Chapter 459 - 233: Contribution Points +2000, New Magic
Chapter 459: Chapter 233: Contribution Points +2000, New Magic
"Director Huang, you’d better keep a close eye on a talent like Advisor Yang, or someone might poach him."
"That’s right. I can see Director Lu, Director Yu, and Director Li are all quite envious."
"..."
Huang Zhongmu smiled and deflected the praise. "You’re too kind. Xiao Yang is just exceptional on his own."
Yet, the look he gave Yang Qi was somewhat complex.
Yang Qi was rising through the ranks too quickly.
He no longer needed to make introductions for him; Yang Qi had already built an impressive network and reputation within the industry on the strength of his own incredible abilities.
Yang Qi felt the stares and murmurs from those around him, but his expression remained calm and composed. He politely handled the small talk while continuing to discreetly observe the crowd.
He noticed two people in a distant corner who seemed to be paying particular attention to his group. Their gaze lingered on him longer than anyone else’s.
Both were wearing the vests of conference staff; one was adjusting the audio equipment, and the other was organizing documents.
But Yang Qi’s keen senses picked up on something: their posture and the intensity in their eyes were slightly different from those of regular staff.
’Plainclothes officers?’
Yang Qi surmised, but gave no outward sign.
...
At three in the afternoon, the East China Collaboration Zone’s Annual Zoo Conference officially began.
Speeches from leadership, annual work summaries, reports on industry trends... The conference proceeded according to schedule.
Yang Qi listened attentively, absorbing the industry’s latest information and ideas.
The thematic report sessions were held the following afternoon.
The "Animal Behavior and Welfare" session.
It was Yang Qi’s turn to take the stage.
He took a deep breath and walked steadily to the podium.
Down in the audience, familiar faces like Huang Zhongmu, Zhao Mingfeng, Lu Gangsheng, Yu Xiulian, and Li Jianmin sat in the front row, offering him encouraging glances.
Farther back, a sea of his peers watched him with varying expressions.
Yang Qi wasn’t nervous. He opened his prepared presentation, and the title appeared on the screen—
*Beyond the Surface: A New Approach to Animal Behavior Intervention Based on a Deep Reading of Non-Verbal Signals*
Yang Qi began his presentation.
His voice was steady and clear, his logic rigorous.
He began with real-world case studies—Xiong Ba’s stress response, the gray wolf Happy’s abnormal vigilance, the depression of the chimpanzees at Binjiang Zoo—to explain his understanding of animal "language" in a way that was both profound and accessible.
He stressed the importance of long-term, meticulous, trust-building observation to capture atypical signals that are easily overlooked. He also highlighted the need to combine these observations with environmental factors and an animal’s past experiences to make a comprehensive assessment.
Yang Qi put forward several concrete proposals: establishing baseline behavioral profiles for individual animals, implementing multi-dimensional enrichment interventions, and shifting the role of the zookeeper or researcher from that of a "manager" to "a predictable and positive environmental factor."
He didn’t mention a single supernatural element throughout his talk. Even so, his observational perspectives—so nuanced they seemed to peer into an animal’s inner world—his incisive behavioral analysis, and his compassionate intervention strategies were a breath of fresh air for the professionals in attendance.
"...When we try to set aside our human arrogance and truly enter the world of animals—to listen in their ’language’ and understand with their ’logic’—we find that behind many behavioral problems lie unmet needs, misunderstood fears, or disrespected natural instincts."
"The key to intervention may very well be hidden within those most subtle ’non-verbal signals.’ This isn’t just about animal welfare; it’s about how we coexist harmoniously with the other intelligent life on this planet."
When he finished speaking, the room was silent for a few seconds before erupting into thunderous applause.
The Q&A session that followed was exceptionally lively.
Experts like Lu Gangsheng and Yu Xiulian posed insightful questions. Yang Qi answered each one with composure, backing his responses with both theoretical support and practical case studies, earning round after round of appreciative applause.
Even some colleagues who had initially been skeptical of him now looked on with expressions of serious contemplation rather than dismissal.
Yang Qi knew that his gambit to establish his reputation at this "grand tournament" had been a success.
Not only had he showcased Donghua Zoo’s unique perspective and capabilities in animal behavior research, but he had also elevated his personal reputation within the industry to a new level.
During the conference breaks, a steady stream of colleagues approached Yang Qi to exchange business cards, discuss topics, or even invite him to their own zoos for consultations.
Yang Qi maintained a modest demeanor, engaging selectively in conversation.
...
The third and final day of the conference was scheduled for open networking and group discussions.
Yang Qi’s mind, however, was more focused on finding "Pangolin."
He appeared to be casually wandering through the various breakout rooms and rest areas, chatting with people. In reality, his transcendent perception was constantly active in a subtle way, like an invisible radar scanning the crowd’s emotional fluctuations and personal dispositions.
「A little after ten in the morning, in the hotel’s third-floor coffee lounge.」
Holding a glass of water, Yang Qi pretended to admire the decorative art on the walls. His real focus, however, was on a man sitting alone in a nearby corner, watching a tablet.
The man looked to be about fifty. He wore a well-tailored, deep blue casual suit, his hair was impeccably styled, and he had on a pair of rimless glasses. He had a refined, scholarly air about him, like an academic or a successful arts entrepreneur.
A video was playing on the tablet in front of him. The volume was turned down low, but Yang Qi’s sharp hearing still picked it up.
It was the low roar of a large feline, accompanied by a subtle, unsettling sound, like the crunching of bone.
The man’s expression was one of intense focus—was that an almost fanatical appreciation?
His fingers tapped unconsciously on the tabletop. His eyes were sharp, and the corners of his mouth held a hint of an indescribable smile.