Chapter 2617: Magical Creatures in the Zoo 24

The giraffe returned to a state of Calmness, free of desire and pursuit, its thoughts wandering: "A giraffe's life, after all, is about being non‑contentious. In my eyes, everything in the world is just… too low."

"And now?" Jin Chen lifted his paw, pointing at the bundle of leaves in front of it that it hadn't eaten much of.

The giraffe blushed: "Still, I have to fight for it."

"Lately I feel weak all over; even eating leaves isn't fragrant, chewing them is tasteless."

Having said that, it tilted its head and took a big bite.

Jin Chen: "……"

Unlike ordinary deer.

He had the giraffe lower its big head as much as possible, extending it toward the window.

The giraffe obediently complied.

Jin Chen extended his paw, pressing it to the skin near the giraffe's forehead; a thread of healing Monster Power trickled over, while he sensed the Monster Power condition inside the giraffe.

Indeed, like the other animals, its Monster Power flow was sluggish, suppressed by power.

But strangely, the symptoms were indeed the mildest.

The little lion over here was having friendly exchanges with the giraffe, needing only a slight move to gain another follower.

Hu Gu leapt into the shaded path, seeing a keeper pushing over a bucket of freshly cut fruit.

Although he well knew that bucket of fruit wasn't meant for him to eat.

But fruit that a tiger has taken a liking to… that belongs to the tiger.

Hu Gu took a leaping step and pounced, knocking the unprepared young keeper to the ground; his tiger head rubbed affectionately all over him, a purr rumbling in his throat as they played.

The keeper was startled by the sudden ferocious tiger's pounce.

But he quickly realized Hu Gu was just playing, and laughed helplessly as he pushed aside its heavy head.

"Oh dear, what are you doing here? This is for——"

Never mind who it's for.

While the keeper scrambled to his feet and straightened his clothes, Hu Gu snatched the fruit bucket and turned to run.

After a few leaps, he bounded back to the second‑level platform, proudly setting the bucket before the little white lion and wagging his tail to claim credit.

From downstairs came the keeper's helpless, exasperated shout.

"Hu Gu, you brat! From now on the director really must stop letting Xiao Bai Yu play with you—everyone's becoming sly and crafty!"

Jin Chen eyed the bucket of fresh, watery fruit, not standing on ceremony; he snatched a juicy stalk of sugarcane, flopped to the ground, and began chewing it with a crisp crackle.

Ling Gun Gun sat on the lion's back, casually snatching a pear and happily gnawing at it.

——

For several consecutive nights, Jin Chen, in the stillness of late night, sensed the flow of qi across the whole Tranquil Sun Mountain.

He discovered that the closer he got to the mountain's depths, the more apparent the suppressive feeling became.

In the end, Jin Chen made a decision: organize the spirit‑awakened animals to secretly go up the mountain at night to investigate.

Of course, targets that are too big won't do—for example, Lin Zi Gao, whose neck is too long and whose wit isn't sharp; let him just keep staying out of the fray.

After the animals consulted, wanting to become smarter and also to earn the boss's reward, they all agreed to the plan of sneaking out at night.

"Great! Sneaking out at night! How exciting!" the purple marten chirped excitedly.

"Wait a moment."

Jin Chen interrupted, "We're not escaping; we're just making a brief, secret trip up the mountain to investigate, must return before dawn, and can't let the keepers or Bai Bai notice."

"Mm‑hm!" the animals immediately nodded in unison.

Hu Cai Cai said, "What about the director? He sometimes gets up at night to patrol. Besides, if other keepers see us all disappear during their night shift, they'll surely panic."

Jin Chen: "Starting tomorrow the zoo will reopen; the staff will be tired from receiving visitors by day, so they'll surely sleep more soundly at night. As for my wife——"

He paused, then declared firmly, "Of course I have a way."

Hu Gu immediately shouted, "Beautiful Lion Plan!"

Surely the boss intends to use his irresistibly cute appearance to bewitch the director!

He's seen this trick work countless times; it never fails!

Jin Chen flicked his tail, neither confirming nor denying, and licked his paw with a meaningful look.

The plan was thus set.

——

The day the Tranquil Sun Zoo finally reopened arrived.

