Chapter 414 - 221: Let Him Be Strong, a Gentle Breeze Brushes the Mountain
"That's right, Xiao Yang. Don't overthink it."
Jiang Kai also patted Yang Qi's shoulder. "We were just giving it a shot. It would've been great if it worked, but it's not unexpected that it didn't. Some animals are just this stubborn. There's nothing anyone can do."
And so, the matter was settled.
The plan for an anesthesia-free B-scan was canceled. They would wait for natural signs to appear.
The group packed their things and left Bear Mountain.
Yang Qi walked at the back of the group, glancing back at the enclosure's yard.
The mother black bear was already asleep, lying on a large rock. Her belly rose and fell gently with each breath, her black fur glossy and smooth in the sunlight.
...
The mother black bear's "uncooperative" behavior didn't disturb Yang Qi's peace of mind in the slightest.
Every animal has its own temperament; you can't force them.
Communication is a two-way street. He had done his best, and if the other party didn't accept, then that was that.
Life went on as usual.
The next morning, just after nine o'clock.
The red panda enclosure.
Yang Qi was holding a scraper and a cloth, cleaning the paw prints and drool marks that Huan University and Huan the Second had left on the glass wall.
The two little guys stood a short distance away, chittering softly, finding the sight of Yang Qi cleaning the glass very amusing.
"Advisor Yang!"
A vaguely familiar voice called out from the entrance to the enclosure.
Yang Qi paused and turned to look.
He saw two men standing at the entrance.
One of them was Sun Zhenghong.
Beside him stood another man, about forty years old and also in plain clothes, but with a more reserved and steady demeanor. He was smiling as he observed the inside of the enclosure.
Yang Qi put down his tools, walked briskly out of the enclosure, and greeted them.
"Captain Sun, what brings you to the Zoo for a visit today?"
"Haha, I'm not here to play. I've come to ask for your help."
Sun Zhenghong laughed heartily, then turned sideways to formally introduce the man beside him. "This is Captain Shao Wei of the First Division of the Municipal Economic Crimes Investigation Unit. Captain Shao. Old Shao, this is Yang Qi, Advisor Yang."
"Advisor Yang, a pleasure."
Shao Wei immediately took a step forward, extended both hands, and gave Yang Qi a firm, enthusiastic handshake, a sincere smile on his face. "I've heard so much about you. I'm sorry to disturb you so unexpectedly today."
"Captain Shao, you're too kind."
Yang Qi quickly returned the greeting. He could feel the thickness and strength in the other man's palm; this Captain Shao was clearly a hands-on type of person. "Please wait a moment. Let me put my tools away, and we can go to my dorm for a cup of tea."
"No, no, please don't trouble yourself."
Shao Wei quickly waved his hand, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
At this time of day, there were no other visitors or staff nearby, just the three of them.
He immediately lowered his voice and said seriously, "Advisor Yang, it's like this. I have a case, and I'd like to ask you—or rather, a special member of your household—for some help."
"A special member?"
Yang Qi's heart stirred, but his expression remained unchanged. "Captain Shao, are you talking about..."
"Mainly, I'd like to ask your black cat, Xiaojiu, to lend a paw."
Shao Wei took over, his voice even quieter. "The target in this case has a rather special status and a complex social network. Without conclusive evidence, we can't go through the proper channels to apply for a forced search warrant."
"And conventional investigation methods could easily tip them off."
"So, we were hoping to have Xiaojiu give it a try. We want to take advantage of his small size, agility, and inconspicuous nature to sneak into the target's residence and help us confirm a few things."
He paused, then added, "I'm mainly here today to arrange this with you first. The actual operation will have to wait for the right moment. When the time is right, I'll call you."
"We won't let you and Xiaojiu work for nothing. We'll take care of all the related paperwork and official records on our end."
"Covert surveillance... I understand."
Yang Qi nodded and smiled. "However, when it comes to stealth and infiltration, another member of my household might be even more suitable than Xiaojiu, and even less likely to be noticed."
"Oh? Another member?"
