Chapter 284: The Expedition Team

Upon hearing this sudden voice, not just Hassan, but Mboma, Amina, and the others were all stunned.

There really… really is someone?

Tanzania’s official language is Swahili, but they were all university intellectuals and naturally spoke English. Hassan, as their guide, wasn’t fluent, but he could understand.

To suddenly hear English spoken, how could anyone not be shocked?

He tightened his grip on his firearm and looked toward Mboma.

Mboma quickly had Amina confirm via radio, and the result came back… it was true.

The newcomer was indeed here to rescue them, and TAWIRI had proactively contacted him.

In the darkness, a figure slowly walked forward—wait, what was he holding?

After seeing clearly, Hassan’s hair stood on end, and he stepped back immediately.

Not just Hassan—Mboma and the others, upon seeing the leopard in Qin Yun’s hands, all turned pale, their hearts gripped by terror, as if the fear of the leopard’s earlier attack had surged back.

“Bang—!”

Qin Yun threw the leopard onto the ground and looked at the group: “Who is Professor Mboma?”

Mboma’s shoulder had already been bandaged, but the nerve damage caused him to wince intermittently. Hearing the stranger’s words, he stepped forward immediately.

“I am. Are you Mr. Qin Yun?”

Qin Yun nodded: “Elias contacted me, said you were attacked, and asked me to rescue you. Are you all alright?”

After confirming the man’s identity, Mboma finally exhaled in relief.

“Amina, Hassan, and Karen are fine. Myself and Joseph are injured. Salim…”

At the mention of Salim, the old professor’s eyes turned red. He was his own student—watched helplessly as the Nile crocodile dragged him away. After so long, he was likely already digested.

“Salim is still alive, but severely injured. I’ve placed him in the back seat of the car. He must be taken to a hospital immediately.”

At these words, everyone froze.

“Salim’s still alive?” Karen asked, voice trembling with disbelief.

“No… impossible. That was a Nile crocodile,” Joseph stammered.

Mboma stepped forward: “Qin… Mr. Qin, are you telling the truth?”

Qin Yun nodded: “Yes, he’s still alive—but barely. If he doesn’t get treatment soon, he won’t make it.”

“Quick… take me to see him.”

Mboma forgot his pain, his expression brightening—his exhaustion vanished at this news.

Put bluntly, whether someone died or not would determine his fate as team leader.

Qin Yun said nothing, leading them to the car, letting them see Salim unconscious in the back. Just seeing his wounds—the caved-in ribs, the gaping lacerations—brought tears to their eyes, and they began babbling in Swahili.

Qin Yun didn’t understand Swahili.

When the group calmed down, Qin Yun asked: “Professor Mboma, when will rescue arrive?”

He couldn’t wait here forever.

Mboma said: “TAWIRI said they’ve contacted a rescue helicopter, but it hasn’t been dispatched yet—the process is too slow.”

Qin Yun was speechless. It seemed this wasn’t just a domestic problem—it was the same overseas.

Night flights were rare anyway. From pilot to guidance, the whole process couldn’t be rushed.

Mboma and the others were uneasy leaving Salim in the car, so they carried him back to camp. With the leopard threat gone, everyone’s tension eased quickly.

Soon after, the injured—Mboma, Joseph, Hassan—returned to their tents to sleep. Karen held out a while longer, then went to bed too. Only Amina still had some energy.

She studied the handsome Chinese man curiously: “Qin, are you also doing research in Serengeti?”

“Research?” Qin Yun shook his head. “I’m a livestreamer. I’m broadcasting right now.”

He pointed to the drone on his head.

Amina grew even more curious—she’d never seen anyone livestreaming in Serengeti. Her work was too busy to ever scroll TikTok or similar short videos, so she didn’t recognize Qin Yun.

Qin Yun didn’t expect everyone in the world to know him.

They chatted casually, but forgot about the two unconscious leopards.

Until one of them sluggishly lifted its head—Qin Yun remembered. He rushed over, crushed its neck again, then chuckled awkwardly at Amina: “I’ll go deal with them.”

