a fewpanies is far from enough."


    "Mr. Wang, we will certainly implement the directives from the provincial government," the director of the Development and Reform Commission said. "But we have our practical difficulties, like thebor-intensive production-oriented enterprises, for instance. Despite their pollution and low tax contributions, they involve the livelihoods of hundreds to thousands of people; state-owned enterprises are even harder. As for high-techpanies, they seem better, but most are borrowing from banks before making money."


    "The city''s intention, of course, isn''t to immediately eliminate industry and heavy industry, but to gradually reduce emissions and pollution. At the same time, there will be funding biases; we won''t continue to support the rough development ofpanies," Wang Jian She exined.


    A leader from the local tax bureau spoke, "Sellingnd in the past few years has indeed made us a lot of money, buttely, avablend has been bing increasingly scarce."


    He did not finish his sentence, but everyone present understood his implication. There''s only so muchnd avable, and most of the good plots have been sold off. As for the less desirable plots... well, they''re almost all gone too. What''s left is decreasing with every sale. While profits can still be made, expecting to drive the economy like in previous years¡ªessentially printing money by selling state-ownednd¡ªis unlikely.


    "It''s precisely because of the artificial high of real estate and certain bubbles that we must find other economic growth points." Wang Jian She nodded gravely.


    Real estate has been booming, driving the development of heavy industries like steel, cement, metallurgy, as well as decoration and transportation. But what about real estate beyond ''a certain bubble''? It''s full of bubbles, superficially prosperous but riddled with pitfalls lurking beneath, posing the risk of copse at any moment.


    Without delving further, just look at the cement prices, which have plummeted by halfpared to two or three years ago, while the prices for building steel have fallen to less than one-third of what they were. This has led to the bankruptcy and closure of numerouspanies, with survivors barely clinging on.


    It''s like if the price of a bun went from fifty cents to two yuan, while the flour used to make it dropped from two yuan per pound to mere cents. This is clearly abnormal, and without identifying new economic growth points, the economy is bound to copse sooner orter.


    This is not just a problem for Yangchuan City; cities across the nation are striving to remedy this issue.


    This informal internal meetingsted the entire afternoon as various units stated their conditions, made requests, and voiced their difficulties. In the end, a basic consensus was reluctantly formed. As Wang Jian She previously said, the goal is to change the growth model and find new growth points, but no concrete methods were found.


    In other words, the meeting didn''t achieve any practical effect. The only purpose it served was to unify everyone''s thinking.


    Different positionse with different responsibilities. Although Wang had been promoted, he felt more pressure now than when he had been in charge of fisheries, forestry, and agriculture. He rubbed his temples and instructed his secretary, "Xiao Chen, make arrangements for me. In the next few days, I will personally inspect and research each of the well-knownpanies and units in the city."


    ...


    ...


    At Zhao Yun''s home.


    "Big brother, so are you from Xiangjiang or Yangchuan City?" Chengcheng, clutching a teddy bear plushy that Suming had brought back from Disney, looked puzzled while asking Suming. After learning that he had be an honorary citizen of Xiangjiang, Chengcheng had been troubled by this question for a while.


    "Uh... right." Suming was also confused. His household registration was still in Sun Town...


    "Does this question matter at all? You''re someone who''s considering buying a helicopter, yet you wonder about mortgage down payments, provident funds, and social security?"


    While saying this, Zhao Yun handed a hardcover brochure to Suming, "Choose, which helicopter do you want?"


    After Suming asked Zhao Yun to inquire about buying a private helicopter, Zhao Yun quickly contacted apany.


    The process of buying a helicopter is much moreplicated than buying a car. For a domestic aircraft, you need to apply for various certifications, and for imported aircraft, you also need approval from the Civil Aviation Administration, submit various exnatory documents, and even prove you are not a terrorist. The whole procedure is quite cumbersome.


    Of course, money solves these problems. Zhao Yun found a purchasing agency, where he merely needed to pay a service fee of tens of thousands Yuan and have Zhang Si Ming sign the purchasing contract, then the agency would handle all the procedures. Once Suming paid, he could just wait to legally own his little ne.


    He came today to choose the model.


    The thick catalog had only a dozen pages, each printed with a small helicopter and its introduction. After roughly flipping through it, the cheapest domestic model was priced at less than 200,000 Huaxia currency, while rtively more expensive foreign ones were just over ten million. The main cost for maintaining a private small helicopter was not as exaggerated as imagined.@@novelbin@@


    "Big brother, choose this one, choose this one, it''s so pretty!" Chengcheng was at his side offering advice, excitedly pointing at a Canadian Mosquito helicopter.


    It was indeed pretty, with bright colors and smooth lines, and it wasn''t expensive¡ªonly 380,000 Huaxia currency.


    Unfortunately... this thing could only seat one person. Stay tuned to My Virtual Library Empire


    Pass.


    "How about this one?" Chengcheng then pointed to a chubby Bell 47. This wasn''t bad at all; it looked a bit like a panda at first nce, with enough interior space to seat four people in addition to the pilot, and it was cheap¡ªjust 400,000 Yuan.


    The problem was, its top speed was less than 140 kilometers per hour, which was way too slow¡ªit was even slower than driving a car on the highway.


    Oh right, the speed limit on the highway was 120 km/h; one must not speed, absolutely not speed. That Huang something guy is still munching on steamed buns in the detention center, a bloody lesson indeed!


    "You need to have a clear idea of what you want it for and your price range. Then you can target the right options," Zhao Yun added.


    Suming''s idea was a helicopter that, besides the pilot, could seat 2-3 people. There were many uses: self-driving tours, showing off with friends, flying with friends, visiting his mother, or bringing her to stay for a few days.


    More importantly, as the zoo expanded, the helicopter could serve as a utility aircraft for patrolling and search and rescue. Just the current scale of the zoo alone was too much to manage on foot or by car, especially since many parts of the back mountains were inessible to vehicles.


    "Then I suggest you choose this one."


    Zhao Yun had looked through the catalog before and was quite familiar with it. He turned directly to page eight and pointed to a helicopter that was standard in appearance.


    The Hummingbird 206, approved for production by the United States Federal Aviation Administration, had fuel systems and electronic instruments manufactured to the strict standards and requirements of the FAA, offering perfect performance, first-ss quality, and abination of safety and reliability.


    It seated four, could reach speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour, came with a small storagepartment, and the price was eptable¡ª2.6 million.


    Plus, it had two major advantages: it could take off andnd on water with added pontoons for aquatic operations, and for takeoff andnding, it required very little space, just a few square meters for vertical ascent and descent.


    Suming''s eyes lit up¡ªit was the one!


    "Big brother, I have another question," Chengcheng spoke up from the side again.


    "Little girl, you''re like a walking ''why?'' Go ahead and ask," Suming said as he patted her head.


    "Then don''t get mad, okay?" Chengcheng hesitated before asking, "My ssmates say buying imported goods is unpatriotic; why don''t you buy domestic products?"


    Zhao Yun was sipping porridge and didn''t expect his child to ask such a question; he almost choked. What are kids thinking about these days?


    For a child Chengcheng''s age, this question wasplex. Suming thought about it and found a way to exin it in a way she could understand. "Let''s do a math problem. For 100 Yuan worth of domestic goods, I pay the country 10 Yuan in tax. For 100 Yuan worth of imported goods, I pay 120 Yuan in tax. Which kind should I buy for our country to earn more?"


    "10 Yuan, 120 Yuan..." Chengcheng calcted and then said with certainty, "Then definitely buy foreign goods; the country earns more money!"


    "Yes, Chengcheng is so smart!" Suming nodded and praised her with a thumbs-up.


    Chengcheng clenched her little fists and said indignantly, "Those people are so bad, the country takes all the money, and they still nder you as unpatriotic!"


    Zhao Yun wiped his mouth with a napkin andughed, "Truth oftenes from the mouths of children."


    Suming added, "But it''s the adults who bamboozle the kids."

 Chapter 346 The Bank Comes Knocking

    Suming chose the hummingbird model, then half-jokingly, half-seriously asked Zhao Yun, "Do you want to buy one too? If we order two at once, we might get a discount or something."


    "What do I need that for? Without it, I can rx more at home. Once we get a ne, Chengcheng''s mother will definitely drag me around flying everywhere, which would be exhausting," said Zhao Yun.


    This is the difference between young men and truly old men, Suming couldn''t help but reflect. He would be as good to Nangong as he possibly could, while Zhao Yun looked for every chance to bezy.


    Besides the ne, he also needed to discuss the liquor factory expansion with Zhao Yun.


    Actually, there wasn''t much "discussion" involved; it was just about money. With money, they could expand the factory, hire more workers, and buy more machinery and materials.


    "We could also modestly raise the workers'' sries," suggested Zhao Yun. He was well aware that more than half of the workers at the liquor factory were Suming''s fellow vigers. Suming had recruited these basically unskilled vigers and even spent money to train them. In a sense, it was a way to give a leg up to his hometown folks.


    After thinking it over, Suming said, "Let''s not raise wages for the time being; let''s use bonuses instead."


    It was important to look after his fellow vigers, but he couldn''t afford to be indiscriminately generous. Instead of helping, such actions could fosterziness. The current sry level at the liquor factory was already above average for the factories in the city, even higher than some state-owned enterprises. If they raised sries now, what would they do next time? Sry increases couldn''t be too frequent nor be the norm; otherwise, the workers would get used to expecting raises, and if there was a period without an increase, they would grow resentful.


    Using bonuses avoided this problem. If everyone worked hard and the business was profitable, they would earn more. But if they werezy and the business suffered, they''d all be left out in the cold.


    Zhao Yun was the type of strategist who could n battles from behind closed doors. Staying at home wasn''t about being idle; he had already drafted a preliminary n for the liquor factory expansion.


    While the liquor was selling well, it had only been on the market for a short time. The initial investment hadn''t been fully recovered, and the money that was, went right back into production, leaving not much cash on hand for the liquor factory.


    The more than forty million given to Suming by the Horse Club was just a number if not spent. Suming had already nned for this money and allocated eight million from it, with Zhao Yun kicking in another two, making ten million to invest in the liquor factory.


    This roughly doubled the size of the liquor factory.


    That was the current limit for the scale of Great Sage Liquor Industry: It wasn''t due tock of funds, but due to the limits of Taishui, the most important ingredient. Any more would make it impossible to ensure the purity of Taishui, which would decrease the quality of the liquor and damage their brand.


    "A person is named an ''Honorary Citizen'' for making significant contributions, for creating economic ie for the area. And you, you just made off with almost fifty million Hong Kong dors in one fell swoop," Zhao Yun shook his head andughed, "You are really overqualified for business. You should gamble on horses a few times a year instead; it''s much better than anything else."


    "It was just luck; it can''t happen every time. Besides, it was a one-off deal. I reckon I''m almost on the Horse Club''s cklist by now; it would be almost impossible to win so much again," Suming replied.


    Chengcheng, who was sitting aside listening to the adults talk, couldn''t get a word in edgewise. Finally seeing her chance, she stamped her foot and shouted, "Gambling is wrong! And it''s even more wrong to talk about gambling in front of kids!"


    Zhao Yun: "..."


    Suming: "..."


    "Unless you take me to y, then I''ll forgive you!" Chengcheng followed up righteously, revealing that the drinker indeed had other intentions. Today, she had overheard Zhao Yun and Suming''s ns for visiting the back of the zoo.


    "So cunning!" Suming chuckled and gave Chengcheng a thumbs-up, "You''re sessful. We''ll take you with us!"


    Chengcheng looked at Zhao Yun, who gestured upstairs with his mouth: "Go up and change into a jacket; waiting for you, ten minutes."


    "Yay!" Chengcheng cried out and ran toward the staircase. Read thetest on My Virtual Library Empire


    ...


    Suming and Zhao Yun were originally going to ''inspect'' the restoration of Chen Youliang''s tomb, another one of their joint projects. Unlike the liquor factory, Chen Youliang''s tomb and the Ming Dynasty Ancient Architectural Complex, simr to Zhao Yun''s museum, were cultural sites. Neither of them expected to make money from this venture.


    The excavation of the ancient architecturalplex was nearing its final phase, and after necessary preservation and restoration, it would be open to the public.


    Over the next few days, the zoo had to deal with a pile of umted matters from the holiday period.


    The ''Snake Park'' in the back mountain was essentiallypleted, and Suming went to have a look. The so-called Snake Park was a miniature hill covering around six acres, surrounded by high walls. The interior was still a natural ecological environment. He brought back those hundred-plus snakes, semi-wildly bred in the Snake Park, climbing everywhere on trees and ground. They were regrly fed by staff.


    This ce wasn''t convenient to open to visitors for the time being; firstly, there was no path, and secondly, most of these snakes were highly venomous. Even if visitors dide, they could only look from the perimeter. To actually enter the Snake Park would be to get bitten beyond recognition.


    The donation that Luo Jiaju made to the zoo was put towards building roads, connecting Ancient Moon Xian Residence, the ancient tombs, the Snake Park, and various parts of the zoo. Currently, each scenic spot was isted. Visitors wanting to go from the zoo to Ancient Moon Xian Residence could manage it, but there were practically no roads to the other two ces.


    If the back mountain was to be developed, the first step was to build roads. Previously, Suming had nned to work with Zhao Yun on this, but after some consideration, he felt that since it wasn''t a toll road but meant for the zoo''s attractions, it was more suitable to proceed under the zoo''s name. Even if it was a toll road, it would be hard to break even in the short term.


    Wang Hao''s recruitment for live stream hosts was nearlying to an end; twenty-five part-time hosts were hired in total, and the live streaming tform entered a rtively stable phase of development.


    In the maind zoos'' exchange group, leaders from various ces were also in good moods these days, eagerly exchanging live-streaming experiences with Suming. Following Yangchuan City Zoo''s lead, they ''imitated'' and set up their own live streaming tforms. Although they were not as explosive as the pioneering tform of Yangchuan City Zoo, it was much betterpared to the deserted live streams of Shanghai Zoo in the beginning.


    The money won from horse betting, aside from buying a helicopter and expanding the liquor factory, Suming nearly assigned all the rest to the entertainment and fisheriespanies.


    The fisheriespany mainly aimed to scale up breeding, buy fingerlings, and hire workers and technical staff. Several of Liang Shi''s ssmates were now working for the fisheriespany, and with sufficient funds, an expansion of the current breeding scale by three to four times was no problem.


    The entertainmentpany received the bulk of the funds; a part was used to purchase small pleasure boats for Huating Reservoir, and with another portion, Suming nned to build a small hot spring resort near the hot spring discovered in the back mountain. Then, he would connect the resort with the various attractions of the zoo. In this way, the entire back mountain would be a scenic area.


    Of course, relying solely on these few spots, the back mountain scenic area still seemed a bit thin, but at least it had some scale. Moreover, the back mountain itself was already a leafy green haven. Even without any additional attractions, with some minor roadwork, it would be a purely natural scenic spot. If Suming were a bit more thick-skinned, with his rtionship with the government, applying for a 3A rating would be no big deal.


    Another three million was put into his mother''s safety fund. Suming had developed a habit: every time he made a big sum of money, he would set aside a portion for this fund, providing a safety for himself and his mother, just in case.@@novelbin@@


    Counting on his fingers, the forty-plus million he had just received hadn''t even had time to warm up before most of it was invested back into production, embarking on the journey of money making more money. The cash Suming had left was less than three million in liquid funds.


    "I''m really looking forward to theing year," Suming pondered, anticipating a considerable ie by the year''s end after ramping up investments.


    In the zoo, the two horses were getting along quite well with the alpacas. The alpacas were learning from Da Kuaihuo and Lion Fortress Dragon on how to run faster and how to carry people, while the horses were picking up spitting techniques from the alpacas. Horses could snort loudly, and each snort would spray out some saliva or snot, butpared to the alpacas'' spitting prowess, it was amateur hour. Lion Fortress Dragon seemed particrly interested in the ability to expel arge amount of saliva in one go and to spit at a long range.


    Three dayster, two giant pandas from Xiangjiang Ocean Park finally arrived. Both Yangchuan City TV Station and Yangchuan Daily reported on the event, drawing a significant surge of attention. The live streaming tform''s online audience count and the zoo''s visitor flow both shot up substantially.


    That afternoon, while Suming was walking the horses in the back mountain, Mrs. Tong suddenly called, saying that someone from the bank was looking for him.


    "The bank? What business do I have with the bank?" Suming was momentarily stunned. He neither needed a loan nor owed any money, so why would the bank be seeking him out? Perhaps it was a personal acquaintance trying to attract deposits.


    There was a female ssmate from university who was said to be working as a bank salesperson, in charge of the customer sector. At one point during university, Suming had briefly lusted after that girl. Based solely on looks, she wasn''t particrly breathtaking, but she had a certain seductive charm. Even without makeup, every nce and gesture carried an allure, the kind of woman you''d immediately want to pin down on a big bed.


    If there had been no Nangong, perhaps he could still be flirting with that ssmate. After all, it didn''t matter where he kept his money, and Suming didn''t care about the small interest.


    "What am I thinking about?" Suming rubbed his face and asked, "Did they say what it''s about?"


    "They said it''s your ssmate," Mrs. Tong said.


    "Ah? No way, what''s the name?"


    "A woman, the business card says ''Industrial and Commercial Bank Business Manager,'' named Luo Sha," Mrs. Tong said.


    Suming nearly spat out blood, truly people pop up when you talk about them; this Luo Sha, wasn''t she that very university ssmate he had thought of pinning down!?

 Chapter 348 Top Sister of the Kitchen

    Hong Feifei had juste out of her father, Hong Bo''s office, and learned that the family''s two restaurants could no longer be sustained. Hong Bo had finally made up his mind, preparing to work through thest month, file for bankruptcy, and after liquidating what little assets they had left to pay off debts and sell what could be sold, give the old staff at the restaurant a severance pay before he and his daughter left Jiangjin City.


    Upon hearing this news, Hong Feifei felt sad, but deep inside, there was a sense of relieved ease. Growing up, she watched her father dedicate so much to reviving Hong Family Cuisine and endure countless joys and sorrows, especially in the past two years as business slid downhill. On the surface, Hong Bo maintained a morous front, but behind closed doors, he was really straining too hard, even resorting to deception for loans under the guise of starting a farm¡ªif Cheng Yaojin hadn''t emerged out of the blue, if Hong Bo had seeded then, it would not have helped matters, only dying the inevitable shutdown by a few months and would have ended up cheating the honest farmers of Sun Town.


    Unlike Hong Bo, Hong Feifei inherited the ancestral culinary skills of the Hong Family. Her world revolved around the kitchen. She had neither the interest nor the knack for business. Now that Hong Family Cuisine was closing down, perhaps they could finally live afortable andid-back life. After all these years, father and daughter had managed to save some personal funds and with her culinary prowess, she would never go hungry wherever they went.@@novelbin@@


    Hong Feifei dressed in her chef''s attire, and as soon as she entered the kitchen, she saw several master chefs, along with seven or eight kitchen workers chopping and washing vegetables, all gathered together chatting. Hearing someone entering, they all turned to gaze at her in unison.


    "What are you doing chatting in broad daylight?" The kitchen was Hong Feifei''s domain, where her authority exceeded even her father''s. With a quick sweep of her eyes, she demanded.


    The kitchen workers dared not speak, an older master chef with gray hair chuckled bitterly, "Feifei, the hotel is going under. How can we still have the heart to cook?"


    "Uncle Yang, with your age, I really shouldn''t be the one to say this." Hong Feifei walked to the chopping board with a stern face and pointed at the pots and pans covering the table, "Whether thepany fails or not is for my dad to worry about, and even if it does, no one will be shortchanged. What are we? We''re chefs, and as long as there is a single customer upstairs, we have to do what chefs are supposed to do. In modern terms, it''s called professionalism; in the words of our ancient and diligent trade, it''s called duty."


    Diligence refers to culinary trade. Though the status of those in this trade wasn''t high andcked public face in a feudal society, they had their own set of rules, and strictly speaking, belonged to a fraternity of sorts. Despite being less than a third the age of this master chef, Hong Feifei had a way of preaching that even felt somewhat like an ancient female warrior, leaving the master chefs speechless.


    Old Master Yang himself was also a well-known national-level chef, capable of being the lead chef in anyrge hotel''s kitchen, always holding his nose up high in front of other chefs. But in front of Hong Feifei, he didn''t even have the spirit to talk back.


    There was no helping it, as diligence didn''t reckon age but skill and virtue. Whoever had the higher skill and better virtue was respected. This virtue wasn''t referring to what ordinary people considered righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith, nor to the core values of socialism. It was the set of rules handed down from old times for chefs. The Hong Family''s heritage was rich, not just in skill but also in rules. Having been raised with this education from a young age, Hong Feifei, though young, surpassed these teachers without family backgrounds in terms of ''virtue.''


    "Feifei, there aren''t many customers today, just one table. Mr. Xia reserved it yesterday and specifically asked for snake. We only have one emerald green snake left in the kitchen, and we were afraid to mess up its preparation and tarnish the restaurant''s reputation," another middle-aged chef exined.


    The chefs weren''t intentionally giving her a hard time. They all knew how to cook a snake, but preparing it well was a different matter. Since starting in the restaurant''s kitchen at the age of fifteen, Hong Feifei had dominated these chefs with her prowess. If the customers were unsatisfied, Hong Feifei would genuinely get angry.


    "They wouldn''t know if it had a fart''s worth of vor!" Hong Feifei scoffed, unsympathetically swearing, then snapped her fingers, "Snake."


    Old Master Yang brought over a bamboo cage about half a meter tall, inside was a green snake with a yellow belly and dark red eyes coiled within¡ªthis bamboo pit viper was thicker than the rest by a circle, over one meter.


    Such ''great bamboo vipers'' were rare, found in only one ce in the country¡ªthe Shunan Bamboo Sea depicted in the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The great bamboo viper, known as the ''King of Bamboo Vipers,'' its name alone signified its extremely potent venom.


    The more venomous the snake, the more exquisite its flesh. The dark red eyes of this great bamboo viper indicated it was even three times more venomous than a regr one. Costing over ten thousand to purchase, cooked by the hands of Hong Feifei, it could sell for a whopping 28,888 yuan, which highlighted the high-end strategy of Hong Family Cuisine.


    The poisonous nature of ordinary bamboo vipers was already rming, let alone this bamboo viper king. As soon as it was brought out, several younger kitchen workers leaped away as if dodging the gue, worried about being bitten. However, they couldn''t bear to leave the kitchen either, as watching Miss Hong personally cook was not an opportunity they got often, even a few learned moves could benefit them for years.


    The master chefs rubbed their hands together, looking at Hong Feifei with gleeful smiles.


    "Hey, I''ve never seen such tant stealing of skills. Never mind, consider this as handing out some benefits before we disband," Hong Feifei said, amused yet exasperated, as she nced at everyone present, then lifted the cover off the bamboo basket and stared at the bamboo viper inside for a few seconds before reaching swiftly into the basket. Two fingers, slender like green onions, firmly grasped the viper at its vital area, and a great bamboo viper over one meter long, once in her hands, seemed no more than a noodle being picked up.


    "Here, for you." A young kitchen worker handed her a sharp knife and a board studded with nails, eager to please. Killing a snake was much like killing an eel: you nailed the snake''s vital area to the board and then made an incision to peel off the skin and open the belly.


    "Foolishness, can you even eat it if killed that way!" Hong Feifei disregarded him, pulling out a small porcin bottle. With a flick of her thumb, she popped the lid off, and instantly a scent of herbs wafted out.


    "Sis, what''s this? It smells so good. Is it snake medicine?" the apprentice asked tteringly.


    Mr. Yang, who had been scolded earlier, let out a chuckle, showing off his seniority, and said to the apprentice, "What do you know? This is cornelian cherry juice."


    "Ah?" The apprentice obviously hadn''t heard of this before and looked curiously at Hong Feifei. Hong Feifei didn''t exin but just gestured to him with a hook of her finger, handed him the small bottle of cornelian cherry juice, and told him to hold it carefully. Then, with her free hand, she used her thumb and middle finger to pinch the space between the upper and lower jaw of the bamboo snake, causing it to instantly open its mouth, flipping out its two fangs.


    "Feed it this but be careful not to get nicked by the fangs, or not even a god could save you," Hong Feifei said.


    The apprentice tremblingly brought the bottle to the bamboo snake''s mouth, pouring the cornelian cherry juice into it. After the snake had drunk it all, Hong Feifei opened the bamboo cage and casually tossed the snake inside.


    The bamboo snake started writhing about in the cage as if under the influence of drugs. It twisted and rolled, causing the whole cage to shake. But soon, it stopped moving, and when Hong Feifei took it out again, it was limp, having actually passed out.


    The apprentice boldly poked the bamboo snake''s belly, but there was no reaction.


    "My word, sis, so this is like an anesthetic!" the apprentice said, amazed.


    "Heh, baffled, aren''t you? Cats consider catnip their wine; snakes consider cornelian cherries their wine. The bamboo snake is drunk. Feifei fed it cornelian cherries, which makes the flesh tender," Yang exined from the side.


    "There''s another reason," Hong Feifei rarely took the initiative to speak. "With normal killing methods, whether you smother, disembowel, or crush, animals and people alike be tense and scared when facing death, secreting an amino acid that slightly alters the vor of the muscles. Although that guy upstairs wouldn''t notice, we chefs can''t deceive ourselves. By letting it get drunk, dying in a daze, this problem doesn''t arise. Remember this, not just with snakes, but with any animal: it''s best not to let it die in fear. First, it''s more humane, and second, the vor is better."


    "I''m impressed, truly an eye-opener!" The apprentice gave a thumbs-up and said with genuine admiration.


    Next, they watched as Hong Feifei swiftly wielded her knife like performing a de technique, deftly removing the drunk snake''s teeth, skinning it, and shedding its scale coat. Throughout the entire process, the bamboo snake didn''t even shed a drop of blood. One could faintly see the blood flowing through the vessels beneath the muscles, until she made a final cut to bleed it.


    A few minutester, the bamboo snake was disassembled into many pieces, with the snake meat, intestines, and galldder ¨C every edible part ¨C all sorted out. Most people think snake skin is just scales, but in fact, beneath the scales lies a semi-transparent membrane that, when boiled into a porridge, is extraordinarily delicious ¨C even more delightful than the finest bird''s nest. Of course, most people can''t properly handle the scales.


    "Alright, Feifei, leave the rest to us," said Yang. Whether a snake tastes good depends mainly on how it''s killed. The cooking process is quite simr. At least with the skills of the chefs present, they were confident that they wouldn''t waste the snake.


    "Then I''ll leave you to it," Hong Feifei said as she washed her hands and removed her apron. While preparing ingredients with a chef she was close with, she asked, "Feifei, the fishing festival starts in Changjiang in Huayin County next week. Are we still going?"


    Hong Family Cuisine always selected the finest ingredients. After half a year of a fishing moratorium, the fish in the Yangtze River grew plump and strong. The festival in May marked when the fish were at their most sulent, and asionally, one could also catch some rare, precious species. Therefore, Hong Feifei would go every year to Huayin County for the start of the fishing season.


    Now that Hong Family Cuisine was on the brink of closure, going seemed meaningless. Find your next adventure on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Forget it, you guys stay home. I''ll manage by myself," Hong Feifei said.


    The fishing festival in Huayin County was also a culinary extravaganza. As a top chef, Hong Feifei certainly didn''t want to miss out. Moreover, even though Hong Family Cuisine couldn''t continue, she still nned to remain in the cooking profession. She couldn''t pass up good ingredients, though she no longer needed to purchase on such arge scale.


    There was another, deeper reason. In Yangchuan City, not far from Huayin County, she had an ''old friend'' with whom she shared a deep connection. This old friend attended the fishing festival every year.

 Chapter 349 Lanruo Temple and Non-mainstream

    Suming had visited the construction site for the hot springs on the back hill that afternoon. The entertainmentpany had found a professional designer who, following Suming''s intentions, created the electronic 3D model for the uing hot springs resort. Suming was quite satisfied with it after examining it and arranged for the construction crew to begin work near the hot springs.


    From the initial Whisperwind Pavilion to theter Ancient Moon Xian Residence, Suming had always followed the vintage style route, and the design direction for this hot springs resort was no exception.


    In the electronic 3D model, the future hot springs resort looked like arge, open-style ancient building, with the internal structure yet to be determined.


    The only clear detail was a giant b of stone at the entrance,  more than two people tall, half-buried in the soil, with the exposed half covered in creeping vines. You could faintly make out three big characters etched in ancient seal script.


    Lanruo Temple!


    What terrible taste, Suming thought, already excited at the thought of the future scene. Imagine a flock of chicks in thin ancient-style dresses frolicking in the waters of Lanruo Temple Hot Springs, surrounded by wilderness and asionally hearing the howl of wolves. Then a bunch of brutes charge into the hot springs, grab a girl, and just smack smack smack...


    And then the Larno Temple Hot Springs would be shut down by the relevant authorities.


    To be serious, though, while it''s okay to have a gimmick like "A Chinese Ghost Story," everything must be legal!


    Let me repeat that critical point three times, legal, legal, legal! If only it could be said fifteen hundred times, then I wouldn''t have to do anything else in this chapter.


    After making the rounds, he returned to the zoo office, and upon entering was met with a riot of colors.


    A punk kid with rainbow-colored hair that made him look like a wild pheasant was loafing around, cigarette drooping from his mouth, squatting on the office chair, with several ambiguousrge earrings in his ears and a series of punk-style metal rings on his fingers holding the cigarette¡ªa typical non-mainstream rebellious youth.


    Nangong sat on the sofa, her voice filled with disappointment as she scolded: "You''re so grown up, why can''t you save your great-uncle some worries, always getting into fights and even ending up at the detective squad! Do you know, if it weren''t for my dad, you''d have been locked up for at least six months this time."


    "Cousin, don''t try to fool me, I know thew! Under eighteen only carries limited criminal responsibility, I didn''t kill or start a fire, so no big deal," the youth retorted nonchntly, shaking his leg.


    Seeing Suming enter the office, both turned to look in his direction. Nangong said irritably to the youth with a nod, "This is my cousin, Nangong Huang. I''m leaving him in your care."


    "Brother-inw!" The wild punk turned his head and greeted Suming in a sly manner, then pulled out a cigarette and offered one to Suming. Enjoy new chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    The entrically named non-mainstream youth in front of Suming was indeed the cousin Nangong Yan often talked about, the only son of Nangong Yan''s uncle. Not yet eighteen and having been a troublemaker since childhood, he was good at everything but proper conduct. In school, he was the headache-inducing troublemaker for the teachers. After joining a third-rate technical school, things escted. He got involved in smoking, drinking, and fighting, and dressed himself up in a grotesque fashion, taking pride in his appearance.@@novelbin@@


    Nangong Huang was supposed to graduate from technical school this year, and further schooling was out of the question. With his grades, he couldn''t even recite the full English alphabet¡ªusually forgetting everything after EFG, and on an exceptionally good day making it to LMN...


    Therefore, finding a job for him was a huge problem. After years of schooling, he hadn''t learned a thing, and looking the way he did, which workce would want him? Getting him to do manualbor was out of the question too; Nangong Huang couldn''t handle the hardship and would barelyst two hours on an assembly line beforeining of misery.


    Nangong''s father had found him a job as an auxiliary police officer, but on the second day, while patrolling at night, the boy cked off, sneaking into a beauty salon to chat and smoke with the hostesses, only to be filmed by a passerby and have the video uploaded online, resulting in him losing the job.


    In Nangong''s family, among the five brothers, it was only Nangong Huang who could carry on the family line. Although they were frustrated with hisck of ambition, they still treasured him as if he were a rare gem¡ªespecially Nangong''s aunt who would burst into tears every family gathering at the mention of her son. The family couldn''t stand by and watch him idle away his life, so Nangong turned to Suming in hopes of arranging a job for him at the zoo.


    It wasn''t about the money; it was important for Suming to keep an eye on the boy, lest he cause trouble. It''s just a zoo with animals, and in any case, how ludicrous could the kid get¡ªsurely he wasn''t going to bully tigers and lions.


    "What brother-inw? Is that what you should be calling him? Call him boss!" Nangong red at him.


    Nangong red, and though Suming might be intimidated, Nangong Huang was not, shrugging his shoulders and saying, "Sis, no need to be embarrassed. We''re living in modern times. You two have been dating so long, surely you''ve slept together by now. What, do you think I''m a kid who doesn''t get it?"


    "Look at that, just look at this damn behavior. I can''t manage him; he''s all yours," Nangong said to Suming, exasperated.


    "We''ve all been through that age ourselves, haven''t we?" Suming said with a smile, signaling to Nangong not to get upset. Then he took the cigarette from Nangong Huang''s hand, nced at the brand, and tossed it straight into the office trash can. He casually took out a pack of "95 Imperial," plucked one out, and tossed it to Nangong Huang, "Yours are too cheap, smoke mine."


    Nangong Huang caught the cigarette mid-air, paused, then snickered with a grin, "Brother-inw, you got style, huh? I''ve seen those cigarettes on TV, only corrupt officials can afford it¡ªcosts hundreds per pack, right?"


    Corrupt official... Suming nearly smacked him then and there.


    "99." Suming pointed to the bandage on Nangong Huang''s arm, "Also, to set you straight, ''limited criminal responsibility'' is for those under 16, it doesn''t apply to you. What trouble did you get into this time?"


    "At his age, what else could he be involved in but jealousy and fighting? He got into a brawl at a food stallst night over a girl, smashed someone''s head in with a bottle until it was a bloody mess," said Nangong, fuming with anger.


    "Can you me me when that jerk talked dirty, telling our female ssmate to go ''get a room'' with him? Just look at his face, even Zhu Bajie would give thanks to the heavens for being born better looking. If they hadn''t outnumbered us, I would have turned his brains into mush," Nangong Huang cursed resentfully, revealing his venomous side.


    "ying the hero to save the damsel in distress, eh? Did you win the fight in the end?" Suming leaned back in his chair, asking with a chuckle.


    "They had more people. I had barely smashed one bottle when someone sucker-punched me from behind, and I was on the ground. Brother-inw, I''m not just shooting my mouth off, but I didn''t let that old bastard have an easy time either; he''s still in the hospital right now," bragged Nangong Huang proudly.


    "To still have the face to say that, you''re about to drive the whole family crazy! Why didn''t you call the police? You do realize your entire family works inw enforcement, right?" Nangong was so furious it looked like she might explode.


    Suming also thought this kid probably had a screw loose.


    The Nangong family is a family ofw enforcement, with an uncle in the traffic police, her father in the criminal police, one uncle in the armed police, another uncle as a civilian police officer, and the youngest uncle apparently a member of the legendary national security... Several sisters also hold clerical positions in various bureaus. Faced with trouble, Nangong Huang chose not to call the police but to take matters into his own hands, effectively shooting himself in the foot.


    "I hate you cops the most, fed but do nothing worthy. Oh sis, I''m not talking about you, you''re not a cop," said Nangong Huang disdainfully.


    Seeing that Nangong was about to fly off the handle again, Suming quickly changed the subject and asked Nangong Huang, "What''s your major in technical school, and what kind of job do you want to do?"


    "What I majored in doesn''t matter because I didn''t learn anything."


    Nangong Huang dered without any sense of shame, "As for the job, brother-inw, you can decide for me. Um, just make sure it''s not too strenuous, there''s no need for clocking in on time, no overtime, no business trips, and it would be best if I don''t have to report to an office. Oh, and I''ve grown used to my freedom, so better no one bosses me around except you. Oh, I saw some empty houses on the way to your zoo, how about arranging a dormitory for me? A big one with air conditioning and heating, please. As for the sry, you can decide, but no matter what, I''m your brother-inw, my sry can be lower than yours but can''t be lower than other people''s, or it wouldn''t look good for you. That''s pretty much it. I''m not fussy, you see, just sort it out, brother-inw, I''ll listen to you."


    If this were Suming''s own brother, he would have already hurled an ashtray at his head. How braindead does one have to be to say something like this and think it''s perfectly fine?


    "Don''t listen to his nonsense. He trained in Chinese cuisine, graduated from Dongfang Culinary School.," said Nangong, jumping in.


    Dongfang Culinary School is nationally renowned. If you study diligently, you can really learn some skills... but as for this brother-inw in front of Suming, he wasn''t holding out much hope. A kid from a family of cops enrolling in a culinary school was already proof of a few screws loose.


    However, there was a position that was a perfect fit. Suming thought for a moment and said, "How about this, the zoo is nning to open a restaurant catering specifically to visitors, you can work there. It pays well, the work is easy, no one overseeing you, and upstairs, there are several empty floors that can be your dormitory, plenty spacious."


    The zoo''s snack bar mainly serves internal staff, selling snacks and drinks. Only on holidays when there are too many visitors do they sell box lunches, and that''s not a regr urrence. Normally visitors who want a decent meal have to go to restaurants outside the zoo.


    With the increasing flow of visitors and new additions to the park, the zoo management had a meeting and felt it necessary to open a restaurant within the premises. With so much unusednd in the zoo, it seemed wasteful not to. A restaurant would generate revenue and provide convenience for visitors, a win-win move.


    Besides, the zoo was bound to expand in the future, moving towards a one-stop entertainmentplex. It wouldn''t do without distinct dining options.


    The fish from Shuijun Lake are ready-to-eat, even tastier than those from reservoirs, sometimes not even purchasable in the market. Suming had asked around, and the first batch of wild boars had been born in Sun Town and would be ready for the table in about half a year. There were also various types of mushrooms being cultivated on the back mountain, all very unique ingredients.


    Next week there''s a fishing trade meeting at the Changjiang in Huayin County, and who knows, maybe some good ingredients wille out of that too.


    So Suming decided to convert the bottom two floors of the long-empty Whisperwind Pavilion into a restaurant for lunch service. It was a shame to waste such a magnificent structure, standing idle for years. With Xiaomei and Jiao Shou gone, the pavilion was vacant once more.


    Designed in a ssic, elegant style, Whisperwind Pavilion stands beside Shuijun Lake. Using it as a restaurant, where diners can enjoy theke and mountain views while eating, couldn''t be more perfect.


    Now, what was missing was a good chef. Mrs. Sun from the zoo snack bar, along with the two aunts from the staff canteen, had skills that barely surpassed home-cooking, and at best matched the level of a simple food stall. There was still a long way to go before opening a full-fledged restaurant.


    "How good are your cooking skills, really?" asked Suming.


    Nangong Huang replied in a carefree manner, "Not bad, I suppose."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Divider ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Which is the best for chef training? Which is the best for excavator training?

 Chapter 351 Follow Wu Yifans Path

    It''s true what they say: clothes make the man, just as saddles make the horse. In the end, Nangong Huang chose to make a change. Suming drove him to a beauty salon for a major overhauling... ah no, for a full set...


    That''s not quite right either. In a nutshell, he got a makeover, dyed his hair back to its natural color, got a buzz cut, threw all those garish and tacky big earrings in the bin, and removed most of the rings from his fingers.


    There was one in-looking ring that seemed like nothing more than a loop of wire, but Nangong Huang insisted on wearing it; apparently, it was a gift from his first girlfriend.


    After this transformation, a non-mainstream rebellious teen was reborn as a youthful, sunny, yet slightly wicked-looking big boy.


    "Kid, you''re quite sentimental, huh? When you bring your girl over, your brother-inw will treat you to a meal," Suming said, patting Nangong Huang on the shoulder.


    "We broke up during ninth grade, and I heard she went back to the countryside to get engaged. s, graduation really is a season for parting," Nangong Huang said with a deep sigh.


    Suming: "..."


    Touching the prickly stubble on his head, Nangong Huang said sheepishly, "It feels so strange! Brother-inw, I always feel like people on the street are looking at me weirdly."


    "Nonsense! When you used to walk down the street looking like before, that''s when people really gave you weird looks."


    People were indeed looking at him, all of them young girls in short skirts, tight pants, and thin clothes, their eyes brimming with amorous feelings.


    Suming felt a bit downcast, wondering why is it that when a Nangong Family member walks down the street, there immediately are girls making eyes at him, yet I stroll around all day and no one bats an eysh at me?


    Unfair, just unfair!


    Just visiting a beauty salon wasn''t enough. Since he''s getting a makeover, it has to be from top to bottom; those clothes covered in countless little stic shiny pieces and broken studs had to go. They went straight to the pedestrian street to look for a men''s clothing store that seemed decent enough.


    Upon entering, they saw a poster of Wu Yifan in the men''s clothing store, probably the store''s spokesperson.


    "Sir, what can I assist you with?" An attendant came forward and asked politely with a slight bow.


    "Look, this is my little brother-inw," Suming said, pointing to Nangong Huang following behind.


    "Wow, this gentleman is really handsome," the attendant''s gaze instantly shifted to Nangong Huang in the back.


    "Is he as handsome as Wu Yifan?" Suming asked, feeling unfairly treated.


    The attendant giggled and lowered her head.


    Suming pointed to Wu Yifan''s poster on the wall and fiercely said to the attendant, "I''m leaving my brother-inw to you. Jackets, trousers, shirts, sportswear, plus socks, underwear, shoes, belts ¨C get him one of any men''s clothing you think is appropriate. In short, aim for the poster as the goal and turn him into a handsome guy. Can you do it?!"


    Knowing she had a big customer, the attendant''s eyes immediately lit up and she nodded vigorously, "Yes, sir, rest assured. You can leave everything to me. I guarantee you won''t be disappointed." Readtest chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Afterward, the attendant gave Suming a wink, "Would you like to purchase some clothes as well?"


    Suming shrugged, "Forget it. He might have what it takes topete with Wu Yifan but with my basic appearance, even at my best, I''d only be Zhang Guoli."


    "Sir, you''re really humorous! Zhang Guoli also has a mature charm, and I think you look especially like a young Cheng Daoming," the attendant chuckled behind her hand.


    "You''ve got good taste! If you ever switch to a store endorsed by Cheng Daoming, count on me to buy clothes from you!" Sumingughed heartily.


    The attendant took Nangong Huang to choose clothes, leaving Suming with nothing to do but sit around in the lobby for over half an hour until finally, the attendant reappeared with Nangong Huang, carrying bags big and small.


    Taking a quick nce at Nangong Huang then back at the poster on the wall, Suming had to admit, they did bear a resemnce.


    Now this was a true transformation.


    "Sir, your expectations have been met," the attendant said with a cheery smile.


    When a woman smiles sweetly, a man has to pay up. Suming handed over his freshly reced Peony tinum Card, "Swipe the card!"


    "Just a moment, sir," the attendant said, having seen her share of the world. Noticing the tinum card, she clearly paused, her smile growing even sweeter towards Suming.


    "Brother-inw, brother-inw..." As soon as the attendant left, Nangong Huang put down his bags, pulled Suming aside, and whispered seriously, "I have to tell you, that attendant picked out all the expensive stuff. Altogether, it''s over forty thousand, almost fifty thousand! It''s too expensive, let''s not buy it."


    Nangong Huang''s father was a deputy squadron leader of the traffic police, notcking in ie, but spending tens of thousands on clothes in one go was quite shocking to him too.


    "Do you know how much your sister spent on a ck dress for the trip to Xiangjiang?" Suming asked, winking.


    "I know, I know. She even unted it at homest time, and when I asked her the price, she didn''t tell me. I estimate it must''ve been at least forty to fifty thousand, right? Brother-inw, you''re really great to my sister!" Nangong Huang said.


    "Forty to fifty thousand? Add a zero at the end, then double it; that''s more like it," Suming said.


    "How much is that?"


    Nangong Huang''s grasp on mathematics was basically beyond redemption; such a simple question, and he spent several seconds tilting his head before he finally came up with an answer.


    "Holy moly, brother-inw, you are so rich, I''m going to follow you with unwavering loyalty from now on!" Nangong Huang suddenly bellowed, clinging onto Suming''s arm and shamelessly rubbing his face against it.


    The waitress bringing over the POS machine was dumbfounded, standing there with her little heart beginning to ache. Such a handsome guy, a sessful businessman, and they turned out to be gay! What a waste!


    ...


    ...


    Suming drove Nangong Huang home, and along the way, Nangong Huang got interested in the Wrangler again, saying things like, a good horse deserves a good saddle, my sister, that fierce woman, justcks a man to control her, and only a man like you, brother-inw, could handle my sister...


    Suming was speechless by turns, what kind of logic was this, and how did it even connect? And this kid''s speed of changing sides in the revolution was too fast, wasn''t it? Without any psychological struggle, he had already sided with him?


    When they arrived downstairs, Suming didn''t go up but advised him a few words.


    The bar and restaurant were merely ns at the moment, and it would take some time to transform Whisperwind Pavilion. He wouldn''t be able to start the job for another ten days or half a month. However, he shouldn''t wander around either, and he should join him next week to attend the fishing festival in Huayin County.


    Although Nangong Huang wasn''t that great at cooking, he was, after all, trained in a formal culinary school and had undergone systematic training. He had a much more discerning eye for ingredient selection than Suming, a pure food lover, and knew a lot of anecdotes and rules from the culinary world. Taking him along would serve two purposes: for one, it would give Nangong Huang exposure and something productive to do; and for another, he would serve as his consultant.


    "Don''t worry, brother-inw! From tomorrow on, I won''t go anywhere and will report to you every day, I''ll follow your lead!" he said, shaking the big and small bags he was carrying, "Thank you, brother-inw!"


    "Alright, then I''m off. Call me if you need anything. Go easy on your parents at home, and I''ll be thankful to you," said Suming with a smile, releasing the handbrake, pressing the elerator, and steering to leave.


    This kid had started off looking so non-mainstream, annoying to the eyes, and just a few words from him made one want to kick him to death. But after spending half a day with him, Suming felt his nature was actually not bad, he was just going through a rebellious phase. Perhaps the education he had received at home was not quite appropriate, which had led to him bing like that.


    Nangong Huang, carrying his big and small bags, took the elevator upstairs and arrived at the door to his home. With his hands full, he used his head to press the doorbell.


    Soon, the lock clicked, and a woman in her forties or fifties opened the door.


    Seeing Nangong Huang in front of her, the woman''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "Mom, why are you staring at me like that? Don''t you recognize your own son? Make way, I''ming in." Nangong Huang sidled past his mother into the house.


    Nangong Huang''s mother grabbed his arm, "You... you..." then turned her head and called incoherently into the house, "Come out and take a look at your son!"


    "Dad''s at home too." Nangong Huang shrank back, a bit scared.


    A dignified, slightly graying man came out of a room, saying as he walked, "What''s wrong now? This rascal son of mine, only knows how to cause trouble and hang out all day, dressed up like neither human nor ghost, what trouble has he gotten into this time..."


    Before he finished speaking, upon seeing the freshly made-over Nangong Huang, the middle-aged man paused, and the rest of his words were stuck in his throat, unable toe out.


    He came over, eyes wide, and examined Nangong Huang from head to toe for a while, surprised, "Huh? You, boy, willing to shave off that bird''s nest on your head? Have you finally seen the light? Not bad, not bad. Hold on, where did all these big and small bagse from? You didn''t steal them, did you?!"


    "What are you talking about!" Nangong Huang''s mother pushed his father, pulling Nangong Huang to sit on the couch, "Tell mom, are you struggling with something? Don''t scare me! If you like, you can dress up like you used to, and I won''t say another word."


    Nangong Huang had always done as he pleased, regardless of his family''s scolding, but now that he had suddenly changed his entire look from head to toe, his mother was quite frightened.


    "What''s there to struggle with, isn''t this fine? You''re always talking nonsense, Mom."


    Nangong Huang rolled his eyes and said with his head held high, "I have something to tell you, starting tomorrow, I''m officially starting my job, managing a bar, all these things, my brother-inw bought them for me! Also, I have a work trip next week, so don''t bother calling me and interrupting my work!"


    "What nonsense, where do you have the money to open a bar? And where have I suddenly gotten a daughter, what brother-inw?!" Nangong Huang''s father asked gruffly.


    "Dad, are you confused? When did I not have a sister?"


    "Hm?" Nangong Huang''s mother looked at her husband, puzzled.@@novelbin@@


    "I''ll p you to death!"


    "Wait a minute!" Nangong Huang quickly dodged out of the way and called out indignantly, "My cousin, Nangong Yan''s boyfriend, isn''t he my brother-inw."


    After a lot of confused chatter, Nangong Huang finally managed to exin what had happened that day, then proudly said, "You always look down on me, but look at my brother-inw, his discernment, his magnanimity, that''s a man who can aplish great things!"


    "That''s all because of your sister''s face! You really think it''s your own capability!" Nangong Huang''s father said irritably.


    His mother pushed him andined, "Everybody in the Nangong Family acts like they''re disciplining a criminal! Anyway, how good is it that our son is now like this."


    Nangong Huang''s father nced sideways at Nangong Huang, grunted in agreement, then said, "Nangong Yan''s boyfriend has really helped our family a lot. Let''s go downstairs and buy some things. Tonight we''ll go to your uncle''s house to thank Nangong Yan."

 Chapter 353 The Versatile Fatty Bao

    "Look, I''ll have the pufferfish perform a few tricks for you."


    Seeing someone interested, the fish seller immediately showed off his attentiveness and bent a piece of iron wire about forty to fifty centimeters long, poking the back of a pufferfish twice with it.


    The pufferfish that was poked suddenly stopped moving and made a ''gurgling'' sound, as if someone was holding back anger.


    Right afterwards, its belly started to inte like a balloon.


    Only then could one clearly see that the pufferfish actually had fins, but they were very small. On either side of its balloon-like body, two disproportionately tiny fins ppedically.


    In the blink of an eye, the pufferfish''s body ballooned to several times its size, bing round and plump like a ball, with two little eyes popping out atop the ''ball,'' staring at these humans. Its skin was covered with ayer of short, sharp spines, reminiscent of the intable rubber toys often seen in tourist spot gift shops.


    The pufferfish is also called ''angry fish,'' because it gets ''all puffed up'' when touched by someone, which is actually a form of self-protection for the pufferfish. When in danger, it rapidly inhales air to bloat its body into a ball shape, increasing its size to make it difficult for predators to bite into.


    After inting, the pufferfish probably realized it was not out of danger yet and began to y dead, bellied up with its big stomach puffed out like a drowned corpse swollen with water, floating at the top of the tank.


    This fellow took cuteness to the extreme, eliciting a round ofughter from the spectators. A child stretched out a finger, wanting to poke the belly of the pufferfish.


    "Be careful!" Suming quickly grabbed the child, saying seriously, "Watch out or you might get your finger bitten off!"


    "Uncle is lying!" The child didn''t believe it at all. How could such a cute little fish bite people?


    It wasn''t just the child who was skeptical. The surrounding tourists and the child''s parents didn''t quite believe it either. However, they knew pufferfish were poisonous and didn''t want their child to take the risk of touching it. So they nodded and smiled at Suming, then scared the child by saying, "Pufferfish are fierce, even fiercer than big tigers!"


    "Hmph, just trying to scare me!" The child snorted defiantly.


    Everyoneughed except the fish seller, who pointed at Suming and said, "This boss is an expert; pufferfish really bite people!"


    While speaking, he inserted the broken wire into the water and shook it twice near the mouth of the pufferfish that was ying dead.


    What a versatile, plump pufferfish it was!


    Without hesitation, it would y dead and turn on the charm in dangerous situations, but given the slightest chance, it wouldunch a fierce counterattack. The pufferfish, previously feigning death, suddenly opened its mouth, revealing a set of neat and delicately vicious teeth. Snap! It bit the number 6 iron wire clean in two!


    "Fun, isn''t it? This guy''s got some seriously sharp teeth!" the fish seller said proudly as he shook the broken half of the iron wire in front of everyone, showing the smooth break.


    A collective gasp of shock.


    "My god, isn''t this a piranha..."


    "What would happen if it got a bite of you?"


    "Lucky I didn''t buy one..."


    The faces of the parents who hade close to having their child bitten turned pale, secretly relieved that they were lucky. It had been a close call! If it weren''t for this young man stepping in, who knows what might have happened. The child who almost got bitten stood stunned for a moment before bursting into tears.


    In fact, the pufferfish''s temperament is rtively docile. It''s more of a ''you don''t bother me, I don''t bother you, if you do bother me, I''ll try to endure it until I absolutely can''t'' kind of thing. As implied by the nickname ''angry fish,'' most of the time when bullied, pufferfish just keep to themselves and seethe, without showing the strong aggression of a carnivorous fish.


    "Don''t worry, don''t worry." Suming winked at the child. "Uncle will have the pufferfish perform another fun trick for you."


    While speaking, he pulled a big handful of seaweed from beneath the tank and tossed it into the tank.


    The child''s face, like the weather in June, changed at a moment''s notice. The promise of more fun had stopped the crying, and, with tear stains still on the face, the child boldly moved closer to the tank, craning the neck to see. The two parents, holding the child''s hand, were also a bit curious.


    A performance? Are the fish going to eat the seaweed?


    No sooner had the seaweed touched the water, not quite fully submerged, than a dozen pufferfish from all directions swam over. They opened their mouths to bite onto the strands of seaweed but didn''t bite through or swallow them. Instead, they continued searching for other pieces of seaweed. Before long, arge clump of seaweed was collected by the pufferfish, each with one or two to as many as seven or eight strands in their mouths.


    "Uncle, what are they doing?" the child asked curiously.


    Nangong Huang, like the child, stared wide-eyed alongside. Among the crowd, only Su Meng looked at the pufferfish with no hint of curiosity, only a full appetite.


    "They''re delivering flowers for the girls!" Suming said with a cheeky grin, pointing into the tank.


    Fat guys can be romantic too. After the aquatic nts fell into the water, only about half of the pufferfish went to collect them; the other half seemed indifferent. Those that had gathered the aquatic nts swam over to the indifferent pufferfish, shaking their heads and waggling their tails as if to offer a courtship gift, fish to fish.


    Some animals court with personal allure, like peacocks; some with force, like tigers and lions; but pufferfish, they y it romantic¡ªgiving flowers... Oh, I mean, giving aquatic nts. The ones fighting over the nts earlier were all male pufferfish.


    Perhaps due to the scarcity of the nts, most of the female pufferfish, like little princesses full of pride, scorned the males'' advances.


    Only one male, who had collected seven or eight strands of the nts, won the heart of a beauty¡ªa smaller female pufferfish gently approached and took the nts from his mouth.


    "Mom, look, they''re kissing!" A child pointed at the pufferfish and shouted excitedly, "How shameless!"


    ...


    Pufferfish, though delicious and fun to watch, are ultimately toxic. Most visitors were just ordinary people driven by curiosity; after watching for a while, they gradually dispersed, leaving only Suming and a few others by the now quiet storefront.


    After seeing these pufferfish, Suming was determined to buy and raise them in his reservoir.


    It is well known that pufferfish are tasty and have high economic value, and they are quite cute too. Beyond that, there are many benefits unknown to ordinary people.


