Working in a Zoo with Beast Taming System

A keeper from the Veterinary Station brought warm goat's milk and specially prepared food.

Yang Qi fed it himself.

The little lion ate with gusto, but it would look up at Yang Qi every few bites, as if making sure he was still there.

Once it was full, Yang Qi played with it for a while in the indoor enclosure, mostly using soft toys to encourage it to move around.

About ten minutes later.

Deng Lei arrived, accompanied by his superior, Cheng Wenming, and a squad leader from the White Tower District's economic crime division.

The three men first watched the little lion through an observation window as it pounced on and chewed a burlap ball in the enclosure, their faces filled with amazement.

"It really is a lion cub. Look at its features, its energy... If it came from a legitimate source, it'd be an absolute treasure," Deng Lei remarked with a sigh.

"Too bad its origins are probably anything but," Cheng Wenming said, his expression grave.

When Yang Qi came out.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, they all went to the Veterinary Station's office.

Yang Qi recounted the full story of how he found the lion cub, including his suspicions based on the "bad smell" and "chemical scent" that Xiaojiu had detected.

He didn't mention Xiaojiu's specific abilities, only saying, "Cats are exceptionally sensitive to certain smells, and Xiaojiu happens to be a particularly smart one."

After listening, Deng Lei mulled it over. "Your suspicion makes a lot of sense. We've checked every zoo, circus, and legal breeding facility in the province and even the surrounding ones. No one has reported a missing lion cub."

"Illegal private ownership is the most likely scenario. Plus, anyone who can get their hands on an Asiatic lion cub isn't just some hobbyist. We're almost certainly looking at a professional smuggling ring."

"We've been investigating this 'Jiulian Mountain' organization. Their operational scope is vast. They don't just poach protected wildlife; they're also involved in the illegal acquisition, transport, and sale of rare, captive-bred animals."

"This cub was probably sourced from one of their illegal breeding sites—merchandise they were about to sell. Something must have gone wrong during transport."

The squad leader from the economic crime division added, "Our department has also been looking into a few leads on underground money laundering and illicit trade. Some of the accounts and transaction patterns overlap with clues from two criminals we arrested previously."

"If this cub really is merchandise from Jiulian Mountain, then following this lead might just get us to their financial pipeline and sales network."

Cheng Wenming looked at Yang Qi, his expression turning serious. "Advisor Yang, that little lion is the key right now. It might be carrying a crucial clue that could lead us to Jiulian Mountain."

"Besides the scent, do you think it's possible something was planted on it? A micro-tracker, for instance? Or something else?"

A thought struck Yang Qi.

He hadn't considered that possibility.

If smugglers were transporting a high-value live animal, it wouldn't be out of the question for them to implant a hidden tracker to prevent it from getting lost or stolen by rivals.

"We'll need to do a more detailed examination," Yang Qi said, turning to Dr. Zhang.

Dr. Zhang replied instantly, "Our veterinary hospital has a portable X-ray machine. We can also contact the municipal police's tech department and borrow their professional scanning equipment."

"No time to waste. Make the arrangements immediately!"

Cheng Wenming made the call.

And so, with Yang Qi by its side, the little lion was brought back into the examination room.

This time, in addition to the routine checkup, the main goal was to scan the cub's entire body with a high-precision metal detector and a portable spectrum analyzer.

The procedure went smoothly. The cub trusted Yang Qi completely. Though it was a little frightened by the buzzing machines, it endured it with Yang Qi's soothing presence.

The results of the scan made everyone's heart sink.

About a centimeter beneath the skin on the scruff of the cub's neck, they found a tiny, rice-grain-sized metal object encased in biocompatible material!

Based on its signal signature, it was most likely a passive or low-power RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) chip, or perhaps an even more sophisticated biosensor.

"We found it!"

The technician pointed to a small, distinct point of light on the screen.

Everyone's expression darkened.

"Those bastards!"

Deng Lei gritted his teeth. "Implanting a chip under the skin is a common tactic smugglers use to control high-value live animals. First, it prevents them from getting lost. Second, it helps verify the 'product' during a sale. This chip is guaranteed to have a unique ID code!"

"Can we remove it? Or block its signal?" Yang Qi asked.

"Removing it would require a minor surgery, but the cub isn't in great condition right now. The procedure carries risks, and it would leave a wound that could be easily detected."

Dr. Zhang looked at Yang Qi. "As for blocking it... these chips are usually passive. They only activate and transmit a signal when a specific reader gets close. They're very difficult to block through conventional means."

"Besides, if we block or destroy the chip, they'll probably know something's wrong immediately and cut off all associated leads."

Yang Qi mulled it over for a moment before speaking. "Maybe... we can turn this to our advantage."

At this, the others turned to look at him.

"Explain," Cheng Wenming said, his eyes questioning.

"Leave the chip in. Don't touch it. They're definitely looking for their lost 'merchandise.'"

Yang Qi said gravely, "We can leak the information that the lion cub is at the zoo through 'appropriate,' limited channels."

"For example, we could mention it in an internal zoo bulletin or a closed industry channel, under the pretext of the zoo taking in a rescued wild animal. We'd keep the specific details and any photos vague—just say they've received a 'large feline cub.'"

Yang Qi's eyes swept over the others. "If this chip really is Jiulian Mountain's, they're bound to have ways of monitoring relevant intelligence. Once they find out the cub is at Donghua Zoo, they'll almost certainly make a move."

"They'll either try to confirm its location, make contact, or even attempt to steal it back. Or, they'll initiate a contingency plan and eliminate all related leads. Either way, if they make a move, we'll have a chance to catch them by the tail."

Deng Lei's eyes lit up. "Lure the snake from its hole?"

"Exactly."

Yang Qi nodded. "But for that to work, we need to set the stage and lie in wait. The zoo staff will need to be vetted thoroughly to make sure there's no inside man."

"At the same time, the cub's security needs to be 'outwardly relaxed but inwardly tight.' We'll need to place it in a relatively isolated display or quarantine area that's still well within our control."

"I can 'coincidentally' become the cub's primary caretaker. That way, whoever tries to make contact will likely have to go through me first."

"The plan is viable, but it's risky,"

Cheng Wenming mused. "These are dangerous criminals. If they sense a trap, they might get desperate. That would be bad for both you and the cub."

"I can protect myself, and I'll watch over the cub."

Yang Qi's tone was calm. "Besides, isn't this the perfect opportunity? We can draw them out of the shadows. It's better than us running around like headless chickens, chasing dead ends."

Deng Lei and Cheng Wenming exchanged a look.

They were both veteran cops. They knew that sometimes, solving a case meant taking risks to seize a fleeting opportunity.

"I agree with Advisor Yang's plan."

Cheng Wenming made the final decision. "But the deployment must be meticulous. Captain Sun, your economic crime unit will coordinate and monitor for any abnormal financial or communication activity. Deng Lei, you'll take your men and be responsible for the outer perimeter and emergency support. I'll dispatch an elite team for twenty-four-hour surveillance inside the Zoo, using both plainclothes officers and technical surveillance."

"As for the bait, our own people will handle that. Advisor Yang, you can just direct things from the sidelines. Or have Xiaojiu do some reconnaissance."

"But—" Yang Qi started to object.

"That's an order. It's not up for discussion!"