Chapter 191: Another Day of Asking the Fluffies for Help

Chapter 191: Chapter 191: Another Day of Asking the Fluffies for Help

When Huo An learned of Liang He’s idea from Hoder, his first reaction was to wonder if such a thing was even possible. His second reaction was that it actually might work.

"It’s somewhat feasible," Huo An said, "but Liang He is probably the only one who can pull this off."

Huo An’s concern was that Liang He was already taking care of Xuan Jiao, and now she had Yin Qi on her plate too. Asking her to spare the energy to track down the mastermind behind the scenes would be a bit too exhausting. He worried her body wouldn’t be able to handle the strain. "How is Yin Qi doing?" he asked.

"Like the others, he trusts Liang He completely," Hoder replied. "Judging from Silver Feather’s description, his mental state is much better than when he was in the temple."

However, Yin Qi still slept most of the time. He generally only woke up when Liang He went to visit him.

"His appetite is also very normal," Hoder continued. "He really loves the food Liang He prepares for him."

Originally, Silver Feather was worried that even if Yin Qi’s mental state improved after arriving, it wouldn’t do any good if he continued to sleep constantly and refused to eat like before. Fortunately, Yin Qi loved the custom canned food Liang He made for him. He ate it with great relish, which left Silver Li and the others overjoyed.

"Following Silver Feather’s orders, Silver Li and his team have been keeping busy around the service area. They even take turns keeping watch at night, which has taken a lot of the load off me," Hoder said.

Perhaps it was because everyone was so easy to get along with that they were able to accept each other’s presence in such a short time, no longer acting overly polite like they had in the beginning. With Silver Feather and Silver Shuttle leading by example, Silver Li and his team quickly blended into the friendly atmosphere of the Seventh Service Area.

"Alright. As for Liang He’s proposal, we can let her give it a try," Huo An decided. "However, we shouldn’t make a big deal out of it on my end. If it fails, the backlash would be bad for her."

Especially with the Law Enforcement Team turning up empty-handed after days of searching, Liang He could easily become a target. Huo An had the final say in the reserve, but he couldn’t control what people thought. Furthermore, while the Law Enforcement Team was stationed in the reserve, they were not actually under its jurisdiction; they reported directly to the Federation. With such a massive incident taking place, the higher-ups in the Federation had been constantly pressuring Captain Keli and his team. It was inevitable that the team members would feel overwhelmed and harbor resentment.

"Understood. Since Silver Li and the others are guarding the service area now anyway, I can go with Liang He to secretly investigate the mastermind," Hoder replied.

Even though Liang He hadn’t explicitly said it, Hoder could tell she wanted to avenge Xuan Jiao and the other poisoned animals. Since there was a chance to catch the culprit—and it would help distract Liang He and let her vent her anger—Hoder had no reason to stop her. In fact, he was more than happy to help.

"Alright. Stay safe." Huo An was confident in Hoder and Liang He’s capabilities. Plus, they were in the reserve; unless the Rebel Army launched a full-scale attack, the culprit would only dare to resort to underhanded tactics like poisoning.

After ending the call, Hoder returned to the animal dormitories and gave Liang He a slight nod, signaling that Huo An had approved her proposal.

"Since Brother Hao wants us to keep this quiet, acting at night would be best," she said.

The water source had been guarded around the clock, both to take samples at any time and to prevent any animals or people from approaching. The guards only withdrew at night. Naturally, before leaving, they would set up barricades around the perimeter to prevent any more animals from getting poisoned by drinking the water.

"But there are surveillance cameras near the water source..." Hoder pointed out.

Cameras had been installed by the water source previously, but because it was located in the heart of the forest, they were rarely monitored. Now, however, things were different. With the water source poisoned, the river confluence in the center of the forest had become a high-priority zone, constantly watched by the staff in the security room.

"It’s fine. I’ll give Uncle Liao a heads-up and have him figure something out," Liang He said.