    The most valuable is their toxin. To call it priceless may be an exaggeration, but it is certainly a ''treasure of exorbitant price.'' The toxin has many uses; when made into a strong painkiller, it can have miraculous effects in alleviating pain for cancer patients, and is tens of thousands of times more potent than cocaine at relieving pain. When processed into medicine, it can effectively treat many skin diseases... and there''s a very important function: treating impotence!


    For a man who suffers from such problems, curing this condition would be priceless, and any amount of money would seem worth it.


    Therefore, the international price for pufferfish toxin can reach over 50,000 US Dors per gram, and for high purity, even as much as 200,000 US Dors per gram¡ªand still, there is more demand than supply!


    Additionally, the powder refined from pufferfish skin can act as a hemostatic, their roe can treat sores, their liver can treat burns, and their blood has detoxifying properties... In short, every part of a pufferfish is a treasure!


    There are two difficulties in artificial cultivation of pufferfish: the first is technology. Due to certain special factors, few in the country possess the expertise to cultivate pufferfish, but with Liang Shi and his group of agricultural experts under Suming, there is no issue with technology;@@novelbin@@


    The second is the disposition of the pufferfish. These little creatures have a very strong temperament and, once captured by humans, can sometimes literally die of rage in a short span if not careful. Even the experts at the agricultural academy can''t fully exin why, which limits the scale of pufferfish cultivation... This can be resolved with spiritual powermunication.


    "Interested, boss?" The fishmonger observed Suming and asked.


    "How much for the whole lot?" Suming gestured at the tank.


    Fishermen can be both genuine and savvy, especially those who run businesses in tourist areas and are experienced in dealing with visitors. Seeing that Suming was indeed interested in buying, the fishmonger immediately pointed at the tank with pride, "I''ll have you know, I''m the only one in the whole county who specializes in selling pufferfish..."


    Just tell me the price," Suming interrupted him with a chuckle, knowing full well what the fishmonger was about to boast about next¡ªeither how difficult the pufferfish were to catch or how good the quality of his catch was.


    "How much do you want?" asked the fishmonger.


    Suming pointed at the tanks in front of him, "I''ll take everything you''ve got."


    The fishmonger, rubbing his hands together with glee, replied, "I''ve got several more tanks in the back. In total, there''s about one thousand and one hundred pounds. I''ll round it down to one thousand pounds for you! Per pound... um..."


    After thinking for a moment, the fishmonger then smiled generously and said, "Here''s what we''ll do, pufferfish are rare, and you can''t find them on the market. I''ll give you a discount since you''re buying in bulk¡ªlet''s say 120 Yuan per pound!"


    By that calction, the deal woulde to over one hundred thousand Yuan. That sounds like a lot, but these fishermen work hard all year long, and it''s not guaranteed they''ll make such big sales, even once. There are still various costs to deduct.


    In fact, the average annual ie from fishing for the fishermen in Huayin County doesn''t even reach twenty thousand Yuan. Their earnings are certainly not high, barely enough for living expenses.


    Despite this, Suming just shook his head and smiled, said nothing, and stood up to leave.


    "Hey, boss, where are you going? We agreed on the fish." The fishmonger became anxious and stood up to shout after him.


    Suming turned around and smiled, "Uncle, you''re not giving me a discount because I''m buying a lot, but because you think I''m young and can be easily overcharged, aren''t you?"


    Taken aback, the fishmonger chuckled awkwardly and rubbed his hands, "How can you say that? The price is negotiable. If you think it''s too expensive, you could just make a counteroffer. Why leave in such a hurry?"


    After that, he came over to pull Suming back, politely saying, "Come on in, sit down at my ce. We can have some tea and discuss the price."


    Only then did Suming smile and turn to follow the fishmonger inside, with Su Meng and Nangong Huang trailing behind. Fishermen may lead a tough life, but making money still requires honesty. Suming did not want to be taken for a fool, paying a high price for fish, only to beughed at behind his back as a naive spender.

 Chapter 354 The Versatile Fatty Bao

    After entering the room, the fisherman poured tea for Suming and hispanions and then started toin bitterly while boasting about the value of the river blowfish.


    Suming smiled without speaking, sipping tea while listening to the fisherman ramble on about unrted matters. When the fisherman was nearly finished, Suming put down his cup and said, "Uncle, let''s not beat around the bush," "I''ll give you sixty per pound."


    "What, sixty yuan per pound!" The fisherman almost jumped up, "No way, you''re talking nonsense! I can''t sell it for that price!"


    "Then forget it." Suming stood up, ready to leave again.


    The fisherman immediately became frustrated, blocking the door andining, "You young people, always like this, ready to walk away after exchanging just a few words, showing no sincerity at all."


    When he blocked the door like that, Suming didn''t feel anything, but Su Meng immediately got upset, took a step forward, and stood in front of Suming, looking down at the fisherman like a giant.


    The fisherman thought Su Meng was about to hit him, which gave him a scare since his own head couldn''t withstand two or three punches from Su Meng.


    Suming quickly pulled Su Meng back; after all, the fisherman didn''t mean any harm.


    "Let''s talk nicely." The fisherman said.


    "Uncle, then let''s talk business, it''s not that I''m insincere," Suming said with a smile, "River blowfish on the market goes for thirty or forty a pound, of course, yours are alive, so I''m offering sixty, and that''s not underpricing you."


    It''s true that the whole river blowfish is valuable, but due to extraction technology and small breeding scales, generally only the meat is used, with the rest being wasted unless it''s bred on arge scale.


    however, because of policy reasons, there are very fewrge-scale river blowfish farms.


    The fisherman, confronted with his bluff, wasn''t flustered but defended himself boldly, "Then go and see if you can buy thousands of pounds of river blowfish on the market! Young man, there aren''t any river blowfish sold in Yangchuan City''s supermarkets, and even if you go to a big restaurant, you can''t be sure to order river blowfish. It''s a rare item."


    What the boss said was true, not to mention the supermarkets in Yangchuan City, even if you search all legal supermarkets nationwide, none would dare to openly sell river blowfish. As for restaurants, those selling river blowfish are very rare.


    A cooked river blowfish, cheap ones are a few hundred, expensive ones a few thousand yuan, and while they are tasty and profitable, they can''t be bought in most supermarkets or restaurants, leading those who don''t know better to believe that river blowfish is a rare and upscale fish.


    In fact, the production of river blowfish is still plentiful.


    "Uncle, are you trying to take advantage of my youth and naivety again?" chuckled Suming, "Why they can''t be bought, do I really need to spell it out?"


    "Then tell me why!" The fisherman asked stubbornly, not giving up.


    "Uncle, do I really need to state the obvious?" "You know about the Food Safety Law, right? What you''re doing now is illegal!" Suming red, pointing outside at the tank, "River blowfish are toxic, the state allows their breeding but not their sale! Unless you have a special exclusive license, do you have that document, Uncle?"


    Because the state does not allow the sale of river blowfish, there are very few farmers raising them. Fishermen who catch river blowfish often release them, making the fish extremely scarce in the market. In a way, this also protects the species; if they were allowed to be sold, given Huaxia people''s voracious appetite, it wouldn''t take many years before river blowfish would be eaten into extinction.@@novelbin@@


    "Heh, who told you that..." Even when his cover was blown, the fisherman refused to admit it and argued stubbornly, "If the state doesn''t allow it to be sold, I wouldn''t dare collect over a thousand pounds of river blowfish, and besides, go to the big cities, many big restaurants still sell them."


    In certain cities to the south of the Yangtze River, there is a tradition of eating river blowfish, and local governments turn a blind eye, so river blowfish do appear in the market, albeit in very small quantities. Moreover, preparing river blowfish is a strict process; for instance, after the fish is cooked, the chef must taste it first, followed by the waiter tasting it ten minutester, and only after another twenty minutes without any problems is the dish served to the customers.


    In big cities like the capital, Shanghai, certain well-connected restaurants do indeed sell river blowfish, but theoretically, most of this is illegal. To legally operate river blowfish, one must obtain a special business license.


    Nangong Huang couldn''t take it anymore, his hands in his pockets, nonchntly said, "Who are you trying to fool, boss? My brother-inw is an expert, can his words be wrong? You think we''re three-year-old kids?"


    "Brother, you can''t just use the word ''expert'' to pressure me into lowering my price," the fishermanined discontentedly, "we brave the wind and rain to earn a hard living. If you don''t want to buy, that''s fine, but using me of illegal activity, that''s smashing my business, and I can''t ept that!"


    Suming simply smiled, pulled out a zoo employee ID from his pocket, and shed it at the fisherman.


    Upon receiving the ID, the fisherman only nced at it before his attitude changedpletely, smiling apologetically, "Eh eh eh, so you are an expert indeed. If only you had said so earlier, there wouldn''t have been this misunderstanding. The price is negotiable, everything is negotiable."


    This ID wasn''t about exercising authority; no matter how powerful a zoo director might be, it wouldn''t extend to an unrted fisherman. But it proved that what Suming had said wasn''t just hearsay; a zoo director would undoubtedly be familiar with relevant animalws.


    After some haggling, Suming didn''t end up being too stingy, making some concessions and closing the deal at 65 yuan per jin, but on one condition: the fish had to be alive.


    "You can rest assured, Mr. Su, I definitely can''t afford to tarnish my own reputation!"


    With the deal done, he instructed the fish vendor to deliver the river toads to Huating Reservoir and exined the details of delivery and payment. Suming wasn''t in a rush to leave, so he struck up a conversation with the fish vendor.


    The fish vendor, surnamed Gu, came from a family of fishermen in Huayin County, generation after generation. As fish became increasingly scarce in recent years, Gu''s nimble mind had turned to river toads. Because the sale of these was banned by the state, they were rare on the market and unfamiliar to most, which made their purchase price from other fishermen quite low.


    Every year, Gu would specifically target river toads for capture and also buy up those caught by other fishermen in Huayin County, making him the biggest river toad dealer in the area. Sometimes restaurants would buy small amounts, and if Gu could sell just a small portion of the rest, he considered it a profit.


    Based on previous years, out of the more than a thousand jin of river toads, Gu could only manage to sell six or seven hundred jin. After covering his costs, he''d earn just thirty or forty thousand yuan. The rest of the river toads wouldn''tst long before dying.


    "Ah, it''s such a pity to think about it. Perfectly good fish going to waste like that." Gu said with a wry smile.


    "Old Gu, here''s the thing, the next time you get river toads, don''t sell them publicly. After all, it''s illegal," Suming thought for a moment and added, "Send them all to me, and I''ll buy them at today''s price."


    "That would be great! Mr. Su, I''ll just do business with you from now on!" Old Gu was overjoyed.


    Gu had a shrewd side, but also a simple and honest one, and being shrewd often meant being capable. Suming smiled and said, "It''s not just river toads, you''ve been a fisherman in Huayin County for a long time, well-known and well-connected..."


    "Heh heh heh, I wouldn''t dare assert that," Guughed with a mix of modesty and pride, waving his hands dismissively, "I just know more people, and the locals give me some respect."


    "That''s exactly my point. From now on, keep an eye out for me in Huayin County. If you catch any rare fish, like those weighing over a hundred jin, or precious species like reeves shad or knife fish, or if you spot any rare animals, let me know immediately. I''ll buy them on the spot. I''ll cover the cost, and you won''t lose out," Suming said.


    "No problem. Fish over a hundred jin, although not many in recent years, can still be caught. But reeves shad, knife fish..." Gu shook his head with a bitter smile, gesturing with his hands, "A five hundred meter dragged in the river for a week might get you a knife fish if the heavens are watching over you. As for the reeves shad, heh heh, they''re practically extinct."


    The "Three Delicacies of the Yangtze River"¡ªreeves shad, knife fish, river toads¡ªwith river toads being the most numerous and reeves shad and knife fish almost extinct, were truly priceless and unavable on the market.


    Suming of course knew this, nodded, and stood up to leave, "I know. It''s like hitting the trees to find the dates; in any case, keep an eye out for me. If you find them, great, if not, no worries."


    "Sure thing, you can trust me!" Old Gu followed from behind and asked, "How about I show you around the county? I know all the big fish sellers here, and with my introduction, you''re sure to get a good deal."


    "We''ll see. I need to stop by the Huayin Hotel for a meeting," Suming said.


    "Alright then, I won''t keep you." Gu suddenly smacked his forehead, "Oh, the day after tomorrow morning, I''m putting my boat in the water. Do you want toe along for some fun? We''ll catch a few bigheads to make a soup, and on the river, you can enjoy the view while savouring the fish head soup¡ªit''s absolutely delicious!"


    "Sure, I''lle find you!" Suming nodded.


    Leaving Old Gu''s ce, Suming followed the only main thoroughfare in town to its end, arriving at the venue of the ''exchange meeting,'' the Huayin County Hotel.


    Just hearing the name might give you the impression of a dpidated county guesthouse, but upon seeing the hotel, the reality was far from it. The twelve-story hotel tower stood like a giant sentinel by the river, directly across from the county government building half a kilometer away, marking one of the two iconic structures in Huayin County.


    A range of luxury cars, many of them high-end, were parked at the hotel entrance. Stepping through the doors was like traveling from a backward, impoverished county to a modernized big city in an instant.


    Luo Sha had been vague before; the Huayin County fishing ceremony was open to anyone, but the ''exchange meeting'' at the Huayin County Hotel required an invitation. After showing his invitation at the front desk, Suming and his party were led by an attendant to arge banquet hall on the seventh floor.


    The banquet hall was already filled with people, and arge space was cleared in the center, lined with rows of high-end, brand-new cutting boards and kitchenware, where several chefs in toques were busily preparing something.


    At least one-third of the people in the banquet hall were dressed as chefs.


    "Wow! A feast of famous chefs!" Nangong Huang got excited, tugging at Suming''s sleeve and saying, "Brother-inw, brother-inw, I''ve heard that every year at the start of fishing season, a group of renowned chefs from all over gather to showcase their skills. We''re in for a treat today; most people, no matter how rich, couldn''t get so many famous chefs together."


    "That''s perfect, you should learn something."


    Suming chuckled, and just as they entered, he heard a familiar voice from the side, "Ah, isn''t that Mr. Su? What a pleasant surprise!"

 Chapter 355 Chefs Are Tough People

    ```


    ncing sideways, Su Ming saw a dapper young man in a suit with an almost aristocratic air about him, a handsome fellow with a striking brow and starry eyes; by his side was a girl who looked the epitome of innocence, so much so she could be mistaken for a female student¡ªa pretty chick indeed. Ren Chen was the only one among Su Ming''s acquaintances who seemed to change women as often as he appeared.


    Howe the guy''s here for the fishing and chef event, what''s it to him?!


    "Brother-inw, you''re amazing, you even know the chairman of our school!" Nangong Huang muttered admiringly on the sidelines.


    With that, Su Ming remembered that Ren Chen''spany specialized in educational training. Dongfang Culinary School, **** Excavator Technical Center, and a few well-known schools for college entrance exams, professional qualification exams, and civil service training were all part of Ren Chen''s empire.


    Strictly speaking, Ren Chen could be considered the leading figure in the private education sector of Yangchuan City and held a certain status in the national education industry as well. His several training centers were already integrated and going public, having passed inspection and currently in the listing queue.


    "Leading astray!", Su Mingmented in anguish, then turned to look at Nangong Huang by his side, patting his shoulder, "I understand now. Your previous behavior wasn''t without reason, it''s not your fault." His tone brimmed with sympathy as if a loving and naive young man had encountered an ignorant youth who had gone astray, not ming him for his mistakes butforting him instead, suggesting that society was to me.


    "Huh?" Nangong Huang was taken aback with his mouth agape.


    In the blink of an eye, Ren Chen, arm in arm with the youthful girl, approached Su Ming. He greeted him with great enthusiasm, chuckling, "Mr. Su, what a pleasure, I didn''t expect to see you here. Let me introduce you¡ªthis is Nana, Nana, Mr. Su is your boss''s boss."


    The youthful female student sweetly greeted him, "Hello, Mr. Su, please take care of me in the future." It seemed she was the little chick that Ren Chen had Wang Hao hook up for a spot on the streaming tform through backdoor connections.


    Su Ming responded coolly, quite unable to grasp why Ren Chen, who was economically stronger than himself, favored these vulgar and coarsely made-up women.


    Not far away, a person wearing a tall chef''s hat strode to the center of the banquet hall and hammered arge gilded gong hanging in the center with a long-handled mallet.


    The hall echoed with the sound of the gong...


    "The annual Changjiang in Huayin County Fishing and Culinary Exchange event now officially begins."


    Ren Chen waved his hand slightly, "Mr. Su, a chance meeting is preferable to a formal invitation, let''s sit together."


    "Ahem, Akihito Ren, I think we should each stick to our own seats," Su Ming said, chuckling. Ren Chen was not particrly detestable and might have been somewhat interesting if it weren''t for Nangong''s previous incident. After that, Ren Chen had taken the initiative to bow out, and Su Ming, although he didn''t n to make things hard for him, also had no intention of bing friends with him.


    Su Ming left without much courtesy, which made Ren Chen a bit awkward, shaking his head with a bitter smile.


    "Akihito Ren, why are you so polite to him? He''s not some big boss..." Nana pouted andined.


    "Is that something you should be saying?" Ren Chen''s face darkened.


    ...


    After the opening, everyone took their seats. Su Ming''s seat was towards the back, but since the banquet hall was spacious and the guests were fairly spread out, with only the chefs who would be showcasing their skills seated in the front row, the other guests all had their own tables, scattered around the center of the hall. Even sitting at the back, Su Ming had a clear view of everything happening on the main stage.


    First came the customary speeches by local leaders from Huayin County.


    "Brother-inw, you''re looking to hire some chefs, right?" Nangong Huang pointed excitedly at the chefs seated in the very front row, "These are all well-known chefs! Some of them have even lectured at our school, their skills are top-notch!"


    Su Ming didn''t know about the skill level of these chefs, but each sat there, oozing ''pride'', even without saying a word. It was clear that they all held very respectable statuses within their field.


    Hiring one or two chefs of this caliber would undoubtedly benefit the development of Whisperwind Pavilion Restaurant in the future.


    However, such high-level chefs wouldmand sries of at least several tens of thousands per month, and money alone wasn''t enough to lure them away as they were backed by major restaurants.


    Moreover, the more capable the person, the bigger the ego. If they didn''t like what was offered, no amount of money might convince them to take the job.


    Of course, throwing inrge sums, say, two or three hundred thousand a month, Su Ming estimated that at least half of the chefs here would be willing to join him. But the cost would be too great, a loss that didn''t justify the gain, and it might even offend the hotels behind the chefs, making him an industry pariah.


    It would be impossible to hire top chefs, but it was feasible to employ a few ordinary ones. With the edge of unique ingredients like wild boar meat, mushrooms, and fish, Su Ming figured the business at Whisperwind Pavilion Restaurant wouldn''t be too shabby in the future.


    After the leaders finished speaking, there was a novel scene¡ªthe ceremony to worship the Goddess of the Yangtze River.


    The river gods differed from ce to ce in Huaxia, and the statue of the Goddess of the Yangtze River in Huayin County had a somewhat fierce appearance. No matter from which angle, the statue of the humanoid goddess with a long tail on the stage resembled an upright Yangtze alligator... only with a slightlyrger chest, and moreover, four breasts in two rows on her chest...


    The four-breasted alligator Goddess statue was ced at the front, with other various statues lined up behind it. Su Ming, curious, asked Nangong Huang, "Do you know what those others are?"


    "Oh, those are the ancestral masters of the culinary world," Nangong Huang exined.


    ```


    "My god, does your culinary line have so many ancestral chefs?" Suming almost burst outughing. There were twelve small statues lined up in a row. Did that mean cooks had to worship a different ancestor each month of the year?


    After Nangong Huang exined, Suming began to understand.


    There are many types of Huaxia cuisine, geographically categorized into "Lu, Sichuan, Cantonese, Su, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui, and Hunan" as the eight major cuisines. If categorized by the features of the dishes, there are "imperial, official, temple, market, medicinal, hall, and rustic" as the six major cuisines. Different cuisines have different lineage systems and each lineage system''s chefs worship different ancestors.


    For example, some worship Yi Yin, who said "governing a big country is like cooking small fresh dishes," and some worship King Zhan, the "inventor of chicken essence," as their ancestor. Some even worship Peng Zu... Among the fiercest is the worship of Yi Ya.


    Yi Ya was the exclusive chef for Duke Huan of Qi during the Spring and Autumn period and was also the earliest chef to know how to blend the five vors of salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and umami. But his most famous attribute was not his talent with vors.


    One day, Duke Huan, stroking his cheeks, said, "Yi Ya, I''ve had no appetite these days, nothing tastes good, and it''s affecting my wellbeing. Do you have a solution?"


    Yi Ya was shocked and panicked. This was serious; if the Duke was unwell, the state would be unwell, and if the state was unwell, the whole world would be doomed, and themon people would be plunged into misery!


    In order to save themon people, Yi Yamitted an act worse than a beast; he steamed his own plump son and made him into a meat stew.


    After eating it, Duke Huan''s appetite greatly improved, his vitality was restored, he could sleep at night, and he could climb five flights of stairs without a sore waist or back. Tears streaming, he deeply praised Yi Ya as a loyal subject...


    Suming had heard this story of Yi Ya offering his son before. As a child, he thought Yi Ya was simply a devil. But as he grew up and thought it over, he realized there might be more to the story. Maybe Yi Ya had an "Uncle Wang" living next door.


    In any case, it''s a cruel story, so from a certain point of view, chefs who handle knives carry a hint of a killer instinct.


    Today, many chefs came from different lineages. To avoid offending anyone, the organizer listed all the ancestors they could think of, resulting in a grand assembly of ancestral chefs.


    After paying respects to the goddesses, several leaders stepped off the stage, and the culinary exchange meeting officially began.


    "Next, please wee the head chef from Jiangjin City''s Pingchao Building, Master Sheng Weidong."


    Pingchao Building has a significant reputation throughout the province as an absolutely high-end dining club. When Suming and his ssmates were in school, they''d brag by saying, ''When I make it big, I''ll treat you all to a meal at Pingchao Building.''


    A chef whose head was nearly as thick as his neck walked onto the stage, greeted everyone with a fist salute, and his assistant mmed arge box onto the chopping board. In front of everyone, Sheng Weidong opened the box to disy its contents.


    Suming craned his neck to see, expecting some rare delicacies.


    But unexpectedly, the box had severalpartments, and in eachpartment, there was nothing but white rice... The first performer, Chef Sheng Weidong, was actually going to demonstrate cooking white rice!


    Cooking white rice... white rice... rice¡­


    Suming nearly lost it. Had he traveled all this way just to eat in rice?


    Besides rice, Sheng Weidong prepared quite a few other tools, like lotus leaves and bamboo tubes, and he started working.


    The host exined on the side: The two types of rice used by Master Sheng Weidong today are special products of Jiangjin. The first is Jiangjin''s little sticky rice, which is hard to the touch due to the dry weather and natural sunlight used for drying. The second type is Yangzhou fragrant rice, which is quite the opposite due to the humid southern weather. The rice is machine-dried, appearing dry on the outside but very soft on the inside...


    Sheng Weidong was separately stewing the two types of rice: the little sticky rice was wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed in a bamboo steamer, with what appeared to be ayer of some unknown oil smeared on the leaves; the fragrant rice was stuffed into a bamboo tube, wrapped in ayer of mud, and ced on a stove to roast over an open fire.


    Since it was being cooked in small quantities, the banquet hall soon filled with the aroma of rice.


    "This is truly the work of a master!" Suming sniffed appreciatively, his mouth watering. He hadn''t expected such ordinary rice to smell so irresistible, its scent like invisible hooks drawing out one''s desire to eat.@@novelbin@@


    You should know, he wasn''t the least bit hungry at the moment. On the trip over, the three of them had bought quite a few snacks along the way.


    "Lotus¡­" Su Meng said with a silly smile on the side, his drool already flowing.


    About twenty minutester, servers carried tes to each table, delivering a bamboo bucket of fragrant rice and a small package of little sticky rice.


    Just as Suming took out his chopsticks, he looked up to find the table empty; Nangong Huang had snatched up the bucket of rice, while Su Meng was holding the scalding hot packet of lotus rice. It seemed there was just enough for him to have one mouthful.


    "Is there no justice left!" Suming was furious.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªDivision Line¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Chapters 353 and 354 had repeated titles, but the content is not repeated, so everyone please rest assured.

 Chapter 356 Why So Awesome?

    In the end, three people shared two servings of rice, portions so scant that together, they probably totaled less than 150 grams.


    True masters are indeed masters; when cooking, Sheng Weidong didn''t seem to add any special seasoning, yet the rice tasted of the clear fragrance of ginseng, the freshness of crab roe, and even a hint of fish vor. Each grain of rice was plump and perfectly round, leaving a lingering fragrance in the mouth after eating.


    "Damn, now I''m ruined!" Suming felt disheartened. Having eaten such rice, how could he possibly stomach the swill served in the cafeteria?


    Suming wasn''t the only one with that thought at the event. The only exception was Ren Chen, who, from a distance, was all smiles. He sniffed the aroma but didn''t take a single bite, leaving all the rice to the pure and innocent young girl, Nana, he brought with him.


    Sheng Weidong stepped down from the stage amidst a round of apuse, holding his head high as he took his seat. A row of chefs also gave apuse, albeit symbolically, not as enthusiastically as the guests¡ªa typical case of professionals discounting each other''s work.


    Suming had expected there to be a segment where the audience would score the dishes, but, unfortunately, there wasn''t one. The waitstaff brought over mouth rinse, and after rinsing, they tasted the next dishes.


    Following that, several master chefs took turns demonstrating their special skills.


    The master chef from Yangzhou Building made two art dishes, one carved tofu and one carved ice flower.


    These two dishes might not necessarily taste good, but the disy was all about the carving skill. Tofu and ice, one soft and the other hard, represented twopletely different properties that required significant skill to handle.


    Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire


    Ice is hard yet brittle, too little force won''t allow proper carving, and too much will cause the ice to crack. The master chef faced a square meter block of ice and carved as fast as the wind; there was a series of crackling noises as ice shards flew all over, and like magic, the block transformed into a three-dimensional crystal Great Wall;


    Many in the banquet hall gathered their cameras to take pictures, and the moment the camera shes went off, the crystalline Great Wall suddenly shone brilliantly, almost painfully bright to the eye!


    It turned out that in the middle of the Great Wall was an octagonal ''beacon tower'', ingeniously designed to reflect light from all directions!


    The name of this ice sculpture was dubbed Proud Spirit of China.


    The tofu was very soft, and even a slight touch could cause it to fall apart. The master chef submerged the tofu in water with one hand, using the buoyancy to keep it intact, while carving with a knife in the water with the other hand¡ªalmost like carving blind.


    The water churned, and after about fifteen minutes, the chef lifted the tofu out with one hand, showing it off to the audience.


    In the palm of his handy a pce-d beauty, partially clothed; the camera zoomed in on the big screen, revealing the tofudy''s clear features and lifelike eyebrows, with even the folds in her robe distinctly visible. The most extravagant part was beneath the sheer fabric on her chest, there seemed to be...


    Suming instantly felt he had met a kindred spirit!


    Soon after, seven graceful pce-d beauties, each in a different pose, were carved and ced on a tray lined with crushed ice. The chill from the ice seemed like bluish smoke, gently wafting around the tray as if the seven celestial beauties, each holding fruits, were ethereally floating.


    The Banquet of the Peaches of Immortality.


    The third chef to take the stage finally made a dish that could be eaten, with an ingredient familiar to Suming: steamed river pufferfish.


    But what was special was that the master chef didn''tpletely remove the toxic parts of the pufferfish; he simply drained its blood and removed its roe, then steamed it with a few de-like garnishes in the te.


    A murmur of astonishment spread through the spectator''s seats. What kind of joke was this? Who didn''t know that river pufferfish were poisonous? Everyone present had seen and eaten enough to know that the three dangers of pufferfish¡ªthe viscera, reproductive nds, and blood¡ªwere deadly toxic. One slip and, if you don''t die, you''d end up with a numb tongue, bloated belly, and blindness. Was this chef gambling with the lives of everyone present?


    "Yan Youyi once said in ''The Thesaurus of Arts'': river pufferfish, a curious delicacy among aquatics, is traditionally considered lethal, but if cooked with green mustard, mugwort, and reed sprout, death has not been seen. The toxin of the river pufferfish is an excellent tenderizer. Eating the fish and discarding the toxin is truly a waste; it only needs to be neutralized with green mustard, mugwort, and reed sprout," the host introduced.


    Once the river pufferfish was ready, the chef ignored the puzzled looks of the audience and served himself one, quickly devouring it.


    Seeing the chef eating heartily and waving energetically to the crowd below, the audience felt somewhat reassured. The waitstaff then fluttered like butterflies, distributing the remaining pufferfish to each table.


    Suming''s table also got a river pufferfish.


    He had always believed that describing meat as ''melting in the mouth'' was pure bragging.


    No matter how tender, it''s not H?agen-Dazs, how could it melt?


    But after tasting this bite, he was utterly convinced. The jelly-like flesh of the river puffer didn''t require any chewing at all. With just a light touch of the tongue, it melted into a rich, creamy mince, bursting with freshness and savoriness.


    No wonder the river puffer''s flesh is hailed as "Xi Shi''s breasts."


    Suming couldn''t help but think, "Fan Li and King Fuchai of Wu were truly blessed men!"


    ...


    ...@@novelbin@@


    Time flew quickly, and after several chefs had showcased their dishes one by one, it was already nine o''clock in the evening. Yet, the people present didn''t feel the slightest bit tired; on the contrary, they were energized and full of anticipation for what the next dish would be.


    "Now, please wee the chef from Hong Family Cuisine, Master Hong Feifei, to present her culinary skills!"


    As these words were spoken, the entire venue suddenly erupted into a round of enthusiastic apuse.


    Apuse was not umon. Ever since the first chef, Master Sheng Weidong, had demonstrated his special ''cooking rice'' technique, the audience had given thunderous apuse to each chef as they came and went offstage because the food was simply too delicious!


    However, Suming noticed that even the first row of chefs, who typically looked down on fellow colleagues, were vigorously pping their hands this time, directing their gazes towards Master Hong Feifei on stage.


    Looking lightly upon one''s peers was no exception in the culinary world. Before, even when other master chefs performed, the first row had not been very enthusiastic, pping in a scatter, clearly just going through the motions.


    But this time, it was the exact opposite. The apuse from the other chefs present was warm and sincere.


    Could it be because this Master Hong was not just someone with an effeminate name, but also a woman?


    Hong Feifei, on stage, was the only female chef present. She appeared quite young, about twenty years old, andpared to the group of other chefs who were mostly in their forties or fifties, she was definitely a junior.


    Suming was the first to disbelieve that these haughty master chefs would put aside their pride and kiss up to her just because she was a woman, and a young and beautiful one at that.


    What a joke, it''s not like she''s Yang Mi...


    Men might shower women with money and keep them at the center of their hearts, even ce them on a pedestal, but when ites to their own profession, not a single capable man would willingly submit under a woman''s skirt because of her looks.


    The only exnation then, was that Master Hong Feifei might just be the best chef of the evening.


    "Hey, it''s a young girl, and she''s really not bad-looking!" Nangong Huang whistled and then said, "But she''s still a bit shortpared to my sister."


    "A pretty woman should be filial," Suming said with a smile. "Dressed in white, of course, she looks good, it''s called uniform temptation."


    "Brother-inw, do you think I''m a child who doesn''t understand? I''ve only heard of uniform temptation from policewomen and flight attendants. Where''s there a female chef?"


    "A beautiful chef, get it?" Sumingughed and nodded towards the stage. "Look what she''s about to cook."


    It was true. After a series of ''miraculous skills'' disyed by the previous chefs, the audience might not have been surprised even if the next chef cooked dragon liver and phoenix marrow. But when this young and pretty chef appeared, once again, everyone''s appetite was whetted.


    The people present weren''t children; they could all see that this beautiful chef held a distinguished status among all the chefs. Everyone had the same thought as Suming: what exactly makes her so outstanding?


    After Hong Feifei came on stage, two assistants wheeled in a trolley from outside, on which was a big woven bag big enough to fit a person. On their way in, the woven bag was dripping water, leaving a trail on the marble floor. Reaching the cutting board, the two male assistants, with a loud call, lifted the woven bag onto the board.


    Judging by the actions and expressions of the male assistants, the ''thing'' inside the woven bag was definitely not light.


    Once ced on the table, the surface of the woven bag wriggled a few times, as if it contained something alive!

 Chapter 361 357

    The bag clearly contained a living thing, and judging by the size and weight of the bag, it was a massive creature!


    Everyone was both eager and curious as they looked up at the stage, waiting for Hong Feifei to reveal the answer.


    But before Hong Feifei could make a move, the host was the one to speak first,ughing as he said, "Mr. Hong''s culinary skills need no further introduction. Every chef here gives him the thumbs up, and even if Mr. Hong made a simple egg fried rice, I believe it would still surprise us all. However, today, Mr. Hong has brought us even bigger news!"


    Even bigger news? The crowd was momentarily taken aback. What kind of good news could it be? Was it possible that the beautiful chef was getting married and inviting everyone to eat? That wouldn''t be particrly good news, but if the bride herself was to cook, or even just direct the kitchen staff to prepare a wedding banquet, now that would be real good news! Everyone present would feast to their hearts'' content.


    After the host finished speaking, he turned his head to look at Hong Feifei and smiled, "Mr. Hong, would you like to make the announcement, or should I?"


    "I''ll say it," Hong Feifei said generously as she took over the microphone, bowed slightly to everyone present, and then began to speak amidst the anticipatory gazes of the audience.


    "The host was joking just now, it''s not really good news. My father is nning to close Hong Cai Restaurant and retire back to his hometown. As you all know, I have always been the head chef of Hong Family Cuisine, and now that Hong Family Cuisine is closing, my father can enjoy a peaceful retirement, and as his younger generation, of course, I support it. But our Hong family''s techniques, cultivated over nearly three hundred years, cannot be lost with me, so next, I will look for another restaurant to continue working. I hope that all the seniors and bosses here will take good care of me."


    After finishing her announcement, Hong Feifei bowed deeply to everyone in the audience.


    The banquet hall immediately erupted with discussion.


    The implication was clear to everyone: with Hong Family Cuisine closing down, the stunning chef was looking to change jobs!


    At least half of those present were involved in the catering industry and were leading figures in their field. The row of chefs were all employed at well-known,rge restaurants.


    An excellent chef is undeniably vital to the development of a restaurant business! For a chef of Hong Feifei''s caliber, her personal abilities went unquestioned. Her presence alone was a jewel in the crown of any restaurant, capable of satisfying the most discerning of gourmets and creating a renowned brand. Even more importantly, with a top-tier chef like her overseeing the kitchen, even if she didn''t cook personally and only offered supervision and guidance, the culinary level of the kitchen staff would leap dramatically.


    Moreover, she was both young and attractive. In any industry, a beautiful woman certainly has advantages¡ª''a beautiful female chef'' is a huge draw in itself. Even an average cook, if she is attractive enough, can draw crowds of customers.


    No wonder the host had called it ''good news''.


    Previously, when Hong Feifei was employed at Hong Cai Restaurant, it was part of her family''s private holdings, and other major restaurants couldn''t attract her away no matter how much they offered.


    But now that Hong Cai Restaurant was closing and Hong Feifei had expressed her willingness to work for another restaurant, it was an opportunity that was too good to miss.


    "Brother-inw, brother-inw, aren''t we in need of a chef?" Nangong Huang was extremely excited, whispering incessantly, "What an opportunity! I''ve heard of Hong Feifei before. She started cooking at five, managed banquets at ten, and by fifteen, was firmly leading several of Hong Family Cuisine''s top chefs¡ªa legendary figure in the industry. She''s proficient in all eight major Chinese cuisines and has several unique family recipes. If we could recruit her, Zoo Restaurant would definitely flourish! Brother-inw, let me tell you, with someone like her, even if she made a pile of shit it would sell for the price of shark fin¡­"


    "What kind of nonsense is that..." Suming was utterly disgusted by his words.


    Of course, it would be excellent to recruit Hong Feifei into their fold.


    Even if it weren''t Hong Feifei, any of the master chefs present would be enough to support the Zoo Restaurant.


    The problem was, they obviously wouldn''t want toe to the Zoo. Why would they eschew the professional, high-endrge restaurants to work at the Zoo Restaurant, only slightly better than a roadside diner in terms of prestige and far inferior in terms of ie and social status? Were they not thinking straight?


    The expertise of the chefs present today had reached such heights that it was not a matter of the restaurants choosing them, but they choosing the restaurants.


    Suming was not bothered. Knowing one''s strengths and weaknesses is key, and with the current standard of Zoo Restaurant, he had no hopes of hiring a chef of Hong Feifei''s level. Thus, there was no sense of disappointment.


    "We''ve got no chance. But look and learn from her!" Suming pointed to Hong Feifei on the stage.


    When ites to job seeking, some people beg humbly and others might not even take notice, but though Hong Feifei said ''Please take care of me,'' there wasn''t a hint of humility in her words¡ªshe exuded pride. It sounded like any restaurant that hired her was actually being looked after by her instead.


    Indeed, not long after Hong Feifei finished speaking, voices from the crowd responded.


    "Mr. Hong, I am the Deputy General Manager of Danyang Tower. If you are willing to work with us, no matter what your sry was at Hong Family Cuisine, we will double it!"


    "Mr. He, don''t you think that''s a bit stingy from Danyang Tower? Hong Family Cuisine is Mr. Hong''s own business. Does she care about the money?" someone retorted. "Mr. Hong, we at Man Yingyi offer you a minimum of fifty thousand per month, plus a car to use!"@@novelbin@@


    "Our Jiangnan Residence also offers fifty thousand, with an additional 10%mission!"


    A 10%mission means, for every dish prepared, 10% of the sale price goes to the chef personally. Top-tier chefs like Hong Feifei would surely be responsible for high-end banquets wherever they go. Jiangnan Residence, which had made the offer, is a private club, where it''s not umon for a single table to run tens or even hundreds of thousands. Just taking themission alone, the amount at the end of the month would be staggering.


    "Mr. Hong!" a middle-aged fat man wearing a diamond ringrge enough to blind someone stood up and said in a deep voice, "I have an only son, who just returned from studying in Italy at the age of twenty-three. Not to brag, but he''s quite the catch, with looks and brains..."


    Someoneughed, "Mr. Bai, Mr. Hong is looking for a new position, what does this have to do with your son?"


    "Hey, I won''t lie to you all. Mr. Hong is a gem. I was thinking of finding a daughter-inw who is as presentable as Mr. Hong and can also handle the kitchen!" The wealthy fat man Mr. Bai said with a bigugh, "Mr. Hong, if you''re willing toe to my Haiyan Pavilion, I won''t talk about money. I''ll arrange for my boy to marry you, and in the future, the whole Haiyan Pavilion will be yours."


    The venue erupted inughter, as many people knew Mr. Bai''s mboyant personality. He was known for being straightforward and candid, expressing his thoughts without malice and not with the intention of making improper advances toward Hong Feifei.


    Hong Feifei still wore a smile on her face, but a hint of displeasure briefly shed across it, as she seemed reluctant to discuss matters of marriage.


    The scene resembled an auction, where within just two minutes, several well-known restaurants were ''bidding'', with offers as bold as Mr. Bai''s, pledging family fortunes.


    Even the master chefs seated in the first row couldn''t sit still anymore. The three master chefs who had demonstrated their skills earlier couldn''t contain themselves and rushed to the stage, arguing vehemently in front of Hong Feifei. Each was red-faced, seemingly desperate to snatch her away.


    Luckily, Suming had not spoken up. Could he saye to the Zoo Restaurant and sell boxed lunches, with a monthly sry of five thousand yuan? If he had said that, he probably would have beenughed to death. Worse, he might be perceived as causing trouble and promptly thrown out of the banquet hall.


    However, from the brief bidding, Suming also surmised the astounding profits of the restaurant business!


    For a moment, everyone forgot the original purpose of the meeting, all eyes on which restaurant Hong Feifei would choose, while therge woven bag stilly on the shore, rustling with movement.


    Hong Feifei herself has yet to express an opinion. She first calmed the chefs who had made their way onto the stage with a few words, persuading them to return to their seats, then picked up the microphone, smiling as she said:


    "Esteemed seniors and elders, please quiet down a moment."


    When the main act spoke, it sure had an effect, and the chaotic venue immediately fell silent, everyone waiting to hear what she would say.


    "Firstly, I want to thank everyone for their love and support, especially President Bai. However, I''m afraid I have to disappoint you, as I am not ready to consider personal matters at this time." Hong Feifei was adept at handling social situations, tactfully declining Mr. Bai. After expressing her gratitude to everyone present, she moved on to the main topic:


    "As for work, there''s no rush. With so much support from all of you, I''m at a loss for how to reciprocate, other than to prepare a dish as a chef, to express my heartfelt thanks."


    After finishing her words, Hong Feifei didn''t dawdle. She set down the microphone and picked up arge alloy case, spreading it out on the chopping board.


    Every chef has their own set of familiar tools, many of which are specialized. For a chef, their tools are akin to a swordsman''s sword. The chefs who had gone up on stage each also had such a personalized tool case.


    "Impressive!" Suming muttered to himself.


    "What''s impressive? Brother-inw, are you talking about her knives?" Nangong Huang asked, puzzled. He thought Suming was referring to the array of variously shaped utensils in Hong Feifei''s toolbox.


    "No," Suming shook his head.


    He called it impressive because this beautiful chef not only knew how to cook but also how to seize the moment and manipte the atmosphere. She was holding out for a better deal!


    She had initially thrown out a job-seeking message to spark the first round ofpetition but didn''t immediately ept any offer; then, by cooking this dish in front of everyone, she was proving her worth and showcasing her skill, thus attracting better terms from the various restaurants. Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    If he wasn''t mistaken, this dish would definitely showcase her ultimate skill! After pulling off an impressive disy, her value would soar even higher on the basis of the first round of ''bidding''.


    Makes sense, as she was once the young owner of the Hong Family Cuisine. Now that Hong Family Cuisine was no longer operational for some reason, as she struck out on her own, she naturally wanted to secure sufficient benefits for herself.


    "Hong Family Cuisine?" Suming frowned slightly. He felt as though he had heard the name before but couldn''t remember where, at least not right away.


    On stage, Hong Feifei undid the rope tying the mouth of therge woven bag and pulled the tail of the bag forcefully backwards.


    With a rustling sound, the woven bag came off.


    The entire audience gasped as a ferocious creature was revealed before them!

 Chapter 358 Have You Considered the Turtles Feelings?

    The giant creature appeared, and the audience let out a gasp of astonishment in unison.


    "My goodness! Where did they catch such a huge turtle?!"


    Suming''s eyes went wide as he saw a giant, dark turtle on the stage.


    The turtle was asrge as half a round table, its ck shell crisscrossed with the scars of years. Its two stout forelimbs were like little stone bords, and a super-sized fringe that was at least half an inch thick hung around the shell, swaying slightly with its struggling movements, like a war robe pping in a storm!


    The fringe is the most delicious part of the turtle, made entirely of gtinous skin. For such a giant turtle, just the fringe itself could probably make up a whole table''s worth of dishes.


    The several thick legs were like stone bords, brimming with explosive power, making one feel that if it weren''t tied up, it could even prop up the sky with its limbs.


    The giant turtle was still alive, its body tightly bound with ck soaking ropes. In order to prevent it from suddenly biting someone, its head, asrge as a ser ball, was also tightly wrapped several times with ck tape. This was a necessary safety measure, as a bite from such a big turtle is no joke; it could snap off hands and feet, and a bite to the neck could be fatal on the spot!


    The turtle was not at all afraid of people, its two little ck eyes staring at the audience with menace. The huge body thrashed on the stand, and the shell''s contact with the metal caused a series of thudding sounds.


    A turtle and a soft-shelled turtle,monly called a terrapin, look simr, but they''re quite different.


    A turtle has a hard shell, while a terrapin has a softer shell with a tasty fringe around it; a turtle''s shell has patterned segments, but a terrapin''s ck shell has faint patterns, almost invisible; turtle meat is generally tough and notmonly eaten, while terrapin meat is delicious, a fine delicacy.


    Turtles have a gentle and honest disposition, but terrapins are very aggressive.


    Normally, turtles don''t bite people. If you poke a turtle with a stick or something, it will retract its head inside its shell, biting only when it''s extremely hungry or threatened.


    Terrapins, however, are very aggressive. Even when not hungry, they instinctively bite any creature that enters their attack range and will not let go once they bite down.


    If a terrapin bites you, you''re in big trouble. Either the terrapin chews off the flesh it has bitten, or you have to chop off its head. Especially, don''t struggle; the more you pull, the tighter it bites.


    Alligator snapping turtles are also fierce, but overall, they still belong to the slow and honest turtle category. They''re like the ''good guys'' who just have a bit of a temper; terrapins, on the other hand, are outright ''thugs''.


    "This looks like a Taihu Overlord Turtle! Could they be making ''Overlord''s Farewell''?" Nangong Huang muttered from the side.


    Sure enough, the host was already introducing on stage, "This is an Overlord Turtle from Taihu. Today, Mr. Hong will bring us a secret dish from the Hong Family Cuisine, ''Overlord Shedding Its Shell!'' Please pay attention, this is a Three-legged Overlord Turtle..."


    A three-footed turtle? The crowd below instantly exploded, everyone stretching their necks to see. The people sitting at the front tables even left their seats rudely and got closer to the turtle.


    Hong Feifei smiled faintly, pressed one hand on the turtle''s shell, and pushed on one side of its body with the other hand, turning the turtle to face sideways.


    To their surprise, the turtle had only one hind leg on one side, with nothing but empty space under the shell on the other side.


    "That''s too cruel, they didn''t even spare the disabled!" Suming grimaced and took a breath of cold air, thinking that this Overlord Turtle was rather unlucky. Besides being born disabled, it had managed to live sorge but still couldn''t escape ending up on the chopping board.


    Nangong Huang, however, was as shocked as if he had seen a ghost, eximing in a low voice, "What disabled turtle, this is a mutant!"


    "Mutant? Why don''t you say it''s an alien? Or simply say it''s an extraterrestrial turtle!" Suming rolled his eyes, thinking if I buy a turtle and cut off a leg, raise it for a few years until the wound heals, it would also look like this.


    Nangong Huang stared at the three-legged Overlord Turtle on the stage and rapidly exined.


    In ancient times, turtles and terrapins were not distinguished, and there was a general term for both called ''giant turtle.'' ording to legend, N¨¹wa smelted five-colored stones to patch the sky and cut off the legs of a ''giant turtle'' to establish the four corners of the world, using the limbs of a giant terrapin or turtle as pirs to prop up the heavens.


    When N¨¹wa did this, it was, of course, so that humans could thrive and survive, but it''s clear she did not consider how the terrapins felt. Minding their own business at home, basking and eating fish, suddenly, for so-called righteous reasons, they were getting limbs chopped off¡ªwho would want that?


    When the great terrapins of the world learned of this, they were filled with dread, fearing that they might be chosen by Goddess N¨¹wa to be amputated and left with nothing but a... oh, just a terrapin head, turning into a ''terrapin stick.''


    There was one giant terrapin from Yunmeng Marsh who was a natural mutant, as big as a mountain and one of the candidates for the four pirs. Seeing that the day for being mutted was drawing near, this bold terrapin brother clenched his teeth and decided to chop off one of his hind legs himself. Better to lose one leg than all four.


    The idea was, with so many giant terrapins in the world, surely Goddess N¨¹wa wouldn''t choose a disabled one? And besides, if it''s about columns to support heaven, surely only the original full set would be the best. If I''m left with only three legs, the fourth would have toe from another giant terrapin, which would be a substandard project...


    Quickly, the word spread like wildfire. Many of the selected giant terrapins and turtles, following the example, unhesitatingly chopped off one of their legs. In no time at all, three-legged terrapins and limping turtles were everywhere.


    In order to ensure that the celestial pir''s legs had a ''matching'' set, Goddess N¨¹wa indeed did not choose these disabled creatures. Instead, she opted for a middle-aged turtle that took it upon itself to support the universe bravely. This plotline is mentioned in a children''s TV series called "Super Kid".


    Of course, those giant turtles and tortoises that recoiled at adversity also received corresponding punishment. Goddess N¨¹wa wasn''t someone to be easily fooled. After the event, she gathered them and said, since you weren''t willing to exert yourself for the Party-State, and now have turned into disabled beings, life being inconvenient, from now on, just stop wandering about and stay put in one ce.


    Having said that, she pped the earth, creating a pit, then led the waters of the Yangtze River into it, effectively imprisoning these disability-stricken turtles in this water-filled pit.


    These disabled turtles and tortoises henceforth lived a loving life together, pping about every day, and generation after generation survived and reproduced in this water-filled pit. Due to Goddess N¨¹wa''s punishment, all their descendants had only three legs.


    This pitter came to be known as Taihu, and the three-legged turtles became a specialty of Taihu. Due to their scarcity, they weren''t as famous as the Three Treasures of Taihu: whitebait, white fish, and white shrimp, but in the eyes of true connoisseurs, they were exceptionally rare and sought-after culinary ingredients.


    "You can really spin a tale!" Suming pped and marveled, seeing just how good others were at making up stories. Aren''t tourist attractions just churned out like this?!


    In the future, they should establish a Bullshitting Department in the zoo, solely responsible for making up stories, where the fox spirits all hail from Mount Qingqiu, and the mas alle from the end of the mountain by the sea, where there is a joyful group of Smurfs...


    Whether the Overlord Turtle was a mutation or had just been unlucky enough to lose a leg when it was young, that wasn''t important. Such arge wild turtle was extremely rare in the first ce. Even without thatyer of legendary color, its value would still overshadow all of today''s ingredients!


    Hong Feifei held the giant turtle with one hand, which was not much smaller than her own body, and with the other hand, she chose a long and sharp tool from her toolkit. She was ready to slice off aplete piece of the turtle''s rim.@@novelbin@@


    Peeling the rim off a live turtle to cook separately could retain 100% of the rim''s gtinous vor. Plus, the process of peeling itself showcased the chef''s knife skills. An expert could immediately tell the chef''s skill from the smoothness of the peeled rim. A top-notch chef could even peel off the rim in one go with a single cut.


    The knife in Hong Feifei''s hand was special, frighteningly sharp. Without applying much force, half of the de had already sunk into the thick rim and a surge of blood gushed from the incision. Pained, the Overlord Turtle convulsed, its body jerking forcefully as if it was trying to leap off the table.


    If it had been an ordinary chef, they would have probably messed up and torn the rim by now.


    But Hong Feifei was prepared. Her wrist moved with the turtle''s motion, giving a slight flick. She hardly used any strength at all and instead used the Overlord Turtle''s momentum to sh through a chunk of its rim.


    She then moved as if dancing, her feet shifted, and in a blink, she repositioned herself on the other side of the gigantic turtle.


    The audience heard a whoosh, and with a single scoop of her hand, Hong Feifei had lifted a strip of the rim over a meter long and several centimeters wider than a palm, dark and wide like a king oyster mushroom!


    The apuse was thunderous!


    Hong Feifei casually tossed the rim into a basin to the side.


    Next, she supported the turtle''s underside with one hand and with a twist of her slender waist and a sharp cry, she forcefully flipped the turtle, looking as if she was about to slice it open.


    Just then, the banquet hall''s doors were suddenly pushed open from outside.


    Three people entered, with a tall woman leading the way. She wore a crisp suit and had her long hair tied back efficiently. She walked with her head held high and her chest out, exuding a powerful presence, unmistakably a formidable businesswoman. Two female assistants followed her.


    While Hong Feifei was handling the tortoise, the attention of the entire hall was focused on the tform. Aside from the pping earlier, it was mostly silent.


    The three women wore high heels, which clicked loudly on the marble floor as they walked, immediately filling the entire banquet hall with their sound.


    Many turned their heads towards the noise, including Suming.


    At a nce, he recognized the leader¡ªhe had seen her before at the Yangchuan City Top Ten Young Entrepreneurs'' Award ceremony. It was Ding Jing, the big boss of Xianki Restaurant Company.


    Upon entering, Ding Jing squinted her eyes slightly to adjust to the banquet hall''s lighting. Once she did, her gaze fell upon Hong Feifei, who was about to cut into the turtle on the tform, and her lips twitched with a snort.


    With the main door directly opposite the center of the banquet hall, Hong Feifei saw Ding Jing as soon as she walked in.


    The moment their eyes met, Hong Feifei, who had always appeared very steady, trembled slightly, and her hand clutching the knife involuntarily flickered. Find adventures on My Virtual Library Empire


    That flicker led to a great mishap!


    Her bespoke ''war knife'' was incredibly sharp, and the gleaming de swished right over the ropes binding the Overlord Turtle.

 Chapter 359 The Last Stand Counterattack!

    Xianki Ding Jing, a well-known figure in the catering business of Yangchuan City, was quite a normal sight at the exchange event. It was simply that the event was nearing its end, and she was just runningte.


    But as soon as she entered, Ding Jing locked eyes with Hong Feifei on the stage, tens of meters apart, ring at each other like two fighting roosters. The moment their gazes met, Ding Jing''s lips curled into a cold smirk, while Hong Feifei was visibly flustered. The knife that should have been slicing towards the belly shell of the Overlord Turtle veered off slightly, nicking the rope binding the creature.


    The rope used to bind the Overlord Turtle was made of special nylon, as thick as a pinky finger. Even after soaking in water, not even a dozen strong men could break it. It wasn''t just talk that it could withstand a thousand jin of force.


    Coupled with a special binding technique, it wouldn''t matter if it was an Overlord Turtle or even a miniature version of an Overlord Dragon; the creature would be tied up tightly. Even if the Overlord Turtle grew another hundred years, it would have no chance of breaking free.


    Such are the ways of the world: one thing brings down another, and a change in approach can lead to apletely different oue. A nylon rope that couldn''t be torn apart by a dozen strong men was no match for the thin knife in the hands of the frail Hong Feifei, and broke easily into two pieces!


    From the moment Ding entered the venue to when Hong Feifei identally cut the rope, only a few seconds had passed, and all eyes were still on Ding.


    The only one who had resigned itself to fate, the Overlord Turtle, with eyes as small as mung beans, eagerly looked around and discovered that the bindings on its body had suddenly loosened significantly!


    It instinctively stretched its third leg.


    Since it relied solely on this leg for walking and swimming due to the other half of its body only having this one leg, it was extraordinarily robust and strong. With such a push, the rope that had already been severed snappedpletely.


    The Overlord Turtle was almost moved to tears with happiness!


    How should one put it? It had just resigned itself to death, yet at the brink of life and death, it suddenly found freedom. Was this the heavens ying with it, or had Goddess N¨¹wa manifested and finally decided to help?