Although it was only a small‑scale trial run, the first batch of just 120 tickets sold online sold out instantly, a speed still far surpassing any previous period of the zoo.

This is undoubtedly thanks to the several explosive‑effect livestreams of recent days, and the various video clips circulating online about the "miraculous little white lion and its animal legion."

People of all kinds—curious, debunkers, or simply charmed by cuteness—couldn't wait to see it in person.

Opening day, the sunshine was bright.

The staff were busy, yet their faces bore the long‑absent, hopeful smiles.

And the animals in the park also sensed this unusual lively atmosphere; each one showed extra dedication to duty, brimming with energy.

They tacitly reached a consensus: give their all by day to please visitors, wear out the keepers, and provide cover for the nighttime secret operation.

In the fox enclosure, Hu Cai Cai groomed his reddish fur to a sleek, glossy sheen, then strode out to the open area of the park, elegantly pacing, occasionally displaying his agile posture, even cooperating to have the keeper give him his favorite raisin snack, which drew gasps from the onlooking visitors.

Hu Gu even bore the mien of the king of beasts, standing imposingly on the artificial hilltop, occasionally letting out a deep, awe‑inspiring tiger roar that radiated a royal aura, triggering nonstop camera shutters.

It also "helpfully" assisted the keeper in managing the park.

For example, it gently nudged with its paw a hat that visitors had accidentally tossed into the enclosure back outside the safety line.

Although the effect wasn't great, it frightened that visitor into tumbling and crawling away.

Hu Gu: "Really, I almost got scared by you."

In the wolf enclosure, Gray Blade and Flash Shadow also shed their initial wariness.

The gray wolf showed off its agile running and jumping, while the purple marten used its small size to advantage, nimbly darting among the branches to perform airborne marten acts, drawing loud laughter from the children.

The Great Parrot Taoge was utterly swamped.

It would occasionally fly over the Elephant Garden and shout twice, "Bath! Fun!"

Then it would land on the branches outside the Bear Garden, shouting, "Pipi! Lazy bear!"

It was practically the zoo's mobile atmosphere crew, also acting as an unofficial commentator.

And the signature star that all visitors long for, the Xiao Bai Lion, stays inside the spacious, bright exclusive glass pavilion.

The facilities here are the best, with an open view and a comfortable setup.

Most of the time, the Xiao Bai Lion seems a bit lazy.

The little lion lies on the highest warm sun-baked rock inside the pavilion, half-asleep, its tail tip twitching lightly now and then.

Only when curious visitors behind the glass cautiously reach out, wanting to interact from afar, does it lazily lift its eyelids, extend its forepaw, and with its soft pink paw pad lightly press against the visitor's handprint through the glass—as a response—then continue dozing.

Instead, it drives visitors into a frenzy of photo-taking.

When Bai Rendong's figure appears in the pavilion, the Xiao Bai Lion, flattened like a lion pancake, perks up.

It makes a nimble jump from the spot into Bai Rendong's embrace, letting out a happy gurgling sound and vigorously rubbing against his neck crook.

"Wow!" The visitors outside the pavilion burst into exclamations and laughter, "Too cute!"

"Turns out it's not aloof; it's just being coquettish toward the zoo director!"

"This preferential treatment makes me jealous."

Bai Rendong was pushed back a step by its pounce, quickly smiling as he tightly held the heavy bundle in his arms, skillfully supporting its bottom to prevent it from falling.

He lowered his head, rubbing his cheek against the little lion, "Are you tired today? Have you been disturbed?"

Jin Chen buried himself in his wife's embrace to recharge, "A little, you're here with me."

Bai Rendong's heart turned soft as a puddle of water.

He didn't not want to spend more time with the little lion, but seeing the enthusiastic visitors outside the glass window, he could only gently massage the base of the Xiao Bai Lion's ears and softly coax, "There are still many visitors outside who want to see you, Bao Bao—hold on a bit longer; tonight I'll keep you company properly, okay?"

Jin Chen had been waiting for exactly those words.

The little lion nodded, letting out a soft, muffled hum from its throat—signifying agreement—then rubbed against Bai Rendong twice before reluctantly jumping from his arms, returning to lie back on the rock, continuing to play the lazy star lion.