The plane crossed the ocean overnight and landed early in the morning. Shi Jinzhe had just stepped out of the airport when he received a phone call. When Sher heard the word "snake," he pressed his face against Shi Jinzhe's phone to listen together.

Shi Jinzhe grunted twice and instructed the driver to change routes.

Shekh's entire being screamed "I really want this!" I asked him, "I heard them ask you if you want a snake? Is it for me?"

"Yes, when we moved, they said we could let you raise snakes on the artificial island. Now there's a legal and reasonable opportunity, so I'll take you to see it."

"I like you so much."

Shekh gave him an exaggerated snake hug, wrapping his arms and legs around Shi Jin's body.

Shi Jinzhe leaned back and put his arm around her. "Every year there are people who smuggle prohibited species. The snakes they catch, especially pet snakes, can only be sent to zoos or breeding bases. I donated some money to the city zoo before to ask them for help. Now that there are suitable ones, let's go take a look."

Shekh was intrigued. "Is it a lot?"

"Not many, but they are docile and non-toxic. They have been observed by the zookeepers for a while, and they only made this call when they thought they were suitable. However, we can't take them all, at most two."

"Two are fine too." She wasn't picky.

Shekh was very interested in this matter and put her fatigue behind her, eagerly anticipating meeting her friend.

Upon arriving at the city zoo, the driver took a side gate and drove straight in. The zoo was quiet as it wasn't open yet.

Several staff members were waiting in the reptile enclosure. After exchanging a few pleasantries with the two, they led them into the inner area.

Inside a room, Shi Jinzhe and Shehe saw several pythons separated in small glass tanks, decorated as an arid zone, which were obviously put there temporarily before they arrived.

A zookeeper came over and picked up the most beautifully patterned one to display.

Its base color is entirely white, with only small brown and gold spots on its body. From a distance, it looks like a melting Oreo McFlurry, which is very special and has an extremely rare pattern. Judging from its appearance, it is more than five meters long and is an adult reticulated python.

The zookeeper brought out the reticulated python. "It was smuggled in a few years ago and was kept in a residential building, one of those six-story buildings with two doors. Later, the snake grew too big and escaped through the window, which is when it was discovered."

Shekh lifted the snake's head, his face looking somewhat simple-minded. "Is this pattern artificially cultivated, just like Little Ink Painting?"

"Hmm...?" The zookeeper took a moment to realize that she was referring to the zoo's star python.

“Yes, they are all artificially bred, this one.” He held up the snake’s head that was lying obediently on his arm. “They call this high-end genes. This pattern is very difficult to breed. It’s very expensive to buy one privately. Moreover, this one has a very good temperament. It has an introverted personality among the reticulated snakes.”

Shekh: "Don't you keep it for yourselves? It looks like it would be loved by many people."

“This… Mr. Shi has given us far too much.”

"Sacrificing one benefits thousands," the zookeeper's tone of heartache was barely concealed, sounding like a pair of star-crossed lovers forcibly separated.

He said, "The previous owner treated the snakes very well. No one lived in the house, but the snakes lived there. No one in the neighborhood knew that a 5.5-meter-long python lived next door. Therefore, this reticulated snake is the best adapted to the human environment among these snakes."

Shekh nodded, saying nothing more, "Let's see what happens next."

"Wait a moment." The keeper put down this one and picked up another one next to it, this one being more common, an albino Burmese python, also known as a golden python.

"Burmese pythons are more docile than reticulated pythons, and this one is also good-tempered. I personally recommend that you take this one with you. Firstly, its pattern is beautiful and not as scary as the original color. Secondly, compared to other pythons, Burmese pythons have a thicker layer of blubber, so their muscle constriction ability is generally weaker, and the possibility of accidents is very low."

The person in charge who was listening to the introduction also agreed and recommended that they take this one back. "This one is not old, so it's just right to take it back. Don't be fooled by what he said about its average strangulation ability. That's only compared to other pythons. Being strangled by an adult Burmese python can still be quite deadly. This one is small, so you can take it back and let it get used to the scent."

The zookeeper nodded vigorously, "Yes, this one is the best."

Please, please leave him that McFlurry.

When the time was up and they could no longer see it, the keeper put the golden python down and continued talking about the next one.

"This is a blood python, uh..." The keeper pulled the blood python out of the glass tank. What a waste of such a majestic name. The whole snake was fat, thick, and wrinkled.

"This was just caught from snake traffickers. It's a wild animal that was smuggled in. It has many problems and is very vulnerable, especially susceptible to infection. I don't recommend keeping it as a pet."

Shi Jinzhe: "Hmm, next one."

"The original Burmese python was released after its owner was bitten..." The keeper rolled his eyes, clearly disapproving of such behavior. "That person didn't take good care of it; they didn't even have a light, so this one isn't in very good condition."

Shekh ran his hand over the original Burmese scales; their condition was rather ordinary.

"Let's take this one."

"Huh?" The zookeeper thought he had misheard. "This one? Are you sure?"

"Just this one, and that gold one too."

The zookeeper wanted to try to persuade him further, but Shekh said, "Just these two."

The person in charge winked and said, "Go, prepare everything that needs to be prepared, and write down all the precautions."

The zookeeper swallowed his words and focused on his work.

Shi Jinzhe sent someone to fetch the two snakes, and he and Shekh left first.

Before leaving, the zookeeper printed his mobile phone number on the notice, making it clear that he could contact him anytime if he had any questions, and that his phone was available 24 hours a day.

Shi Jinzhe agreed and confirmed with Sheh: "Just these two? You can take the McFlurry if you want."

“Just these two,” Shekh replied decisively. “The reptile house already has several Burmese pythons in their natural color. This one is in average physical condition, and the care we give it can’t compare to that McFlurry or the rare Blood Python in the park. It’s better if we take it back.”

The keeper loves the snakes and takes them seriously, but Sher could see clearly that the person in charge was different; he was obviously more concerned about the other two snakes that could attract tourists, otherwise he wouldn't have agreed so quickly.

The pattern is meaningless to her, and the original color is also very beautiful. She can take it back and take good care of it with Shi Jinzhe.