Chapter 492 - 240: Not Enough Time, Immortal Magic to the Rescue! (2)

Chapter 492: Chapter 240: Not Enough Time, Immortal Magic to the Rescue! (2)

"We’re here. Come on out and take a look at your new home."

Huan the Second was the bolder of the two. It was the first to poke its head out, its beady little black eyes rapidly scanning the surroundings. Then, with a squeak, it leaped right out of the vehicle.

But it didn’t run toward the little wooden cabin and pool that had been meticulously prepared for them. Instead, it spun around and darted toward a dense thicket of holly bushes by the side of the road.

’Big Bro, let’s go!’

Huan the Second took off running.

’Wait for me!’

Seeing this, Huan University also scrambled clumsily out of the vehicle. It hurried after its younger brother, diving headfirst into the thicket and leaving behind only two rustling clumps of foliage.

"Ah, they’re running away again!"

"Quick, head them off over there!"

A small commotion rippled through the accompanying crowd again, and a few people instinctively moved to give chase.

"There’s no need to panic."

Yang Qi spoke up again. "Don’t chase them, and don’t try to block them off. Just let them play. They’re wary of unfamiliar surroundings. The whole area is fenced, so they can’t get far."

"Once they’re tired out or get hungry, they’ll naturally follow the scent of food back to the cabin we prepared for them."

"We just need to leave food out for them at a set time and place, then wait patiently. That’s all."

The crowd: "..."

Everyone looked at Yang Qi’s confident expression, then back at the still-rustling thicket. They exchanged glances and, in the end, stopped in their tracks.

’Alright then. You’re the director. If you say they’ll come back, we’ll just have to wait and see. Besides, the park has security cameras. It’s not like we’re afraid of actually losing them.’

Two people were left behind to wait while the transport vehicle continued on. This time, the destination was a temporary wolf enclosure on the edge of the Valley of Fierce Beasts.

The truck stopped outside a sturdy, double-layered, chain-link fence.

Yang Qi opened the door of the truck’s cargo area and called out to Happy, "Happy, we’re home. Check out your new territory."

Happy was the first to leap out. It warily eyed the crowd of people gathered nearby.

This time, everyone had learned their lesson and kept a wide berth.

Happy glanced around, its gaze falling on the wolf enclosure before it—an expanse of several acres containing slopes, shrubs, a pool, and a rocky den.

It sniffed the air, then looked up at Yang Qi.

Yang Qi pointed to the open transfer gate at the enclosure’s entrance. "Go on," he said. "This place is yours for now. Get familiar with it. You’ll have an even bigger place later on."

’Okay.’

’Two-legged Beast, don’t forget the roast chicken.’

Happy let out a low rumble and excitedly led the way into the enclosure.

Its two companions followed close behind.

After entering the enclosure, the three wolves didn’t immediately scatter to explore. Instead, they gathered together and looked back to confirm Yang Qi’s location one more time.

Just then, a scene unfolded that left everyone dumbfounded.

Happy walked over to the open iron transfer gate, then shocked everyone by rising up on its hind legs. It lifted a forepaw, hooked it onto the edge of the gate, and then pulled it shut with a forceful tug.

CLANG!

It had actually managed to pull the heavy iron gate closed.

It wasn’t closed perfectly tight, but it was definitely shut.

The crowd of onlookers: "!!!"

’Has this wolf become a spirit? It even knows to shut the door behind itself?’

Yang Qi chuckled and gave Happy, who was inside the enclosure, a thumbs-up from across the way.

Happy proudly lifted its head, then led its companions to begin a formal patrol of their new territory.

Again, two staff members were left behind to observe from a distance, and the transport truck continued on the final leg of its journey, heading for the nursery near the veterinary hospital.

First up were the three leopard cubs.

Yang Qi personally carried them out one by one, placing them in a private nursery room. The room had already been pre-warmed and was lined with soft bedding, and it was filled with a variety of toys suitable for young cubs.

As soon as their paws touched the ground, the three little ones huddled together anxiously. But when Yang Qi brought over their familiar food bowls, their attention was immediately captured, and they began to eat tentatively.

An Yumin and a keeper specializing in big cats stayed behind to begin twenty-four-hour close observation.

Next up was the little lion cub, Stone.

Stone was placed in an enclosure adjacent to that of the African lion mother-and-son pair, Lisa and Simba. A sturdy partition of tempered glass and a dividing fence with a movable gate separated them.

This would ensure their safety while also allowing them to see and smell each other, letting them get acquainted ahead of time.

When Yang Qi placed Stone in his new room, Simba from the next enclosure was predictably intrigued. He padded curiously up to the glass and, through the transparent barrier, sized up this newcomer who was not much smaller than himself.

Stone was also a little curious, but he was more focused on Yang Qi, refusing to leave his side and rubbing against his leg.

Yang Qi comforted him for a good while. He promised to come back and see him that evening, then personally prepared food and water for him. Only after watching him start to eat and seeing that he had calmed down did Yang Qi finally leave the nursery.

Before he left, Yang Qi gave Luo City some instructions.

"In newly built enclosures, the environment is always a bit off. Volatile compounds from new materials, imperfect temperature and humidity control, poor air circulation... all of these things can easily cause the animals to get stressed or sick."

"We used eco-friendly materials and did our best with the ventilation and temperature controls, but the construction time was very short. A lot of the finer details still need to be worked out."

"That’s why the initial observation and record-keeping are crucial. We can’t afford to overlook even the slightest abnormality."

"Don’t worry, Director. I understand!" Luo City nodded seriously.

He was a professional; of course he knew the risks.

Throwing money at the project to rush construction, building all of Xianlai’s main structures and animal enclosures in just six months, and then moving animals in when more than half the park was still empty—it was an inherently risky move.

If not for Yang Qi’s insistence and the powerful confidence he projected, people like An Yumin and Feng Jianye would have likely argued strongly for letting the enclosures air out and be tested for several more months.