    If it were just a turtle, even an aggressive snapping turtle, the first instinct at this moment would surely be to scamper away!


    But this was an Overlord Turtle!


    As a ferocious Overlord Turtle, its sovereign aura surged forth from its now unencumbered, bloodied shell, and without any hesitation, it stretched its long neck, its sharp teeth gleaming like rows of chipped rice grains, and bit down hard towards the nearby Hong Feifei!


    Hong Feifei, being a skilled chef, immediately sensed something was wrong the moment her knife touched the rope. Her heart skipped a beat and she shifted her focus from Ding back to the Overlord Turtle.


    As she looked down, she saw a maw filled with sharp teeth, along with a foul stench, lunging at her delicate wrist.


    If the bitended, her wrist would be snapped off instantly.


    "Be careful!" Ding, who was witnessing the scene from afar, suddenly widened her eyes and screamed.


    Oddly enough, although the two of them had been at loggerheads just moments ago, Ding''s voice was now filled with genuine concern...


    In the midst of the chaos, Hong Feifei quickly retracted her wrist, and the Overlord Turtle ended up biting the knife instead.


    A grating sound that was agonizing to the ears followed, and sparks flew as the steel knife was fiercely mped by the jaws.


    Hong Feifei, terrified, fell on her bottom,pletely shocked. She sat there with her mouth agape, staring nkly at the giant turtle on the counter.


    Taking advantage of its long neck, the turtle pushed itself on the counter and flipped its huge body over. Its powerful hind leg kicked hard against the metal surface.


    With a loud ng, the metal counter was dented by the kick. The Overlord Turtle used this force to leap off the counter, spitting out the now-deformed knife and letting out a hoarse roar as it charged into the crowd, causing havoc!


    The entire banquet hall instantly erupted into chaos, as guests finally realized what was happening!


    "Security! Security!" The host''s feet seemed to spring into action as he leapt away, rolling and crawling while calling for security.


    "Oh my God!"


    "Help, help!"


    "Where''s security? Security!"


    "Call 110!"


    Those who were leisurely enjoying the delicacies were now being chased by their ''food,'' losing their minds in terror. The disturbance caused many to fall and get trampled, with tables and chairs turned upside down everywhere. Two guards brandishing electric batons had just dashed into the banquet hall, only to see the Overlord Turtle bite off a chair leg as thick as a human arm. Their faces paled instantly, and without hesitation, they turned and fled.


    "Nana, Nana, don''t run... help me... damn it, who''s stepping on me..." Ren Chen was trapped under a table, shouting until his voice was hoarse. The pure young girl Nana, who hade with him, had already screamed and run off. The heavy solid wood table pinned him down, and as people continuously stepped over him...


    Suddenly, the weight on that pinned leg lightened as a two-meter-tall man effortlessly flipped the heavy solid wood table with one hand.


    "get out of here!" Suming gave him a side nce and snapped his fingers.


    Tears welled up in Ren Chen''s eyes. Now that''s called magnanimity! "Mr. Su, you have my deepest gratitude, and I will surely repay this kindness one day!" he managed to say as he staggered away.


    In just half a minute under the rampage of the Overlord Turtle, the banquet hall was inplete disarray, with some people screaming their way out of the hall, and others scrambling to corners, climbing onto tables and cabs in higher positions, huddling motionless for fear of attracting the attention of the Overlord Turtle.


    Hong Feifei, however, refused to leave. After getting up, she tore off her chef''s hat, shook out her long hair with a bite in her mouth, and gripping her knife with a murderous look, she strode towards the Overlord Turtle.


    Today''s "performance" has been aplete disaster for her!


    As a chef, she not only failed to produce a good dish, but let the "ingredient" escape. She''s brought shame that reaches all the way back to her grandmother''s house. If she can''t personally take care of this Overlord Turtle, the 300-year reputation of Hong Family Cuisine would bepletely smashed by her own hands, and she, Hong Feifei, might as well forget about setting foot in the culinary world ever again!


    How does that song go again? Yesterday''s honors have be distant memories. Afterboring diligently for half a lifetime, tonight I enter the storm once more.


    The problem is, Hong Feifei is a chef, not a martial artist. Her divine knife skills are predicated on the basis that the Overlord Turtle is tied up and unable to resist. Now, with the Overlord Turtle having broken free from its cage and in a violent rage, how could she, a delicate woman, be a match for it?


    She could chop at the Overlord Turtle ten times and it might not die, but if the Overlord Turtle manages to bite her once, this beautiful cook will end up a small cripple!


    "Feifei, stop right there!" Ding, who had just been ring at Hong Feifei, suddenly appeared from somewhere and grabbed hold of Hong Feifei, rebuking her sharply.


    "My life is none of your business! I''ve ruined the reputation, happy now?" Hong Feifei gritted her teeth, raised her hand, and due to inertia, her palm smacked Ding''s forehead, causing Ding to stagger. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "You... you''re so..." Ding''s eyes welled up instantly.


    In the blink of an eye, Hong Feifei had already charged behind the Overlord Turtle and fiercely chopped down at the head it stretched out!


    The Overlord Turtle tilted its head and with a ng, the kitchen knife, grazing its neck, struck the marble floor, sparking fire, and Hong Feifei stumbled forward with the momentum.


    The Overlord Turtle certainly wasn''t going to let go of this opportunity. It opened its mouth wide and bit down on Hong Feifei''s thigh, then pulled back forcefully, twisting its head half a round.


    Fortunately, Hong Feifei usually dressed rather conservatively, in long sleeves and trousers, and her clothes were rtively thick, so the flesh on her leg wasn''t torn off. But she still saw stars before her eyes and nearly passed out from the pain.


    "Ahh!" A blood-curdling scream echoed through the banquet hall as Hong Feifei fell to the ground, her trouser leg immediately stained red, her voice quivering with pain.


    "Feifei!" Ding''s eyes were filled with rage; she shrieked and lunged towards the Overlord Turtle. But after just one step, her ankle twisted, her high heel snapped, and Ding fell to the ground.


    When Suming came to the rescue of Ren Chen and arrived at the Overlord Turtle''s side, what he saw was this scene: Hong Feifei lying on the ground like a woman who had just given birth, with blood everywhere beneath her.


    The Overlord Turtle stubbornly clung to the side of her thigh, its hind legs pushing against the ground, furiously tearing back, determined to feast on the tender flesh of Hong Feifei''s thigh!


    Being bitten and having a chunk of flesh torn off are two entirely different feelings; thetter couldpletely break a person''s will to fight, especially when it was the thigh, an area with plenty of flesh.


    Hong Feifei''s eyes were blurred with tears, the fierce energy from before hadpletely vanished, and the aspect of a girl afraid of pain andcking courage took over. Through her hazy vision, she saw someone approach and wailed with a crying voice, "Help..."


    "Hey... Su... whoever... please help her..." Ding recognized Suming and called out in a hoarse voice.


    The Overlord Turtle didn''t care if they were crying for help or not; the screams and blood excited it even more!


    When you ughter me, does my cry for help work?! Now it''s your turn to experience what it means to cry for help to no avail, to call upon heaven and earth and find no response!


    The louder you scream, the more excited I be!


    The Overlord Turtle was covered in blood, mostly from the blood that had dripped from its frilly edges. It mped onto Hong Feifei''s thigh, viciously ripping the flesh while she, still somewhat conscious, braced her hands against the bloody floor, trying hard to move her body towards the direction of the turtle''s pull, leaving a trail of blood along the way.


    "Let go!" Suming roared, and a surge of spiritual power enveloped the Overlord Turtle.


    Under the influence of the spiritual power, the Overlord Turtle hesitated for a moment, torn between revenge and obedience. But then, it chose vengeance.


    "Do you want to die, or do you want to live?" Suming immediately offered a choice that left the Overlord Turtle with no options.


    Reluctantly, the Overlord Turtle finally let go and slowly retracted its neck, its two small eyes watching Suming warily.


    "Su Meng, keep an eye on it. Hit it if it moves again," Suming called out, and only then did he kneel down to inspect Hong Feifei''s wounds.


    She was bleeding heavily, her trousers were torn, and there was a row of bloody bite marks on the outside of her white thigh. Fortunately, Hong Feifei hadn''t pulled against the Overlord Turtle, but moved with its force, otherwise, she would have really lost a couple of pounds of thigh meat.


    Even so, she would still likely need dozens of stitches, but thankfully it wasn''t life-threatening. It''s just a pity for those nice legs. It would''ve been great to enjoy them for a year, but now, being able to enjoy them until Children''s Day would be quite an achievement...


    "Have you had your fill, call a doctor..." Hong Feifei said with a mournful face.


    Hearing her voice still so full of strength, Suming breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to Ding and said, "It''s okay now, just disfigurement of the thigh, she won''t die. Nangong Huang, call 120."


    Upon hearing this, Ding visibly rxed, and exhaled deeply.


    But then, her pretty face chilled, and she said icily, "Life or death, it''s none of my business."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª End of Line¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    With Children''s Day just around the corner, it''s time to seize the moment and have some fun... uh, what am I talking about...@@novelbin@@

 Chapter 360 Saving the Turtle at Gunpoint

    Ding underwent another 360-degree transformation in attitude; just a moment ago, she was so concerned that she risked her life to save Hong Feifei. But in the blink of an eye, seeing Hong Feifei was not in mortal danger, she put on an icy face, as if her life or death was none of her business.


    Hong Feifei was in so much pain she couldn''t even cry, and she didn''t notice the change in Ding Jing not far away.


    "There''s definitely something fishy about these two chicks!" Even Nangong Huang noticed something was off and nudged Suming with his shoulder, winking mischievously as he spoke.


    Just like in all the movies, after the crisis, the police finally arrived on scene. Arge group of officers burst into the banquet hall, the leader waving a handgun, with several younger officers behind him carryingrge iron cages used for detaining fierce dogs, as well as batons and electric prods to control the situation.


    This time, it was really not the police''s fault for arrivingte. They set out the moment they received the rm call. The county police station was only three minutes away from the hotel by car, and it had been less than ten minutes since the incident urred.


    Upon seeing the mountainous Three-footed Divine Turtle, the leading officer tensed up, abruptly stopping in his tracks¡ªhe raised the gun, aiming at the blood-covered Overlord Turtle, and yelled at Suming and the others, "Folks, quick, quick, move to the side..."


    "Oh mother, don''t shoot, officer, I''m one of you!" Suming shouted at the top of his lungs, raising his hands high like a captured puppet soldier.


    The officer''s face turned green with frustration. Did this guy have a fever? Who was going to shoot at him? If he didn''t get out of the way, was he waiting to get bitten?


    The Overlord Turtle was right next to the youngster''s legs; one snap of its jaws could bite a person. At such a close distance, the police dared not shoot¡ªtoday''s event was full of prominent figures, and any misfire resulting in injury to a person would be a major incident.


    "What are you doing? Move aside!"


    "Officer..." A feeble voice suddenly came through the banquet hall''s loudspeaker.


    The event host was indeed dedicated to his job, having climbed onto a cab over a meter tall next to the banquet hall, crouched on the top like a big wildcat who had not forgotten to grab the microphone while fleeing for his life.


    The voice transmitted through the public address system: "Officer, thisrade has subdued the Overlord Turtle..."


    "What?" The officer was taken aback.


    ...


    After a period of turmoil, the situation finally settled down. Paramedics rushed into the venue and carried Hong Feifei away on a stretcher. She had lost quite a lot of blood and fell into a deep sleep on the stretcher, but fortunately, her life was not in danger.


    The crowd that had run out of the banquet hall was, under the hotel''s assurance, either giving statements or resting in their own rooms.


    Suming, with the Overlord Turtle by his side, came to the edge of the banquet hall for questioning under the ''escort'' of two officers.


    The Overlord Turtle was still rtively obedient; its shiny ck eyes were alert, constantly scanning the people around, but fortunately, it did not be ferocious again.


    Once Suming revealed his identity and the other party realized he was an ''animal expert'' from the city, they were suddenly enlightened. No wonder the ferocious old turtle was obedient; dealing with animals was a job meant for professionals after all.


    Although it had been restructured, to outsiders, the zoo still appeared to be a government entity. Suming''s deputy director position was several ranks above the deputy captain of the county public security bureau present at the scene. Being an expert too, the deputy captain was very polite in thanking him and then seemed somewhat uncertain, consulting Suming for his opinion on how to handle the turtle.


    ording to the police, the perpetrator should be severely punished, with the Overlord Turtle being put down.


    This was the police''s usual practice when dealing with animals that had injured people; if the animal wasn''t protected and had hurt or even killed someone, it was usually put down immediately. It was a way to give an ount to both the victims and society.


    The Overlord Turtle had probably been alive for nearly a hundred years. Even if it hadn''te into contact with spiritual power, it had developed a kind of intelligence. Seemingly sensing the murderous intent of the police, the Overlord Turtle, dragging its injured body and leaving a trail of blood from the severed edge of its shell, struggled to move behind Suming. With its small eyes shing aggressively, it red fiercely at Mr. Ge, who had suggested putting it down, while extending a robust front leg to scratch at Suming''s trouser leg.


    Sumingmunicated with the Overlord Turtle using his spiritual power and immediately felt a strong desire to live. The naturally ferocious creature even disyed a profound sense of begging.


    Having narrowly escaped the chopping block, and now facing the powerful forces of the people''s police, the Overlord Turtle truly had nowhere to turn.


    "Mr. Ge, I have a suggestion for you to consider," Suming said with a chuckle.


    "Go on, say it."


    "I was thinking, our country''sws don''t really apply to animals. They can''t be sentenced for intentional assault, can they? And even if we do go by thew, it was us who wanted to eat it first, so it was just defending itself. At most, it''s a case of excessive self-defense, which surely isn''t grounds for execution by shooting. You get what I''m saying, right?"


    Mr. Geughed at Suming''s words and said, "So what do you suggest we do? This is a big mess, and the old turtle did bite someone. We need toe to some kind of conclusion. What''s more, I heard that animals that have bitten people are likely to do it again."


    "How about this: excessive defense still calls for punishment. I''ll take it back to the zoo and enforce strict control. Let it make amends for its crime and serve the leisure life of the public. Besides, although the Overlord Turtle isn''t a protected species, it has grown sorge, it''s practically supernatural. Killing it would be an ill omen."@@novelbin@@


    Suming chuckled and nudged the Overlord Turtle with the tip of his foot.


    The Overlord Turtle quickly nodded vigorously.


    "Wow, it really does seem quite spiritual." Mr. Ge, no spring chicken and someone who grew up by the river, held a natural reverence for such old aquatic creatures that were close to bing supernatural. Seeing the Overlord Turtle nod so earnestly, Mr. Ge hesitated for a moment before agreeing, "Alright then, take it with you, but make sure it doesn''t hurt anyone again. And for the victim, please go and have a talk with them."


    "Understood, you can count on me," Suming nodded. Since Hong Feifei was both the victim and the owner of the Overlord Turtle, Suming naturally needed her consent to save the turtle''s life.


    The matter with Hong Feifei clearly wouldn''t be difficult. Even Mr. Ge could see that if it weren''t for Suming, Hong Feifei''s life might have been in jeopardy.


    Moreover, after today''s incident, Suming''s thoughts were even more active. Even if not for the sake of the Overlord Turtle, he was also interested in having a chat with Hong Feifei.


    Hong Feifei was still receiving treatment in the hospital, so Suming wouldn''t be able to see her today. First, he went to check in at the hotel, opened a room, and then had Su Meng carry the Overlord Turtle to Gu''s house.


    In the county town, which was no bigger than a sesame seed, to speak bluntly, if someone farted in the east, you could hear it in the west. Everything that had happened in the hotel''s banquet hall had already been spread through various channels, causing an uproar throughout the town.


    As a ''local celebrity'', Gu had naturally received the news early on. Seeing the Overlord Turtle that Su Meng was carrying, Gu was shocked, "Oh, Mr. Su, this big guy must be the Three-footed Divine Turtle!"


    "Divine Turtle?" Suming pursed his lips. Where was it divine; the message had been distorted in transmission. He nudged his chin towards therge tank inside the house, "Gu, I need to borrow a big tank. Fill it with some water because this turtle''s injuries are serious. I need to treat it."


    The Overlord Turtle had escaped the chopping board and dodged the socialist bullet. For the moment, its life was saved, but that didn''t mean it was safe. Hong Feifei had cut off all its frills, and the frills are not mere dead skin on the sole of the foot¡ªthose were flesh that had grown on the turtle''s body!


    This was equivalent to stripping arge patch of flesh and skin from a living person.


    For the old turtle, this was a very serious injury. Even though it wasn''t going to die immediately, without careful attention, a slight infection could send it to its grave. Since having its frills cut off, the creature had shown signs of excessive blood loss and was lethargic on the way here.


    Gu hurriedly chose thergest tank avable, filled it with river water, andmented, "Kids these days truly don''t understand. A turtle of such size, they are certainly spiritual. The old fishermen wouldn''t dare eat them if they caught one. Not only would they release it, but they would also burn incense to ask for forgiveness from the River Goddess. Now look what happened. The River Goddess is angry, isn''t she? If it weren''t for you, it nearly cost a human life."


    Su Meng ced the giant turtle into the tank, and Gu even took the matter seriously by lighting three sticks of incense and pouring half a bowl of liquor, bowing towards the painting of the River Goddess in the room, muttering blessings from the River Goddess.


    Nangong Huang, with his arms crossed and a cigarette in his mouth, chuckled, "Gu, you sure are superstitious. No matter how powerful the River Goddess is, she was still subdued by my brother-inw. ording to you, doesn''t that make my brother-inw the River Goddess''s hubby?"


    "Mr. Su certainly has his capabilities," Gu smiled sheepishly, not arguing with Nangong Huang. However, Suming gave him a disapproving nce, "Stop talking nonsense; you are chefs, and Gu here lives off the river¡ªare those the same thing!? Chefs take lives for cooking, but they don''t worship the same deities as fishermen. Arge aquatic creature, even if it''s the River Goddess Herself, is just another dish to a chef, while fishermen are different. Being out in the wind and rain on the vast river, catching fish is secondary to them; a single wave can threaten their lives, so they naturally hold reverence for the unusual creatures in the water and the deities of the river system."


    Although Suming was now Gu''s boss, he still needed to respect his beliefs. Even if he didn''t agree, he couldn''t make a joke out of someone else''s faith. This was the riverside, and since Gu was still doing business with Suming, he refrained fromshing out. However, if this had been a seaside town and Nangong Huang had dared to make fun of sea deities like Mazu, the local fishermen might have fought him. Read thetest on My Virtual Library Empire


    After being reprimanded by Suming, Nangong Huang just shrugged, "Oh, I''ll be mindful next time." He then stamped out his cigarette, took an incense stick, and bowed to the River Goddess following Gu''s lead, thinking that the River Goddess looked a lot like the Yangtze alligators in his brother-inw''s zoo. He almost spoke his mind but swallowed the words, fearing Suming''s scolding.


    When the Three-footed Overlord Turtle arrived, it was barely alive, and it seemed unlikely to survive. Gu, fearful that the creature might die in his house and bring the wrath of the River Goddess upon him, wasted no time in offering prayers. After the worship, with nothing else to do and feeling somewhat anxious, he watched Suming ''save'' the Divine Turtle.


    Suming discreetly infused the giant turtle with spiritual power, pretending to be all mysterious. He had Nangong Huang buy a bunch of ''miracle drugs'' from the town, and they dumped them all into the aquarium.


    Gu''s eyes nearly popped out of his head, seeing the faintly fragrant, dark brown ''miracle drugs'' sprinkled into the water. Wasn''t that just themonly seen Isatis root?!

 Chapter 362 Benefactor Turns into Enemy

    "Can I ask why?"


    Suming was puzzled. ording to Hong Feifei, if someone else had been her savior, she would have been willing to work as a chef without pay. Was it only with him that she refused?


    What kind of reasoning was that? Was I too handsome, not to mention a particrly devoted paragon of men, and this youngdy feared falling hopelessly in love with me, leading to a lifetime of regret, so she decided to tough it out and reject me to avoid starting a doomed romance?


    Impossible! If I had that kind of charm, I wouldn''t be running a damn zoo. I''d travel all over the world, getting to know wealthy widows with assets over a billion US Dors. I could be the richest man in the world in less than half a year!


    Cough cough, let''s not digress... The real reason Suming was here today was to invite this top chef to work at the zoo.


    Until one second before the Overlord Turtle went berserk and injured people, Suming had never entertained the idea. At that time, Hong Feifei was in such high demand that no matter how much money Suming offered, it was unlikely he could have hired her.


    But after the Overlord Turtle escaped from Hong Feifei''s control and even bit her, Suming''s mind suddenly became active, and he saw hope.


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    When you''re on top, everyone''s your friend, but when you fall, they all turn against you. This is true in all industries, especially in a time-honored profession like cooking, which relies on skill. The higher you rise, the harder you fall. After this downfall, it''s going to be tough for her to get back up anytime soon.


    This isn''t to say that her skills are gone¡ªrather, it''s a matter of reputation. Without yesterday''s incident, with Hong Feifei''s fame, just mentioning her name would have fine restaurants scrambling to hire her at high sries. But with a tarnished reputation, which fine dining establishment would hire aughingstock? For famous restaurants, the chef''s reputation is sometimes even more important than their skills. To hire her would be to invite a spectacle, not unlike hiring a clown for guests to gawk at.


    Most diners are not insiders. A head chef cutting their hand while cooking is already a huge joke; who would want to dine at that restaurant? Let alone almost being killed by their own ingredients. That''s terribly unprofessional.


    Moreover, despite Hong Feifei''s unparalleled prominence at yesterday''s banquet, she is barely twenty-five years old, still a young girl. To have achieved so much in the culinary world at such an age, overshadowing a bunch of old men, certainly would have made some of them discontented. It''s not apparent when she''s sessful, but now that she''s facing a setback, who knows how many would happily kick her while she''s down.


    Suming deliberately asked Nangong Huang, if this situation had urred before the Liberation, or even further back in the feudal society, it would be enough for an old chef to hang themselves in shame, or at the very least retire in disgrace.


    As Hong Feifei said, even if some big restaurants were willing to hire her, she wouldn''t go. That would be akin to epting charity, and a master of her level couldn''t stoop so low.


    As for working at a roadside stall or small eatery, that was even less likely for Hong Feifei, as it would be akin to throwing her life away. She might as well retire directly¡ªat least, that would be preserving some dignity.


    For the zoo, though, this was a good opportunity.


    The zoo''s restaurant didn''t require the chef to be famous, only skilled. Although notrge in scale, its cultural and tourism background meant it wasn''t low-end, diametrically opposed to the roadside eateries, and there was a chance to expand as the zoo''s attraction grew.


    That''s why Suming came to try his luck today. Beforeing, he thought about various possibilities, including Hong Feifei demanding a high sry, or even shares in thepany, and he prepared corresponding strategies.


    Never did he imagine that Hong Feifei would refuse him in the most unlikely manner.


    "Mr. Hong, are you nning to open your own restaurant?" Suming''s brain was working overtime, and the only possibility that came to mind was this: Hong Feifei inheriting her father''s business and restoring its glory.


    Hong Feifei shook her head and faintly smiled, "No. I have some talent in cooking, but I''mpletely hopeless at business, a surefire way to bankruptcy."


    "Then I''m at a loss. Is it a matter of money?" Seeing that Hong Feifei seemed genuine and did not show any dissatisfaction with him, and since she wasn''t nning to run her own business, why wouldn''t shee to the zoo?


    After a moment of silence, Hong Feifei said, "Mr. Su, do you remember Hong Bo? The head of the Hong Family Cuisine, and also my father."


    "Hong Bo, your father?"@@novelbin@@


    Suming frowned, thought for a long time, and then suddenly realized!


    No wonder the name Hong Family Cuisine sounded somewhat familiar the first time I heard it, yet I couldn''t recall where I had heard it!


    No wonder that after seeing the business card, Hong Feifei immediately recognized that my hometown was Sun Town!


    That Hong Bo, wasn''t he the guy I figured out back during the New Year''s trip to Sun Town about establishing a wild boar farm, and I exposed his trickery?


    At that time, Suming was more focused on how to enrich his hometown than on dealing with Hong Bo. After revealing Hong Bo''s trickery, he didn''t pay much attention to the man himself, to the point of forgetting his name over half a year.


    Now it all made sense¡ªby spoiling the Hong family''s ns, Hong Feifei held a grudge in her heart. The investigation showed that the Hong Family Cuisine''s business was in deep trouble, awaiting funds to sustain itself. Probably the closure of Hong Family Cuisine and Hong Feifei looking for a job were courtesy of my doing.


    Like she''d be willing to help out!


    What goes aroundes around! Who knew that one second I would be her savior, and the next, her enemy!


    Seeing Suming''s sudden realization, Hong Feifei quickly waved her hands and awkwardly exined, "Mr. Su, please don''t take it to heart. That incident was my father''s wrongdoing, and I didn''t approve of it either. But no matter what, the loss of my father''s lifelong business is still a knot in our hearts. Of course, we can''t me you... Sigh, I''m not sure how to put this, but you saved my life, and I am deeply grateful, yet when ites to working for you, I''m sorry, I just can''t do that, and I hope you can understand."


    "Understood, understood." Suming nodded.


    He wasn''t unreasonable. Given the situation, to draw an inappropriate analogy, it was like her father turned to thievery and got caught and beaten up by Suming in an act of heroism, then sent to the police and jailed for two years. Of course, it wouldn''t be Suming''s fault, but expecting her to work for Suming was impossible. She couldn''t get over it internally.


    "Ah, look at this mess..." Hong Feifei felt quite embarrassed, biting her lip and saying, "How about I donate some money to the people of Sun Town as a show of gratitude towards you? I still have some savings..."


    Suming immediately shook his head and said, "Mr. Hong, if you talk like this, then I should be the one feeling embarrassed. Let''s not even mention that I was unaware of the past conflicts between our families, even if I had known, I still would have had to save you. Saving a life... Well, it''s not about expecting anything in return; I just wanted to feel at peace with myself."


    "I''m really sorry!" Hong Feifei said.


    With the conversation reaching this point, Suming realized his n had fallen through, and after exchanging a few more pleasantries, he stood up to take his leave.


    Connected to the hospital room was a corridor leading to the main door, with a bathroom on one side. Hong Feifei wanted to get out of bed to see Suming off but he stopped her. He said a word of farewell and then walked through the corridor and opened therge door of the hospital room.


    Hong Feifeiy in bed, with the corridor blocking her view and unable to see the entrance clearly. As soon as Suming opened the door, he was met with a familiar woman standing right at the entrance.


    It was unexpectedly Ding from Xianki, standing with a posture that suggested she had been waiting there for quite some time.


    "It''s you..." Before Suming could speak, Ding Jing gestured to him to be silent with her finger to her lips, then beckoned him to follow her.


    Suming paused, wondering what game these two women were ying. After all, both had a bone to pick with him! The one inside, Hong Feifei, was bankrupted by him, and the one outside, he had stolen the honor of being among the top ten outstanding entrepreneurs from. Could it be that they were acting in concert to set him up?


    A man of valor fears nothing. In the worst case, he''d be subject to a seduction!


    Thinking this, Suming''s spirit soared with anticipation as he strode eagerly after Ding Jing.


    The two of them walked all the way to a secluded spot beneath a window at the stairwellnding. It was there that Ding Jing finally stopped and turned to look at Suming with an expressionless face.


    "Mr. Ding, if you have something to say, just spit it out, don''t be so cool, we''re in a hospital, not a photo studio," Suming rolled his eyes.


    "I heard everything you said to Hong Feifei just now," Ding Jing still spoke expressionlessly.


    Ding Jing wasn''t hard on the eyes, and at just over thirty, she was in the prime of her womanhood. But she always wore such a cold expression that Suming sometimes wondered if she everughed.


    "Oh, were you thinking of hiring Hong Feifei yourself?" Suming seemed to understand. The rtionship between these two women was no ordinary one. Ding Jing''s Xianki Catering Group was well-known in Yangchuan City; it was entirely possible for her to hire Hong Feifei.


    However, Ding Jing shook her head and said icily, "I couldn''t possibly hire her, and she wouldn''te to mypany either!"


    "Why not? You two seemed pretty... on good terms yesterday, right?"


    Troubled times reveal true friends; Suming understood this well. Despite the women''s apparent enmity on a normal day, the genuine concern and anxiety Ding showed when Hong Feifei was in danger yesterday was undeniably heartfelt and couldn''t be faked.


    Suming''s curiosity was instantly ignited; he was all ears!


    "That''s none of your business!" Ding Jing''s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she said, "I only have one question for you, do you really want to hire her or not?"


    "What a question!" Suming said.


    "Fine, I have a n. If you can do what I tell you, I guarantee she''ll agree to go to yourpany," Ding Jing said and immediately added, "Of course, you must run the zoo''s catering department at a high level of quality. Some street stall won''t cut it."


    "Everything has a beginning. Of course, it''ll start as a small restaurant; I want to make that clear. Naturally, the catering business is profitable, and if things go well, I intend to expand and run it with care, without you telling me to," Suming exined.


    "I understand, I''m talking about the future."


    "Just tell me what your n is." Suming thought, it better not be asking me to woo her. First win her over, then win her culinary skills. Isn''t there a saying, the quickest way to a woman''s heart is through that... whatever it is.


    If Ding had suggested this, Suming was prepared to give her the middle finger, for what a crappy idea that would be!

 Chapter 363 Rather You Marry a Boar!

    ```@@novelbin@@


    "What are you thinking about? What''s that look for?" Ding Jing, who also seemed experienced, gleaned some implicit meaning from Suming''s expression and red at him.


    "So tell me, what exactly is your n?!" Suming asked.


    "She smashed the signboard yesterday. She''s the only heir to the Hong Family Cuisine. She smashed not only her own reputation but also that of the Hong Family Cuisine. If you can help her put the signboard back up, she''ll definitely agree to help you," Ding Jing said.


    "I think that''s a very urate, but useless statement," Suming said seriously.


    If he could aplish that, it would be like saving the Hong Family Cuisine, which would nearly offset the damage he had done to the restaurant before. Plus, with his life-saving favor, it should be possible to make Hong Feifei have a change of heart.


    But the problem was, he just couldn''t do that!


    The best cook Suming knew was Zhao Yun''s wife, but after tasting those chefs'' cooking yesterday, he realized that Zhaoqian was at best an amateur when it came to cooking. Compared to that group of chefs... no, there was actually no need forparison¡ªthe mere way they held a kitchen knife put them streets ahead of her.


    How could Suming possibly help Hong Feifei resurrect her reputation?


    "Don''t be so impatient! Let me finish. I do have a way!" Ding Jing''s eyebrows arched slightly as she spoke, "It was Hong Feifei who destroyed her own reputation with the Hong Family Cuisine. If you ask someone else for help, no matter how good the food they make, it won''t save face. Only if she does it herself will it work."


    "Alright, keep talking," Suming said.


    "Additionally, it can''t just be any ordinary dish. Feifei... um, Hong Feifei smashed the signboard, and if she wants to rely on just an ordinary dish, the other chefs might not be convinced," Ding Jing said, pulling out a piece of printed paper from her pocket and handing it to Suming.


    "What?" Suming took it and saw a list of ingredients like green onions, ginger, garlic, slices of meat...


    "A recipe, to be exact. The recipe for a lost dish..."


    Ding Jing''s gaze was profound as she looked past the hospital corridor toward the distance. She spoke as if she were a martial arts master standing at the pinnacle, proud and cold.


    "Wait a second, Mr. Ding. It''s just a recipe. There''s no need to talk with the tone of someone revealing the Nine Yang Divine Skill. Besides, even if it were a secret martial arts manual, they at least make handwritten copies. What''s this A4 paper printout supposed to be? It''s so unbing," Suming said with some disdain. What era is it now? It was just a recipe¡ªinformation is so essible nowadays, you can find any dish online. Was there a need to be so secretive?


    "You don''t understand, this is a secret recipe of the Hong Family Cuisine..."


    "Huh? How did you get it then?" Suming asked curiously.


    Ding Jing, realizing she had misspoken, coughed and seemed unwilling to delve further into the topic. Instead, she said, "Actually, you''re right. There''s nothing special about the recipe. Not only do I know this recipe, but Hong Feifei and Hong Bo know it too. But this dish... what makes it difficult are the ingredients. Several of the main ingredients here are rare and hard to find. Even with money, they might not be avable. With these special ingredients and Hong Feifei''s skill, we can definitely regain the renowned reputation of the Hong Family Cuisine."


    Hearing this, Suming seriously looked at the ingredients listed in the recipe and inhaled sharply.


    "You need to hurry. This conference will end in about four days. In other words, within four days, you have to collect all the ingredients listed. However, you don''t have to worry about the ones with red lines; I''ll prepare those. We can hand them over to youter, and you can give them to her," Ding Jing said.


    At a quick nce, more than half of the ingredients on the recipe were marked with red lines, leaving only a few others. But judging by the names, Suming felt that the remaining few would be even harder to obtain than the rest.


    "Fine, I''ll try my best. But I can''t guarantee I''ll get them all," Suming said as he folded the printout and tucked it into his pocket.


    "Do your best, that''s all I ask!" Ding Jing said.


    "Mr. Ding, I''m curious, why don''t you find the ingredients yourself and help Hong Feifei? Logically, Xianki, a cateringpany, should have more advantages in this field than me, a zoo director. Moreover, I can see there might be some misunderstanding between you two. This could be a great opportunity to mend the rtionship," Suming said.


    "Between her and me, it''s not a misunderstanding... Forget it, let''s not talk about that. Essentially, if I were to intervene, she would definitely not ept it. Furthermore, to be honest, I can''t even obtain all the items on the list. I asked for your help firstly because you just happened to be here and you''re her lifesaver, and secondly, because I''ve heard from Mr. Wang that you..."


    Ding Jing appeared to be searching for the right words, pondered for a long time, but couldn''t think of a suitable adjective. Finally looking at Suming, she said, word by word, "You''re very capable!"


    Just then, a male doctor passed by on the stairs. Hearing a beautiful woman seriously tell a young man "you''re very capable," he gave them both a curious look for a few moments.


    "Cough cough!" Although it wasn''t the kind of capable he would have preferred to beplimented on, Suming still felt quite pleased to hear such praise from a prettydy.


    ```


    Since Ding Jing was unwilling to borate on what exactly had taken ce between her and Hong Feifei, Suming didn''t feel it was his ce to pry. After all, everyone has their little secrets. Why burst the bubble and be overly inquisitive? Understanding without voicing it is what makes a true friend.


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    "Onest thing, Mr. Ding, we are both businesspeople here¡ªlet''s put our cards on the table," Suming asked, "If we do seed, what do you need from me? Surely, if the zoo''s food service gets big, it won''t be good for your Xianki, right?"


    "No wonder Mr. Wang sings your praises, Mr. Su. Despite your young age, you are indeed very professional!"


    Ding Jing nodded with satisfaction, her voice confident and grave, "In business, we don''t fearpetition. No matter how big your zoo gets, my Xianki will have its own way to survive. Don''t worry about that. As for my request... although you snatched up that ''Outstanding Top Ten'' spot, I''ve heard your personal ethics are admirable. I won''t ask you to do anything, just give me your word that you will treat Hong Feifei right. Don''t get any funny ideas; I don''t mean ''treat'' in the sense you men are thinking. Her culinary skills are top-notch nationwide. It''s a blessing to have such a chef on your team."


    "Rest assured, I take good care of my staff without needing to be told by anyone," Suming said.


    ...


    Not long after Suming and Ding Jing had left the hospital, Hong Feifei in the ward received a phone call.


    "Hello, Dad, what''s up?"


    On the other end, Hong Feifei''s father, Hong Bo, sounded frantic, "How are you? I heard from Li that you were bitten by an Overlord Turtle!"


    "That Li, I told him not to tell you. Can''t he keep anything to himself!" Hong Feifei said with mock anger. Li was her assistant and currently an employee at Hong Family Cuisine. After the turtle incident, Hong Feifei, not wanting to worry her father, had specifically instructed Li not to talk about it.


    "Nonsense, I''m your dad! If something this serious happened and he didn''t tell me, I''d skin him alive when I get back!" On the other end of the phone, Hong Bo was nearly smoking with anxiety, "Girl, how can you be so careless? How''s your leg? I''ming to see you right away."


    "No, don''t, Dad! There''s a whole bunch of things to take care of at the restaurant. Who will handle them if youe now?" Hong Feifei hurriedly replied, "It''s not that serious. It''s just a bite in a fleshy part of my leg; it needed a few stitches. I''ll be able to get out of bed tomorrow. Once the conference is over, I''lle back."


    "Don''t rush it. Take your time to recover. I''ll settle things here as quickly as I can, and thene to take you home. Don''t worry about the restaurant¡ªDad''s got it under control. We''ll still have a bit of money left¡ªenough for the two of us to live on..."


    Hearing her father''s concerned words, Hong Feifei felt an inexplicable tightness in her chest, her eyes began to redden, and her voice choked up, "Dad... I''ve disgraced the Hong Family... Scold me, please..."


    There was silence on the other end for a while.


    You could feel it¡ªthe closure of Hong Cai Restaurant, and now the tarnishing of a culinary heritage passed down for hundreds of years, was also a significant blow to Hong Bo. It would be a lie to say he wasn''t upset.


    After a dozen seconds, Hong Bo finally spoke very calmly, with a gentle tone, "Silly girl, what are you thinking? Let me tell you, money, reputation, they are all inconsequential. You are the biggest treasure of the Hong Family. As long as you''re well, I don''t care about anything else!"


    Hong Feifei couldn''t hold back any longer, and burst into tears.


    After the father and daughter spoke a few more words, and right before they were to end the call, Hong Feifei hesitated before softly saying, "Dad... during this trip, I saw... I saw my senior sister..."


    "You still call her your ''senior sister''?!" Hong Bo managed to refrain from using harsh words even when the Hong Family''s reputation was at stake, but the moment he heard this, he exploded,


    "Let me tell you, the Hong Family Cuisine doesn''t acknowledge such a disciple! And girl, this is my final warning¡ªyou two are done with your nonsense. If you stir up trouble again, I will bang my head against the wall to show you!"


    "Dad! What are you talking about!" Hong Feifei became anxious and a little shy as she replied.


    "You know exactly what I am talking about! Damn it..." In his frustration, Hong Bo cursed in front of his daughter, continued angrily, "Stealing our family''s culinary secrets is one thing, but taking my only heir down a wrong path, do you want to end the Hong Family lineage?!"


    "Dad, that''s getting totally out of hand!" inheriting her father''s temper, Hong Feifei also grew angry as she retorted, "Dad, I''ve told you it''s over, and it is. If you don''t trust me, there''s nothing I can do about it!"


    "How can I trust you? Huh? How! You''re already grown up and yet refuse to find a boyfriend; do you think your dad is an idiot?!" Hong Bo''s voice was about to burst through the phone, "I''ll tell you straight today¡ªyou''d marry a male pig over my dead body before I''d let you get mixed up with her again!"


    "I... I... I..." Hong Feifei was so infuriated she began to stammer, and after a long struggle to speak, ended up furiously smashing her phone onto the floor of the ward, shattering it. She then copsed onto the hospital bed, crying her heart out.


    "Wuwuwu¡­ why... why oh why... wuwuwu... I''m so miserable..."

 Chapter 364 Five Ingredients

    Suming and Ding left the hospital, and after a brief farewell, Ding climbed into a business van waiting at the door and sped off.


    Nangong Huang and Su Meng, who were waiting at the door, came over. Nangong Huang, with an exaggerated tone, said, "Brother-inw, I''m impressed by you, even a hospital visit turns into a chance to pick up a girl on the way!"


    "Bullshit, I''ll p you to death!" Suming red fiercely at the youngster, then briefly exined what had happened to both of them.


    Mainly to Nangong Huang. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    A younger brother-inw is a very strange creature, who most of the time, can join you in cahoots, indulging in all vices, acting like a total lickspittle, but never think that a brother-inw has a tight lip, nor that he can be absolutely trusted¡ªremember, the primary role of a brother-inw is being the wife''s brother. He has a naturally high fidelity to his sister.


    "Got it now? It''s not what you think, don''t talk nonsense in front of your sister when you get back!" After saying that, Suming took out the menu and handed it to Nangong Huang, "Take a look at this menu she left for me."


    For an amateur like Suming, a menu is just a menu, no big deal. But upon hearing the origin of this menu, Nangong Huang''s attitude was like that of a martial artist facing a precious scripture, treasuring it as he took it carefully into cupped hands.


    However, after only one nce, he expressed his doubt, "Fairy Stir-Fry Meat? What a crappy name! Oh, no, wait, Stir-Fry Fairy Meat?"


    Suming held back augh, also feeling that the name was both tacky and lousy, it sounded like something a street stall would use to attract construction workers, totally inconsistent with the intimidating background of a three-hundred-year-old secret recipe of Hong Family Cuisine.


    Yet, after seeing the ingredients listed, Nangong Huang''s expression turned odd, and he remarked in astonishment, "Brother-inw, now I understand, this dish is literally built with gold, just with these ingredients, even if you called it stir-fry shredded pork it would still be a top-tier luxurious feast! The problem is, where do we find these raw materials? That Ding is sly, those she underlined we can buy with money, but thesest four, where do we find them!"


    The so-called Stir-Fry Fairy Meat''s first keyponent is the ingredients. If you stack them ording to the menu, even someone who can''t cook wouldn''t do too badly, let alone a top chef?


    But as Nangong Huang said, the five ingredients Suming was to find were mostly unattainable in the market, things you can onlye across by chance and not by searching.


    Nangong Huang leaned in, blinked his eyes, and said, "Brother-inw, I''ll speak from the heart. I don''t mind you trying to pick up girls, and I definitely won''t tell my sister when we get back. But isn''t the difficulty level a bit too high this time? With these ingredients, even if the state leaders wanted to eat them, they might not be able to find them!"


    "I told you it''s not about picking up girls, it''s about starting a business!" Suming took the menu back from Nangong Huang and shook it twice, "Others might not find them, but your brother-inw here might just be able to."


    "No way, you can find these too? Brother-inw, you''re bing a Food God!" Nangong Huang said disbelievingly.


    "Let''s go, first take a trip back to Yangchuan City with me in the car!"


    Without another word, they hurried to the parking lot, started the Wrangler, and temporarily left Huayin County to return to Yangchuan City!


    Suming dared to take up this menu not because he had impulsively lost his mind, but because he had a measure of confidence. Seeing the menu, Suming almost wanted tough out loud to the sky. Hong Feifei, the beautiful chef, seemed to have been born for the Zoo Restaurant!


    For the dish Fairy Stir-Fry Meat, he needed to prepare one main ingredient, one seasoning, and three side dishes, making a total of five.


    The main ingredient, that is, the so-called ''fairy meat''.


    The word ''fairy'' is not used lightly; the meat must be something otherworldly. Not fatty nor lean, creamy without being oily, tough without tendons, and when butchered, must not shed blood. Most importantly, it has to have a ''fairy'' cultural background, so when this meat is mentioned, it brings to mind fairies...


    The saying goes, ''Dragon meat in heaven, donkey meat on earth.'' Of course, the so-called fairy meat is not donkey meat, and dragons are creatures that don''t exist; thus, the fairy meat in the recipe is simply a legendary beast!


    It would be impossible for others to find authentic meat of a legendary beast on short notice, no matter how much they spend. For Suming, it was merely a matter of stepping on the gas; a gigantic legendary beasty beneath the waters of Whisperwind Pavilion at Shuixie Lake¡ªa small piece of its meat was not a problem.


    The seasoning needed was liquor! Ordinary grain or fruit liquor wouldn''t work as they are filled with artificial vors and tainted with worldly tastes, naturally unsuited for concocting ''fairy meat.'' This seasoning must be naturally made liquor, embodied with the spirit of heaven and earth, with the essence of Ginkgo...


    In Suming''s Great Sage Liquor Industry, there were monkeys that knew how to brew wine. Every year, Great Sage Liquor Industry released a limited collection of genuine ''Monkey Wine,'' which was another convenient item for him to procure.


    Three side dishes.


    A delicious type of mushroom. Two choices were avable: one was the so-called emperor of edible fungi, ck truffle, while the other was the so-called empress, the morel... Evidently, as a female chef, Hong Feifei would be more suited to use the Empress Mushroom for cooking.


    In the hills behind, there was arge patch of morel mushrooms thriving vigorously¡ªSuming had previously pondered how to put them to good use. And there was a super-sized morel by thekeside; too cheap to auction off, yet Suming was somewhat reluctant to eat it. Now, it was the perfect opportunity to use the right tool for the job!


    But as for the other two side dishes, even Suming didn''t have them on hand at the moment.


    A hundred-year-old ginseng was needed, not the whole root, just a few whiskers would do¡ªbut they had to be guaranteed to be at least a century old, or else thetent vors of the other super ingredients couldn''t be stimted.


    In movies, thousand-year and hundred-year ginseng pop up all the time, which is basically nonsense. These days, real thousand-year ginseng could never appear on the market, and even hundred-year-old ones are rare. A genuine five-hundred-year-old ginseng would essentially be considered a national treasure.


    While it''s difficult to find hundred-year-old mountain ginseng, in theory, it''s still hoped to be attainable.


    The truly challenging part was thest side dish.


    An entire wild Yangtze hilsa''s¡­ fishbones!


    Eileen Chang once said there are three great resentments in life, and one of them is that hilsa fish are bony. Hilsa fish are delicious but full of bones; this dish precisely requires chefs to use their exquisite knife skills to remove the bones, carve them into the shape of a fairnd, and arrange them on the te.


    I can''t help butment, who on earth invented this dish? In a fairnd, filled with a pile of fairy meat, it''s just like a horror movie! It might as well be called ''Bone Spirit and Tang Seng''s Flesh''.


    As one of the Yangtze River''s three delicacies, the hilsa fish, just like the Baiji dolphin, had been dered ''functionally extinct'' two decades ago, meaning that no reproducing poptions exist in the wild anymore.


    When Nangong Huang mentioned earlier that not even the national president could have a taste, it wasn''t a joke. In the past, a national president couldn''t find wild hilsa for a state banquet to entertain foreign guests and had to use farmed ones instead.


    Even if you wanted panda meat, Suming could somehow manage to procure a small piece, but wild hilsa fish are out of reach even for gods.


    Fortunately, it''s just a side dish¡ªno one was so preposterous as to want to eat the bones. If wild hilsa truly couldn''t be found, using farmed ones as a substitute could barely pass muster; the Zhonghai Ocean Group has them in stock, priced roughly at 4000 yuan per jin (approximately half a kilo).


    If luck is on his side, he might even catch a hilsa''s close rtive¡ªthe American hilsa¡ªin the Yangtze River.


    Of course, real top-notch gourmets would still spot the difference.


    These ingredients make it clear that Ding Jing giving the menu to Suming wasn''t a desperate shot in the dark but rather a glimmer of hope. As everyone knows, Monkey Wine is the crown jewel of Great Sage Liquor Industry, and now is the spawning season for herring entering the Yangtze River. Theoretically, there''s still a slim chance to find herring. With the zoo sitting on the hills, if they mobilized the masses to search the mountains, they might find mushrooms and ginseng.


    As for the main ingredient, ''fairy meat,'' Ding certainly didn''t know Suming had an old immortal creature. She might have naively assumed that with so many animals at the zoo, perhaps a very special kind of meat could be found.


    Giving the menu to Suming brought with it a faint hope, but giving it to someone else would mean no hope at all. After all these years in the catering business and being quite well-off, Ding had yet to find any of these ingredients.


    The menu also listed other particr ingredients, like tender green onions sprouted from the Qingming season''s rainwater, ginger with exactly nine stripes, and the finest double-headed abalones¡ªthese were Ding Jing''s responsibility to source.


    After returning to the zoo, they split up toplete tasks: Suming tasked Su Meng with leading Nangong Huang to the back hills to collect a small batch of morel mushrooms, digging them out along with the soil they grew in to keep them preserved for a long time. He himself went to the edge of Shuixie Lake, first grabbing a half-bottle of Monkey Wine from his room to toss into the car, then when no one was around, stripped to his boxer shorts and dived into theke.


    The crocodile eel, which previously lived in theke, had a lot of babies and theke couldn''t fit them all¡ªit was rather frightening to see the teeming little crocodile eels swimming under the water, especially at night, it was like watching a ghost movie. Suming let them live in the reservoir, taking turnsing back for a break.


    Theke was fairly calm for the moment; the alligator snapping turtles were partially surfaced, sunbathing, and the few six-angled dragonfish bought at thest auction were lying on the turtles'' backs, also basking. These little ones, no bigger than the palm of a hand, had a pink-hued body, half-transparent, and jelly-like. In the zing heat, they didn''t seem bothered by the prospect of being dried into fish jerky.@@novelbin@@


    Speaking of the six-angled dragonfish, Suming had to scold Nangong a bit. They cost several thousand US dors, yet that girl yed with them for less than two days before growing tired of them, and in the end, they were sent back to be raised in theke.


    Suming quickly made it to the bottom of theke, and it seemed like the old immortal creature had grown evenrger, spreading its whitening body over thekebed, like a crashed UFO.


    "Let''s negotiate, I''m going to pull off a piece of meat¡­" Suming firstmunicated his intentions to the immortal creature using his spiritual power. Although the creature could regenerate, it didn''t seem right to yank off a piece of its flesh without saying anything.


    The immortal creature''s response was much like before, sending a murky message. Suming couldn''t tell if it had agreed, or agreed, or agreed...

 Chapter 365 Hundred-Year-Old Mountain Ginseng

    The "intelligence" of the Taishui seemed unchanged, but its ability to control its body had clearly strengthened. On its blobby, bby body, a small "meat bun" had involuntarily puffed up without Suming''s intervention. That little clump of flesh detached from the body and floated in the water, drifting over to Suming''s side.


    Suming grabbed it with one hand, and let me just say, the texture was indescribable ¨C tender meat slipping through the gaps between his fingers, filled with resilience. He felt a surge of impulse in the water...


    "Stay calm, stay calm!" Suming quickly pped himself in the water. Ever since his time with Nangong in Xiangjiang, he had returned more and more beastly.


    Back to the main point, it seemed that the intelligence development of the Taishui was very slow. It was like a person who lived for ten thousand years; if they were a hundred years old, their intelligence would have probably increased at about the rate of a normal person''s over the course of one year ¨C hardly noticeable after just a year.


    However, its physical strength and size were a different story. The Taishui was growingrger day by day, and its control over its body was also continuously increasing. At this rate, perhaps one day the Taishui would grow into a colossal being, capable of crushing a building with a single pounce... Coupled with its ability to regenerate indefinitely and its unique physiquecking any lethal weak points, it was almost an invincible existence in the animal kingdom.


    Great white sharks, rhinoceroses, they were all chips off the old block. When the Taishui reached a certain size, it wouldn''t need to do anything but lunge at its prey, crushing it to death with its sheer mass of fat!


    "So it turns out that a brainless fatty is the ultimate doomsday weapon to destroy the world!" Hugging his strange fantasies of an unknown future, Suming resurfaced and returned to the shore.


    He dialed Nangong Huang and asked how things were going on their end.


    "Wow, brother-inw, I''m flying, it''s so thrilling!" came the voice of Nangong Huang from the other end of the phone, raised seven octaves, screaming and shouting with excitement. Suming, worried about time, let Su Meng carry the kid and run through the mountains...


    The two parties regrouped at the base of the mountain, and they had gathered everything: morel mushrooms, Taishui meat, and Monkey Wine.


    Nangong Huang curiously poked at the pale yellow lump of fat with his finger. There was an introduction to Taishui in culinary school, but such a thing was rarer than gold. Even the most high-end culinary schools couldn''t use Taishui meat as teaching material for students to practice. Nangong Huang had heard of it but was seeing the real thing for the first time.


    He asked curiously, "Brother-inw, where did you get this? This thing is legendary!"


    "Picked it up on the road," Suming said truthfully.


    Nangong Huang: "..."


    There were still two ingredients left. The shad could be disregarded for the moment; Suming didn''t hold out hope of finding wild shad. He would buy farmed ones after returning to Huayin County, which cost only a few thousand dors.


    That left the hundred-year-old ginseng.


    First, they went to Yangchuan City First People''s Hospital. Suming found a nurse in the hall to ask about the situation. The nurse, with a puzzled face, shook her head, "Sir, have you been reading too many fantasy novels? Where would you find so many hundred-year-old ginsengs..."


    "Brother-inw, I think we''vee to the wrong ce!" Nangong Huang chimed in from the side: "How could there be old mountain ginseng in a hospital? Maybe American ginseng at best. We should go to a traditional Chinese medicine shop like Tongrentang."


    "Let''s go!" Suming instantly turned and led the two of them outside.


    Seeing Nangong Huang, the young nurse ¨C no older than twenty ¨C clearly had her eyes light up, chased after them, and tugged at Nangong Huang, her eyes gleaming like peach blossoms: "Handsome guy, can we add each other on WeChat? If the hospital gets any ginseng in the future, I can let you know..."


    Nangong Huang red, "I don''t have time to mess around with you, I''m busy with important business!"@@novelbin@@


    After dealing a critical hit of ten thousand points of damage to the young nurse, the three of them hurried to Yangchuan City''srgest Chinese medicine store, the famous century-old shop, Tongrentang.


    Tongrentang''s d¨¦cor was ancient and fragrant. In the spacious hall, which was several meters high, three walls were lined with medicine cabs. Several workers climbeddders, retrieving medicine from the towering shelves.


    After taking a number, they lined up. The attending physician had a goat''s beard and, with just two fingers, barely touched the wrist of a young girl in line before Suming and his group, then quickly withdrew and scribbled out a prescription to hand to her.


    The young girl nced at the prescription with a confused expression, "Doctor, what''s with the hawthorn and bayberry?"


    "Who told you that you''re pregnant? It''s just bloating. Eat something sour to stimte your appetite, and you''ll be fine once you let out a loud fart," the old physician said confidently.


    The young girl covered her face and ran off. Suming sat down with a grin and asked, "Doctor, do you have any wild old mountain ginseng?"


    "You look ruddy and vigorous, too vigorous for your age to be consuming ginseng. You could literally burn up from the inside out," the old physician surmised that Suming wasn''t there to seek medical attention, but to buy ginseng, and warned him before asking, "We have three-year, ten-year, twenty-year-old ginseng, which kind would you like?"


    "Do you have anything over a hundred years old?" Suming asked.


    The old physician rolled his eyes and nced at Suming, "Someone in your family on death''s door needing life support?"


    Suming rolled his eyes in return, thinking to himself, it''s your family who has someone about to die.


    "Ginseng used for life support doesn''t need to be a hundred years old. Twenty to thirty years is enough, and the shop has a few liang of that. If you want it, go settle the bill. But hundred-year-old mountain ginseng? You can''t find it in the whole of Yangchuan City," the old physician stroked his beard, smiling, "If you have hundred-year-old mountain ginseng and are willing to sell, our shop would make a generous offer."


