Ji Shuyun glanced at the sleeping serpent eagle on the ground, his brows furrowing slightly.
"This serpent eagle cannot be left here."
He lowered his voice and said quickly, "If the other side finds that it has been hit by a tranquilizer dart during the search, they will immediately realize that there are outsiders with professional equipment nearby."
"This will make them highly vigilant, and may even cause them to change their search strategies."
Ji Shuyun squatted down and deftly folded the serpent eagle's wings together, securing them simply with the straps he carried with him.
"We need to take it with us and find a place far from the route to release it."
Xia Zhining: "Okay."
So the serpent carving was temporarily "packed up and taken away".
Led by the cattle egret, they silently approached the deep pool hidden in the shade.
The pool water was murky, the banks were muddy, and several dark outlines resembling rotten wood were half-submerged in the water.
That was a crocodile lying still.
It is the same species as "Hungry King," the head coach of the swimming team at Xia Zhi Ning Zoo. It is a saltwater crocodile, one of the largest crocodile species, and the top predator of this tropical rainforest.
The air was filled with the primal scent of decaying aquatic plants and the stench of wild animals.
The moment Xia Zhining and Ji Shuyun stepped into their sensing range, the cloudy eyelids of several saltwater crocodiles that had been lying still like dead trees slowly lifted!
Their massive bodies subtly shifted their positions in the water, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
The cattle egret, which had been perched on a nearby branch, immediately took flight and gracefully landed on the rough carapace of the largest saltwater crocodile. It bent its slender neck and affectionately nuzzled against it, seemingly saying, "Brother, brother! Calm down! These two are my friends, our own people! Give me some face and help me out!"
The lead saltwater crocodile emitted a low, rumbling sound, speaking slowly but politely: "Alright... since you're Brother Heron's guest."
[You always help us clean the little bugs off our backs; that's such a thoughtful service, we have to give you face.]
Seeing this, Xia Zhining didn't dare to delay and immediately took out several specially made sealed bags from her waterproof bag.
She had done her homework before setting off, knowing that crocodiles often inhabit the rainforest waterways, so she specifically brought along some "hard currency"—
This is an exclusive, secret recipe for meat chunks, refined countless times through long-term tasting by "Hungry King," a saltwater crocodile known as the "crocodile gourmet" at his own zoo. It is nutritionally balanced and has an excellent flavor.
She carefully tossed the piece of meat onto the water in front of several saltwater crocodiles.
"Brothers, please do me a favor!"
The saltwater crocodiles, who had initially just been "giving them face," casually picked up the piece of meat, but then their slow movements noticeably paused.
Immediately afterwards, the chewing speed increased, and the cloudy eyes seemed to brighten, the gaze becoming clear!
[Um? ]
[This taste...]
[Absolutely amazing!]
The saltwater crocodiles echoed with exclamations of admiration, their joy undisguised:
[Delicious! Girl, your cooking is amazing!]
[Come visit often! Bring some treats, you're always welcome!]
One particularly enthusiastic saltwater crocodile, clumsily wagging its tail, slowly suggested: "Are you in a hurry? Would you like... a ride for a while? We know this waterway well."
Xia Zhining was a little confused by this sudden change in enthusiasm.
She had anticipated the ferocity of wild saltwater crocodiles, but she never expected that a single "takeout" meal would instantly transform them into a "friendly" mode, just like a "hungry tyrant."
"...You're too kind."
Xia Zhining steadied herself and quickly explained her purpose, "We're not in a hurry to travel. We just want to borrow your place to hide and avoid the storm."
"Sh-!"
Ji Shuyun, who had been on high alert and hidden in the shadows of the trees, suddenly lowered his voice and warned them, his eyes sharp as knives, signaling them to all be quiet.
Almost simultaneously, from the distant dense forest, came the faint sound of branches being deliberately plucked, and the muffled, low-pitched voices of people.
Two figures dressed in messy jungle camouflage and carrying submachine guns were carefully parting the vines and slowly searching toward the pool.
—Illustration of the cattle egret—
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