Chapter 2613: Magical Creatures in the Zoo 20

The setting sun cast its golden glow, bathing the entire Shan Lin in a warm, dreamy light.

The descending team had an extraordinarily peculiar style, yet remained quite harmonious.

Bai Rendong walked in the middle of the team, holding in his arms Xiao Bai, the little white lion that had begun to grow lazy after only a short walk, yawning as it buried its head into the crook of his neck.

At the front of the team were the beautiful red fox and the Northeast tiger responsible for leading the way.

Hu Gu occasionally turned back to make sure the boss and his followers weren't falling behind; beside him, Da Niu carried a box holding a giant salamander while shouldering the livestream equipment.

A little further back, another staff member held a baby musk deer, while at the very rear a hedgehog squad struggled to keep pace, puffing and panting as they moved forward.

And low‑flying birds fluttered about like an escort squad.

The livestream's popularity peaked, with comments so dense the screen was unreadable, full of awe and affection.

: Fairy tale becomes reality! I believe it!

: The animals really seem to like it here, sob sob sob

: What divine combo are the director and the little lion, so cute and warm

: Tell me the opening time and location! I want to go now!

: This ecological environment, these animal conditions—this is definitely the ceiling of domestic zoos!

: Just looking at it feels so healing, all my day's fatigue is gone.

Bai Rendong looked at the little lion in his arms, soon to sleep, then at the distant peak lit by the sunset; a softness in his heart was stirred, and he couldn't help lowering his head to rub his cheek against the little lion.

"Bao Bao, thank you."

"Thank you for coming to my side, thank you for bringing this unbelievable beauty."

"Jin Chen stretched comfortably in his embrace, his fluffy tail swaying, then wrapped around Bai Rendong's wrist."

"No need to thank me, I like you."

A warm current welled up in Bai Rendong's heart, and he held the warm little body in his arms even tighter.

【Villain Heartthrob Value +5 detected, total now 41!】

When they returned to the zoo, the sky was already drawing close to dusk.

Veterinarian Su Xiao and her team waited at the entrance, carefully taking in the injured musk deer and the giant salamander that had come of its own accord, then sending them to the medical room for a more thorough examination and treatment.

"Director, rest assured, we'll take good care of them." Su Xiao said.

Meanwhile, the birds and hedgehogs that had voluntarily followed back were temporarily placed in a safe, comfortable shrub area within the zoo.

They immediately took to this new environment, showing no sign of wanting to leave.

Da Niu ended the livestream, looked at the final backend data, and his honest face broke into a grin.

"Director, our zoo's really taken off!"

Bai Rendong smiled and nodded, equally full of hope.

He lowered his head to glance at the little lion sleeping sweetly in his arms, then headed toward the dormitory.

So much happened today; his little critter must be utterly exhausted.

——

The night was deep, all sounds stilled.

The animals and keepers of Zhenyang Zoo were immersed in peaceful sleep.

Xiao Bai lifted his head to look at the deeply asleep Bai Rendong.

He leapt lightly from the bed, his snow‑white paw pads touching down soundlessly, used his claws to slide open the bolt, and vanished silently out the window, racing toward the distant, towering, tranquil peak of Zhenyang Mountain.

After rescuing the musk deer and giant salamander by day, he gained operating funds and also a system reward: 【Communing with Mountain (Initial)】

All things have spirit; this mountain, Zhenyang, which has stood for myriad years, is no exception.

It possesses an ancient and silent consciousness.

Jin Chen happened to be able to use this reward to uncover the source of the suppression of Monster Power, and whether it is related to this mountain.

The midnight Shan Lin grew even more mysterious, and also more dangerous.

Xiao Bai stepped onto a high rock that overlooked the entire zoo and part of the mountain range.

Here the spiritual energy was thickest.

Xiao Bai squatted down, closed his eyes, focused his spirit to use the Communing with Mountain ability, spreading his thoughts slowly to touch the sleeping mountain beneath his feet, and made contact with its ancient consciousness.

Under the starlight, Xiao Bai's snow‑white fur flowed with moonlight.

After a long while, he finally caught the ancient, weathered consciousness of the mountain spirit.

Jin Chen seemed to have become a part of this mountain, or perhaps he always was; after all, even a Yao King needs the mountain spirit's blessing.

All the animals on this mountain need it.

Thus, the mountain's children, in their hearts, posed a question to the mountain.

"Why strip the animals of the monster power they've cultivated?"

The mountain said: "Scram."

Jin Chen: "……"

What an irascible mountain!

However, although the communication failed, the answer actually relieved Jin Chen.

Since the source of the suppressed monster aura that prevents them from transforming isn't this mountain, things are much easier.

If the problem lies elsewhere, the truth behind it will eventually be uncovered.

After all, this mountain truly cannot be overturned.

When doing tasks, not being greedy; being able to preliminarily rule out wrong options is already a gain.

Xiao Bai shook out his fur contentedly, and at the first glimmer of dawn he descended the mountain along the same route he had come.

Xiao Bai pushed open the window and sneaked back into the bedroom.

He first jumped onto the desk, grabbed the towel in his mouth, placed it on the desk and pressed it down with his paws, then lightly leapt onto the bed.

He couldn't sleep.

Jin Chen simply turned back into human form, and, with mischievous intent, pulled down the blanket covering Bai Rengdong.

As expected, Bai Rengdong, deprived of the blanket's warmth, felt a chill even in his sleep, furrowed his brows, and burrowed toward the nearby heat source seeking warmth.

Jin Chen immediately opened his arms, catching the wife who automatically threw herself into his embrace, held her tightly, contentedly, rested his chin on Bai Rengdong's soft hair, and closed his eyes to feign sleep.

He pretended to sleep, pretended to sleep...

Jin Chen also really fell asleep.

At dawn, the one who usually wakes first is still Bai Rengdong… but not necessarily.

Bai Rengdong suspected he hadn't fully woken up.

The youth's long, white eyelashes drooped; being so close, their warm breaths intertwined.

Bai Rengdong struggled to shift his gaze, looking toward the bedside little lion's exclusive nest that he had personally arranged, lined with a soft, thick blanket.

As the little lion's body grew each day, and the time he turned human in the morning wasn't fixed either, Bai Rengdong, possessing ordinary human modesty, deliberately set up this luxurious nest in the corner of the room.

Although the little lion usually still squeezes onto his bed to sleep, at least when he wakes in the morning he mostly stays obediently in the nest.

But now the little lion is on the bed in human form, and he is in the little lion's embrace.

Bai Rengdong: "……"

He tried to move slightly, hoping to break free.

As soon as he moved, the arms holding him tightened.