    "You carry on..."


    It seemed, then, that acquiring a hundred-year-old mountain ginseng was as unlikely as finding the shad; searching from one shop to another was hopeless.


    Suming used his smartphone to search online, wanting to see if there was a special ce that sold them.


    He didn''t know until he searched, and when he did, he was shocked.


    The centuries-old mountain ginseng hadn''tpletely gone extinct, just that the prices were terrifying.


    Gold has a price, ginseng is priceless. Wild mountain ginseng, due to its scarcity and unrestricted excessive harvesting, was also nearly extinct. The national annual production of pure wild mountain ginseng, all added together, was less than fifteen kilograms, and even the national reserves were less than fifty kilograms.


    Continue reading at My Virtual Library Empire


    Let alone a hundred years, even those that were ten or fifteen years old were rare, life-saving treasures. It wasmon for a single nt to sell for tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands, and yet there was essentially no market for them.


    In the past two years, a thirty-gram centuries-old mountain ginseng was unearthed and auctioned for the sky-high price of three million Huaxia currency. The current domestic record is held by a mountain ginseng of not even four hundred years, which reportedly had an opening bid exceeding ten million.


    The ginseng sold on the market is basically all cultivated by humans, like Korean ginseng or American ginseng, it''s very difficult to find real, pure wild mountain ginseng.


    No wonder the old doctor from Tongrentang spoke of that twenty-year-old mountain ginseng with such exaggeration.


    Nangong Huangmented, "So you''re saying, it''spletely impossible to buy. It''s not like for the sake of wooing a girl, I''d spend millions to buy it, and even if you, my brother-inw, are willing to spend the money, we wouldn''t have the time..."


    "I''ll tell you again, I''m doing this for business, not to woo a girl!"


    Business mattered much more than wooing a girl, with a career one could woo girls as one pleased; without a career, one could only watch others wooing girls, and if not careful, even one''s own sister might be wooed away by someone else, that''s the difference!


    Suming, looking at the online introduction, was attracted by thest sentence.


    "Due to the scarcity of the species, any intact old mountain ginseng unearthed is immediately hyped to exorbitant prices and is purchased by professionals for collection and monopoly..."


    Monopoly, collection... collection...


    How could he have forgotten about this?! Speaking of collectors, in Yangchuan City, even in the whole province, the biggest collector was Zhao Yun, and that guy even had a private museum!


    Although he mainly collected antiques, based on how he had treasured Monkey Wine before, Suming guessed that Zhao Yun would also be interested in strange things like ginseng. Even if Zhao Yun didn''t have any, he might know friends who collected ginseng.


    He made a phone call to Zhao Yun, and after confirming he was at home, he drove straight to Zhao Yun''s vi.


    It was almost noon. Zhao Yun appeared just out of bed, wearing strangely patterned pajamas ill-fitted for his age. He came down from the upstairs, yawning endlessly, to open the door.


    "Mr. Zhao, is it really good for you to be holed up at home all day?"


    "I struggled for half my life just to earn the right tofortably stay at home," Zhao Yun waved his hand and ushered Suming and his twopanions through the door and onto the sofa, where he sat cross-legged. "What brings you here this time?"


    "I need ginseng!" Suming said earnestly.


    "Your life is going pretty well, isn''t it? You''ve got a business, money, a house, a car, a girlfriend. What''s with the sudden drama in broad daylight?" Zhao Yun didn''t understand.


    "It''s ginseng... ginseng!" Suming drew out his words, "Centuries-old wild mountain ginseng!"


    At these words, Zhao Yun''s smile disappeared, and for a rare moment, the corners of his mouth twitched twice. With a pained expression, he asked, "How did you know I have it?"


    "Ah?" Suming was overjoyed, "I didn''t know, I was just asking casually!" It was pure luck, as if finding what one has spent ages searching for without any effort at all!


    Zhao Yun: "..."


    After Suming briefly exined the situation, Zhao Yun heard that it wasn''t an entire nt he needed, just a few roots, and finally, his mood seemed to improve somewhat.


    "Only you! If it were anyone else, they wouldn''t even get through the door," Zhao Yun grumbled as he led the way upstairs, "Come with me."


    Arriving at Zhao Yun''s small study, where he stored his treasures, Zhao Yun pulled back a canvas on one wall.


    On the wall was a square ''frame'' about a square meter in size, but instead of a photograph, it contained a century-old mountain ginseng.


    Legend has it that ginseng can grow into the shape of a human... but that''s just a legend. At least a hundred-year-old ginseng didn''t have that ability. The main part of the mountain ginseng looked like a gnarled radish, with dozens of thin, dense tendrils extending out from all around the main body. The shortest were four or five centimeters, the longest even exceeding half a meter, densely filling the frame.


    At first nce, this ginseng looked like a giant spider with many long legs sprawled across the wall.


    Zhao Yun unlocked the ''frame'', turned his back to the window, and without looking back, said, "Do it yourself. I can''t bear to watch..."


    "Oh..." Suming chuckled and carefully snipped off six tendrils, wrapped them in red cloth, and carefully stored them as if they were treasures.

 Chapter 366 Xiankelais Competitor

    Leaving Zhao Yun''s home behind, another person had joined them in the car: Zhao Yun.


    That so-called divine meat had cost him six of his tentacles, causing Zhao Yun''s heart to bleed. In his words, that wasn''t divine meat; it was his own flesh! Hence, no matter what, he had to taste it himself to be satisfied.


    Suming had a bit of a perfectionist streak in him. Having already obtained four types of ingredients, he began to ponder over the issue of wild Reeves'' shad.


    "I advise you to stop wasting your energy. Without the poption, there''s no possibility of an individual existing."


    Sitting in the back of the car, Zhao Yun fiddled with his fishing rod. Since they were going to Huayin County anyway, the homebody was nning not just to eat but also to join Suming for some fun on the river. So, he had prepared a few fishing rods for angling on the river the next day.@@novelbin@@


    "I just feel it''s a bit of a pity." Suming knew in his heart that wild Reeves'' shad wasn''t just a matter of ''easier said than found''; it truly was unfindable. Every time Reeves'' shad were discovered in the Yangtze River in the past two years, it had sparked considerable attention, but without exception, it was proven in the end that they were either artificially bred or rted species simr to the Yangtze Reeves'' shad.


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    "Pure wild Yangtze Reeves'' shad were functionally extinct twenty years ago. Instead of looking for Reeves'' shad, it would be better to search for Chinese paddlefish. Though the paddlefish are also rare, you can still catch a few pounds each year. I''ve heard that in one or two more years, the paddlefish will also be prohibited from capture."


    This fishing trip of Zhao Yun''s was specifically aimed at catching thest of the paddlefish. The market price for wild paddlefish was sky-high, costing thousands per pound when expensive, and still several hundred even when cheap. Yet they were not avable for sale, so one couldn''t buy them even with ample money. Zhao Yun had specially consulted some angling experts among his friends and prepared arge basin of paddlefish bait at home.


    When it came to fishing, angling in the Yellow River was even more thrilling. The Yellow River had a rapid current and was home to uniquerge Yellow River carps. If lucky, one might catch carp weighing dozens to hundreds of pounds. A wild Yellow River carp of such size was not something one person could handle alone. Several experts would take turns holding the rod, and it wouldn''t be surprising for them tost tens of hours in the struggle, offering an absolutely addictive experience.


    Before long, they had returned to Huayin County, and the group ate a casual lunch at Gu''s ce. Upon seeing the Overlord Turtle, Zhao Yun was filled with sighs, reminiscing about thest time he saw a turtle of that size when he was seven or eight years old. During a great flood, arge four-legged turtle floated up from the river, and the vigers worshipped it as a river god for a week. Unable to bear his hunger, he sneaked out with two friends in the middle of the night to kill and eat the turtle. Once discovered, he was chased out of the vige and had been a wanderer ever since.


    "Uncle, calm down!" As Zhao Yun waxed nostalgic, seemingly on the verge of a mid-life crisis, Suming quickly pulled him back to reality, passing him a packet of Isatis root with a serious demeanor, "You can''t stop taking your medicine!"


    After resting for most of the day, not only had the Overlord Turtle''s wounds scabbed over, but its spirit had also somewhat rebounded. Gu ced a bucket of fish on a bench not far from the tank. The Overlord Turtle, seeing this, propped itself up inside therge tank, stretching its neck, always striving to climb out and eat the fish.


    "Otherwise, how about we take it with us to the river tomorrow?" Suming suggested, pointing at the Overlord Turtle''s head with his chopsticks.


    The speaker had no intention, but the listener took to heart. Before Zhao Yun and the others could say anything, the Overlord Turtle seemed to understand and turned its head to stare fixedly at Suming with its two small ck eyes, its pointy nose twitching.


    "If you could train the old turtle to fish like an osprey, that would be incredible. Release it into the river, and we can just wait for it to catch fish for us," Zhao Yun joked.


    The Overlord Turtle jumped around a couple of times in the big tank, as if agreeing with Zhao Yun''s words and proving its willingness to be voluntarybor.


    "As if that''s possible!" Nangong Huang muttered from the side, "It''s like releasing the tiger back into the mountains; it would definitely escape!"


    The Overlord Turtle turned its head to re fiercely at Nangong Huang.


    A few jests indeed sparked an inspiration for Suming. He used his spiritual power tomunicate briefly with the Overlord Turtle.


    Indeed, the Overlord Turtle was eager to roam the great river again. In the river, as long as it didn''t encounter humans, it was almost an invincible being.


    "Then it''s settled. I''ll take you with me for fun tomorrow, but you''re not allowed to run away!" Suming said, amused.


    When he returned to the Zoo Restaurant, he had nned to take the alligator snapping turtle to y in the river. However, the snapping turtle had grown toorge to fit in a small car. Moreover, the snapping turtle was ustomed to a leisurely life of drinking ''Longevity Water'' in the smallke and basking in the sun, toozy to move, so he dropped the idea.


    After lunch, they drove to a nearby aquaculture farm and reserved artificially bred Reeves'' shad. Even the artificially bred Reeves'' shad were raremodities with very limited quantities, restricted to just over ten acres of water, and not sold to the public. Only when Suming revealed his identity from the Zoo Restaurant and expressed his hope to buy one for research did the farm relent, but they insisted on a minimum purchase. Five pounds or more...


    Suming, holding a stic bag worth twenty thousand yuan filled with five pounds of artificially bred Reeves'' shad that resembledrge crucian carps, said, "Alright, let''s keep a big one for Mr. Hong to cook, and we''ll share the rest."


    After all the hustle, they had managed to barely gather all the ingredients. Suming found Ding at the hotel and asked her how the preparations were going.


    Ding was holding a meeting with two secretaries in the room. When she saw Suming enter, she waved her hand with a queenly gesture, signaling the secretaries to leave. Then, with a skeptical look at the few stic bags in Suming''s hand, she nced at her watch. From the time she had handed him the menu to now, it had been less than ten hours.


    It wasn''t that she looked down on Suming, but these ingredients were simply not possible to procure by any individual in such a short span of time. This wasn''t about money. Suming could be ten or a hundred times wealthier, and certain ingredients would still hinge on luck.


    Moreover, those stic bags in Suming''s hands looked tattered, covered with soil and grass, not remotely befitting high-end ingredients. It appeared as though he had just returned from the town''s farmers'' market like any other local aunty.


    "Mr. Ding, you''re busy with valuable time. Could it be that I am an idle wanderer..."


    When Suming said this, he still felt a bit guilty. Just like everyone else in business, look at Ding Jing¡ªattending meetings with two assistant secretaries in tow, and with a bit of time in the hotel, she''d arrange the next tasks. As for himself, all he ever did was eat, drink, and be merry, either flirting with girls or being flirted with...


    It''s all Zhao Yun''s fault! Suming felt that after spending so much time with Zhao Yun, his approach to business had begun to follow Zhao''s path, which, put in a nicer way, was to strategize behind the scenes andmand from the chair; but bluntly put, he was a hands-off manager.


    Ding Jing opened the stic bags with a high degree of skepticism, inspecting each one.


    Hundred-Fruit Wine... This was Suming''s signature product, no surprise there.


    Yangtze River hilsa herring... Ding Jing couldn''t help but sigh. Although she wasn''t a top chef, she had a solid foundation in cooking and was an expert in the food industry. This plump hilsa herring, with its overly neat and slightly white scales, was clearly recognized as hilsa, albeit a farmed one.


    It was better than nothing, I suppose.


    "Hmm, is this... morel mushrooms?" Noticing a clump of what looked like honeb growing on a lump of mud inside the dirtiest stic bag, Ding Jing finally started to take things seriously.


    She gently pinched the morel mushrooms with her fingers, then brought them to her nose for a sniff, and finally, she even used her long fingernail to pinch off a small piece of the mushroom to chew in her mouth.


    "Hey, Mr. Ding, you shouldn''t be doing that!" Suming was speechless; they agreed to cook for Hong Feifei, but there she was, starting to eat the stuff herself!


    "Hm..." After tasting it, Ding Jing didn''t swallow it but rather elegantly spat the chewed-up morel into a napkin, wrapped it up, and threw it in the trash, then seriously asked, "Mr. Su, how many more of these morels do you have? Xianki will buy them at a high price!"


    "Hehehehe..." Suming just looked at Ding Jing andughed without saying anything.


    Ding Jing was taken aback but then quickly realized how silly her question was.


    Suming was nning to open his own restaurant in the future. If he had such high-quality ingredients, he would naturally prioritize supplying them to the Zoo Restaurant. Why would he sell them to Xianki?


    "If you have any extras in the future, contact me. The price I''ll offer will definitely satisfy you." Ding Jing still held some hope, handing Suming her business card. Besides being used as a condiment or side dish for various meals, morels were superb for vegetarian dishes. Under the Xianki Catering Group, there was a not-sorge restaurant specializing in high-end vegetarian cuisine, where a vegetarian meal could cost tens of thousands quite ordinarily.


    "Alright," Suming nodded nomittally and took the business card.


    The morels had distracted Ding Jing, and her focus drifted as she casually opened thest bag.


    Inside the bag was a soft, spongy mass of yellow, fat-like substance.


    Like she was performing a magic trick, Ding Jing effortlessly produced a very sharp-looking knife...


    Suming was shocked: "What are you doing!"


    Ding Jing, looking baffled, nced at Suming and casually said, "Is it strange for a woman to carry an eyebrow knife?"


    After she finished speaking, the knife smoothly glided over the surface of the Overlord Turtle''s meat, creating a neat cut. The eyebrow knife was indeed very sharp. Suming couldn''t understand how women dared to use such things on their faces, given the courage required. He certainly wouldn''t dare.


    "If there are patterns but no veins or blood, it''s either a nt or an animal." Ding Jing tossed the used eyebrow knife into the trash bin and, looking at Suming with a smile that was not a smile, said, "Indeed, it''s a genuine Overlord Turtle. Mr. Su, I hadn''t expected you to have such a widework. In just half a day, you managed to find an Overlord Turtle. It seems I underestimated you before. Perhaps in the near future, Xianki will face a formidablepetitor."


    Seeing Ding Jing''s expression, Suming knew something was off.


    You can''t trust a woman''s words at all!


    What did she say this morning? "No matter how good your Zoo Restaurant is, Xianki will also have its way of surviving." It sounded like it deserved a thumbs-up for such admirable sentiment.


    It turned out that early in the morning, Ding had not taken him or the Zoo''s future restaurant seriously, talking big. It was like a millionaire generously telling a beggar that if he begs well, he might one day be as rich as the millionaire.


    Now seeing how quickly Suming had gathered the ingredients, Ding realized that the Zoo Restaurant might truly have the potential to threaten Xianki and finally could no longer maintain herposure, letting out some unpleasant words.


    "Mr. Ding, I''m not trying to criticize, but you women are too petty. Is there any need to scare me in business just because we might bepetitive? Besides, you''ve already thrown away your little knife..."


    Suming repacked the food on the table and asked, "If everything is okay on your end, shall I go and hand over these ingredients to Hong Feifei?"


    When Hong Feifei was mentioned, Ding Jing''s expression changed again. She nodded her head and made a phone call instructing her assistant to contact the hotel kitchen. Suming''s prepared food, along with everything else, should be stored in the kitchen''s refrigeration unit.

 Chapter 368 Wuchang Fish

    After Gu''s fishing boat reached the center of the Yangtze River, they finally pulled up the first. Suming, a bit excited, put down his rod and ran to the back of the boat to see the catch.


    It wasn''t the scene one might imagine, where the would be bursting with fish. A ratherrge contained about twenty or thirty fish of various sizes. Gu, assisted by his helper, "picked" the fish out of the and tossed them one by one into the fish hold.


    The majority were carps and silver carps, and there were also a few palm-sized yellow cheek fish.


    The yellow cheek fish had a yellow belly, and their short bony fins were as sharp as saw teeth, which could easily cut hands if not handled with care. Whenever Gu touched one, it would make a ''gulping'' sound, which resembled the crowing of a rooster.


    "Not bad, it''s early morning now, and the fish aren''t very active. The catch will be better by noon. Mr. Su, if you can''t wait, go ahead and fish. When the catches a big one, I''ll call you toe see," Gu said smilingly as he held up a silver carp about thirty to forty centimeters long, and tossed it to his helper, "Go clean it up, we''ll stew it for soup at noon!"


    Back at the bow, Zhao Yun had already cast a line into the water, holding the rod in one hand and slowly turning the reel with the other, dragging the float back toward him. Seeing Suminging back, he turned and smiled, "Who knows, by noon, the fish we''ve caught might outdo his haul."


    "Brother-inw, how do you use this thing?" Su Meng, not familiar with fishing, watched as Nangong Huang took a sea rod and, looking puzzled, asked Suming for help.


    Suming''s fishing skills were mediocre; he only knew the basics and couldn''t really say he had any technique. The sea rod was suitable for fishing in open waters. After briefly advising Nangong, who then cast a line, he leaned the rod against the railing, lit a cigarette, crossed his legs, and waited for the small bell on the sea rod to ring while he enjoyed the riverside breeze.


    Nangong''s fishing method could be seen as ''waiting for a rabbit by the stump''¡ªafter casting the line, he just left it, and if a fish bit the bait, the pull on the line would make the small bell on the rod tinkle. It was a purelyzy way of fishing.


    Suming picked a piece of chicken intestine to mount on the hook. sping the rod with both hands, he gave a low shout in the direction of the wind and twisted his waist sharply, flinging the sinker and the fishing line far out. The line drew an arc in the air andnded in the river, over thirty meters away, with a plop.


    His fishing method was the same as Zhao Yun''s. As the fishing boat slowly moved, they both stood at the edge of the boat, slowly turning the reel to fish. If any fish near the bait saw it, they would rush over to bite.


    The moment Suming''s hook hit the water, Zhao Yun''s rod, over a meter long, suddenly bent!


    "Got one!" Zhao Yunughed heartily, gripping the rod''s handle with one hand and pressing down on the reel with the other. Depending on the fish''s movements, he alternated between reeling in and letting out the line.


    The wild fish in the river were quite strong, unlike pond fish that were raised on feed andcked stamina. After about fifteen minutes of the fish pulling back and forth, it finally lost its strength, and Zhao Yun quickly wound the reel, bringing it to the shore.


    Water sshed all around as arge carp, nearly three pounds, was scooped onto the boat, twisting its body.


    "Gu! Add another fish for lunch!" Zhao Yunughed loudly in triumph, his face beaming with pride. He even nced at Suming''s rod with an exaggerated show of sympathy.


    Suming rolled his eyes. "What''s there to gloat about? What happened to catching a knife fish?!"


    "Haha, just you wait and see!" Zhao Yun chuckled.


    In less than half an hour, Zhao Yun kept making catches: arge carp, two silver carps, and a catfish weighing four or five pounds.


    Even Nangong got lucky and caught a chub.


    The chub was incredibly unlucky¡ªit didn''t even bite the hook. Impatient after a long wait, Nangong reeled in his line hastily, and the sharp hook just happened to snag the passing chub''s lower jaw, violently yanking it out of the water.


    Only Suming had yet to catch anything.


    "I told you, you needed to practice more, but you young people never listen!" Zhao Yun lectured grandly, his hair messed by the wind and his coat billowing behind him, looking every inch the river boss as heughed heartily, "Need your uncle to teach you some tricks?"


    "What kind of luck is this!" Suming just couldn''t ept it. Why does my luck have to be this bad?


    No way, I''ve got to pull out all the stops now!


    With a thought, he activated his spirit possession ability and possessed the Overlord Turtle in the water.


    The Overlord Turtle was munching on a big, lip-curling white fish, which had a huge hole bitten into its belly. The turtle held it with its two ws like a great beaver, chomping away. Upon contact with the spiritual power, its whole body shivered.@@novelbin@@


    Suming''s nose almost went crooked with frustration. What kind of world is this, where even an old turtle has caught such a big fish?


    However, after seeing the situation clearly, Suming finally understood why he couldn''t catch any fish!


    After being saved, the Overlord Turtle was actually quite loyal. It had been under the surface of the water, not far away, ''protecting'' Suming''s bait.


    Turns out it had no idea that Suming was fishing. It thought Suming had put something in the water to y with. Wherever the bait was dragged, the Overlord Turtle would follow it and ''protect'' it.


    With such a big guy ''protecting'' near the bait, what fish other than crocodiles would dare to get close? Even if there were any, like this half-meter long big lip-curling fish, it would have been taken out by the Overlord Turtle.


    "Bro, you''re doing it all wrong!" Suming felt like he was being trampled upon by a herd of alpacas a thousand times over. He quicklymunicated with the Overlord Turtle and changed the method of y.


    With a few gentle swishes of its three legs in the water, the Overlord Turtle swam a far distance away, and soon circled around the bait, helping Suming to drive all the nearby fish towards the bait.


    "Still no bite?" Zhao Yun asked knowingly, with his fishing rod bending again and another fish hooked.


    "It''sing!" Suming chuckled.


    "Keep dreaming!"


    The fish below the surface of the river weren''t plentiful. Perhaps there was still a huge number of fish in the Yangtze River, but spread out over such a broad area, the density was quite low. The Overlord Turtle swam around for quite a while and didn''t find many decent fish. There were some small fry and little silvery fish, but those things were even smaller than Suming''s bait and would never bite. To be honest, the fact that Zhao Yun could continuously catch big fish under these circumstances showed his incredible skill.


    While searching, Suming suddenly noticed a group of t-bodied creatures swimming through the murky water not far away, with small, almostical heads and slightly upturned mouths.


    At first nce, they looked like bream, but upon a closer look, Suming was delighted.


    Lucky me, a school of Wuchang Fish!


    Wuchang Fish are quite famous among the fish species of the Yangtze River, scientifically known as Megalobrama amblyceph andmonly called Wuchang Fish.


    During the Three Kingdoms period, King Sun Hao of Wu wanted to move the capital from Nanjing to Wuchang. A popr saying went, "Rather drink the waters of Jianye than eat the fish of Wuchang," and even the Founding Chairman once wrote a poem, "Jiancai drinks the waters of Changsha, again eats Wuchang Fish," revealing the delicacy of Wuchang Fish, one of the more renowned economic fish species in Huaxia. However, the Chairman''s poem had an obvious error; the "Wuchang" of Wuchang Fish referred to the ancient ce of Wuchang, not the present Wuchang.


    Regardless, Suming directed the Overlord Turtle and charged into the distant school of Wuchang Fish.


    Disrupted by this god of ughter, the orderly formation of the Wuchang Fish immediately scattered. Dozens of the t fish darted chaotically through the water, escaping in all directions. A few of them, by chance, swam right toward the direction of Suming''s bait.

 Chapter 371 Five Ministers?

    ```


    The public channel on the radio is not encrypted, so as long as you are within the range of the radio''s transmission, you can hear the conversations on the public channel. The sand dredging boats operate on the river surface, and for the sake of convenience and safety, they are likely to be equipped with radio equipment.


    In other words, the conversation that the fishermen just had on the radio could very well have been overheard by the people on the sand dredging boats.


    "I wasn''t careful, I wasn''t careful!" Gu kept pping his thigh, looking extremely dismayed.


    Being young and with less exposure to the sinister aspects of society, Nangong Huang didn''t understand and asked, "So what if they heard it, what''s the big deal?"


    "Gu, let''s drive the boat over there and take a look," Suming said with a stern face.


    Before Gu''s fishing boat had gone halfway, they heard amotion over the radio interspersed with a strange young voice taunting, "Don''t get cocky, our boss has taken the knife fish, the money is all there for you..."


    Throughout the public channel, aside from that arrogant voice, all the other fishermen unanimously maintained silence, no one daring to speak up.


    Then there was a burst of noise, and the radiomunication from the boat across cut off.


    "Oh no!" Gu sighed while steering the boat, "It''s rare to catch knife fish, and we were too ted to remember this. If those people heard us, what good things can we keep safe?"


    "Uncle Gu, what are they trying to do?" Nangong Huang asked, puzzled.


    "You live off thend or the water you''re near, and the sand dredging boat owners don''t just dredge sand, they also have business in the fish market," Gu replied, looking at Suming and shaking his head with a wry smile, "Mr. Su, I''m afraid we won''t be able to keep those knife fish."


    "You mean they are trying to intercept us?" Havinge from a ''little ruffian'' background himself, Nangong Huang was quick-tempered, "Why should they? There''s always an order to things, right? Are they going to rob us in broad daylight? If it''s about who offers more, I don''t believe they have more money than my brother-inw!" Having spent tens of thousands on clothes for this kid thest time, Nangong Huang had a blind faith in Suming''s financial power.


    "It''s not like they''ll rob us, but they''ll surely offer less than the market price," Gu exined, "They''re the local bullies, and our fellow vigers still have to make a living on the Yangtze River. When they ask for something, who dares to offend them?"


    "Enough of this. Let''s drive the boat over and take a look," Suming waved his hand.


    Zhao Yun stood at the bow of the boat with his arms crossed, shaking his head regretfully. Nangong Huang, unable to suppress his anger, eximed, "Mr. Zhao, all of you are respected figures in society, and you just respond with a wry smile when bullied? You don''t fight back at all? If you ask me, you should just do what you need to boldly. If anything happens, my entire family are police officers, we''ve got you covered!"


    Lately, the boy had started to show some sense, finally acting like a proper second-generation under Suming''s guidance and realizing he could leverage his family''s influence.


    "The police of Yangchuan City don''t have jurisdiction over Huayin County," Zhao Yun shook his head and nodded towards Suming standing at the bow, "You think I''m just wryly smiling for nothing? You still don''t understand your brother-inw. He could stir up trouble out of nothing; if someone really provoked him, do you think he would let it go?"


    "Don''t teach the kid bad habits, Mr. Zhao. I am a respectable person!" Suming turned to re at him.


    By the time they met up with Liao''s fishing boat, a small boat from the opposing sand dredging vessel had already left. Gu set up a nk several meters long, and Suming wobbled onto Liao''s fishing boat.


    Liao was about the same age as Gu, in his forties, a lean man with dark skin who was squatting on the deck, smoking gloomily.


    The deck was a mess, pots and pans overturned, and arge fishing was pulled into a tangle and thrown aside.


    As Suming boarded the ship, Liao looked up with a helpless, bitter smile.


    On his dark, wrinkled face was a very clear p mark,


    "Liao, did they get physical?" Suming frowned deeply and asked in a heavy tone. It was one thing to cut in line when selling fish, but physical violence was another matter altogether, fundamentally different.


    Even in the days when Zhou Jin bullied the market, in most cases, he would not resort to hitting people in the fish market, after all, both the market and the Yangchuan fisheries relied on these grassroots workers to survive.


    "Ah, don''t mention it. I said the fish were already reserved and argued with them for a bit, then those fellows started hitting. I''m really sorry, Mr. Su, for not keeping the knife fish for you. My family still needs to make a living on the river, I really couldn''t afford to fall out with them..." Liao was a decent man, having been beaten yet still apologizing profusely to Suming for not keeping his promise.


    "It''s alright, it''s alright." Of course, Suming couldn''t me Liao, so he asked, "How much did they offer you?"


    ```


    Liao was indignant, "A thousand yuan a kilo, originally they said it would be five thousand, but those youngsters didn''t bring enough cash, so they only gave me two thousand¡ªstill owe me three thousand."


    "Liao, are you out of your mind? For such arge knife fish, Mr. Su would pay three thousand, and they only give you one thousand, that''s in robbery!" Gu came up from the gangnk and couldn''t help interrupting upon hearing what Liao said.


    "What can I do about it, you know what they''re like. If I didn''t give them the fish today, they''de smash up my fishing boat tonight!" Liao said, his voice choked with anger.


    "Gu, don''t be so hard on him. We all have it tough."


    Suming stood at the bow of the boat, one hand on the canopy, looking in another direction. Two speedboats had just appeared from the sand harvesting boat¡ªone was heading towards Liao''s location, and the other was aimed at the direction of Shen''s boat, which had caught a Chinese sturgeon.


    From a distance, one could see that a speedboat had already left the direction of Shen''s boat and was quickly returning to the sand harvester.@@novelbin@@


    "Shen, Shen!" Suming turned on the radio and asked, "What''s happening over there?"


    "Mr. Su, it''s me, Shen!" Shen replied urgently over the radio, "They took the two sturgeons as well, didn''t pay me a penny, and said I was illegally fishing protected animals. If it wasn''t for the fact that they knew me, they''d have reported me to the water police! Mr. Su, I followed your orders exactly when I kept those two sturgeons on the boat. If they really report it, you have to vouch for me!"


    Suming almostughed in anger. These people really had the gall to me the very theft theymitted, using the victim of a crime?


    In broad daylight, in a clear and righteous world, is there now left? I didn''t bother when this lousy boat dug holes all over the river, but now they even rob the fishermen of their catches, and they dare to rob my head?!


    Suming had spent the past few days in Huayin County, visiting several households and truly feeling how hard the lives of fishermen were. Depending on the fishing season to make a living, a good year for those like Gu could only bring in fifty to sixty thousand yuan, enough to support arge family. Even more of them, like Liao, didn''t even have a house, and had to live on fishing boats. They seldom encountered good luck; at most, a few kilos of knife fish caught after great effort might bring a little over ten thousand yuan.


    Farmers and fishermen, they all earn money through hardbor, especially those working on the water. Fishermen literally risk their lives. Robbing fishermen, those people have utterly bad consciences!


    "Gu, what is the name of the owner of that sand harvesting boat?" Suming asked with a grave face.


    Having been with Suming for a long time, Su Meng could almost read his thoughts and asionallymunicated with him through spiritual power. So when Suming slightly frowned, Su Meng sensed Suming''s mood swing and fiercely swung his fist into the wind, emitting a ''ho ho'' growl from his throat.


    "Don''t you act recklessly!" Zhao Yun hurriedly grabbed Suming, "I know you can deal with them, but like I said, after you leave, they will definitely retaliate against these fishermen. The unfortunate ones will still be the fishermen; these people are ruthless and do not regard thew at all."


    "Then that''s great, I''ll educate them about thew for free." Suming scoffed coldly, "Don''t worry, I have a n, and it won''t involve the fishermen."


    After finding out about the sand harvesting boat owner''s background, Suming called Baldy, "I''m asking about someone, the one from Baihe Town across from Huayin County, named Wu Dacheng. Do you know him?"


    Baldy, previously with Zhou Jin, was also a heavy hitter in Yangchuan City, well-known in society. Baihe Town was just across the Yangtze River from Yangchuan City; they were all from the same social circles, so Baldy should have some understanding of that Wu Dacheng.


    After the incident with Zhou Jin, Baldy had turned over a new leaf and became a department manager at the fisheriespany, working for Suming. Strictly speaking, he was working for Liang Shi, in charge specifically of dealing with all the wholesalers and retailers in Yangchuan''s fish market. Continue your adventure at My Virtual Library Empire


    Taoyuan Fisheries was now thergest and offered the best quality of freshwater fish in Yangchuan City. Baldy had afortable life every day and didn''t need to bully and dominate the market like in the past. He just waited for those fish sellers toe to him for supplies. With an old hustler like him in charge, the fish sellers in the market didn''t dare to default on their payments, so the entire Yangchuan fish market operated in an orderly and positive cycle. The market management had evenmended Baldy recently.


    The only thing that made Baldy feel a bit gloomy was not being able to work directly under Suming. In the end, following a good boss was crucial; although Liang Shi was decent, he was too bookish, providing nomon ground for the two of them.


    The moment he received a call from Suming, Baldy got excited: "Wu Dacheng, I know him! The man indulges in all five vices and is quite infamous in Baihe Town, nicknamed ''Five Ministers.'' We''ve had a few dealings before! What''s up, Mr. Su, did he offend you? Bastard, that old good-for-nothing, Mr. Su, I''ll take people over right now and kill that old beast..."


    "What brothers, don''t be foolish!" Suming had a way with people like Baldy, wielding a big stick and a carrot. He was never stingy when it came to rewards and would never mince his words when criticism was due, to keep them from getting too cocky and causing trouble.


    "Alright, I got it, I''ll have a talk with him. Business has been good at the fish markettely, you''ve worked hard," Suming said.


    "It''s my duty, Mr. Su, when will youe to inspect?" Baldy said with relish.


    "I''lle when I have time."

 Chapter 372 I Set It Free

    ```


    Being uncultured isn''t scary, but what''s terrifying is being uncultured and pretending not to be. A tiny little town, where clearly no good deeds are being done, yet there''s so much self-satisfaction in iming to be the ''Five Ministers'', really thinking they are pirs of the state responsible for family and country? Should we also elect an Emperor Father?


    Riding on Old Gu''s fishing boat, they slowly approached the sand dredging boat. From a few dozen meters away, the people on the dredging boat had already seen Suming, with seven or eight topless guys who clearly looked like hoodlums, standing on the deck, looking their way.


    Old Gu used the radio to contact the other party, saying that a boss from Yangchuan City wanted to talk business with Wu Dacheng. Quickly, a small boat came over and brought Suming to the sand dredger.


    Above the sand dredging boat, the roaring was deafening. Tons of sand and gravel were being sucked up from the bottom of the river, crushed, and conveyed on tracks onto the boat, making it nearly impossible to hear anything. Suming had Su Meng and Nangong Huang wait on the deck while he followed ackey into the cabin below.


    As soon as they entered, theckey closed the door of the cabin behind them, barely keeping the noise at bay.


    The cabin wasn''trge, just about a dozen square meters, but it was crammed with five or six people. In the middle sat a middle-aged man with a buzz cut, shirtless like the younger men around him. His chest skin, somewhat loose, bore a wonky dragon tattoo. He sat with one foot on the chair, holding his knee, looking defiantly at Suming.


    Even though it was their first meeting, the man''s gaze naturally conveyed a rather base brutality. It was clear he was an old hand at hoodlum life.


    "I''m Wu Dacheng, what business do you have with me?" the middle-aged man asked, his toneced with disdain upon seeing Suming''s youth, and he smiled mockingly. In the cabin, Wu Dacheng''sckeys also stared at Suming with unfriendly gazes, their lips curling into a sinister smirk.


    Suming hated these kinds of old hoodlums. If you say they''re good at being thugs, they''re far from it, still stuck in the primitive stage of umting wealth through extortion and robbery, not even as advanced as Zhou Jin, who had at least started moving toward industrialization and even harbored intentions of entering politics. To say they were bad at it was an understatement¡ªthey were much stronger than the average petty gangster, able to earn millions a year and maintaining various connections in town, essentially local tyrants.


    The more someone like this, the less they understand the scale of heaven and earth, thinking they''re third only to heaven and earth itself, so arrogant without boundaries, enjoying bullying others to assert their existence. As soon as Suming walked in, without even a proper word spoken, Wu Dacheng already struck an arrogant posture and looked mockingly at Suming. If Suming had been a legitimate businessman, he would have never done business with someone like this.


    Before Suming could open his mouth, Wu Dacheng continued, "I heard over the radio that some ''Mr. Su'' hade, that must be you, right? Fuck, I thought some big-time boss had arrived, but it turns out to be just a kid who spent a few grand to y boss on the Yangtze River..."


    Laughter erupted in the cabin, a few hoodlumsughing heartily.


    Suming didn''t understand the joke in Wu Dacheng''s words at all. Perhaps in their eyes, insulting others was always hrious?


    The greatest pleasure in bullying is the reaction of the bullied, seeing them angry, sad, yet helpless¡ªthat''s when the bullies feel the ultimate thrill. The gang in the cabinughed for a long time, but upon seeing that Suming had no reaction whatsoever, instead looking at them as if they were idiots, theughter among the hoodlums gradually subsided. They felt they could no longer save face, and what began as mockery turned into intimidation as they red fiercely at Suming.


    ```


    Suming casually dragged a chair over to sit down, crossed his legs, and said calmly, "Mr. Wu, since you''ve heard it, you should know the knife fish was reserved by me. If you''re willing to offer more than I did, I have nothing to say. You offer a thousand bucks per jin and don''t even pay in full, isn''t that pretty much a half-robbery?"


    "Of course I know," Wu Dacheng nodded and rebutted brazenly, "Let''s say I did snatch your fish, what are you going to do about it? What can you do?"


    The underlings around them seemed to have heard some hrious joke, bursting intoughter once again.@@novelbin@@


    "What''s wrong with you clowns, been eating magpie droppings too much? He farts and you allugh like it''s the funniest thing ever?"


    Suming went full mockery mode, turned his head to Wu Dacheng, and asked, "I''m hearing for the first time that buying a fishes with installment payments. How broke must you be? Splitting five grand over two payments. If you''re cash-strapped, go home and take care of your kids instead of pretending to be some gangster godfather. Aren''t you supposedly high-profile in Baihe Town? Why don''t you go to the bank and get a loan of a couple thousand?"


    "Fuck your mother!" Wu Dacheng erupted in fury, stood up, and without hesitation, aimed a kick straight at Suming.


    Despite his age, Wu Dacheng''s kick packed a lot of power, and it looked like he might have practiced some Sanda.


    Suming might seem always grinning, as if even Nangong Yan could beat him up, but that was just him humoring Nangong. His physical condition, nurtured by a year of spiritual power, could probably surpass a professional athlete. When free, he even learned somebat and grappling techniques from Security Head Lao Dong, a retired special forces soldier. When ites to fighting, among those he knew, only Su Meng was definitely stronger than him.


    Without dodging or flinching, he raised his foot and countered with a kick towards Wu Dacheng. Taking off after but connecting before, Wu Dacheng''s foot hadn''t even reached Suming when Suming''s own blownded heavily on his stomach, sending his roughly 150-pound body flying backward more than half a meter, crashing into the chair he had been sitting in. With a crack, the chair shattered, and he tumbled to the ground.


    "Motherfucker, break his arms and legs for me!" Wu Dacheng bellowed with bloodshot eyes.


    Several men wielding wrenches and steel pipes surrounded Suming, the heavy pure steel wrench in their hands capable of breaking bones on impact. There were five of Wu Dacheng''s men in the cabin, each one a sturdy young man, and the metal door of the cabin locked from the inside, leaving Suming no room to run.


    "Boom!" The closed cabin door suddenly let out a dull, massive bang.


    A fist-shaped dent appeared on the big metal door, as if a giant fist had struck it hard from the outside.


    "What are you dawdling for, hit him!" Wu Dacheng, his view obstructed, only heard the door rattling furiously but didn''t see the fist imprint. He screamed in pain while clutching his stomach on the ground.


    "Hit your mom!" Suming stepped forward and delivered another kick right onto Wu Dacheng''s mouth, sending him sprawling face up on the ground, teeth flying covered in blood.


    Meanwhile, the continuous ngor of the massive iron door persisted, echoing through the ship''s cabin. With each thunderous bang, a terrifying fist imprint would appear on the steel door.


    After several impacts, the iron door finally gave in, shrieking with the sound of tearing metal, and was forcefully pushed open from the outside before crashing to the floor with a deafening boom.


    A towering figure blocked the doorway, casting a vast shadow that blocked the sunlight filtering in from outside and stretched a long, dark silhouette across the interior of the cabin.


    Big Su Meng appeared at the entrance, his gaze sweeping the room with the cold, emotionless stare of a predator spotting its prey.


    Upon making eye contact with Su Meng, the gangsters couldn''t help but shiver involuntarily.


    The one closest to the door, with a yell, instinctively lifted the steel pipe and swung it at Su Meng, who didn''t even nce at it before grabbing the pipe with one hand. With little effort, he yanked the steel pipe out of the man''s grip.


    If this had happened before, that guy probably would have been a goner. The first time they saw Su Meng, he''d taken several bullets and still managed to bury a poacher alive and smash another one into meat paste against a rocky wall. Hisbat strength had almost surpassed the realm of normal humans.


    Fortunately, having followed Suming for so long, Su Meng understood not to kill or injure people indiscriminately. After taking the pipe, he smacked the thug so hard that he spun around several times on the spot, leaving half his face as swollen as a pig''s head. Then, before everyone''s eyes, he gripped the two ends of the steel pipe and his arm muscles bulged as he bent it...


    With a grating screech, the straight steel pipe was forcefully bent into a U-shape.


    It wasn''t until then that Nangong Huang peeked out from behind Su Meng. Seeing the tense situation before him, the youngster became excited and yelled, "Brother-inw, kill them all!"


    Suming: "..."


    Looking through the gap behind Su Meng, the several gangsters left on the deck outside were already scattered on the ground.


    True warriors dare to face the bleakness of life and the spectacle of bloodshed, taking pride in challenging those stronger than themselves. The gangsters in this cabin were clearly not such men; ustomed to disying their ''bravery'' in front of the weak, they copsed faster than usual when confronted with a force as overwhelming as Su Meng''s. Without a word from Suming, they quickly threw their weapons aside and lined up against the cabin wall.


    Only Wu Dacheng still showed some of the ruthless streak of an old gangster, getting up and touching the blood on his mouth he ground his teeth and said, "Kid, you''ve got guts. Kill me!"


    "You think I''m sick? If I kill you, I''d have to go to jail," Suming responded, dusting off his hands, he took out his wallet, counted out a stack of money, and put it on a table, saying, "Two thousand yuan here, you give me back the fish, and we''ll call it even."


    Wu Dacheng was stubborn, but he knew when to weigh his options. Continuing to resist at this juncture would do him no good. As the saying goes, there is plenty of time for revenge.


    Ordering hisckeys to carry in a water tank, more than a dozen Yangtze River knife-fish swam back and forth inside it.


    "Where are the sturgeon? I''ll tell you, sturgeons are a national ss-1 protected species."


    Suming emphasized the words "national ss-1 protected species," and, as if worried Wu Dacheng hadn''t understood, he added, "If fishermen catch a white sturgeon, they must either turn it over to the authorities or release it. Selling or breeding them privately is illegal."


    As expected, Wu Dacheng''s eyes swiftly rolled, revealing a sly expression, and he snorted, "Sturgeon, of course I know it''s a protected animal, so I released it, right!" Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    "You really released it?" Suming said with a stern face, obviously disbelieving.


    "Yes," Wu Dacheng held his head high, looking at Suming as if challenging him to do something even if he knew Wu was lying.


    "Mr. Wu, I advise you not to make a mistake. Let me make it clear onest time. If you are hiding a white sturgeon, it is illegal," Suming said.


    "If you don''t believe it, you can go report it. You can invite the police to check my boat," Wu Dacheng boasted with the air of a seasoned thug. "Or, are you going to kill me now? I''d admire your guts if you did!"


    "Alright, alright! Mr. Wu, you''ve got guts! You win!"


    Suming, looking as if he had suffered a great injustice, his face flushed with restraint, ordered Su Meng to carry the water tank and led Nangong Yan out of the cabin.


    "Brother-inw, he''s clearly tricking you. He went to steal those fish, why would he release them?" Nangong Yan said, following behind.


    "Don''t talk." Suming kept a straight face, barely holding backughter.


    That was exactly what he wanted Wu Dacheng to say. If Wu had honestly handed over the sturgeon, Suming wouldn''t have been happy.

 Chapter 373: Little Cannonball

    ```


    "Brother-inw, are you out of your mind?" Nangong Huang asked in astonishment. It was clear that Wu Dacheng was spouting nonsense, no one would believe that he released the sturgeon back into the river. If he really had a sense of social responsibility, would he still illegally mine sand? Would he bully these fishermen?"


    Suming just smiled without responding. Of course, he didn''t believe him; thatstment about releasing the fish he had deliberately made, fearing that Wu Dacheng wouldn''t think of it, intentionally giving Wu Dacheng a hint.


    What are Baiji dolphins? They are not Suming''s private property. To put it simply, they are nationally protected animals and belong to the kind that is on the brink of extinction; to put it grandly, they are a precious natural resource shared by the people of the entire nation, even the entire world. There''s no need for Suming to im them, naturally, someone would discuss this matter with Wu Dacheng.


    Chu was not a man known for his good temper, and he had recently lost his beloved Baiji dolphin, in a bad mood.


    After leaving the sand mining boat, Suming went straight to shore without lingering on Gu''s boat for long to prevent Wu Dacheng from holding a grudge against Gu and his crew and sat with Zhao Yun by the riverbank, each with a fishing rod, fishing.


    Below the water''s surface, the Overlord Turtle scuttled about, seemingly searching for something; Haidong Qing rested in a grove by the riverbank and asionally soared into the sky to patrol the area. Suming certainly didn''t want Wu Dacheng''s underlings to sneak up and take them by surprise.


    Around three in the afternoon, Suming suddenly burst into an unrestrained fit ofughter,ughing three times loudly.


    The Overlord Turtle had found a good treasure at the bottom of the water!


    "What''s with that strangeugh?" Zhao Yun, clutching his fishing rod, was unnerved by Suming''sughter.


    "It''s nothing," Suming said, pointing to the Yangtze River in front of them, "Mr. Zhao, there were battles fought here in the past, weren''t there?"


    "Of course, the Yangtze River is a natural barrier and a major transportation hub, controlling both banks of the upstream and downstream, and has been a hotspot of warfare since ancient times. What''s gotten into you to ask about this all of a sudden?" Zhao Yun asked.


    "No reason, just asking. The Yangtze River really is a great ce." Suming was so happy inside that he was almost bursting with joy, and his hand holding the fishing rod was shaking. There was going to be quite a showing up.


    After another half hour or so, the people from the Agriculture and Forestry Academy finally arrived.


    A fisheries enforcement boat pulled up, carrying Chu, Song, Liang Shi, and a few fisheries enforcement officers. Despite his advanced age, Chu, from a distance, leaped off the boat, "Where''s the fish?"


    "What fish?" Suming was feigning ignorance.


    "What else? The Baiji dolphin," said Chu. Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Oh, they were released back into the wild," Suming said nonchntly.


    Upon their arrival, both Song and Chu were stunned; they had agreed to protect the dolphins first and deal with them after their arrival. Everything was fine, so why were they released again?


    "This is chaos! What''s the point of releasing two fish? Without a poption, they''re still doomed to extinction!" Chu said with heartfelt distress.


    "What exactly happened?!" Song, seeing Suming''s strange smile, guessed there might be some inside story and asked gravely.


    "It''s like this¡­"


    After Suming briefly recounted the event, Professor Chu and Mr. Song were both astonished. Obviously, like Nangong Huang, they did not believe that Wu Dacheng would snatch the sturgeon from the fishermen just to release them. A wild Baiji dolphin, which had grown to about a meter, could easily fetch tens of thousands in private sales, and much more if sold to foreign buyers. For Wu Dacheng, who would not have to spend a penny on them, this was like money falling from the sky. It was unlikely that he would willingly release them.


    "Let''s go! Board the boat and have a talk with him."


    They boarded the fisheries enforcement boat and headed toward the other bank of the Yangtze River. As they approached the huge sand mining boat anchored in shallow waters on the opposite bank, the thunderous roar of the sand mining operation reached them. Professor Chu''s eyebrows furrowed immediately, and he turned to ask several fisheries officers on the boat, "This is outrageous! Who allowed them to mine sand here?!"


    The fisheries employees were also feeling wronged and didn''t want to offend Chu, "Professor Chu, this section of the river doesn''t fall under our jurisdiction. Besides, dealing with sand mining boats requires jointw enforcement, our department alone doesn''t have the power to manage it."


    "Chu, let''s deal with one issue at a time. Let''s first ask where the Baiji dolphins are," Mr. Song said in a solemn voice.


    "Okay!" Chu gestured for the fisheries boat to move closer, and soon Suming and the others were boarding the sand mining boat once again.


    Seeing the presence of fisheries personnel and Chu revealing his identity, Wu Dacheng''s attitude underwent aplete 180-degree turn. He was all politeness, answering any question posed to him and showing none of the arrogance of a gang leader seen earlier. He appeared to be nothing more than an honest, clueless sand miner, disying first-rate acting skills that were simply breathtaking.


    ```


    Being polite doesn''t necessarily mean being honest, and Wu Dacheng, that old fox, adopted another tactic, ying dumb. Regarding the whereabouts of the sturgeons, he insisted that he had released them, and if the fishery authorities didn''t believe him, they could search his boat.


    They said they would search and they did¡ªthose who came with Chu searched the sand mining boat through and through. Most of the cabin was full of sand and stone, with everything visible on deck, leaving no ce to hide the tworge sturgeons.@@novelbin@@


    Chu was at a loss and had no choice but to return to the fishery boat. As soon as he got back, he was jumping mad, "Call the police, I refuse to believe that we can''t handle these people!"


    "I''ve asked around, and this area is a bit special. It falls under a jurisdiction no one takes responsibility for, and that''s how they found a loophole," Suming said.


    Chu was furious just moments ago, but he knew there was a lot of truth to what Suming was saying. The issues with managing the Yangtze River had not just started yesterday, and even in areas with clearly delineated responsibilities, one couldn''t im a hundred percent prohibition. On the one hand, regtory personnel were few and tasks many, and on the other, since these people dared to extract sand illegally, they surely had ways to deal with inspections; they were slipperier than eels.


    In fact, in most cases, a single department did not have the authority to handle the matter. Multiple departments had to jointly enforce thew. Especially since the Agricultural Research Institute where Chu belonged was a research institution, it had even less enforcement power, and could not mobilize the local police. At most, it could only put forward suggestions to enforcement units and make appeals to society.


    Still holding on to a glimmer of hope, Liang Shi made a call to the marine police and 110, multiple units, specifically mentioning they were from the provincial Agricultural Research Institute and had discovered illegal hunting and sand mining activities, requesting the police to intervene.


    "We''ll take a two-pronged approach. I''ll record the video as evidence. Once we''re back, we''ll upload it!" After making the call, Liang Shi, armed with a DV camcorder, shot from a distance, trying to capture the ''evidence'' of illegal sand extraction on the mining boat. Through the DV, one could see the crew on the distant ship, unabashed, standing on the deck, gesturing, and clearly not taking the fishery authorities seriously.


    "It''s useless," Suming shook his head. Every day the inte explodes with incredible news, and even if they were to upload the footage, it might not have much impact. If things were dyed by a few days, the public''s attention would be drawn away by other more sensational news.


    Merely illegal sand mining and the unproven poaching of protected animals were not enough to attract much public outcry or to be taken seriously.


    While Chu was on the side, sighing and groaning, Mr. Song pulled Suming aside.


    He knew Suming well. Since the day they met, the young man had never been at a disadvantage. The situation seemed desperate, but Suming had remained silent. Holding on to a sliver of hope, Song asked, "If you have a n, just say it. Don''t beat around the bush."


    "Mr. Song, it''s not that I''m beating around the bush. There are things that can''t openly be discussed and certainly can''t be known by Chu or even Liang Shi. At most, just you and I need to know," Suming replied.


    "I understand," Mr. Song lowered his voice, "Let''s hear your thoughts."


    "This is what I think: the other party must be so bold because they''re well prepared and have hidden the sturgeons. Even if the regtory authorities board the ship for inspection, they''ll just insist that they have released them and there''s nothing to be done about it. And the two Baiji dolphins will definitely not be found. As for the likes of him engaging in illegal sand extraction, there are too many of them in the Yangtze River. You fine them today, and tomorrow they''ll extract even more sand to make up for their losses," Suming said.


    "So what are you nning to do?" Mr. Song asked.


    Suming chuckled softly and whispered, "A few days ago, I saved an Overlord Turtle with three legs. Right now, this big fellow is lying on the bottom of the river."


    "An Overlord Turtle with three legs? That''s also a rare anomaly. You''re not nning to have the Overlord Turtle ram their ship, are you?"


    Song had grown ustomed to Suming''s ability to train animals and didn''t think much of it. If someone who had just met Suming heard that he could train a turtle to obey orders underwater, they would likely be shocked or even disbelieving. But over the past year, Song had seen too many examples of Suming training animals and his capacity for eptance had been gradually stretched.


    Also, at Song''s age, with one foot in the grave, he hade to understand some things in life that weren''t worth delving too deeply into. Suming''s abilities were a good thing, both for him and for the zoo. That was enough.


    That''s also why Suming could discuss some matters with Song, but not with Chu and certainly not with Liang Shi.


    The distant sand mining ship was huge, and it was protected by ayer of thick iron armor. How could an Overlord Turtle possibly pose a threat to it? Perhaps a Tyrannosaurus rex could.


    "Of course not," Suming said, smiling, but his tone was somewhat chilling. He bared his white teeth in a grin and whispered in Mr. Song''s ear, murmuring a phrase.


    As soon as Mr. Song heard it, his face turned pale. He nced nervously around to see that no one was listening and anxiously said to Suming, "Don''t cause any fatalities. These people aren''t deserving of death."


    "Don''t worry, don''t worry, I''ve seen that thing. It won''t kill anyone," Suming replied.


    At that moment, the Overlord Turtle was lying underwater, hundreds of meters away from the sand mining ship.


    In front of ity an iron lump about the size of a child''s forearm, round and lumpy.


    Even though it had been soaking in river water for many years with a surface covered in verdigris, any military enthusiast would recognize at a nce that this was a mortar shell from World War II!

 Chapter 375 Blowing Up the Ship

    Wu Dacheng admitted to secretly keeping sturgeon, and Chu''s eyes lit up with joy as he ordered the fishery patrol boat tomence the rescue.


    "Hold on a minute," Suming stopped the captain.


    There was a dy, and the sand dredger sank further; what was mostly above water just moments ago was nowpletely submerged. From afar, it looked as though Wu Dacheng and his few men were standing on the water practicing how to float.


    It looked freaking cool!


    But the agony was known only to the victim himself. Gradually sinking into the water, the suction growing stronger under his feet, Wu Dacheng was desperate.


    He could only me his owncency! Normally, such arge sand dredger would be equipped with at least a small lifeboat for escape in these situations. But Wu Dacheng''s boat was second-hand and came without a lifeboat. He thought buying one was purely for show¡ªhow could it possibly sink when operating on the Yangtze River near the coast, not venturing into deep waters or the sea?


