Chapter 172: Feeding the Little Animals

Chapter 172: Chapter 172: Feeding the Little Animals

Out of nowhere, the Mojin King Tiger sprang out, blocking Liang He and Silver Feather’s path.

"Cedriel, why did you come back by yourself?"

Liang He looked behind the Mojin King Tiger in confusion. Cyril and the others were nowhere to be seen; Cedriel had clearly returned alone.

"AWOOO~"

The Mojin King Tiger bit onto the backpack Liang He used to carry the feeding supplies, pulled it off her back, and held it firmly in his mouth.

"You want to help me? You want to go together?"

Unable to open his mouth with the backpack in the way, the Mojin King Tiger gently bobbed his large, furry head up and down to show she had guessed right.

"You’re amazing, Cedriel! I’ll go prepare a few more things, and you can carry them for me, okay?"

Since she had originally planned for just herself and Silver Feather to go, Liang He hadn’t brought much. She had worried Silver Feather would feel obligated to help carry a heavy load. But now, with the Mojin King Tiger joining them, she didn’t have to worry—they could finish everything in a single trip.

"AWOO!"

Hearing Liang He agree to let him tag along and even ask for his help, the Mojin King Tiger barked in agreement without hesitation. In doing so, he completely forgot about the backpack in his mouth, which dropped to the ground. He froze in sheer dismay.

"AWOOO..."

He didn’t mean to drop it!

"There, there. I know Cedriel was just too excited, right? We can go help the other little animals together, and that makes you happy, doesn’t it?"

The considerate Liang He hugged the Mojin King Tiger’s large head and coaxed him gently. Then, she went to the storage room, brought out the necessary supplies, wrapped them in a large cloth, and strapped them onto Cedriel’s back.

"Treating the Mojin King Tiger like a beast of burden... Little He, you really are something else."

Silver Feather silently gave Liang He a thumbs-up. Everything she meant was conveyed in that simple gesture. To be fair, with the Mojin King Tiger serving as their muscle, the trip was much easier for both Liang He and Silver Feather.

"This is where I placed the nests and food before."

Winter was harsh, so Liang He wanted to help however she could. Even if her efforts were meager, it was always better than doing nothing at all. Some might question her—she had explicitly stated she wouldn’t interfere too much with the animals’ natural selection, yet here she was, showing blatant favoritism. But human nature was complex, and Liang He simply couldn’t bear to watch the animals freeze to death this winter.

"It looks like the animals are still willing to accept being fed."

At first, Liang He had worried that the scent of humans and a Mojin King Tiger might scare the little critters away. To her surprise, not only were they unafraid, but they even swarmed around her, curiously pawing at her backpack to see what she had brought.

"Oh my, don’t fight over it. Be good."

The corners of Liang He’s lips curled up slightly. She poured a generous amount of the food she had prepared into the bowls, and the little animals immediately swarmed forward to fill their bellies.

"AWOOO~"

Ignored by the little critters, the Mojin King Tiger silently rolled his eyes. He then circled around to Liang He’s side and laid out the supplies he was carrying in front of her.

"Haha, Cedriel is so smart! You knew I needed to set up the winter nests."

Liang He happily hugged the Mojin King Tiger, rubbing her cheek against him. Smelling her unique scent, Cedriel’s massive body stiffened. He was at a complete loss for what to do until Liang He finally let go to refill the supplies.

"Little He, let me help."

Silver Feather, who had been wanting to lend a hand, silently watched Liang He’s interaction with the little animals. Seeing this gave her even more confidence in Yin Qi’s situation.

"Okay, thank you, Ah Ling."

Liang He and Silver Feather quickly arranged the supplies at the first restock point. Taking advantage of the fact that the little animals were still munching away, they quietly slipped away.

"PHEW, that was close. I was really worried they were going to just rob us and turn it into a buffet."

After her backpack had been pawed at by the little critters, Liang He looked at the heavily battered bag she had barely managed to snatch back from their mouths, her heart still fluttering with lingering fear.

"PFFT, only you would have this kind of problem, Liang He." Silver Feather looked at her with a smile. The animal affinity that others could only dream of seemed to have become a sweet burden for her.

"I’m just joking."

In reality, Liang He knew full well that the little animals had a good sense of boundaries and wouldn’t actually rob her. They were also very smart; they knew she was the one providing them with warm nests and plentiful food, so they used intimate gestures to express their affection for her.

"Alright, we still have a few more drop-off points. Let’s do our best to get this done before Brother Hao and the others wake up!"

They drove the hovercraft and landed near the next drop-off point. Because of the terrain, they had to walk for a bit in some areas, which meant the Mojin King Tiger had to work hard carrying the supplies.

"When we’re done, we’ll go back and prepare something delicious for our Cedriel as a reward for his hard work, alright?"

Usually, Liang He treated all of them equally, mixing appropriate meals based on the furries’ dietary needs. But today, the Mojin King Tiger had helped her out, so it was only natural to give him a specific reward. A clear system of rewards and punishments was also an important factor in maintaining harmony among the furries.

"AWOOO~"

The Mojin King Tiger affectionately nuzzled Liang He’s neck. Catching a whiff of the fresh scent on her body, the tips of his ears instantly turned red. He hurriedly got to work, pulling the supply cart forward with an unstoppable momentum.

It was common knowledge that when a person got nervous or flustered, they would unconsciously make a lot of small movements. The same was true for furries.

"PFFT~ Why is Cedriel so easily embarrassed?"

Silver Feather was one of the few who knew the Mojin King Tiger’s true identity, but she hadn’t expected the Federation Marshal to be so cute after turning into a fierce beast. She just didn’t know what kind of expression he would have once he regained his consciousness, passed through his Evolutionary Stage, and looked back on his current actions.

"It’s not just Cedriel. All the furries are very cute."

At the mention of the furries, the aura around Liang He instantly softened, radiating a gentle warmth. The bond between her and the furries had always been a two-way street.

"To be honest, seeing the way you interact with them makes me feel more and more at ease entrusting Yin Qi to your care."

Silver Feather had seen too many hypocrites—people who were entirely two-faced, using the banner of helping animals as a mere gimmick to attract attention. In the beginning, when Liang He went viral on the Star Network as a vlogger under the moniker "Fur Raising Officer," Silver Feather had been repulsed and dismissive when she first heard of her existence from others. She had assumed Liang He was just like those other people, chasing fame and fortune and using the furries as bargaining chips for her own gain.

But looking at it now, she realized her perspective back then had been somewhat biased and unfair.

"Liang He, Cedriel and the others are truly lucky to have met you."

Most of the people in the Silver Wing Temple were Beastmen, and that naturally included herself. Living in the Endless Ice Domain, they wouldn’t be disturbed by the likes of the Rebel Army during their Evolutionary Stage, but that didn’t mean they were exempt from nature’s trials. Evolutionary Beastmen universally rejected human approach and feeding, and the Beastmen of the Silver Wing Temple were no exception.

"In a natural environment like the Endless Ice Domain, obtaining food is incredibly difficult..."

Under such harsh conditions, an Evolutionary Beastman’s refusal to accept human feeding significantly reduced their chances of survival. There were pros and cons to everything: the living environment in the reserve was relatively less severe, but they constantly had to be on guard against the Rebel Army’s incursions. In the Silver Wing Temple, however, the power of nature was undeniably the greater, more unforgiving threat.

"Ah Ling, don’t be sad. I will do my absolute best to help you heal the Divine Beast."