Forest Ranger, starting from Picking Up a Lynx Girl
Chapter 390 - 388: Did I Just Say That Daji is Actually Me?

Chen Ying only had time to lift the bag in front of his chest to shield his face before he heard two "squeaks." Surprisingly, the little creature had crawled under his backpack and into his arms.

A few moments later, Chen Ying lowered his head and came face to face with a familiar blue little face.

"Damn," he murmured weakly, seeing tourists coming closer and immediately turning to run.

He remembered there was a utility room on the way, where cleaning supplies were stored.

With long legs and quick pace, Chen Ying turned and hid in the utility room, quickly shutting the door.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Demon Demon Spirit.

"Yes, I'm here at the Rare Animal Hall. There's a utility room outside, I'm in there. The little monkey that escaped from the Officer Monkey is also with me; it seems scared and is hiding in my clothes, trembling all over."

Chen Ying still couldn't figure out how the little monkey had managed to escape.

It was impossible for such a well-secured place to have any oversights.

But now, he didn't dare to show his face, afraid of being surrounded by passersby.

A little squeeze might not bother him, but it would be a big problem if the little monkey got squashed.

About fifteen minutes later, someone knocked, announcing that they were Demon Demon Spirit and the hall's security.

Chen Ying stepped on the edge of the washbasin and glanced out through the ventilation window. The tourists had already been evacuated, and about a dozen security officers were on guard outside, along with veterinarians and uniformed workers.

Chen Ying hurried to open the door and gave a wry smile to the worker holding a cage, "This little guy is scared, it's crawled right into my shirt."

Everyone could see a bulge at Chen Ying's chest, which upon closer inspection, was slightly trembling.

"I'm also a veterinarian; here's my work ID, let me help take it back to the Officer Monkey."

The security chief took Chen Ying's ID, glanced at it, then handed it to the park veterinarian.

The veterinarian had been somewhat suspicious of Chen Ying, but seeing the ID, he had an "I knew it was you" expression.

"Dr. Chen, why didn't you say you were coming? I would have come to give you a tour."

Veterinarians also have their own circles in the country, and thanks to the six degrees of separation theory, Chen Ying might not know him, but he certainly had heard of Chen Ying's renown.

Since it was a colleague who also specialized in animal conservation, the park veterinarian naturally didn't refuse Chen Ying's offer to help.

Under the protection of security officers, Chen Ying carried the monkey to the backstage area of the Officer Monkey.

How the little monkey escaped was something for the Officer Monkey's staff and security to investigate. Chen Ying and the park veterinarian's task was to first check if the little monkey was injured.

Once in the infirmary, Chen Ying put down his backpack, took off his coat, and pulled the little monkey out from his shirt.

The two female veterinarians standing shoulder to shoulder covered their mouths with laughter.

"Your shirt is ruined; it's all torn up."

"No worries, I'll change when I get back to the hotel tonight."

Chen Ying, ears red, placed the little monkey on the table.

The little monkey, scared, clung to his hand unwillingly to let go, still trying to burrow into his chest.

"Don't be afraid, it's okay now. Come on, let me check if you're hurt."

With the assistance of the park veterinarian, it took around fifteen minutes to complete the examination, and apart from a small scratch on its back, the little monkey wasn't injured.

After applying some medicine and soothing it, Chen Ying handed it over to the Keeper, ready to return it to the Officer Monkey.

When they got there, the person checking the area's safety outside had also returned.

"There's a problem with the welding on the iron mesh in the southeast corner, just enough to leave a gap. The other monkeys are too big to get out, but this little monkey just fits through."

Repairmen had already fixed that spot, moving the climbing fixtures inside the Officer Monkey to prevent the little monkeys from climbing onto the barrier.

The moment the little monkey was placed in the activity area, the Monkey Mother rushed over, hugging her baby tightly, and even bared her teeth at the Keeper, making threatening noises.

Chen Ying peeked out from behind, and the Monkey Mother looked puzzled, stepped forward, sniffed a few times, then came face to face with Chen Ying for a deep, heartfelt gaze.

Chen Ying didn't try the Keeper's patience, only reaching out to touch the Monkey Mother's palm through the fence.

It seemed the Monkey Mother felt shy, squeaked twice, and quickly retreated back into the troop of monkeys.

There weren't many monkeys here, just enough for a single family.

The little monkey that had burrowed into Chen Ying's arms was one of those born here after their arrival, which had even made local news.

The little monkey, being held by its mother, seemed reluctant, reaching out its tiny paw to Chen Ying, as if asking for liberation from the enveloping maternal embrace.