    It''s just like many people not wearing seat belts when driving. Even though it''s one of the most important safety devices andes standard in every car, many people find it too cumbersome or uncool. They trust their driving skills and think they won''t get into an ident... until it''s toote for regrets when an ident does happen.


    There were a few lifebuoys on the gunwale, but they were useless. The boat was slowly sinking, and as vast amounts of river water poured into the cabin, it created whirlpools around the vessel, with strong undercurrents pulling downwards. Even with a lifebuoy, there was a high chance of being sucked under and drowning.


    He only had himself to me for his demise. The original location of the sand dredger wasn''t that deep, but after years of dredging, he had dug arge hole in the riverbed, making this section much deeper than others, resulting in numerous dangerous whirlpools and currents.


    The river was wide, but that''s rtive to small streams; it was nothingpared to the vast sea, and you could see the opposite bank at a nce. Many fishing boats passed by on the river, and if they saw a boat sinking, they would certainly offer help without hesitation... The problem was, once they realized it was Wu Dacheng''s sand dredger, none of the nearby fishing boats showed any intention of approaching.


    Wu Dacheng, on board, was so anxious his face turned pale, sweating profusely as he watched the boat gradually sink and water slowly rise over the deck.


    Suming, however, stood at the bow as if nothing was the matter, holding a megaphone and asked leisurely, "Where are the sturgeons?"


    "F*ck... they''re at my house..." Wu Dacheng was on the verge of tears.


    "Hey Wu, why are you keeping those things? You''re not nning to eat them yourself, are you?" Suming asked.


    "I sell them, I sell them, okay? Just hurry up and rescue us!"


    Suming turned to ask Liang Shi, who was filming with a DV camera, "Did you get all that?"


    "Got every bit of it, crystal clear!" Liang Shi nodded vigorously.


    "Okay, time to rescue!" Suming snapped his fingers at the captain of the fishery patrol boat.


    ...


    The following procedures went smoothly. After Wu Dacheng was rescued, Suming took strong measures to control him and his group immediately to prevent the transfer of evidence. Then he had Su Meng apany Liang Shi, Professor Chu, and a few fishery officials to Wu Dacheng''s house, where they seized two white sturgeons.


    Wu Dacheng''s home was a three-story vi with a yard, decorated like Caesar''s Pce, dazzlingly luxurious¡ªa well-known ce in town. You could easily find the location by asking around. He had two big wolf dogs at home, and Wu Dacheng''s wife, used to being domineering, was only ever on the giving end of a bashing. Today, when people stormed into her home, she was not going to take it lying down and screamed,manding the two wolf dogs to pounce on Chu and the others.


    This time, there was no need for Suming to use his spiritual power. Su Meng let out a roar like a fierce beast that terrified the dogs so much their legs went weak, and he grabbed them by the neck and threw them over the yard wall.


    Su Meng and his team, carrying two sturgeons, made it back to the fishery patrol boat. Soon after, the police, alerted by the emergency call, dispatched officers to the scene. The town, mere minutes away from the riverbank, was quickly abuzz with the news of a sunken ship. Added to the earlier alert from the Agricultural Science Academy, three rted counties immediately made the decision to send the nearest police force to the riverside for emergency response.


    The team was led by a deputy director of the County Public Security Bureau, who boarded a small fishing boat with several officers and leaped onto the fishery patrol boat.


    Fortunately, there were no fatalities.


    There were nine people on the sand mining boat, including Wu Dacheng. They were all rescued and had their hands cuffed behind their backs with stic ties around their thumbs. They were then crammed into the small cabin of the fishery patrol boat. When the deputy director came aboard, he saw the small cabin, less than five square meters, packed with people like sardines in a can; Wu Dacheng''s face was pressed against the window, pleading with the deputy director for help.


    "What exactly happened?" the deputy director asked with a slight frown, addressing the staff of the fishery patrol boat.


    Chu stood out, first rifying his identity, and then narrated the day''s events to the deputy director in full detail. During the illegal sand mining, the sand mining boat likely sucked up a bomb left over from World War II, resulting in arge hole in the ship that caused it to sink.


    Illegal sand mining and capturing nationally protected ss I wildlife, caught red-handed with irrefutable evidence, Wu Dacheng had no way to deny the charges.


    If it were just these two charges, Wu Dacheng might have found a way to wriggle out of them. But add an explosion to the mix, and the math wasn''t as simple as 1+1=2.


    In recent years, environmental protection had consistently been a hot topic. "Illegal sand mining boat explodes, stealing national protected animals" would quickly ferment into an explosive news story whenbined.


    As expected, no sooner had the deputy director rified the situation than calls came in from the leaders of the county. Yangchuan City TV Station and Jiangjin City TV Station from the capital, both having received the videos shot by Liang Shi, called one after the other, requesting interviews.


    Discover hidden stories at My Virtual Library Empire


    "Professor Chu, it wasrades from your Agricultural Science Academy who first reported the emergency, and you also provided the firsthand evidence. Having witnessed the entire process on the scene, the county has asked me to express their thanks on their behalf. Also, several media outlets want to conduct interviews. As the parties involved, our police force hopes you can join us," the deputy director said.


    Professor Chu waved his hand dismissively, "No need to thank me. I, too, rushed over after receiving the news. If anyone deserves thanks, it''s thisrade here. Look, this is Mr. Su, Deputy Director of Yangchuan City Zoo. He''s young and strong, with a wealth of experience. He has been involved from the beginning to the end of the whole affair and even risked boarding the vessel to negotiate with the other side. In the end, he was the one who rescued the people. He should represent us."


    "Mr. Song..." Su Ming asked tentatively.


    "It''s the era of you young people now; us old folks should have bowed out a long time ago. Besides, you are the true hero of the day," Mr. Song said with a chuckle.


    "Pleased to meet you, and I thank you for your help!" the deputy director shook hands with Su Ming enthusiastically and said, "This Wu Dacheng got what he deserved. To be frank, we''ve had our eye on him for a long time. This man is notorious in the town, suspected of various legal infractions, and we''ve been looking for solid evidence against him. He''s very cunning, with strong counter-surveince capabilities, and is careful and meticulous, leaving us very few clues. The reason why we haven''t acted against this sand mining operation was to lull him into a false sense of security, to avoid spooking him. With the evidence you''ve provided today, we can create an entry point to conduct a thorough investigation!"


    While listening to the deputy director, Su Ming nodded with a slight smile, certain about one thing - Wu Dacheng was in for a world of trouble!


    "So how should I cooperate with the police?" Su Ming asked in the end.


    The deputy directorughed and said, "By procedure, we may need to trouble you to go back with us and record a statement detailing the event. Additionally, during the uing media press conference, when facing interviews, I hope we can keep our stories aligned."


    "Understood, you can count on that," Su Ming assured.


    "Ha! Mr. Su, you are indeed a straightforward person. No wonder the two esteemed colleagues hold you in such high regard," the deputy director chuckled, patting Su Ming on the shoulder and then said, "Deputy Director Su, you''re not just a witness. You risked your life to protect wildlife. That''s an act of heroism, and it deserves proper publicity and des!"@@novelbin@@


    "Cracking down on criminals, upholding social harmony and justice!" Su Ming said with a grin, "I ought to present you with a banner of honor."

 Chapter 378 Accident

    ```


    Is the giant panda in trouble? Upon hearing this, Suming''s scalp buzzed with rm. Read new chapters at My Virtual Library Empire


    Yangchuan City Zoo had giant pandas years ago and even built a Panda House, not far from Xiongshan. Later, the pandas of Yangchuan City were ''borrowed'' to the Capital Zoo to support the capital''s development and never returned. Since then, the Panda House at Yangchuan City Zoo had been left empty.


    The two giant pandas Yingying and Lele from Xiangjiang now reside in the Panda House, cared for by the zookeeper Li from Xiongshan. After the arrival of the two pandas, they caused quite a sensation in Yangchuan City, attracting arge number of visitors in a short time.


    These two pandas lived a life akin to immortals, being treated like ancestors by the zoo; they were so pampered that even wishing for the stars seemed modest. Their daily food expenses were several times higher than Suming''s budget as the deputy director. Someone was always sent to check on their health, and to prevent them from getting anxious, specialists were hired to apany the pandas at the Panda House¡ªthis so-called ytime involved being used as climbing poles for the two cuddly creatures.


    Li was an experienced manager, and his tone sounded quite grave.


    If it were any other animal, it wouldn''t be as serious, but these two giant pandas were too significant. They were not only national treasures but also ********. Initially, lending them to Yangchuan City Zoo was meant to promote friendship between the two parties. What if something terrible happened to them?!


    Moreover, the Panda House was always live-streaming, so if something really did happen to the pandas, it would be impossible to cover up.


    "Li, immediately turn off the cameras in the Panda House. I''m on my way now!" Suming had no time to inquire about the pandas'' specific conditions, abruptly ending the call and rushing downstairs from his office.


    As soon as he descended the stairs, he whistled towards the nearby woods, prompting tworge horse heads to pop out.


    Ever since Big Happy Life and Lion Castle Dragon arrived at the zoo, they finally escaped the monotony of their previous life, which revolved around the stable and the racetrack. Besides ying with the alpacas, they usually roamed the zoo at will and sometimes apanied Suming to the back mountains for a stroll. They were free of any ''business'' pressure and in excellent spirits.


    Horses are particrly empathetic creatures. Big Happy Life was Nangong Yan''s mount, and asionally Nangong Huang would ride it too. Recognizing Suming, Big Happy Life snorted and shook its head, turning back into the woods to graze. Lion Castle Dragon trotted over briskly, and without time to saddle up, Suming hugged its thick neck, climbed onto its back, and raced down the zoo''s cobblestone path towards the Panda House.


    "Make way, make way!"


    In the early morning, there weren''t many visitors at the zoo. Seeing someone riding a tall, leggy ck horse charging through caused no panic. Instead, they all stepped aside,ughing and taking photos with their smartphones. Lion Castle Dragon was clearly a purebred racehorse of high caliber, far surpassing the old horses usually seen at tourist spots for photo ops, which were rarely seen in the city.


    Horse riding is a rather luxurious sport for the average citizen, and even a mid-range domestic horse club has a membership system, with annual fees starting in the tens of thousands at the very least.


    Passing through the main park area and reaching the Panda House at the northeast corner, Li was already waiting at the door. Suming dismounted, rubbed Lion Castle Dragon''srge head, signaling it not to wander off, and then strode into the Panda House, asking, "What''s the situation?"


    Li followed behind, "Lele has been lethargic all day and its food intake has noticeably decreased. Sometimes it just sits there for half a day without moving."


    A sense of dread hit Suming, "And Yingying?"


    "Digging holes..." Li said with a gloomy face. "It''s dug severalrge holes in the ground."


    "Digging holes?" Suming and Li were both professionals in the field of animals. Hearing this, Suming''s face turned pale.


    Giant pandas, like other ancientrge animals, have a certain spiritual awareness. When they sense their lives nearing an end, they exhibit behaviors like what Li had just described, looking for suitable burial ces by digging holes as one of the methods. Lele''s decrease in food intake and inactivity could likely mean it was ill. Just like humans, being sick could lead to a loss of appetite and energy.


    "Could our luck be this bad?!" The lifespan of these pandas was only equivalent to that of a human adult, not even middle-aged byparison. Logically, they still had many years before reaching the end of their natural lives.


    Could it be that aftering to the zoo, they suffered from the change in environment and diet, or was it because visitors threw in unclean food?


    "Have you checked?"


    "We haven''t done any instrumental checks yet. I thought I''d have you take a look first and then decide." Now the pandas were the apple of the zoo''s eye, and Li didn''t dare to be negligent. Upon noticing something amiss, he didn''t dare make decisions on his own and immediately sought advice from Suming.


    Suming pushed open thest gate briskly. The interior of the Panda House covered about an acre, with lush green grass and a small pond. Trees were nted in the middle of thewn as the weather got hotter to provide shade and a cool retreat for the pandas.


    In the tree shade, there was a small ''yground'' with a slide and a swing set.


    The swing was actually made of two ropes holding up arge rubber tire, hanging only about thirty centimeters above the ground, a yground that the two chubby pandas could easily climb onto.


    Lele was sitting on the tire swing listlessly, head drooping, forearms hanging over its belly, looking profoundly troubled.


    Thewn was riddled with holes of various sizes. Not far from Lele, the ck and white striped *** wiggled and squirmed above ground, with dirt flying everywhere: Yingying was digging holes.


    "That''s not right!" Seeing Yingying energetically digging, Suming felt that something was off.


    It''s true thatrge animals approaching death would arrange their affairs, but their movements would be slow and sluggish, after all, they were close to dying and would hardly be in high spirits. Who, on the verge of death, would be so cheerful? There had been no word that giant pandas experienced moments of returned vitality.


    Seeing Suming approaching, Lele, who had been brooding with its head down, nced up at Suming from a distance and then,cking any vigor, lowered its head again, rocking sluggishly on the big tire.


    ```


    "Yingying, stop digging ande over here!" Suming yelled as he strode towards Yingying, who was busy burrowing a hole.


    ****** In a blink, Yingying crawled out of the hole, her ck and white head mottled with patches of mud and grass,pletely filthy, walking in a slightlyical pigeon-toed manner. She wobbled over to Suming, stood on her hind legs, and hugged his thighs.


    "Careful, careful!" Every time those two pandas hugged his legs, Suming felt a surge of panic. When they stood on their hind legs, they were nearly as tall as his waist, and their front paws would wrap just around the roots of his thighs. If their sharp ws were careless even in the slightest, scraping across, he might as well start practicing the Sunflower Manual and take the path of dominating the martial world.


    However, seeing that Yingying was still rather lively, Suming felt somewhat relieved. He used his spiritual power to check on them, and both pandas'' vital signs were very robust. They didn''t seem to be sick.


    "What''s wrong with your wife? Did you two have a fight?" Suming picked up Yingying, who clung to him like an oversized ko, grabbing onto Suming with her limbs.


    "Woof woof..." Yingying made a sound simr to that of a small dog.


    The vocal cords of pandas were strange; they could produce a variety of sounds, like the crying of human infants, the squeaking of little mice, and even sounds resembling those of dogs and sheep. The only sounds they couldn''t make were the meows of cats or the roars like those of a bear.


    ''Woof woof'' suggested that Yingying was in a good mood, probably because she had seen Suming.


    When Lele saw Suming hugging Yingying and approaching, she actually turned her body away, presenting her back to the two of them.


    "What exactly is going on?" Suming grew even more curious. Lele was usually very yful, and under normal circumstances, would have pounced on him long ago. Even if there had been a disagreement with Yingying, there was no need for her to ignore him as well.


    Yingying jumped down from Suming''s arms, sat down with a plop on the grass, then got up and shook off the grass from her behind. She went over to Lele, raised her front paws to pry at Lele''s body, attempting to turn her around. But Lele seemed unwilling to pay her any attention and twisted away.


    Yingying was quite clever; unable to move Lele, she simply stuck her butt out and used her head to knock over the little swing.


    Lele tumbled off with a rolling motion, spun a couple of times, and ended up lying on her back in front of Suming.


    "Huh? What''s happening? Scared enough to pee?"


    Suming, with his keen eyes, immediately noticed a wet patch beneath Lele''s belly, which looked like she had urinated.


    That location was her reproductive organs. Lele seemed somewhat embarrassed, quickly covering her belly with her paws, not wanting Suming to see.


    "Why are you embarrassed for goodness'' sake! Do you think I''m going to eat your tofu?!" Suming squatted down irritably and pinched Lele''s t round ears. Lele ''baa baa baa'' bleated displeasedly and lifted her paw to swipe away Suming''s hand.


    With that, Suming got a clear look at the bottom of Lele''s abdomen, which was coated with a sticky and damp secretion.


    Suming''s eyes lit up, and he yelled without turning his head back, "No way! Li, Li,e quickly, get the vet over here with the equipment!"


    "Alright, alright!" Li turned and ran to call the medical office.


    ...


    It wasn''t long before the veterinarian arrived with the diagnostic equipment.


    As Suming watched the veterinarian take out tools from a small box, he threatened, "If you pull out another Isatis root, I''ll fire you!"


    "Boss, I drink it myself," the vet pulled out a small thermos cup containing soaked Isatis root from hisb coat, leisurely sipping a few mouthfuls before using the equipment to examine Lele.


    Hormones, excrement, blood... After a series of tests, the veterinarian gave a result that matched what Suming had guessed earlier.


    Lele was pregnant.


    "Oh, I see! That day the robber fell into the zoo, they were in the middle of panda mating. Everyone thought the mating was interrupted by the robber, but actually, the mating had beenpleted by the time the robber fell down. It''s likely that they conceived during that instance!"


    "But shouldn''t pandas'' activity levels increase significantly when they''re pregnant?" Li asked, puzzled on the side.


    "Theoretically, that''s the case," the veterinarian saidzily. "But depression can also ur, just like with humans. The little girl wasn''t mentally prepared at all, got pregnant by ident, and was scared."


    "Ah?!" Li blurted out without thinking, "Then, should we consider abortion, painless abortion?"@@novelbin@@


    "I''ll punch you first!" Sumingughed in exasperation.


    Luck was in their favor; pandas have a mating season of only a few days per year, and the odds of conception are pitifully low. Now that such a fortunate event had happened on his watch, the future cubs of Yingying and Lele, once they are to return to Xiangjiang Ocean Park, would certainly have to stay.

 Chapter 379 Let Her Be Alone for a While

    Atst, the situation had been rified; the pandas'' recent abnormal behavior was not due to any illness, and they certainly weren''t going to die.


    Panda Lele was pregnant, and as a "young panda" who had never been pregnant before, she seemed to be having trouble adjusting to the change for the first time. She was somewhat at a loss and felt shy, which had little to do with depression.


    As for why Yingying was digging holes everywhere, Suming couldn''t exin it. Lele was in a bad mood and wouldn''t y with it, so maybe it was just amusing itself?


    Zookeeper Li was still somewhat uncertain and asked the vet with doubts, "Did you check thoroughly? Don''t make aughingstock of us."


    There had been incidents in other zoos where a panda was diagnosed as pregnant, and the entire zoo staff had hustled about, even the news media getting anxious, only to find out in the end that the panda wasn''t pregnant at all but was ''fake pregnant'' to get better food treatment.


    The doctors couldn''t to me for this; the panda embryos are very small, and with the current level of technology, detecting embryos in a panda''s belly is a very difficult task. Consequently, the diagnosis could only be roughly inferred based on experience, from the panda''s daily performance and secretion conditions.


    From a certain perspective, pandas have high intelligence, with human-like ''emotions,'' including happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy, and can even be genuinely ''depressed.'' Therefore, even a non-pregnant panda could show symptoms of pregnancy, such as eating less, nesting, and being listless.


    Even if Lele was pregnant, since conception, it had been a short period of less than a month, which increased the difficulty of confirmation.


    The veterinarian couldn''t be certain, yet Suming was unhesitant to say, "Real or not, we must treat it as real. Li, write a report today to apply for installing air conditioning in the panda enclosure and to improve the nutritional quality of the diet, no matter the cost. I''ll approve the report!"


    The veterinarians couldn''t be sure, but now Suming was more than 90% confident that Lele was indeed pregnant. During and after the examination by the veterinarian, he hadmunicated with Lele several times through spiritual power. With the link of spiritual power, Lele couldn''t lie to him.


    The reason he said over 90% sure rather than 100% was because Lele herselfcked this experience; she could only give feedback to Suming based on her own physical condition, and she couldn''t be certain herself. Of course, even without experience and being careless, it was highly unlikely for Lele to be mistaken about something like this.


    Lele''s pregnancy was certainly a joyous event. The main reason pandas are so rare and difficult to breed inrge quantities is their poor reproductive capabilities. Female pandas have only one ovtion period in a year,sting just two or three days, and the eggs survive for a mere 30-something hours. In other words, mating within these few hours is the only chance for sessful fertilization.


    Male pandas, on the other hand, generally face an awkward problem: poor capability for mating. This has nothing to do with their physical fitness or manliness; it seems that nature has decreed the male members of the panda species to be weak in this regard.


    Not only are they weak, but male pandas also aren''t particrly interested in mating. They prefer ying instead.


    Perhaps male pandas think that rather than mating, they might as well dig a hole or eat some bamboo...


    Many seemingly formidable animals, like lions, also have simr predicaments where their mating onlysts for a few seconds. Suming had seen the male lions in the zoo more than once, barely getting on the female and promptly losing their armor and surrendering.


    Nowadays, it''s rare for pandas in major zoos to be pregnant, and on the off chance it happens, it is mostly through artificial insemination as natural pregnancies are extremely rare.


    Moreover, panda cubs are incredibly fragile at birth and can easily die for various reasons. Panda mothers don''t know how to care for their young, and the mortality rate of panda cubs exceeds 80%. Of course, Suming wouldn''t let such a thing happen; if a panda cub were born, he would surely protect it with spiritual power throughout.


    "There''s one more thing," Suming said with seriousness, "it must be kept secret!"


    "Understood!" Li and the veterinarian both nodded emphatically.


    If Ocean Park found out now that Lele was pregnant, there''s no telling what they might think. It''s better to keep it secret.


    Suming asked the veterinarian, "How long is a panda''s pregnancy, typically?"


    "Wild ones are about four months to half a year, while those in captivity are usually about a month shorter," the veterinarian said.


    "Got it, I understand. During this period, pay extra attention ande regrly to the panda enclosure to check on Lele''s health," Suming said.


    "Understood, rest assured. Starting from today, I will take care of her as if she''s my girlfriend. No, I''ll treat her even better than a girlfriend," the veterinarian pointed at Lele, who had climbed back onto the swing and looked dejected.


    Suming asked with some concern, "You don''t have a girlfriend, do you?"


    Veterinarian: "..." Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire@@novelbin@@


    "I''m going back to haggle with Xiangjiang Ocean Park and try to extend the borrowing period by another four months." It had already been half a month, and after doing the math, Suming figured he needed to "renew" for at least four more months.


    After briefly discussing the uing tasks with the veterinarian and Li, Suming prepared to leave and head to the office to negotiate with the staff from Xiangjiang Park.


    He had barely taken a few steps when Panda Yingying ran up from behind and wrapped herself around his legs, refusing to let him go.


    "What''s up?" Suming was startled.


    Aftermunicating with Yingying using his spiritual power, Suming was at a loss for words. Since Lele got pregnant, she had be toozy to move and her temper had turned quite peculiar¡ªshe wasn''t ying with Yingying anymore. Yingying found the panda enclosure too boring and wanted Suming to keep herpany.


    Li would sometimese in to y with the two pandas, but after all, he was human. After severalmunications through spiritual power, to the two pandas, Suming seemed more like one of their own kind. When it came to ying, they had more fun with Suming.


    Sumingughed helplessly to himself. No wonder giant pandas struggle to reproduce¡ªit wasn''t just a physiological issue.


    This panda couple didn''t at all act like they were about to be parents. The wife got pregnant, and the husband''s first reaction was ''It''s so boring to have no one to y with''; on the other hand, the reason for Lele''s gloominess seemed to be ''I can''t have fun ying because I don''t feel well.'' Totally heartless.


    But Suming didn''t have time to spend all day in the panda enclosure. He wanted to refuse Yingying''s unreasonable request, but the creature looked at him with itsrge, watery, pitch-ck eyes, making strange ''ying-ying'' noises and appeared quite pitiful.


    "Alright, alright, stop with the cute act and feeling sorry for yourself. I promise you," Suming bent down, picked up Yingying in his arms, and nodded at Li, "I''ll take her out for a few days so she won''t keep digging holes all the time."


    "What?!" Li was nearly pushed to the edge. What was the director thinking,ing up with one idea after another? If something happened to Yingying outside, wouldn''t he, as the manager, be in a world of trouble?


    The veterinarian remainedpletely nonchnt, looking over at Lele who sat idly on the swing not too far away and spoke in a rxed tone, "I think it''s a good idea. Let her have some quiet time alone; it''s beneficial for nurturing the fetus."

 Chapter 380 Growth Against Common Sense

    Panda Yingying is really quite hefty, with a heft on the arms that suggests it has exceeded a hundred pounds. It''s only because Suming has gotten much stronger now. In the past, he wouldn''t have been able to lift this tubby one at all.


    Moreover, the little rascal is not being cooperative, wriggling ceaselessly in Suming''s arms, its short legs stepping on his arms to climb up, and its bear paws turned Suming''s hairstyle into aplete mess.


    Suming, carrying Yingying, stepped out of the panda house and whistled. The Lion-ridge Dragon, which was close by destroying public property by eating grass, came trotting over with elegant horse steps.


    Seeing Yingying, the Lion-ridge Dragon''s big eyes were full of curiosity as it stretched itsrge head to touch this fluffy ball of fur.


    Yingying was also very curious about this big fellow, stepping on Suming''s arm, half of its body leaning forward, using its thick bear paw to rub the Lion-ridge Dragon''s head.


    Suming was startled; the Lion-ridge Dragon was notoriously temperamental. Ordinary people, except for Suming, dared not touch it¡ªlet alone pat its head. Even Nangong Yan was no exception. Slightly annoy it, and it would spit a mouthful of saliva¡ªwhich it surely learned from those alpacas. Now, with Suming holding Yingying, if it spat at them, wouldn''t he also be out of luck?


    To his surprise, the Lion-ridge Dragon just snortedfortably and shook its head, seemingly enjoying it, and lowered its head to nuzzle Yingying willingly.


    It seems that pandas indeed have a significant charm; even the temperamental Lion-ridge Dragon was won over.


    Mounting the creature, with Panda Yingying sitting in front, Suming held the reins with both arms like arge safety barrier, protecting Yingying in between. With a slight squeeze of his legs, the Lion-ridge Dragon began walking back towards the office building with small, precise steps, its hooves creating a delicate ticking sound on the zoo''s gravel paths.


    Not far off, a little girl saw this scene and eximed in a youthful voice of surprise, "Mommy, look, the giant panda is riding a horse!"


    Along the way, the visitors nearly thought their eyes were ying tricks on them. A person and a panda, riding regally on a splendid horse through the zoo, was even more exaggerated than a circus act. Many even forgot to pull out their phones to take pictures, mouths agape at the spectacle.@@novelbin@@


    Yingying and the Lion-ridge Dragon both loved the bustle. As the old saying goes, they went wild with the attention, incredibly pleased with being the center of attention.


    The Lion-ridge Dragon held its head high and chest out, its small steps as though performing a formal dressage, asionally shaking its long mane, fluttering in the wind, eliciting a few infatuated gasps of admiration.


    Yingying appeared quiteposed, waving its little paws at the surrounding visitors like a leader inspecting work. But its two short legs, braced against the saddle and trying hard to stand, betrayed its inner excitement.


    "Comrades, make way, please make way, don''t disrupt the normal order!" Suming, on horseback, waved his work ID, his voice hoarse from shouting. He finally managed to carve a ''bloody path'' through the crowd. The journey of less than a kilometer between the office building and the panda house took almost forty minutes because of the continuous stream of tourists wanting to take photos, stopping them in their tracks.


    Once they reached the office building, arge crowd of followers had been left trailing behind, almost ready to encircle the zoo''s administrative department. Dong arrived with four security guards from the security department, barely managing to keep the situation under control.


    "Oh my! Director, why have you brought this fellow out?" Dong''s eyelids twitched twice when he saw Yingying.


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    "Who knew its lethality could be so strong." Suming hadn''t expected it to attract so many people, Panda Yingying and Lele did draw in a lot of visitors during their time at the panda enclosure, but there was never such a sea of humanity before, and the tourists'' enthusiasm was nothing like this.


    This served as a wake-up call for Suming. Although pandas are an exception, this also demonstrated that wildlife parks are more popr, andpared to animals locked in cages that can only be watched from a distance, visitors much prefer being able to interact with animals up close.


    In Suming''s ns, one direction for the development of the zoo in the future was to establish a wildlife park, located behind the mountain.


    At present, conditions are not quite ripe. The only truly wild creatures are Huiya''s pack of dogs. The fox fairies don''t even qualify, as they spend most of their time engaged in feudal superstitious activities; this gang of sly foxes seems to rather enjoy fortune-telling and blessing for people, delighted with their work every day. The snake garden is only semi-wild as well.


    Given the opportunity, they could release some non-aggressive animals into the wild in the back mountain little by little and gradually build the wildlife park.


    However, the pressing matter at hand is not the wildlife park.


    Upon entering his office, Suming set Yingying down and pped its backside, "Go y by yourself, don''t run off." Taking it out of the panda enclosure was already a huge privilege, and Suming wouldn''t dare let it roam freely. It had to be within his sight, so he promptly closed the door.


    The office wasn''trge, and everything in it was incredibly novel to Yingying. It looked around curiously, took a couple of bites on the fake bamboo in the corner, found out it didn''t taste right, then wiggled its butt and climbed onto the sofa.


    Suming ignored it and sat down behind his desk, turning on theputer.


    Before receiving Li''s call, Suming was dealing with a document from Xiangjiang Ocean Park about the condition of two pandas; now he continued his work.


    Hepleted the document in the shortest time possible and sent it to the contact person''s email, then logged into QQ and contacted the Ocean Park''s personnel responsible for pandas.


    Suming had previously thought that Xiangjiang would use messaging software like MSN, but it turned out they also used QQ and WeChat, and in recent years, QQ and WeChat had be increasingly popr in Xiangjiang, even overtaking Facebook in usage frequency. This showed the growing influence of the maind on Xiangjiang, subtly infiltrating every aspect of the lives of people in Xiangjiang.


    Suming had a brief chat with them about the pandas'' recent life in the zoo and was about to suggest extending the pandas'' loan period by a few months.


    Unexpectedly, they took the initiative to propose that they hoped the pandas could stay at the Yangchuan City Zoo for a while longer.


    Being eagerly sought after is no trade, Suming was taken aback, what was going on?


    "Mr. Su, it''s like this. ording to our statistics, since the two pandas arrived at Yangchuan City Zoo, our Ocean Park''s webpage views have increased by 0.42%, and our ticket revenue has also seen a slight risepared to the same period. Thus, the board of directors has decided we hope the pandas can continue to stay at Yangchuan City Zoo, of course, not for too long, just six months."


    Suming was even more perplexed, how could this be? Is it possible that he was mistaken, that the people of Xiangjiang and the world actually detested pandas, and that these lovable animals were so detestable that Ocean Park''s poprity had gone up a little bit when they were gone?

 Chapter 381 The Little Plane Has Arrived!

    ording to the other party''s information, webpage traffic increased by 0.45%, and there was a modest increase in ticket sales. These two pieces of data may seem unimpressive at first nce, giving the impression that they were indeed ''very small''.


    However, in reality, Xiangjiang Ocean Park, whether in terms of webpage traffic or ticket revenue, had such an enormous base that it was terrifying. It was on apletely different level from Yangchuan City Zoo, or even Capital Zoo.


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    On such a vast base, even a tiny increase was extremely difficult, especially for webpage traffic.


    Ocean Park ultimately concluded that the increase in visitors was due to Suming''s battle with the hostage-takers at Ocean Park, and the growth in traffic was because of Yangchuan City Zoo''s online streaming tform.


    Of course, thetter could also contribute to visitor growth, but the vast majority of the streaming tform''s viewers were mainders who were merely following Ocean Park online. Turning this attention into travel-rted ticket revenue would still require time to build up.


    Suming logged into the streaming tform, opened the data statistics from the backend, and Panda Yingying''s live broadcast was consistently ranked in the top ten among all rooms.


    No wonder, the live broadcast brought poprity not only to Panda Yingying but also to its host, Ocean Park. It''s no surprise that Ocean Park hoped the panda could stay in the zoo for a while longer. This was essentially free advertising, and the effect was quite impressive.


    These capitalists in Xiangjiang go by the book too much. They calcted every cent of the rental fee at the beginning, but there''s no denying they still honored the spirit of the contract. They proposed a n topensate the zoo for extending the rental period: not only waiving the rental fee but also providing a monthly sum for the zoo''s animal upkeep.


    Suming dly epted their offer, chuckling to himself at how meticulously these people crunched their numbers.


    Mutually beneficial coboration. Suming had been considering how to persuade them to agree to an extension, but the issue was resolved so easily.


    Speaking of which, Xiangjiang Ocean Park may be rigid in approach, but they disyed a true sense of professionalism. They even had a dedicated data analysis department that could not only detect minor fluctuations in website traffic but also analyze the causes and adjust operational strategies ordingly.


    No wonder their enterprises grew so strong. Modern management isn''t just about spending money on high-endputers or redesigning the office to look like a spaceship. It''s a philosophy of management, not a superficial show of modernity.


    Inparison, zoos on the maind fell short by a considerable margin. Take Yangchuan City Zoo for instance: the only data monitoring capability they currently had was their streaming tform, and that was limited to simply monitoring data, without any analysis.


    Times change rapidly, and we are now in the era of big data. Merely utilizing modernworking equipment is far from enough.


    "Hey, Shen," Suming thought for a moment, then dialed Shen Yan, the head of the streaming tform, to discuss his ideas.


    Shen Yan, being a professional, immediately understood Suming''s point after hearing him out.


    "Su, I would''ve never expected a biologist like yourself toe up with this. Indeed, forward-thinking!" Shen Yan praised over the phone before getting to the heart of the matter, "Data mining and analysis is definitely the trend. While the technology itself isn''t difficult, the challenge lies in getting technical personnel who are well-versed in the knowledge of the industry from which the data is provided, involving interdisciplinary research. Moreover, even though this work greatly aids business operation, it''s time-consuming andbor-intensive. Unlike production or business activities, where you can see immediate tangible benefits, manyrgepanies are reluctant to undertake it."


    "Don''t worry, Shen, I''ve got it all figured out. You go ahead with it freely, and for the industry knowledge that''s needed, I will have zoo staff work alongside the technical personnel," Suming said.


    Although he didn''t understand the specifics of technology, the practices of Ocean Park inspired Suming greatly. How does a business know if they are doing well, what their strengths and weaknesses are, what needs to be adjusted, and how to adjust it?


    These things couldn''t just depend on leaders making wild guesses; there had to be solid evidence for support. And the analysis and mining of various business data were the most direct guiding lights, providing effective evidence for enterprise operations and decision-making, thus helping businesses avoid taking detours.


    Ocean Park was the best example. Maybe there didn''t seem to be any benefit in the short term, but in the long run, it was necessary to start working on this area ahead of time, even to the extent of establishing a specialized department eventually. At the end of the day, it not only reduced the workload of the leaders but also ensured the effectiveness of the work.


    While he was thinking about this, he suddenly felt something was amiss.


    The office was unexpectedly quiet!


    That''s not right. How could it be so quiet in the office when Panda Yingying was notoriously mischievous?


    He looked up and Panda Yingying was gone!


    Suming got a shock. The doors and windows were closed, so where could Yingying have run off to?


    His gaze swept across the office, and upon closer inspection, Suming almostughed. Yingying was lying on the couch in the office... The couch had a cover, which of course reflected the unique style of the zoo with a new one put on every week, printed with various animals. This week''s couch cover had a ck and white panda pattern, no wonder he didn''t see Yingying at first nce. The little guy lying on the couch was basically camouged...


    Yingying wasn''t just lying on the couch; she also had an unlit cigarette in her mouth, staring at Suming behind the desk with a look of indescribable loneliness.


    "What a thing to learn, learning to smoke from people?!" Suming quickly extinguished the cigarette butt in his hand in the ashtray, went over, and snatched the unlit cigarette from Yingying''s mouth, confiscating it along with the half pack of cigarettes on the coffee table in front of the couch.


    Yingying was immediately upset, bleating and wriggling on the couch back and forth.


    "Rolling won''t help!" Suming red and thought to himself, suppose a panda learned to smoke and got hooked on nicotine, what if it ended up dying of lung cancer? Wouldn''t I be a national sinner?@@novelbin@@


    The couch was only forty to fifty centimeters wide, and Yingying rolled too zealously. She moved too much and, with a tilt of her body, thumped off the couch. She didn''t seem to feel pain and continued to roll around on the thick carpet, bleating while rolling, just like a child who wants candy but is refused by an adult, throwing a tantrum.


    "You are even spoiled now!" Suming wasn''t in a hurry. He poured himself a cup of tea and casually crossed his legs, leisurely saying, "Keep rolling, get up when you''ve had enough."


    Seeing that Suming was not swayed by her antics, Yingying had no choice but to climb up with a dissatisfied "woo..." sound and unhappily sit down with her head down against the wall.


    "Don''t sit there like a fool. You are already fat; sitting still all day, you''ll turn into a pig. Come, walk with me." After dealing with the official business, Suming pinched Yingying''s round ears and prepared to take her out.


    They had just left the office when a loud ''buzzing'' noise came from above; amid the roar of the engine, a bright yellow Hummingbird 206 helicopter appeared in the sky above the office building. The propeller caused a strong airflow, blowing scraps of paper all over the ce on the ground, and slowly descended outside the office building.


    Zhao Yun popped his head out from the co-pilot seat and shouted towards Suming. The noise from the helicopter was so loud that not a single word could be heard clearly.


    Fortunately, Suming didn''t need to hear him to guess what was happening: The helicopter had arrived!

 Chapter 382 Patrolling the Domain

    Spending more money can make things happen faster. The Hummingbird 206 helicopter that Suming had chosen to purchase, a small imported aircraft, could normally be obtained within half a year if all the proper procedures were followed¡ªthat''s already considered fast. At the suggestion of Zhao Yun, he found a domestic purchasingpany to handle the matter. He paid a service fee, plus an additional rush fee. What would have taken half a year was now aplished in just one month.


    This is just like buying a car. For many popr models, if you don''t pay extra for immediate delivery, the salesperson will tell you how hot the car is selling, how tight the inventory is, and that you''ll need to wait in line for three months or even half a year. But if you are willing to pay an extra twenty thousand yuan, then bam,e pick up your car next week.


    Every staff member of the zoo in the office building was leaning over the corridor railing, pointing and discussing the helicopter that hadnded below, thinking maybe some rich guy hade to woo ady. A couple of the female ountants, both of whom were of marriageable age, teased each other asking when one had snagged such a wealthy beau. In the whole office building, they were the only females of a suitable age¡ªthough the medical center also had some young nurses, it was too far from the office. Clearly, the ''big shot'' who came in the ne wasn''t there for the nurses.


    After watching themotion for a few seconds, they saw Suming rush onto the helicopter.


    The crowd suddenly realized that the biggest tycoon, the wealthy beau in the entire zoo, was none other than Mr. Su.


    "Mrs. Tong, that chubby, round, ck and white ''thing'' that Mr. Su is holding, it looks like a panda!" A junior ountant rubbed her eyes, unsure, as she asked Mrs. Tong.


    "Mind your own business! Can''t a leader bring a panda for an inspection?" Mrs. Tong waved her hand dismissively, "Scatter, scatter. Go back to whatever you were doing."@@novelbin@@


    The noise instion of the Hummingbird 206 was mediocre, mainly because the roar of the helicopter''s motor was too loud. Fortunately, once inside the cabin, they could finally hear each other speak. Suming greeted the pilot, "Hey, Tony, long time no see!"


    The pilot was a blond-haired, blue-eyed young man in his early twenties, whom he had met in early May. He was also the horse trainer of Lioncastle Dragons, that young man from Xiangjiang who was studying and working part-time as a horse trainer, Tony. Although his horse training skills were average, he had multiple other talents. Not only could he train horses, but he also had a license to pilot small helicopters¡ªa truly multi-talented individual.


    When Tony saw the panda in Suming''s arms, his eyes nearly popped out and his mouth hung open for a full two or three seconds before he managed to exim, "If I''m not mistaken... is that a panda?"


    "Should I praise your extensive knowledge, or your good eyesight?" Suming chuckled, "Of course, it''s a panda."


    Zhao Yun was somewhat surprised too, but having been around Suming for a long time, he had developed some immunity to Suming''s habit of causing a sensation. He patted Tony on the shoulder, "Let''s take off, my Italian friend. I hope you can concentrate on flying, not on this panda."


    "Oh, oh..." Panda Yingying, whether she understood Zhao Yun''s words or not, sat in the back seat and let out a threatening roar at Zhao Yun, which, regrettably, wasn''t scary at all.


    "O, MY GOD. What a crazy country, but I''m kind of falling in love with it, ha ha!" Tony shrugged his shoulders, turned his head to look straight ahead, one hand on the control stick, and the other rapidly pressing a few buttons on the veryplex dashboard, "Mr. Su, please fasten your seat belt, and don''t forget to strap in Mr. Panda, as well!"


    You get what you pay for. The world''s smallest Mosquito helicopter can only amodate one person, and its cockpit is even smaller than a two-box Chang''an Benni, making it quite ufortable to sit in with one''s body hunched up. But this Hummingbird 206, its interior space could almost rival that of a mid-sized off-road vehicle, where sitting in the back seat was not cramped at all. Skillfully, Suming buckled himself in with the seatbelt and found another one to loop over Yingying''s plump belly.


    Yingying wriggled a bit, seemingly ufortable with the human-designed safety belt which sat too high on her body.


    "Ha ha, in the future I''ll go on Taobao and buy you a child''s car seat!" Suming rubbed Yingying''s head.


    The engine roared, and the propeller began spinning furiously once more. The helicopter slowly lifted off the ground.


    Suming and Yingying, one on each side, pressed against the windows, peering down through the ss, the view bing wider and wider. The Hummingbird hovered about thirty meters in the air and stopped climbing, rapidly bringing the majority of the zoo into view.


    If one were to recklessly aim for the sky, more robust civilian helicopters could break two thousand meters, and armed helicopters like the famed Apache could even reach six thousand meters. Continue your saga on My Virtual Library Empire


    However, the main purpose of helicopters is to assist on the ground with low-altitude operations and patrolling. Generally, there''s no need to fly too high¡ªas it''s not safe andcks practical significance. You can''t use an Apache to fight fighter jets, so the flying height of ordinary household helicopters is usually no more than two thousand meters. For small civilian helicopters like the Hummingbird 206, they normally fly at about a hundred meters to ensure they don''t hit any tall buildings.


    Suming''s present altitude was almost exactly parallel to the top of Whisperwind Pavilion in the distance. Two women could be seen standing on the outside corridor of the top floor of Whisperwind Pavilion. Squinting and making out their features, one was Hong Feifei, who was even leaning on a crutch, and the other, dressed in a neat ckdies'' suit, was none other than Ding Jing.


    Seeing a helicopter suddenly appear in the sky, both women''s gazes turned this way.


    Suming could guess a thing or two about those two women''s sneaky antics. He couldn''t care less about others'' private affairs. After all, he couldn''t forbid his employees from falling in love, could he? What era was it now? Suming wasn''t some feudal patriarch and naturally wouldn''t stop lovers from having secret rendezvous. But by the looks of it, they didn''t seem to be having a secretive meeting, who on earth has a rendezvous standing eight yards apart?


    Regardless of what they were up to, no matter how much these two dames fussed, they weren''t going to get pregnant...


    Tony asked, "Mr. Su, where are we going?"


    "Is the tank full?" Suming asked.


    "Full, and we have a spare too, can probablyst for about seven hundred kilometers," Tony replied.


    "Let''s first have a look around, then head to Sun Town, I''ll treat you to some Huaxia local specialties!" Suming said loudly.


    "Fantastic, I''m really looking forward to tasting the authentic Huaxia game!" Tony replied without turning his head, giving a thumbs-up, rotated the control stick, and Suming immediately felt a centrifugal force as the helicopter turned around.


    From above, the hundred-acre Shuijun Lake looked just like arge basin, and Shuixie Lake couldn''t even count as a small washbowl.


    As they flew over the zoo area, lush greenery unfolded below them and they entered the back mountains. Tony lowered the altitude, almost skimming over the tops of the trees below. Looking down from the helicopter, it felt like the moving forest,posed of countless trees, streaked past swiftly underneath.


    A few road construction teams were busy working on the mountain.


    The construction work of the Ancient Moon Xian Residence was nearingpletion. From above, one could see the embryo of a small ancient vige, and arge group of foxes dressed in cute little Taoist robes scrambled out of the houses, gathering together to curiously point at the sky as the loud noises roared overhead.


    Outside Chen Youliang''s tomb, some workers were erecting scaffolding, busy with their tasks. Looking down from high above, one could see a dark entrance on the hillside, flickering with dim lights¡ªthat was the illumination from miningmps, creating a somewhat spooky atmosphere.


    The snake park... not a ghost in sight in the snake park, that ce wasn''t fully open yet, the road hadn''t even been paved.


    Further away, a vast bare slope was clearly visible. From this angle, it really looked like a reclining beauty. The construction team for building the hot spring resort had already arrived; batches of stone and timber were hauled up the narrow road, and a small clearing had been made beside the hot spring. From above, it looked like the mountain had gone bald in a small patch, where an excavator stood.


    Howls and barks rose from all around the mountain. The dogs scattered throughout the hills had detected the helicopter, lifting their heads to howl skyward.


    Even further up at the mountain''s mid-slope, it appeared to be enshrouded in a thinyer of mist. Amidst the fog, the silhouettes of ancient structures faintly appeared, even more reminiscent of a legendary paradise in the mountains. Only the trucks that periodically navigated the newly built winding road, transporting raw materials and finished wine, signified that this paradise was generating wealth every minute.


    Everything was thriving, much to Suming''s satisfaction.


    After inspecting the back mountains, the helicopter veered off in a different direction, heading towards the reservoir.


    The back mountain was all okay, and so was the reservoir, where a row of simple wooden houses had been built on thekeside as a temporary residence for the employees of the fisherypany.


    But midway through the flight, Suming noticed something amiss!


    He had encountered the same problem Zhou Jin had faced before: someone was stealing fish!

 Chapter 383 The Arrogant Thief

    The area of the Huating Reservoir is thousands of timesrger than that of Shuijun Lake, and the part of the reservoir used for fish farming alone is over a hundred timesrger than Shuijun Lake. It is almost impossible to keep itpletely under watch.


    In the past, when Zhou Jin raised fish in the reservoir, he adopted rather extreme measures, keeping a bunch of thugs who would beat up anyoneing to fish, adding a ''fine'' on top of a beating, and for those who were actually stealing fish... well, if they beat up those who were just fishing, the fate of the real thieves was even worse.@@novelbin@@


    Suming once asked the bald guy, who had supposedly ''gone straight,''¡ªat least he appeared to have on the surface¡ª and he spoke hesitantly about breaking legs, detaining people, and demanding a pensation'' from the thief''s family.


    However, there are many fishing enthusiasts in Yangchuan City, and with such a vast area of the reservoir, it was impossible to stop everyone with violence alone; the old man, Zhu Chenggui who came to fish, was a case in point. No matter how strictly Zhou Jin guarded it, there were always people who would secretly fish around the reservoir.


    Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    Suming, rather than attempting to plug each leak, allowed the dam to overflow; while raising fish in the reservoir, he also opened it up for fishing businesses, at prices equivalent to the market price of fish. Most people who had the leisure to fish didn''tck those few small coins and were just after some fun; in this way, ''illegal'' fishing was essentially eliminated.


    Even if there were a few who still snuck in to fish, using a rod, they wouldn''t be able to fish away much. What he really feared were those who stole fish, the type who came armed to the teeth, specifically for the catch, even resorting to extreme methods that harmed the environment, stealing hundreds of pounds to a ton at a time.


    These people, whether under the regime of Zhou Jin before or Suming now, were severely cracked down on. It was no different from a thief entering a home; there were consequences if caught.


    The reason Suming hade to the reservoir was not entirely on a whim; Liang Shi had reported to him more than once that after the reservoir gained some fame, gangs often came to steal fish. Liang Shi and his team had tried several times to catch them but never seeded. It was a helpless situation; with such arge reservoir, it was impossible to bepletely guarded against theft¡ªit wasn''t the thievery itself that was feared, it was the fixation of the thieves.


    What Suming saw now was someone stealing fish!


    Below, on the surface of the water, was a simple rubber dinghy; calling it a boat was perhaps not quite right, as it was more urately a simple man-made floating device: a fewrge tires cobbled together, hastily connected by wooden boards, looking like a floating tform on the water with arge trailing behind it.


    From the helicopter thirty meters above, the big dragged by the rubber dinghy below was bulging, already filled with fish.


    There were two men on the boat, wearing long rubber boots; one bent down scooping out granr substances that resembled feed from arge bucket, casting handfuls into the water.


    Fish kept surfacing around the water, as the other man used arge scoop to catch them.


    "Oh, sir, are they feeding the fish? But those fish don''t seem quite right," even Tony, a foreigner who knew nothing about fisheries, could tell something was off.


    Feeding my ass! Suming''s eyelids twitched with anger; the stuff the people below were feeding was not fish feed at all but a chemical with strong narcotic effects. After consuming it, fish would be unconscious and float to the surface.


    If it were just this, it might not be too bad, but the worst part was that this chemical substance would dissolve in the water and affect the water quality of the reservoir, causing fish to be ill! If it were in a water body asrge as Shuixie Lake, a few barrels of such chemicals could cause the entireke''s fish to belly-up and die off by half!


    "Tony, descend, I have to use the loudspeaker!" Suming grabbed themunication device in the helicopter.


    The helicopter slowly descended, almost hovering above the water''s surface, the airflow from the propellers rippling the water below.


    A dozen meters away, the makeshift rubber dinghy, too, was rocked by the wind, and the two fish thieves stopped what they were doing and crouched in the boat, looking towards them.


    Suming opened the aircraft cabin door, revealing half of his body, and shouted with a megaphone, "Who allowed you to fish here? Get on shore and submit to inspection!" Panda Yingying squeezed over from the adjacent seat, poking out its head and baring its teeth at the two people, making a fierce disy.


    The two seemed honest enough, and Suming thought they were local farmers, but it turned out you can''t judge a book by its cover. One of them, seeing the helicopter door open, actually picked up arge fishing harpoon from the rubber boat and gestured at the helicopter with a menacing look, shouting loudly.


    Carried by the wind, one could faintly make out the other party shouting, "Mind your own business... I''ll kill you..."


    This person clearly had no idea who was in the helicopter or their connection to the fisherypany and must have thought some nosy passerby was interfering.


    "Is there now anymore?!" Suming almostughed in anger. Caught red-handed stealing fish and still so arrogant, were they preparing to rob instead?


    If it had been a military helicopter, that person definitely wouldn''t have dared to be so bold, but the Hummingbird 206 was a standard civilian aircraft with no weapons on board. Even though it looked impressive, it was virtually powerless against the shoddy little rubber boat on the water. The other party had recognized this fact and thus dared to be so brazen. Suming obviously couldn''t jump from the aircraft into the water to catch them.


    "Tony, are there any weapons on the aircraft?" Suming asked.


    "No weapons, but I can maneuver the helicopter to fly sideways over the water surface. The propeller is the most powerful weapon; it can shred them and their boat to pieces! Of course, thew and my conscience don''t allow me to do that."


    "Then you''re just talking bullshit!" Suming gave him the finger. Using the helicopter propeller to kill... what a ridiculous idea he hade up with.


    Though the people on the small rubber boat were yelling, they hadn''tpletely lost their minds. The helicopter couldn''t do anything to the shabby boat, and the boat was even less a threat to the helicopter. Having been discovered stealing fish, they naturally greased their heels and hurried to escape. One person continued to curse at the aircraft while paddling the boat toward the shore; another took out a phone and started making calls, likely to gather aplices for a pickup. They couldn''t carry the stolen fish by themselves.


    From their ''retreat'' path, it was clear that these people were seasoned pros with a n in ce! A few dozen meters away was a remote wend, filled with dense trees. Once their boat reached shore, they would be able to escape with the fish, and the helicopter might not even be able to catch them. The fisherypany''s few boats were just small yachts; the water in the wend was too shallow for them to dock. Even if the fisherypany''s people spotted the thieves, they wouldn''t be able to catch up and could only watch helplessly as they got away.


    Suming quickly called Liang Shi and asked him to alert the police and bring over a yacht, then directed Tony to keep up with the Hummingbird.


    The Hummingbird kept hovering about ten meters above the rickety boat, the propeller wind rocking it violently.


    But that was just it, ''rocking violently.'' Besides messing up the hairstyles of the two thieves, it achieved nothing of substance.


    The little boat moved slowly but steadfastly toward the wend. The two thieves even had the audacity to flip the bird at the sky, boldlyughing and taunting the people inside the aircraft!


    "You''re courting death!" Suming suddenly pulled the helicopter cabin door open.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªSeparator¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    They say 2K a chapter is good for mobile reading, so let me give it a try!


    Of course, the total word count won''t be less.

 Chapter 389 385

    Upon opening the storagepartment, he saw two insted anti-static stic barrels. He picked them up and shook them a bit; they were quite heavy. One gallon is about 3.7 liters, so ten gallons are 37 liters¡ªenough to fill half a tank of a small car.


    "Well done, Tony!" Sumingughed heartily.


    "Mr. Su, are you nning to set a fire? Wow, that''s thrilling!" Tony appeared to be the kind of guy who thrived on chaos, excitedly yelling, "Should I fly the ne higher so the gasoline can cover thergest area possible, turning the entireke into a sea of fire? Unleash a super fire spell!"


    The corner of Suming''s mouth twitched in disbelief. This foreigner''s way of thinking was even more unrestrained than his own. The idea of turning the entireke into a sea of fire was indeed exhrating.


    "We''ll save that for next time, dear Tony. After all, thiske is mine!" Sumingughed and unscrewed the lid of the gasoline barrel, pouring it out below.


    The two fish thieves were about to reach the shore, heads down, paddling without looking up again.


    They hade to terms with it, realizing that being drenched with urine was like being raped; since they couldn''t fight back, they might as well ept it... If not enjoy it, at least they could ept it. The fish they''d get to shore could sell for a few thousand bucks,pensating for their wounded spirit.


    All of a sudden, they felt coldness above their heads again. The man with the harpoon initially thought it was urine again and gritted his teeth in anger, thinking, "You little bastard, dousing me with urine. Next time I''ll poison you, poison all your fish in the reservoir!"


    But then, a pungent scent of gasoline spread through the air.


    "Fuck, gasoline! The little bastard is pouring gasoline!"


    The other fish thief yelled, paddling hard to avoid the gasoline falling from above. But it was already toote; almost half a barrel of gasoline, about ten liters, poured down like a torrential downpour, drenching the entire boat and sshing all over their heads and faces.


    At this point, ying the turtle and bearing the humiliation probably wouldn''t work. They could keep their cool after a few sshes of urine, but what was descending from the sky now was gasoline! Any normal person couldn''t help but be afraid.


    The harpoon man instinctively looked up...


    It would have been better if he hadn''t. At the sight, he screamed in terror, scared out of his wits!


    Hovering about fifteen meters above, Suming had an entire row of cigarettes in his mouth, all lit, and the sparks flew chaotically under the propeller''s airstream.


    Those sparks, which could be extinguished with a fart under normal circumstances, looked like deadly ghostly fires in the eyes of the harpoon man at that moment!


