Working in a Zoo with Beast Taming System

Chapter 293: Chapter 182: Xiaojiu Becomes a Spirit Beast

"Someone pushed me! Someone in the tree just pushed me!"

Wang Chenglong’s heart-wrenching screams echoed through the mountain forest as he roared, tears and snot streaming down his face.

"Officer, arrest him! I’m gonna kill him!!"

Qiao Fei was already annoyed with this rich brat for causing such a disaster and dragging everyone into it. Now, hearing him spout such nonsense, she flew into a rage and snapped back.

"Wang Chenglong! Look around you! You were the only one in that tree!"

"We were all down here, along with a few dogs. Who could have possibly pushed you from thin air? You got too worked up, lost your footing, and fell. Who else is there to blame?"

"I..." Wang Chenglong was at a loss for words.

But the searing pain in his foot and his own boiling rage made it impossible for him to calm down. He looked up and saw a young male paramedic carefully checking and applying a splint, his movements jostling the injury.

"HISS—you son of a bitch, be gentle! You’re hurting me!"

Wang Chenglong roared and slapped the paramedic’s arm. His fingers grazed the man’s face, creating a sharp SMACK.

The young paramedic froze, stunned.

His face immediately flushed red. He shot to his feet, dropped the bandages and splint on the ground, and took two steps back. His chest heaved—he was obviously furious.

He turned to Qiao Fei, his voice hard.

"Officer Qiao, I can’t do this. Someone else can deal with him!"

Seeing this, the other team members’ faces filled with indignation and contempt.

After all the hard work they’d put into the search and rescue, was this the thanks they were going to get?

Qiao Fei was so angry a vein throbbed on her forehead. She pointed at Wang Chenglong’s nose and snapped, "Wang Chenglong! You listen to me! This is the deep wilderness, not your living room! If you won’t cooperate, fine! Stay here on the mountain overnight and wait for the wolves to eat you! We’re leaving!"

With that, she motioned for her team to leave.

Her words were like a bucket of ice water dumped over Wang Chenglong’s head. He looked at the surrounding forest as it grew dark, and what sounded like the low growl of some unknown beast echoed in the distance. A violent shiver ran down his spine.

The searing pain in his foot and the fear of death finally crushed his arrogance.

He quickly stifled his curses. Although his face remained twisted in a grimace and he continued to mutter profanities under his breath, he at least stopped lashing out at the paramedic and reluctantly allowed them to finish splinting his leg.

Qiao Fei took a few deep breaths to compose herself, then walked aside and picked up the satellite phone to report to the command center and the other search teams.

Taking advantage of the break, Uncle Cai quietly approached Yang Qi and asked in a low voice only he could hear, "Advisor Yang, what’s this guy’s story? Why’s he so arrogant?"

Yang Qi glanced at the whimpering Wang Chenglong and replied in an equally low voice.

"The only son of the director of the city’s Commerce Bureau."

An "ah, that explains it" expression crossed Uncle Cai’s face. He nodded in understanding and didn’t comment further, but a faint trace of disdain flickered deep in his otherwise placid eyes.

People who made their living in the mountains had the least tolerance for pampered, arrogant brats who relied on their family’s influence while being utterly useless themselves.

"Uncle Cai, we parted in such a hurry last time that I forgot to get your contact info. Should we exchange numbers or add each other on WeChat?"

Yang Qi suggested with a smile, pulling out his phone.

He had a very good impression of the experienced and straightforward old Forest Patrol Officer. Plus, with Uncle Cai’s knowledge of Cangshan and his skill at training hounds, there might be opportunities to work together in the future.

"Sure thing."

Uncle Cai readily agreed, pulling out his old, button-operated phone. "This old man isn’t great with all that fancy stuff. Let’s just do phone numbers. If you need anything, give me a call. The signal in the mountains comes and goes, but a call is more reliable than that WeChat thing."

The two of them exchanged numbers.

Afterward, surrounded by the forest, the old man and the young man began to chat about raising and training dogs.

Uncle Cai shared his years of experience training hounds, explaining how to select good pups and how to develop their sense of smell and teamwork in the mountains.

Yang Qi, in turn, offered some perspectives from modern animal behaviorism and training methods.

They had a great conversation, and Uncle Cai became even more impressed with Yang Qi’s knowledge of animals.

A short while later, Wang Chenglong’s leg was properly secured to a makeshift stretcher.

The team finished their preparations and began the trek out of the mountains.

Uncle Cai, with Big Black and Dahuang in tow, accompanied them. It was getting dark, after all, and it wasn’t safe to remain in the mountains alone.

Carrying the injured man slowed their return trip considerably.

By the time the sky was completely dark, they had rendezvoused with the other search and rescue teams.

The teams merged, and the beams from their flashlights and headlamps formed a winding ribbon of light along the mountain path.

Around 8:00 PM, the main party finally emerged from the forest and returned to Entrance Three.

The area outside the entrance was brightly lit. A crowd of ambulances, police cars, and family vehicles had gathered, creating a cacophony of voices.

Wang Chenglong was whisked away by a waiting ambulance. His father, the director, was also on the scene. With a grim expression, he exchanged a few hurried words with Deng Lei and the other supervisors before also thanking Yang Qi.

Then he left, following the ambulance without so much as a glance at the other rescue workers.

Yang Qi said a brief farewell to Deng Lei, Qiao Fei, Tang Bin, Uncle Cai, and the others.

Uncle Cai said quietly, "Advisor Yang, if you’re ever in the mountains and need something, just let me know."

"I will. You take care too, Uncle Cai," Yang Qi replied.

With Hu Zi and Leopard in tow, he got into his car and headed back toward the Donghua Zoo.

...

By the time he returned to the Mountain-Back Courtyard, it was nearly 9:00 PM.

The courtyard was silent.

Yang Qi went inside, flipped on the lights, and put a pot of Spirit Rice Porridge on to cook.

While the porridge simmered, he went out to the backyard and activated the "Demon Extermination Array." Listening to the familiar crackling sounds, he watched as his contribution points began to steadily accrue.