As the head stationmaster, Uncle Liao had taken over most of the reserve’s daily operations while Huo An was busy dealing with matters in the Sixth Service Area. Having his help would make things much easier.

"Alright, then we’ll act tonight. Make sure you clear it with Uncle Liao beforehand."

After finalizing the time for their operation, Liang He and Hoder began considering who would be best to bring along. Cyril was the first to be ruled out. His personality was too erratic; if they took their eyes off him and something happened, Liang He would never forgive herself. Lanton wasn’t a good fit either. Flying in the sky would make him too large and obvious a target. Since this was a covert operation, they needed to keep a low profile.

"I’ll take Cedriel and Kuang Ye out tonight," Liang He decided. "They have a keen sense of smell and can easily navigate the forest. Lanton and Cyril will stay home and guard Jiao Jiao."

It worked out perfectly—she and Hoder could ride the Mojin King Tiger and the Mengji Snow Leopard into the forest.

"Sure, whatever you say," Hoder agreed. He was primarily acting as a bodyguard. For everything else, he was more than happy to follow Liang He’s arrangements. He had absolutely no objections to being treated as an emotionless tool.

And so, after everyone had dinner that evening, Liang He settled Yin Qi down, reminded Lanton and Cyril to protect Xuan Jiao, and then quietly set out with Hoder and her chosen companions.

"Kuang Ye, I’ll have to trouble you to carry Hoder into the forest, okay?"

The Mengji Snow Leopard could run and walk steadily even in the steepest environments, so the forest terrain was a piece of cake for him. Liang He was actively trying to take care of Hoder by assigning Kuang Ye to him.

"...MEOW." The chosen Mengji Snow Leopard let out a reluctant sound, then watched with faint resentment as Liang He climbed onto the Mojin King Tiger’s back.

Feeling a heavy weight settle on his back, the Mengji Snow Leopard pawed at the ground, ready to compete with the Mojin King Tiger and show Liang He who the true ultimate mount was!

"Huh? Whoa, whoa, whoa! Kuang Ye! Slow down!"

In this clash between tiger and leopard, Hoder was the unfortunate collateral damage. As she watched Hoder’s figure vanish with a WHOOSH, Liang He, who had just settled onto the Mojin King Tiger’s back, stared in utter bewilderment. She had absolutely no idea what triggered the Mengji Snow Leopard’s sudden competitive streak.

"AOOO?" Cedriel let out a gentle, low rumble, signaling Liang He to sit tight and hold on. Then, he broke into a stride, chasing after the Mengji Snow Leopard.

However, compared to the Mengji Snow Leopard—who cared little whether Hoder lived or died—Cedriel was clearly much more steady. He moved across the rugged terrain as if walking on flat ground, providing Liang He with a remarkably smooth riding experience.

"Kuang Ye! Slow down, don’t throw him off!" Liang He still had a conscience. Seizing the moment the Mojin King Tiger caught up to the Mengji Snow Leopard, she scolded Kuang Ye, finally prompting him to slow down with extreme reluctance.

"MEOW~" The Mengji Snow Leopard felt aggrieved, but the Mengji Snow Leopard wouldn’t say it.

"Be a good boy. Once we’re done here, I’ll reward you when we get back!"

Since Liang He was an expert in child psychology, handling the Mengji Snow Leopard was entirely too easy for her. He was quickly coaxed back into a good mood and ran steadily at a constant pace toward the heart of the forest.

Sitting on his back, Hoder felt this change most directly. His lips twitched speechlessly, but afraid of being thrown off, he swallowed his complaints. Great, just great. Not only was he an emotionless tool, but he was also just a prop in Liang He’s games with her fluffballs!

"Kuang Ye, stop!"

Seeing that Kuang Ye was about to charge right through the fencing around the river confluence, Liang He hurriedly called out to stop him.

The Mengji Snow Leopard nearly couldn’t brake in time. His paws scrambled frantically, skidding against the ground. Fortunately, since he had already reduced his speed earlier, he quickly regained his footing.