    "Fuck, calm the hell down!" The harpoon man screamed, "For fuck''s sake, I just stole some fish from you. Is it worth risking our lives?"


    "Stealing some fish isn''t the problem; the issue is your foul mouth!" Suming gripped the row of lit cigarettes in his hand,ughing into the loudspeaker, "Just a moment ago, I used urine to rinse your mouth, now let''s use fire to burn you clean so you can be a decent human being!"


    "I don''t believe you have the balls to throw it!" The harpoon man shouted vehemently.


    Zhao Yun couldn''t help but tug at Suming on the ne, hinting that he had taken the joke far enough; arson was noughing matter, and if these men ended up burned to death, Suming would be in a lot of trouble.


    But it was toote; Suming nonchntly tossed a cigarette butt out.


    Watching the cigarette butt slowly fall, the harpoon man nearly peed himself with fright. Had the kid lost his mind?! Over a few thousand bucks worth of fish, he was willing tomit murder!


    Fortunately, the helicopter''s propeller winds blew the cigarette butt away, causing it to fall about a dozen meters away from the ramshackle boat and be extinguished with a fizz upon hitting the water.


    "Let''s see if you get that lucky this time!" Suming, unrelenting, held a handful of cigarette butts, pretending to be ready to throw them again.


    One cigarette butt might be blown away, maybe even two, but a whole handful? If just one fell onto the decrepit boat, it would mean a fiery death. The harpoon man and the other fish thief couldn''t hold it together anymore. Not daring to gamble their lives over a few thousand bucks, they immediately abandoned the ramshackle boat, jumped into the water with a ssh, and swam towards the wend shore, using arms and legs in unison.


    "It''s just a joke! Don''t take it so seriously!" Suming wasn''t foolish; he never intended to burn those thieves alive. His goal was simply to frighten them into the water.


    The harpoon man quickly swam to the shallow water area, where the water only reached his chest, and he could barely stand up by stepping on the silty bottom.@@novelbin@@


    This man clearly didn''t learn from his past, and as soon as the situation improved slightly, he grew bold again, turning to Suming somewhat awkwardly and shouting, "I''ll be back!" Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire


    "You think you''re Illidan?" Suming stood at the hatch, snapped his fingers, and scattered his spiritual power into the water.


    Before the harpoon man''s words finished, he suddenly felt a slight pain in his waist, as if he had been pricked by a needle.


    He didn''t take it too seriously at first, but in just two or three seconds, his sted skin began to tingle. Immediately after, he felt another pain on his buttocks, as if he had been pricked again.


    "Ouch fuck, there''s something in the water!" Another fish thief, who seemingly enjoyed the same treatment, started screaming in panic in the water.


    On the ne, Zhao Yun looked down curiously and saw the two men floundering in the water.


    "What''s being kept in the water? Could it be crocodile garfish?" Zhao Yun knew that Suming kept crocodile garfish and that they had recently spawned arge group of fry, so he thought these two unlucky guys had encountered an attack by the crocodile garfish.


    Of course, it wasn''t the crocodile garfish! If we''re talking about ferocity, crocodile garfish would definitely fit the bill, and their attack power is strong enough, but now that it was shallow water, the young crocodile garfish''sbat power wasn''t strong and they could be easily caught by an enemy.


    "Mr. Zhao, you''ll see," Suming said with a sly smile.


    In the water, the harpoon man caught one of the little creatures that bit him by iling around blindly.


    By touch, he could tell that the creature wasn''t very big, and the harpoon man squeezed viciously, trying to crush the strange fish in the water to death.


    Even a piranha, with only its teeth as a threat, can be half-killed with a firm squeeze by an adult male.


    However, the harpoon man''splexion instantly changed drastically, and he screamed as if he were being ughtered.


    Of course, when his palm emerged from the water again, inside it was a small meatball covered with spikes, looking like a cactus, except the spikes were much thicker than those of a cactus...


    Zhao Yun suddenly understood, a porcupinefish! Last time in Huayin County, Nangong Huang had caught one, and afterward, not only had Suming kept the toadfish, but he also purchased all the porcupinefish that were caught and ced them in the reservoir.


    Below the water''s surface at this moment, dozens of the toadfish''s close rtives, the porcupinefish, under the control of spiritual power, filled with rage, had be little aquatic hedgehogs covered with spikes, haphazardly jabbing at the two fish thieves.


    "Ow! Oh!"


    "My god, fuck, fuck..."


    The two men in the water howled like banshees, not daring to reach for the attackers with their hands, they desperately headed toward the shore, sshing water everywhere.


    Yet the short distance of a few meters through the water seemed like it would never end.


    The sharp spines of the porcupinefish contained a small amount of toxin, not enough to be fatal but enough to have a numbing effect; the harder they moved, the faster their blood flow, making them be weak after just a few struggles, no longer able to control their hands and feet.


    The few people on the shore who came to help turned pale with fear, with salvation so close, yet not one of them dared to go into the water to save the men.


    Not far away, the roar of a motor broke the silence as Liang Shi arrived with seven or eight employees from the fisheriespany, finally reaching them on two small yachts.


    "Scram!" It wasn''t clear who took the lead on shore, but a group of people turned their heads to flee without hesitation.


    "Liang Shi, Liang Shi, I''m Suming, get these two guys out first!" Suming, with his arms akimbo, yelled into the wind from atop the helicopter!

 Chapter 388 Second Senior Brother, Youve Lost Weight

    ```


    The appearance of helicopters, a sight only seen on television,nding on the hillside brought a considerable shock to the vigers busy with their work. The main reason was that it was just too rare¡ªwho would buy a helicopter just for fun? To the average person, that was definitely a sign of having more money than one knew what to do with.


    "So flying nes is fashionable in the city now?" Elder Brother Liang was entirely befuddled. Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    It wasn''t too surprising about the ne, after all, everyone knew Suming had made it big and could spend his money however he pleased, but what really amazed the vigers was Panda Yingying. Pandas were true national treasures, after all.@@novelbin@@


    So much so that Elder Brother Liang even began to suspect that Suming was engaged in some kind of illicit animal smuggling business with all the money he''d made. He took Suming aside for a serious talk, admonishing him for a good while about not getting involved in illegal activities and the importance of being a good person¡­


    "Aba aba¡­" Mr. Chen, the mute, led a group of children who hade at the news, gathering around the helicopter, pointing and expressing their excitement. Several children tried to reach out and touch it but were pulled back by their ears by Second Aunt, who scolded them with hands on her hips.


    "Let it be, Auntie, this big metal thing won''t break from a touch." Sumingughed, only asking Tony to lock the cabin door before saying to Elder Brother Liang, "I''m going to check on my home first."


    "Let''s go together, the work here is nearly done anyway."


    On the way down the mountain, one could discern the likely future paths of Sun Town''s children: a few just couldn''t bear to leave the ne, circling around it, clearly disying a bent toward science and engineering; others were more interested in the panda, following behind Suming¡ªor more precisely, trailing behind Yingying''s rear end.


    Along the way, Suming chatted with Elder Brother Liang about recent events in town, like the crops that had been destroyed by wild boars around the New Year. Thanks to the help of ssmate Liang Shi,pensation had already been provided. Families like the mute''s and Gu''s suffered almost no losses; and a good portion of the town''s young adults went to work in Suming''s distillery and fisherypany, sending home a nice sum of money after a few months.


    The special wild boar breeding farm had already started to see results, with the first litter of piglets born. The older vigers, left behind to keep watch, would take turns going to look after them whenever they had time to spare from farming.


    "First, I''m going home to grab a bite, then I''ll go check on the wild boars."


    The arrival of a foreigner and a panda in Sun Town caused a moderate stir. In this secluded ce tucked in the valleys, the foreigner and the panda were equally rare, and as Tony, the handsome blond and blue-eyed foreigner, made his way home, the attention he received was no less than that bestowed upon Yingying, mostly from the unmarrieddies and young wives of the town.


    The two-story house at home had beenpletely renovated. Stepping inside the door, Suming came face to face with his mother.


    "Eh? When did you get back? Where''s your car parked? And this¡­ this panda¡­" Mrs. Su was taken aback, ncing from Suming to Yingying who followed him, her eyes widening even more.


    Elder Brother Liang heartily pped Suming on the shoulder,ughing boisterously, "Your son Suming is flying nes now, he bought one especially toe see you, what a filial boy!"


    Suming hadn''t dared mention the purchase of the ne to his mother before. He first introduced Zhao Yun and Tony to Elder Brother Liang and his mother, and then, with a jovial grin, exined the situation with the ne. After listening, his mother spoke with a mix of pride and slight reproach, "Look at this kid, always sshing money around. When I''m on my way out, and to save just a few hours, you waste so much. That''s just throwing money away."


    "Now, that''s not the way to see it. For us, half-buried in the soil, money isn''t worth much. But Suming here is a big boss now, his money is even more valuable than gold. How''s that saying go on TV again? Oh, that''s right, ''Time is money.'' The time he saves will earn back the cost of the ne in no time."


    ```


    "Don''t praise him too much, with his young age, his tail might just stick up into the sky," Mrs. Su said with a smile and modesty.


    "This isn''t praise,"ughed Second Uncle heartily, turning around to wave away the children who were gathered at the door gawking at Panda Yingying. "You three have a chat, I''ll head home first. Suming, bring your two friends over for drinks tonight."


    "Sure thing," Suming, who had often freeloaded at Second Uncle''s house as a kid, replied without any hesitation.


    Mrs. Su, still smiling, invited Zhao Yun and Tony inside to sit, boiled water for tea, and chatted about family matters. Panda Yingying, however, made herself quite at home. She dragged over arge bamboo rocking chair, mbered up with her butt sticking out, sat down like a little grown-up with her short legs dangling, and started to rock back and forth.


    "Suming, I''m going to cook. Why don''t you go check on the breeding farm in the mountains? The vigers started it up on your advice. You should take this matter to heart and not be an absentee owner. When the piglets grow up, you''ll need to help find a market for them," his mother advised.


    "I know," he responded.


    The breeding farm was on a hillside by the mountain. Although it was a free-range area, it was still surrounded by a wire fence to prevent the little wild boars from running off and disappearing; however, the area was quiterge. As soon as Suming approached the wire cage, it caught the attention of several little ones who were snorting around in the bushes looking for something to eat.


    The hybrid wild piglets, covered in reddish-brown stripes, were at most thirty to forty centimeters long and looked quite small. They hadn''t fully grown their teeth yet, but they were very temperamental. Instead of being scared away by the approaching people, the piglets snorted angrily and charged at Suming with their heads low, heedless of the consequences.


    "ng... ng..." The wire fence between man and pig shook violently from the impact. Although the piglets weren''t strong enough to break through the wire, they ended up tumbling over themselves. Determined as if harboring a deep grudge against Suming, they got up and charged again.


    One difficulty in breeding hybrid wild pigs was the piglets'' extremely aggressive nature. They would go berserk at the sight of humans, often injuring themselves. Suming had not intended to use spiritual power to pacify them deliberately but had instead delegated the task of managing the piglets to his second senior brother and their kind.


    "Huff... Huff..." From not far away, several deep grunts sounded, and upon hearing this, the piglets immediately calmed down. Their little ck eyes whirled around, and they quickly took off running.


    Severalrge figures came into view.


    "Eh? Second Senior Brother, Piggy Two, howe you''ve be like this?" Suming was taken aback and could hardly believe his eyes.


    Second Senior Brother, who was plump and hearty just a few months ago, had clearly lost a lot of weight and even resembled a malnourished zoo animal with the bones on his shoulders visible as he walked; Piggy Two, missing a testicle, didn''t look much better.


    They still seemed spirited, but were simply too thin, and they didn''t resemble wild boars so much as sickly old tigers.


    Upon seeing Suming, Second Senior Brother and Piggy Two also paused, clearly stunned for several seconds.


    Then they recognized Suming and rushed to the fence, they raised their heads and let out pitiful cries like those of a pig being ughtered, with big tears rolling down.

 Chapter 392 Dreaming

    Mr. Qian had a ck eye that, together with his plump figure, made him resemble a certain national treasure animal.


    "Panda... how could there be a panda..." Fromst night until now, the events unfolded like a movie in Mr. Qian''s mind, reying countless times, but he couldn''t help but think about it; it was all too bizarre, like a dream.


    Every time Mr. Qian visited the beauty salon for a job inspection, he imed to ''examine carefully,'' but his physical stamina couldn''t keep up; in practice, the inspections were rushed through in just two or three minutes. The salon girls were all too aware of his ways. Afterst night''s encounter, one of the girls casually put on a thong and used a piece of toilet paper to wipe off stains, while Mr. Qian, naked,y on the bed smoking a post-coital cigarette, one hand holding the cigarette and the other, having nothing better to do, wandering over the girl''s body...


    Just then, the room door was suddenly and forcefully kicked from the outside. The doors of these small beauty salons were only secured with a smalltch, and it burst open instantly.


    Mr. Qian was startled, thinking damn it, just his luck to encounter a police raid? Even though he was no longer a civil servant after the restructuring, he still belonged to a management institution, in charge of operating all the agricultural markets in the county. With the director retiringter this year, he was the obvious next in line for the position, but if this scandal got out... Given the county''s intensity in cracking down on pornography and illegal activities, not to mention a promotion, he probably wouldn''t even be able to hold onto his deputy director position.


    Both Mr. Qian and the girl turned to look at the door, only to see not the police, but the foreign young man they had seen downstairs earlier.


    Mr. Qian broke out in a cold sweat at the shock, but seeing that it wasn''t the police, he heaved a sigh of relief. Before he could rx, the young man suddenly took out a camera and started snapping away, capturing the scene inside the room with crystal-clear detail.


    The whole thingsted only two or three seconds, and by the time Mr. Qian reacted, the young man had already turned and run.


    Seeing the camera, Mr. Qian knew he was in deep trouble. He grabbed some clothes, leaped off the bed, and dashed after him. He had just left the room and entered the corridor when he saw a chubby animal that hadpletely blocked the narrow, dim hallway.


    "A bear? No, a panda? Where did a pandae from?" Mr. Qian couldn''t believe his eyes.


    While Mr. Qian was still trying to discern whether it was a real panda or a stuffed toy, the panda, reeking of alcohol, lunged at him. The massive creature''s inertia knocked Mr. Qian to the ground, and the panda smacked him in the face with a paw.


    Mr. Qian cried out in agony from the blow that made stars dance before his eyes, and he turned a corner in pain. The panda, however, did not stay to fight and instead stepped on his belly and ran past him, diving into the adjacent room, climbing onto a stool beneath the window, and leaping out the second-floor window.


    Themotion had alerted the rest of the salon and within a few minutes, two burly men rushed upstairs. The girl from the room also ran out wrapped in a garment and helped Mr. Qian up, "Mr. Qian, are you okay?"


    "The panda, did you see a panda just now?"


    The hallway was empty, not a panda in sight.


    "A panda, where did a pandae from?" The girl suppressed herughter and shook her head. She hadn''t seen anything clearly, as the panda had passed by in a sh and the hallway was poorly lit.


    The two bouncers usually rested in the backrooms to avoid scaring customers and had onlye over when they heard the noise.


    Earlier, a foreigner had indeed made a hurried exit; it was likely that he had some conflict with Mr. Qian and had hit him.


    But where would a pandae from in this big county town, even if there was a panda, it wouldn''te to a beauty salon; pandas don''t seek health spas.


    The two bouncers looked at each other, wondering if Mr. Qian had sted his brains out masturbating and be confused.


    ...


    Mr. Qian spent the entire morning in his office pondering whether someone was trying to set him up or if it was just an ident.


    The foreigner looked like a tourist, and it wasn''t strange to see him drunk with a camera in hand.


    But if someone was out to get him, that would be a big problem, especially if those few photos were conclusive evidence.


    What was going on with the panda, anyway?


    It was aplete mystery.


    In the end, Mr. Qian couldn''t resist and made a few calls to some reliable friends, asking them to help him find out.


    "Oh, oh, oh, I see, a foreigner, a panda, the panda hit you with a punch, and then disappeared. I got it, I''ll have the brothers look into it."


    If it weren''t for the good rtionship they had, the other party would have nearly burst outughing.


    Overnight, small circles in the county were abuzz with gossip. They said Mr. Qian had fought with a drunk foreigner in a beauty salon out of jealousy, and the foreigner had beaten him up. To save face, Qian insisted it was the panda who had hit him.


    Why not say it was Megatron that hit you? That would be more prestigious.


    The person didn''t take it seriously at all. Mr. Qian, the foreigner, the panda¡ªhe couldn''t afford to offend any of them. There was no need to meddle in this mess.


    Mr. Qian was restless in his office all day. Just before closing time, he suddenly received a call from the higher-ups. They spoke in a calm voice, instructing Mr. Qian to visit the county discipline inspectionmission first thing in the morning.


    "Leader, did they mention what it''s about?" Mr. Qian''s heart skipped a beat, knowing it wasn''t a good sign.


    Normally, when government departments interacted with their unit, they definitely went through their director, not calling him directly.


    Moreover, the counterpart had explicitly mentioned the county discipline inspectionmission!


    Calling him directly meant that the higher-ups in the county didn''t intend to show any consideration for his director''s face!


    On the other end, there was silence. Mr. Qian''s heart sank. A few secondster, the deep voice of the superior leader sounded, displeased, "What on earth is going on with you and Sun Town? Wu is such a straightforward person, and you''ve pushed him to the edge. Tell me..."


    The mayor of Sun Town, Mr. Wu, made an official report against Mr. Qian.


    There was solid evidence of prostitution, and another charge was abuse of power, which wouldn''t be difficult to investigate once they confronted a few of his rtives.


    When the leaders got the news, they were furious.


    Sun Town was so poor that it depended on county subsidies every year, a substantial financial burden. Finally, a capable person appeared, leading the people of Sun Town to breed wild boars, and perhaps within a year or two, they could escape poverty and no longer need subsidies from the county. At a time like this, Mr. Qian still reached his hand out toward Sun Town, which was nothing but trouble for the county. Besides, with the strict enforcement of party discipline and ethics these days, Mr. Qian still brazenlymitted his offenses, tarnishing the county''s reputation. What was he thinking!


    He couldn''t even manage himself, yet he aspired to be promoted and manage the entire agricultural market? Dream on!


    "Ah? Sun Town? Mayor Wu..." Mr. Qian immediately understood most of it.


    "No more talking, wrap up your current work," the leader said in a grave voice.@@novelbin@@


    Mr. Qian turned pale and slumped into the couch,pletely dumbfounded, the phone slipping from his hand without his notice.

 Chapter 396 Management Trouble

    ```


    If one were to nitpick and exin the term ''spiritual civilization'' based on its dictionary definition, it refers to ''ideological morality and education, science, and culture''. Of course, the construction of spiritual civilization should revolve around these key terms. However, the problem lies in the fact that it is very difficult to find practical methods when starting solely from these terms.


    In actual work, as Wang Jian She said, the so-called fitness of spiritual civilization is carried out by different units based on their actual conditions.


    A rather low-level method, as mentioned by someone at the zoo conference, is to hold two discussion meetings and write a summary report; a slightly more meaningful approach would be to do some tangible good deeds, such as donating money, nting trees, helping the elderly cross the road, beating up disobedient children, and helping couples break up...


    But these two methods fail to reflect the unique characteristics of an organization. To sessfully build spiritual civilization, relying on only these approaches is far from enough. It''s essential to reflect the characteristics of the unit, utilising the unique resources of the organization, to bring positive spiritual energy to the people served by the organization, or, in other words, the organization''s ''customers''.


    Suming was growing fonder of the term ''positive energy'', which can be tossed into anything.


    When it came to the construction of spiritual civilization, Suming''s original idea was to start with online tforms.


    Live-streaming tforms are based on the inte, facing the whole country... one might even say the entire world and universe. As long as one can ess the inte, they can click into the tform. Therefore, the number of people that live-streaming tforms can influence is far greater than the daily visitor flow at the zoo, making it the most effective.


    After leaving Shen Yan''spany and returning to the zoo, Suming carefully analysed the data team''s report, which provided substantial evidence for the characteristics of the audience on the zoo''s online tform.


    The viewers on this tform don''t care for Sea Mimi, long ck hair, or coquettish behavior. Cute animals, harmonious interactions between humans and animals, and things that can truly touch people''s hearts¡ªthese are the foundation for the sess of the live-streaming tform.


    Suming shared the electronic version of the analytic report with Wang Hao, and after reading it, Wang Hao immediately made his way to Suming''s office.


    It was already past nine o''clock at night when he arrived; Suming was slurping up a bowl of instant noodles.


    Logically, with Hong Feifei around, Suming should have been enjoying delectable food every day. But seeing Hong Feifei tirelessly supervising the construction site at Whisperwind Pavilion day and night, Suming, thick-skinned as he was, didn''t feel right exploiting her further, so he''d just eat whatever when hungry.


    "Let me eat a few bites first," he said, looking up at Wang Hao.


    "I haven''t eaten yet either." Wang Hao had lost a considerable amount of weight recently. Dressed in a crisp suit, he loosened his tie upon entering and helped himself to a bowl of pickled cabbage noodles from behind Suming''s desk, using the water cooler''s hot water to soak them. Soon, the room filled with the scent of pickled cabbage.


    "Howe you haven''t eaten until now?" Suming asked, surprised.


    "Heh, isn''t it because of the online tform? The livestream hosts are frencers, used to workingxly, making them extremely difficult to manage. In fact, I''d vaguely noticed the phenomenon mentioned in the report butcked precise figures to back it up. This report came just at the right time," Wang Hao said as he pushed the noodles down into the hot water with a fork.


    "I had a chat with a few of the lowest-performing female hosts, hoping they would change their presenting style. Guess what happened?" he continued.


    There was no need to guess; young, pretty girls may have their own connections and would not necessarily take Wang Hao, their leader, seriously.


    "Right, those with a good attitude at least knew how to act coquettishly, but those with a bad attitude simply gave me the cold shoulder," Wang Hao said with a wry smile. "They made it clear that they came to livestream to raise their own profile through the tform, and the little bit of money from gifts was secondary¡ªthey wouldn''t let animals steal the spotlight."


    Suming frowned, "What are you joking about, Mr. Wang? You''re the leader, and the entertainmentpany is now under yourplete control. You can''t solve this problem? Letting a few young girls get too full of themselves!"


    ```


    Orders must be followed, military orders are as immovable as mountains, not only in the army but also in a business. If employees treat the leader''s words as if they were farts, how can apany operate? Without authority, how can a leader manage?


    Could it be that Mr. Wang has fallen for some seduction?


    Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire@@novelbin@@


    "What are you thinking?" Mr. Wang waved his hand and exined, "With the dividends from the entertainmentpany, I''m not short on money. If I wanted women, there''s plenty to choose from, so even if I werepletely without ambition, I wouldn''t stoop to eating the grass from my own nest, letting personal affairs affect my work."


    "Then why don''t you take control? Running a business isn''t like hosting a dinner party, for disruptive employees, you need to be ruthless when necessary," Suming said.


    "Everyone else is manageable, but there''s one called Nana who''s the most troublesome."


    "Nana?" Suming felt the name sounded a bit familiar. After thinking for a moment, he remembered that this ''Nana'' was introduced by Ren Chen. He had even met her once at the Huayin County Hotel.


    No wonder she''s so arrogant, not even taking Wang Hao, her boss, seriously, probably because she''s backed by a powerful big boss.


    With ''Nana'' leading the dissatisfaction against Wang Hao, several hosts with poor performance also started to act up. Instead of reflecting on themselves, they put the me on the entertainmentpany, using thepany of mismanagement, which gave Wang Hao quite a headache.


    It wasn''t that Wang Hao was afraid of offending Akihito Ren. Akihito Ren had previously shown intentions of reconciling with Suming, which Suming had indirectly epted. Wang Hao tolerated ''Nana'' because he was worried about affecting the rtionship between Suming and Akihito Ren.


    "Troublemaker!" Suming shook his head with a coldugh. There weren''t any major conflicts between himself and Akihito Ren, but there were always some shortsighted people deliberately creating problems.


    After thinking it over, he found Akihito Ren''s number from the office desk drawer and dialed it.


    "Hello, this is Akihito Ren. Who''s this?" On the other end of the line came a youthful but not frivolous voice, the imposing presence of the chairman of a listedpany, Akihito Ren, was undeniable.


    "It''s Mr. Su, Suming," Suming said.


    Akihito Ren was clearly taken aback, not expecting Suming to call him proactively. His attitude changed drastically,ughing heartily, "Oh, Mr. Su, hi, hi. I''ve been meaning to find an opportunity to specially thank you in person for saving my life in Huayin County, but I was afraid to disturb you..." Akihito Ren, having been on the receiving end of both soft and hard tactics from Suming, didn''t dare to approach Suming first anymore.


    "There''s something I need to discuss with you in advance," Suming asked briefly about his rtionship with Nana.


    In his words, he deliberately expressed his dissatisfaction with Nana.


    "Nana? Oh,st time in the Huayin County Hotel she only cared about saving her own skin, almost got me killed, I cut her off when I got back. What, she offended you too? She''s really asking for trouble, Mr. Su, do as you see fit!"


    "Alright then, I won''t consider your feelings in this matter," Suming chuckled, hung up the phone, and turned to Wang Hao, saying indifferently, "Do what needs to be done."


    Now that Suming had cleared the obstacles and wouldn''t let a woman affect his rtionship with Akihito Ren, Wang Hao obviously understood what needed to be done, "Understood, such a troublemaker should be kicked out of the team to prevent corrupting others."

 Chapter 399 The Earth Dog of That Year

    At the end of the day, the true focus of the audience inside the room was on the ''Me and It'' segment itself. After the promotion on Weibo, there had been several heated discussions about what the segment would actually entail.


    The audience and Weibo followers were all specting about what kind of big-name celebrities or animals Mr. Su would invite this time.


    But after such anticipation, they saw just an ordinary old man.


    An old man would have been fine, but what was the deal with thatzy mutt? Was this some kind of joke?!


    In all honesty, many people felt a huge letdown after their initial confusion.


    The room''s traffic data was the most direct proof¡ªit had stopped growing, remaining in the tenth position, very close to the eleventh.


    Although new viewers were continuously joining the live stream, the total count wasn''t increasing, which meant some viewers must have left, keeping the number of entrances and exits bnced.


    It''s like rowing upstream; if you don''t advance, you retreat. ording to the norms of the live stream room, without any surprises, the number of viewers would soon start ''negative growth'', getting overtaken by those behind and losing the lead within the top ten.


    The main reason most viewers were still in the live stream was partly because the show hadn''t really started yet¡ªafter all, there were still expectations¡ªand partly, it could be said, out of respect for Suming, who was now a grassroots celebrity himself.


    "Let me introduce to you our guest today," Suming said with a smile, gesturing towards Mr. He to nod at the camera. "He''s a retired teacher from Yangchuan City Second Affiliated Primary School, Mr. He. Oh, and his pet dog, Wangwang. Mr. He, please say hello to everyone."


    The audience and the hosts in the room were stunned again. Why invite a teacher, were they going to have a math lesson, or maybe a PE ss?


    "Hi, everyone. My name is He Weiguo, and I''m a regr math teacher who retiredst year. Oh, this is Wangwang. Wangwang, say hello to everyone..." Mr. He said with a somewhat stiff smile to the camera, his speech not very smooth. Although he had been a teacher for many years, this was his first time doing a live stream, so it was natural to feel a bit nervous.


    However, his dog Wangwang, nestled in his arms, was not shy at all. Standing up from Mr. He''s embrace, Wangwang barked ''woof woof woof'' at the camera a few times.


    When Wangwang had been lying quietly in Mr. He''s arms earlier, no one noticed, but now that he stood up, everyone was shocked to discover that this calm mutt was actually disabled; one of his hind legs wasme, curled under his body after standing.


    "That''s so sad..."


    "Mr. He, what happened to Wangwang''s leg?"


    Suming timely spoke up, his maic voice resonating in the live room: "Wangwang is already twelve years old, which for a Chinese native dog is already considered old age, simr to a human in their sixties or seventies. When Wangwang was very young, he was a stray and got injured in an ident, and has been taken care of by Mr. He ever since."


    Mr. He nodded slightly beside him, affectionately stroking Wangwang''s head, and the dog obedientlyy back down.


    "Mr. He is so admirable!"


    "I also saw an injured mutt lying in the rainst time, all drenched and pitiful, and really wanted to take it home, but my mom wouldn''t let me keep a dog. When I went to check the next day, it was gone... maybe it died... wuwuwu..."@@novelbin@@


    "I support Mr. He''spassionate deed. There are a few stray cats below our building, and I bring them food from the canteen every day after work. Now they''re very friendly towards me."


    In the livestream room, thements from viewers started picking up, apanied by some small gifts of modest amounts.


    Just as Shen Yan''s audience analysis suggested, the majority of viewers on the zoo livestreaming tform have kind hearts full of goodwill.


    Among them, there are a few extremely passionate'' individuals. Of course, from a personal values standpoint, Suming did not particrly support extreme animal protectionist behavior.


    "Mr. He, as far as I know, your retirement pension isn''t low, and your children are all settled down without any financial burdens on you. If it''s just about keeping a pet, you could totally keep some more upscale animals. Why would you choose to keep a mongrel, and one with ame leg at that?" Suming subtly steered the conversation.


    "Hehe, what difference does it make what I keep? I''m old, I didn''t really think that much about it. Wangwang just keeps mepany usually. But... um..." Mr. He seemed to have something to say, pondering over his words, but for a moment did not know how to express himself.


    "Mr. He, take a drink of water, no rush," Suming said, offering a ss of water.


    "Alright, thank you." Mr. He took the ss, took a sip,posed himself, and continued, "It''s like this: my keeping Wangwang probably has a lot to do with my childhood experiences. It''s a long story..."


    Behind the livestream, arge projection gradually appeared, showing a yellowed old photograph. The backdrop of the photograph was a rural vige, several adults and children squatting in a courtyard, all looking emaciated and listless with hunger.


    Mr. He, as usual, naturally stroked Wangwang''s head as he began to recount those past times.


    The livestream room fell quiet again, with noments or gifts, as everyone listened to Mr. He''s storytelling in silence.


    At first, Mr. He was a bit nervous, but soon he rxed and seemed to be transported back to those years.


    It was the 1960s when the whole country suffered from famine and there was no food to eat. Mr. He was just eight years old then, living in the city with his parents who worked in a factory.


    At that time, adult workers in the city only got two liang of grain rations per day, which was not enough to feed a family of children, so Mr. He''s parents sent him to his uncle''s home in the countryside to get through the winter. It was a strange era where life in the countryside was better than in the city. Although there was also a shortage of food, there were plenty of wild greens and coarse grains in the fields and hills that could barely sustain them.


    "What I remember most vividly is that my uncle had a big dog, grey in my recollection, which always sat loyally in front of the house, guarding the door..."


    He, or back then ''Little He,'' was both scared and curious the first time he saw the big dog. The family dog was very attuned to humans and never barked at its owners. It didn''t take long for Little He to be familiar with it and be friends. He often squatted face to face with it, gently stroking its face and head, and the big grey dog would understandingly lick his hand with its big tongue.


    Little He vividly remembers the first time he saw the big grey dog yawn, its upper jaw resembling a washboard. He was so excited that he shared this ''secret'' with his little friends. A crowd of them gathered around, squatting in front of the big grey dog, waiting a long time just to see it yawn again. But that day, the dog was too alert and didn''t yawn all morning, leaving Little He embarrassed.


    It could be said that the big grey dog added a touch of liveliness to Old He''s nearly dismal childhood experiences.


    Although life in the countryside was somewhat better than in the city, it was still very austere. Moreover, his uncle''s home was already hosting seven or eight children of rtives seeking refuge, and no matter how resourceful his uncle was, he could only just keep these kids from starving.


    The children were growing and it was the middle of winter, subsisting every day on watery gruel and wild greens. It wasn''t long before several of the kids had grown thin, each looking like an underdeveloped little turnip.


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    "One day at noon, while my friends and I were cutting grass in the backyard, we suddenly smelled a delicious scent of meat."

 Chapter 402 Lifetime Free Card

    The live broadcast had finallye to an end.


    "Mr. He, thank you for your participation, your story was very touching!" Suming stood up, the first to start pping.


    Several other hosts immediately followed suit, pping vigorously. In the small room, apuse became a wave, which seemed to embarrass Mr. He a bit. He smiled and said, "Hey, I should be thanking the zoo for giving me this opportunity to speak my mind, to talk about the past. It feels like I''ve returned to that era, bringing back so many memories."


    "That was exactly our goal."


    Suming reached out and firmly shook Mr. He''s hand, then extended his hand to Wangwang. Mr. He chuckled, "Wangwang, shake hands with Mr. Su."


    "Wu wu..." Wangwang was somewhat shy, cautiously lifting a front paw and cing it on Suming''s hand.


    "Oh, there''s another thing, Mr. He." Suming had almost forgotten, he pped his forehead and said, "ording to the rules of the zoo''s live broadcasting tform, the gifts from the audience specified for you and Wangwang will be converted into cash for you. You just have to leave a bank ount number with the ountant."


    A few young hosts were envious. During the live broadcast, there were several peaks of gift-giving, which amounted to quite a bit of money.


    Unexpectedly, Mr. He promptly declined, "No need, Mr. Su, we agreed that we were here to promote animal protection, a responsibility everyone shares in the pursuit of a cultured society. As a teacher, I should lead by example. How could I possibly take the money!"


    "That''s a different matter, Mr. He. Those gifts were given to you by the audience..."


    Suming exined for a while, but Mr. He simply wouldn''t ept it.


    Mr. He might have seemed nervous during the live broadcast and a bit wooden, but as a traditional intellectual, he had principles. A gentleman loves money and takes it in an honest way. Once he decided it wasn''t right to take the money, nothing could make him change his mind.


    In the end, Suming suggested apromise. Mr. He''s gifts would be pooled with the zoo''s other charitable funds to be used for animal protection.


    Mr. He refused to take money, but the zoo felt obliged to show their appreciation. Suming had a zoo pass made especially for Mr. He, granting him lifelong free entry to the zoo, and an eighty percent discount on all zoo expenditures.


    Mr. He epted the card with a cheerful smile. After retirement, he loved to stroll around parks to exercise. Yangchuan City Zoo, with its beautiful scenery and fresh air, was also home to the animals. It was a fitting ce for family outings and for the elderly to walk and exercise in the morning. With this card, whenever he had some free time, he could conveniently take the bus there, adding a bit more joy to his retired life.


    He called up a driver from the zoo to take Mr. He home. The first broadcast had concluded smoothly.


    "Ah, I''m exhausted..." With no concern for appearing leader-like, Suming stretched in a big yawn, unable to stop yawning. Honestly speaking, hosting a live broadcast was tiring indeed, requiring constant mental focus for a long duration.


    Of course, not all live broadcasts are as exhausting as ''Me and It.'' Most of the time, the hosts could be moreid-back.


    But the ''Me and It'' segment, despite using the live streaming format, was in nature more akin to an interview show, simr to "A Date With Luyu." What appeared to be rxing banter in fact demanded a lot of energy from the host¡ªnning the program, guiding the conversation, controlling the pace, and reacting to unexpected events, all rested on the host''s shoulders.


    This was why Suming was keen on developing a group of promising hosts. ''Me and It'' was a weekly program, and it might even expand in the future. He certainly didn''t want to be a worn-out host.


    Let the young ones be in the limelight. I''ll just sit back and strategize, happy with a bit of pocket money...


    "Director, are we still going to have our debrief meeting?" a young host asked tentatively.


    Suming was usually all smiles, never too serious, but when it came to official business, he was decisive and efficient. Prior to the start of the live broadcast, Suming had nned to hold a discussion meeting immediately afterwards, to analyze the gains and losses of the broadcast and make ns for the next steps. Learn and sum up while it''s fresh and hot.


    But there''s also a saying: ns can''t keep up with changes. Suming was truly exhausted, the whole person felt even more tired than after a fight with Nangong Yan. His mind was nearly rusted shut, leaving him with no energy to preside over any debrief.


    ```


    I couldn''t show weakness in front of these young broadcasters, giving the impression that my word didn''t count.@@novelbin@@


    "Yeah, of course we need to have the discussion meeting, but you guys are still young, and with such a huge amount of information from today''s broadcast, you might not fully grasp it all at once. So, to take care of you, I''ll give you a day to go back and summarize, and we''ll have the meeting tomorrow."


    Suming, with his hands sped behind his back, shamelessly walked out of the broadcasting room.


    Seeing that the meeting was off, the broadcasters actually let out a sigh of relief. During the live broadcast, they had been too preupied with their feelings to think about summarizing any insights or experiences.


    Looking at each other, they all felt a weight lifted off their shoulders.


    "Truly a good leader who knows his subordinates well," the young female broadcaster eximed.


    A few male broadcasters were taken aback before they started to joke around.


    "Little Tiger, have you fallen for the director? You know he''s a married man, right?"


    "That doesn''t matter, the key is that maybe the director doesn''t like girls at all?"


    Little Tiger red at the male broadcasters with her ws out, saying fiercely, "Why don''t you guys go die? Shuijun Lake doesn''t have a lid, I think you should just jump in..."


    ...


    Suming returned to the Whisperwind Pavilion, fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, and halfway through his sleep, he felt something furry on his face. He didn''t know if it was a panda that had run out, a monkey, or maybe a cat or dog.


    Not caring, he grabbed whatever it was and hugged it to his chest like a big pillow, continuing to sleep.


    He slept till the next morning when it was just barely light out. Suming yawned, opened his eyes, and felt something warm and soft in his arms that seemed to be alive.


    Looking down, he said, "Eh? When did you crawl into my arms? Shoo, shoo, don''t you be eating my tofu."


    The big ck cat looked up at Suming with his light yellow pupils upright, a face full of grievance. Was it really him crawling into your arms? It was clearly you who dragged me over to be your pillow, you know. My fur''s wet, all with someone''s drool on it, so disgusting...


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    "As a cat, how can you be so messy? Go take a bath!" After the drool dried, it left a strange smell, and Suming suspiciously tossed the big ck cat off the bed.


    The big ck cat literally wanted to w him to death.


    But the cat''s prideful nature ultimately prevailed, and toozy to bother with these humans, the big ck cat flicked its tail and strutted out of the Fengshui Pavilion with a cat''s gait.


    The morning at the Yangchuan City Zoo brought air filled with the fragrance of grass. Outside the Fengshui Pavilion, on the smallke''s edge, a dozen or so cats of various sizes lined up on the water tform, dipping their heads to lick and drink the water.


    The sight of a dozen tails standing and swaying together was quite a spectacle.


    "So many... erect tails!" Suming was in high spirits,ughing heartily to the sky, with the essence of a filthy cat spirit.


    After brushing his teeth and washing his face, he shook off the filthy cat spirit and went off to preside over the summary meeting with an air of decency.


    Halfway there, Nangong Yan called.


    ```

 Chapter 405 Blossoms Twice

    ```


    Nana chatted with the director of the Boiling tform for a while, looked up at the wall clock, and it was already 8 PM.


    Her live stream on Boiling tform was scheduled to start at 9 PM, and seeing that it was almost time, she knew there was still quite a bit of preparation work to do before going live, so after a few more brief exchanges with the director, she closed the chat application.


    First, she checked yesterday''s "tip ie," which on Boiling tform meant the same thing as gifts in the zoo.


    As she looked at the backend statistics, a proud smile curled the corners of Nana''s mouth. It had not even been a week since she joined Boiling tform, and she had already surpassed what she used to earn in half a month at the zoo. This ie left her very satisfied. Most of the girls she used to work with back in the county town were still waitressing or hosting, and the best among them was just a lobby manager earning a bit over five thousand yuan a month, all while being exhausted and dealing with constant grievances.


    Unlike them, she spent her days in air conditioning and online, raking in money. Nana''s favorite pastime during her free moments was to chat online with her former peers, and whenever she unted various designer bags on her social media, her sense of existence soared and she felt an extreme sense of pride.


    However, ording to the current trend, Nana felt she no longer needed to associate with those on the bottom rung of society. The girls she used to get along with now seemed unsophisticated and poor in her eyes, and she found the idea of being friends with them and going shopping together utterly embarrassing.


    Objectively speaking, the zoo tform was more of a ''farming'' type, where the audience came to rx rather than seek excitement, so the frequency and size of gift-giving were lowerpared to other live streaming tforms. Moreover, the zoo live streaming tform had been established for less than three months, having a limited audience base, whereas Boiling tform had been around for over a year and was thergest in the province and top-tier nationally, cultivating arge number of loyal viewers. Therefore, it was normal for the zoo tform to currently earn less than Boiling.


    And Nana''s style of live streaming was more suited for Boiling. The zoo had a ''fresh and warm'' atmosphere with a bit of humor, which just did not match with her.


    It''s like some people are suited to study science, and others are suited to write novels. Each person''s characteristics are different, and so are their career ns. Forcing Wu Dng to be a constable at the court or Wu Song to sell tbread would surely be a disaster.@@novelbin@@


    In the end, it was not so much that Nana was unsuitable for the zoo tform, but rather that the zoo tform was not suited for Nana. The main reason for her departure was a mismatch in their vibes, and to force a partnership would only lead in opposite directions.


    Of course, this is a more rational way of reasoning, but in reality, many people don''t think with their brains but with their butts. They let their own position dictate their thinking, always considering things from their own perspective first and cing all the me on the other party.


    In Nana''s view, herck of earnings at the zoo was not because she wasn''t pretty enough orcked ability or that she didn''t fit the style of the zoo tform. Of course, it might be partly due to these reasons, but she felt the main issue was that the zoo did not value her, marginalized her, and did not schedule interesting animals or good time slots for her, and even intentionally ''banned'' her.


    It was not unreasonable for her to think this way. She had a connection through Ren Chen that had gotten her into the zoo live streaming tform, andter she had met Suming once in Huayin County with Ren Chen, thinking that Suming and Ren Chen were "good buddies."


    After Ren Chen got involved with another woman and broke up with her, it was natural for her to assume that it was because Ren Chen had tipped off Suming, leading the zoo to intentionally put her on ice, with Wang Hao eventually ''forcing her out.''


    Some people reflect calmly upon encountering a problem, while others push all the me onto someone else. Nana fell into thetter category. She didn''t consider how, during a meeting, Ren Chen was trapped under a table and couldn''t move, and while she thought only of escaping, it was Suming who stepped in to save Ren Chen''s life. It''s no surprise then that Ren Chen broke up with her afterwards.


    During this half week at Boiling, Nana''s fame soared rapidly, and she was on the verge of bing a sensation. She became increasingly arrogant to the point where she felt she was the best in the world. Not only did she resent the zoo and Wang Hao, but she also held a grudge against Ren Chen.


    She was now hosting apetitive gaming show, live streaming LOL, but since her own skills were mediocre, she specifically hired a skilled amateur to y on her behalf. After all, during the live stream, viewers could only see the gamey and couldn''t tell whether it was her ying or not.


    After arranging things with the substitute yer, Nana changed into a very alluring sailor suit and twirled in front of the mirror twice.


    ```


    The image in the mirror was enough to send pulses racing: Nana''s "sailor suit" could hardly be called clothing¡ªit was one of those "outfits" you simply couldn''t wear out. The top covered just her shoulders and a third of her breasts, and was almost see-through. The skirt was nearly the same length as the top.


    After examining her look in the mirror closely, Nana was very pleased with her outfit and confidently turned on the live camera.


    "Good evening, everyone, did you miss me?" Nana purred at the camera, deliberately leaning forward so her chest nearly pressed against the lens.


    Immediately, the camera was overwhelmed with a sense of opulence, slightly trembling.


    There was no denying Nana''s ''gift,'' as this simple act sent the room''s audience into a frenzy, their blood boiling.


    If it weren''t for the screen between them, many would have killed to lunge forward and take a fierce bite, to let their hands run wild kneading or to roughly rip off that useless slip of cloth pretending to be underwear!


    "Goddess, I''m licking the screen..."


    "Dare you shake them a bit..."


    The chat room exploded in an instant, messages and gifts flooding in.


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    Both sex and money, desired not only by men but also by ambitious women alike.


    Seeing the gifts pouring in and imagining the guys drooling over their screens, Nana herself couldn''t help but get excited. She slowly slid a delicate hand down her cleavage and gently rubbed, biting her lip, she teased, "Do you want to devour Nana, brothers? Nana can make grilled sausages..."


    "Pfft..."


    "An entire screen!"


    "But Nana hasn''t eaten yet, I''m so poor now, I can''t even afford a meal, don''t forget to send gifts, brothers," Nana cooed.


    Suddenly, gifts showered down like rain, covering half the screen.


    You can''t always tease the audience without giving something sweet in return. After reaping her gifts, Nana, urged on by the crowd, broke into a hot dance.


    What was supposed to be a League of Legendspetition livestream turned into a ruckus, and it was forty minutes into the broadcast before it actually began.

 Chapter 414 409

    It''s just alcohol, I''ll treat it as eating chili, and as a strapping young man in my early twenties, am I afraid of a middle-aged uncle? Let''s get down to business without fuss. Uncle was forthright, and Suming was no less clear-cut, tilting his head back and gulping down a ss of liquor.@@novelbin@@


    "Good!" Uncle pped his thigh hard, his brows dancing with excitement, "Yan sure has an eye for talent, Su! You''re such a straightforward guy!"


    From his expression, it seemed like bringing Nangong Huang on the right path was not as significant as downing a drink in one gulp.


    "Come,e, have some dishes to pad your stomach." Auntie stood up to serve Suming food, giving Uncle a re¡ª the old man really didn''t know how to behave, making a child drink like this.


    As the toasts and drinks flew back and forth, Suming and Uncle had a good go at it, and by the midway point, Uncle''s speech had started to slur, and Nangong Huang had joined in too.


    At a drinking event, there are those who can drink and those who can dodge. Those who can hold their liquor aren''t afraid of it. For someone like Suming who could neither drink nor hold his liquor, it wasn''t a guaranteed failure; carrying the scene depended on one''s courage! With enough boldness, one could keep lining up the shots and still be unrivaled.


    Anyway, after half a jin had been consumed, his tongue was numb, and drinking sorghum liquor felt no different from drinking water.


    In the end, several of the men started to sway. Suming indeed didn''t have a real tolerance for liquor, and to prevent alcohol poisoning or damaging his body, he hade prepared, cheating a little by bringing some Tai Sui water in a mineral water bottle.


    This thing was like a cure-all, though it couldn''t treat serious illnesses, it''s effective for all sorts of minor ailments, and particrly excellent for sobering up.


    After the meal, Nangong Huang was already sliding under the table, Uncle''s face was as red as Guan Gong, staggering as he walked. Before leaving, he gave Suming a hearty pat on the shoulder, "Good! I''ll leave Yan in your hands!" After saying that, he walked out of the private room with one hand supporting Auntie and the other holding up Nangong Huang.


    Rubbing his eyes, Suming, with bleary drunken vision, asked Nangong Yan, "Does this mean I''ve passed the test?"


    Nangong Yan, having had a few drinks herself, had cheeks red and plump like juicy peaches, giggling as she said, "My dad has four brothers, five including him. You''ve just passed the first level, and it''s the easiest one... But you did well on this one, worthy of praise!"


    Nangong Yan was naturally charming, and after drinking, she became even more seductively enchanting, like an intoxicated cat.


    Suming thought to himself that he shouldn''t drink too much, or he''d get too frisky. He felt a surge of heat rush from his lower abdomen, and he pulled her into his arms, his hands getting mischievously busy under the hem of her shirt.


    "You... are courting death... This is a restaurant..." Nangong eximed in shock, weakly struggling a couple of times but unable to evade the harassment of the wandering hands. Instead, the warm breath in her ear made her body weaken and soften first, and she bit her silver teeth, letting out an indignant moan.


    The fire was fueled by the oil, and Nangong''s meaningless low moan in Suming''s ears sounded like a tant tease, that legendary moan of desire.


    The restaurant was still far from closing time, and most of the dishes on therge table remained untouched. High-end restaurants'' staff would not enter a private room randomly. For safety, Suming kicked the door of the private room, locking it from behind, then carried Nangong onto therge sofa intended for guests to rest.


    Nangong, her neck red as sunset clouds, knew resistance was futile at this point and that she was bound to be ravished; she closed her eyes, turned her head away, and let her hair cover her face, yieldingpletely.


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    This vulnerable appearance only further ignited Suming''s primal desire, and with a low growl from his throat, he pounced ferociously.


    A storm, fierce and unexpected, assailed without warning, the frail body like a small boat sailing in the vast ocean, tossed and turned by the raging waves, now plunging into the troughs, now leaping atop the crests into the clouds. The slender boat hull seemed almost to be torn apart by the waves, issuing moans of unbearable strain...


    Alcohol does wonders to the spirit, and after a bit of drinking, the whole person''s state changes; they perform beyond normal, a great battlesting over an hour before finally drawing to a close.


    In the midst of the violent winds and torrential rain, Nangong was utterly disarmed and could not recall how many times she had been vanquished, too weary to keep count, barely able to lift a finger.


    Exercise after drinking has its benefits, as the alcohol in one''s body evaporates along with the sweat. Suming felt much more alert, and although a bit exhausted, refreshed and invigorated.


    "Don''t start, I think you''re replenishing your yang by depleting my yin..." Nangong said weakly, and it was unclear whether she was praising or chiding with resentment, "You''re like a monster now, ready to unfurl the g and set off the fireworks at any moment..."


    "Unfurl the g and set off the fireworks? Hmm, that''s a good phrase, worthy of a journalist."


    "Yeah, right, you''re the journalist," Nangong retorted, biting her lip with a yful smile, ncing at Suming while stressing a certain word in her sentence more than the others..


    Suming nearly choked on his own blood, feeling a stir within him once again. No wonder it was sometimes hard for him to control himself; Nangong had a truly enchanting side to her, presentable in the hall and unstoppable in bed, though less remarkable in the kitchen¡ªof course, that depended on what one intended to do in the kitchen...


    "Stop, stop, stop, if we go again I won''t be able to walk, and I still have to work tomorrow." Nangong hurriedly put away her seductive expression, a bit fearful as she nced at the corner of the private room, "Could there be any cameras here?"


    "If there are cameras, I''ll tear down their shop!" Suming said nonchntly. This hotel had shares owned by Zhao Yun, and was also a partner of Huating Reservoir and Great Sage Liquor Industry, so he knew the ce inside and out. The hotel was of a higher caliber and respected the privacy of its clients; otherwise, Suming wouldn''t have dared to make such a move in the private room.


    "Let''s talk serious." Nangong, recalling the scene at the dinner table, asked with some concern, "You don''t think my family was giving you a hard time, do you? It was our first meeting and they made you drink so much. My uncle too, I''ll talk to him."


    If it had been for something else, Suming definitely wouldn''t have drunk that much, but this was no ''something else.'' So he chuckled and tousled Nangong''s hair, "Silly girl, if someday my daughter wanted to marry a bad boy, I would do the same. Don''t worry about dealing with your family; leave it to me. Rest assured, I''m a fine businessman, after all. If I can''t handle a little family matter, how could I get by in society? Guan Gong managed to pass five levels and kill six generals just to establish a base, so what''s drinking some wine and facing a few challenges for my own dear wife?"


    "Hmm!" Nangong felt so sweet inside it was as if honey could pour out.


    After resting for a while, Suming helped Nangong to her feet, her long legs as wobbly as noodles. Walking in high heels, she swayed unsteadily, nearly falling after two steps, and had to cling to Suming''s arm like a ko, sneaking a nce around and quickly scurrying down to the Jeep Wrangler.


    After sending Nangong home, Suming returned to Whisperwind Pavilion and got a good night''s sleep.


    The next day, he got up, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and went online.


    In his inbox, there was an internal email from Shen Yan.


    On social media, things were not quite peaceful.

 Chapter 411 Boiling Tyrant

    ```


    What''s going on, everything was just a touching and inspirational drama, and in the blink of an eye, it''s turned into an urban inte slinging match?


    That really ruins the mood!


    It''s also really odd; the zoo''s reputation is now so good it couldn''t be better. Among the public, the zoo is a warm little haven; in official terms, the zoo is practically a moral exemr, even the Health Bureau wants to present a banner of honour to them. Even on the always argumentative inte, it''s rare for anyone to speak ill of the zoo.


    So who went on Weibo to start a fight?@@novelbin@@


    A crowd of people quickly gathered around Mrs. Tong''sputer to watch.


    The fight was started by aizen named ''Boiling Overlord.''


    "The zoo''s live streaming tform is trash, a bastard, and a bunch of hypocritical pretenders... I hope everyone on your tform dies, your whole family! Earn some money for gifts so you can burn paper for yourselves!"


    Seeing this fresh and fieryment, the reactions of the people in the office varied. Mrs. Tong and the other older employees, who weren''t too familiar with the ''battle'' style of the inte, had grim expressions upon facing such a vicious curse.


    "How can someone speak like that! It''s so uncultured," an office worker in her fifties frowned andined.


    A few young anchors, ready to rub their hands and log into their ounts, prepared to strike back hard.


    When ites to online battles, the hosts who make a living on the inte are at least semi-professionals; they can go on a tirade for half an hour without repeating themselves, and the skilled ones can even insult you from head to toe, greet all eighteen generations of your ancestors without using a single swear word.


    Suming was neither angry nor had the ''fighting'' spirit. There were too many people who inexplicably cursed online. If he took them seriously, he would just die of anger, might as well not go online at all.


    "Forget it, someone didn''t keep their pants on properly and let him loose. Don''t mind him," Suming justughed it off. The more you pay attention to such people, the more energetic they get.


    There was no need for the zoo to take action. The Taoyuan''s Weibo ount, with millions of followers, even if only one-thousandth were browsing Weibo at that time, the counterattack force was not something that Boiling Overlord could withstand.


    It was during the time it took for them to speak that the fans had already begun their counterattack.


    "Trolls, get lost!"


    "@Director, Director, quickly send out the Alpaca to spit battle with this beast!"


    "Did you forget to brush your teeth this morning? Your mouth is spewing trash!"


    ...


    Taoyuan is the public opinion stronghold of the zoo, the zoo''s domain. Boiling Overlord charging in alone was purely seeking death. As soon as his insulting message appeared, it was immediately drowned by a torrent ofments.


    Boiling Tyrant seemed to be sitting in front of the screen, unwilling to show weakness and replied with a fewments.


    However, this ''Overlord''s'' trolling level didn''t seem to be very good. Under the surrounding attack of the zoo''s fans, he could only retort with pure insults and swear words, and the screen immediately filled up with a bunch of not child-friendlynguage.


    After about ten minutes of ''fierce battle,'' strictly speaking, Boiling Overlord was scolded for a good ten minutes, and finally realized that this was an unwinnable war. He left a message, ''Wait and see, I''ll be back!'' and then disappeared.