Saying that, he picked up both leopards and walked away.

After walking several hundred meters, he casually tossed the leopards onto the ground, then turned and returned to camp.

Whether they’d attack the camp again? If leopards were that stupid, they’d have gone extinct long ago.

Qin Yun wasn’t worried at all.

Back at camp, Qin Yun prepared to end his livestream.

Rescue someone, rescue them fully. Since he’d come this far, he’d see them safely loaded onto the helicopter.

“Amina, go rest. I’ll keep watch.”

Amina felt embarrassed, but she was truly exhausted.

She stood up, about to thank him—then her eyes widened, nearly screaming.

“Qin… Qin… behind you… behind you…”

Seeing Amina’s incoherent panic, Qin Yun turned—and the livestream audience saw it too: a lion had entered, strolling in calmly, as if taking a leisurely walk into camp.

“Da Huang, what are you doing here?”

Qin Yun was speechless.

“Roar—!”

The lion let out a low growl, ignored Amina entirely, and walked straight to Qin Yun’s side, sitting down.

“I… I… you… lion… Qin… lion…”

Amina was nearly in tears—this was the king of the savanna, a full-grown male lion.

Qin Yun hurriedly said: “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. He won’t bite.”

“Hahaha, Brother Qin, you’re good at reassuring people.”

“Miss Amina’s soul nearly flew out of her body.”

“Oh my god.”

“23333, killed me.”

Seeing Qin Yun pat the lion’s head, and the lion not only not react, but nuzzle affectionately against his palm, Amina’s legs gave out and she collapsed back onto the ground.

“Qin… Qin, what’s going on?”

Qin Yun smiled: “It’s simple. This lion was attacked by hyenas. I happened to pass by and saved him. Since then, he’s stuck to me—no matter how much I try to shoo him away.”

Amina swallowed hard, her logic returning: “Perhaps your rescue created trust and attachment. This won’t last forever, but for now, he’ll remain loyal.”

Qin Yun knew lions didn’t have gratitude. This dependence was likely a conditioned response, an emotional bond. Once that bond faded, the lion would naturally revert.

Just as Amina said—for now, the lion would show him a kind of canine loyalty.

Of course, exceptions existed. Records showed lions, after being saved by humans, remembered their rescuers for years.

The sleepiness Amina had just felt vanished completely the moment Da Huang appeared.

She couldn’t imagine sleeping with a full-grown male lion nearby—it was terrifying. Even if Qin Yun said not to worry, how could she not? Animals were animals. If it went mad, she wouldn’t even know how she died.

Though Qin Yun capturing two leopards was shocking, leopards simply couldn’t compare to lions.

…

The next morning, when Mboma, Hassan, and the others emerged, they were terrified to see the man and the lion together.

After Qin Yun explained at length, they calmed down—but still kept their distance from the lion.

Around eight o’clock, the rescue helicopter finally arrived.

“Professor Mboma, aren’t you leaving?”

Mboma shook his head: “The mission isn’t complete. No rush.”

Hassan, Joseph, and Salim were all taken away by the helicopter. Only Mboma, Amina, and Karen remained. Karen clearly wanted to leave too, but for her degree, she had to stay.

Qin Yun didn’t stop them.

Once the helicopter left, he prepared to depart.

“Professor Mboma, Miss Amina, Miss Karen, take care. I’m leaving.”

Mboma nodded solemnly and thanked him: “Mr. Qin, thank you deeply. I will never forget your kindness.”

Amina and Karen also expressed their gratitude.

Qin Yun waved goodbye and returned the same way, with Da Huang.

On the way, checking the time, he turned on the drone and began livestreaming again.

“Good morning, everyone. I’ve said goodbye to the expedition team. I’m now returning to that cave to continue our journey.”

“After five days of trekking, I’ve covered about 140 kilometers. I’m currently in Seronera, central Serengeti. Next, I’ll head west toward the Grumeti River, roughly 150 kilometers total. I plan to complete it in five days.”

“Hope everything goes smoothly!”

………………

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