Chapter 661: Do I Really Have to Go Abroad?

Mayor Wang was an incredibly busy man, his schedule packed to the brim every day. So, right after the ribbon-cutting ceremony, he left immediately without staying for the celebratory meal. That was fine, though. Without the top official around, everyone could relax and eat more comfortably. Shen Yibin even showed off his skills, heading into the kitchen to cook a few dishes for them and making a promise.

"The next time you make a breakthrough, I’ll personally cook for you to celebrate." ’So much money and time has been invested, and the research institute is finally up and running,’ Shen Yibin thought. ’Now it’s time to see some results. I hope Li Yan, Zhu Xiang, and Lv Qiu Jian can truly demonstrate their abilities and crack the secrets of these miraculous medicines from the Future Pet Shop soon. It would be even better if they could be mass-produced.’

"Then we’d better hurry up!" Shen Yibin’s cooking was so good they couldn’t put their chopsticks down. Hearing his promise, they all responded enthusiastically.

After the meal, Shen Yibin called for a designated driver to take him, Hah’Er, and the others home. He rested for a night at his villa and felt completely refreshed the next day. After breakfast, he strolled over to the shop, prepped the ingredients for lunch and dinner, and then settled comfortably onto the second-floor sofa. He brewed a cup of Shifeng Longjing Tea, sipping it while he opened the Pet Radar on his phone to search for the next pet’s location.

"Huh? This location doesn’t seem too far this time! Only a few hundred kilometers. It should be about a half-day’s drive!" An orange dot soon appeared on Shen Yibin’s phone screen. But after zooming in on the map, he found himself in a dilemma again. It was close, yes, but that didn’t necessarily mean it would be convenient.

As it happened, the orange dot was located right on the border between the southernmost part of Yunzhong City’s province and a neighboring country. It was hard to say for sure whether it was within the country or across the border.

Moreover, the area was a primeval forest. A car couldn’t get in; he could only drive to a nearby town and then travel the rest of the way on foot. He hadn’t taken Carmen on his last trip to Dongting Lake, but this time he absolutely had to bring him. Otherwise, Shen Yibin figured he’d get lost. A tropical forest like that was far more dangerous than the forests in the Qinling Mountain Range or the northeast.

Fortunately, China’s relationship with this neighboring country had been pretty good in recent years, so the exit procedures could be handled right at the border crossing without much trouble. This particular stretch of primeval forest wasn’t heavily patrolled by border guards, either. If the orange dot was just a short distance into the neighboring country, Shen Yibin could probably cross over and come back without anyone paying him any mind.

If the target moved further into the neighboring country while he was on his way, he could just go to the official crossing and complete the paperwork. ’But first, I need to prepare some things for a tropical forest,’ he thought. ’Hmm, I can go see Qi Jian. I think he’s been to tropical forests a few times and has a lot of experience. I can ask him about the necessary gear and borrow Carmen for a few days.’

Having made up his mind, Shen Yibin began to study the route to the location. He also contacted Qi Jian and arranged to visit him at the search and rescue team’s headquarters shortly. After making lunch for Xia Shixuan and the others and eating, Shen Yibin took Hah’Er and drove to the headquarters. Qi Jian spotted him from a distance and came to the gate to wait for him.

"Haven’t been too busy, have you?" The two of them went to Qi Jian’s office. Shen Yibin gave him some tea, and Qi Jian didn’t stand on ceremony, immediately opening it to brew a pot.

"I had someone take Carmen out for a walk; he’ll be back soon. Mmm, this tea of yours is excellent." After complimenting Shen Yibin’s tea, Qi Jian continued, "The number of tourists is gradually picking up again, but we can still handle it. If you want to take Carmen out, now is the perfect time. Any later, and he probably won’t be available."

"That’s good. I was worried I’d be getting in the way of your official business." Shen Yibin knew that if the search and rescue team needed Carmen, it had to be for something serious. He couldn’t bear the thought of delaying a rescue because of his own plans.

"Yeah, he’s free for about another week. I don’t know if that’s enough time for you. Oh, right, where are you thinking of going this time? I’ll see if I’ve been there. If I have, I can share some tips with you," Qi Jian offered before Shen Yibin could even ask.

"You’ve probably been there. It’s that forest on the border with the neighboring country, in the southernmost part of our province. I think you mentioned it to me when we were shooting that music video," Shen Yibin said, opening a map and pointing out the destination to Qi Jian.

"Oh, that place! There’s a lot of good stuff there, indeed. You’ll probably have a great haul." Qi Jian assumed Shen Yibin was taking Turtle Immortal to gather medicinal herbs, so he began rattling off a list of the forest’s resources. "You can find Arisaema there, which clears heat, detoxifies, stops bleeding, and reduces swelling. It’s also one of the main ingredients in Yunnan Baiyao. There’s also Golden Dendrobium, whose medicinal effects are on par with Dendrobium officinale, each with its own merits... The natural environment there is much better than in Yunzhong City. Few people ever go, so you’re sure to find many old, potent medicinal herbs."

Shen Yibin didn’t bother to explain. Qi Jian’s misunderstanding saved him a lot of trouble. At the same time, he began to reconsider. His original plan was not to bring Turtle Immortal and Xiaoliu because the terrain was so difficult. But after hearing what Qi Jian said, Shen Yibin changed his mind. ’It wouldn’t be a bad idea to collect some medicinal herbs along the way.’

’Yes, I can also bring back some seeds,’ he mused. ’I already made a deal with Director Kong. I can use the land in his yard however I want, as long as I share some of the good stuff with him when it’s harvested. I don’t have to worry about not having enough space anymore. Plus, it’s Spring now—the perfect time for planting.’

"I still have all my gear from the last time I went there. Let me go dig it out for you. You’ve got plenty of outdoor experience yourself, so with this equipment and Carmen, nothing should go wrong." With that, Qi Jian got up and went to the storeroom to find his specialized tropical forest gear to lend to Shen Yibin.

He then shared a slew of experiences and tips for exploring a tropical forest, and Shen Yibin noted them down one by one.

Just as he finished, Carmen returned, trotting over to Shen Yibin with his tongue lolling out and rubbing affectionately against his leg. Shen Yibin still had preparations to make, so he didn’t linger any longer. He said his goodbyes and left with Carmen.

Back in the city, he bought a few more items based on Qi Jian’s recommendations and made it back to the shop before dinner. Over dinner, he told Xia Shixuan and the others that he would be away for a few days and asked them to look after the shop.

The girls were already used to Shen Yibin’s frequent trips. They all promised to take good care of the shop, only urging him to finish his business and come back soon. Takeout food really wasn’t very good, after all.

After another night’s rest at the villa, Shen Yibin packed Hah’Er, Xiaoliu, and the whole group of little critters into the car early the next morning. He drove straight south, expecting to reach the forest by afternoon at the latest.