    A nonsensical battle of words left everyone present from the zoo and the streaming tform very bewildered. Who exactly was this Boiling Overlord, why did he seem to have a deep hatred for the zoo?


    Or was it just some guy bored out of his mind, who came to vent aimlessly?


    The Weibo followers had the same questions.


    "What''s this person''s deal?"


    "Is there anyone who can do a human-flesh search? Find him out."


    ```


    "Even zoos get trashed, I really can''t understand that, is this person mentally disturbed or what?"


    Suming didn''t take it seriously either, there are all kinds of people online nowadays, you never know what they are thinking.


    It wasn''t until he saw thatizens were actually starting to dox the person that he hurriedly posted, "Everyone, just ignore him, some people''s heads are truly filled with shit. If you want to understand the thoughts of this kind of person, you first have to stuff your own head with shit. Anyway, I won''t do it, and everyone else doesn''t need to bother filling their heads with shit for such a person..."


    As soon as Suming''s ount appeared, it immediately attracted a huge crowd.


    "Hahaha, the Zoo Director is so right! From now on, let''s call these kinds of people who just spew nonsense ''Poopyheads''..."


    "@Boiling Overlord,e eat your shit..." Some particrly malicious guy even deliberately @mentioned Boiling Overlord.


    "Caught a wild Zoo Director, anyone has a cage to borrow?"


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    "Did you offend someely, Zoo Director?"


    "Zoo Director, Zoo Director, spoil us, who is the next guest?"


    "My girlfriend said, if the Zoo Director doesn''t pick her as a guest, she''ll cry for me to see! Zoo Director, please do me a favor, otherwise, I''ll cry for you to see..."


    "Does the zoo still have stray animals avable for adoption?!! Important things must be said three times, does the zoo still have stray animals avable for adoption?!! Does the zoo still have stray animals avable for adoption?!!"


    "This person is crazy..."


    The guy who said it three times continued: "No, it''s because I want to confess to a girl, and she likes men with a kind heart. If I can adopt a stray animal, my chances of sess will greatly increase! Zoo Director, I''m serious!"


    "...Still crazy..."


    The conversation on Weibo was normal, and the atmosphere was still good; Suming chatted for a bit with a smile.


    It was just a small incident, over after the cursing, and nobody there took it too seriously; they dispersed swiftly to go about their work.


    Far away, hundreds of miles off in Jiangjin City at Boiling Live Streaming tform, Nana was in her room showing how to rip up ck pantyhose when Boiling Overlord showed up again.


    "Brothers, the live streaming tform of the zoo is full of animals, I don''t have enough firepower, I need backup!"


    "What''s going on?"


    "I just went to seek justice for my Nana, and got ganged up on! If you''re a man,e with me, let''s annihte that bunch of bastards!"


    "There''s such a thing, let''s smash them!"


    "Let those bastards witness the power of Nana''s Fan Club!"


    Faces decide minds; people of different camps of course support their rades''. Many didn''t even understand what had happened but were provoked by a few words from Boiling Overlord, got heated up and decided to show off their bravery in front of Nana by joining the fight.


    Nana hesitated for a moment. The ''story'' she told earlier was mostly made up to gain sympathy and y the victim, which she knew full well. If the two sides started arguing, she may note out looking good in the end.


    But on second thought, who could prove the story was made up?


    Besides, an inte shouting match isn''t about reason at all! With everyone seeing red, who would investigate?


    Moreover, the more viciously the two sides fought, the more famous she would be. It would be best if the fight became well-known nationwide, and then she could be a famous broadcaster overnight!


    With that in mind, she said in a sweet voice, "Thank you brothers for supporting Nana. I''ll be here waiting for your triumphant return, and then, there will be a big surprise for everyone..."

 Chapter 415 Contact Boiling

    ```


    As soon as the long post titled "To My Friends" was released, Weibo was abuzz once again.


    The fans of Taoyuan Yiqu on Weibo generally share amon trait: they are caring, kindhearted, and among them are many adults, the elderly, and children who are not adept at attacking people with nasty words or filthynguage online.


    Suming has never advocated for insulting others on Weibo. If cursing people worked, what would be the need for the police or for fists? After dealing with those thieves, Suming realized that talking nonsense was nothing more than a waste of saliva and meaningless. You either take them down directly or keep the chatter to a minimum.


    Meanwhile, the positioning of the zoo has always been about providing warm, rxing, and entertaining content.


    Therefore, the atmosphere in the Taoyuan Yiqu Weibo discussion area has always been very harmonious. Sometimes people joke around and tease each other, and if the asionalment is too harsh or inappropriate, it is usuallyughed off without descending into mutual nder.


    This time, being provoked by Boiling Overlord felt like a harmonious and warm home suddenly being invaded by some shameless hooligans.


    Even though the thugs were eventually driven out, the home was left in aplete mess, causing distress and even panic.


    By posting this long Weibo message at this critical moment, Suming was like the ''head of the family'' stepping forward in a crisis, inspiring a sense of reliability and giving his followers a pir to rally around, bringing them even closer together.


    "So touching... Zookeeper, you''re firing tear gas again, this isn''t right... I need to go to the bathroom to cry for a bit..."


    "Crying already? That''s pathetic! But the zookeeper is right, we should just do our own thing and ignore those lunatics."


    "Unity is strength! Let''s all support the zoo''s streaming tform and not be deceived by those with ulterior motives!"


    Sincerity and heartfelt expressions can always move people more than negativity and darkness, and they are morepelling. With the zoo revealing the database and the long Weibo post as a two-pronged response, this minor storm of insults didn''t kick up much fuss and seemed to have passed already.


    At least, for these past few days, the likes of ''Boiling Overlord'' had not reappeared.


    True feelings may touch friends, but not necessarily enemies, and at least Suming was toozy to use genuine sentiment to touch his enemies; his sincerity was not so cheap.


    While posting the long Weibo message, Suming had arranged for Shen Yan to report the few individuals who were the most aggressive in leaving insultingments on Weibo.


    With clear screenshots of the insults, all full of baseless venom, the evidence was irrefutable. Individuals like Boiling Overlord were banned from posting on Weibo for a week, which exined their absence.


    At the same time, investigations were also vigorously proceeding in private.


    "We''ve found something. After Nana resigned, she went to the Boiling live-streaming tform in Jiangjin City. Damn her whole family, no wonder that person is called ''Boiling Overlord'', must be her fan!" said Wang Hao.


    Shen Yan had also made progress throughrge-scale data scraping online.


    Most of the adversariesing to Weibo to spew insults were viewers of the Boiling tform. The reason for saying ''most'' and not ''all'' was because this majority hadn''t even bothered to change their nicknames, making them easy to identify. The rest might also be Boiling watchers, but it was hard to say.


    "That''s enough!" Suming said calmly.


    Before this incident, the zoo and Boiling had no interaction, no grudges old or new. Even if Boiling wasn''t behind this mess, they could not shirk responsibility.


    Suming directly made a call to the Boiling tform.


    It was not about using or ming, but rather hoping to coborate and resolve the issue.


    Trash talking and hype might indeed boost poprity in the short term, but it is an hical path.


    Most importantly, the entire nation is currently focused on building a civilized culture. Continuation of this conflict goes against the broader domestic ethos. Currently, the scale of the spat remains controble, but if it were to escte uncontrobly and be sensational, it would benefit no one.


    Yangchuan Daily had even called, hoping to conduct an interview. Because of the zoo''s surprisingly good reputation, even a small bout of nder could generate new leads. Suming did not wish to increase his fame in this manner and had suppressed the story through connections for the time being.


    The person on the other end of the call was Mr. Zhang, a director of operations at Boiling tform, an executive at the vice-president level.


    Both parties were intelligent; there was no need for vacuous statements like "Although they are our viewers, their behavior is not rted to us." After listening to Suming, Mr. Zhang took the matter seriously and promised over the phone to look into it.


    However, Mr. Zhang was diplomatic and did not make any definitive promises, ending the call with augh, "Mr. Su, you also run a live-streaming business, so you must understand. Every streamer wants to be famous, and we cannot control too strictly, as our tforms have different orientations. Boiling prioritizes economic benefits."


    "Of course, I understand," Sumingughed lightly, then added a twist, "But that''s exactly why our two tforms don''t have any significant business conflicts. So even if we can''t cooperate, there''s no need for viciouspetition, don''t you think?"


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    "Right! Couldn''t agree more. Rest assured, Mr. Su, I will surely investigate. If it really is our streamers and viewers, I will restrain them as much as possible."


    Wang Hao and Shen Yan were present during Suming''s phone call, both nodding frequently, feeling that Suming handled the situation very skillfully and calmly.


    Yet there was still a lingering sense of concern.


    "Old Shen, do you think this could really be the Boiling tform behind Nana causing trouble?" Wang Hao asked doubtfully, considering the numerous examples of live-streaming tforms gaining notoriety through controversy.


    Shen shrugged, "I can''t analyze that. Mr. Su, what do you think?"


    "I''m not jumping to conclusions. Let''s investigate the Boiling tform first. Whether it''s a friend or an enemy, first we have to understand them, right?" said Suming with a slight smile.


    As the saying goes, harbor no intent to harm others, but always stay vignt against being harmed. As for Suming, intent to harm or guard against harm wasn''t the point; the point was, given the situation, he definitely had to be more cautious.


    Especially when it came to Nana, he couldn''t help but think of Yang Meng from the television station before¡ªsimply a troublemaker, buzzing around like a fly.@@novelbin@@


    Over in Jiangjin City, actions were also underway at the Boiling tform.


    After dealing with his current work, Mr. Zhang reclined in his boss chair for a moment, then brought up the list of streamers on hisputer and got in touch with Nana.


    "This is Mr. Zhang speaking. Nana,e to my office."


    ```

 Chapter 417 Where Did This Mosquito Come From?

    Mr. Zhang fell silent for a moment, his mind rapidly calcting the gains and losses of benefit involved.


    Online insults hurled betweenizens, the so-called me wars that aremon on the Inte, happen countless times every day. Many celebrities, even A-listers, even treat it as a ''shortcut'' to fame. Often a me war turns a lukewarm celebrity into an overnight sensation through being cursed at.


    If the fans of the two tforms really engage in arge-scale me war, it is essentially simr to the fans of two celebrities engaging in a feud on Weibo... Given the massive number of fans from both tforms, it would certainly cause quite a stir. Moreover, people who often go online tend to have friends and ssmates who also like to spend a lot of time on the inte. This way, it amounts to free publicity.


    Of course, this might cause a certain disturbance, but such a disturbance can be controlled, or rather, the benefits of the disturbance are quite substantial! This could be seen from the recent reports from Nana''s room.


    Boiling tform is a top livestream tform in the country, and it certainly has manypetitors. Thosepetitors, in their bid to increase their visibility, are willing to go to any length, even daring to do something obviously illegal like livestreaming conception. In the end, it would just result in banning a single streamer, while the tform behind the streamer suddenly gets a lot of attention.


    Compared to directly engaging in illegal acts to grab attention, instigating online me wars carries much less risk.


    The zoo was just the kind of ''opponent'' worth targeting, with high visibility but not influential enough to be untouchable¡ªperfect as a stepping stone.


    Just as Suming had thought earlier, businessmen do not obey thew out of goodness but because the cost of breaking it is too high. When the benefits far outweigh the costs, Mr. Zhang''s answer was practically ready toe out.


    "Well, Boiling tform officially hopes all streamers and viewers will abide by thew and not insult or attack others online. But as you said, the viewers are independent individuals, and the tform can''t really force any restraint."


    What he meant was that the tform would not interfere; it was up to Nana to handle things. If anything really happened, at most, the tform would bear some supervisory responsibility, not the principal responsibility.


    "I understand. I''ll go tell the other streamers right now, so they can tell their fans to be restrained and not to join in the me wars between Boiling and the zoo," she said.


    Nana felt extremely proud of herself foring up with such a n. Not all the people from other rooms might know about the me war, but as long as the streamers started fanning the mes a bit, more new recruits would undoubtedly join the fray.


    The two of them were in agreement.


    "Then I''ll get on it," Nana said, in a great mood, eager to start her grand n as she stood up, ready to leave the office.


    "Wait a moment."


    After getting down to business, Mr. Zhang suddenly dropped his serious facade, transforming into a different person, with a sleazy smile that everyone understood, and patted the armrest of his executive chair, asking, "This armrest feels ratherfortable to sit on, doesn''t it?"


    Instantly catching on, Nana twisted her waist around the desk and sat directly on Mr. Zhang''sp, giggling, "But it''s not asfortable as sitting on yourp, Mr. Zhang..."


    ...


    "Despicable, absolutely despicable!"


    Suming got off the high-speed train and turned to look at the carriage, muttering a few curses. On his journey from Yangchuan City to Jiangjin City by bullet train, the couple sitting next to him had been kissing with no regard for anyone else around them.


    God damn it, for nearly an hour, those two barely stopped for breath, making smacking sounds with their saliva, and that guy''s hands were restlessly fondling beneath the girl''s T-shirt.


    Didn''t they get tired? Weren''t they thirsty? Was there no sense of public decency left at all? If they couldn''t stand it, why didn''t they just go get a room? If they couldn''t afford a hotel, they could find some wilderness, or even resolve it in a KFC bathroom if needed. Causing such a scene on a train, what was that supposed to be?


    Ordinarily, other people getting intimate, even if they decided to have a go in the aisle of the high-speed train, was none of Suming''s business. But these two were sitting right beside Suming, and people in the entire carriage couldn''t stop looking in their direction from start to finish. With only three seats in a row, and these two upying two, Suming had no choice but to sit awkwardly to the side.


    It was a pity there wasn''t a single animal on the train, not even a mosquito to be found; Suming couldn''t even y dirty to split them up.


    Rarely traveling by train instead of driving or riding a horse, Suming had spent almost the entire journey blushing with embarrassment.


    Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "At least this proves that I still have a sense of shame,"


    Thinking this made me feel a bit better.


    I took a taxi to the headquarters of the Boiling tform. After the call with Mr. Zhang, Suming didn''t feel too confident, so he simply made the trip to Jiangjin City by car. With the intercity high-speed rail connecting the two cities, it only took a morning tomute between Jiangjin and Yangchuan Cities, so it was quite convenient.


    Arriving at the office building where Boiling tform was located, there were variouspany logos on the stone stele at the entrance of the tall building. The Boiling tform''s logo featured a leaping me with the silhouette of a graceful dancing woman within.


    Ninth floor.


    He pressed the elevator button, and after a moment, the elevator doors opened. Once everyone inside had exited, Suming, along with a few others waiting for the elevator, stepped in.


    Just as he was about to press the button for the ninth floor, Suming suddenly caught a glimpse of a woman who had just left¡ªher back looked strikingly familiar¡ªthrough the slowly closing gap of the elevator doors.


    "What a coincidence?"


    ...


    After Nana left the Boiling tform headquarters, she was busy the entire afternoon, contacting over a dozen Boiling tform broadcasters, both familiar and not so much.


    Who wouldn''t want to jump at the chance to be famous?


    That night, the entire Boiling tform seemed to unanimously discuss one topic.


    "The zoo dares to bully us? Brothers, follow me, let''s blow them up!"


    "My sword is already thirsting for blood!"


    "Round up more people; those zoo people are numerous, a bunch of mix..breeds!"


    "Scared of what, I''ll take on ten by myself!"


    "Here''s a screenshot for you guys, people at the zoo calling us brainless!"


    "F**k, I''m going to the zoo tomorrow to wait for them, and I''ll y those zoo bastards!"


    "Supplying pesticides en masse, let''s poison all their animals! Hahaha, what will they watch then!"


    Under the purposeful maniption of the broadcasters, the issue had escted from Nana seeking justice to the Boiling tform being ''bullied'' by therge numbers of the zoo tform.


    Nana was very pleased with the current situation. She sneered inwardly, ''As expected, a bunch of idiots; just a little provocation and they''re willing toy down their lives for me.'' Yet on her face, she put on a look of fear, "Brothers, please don''t be impulsive, okay? Let Nana dance for you all..."


    She was wearing very little in front of the camera. Just as she stood up and was about to dance, she suddenly felt a slight itch on her leg.


    "p!" She hit it hard, ending up with a hand full of blood.@@novelbin@@


    Strange, the air conditioner is on, where did the mosquitoe from?

 Chapter 419 Mosquito Army Invades

    Mosquitoes are more useful than bees, they''re simply natural-born spies. They effortlessly squeezed through the cracks of the window and into the room, allowing Suming to eavesdrop on Nana and several other streamers'' phone calls with perfect rity.


    From their conversations, it could be deduced that the whole Boiling tform was colluding tounch a major battle of insults, seemingly with the tacit approval of the Boiling tform''s higher-ups, specifically Mr. Zhang. Nana mentioned this point more than once during her calls with the other streamers.


    It''s unlikely she was just spouting nonsense. Without the higher-ups'' tacit consent, it wouldn''t be possible for the entire tform to act collectively.


    Now it seemed that the previous worries weren''t unfounded. Mr. Zhang, who, over the phone, had readily agreed to everything, had made aplete one-eighty due to the drive of self-interest.


    Arge-scale war of words is the most convenient way to stir up publicity, gaining fame without spending a penny.


    If a few media outlets report on it and money is spent to hire some social media influencers to hype it up,nding on the front page, the effect would be even better than spending millions on television ads.


    If they really hype it up, Taoyuan''s reputation would surely improve as well. From a certain perspective, it could even be seen as a ''win-win'' situation. Suming knew that many online feuds, while appearing fiercely contentious on the surface, were actually prearranged by both parties for mutual promotion.


    However, gaining fame through such ''battles'' and negative news does not align with Taoyuan Live tform''s development n. Although it could attract attention in the short term, in the long run, it would affect the positive image of sunshine and warmth that Taoyuan had painstakingly established, leading to the loss of genuine fans.


    For Boiling tform, it would be a huge profit, but for Taoyuan, it would be a loss beyond measure.


    The simplest solution would be to shut down Taoyuan''s Weibo for a few days. Boiling tform couldn''t possibly focus their attention on Taoyuan indefinitely. Without the ability to leavements on Weibo, the enthusiasm of Boiling tform''s fans would disperse before long. After all, Boiling tform was sorge that it had numerous matters to handle every day and couldn''t afford to spend too much energy on this.


    But doing so would feel incredibly unjust.


    Why should I have to shut down a perfectly good streaming tform without provoking anyone, one that spreads positive energy every day, just because a female streamer wants to climb thedder, and an unrtedpetitor wants to stir up drama? Why should I run away and endure this frustration, shutting down Taoyuan''s Weibo?


    Besides, it''s not the thieves I fear, but their coveting. If I shut it down this time, what would I do if I encountered something simr again? Am I supposed to live every day on edge from now on, watching every move of Taoyuan and Boiling tform, wary of being outmaneuvered at any moment?


    Where would the joy in life be then, and what time would there be for love, sex, idle chatter, or a good night''s sleep?


    Scientific research has shown that authentic duck blood vermicelli can temporarily raise one''s IQ. Suming, while eating duck blood vermicelli, indeed thought of a n...


    Well okay, maybe it wasn''t the vermicelli''s doing, but that''s not important.


    If they wanted to make a big fuss, then let''s give them the biggest fuss, and see who ends up unable to back down in the end.


    Before that, Miss Nana, the instigator, shouldn''t expect to sleep well tonight.


    "Boss, give me ten more skewers of kidneys!" Suming said fiercely.@@novelbin@@


    The barbecue stall owner looked up and rolled his eyes, wondering whether this guy had a kidney deficiency or something. He loitered outside the beauty salon for over an hour and didn''t dare to go in, but came back for more grilled kidneys.


    ...


    At Nana''s home, the live stream was underway. Nana, moving to the music, performed the "social shake," her body exaggeratingly twisting and turning, and with a move that bent her down, her little buttocks perked up high.


    Suddenly, she felt a tickle on her neck, and with a reflexive p, it was gone.


    The audience in front of the screen thought Nana did it on purpose and were about to apud, only to see that after she lifted her hand, there was a mosquito with long legs, already squashed t, but filled with blood, sttering all over her neck.


    "Holy shit, that''s a huge mosquito!"


    "Oh my god, so much blood..."


    Nana, annoyed, rubbed her neck and dabbed a bit of floral water on the wound, squeezed out a forced smile, and then continued to dance.


    She didn''t dance for half a minute before anotherrge mosquito started buzzing around her ear.


    As the mosquito flew past her face, she could clearly see the grey stripes on its body and its long, sharp mouth!


    Making use of her dance moves, she iled her hands several times, trying to drive away therge mosquito, but it stuck around as if it had a score to settle with her, circling around her several times beforending on her slender neck.


    p... She swung again but missed, turning her neck red instead.


    Then there were several more mosquito attacks in a row, with the worst one biting a big chunk right on her right cheek, swelling up into arge bump.


    Nana finally lost her temper, where the hell did all these mosquitoese from?! Are they going to let anyone dance in peace?


    The several bites started itching at once, and now she had no desire to dance; she only wished she had more hands to scratch the itch, as two hands were simply not enough.


    Having no other choice, she ended the live stream abruptly and then sealed the room''s doors and windows tightly. She lit two electric mosquito coils and, wielding an aerosol insecticide, searched the room back and forth several times, eliminating four or five mosquitoes hidden in the corners before she felt at ease.


    "Such bad luck, I''m itching to death, I need a bath..." With no one else at home, Nana muttered as she turned on the hot water faucet of the bathtub, simultaneously stripping off her sheer lingerie entirely.


    Downstairs, Suming almost had a nosebleed; what kind of talk was that, the perks sudden appearance?!


    In the bathroom, Nanayfortably in therge bathtub,pletely naked, while in the corner of the ceiling, arge mosquito perched, staring unwaveringly at the person below. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire


    As the steam slowly started to rise, Suming''s... oh no, the mosquito''s vision gradually became blurred.


    Seeing that the privileged time was almost over, Nana finally finished bathing, wrapped herself in arge bathrobe, returned to the bedroom, turned on the air conditioning, and went to bed.


    Hurting someone stealthily always consumed a lot of energy, and after a busy day, Nana quickly fell into a dream.


    A swarm of big mosquitoes silently snuck into the bedroom through the gaps in the air conditioning vent.


    In the bedroom, a pungent smell of mosquito repellent lingered; for mosquitoes, the scent of electric coils wasn''t fatal in the short term, it just instinctively made them want to leave.


    But this swarm seemed unaffected, quietly following arge leader mosquito towards the lovely person on the bed.

 Chapter 426 421

    Arge group of mosquitoes, having gorged on blood, were already flying back with their bellies swelled.


    Suming, taking great evil amusement, found an empty mineral water bottle and made all those big Hei mosquitoes crawl in, ready to hand it over to Haidong Qing and have it carry the bottle back to Yangchuan City.


    Looking at the bottle filled with a dark mass of mosquitoes, Suming suddenly thought of an artifact from "The Investiture of the Gods" that seemingly contained countless giant mosquitoes which, once released, could suck an entire army dry.


    If he cultivated them properly with spiritual power, in the future, these mosquitoes might even be more formidable than wasps. Although wasps are poisonous, the sheer number of mosquitoes far exceeds that of wasps, and they are much more difficult to guard against.


    The key issue is that mosquitoesck intelligence. Even if they die, it wouldn''t be a big loss, unlike wasps, which now behave like little people; Suming would actually feel a little sad if they were killed.


    It''s a pity that mosquitoes only live for a season; their lives are too short. Otherwise, if one were to breed mosquitoes specifically, umting trillions over ten years, they would be an absolute weapon of mass destruction for decimating cities and annihting nations.


    "Damn it, what do I need a city-decimating, nation-annihting weapon for?! I''m not in some historical or fantasy genre..." Suming pped his forehead, realizing he was letting his imagination run wild again.


    ...


    Nana, having been bitten into a puffy face, didn''t hinder Boiling tform''s ''attack'' on the zoo. The momentum had already been built up, and even without Nana''s on-the-spotmand, the battle was inevitable.


    Not even half a day had passed since Suming returned to the zoo when theizens on Weibo had already gone crazy with insults.


    The zoo''s fan base boasted millions of followers, and even if just one percent enlisted for the battle, that still amounted to tens of thousands of people; meanwhile, waves of Boiling tform users flooded in to join the fray, continually reinforcing their ranks. The two sides proved well-matched, and had Weibo been capable of heating up, it would have surely gone up in mes.


    Combined, the potential ''troop'' count from both sides was nearing two million. Although it was impossible for all two million people tounch into spats simultaneously, the conflict quickly spread through these millions, causing a sensation online.


    Yangchuan City forum, daily mixing it up on Taoyuan''s trendsetting Weibo page, was the first to detect the me war and immediately posted a prominent headline: "Epic Shredfest, Join Us All!"


    As a forum with official backing, Yangchuan City forum couldn''t outright take sides. However, with one party being the local zoo and the other a business from Jiangjin City ¨C always inpetition with Yangchuan ¨C the forum naturally aligned with the zoo, elevating the dispute to a matter of regional honor.


    Following closely, various major inte tforms also took notice of the sh.


    Baidu has always been one to revel in chaos, dramatizing the news: ''Live-streaming tformse to blows, a nationwide war is about to kick off'';


    Zhihu, the newly emerging highbrow tform, likes to delve intoplexities, ''This industry is a mess, the grand banquet of capital beneath the mor'';


    NetEase maintained its faux-American style, posting a ''Timeline of Big Events in Western Inte Development and Legition'' with vague undertones. The implication was that the East''s inte development isn''t far behind the West''s, but when ites to legition, it''s streets behind;


    Some rtively smaller online media were far more direct in their reports.


    "Female anchor incites massive online tearing war, worth surges dozens of times overnight!"


    "Zoo leaks database to prove its innocence"


    "The rivalry between two livestream tforms"@@novelbin@@


    The inte has always been the fastest ce for information dissemination and the most effective. With inte ess, a simple search would reveal the websites of the parties involved. As a result, in less than half a week, the zoo''s Weibo was in an uproar, but the audience traffic for both livestream tforms soared simultaneously.


    Most of the increase in viewership came from people who had seen the news and visited the livestream tforms out of curiosity. Many people asked the zoo''s streamers on the tform what had actually happened.


    But under Suming''s deliberate instruction, the zoo''s streamers collectively maintained silence on the matter.


    Their energies were focused on producing programs.


    So, some of the new viewers who hade out of curiosity left disappointed, not having found the answers they sought. However, a portion of the viewers gradually shifted their attention from the initial curiosity about the conflict to the zoo''s programs themselves and became new fans of the zoo''s livestream tform.


    Amidst the noise, episodes three, four, and five of the zoo''s ''Me and It'' program were sessivelyunched.


    The guest invited for the fifth episode was actually a young mother from Jiangjin City, who shared the story of a Golden Retriever grown up with her twin sons at home.


    The entire livestream tform seemed to be unaffected by the online disputes and continued to release high-quality programs, which received a lot of praise.


    Data analysis speaks volumes. The tform''s peak duration ratio, second-by-secondments, and value creation rate data all maintained a steady, albeit slow, upward trend, gradually improving.


    Boiling tform also reaped tremendous gains, with a surge in traffic, a spike in new registrations, and daily tips in each room increasing exponentially.


    In stark contrast to the zoo''s unruffled approach, nearly every room on Boiling tform was actively promoting the feud!


    Driven by the prospect of immediate gains, some streamers even began directly encouraging their fans to join the fray, spawning numerous irresponsible statements. In no time, countless rumors flew around, fully igniting the hormones on Boiling tform. Each streamer grasped this rare opportunity to perform wildly, gossip madly, and ept tips frantically... Enjoy exclusive chapters from My Virtual Library Empire


    Both sides had their gains, the zoo gained a group of genuine viewers, while Boiling tform quickly rose to fame in a short time, and its streamers made a killing.


    After the inte media made its move, the traditional media¡ªnewspapers and television¡ªatst noticed the smoke of war on the inte and began to report on it.


    Inte reporting and traditional media reporting do have some differences. In terms of depth, traditional media generally delve deeper and are more serious. They seldom fabricate stories out of thin air¡ªat least they wouldn''t dare to publish absurd rumors like ''the female anchor who started the incident was hospitalized for an abortion, possibly abandoned by the leader of the Yangchuan City zoo livestream tform, out of love turned hate''.


    Yangchuan City Daily had previously wanted to interview Suming, but he had put a stop to it. With the recent inte buzz, Yangchuan City Daily once again proposed an interview request.


    Also requesting interviews were the Yangchuan City TV Station and a few other papers from the province.


    Their interviewees were not limited to just the zoo but also included Boiling tform.


    When facing online media, the attitudes of the two livestream tforms were opposite; the zoo took a cold approach, while Boiling tform was exceptionally high-profile;


    And now, faced with traditional media interviews, the two livestream tforms once again exhibited markedly different attitudes!

 Chapter 425 Cultivating Awareness

    Like a dam releasing floodwaters, a series of preparations is needed before the sluice gates are opened. Once poised to release, a gentle press of the switch is all it takes for the raging waters to surge forth, effortlessly tearing down anything that stands in their way. Not long after the press conference, the local regtory body initiated a dedicated investigation into the Boiling tform''s suspected regtory vitions. Nana, who was ''licking her wounds'' at Jiangjin City People''s Hospital, was ''invited'', despite her injuries, to the Boiling Company''s office to assist with the investigation;


    The Boiling tform announced to the public that it would upgrade its live-streaming system and temporarily suspend livestreams, while using this opportunity to summarize internal work and perfect a series of rules and regtions, in order to better serve viewers in the future.


    Suming learned of the oue through certain channels: the hostess Nana was suspected of vitions, ced on the cklist of hosts, and was banned by the Boiling tform. Although it seemed as though only Boiling had banned her and she could simply switch to another tform to continue being a hostess, in reality, it wasn''t so simple. The circle was small, and the conflict between Boiling and Taoyuan livestreams had been widely publicized; everyone in the industry knew that it was this hostess who fanned the mes. Moreover, now that Nana was on the cklist, Suming suspected no tform would risk hiring such a troublemaker.


    Zhang Dongliang, a director of Boiling, who bore direct leadership responsibility, was moved out of thepany. The live-stream management manual at Boiling was inadequate and required further detailed management methods to ensure the provision of healthy live programs.


    Suming was fairly satisfied with the oue. He had been forced to react defensively and didn''t intend to profit from the situation; his goal was simply not to be ndered. Addressing the main culprits and driving them out of the industry was sufficient. After all, Taoyuan still had to exist in this circle, and he didn''t want topletely undermine the Boiling tform, causing other entities in the industry to grieve at Taoyuan''s thriving business. The current result worked well: it ended where it should, the fledgling Taoyuan livestream showed its fangs in the industry, securing its footing, while also subtly giving the impression to the top tforms that Taoyuan''s main business of livestreaming animals did not posepetition to them.


    However, this incident served as a wake-up call for Suming.


    The issue of employee management.


    As the business expanded andpanies under his name, such as the winery, entertainmentpany, and zoo, grewrger, the number of employees in these various subsidiaries continued to increase and would only grow more in the future.


    "When three people walk together, my teacher is among them," as the saying goes. When more than a hundred people are involved, all walks of life are represented; the bigger the forest, the more varieties of birds it harbors. As the number of employees increased, managing them became a major issue facing the development of the business.


    Of course, each of thepanies under his name had their own set of rules and regtions. Suming had called for institutional building upon taking office at the zoo. In conversations with Su Desheng about the corrupt influences in the construction team, various rectifications had been made, and even specific regtions had been established. However, no set of rules is ever one hundred percent perfect.


    For example, in the case of a hostess resigning, the tform''s existing policies became ineffective once she left.


    Employees resign for many reasons. Some are unsuitable for the position or have vited significant rules, necessitating their dismissal, such as the earlier case of the hostess, while others leave for a variety of personal reasons.


    But looking at the big picture, the constant flow of peopleing and going within apany, with old employees leaving and new ones arriving, is an inevitable cycle of change. No matter how attractive thepany''s benefits, how approachable the leaders, or how promising the future prospects, this reality will not change.


    Employees who have worked at thepany often understand the business better than outsiders. Many staff members, such as those in finance or IT administration, know more about thepany in certain details than even Suming, the boss himself. Middle-level executives have a deep understanding of thepany''s operational mechanisms, characteristics, and future developmental direction... Should these individuals speak or act improperly, they could inflict severe damage on thepany. To put it more dramatically, knowing both oneself and the opponent assures victory in every battle; if these people turned against thepany, even Suming would find it problematic.


    How to ensure that departing employees, while protecting their legal rights, do not harm thepany''s interests?


    Experience new tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Suming summoned Wang Hao and severalpany leaders for a meeting. All current and future new employees were to sign an agreement with thepany.


    The specific content of this agreement included several points, such as confidentiality and prevention of maliciouspetition. Suming proposed a general direction, mainly to ensure that employees, whether during or after employment, would not disclosepany secrets to third parties or maliciously nder thepany. He put forward detailed requirements, especially regarding the conduct after leaving thepany. If they vited the agreement, thepany should have the right to hold them ountable and seekpensation.@@novelbin@@


    The specifics would be discussed at the meeting, reviewed by thepany''swyers, and finalized once it was confirmed that there were no conflicts with the existingw. Within a week, all current employees must sign the supplemental agreement, setting a precedent for all new hires to sign it along with their employment contract.


    In his heart, Suming knew that an agreement alone would be unlikely to fully achieve its purpose. After all, an agreement is just a piece of paper, and if someone is determined to breach it, the agreement won''t stop them.


    But the presence or absence of an agreement results in entirely different oues. After signing the agreement, should an incident simr to the resigned hostess spreading rumors ur again, thepany could legally demandpensation from the other party based on the agreement, and it would be a significant sum¡ªincreasing the cost for an ex-employee to deliberately harm thepany''s interests. From an economic perspective, it acts as a deterrent.


    Nana dared to recklessly nder Taoyuan Livestream because, as she saw it, there was no cost to bear. nder was just nder, and even if Taoyuan Entertainment remained unscathed in the end, she would have lost nothing while indulging in her spite, without any consequences. However, had she signed such an agreement, she probably would have carefully weighed whether her actions were worth it before proceeding.


    However, seekingpensation was not the real goal. The main significance of crafting this agreement and having everyone sign it was preventative¡ªto cultivate an awareness among employees to safeguardpany secrets and protectpany interests.


    Incidents like the former hostess deliberately ndering thepany were rare. In most cases, when employees divulgedpany secrets, it was idental, without even realizing it themselves. Moreover, in units such as the winery where the general educational level of the employees was not high, secrets could be spilled over a few drinks, without any psychological burden.


    Signing this agreement serves as a reminder for everyone: speak what should be spoken, but refrain from being careless with words that shouldn''t be said.


    After the meeting, Suming received a phone call from Wang Jian She.


    "What, me as the vice president?"

 Chapter 431 426

    Wang Jian She briefly updated Su Ming on the situation.


    Every coin has two sides, just as there are negative examples, there are also positive ones. Now that the incident with the Boiling live streaming tform has been settled and the truth is clear, there''s no fear of misspeaking. After the media denounced the Boiling tform, they quickly shifted their focus to Taoyuan live broadcasting instead, promoting Taoyuan Company as a positive example in a big way.


    Ever since establishing the live streaming tform, Su has beenmitted to following a green and sunny path, preferring to sacrifice short-term profits to ensure the tform is on the right track.


    This is not only a requirement for positioning the zoo but also a social responsibility that a business must undertake toy the foundation for future growth and expansion. Discover hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire


    Looking back, it seems that this was the right move.


    Not only did Su make the right move, but other zoos across the country also benefited greatly. Following the lead of Taoyuan live broadcasting tform, theyunched their own animal live streams. Naturally, they imitated the Yangchuan City Zoo and Taoyuan''s model. Before, when Taoyuan broadcasting had the lion''s share, others didn''t stand out. But now, with Boiling as a negative example, the other zoos'' live streaming tforms also rode on the coattails of Taoyuan broadcasting and made a name for themselves in China''s online broadcasting industry.


    In the news reports, a group of zoo live streaming tforms, led by the Yangchuan City Zoo, were named and praised as pioneers in live broadcasting. All the zoos were recognized by their superiors in various ways, which increased their fame.


    After this incident, all domestic live streaming tforms realized that the online broadcasting industry, a new economic growth area, is still in a somewhat crude phase of development. From a long-term perspective, it is necessary for industry professionals to establish a specialized association to formte an industry convention that everyone epts. This will act as a bond betweenpanies to strengthenmunication, enhance rtionships, and make joint progress.


    Upon hearing thisst part, Su chuckled to himself, finding it quite meaningful.


    The fierce battle between Taoyuan Broadcasting and the Boiling tform ended with Boiling''s utter defeat, suffering severe damage. Taoyuan Broadcasting, in fact, didn''t reap any real benefits either.


    Neither party in the war saw any benefits; instead, it caused a major earthquake in the whole live streaming industry, leaving everyone a bit panicky. When one rabbit dies, the other fears for its life; seeing Boiling''s misfortune, other tforms couldn''t help but think that their day coulde at any moment.


    In life and in business, there are several levels of achievement.


    The highest level is to benefit oneself as well as others, known as a win-win situation. Those who reach this level are definitely the most popr.@@novelbin@@


    The next level is to benefit oneself without harming others, quietly making a fortune, with others merely envying them at most;


    One level down is to harm others for one''s own benefit. Such people are deeply disliked and annoying, offending everyone, but at least they manage to benefit themselves.


    These three levels, despite their differences in ss, all fall within what is considered normal. Among businesspeople, there are such ''sages,'' petents,'' and ''viins.''


    The fourth level is called harming others without benefiting oneself, and the fifth is harming both others and oneself. These two kinds of behaviors are iprehensible, and those who do them can be called ''foolish'' or ''dim-witted''¡­


    In business, one might be a sage,petent, or viin, but should never be foolish or dim-witted.


    Thepanies established this association with thetter part of the statement implying that if there are benefits, everyone should earn together. If a conflict arises, the association provides a chance to sit down and talk it out, not like before, with tforms waging needless internal wars against each other.


    This association is simr in nature to the Yangchuan City Fisheries Association, which is spontaneously formed by civilians, without a president, and with well-known industry leaders elected as vice presidents.


    As a model of excellence, the owner of Taoyuan Entertainment Company and the deputy director of the zoo, Su Ming, was elected as one of the three vice presidents of the association.


    There''s no issue with taking the position of vice president. From Su''s perspective, he very much agrees with the original intention of the association. He was forced to respond when provoked by Boiling, and his methods were so intense that even he didn''t quite like them himself. Business thrives in harmony, and whilepetitors may be adversaries, there is also ample opportunity for cooperation. Even if there had to bepetition, there was no need for such extreme measures, pushing it to a life-or-death situation.


    In the end, it all began with a trivial matter, and the conflict was exacerbated by the constant instigation of certain individuals. If initially, there had been a chance for the real decision-makers of bothpanies to sit down and talk face to face, it might never have escted to the current state.


    The Live Broadcasting Association will be officially established next month. There will be a celebration ceremony in the capital, along with a symposium to formte relevant industry conventions and regtions.


    This would be somewhat troublesome. The meeting definitely wouldn''t conclude in a day or two; it could take up to ten days or half a month, and Su didn''t have that kind of time.


    He was nning to travel around and rx, as he had been on edgetely.


    Recalling the person he spoke with on the phone, Su had an idea and said, "Leader, what if we do it this way? The general manager of Taoyuan Entertainment Company is Wang Hao. I''ll have Wang Hao, along with the technical staff, represent me at the meeting," Su asked.


    "Hahaha, Su, you''re in charge of that," Wang Jian She replied cheerfully over the phone, "But Wang Hao is still young and not as steady in handling things as you are. You should give him some pointers before he attends the meeting."


    "Understood," Su nodded. Even without Wang Jian She''s instructions, Su had some important matters to entrust to Wang Hao, as a form of aftermath of the broadcasting storm and to ensure a perfect closure.


    "Also, there''s some good news. You''ve been doing an excellent job with the promotion of spiritual and cultural valuestely, and the live streaming tform has been a highlight, especially the ''Me and It'' segment, warming hearts and setting new standards¡­ The city government is nning to award both the zoo and Taoyuan Entertainment with the ''Advanced Civilized Title'' collective honor. Also, please nominate one person from both entities for the election of a model of cultural establishment in the city."


    "Sure, okay," Su thought for a moment and had already more or less decided on the candidate.


    Wang Jian She called today primarily to deliver good news, one after the other.


    Logically, the direct broadcasting association, which was spontaneously organized by thepanies, shouldn''t have involved Wang Jian She notifying Su.


    But Wang Jian She had something else to tell Su, and thus he took the opportunity to cover both matters in one call. Taoyuan Broadcasting had brought prestige to Yangchuan City,pleted the task assigned by Wang Jian She through a series of distinctive programs, and the zoo had preliminarily established a cultural image, fulfilling the criteria for applying as a 3A scenic spot.

 Chapter 430 The Energetic Little and Big Bear!

    Since Suming had already made a decision, and even Panda Yingying herself didn''t object, Li had no choice but to follow Suming with trepidation.


    The two of them and the bear sneaked out through the back door of the panda house and into the keeper''s passage beneath Xiongshan.


    This was Suming''s second time in this cave-like small passage. The first time was when he had just started working, and Hei''s family was being stung crazy by the bees. He entered through the passage to save Hei, who ended up foolishly smashing the beehive, killing the previous Queen Bee and enraging all the bees. If Suming hadn''t used his spiritual power to control the bees, it would''ve been a disaster.


    "Roar!" Just as they entered the passage, a low roar came from the cage next door.


    It was a bit hot, and apart from the yful little Hei who was still ying in the water outside, the adult Hei bears hid in the cooler, dark parts of their cage. Their noses were incredibly sensitive, and they immediately sniffed out the unfamiliar scent.


    "Don''t shoot, it''s me!" Suming whistled through the bars.


    The two startled adult Hei bears stood up and shook their fur, walking over to the bars. Their silly noses sniffed at Suming up close.


    Although Suming didn''t directly manage Xiongshan, he would stroll around all the animal areas whenever he had free time, and the Hei bears recognized him.


    However, they did not recognize Panda Yingying. After confirming the arrivals were Suming and a keeper, both Hei bears lowered their heads, looming down at this strange ''little one.'';


    Yingying was also extremely curious, raising her head and eyeing the two big Hei bears.


    Why do we look so alike, yet their fur looks so low-end? Aside from some white hair on their chest, there''s not a single white hair anywhere else¡ªfail!


    The three bears, separated by the cage, stared at each other, sizing one another up. In front of the two big Hei bears, Yingying looked like a kid who hadn''t grown up yet.


    "What are you looking at?"


    "How would I know you were looking at me if you weren''t looking at me?"


    "So what if I''m looking at you?"


    "Try looking at me one more time?"


    The situation was a bit awkward. Even though they were separated by bars, Li was still incredibly nervous, as if he could smell gunpowder in the air. He clenched the long-handled separation fork in his hand, ready to intervene at any moment.


    Suming, however, was not in a hurry. The animals in the zoo were generally more docile than wild creatures, and when well-fed, they would not attack easily unless startled.


    He gestured slightly with his hand, signaling Li not to make any sudden movements.


    The three bears continued staring at each other for a while, until one of the big Hei bears suddenly turned its head, looked at the fur of the other bear, and then looked down at its own belly and legs¡ªthe parts that it could see¡ªfinally looking confused.


    "Woof woof..." Yingying made a sound like a little dog and actually pressed her body against the bars.


    This move scared the sweat out of Li, but the big Hei bear didn''t take the chance to attack. Instead, it lifted its paw and gently touched Yingying''s spot of white fur on her back.


    "Roar... roar..." The roar of the Hei bear didn''t sound threatening, and in fact, it sounded quite happy. The other Hei bear also mustered up the courage to touch Yingying''s white fur.


    Yingying twisted *** happily.


    It seemed that Panda Yingying and the Hei bears got along fairly well.


    Li waspletely baffled, looking from the Hei bears to Suming. Thispletely defied logic. Hei bears were notoriously bad-tempered, and the giant pandas weren''t creatures to be trifled with either. How could these three troublemakers be together without any problems urring?


    "Maybe they are behaving because of the zoo director?" Li suddenly had a thought that even he found hard to believe.


    However, the peace didn''tst long.


    The little Hei ying outside, upon hearing themotion, climbed out of the pool and scampered over to the cage entrance.


    "Roar!" Upon seeing a creature about its size in the passage, the little Hei immediately became angry. Standing on its hind legs behind the bars, it roared at Yingying, opening its mouth wide to show its sharp teeth.


    Yingying didn''t show a good face to the little Hei either. She wiggled her butt to the back of the exhibit entrance and, separated by the bars, pped towards the little Hei outside.


    There was a gap between the bars, and Yingying''s p didn''t go through, causing the little ck bear to subconsciously tilt its head back.


    Although it didn''t connect, the little ck bear had always been the tyrant of Xiongshan, and it had never been bullied like this before. Enraged, it opened its mouth wide and drool trickled down from the corners. Likewise, from behind the bars, it wildly swung its paws at Yingying.


    p p p p... bang bang bang... roar roar roar... woof woof woof... The two little guys on either side of the bars engaged in a fierce attack, most of whichnded on the iron bars, shaking them intensely.


    "Director, while they''re still unharmed, we should quickly send the panda back! The little ck bear must think its territory has been invaded by the panda!" Li said anxiously.


    Suming found it somewhat odd.


    If it were about invading territory, why wasn''t Hei freaking out? The territorial instincts of adult animals are the strongest.


    Turning his head to look at the two adult ck bears, they were utterly indifferent to the scuffle between the two little bears,zing against the wall just like the bears smoking on TV, with no intention to intervene in the fight.


    Suming didn''t immediately use his spiritual power to stop Yingying and the little ck bear, but instead probed to find out what they were actually thinking.


    "Director..." Li''s worried voice came from behind once again. Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    Suddenly, Suming turned around: "It''s okay now."


    After probing with his spiritual power, Suming was speechless. It wasn''t the expected territory invasion, nor was it aboutpeting for food.


    The zoo''s food quality was too good, and the two ''smaller-sized'' bears, brimming with energy and with nowhere to release it, now found in each other the perfect chance to frolic.


    Moreover, their thoughts were just like children''s.


    The little grey bear probably felt that this bear, about its own size but with so much white fur, was stealing its spotlight, which of course it didn''t like;


    Yingying, ustomed to being the center of attention and spoiled, felt that this creature, simr in appearance to herself, was tantly counterfeiting her! Counterfeiting was bad enough, but to also look so ugly and still dare to be so fierce?!


    One felt its spotlight was stolen by a wild child; the other, a little princess, discovered a country girl daring to wear the same dress as hers, how could there be a good face after that?


    For various reasons, the two ''little bears'' instantly locked horns.


    "Director, we can''t just watch them fight, can we?" Li, not knowing all this, was just worried something might happen.


    "Why can''t we?" Suming turned around and asked with a chuckle, "How do you usually release excess energy?"


    Li''s face suddenly turned red, and he mumbled with embarrassment, "That... Director, why are you asking this..."


    Suming rolled his eyes, "What are you thinking? I mean, isn''t it normal for kids to fight, to let off steam and cultivate their wildness? We shouldn''t just watch them fight, we should let everyone watch."


    Li was at a loss for words, thinking this was indeed someone who liked to watch the excitement regardless of the consequences.


    ...


    At a current affairs program on Yangchuan City TV Station, a news piece was broadcast.


    "ording to this station, the African American boxing champion Ali passed away at Phoenix City Hospital at three o''clock local time yesterday morning, at the age of 74.


    Muhammad Ali, an American boxer. Born in Louisville, he began his boxing career at the age of 12, and at 22, he won the heavyweight championship title for the first time. That same year, he defeated Liston once again, ushering in the Ali era in professional boxing... Afterwards, over 20 years, Ali won the heavyweight championship title 22 times...


    The traditional Imic funeral ceremony for Ali will be held in his hometown Louisville, Kentucky, on Thursday..."@@novelbin@@


    As the host spoke, a mischievous and untimely smile appeared: "In memory of this great athlete, Yangchuan City Zoo will host a specialmemoration event this Sunday."


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªSplit¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Just a homage to the blocked great predator~~~ big and small bears~~ big and small chest~

 Chapter 433 A Little Surprise at the Convenience Store

    ```


    The battle between the ck bear spirit and Panda Yingyingsted for about four or five minutes, with both sides exchanging blows, making it difficult to separate the two, as their strength was too closely matched.


    Fighting is definitely a sport that consumes a lot of physical strength, just like boxing, where professional athletes only fight for three minutes per round. After a fierce battle, the two bears were panting heavily, exhausted.


    After the final punch was thrown, the ck bear spirit waspletely drained, not bothering to check the results, andy straight on his back on the arena, gasping for air with great huffs, unable to move.


    "Wow!" A cry of surprise rang out.


    At this point, all Panda Yingying had to do was to move forward and give it a couple of hits to easily win.


    Unexpectedly, Yingying was also at the end of her tether, and after evading a punch from the ck bear with her habitual rolling action, the "technique" went awry, rolling uncontrobly towards a corner of the arena...


    That direction was right towards the pool, and in front of all the stunned spectators, Yingying seemed to be moving in slow motion, one roll, two rolls, three rolls...


    With a ssh, Yingying fell off the stage into the water, sshing arge wave.


    The pool was shallow, and Yingying emerged with her head above the water, sshing a few times before lying on the edge of the pool, gasping for air.


    The audience burst intoughter. Both contestants had started with a bang, fought intensely, and even the way they ended the match was so unexpected.


    Suming used his spiritual power to check them over and found that neither had sustained any real injuries; they were just too tired. Being active and sweating in the summer could be good for them, saving them from having nowhere to expend their energy.


    Of course, there were rewards for fighting. Li, the Xiongshan keeper, decked out in a thick safety suit, rushed out from the Xiongshan passage, holding a big watermelon and ced it in the center of the arena.


    Smelling the sweet scent of watermelon, the little ck bear rolled over and staggerly made its way toward the watermelon crate.


    Yingying, floundering out of the water, grabbed the edge of the arena with her forelimbs, her short legs dangling as she kicked several times before climbing back onto the stage;@@novelbin@@


    The audience quieted down again!


    A big crate of watermelons, ced in the center of the arena, with two bears approaching the watermelons from opposite directions.


    Were these two going to fight again, over a battle for the watermelon?


    Unexpectedly, perhaps too tired to continue the aggression, the two bears did note to blows this time. Instead, as they reached the crate, they looked at each other, and, as if by an unspoken agreement, gave up violence. Each grabbed a big piece of watermelon from the crate and leaned against the ice-chilled sides of the crate, crunching away at the watermelon, peaceably.


    The audience''s hearts, which they had been holding, sank back into their stomachs. At first, when the two bears appeared, they looked fierce and aggressive, and it was interesting to watch them fight. But now that they were so exhausted, it would be somewhat inhumane if the zoo staff still forced the bears to fight on.


    "Ahem, ahem, ahem... Now I announce that the winner of the opening battle of the first Yangchuan City Zoo Martial Arts Tournament is, the ck bear spirit!" Suming''s voice echoed from the stands.


    This answer did not need Suming to announce, as anyone present, as long as they were not blind, could see it.


    However, some astute visitors caught the key point in Suming''s words, they leaned over the railings shouting toward the chairman''s tform, "Mr. Su, you said opening battle? Does that mean there are morepetitions toe?"


    Indeed, if it''s called the ''first Martial Arts Tournament'', it certainly can''t have just one match.


    Moreover, Suming had said that this was merely the opening battle.


    As soon as this question was asked, all the visitors became curious, turning their attention to Suming.


    The answer was beyond doubt, there would surely be morepetitions to follow.


    "When will they start?"


    ```


    "Who''s shing in the next match?"


    "Do we have apetition schedule?"


    It was quite hot, but the enthusiasm of the visitors on the site was even higher. They crowded around the fence outside of Xiongshan, bombarding the podium with a barrage of questions.


    It was clear to see, the opening match had been a breath of fresh air for the audience and instantly stirred up everyone''s excitement. It was just a pity that the battle was so short. Including the opening, the fight, and the watermelon at the end, it was only about ten minutes in total¡ªhardly satisfying.


    Under the expectant gazes, Suming cheerfully pushed the microphone towards the female host beside him.


    "Huh?" The female host was taken aback. This guy had been hogging the mic the whole time, so why had he suddenly turned so considerate and let her have the mic?


    Suming, with a mischievous grin, whispered in her ear, "You are pretty, so it''s better if you''re the one to say the offensive stuff."


    The female host: "..."


    "Hey, hey, stop flirting with the girl on the stage, and start the next match already!"


    "Mr. Su, what are you doing!"


    "Mmm hmm..." The female host on the podium rolled her eyes at Suming, cleared her throat, put on a smile, and sweetly said to the visitors, "Dear visitors, the first martial arts tournament will feature several matches, but today, there''s only been the opening ceremony, which hase to an end..."


    As expected, the visitors weren''t having any of it. The female host quickly continued, "Please understand, everyone. This is the zoo''s first martial arts tournament and of course, sufficient preparation is needed. Today''s match can be considered as a trial run."


    It turned out that a girl''s coquettish behavior was effective. If Suming were to act coy on stage, he''d probably have mineral water bottles thrown at him.


    "So when exactly? Give us a definite answer!"


    "Yes, next time I''m bringing my kids to watch!" Experience more tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Please give us an exact time, Mr. Su. I''ll get ready and cosy next time Ie!" shouted a cosy enthusiast.


    "For the specific timing of the subsequent matches, please follow Mr. Su''s Weibo ount, Taoyuan Interest. We''ll post the detailedpetition schedule and the matchups there!" The female host sweetly said, "Lastly, thank you all for your support today..."


    Upon hearing these words, the audience members who were frequent inte live-stream viewers almost wanted tough. Were they about to ask for gifts?


    However, this martial arts match seemed quite interesting, so sending some gifts seemed worthwhile.


    Unexpectedly, the female host said, "Due to the hot weather, the zoo has prepared watermelon for everyone. Each person can get a free slice of watermelon at the Zoo Snack Bar... And additionally, there are little surprises waiting for everyone at the snack bar..."


    The crowd ''oh''-ed in response. So it was watermelon they were offering. The zoo was really considerate; it was so hot, and watching the match did make people thirsty. Especially after seeing those two bears on the martial arts field munching on big chunks of watermelon, some of the viewers couldn''t help but salivate.


    As for surprises? What surprises?!


    If it weren''t for Yangchuan Zoo''s reputation for taking the green and sunny approach, these wordsing from the pretty female host''s mouth could have led to quite some misunderstandings.


    Within Xiongshan, two zookeepers were already leading two contestants away from the arena. It looked like today''s match had trulye to an end. The visitors, though still reluctant to leave, had no choice but to head towards the snack bar along the pebble path.


    What in the world could the little surprise be?


