Beast Taming: I'm Really Just a Forest Ranger

Their progress was very slow, as they cautiously probed their surroundings at every step, trying to locate the lookout Shadow Owl.

But after a long time, no one found any trace of the Shadow Owl.

“I didn’t find anything here.”

“Same here.”

“Same here.”

…

Nie Li looked up at the wooden house hidden deep within, frowning slightly.

This was not good news.

Once discovered by the Shadow Owl, it would inevitably alert the enemy, leading to a fierce battle.

According to the tenets of the Investigation Department, avoiding conflict was preferable when possible.

The ruthless poachers might not care about casualties, but every Investigation Department member was carefully selected through multiple screenings, and losses should be minimized.

“Captain, I found something…”

A voice suddenly came through the earpiece but quickly cut off, as if a pair of unseen hands had choked it.

Nie Li furrowed her brows and softly called the person’s codename: “Wild Boar?”

No response.

“Wild Boar?”

Realizing something was wrong, Nie Li called out again.

This time, Wild Boar’s voice quietly emerged: “Captain, I think you need to come see this.”

“What did you find?” Nie Li raised her guard, refraining from rash actions.

“Captain, the situation here is a bit complicated and can’t be explained in a few words. I think you need to come see it for yourself,” Wild Boar replied.

A teammate cautiously said, “Wild Boar, the Shadow Owl is still lurking in the dark.”

“No.” Wild Boar shook his head, looking at the Shadow Owl lying not far away, his expression unprecedentedly complex, “The Shadow Owl is right in front of me.”

“?”

Nie Li pushed through the thick bushes, her tense body moving forward, and the scene before her left her stunned — two girls were chatting leisurely in front of a large tree, with several Pet Beasts lying beside them;

Two Violent Cloud Sparrows were furiously pecking at a thin masked man and a burly man;

The Gale Hunting Dog, Run Run Duck, and Fallen Meteor Horned Beast were guarding several unconscious Pet Beasts, including the Shadow Owl they had been desperately searching for;

The tall and sturdy Wild Boar was squatting on the ground, studying a middle-aged man in an overcoat intently.

This wasn’t what he had imagined.

Noticing Nie Li’s arrival, Wild Boar looked up, revealing a simple smile while reaching out to poke Viper’s head: “Captain, this is the target Viper.”

At that moment, Nie Li’s emotions were incredibly complex. She remained silent for a long time, then softly said, “Danger resolved, everyone come out.”

Soon, the remaining three members emerged from the bushes.

“Captain, what is going on here?” a female member asked in confusion.

Nie Li spread her hands in silence.

At this moment, Yang Yue walked over with a cheerful stride: “You’re from the Investigation Department, right?”

Back at the academy, she had seen Investigation Department members come for special training, wearing this very same black uniform.

“Yes, I’m Nie Li, captain of the Seventh Squad of the Eighth Division of the Investigation Department,” Nie Li nodded in response and took out a card from her pocket, “This is my ID.”

Yang Yue took a quick look and then pointed to the masked man, the burly man, and Viper with a joyful demeanor: “These three poachers have been taken down by us.”

“Awoo awoo!”

Upon hearing this, Cola let out a dissatisfied cry.

Yang Yue cleared her throat, pointing to Cola and Run Run Duck: “To be more accurate, it’s their achievement.”

“Awoo awoo.”

“Quack quack.”

Cola and Run Run Duck raised their heads high, their tails cocked up proudly.

The immovable Fallen Meteor Horned Beast stood to the side.

“Dian Dian!”

The figure of the Electric Flying Cat darted out from the shadows, startling Nie Li and the others.

How was there another one hidden in the dark?

“What exactly is going on here?” Nie Li’s brows furrowed even deeper.

“Let me explain.”

Li Qing stopped Yang Yue, who was eager to show off, her face calm, as she recounted their encounter to the five members of the investigation team.

Wild Boar was dumbstruck: “You mean, these Pet Beasts defeated the three poachers without any guidance from a Beastmaster?”

Though the Bone-breaking War Mastiff and other Pet Beasts had already fallen, judging by their size and the battle scars left behind, one could tell they were extraordinarily strong.

Especially the Bone-breaking War Mastiff, with its bloodstained Natural Alloy Scale Armor, sturdy and explosive limbs, it was intimidating.

“Awoo awoo!”

Cola raised its head, its tail swaying gently.

Without the owner’s command, I can suppress any vile characters on my own!

“I forgot to tell you,” Li Qing added, “These are Advisor Chen’s Pet Beasts.”

At these words, everyone was momentarily stunned, then they spoke in realization:

“Misunderstanding resolved.”

“Is Advisor Chen training nearby?”

“So that’s it, that makes sense.”

“I thought this Gale Hunting Dog looked familiar, it’s Advisor Chen’s Gale Hunting Dog!!!”

The four discussed among themselves, only Nie Li remained composed from the start: “Thank you both for your help, but in the future, if you encounter a situation like this, you must prioritize your own safety, and wait for us to resolve it.”

Yang Yue’s voice grew softer: “I was just worried the poachers would escape first…”

Li Qing pointed to the wooden house not far away: “The Pet Beasts are all locked up there. We didn’t check it out in case there was more danger.”

“We’ll leave the rest to you now.”

“Understood.” Nie Li nodded softly, then looked at the four members, “Two of you come with me, the remaining two handle the scene.”

“Understood!”

Everyone responded in unison, immediately starting to take action.

“Quack quack quack!”

Seeing Nie Li and others heading toward the wooden house, Run Run Duck trotted after them.

“What are you doing…” Wild Boar looked at the following Run Run Duck without any condescending attitude toward it as a Pet Beast, and solemnly inquired.

Run Run Duck patted its chest, confidently saying: “Quack quack quack!”

They stole my Spirit Fish!