Qiao Xuejun looked at Professor An and found a footprint on his chest, which must have been caused by a kick. "Are you injured anywhere else?"
Professor An shook his head and said, "You arrived just in time. I'm not injured anywhere. I was just kicked. My bones are old and need to be healed."
At this moment, a big bird came out of a cage in the cave and flew towards Professor An.
Qiao Xuejun became alert. The bird's body shape, hooked beak, and yellow wax film at the base of the beak clearly showed that it was a bird of prey.
The big bird did not approach Qiao Xuejun, but stood directly on Professor An's shoulder. It stretched out its head and rubbed Professor An's cheek.
Professor An reached out and patted its head.
Seeing that the big bird did not show any attacking reaction, Qiao Xuejun felt relieved.
This bird looks very majestic. It is large but not as big as an eagle. It looks a little small compared to large birds of prey, but much more majestic than some small birds.
Its feathers are mostly white with dark brown patterns. Qiao Xuejun recalled the birds he had studied and thought that this one looked like a falcon.
Qiao Xuejun took out a military canteen from her backpack. When she helped the old man up, she found that his hands were frozen. She handed the canteen to the old professor: "Would you like some hot water?"
The old professor took it with a trembling hand, and Qiao Xuejun helped him unscrew the lid of the kettle.
Professor An: “Thank you.”
When the big bird heard Professor An saying thank you to Qiao Xuejun, it stretched out its head again and tried to rub Qiao Xuejun's cheek.
Qiao Xuejun was afraid that it would peck her, so she hid away.
The big bird stretched its neck to rub against it reluctantly.
Qiao Xuejun: “…”
They are quite enthusiastic, not cold and aloof like birds of prey at all.
Qiao Xuejun: "Is this... a falcon? So white? Is it a gyrfalcon?"
Professor An said, "We originally kept a gyrfalcon in our zoo, but then there was a power outage and the temperature couldn't be reduced, so the gyrfalcon died of heatstroke. This one is a hybrid of a gyrfalcon and a hunter falcon, and it's better, it's still alive today."
Yes, Qiao Xuejun remembered that the gyrfalcon is a creature of the Arctic Circle and cannot tolerate heat.
After being crossed with the Saker Falcon, it can inherit the beauty of the Gyrfalcon and also has a slightly better ability to tolerate heat. Arab countries in the Middle East like to raise this hybrid falcon and have used it for hunting.
Zhao Xian had already walked to the front of the cage, looking at the small creatures, and said, "Professor An, you should be in the field of pathogenic microbiology. Is it related to animal protection?"
Structural biology.
The last time Qiao Xuejun came into contact with experts and professors in this field was when a big news report said that they had found a way to change the structure of cancer cells, which was a step forward in inhibiting the growth of cancer cells. They were mainly responsible for theoretically supporting the direction of medical development.
It has nothing to do with animal protection.
When they climbed the mountain, they found many dilapidated ruins of the zoo. This mountain was supposed to be the Shunnanshan Zoo, which was abandoned when the doomsday came. Some zoo buildings could be vaguely seen.
But the original barbed wire and iron fences of the garden were all gone.
Part of it was probably taken away by the people in need in the area, and the other part was brought to this cave by Professor An, who built some basic defensive fortifications.
Professor An replied to Zhao Xian, "I retired two years ago. This is my hometown, so I moved here. Being with these animals is just a hobby, not my professional field. At first it was just a high temperature, and the animals could afford ice beds and air conditioners. Then the mad cow disease virus broke out, and everything became chaotic. The roaming bandit army entered the city, making it even more unstable."
He said: "At that time, the high temperature continued, and both humans and animals died in large numbers, and some animals died explosively."
Qiao Xuejun: "Did you protect them at that time?"
Professor An nodded and touched the falcon on his shoulder. "I moved all the living animals in the zoo into the cave and kept them there. I fed the vegetarians with tree barks and the carnivores with dead animals. There were originally thousands of animals in this zoo, but now there are only these 23."
After all, the breeding method is too rough, not all animals can adapt to it, and those that cannot adapt will die.
Professor An: "Carnivores can still hold on for a while, but vegetarians can no longer."
The tree bark had been eaten up, and someone must have stored some rice and flour on other mountains, or some food before the flood.
But animals should not compete with humans for food. It’s okay for them to eat tree bark, but they should not eat human food.
Professor An sighed, "I couldn't hold on any longer. I heard on the radio that the First Base was in Gongzhou, so I sent out a distress signal. I think I have no other options. Maybe you guys have some ideas."
"I thought you wouldn't come. Thank you so much." Professor An said with emotion.
Zhao Xian stood in front of the cage, silent for a while, and responded in a deep voice: "Professor An, supplies are in short supply now, and the First Base can only take care of the people's survival, not these animals."
He said no directly, leaving no room for retreat.
Professor An's eyes showed great disappointment when he heard this, but he just sighed and said, "I should know. During this period, it is difficult for people to survive. You are already giving face to this old man by traveling through mountains and rivers. Thank you."
The falcon on his shoulder suddenly flew up and headed towards Zhao Xian.
Zhao Xian stood there, staring at Falcon with his sharp eyes, with an implicit warning.
Qiao Xuejun saw that Zhao Xian wanted to draw his gun, but he restrained himself.
Professor An hurriedly said, "Xue Mi, stop flying!"
When the falcon saw Zhao Xian's eyes, it hovered and flapped its wings, then continued to approach cautiously, and finally tentatively landed on Zhao Xian's shoulder.
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