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªSeparation¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    If this were a fantasy novel, I could''ve written ten chapters about this fight! Hahaha~~ Oh, and hey, Lonely Boat, I see you there, five updates today~~

 Chapter 436 Online Betting Odds Are Out

    ```


    Mr. Cheng, the manager of the factory, was introduced to Suming by Wang Jian She at an entrepreneurs'' meeting. The Yangchuan Toy Factory has been around since the early days of the nation''s founding, a well-established state-owned enterprise. Before the 1980s, it was one of the best workces in Yangchuan City, but as with most state-owned enterprises, it gradually began to decline after economic reforms and opening up.


    The current Yangchuan Toy Factory is nothing like its heyday, with most of the buildings and equipment sold off, the staff reduced to less than a tenth of its former size, and barely surviving on municipal subsidies.


    Wang Jian She, who is in charge of the economy, finds these unprofitable, drag-on-the-economy state-owned enterprises a major headache. His introduction implied an opportunity for Suming to lend a helping hand. In fact, not only to Suming, but Wang Jian She, like a matchmaker, often introduced local loss-making state-owned enterprises to others.


    Although the Yangchuan Toy Factory isn''t what it used to be, it is still a state-owned entity, with guaranteed product safetypared to privatepanies. Nowadays, toy manufacturers are all trying to cut costs by using toxic and substandard materials. The toy factory''s poor performance isrgely due to its insistence on using qualified materials, making its costs several times more expensive than otherpanies, which naturally made it difficult to make a profit.


    After busying for half the night, he finally arranged the follow-up work.


    Early the next day, Taoyuan posted the uingpetition schedule on Weibo, which was also shared on the Yangchuan forum.


    The Yangchuan City Zoo will hold an animal martial arts event every year from June to August, during the summer vacation.


    This year''s inaugural event will feature sixteen ''batches'' of contestants, using a single round-robin elimination system, for a total of fifteen battles to be held every Saturday and Sunday.


    Following is the match-up list:


    Giant Tortoise VS Scale-Armored Tyrant Python, a great turtle and snake battle...


    Giant Gourami VS Yangtze Alligator, these two old foes finally have a chance to settle their long-standing grudges;


    Grey Wolf VS Wolfhound Brothers, this is a 1-on-2 battle, of course, it''s not quite fair, but this isn''t a regr Olympic event ¨C no one cares about that.


    Diamond Parrot (Sister) VS Diamond Parrot (Sister), the battle will be mainly a swearing match, with points deducted for foulnguage;


    White-browed Gibbon VS Macaque Group, as both sides have too manybatants, the battle will primarily involve long-range attacks; the zoo will provide each side with a hundred pounds of rotten peaches, rotten bananas, rotten apples...


    ckback Gori VS Wild Boar Second Elder! The century fight between the Great Elder and Second Elder, the often overshadowed Second Elder finally gets his chance to turn the tables.


    Alpaca Group VS Two Racehorses,peting in spitting;


    Conger Eel Group VS Three-Legged Old Turtle...


    In addition to the official matches, there will be a closing battle, a Cat and Dog War! The cats that wander around the zoo all day will battle the dogs that roam the back hill all day.


    Seeing this match-up list, a ''prediction craze'' quickly swept through the forums and Weibo.


    "Yangtze Alligator and Gourami in battle? There''s absolutely no suspense, I bet the Yangtze Alligator will win!"


    "Not necessarily, don''t forget they''re both in ''protective gear'' and can''t use ws and teeth. The alligator''s advantage won''te into y!"


    "I bet fifty cents the gourami will turn the tables!"


    ```


    "So who do you think would win between the crocodile bird eel and the old turtle? I can''t even imagine how they would fight, so looking forward to it..."


    "And about the shepherd dogs and the Grey Wolf, I heard that the two dogs from the zoo are purebred German Shepherds. They''re gonna fight two against one, and I''m betting on the dogs to win!"


    "You obviously don''t know the inside story. Don''t you know that those two dogs are usually justckeys to the Grey Wolf? They''re already at a huge disadvantage in terms of presence."


    "What does that matter, there are no brothers in the battlefield!"


    "Cut the crap and start the betting!"


    Of course, gambling is illegal, and whether there was offline betting at the zoo''s martial arts tournament or not remains unknown.


    However, the Yangchuan City forum tantly set up a big casino, taking bets on the oues of the martial arts tournament.


    Betting used the forum''s gold coins, which members earned by posting¡ªa single coin for a reply, five for a new thread, with more for featured and hot threads. There were also various activities to earn gold coins, so forum members normally had a bit of ''savings''.


    The minimum bet was five gold coins, with a thousand as the limit.@@novelbin@@


    "They really know how to have fun." Suming chuckled as he saw the betting module on the forum and ced several hundred gold coins in bets. But he didn''t have a clue who would win¡ªit was all down to luck.


    Yangchuan City forum even worked out the betting odds.


    The most even odds were for the great parrot sisters'' swearing match, with both sides at 1:1.04, the older sister getting just a slightly better chance. Maybe members thought that the younger sister, being less experienced at hurling insults, wouldn''t match up to the older women seen cursing in the markets. They were always the fiercest...


    Unexpectedly, the biggest gap in odds was not between the Yangtze crocodile and the axolotl but rather between the Great Ape and the Second Brother with odds at 1:5.2, suggesting that the Great Ape was generally considered much stronger.


    There was a reason for this. An ape fighting a monkey wasn''t anything special, but if you threw a ''pig'' into the mix, the ape was suddenly imbued with a sacred cultural significance.


    "Go, Great Saint! Great Saint for the win!"


    Suming felt almostpelled to prepare a Golden Cudgel for the Great Ape¡ªSecond Brother, you''re in for a tough time. But who made you a pig? Anyway, with your thick skin, a few hits from a stick probably won''t hurt you that much, right...


    ...


    "Dear viewers, hello, I''m Li Jingjing from Yangchuan Television Station. I''m here at Yangchuan City Zoo to cover the zoo''s martial arts tournament. Since the previous double bear battle and the final cat-dog showdown were exhibition matches and not part of the officialpetition, the uing event will be the tournament''s first official match..."


    It''s no exaggeration to say that the first match began with the attention of thousands. Naturally, Yangchuan City TV Station wouldn''t miss such a great local news opportunity, and they sent a reporter for a live broadcast.


    Suming was virtually a son-inw to Yangchuan City TV Station by now. Arge group of the station''s staff and reporters surrounded him, chatting andughing a few hours before the live broadcast. Nangong, now a mainstay of the station with a focus on political and military news, left the zoo''s entertainment news to Li Jingjing, who used to work with him. Since she had met Suming several times before through Nangong, they were already acquainted.


    Experience new stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    "So, with a little over an hour to go before thepetition starts, Mr. Su, could you share with us the original intention behind organizing this ''martial arts tournament''?" Li Jingjing asked with a smile. "Despite the great interest, a small portion of viewers are questioning whether the martial arts tournament could cause harm to the animals?"

 Chapter 443 438

    The tourists around Wang Hao knew he wasn''t injured at all, given the way he carried on. After all, everyone would want to get injured if they could bounce back so energetically afterward.@@novelbin@@


    Upon hearing Wang Hao''s suggestion, some excitable young people even showed an eager look, clenching their fists in anticipation as they watched Suming, seemingly itching to give it a try.


    Fighting a wild animal was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime experience! And what''s more, in a situation where absolute safety could be guaranteed?


    As Wang Hao mentioned, if the zoo really did add this entertainment venture, it would definitely be a hit; people would pay any amount to have a go. There''s no shortage of rich folks in Huaxia who have money to burn and are looking for a thrill.


    However, Suming shook his head. Real fights with wild beasts...well, let''s just not, he thought. Suming''s imagination had not reached that extent. The reason Wang Hao left his fight with the little ck bear unscathed was partly thanks to the protective gear, but mainly because Suming was overseeing from the sidelines, having already instructed the little ck bear to go easy on him.


    One shouldn''t be deceived by a panda''s bulk; its ability to withstand hits far outstripped Wang Hao''s. A full-force p from the little ck bear would merely make Yingying a bit confused at worst. But if it were tond on Wang Hao''s head, even with protective gear, he might lose a few teeth.


    Mr. Su couldn''t always be next to the animal enclosures to supervise every rough battle. An ident could easily happen, leading either to a person''s misfortune or an animal''s injury. There was no need for that.


    Besides, if they started this project just to make money, it would be just like the online critics alleged; the Martial Arts Tournament would lose its essence, bing a venture that abuses animals for profit. Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire


    Seeing Mr. Su veto the ''Panda Grandpa''s'' proposition, the onlooking tourists showed visible disappointment.


    "Dong... dong dong... dong..."


    From the distance within Xiongshan, a series of rhythmic and invigorating drumbeats echoed---given its vast size and underground setting, surrounded by high vantage points ideal for spectators, Xiongshan resembled an ancient Roman arena. This made it the chosen location for thend battles of the Martial Arts Tournament.


    The drumbeats hastened, symbolic of an imminent battle, announcing that the first match was officially starting!


    "The fight''s starting..."


    "Off to watch the rumble..."


    The tourists who had been surrounding the cameras dispersed in a sh, crowding around the nearby Xiongshan.


    "Alright, dear audience, let''s follow the camera and join Mr. Su at the site of the first match," the broadcaster said.


    Only a brief promotion on television had been done before the opening battle, so not many tourists had shown up at first. But over the past few days, the video of the first match had spread widely, with countless unsolicited promotions. The number of touristsing to watch the second match was on an entirely different scale.


    The area around Xiongshan was swarming with people¡ªSuming couldn''t pinpoint the exact number. However, judging just from this morning''s ticket sales, the revenue was on par with the total from an average of three days! The zoo''s decision to offer free Martial Arts Tournament admission and give away watermelons wasn''t without reason; they could make a killing from ticket sales alone.


    Fortunately, the zoo was prepared, having erected makeshift stands around Xiongshan. The stands were designed like those of a grand coliseum, with each sessive row rising higher than the one in front.


    Even so, many tourists preferred to get a clearer view, eschewing the stands in favor of squeezing along the fencing of Xiongshan early in the morning.


    Security guards cleared the way at the front, and it took some effort to carve a path through the dense crowd. They slipped through the packed area and entered the VIP tform inside Xiongshan via the service entrance at the back.


    The style of the VIP stand had visibly changedpared to thest event.


    Previously, the stand was backed by a row of gs featuring various family crests pping in the wind, and the tform itself was made of sturdy raw timber, going for a rugged look as if it belonged to a medieval knights'' tournament.


    Today, however, the stand was adorned with light blue on white and dotted with heaps of cotton that one couldn''t figure the use for...


    From a distance, the tform appeared as a giant cloud floating midair, with the malementator dressed in a Taoist robe and crown, like a hermit from the heavens.


    "You can tell that today''s martial grounds have taken on an Eastern mythological theme," the host Li Jingjing''s voice seemed to float.


    She, too, was a young girl standing above the clouds, the center of everyone''s attention, naturally feeling like a little fairy sprouting within her, her heart fluttering in such a magical environment.


    After all, as a professional host, Li Jingjing managed to stay focused, cleared her thoughts, and passed the microphone to Suming, "Mr. Su, was the theme of today''s martial arts stage designed toplement the two contestants?"


    "Hehe, from now on, I am just a spectator like you. Let''s have our host today answer that," Suming said with augh, stepping aside. A leader like himself shouldn''t always steal the spotlight from his subordinates.


    The male host dressed as a celestial official didn''t directly answer the question but left the camera with a handsome profile and a slight smile.


    "Deng deng deng deng... deng deng deng deng..." suddenly, a tune all too familiar to everyone started sting from the speakers!


    The ssic soundtrack of Journey to the West, Causing Havoc in Heaven!


    Upon hearing this music, the entire audience fell into a brief silence!


    What had been the noisy, boisterous stands fell silent in an instant. All the spectators, young and old, male and female, stopped their conversations and forgot what they were doing at the moment the music started, their thoughts instantly transported back to their own memories.


    It was Huaxia''s first grand mythical costume drama!


    It was the verdant times spent in front of the TV every summer holiday!


    It signified the invincible, the unyielding warrior, the first time in life understanding that no matter how many hardships and dangers one faced, justice would always prevail over evil, the good would always defeat the bad. Even as we grew up and stopped believing this, it had taken root in our hearts as an indelible hope, a longing for the light!


    How many times did we cry as the foolish monk sent away the loyal Great Monkey?


    How many times did weugh out loud at the antics of that lecherous, silly pig?


    And how many times, upon seeing those seven sisters with belly-exposing thin veils bathing in the water, did we blush yet couldn''t help wanting to take another peek?


    How many times did we feel pity for the lovesick queen of Women''s Country,menting the impossibility of total fulfillment, ''not failing the Merciful One, not failing thee,'' as though it eternally lingers over the sky of Women''s Country of that year?


    For an instant, everyone present seemed to return to a cool summer night of the past!


    In our ears, the defiant cry echoed: "Eat my stick, old Sun!"


    A child''s immature voice suddenly rang out from somewhere in the stands, breaking the silence of the crowd.


    "Sun Wukong! Mommy, the Great Sage ising!"


    One stone stirred up a thousand ripples, and the next second, the park''s visitors erupted.


    "Great Saint!"


    "Great Saint! Great Saint!"


    "Great Saint! Great Saint! Great Saint!"


    One voice, ten voices, a hundred voices from spectators of different ages and genders blended together without any disharmony, reverberating through the skies above the Martial Arts Tournament.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªDivider¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Speaking of which, my two favorite episodes are the ones with the spider spirit and the rat spirit, oh my, they''re so pretty~~

 Chapter 440 A Gentle Punch

    ```


    p p p... p p p... p p p...


    This isn''t the sound of an ind nation action film; it''s a battle!


    In the arena, the Second Senior Brother charged at the gori time after time. In most cases, the gori managed to dodge the attacks using its agile body, moving and shifting with the full disy of primate agility, and, catching Second Senior Brother off guard, would strike with a cudgel, making him wail in frustration.


    But Second Senior Brother was not one to be trifled with either. With his thick skin and coarse flesh, he barely minded the thrashing from the big stick, and he would not wail and cry like a frail damsel after a few beatings. The fierce beatings only fueled his fighting spirit.


    The gori may have been strong, but that was all rtive. In front of Second Senior Brother, it had no physical advantage whatsoever. Once, caught off guard, it got rammed in the chest by Second Senior Brother and sent flying, almost falling off the tform.


    Luckily, its armor was a legitimate metal shell with shock-absorbent sponge lining, which absorbed most of the impact from Second Senior Brother; otherwise, the blow could have made it cough up blood.


    Even so, the gori''s chest te, the Heart Protector Mirror, caved in significantly and waspletely deformed.


    ...


    The battlested unexpectedly long, way beyond a regr match¡ªmore than double the time, surpassing ten minutes. In the final stage, the gori changed its strategy. It no longer used the Golden Cudgel to beat Second Senior Brother but instead leaped up andnded on his back.


    Normally, this would be suicidal for the gori.


    In the wild, a boar could simply charge headfirst into the ground or arge tree, willing to suffer mutual destruction just to crush whatever was on its back. It should be noted that boars are among the most collision-resistant animals. Even if a big bear and a boar ran into a wall at the same time, the bear would definitely be the unlucky one.


    But the Second Senior Brother in the arena just froze,pletely devoid of any attempt to fight back.


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    Ever since meeting Suming, he had grown ustomed to being ridden. When the gori mounted his back, Second Senior Brother suddenly felt a very intimate and familiar sensation.


    As all the spectators watched in stupefied silence, Second Senior Brother wiggled his little tail. His previously fierce demeanor disappeared entirely, and he even let out a series offortable grunts. Carrying the gori on his back, he casually strolled around the arena.


    "Watch out, big pig!" a child''s concerned voice rang out from the sidelines.


    The gori had already raised its fist, ready to smash down on the back of Second Senior Brother''s head!


    Seeing this, the spectators'' hearts leapt into their throats. Although everyone hoped for Sun Wukong to win, if Second Senior Brother had already given up and the gori still struck, especially with a sneak attack from behind, it would be inconsistent with the heroic image in their minds.


    Although in the original story, Great Sage Sun''s sneak attacks and underhanded tricks were plentiful and vastly different from the upright and righteous image portrayed inter TV adaptations.


    Just as the gori''s fist was about tond, Second Senior Brother remained oblivious, nodding his head and carrying his elder brother as if he were on patrol, walking around the arena.


    The gori''s fist finally came down!


    But just as it was about to strike Second Senior Brother''s head, the gori suddenly loosened its clenched fist, opened its human-like palm, bared its teeth in a smile, and gently rubbed the back of Second Senior Brother''s head.


    ```


    "Hoo hoo..." the Second Brother called out happily.


    The gori split its wide mouth in a grin,ughing at the surrounding spectators, although itsugh was quite terrifying with its mouth full of yellowed, sharp teeth...


    ...


    The zoo''s first martialpetition had officially ended its first match, with the gori victorious and advancing to the next round.


    The defeated Second Brother didn''t feel the least bit sad; instead, he made a new friend: the gori. After the match ended, they even took a stroll around the zoo with Suming''spany.


    It seems that the troop going wild in the back hills would soon be joined by a bunch of goris.


    The small store asionally stocked cosy costumes, and this time the quantity was more than double thest, but they sold out in less than half the time of the previous asion.


    There was also arge sign posted at the entrance of the store: the zoo was introducing a ''Taoyuan Martial World'' series of plush toys, custom-made for thepetitors. Those who collected theplete set of toys could get the chance to take amemorative photo with this year''s Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch--that is, the final champion of thepetition.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, the zoo has now hosted twopetitions."


    In the live broadcast on the television, Li Jingjing faced the camera and slowly began, "In these two matches, we''ve seen thrilling fights, rediscovered our past sentiments, and were brought unexpected joy. But what''s most surprising, or rather touching, were the final moments of both matches, where the contestants ended the battles in heartwarming ways. If even animals can live together with such love, then what reason do we humans have to harm each other..."


    Li Jingjing might have a bit of an artistic temperament as, while speaking, she even moved herself.


    Suming was also very satisfied with this oue. Creating such a fun and heart-warming project was not only popr with visitors but also gave him, the organizer and nner, a genuinelyfortable feeling. Political and business machinations might be a necessary evil, but few people naturally prefer the dark; given the choice, a life bathed in sunlight is unquestionably happier.


    On Zhihu, a famous blogger wrote a special article for this martialpetition.


    "Let clenched fists be caressing palms"


    The moment the gori''s fist turned into an open hand was captured by a photography enthusiast using a long lens and uploaded online.


    Overnight, the photo spread all over the country, and foreign websites were abuzz with shares.


    Years ago, there was a movie based on true historical events called ''The Watchmen.'' At the beginning of the movie, a group of soldiers pointed guns at civilians, and a little girl stepped forward with a white flower in the barrel of a gun, then the soldiers fired...


    This image waster known as ''Flower Against the Gun,'' and it was deeply etched into people''s minds, regarded as one of the most touching promotions for anti-war and peace. If not because it was a movie scene, that picture would havepletely deserved the Pulitzer Prize for News Photography.@@novelbin@@


    Now, this photo, titled ''Hand Over Fist,'' had achieved a sensational effect in just a few days, quickly rivaling ''Flower Against the Gun.''


    Many people proposed online that this photo should apply for the Pulitzer and be included in the National Geographic Magazine as a precious spiritual asset, to be passed down forever.


    Love and peace are always worth praising and remembering, even if the world''s truths aren''t always so.

 Chapter 445 Help Give Birth to a Monkey?!

    ```


    Isn''t that stating the obvious? Even Nangong Huang, that teenager, can see the situation between you and Hong Feifei crystal clear. Is there anything I don''t know?


    Suming fell silent, picked up the tea from the table, took a sip without directly answering, and gestured for her to continue. Although Ding''s sexual orientation might be unconventional, she was definitely sharp-minded when it came to business after years of being immersed in it. Since she had brought it up, she was unlikely to be asking just a simple question--there must be more to her story.


    Sure enough, without waiting for Suming to respond, Ding carried on, speaking as if to Suming, but also as if talking to herself.


    By Shuijun Lake, with long hair draped over her shoulders and a wisp of smoke curling up, a figure looked out over the water, recalling past memories.


    Ding was only neen that year when her rural parents arranged a marriage for her with a pig farmer from the county--a good family and the man was actually not bad-looking. But even at that time, Ding seemed to not be very interested in men. So, she ran away from the marriage to the city to work as an apprentice, starting as a waitress at Hong Family Cuisine.


    Because she was hardworking, could endure hardship, and understood social etiquette, Ding quickly caught the eye of Hong Bo, who was then in the ascendant phase of his career, and she was promoted to department manager of Hong Family Cuisine.


    With the capable Ding''s help, the burden on Hong Bo''s shoulders was greatly lightened. He had lost his wife early and had been raising his daughter alone. Hong Feifei, who was only fourteen at the time, had already shown extraordinary culinary talent, but had no interest in managing the business. She was more than qualified to be a top chef, but if the responsibility of running the whole Hong Family Cuisine fell on her, it would likely quickly go under.


    Therefore, Hong Bo, thinking ahead, started to n for the future. He even entertained the idea of someday giving Ding a share of the business, having her be a professional manager of Hong Family Cuisine, handling the operations, and letting his daughter Hong Feifei be the major shareholder. Of course, it would be even better if they could find apetent son-inw in the future.


    Considering this, Hong Bo observed Ding for a while and, upon deciding that she was trustworthy, began to fully cultivate her potential. He not only taught her the skills of doing business and gradually introduced her to various connections within the Hong family, but he also entrusted her with the secret recipes of Hong Family Cuisine.


    Indeed, Ding was a person who knew how to repay kindness. She not only worked hard in the business but also saw that it was pretty tough for Hong Bo, a middle-aged man, raising his daughter alone. Whenever she had free time, she would help out with his household affairs and assist with caring for Hong Feifei.


    In the course of time, Ding and the Hong family became almost like one family. Ding was mature beyond her years and acted like an older sister to Hong Feifei, and at times, like a mother.


    By this point in the story, Suming already had a feeling that the rtionship between these three people was somewhat peculiar.


    If you suggest that there was something between Ding and Hong Bo, developing towards a stepmother situation, that would probably not be the case. After all, Ding had started to dislike men since then, and from her words, it was clear that Hong Bo, who was busy with social engagements all the time, was also deeply attached to histe wife, and did not seem inclined to consider other possibilities.


    But to say that there wasn''t even a hint of something would also seem incorrect. Who can bepletely unfeeling? Suming was a man too, and he asked himself if he were in Hong Bo''s shoes, with such a young, capable, and sincerely good-natured woman helping him manage both his home and business affairs, even if he wouldn''t admit it, his heart would inevitably flutter.


    This was exactly like the rtionship between Huang Yaoshi and Mei Chaofeng!


    If things had continued like that, maybe in a few years, as Hong Bo''s feelings for histe wife faded, we would have had the perfect ending for a prime-time family drama: the lesbian straightened out, the middle-aged man blooming in his second spring, and the little girl getting a new mother...


    Unexpectedly, the style of the story changed, and the plot took a turn towards the tragic.


    No, to be precise, it was a change of protagonist. Just like in "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber," for the first fifth of the story, you might have thought Zhang Cuishan and Yin Susu were the main characters, but as soon as the real protagonist, Zhang Wuji, appeared, those two were destined to be sidelined.


    ```


    Hong Feifei was only fourteen when she met Ding Jing, a time in adolescence when both body and mind are rapidly developing, and when the heart races with excitement. At this age, boys and girls have not yet fully established their values, like a nk canvas, easily influenced.


    Moreover, having lost her mother at a young age, what Hong Feifeicked the most was maternal love. ording to some psychological perspectives, her heart was in dire need of a sense of security. The talent she exhibited in cooking and the toughness she disyed towards other chefs were, in fact, forms of self-protection.


    Ding Jing wasn''t much older than Hong Feifei but was certainly the difference between an adult and a minor, perfectly filling the void in Hong Feifei''s heart. In no time, she went from ''Dad''s colleague'' to a mentor, a role to rely on in life.


    Without needing to be told, Suming had already guessed seven or eight parts of the following story: In the course of her interactions with her older ''sister,'' Ding Jing, Hong Feifei gradually developed a dependency, and a talented and beautiful young girl was bent out of shape! Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire


    "Damn it, that''s inhuman!" Suming sucked in a breath of cold air. How old was Hong Feifei at the time that Ding Jing could even make her move?


    He never thought she''d be that kind of older sister. He really didn''t understand the world of lilies!


    Ding Jing and Hong Feifei yed kissing games at home several times and were caught red-handed by Hong Bo. Initially, Hong Bo didn''t take it too seriously, assuming it was just two little girls fooling around, but gradually, he realized something was amiss. Inside Hong Family Cuisine, rumors about the unorthodox rtionship between the two girls were also rife.


    Secrets don''t stay hidden forever. Once Hong Bo decided to investigate, he quickly understood the situation. He pretended to go on a business trip, then returned halfway, and upon entering the bedroom, he witnessed a scene that would haunt his nightmares for the rest of his life.


    "After that, I was dismissed. I came to Yangchuan City to start from scratch. Of course, I did use the social connections I''d gained from Hong Family Cuisine. At the beginning of my career, conflicts with Hong Family Cuisine were inevitable, and resentment between us deepened over time. When Hong Family Cuisine was on the decline, and Xianki Group was thriving, I impulsively, almost possessed, proposed to acquire Hong Family Cuisine. Partly I wanted to give Hong Family a decent end, and partly I wanted to vent my frustration. Hong Bo, of course, wouldn''t have it, and he cursed me out over the phone. Feifei is a dutiful daughter; to avoid angering her father, she cut off contact with me. Now that Hong Family Cuisine haspletely shut down, her dad''s resentment towards me is probably even deeper than before..."


    "Oh, so, now that the mountain''s high and the emperor''s far away, and Hong Bo''s not around, the two of you are having secret meetings here at my ce," Suming nodded. He couldn''t be bothered to sort out right from wrong in these women''s affairs. As long as it didn''t affect the normal workflow, let them have their secret meetings. Anyway, just as Nangong Huang said, no matter what they do, they can''t make babies...@@novelbin@@


    "No, Mr. Su, that''s not what I meant. If it were just a matter of finding a ce to meet, I could buy a house in the city for Feifei easily; I can afford that much."


    Ding Jing suddenly turned, a strange light flickering in her phoenix eyes as she stared at Suming and said, word by word, "I need your help with something!"


    "Ah?" Suming was shocked, followed immediately by overwhelming joy!


    Could it be that they want my help in having a monkey?!!


    Whahahahahaha!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªDivision¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Is anyone here willing to help make a monkey? Group buys can get a discount, dear~

 Chapter 447 How Can This Be?

    "This..." Ding Jing was at a loss for words.


    True, she liked women, but that didn''t make her a man. Aside from her orientation, her psychology was the same as any other woman''s. She was no less capable of the delicate thoughts expected of a woman.


    Most men, when they don''t have money, rant and rave about wanting to be good to only one person for a lifetime. This is mostly because if they were good to others, those others wouldn''t care, and even this one might not bother with them; but once they''ve made it big, surrounded by beautiful women, few can remember their original promises and withstand the temptations of a dazzling world.


    If Suming really agreed so easily to take advantage just because he wanted a little benefit, or even took the opportunity to climb the pole and want something real with Hong Feifei or her, then in Ding Jing''s eyes, Suming was just an ordinary nouveau riche at best.


    Everyone has desires. A truly strong person is one who can ovee their own desires for something worth cherishing.


    Ding Jing gazed at Suming''s still somewhat young profile, her heart stirred inexplicably. She wasn''t annoyed by Suming''s refusal of her suggestion; on the contrary, she found herself admiring him more. It''s because there are so many unreliable people in the world that one who is worth relying on seems so precious.


    "Besides, Hong Feifei is in her twenties. Just because her dad wants her to go back, does she have to? There''s no such rule, right?" Suming continued.


    Ding Jing gave a wry smile, "I don''t know about you and your girlfriend''s situation, and you don''t know about her family''s situation. Feifei''s mom died very early, and when she was a child, she told her dad ''If you find a new mom, I won''t call you dad anymore''. Afraid of her being mistreated, he never remarried. She didn''t understand before, but now that she''s grown up, she feels she owes her father too much... So if her dad really puts his foot down, Feifei will listen."


    "I see..." Suming stroked his chin thoughtfully, suddenly smiled, and nodded toward the direction of Whisperwind Pavilion outside: "Then how about Nangong Huang?"


    Ding Jing ''ha''ed and counter-asked, "Do you think that''s possible?"


    "Oh, yeah, that does seem inappropriate," Sumingughed as well.


    Being with Hong Feifei, Ding Jing might at most have an issue with orientation; but being involved with Nangong Huang would mean having a brain issue.


    People can have problems anywhere, but not the brain. Every ailment has a cure, or at least can be dyed for a while, but there''s no curing stupidity.


    It''s not that Nangong Huang is no good; it''s just that he and Hong Feifei arepletely mismatched.


    It''s like pairing Lin Huiyin with boxing champion Tyson; what kind of picture would that paint...


    "Not to mention whether your brother-inw would be willing to do it, even if the two of them were willing to pretend, Hong Feifei''s dad is not a fool, he could tell at a nce that Hong Feifei is acting and lying to him. I think, you''re the most suitable. You and Feifei are about the same age, you''re handsome, sessful in your career, and you''re her boss. The two of you spend all day together; closeness breeds fondness..." Ding Jing continued her offensive.


    "It''s no use ttering me. There are no walls without wind in this world. If I agree, even if it''s just to pretend in front of Hong Feifei''s dad, sooner orter, my girlfriend will find out," Suming quickly gestured for her to stop.


    The issue came to an impasse. Discover exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire


    Suming drained the cup of tea in one gulp, stood up, and said, "Mr. Ding, if there''s nothing else, I should be going. As I said, you two dating at my ce is fine, anything more than that, I''m helpless. If it reallyes to it, you both might as well emigrate. Same-sex marriage is legal in the United States, I believe."


    After saying that, he strode toward the exit of Whisperwind Pavilion.


    "Your idea is worse than having Nangong Huang pretend..." Ding Jing muttered.


    ...


    "Brother-inw, they didn''t do anything to you, did they?" Nangong Huang had been waiting at the door for a long time. Seeing Suminge out, he stepped up and asked with concern.


    "What can I do, with such little time and two people on the other side? You''re underestimating your brother-inw here!" Suming said.


    "Hehehe! Brother-inw, you''re really shameless, and you''ve led me astray," Nangong Huang grinned, peeking into Whisperwind Pavilion, "When''s dinner starting?"


    Suming wrapped his arm around Nangong Huang''s neck and dragged him toward the zoo exit. "Looks like you won''t be able to eat, let''s go, call your sister, and take you guys out to a restaurant in the city."@@novelbin@@


    "What''s so good about eating out? It''s only Tony, that silly foreigner who always chooses big restaurants for dining. Don''t we have Hong Feifei..." Nangong Huang muttered discontentedly.


    ...


    After Suming left, Hong Feifei walked out of the kitchen. Ding Jing nced at her and nodded toward the seat opposite.


    "I told you he wouldn''t agree," Hong Feifei said as she came over to sit down side by side.


    She had hidden in the kitchen while her lifetime affair was being discussed upfront; how could she focus on cooking? She had been eavesdropping the whole time.


    "You think you''re so clever. Hmph, I didn''t expect him to be a man of such firm will!" Ding Jing turned her head, seeming a little jealous as she hummed, "You seem to understand him quite well."


    "What are you talking about? I''ve just seen him with his girlfriend, and that feeling... it''s hard to exin, but if you''d seen it a few times, you''d understand," Hong Feifei said.


    "Eh? Littledy, have you actually fallen for him?" Ding Jing slowly turned her head, squinting her phoenix eyes and scrutinizing Hong Feifei carefully.


    Hong Feifei''s face turned alternately pale and red with urgency, saying, "If you talk nonsense again, I won''t speak to you for a whole week!"


    "Alright, alright, I won''t tease you anymore." Ding Jing let out augh and quickly pinched Hong Feifei''s cheek.


    "Humph! Annoying to death!" Hong Feifei rubbed her cheek, anxiously asking, "But what should we do now?"


    Ding Jing didn''t say what to do but instead let out a deep sigh. "Feifei, you''re not getting any younger. If you really can still like men and have taken a liking to someone, you must tell me. I would bless you."


    "If you spout nonsense again, I really won''t meet you next time. Why are you like this!" Hong Feifei suddenly stood up, stomping her foot in anger, pointing to Shuijun Lake in front of her, "I''m dying of anxiety, and you''re still deliberately upsetting me! Do you believe I''ll jump in here?"


    "Okay, okay, I won''t tease little Feifei anymore." Ding Jing also stood up, wrapping her arms from behind around Hong Feifei''s waist. Hong Feifei pouted and hummed, struggling a bit without breaking free, and eventually let Ding Jing be, her expression gradually softening.


    The two stood by theke, facing the water, embraced in the sunset, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.


    "Doesn''t this look like a farewell scene from a movie?" Hong Feifei said sentimentally.


    "Silly girl!" Ding Jing gently bit Hong Feifei''s earlobe, then whispered into her ear, "If you really haven''t fallen for him, I do have an idea. I''m just afraid you won''t be willing to go through with it."


    "What''s the idea? As long as I can be with you, what could I possibly not be willing to give up?!"


    After Hong Feifei finished speaking, her heart suddenly skipped a beat. Could it be that she''s suggesting I really go **** Suming?


    How can this be possible?!

 Chapter 449 The Second Evolution

    Suming was taken aback!


    Ever since he obtained the ability of Animal Friend, his spiritual power had always been increasing slowly under normal circumstances; even when it decreased, it was because he actively used his spiritual power. He had never encountered a situation where his spiritual power was out of control and being "sucked away".


    For Suming, the importance of spiritual power could be considered akin to ''Inner Strength'' in martial arts novels, and perhaps even more important! All his abilities to manipte andmunicate with animals, including the Soul Attachment Ability, were built on the foundation of his spiritual power!


    And now, this lifeless piece of Trida shell was just like Ren Woxing with his Star Absorption Skill, it didn''t ask for Suming''s permission, the master, and was ruthlessly absorbing his spiritual power!


    And the speed was rmingly fast!


    The current Suming was no longer the poor man who would exhaust his spiritual power by dealing with a few dozen bees; after over a year of substantial supplementation with Monkey Wine, his spiritual power had umted to an astonishing extent.


    If he released his spiritual power without any reservations, he could cover half a zoo, andmunicate with thousands of animals at the same time. Controlling hundreds of more advanced animals like monkeys at the same time was definitely not a problem.


    If he were to face an attack from lower animals like bees and mosquitoes, it could be said that within the range covered by his spiritual power, the more that came, the more would fall.


    Even with fierce animals like tigers, lions, and crocodiles, Suming could effortlessly suppress them instantly!


    Measured by the Soul Attachment Ability, he could easily make contact with Haidong Qing within a thirty kilometer radius.


    In other words, his current spiritual power almost left him without an equal in the zoo.


    Since the New Year, after a battle with venomous snakes on Sun Town''s Rear Mountain, he had nearly never been pushed to the brink of exhaustion of his spiritual power.


    Before, when his spiritual power was less, a jar of big blue bee honey could instantly replenish it, or if he did nothing and rested for a day or two, it would be full. But now, even drinking dozens of jars of honey wouldn''t be enough to replenish it.


    Such formidable spiritual power was actually being absorbed by the Trida shell in a matter of seconds, almost half gone! And it still continued to rush crazily out of his body, how could Suming not be shocked, so much so that he didn''t even notice Ding Jingter saying ''Xianki is his closest ally''.


    Even though spiritual power could be replenished, Suming still disliked the feeling of being out of control.


    He gritted his teeth and did his best to stop the outflow of spiritual power.


    "Mr. Su?! Mr. Su?!"


    Ding Jing saw Suming standing there frozen as if spellbound, sweating profusely, and promptly pushed him.


    "Ah?! Oh... oh..." Suming then came to his senses.


    Strangely, when he didn''t deliberately resist, his spiritual power crazily flowed into the Trida shell, but the moment he thought about it and deliberately stopped it, the spiritual power suddenly ceased to flow out.


    But, he could still feel the attraction from the Trida shell, as if it were a ravenous monster, eagerly trying to suck out his spiritual power.


    "Mr. Su, are you okay?" Ding Jing asked worriedly.


    "Yeah, I''m fine, I''m fine," Suming replied, not in the mood to say much to Ding Jing. He said, "Since that''s the case, I can help with this, and I''ll keep the pearl. But like I said, I won''t acknowledge anything."


    Ding Jing was overjoyed, "No problem! Thank you for your help, Mr. Su!"


    "You''re wee, I''m feeling a bit of stomach difort, so I''ll take my leave," Suming feigned a stomachache, took the Trida shell in one hand and covered his stomach with the other hand, then ran towards Whisperwind Pavilion.


    Leaving Ding Jing alone by thekeside, somewhat befuddled.


    In less than two minutes, Nangong Huang came back with a bottle of pulsating energy drink, "Where''s my brother-inw?"


    "He had a stomachache and left."


    "Ah? He got diarrhea before we even ate?"


    ...


    Suming sprinted all the way back to the pavilion, immediately shut the big doors upon arrival, released his spiritual power to make the alligators in the water climb ashore and block the door, not allowing anyone to enter without his permission.


    He opened the refrigerator, which contained over a dozen fully stocked bottles of big blue bee honey.


    Although he could control the absorption of his spiritual power, if he didn''t figure out exactly what this Trida shell was and why this was happening, Suming felt uneasy.


    He had seen several Trida shells at Zhao Yun''s ce before and even yed with them, but nothing like this had ever happened.


    Was this another evolution of the Animal Friend ability?


    But thest evolution was clearly when the energy from the false Luminous Pearl in the ancient tomb entered his body, granting him the Soul Attachment Ability.


    Now, however, the situation had reversed: his spiritual power was flowing into the mshell.


    Could it be that his spiritual power had met its nemesis, its natural enemy? Could this mshell happen to restrain spiritual power?


    He took a deep breath, rxed his body, and stopped resisting the outflow of spiritual power from within him.


    Sure enough, spiritual power was once again sucked into the mshell like a tidal wave into a whirlpool.


    In just a few breaths'' time, the slight amount of spiritual power within him waspletely absorbed by the mshell. Suming could clearly perceive that not even a trace of spiritual power remained; it had been squeezed clean out of him.


    And the mshell seemed rather ''intelligent,'' perhaps ''full'' or maybe it discovered that there was no more spiritual power inside to consume, as the attractive force vanished simultaneously.


    "Eh? This is really too strange!"


    Suming was utterly baffled. He examined the mshell bead from the left and right, and was nearly about to lick it out of sheer curiosity.


    He thought for a moment and took out a jar of Big Blue Honey, taking a hefty swig¡­


    Luckily, the bees had modified it slightlyst time, so it wasn''t as sweet. Otherwise, that gulp would have been sickeningly overpowering.


    His spiritual power slowly began to return, like a bit of water trickling into an empty bucket, just enough to cover the bottom.


    Although there was spiritual power inside him once again, the mshell remained quiet, no longer absorbing.


    Could it be that the amount of spiritual power was too little? The mshell couldn''t be bothered to absorb it?


    Gulp¡­ Gulp¡­ After downing the whole bottle, even though it had been improved, consuming such arge quantity still made one feel slightly nauseated. Suming grimaced.


    The spiritual power within him was restored a great deal.@@novelbin@@


    Still, the mshell did not make a move.


    This only deepened the mystery. Could it be that the mshell''s absorption ability was exactly on par with his own level of spiritual power? That seemed too coincidental.


    If the enemy does not move, I must act. With the mshell remaining still, Suming boldly sent a trace of his spiritual power into it.


    Discover more content at My Virtual Library Empire


    He thought with a hint of mischief, wondering if, being ''satiated,'' the mshell would now regurgitate the spiritual power when he deliberately fed it more.


    Spit out what you ate of mine!


    Unexpectedly, as soon as the spiritual power made contact with the mshell, a ''boom'' exploded in Suming''s mind!


    This surge of spiritual power that was meant to burst the mshell, like a primer,pletely ignited the already full mshell!


    A wave of energy, all too familiar to him, returned from the mshell to his body in an instant, bing a ''light orb'' only he could feel!


    This change was hard to describe, but he could clearly sense that the ''light orb'' contained the very spiritual power that the mshell had absorbed earlier!


    It naturally became clear why the orb had appeared.


    It was akin to a ''backup spiritual power storage,'' containing precisely the amount of spiritual power that had been absorbed. Should he wish to use it, he need only shatter the orb in his mind to gain ess.


    "I think I understand now¡­"


    Suming was overjoyed, realizing that this indeed was another upgrade from his friends in the animal kingdom!


    The mshell had absorbed all his spiritual power, then nourished him in return, bing his storage depot. So, once his body was fully replenished with spiritual power, it meant he effectively had double the amount he started with.


    But¡­ there was currently no use for spiritual power. If this was the extent of its abilities, it seemed a bit too ineffectual¡­


    Could there be some special effects yet to be discovered?


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ªDividing Line¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    What''s going on today? There are so many rewards¡­ It seems like I have to add more chapters after all. Let''s add two chapters as a small token of appreciation.


    I was supposed to go on a blind date tonight and would likely return veryte. These two chapters were prepared in advance¡­ But then I thought about it, blind datese and go, but rewards are rare. So, I decided to take care of the extra chapters first!


    Though only two chapters, the sentiment they carry is priceless¡­

 Chapter 452 Return

    Not all "hardening" is shameless. Your next chapter awaits on My Virtual Library Empire


    Suming discovered that his elbow, no, it should be said that the skin all over his body, seemed to have an extra hard "membrane" on the surface. It was invisible to the naked eye, and indeed,pletely intangible. If one were to consider it from a scientific perspective, one might even regard it as nonexistent.


    It was precisely because of this "hard membrane"¡ªtransmuted from the spiritual power within the Spirit Power Orb¡ªthat his sense of pain was greatly reduced. On the surface, it seemed as if his skin and bones had be much harder.


    Suming''s gaze fell upon the alligator snapping turtle lying absent-mindedly at the gate, or more specifically, on the enormous, solid shell on its back!


    Could it be... that this was the true face of the second evolution of Animal Friendship?


    If that were the case, then this ability could only be described as "terrifying."


    No, I must figure it out!


    ...@@novelbin@@


    In the zoo''srge office, a clerk responsible for tallying was reporting recent work to Mrs. Tong.


    "Since the start of the martial arts tournament until now, the overall visitor count for the zoo has increased by 43%. On days when the tournament is held, visitor numbers peak, almost tripling the usual count; additionally, the Taoyuan themed toy series designed as per Mr. Su''s arrangements are sold out as soon as they hit the shelves. Following the director''s previous instructions, we ced arge order with the toy manufacturer. Mrs. Tong, here''s the payment from the other party, including the final installment for the previous batch of toys and the deposit for this order. Please take a look, and if there are no issues, I will hand it over to Mr. Su for his signature before we can transfer the payment to them..."


    Mrs. Tong took the paperwork and scrutinized it carefully, then pulled out a small seal from her desk drawer, dabbed it in ink, and firmly pressed it onto the payment approval document.


    Stamped on the seal were the characters "Su Ming of Taoyuan." Immediately after, Mrs. Tong signed her name underneath the seal and added the character for "on behalf of."


    "Alright, take this to the finance department. Mr. Su has some important matters to attend to these days, so he entrusted me with the seal to handle the signings for the zoo in his stead," Mrs. Tong said as she returned the document.


    "Oh, alright..." The clerk took the document but didn''t leave immediately. Instead, she spoke with concern, "Mrs. Tong, what has the director been doing these past couple of days? I''ve seen him entering the wild animal enclosures several times. It''s too dangerous! As a long-time employee, you should advise him. Those animals are wild by nature, and no matter how close he is with them, he shouldn''t be in such close contact..."


    "Yes, that''s right!" Another clerk in the office put down her work and said as she lifted her head, "Yesterday after work, when I was passing by Tiger Hill, I saw the director actually go in there and get to within less than a meter of that tiger! I nearly died of fright..."


    Mrs. Tong was also very worried.


    Suming hade to her the night beforest, temporarily handing over the seal and asking her to act as the interim manager of the zoo. Over the following days, Suming''s behavior had been extremely odd... In the past, although he often interacted closely with animals, they were mostly the rtively gentle kind, but thesest two days, he had been in contact with those fierce and dangerous animals.


    However, these worries were something Mrs. Tong could only ponder in her heart but not voice out loud. Since Suming entrusted the work to her, it was her responsibility to maintain the zoo''s stable daily operation instead of causing more trouble. If she were to tell everyone that even she had no idea what the director was up to, the staff would certainly start specting, leading to unrest.


    "Cough cough... You young people really haven''t seen much of the world!" Mrs. Tong put on an ''it''s no big deal'' rxed expression. "Of course, I can''t me you. The director''s thoughts aren''t easily guessed by just anyone; otherwise, he would be the leader and you all would still be working under him."


    "Then, Mrs. Tong, what do you think the director is up to?"


    A quick-witted clerk chimed in, "Could it be that they''reunching a new project, like a wild animal reality show?!"


    "Don''t try to guess what the leaders are thinking," Mrs. Tong waved her hand, "Let big sister give you an eight-word mantra."


    The young folks perked up their ears and listened to Mrs. Tong, who spoke unhurriedly, "Work hard, trust in leadership!"


    ...


    It wasn''t just the zoo that couldn''t find Suming, he also neglected matters regarding the entertainmentpany, distillery, Huating Reservoir, and the construction on Tiger Hill.


    In the past, Suming seemed like the type of boss who delegated and was fond of having fun and beingzy. That was because he had organized the work very clearly; as a top leader, he only focused on the strategic direction and never meddled in trivial matters. However, during this period, Suming had turned into a genuine hands-off boss,pletely neglecting his duties and spending all his time with the animals, especially the fierce ones.


    This caused employees from several departments to harbor doubts, and even figures like Mrs. Tong, Wang Hao, and Liang Shi, who were just below Suming in rank and managed affairs on his behalf, couldn''t figure out what he was up to.


    If a unit or apany is arge ship, then the head of the unit orpany is the helmsman. It might not seem like they''re rowing as hard as the sailors, but with the helmsman present, people on board feel at ease. Now, with Suming suddenly neglecting his responsibilities, the ship might still be sailing smoothly for the moment, but the people on board felt as though they had lost their sense of direction.


    A week went by, and Suming was still behaving the same way.


    The higher-ups grew restless, and even Wang Jian She heard about the situation and asked about it specifically. Wang Hao, who was closest to Suming, even made a special call from the capital to probe into Suming''s intentions.


    The message that came back was that Suming said he was a bit tired and wanted to rest for a few days.


    This answer shocked everyone!


    Could it be that a young man like Suming was considering retirement, had attained enlightenment, and was preparing to live an idyllic life described by the phrase "Leisurely beneath the eastern hedge, picking chrysanthemums and seeing South Mountain"?


    It''s quite funny when you think about it. People like Mrs. Tong, who were seasoned society veterans with ample experience, or a top student like Liang Shi, when all their wisdom was pooled together, still could not match the sharp insight of a young fellow like Nangong Huang.


    "My brother-inw retiring? Cut the nonsense. My brother-inw loves wine, women, wealth, and the delight of the world the most. Just mention making money and having fun, and he gets as excited as if he''d been injected with chicken blood. He retire?"


    Nangong Huang didn''t take it seriously at all, he looked up, his face beaming with ayer of pilgrim-like reverence, saying, "A man destined to conquer the world, how could his steps forward possibly stop so casually! Youmoners, you just don''t understand him!"


    And Nangong Huang got it right, as after half a month, Suming finally returned.


    Not only did he re-enter work mode, but those close to him noticed that there seemed to be some subtle changes in Mr. Su!


    Before, Suming gave people the impression that he was a young man with the courage to face any difficulty!


    But now, Suming became even moreposed and restrained, yet every moment, he exuded a strong and unwavering confidence.

 Chapter 453 Illusion Ability

    ```


    The courage to face everything, and the self-confidence to ovee everything, are not one and the same. For instance, when facing the formidable onught of the Mongols, Guo Jing and Huang Rong dared to defend Xiangyang City, but that doesn''t mean they were confident they could ultimately defeat the Mongols; they were merely embodying the fearless spirit of "where the Dao is, let me be there, even if it means going alone against millions," prepared to devote themselves to the cause until death.


    Others didn''t fully understand the reason behind Suming''s transformation and could only specte that perhaps it was due to the growth of his career that had changed his demeanor.


    Only Suming himself knew the real reason.


    After half a month of continuous attempts, he finally figured out the true nature of the second evolution of the Animal Friend ability.


    By using the Trida bead toe into contact with a certain animal, Suming could gain one of the most prominent abilities of that animal!


    For example, the first time he obtained an "Energy Storage Bead," it was because the Trida bead had only touched Suming, and Suming''s most prominent ability was his spiritual power, hence he got a bead storing spiritual power;


    The second time, the Trida bead was on the back of the alligator snapping turtle, whose most notable abilities might include a strong bite force, a tough carapace, among several other features. The Energy Storage Bead that the Trida bead eventually formed contained the ability "hard carapace";


    During that half-month, Suming ******** was exploring this ability, trying it out with various animals.


    The zoo''s pangolin could provide a very powerful digging function, and it took Suming less than twenty minutes to use his bare hands to dig a grave-sized pit in the wilderness behind the hill;


    The finless porpoise provided the ability to move nimbly in the water, and with that ability, Suming was even more agile in the water thanpetitive swimmers;


    Mostmon fish could grant the ability for "underwater long-term survival," not that Suming could breathe underwater, but it could significantly extend his breath-holding time¡­


    The rough idea behind this ability was to drain all the spiritual power from within Suming''s body, and, through the conversion of the Trida bead, transform the spiritual power into the corresponding ability, and then transfer it back to Suming;


    However, the duration and strength of the "corresponding ability" that Suming received, in turn, depended on how much spiritual power the Trida bead absorbed from him.


    In other words, therger the capacity of spiritual power within Suming''s body, the better the effect and the longer the duration of the Energy Storage Bead he received would be.


    For example, with his current level of spiritual power, the "Tortoise Shell Energy Storage Bead" he created had far less defensive power than the actual shell of the alligator snapping turtle.


    Just the thickness of that alligator snapping turtle''s shell alone was nearly three inches, truly bulletproof, whereas the "hard shell" created by Suming''s spiritual power was at best a slightly thicker piece of iron sheet, sufficient to fend off a dagger but definitely unable to block rifle bullets, and as for pistol bullets¡­ Suming wasn''t foolish enough to test it by shooting himself¡­


    The underwater survival ability could roughly extend time by just over ten minutes, and with his own decent swimming skills, he could ensure he survived underwater without taking a breath for nearly a quarter of an hour;


    From the Asian elephant, he "borrowed" strength, and from the bear as well. With this strength, Suming estimated he could beat Dong in a pure test of strength, but there was still some gappared to Su Meng, as Su Meng''s strength was too exaggerated. However, it wasn''t like before when he waspletely powerless against Su Meng.


    The funniest was the ability from the Tai Sui, which turned out to be "good sleep." With this ability, Suming could fall asleep quickly and have a rather sound sleep, easily for fifteen hours straight¡­


    The most bittersweet ability was that of the lion.


    This fellow''s ability could be called "super reproduction"¡­ Anyone with a certain understanding of animals knows that lions can mate with lionesses dozens of times a day, but each time, itsts only a dozen seconds or even just a few seconds¡­


    If Suming utilized this ability, managing seven rounds in one night would be no problem, and probably even fourteen, but as for the duration of each¡­ he hadn''t tried, and just thinking about it felt embarrassing; it was better not to try, to avoid being mocked by Nangong for life.


    Since all the abilities were temporarily mimicked by the Trida using spiritual power, they could only achieve a fraction of the original abilities, with a significant gap to theplete original abilities. Hence, Suming initially nned to name the second evolution of the Animal Friend as "knockoff" or "pirated version."


    ```


    Later, he realized the name was too low-end, andpared to his first "Soul Attachment," it frankly seemed rather crude.


    So, he decided to call it "Phantomization."


    At present, Suming can simultaneously phantomize three energy storage beads with different functions inside his body, and their abilities cannot be duplicated.


    However, he was sure about two things. First, the more spiritual power he had, the more energy storage beads he could phantomize. As long as he continued to work on increasing his spiritual power, he would be able to have more energy storage beads at the same time. Second, the stronger his control over spiritual power, the more beads of the same ability could exist simultaneously.


    Half a month ago, Suming still felt he had so much spiritual power that he couldn''t use it all up. But after his second evolution and gaining the phantomization ability, he suddenly realized that everything was still just the beginning, and no matter how much spiritual power he had, it wouldn''t be enough.


    To increase the number of energy storage beads, to improve the standard of phantomization, and to add more of the same type of beads, all required spiritual power! Condensing an energy storage bead would even drain **** all of his spiritual power in one go!


    Suddenly, Suming thought of a very old animated series: Chief Buresta.


    The protagonist, Chief Buresta, was a Native American who had the power of irvoyance. He could gain the strength of a bear, the speed of a leopard, the vision of an eagle, the hearing of a wolf...


    Although Suming''s individual abilities were weaker than Chief Buresta''s, he had many more options. Chief Buresta only had four abilities, while Suming could continuously change and y with various abilities if he wished.


    Having acquired phantomization, Suming felt he had be a downgraded version of a mini superhero of the animal kingdom, and naturally, he exuded immense confidence.


    Currently, Suming had chosen three abilities to carry with him.


    The first was the Spiritual Energy Storage Sphere, which doubled his spiritual power;


    The second was Elephant Strength, significantly increasing his force;


    The third was the Tortoise Shell Divine Skill.


    With the Tortoise Shell Divine Skill, mom no longer had to worry about me getting robbed! It''s quite useful for saving my life in critical moments. Faced with armed thugs, there''s little to fear, and even if I do get shot, ayer of iron te could offset most of the impact.


    As the saying goes, "With a weapon in your possession, the intent to kill arises naturally!"


    Both the phantomization and soul attachment abilities are based on spiritual power. Using spiritual power on more animals can quickly improve proficiency and also increase the upper limit of spiritual power to a certain extent.


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    Therefore, acquiring more animals for the zoo became an urgent priority. This was not only from the perspective of protecting animals and expanding the zoo''s scale but also crucially rted to Suming''s personal capabilities.


    Imagine, if there came a day when I had hundreds of phantomization energy storage beads even more powerful than the originals, what kind of scene would that be?


    By then, I''d be having drinks and discussing matters like Superman, philosophizing with Ultraman, and those small fry like Batman, who rely on their sports cars to look cool, I wouldn''t even bother to include in my games!@@novelbin@@


    "Mrs. Tong, you mentioned the other day that many zoos in the Middle East can''t afford to keep their animals and are selling them off, right? Is the newspaper still around? Bring it to me; I want to check it out."


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