In the days that followed, the news that the leopard Big Flower had given birth to septuplets—with both mother and cubs safe and sound—became the hottest topic at Donghua Wildlife Park and even other zoos throughout the province.
"Septuplets, and they all survived. That’s incredible."
"I heard the mother leopard, Big Flower, really pulled through. The birth was a scare, but it went off without a hitch."
"It was all thanks to Advisor Yang going in at that critical moment to calm her down and feed her. Otherwise, who knows what might have happened."
"Wow, seven little cubs. That’s a new record!"
...
At Donghua Wildlife Park, from the top brass down to the regular staff, everyone’s faces lit up with excitement whenever the topic came up.
The marketing department immediately organized a team. While maintaining a safe distance, they filmed heartwarming footage of the mother leopard diligently caring for her cubs. They carefully crafted a series of promotional materials, preparing to release them at the opportune moment.
This was a perfect opportunity to boost the Zoo’s popularity and reputation.
Yang Qi, as the key contributor who had been directly involved in the birth and earned Big Flower’s absolute trust, naturally received even more attention and praise.
However, he remained as low-key as ever. Aside from his daily routine of checking on Big Flower and the cubs, and occasionally helping bottle-feed the little leopards, he spent the rest of his time focused on his work, cultivation, and studies.
Yang Qi took some time to carefully study the Spirit Beast Pouch he had just acquired.
The pouch looked ordinary, about the size of his palm. It was dark gray and made of a material that was neither leather nor cloth, yet was pleasantly warm and smooth to the touch. Its surface was etched with faint, almost invisible cloud-like patterns.
When activated with Magical Power, an invisible opening would appear at its mouth. Inside was a stable space of about ten cubic meters, filled with a faint but constant flow of Spiritual Qi. The temperature and humidity were ideal, making it an excellent place for a Spirit Beast to rest.
Yang Qi tested it by putting Xiaojiu inside for half an hour.
When Xiaojiu came out, it reported that it felt "warm and very comfortable" inside.
This set Yang Qi’s mind completely at ease.
With the Spirit Beast Pouch, traveling with his Guardian Beasts would be much more convenient. It could even serve as an emergency shelter for them in a crisis.
...
「Time quietly passed. As September began, the dry heat of late summer gradually gave way to the crisp air of early autumn.」
That afternoon, Yang Qi had just finished guiding Ta Xue through a Minor Circulation of the Ten Thousand Beasts Devouring Moon Technique when his phone rang.
The caller ID read: Jiang Kai.
"Xiao Yang, where are you? I need you to come to my office. Something’s come up." Jiang Kai’s voice sounded somewhat serious.
"I’m in my dorm. I’ll be right over."
A few minutes later, Yang Qi arrived at Jiang Kai’s office.
Jiang Kai was staring at his computer screen, his brow slightly furrowed.
When he saw Yang Qi enter, he pointed to the chair opposite his desk.
"Sit."
"Director, what’s wrong?" Yang Qi asked as he sat down.
"Two things."
Jiang Kai got straight to the point. "First, about Big Flower and the seven cubs. The cubs are very stable, and their growth rate is even slightly faster than that of normal leopard cubs. The Veterinarian team has assessed that as long as Big Flower produces enough milk, the probability of them surviving and growing up healthy is extremely high."
"The Zoo has decided that once the cubs are a month old and things have stabilized, we’re going to hold a small internal celebration and press conference. You’re a key figure in this, so you’ll need to attend. You might have to say a few words."
"Alright, no problem," Yang Qi readily agreed.
"The second thing."
Jiang Kai paused, his expression turning serious. "We have definite news about the interdisciplinary expert team."
Yang Qi perked up, sitting up straighter in his chair.
"The provincial government has finished coordinating and assembling the expert team. It’s headed by several professors from the Provincial Geological Survey, the Provincial Institute of Meteorological Sciences, the Provincial Academy of Forestry, and the School of Geology and Ecology at Handong University. Professor Zhou is on the team."
"They’re bringing more advanced equipment, including magnetic field detectors, ground-penetrating radar, and environmental monitors."
Jiang Kai looked at Yang Qi and said slowly, "The expert team will arrive in Donghua tomorrow night. The morning after, they will make their first attempt to enter the ’abnormal area’ in Cangshan. The Bureau has ordered our Zoo to give them our full cooperation. The Zoo has decided that you and I will be the primary escorts. As for the guide, the Forestry Department is sending Uncle Cai."
’They’re finally here!’
Yang Qi’s mind raced, but his expression remained unchanged. "What do they need from us?"
"The team’s purpose is scientific investigation. They want to find out why the magnetic field anomaly in that area is intensifying and assess its potential impact on the local ecosystem."
Jiang Kai continued, "Our job is to ensure their safety, provide them with the basic information we have on animal activity in the area, and, when necessary, help them maintain a safe distance from the wildlife."
"Understood," Yang Qi nodded. "I’ll coordinate with Uncle Cai beforehand."
"Good."
Jiang Kai relaxed slightly. "I’ve already given Uncle Cai a heads-up. He’s coming to the Zoo tomorrow afternoon. We’ll hold a short meeting to finalize the route and go over safety precautions."
"We’ll need to be careful," Yang Qi agreed with a nod.
"One more thing."
Jiang Kai thought for a moment before adding, "That ability you have to communicate with animals... try to tone it down in front of the experts. They’re all natural scientists; they don’t think the way we do. Sometimes, behavior that’s too ’abnormal’ can attract the wrong kind of attention and scrutiny."
Yang Qi understood. "Don’t worry, Director. I know how to handle myself. I’ll just be a regular zookeeper and local guide."
"Good, as long as you understand."
...
After a few more words, Yang Qi left Jiang Kai’s office.
Walking along a tree-lined path on the Zoo grounds, Yang Qi’s mind was racing.
’The Cloud Plate Enchanting Array can stop ordinary people and standard equipment,’ he thought, ’but how effective will it be against a scientific expedition team made up of experts from various fields, armed with professional instruments and a clear objective?’