Chapter 128: Liang He’s Mini-Class Begins!

Chapter 128: Chapter 128: Liang He’s Mini-Class Begins!

Despite some people deliberately badmouthing the sharing session led by Liang He, her egalitarian attitude and low-key demeanor still attracted many eager-to-learn attendees, as well as those simply curious about her.

When she arrived backstage from the lounge to wait for her cue, the venue was practically full. The dense, teeming crowd took her slightly by surprise.

"Next up, let’s give a warm welcome to Miss Liang He, who will take the stage to share!"

Following the host’s introduction, Liang He walked up to the podium amidst thunderous applause. Her posture was straight, neither haughty nor humble. Under the gaze of the crowd, she maintained her own steady pace. Coupled with her rather understated attire, she actually won over the majority of the audience. At the very least, she didn’t look like an empty shell merely fishing for unearned fame.

"Hello everyone, I am Liang He." After greeting the room with a smile, she cut straight to the chase without any nonsense. "I’m sure you all know that I come from Blue Star. The Breeder knowledge I acquired was also taught to me by teachers on Blue Star."

Back when she tested for her Blue Star Breeder certificate, Liang He had undergone systematic study and training. Otherwise, she never would have been able to apply for the Breeder position at the Tianyao Star Protection Zone.

"This past week, seniors and professors with far more experience and knowledge than myself have already imparted a great deal to you. Therefore, I won’t waste time repeating textbook concepts."

Liang He always believed that genuine knowledge came from practice. Compared to armchair theories, she preferred hands-on action. To make her sharing more intuitive, she had asked the relevant administrators to bring in animals that had presented various difficulties during their rescue for a live demonstration.

"These few are animals from Greenfield Star that presented rather thorny issues during their rescue process."

Following her gesture, the audience shifted their gazes to the curtain behind her. As the drape was pulled back, several animals confined in cages were revealed to the crowd.

"Because I was worried that having too many people here would cause them stress and feel like a threat, this glass is one-way. Only we can see them."

Liang He was not the type to disregard animal welfare for her own selfish gains. When she first proposed this idea, the initially hesitant administrator immediately gave it the green light, agreeing to her request to borrow them. After all, in his eyes, someone who genuinely cared for little animals from the bottom of their heart couldn’t be a bad person.

"No wonder I saw they didn’t react at all earlier. It turns out they can’t even see us."

"Miss Liang He is very considerate. Anyone who has truly interacted with animals knows that when they’re locked in a cage, they already lack a sense of security. Suddenly seeing so many people would definitely make them uncomfortable, perhaps even triggering a stress response."

"Tch, I heard that Blue Star used to have zoos that locked all sorts of animals up for people to look at. Why is she pretending to be a good person now?"

"You can’t say that. The original intentions behind animal rescue and species breeding are good. The fact that wild Animal Protection Zones are gradually replacing enclosed zoos shows that they’re already paying attention to this issue."

Due to natural predators, environmental destruction, or the presence of poachers, some animals were driven to the brink of extinction. If humans didn’t intervene and exercise control, it was hard to say what would be left in the future. Whether it was for salvation or atonement, as long as the outcome was positive, it was a welcome development.

"First, let’s look at the first animal," Liang He said, standing before the first cage and introducing it through the glass. "This brown bear was rescued. However, a while ago, its Breeder noticed that it would constantly repeat the same path, spinning in circles, or even repeating a single motion over and over."

The brown bear Liang He mentioned had encountered a group of poachers in the wild. Heavily outnumbered, it was captured and subsequently confined in a tiny cage covered in black cloth for a long time, making it difficult even to turn around. Rescue personnel had saved it after receiving a tip and successfully intercepting the smugglers just as the bear was being secretly loaded onto a Starship.

Because it was the first to be captured, it had been locked in that cage by the poachers for nearly half a month by the time it was saved. The bear was on the brink of death, its eyes unfocused, and it barely survived.

"As everyone knows, the vast majority of animals in the interstellar region roam freely within protection zones with essentially no human intervention."

The interstellar society pursued harmony between humans and nature, which was also what Blue Star aimed for. However, compared to that beautiful vision, the interstellar approach leaned more heavily toward letting the food chain run its course. In Blue Star terms, it was survival of the fittest and letting nature take its course.

"Therefore, when the rescue personnel noticed the issue, they had no idea what the root cause of the brown bear’s problem was."

How should one put it? Everything has its pros and cons, just like the zoos on Blue Star. While not worth promoting, they did to some extent spark human curiosity and a desire to protect animals, while also allowing for close-up observation of animal behavioral habits, facilitating the early detection of issues.

"And on Blue Star, this kind of presentation from the brown bear is referred to as stereotypic behavior..."

Through Liang He’s step-by-step guidance and explanation, attendees who had initially been somewhat arrogant unknowingly began to follow along, earnestly learning and thinking.

"So it’s a psychological issue caused by being locked in a dark room for an extended period. I really hadn’t thought of that."

"I always used to think that rescuing animals only required ensuring their physical safety. Who would pay attention to their psychology?"

"Based on what Liang He is saying, these animal behaviors have actually been researched and concluded upon on Blue Star for a long time. Perhaps we should visit Blue Star to study."

It hadn’t been long since Blue Star joined the Federation, so the majority of interstellar people didn’t know much about it. Many only knew of Blue Star because of Liang He. From her special effect on Evolutionary Beastmen and the influence of her "Fur Raising Officer" account, to the Blue Star delicacies that had recently swept across the interstellar web, everyone’s understanding of Blue Star was but the tip of the iceberg.

"Miss Liang He, I have a question." Since it was an interactive sharing session, attendees naturally had the opportunity to raise their hands and ask questions at any time. "According to what you’ve said, stereotypic behavior is caused by environmental factors. So, if we release the brown bear back into the wild, will it return to normal?"

If the brown bear couldn’t adapt to a cramped environment, then they should let it return to the familiar wilderness—this was the common thought shared by the vast majority. It was simple and direct, but not necessarily effective.

"Regarding stereotypic behavior in animals, the root cause ultimately stems from stress and frustration. It can’t be cured simply by releasing them back into nature."

If it were truly that simple, there would be no need for Liang He to specifically share this case study.

"We need to take it step by step, helping the brown bear rebuild its confidence while relieving its stress. Only after its psychological issues have improved should we consider releasing it back into the wild."

Just like humans, psychological issues in animals were highly complex illnesses that couldn’t be solved with a quick fix; they demanded serious attention.

"If we simply and abruptly release it into the wild, it will likely believe that it is so useless that it has been abandoned by humans. This could cause even more severe psychological problems. Giving up on itself, self-mutilation, or even starving itself to death are all distinct possibilities."

Liang He’s solemn explanation caused the attendees who had previously thought psychological issues were easily solved to lower their heads in slight shame. In contrast, the experts and professors were completely energized, raising their hands one after another, eager to discuss with Liang He how to improve the brown bear’s psychological well-being.

"Ahem, regarding that, I actually recommend that everyone read a book..."

Liang He suddenly felt a bit guilty, unsure if she would be mocked once she stated the book’s title.