Chapter 553: Chapter 252: The... Tiger is Coming Down the Mountain!

By the time they entered the boundaries of Donghua City, it was already four in the morning—the darkest hour before dawn.

He didn’t enter the city, instead turning directly onto the highway leading to Laishan County.

After exiting the highway and driving into the Datang Town area, he could already see the magnificent silhouette of the Xianlai Wild Animal World’s main gate and the faint lights within from a distance.

Yang Qi didn’t drive directly into Xianlai.

He turned at a secluded intersection a few kilometers from the park and found a corner of the woods with no security cameras to park the car.

"Xiaojiu, you stay in the car and keep watch."

Yang Qi instructed Xiaojiu.

"Meow~" Xiaojiu responded, leaping to the front seat, its emerald eyes watching the outside warily.

Yang Qi grabbed the Spirit Beast Pouch, got out of the car, and took a deep breath of the crisp, pre-dawn air.

After getting his bearings, his figure flickered. Like a ghost melting into the night, he used a Body Technique to flit silently toward the river north of Datang Town.

He deliberately avoided all main roads and areas that might have cameras, sticking to secluded paths and open fields.

More than ten minutes later, Yang Qi arrived at the riverbank.

It was a river that wasn’t particularly wide, with a steady current.

A thin layer of morning mist shrouded the river’s surface, obscuring the scenery on the opposite bank.

Yang Qi fully extended his Divine Sense, blanketing a radius of nearly seven hundred meters as he scanned the area carefully.

He confirmed that there was no one around, nor were there any surveillance devices.

Immediately, he held up the Spirit Beast Pouch and injected it with Magical Power. The mouth of the pouch flashed faintly.

The next moment, Lian Po’s massive figure appeared abruptly on the grassy riverbank.

It seemed dazed by the sudden change of scenery, shaking its head and observing its surroundings with vigilance. Only after spotting Yang Qi did it relax.

"Lian Po, listen up. Do exactly as I say from now on. Remember every single step."

Yang Qi’s expression was grave. "You’re going to jump into the river from here. The water isn’t deep—less than two meters. Once you’re in, swim about two hundred meters downstream, then find a concealed spot on the opposite bank, one hidden by bushes, and get out."

"After you get ashore, enter the mountain forest on the other side. Head into the mountains until you reach a slope with a clear view of the Xianlai Zoo. The place with lots of buildings and a very comfortable aura—that’s the Zoo. Once you’re on the slope, walk in a few circles to leave clear tracks and your scent."

"Then, come down the mountain and head toward the Xianlai Zoo. You’ll see a gate that isn’t very high. Don’t worry about it; just jump over it and get inside the park."

"Once inside, find an area with a lot of wild ducks. There’s a pond there. You can hunt the ducks and then rest."

After a pause, Yang Qi stressed with added weight, "Remember, along the way, especially as you approach and enter Xianlai, you must let the Two-legged Beasts in the park see you!"

"But you cannot harm them!"

"If they get close or try anything, just give a low growl to warn them, or get out of the way."

"Understand?"

Lian Po listened intently, nodding its tiger head slightly. But a hint of confusion still lingered in its amber eyes as it let out a low growl.

I understand, Master.

But why make it so complicated? Can’t I just walk right in?

Yang Qi saw the "why go to all this trouble" look in its eyes and chuckled to himself, but his expression remained serious.

"Just follow my instructions. Don’t worry about anything else. Go on now, it’ll be dawn soon."

Although Lian Po still didn’t quite grasp all the convoluted details, it was absolutely obedient to Yang Qi’s commands.

It licked its lips, gave Yang Qi one last look, and let out a low growl.

Alright, Master. I’m going.

With that, its massive body took a light leap and—SPLASH!—it jumped into the cold but not-too-turbulent river water, sending up a huge spray.

Despite its age, it was a good swimmer. It quickly steadied itself and began to swim unhurriedly downstream with the current.

Yang Qi stood where he was, watching Lian Po cut a wake through the mist-shrouded surface of the river as it gradually swam toward the opposite bank.

His Divine Sense remained locked onto it, confirming that Lian Po followed his instructions. It silently clambered ashore at a thicket-covered spot about two hundred meters downstream, shook the water from its fur, and then warily and swiftly vanished into the forest on the other side.

Only when Lian Po’s figure had completely disappeared into the woods did Yang Qi slowly withdraw his gaze, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

’Making it this complicated is, of course, to make it plausible,’ Yang Qi thought to himself.

He needed to leave behind a chain of evidence substantial enough to withstand scrutiny, one that would prove this Wild South China Tiger had entered the Xianlai Zoo of its own accord!

Just like those two red pandas from before.

This meticulously planned route and sighting process was meant to provide everyone with a logically consistent "story."

Lian Po, an old South China Tiger, originally lived deep in the mountains. Due to its advanced age, failing health, and the struggle to survive, it was forced to find a new territory.

It crossed the river, originally intending to enter the resource-rich Cangshan.

But just as it climbed the slope and looked ahead, it keenly sensed the special microclimate within the Xianlai Zoo area.

So, it changed its mind on the spot. Drawn by Xianlai, it abandoned its plan to venture deeper into Cangshan and instead descended the mountain, actively approaching and entering the Xianlai park!

Throughout the entire process, it was discovered and witnessed by Xianlai’s on-duty staff, leaving behind tracks, its scent, and video footage of it entering the park.

Finally, it entered the Wetland Birdwatching Area to hunt wild ducks.

In short, everything had to align with the behavioral logic of a hungry tiger!

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