Shao Wei's eyes lit up with interest. "Is it a new pet you've got, Advisor Yang?"
Sun Zhenghong also looked over, curious.
"Yes, his name is Liu Fu."
Yang Qi explained, "Liu Fu is a chameleon. His origins are a bit special, but his abilities are truly outstanding, far surpassing those of an ordinary chameleon."
"Especially when it comes to camouflage. He can blend in almost perfectly with his surroundings. When he's still, he's extremely difficult to spot with the naked eye."
"And his movement speed is top-tier for his species."
"A chameleon? Camouflage?"
Upon hearing this, Shao Wei was first a little surprised, then his face lit up with joy. "Good! That's wonderful! If he really has such strong camouflage abilities, he'd be the ideal 'scout'! For static observation and infiltrating a fixed location to gather information, he'd have an advantage over a cat!"
Although Sun Zhenghong found the idea of a "chameleon scout" a bit far-fetched, he had witnessed Yang Qi's abilities before, so he nodded in agreement.
"If Advisor Yang is confident enough to say so, then he must be sure. Old Shao, if there really is such a chameleon, it would be much more suitable than a cat. At least you wouldn't have to worry about surveillance cameras capturing a noticeable moving object."
"Exactly!" Shao Wei rubbed his hands together in excitement.
"Captain Sun, Captain Shao, if you're not in a hurry to leave, wait for me a moment. Once I've put my tools away, I'll take you to meet Liu Fu," Yang Qi said with a smile.
"Well... we'd be imposing then."
Shao Wei smiled, a little embarrassed, but couldn't hide the anticipation in his eyes.
Sun Zhenghong also laughed. "Advisor Yang, you've certainly piqued our curiosity. Of course we have to meet this 'invisible scout.'"
"Haha."
The three of them looked at each other and smiled.
...
Yang Qi returned to the enclosure, quickly gathered the scraper, cloth, and other tools into the cleaning cart, and pushed it out to its designated spot.
Then he washed his hands, waved goodbye to Huan University and Huan the Second, and closed the enclosure door securely.
He led Sun Zhenghong and Shao Wei toward the staff dormitory area.
When they arrived outside the small courtyard of his mountainside dorm...
Before they even entered the gate, they heard a few barks from inside.
Pushing the gate open, he saw Bai Wan, Leopard, and Hu Zi lying in the yard, basking in the sun. Hearing the noise, they all lifted their heads to look.
Seeing that it was Yang Qi with strangers, they immediately stood up alertly. They didn't bark, but simply stared intently at Shao Wei.
"Good dogs!"
Seeing the three dogs' magnificent and spirited appearance, especially the steady Hu Zi and the sharp Leopard, Shao Wei couldn't help but praise them. "Advisor Yang, these three police dogs of yours are quite famous as well."
"That's all thanks to the police department."
Yang Qi smiled and said to the three dogs, "It's alright. They're friends."
Hearing this, Bai Wan and Leopard relaxed, wagged their tails, and lay back down.
Hu Zi, however, remained in a sitting position, his gaze lingering on Shao Wei for a moment before he lowered his head slightly, as if giving his approval.
Yang Qi led the two men into the house.
"Captain Sun, Captain Shao, please have a seat. I'll go make some tea," Yang Qi said.
"Don't go to any trouble, Advisor Yang. We're just here to take a look."
Shao Wei said quickly, but his eyes were already sweeping across the living room, clearly searching for any sign of "Liu Fu."
Sun Zhenghong also looked around curiously.
The living room was sparsely furnished and clear at a glance.
Other than a sofa, a coffee table, a small bookshelf, and a low cabinet with a TV, there were just a few cat trees and dog beds in the corner.
"Where's Liu Fu?"
Sun Zhenghong looked around but couldn't find him, asking, "Is he hiding?"
Yang Qi smiled without answering immediately. Instead, he first poured each of them a cup of freshly boiled water and placed it in front of them.
Then, he pointed to a spot about half a meter from the coffee table, near a flower stand in the corner.
"Liu Fu is right there."
"Where?"