Sadly, Chen Ying merely waved and in the blink of an eye, he was out of sight.

The little monkey's drooping hands and heavy sigh conveyed his disappointment as he clung to his mother.

Sadly, the fragrant two-legged beast couldn't come and live in his home. As Chen Ying was about to leave the monkey pavilion, the park veterinarian suddenly stopped him.

"By the way, there's another animal here you'd definitely want to meet."

An animal he wanted to meet?

The veterinarian led him toward the leopard exhibit without revealing what animal it was.

As they approached the Leopard Pavilion, Chen Ying noticed the plaque at the door and his eyes widened slightly, "No way, has that black panther been transferred here?"

Veterinarian Little Su laughed heartily, "Exactly. It's the one you helped with that pairing issue on TV. You wouldn't believe it, but that black panther choosing a mate has become a legendary story here. Eventually, he chose a leopard from our pavilion, and after some negotiations when our director wouldn't lend the female leopard, the black panther was instead borrowed by us."

Curiously, Chen Ying asked, hadn't the black panther successfully paired yet after all this time?

"They did take a liking to each other, but they had just been introduced last year when the mating season ended. There were several attempts afterward, but they were unsuccessful in conceiving. This year, we've adjusted the enclosures to allow him daily visits to the female."

Breeding interventions aren't natural behaviors, so it would be best to let them breed on their own.

In a few moments, the two walked past the visitor's area into the back premises.

The team responsible for several leopards was busy, and though curious about Chen Ying's arrival with Little Su, they didn't interrupt.

"The black panther is currently resting in the inner field, let's go take a look."

Chen Ying followed Veterinarian Little Su to the black panther's animal shed, where the big guy was lying on a wooden ledge, sleeping.

Chen Ying called out to him, the panther's ear twitched, and with a half-hearted glance towards the keeper, he opened one eye.

He looked away and squinted, yawning.

Halfway through his yawn, something seemed off. He looked again more carefully!

"Oooh, awoo," the black panther leapt from the ledge and dashed to the bars in two or three strides, "Oooh, ooh!"

He was so excited he could hardly form words.

Chen Ying reached out to pat its large head, feeling the silky smooth fur, clearly well-cared-for in this facility.

As the black panther caused a commotion, a beautiful female leopard walked in from the adjacent enclosure.

Her figure, her stride, her serene demeanor, marked her as the reigning diva among the leopards.

Chen Ying sighed deeply and gave the black panther another stroke, "You rough fellow, to think you'd hit it off with such a beautiful leopard, you must have saved the galaxy in a past life."

Bao Bao didn't understand, he just wanted to show off.

Next door, the graceful leopard lounged by her throne, her lovely eyes unblinking, watching them.

The black panther, eager to get closer, tried to make his way over.

The keeper opened the isolation barrier, and the black panther rushed over and rubbed cheeks with the beautiful Flower Leopard before rolling together in an overly mushy display that was almost too much to watch.

"They've been very clingy lately; we reckon there shouldn't be a problem this year. Perhaps next time you visit, you might see the fruits of their love."

Chen Ying watched with a smile for a while, but it was getting late and he still had so many sections to see, so he decided not to disturb the lovey-dovey couple any longer.

Leaving the Leopard Pavilion, Chen Ying declined company from Little Su, having another hour and a half to walk around the last few pavilions.

Passing through the ring-tailed lemur section, Chen Ying bought some treats for these adorable little creatures.

These charming exotic animals, with their comically endearing appearances and gentle dispositions, would even approach tourists for photos.

Chen Ying, going with the flow, took some pictures and even interacted with a young lemur, preparing to leave when he noticed two male monkeys launching into a "smell war."

Ring-tailed lemurs typically seek mates around November, and now being the birthing season for the females, the fight between these two males seemed oddly misplaced and was likely not over a female.

Curiously, Chen Ying watched their combat, capturing an unusual "battle" video on his phone.

Yes, these lemurs might scratch and bite, but their most crucial tactic is the "smell to death" strategy. During intense fights, they rub their fluffy tails vigorously against their glands to emit a potent odor to drive away their opponent. Hence, their battles are also known as "Smell Wars."

Don't think that their reliance on foul odors means they lack cleanliness; in fact, these cuties are very particular about hygiene, frequently grooming each other. Their stinky glands serve as weapons of defense, with males determining their standing in their group by the development of their glands.

A few minutes later, one of the lemurs capitulated, overwhelmed by his opponent's stench.

Thrilled with his victory, the male lemur rushed toward Chen Ying.

Not until it climbed onto his shoulder and issued a victor's cry did Chen Ying realize, baffled, "So 'Daji' was me all along?"