’Will they find a "loophole" or "pattern" in the Array?’
’If the Array’s effects are partially deciphered or explained, will it lead to a deeper, more prolonged investigation?’
’And then there’s the South China Tiger. Although we’ve reached an agreement, the mother tiger has two cubs and remains highly vigilant.’
’What if someone from the expert team stumbles into her den area by accident and starts a conflict?’
One by one, these questions flashed through his mind...
HUUU...
Yang Qi took a deep breath, suppressing the stray thoughts in his mind.
He had to go into the mountains one more time to have a final "talk" with the mother tiger, stressing the importance of the day after tomorrow. He needed to make sure she kept herself and her cubs in check and stayed far away from the survey route.
...
Early the next morning, after feeding the Gray Wolf and the little raccoon, Yang Qi skipped breakfast. He took Hu Zi and Leopard, drove out of the Zoo, and headed into the back mountains.
He had Hu Zi and Leopard wait for him deep in the back mountains.
Yang Qi mobilized his Magical Power and executed the Spirit Crane Body Technique. He moved swiftly through the forest, heading straight for the outskirts of Ancient Goose Forest, toward the area where the South China Tiger’s den was located.
After arriving at his destination, he concealed his aura and slowly approached the den in the hollow log.
He stopped when he was still about a hundred meters away.
The mother tiger was extremely vigilant, and even more sensitive now that she had cubs.
Appearing directly near her den could easily cause unnecessary tension and misunderstanding.
So, Yang Qi used the Basic Spirit Communication Technique and called out loudly in the direction of the den.
After calling out, he waited patiently.
About two or three minutes passed.
A faint rustling sound came from the dense woods ahead.
A massive, agile, orange figure appeared from behind a large tree as silently as a phantom.
It was the mother South China Tiger.
Her amber eyes gleamed with vigilance in the dim forest light. She stared at Yang Qi’s position from a distance, a low, inaudible rumble coming from her throat.
Although she recognized Yang Qi’s aura, she didn’t relax completely. Her body remained poised to pounce or retreat at a moment’s notice.
"GRRROWL~"
The mother tiger’s low roar was simple and direct.
*What is it?*
Yang Qi didn’t waste words, explaining the next day’s situation in a way the mother tiger could understand.
"It’s like I told you before. Tomorrow, a group of strange Two-legged Beasts carrying a lot of weird ’metal boxes’ will enter the edge of this forest. They want to figure out why other Two-legged Beasts get lost here."
"I’ll be with them to make sure they don’t get near your and the cubs’ den. They will follow a fixed route and won’t stray from it."
"I only need you to do two things," Yang Qi emphasized.
"First, for the entire day tomorrow, you and your two cubs must not leave the area around your den. If you hear any strange sounds or smell any strange scents approaching, immediately take your cubs and hide deeper in the mountains. Don’t come out to investigate."
"Second, don’t make any loud noises, especially roaring. Stay quiet, as if you aren’t even here."
The mother tiger listened quietly, tilting her massive head slightly as if digesting and understanding the information.
After a moment, she let out a low roar, tinged with a hint of confusion and a need for confirmation.
*Are those Two-legged Beasts very dangerous?*
"They themselves aren’t necessarily dangerous, but the ’metal boxes’ they’re carrying might detect you. Besides, if they see you, things will get very troublesome, and it could be bad for you and your children," Yang Qi told her honestly.
The mother tiger was silent for a few seconds.
Although she couldn’t understand the complex rules of human society, she could sense the caution and warning in Yang Qi’s words.
’This powerful Two-legged Beast... seems to be protecting us?’
The mother tiger let out a low roar in final reply.
*Alright.*
*We won’t move or make a sound tomorrow.*
"Good."
Yang Qi nodded.
With the mother tiger’s intelligence and instinct for danger, he believed she would keep her promise.
"Here, have this."
Yang Qi took out a block of Vitality Nutrient Cream and used the Object Manipulation Technique to send it smoothly to an empty spot on the ground not far from the mother tiger.
"You’ll need to stay near your den tomorrow, so it’ll be inconvenient for you to hunt. This will help you replenish your energy."
The mother tiger’s eyes lit up slightly. Without ceremony, she walked forward, and with a flick of her tongue, swallowed the nutrient cream.
Feeling the warm current and sense of comfort rising within her, the vigilance in her eyes when she looked at Yang Qi faded a little more.
*You’re different from the other Two-legged Beasts.*
Yang Qi smiled but didn’t respond to this.
"Remember our agreement. After tomorrow, everything goes back to normal."
*Understood.*
The mother tiger let out a low roar.
Their communication finished, Yang Qi didn’t linger. He nodded to the mother tiger, quietly retreated, and quickly disappeared into the forest.
The mother tiger stood in place, watching the direction Yang Qi had left for a long time. Finally, she let out a low purr, turned, and returned to her den, light-footed and silent...
...
After leaving the South China Tiger’s territory, Yang Qi didn’t return immediately.
Instead, he took out the Array Plate and carefully surveyed the route he had planned in his mind, the one he would use to guide the expert team the next day.
The route was roughly an irregular "U" shape. It started at an entrance on the eastern side of Cangshan, followed a relatively gentle slope along the mountain range, and finally exited from another point.
The choice of route was very particular.
First, it avoided the core areas.
It completely bypassed all sensitive locations like Ancient Goose Forest, the Albino Animal Valley, and the South China Tiger’s den, with the closest point being more than two kilometers away.
Second, it utilized the terrain.
The route contained several natural twists in the terrain and visual blind spots that could "naturally" guide the team to change direction without it seeming abrupt.